A Foray into Politics

I can't believe I've been blogging a year now and have never talked politics. Well, let's face it, up until a month or two ago, there were way more candidates than you could ever get to know (or want to know). Now it's getting down to the wire. Of course in elections, the wire happens to be nine months away. But we've narrowed the playing field considerably.

My husband thinks my opinions on politics are WAY to vocal and strong. Are they too vocal if they're written in words? Tee hee. Since he never reads this blog, I'll move right along with my political agenda.

I am one of five registered Democrats in Utah County. But if I didn't live in Utah where my political party is even less than the minority, AND where I am desperately trying NOT to be like everyone else, I would still like Barack Obama way more than Hillary, McCain and Huckabee. Face it, the guy is infinitely likeable.

Darren always laughs at me because I am so superficial when it comes to picking a president. Somehow I know immediately if I like them. Instinctively I can look at them and know if I can stand to look and listen to them for four years or, heaven forbid, eight years. In 1992, I couldn't stand the thought of listening to the George Bush senior's nasal tone for four more years. I immediately took to Clinton. There was something about him. Yes, admittedly he has/had many faults, but you've got to admit he was bright, empathetic, and enjoyable to watch. And I liked his hands, of all juvenille reasons to like someone.

In the 2000 presidential election, I faced a big problem. I didn't like Gore the know it all or Bush the know nothing, but I voted for Gore--one of the five votes he got in this county. Neither one of these candidates did anything for me. I couldn't throw my heart into either one. The same thing happened in 2004. There was our incumbant president who was still so painful to listen to, and John Kerry, who always made me feel like crying when I looked at his face. He looked like he was perpetually in a grumpy mood. Nevertheless, I and four other people in this county voted for him. He lost. I was not too upset. George W. hadn't done TOO much damage . . . yet.

Now comes Hillary. She's like a rerun in a bad nightmare despite her obvious intelligence and expertise on many topics. McCain is so unpleasant to watch and listen to, I just can't vote for him, no matter his experience in foreign policy and other things. Huckabee should not even be in the race as far as a lot of people are concerened. I hope he becomes a non-issue soon.

Then there's Obama. Woudln't he be be so pleasant to look at and listen to for the next four years? I don't want to get to the point with our new president that I was with George W. after about a year. I would cringe every time he said something. I was embarassed for him, embarassed for our country that he seemed to have such a lack of understanding of the most basic issues. I began to turn him off when he was on the radio or TV. I didn't want to do this. He was the president and I wanted to listen to him. Now I'm worried that it's going to be the same thing with McCain and not for his lack of intelligence. For his lack of appeal.

I like Obama. I like that he's black. I like that his voice is deep and rich and melodic, not choppy nasal-sounding like our current president. I like that his smile really lights up his face. I get the impression that he smiles a lot, and not just for the cameras. I know he's young and inexperienced. That worries me a bit. The whole not putting his hand over his heart thing was a bit troubling. But he is optimistic, energetic and exciting to listen to.

Having a smiling black man be president of this country would be send a powerful message of reconcilation to those countries that we have alienated and offended over the past eight years.

I will vote for him.

Mahem in February

Sammie and Nathan are rolling around on the floor acting like drunk gorillas. They're making more noise that an entire ape family being attacked. I'm ready to rip out their vocal chords and strangle them. Why choose to write now? If not now, when? I see that it has been a couple of weeks, and I'm long overdue, no matter the noise level in the house. You'd think they could at least go to another room. But they find great joy is seeing me writhe and squirm in frustration.

Life is good. Valentine's week at school is fun. There are lots of treats and love notes and fun activities. I'm helping with my own class party, and helping with Leah's class party. And I just got a desperate call from one of the moms in Nathan's class saying that she can't get a hold of any of the moms who were supposed to help her. Could I please help her? So it looks like I will be going to three Valentine class parties on Thursday. Life couldn't get any sweeter, in my opinion.

Kids say the darndest things. I was doing reading with one of the kids and he put his head down on the desk and sighed. I said, "What's wrong, Gavyn?" He answered, pouting, "This school just makes me so tired!" He looked surprised when I started laughing.

After we gave a lecture last week about no fingers in noses and using tissues, the class was very good about running to get tissues instead of wiping their noses across their sleeves. But they also made comments while throwing their tissues away. "Cool! It's all glittery and sparkly!" one of them said as he tossed it into the trash. And "That one's heavy!" 'Tis the season of drippy noses. I'm so grateful I've managed to stay healthy even though I am exposed to legions of germs each day.

Don't ask me how, but one of my friends has talked me into training for a mini triathalon. It's the end of April. Yes, that is rather funny, isn't it? Darren says I can get new counters if I finish it. I don't have to do well, I just have to finish it. I've only been wanting counters for nine years now. I guess I've finally found a way to get them--by swimming, biking and running my way into them.

Only nine weeks until New York! Or maybe eight. The kids are busy earning all kinds of money to take to the Big Apple. They now get one ticket for every thirty minutes they read. Each ticket is worth 50 cents. The pile of tickets is growing daily. Darren and I are going to go broke paying the kids for their tickets. There has been much less TV watching and computer and video game playing this week. I like this a lot.

My sister in law, Kim, is having twins girls in June. Up until two weeks ago she thought she was having only one baby. Now she has 3 1/2 months til they're born and her life is in a whirlwind of trying to prepare for this. How do you ever prepare, though? Her children go from 3 girls and 1 boy to 5 girls and 1boy. Poor Josh. You gotta feel for the guy. That's a lot of hormones in one household.

I just found out that a couple of my earlier blogs got accepted for publication in a new literary journal called The Sigurd Journal. I guess it pays off to ramble on the compter every once in a while.

Happy Valentine's Day friends and family! Love to all!