Kerry Vs Bush
I am against politics in general. I think its just a bunch of bull puckey. Tonight, Phil insisted on watching the debate. Reluctantly, I will admit that I am glad he did.
I listened from the other room because I get too nervous watching grown men argue like teenagers over their favorite band. I was pleasantly surprised at how there weren't a lot of zingers thrown about and how they almost acted like real men.
I did see a new side of Kerry, who was exact and to the point, poised and confident. Good to FINALLY see. He seemed to know exactly what he wanted to say and didn't waiver on his positions.
Bush, I saw a new side of him too. Poor man. Its so obvious that he really thinks the Iraq war was a good idea. I can tell that he is passionate in his conviction that the world is better off. I would say that I partially agree, Saddam was a bad man in power and we are better off without him running a country with wealth and the powers of destruction. I could see that Bush is so confused about how any of us can't see how its better, I can very much feel his frustration. All I could equate it with is when people who are Christian ask me about god. I don't believe. How can I not? Um, because I don't. I ask them the same "How can you believe in a story?". Because they just do. This is the same with Bush and Iraq....How does he know that Saddam was a true threat? He just does.
I started to feel sorry for GW after a while. I can tell that he is simply mad at people who don't "get" it. Kerry proved something to me tonight. I am almost excited to see what comes out of it.
Then I can be sick for the next one in a week.
Sitting On My Vulva
I have a very good friend that is quite the Earth Mother. She had all 3 kids natural, 2 of them home births. She has been in Doula training and has been present at the birth of 5 new babies in the past month. She cried during them all. She loves peeople, kids, and most especially, what our bodies and minds can do.
She teachers her kids all about birth. The 2 older ones, Brian 5 yrs and Jacob 3 yrs, know all about having babies. When I had my baby shower, they made me a card. There was me, Vivienne and the umbilical cord and placenta. The older one even pointed it out, "Look, I dwew da plaslanta". Yup, thats right.
So I wasn't shocked when I was over there yesterday and her youngest Lilly, now 2, sits on the sofa and proudly exclaims, "I am sitting on my vulva." I could only reply, "Really? I am too."
JW's at KMart
Yesterday was my birthday and my granparents sent me some cash. Of course, burning a hole in my pocket, Phil and I went out to buy us some new sheets. (I am a girl, so thats a great gift) We went to K-Mart to get some 270 thread count Pima Sateen Martha Stewart Sheets, which I am a little obsessive over. When we were coming out, sheets, ironing board, 2 pool noodles, and all, we were approached by a very sweet woman who asked if we read the bible. I had to answer no, well, because I don't.
She proceeded to tell me that it was very important becuase it is god's word and he wants us to pray with him, blah blah blah. I explained that I was very busy and just didn't make time for things like that. She went on about how I really should. So I laid it on the line. I was very nice because there was no need to be mean. I told her that our beliefs just didn't mesh. I didn't believe in the things she did and she certainly didn't follow my general feeling on many subjects like abortion and gay marriage.
This was enough for her to say "Well, thanks. Do you want this?" and try and hand me a Watchtower pamphlet. Nice try. She then went and sat back in her car. Truthfully? I think she scouted the parking lot and picked us for out "< /BUSH >" sticker and wanted to see if she could get us to "switch" to the good side.
I am not sure about this, but if there are a limited number of spaces in heaven, then why do they want to recruit us all?
Good News everyone!
If you don't feel like writing a post in your blog, have the Fooble Blogbot do it for you.......
Vivienne learning the basics of condiments
Honey Mustard
Wasabi
Vivienne has a bad habit of trying to grab food off my plate. We will eat dinner after her bath, at our coffee table. I usually sit on a cushion on the floor where the table hits me at chest level. Vivienne walks around the circular table, grazing off the plates of Phil and I. Its not very nice and something that we have been trying to break her of. I think we found the way.
Today, I rewarded making it through the household outbreak of strep throat by getting some sushi from the market after grocery shopping. I brought my eel reward home and sat on my cushion. Vivienne was eating some veggie crisps, coming by every so often to mooch some rice off my chopsticks. After I was done, I noticed her shoving something in her mouth. Much to my, and her, horror, it was the entire ball of wasabi.
For those of you who don't know, wasabi is a horseradish based paste that is hotter than hell. Its not a spicy hot you feel on your tongue, its the kind that rises from your mouth into your sinuses and out through the top of your head. It stings something awful.
Vivienne screamed for a good 10 minutes while I wiped out her mouth with wet paper towels and tried to force her to drink some water. I can't imagine how bad it must have hurt. Finally, she drank some really cold soda through a straw and seemed to come out of it. She was sweating and her whole face was red. Poor thing.
We are hoping that this was her lesson, but we aren't counting on it.
School Teachers
Someone on one of the boards I frequent asked everyone if they had a teacher that influenced their lives. It got me thinking about my experiences. Although there was ever one teacher that brought the best out in me and was my mentor - a la "to Sir with Love" -, there were several incidents that I remember well that obviously left a mark on who I am:
*Mrs. Hayes, 4th grade teacher, was an old, grey large woman. I don't remember her smiling much. One day, she came in and wrote on the board. Mrs. Hayes is sad today. When everyone was seated and the bell rang, she proceeded to tell us that her car was stolen that morning. She looked out her window to see her car pulling away. I am not sure why that sticks with me, but it does. About 10 yrs ago I saw her at a store I worked at. I stopped, talked to her for a moment and recounted this memory. She couldn't believe someone remembered it. She still lives in the same condo complex as she did then.
*Mrs. DeCair, 10th grade English, was a hard lady. I remember her as being serious and not welcoming. She was the first teacher I had who read Shakespeare to us aloud, allowing me for the first time to really get the words as phrases. I finally understood what all the weird words meant. She would say "Its not meant to be read, its meant to be heard". She was right.
One day, Mrs. DeCair came into class with something specific to tell us. It was her own life lesson. She had a huge gap between her two front teeth. I remember noticing it as a character trait, as one would make a mental note of a scar or mole, nothing more. She tells us that she had a dental procedure to fix this, she had done it a week ago. No one noticed. Her lesson was that this was something that always bothered her, held her back, caused her not to smile as much. It had always affected who she was. When she finally, in anguish, decided to fix it, no one noticed. It didn't bother anyone but her. This is a lesson I think of to this day.
*Mrs Robertson, 11th grade English was just a bitchen woman. She dyed her hair blonde with these very prominent roots. It wasn't even supposed to look real. She wore red lipstick and often wore jeans, which was against the rules for teachers. She has a red, VW Rabbit named "bun bun". It was a convertible. She embodied fun. She cussed all through class, using the gentler of words like damn and hell, I think I heard shit only once or twice. (the way to make a room full of high schoolers take notice? say shit) I don't remember much about her class or what she taught. I do remember her messing with students when they pretended to read the book, asking questions that were obviously not pertinent had you read the material. I learned not to make things up right at that exact moment. I would have died had that been me. I am still looking for this teacher so I can tell her what an impact she made. She very much taught to be is to be unapologetically and unabashedly who I am.
Strep Throat x2
Vivienne had her 15 month appointment today. I started feeling like shit last night while chatting with
Stacey. Any correlation? Hm.
Here is a reason to be nice to anyone you come in contact with: Today Vivienne's
pediatrician asked for a strep test to be done because her throat was a little red. I fell like crap, my throat is sore and I have been running fevers off an on for the pat 24 hrs. Her test comes back positive. The Nurse Practitioner there comes into the room and tells me "You need to call your Primary Care Physician and tell them that your one yr old has strep and you have all the symtpoms. Tell them to call in an antibiotic for you. You shouldn't need to go in".
After thinking a minute, I realize that I have never been to my PCP. So I tell her this... "oh well", I am thinking. She walks back into the room with 5 packets of antibiotics for me and proceeds to shove them in my bag. "If you tell anyone I gave you these I will be fired". Um ok.
So, I got free antibiotics. Just for being nice to her and not treating her like shit. After all, she is the one who sticks needles in my child's arm. I should be nice to her so she doesn't do it too hard or slowly, right?
Like I always say, be nice to people, you never know who touches your food.
72 degrees and breezy
That's what we like to hear.
Did I mention that I loved Seattle? Well, I do. The weather there is perfect. Sixties to eighties in the summer, thirties and forties in winter. A little snow, a lot of rain, not any humidity. PERFECT.
Finally some fall weather has come our way. Its been a cool 70 degrees all weekend, only hitting 68 on Saturday with lots of rain. Fine with me. We are now able to go play in the park, go hang out in our won backyard and walk around the block without taking a gallon of water and portable fan. I hate to sweat.
We all went to the park yesterday and played on the HUGE jungle gym. It has 5 slides. Vivienne mastered all but the big long slide and the big curly slide. She loved the one that was like a tube. I suppose it was funny to see Phil or I peeking at her from the bottom. We got lots of big smiles and squeals.
Hurricanes - Isabelle 1 yr later
Thank goodness we didn't have to deal with all that crap again this year. Yes, the flooding was bad and we lost a vehicle. Yes, all that was a pain but we faired pretty well.
Last year at this time we were without power for 8 long days. Not so fun. It was a test as to how long one can go without email and television. I made it 6 days, Phil made it 2. He went to work each day and played online, then came home and complained that there was no tv or computer. Puh Leeze. I was home for 8 days without anything. Vivienne and I went to the mall A LOT. We went to
Target A LOT. I can't imagine what it would be like now, with a toddler who spends a few hours each day squealing at Elmo. I would be insane, I am positive.
I attached a video of the flood damage at
Bottom's Up Pizza in Shockoe Bottom. Its pretty frightening the level of damage that was done to this Richmond Landmark. I think that the pizza there sucks, but everyone else seems to LOVE it. Meh.
About two weeks ago Phil and I were driving home from his parents when we came into Richmond and looked up to see a billboard touting the merits of
PFOX: Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays.
Apparently, PFOX is a group that whole-heartedly believes that one should try and NOT be gay. They have pages and pages of research telling people that they don't have to be gay. That they can change who they are, its all psychological.
Well, let me tell you this. I believe someone can be un-gayed about as much as I believe someone can "turn me into a lesbian". How can we buy this crap? It so obviously another example that the Christian Belief System is getting way out of hand.
It had me thinking yesterday about if we had a Jewish president. Would he be able to fund only Jewish programs? Would there be a big hub-bub about a giant Star of David in a courthouse? Would Americans accept a president that was not a Christian or Catholic? I would hope so, but I am sure not.
Its sad that in this day people are so closed minded and ridiculously convinced that sexual orientation is a matter of choice.
depeche mode
depeche mode dot com
Ok, do you guys really want to know what a total goober I am? Well, I am a HUGE Depeche Mode fan. I mean, butterflies in the stomach at the very mention of Dave Gahan. I just can't take it, the man is a god on earth. I know, you see, I have stood before him. Being the only man to render me absolutely speechless, the only thing I managed to utter was "Thank You" as he walked away. I was a total ass. A total ass that got to fucking TOUCH DAVE GAHAN. ugh. I am still reeling.
Being the total loser that I am, I have added a link to his site in the fashion of a banner. The Cd isn't very good (how is that candor for you?), but he is pretty and keeps me from going insane sometimes, driven me quite close to the edge on others. In fact, I told Phil long ago, when I was a little more than obsessed, that I was not in love with him right at that moment. I told my HUSBAND that I was having problems with reality and would come back to it when the time was right. It only took a few months.
So here is a brief history.....I met this goober of a boy in 1992. I dated him for a few months as the 'rebound guy' from a very bad break up. I was very much feeling my 20 yr old oats. So this guy had Songs of Faith and Devotion in his CD player ALL THE TIME. I grew to love it and dump the guy. Ha.
Fast forward to 1998, when my friend Kym got me tickets to see them in DC. That was all it took. I rediscovered all of their music and became a little more than obsessed with it.
In 2002, when they released their last album, I was working for Warner Brothers Records and had the opportunity to see 3 performances. I cried through all of them, I mean CRIED. What a geek I was. I met them at the Philly show, where the infamous 'only time in my life when I couldn't think enough to speak' thing happened. My god he was pretty. He fucking GLOWED.
I went back last night to the site above and found some news about re-releasing some DVDs, videos, etc. It was quite a walk down memory lane. My birthday is in a few weeks. I will be getting these as presents from myself.
Dave Gahan is One Beautiful Man
Pretty Cool Flood Aftermath Slideshow
TECHEAD
This is a local Richmond Company. They have a great slide show showing pictures from the flood a few weeks back. There are some AMAZING shots.
Take a look.....if you dare.
Kid Songs
Phil finally broke down and bought a CD of kids tunes. It is a bunch of old songs, sung very folky by adults and children. There are lots of hand claps and harmonizing. Its actually not that bad. I am happy to have her not screeching while we are in the car, but I am sad my days of listening to Disturbed are over.
On a good note, now I will know all those creepy nursery rhymes and tunes that kids don't know these days since they are all eat up with Wiggles and Dora and Barney-like crap. I am happy to be able to share these old songs with Vivienne so she can in turn, share them with her kids.
Still, I am so sad that my life as a person familiar with what's going on in radio is over. Goodbye hipness, hello Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Dallas: Part 1
SouthFork
This past weekend I visited Dallas TX. Never been before. No need to return really.
My thoughts on Texas aren't original, nor are they pleasant. My only visits have been to see my sister in Galveston, Houston and now Dallas.
Texas has an ego problem. Apparently, to live there one must be all about their state. All roadsigns are shaped like Texas. Highways have big stars in a circle on the actual concrete posts that hold them up. There are more state crap oriented stores, where one would buy a hat, shirt, shoes, socks, sweatshirt, candy dish, etc and send home, than in any other state. They also have this term "Texas Sized" which essentially means its bigger than you need, want and wasteful in every regard. Hey wait. That sums up my take on the entire thing: Bigger than you need, Bigger than you want, and Wasteful in Every Regard. Good one.
My most favorite part of Texas thus far is the need for perfectly done hair, eyebrows and heels. Allow me to expand.
On Saturday, my mother, sister and me left home at 9am. We immediately went to Marshalls, Target and Pier One, as we were trying to fill my sister's new totally empty house with necessities. At each stop, there were another 5 or 6 women that looked like Stepford Wives. Hair, makeup, heels, pressed clothing, tiny purse, perfection, at 9am on a Saturday. I can only assume that they woke at 6am to get started. Either that, or they lay in a coma like state to sleep and everything stays fresh. A "vacuum sealed chamber" if you will.
I am never one to wear heels. I am lucky if I get 2 kinds of make up on, mascara and powder, and if me hair is brushed, its done. These women tend to scare me. I envision a house with knick knacks all over. Little dogs in carriers, flowery patterned furniture, vast walk in closets with rotating wardrobes.
It still makes me shudder to think of them. All decked out but shopping at Marshalls and SteinMart. I suppose you have to save money somehow to afford all that highlighting.
Blog Schmog
It seems that since everyone has one of these, they expect you to have one too. So, I got one. Here it is. Whoop-dee-doo.
I have read through many of these. It appears that more than anything, "blog" stands for "Boring Log Of Griping". Its a paragraph long bitch session for the world to see. Maybe this is a tell tale sign of how I feel about myself. What in the hell would anyone want to read?
I think I have always wanted to be a writer. Probably because it seemed simple. My mistake. Each time I write it sounds long, tedious, run-on and nonsensical. Somewhat like this now. I might be making a mistake in telling the world this. But its too late now.
Please read on and see what one person's annoyances, everyday occurrences, and general observations can be like. I am sure you have none of your own and that's why you are reading. Either that, or you are simply as bored as I am.
