The Christmas Review

Well, my laptop went tits up a couple weeks ago. Thankfully, it was still under warranty. Two motherboards, one CPU, and one Video Card later, we are up and running today. So, I would just like to take a minute to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas.

I got some sweet swag for the holiday. My loot tally included a DVD of Rambo, a copy of A Farewell to Arms, a copy of The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemmingway, a Copy of Soul by Seal, a copy of Neon Bible by Arcade Fire, and some clothes and cash.

There is Hope.

I just got back from running the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. My family drew the unfortunate slot of 1 am to 2 am. It was a humbling experience. For those of you who missed out on this worthwhile venture, you can find all the information you need here.

The relay took place on the local track. The track was marked with paper lanterns, each one commemorating someone who struggled with cancer. Each one marked someone's father, mother, brother, sister, son, or daughter. On the infield, the Relay teams set up tents in the ragamuffin style that is so very quaintly Port Townsend. They had a projector running Grease and later Big Fish, and a popcorn machine.

Walking out there for an hour was an enlightening experience. This is something bigger than any one of us, yet it touches so many of us in profoundly personal ways. Anything we can do to fight it is worth it. I have lost a grandparent on each side of my family, an aunt, and a cousin to the disease. Both my parents have had to struggle against it. I've seen how it can destroy people. But I will say this, when it comes for me, I'll rip its damn head off.

I hate poison oak.

BEHOLD, THE FACE OF EVIL!

Seriously, I'm just thankful that the Army uniform covers everything except the hands, and I thank God that I'm not allergic to it. But it's oh so itchy!

Let's be serious for a minute.

I want to bring up a very serious situation right now. Sorry about spewing out the posts today, but I just got the internet back up.


I'd like to talk about Cyclone Nargis. A cyclone is a Hurricane in the Southern Pacific and Indian Oceans. Same exact type of storm, just a different location. Cyclone Nargis made land fall in Burma six days ago. Things like this make me thank God daily that I live in the US. We're spoiled.


Cyclone Nargis had peak sustained winds of 135 MPH. This would have made it a category 4 hurricane if it were in the Atlantic. Most people regard Hurricane Katrina as the worst natural disaster to hit the US in modern history. Hurricane Katrina killed 1,836 people. The death toll of Cyclone Nargis is currently at 22,980, and it's still climbing.


While the Burmese government has remained resistant to formal international aid, the initial stages for international aid have been set. The US has given 3.25 million dollars, the EU have given 3 million dollars, Canada has given 2 million, and the generous British have already pledged a hair under 10 million. But every bit helps, and anyone wishing to donate to the relief effort is appreciated. The easiest way to donate is through this nifty page that Google has set up. It has a direct donation set up for UNICEF and Direct Relief International. Please, give what you can.

Computer, Hello, Computer?

Well, my 4 year old laptop finally kicked the bucket. It was so sudden. I was sitting there, when all of a sudden it stopped registering the power cable, and the battery just drained. For a little while, it recovered, then started flashing between power and no power with shocking speed. It was a bit lit Schroedinger's CPU, stuck in a quantum state of both fucked and unfucked. That is, until I had the sheer audacity to try and check my E-Mail, then the whole thing went to shit. It's a shame, because I had some interesting stories about this weekend involving clubs, liquor, Jeff, trains, buses, zombies, hailstones, and lesbians. We'll see how much I can remember once the new computer comes in.