Operation Fury Soldiers

In April of 2008 I was on my way to Knoxville, Tennessee to represent HR Florida and the Big Bend Society for Human Resource Management at the Southeastern Regional SHRM Student Conference and HR Games. While on layover in the Atlanta airport I found a seat and open power outlet to plug in my laptop and get some work done. Shortly thereafter I noticed soldier after soldier arriving at the gate directly across from me. A few minutes later more and more soldiers continued to arrive at the gate. Before long there were upwards of 100 to 200 soldiers in the gate. I wasn’t really sure what to think.

Time went by as I buried my head in returning emails. A soldier came and sat near me to use the same power outlet for his laptop. I asked him where he was from and where all the soldiers were going. He responded with a blank face, “We have all just finished a two week leave and are on our way back to Iraq.” I quickly learned that his name is Robert (Sergeant to be exact) and is the same age as me, 26. He is part of the 67th Specialized Search Dog Platoon, Canine Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 5-55 Engineer Brigade.

To be honest with you I didn’t really know what to say and I didn’t want to pry into experiences revolving around the war as I wasn’t sure how he would respond. I stuttered a few times trying to dance around the subject when I just came out and asked how he was doing. It was as if he was waiting for me to ask. Robert described how hard his military experience with the war has been on his family, especially for his wife and small child. I gave him a business card and told him if he felt like it, he could email me whenever he wanted. I also told him I was interested in sending over a care package.

Before long it was for me to catch my flight, but not before I had to maneuver my way through a sea of camouflage. Seeing all of these young soldiers awaiting their return to war is something that is burned into my memory. The experience truly put things in perspective for me.

Since that day, Sergeant Dami has contacted me via email and provided me with some ideas for care packages. After a few emails back and forth I asked myself how I could do more to show my support and we came up with a project, "Operation: Fury Soldiers." I am gathering the names of soldiers and their dogs in his unit in order to provide information on all of them including needs and a few wants in addition to toys for the dogs. My plan is to put all the information together into a package of some sort and offer them up to friends, family and co-workers to "adopt". If you're interested let me know!

Scout's first thunderstorm...

For those that didn't know, I finally named my puppy. Her name is Scout. She is one cute little one if I do say so myself. One big ball of energy. She has been a great companion over the past few months and loves all the new friends she has met at the dog park and when traveling to New York in March.

Summer time in Florida is always the same. Super hot, humid and uncomfortable. Not to mention the daily thunderstorms around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Well, today we had a doozey. I'm talking major power outage, fallen limbs everywhere, flooding, etc. To make things worse, the storms have been ongoing into the evening. In fact, right now we are getting some crazy lightning.

I busted out of my office and ran the short distance to my car to head home only to get completely soaked. When I got home this afternoon I immediately went to let Scout out of her cage. As soon as I hit the doorway to the laundry room where I kee her crate I was bombarded with an unpleasant smell. She peed in her crate. Scout layed there curled up shaking in the back corner of her crate. It was pitiful. I knew instantly that the thunder and lightning had scared her. Poor thing.

I gave her a quick bath and now she is sitting on my chest as I lay on the couch typing this. I dried her off as much as possible but she still is shivering like it is 20 below. Five minutes ago she was running circles around my apartment as fast as she could, which is her normal post bath routine. As of now the thunder and lightning isn't bothering her but I am positive it is because I am home with her. Damn she is cute!

What are we supposed to do now?

Well, it has been settled. Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Primary a few weeks ago. I will admit that I changed my party affiliation in the fall of last year from an Independent to a Democrat so that I could vote in the primary. Obviously that was in vain if you remember the controversy (What? Florida in an election controversy? No...) in which votes in Florida did not count towards the primary because the date of the Florida primary was earlier than was "allowed." Pretty lame in my opinion and yet just another way for our corrupt government to screw with the livelihood of our people.

Well, when it comes down to it, my political beliefs are liberal but in the range of Libetarian and Moderate. Raised in a ridiculously Republican family I grew up around guns, hunting, money and egos where I was told what to do and what to think. Those that know me today are not surprised when I say that that didn't last long once I turned 18 and went off to college. Thank god for personal freedom and the ability for me to form my own beliefs no matter how much is pisses of my family.

Now when it comes to this election I am speechless. On one side with have an ancient war veteran who is a bigger flip-flopper than John Kerry. On the other an intelligent and appealing African American man surrounded by a mysticism due to his great possibility of becoming the first African American President.

Let me say that McCain makes me absolutely SICK. To be honest, in 2004+ McCain began to make appearances on the late night talk shows, including my favorites the Daily Show and Colbert Report. McCain became famous for being a "left-wing" Republican frequently making jabs at GWB. Thoughts and view points were presented to the viewers repeatedly that questioned the validity of GWB's decisions, military (or lack there of) history, etc. In 2006/2007 McCain began stirring and a drastic difference in his interaction with the media began to be more and more obvious. For someone who had the following of so many young people and a great number of "right-wing" Liberals it amazes me to think of how far gone the view points that made him appealing are.

Obama. What can I say. Yes I am a registered Democrat but something about this guy doesn't seem right. Could it be his complete lack of experience to run a country? Could it be the fact that he tends to promise things that are highly unlikely to be followed through with? Hmm. Not to mention his speaking style completely freaks me out. I'm sorry but someone who has hardly any experience working in the Senate has no grounds to be the President of the United States of America, the strongest nation in the world. I do think it is amazing for an African American to be in this situation and am proud that it has finally come to that point in our history, but someone shouldn't be voted President just because of that. Same reasoning behind why I do not believe Hillary should be voted President just because she is a woman. That should have NO grounds what-so-ever to be voted President.

I have quite a few friends who are completely gung ho for Obama, but why? He is appealing to the masses, especially the young ones. It is these young ones (who I am one of) who rarely have any concept what-so-ever about politics and what is needed for our country. This bothers me greatly. Young people will tend to vote for the person they feel the most appealing regardless of how good of an option they are. I really think this issue has to do with the lack of coverage of politics and government in secondary and post secondary schools. I am sick and tired of hearing young people answer why they are going to vote for Obama with, "Oh, I think he is cool." Come on. That's like saying Dwight Schrute from The Office should be President because he is funny.

At this point I really don't know what we are supposed to do. It worries me now to think about what is going to happen. Not only because I believe we are screwed regardless who is voted but more recently the concept that Obama could win the popular vote but not the electorates to become President. Sound familiar? Hello 2004 sham of an election!

Back to the Basics

After a few months getting away from the original meaning behind this blog, I venture back towards my true intentions with this post. I have been doing a lot of volunteer work over the past six months since my return from Europe. Most recently I have been involved with some fundraising efforts for a local group called Tri-for-Gey.

Professor Steven Gey, a Constitutional Law professor at the Florida State University College of Law was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease in 2006. ALS is a fatal illness that affects thousands of people and is a crueler disease than most because while those afflicted lose all muscle control, their minds are left intact. Patients literally become prisoners in their own bodies.

Being highly respected in his field and loved by his students, it is no surprise that a group of over 40 current and former students, friends and colleagues joined together and created Tri for Gey. This group of individuals competed in the Red Hills Triathlon as a way to help fund the fight against ALS. Bringing news of this event and the story of Professor Gey to the public, the group sought sponsorships and donations in hopes to raise $10,000. The group far surpassed their original goal and raised an incredible $40,000 for the ALS Therapy Development Institute.

This year, the group has grown to over 70 members and they have set their hopes high in raising $60,000. As of today they have raised just over $42,000. These empowered individuals will compete in the Red Hills Triathlon on Saturday, April 5. The race includes a third of a mile swim in cold swampy lake water, a 16 mile bike ride over hills and a 3.1 mile run.

Professor Gey has inspired countless students and he is the motivation for Team Gey. While there is currently no treatment or cure for ALS, the team’s motto is “We are going to ‘Tri for Gey’ because, as Professor Gey stated, ‘maybe we'll get a last-minute cure after all!’”

I was able to offer donations from a professional organization I am a member of, Big Bend Society for Human Resource Management, to Tri-for-Gey totalling just under $250. If you are interested in finding out more, check out http://www.active.com/donate/tri-for-gey-ii.

Early End to the Presidential Election

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

The Nameless Puppy

I made a trip up to Thomasville to visit my new puppy today and took lots of pictures. She is adoreable and will be coming home on March 21st. In the mean time I need some help picking out a name. Any thoughts? Let me know!

Puppy

Let the count down begin! After 4 years in Tallahassee on my own I have not only moved in to my own apartment, but I have finally had the opportunity to get a dog. I grew up with German Shepards and Labradors, hence I love big dogs. However, since moving to Tallahassee I have been able to get to know a variety of smaller breeds like the Boston Terrier, Jack Russell, Pug and more. Two years ago I was introduced to a family friend's dog, Wilbur, a French Bulldog. I quickly fell in love with the breed and have been obsessing about them ever since. For the past two months I have been seriously looking into dog breeds and most recently I moved and have changed my focus to look at great apartment breeds. Frenchies would be a great apartment dog. Unfortunately they run anywhere from $1500 to $3000+. With that in mind, I am no millionaire and the Frenchie was out. Then a few weeks ago good friends of mine got a black miniature Schnauzer named Pearl. She is adoreable and an awesome dog all around. After never considering such a dog Pearl quickly changed my mine and yesterday I picked out my very own miniature Schnauzer, a small black and gray female. The breed doesn't shed and is hypo-allergenic, not to mention they are cute and have great personalities. She comes home on March 21st and I cannot wait. It is hard even to imagine that a little puppy that fit in the palm of my hand will be my very own dog! I am heading back up to the breeder's home in Thomasville next week and will be taking lots of pictures of the little one!

The Conquistador

I picked up my first big art purchase today, "The Conquistador" by John Lytle Wilson. John is a good friend of mine and one incredible artist. For the past two years he has been the reigning Artist-in-Residence at The 621 Gallery here in Tallahassee. Come down to 621 at any upcoming First Friday to check out his amazing pieces, you will not be disappointed. According to John's website, "When not working in the studio, John avoids mowing the lawn and doing the dishes. He enjoys firecrackers, macaroni and cheese, and riding very, very small bicycles. To check out more on John visit his website at http://www.johnlytlewilson.com/.

Becoming a Grown-up

I have recently become what I consider to be a full fledged grownup and it feels a bit wierd. After four years living here in Tallahassee, 3 of them at at Camelliawood with two other roommates, I decided it was time for a change. I went out and found my very own apartment. A month or two of unsuccessful attempts at finding a small house to rent began to bug me so I turned my sights to apartment living and found an awesome place to call my own. It is right across the street from my office, still in the vicinity of my friends and most importantly about five minutes from Tom Brown Park and its dog park. I hope to finally get a dog by the beginning of Summer. I have always had a dog ever since I can remember but haven't been able to have one since I moved here. It will be great to have that companionship with a pet again. It will be even better to have my own place! I am starting to pack things up and slowly but surely will be moved out of Camelliawood. Here's to growing up!

Italy: Day 2

After an uncomfortable night's sleep in a damp, dark and stuffy hotel room we were happy to get out and visit the sites. The first stop of the day was just a few blocks away from our hotel...the market. It was a bit colder today so a hoody was necessary and to make things worse, it was raining as well. Luckily the rain was not too intense and let up after a short while. As we walked our way to the market we passed various storefronts full of people. Book stores, grocery markets, laundromats, and more.

We exited one alley into a large opening surrounded by buildings and what we found out later was a church, San Lorenzo, famous for its unfinished facade. The Basilica di San Lorenzo (Basilica of St Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, situated at the center of the city’s main market district, and the burial place of all the principal members of the Medici family from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III. It is one of several churches that claim to be the oldest in Florence; when it was consecrated in 1393 it stood outside the city walls. For three hundred years it was the city's cathedral before the official seat of the bishop was transferred to Santa Reparata. San Lorenzo was also the parish church of the Medici family.

Lining the streets surrounding the church were rows and rows of tents and various goods ranging from pasminas to leather boots to our every day touristy stuff like magnets and t-shirts. We grabbed a bite to eat and had some intense Italian coffee at a small corner cafe before heading down one of the many narrow streets. As our first full day, we knew it would be a day of figuring out the layout of the city. Luckily we found a small map of the city and kept it close with our Italian phrase book.

As we rounded one corner I gasped at the sight of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as The Duomo (The Dome). More than 600 years after the dome's construction , it is still the largest dome built out of brick and mortar in the world. The facade of the basilica is made of marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white. It is absolutely beautiful. This cathedral was the largest in Europe when completed, with room for 30,000 people. It is now only exceeded in size by Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, the Seville Cathedral, and the Milan Cathedral. The inside of the basilica is truly breathtaking. You enter through enormous doors into a white walled room with ceilings as high as you can see. Ornate paintings of religious leaders of the Catholic faith line the walls. We got up as close as we could to see up into the dome. Covering the inside of the dome are unbelievably detailed paintings of angels and other biblical figures. After walking the outside of the main room Kim and I found a stairwell at the back that descended into the basilica's crypt. As you get to the bottom of the stairs you are forced to walk among large rocks jutting up from the ground. At one end the cardinal crypt and the other a small bookstore. Although I am not a spiritual person, I did feel something strong in this amazing place.

Exiting the main building from a side door we emerged to see Giotto's Bell Tower, which stands just to the side of The Duomo. Thinking it would be fun, we decided to see if we could walk to the top of the tower...it didn't look too daunting. Hah. Just as you enter the small room on the ground floor reads a sign..."No Elevator." Ugh. I grabbed a brochure and read out loud, "414 steps to the top." We looked at each other and basically said what the hell. I mean, when else would we ever have an opportunity like this. We began our long, exhausting ascent to the top of the tower. As we entered the stairwell, it was only about 3 feet wide with extremely small cut outs for windows. If someone was coming down the stairs you had to turn sideways and squish yourself up to the wall. At one point light filled the stairwell. Could it be the top? Nope, one of the three levels with balconies overlooking the city. By the time we made it to the top we had stripped out hoodies, hats and scarves off to try and cool off. I sat for a few minutes to catch my breath and then we made our way out on to the top of the bell tower. From the top we could see for miles. Just behind us we could see people who had made it to the top of The Duomo. As the rain started again I just could not get over that I was in Italy.

After getting all 414 steps up and 414 steps down we were a bit exhausted but decided to keep walking throughout the city. Across from The Duomo we found a narrow side street and followed it passing more small shops a few art galleries and a hair salon. Out of the blue Kim finally made the decision to cut her hair off and what better place to do it in than Italy. We walked into this very modernistic salon where we were greeted by four women who all tended to Kim while I waited and flipped through American magazines on a bench. An hour later she was all done and looked like a totally new person. After a few pictures with the stylist we were off for the next site.

Somehow we made it down to the commercial section of the city and out onto Piazza della Repubblica. This expanse is full of modern art sculptures, high fashion stores, gellato cafes and even a carousel. From here we took a left and began to make our way down to the river. First we walked past another market and made our way through all the leather goods, glass blown animals and scarves.

Just past the market we entered Piazza della Signoria, an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, a Tuscan Gothic town hall built in 1299. The square is the focal point of the origin and of the history of the Florentine Republic and still maintains its reputation as the political hub of the city. It is the meeting place of Florentines as well as the numerous tourists which we were among. We pushed through the crowded square to get a glimpse of the fountains and sculptures dating back centuries in The Loggia dei Lanzi gallery on the edge of the Piazza della Signoria. Truly incredible. At one end of the square sits the Palazzo degli Uffizi, home of The Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. The Uffizi is home to the incredible works of such artists as da Vinci, Botticili, Michelangelo and Raphael. Unfortunately it was a very busy day for the Uffizi, much like every other day when the wait time can last up to 5 hours just to get an appointment for a visit.

Through the hallway just outside the Uffizi we walked our way down to the Arno river and pushed through the hundreds of people to get to the overlook. From here we had an amazing view of The Ponte Vecchio, which dates back circa 996. That's right, I said 996. It was destroyed by floods twice before it was built as it is today in 1345. As was once common, the bridge was lined with shops, originally butchers, but now jewelers. The bridge is absolutely beautiful and is what comes to mind when I think of Florence. It represents so much history.

After taking some great pictures of the Ponte Vecchio we made our way down the crowded side walk just in time to see a bike ride out in front of a scooter being driven by and old man with his wife on the back. Pretty much a head on collision and the scooter just fell over on its side on top of all three of them. Pretty soon after the accident a beautiful Maserati drove by. I was speechless. Somehow we made it through some more narrow side streets dodging scooters.

As we made it back towards the opposite side of town we found the Tempio Maggiore Israelitico, the synagogue. The Synagogue was built between 1874 and 1882 to a design by Marco Treves. Its structure is of travertine and pink pomato, in the Moorish style, centrally planned, with a great dome and towers topped by smaller domes. It is of the kind known as of the emancipation, as it was designed as an independent structure rather than being incorporated into dwellings, as was the case in the ghettos. The central dome is sheathed in copper, which has tarnished to green. The interior is covered with decorative motifs by Giovanni Panti, consisting of red and blue arabesques. The doors of the Holy Ark - before which a lamp burns perpetually - still bears scars inflicted by Fascist bayonets.

We grabbed a cappicino at a cool little cafe and then headed back to the hotel to warm up before going to a late dinner. We went to Ristorante la Giostra as recommended by or friend Jen. We were supposed to meet a friend of Jen's, Miri who she met while on semester abroad in college. We managed to figure out who he was and luckily made sure he was our waiter. We had some intense and delicious vegetarian eats and a nice cheap bottle of Italian wine. We also made plans to meet up and tour the city with Miri later on in the weekend. It was one hell of a day and I was exhausted so to bed I went.