The "leg incedent"

I have received a strange anonymous comment asking to hear about "the leg event". Now, readers, as strange an "event" as this may seem you need not be dubious as to its appropriate-ness.

As some of you may know, our family delights in the winter sport of skiing. I personally, while still detesting the cold, the snow, and much of the elements that make skiing possible (for instance the bent-knee boots, etc) greatly enjoy barreling down a hill at full speed and coming to an abrupt stop near a lift, ready to do it again. However, I am a more cautious skier, as I have some fear of heights and an even greater fear of falling and hurting myself. Since I had not skied in 2 years, I was rather cautious, doing all of the green slopes, and only three of the blue I had been on previously (I had been to that mountain in 2005).

The second time we went skiing, the 1st of February, I was more confident, and definitely ready to tackle the harder slopes. I did a couple greens behind the little kids, and watched Caleb most of the morning. He went up the Terrain Park with Daddy eventually, and I glided off for some solo speed-runs. I went up twice, having great fun, and doing different slopes from my norm. The third run, and my second one on a rather twisty-turny blue, I felt that I was going too fast. I began doing S-curves to slow down, only I mis-calculated the trail. At one turn to the left, the slope fell steeply, but the right side sloped gradually. I realized this and had the classical "split-second" to make a decision. I turned sharply to the right. Due to my boots being a bit looser than they were previously (they gave me a bruise on my calf that lasted a couple weeks), the fact that the snow piled up along the edge of the slope, and that I was going too fast to turn as sharply as I needed to, I went off the edge of the steep part (I estimate 65-70 degrees across about 100 feet) sideways, and fell down until I hit the snow and began rolling. When my weight and crossed skis finally dug into the snow...I wasn’t sure what hurt most, and I just hoped no one plowed into me.

An expert skier nearly did, but he then took off his skis immediately, and tried to help me. I was still in a daze, and didn’t want to move....but he was pulling me trying to get me out from the middle of the slope and under the hill (you cannot see down the slope until you are going over it, and then it is hard to stop). As I stood groggily to my feet, a brash snowboarder whooshed passed, and was cursed out by the good-Samaritan skier. I worked my limbs, and found that except for an acute pain in my left calf, I was in working order, and I could walk fine. I figured that I strained it a bit, and that I would be FINE. I told the skier that, and he finally begrudged not calling the ski patrol and took my skis down to where the slope went back to 30ish degrees, and curved gently. I then had only to walk down to them, with my poles for support. I began my descent presently, and had only a little difficulty in making sure that I didn’t slide, and that my boots were firmly on the snow. About 4/5ths of the way down, I stepped firmly on my left foot, and it gave way suddenly with a distinct, little "pop". It sent fire up and down my leg as well, and I could not move for some time. I decided to slide down the decreasing angle (about 45-50 degrees, now) to my skis, and work it from there.

Anyone who has sat down on a hill near a lift knows that all this time, the certain people who actually have hearts (and not one snowboarder) ask you if you need help, if you are ok, what happened, etc, etc, etc, etc. I once sat down and made a snowman at Shawnee, and got so annoyed with the well wishers, that I abandoned him. This time, as I didn’t have skis, and was going slowly, I had obviously had trouble. I was mostly able to point to my skis down the hill and people would let me off.

When I finally got to my skis (after sliding past and having to kneel, and crawl back UP the hill to them), I took off my scarf and gloves, and ate some candy, and prepared to re-embark on the lovely day full of skiing. (the day WAS lovely! The first time, the snow was icy, and things were NOT as nice as they could be. This time, the snow was soft and powder-y and the sun was not turning it into ice....although it was warm enough)

About the time I put all my accessories back on, Daddy and Caleb and the girls came up the lift, and were probably quite surprised to see me in such a position. They came down to me, and laughed at me a bit, then helped me get my skis in position. Being that the slope curved to the right, and my skis were all the way on the right side of the slope, my right leg was down-mountain, and every skier knows that you put on your down-mountain ski first. That went on with no problem, so I set up the other. Somehow, my knee would not maneuver so they had to force the boot into the ski, but I could not bring enough pressure on my heel to snap the boot in place. The girls were dispatched to the ski patrol and Daddy and Caleb sat it out with me.

If you think I got a cool ride on a snowmobile, you are wrong. I though that too, and I was wrong. The only option was a toboggan with one person gliding, and another holding strings from behind. I decided to try to ski down, as my leg was once again, feeling fine. The Ski Patrol helped me get my skis in place, and they forced my boot to lock into the ski. Once it locked, I felt fine, and I moved my legs to see how it felt. It felt fine...I was good!

I skied forward, horizontally across the mountain, only to have my left knee suddenly give way and hear a distinctive "pop"! This time, instead of fire, my entire leg felt like it was being twisted into a pretzel shape, and tears jumped into my eyes and I couldn’t help letting the pain out by crying. I told the Ski Patrol about the "pop" and they became suddenly serious and grave. They called for the toboggan, and hurried me to the Emergency station. I would post pictures, but I was wearing rather tight pants under my snowpants, since I didn’t expect to show them to anyone. However, the pictures are not those I would show online.

I was given a leg-splint, which went up my whole leg, and told to have it examined ASAP, because it could be serious, and told not to ski for some time. I then had to hop back to the lodge with crutches (that needed to be returned), and was abandoned as everyone else went out to get their money’s worth of skiing. I listened to music, called grandparents and friends, slept, and cleaned up after all the mess that people leave!

There. That, dear readers, is the "leg event".

Blogimage

http://www.wordle.net/

Picture

Of a dubious circumstance which occured to me.

In-family comments will please be kept civil and

Jabberwhatky?

As I recieved but one comment in over a week's time, I declare this blog officially dead. A second comment two weeks after has allowed some leeway in my decision. I shall fulfill my promise, and then who knows what will come about!

4/20/07
Jabberwhatky?
There once was a shiny sneaker
That squealed when something it her.
She responded to the door
“That never happened before”
And meandered her way down the hall.

The one-time cat whose house
He believed was haunted by a mouse
Who grabbed the lone shoe
For so big his fright grew
He wanted to crush it no matter what befall.

The poetic mouse who laughed
At the old cat who was so daft
Wrote and epic about
How Auntie scolded the lout
And made him sit alone by the wall.

The crotchety Auntie who
Couldn’t imagine why Cat chewed a shoe
Who discovered the mouse’s projector
Who became the shoe’s heroine protector
Didn’t know what had conspired at all.

So....

I have not been writing, dear readers, in case you hadn't noticed (in which case, it is probable that you are not actually frequenters...only occasional-passers-by). I have not been able to summon up epigrams which shall amuse you, or platitudes which confuse. Politics has been another round of partisan-this versus partisan-that which are a complete waste of time, energy and effort, since the best actors are not in Hollywood, but in D.C.
I have not found things very inspiring with which to challenge you faith and strengthen your trust in Him.

What are my excuses?

Well, first, I have been going at least 3 times a week to York to be part of a drama, which I was lucky enough to be included in. If any of you have time and money to waste, and REALLY want to hear me speak 13 lines, shout from offstage, and sing a little, I can oblige you.

Then, there is my overall lowness of mood, grouchy-ness, and ill-humor because of the dreary, grey, dull, dark and all together miserable seasonal conditions we have been enduring. Not only has it stopped my fount of inspiration, but contributed to a very fussy depression and there is, of course that certain activity which has ended and shall not be resumed until October. (PSD Depression, as a friend classified it)

Therefore, I have made a search of previous entries and things I have compiled on paper, and quotes I have catalogued.

So, it is up to those of you who actually READ my blog.
Do you want poems?
Do you want quotes?
Silly or serious?

I await your verdict.

It don't mattter

Read Through the Bible in Two Weeks

So, I took this challenge
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=43287647259&ref=mf
mostly because my sister made me guilty.
I didn't want to, but she commented about how I could read other books much faster. That is true, and I have not been as punctual with my daily Bible reading. (I think my record is two or so days for Brisingr...I'll have to check that)
(*edit* I checked: I was loaned the book Thursday afternoon and had read it all the way through by Saturday 12:30 am)

I was quite shure that it was possible, I only had to dedicate the time. I did not begin right away to keep a schedule, so, the fist few days are already blurry.

The challenge was supposed to start the 21st. I forgot it was the 21st until I checked facebook that night. I intended to begin, but did not as certain things (cleaning up, having a friend over, watching "To Catch a Thief" until 1 am) distracted me.

(note: "day" is general, from the time I wake up till the time I go to be except for the 22nd, which would have begun at 1am)

22nd to the 25th
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua

26th
Matthew
Mark
Malachi
Luke

Ezekiel (I forget when...one of these two days)

27th (I decided to take a break, and do some "easy" books)
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zachariah
Daniel
Judges

28th
Lamentations
Ruth
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
1 Samuel

29th
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Psalm 1-104

30th
Psalm 105-150
Job
Isaiah 1-40

31st
Isaiah 41-50
John 1-6 (while out shopping)

1st
Isaiah 51-66
Jeremiah 1-40

2nd
Jeremiah 41-52
John 7-21
Acts

3rd:
Romans
1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
(these took me an hour....I timed myself)
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation (which took all of 25 minutes at "please-let-me-finish-before-midnight" speed)

My "reading chair" is in the living room, and I was very distracted by kids, the TV (the heretics insisted on watching football), and me watching the TV when the channel surfers landed on random reality shows or Sleepless in Seattle (which was also playing). I looked at my watch half-way through Hebrews and realized that it was almost 11pm. I began doing math in my head, and I realized that if I could finish before midnight,Ii would have finished in 13 days. I took off my glasses, which completely blurred everything but the page in front of me, and attempted to turn off the noise around me, which I can do when I concentrate.

I refused to look at my watch until I had finished Jude, and I found that it was 11:25. With much trepidation, I began reading as fast as I dared (while still stopping to underline and star, as I had been doing throughout this entire two weeks) and got through all 22 chapters ten minutes before midnight.

I gave a yell, and everyone who was still glued to the game-where-people-bang-heads-kick-objects-throw-objects-yell-cheer-boo-etc-ad-infinitum told me to be quiet.


Reading all the way through my Bible, (although I have done it before) was a really neat thing, because I had never done it within a time frame before. I was really overwhelmed by how succinct and perfect it was. Over and over the theme of redemption is cried in the Prophets, in Revelation, even though the final payment takes place, there is still glory and joy from those who have received the promises and are praising God for His justness and righteousness.

It was like playing with a perfectly round and ever-smooth marble. Nothing can break it, nothing can scratch it, and it is perfect.

I was singing the entire rest of the night, and songs still come unbidden. As I was going through, every verse that was turned into a song I underlined and wrote "song" in the margin. Then, I would continue reading with that song playing in the background of my mind. It is great.

Psalm for a time of need

Psalm 37

Of David.

1 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.

15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:
The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be cut off.

23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

29 the righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.

31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;

33 but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

New Years

These seem to be a repeating post factor on my blog.
(I just went back and re-read my previous "new years" posts)

New Years rolls around again. I suddenly get gripped by a terrible panic in my chest. I NEED the sea, I NEED to be out in the gazebo with everyone, I NEED to see some light-brown faces and I NEED to sing my heart out. I NEED to walk down to the dagat and watch the sunrise while the boys do flips and "karate". I NEED to walk back to the house all light-hearted and looking forward to a new year. Laughing at everyone being sleepy-silly, talking with special people about new year resolutions. I NEED to wave goodbye to everyone in the grey light, go inside, clean up and grab a couple hours of sleep. I NEED to wake up and hear some of the boys compare how little they slept and how great they still feel.....

It is interesting how tradition affects one.
It is hard how tradition pulls.

Languagash 2

Even in enlightened people, vulgarities and inferior dialect may invade.

This sad occurrence came upon me while out shopping with my mother. We were coming upon something with repetitive frequency (I forget what and the exact details now), and I commented "Yeah, we <3 getting .....(whatever that was)"

My mother gave me a strange look.

I lol. (actually, I did burst out laughing, but only thought "lol" later)

I thought: "This would make a great blog post!"

Dies Natalis Solis Invicti

May you have a merry season of "the birth of the unconquered Sun".

That was an ancient Persian/pagan/Roman feast held on December 25th.

Wikipedia is almost shockingly frank in it's coordination of "Christmas" with it's pagan roots.

An interesting note for those who still believe in the "christian Constantine" myth:

Constantine decreed (March 7, 321) dies Solis—day of the sun, "Sunday"—as the Roman day of rest [CJ3.12.2]: "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed..."

The first mention of celebrating the birthday of Christ was 345 AD--

Christmas was promoted in the Christian East as part of the revival of Catholicism following the death of the pro-Arian Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378. The feast was introduced to Constantinople in 379, and to Antioch in about 380. The feast disappeared after Gregory of Nazianzus resigned as bishop in 381, although it was reintroduced by John Chrysostom in about 400.^[5]

The Twelve Days of Christmas end on January 5. December 26 is St. Stephen's Day and January 6 is Feast of Epiphany This period encompasses the major feasts surrounding the birth of Christ. In the Latin Rite, one week after Christmas Day, January 1, has traditionally been the celebration the Feast of the Naming and Circumcision of Christ, but since Vatican II, this feast has been celebrated as the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

In Colonial America, the Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas. Celebration was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681.

So, in case you felt like celebrating.....think twice about what it means.


Some links for Saturnalia:
An almost satanic description of how to celebrate Saturnalia.
Specifications on ancient decorations, gift giving, etc, (very similar to Solis Invicti)
Wikipedia

My choice, my consequence,
My destiny
Moulded by the hands which created
And love me

My life, my heart to You
Alone belong
Every tremoring, numbered heartbeat
Of my life's song.

At night to You I cry
My heart's desire
Must be You, and You alone, O Lord
Your consuming fire.

Purify me, burn away
All my dross
Let my heart seek and look only for
The foot of Your cross.

Twice....er....make that thrice....

The not so smooth nor rhythmic order of our day was suddenly broken when the addition of an hour long Patrol Leader meeting at Boy Scouts deducted the same amount of time from our day and the planned events therein.

We made the changes necessary, and I suddenly found myself the only person in the house with Isaiah and the Tasha-nator. Bethany had a meeting to go to, Mother took the boys to Boy Scouts, and the girls went to visit the Library, and Caleb tagged along.

Things were fine.....for the first hour and a half. I played random Gaelic songs (Anuna & Celtic Woman), along with smatterings of Italian and Spanish (Il Divo) and cooked up the tomato sauce for dinner.
Isaiah ran after the cat and puppy.
Tashanator ran from the baby and at the cat.
The Cat ran for it's life on both fronts.

Eventually, the animal began yelping in it's little manipulative puppy-whine. This usually signaled a heavy bladder, so I unceremoniously dropped her outside, at which point she decided not to do her business but meander about the front lawn, and I with no shoes, coat, etc was obliged to chase her down and just as unceremoniously plop her back inside. She was wise enough to become scarce.

Then, Isaiah got fussy, so I read to him and changed his clothes into sleep clothes, powderd, and diaper changed him. He relaxed on my shoulder, and then promptly vomited out most of his dinner all over my new Daytona Beach sweatshirt. (thanks, Grandmom!)


I got him in the tub and let him soak while I washed out my shirt and his clothing. I then soaped him and got him, once again, changed, powdered, and diapered. He was rather unhappy at this point, and fussed for a time. I got a check-up "how-are-you-doing" call and he calmed down after hearing his mother's voice.
Cat resumed running about and entertained the baby for a time, as the dog had not appeared.

He eventually climbed up on my lap with his blanket, and relaxed, and fell mostly asleep. Holding a sleeping baby is one of the most relaxing things in the world, and I to was drowsing off WHEN.....

*choke*, *cough*, *gurgle*
(me a drowsy....huh?)

As throwup ran down his face into his hair and all over my skirt, the baby was trying to cry but couldn't. Suddenly in full command of my reflexes, I grabbed him, held him sideways so he could breathe and ran to the kitchen sink. I was about 5 inches short when the rest of it came up, but the water was near enough for me to wash his hair and face before grabbing the phone and making a GET-HOME-THIS-INSTANT call.

Ring, ring, (Isaiah: *choke, cough...CRY*) ring, ring, ring, (Isaiah: CCCCCRRRRYYYYYYY) ring..........click (that annoying computer tone "Please leave a message for.....")
Me: *HANG UP*

At this point in time Isaiah is clinging to me screaming because he got woken up with somewhat digested pieces of food and acid coming up his throat, at which point he was run across the house and dumped into a sink and had his face got wiped with soaking wet cloth.
About two seconds later the door slams, and the boys announce their return in Daddy's car. I take a breath, count to three-hundred, and ask Micah not to step in the stuff around the sink. Nathan immediately begins serving himself food, and Micah walks away.

Daddy took initiative and cleaned up the mess in the family room and the trail to the kitchen, as I took the baby to his room and re-changed, powered and soothed him. Walking back into the kitchen, Micah has been commandeered to vacuum up the bigger pieces, and he and daddy ask me to go change my skirt, as it is dripping *fluid*, and pieces of food are falling off onto the floor. I fold it up, and with the baby on my hip, take a trip to get changed, wash out the skirt, put it and my sweater in the washer, and keep the baby away from the clean-up party.

The moment all this is done, who should show up but the mother of the child. The haphazard rhythm resumes as everyone gets food and works on nighttime jobs and finishing school. As dinner is beign cleaned up, the baby begins coughing, (nother gave him a drink), and gets up most of the water along with probbably everything left in his stomach. His mother catches a good bit of it in a used dinner bowl, but much of it was not caught.

Micah immediately adds a qualification to his list-of-things-necessary-in-a-wife (now you know, honey!). "She needs to not get sick when she cleans up throwup.....oh MAN.....I'm getting sick standing here!" The baby is once again changed, and this time put to sleep by his mother. I get clean-up duty, but the stench keeps Micah from cleaning up the dinner table for another 40-ish minutes.

I am currently musing on the "not-so-obvious" qualities that one's brothers appreciate in one, although no one really thinks of them as qualities....and on the probability of reccurance of that item on any man's "future wife" list.

Enjoy

Today is.....

SQUARE DANCING DAY!!!!!

*celebrates*


YAY!!!

Enjoy, y'all!

America made Germany look like pacifists

An interesting overview of America's "imperialist agenda" from the book:

The Pity of War --- Niall Ferguson (concerning World War I and it's causes)

Another example may be given of an aggressive power which posed a direct threat to Britain in the Atlantic and Pacific; a power which shared a border over three thousand miles long with one of the Empire’s most prosperous territories. This was the United States.
Though the two powers had not come to blows since 1812, it is easily forgotten how many reasons they had to quarrel in the 1890’s. The US took issue with Britain over the border of Venezuela and British Guiana, a dispute not settled until 1899; went to war with Spain over Cuba and in the process acquired the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam in 1898; annexed Hawaii in the same year; fought a bloody colonial war in the Philippines between 1899 and 1902; acquired some of the Samoan Islands in 1899; and eagerly took a hand in the economic carve-up of China. The next stage of American imperial expansion was to construct a canal across the Central American isthmus. Compared with the US, Germany was a pacific power. Once again Britain appeased the strong. The 1901 Hay-Paunceforte Treaty waived Britain’s objection to American control and fortification of the projected Panama Canal; and London allowed President Theodore Roosevelt to ride roughshod over Colombian objections by assisting a Panamanian revolt in the chosen Canal Zone. In 1901-2 Selborne took the decision to wind down Britain’s naval capacity for war with the United States in the Caribbean and the Atlantic. (R. Williams, Defending the Empire, pp. 70f.) This appeasement had predictable results. In 1904 the Americans established financial control over the Dominican Republic; the same thing happened in Nicaragua in 1909 (with military backing in 1912). Woordrow Wilson claimed to deplore “dollar diplomacy” and the “big stick”; but it was he who sent the marines to take over Haiti in 1915 and to the Dominican Republic in 1916; and it was he who authorized military intervention in Mexico, first in 1914 to change the Mexican government and then in March 1916 to punish ‘Pancho’ Villa for a raid on New Mexico. (M. Jones, Limits of Liberty, pp. 396-411.) But no one in Britain said a word. America was powerful; so there could be no Anglo-American antagonism.
British foreign policy between 1900 and 1906, then, was to appease those powers which appeared to pose the greatest threat to her position, even at the expense of good relations with the less important powers. The key point is that Germany fell into the latter category; France, Russia and the United States into the former.

(the bold emphasis is mine)
This is from the view of an English professor. For those among us who stand by a strict, constitutional, isolationist policy....this list is not only shocking, but enlightening. Upon this foundation came about our entrance into World War I, and WW II, and Korea, and Vietnam, and the "cold war", and the first Iraq war, and the current "war on terror".

I'll bet 99% of Americans have no idea that all this happened, or that any of it is a problem.
I'll bet--no, I KNOW that a lot of them also think that the "war on terror" is a decisive battle between freedom and dictatorships. They want us to get "victory" and "liberty" before we pull out. They think that all the death and expense and destruction is justified by the social ends that we are "achieving".

I'll bet most of them don't know or won't believe the quote:
"When war comes, the first casualty is truth..." US Senator Hiram Johnson

Ought to be

Is "modern motherhood" harder than it ought to be?

Some interesting thoughts from a lady on how society has made motherhood harder.

A Vote for a Third Party is a Vote for---

Uhhhhhmmmmmmm.........................






Liberty?

People say that a vote for a third party is a vote for whomever they don't desire on the other side of the Republican vs. Democrat race, depending on whose side they are on.
Of course, the Republicans say it is a vote for the Democrats, and the Democrats say it gives the Republicans the edge.

People have accused me of trying to get McCain to lose and of underground sedition against Obama. An Obama supporter told me that any vote for anyone besides a democrat was just about a crime in her book, and giving me her signature for Ballot access was too close to risk.
One young man angrily informed me that a vote for a 3rd Party was a vote for Obama.
Then, unwilling to know anything else, he stormed away from me.

But, on November 4th....what was the real story?

The only states where the margin was close enough between the fat cats, AND the underdogs had enough votes to have swung one way or another were

Montana: There were around 14,000 major-third-party votes. (please note that Paul and Peroutka is some government mix-up, as Peroutka was not running for anything, and Paul had no VP, and was not running under the Constitution Party. Also note: McCain won the state, therefore all these 14,00 souls were not voting for Obama by default)

Indiana: It seems that the only 3rd Party there was Barr, who got upwards of 29,000 votes. Obama won Indiana. IF...and I say IF...every single one of those freedom-loving individuals voted for McCain, he would have been able to win. Even so, he would not have had enough electoral votes to win the election....so it would have been a waste...pun intended)

North Carolina: Also won by Obama. However, there were approx. 14, 000 write-ins, and Barr got a significant number.


and Missouri: (which is still being debated, it is listed as "not yet settled") McCain is winning by a margin of 10,000. If all the Nader people (who BTW see Obama as a right-wing radical) voted for Obama, it would go down to "every single vote counts" mentality. Even so, Obama would still get the Presidency. It is the Electoral College, not the mass of sheep that decides.

The Electoral College.....our last remaining scrap of Republicanism. (and I'm not referring to the party which defames that title)

One of those

Random homeschool moment:
My little siblings are pounding their hands on the table, chanting in unison:

"Rob a BANK, rob a BANK!"

(the baby, at a year and 4 months, seeing the general enthusiasm, is chanting da-da-da in the same intonation)

Don't ask!!!!

EDIT: (later in the day)

Mama: "Wait, are you God?"
Sara: "Oh, no, that was Rea"
(this one is a bit easier to explain as we were reading Exodus , each person had a role/character)

Undaunted

Last night after watching speeches and hearing empty, pretty words, I told my sister"Now we get to read every one's blogs don't we?"

In the general, ignorant sorrow over McCain's loss and the general, ignorant glee over Obama's victory, people are saying very insightful things.
One McCain supporter said that we should not sit idly by and let out founding values be trashed. Many are posting Bible verses and praying.

I am glad that Obama got into office, if for no other reason than this. Christians realized not only that their apathy and ignorance has given them what they seem to most despise, but that instead of sitting back comfortable in the delusion that a conservative Republican was watching their backs, they will be armed, vigilant and diligent for the Constitution, individual liberty, personal responsibility and freedom.

I wrote in a name, because the current one-not-two party system has blocked out any competition. I am not ashamed. In fact, despite the republican well-spread lie, there was effect on the election by the best intentioned people who voted for other than the two evils offered us.
More on that in the next post.

I am undaunted by the newest challenge to American ideals. At least the rest of America is suddenly realizing the danger of an unfettered, gigantic, and monster-sized executive office.

Meditate on these things

All that I am, all that I have
I lay them down before You, oh Lord
All my regrets, all my acclaims
The joy and the pain, I'm making them Yours.

Lord, I offer my life to You,
Everything I've been through
Use it for Your glory-
Lord, I offer my days to You,
Lifting my praise to You
As a pleasing sacrifice:
Lord I offer You my life.

Things in the past, things yet unseen
Wishes and dreams that are yet to come true
All of my hopes, all of my plans,
My heart and my hands
Are lifted to You.

And Lord, I offer my life to You,
Everything I've been through
Use it for Your glory-
Lord, I offer my days to You,
Lifting my praise to You
As a pleasing sacrifice:
Lord I offer You my life.

What can we give
That You have not given?
And what do we have
That is not already Yours?
All we possess
Are these lives we're living
That's what we give to You, Lord

So Lord, I offer my life to You,
Everything I've been through
Use it for Your glory-
Lord, I offer my days to You,
Lifting my praise to You
As a pleasing sacrifice:
Lord I offer You my life.

Lord, I offer You my life.