Life Lesson

Life is all about choices. I’m not talking about those random instances in life when you are robbed of your choices; I specifically mean your everyday, average life. If you find that you’re happy, cool; if you’re decidedly dissatisfied, well that sucks. I imagine that if you set aside some time to thoroughly reflect on your current state of dissatisfaction, you’ll more than likely find that you made a choice or a set of choices along the way that have put you exactly where you didn’t really wish to be. That is always a disheartening revelation. Trust me. I’ve so been there done that. If you are troubled by having to live with the consequences that were created by your own behavior; at some point you're going to have to accept that you've made the bed you are lying in and no amount of wishing it to be otherwise will make it so. If you consciously make a choice that creates a negative consequence you cannot label it a "mistake". It was a choice, plain and simple. You're just unhappy that it turned out the way it did. Sorry Charlie.

If the people whom you've scorned in the past do not wish to forgive you or have chosen to forget you...accept it. Move on with your life. And choose carefully to treat those whom you claim to care for with the utmost respect, henceforth. Consider it a lesson learned. When you repeatedly insinuate yourself into the lives of those you've wronged, uninvited, you're only making a pest of yourself AND reinforce that the decision they made to cut their ties with you was absolutely the right one.

That Goes in the Potty

The following is totally non-political, but hey, it's my blog and I'll talk about whatever I feel like. Potty training, toilet learning, whatever you want to call it, has got to be one of the most frustrating aspects of raising a toddler. My daughter knows how to work the DVD player and can point and click her way through games on the computer, but for some reason cannot grasp the concept of getting her tinkle and nuggets into her magical, musical toilet. She'd much rather carry her waste around with her in her diaper like some precious treasure than take the time to make her deposit in the pot.

She was actually successful yesterday. Three times, in fact! We celebrated! We had popsicles! But today was a brand new day, and after 30 minutes on her own pint-sized potty this morning, and not producing any results I decided to give her a ten minute break and she promptly went upstairs and pissed herself. WHY!!!?!??

And whatever happened to the grandmothers of yesteryear who took over this seemingly hopeless duty for the parents, because afterall, they do brag that they had us out of diapers by the time we were a year old, before we could speak, and did it all in just one day! Either their memory is faulty or they're a bunch of big fat liars. To this I say, it is not possible. I'm no ameteur. This is my third bout with the toddler's will against the potty and I'm here to tell you that you cannot break a mustang in just one day. Fooey.

Potty training a toddler sucks hard. It is the one parental duty that I'd gladly pay huge amounts of cash for someone to do it for me. Please excuse me while I pull the rest of my hair out.

Who's Your Daddy?

I haven't updated in a while, and really, what's the point? What's to say? The world is going to hell in a handbasket. Our Feckwit in Chief has been banging his chest and flinging his pooh about maybe, possibly, could be, might, perhaps..."do something" about Iran. In other words, building a case (no matter how weak said case may be) for war with Iran. Nevermind that GWB was able to negotiate with North Korea, but when it comes to the middle east, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck; drop a bomb on it. Ala, crispy duck. Are you scared yet? You should be. For some reason the system of checks and balances has been non existent during his presidency. King George has been free to do whatever it is pleases his highness.

I pray for Congress to grow a brass pair and stop the madness. Amen.

With all that is going on in the world, the media has one burning question..."Who is the father of Anna Nicole's baby?". WTF people?!?!?!? Who cares! Are we really, collectively as a nation, on the edge of our seats wondering who this drugged out, gold digging, ex-stripper, former playboy model, incoherent babbling, psuedo-celebrity, self-exploiting, loopy chick (God rest her soul...RIP Anna) was swapping bodily fluids with?

The media is much more interested in psychoanylizing what was in Anna Nicole's refrigerator than they are in getting the president to answer a direct question about Iran....or Iraq...or Afghanistan...or anything remotely pertinent.

My current mood is a mixture of pessimism and frustration. But you already knew that.

Obama For Prez

I am sick to death of the assertion that Barack Obama would make a fine candidate AFTER he's gained a few more years experience, that he's too wet behind the ears. No where in our Constitution does it require that a presidential candidate have an abundance of experience in the political arena. It doesn't even require that the candidate BE a politician. In case we've forgotten, here are the requirements:

The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States (or a citizen of the United States at the time the U.S. Constitution was adopted), at least 35 years of age, and a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years.

Perhaps "experience" has been the problem with many of our past (and of course current...who says 8 years of governorship makes for an effective president?) presidents. Years of learning how to compromise at our disadvantage, time to learn how to efficiently corrupt...

Time alone does not create a great leader. Time alone does not mold political savvy. Sometimes you either have it or you don't. People seem to have forgotten that 45 year old Barack Obama served 8 years as an Illinois state senator. Combine that with the 2 years he's served thus far as senator in the United States Senate, he's far surpassed Hillary Clinton in the experience category. You could say that his political career kicks Hillary's ass. I've yet to hear anyone make the same assertion about inexperience with regards to Hillary Clinton, that has been made about Barack Obama.

And another thing...Obama's hands are squeaky clean when it comes to the Iraq war. Are Hillary's?

A Little Less Terror in Your Tank

If any of you were frustrated because you were unable to find your "terror free" gasoline, look no further. It's in Nebraska.

Claiming U.S. dollars used to purchase gasoline made from Middle East oil funds terrorism, a group called the Terror-Free Oil Initiative opened the nation's first "terror-free" gas station.

The Coral Springs, Fla.-based group opened its first station Thursday in west Omaha, seeking to sell only gas that originates from countries that do not support terrorism and from oil companies that don't do business in the Middle East.

Let's set aside that last statement that essentially implies that the entire middle east is comprised of terrorists and address this other problemo...

Dalton Kehlbeck, a regional manager for Salt Lake City-based Sinclair, said most of the company's oil comes from the U.S. or Canada, but some is bought on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where oil from all over the world is traded.

"It's a basket of crude oil," he said of the exchange oil. "We cannot be sure where the conglomeration of the product comes from."

The same is true of most oil products sold in the United States.

According to the Energy Information Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy, oil refineries often mix oil from different sources and companies during refinement and shipping.

Oops. Perhaps it isn't 100% terror free. More like "terror diluted". The entire thing is a sham and misleading. Not to mention, insulting...not only to the entire middle east, but that they're exploiting people's fears. The way to ween ourselves off the middle east teet o' oil, is to come up with alternative fuel and become less dependent on crude oil. At the moment, the U.S. is a giant energy hog.

Now when will they open a Terror Free Falafel stand? Falafel made from Terror Free chick peas and fava beans. Serve them with Freedom Fries?

Group opens 'terror-free' gas station