McCain

ain’t so bad in my book.  What’s that they say about politics making strange bedfellows?

To be sure, I wouldn’t vote for McCain, no sir, but I have to admit that with all the “true conservatives” hating on him for the very reasons that make me like him, well, it gives me pause.  Example: conservatives don’t like his stance on immigration, which wasn’t “seal the border” (whatever that means) because he comes from a state that knows what a ridiculous proposition that is.  So they have been referring to him as “Juan McCain.”  Oh yeah.

Yesterday was an amazing display of statesmanship.  Honestly, I don’t know who he was trying to impress.  McCain was at an event where he was introduced by a rabid right-wing rabble rouser [nice alliteration, no?], who included comments about “Barack Hussein Obama” and disparaging comments about Clinton.

As soon as McCain stood up to speak, he made a point of literally saying that he wanted to distance himself from the ugly rhetoric, that he respects his fellow senators, and that he will only ever refer to them as “Senator Clinton or Obama.”

Wow!  Was he trying to win the independent-but-hawk vote?  Like I said, I was bowled over by that show of manners in a presidential campaign.  No wonder his fellow Republicans can’t stand him.  He’s actually playing fair and respectful.

And then I saw Obama on youtube with an appearance on Letterman, doing the Top 10 Things I’d Do if I’m Elected President.  Funny.  But Letterman, who’s pushing 60, are frat boys still flocking to his show?!

Trivia Crazy

Going to play trivia tonight — it should be fun.

Read “Do I Look Fat in This?” which was a good reminder to go on vacation to a beach destination, even if you don’t like how you look in a bathing suit.  Why would you want your world to shrink?

Now am on McWhorter’s “Authentically Black.”  He’s a black conservative, which can raise hackles, but he seems to make a lot of sense.

Super Tuesday/Mardi Gras

It’s a big day, the biggest Tuesday in a while….

I got my ballot completed, and will drop it off after work tonight.  I like voting at my official voting area: it’s in a community center just around the corner.   It feels very “New Hampshire” to me, and there’s always a big line of people there, even on primary days.

And then there’s some “party” at a place we like to celebrate Mardi Gras tonight, so maybe we shall go.

Then it’s Chinese New Year on Thursday — what am embarrassment of riches for this week!

I’m doing a daily spiritual email class (for the month of Feb) and it’s been very challenging.  The good news is that I can see how I “create my world” with the thoughts, though it may not be related to whatever is reality.

Blind Date

So my friend Geri went out on a blind date the other night…a friend of hers set her up with her boyfriend’s friend…It is said that’s the ideal way to meet people, friends of friends tend to move in the same circles, values, class.

So Geri is a liberal NY woman, a doctor, who doesn’t really like to date anyone outside of Manhattan (yeah, yeah, one of those).

She got set up with an art teacher from Jersey.  Ok, nothing wrong there, she agreed to it and all.

Saturday was the SC Democratic primary, so she asked him what his political  values were.

Well, he said that he voted for Bush the *second* time.  Dismayed, she asked him who he liked for the November election.

“McClain,” he said, mispronouncing it.

I howled with laughter.

Cry, Yoga, and Meditation

That’s my version of “Eat, Pray, Love.”

So Senator Clinton won NH and Senator Obama won IA.  The Democratic primary is turning out to be quite competitive!  I hadn’t realized that it was usually over at the end of the NH primary.  (There’s also a Republican battle going on, but it’s not quite as interesting to me, but will be ultimately, of course).

I am still struggling to understand the primary process, with delegates given to each nominee…apparently it’s like a pre-Electoral College, just for the nomination.

Went to yoga today, and just tried to keep my breathing foremost in my mind the entire time.  I think it made a difference.

So we bought a Tempurpedic mattress-like topper for our bed.  I bought it on Monday, and it’s been sitting on the floor, inhaling ever since.  It’s four inches of sponge that was pressed to remove all the air, to easily ship it.  So it’s been breathing air back in for 48 hours.  It’s been fun, like waiting for a bread dough to rise.  I even took in-process photos!

Can’t wait to check it out to see if it’s ready for use this evening.

Blacky McBlackerson

So I saw a stand-up comedian a couple of years ago, probably right after the elections.  An African-American, he was riffing on the political impossibility of Obama being elected president of the US.

He said the name alone would scare off too many people…that Obama’s name might as well be “Blacky McBlackerson.”  I thought that was hilarious, because that’s kinda what I thought mainstream America would think.  Yet, the Democrats of Iowa (not known for their multicultural diversity, say, like the Bay Area) seemed to prefer Obama.

I’m still working my way through “Audacity” and will pick up “Dreams of my Father” tomorrow at the library.  He is obviously very smart, a succinct writer, and he’s optimism shines through on every page.

Spent the day indoors as we watched it rain intermittently, heard some thunder (been a long time since I heard that), and made hot chocolate with Scharffen Berger chocolate.

Yesterday, after getting soaked on the way to work, I couldn’t imagine anything more cozy than sitting by the fire under a comforter with a cat and a book in my lap.  I did lots of that.

Sore wrists

Due to sleep deprivation, my wrists are sore after a ten-hour day at work.

Can’t type much more than these few thoughts:

* though the Iowa caucuses don’t count for much, I’m happy for Obama.  I’m currently reading _The Audacity of Hope_ and am enjoying his political analysis.  It’s just like it was portrayed on “The West Wing”!

* though the Iowa caucuses don’t count for much, I’m unhappy Huckabee won.  Will the rest of the country go for him?  November’s a long way off.

* big storm coming our way.  Too bad I can’t spend it at home reading a book with a kitty on my lap.

* I think my USPS mail carrier takes every other day off.