Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
I voted today!
What the F?! Our local voting locale did not have the I voted stickers! It is truly a shame. They didn't have them for the primary either and that was sort of understandable. But we're voting to change the world here! Everyone should know I voted (and be inspired to do the same)!
I'm fairly certain there are going to be reports of voting problems, especially with so many places now going computerized. And don't get me wrong, I'm as pissed off as the next person about people not getting their vote counted. But, even with all the problems, we went to vote this morning and no one shot at us. They didn't even give us the hairy eye-ball. We were free to be jolly with the Ned Lamont supporter and vote without fear of retribution. It's a special thing to be able to do that.
But I really would have liked an I voted sticker.
I'm fairly certain there are going to be reports of voting problems, especially with so many places now going computerized. And don't get me wrong, I'm as pissed off as the next person about people not getting their vote counted. But, even with all the problems, we went to vote this morning and no one shot at us. They didn't even give us the hairy eye-ball. We were free to be jolly with the Ned Lamont supporter and vote without fear of retribution. It's a special thing to be able to do that.
But I really would have liked an I voted sticker.
Monday, November 06, 2006
A letter to the Senator from CT
Dear Senator Lieberman,
Here's the thing: you lost the primary. You tell us all the time that you're a "life-long Democrat". Except that all of us Democrats here in Connecticut voted. And the majority of us didn't vote for you. You told us that you wouldn't run as an independent. But here you are, spitting in the face of the system that got you elected in the first place. The group that you publicly aligned yourself with (the Democrats) asked you politely but firmly to step aside and let us try something new. Why wouldn't you listen?
I mean, here we are, on the eve of the election, and you're ahead in the polls. That's great for you, and at first glance, it might even seem like it was a good idea for you to run because you are fighting for what you believe in. Except that the reason you're winning is because nearly all of the other party is voting for you. It seems like a vulgar misinterpretation of "bi-partisan" to deliberately court the Republican vote.
We have two parties (well, two and change) for a reason. It's because it's really hard to find a consensus when you have more than 2 or 3 candidates. It's hard enough to understand all the issues with just two major parties - imagine if there were 5 or 6 or 10 and they were all very similar except a few little differences. We would never be able to get anything done. So, a lot of us vote with "our party" in order to gain strength in numbers. When I vote for a Democrat, I'm often doing so to get a few things I want and I'm forced to give up some other things. There is no candidate out there for any office that stands for everything I want them to stand for. That's part of living in a democracy. It's not perfect. But what I believe in is no more "right" than what my neighbors believe in.
So, you running as an Independent kind of sucks. The party you said you were most in agreement with said we didn't agree with you, and for that disagreement we're going to lose our power in numbers. It's kind of cool that you're going to get elected by a mix of Democrats and Republicans. But it's like asking your parents for a piece of candy, being told no, then taking it anyway with the help of your bully friend down the street. They said no, Joe.
I know you have lots of experience, but sometimes experience isn't what we need. I'm not sure that Ned Lamont will get done what he says he'll get done. For all I know he'll get to Washington and act crazy. But maybe crazy is what we need. If there is one thing that's clear in all of this it's that something has to change. Even the President is starting to say it publicly. You weren't willing to change until we didn't elect you. We need an agitator to help us see the possibilities.
I myself will be voting for Ned Lamont. He's not perfect and he doesn't have a lot of experience. But he brings a fresh set of eyes and ears to the job. And he won the primary, fair and square. I want to keep strength in numbers.
Good luck tomorrow. May the best man win.
Sincerely,
KWT
Here's the thing: you lost the primary. You tell us all the time that you're a "life-long Democrat". Except that all of us Democrats here in Connecticut voted. And the majority of us didn't vote for you. You told us that you wouldn't run as an independent. But here you are, spitting in the face of the system that got you elected in the first place. The group that you publicly aligned yourself with (the Democrats) asked you politely but firmly to step aside and let us try something new. Why wouldn't you listen?
I mean, here we are, on the eve of the election, and you're ahead in the polls. That's great for you, and at first glance, it might even seem like it was a good idea for you to run because you are fighting for what you believe in. Except that the reason you're winning is because nearly all of the other party is voting for you. It seems like a vulgar misinterpretation of "bi-partisan" to deliberately court the Republican vote.
We have two parties (well, two and change) for a reason. It's because it's really hard to find a consensus when you have more than 2 or 3 candidates. It's hard enough to understand all the issues with just two major parties - imagine if there were 5 or 6 or 10 and they were all very similar except a few little differences. We would never be able to get anything done. So, a lot of us vote with "our party" in order to gain strength in numbers. When I vote for a Democrat, I'm often doing so to get a few things I want and I'm forced to give up some other things. There is no candidate out there for any office that stands for everything I want them to stand for. That's part of living in a democracy. It's not perfect. But what I believe in is no more "right" than what my neighbors believe in.
So, you running as an Independent kind of sucks. The party you said you were most in agreement with said we didn't agree with you, and for that disagreement we're going to lose our power in numbers. It's kind of cool that you're going to get elected by a mix of Democrats and Republicans. But it's like asking your parents for a piece of candy, being told no, then taking it anyway with the help of your bully friend down the street. They said no, Joe.
I know you have lots of experience, but sometimes experience isn't what we need. I'm not sure that Ned Lamont will get done what he says he'll get done. For all I know he'll get to Washington and act crazy. But maybe crazy is what we need. If there is one thing that's clear in all of this it's that something has to change. Even the President is starting to say it publicly. You weren't willing to change until we didn't elect you. We need an agitator to help us see the possibilities.
I myself will be voting for Ned Lamont. He's not perfect and he doesn't have a lot of experience. But he brings a fresh set of eyes and ears to the job. And he won the primary, fair and square. I want to keep strength in numbers.
Good luck tomorrow. May the best man win.
Sincerely,
KWT
Be all you can be
I'm not a huge fan of the Iraq war. I'm not a huge fan of any war. But I do believe that the military should exist. One of the reasons I believe that is because I think the military has and can do a lot of good, community-service type activities. The particular activity shown here (picking up the droppings of horses participating in an early Veteran's Day parade) had never really occurred to me, but... thanks!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Sick on Halloween
This is the pumpkin Tracy carved as the sun was going down on Halloween. It was a huge hit with our adolescent boy trick or treaters.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
XX XX
Big news last week as ultrasound results came in from all over...
Did you know that boy sperm swim faster than girl sperm, but die sooner. Girl sperm on the other hand tend swim slower and live longer. If sperm are introduced into the egg's environment at the time of ovulation, the odds are better that the boys will arrive on the scene first and fertilize the egg. If sperm are introduced into the womb a little before ovulation, the chance is greater that the little soldiers will have exhausted themselves before the egg even shows, and the chicks will arrive at the egg when most of the dudes are dead or dying. I imagine a sea of X-chromosomes in lip gloss and Clara Barton hats making their way through a microscopic Antietam of Y-chromosome carcasses.
Of course, sometimes the egg resists the charms of the Y-guys and only wants to join with an X-babe, and some of those X's are pretty butchy and keep up with the Y's... and some of those Y's live as long as the X's... You get the point, but science tells us then that if you are "trying" to have a baby, that is- timing ovulation to match intercourse and/or insemination, the little dudes have a better chance at prevailing...
So that's how things stood as we waited for news from L & A and F & L. Both couples have been trying for a long time now. We found out that they were pregnant almost immediately after conception and we all quietly held our breath, waiting for the first trimesters to go by. They got pregnant the same weekend, and had their gender-identifying ultrasound appointments at the exact same time, on the same day in prenatal offices about 100 miles apart. Their due dates are within a week of each other (at the same time of Mackenzie's and Ben's births last year.)
It's hard to anticipate or describe the mixture of joy and worry and love that washes over you as you witness your closest friends melt into the next phase: Parenthood. There are very real physical dangers associated with pregnancy, and psychological burdens that are palpable to us, but beyond our real comprehension. There's also a whiff of jealousy and concern that they are going to a place that time, life, and circumstances won't allow us to share. We wouldn't want it any other way, but if these people have been our chosen family, what can we be to them when they create a family of their own?
Then came the news... Girls! In both cases! We would have released joyful yelps in either case, of course. But somehow, the news of girls: odd-defying, strong-swimming girls made us giggle with knowing smirks. I mean, girls- that's awesome!
XX XX
:)
Did you know that boy sperm swim faster than girl sperm, but die sooner. Girl sperm on the other hand tend swim slower and live longer. If sperm are introduced into the egg's environment at the time of ovulation, the odds are better that the boys will arrive on the scene first and fertilize the egg. If sperm are introduced into the womb a little before ovulation, the chance is greater that the little soldiers will have exhausted themselves before the egg even shows, and the chicks will arrive at the egg when most of the dudes are dead or dying. I imagine a sea of X-chromosomes in lip gloss and Clara Barton hats making their way through a microscopic Antietam of Y-chromosome carcasses.
Of course, sometimes the egg resists the charms of the Y-guys and only wants to join with an X-babe, and some of those X's are pretty butchy and keep up with the Y's... and some of those Y's live as long as the X's... You get the point, but science tells us then that if you are "trying" to have a baby, that is- timing ovulation to match intercourse and/or insemination, the little dudes have a better chance at prevailing...
So that's how things stood as we waited for news from L & A and F & L. Both couples have been trying for a long time now. We found out that they were pregnant almost immediately after conception and we all quietly held our breath, waiting for the first trimesters to go by. They got pregnant the same weekend, and had their gender-identifying ultrasound appointments at the exact same time, on the same day in prenatal offices about 100 miles apart. Their due dates are within a week of each other (at the same time of Mackenzie's and Ben's births last year.)
It's hard to anticipate or describe the mixture of joy and worry and love that washes over you as you witness your closest friends melt into the next phase: Parenthood. There are very real physical dangers associated with pregnancy, and psychological burdens that are palpable to us, but beyond our real comprehension. There's also a whiff of jealousy and concern that they are going to a place that time, life, and circumstances won't allow us to share. We wouldn't want it any other way, but if these people have been our chosen family, what can we be to them when they create a family of their own?
Then came the news... Girls! In both cases! We would have released joyful yelps in either case, of course. But somehow, the news of girls: odd-defying, strong-swimming girls made us giggle with knowing smirks. I mean, girls- that's awesome!
XX XX
:)
Friday, October 27, 2006
Bless the little children
Uncle Bob to Ben:
"Some day little Benji, you might be eating a bucket of chicken, and you might think you see a UFO, just like your uncle Bob..."This post serves to remind the readers that every interaction you have with me (or in front of me) is fair play/fair game. I don't have you sign "release forms" when you say something truly ridiculous or seemingly insane in my presence. Especially, if you say it in front of a small, defenseless, still-mentally-forming child. I will not play the congressional leadership to your Mark Foley.* I believe in exposing the special brand of crazy that i observe in the world (and in the peeps around me.) This post also serves to remind the writer to make fun of other people less... or at least other peoples' friends... know what I mean?!?
t: "Hey, that chick has the craziest friends..."
observer: "Hello Monsieur Kettle, C'est moi- the POT- and you are black!"*The Gin-Soaked Olive is in no way mocking the seriousness of the allegations against MF, or implying that "Uncle Bob" is in anyway associated with MF, the congressional leadership, or the possibility of dating Baby Benji online. Okay, okay, I guess there is some degree of mocking MF, pedophilial-asshole... And also throwing metaphoric daggers at the leaders of the federal congress who might have known about the inexcusable activities of this congressman, but not stopped them sooner. The Gin-Soaked Olive believes there is a karmic reason that Mark Foley's initials are MF, but you'll notice that Uncle Bob's initials are UB. Just because someone is a "UFO Believer" does not mean they deserve to be even vaguely associated with a "Mother effer." We here at the GSO believe that "Uncle Bob" is a cutie-pie, and we resent the implication that he is a CRAZY conspiracy-theorist. We know he would rather exercise naked in Time's Square than be compared to any type of politician- especially a gay politician who chases young boys... **
**We here at the GSO fear we've said too much.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Philly
I'm in Philly for a Nursing Management conference. Right now, to be more specific, I'm at The Last Drop described by here: Funky decor, friendly employees and first-rate cappuccinos make this a required stop. It's not like I did a wide internet review and put this on my "must see" list... I was set up nicely by Carly who lugged her laptop around all day to hand off to me; and who rigorously researched the location of this free wi-fi spot. The confrence is going well. It is interesting, well-organized and a little invigorating. This seems strange to me, but I am particularly enjoying the fact that I don't know a single other person attending the "Congress". There are supposedly 1200 people signed up for this seminar, and I'm convinced that at every next turn I'll run into someone I know- the world of nursing is rediculously small- but it's kind of cool just to be quiet and pensive and experiencing this professional time without any chit chat, idle banter, running commentary, and/or requirement for social engagement with others. That might sound a little anti-social but, oh well. I've had lovely chats with some of the folks I've run into at the sessions, but I've also spend hours at a time without talking to anyone at all... and that feels remarkably refreshing. A lot life requires me to or encourages me to "communticate" effectively and to the extreme. And maybe, it's just too much yammering for my own good. :)
The best part of Philly by far is getting the chance to spend some time with Tara and her peeps. Last night, I met Carly, Sam, and Monika who (apparently) are faithful Gin-Soaked Olive readers. It gives me (as a wanna-be-writer) a tiny smile to realize that people who've never met us "tune in" to see what we might have to say. (okay, a big grin!)
Real life is better than fiction
1. adjective
2. noun (plural)
3. names of a couple
4. names of a couple
5. type of liquor
6. names of a couple
7. adjective
8. type of a liquor
9. a vegetable
10. food item
11. food item
12. activity
13. noun
14. verb
15. verb
16. noun
17. activity
18. verb
19. noun
20. nickname
21. card game
22. adjective
23. noun
Saturday night, Katy and I had an interesting(1) dinner with a wonderful group of gays(2). Ivette and Rene(3) brought Jaime and Dan(4) and a bottle of vodka(5). Tricia and Tonja(6) brought fancy(7) eggplant dip and red wine(8).
We started with pumkin(9) soup and ate grilled salmon(10) and chicken(11). Later, during an after-dinner smoke(12), Tonja did the Mill-rate(13) dance and Katy hyperventilated(14) until she fell to the ground.
After dancing, we played games. Jaime flicked(15) the wood(16) until it came loose. Eventually, Ivette had to do a shot(17) and suck(18) the Jenga(19). Paw-paw(20) taught the group slap(21). But he was too drunk(22) to win.
A designated(22) driver(23) was had by all!
Thursday, October 12, 2006
525,600 moments so dear...
'Deal or No Deal'... WTF.
Seriously, that's 37 minutes of my life I will never get back. Don't ask me how I tore myself away before finding out what deal the buxom yet wholesome, southern blonde negotiated for herself, but i assure you it was not easy.
How did this shit become prime time TV? And more importantly, why am I watching?
Truth: I am the worst kind of couch potato/ television-enthusiast because, I think I am above it all... I think I'm so intellectual and "well-read," but when it comes right down to it: after a long day of battling the elements, toiling the toils, and speeding down the interstate,
I just can't help myself...
The clothes are so bizarre, and the hair is so big, and the accents so um... diverse (?)... The cases containing nothing but placards denoting monetary prizes are so... silver and "official looking" and the chance to win so, so... faint... and completely disassociated with any talent, or logic... It boggles the mind... it couldn't be more entertaining if there were several dozen clowns trying to load a "partridge family" of midgets into a toy car.
And 37 minutes later I find myself screaming to Howie Mandel,
"NO DEAL!!!"
I blink. Wipe the spittle from my face. Look around at the crusted over remnants of tonight's dinner- dishes abandoned on the coffee table... and i tip my hat to the gods of mediocrity as I'm suddenly inspired to transfer the 3 day pile-up of socks that has accumulated to the hamper and wash the dishes.Speaking of sitting on your ass and winning millions, (well really billions...) Did you know that Google bought Youtube for 1.65 BILLION dollars?!? The site was introduced on the internet in February 2005. Lord knows how much time and energy went into creating and tweaking the program/technology, but this inconceivable amount of money will be pretty much shared by three geeks who played their own real, live version of Deal or No Deal! Well done, gentlemen... Well done.
By the bi-
Yesterday was national coming out day. Happy (belated) free to be you (and me) day!
Peace.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Friday, October 06, 2006
Viva Las Va-cay
Well, we're back from sin city and the trip was fine. Not fine like, "just so-so", but fine as in Sweet, yummy, flashy, and much of what we were hoping for. We stayed here. The room looked exactly like this, except with two beds... We saw the well-intentioned front-desk staff typing furiously when she realized we were 2 women with the same last name. (Hey lady, she's not my sister...) We didn't say anything b/c "king" or "queen" doesn't really matter to us, and hey, it's nice to have an extra bed in case you meet some homeless folk whose company you enjoy.
The first night we ate here and Kt swears she saw Robin Leach. All I saw was an old, fat guy with a bimbo on his arm, but after seeing this, I'm inclined to agree it was him. His date was so skinny I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have even seen her if she hadn't been wearing a dress with broad HORIZONTAL stripes. We also got to see the Bodies exhibit (Amazing, but a little unsettling), the Titanic exhibit (more entertaining than we expected), An Ansel Adams exhibit (more exciting for katy than for me), and Lewis Black (more exciting for me than for katy.)
A highlight for sure was catching up with 'Gret after seeing her show. She happened to be playing Tina the night we were at the wedding and it was brilliant and fun. I don't think i could ever tire of seeing little 'Gret Menzies playing the part of a trashy bride flippin' both frickin birds in her "Wedding" photos. (We'll see if we can get her to pull that off just once next October!)
The first night we ate here and Kt swears she saw Robin Leach. All I saw was an old, fat guy with a bimbo on his arm, but after seeing this, I'm inclined to agree it was him. His date was so skinny I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have even seen her if she hadn't been wearing a dress with broad HORIZONTAL stripes. We also got to see the Bodies exhibit (Amazing, but a little unsettling), the Titanic exhibit (more entertaining than we expected), An Ansel Adams exhibit (more exciting for katy than for me), and Lewis Black (more exciting for me than for katy.)
A highlight for sure was catching up with 'Gret after seeing her show. She happened to be playing Tina the night we were at the wedding and it was brilliant and fun. I don't think i could ever tire of seeing little 'Gret Menzies playing the part of a trashy bride flippin' both frickin birds in her "Wedding" photos. (We'll see if we can get her to pull that off just once next October!)
Monday, September 18, 2006
Wedding anniversary
So this is what a happy couple looks like...On September 18, 2004 Britney and Kevin finally said, "I do."
Since then, they have created 2 children and become a national symbol for proponents of gay marriage... I mean, if these people can legally marry and procreate(?) even as they publicly endanger their children (quite possibly ALL children) and the very INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE... Shouldn't we all get a shot at the federal benefits of marriage?!?
Even more than "the gays," Britney and Kevin make everything so confusing... It's got to make even the most devout political-bible-banger throw back a wide gulp of Wild Turkey before he can hold a straight face throughout his "sanctity of marriage" speech...
You know what I mean?
Happy wedding day, Boo. i love you!
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Please poke this chopstick through my eye
Kt and I went out for some yum yum and chow fun tonight. Her fortune cookie was intact, but the tiny slip of paper inside was 95% torn. We wondered bemused about the symbolism of a practically shredded forturne while I dismantled my cookie. After I read this:
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