Autumn is here....

While I still pine for the cool breezes of the Flint Hills, the crunch of the dried leaves underneath my feet on my afternoon runs in Annenburg park, and trips to Radina's for a hot chai after a brisk day on campus, I am somewhat satisfied by the Florida fall that we have begun to experience.  Being able to snuggle up next to our fire and wear our fleece jackets on morning walks with the pups definitely makes me smile.  I find myself getting so nostalgic around this time of year I believe because I still transcend my mind back into the days of my childhood picking apples from Greenbluff orchard in Washington, raking leaves to pile and then playing in it, and the beginning of the holiday season of baking and creating.  My mom always managed to keep us girls busy making things to decorate our home and baking cookies and goodies that filled the house with this wonderful scent of fall-cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and apples.  Yum.  I can almost smell it just dreaming about it. 

Halloween has come and gone, the grass is beginning to turn and it is during this season post-summer that I really feel I do come alive.  Phenomenal how I can find so many things that I love about Summer and then turn around and find so many unique things that I love about Autumn.  Nature really is miraculous and in my opinion really begins to show it's true colors during this season.  So here's to many evenings of having hot cider by the fire, chilly walks on the beach with the pups and plenty of holiday entertaining to be done in our new pad!

 First fire of the year!

She's smiling in this one!

Best buds.

   

So stoic.

Sweet Home Alabama (Lower Alabama that is..)

It's official-we are 'homeowners'!  September 24th, 2010 is a day we will never forget ( nor will our bank!)As we both sat in the conference room at the Title company, separate pens in hand signing documents for an entire hour, I didn't get the sinking feeling that we were signing our life away and I hope that's a good thing.  I feel that even if we are here short term that we have bought at a time in the market where if real estate drops any further the middle class will be living in cardboard boxes.  We have equity in our home, our mortgage is within our budget and we got MORE than what we could have bargained for even if we had rented.  We have vowed to ourselves (and my parents) to keep our home improvements at a minimum and to maintain the property over the next few years.  While we did complete one project already, (our noses were telling us that the carpet was in desperate need of being demolished in the room the cats called their home) we already know that our Return on Investment for replacing carpet with wood floors is good!  Who knew you could find a gorgeous, solid bamboo flooring at Sam's Club?  Not only is it beautiful, but we know it was a good investment for re-sale down the road. 

So enough with the words, we'll just let a few of the snap-shots do the talking:

Left by the previous owners, Theresa and Craig, on our closing day-they're awesome!

Our first home renovation project post-carpet destruction, ready for the wood!

We used a real bamboo wood with a darker, but warm finish, uni-clic system where the planks click and snap in place.  With a little elbow grease and a rubber mallot the floor was really coming together!  (Might I add that because bamboo is a renewable resource it was an eco-friendly choice!)

the gorgeous kitchen-love the island and the cork tile!

Living Room with real wood fireplace!

Dining Room-bamboo floor

Laundry room-cork tiled as well!

master suite-it's a giant!

master bath complete with garden tub

the backyard pergola-one of the best features of the house!

The finished product, minus the quarter round being put into place.  She's a beauty!

A Week of Amazingness....

It's easy in life to get caught up in only recognizing the 'spectaculars'.  You know what I'm talking about, only those accomplishments in life that wow us.  Since my life has slowed down post-graduating I have had the opportunity I suppose to marvel in the little things in life-sunsets and bike rides by the river, hot cups of coffee on snowy days and good conversation over a bottle of Mirrasou.  These were all things that I had enjoyed before the turning point in my life but only until you are able to release some of the worries and stresses of life are you truly able to marvel in these unique moments of opportunity.  These moments that create pause and reflection in your life and it is in that reflection of life that I feel I am able to grow and flourish and feel as if I can really take on the world.  I was inspired to take a moment after last week to look back and see what was accomplished and found out that while it wasn't earth-shattering, they were accomplishments all the same:

.: Surf's up, and so were we:  We did it together, rode our first wave and it was SURREAL. 

.: Lola preps for a half-marathon: Lola successfully completed her first 10K and she was ready for more.  She's an incredible running partner whom I see pushing both Chris and I in the future!  Get it little Lola Bean!
 (and I suppose I have to add that Toga has been a little running machine, taking on 2 miles most days no problem.  You try that after 2 rounds of heart worm treatment!  She's a ROCK STAR!)

.: D.C. or bust:  I took on another project, an intern in the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C.  Now does this require another 4 month stay in one of my favorite cities?  Of course not! We're in FL for a few years and are just settling a few roots here finally.  Instead I'll be 'tele-commuting', (gotta love another few hours on the computer a week) and will be doing a service to myself and my future by staying in the researching loop.  Don't want to get rusty!

.: Job Prospects:  Palace Acquire recruiters will be in the area in the next 2 weeks and I am DEAD SET on meeting up with them one way or another.  Of course what good is an accomplishment of mine without getting into the bureaucracy of if all?  I have yet again had to push myself through some red tape but 'onward and forward' I go...I will make my way even if it's on my own terms.  I don't mind a little bushwhacking along the way if I can eventually get where I need to go!

It's all in the journey I continuously remind myself, not the destination.  So until I get where I am going I will continue to enjoy the suttle moments in the day that make me smile and laugh, looking forward to the tomorrows but reminiscing about the yesterdays.

Another pristine day in paradise........

Home Sweet Home

Almost 4 months and about 14 contracts later Chris and I are officially (well almost officially) first time homebuyers.  It sounds so 'adult'.  While I became used to a comfortable, cozy, and simple lifestyle in our apartments in Kansas, we both had decided almost a year ago that if our paths took us to Florida, we would try to buy a home.  Might I add that the process is incredibly deceiving on the Home and Garden network.  If only it were as easy as choosing between 3 homes and then almost guaranteeing that when you put in the contract you will surely get the home that you want the most. I knew intuitively that just the right home was out there for us, it was just a matter of waiting for it to come along.  We took a look at some real pieces of work and the last thing that this 'weekend relaxing' girl wants to do every weekend for the next 3 years is housework.  Give me a home where we can make a few upgrades to it but that is ready for our arrival.  A place that we can feel at home almost instantly.  6669 Fairmont St. is just that, not to mention a fellow Romads home.  Coincidences in life are so funny.  What are the chances that when mom and I are performing the first walk-through I come across a beret hanging on the wall of what appeared to be a 'man cave'.  From one Romad to another, the house gets passed down and Chris and I fully intend to take just as good of care of it as our predecessors did.  It will be an adventure in painting, flooring installation and maintenance, maybe a little home depot and bed, bath and beyond on an occasional weekend but we fully intend not to let it run our lives.  We don't have to fill every corner with furniture, or continuously make additions every weekend to the cosmetic details of the home.  We fully intend on following our adventurous spirits wherever they may take us on the weekends with perhaps a Saturday or Sunday here and there committed to THE HOME.

We have completed the first steps: Home Inspection was a cinch.  Thanks to the handy work and pride in ownership of Theresa and Craig, the home inspection report came back with ZERO, (let me write that again) ZERO discrepancies.  When does that happen?  According to our home inspector, very rarely.  Theresa and Craig are using the HAP program, a housing assistance program designed to assist the military in compensating for losses when they PCS.  HAP has already approved the purchase price and therefore it's onto the Benefits phase.  We could be looking as soon as end of September at getting into our home.  45 Days!  We're beyond stoked.  The wait is almost over, and I must say while it has been daunting, it's been an awesome ride.   I really almost feel this duty to share the process more with other first time home buyers in this 'buyers market'.  I say that lovingly and with a hint of sarcasm because typically putting in 14 contracts indicates a 'sellers market'.  Our process was not typically but perhaps there are others that would benefit from a few words of wisdom so here goes:

1.) Avoid getting emotionally attached to a home. 
Our first adventures in looking at home were all online and while 'cold' feeling it was almost perfect.  We could scout out what the home looked like objectively and get an overall feel of the home without walking into it and becoming suddenly 'attached'.  Think: Going to a pound to find a dog verses looking online.  (don't look it in the eyes!)

2.) Trust your instincts.
If you try to rush the process, you'll end up with something less than satisfying and who wants that when you're looking at spending the most money you've ever spent on anything in your entire life?  Take your time.  The right home for you is out there when the time is right.

3.) Square footage, square footage, square footage.
Remind yourself that no matter what upgrades the home has, the square footage is a HUGE factor in the price!  If the home has a pool or a patio that is not necessarily a factor in getting a bigger return on a home.  Upgrades count for something but look at the square footage and comparable homes in the area to determine if the cost is right for the market.

4.) Patience is a virtue.
While you might find yourself spending countless hours in front of the TV dreaming of a day just like on House Hunters where your contract is finally accepted and you find the perfect home, DON'T get caught up in the luster of it all.  Sometimes home buying takes time and can't be done in an instant.  Perhaps you find the perfect home in a week, or perhaps you find yourself like us with 4 months going by before the perfect home finally makes it's entrance on the market. 

5.) Find a Real Estate agent that represents your interests best.
We were fortunate because what better agent to have than your mom?!  She knew our price range, our tastes and what things were most important to us in a home.  Make sure your agent has you in mind and isn't just trying to get you into a home for the sake of getting you into a home!

6.) Make a list of important features that you want in your home.
Are you a chef who wants a big kitchen?  Do you want a big backyard for your pups to run around in? Whatever your heart desires that are 'must haves' make sure to let your real estate agent know and make sure to rank what's most important to you to make the widdling down process that much easier.

7.) The layout is critical!
You can upgrade appliances, add wood floors, change the features of a patio and put in new sinks but unless you are an expert in home remodeling (see: See Holmes on Homes, Home and Garden TV) you had better be satisfied with the layout from the moment you enter the home because those walls will always be there!

8.) Set your budget and STICK to it!
It is easy to get swayed into getting to height of your budget but refuse to let it happen!  Think of all the things that you will need to purchase in the near future like a lawn mower and a pressure washer to keep the exterior clean and in good condition!  Taxes, insurance, home warranty and every month upkeep will be more than the cost of just renting like you were used to so plan for the unexpected and leave room in your budget for that first 'home repair'.  Words we don't want to hear but we know are reality.

9.)  Location is a home sellers best friend.
Sure you're not even beginning to thing about selling a home you haven't purchased yet but have you even begun to consider the potential resale value of your future pad? Weigh all of the pros and cons and think smart.  Homes that have a decent size yard for a family, that aren't in a flood zone and that are in a good neighborhood are likely to be attractive to most home buyers.  Again, those are the things that you are looking at  right? 

10.) Shop around!
Chris and I were dead set on using the bank that we had used for years to provide home owner's insurance and our mortgage loan.  Little did we know that the competitors out there were a possible option for us providing us lower rates and a better piece of mind that we were locking in the best deal possible on our new home.

Our journey continues as we get one step closer to actually moving our belongings in and making that house our home.  So sit back, relax and just enjoy the ride.  Its a process you'll never forget, with a finale that you'll forever remember. 

The tale of two surfers......

Surfing has been one of those childhood dreams that I have had.  Even though I lived in Florida for 6 years before heading off for the ivory towers, I never learned how to ride the waves, but I always admired those that did.  I knew that they were seeking something more than just a thrill.  Surfers are also seeking a sense of serenity and balance that only those that surf can truly comprehend.  I remember on my morning beach runs taking a break and watching them paddle out over the breakers and hop on the small swells that we have on the Emerald Coast with ease.  I wanted so badly to be out there.  And now, years later after my return, Chris and I are finally taking on the waves together.

I must admit, it's a sport that is a lot more intense than I had imagined.  While in all reality 'doing less' will get you further progress on the board, it's definitely much easier said than done.  I am beginning to feel comfortable though out there on the board.  I bought a used 8'4" Blue fiberglass board and I feel confident when I paddle it out past the breakers.  On most days that is.  It's amazing how powerful the waves can be and though I try to 'duck' dive and 'turtle' dive my way out there, sometimes as I call it, the ocean simply just spits me back out.  And I go and take my designated spot on the beach with my board, a little water logged and wait for the ocean to accept me back. I get back up and continue onward past the breakers.  It's a fight, a battle in and of itself but once out there, it becomes more serene than I had imagined.  Peace, serenity and the openness of the ocean.  I feel slightly vulnerable but still in control as it is just me and my board patiently waiting to feel the energy of a wave underneath me that I can stand up on.  And there is the part that has of course brought me frustration, but also a new appreciation for patience. 

'Just stand up'.  That's all you have to do right?  Feel the wave and just stand up and ride it.  If only mastery came with that much ease.  I have done the half stand, the knee stand the stand and then fall after 2 seconds but still working towards the ultimate goal: riding the wave.  I can stand up on the 10ft. board with ease but the 8'4" board I have has proved to be a challenge for this beginner.  Chris and I have spent countless hours observing other surfers every move.  How do they paddle past the breaker, what is there timing when they begin paddling ahead of the wave, when do they stand up, do they ride it straight or take a side of the wave?  Of course not to my surprise, Chris has been the first  up on his board out of all of us and I couldn't be more proud of him.  He's a natural athlete what can I say?  I know my time will come, one session out there in the open ocean it will just click.  I only hope that that session is soon because I'd love to feel the satisfaction of the ride and not just the fall.  In due time though, in due time.

I absolutely love this quote that I found on a surfing blog.

"There are no more committed people on the planet than surfers. We fall down a lot. We turn around, paddle back out, and do it over and over again. Unlike anything else in life, the stoke of surfing is so high that the failures quickly fade from memory."
-Gary Sirota (surfer)


 It describes the epitome of what I have noticed in observing the surfer.  What other sport is it a requirement for you to constantly fall down, even when you are an expert.  I have snowboarded plenty but even the intermediate riders like myself can ride all day and sometimes not take a fall.  In surfing it's a requirement.  You have to fall down even on the most stellar wave in order to paddle back out there and catch the next one.  It's a sense of persistence, not fearing failure and the continual going down and getting back up process that makes me honor these individuals with the utmost respect.  And here is to Chris and I's journey in holding the coveted title of 'surfer'.....
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Bikers on the Beach

Yesterday, I took Lauren on her inaugural adventure race training bike ride on the beach and let me just say, my sister's a natural.   She rode with ease and minus the initial pains in the glutes from adjusting to a seat the size of a lemon, she's ready for her next ride.  While logging miles on the beach doesn't compare to the technical rides that will consume much of our training for the Raid the Rock race in October, endurance rides are crucial to building the stamina that is needed to carry on during a 12 hr. race.  And of course it's not all physical stamina that will carry us and make us competitive in the race, it's a lot of mental fortitude as well. 
The scenery that encompassed us on our ride is something that even though we are both all too familiar with from our youth, it never seizes to amazes us.  Sparkling turquoise waters, stark white sand, amber colored sea grass blowing in the gulf breeze and protected nesting sea birds diving at our heads as we pass ever so   carefully through their territory. Its a feast of visual wonder for the eyes.  Tranquility for the mind.  Endorphins for the physical body.  13 miles of gorgeous riding and probably 60 oz. of electrolyte -filled, ice cold water later, we complete this exhilarating trip.  What a rus!  At this point in the afternoon the temps. are topping in the mid 90's.  What's phenomenal is that so long as you stay hydrated and keep the gulf breeze at your back, biking on the beach is in my opinion one of the most pleasant ways to enjoy the heat (besides surfing, but I'll talk about that later. :-)

  As we ride home in the truck, bikes in tow and cherry flavored Sport Beans in our mouths, I think we both realize how fortunate we are to share our love of exercise and the outdoors with each other.   The most rewarding part of our trip?  It's just the beginning of many, many more rides to come.

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
-Muhammad Ali

"No Dogs Allowed on the Beach".....but we are such rebels...

I understand that the panhandle of Florida boasts some of the best beaches in the world.  I also understand that we as citizens want to do everything in our power to maintain those beaches.  But what I guess I am confused on is how we are letting oil seep onto our beaches but yet we can't allow our dogs to make a few footprints in the sand and enjoy an afternoon of frolicking in the water. Problem solved, we create our own private dog beach. 

Lola and Toga are in heaven on our beach days.  I think by now they know where we're going when I roll the windows down in the truck and let them breathe the warm sea-salt air.  Thankfully by now they have developed a love of two seperate fetching toys-Lola has her sticks, and Toga has her balls.  While I don't quite have the 'i-can-throw-half-way-across-the-intercoastal' throw like their dad, I try my best to give these two several hours of good fetching.  After all, it's in their blood, in their DNA. 

They are labrador retrievers designed to fetch anything and make their way through water with ease.  Their instinct tells them on days that we're on the beach that this is where they belong. 
 My dad informed me of a book that I need to add to my reading list called 'Waterdog', one of the first books written about how to train a lab.  While we aren't intending to have hunting dogs, we want to have two dogs that are as much in tune with their instincts as possible.  Plus, training our dogs will be perfect practice for when we're training our two-legged child someday way down the road.

On another note, I can't help but think ahead to our next Adventure Race in MO, Sept. 24th which is the Berryman Adventure Race, 12 hr.  I've been dying to do this coveted race. And then of course there's the Raid the Rock Race on October 7.  It's an 8-12 hr., 50 mile + course that will be Lauren's inagural Adventure Race.  We have 3 months to all get our training act together and I'm siked.  So much of my adventure race quest has been undocumented be it the training or the actual races, so a part of me feels this strong desire to keep track of training days, both good and bad, in order to reflect back on how to better our training and also what we've been doing right!  Easier said than done I know but I am up to the challenge.

First order of training....hot, humid and long summer bike days!

Sweet Summer Hydration......

I'm the first to admit I love a good drink.

 I love the taste of a beautiful concoction and savoring the perfect blend of flavors.  So recently, I explored several cocktails that I have discovered-the wine margarita and the delectable orange crush.  I must lend credence to the places where my inspiration came from: The Cactus Flower for their amazing wine margarita, so good that you will even find me sharing a carafe with my sister or mom at lunch, and Mainstreet Cafe for their 'Florida-in-a-cup' so I have so fittingly nicknamed it-aka, the Orange Crush.

So without further adieu-behold the recipes which I am working on perfecting:

Wine Margarita (make this for a group of friends on a hot summer night....)

750 ml of pinot grigio
2 cups fresh lime juice ( i used Simply brand of lime juice)
5 limes, squeezed
1 cup orange liquor (grand mariner rocks!)
margarita salt
crushed ice

Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and pour over crushed ice into wine glass for a different flair! My new favorite twist on one of my favorite summer drinks!

Florida-In-A-Cup (taste the Sunshine..:-)

1 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. orange liquor (grand mariner rocks!)
1 1/2 fresh squeezed orange
soda water
crushed ice

add vodka, orange liquor and orange juice to shaker and shake it up.  Add mixture to highball glass over ice and then add soda water to brim.  ENJOY!

On our way back home.....

We made it!

Months of planning, followed by beauracracy with the military, followed by some packing, job searching, house searching, and we made our 1120 mile drive, with our new pup Lola in tow, to the homeland....Navarre or bust, here we are.

While it still feels like a vacation here in FL, we are feeling at home and we couldn't be happier.  The house hunt? Still on.  The job search?  Still on, even though I have the pleasure of returning to the original studio where my yoga journey began and teach along side Lyissa-the woman who hooked me on vinyasa and brought harmony to my life back when Chris first deployed to Iraq years ago.  Yoga became my balance, my harmony, my release.  And 5 years later, I have the awesome opprotunity of instructing alongside her.  Life is good.

Our pups are the coolest-but i'm a bit biased.  I love having two dogs to share adventures, runs and beach trips with.  They are the coolest sisters to watch- they really do like each other!  They play together, swim together, bicker together and in general just have an awesome time together.  In the evening it's not uncommon to find Lola curled right up close to Lola chewing on her bone mimicking whatever her big sister is doing.  It's funny how in a house full of dogs she figured out which one would be coming home with us when we found a home of our own.

So 4 months later almost after my last post I am making a vow to write more about LIFE.  It is easy for me to get caught up in writing soley about 'business'-i.e. fitness, health and all things related.  I have a hard time sitting down to the keyboard and just recanting my days and while sittting in front of a shelf of paper journals on a much needed trip to one of my favorite places on earth (Barnes and Nobles) I decided to be REALLY green and just use my blog that I started so long ago to tell the story of my day to day living. And so it begins-a weekly commitment to documenting in words and pictures our adventures in Florida...and beyond......

With Glowing Hearts......

Today we said good-bye to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and hello to the countdown to the next Olympics in 2014-Russia bound.  Here's to the screams and shouts, the cheering, the tears and the smiles that the games provided.  The USA should be proud with it's final medal count-37 to be exact-on top yet again as the country with the greatest amount of medals.  We are an amazing nation and the Winter Olympics are reason 789,495 of what I love about being an American.  Here are just a few of the highlights:

-Lindsey Vonn took Gold with more determination than ever.  She came in with a shin injury and left a gold medalist.  That's what Olympian dreams are made of.

-Shaun White took Gold in the halfpipe to no surprise and with a KILLER last run through the halfpipe even after he had found out he took Gold.  He's not the type to let himself off easily, so to show the crowd and himself that he was even more deserving of the medal, he landed The Double McTwist 1260, a trick that he created, named and one which I will someday tell my children about. :-)  He truly is SO proud to be an American too. And he rocked that plaid jacket and levi snowpants.

-Men's Hockey takes silver in a game that will go down in the record books.  With 25 seconds left in regulation time the U.S., which had pulled their goalie Miller to put an additional player on the offense, scored on Canada, forcing the game into OT in sudden death fashion.  For almost 4 heartwrenching minutes the teams battled it out when finally Canada made the shot solidifying its' gold medal.  You could see the pain in the eyes of the U.S. team but I couldn't be more proud of a team that duked it out until the end.  In the face of adversity, facing a team on home turf and country which created the sport of hockey, the U.S. put forth an unbelieveable effort. 

-The bobsled team took gold which it had not done since 1948.  What an AMAZING team!

-The men's team/individuals in nortic brought home 6 medals total, more than it had in the history of the winter games.  We took gold in the men's individual nortic for the first time in the Winter Games.  Just where there is a sport where we haven't brought home a medal in, we train an athlete that will take to the medal podium.  We are the U.S.A.

And one story that had to be one of the most touching of all was watching the glow of Norman Rochette on ice as she skated soley for her mother.  Her mom passed just 2 short days before she began her short and long program and while many couldn't fathom she would skate on, skate on she did.  And not just skate on, she skated well enough to stand on the medal podium to accept the bronze for woman's figure skating for Canada. And in her mom's honor.  I was deeply touched watching her skate so poised and with such grace, and then witnessing the tears in her blue eyes as she finished her program and blew a kiss to her father.  What a woman she is and an inspiration to anyone faced with any adversity.  Even though the world was her stage, she skated for her mom and fulfilled a dream that her mother helped her envision.



With Glowing Hearts....the phrase most associated with this Olympics.  The phrase that is found in the first several verses of the Canadian National Anthem.  And the tattoo that I got placed on my hip almost 4 years ago.  The heart making the shape of 'C' plus 'P' put together, the initials of my Chris, and the flame over the heart because of how he set my heart on fire the day that I met him, and the way that he consistently makes me melt.  I loved that beautiful reminder of a symbol that is permanently on me for all time.


I stand just a bit taller after these games as I do after every games.  The fleeting moments are what I will always remember when I watch our country compete their hearts out to make our country proud.  May the youth fly on the hopes and dreams that have been created from the inspiration of every Olympian of these Winter Games.  The next generation of Olymipians have their eyes set on Russia.

'Every child has a right to play'

GO USA!!!

P.S. Sending extra inspiration to Chris who begins Airbourne officially tomorrow!  I'm so proud!

We are a world still divided....

I came back from a International Studies Conference in New Orleans with a fresh perspective on academia.  It needs revival.  My dad did a fabulous job though.  He tackled a subject that is extremely controversial to both academia and the miltiary.  His school of thought is entirely unique-well grounded in the firm roots of academia while having donned the military uniform for 22 years of his life.  He is caught between the rifts of both worlds and he is guiding his ship ever so smoothly through the rough waters.  His topic:  Increasing Airpower resourses to assist in state development using Afghanistan as a case study.  Afghanistan with air routes to take their produce from village to village, with routes that take government officials from the capitol to the hinterlands, could this world exist?  Absolutely my dad says and he is working his way venue through venue to promote his thoughts on why and how we can make this revolution happen.  I am behind him (and continuously learning from him) every step of the way.  I could go on and on about the fantastic thoughts that my dad has, he is a genius amoungst men seeking to make his mark.  It wil happen and the world will be a better place for it.

Out of this conference came some thoughts that I didn't even know could be provoked, because I had never willingly put myself in this type of setting that I found myself in while sipping a margarita at Jimmy Buffets' Margaritaville in NOLA.  We were there to watch the screening of 'Human Terrain'.  A documentary on the element of civilian assistance in Afghanistan so we thought.  Needless to say, 20 minutes into the movie I found myself in a venue that I was having mixed emotions about. I became angry.  I watched at academia's feeble attempt to portray the life of a fellow academic who chose to join the war as a civilian, er, as a anthropologist operating under the U.S. Army's Field Manuel.  So many emotions and angles were perceived from the film that night but these are mine.  The plot was simple in a way.  Michael Bhatia was a social scientiest, an Anthropologist at that, who was given the opportunity to embed with a combat team.  The social scientists are mixed on this concept.  Many are anti-war while some jump at the gun to hold a gun and be a part of the military even if only in theory and not by rank.  Michael reported on his experiences and had hopes that the HTT's were making a difference.  Controversial, the HTT's have been deemed good in theory, but a disaster in practice.  Just as so many of our beloved military men have gone in the wake of IED's detonating while on a routine patrol, Michael was not immune to this.   He lost his life in May of 2008.  His collegues have chosen to use his death as somewhat of a martyr.  They are using it to promote the fact that academic's should not be involved in war.  Hmm.  Last time I checked, and Bing West quotes as well, Al-Quaeda does not distinguish between professor and soldier.  Whether in the confines of academia or marred by sweat and blood in the battlefield, terrorists will find you.  They will hunt you down if they choose and target you. 

I found a bit of hypocracy with the anthropologists.  While they preach that there is an alternative to kinetic warfare, when there is an opportunity to assist the military in making this happen they close the door.  They would rather read and research about human populations and culture but when it comes time to put the pen away and put on their workboots to turn research into policy, they back down. This is my opinion and largley the opinion of the military as well.  We can use civilian forces to assist in understanding non-kinetic methods of curbing violence and increasing state building but locating the unique population of civilians will continue to be a problem.  It appears to be more simple to locate those civilians that are very adament about being comfortable in the seats of their ivory tower while sipping their lattes than those that are willing to join the fight. 

On another note, I happened to come across a comment made by a college student on facebook that really struck my chord.  I tend to shy away from making controversial comments on blogs, attacking individuals or overstating my opinion but I really felt compelled to respond and to share my point of view.The valuables of Bradley Smith were horrifically stolen by a couple of meth addicts and the college student had the nerve to try to engage in discourse with military men who were simply venting their anger in response from the situation.  Let me repeat: the last things that were touched and worn by Bradley were stolen from his widow Tiffany's rental car while she was in Colorado attending a memorial.  Does Tiffany and those defending her and Brad's honor not have the right to show anger and disgust at these cruel men?  The worst part came when this college student attempted to think that her education would hold weight in a discussion-she was ignorant enough to believe the preconceived notion and the theory that mainstream media has put out there that military men are uneducated.  This couldn't be farther from the truth.  Rather than repeat my words, I will post them here as a reminder to how I responded to this 'fellow' acadamian:

 Posted 2/27/2010

"Well said Tiffany, Jarred and Christopher. I can usually attempt at keeping a cool head while being offended by ‘fellow' academia and I do say ‘fellow’ because I hold several degrees of which don’t even matter because here, in this discussion, we are all concerned citizens-degrees and even rank don’t matter. Heck, Ted Bundy had a degree. Please explain to me how that helped his character. I am consistently disgusted on a daily basis on the divide between academia and military. The battles between human populations will exist so long as humans inhabit earth. The ‘study of people and populations’ actually teach us that. It is a fact. Men like Sun Tzu and Clausewitz tell us this. It is a very ugly world we live in. Thankfully, there are men guarding those dark walls from our view like SRA Bradley Smith and countless others that have joined in on this discussion that will gladly face those demons so that we can have sweet dreams of sugarplums at night. If these men were not out there, our dreams would be a lot less sweet. Trust me. If you were to ask Tiffany, the wife of Brad, who studied Pashto at the Defense Language Institute she can tell you stories about girls in Afghanistan who will never see the walls of a school because their country frowns upon the education of women and for that matter, women having many rights at all. What would you resort to if you could not educate yourself, better your way of life and even choose the man that you wanted to marry? When you don’t stand behind these men and women expressing their anger towards criminals who stole a hero’s belongings simply to promote an addiction to drugs then frankly, you’re supporting the criminals. These criminals aren’t citizens of our country that represent the majority of us. They live a life in the trance of amphetamines and they support this destructive lifestyle through stealing. Drugs, theft, what comes next? Murder? I encourage you to watch Law Abiding Citizen. Imagine it was your father in Gerard Butler’s shoes.




Brad was also well on his way to earning his college degree for himself, his family and for his career. Completing classes and fighting a war. These men do their homework on their cots, not in Starbucks. They don’t party on the weekends, they have no weekends. There biggest tests are on the battlefield. The demands on our modern military are phenomenal and I encourage you to commend them, honor them and respect them for having the courage to be in the arena, wearing the dust and the blood and making sacrifices every single day in the name of FREEDOM."

I will continue to defend the military man/woman to my peers in academia and stand up for the honorable life that they lead.  I will not let the theories, ideas and opinions of students taint what the miltiary has provided and continues to provide us with.  And if anyone has forgotten what they have provided us just step outside and breath that fresh air.  What's that you taste on that breeze?  The taste of sweet freedom.  Something intangible that I am grateful for every single day of my life.

Inspirations from a hospital room....

While an American Hero was lost on 3 January 2010, another American Hero celebrated his alive day that same day.  Mike 'Lassie' Malarsie was Brad Smith's ROMAD on the day that an IED took Brad's life and changed Mike's forever.  Life-ending and life-altering. One leave's a legacy, another left to remind us of his.  One finds peace with the Man in the sky while another begins a long process on a road to recovery, relearning the very world that he will only have memories of phyiscally seeing.  Mike is blind.  But Mike is very, very able.  He has become an inspiration to all that have had the privilage of witnessing his new path that he has so willingly taken head on.  He has no fears, so it seems.  In his minds eye, while he may be seeing black, his future is brighter than the sun.  He's grateful and happy and kind.  He isn't bitter, resentful or angry for the new journey that has been chosen for him.  The world needs inspiration and individuals who change the way that people look at their own lives and Mike has surely provided me a sense of new reflection on my life. And so many others I know have had the same sense of reflection on their lives. His story, his character and his determination have been life-changing.  A moment that made me stop dead in my tracks and reflect on the things that truely do matter in life. 
The minute things that seemed to bother me before I am able to simply look past and forget.  I analyze friendships differently, holding those that are dear to me closer. Realizing that now more than ever that I want to be surrounded solely by those that have the same level of love, compassion and zest to make a difference in this world as I do. While I have always held causes close to my heart, now more than ever I personally know a great American that will forever impact my life on a day to day basis-Chris and I both feel this way.  It's a new mission, a new calling to band together with those that feel the same and to NEVER FORGET the great sacrifice that Mike made, and ALWAYS REMEMBER that we must be there for him to help to strive to be the Mike that he was before his journey was altered on that fateful day.  May we never forget that that was not the day that he was wounded, but that was the day that he was given a second chance at living.  

Alive Day Mike 'Lassie Malarsie-January 3 2010

RIP Bradley R. Smith-January 3 2010

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."- John 15:13

His journey has only begun and I am anxious to watch it unfold.  Chris and I are excited to visit with him again as he begins his assimilation back into society.  It will be nothing short of phenomenal to continue to hear of his story.  We have heard first hand that Mike is just-different.  He's unlike any other veteran that ward 58 at Walter Reed has seen.  The support that he has received has been unparallel and he continues to provide new inspiration to even complete strangers on a daily basis.  Who knew that one individual could have the power to change perspectives and alter the lives of so many individuals?  Mike has accomplished all of this in just one short month.  Many individuals spend their entire lives seeking to be the source of motivation that Mike has been.  It is nothing short of absolutely remarkable.

Beginning Again....

Why is it so easy to get caught up in life that we fail at times to reflect on the importance of our day-to-day living? The experiences we have, the lessons we learn and the incredible moments that are between the monumental events in our lives are what truly counts. May 2009, my last entry and an earnest attempt at describing where I was in life and what was coming. Monumental that month was-a Master's degree-I still have a hard time fathoming it, and it wasn't until this month that i finally purchased the $20 frame to place my $30,000 piece of paper in. It is already beginning to collect some dust and I am anxious to move onto the next phase of life in Florida-but as I mention my life continuing, need I not forget to mention the tragedy that occured one month ago where a young life went to fast.
There are those moments in life that force you to pause, to take a step back and evaluate where you're heading in life and what exactly your purpose it. January 3rd was one of those days that takes your breath away, but for all the wrong reasons. It made my heart hurt, I shed tears, I asked why and wondered what the future held for families, for a wife, for a little baby girl and for close friends of SRA Bradley R. Smith KIA January 3, 2010, OEF. It was life altering for all those listed and for me, it touched me beyond explaination and I will forever be changed as a result.
I have been a patriot my whole life. I have bled red, white and blue, while not physically, but in many other tangible ways. I remember sitting in awe as a little girl at the air shows watching the planes and all the men in uniform. I wrote essays for VFW contests on patriotism. I expressed my pride through poetry, coloring my hair on the fourth of July and realizing at a very young age that those who served were answering a higher calling. I was changed on that day, 9/11, where classmates and I put together a memorial video depicting local and national images and videos that hit all to close to home. I donated blood. I made memorial ribbons. I watched the '9/11 class' cross the stage praying for those who would enter into service after graduation. They were ready. We were all moved then, but while some forgot, even when we all promised our country we wouldn't, I kept remembering my dad and all his buddies serving. I could never forget. I created a collage of newspaper clippings of 9/11 and then placed my fathers picture in it-he is and always will be my hero. I understood even then that freedom wasn't free. I'm not sure when I first understood, but I suppose growing up military-you just know that your dad (or mom's) job is...different. I spoke words of pride and honor at my fathers Air Force retirement ceremony and made a tribute video of his life and military career as I watched him proudly done his uniform and beret as an active duty member for the last time. I married my better half who serves proudly as a JTAC in the Air Force and is now my hero as well.  I watched him gruel through tech school and finally the proud moment where he doned his black beret and bloused his combat boots.  He was prepared.  I spent over 1 year alone without my hero as he served in both OIF and OEF and not a day went by that he wasn't always on my mind.  Yet I understood his dedication and applauded his selfless service.  The respect that he and other men gain simply for wearing the uniform is beyond words.  Complete strangers walk up to these men in airports and put their hand on their hearts and just saying 'thank you' and nothing else.  I have witnessed this and it brought a tear to my eye. I myself even entered AFROTC learning to be a leader before I chose a different path of service.  Those years were invaluable though and the friends that I made are still with me to this day. Commisioned and serving their country with pride. I get chills when I hear any tribute song to America and the melody of 'America, the beautiful' brings a tear to my eye. My list goes on....
I never seek to influence others to develop the same level of patriotism, I only hope to lead by example. The colors of our flag, the words of our founding fathers and the first documents that produced the greatest democracy in the world will forever make me stand taller and prouder. Bradley has not been the first, nor the last American that will refresh the tree of liberty with the blood of a patriot. But he has been one of the closest Chris or I have personally be connected to and touched by. His legacy remains and while his physical presense is with us no more, he left on this earth a beautiful wife and daughter who will carry on his memory forever. I myself won't have to be reminded because I will think of Tiffany and Chloe every single day. I will pray for their peace and their comfort and for Tiffany to finally be able to take a breath of fresh air. When you marry your better half you can never, ever forget them when they leave this transient life we live. But I believe that coping mechanism improve over time. She is an angel-and will be the most wonderful mother to Chloe, and already is in so many ways.
The world is missing a hero, heaven gained one. And while we may not understand why, may this picture alone speak volumes.  One hero lost, another one gained I ask?  May future generations understand at the youngest of ages that it is there duty to step forward and protect the very fabric of America from being tread on by our most vicious enemies.

Photo by: Courtney Gartner

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction"~Ronald Reagon