One thing I forgot to tell you all about was where we had Rick's memorial service.
This is an absolutely beautiful and amazing place that I wanted to share with you.
The link will take you to Lakeview Cemetary's website.
Sit back, look around and read about Wade Chapel. It is certainly impressive.
Nothing but the best for our Rick.
http://www.lakeviewcemetery.com/interest.html
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Wow.
Apparently I have moved into dangerous territory in creating an open dialogue about politics.
I believe we only have some 40 plus days until the election and all I was really trying to do was educate myself on the candidates a little bit more before voting day. I figured since I took the time to do a little "surfing" I would share what I found - in case you didn't have the time to do it yourself.
I am always, and will always, be open to comments and opinions by my readers. After all, this is a public forum that I have entered in to.
I am also open to conflicting information/facts/knowledge by any of you who are willing to share.
I try my best to be open minded and kind and only hope that you can find it in yourself to be the same.
I believe we only have some 40 plus days until the election and all I was really trying to do was educate myself on the candidates a little bit more before voting day. I figured since I took the time to do a little "surfing" I would share what I found - in case you didn't have the time to do it yourself.
I am always, and will always, be open to comments and opinions by my readers. After all, this is a public forum that I have entered in to.
I am also open to conflicting information/facts/knowledge by any of you who are willing to share.
I try my best to be open minded and kind and only hope that you can find it in yourself to be the same.
Monday, September 22, 2008
I Can't Stop Myself
What really matters in this election this year? Does it really matter whether Obama will be the youngest President if elected, or that McCain, if elected, will be the oldest? Does it really matter whether Obama’s former pastor said outrageous things or that John McCain, an Episcopalian, has struggled in the past with the religious right, calling them intolerant? Does it really matter that Obama is multiracial or that he was exposed briefly in his youth to Islamic teachings? Does it really matter whose wife is most attractive - or richest? No, I think not.
What really matters this year, according to national polling and reported recently by National Public Radio in order of their relative importance to Americans are: 1) The economy; 2) The war in Iraq; 3) Health care; 4) Immigration, and; 5) Climate change.
On the economy, both Obama and McCain acknowledge that we’re going through tough times. But McCain, parroting President Bush, believes that the basics of our economy are still strong. Although he has opposed the Bush tax cuts in the past, he now supports them and believes that he can trim enough waste from government spending to eventually balance the budget. Obama recognizes that America is on the economic ropes largely owing to the Bush tax cuts that favor the wealthiest, deficit spending to finance a war that most Americans now think we should never have started in the first place, jobs flowing overseas because of “unfair” free trade policies, and deregulation of the finance/ banking industries. He advocates reducing taxes on the middle class, whose disposable incomes contribute most to consumer spending, and balancing that with increased capital gains taxes which almost exclusively affect the wealthiest who can afford to contribute more. He wants to get us out of Iraq soonest and shift the spending there to spending here to restore our infrastructure, create jobs, and invest in human capital. He would also move to renegotiate NAFTA to more favorable terms for us and to offer tax incentives for corporations to create and retain jobs for Americans.
On the war in Iraq, the comparison could not be starker. McCain believes that we must stay in Iraq for “as long as it takes,” and would commit us to a continuation of current policies in the War on Terror. Obama believes that by giving Iraq’s political problems back to the people of Iraq, we can shift our emphasis back to al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and the border areas with Pakistan. By pursuing more diplomacy and less unilateral force in the world, Obama believes that we can save billions, reduce military force structure issues, and win back the support of our allies.
On health care, Senator McCain would replace the current tax-free status of coverage provided by employers with refundable tax credits worth $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to help purchase insurance, which sounds like taking from Peter to pay Paul to me, except that more Americans are working part time jobs without employer-paid coverage. Obama would create a new plan for those who lack other access to coverage, as well as a National Health Insurance Exchange to help pool the purchasing power of small businesses and individuals. Obama would also offer a combination of subsidies and tax credits to help make coverage more affordable. He would mandate health insurance coverage for children but not adults. So his plan is not the same “universal” plan that Mrs. Clinton advocated.
On immigration, Obama and McCain come closer to agreement than on any other issue. Recognizing that current law is not working to stem the flow of impoverished workers out of Mexico, Obama voted for the Senate immigration overhaul bill that McCain co-sponsored in the Senate. The bill would have strengthened border controls, create a guest-worker program and legalize millions of foreign workers here now. Obama also backed the Secure Fence Act. As a presidential candidate, McCain has been attacked by more conservative Republicans for his stance on immigration. Accordingly, he has since said that he believes in securing the borders before legalizing immigrants.
On global warming, McCain was the lead author of a Senate proposal to reduce carbon emissions by 65 percent by 2050. Obama would have us reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. McCain supported an increase in auto fuel economy to 35 mpg but opposed a 40 mpg standard which Obama supported. Obama would reward domestic automakers for producing more fuel-efficient vehicles by helping them to fund health care for their retirees. Both are much closer to being “good stewards” of the environment, which George Bush claimed to be in one of his nationally televised debates with John Kerry in 2004.
COMPLETELY AND ENTIRELY STOLEN FROM: http://kgarry.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/swiftboating-on-a-budget-what-really-matters-in-this-election-year/#comments
What really matters this year, according to national polling and reported recently by National Public Radio in order of their relative importance to Americans are: 1) The economy; 2) The war in Iraq; 3) Health care; 4) Immigration, and; 5) Climate change.
On the economy, both Obama and McCain acknowledge that we’re going through tough times. But McCain, parroting President Bush, believes that the basics of our economy are still strong. Although he has opposed the Bush tax cuts in the past, he now supports them and believes that he can trim enough waste from government spending to eventually balance the budget. Obama recognizes that America is on the economic ropes largely owing to the Bush tax cuts that favor the wealthiest, deficit spending to finance a war that most Americans now think we should never have started in the first place, jobs flowing overseas because of “unfair” free trade policies, and deregulation of the finance/ banking industries. He advocates reducing taxes on the middle class, whose disposable incomes contribute most to consumer spending, and balancing that with increased capital gains taxes which almost exclusively affect the wealthiest who can afford to contribute more. He wants to get us out of Iraq soonest and shift the spending there to spending here to restore our infrastructure, create jobs, and invest in human capital. He would also move to renegotiate NAFTA to more favorable terms for us and to offer tax incentives for corporations to create and retain jobs for Americans.
On the war in Iraq, the comparison could not be starker. McCain believes that we must stay in Iraq for “as long as it takes,” and would commit us to a continuation of current policies in the War on Terror. Obama believes that by giving Iraq’s political problems back to the people of Iraq, we can shift our emphasis back to al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and the border areas with Pakistan. By pursuing more diplomacy and less unilateral force in the world, Obama believes that we can save billions, reduce military force structure issues, and win back the support of our allies.
On health care, Senator McCain would replace the current tax-free status of coverage provided by employers with refundable tax credits worth $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to help purchase insurance, which sounds like taking from Peter to pay Paul to me, except that more Americans are working part time jobs without employer-paid coverage. Obama would create a new plan for those who lack other access to coverage, as well as a National Health Insurance Exchange to help pool the purchasing power of small businesses and individuals. Obama would also offer a combination of subsidies and tax credits to help make coverage more affordable. He would mandate health insurance coverage for children but not adults. So his plan is not the same “universal” plan that Mrs. Clinton advocated.
On immigration, Obama and McCain come closer to agreement than on any other issue. Recognizing that current law is not working to stem the flow of impoverished workers out of Mexico, Obama voted for the Senate immigration overhaul bill that McCain co-sponsored in the Senate. The bill would have strengthened border controls, create a guest-worker program and legalize millions of foreign workers here now. Obama also backed the Secure Fence Act. As a presidential candidate, McCain has been attacked by more conservative Republicans for his stance on immigration. Accordingly, he has since said that he believes in securing the borders before legalizing immigrants.
On global warming, McCain was the lead author of a Senate proposal to reduce carbon emissions by 65 percent by 2050. Obama would have us reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. McCain supported an increase in auto fuel economy to 35 mpg but opposed a 40 mpg standard which Obama supported. Obama would reward domestic automakers for producing more fuel-efficient vehicles by helping them to fund health care for their retirees. Both are much closer to being “good stewards” of the environment, which George Bush claimed to be in one of his nationally televised debates with John Kerry in 2004.
COMPLETELY AND ENTIRELY STOLEN FROM: http://kgarry.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/swiftboating-on-a-budget-what-really-matters-in-this-election-year/#comments
Friday, September 19, 2008
The Mouths of Babes
Yesterday my brother was "kind enough" to bring me two buttons of myself in my gymnastics suit posing. My Mom and Dad used to wear them on their coats. Charming.
Anyway, Cecelia was infatuated with them and kept telling me that I looked like a kid. I'm about 15 in one and maybe 16 or 17 in the other. So, I had to ask her if I looked different and what makes me look different.
She was actually very kind (as I was anticipating a response riddled with words like wrinkles, frown, loose skin, etc). She basically said that now I look more like a lady vs. a kid, now I look like a mom, not a kid, stuff like that.
The best part was when my 4 year old daycare buddy walked up and said "Plus, you're wearing a different shirt."
I thought that was hilarious, I hope you do too.
Anyway, Cecelia was infatuated with them and kept telling me that I looked like a kid. I'm about 15 in one and maybe 16 or 17 in the other. So, I had to ask her if I looked different and what makes me look different.
She was actually very kind (as I was anticipating a response riddled with words like wrinkles, frown, loose skin, etc). She basically said that now I look more like a lady vs. a kid, now I look like a mom, not a kid, stuff like that.
The best part was when my 4 year old daycare buddy walked up and said "Plus, you're wearing a different shirt."
I thought that was hilarious, I hope you do too.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Washington Post Opinion
In regard to the lack of experience between Obama and Palin I found this opinion in the Washington Post.
I'm usually not one to publicly share my political views, but I liked this message.
Too much experience blinds you to other possibilities, and knowledge is, according to Karl Popper, a relative and changing thing. Maybe ignorance is the best alternative.... Perhaps what we need in this country is leaders who do not know how things are done by career politicians. Perhaps what we need is leaders who understand that they do not have the knowledge to lead. Our founding fathers, I think, were keenly aware of this when they drafted the constitution and limited the powers of the presidency. Sarah Palin may or may not be a good candidate for the VP job; the same can be said for Barack Obama and the presidency. But the fact that someone may not have the qualifications that the media thinks are important poses no limitation on the capability of the person. I do not want more of "experienced leadership" that considers itself wise enough to make decisions for me. I want principled people who understand their own limitations and, yes, their own ignorance
I'm usually not one to publicly share my political views, but I liked this message.
Too much experience blinds you to other possibilities, and knowledge is, according to Karl Popper, a relative and changing thing. Maybe ignorance is the best alternative.... Perhaps what we need in this country is leaders who do not know how things are done by career politicians. Perhaps what we need is leaders who understand that they do not have the knowledge to lead. Our founding fathers, I think, were keenly aware of this when they drafted the constitution and limited the powers of the presidency. Sarah Palin may or may not be a good candidate for the VP job; the same can be said for Barack Obama and the presidency. But the fact that someone may not have the qualifications that the media thinks are important poses no limitation on the capability of the person. I do not want more of "experienced leadership" that considers itself wise enough to make decisions for me. I want principled people who understand their own limitations and, yes, their own ignorance
Monday, September 15, 2008
I Just Miss Him So Much....
I hope my Mom doesn't mind me sharing some of what she's feeling right now, but I feel that sharing can be therapeutic and prayers don't hurt much either.
Mom and Dave went to the marina to clean out her and Rick's boat for the fall over the weekend. She had a really hard time. My heart aches for the loss of my step Dad, but it aches even more for the loss of my Mom's husband.
She said: I just miss him so much....
Heartache has got to be the worst feeling on the planet. Just the worst! Some days it takes all that you've got to not scream your head off for no reason. The pain in your heart is so intense that no matter what you do to distract yourself it still throbs.
I know there's nothing we can do besides let time heal. In the mean time, I just want to say that this sucks the big one.
Mom and Dave went to the marina to clean out her and Rick's boat for the fall over the weekend. She had a really hard time. My heart aches for the loss of my step Dad, but it aches even more for the loss of my Mom's husband.
She said: I just miss him so much....
Heartache has got to be the worst feeling on the planet. Just the worst! Some days it takes all that you've got to not scream your head off for no reason. The pain in your heart is so intense that no matter what you do to distract yourself it still throbs.
I know there's nothing we can do besides let time heal. In the mean time, I just want to say that this sucks the big one.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Bright Side
It hasn't been an easy last couple of weeks - needless to say.
This week I jumped back in to daycare, CeCe started preschool and I am technically still post pardum. As hard as it is to admit, I almost felt like I couldn't handle it all.
Now that it's Friday (thank the Heavens) I can actually manage a smile.
And even though my children haven't made things any easier for me lately, I still love them to death.
I mean, look at these faces.
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