War - do you support them?

My friend Jo Ann wanted to celebrate in a special way my 45th birthday and gave a delicious dinner the other night. Sandy and Jerry with Snikers, Larry with Garry, along with Taylor and I were invited.
Larry (Jo Ann's son) is a columnist for Edwardsville Journal, and when you have a news person in the group inevitable the discussions will take a different turn. So instead of our regular fun and games, and goofing off the discussions turned to politics, global warming, and of course... the war in Iraq.

Is it good or bad, are you pro or against the fact that US Army is in Iraq?
In general everyone was against in a way or other, even came up the comment that US shouldn't have go there in the first place!

I did not get on the floor my comment till the very end when I felt I have to stand up for those who die out there. We cannot be against the war or support the army but be against what they do. They, those men and women, are the army, they are the war.

I am against violence of all kind and hate war, but I really support the US troops with all my heart.
I know it is bad, I know many died and will more... I know this war is so much about politics and religion. That the Shia and Sunnis are fighting, and from that many of Iraqi and many from world wide troops die. I know it is bad.... but I remember all my childhood and especially when the communist regime started to be worse and worse, how in my family and some of our friends' as well; we were listening to the Voice of America, and Europe Free radio stations and were hoping in the bottom of our hearts that one day the Americans will come to free us. That was the dream of my grandparents and many of the old ones who died under the communist regime.
I think there are among those in Iraq and Afghanistan who have the same hopes.

I know it is death, destruction, and lot of pain there. But I really hope and believe that the war will bring the democracy, freedom, and hope to the people there. I hope one day they will live in peace and that women will have equal rights to men in schooling and work.

Now the only thing is to let them do their own peace and democracy. Otherwise all good deed will turn and look like the Soviets in Hungary....

I believe that all those who died and those who fight do it for the better good.
I really pray that they are safe and am proud for each courageous woman and men who gives her or his life for the FREEDOM in this world.

May God bless them all and keep them safe!

Happy Birthday, Taylor!

Today is Taylor's Birthday!
She will get from Petsmart a new ID tag with her name and our phone on it.
Sunita gave Taylor a new dress :-) Little tight dress, Taylor is kind of stiff in it...

Then she got a little from a cup with chocolate pudding....


After finishing it she took a short nap....
But once the Sun shined between the flurry snow flakes and outside dogs barked, and squirrels jumped on top of tree branches, Taylor was ready at her post... What is going on?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!! - only 3 years old.

No fun this semester :-(

I took a better look at my calendar and all tasks in my PalmPilot for this semester Spring 2007.
It turns out I have to drop the C++ fun ... I will be able to just attend and read the book but won't have time to spend too much with playing around with homework and programs...

That is not good. I really loved it and enjoyed doing it, but I must do the work stuff not the fun stuff... Since I teach 4 times per week and try to continue the research in elementary school the only day I can go doing research is Friday the only day without teaching. That means I have only Saturday and Sunday to play with C++ which is not enough to catch up with everything plus play C++.

I will postpone for later... I am not glad, that was the only fun I had last semester...
Oh, well, we don't do always what we would love.
I make sure in my next life I will be a CS geek
:-)

Winter continues & school started

Another winter storm goes over the Midwest. We were supposed to go hunting today with other JRT friends but we canceled because of the ugly winter. It is dark and gloomy. Frozen ice and rain, frosty trees bending again, some areas in St. Louis don't have power at all (I hope we won't be out), with temperatures of maximum 33F, and worse to come tonight. I really do not like this winter!

School started Monday January the 8th, and this semester seems more crowded than the last one. I teach Monday & Wednesday mid day the undergraduates, and Monday & Tuesday evening the graduates, and my C++ classes are Tuesday & Thursday early afternoon. Friday I don't teach and that means I cam camp out at the elementary school in Alton to do my research. Very busy and crowded this semester, I think of dropping the C++ class, it will be really hard to keep all straight. I started this year and semester with full load and already I am behind...

I am sorry for Taylor I will be again so much at school and so busy and she will have to stay alone. I will be in and out and most in front of my computer. She will take agility Wednesdays evening as a modality to compensate.

I will teach summer school till end of June. I am looking forward to July my real and first summer vacation in years! Just six months around the corner :-)