It's Been a Very Long Time

I'm not really back in the literal sense, it's been a very long time since I felt any urge to add to these pages and made them private long ago. Now, they're not all public, a few being returned to drafts. I'm sure why I did this, honestly I can't recall the context, since it was done years ago.  

Recently, I have been musing more than I used to, or rather, the musings are staying with me longer than they used to. Most of my musings are fleeting, without any real purpose. Passing thoughts like ships in the night. They come and go, and few stick with me for days. I have come to a strange conclusion and it's not just America's problem, it is seemingly everywhere, every corner of the world. We have become addicted to drama. 

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, or even Blogger) didn't invent outrage or tribalism. Yet it thrives on those services. People will post how much they appreciate "being kind" post also about things that infuriate them. They shut down any possible discussion about what they post (which might be true or false) by posting that when they see something they disagree with, they just keep scrolling. This obviously makes them feel better about their shit post moments earlier they might have posted where they took a distinct political stance. It also tells me, they don't honest discussion, they just want likes and comments that back up whatever they believe to true. 

I noticed several years ago, Facebook friends who I had known elsewhere for years before had slowly changed. Everything was fine when we complained about our families, shared silly stuff our kids said, and fostered relationships based on those things. These women had my home address and phone number. We exchanged gifts at holidays, we would call each other for advice or help during difficult times. A few years into Facebook, I began noticing changes in most of them. Things I never realized before, like how religious they were or what political flavor they were. Even the ones who claim to proudly not engage in "political drama" I would see they liked, gave a heart or laughing emoji, to a mutual friend who did post something that was political. I could deduce where they stood by those likes and laughs. They began to speak openly about the "War on Christmas" even though as an atheist I knew there wasn't such a thing. If I dared to point it out, my comment was lost in a sea of "amens" with replies of heart emojis. My comment would simply be passed over at best, or removed entirely by them out of fear it would upset another friend of theirs (who I can only assume was more important than me). 

Yet, I scrolled past every bible verse they posted without so much as a comment. I flew past when they updated their cover or profile image, to reflect the "real reason for the season" or whatever holiday motif they believed. I didn't do that because I am a better person, but I remained respectful of their religious belief. When I dared to post something that might have upset their deep religious belief on my own wall (not directed at them) one responded with "sad" emoji.  They have never liked or remarked on anything I've ever posted since. I was sent to the facebook version of the cornfield, muted by them.  Sure they'd pop over, if I bought something they were selling, but quickly forgot about me when I didn't continue to buy from them -- how many sets of earrings, mops, makeup did I need? Especially when I didn't care for the product and found it overpriced and lacked value?

It might seem that I've digressed greatly from the topic of this post, but not really, the tribalism that I've seen grow on social media is part of the problem as is the addiction we have to drama. We thrive on drama. Especially the drama that causes us to feel outraged about anything. Each "Karen" or "Todd" video would lead to hours of scrolling to see the post that said the person was fired from their job or some other outcome and gleefully retweeted or shared for further likes. We are fast to boycott a business that outrages us, but do they really outrage us? Or are we just told that someone else is outraged by what they did, therefore I should also be outraged? A whole 99% of businesses I'm supposed to be boycotting are mostly things I don't buy anyway. 

If we're not in a constant state of turmoil are we not living? Everything is geared to whip us up into a frenzy that honestly if our lives were less dull we probably wouldn't even notice. We have filled our lives with stuff that increases our need for that jolt of drama.  It really started with reality TV, which we know that isn't real at all and I think we're all clued into that. Networks however, jumped on that bandwagon with both feet, because who needs writers, real actors, who needs anything, save for some camera and sound people? It's cheap and give a good hook people will watch. The Network TLC used to be about learning. In fact it was known as the "Learning Channel" they would show cooking, travel and home improvement shows, some decorating stuff too. They learned quickly that could make more money by producing crap about buying a wedding dress or emergency make overs, or Little People, then enter every freak family that has now become famous because they have 20 kids, which was originally part of an one off show about super sized families that was spun off into a million different shows. 

Those shows are all geared toward some sort of drama, usually manufactured that they would drag out for weeks and weeks to keep people watching. I could go on and on. I stopped watching all television years ago for this reason. I gave up on even local news because I could see how false it was, not driven by actually reporting but cherry picking what the "news of the day" was based solely on political agendas. A classic example of this was my local news stations (all of them) reporting daily on the meth problem in Portland Oregon a decade ago, until law passed taking Sudafed off the shelves (it requires a script and doctor's visit) then suddenly while the meth problem continued to rage (and eventually bled into the prescription drug problem and heroin addiction problem), was absent from the daily news. To the media was "problem solved" now we get people outraged about new stuff...

Which brings us back to social media and how everyone is right and has the right to their own set of facts, how we become a society of virtual avatars, publicly voicing our collective outrage about whatever I'm supposed to be outraged about. 

It begs to ask, how are we supposed to ever compromise when everyone believes they're right? How will ever be one country when we are divide into factions? When will we understand that we created the division? 

But I'm Near The End...

...And I just can't find the time...

And I'm wasted and can't find my way home...

You Can Care All You Want

21st Century's Yesterday

I seriously feel we've taken a collective step backward. Obama is on his rockstar tour pushing his health care reform. A plan I don't think will work and I've already said it. 60% of GM is now owned by the government. Banks are trying to get out of TARP but finding out it's not as simple as just giving back the money.

In general it's messy and getting worse.

Freedom's Just Another Word

Another Tricky Day

You Can't Always Get it, When You Really Want it

Boredom has set in at Casa De La Ranter, but it's to be expected. While half the country has had nothing but rain, we've had sun and it's warming up. Today we nearly hit a hundred, tomorrow we might pass it. I know I haven't blogged for a while, I'm not sure why except nothing to say.

The country is still messed up, economy wise no better really. Tarp is a joke; no surprise Obama's golden boy image is wearing thin. Iran re-elected a nutjob, oh well that's the way the cookie crumbles. Michael Jackson died. Now that gave me pause. Wacko Jacko is dead. He was 50. And everyone now loves him, or trying to grab their last shot at 15 minutes of fame at his expense. If I have to hear one more person speak about his drug use, I'll scream. In fact I'm tired of coverage. Yes, he was weird, odd, guilty of at the very least being inappropriate with young boys, I don't know if there was anything more than that. He was also a magnet for any type of lawsuit. I don't know. I kinda think he was asexual. I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out that eventually that the kids were by donor sperm. I just can't imagine him jerking off in a jar.

I will freely admit that if his death, again at the age of 50, is drug related, then something needs to be done about celebrities hiring their own doctors. And, really think about it, a man with a doctor with him nearly 24 hours a day, and he's dead. What hope is there for us? Naturally a "yes man" with a prescription pad can be deadly, we saw it before with that young Batman actor Heath Ledger, and even the train wreck life that was Anna Nicole Smith. We also saw it 30 years ago with Elvis, and still we do nothing. We sit in our complacent world and say things like, "I don't cry for pedophiles." The press condemns and we sit nodding our heads mindlessly barely blinking to the magic box that tells us what to think. I'm tired of it.

I have arrived but to one conclusion, life remains a delicate tapestry, and therein, I believe, two sides. One side, often called positive, is brilliant, vibrantly colored, but without the fine detail of the interconnecting threads. The negative side is dull somewhat, yet the image though reversed is clearly visible and there you notice the way the threads connect and interact with each other. The positive and negative sides of things require both to exist. The human nature and order of life often uninspired can easily breed contempt as well as beauty.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter

All Rights Reserved

Her Mind is Tiffany-Twisted

Wake You Up In the Middle of the Night...

I've often thought my process of thinking is slightly off from what others would think in any given situation. Often I exist, mentally speaking, in a vacuum between laughter and tears. Clearly I'm an either/or kind of girl. It's my nature.

Last month as the family was driving through the downtown area, Rainbird behind the wheel of the mom wagon, we noticed people waving tea-bags. I knew of course about the tea parties but remained silent as we wove our way through the area. Then suddenly my 15 year old son, formally known within these pages as Piss-boy, made a lewd comment about teabagging. This threw me off kilter, he clearly understood what teabagging was.

I always considered myself to be advanced, but I didn't know about that until I was in my 20's. I'm sure some people that read my blog, might even run to the Urban dictionary to define it for them. Perhaps it's just something that guys know about. Rainbird laughed. Somehow it left me feeling a little sad. When they (who ever they is) say that kids grow up fast, they aren't kidding. I thought I grew up fast but...just a few short years I had the kid completely convinced at age 10 that Santa was completely real. Fast forward five years, and the kid is talking about teabagging.

What should I have done? Should I have been embarrassed by such language, or his knowledge? Should I have said something to him about it not being appropriate or should I feel grateful that he is comfortable enough to say such things around his mother? I know if his grandmother were in the car he would have kept his mouth shut, so he does have common sense. Maybe his edit is just shaky.

Words Small Enough to Hide

The English language is full of words, lots of words that have similar meanings. For example if you go to thesaurus and look up a word you might find another 20 words that have similar meanings or connotations. For example the word Torture which at worst can mean impalement, and at best, abuse with words like misery, pain, persecution, etc., has many such meanings. We tend to dumb-down words and meanings. For example a child that repeated used as an ashtray and made to eat their own vomit, might be called abused...I dunno it seems like torture to me.

I'm torn about this when I read about Water-boarding of prisoners. Surely our government the pinnacle of good, wouldn't knowingly torture people in an attempt to extradite information, right? We are the country that gets on the asses of countries that do that; I mean look at China and their human rights violations. Yet it seems so. We have people with varying opinions on the subject, most claiming it isn't torture. Oliver North was heard on Fox news that he was water-boarded as part of his training. The implication is that it's not a big deal. Maybe not for him since he knew he wasn't in immediate danger.

One Thing Leads to Another

On one hand we have our President Obama, saying that water-boarding is torture and will NOT be done anymore. Then we have former vice president Cheney, going on about how we got valuable information that saved lives because of this. Saving lives: Good, Torture: Bad. This leads me to the question, how can something that did yield some valuable information, which may or may not have directly led to American lives saved; no big deal? If it wasn't a "big deal," then why would it yield any information?

So, let's say someone believes that you have information, could be a bus schedule, or something really important. You are kidnapped and kept awake for hours, which turn into days with very little sleep. Food is horrible and, you're mentally exhausted and don't understand the language. You are led into a room and likely handcuffed (if you weren't already), and made to lay on your back. Your feet are raised slightly, a blindfold is applied covering your eyes and plunging you into darkness. You can't see, you hear words you don't understand, people shouting. Then you feel water splashing against your face, up into your nose, into your mouth, you can't swallow, or breathe. You try holding your breath. You can't hold it that long, and inhale water. You feel you will drown. You swallow as much of the water as you can, your stomach aches and becomes distended adding to your overall discomfort.

It suddenly stops, you hear a voice in your own language, asking you a question you can't quite comprehend, then it begins again. The water coming quicker it seems this time, you struggle for breath, exhaling and inhaling. Drinking, and breathing in water. It again stops, you're coughing up liquid, and someone again asks, after you start to calm slightly, the same question. You know they really don't care if you live or die accidentally during this. Your mind isn't working, because you haven't slept or eaten anything you'd call food, you're exhausted and now you're scared. This treatment continues for as long as it takes you to give up the information, you urinate on yourself out of sheer fear and then humiliated for it, you can tell from their tone they are laughing.

You give up whatever information you can to make it stop and once you do your cleaned up, allowed to sleep and given something more decent to eat, while they check the validity of your information. You're not treated wonderfully, but it's a step up than before.

Some might think this is just the bleeding-heart liberal side of me coming out but this is actually from the account of Chase Nielson, when he testified in Shanghai China in 1946 about his 40 months of being a prisoner of war during WWII against his Japanese captors. He was one of eight captured during what was known then as the Doolittle Raid in 1942. Or maybe I should say he was one of the four that survived and were rescued when the war ended.

Not okay for the Japanese during world war two but alright today?

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter

All Rights Reserved

It's all Relative?

I have No Excuses

I've been a bad girl, and I'll take some well deserved wet noodling. I just haven't been in a blogging state of mind lately and each time I think of something to blog about someone has been using the computer. How dare they?

I've mentally written over the past few weeks at least 5 posts that I can recall, but can I remember them now? Duh, of course not! Well maybe one...

I did see something the other day that gave me pause. It was a bumper sticker that to me at least posed a question, is truth relative? What kind of truth; historical, which depends greatly on geographic location? For example if you're a kid in Mexico reading about Santa Anna and the Alamo, the story will certainly differ from ones taught in our history books, and vastly different from the watered down story found on the Texas state website.

All three stories speak something of the truth and all are relative to where you live. Take the Palestinian and Israeli conflicts, both are relative to their personal perspective. Regardless of what the UN did and did not do, both firmly believe that particular swath of land belongs to them alone, which is at the heart of the issue. Victims of crime will often give conflicting stories of how such crime was committed and that is totally relative to their personal life experience. For example an off-duty police officer, if they happened upon a robbery, would likely provide a more detailed description of a perpetrator than other bystanders because of their training.

I hesitate to bring this up, and in fact have taken several days before hitting the publish button and the only reason is where this is heading. I do believe everything is relative, to your generation, place, status, age, everything. I had firm beliefs as a child that as an adult I no longer prescribe to. It's no big deal unless you're talking about religion. This brings me back to to the bumper sticker that started all this. It read simply Truth is NOT Relative and there was a cross on it. Religious symbols aside, obviously this has meaning to the person that placed it on their bumper but I have wonder if they really understand what it means. How can anything not be relative even religion? Different churches have different beliefs or interpretations of the Bible but there is something arrogant about this bumper sticker that bothered me. It was screaming to me what they believe is the truth and whatever everyone else believes is wrong.

Speaking of Relatives

It needs to be said that I have a strange family, half of whom are ultra liberals and ultra conservatives, and all of them are not that bright. They believe any bit of what I would call tabloid mentality that seems to bolster whatever side they believe. Ultimately the topic of the budget comes up and the dreaded earmark talk is engaged. They say 1.7 million dollars for bees in Texas or something like that and I sigh. Out of the whole budget 2% makes up earmarks, it's not that I don't think it's important but I just don't think it's that important in a Trillion dollar budget to worry about 1.7 million dollars for bee farm or factory or whatever it is. It's like spending a hundred bucks on groceries at the store and worrying about a candy bar. However the bee thing had them seeing red. So, I said, well bees are important. They scoffed.

I explained I learned the importance of bees last year when my apple-pear tree yielded no fruit because when it bloomed, the weather turned to rain and there were no bees to pollinate it. Bees are dying and no one can really explain why; are they getting some weird bee disease, are they being killed off by insecticide, or global warming? No one knows, they do all seem to agree that bees for whatever reason are on a decline, unless something is done. Now think about all the fruit and vegetables that are dependent on bees for pollination. We're not just talking about bees anymore we're talking about survival. There is already a grain, rice, and water shortage though the mainstream media is careful not to discuss this. This is not good people and frankly has global implications far more vast than our own backyards.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Just a short one

This has been floating around the Internet for sometime now and was forwarded to me by a "friend". The reason for the quotes around friend is simply put, I don't really know this person, but do know a little about them, so I understand why it was forwarded.



Just a little clarification

It does need to be said that this was done in 1992 when she was 12 years old. It was not before the UN (as some of the youtubes have suggested--there are quite a few floating around of her) but an Earth Summit that was held in Rio, with representatives from different countries. All that understood, I found her articulate, and well spoken on a world stage. I also found her world view to be somewhat simplistic but, given the fact she was only 12, I can forgive that.

If you're interested you can read more about her here.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Outsourcing Oscar and other Random Stuffs

The Oscars

The Oscars, at least to me, used to be exciting, I normally would make an effort to see the movies nominated, the pop some corn, and watch with bated breath to see if my picks won. Later it would be Oscar parties. We would get dressed up, have a fake red carpet, and drink shots of whiskey. A shot was drunk anytime someone mentioned something...a political statement, god, told their kids to go to bed, over thanked (meaning they talked over the music).

In later years, the Oscar show has taken on a new meaning to me, no longer do I make an effort to see a movie just because it was nominated but instead wait for the show, and see the clips. Then I would start a list of movies that might look interesting. If a film is nominated for several different categories, you can end up seeing several different clips, giving you a better idea about the film than the standard movie trailer. However not this year. This year instead they had other actors talk about it seemed whatever they damn well pleased. Some talked of past movies, some of the present, some seem to ramble, and while I'm sure it was nice to individually recognize them; it just didn't help me. I hadn't seen the movies and they talked as though everyone had seen them. To me, it should be about the current movie their nominated for, not all the great movies they starred in, in the past, some which they had won for, or not.

My other huge complaint was when they showed the people that had passed on...I didn't need to see the person singing during that...hearing her voice was enough, I wanted to see better who they were, what they did and why they were being mentioned. Instead I saw a smallish picture, and nothing more...it was sad and honestly insulting.

So in my opinion it's all official, Hollywood is in a serious recession, they couldn't afford clips of the movies nominated and I hated it. If it continues like this I suspect a tradition will slowly die, much like the Miss America Pageant. As for the big winner Slumdog Millionaire, I still have no clue what it's about. Pity, I thought about renting it, but probably won't bother now.

Some States Do the Darnedest Things

While the State of Oregon contemplates closing schools to cover budget deficits for the currant school year, the state legislators in all their wisdom decide now might be a good time to raise the beer tax. Now, I know before you groan and say I don't care about beer, just listen to this...say you make something and your business is taxed for every 1000 you make you pay three dollars. What would happen if your state government told you instead of paying 3 bucks you'll now have to pay $59.60. Seriously, how would that impact your life? Now it is true different states charge different amounts, and close border states charge anywhere from 3-7 bucks per barrel of beer made, this jump Oregon is currently discussing puts them at the top, above Alaska and Alabama for the highest beer tax in the country.

Just another beer fact, Portland Oregon has the most breweries in the country and the statewide beer industry employs around 5300 people. This is all despite the fact there is a world wide grain and hop shortage. Nothing like kicking an industry in really hard economic times while they're already down.

In Other News

Last weekend Pissboy as part of a school project was to bring home a baby. Not a real one but one of these...He did but it didn't work right. The caregiver is supposed to wear a wrist strap, with some sort of device on it that sends a signal to the baby when it cries. The idea being that it knows it's caregiver is there and taking care of it. Otherwise it just cries, then stops. Then cries again. This can continue until it registers 12 hours of neglect (failing to do anything) and then it shuts down.

As luck would have it Pissboy's baby had the wrong wrist strap, so it never worked. 12 hours later it shut off, I guess others weren't so lucky, their babies didn't shut down after 12 hours and continued crying all weekend.

We're trying it again this weekend. Wish us luck.

What If?

Would we be better off if McCain had won the election?

One month after Obama's inauguration his approval rating has dropped and this is not surprising, but the bigger question remains would we be better off had McCain won. I don't believe for a moment a McCain White House could cause our country to do an economic 180. I doubt it would be any worse and I also doubt his approval rating would be much higher. I do however feel the stimulus package would look differently and that could be better or worse (notice I'm not making a judgement call on this). I'm certain it would included a lot more tax cuts, in the hopes of it trickling down to the little folks in a couple years, but meanwhile the little folks might be in worse shape. Since we all understand most of the day to day purchase power lies with them, businesses will fail. However, I also feel throwing a few bucks at them isn't help much either.

I did find this to be interesting...

What does everyone else think? I find it interesting that our exports are starting to look more like that of a 3rd world country than an economic superpower. However maybe I'm wrong, maybe someone else with more knowledge has a different take.


© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Random Stupidity

Sometimes I'm just not that bright. I left towels in my dryer for two days, then washed them only to forget them again. What have I got against my towels? Aside the fact they're ugly but I'm not wasting the money replacing them, nothing is wrong with them. I loaded the dishwasher but didn't turn it on (you know it works better when it's been on). I haven't made my bed, well that's normal for me.

I just have a case of the I don't wannas. I don't want to do these things I know I should do. I had a kid home from school two days this week. One on Tuesday and the other one today. When I started running the vacuum I'd get the old...Mom I'm trying to sleep like you told me...blah blah...

I did clean two of our three bathrooms...but the third, which is the smallest and the one guests would see if we had any, is horrible. Seriously, the mens room at the Unocal station is probably cleaner. It's the "go to" toilet everyone, except me, uses. I'll admit it, I use the clean bathroom upstairs...might catch something using the one a few yards from me.

I would love to blame it on the winter dooldrums but it's not, our weather of late has been fairly rain free, peppered with only the occasional nonsticking snow (which is just the way I like it). Snow is expected tomorrow but eh whatever, I don't think it's going to be a big deal.

I am itching however for Spring, and growing weary seeing the dead looking trees, and monochromatic landscapes. I'm starting to long for varying shades of springtime colors and warmer daytime temperatures. Until then....



© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Stimulous Part Two

To Simulate or Not to Stimulate....that is the Question

It just aggravates me to no end when either party has control and feel it's okay to bully the other. This doesn't work because it just causes the other party to dig in their heels and make life miserable. It doesn't work in business, it doesn't work on the playground, and when it's our Federal government the American people end up the losers. Take the latest stimulus package, the democrats added in a bunch of pork to show how great it is to be the big shots on campus, and it caused the republicans to dig in their heels and whine to anyone that would listen.

It's not that the republicans whining is not without merit, but they also seem to forgot that when they were control the democrats and the American people were forced to eat their pork. It also needs to be said I don't care much for pork especially fatty pork and both sides have their history of fatty pork padding. John McCain said he hated republican pork as much as democratic pork, but he voted the republican pork filled bills.

Yesterday and Today

No, I'm not talking about Y&T, but literally lets leave yesterday to historians, and worry about today and tomorrow. The bill the democrats support is full of pork, some fatty, and some lean but pork has no business being in this particular stimulus package. I have to wonder what would the Republicans had said if the bill had been pork free. However we'll never know because the Democrats screwed up a big chance to show the American people that they truly care about these difficult times. Now it appears the Republicans are the caring ones but the truth is they really don't care. I don't think either side does since they have no worries about being laid off.

They need to start acting like neither side has a majority and think about what is best for the American people. Historically speaking when the congress is more narrowly controlled by one side or the other, they are forced to work together more. When one side has a overwhelming majority they become drunk with power and pass whatever they like. If the president happens to be on the other side, then he will become an insignificant president, but if the president happens to be on leading side, then he has big problems.

I think this president is in trouble because the higher they are, the further they will fall.

The Politics of Being Political

I can't be a democrat or republican, because I have to watch both sides closely and listen to what they are both saying. Some of the infrastructure spending is a good thing but I don't think it's enough nor do I think it will solve all our economic problems. Lowering taxes on businesses will help the businesses but I really don't see them expanding much as a result of this. When times are hard people hold onto their pennies more, and it's true for everyone. I don't think a business is going to look at their lower taxes and say let's expand. They are still going to be uncertain that their business will even be around in a few months with or without lower taxes.

It's all a gamble, with the Republicans wanting to fix everything by just cutting taxes alone and the Democrats wanting to spend their way out. Tax cuts for businesses and wealthy people sounds great on the surface but it doesn't wash with the middle and lower middle class people, since with them lies most of the spending power. We already know that alone doesn't work, it hasn't worked for the past 8 years. If a business large or small gets a few paltry tax cuts, but people still don't feel comfortable enough to buy their goods, their business will fail. If the government puts lot of money into infrastructure, which would create jobs, but if people still don't feel comfortable they still won't spend money and businesses will still fail.

I think what bothers me the most is the Republicans are just standing back, saying it won't work and seriously hoping things will just fall apart.

What They Aren't Saying..

I was watching Bill O'Reilly's show after the President spoke and he was talking with Dick Morris, who explained that the Japanese in the 1990's tried to spend their way out of their big recession...both of them and subsequent guests just threw up their hands and said it didn't work. The problem is they didn't mention that the Japanese also cut 2 trillion in taxes too...and it didn't help them in addition to their big spending. What the Japanese did have going for them was the fact they saved their money roughly 13% of their income goes into savings. Roughly 1% of the average American's income goes into savings.

The problem is I don't think either has it right...you can't cut taxes to get out of a recession (at least it's never worked in the past) and you can't spend your way out of it. The only thing you can do is curb your spending, save as much money as possible, and hang on because I think the only cure for a recession truly is time. When goods and services get too expensive too fast recessions are useful. When the stock market starts to nose dive they call it a price correction--over-inflated stocks come down in price more in line with their true value. When houses dropped they called it bubble and the effect is the same, prices came down to where they probably should have been had the boom not occurred. Now the whole economy is going through the same thing. It's going to take a long time but I believe things will get better--it will just take time and probably more time than the next couple presidents will have. And yes you did read that right. We're talking 8-10 years people!

I believe if Obama's stimulus goes through as planned, we will benefit from it but I'll be very surprised if it's within the next four years. If the next president doesn't try to undo everything, then perhaps during that term things will start to turn and they can take credit for it. If they do try to undo everything, then we'll sink deeper but still eventually things will improve. The question is would things improve without all this on it's own in the same amount of time.

That too, I believe is possible, but try to convince Washington of that.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Lots of Stuff

How Many Resolutions Have Already Been Blown?

I had every intention of keeping each of my resolutions but sometimes life just sucks. First week back to school for the kids was hell. I got a phone call from a hysterical family member in California saying that Grandma was in the hospital (it turned out that was ONLY bit of information they got right). The downside is my grandmother had to move again, but the upside is she gets to return to the area she liked. There are people able and willing to pick her up now and bring her to the church she loves. She'll get to go to her old hairdresser each week, and the place she'll be going into will bring her to the doctor and take care of all her meds so she won't have to think about them.

I have pondered if it's not time to bring her up here to live near us but decided actually against it because she would know no one here except us and we're just not that entertaining. Too many strikes against moving her up here at this time, I want her to be able to enjoy living there and see the people she wants to see for as long as she's able. She certainly wouldn't get that up here with just us. It's such a double edge sword though because I know she misses all of us but after the first few weeks she'd also become very bored with her life up here.

Meanwhile while all this was going on, I had to deal with issues involving Fredo and school; times are bad, school budgets are the first cut and I was worried they would be compelled to get rid of his aid. Fredo, is on the spectrum for Autism, and since he seems to learn best in a one to one setting, we had to fight the school to get him what he needs. This year from the beginning he's had an aid helping him transition. It's been wonderful! We went from last year worrying about him being able to stay in his school to this year where he's actually starting to excel. He's taking what he learns during the one to one, and bringing it into the classroom. I'm thrilled, he's thrilled. He's not over relying on the aid, but instead just using her when he needs some additional direction. He's transitioning in his schedule very well now, and no longer wanders with a lost feeling. His outbursts, anxiety are also greatly diminished. I can't say enough good things that have happened just since September.

So there it is, the good and the bad for the first weeks of 2009.

The other resolutions, like sticking to the food budget, losing weight and healthy eating haven't really been happening but I'm working on them. I've been under a lot of stress lately and it's easier when feeling harried, to slip into old more comfortable habits. But all that said, my knee is feeling much better these days and I'm ready to start walking again, I just need to remember slow down a little and try to enjoy the walk.

On the upside, I haven't complained about our weather. I have observed that its been windy lately but it was more of an observation and I'm not really complaining about it, unless we get high wind on school nights. Behind our house we have lots of extra tall Cedar trees and I do sometimes worry when the wind starts really whipping about one falling and hitting our house. Fredo's bedroom faces those trees so if the winds get really bad (in the 50+ mph range) I make him sleep downstairs.

Over the weekend Piss-boy turned 15, leaving me to seriously wonder where the time has gone. We had the car discussion with him and he said he's in no hurry to get his permit. He said he feels it's too soon to think about it after all, he's only been sitting in the front seat for a couple years now. He honestly is the only kid I've ever known that isn't in a hurry to grow up. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.



© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Another Year

I Just Shake My Head

Israel and Palestine are at it again, and I know we're all bored with the economy, but Jett Travolta is the is the big story?! Let me just say that it's deplorable, I watched for roughly a couple minutes of the so-called interview with the EMT that was there and I don't mean this figuratively, but actually it turned my stomach. We're talking about a family that is going through a level of personal hell that few could appreciate and the press is clawing for every little detail. And this idiot seeking his own fame, or money is dishing it out.

My heart goes out to Jett Travolta's family. I don't need to know the details about his death, hearing of it is painful enough. I don't need to dwell on the so-called religious issues or non-issues because it's none of my business or anyone else. I don't need to know about his medical history or what the autopsy says or doesn't. The way the media has hijacked this story is opprobrious and inexcusable.

I know flashing bombs also makes for big news, and we're all bored with Iraq so I imagine from a media perspective the latest Israel skirmish is news worthy but why should I care what Roseanne Barr or whatever she calls herself has to say about the conflict? Good ol' Bill O'Reilly thinks I should care; I see whatever her comments are about as useful as a turd in a punchbowl. I don't give a...Well you know.

Any Feel-good stories out there? Hackers broke into Obama's Twitter account, okay that was worth a chuckle, they also hacked into Britney Spears account. And wrote to everyone that CNN's Rick Sanchez was "high on crack and not coming into work today" Maybe I should check my Twitter account? Heh.

Much Ado

It's award season and everyone is talking about the Dark Knight flick and I'll admit I haven't seen it but I also have to believe that if that actor hadn't died no one would still be talking about it. They would be talking more about Grand Torino, or Milk (both movies I haven't seen but the latter I do know something about). I honestly as a former San Franciscan, have no desire to see the movie Milk, well, maybe I'll rent it. Harvey Milk was gay, and yes he was completely out of the closet, and did something for gay rights in The City, but I was living there at the time. His biggest claim to fame that has catapulted him to superstar status was being shot by Dan White. And he wasn't shot because he was gay, he was shot because he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dan White (aka the twinkie defense), intended to just kill Mayor Moscone but Milk was in his office at the time so they both were killed. Like I said I haven't seen the movie but had Milk been killed because of what he did for the gays in SF, then it would be more compelling otherwise to me it's a sad footnote.

Well it's Tuesday and yes the kids finally went back to school yesterday and yes, I celebrated. Well I didn't really celebrate, I mean I didn't get rip-roaring drunk or anything, but I did a brief happy dance. My knee is much better but I still don't have all my cool Elaine dance moves back.






Like I said, it will take a while.

© 2009 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

another picture

This is a shot of the steps going up the side of my house. I know, you'll have to believe me when I say there are really steps there....Big steep steps.

Ranter

Christmas is Canceled!

I'm Done

It's over with. Not happening until maybe this weekend. Happy New Year!

Frosty After the Holiday Party

Yes the kids tried to make a snowman, but when it fell over, they adapted.
Our frosty just had too much to drink and needed a nap in the driveway!
© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Somewhere that's Green

A Green Christmas?

I'm not talking about ecology, or global warming; I'm also not talking about green as in money, I'm just talking about the color green. I've spent a week seeing nothing but white. Frankly it's a boring color. White hills, white trees, a monochrome blanket of white across my lawn, driveway and house. I feel like I'm stuck in a photo before color.

When I was a child in San Francisco, I would watch TV like most kids and during the holiday season I would see the endless shows displaying snowy landscapes and wonder about it. What was it like, I would ponder, to get a sled for Christmas instead of a bike? Or did those kids get bikes and sleds? It seemed silly to me to ride a bike in the snow, so I assumed they could get a bike but not get to ride it until springtime. I got to ride my bike right away. Of course they got to ride their sleds so things evened out.

After many eggnog's with extra nog my Grandmother would play the piano, and start to badly sing White Christmas. I clearly remember being around 4 and thinking that snow must be really special because everyone was always singing about it. Dreaming of a White Christmas, asking to "please have snow...; Hear the snow crunch...; Walking in a Winter Wonderland...; (I could go on), so, I reasoned, snow is obviously important to having Christmas. My Christmases began feeling incomplete, as though I was being cheated out of such an intricate part of the holiday.

Only the Rudolph song gave me hope, because it specifically mentioned fog. Now fog was something I knew about. I understood fog. I had seen fog cover my house most days and nights in a blanket so damp it would make the power lines crackle. I was comforted by fog. I also understood it could be dangerous, many a day I couldn't see the house across the street from me, and headlights would just cause light to bounce around. That was the tricky thing about driving in fog, you were better off not using headlights, because they would limit your ability to see. However without them, you were greatly diminishing the ability of others on the road from seeing you.

I also understood Rudolph's nose wouldn't be much use to Santa, but whatever; the song was about fog. I know some believe that it was about Rudolph, but without the foggy Christmas Eve, Rudolph with his bright nose would have been sporting a uzi waiting for the other reindeer that picked on him and wouldn't him play their reindeer games to return. A bloodbath would have occurred with Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen's guts sprayed all over the north pole, thereby cancelling Christmas forever. The fog saved Christmas not Rudolph.

But I digress, after a week of seeing nothing but white I'm ready to see green again. I miss it and find now you can keep your snowy landscapes, I'm dreaming of a green Christmas, just like the ones I used to know.

The kids are currently enjoying an extra long winter break, having been off the week before they were officially supposed to be off. I did get most things done but not everything, the rest can wait, I am no longer going to obsess over getting the holiday cards out. If they don't get them until after the holiday, oh well. At least they got one. Between our storms you'll find me cooking and going to the grocery store.


© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved

Snow!

This is how it looked in Ranterville today!

Mixed Bag

This and That

It appears the body of Caylee Anthony was found yesterday, I mean what are the chances that it's not? I guess it's possible but I doubt it. I've been thinking a lot about the grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony and how badly I want to smack them. On Wednesday night they appeared on Larry King professing their daughters innocence, what about their granddaughters innocence that was taken much too early? People say they're in denial but that's just an excuse. Cindy Anthony has made excuse after excuse for her psychopathic daughter from day one and I'm tired of it.

She reminds of Scott Peterson's parents saying Scott was framed. By who? Well who knows maybe the satin worshippers that took Lacy also took Caylee...it's as good as a defense as anything. I don't understand a parent that is that so completely blind to the facts that show their child did the unthinkable? I can say if it were my child and I heard all that evidence I wouldn't be saying a word. I'd be mourning, wondering where the fuck I went wrong. I sure as hell wouldn't be telling the press they were wrong. I think in all this there is a much bigger question, if it is the body of Caylee, what will Nancy Grace have to talk about now? Maybe she'll rehash the whole Auruba thing again for a ratings boost.

DOA

At least for now the senate has voted down the Auto Bailout. I'm mixed about this revelation, as I wrote in a previous blog, I hate seeing any company fail and people lose their jobs, but the idea that something is too big to fail is just wrong. We cannot continue to hand out blank checks. Maybe it's time for the auto industry to merge, get the union under control. The truth of the matter is we are capitalists, part of capitalism is that business must evolve to stay competitive. If they don't stay competitive they fail. We can adapt the notion that some companies are too big to fail but honestly is our fault they continued making a product no one wanted to buy? It doesn't matter if it's microwave ovens or cars, if you can't sell it, you shouldn't be making more.

Will a Tree Fall on My House if I Clean it?

Today we're supposed to get our first blast of winter, in the form of wind and rain. Beyond our back yard stands around 20 or more 100 foot plus cedar trees. I worry about them falling on my house so I have this thing I do...I clean my house from top to bottom before the storm hits. I don't know why I do this, but I do. Oh and by the way there is only 13 more days until Christmas.

I was taken aback when I realized it. There is so much still to do and not a lot of time to get it all done, for example I need to pick up a few more things for my mother-in-law, one more thing for father-in-law, write and send christmas cards, mail the pictures to my grandmother in California, and I really should take a few more to send to her.

My card list has been cut waaaaay down to a scant few family members and close friends we actually see or hear from during the year. Everyone else I'm basically cutting out. The only time I hear from these people is when the holidays roll around and while it's nice, I also don't really care. It's not like they say anything, they just sign their name. Some don't even do that, they send out one of those letters that explain why they were too busy all year to pick up a phone and call or send an email or whatever. Everyone must get at least one of those; it's the one with the small picture in the upper corner or as part of header with them all standing in front of a Christmas tree or snowman, wearing matching clothes, holding some sort of prop like a cup of hot cocoa. I know I sound jaded and cynical but I don't care anymore. Just like the people that never bother to send out cards (I'm not talking about people that are older and can't), they've been cut from our list too. So, my list that used to be around 70 long is now dwindled to around 15. That's quite a change.

I guess I'm also a bit homesick.

For Your Viewing Pleasure:



© 2008 Whimsical Ranter
All Rights Reserved