I went and saw Disaster Movie last night. Mostly because we had already seen everything else that was playing that was of any interest. I went in expecting the movie version of a MAD Magazine and actually got the 6th graders version of the movie version of MAD Magazine. my advice... don't even rent it. It was soo bad I am nt even going to be bothered to link to it. But then again how bad can an evening out with your husband at the taco shop and the movies whilst Grandma is hanging out with the kid be? So I should be careful not to complain to much. (Thanks Mom.)
What I did see that was interesting is the first teen movie in a long time that looked "cool." Up until now the younger crowd has been easily been written off as totaly un-hip Justin/Brittany/Sponge Bob loving freaks that weren't around when the REAL cool stuff was happening and I never paid any mind. But suddenly there is a movie that gives me hope that some of these youngsters are cool, complcated, fresh and funny people.
This isn't the only part of my discovery, the other part is this: they all look like they are 14, making it painfully clear how far away I am from club hopping, running around town with my boyfriend and driving a beat up old hatchback full of shenanigans. I usually don't ever miss those days. I like dependable cars and the relative predictability of my saftey and I don't think you could pay enough me to go back to that uncertain age of 22, but something about this movie makes me want to be young now in 2008 with these people and now I am really looking forward to seeing Nick and Nora's Infinate Playlist.
While the movie American Teen promised to be the new Breakfast Club, new generations don't need the new and improved (fill in the blank of whatever was cool before.) That's like saying GenXers should get excited for the new and improved Easy Rider. Nope, just doesn't work. Each generation get's a new movie that we all fall in love with and I think this one may be it. Nick and Nora's Infinate Playlist opens in October 3rd.
Sep 11, 2008
Sep 10, 2008
Confession of My Changed Mind & New Diatribe
And I have a total confession to make. I am judging Palin based on her personal life and her commitment to her family.
I should clarify, I've recently found I judge politicians based in two hemispheres the logical and the emotional totally contradicting my own post a few weeks back. Sometimes one outweighs the other. In Bill Clinton’s case the logical outweighed the emotional for me. The logical debate is easy to talk about and make, just read the Republican Party Platform (PDF) and the Democratic Party Platform and you can see the differences. The personal issues are much more delicate and need more explanation and are sometimes scary to talk about for fear that we are being unfair, bigoted or misogynistic.
The Logical half of me agrees with none of Palin’s policies, including her propensity to be against "earmarks." A very large earmark for $250,000.00 is what is keeping my water bill from doubling this year because Barak Obama and Dick Durbin earmarked the money for our tiny town's new sewer plant. It was an incredible feat for a town of 2,000 people to get that kind of windfall, but Durbin knows us and we already pay more for our water that people in AZ do. Our monthly bill is around $80.00 for a family of three. So we here in tiny town LOVE the earmarks. I won't even start to talk about abortion, foreign policy or the environment; we've all been there and know her policies are the same as 50 years of republican platform.
The emotional half of me sees a woman with five children, two of which need special care, a newborn with downs syndrome and a teen that is pregnant. Either of those things would require a lot of attention and dedication from the entire family. I fully understand when people have to work and need to get childcare so that can make their house payment and put food on the table, it's a choice they make to keep everyone afloat, I grew up in a dual income home. But I do not understand a parent ANY PARENT male or female putting their career in front of the well being of their children.
Let me say that when my brother got cancer both of my parents wanted to spend every minute with us children. The jobs they worked at reflected exactly what our family needed and when the travel to the hospital became too exhausting and the situation extreme, like the Obamas have done during campaign season, my parents had the good sense to send me to spend time with my Grandparents.
People make their own priorities and have to recognize their limits. Yes, at first it may seem like a double standard for the Obama’s to send the girls to live with Grandma during campaign season and that’s ok with me, versus Palin and her five kids. However, I think the situation is very different. The Obamas recognize Michelle needs help and they recruited another family member to help. The Palins have an extreme circumstance, they have five children and two with special needs and they keep insisting everything is hunky dory. In the mean time Palin’s driving around with her newborn in her lap and abusing her niece/nephew by making disparaging remarks to the children about their Dad. Even Joe Biden the Bulldog’s initial response was to put off his Senate seat when his children needed him most.
Now, one could argue that Plain’s children have the best care a Governor could pay for and a very capable stay at home Dad, but I stay home with one child and I can't imagine staying home with five and two of them with special needs. I demand the respect, help and support of my spouse and I mean very specific things by help and support, because saying you support someone and sharing your income with them isn't it. I mean, getting up in the middle of the night with the baby, coming straight home from work to be here for dinner and homework, giving me time off from my job to get out of the house, doing a few loads of laundry, playing board games with us all, being in the house when the baby poos in the tub and the dog needs to go out and the phone is ringing all at the same time, all of the wonderful tasks that make us a family and not just roommates who eat the same groceries and screw occasionally.
By no means am I suggesting I am the norm and because I couldn't handle it the Palins can't, but I am saying that I have lived in an extreme situation with a sibling that had special needs and I am a parent and these are the experinces I have to aid in my judgment.
So publicly I may not feel completely comfortable saying I don't think Palin is a good parent because I’m worried that the initial reaction may be calling me a misogynist, but if she had a penis I'm pretty sure I would be saying the same thing. My husband would and has passed on jobs that paid more, with better titles to be here, largely participating in raising his child because that's where our priorities are right now. Yes, he has ambition and goals and so do I. They are something that we have the luxury of putting off until we can and want to spend more time away from the house and family life.
Perhaps this is the inherent difference between me and Palin. To me children are something one plans* and enjoys spending time working at and it seems to me that Palin thinks children are something that happen to you, something God plans for you and something she copes with. This is not putting into question her love for her children; it is directly questioning her judgment and commitment. The way her children are prioritized in her life says something about her character, the same way finding out a politician is having an affair can say something about their character. I can't ignore it and I don't think it's fair for people to ask me too.
So there, I've confessed. I think Sarah Palin’s priorities are not in line with what I expect from a leader. I don’t think she upholds any of the same family values I have and I think she has poor judgment. I also think that if McCain can't see this he also has poor judgement.
*or in the case of an unplanned pregnancy somethng you have the good sense to adjust your plans for,
I should clarify, I've recently found I judge politicians based in two hemispheres the logical and the emotional totally contradicting my own post a few weeks back. Sometimes one outweighs the other. In Bill Clinton’s case the logical outweighed the emotional for me. The logical debate is easy to talk about and make, just read the Republican Party Platform (PDF) and the Democratic Party Platform and you can see the differences. The personal issues are much more delicate and need more explanation and are sometimes scary to talk about for fear that we are being unfair, bigoted or misogynistic.
The Logical half of me agrees with none of Palin’s policies, including her propensity to be against "earmarks." A very large earmark for $250,000.00 is what is keeping my water bill from doubling this year because Barak Obama and Dick Durbin earmarked the money for our tiny town's new sewer plant. It was an incredible feat for a town of 2,000 people to get that kind of windfall, but Durbin knows us and we already pay more for our water that people in AZ do. Our monthly bill is around $80.00 for a family of three. So we here in tiny town LOVE the earmarks. I won't even start to talk about abortion, foreign policy or the environment; we've all been there and know her policies are the same as 50 years of republican platform.
The emotional half of me sees a woman with five children, two of which need special care, a newborn with downs syndrome and a teen that is pregnant. Either of those things would require a lot of attention and dedication from the entire family. I fully understand when people have to work and need to get childcare so that can make their house payment and put food on the table, it's a choice they make to keep everyone afloat, I grew up in a dual income home. But I do not understand a parent ANY PARENT male or female putting their career in front of the well being of their children.
Let me say that when my brother got cancer both of my parents wanted to spend every minute with us children. The jobs they worked at reflected exactly what our family needed and when the travel to the hospital became too exhausting and the situation extreme, like the Obamas have done during campaign season, my parents had the good sense to send me to spend time with my Grandparents.
People make their own priorities and have to recognize their limits. Yes, at first it may seem like a double standard for the Obama’s to send the girls to live with Grandma during campaign season and that’s ok with me, versus Palin and her five kids. However, I think the situation is very different. The Obamas recognize Michelle needs help and they recruited another family member to help. The Palins have an extreme circumstance, they have five children and two with special needs and they keep insisting everything is hunky dory. In the mean time Palin’s driving around with her newborn in her lap and abusing her niece/nephew by making disparaging remarks to the children about their Dad. Even Joe Biden the Bulldog’s initial response was to put off his Senate seat when his children needed him most.
Now, one could argue that Plain’s children have the best care a Governor could pay for and a very capable stay at home Dad, but I stay home with one child and I can't imagine staying home with five and two of them with special needs. I demand the respect, help and support of my spouse and I mean very specific things by help and support, because saying you support someone and sharing your income with them isn't it. I mean, getting up in the middle of the night with the baby, coming straight home from work to be here for dinner and homework, giving me time off from my job to get out of the house, doing a few loads of laundry, playing board games with us all, being in the house when the baby poos in the tub and the dog needs to go out and the phone is ringing all at the same time, all of the wonderful tasks that make us a family and not just roommates who eat the same groceries and screw occasionally.
By no means am I suggesting I am the norm and because I couldn't handle it the Palins can't, but I am saying that I have lived in an extreme situation with a sibling that had special needs and I am a parent and these are the experinces I have to aid in my judgment.
So publicly I may not feel completely comfortable saying I don't think Palin is a good parent because I’m worried that the initial reaction may be calling me a misogynist, but if she had a penis I'm pretty sure I would be saying the same thing. My husband would and has passed on jobs that paid more, with better titles to be here, largely participating in raising his child because that's where our priorities are right now. Yes, he has ambition and goals and so do I. They are something that we have the luxury of putting off until we can and want to spend more time away from the house and family life.
Perhaps this is the inherent difference between me and Palin. To me children are something one plans* and enjoys spending time working at and it seems to me that Palin thinks children are something that happen to you, something God plans for you and something she copes with. This is not putting into question her love for her children; it is directly questioning her judgment and commitment. The way her children are prioritized in her life says something about her character, the same way finding out a politician is having an affair can say something about their character. I can't ignore it and I don't think it's fair for people to ask me too.
So there, I've confessed. I think Sarah Palin’s priorities are not in line with what I expect from a leader. I don’t think she upholds any of the same family values I have and I think she has poor judgment. I also think that if McCain can't see this he also has poor judgement.
*or in the case of an unplanned pregnancy somethng you have the good sense to adjust your plans for,
Sep 9, 2008
A First Class Screwing
Hello bloggies, I know I've been on a political tangent for some time and I can't help it. The conventions are over and now we just have the long slog up to the debates (I can hardly wait!) Today I'm going to try super hard to not check CNN 40 times and besides my family is scheduled to be make landfall in FL soon and so I should really start packing. Its cool enough here that we aren't wearing our shorts anymore so I it makes sense.
OH! My dear husband spent hours on the phone with Travelocity again yesterday. We ordered plane tickets through them in May and after the flight was changed around no less than three times the flights were cancelled all together as the airline stopped serving Orlando and get this... they haven't refunded our money yet. After much customer service arguing, Dan finally climbed the frustration ladder to the call center manager who informed Dan for the first time ever we didn't get a refund because we hadn't returned the paper ticket (that we never requested in the first place, who still uses paper tickets?! That's soo 1996.)
No one ever asked for the totally useless, there is no flight, paper tickets to be returned and the manager apologized for that and gave us $150.00 to use at Travelocity to make up for it. Which is real nice accept we can't use it for renting a car or getting a cheap flight or upgrading our current flight or anything that would be useful to us in the least. He might have well given us a three night’s stay on the moon but no way to get there so as far as I'm concerned Travelocity can go call itself.
In the mean time we overnighted the tickets back and our $700.00 is lost in red tape hell and is now money we will not be spending in FL. I called the credit card company and refuted the charge telling them the story they said they'd open an investigation and put a freeze on the amount and while they agreed it was some bull pucky I was being put through, it would still take 6-8 weeks to resolve the ticket dispute for items I bought in MAY! And the travel industry wonders why people aren't participating in their little S&M game anymore.
OH! My dear husband spent hours on the phone with Travelocity again yesterday. We ordered plane tickets through them in May and after the flight was changed around no less than three times the flights were cancelled all together as the airline stopped serving Orlando and get this... they haven't refunded our money yet. After much customer service arguing, Dan finally climbed the frustration ladder to the call center manager who informed Dan for the first time ever we didn't get a refund because we hadn't returned the paper ticket (that we never requested in the first place, who still uses paper tickets?! That's soo 1996.)
No one ever asked for the totally useless, there is no flight, paper tickets to be returned and the manager apologized for that and gave us $150.00 to use at Travelocity to make up for it. Which is real nice accept we can't use it for renting a car or getting a cheap flight or upgrading our current flight or anything that would be useful to us in the least. He might have well given us a three night’s stay on the moon but no way to get there so as far as I'm concerned Travelocity can go call itself.
In the mean time we overnighted the tickets back and our $700.00 is lost in red tape hell and is now money we will not be spending in FL. I called the credit card company and refuted the charge telling them the story they said they'd open an investigation and put a freeze on the amount and while they agreed it was some bull pucky I was being put through, it would still take 6-8 weeks to resolve the ticket dispute for items I bought in MAY! And the travel industry wonders why people aren't participating in their little S&M game anymore.
Sep 7, 2008
Sep 6, 2008
Gross Anatomy
On Friday I walked the children to preschool school and on the way asked them what they brought for show and tell.
F: I brought a very cute stuffed animal mommy kitty cat and her kitten
N: I brought my bat man gloves
My kid: I brought my science book full of human body diagrams and my imaginary friend Shang.
I'm not sure what to say about this beyond thinking about Wednesday Adams.
F: I brought a very cute stuffed animal mommy kitty cat and her kitten
N: I brought my bat man gloves
My kid: I brought my science book full of human body diagrams and my imaginary friend Shang.
I'm not sure what to say about this beyond thinking about Wednesday Adams.
Sep 5, 2008
New Paint isn't Enough
Ok McCain you tell me which time were you lying? In these clips or last night?
He has no idea how right he was when he said "We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us." While I believe in the last few months McCain received the message loud and clear that this country is ready to for a change I hope the people screaming for it see that no matter how much new paint and pin-striping he throws on that old Studebaker it won't ever become a high-bred. Even if there's a cute young chick driving it, it's always gonna be slow, need lots of repairs and burn oil.
Sep 4, 2008
Say Mavrick One More &#&!@*$ Time!
In case you missed Palin's speech last night, you didn't miss much beyond cheap jabs and the usual retoric. Here's the condensed version:
Hi I'm Sara Palin, I'm normal just like you and so's my entire family wich I will now intorduce for 10 minutes. I support the miltary and am a fiesty maverick too. The guy I'm running against had big styrofoam collums at his speech, what a liberal eleitist jerk, plus he's gonna forfeit a war we are already winning, talk shit about you behind your back and raise your taxes alot, and that'll suck for my sister who just opened a gas station just like many of you other small business owners. In closing I'm mavericky and so is John McCain, we are the most mavricky mavricks that ever mavricked and that's a good thing... 9/11 and mavrick.
Keith Olberman put it perfectly after her speech last night when he said if she's gonna talk like a fighter then she shouldn't be surprised when the Democrats come out swinging. I can hardly wait for her and Biden to debate, he's going to chew her up. So I'm turning my attention back to McCain and going to make a prediction about the speech he'll give tonight. I bet it'll go like this:
I'm a regular dude just like you, all mavricky and regular getting in trouble at school and at the bottom of my class and stuff, oh accept for that part where I'm a war hero, and married to a blonde billionaire that's not so regular, but I feel mavricky and that's regular! I'm more experienced cause I've been working in Washington a longtime but wait!... but I'm totally new too. I never back down from a fight and don't play well with others, and that's mavricky. Besides, you don't want a president that can work well with the other branches that run the government, you want one who will totally be all like "What... What are you looking at nerd!" and then jump towards them with flexed muscles and make them flinch and then yell "Thought so beeyotch!" Plus, Obama's gonna totally call you a slut behind your back. I'm a stright talker I'll do it to your face! Cause I'm a mavrick and I'm gonna change stuff, win a war and give you money. Mavrick!
Hi I'm Sara Palin, I'm normal just like you and so's my entire family wich I will now intorduce for 10 minutes. I support the miltary and am a fiesty maverick too. The guy I'm running against had big styrofoam collums at his speech, what a liberal eleitist jerk, plus he's gonna forfeit a war we are already winning, talk shit about you behind your back and raise your taxes alot, and that'll suck for my sister who just opened a gas station just like many of you other small business owners. In closing I'm mavericky and so is John McCain, we are the most mavricky mavricks that ever mavricked and that's a good thing... 9/11 and mavrick.
Keith Olberman put it perfectly after her speech last night when he said if she's gonna talk like a fighter then she shouldn't be surprised when the Democrats come out swinging. I can hardly wait for her and Biden to debate, he's going to chew her up. So I'm turning my attention back to McCain and going to make a prediction about the speech he'll give tonight. I bet it'll go like this:
I'm a regular dude just like you, all mavricky and regular getting in trouble at school and at the bottom of my class and stuff, oh accept for that part where I'm a war hero, and married to a blonde billionaire that's not so regular, but I feel mavricky and that's regular! I'm more experienced cause I've been working in Washington a longtime but wait!... but I'm totally new too. I never back down from a fight and don't play well with others, and that's mavricky. Besides, you don't want a president that can work well with the other branches that run the government, you want one who will totally be all like "What... What are you looking at nerd!" and then jump towards them with flexed muscles and make them flinch and then yell "Thought so beeyotch!" Plus, Obama's gonna totally call you a slut behind your back. I'm a stright talker I'll do it to your face! Cause I'm a mavrick and I'm gonna change stuff, win a war and give you money. Mavrick!
Sep 3, 2008
Tell Us How You Really feel
Thanks Stroller Derby!
"Today on MSNBC, Peggy Noonan, WSJ columnist, and Mike Murphy, former McCain adviser, were caught with their mics on and their opinions on tape."
"Today on MSNBC, Peggy Noonan, WSJ columnist, and Mike Murphy, former McCain adviser, were caught with their mics on and their opinions on tape."
The Ministry of Truth Called
I watched the convention last night and heard the same ol' party platform accept they've thrown the word maverick in there. Here's what all the speeches I heard sounded like to me:
Fine young men and women serving this wonderful country, God, maverick, 9-11, drill for more oil, maverick, terrorists, tax relief, fine military, maverick, family values, surge, maverick, defend America.
Just because you throw the word maverick in there 400 bajillion times it doesn't make it a new platform or different ideas, these are traditional Republican ideals that McCain is trying to uphold while speaking to his base voters. Do we still require kids to read 1984 in school?
Fine young men and women serving this wonderful country, God, maverick, 9-11, drill for more oil, maverick, terrorists, tax relief, fine military, maverick, family values, surge, maverick, defend America.
Just because you throw the word maverick in there 400 bajillion times it doesn't make it a new platform or different ideas, these are traditional Republican ideals that McCain is trying to uphold while speaking to his base voters. Do we still require kids to read 1984 in school?
Sep 2, 2008
America First, then Alaska?
I've been barely able to step away from CNN for a week now. With all the getting to know Palin and the hurricane right on the tails of the DNC, I'm going to overdose on Anderson Cooper (what a way to go!) Despite my recent joking and video shenanigans I agree that some things are left untalked about and actually I wish the press would move on and pick up this story about Palin belonging to and promoting the Alaskan Independence Party. I think this little group goes beyond a neat little bunch of mavericks that love and promote the state of Alaska and moves more into that weird gun toting crazy militia territory. Ok yes, I am questioning the patriotism of the VP Candidate and I really wanted to move past that rudimentary portion of the debate but dangit if there isn't reason to ask for a response. If Obama has to confirm that he loves his country because he doesn't wear a lapel pin I think the GOP should have to answer to this!
Also: I heard this bit yesterday on CNN radio where Cambell Brown drills Tucker Bounds from the McCain campaign and wish I could've seen it live and today there is video!
BitchPHD posted today a link to a girl protesting at the RNC trying to give a cop a flower getting pepper sprayed. WTF?
Also: I heard this bit yesterday on CNN radio where Cambell Brown drills Tucker Bounds from the McCain campaign and wish I could've seen it live and today there is video!
BitchPHD posted today a link to a girl protesting at the RNC trying to give a cop a flower getting pepper sprayed. WTF?
Sep 1, 2008
Big Easy
Some places you vacation for the scenery and some places you visit for the people and the spirit of the place. New Orleans is one of those places. Yes, it has beautiful architecture and wonderful old houses and neighborhoods but what I remember most about being there was the people and the culture. We couldn't get a bad meal in New Orleans. I imagine any restaurant not serving divine fare closes up after the first meal is served. We felt like we danced through the daily while we were there, it seemed everywhere we walked jazz was ringing down the streets from musicians on the avenue or tucked into eateries serenading diners. It was a place where you could join any conversation that happened to be close to you and you could participate in any toast someone happened to give. Perhaps that's what was the best, we felt welcomed and included and cared for in every way, right down to the waitress in the diner who remembered us Yankees and had hash browns ready for breakfast instead of grits because we asked the day before.
As I type CNN reports the lower ninth ward is flooding again the levee has breached.
As I type CNN reports the lower ninth ward is flooding again the levee has breached.
Aug 31, 2008
Holla Back DC Edition
So on Friday I was obsessed with the Palin pick trying to figure out what it meant for Obama and I jumped from blog to blog reading comments. On the Daily Kos I participated in a short poll asking me what the best part of Palin's speech was and the last choice won with an overwhelming 95% "McCain repeatedly checking out Palin's ass while he fingered his own wedding ring during her speech."
I had to fact check and immediately went over to CNN to re-watch the video and sure enough the teleprompter/copy of the speech is placed at Palin's butt level and McCain seems to be checking it out, over and over and over again. I laughed and made a short video counting how many times he seems to check her out. I posted it on You Tube and sent it to two people and wondered if I should post it here at all, in light of my comments about bringing the debate to a higher level. Yesterday the video had 1,500 views and today it's a 4,000! So much for a higher level of debate huh! Seriously GOP, next time pay attention to this kinda thing.
The Daily Kos picked posted the video and added: "In praising Palin's speech, Fox News (who'da guessed) noted that she did not use a teleprompter. If Governor Palin did not have one to look at, then neither did McCain. So for those who tried to provide an innocent explanation for McCain's downward glances, there was nothing else but Sarah Palin's derrière in his line of sight."
Links:
HollaBackARKANSAS
HollaBackBOSTON
HollaBackCALIFORNIA
HollaBackCANADA
HollaBackCAPEANN
HollaBackCHS
HollaBackCHARLESTON
HollaBackCHICAGO
HollaBackCOLORADO
HollaBackCONNECTICUT
HollaBackDC
HollaBackMIAMI
HollaBackPACIFICNORTHWEST
HollaBackPENNSYLVANIA
HollaBackSANFRANCISCO
HollaBackSEATTLE
HollaBackTEXAS
HollaBackTORONTO
I had to fact check and immediately went over to CNN to re-watch the video and sure enough the teleprompter/copy of the speech is placed at Palin's butt level and McCain seems to be checking it out, over and over and over again. I laughed and made a short video counting how many times he seems to check her out. I posted it on You Tube and sent it to two people and wondered if I should post it here at all, in light of my comments about bringing the debate to a higher level. Yesterday the video had 1,500 views and today it's a 4,000! So much for a higher level of debate huh! Seriously GOP, next time pay attention to this kinda thing.
The Daily Kos picked posted the video and added: "In praising Palin's speech, Fox News (who'da guessed) noted that she did not use a teleprompter. If Governor Palin did not have one to look at, then neither did McCain. So for those who tried to provide an innocent explanation for McCain's downward glances, there was nothing else but Sarah Palin's derrière in his line of sight."
Links:
HollaBackARKANSAS
HollaBackBOSTON
HollaBackCALIFORNIA
HollaBackCANADA
HollaBackCAPEANN
HollaBackCHS
HollaBackCHARLESTON
HollaBackCHICAGO
HollaBackCOLORADO
HollaBackCONNECTICUT
HollaBackDC
HollaBackMIAMI
HollaBackPACIFICNORTHWEST
HollaBackPENNSYLVANIA
HollaBackSANFRANCISCO
HollaBackSEATTLE
HollaBackTEXAS
HollaBackTORONTO
Aug 30, 2008
Head Spinning Pick
I've been thinking about Palin since the pick yesterday, so the GOP did a good job of immediately distracting me from Obama's speech. I've been wondering how it'll impact the polls and where the PUMAs are going to land (although I heard the PUMAs website is owned by a registered Republican, so it seems obvious these voters switched parties to vote for a woman and are just going back to where they were before.) I was a little surprised to read this today on the front page of Yahoo.
From The story behind the Palin surprise Jonathan Martin Fri Aug 29, 6:24 PM ET
"...McCain adviser Matt McDonald sought to allay these concerns by citing her experience dealing with international trade issues and even her travel overseas and her eldest son’s Army service.
“But the bottom line is, she doesn’t have a whole lot of experience. She just doesn’t,” said the source on the call, who said he had mixed feelings about the selection.
And, this person noted, beyond her own inexperience, Palin's youth may ultimately pose as much peril as opportunity.
“I wonder if her youth will accentuate [McCain’s] age over time in a bad way,” this source said.
Another Republican, echoing the private thoughts of some strategists in the party, was less restrained, suggesting the Palin pick damaged one of McCain’s most valued attributes and wouldn’t help him beyond the party base.
“It hurts the experience edge, and the hard abortion stuff scares moderate swing voters,” said this GOP insider. “It will appeal to some Bubbas, but that’s not enough.”...
...Another Republican cited a line from “This Is Spinal Tap”: “There is a fine line between clever and stupid.” "
Wow, that's harsh comming from your own party and your own advisors and we're only one day in.
From The story behind the Palin surprise Jonathan Martin Fri Aug 29, 6:24 PM ET
"...McCain adviser Matt McDonald sought to allay these concerns by citing her experience dealing with international trade issues and even her travel overseas and her eldest son’s Army service.
“But the bottom line is, she doesn’t have a whole lot of experience. She just doesn’t,” said the source on the call, who said he had mixed feelings about the selection.
And, this person noted, beyond her own inexperience, Palin's youth may ultimately pose as much peril as opportunity.
“I wonder if her youth will accentuate [McCain’s] age over time in a bad way,” this source said.
Another Republican, echoing the private thoughts of some strategists in the party, was less restrained, suggesting the Palin pick damaged one of McCain’s most valued attributes and wouldn’t help him beyond the party base.
“It hurts the experience edge, and the hard abortion stuff scares moderate swing voters,” said this GOP insider. “It will appeal to some Bubbas, but that’s not enough.”...
...Another Republican cited a line from “This Is Spinal Tap”: “There is a fine line between clever and stupid.” "
Wow, that's harsh comming from your own party and your own advisors and we're only one day in.
Aug 29, 2008
HOPE
Dan and I fixed dinner with a quiet excitement, hurrying about and getting ready for an evening in front of the TV with remote in hand, flipping from CNN to live feed and occasionally back to local channels. Mostly we watched the live feed our cable company provided for free (thank you Dish Network) and for the first time we saw regular people stand up and testify in Democratic solidarity. This is not to say that regular people haven't spoken during other conventions, in fact I'm sure they have but normally while they are speaking the big networks use that time to show commercials. We delighted in watching the live feed, and want to share with you some lines that made us smile:
"I'm a lifelong Republican. I voted for Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush. But I literally cannot afford four more years of this." - Pam Cash-Roper
"Einstein said a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. If we elect John McCain, then, according to Einstein, we surely would be insane." - Monica Early
"I want a government that takes care of Barney Smith not Smith Barney" - Barney Smith
Of course you've heard all about Obama's speech. Most of you either watched it or will see/hear/read clips of it and form your own opinions but when Obama said
"Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a red America or a blue America – they have served the United States of America."
It made me really hope we are going to push the debate forward past the stale rhetoric that bogs us down from ever talking about real issues. And while we are moving past the things we may never agree on, I was also glad he said:
"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.
The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.
I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.
Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.
This too is part of America's promise — the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort."
I am looking forward to an elevated conversation about policy and economics and I hope McCain and his Grand Old Party rise to the challenge of leaving inherent differences behind. We all know they're red and we're blue and anyone that is deciding on a candidate solely based on these red/blue issues has already chosen a party and is sticking to it. Now is the time to move beyond Politics 101 and debate the issues that aren't obvious party platform. This is the realm in which campaigns are won.
"I'm a lifelong Republican. I voted for Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush. But I literally cannot afford four more years of this." - Pam Cash-Roper
"Einstein said a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. If we elect John McCain, then, according to Einstein, we surely would be insane." - Monica Early
"I want a government that takes care of Barney Smith not Smith Barney" - Barney Smith
Of course you've heard all about Obama's speech. Most of you either watched it or will see/hear/read clips of it and form your own opinions but when Obama said
"Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a red America or a blue America – they have served the United States of America."
It made me really hope we are going to push the debate forward past the stale rhetoric that bogs us down from ever talking about real issues. And while we are moving past the things we may never agree on, I was also glad he said:
"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.
The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.
I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.
Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.
This too is part of America's promise — the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort."
I am looking forward to an elevated conversation about policy and economics and I hope McCain and his Grand Old Party rise to the challenge of leaving inherent differences behind. We all know they're red and we're blue and anyone that is deciding on a candidate solely based on these red/blue issues has already chosen a party and is sticking to it. Now is the time to move beyond Politics 101 and debate the issues that aren't obvious party platform. This is the realm in which campaigns are won.
Aug 28, 2008
Aug 27, 2008
Mission Accomplished
The books are moved and it turns out that after I took all the nick-nacks and crap off the top 
shelves I was able to fit almost everything into the four cases we brought upstairs. So all together we have nine full cases in the library. There is a little matter of some volumes of the New Republic and the Nation (1936 - 1948) and an encyclopedia set (from 1969) that I still have no place for, but I'll figure that out later, right now I am feeling accomplished and sore.
The best part of the whole project was rediscovering things I forgot we had as well as realising exactly how many books about Africa/dogs/poetry/statistics we own. The next project will be to group them up by subject or something.
So what are the three most delightful finds?
A copy of James Joyce the Dubliners that I pressed all sorts of four leaf clovers in. It's like finding lost money only luckier.
An old sketchbook from right after I met Dan in college in wich I sketched all sorts of places on campus.
And "A Rude Book" by Tell - from 1926 the book is filled with caricatures of british politicians and celebrities and all sort of spiteful limericks and wit like the one below of Sir William Joynson-Hicks who "created a stir when he pledged that the Conservatives would give the vote to all women over the age of twenty-one - a pledge which thus had to be honoured in 1928." So despite his opposition to jazz and smoking (gasp!) Yay for Sir William-Joynson-Hicks.
"A Puritan The RT. Hon. Sir William Joynson-Hicks
Desist, we say, desist,
This is no time for joking:
We've made a little list of habits most provoking.
We've got our watchful peepers
On those who stay out late
Disturbing humble sleepers
And Ministers of State.
We don't believe in croaking,
But drinking is a blot,
And so are jazz and smoking,
The world's a sinful plot.
The Reds are very naughty
Our warning words despite,
With them we'll be most haughty,
We Will paint England white. "
shelves I was able to fit almost everything into the four cases we brought upstairs. So all together we have nine full cases in the library. There is a little matter of some volumes of the New Republic and the Nation (1936 - 1948) and an encyclopedia set (from 1969) that I still have no place for, but I'll figure that out later, right now I am feeling accomplished and sore. The best part of the whole project was rediscovering things I forgot we had as well as realising exactly how many books about Africa/dogs/poetry/statistics we own. The next project will be to group them up by subject or something.
So what are the three most delightful finds?
A copy of James Joyce the Dubliners that I pressed all sorts of four leaf clovers in. It's like finding lost money only luckier.
An old sketchbook from right after I met Dan in college in wich I sketched all sorts of places on campus.
And "A Rude Book" by Tell - from 1926 the book is filled with caricatures of british politicians and celebrities and all sort of spiteful limericks and wit like the one below of Sir William Joynson-Hicks who "created a stir when he pledged that the Conservatives would give the vote to all women over the age of twenty-one - a pledge which thus had to be honoured in 1928." So despite his opposition to jazz and smoking (gasp!) Yay for Sir William-Joynson-Hicks.
"A Puritan The RT. Hon. Sir William Joynson-Hicks
Desist, we say, desist,
This is no time for joking:
We've made a little list of habits most provoking.
We've got our watchful peepers
On those who stay out late
Disturbing humble sleepers
And Ministers of State.
We don't believe in croaking,
But drinking is a blot,
And so are jazz and smoking,
The world's a sinful plot.
The Reds are very naughty
Our warning words despite,
With them we'll be most haughty,
We Will paint England white. "
Aug 26, 2008
The Woman Standing Next to the President
All that talk about family and loyalty and humble beginnings really is a challenge for McCain to tell all us about the McCain family and his dedication to his wife and... what?! McCain did what to his first wife?!
Loved Michelle's speech. I think it provides a powerful contrast about the respect our candidates give the women in their lives.
Loved Michelle's speech. I think it provides a powerful contrast about the respect our candidates give the women in their lives.
Aug 25, 2008
Here's What I'm Gonna Do
Something about the weather has put us all in the mood to turn our house on end. Ella said to Dan "I like when we move the furniture and the house feels fresh." Dan agreed that he'd been thinking of doing some rearranging, he wants to shift the living room area towards my computer. I'd been thinking of it too mostly because I want to be able to watch TV (Project Runway) and chat bout it at the same time. However, the big project will be finally bringing the library up from the basement. We have 5 of 17 book shelves installed in the upstairs library and have been telling ourselves we'd buy new shelves before moving the rest of the books upstairs. (Yes, we eat books around here.)
I say enough is enough the cases won't ever all match and we aren't buying new ones, I can think of 30 things we need to spend money on more, like heat and groceries, and nobody ever notices the shelves once the magnificence of all the books are back in them and let's just move the books already before they rot in the basement. So I will commence to taking things off the shelves and dusting them off and then dragging the shelves up the stairs and screwing them to the floor and wall and then carrying the books back up and re-shelving them (in no particular order) for the next week. There, now I've said it and I've blogged it and I'm committed to doing it and if anyone wants to help, just swing on by this week and I'll put you to work.
I say enough is enough the cases won't ever all match and we aren't buying new ones, I can think of 30 things we need to spend money on more, like heat and groceries, and nobody ever notices the shelves once the magnificence of all the books are back in them and let's just move the books already before they rot in the basement. So I will commence to taking things off the shelves and dusting them off and then dragging the shelves up the stairs and screwing them to the floor and wall and then carrying the books back up and re-shelving them (in no particular order) for the next week. There, now I've said it and I've blogged it and I'm committed to doing it and if anyone wants to help, just swing on by this week and I'll put you to work.
Aug 23, 2008
Aug 22, 2008
My Favorite Women
Tonight, I am getting out with some of the ladies in my life and it won't revolve around hip checks, donations, yard signs or any kind or bylaws. It'll revolve around us. As a rule we are going to try not to talk about kids, polictics or roller derby but I suspect it'll sneak in there. It's hard not to talk about the things you spend most of your time doing, but really my favorite conversations are about hypotheticals and philisophicals and even I too like to discuss mascara sometimes (gasp!) Some of these ladies I haven't seen in months and some weeks, some I have never had a chance to talk to on a personal level so it should be a fun filled night.
***
Also know this: Rachel Maddow is getting her own show on MSNBC September 8th 2008 9pm EST. Why that is awesome.
***
Also know this: Rachel Maddow is getting her own show on MSNBC September 8th 2008 9pm EST. Why that is awesome.
Aug 21, 2008
The Joker Was the Real Hero in this Movie
I went and finally saw The Dark Knight last night. Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker was really scary, Christian Bale's growley batman voice made me want to giggle and the editing was excessive. I would've liked to follow one scene for slightly longer than 30 seconds, all that jumping from scene to scene didn't add suspense it just actually made it harder for my old brain to follow the storyline. Perhaps it's the editor's attempt to make the story more complicated but newer movies tend to do this to me and it's confusing, I don't like it.
I read a blog not that long ago about the feminist movie rule. I haven't been able to let the idea go and have found myself applying it to every movie I see. I knew Dark Knight wasn't going to even be close to meeting the expectations but sometimes you never know. Anyway, to be a feminist movie three basic requirements must be met: 1. It has to have two women in it. 2. They have to talk to each other 3. about something other than men.
So The Dark Knight failed miserably on the feminist rule, had a hero who's voice was kinda cheesy and over the top editing that jumped too quickly from scene to scene BUT Heath Ledger's performance was so amazing it saved the whole movie and made it a highly entertaining must see. I recommend it on the big screen and currently it's in the five buck club!
I read a blog not that long ago about the feminist movie rule. I haven't been able to let the idea go and have found myself applying it to every movie I see. I knew Dark Knight wasn't going to even be close to meeting the expectations but sometimes you never know. Anyway, to be a feminist movie three basic requirements must be met: 1. It has to have two women in it. 2. They have to talk to each other 3. about something other than men.
So The Dark Knight failed miserably on the feminist rule, had a hero who's voice was kinda cheesy and over the top editing that jumped too quickly from scene to scene BUT Heath Ledger's performance was so amazing it saved the whole movie and made it a highly entertaining must see. I recommend it on the big screen and currently it's in the five buck club!
Aug 20, 2008
Smart Cookie?
In June when I said of Cookie magazine
"...I was originally sold on a magazine that was a little more intellectual. I fret my favorite alternative parenting magazine is loosing its substance and turning into Good Housekeeping mashed up with Cosmopolitan. If next month, a mear six months from a presidential election, I get a magazine filled with diets and quick tips for vacuuming I'm cancelling it and ordering Bitch..."
I feel it's my duty to say, I was happy to find a story on page 132 "Elective Memory: Looking for Parenting Principles (and presidential potential) in the McCain and Obama Memoirs" by Nell Casey. Nell outlines both men's family and upbringing citing their books and while I read it and think it leans towards Obama, I'm sure another would read it and think it leans towards McCain, so I think it was balanced. However, I'm still wondering about the merit of the overall article. Do women make decisions about candidates based on the candidate's relationship with their family? Nell even says:
"It is moving to see how the parents of these men still reside within them. And though it may seem grasping to turn these candidates' descriptions of their families in order to know them better, such details are a good bit more telling that stump speeches."
I disagree; a stump speech will inform where a candidate stands on childcare, equal pay, insurance, war, home loans, and school testing. I think these issues are far more important to families than knowing how much a candidate loves his mom. I felt talked down to after reading this article. Does this article suggest women are so sensitive and full of silly ol' feelings that this is truly what can sway us? So thank you Cookie Magazine for giving us some talk of this very important election, kind of. I look forward to reading a meatier article about the candidates and their stance on real parenting issues in the next issue.
What do you think? Do you vote with your brain or your heart or both?
"...I was originally sold on a magazine that was a little more intellectual. I fret my favorite alternative parenting magazine is loosing its substance and turning into Good Housekeeping mashed up with Cosmopolitan. If next month, a mear six months from a presidential election, I get a magazine filled with diets and quick tips for vacuuming I'm cancelling it and ordering Bitch..."
I feel it's my duty to say, I was happy to find a story on page 132 "Elective Memory: Looking for Parenting Principles (and presidential potential) in the McCain and Obama Memoirs" by Nell Casey. Nell outlines both men's family and upbringing citing their books and while I read it and think it leans towards Obama, I'm sure another would read it and think it leans towards McCain, so I think it was balanced. However, I'm still wondering about the merit of the overall article. Do women make decisions about candidates based on the candidate's relationship with their family? Nell even says:
"It is moving to see how the parents of these men still reside within them. And though it may seem grasping to turn these candidates' descriptions of their families in order to know them better, such details are a good bit more telling that stump speeches."
I disagree; a stump speech will inform where a candidate stands on childcare, equal pay, insurance, war, home loans, and school testing. I think these issues are far more important to families than knowing how much a candidate loves his mom. I felt talked down to after reading this article. Does this article suggest women are so sensitive and full of silly ol' feelings that this is truly what can sway us? So thank you Cookie Magazine for giving us some talk of this very important election, kind of. I look forward to reading a meatier article about the candidates and their stance on real parenting issues in the next issue.
What do you think? Do you vote with your brain or your heart or both?
Aug 19, 2008
Gen Con 2008 Part V - Odds and Ends
There were several things that are worth mentioning about last weeks trip that I haven't really written about yet, like the actual games and stuff, so here goes.
We couldn't leave the costume contest this year to go pee without loosing our seat to one of the hundreds of people who were still waiting in line to see the contest even after it started. Shame on you Gen Con organizers for not having enough seating even after so many years - you should know better.
The Sultan's Gaming Table is bringing gaming out of the basement and into the library and I would gladly order one for Dan except if I had that kind of disposable income I'd probably get a car instead ($9,650 delivered and assembled.) It's made from hard rock sugar maple and walnut, their tag line is "you only get two more wishes." I'm putting this in my "If I win the lottery" file, and yes I have one. 
I tried to find a wonderwoman shirt for Ella and couldn't, the giant t-shirt company at the con had plenty of children's superhero shirts in green, red and blue but no Wonderwoman, plenty of pink shirts with princesses and carebears on them, and lastly plenty of teeny babydoll shirts with Wonderwoman and the Justice League but none quite small enough for an actual kid. I'm sooo dissapointed and I fully blame the patriarchy.
There was a SPAM carving contest sponsored by Gut Bustin Games. After seeing the contest entries in the hallway we found their booth in the dealer area strewn with Pabst Blue Ribbon, more SPAM and Moon Pies, as well as their new games Trailer Park Wars and Redneck life. We purchased Trailer Park Wars mostly because Ella like the 100 tiny pink flamingo game peices. The cards include 
photographs of real trailers around the nation including "Barbie's Dream Trailer", "Cowabungalo" & "Tornado Bait". We also picked up Monsterpocolyps, Twisted Fish, Gangs of Megacity One, Penguin Rescue, Monster Menace America and a few others that didn't come in a 
clearly marked box. I can't tell if it's a booster pack for somethng we already own of if it's a whole new game and I also can't tell what was given away free or bought. What I do know is there is a giant pile of games and toys on our dinnig room table. I also wanted to play test Tech Support the card game just to see exactly how frustrating it is, but forgot.
We'll be going back next year.
Aug 17, 2008
Gen Con 2008 Part III (the not so live or remote portion, I'm home now)
On Friday Ella and I took a break from the craziness of the convention to seek out our own craziness and ventured out to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. I really didn't know what to expect, and was delighted when we drove up to see a dinosaur breaking out of the building. (see pic in last post) We parked in the garage across the street and took the skywalk over (super convenient.) As we walked our excitement mounted and the museum did not disappoint. Once inside we discovered four floors of activity goodness and running space mixed with a healthy dose of primary colors, crazy sounds and we even got to smell a dinosaur (not bad actually, sort of like magnolias.) Turns out to be the largest children's museum in the world, we could've spent all day there.
The dinosaur part of the museum is the bit that the lady at the desk recommended as a must see and it was incredible. We walked into a giant jungle where the sky changed from dawn to dusk in about a half and hour and was filled with skeletons and smells and sounds and interactive screens and surprises around every corner. You could participate in your own dig as well as peep into the palaeontologist's lab, like a hamster cage, it had a glass wall and you could see what there were doing in there making little resin skulls and labeling bone fragments and spreading around cedar chips, there wasn't even a sign that said don't feed or poke the paleontologists so we stopped and talked to him through his little window. Well, actually Ella went running off to do a skeleton puzzle while I talked to him, but he told me about the Dracorex Hogwartsia (literally meaning "Dragon King of 
Hogwarts".) This dino found in South Dakota looks remarkably like a dragon and even made the cover of National Geographic. 
Here Ella tries to hatch some dinosaurs with her butt.
Over the next three hours we moved through more floors with ease running up and down the spiraling ramp that surrounds the massive glass Chihuly sculpture (the largest permanent installation in the world).
At one point in our exploration when we ventured into "The Power of Children: Making a difference" exhibit. I knew it was for kids a little older when we walked in, but I figured I'd be ok if I perused a bit with Ella in tow. It was good for her to be exposed to a little activism early, but then the next thing I know there was a lady beckoning as the last seating for the play at the secret annex was "right now!" and if we wanted to see the show we should go there immediately and Ella was pulling me by the hand into a room and then she was asking questions about the door in the wall and all the things in the room and next a dozen of us all sat down on little squares of wood facing a small stage with a single wooden desk.
It all happend very fast and then the lights dimmed and a very distinguished, thin man with far away eyes stepped onto the stage and introduced himself as Otto Frank. For the next seven minutes he told us about his daughter Anne and her diary, what had become of them in the annex and after the soldiers took them away and I with my young
daughter fidgeting quietly in my lap completely lost any shred of composure I thought I might keep. After the actor stepped out of character and asked for any questions, we ducked out and I found a box of tissue just outside the door and grabbed a handful while I dabbed the mascara from under my eyes and tried to stare at the floor walking fast past the Ruby Bridges and Ryan White exhibits. I couldn't bare to even glance at them and stepping back into the jubilee of children running all over was such a shocking contrast I still had trouble grabbing hold of myself. I was thinking next year I'll visit the Ruby Bridges exhibit that I could hear when we walked past; recorded children's voices yelling insults from the front of the construct school house "We don't want you here! Go back where you came from!", and the year after the Ryan White exhibit. Finally, I was jolted from my own thoughts when until Ella yelled "Wonderwoman!" and took off running.
By two o'clock I was exhausted and Dan was calling for us to drive back downtown and pick him up. I bribed Ella out of the fourth floor and to the car with promises of swimming at the hotel after picking Dan up which we did until we were wrung out and napped in the room. You'd think the fun would end here and we'd commence with something boring but oh-no this family is serious about fun. After our rest we dressed for dinner and made our way back downtown to a great Japanese place where we gorged on sushi, exotic veggies and assorted meats. Dan found if you want a good rare lamb chops you must find a chef that has the courage to serve raw meat (or fish).
Not done having fun yet we decided on a leisurely stroll to the giant fountain we glimpsed earlier in the day. We found the "giant fountain" to be the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Monument Circle. The impressive scuplture/fountain is surrounded with trees and blossoming flowers at the bottom and stairs climb up to a higher deck where we found a door to a little office that was closed where you could pay a dollar to ride the elevator to the observation deck during the day or climb the stairs to the top for free. 
As the piece de resistance we took a dusk carriage ride with a driver that looked alot like Jude Law through the vibrant streets and past the canals before heading back to the
monument where the city was lit up and women in sparkly cocktail attire met men in smart summer suits for drinks at the sidewalk cafes. We strolled back past restaurants and pubs with bustling lines outside and steam pouring up through the manholes and hotels with door men hailing cabs for more sparkly people and too soon we found our car and drove our sleeping kid back to the hotel in preparation for Saturday... the biggest g
eekfest day of them all. Stay tuned for Gen Con 2008 the Day of the Costume Contest! 
The dinosaur part of the museum is the bit that the lady at the desk recommended as a must see and it was incredible. We walked into a giant jungle where the sky changed from dawn to dusk in about a half and hour and was filled with skeletons and smells and sounds and interactive screens and surprises around every corner. You could participate in your own dig as well as peep into the palaeontologist's lab, like a hamster cage, it had a glass wall and you could see what there were doing in there making little resin skulls and labeling bone fragments and spreading around cedar chips, there wasn't even a sign that said don't feed or poke the paleontologists so we stopped and talked to him through his little window. Well, actually Ella went running off to do a skeleton puzzle while I talked to him, but he told me about the Dracorex Hogwartsia (literally meaning "Dragon King of 
Hogwarts".) This dino found in South Dakota looks remarkably like a dragon and even made the cover of National Geographic. 
Here Ella tries to hatch some dinosaurs with her butt.
We played on through salt water aquariums, model trains and a full scale engine car, and the underside of a colored glass sculpture before I realised we'd been there an hour and hadn't left the first floor yet. 
Over the next three hours we moved through more floors with ease running up and down the spiraling ramp that surrounds the massive glass Chihuly sculpture (the largest permanent installation in the world).
At one point in our exploration when we ventured into "The Power of Children: Making a difference" exhibit. I knew it was for kids a little older when we walked in, but I figured I'd be ok if I perused a bit with Ella in tow. It was good for her to be exposed to a little activism early, but then the next thing I know there was a lady beckoning as the last seating for the play at the secret annex was "right now!" and if we wanted to see the show we should go there immediately and Ella was pulling me by the hand into a room and then she was asking questions about the door in the wall and all the things in the room and next a dozen of us all sat down on little squares of wood facing a small stage with a single wooden desk.
It all happend very fast and then the lights dimmed and a very distinguished, thin man with far away eyes stepped onto the stage and introduced himself as Otto Frank. For the next seven minutes he told us about his daughter Anne and her diary, what had become of them in the annex and after the soldiers took them away and I with my young
daughter fidgeting quietly in my lap completely lost any shred of composure I thought I might keep. After the actor stepped out of character and asked for any questions, we ducked out and I found a box of tissue just outside the door and grabbed a handful while I dabbed the mascara from under my eyes and tried to stare at the floor walking fast past the Ruby Bridges and Ryan White exhibits. I couldn't bare to even glance at them and stepping back into the jubilee of children running all over was such a shocking contrast I still had trouble grabbing hold of myself. I was thinking next year I'll visit the Ruby Bridges exhibit that I could hear when we walked past; recorded children's voices yelling insults from the front of the construct school house "We don't want you here! Go back where you came from!", and the year after the Ryan White exhibit. Finally, I was jolted from my own thoughts when until Ella yelled "Wonderwoman!" and took off running. Oh yes, there was a whole superhero section including the Batmobile from the latest movies and super hero dress up and then there were race cars and doll houses and polar bears and water clocks. I 
practically had to carry Ella to the food court to make her eat before we ventured onto the (insert dramatic music here) FOURTH FLOOR! The food court was an awesome kid/family friendly cafeteria where Ella ordered macaroni and cheese, smiley shaped french fries and chocolate milk and I had a very fancy chicken salad (with apples and celery in it) and a pasta salad totaling like $12.00. 
This was the exact moment I fell in love with Indy.
practically had to carry Ella to the food court to make her eat before we ventured onto the (insert dramatic music here) FOURTH FLOOR! The food court was an awesome kid/family friendly cafeteria where Ella ordered macaroni and cheese, smiley shaped french fries and chocolate milk and I had a very fancy chicken salad (with apples and celery in it) and a pasta salad totaling like $12.00. 
This was the exact moment I fell in love with Indy. 
THE FOURTH FLOOR (insert dramatic music here) Oh what joys ye beheld. We found a tree house, a fancy play house, a giant mirror fun house, the biggest game of connect four I've ever seen, a kaleidoscope you can stand in, an arcade, tea with the three bears and a full sized carousel. We nearly overdosed on fun. 
By two o'clock I was exhausted and Dan was calling for us to drive back downtown and pick him up. I bribed Ella out of the fourth floor and to the car with promises of swimming at the hotel after picking Dan up which we did until we were wrung out and napped in the room. You'd think the fun would end here and we'd commence with something boring but oh-no this family is serious about fun. After our rest we dressed for dinner and made our way back downtown to a great Japanese place where we gorged on sushi, exotic veggies and assorted meats. Dan found if you want a good rare lamb chops you must find a chef that has the courage to serve raw meat (or fish).
We walked off dinner with a stroll through the convention 
center to contribute to the card houses which will be destroyed by convention goers flinging change at them on Saturday night (all proceeds to Christel House International.) We built a little three story facility out of donated Magic cards next to the edge.
center to contribute to the card houses which will be destroyed by convention goers flinging change at them on Saturday night (all proceeds to Christel House International.) We built a little three story facility out of donated Magic cards next to the edge.
Not done having fun yet we decided on a leisurely stroll to the giant fountain we glimpsed earlier in the day. We found the "giant fountain" to be the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Monument Circle. The impressive scuplture/fountain is surrounded with trees and blossoming flowers at the bottom and stairs climb up to a higher deck where we found a door to a little office that was closed where you could pay a dollar to ride the elevator to the observation deck during the day or climb the stairs to the top for free. 
As the piece de resistance we took a dusk carriage ride with a driver that looked alot like Jude Law through the vibrant streets and past the canals before heading back to the
monument where the city was lit up and women in sparkly cocktail attire met men in smart summer suits for drinks at the sidewalk cafes. We strolled back past restaurants and pubs with bustling lines outside and steam pouring up through the manholes and hotels with door men hailing cabs for more sparkly people and too soon we found our car and drove our sleeping kid back to the hotel in preparation for Saturday... the biggest g
eekfest day of them all. Stay tuned for Gen Con 2008 the Day of the Costume Contest! 
Aug 16, 2008
Live From Remote Part III Teaser
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