Palin - A step back for women?

Not at all! Women are sick of "Women's Liberation." We can do most things a man can do, but we also have instincts that men do not have. We have a need to take care of our family. Sarah Palin stands for the American Family.

It's time for a change for women. Stay at home mom's need the stigma of laziness and worthlessness to be gone. Working mom's need the stigma of not being there for their family to be gone. A woman needs the right to choose what is best for her family and for other people to support her decisions.

We need a role model that can make these changes to American thinking. Sarah Palin can do that. She can relate to all of us from wanting the best for her family, to dealing with real family problems, to trying to keep food on the table. Women make American households run, so why can't they run the country. She deserves a chance, even if it is second in command. Behind every great man is a great woman. McCain is a lucky man, because he has a great woman behind him at home and he has a great women in the political world behind him as well.

So after all the mud slinging is done and you go to the voting booth, think about which candidate you can relate to.

On a side note, I was forwarded an email today which indicated that there is a website dedicated to being against Sarah Palin. In the email, it listed things she is against. One of the items listed was polar bears. Well, if you've read all my posts, it would appear that I am against polar bears. I'm not against them, but until we help the economy and the American families that are struggling, polar bears need to take a back seat. By the way, I don't buy the rubbish about global warming killing the polar bears.

Don't be fooled, Obama will raise your taxes middle class America!

The love of money is the root of all evil.

I have been thinking about this particular bible verse quite a bit lately. It saddens me to realize that many of my extended family members are living this evil, yet preaching against it. They are making such a show and a fuss to seem good, but in their hearts they are being evil by placing the utmost importance in stuff.

Not only are they making objects the center of their world, but they are using other people's money to do that. I am not privy to the rules of the mom and dad/grandma and grandpa paycheck system and I was once mad about this. I felt jipped. But now, I feel free from this binding emotional contract to depend on someone else's money to obtain objects to which there will always be bigger and better. My heart is free from this weight that they carry and I am truly glad.

However, I am also saddened for my family. I see that it is slowly ripping the ties that bind us together apart. It has been a long time coming and I will try my best to not be a part of the harsh words and hurtful actions that will ensue. In a way it feels good to realize what the problem is, but I wish I knew a way to stop it from happening. If I speak my mind, I am worried that I will become the target and the scape goat. So for the time being, I will sit back and observe while trying to offer the emotional support I can without becoming a part of the problem.

Do you have the most expensive purse on the block or peace in your heart?

Go Big Red!

Ahh, it's Husker football time. For Lincoln, Nebraska it is as much a season as summer, winter, spring and fall. Going to the football games have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My great grandfather bought season tickets in 1963 and we still have these season tickets to this day, although, the number has grown from 2 to 8. In my lifetime, I remember going to the game in a red full body snowsuit while the snow was falling down. I remember when the fans stormed the field (before there were fences around the field) and tore down the goal posts. I remember when there were no fancy T.V. screens at each end of the stadium. I will always remember the experience of going to the game.

I had the pleasure of attending a game this past Saturday. I had not been in a long time, since last year I had a small child and the previous year I was very pregnant. But as soon as I sat in my seat, it all came back. The booming crowd, the wave, the chants, and the band. There are 2 things I don't think any other stadium has - our fans and Valentino's pizza. You can't help but get caught up in the up and down, the clapping and the screaming of Go Big Red.

Out of 86,000 fans, you couldn't hardly pick out the blue for San Jose. The fans are as much a part of the team as the players. When they make a touch down we couldn't be more proud. Even when they lose we are still proud of them, because they are our team. Very few things in Lincoln, Nebraska can bring 86,000 people together to cheer for the same thing. You can feel this when you step foot in the stadium.

Good luck, Huskers! Go Big Red! We are so proud of you!

Sarah Palin...

My verdict is that I like her. She is a regular woman, with regular problems, that came from a regular middle class family.

Of course, the media can only focus on the fact that she has a pregnant 17 year old daughter. Speaking from my experience at being a 17 year old girl, we don't always obey our parents, especially in the heat of the moment now matter how good our upbringing is. Those teenage hormones are a hard thing to combat. Bristol is her own person, in her own right and she is not the Republican Vice Presidential candidate, so give the girl a break. She seems to be handling the situation in an adult manner. It is very admirable that her family is providing their unconditional love and support. Making the best of the situation is what counts, because the past is the past and the future is now.

Someone mentioned to me today, that they couldn't support Sarah Palin because among other things, her husband has a DUI on his record. The DUI was in 1986 when he was 21. Again, he is not the candidate! Plus, Obama has openly admitted that around that same age he was doing blow and smoking reefer. Hmmmm, weigh the two. I would definitely have to say Sarah Palin wins that one.

Now, there is that sticky situation with her brother in law. We will have to see outcome of the investigation. At this point, I am still inspired by a regular woman, with regular problems, that came from a regular middle class family.

Politics - Obama and the Reverend Jackson

Deciding who to vote for can be an easy choice or a nerve racking one. I have to say that for me choosing this time around is very hard. I'm not a big fan of McCann and I can think of more than one reason not to vote for him, but since he has chosen his running mate, he has sealed the deal for me.

I know more than several people who are big Obama fans, but there are several things about him that really bother me. Right now, the number one reason has to be his relationship with Reverend Jackson. I know that he has denounced Mr. Jackson as a campaign supporter, but it is troublesome that he attended the church Mr. Jackson preached at for 20 years. I just don't buy that you can sit in the pews and listen to a man with some what radical views and not to some extend agree with him.

Church is not a show. It is a place to learn and share about views of your chosen religion. You listen to the sermon to learn and apply the concepts to your everyday life. If he didn't do this, then that leads me to wonder again about his character.

The great thing about America, is free speech. But when you are a candidate for the President of America, your views are looked upon with the greatest scrutiny, and rightfully so. Obama - your empty promises don't fool me.

Celebrities are also endorsing Obama. However, I must point out, that these people are in a very different tax bracket than middle class America. They are going to have different wants in a President. Just something to think about, when listening to these endorsements.

Teenage Drinking

Recognize that teenage drinking is prevalent and your child may partake. Talking with your child and expressing that you do not advise drinking, but also talk about safety. Just because they may partake does not mean that handing them a beer and saying it’s okay is going to prevent drinking and driving or attending parties that may lead to bad behavior.

I remember being a teenage drinker. My thinking was that I would definitely give my teenage child alcohol, what’s the big deal? Did I make poor decisions at that time in my life? Absolutely! My thought processes at that time were not advanced enough to think beyond my own teenage point of view. Of course, most teenagers would agree with my teenage answer.

It appears that some adults are gaining steam with this answer, as well. I recently read an article (while awaiting the dentist), which was centered around a study that concluded giving teenagers and possibly children alcohol at dinner time would make them more responsible drinkers later in life. In Europe this is the practice, or so the article said.

For reality sake, one must recognize that teenage drinking is prevalent and that your child may partake in the activity. Given this, is it a wise decision to give your teenage child alcohol at home so that you can supervise the drinking?
Seriously, regardless of if you give your child alcohol at home, they are still going to go out to a party at sometime in their teen years and consume alcohol without parental guidance. I cannot wrap my mind around the thinking that giving them alcohol at home is going to make them more responsible when they are out there by themselves. Sure it may take the novelty of drinking down a couple of notches, but when you get peer pressure, immense fun, and beer altogether, I really doubt that the average teenager is going to be thinking about what their parent was trying to teach them with the beer they gave them the prior night at dinner.

It is much more appealing to be drinking with your friends that your parents. But what about the parents that give not only their child a drink, but also all their friends that stop by to hang out a drink, as well? I would not want that kind of liability on my shoulders. When you knowingly break the law, there are consequences and those consequences can be severe if someone was injured.

Consequences keep people in line. When you remove the consequence by giving your child alcohol to drink, then where is the responsibility? Now it falls on your shoulders, and are you ready to take the consequences for what your child does when they drink?

The reasons behind drinking are vastly different (for the most part) at the adult stage of life versus the teenage stage or even the college age stage (early twenties). Most adults enjoy relaxing with a cold beer or a glass of wine. Most teenagers drink to have fun, escape and to impress their peers.

Being responsible is not always popular. Then again, when you are an adult, should you really be concerned with being popular? Some many topics…so little time.

Last Post 1 month ago...

Jeez, I have got to get with it. Life just consumes me. Vacuuming, laundry, endless dishes (which by the way have a hard time of making it into the kitchen unless I am the one to do it), and lots of hugs and kisses (my fav!).

Sometimes I find myself complaining about all that I have to do and that I do most of the caregiving for my son, but I do recognize that there will only be a short time where my son is all about his mom. In a few short years he will be off with daddy and grandpa to the farm, hunting, or something equally exciting to a young boy. Mom will be left with peace and quite. Most certainly, then I will be complaining about how my baby is no longer a baby.

Grass always looks greener on the other side. Be happy with the moment you are in!

Teenagers Today...

Yes, when I say that phrase I feel old, but the reality is I'm only 26 and would therefore not be classified by old. But the times, they are a changing, and it's been very shocking lately at how much they are changing.

I recently read an article, which was brought to my attention by a friend, that said there is a group of 17 girls at a high school in Massachusetts who are pregnant. Apparently, it is a smaller town in a fairly remote area of Massachusetts. The a group of girls at the high school made a pack to get pregnant and raise their children together. The school has reported administering some 150 pregnancy tests, and when the girls who weren't pregnant found out, they were sad! It is rumored that a 24 year old homeless man is the father of some of these illegitimate children.
When I was in high school it was fairly embarrassing to be a pregnant teenager. I felt sympathetic for the girls, but I definitely did not want to be in their shoes. I have to admit, I was sexually active, but took measures to not get pregnant.

The article reported that the school and the parents of the children in attendance are arguing over whether or not to provide free birth control without parental consent. Hello, did you not see the root of the problem - these girls made a pack! The school would have to shove the birth control down the girls' throats. Simply handing it out would not have prevented the problem.
One girl, who had had a baby in her freshman year, speculated that these pact girls wanted a child who would love them unconditionally. This is such a misconception. Pregnancy, is usually not fun! When you have the baby, you are the one who provides the unconditional love, especially when the child is screaming and you can't figure out why, when the child is puking or pooping on you, when your breast provide the worst pain ever, and when you are so tired you fall asleep while standing up - just to name a few.

My speculation is that, there are some issues these girls have at home. It may not be all of them, because peer pressure is murder. Now, I've heard before, "Don't blame the parents," but come on. You are going to expect your teenage daughter to be responsible for her child, but you yourself aren't going to take responsibility for a possible lack of parental control or guidance. Did you speak to your daughter about sex? Did you instill values, morals, and guidelines for how your child should live their life? Think about it and get back to your daughter!

I recently read another article that touched on the problem of teenagers taking nude photos of themselves with their cell phones and sending the photos to other kids versus the notes that my generation sent around asking, "Does he like me? Will you ask him?" I guess, being self conscious of your body at that age has gone out the window!

These articles scare me. They scare me because my son is only 18 months old, and if this is what teenagers are doing now, I can only imagine what issues I will deal with when my son is a teenager!

Army Wives

Army Wives is one of my favorite shows on at this point in time. I have watched the show since the first episode aired. It is one of the only shows that my husband doesn't bach at when it comes on. He says, "Oh," and moves on with what he is doing. Now if I were watching say The Hills, then he'd say something like, "I can't believe you watch that stupid show," or something equal to that with maybe a bit more profanity. He's so sweet...

I like the show because of the premise and the casting. I am able to relate to the characters on a personal level. I'm sure there are many people out there that watch the show and love it as much as I do. And there are probably thousands of people out there who have some of the same feelings I have when I watch. I lived through what the women on the show are living through. My situation was a bit different, but the feelings of worry, anxiety, anger, and fear are the same no less. The writer has done a fantastic job of capturing these elements.

When I was 21, I married my husband 3 days after he was deployed to Iraq (mind you, he was not in Iraq, but had to go through training at Fort Carson). I drove out to see him and we were married at the court house, with 2 other soldiers I did not know very well as our witnesses. Standing there in front of the judging facing my husband while saying our vows, our hands interlocked, it seemed that the only two people in the whole world were him and I. The judge, our witnesses, and the surroundings of the court room were hazy, but my husband and I were clear as day. I was dressed in a cream colored nike sweatshirt with jeans, and I hadn't had a shower yet that day, but none of that matter, because I was marrying the man I loved and who loved and accepted me for who I was. Cheesy, I know, but entirely true.

While he was gone, I forgot how to fall asleep. I would go to Wal-mart a 2 in the morning because I couldn't sleep and I had to get out of my apartment. Wal-mart is deserted at 2 in the morning, which was even better. I would hold the phone for hours on end willing it to ring. I was exhausted and slept during the day most of the time.

No one was allowed to come to my apartment without calling first. When that doorbell rang and I wasn't expecting it to, I would pray over and over as fast as I could, that on the other side would not be Army Chaplins coming to make my worst fears come true. The rest of the day I would be exhausted from the mountain of anxiety that plagued me for only a few seconds.

When I got a letter in the mail, everything dropped to the floor and I would rip it open and read it as fast as I could. Then I would sit in silence reflecting on the day he would come home, then read the letter again. The letter would be in my pocket or beside the bed for days.

The show picks at all these old wounds, which are 4 years old. I will carry these wounds with me for the rest of my life, but he is home for good and I will never have to live through that again. To the thousands of people who have gone through or are going through this, I understand.

Sometimes I question, why do I watch this show if it brings up old emotions. In a way it helps me to work through some of these thoughts. It is a part of my life, and while it wasn't the fondest of times, I wouldn't want to forget it for anything. On with the show.

Middle Man

Once again, I am the middle man, but this time it is between my husband and my father. My husband works for my father. On Friday, my father yelled at my husband, who thought that it was unnecessary. After my husband told me the his side of the story, I agreed that it was unnecessary. My husband was supposed to go out and help my father on Saturday, but he refused because of the incident on Friday.

So here I was, knowing that my dad needed help. He helps us a great deal. He is also not as young as he used to be and I worry that he works to hard, so I like to make sure he has help when doing large projects. But on the other hand I wanted to stand behind my husband, his feelings and his decisions.

What to do, what to do? I could encourage my husband to put aside the anger and help my dad or I could let my husband cool off. I didn't want to make the situation worse. To have and to hold, or to honor thy father. Which takes precedence? In the end, I chose to have and to hold. Once you get married, you break from your parents and join to your spouse. As much as it breaks my heart, it was the right choice. I did, however, call my parents and let them know that my husband was not coming.

Of course, tomorrow is Father's Day, so we will have to see if the anger is gone and all can be mended. We'll see....

Playing Roles

Daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, employee, lover, friend. Playing just one of these roles can take such a toll on the psyche. Navigating the relationship trail is often tricky and when you get stuck it can be mentally as well as physically exhausting, but when sailing along the smooth waters it can be just as rewarding.

Lately, I've been faced with a challenge unlike any I've ever experienced. My parents and my grandparents are not getting along as well as I would like. I love both of them very dearly. The both have always been very good to me. But the new challenge is that they have placed me, unknowingly in the middle of their rocky relationship, which in turn makes my relationships with them strained.

This rocky relationship between the two of them has been going on for a long time. I remember similar ruff patches when I was a child, but they both managed to leave me out of it. Now that I am an adult and our relationships have changed to more of a confidant and advice seeker/giver, it is terribly hard to see either of them so upset and angry with the other. I, of course, want to fix the problem and want them to tell each other what is bothering the other, work together and patch the relationships, which is a much larger challenge than I have energy to tackle. So for the time being, I'm seeking shelter from the storm and riding it out as long as I can.

It is not my place to judge there relationship or to judge their actions. They have much more baggage than I am aware of. Ultimately they will face their judge. I am learning many new lessons from all of this. I have to be responsible for my actions. I have to think about what another person may be thinking and how my actions my effect the relationship no matter how angry I may be. Attitude changes the situation. Forgive as Jesus Christ said, 77 x's 7.

Isn't life all about navigating the relationships we have with others. What would we be if we didn't have relationships. For now, the best medicine is to keep loving and weather the storm.

Sex and The City - It's Complicated...

I tucked my little guy into bed and off I went to the 9:55 pm showing of Sex and The City on Friday evening. I can't remember the last time I went out at that hour of the evening. But it was all worth it.

Carrie finally married Mr. Big. Charlotte had a baby. Miranda and Steve worked through their marital issues, and Samantha got a dog. I have to say I was rather disappointed that Samantha didn't stay with Smith Jared. I understand that monogamy isn't her thing, but they could have worked out a relationship in which it did work. There are swingers in the world. Yes, it could have been a bit controversial, but it would have been better than a dog. Plus, with actual sex and nudity in the film, I think controversial would not be an issue.

It was a bit refreshing to see that the moral Miranda learned was that even though Steve cheated, her infraction of being physically, as well as, emotionally unavailable was just as bad.

All in all, the movie provided a good solid ending and totally worth the $8.50 ticket.

On Saturday afternoon, I managed to catch a portion of the show, Denise Richards: It's complicated. I have to say I was disappointed. In the future, while flipping channels, you can be assured I will not be stopping on that program again.

Denise was yelling at an editor of some magazine that had printed something she did not like. She was screaming about public court documents from her divorce. She also "Played the kids card." Honey, those people do not care about your kids, but if you really did, maybe you would have thought twice about all the offenses you and your now ex-husband committed against each other. Get with the program!

Polar Bears and Taxes

There is a commercial in which an actor, who shall remain nameless, pleads with America to help the Polar Bears, who apparently are in danger of extinction due to the effects of global warming and are in need of our money. Just a monthly donation of such and such an amount. Give me a break. I would like to know where this donated money is going. How is it dispersed and how exactly does it help the animals. If you believe that global warming is the cause of the Polar Bears population decreasing....then what are they doing with the money to reverse the effects of this global warming. I just don't buy it.

In addition, with the recession, everything is costing more. I went to the grocery store two days ago, with a menu and a list (to curb any extra buying). The groceries I collected cost $115, which will feed my family of 3 for 1 1/2 weeks. Before the first of the year this same trip would have cost me approximately $90. Don't even get me started on the cost of gas!! Sorry Polar Bears, but I gotta keep food in my child's tummy and gas in my car so I can get to work!!

Mr. Nameless Actor - how much are you donating??

I find it very interesting that another actor, who shall remain nameless, has failed to pay his taxes - on purpose. His excuse is he believes that we shouldn't have to pay taxes and belongs to a group who actively supports this thought. Please, give me a break! We all pay taxes...and if you don't you should be punished.

Now I will say that I do believe that the government wastes a lot of money on very silly things, or just plain silliness, but that doesn't excuse me or anyone else from paying taxes. He has every right to hire a good accountant to find all the tax breaks he is entitled to in order to lessen the amount he has to pay, but pay you must.

Mr. or Mrs. Judge, make him pay his taxes and then throw the book at him.

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