I was going to tell you all about my last two day s of acupuncture but I must discuss Halloween instead. This may surpise all of my friends and loved ones in the United States but I despise Halloween. What is the significance in the day, why do we pass out candy and let our children gorge themselves on candy for that evening? Three Halloween´s have passed without my children being any wiser to the sugar coma inducing evening. This year I indulged and am regretting it.
As I emailed a friend earlier; Roarke was "unbearable by 5:26 pm (I know because I looked at the clock), two hours and ten pieces of candy later...I was ready to snatch him bald" or something along those lines. By 7:45, Sebastian had punched two 4th graders in the testicles, he says they were threaating to hit him and his friend with a bat. Hmmm...I think if someone is coming after me with a bat I run to the safe place, not take time out to punch two boys in the balls and make a kid almost twice his size cry. Tenacity or assholisity? I am not sure. I was really looking forward to rearing the next Gandhi but it looks like my boys have other plans in mind, like Napoleon (Sebastian is not a tall boy after all) and the Bruiser (because Roarke is a tall boy). Great, my best hope right now is they will form THE rock and roll band for their time. Which leads me to my homeschool lesson of the week...
Since I cannot listen to the White Stripes EVERYDAY at 8am I thought to put different discs in the CD changer in the car. This week commences the education of quality alternative (one bordering on punk, hooray!), guitar heavy, fables in songs week. My choices were Sterophonics "Language.Sex.Violence. Other?" I know, the title makes me sound crazy, but the song Sebastian likes is "Superman" (you know, 7.75 year´s old) and the gist of the lyrics is shut the f*!# up, stop talking because you´re not doing anything. And believe me, I translate lyrics for the under 8 crowd so they can understand metaphor. We do it through explaining politics via "rock and roll" ideas. Hence the statement "George Bush is wrecking the planet" a la Sebastian. Then Isabel "George Bush is a very mean man and he doesn´t like other people to be happy." I really don´t know how they came to these conclusions! And yes, my children think Bono is a better man than the current President of the United States.
My second choice, Death to the Pixies disc #2. After digging out the Pixies, I was so happy. Yes, it makes me want to drive fast (which is an impossibility in Mexico), but Frank Black and the song "Debaser"!? Crikey, I can teach French Film criticism on that song alone (i.e. I am un chien Andalusia!). Now, that is my form of un-schooling, I guess Waldorf just needs to get my back for math and reading. I am teaching the poingnant stuff, right? Now go listen to the Pixies and this weeks classic alternative/possibly post punk music/Intro to French Film un-schooling adventure.
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Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Acupuncture 001
Okay, so my neck is still achy and i have 2 more sessions of acupuncture this week. In total I will spend about $600 MXP (which is less than $60 USD these days) for three days of acupuncture, I am putting a giant prayer out to the universe to help this heal my neck. To begin with Sandra, another Los Charcos mother, took a brief clinical history. You know diseases in the family, general health, blah, blah...after that she asked me to stick out my tongue. Sandra looked at my tongue for about 45 seconds "Um...hmm...now I will make your treatment." I don´t know what she saw on my tongue but her fingers found all the spots that ached intensely and she put the needles in.
With the 4th needle she put in, left shoulder blade, she hit this painful spot. All of a sudden there was a rush of pain up my shoulder blade to my head, my left ear got all tingly, then the crown of my head was tingly and super hot. I was starting to think, okay this really sucks or I´m having an induced Kundalini moment, when the colors in the room got really bright, my green shirt went electric green in front of me. Ten seconds later the pain was gone along with the color intensity. All the needles in my back were taken out, Sandra put one on the crown of my head, had me lie down and placed 4 more needles on me; the outer portion of both wrists and the outer portion below my kneecaps on both sides. I laid on the table listening to music, that sounded like Grieg, you know that gorgeous weeping emotive orchestral stuff, and waited 15 minutes for her to return.
While I´m laying there wondering about cellos and electric violins and new age music, I start to notice, crap the fingertips on my left hand feel like they are oozing painfulness. Might as well start praying with the new age music...pain leave my body through my fingertips, seep into this table, travel down the legs of this table and rest in the coolness of the concrete floor, let me walk over the worry the discomfort and keep on moving, for the sake of my children please make it go away (because I am not pleasant in my bitching to everyone right now!), sink my pain and sorrows in to the earth and plant a seed. Seeds hold within them the power of change, growth and wholeness...please let my nagging, irritating sorrow from pain become something else. So, I am waiting and going back tomorrow for more of my treatment plan. Now I need a smoking cessation acupuncture session I think.
When I came home to type this I kept hearing this soft banging noise. I knew I didn´t leave a window open because I checked all the windows 5 times this morning when I heard the same banging noise. So, I turn around. Perched in the office window on the metal grid of bars is this beautiful bird looking at me and pecking on the window. I have no idea what kind of bird it is, his breast is bright yellow, his face is white except for a blank band around his eyes (he looks like a bandit), and his beak is thick and black, maybe woodpeckerish. This bird we have seen hanging about for days in the window, in the tree out back and I wonder why has s/he come? Though I´m not a superstitious, I like the idea of signs. When I think of birds I think of migration, flow, weightlessness. Maybe this bird pecking on the window is saying I will take it, I will take your pain and carry it into the winds where it will disperse and not consume you, or anyone, ever again. Thanks little bird, you and Sandra gave me gifts today, even if the notions are of my own crafting, the power of positive thinking can get us all farther along than wallowing in fear, worry and negativity.
Better yet, maybe this bird is like the squirrel in "Little Acorns" by the White Stripes. Remember that post? I said I´m going to "be like the squirrel, take all my problems and carry them off in a shopping cart" (and if you haven´t listened to that song yet, go find it, it´s fantastic!). So, my bird friend is here to remind me, peck it apart into manageable pieces and go from there. Acupuncture and an interesting voyeuristic bird, that´s a very fine day!
With the 4th needle she put in, left shoulder blade, she hit this painful spot. All of a sudden there was a rush of pain up my shoulder blade to my head, my left ear got all tingly, then the crown of my head was tingly and super hot. I was starting to think, okay this really sucks or I´m having an induced Kundalini moment, when the colors in the room got really bright, my green shirt went electric green in front of me. Ten seconds later the pain was gone along with the color intensity. All the needles in my back were taken out, Sandra put one on the crown of my head, had me lie down and placed 4 more needles on me; the outer portion of both wrists and the outer portion below my kneecaps on both sides. I laid on the table listening to music, that sounded like Grieg, you know that gorgeous weeping emotive orchestral stuff, and waited 15 minutes for her to return.
While I´m laying there wondering about cellos and electric violins and new age music, I start to notice, crap the fingertips on my left hand feel like they are oozing painfulness. Might as well start praying with the new age music...pain leave my body through my fingertips, seep into this table, travel down the legs of this table and rest in the coolness of the concrete floor, let me walk over the worry the discomfort and keep on moving, for the sake of my children please make it go away (because I am not pleasant in my bitching to everyone right now!), sink my pain and sorrows in to the earth and plant a seed. Seeds hold within them the power of change, growth and wholeness...please let my nagging, irritating sorrow from pain become something else. So, I am waiting and going back tomorrow for more of my treatment plan. Now I need a smoking cessation acupuncture session I think.
When I came home to type this I kept hearing this soft banging noise. I knew I didn´t leave a window open because I checked all the windows 5 times this morning when I heard the same banging noise. So, I turn around. Perched in the office window on the metal grid of bars is this beautiful bird looking at me and pecking on the window. I have no idea what kind of bird it is, his breast is bright yellow, his face is white except for a blank band around his eyes (he looks like a bandit), and his beak is thick and black, maybe woodpeckerish. This bird we have seen hanging about for days in the window, in the tree out back and I wonder why has s/he come? Though I´m not a superstitious, I like the idea of signs. When I think of birds I think of migration, flow, weightlessness. Maybe this bird pecking on the window is saying I will take it, I will take your pain and carry it into the winds where it will disperse and not consume you, or anyone, ever again. Thanks little bird, you and Sandra gave me gifts today, even if the notions are of my own crafting, the power of positive thinking can get us all farther along than wallowing in fear, worry and negativity.
Better yet, maybe this bird is like the squirrel in "Little Acorns" by the White Stripes. Remember that post? I said I´m going to "be like the squirrel, take all my problems and carry them off in a shopping cart" (and if you haven´t listened to that song yet, go find it, it´s fantastic!). So, my bird friend is here to remind me, peck it apart into manageable pieces and go from there. Acupuncture and an interesting voyeuristic bird, that´s a very fine day!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thinking about "The Fountainhead"
Two weeks ago I had a discussion with a gentleman, aged 85 to perfection, about Ayn Rand´s prolific work "The Fountainhead". The man was named Sid, is an architect, though he hasn´t practiced in many years, and was intrigued by Roarke´s name having read Rand´s book. Sid also studied under Frank Lloyd Wright. What I didn´t know is that the character of Howard Roark had been loosely associated with Wright when the book came out. Here is Wikipedia´s all too brief synopsis of Roark, the namesake of our Roarke.
To that I must add that Roark was unafraid of this life, he knew he could do more and yet when times called for it he would do whatever it took for him to survive in this world. Trying again and again, until he could produce quality without compromise. One has to stop and pause because it is quality that matters in this world and not quantity. Look at what quantity has done to first the economy of the U.S. while spreading it´s reach into the global economy. Now, I pause to think about what happens when you name your son after an enigmatic book character and he develops into his own person that parallels written, unpresumed qualities. I wanted to instill all those qualities in my children. It seems doubly concentrated in my Roarke.
At the same party where I talked with the octogenarian architect there were also many friends. One friend said "Roarke´s shirt is on inside out". To which I replied; "I know, he dressed himself, I told him it was inside out and he didn´t want to change it." This may seem simple to some, but to tell my Roarke that something isn´t within the norm and socially acceptable is like signing on to WWIII, seriously...you haven´t heard a kid screamed until you´ve seen Roarke and his theatrics. Yes, this is a serious pain in my ass...can´t you just put on clothes the way everyone else does or the myriad of other things other people do in a day but he refuses to participate in. In next breath I have to say to myself, well...we picked his name and gave him a title to go into this world with, pick a less controversial name next time. (By the way, I don´t think there will be a next time for me, Roarke requires energy that could not be diverted to an additional kid.)
In these crazy turbulent times I think about Roark and Roarke. Their passion, their stick-to-it-ness, how they are abrasive to the rest of the world, strong personalities which refuse to follow the flock. Never did I want to rear children that were pushovers without a sense of what is at the core right or wrong, abusive and non-abusive. That is my Roarke, painful for this mother to rear (just follow the rules damnit!) but in him I see the budding of this man that is strong beyond what I can imagine. Ayn Rand may have been an author to despise, disagree with, call crazy because of Objectivism...BUT she was also an author that gave my husband and myself the name a of a strong man, uncompromising in his duties as a creative human with the ability to survive scorn from his peers. To my Roarke; I hope your name serves you, I hope your load will be lighter to bear than fictional Howard Roark, though I think you are the right soul to meet the ugliness in life and rise up with your dignity intact.
P.S. Can anyone explain to me why Peter Keating´s Wiki entry is twice as long as Roark´s? For me, Roark was the central character with character in Rand´s book and yet we get a blurb. Did I miss something?
Howard Roark
Howard Roark, Rand's main protagonist, is "tall and gaunt"- "His hair was neither blond nor red, but the exact color of ripe orange rind." An aspiring architect with a unique and uncompromising creative vision, he contrasts sharply with the staid and uninspired conventions of the architectural establishment. He ignores the driving preoccupations of the world around him: wealth, status, social standing among the elite. Roark takes pleasure in the act of creation. But, he is constantly opposed by "the hostility of second-hand souls", the second-handers; those unwilling or afraid to recognize his creative ability.
To that I must add that Roark was unafraid of this life, he knew he could do more and yet when times called for it he would do whatever it took for him to survive in this world. Trying again and again, until he could produce quality without compromise. One has to stop and pause because it is quality that matters in this world and not quantity. Look at what quantity has done to first the economy of the U.S. while spreading it´s reach into the global economy. Now, I pause to think about what happens when you name your son after an enigmatic book character and he develops into his own person that parallels written, unpresumed qualities. I wanted to instill all those qualities in my children. It seems doubly concentrated in my Roarke.
At the same party where I talked with the octogenarian architect there were also many friends. One friend said "Roarke´s shirt is on inside out". To which I replied; "I know, he dressed himself, I told him it was inside out and he didn´t want to change it." This may seem simple to some, but to tell my Roarke that something isn´t within the norm and socially acceptable is like signing on to WWIII, seriously...you haven´t heard a kid screamed until you´ve seen Roarke and his theatrics. Yes, this is a serious pain in my ass...can´t you just put on clothes the way everyone else does or the myriad of other things other people do in a day but he refuses to participate in. In next breath I have to say to myself, well...we picked his name and gave him a title to go into this world with, pick a less controversial name next time. (By the way, I don´t think there will be a next time for me, Roarke requires energy that could not be diverted to an additional kid.)
In these crazy turbulent times I think about Roark and Roarke. Their passion, their stick-to-it-ness, how they are abrasive to the rest of the world, strong personalities which refuse to follow the flock. Never did I want to rear children that were pushovers without a sense of what is at the core right or wrong, abusive and non-abusive. That is my Roarke, painful for this mother to rear (just follow the rules damnit!) but in him I see the budding of this man that is strong beyond what I can imagine. Ayn Rand may have been an author to despise, disagree with, call crazy because of Objectivism...BUT she was also an author that gave my husband and myself the name a of a strong man, uncompromising in his duties as a creative human with the ability to survive scorn from his peers. To my Roarke; I hope your name serves you, I hope your load will be lighter to bear than fictional Howard Roark, though I think you are the right soul to meet the ugliness in life and rise up with your dignity intact.
P.S. Can anyone explain to me why Peter Keating´s Wiki entry is twice as long as Roark´s? For me, Roark was the central character with character in Rand´s book and yet we get a blurb. Did I miss something?
32 Year with Goldman Sachs and Treasury Secretary
I have the utmost repsect for Bill Moyers. Here is the link to this weeks opening for "Bill Moyers Journal" at PBS.org. To think Paulson wanted a blank check. Acting fast still requires acting in the best interest of the American public, not the financial industry. For Paulson, I don´t think he knows what is best for John Q. Public (forget Joe the Plumber, this is the phrase my daddy taught me and it holds more weight! AND, AND...he voted Republican all his life John McCain). Well, watch and make your own decision.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Skunk Funk
Here´s an update to what my week has been like. Sunday we went to the christening party for Lucinda Richards and it was lovely, out in the country the mountains still green and the sky...the sky is that beautiful blue you see in high altitude places. There was a trampolin, a playset, pony rides, an ice cream man, lots of food and a staffed bar. That is how I enjoy spending Sunday´s, invite me to all your functions! I promise to be vivacious and charming if you get my kids away from me, happily, and feed me. My bad move for the day though was the comment that my 38 year old mortal coil is starting to show signs of discomfort in places I didn´t know existed 3years ago. Oh, foershadowing in real life...
When I came home from the party I noticed just how much my kids work me, I feel like Cinderella some days. Do this, no you did it wrong, why don´t you listen to me...and this is my kids talking to me, not the other way around. The "mommy can you get me (fill in the blank)" is running me ragged. These children think they need a full time staff and I am one. I paid for those few hours of bliss because when we got home, I didn´t sit down until 9:30 when they were asleep, finally! That is when the constant twinge in my neck (it´s been there for 3 weeks) started to generate more pain so I went to bed.
About 3 am I wake up because there is this horrible smell in my nostrils, I feel like puking and I hear Frankie barking outside my bathroom. I go to the bathroom and realize I´ve left the window open and Frankie, our fearless canine protector, has picked a fight with a skunk. Great, it stinks like roadkill in my bathroom, can´t wait for the morning when Frankie comes inside the house to eat.
Monday morning at 6:40 I wake up, I can´t move my neck. Fabulous, this is really turning out to be the God-forsaken Monday. I push the snooze, wake up 20 minutes later and decide this is one of those days I´m opting for bed, even over the liberation of 3 kids at school. When you cannot turn your head to the left, it´s really best not to drive my sleepy brain told me. I passed out until around 9:30 am, the kids were saying "let´s go to school" and I said "I can´t turn my head we are not going anywhere until I have to get Martha at 2:15." Until then, I talk with Stephanie, schedule a massage in the afternoon, put a hot compress on my neck and lay vertical. Of course Frankie stinks like nobody´s business and the urge to vomit comes in waves. Lovely, it´s such a perfect day.
I went for my massage, which I scheduled remember, and was told when I arrived: "Oh I can´t do it right now, come back at 6pm". It was 4pm, I have 3 children at home 20 minutes away, hell no I am not coming back in 2 hours I need it now! So I take my business elsewhere, to the Jasmine Spa; where I am massaged, by a man no less and worked the multitude of knots out of my shoulders. By Tuesday I felt like I had been pommeled in the shoulder blades by many fists. And Frankie still had the skunk funk.
Lead us to today, my shoulders and neck are in a constant dull manageable ache. I´ve scheduled acupuncture for next week and am really not looking foward to needles 3 days in a row. The kids have come home telling me how the maestro/as are looking for piojos (maybe I spelled it correctly, in any case it´s lice) in their hair and I am less than enthused. On a good note, our Pediatrician told us a few years ago lice only enjoy clean heads, which exempts my children because they love to roll in the dirt and go to bed dirty...frankly I´m cool with that. So no lice yet, just in case I´m keeping them extra dirty for a few weeks. On a really positive note, Richard is in Houston, gainfully employed, Houston is so much closer than Indianapolis and apparently in much better economic shape, he said the malls are packed with people. How is that possible? Oh, town of oil moguls, the rest of the country cannot afford Cartier anymore.
Meanwhile in finishing this blog, my children have gone from playful wrestling to eye for an eye justice which signals to me, I have to go and have yet another philosophical conversation. You would think my kids would get so tired of my pontificating they would stop practicing this brand of "justice". To the under 8 crowd, a punch must still be so exhilirating you can tune out your mother´s wrath.
An exciting week so far!
P.S. Frankie still stinks, when does the skunk funk go away?
When I came home from the party I noticed just how much my kids work me, I feel like Cinderella some days. Do this, no you did it wrong, why don´t you listen to me...and this is my kids talking to me, not the other way around. The "mommy can you get me (fill in the blank)" is running me ragged. These children think they need a full time staff and I am one. I paid for those few hours of bliss because when we got home, I didn´t sit down until 9:30 when they were asleep, finally! That is when the constant twinge in my neck (it´s been there for 3 weeks) started to generate more pain so I went to bed.
About 3 am I wake up because there is this horrible smell in my nostrils, I feel like puking and I hear Frankie barking outside my bathroom. I go to the bathroom and realize I´ve left the window open and Frankie, our fearless canine protector, has picked a fight with a skunk. Great, it stinks like roadkill in my bathroom, can´t wait for the morning when Frankie comes inside the house to eat.
Monday morning at 6:40 I wake up, I can´t move my neck. Fabulous, this is really turning out to be the God-forsaken Monday. I push the snooze, wake up 20 minutes later and decide this is one of those days I´m opting for bed, even over the liberation of 3 kids at school. When you cannot turn your head to the left, it´s really best not to drive my sleepy brain told me. I passed out until around 9:30 am, the kids were saying "let´s go to school" and I said "I can´t turn my head we are not going anywhere until I have to get Martha at 2:15." Until then, I talk with Stephanie, schedule a massage in the afternoon, put a hot compress on my neck and lay vertical. Of course Frankie stinks like nobody´s business and the urge to vomit comes in waves. Lovely, it´s such a perfect day.
I went for my massage, which I scheduled remember, and was told when I arrived: "Oh I can´t do it right now, come back at 6pm". It was 4pm, I have 3 children at home 20 minutes away, hell no I am not coming back in 2 hours I need it now! So I take my business elsewhere, to the Jasmine Spa; where I am massaged, by a man no less and worked the multitude of knots out of my shoulders. By Tuesday I felt like I had been pommeled in the shoulder blades by many fists. And Frankie still had the skunk funk.
Lead us to today, my shoulders and neck are in a constant dull manageable ache. I´ve scheduled acupuncture for next week and am really not looking foward to needles 3 days in a row. The kids have come home telling me how the maestro/as are looking for piojos (maybe I spelled it correctly, in any case it´s lice) in their hair and I am less than enthused. On a good note, our Pediatrician told us a few years ago lice only enjoy clean heads, which exempts my children because they love to roll in the dirt and go to bed dirty...frankly I´m cool with that. So no lice yet, just in case I´m keeping them extra dirty for a few weeks. On a really positive note, Richard is in Houston, gainfully employed, Houston is so much closer than Indianapolis and apparently in much better economic shape, he said the malls are packed with people. How is that possible? Oh, town of oil moguls, the rest of the country cannot afford Cartier anymore.
Meanwhile in finishing this blog, my children have gone from playful wrestling to eye for an eye justice which signals to me, I have to go and have yet another philosophical conversation. You would think my kids would get so tired of my pontificating they would stop practicing this brand of "justice". To the under 8 crowd, a punch must still be so exhilirating you can tune out your mother´s wrath.
An exciting week so far!
P.S. Frankie still stinks, when does the skunk funk go away?
Lessons from the Third World
I took these photos in Kampala, Uganda. Our first morning in Africa. Remember the adversity some places in the world face when voting, look at Kenya. Get out and exercise your freedom to vote this year, every year. Use your voice, it your gift for being a citizen of the United States.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Another update
Codepink updated their fund raiser for Jocelyn Voltaire. The spirit of philanthropy is still alive in the United States
Friday, October 17, 2008
Help this woman not lose her home...
This video came across in a link from Codepink, thay started a fundraiser yesterday to help Jocelyn Voltaire. I hope it´s not too late to help, I´m sending in the little bit that I can. Click here to donate via Codepink.
P.S. I removed the video, goolge ANP anad you´ll find it there!
P.S. I removed the video, goolge ANP anad you´ll find it there!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Running the Marathon
Last Friday I was driving back from the morning commute to Los Charcos (school) when I saw an amazing thing. The official title was "Maraton de Peregrinos 2ยบ" which means means second annual marathon of pilgrims. I saw this religious procession the day after Betty´s post concerning the beige and mauve color scheme proposed for her beloved church. Betty, how I wish you had seen this procession of the faithful. The beginning of the marathon was a pick-up truck, Ford F150 with brown and yellow paint, in the back underneath a blue plastic tarp was the altar. Altars here have essential components; the Mexican flag, candles lit, flowers and of course, Virgen de Guadalupe (THE Queen of Mexico, dontcha know). The rainbow of colors and the simple beauty of this mobile altar made me sit, wait and watch. My next sight was a woman in a bright blue track suit running with a torch.
I was only half way through my mug of delicious black tea from Rwanda (thank you ´becca!) so immediately I said "What is going on?" Sometimes it´s hard to put all the pieces together in Mexico as an outsider, without the advantage of ample caffeination. Gradually I connected all the dots, translated all the signs into my English dominant brain and saw the herd of silver, pink and blue buses headed my way. (Travel note in Mexico: if you see lots of buses going the way you need to go, pull out quick and get ahead of them or sit for an hour and wait, I decided to pull out, quick!) I made it to nearly the front of the marathon and watched as people jumped from the moving bus, in front of me, to stand their place in line on this torch passing marathon of a pilgrimage.
Watching the people jump from the bus made me think, good Lord that is so not safe and then I thought of Duffy again. You are right, religion has become so safe. In the effort not to "offend" there is a diluted haziness of religiosity. What I saw was this beautiful explosion of movement and color in honor of God. Isn´t that religion? A Faith that moves you and takes you out of the realm of your cozy life? Good God it was a beautiful moment! There was no "blandness...(of) appearance or message" that day. I watched as these pilgrims ran the marathon for God, passing the torch from one to the next, because life is with people and spreading the message isn´t it? That is where I bow down on my knees, though I can´t commit to the Pilgrims God, I can commit to their faith. There is something larger than me, something Divine and I get the message daily: this life is great, this life is good...run the marthon. And so I am.
I was only half way through my mug of delicious black tea from Rwanda (thank you ´becca!) so immediately I said "What is going on?" Sometimes it´s hard to put all the pieces together in Mexico as an outsider, without the advantage of ample caffeination. Gradually I connected all the dots, translated all the signs into my English dominant brain and saw the herd of silver, pink and blue buses headed my way. (Travel note in Mexico: if you see lots of buses going the way you need to go, pull out quick and get ahead of them or sit for an hour and wait, I decided to pull out, quick!) I made it to nearly the front of the marathon and watched as people jumped from the moving bus, in front of me, to stand their place in line on this torch passing marathon of a pilgrimage.
Watching the people jump from the bus made me think, good Lord that is so not safe and then I thought of Duffy again. You are right, religion has become so safe. In the effort not to "offend" there is a diluted haziness of religiosity. What I saw was this beautiful explosion of movement and color in honor of God. Isn´t that religion? A Faith that moves you and takes you out of the realm of your cozy life? Good God it was a beautiful moment! There was no "blandness...(of) appearance or message" that day. I watched as these pilgrims ran the marathon for God, passing the torch from one to the next, because life is with people and spreading the message isn´t it? That is where I bow down on my knees, though I can´t commit to the Pilgrims God, I can commit to their faith. There is something larger than me, something Divine and I get the message daily: this life is great, this life is good...run the marthon. And so I am.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Global Electorate College Update
Click here for an update to what the world thinks of the U.S. election. McCain is winning in Georgia and for now that´s all. While the PBS Palin poll is tied for her qualifications on the job, the rest of the world speaks up. What happens if we don´t listen?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Old, Sad and Tired
This is such old news, something that has been rehashed so many times. We should be offended that McCain keeps reeling this fish back in, looks like he learned swiftboat tactics well. Again, the fears of some Americans have been revived and we are not one iota closer to a solution to our current disaster. For land´s sake, as my Grandma used to say, wake up America. John McCain really is not your friend. Or if he is it´s the National Enquirer Variety Friend...shock, fear, sensationalism, a little more fear and a splash of mis-information. Dig Deeper America.
Proof people vote with their eyeballs...
Okay, different content and interesting premise by Freakonomics bloggers. Hey, they are renegade economists and I haven´t inspected the "Patriot Dollars". I think if we went by Patriot Dollars Obama would have won and we´d be done with this charade. Enjoy the link.
Still Pondering the Debate
I started watching the debate as soon as I got home from taking trash to town. Yes, taking my maggot infested garbage was more important than watching the debate from the start. Here is where I got in; McCain saying he was going to give a $5000 tax credit for families to pay for insurance. Hmm, please do correct me, but didn´t he think that was unreasonable when Hillary had similar options, "it will never work" I remember hearing but this election is all such a blur, just the way politicians like it. I have no problem with him coming to new conclusions but, he should have given props to Clinton and not bagged that as his own idea. Believe me John, can I call you John since you think I am your "friend", no woman that would vote for Hillary would vote for you if she held true to her ideals. I used to think I´d vote for Hillary until Obama came along. Again, John, I´m not sticking with the vagina-factor on the ticket.
I loved the use of his colloquialisms: "We need a cool hand at tiller." This from "the Maverick" candidate, Mr. Independent. His speechwriters must think I don´t pay attention to what he is actually saying and forget Mr.Maverick and Mrs.Sparkles images portrayed outside of the realm of debate. Too many times did he say "I have the experience." Please don´t fall for that subliminal message. John, you are cavelier enough to say "Bomb, bomb, Iran", experience should have told you that was a moronic thing to say. Perhaps you were caught up in the exhilirating moment but I can see where your brand of experience is leading me. And as for your response; you were talking to veterans and if anyone doesn´t understand it then just get a life. I have a life John, I don´t want you in it. Just sayin´. Okay, back to debate issues though, I do get riled up.
McCain´s two top priorites:
1. National Security
2. Security for the men and women in the armed forces abroad
I suppose his interest in me is lumped into National Security but let me tell you, I feel safer abroad than in the good ole USA. I´m less afraid of terrorist on American soil than freaks, I mean fellow Americans, that like to hurt children, which I have three of and would kill the person that hurt them. Yes, for all my non-violence, I protect my kiddos like a tiger. So, where does my family fit into your priorities? In the future we will be forced to deal with Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China...uhh, the developing world. I don´t think a President that has sung his ditty to bomb could successfully protect National Security because you just made yourself a target, dumbass. Remember my eye for an eye brand of justice blog? Unfortunately politics operates on that failed method and "You betcha" Pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will remember your trite 42 seconds and fuck the American public because you laughed. Thanks John, you´re a real wonder boy!
My last thought for the debates was "Which dude could I really have a conversation with? Which man is speaking to me? Which man would listen to me?" Break this down to which candidate is going to listen to people, period. John McCain says "I have experience, I can do this job." Sorry, you cannot do this job alone. In Obama I see a reasonable man willing to listen to people and seek advisors to help guide the country in the right direction, diplomacy. With McCain, I see this false representation of cowboy machoism that worked with Reagan (not so much for you John) the world is different now and this is not the wild west, no more shoot ´em up cowboy...let´s talk, like the civilized folks do. In the President I am not looking for the King of Everything, a "maverick". I´m looking for a person that sees himself as the leader for 300 million different voices and recognizes among all that chatter where we are fundamentally the same. If you don´t think Obama can accomplish this, hopefully we´ll talk in 4 years. I´m willing to risk it with him because I can´t take a risk with "McPalin".
Post Script: While listening to McCain, I noticed his subdued lyrical voice, very good, PERFECT for reading children´s stories and sleep inducement. Books on tape could be an option as a job for you Senator McCain.
Post Script Script: I´ve decided to call you Senator McCain because really, I´m not your friend, unless you read my blog, then I´ll consider it. You´re going to have to answer some tough questions from this mama, amigo. Can we go bi-lingual when we´re friends?
I loved the use of his colloquialisms: "We need a cool hand at tiller." This from "the Maverick" candidate, Mr. Independent. His speechwriters must think I don´t pay attention to what he is actually saying and forget Mr.Maverick and Mrs.Sparkles images portrayed outside of the realm of debate. Too many times did he say "I have the experience." Please don´t fall for that subliminal message. John, you are cavelier enough to say "Bomb, bomb, Iran", experience should have told you that was a moronic thing to say. Perhaps you were caught up in the exhilirating moment but I can see where your brand of experience is leading me. And as for your response; you were talking to veterans and if anyone doesn´t understand it then just get a life. I have a life John, I don´t want you in it. Just sayin´. Okay, back to debate issues though, I do get riled up.
McCain´s two top priorites:
1. National Security
2. Security for the men and women in the armed forces abroad
I suppose his interest in me is lumped into National Security but let me tell you, I feel safer abroad than in the good ole USA. I´m less afraid of terrorist on American soil than freaks, I mean fellow Americans, that like to hurt children, which I have three of and would kill the person that hurt them. Yes, for all my non-violence, I protect my kiddos like a tiger. So, where does my family fit into your priorities? In the future we will be forced to deal with Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China...uhh, the developing world. I don´t think a President that has sung his ditty to bomb could successfully protect National Security because you just made yourself a target, dumbass. Remember my eye for an eye brand of justice blog? Unfortunately politics operates on that failed method and "You betcha" Pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will remember your trite 42 seconds and fuck the American public because you laughed. Thanks John, you´re a real wonder boy!
My last thought for the debates was "Which dude could I really have a conversation with? Which man is speaking to me? Which man would listen to me?" Break this down to which candidate is going to listen to people, period. John McCain says "I have experience, I can do this job." Sorry, you cannot do this job alone. In Obama I see a reasonable man willing to listen to people and seek advisors to help guide the country in the right direction, diplomacy. With McCain, I see this false representation of cowboy machoism that worked with Reagan (not so much for you John) the world is different now and this is not the wild west, no more shoot ´em up cowboy...let´s talk, like the civilized folks do. In the President I am not looking for the King of Everything, a "maverick". I´m looking for a person that sees himself as the leader for 300 million different voices and recognizes among all that chatter where we are fundamentally the same. If you don´t think Obama can accomplish this, hopefully we´ll talk in 4 years. I´m willing to risk it with him because I can´t take a risk with "McPalin".
Post Script: While listening to McCain, I noticed his subdued lyrical voice, very good, PERFECT for reading children´s stories and sleep inducement. Books on tape could be an option as a job for you Senator McCain.
Post Script Script: I´ve decided to call you Senator McCain because really, I´m not your friend, unless you read my blog, then I´ll consider it. You´re going to have to answer some tough questions from this mama, amigo. Can we go bi-lingual when we´re friends?
Monday, October 6, 2008
Severin Suzuki girl Extraordinaire
This is what I´m talking about. Children changing the world. This young girl was so brave to speak to the United Nations, so wise to raise a voice of reason. I love that she tells us "If we don´t know how to fix it then stop breaking it." Hmmm...I just said that to my 3 year old today. She takes valuable words, from the mouths of adults to teach lessons to our children. Encouraging us as adults to follow through with our own words. How I pray my children will be as sage, will have paid attention to my demands for civility in the home and in the world. If a 12 to 13 year old can grasp the concept of right and wrong action and critique the society she lives in, why is this task insurmountable for adults? Thank you Paloma for the link to hope.
Friday, October 3, 2008
My eyes popped out of my head!
Yes, I really had to push my eyeballs back in my head last night when I watched the debates. Did Palin really say she was eager to see what the Congress and Senate would let her powers be? Yes, she really did, I see her lips moving and heard her clearly and I said "whaaattt?" As in expansion of VP powers? Sorry, still second in command, rooted firmly (well, not after Cheney) in the executive branch. Then Glenn asked "Do you mean to say you believe the VP is a member of the legislative and not executive branch?" Thanks for asking the question I was wondering, Gwen.
However, I was too busy popping my eyeballs back in my head to listen to Palin´s response, which I am going to do today. I have to give Palin props, she is charming and "super-friendly" but I´m really not buying it. And I didn´t count how many times Biden said "Obama...change...my friend John...is wrong..." but I got the mantra after about 15 minutes, okay? Give me some substance candidates and stop wasting my time!
However, I was too busy popping my eyeballs back in my head to listen to Palin´s response, which I am going to do today. I have to give Palin props, she is charming and "super-friendly" but I´m really not buying it. And I didn´t count how many times Biden said "Obama...change...my friend John...is wrong..." but I got the mantra after about 15 minutes, okay? Give me some substance candidates and stop wasting my time!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Auto Lavado
To the muchachos at the auto lavado at the bottom of Sterling Dickinson in San Miguel de Allende: I bless the ground you walk on and you are my real life heroes. You washed my minivan inside and out for a mere $8 USD. You bring me joy every time I get in my van. Because of the absence of mold on my carpet, because it doesn´t smell like trash. Just Monday my minivan smelled like garbage, my husband´s Land Rover is "too nice" to take the garbage to town in. Well you are too nice now, you beautiful clean machine, though you are a lowly Honda Oddessey.
The best treat of all, finding that the carseat, which endured Isabel´s toddler/preschool years and now Roarke´s, had been power washed and vaccumed to it´s pre-anyone-sitting-in-me nastiness. You deserve better clientele than me and a better tip than I gave you, even though you were grateful. Life is about living in mutual appreciation, gratefulness for one another, and though my car being clean is mundane to the extreme, that is when life experience happens, in the mundane little details of the day. If we are too busy to stop and take notice then appreiate those millions of little things in the day we lose the human-ness, the humane-ness in our lives. So thank you for clean windows, no mold and a not disgusting car seat you are gracious men of service and valor to tackle my neglected property.
The best treat of all, finding that the carseat, which endured Isabel´s toddler/preschool years and now Roarke´s, had been power washed and vaccumed to it´s pre-anyone-sitting-in-me nastiness. You deserve better clientele than me and a better tip than I gave you, even though you were grateful. Life is about living in mutual appreciation, gratefulness for one another, and though my car being clean is mundane to the extreme, that is when life experience happens, in the mundane little details of the day. If we are too busy to stop and take notice then appreiate those millions of little things in the day we lose the human-ness, the humane-ness in our lives. So thank you for clean windows, no mold and a not disgusting car seat you are gracious men of service and valor to tackle my neglected property.
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