Ok, so my friends in CA and Asia are going to laugh at me. . . .but we had an earthquake in Virginia in 2003. Which was a VERY BIG DEAL for us.
In my cleanup process today, I found an article which I cut out of the newspaper in December of 2003. The news of the earthquake was front page news the next day. The epicenter was at Elk Hill Farm where I was working at the time.
I know exactly where the epicenter was. Under my cottage.
I had an English house-mate from 1993-1995. He was a graduate student at the University of Richmond, and we always got along great. He taught me about 'real' beer and how to play tennis. I remained his friend even after his gf came to live with us. For three long months. (Did I mention she was extremely selfish and a lousy cook?) He put decidedly British message on the answering machine and introduced me to Monty Python. I helped him figure out his spirituality, and supported him when the above-mentioned gf broke up with him. He introduced me to Daniella. . .but that's another entry.
At some point, he met one of my former youth who was finishing his Army training at a local base. Soon after that, my house-mate decided to write an article for the UR newsletter. An excerpt, with name changes, follows:
The relationship we have with our children is a very wonderful thing. However, it also can be a confusing and difficult time in our lives. David ****, the minister with youth and children at **** Baptist Church in Petersburg, has had plenty of experience with the complexities of dealing with children.
Well I found something very useful today. A bit of back story first.
We don't lose electricity here very often. (unlike some people I know who live in Asia, ha!) If there is a bad ice storm, or like when a transformer blew about a year ago. . .then we are in the dark for a couple of hours.
And I do mean in the dark. We have been reduced to one Coleman electric lantern, which lives on the shelf at the top of the stairs. We keep it there so we can use it to see in the attic. Last time we lost power, I realized very quickly that I had forgotten to change the batteries in the lantern.
Don't you just hate when that happens.
I guess it may be a bit macabre to write about a day which may have been the worst in my life. But to remember the day means I have a milepost marker to show where my life has gone since then.
Four years ago, today, I made a mistake. A mistake which cost untold suffering for my family and friends. At the time, I didn't feel like I had any options. It seemed to be a logical thing to do. Which can't possibly be explained to most people. But when I talk with other survivors, there is an unspoken understanding of why such things can happen.
Three years. Still alive and kicking.
Thanks to all who stood by me and stand with me now.
In his blog today, Wil Wheaton reminisces about the history of video gaming. . .especially the games from the 80's. It made me want to break out my Commodore 128 and play 'Elite'.
He referenced this article which traces the tracks of several men who were instumental in inventing the concept of video gaming.
One man mentioned in the article is Ralph Baer. While we were living in New Hampshire when I was a kid, my mother taught with Mr. Baer's wife. I can still remember going over to their house where Ralph took me down to the basement and showed me one of the original Odyessy's that he had created. I got to play his version of Pong with him and everything.
How cool is that?
Anyone interested in seeing some pics of last weekend's wedding? Go here to see the beautiful bride, handsome groom, various wedding party members and guests. Choose the 'Ginny and Andrew' link on the right.
Oh yeah. . . . . .and some guy in vestments and a collar may pop up now and then.
Here are some words I wrote several years back. Most of the time, I still feel that way. Sometimes, like today, I am simply grateful for all the people who wouldn't let go, even when I let go.
I wish I had my old life back. The one from 15 years ago. Why can't I have my soul back again? It has become lost and battered, and I do not recognize it.
My family was one of those that moved around a lot during my childhood. My dad got a series of jobs and even changed careers at one point. During the winter of my sophomore year in high school, we moved to the South. I was feeling rather ragged, as I had had to leave yet another set of friends and I was apprehensive about attending another strange school.
