Chaim's Bar Mitzvah

I'm not Jewish but I am drawn toward the faith because I always have been. I have a son with special needs and this story inspired me. I hope you like it, too.

Why I Like Erick Cordero

I am busier than heck (heck is a busy place, I hear!) but I am taking a moment to tell you all about my friend, Erick Cordero. I think we are friends-- we met during the election and while we don't do lunch and share a lot, it's probably because we are both very busy people. If we were neighbors, we'd probably talk a lot more and be happy for being near each other.

Anyway, I have been a lifelong Republican until this year when I realized that anything I said to my local representative was already decided by him and I could watch his eyes glaze over when we spoke. Erick Cordero is not running for representative; he his running for the senate. He runs an agency that gets lawyers to do pro bono work for clients who cannot afford it. My husband says he squeezes blood from turnips, water from rocks, swims with sharks, etc. and it's cute when he says that because you look at Erick and think, "He's so sweet!" And he is sweet-- but he's smart. (He gets along with everyone which may be why I like him; I don't like a lot of people.) Erick Cordero also a businessman. And- get this, Erick Cordero is a Democrat who is against abortion, but he also wants to solve the underlying need for women who want to get abortions. Pair this with the Republicans who want you to have the babies, but don't want you to get Welfare or train you! Erick Cordero gives a flying frak!

His wife is a really nice lady-- she is a teacher in Eagle River and teaches German. I don't know how many languages the two of them together speak, but they have more foreign experience and knowledge than many ambassadors have. His kids are great-- I have met them and my kids have met them and if you want to know a vine, see it's fruit. These kids will make him and his wife proud in the coming years. I used to live in Hillside and grew up with politician's kids and they were resentful. (As teenagers we'd sneak into our parent's wine cellars. . . but that's a different story for another time! LOL) Erick Cordero's kids are proud of him running. They won't be doing anything to embarrass their parents, God willing.

I don't like his challenger. She is a society doyen (dragon!) and is more, "Vote for me because my family's name is all over the place." She's raised $76,000 to Erick Cordero's mere $15,000-- because he represents small business owners and average people. Will his opponent still represent me if she wins and realizes that I have supported Erick Cordero? I am doubting it. She is letting a seated state representative bash Erick for her, which is annoying. Erick Cordero will still represent you if you don't like him, but for right now, he needs your vote!

This is what Erick Cordero has to say for himself-- read this and please tell your friends why they should vote for him.

Over the last few weeks, I have had the honor of running for the State Senate in Mat Su. I set out to elevate the dialogue and help restore faith in the public process, and I believe I have succeeded. My message has been consistent; we need to make sure that legislators are working for all Alaskans and we can accomplish great things if we work together for Alaska's future.

Throughout this campaign, I have been clear about where I stand on the issues, particularly in supporting:

* Development of renewable energy sources to find long-term solutions to our current energy crisis;
* Improving our public transportation system and roads;
* Making healthcare available and affordable to all Alaskans;
* Supporting our educators and other public employees by restoring the defined retirement benefits;
* Enhancing services for members of our senior community;
* Making sure that social justice and ethics are more than just a campaign talking point.

Partisanship hurts us. We need to work together as Alaskans to find solutions that benefit our whole state. I will always do what is right for all Alaskans because we have unique challenges that require unique Alaskan solutions.

On November 4th, you have a real choice. I will work hard for all members of our community. I ask you for your support and your vote.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Erick Cordero

p.s. please visit www.erickcordero.com to learn more about me.

The Prison Ministry

Today I went to my training for a prison ministry. I really like the women who I work with but I find part of it intimidating. I do not get into evangelical praying. It came time for me to pray and I was like, "Oh dear. What do I say?" I was mellifluous and prayed long and loudly. I don't get it. When Orthodox Christians pray, we have some direct prayers. Some are long but I don't think that God gets into long prayers. I felt really silly telling God how great He is and mimicking my fellow attendants by reminding Him of how He parted the Sea and delivered His children from Israel, caused the frog plague on Pharaoh-- the frog plague was cool, etc. and will he please make this successful and bless our guests and bless us, start in on more how great God is, go back into it. It mentally taxing! I really wanted to say, "You keep my car running! You gave us life! Surely this is easier to help us get more money to get this running!" Or. . . simply ask and pray and meditate quietly.

A long time ago a rabbi told me that we pray because even though G-d knows what we need, it's like we are sitting at a table and you need to ask your host for things because he doesn't otherwise know you are hungry. "The fish is delicious! Will you please pass some more to me?" is different from, "Your home is so lovely, you work so hard for this party, you did a great fundraiser last year for the dance ensemble to go to England. . .I just really appreciate. . .and won't you please pass the fish down here?" It sounds like I am making fun of people who pray like this but I am not: for now it is just soooooo uncomfortable. At the next training I will be better.

I get to give a discussion on living as a Christian and keeping the Word in your heart and in your actions and life. As a mother, I pray constantly. The older my kids get, the more faithful I get. I pray in my mind as I cook, I pray when I drive not because I am a bad driver but because there is so much that can go wrong that doesn't. I read my Bible quite often-- both Testaments. I can discuss this pretty easily. The book on this also has tips on what to say. "All the honor of the daughter of the King is within." -Psalm 45:14

We had some political people drop by the house today to ask who we are supporting. I asked about their candidates' support of prison reform and reform on the court system and they said their men would deal with it better than the Republicans which is true.

I mentioned my prison work to several politicians a while back. Would you believe that only the Democrats asked me about it later? It's very frustrating because they actually care about it! This isn't bleeding heart liberal stuff-- I knwo thatmany who are incarcerated should be there, but I think that prisons need to be set up for punishment for the offender but also allowing them to return to their families. Conjugal visits? Yes-- I keep hearing how sexually charged they are and I think that people who have visits with spouses keep the spouses closer and less likely to fool around, and also allow the offenders to get the needed physical touch even if it's just once a month. Of course in the ministry I am not an advocate for the prisons, but my interest has pulled me to this. I believe that voting family members need to connect and form a grass roots effort to get the lawmakers attention and push for reforms. I have spoken to corrections officers who feel the same way, but they have said that they have to keep control at all times so whatever I push for, they need to be able to keep control.

I think that it was Reagan's period when the political parties polarized. Now I think that is changing. I know and respect a local politician who is pro-life and I am proud of his stance. There are a ton of Christian Democrats. Democrats for homeschooling (that need sot be worked on) and Democrats supporting business.

Now that I've rambled, I have to close. I have vespers and I need to study.

I Have Voted.

I've voted. For president, Congress and US Senate and I am sad that all we had in this state were who was on the ballots. We had better people to send.

I am excited for the people who I voted for for the district levels who will go to state! I do hope they win and it is for them who I genuinely cheer on.

Now I will ignore the rest of the election.

Pictures, and a Forum

I never thought that I would be as busy as I am. Last week I was in tears thinking that I would be fired as editor. My husband had gotten back from a trip, I still had volunteering at the school to do-- and this is a picture that I took of Sarah Palin Cookies at a local bakery. I thought that I might drop by my pal Senator Lyda Green's office with a dozen and let her toss some cookies, but at $4 a piece I thought against it.

I also took some pictures of the snow. You may also see some pictures of the first snow on some raspberry bushes.

I went to the MSC Candidate Forum at my college. We had an interesting discussion. I like all but one of the candidates who showed up and that candidate performed so poorly that I couldn't have written a decent thing about their comments if I had wanted to. I went around the room to people who I knew would support said person and I said, "Hey! I was running late! Did ____ ______ say anything quote-worthy?" They couldn't come up with anything. Said person dodged questions and pulled an anti-rhetoric tap dance worthy of our governor. I wanted to put that in the paper but the person who edits my work (I am the editor) is not a fan of the governor but he took it out and hissed at me when I protested!

The incumbents were all right. They need to tackle each election like they have never tried to be elected, as they were so damned boring! Their voices didn't fluctuate! The lowest point was at the end where each person had 3 minutes to speak and each Republican told us a bit more about themselves and pointed to their fellow Republicans of different districts and told us how much they love working with them. One did not say it-- but he was the one who probably should have said it because he seemed to be the leader of them. The others would get the mike and say, "I just want to say that it is a PLEASURE working with M---, B----, C--- and J----- and I hope you send me back to Juneau with them." Alaska has been accused of having an old boys network and this re-enforced the notion that we have one. Until an ethics bill was passed making secret caucus meetings illegal, our legislature would meet in private caucuses and vote bills out because the were A. Bad, B. written by a person of the Other Party, or C. Written by someone that a legislature on that committee didn't like. They can still vote bills out of committees, but they have to be public about it. This, "Send me back to Juneau with these people" made me think of that time which was less than 2 years ago.

The high point was when the most dynamic of the speakers, a Democratic challenger who got a lot of laughs and moments of applause when she said intelligent but cute things, was the last speaker and said, "I'm not a part of a fraternity but I really want to represent you, and I have friends of all shapes and sizes and flavors and I can get along with them as well as _____ can!" I'd like to see her win if only to hear her speak from the heart like she does. She had three "moments."

I am friendly with 2 challengers for the same seat, a "Mr. Cat" and a "Mr. Cheese." Mr. Cat is slick. The guy has the personality of champagne. Mr. Cheese is the intellectual. Mr. Cat has beat challengers who are smarter than he is, but he is a better politician. I think that Mr. Cheese will hone his skill quickly, but right now they seem like the Star Basketball Player and a Band Nerd going against each other. The Band Nerd is a local businessman and writer-- very, very smart. He is the underdog. If he wins, will he get warped and lose his soul in our state capitol? The Basketball Player is however VERY smart, with a degree in physics and engineering-- but the Band Nerd is someone who is thinking all the time. He is a writer and a poet and someone who loves to learn. I think that he will be very effective if he wins in part because he is already enmeshed in the community with local clubs.

Erick Cordero, a regular blog reader was there and he did very well. He is from Mexico City and has a very slight accent. It's just enough to pique your ears so that you listen more intently. I liked what he had to say because as a person who runs an office where he seeks lawyers to do pro bono work, he has a real heart for the public and the people he serves. He isn't a social issues man, however-- he shines the brightest when talking about oil and gas and natural resources.

Raining and Pouring

Last week I was in near tears because my team of writers was getting nothing to me. Of course I had other things to do and saw it as a blessing but I thought I'd also get cut as editor. Three hours ago I had 10 articles in my mail box. :) I am a busy lady!

My husband came home at 2AM today. It was good to see him but he left 75 weather and returned to 6" of snow. Instead of spending the day relaxing, we ran cars places and had things to do. I am not complaining; we had the money for it. He wasn't as thrilled with out bedroom. I did so much work and he said it was a nice start. I'm not mad, btu I was a little sad.

Church irritated me yesterday. Look, I don't get into Jesus in the Protestant way, OK? Yesterday my Orthodox liturgy was all about the parable of the seed that either blows away, takes root, or doesn't bear fruit. It went into going off about hell awaiting the sinner who doesn't accept Jesus. I have a problem with it. With how hard life is and all the troubles people have, expecting them to accept Jesus when presented with it,then all the hassle of dealing with people once you are in a church, I don't think that a loving god is like that. I don't mean to live a hedonistic life and not try to live a life filled with caring, but when you doubt your faith and just love one another, care for your neighbor-- why isn't this enough? (I am not interested in a religious discussion here with Evangelicals. I can't agree with what was spoken about.) This seemed to be a more Evangelical leaning sermon.My experience with Orthodoxy has always been that we didn't concern ourselves with Heaven or Hell but on what we are doing in the present moment and pleasing our creator. My particular branch of Orthodoxy was born of a Charismatic church 30 years ago so it has it's roots there, and our priest comes from that tradition.

Meme, Cleaning House

I am wiped out. I am trying to organize my room and the wardrobe that I bought splintered. Where is Martha Stewart when you need her? I wound up taking two loads in my SUV to the thrift store. THAT is killing me. So much that I spent so much $$$ on! Yikes! One of my friends told me to only shop thrift stores because if you can't find it, you don't need it. Argh! I liked being frivolous years ago! Now I am a mommy who is watching every dime!

Ropi sent me this meme which I am happy to fill out lest I have nothing else to write about than details of things that I wish I'd gotten rid of. His instructions said 8 words or less but I am too tired.


1. WHERE WERE YOU TEN YEARS AGO?
I was pregnant with #5 and waddling all over the place, wondering what I was doing being pregnant.

2. WHATS ON YOUR TO DO LIST TODAY?
Getting the house ready for my husband's return.

3. WHAT IF YOU WERE A BILLIONAIRE?
I would pay off my student loans then add on to my house. I don't want another house-- I like where we are. But I could use extra space. My house would have a gargantuan rumpus room with a special place to play with Leggos. My husband wants to play the stock market so I would make sure that he had money to play with and I'd update his computer every six months!

4. FIVE PLACES YOU HAVE LIVED:
I have pretty much lived in Alaska for all of my life.


5. THREE BAD HABITS:
I bite my nails, I stammer and I hate to say no.


6. SNACKS YOU LIKE: Fresh oranges, fresh apples, and the latest $3 teas.

Cheering on Candiates

Today I had a bunch of shopping to do and sign holders were out cheering on their faves. I honked and waved for them all. I love that people are out routing for their candidates and taking their kids. I don't agree with some of them, but I will never forget Progressive Alaska's face when I gushed about the guv as VP. He was kind, and I knew that my stupid remark probably annoyed him, but he was still nice and zinged me, and I've not been the same since!

There are a few Democrats who are running for national office who WILL NOT respond to my concerns and I think they will be just as open to me as they are now. I am VERY annoyed that my husband got negative propaganda today from the DNC and it's ilk. While these candidates did not endorse the fliers, they did not publicly renounce them! Neither my husband nor I will fall for anything written by the opposing party! Do they think we don't know all the negative nonsense committed that has been all over the paper? They are not coming up with anything new. I am completely annoyed. They should be writing to us saying, "Please vote Democrat! Here's something you don't know about how competent ______ is!" It's like listening to my children bicker, only worse because they are paying someone to make the slick ads.

Sweet Things: Still Cleaning

I will never buy anything again. so much junk in my room that started out as treasures! I have found gifts and look back and wonder how many gifts that I have bought for people have become yard sale relics. From now on, I am only buying presents for people that they will use and that are personal. A blogger friend gave me embroidered hankies last year for being a winner on his site. (Any one who reads his blog is a winner! {big cheesy smile} ) I have taken the hankies to ceremonies and gave one to a grandmother who didn't have one. She sent me two brand new ones and said she was keeping the one I was given as a memento of her grand daughter's wedding. THAT is a wonderful gift, although my giver may not have known that they would be so special to me.

I embroider as well. I have some nice pillowcases and just embroidered some daisies and a monogram on a pair for some friends who are getting married. Even if the cases don't match all of their sheets, my feeling is that they will be used and appreciated. I put the same daisies on an apron for "her" for the bridal shower. I will only give gifts that can be used from now on. (Although for the last 20 years I have given vases as a wedding present. I need to keep that up.)

While cleaning, I donated a year's worth of Victoria Magazine and three years of Discover Magazine in mint condition to an extended stay home. Each magazine cost us around $5! I love donating what I have loved, but so much of what I gave away or threw out was stuff that we paid money for. They represent chunks of my husband's life and of mine! I also sent over some books. That hurt. Books become a part of my body. The clerk asked me what kinds of books I was donating and I told her to "look in the bag!" I didn't want to cry. . .

Peaches went for a job interview at Wal~Mart today. She said that the interviewer had a giggle fit when she asked her what she wants to do and she said that she wants to go into marketing. Peaches was funny because at that moment she decided that she didn't like the woman and didn't want her approval. She had terrible posture, read the interview questions off a sheet, and Peaches said that if she were interviewing her, that she'd never make the cut for her company. Is there something funny about marketing? She said that she learned that people without much status in a low paying field get high on themselves. She has a couple of other jobs that she is considering and can be choosy.

I took Guy out to eat today. We went to look at shelving for my room and he gets into trouble with Cloud, who is only 16 months older than he is. I took him to India Palace when we were done and we ordered naan with raisins and cardamon and ice cream. (Neither of us felt great.) It's fun to take them out individually because I can gently coach them on manners. It's not his special needs that cause him to be awkward-- it's that he is 10 and he isn't too fussy. He also didn't mind little corrections. He asked me if he is my favourite and if I like him the best. I said yes, but the truth is, all the kids are my favourites.

Was I Put in a Meat Tenderizer?

I am so sore! Whiiiine! I have a fever, and a headache. My joints hurt. Why don't my children slow down when I need to? I still have places to take them.

LATER: I am still sick, but I am committed to this bedroom. I have moved everything in it except for my husband's closet. I threw a lot of stuff in there. I cannot believe how much I have stashed in this room. Maternity clothes galore that I put places just to get out of the way went to Bishop's attic today. I have art supplies that I have accumulated since I was 9, things that I cannot part with because I am a creative person who goes back to my projects every few months. My room is tight. Now it is looking nice, but I have no wasted space. On Saturday I have a training to go to and I am worried that I will be a puffy faced mess for that.

I hate that my husband is coming home and my joy is more that I can get out and that I can have a second adult helping with homework and transportation.

I am very, very sick

Someone who is very dear to my heart is a Jew in Jerusalem named who I will call Avi. I have known her through internet work for years and I don't remember when I haven't known her. Her answer to everything is chicken soup! I imagine her in fourth grade not getting her times tables and thinking of chicken soup!

Today I started coming down with something around 1. By 2, I was in the store feeling worse but buying chicken breasts and cans of canned broth and cream of chicken soup. I got home ready to pass out. Fortunately Peaches can drive and picked up her little sister from her horse back riding class. I told Cloud what to do and she threw together a delicious soup. It wasn't made according to Avi's standards, but I was in no shape to make it myself! When Cloud brought it to me in bed, it tasted very, very good.

The Economy and My Silly Female Governor

I do not know enough to write an intelligent piece on the economy but let me tell you all something: no matter who wins this election, it's going to get worse. My husband says that we can't have a democratic House and Executive Branch. I disagree because well, if I get four more years of listening to Sarah Palin "git tuff" I will get very, very angry and stop reading the news. Today she is quoted as saying, "...the heels are on, the gloves are off." She just sent women back 50 years to being dolls and honeys with that remark. That is something you would expect from Legally Blonde. I liked Legally Blonde, but it was a funny movie about a rich, clueless girl deciding to be a lawyer, not a rich, clueless housewife wanting to be a VP for real.

Can Barack Obama get us through what looks like a terrible time economically in the next few years? Yes, and I can stand listening to him speak! I think he speaks with conviction. I was so happy when Sarah Palin was chosen, but at this point she doesn't look good under the bright lights of the political arena.




I just like this song.

If the Presidential candidates were Shakespearean Charactures. . .

http://blog.indecision2008.com/2008/10/03/stephen-colbert-compares-the-candidates-to-shakespeare/

Cleansing my Soul

I have not done a deep cleaning of my house in at least six years and let me tell you, I am only in my bedroom, but whooo-weeee. This is hard work. I have to have my husband gone while I do this which he is and I am in what would be a manic mode were I manic. I am dead tired and not very done at all. I should have taken before and after pics, but it would be hard to explain.

I didn't have stuff packed away. I've had stuff compacted away. A couple of days ago I bought an extra couple of plastic drawers on wheels and plastic cabinets. They are not part of my dream house, but they are giving me space to put things. Darrin is sweet and said that we are just in a transition to something better. My kids have carved their names into some of my other furniture or just broken it. This are all plastic, they wash.

I am silly. I have had a fear that when I got done organizing my house that I would die. I think it's figurative because parts of me die as i clean, like when I get rid of a dress or something frilly that I hope to never be able to fit in to again because it's just too small, or when I see things that just aren't me now like they were when I was 25. I'm moving things around, throwing stuff out. Much of it is in great shape, but if I set it aside, someone will say it is "good stuff" and not want me to toss it!

Darrin couldn't do this because to him all of my art supplies are the same. I can't toss them out! One never knows when I will go back to that artistic genre! It literally takes me all night. Had Darrin told me to do this, I'd have told him to f-off. No, it's not nice to tell someone that, especially one's husband who is so sweet, but it's a huge commitment to doing and you simply have to be ready.

If my house were personified, it would be an overweight person (this has nothing to do with over weight people!) with nice clothes that didn't match and gobs of bling. Clean, but not pretty!

I feel like I am getting rid of emotional baggage as I clean, too. I think cleaning liek this is good for me, but I've not had space or the energy until now.

Stuff is coming out and getting put back places, then something else moves and I put it some place else. It's exhausting.

A non biased test on your candidate:

This is by ABC News. It asks who you agree with without saying who the candidate is and shows their quotes. It's a good thing to take while waiting for your car to get fixed!

The Temperamental Diva is Steaming

The Temperamental Diva is my SUV. Before my husband left on his trip-- I won't go into that. The bottom line is, when a woman says that her car needs to be looked at and her man carries the fucking purse, he'd better take care of it without making an issue of what it will cost, announcing it or whatever.

FORTUNATELY my former lawyer has noted that I have been ignored a few times and have had some near MAJOR PROBLEMS with my vehicles. He told me a couple of years ago that if I ever thought that anything was wrong with my SUV or for that matter, had to tell someone that it was fine to give him a call. The heater quit working last night-- I think it was when the Temperamental Diva heard me talking about Sarah Palin not having the sense to use a flipping thesaurus and she was showing her coolness for the governor, but I'm not sure. Today I pulled up at the house and it was cold out and the car seemed to be steaming, but I thought it was because it was cold. I assured Peaches that it was fine, which made me remember the lawman's warning. He called me a couple of times, I was going out anyway to a coffee shop and I went to see him and I bought FIVE GALLONS of antifreeze. He put antifreeze and water in it.

I'm taking it to the mechanic in the morning and I have a class. So very frustrating, but I was grateful to my former lawyer taking care of me as he did.

Joy Overflowing in My Kitchen! Wheeee!

My husband was off on a business trip and of course, two hours after he left the house, the toilet got clogged with an orange, the ladder to a son's bunk bed broke (thank goodness no body parts were injured as that was happening) the internet box died, and then a bottle of dishwasher soap called "Joy" had apparently been poured into the dishwasher. I was fixing the toilet (clogged with "stuff"-- why must someone use the toilet for an intestinal discharge when it's plugged?) and one of the kids banged on the door. I screeched that I was busy and that they needed to be in bed, then was met with pleading, "You have to come out now. There is Joy in the dishwasher." (This was code for, "And bubbles are coming out all over the place.")

I had been having a hee-hee, crappy day up to that point, but hearing that there was Joy in my dishwasher made me start laughing. "So that's where it is!" I took off my rubber apron and washed my hands, only to discover that the person reporting had not turned it off and bubbles were flowing all over the floor. I started singing, "There is Joy in my dishwasher and Joy in my kitchen! Look how Joy overflows! Wheeeeee!"

The kids had been sleeping but they all came in and when I looked up from blowing mounds of bubbles into the air, they realized that I was also making Joy snow-bubble men. Cloud said to her brothers, "Mom has had a long day. Let's just leave her alone."

I invited them to come play, then turned off the dishwasher and got the salt to pour into it and waited to clean up the mess until after the kids played a bit.

Elana Mizrahi wrote a very sweet article about doing something similar and got me to thinking about the sweetness in life when it seems sour.

I'd been insane with my husband leaving because I get upset about everything falling apart when he goes, but I thought to myself how nice it was to find "something sweet" in the frustration. I went to bed. Under my pillow, in spite of me having been a brat, I found a carton of Pepperidge Farm Milanos and a small book of poems.

She's as full of wind as a corn eatin' horse! (Wink-Wink!)

I watched the debate. Our governor did better than I expected meaning, as Celtic Diva said, she "didn't have a seizure on stage." I am not as embarrassed for her as I was a week ago, but now I feel insulted. She's so perky and she uses words and phrases that she tries to make sound like she's one of us. She's like a second grade teacher who has to play down to the lowest denominator in the class. Every time she speaks, I brace myself for hearing her say: maverick, Washington outsider, maverick, darn, maverick, special needs, maverick, Main Street, maverick-maverick-maverick, Wasilla, maverick, oil companies, maverick, you betcha, maverick, heckeva, maverick and Joe Six-Pack. Oh-- her use of maverick has me wanting to mute her out. Did I say that she says maverick as much as she can? She doesn't speak like a professional! She drops the endings to her words more often than the French do! (In French, the last letter or two in most words are not enunciated.) Oh, and she says "maverick" all the frakking time!

S'palin should have been a theater major which is her True Calling. The past week she has been a dope and then what has been annoying me about her in the past month was endearing 2 years ago. I don't speak like she does on stage-- where does she get off saying that she wants hockey moms and Joe Six Packs to band together? When I helped (minor) on her gub campaign, the constant in the emails was "grassroots." She is the princess of catch phrases, but I didn't notice it back then. She was going for Frank Murkowski's job and he was kind of a jerk so she seemed approachable and friendly.

This annoyed me the most: Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards again. You referenced your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future." That is my ex husband telling me that I shouldn't base his future behavior on his past. VERY annoying. (Later I would give him a second chance in trusting him and he'd say to me, "You knew I did that!" If you think someone is a snake, GTF away from them.) She should have said in her down-home talk, "I aint no baby Bush seed, Joe! Now lookie here, we're different, an' I'm gonna learn you a lesson!" and then explained why.

Do she and McCain sit with advisers and come up with phrases and Joe Six Pack and Judy Soccer Mom will repeat to one another? Will it work? When I studied commercial art, it was annoying to write commercials that average people would repeat to one another, but that was how we got the best bang for the proverbial buck. One of the best ways to advertise to women in the eighties was to have two women talking on the phone. They weren't college professors. They were. . . THE MRS JOE SIX PACKS! I admit that I wrote a few of those. It was not thrilling to hear them on the air.

Joe Biden was decent, but I expected him to be-- I liked that he recognized that McCain was the one to beat, and that he kept Mrs. Palin on the run with what she knew of his policies and he then slammed them. I like that he was a widower-- I don't like that he had been a widower, but I admire that he dealt with it successfully, but I don't think that he gets enough press on this. Why does a woman who has a son with special needs and more help than you can ever imagine get sympathy, while a man who saw his wife and daughter die in a tragic car accident hardly get press on it? His kids were older and I think that he probably struggled as much as any single parent of either gender.

The thing is, Ms. Palin is appealing to the common person and people who want to feel like they are downtrodden. Are there enough smart people out there to identify more with Joe Biden? It's a boon to McCain-Palin that Sarah is being mimicked by Tina Fey and that we joke about her phrases and comments. It's free publicity. No one is quoting Joe Biden or Barack Obama and I think that this could hurt the Democratic party if people are as dumb as the Republicans think they are. I will support the Republicans if they win, but I am not impressed with them and 4 years of winks and evasion does not inspire me. I am terrified of having a Democratic House, Senate and Executive Branch, just as I would be if it was all Republican. McCain-Palin make it hard for me to like them enough to vote for them. I am a hockey mom, but I don't want to band together with Joe Six Pack: I want to band together with the wisest leader.

I do not like having to make decisions about my life

I came to a conclusion that I need to get a MA in Education. There is no job that is as flexible with me needing summers and breaks off, with parts of them being dedicated to school, but still being able to be close by or take a kid or two with me if I must when at in service days. The only problem with this is that no one who knows me thinks that I would be a good teacher! I see it as a way to allow me to use my English degree and pay of student loans. My husband is worried because my own kids with petty bickering have me weary in minutes of their returns home from school. Tiger said that she can think of me being many things but that teaching high school is not one of them. When I have described the Waldorf education program they agree that it sounds great-- but there are few places who do it!

I had thought that massage would be a great way to earn money and work my hours and I love doing it, but that is not to be.

My husband wants me to pursue writing as a career and do an MFA. The problem with that? As soon as you put deadlines on me, I get writer's block. I cannot do my art unless I am inspired; I found out last semester that a deadline for a painting makes me hate it. Had I not been writing to a very wonderful person who still inspires me, I'd have flunked the class. I don't aspire to be a great writer any more because it's a hobby, not a way of life. I am a bit muddled as to why he'd want me to write when we are tight with money. The income isn't steady in the least.

Anyway, I am back to me drawing board. I thought I'd figured it out.

My Governor Embarrasses Me

When I was in high school, I stuttered but wanted to be on the debate team. I was not very good initially because I had a speech impairment and it exacerbated and got worse and I forgot things. Keep in mind that I was 15. By the end of the semester, I'd improved and learned to answer questions and keep a cool head. I was never very good because I liked the audience working with me and laughing. Sometimes I would pull Sarah routines as a joke, but they were not yet Sarah routines. I'd pretend to stall, not understand questions, etc. and have a little fun a time or two, but I'd not do it the entire time and I could still win on certain points, although I took it as a matter of personal pride when I lost a debate and still walked out with best speaker! Our governor isn't joking and she seems consistently dumbed-down. She doesn't know how to debate or answer questions.

Paul Begala has ten rules for winning a debate right here. I especially like what he says about wit. What he didn't say is that the reason humor goes far is that it makes people feel good. People will repeat a funny story or anecdote even if it is against their own person because it is something that makes them smile. He also speaks of creating moments-- the media will play and replay them. Sarah is not creating moments of intelligent ideas.

Sarah does not want to be pinned down by answers. Watching her interview with Katie Couric is downright painful.

She is failing on questions you know she has to have been prepared to answer. Katie has got be one of the easiest people to talk to. Watch her answer about the economy! She is going "round in circles 'til she's very, very dizzy" and she's got me grabbing my desk to stabilize myself! Why is she giving Tina Fey so much ammo? What is up with how she speaks? Her voice is getting grating. Has she always spoken like this? It seems like it's gotten worse.

Is this a plot by the Republicans-- of which party I was very much involved with for all of my adult life up to this point-- to keep the focus on them and not on the Democrats? Even though Sarah is terrible, imitation is still the best form of flattery. Indifference would kill the ticket.