Beach!

Beach!

Goin' to the beach on my 2 days off. Peace out!

K9 Hurricane Survivors

K9 Hurricane Survivors

Just saw this article about dogs being rescued to this area from the hurricane states.

This One Time, At Band Camp...

This One Time, At Band Camp...

I wrote this last night, but the internet went down, again.

It is good to be home and having my time away from work being my own. I have been petsitting like all summer. (Don't worry, Steph, I'm looking forward to hanging out with your sweet gang at your place.) It's nice to get to take a breath and sleep in. It's nice to ca$h all those check$ too.

So since dinner hadn't thawed in time, we ended up eating out, at a roadhouse. The TV had ESPN2 on and it was a show (warning: link plays music) all about Drum Corps. I got SO excited by the images. It stirred up great memories and enthusiasm for the amazing showmanship and talent and hard work involved. My marching band days were probably the most fun of my life. But way more than fun. Excitement, drive, energy, enthusiasm, success, excellence, music, friends ... So now I have a strong urge to attend a marching competition soon. I assume the DCI (Drum Corps International) season is over, but high school seasons will be beginning this month. Maybe I can make it to my high school's TOB (Tournament of Bands). God I am such a geek. I might even try to make a trip to Pennsylvania for the Atlantic Coast Championships because that will be the best performances and a fun, nostalgic experience.

I searched ESPN's website and found out the Drum Corps show will be replayed Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. and Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. (EDT). Description: Drum Corp International World Championships showcase the pinnacle of athleticism and musical skill in the final contests of the DCI 2005 Summer Music Games. Competing for top honors are the finest drum, musical and color guard competitors from across the country.

Yay for just one more day of work, then my "weekend" on Thursday and Friday. I'm thinking Thursday I will sleep until I'm done sleeping, which will be very late. Then I will work on cleaning and organizing my room and going through old clothes. Maybe a movie. Friday I might volunteer at the D.C. Armory if they need help at the hurricane shelter.

I swear there is something about Tuesdays that brings all the crazies into my store ... Today was no exception! There were so many customers who tried my patience with their complete lack of connection to reality. But I triumphed and they left happy and with a lighter wallet. ;)

My tivo is having problems already. But I think it's our internet, not the Tivo. Maybe I can fix it Thursday when I'm off.

So I've been working weekends for like a month now maybe. It pretty much sucks. Sigh. But Lex is kind enough to hook me up with the beach house for 2 days later this month. And they are bending over backwards to get me my time off to go to Myrtle Beach with my family and grandparents in October, even though we really don't have the staff to cover my shifts.

And I have that perk of attending the Halloween Howl. I asked the owner of the poodles to consider letting me take her dogs. She might ok it. I didn't ask her for an answer right away. She did say they do fine with wearing costumes ... The picture doesn't really show how cute they are together. The little one is like a Mini Me of the big one. I'm even considering that being the costume idea. Like I'll have a doll that's a mini me too.

My hair is getting long! I guess I'll keep the length. It hasn't been this long in years. Not sure what to do with the color. Don't think I want it as blond as it naturally is. Not keen on getting it as red as it usually comes out when I first get it done. So for now I do nothing.

I've been paying $2.36/gal for gas. How 'bout you? I mean $3.36. That was wishful thinking!

My sister broke her hand in a Tae Kwon Do incident. I've yet to hear the whole story.

Hopefully I'll remember to take and send a pic or 2 to my moblog tomorrow. Wish me luck ... it's shipment day! :P

True Disaster

True Disaster

My little mind cannot truly fathom the horror of the hurricane and its aftermath. Some random thoughts ... First of all, it's awful. People are stranded, in filth, with nothing, not even water or food or medicine, not sure if family members are alive. There are too many people who need help and to be rescued and treated and sheltered and fed. They can't all get help in time. The help is coming with guns. Guns just don't seem to me to fit into the way a massive humanitarian rescue effort should go. It is disheartening to realize that when plunged into a dire situation, it's just not the case that everyone helps everyone. Desperation comes into play. And competition. I am so sad to hear that on top of everything else, victims are facing carjackings, beatings and rapes.
And if "lucky" enough to survive the storm and the aftermath, where do the people with no money go? How do they start over with nothing?
A side note about those of us removed from the suffering and need. It feels wierd to go on about my normal life while the largest number of people in the history of our country are displaced, with their lives in complete upheaval. Everyone is talking about how to give to the Red Cross. Which in my opinion we all should do immediately. If you already have, do it again. There's no place for "I really can't spare that much right now." These people couldn't spare what they lost. You can't hold a candle to that. Just give.
I am so depressed trying to think about am I doing enough? I'm really not doing anything. How can I justify not doing more? What can I do? I have no spare room to offer. I have no rescue training. I feel like there's got to be more I can sacrifice or organize or something. I am open to suggestion here ...
I had my favorite channel, Animal Planet, on. They mentioned their website having info on helping animal victims of the hurricane. Well I checked it out. But only after reading many articles about the human victims. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I am an animal lover. No dispute. But the article on animal planet's website saying people who left their pets behind could face cruelty charges just made me go, "Hello! Get real!" Rescuers are leaving people behind. Children are being rescued, torn from their parents, who are left behind in flooded homes. In a situation this bad, priorities are having to be made.
Bush is telling people (not sure how they are supposed to hear him with no tv or radio) not to break into businesses in search of food and water. He says there should be no tolerance for lawlessness. What? You should let your baby die while you wait for a bus that won't be coming any day soon rather than steal from a business? Sure, don't beat and steal from people in the same situation of trying to survive, and don't go running around stealing dvd players, but if there is a closed up builing right there with things in it that will make the difference between life and death, aren't they kind of almost entitled to do what they can?
A word about rescuers, responders, medical personnel, bus drivers, donors, people opening up their homes, etc. Hooray, thank you, bless you, may you stay strong and come out of this as good a person as you were going into it.
And I don't really know, but I hope that I am right on this ... Statements that victims being black and poor is slowing or reducing their aid are crap. There are just too many people. It's just the massive need that stretches aid thin.
Although I'm sure at some level it will come into play. Like after rescues and basic cleanup, when these people need homes and jobs, the people who can afford to offer up spare housing or jobs or whatever, will be more likely to do so to people more like themselves ... an upper-middle-class white family...
Sigh. My heart is heavy and my brain is overwhelmed. But it's my empty stomach that is going to call me away from the keyboard. Sorry to be so down, but it feels false to be light.