I’m feeling icky from the yuckiness that is either:
a.) a migraine
b.) a sinus infection
c.) the crud that’s going around
Since I need some cheering up, could y’all like leave me a comment about why you read this blog? I know I’m being a drama queen, but it would make me feel better…
My person for the project is..
Thomas M. Butler
When I found out that he was a firefighter who had given his life so that others might be saved, I had shivers going down my spine. This was a man who cared more about others than he did himself and I feel like nothing I write here is going to even touch the awesomeness that was this man.
Some Basic Facts from the New York Times & Legacy.Com:
[+] He was a firefighter with Squad 1 in Brooklyn, and he had a part-time job as the bay constable in Smithtown, N.Y. Both on land and water, he was involved in keeping people safe.
[+] His son Patrick was christened on Sept. 9, and Firefighter Butler wanted to have a big party. Mrs. Butler was getting her usual ulcers about the cost. He insisted. He wanted to buy a suit for the occasion. Her reaction was, “Tom, do you really need a suit?” He got the suit. They had the party.
I remember one of the images from the days after 9/11 that really stirred up my emotions was a picture of a firefighter in their dress uniform, saluting as a casket went by, his face clenched up and tears streaming from his eyes. That picture has stuck in my mind for the last five years and doing the research to write this post brought it back to me. How painful it must have been for all the firefighters in the NYC area to attend all the funerals of their comrades and know that they went into a situation where there was no good way to come out alive! How awful it must have been for Butler’s family to find out that he had gone in though I know that they must be proud of him now.
Since I’m a khouria, here is about the best way I know to pay tribute:
From the Lutheran Book of Worship:
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Thomas. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of eternal peace, and into the glorious company of the saints of light. Amen.
and
Children of the heavâ????nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge eâ????er was given.God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children neâ????er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
–LBW 474
Blessed be his memory.
I activated the 9/11 media fast site again.
OK God… what’s up with all the stinkin’ forest fires?
Jen, those stinkin’ forest fires were started by the lightning you were admiring a few weeks ago.Â? Besides, the forest renews itself through them.
And the people whose houses are burning down?
They knew the dangers when they built their houses in the middle of the forest.
Tell them that.Â? Now how about sending the smoke west rather than east?Â? Or do you get some kind of sick enjoyment out of my sinus and allergy issues?
Quit whining and take some Sudafed.Â? No wait… you can’t take that.Â? Try a nice warm shower and those saline rinses that Tom and Dr. Amy told you about doing.Â? You haven’t done those in how long???
And exactly how do I do this when the water smells like sulfur?
My aren’t we full of kvetching tonight.
Well the headache from the lack of glasses isn’t helping my mood.
I’ll work on expediting the glasses to you.Â? In the meantime, read Psalm 8 on the majesty of Creation, take some Aleve for the headache, and go curl up in a dark room with your black creature.Â? Capeche?
Capeche LORD.Â? Amen.
[PHC] It’s a quiet Friday here in Big Sky Country, my chosen land. [/PHC]
Mr. Sours is off hanging with other Episcos so I’m having to find my own entertainment tonight and find another place to send the large amount of cat pictures I’ve acquired today.
The two ecclesiastical cats (Finian and Edda) are busy trying to kill a moth that is flying around my study. I’ve rarely seen such interesting jumps and acro-catics so it’s rather an interesting show. (I think they’re still cross that I took away their cricket on Monday night.)
I spent a great deal of time on the phone with tech support at Dish Network tonight trying to get the new receiver installed. (Our old one wasn’t giving us DVR features and it was getting really annoying since we pay for that each month.) To the call center person I talked to, thank you for being patient and enduring my attempts to make small talk with you while the stupid stuff was downloading. I appreciated your kindness and I wish I’d had the foresight to speak to your supervisor and tell them how awesome you were.
I’m part way into The Kite Runner and it is definitely an interesting book. I’m hoping to finish it this week and that the library gets copies of Reading Lolita in Tehran and The Devil Wears Prada in so that I can get those read and knocked off my list.
We’re going to be headed to SoCal at the end of the month for a wedding and taking I-15 back up to Montana. If any of you want to try and arrange a meet-up (and I haven’t already contacted you), let me know and we’ll see if we can’t do a couple blogger ones on the way.
I think that’s it for now. If my glasses will hurry up and get here and if the post-nasal drip and ear pain would stop, I’d be a very happy Jen.
MSNBC: Army shuns system to combat RPG’s.
On “Countdown” tonight, there was a report of some technology that would be almost 100% effective against rocket-propelled grenade attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s developed by an Israeli company (I think the technology is called Trophy?) and Pentagon tests have shown its effectiveness. (I’ve googled a link and can’t find one to the story. Hopefully MSNBC will have one tomorrow?)
However… the US Army is declining it because it gave a contract to Raytheon who promises to have similar technology available by 2011.
OK… maybe I’m just “morally confused” here but… if the technology is available now and can prevent a large amount of loss of life, why the heck does it matter who makes it?!?!?!?!? In case the Army hasn’t noticed (and I sometimes wonder if they have), there’s a war going on and soldiers are being killed by RPG’s fired at vehicles and tanks. It is simply shameful that the Army cares more about making some company happy than it does about its soldiers on the ground.
I am so ashamed of my country’s military leaders at the moment…
My parents were in town from Monday afternoon until this afternoon and it was lovely.Â? They tamed the weeds in the yard and fed us lunch every day in town.Â? :)Â? My cats were more tolerant of them than usual, especially Edda who ended up being quite conversational with Mom last night as Mom was doing computer stuff.
Dad and Jon got into a discussion on Irish politics while I was putting the 10 lbs of zucchini through the food processor.Â? I remember thinking Duuuude… this violates the “thou shalt not mention politics or religion” rule that is in place at family holidays! but I let them have their fun.
They’re headed west through Glacier and onto Washington before heading back to the Golden State.Â? Jon and I will see them in a couple weeks when we head to Cali for a wedding.
So what’s with the title?Â? Craic is Irish for “good conversation”.Â? And believe me, we had some *GREAT* conversations — conversations that would render someone “ded”.