Attention Ladies

There are to be no excuses this year. I am strongly encouraging some participation in a triathlon this year!

Once again, there are quite a few months between now and July. It all starts with one lap of the pool, one lap of a track and a couple of miles on a bike. Anyone can do it!!

http://www.trekwomenstriathlonseries.com/wisconsin.html

This is the link for an all-women's tri up in Pleasant Prairie, WI. I will be participating in at least three races this year, and this will be one of them. Lake Andrea is a great place to swim and PP really knows how to host a great race. Please join me and you, too, will see how inspirational it is to watch women of all shapes and sizes cheer and motivate one another to cross the finish line.

Family Weekend

That is how I felt this weekend. I got to 'borrow' my brothers kids :) I guess that's better than saying babysit when you're referring to your adorable nephews. My brother was really sick with the stomach flu and had to go to the hospital on Thursday night. So, Thursday through Sunday Jack was at my house. Braxton only stayed on Thursday and Friday because he was having his 11th birthday bash back at his house on Saturday. The kicker about B is that he didn't have to stay on Friday, but he walked to our house from school because he wanted to come and keep Graminator company. Sweetest thing....Anyway, I would like to think it was a little like having my own kid(s) in the house for a few days. They drove Jeff a little nutty, but it was fine by me. Friday night we went shopping for Braxton's birthday party supplies. He decided on having a luau theme since it's been so darn cold. Because Jack was being a good boy, he got him a $9 Lightning McQueen balloon. That thing was twice the size of him, but it was hilarious and worth it. We ended up going home and curling up on the couch to watch the Incredibles. It was really cute and we had fun. I was exhausted though and fell asleep before 11. NICE!

Saturday morning brough Jeff home from work at 4am. He seemed pretty upset and just couldn't stop talking about how badly he wants to move out of here and just be us out in Colorado. He doesn't open up that much to me about things that he wants, so I decided to let him go even though it was the middle of the night. He has been a real trooper with having my family staying with us. He is so patient and kind and I'm really lucky to have such a great husband. I think that this situation has actually brought us closer together and we have greater respect for each other and our time together.

Anyway, Carynn brought Josephine and Finley over in the morning for a playdate with Jack. They were all SO adorable playing with one another. They played airplanes and chased each other around...and sort of watched the Little Mermaid. It was so nice to finally have them all together and I hope we can do it again! After that, we took Jack to play at Chuck E Cheese with Mom too! It was actually really fun and surprisingly clean in there. Afterwards, Uncle Keck and Auntie (as he calls us) took the munchkin to Jewel so we could get him popsicles. Yes, we bribed him to do a lot of things for popsicles. Being good, eating dinner, taking a "rest" for thirty minutes. Very effective!

We played and played and Jack even helped with the laundry. As we were sitting on the floor waiting for the washing machine to fill up with water, he asked me the most interesting question, "Auntie, why are you happy?" I didn't even pause, and said, "becuase you're here". Which is true. It just struck me as such an innocent question and yet something quite profound to think about. We always spend so much time thinking about reasons why we aren't as happy as we could be, that I think we fail to stop and think about all of the things in our life that actually make us happy. Jack eventually grabbed his blanket and crawled next to me on the couch and fell asleep in my arms. At that moment, for me, it was a realization that my family, as nuts as we can be, actually make me happy.

Sunday morning Jeff and I got up and ran 7 miles at the gym. That's my longest run to date and it felt really good! We spent the rest of the day cleaning the house, doing laundry and enjoying each other's company in the peace and quiet of our home. Sunday afternoons have become the only time when we don't usually have people ino ur house, so we try to enjoy it while we can! Overall, it was a really nice and quiet and fun weekend without going out partying or spending money on useless, wasteful things. I hope to have more like this. And sometime in the future, enjoy these weekends with kids of our own.

Why are you happy?

I'm Taking You By The Horns '09

That quote is from the first day of the new year, by my wonderful hubby. I'm sure it had something to do with driving or being a little tipsy...but it was hilarious and a pretty darn good motto for the new year.

My friend Sarah sent me this pretty interesting questionnaire that asks you to reflect on your 2008 and make plans for 2009. Wow - I realized that I accomplished nothing in 2008. Not one goal. Not even the slightest bit of headway. I want to thank her for sending me that little nugget of "wake your ass up, slacker"! So, I have decided this year to put myself and my goals ahead of everything else and see if I can't follow through on something. Here is a little sampling of this year's goals. Please hold me to them, I'll need some help!!

I will choose my words more carefully.
I will drink only in moderation.
I will go home before midnight.
I will slow down and enjoy the present, for tomorrow it's gone.
I will be more careful with my money and purchase less.
I will be more patient.
I will learn self-discipline.
I will run two half-marathons.
I will start to learn a new language.
I will not give up my childhood dreams and I will do what is necessary to achieve them.
I will re-evaluate my definition of hard work.
I will write in a journal.
I will take 15 minutes and give them to myself each day.
I will do yoga once a week.
I will be grateful for what I have.
I will go to church.
I will watch less TV and read more books.

This is my year of personal enrichment and fulfillment. It is my last year in my "20s" and I'd like to take it out better than I've had any other year. And at the same weight as I was in '99 :)

Here's to me; here's to you and here's to a happy and accomplished 2009!

Peace!

Yeay for Big Oil Companies!!!

I just wanted to share this AMAZING news with everyone!!!
ExxonMoblie just broke another profit record. AWWWW! How awesome is that?


Mccain Has Taken At Least $720,613 From The Oil & Gas Industry. According to a Public Campaign Action Fund analysis of campaign finance data provided by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics Center, John McCain accepted at least $720,613 from the oil and gas industry since 1989. [Center for Responsive Politics via Campaign Action Fund]

At Least 15 Top McCain Advisers & Fundraisers Have Lobbied For Big OilJohn McCain has at least 15 people working for his campaign, either as top fundraisers or as senior campaign staff, that have lobbied for Big Oil. Here are a handful


Wayne Berman
National Finance Co-Chairman
Ogilvy Government Relations
Amerada Hess Chevron Texaco American Petroleum Institute

Charlie Black
Senior Political Adviser
BKSH
Occidental Petroleum Corp. Yukos Oil Chinese National Off-Shore Oil Corp.

Eric Burgeson
Fundraiser
Barbour Griffith & Rogers
BP *Burgeson resigned from McCain's campaign because of his lobbying ties

Kerry Cammack
Fundraiser
Cammack and Strong
Exxon Mobil

Frank Donatelli
McCain Pick as Deputy RNC Chair
McGuire Woods
Exxon Mobil


McCain's Tax Plan Gives Top Five Oil Companies $3.8 Billion A Year In Tax Breaks. According to a study conducted by the Center for American Progress, "The McCain plan would deliver approximately $170 billion a year in tax cuts to corporations, including some corporations that are very large and profitable. Just one of the proposals-cutting the corporate rate from 35 percent to 25 percent-would cut taxes for five largest U.S. oil companies by $3.8 billion a year." [Center for American Progress, 3/27/08]

McCain Voted Against Reducing Dependence On Foreign Oil. In 2005, McCain voted against legislation calling on the President to submit a plan to reduce foreign petroleum imports by 40 percent. [Senate Roll Call Vote #140, 6/16/05]

McCain Voted Against Renewable Energy Technology. In 2001, McCain voted against establishing tax credits for investments in renewable energy technologies, incentives for new energy efficient residential construction and tax deductions for increased energy efficiency in commercial buildings. The motion failed 43-56. [H.R. 1836, Vote #125, 5/21/2001]

McCain Voted Against Funding for Renewable Energy Programs. In 1999, McCain opposed an amendment that would increase funding for energy supply and research & development activities for renewable energy sources by reducing unnecessary Energy Department contractor travel expenses. McCain voted to kill an appeal made by the chair that this amendment was out of order, effectively voting to kill the amendment. The motion to kill the appeal (and thus the amendment) passed 60-39. [S. 1186, Vote #171, 6/16/1999]

Let's Talk Socialism

Perhaps people who claim to be qualified for the Presidency should take a class on the theories of government. Most semi-educated people know that all theories look good on paper, but clearly have their flaws, including democracy and capitalism.

“He wants to quote ‘spread the wealth around,’” McCain said “He believes in redistributing wealth, not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs and opportunities for all Americans. Sen. Obama is more interested in controlling who gets your piece of the pie than he is in growing the pie.”

To put it in context, Senator Obama said when questioned by Joe the Plumber:
“It’s not that I want to punish your success, I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they’ve got a chance at success too. My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s going be good for everybody. If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody, and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody."

Socialism refers to a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole. Socialists mainly share the belief that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls the capital, and creates an unequal society. All socialists advocate the creation of an egalitarian society, in which wealth and power are distributed more evenly.

My point is, nowhere did he say that he planned on nationalizing his plumbing business, controlling the land that his business is on nor the capital that is accumulated and spreading that around to everyone. He is simply pointing out that business is bad for everyone right now and EVERYONE could benefit from having a little MORE. Let's think about the reasons why small business is suffering. Is it because of the banks on Wall Street? Well, it is now that it's messing with people's retirement funds and investments. People aren't CONSUMING, they are not shopping, the are saving and conserving. Don't you find it odd that Campbell's Soup stock is rising during these poor economic times but major retailes like Circuit City are on the brink of liquidation? Small businesses are closing their doors because nobody is walking through them, not because the government nationalized their wealth.

Election Dissection

So - I have to thank the good folks at CNN for giving us a football like play by play of every single thing that goes on during the election. I know listen to talk radio every morning, noon and night that I am in my car and I last week I fell asleep watching Wolf Blitzer on Friday night.

I am forced to ask myself this. What happened to my youth?

Perhaps I am a late bloomer when it comes to idealism and wanting to save the world from disaster. That probably should have come ten years ago when I first started college. Ah well. I am thankful that I care enough about this country to pay attention to what is going on and I am a strong enough individual to not vote strictly down party lines. While I am a fierce Obama/Biden ticket supporter, I am choosing to vote for a moderate Republican for a House seat and plan to re-elect a Lake County District Board member who voted exactly how I would have. I find that people get so hung up on one, two or many irrelevant facts when it comes to picking candidates. I also find that people are only ever concerned with the Presidential picks, but could care less about Congress - BIG MISTAKE!

But, since we are on the topic of Presidential politics, I have a few opinions that I would like to share with my 3 readers:

• It is no surprise to anyone that Fox News likes to pretend like the roll down the middle, but they lean ( I mean lay down) to the right. Bill O'Reilly decided that since so many people in the country aren't "real Americans" that we would just start telling the terrorists who it was OK to bomb. That's right. He said that it would be OK to eradicate San Francisco because it wasn't part of the "real America". And they have the nerve to call Obama a terrorist? W.O.W. What's more frightening is that there are those out there who agree with this.
• I am tired of Republican VP candidates pretty much telling me that I am Anti-American because I am not voting for their ticket. Does anyone read history?? Republican government has historically catered to the rich and big business. Clearly giving tax breaks to those large corporations has not helped them create U.S. jobs, but it has helped their CEO's line their pockets. And to call someone who wants to spread tax breaks among the middle-class Americans a socialist. Ummmm.....Your President and Secretary of the Treasury just unleashed a nearly $1 Trillion bailout of Wall Street. Is that not socialism? Spreading OUR taxpayer wealth to the......oh yes. Wealthy. Gotcha.
• I applaud John McCain for removing the microphone from folks who call Obama an Arab and those that are "terrified" of him becoming President. (I think that is the real McCain. I do think that he is an honest and decent person, I just think he has horrible advisors and campaign managers and made a catastrophic mistake in Sarah Palin). HOWEVER, he denounced the fact that Obama is an Arab, which he is not, but did so by saying he's a "good family man" as if being Muslim or Arab is a bad thing. Is there nobody who has a problem with this? What if Muslims ran this country and were talking nonsense about Christians on a national stage (I'm talking to you Rush Limbaugh)? Oh, but that could never happen right? Tell that to Jesus. He was a minority believer once too.
• Taxes. Stop talking about them. We live a life of luxury here in America no matter how you slice it. Somebody has to pay for it. I think those that live in more luxury should have to pay more for it. If you are wealthy enough to own multiple homes, have private jets and spend $25k night for a private island vacation, then you can afford to chip in a little more for our national infrastructure. Nobody is telling the wealthy to make less money or taking away something that they can't live with out.
• Last but not least. I certainly hope, that no matter who anyone votes for, that they are doing so because they think that person is the best hope for getting this country out of the colossal craphole that we are in. Not because they are black, old, a woman, Arab, a Christian, pro-life, pro-choice, or because they like the tie they wore at the last debate. Focus on the issues at hand. Too bad there wasn't a decent third party candidate....
• Ron Paul '08

Thanks for reading my rants. I am just feeding into the negativity that I see out there every day. One word misspoken and everyone erupts! This has become a world where we have to Fact Check every single comment made. Truly guilty until proven innocent. I imagine our forefathers are rolling around in their graves at the moment.

Please vote. It's your right that was so hard fought for. Have some respect for our predecessors.

Peace.

What now?

I actually shed a tear last night when the US Men's Volleyball Team cruised to a gold medal victory at the Beijing Olympics. Was it in response to the tragedy to triumph story? Perhaps a little. But more than that, my tears fell because it was the final event I watched in the 2008 Summer Olympic games. I have spent the last 2.5 weeks glued to NBC watching countless hours of competition. From swimming and divings to double skulls and rowing, my dedication to cheering on Team USA from my couch never wavered. I was up until 12:45am watching Nastia Lukin win the Women's Gymnastics All-Around and cursing the terrible over-judging of the Chinese gymnasts. Empathizing with Shawn Johnson's parents after she won the Gold on Beam. I felt like I was actually IN the water cube for every single race that Michael Phelps swam in - cheering and jumping up and down in my living room or local bar - getting teary-eyed when I watched his Mom fall into her seat after his amazing finish in the 100m Fly. Rocking back adn forth like I was rowing to gold with the US 8 Women Team. I never went to bed before the sign off of my beloved Bob Costas. Now, what am I to do with my time? Probably get more sleep and accomplish more around the house. Post-Olympic life will be boring I'm sure. Here's to London 2012.

Peace.