A Political Junky Protests

Okay, so we all knew weeks ago that Obama was going to win the SC democratic primary. We were even told it would be a win of 32% over Hillary Clinton and that Edwards would come in third. Okay, but knowing that still didn't mean we political junkies didn't want the usual build up. During every other primary we got to see the numbers come in, the little map get filled in, and even though we knew who was going to win they at least waited awhile to announce a winner. Did we get that here? No! The polls closed at 7 PM and at 7:01 they announced Obama as the winner. I need my fix!!!!!!!

I have watched football games when I knew the predicted winner and I even knew by how many touchdowns or field goals they were predicted to win by. But I watched because I could still watch the score build up, go back and forth and maybe, maybe see a different outcome than projected. But even if it turned out to be as predicted I at least had the adrenaline rush of not really knowing until the end.

It's the same with these primaries for me. Even if I know the predicted winner, and let's face it with 51% of the voters in SC being black it was a shoe in for him. And that's the way it went. The black vote went solidly for the black candidate, while the white vote was evenly divided amongst all three. But, we knew that would happen, so no big surprise. It was just such a let down to sit down to watch the returns come in county by county only to have my high taken away, but the brutal media who had to destroy the build up for us junkies.

What I realized last night is whoever said it's not the destination, but the journey, knew what they were talking about. I realized it didn't matter to me who won the primary (the destination), but I needed that fix...that build up as the counties came in one by one....now I have to wait until tuesday for the Florida primary!!! And yes, everyone who knows me, knows I even watch the republican primaries because I get the same political junky fix from them. So, no, it isn't the destination....it's the journey.

Congratulations to Barack Obama...but in the words of another famous person... it aint over 'til it's over. Go Hillary!!!! On to Florida!! And the most exciting part about all this is due to my political junky status, they are honoring my 60th birthday by holding super tuesday on that day!!! Wow!!!! I am so humbled!!

A Promise Kept

Every morning, when I go out to get the paper,I am greeted by a beautiful bird sitting on the buses next door. She watches me and never flies away. Each morning I promise myself the next day I will get my camera and take a picture. But of course there is so much to do in the morning finding those extra moments is almost impossible. So, this morning I said the heck with it. If I get behind I get behind but I was determined to get that picture. So there she sits for everyone else to enjoy, too.

Only in America!

Today I sit and wonder at the graciousness of our great country. Our government has shut down schools, govt. offices, etc, to honor Vladamir Lenin and mourn the day of his passing.

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (April 22, 1870 – January 21, 1924), was a Russian revolutionary, a communist politician, the main leader of the October Revolution, the first head of the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic and from 1922, the first de facto leader of the Soviet Union. He was the creator of Leninism, an extension of Marxist theory.

What a country! Only in America!!

Thoughts for the new year!

Got this in an email from a friend in VT and thought it was too cute not to pass on or post. It was titled final thoughts for 2007, but we're halfway through January so thought I'd make them thoughts to start the new year.

TOP TEN THOUGHTS FOR 2008

Number 10
Life is sexually transmitted.

Number 9
Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Number 8
Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an
erection, make him a sandwich.

Number 7
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

Number 6
Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but
you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.

Number 5
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals
dying of nothing.

Number 4
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention
to criticism.

Number 3
Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200.00 and a substantial
tax cut saves you $0.30?

Number 2
In the '60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the
world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

AND THE NUMBER 1 THOUGHT FOR 2007:
We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located among
the millions and millions of cows in America , but we haven't got a clue as
to where terrorists are located. Maybe we should put the Department of
Agriculture in charge of anti-terrorism.

And the BONUS thought for today

"Life is like a jar of hot peppers
What you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow".

Open Mics and other things

I meant to write about the Tuesday night open mic yesterday, but time got away from me. So I will start there today. We had a small turnout which turned out to make for an amazing night. I spoke with one of the young men last night and he said how much he enjoyed it because it gave us time to really explore the poetry, the issues, and learn more about each other. It made for a very close group. We discussed everything from slavery, civil rights, Al Sharpton, Imus and the current sportscaster who used the word lynch and how it meant so much more to them. We discussed the election and the candidates, the importance of education, voting, how some things haven't changed since my youth in spite of all the promises made, and yes, all this came about through the poetry shared that night. Some of their insights inspired, educated and truly impressed me and I hope my views did the same for them. It was exciting to hear these intelligent young people voice their opinions intellectually and thoughtfully. There was so much respect for all our opinions whether we agreed, disagreed or met half way. The word amazing doesn't even cover how I felt about that night. So to Aaron Johnson, Daniel Driffen and Jamar White I say thank you for being so open, so honest, so not boring! and for hearing my side with grace and maturity.

Last night I attended a new open mic, at the Coffee Palace, hosted by Daniel Driffen. I think I had more fun as a reader than as host! A lot of familiar faces were there and some new ones. I met a fantastic woman who had two books of poetry published, her first when she was 61! I went to speak with her after and was so impressed with her I had to invite her to join in with us at the Spectrum for our next open mic. Daniel did a great job hosting and everyone enjoyed the night.

When I came out, of the Coffee Palace last night, it was sleeting and before I went to bed looked out and saw snow on top of our cars! Yea!!! I looked forward to the snow today! The weather man promised snow! Instead we got rain! Hard, cold, icy rain! I will give our local weatherman credit because he did apologize for disappointing all us kids who were looking forward to seeing snow today.

Aging Well

A friend of mine, from Erie, PA won a song contest recently and I wanted to share it with everyone who comes here. For the links to the article and song (you can even see a video they made at the peninsula in Erie) click here.

Priscilla, myself, and my sister, Victoria, shared apartments and many adventures back in the 60's. Good going Priscilla!

Helpful Husbands!

This weekend I was making a list of all the things I needed to do....wash dishes, clean kitchen, clean litter boxes, etc...I turned to my husband and said you should do something too. To which he responded, "I am doing something. I'm watching the TV to make sure it doesn't float away. And I've even stacked some videos on top to help with the job." Hmmmmmm.....

Reminded me of husband number two when I would ask him to help out around the house. He said he was helping. While I cleaned he would go to bed so all the cats would get on the bed with him and stay out of my way.

How did I ever get so lucky as to get two such helpful husbands?

Still unpacking....

Yep, we've been in this house now (renting) for over two years and I still haven't unpacked all the boxes! Seriously! I spent last weekend unpacking some stacked up in my bedroom and the worst part of it is I ended up with two boxes of trash! Yep, stuff that should have been tossed and not packed! I still have boxes in Keith's bedroom, one in the living room, some in a closet in the hallway. Sigh! Every once in awhile I get this wild burst of energy that makes me want to clean, organize, get everything out and unpacked, and then it disappears and I barely get through the normal every day stuff. Today it's raining. A good day to spend unpacking boxes. Oh well, they'll be there tomorrow and for now I guess I'll just play on the computer for awhile. I don't feel too bad about the still unpacked boxes. Talked with my mom and she says they've been in their house a lot longer and she still has boxes in the attic to unpack. Must run in the family.

Tiger Woods - another class act!

On the golf channel anchor, Kelly Tilghman and her co-host were joking about how the younger golfers might be able to beat Tiger Woods. Her co-anchor said they should gang up on him in a back alley and Kelly responded with, and lynch him. They both laughed. When Tiger Woods heard it he said it was not done disrepectfully and in fact was not meant to be mean in anyway. He and Kelly have been friends for 12 years and he knew she meant no harm by the remark. She has since apologized, but dang! the media just isn't going to let it go. Good for Tiger to nipping it in the bud before Sharpton could sink his nasty teeth into it and turn it into a race riot and hopefully, the media, will learn from this intelligent, classy man and drop it!

Kelly's statement: In a statement issued Monday, Tilghman said: "On Friday during our golf broadcast, Nick Faldo and I were discussing Tiger's dominance in the golf world and I used some poorly chosen words. I have known Tiger for 12 years and I have apologized directly to him. I also apologize to our viewers who may have been offended by my comments."

I know there are going to be people who will try to turn this into something major, but before you follow keep in mind Kelly and Tiger are friends. He thought it was an innocent remark and has good sense of humor about it. Yes, she chose a public forum to tease her friend and has apologized for it already. You go Tiger! Another class act in sports and sportsmanship.

Addendum: Well, I spoke too soon. On a news show last night Sharpton was flapping his lips about having this woman fired because of her remarks. When it was pointed out that even Tiger Woods said no big deal, Sharpton said it didn't matter what Tiger Woods said or wanted. Huh? I mean this was said in reference to Tiger Woods, not Sharpton, but apparently that doesn't matter. What matters, per Sharpton, is there are others who may have been offended and only the firing of this woman, who has never shown an signs of racism - didn't make that remark in a racist way - would satisfy him. So the mole hill becomes a mountain because Sharpton has deemed it so. Hopefully, letting him have his time on air and getting his nasty mug on t.v. will satisfy his bottomless pit ego and we can go on and drop it. There are bigger fish to fry.

Hillary Clinton Campaign Song

This is great!! Give it a watch and listen!

Customer Service?

This morning, over my cup of coffee, I picked up yesterdays paper and laughed when I read an editorial by one of the staff writers. Not because it was particularly funny, but because I had told my husband I should blog about my experience with the customer service at a certain sub shop here in Sumter, SC. I hadn't gotten around to it, but decided, after reading that article I would add my voice to the minions demanding the service we once received as customers.

A month or so ago I went in to this sub shop to get two subs. Previously I could tell the person what I wanted for both and bingo! it was done. But all had changed. I told the person I wanted a foot long sub on such and such bread and and a 6" on this other bread. I told her what kind of meat and cheese I wanted on each, as I had done on previous occassions. She made up the first one then asked what kind of bread, meat, cheese I wanted on the second. Okay, we got through that and I said I wanted them heated. So, she heated them and set them on the counter for the next person to put on the toppings. The next person put on her little plastic gloves and started putting the toppings I was requesting for the first sub when the phone rang. She answered and from the tone and content it was obviously her boyfriend. She talked and talked and talked as customers and sandwiches were lining up for toppings. I told her she needed to hang up the phone and take care of the customers. She glared at me said something else to her boyfriend and then sneered at me, "well, I'm talking to the manager." I thought, hmmmmm, if you're having that kind of conversation with the manager... I told her then if it really is the manager, which I doubt, tell him customers are lining up and you need to do your job. She glared at me, turned her back, whispered into the phone and hung up. Came back to finish putting on the toppings and reached for them with the same gloved hand she had just been using to hold the phone receiver. I said, stop! change those gloves! You were holding that dirty phone with that hand and I don't want those germs all over my food. She slowly removed the gloves, replaced them, and then walked away leaving the one woman to handle the entire operation of all the customers waiting. When she got to mine to put on the toppings I commented on the rudeness and un-service like skills of the one who walked away. This young woman said well, people have been yelling at her all day. Well, duh! yeah! If you give service the way she did of course people are going to yell! So, I told my husband I would not go back there again.

Well, this weekend he wanted to try a new sub they had been advertising and said, maybe that was just a one time deal and that person won't be there anymore. So, I went. OMG!!!! He was right. It wasn't as bad, it was worse!

Me: I'd like a footlong __________ sub on ____________ bread a ________________ on ________________ bread.

Serice Person: What kind of bread do you want?

Me: _________________ on the first and _____________ on the second.

She gets the bread for the first one. What kind of meat? I tell her. She puts it aside and walks away. Excuse me, but I needed another one also. What kind of bread? she asks. Sigh... I tell her... what did you want on it... sigh... I tell her. She sets them both aside and walks away. Excuse me, I say, but you're supposed to put cheese on them and I would like them heated. What kind of cheese? Provolone on both, please. (yes, I am still being polite). She puts it on the first and asks what I want on the other...sigh...provolone, please.

Finally another young man shows up and she tells him I want them heated. He looks at me and asks, do you want these heated? Yes!

In the meantime, the cashier shows up and tells me my total. I pay happy to do anything to speed up the transaction.

Now to the toppings...lettuce and tomatoes on both, I tell him. He puts lettuce on the first and looks at me. On both, I tell him. He puts lettuce on the other. Now tomatoes on both. Same procedure. Sigh... yellow peppers on BOTH I tell him. What part of both does he not understand? And finally jalepenos on the first one only. Whew! Now they are wrapped and he shoves them to the counter and walks away to do the next sandwiches. Excuse me, but I need them in a bag. He points to the emtpy cashier position as the person who is supposed to bag them. I remind him I have already paid, there is no one there, so would he please put them in a bag for me. He does. I leave. I come home and tell my husband under no circumstances can he ever, ever, get me in that place again. If he wants one of their subs he can go through the aggravation himself.

And it isn't just this place. I have stopped going out to a lot of places around here due to the horrible customer service. It used to be pleasant to go out and pick up some food to bring home or dine in at a restaurant, but more and more it seems they feel they can treat you like dirt and you should take it. So, we eat at home and enjoy relaxing and enjoying a meal without the nasty attitudes, aggravation, or frustration.

Why I won't vote for Obama

When Barack Obama first entered the scene I thought, wow! I really like this guy! His message of change and his message that being half white (his mother) and half black (his father) gave him a perspective different from the other candidates. Yes! I thought, this man would understand the issues of more than just one race. WRONG!!!!!

Barack Obama lost my respect and my vote when he aligned himself with Al Sharpton, a known racist, hate monger, and anti-semite. He appeared arm and arm with Sharpton at a meeting of the National Action Network. This is a hate network no better than Ku Klux Klan. If no one remembers all the false accusations Sharpton brought down upon white people, causing riots and deaths, due to his lies to keep racial tension going and keep his name in the news I will be happy to list them.

Barack Obama's financial sponsor, George Soros, hates Israel and the United States! Soros calls the U.S.A. a danger to world peace that needs "de-Natzification."

He has now allowed Oprah Winfrey to buy the election for him with her power and money, while she herself has opened a school for poor children in South Africa (black only) and when questioned about this responded she didn't have to answer to the white folks and that her roots were in Africa.

Okay...so now we see the change if anyone is looking and listening!! In the basically white states he talks about unification and a time for change. Here in SC he talked about making changes for the black folks. About taking control and not allowing the white folks to keep them down. He is not a candidate for the general population. He is not a candidate of unification. In the south he speaks only of his black roots and has forgotten his white mother. He is a candidate for change alright, and I don't think those who vote for him and if he actually manages to get elected are going to be happy shortly after. He has promised to fill as many govt. positions with blacks and remove as many whites as he can. While our white leaders have been working on unification and diversification, he is going to change all that and make it a basically black government.

So, while I was as excited as many others when Barack Obama first came on the scene, I am now disillusioned with him, disgusted with him, and ready to back anyone but him! This is my opinion, and while I know there are others who don't see and hear what I see and hear, or just don't want to, this is my blog to post my opinions. You are welcome to respond. Have a good day, and regardless of who you are backing get out and vote or don't complain when things happen you don't like.

New Year

When I was young the new year was an exciting event. The long year had ended and now a new one with new beginnings stretched out ahead of me. As the years pass and one blends into the other the changing of the guard is less noticeable. Less exciting. Less anything. Last night I turned on Dick Clark's new years eve in Times Square and seeing him so ill made me feel sad. I certainly didn't get the feeling of an exciting new year coming up soon. So, we changed the channel and I saw only young faces laughing and smiling and anticipating the new year. It dawned on me then the new years celebrations are for the young. The ones with a lifetime ahead of them. Those who still have dreams and the time to carry them out. Those who don't realize how quickly that life time will pass and soon the years will melt one into the other until you barely notice the changing of the guard. So, we had our egg nog and pork sandwiches (a family tradition) and wished each other a happy new year. While I miss the excitement of bringing in the new year, I once felt, I am accepting of the fact there are more new years behind me than in front. While I hope there will be many more new years for me to bring in I now understand it can be a quiet thoughtful change and doesn't need to have all the bells and whistles and excitement of the ones celebrated in the past.

May the new year bring blessings upon your family, good health to all, enough wealth to keep you comfortable, and enough excitement to make it worth getting out of bed each day.

Happy New Year to all!