Alright. It's time to lighten-up a bit a write about what is, or is not going on today, Memorial Day! I have today off, but only because I requested it as one of my days-off this week. I just didn't want to deal with holiday shoppers! Doesn't anyone stay home and just enjoy the moment once in awhile?! Do many think of today as just "another day-off", "another 3-day" weekend as parents try to keep their kids amused for another day. As boring as it might sound to you, I'm staying home! I run all week, and weekends too. A quick trip for a few needed groceries is all I have to do...I pity those clerks at the store today! (Don't you think they want to be home with their families/friends enjoying the "holiday"?) Essentially, at least as I see it, there is NO holidays in the US anymore. Virtually everything is almost available 24hrs/day, 365 days. I think it would be interesting to see the effect if all of us 100% boycotted open services during the holidays! Remember, this is America. Don't vote with your pen, vote with your pocketbook! I feel this way now because most of my life I've been in a service-type job. All I'm saying is we need more of a balance and to r-e-l-a-x...not to mention being too "connected" via cellphones. Shut that damn thing off!

One aspect of education that seems to have been lost in U.S. schools is a thorough understanding of history and it's ramifcations on current events. I don't "monger" war, but take this fact to heart a bit. Western Europe was allied with the U.S. during WWII and subsequently the U.S. essentially paid the entire bill to rebuild France as a show of good faith for their loyalty. The rhetorical question is; Where is Europe's loyalty to us now in helping eliminating terrorism? Instead, the French "elitists" sip cafe and speak in a condescending manner of how bad, so bad, America's values are to the rest of the world. And worse yet, there is a group of American's that think the same! We are a free country, in that, you are free to leave anytime your heart desires!

Let's not forget the reason why we live such "easy" lives; because many others gave theirs without question! Normandy cemetery is one of several in France where the U.S. war-dead rest.

THIS MONTH MARKS THE OFFICIAL START OF CRUISE SHIP SEASON FOR SAILINGS TO ALASKA. TODAY 3 SHIPS DEPARTED FROM PIER 66 IN BELLTOWN. REALLY, BECAUSE OF SPACE LIMITATIONS AND A CANADIAN NAVY SHIPPED BEING MOORED, 2 OF THE SHIPS HAD TO DEPART FROM THE CONTAINER PORT FURTHER SOUTH IN THE BAY. ALTHOUGH SEATTLE IS KNOWN FOR IT'S FISHING INDUSTRY AS WELL, CRUISE SHIP CAPACITY IS LIMITED TO ONLY ONE PIER DOWNTOWN. MANY SHIPS HAVE MOVED FROM SEATTLE TO VANCOUVER B.C. FOR SUMMER ALASKA SAILINGS. IN THIS PIC, TWO SHIPS ARE DEPARTING SEATTLE HEADING FOR THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND THEN NORTH TO ALASKA. TAKEN FROM MY BALCONY IN QUEEN ANNE.