Since I am fairly new around here, I would like to know how many M*A*S*H fans we have out there in JUland. To arrive at such an end, here is a quick quiz for all those mashers out there: 1. Who do you prefer as the company clerk: Radar or Klinger? 2. What is your favorite potterism? 3. Who worked his way through med school selling burial plots? 4. Name five famous people who made guest appearances on M*A*S*H. 5. Who do you prefer as commander, Henry Blake or Sherman Potter? 6. Wh...

Being in another country, or culture for that matter, one has the opportunity to taste a variety of foods and goodies that one would not be able in their home country. On that note, I give you a delicious, mouth-watering, and delectable pasta that is good on any occasion. It is…(drum roll please)…Squid Pasta! Yes folks, you heard me right, squid pasta. Not only is it lovely in form, but also leaves a piece of its tantalizing color with you for several days (use your imagination). Withou...

In the very spot we are standing, lava used to shoot out of the crater! You can tell it has been dormant for awhile because of the plants growing on the sides. There was also a family of ladybugs on the rocks near where we are standing. This is where I almost died! Notice how the clouds had completely covered the view behind me. This is our friend Stefano. He is from Catania. You can see the different deposits from different eruptions because of their varying colors based...

In my brief experience overseas, I can definitely see the ugly American alive and well. I have spent the last 15 months living in Italy. Not in a dorm room, not at a school, not on a base, but in an apartment in the middle of town. I don’t claim to know everything about the culture, about the people, about the land; for that is far, far from the truth. However, in my 15 months here, the ugly American has met up with me several times. In every city I have been to there have been Americans w...

First of all, I would like to make a formal apology for the following article. It is a touchy subject, but it is one that I have very strong feelings for. It is a topic the simmers deep within me until I cannot hold it in any longer. It generates such strong feelings inside me that if I do not let it out I will explode. That being said, I would like to take the next few moments to vent. The topic is faxes. My problem with faxes is that you usually don’t have any warning that they are comin...

First of all, I would like to make a formal apology for the following article. It is a touchy subject, but it is one that I have very strong feelings for. It is a topic the simmers deep within me until I cannot hold it in any longer. It generates such strong feelings inside me that if I do not let it out I will explode. That being said, I would like to take the next few moments to vent. The topic is faxes. My problem with faxes is that you usually don’t have any warning that they are comin...

We got to experience our first earthquake last night. It was nothing too spectacular. It was about 1 in the morning; we had just gotten into bed from a birthday party we went to. Amanda and I were both very tired and almost instantly went to sleep. It was during that period between being asleep and being awake that we felt the earthquake. I recognized it immediately as an earthquake, most likely due to the fact that there had been talk earlier in the day of an earthquake that happened night b...

Today we went up on Mount Etna. It was absolutely breathtaking, both literally and figuratively. It is about 40 kilometers from Cantania. We went up with Stefano. We left in the morning, with pullovers in hand, to see what God had in store for us to see. We stopped in a little town on the way there to get some breakfast. One of the workers there wanted to know were we where from, I told him Texas and he automatically likened me to Walker, Texas Ranger. He said that he shows up and throws ever...

Winter has officially arrived. As I lay in bed this morning, debating the possibilities before me, either to shed the warm sanctuary of my bed or to continue to enjoy the blissful warmth and risk being late, it hit me. Summer is over. Fall never was. Winter is here. I decided to crawl out of bed, hunt down my slippers (we have all marble floors) and brave the artic cold of the bathroom. All the time I was wishing I had turned on the heat the night before. After my shower and shave, I ...

Perseverance and compassion to get through the years Love and tenderness to get through the tears Pride and passion to stand for the right Strength and courage to stand for the fight Hugging your children, but crying inside Trying to run, yet with no place to hide Standing your ground, facing your fears Guarding your family when danger nears Growing closer and growing apart Sharing and protecting your delicate heart Waking each day with tiny hands to hold Spending each night i...

From the beginning of human thought, men and women alike have pondered about the existence of a God. Christian apologists have written mountains of books going to great extents trying to prove God. At the same time, Materialists have written their own opposing mountain of books just across the valley proving just the opposite. It is a continuing “Nutuh – Uhuh” battle that will continue until the end of human thought. That being said, here is my proposition: God cannot be proved. Try if y...

Ciao a tutti! I hope you enjoy reading my musings.