Iowa State Capitol

I'm kind of a goober in that I like to visit a state capitol building if I'm in the city so here is the Iowa State Capitol.  My guide book said it was "bling heavy".  Pretty true...the dome is gold.

Not the greatest picture but a really pretty building.

Here is the dome from inside.  I know it's upside down but the flag must be right side up from the top.  I had another picture from the other side but it was still not right.

These are the legislator's mailboxes.  Just thought it was a cool picture.





This is the law library.  Way cool staircases.

These are the dolls displayed that show a replica of inauguration gowns of the fiirst ladies.  The dolls all look alike and they are pretty ugly, as are some of the dresses.  The biggest problem in this picture is me in the middle in the mirror taking the picture.  I could not figure out how to get me out.

Freedom Rock

Iowa artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen found a large rock at the entrance to an old rock quarry in rural Iowa that was normally covered with graffiti and decided to use it as a canvas to honor our military heroes.  Every year since, starting on memorial day, he paints the rock over.  These are the pictures when I was there

The writing is a poem from Eleanor Roosevelt from WW II:

Dear Lord,

Lest I continue My complacent way,
Help me to remember that somewhere,Somehow out there
A man died for me today.  As long as there be war,                                                      I then must ask and answer  Am I worth dying for?

The 2nd picture shows a Muslim American soldier in prayer and his headstone.

Side 3 shows an Iowa hero named Glenn McDole who survived this:

During World War II, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, the Japanese herded the remaining 150 prisoners of war at Puerto Princesa into three covered trenches which were then set on fire using barrels of gasoline. Prisoners who tried to escape the flames were shot down. Others attempted to escape by climbing over a cliff that ran along one side of the trenches, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 men escaped the slaughter and between 133 and 141 were killed

It also honors a veteran of the Vietnam war.  I regret that I don't know what it says above him

The last side honors a female soldier.

Amazing.

The images on the rock are the sole property of Ray Sorensen.  He has
a website www.thefreedomrock.com.

Editing in public

I was at lunch the other day at a family restaurant in Des Moines with my 68 year old uncle and his wife and these students came in.  There were 4 girls and 2 boys and they were seated right next to us, even though there were plenty of tables.  During the time we shared restaurant space, we also got the opportunity to hear the apparent story of a small part of their lives.   We got to hear drunk stories, barf stories,  sex stories.  They actually used the term 'finger screwed'.   Lucky for that small edit I guess.   They were also talking about being Tri-Delt seniors so I guess they were at least old enough to drink.

Do they seriously not know how classless they are having the conversation, much less in public where people with class have to hear it?  Was it that important to share these details with total strangers?

On the other side of the coin, our waiter was their age.  He looked like a kid who has had to work his way through school, start to finish.  Probably no frat parties or 7 day drunks in Puerta Vallerta for him.  He probably doesn't have a Beamer in the parking lot of the family restaurant. But I'd hire him any day if I had a job to offer him.   The brats of table one?   Nah...not even if I had a family restaurant,

Texas Rangers

A much cooler logo.

Loving this team.  The excitement is amazing.  They are playing with the enthusiasm of little leaguers.  Kick butt Rangers!!

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox logo?  Red socks.

The Value of a Dollar

I stole this topic from another blogger because I thought it was fun.   Basically, with the economy in the tanker, there is not a lot that you can get for $1 but there are some things.  I also stole #1 from the blogger because it was clever,  It's the only one I took.

1.  Two Tickets to Paradise.   The song that is.  ITunes, 99 cents.

2.  2 really good hot dogs from Stripes.  Big fat ones, all of the fixin's

3.  Large Diet Coke at Sonic during happy hour.

4.  Hot Chocolate at the Ballpark in Arlington

5. Hershey Bar with almonds.

6.  Today, a cantaloupe from United, 97 cents

7,.  10 photo prints from Walgreens.

8.   A lotto ticket   You could be the next millionaire !!

9.  5 text message a la carte

Eat Pray Love ***Spoilers***

I went to the first movie I've been to today to see a movie that I was realy looking forward to called 'Eat, Pray, Love' with Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem.   It's about a New York writer who leaves her husband and decides to take a year and 'find herself'.   She first heads to Italy for the Eat part.  She loses her carb guilt & took her body from a size 2 to a size 4.  She meets local friends and shares meals with them and heck, I don't know what she learned there.

Next stop, India.  This would be the pray part.  Before she left NY she had a young boyfriend who introduced her to an Indian spiritual leader and her HQ is in India.  She checks into a compound kind of thing and chants and meditates and befriends Nate Sr from 'Six Feet Under'.    She apparently learns to forgive herself for not being a good wife or something...again, not sure.  I do find it especially annoying that she is looking for spiritual enlightenment in a culture that sees women as property.

Third stop is Bali.  This is the love part.  She's just hanging out with a wise medicine man who iosss supposed to finish the lessons.  She also meets Javier Bardem, a sensitive, divorced father and ends up falling for him,  I possibly would have too.

I've been thinking about it most of the day and I'm not sure I liked it.  I find it amusing...ok, annoying, that this NY woman who has a man who loves her, money, a job as a travel writer that has allowed her 29 stamps on her passport and yet she cannot find happiness.  She turns away from people who care about her.  She mopes throughout most of the movie.  Til the end as a matter of fact.  I did not see any spiritual enlightenment or frankly anything that would cause any.  Christianity is my thing so I don't understand turning to anything else.  I do find it hard to believe anyone finding the spirituality they are looking for in a place where people are starving outside the gate.

The woman is a whiner.

The movie was way too long.

** out of ***** for the scenery and Javier Bardem only.