An Open Letter to Job Applicants

OK, so I'm hiring a new person for my office. And you know in this economy that it's going to be a "wild and wooly" time. We got a goodly number of applicants. Including a couple who "jumped the shark." By that I mean that they applied through our normal process but they also contacted my office directly. One of them did so several times. I am all for pro-active people. Believe me, I've been employed and unemployed. I've been laid off several times. I've been in the position of wondering "if" (not "when") the next interview or job opportunity would ever happen. But let me give you a hint, because I think the whole thing about networking has become slightly skewed in this economy. Asking for "an appointment to talk about the job" is not a good idea. That's called a "job interview" and if your resume merits one, you'll get an interview. Asking for that "appointment" 2 or more times in a week is a really GOOD way to land your paperwork at the bottom of the stack. Asking "did you get my paperwork?" is far more reasonable, but then, only ask once. Hiring managers are bombarded by many people: folks higher up the food chain who want someone interviewed; people in the organization who want their spouse or kid or cousin interviewed; people who want to be interviewed who are obviously unqualified, but desperately seeking a steady paycheck. I get it. But you need to understand that the quickest way to bug someone is to be a pest prior to the actual interview process. I wish everyone luck in their job searches. I know I'm very lucky to have secure (at least I think it's secure) employment. And I know I'm very lucky to have the benefit of many qualified people seeking the position we have open. Just don't derail your chances by being so persistent that we figure, "Heck, if they're like this NOW - what will happen if we hire them?"

I'll give her points...

As a bona fide tree-hugging liberal, I must in full disclosure state that 9 times out of 10, I don't agree with the conservative Republican pundits out there. As a mom, though, I must give credit where credit is due. There's a bigg-ish kerfuffle regarding Meghan McCain's blog and her attacks - make that "attacks" - on Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham. And I'm not sure that I'm spelling Laura's name right - and I don't care, truly. I did not vote for John McCain. And I wouldn't. Aside from several things that gave me pause during the everlasting campaign, I think he's too old for the very stressful job of President of the United States. And on top of that, he waffles and then calls people names who waffle. Doesn't seem to see that, and other things, in himself. Introspection is a valuable thing to have when you're running the nation that purports to be the beacon for the world. Politics aside, I didn't think too much of Meghan at all, other than that she was his daughter. Then, she wrote that she didn't like - or agree with - Ann Coulter. And then, apparently, she didn't agree with Ms. Ingraham 0r Ms. Ingraham didn't agree with her. The upshot is that there's a "fight" because Meghan has had the audacity to speak her mind. And she's not speaking in lemming or via talking point or anything. She's saying what SHE personally believes. And that is, "there has to be a point where we can find common ground." And for that, Laura Ingraham called her fat. In a clipping where Laura herself sounded very "Valley Girl," she accused Meghan of that self-same sin and then said she was fat. Who's older here? I'd venture to say Laura Ingraham is. Who's more mature? At this point, it looks like Meghan is. She went on The View and basically stated that the whole thing is idiotic and that the best someone can do is call her fat. Look. No matter what party you're involve in, EVERYONE has a right to speak his or her mind. It's what our Creator gave us a brain for. And nobody should be forced to speak along someone else's train of thought, particularly if one believes something slightly or totally different. Meghan McCain is not a political genius. What she is is a girl with guts and the forum to speak her mind. And for that, some older woman calls her fat. Grow up. Listen to the fact that this kid (and she is - she's younger than my oldest kid) is speaking out for what she believes in. Isn't this what we as parents hope for? That our kids will develop into their own persons and be able to function in the adult world on their own? Calling this kid fat is just plain stupid. Attacking someone who dares to think differently based on their physical being is rude. Juvenile. Silly. Immature. And it's guaranteed to make more people listen to what Meghan McCain is saying. Meghan, while I don't always agree with you, I will most certainly applaud you for saying it. Good luck in the world of "adults." You'll need it.

I'm fed up.

I’m frustrated and I know I’m not the only one noticing a disturbing trend at one local church. Let’s call it the “Parking Lot Preakness” in honor (sort of) of the Triple Crown. Here’s the deal. I’ve been a cantor since 1979. I’ve sung in a lot of churches, for many things including the regular Mass: funerals, weddings, anniversaries, most holidays including Easter Vigil and Christmas. I’m there most weekends. And whether I’m at the front or the back, I notice what others have noticed, but it seems like I’m the one saying it. Stop leaving early! For heaven’s sake, Mass is what? About an hour? And yet you’re streaking out the front and side doors near Communion time. We’re singing and instead of the bass line of the music, our song is punctuated by the “whump, whump” of the doors slamming shut. Sometimes, in this particular church located in my hometown, nearly a quarter of the members leave during or before Communion. If you look at a watch, there are roughly 5 to 7 minutes from Communion to the recessional hymn. Five to seven minutes. MINUTES. The Early Birds bolt out, jam up the parking lot and are still stuck there when the rest of us leave at the proper time. So what did your early departure get you? A place in line? The theology is pretty simple. The average Catholic attends Mass once a week. Can’t you spare an hour? What is so all-fired important that you cheat God of your time, are disrespectful of your fellow parishioners, and are incredibly ill-mannered toward our priest? Look, I already make the announcement (yes, nearly every Saturday) before Mass to “please turn your cell phones and electronic devices to mute or vibrate” so that we’re not interrupted by chirps, tweets and snatches of melodies in an otherwise spiritual space. Is it too much to ask of you to stick around for Father’s final blessing? I talked to one of our Eucharistic Ministers last Saturday and he remarked, “I went back to give Communion and saw that it was practically empty back there! This must be the worst church for that.” And, according to what I’ve seen in my travels, it is. There are legitimate reasons to leave Mass early. Labor (as in giving birth). Physical ailment along the lines of violent nausea, heart attack, stroke, or other instances of near-fatality. A cranky child who is out of control. Fire in the church. Actual collapse of the building or roof. And that’s about it. At one point, I attended a military chapel. The priest there was so annoyed by people cutting out of Mass early that, for several weeks, we had Marines stationed at the doors. Father said, “Nobody needs to leave before we’re through.” Draconian? Probably. But he made his point. The same priest stopped us in the middle of the Creed and asked, “So how many of you are paying attention to what you’re praying?” I talked with one of our retired priests. He often helped out with Mass, and I mentioned how much this bothers me. He said, “My idea is to have banners placed at the side doors, and have them unfurled before Communion. They’d say: Judas was the first one to leave the Last Supper early.” Where can I write the check to contribute toward those banners?

This has GOT to change.

So I'm reading today's Chicago Tribune (www.chicagotribune.com) and in the "Chicagoland" area I see an item about a man being sentenced to 8 years in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to his SEVENTH drunk driving charge. I read further. Now I'm really aggravated. "Illinois state statutes require a mandatory prison sentence from 6 to 30 years for someone convicted of six or more driving under the influence charges." SIX OR MORE????????????? This man had a blood-alcohol content of .15 - about twice the level of what's considered "legal intoxication" in this state. SIX OR MORE????????????? Drunk drivers kill people. If you drive while drunk, there is a nearly-certain chance you'll have an accident. Don't tell me you "have control" and are "above average" in your ability to drive while impaired. So, I hit MSN Live Search with "Illinois + drunk driving + accident rate." You will not believe what came up first. Illinois DUI Lawyers. A listing suggesting that one "fight your Illinois DUI." And hey, it's a free call. In an article I found at www.dui.com (written in 2005) it states that there are about 17,000 alcohol-related deaths per year. And it's been hard to keep that issue in the public eye. There's something to be said for good, old-fashioned letter-writing campaigns. Start with your local newspaper. Hit your state representatives. Do something toward making a change. Because the change we need is this: It should not take SIX OR MORE convictions for DUI to result in jail time. Most drunks are hard-core. They don't care if they don't have a license. They're addicts. ADDICTS. They crave alcohol. All they want are the keys to the car. So they can fulfill their craving. If you could ask them, I bet over 90% of them would say with an astoundingly clear conscience that they are "perfectly fine" driving because "they know where they're going" when they're drunk. Uh-huh. If the public has anything to say about it, where you're going is jail.

Touch Me Scarf

Here's a picture of the Touch Me scarf. It's been felted and is extremely luxurious. The color is a deep garnet.

The yarn was purchased from two sources (I didn't read the directions and had to purchase the final ball after I'd gotten the first two): Chix with Stix at www.chixwithstix.com and Jimmy Bean's Wool at www.jimmybeanswool.com and both are great sources!

The pattern is from Sally Melville's "The Knit Stitch" book.

My Cheese is Fried!

OK, I'm a little bit at the "fried cheese" stage... I have to stop watching the Today Show. The irresponsible mother of 14 children has her own PR person. And that PR person said (with a straight face) that "once you hear Nadya's story, you'll be inspired because it really is uplifting, and amazing." What???????????? I have close friends of mine who've been through IVF. I know what it cost them. What IN THE NAME OF HEAVEN is so "uplifting" about a woman who had health care "professionals" (quotes deliberate) who thought implanting SIX children in a single mother's womb was a good idea, and WHO IS THE STINKIN' IDIOT who did it this last time??? Sorry. I am SOOOOOOOOOO NOT carping on single mothers. I am carping on a woman who is obviously in the grip of some sort of addiction. Her own mother said, "She always wanted a big family because she was an only child and was lonely." THAT caused both DH and DS #2 to spit their respective morning beverages right thru their noses. She's "baby hungry" and now PR hungry. Corporations are NOT going to be flocking to her door. And the fertility professionals need to get a grip on some sort of ethical standard. I don't think doctors need to "regulate family number" as one expert was quoted. But they DO have a PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY to do the right thing and recognize when the situation becomes "just because we CAN doesn't mean we SHOULD."

What is THIS all about?

Ok, I like winter. Yeah, I'm odd. And I like winter sports. Particularly if I'm participating in them, and preferably when the temperatures are NOT -20! So, I ice skate. I snow shoe. I had done some downhill skiing in my youth, but decided that I really didn't need to get anywhere quite that fast. Instead, I cross-country ski, which is billed as an "all-over" workout. "All over" was about how I felt this past weekend. My hubby and I went to the path we've been using to snow shoe this past Saturday. Mind you, he's been doing this since at least college, maybe younger. We get on the skis. I immediately have trouble staying upright. Even with poles. I'm a person who can hold "tree" pose for 5 minutes without a wobble. Balance should not be an issue. We get going. I feel like I'm "shoving" the skis instead of gliding, and then we hit a nice slight downhill level so I can "schush" along nicely, using the poles to propel me along, and getting in a nice bit of upper body exercise. Then comes the first hill. I get half-way up, and I slide down. I get half-way up and slide down again. I'm stubborn. Hubby made it up there, so why can't I?? Finally, I conceded defeat and did the sideways shuffle up the hill. Went along a while further and then we hit a BIG (well, big in x-country terms) downhill. Hubby went down, and did fine. I went down and managed to over-correct slightly. Hubby says, "Aim for the trees." Is he crazy? Besides, he's got more life insurance than I do... Instead, I do what any self-respecting person would do. I sat down. It's amazing that the human butt is a great anchor. I popped the bindings, kicked the skis out from under me and walked down the remainder of the hill. So Sunday, he decides "we need to work on technique" so we head for the same area, only a soccer field that looks nice and flat. Ha. Deception abounds, my friends! It's a gentle maybe 1-degree downward slope toward the road. I did fine. I did the turn just peachy. Then I started back. Oh. My. Dig the poles deep, behind your rump into the snow. Puuuuuuuuuuullllllll with all your might on said poles to get the skis (and your body) forward. Take one pole out, gingerly and quickly - trying not to cross your skis or lose your balance. Poke it slightly ahead of yourself. Do the same with the other pole. Then, through sheer force of will, puuuuuuuuuuuuullll those legs and skis forward. Only to slide backward 6 or 8 feet. More than once. More than 4 times. Embarassingly more than I feel like it should have been. Particularly since Hubby scooted right up that hill as if it was flatter than an Illinois corn field. It took me nearly 20 minutes to "ascend the hill" - and yes, you may surely read a whole heap of sarcasm at the "hill" point. I got to the crest, popped the skis off and said, "I'm not sure why I like this anymore." So riddle me this... I can skate for a couple of hours on a thin blade. I can stop; turn; go forward AND backward. And stay upright. Even spin modestly. I can do yoga - I love balance poses. But on a 2" wide 5 1/2' piece of wood? I'm a total clod. Will I be getting back on the skis? Yep. As soon as we have more snow. I'm not going to let a skinny piece of fiberglass defeat me.

Bye-Bye Burris...

You'd think, living in Illinois, we'd kind of be used to our "dirty politics" and it wouldn't bother us to be the butt of nation-wide jokes. But you know, there's Barack Obama, who was supposed to make it all shiny and new again. Then, Rod had to go muck it up as if someone stuck a knife in his hairspray bottle. It's all sticky, nasty and just plain icky. Roland? Oy, don't get me started. First off, who in God's name calls their children by their own first name? Who's got a "compensating issue" with a monument as big as a Sherman tank? And who couldn't, on national TV tonight, pronounce "senator" correctly? Roland, please do us the favor that our governor refuses to do. Bow out gracefully. Re-think. Consider "spending more time with the family" and consider the fact that your partner in all of this is making a shameful display of his own bigotry. Bobby Rush, somehow strangled with his own importance, is calling the Senate's rebuff of Burris "plantation politics." Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. This man apparently doesn't know the meaning of the word irony though his own comments are dripping with it. He wouldn't support Obama; going instead for the rich white guy. Then, he hopped aboard the Obama train. Now, though, he seems to see some opportunity lurking somewhere. I can't see it myself, but Illinois politicians don't support someone just because they're altruists. They support the other guy because it's wired in their DNA. Pay-to-play is a concept but it's also an intrinsic part of Illinois politics. Once you have that part figured out, you can almost see where the next step will be. However, in Rush's case, I'm not sure what Burris has to offer. Burris is a joke. He can't make elected office on his own; he has to rely on a has-been governor, who hasn't got the sense God gave a goose, to appoint him to a position for which he may meet the bare qualifications (age, residence in the state), but for which he is in no way capable to handle the job (he's just not smart enough). This is one of those times when I shake my head. And I'm grateful that nobody in my family is in politics. We can just sit and watch the sideshow.

Spare Us, Please...

Oy. To be the butt of jokes for Jay Leno. To be the national embarassment. To have the FBI's SAC in Chicago say, "If it isn't the most corrupt state in the United States, it's certainly one *%&^ of a competitor." The un-lamented governor of the State of Illinois is under an extraordinary indictment in a pay-to-play scheme to sell President-elect Barack Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder. The man who once claimed that he had more "testicular virility" than the entire state legislature is in it up to his well-coifed hairline. Methinks Roddie-boy has been inhaling the fumes of whatever hairspray he's using. I know - innocent till proven guilty. But this guy has a really, REALLY bad case of "Ryan-itis." That's the ailment that plagues the LAST governor, George Ryan, currently a guest of the Feds on racketeering and bribery charges (a/k/a "pay to play" in a license for bribes scheme with PLENTY of collateral damage). You see, George is petitioning for commutation of his 6 1/2 year sentence (it could have been 22 years, buddy) - claiming that he's "old" and his wife is in frail health. Well, he was old when he committed his crimes. And while he was committing them, maybe he should have thought about Lura Lynn having to spend her remaining years by herself. Ryan won't admit he's done anything wrong. His lawyer, "Big Jim" Thompson, another former IL governor, who arranged for his multi-million dollar defense to be done pro bono (that's free for the rest of us), while costing the TAXPAYERS of Illinois major bucks, has drafted an appropriately conciliatory "note of sorrow" telling us how sad he is and how he regrets what he's done. Yet Lura Lynn says, "George told me that if he had it to do over again, he'd do everything the same way." Nice job. Roddy's lawyer, upon his client's arrest, said, "He's sad, surprised and innocent." And may I add delusional?? He thinks he's done nothing wrong. Look. Patrick Fitzgerald doesn't issue 78-page complaints because he's got nothing better to do. Federal judges don't issue permission to wiretap because they've got nothing else to do (the Current Occupant's unauthorized wiretapping being beside the point right now). If he IS, by some Christmas miracle, proved not guilty, then mazel tov. But the stain is there. Spare us the embarassment of being the nation's joke. Resign, Rod. Fitzgerald has your "testicular virility" in a wringer. You and Patti need to take the girls and just go away. Now.

Hard Lessons of Life

Yesterday, I was working the polling place as an election judge. I got a call from Hubby early in the afternoon to inform me that my Granny had been taken to the hospital with the suspicion that she'd had a stroke. Of course, I could do nothing but worry because I couldn't leave. We talked to the two boys and told them about their great-grandma. She's 94, has lived a good life, but in the past 4 or 5 years, her health has declined and she's pretty much wanted to die. All her siblings have died; most of her friends have died. She's just ready to go. And mad at God because she's not gone yet. The "boys" are mid-20s and nearly-20. They've seen "very old" and "very dead" people. They've never seen anyone seriously ill. When my dad died of cancer, before he died, he reached a certain point where he "banned" all the grandkids from coming to visit. He said, "They're young and I don't want them to remember me like this." So the boys have never really seen this up close. Granny can't remember Hubby's name. She remembered one of the boys but not the other. And she thinks Hubby is married to my cousin. She doesn't remember ever being married (she was married to my Grandpa for 61 years) and says she's 68 years old. She doesn't remember her younger daughter, but does remember her older daughter (my mom). She says she remembers me, but since we have the same name, I'm not sure if she's recalling the 'name' or the 'person.' The boys went up to visit Granny today. I'm proud that they did, without my having to take them there. But I was also worried. Kid # 2 sums it up this way: "Hospitals make me puke." And Kid #1 is just not good with the whole concept. I called Kid #1 today after the visit. He's in a pretty somber mood and said, "This really stinks. I'm really sad that she doesn't remember my brother." I feel bad. You want to protect your kids, no matter how old they are. You want them to be safe and happy and successful and never have to be hurt or sad. But you know in your heart of hearts that, eventually, they will have their own trials, their own heartbreaks, and they'll experience what you have: the illness and death of someone close to them. I don't know how this will all play out. She could remain just as she is or she could have another, bigger stroke which will give her what she wants: a trip to Heaven. Needless to say, I've been teary all day, when I think about it. I know in my own heart of hearts that none of us lives forever. I know how lucky we are to have her here at 94. And I know she's really ready to go. But I know that this is the Granny I've known all my life, and even at 50, something like this makes me feel 11 again and wishing that I could hide away till it's all resolved. But I can't. I have to be strong for my own kids. And I have to be strong for my siblings and my mom. The boys will learn this lesson as they've learned other lessons. And we'll cry and mourn when Granny dies. And we'll get through it. Yes, it's going to hurt, but yes, we'll learn this lesson, too.

VOTE OR SHUT UP.

So Kid 1 and Kid 2 are having a "spirited" discussion. What you have to know is that Kid 1 is our resident cynic. He's convinced the world is headed to Hades in a handbasket and that we - my generation - have been the last in a long line of people who've screwed it up totally. Beyond the repair of his generation or his brother's generation. Kid 2 feels pretty similar, but he has a small belief in the "process" so that if enough people get involved, it can be a sea change. He sees his generation as the potential to start that change. Kid 1 is probably not going to vote. But he'll gripe about how rotten the system is, how politicians are corrupt and how we're all eventually going to screw ourselves into premature planetary implosion. Kid 2 just voted early with us - his first time to vote. The discussion, which included a few mutual friends, ended when Kid 2 said, "You know what? It ultimately comes down to this: VOTE OR SHUT UP. "The system is what it is till WE change it. And if you're not interested in VOTING, then you have no right to complain about how crappy the system is. Obviously, it's not crappy enough to make you get off your butt to change it. So then you essentially have nothing to complain about, right? "So either VOTE OR SHUT UP." Out of the mouths of babes...

Links You Need to Read...

One of these is kind of long. But the others are fairly short. Read 'em and contemplate... http://tinyurl.com/McCain-is-a-liar http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23318320/mad_dog_palin http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23316955/the_doubletalk_express/ These are things we need to discuss before we have another 4-year disaster on our hands. And the thing is, according to most of the polls (if you ignore the right-wing slobbering hordes who thought she did well just because she read her script and didn't actually answer some of the questions), even Alaskans felt she didn't win the debate. Expectations low enough? THAT is scary.

Am I dreaming???

I want the following in a President and Vice-President. I do NOT want to have a beer with either of them. Both of them should be so smart that they scare the heck out of anyone. I want 'em so smart that they speak at least ONE other language fluently; have at least a Master's Degree in SOMETHING; have a successful career in SOMETHING; and can look any world leader in the eye and say, "No, there's a better way to do this where we'll all benefit." And that way usually doesn't include preemptive invasions and blowing things up. Yeah, Bill Gates is scary-smart and he never finished college, but he's unique. So are Steven Hawkings and Amy Smith, a MacArthur Genius grant-winner. I want all-around-genius-smart. And I want a personality that's imposing without arrogance. Someone that has a clue about what REAL "servant leadership" is about would also be good. I'm not picking on anyone. I'm just saying that someone who will be the leader and second-in-command of such a powerful nation - they have to be pretty special and "not ordinary" people. I am ordinary. I don't want "ordinary" leading this nation. We deserve better. We've had 8 years of Yogi Berra-like malapropisms and near-total cluelessness. We have had 8 years of a puppet government. We've had 8 years of "trying to get my Dad's attention." For the sake of our kids, grandkids and the entire planet, we need better. And we're the only ones that can make that happen. OK, I'm snapping out of my dream.

Intelligent Political Discussion...Is it Possible?

My idea of intelligent discussion, for anyone smart enough to understand words with more than one syllable, is a discussion wherein ANY party's talking points do not become the centerpiece; the only intersections of discussion; the be-all and end-all of any argument; and the only knee-jerk response to anything said by someone who disagrees. That's pretty clear. Once people can actually talk about their beliefs - even owning those that are obviously sexist and racist, though over half the time we don't even admit them to ourselves - then, we talk. Otherwise, it's all hot air. And compost. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As you can see, someone got my goat. If you can't argue your position, maybe you need to re-evaluate your hold on it and your investment in it.

Don't Breathe???

So. Today was THE day. The Annual Squish. And of course, last week, my cycle shifted just so that, 3 days ago, I was in full "Dolly Parton" mode. It was unpleasant, unplanned and painful! I got to the imaging facility and was able to go right in. I had a lovely technician, by the name of Janet, who "felt my pain." You see, the mammograms are digital and I have dense tissue (those of you who know me? Spare me the "dense" jokes!!). So, Janet says, the equipment has to "press down harder" to be able to get a good view. "Stand with your hips and feet facing the machine. Place your left arm and shoulder above the plate; don't GRIP the bar, just hold it. Scoot your butt out a bit. Now, hold still." Whirrrrrrrr; down comes the Plate of Pain. Janet goes behind her magic screen and says, "Now, hold your breath." Please. Like I could even THINK about breathing?? She apologizes as the Plate of Pain lifts, then we get to do it over on the other side. Then, the fun begins. We get to do the "sideways images." Stand with your toes and hips at a slight angle; tip your chin up so the plate doesn't whack you in the face. Bend slightly forward "so the tissue moves forward." Janet says, "Well, I know this is uncomfortable, but look at me" (which I can't because I'm squeezed in place) - "I'm all scrunched under here with my head under this part." Yes, dear, but I'm squeezed IN that part! I feel for my "less gifted" sisters - this is one test where more really IS better. I have a friend who's on the "boyish" side and she says that every year, she comes away bruised and feeling "scraped" by the Plate of Pain. So I guess it's good that I got the "family allotment of bosom" as my sister says. I give mammography technicians credit. They're handling a very aggravating test day in and day out. They are so professional (at least the ones I've run into) and matter-of-fact that they make you feel good about taking care of yourself. But even the pre-procedure aspirins did nothing today when "Dolly Parton" met The Squisher. That's ok, though. I came through this one without having to do any of the images over, and I'm done for a year.

This is "change"???

The sad part is, we could have predicted exactly how the RNC was going to go down. Mean. Rotten. Nasty. Much Hot Air - No Substance. They don't feel they HAVE to tell us what they'll do. It's enough that they're (R) - can't you people tell that they've only got our well-being in their hearts? Where have you been in the last eight years? The surge is working. Maverick. The economy is booming. Maverick. I don't know how many houses I have. Maverick. My kid's pregnant and I'm forcing her into the middle of a political inferno. Maverick. I've intimidated people and tried to fire a librarian because she wouldn't ban a book I didn't like. Maverick. I am willing to shill myself and my family for my own ambition. Maverick. Global warming is a myth - ignore that recent MSN story about two large ice sheets in Canada breaking off. Maverick. That has nothing to do with anything. Maverick. Drill in ANWR. Maverick. Alternate sources of energy don't work. Maverick. Endangered polar bears? What are you talking about? POW. Victory. Surge. POW. Victory. Surge. They should have paid me to summarize the entire convention; it wouldn't have taken 4 days. At this point, McCain says "Change is coming." It is. And it's Democratic. Finally.

Chinese "women" Olympians??

It can't be just me. The bloggers out there have found that the "women" on the Chinese gymnastics team are really no older than about 14. Why do they feel compelled to cheat? They apparently altered passports to show that the girls (because that's what they are) were the minimum age of 16, but others found that, through records of regional competitions, the girls were actually about 14. Bela Karolyi pointed it out. He should know from "massaging the system" because of his work in Romania. I'm not casting stones; just pointing out that sometimes socialist systems have different versions of "acceptable truth" than some other systems. Think about it. Shawn Johnson was so thrilled because she "just" made the minimum age requirement. So what makes the Chinese immune from the rules? Because they're the host country? Or because economically they may own half the world with various countries having received loans from them? Whatever it is, it's not fair. And it's not only not fair to us the viewers, but it's not fair to the Olympians who ARE following the rules - and above all, not fair to the girls themselves. What are they teaching them? That it's ok to not obey the rules - in a country that has, for ages, thrived on obedience and conformity, this is somewhat laughable. Except it's not funny to push young bodies to do the things they're doing. It's not true to the Olympian spirit. And it's just not a good example to set for the team members who are, in all likelihood, just girls.

There Goes the Neighborhood...

To the lady (and I use that term loosely) in the Ford Fusion who was ahead of me in the turn lane tonight: You are a BAD mom. And you got your driver's license out of a vending machine for a quarter. Do you know what that big square vehicle is with the whirling red lights and "whooop, whooop" sirens? It's called an AMBULANCE. When an AMBULANCE approaches an intersection, there's this little sensor, and it changes the lights on the side of the intersection where the ambulance is traveling. That means MOVE OVER NOW. That does NOT mean "flip off the driver behind you who honks her horn." That's your first problem. Your second problem is "the bird." You are a mom. There was a kid in the car. What kind of example are you showing your kid? A bad one. An example that tells him, "Manners don't count. It's ALL ABOUT ME." Listen, missy: It is NOT all about you. Get your snotty head out of your sit bones, crank the music down, look in your rearview mirror and see the big square vehicle with the whirling red lights and foghorn-like bellow coming up behind you. It's people like you that teach your kids that they are the center of the universe, and they can dump on everyone else. It's not about you. It's about the ambulance. Ambulances carry sick people. Have you ever ridden in one? I gotta tell you - it's a very nasty ride. The industrial-strength shocks make for a very bumpy ride, and if you are sick or hurt enough to be in an ambulance, you really ARE in need of quick transport to the nearest hospital. Ambulances have the right of way, at least in this state. At least when they're not confronted by bumble-headed nitwits who can't see past the bird they're flipping at other drivers who are between the two of them. Get over yourself. Maybe teach your kid manners - though I doubt you have any. Teach your kid that "the bird" is a bad thing. Teach your kid that ambulances and other emergency vehicles take first place on the road when they have their lights and sirens going. If you can't teach this information to your kid, maybe - just maybe - you might KNOW someone with manners. Or send me a message - I'll find someone to teach your kid, since you are obviously not providing a good example for him. In the meantime, if you can't see an ambulance or hear it, you really do not need to be driving, especially with a kid in the car.

Oh my.

Phenomenal speech by Obama. If he can do one-tenth of what he is saying, this will be a successful presidency. It will be an interesting campaign to watch.

Religious Hall of Shame...

Normally, I'm pretty happy being a Catholic. Of course, like every human being, I've had my crises of faith. But generally, the ability to believe in a deity who is "somewhere out there" and is watching over us humans (and often shaking Her head, I'm sure) is somewhat comforting. The trouble is when humans get involved in the whole idea of religion. Considering the gospels, who decided there should only be four? And why were those four written by men? Jesus did have female followers. Who says priests should only be men? One of the wisest preachers I knew was a woman, and it was she who changed my own narrow vision of what a "pastor" is. And I don't care what I was taught; I've come to believe that Mary Magdalene was NOT the prostitute she was made out to be. I'm not sure what she was, but I have come, in my maturity, to believe that she may have been painted with the wrong brush, for the sake of expediency and a good story. Fast forward many centuries, and we have the current issues facing the Catholic Church. The pedophile scandal which has people confusing sexual predators for gay men - guess what, folks, they are NOT the same thing. Think about it and look it up or ask someone. Use the brain God gave you. It won't hurt, I promise. Our Church lied, shuffled offenders around and did what it does best sometimes: it stalled, hoping that the problem would "go away." Hey, your Holiness: Since that Vatican II thing, parishioners aren't just dumb pew-jockeys. We are involved. And we know how to be activists. And we will. You lied to us; you lied to the world. And you want us to just forgive and "forget" what happened. Oh, and pay the legal bills, too. Not gonna happen. You've lost a chunk of my generation, and you have potentially lost the generation my kids inhabit, too. They see past the collars and see flawed humans. And they wonder why we in my generation let this fester. Most recently, there's Fr. Mike Pfleger in Chicago. Being a priest is a 24/7 proposition. You are never NOT a priest, even if the collar is off. And when the collar is ON - well, you really need to watch your Ps and Qs. And Fr. Pfleger most certainly did not watch anything. He didn't heed that voice in that deep part of the brain that says, "Whoa, there, Pilgrim! Watch what's coming out of your mouth." And Cardinal George certainly didn't help with that milque-toast tap on the wrists. Fr. Pfleger has embarassed many Catholics. He's embarassed many Christians. He did the usual "pseudo-apology" thing but it's too little, too late. And again, Cardinal George, where's the starch in YOUR collar? I don't think Pfleger needs to be kicked out. I think he needs to be re-assigned. He's been at St. Sabina's for what? A couple of decades? Yes, he's done fine things. But you know what happens when you've been the "face" of the organization for a long time? You tend to get complacent. You forget the vows you made, and you "become" the organization. Sometimes, that works. This time, it didn't. He not only embarassed Catholics, he embarassed his own parish. Even though there are people who stood up for his right to speak, he violated a basic principle: Don't do anything that you wouldn't like to see on YouTube the next day. Now, he's upset at YouTube. Fr. Pfleger, please look in a mirror. THAT is the person you should be mad at. You let theatrics and histrionics get the better of logic and theology. You had no right to use a pulpit - any pulpit - to say what you said. There has historically been a separation between church and state, and for good reason. You may very well have endangered Trinity's tax exempt status, at the least. At the most, you've given one more negative impression of a church which has done quite a bit for its community. There are people out there shaking their heads saying, "Just what DOES go on at that church? Are they all whack-jobs?" Probably not. But they sure know how to put 'em on the pulpit. Fr. Pfleger needs to be reassigned to a post where he can contemplate his actions and his future. Out of the spotlight. For a while. Maybe then, he could be reassigned to another parish, and not as the guy in charge. A large dose of crow wouldn't kill him. It may make him stronger and potentially temper his "speak before you think" habit. He's not a bad man. He's just started to believe his own PR. And when that happens, nothing good usually comes of it.