Last night we had our first real guests over to our house. Of course, people have paraded in and out to see the place, the new paint, the layout, but no one has actually hung around for a while.
Well, I've shuffled in a new era! Two friends came over last night and the back porch has now been properly broken in. Wine flowed freely, cigarettes were smoked, and our neighbors are surely worried that three girls will be outside cackling until midnight with some regularity.
Girlfriends really do a body good.
L.
PS--Stay tuned for my lowly thoughts on Hillary Clinton's recent "misspeaking". I have a lot of thing tumbling in my head about it, but I haven't been able to quite gather them for a post. More will come...
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
If God Were One Of Us
Well, it’s after Easter, and I suppose I must say that I did not attend church on Sunday. There are many a reason for it that I won’t go into today, but I will say that I don’t think it changes my spiritual life. I will say that I had to consider, politically, where I stand on so many things.
I’ve mentioned earlier that I’m an Obama supporter, but I’m not sure that I’ve explained why. I support Obama because I think he’s a new face on America. That he’s a new beginning. That he has the ability to show the world that America isn’t entrenched in far right Christianity. That there are millions, yes millions, of people think and believe differently than millions, yes millions, of other Americans.
That’s the beauty of our country. We can believe different things. We can worship different things. We can be who we are. Different. Intriguing. Solid in our beliefs, which can be so different from one another. But at the same time, we also love one another for our differences.
For the past week, I’ve read what Rev. Wright said. I’ve read what Obama said in response. I’ve also read what Hillary had to say about what Obama said about what Rev. Wright said. The whole time I thought, “Are you kidding?”
Don’t get me wrong. I know that so many of the things Rev. Wright said are inexcusable. But I also know that I've been a part of many a sermon at an Episcopal church and many a time, in fact more times than I could count, I've disagreed throughout the service. I've disagreed with the semantics. I've disagreed with the priest on his thoughts about homosexuality, in the Episcopal Church, yes the Episcopal Church, and yet, I've still taken communion at the end.
Can we hold someone responsible for what their priest, or pastor, says? I can’t count the times I’ve been in church listening to a sermon and thought, “Well, that’s just about the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.” But, did I turn away and walk out the door? No. I didn’t.
I didn’t because I was there for my spirituality, which I have no doubt is different from many of those sitting next to me.
I’m there because I believe in a higher power. A power that sees that we are all human, white, black, male, female, straight, gay. We’re there because we believe in the same thing. The same thing that guides us to do right from wrong, good from bad, treat our neighbors as ourselves.
We’re all human. We all make mistakes. We all live by our own moral standards.
And, really, if we’re going to talk about moral standards, are the Clinton’s setting the moral standard upon which we hold ourselves?
I’ve mentioned earlier that I’m an Obama supporter, but I’m not sure that I’ve explained why. I support Obama because I think he’s a new face on America. That he’s a new beginning. That he has the ability to show the world that America isn’t entrenched in far right Christianity. That there are millions, yes millions, of people think and believe differently than millions, yes millions, of other Americans.
That’s the beauty of our country. We can believe different things. We can worship different things. We can be who we are. Different. Intriguing. Solid in our beliefs, which can be so different from one another. But at the same time, we also love one another for our differences.
For the past week, I’ve read what Rev. Wright said. I’ve read what Obama said in response. I’ve also read what Hillary had to say about what Obama said about what Rev. Wright said. The whole time I thought, “Are you kidding?”
Don’t get me wrong. I know that so many of the things Rev. Wright said are inexcusable. But I also know that I've been a part of many a sermon at an Episcopal church and many a time, in fact more times than I could count, I've disagreed throughout the service. I've disagreed with the semantics. I've disagreed with the priest on his thoughts about homosexuality, in the Episcopal Church, yes the Episcopal Church, and yet, I've still taken communion at the end.
Can we hold someone responsible for what their priest, or pastor, says? I can’t count the times I’ve been in church listening to a sermon and thought, “Well, that’s just about the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.” But, did I turn away and walk out the door? No. I didn’t.
I didn’t because I was there for my spirituality, which I have no doubt is different from many of those sitting next to me.
I’m there because I believe in a higher power. A power that sees that we are all human, white, black, male, female, straight, gay. We’re there because we believe in the same thing. The same thing that guides us to do right from wrong, good from bad, treat our neighbors as ourselves.
We’re all human. We all make mistakes. We all live by our own moral standards.
And, really, if we’re going to talk about moral standards, are the Clinton’s setting the moral standard upon which we hold ourselves?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Quote of the Day--A Day Late Edition
Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, to Politico's Roger Simon on the Clinton campaign:
"They would do anything to win, and that means anything. ... There is a frenetic energy around them to commandeer this election in any way they can. ... She is the ultimate Washington inside player. She is always asking, 'How do we wire the vote? How do we wire the system to get the results we want?' ... When they started off, it was all about delegates. ... Now that we have more delegates, it's all about the popular vote. And if that does not work out, they will probably challenge us to a game of cribbage to choose the nominee."
L.
"They would do anything to win, and that means anything. ... There is a frenetic energy around them to commandeer this election in any way they can. ... She is the ultimate Washington inside player. She is always asking, 'How do we wire the vote? How do we wire the system to get the results we want?' ... When they started off, it was all about delegates. ... Now that we have more delegates, it's all about the popular vote. And if that does not work out, they will probably challenge us to a game of cribbage to choose the nominee."
L.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
"In No Other Country On Earth"
There are many reasons I support Barack Obama for President. I like his politics. I like his policies. I like his reasoning. I like the way his candidacy makes me feel like I really can make a difference in America. It's a feeling I had when I first went to work on Capitol Hill, and a feeling that quickly dimished with the cynicism of Washington.
But, it's moments like this when I am revived, enthused even, to have the opportunity to vote for someone who can, and maybe more importantly will, say something that speaks to the optimist in me:
"I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton's Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas. I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners - an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters. I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.
It's a story that hasn't made me the most conventional candidate. But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts - that out of many, we are truly one."
The whole speech is amazing. If you have time, check it out.
L.
But, it's moments like this when I am revived, enthused even, to have the opportunity to vote for someone who can, and maybe more importantly will, say something that speaks to the optimist in me:
"I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton's Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas. I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners - an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters. I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.
It's a story that hasn't made me the most conventional candidate. But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts - that out of many, we are truly one."
The whole speech is amazing. If you have time, check it out.
L.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Hey, Good Lookin', Watcha Got Cooking?
We finally got the kitchen and den painted. By the way, the cabinets alone took from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
God help me, those cabinets will be that color until we sell the house or have the damn things ripped out. This is a project I will never, and I mean, never, repeat.
L.
Before:
After:
God help me, those cabinets will be that color until we sell the house or have the damn things ripped out. This is a project I will never, and I mean, never, repeat.
L.
Before:
After:
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Snow Came
By the way, I spoke a bit too soon about the snow. It came. Boy, did it come.
L.
Here's the same tree as below about four hours later.
L.
"That's the Melody to Funkytown"
I've been in a funk recently. A nasty little funk. I don't know what it was about, and I don't know what caused it, but my bed seemed the only place I was very happy. Maybe that's more about my love of my new linens than anything else, but I digress.
The point is to say that I think I've pulled through. The sun came out. It warmed up to 70 degrees. I opened my sunroof. I turned up Ryan Adams "Sweet Carolina." And just as suddenly as it took me over the funk was gone. Thank God for that.
I do, however, still want to stay in bed. I hate daylight savings time. It should not be dark outside when a person wakes up in the morning.
L.
The point is to say that I think I've pulled through. The sun came out. It warmed up to 70 degrees. I opened my sunroof. I turned up Ryan Adams "Sweet Carolina." And just as suddenly as it took me over the funk was gone. Thank God for that.
I do, however, still want to stay in bed. I hate daylight savings time. It should not be dark outside when a person wakes up in the morning.
L.
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Snow Is Coming, The Snow Is Coming!
For two days, Little Rock has been preparing for the Snow Storm of 2008. Four to eight inches expected...stay off the roads, go to the grocery store, go to the liquor store, buy firewood, and by all means, don't even think about traveling Friday. We'll all be snowed in!
That's all we've heard. For Two. Solid. Days.
That's all we've heard. For Two. Solid. Days.
Well, here's a picture of my front yard right now.
Yep, that's the big snow storm. It is starting to snow a bit more as I type this, and locations further north have had some substantial accumulation. But, really, why is my office closed today?
L.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Out of Pocket
My apologies for the lack of posts recently. I've been swamped at work and painting at home.
When I'm not doing either of those things, I'm exhausted on the couch catching up on Project Runway and Paranormal State, which by the way, you most certainly should not watch at 11 p.m.
'Cause that shit is freaky.
L.
When I'm not doing either of those things, I'm exhausted on the couch catching up on Project Runway and Paranormal State, which by the way, you most certainly should not watch at 11 p.m.
'Cause that shit is freaky.
L.
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