Holidays at Disney World

I am excited to see Disney World this year during the Holiday season. I am fortunate that Disney has a complimentary admission for all service members. My great-aunt who has never been to Disney will be going with us, and I am very excited that she will be able to experience the "Disney magic".

I watched a special on how Disney World prepares for the Holiday seasons, and they put up about 1,300 christmas trees and millions of lights. The Cinderella castle is draped with lights and is sync to the Fairy Godmother's flick of the wand.

Two more weeks and I will be surrounded by the lights and walking down the streets of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom.

Thanksgiving

So what do you give thanks for? Personally, I am thankful that I made it to see 30 yrs of age, I am thankful that all of my family is in good health and spirits. I will not be able to spend this Thanksgiving with my family, but I am happy that I will be able to cook a meal for others who are far away from their families as well.

I am already in preparations of the big meal, cornbread dressing, cornish hens, collard greens, bake macaroni-n-cheese, sweet potatoe pie, and red velvet cake. I am getting hungry just thinking about it. Yum!!

I pray that all the soldiers, airmen, marines, and seamen who are far away from home fighting the good fight, are protected and will come home safe and sound. That they will be able to spend future Thanksgivings with their loved ones.

Dark Photography

As a military photographer, there is a term shared by many of my colleagues...Dark photography. I was tested today on my skills in this photography as I was called out to photograph an autopsy of a suicide victim.

Being as this was my first time photographing anything in this manner, I was nervous, anxious, scared to say the least. I did not know what to expect and how I would react, so I spent hours mentally preparing myself for the situation.

I am glad to know that I can handle myself just fine, if and when I am called on again for the task. I neither fainted, vomited, nor ran away.

And for those who have comtemplated or is comtemplating suicide and feel there is no way out, how can you be so sure? If you are dead, then there is no future...no future or opportunity to solve the problem. Ask how it will affect those loved ones left behind, because they are left longing for questions as to why. Left feeling guilty, thinking they could have done something to prevent it. Communicate with your loved ones or seek assistance from a professional when you are having these thoughts, there is always a better solution...don't let suicide be your final one.

Paranormal activity

Tonight my cousins and I are going to check out the movie Paranormal Activity, so we will see if it is as scary as the review raved it would be. It takes a lot to scare me now a day, so I am going to be disappointed if it doesn't deliver. I am sure that my cousins will be scared, we will see. I will give my reviews later on.

Well Paranormal Activity was another Blair Witch Project...the whole movie is through a camera and it is not...I repeat not scary at all. The believability factor was not there for me and one man shouted out in the theater that he wanted his $9.50 back.

Almost 30!

Tuesday I will be the big 3-0. One friend asked how it feels, well I have happy to be turning another year older, to see another day. For me it is also a victory seeing how neither my brother or sister lived to see their 30th birthdays. So although previous birthdays I didn't really celebrate, this one I throwing a big celebration; celebration of life, of family, of friends.

I don't feel any different, and like the saying goes "you are as young as you feel", and just last month someone thought that I was in my early 20s. But I like to embrace my time here on earth, and quickly correct them to my real age. Because I have been truly blessed to come so far, and I am excited to see how far I will go from here.

Going home!

I am so excited that I am going home next weekend. I can’t wait to see my family and know that we are going to have so much fun just hanging out. Family is so important and we should not take them for granted. They are the only ones that you can count on “all the time”. It will be a long trip to get to Georgia, even by airplane; it will take about 8 hours. I have a 2 hr drive after the plane ride which seems to take the longest. This trip is for celebration, I will be turning 30 and I am so grateful to be able to share this moment with family and friends. I still have so much to accomplish with decorations, menus, and scripts; but I am sure everything will work out and come together.

It’s snowing…why!?!?

I have been here for over 5 years now and I know that snow was on the horizon, but this is the earliest. Originally for Georgia, it is something to get use to; that is driving in these conditions; and being able to withstand the low temperatures when you are outdoors for extended periods of time. Unfortunately for me, I get cold really fast and after about 5 minutes I am ready to find a place that is warm and cozy. So why did it have to snow and drop to such low temperatures on the same weekend that I volunteered to march during the opening of the Rockies Game 3 and 4? I am going to dress in layers and bring hand-warmers but that will only last so long for me, and then I will be looking for a building with heat, ahhh sweet warmth! To revive feeling back to my icy cold and thumbing fingers, to bring back the color to my almost frost nip nose, and the movement back to my toes.