I spent the day at a federal law enforcement office (I'm paranoid so I won't say which one) talking about drug trafficking organizations. It was surreal, to say the least. All I could think about was Weeds (I totally knew what a 'grow house' was!) and The Wire (I knew what a 'pen register' was! And what they have to go through to 'get up on a wire'!).
So strange.
Tuesday
Saturday
November 29, 2008
Nothing much to report, just hanging out in Cambridge/Watertown where it's a balmy 41 degrees. I discovered a charming bakery/cafe/brunch/lunch spot on my way to work that has actual espresso made with a real espresso machine, so things are looking way, way up in that department. Other indie coffee shops in the Cambridge area are tiny and usually packed to the gills with students, so there are not a lot of places to go and just hang out. No grocery stores in the vicinity stock my favorite cheezy poofs (Barbara's white cheddar) so I took matters into my own hands and ordered a case from Amazon (see results above!). Yes, I ordered food from Amazon.com. It has come this.I attended the Head of the Charles Regatta in October, hoping to root for the University of Washington team, but I didn't see them. I did see a guy fall into the river though. Brr.
My folks visited me in early November, when the colors were still going strong in the neighborhood. This is my mom and I standing along the Charles River path in Watertown.Today I walked from Harvard Square to Porter Square and stopped in at a DIY craft fair in an elementary school off Mass Ave. It was kind of like the Cherrywood Art/Craft Show in Austin at Maplewood Elementary that I used to go to. There were some cool hand-inked German botanical prints there that I almost got, but chickened out at the $68/each price tag. I will probably regret that...
I am enjoying sweater weather and looking forward to some snow!
Sunday
October 19, 2008
John McCain, 10/18/08:
"(Sarah Palin) is a direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America."
"(Sarah Palin) is a direct counterpoint to the liberal feminist agenda for America."
Friday
September 26, 2008
The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here and there who thinks and feels with us and though distant, is close to us in spirit--this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.
---Johann von Goethe
---Johann von Goethe
Sunday
September 21, 2008
Hello! I haven't posted in a while because I have been trying to figure out what I think of my new situation - new job, new town, turning 37...yipes. I've been traveling a bit for the job, been to Chicago, Springfield MA, Lincoln NE, and headed to Atlanta this week. Hopefully that will be it for a while - not so big on the traveling lately. I tacked on a three-day trip to Missoula after Lincoln, surprising my brother who came out there to celebrate his 40th birthday with our parents. I hadn't seen him in three years, so it was pretty great.
It actually feels like Fall here, which is a lovely novelty. No more sweaty Septembers.
Lately I am obsessing over the fact that I now live in an environment where Starbucks is the closest coffee shop - it's walkable, true, which is more than a lot of people can say, but there is a serious lack of independently owned coffee places once you step outside of Boston or Cambridge. And even in those more progressive locations, there seems to be an under-appreciation of what good coffee is and how it is made. Seriously. Push-button espresso machines like you would find in a McDonalds (or Starbucks, same thing). So after living within 4 blocks of great coffee in my last two cities, this is a significant downgrade in quality of life for me. It's mainly due to the fact that to live close to those good coffee places here, you have to have a lot more money than in Seattle or Austin - real estate and rent are even more out of reach in the "desirable" neighborhoods here. Sigh. I am actually thinking of changing up my awesome 10-minute commute by car and re-route through Harvard Square on the bus system a couple days a week just so I can stop at a decent cafe on the way to work. This would add about 45 minutes to my commute and at $1.50 each way add more expense. But it might possibly be worth it...
It actually feels like Fall here, which is a lovely novelty. No more sweaty Septembers.
Lately I am obsessing over the fact that I now live in an environment where Starbucks is the closest coffee shop - it's walkable, true, which is more than a lot of people can say, but there is a serious lack of independently owned coffee places once you step outside of Boston or Cambridge. And even in those more progressive locations, there seems to be an under-appreciation of what good coffee is and how it is made. Seriously. Push-button espresso machines like you would find in a McDonalds (or Starbucks, same thing). So after living within 4 blocks of great coffee in my last two cities, this is a significant downgrade in quality of life for me. It's mainly due to the fact that to live close to those good coffee places here, you have to have a lot more money than in Seattle or Austin - real estate and rent are even more out of reach in the "desirable" neighborhoods here. Sigh. I am actually thinking of changing up my awesome 10-minute commute by car and re-route through Harvard Square on the bus system a couple days a week just so I can stop at a decent cafe on the way to work. This would add about 45 minutes to my commute and at $1.50 each way add more expense. But it might possibly be worth it...
Saturday
August 23, 2008
This is just after I moved in, mid-July. Stella still loves the sun room. Okazaki Fragment took to the fireplace mantel right away. My boxes are all unpacked now, and I even have new bedroom furniture and a new sofa! I need to take some updated pictures to share as the house looks much, much better now.
Wednesday
July 30, 2008
I know it has been 3 weeks since I left, but here is a post I wrote a while back and never got around to putting up:
How I spent my last six days in Austin
Tuesday July 1st - 6 days to go: Dinner at Woodland. Their corn fritters are so amazing.
Wednesday July 2nd - 5 days to go: M. makes dinner, pasta with pancetta. Lots of frenetic activity getting ready for the packers, which it turns out I really didn't have to do so much of. They really do pack all your stuff pretty much as-is. I just had to see it to believe it.
Thursday July 3rd - 4 days to go: Packers and movers came. Take-out lunch from P. Terry's. Late dinner at El Sol y la Luna (chile con queso and vegetarian enchiladas). It was also First Thursday, which I usually avoid, and for good reason - it looks like the warehouse district people have taken it over. From this point on, both sleeping on Thermarests with sleeping bags, living out of a suitcase.
Friday July 4th - 3 days to go: Breakfast at Cafe Mundi. Scrubbed the bathtub and shower for a long time. Shopped down S. Congress - Creatures, had a Turbo at Jo's, Parts and Labor (picked up a "baby grand" onesie for Caleb), and Maya. I never ever go into Maya, but I thought what the hell, it's the last time. Ended up buying a grey pencil skirt and awesome black top with funky elbow sleeves (have since been trying to find stores that carry "Whish" brand clothing, to no avail). Realized on the walk home that I had white Bon Ami powder on the back of my arm from scrubbing the tub! A late dinner at Artz Rib House, my favorite bbq. A fun little old-timey Texas combo was playing, which was perfect. Baby back ribs, coleslaw, potato salad, dill pickle, and Guinness in a can.
Saturday July 5th - 2 days to go: Breakfast at Cafe Mundi again. Ran a million errands picking up an extra cat carrier (Stella and Pepe have gained so much weight in 6 years that they both don't fit in the same carrier anymore - it's a tight squeeze), soft-sided cooler, biodegradable litterboxes, extra cat litter; looked high and low for a freaking tire pressure gauge and SOS scouring pads at Target. They have a whole wall full of "Swiffer" products and no SOS pads. WTF? Lots of cleaning and throwing away of stuff. Refused a gift bottle of wine proferred by the raging a-hole developer building the houses next door - I waved him off while not breaking my stride and said, "That doesn't even begin to cover it." It felt sooo good. He was so rude to my Graebel driver. Not to mention the last year and a half of shit he put us through. Late afternoon lunch at Enoteca; broke down and went to Croft Originals to get one of those vintage-looking "Austin" tee-shirts they have in their window. Ruffles and Kraft french onion dip for dinner while sitting on the floor watching The Closer on my laptop (thanks Reluctant Texan!). Apparently the gas station diet has begun already.
Sunday July 6th - 1 day to go: My last brunch at Enoteca. Had a nice talk with Rob at the bar. We ordered the assorted breads, a yellow tomato gazpacho with chilled shrimp (lovely), and I had my usual spinach and roasted tomato benedict with brown butter hollandaise. M. had his Spec and potatoes. And we both had lots of coffee. Sweeping and mopping of floors, more throwing away of stuff. Promising myself that in my next house, I really will dust.
Monday, July 7th - Dropped Frankie off at Watson's, breakfast at Galaxy Cafe, dropped M.'s car off at his new place, picked up the cats, closed down the Travis Heights apartment, and off we went to Little Rock!
Now I am almost caught up with blogging.
How I spent my last six days in Austin
Tuesday July 1st - 6 days to go: Dinner at Woodland. Their corn fritters are so amazing.
Wednesday July 2nd - 5 days to go: M. makes dinner, pasta with pancetta. Lots of frenetic activity getting ready for the packers, which it turns out I really didn't have to do so much of. They really do pack all your stuff pretty much as-is. I just had to see it to believe it.
Thursday July 3rd - 4 days to go: Packers and movers came. Take-out lunch from P. Terry's. Late dinner at El Sol y la Luna (chile con queso and vegetarian enchiladas). It was also First Thursday, which I usually avoid, and for good reason - it looks like the warehouse district people have taken it over. From this point on, both sleeping on Thermarests with sleeping bags, living out of a suitcase.
Friday July 4th - 3 days to go: Breakfast at Cafe Mundi. Scrubbed the bathtub and shower for a long time. Shopped down S. Congress - Creatures, had a Turbo at Jo's, Parts and Labor (picked up a "baby grand" onesie for Caleb), and Maya. I never ever go into Maya, but I thought what the hell, it's the last time. Ended up buying a grey pencil skirt and awesome black top with funky elbow sleeves (have since been trying to find stores that carry "Whish" brand clothing, to no avail). Realized on the walk home that I had white Bon Ami powder on the back of my arm from scrubbing the tub! A late dinner at Artz Rib House, my favorite bbq. A fun little old-timey Texas combo was playing, which was perfect. Baby back ribs, coleslaw, potato salad, dill pickle, and Guinness in a can.
Saturday July 5th - 2 days to go: Breakfast at Cafe Mundi again. Ran a million errands picking up an extra cat carrier (Stella and Pepe have gained so much weight in 6 years that they both don't fit in the same carrier anymore - it's a tight squeeze), soft-sided cooler, biodegradable litterboxes, extra cat litter; looked high and low for a freaking tire pressure gauge and SOS scouring pads at Target. They have a whole wall full of "Swiffer" products and no SOS pads. WTF? Lots of cleaning and throwing away of stuff. Refused a gift bottle of wine proferred by the raging a-hole developer building the houses next door - I waved him off while not breaking my stride and said, "That doesn't even begin to cover it." It felt sooo good. He was so rude to my Graebel driver. Not to mention the last year and a half of shit he put us through. Late afternoon lunch at Enoteca; broke down and went to Croft Originals to get one of those vintage-looking "Austin" tee-shirts they have in their window. Ruffles and Kraft french onion dip for dinner while sitting on the floor watching The Closer on my laptop (thanks Reluctant Texan!). Apparently the gas station diet has begun already.
Sunday July 6th - 1 day to go: My last brunch at Enoteca. Had a nice talk with Rob at the bar. We ordered the assorted breads, a yellow tomato gazpacho with chilled shrimp (lovely), and I had my usual spinach and roasted tomato benedict with brown butter hollandaise. M. had his Spec and potatoes. And we both had lots of coffee. Sweeping and mopping of floors, more throwing away of stuff. Promising myself that in my next house, I really will dust.
Monday, July 7th - Dropped Frankie off at Watson's, breakfast at Galaxy Cafe, dropped M.'s car off at his new place, picked up the cats, closed down the Travis Heights apartment, and off we went to Little Rock!
Now I am almost caught up with blogging.
Monday
June 30, 2008
Today was my last day of work and I just finished sending my last email....hooray!! All projects are now wrapped up. I have one more report to button up for a separate client, and hopefully there won't be too many revisions to the draft I sent - I find out tomorrow. Now I have two days to devote to prepping for the packers and loaders who come on Thursday morning. I can't imagine if I had to pack up everything as well - there is already so much to do aside from the actual packing. We have a giant to-do list written out on a piece of flip chart paper hanging on a wall in our apartment! Coordinating with movers involves a lot more pre-planning than just moving everything yourself...not that I want to do U-Haul again, but I'm just sayin'. There are some benefits to having all your crap with you. Like not having to hang out on an air mattress and plastic lawn chairs for three days.
A lovely brunch at Green Pastures last weekend...with a couple of ladies and gentlemen I will miss very much. I didn't need to eat for the rest of the day!
A lovely brunch at Green Pastures last weekend...with a couple of ladies and gentlemen I will miss very much. I didn't need to eat for the rest of the day!
Friday
June 27, 2008
Some good news in my feminist mailbox today:
Montana Anti-Abortion Ballot Initiative Fails
"A proposed ballot initiative to amend the Montana state constitution to define a fertilized egg as a person failed to qualify for the state's 2008 November ballot. Supporters of the initiative failed to gather even half of the required 44,000 signatures required to qualify the measure...."
I am very fond of Montana - my dad grew up on a farm outside of Missoula, we spent summers there when I was growing up, I went to college there, and my parents retired there - and I have kept one eye on the state over the last few years as it has shown signs of moving from red to blue. They have a democratic governor, a new democratic senator in organic farmer Jon Tester (who helped give the democrats their slight majority in the senate in 2006). And this most recent sign - not having enough support to allow an oppressive godbag amendment get on the ballot! My dad said Montana used to be a hard-core Democratic state a few decades ago when the mining industry was really strong and unions had a big presence. It will be interesting to see what shade of red Montana ends up being after November.
Thursday
June 12, 2008
Here is my new abode in Boston! I have the whole bottom floor of the house, complete with a working wood-burning fireplace, built-in window seats, and a three-season enclosed porch (you can see it off to the right). And it has a giant driveway and a yard, two things in short supply up there.
The Charles River bike trail is within walking distance, which goes along the Charles into downtown Boston. I think the kitties will be very happy here.
June 5, 2008
Here's my dad's 1935 Ford V-8 that he restored. This sat in my grandmother's garage for about 50 years and had rats living in the upholstery before he started restoring it. Pretty sweet ride!!
P.S. That's a friend of my dad's in the passenger seat - not my dad.
Monday
June 2, 2008
I am an aunt for the second time! Caleb Paxson was born May 28th to my best friend and her husband in Anchorage. Everyone is doing well!
May 26, 2008
I'm going to go out on a limb here and make a prediction. If Obama is the Democratic nominee, he will lose to McCain in the general election. I hope I'm wrong.
Thursday
May 22, 2008
On Monday I bought a 2008 Subaru Outback Sport down in San Antonio. The all wheel drive and heated seats should come in handy in Boston. I got it for $62 under invoice - my first experience with a dealership and it went really well (props to Jerry at North Park Subaru)! It came with an integrated iPod interface built into the center console, so now I *have* to get an iPod to go with my new car, dang it. Another step toward joining the 21st century, kicking and screaming. Proud little Zippy sits off to the left. Funnily enough, new car looks a lot like old car.
Tuesday
May 13, 2008
It's been non-stop action the last few weeks. Since mid April I have been to Hawaii, Boston, Seattle, and New Braunfels (Schlitterbahn!). After two re-negotiations, I signed the papers today accepting an Associate position with the consulting firm in Cambridge. I am the queen of negotiating now. Well, not really, but I am getting better at it. I definitely got stuff I wouldn't have got if I hadn't asked. Suze Orman, I did not put myself on sale! I start the new job on July 21, and I'm excited to explore a new city and take on a challenging job that I can truthfully say I needed a Ph.D. to get. Now I am hoping to buy a new car this week, and sell my faithful Zippy to a deserving new owner. Suze would not be thrilled with the new car loan, but I plan to pay it off early.
Now if I could just re-focus on my work at hand and stop obsessively browsing the Boston craigslist for apartments.
Now if I could just re-focus on my work at hand and stop obsessively browsing the Boston craigslist for apartments.
Saturday
April 12, 2008
I am currently trapped in a nice hotel room on the 21st floor overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Kuhio Beach Park in Waikiki. It is 12:30 in the afternoon on a Saturday, and from my balcony I can see people surfing. What am i doing, you ask? I'm analyzing survey data.
It's tragic, I know. But I'm already late getting it done, and Monday is the new deadline. With great responsibility comes great sacrifice. Indeed. And after this, I have probably another five hours worth of work to do. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to actually go to the beach.
Latest news from the job-search saga: the consulting firm in Cambridge is flying me out for an interview two days after I get back from Hawaii. And they want me to give a 30 - 45 minute presentation as part of the interview process. How I will get that prepared is beyond me, but I've decided not to sweat it too much right now (after one sleepless night spent thinking about it) until I have more time to concentrate on it. I will just have to rely on my professional instincts and try not to become engulfed by self-doubt.
Aloha!
It's tragic, I know. But I'm already late getting it done, and Monday is the new deadline. With great responsibility comes great sacrifice. Indeed. And after this, I have probably another five hours worth of work to do. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to actually go to the beach.
Latest news from the job-search saga: the consulting firm in Cambridge is flying me out for an interview two days after I get back from Hawaii. And they want me to give a 30 - 45 minute presentation as part of the interview process. How I will get that prepared is beyond me, but I've decided not to sweat it too much right now (after one sleepless night spent thinking about it) until I have more time to concentrate on it. I will just have to rely on my professional instincts and try not to become engulfed by self-doubt.
Aloha!
April 5, 2008
The plot thickens. I have a phone call set up for Monday morning with a woman I know at a social science consulting firm in Cambridge, MA, to talk about a job opportunity. She left me a message yesterday asking me to not accept any other offers until she has a chance to talk to me - I found that extremely flattering, I must say. So I'll know a lot more about my options after that. This would indeed involve moving away from the utopia of Austin, but it would be more of a smart long-term career move. I wish I could transplant these jobs to Austin somehow. Meanwhile, I'm supposed to call the local job back on Tuesday to tell them what's up. And then I go to Hawaii for 8 days (by myself). I'm feeling a little under the weather right now, so I hope I feel better before I travel.
M. and I cruised on our Townies down S. Congress to see all the hotrods at the Lonestar Roundup (actually we went to get some shampoo, tortilla chips, and prosecco and ended up getting cupcakes at Hey Cupcake and looking at cars). We might walk back out there later after dark when it gets really revved up (I can hear the revving from my living room right now!).
M. and I cruised on our Townies down S. Congress to see all the hotrods at the Lonestar Roundup (actually we went to get some shampoo, tortilla chips, and prosecco and ended up getting cupcakes at Hey Cupcake and looking at cars). We might walk back out there later after dark when it gets really revved up (I can hear the revving from my living room right now!).
Thursday
April 3, 2008
OK. So I heard from one of the out-of-state firms I applied to, and I'm no longer being considered for either job I put in for. Sad, but also simplifies things. In the meantime, I talked to the local job person and asked for a sample of their work so I could get a better idea of what they do. She sent me an evaluation plan (research design) for a statewide women's health program (aka family planning) - they are analyzing data on birth rates, birth weight, prematurity, spacing between births, etc. of the women enrolled in this program vs. women who aren't. Sounds kinda cool! So, this job is looking better to me. Like I said, the pay is dismal and I am depressed about my utter lack of earning potential after getting my Ph.D. But, I never entered into the social sciences to get rich, right? But geez, at this salary I could maybe afford a house out in Manor or something - ugh! I also didn't envision working in a tiny sad gray cubicle. I am in the process of seriously adjusting my expectations.
Tuesday
April 1, 2008
I feel like I am being pulled in so many different directions right now, with an underlying sense of (job) insecurity and flux just enough to keep me off-kilter and unable to make reasoned decisions. The basic situation, as most (all three of you, heh heh) know, is that I currently have a job that lasts through June 30. The job is good, great even (good pay, autonomy, great but far away colleagues, work from home), but probably not sustainable in my remote location from HQ plus it is a type of work that I have done before I got my PhD. And in my mind, apparently that is a con. I am ready for something different. I just started applying to jobs to test the waters - one locally, 3 out of state - and the local one just offered me the job. They are even willing to wait until July when I am done with my current obligation. It's a state job, which typically pay about 15% less than the private sector - major con. Other potential con is that I'm not sure how interesting the work would be -- seems to involve evaluating welfare programs, as in TANF and foodstamps and medicaid and such. Big pro is that I could stay here!
The same day I get this offer, I get asked by some former colleagues (where I was a doctoral fellow last year) if I'm interested in some short-term work helping them evaluate a super-cool project designed to get more local citizens to donate to non-profits. This would be from April to September.
And then, these out-of-state jobs are out there, which I may never hear from - they're with big entities with recruiters and stuff -- but the jobs themselves are really interesting and focused on subject matter that I actually have studied and could see myself working on for years to come. Those type of jobs could take 3-4 months to pan out, if at all.
I am not a risk-taker, so you see the dilemma. I know I am lucky to be getting offers of any kind; it's just never as straightforward as I'd like it to be. I will have to decide on the local job pretty soon, before I have anything else lined up.
The same day I get this offer, I get asked by some former colleagues (where I was a doctoral fellow last year) if I'm interested in some short-term work helping them evaluate a super-cool project designed to get more local citizens to donate to non-profits. This would be from April to September.
And then, these out-of-state jobs are out there, which I may never hear from - they're with big entities with recruiters and stuff -- but the jobs themselves are really interesting and focused on subject matter that I actually have studied and could see myself working on for years to come. Those type of jobs could take 3-4 months to pan out, if at all.
I am not a risk-taker, so you see the dilemma. I know I am lucky to be getting offers of any kind; it's just never as straightforward as I'd like it to be. I will have to decide on the local job pretty soon, before I have anything else lined up.
Monday
March 10, 2008
It looks like I will be getting a wristband again this year through M.'s super-secret connection. M. gets a lovely platinum badge which is his pride and joy (it dangles off of his book case year-round). He is off this very moment enjoying a movie premiere! So, now I will need to study the music schedule and strategize what I am likely to be able to get in to see. Yippee! And without having to stress about whether I'm getting my money's worth. The SXSW caste system requires that M. and I stand in different lines, and that I will have to get places an hour earlier than he does, but at least I can run around a little bit and partake of the silliness. The bad news is that I actually have a ton of work to do this week, and I can't help but feel that I should totally be on vacation.
Wednesday
March 5, 2008
My precinct caucus last night was ridiculous. I followed postings all night long on the Statesman's website, and people were writing in from all over town about highly questionable procedures at the caucuses. My own experience included witnessing an incident in which an Obama supporter insisted on working the sign-in table for Clinton supporters, and deliberately asking for extra information in order to slow down our line. Some people were visibly irate about this and told the rest of us in line that we weren't required to write this info down and to not let this guy tell us otherwise. The precinct judge was called over, the man was asked to leave politely, but he refused. I couldn't believe it. Nothing like that was going on over at the Obama line.
It looks like Obama will win the Texas caucuses handily, which is no surprise. His ground crews are bullies and there are reports of illegally signing people to the list who weren't even at the caucus, or who hadn't voted (lots of reports of people just signing in without showing evidence of having voted in the primary). But the larger issue is, Clinton's base largely cannot make it out to these events - what about the working class folk who have night shifts, or child care issues, or transportation issues, or what have you? Obama's supporters tend to be college kids and well-to-do white folk who have no problem devoting 6 hours into the night on a weeknight to this process. Bottom line: the caucuses were a completely BOGUS process and I think Clinton should contest it. But then she would just be "whining." Just like a woman, right?
It looks like Obama will win the Texas caucuses handily, which is no surprise. His ground crews are bullies and there are reports of illegally signing people to the list who weren't even at the caucus, or who hadn't voted (lots of reports of people just signing in without showing evidence of having voted in the primary). But the larger issue is, Clinton's base largely cannot make it out to these events - what about the working class folk who have night shifts, or child care issues, or transportation issues, or what have you? Obama's supporters tend to be college kids and well-to-do white folk who have no problem devoting 6 hours into the night on a weeknight to this process. Bottom line: the caucuses were a completely BOGUS process and I think Clinton should contest it. But then she would just be "whining." Just like a woman, right?
Friday
February 29, 2008
I haven't worked up the nerve to splurge on the Frye boots, but I did get these shoes by Frye the other day that I'm in love with. This week I procrastinated on all of my work projects, so now I will have to do them over the weekend. Working at home isn't always the most productive locale - I spend probably two hours a day just reading news on the internet (and shopping, apparently). I need structure! Luckily I have colleagues in another state that I am working with who check on me and keep me on track somewhat. I think this is why an academic job (at least a traditional one) wouldn't work for me - I want smart, innovative, non-territorial people around me to collaborate with and motivate me to do my best work, and forward-thinking clients who want to use our work to help change the world. Anyway, that's the latest. That and the fact that I've sworn off the anti-Clinton anti-woman hacks at CNN and MSNBC. I will only watch Anderson Cooper, and that with a jaundiced eye. From now on it is the Lehrer News Hour.
Wednesday
February 27, 2008
I am aggravated that the Fed keeps lowering interest rates. I mean, I'm no economist so I suppose it's necessary and whatnot, but for people who are savers and not over-spenders, it totally sucks! And it's a little bizarre that the idea is to get people to take out more loans and charge more on credit cards and thus get further into debt. Meanwhile, savings accounts, CDs, and savings bonds get crapola as far as interest earnings. What is a fiscally conservative gal to do??
Sunday
Thursday
February 7, 2008
I wanted to add this snippet too, from an editorial in women's enews:
"...Journalists seemed to take without a grain of salt the idea that the torch had been passed directly from JFK to Obama; from one young man to another, and no anti-heroic women in between, thank you. All this is not to disparage Obama, whose charisma, oratory, intelligence, message of hope and appeal to young voters are a real plus for Democrats. But so, too, are Hillary's resonance with lower-income voters and women.
She may be prose while he's poetry, but where are the voices saying that her command of the issues and her long experience as an advocate for children fit today's needs like a glove? Any admiration I sense for her among opinion journalists is grudging at best and, at worst, she's seen as a combination of Lucrezia Borgia and Lady Macbeth; power-mad, shrill and calculating. And, of course, there's that "cackle."
On the CNN-Time blog, The Page, critic Mark Halperin noted that Kennedy endorsement was important because:
• "He has a huge following among working-class, traditional Democrats, one of Obama's weaknesses.
• He has a huge following among union households, another of Obama's weaknesses.
• He has a huge following among older Democrats, yet another of Obama's weaknesses.
• He has a huge following with Hispanics, a big deal in California and other Super Tuesday states, and one of Obama's weaknesses.
Note the key word here? Weaknesses. They are also Hillary's strengths, but that fact was little noted in the orgy of TV coverage. (And I watched hour after hour of it.)
Of course, the Obama narrative has elements the media love. He's a fresh face, he's calling for an end to the divisive politics we all loathe, he's young in a culture where youth rules. To many he embodies redemption for America's racist past. He would indeed turn a very different American face to the world. But the first female president would also be a huge departure from our past and that's been downplayed by a media run by men."
Pasted from http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=3484
"...Journalists seemed to take without a grain of salt the idea that the torch had been passed directly from JFK to Obama; from one young man to another, and no anti-heroic women in between, thank you. All this is not to disparage Obama, whose charisma, oratory, intelligence, message of hope and appeal to young voters are a real plus for Democrats. But so, too, are Hillary's resonance with lower-income voters and women.
She may be prose while he's poetry, but where are the voices saying that her command of the issues and her long experience as an advocate for children fit today's needs like a glove? Any admiration I sense for her among opinion journalists is grudging at best and, at worst, she's seen as a combination of Lucrezia Borgia and Lady Macbeth; power-mad, shrill and calculating. And, of course, there's that "cackle."
On the CNN-Time blog, The Page, critic Mark Halperin noted that Kennedy endorsement was important because:
• "He has a huge following among working-class, traditional Democrats, one of Obama's weaknesses.
• He has a huge following among union households, another of Obama's weaknesses.
• He has a huge following among older Democrats, yet another of Obama's weaknesses.
• He has a huge following with Hispanics, a big deal in California and other Super Tuesday states, and one of Obama's weaknesses.
Note the key word here? Weaknesses. They are also Hillary's strengths, but that fact was little noted in the orgy of TV coverage. (And I watched hour after hour of it.)
Of course, the Obama narrative has elements the media love. He's a fresh face, he's calling for an end to the divisive politics we all loathe, he's young in a culture where youth rules. To many he embodies redemption for America's racist past. He would indeed turn a very different American face to the world. But the first female president would also be a huge departure from our past and that's been downplayed by a media run by men."
Pasted from http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=3484
Wednesday
February 6, 2008
It has become somewhat of a hobby with me lately to point out (i.e., obsess over) the misogyny leveled against Senator Clinton during this campaign, and I swear it is getting worse. One example is CNN's seeming inability to call races for Clinton long after other media outlets have, because they just can't believe that Obama won't pull out a heroic victory at the end when the urban population centers report their results. One piece of data I heard that I think is really interesting: exit polls showed that people who made < $50,000 voted for Clinton, and people who made > $50,000 voted for Obama. Paul Begala joked that the talking heads in the media are so smitten with Obama because they don't know anybody who makes less than $50,000.
I don't even know who I'm voting for yet, but the bias against Clinton raises my hackles in a big way - my sexism radar is on full alert, and I just feel compelled to defend her or at least point out the bullshit. Democrat white men go something like 2 to 1 for Obama over Clinton and would totally vote for McCain over her in a general and I doubt they could come up with a rational reason. Simply a matter of where they stand on policy issues? I think not. The criticism of her is fueled in no small part by sexism. But I guess people don't vote rationally, eh? We've seen that before.
Excellent article from the Seattle Times:
Hillary hatred finds its misogynistic voice
I don't even know who I'm voting for yet, but the bias against Clinton raises my hackles in a big way - my sexism radar is on full alert, and I just feel compelled to defend her or at least point out the bullshit. Democrat white men go something like 2 to 1 for Obama over Clinton and would totally vote for McCain over her in a general and I doubt they could come up with a rational reason. Simply a matter of where they stand on policy issues? I think not. The criticism of her is fueled in no small part by sexism. But I guess people don't vote rationally, eh? We've seen that before.
Excellent article from the Seattle Times:
Hillary hatred finds its misogynistic voice
Monday
.jpg)
.jpg)
Thursday
January 31, 2008
Best line in the debate tonight:
Senator Clinton, in response to a question about how she can say she will bring about change when either a Bush or a Clinton has been in office for the past twenty years, said "It took a Clinton to clean up after the first Bush, and it will take another Clinton to clean up after the second one."
The crowd erupted in applause!
Senator Clinton, in response to a question about how she can say she will bring about change when either a Bush or a Clinton has been in office for the past twenty years, said "It took a Clinton to clean up after the first Bush, and it will take another Clinton to clean up after the second one."
The crowd erupted in applause!
Friday
January 25, 2008
At left: Honolulu from Diamond Head Crater.Friday Night Lights update: I have said it before and I will say it again, how much I dig this show. And it's about the only scripted show on TV right now that has new episodes!! I highly recommend getting the first season on DVD to catch up with the back stories on all the characters. But anyway, the updates are that last week's episode featured one actor from the late Veronica Mars, Francis Capra (playing a "thug" in both parts - though his character on VM was quite multi-layered), and one actor from the late Gilmore Girls, the dude who played Rory's rich boyfriend. He's playing a pastor of a mega-church on Friday Night Lights!! Crazy. But the craziest news, in which Ladyfest Texas alumni will be most interested, is that this week's episode introduced a new minor character played by none other than Brea Grant! She had like three scenes, and lots of lines. I recognized her after about 30 seconds, and won a $20 bet with M. that it was her. She looked awesome. Perfect for playing a quirky-nerdy-hipster high school student. Yay for Brea!
Wednesday
January 9, 2008
It has been a month of technological upgrades for me. Not one that could ever ever be mistaken for an early adopter, I have finally replaced my nearly four-year old basic cell phone with one that actually has an LED display and can download ringtones (currently it's Sheena Is A Punk Rocker), replaced the five-and-a-half year old laptop, traded my 15-year old TV to Reluctant Texan for a bigger old-school TV, and got a DVR. Next I plan to buy a new bike to replace the one that got stolen, and work up the nerve to buy a new car and say good-bye to Zippy, who has served me virtually maintenance-free for the last ten years. Though he is not so zippy anymore, he will be tough to let go of.
But Holy Consumerism!! It's all been a bit overwhelming and unfamiliar.
Ok. But so, can someone please tell me why otherwise smart, progressive people are so smitten with Ron Paul? Does no one realize that this man is a conservative pro-life Republican from Texas?? There is some serious kool-aid drinking going on. Yeesh.
But Holy Consumerism!! It's all been a bit overwhelming and unfamiliar.
Ok. But so, can someone please tell me why otherwise smart, progressive people are so smitten with Ron Paul? Does no one realize that this man is a conservative pro-life Republican from Texas?? There is some serious kool-aid drinking going on. Yeesh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)