Mario's e-mail to a soldier in Iraq

Mario wrote this email to a soldier that is currently in Iraq and whose
platoon he used to be in until he came home. I found it very moving and definitely worth sharing and preserving.


Hi Brian,

Sorry for writing to your Army email address, but I don't know any
other one.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and let you know a bit about what's
going on in my life right now.

I found a job (very blessed) as a programmer analyst, and am quite
happy, thank you. There's no yelling, no threatening, and the
employees work hard voluntarily and cheerfully. We all want to be
there.

There's a massage room, and exercise room, and sometimes the company
sponsors lunch.

I respect my co-workers and boss; I wear no uniform; I don't lift heavy
items all day in the motor pool. I don't wait for somebody to tell me
what to do or release me so I can go home. There's none of that. I
only work 8 hours per day. In fact, sometimes I choose to work longer.
Why? Because I enjoy my job. I want the company to succeed. Because
commerce is important; it supports families; it feeds children. In
fact, with the proper perspective, commerce is even virtuous.

I do my job how I want to do it. Nobody micro-manages me. After I'm
done with a project, my supervisor checks my work; he cares mainly
about one thing--does it work?

I don't have to tell someone where I'm going if I choose to take a
break. I can work from 7 until 3 p.m. I can work from 8 to 4, or 9 to
5 or get to work at 9, take an hour for lunch, then finish at 6 p.m.

There is an on-call programmer but that's fine with me. Why? Because
I'm loyal to the company, they treat me well, and I actually want to do
well. We have a clear mission that relates directly to adding value to
our customers' lives.

I wake up around 7:15. I still shave, although I don't have to feel
under the gun about it. I have hair to comb and now wear contacts
rather than glasses.

When I get to work, I use my brain. I analyze, problem solve, learn,
discover.

There are of course, some downsides. Theresa is still having medical
problems, which could get very expensive. While I do have insurance,
it's very expensive. I have no guarantee that my job will be there the
next day.

But I do value some things more highly than safety and security:
freedom, liberty, the dignity of the individual, and the pursuit of
happiness.

War should only be used as a last resort, in self-defense, not in a
pre-emptive strike derived from fear. Peace is should be sought after
always and should only be sacrificed for liberty. Fear is never a
reason to sacrifice peace.

Before we seek war, let us repent of our lies, adulteries, and take
care of our poor. Then let us have faith that God will protect and
defend us as a nation as long as we prepare ourselves and stay strong
morally as well as militarily.

Wish you all the best, my friend,

Mario

Talk softly and carry a big stick...

A Bit of a Scare

Oh, my gosh!!
Last Saturday, a strange woman tried to get in my car! I had just come out of Der Wienerschnitzel (they have the closest ATM to my house), got back in my car, and could see her approaching. In slow motion, it seemed--just like a bad dream. She was not hesitant; I could tell she was going to try the car door. I pushed the button to lock the doors, but in my panic, I foolishly UNlocked the doors instead.

She opened the passenger-side door and I yelled at her to get out. She said, "Do you want my coat?" and took off said coat. I kept yelling, "GET OUT OF MY CAR! GET OUT!" She offered me her coat again and tossed it on the passenger seat. I told her, "I'M CALLING THE POLICE!" She was completely unfazed. I yelled some more and she finally started to leave. I yelled at her to take her coat, too, which she did.

By then I'd dialed 911, and had this delightful exchange:

911: 911; what is your emergency?

Me: Some woman just tried to get in my car!

911: Tell me what happened, ma'am.

(I give her an account of the events to that point.)

Me: Now she's getting in the car next to me! There's a whole family in there, but they don't seem to be doing anything.

Other Driver: Is she with you?

Me: NO! I'M ON THE PHONE WITH THE POLICE!

Me (to dispatcher): Oh, they're going into the restaurant, and the man is holding the door for her. Maybe they're going to buy her lunch??

Well (my panic subsiding), she doesn't appear to be dangerous. Clearly, she's mentally ill, though.

911: What makes you say that, ma'am? (Catches herself) Other than her trying to get in your car, I mean?

The nice dispatcher lady then told me the officers were on their way. The other driver man came out; I rolled down the window (just a bit) and told him the police were coming. He said, "Well, I don't want to get involved. I'm leaving right now." But just then the police arrived. One of the officers talked to the car-invader woman, and the other talked to me and a gal from the other family.

Me: I'm the one who called.

PO: Can I see your license, ma'am? (I gave it to him.)

Gal: I don't want to get involved; I'm just going to go...

PO: That's fine, ma'am; can I just get your name?

Gal: Ok--(gives her name)

PO: What's your birthdate, ma'am?

Gal: (gives birthdate)

PO: Great. You got a phone, ma'am?

Gal: Yeah. (gives phone number)

Gotta love those hard-line interrogation techniques.

Kind of anti-climactic from that point. I told the officer what had happened, and he said they'd probably be taking the woman to the hospital, which is really what she needed. Whew! A little scary for a moment, but all ended well.

COLLEGE!

I have been accepeted to my number one choice for college! The Academy Of Art University in Sanfran! So this time next year i will be sitting in my DORM room blogging! I am super stoked. It wasn't that hard.. i spent a month talking to the admissions guy and then just applied and i got in! I'm majoring in the motion pictures productions stuff, I'm going there for acting, as you probably all know it's been my dream since i was 9 years old when i was in my very first play to be an actress and now I'm going to go out there and do it :D