So here I go.

I'm curious to know what you guys think of the upcoming presidential election. Now that all the candidates have been chosen, and all the running mates are out in the open... I wanna know what you all think. Especially after that speech from Sarah Palin last night. I have my own opinions and concerns, and I'd be glad to share that with you in a PM or whatever, or maybe I'll post another blog as Election Day gets closer.

And I'm curious to know what everyone thinks. Not just those of us from America.

So comment away!

I hate being sick.

I came down with some sort of cold or something earlier this week, around Monday. I thought it was allergies (they get really bad this time of year), but I guess not. It got worse and worse, even though I started taking meds for it, and now I'm pretty sure it went into bronchitis. It feels like there's something sitting on my chest. I even lost my voice yesterday completely, since I was up all night Wednesday coughing. It kinda came back today, but not really.

The worst part is, I can't taste anything. I want to eat, and I have somewhat of an appetite, but I can't taste a thing. Like for dinner today. I ate my favorite soup ever (chicken tortilla from McAlisters) and I couldn't taste a bit of it. I could tell it was kinda spicy, since my mouth was burning, but I have no idea what it tasted like.

This is the second time I've had bronchitis in the past three months. I'm no doctor, but I don't think that's very good. I can't get in to see the doctor until Wednesday, so I'm stuck like this for a while.

If you can't tell, I'm going kind of stir crazy. Sorry for complaining, but I needed to get it off my chest.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

I know that today is the day for barbecues and fireworks and pool parties, but let's think for a minute about what this day is supposed to mean for us Americans. Regardless of political beliefs, today is the day that we celebrate our independence, our freedom. And I think that this deserves some thought in between all the pool parties and hamburgers.

Most of us have had American history at some point in our lives, so we know about the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. But did you know that America is an anomaly in the world? We are the only country to have ever had a successful revolution that established a permanent form of government. The French revolution failed, and Napoleon took over as a dictator. The Cuban revolution brought in Castro. I'd say we're pretty blessed to have made it this far, despite our young history.

The Declaration of Independence is one of the greatest documents in history, up there with the Magna Carta. Jefferson was a master of words. Lines like "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" have become the cornerstone for our system of law and government. Later, the Constitution of the United States became the backbone for law, the ruler by which all legal and political decisions in our country have been measured for the past 250 years. But even the Constitution is based on this great document, one that established America as an independent nation.

The 4th of July celebrates the Declaration of Independence. This document made the King of England realize that we wouldn't back down, that we had expectations of freedom, and that we were willing to die to gain that freedom. And that attitude of freedom has prevailed for the past 250 years. But I would argue that America's independence was not gained through this magnificent document. In fact, the United States of America did not become a nation until 1781, when General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington. No, American independence does not rest on any document. American independence was won, and is still being won, by the men that died to make it the most powerful nation in the world.

We enjoy the freedom to speak our opinions, the freedom to worship whatever God we please, the freedom to bear arms and confront our accusers because of those patriots that died in the American revolution. We enjoy this freedom because of those men that fought to keep our independence in the War of 1812. We enjoy this freedom because of the men that fought to keep the Union together and free the slaves, and the men that fought for their ideals, in the Civil War. We enjoy this freedom because of the men that died in the trenches in World War I. We enjoy this freedom because of the men that were decimated in World War II in order to stop a homicidal, megalomanaical madman who murdered 6 million Jews and more than 1 million people of other races and creeds. We enjoy this freedom because of the men that sacrificed themselves for an unpopular war in Vietnam. And we still enjoy this freedom today, because of the men and women fighting another unpopular war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Regardless of your political beliefs, these men and women deserve to be appreciated, thanked, and supported. They fight for our independence, carrying on the great tradition begun in 1776. They fight for the ideal that all men are created equal. They fight so that you can sleep safe and comfortable at night. They fight so tht you can choose whether to support the war or not.

I'm proud of my dad, a soldier who is overseas now protecting our country. I'm proud of my friends that have been overseas, fulfilling their duty to this country. I'm proud of all our soldiers, past and present, who give up everything for God and country. So today, when you're eating your barbecue and watching the pretty fireworks, remember those men and women that have died to protect your freedom and my freedom. Remember those men that risked their lives to build this country into what it is. And thank God that you have the freedom to eat your barbecue and watch your fireworks.