We went to see the third Lord of the Rings yesterday. I don't think any second or third movie can live up to the original in a series, but it didn't disappoint. My favorite part was concerning the city of the kings, Minis Tirith. The large rock ledge, with the circle on top, the Romanesque statues and the hall of kings were all wonderfully historical. It doesn't top the part in Fellowship of the Ring when the fellowship is in canoes on a river, and come upon the two huge carved rocks, one that looked of a Viking and the other of a Roman soldier. Here's a few sites: Official Lord of the Rings movie site and National Geographic's Beyond the Movie, with language and Tolkien information

Another Kick

I received a letter from the Veterans Administration yesterday stating I have until Dec. 20, 2008, to use my military education benefits, or I will lose them completely. This statement is news to me, considering I retired from active military service in October, 2003, and I should have ten years from my retirement date to use the entire, 48-month education benefit promised when I enlisted.

I guess that's not the case. The reasoning behind this monumental decision, according to the letter, is because I had a service break from Dec. 8, 1984 to Oct. 18, 1987, and the education benefit was shortened by any time I was not on active duty. This little tidbit of information was never passed to me at any of the hundreds of counseling meetings that I attended during 20 years of service to my country. If I had known the time period to use the military education benefit would be shortened, I would have attended college sooner after my honorable discharge instead of gaining practical experience in the IT field.

My advice: Watch what is promised closely if you enlist in the military and review the mounds of information available. I served my second tour of duty from October 1987 to October 2003, and this little rule never popped up in 16 years.