Depression?

Things I've been thinking about- in case we are going to be in a depression. I'm assuming we get to keep our home...

I have a yard with enough space for a small garden and a chicken coop.
In case the gas goes out- I have a bbq! Fire is free. Can always boil water over a fire. Will have to find a way to get wood.
My house doesn't really get too cold in the winter- we can all share a bed.
I DON"T have a gun, but I'm thinking of getting one, to scare the coyotes out of my chicken coop. And to shoot the chickens. And rabbits. There are lots of rabbits around here.
Rice and beans store well, don't need a fridge!
I THINK I can survive w/out a/c. It'll suck, but it probably won't kill us.
I could fit at least one more family in my house.
I'm a big fan of bartering.

But before we get to that, this is what I think could happen...

We can drive our cars until they die.
We can live in our homes and not "trade up".
We can wear our clothes until they have holes in them.
We can eat leftovers & cook food at home.
We can age naturally with no plastic surgery & people could keep the noses & bodies they have.
Kids could get toys on their birthdays & Christmas only.
We'll learn how to fix things.
We can keep our appliances until they can't be fixed.
We can barter!!!


Finally, my cheap ways will be en vogue!!

Wag the Pig

Last blog on the subject for at least 1 week, then I'll put an *old fish* in it. I am a busy person. I'm a mom. I do a lot of neat stuff. ;-) I don't have time to blog about politics. Well obviously I do but it's at the expense of clean laundry, home, sleep, productive writing, painting, you get the idea.

This election is exciting but I'm uneasy. I'm decided, as I am very open about. I don't think I'm a kool-aid drinker. I'm not completely sold but I'm not quite at the lesser of two evils point that I was at at the last election. I still like Obama. I think he's in a very touchy situation. On one hand he can't be too tough, or he's sexist. He can't appear defensive about race, everyone is just waiting on that to happen. On the other he has to be tough because the Reps are constantly trying to make him look weak. His target is way more open than Palin's at this point. They have been throwing zingers at him for days. I actually think the pig in lipstick comment wasn't an accident, but intended... not so much as an insult to Palin directly but an attempt to elicit a response. It's a gamble but it may work for him. After all, I think we all knew Hilary wore lipstick when McCain said the same phrase about her health care policy, which is already common knowledge. It is working, I just don't know if it will be appreciated.


Enough of my left leaning. I respect that not everyone will agree with me. But this is what I want to get at...

It's a nasty game. I am a woman. And a mom. I am very pro-women in the White House. I am in total disagreement with this kid- glove treatment of Palin. I'm still waiting to see this media out-lash at her. I know it happened a little with the pregnant daughter, which she shouldn't be judged on, but come on. ALL the president's and vice president's families are subject to this. She knows that. It's not because she's a woman. Do we not know all about the other candidate's families? I really don't see anything unfair happening. In 8 weeks, this woman could be VICE PRESIDENT of the most powerful country in the world. She could very well end up being THE PRESIDENT. Do people not get this? She's not a movie star. We should know her. We know everyone the other candidates have ever talked to by this point. I think that's the main reason I'm leery. The others have been scrutinized for at least the last few years. They worked up to this for years, with the intention of running for president all along. I know Obama, McCain, Biden, Hilary, Leiberman, Edwards, etc. Faults and all. I'm a follower of politics. I know the least about Biden but the information is accessible, and I'm not being sexist if I want to know it.

I want to know what her beliefs are. I want to hear her say it. I want to know the whole story of all these "tough decisions" she's had to make. The governor thing buys me no comfort. Bush was Governor of my own great state for years AND his father was President. I want to know about the church she goes to. I did about Obama too. I didn't agree with Jeramiah Wright, but I know about it and I can make a decision. I want to know about war and security. And not just that I'll be protected by war. I want to know about our relationships with other countries. I want to know if I'm going to have to have a rapist's child if that were to happen. I want to know if my life were compromised by a pregnancy if my two young children would have risk losing their mother. (Not saying here what I'd do in such situations- that's not the point.) I do want to know though. And those are extreme examples. But no abortion debate here. I just want to hear her explain it.

I grew up with Hilary. I've known about McCain for years. I've read two books by Obama, and while they might only be "memoirs", I've had 4 years to learn about him. I don't trust any of them 100%. But I can't trust McCain enough to pick the next President. I'm not betting on him dying, but it really could happen. It could happen to any President. That's why VP IS IMPORTANT. Really important. I would want to know from any candidate for VP.

I'm not saying she's incapable either. I just think the scrutiny is very, very understandable. I may get my answers soon, but I can't see how someone who's only been in the game for 10 days has so many followers. Wake up people! Get over the sound-bytes and really be informed. Nobody will be perfect, and you won't ever know all the facts. But don't just vote for someone because they're a mom like you, or black like you, or conservative or Liberal or Christian like you. Think about things and how they might work in relation to the whole world. Then base your vote on that.

I'm really not trying to sway your vote but I am concerned with the Palin fever. It has a much faster incubation point than Obama fever, and appears to be more deadly. (At least to me :)

Caught In My Own Hypocrisy.

I have a dirty secret, some of you know but many of you don't. I sneak cigarettes. I used to be a smoker, before having kids, and while I wouldn't call myself a full- fledged smoker, it happens. Lately, it's been happening too often. I have to stop. I wonder if I will struggle with this addiction for the rest of my life. I think it's over then it pops up... stress, boredom, I can think of any reason usually.

Smoking isn't illegal. People smoke. I really don't think that much of it. I know it's bad, like everyone does. I grew up around it, and it has always been in my life in one way or another. The thing is, I'm halfway in the closet. I'm a sneaker. I don't smoke around the kids, or around most people, and I have my set "situations" where I find it acceptable. I guess it's called social smoking. Only with other smokers of course. That's my rationale.

Well, the other day my son came home from a friends house smelling like smoke. I was appalled. He said the grandmother was was smoking. The grandmother is living there now, and it is certainly her business. I know in the previous generations it wasn't seen as a big deal. Many of my relatives smoked around me. Good Christian people. :) In the house and in the car. I remember making ash trays in ceramics class before I even was old enough to think about smoking. I had my first cigarette in the mall. Right out in the open. And we smoked in the girl's bathroom and never got in trouble for it at school. But those were different times. Gladly.

So my son told his friend the reason he can't go over there anymore is because his grandmother was smoking in the house. It was sad to hear, I walked in on them talking about it. I never told Jameson why, but he knew because I freaked out about him smelling like smoke. I told the boy he can come over anytime instead. He was upset though, and he first he told me she doesn't do it. Here begins the lie... Then he said "But the windows are open." and "I don't know why she has to do that." It's sad when a six- year old has to make excuses. And, you see, I have shared a cigarette with his mom before, who isn't an inside smoker and doesn't do it around her kids either. So, she had the same rules as me. But she knows I do it. I am a total hypocrite. But, I definitely won't let my kids back over there, that's not the hypocrisy. That's just protection. But, how can I talk the talk and not walk it? It's only a matter of time before my kids catch on. I have to end it now...

So I'm airing out my secret on the web, for all to see. I'm not proud, but if it's out in the open I can't hide. I probably wasn't fooling anyone anyway.

I can't wait until Nov.

Mainly because I want this election to be over!!! It's taking up too much of my time. I can't stop watching news channels (and I'm not really that into news channels, really) I'm even decided, so I really could stop watching and move on. I as I said before, I'm for Obama. I'm just liberal by nature. I try to consider Republican candidates to be fair, but I just think I'm more socially minded. And that since I've been an adult, it just seems like Democratic administrations do a lot better. I've only really paid attention though Clinton & Bush. Not that I even think the world is going to be be that much better... but at least I can "hope".


That said I like McCain. I always have. He's likeable. He's a hero, and he seems like a very good man. I think he'd be a good president, just in a different time. It's very hard to dislike him though.

Palin on the other hand, I just don't get what the big deal is. IS it because she's a woman that has stirred up all of this hoo- ha? I guess it is. I so want to like a woman in office. People like her more than McCain!!! But I just don't agree with her views. And her speech was ok, delivery wise, but it wasn't particularly moving. It was mostly just jabs at Obama. And I don't think they were warranted. To make fun of community organizing is ignorant, as well as making fun of the columns. She was making light of a tribute to MLK made on the anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech. By the first black nominee for president. I never think that ridicule makes a person look better than their rival.

From what I've heard, she's tried to get books banned from a public library because she didn't like them, is anti sex ed, in favor for abstinance only, (I don't think it's related to the campaign, but 17 is awfully young. Birth control does work most of the time...) As far as abortion, I do think soon the argument will be as arcane as the procedure, but it will be only if all women have access to health care & education. I'm all about prevention. She sued to have polar bears taken off the endangered list to help further drilling, for the love! Well if you're interested in knowing about who might be president soon you know these things. McCain isn't young, and Palin is not, from what I can tell, ready for presidency.

I can only wait for Nov. and vote. I doubt Obama will get Texas. We're way too into kicking ass here, as well as drilling for oil. Our urban areas are seriously segregated, and will probably stay that way. And we're hell on the environment. Palin will be well recieved here.

Why, no matter who you're for, you should never listen to ANY pundits.

Even the "elite media"

Blog quiz answers all my ?'s

JK. But kind of interesting...

Your Issue Profile: 72% Obama, 28% McCain

While it sounds like Obama is the choice for you, he's not a perfect match. You and John McCain actually share some of the same views. Whether this is news to your or not, you have some studying to do. Obama seems like he's the right fit, but it's an important issue might sway you over to McCain.

Should You Vote for Obama or McCain?