Dante & the Taliban

I happen to be reading two books, well three actually but these two are what drew a comparison in my mind this morning. Jodi Picoult's The Tenth Circle and Khaled Hoseinni's A Thousand Splendid Suns. I just started Tenth Circle, and the author is describing Dante's Tenth Circle of Hell as a place in the very bottom of Hell where the worst is reserved for the Devil himself. The "worst" is described as the inability to move, the ability to do what you want, when you want to has been taken away. Last night just before falling asleep in ATSS, I was reading about the Taliban coming into Afghanistan as hero's, as an organized force which ended many years of civil unrest, but also as a gang of religious zealots intent on forcing their laws on the population of Kabul. The laws that were given to the people were many, but the one that stood out so prominently to me were the ones regarding the women. "Women may not leave the house unless attended by a male relative and clothed in a burqa, may not speak to a man, may not work among many other restrictions. To break the laws invited a beating or stoning or death. It just struck me that this sounds much like the Tenth Circle, the Taliban is restricting the movement of women, the ability of the women to move when they want, where they want. And that definitely sounds like Hell.

A Tribute to Frozen Water

For future use. Beautiful, transient and whimsical in their temporary-ness

This Blog

Reminder to me that this is a blog of my daily life and what is going on today in my thoughts, and in my life. I need to write more often!

So last night Kalie was in the shower forever, what's new?, and I said to her " you've been in the shower for half and hour it's time to get out now. Then I hear a very quiet, "what? I have been in the shower for half an hour? I don't think I have been in the shower for half an hour, how could I have been in the shower for half an hour?" This is to herself because she believes I am long gone. She continues this conversation with herself for a bit and then gets back to her singing. She just cracks me up sometimes.

Solitude and Quiet

Treasured moments. It seems as though I don't have any time alone anymore. And it seems I am not alone in this. As I was walking in to work this morning and chatting with a co-worker arriving at the same time, she mentioned she took Friday off so she could have time at home alone. I mentioned I had two hours home alone yesterday, on the Martin Luther King holiday, as Gary had to work and Kalie went up to the Fun Spot to skate for a couple of hours. Those two hours were delightful! No music, no tv, no questions, no expectations for what I should be doing. mmmmmmmm

The Kodi cam is empty this morning, too cold to leave him outside! He hates being in the house alone though! But 0 degrees. Yikes.

Stressed

Totally overused word I know, but sometimes I don't think we realize how stressed we get. I returned to my beloved 'sit and sew' class at my local quilting shop. It was so relaxing. I realized after I had been there for a bit that how stressed I have been and how little time I had actually taken for myself for awhile. I think the things I do are for myself. I took the Biggest Loser Challenge at my gym, which was for me I know, but it was also very stressful! It worked, I lost 10 lbs which was my goal. I have also kept it off, but man it was a ton of work and it was work every day to do it. Then came Christmas, which was for me and my family but man I am glad that is now over and done. I am thinking I will keep up with the class at the shop.

As A Mom

Well what does this picture do for you today? Remind you that we live in a very different world than I grew up in. It makes me think of a 20 year old, pregnant Marine who was raped, then became pregnant from the rape and then was murdered by her rapist because she had the guts to report it and testify against him. But this is not that girl, no this is my 20 year old Marine daughter who is currently stationed at that same base in North Carolina. How can I not be so worried about her that it is making me sick.

King of the Hill = Kodi

Here's Kodi, such a cool pic. Like he's playing King of the Hill or something. I had never seen him do this before. In case it's not obvious he is up on top of the doghouse. The doghouse he never uses except to pee on.