It’s Elected! Boogie-Woogie-OogieElection Day Lexicon
Faster than a speeding ballot. Sweeping primaries in a single bound. Look up in the sky: It’s a gimmick; it’s a cliffhanger; it’s punditocracy.
20/20 vision
n. the media’s tendency to blow small issues totally out of proportion for the sake of news show fodder.
Between Barack and a hard place
n. the sphere in which undecided democrats linger to contemplate the electability of candidates.
I heart Huckabeen.
a bad movie and campaign.
It takes a village idiot
phr. a Washington proverb.
Meet Romneys
n. The persistent desire to poke Mitt’s handsome sons on Facebook.
Mock the vote
n. when people too embarrassed to admit they’re clueless about the voting process make awkward jokes to remain elusive.
Over the Hillary
n. undecided voter syndrome wherein the desire to see a woman in the White House is overrun by one’s dislike for Hillary.
PundIt girl
n. the token female analyst who sits at the table with Wolf Blitzer and co.
Scamdidate
n. an unviable aspirant who just confuses the public (see: Ron Paul).
Super delegetsome
n. when powerful insiders use their influence to score dates with campaign managers and candidates’ daughters.
You can get your own by signing up for Daily Candy (see my favs).
Monday, February 18, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
When Enough is Enough
I give. I've earned my "tough mom" badge. I finally called the doctor today and went in to get checked for this never-ending cold/cough thing I've been carrying around since Julian gave it to me on January 1st. 7 weeks of feeling cruddy, but not badly enough for anything to stop, is enough. And I'm sure that after coughing loudly either in your ear over the phone (I always get an attack while I'm on the phone) or in your general surroundings, you'll be relieved as well. I do apologize for hacking around everything and I try to be as conscious as possible about not germing up door knobs or handles or anything you might also touch. But seriously one of the biggest reasons is that going to the doctor and taking medication are two of my least favorite things.
But I went today, dragging Mac with me because she spent the day at work with me for mid-winter break (that's a topic for another blog - another school break?!?!?). We were right on time, I gave them money, I filled out the required form in record time and we were taken to the exam room right away. The nurse weighed me (why do I ask? It was unnecessary to point that out to me when I'm already feeling horribly), took my temperature (98.7 - perfect) and took my blood pressure (used the little cuff that clocked my pressure at 150/100 .. Wha??? Way too high for me so she changed cuffs and it came out 120/82 - much better). And then we waited. And waited and waited and waited. I measured and weighed Mac, pretended she was my patient, we played thumb wars and hand clapping games, we listened to her MP3, read a magazine article and she read up on how to prevent breast cancer by examining your breasts - so we chatted about breasts and cancer for a while. She sat on the exam table and I tickled her, we laughed a lot and loudly hoping that we would be annoying enough for someone to come see us. I bet her I knew exactly what the doctor was going to do once he came in: look in my ears, nose and throat, then use the stethoscope to listen to my lungs, ask me 2 questions and then write me a prescription for medicine.
1 hour later, he finally came in, looked in my ears, nose and throat, then used the stethoscope to listen to my lungs, asked me 1 question and then wrote me a prescription for medicine. 5 minutes all told including the first minute and a half putting a bandaid on his finger he got as a paper cut right before coming into the exam room. I really hate to go to the doctor's office!
Went to the pharmacy to get 10 pills - waited 20 minutes, during which time we sprayed every kind of perfume, looked at all the makeup, and rummaged through the Valentine sale. All to get nasty pills that I hate taking.
All I have to say is that this better work, because it's unlikely that I will go back. So there!
But I went today, dragging Mac with me because she spent the day at work with me for mid-winter break (that's a topic for another blog - another school break?!?!?). We were right on time, I gave them money, I filled out the required form in record time and we were taken to the exam room right away. The nurse weighed me (why do I ask? It was unnecessary to point that out to me when I'm already feeling horribly), took my temperature (98.7 - perfect) and took my blood pressure (used the little cuff that clocked my pressure at 150/100 .. Wha??? Way too high for me so she changed cuffs and it came out 120/82 - much better). And then we waited. And waited and waited and waited. I measured and weighed Mac, pretended she was my patient, we played thumb wars and hand clapping games, we listened to her MP3, read a magazine article and she read up on how to prevent breast cancer by examining your breasts - so we chatted about breasts and cancer for a while. She sat on the exam table and I tickled her, we laughed a lot and loudly hoping that we would be annoying enough for someone to come see us. I bet her I knew exactly what the doctor was going to do once he came in: look in my ears, nose and throat, then use the stethoscope to listen to my lungs, ask me 2 questions and then write me a prescription for medicine.
1 hour later, he finally came in, looked in my ears, nose and throat, then used the stethoscope to listen to my lungs, asked me 1 question and then wrote me a prescription for medicine. 5 minutes all told including the first minute and a half putting a bandaid on his finger he got as a paper cut right before coming into the exam room. I really hate to go to the doctor's office!
Went to the pharmacy to get 10 pills - waited 20 minutes, during which time we sprayed every kind of perfume, looked at all the makeup, and rummaged through the Valentine sale. All to get nasty pills that I hate taking.
All I have to say is that this better work, because it's unlikely that I will go back. So there!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Make it Stop!
It started the week before last. A slow spin, then it caught more speed, spinning and spinning and finally today I really felt completely out of control. Does this ever happen to you? You have so much to do, but the more you have and put on the to do list your mind starts spitting out more and more things you need to do, and it happens especially when you can't write things down like on the drive home, in the store, at your kid's basketball practice. Well, I'm there! The tape recorder is winding and re-winding. I'm trying to keep up, but can't seem to make it stop.
Work issues are usually what start it off and I have plenty of those. Staffing issues, big projects that need to be started and finished, a long list of things I need to do to make improvements but my day to day preempts me from moving forward on most of those. I spent much of the evening air talking to one of my staff members, talking myself through scenario after scenario, getting upset with the invisible person next to me, trying to write notes on whatever I had handy so as not to lose key points or connecting thoughts or trails of facts.
But as if that wasn't enough, the household stuff jumps into the fray and now I have months and months of tasks begging for attention in my brain. The flowers outside need to be dead-headed (that was supposed to happen in November!), the pile of papers and other odds and ends in the boxes in the corner of our bedroom must be handled, mid-winter break projects need to be planned for and who is going to be where and when for the next 6 months seems to be a jumbled mess in my head.
These are the times when I most need a break - a sabbatical, time for myself, uniterrupted. But I soldier on, work through the confusion, write down as much as possible so I don't forget and try to forgive myself if something does fall through the cracks. I've been sick since January 1st and have yet to find time to call, let alone see, a doctor. My foot is killing me, but stop for an appointment? Sorry - no time.
I know the rhetoric ... take care of yourself so you can take care of everyone else. Put yourself first. Health is the most important - take care of that first. All well and good, but not as easy to implement. So for now tomorrow is another day and I will attempt to quiet the noise in my head and just get things done.
Work issues are usually what start it off and I have plenty of those. Staffing issues, big projects that need to be started and finished, a long list of things I need to do to make improvements but my day to day preempts me from moving forward on most of those. I spent much of the evening air talking to one of my staff members, talking myself through scenario after scenario, getting upset with the invisible person next to me, trying to write notes on whatever I had handy so as not to lose key points or connecting thoughts or trails of facts.
But as if that wasn't enough, the household stuff jumps into the fray and now I have months and months of tasks begging for attention in my brain. The flowers outside need to be dead-headed (that was supposed to happen in November!), the pile of papers and other odds and ends in the boxes in the corner of our bedroom must be handled, mid-winter break projects need to be planned for and who is going to be where and when for the next 6 months seems to be a jumbled mess in my head.
These are the times when I most need a break - a sabbatical, time for myself, uniterrupted. But I soldier on, work through the confusion, write down as much as possible so I don't forget and try to forgive myself if something does fall through the cracks. I've been sick since January 1st and have yet to find time to call, let alone see, a doctor. My foot is killing me, but stop for an appointment? Sorry - no time.
I know the rhetoric ... take care of yourself so you can take care of everyone else. Put yourself first. Health is the most important - take care of that first. All well and good, but not as easy to implement. So for now tomorrow is another day and I will attempt to quiet the noise in my head and just get things done.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
What's a billion?
My dad sends me these great little nuggets once in a while and I was amazed at this one....
At the government’s current spending rate, a billion dollars was 8 hours and 20 minutes ago!
Remember that:
A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
Another one:
According to 2005 data:
1. The top 1% of US population (3M people) took in 22.2% of ALL US income.
2. The bottom 50% of the population took in 12.8% of ALL US income.
Yikes!
PS I don't vet these things, so if it's wrong I didn't make it up and I didn't stop to count. But feel free to correct anything - I won't be offended.
At the government’s current spending rate, a billion dollars was 8 hours and 20 minutes ago!
Remember that:
A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
Another one:
According to 2005 data:
1. The top 1% of US population (3M people) took in 22.2% of ALL US income.
2. The bottom 50% of the population took in 12.8% of ALL US income.
Yikes!
PS I don't vet these things, so if it's wrong I didn't make it up and I didn't stop to count. But feel free to correct anything - I won't be offended.
Monday, February 4, 2008
When you just need a really good sandwich ...
You gotta go to Grinders! It's a small place on Aurora in Shoreline, but the food is unbelievable!
Mitch is the owner - a really great guy. And he makes the most delicious food. You have to have the stomach for it, though. Lots of grilled onions, garlic, sauce ... they serve forks and knives with the grinders cause they can get messy, but you don't want to miss a bite! And you'll be tasting it for a few hours afterwards, too (just a warning)!
On some Saturday nights they have live jazz and they aren't open on Sundays. They have comfy tables and seating arrangements - some regular chairs around large square tables, some bar stools and bar tables and some sofas/upholstered seats around coffee tables for a more relaxed environment. They stock good wines and import beers, as well as juices. You'd probably never think to stop by just by driving by - they are right next to a muffler shop on the west side of the street. But you'd be missing some of the best grub in the north end if you decide to pass it by.
They are located on Aurora and about 199th (just a couple blocks south of Aurora Village Costco). Let us know if you're going to come up a try them out - we might join you!
Mitch is the owner - a really great guy. And he makes the most delicious food. You have to have the stomach for it, though. Lots of grilled onions, garlic, sauce ... they serve forks and knives with the grinders cause they can get messy, but you don't want to miss a bite! And you'll be tasting it for a few hours afterwards, too (just a warning)!
On some Saturday nights they have live jazz and they aren't open on Sundays. They have comfy tables and seating arrangements - some regular chairs around large square tables, some bar stools and bar tables and some sofas/upholstered seats around coffee tables for a more relaxed environment. They stock good wines and import beers, as well as juices. You'd probably never think to stop by just by driving by - they are right next to a muffler shop on the west side of the street. But you'd be missing some of the best grub in the north end if you decide to pass it by.
They are located on Aurora and about 199th (just a couple blocks south of Aurora Village Costco). Let us know if you're going to come up a try them out - we might join you!
Reminiscing
I just found some of the kid's baby pictures on my computer archives. Those days seem so far behind, but Juice just turned 5!
To every parent their child is most beautiful and I was completely breathless by mine as well. And just like many parents, I had thoughts that they could possibly start their famous careers early by being in commercials and advertising. So one day Myron and I did a photo shoot with Mac. These are just two of a hundred or so we took that day. And unbelievably, she had a great time almost the entire day.
I learned my lesson though and after one audition (which I can't even remember now) I determined I couldn't take being a stage mom. They rejected her! How could they?!?! So that was a short lived dream.
I didn't even try with Julian, but he was as spitting image of Mac when he was born. As as cute to me as she was.
My kids are still the perfect kids for me and they still make me laugh and smile as much as they did back then!
Postcard from the Ordinary: Fashion
This time of year never fails to bring on stirrings of feelings, questions about who I am and what I've done with my life and why I am who I am. Not in the great "what-is-life-all-about" way, but "how-did-I-turn-out-this-way" way. I get momentarily pulled into the belief that I should be one way, but recognize that I never will. And if I think I should, shouldn't I or am I OK just the way I am?
This thing is fashion. It's all because of the award shows. Now, I'm not much into TV. I don't even watch the award shows and I've never watched an episode of Sex and the City, so I've never been schooled about Blahnik Manolo or Jimmy Choo (I only know the latter is shoes, 'cause it rhymes with Choo). I couldn't tell a Valentino from a Wang from a Channel. I can't even wear the Channel I have (#5) - too smell sensitive! And those are just the designer's names I remember from reading magazines once upon a time.
I remember one year having to travel by car from Seattle to Spokane with Myron to see my family. He'd just been hired by Microsoft for a gig that required him to sing lyrics to Will Smith's new song "Gettin' Jiggy With It" and he had to learn Will's song by heart, right lyrics and all, so he could sing all the new lyrics written by Microsoft folks for their executives to lip synch to at some conference. Anyway, we listened to that song over and over all 5 hours there and all 5 hours back and one place we both got stuck was the line "You gotta Prada with a lotta stuff in it..." Neither of us had one clue what he was talking about. What in the world was "Prada"? Made no sense and we must have burned that tape out going back over that line again and again. That was pre-McKenna so at least 8 years ago and I can tell you that it was just in 2007 that I realized what he was saying. PRADA. Oh, right! Problem is, I still have never seen a Prada anything. No shoes, no bags, no nothing. Nada Prada.
This thing is fashion. It's all because of the award shows. Now, I'm not much into TV. I don't even watch the award shows and I've never watched an episode of Sex and the City, so I've never been schooled about Blahnik Manolo or Jimmy Choo (I only know the latter is shoes, 'cause it rhymes with Choo). I couldn't tell a Valentino from a Wang from a Channel. I can't even wear the Channel I have (#5) - too smell sensitive! And those are just the designer's names I remember from reading magazines once upon a time.
I remember one year having to travel by car from Seattle to Spokane with Myron to see my family. He'd just been hired by Microsoft for a gig that required him to sing lyrics to Will Smith's new song "Gettin' Jiggy With It" and he had to learn Will's song by heart, right lyrics and all, so he could sing all the new lyrics written by Microsoft folks for their executives to lip synch to at some conference. Anyway, we listened to that song over and over all 5 hours there and all 5 hours back and one place we both got stuck was the line "You gotta Prada with a lotta stuff in it..." Neither of us had one clue what he was talking about. What in the world was "Prada"? Made no sense and we must have burned that tape out going back over that line again and again. That was pre-McKenna so at least 8 years ago and I can tell you that it was just in 2007 that I realized what he was saying. PRADA. Oh, right! Problem is, I still have never seen a Prada anything. No shoes, no bags, no nothing. Nada Prada.
I'm fashion deficient! I was traveling with my then boss when I worked in an industry considered fashionable to an industry conference where everyone was reasonably into fashion (everyone except me.) We were at the airport waiting to board when a group of gals gathered in the waiting area also boarding our plane. My boss remarked that there was "no way those pants could be real" beacuse the person wearing them didn't look like she could afford them. I had no idea what she was referring to. The pants she was talking about had the label Dolce & Gabbana in gold lettering either across the butt or down the side. I was quite sure that most people could afford something that looked that tacky - they couldn't possibly have cost that much since they looked like something from Mariposa or a teeny bopper shop. Well, I found out later from my Director of Finance who was traveling with us and who recognized my look of ignorance that D&G - regardless of how tacky they look - are really expensive. Who knew? Come to find out at the conference that the person wearing the pants was one of the keynote speakers, owner of several successful shops in Canada and that she really could afford anything she wanted. Never judge a book, right??
So back to my question - how did I get to be this way? Style is not my forte. I do wish that I had some sense if it though. Couldn't I possibly look better if sporting Kate Spade or Stella McCartney? Maybe, but that would require two things I hold dear: time and money. I have shopping attention span of a total of 30 minutes. Including parking the car. So unless the items physically jump out at me, in my size (which is another blog topic), then it's not realistically going to happen. Secondly, I have a family to feed, cloth and send off to multiple life-enrichment activities. The thought of spending $250 on a purse sends my brain into orbit. I didn't spend $250 on clothes and/or shoes for myself in the entire year of 2007! I spent that much on my daughter's entire school year wardrobe. In less than 30 minutes. Thankfully, she's not a clothes horse either.
But I do have moments of envy when I see how beautiful all the beautiful people look on the red carpets and in rag pix. Many of the dresses are gorgeous and I do wish that once in my life I had someplace to go where I'd need such a gown, enough patience to shop for it and the bankroll to buy the perfect one for me. But unless those lotto tickets pay off in this lifetime, its quite unlikely that I will ever look or feel like that.
That's what make me feel ordinary and it's that feeling, not the regret about any dress or shoe or bag, that makes me a bit melancholy - did I miss something wonderful? Did I take a wrong turn? Am I everything I will ever be?
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