Dona Nobis Pacem

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.

-Dwight D. Eisenhower - 34th president of US 1953-1961 (1890 - 1969)

Dona Nobis Pacem - Give Us Peace. It's an interesting concept, isn't it? That people have the power to promote peace. That individuals, coming together as a unified voice, can bring about peace on earth. Is it possible? I like to think so. Today, bloggers all over the world are displaying their own peace globes, like mine above. Today, these bloggers have called their posts Dona Nobis Pacem. It is a cry, in a unified voice, for peace.

Allow me a moment to tell you about my peace globe. I received an email from Mimi about Blogblast for Peace a few days ago. I didn't know about this amazing effort until then, and I'm glad she told me about it. I went to the site to get a peace globe, intending to sign it and submit it like everyone else. However, when I copied the one I liked and signed it, I wasn't satisfied. I sat at my computer for a few long moments, contemplating what peace means to me, and what kind of message I could put on my globe to help promote world peace. World peace. Obviously, if I want to truly display a message of world peace, I would need to say it in languages other than English, so I searched for translations. I found a wonderful site, World Peace, that has the word peace translated into over 270 languages, including braille, morse code, American Sign Language, and.. if you can believe it... Klingon! I didn't include the Klingon translation on my peace globe, but I tried to represent as many different languages as I could. It became an obsession, really. I wanted it to look perfect, I wanted it to be just right. I'm pretty happy with the results, and I hope you enjoyed looking at it.

As you know, I usually don't get political here on this blog. I prefer to keep it light. However, I thought this was worth doing. So today, I raise my voice with the others and say "give us peace." I will end this post with some other voices and their thoughts on peace.

Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.

- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

We look forward to the time when the power of love will replace the love of power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace.

- William Gladstone

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

- John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)

Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.

- Thomas Jefferson

It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
- Mother Teresa

And here are the peace globes from others throughout the blogosphere. Beautiful, aren't they?

Script Frenzy Day 5

Current wordcount: 3,805
Today's wordcount: 1,375
Time spent writing: 2 hours
Time spent on SF Boards: none (can you believe it??)
Today's soundtrack: Keane and Coldplay
Today's mood: Good, although work was horrible

I sat down and really worked tonight, because I wanted to catch up. At this rate, my Excel tracking sheet tells me I'll be done by June 27. Of course, that's not taking next week into account. I'm bringing the laptop and will try to write as much as I can, but I may not get much done. That's okay, though. With NaNo, skipping a week is disasterous, but with Script Frenzy, there isn't as much pressure. Once you've written 50,000 words in a month more than twice, 20,000 words should be a snap. And it is!

Work was horrible today. It's almost like I'm being punished for taking next week off. There are so many projects that I absolutely must finish before Friday, and some of those have completely arbitrary deadlines. Some of the deadlines are concrete, but others are just totally made up. It's a little frustrating. But I'll finish all of the projects before Friday, like I always do. I really love my job. I really, really do! Sometimes I vent a little about it, but I really do enjoy my work. I'm totally dedicated to it. I'm just a little burned out at the moment, I suppose. I am absolutely ready for a vacation!

I worked on a video for my parents tonight. Next week is their 40th anniversary (which is really the reason for the trip) and I wanted to make a video of pictures from their life together set to their favorite songs. I ended up with two songs and a lot of really wonderful pictures. I burned it onto a DVD and will give it to them before we leave for the trip. I love doing videos like that, it's so much fun! I still watch the one I made for my sister last Mother's Day. It has photos of her kids set to this really pretty song, "The One Who Knows," which is just the perfect "mother" song. I have this sort of bizarre hope that someone will do a video for me when I die, to play at my funeral. It would be set to "Seasons of Love" from Rent and would have pictures of me and all the people I love. I told my mother once that I wanted this, and she said I would have to make it because she wouldn't be able to. I guess I should do it, huh? :)

Anyway, that's enough for tonight. It's early, but I want to go to bed soon. I have a big meeting tomorrow and I'd hate to go to it with dark circles under my eyes!

Script Frenzy Day 4

No writing yesterday due to migraine and worst day ever. (see below) Will have to catch up today. No worries, I'm not too far behind.

RANT

Yesterday was the worst day ever. Seriously, the worst day. Migraine all day, but still had to go to work. Couldn't wake up early because of the migraine and by the time I got home I couldn't stand to look at the computer screen. And on top of all that, I had to go to Walmart to get some things for work and went through the self check line. I got $40 cash back and my phone rang while I was completing the transaction and because I was distracted I walked away without getting my cash. On the off chance that someone honest came through the line after me, I called them when I realized what I had done, and they watched the video to see what happened. The next person in line put my money in their pocket.

I understand how tempting that must have been, to just randomly come upon $40. But what happened to honesty? What happened to common human decency? What happened to knowing that the money isn't yours and realizing that someone needs it? I've always believed that people are generally good. Well, this incident has destroyed that belief. I know it was my fault for getting distracted and leaving the money in the tray, but I've found money before and I always turn it in. It's not my money so I wouldn't feel right about keeping it. I hope whatever this person buys with my money breaks immediately and they can't return it. Or if they buy food with it, I hope it tastes horrible and makes them sick. Unless they really, really needed it. If I believed in curses, I'd put one on that $40 so that it brings nothing but trouble to the person who picked it up. I do believe in karma, though, and I know that one day this person will lose $40 and someone won't give it back to them. I hope it happens soon.

I'm not normally so vindictive, but I'm sick and tired of encountering people without basic decency. I'm sick of people who take advantage of others and who are not honest. Sometimes I think the world would be a much better place without all the people.

Okay, rant over. Sorry about that. I'm just so frustrated and mad at myself and at the person who now has my $40. I know, it's not a lot of money, but it's the principle of the thing. I will survive without the $40, but I might have been someone else, someone who couldn't survive without it.

Script Frenzy Day 3

Current wordcount: 2,430
Today's wordcount: 688
Time spent writing: 30 minutes
Time spent on SF Boards: 10 minutes
Today's soundtrack: Thirteen Senses
Today's mood: Pretty good

Things are still going well. The script is coming along. I wrote the first really emotional scene today and I think it works. One of the characters went through a divorce when she was very young, and the scene I wrote today is the one where her husband tells her he wants to split up. So it's still flowing pretty well, and I'm really happy about that. I'm a little shocked that I'm not having more trouble with this. I've always been better at description than dialogue. It's a great exercise for me to have to focus on the characters speaking to each other. Hopefully I'll come out of this a better writer, even if my script isn't any good!

We had a play selection committee meeting this afternoon. It was great! We put blankets on the ground and lounged on them, each of us reading a different script. We talked about what we were reading, and if someone read a particularly funny bit, we would share it with everyone. It looks like we will probably recommend Misery for the thriller and Faith County for the light comedy. Both shows have parts I'm eligible for, so I'm happy about that! We're looking at Quiters, Honky Tonk Angels, Convenience or possibly Godspell for the musical. There may be some other choices for the musical. I'm not sure. We have to pick 4 shows, so we have our work cut out for us! It's so much fun, though! I brought two scripts home, Veronica's Room and The Kitchen Witches. I can't wait to start reading them!

I didn't finish the miter yesterday, so I'm going to try tonight. I did most of it, but just got tired and went to bed. I hate to leave something unfinished, but sometimes you have to put it down and go to sleep. I'll try to finish tonight.

Script Frenzy Day 2

Current wordcount: 1,742
Today's wordcount: 839
Time spent writing: 1 hour
Time spent on SF Boards: 30 minutes
Today's soundtrack: Death Cab for Cutie
Today's mood: Great!

I think the format I chose is working well. I hope it is, anyway. I can see it playing out on a stage, so that seems like a good sign.

I spent most of my day today doing laundry. How do I have so much laundry? The odd thing is, I obviously wear all these clothes, because they all need to be washed. Now that I'm finished with my writing for the day and I have finished the laundry, I'm going to relax a little and knit. Hopefully I can finally finish the last miter in my first square. I'll post pictures when it's finished!

Script Frenzy Day 1

Current wordcount: 903
Today's wordcount: 903
Time spent writing: 1 hour
Time spent on SF Boards: about 10 minutes
Today's soundtrack: my Broadway playlist (so fun!)
Today's mood: Great!

Well, I feel like I've gotten off to a good start. The knitting circle has been formed, and one of the ladies has already told a bit of her story. I like it so far. It seems to be flowing well.

Waking up early helped a lot! I got the required number of words done in about 30 minutes this morning and then did a little more when I got home from work this evening. My stopping point was a little odd number-wise, but it made sense to stop there so I did. Tomorrow I'm going to do about the same amount (or more) to stay ahead. I know I won't be able to consistently write while I'm on vacation, so I want to get enough done so that I'm not hopelessly behind when I get back.

Speaking of the trip, I went shopping for some clothes to take. I don't actually own very many casual outfits anymore. Most of my clothes are suits or other "professional looking" clothes, and that would be all wrong for a road trip! So I bought some shorts, for the first time in several years. So I'm all set there. I think I finally have everything I need. That's a relief!