di·ver·sion: (d-vûrzhn, -shn, d-)noun Something that distracts the mind and relaxes or entertains.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday Hero
25 years old from Paterson, New Jersey
3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade
May 11, 2009
On Mother's Day, Eugenia Gardos made a tabletop shrine to her recently deceased mother, surrounding her photograph with silk roses, a small white rosary cross, two votive candles and a prayer card of Senor de los Milagros, the patron saint of Peru.
The next day, May 11, she added her son's picture to the shrine for the dead.
Sgt. Gardos was killed along with five fellow servicemen; Army Spc. Jacob D. Barton, Army Maj. Matthew P. Houseal, Navy Cmdr. Charles K. Springle and Army Pfc. Michael E. Yates Jr. in the attack on Camp Liberty.
"The first time he left for Iraq, when they would read the lists of the dead on the news, we used to hold our breath, praying he wasn't on it," his mother said. "I don't understand how he could have died this way. I just don't understand it."
Sgt. Galdos had emigrated with his family from Mollendo, Peru, as a child and had been a U.S. citizen since high school. His mother, two older brothers and older sister recalled how he used to hand out candy to children in Iraq the same way he always did in Paterson, never making a trip to the corner bodega without a group of neighborhood children tailing behind, knowing he would buy them candy or a soda.
"We were all here at home," Carlos Bueno, Sgt. Galdos's father, said. "I was getting ready to go to bed when I heard screaming downstairs. I ran downstairs and everyone had thrown themselves to the floor, thrashing around, screaming."
Bueno said he does not feel bitterness toward the man accused in the shootings, whom he described as "mentally ill."
"We want people to know we're proud of our son's Army, but if my son had died in war we would be able to handle that," he said. "But not to die in this manner."
All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Happy 23rd!!!
I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to one of my favorite actors & Englishmen, Rob Pattinson!
Happy Birthday, Rob!!!! May you have a lovely and blessed year!


Thank you for sharing your talents, acting & singing & music, with all of us crazy fans, and for being a funny, charming, adorkable, special guy! And especially thank you for introducing us to Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, and Sam Bradley.
I <3 How To Be:
And from Twilight:
Happy Birthday, Rob!!!! May you have a lovely and blessed year!


Thank you for sharing your talents, acting & singing & music, with all of us crazy fans, and for being a funny, charming, adorkable, special guy! And especially thank you for introducing us to Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, and Sam Bradley.
I <3 How To Be:
And from Twilight:
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
I love these guys!
Bobby Long & Marcus Foster Interview from Pattinson Online Network on Vimeo.
Sam Bradley Interview from Pattinson Online Network on Vimeo.
Bobby Long: www.myspace.com/musicbobbylong
Marcus Foster: www.myspace.com/marcusfoster
Sam Bradley: www.myspace.com/sambradley06
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Wednesday Hero
23 years old from Elkhart, Indiana
6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Marine Forces Reserve
October 1, 2006
With sleet gushing from gunmetal gray clouds, some 30 Marines standing in three trim lines saluted the U.S. flag that four of their brethren used to christen a new pole.
A large engraved stone set at the base of the 38-foot pole explained the occasion: "In memory of Corporal Aaron L. Seal. Who gave his life for our country. 1982-2006."
The Marines from Engineer Company B joined several dozen community residents and well-wishers at a ceremony Wednesday honoring Seal, the 23-year-old Elkhart reservist who died last fall in Iraq. Seal's family also attended the 20-minute tribute at Elkhart Community Schools' administration building adjacent to Memorial High School -- the fallen Marine's alma mater.
Read the rest of the story here.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
I'm going to see Bobby Long!
I just bought tickets for Bobby Long's Seattle performance, at El Corazon, on August 10th! I am so excited I could scream and cry. He's marvelous and I feel so blessed that I can watch him perform live. I've read his live performances are amazing. You can get tickets at TicketsWest.com, just search Bobby Long in the Seattle area.
And don't forget to buy his first gorgeous single "Left to Lie" on iTunes! It is exquisite!
And don't forget to buy his first gorgeous single "Left to Lie" on iTunes! It is exquisite!
Bobby On "Left to Lie" and The Tour
Another great ITN video clip from their interview with Bobby Long, about his first single, "Left to Lie," now available on iTunes, and his upcoming trips to the US.
He sings some of "Left to Lie" on this one. He's so adorable.
He sings some of "Left to Lie" on this one. He's so adorable.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Wednesday Hero
2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment
In the early morning hours of July 13, 2008, Soldiers from Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment were not thinking about medals as they fought off roughly 200 insurgents attacking their vehicle patrol base in Afghanistan.
No Soldier in combat does.
The Army, however, takes pause afterward to honor those who distinguish themselves in battle and recognizes them before their peers.
Read the rest of the story.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Bobby Long's "Left to Lie" On iTunes!
My newest favorite singer is a 22-year-old Englishman named Bobby Long. He's got so much talent: he plays the guitar, he sings with his gorgeous whiskey-ish voice, and he writes lyrics that sound like John Keats, one of my favorite poets (especially "Being a Mockingbird.")
Last night his first single "Left to Lie" came out on iTunes! It is absolutely beautiful and makes me cry. I have been listening to it over and over and I still can't believe how simply gorgeous it is. I thought the version on his MySpace was perfect, but this one is even more amazing.
I really cannot recommend Bobby Long enough! Go listen to all his songs. I love each and every one, though when I am listening to one I always think "this is my favorite." Then I listen to the next one and think, "this one's my favorite!"
To top it all off, Bobby's coming on a US Tour this summer (as well as a couple of limited dates in April!). I can't wait to see him in Portland and Seattle. You can find all his tour dates, his songs, and more about Bobby here!
And, here's a video of one of Bobby's songs, "Sad Woman Blues."
And here he is singing "So Tear Me Up," which is no longer on his MySpace (sad!!). I love this song.
And posts from my fellow Land of Dreams Street Team Members,
And check out the new website: The Land of Dreamers, which is a fansite for Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, and Sam Bradley. Awesome!
Last night his first single "Left to Lie" came out on iTunes! It is absolutely beautiful and makes me cry. I have been listening to it over and over and I still can't believe how simply gorgeous it is. I thought the version on his MySpace was perfect, but this one is even more amazing.
I really cannot recommend Bobby Long enough! Go listen to all his songs. I love each and every one, though when I am listening to one I always think "this is my favorite." Then I listen to the next one and think, "this one's my favorite!"
To top it all off, Bobby's coming on a US Tour this summer (as well as a couple of limited dates in April!). I can't wait to see him in Portland and Seattle. You can find all his tour dates, his songs, and more about Bobby here!
And, here's a video of one of Bobby's songs, "Sad Woman Blues."
And here he is singing "So Tear Me Up," which is no longer on his MySpace (sad!!). I love this song.
And posts from my fellow Land of Dreams Street Team Members,
And check out the new website: The Land of Dreamers, which is a fansite for Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, and Sam Bradley. Awesome!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday Hero
This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Elena

Chief Master Sergeant Paul Wesley Airey

"Chief Airey was an Airman's Airman and one of the true pioneers for our service," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff. "He was a warrior, an innovator, and a leader with vision well ahead of his time. His legacy lives today in the truly professional enlisted force we have serving our nation, and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude."
Chief Airey was born in Quincy, Mass., on December 13, 1923. At age eighteen, shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December, 7, 1941, Airey quit high school to enlist in the Army Air Forces on November 16, 1942. He later earned his high school equivalency certificate through off-duty study. During World War II he flew as a B-24 radio operator and additional duty aerial gunner. On his 28th mission, then-Technical Sergeant Airey and his fellow crewmen were shot down over Vienna, Austria, captured, and held prisoner by the German air force from July 1944 to May 1945. During his time as a prisoner of war he worked tirelessly to meet the basic needs of fellow prisoners, even through a 90-day forced march.
Chief Airey held the top enlisted from April 3, 1967 to July 31, 1969. During his tenure he worked to change loan establishments charging exorbitant rates outside the air base gates and to improve low retention during the Vietnam Conflict. Chief Airey also led a team that laid the foundation for the Weighted Airman Promotion System, a system that has stood the test of time and which is still in use today. He also advocated for an Air Force-level Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy. His vision became reality when the academy opened in 1973, becoming the capstone in the development of Air Force Senior NCOs. Chief Airey retired August 1, 1970. He continued advocating for Airmen's rights by serving on the boards of numerous Air Force and enlisted professional military organizations throughout the years. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Airmen Memorial Museum, a member of the Air Force Memorial Foundation and the Air University Foundation.
On the north wall of the Air Force Memorial in Washington D.C., Chief Airey's thoughts on Airmen are immortalized, "When I think of the enlisted force, I see dedication, determination, loyalty and valor." The Air Force Association honored Airey with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Chief Airey passed away on March 11, 2009 at his home in Panama City, Florida
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

"Chief Airey was an Airman's Airman and one of the true pioneers for our service," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff. "He was a warrior, an innovator, and a leader with vision well ahead of his time. His legacy lives today in the truly professional enlisted force we have serving our nation, and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude."
Chief Airey was born in Quincy, Mass., on December 13, 1923. At age eighteen, shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December, 7, 1941, Airey quit high school to enlist in the Army Air Forces on November 16, 1942. He later earned his high school equivalency certificate through off-duty study. During World War II he flew as a B-24 radio operator and additional duty aerial gunner. On his 28th mission, then-Technical Sergeant Airey and his fellow crewmen were shot down over Vienna, Austria, captured, and held prisoner by the German air force from July 1944 to May 1945. During his time as a prisoner of war he worked tirelessly to meet the basic needs of fellow prisoners, even through a 90-day forced march.
Chief Airey held the top enlisted from April 3, 1967 to July 31, 1969. During his tenure he worked to change loan establishments charging exorbitant rates outside the air base gates and to improve low retention during the Vietnam Conflict. Chief Airey also led a team that laid the foundation for the Weighted Airman Promotion System, a system that has stood the test of time and which is still in use today. He also advocated for an Air Force-level Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy. His vision became reality when the academy opened in 1973, becoming the capstone in the development of Air Force Senior NCOs. Chief Airey retired August 1, 1970. He continued advocating for Airmen's rights by serving on the boards of numerous Air Force and enlisted professional military organizations throughout the years. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Airmen Memorial Museum, a member of the Air Force Memorial Foundation and the Air University Foundation.
On the north wall of the Air Force Memorial in Washington D.C., Chief Airey's thoughts on Airmen are immortalized, "When I think of the enlisted force, I see dedication, determination, loyalty and valor." The Air Force Association honored Airey with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Chief Airey passed away on March 11, 2009 at his home in Panama City, Florida
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Twilight out tonight!!!!
I'm so excited! Only a little bit of time left before Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition)
is out here! I've heard such good reviews of the dvd. Director Catherine Hardwicke really put a lot of Twilight-Love into it and I'm so thankful for that.
I really cannot wait for this! Though, actually, it hasn't been that long since it left the theaters and I think the dvd is really out rather quickly (and still super awesome, way to go Catherine!).

Lots more Twilight-y info here, including other new Twilight products coming out, the books, the people involved!
I really cannot wait for this! Though, actually, it hasn't been that long since it left the theaters and I think the dvd is really out rather quickly (and still super awesome, way to go Catherine!).

Lots more Twilight-y info here, including other new Twilight products coming out, the books, the people involved!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Rainn is Hilarious
Rainn Wilson, that is, from The Office. Here is a link to his "25 Things About Me!. Very funny!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Remains of medieval vampire found?
This is interesting! Do read the whole story.
LiveScience: Medieval 'Vampire' Skull Found---
And the gross probable explanation:
LiveScience: Medieval 'Vampire' Skull Found---
The remains of a medieval "vampire" have been discovered among the corpses of 16th century plague victims in Venice, according to an Italian archaeologist who led the dig.Right. As we Twilight fans know, the city really overrun with Vampires is Volterra (go read New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) if you don't understand.).
The body of the woman was found in a mass grave on the Venetian island of Lazzaretto Nuovo. Suspecting that she might be a vampire, a common folk belief at the time, gravediggers shoved a rock into her skull to prevent her from chewing through her shroud and infecting others with the plague, said anthropologist Matteo Borrini of the University of Florence.
In the absence of medical science, vampires were just one of many possible contemporary explanations for the spread of the Venetian plague in 1576, which ran rampant through the city and ultimately killed up to 50,000 people, some officials estimate.
Italy's famous canal city wasn't really overrun with medieval Draculas, however.
And the gross probable explanation:
A phenomenon that occurs early on in the process of decomposition - abdominal bloating - is what likely concerned the Venetian gravediggers, Borrini said. When humans die, the body releases a myriad of bacterial gases that cause a corpse to bloat with fluid, usually just a few days after death in the absence of any kind of preservation or protection from coffins.It is quite an fascinating article!
"During this phase, the decay of the gastrointestinal tract contents and lining create a dark fluid called 'purge fluid'; it can flow freely from the nose and mouth...and it could easily be confused with the blood sucked by the vampire," said Borrini.
If the "vampire" woman was emitting blood from her mouth, the fluid likely moistened her burial shroud causing it to sink into her jaw cavity and be dissolved by the fluids, Borrini said, making it appear as though she was trying to bite through her shroud. When discovered in that state, a stone was jammed into her mouth as a kind of exorcism to prevent her from potentially spreading the disease further, the researchers think.
Medieval skeletons have been found in a similar state in other parts of Europe, Borrini said.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Items of Interest
AP: UK survivor of WWI trenches given French honor---
AP: Collector: Lincoln photo uncovered in Grant album---
AP: Museum reveals engraving hidden in Lincoln watch
LONDON – The last British survivor of World War I's grinding trench warfare was made an officer of the French Legion of Honor on Monday.AP: Did a Bard contemporary brush up on Shakespeare?---
French Ambassador Maurice Gourdault-Montagne awarded 110-year-old Harry Patch the medal at a ceremony in Patch's nursing home in Wells, 120 miles (190 kilometers) west of London, Britain's Ministry of Defense said in a statement. Patch, who served as a machine-gunner in the 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, told Gourdault-Montagne he was proud of the honor.
"Ambassador, I greatly appreciate the way your people respect the memory of those who fell, irrespective of the uniform they wore," he said in a raspy, deliberate voice. "I will wear this medal with great pride and when I eventually rejoin my mates it will be displayed in my regimental museum as a permanent reminder of the kindness of the people of France."
Patch is one of only two surviving British veterans of World War I, according to the Ministry of Defense. The second, 112-year-old Henry Allingham, served as an airman.
LONDON – The Bard, or not the Bard? That is the question posed by Monday's unveiling of a centuries-old portrait of a dark-eyed, handsome man in Elizabethan finery.And also of interest in that article:
Experts say it is the only portrait of William Shakespeare painted during his lifetime — in effect, the sole source of our knowledge of what the great man looked like.
But they can't be certain. In the shifting sands of Shakespeare scholarship, where even the authorship of the plays is sometimes disputed, nothing is written in stone.
In separate discoveries that are solving other Shakespeare-related mysteries, Museum of London archaeologists said they had uncovered the foundations of the long-buried theater where Shakespeare wrote and performed as an actor.And an addition from 10 March 2009:
Museum officials said the rudimentary playhouse, simply called The Theatre, was built in 1576 by actor and theater promoter James Burbage. The site, where Shakespeare performed from 1594 to 1597, now houses an abandoned warehouse.
Experts believe "Romeo and Juliet" was performed there.
The playhouse remains were found on the site of an unused warehouse in Hackney on the eastern outskirts of London. Scholars say the theater there was dismantled and moved to the site of the more famous Globe Theater after a dispute between Burbage and the landlord in 1597.
Searchers even found pottery shards decorated with the image of a man who resembled Shakespeare, but experts said this was only a passing coincidence, not an indication that the show business merchandising craze had already begun.
AP: Collector: Lincoln photo uncovered in Grant album---
WASHINGTON – A collector believes a photograph from a private album of Civil War Gen. Ulysses S. Grant shows President Abraham Lincoln in front of the White House and could be the last image taken of him before he was assassinated in 1865.And then:
If it is indeed Lincoln, it would be the only known photo of the 16th president in front of the executive mansion and a rare find, as only about 130 photos of him are known to exist. A copy of the image was provided to The Associated Press.
Grant's 38-year-old great-great-grandson, Ulysses S. Grant VI, had seen the picture before, but didn't examine it closely until late January. A tall figure in the distance caught his eye, although the man's facial features are obscured.
He called Keya Morgan, a New York-based photography collector and Lincoln aficionado, who helped identify it as Lincoln.
AP: Museum reveals engraving hidden in Lincoln watch
Saturday, February 28, 2009
What else would I be?
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more. | |
| Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm | |
| Literate Good Citizen | |
| Book Snob | |
| Non-Reader | |
| Fad Reader | |
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz | |
Dates for HP7!!!!!!!!!
With all the Twilight hysteria this year, I've sort of neglected Harry Potter! (Well, they did move the date of the 6th movie, so what did they expect?)
People: Harry Potter Sets His Final Date---
People: Harry Potter Sets His Final Date---
Mark your calendar: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II will be released July 15, 2011, Warner Bros. has announced.No wonder they plan to release Twilight Saga movie 3, Eclipse , in summer 2010, so that it won't compete with the 2nd half of HP7. Nothing's going to stop the last HP film.
Part I of the film will open Nov. 19, 2010, the studio said last August. Both films are based on the 608-page seventh book in author J.K. Rowling's series.
My Favorite Drink
You Are Tea |
You are mellow and reflective. You don't allow yourself to feel in a rush and frenzied. You're likely to appreciated the ideas or connections that come up over a warm cup of tea. While you do enjoy the energy of a caffeine boost, you love that it allows you to take a break. You're not in a rush to do anything. You're content with your life, and in no rush to change it. |
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday Hero
19 years old from Knox, Pennsylvania
1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
December 4, 2006
His mission was to patrol the streets of Adhamiyah in northeast Baghdad and find a place to put a 250-kilowatt generator that would provide electricity for more than 100 homes. But it's a mission he wasn't able to accomplish.
Shortly after Pfc. McGinnis's convoy left the compound, and less than a mile from FOB Apache, an insurgent standing on a nearby rooftop threw a grenade into the sixth, and last, Humvee. "Grenade!" yelled McGinnis, who was manning the vehicle's M2 .50-caliber machine gun. He tried to deflect the grenade but it fell into the Humvee and lodged between the radios.
"McGinnis turned and looked down and realized no one in the truck knew where the grenade was," said Capt. Michael Baka, his company commander. "He knew everyone had their doors combat-locked and they wouldn't be able to get out."
Instead of jumping out of the truck to save his own life, like he had been trained to do, McGinnis threw his back against the radio mount, smothering the explosive with his body. The grenade exploded just as Pfc. McGinnis covered it. The blast filled the vehicle with black smoke and debris and blew the driver's door and right passenger's door wide open and blew the machine gun off its mount. The explosion hit McGinnis on his sides and his lower back, under his vest. He was killed instantly.
The other four soldiers in the Humvee suffered relatively minor injuries.
On the morning of December 4, 2006, before his convoy had left, Cpt. Baka has signed a waver promoting Pfc. McGinnis to Specialist and he was posthumously promoted to E-4.
For his heroic actions on that day, McGinnis was awarded the Silver Star and was nominated for a Medal of Honor which he received on June 2, 2008.
All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Edward & Bella-Closer
I came across this fan-made music video of (yes, of course) Edward and Bella from Twilight. It features a new favorite song of mine, "Closer"
, from the Kings of Leon
and is so well done! I was amazed by it. Apparently the song is about a "lovesick vampire," so it works quite nicely. :)
The video is told from Edward's perspective. Beautifully done!!
The video is told from Edward's perspective. Beautifully done!!
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