Irresponsible reffing

I think I messed up my knee playing in Sunday's soccer game.

Three times the same man pushed me down using very aggressive and illegal tactics and he didn't receive a yellow card from the ref until the third assault. Well, that's all my knee could take apparently because I went down and felt something pull.

The pain wasn't bad at the time, though, so I finished the game, got an assist then guest played for another team in need of players.

This morning I woke up in great pain. My ankle and knee are swollen, I have charlie horses on both quads and various cuts and bruises on my knees and elbows.

I understand there's a certain amount of risk involved in playing sports and I welcome that. I like aggressive play, but this guy was just dangerous and by "this guy" I mean the ref.

It is the ref's job to know the rules of the game, which he didn't, and make sure there's no illegal shenanigans like kicking, slide tackling, pushing, etc. (Yes, I said shenanigans)

I don't know where his head was, but it certainly wasn't on that field and now I'm paying for it.

I'm visiting doc in a box tomorrow to get a referral to someone who can tell me what's wrong. I'm afraid it's this.

So I'll keep you all updated.

xoxoL

Keeping in touch

Up until recently, contacting Morgan in Afghanistan has been surprisingly convenient. That changed Sunday when I failed to hear from him. Monday came and still no word. No e-mail, phone call, Facebook or Skype messages.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday came and went. Each day lasted an eternity. I couldn't concentrate at work, couldn't sleep, felt sick, felt weak.

Never allowing myself to fear the worst I told everyone who asked about Morgan that he must be out on a mission because I hadn't heard from him in awhile.

This morning a "937" number popped up on my phone. "Thank God," I thought. Tears streaming silently down my cheeks I told Morgan how worried I was and asked him to please try to let me know in advance when he'd be unreachable for days in a row. It's a request I don't know if I have the right to make. It's also one he doesn't have the right to grant. All the same, I felt reassured.

It's a good day. Happy Friday everyone.

xoxoL

Rakan's story

On a cold, January morning in 2005 a vehicle careens toward a pack of American soldiers in Iraq. Fearing for their lives, patrol members open fire.

When the smoke clears, the soldiers discover the suspicious car and innocent bodies inside are riddled with bullets. One victim, 12-year-old Rakan Hassan, has been shot in the spine. The boy's parents are killed in the attack.

It was a mistake. A terrible mistake and medics worked feverishly to save the child. He lived, but doctors determine he was paralyzed from the waist down.

In September 2005 a group of humanitarians, to include U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, flew Rakan to Boston to receive top medical care. He does and learns once again to walk.

But this story doesn't have a happy ending. How could it when you're talking about a child who's life has been shattered?

Read it here.

What do you think? Has anyone read "The Kite Runner" or "A Thousand Splendid Suns"? I highly recommend both.

Home Depot Heroes

Home Depot Honors Fallen Soldiers With Great Prices On Tools

This is tasteless and terrible, but also very funny.

Pre-TSD

You've heard of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but did you know there's something called pre traumatic stress disorder or Pre-TSD.

That's right. Check it out.

Musings on a Sunday at work

It's Sunday and I'm at work. Blarp.

There's little going on (knock on wood), but I did come across this column on The Onion's Web site.

My favorite line: "My Kate is truly one of the sweetest, fattest, smartest people I know. She's not only my enormous wife—she's my enormous best friend."

I hope to one day be Morgan's enormous best friend.

xoxoL

DMB

Happy Friday!!!

So Jessie Capp., sent this to me about a week ago and I just didn't listen to it until about 5 minutes ago. It's Stevie Nicks performing "Crash into me," by Dave Matthews.

For those who don't know me, I'm a ridiculously big DMB fan. Jess and I have been going to see them live since we were in middle school. The last show I went to was July 7 in Atlanta. Jess flew in from Boston. Dave played "Crash" and I might have cried.

So good to see you last month, Jess. Thanks for your many years from friendship and love.

In military news...I'm headed out to interview a man who's been in uniform for 50 years. He was in the Army then, upon his retirement, he became a JROTC instructor at a local high school. He's retiring this month. Should be a pretty cool profile.

Have a great weekend.

xoxoL