I Finished a Book! I Finished a Book!

Yay! I finished a book!  Mostly. I didn't read pages 170 - 200.

It was an easy to read book and I laughed a few times.

It wasn't my cup of tea, though.

I bought the book based on the section where she described how she met and married her husband.  I thought that was fun, original, and interesting.

But, very quickly it changed into a Suburban Mom book.
It turns out the author has a very successful 'Mom' blog called "People I Want to Punch in the Throat"

The book is filled with all the stereotypes we see in "American Housewife".
I only watch that show periodically because the main character is always complaining about the other Moms and then does something equally horrible.

This book was like that.

As I said, it was easy to read and I did laugh a couple times (I don't laugh easily so that means something).

The theme, though, isn't particularly original (even in 2014 when the book was published).
I feel like the story of one Mom in the neighborhood being normal and everyone else is either rich or a Type A or perfectionist or whatever has been done and done and done.
I'm over it.

Oh yeah - I just remembered "The New Adventures of Old Christine" - another show about the same thing.
I loved that show.  I can't say I loved it on its original go 'round. Later, in repeats, I came to appreciate everything about it - JLD acting, Christine's friendship with Barb, her ex-husband, her brother, and her son.  I really liked New Christine.  Yeah - I should have watched that show.  Great writing and acting on all fronts.

"I'm Still Not Over...Julia Louis-Dreyfus' powerhouse performance in The New Adventures of Old Christine" from EW Magazine

2017 Perspective

Yes - 2017 was difficult for me. I want 2018 to be a year of change.

Here's a reminder that no day or year or season is good or bad. It just is. We make of it what we will.
I 'hid' in 2017. I was overwhelmed and I haven't gotten out of it yet.
But, today I am reminded that the world is good,  I'm not sure I contribute to the good of the world, but I won't contribute to the bad.
I still have a light.

I saw this commercial for the first time today. I'm conflicted that it came from a large corporation - do their corporate policies match the ideals in this commercial?
Although the commercial speaks strongly of the human spirit, I have a feeling it's also meant to encourage a lack of reliance on the federal government to come to the aid of strangers.

This is the commercial:  Mass Mutual - Unsung

Nonetheless, it's an inspiring reminder.



I wish everyone saw the federal government the same way I do - not as an overseer trying to rule our lives, but a way to combine our resources to do the most good for the most people.
It should also maintain a standard vision of what a United States of America means,
For me, it's that all Americans are housed, fed, healthy, and educated.
Everyone - every human being - can advance based on their merit and desire.
All Americans have freedom to speak and believe and do what they want as long as other people's rights are not infringed and they are obeying the laws of our federal government, with the caveat being that the laws of the federal government reflect the people's vision (that's the tough one).

#MeToo at First UU in Portland...I BELIEVE YOU

When Women Gather

I'm grateful that I'm able to make a post about the 12/10/2017 First Unitarian Universalist church service.  Three speakers made a huge impact on me and I was full-on crying by the end.

The service was called I BELIEVE YOU.

This link has a video and a transcript of the speeches.

The 2018 Golden Globes

This year the Golden Globes took on sexual harassment and gender inequality.

Women wore black gowns to the event (and looked smashing).

The theme of the night was "TIME'S UP"

I haven't experienced sexual harassment or gender inequality that destroys lives or even would be worth talking about.

The thing I've experienced, though, is the power dynamic that men have over women.

I've been confronted by angry men who I had to back down from because I couldn't be sure they wouldn't haul off and hit me.  

I've been confronted by one angry man who did.

It stays with you; that feeling of not being able to fight for yourself because you want to live another day.

I have placated men with delicate egos. 

They have undercut my efforts to succeed when given a chance.

Behind closed doors, I suspect I've known men who had little or no interest in respecting the women they work with, or had old fashioned expectations of women they live with.

I'll never know for sure.

I know what it's like to be female in this society and I've heard stories from other women.

I can relate to what they say even if I haven't experienced it.

It's true...TIME'S UP.

I hope this time it takes.  

I'm not sure it will, but maybe it will at least get better and the next time we reach a breaking point it will get better again.  As it is, I was lucky to live in my time.  Many women before me sacrificed so I could have an education, make choices, live free.  For the most part, I have been free.

AV Club - Please Enjoy Natalie Portman...

It seems the Whole World is talking about Oprah's speech.

It brought me to tears. MFT mentioned that she had tears in her eyes as well.

People liked the speech so much, we now have this...

She has always said she'd never run for political office. And I believe her.

But, last night Steadman (her 'rock') said she'd do it if the people wanted her to.

That surprises and confuses me.

She would get my vote.

Special Post: THE @DONALDJTRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Secretary of HUD, Ben Carson

Court Forces Ben Carson to give Better Housing Access to Low Income Families after he Refused to Do So.

Saturday Morning tweets from President Trump

This is a list of Trump's recent tweets as of 9:44 PST on Saturday January 6, 2018 in chronological order...

Here's a write-up in The New York Times about the tweets this morning

And here's the other really wacky tweet he posted earlier this week...

He's meeting at Camp David with Republican Leaders this morning and they had a press conference, standing together...

After watching the press conference, I'm struck by how warped our politics have become.  I don't blame Trump for this although he's certainly exacerbated it...he said "We need more Republicans..."
It really is this all or nothing game now.  Democrats all stick together and Republicans all stick together.  It's not healthy. The party system is kinda goofy anyway - which I've felt ever since I went to a legislative district caucus back in the 80's or 90's.  The party creates a platform and everyone who wants the party's financial support would, in theory, be signing on to that platform.  But, that's not the case - the party makes choices.  There has to be a party candidate in every race, and sometimes they have to compromise the party principles just so they can get someone with an R or a D behind their name in order to claim some kind of victory. 
That candidate, if they win, now becomes a number in the R or D camp, but they might not even fully believe in the R or D platform completely.  But, they're supposed to vote in a block or something.
I don't know - it's crazy and doesn't even make sense anymore.
We really need to get right on this political system.  And that's not even including Donald Trump.

Also, the Republican leadership are very excited about a right of center country.  They feel they're on track for that and this will make them very happy.
If it was just a 'right of center' country, maybe I could go along for a while. Unfortunately, I feel it's a Religious Right country they want.  Nothing 'center' about it.  Just Right, White, and Religious.
I'm sure it's not quite that stark for many R's, but it feels that way with Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions and Bannon and all these weird things happening in our country in 2017.

It's also odd to me that reporters don't ever question President Trump about his patently false statements.
He says it's been proven there's no collusion.
Really Mr. President? Where was it proven? Are ANY of the investigations concluded? If not, it hasn't been proven.
He says if you don't have anything to hide you are very free with access and transparency, just like his administration has been related to the Russia investigations.
Really Mr. President? Would you believe that theory also applies to tax returns?
He says his poll numbers are way up.
Really Mr. President? Who says that? 
There is proof that Hillary and the DNC colluded with Russia.
Really Mr. President? Where is that proof?

The reporters just let him say stupid things and move on.

Wasted time and effort. And so disappointing.

My current dream is that in 2018 the Democrats - or anybody who disagrees with President Trump and Michael Pence and Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell - will win a lot of victories.  Enough victories to change the House of Representatives (is it mathematically possible? we're so gerrymandered, maybe it's not possible) and we can start investigating the President. Or, we can take back control of the Senate so no more of those conservative, right-wing, religious judges get approved.

I don't think Mueller is going to save us.  If he had an airtight case, we would have known about it by now.  He has circumstantial evidence, at best.  And that will get us nowhere.  Again, it would only matter if people in charge wanted to do something about it.  If Mueller were to hold information until the Democrats were in charge and then suddenly everything comes out about Trump - even I'd think that was a little peculiar.  I'd be happy about it - but I wouldn't blindly throw my allegiance behind it. If the Republicans maintain control (which will make me feel very bad about the people in our country) there'd be no point in putting the information out there. 
I think Mueller has to be finished by the elections.  And it has to be far enough before the elections so people don't act like they did about the Comey info re Hillary's e-mails.
I hope it will be by April of this year.

I have a feeling Donald Trump's companies have always been involved in laundering money for the Russian oligarchs. 

I have no proof and I don't even care to look for it, but it makes sense to me. 
Too bad Donald Trump won't show us his tax returns.