The Monday Minute - Memorial Day Edition

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day! Take this day to remember the men and women who have died to make sure you stay safe and free in this wonderful Country we call America. The Monday Minute comes in the style of a Memorial Day Edition, so if you want to join in, just head on over to Ian's place & he'll help get you started!



1 - Have you or a family member joined the military?
My Brother joined the Marine Corps about a year ago now, and has gone through Bootcamp, Marine Combat Training, and is now currently training for his Marine Occupational School in which he'll be learning how to operate AAV's (Amphibious Assault Vehicle). I'm one proud Big Sister!

2 - Have you or a family member served his/her country in times of war?
Both of my Papa's served in WWII. My Dad's Dad was actually supposed to be at Normandy when we stormed the beach, but his orders were changed at the last minute. Thank God for that or none of my family would be here today. And I'm pretty sure our Troops won't be out of Afghanistan or Iraq by the time my Brother finishes his MOS, so he'll probably be deployed (God forbid).

3 - What's your favorite BBQ food?
I love just regular ol' BBQ (pulled pork) without any BBQ sauce on it. It's gotta be smoked pretty good though. Love it!

4 - Do you fart in public?
Who doesn't? Sometimes they escape before you can stop them!

5 - What's the one question that if it shows up on a Monday Minute, you refuse to take part?
There was that one time that entire Monday Minute was dedicated to sex, and I just couldn't answer those questions. Not only is it personal, but there are people from church who read my blog and I don't want them picturing me naked, or picture me having sex when they see me in church :)

This Memorial Day...

I remember having to memorize the Pledge of Allegiance in Kindergarten, and then the Star Spangled Banner in Elementary School. I remember chanting those worths, not really thinking of their meaning. It was custom to say the Pledge of Allegiance before class started each day in every grade of school. The Star Spangled Banner was sang during ball games, and other special...American events. I heard the words to our National Anthem, and Pledge nearly my entire life, but it wasn't until April 9, 2010 at Parris Island when I truly, honestly, grasped the meaning and the Patriotism spoken in our flag.

When I think about the men and women who have graciously given their lives to help keep our Country safe and free, and the Flag that keeps their memory and cause alive...it brings tears to my eyes, and an indescribable pride to my heart. To be an American. To have been blessed to live in this beautiful, free, Country. Being an American is truly a blessing; something to be proud of.

How sad that our President, this Memorial Day...will be taking a vacation instead of honoring our fallen soldiers at the Memorial Day Ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery. He is the Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, and he has chosen to not acknowledge or pay respects to those who have fought AND died to keep this Country our "...sweet land of liberty". I don't usually get political, or talk about our President...but this scares me. Our own President does not want to honor our Soldiers.

Nevertheless, having a Brother now in the Marine Corps, I have a greater appreciation and knowledge of our Armed Forces; all branches of the United States Military. While you spend time with your family and friends on this Memorial Day, remember the men and women who have died to keep you safe, and remember the men and women who are currently fighting to protect us and keep us free.

I've Failed.

I've always thought of someone who kept with the trends pretty well. I mean, I try to keep up with what's in fashion and what's not (note to self: get rid of the Skecher sandals I bought 5 years ago). I keep up with the latest gidgets and gadgets. I keep up with what's popular on television, although I may not really watch it, I try to at least know what's going on.

But, alas, I have failed.

Netflix has been out for a few years now. I used to think it was kind of crazy to pay 10 dollars a month only to have movies sent to your mailbox. Why not just run down to one of those movie machines that you only have to pay a dollar for? Oh, but I was so nieve. There is so much more to Netflix than DVDs in your mailbox! For 10 dollars a month, I can get movies sent to my mailbox AND movies streamed instantly through my Nintendo Wii! People, let me tell you...I have been watching movies for an entire month it seems like. I've been watching Goldie Hawn movies, Steve Martin movies, movies I wanted to see in theaters but never got to...and best of all...the one other thing that I didn't keep with in the trends...

I've discovered Lost

Yes, I know...six seasons later and I'm just now watching the first season. It's amazing! I'm like, why didn't I watch this when it was coming on?!

So...I'm catching up on the latest trends. Hopefully by the time I get through all 5 seasons of Lost the sixth will be on Netflix. If you don't have Netflix, you should definitely look into it. It's amazing!

I'm Going to Burn Down This House!

One, hot Summer Day, my Mom and I were laying out by our pool in the back yard. Suddenly, we heard the back door slam and my Dad came storming out to the pool where we were. He picked up a vacant lawn chair, and chucked it across the yard, his face full of rage.

My Mom and I looked at each other, not really sure what was going on or why he was angry, but we both had the hint of a smirk across our face. To see a lawn chair fly across the yard was possibly the funniest thing we had seen in a while. Nevertheless, my Mom ventured to ask my Dad what was wrong with him.

My Dad replied, "I was hungry, so I went to the kitchen to make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When I went to scoop me out some peanut butter the jar was empty! Nothing! Nothing left! WHO PUTS AN EMPTY JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER BACK INTO THE CABINET?!"

My Mom and I lost it. We nearly busted our guts from laughing so hard. If you could have heard how whiney his voice was, and how angry he was over peanut butter..you would have died too. Every time I think about my Dad throwing that lawn chair across the back yard, I laugh until I cry. It's one of the funniest stories I have to tell about my Dad. Don't worry, we're not violent people, it's just that throwing things is genetically etched into the part of our brain that triggers anger.

Anyway, I said all of that to tell you about this story I read earlier today. I nearly peed my pants from laughing so hard. Click here to read the story, and then come back and tell me if you peed your pants. If you didn't think it was funny at all...what's wrong with you?!

Stupid People

I don't like very many people. It's no secret. People in general just really get on my nerves. Why? Because most people are stupid. Plain and simple. Stupid. You may recall the conversation I heard between a cashier and bag boy at the local grocery story on Monday? It's that kind of pointless stupidity that drives me batty!

I know that I will be that grouchy, bitchin' old woman in the nursing home, who cusses out everyone that walks past me in the hallway. When my Grandmother was in a nursing home, before she died, there was this old woman who sat in her wheel chair in the hallway, and every time someone walked by she would just start cussing them out. Total strangers, not people she knew and not even the nurses. Just visitors coming to visit their family and friends. One day, as I walked past her, she said"Here comes that ol' whore. She's a little b----". I laughed, because I knew, that one day...that would be me. I wondered if she was like me in her younger days-If she hated stupid people too, until one day she developed absolutely no tolerance for people at all.

That's what stupid people to do normal people like me. They make us crazy! They turn us into that mean old lady that scares kids so bad, they are afraid to retrieve stray baseballs that they accidentally batted into her yard. I'm going to be that woman, except, I won't have a lot of cats like most of them do, and my yard will be clean, and my porch not cluttered (like the mean old ladies they show in the movies).

Anyway, it's a scary thought really. I don't want to be mean, but it seems that stupidity has stretched far and wide among people these days. It's everywhere you look. Politicians, doctors, teachers, oil rig workers, etc. We shouldn't be afraid of the Taliban...we should be afraid of the stupid people living in our own Country!