The buzz about Sarah Palin has been non-stop the past couple of days. Political blogs are alive with the sound of Republican music - lyrics such as "lifetime member of the National Rifle Association" and "a conservative, pro-life politician" and "more experience than Barack Obama" and "willing to stand up to corruption, even within her own party." She's a maverick in her own right (she's even a member of the Feminist for Life organization!), and a wonderful compliment to John McCain. The Republican ticket is solid, formidable, and the Dems are running around like chickens with their heads cut off because they're scared, and a little jealous.
Jealous, you ask? Oh, sure. Just like how my dog Sydney gets jealous when I pet my other dog River. Sydney runs over to us and head-butts River and tries to take her out. And not so much to gain the attention for herself, but to take it away from River. This is what the Dems are trying to do to Sarah Palin. They are head-butting her not so much to take the spotlight off of them (they are still on their post-convention high), but they certainly do not want it on...gasp!...a Republican (and certainly not someone as cool as Sarah Palin. Boy, I bet Hillary is just spitting nails right now. Wasn't she suppose to be staring in the new Will Smith movie I Am Feminist this year?).
If you've been keeping up with the news the past few days and reading the political news blogs, you know what I'm talking about. You'll see that liberals are grasping at straws trying to find something, anything, to catch Palin on. I'm sure you've heard the crazy talk by now: that her infant son Trig is not really her baby, but the illegitimate son of her 17 year old daughter Bristol, but...if it is really her own son, then she did not take advice from doctors to follow proper pre-natal care for the baby. Please.
Oh, and the Dems are trying to say that she has no experience. Hmmm...if by "no experience" you mean serving in elected office since 1992, then yes, she has "no experience." Hey Dems - what was YOUR chosen candidate doing in 1992? (Answer: working on his personal memoir, Dreams From My Father, which he finished up in Bali with Michelle so that he could have a "peaceful sanctuary" in which to write. Must be nice.). And while Barack was sunning himself in Bali and penning his memoir (which was originally suppose to be a book about race relations in America), Sarah Palin was serving on the Wasilla City Council, making decisions everyday that affected the lives of her constituents. There's absolutely no question who has more experience here. Keep trying, liberal lovers of Barack Obama. Keep trying to bring her down. It's actually quite amusing to see you fumbling and flailing about, trying to find dirt on Sarah Palin.
So, the next couple of months will be pretty interesting. I can't wait for the first Palin-Biden debate. And I hope that when McCain and Palin win, that Palin will decorate the VP house in a snow cabin/ski lodge/Pottery Barn kind of way. And I hope that she proudly hangs her membership certificate to the Feminists for Life organization in the foyer of the house at Number One Observatory Circle.
You know the Dems would be so jealous.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
McCain-Palin: A Winning Ticket
It's the talk of the political town today as John McCain chooses Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. McCain officially announced his choice just a few hours ago in Dayton, OH. In his introduction, McCain profiled the woman who may be the first woman vice president - she is a mother of five, married to her high school sweetheart, she rose from being involved with the PTA at her children's school to being elected to the Wasilla City Council in 1992. She became mayor at age 32 and in 2006 was elected as Alaska's governor. She has a history of experience, of shaking up the status quo, bringing down the corruption of Senator Ted Stevens, and serving as a strong advocate for her fellow Alaskans. John McCain said that she is "exactly what I need" in a running mate. And she is exactly who America needs in a leadership position the next four years.
And if her strong political background wasn't enough, the fact that's she's just cool seals the deal for me. In 1984 she was crowned Miss Wasilla and was a runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant. She eloped with her high school sweetheart Todd to avoid a pricey wedding. She gave her kids cool names: her sons are Track, 19 and Trig, 4 months, and her daughters are Bristol, 17, Willow 13, and Piper 7. Her husband is the defending four-time winner of the Iron Dog (a daunting snowmobiling competition) and Sarah herself is a moose hunter. She has coached basketball, led her high school's FCA group and is a self-proclaimed "hockey mom." In essence, Sarah Palin is a cool chick, a maverick in her own right, and a strong conservative leader that this country needs. McCain already had my vote, but his choice of Sarah Palin as the VP candidate gets me excited about this ticket and even more pumped about the November election.
Learn more about Sarah Palin here.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Rewind Moments, Olympics Edition
In college my friends and I use to talk about how we wish life had "rewind moments" where you could say anything you wanted to anyone, and then take it back as if you had never said it. You know, when you really want to chew someone out, but you bite your tongue. Or you just want to say something totally off the wall just to see the look on the other person's face. That would be awesome!
Sent to me today in an email forward, and in honor of the recent games, below are the top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators during the Summer Olympics that they would like to take back:
1. Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing."
2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."
3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."
5. Softball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again."
6. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."
7. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew."
8. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."
9. Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses
them... Oh my God, what have I just said?"
Awesome.
Gold Medal goes to comment #2
Sent to me today in an email forward, and in honor of the recent games, below are the top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators during the Summer Olympics that they would like to take back:
1. Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing."
2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."
3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."
5. Softball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again."
6. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."
7. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew."
8. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."
9. Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses
them... Oh my God, what have I just said?"
Awesome.
Gold Medal goes to comment #2
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Pre-Season Is Over, Baby
Being dutiful American citizens, the husband and I have been watching (really tolerating) the Democratic National Convention this week on NBC. Sure, our living room between the hours of 10 and 11 pm is reminiscent of a severe case of 5 o'clock road rage as the husband and I yell back at the TV (I know you can hear us!), but we feel that watching the DNC is important this political season as we grow closer and closer to November. I mean, we gotta hear what the other guys (and gals) are saying, right?
And as I have watched the DNC the past couple of nights (which has only served to solidify the many reasons why I am a registered Republican), I'm amused at how much of a love-fest the DNC is for the Dems. People started crying before Michelle Obama could get her first few lines out. Hillary said last night that Obama was her man, when clearly her face showed that all she wanted to do was bitch-slap the dude and send him back to Chicago. And Ted Kennedy...well, God bless the man for his recent battle with brain cancer...but he really stole the show the other night, and by the media coverage, you would have thought he had been the only speaker on Monday. It's amazing how being immersed in a week-long liberal bubble can really short circuit the memories of the candidates, their supporters and the general public.
For instance, didn't Ted Kennedy kill a young woman back in the 60's because he was driving drunk? And I don't recall him ever serving any jail time. I guess being a Kennedy is a great get-out-of-jail card.
And I think I remember Michelle Obama stating back in February that she was proud of her country for the very first time (interesting...I would say America has treated you very well, Michelle, with your Princeton undergrad and Harvard law educations).
And Joe Biden, I hear you have a whole host of incriminating statements you've made in the past against Barack Obama. How did you wind up as the running mate for Obama? Short memories, I guess...
Hey Hillary, you've pulled a Joe Biden too many times to count during the primary season. It's a wonder you could even stomach your own speech last night. But you pulled through it, and I guess we'll see you in four years when you try to run again for president (oh yeah, it's going to happen folks...you'll see).
So, the DNC and the RNC are the kick-off games for the wild political season we're all about to experience the next couple of months.
I just hope there's not a wardrobe malfunction during the half time show.
And as I have watched the DNC the past couple of nights (which has only served to solidify the many reasons why I am a registered Republican), I'm amused at how much of a love-fest the DNC is for the Dems. People started crying before Michelle Obama could get her first few lines out. Hillary said last night that Obama was her man, when clearly her face showed that all she wanted to do was bitch-slap the dude and send him back to Chicago. And Ted Kennedy...well, God bless the man for his recent battle with brain cancer...but he really stole the show the other night, and by the media coverage, you would have thought he had been the only speaker on Monday. It's amazing how being immersed in a week-long liberal bubble can really short circuit the memories of the candidates, their supporters and the general public.
For instance, didn't Ted Kennedy kill a young woman back in the 60's because he was driving drunk? And I don't recall him ever serving any jail time. I guess being a Kennedy is a great get-out-of-jail card.
And I think I remember Michelle Obama stating back in February that she was proud of her country for the very first time (interesting...I would say America has treated you very well, Michelle, with your Princeton undergrad and Harvard law educations).
And Joe Biden, I hear you have a whole host of incriminating statements you've made in the past against Barack Obama. How did you wind up as the running mate for Obama? Short memories, I guess...
Hey Hillary, you've pulled a Joe Biden too many times to count during the primary season. It's a wonder you could even stomach your own speech last night. But you pulled through it, and I guess we'll see you in four years when you try to run again for president (oh yeah, it's going to happen folks...you'll see).
So, the DNC and the RNC are the kick-off games for the wild political season we're all about to experience the next couple of months.
Start, you say? Haven't we already been subjected to a wild political season for quite some time now?Yes. And it's only going to get worse. Pre-season is indeed over, and the regular season is in full swing. So grab your beer and bucket of KFC, because the Superbowl of American politics is right around the corner.
I just hope there's not a wardrobe malfunction during the half time show.
Monday, August 25, 2008
From Beijing With Love
Dear London 2012,
Thank you for coming to visit my Closing Ceremonies on Sunday night. As you will find out in four years, hosting the games is a huge undertaking, and I wish you all the best. But as a fellow host city, I must be honest with you.
Your debut sucked.
While your choice to use the red double-decker bus at the beginning of your performance was well suited (if not a little obvious), your choice in everything else, well...let's just say you didn't get off to a great start by having your mayor parade out onto stage with his shaggy hair and unbuttoned coat.
As I said, the choice of the double-decker bus was okay, but the "street" dancers that accompanied the bus as it made its way to the middle of the Bird's Nest seemed reminiscent of some drug-induced group orgy of British bobbies and characters from the Sgt. Pepper's album. The way they climbed all over each other, and then crawled over to the bus, and then crawled back to the ground made me want to collect them all and detain them in one of my Olympic protest parks.
I see that you also chose to have the token physically handicapped "dancer," whom I later saw jump from her wheelchair onto the bus, flail around a bit, and then dance back over to her wheelchair. Not so handicapped, are we? (But really, who am I kidding. I had a little Chinese girl lip sync during the Opening Ceremonies because the real singer, well...you know...not so cute).
But I digress.
After the dancers calmed down a bit, we then had another cute little Chinese girl symbolically pass a soccer ball to your cute little British girl. The cute little British girl then proceeded to walk on the backs of the dancers all the way to the bus. So, I'll give you that, because we're all about some symbolism here in China.
Now, I can't let you get away with the musical entertainment you picked, which in my opinion (and granted, we really like techno over here), sucked the most. While your choice in Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis - separately - would have a been a great thing, combining the two singers to create some weird rendition of "Whole Lotta Love" was just awkward and painful to listen to. And don't even get me started on why you thought it was so genius to have Leona Lewis rise from the top of the bus and tower over Jimmy Page by 15 or so feet. She looked scared and confused. Luckily, she was lowered with out incident, and the song ended soon there after.
And then (to follow up on the symbolic passing of the soccer ball I suppose) you brought out David Beckham, which I really wasn't surprised you did. What I did consider odd was the fact that he was standing next to two other musicians, one of whom was rocking out on a cello. But I guess Becks served a purpose, as he symbolically kicked the soccer ball into the crowd. I was almost waiting for Harry, Ron and Hermione to come flying out of the top of the bus to engage us all in a game of Quidditch, the new Olympic sport to take the place of softball.
I guess our display of fireworks and dancers lit by tiny LCD bulbs made you envious, because in the end you busted out umbrellas that had blue and red colored lights, and your dancers then held them up all around the bus as it drove out of the Bird's Nest. But really, you should have left the lights out of your performance, because this is where we really kicked your ass - we've had over 2,000 years to perfect the fireworks and we're pretty savvy with technology. I'll go ahead and give you a tip now - don't waste your money on fireworks. Just work on rounding up a bunch of Mini Coopers to dazzle the crowd during the Opening Ceremonies, ala "The Italian Job" style.
So London 2012, I hope that I didn't hurt your feelings too much. You know I don't want to hate on another host city. I'm just trying to give you some sisterly advice so you don't fall flat on your arse come 2012. I know you have a lot to live up to (we did spend $40 billion dollars in preparation for the games), but I believe in you. Just get the mayor a stylist, find a better director for your Opening Ceremonies and for god sake....have Becks take his shirt off! That will certainly guarantee your glory in Olympic history.
XOXO,
Beijing 2008
Thank you for coming to visit my Closing Ceremonies on Sunday night. As you will find out in four years, hosting the games is a huge undertaking, and I wish you all the best. But as a fellow host city, I must be honest with you.
Your debut sucked.
While your choice to use the red double-decker bus at the beginning of your performance was well suited (if not a little obvious), your choice in everything else, well...let's just say you didn't get off to a great start by having your mayor parade out onto stage with his shaggy hair and unbuttoned coat.
As I said, the choice of the double-decker bus was okay, but the "street" dancers that accompanied the bus as it made its way to the middle of the Bird's Nest seemed reminiscent of some drug-induced group orgy of British bobbies and characters from the Sgt. Pepper's album. The way they climbed all over each other, and then crawled over to the bus, and then crawled back to the ground made me want to collect them all and detain them in one of my Olympic protest parks.
I see that you also chose to have the token physically handicapped "dancer," whom I later saw jump from her wheelchair onto the bus, flail around a bit, and then dance back over to her wheelchair. Not so handicapped, are we? (But really, who am I kidding. I had a little Chinese girl lip sync during the Opening Ceremonies because the real singer, well...you know...not so cute).
But I digress.
After the dancers calmed down a bit, we then had another cute little Chinese girl symbolically pass a soccer ball to your cute little British girl. The cute little British girl then proceeded to walk on the backs of the dancers all the way to the bus. So, I'll give you that, because we're all about some symbolism here in China.
Now, I can't let you get away with the musical entertainment you picked, which in my opinion (and granted, we really like techno over here), sucked the most. While your choice in Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis - separately - would have a been a great thing, combining the two singers to create some weird rendition of "Whole Lotta Love" was just awkward and painful to listen to. And don't even get me started on why you thought it was so genius to have Leona Lewis rise from the top of the bus and tower over Jimmy Page by 15 or so feet. She looked scared and confused. Luckily, she was lowered with out incident, and the song ended soon there after.
And then (to follow up on the symbolic passing of the soccer ball I suppose) you brought out David Beckham, which I really wasn't surprised you did. What I did consider odd was the fact that he was standing next to two other musicians, one of whom was rocking out on a cello. But I guess Becks served a purpose, as he symbolically kicked the soccer ball into the crowd. I was almost waiting for Harry, Ron and Hermione to come flying out of the top of the bus to engage us all in a game of Quidditch, the new Olympic sport to take the place of softball.
I guess our display of fireworks and dancers lit by tiny LCD bulbs made you envious, because in the end you busted out umbrellas that had blue and red colored lights, and your dancers then held them up all around the bus as it drove out of the Bird's Nest. But really, you should have left the lights out of your performance, because this is where we really kicked your ass - we've had over 2,000 years to perfect the fireworks and we're pretty savvy with technology. I'll go ahead and give you a tip now - don't waste your money on fireworks. Just work on rounding up a bunch of Mini Coopers to dazzle the crowd during the Opening Ceremonies, ala "The Italian Job" style.
So London 2012, I hope that I didn't hurt your feelings too much. You know I don't want to hate on another host city. I'm just trying to give you some sisterly advice so you don't fall flat on your arse come 2012. I know you have a lot to live up to (we did spend $40 billion dollars in preparation for the games), but I believe in you. Just get the mayor a stylist, find a better director for your Opening Ceremonies and for god sake....have Becks take his shirt off! That will certainly guarantee your glory in Olympic history.
XOXO,
Beijing 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
When The Smokehouse Is A Rockin...
For those of you who keep up with this blog, you probably know that last night was the big event I've made reference to in earlier blog posts - my ten year high school reunion.
Last night's festivities got under way at 7:00 pm at the Marshall Street Smokehouse in downtown Winston-Salem (at first, "Smokehouse" really through me as to what to wear and what to expect, but it turns out that the restaurant was neither filled with smoke nor was a house and was actually pretty cool). The husband and I showed up fashionably late at 7:15, but apparently we could have arrived an hour later as we were only among twenty or so others in attendance at that time. The party steadily swelled as the hours past, and by ten we were in full swing.
We were first greeted by the planners of the event who quickly labeled us with name tags, complete with my senior high school picture on mine (my husband's name tag was graced with a picture of our mascot, the Spartan). Who knew that seeing yourself with bushy eyebrows and sporting a black top and white pearl necklace could bring back so many memories! The journey down memory lane had just begun.
We immediately found our way to the bar, opened a tab, and began scouting out the room ("we" being mostly me, as the husband didn't know a single soul. Such a good sport). We chatted with some folks around us as I waited to see if any of my close friends from high school would show up soon.
For the most part, people looked the same. While ten years is certainly a good length of time, no one seemed to have changed too dramatically (there were a few folks who looked completely different of course, but I wonder if it was that I just didn't really know them during high school, and thus I just thought they looked different). Finally, after about an hour or so, some of my good friends starting shuffling into the bar and the real fun began.
It was great to catch up with everyone. There were a lot of laughs as we reminisced about classmates, places and events. We had the senior class video playing on a continual loop on the televisions at the bar, which was certainly fun to watch (I never made the video - obviously I didn't know the editors that well. It's all about who you know in high school and who you're friends with. Actually, that pretty much applies to life after high school as well).
I found out who had kids and who was recently married. I found out what people did for a living, and in what part of the country they did it in. I found out that our senior class president was black-listed from the invite list because of "troubles with the law" and I found out that one of my classmates had been on Fear Factor (hey, we all have our own goals and ambitions. Mine clearly did not involve eating bugs for money).
It's amazing how quickly you fall back into the high school scene. I noticed that social circles last night pretty much mirrored the social cliques from high school. But I also noticed it was easier to talk with everyone, even the elusive popular crowd, because really that stuff just kind of fades away over time, and you now all have one thing in common - your high school Alma mater.
The night was great, and I have to give mad props to my wonderful husband for sticking it out for four hours while I socialized with my friends. I'm sure ten years down the road I will eagerly look forward to my twenty year reunion. By then I'm sure my senior class picture will seem even more hilarious than it did last night.
Thanks to Erica, Lundon, Laura, Michael, Justin, Julie, Lauren and Sarah - it was great to see you!
Last night's festivities got under way at 7:00 pm at the Marshall Street Smokehouse in downtown Winston-Salem (at first, "Smokehouse" really through me as to what to wear and what to expect, but it turns out that the restaurant was neither filled with smoke nor was a house and was actually pretty cool). The husband and I showed up fashionably late at 7:15, but apparently we could have arrived an hour later as we were only among twenty or so others in attendance at that time. The party steadily swelled as the hours past, and by ten we were in full swing.
We were first greeted by the planners of the event who quickly labeled us with name tags, complete with my senior high school picture on mine (my husband's name tag was graced with a picture of our mascot, the Spartan). Who knew that seeing yourself with bushy eyebrows and sporting a black top and white pearl necklace could bring back so many memories! The journey down memory lane had just begun.
We immediately found our way to the bar, opened a tab, and began scouting out the room ("we" being mostly me, as the husband didn't know a single soul. Such a good sport). We chatted with some folks around us as I waited to see if any of my close friends from high school would show up soon.
For the most part, people looked the same. While ten years is certainly a good length of time, no one seemed to have changed too dramatically (there were a few folks who looked completely different of course, but I wonder if it was that I just didn't really know them during high school, and thus I just thought they looked different). Finally, after about an hour or so, some of my good friends starting shuffling into the bar and the real fun began.
It was great to catch up with everyone. There were a lot of laughs as we reminisced about classmates, places and events. We had the senior class video playing on a continual loop on the televisions at the bar, which was certainly fun to watch (I never made the video - obviously I didn't know the editors that well. It's all about who you know in high school and who you're friends with. Actually, that pretty much applies to life after high school as well).
I found out who had kids and who was recently married. I found out what people did for a living, and in what part of the country they did it in. I found out that our senior class president was black-listed from the invite list because of "troubles with the law" and I found out that one of my classmates had been on Fear Factor (hey, we all have our own goals and ambitions. Mine clearly did not involve eating bugs for money).
It's amazing how quickly you fall back into the high school scene. I noticed that social circles last night pretty much mirrored the social cliques from high school. But I also noticed it was easier to talk with everyone, even the elusive popular crowd, because really that stuff just kind of fades away over time, and you now all have one thing in common - your high school Alma mater.
The night was great, and I have to give mad props to my wonderful husband for sticking it out for four hours while I socialized with my friends. I'm sure ten years down the road I will eagerly look forward to my twenty year reunion. By then I'm sure my senior class picture will seem even more hilarious than it did last night.
Thanks to Erica, Lundon, Laura, Michael, Justin, Julie, Lauren and Sarah - it was great to see you!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Horse Is A Horse, Of Course
EAs you know, I have been pretty much glued to our television since the Opening Ceremonies last Friday night. What can I say? I love the Olympics and this year it's nice to have a break from presidential politics. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that my Olympic game viewing habits for the past two weeks are driving my husband nuts (he very vocally declared his unhappiness with me Saturday night when I refused to turn the channel from the women's marathon coverage. He said that he would rather watch grass grow than watch "scary thin women with weird stomach muscles run for two hours"). So there you have it - I pretty much watch any Olympic sport that happens to be on TV with great zeal and interest.
But there is one sport I have watched and don't really get: Equestrian
Oh, sure. I can appreciate the nobility and the rich history of the sport, and I even really like the way the athletes (the people, not the horses) look during competition with their Prince Charles-inspired jackets and pants. Even the horses get all dolled up, complete with little riding helmets and a braided mane. But after watching the gold medal show jumping event just moments ago on TV, I clicked off the television in a state of slight confusion and sadness. Let me explain.
First, is it really a sport for the rider? I mean, who does all the work? The horse or the rider?
Second, the gold medalist from show jumping - Canada's Eric Lamaze - was banned from the 1996 and 2000 Olympic games for substance abuse. Apparently cocaine was found in his system both times. Now, call me crazy, but the terms "equestrian" and "crack addict" don't really seem to go together. It doesn't seem to fall in line with the whole Ralph Lauren image that the equestrian world has going on. Now if we start to see Amy Winehouse riding horses, I'll then start to examine the link between equestrian and crack use more closely.
Third, I feel really bad for the horses when they miss a jump or knock over a rail or the blocks. You can just see it in the horses' eyes how sad they are to have let their rider down! All they want to do is work hard, perform well, earn their horse treats at the end of the run (a carrot, perhaps?). The last thing they want is the obligatory "good boy but better luck next time" pat on the neck from their disappointed rider following a bad ride. They don't know a gold medal is at stake, or do they? (Maybe the smart horse is just getting back at their rider for smoking dope?).
Fourth, the horses didn't just magically appear at the Beijing games. They had to fly the horses to Beijing, some from as far as way as Canada. In my opinion, I would think that would be somewhat traumatic for a horse (or any animal for that matter). I know what I feel like after I step off the plane - a little queasy, slightly bloated and with a mild headache. I wonder how a horse feels after a 16 hour plane ride half way across the world? It's a wonder they can compete at all.
So, I may not fully understand the equestrian sport, and I may feel kind of bad for the horses, but I'm sure the horses are well taken care of and provided for, and I'm sure the riders, just like all the other Olympic athletes, have a real love and passion for their sport. And that is what the Olympics are all about.
But I still don't get the sport.
But there is one sport I have watched and don't really get: Equestrian
Oh, sure. I can appreciate the nobility and the rich history of the sport, and I even really like the way the athletes (the people, not the horses) look during competition with their Prince Charles-inspired jackets and pants. Even the horses get all dolled up, complete with little riding helmets and a braided mane. But after watching the gold medal show jumping event just moments ago on TV, I clicked off the television in a state of slight confusion and sadness. Let me explain.
First, is it really a sport for the rider? I mean, who does all the work? The horse or the rider?
Second, the gold medalist from show jumping - Canada's Eric Lamaze - was banned from the 1996 and 2000 Olympic games for substance abuse. Apparently cocaine was found in his system both times. Now, call me crazy, but the terms "equestrian" and "crack addict" don't really seem to go together. It doesn't seem to fall in line with the whole Ralph Lauren image that the equestrian world has going on. Now if we start to see Amy Winehouse riding horses, I'll then start to examine the link between equestrian and crack use more closely.
Third, I feel really bad for the horses when they miss a jump or knock over a rail or the blocks. You can just see it in the horses' eyes how sad they are to have let their rider down! All they want to do is work hard, perform well, earn their horse treats at the end of the run (a carrot, perhaps?). The last thing they want is the obligatory "good boy but better luck next time" pat on the neck from their disappointed rider following a bad ride. They don't know a gold medal is at stake, or do they? (Maybe the smart horse is just getting back at their rider for smoking dope?).
Fourth, the horses didn't just magically appear at the Beijing games. They had to fly the horses to Beijing, some from as far as way as Canada. In my opinion, I would think that would be somewhat traumatic for a horse (or any animal for that matter). I know what I feel like after I step off the plane - a little queasy, slightly bloated and with a mild headache. I wonder how a horse feels after a 16 hour plane ride half way across the world? It's a wonder they can compete at all.
So, I may not fully understand the equestrian sport, and I may feel kind of bad for the horses, but I'm sure the horses are well taken care of and provided for, and I'm sure the riders, just like all the other Olympic athletes, have a real love and passion for their sport. And that is what the Olympics are all about.
But I still don't get the sport.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Guitar Hero? Really?
There once was a time when parents who made the decision to home school their children did so because they wanted to provide a more tailored education to their child, or they were concerned that their child was not being challenged enough at school.
There once was a time when kids were home schooled because at young age they excelled at a particular sport and decided to focus on the dream of being a future Olympian, or they wanted to purse an acting career and - gasp! - they actually made it in Hollywood and had to have a tutor.
Well, move over Shawn Johnson and Dakota Fanning, you aren't so special anymore. It now seems there are other reasons to remove your child from school other than just sports, acting ability, or some academic gift that makes you far superior to the other kids in your class memorizing math flash cards and practicing their cursive handwriting.
The new gift? Guitar Hero (I swear you cannot make this stuff up).
A Raleigh family of five has one less child in school because their child has decided his future is in competitive video gaming, specifically Guitar Hero. The parents of 16 year old Blake Peebles bowed to his pleas to be taken out of the private Christian school he had been attending so that he could devote more time to playing - and apparently mastering - Guitar Hero.
You couldn't take the complaining anymore? Really? I mean, I could maybe understand if the complaining was something like, "Come on, Mom! All I want to do is volunteer for the Peace Corps. If you won't let me do that, at least let me drop out of school to devote my entire life's passion and resources to the homeless."
But Guitar Hero? Really? Someone give Amy Polar and Seth Myers a call because I have the perfect "Really" segment for the next Weekend Update on SNL.
Apparently Blake was not too thrilled to be a school (I know, quite the shocker. A 16 year old boy doesn't want to be at school? You're kidding me). And apparently Blake excels at Guitar Hero. Fast forward to this year and you have yourself a young man being tutored at home (an all expenses paid schooling by mom and dad of course) and pursing a career as a competitive gamer. In fact, he and his Dad traveled to California this month (they might even be there now!) so Blake could compete at the World Cyber Games. Wow. That is quite the field trip. The most exotic field trip I ever went on was in third grade to the RJ Reynolds Tobacco factory in Winston-Salem. They actually showed us how cigarettes were made! (That is totally another post for another time).
To date, Blake has raked in about $1,000 in prize winnings for his talent. He even won a year's supply of Chick-fil-a chicken sandwiches during a tournament. Now what teenager wouldn't give up school for that!
I wonder if chicken sandwiches were in Mom and Dad's vision of greatness for Blake when they said yes to Guitar Hero and no to schooling. Maybe. I just wonder what they are going to do when young Blake starts complaining about eating too many chicken sandwiches...
There once was a time when kids were home schooled because at young age they excelled at a particular sport and decided to focus on the dream of being a future Olympian, or they wanted to purse an acting career and - gasp! - they actually made it in Hollywood and had to have a tutor.
Well, move over Shawn Johnson and Dakota Fanning, you aren't so special anymore. It now seems there are other reasons to remove your child from school other than just sports, acting ability, or some academic gift that makes you far superior to the other kids in your class memorizing math flash cards and practicing their cursive handwriting.
The new gift? Guitar Hero (I swear you cannot make this stuff up).
A Raleigh family of five has one less child in school because their child has decided his future is in competitive video gaming, specifically Guitar Hero. The parents of 16 year old Blake Peebles bowed to his pleas to be taken out of the private Christian school he had been attending so that he could devote more time to playing - and apparently mastering - Guitar Hero.
Blake is the middle child of Mike and Hunter Peebles. Tucker is 18, an honor-roll student who plays football for North Raleigh Christian Academy. Caramy is 13, a dancer with a congenital disorder that causes developmental disabilities. Mike and Hunter do not believe in one-size-fits-all parenting. That is not to say that it was an easy decision for them to let Blake leave school last September. They would have preferred that he stay in high school with his brother. But he bugged them until they let him quit.
"We couldn't take the complaining anymore," says Hunter. "He always told me that he thought school was a waste of time."
You couldn't take the complaining anymore? Really? I mean, I could maybe understand if the complaining was something like, "Come on, Mom! All I want to do is volunteer for the Peace Corps. If you won't let me do that, at least let me drop out of school to devote my entire life's passion and resources to the homeless."
But Guitar Hero? Really? Someone give Amy Polar and Seth Myers a call because I have the perfect "Really" segment for the next Weekend Update on SNL.
Apparently Blake was not too thrilled to be a school (I know, quite the shocker. A 16 year old boy doesn't want to be at school? You're kidding me). And apparently Blake excels at Guitar Hero. Fast forward to this year and you have yourself a young man being tutored at home (an all expenses paid schooling by mom and dad of course) and pursing a career as a competitive gamer. In fact, he and his Dad traveled to California this month (they might even be there now!) so Blake could compete at the World Cyber Games. Wow. That is quite the field trip. The most exotic field trip I ever went on was in third grade to the RJ Reynolds Tobacco factory in Winston-Salem. They actually showed us how cigarettes were made! (That is totally another post for another time).
To date, Blake has raked in about $1,000 in prize winnings for his talent. He even won a year's supply of Chick-fil-a chicken sandwiches during a tournament. Now what teenager wouldn't give up school for that!
I wonder if chicken sandwiches were in Mom and Dad's vision of greatness for Blake when they said yes to Guitar Hero and no to schooling. Maybe. I just wonder what they are going to do when young Blake starts complaining about eating too many chicken sandwiches...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A Return To The Canvas
This evening I attended art class for the first time in almost a year and a half. I have been oil painting for over five years and taking an art class through Wake Technical Community College. But for the past year and half I haven't done much painting because of work, life, being busy. Life's little distractions seemed to pull me away from painting.
About a month ago, I woke up one morning after having dreamed about painting. I was in my art class and painting just as I had done dozens of times the past several years. Though it had just been a dream, I woke up with a real sense of missing not painting and creating art on a regular basis; I signed up for the next art class within a couple of days. And tonight was the first of eight art classes.
It was great to be back in class. There were some familiar faces and some new ones, but the feeling of settling back into class was nothing new. The smell of the oil paint and turpentine. The feel of your brush hitting the fresh linen canvas. The way oil paint gleams in the light, showing every brush stroke, revealing nothing but brilliant colors. Colors such as cadmium red, french ultramarine, burnt umber and yellow ochre.
Tonight I worked on a piece that I started during my last art class. I hope to finish it up within the next couple of classes. I'll be sure to post the final result.
About a month ago, I woke up one morning after having dreamed about painting. I was in my art class and painting just as I had done dozens of times the past several years. Though it had just been a dream, I woke up with a real sense of missing not painting and creating art on a regular basis; I signed up for the next art class within a couple of days. And tonight was the first of eight art classes.
It was great to be back in class. There were some familiar faces and some new ones, but the feeling of settling back into class was nothing new. The smell of the oil paint and turpentine. The feel of your brush hitting the fresh linen canvas. The way oil paint gleams in the light, showing every brush stroke, revealing nothing but brilliant colors. Colors such as cadmium red, french ultramarine, burnt umber and yellow ochre.
Tonight I worked on a piece that I started during my last art class. I hope to finish it up within the next couple of classes. I'll be sure to post the final result.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Plucked and Ready To Go
One of the things that I love about blogging is that I can go from writing about politics, religion and other important social issues to eyebrow waxing (that's right - I made that leap. Don't judge me).
We are now T minus five days until my ten-year high school reunion and Operation Reunion Ready is in full swing. Move over Tyra Banks, this chic is getting ready for the ultimate runway: walking into a room full of people that you knew ten years ago when you were ten pounds thinnner and ten gray hairs fewer. Fortunately, I dress a little better than I did in high school, but I blame that on the decade (darn you cut off jean shorts and scrunchies! Why were you ever in style?)
In my continuing effort to prepare for the reunion, I have a laundry list of items I need to take care of this week. The first to be crossed off my list is the eyebrow waxing, as seen below.
(Ow! A little painful, and the skin is pretty red, but man...check out those arches, courtsey of Jolie the Day Spa. Fabulous.)
Melanie, why in the world would you post a picture of your face, without makeup, showing off your recent waxing? Don't you realize that the very people you are planning to see on Saturday will read this and know all about said eye brow waxing?
Ah, yes, my dear Watson, but your arguement rests on the presumption that, in fact, people actually read this blog.
Now that my eyebrows has been properly waxed and plucked, the next thing to do is pick out the outfit. I've already crossed this off my list, as I am wearing a dress my mother-in-law gave me (free!) and a pair of Calvin Klein black high heels (I reserve the right to make a wardrobe change at the last minute).
With the outfit carefully selected, it is time to ready the body by eating only this for an entire week:
Being a woman is fun!
And of course no big night out on the town would be complete without a fresh pedicure (I'll spare you the before picture of this, as I do not want to lose my only readership of three). I'm planning to do the pedicure at the Bostic Day Spa, where I can save money and watch the Olympics whilst scrubbing my feet with a pumice stone.
So, there you have it. The plans for the week. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up with old friends. I have fresh batteries for my camera, and I'll be taking lots of mental notes so I can come back to my blog and tell you endless stories about people you don't know.
Stay tuned!
We are now T minus five days until my ten-year high school reunion and Operation Reunion Ready is in full swing. Move over Tyra Banks, this chic is getting ready for the ultimate runway: walking into a room full of people that you knew ten years ago when you were ten pounds thinnner and ten gray hairs fewer. Fortunately, I dress a little better than I did in high school, but I blame that on the decade (darn you cut off jean shorts and scrunchies! Why were you ever in style?)
In my continuing effort to prepare for the reunion, I have a laundry list of items I need to take care of this week. The first to be crossed off my list is the eyebrow waxing, as seen below.
(Ow! A little painful, and the skin is pretty red, but man...check out those arches, courtsey of Jolie the Day Spa. Fabulous.)
Melanie, why in the world would you post a picture of your face, without makeup, showing off your recent waxing? Don't you realize that the very people you are planning to see on Saturday will read this and know all about said eye brow waxing?
Ah, yes, my dear Watson, but your arguement rests on the presumption that, in fact, people actually read this blog.
Now that my eyebrows has been properly waxed and plucked, the next thing to do is pick out the outfit. I've already crossed this off my list, as I am wearing a dress my mother-in-law gave me (free!) and a pair of Calvin Klein black high heels (I reserve the right to make a wardrobe change at the last minute).
With the outfit carefully selected, it is time to ready the body by eating only this for an entire week:
Being a woman is fun!
And of course no big night out on the town would be complete without a fresh pedicure (I'll spare you the before picture of this, as I do not want to lose my only readership of three). I'm planning to do the pedicure at the Bostic Day Spa, where I can save money and watch the Olympics whilst scrubbing my feet with a pumice stone.
So, there you have it. The plans for the week. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up with old friends. I have fresh batteries for my camera, and I'll be taking lots of mental notes so I can come back to my blog and tell you endless stories about people you don't know.
Stay tuned!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
A Critical Issue During A Critical Time
On Friday night as my husband and I were driving to the post office to drop off a package, we happened to catch Sean Hannity's radio show. One of Sean's guest was Jill Stanek, a former registered nurse at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, IL, who is now a pro-life leader and advocate for the unborn. Her story and experience is heart-wrenching to listen to and at the same time incredibly powerful.
Her basic experience is this: she was a registered nurse at Christ Hospital when she discovered that the hospital was preforming abortions on live children, leaving them to die alone in the soiled utility room. She discovered this hush-hush practice one day when another nurse could not "tend" to a down syndrome baby who had just survived an attempted abortion by doctors. Jill took the little baby to a quiet room and held it for 45 minutes until it finally died.
In the case of these abortions, doctors induce the mother early (in this case 21 weeks), with a good guarantee that the baby will not survive during labor. Most don't. Jill Stanek said that approximately 10% of babies survived the labor, but then are left to die alone in the soiled utility room.
Jill went to hospital leaders, asking them to stop this practice. When they told her no, she went public. In 2000 and 2001 she was asked to testify before a U.S. House committee for the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. In 2002 the act was signed into law by President Bush.
Jill was conveniently fired by Christ Hospital because of her outspokenness. She now is an activist in the pro-life movement, a popular blogger and a frequent guest on talk radio shows, such as Sean Hannity's.
My husband and I sat stunned in the car as we listened to Jill and Sean discuss this horrible practice. How could this practice be happening in America? How could people do this to innocent lives? It is unimaginable. Debate all you want about whether life begins at conception - these babies clearly are babies, regardless of whether or not the mom wanted them to exist. They exist, they survived the mother and doctor's attempt to terminate their life, and the fact that they received absolutely no medical attention and were left to die is horrendous.
Jill Stanek is very outspoken about her pro-life beliefs, and she is particularly outspoken this year because of the presidential election. Why? Jill was from Illinois, and guess who else is from Illinois?
Barack Obama was a state senator during the time Jill discovered the abortion practices of Christ Hospital. During state level committee hearings about this practice and Jill's testimony about her experience, she recalled to Sean that Obama seemed distant, not particularly interested in what Jill had to say. And really, why should he? Barack Obama was against the IL Born Alive Infants Protection Act. He was the only state senator to speak out against the federal act that was later signed into law in 2002. Not even Hillary Clinton or Ted Kennedy spoke out against this act. And pro-choice organizations took neutral positions. But Barack Obama stood alone, and publicly declared that infants who survive abortions have no right to life, that they should be left to die...alone...in the comfort of no one...their life almost an after thought. Yet this is the presidential candidate who wants universal health care for everyone. That is, if you can make it out of your mother's womb alive and in one piece, and oh yeah - if your mom wanted you born in the first place.
This chills me to the core. I don't care where you stand on politics, on religion, on abortion, on right-to-life, on anything. How could anyone allow a baby to die in a trashcan? If that's legal, then why would a teenage mom who gives birth to an unwanted child and tosses that baby into the high school dumpster be charged with murder? It's the same thing.
Abortion is such a sensitive subject, and I seriously debated even posting about this subject because it's such a hot button issue that I think is used a lot of times to get people riled up. But hearing Jill Stanek's story on Friday chilled me to the core. Her experience was truly life changing for her, and a story that I won't soon forget. What also causes me great fear and anxiety is that our country is on the verge of electing a man who doesn't support the rights of babies who survive an abortion (let alone babies in the womb). In fact, Barack Obama referred to unwanted babies as a "punishment" to the mother. Is this really the man that needs to be our country's leader? I fear that our country is so blinded by his celebrity that we're not examining the nitty-gritty issues that make the man. If Obama is trying to court evangelical Christians, he's going to have a hard time if Jill's story hits the mainstream media. And I hope it does. Because this issue is too important, to critical, to be glossed over by the liberal talking heads on MSNBC.
There were many reasons before Friday evening why I did not support Barack Obama. But after Friday evening, all the other reasons seemed to fade to a distant second, as I realized that this issue on abortion and a person's right to life - from the moment of conception on -was the main issue for me and the most outstanding reason why Barack Obama should never hold an office of any authority ever again, especially that of President.
After all, he said it himself - it's out of his pay grade.
Her basic experience is this: she was a registered nurse at Christ Hospital when she discovered that the hospital was preforming abortions on live children, leaving them to die alone in the soiled utility room. She discovered this hush-hush practice one day when another nurse could not "tend" to a down syndrome baby who had just survived an attempted abortion by doctors. Jill took the little baby to a quiet room and held it for 45 minutes until it finally died.
In the case of these abortions, doctors induce the mother early (in this case 21 weeks), with a good guarantee that the baby will not survive during labor. Most don't. Jill Stanek said that approximately 10% of babies survived the labor, but then are left to die alone in the soiled utility room.
Jill went to hospital leaders, asking them to stop this practice. When they told her no, she went public. In 2000 and 2001 she was asked to testify before a U.S. House committee for the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. In 2002 the act was signed into law by President Bush.
Jill was conveniently fired by Christ Hospital because of her outspokenness. She now is an activist in the pro-life movement, a popular blogger and a frequent guest on talk radio shows, such as Sean Hannity's.
My husband and I sat stunned in the car as we listened to Jill and Sean discuss this horrible practice. How could this practice be happening in America? How could people do this to innocent lives? It is unimaginable. Debate all you want about whether life begins at conception - these babies clearly are babies, regardless of whether or not the mom wanted them to exist. They exist, they survived the mother and doctor's attempt to terminate their life, and the fact that they received absolutely no medical attention and were left to die is horrendous.
Jill Stanek is very outspoken about her pro-life beliefs, and she is particularly outspoken this year because of the presidential election. Why? Jill was from Illinois, and guess who else is from Illinois?
Barack Obama was a state senator during the time Jill discovered the abortion practices of Christ Hospital. During state level committee hearings about this practice and Jill's testimony about her experience, she recalled to Sean that Obama seemed distant, not particularly interested in what Jill had to say. And really, why should he? Barack Obama was against the IL Born Alive Infants Protection Act. He was the only state senator to speak out against the federal act that was later signed into law in 2002. Not even Hillary Clinton or Ted Kennedy spoke out against this act. And pro-choice organizations took neutral positions. But Barack Obama stood alone, and publicly declared that infants who survive abortions have no right to life, that they should be left to die...alone...in the comfort of no one...their life almost an after thought. Yet this is the presidential candidate who wants universal health care for everyone. That is, if you can make it out of your mother's womb alive and in one piece, and oh yeah - if your mom wanted you born in the first place.
This chills me to the core. I don't care where you stand on politics, on religion, on abortion, on right-to-life, on anything. How could anyone allow a baby to die in a trashcan? If that's legal, then why would a teenage mom who gives birth to an unwanted child and tosses that baby into the high school dumpster be charged with murder? It's the same thing.
Abortion is such a sensitive subject, and I seriously debated even posting about this subject because it's such a hot button issue that I think is used a lot of times to get people riled up. But hearing Jill Stanek's story on Friday chilled me to the core. Her experience was truly life changing for her, and a story that I won't soon forget. What also causes me great fear and anxiety is that our country is on the verge of electing a man who doesn't support the rights of babies who survive an abortion (let alone babies in the womb). In fact, Barack Obama referred to unwanted babies as a "punishment" to the mother. Is this really the man that needs to be our country's leader? I fear that our country is so blinded by his celebrity that we're not examining the nitty-gritty issues that make the man. If Obama is trying to court evangelical Christians, he's going to have a hard time if Jill's story hits the mainstream media. And I hope it does. Because this issue is too important, to critical, to be glossed over by the liberal talking heads on MSNBC.
There were many reasons before Friday evening why I did not support Barack Obama. But after Friday evening, all the other reasons seemed to fade to a distant second, as I realized that this issue on abortion and a person's right to life - from the moment of conception on -was the main issue for me and the most outstanding reason why Barack Obama should never hold an office of any authority ever again, especially that of President.
After all, he said it himself - it's out of his pay grade.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Go Team USA!
It's seven heaven for Michael Phelps - he has just now matched Mark Spitz's record of winning 7 Olympic gold medals in a single Olympic games. Go Phelpsy! With one more race to go, Phelps could even beat Spitz's record by winning 8 Olympic gold medals in one games. Amazing.
Phelps, you are a machine!
And speaking of amazing, these two girls made our country just as proud.
And of course my boy Lopez Lomong who qualified in the 1500 meter semi-final to move on to the next round.
Go USA!
Phelps, you are a machine!
And speaking of amazing, these two girls made our country just as proud.
And of course my boy Lopez Lomong who qualified in the 1500 meter semi-final to move on to the next round.
Go USA!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
In The End, We're Not That Different
This morning before work and after my walk with the dogs, I was sitting down with my cup of coffee to take in some of The Today Show as I do every morning. The crew is broadcasting from Beijing during the Olympics, and most of what they have been discussing in the morning (evening for them) has been on the Olympics, the athletes, and the country and people of China.
The story I caught in full this morning was on the Chinese "award girls" that have been in training for weeks. These girls are from the Beijing Foreign Affairs School, a state-run college who's mission is to produce camera-friendly girls for various award ceremonies, including the Olympics.
If you've been watching the Olympics, you've probably seen these girls during the medal ceremonies. They are wearing white dresses and are carefully handling the medals as they bestow them upon the necks of the winning athletes. They are all beautiful, and all the same, and all uniform in dress and posture. And this is by no accident.
The girls are all between 5'6" and 5'8", weighing between 110 and 120 pounds. They have been through extensive training on how to walk, talk, stand, greet visitors, and handle the medals. They have learned basic English, French and Spanish. And they have been groomed by the Chinese government for this very moment, in the same way that the little girl in the red dress was chosen to sing at the Opening Ceremonies, when the voice that we all heard was not her own. These women and girls were chosen for their beauty, grace, and pleasant look. The Olympics are a window into the world of China, and China wanted to put their best face forward, literally.
As I sat listening to The Today Show story about these woman, it struck me how unapologetic the Chinese government is about their image. They have a certain agenda in mind and a certain image they want the world to have of their country, and they are unapologetic about it. It's like the Chinese government has said, "Sure, we admit that little girl was lip sinking on Friday, but the other girl didn't have the look we needed. Let's move on. Yes, our award girls all look the same and are beautiful and we have trained them to be that way. So what? It's our country and this is what we want to do."
At first I thought to myself, "How backwards is this country? How prosaic? To actually go out of your way to choose people based on looks and manner; to be so determined that this is the image they are going to give the world, regardless of what reporter broke the lip sinking story or how many cameras followed the training of the award girls." I began thinking about our country, and what "award girls" we would choose should the Olympics ever come back to the States. Surely we wouldn't take the same course as China in selecting the "award girls."
Or would we?
It suddenly dawned on me - we would, we would absolutely do the exact same thing as China, but only in the extreme opposite. We would choose people not because they looked the same, but because they all looked different. We would not just have girls, but boys as well. We would choose people of different races, different religions, different ages, heights, weights, perhaps even sexual orientations. Our entire focus would be to make sure that the "award girls" for America would look anything but "American". After all, that seems to be quite the focus of our country these days - we pride ourselves on diversity, on tolerance, and on acceptance. In fact, to look and act traditionally "American" is almost seen as a bad thing in our society. Are you white? Are you male? Are you Christian? Are you a Republican? Forget it - you are the America of old, for today's American is a person of color, a person of a different religion, a person who does not look like you or your neighbor. And this is the exact image our country would want to give to the rest of the world - the idea that America is a progressive and sophisticated society, a global citizen of the world that is so far above choosing people that look the same. And what I fear would be the worst part would be our pride. We would be so proud of our diversity, on the fact that we are so progressive, that it would come across as so smug, so annoyingly pompous. It's no wonder why some countries don't like us so much. Are we just that proud to tick off other countries? I fear the answer may be yes...
But, in this instance, aren't we just the same as China? Isn't the sentiment, the purpose behind the our selection of American "award girls" just the same? It is. China has chosen women with the specific purpose of showing uniformity and tradition. And we would chose people with the specific purpose of showing diversity and openness. And when you really think about it, we're not that much different from China in this way. America has an image to protect, just as China does. We just have a different images that we want to give off. And this image is not one that is likely to disappear for either country anytime soon.
The story I caught in full this morning was on the Chinese "award girls" that have been in training for weeks. These girls are from the Beijing Foreign Affairs School, a state-run college who's mission is to produce camera-friendly girls for various award ceremonies, including the Olympics.
If you've been watching the Olympics, you've probably seen these girls during the medal ceremonies. They are wearing white dresses and are carefully handling the medals as they bestow them upon the necks of the winning athletes. They are all beautiful, and all the same, and all uniform in dress and posture. And this is by no accident.
The girls are all between 5'6" and 5'8", weighing between 110 and 120 pounds. They have been through extensive training on how to walk, talk, stand, greet visitors, and handle the medals. They have learned basic English, French and Spanish. And they have been groomed by the Chinese government for this very moment, in the same way that the little girl in the red dress was chosen to sing at the Opening Ceremonies, when the voice that we all heard was not her own. These women and girls were chosen for their beauty, grace, and pleasant look. The Olympics are a window into the world of China, and China wanted to put their best face forward, literally.
As I sat listening to The Today Show story about these woman, it struck me how unapologetic the Chinese government is about their image. They have a certain agenda in mind and a certain image they want the world to have of their country, and they are unapologetic about it. It's like the Chinese government has said, "Sure, we admit that little girl was lip sinking on Friday, but the other girl didn't have the look we needed. Let's move on. Yes, our award girls all look the same and are beautiful and we have trained them to be that way. So what? It's our country and this is what we want to do."
At first I thought to myself, "How backwards is this country? How prosaic? To actually go out of your way to choose people based on looks and manner; to be so determined that this is the image they are going to give the world, regardless of what reporter broke the lip sinking story or how many cameras followed the training of the award girls." I began thinking about our country, and what "award girls" we would choose should the Olympics ever come back to the States. Surely we wouldn't take the same course as China in selecting the "award girls."
Or would we?
It suddenly dawned on me - we would, we would absolutely do the exact same thing as China, but only in the extreme opposite. We would choose people not because they looked the same, but because they all looked different. We would not just have girls, but boys as well. We would choose people of different races, different religions, different ages, heights, weights, perhaps even sexual orientations. Our entire focus would be to make sure that the "award girls" for America would look anything but "American". After all, that seems to be quite the focus of our country these days - we pride ourselves on diversity, on tolerance, and on acceptance. In fact, to look and act traditionally "American" is almost seen as a bad thing in our society. Are you white? Are you male? Are you Christian? Are you a Republican? Forget it - you are the America of old, for today's American is a person of color, a person of a different religion, a person who does not look like you or your neighbor. And this is the exact image our country would want to give to the rest of the world - the idea that America is a progressive and sophisticated society, a global citizen of the world that is so far above choosing people that look the same. And what I fear would be the worst part would be our pride. We would be so proud of our diversity, on the fact that we are so progressive, that it would come across as so smug, so annoyingly pompous. It's no wonder why some countries don't like us so much. Are we just that proud to tick off other countries? I fear the answer may be yes...
But, in this instance, aren't we just the same as China? Isn't the sentiment, the purpose behind the our selection of American "award girls" just the same? It is. China has chosen women with the specific purpose of showing uniformity and tradition. And we would chose people with the specific purpose of showing diversity and openness. And when you really think about it, we're not that much different from China in this way. America has an image to protect, just as China does. We just have a different images that we want to give off. And this image is not one that is likely to disappear for either country anytime soon.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Olympic Fever
How exciting are the Olympics?
If you are like me, you have been watching the Olympics pretty much straight since the Opening Ceremonies on Friday night. We're only about four days into the games and already Team USA has produced some amazing moments: the men's swimming freestyle relay with that awesome gold medal finish over the trash-talking French, the men's gymnastic team pulling out their best and earning the bronze when know expected them to medal at all, the USA vs. China basketball game watched by over an estimated 1 billion people and of course Kerri Walsh and Misty May dominating in beach volleyball.
I love the Olympics. I remember being obsessed with the 1992 games in Barcelona. I remember wearing a Barcelona Olympics T-shirt and matching shorts all the time. I have sports bras from the 1996 Atlanta games (I should have probably long thrown those away but I still have them and wear them). I remember in college making sure I was in front of the TV when Apolo Anton Ohno was speed skating during the 2002 Winter games in Salt Lake City. And now I find the games just as exciting as ever. For the past four nights I have fallen asleep to the TV while watching the athletes compete. I've had my husband wake me up when an important race is about to go on. Every night I say out loud, "I can't believe what these athletes can do. They are amazing." And they are. And the spirit of the games is amazing too. For a few weeks every couple of years, the best athletes come together to compete and show the world what they're made of. And every couple of years, America pulls together to root for team USA. Because no matter what political party you're a member of, no matter what church you go to, whether you live in a big city or small town, every American can come together and cheer on our athletes. It's a special time for our country, and the world. It's more than Olympic fever, it's a pride in our country and our most talented athletes. And I for one, am hooked for life.
Go Team USA!
If you are like me, you have been watching the Olympics pretty much straight since the Opening Ceremonies on Friday night. We're only about four days into the games and already Team USA has produced some amazing moments: the men's swimming freestyle relay with that awesome gold medal finish over the trash-talking French, the men's gymnastic team pulling out their best and earning the bronze when know expected them to medal at all, the USA vs. China basketball game watched by over an estimated 1 billion people and of course Kerri Walsh and Misty May dominating in beach volleyball.
I love the Olympics. I remember being obsessed with the 1992 games in Barcelona. I remember wearing a Barcelona Olympics T-shirt and matching shorts all the time. I have sports bras from the 1996 Atlanta games (I should have probably long thrown those away but I still have them and wear them). I remember in college making sure I was in front of the TV when Apolo Anton Ohno was speed skating during the 2002 Winter games in Salt Lake City. And now I find the games just as exciting as ever. For the past four nights I have fallen asleep to the TV while watching the athletes compete. I've had my husband wake me up when an important race is about to go on. Every night I say out loud, "I can't believe what these athletes can do. They are amazing." And they are. And the spirit of the games is amazing too. For a few weeks every couple of years, the best athletes come together to compete and show the world what they're made of. And every couple of years, America pulls together to root for team USA. Because no matter what political party you're a member of, no matter what church you go to, whether you live in a big city or small town, every American can come together and cheer on our athletes. It's a special time for our country, and the world. It's more than Olympic fever, it's a pride in our country and our most talented athletes. And I for one, am hooked for life.
Go Team USA!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saving the Green, Shopping at ALDI
When the going gets tough, the tough go grocery shopping! Today we ventured to the new ALDI that opened up the street a few months ago. For those of you who have not heard of ALDI, it is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany. According to Wikipedia, ALDI stands for "ALbrecht DIscount."
I wonder if the Albrecht's shop at ALDI?
Back in North Carolina, when we first arrived at ALDI earlier this afternoon, we learned that they do not accept credit cards - only cash or debit. Sigh. I had my debit card, but didn't know my PIN number. My husband knew his PIN number but had left his wallet at home. We turned right around and went back home to grab the wallet and head back for our second attempt. After we finally figured out how to extract a shopping cart (you have to put a quarter into a slot to release the cart from the row), we were on our way to shopping savings! Feast your eyes on some of our bounty of ALDI goodness...
Mmm...lovin' those L'oven Fresh Hot dog buns
And 3 pounds of smoked saugage to accompany the buns!
Because 3 pounds of smoked sausage makes you feel fit and active...
Screamin' Dill Pickle Pringles (you know, very few foods are labeled by the word "screamin'")
A general assortment of other goodies
In addition to what is pictured above, we also bought pasta sauce, salsa, cereal, more yogurt, deli ham, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, flat bread wraps, ice cream sandwiches, and tuna. We had a pretty good first trip to ALDI, and I'm sure that we'll be back. With gas and the price of groceries going up on a weekly, sometimes daily basis, it only makes sense to try and find cheaper shopping options. At ALDI, we spent a little over $28. At Harris Teeter, this probably would have been close to $40. That's quite a savings in my book. And if you really want to save some money and eat good, you make your own bread...
The chain is made up of two separate groups, ALDI Nord (North - operating as ALDI MARKT) and ALDI Süd (South - operating as ALDI SÜD), which operate independently from each other in specific market boundaries. The individual groups were originally owned and managed by brothers Karl Albrecht and Theo Albrecht; both have since retired. However, they are still Germany's richest men, earning an estimated €1.5 billion per year.
I wonder if the Albrecht's shop at ALDI?
Back in North Carolina, when we first arrived at ALDI earlier this afternoon, we learned that they do not accept credit cards - only cash or debit. Sigh. I had my debit card, but didn't know my PIN number. My husband knew his PIN number but had left his wallet at home. We turned right around and went back home to grab the wallet and head back for our second attempt. After we finally figured out how to extract a shopping cart (you have to put a quarter into a slot to release the cart from the row), we were on our way to shopping savings! Feast your eyes on some of our bounty of ALDI goodness...
Mmm...lovin' those L'oven Fresh Hot dog buns
And 3 pounds of smoked saugage to accompany the buns!
Because 3 pounds of smoked sausage makes you feel fit and active...
Screamin' Dill Pickle Pringles (you know, very few foods are labeled by the word "screamin'")
A general assortment of other goodies
In addition to what is pictured above, we also bought pasta sauce, salsa, cereal, more yogurt, deli ham, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, flat bread wraps, ice cream sandwiches, and tuna. We had a pretty good first trip to ALDI, and I'm sure that we'll be back. With gas and the price of groceries going up on a weekly, sometimes daily basis, it only makes sense to try and find cheaper shopping options. At ALDI, we spent a little over $28. At Harris Teeter, this probably would have been close to $40. That's quite a savings in my book. And if you really want to save some money and eat good, you make your own bread...
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Why I Hate Craigslist
In an effort to clear clutter from the house (and the added benefit of making a little extra cash), the husband and I decided a couple weeks ago to put some stuff up on Craigslist. We've purchased a few items from Craigslist in the past, including a very nice coffee table and end table. We had a good buying experience so I was excited to get my Craigslisting on and see what happened.
What happened was complete and utter lunacy and irration. I've always had the sneaking suspicion that people in general were crazy. Craigslist only served to prove my suspicion. The interactions I've had with people (mostly via email) ranged from outrageous to weird to annoying. Below are some of my correspondence with Craigslist crazies...
Trying to sell my bridal crinoline, for $35...
This girl first emailed me on a Sunday, and I responded to her immediately. Obviously she didn't get my email, and I love how she got a little testy with me. Bridezilla anyone? Turns out, the girl I had been emailing was in fact not the bride, but the maid-of-honor. She told me on the phone that she thought it would be easier to email with me in the first person as the bride...wow...talk about completely weird. I ended up asking $25 for the crinoline, but sold it to the bride for $33 (sucks when you don't bring exact change and I don't carry cash!).
Trying to sell 4 IKEA wine racks, each for $10...
WTF? Like I am going to DRIVE to Greensboro to sell a $10 wine rack (she only wanted to buy one). I would loose money in this transaction because of current gas prices. But, she did give me the option of meeting her that day, before six, as if I didn't have full time job during the day. I emailed her back and told her that I would not drive to meet her, and that we could meet in Cary. I never heard back from her.
Trying to sell 4 IKEA wine racks...again...still for $10 each...
I had planned to meet this woman at the mall, but like she said, something came up.
Trying to sell a brand new vessel sink that we can't use, for $100...
Again, we had made plans to meet in Cary and then I received this email. Wonderful. I even gave her my cell phone number just in case she were to come to town today. My phone has not rung once today.
The only transaction I had that went fairly smoothly was selling our dog crate that we bought for River that she only used once. I sold it to a nice man who was getting a puppy for his sons. I posted it for $100, and he ended up giving me $80. I was glad to sell it because it was definitely taking up a lot of room.
So, after all this, I'm $113 richer (not really - all the money has been spent on dog food and groceries). However, I have no future plans to post ANYTHING on Craigslist. Selling stuff is fine, but dealing with crazy people is way too much. I'll save that fun for the yard sale we are planning.
What happened was complete and utter lunacy and irration. I've always had the sneaking suspicion that people in general were crazy. Craigslist only served to prove my suspicion. The interactions I've had with people (mostly via email) ranged from outrageous to weird to annoying. Below are some of my correspondence with Craigslist crazies...
Trying to sell my bridal crinoline, for $35...
Hi again, I haven't heard from you and I am starting to get nervous because, as I stated earlier, I am getting married on Sunday and I have to have something by then. I am willing to pay the full $35 if you do not want to negotiate. I will also even come to your house to pick it up if need be. Just please let me know if the Crinoline is still available and if you will sell it to me.
This girl first emailed me on a Sunday, and I responded to her immediately. Obviously she didn't get my email, and I love how she got a little testy with me. Bridezilla anyone? Turns out, the girl I had been emailing was in fact not the bride, but the maid-of-honor. She told me on the phone that she thought it would be easier to email with me in the first person as the bride...wow...talk about completely weird. I ended up asking $25 for the crinoline, but sold it to the bride for $33 (sucks when you don't bring exact change and I don't carry cash!).
Trying to sell 4 IKEA wine racks, each for $10...
great...i know this is crazy, but i am in greensboro...so i can meet you anywhere but if you are willing to come this way at all, anywhere off 40 just so that i don't have to come into raleigh, that would be great...but if not, that's fine too. i can't believe the luck of finding one of these local. you can call me to arrange a time/place. anytime today before 6 would be best, if not, then maybe tomorrow.
WTF? Like I am going to DRIVE to Greensboro to sell a $10 wine rack (she only wanted to buy one). I would loose money in this transaction because of current gas prices. But, she did give me the option of meeting her that day, before six, as if I didn't have full time job during the day. I emailed her back and told her that I would not drive to meet her, and that we could meet in Cary. I never heard back from her.
Trying to sell 4 IKEA wine racks...again...still for $10 each...
Hi Melanie. I've had something come up and am not going to be able to buy the wine racks from you. I'm terribly sorry. Good luck.
I had planned to meet this woman at the mall, but like she said, something came up.
Trying to sell a brand new vessel sink that we can't use, for $100...
Melanie,My brother just called - I am so bummed out - we are not going to Cary Saturday. They just have too much to do and not enough fun stuff going on! I don't know as I can convince my boyfriend with the price of gas to just go without making it a "visit my brother's family" kind of trip. If the color is right, this would be perfect for our bathroom - just the right pop of color!! Let me see what I can work out - if we don't come this Saturday, possibly next Saturday. I'm sorry for letting you know I was interested and then changing our plans. Have you had lots of other interest? Maybe if I can convince my boyfriend that this is PERFECT, we'll come anyway! I'll let you know for sure...thanks!
Again, we had made plans to meet in Cary and then I received this email. Wonderful. I even gave her my cell phone number just in case she were to come to town today. My phone has not rung once today.
The only transaction I had that went fairly smoothly was selling our dog crate that we bought for River that she only used once. I sold it to a nice man who was getting a puppy for his sons. I posted it for $100, and he ended up giving me $80. I was glad to sell it because it was definitely taking up a lot of room.
So, after all this, I'm $113 richer (not really - all the money has been spent on dog food and groceries). However, I have no future plans to post ANYTHING on Craigslist. Selling stuff is fine, but dealing with crazy people is way too much. I'll save that fun for the yard sale we are planning.
Tragedy During the Games
Why are people crazy?
A Chinese man stabbed to death and American man and wounded an American woman, before taking his own life on Saturday during the Olympic Games. The two Americans were family members of a coach for the US Men's indoor volleyball team. The attacker, 47, leaped to his death after killing the American man.
What is wrong with people? Especially now, during the Olympics, when guns are suppose to put down for awhile, and the only battles to speak of are the ones between the athletes on the field, court or ring. But what do I know? Russia decided to pull out the tanks and bombs this past week and storm Georgia. I guess the hope for a little peace these upcoming weeks was just a fleeting thought from the IOC. Hopefully the rest of the games will proceed without incident.
A Chinese man stabbed to death and American man and wounded an American woman, before taking his own life on Saturday during the Olympic Games. The two Americans were family members of a coach for the US Men's indoor volleyball team. The attacker, 47, leaped to his death after killing the American man.
What is wrong with people? Especially now, during the Olympics, when guns are suppose to put down for awhile, and the only battles to speak of are the ones between the athletes on the field, court or ring. But what do I know? Russia decided to pull out the tanks and bombs this past week and storm Georgia. I guess the hope for a little peace these upcoming weeks was just a fleeting thought from the IOC. Hopefully the rest of the games will proceed without incident.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Flip-Flops For All!
Move over Rainbows, there's a new flip-flop in town, and it ain't your rival the Reefs. It's Barack Obama - flip-flopping on issues left and right (or should I say left and more left?). In any case, I ran across this image on American Elephant and thought I would share. I couldn't help but laugh and agree at the same time. Actual flip-flops aren't available, but cool T-shirts are. I like the added benefit of someone perhaps thinking that you are an Obama supporter by sporting a flip-flop T-shirt, until they quickly realize that you are not, and are only calling him out on his wishy-washy stance on everything.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance?
I know I can't dance but I love this show! Tonight the final four dancers (Joshua, Twitch, Courtney and Katee) are performing and tomorrow night is the results show! My faves: Katee and Joshua. They have been partners for most of the season, and they are awesome together. Unfortunately, there will only be ONE dancer who is crowned the champion, so I am pulling for Katee ultimately. Like American Idol, the results are based on viewer call-ins. I've never voted after the shows, but I think tonight I might have to make a few phone calls for my girl Katee.
If you've never watched the show, I would suggest setting your TiVo for next year's season. With all the crapola on TV, this show just makes you feel good and it's family friendly. And you seriously want to get up and dance afterwards! And if you ask my neighbors, I'm sure they'd tell you they see a crazy person every Wednesday jumping around in her living room.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Forget Paris...Or Not...
I'm sure you've seen this political ad on television.
And you know that Barack Obama and his camp are all up in arms about this ad. But why should Obama be so upset about the comparison between him and Paris Hilton when in 2005, he made the same exact comparison.
I'm not the only person who is intruiged by this story.
Thanks Michelle Malkin and Drudge Report for each posting about this story. Let's hope that Obama's 15 minutes of fame are up soon.
And you know that Barack Obama and his camp are all up in arms about this ad. But why should Obama be so upset about the comparison between him and Paris Hilton when in 2005, he made the same exact comparison.
I'm not the only person who is intruiged by this story.
Thanks Michelle Malkin and Drudge Report for each posting about this story. Let's hope that Obama's 15 minutes of fame are up soon.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Move On, Please...Again!
In a previous post about MoveOn.org, I commented on the organization's campaign to give away one million Obama '08 bumper stickers. Tonight, I noticed that in addition to giving away the bumper stickers (new name suggestion: "Obumper" stickers? yes? no?), MoveOn is now giving away one million "Vote Obama '08" buttons. Remember kids, MoveOn "is a 501(c)(4) organization which primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on important national issues." Yet, after a quick skim of the homepage, you'll notice a prominent anti-McCain advertisement and a news story about the raciest evil FOX news outlet. They must have their own definition of "nonpartisan." Perhaps their definition can be found here.
Friday, August 1, 2008
The Real Dirt on the Real Truth
This political ad against North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory is generating quite the buzz in North Carolina. The ad, funded by the Democratic group Alliance for North Carolina (itself funded by the National Education Association), makes three claims against Pat McCrory:
1. He opposes a raise in minimum wage
2. He supports pay increases for politicians, including his own salary
3. He opposes free community college tuition for high school seniors
Alrighty, folks. If you are a Conservative, you'll know right off the bat why McCrory opposes a raise in minimum wage and free college tuition: these are handouts (which the Dems so dearly love) that create an unnecessary burden on North Carolina government and tax payers. Nothing is free. If community college tuition is made "free" to high school graduates, then Mr. and Mrs. Joe Citizen are picking up the tab. And a raise in minimum wage may put a little more money in the pockets of hourly employees, but it takes more money away from the business owners that employ these people, thereby causing a greater financial strain on the business. And what's one of the ways a strapped company cuts down on expenses? By letting go some of the workforce. Never mind that fact that unless you raise minimum wage to $15 an hour, employees working at a higher minimum wage will still make less than the poverty line.
And speaking of wages, McCrory didn't exactly support a pay increase, and certainly did not support a raise in his own salary. The real story?
As mayor of Charlotte since 1996, McCrory's salary and expenses have risen from $24,800 to $39,900. That's about a 60-percent increase. Adjusted for inflation, however, it's more like a 20 percent raise. The Charlotte mayor does not typically vote on the city budget, which includes pay raises, but he can veto it. If he does, it takes seven out of 11 votes from the City Council to override his veto. In 1998, McCrory broke a tie, voting with the City Council's Republicans to overturn a pay raise for city leaders that would have boosted his own salary by several thousand dollars. This year, the City Council narrowly approved a pay raise for members and the mayor. McCrory did not make any public statements on the raise and did not veto the budget, but his campaign staff said Thursday that he opposed it. -News & Observer, August 1, 2008
Gasp! How dare the mayor of Charlotte make more than $40,000 a year! The fact that the mayor of Charlotte makes less than I do is surprising in and of itself. The fact that Alliance for North Carolina skews the truth so terrifically is repulsive. The ad conveniently omits the fact that McCrory voted with the Council members to overturn a pay raise in 1998, which would have increased his own salary (by a mere several thousand dollars). And of course the ad skews the fact that most recently, the Council narrowly approved a pay increase, which McCrory did not veto, even though he stated that he did oppose it.
The N&O article does a fairly good job analyzing this ad and its claims, but I don't think the newspaper hits the attackers hard enough. Alliance for North Carolina should be blasted for their biased and untruthful ad attacking the Charlotte mayor. It just shows that politics is still the same, money talks, and that the dirt will continue to fly into the face of the truth. Democratic candidate Bev Purdue may have stated a few months ago that she was going to run a clean campaign, but her cronies sure didn't follow suit. Purdue has the teachers, sheriffs and Andy Griffith in her back pocket. And if you have those organizations and supporters doing your dirty work for you, I guess you can wipe your hands and give the impression that you are running a clean campaign. And that's the truth that Perdue keeps hidden under the dirt slung by her supporters. Some "clean" campaign, Ms. Perdue.
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