Tay in teh wheen

If you've never seen the movie Nell, then you have no idea what my title means. If you have, then you are now laughing your arse off. (Well, you should, especially if you are me living an Amish lifestyle in the middle of nowhere. Easily amused, you dig?)

Why am I saying "Tay in teh wheen"? Well, there's a big tree outside that sways in the wind, you dig? And Amos likes to point and laugh at it. So, we put our arms up in the air and "tay in teh wheen."

And... that's how we entertain ourselves in the middle of Texas.

So, yes. Life is continuing here in the Lone Star State.

My mother is fine for the moment. She has had her first chemo treatment without a hitch. Currently, she is gaining her strength in a nearby nursing home so that we can bring her home in the next few days or a week or so. The docs made it clear that they did not think that she was strong enough to come home, so she's getting rest, nutrition, and intensive physical therapy every day. I'm actually thankful that she is there for the moment, as I was anxious that I wouldn't be able to care for her in her weakened condition.

As for me, I've been running around here and there. Today is the first day I've had a moment of rest, unless you count last night. I took Amos to the famous Marion High School homecoming football game. Woo. Saw a few faces I recognize, despite forgetting a name sometimes. It's very strange to be back in my tiny home town with people coming up and saying, "SARAH?!" as if they think I died or something. Most think that I'm very exotic because I live in Colorado. It's like Tahiti, you know.

I was able to learn of some juicy gossipy stories, which are always entertaining for the small town folks. Amos studied the game and danced while the marching band played. I stayed to watch the band, feeling obligated to pay homage to my nerdy band days. Phil will be here on Monday. I think we'll go to other games at my school and my nephew's games in New Braunfels. Why? Because it's Friday Night Lights, people. It's your Texan duty to do so.

Also, there is nothing else to do.

I have a(n) urinary tract infection. That's fun.

I suppose that is all I have to say after so many days of absence from this century's technology. I watch a surprising amount of PBS programming. I watch trees swaying in the wind. I pretend that old people in nursing homes are not creepy. I try not to think about old men feeling me up at the entrance to said nursing homes.

Later, y'all.

And... here we go again.

It's easy to assume that when I have big gaps of time between blog posts, the shit is hitting the fan.

You'd be right if you were thinking that as of late.

I will be in Texas tomorrow. Texas. Again. Ugh.

My mother was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I don't know the stage or any of that just yet. She'll have her first chemo treatment on Monday.

I'll be in Texas for x amount of time. I'm staying until I'm no longer needed. Amos and I will fly down tomorrow, and Phil will drive down with the cat (the cat won't be driving) sometime next week. The Porters are going to live, for a spell, in Texas once again.

Internet will be spotty, but I'm sure I'll want to update here and there.

Today is my birthday. I'm not celebrating in any shape or form, although I did pick up necessary shirts and a pair of shoes for the trip since I've been shrinking and shrinking (here's an update on the ol' Imaginary Shrinky). We also grabbed an Ergo baby carrier for toting that wee man around. The ripe ol' age of 35 just doesn't scream, "PARTY!!" to me.

Luckily, I still have my old clothes. Going through them today was like shopping for a whole new wardrobe. My tits look fantastic in my old bras and shirts. I suppose I could celebrate that.

So, here I come, Texas. Open up and say, "Ah."

Sarah Palin doesn't represent THIS Sarah

I responded to a blog today that invited opposing views on the issue of Sarah Palin and her potential as VP. Here is what I wrote, with lots of additions.

I have a great deal of respect for people of various beliefs and political persuasions. That is how I have been able to maintain friendships with various people I don't agree with - respect. However, I have a lot of frustrations over the current political climate. I'm an independent voter and I vote by the issues. I don't let religion get in the way of how I feel about our country, although I believe in God. Although, I suspect my version of God is very different from those who want Palin in office. I believe in the separation of church and state, and I wish that our political leaders would follow that as well.

That said, I am disappointed in John McCain and his choice for VP. Sarah Palin is nowhere near the kind of woman I am. I think that instead of choosing experience and a voice for improving our country, McCain pandered to the religious right with his choice of Palin. I just don't go with that kind of logic.

Need examples?

In June 2008, Palin spoke at her former church calling the war in Iraq "a task that is from God" and expressed her belief that a proposed natural-gas pipeline is a part of "God’s will."

Really? God wants a pipeline built? Who did He tell this to? Is Sarah Palin the new Jesus?

Further evidence that she believes it is God's will that we need to be killing innocent Iraqis, as recounted here:

The pastor of Palin's church, Pastor Kalnins, has also preached that critics of President Bush will be banished to hell; questioned whether people who voted for Sen. John Kerry in 2004 would be accepted to heaven; charged that the 9/11 terrorist attacks and war in Iraq were part of a war "contending for your faith;" and said that Jesus "operated from that position of war mode."

I guess that I and most of America are going to hell.

If anyone, especially a pastor like Pastor Kalnins, had the balls to say this to me: "I'm not going tell you who to vote for, but if you vote for this particular person (in reference to John Kerry), I question your salvation. I'm sorry.", that person would never associate with me ever again. My salvation is not up to you. Neither is my uterus.

And yet, those on the "right" have harshly criticized Obama for the words of his former pastor and tried to link those words to Obama, even though he stopped associating himself with that church and publicly denounced the words of his former reverend.

Article VI of the Constitution states "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." It seems we don't really believe in that anymore, now do we?

I sincerely believe that instead of telling people how to believe and what not to believe when it comes to God, we should be concentrating on our own families and flaws. Instead of deciding who will go to hell and who won't because your version of the Bible is better than theirs or your religious doctrine is better, why not show that Christian love and learn to actually behave in the way that Jesus behaved?

I really didn't want to observe the religious angle to this extent, but I feel like, just like every other election year, it's been thrown into the hypocritical spotlight. Now, on to other reasons that Palin is not THIS Sarah...

Palin's history as mayor, as told by several people in the town of Wasilla who know her (as opposed to McCain who has known her for, what - two seconds?) is that of a bully and someone who wants to ban books. A city manager was hired (by her Republican cohorts) to cover her duties as mayor, as so many people were concerned with her ethics and were pushing to recall her as mayor. Experience? Hardly. Saving money for the poor taxpayers? Hardly. She took a town that had zero debt and left it with a $22 million deficit. That sounds an awful lot like a certain president who took a surplus from the Clinton years and turned it into the greatest deficit we've ever faced. Maverick? Hardly. Also, the Alaska legislature meets for only 90 days each year, which again, I ask you: experience? Hardly.

As "commander" of the Alaska National Guard, she has nothing to do with them when they are called into duty. That falls under the Department of Defense, which has nothing to do with governors.

I was offended by her comment, "Do you know the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull? Lipstick." I immediately envisioned parents who fight with coaches, players, and other parents, encourage their kids to fight dirty, and are "attack dogs" when it comes to youth sports. Does that represent a healthy outlook on parenting? I don't think so.

Watching the RNC, I saw a lot of talk involving attacks, snarkiness, and lies about Obama. I've observed a great deal of my Republican friends doing the same. I don't understand the emphasis on his middle name, Hussein, as if that means he is a terrorist or associated with the Middle East or Islam. Aren't we a bit more grown up than that?

I was also offended by her put-downs over Obama's early years as a community organizer. He helped to give a leg up to people who lost their jobs. Is that NOT a deed that Republicans value? Aren't the Republicans trying to promote themselves as the saviors of American jobs? Shameful. I hope they can find an actual flaw to pick on, not something that has bettered the lives of Americans.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised when the words that came out of that woman's mouth last night were written by George Bush's speech writer. That's obviously what a "maverick" would do.

I'm hearing the outcry from the right about Palin being slammed in the media. I've listened to news stations, including FOX News, and the attacks on Hillary Clinton were appalling when she was in the running. Where were the Republicans, especially Republican women, when Hillary was treated so poorly? Where were these cries of outrage when a woman was attacked by the "liberal" media? How are the smears at Palin (which are NOT coming from Obama or Biden) any different from the way Clinton was thrown in the mud? That's how politics works, but it is hardly something that Democrats solely do, or is inflicted by the so-called "liberal" media.

I saw far more mudslinging at the RNC speeches than I did during the DNC, and I've been watching. Palin didn't mention any of the issues that we as Americans should be concerned about and should be central to this campaign.

I've paid attention.

I don't care about her kid's teen pregnancy. My sisters both went through that. I agree with Barack Obama that dragging Palin's kids through the mud is horrible. Guess what? Obama and Biden aren't doing it.

I do care that Palin doesn't want polar bears to be listed as an endangered species. I care that Palin is suspicious of the existence of global warming. As a former scientist, I am appalled that someone in the position of governor is so uneducated, but I shouldn't be surprised. I guess this is yet another instance of "God's will" wanting to kill the polar bears.

I know that so many people are electrified by Palin because she is pro-life. I know many people who are choosing McCain solely because of this issue, all other issues be damned. I wish that those people would take off the blinders and look at the rest of the issues instead of worrying about someone else's uterus. We've lived with Roe v Wade since 1973, as long as I've been alive. Abortion is legal, like it or not. Palin isn't going to be able to overturn it, so move on. You've been able to live this long with Roe v Wade in existence. You can keep breathing despite it being around.

Once again, I say: My salvation is not up to you. Neither is my uterus.

Also? Debating abortion is like beating a dead horse. It ain't moving. If anyone wants to respond to this blog with endless abortion talk, your words are falling on deaf ears, as deaf as yours. If you want to talk issues, you is my people.

As I said before, Sarah Palin does not represent the kind of woman and parent that I am. You bet your ass I'm electrified by her as the choice of VP. I put all of my support behind Obama and Biden, and I have a hopeful eye turned toward the future of this country.