My Thoughts on Bin Laden

I first heard about Bin Laden this morning on the way to work. Doc got out the driveway before me, then backed up with her window down a said “We killed Osama.” I smiled, gave a little fist pump and said “Awesome.” Then I got in the car and went to work.

I enjoyed catching NPR’s coverage on the way in to Elon, and quickly scanned the blogs and news feeds (Small Wars Journal, Opinio Juris, Abu Muquwama, CFR.org and the regular collection of bureaus) for what details were percolating up about this.. What struck me immediately in the comments to these articles, trending on Facebook and Twitter, and in discussion forums was the meathead, ugly American, “we got him and you can rot in hell, Islam” attitude that suddenly came to the forefront of so many people’s minds. I guess this underscores how sensitive an issue Osama Bin Laden represents. Apparently not so sensitive that many people (prior to today) gave it much thought in their day to day fretting over jobs, the economy, the price of gas, the 2012 election, Lindsey Lohan, etc. I guess the spontaneous celebrations are more of an emotional response by people looking for a bright spot in the news. I'll say I prefer a more considered, thoughtful, and insightful response of people that have worried and worked for years over these ideas and the role of America's power in the world. But of them all I liked Andrew Exum's post the best, about his gathering at the bar Sunday night for the press conference, because it hits close to home:

We went around, all of the veterans, each of us naming friends we had lost. I offered up Joel Cahill's name, and then that of Joe Fenty. I thought of the wives and young daughters those two men left behind, and I thought of so many more men and women who I never got the chance to know but who have given their lives since 2001.

I had told myself for years that the death of Osama bin Laden would not mean anything. Decapitation campaigns against sophisticated, mature terrorist networks, I knew, rarely yield strategic effects. But standing in that Washington bar, I was overcome with emotion.

If you consider the single-minded dedication with which the task force responsible for yesterday’s accomplishment has worked over the last decade, I think this reaction of the general public is a bit out of place. Certainly, those guys deserve a beer and a chance to celebrate. But I suspect, quiet professionals that they are, and given the investment they have in the mission in regards to training, lost friends, lost time at home, etc, that they will not be parading around waving the American flag and singing God Bless America on the steps of the White House. In fact, my first thought after “Awesome” was a quiet word of thanks to those guys and their families – not that there is no more work to do, but just the relief of a job - this job - well done. I bet among those gallant men there is some reflection, a strong sense of satisfaction, a remembrance of those lost along the way, and then a desire to kit up and get back out there.

As the details unfold of the mission, you’ll hear that they mocked-up a full scale compound for months of raid practice, (much like the Son Tay raid) and then had to pivot on the objective when an airframe had a mech failure. These are the best and brightest of America, as much or more as the denizens of any other tech, investment, industry or education sector of our county. You'll also hear about the intelligence yield from our program at Guantanamo and elsewhere, and the persistence and patience of our collection community in the targeting and planning of this operation. Try to remember about this stuff when you go back to your day to day lives and the worries that accompany them.

Now that everyone is paying attention to the War on Terror again, questions resurface about the character of our fight. What does this change? Certainly it is not the end, or even a big shift in the meaning of Al Qaida – AQ 2.0 has been in the game for several years and seems to have already executed their succession plan when Bin Laden was driven deep to hiding following Anaconda. Organized international terrorism is still a persistent and existential threat for the foreseeable future – instability across the globe still has the potential to breed unrest and sanctuaries in regions that we do not engage in a productive manner.  Will we continue to pay a billion (seriously) dollars a year to Pakistan? I bet not.

I do think that the one key achievement of the killing of Bin Laden is this - the US is now free to exit Afghanistan on the terms of our choosing, defining military and diplomatic goals, and even victory, free of the symbolic albatross that has hung ‘round our necks for so long. I haven't seen this mentioned much - perhaps it is just obvious. But this is really the #win in my mind – that the guys with 1/5 deployed to Sangin can go about their mission of engagement and COIN and stability operations – even “nation-building” – not as a placeholder for the greatest manhunt in our history, but because it is our enunciated national security policy. Or, if it is not, they can come home. But we can have that national conversation about what is an important exercise of our wealth, and power, and blood, independent of any iconic search for evil.

Hopefully this will also raise to the surface the continued work ethic and incredible sacrifice of our fellow citizens in uniform. If you have not heard of LtGen John Kelly, he has some particularly poignant remarks on the investment that these folks and their families have made in the future of our nation, at great peril to themselves and with increasingly little awareness of their real involvement. A friend reminded me just this weekend of one such example from my old haunt of Ramadi, where two young Marines from different worlds went face-to-face with the devil with fingers on the trigger. Cpl Yale and LCpl Haerter received the Navy Cross, posthumously, for their intrepidity, valor and dedication, but we don’t talk often enough about how important that spirit of service is to America. And we should, every day, consider that there are folks we call our neighbors that do not run from their post. Not for how long it takes to get the job done, if it takes 10 years or 6 seconds.

Semper Fidelis.

Jackson Standard Time

We have really been doing the Lord's work trying to get Jackson to sleep like a normal human. The first 9 months, he didn't really sleep (at all), but for a while thereafter we seemed to be on the right track, going to bed at a reasonable hour and with reasonable effort, making it through the night, waking up around 6:30 or even 7 on the occasional weekend. But then, a month or two before Caroline was born he just started waking up earlier and earlier, to the point where a couple of weeks ago he rose at a dawn best determined by, say, Newfoundland time (GMT -2:30), demanding that breakfast be served RIGHT NOW. We've tried bringing him to bed with us (Fail), leaving him in there to scream (not much better), and everything in between.

Just a week or two ago, my brilliant wife Doc had the great idea of getting a binary image clock, with a picture of a sleeping bunny tucked soundly in bed that is illuminated during the night, and then a waking playing bunny that lights up when it is "OK" to get up. We've had mild success training him to (more or less) stay quiet and lay down until the waking bunny lights up, at which point in time he proudly leaps to his feet, shouts "UP!", and starts screaming if relief doesn't promptly appear. We've already convinced him that the kitchen doesn't open until 6:30 regardless of when he gets up, but he seems happy to catch 30 minutes of Sesame Street on the couch pre-Cheerios, while Dad nods off until Elmo shows up (c'mon: I challenge you to find anyone that can actually sleep through Elmo. I am a much bigger fan of Cookie and Snuffy, myself).

But then there comes along the timeless enemy of Daylight Savings Time. Or rather, it's evil twin Eastern Standard Time. Not that one is better or worse than the other, actually - it is just the changeup that throws us for a loop. How do you explain to a toddler that 6am is now just 5am? I have no idea.

So we gave it our best shot, changed the clocks over about halfway through UNC's miraculously lucky win over FSU, and instead of getting an hour of extra sleep (or bar time) like we used to in years gone by, we all had an extra hour of afternoon.  Then off to bed to await the impending disaster, the bunny clock faithfully set for the "new" 6am. And wouldn't you know it, he popped up at 5am and started screaming, but 3 minutes later quieted down and slept (or was at least quiet) until I walked in to check on him at 6:15 - or was it 7:15? (I am already losing track). Needless to say, I was surprised, and have absolutely no expectations about Monday morning. Whatever happens, we are apparently not in charge - we're all just on Jackson Standard Time.

UPDATE: Much to our amazement (and frustration, since our alarm still went off at 5:50), intrepid young Jack slept until 6:45 this morning. Great parenting or Luck o'the Irish? We'll let you decide.


You know, writing this blog post made me wonder a bit just how important Daylight Savings Time is. I mean, I would keep it around (if I didn't have children) but only for reasons of nostalgia, not anything approaching practicality. But it is funny how much we adults have just come to accept its strangeness, almost by rote force of habit. In the Fall, we say "sweet, another hour of sleep (or bar time), and in the Spring we grumble but we know that is the penance we pay for staying at Top of the Hill until 3am instead of 2. So we go forth and don't even consider for a minute "not playing along." Ah, the innocence of youth.

Peaceful beginnings

Thanks to the amazing photography of my old coach, Joel Furtek, I have been reminiscing on a part of my life that is long since past but that I still treasure dearly.  It just isn't possible to put into words all that my days rowing for UNC did to shape who I have become, but suffice it to say that it has probably been the most pivotal experience of my life.  Even compared to becoming a doctor, a wife, and a mother, rowing very literally unzipped the infant version of the person I am still becoming.  It led me to my lifelong friends, my husband, and my career, but I think most importantly, it taught me that no matter how isolatingly painful the work at hand may be, I am never going it alone and there are always people with me that depend on my ability to hold it together and find the humor and joy in the world that is rushing by not 6 inches from the gunnel.  There is just nothing more peaceful or re-energizing than skimming across a flat body of water, cutting through a cool misty fog with the pink glow of morning just beginning its dance across the horizon, and listening to the heartbeat of eight separate oars move the shell like one single organism. And to walk away one day, with the 'thunk' of the oarlocks and the splash of the catch still echoing in your mind, even years and years down the road.

Third Party Rising

Excellent op-ed in this weekend's NYT by Thomas Friedman:

A friend in the U.S. military sent me an e-mail last week with a quote from the historian Lewis Mumford’s book, “The Condition of Man,” about the development of civilization. Mumford was describing Rome’s decline: “Everyone aimed at security: no one accepted responsibility. What was plainly lacking, long before the barbarian invasions had done their work, long before economic dislocations became serious, was an inner go. Rome’s life was now an imitation of life: a mere holding on. Security was the watchword — as if life knew any other stability than through constant change, or any form of security except through a constant willingness to take risks.”

It was one of those history passages that echo so loudly in the present that it sends a shiver down my spine — way, way too close for comfort.

...

There is a revolution brewing in the country, and it is not just on the right wing but in the radical center. I know of at least two serious groups, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast, developing “third parties” to challenge our stagnating two-party duopoly that has been presiding over our nation’s steady incremental decline.

...

Obama probably did the best he could do, and that’s the point. The best our current two parties can produce today — in the wake of the worst existential crisis in our economy and environment in a century — is suboptimal, even when one party had a huge majority. Suboptimal is O.K. for ordinary times, but these are not ordinary times. We need to stop waiting for Superman and start building a superconsensus to do the superhard stuff we must do now. Pretty good is not even close to good enough today.

Entire op-ed is here.

The Power of Facebook

So, I have posted before about my unbridled eagerness for more blog statistics, which Google/Blogger has handily provides with their built-in stats tool. And I have watched with excitement as people the world-over travel to Waltzing Matilda at the rate of about 25 people per day. But as cool as the stats are, they don't make their own traffic.

WM gets a lot of referrals from the Schueler's, the Williams', and Meredith Daniels, as well as random Google searches that stumble across our unique, varied, and enigmatic content. But imagine my surprise to log on today and see over 250 pageviews yesterday! Thanks to Rachel's Facebook post highlighting Callie and Caroline's recent photo shoot, over 100-something different people clicked the link.

Just goes to show, you can put whatever you want on the internet and it will just languish in semi-oblivion. But as soon as you dump it into the stream of social media with your stamp of approval, you might just hit the jackpot.

Wikileaks Commentary

I've been a longtime reader of Abu Muquwama (although I admit I've dropped off substantially since he went in-house at CNAS. Exum has a great commentary on the recent Wikileaks non-story:

Scoop! | Center for a New American Security:

"Here are the things I have learned thus far from the documents released via Wikileaks:

• Elements within Pakistan's Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) support the Taliban.
• The United States integrates direct action special operations into its counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan, targeting insurgent leaders through capture/kill missions.
• Civilians have died in Afghanistan, often as the result of coalition combat operations.

I'm going to bed, but if I were to stay up late reading more, here is what I suspect I would discover:

• 'Afghanistan' has four syllables.
• LeBron is going to the Heat.
• D'Angelo Barksdale didn't actually commit suicide in prison. Stringer Bell had him killed.
• Although a document dated 17 October 2004 claims the Red Sox were down 3-0 in a seven-game series with the Yankees, they actually went on to win 4-3.
• Liberace was gay.
• The Pathan remains wily.
• Julian Assange is a clown."

I think for the most part, the Wikileaks documents aren't much more sophisticated than what me and my trusty Corporals sent up the chain in Iraq in 04/05. Which is to say, or zero value at an operational level or higher (although I am sure there are some specific nuggets in there that are more important, like say the names of Afghans that have helped the US. Jeez, Assange, what were you thinking?)

More of Andrew Exum's op-ed in the NYTimes here.

Holy pageviews, Batman!

Blogger has finally added built-in traffic analytics to the Waltzing Matilda blog. I had dumped the Google Analytics code into the template a while back but always forgot to check it - the new inline stats are much easier to use and show up in the Dashboard.

What's even more interesting is that we've had 304 pageviews this month alone! Holy cow. Didn't know we had such a strong readership! (of course, a couple of dozen came from Google searches for "Waltzing Matilda" and "The Master Speed", which I am sure were unintentional).

UPDATE I: Apparent viewership* of Waltzing Matilda has skyrocketed over the last month to over 830 pageviews, including China, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Germany, Canada, India and Taiwan. Who are these people?

*I say apparent because I have no idea if the stats app is discounting the many times Doc and I look at the blog to see if the other is keeping up with their blogo-marital duties.

Top Ten Ways to Celebrate Law School Graduation

1. Nice long run by the lake with my dog (to include "bath" of said dog)
2. Wrap birthday present for my hot-as-tamale wife
3. Check in on the new "office"
4. Try to sell my academic regalia on Craigslist 
5. Not study for the bar exam
6. Find 6GB of music from college (hey, that was a lot back then..)
7. Watch everyone else's facebook status change to FirstName LastName, JD (or Esq. )
8. Mail some thank you notes
9. Plan the next big graduation in the family (hello, Nassau St!)
10. Enjoy having such a great family

Tax Rate Madness

I blogged earlier about a personal record for our low effective tax rate this year - turns out USAToday is now reporting a similar story for America at large:

Tax bills in 2009 at lowest level since 1950 - USATODAY.com:

"Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found."

Federal, state and local taxes — including income, property, sales and other taxes — consumed 9.2% of all personal income in 2009, the lowest rate since 1950, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. That rate is far below the historic average of 12% for the last half-century. The overall tax burden hit bottom in December at 8.8.% of income before rising slightly in the first three months of 2010.

Unfortunately, USAToday left a big chunk of math out of their story by omitting the cumulative effect of payroll and consumption taxes. Also, I think it is clear that our world-beating corporate tax rates combined with techniques such as the AMT undermine this sort of celebratory (but cursory) analysis. What we've got is fundamentally a tax policy problem - a cumulative rate (>60% marginal) that is too high, combined with a tax base that is far too narrow. This is a similar problem with NC's tax structure - a policy one of my professors advocates reforming in a recent law review article.

Other articles have previously pointed out that 47% of US households did not pay any income tax this year. Do you realize what is alarming about that - once we get past 51%, its very unlikely that our democracy will vote to change things back to the way they once were.

3.13%

I am proud to report that this year's effective tax rate for our small Married Filing Jointly family was a rock-bottom PR of 3.13% We are damn close to being one of the 47% of American households that don't pay any income tax at all. (Don't forget, however, that those poor* people are still subject to the regressive spectre of sales tax - unless they use Amazon - not to mention state and FICA taxes of approximately 8% each.)

* used in this sense, "poor" refers to the pitiable nature of these folks, not their station relative to the poverty line.

As a commentary on all the time we waste arguing about taxes and making the tax code and all of the deductions and credits more complex, I offer the graphs and passage below (artfully excerpted from Wikipedia). Enjoy.

This graph shows the effective tax rate per $ of income. For tax year 2009, it is reported that President Obama recognized income (AGI) of $5.5MM and paid taxes of $1.7MM. That puts him at an effective tax rate of just under 31%. For reference, that is ten times more than me. I win.

This next graph shows the change in top marginal income tax rates over history (currently around 35%). Despite the wide variance you see in the graph, Hauser's Law accurately theorizes that regardless of the top marginal rates, tax revenues will remain unchanged.

Hauser's Law is a theory that states that in the United States, federal tax revenues will always be equal to approximately 19.5% of GDP, regardless of what the top marginal tax rate is. The theory was first suggested in 1993 by Kurt Hauser, a San Francisco investment economist, who wrote at the time, "No matter what the tax rates have been, in postwar America tax revenues have remained at about 19.5% of GDP." In a May 20, 2008 editorial in the Wall St. Journal, David Ranson published a graph showing that even though the top marginal tax rate of federal income tax had varied between a low of 28% to a high of 91% between 1950 and 2007, federal tax revenues had indeed constantly remained at about 19.5% of GDP. Critics of Hauser's Law, such as Zubin Jelveh in a Wall St. Journal editorial, point out that tax revenues have fallen as top income rates declined if you don't include Social Security revenues. Similarly, other changes in tax rates and the income threshold for paying those rates are expected to impact tax revenues and should be considered when analyzing the relationship between tax-rates and tax revenues.

All Dad had to say when I told him of my accomplishments? "Enjoy it while you can." True enough.

Bridge Running

Last weekend, we made the long but much needed drive to Charleston for what I would like to become a reliable annual pilgrimage.

At the 33rd edition of the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston SC, I finished my 8th Bridge Run in a time of - well, a respectable time given my "relatively advanced age" (as my father tends to characterize it). At least, I think it was my 8th running - may have done more, but my records are a bit spotty.

Thinking back, I realized my first race was in 1992, the last year the race was held on the oldest of the three spans, the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge (which opened in 1929). I still remember the unnerving sensation of running on a bridge rocked by undulations as 7,000 runners made the crossing.

The next year, 1993, and the races following in '94 and '95, the race was held on the Silas N. Pearman Bridge, a luxurious three lanes in width. This testament to modern engineering had only been around since 1966.

College interrupted my running for a while, particularly since most of our crew races were held in the spring. I returned in 2001 and 2002 to post a PR of 43:07, and then again in 2007 for my first race on the "new" Cooper River bridge, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. I have to say, it took some getting used to, adjusting to the width and substance of the one-humped iteration this span represents. I think the race was more interesting on the old spans, to be honest, even though they are (were) steeper in grade than the Ravenel bridge and had two spans (read: uphill).

This picture and the one preceding are terrific shots showing all three spans as they co-existed before the demolition of the Pearman and Grace bridges in the fall of 2005. These photos were taken from Charleston Harbor by my friend Will Bean.

2010 was my first race in Charleston since Jack was born, but I wasn't too much worse for wear - faster than '07, at least. Just over 33,000 of my closest friends finished the course this year, and Simon Ndirangu of Kenya crossed the line to win while I was nearing the halfway point. Oh well - there's always next year!

NB: Older photo courtesy Wikipedia; modern shots by Will Bean.

Glorious Days

I am not quite sure I can express what the words "Seventy-five" and "sunny" do for my soul in March. It has been a long winter by a variety of standards, but being able to run around in my back yard with my wife and kid and dog makes the wait worthwhile.

Little did Jack know, Tickle Monster lives outside too. He especially likes to hang out near the hammock..

That's right: he's Mr. Cool. And as always, another shot of the dog:

Tradition!

Who, day and night, must scramble for a living,
Feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers?
And who has the right, as master of the house,
To have the final word at home?

The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.

Who must know the way to make a proper home,
A quiet home, a kosher home?
Who must raise the family and run the home,
So Papa's free to read the holy books?

The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!

I had to laugh a bit tonight when Doc raised her eyebrows at my invocation tonight of "The Papa, the Papa! - Tradition!" Of course I didn't realize she hadn't seen the movie. L'll be the first to admit that my comments were a little (ok, a lot) tongue-in-cheek, since there is only one person in this house with a job and it ain't Good Ol' Matilda. But it is the very fact that we have our own very wonderful traditions - partnership, equality, appreciation - that makes this sort of exchange something we can really laugh at. Kaynahorah!

Happy Birthday, Banjo Paterson!

Today, this blog pays tribute to the Australian A.B. "Banjo" Paterson, the original author of the folk song "Waltzing Matilda." Banjo was born on Feb 17th, 1864, and also wrote the famous poem "The Man From Snowy River," later made into a movie.

Incidentally, this is also the birthday of Thomas Malthus, noted British economist and evidently the co-inspiration for most of Andre Bauer's opinions on welfare and free school lunches. Mr. Bauer's other inspiration? His grandma.

A sad day..

I know this is a bit of an odd time to post a September 11th remembrance post, but I just stumbled across the most incredible set of photographs that I just had to share.

On that star-crossed Tuesday, airspace control was understandably tight and NYPD Detective Greg Semendinger was the only photographer aloft in a police helicopter. As a result, this series of photographs are the only aerial shots of the attack and the ensuing disaster. Heartwrenching? Yes. Critical to our national understanding? Absolutely.

Courtesy of NYPD and the New York Times:

Remember the Maine.

Last First Day of School

I got started off this morning with an introduction to the Law of Remedies, or more precisely “The means by which a legal right is enforced, or the manner by which a violation of a legal right is prevented, redressed, vindicated or compensated.” Fun stuff.

As I sat there, it occurred to me (mainly by noticing everyone else's Facebook and Twitter posts) that this is my last First Day of School. Kind of a milestone, and while no one knows what fate and happenstance may bring, I expect I will not find myself sitting in a classroom again as a student for quite some time. I have to say, both the intellectual pursuits and the pace of life these last three years have been a treat and I have tried hard to enjoy this phase of my life.

Bar prep starts Tuesday and late July will begin looming over the horizon. But for now -particularly after a wonderfully tasty gyro at Jack's Corner Grille with Doc - this has been a pretty good day.

The Fall Guy

Anybody remember The Fall Guy? I am certain that this was one of my favorite shows growing up, and not just because of Heather Thomas.

I mean, forget all the reality shows on TV today - this was a story about real life the way it is supposed to be: about a guy (Colt Seavers) that grows up to be a Stunt Man and a Bounty Hunter, with a faithful sidekick, a smokin' hotgirlfriend, and a 1981 GMC 4x4 truck with a 6" lift, chrome roll bar and brush guard, Warn winch, and 35-inch Dick Cepek

off-road tires mounted on a 16-inch chrome wagon style wheel. Awesome.

By the way, re-runs of this show (although I am pretty sure I remember some originals - it didn't go off the air after the '86 season) are one of the only things that saved me after they pulled the Dukes of Hazzard.

Well, I am starting to think that Jack would like to grow up to be the Fall Guy's successor. He seems to have a natural predisposition for crashing into things - deliberately. Just check out this video clip:

I even caught him humming the tune to the title track the other day.

Well, I'm not the kind to kiss and tell,
But I've been seen with Farrah.
I've never been with anything less than a nine, so fine.
I've been on fire with Sally Field,
Gone fast with a girl named Bo.
But somehow they just don't end up as mine.
It's a death-defyin' life I lead,
I take my chances.
I die for a livin' in the movies and TV.
But the hardest thing I ever do is watch my leading ladies
Kiss some other guy while I'm bandagin' my knee.
I might fall from a tall buildin',
I might roll a brand-new car.
'Cause I'm the unknown stuntman
That made Redford such a star.
I've never spent much time in school,
But I've taught ladies plenty.
It's true I hire my body out for pay,
A hey, hey!
I've gotten burned over Cheryl Tiegs,
Blown up for Raquel Welch,
But when I wind up in the hay, it's only hay,
A hey hey!
I might jump an open drawbridge,
Or Tarzan from a vine,
'Cause I'm the unknown stuntman
That makes Eastwood look so fine.

Lego Time

Do you realize how fun it is to play with Legos? Why did I ever grow up and go to law school, when I could have been staying home playing with these multi-colored snap-together wonders of modern engineering?

Look what I built last night:

Jack helped me take it apart later - it turns out that is his specialty. It's funny, he seems to have a peculiar disposition that requires things to not stay connected, stored, boxed or in place. From the very minute we got him some toy blocks, he was just totally dissatisfied when the blocks were in their container and he had to take them out. Same deal with the Legos - it his absolute mission to disconnect each and every one from the other. We though it was a great idea to get these neat storage baskets that fit right under the changing table, so we could store extra diapers and wipes and stuff. Apparently, the only thing that is an even better idea is whatever gets in Jack's head when we put him on the floor - he heads right for them with his gimp-legged little gangster lean and triumphantly pulls out the baskets, emptying their contents all over the floor.

Between that and Legos, I hope he finds his calling. I'm thinking demolition.

Yum yum, eat 'em up

Thanksgiving 2009 has been a fabulous holiday. Not only were we able to see both of our families and have some wonderful quality time with the grandparents, but we've all eaten like kings. My brother roasted the juiciest most delicious turkey I think I've ever tasted and Jackson devoured it like his father's true son.

I think the thing I'm most thankful for this year (and every day) is my family. I simply could not be more blessed. My mother is such a peaceful, patient, creative, and open woman. She has a unique way of making playtime both entertaining and educational. I thought learning the state capitals growing up was what all kids did for fun. She routinely turned our power off to the house so we could cook s'mores over candles and play Yahtzee as a family by lantern light. She never missed a volleyball game or a school play or even a poster presentation and she would always sit patiently with a book whenever I was running late without so much as a cross word. She is The Most Positive Person I have ever known and is always happy to see me. And never have I been more impressed and proud and happy to have her in my life than when I watch her with my son.

She makes his eyes light up with all the adventures she is promising him.

I love her.

No one ever gets so blessed twice. But somehow, I slipped by fate and pulled out the golden ticket because my parents-in-law are just as amazing and adorable. My mother-in-law, aka Nana, is the one person in the world I would want in a crisis. She makes an octopus look handicapped with how easily she can multi-task. She is so kind and considerate and thoughtful. She is the epitome of generosity. I'll never forget watching her speak at her father's funeral when no one else could keep it together. She was poised, graceful, and full of peace. She has the strongest faith of anyone I've ever known. She has so much to offer my children.

I love her.

And then there's my father-in-law, aka Grandpa Bud. You have never heard a laugh so real and joyous and infectious until you have heard Bud guffaw. He thoroughly enjoys himself at all times and has shown me the importance of using the good china every day. Live life to the fullest is his motto. He is genuine and thoughtful and warm and a trueblooded Tarheel. He loves an adventure but is so pleasantly practical that he is easy to be around. Jackson has a special look for Bud that I have yet to figure out fully but most definitely has a mischievous gleam to it.

I love him, too.

And then there's my lovely husband...

Well, that's a blog entry for another time.

I am thankful for my family and my friends. My son and my husband. My health and my talents. My past and my future. Those still here with me and those that have already gone topside. And I'm hoping you have just as many blessings in your life this Thanksgiving as I.

Reconstituted

I met them in 1997. Some of us weren't even 18 yet. We were tall, excited, diverse freshmen propelled by our height to try something new. We had no clue what going out to that faithful lake on the outskirts of Carrboro would mean for our lives, both in the few short years at UNC and for the lifetime that lay on the other side of graduation.

I'm not sure exactly when in that first year these girls became an indelible part of my firmament. Perhaps it was in Pam's van at 4:45am or at the bridge with Ports to row and Starboards to back or maybe in the kitchen at Vance Street. At any rate, it happened and we've somehow managed to see each other almost semi-annually since graduation, despite being on opposite coasts with insanely busy work schedules. Through showers and weddings and graduations and now babies, we just pick right up where we left off and the hours fly by unnoticed.

This weekend was just such an occasion. The stars aligned and we were all able to meet at Lake Lure for a very brief but amazingly soul-soothing and much-needed weekend.

We've grown a bit since we met 12 years ago. There were nine of us this weekend...well ten if you count the newest and still-forming addition to our happy menagerie. Between us we have a photographer, an SF medic, a paleontologist, two engineers, a pediatrician, a family practitioner, an (almost) attorney, two insanely energetic but amazingly well behaved canines, two very quirky felines, and a snaggle-toothed 9-month old fondly referred to as 'Green 11.'

The topic of blessings came up this weekend, as it so often does when we four get together. We do a very good job of appreciating the momentous gifts we've been given and enjoying the love and laughter and happiness we all share. But, sometimes, one does have to wonder why some seem to have it so exceptionally good. Have we been given all of this to serve a higher purpose or is this a reward from past lives well lived? Have we unknowingly cultivated the foundation and are now reaping the harvest or were we just lucky enough to be born at the right place in the right time? Does one get a blessings limit, so to speak, or does one beget another like a glorious snowball?

My mother used to say "Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out." And while I think this is a brilliant observation, it does seem like the four of us have been bestowed an incredibly well-stacked hand. The purpose of this I have yet to identify, but I figure as long as I enjoy the heck out of my life now, it will all become clear at some point.

In the mean time, blessed I am and grateful I will always be.

Thank you Heather, Steph, and Rae (and Andras, Dan, and Matt).

Time with you always recharges me.