Loshana Tova - and all that jazz...

Well, I hear that it is Rosh Hashana. I made Salmon and chicken lo mein last night, and I'm planning to make flounder and some other things tonight. If my back holds out.
My back has been literally killing me. Over the summer it was much better and only hurt occasionally, but the past month and a half its been getting steadily worse. The past few days I've had no relief, and its gotten to the point where I have to sleep on a heating pad at night, after icing it during the day. Ibuprofin barely even touches the pain. Its amazing the various ways you will invent to try and get out of bed painlessly. I'm most likely going to make an appointment to get it seen about. I already had it looked at in the spring, but they didn't find anything on the xray and didn't look any further. Needless to say, I was pissed. Not this time. This time I won't leave until I'm satisfied.
We went paintballing sunday. It was really fun. Alex refused to be on my team because he - and everyone else - thought it would be funner for us to shoot eachother. So we did. =) It is something we definately will be doing again.
Well, it seems my inspiration has returned and I am finally writing in my book again. I sat down the other night and wrote 5 pgs before bed. I know thats not much, but its more than I've been doing.
We are planning on going up to wichita falls this weekend. We need to get our winter clothes out as well as some other things we've been doing without. I'm not looking forward to the long drive, especially with my back the way it is, but we can't wait any longer. And we can't afford a uhaul truck, so...... just a carfull of as much stuff as we can fit.
Well, I'm going to go ice my back now.

ladeeda

Well, I discovered Giligan has a sibling. I also discovered she is the runt. She is very cute, and comes around every now and then for a meal and some lovin'.
Well, me and Chuch did some investigating today and discovered that the fair will be open from noon to 10pm on the day we arrive, so I guess we will be going. Nothings final, but it looks promising.
Alex mentioned renting a car while we are down because he wants us to have 'our own car'. I told him it would be too expensive plus we aren't 21 (gay). So I guess if we absoloutely have to go somewhere we will just pay for the gas! =)
Alex is going in front of the board for soldier of the month next month. All the NCO's are saying that out of all the nominees he's going to get it. They are also talking about making him team leader. Apparantly he's getting noticed more than we realized. I'm very proud. Thats my boy!
I'm making roasted chicken with potatoes, onions, and carrots in the crockpot for dinner tonight. I'm very curious to see how it turns out. Also, my mother gave me a brilliant idea on how to not waste all the leftovers my husband seems determined not to eat. Freeze them. I know right? How could I have not thought of that before? Its perfect: fix dinner, freeze the leftovers, re-serve them a week or two later, adding extra spices or changing it up a little bit. It feels new, tastes new, he doesn't look at it like leftovers, and I am spared the trouble of cooking from scratch.
I got freakishly excited yesterday while passing the halloween candy isle. I ended up buying 4 bags of candy(one was exclusively for Willy because I don't eat candy corn)- tootsi pops, dum dums, peanut butter bars..... yummy. I also bought Willy doughnuts for his breakfast, but ended up eating a few of them myself. I feel kind of bad, but I rarely ever eat doughnuts or anything like that so I don't feel too horrible.
People never cease to amaze me. I am a pretty damn good judge of character, and I'm pretty privy to general human behavior, but sometimes they still just make me do mental double take. Like how judgemental people can be. In recent years I have become less judgemental than I ever thought possible. The people I "judge" are people I know very well, and I'm usually right. I know I am not perfect, but I'm not a horrible person either. And so far the number of people I've met who are worth me changing is very limited. As Marilyn Monroe said, if you can't take me at my worst you don't deserve me at my best. But then I just laugh and go on with my life. Do as you will, this shall be the whole of the law.

Celebrating and more funny clippings

Well, we got our leave approved and I just bought the tickets, so now I can say what I've been wanting to say for quite a while.

I'm coming home.

It will only be for 10 days, but we'll get to go camping for succos, maybe go to the fair, and get to hang out with all you people.

I've become slightly obsessed with the local newspaper, which unluckily for you people gets delivered to my door at about 5am every morning.

This first one speaks for itself:

This one isn't funny actually, just disturbing.
Fountain of youth? Maybe not. Waterfall of fertility? Wtf?
wow.
This isn't exactly funny (except the part about the guy hitting the other man with a plastic sword and paintball gun), but I threw it in for good measure.

Here are a few pics for my mom and chuch. The cookies are your recipe chuch, and Mom since you are always posting pics of your meals and stuff I thought I'd give it a try. =)

Am I the only one?

I thought this was funny. Unrelated, but funny.

Obituary clippings from the San Antonio Express:

"Our beloved grandmother Mercedes Teresa Gonzales Cadena was embraced by god and taken to heaven on September 22, 2008 at the age of 82. She was preceded in death by her husband Richard Flota , son Guadalupe Flota, daughter Martha Rose Flota and son Jesus Flota. "

"Simona Villaneauva Delgado, born April 19 1907, graduated to heaven September 17 2008."

Am I the only one that found even slight amusement in those?

Q: Why did the crack head cross the road?
A: To get some crack.

Now for my response

I agree with all of you. No one is completely selfless. I will now give examples:
You become a missionary or vollunteer and go to a third world country and helps out the locals, giving education, medical provisions, and offering hard labor in the community. Yes, these acts benefit the natives greatly. But why did you vollunteer? It could be one of many of a combination of reasons. YOU wanted to get away from your life and start over, YOU wanted to make a difference, YOU wanted your life to be significant, YOU wanted to change lives, YOU believed in it, YOU wanted to feel good and fulfilled. It all comes back to YOU.
Or perhaps you gave up or sacrificed something for someone you care about. Why? Because YOU care about them. Because they are important to YOU. Because if they are unhappy, it will make YOU feel bad. It all comes back to YOU.
Even the martyrs and saints and great people of the world who died for what they believed in, did it because it was important to THEM. Because THEY believed in it.
I'm not saying people don't do things that are relatively unselfish. But at the same time, there is some aspect of self that comes into play. You might take a bullet for someone, but its because YOU love them.
Anyone else see my point?
To answer one of my readers, this was brought on by a very good conversation with someone who thinks alot like me.

The facade that is selflessness

I have recently had an epiphany. I was actually assisted in this realization, but it makes perfect sense all the same.
That is that NO ONE is selfess. Before I continue with this in any depth, I wish to ask you all a question to which I expect a reply with an explanation. You will not like mine.

Is anyone truly selfless?

I expect examples.
*Those of you who believe in Jesus/Yeshua feel free to use him as well.
*Disclaimer: I will explain in greater detail after reviewing the response I get.

Feeling uninspired

I am so bored. No one should be bored on the weekend . lol So to try and cure my boredom I am watching Napolian Dynomite. Hilarious movie!
I haven't been writing in my book much. Actually, not at all for a little over a month now. I've worked on the ending a bit, but not much. I seem to have lost my inspiration. I sit there and stare at the screen grinding my teeth. I know exactly where I wanted the book to go, but I can't decide if thats still what I want. I know if I change the plot as dramatically as I am thinking it could quite potentially ruin the entire thing. So I guess you could say I know what I need to do, but I am too stubborn. I should know better than to let my personal life effect my writing in such a negative way, but I can't seem to help it. I'm working through some things, and then I should be able to pick it back up and finish it. But until then, my progress is on hold.
Well, it seems there is some excitement to be found after all. Afer following an odd smell to the kitchen I discovered a burrito Alex was cooking. I got really excited and decided I wanted one, and as he took it out started freaking out a bit because it was so hot. Somehow we collided and he smeared the back of my shoulder with the steaming burrito. I squealed and succeeded in knocking a plate off the counter, which shattered at our feet. Everything turned out okay though and now we are sitting here watching Napolian Dynomite and eating burritos.
Goodtimes.