Decision 2012: Energy

It's been a few days since I last posted concerning the political boiling pot, and with hurricane Sandy hitting the east coast Monday; sometimes these other topics seem less significant.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families who have been hit by Sandy.  Thousands have lost homes, cars, property, and more importantly, life.  It's always amazing to me to see how generous the American people are.  So many donate money, time, and energy in helping to restore the lives of those suffering. Likewise, I am always in awe at the tenacity and optimism that exists among those hit the hardest.  In a time of tragedy such as this, it is amazing to see the country coming together!

With that said, election day is five days away and it is important to make sure that these critical topics don't get swept under the rug.  It is now more important than ever to ensure these, and other issues that will inevitably come to light in time, do not become static in the background.  Although energy is not one of the hottest topics among the political warfare, it will prove significant in the future of each of us as we strive to move forward in a time that has been so stagnant.  So, please when making a decision, be aware of what will help us move the country forward.  Fortunately, energy is something we as a country should utilize so that we CAN get the economy going in the right direction, as well as make the US a leader among energy.

Original Post: Energy

Energy / Environment: Obama In my great hometown of Roosevelt, Utah, it's drill baby drill ... and it's causing a boom here! It's very exciting. I'm serious. I, personally, having visited here for several weeks, am excited about this. It's great. And I support oil drilling. However, I support broader thinking in terms of cleaner energy. So, Obama for the win. (Anonymous)

Clean energy is great.  Obama, however well intended, has wasted millions of dollars on supposedly clean energy companies such as Solyndra, which has failed.  His attempts to turn moss into fuel seems a little ridiculous, especially at the expense of taxpayers dollars and our childrens future.  Romney wants to continue research in this area, however, he believes as do I, that it can be done in the private sector.  It has been proven that every time government steps into to make something better, that it has actually gotten worse.  One example is the Post Office.  They do it slower and are more expensive.  So UPS, FEDEX and other PRIVATE companies stepped in and have figured out a way to do it cheaper and more efficiently.  

In Florida there is an airport; they opted to hire a private company, rather than the government to come in and see if they could run the airport cheaper and more efficiently than the so called efficient government run airports.  What they have found is that they have shorter lines in their airport, they don't lose as many bags, they don't waste tax dollars on employing too many employees, and they don't tolerate apathy among their employees.   This occurs because the employees actually have to be good employees to KEEP their jobs.  Through competition, through incentives, they have found employees strive to do better, be more efficient, and work harder than their so called counterparts.  So instead of government run airports with long lines, delayed flights, unhappy travelers, and wasted tax dollars, they have a well oiled machine (no pun intended).  This private company has found a way through the PRIVATE SECTOR, and through COMPETITION, to DO IT BETTER! The government run airports have proven to be a sliver in the side of progression; among other government run programs.  Government employees have proven they are many times (not always) lazy and intolerant, wasting time and YOUR money. The government says WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER, Stossel says, "NO YOU CAN'T" (Stossel).

In John Stossel's new book "No, They Can't: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed". John Stossel makes a strong argument, "The notion that government action is the best way to solve a problem. From the myth that government can spend its way out of a crisis to the mistaken belief that labor unions protect workers, Stossel, a true libertarian, provides evidence that the reality is very different from what intuition tells us. His evidence leads to the taboo conclusions that; Government already dominates health care and that’s the problem· The state keeps banning foods, but food bans don't make us healthier. Government-run schools and teachers’ unions haven’t made kids smarter".

This is the smartest concept I've heard and believe.  Any time you allow the private sector to work and compete, there will always be someone who will figure out a way to do it cheaper and more efficient than government run agencies.

Finally, we need oil.  Drilling is now so high tech that it can be done virtually without harm to the world around it.  Fossil fuels are a great example of that.  Take a geography class and you can learn more about fossil fuels. Clean coal is another resource we need to utilize.  There are many ways we can get energy.  These options are not bad, and yes, they also create much needed jobs in a horrible economy.  Gas prices are killing us, as they are many other American families.  Anyone who has felt the crunch of the economy, has felt it in their pocket books, especially in relation to the gas pumps.  I would love to see gas prices down under two dollars.  Anyone who says otherwise is not filling their own gas tank.

So, let's continue the progression of renewable energy and let's allow drilling for clean energy such as, fossil fuels, clean coal, etc.  Let's use the resources we have here in America.  This will allow us to become a self sufficient, and put us at the top of the ENERGY progressive movement!

Short Story

So this is actually something I wrote almost two years ago, but for some reason I have been thinking about it. Why?  Because my baby is turning four in a few months and it makes me lugubrious (new word of the day... meaning: sad. This is my attempt at sounding smarter ;).  My little man is my sidekick, the yin to my yang, the fung to my shui... did I go too far? You get the picture.  He is always full of hugs, kisses, cuddles, loves, and always makes me & everyone around him laugh.  The ladies love his blonde curls and his stylish green frog rain boots.  Not to mention he is the cutest superhero alive in his green frog rain boots,  buzz lightyear underwear, and superhero cape! I would post pics, but someone from DCSF would probably see this as child abuse, or child porn and have me arrested before the days end.  So I will refrain.  

This particular story was actually an assignment for a class I was taking on stress management.  Ironic, I know! Anyhow, for all you mom's out there; this is a tribute to you and all those long nights, lost hours of sleep, and all those damn wrinkles that keep creeping up just so we can contribute to the human population.  That somehow in our attempt to make the world a better place, we, in our deranged and erratic heads of ours; believe with all our hearts that WE can make a difference, and somehow we do.  However big or small, we all accomplish great things, all in the name of child rearing.  Nine months of stretch marks, belly's growing unscrupulously large, and your once plump and bodacious boobs now look something akin too (well the only reference that comes to mind is "Do Your Ears Hang Low" except usurp the word Ears for Boobs).  They will forever be mourned. This story is a reminder that all those horrible, body altering,  mood swinging, hormonal/PMSing experiences are all worth it, because somewhere in all that controlled chaos, a moment so sweet nuzzles it's way in, and for an instant...we fall in love all over again.

Here goes...

The day started off like most days, she woke up to the sound of her baby, (who at two and a half wasn't really considered a baby anymore, but to her he was) yelling "mama", "mama", or in other words, "come get me".  Exhausted from the previous few days she flopped her feet out of bed, eyes taped closed with what felt like duct tape and tried to feel her way down the stairs to the babies room. 

Fighting the brightness of any stream of light she finally opened her eyes to her sweet little baby smiling, arms out, ready for his protector to swoop him up and take care of his every need.  As they came upstairs, she tried to wipe the sleepy thoughts from her brain.  (You know the one that says "just fill the sippy cup with milk, turn on "Cars" and then you can go get back in bed"!

The thought won, however it was not long lasting!  Before she knew it the little bug was tapping her arm and signing to her that he was hungry.  Signing had been adopted with her second child as an easy form of communication, and this particular little guy had taken to it especially early and didn't seem to have a desire to talk... as of yet. 

So sleepily she crawled out of bed, wondering why she'd even thought it possible to gain more sleep and kicking herself for not being more disciplined when it came to her desire for sleep.  It seemed her "sleeping brain" could talk the "running brain" or "feed the kids brain" into doing what it wanted every time!

Someday she thought, I will figure out how to control mind over matter; but, for today... "sleep brain" had won yet, once again! Chalk it up for Sleep Brain "to many to count" and "other brain", "zero"; okay not zero but it's numbers are too pathetic to actually put on paper!

As she clumsily filled her child's bowl with cereal and milk she realized the other two children were not yet up and for a second she smiled and took in that tiny moment of quiet bliss.........................................................
And then, like clockwork, that moment had dissipated into thin air.  The seven year old "Crazy" and his nemesis eight, almost nine year old "Drama Queen" sister had awakened and within minutes the tiny moment of quiet bliss had disappeared into a black hole never to be seen again for the next 12 hours. 

As chaos ensued as it did most mornings, she wondered how she'd get anything done.  And then the thought came... "if only I could disappear to some beach by myself, just for 24 hours.  Oh how the world would be a much better place."  Just for a moment! (Perhaps a nice cold diet coke will suffice for now.)

Women, it's time for OUR timeout! Whatever it is, take a moment, close your eyes, drink a diet coke (in my case), sip that wine, read that book... you deserve it!

Who done it?

So about two weeks ago I was getting ready to go on a 11 mile run.  Yes, I'm one of those crazy runners out there. One of the ones you either get (because your a crazy runner too) or don't get because who in their right mind would pound pavement for 11 miles unless someone paid you to do it.  Never say never... I was just like you, and then I started running!

Well nonetheless, as I was getting ready to run I realized I had my correction lens on... yes, my glasses.  I hate running in glasses because once you start sweating you just have to keep pushing them back in place every fives seconds.  Its' enough to drive even a mad women crazy.  So, I opened my car door and put them on my seat, shut the door and locked it.

I then decided that I didn't want to wear the florescent yellow shirt that was tied around my waste being that it was already a hot and humid morning.  So, again I opened my car door and placed the shirt on top of my glasses, of this I'm sure, shut the door and again, locked it!

Well my run was one for the record books, after living here in Starkville, MS for only two months and not being very familiar with it, I somehow managed to miss my turn off.  How in the hell did I do this you ask? Well I have no freaking clue, and still I can't figure it out; except to say that the road I was running on was full of cars, and being that Starkville has no shoulders to their skinny roads, I was in fear for my life.  I do remember this and after backtracking just to see what the heck went wrong I realized that, the exact spot where the turnoff was carried a string of lunatic tailgaters making there way through the streets of Starkville, MS.

Needless to say, I ended up running almost a half marathon that day, and to make matters worse, my calve spasmed and a tight knot found it's way into my right calf muscle sending shearing pain through my entire calf muscle, immediately stopping any thoughts I had about running the last mile.  So mile 12 I walked.  It was a mile from hell as any runner can appreciate.  For crying out loud, I had already run 11.5 miles, what is one more measly mile.  I tried two different times to run only for my calf to scream out in pain.  The result a pathetic and lowly girl walking on the side of a crappy road listening to her only saving grace, her iphone.  Thank heaven that baby didn't die on me or I may have gone all awoll right there on Oktoc road.

Best run ever!

So back to the original part of the story.  I finally make it back to my car, ornery  pathetic, and wanting a diet coke so bad I was about to go into withdrawals.  So I get in, throw my shirt on the ground; the one that I had set on top of my glasses, and... nothing.  No glasses.  Anywhere!  I think I was stunned; and as I looked around my car, I thought to myself, you're not losing your mind (I can't knowingly admit that to myself, that would result in a complete and utter meltdown, kind of like a SUPER MELTDOWN.  I've already had a partial meltdown... refer to post #2) the glasses have to be here somewhere I thought.  I slowly drove off and before I could get a mile down the road my instincts and panic got the best of me.  I pulled over, got out, went over to the passenger side door where I had previously put my glasses and shirt and searched.  My glasses were NOWHERE to be found.  I got in turned around and drove back to the spot where I parked.

I was tempted to get down on my hands & knees, however for risk of complete and utter humiliation I settled with pacing back and forth on the side of the road, in front of someone's house and next to someone elses car.  (Because in no way does this appear bizarre or lunatic like.)  And still, nothing... no glasses!

I drove home aloof and thwarted at what could have possibly occurred.   Glasses were there and then they weren't.  When I finally told my husband what had happened that night (Because somehow it didn't seem extraordinary that I had been wearing my prescription sunglasses all day long... indoors, watching t.v.)  The first thing that came out was "I swear a freaking troll got in and stole them!" I know, even now it is the only thing that makes sense.  I mean how in the hell do glasses just get up and walk away.

A 20 minute ordeal of vacuuming out my Journey, and still no glasses to be found.  I'm at a loss.  And to make it worse, I know the second I break down and go get my eyes checked, fork out the money for new glasses; that is the day my glasses will magically appear.

Damn you corrective lens stealing troll!

This is how I see these days, prescription sunglasses, even where the sun don't shine ;)

Decision 2012: Obamacare

Again, in response to an original post which is shown below; I hopefully have laid out clearly why socialistic health care is not American and goes against everything our country was founded on. The freedom to choose!

Original post: Healthcare

"Obama, While Obamacare was poorly timed, I do think our current health care system on a national level is waaaaaaayyyyy too complicated and we'd do well to adopt a more socialist system... there I said it! P.S. The term "socialist" gets a bad rap in America ... I think there are many excellent things to learn from socialism.  Also Nicolas Kristof for president! He sums up a lot of what I think about health care needing to be more of a safety net (yes, even a mandated safety net!) wit that story.  The 6th paragraph from the bottom beginning with "My second argument..." really sums it up well I think.  So that's that." (Anonymous)

You're absolutely right, (pause) our healthcare system is NOT great.  We couldn't afford it before Obama, and we can't afford it now.  My own mother's insurance is going up under Obamacare, my son's good friend is primarily taken care of by his grandma, she was denied coverage for her grandson under OBAMACARE because her grandson has ADHD issues.  Another friend of ours who is a doctor down in Florida has voiced concerns about obamacare, saying it's going to limit the availability of good health care.  

I understand the plight about the cancer subject, my husbands brother also died from cancer while in college and did not have insurance. He left behind a wife, a child and one on the way. This is a huge issue in respect to the current health care system and it's limitability towards patients who have pre-existing conditions.  But, Obamacare has too many unknowns, too many issues that have  more to do with getting his people paid then taking care of those who need insurance or have pre-existing conditions.

Unfortunately insurance rates are rising, people are scared to hire more employees because they don't want to be forced to pay the required taxes if they don't comply, therefore limiting economic growth.  The bill included over 2000 or more pages of fine print and too many earmarks that have nothing to do with health care. Nancy Pelosi's "You'll have to pass it to know what's in it." is the best...what, are you kidding me?  So much for transparency.  Instead it was filled with a bunch of pork, promises, and funds for; again the companies who paid his way to the presidency.  Had he, the President been transparent, had the bill been transparent, and had it not been full of political jargon that has nothing to do with health care, then I do think it could have been okay.  

However, social health care is not good.  Jake (my husband) saw the effects of that over in England.  Hours and hours of waiting in the ER to see a doctor about an eye infection or the common cold.  If you think E.R. waiting room time is bad now, just wait for the effects of Obamacare to set it. You will foster an environment of doctors who don't care because they don't have to be competitive.  Anytime you take competition out of the marketplace you risk bad economics in all areas of growth, which we've already seen.  

Speak to anyone (okay there may be a few who favor socialistic health care), however the vast majority will tell you, IT IS A BAD IDEA! You are creating a generation (upon generation) of dependent people.  I should not have to pay for someone else's healthcare when they are not willing to go out and work for it themselves.  Yes, we are already paying for the uninsured, medicaid and parts of medicare patients healthcare.  Healthcare definitely needs to be revamped but Obamacare is not what we need.  It will not benefit the people and raising our healthcare costs by $4000 a year is not an improvement. 

The other issue I have with Obamacare, is the ability that the government will have to FORCE you to buy insurance, and if they don't think it's adequate, you will be taxed!

"Chief Justice John Roberts said this 'Buy health insurance or pay a tax. Your choice." They are sidestepping the issue by saying it is YOUR CHOICE. However, what they are not telling you is that you're still being FORCED to do one or the other.

In a piece written by Grace-Marie Turner, contributor to Forbes magazine titled "How Much Is The Obamacare Mandate Going To Cost you?" said this concerning Obamacare, "A family earning $120,000 will face a tax of $3,000 a year if they don’t buy health insurance with the government’s stamp of approval. For some, it will make sense to pay the tax and take their chances since health insurance companies will be forced to sell them a policy when they need it at the same price as if they had been paying premiums all along. That will, of course, send the cost of health insurance soaring....

Remember that the government will determine what health insurance policies meet its approval to satisfy the individual mandate. If citizens decide they prefer a different health plan, they would have to pay for that insurance as well as pay the new tax.

The individual mandate tax is only the newest in a long list of new Obamacare taxes, including a new 0.9% surtax on Medicare taxes for those making $200,000 or more ($250,000 joint) plus a new Obamacare 3.8% surtax on “investment income” for those in the same income categories. This added tax affects dividends, interest, rent, capital gains, annuities, home sales, partnerships, etc.

Over time, these new ObamaCare taxes will hit more and more middle income families. Recall that the Alternative Minimum Tax targeted only 155 taxpayers when the first version passed in 1969, but today it hits millions of people.

Now that the American people see that the Supreme Court didn’t rescue them from Obamacare, there is renewed focus on the details of the law. The individual mandate is only one of dozens of provisions that will slam into our economy, hitting American families like a freight train in 2014.

Grace-Marie Turner is president of the Galen Institute and a co-author of Why ObamaCare Is Wrong for America (Broadside/HarperCollins, 2011)."

Again, let me reiterate the importance of transparency, and the lack thereof on the part of the white house.  Romney has said there are some things in there that he will keep, but that the vast majority of it was full of loop holes, earmarks, and pork.  And lacked any real grounds for improvement as far as the healthcare system is concerned.  

Our country was founded on the FREEDOM to choose, and being forced to buy insurance no matter how rich or poor goes against everything our founding fathers fought for!

We should never be FORCED to do anything... food for thought.

Decision 2012: Foreign Policy

So in response to a post that I read on a recent blog, I found it interesting and am anxious to discuss.  I will only be posting quotes from their blog in an effort to not create biased propaganda.  Here is the first topic not in any specific order to which I would like to discuss. Since foreign policy is such a hot topic and continues to bring forth disturbing news which the main media doesn't seem to want to cover, I want to discuss it first. 

FOREIGN POLICY
Original Post:
"Obama, Let's be honest, I just think Hilary Clinton is doing a really good job as Secretary of State, keep her." (Anonymous)

Response:

I am surprised that your whole foreign policy lies on Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is a major player concerning the whole Libya/Benghazi attack.  Rather than standing up and being straightforward & honest with the American people, Hillary Clinton chose to deceive us.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was not forthright in her information, and it now appears she was not only misleading, but completely incorrect in her (whitehouse) misguided assessment.  

The white house under the supervision of President Barrack Obama, not only encouraged her to mislead the American people but I believe they willingly used her and threw her under the bus so that they, the current Presidency would not have to take responsibility for what was being said. Clinton came out and said the attack was caused by a youtube video (as did the white house), and that there was a "spontaneous riot" which was the cause of this horrible attack.  As if this were some coincidental attack.  Never mind that it happened on the anniversary of  Sept. 11.  Then later Hillary Clinton came out and told us that IT was a terror attack.  I wish she would have spoken the truth in the beginning, the dems may have hated her for it, but Americans would have loved her honesty, and I think it would have benefited her efforts in the future.

She was in charge of making sure that our US Ambassador Chris Stevens had adequate support, however it was denied.  The Obama administration has apologized time and again for the US when they should have been standing strong.  On top of that they are trying to establish relationships with terrorists.  Since when do we make agreements to terrorists.  Since when do we make agreements with Jihadists and war-mongers. 

I have not been impressed with any of the foreign policies that have been established by Obama.  All I have seen is a weak, cowering man, coddling the very people who would love to see us all dead.  Obama needs to make the US look strong and yet he makes us look like we are weak.  He continues to apologies for freedom of speech and our previous policies. And as far as his sanctions go... never in the history of the United States have sanctions worked.  Not once.

He has failed to keep tight allies with Israel who has always been a very close ally;  you can see discontent anytime you see Obama pretending to try and help them.  Furthermore, Netanyahu appears "to have lost trust when it comes to the Obama presidency". Obama didn't meet with Israeli prime minister Netanyahu during the United Nations General Assembly in NY;  instead he thought it more important to go chum with the ladies on The View!  Or Letterman?  WOW! And the latest, MTV, a new low.  I am so proud that our American President feels it more important to look Hollywood than to look Presidential.  Israel has no idea where the President stands when it comes to Israel maintaining their freedom.  Romney was dead on in the Presidential debate when asked "hypothetically" if he got a phone call from Israel the night before they started bombing their enemies what Romney would do.  Romney was quick to respond, "let's not even go there, because I would have had the conversation with Israel long before it came down to that".  However, I can't help but wonder if Obama would be the one getting the call the night before, since Israel has little to no respect for our current President.

Again, in no way has the Obama team done anything to help us.  I wouldn't be surprised if Hillary Clinton distanced herself from the Obama team following this campaign.  He has done nothing to help her, rather, he has used her position as Secretary of State to ensure himself a scapegoat.  Hillary Clinton will most likely seek the Presidential office in four years; this whole fiasco has done nothing but make her and the democrats look untrustworthy, and as far as Hillary Clinton goes, unpresidential.

Back to Benghazi; five men dead, and Obama finally, two weeks later, admitted the attack on Benghazi was a terror attack.  Confirming what the rest of us already knew.  And still, they refuse to tell us exactly what happened.  ANOTHER FAILED TRANSPARENCY on the part of the President!

Most recent update: White house watched in real time the entire attack, they were asked three separate times for support, and on each occasion denied assistance.  The navy seal that died asked if he could go in and help.  He was told to stand down multiple times.  He chose to disobey orders,  risking his career and ultimately his own life after saving many many lives.  He died a hero, doing what was morally right, not what was politically correct. He did what was RIGHT.  It is unfortunate that our President lacks the same moral courage to stand up and fight for our men, our country, but rather, put his political agenda ahead of these men and their lives. This begs the question, is this who we want leading our country?

Love It or Hate It

Five years ago I couldn't have cared less about economy, taxes, foreign policy, gay rights, gun laws, education reform, etc.  However almost five years ago exactly my husband was a recent graduate in the field of Architecture.  We felt the crunch and the frustration of the last four years intimately, and unfortunately I have seen little improvement.  As election day draws near I am to the point in my life where I feel it is very important to voice my concerns, beliefs and ideals.  

Obviously this is not always the popular thing to do.  Love it or hate it, I will inevitably receive differing opinions, and we all know how civil discourse is these days.  However, I'm throwing concern out the window; the only people fighting for what we believe in are reporters; who get paid to even though technically they are suppose to be non-partisan; which most aren't.  Hollywood personalities, and those fighting for their own personal revolutions.  I feel very passionately that although I will inevitably take heat for voicing my opinion, it is more important now than ever before to stand up for what you believe in.

A week or so ago I read a post on a blog, it went through various talking points and as I read through them I wanted to write a quick response at the inadequacies and lack of specifics of that days post.  However, I refrained because I am a little hot headed and I didn't want to offend the individual; again going back to civil discourse.  So I let it sit.  After letting it stew for a few days and writing down my thoughts about these particular points, I was able to write down exactly what I thought, felt, and where I feel the country is going and where I would like to see it go.  In an effort to be as precise as possible I have included specific names and events to give credibility to my thoughts.  

So over the next few days I will be posting on different hot topics, and hopefully will give accurate and credible information, because we all know there is nothing more frustrating than being given "half" the story or told an inaccurate information.  I appreciate your thoughts and comments, however if you feel the need to use inexcusable language or verbiage, your post will be deleted without further adieu. I respect others for their ideology and beliefs and although I'm voicing my personal opinion, I expect you to show some respect as well. People there is no need to be ignorant or treat others with disrespect.

So... love it or hate it, tomorrow will begin countdown to election day. 

Midlife Crisis

I think I can officially say mid life crisis is here in full force.  It would be wrong for me to say I'm just being a normal mother, I mean, roller coaster rides of happy, ornery, depressed, tired, crying, what the hell am I doing, is this really my life.  Really?  I need to get a job, I need to finish my degree, I need to move to some deserted island and start anew.  Perhaps a jet to the beach with no one but me and a cooler full of diet coke, a Mary Higgins Clark suspense novel and did I mention Diet Coke?  (Are you wondering why my cooler isn't full of wine coolers?  Well I'm one of the few crazy's left out there who chooses not to drink because of my religious beliefs. Do I question this decision every day of my life. All the time! I have no other explanation except to say I am on a roll and choosing to drink now would just be one more thing to swear at myself for... so I continue to abstain from the alcohol! And if I were completely honest, I am almost positive one drink would not be enough, not for this mid life crisis... so its probably a good thing.)

I would call my mother but she would just tell me that all would be well, hang in there, and I know what you're going through.  Obviously we all know she HAS to say this and although part of it would be true, the reality is, she still believes with all her heart that being a stay at home mom is the best job in the world.  Now, before you all cuss me out and accuse me of not loving my children, let me assure you you're wrong.  I love my children, heaven knows I would die for them... anyone with children knows and understands what I'm saying and yet most appreciate that moment when we wish we lived on another planet, far from anything that breathes, eats, farts, or says "mom, I'm suppose to wear sunglasses tomorrow, and I was wondering if you could run me to the store before school starts in the morning, because we haaaaave to wear sunglasses tomorrow for red ribbon week" REALLY? REALLY? That one actually came out my ten year olds mouth tonight.

I am not here to criticize stay at home moms, I've been doing it for the last 10 years of my life, I'm just saying sometimes it is OKAY to need and want a break... I need, I need!

Back to my mom, I am pretty dang sure she was crazy for the better part of my childhood, she would most likely not deny this, but my heck she gave birth to and raised eight kids!  Pause, did you just have to re-read that.  That's right people, eight kids.  I told you... she was crazy.  Because let's be honest, no one in their right mind would opt to give birth to eight little terrors and live to tell the tale.  Except crazy moms!  God bless her, she is amazing for the mere fact that she didn't kill any of us and she didn't drink herself through it.  I continue to be amazed to this day. Love you mom xoxo

My sisters?  As much as I love them, they would tell me to just call a doc and get on Prozac or something.  Maybe that's not a bad idea?  Being considered!  But, why would I listen to them in the first place, they continue to work themselves to death.  I have a bet going on which of my two older sisters will have the first heart attack.  The one who is a real estate broker is the mom with the phone taped to her head as she's going through checkout with a baby strapped to her hip and three other loud obnoxious boisterous boys (because all boys are under this umbrella, not just hers) .  Or the one who can't say no to anyone even if it meant the end of her life as she knows it... instead she runs around like the energizer bunny until the battery acid starts leaking and it causes a major shutdown and she is forced through complete body shut down before she has a full night of sleep or a day in bed.  Did I mention she has four kids? My youngest sister, she is free as a bird, enjoying the first year at college. Enjoy it honey, enjoy every moment!

Anyone who has more than one child should be on the shortlist to heaven.  Anyone with more than four, straight shot and anyone with eight.. perhaps will be granted st. hood! Twins, triplets, quartets or more, well lets just say you will be exalted.  In my opinion ;)

Personally that sounds like hell, not the kids people, the part about working your self to death!  Although depending on the day, I may agree.  I keep telling myself that me going back to school over the last two years is the right thing to do. That it will eventually pay off as long as I just stick with it!  Are you all laughing yet... because I can't... tear.  Tell that to the dream house, the second car, the clothes I dream of purchasing some day, the vacation without breaking the bank.  I am sure you all get the picture.

I'm almost positive my husband thinks I've completely lost my mind, he may be right.  Today he told me after I poured out my twisted thoughts, "just don't leave me". I told him I would be lying if the thought didn't cross my mind every day as I'm driving down the freeway.  I mean seriously, doesn't that thought sound so nice, just keep driving, just keep driving, just keep driving.  I feel like Dory in Finding Nemo.  I mean she is the epitome of me right now.  Foggy brain, swimming in circles, brain cells killed from, well the only thing I can think of is 3 pregnancy's.  Isn't that a fact, brain cells shrink when your pregnant? It's the only legitimate argument I have at this time.  Sounds pretty damn good to me!  And just so you all know, my husband is amazing and the fact that he still loves me 12 years later is a testament to his sacrifice of being married to yours truly.  You're a saint babe!

OF COURSE I WOULD NOT ACTUALLY LEAVE! It just sounds nice, sometimes.  Okay it sounds fabulous at times, but the reality is, my kids are probably already screwed up enough from my wicked parenting skills, and I mean that as wicked awesome; not wicked psycho.  I'm sure they would argue for the latter but who listens to a ten, eight and three and a half year old.  I'm not a sadist, I don't want to traumatize them. That would again be one more thing to swear at myself for.

Here is a checklist of some of the things I may or may not swear at myself for:

Best mom ever.... no check

Coolest mom ever... no check

Never yells at her child.... no check

Kids always clean up after themselves... no check

Kids are respectful, clean, kind, and helpful... no check

Kids get homework done on time, gets A's on every assignment and loves to read... no check

Maybe I should just start with:

Slacker mom of the year... check

Mom who hates laundry and dishes.... check

Feeds her kids... check!

Kids look like........ look like they have a great mom.... check, most of the time, so I'll take it!

Kids are alive... check

Kids don't say four letter words... check

Check sounds so much better... like mint chocolate! Mint chocolate always sounds so much more delectable than plain chocolate.  Check vs. uncheck... no matter how pathetic the checks may be they just look better!

I am for sure winning the "BEST MOM OF THE YEAR" award.  Maybe when they are 20 and they are living in some dorm in college.somewhere eating mac and cheese for the fifth time that week and their laundry is starting to grow mold and who knows what else.  Maybe then they will realize what an amazing mom I am.  So I have essentially 110+ more years to go before I get that pat on the back.  Whew, what am I complaining about?  And I thought I was being unreasonable!

So here's to Diet Coke! My one true north and moment of bliss, no matter how miniscule it may seem!

(Let's not get into how bad it is for my body, if that is what you want to say right now. STOP!  I already know and right now I DON'T care, so don't leave it here! Don't ruin this moment for your own satisfaction or bizarre gratification of check for you, no check for me! Pat yourself on the back and walk away!)

Diet Coke... hmmmm!

Me

So I have thought for some time that I should start a youtube channel that shows people, actually hair dressers how to actually style hair.  Not their hair, but hair on the top of their clients heads.  I fear I am not alone when I say, how in the heck can I pay you lots of mula to come out looking worse then when I went in?  Yeah the color looks good but holy crap, my hair looks like you took an iron to it and that it could brake at the first dirty look my daughter will inevitably give me.

Yes, I have unruly, curly, and yet stylish naturally curly hair.  I can't make up my mind as to whether I like it dark and sultry or blonde and bouncy.  As you will probably see being that every six months or so my hair color magically changes.  Discussion on this at a later time.  So hair stylists, please stop pretending that you know how to style hair such as mine and perhaps you can learn something from me.  For I will be posting "how to's" here shortly.  You know like, how to style curly hair Curly! Shocking I know.  How to straighten curly hair with out using a flat iron.  How to give body to curly hair when straightening.  How to stop curly hair from frizzing out thanks to the gosh dang humidity here in the south (which I conqure about 60% of the time).  And more I'm sure as I am constantly on the look out for good hair products that won't make it fall out!

I understand that you went to school for a year, that you know how to throw some bleach and processor together and come up with some kind of a concoction that will turn hair the color of gold, but come on.  If I pay $90 to get my hair done or more for that matter. I better come out looking like freaking Jennifer Anniston.  Unfortunatley I usually come out looking more along the lines of Cher back in the day when you actually did iron your hair with an actual iron.  

My other thought I've had is "I should start a blog on how to dress chic on the cheap".  NO seriously.  I hate paying high prices for clothes that in 6 months will be out of date, style, or look as though you've worn it for years thanks to the awesome washing machine and it's ability to suck the life and color out of most my clothes.  Over the last few years I've gone from jeans and t-shirt to jeans (and not just jeans but those hot jeans you see everyone wearing, you know the blinged out jeans).

Huge upgrade, I know!

To go with my hot blinged out skinny stylish jeans I've invested in some cheap yet chic ever stylish rider boots, and top it off with a cool, sexy blouse, something that makes you look less like a mom of three kids who just stuck her finger into a socket to a hot, sexy, still got it, woman,.  Let's throw in a biker jacket or scarve and don't forget some must have accessories.  Accessories I've found are simple, inexpensive ways to make your look go from boring to fabulous in less than a minute.  I know I sound so wise when talking about clothing, but let's be honest I'm just trying to keep my head above water when it comes to the fashion world.

Among the many many other crazy ideas I have are politics, parenting, being a mother in a world where being a mother is not such a cool thing, and trying to remain sane while going back to school in order to fullfill one of those long lost dreams we all hold on to till death do you part.  

So here's to my crazy, aud brain that can't seem to make up it's mind if my life depended on it.  In an effort to rangle my brain and come to terms with my thoughts I am here to spew out thoughts, ideas, and give you a window into my crazy head.  Most days I will warn you are full of crazy, non-sane moments for which I continue to try to convince myself that I'm normal.  

Normal, normal, normal... still trying to convince.