You are not supporting the troops by parading around with a magnetic yellow ribbon on your car.
You are not supporting the troops by wearing a particular color one day a week.
You are not supporting the troops by clapping for them in airports.
You are not supporting the troops by hollow gestures that can and will be as forgotten as the names and faces of the 3,351 you didn't know and will never be able to know.
My friend lifeasicit said it best when he told me "There is a big difference between supporting the troops and not supporting those who run the war. There are many circumstances that cause a person to enlist and it is not for us to understand why, only to let them know we care and have not forgotten them." Having served in the military himself, he echoes my feelings perfectly, which is why I am trying to be proactive.
We need to remember them and properly mourn them when they die so senselessly, but that is not enough. We need to do more to support those in harm's way. If the powers that be won't, then it is up to the citizens of this country to take care of our own. They are our children and they are in harm's way - what more motivation does one need?
Fisher House - This organization provides housing for military family members near where their loved ones are hospitalized and/or while they are doing long-term physical therapy.
Caring Bridge - Not specific to the military, but this organization provides free web sites where family members can post about the recovery process of an injured soldier and keep a large group of family and friends informed.
Put Heat On Our Government Officials To BRING THEM HOME SAFE AND SOON
Organize meetings with U.S. Representatives and Senators
Attend public events where members of Congress and other politicians will appear
Make A Care Package & Send It Yourself
This is easy, requires little time or effort, and will really make a difference. You can even go in on items with a friend, get together a group of people and go shopping for items, make a night of it. Tell people what you're doing and explain how they can do it as well.
In which I rant a bit about the word 'faggot', the Grey's Anatomy ...thing... and the uselessness of being offended by words like it's something worth wasting the energy on. Then again, I could be completely wrong. Surely people have died as a result of being called a 'nasty name'. Certainly no one has survived being labelled or dismissed by epithets. Do we have fucking free speech in this country or not? Sure - a lot of words offend me, but it's just not worth getting insane in the membrane over for fuck's sake! So many other things to get fired up about that actually matter. GET OVER YOURSELVES, FAGGOTS!
bigfundrew posted a reply to a comment I'd made saying that he loved me. For whatever reason, Boomshiquia (my alter-ego and sometime devil perched on my shoulder) decided to record him a video response. I thought someone would get a kick out of this. Be warned, I use the word "shit" in this post, and also be prepared for Boomshiquia to sound exactly as you might suspect she would. I was schooled in how to give her a voice by two rather rotund African-American women I used to work with, and they insisted whenever I was around that I only speak in this voice. They would always crack up when I'd go on tangents and high-five me telling me "You's a damned fool, but I love you!" If it was good enough for Miss Irene and Miss Shondra, it's good enough for the rest of you. So there, that's as close to a disclaimer as you're getting. Onward - the videopost. Like to hear it, here it go:
Videopost #22: Boomshiquia Figna School You, Drew.
You've been warned, so don't give me any shit for this you ultra sensitive types.
From the desk of faghatesgods (where the bad man touched you):
Damn yourself to Hell for a free DVD!
The Rational Response Squad and Brian Flemming (creator of 'The God Who Wasn't There' DVD) have started a new online campaign through YouTube called "The Blasphemy Challenge."
Condemn yourself to hell by denying the holy spirit in a video, upload it to YouTube, and get a free copy of 'The God Who Wasn't There' on DVD!
The Ballistic Princess (note Cinderella costume)' new thing is knock knock jokes. Or should I say 'joke", as she only knows one. It's a take on the classic one of banana/orange (cut to eventual punchline "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?") knock knock joke, only to her it's all the same thing. No matter how many times I hear her tell it, she always gets a kick out of me pretending it is the funniest thing I've ever heard.
It is also noteworthy that this sort of thing goes on in my house at least five times daily, where I act a complete fool for the amusement of my family. Had I a jester's hat, I'd wear it proudly.
A word on the dog - We have three dogs, and he's the youngest. The eldest two are the same tan color, he is the only black dog we've ever had - so we named him "Token". Avery decided his name should be "Mr. Pickles", so he answers to that as well. He is extraordinarily nosy and inquisitive, so any kind of goings-on that require investigation he's all up in the middle. He cannot STAND to not be included. I need to put up video of him playing, it's hilarious as well.
Yes, I was half lit when I recorded this video post. Yes, I drank more beer in the past two days than I can remember drinking ever before in a span of two and a half days. Yes, it was the liquid courage that enabled me to be on that balcony high above the rednecks, their unwashed children and teenaged miscreants, and assorted other riff raff. Eye candy everywhere, all except for the poor unfortunate soul who resembled Sloth from The Goonies. It took everything I had not to blurt out "ROCKY ROAD!!" at the pool once the initial beer buzz kicked in - what can I say, the sauce makes me mean.
I managed to be almost mostly drunk (or at least consistently buzzed) for two days without getting into any fights, but my inner tree huger kicked in each morning when I'd go for an early beach walk and clean up all of the beercans & trash left over from the previous night's asshole litterbugs.
I'm sunburned on about 1/3 of my back from forgetting to reapply sunscreen after swimming, but it's alright. Time on the beach was great, the Gulf was warm & clear and I swam quite a bit. What I really wanted to do was swim naked, but there were far too many folks around and, well, I prefer not getting arrested on vacation. And I'll be damned if I'm getting in any more than ankle deep after dark.
The best part of it all was being there for D's first time ever swimming in the ocean, nothing will ever replace that for me. As for PCB, I'm done - don't think I'll ever be going there again. It's not what I remember, it's way too touristy, and I'm not in high school on spring break anymore. I'm thinking secluded &/or nude beaches from here on out when the urge to be near the ocean kicks up in me.
!WARNING! The following video post references sexually explicit content by Mom's standards, and since you read my journal, Mom, be forwarned that in viewing this video post you may very well find out more about me than you want to know - so proceed timorously. It's not as bad as I make it sound, but I do talk about what I like and list off some fetishes, so you decide for yourself.
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jesus_h_biscuit's journal
Yes, I was half lit when I recorded this video post. Yes, I drank more beer in the past two days than I can remember drinking ever before in a span of two and a half days. Yes, it was the liquid courage that enabled me to be on that balcony high above the rednecks, their unwashed children and teenaged miscreants, and assorted other riff raff. Eye candy everywhere, all except for the poor unfortunate soul who resembled Sloth from The Goonies. It took everything I had not to blurt out "ROCKY ROAD!!" at the pool once the initial beer buzz kicked in - what can I say, the sauce makes me mean. 
It's about time, huh? This one's all about Spring Cleaning. Enjoy.
