Category: philosophy

The Day On Which the Police Gang Unit Visited

An officer from the gang unit visited my office today, to give a talk about recognizing gang signs, interpreting graffiti and generally explaining what gangs are like.

In Omaha, we have the two obvious factions of gangs, along with some Mexican gangs. I wasn’t aware, until today, that every high school in Omaha has 3 gangs and every junior high has at least one. Even where I live, which I thought was relatively gang-free.

I don’t want to write too much about it, but there was a lot that was eye-opening. Good-to-know stuff for people with kids. You can find out more about gangs here or here.

I was interested to hear how members of the gang unit go out and talk to gang members. I would be afraid to. I kept thinking about the guts involved in that sort of work.

Rainy Days and Wednesday’s

I spent some of last night and some of the first half of the day in a panic attack. For awhile, I wondered if I should really go to the hospital. My pulse was 96. I’m not sure what my blood pressure was. I used the company’s automated bp cuff and it measured me super high (in error) the first time and super low the second time (also in error).

I heard my heart pounding in my head off and on, and as I took my pulse, my heart skipped a beat, went some more and skipped another.

I began to think this was some sort of sad joke. I mean, really, if you are stressed out, is it really fair to have the feeling of dread added to by having your heart skip beats?

I talked to Ian at lunch. He was worried. I started talking. I unloaded. I cried at silly things like schedule changes and the sound of my daughter’s name and other things too silly to mention. He says, at these moments, that he doesn’t know what to do, because he is there and I am here, but he does. He knows exactly what to do. It’s not an easy job being the Masked Avenger. 🙂

Within a 1/2 hour of returning to work, I was a calm person again. No racing heart. No fight or flight instinct. Everything was cool again.

Oh, the rain…   We had a big thunderstorm last night.  It blew down a few trees and knocked out power for 14% of the city.     I hope they had it fixed by the afternoon.   It was upwards of 90F.

Ian has started getting Google Alerts for Omaha.   Today’s news involved staying away from a petrol shop in NE Omaha.  There was a shooting there.   Unfortunately, that’s not very shocking.

The VJ’ers and I are keeping ourselves occupied by sharing our wedding preparation plans (no peeking, Mr. Barker.. I mean, “Parker”)

I think that’s it.  Have a happy day!

I am now able to marry someone named “Ian Parker”

I am not sure who this is, but evidently the State of Nebraska does.   LOL

The clerk made an error.    I called them to let them know something was wrong.    She said, “So, you guys didn’t see this when you signed it?” and I said, “We haven’t signed it yet.  My fiance lives in England.”    “Oh”, she said, “then you’re not married yet.”

“No”

“Good, I’m printing out the correction right now.   Thanks so much for calling before you got married.”

Hmmm..   I wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t noticed the typo.

Michael Jackson

You know, the more I watch the funeral/memorial on the TV, the more I just have a hard time believing Michael Jackson is dead.   The fact is that he was an amazing entertainer.

TLK and I have been perusing videos on YouTube, and of course, the media coverage has been extremely thorough.   We’ve had days and days of television access to just about every Michael Jackson video ever made.  All brilliant, in my opinion.

People all over the world had their eyes glued on television coverage of the memorial services, releasing balloons into the air and other various things.   Strangers are outside Stapes saying, “This is it.  He’s gone.  He’s really gone.”

Wow.   It’s amazing to watch, really.   And still unbelievable.

Independence Day

On a day when most of America celebrates its independence from England, our house was wishing to have a little bit of England with us.   🙂

TLK and I finally found fireworks.   We went to Harrah’s in Council Bluffs.   The parking lot was full.  We kept driving and ended up finding a space in the parking garage.   We could watch the display by standing at the side of the garage.  It was lucky, considering how packed every other spot of the parking lot was.   People were parked on grass, sitting on folding chairs out there, and here we were, in the garage, with the perfect view, and no one else was there.

I can’t believe how brilliant fireworks get every year.   They had some that went up in the air, exploded, sent off sparkly things that went slow at first, but then went quickly.  It was my favorite firework.   I always think, “How do they engineer these things?”    I mean, really, how do they create fireworks that create huge smiley faces and hearts when they explode?

We waited for 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot.   It was that long a line.

We’ll go back next year, with Ian.  How exciting!

Here are some pics from our park excursion earlier in the day: Pics

Our 3-Month Anniversary

It’s been 3 months exactly since we filed our K-1 Visa Application with  US Citizenship and Immigration Services.   Sometimes it doesn’t seem that long ago (in patient, “It’ll happen soon” moments); other times, it seems like ages.

We’re waiting for approval on the US side, then approval on the UK side.  We should be able to have Ian fly over in late 李美琪电影.   Cross your fingers and say a few prayers for us, ok?

In other news, I managed to get out to Hobby Lobby today and just pick some flowers for the wedding.   Normally, I go into the store, start building a bouquet, get frustrated, put the flowers back, and leave the store.   But today was different.   I picked my favorite flower, ranunculus, to be accented with wild field roses (in red).    I also bought some cream zinnias and ivory rosebuds.

Photos to come.   I know you can’t wait.   😛

I sent off for our marriage license, too, which, handily enough, you can do in Nebraska without being there in person. (yay)

The massacre under the nest

Her:  “Did you see the dead birds?”   

Me:  “What?”

Her:  “Look over there”

There were 5 dead baby birds laying on the concrete.  One baby bird is left alive, but perched on a protrudance of vinyl above the apartment complex door.    It’s flapping its wings to test them.   I bet he could fly down to the ground, but he doesn’t seem sure.

The mother bird is a foot away, in her nest.   Not doing anything.   I want her to do something to save her baby bird, but she is just attending to whatever is left in her nest.

I put some disposable gloves on, rummage up a shoe box, and scooped the dead babies up from the pavement.  I stare at the live baby bird for 15 minutes, watching it test its wings, then just sit there on its perch.

Later, I went to get something from my car.    When I came back, the mother bird was on the perch with her baby.  I have a feeling they might be in for a long night, unless the flight training goes well.

I hope it does.

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