2 B or Not 2 B! We will see!

Those who keep calling for Hillary Clinton to step down and give it up to Obama just DON'T GET IT!

Hillary is like a pit bull. She has bitten down on this campaign and is not about to concede ANYTHING till the very last vote is counted...whether it's the people's or the super-delegate's.

Quitting is not in the Clinton lexicon!

Meow!

I love nostalgia as much as the next person but it's one thing to think fondly of a former memory and then there's dreaming.

One mom who wrote an op-ed, asked: "Why don't children play outside anymore? Why don't they build stick forts?"

"Why don't they run around and play games like 'kick the can' anymore?"

I'm not a parent but I am astutely aware the dangers kids face today are ten times more prevalent than when we were young.

Can you say PERVERTS!?!?!? Pedophiles used to lurk in dark shadows, but these days they've become so bold as to abduct kids right off the street in broad daylight.

And. They. Are. Everywhere.

Most children play organized sports nowadays or go to a community center where there's always adult supervision or a life guard. Unfortunately, an occasional bad-apple coach or teacher found guilty of inappropriate behavior with a child crops up in the news from time to time, but the majority have their charges' best interests at heart.

However, when kids are home, it's a whole different ball game. There are a number of distractions; the biggest one, something we didn't have as children: the Internet.

Unless this mother is living in the outer limits of reality, she must understand why children today are not outside kicking a can!

Stick Forts?? What century is she living in?

Kids today are owners of various i-gadgets, always texting their friends or incessantly connected online while others are grossly over-scheduled and simply don't have time for silly games which require an empty tin can.

Times have changed, Mom! Get with the program or go back to your Little House on the Prairie.

Meow!

Made in USA?

Well, well, well! Beat me with a stick and call me tenderized!

After reading an op-ed in today's paper about Wal-Mart's in-house health care and $4 prescriptions (which is helping a whole lot of low-income folks), I ended up feeling a bit warm and fuzzy about this company that I usually disdain.

Still, despite all the good things cited that Wal-Mart has done (contribution$, etc), I cannot wrap my arms around them.

Why?

Most products sold at Wal-Mart are made in China.

So, what's wrong with that? Besides being cheaply-produced with toxic materials-- often recalled--Wal-Mart is complicit in the dismantling of America's manufacturing industries.

They aren't solely responsible for the collapse of our system but they've contributed by selling imported junk, er I mean, goods for over forty years.

But maybe Wal-Mart is turning a corner, trying to polish their tarnished image by tapping into one of our national sore spots: a health care system that is broken.

So, they did something about it with no-appointment in-house clinics available seven days a week. For that, I applaud them, but...

I'm still not shopping at Wal-Mart.

1973

I read in NY Times that on this day in history, March 29, 1973 the last troops were evacuated from Vietnam. After years of fighting and countless lives lost, our boys finally came home from Southeast Asia.

Just two months before that, on Jan. 22, another groundbreaking event, Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion rights law, was passed,

Those historical events happened mere months before I graduated from high school. (Go ahead, do the math; I'm proud of my age!)

Those were heady times. I remember feeling invincible.

I was eighteen, for God's sake! Regardless of the political landscape, I felt like I had the world on a string. I most certainly DID NOT..but I FELT LIKE I DID!

Therein lies the diff!

We were free from Vietnam and I was free from high school.

At the time, Alice Cooper had two hits on heavy rotation: "School's Out" "No more classes, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks!" and "Eighteen" ("...and I don't know what I want!")

Timely anthems for someone like me who was glad to be FREEEEEE!

Ah, 1973...was a very good year!

Sleep, Sweet, Sleep!

Whenever I hear people say they have a hard time sleeping, I feel sorry for them because sleeping is one of life's richest rewards.

Back in the day when I waited tables, I'd literally fall into bed after a busy night of running circles around not only, customers but oftentimes, co-workers; arg! Oh, but I digress!

It's called "the sleep of the righteous!"

Those who labor, those who work on their legs for eight hours, those who do physical work (i.e. construction, landscaping, printing, etc) have NO TROUBLE falling into slumber.

No surprise!

Being creative also requires labor of a different kind but tiring just the same. Leaning over a piece of work whether at the computer, with an instrument or at a project table, can also prove to be physically demanding in a mental capacity--equally-exhausting.

I am grateful to count myself amongst those who have no trouble contacting the sandwoman everynight. Fortunately, she and I are goooood friends!

1 GR8 GRRL

Love them or hate them, the Clintons created one intelligent young woman, Chelsea. When asked recently about Monica Lewinsky by someone in a crowd gathered on a college campus, she very calmly said this:


"Wow! I've been to almost seventy colleges so far and no one has asked me that...(long pause). You know, that's really none of your business!"


Bravo, Chelsea...for telling it like it is instead of replying in typical politico-speak by saying something soothing like "Of course, it was a difficult time..." Blech!


I have more respect for those who speak their truth, 'quietly and clearly' as Desiderata states,

than for those who use spin at all costs...well, kinda like her mom. Sorry, Hillary!

In today's Oregonian Letters to editor, someone wrote exactly what I was thinking: "She (Chelsea) shows great promise as a future presidential candidate."

If Hillary (likely) doesn't win the nomination, the Clintons may fade into history for a while. But as Bill just said, "We're not quitters!". Love them or hate them, the Clintons will be around for a L - O - N - G time!

Meanwhile, I am keeping my eye on Chelsea.

It's about time!

First some facts:

1.) Portland, er, the whole frickin' state of OR, is one of the whitest (per capita) in America.

2.) Talking about race relations makes white people very uncomfortable.

3.) Whites will NEVER know what it feels like to be called the "N" word.

4.) Whites will never know the injustice of being pulled over for "driving while black".

And so on and so on. You get the drift!

Therefore, it's about time we all start talk-therapy about racism in America. Thanks to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright for his passionate message, albeit delivered in anger, we are finally (forced) to confront America's ugly history of slavery and racism.

Today's Oregonian contains a very eloquent op-ed piece written by a young, African-American woman who's lived in Portland (from the south) for only five years. Her experiences and her last paragraph say it all:

"If what I've said has offended you or if you think that in some way I've judged you unjustly, hold on to the that feeling because then you'll know how it feels to be BLACK IN OREGON!"

Thank you, Catrina N. Bush, for saying it as only a black person could!

Voila!

Okay, already! I did it...and so proud...all by MYSELF!!!

Yup...going beyond my comfort zone; I thought, "how hard is it?"

NOT! AT! ALL!

I remembered a site called blogsource, but found it Out Of Order so I replaced .source with .spot....and VOILA!

Here. I. am.

Soooo, what am I hoping to accomplish with this?

my jury is out;

stay tuned...