I just popped over to see what was happening in SPoDE's World. Ugh. Aziz is trying hard to stir up a controversy of inconsistency, by quoting Bush and McCain on Afghanistan's current state.
The problem? The Bush quote came from 2004 and the McCain quote came from 2007.
Seriously, what kind of crap is that? It's not even a flip-flop post. It's two different guys talking about current events three years apart. Do you know how much fun I could have if I started quoting random liberals then and now?
Is there really nothing else going on in the world? Like now?
Sorry for no updates on the American Idol women on Wednesday. I was busy trying to stay alive. Its a forgone conclusion that David Archuleta is going to win.
Below the (show) button is my story. Be forewarned that it WILL have some religious tones. If that makes you squeamish, stop reading now..
I'll start this with some happy news. A few weeks ago, my wife and I learned that all the practice paid off. We are expecting our second child in October.
With pregnancy comes hyperactive sensitivity's. My lovely wife, Tifany, has an increased sense of smell. Yesterday, at noon, I get a call to my cell phone from my wife screaming about how the dog smells horrible. The dog is Pudge Esmay. I adopted him a few months back. After a few minute conversation, I promised to give Pudge a bath when I got home.
I arrived home at 5:05pm and right away I went to the basement, I grabbed Pudge and began drawing his bath. I gave him a pretty good scrub down. At about 5:20pm I was finished drying him off and I let him run wild in the basement.
Almost immediately after that I started to cough uncontrollably. I leaned over on the washer and it seemed like the worst was over. I took a few steps and almost fell over. I began violently coughing this time. It was then I knew something was very wrong. I tried walking up the stairs and again I almost fell. I crawled the rest of the way and got to my phone.
I called my wife, thankfully she answered. She was at the Verizon store about ready to get her phone upgraded. She answered the phone and I said: "Get home now, something is wrong. I need you." I made my way to the bedroom and grabbed my C-PAP machine. I figured some positive air pressure is bound to help.
I put the mask on and started the airflow. My wife tried to call me twice, but I was in the middle of texting her. I didn't want to speak since I didn't know how many breaths I would have left.
The message was effectively saying that I put my CPAP on and I'm scared.
I was scared because my heart felt like it was going to pop out of my chest and my arm was getting numb. I thought I would be dead by the time Tifany got home. So I said a little prayer and started thinking about my life and what I've done and didn't do. I also began thinking about my Dad a lot. I consider him my guardian angel. I figured he would send me a sign that all will be well.
Tifany got home and paged her Doctor/Boss. She is a medical assistant and has a basic idea of what to check for. Dr. Sturla called back and Tifany described my symptoms. He said I needed to get to the hospital right away. So Tifany and I made our way to Garden City Osteopathic Hospital.
I walked up to the registration desk and collapsed a little and said "I can't breathe. Those are the 3 magic words you need to speak that puts you to the front of the line. I was in triage and my pulse ox (Blood Oxygen) was 85%. Apparently that is pretty freaking bad.
They immediately put me on a bed and were attaching all sorts of stuff to me. It looked like a scene from Grey's Anatomy. I was put on Oxygen and the nurse came in to start an IV.
I was still scared out of my mind, until I saw the sign. The nurse who took care of me was named Alicia. It was confirmed when a colleague pronounced her name "A-leet-see-ah" . That's the Polish pronunciation of the name Alice. My sister Alice has always been VERY protective of me. So it would make sense that the nurse who took very good care of me had that common name.
Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. I've always believed in divine intervention. This was a sign to me that my spiritual guardian angel (Dad) is watching over me. Alicia had told us she was dealing with another trauma on the other side of the hospital and left that one to come take care of me. There were plenty of nurses in the ER, but I had Alicia taking care of me.
Okay, back to the story. Alicia came in, and administered the IV. I was given Benadryl directly to the blood stream. THAT WAS AWESOME. Within seconds I was flying high. A few minutes later the Respiratory therapist came in with a bong like thing, that I had to breathe for an hour.
After two hours in the ER, I was given my release. This was only after I sustained a pulse ox > 95% for 15 minutes after being pulled off oxygen.
The whole ordeal gave me a lot of things to reflect upon, here are a few:
When you're dying (or at least THINK you are) it helps that your nurse is SMOKING hot.
It's about time I do something healthwise to ensure that I'm around to watch my children grow up.
Having a medical assistant for a wife is a HUGE blessing. I LOVE YOU TIFANY!!
Timing is everything. Had Tifany got to the Verizon store sooner, her phone possibly would have been off (as they transferred service to a new phone). I don't know if I would have had the strength to make another call. I got a burst of adrenaline after I got a hold of Tifany. Had she not been there to answer the call, It's probable I would not be here to write this post.
A few weeks back I enabled the comment account approval functionality. So if you sign up for an account and are not approved within 24-48 hours, send Rose, who is now has a Technorati Profile or myself an e-mail:
Looks like Barack Obama needs to have his people do some research before he lets the rhetoric fly. He's starting to sound like the looney lefty he is, rather than a man ready to be President.
In the unimpressive debate the other night, Obama said:
Mr. Obama had said in response to a hypothetical question that although he intended to withdraw American forces as rapidly as possible, he reserved the right to send troops back in “if Al Qaeda is forming a base in Iraq.”
McCain fired back to that very stupid and ill-informed comment with this:
“I have some news,” he said at a town-hall-style meeting in Tyler, Tex. “Al Qaeda is in Iraq. It’s called ‘Al Qaeda in Iraq.’ My friends, if we left, they wouldn’t be establishing a base. They’d be taking a country, and I’m not going to allow that to happen.”
Obama responds with the same regurgitated bullshit I've heard from every liberal:
“I have some news for John McCain,” Mr. Obama said at a large rally at Ohio State University. “There was no such thing as Al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq.”
WRONG!!!!! Even Richard Clarke knows that was wrong. Richard Clarke worried that Osama would "boogie to Baghdad" if we invaded Afghanistan. "Clarke's opinion was based on intelligence indicating a number of contacts between al Qaeda and Iraq, including word that Saddam had offered bin Laden safe haven." Yeah, and Clarke got the intel from CNN.
Time to go back to school Barack or at least hire some better researchers for your speech writers...
According to Mickey Kaus: "Russert chokes in clutch. In Tuesday's debate, Tim Russert definitely let Obama off the hook on the issue of Obama's chosen pastor, Rev. Wright."
Here is what Russert asked Obama:
RUSSERT: The title of one of your books, "Audacity of Hope," you acknowledge you got from a sermon from Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the head of the Trinity United Church. He said that Louis Farrakhan "epitomizes greatness." He said that he went to Libya in 1984 with Louis Farrakhan to visit with Moammar Gadhafi and that, when your political opponents found out about that, quote, "your Jewish support would dry up quicker than a snowball in Hell." What do you do to assure Jewish-Americans that, whether it's Farrakhan's support or the activities of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, your pastor, you are consistent with issues regarding Israel and not in any way suggesting that Farrakhan epitomizes greatness?
Kaus points out that if Russert had stopped where the bold stopped and simply asked Obama "do you feel comfortable associating yourself with these sentiments". He would have had Obama in a choke hold but he didn't do that. He went on and softened the question by adding in Israel and making it about his Jewish support. He basically gave Obama an out. When did Russert turn into such a puss?
A 16-foot python stalked a family dog for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of horrified children in the Australian tropics, animal experts said Wednesday.
The boy and girl, aged 5 and 7, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed Monday at their home near Kuranda in Queensland state.
How horrible!!!! OMG, I would've pumped that snake full of buckshot, then reloaded. Those poor kids are traumatized.
"It actively stalked the dog for a number of days," Douglas said. "The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it," he added.
"They should have called me then, but (the snake) got away and three or four days later, I was called and went around and removed it" after the dog had been killed, Douglas said.
By the time Douglas arrived, all that could be seen of the dog was its hind legs and tail.
Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, Rose said, because dogs have sharp teeth and claws that could do the snake internal damage if it were wrenched out.
Yeah, let's not damage the poor snake after he just ate the family dog. Can't have that...
I didn't see anything last night because we lost power, in half the condo. The half with the television. So, I missed American Idol but I was able to watch it via YouTube and I missed the debate.
How was the debate? Hillary needed it and I haven't heard anything positive about her performance. Did she manage to impress anyone?
McCain thinks that in order to win the White House he must convince the country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can’t, McCain said: “then I lose. I lose”.He quickly backed off that remark.
“Let me not put it that stark,” the likely GOP nominee told reporters on his campaign bus. “Let me just put it this way: Americans will judge my candidacy first and foremost on how they believe I can lead the county both from our economy and for national security. Obviously, Iraq will play a role in their judgment of my ability to handle national security.”
“If I may, I’d like to retract ‘I’ll lose.’ But I don’t think there’s any doubt that how they judge Iraq will have a direct relation to their judgment of me, my support of the surge,” McCain added. “Clearly, I am tied to it to a large degree.”
Clearly, he is tied to the war. Of all the candidates with a real shot at becoming president, McCain is the only one still beating the pro-war drum.
It's an uphill battle for the old man. Too many people have lost faith in our ability to clean up the mess in Iraq. Too many people are angry, feel misled and want to pull out. McCain is gonna have to really sell it. I think it would be easier to sell Rosie O'Donnell a lifetime supply of condoms than it will be to convince a majority of the country that we will ever really win Iraq.
Update: I moved this up since it seems to be getting a lot of action. Keep on, keepin' on boys!
Recently someone commented that they did not know I was fluent in French. I'm shocked. As I've been told that I'm an egomaniac, I could've sworn I would have mentioned my ability to speak different languages; sometime in the last 6 years since I began blogging. So, yes, I speak fluently a few and not so fluently a few more...
Je parle, écris et comprends Français comme un indigène. Ce n'est pas une exagération.
Ich spreche auch Deutsches aber nicht sowie Franzosen.
Je suis également à l'aise dans le Poli. Mon Poli est évidemment le meilleur puisque je suis Polonais. Je suis semi-finale-fluent dans le Russe. Mon écriture et compréhension sont bonnes mon discours est mauvaise.
National polls don't mean much right now. It's the local state polls that we should be watching and in those polls, Hillary is close in Texas and ahead in Ohio. Plus, she's picking up major endorsements in Ohio despite the Obamarama.
Tim is away, for a few weeks, keeping us safe from bad people. That means he probably can't read or comment on the blog. So, in honor of Tim's inability to poo poo any theme songs, I have a theme song!!!
Actually, Jacob, my brilliant and sometimes snarky 10 year old, said: "Mom this should be your personal theme song because honestly, right now, it fits perfectly." I don't know if that's true but the song is pretty good and I like it!
Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone stands
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold
Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
Move along
So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold
Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong we move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong, we move along
Along, along, along
When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
[x3]
(Move along)
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
Right back what is wrong
We move along
Oh, don't worry Naftali and those who think like him, this isn't about my love life. This is about Hillary Clinton and her tanking campaign. It appears that camp Clinton released a picture of Obama wearing traditional garb during a 2006 visit to Kenya. Which, of course, caused right wing blogs to mock his "muslim outfit". It's not a muslim outfit, it is traditional Somali clothing.
But team Obama got huffy and issued this statement:
"On the very day that Sen. Clinton is giving a speech about restoring respect for America in the world, her campaign has engaged in the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we've seen from either party in this election. This is part of a disturbing pattern that led her county chairs to resign in Iowa, her campaign chairman to resign in New Hampshire, and it's exactly the kind of divisive politics that turns away Americans of all parties and diminishes respect for America in the world."
Team Clinton responded to team Obama with: "Grow a pair, you big baby!" Okay, I'm paraphrasing again but quoting whining liberal gets tiresome. Here it is:
"Enough.
"If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.
"This is nothing more than an obvious and transparent attempt to distract from the serious issues confronting our country today and to attempt to create the very divisions they claim to decry."
You know I don't want a President Crybaby. You guys sure Obama is old enough to do the job?
Every time I hear the James Blunt song "Your Beautiful", I have different words for it. Not because I think its stupid or anything, I actually heard a parody of it first. You could say this parody song is a little too close to accurate when it comes to my job..
Ralph Nader is running for President. He always makes such an impact. If Obama wins the nomination and that is increasingly more likely, Nader's presence will definitely help John McCain!
Yeah right. Like I care. I enjoy the show and I like to see people/movies that I like win but I'm not gonna blog it. [I love Daniel Day-Lewis...it's the accent and the talent]
Hell yeah, he did. My dream man from Kiev beat the Russian and now has a unified title. My night couldn't have been better. Except I have to remember not to drink tequila and vodka. Tequila is bad, stick to vodka...
I'm out for a very overdue evening out with a friend. I'll be enjoying the awesomeness that is Wladimir Klitschko, some Grey Goose and who knows what else...
Back during the better moments of my marriage, the early days, we used to host movie nights for friends. Thanks to my mom, I'm a great cook and a fantastic hostess. Every other Saturday night, we'd invite 20 or so friends over for big screen viewing of new movies or great comedy. Eddie Izzard's Dress to Kill was one of those things. So, only 2 of us were fluent in French and only 2 of us were laughing our asses off at this bit. SPoDE wasn't one of them, I was. LOL.
This is a really good song. I imagine everyone has, at one time or another, felt this way. I don't now but I did when I broke up with my dearly departed ex-boyfriend Steve.
As poet Edwin Markham approached his retirement years, he learned that the man to whom he had entrusted his financial portfolio had squandered all the money. Markham's dreams of comfort were shattered, he did what we all do. Brood and grow more angry everyday. His bitterness grew by leaps and bounds. One day while sitting at his table, Markham found himself drawing circles as he tried to soothe the turmoil he felt. He decided that he had to forgive. Not forgiving gives the transgressor power over you. Markman wrote these words while staring at the circles he drew:
He drew a circle to shut me out, Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout;
But love and I had the wit to win,
We drew a circle to take him in.
Charles Filmore wrote: "There is a mental treatment guaranteed to cure every ill that flesh is heir to: Sit for half an hour every night and forgive everyone against whom you have any ill will or antipathy."
Forgiveness is many things but there are 4 things that it is not:
Forgetting. If the hurt wounded you enough to require forgiveness, you may always have a memory of it.
Excusing or condoning. The wrong should not be denied, minimized, or justified.
Reconciling. You can forgive the offender and still choose not to reestablish the relationship.
Weakness. You do not become a doormat or oblivious to cruelty.
The act of forgiving is not for the offender, but for the victim. It doesn't matter if they ask you to forgive, if you believe their apology or whatever they offer. It doesn't matter if they don't believe they wronged you.
Bitterness and anger imprison you emotionally. Forgiveness sets you free.
Salon's David Corn, wrote a whole article on why John McCain is a bad, bad man. Do you know why John McCain is a bad man? He once told a joke that was too bad to print. And what could that be? Lucky for you, I'm so disturbed ... I will print it.
"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?
Because her father is Janet Reno."
That was it? That was so disturbed that printing it would be shocking? Holy crap, I've had entire thought strings that were more disturbed than that when I was in 6th grade... I guess I should just give up my hopes for a future Queen of All Evil presidency. I wonder if that means the Senate is out too? I would be a great Senator, wouldn't I?
I could be the first Republican Woman Senator to be removed because of a sex scandal - that would be awesome! I'd be telling all the reporters, "What the fuck do you think Queen of All Evil means anyway? Jeez!" or "I thought Dirty Sanchez was a restaurant?"
Dare to dream, eh?
I do miss the Clinton days, don't you? For more than the obvious reasons, the jokes were just waaay better. How many ways can you call Bush stupid before it gets old? I've said it before and I will say it again, picking on Bush is like picking on a little retarded kid. It's too easy, not very funny and it's mostly kinda mean.
I found two very important things. First, for all you "Rosemary is never gonna vote for Hillary" squawkers ... Read this and for Pete's sake scroll down to my comment, 3rd from the bottom. For the lazy among you:
Hillary doesn't scare me. I LIKE her. She's smart, driven, evil(my personal fav trait), and not afraid to go a get what she wants. She is not "the little woman" and I resent that she was treated that way.
Shep:
She doesn't scare me. Hell, I'd be tempted to vote for her as POTUS - if she ran.
--Posted by: Rosemary the Queen of All Evil at July 19, 2004 02:45 PM
Us Dems don't need Clinton. We've got John Edwards, Gov. Granholm, Bill Richardson, and our best hope for the future, Barack Obama. Things are looking good in our nation's future.
--Posted by: Tim the Soldier at July 29, 2004 11:26 AM
ToTheCenter.com's philosophy is simple. The average person doesn't have a political left or right, but really feels somewhere in the middle. We try to keep our news “down the middle” and our opinions for all.
"What shall we call our son so he does not get the shit kicked out of him at school? We shall call him Englebert Humperdink! Yes, that'll work."
Oh and yes, I'm nearing 40. So what? My eggs are still there and my parts are in great working order. I could easily add a few more blue-eyed blond children to the population before my uterus falls out. And I need a funny, blond man to plant the seed in my...well, you get the idea.
The ladies came to play. Overall I think the ladies did better than the men. Simon had a bug up his butt tonight. He was in rare form. I about died when I heard Randy say "just keepin it real".
Anyhoo, on to my review. 1 to 5 with 5 being the best. I also will add/update the song names once I confirmed them all.
Okay, not great. I loved her Britney Spears impression. +.5 for almost looking like she was gonna cry. Damn you Simon, Big Girls DON'T CRY!! I got that song stuck in my head, thanks Rose..
Asia'h Epperson : "Piece of My Heart" Big Brother and the Holding Company(Janis Joplin) : 4.5
Outstanding!! Hey did you know Janis Joplin was white?? Damn my music IQ sucks.
Ramiele Malubay : "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," Dusty Springfield : 3.0
I thought the song was boring. Apparently this underscores how much I know about music. The judges loved it.. I didn't. Did you know Dusty Springfield was a chick??
Damn I'm learning a lot about music since I started blogging on it yesterday.
"When you love somebody, you give up something that's very important to you, to give them something that's very important to them."
As a parent, I live these words everyday. Without hesitation, I give my sons whatever they need. I would walk through fire for them. If giving up my life were required, I'd do that too. Any real parent would. It's easy to read those words and say, yes, I can do X, because that's just what you do when you love someone.
I'm much more adept as loving my children than I have been loving anyone else. The love that I feel for my children is primal. I'm a momma bear when it comes to them and their needs.
When a group of crusty old white men and women rob a black man of the nomination, will it get the same scrutiny as the incompetant Texas oilman stealing the elections from nut jobs in Tennessee and Massachusetts??
The most fun I have with American Idol is listening to the judges. Randy by far is my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I like when Simon goes nuts, but he does it in his own British style. I like Randy because he's "keepin it real" as Chris Rock said in a comedy bit one time.
Randy says stuff, like Dude, Dog & Yo. My favorite Randy-ism is his version of the word 'Alright'. It sounds like he is saying A + ight. As in "Dude, I dunno that was just A-ight for me man'. So I added an extra "i" in there for effect.
I'm not a music expert, or a reviewer or anything like that. This is strictly my perception of how they performed. Oh, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Anyway, on to my review.
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best.
David Hernandez - 3. I liked his performance. It was okay, but nothing to right home about.
Chikeze Eze - 2. He was Aiight. A bit safe. I don't like the combativeness he showed with the judges. They are there to help. The suit was hideous. But if people send him home for the suit, they have other issues.
David Cook - 4. Out of the gate, he struck me as a very confident singer. I like him alot. He'll be one to watch
Jason Yeager - 1. Who is this guy again?? I almost fell asleep listening to him.
Robbie Carrico - 4. Very very good. Will he be Season 7's Chris Daughtry?
David Archuleta - 4. Awesome for a 17 year old kid. He has the stage presence. That may be because he was on Star Search at age 12. Simon says best so far. I don't think so.
Danny Noriega - 1. When I first wrote his name down I wrote Ortega. Maybe because I was having taco bell and more interested in my taco shell. I dunno, but he was BOOOORING.
Luke Menard - 1. Another yawner. Thank goodness I could fast forward.
Colton Barry - 3. This kid was just okay for me. Reminds me of Jon Stevens. The red-headed Dean Martin crooner from a few seasons ago.
Garrett Haley - 3. I was going to give him a 1 or 2, but the kid took his criticisms well, and showed a positive attitude. Maybe after a few rounds, I'll get over the fact that he looks like Leif Garrett.
Jason Castro - 4.5. Wicked awesome. Played his own instrument. I'm sure there are alot of women out there that wanna play his instrument.
Michael Johns - 4.5. Great. He seemed a bit warbly to me. Maybe that's how it was supposed to sound. I don't know.
My cousin just asked me a question on my Facebook wall. The idea is intriguing. Is it bad form to have a divorce party? Because I think it sounds like an awesome opportunity to have a get together.
Why would some men think a sweaty flushed woman, wearing yoga gear, no make up and a ponytail is attractive?
Everytime I exit my karate class, and I do mean every time, some guy picks that moment to flirt. I can't look worse and I'm pretty sure that my Secret Platinum™ is on it's very last legs, so my smell factor isn't the best.
What is the deal? Are all men on a mission to drive us women crazy?
I'm curious. When did Krugman start liking Obama? Isn't listening to him talk about concerns for Obama's campaign kinda like a mouse taking advice from a cat?
Scientists discovered that some people, who claim to still be deeply attracted and in love with their mates after many years together, are telling the truth.
Most couples find that the dizzying, almost-narcotic feeling of early love gives way to a calmer bond. Now, researchers are using laboratory science to investigate Mrs. Tucker and others who live fairy-tale romances. The studies could help reveal the workings of lifelong passion and perhaps one day lead to a restorative. Philosophers and writers have long examined passion and love.
The 19th century introduced psychologists and sociologists to the discussion. In recent years, neuroscientists have joined in. While love is historically tied to the heart, they are looking for answers in the brain, using magnetic imaging and other modern tools to try to map love's pathways.
Scientists thought the people who claimed to be in love, after many years, were just deceiving themselves. So they decided to really look at brain scans of these love freaks.
"Brain scans show the perpetually in love as different than the masses. Those people in long term relationships who profess to still feel very excited about their partners have more intense brain activity in the ventral tegmental area of the brain just like the newly fallen in love do. This research has many ramifications.
Do those who stay thrilled have lower rates of divorce? I would expect so. But people who have the neurological tendency to maintain intense romantic love probably are at risk for getting into relationships with people who do not share that tendency. So they can get their hearts broken pretty badly. If they could find each other (neuro-scan dating services that screen to pair people up with neuro-like potential mates) then they could bond to someone who will bond back just as strongly and for just as longly."
If only... It's definitely something to think about.
You go to sleep thinking everything is fine, you were on a good and solid path. Then you wake up and realize it was all an illusion. Karma beats your illusions with a baseball bat, until all you have left are shards of broken promises and broken dreams. That has been my life for a long, long time.
Honestly, I go to bed every night expecting to wake up to another broken promise. I'm rarely disappointed. The funny thing is that despite all that, I'm still hopeful. I still see a small glimmer of light and I struggle to reach it. I'm so used to bad things happening, so used to being disappointed that I don't even react anymore. I've gotten to the point where I believe I deserve it for having been so stupid in the first place. Yeah, I look at myself and think I can't believe I fell for this crap AGAIN. No more. I'm done being stupid. I'm done putting it all on the line just so someone can toy with me and my feelings. I prefer being numb. I prefer having people think I'm cold and unfeeling. Cold and unfeeling people aren't easily duped.
It's rather sad. If someone I cared about said what I just said, I'd feel bad for them. I'm becoming a cynic. I still can't believe how naïve I've been. I've always been open and honest when it came to relationships. Any relationships: friends, relatives, men I've dated, men I loved or thought I loved... You would think that people would appreciate that, they don't. Honesty scares some people, makes them back off or run screaming for the hills. Or makes them scream at you, call you horrible names, make you doubt yourself and your own worth.
Christ, I'm almost 40 and I'm still naive when it comes to people. Truthfully, I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life than be stuck in a bad relationship. Hence, my quickly upcoming divorce. I'd also rather be alone for the rest of my life than give my heart to someone that isn't sure they want it. I've suffered enough love/loss for one lifetime, I'm just not sure I'm up for anymore bullshit head games. I'd certainly rather not live alone, I'd prefer having someone that I share common goals and interests with. Someone that I can genuinely like as well as love. I thought I had Mr. Right once, I was wrong but I was only 19. Then I had what I thought was Mr. Close Enough, I was so wrong that my wrong Mr. Right looked way less wrong...
Here I am on the verge of freedom. I will be a legally divorced woman with 2 children. Everyone has baggage now but still, it's intimidating to realize that not only do you have personal demons but now you are "out there" again. I didn't like being "out there" before but now I'll be there with 2 kids.
It's an overwhelming feeling and it makes me want to just hide. But I can't hide. I may be a cynic but I am no coward. I am not old, I don't look old and I'm not a hideous troll. I just don't know where to begin. How do you start trusting? How do you start believing that it can really happen for you? How can you believe that there really is someone out there for you? How can you when everytime you do, you are proven wrong?
That isn't my title, I stole it from Captain Ed. It was too good to pass up. The Captain and many of his SPoDE-like readers are concerned about a speech Michelle Obama gave at UCLA. Here is the part that has a mass of all panties knotted up:
In 2008, we are still a nation that is too divided. We live in isolation, and because of that isolation, we fear one another. We don't know our neighbors, we don't talk, we believe our pain is our own. We don't realize that the struggles and challenges of all of us are the same. We are too isolated. And we are still a nation that is still too cynical. We look at it as "them" and "they" as opposed to "us". We don't engage because we are still too cynical. ...
Americans are not in debt because they live frivolously but because someone got sick. Even with insurance, the deductibles and the premiums are so high that people are still putting medications and treatments on credit cards. And they can't get out from under. I could go on and on, but this is how we're living, people, in 2008.
And things have gotten progressively worse throughout my lifetime, through Democratic and Republican administrations, it hasn't gotten better for regular folks. ....
We have lost the understanding that in a democracy, we have a mutual obligation to one another — that we cannot measure the greatness of our society by the strongest and richest of us, but we have to measure our greatness by the least of these. That we have to compromise and sacrifice for one another in order to get things done. That is why I am here, because Barack Obama is the only person in this who understands that. That before we can work on the problems, we have to fix our souls. Our souls are broken in this nation.
See that bold part up there? That is the problem. That makes Obama a theocrat. Talk about taking shit out of context... I didn't get the "Obama is Jesus" impression at all. You can't say "soul" without becoming a theocrat now. When I was 10, I used to watch Soul Train. There was nothing Christ-like about Soul Train. I eat at a restaurant that sells soul food. My greens and cornbread did not heal me. They were yummy as all get out but I wasn't saved. I know because the minute I left, I had a very dirty thought about spreading those yummy collard greens all over someone and...nevermind.
Michelle Obama's speech reminded me of something but it wasn't God and church. It was that this is what a Liberal is supposed to be, many have forgotten. Some Democrats have turned their back on this basic tenet of liberalism. Kind of like the Republicans have done with John McCain. He really is a conservative, he's not a RINO. Republicans have moved away from true conservatism in order to maintain power.
Michelle Obama's speech was LIBERAL not religious. Anyone that sees anything else should immediately have all sharp objects removed from their home.
Anyone who knows me for a while knows that I believe that God does not exist. However, what most do not know is that I am not necessarily anti-theistic. Of course there are aspects of many religions, denominations, sects, cults, etc that are harmful to human growth and development both at an individual and societal level.
Any faith that teaches that the earth is only 10,000 years or so old,that evolution is false, or that masturbation is a sin, is ignorant at best, but at worst will hinder real human progress.
Any faith or sect that advocates suicide bombing of innocents in its practice is destructive as well.
A group whose leader/founder "believed" it was divine will for him to secretly marry a 14 year old girl or even another man's current wife is deranged not inspired by God.
So why has religion flourished in the world? Why do most people claim to believe in a divine being? Simple: it's pragmatic. Religion enables societies and governments to maintain a measure of social control. Religion is the tool from which we teach right from wrong. It's not the only tool, but it's a powerful one. BTW, brainwashing is powerful too.
Human progress requires peaceful resolution. War and destruction will only perpetuate violence. Killing begets killing etc...
We must realize that we (individuals and societies) have a significant and often damaging effect on the world community and rather than fight with weapons, we must fight with truth and understanding.
So, in my pitch for eastern philosophic teachings, I give you this translated Buddhist poem to discuss:
To Live
Digging out a potato from my garden,
I noticed the hundreds of ants scurrying back-and-forth,
having had their home underground destroyed.
An earthworm moved aimlessly
after the disturbance of his home.
To live is to create difficulties
for so many others.
Please forgive me.
- Yoshio To-i
Or we could just talk about our host's bar scene antics.
Just in case anyone is wondering: I like this song. There is no hidden meaning to this song being posted. None, nada, zip. I'm not sad or lonely. This isn't about SPoDE or ANYONE else. I just really like the song and the words are like poetry to my ears. Okay? Good. Carry on.
A hundred days had made me older
since the last time that I've saw your pretty face
A thousand lights had made me colder and I don’t think I can look at this the same
But all the miles had separate
They disappear now when I’m dreaming of your face
I’m here without you baby
but your still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby
but your still with me in my dreams
And tonight it’s only you and me
The miles just keep rollin
as the people either way to say hello
I've heard this life is overrated
but I hope that it gets better as we go
I’m here without you baby
but your still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby
but your still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it’s only you and me
Everything I know,
and anywhere I go
it gets hard but it won’t take away my love
And when the last one falls,
when it’s all said and done
it get hard but it won’t take away my love
I’m here without you baby
but your still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby
but your still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it’s only you and me
I took this test 4 years ago and it came out complete sap gold. I was just wondering if I changed much since then.
Other than being much smarter and more skeptical where love is concerned. It appears that, just like 4 years ago, I still long for someone who is like me...
That's not an exact quote, I paraphrased him based on his actions. And this is what he did:
Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman reluctantly acknowledged Thursday that he does not believe waterboarding is torture, but believes the interrogation technique should be available only under the most extreme circumstances.
Lieberman was one of 45 senators who voted Wednesday in opposition to a bill that would limit the CIA to the 19 interrogation techniques outlined in the Army field manual. That manual prohibits waterboarding, a method where detainees typically are strapped to a bench and have water poured into their mouth and nose making them feel as if they will drown.
Trudy Schuett never ceases to amaze me. This piece is as well researched as it is accurate. Just some highlights:
I can’t imagine why any intelligent person would want to elect someone who has only “been around” running government to be our President. As Senator, it looks like she only used the office as a placeholder until something better came along.
[...]
Does anybody else remember how she tried to steal 9/11 relief funds to force women into jobs they didn’t want in the first place?
[...]
Or the silly books she’s written? (As a writer, I have to wonder whether she wrote them herself or hired a ghost.)
[...]
Hillary’s just a groupie wanting to play lead guitar. American voters seem to know that.
Stealing 9/11 money sounds awful! I heard that she killed Vince Foster too. YAWN. Accusations without proof are... well, nothing. Hillary may have hired a ghost writer? Shock! I wish Trudy hired a fact checker.
Just a groupie wanting to play lead guitar. That's a good line. It doesn't apply to Hillary anymore than "well thought out argument" applies to Trudy piece but it was a good line.
Anyone that knows me knows that I love to laugh. A person that can make me laugh is most likely the sexist person in the room, to me. Except John P, I still haven't fully recovered from having your tongue, in my mouth. Comes at me like a Vietnam flashback.
I'm also not as "easy" as people think. I won't laugh at just anything. Yes, I'm odd and I do have a quirky sense of humour at times, so the absolute ridiculous can sometimes snare me. Mostly, I prefer intelligent, well thought out comedy, a dry wit like a wine is nice but not as satisfying. On the first of the year, I went crazy and posted more than 20 youtubes of some of my favorite comedians. I did not put them up in any particular order. It would be too hard to do that because the order changes depending on my mood.
One thing that will never change is my secret obessive love for Eddie Izzard. Dress to Kill is one of my absolute favorite stand up routines. If I had the cash, I'd own it. Heck, I've seen it so many times I can recite from memory now. But thanks to youtube anytime I'm feeling lonely, I can just order me up some Eddie. There is something really sexy about a smart, funny transvestite that fancies girls.
This bit on the Army is great!
If Eddie Izzard knocked on my door tomorrow... Hey Alex, next time you see Eddie Izzard tell him that I'll be free soon. Tell him I'm cute and make up some other lies that sound good. ;-)
Hillary Clinton will take the Democratic nomination even if she does not win the popular vote, but persuades enough superdelegates to vote for her at the convention, her campaign advisers say.
The New York senator, who lost three primaries Tuesday night, now lags slightly behind her rival, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, in the delegate count. She is even further behind in “pledged’’ delegates, those assigned by virtue of primaries and caucuses.
But Clinton will not concede the race to Obama if he wins a greater number of pledged delegates by the end of the primary season, and will count on the 796 elected officials and party bigwigs to put her over the top, if necessary, said Clinton’s communications director, Howard Wolfson.
There is certainly a valid concern expressed by those who fear that the 796 “superdelegates” to the August 2008 Democratic National Convention—Democratic elected officials, party officials and VIPs – might make the difference in delivering the nomination to the candidate who wins fewer pledged delegates out of the primaries and caucuses. To some, such a result would seem “undemocratic.”
But let’s not rewrite history. When the superdelegates were first created by the Democratic National Committee in 1982, they were intended to be independent, able to vote for any candidate, regardless of the outcome of the primaries or caucuses in their own congressional districts or states.
I can't wait for people to start crying about how Hillary won the nomination without winning the popular vote. I have ZERO trouble supporting someone that won by the rules in place, rather than some whiny lets be fair after the fact crap like - "he stole the election, he didn't win the popular vote". Rules are rules.
LOL.
And people wonder why I like Hillary... She's my FUCKING HERO! And she'll make a fabulous President. I wonder if 40 is too old to apply for a job as the First Lady's Gentleman's assistant. I'd be really good at it, I have excellent written and oral skills...
There are movies, and there are films. I guess to most, it's objective. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", "what is art?" "where's the line between entertainment and pure art?" "should I masturbate at the airport?" No wait, forget that last question. (Obviously one should - just keep a narrow stance.)
From...Real Time with Bill Maher. Thank you, YouTube Gods...
Bob Costas: "I think most Americans expect and accept, therefore, a certain level of dishonesty or corruption. If it were counter-balanced by a healthy amount of competence, they'd be happy."
And, btw, P.J. O'Rourke is witty. What's wrong with you people? Is wit so underrated that it's missed by you far left nutty liberalsShep Tim?
