Senator Edward Kennedy 1932-2009

I simply cannot find the words to express how sad I feel at the loss of Senator Kennedy!

May he be at peace, on the other side of this life, in the company of his brothers, parents and others who passed on before him.

“The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.” ~ Edward Kennedy

We MUST have Health Care Reform, WITH Public Option.

WHEN it passes, it should bear his name!

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High School

My 40th HS Reunion is coming up--Labor Day weekend. I have absolutely no desire or any intention of making the trip to Illinois to attend.

I endured High School, much the way children will 'clean their plates' in order to move on to dessert!

For me, high school was nothing at all like 'the best years of your life', as so many "Moms" in movies say to their teen kids. For me, it was simply one of those things I had to go through in order to move on to the better things in life, such as adulthood, motherhood and freedom. It was simply another growth experience on the way to where (and who) I am today.

I grew up in interesting times, to say the least! Do the math and remember...where we were as a country, back in 1969. Civil Rights...Viet Nam...Equal Rights Movement...birth control options for women still new...the dawning of the 'Age of Aquarius'....hippies etc.

The high school I graduated from was in a city undergoing "white flight". When I first entered high school, the mix was about 50-50. By 1968, my school was about 85-90% black. My parents, sad to admit, were racists. I wasn't allowed to participate in much of the usual extra-curricular activities in school, because of that. We were raised as Lutherans, and I remember my Dad saying many times, his worst fears were that one of his daughters would someday want to marry a Catholic or a black. Funny thing: I don't remember him (OR Mom!) ever expressing the same fears about our brother's choice of a wife?? Go figure!

Eventually, I not only DID marry a Catholic, I even converted to the Catholic faith. My sister, the GOOD kid, married someone of the Lutheran faith, and is still married to the same man, 36 years later, and still practicing the Lutheran faith we were raised in. My brother these days, I think is probably participating in whichever 'fundie' religion his wife is practicing.

Meanwhile, I have totally lapsed, not just from Catholicism, but from organized religion in general! The last few years, I have been researching and studying the Earth Based Beliefs, and find they make more sense than all the stuff in the traditional organized religions!

Anyway, back to the Reunion stuff!

I did attend the 30th, against my better judgement! Here's how that came about!

One Sunday, I found a message on my answering machine, from a person I went to HS with: Bob XXXX. At the time, my landline was non-published--meaning, even the operator couldn't give it out! So...WHO gave my number to Bob; how did he get it?? He had contacted my Dad, who still lived in Illinois at the time (and was in the phone book). Dad gave it to him! I was really PISSED that Dad would just give out my PRIVATE number like that, and oh boy, did I jump him!

When my daughter found out about that 30th Reunion, she managed to talk me into making the trip, and went with me.

It wasn't really awful, just depressing. Way too many of my class had already died. Some in Viet Nam...others from drug overdoses, some from acts of violence, a few from cancer or heart attacks and a few from AIDS. Funniest thing from that reunion: one attendee, who was a cheerleader in HS....obviously dug up her old yearbook---she attended the reunion, wearing her hair and makeup, EXACTLY as she was shown in the 1969 yearbook, LOL! Remember the movie "Peggy Sue Got Married"!

The email I got today, Bob XXXX listed the info he has collected so far, on everyone. For me, all he has gathered is name, city, state, and email. I am tempted to ask that instead of the email, he list my business website, LOL! In these trying economic times, I certainly wouldn't mind a few extra website orders! ;)

I have absolutely NO desire to re-visit HS HELL at all. I am debating with myself: respond and say nicely of course, that I will NOT be there, or simply IGNORE the email.

Anyway, I have been feeling depressed lately, and the thought of a 40th HS reunion does absolutely nothing to improve my state of mind!

Love to all of you, but I do NOT miss the days of high school at all!

"As The Story Crumbles"

Keith Olbermann was really good tonite! One of my favorite segments was #4, where he and guest Margaret Carlson rip into some of the LIES told by Palin.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

SARAHPAC OF LIES, LOL!
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Crazy World!

Seriously---digging up graves and reselling the plots?

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Four Chicago-area cemetery workers have been charged with allegedly digging up graves and dumping the remains so the burial plots could be resold, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Read the article here

I'm sure such things have been going on for ages. I am just shaking my head, and wondering what kind of vile person could even think of doing such a thing? What is WRONG with some people!
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Music

I know, most of the world has had an iPod for a long time now. Not me. I just never even thought about getting one. After all, I do have a nice stereo system with AM/FM radio, dual cassette player, AND a working turntable! I have a CD player, and of course, I can play music on the computer, or listen to radio online as well.

I now have a few iPods!

There was an incentive a few months ago, for recruiting new Avon Reps. The prizes? Cash for each qualified recruit I added to my Team, and after a certain number, the free iPods kicked in!

My son got it all loaded up for me, with my favorites--and I love it! He did good selecting music for me.

I'll still be using my stereo sometimes of course. Yep--you guessed it! I still have albums and even a few old 45s!

The extra iPods? Since it seems the kids all have one already, and so do the granddaughters, I will probably use them as Incentive prizes for my Team. :)
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An old email from my daughter: WHAT IF..

I just found an email my daughter sent me last October. I don't remember where she got it, but she sent it on to me and all of her friends.

I have of course, removed the names and email addresses of the other recipients, just because.



From: Terri
To: mom
Date: Wed, Oct 22, 2008 8:29 pm


WHAT IF..

Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around? .....
think about it.


Would the country's collective point of view be different? Could racism be
the culprit?

Ponder the following:

What if the Obama had paraded five children across the stage, including a
three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain had only married once and Obama was a divorcee?

What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain
killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five? (The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings 90 and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

What if Obama couldn't read from a teleprompter?

What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included
discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?

What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many
occasions, a serious anger management problem?

What if Michelle Obama's family had made their money from beer distribution?


What if the Obama's had adopted a white child?

You could easily add to this list.

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does.
It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.


Educational Background:

Barack Obama: Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization
in International Relations.

Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joseph Biden: University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Vs

John McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899

Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism

Education isn't everything, but this is about the two highest offices in the land as well as our standing in the world.

It saddens me to think that this is the America (Every one is created equal, land of the free, and home of the brave.) that we live in but it is sadly reality.

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Random Thoughts

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

As usual, I have been busy--but that is a poor excuse for not taking the time to write anything!

Our rainy season is here, sort of! We are getting almost-daily thunderstorms. In fact, the rains on Tuesday, resulted in a nasty fall for me! Not to worry, I'm sure it's just a sprain, and not a fractured foot! I'm self-treating: ice, elevation, ace wrap--the usual stuff. The swelling has gone down enough I can get a shoe on, and weight-bearing is more tolerable, so I'll be fine! :)

I have been reading and following the Iran "election", Health Care Reform, all the insanity from certain batshit crazy wingnuts, the deaths of Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson and then Karl Madden--I just didn't feel like writing anything! I'd call it writer's block, except I don't think of myself as a 'writer'.

Plans for the Fourth: I wanted to go to the city's annual Red White and BOOM, down on the riverfront, but will stay home instead. The foot is better, but not quite up to all the walking required down there. It's ok though--my daughter and I will have burgers here, and at 9pm (EST) I can listen to Shannyn Moore. I'm sure it will be an excellent show tonite; it always is! With the announcement Palin made yesterday, I can hardly wait to hear the callers and what they have to say about it!

Speaking of Palin: I did watch her word salad yesterday a few times. She looked awful and sounded worse than usual! I don't think it was nervousness that caused all the gasping we witnessed--I think she was just super-pissed! I think the "Iceberg" is headed her way, picking up speed, and she knows it. Her resigning as Governor just reeks! I wonder which of the 'gates' is going to bring her down? Will she be facing some serious jail time? Who will she take down with her? Will she pack up her family and just leave the country before the "Feds" come with the warrant and cuffs? LOL, like I told my daughter, this shit is better than watching the soaps on TV!

Ok, if I want to eat tonite, guess I better be brave, and go to WalMart! Wish me well, I hate going there. I'd just go to the Publix up the road, but I also need birdseed, and they don't carry it.

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The BEST Time!

The best and happiest moments of life, are the ones spent with grandkids!

Alyssa is 9, and wants a cell phone now. Her reason? The usual! "So-and-so has one--why can't I?" Her Daddy (my oldest son) has one, because his employer provides it. Her Mommy has a pre-paid one, and usually no minutes available on it. Alyssa will be spending a good part of the summer with her other Granny, in SC. It would not suprise me if she gets her cell phone, LOL!

Grace is 5...a completely different girl altogether. She's more of a dare-devil tomboy than Alyssa ever was. Grace loves to get out in the yard and help with the landscaping my youngest son is doing. Here in FL, the soil is sandy, with a lot of rocks in it--she loves to get in the dirt and sort the rocks for Larry. She is not afraid of any creepies in the yard--no, she's fascinated by any and all living creatures!

I love my kids, and enjoyed them when they were small, but whoever said grandkids were the best of all, was right! :)

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Worried!

I have been getting email updates today from my sister in Wisconsin. Her hubby is in the hospital. They did a cardiac cath, and found 80-90% blockage in 4 vessels, possibly a 5th as well.

Surgery is scheduled for Monday, June 8th. That is their 36th wedding anniversary! I did get to talk with her on the phone tonite, when she got back to the house. She sounded worn out, but confident that all will be well. He's at a teaching hospital, and I firmly believe that's the place to be for anything as serious as bypass surgery. They have the best of technology, and are generally better equipped and on the cutting edge, than the average non-teaching hospitals.

I wish I could grab the next plane out of here, and be there for them, but it isn't even possible. I will have to settle for just beinnds with theg there in spirit, and trust that Dennis is in good hands.

I also have to trust the support system Mary has locally. Dennis has a large family and grew up there. They have spent most of their 36 year marriage there. They have all his family, as well as a ton of friends, co-workers and 3 grown sons in the area.

I still wish I could be there!
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What I Want For My Granddaughters

I want a safer, saner world for them.

I want for them to never find themselves in a situation where they would have to make the heart-wrenching decision to abort or carry an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy. I really want for them to be spared such anguish in their lives.

I'd like to believe that they will practice safe sex when the time comes, or better yet--wait for marriage. Of course I know abstinence is not realistic at all, and being normal human beings, they are not likely to wait for marriage.

I want them to have options and choices as they grow up. I want sex education for them, including birth control options. I want them to have the right to choose if necessary.

I also want less ugly violence in their world. If that means we need stricter gun control, so be it.

I want domestic terrorists to be eradicated in my lifetime, for the good of my granddaughters, and for all of us. I believe with every fiber in my being, that the person who shot and killed Dr. Tiller this morning is just that: a domestic terrorist. Sure, he no doubt has underlying mental illness, no doubt about it. In my opinion, most of those so-called christian Anti-CHOICE wing-nuts ARE at least a little bit wacko!

Once again let me say I am NOT Pro-Abortion; and honestly have never met anyone who is! I am Pro-CHOICE, and I believe that the decision to abort is never an easy one for any woman to make. I am thankful I was never in a situation where I had to choose. Fortunately, my pregnancies were planned and wanted--the only thing UNplanned, was that the 2nd pregnancy resulted in twins. BIG suprise in the delivery room, LOL!

And, isn't it odd--most if not all the so-called christian wingnuts call themselves "pro-life"? Sad, they seem to only 'love' the unborn, not the already born.

Ok, rant over, for now. I need to get back to my work.

Love and PEACE!
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