Where's the Shame?

Imagine me turning into a political blogger! It horrifies me, really. But on the other hand, how can I NOT comment on things I've been seeing online and in the news? On the upside, I did manage to separate my two political blogs with something completely inane and, well, pointless, so I'm not going completely over the edge.

Anyway, I suppose by the title you know where I'm going with this: yes, the McCain campaign. Really, though, I'm not going to yell at the McCain campaign specifically as much as Republicans in general. Lets start with all of the "Real America" and "Anti-America" crap. It's not so much scary that some idiot thought it smart to try to separate our country into to camps, it's the fact that so many people have decided to do it! Since when was it "Pro-American" to put down parts of this very country simply because you don't share the same views? (And I'm not even going to mention the fact that the parts of the country they're putting down tend to be the most populated parts. I mean, if you want to get elected, why antagonize so much of the electorate? Brains have gone right out the door, I tell ya!). But moving on, amongst all of this "Pro-REAL-America" talk is someone even more disturbing: MN's own Rep. Michele Bachmann. She's not content enough to put down at least half of the country for having different views than she has, she thinks that there should be an investigation into all of the anti-American people out there. In other words, she basically wants to throw the first amendment out the window to ensure that everybody around her thinks exactly the way she does. And despite her recent backpedaling, I'm still pretty sure she doesn't think her comments were in any way wrong. Umm, Ms. Bachmann, if there's anybody who's anti-American around here, take a look in the mirror.

Now lets move on to the people standing in line for the McCain/Palin rallies who have so recently started to grace Youtube. Again, if anybody is anti-American, it is these people. I grew up thinking that one of the great things about our country is its diversity, the ability of its citizens to get along despite the many differences and backgrounds of their neighbors. I'm beginning to learn that's not always the case. The party of "Christian Values" is unaccepting of anything different from it, ridicules those who would speak up for the underdog, and is, well, nothing less than a large group of bigots. We've seen videos showing people beating up cardboard pictures of Obama, brandishing monkeys to show their distaste of Obama, yelling at the Obama supporters that they were socialists and/or Communists, calling Obama a terrorist, a Muslim, an Arab, the "Monkey President", "Baby-killer" and more. They revel in their ignorance, flaunt their prejudices and curse everybody who is remotely different from them. They shout downright lies about their candidate's opponent and then yell at the media for debunking those lies.

If my country continues to go down the path I've seen some of my fellow citizens emark on these past few weeks, I may have to start looking for a home abroad. I don't want to have anything to do with a country that embraces such ideas.

And to continue my rant, what's so horrible about the kind of "socialism" these people are yelling about? What's wrong with reducing the taxes for the people who need it most? What's wrong with supporting programs that help the poor? What's wrong with paying police officers, teachers, highway workers and other officials to keep our streets safe and clean and our children educated? If these people are Christians, why are they so scared of helping the poor and helpless? That's one of the main tenants of Christianity for Pete's sake? Not to mention that it's just good economics. If you help the poor, then, wow, you have less need for all those social programs these people are so scared of! All of those "deadbeats" will suddenly have the skills, education and ability to start helping themselves and their families. Not to mention the fact that helping the poor cuts down on crime and healthcare costs and enables cities to remain beautiful and to redirect their resources elsewhere. It's win/win, so what's the problem.

Oh, and don't get me started on one-issue voters (yeah, those pesky pro-lifers). They insist on the sanctity of life, but once they save that baby they abandon it (read my rant above about their fear of helping the poor). They see no need to help educate the ignorant, feed the hungry, house the homeless. If they stopped to think about it, by preventing that abortion they most likely helped cause some of the problems they're so against, because statistically it is the poor who are most likely to get that abortion. And one last thing to add to this: how can so many people who are pro-life also be pro-capital punishment? Isn't that a bit of a contradiction.

Sorry this is long and rambling, I've just had it all rambling around in my head for so long I needed to get it down on the page. If you're lucky I'll leave it as is. If not, I may soon feel the need to expand on each rant individually...

And now I'll leave you with a post from somebody at the Daily Kos who very nearly voiced my very opinion.

Unfit Parents

I have been reminded (by overheard conversations, not by anyway directly) a few times lately that I would be an incredibly unfit mother if I were ever to have a child. Why do I say this, do you ask? It’s because I cannot keep plants alive. In fact, I am an indiscriminate murderer of plants. Put a plant – any plant – in my house and I’ll have it dead within a month. Come to think of it, I’m pretty good at killing plants outside my house, too…

So what does killing plants have to do with being a good parent? Well, apparently the advice that goes around is that, to make sure you’re ready to have kids, start out with buying a plant. Once you are able to keep the plant alive, get a pet. After the pet has thrived in your house for a good period of time, then you’re ready to have a kid. Hmmm. Problem is, while I submit various plants to painful and inhumane deaths, I’ve somehow managed to keep my dog alive for 6 years now. Plus, according to her vet, she is well-fed and well taken care of. So now I’m confused. Does that mean I am or am not ready to have kids? I can keep a dog alive but not a plant. One would think that since a dog is arguably much harder to take care of than a plant, then that should trump my horrible record with plants. But really, if I can’t properly care for something as easy as a plant then maybe I just lucked out with the dog (and the cat, by the way – though I will admit that cats pretty much take care of themselves). Do I have to be able to take care of both plants and animals equally well before I can be entrusted with a child? Did I put my two pets in horrible danger when I adopted them, and are they both hovering over the pit of doom? And what if I am never able to keep plants alive? Does that mean I should never have kids?

Lucky for me I am still a ways away from having a child, so I still have time to improve my record with plants. Maybe, then, it will be a moot point as to whether or not I will be capable. In the meantime, would it be cheating if I started to have only fake plants?

I am horrified

to admit that I am now officially a political junkie. The reason I am horrified is that I hate politics. Which, I suppose, is why I've become a political junkie. Politics seems to be particularly horrible right about now, thanks to the presidential campaign, and the fact that so much seems to be riding on it has just made me into an obsessed person.

So I am therefore admitting my problem in hopes that this is the first step towards recovery.

Still, I have a sinking feeling that I will be obsessed until, oh, November 4 or so. In the meantime, I will continue to search through news sites and blogs for proof that there are still sane people living in the US. You (hopefully) know the kinds of people I'm talking about: the ones who DO NOT support the McCain/Palin ticket. The ones who see that such a ticket is simply a ticket of four more years of the same failed policies, or even a worsening of them. The ones who care that the McCain camp regularly lies. The ones who won't vote simply because the vice-presidential candidate is a woman. You know - sane people!

It sickens me that McCain has been able to actually pull ahead in the polls. What are these people watching every day that they can't figure out that "their" candidate has not addressed issues, but instead rallies voters by ridiculing Obama's education (oh no, an educated president! What WILL we do?!), gets all self-righteous when Obama stretches the truth but outright lies themselves (unapologetically), plays the gender card on non-issues after mocking Hillary Clinton for doing the same, picks a running mate who's only foreign policy experience is that her state is next to Russia and who also shows a remarkable lack of curiosity to learn, instead choosing to repeat talking points over and over again.

Now I'm quite aware that Obama is not the perfect candidate. I'd like it if he had more experience and that he didn't occasionally take the easy way out in his votes. But you only have to look at his campaign to see that he knows how to surround himself with smart people (and to listen to them!), knows how to run a tight ship, and knows how to get people to follow him. You don't have to have previous executive experience to become a good leader.

Seriously, how can you even say McCain is better?

And to add a little fuel to my ire-filled fire, here are a couple of articles I saw today to prove my point:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Obama-Waffles.html (these people call themselves Christians?!)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html?hp (she's a different kind of politician, huh?)

I rest my case. I've ranted. Now hopefully I can get on with my life.

Heretical rant so I can get to sleep

Yes, I know it's 11:30 on a weeknight and I should be fast asleep right now so I can get up without too much complaint bright and early tomorrow morning. But I've been laying in bed for the past 45 blasted minutes and my mind will not shut up. It's just screaming to be emptied so I can finally roll over and get my beauty rest. I just abhor laying in bed not being able to sleep, so I thought I'd try a blog. Here goes:

It all started this afternoon when I e-mailed one of my best friends about when to fly out in July for her wedding. She's the best friend who lives on one of the coasts and I'm still trying to figure out logistics and all that. Problem is, I've come to realize she's not a best friend anymore and I'm extremely saddened by that fact. See, I don't make close friends very easily, so it hurts immensely when I see one pulling away no matter how hard I try to hang on. Oh, she still sends the chatty e-mails my way, but these days it's only after I e-mail her first. A couple of years ago we'd e-mail daily, and she'd admonish me if she had to send the first e-mail too many times in a row. Now...she got engaged before I even knew she had a boyfriend (whom I guess she had for a year!), and then it took her another two weeks to tell me about the engagement. So obviously, despite the fact that I always kind of expected to be a bridesmaid in her wedding, it finally hit me that that will not happen after I got an invitation to her wedding in the mail last week (to just "Kate" and not "Kate and Guest", by the way).

Here comes the heretical part: the reason she's not a best friend anymore? She's turned into a Christian with a capital "C". (She told me today about a "non-Christian friend" who wanted to move into an apartment with her boyfriend - oh the horror! But yes, she categorizes her friends into "Christian" and "Non-Christian" groups). I get the feeling these days that I am simply not Christian enough for her anymore. And you know what? I absolutely abhor Christians, especially since I lost another really good friend right after college for the very same reason: I wasn't Christian enough for him, either. Me, I'm just a christian. Apparently I'm just too liberal and, well, accepting of others (OK, not always accepting, but at least not so judging). And I'll admit to being a Christian if asked outright, but if you really want to know? If asked what religion I am and Christianity doesn't come up, I will 100% of the time say that I am Lutheran. I do not want ao associate myself with most Christians these days, even though I'm one of them. "Lutheran" doesn't carry the same negative connotations in my mind.

Christians are close-minded, unbending, judgmental, self-important people who refuse to see outside of the little boxes they've made for themselves. If other people aren't Christians? Oh ho, watch out - they're going to Hell! I say, if God had someone be born in Israel or Saudi Arabia or India, would He then damn that person for following the beliefs of the society into which God had him be born? And if God gave someone the kind of brain that will analyze things and come up with the conclusion that there is no god, will He then turn around and punish that person for using the very brain He gave him/her? People who damn others for their beliefs are self-important, self-righteous people who do not see their own unending flaws.

Oh, how I want to tell my friend what I think. But if I do, she will not only not be a best friend anymore, she won't be a friend anymore. That may have to come to being somewhere down the road, but I'm not ready for that yet. I'm still getting over the shock that she's not a best friend, and that saddens me to no end. One good thing about being a Christian? I have someone to rant and rave at, and in this case even blame, for such a thing. Problem is, I still need to find the faith that He'll help me through any of it.

Being Sick Sucks

So here I am at day 4, still home from work, still coughing and sniffing and blowing my nose and downing drugs. It sucks. Actually, the coughing is new today. I guess body aches, head aches, ear aches, itchy ears, stuffed nose, and itchy throats just aren't enough. Nooo, instead of getting better, I just keep adding things. I don't like taking my vacation days to be sick!! Thankfully I was able to make it into work yesterday long enough to grad some files so all is not completely lost: I can now work at home while coughing and aching and nose blowing! Woohoo!

On the up side, I get to catch up on my daytime tv. Naw, not really. I thankfully have HBO, a DVR and movies to keep me busy. Oh yeah, and work. And homework. Not that it's easy to concentrate on anything with substance when I'm aching and stuffy and coughing and drugged up.

Did I mention that I ache, my nose is stuffed, I'm coughing and my head is about to explode? In short, being sick sucks.

Umm...topic?

OK, so here's how helpful my friends are: I asked what I should blog about and I was given these topics:

the "rain"
"regional elitism"
air quotes

Really, none of those things are things I tend to write about. Rain doesn't elicit any kind of response from me, I'm a regional elitist myself (though I'm ashamed to admit it), and, well, what can you type about air quotes? So I'll just type until I can think of something to write about.

Hmm, now the conversation has moved to traveling. I can so write about traveling. I love to travel. Here's a list of places I've been: France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, England, New Zealand, Japan, and of course, Mexico and Canada (oh yeah, and the airport in Amsterdam). Loved every single place, though I would like to go back to Japan to give it another chance. I stayed too much in the urban areas, and was thus very crowded and always ecstatic when I saw a tree. However, towards the end of that trip we started to discover the non-populated areas, and they were awesome.

So now to places I would like to see. Well, everywhere! Places that were brought up in our coversation that all appeal to me are Iceland and Siberia. OK, so maybe Siberia doesn't appeal to me quite so much, but I would love to go to Russia. The far east was never really high on my list, iehter, but now I find myself wanting to go to China and Thailand, at the very least. In any case, it may be easier to just say where I don't want to go: Middle East (though I'd like to go to the Holy Land - if the unrest ever gets rested), most of Africa (again, a little scared for my safety) and, well....I think that's about it. Otherwise, if you want a travel companion and I can afford it, let me know - I'll join in!

Any places any of you want to see one day? Post me a comment!

10 Things I've Done (or had done to me)

In keeping with the theme of my previous post, I thought I'd continue my informative 10-point posts:

1) I have been bungy jumping (yes, bungy jumping - that's how they spelled it where I did it!). Anyway, an interesting fact about that: I was goaded on to do it by none other than my own father.

2) I have been stepped on by a horse. Ask to see the big dent in my right arm someday! (I have also had that same horse slip and fall right out from under me. Interesting feeling, that). Actually, I have quite a few falling-off-of-horses stories if you're ever interested.

3) I was picked up for speeding twice within an hour and a half of each other. In each case I was going 71 in a 55, and in each case I got ticketed. Stupid cops. That reminds me, I've also ridden in the back of a cop car (completely unrelated to the tickets).

4) I have been to 12 countries and 48 states (despite the fact that I've been to New England twice in the past 2 years, I have yet to make it to Maine. The other state? Alaska).

5) I used to be in a steel drum band (I've got a CD we recorded in a professional-type recording session to prove it!)

6) I once played hooky in high school to go skiing with my brother. Maybe not a big deal to some people, but this is ME we're talking about!

7) I have been a bridesmaid in 5 weddings (so far) and have 3 ugly bridesmaid gowns, one cocktail dress and a hockey jersey to show for it.

8) I have rollerbladed in two marathons and two Sun 75 events (another funny story - a week after making it back from one of those 75-mile skates, which I made through safely, I wiped out on my skates and got a nasty road rash on the back of my left leg).

9) I got bit by the same dog twice within a month in the exact same spot behind my knee - and both times it was my own dog's fault.

and the big one:

10) I fell off my roof two years ago and broke three bones: the radius (by my elbow) in my left arm, and tibia (middle of shin) and fibula (up by knee) in my left leg. As a result, I had to use a walker with an arm platform for a month because my broken arm couldn't handle crutches.

10 things you probably already figured out...

Inspired by the post of a friend, I thought I'd do the same thing (almost, anyway). So here goes:

10 things you probably already know about me but I'll articulate anyway:

1. I love to learn but hate to study. This is best evidenced by my blogging the night before a midterm instead of studying...

2. I absolutely love to travel. If you say the word "go", my ears immediately perk up and I'll reply "Go? Where?!"

3. I've always wished I was able to take horseback riding back up after college, but I've never had either the time or money or both.

4. My best friends lived on opposite coasts of the country for four years. Now one has at least moved to within a 5 hour drive, but I still miss them both horribly.

5. I love my dog, but at the same time she drives me absolutely nuts, and I'm forever feeling guilty about it.

6. I'm neurotic about my pet peeves. The things that annoy me are always the things that are easiest for me to notice.

7. I'm impatient to remodel my house and wish I could do it in one fell swoop instead of this one-thing-at-a-time-as-I-can-afford-it crap.

8. I've always wanted to move out east but never had the guts to do it without first finding a job there - but everybody knows it's really hard to find a job there if you don't already live there!

9. I feel guilty every week that I haven't gone to church except for Christmas and Easter for the past year (since before school started).

10. I'm jealous of my friend who recently got engaged - she was my last single friend from my past!

Fraternal Concern

Last weekend I had the opportunity to travel out to Vermont to visit my nephew (OK, and my brother and sister-in-law, too). Except for the one day spent watching hockey and basketball (sometimes both at the same time) due to my poor timing of having spring break fall over a major tournament weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip, and my nephew. He is a major smiler. Here's a picture showing him with his usual expression:


However, the trip did more than just give me time to get acquainted with Jordan. It also gave me time to observe my brother. What I saw concerned me a little bit. I'm not sure my brother is entirely happy with life at the moment. Oh sure, it's obvious that he loves Jordan and dotes on him, but otherwise my brother is not a happy person. This trip found me acting as an intermediary between my brother and my mom, as my brother perceives her disapproval at every remark she makes or question she asks. My mom, on the other hand, says she only asks questions because otherwise my brother would never talk, and in addition she says she is very careful to keep her remarks neutral in fear of turning my brother off from any idea she may have or of making him mad. I think, after staying with my brother for five days, that his perceived slights are due to his own feelings and not to anything my mother says to him (though I won't deny that my mom has a strong personality that may seem disapproving at times, and she is a natural question-asker. Still, she's always there when you need her). See, he doesn't work at the moment. He's the stay-at-home parent for Jordan, and as a result spends the majority of his days sitting in his chair watching tv. When my sister-in-law gets home from work, she cooks them all dinner and then takes over care of Jordan. In essence, my brother has no meaning in almost anything he does (though I'm not saying that watching Jordan has no meaning, but I would think endless days of conversing with an infant can be draining). Seeing as he and I are alike in this way, while we think we enjoy having no responsibilities, in actuality having too much down time leads to discontent and depression. I know the signs well, because I have found myself there from time to time. And my brother exhibits all the signs to a major degree: he gets offended easily (he got offended when I asked him why he needed the remote back after he gave it to me when he left the room), he reads things (i.e. disapproval) into everything you say no matter how innocently you say it, he frequently states that he can't stand how people want to know everything about his life when all they did was ask how things were going. No, my brother is not happy.

Unfortunately, my brother and I do not have the type of relationship where it is easy for me to bring up what I noticed last weekend. I would probably be the person he would take the least amount of offense from, but at the same time it's not the kind of topic we find easy to discuss with each other. And now that I'm back to being half a country away from him, after chickening out of bringing up my concerns when I was there I don't feel it's the kind of topic you bring up over the phone or e-mail. Thus you see my posting here. I want to help my brother, but I just don't know how!

Rule of Law

OK, so obviously I've been a little lax in my blogging recently. I guess I'm turning lazy all around these days! In any case, I've recently started listening to MPR again (I seem to listen in phases - listen to it a lot for a while, and then don't listen to it at all for a while...). Anyway, there has been a multi-part story from NPR that's been running right around the end of my afternoon commute home - at about 5:25 for those of you who are interested, that has really gotten me to think about what I've learned so far in law school, and how lucky I am to live in the country I do:

The story centers around the establishment of a new rule of law in Iraq; namely, the adjudication of all cases deserving of trial and the everyday difficulty of running the new system. Yesterday the focus was on the danger the judges face every day simply for being judges. Their families live in the "Green Zone", the Hall of Justice is itself its own little "Green Zone" where the judges are virtual prisoners themselves for their own safety, and the fact that people are afraid to be witnesses, are afraid to pursue cases against power people and government officials, and are afraid to voice any unpopular opinion. I forgot the numbers, but a good number of judges have been killed since Iraq's "liberation" all because they tried to start a fair and unbiased system of justice.

Today the focus was on the difficulty of training the judges in this new system of law. In the old system the judges were not able to think for themselves; they were told what to think by the government, and if they did not do as they were told they were thrown into jail. These days there is still fear, as the government is still corrupt and tries to run the system for their own benefit. Also, the story stated that the new system of justice is modeled after the French system, so unlike the US where there are judges, prosecutors and defense, all trying to find a common ground or at least find a final decision in a dispute, in Iraq the judge is all three, including a bit of an investigator. The problem, states one of the American trainers for this new system, is that the judges think that, because they are judges, they have an innate ability to determine if a witness or defendant is lying or telling the truth, and they therefore have no need for evidence.

Obviously, there is still a long way to go until the Rule of Law in Iraq is up and running and operating smoothly and independently of the government. The troubles described make me wonder how our country was so lucky as to be founded by such relatively unselfserving men whose main goal was not how to further their own interests, but how to further the interests of a new and free country, where law and justice is available to all and not just a lucky few. Also, how did we manage to not fall irreparably into anarchy and insecurity as most countries seem to do these days after they throw off the yoke of an old power?

In any case, it will be interesting to see how the NPR story continues tomorrow. You can be sure that I will be tuning in at 5:35pm.

12 Months and Forever

I've been thinking a lot lately about how quickly a life can change, and how unexpected those changes can be. Last year at this time I was newly jobless and was certain that I would be attending a different law school (in fact, I think I had only heard back from one school by this time last year). My current ecole was actually last on my list of places to consider. And lastly, I had a roommate I didn't like but was terrified would move out and take her rent payments with her. In short, life was looking pretty grim, I was in a funk and looking only to get through the next day instead of looking to the future. While "everything happens for a reason" can be completely believable in your head, when that "everything" suddenly happens to you, it's extremely hard to believe in your heart.

Fast forward one year later: now I'm in a job I like (even if it's a lot further away than I had hoped), getting much better pay; I ended up choosing my last choice in schools and am thankful I did; I'm living happily roommateless and don't really miss the rent; and I now keep looking to what life will be like four years from now, hoping not to think about tomorrow and the homework that awaits (which is not to say I'm in a funk - just anticipating that the hard work I'm enduring now will eventually bloom into something great).

It's amazing what a little action (your own and that of others) and just a little bit of time can do to change the course you thought you were taking in life. Kind of like that old Minnesota adage stating that if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes, if you don't like the path you suddenly find your life on, wait a couple of months. Things are bound to change.

Disturbing Practices

OK, so I realize I haven't blogged for over a week now. I'm a horrible person. That's probably a disturbing practice of mine - making all of you loyal readers (all one or two of you) wait so long in between my incredibly witty and worthwhile blogs. I apologize and will try to remedy the situation. No promises, though.

I've been thinking a lot lately that I need to lament (yes, lament, because I don't feel I rail and lament nearly enough) about the things I notice my fellow commuters doing in their cars on the way to work in the morning. So I'll just write a quick list:

- Applying Make-up (interesting side-note: the practice of applying make-up while operating a motor vehicle is called "farding". So I see people "fard" all the time!)
- Reading the newspaper
- Talking on their phones
- Gesticulating with both hands
- Filing (really, I saw someone filing papers once)

There are others but now of course I can't think of them. The list above is the most prevalent. Makes me think of all the tortious activities going on out there. And I thought I was a dangerous driver because I speed!

Pure Drivel

OK, so I have absolutely nothing of substance to write tonight, but thought that it was high time I post something, seeing as it's been over a week. I'm slacking! Anyway, I know, you're wondering when I have posted something of substance, so how is this different? I'll have to get back you on that in another blog. Hey, another topic for the future! Yeah!

So, what should I write about? I'll take suggestions if you're inclined to give any. I'm not particularly inclined (hmm, that must be my word for the night) to write about politics or world events, nor do I really want to write about school. However, I do have a (really bad) joke I read today on Google's "A Joke A Day" that reminded me of us pathetic law school students. I suppose I can have that as my blog! So, here goes (and remember, I've warned you, it's bad. It's just got a part that's so on point!):

A guy walks into a bar (yes, it's a bar joke) and the bartender asks him "What'll you have?" The guy answers, "A scotch, please," The bartender hands him the drink, and says "That'll be five dollars", to which he replies, "What are you talking about? I don't owe you anything for this."

(do you see where we're going yet?)

A lawyer (aha!), sitting nearby and overhearing the conversation, then says to the bartender, "You know, he's got you there. In the original offer, which constitutes a binding contract upon acceptance, there was no stipulation of renumeration." The bartender's not impressed, but says to the guy, "Okay, you beat me for a drink. But don't ever let me catch you in here again."

The next day, the same guy walks into the bar. The bartender says, "What are you doing here? I can't believe you got the audacity to come back!"

The guy says, "What are you talking about? I've never been in this place in my life." To which the bartender replies, "I'm very sorry, but this is uncanny. You must have a double."

To which the guy replies, "Thank you! Make it a scotch!"

I TOLD you it was bad! But the lawyer interjecting his point of wisdom just got to me. Now tell me why the lawyer was wrong! :)

One of Those Annoying Surveys

I actually meant to write something profound today (as yet to-be-determined), but I simply ran out of time due to some rather fascinating reading about fraud in Contracts (note the sarcastic bend to the last part of that sentence...). Anyway, due to the fact that I want to post something but still really need to get to bed at a decent hour, I thought I'd paste one of those e-mail surveys that go around all the time. I like filling them out, but it seems nobody else does. This way I can pass it on without annoying people by clogging their inboxes. Genius! (And to clarify some of my answers, I actually filled this out at work last week...) If you want to actually return your own answers to this survey to me, by all means do so. I love receiving them!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

There’s some obscure great-aunt or something named Kate, but I think that was a coincidence

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Honestly don’t know. Last March?

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

It could be a little neater, but it’s not too bad

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Ham

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

A dog and a cat. They’re my “kids”

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Yeah, I think so

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A Lot?

Oh, never!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS

Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Already did, but probably won’t again

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Chocolate Lucky Charms

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

Sometimes

12. DO YOU THINK YOU'RE STRONG?

Kinda

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Depends on my mood. I tend towards Cookies ‘n’ Cream or Mint Chocolate Chip

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Their general expression, I think

15. RED OR PINK?

Red

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

I’m too lazy

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

My college friends, the closest living over 5 hours away

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?

Of course!

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

Black and Black

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

A 100 Grand snack-sized bar

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

A co-worker talking tax to a client

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Midnight blue

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

A crisp fall day, freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

A Financial Advisor in Rochester

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?

Of course I do!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Equestrian

27. HAIR COLOR?

Mousy brown with blond streaks (some are even natural!)

28. EYE COLOR?

Hazel tending towards blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

Used to and still will occasionally

30. FAVORITE FOOD?

Most things I don’t have to cook myself (see Jihad list for exceptions)

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Happy Endings!!!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (finally!)

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Black

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Fall

35. HUGS OR KISSES?

Noo touchy!

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with a little bit of ice cream on the side

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

Beats me!

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

Everybody!

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

“Contract and Related Obligations” It's riveting!

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

“SII Investments – When you are Serious About Success”

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?

Shawshank Redemption

42. FAVORITE SOUND(s)

Horse shoes clicking on concrete or pool balls hitting each other

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?

Beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

Christchurch, New Zealand

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

Sarcasm

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Staunton, VA

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?

Well, that’s just a dumb question!

Bad Moon Rising?

Throughout the course of my workday, I like to keep an eye on the headlines on both MSNBC.com and CNN.com, just to keep apprised of what’s going on in the world. The headlines of yesterday and today have done well to remind me that terrorists in the sense that most people think of them (i.e. Islamic militants) are not our biggest threat:

· Winter tornadoes killed dozens in the south

· Man killed 5 and self at city council meeting

· Woman stabbed pilots on a commercial flight in NZ

· Man shot wife in front of her 5^th grade students

· Woman killed 2 students then self in community college

· Sugar Refinery exploded, with 6 dead and 3 people still missing

· A SWAT officer was killed in a stand-off with a man who claimed to have killed 3 family members

· A therapist was killed by her 16-year-old client

· Police found the “mastermind” behind the black-market sale of stolen kidneys

· A man was arrested for plotting to shoot up the Super Bowl (will he have the “withdrawal” defense for this?)

And those are just the big headlines from yesterday and today! Makes you wonder just what’s been in the air lately, because this is usually a couple of months worth of big headlines!

However, to end this without making you feel completely depressed, here’s some good news:

· A baby was found alive in a field after a tornado

· The public defender who was sucker-punched by his client decided to forgive the client (though he’s not representing the guy anymore)

· The 9-year-old boy who decided to have his leg amputated to avoid being wheelchair-bound is finally able to walk again (though, to add a sad twist: his leg clicks so he is no longer able to sneak into his sister’s room)

So, be vigilant all of my loyal readers out there (all one or two of you!). You never know when you’ll come up against a crazy!

And here's a reason...

…for Democrats and moderate Republicans to like John McCain:

Ann Coulter hates him.

‘Nuff said.

"Quotable Quotes"

I'm not really a political person. In fact, I tend to look at politics as the cause of most of the problems in this country. OK, maybe not that bad, but let's just say I don't think highly of politicians and their practice of politics. I refuse to align with any party, and could best describe myself as "radically independent".

Still, with "Super Tuesday" quickly approaching, and the fact that, while I'm not political I take my civic duty rather seriously (in which case you'll usually find me voting against people more often than voting for others), I thought I'd post some "patriotic" and "political" quotes to start you thinking towards what you may do this coming Tuesday. (By the way, I apologize for the funny formatting. Blogger and I had a major disagreement on whether or not everything should be uniform, and Blogger won...)

On Freedom and Liberty:

The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion. - Edmund Burke

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves – Abraham Lincoln

They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety - Benjamin Franklin

The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home. -James Madison

A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular. - Adlai Ewing Stevenson

...everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. - Victor Frankl

Those of us who shout the loudest about Americanism, are all too frequently those who…ignore some of the basic principles of Americanism—the right to criticize, the right to hold unpopular beliefs, the right to protest, the right of independent thought. - Margaret Chase Smith

If you have a right to respect, that means other people don't have a right to their own opinions. - Thomas Sowell

On Patriotism and Loyalty:

A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works. - Bill Vaughan

A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government. - Edward Abbey

He is a poor patriot whose patriotism does not enable him to understand how all men everywhere feel about their altars and their hearthstones, their flag and their fatherland. - Harry Emerson Fosdick

Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first. - Charles de Gaulle

"You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it." - Malcom X

Loyalty to the country always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it. - Mark Twain

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. - Theodore Roosevelt

Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else." - Theodore Roosevelt

I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually. - James A. Baldwin

Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive. - Henry Steele Commager

The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border? - Pablo Casals

On Politics and Government:

A politician will do anything to keep his job even become a patriot. - William Randolph Hearst

Politics is the art of making your selfish desires seem like the national interest. - Thomas Sowell

It is amazing how many people seem to think that the government exists to turn their prejudices into laws. - Thomas Sowell

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."- Thoreau

Miscellaneous:

Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little. - Edmund Burke

The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. - Benjamin Franklin

The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our disposition, and not our circumstances." - Martha Washington

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Experiment - Day 2

I have discovered that I am physically incapable of going 55mph on a highway. I can handle 60, but 55 is just plain out of my reach. Which is fine, I guess, since it seems like the rest of the metro area has the same disease.

Anyway, my second full day of trying to drive the speed limit was a relative success, if you don't count my morning commute (I got up 5 whole minutes earlier but still wasn't able to leave in time to go such a leisurely speed). While I did drive 60 in a 55 (hey, baby steps, OK? That's enormous, considering that lately I've been going 70 in that stretch of highway...), I still drove a portion of my commute home in the RIGHT LANE! Yes, I drove in the right lane. It was...an experience. So that's what it looks like on that side of the road! Of course, that was just a small stretch, since it was a commute and at this time of day even the left lane doesn't go the speed limit most of the time. OK, so maybe I'm cheating a little by relying on slow traffic to keep me slow. But I drove slow when I had to run errands over lunch, and traffic wasn't slow then, and it's not like I don't have stretches where I'm going against traffic, so there! :o)

I have discovered, however, that focusing so much on actually maintaining the speed limit occupies me enough that I don't have time to get impatient at how slow I'm going, so there's hope yet. And, to illustrate just how serious I am in this experiment, there was one point where I was actually the poor schmuck driving all alone in the right light (literally - there were no cars in front or behind me for quite some space) while everybody else flew by me on the left. That was extremely hard to do, because, being one of the people who normally does the flying by, I knew just what all of those drivers were thinking of me. Oh well, let's just call it penance for my sins.

And in a related topic, I remembered one other group who sits squarely on my jihad list: gas stations. For the second time in a row gas prices jumped 10 cents the day I had to get gas. If the pattern continues, prices will once again drop about 2 days from now, when my gas tank is still above half full. Just more proof that the forces of the world are against me. Either that or proof of my stupidity for not getting gas whenever the prices fall below $2.80. I prefer to blame the world in this case...

A Little Experiment

I decided yesterday that I was going to try a little experiment: I was going to try to drive the speed limit for a whole week. QUITE the task for me, let me tell you! I told a friend about my plan and she gave me two days before I caved and my heavy foot took over again. I wondered why she even gave me that long!

Anyway, I started my little experiment on my way home from school yesterday. That’s when I realized just how hard it was going to be. I gallantly tried to stay at 55, made a very concerted effort to do so, but if I let my eyes leave the speedometer for more than 10 seconds my speed would invariably go up to 60. It was horrible. So then I decided that I’d just have to set my cruise control. Normally I avoid using cruise control while driving around the Cities because speeds tend to be rather erratic and I’d have to break so much, but I realized that, at 55 mph, you never have to break because absolutely everybody is going faster than you are. Cruise control actually works in city driving if you go 55! Anyway, I made it home from school only a little worse for wear, wondering how in the world anybody could possibly drive so slowly!

This morning, however, I realized the first error of bad planning when it came to my little experiment. Apparently I time my mornings around the idea that I can speed for at least part of my way to work. If I allowed myself to go the speed limit at the times where traffic was moving I would probably be at least 10 minutes late to work! So, I basically lasted one commute home on a weekend in my first try. I figure, however, that once I work out the logistics – such as making sure I wake up earlier each morning, which really could be an experiment in itself – I can start the whole plan over again. I’m also going to try to put the kibosh on my lame attempt to get around my speed-limit test that would enable me to drive over the speed limit without technically breaking the rules. That’s right, not only did I not last more than one drive, I had also already worked out a plan that would let me speed guilt-free: I could speed if traffic was generally going faster than I was in order to not hold anybody up. Aren’t I pathetic? Man, I really DO have a speeding problem. Maybe that’s why I’ve had a tingly feeling in the back of my neck lately that I’m due to get a speeding ticket…

My Personal Crusade

I know this is unprecedented, two posts in two days, when normally I can't do two posts in a week! But I was re-reading a blog and realized I promised to tell you about a personal crusade at work. This way you'll really find it easy to find me rather odd. Or scary. Or both.

So anyway, you've now probably read about my personal jihads. A couple of them were directed at one particular person I'm forced to share an office with. Now, don't get me wrong, she's a nice enough person, extremely knowledgeable and very willing to share that knowledge, and we even have some nice conversations every now and then. But she is absolutely incapable of eating anything silently. I swear, she even eats bread loudly.

Anyway, lately she's taken to eating the Jolly Ranchers that end up in the candy dish kept at the receptionist's desk. And not only does she literally slurp the damn things, she's constantly knocking them against her teeth. And she doesn't stop at one. As soon as she's done with that one, she pops another one in her mouth. My crusade started a day when I swear I sat for two straight hours listening to her suck on that blasted candy.

That day, I took it upon myself to go up to the candy dish and take out every single Jolly Rancher that was in there to ensure that my slurping office-mate couldn't get her hands on any more. Problem was, I had to pretend I was digging for chocolate to cover up my real motive (hey, I do have some pride!). So I managed to grab all I could find, but the problem was that the receptionist kept refilling the dish, and I couldn't keep going back every couple of hours and dig through it. They'd get suspicious! And then, ultimate failure, the last time I was digging around, the receptionist figured I couldn't find what I was looking for and added more candy, including more Jolly Ranchers!

So, my personal crusade is a lost cause, all due to an efficient receptionist. Still, I manage every now and then to swipe the obvious Jolly Ranchers. Hey, any hard candy I get is one less she can annoy me with.

By the way, anybody want a Jolly Rancher?

My Personal Jihads

So recently I was introduced to the concept of personal jihads. Not that having personal wars against people and things is a new concept to me, but the term is. Seeing as I've been thinking a lot about jihads since that term came up, I thought I'd write about some of my own avowed jihads.

First is against people who snap their gum. Can't stand that. Can't these people tell that that is something that is annoying to most other people?! Same goes for people who carry on loud conversations in public on their mobile phones. As if I really want to hear about how so-and-so got pregnant but doesn't know who the father is! And now that we're speaking of mobile phones, people who keep their phones on during movies, and then have the gall to answer them if somebody calls, also deserve to go down on my list of public enemies...

Moving on, and going back to the chewing topic, I can't stand people who chew with their mouths open. Or people who can't suck on hard candy silently. Or how about those people who let everybody know they're eating something juicy by all the slurping they do, or the people who constantly chomp on ice. Aaaiiieeeee! Please kill me before putting me in a room with any of those people!

And drivers. Ugh. I can't stand drivers of Subarus. It's like they all personally hunt me out and then drive at least 5 mph under the speed limit right in front of me. Or what about that driver who turns on his/her parking lights at dusk but not the headlights. What's that all about? Or worse, people who don't turn any lights on until it's dark out!

You know what, for simple ease and to save time, let's just say I've declared a personal jihad on the human race in general. I'll keep you posted if I decide that you're exempt...

So onto cities. I have two cities in particular that should go the way of the Dodo, based on their poor road signage and my subsequent hours of driving around lost: Waterloo, IA and Madison, WI. Now, don't get me wrong, I normally regard getting lost as either a) a good way to find your way around a new city or to find a new route, or b) a scenic route before getting back on the main road. Getting lost is usually kinda fun. But getting lost in Waterloo or Madison? Nothing fun about it. You CAN'T find your way back once you're lost. At least not until you finally recognize a road and immediately turn on it, only to find out you're going the wrong way on a one-way. But even that's better than staying lost, because at least then the cop who pulls you over can give you directions to where you need to go...

Hmm, what else? Well, there are always the obvious things, such as spam, pop-ups, junk mail, unsolicited credit card applications, having the same company call you over and over again even after you tell them they have the wrong number, and, of course, telemarketers.

Oh! And stoplights! You know how most stoplights are equipped with a sensor that tells them to turn green if an emergency vehicle is approaching? Well, I think my car headlights have a similar thing, except they tell stoplights to turn red as soon as I approach. It seems like such a waste of time to have to wait at all those stoplights. Can't I just make it through one every now and then?

Ah yes, and the food category: fish. Fish as a food just has to go. Why can't you just let the poor unsuspecting fish stay in their lakes and rivers and keep poor people such as myself from having to smell them cooking? And squash. No, mother, I promise you, I won't like this version of squash, either. I just don't like squash (really, no offense to squash - I wouldn't dislike you nearly as much if my mother would quit pushing you on me). And why can't people just eat broccoli raw? They ruin a perfectly good vegetable when they cook it!

I suppose I could go on and on, but really, just declaring a jihad on the whole human race has deleted quite a lot of what I could have written. That, and I have a feeling if I write anymore people will start to think that maybe I do have a few screws loose and will start being afraid...

Common Misconceptions

OK, so first I want to make a horrible admission: I finally broke down and joined Facebook. Yes, I'm ashamed to say it - I joined a fad. I hate fads. I usually try to avoid them. Only rarely do I follow them, and that's only after I determine that the fad actually might have a point to it! I'm still not sure about this Facebook thing, but oh well. I figure one of two things will happen: I'll spend way too much time on it and neglect other things, or (more likely), my Facebook page will go the way of this blog - looked at every now and then when I remember I'm still a member. :o)

Anyway, I thought I'd point out some common misconceptions people have about me that I find to be quite humorous. Maybe this way so many people won't misjudge me. Or...maybe not.

I'm a patient person. Anybody who knows me well would laugh to hear that. I am probably one of the most impatient people around! My nasty impatience will most often rear its ugly head when I'm driving. I tend to get mad at pretty much 50% of the drivers on the road the same time I am, and they'd probably wonder at my sanity if they heard me yelling at them. :o) Oh well, I continue to work on it, and pray every day for God to give me patience - right now!

I'm a fragile person. When I started working for United Airlines as a customer service rep one summer in college, one of the other reps was told to keep an eye on me because they weren't sure I'd be able to handle it. He laughingly told me a couple of months later about that. Oh, how wrong they were! Usually when people get mad at me or are rude to me, I'm more likely to see it as a reflection on them more than on me. Especially if the person doesn't know me to begin with. If anything, I get mad, not hurt.

I'm a prude. Yes, I'm a Christian - but trust me, that does not make me ultra-conservative. I do not swoon when people swear, drink or smoke around me (OK, maybe when they smoke around me, because I DO find that to be a rather disgusting habit). And sure, just because I don't normally swear doesn't mean I get shocked when others do. (Personally, I think there's a time and place for swearing, and yes, I actually do think that people over-use swear words. In my opinion, swearing should be saved to add emphasis to something - and trust me, when I swear people notice what I'm saying! Though sometimes, people focus more on the fact that I swore than what I was saying, which kind of mitigates the whole purpose of my swearing in the first place. Anyway, I'm more of the opinion that people who swear too much either 1) are too lazy to think of another appropriate and more creative word for the situation, or 2) are uneducated and/or feel the need to try to shock everybody around them with their toughness. Either way, the amount of swearing people do these days makes swear words almost completely pointless, in my humble opinion.) As for drinking - go ahead! More power to ya! I simply don't drink because I don't think the alcohol is worth the price, especially when I'd enjoy a soda just as much. As for getting drunk, I hate the idea of giving up control, even to myself. That, and I've experienced way too many annoying drunk people to want to be like them! :o)

As for getting offended? Heck, if I allowed things to offend me I figure I'd spend my whole life being offended. What's the point of that? All it does is make the offended person miserable and focused on the wrong thing. And once again: people who say offensive things are simply reflecting badly on themselves, not on me. What's offensive about that?

Hmm, what else? There is more, but this is getting long and I did capture the main things. Next time I'll have to tell you about my personal crusade at work and how it's failing (oh, poor me!). Now that's a little thing about me that my friends and family would laugh at and say "oh yeah, that's SO Kate", but most people would go: "no! Really?" Hehehe. The only clue I'll give you is that it's related to my so-called patience. Now, hopefully I won't wait another month to write again!

No Greater Love...

Having started this blog and then abandoned it for two weeks, I've been reminded that I'm a rather ambivalent person. That probably stems from my inherent laziness, I'm guessing. Also, I usually can't form a strong enough opinion about anything to really get myself worked up about it. That'll probably help with my lawyerly skills, as my inability to form a strong opinion usually comes from the fact that I see both sides of the argument. Here's hoping, at least.

However, while perusing the news sites today, filling time during yet another workless work-day, I came across this link in an article on msnbc.com, and it really got to me - gave me something that I found very worthwhile to put out on my humble blog: It's the final blog from a soldier who was killed last week in Iraq.

His blog (and the link from there to the blog he kept while in Iraq), put a face and actions to this distant war, which up to now has remained completely impersonal to me, as I am lucky to not personally know one person who has or will serve in Iraq or Afghanistan (or if I do know somebody that person is quite distant).

His blog asks that we not make his death political, which in my humble opinion is how all deaths should be taken - non politically. No matter what your views are on the current administration, the current war, or any reasons floating around for or against either, the death of a soldier - who, we must sometimes be reminded is somebody's loved one and not just an arm of our military - is a horrible thing. It means that somewhere out there, a promising life has been snuffed out too soon, loving friends and family have forever lost an important part of their lives, and our citizens have lost a hero who was willing to go wherever our country sent him, believing that our way of life was important enough for him to join the group tasked with protecting us, regardless of where he might end up or why.

In my opinion, anybody who does that is a hero. And those who end up giving the ultimate sacrifice are even more so.