Because My Brain is Incapacitated....

...due to school/work starting, I am posting verbatim what my brilliant friend Melanie said. She doesn't have a blog (yet), but she should. This is her reaction to Palin's speech, which I am still not feeling brave enough to watch:

"Well, let me first swallow the vomit in the back of my throat...

I felt like I was watching the emperors new clothes. First of all, I wish someone at one of these friggin networks would comment on the complete lack of diversity in attendance at the RNC. It looked like the Southern Baptist White Convention.

Her speech was energizing and direct and I'm sure worked in the house last night. She attacked Obama many times and would do so with a smug smile. She looked like a puppet for Karl Rove. And with a 72 year old nominee, that is exactly what she will be. They kept her off topic with regards to social issues which was smart as she is extreme even for the RNC, and they put her on the attack instead. She came off as a little mean. Not sure if I would have gone there when it is the first impression most people will see. Guilianni was an a-hole, criticizing the "left wing media" (forgetting how much he loved being called "America's Mayor"). I think that Palin gave them exactly what they wanted and needed. There is a buzz out here among conservative women who perhaps weren't going to vote. I am afraid that this choice will expand McCain's base with the uneducated white rural voter. Her speech was effective but full of half truths and some flat out misrepresentations. I don't think she has a right (having been in a national race all of 10 days) to be so critical and dismissive of Obama. Frankly, I wanted to punch her. She made fun of his "Community organizing", made him out to be a fake Jesus, made fun of the pillars on his set in Denver, made fun of Michelle's comments on pride, made fun of Obama's comments on guns and religion saying "what you see is what you get with me and McCain". Ok, that helps when there is audio like the one I sent you or the one where she condones a radio talk show host who refers to her democratic rival in Alaska as a "bitch" and a "cancer". She is so extreme in everything from choice to climate change and by not going there last night, I realized that is their Achilles heel with her." Bold italics mine. We need to be driving this home. Anyway, to get back to what Melanie sez:

"She truly doesn't sit well with moderates or independents. Our job is to make sure that people (especially women) are aware of just how extreme her views are. Right now there is euphoria in the RNC and McCain still has to speak tonight. He's not a great speaker but Damn! He's a war hero! He needs to clarify his positions. My fear is that this euphoria will last nine weeks and she could be our president. I am truly frightened by that.

You should watch the speech."

(Yes, I know, but I'm just too chicken. I'm afraid my hubby would come home to find I had spontaneously combusted. So I'm waiting a bit.

"She was able to be the bitchy PTA mom and remain likeable. We need Hillary to fight her on her record, we need Biden to fight her on her record and on her flip flops. This is no longer about race or gender or party, it's about two completely different directions for this country. One that moves us ahead and one that not only maintains the status quo politically but socially could put us back 30 years."

Exactly.

She sent me another email this afternoon, with this addition:

"How come no one is talking about the fact that Obama went to HARVARD!!! Where did she go to school????? Then Obama gave up six figures to go and help real people in a real crisis! His "responsibility" was to his own conscience because he saw human suffering and wanted to make it better. It's not ambition to work for 10,000 a year in the south side of Chicago. It's heart. And soul. God am I proud to be a DEMOCRAT!!"

Amen, Sistah.

Everyone, lets give it up for my brilliant friend Melanie. She could use it, she lives in Alabama, and let's face it, she's not surrounded by like-minded individuals.

Don't Feed The Troll.

Back to Basics

You know that Monday Night Football song where they scream "Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!" I always felt slightly pleased with myself, because for me the answer was always a quiet, self-satisfied "nope", and I felt so happy knowing that I didn't have to be ready for some football, because my husband, bless his heart, didn't watch it. Oh, he played it in highschool, but he's just not one of those sports guys. We go to baseball games sometimes, and occasionally we'd catch basketball on the tube, but thank God, we didn't live or die by what games we got to see on television.

When I was growing up, my dad and my brothers LOVED watching sports. And it used to scare the bejesus out of me, because they were SCREAMERS. They'd get so worked up, they'd yell and shout and I was just a delicate flower and it made me jumpy. I HATED it when sports were on. I'd retreat to the back bedroom and play "Cockles and Mussles" on my chord organ, or head downstairs to play Barbie dolls.

So imagine my surprise when our son started to like sports. He's this sensitive, artsy rocker kid, but last year my brother-in-law and nephew watched him while my sister and I hit the sales. On Super Bowl Sunday. That was it. He had to watch the rest of the game at home, and for the last couple months has been BEGGING me to get him some kind of a football jersey. Well, we did a little school shopping the other day, and I picked up a Seahawks jersey on sale. How was I to know they suck? I don't watch football. But the neighbor kid informed me, but then added, "it looks nice though!"

Today, JH and his daddy were out playing a little football, so I took out the camera. And it's weird, because even though it's not a ritual here, it felt like Autumn had arrived.

Decision '08

Thank you, all, for your sound opinions. I will be sticking around here, as much as I would love to grab "flingingjello" while it's still available. Maybe that'll be the name of my sitcom about a wacky, aging, lapsed Lutheran mom and her adorable son and brooding, sensitive, kilt wearing husband. And their hijinx.
Or something.

You have all given me so much support and so much to think about (I'm so glad it was Rodius in line for the Dark Knight and not me, because you may have read about the mayhem the next day in your newspaper). Of course, your comments only point out what I've already known all along. That I'm so lucky to have stumbled across you all out in the ether, and I SO want to be Suttonhoo when I grow up. I'm just not there yet. I agree about the snark - I'm not comfortable around it even when I agree with it - and I know that I have been very snarky about Ms. Palin.

So instead of being sarcastic, I'll stick to the issues. As I've thought about it more today, I am more than sure that she was chosen, not because she's a woman (although that is icing on the cake), but because she will appeal to Evangelicals. And as such, that threat, as we know is far too real to not take very, very seriously.

You choose....

Dear Friends,
I am figuring out that, while I DO write quite a lot about my family, I get very emotional about topics I care so much about. If you came here and started reading on, say this day, you might be taken aback by what I wrote yesterday.

The thing is, I usually try to keep my "big feelings" (that's mommy code for "temper tantrums") out of my blog. I will occasionally bitch and whine about this and that, but for fear of making my guests feel uncomfortable, or worse unwelcome, I don't normally go there. But here's the deal: there is something that happens to me every four years. Something you have yet to witness here on my blog. I get very heated about politics. I believe strongly that it's not just politics, it's personal, and I take it that way. I try, oh, how I try, to keep my tongue, to speak civilly, to keep myself from getting heated over a hot topic, but I can't. It's physically impossible for me, and if I'm going to talk about it at all, I will not, no, CAN not hold back.

In the interest of keeping my in-real-life friendships (and some family relationships) intact, I have in the past, had to just forego talking politics altogether. I wish, OH HOW I WISH, that I could just make the wise choice and simply smile and say "well, I guess we just disagree", and believe it, and go on my merry way. But if I were to even open my mouth, just that tiny bit, I wouldn't be able to help myself, and you would get hit with a torrent of passionate, hard-wired Democratic thinking, and well, shoot, there goes the neighborhood pot luck. I'd never get asked back.

So that's one reason I'm thinking of starting another blog in addition to this one. One where I could rant and vent, and not offend those of you who come here to check in on my amazing family. What do you think? You could come here, get your dose of the antics of Joe-Henry and my spectacular kilt wearing hubby, and if you were brave, or like-minded, and wanted my opinion on politics, you could go to one of these blogs (these are the names I'm toying with).

beeinherbonnet.blogspot.com
undiesinabundle.blogspot.com
flingingjello.blogspot.com

Or is the Ass out of the bag on this? Should I just keep it all here, in one messy package? If you are a reader who just likes to hear about my take on parenting a seven year old while navigating the white waters of menopause, would you be willing to put up with me for another few months? Because once the election is over, I'll probably shut up about all of this.

But I make no promises.

Here You Go, Little Ladies

Hey, Friends! Guess who's stopped by my little blog? It's John McCain, he has a little present for us!

"Hi Girls! Here's a little something just for you. Too bad about Hillary, but looky here! Isn't this just super news?!



Isn't that just so gosh darned neat that she said Hillary showed "determination and grace" in her campaign? She didn't really mean it when she had said that Hillary was a whiner.

But, Golly girls, just, never mind that. Look at this - she's just plain folks! You like that, right?! A mom, just like you, she's just so used to being busy and productive. Holy Moly, I love her, she's just a breath of fresh Tundra air!



Isn't she adorable?

Okay, ladies, I had better skedaddle. I have big important man business to attend to. Gotta figure out who I'm going to appoint to the Supreme Court so we can get that pesky Roe vs. Wade overturned and that so-called "torture" deal okayed!

Enjoy your new Playmate!


I mean, play mate! Sorry, I got a little distracted there..... It happens a lot at my age! But don't worry, I've got just a Super Duper back up in Sarah "Snow Bunny" Palin to run this country if anything should happen to me. "

Thank you for stopping by, Senator McCain.

This is just WAY too generous of you.

HeadSong Friday: It's a TIE!

A blast from the past, a look at the future. In Honor of the Future President of the United States, Barack Obama - Ladies and Gentlemen, Sly and the Family Stone!




And just in case you McCain fans want to know what I think of his Vice Presidential choice: