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July 9th, 2009
05:59 PM ET

What Have You Done in the Last 114 Days?

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/06/23/north.korea.journalists/art.korea.afp.gi.jpg]

Mallika Chopra
Intent.com

In the last 114 days, my little daughter graduated from pre-school. My elder daughter completed 1st grade. My little nephew began to speak in full sentences. My husband and I have fought and made up several times. I have traveled to NY, Colorado, SF, Paris and London. We have had several dinner parties, and watched exciting finals in the NBA Finals and Wimbledon.

I have watched the Iran elections unfold into a potential revolution. I have watched with bated breath N. Korea test nuclear missiles. I have mourned the loss of Michael Jackson, who will go down in history as a legend, but who was also an old friend.

It has been 114 days since Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained in N. Korea. 114 days of captivity in a foreign land, with almost no exposure to family or information. Two girls with a full life, with loving families.

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Filed under: 360° Radar • Iran • Lisa Ling • Michael Jackson
soundoff (23 Responses)
  1. maame esi(Ghana)

    In the last 114 days, i have gotten a job as a spa manager after the collapse of my business due to a bad relationship , resigned after a year,i have celebrated my 29th birhtday and my sons first birthday, i have gone through heartaches and loliness i have had to deal with my moms menopausal tantrums.Tried to restart my business with no help from any one not even the banks.
    Its been tough but i stilll have faith that i will get there and achieve my dream soon and eventually find love . And in all this the goog Lord has been very kind to give me life.

    July 10, 2009 at 8:35 am |
  2. Bakari

    In the past 114 days I've been patiently waiting for my lovely and beautiful wife Nawal to come home from her military training.

    July 10, 2009 at 8:12 am |
  3. Sabrina In Las Vegas

    And these mommies are going to miss so many milestones in their children's' lives because of their detention.

    July 10, 2009 at 12:11 am |
  4. Joanne Pacicca

    Fought for equal education for the special needs children living in my home. Defended a child attached by a gang in order to steal his Mongoose bike, sit while he looked at mug shots. Supplied information to the local police, prepared a victim witness assistance form. Worked. Attended 2 graduations and 1 wedding. Loved my children and husband...and prayed for a moment of peace.

    July 9, 2009 at 10:52 pm |
  5. Carol B. in MD

    The leader is something of puny, heartless narcissist. His handlers have to pamper him and feed his ego or risk untimely death. Hopefully the pleas and pressure from our government will help but he'll want something done in return because people are bargaining chips to him.

    July 9, 2009 at 9:54 pm |
  6. jane

    Doing my best to stay in business and watching you.

    July 9, 2009 at 9:45 pm |
  7. Milton Smith

    Paris the queen of seduction, or a queen of sliding the shaft thing hey, it's true shes got it in her system .

    July 9, 2009 at 9:31 pm |
  8. Carol

    and oh yeah is black the only color in America?

    July 9, 2009 at 9:02 pm |
  9. Carol

    Learning there is no justice for the little guy. Unless all us little guys unite and give them a run for their money.

    July 9, 2009 at 8:59 pm |
  10. missydean louisville, ky

    tried to count my blessings everytime I watch the news.

    July 9, 2009 at 8:09 pm |
  11. Maria Isabel

    Wow! Nonsense! Has 114 days?

    And what the government says?
    They said they would not help? Where is help?

    It seems that the girls are abandoned, if not the family and the press!

    July 9, 2009 at 8:03 pm |
  12. Cat Walters

    114 days-Ihave continued to actively participate in my childrens life, enjoy the warmth of the sunshine and the fresh vegetables from my garden. I am so incredibly lucky! No matter how hard I try, I can't imagine how awful it must be for Laura and Euna. I pray for them and their families daily.

    July 9, 2009 at 8:00 pm |
  13. Suzi, Billerica, MA

    I am sure if you say you are a friend of MJ's you are but I think people use that term very liberally with him for where were all these close friends while he was slipping into the hell of drug addiction all these years. My gut says MJ had NO friends, just people who liked his talent, fame and money and fed his ego. I believe he died friendless and it irks me to hear all these people go on LKL saying what close confidents and freinds they were... they are deluded, they were acquaintences or very bad friends to not know how bad things were... in my opinion. How many of thsoe 114 days did you spend talking to your friend MJ for obviously for someone who dozens of people are now claiming to be friends, was a very loney sad man it seems... and if you "friends" didn't bring his addiction public to force him to get help for his sake, what about for his kids... he had no real friends if you ask me!

    July 9, 2009 at 7:50 pm |
  14. Donna Wood, Lil' Tennessee

    Cheer up Broken, there are a lot of us out here who have what we consider "no lives". We think maybe because we don't travel the world or build better bridges we do nothing. But I don't think that's true, Broken. I don't think you do nothing! I think perhaps you do a lot more than you realize.

    Donna Wood
    Lesington, Tennessee

    July 9, 2009 at 7:43 pm |
  15. Linda B., Ga.

    I happy to say I got a MUCH NEEDED job! I have been applying, since Jan/2009, was told several times that I was over qualified and finally somebody saw the light and gave me a much needed job....

    Thank You for anwsering My Prayers, My Heaven Father, My Dear Beloved God and My Lord Jesus.....miracles do happen, if we turn to the right sources 🙂

    July 9, 2009 at 7:42 pm |
  16. Laura Rush

    Often we don't think about what we have done in the last 114 days or even yesterday or last week. There has been so much that has happened in the last 114 days globally and locally it is hard to keep track of each day and what has been going on.

    Globally, the most impactful thing for me has been keeping up with the Iran election and the protests and trying to imagine myself living like that. What would I do in that situation? Living in America, and remembering the election this past year and how much I was involved in the primaries and the general election and how hard women fought to win the right the vote, we all just take it for granted. Why even some don't even think it helps to vote. Here is a country fighting with a government and leader who is doing raids of their homes at night. They don't even have a democratic environment or the right for freedom of speech. No way or process to fight for elections or change. They risk their lives for this. Keeping up with TV on CNN, websites and learning Twitter and Facebook gave me the ability to learn to love and connect with these people as individuals. I felt like I could write them all day long and encourage them and watch it on television and be there and pray for them.

    Also the North Korea incident and watching that and pulling out of Iraq was another global event. Wondering how that would make a difference. Now hoping people will be given freedom and let go to be reunited with their familes.

    Elections are going on locally as we fight for economic survival too. Every day. We have to give back in every way we can. Experiencing several passings of known people in our lives locally, and celebrities we have identified with such as Farrah Fawcett, Ed MacMahon and civil leaders and of course, Michael Jackson was a connecting force for all of us.

    The last 114 days I have been giving back financially and in person globally, nationally and locally to make a difference.

    July 9, 2009 at 7:39 pm |
  17. Rand

    The nation wasted some 2 weeks of these 114 days burying Michael Jackson. Enough already.

    July 9, 2009 at 7:25 pm |
  18. Naomi

    I'm thinking of all the things I have taken for granted within the last 114 days. My job, my apartment, my boyfriend, my finances, my friends and family, my freedom to say and do as I please because I live in a country that allows it to be so. I suppose I've had my head under a rock lately because this is the first I have heard of this story and the injustice had brought me to tears. There is no logical reason for this.

    July 9, 2009 at 7:15 pm |
  19. Michelle

    Thanks for keeping this story alive, AC. I hope & pray they make it home to their families before another 114 days passes!

    July 9, 2009 at 7:07 pm |
  20. Tevin

    Wow, so many things happen day-to-day in our fast-paced lives, that it becomes strenous to look back and see what I did. But I have made new friends, lost friends, but reconciled with old friends. I have made the honor roll, successfully maintain an A average in 3 or more classes. I have been promoted to 11th grade, and happy to see school clothes. The death of a legend occured, and his music has since flooded the airwaves and being revitalized on my music players.

    July 9, 2009 at 7:06 pm |
  21. Broken

    Nothing. I have no life.

    July 9, 2009 at 6:54 pm |
  22. Sophia Sommer

    We just have to continue to lift them up in our prayers. There is always hope that harden hearts will be softened and that effective diplomacy will set them free. It is a truly tragic situation.

    July 9, 2009 at 6:52 pm |
  23. Annie Kate

    114 days – seems like a blink of the eye to us but how interminable it must seem to Laura and Euna. Frightened and cut off from easy communication with their families, unsure of their future, the days must seem to be very long and endless. I signed the petition; I hope it helps. I'm not sure that it will make much of an impression on a government that doesn't seem to value the lives of its own citizens much less those of 2 American women, no matter how much they apologize. Good luck and here's hoping the women come home soon.

    July 9, 2009 at 6:35 pm |