Going to Gaza

I really thought that I would be planning a lovely Christmas at home, might even have a party or something, yet I find myself embarking on a journey that's destined to change my life.  Right around July/August I started taking an interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and a host of other sites and individuals I've become rather knowledgeable about the situation in that part of the world. I've met some wonderful people from all over the world, and we all share a common interest - Freeing Palestine and Gaza from Israeli Occupation.

The state of Israel is holding the Gaza Strip under siege, nothing allowed in or out, and after Operation Cast Lead last December, the Gaza Strip is in ruins.  Peoples homes and livelihoods have been taken away, demolished, without food and water, medical aid, building supplies, and quite a large percentage live in refugee camps. Imagine living in a tent during the winter.  It is inhumane!

So I find myself participating in the Gaza Freedom March (gazafreedommarch.org).  I will be leaving for Egypt on Christmas Eve, arriving Christmas Day. Never in a million years would I have thought to be participating in something so monumental. There are over 1300 people from around the world planning to participate in the march, plus about 50,000 Gazans.  We expect solidarity marches to occur in Israel, the West Bank, in the US, and other countries.

I am remiss in not blogging about this sooner,  but I plan to correct this situation asap. I look forward to going to Egypt and Gaza. I've met a lot of great people and I'm sure to meet more.  My roomie in Egypt runs the website PolitcalTheatrics.net - and she's brilliant! I say give it a read. One of the other attendees on the march is one of the co-founders of Electronic Intifada.  Another brilliant website.   The organization I'm going with, CodePink - Women for Peace, is a phenomenal organization, please show your support.

The march committee is still accepting donations for the march to purchase school supplies for the children of Gaza. Please check out gazafreedommarch.org for ways to help, stand in solidarity or for more information.  Will keep updating.

I'm not going to say it

Ok, I will, this last time. I can't believe it's September. Christmas is right around the corner and I'm impatient for it.  The Texas heat has subsided and it's now absolutely gorgeous.  Tonight I stood on my balcony gazing up at the expansive night sky, the moon glowing high above me. The cool breezes circled and danced with me and I gloried in it feeling its coolness against my bare skin yet its warmth enveloping me and making me feel at one with the universe. It's nights like these that make me happy to be alive.  The sounds of the night, traffic driving by, trees rustling, and the ensuing calmness.

I had a few a-ha! moments today, things became clearer in my mind, and I am starting to feel more at peace with myself. This life that we live is so dynamic, constantly changing, and though it may seem as though, well, for some of us that nothing ever changes, it really does - because each day brings with it, a new experience, a new person, a new situation - something that has never been done before, and we learn something from it.  This prepares us for and propels us along into the next day. 

A good friend of mine, my muse, I call her, pointed out to me that I am at a huge turning point in my life.  After really sitting and thinking about it, she's absolutely right.  I have found my calling, my passions are aroused, and I am moving full throttle to a future I had never before contemplated. 

Have you ever considered your passion? What makes you so excited you can't see straight? Your circuits are moving faster than the speed of light and your primary focus is to get the word out there, and you hope beyond all hope that somebody feels like you do and wants to come along for the ride?  You say what you're feeling to your friends and family and your voice peaks, and you start race-talking because you are so excited, and your heart starts beating rapidly, your eyes are shining, the adrenaline is rushing through your system, and suddenly you realize that no one is reacting as you are, no one is getting excited as you about this, but instead of letting it get you down, you get more excited and you just decide oh my gosh, this is mine, this is me, this is what I want, and I really don't care how you feel about it because I am going to make myself happy for once and do what is right for me!

So it's been a while

A really, really long while....so much has happened yet nothing has changed. Well actually yes, a few things did....I moved into a new apartment, my company moved their office, and so I now live literally three minutes away from work. How wicked is that? I have a lovely window cubicle, and I can see the traffic everyday on the North Dallas Tollway. SOOooooo exciting. But hey, at least I'm not stuck in some windowless environment.

Lost my best girl co-worker to another job, but so happy I did not lose my friend. We still hang out occasionally, most recently accompanied her and the family to see the Wizard of Oz. Hang with my other girls occasionally, and of course my former roommates, who thankfully still are friends with me - though they claim I ditched them.

1/2 Day Fridays have pretty much gone the way of the dinosaurs, but who can complain, I still have a great boss. Got a new girl working with me...she's doing pretty good, no complaints there either - I think I hired well.

Lots of personal stuff going on, quite a roller coaster ride for a while, but hopefully it will resolve itself in a few days, weeks, months, whatever.

Will close off now, and catch up later....