|
melatkinson98
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Melanie
Interests: napping, going to bed, sleeping late, reading, watching really bad reality TV, spending time with my husband and my two puppies, old 80s movies, teaching AP English, listening to FIF and Roper
Occupation: Education/training
Message: message me
Member Since:
12/15/2004
|
|
| So, I just watched the Palin speech. I'm terribly troubled by the whole thing--and even by my own response to it. First, Giuliani's speech was mean. Just plain mean. He mocked Obama. And he mentioned 9-11 which is always funny if you watch the Daily Show.
Then, Palin came on stage. Sure, she seems to have a lovely family. I'm thrilled that a woman is on the ticket--especially a "working mom" with kids, etc. She seems like a potential good leader and she is certainly well-spoken and composed. Yet, her speech, too, was a little mean. She took some pretty low jabs at Obama. It just all seemed very mean-spirited. She is, apparently, celebrated as a fighter, a bulldog, a "barracuda". I, too, am looking for a tough president--but is this what we're looking for? Is tough the same thing as mean? Then I started wondering if I'm just turned off by her comments b/c she's a woman--and I expect something different from a woman. I'm not sure.
Giuliani said that "hope isn't a strategy"...but a former student of my wrote on her blog this response to that... "if hope isn't a strategy neither is fear". Agreed. Point, Kim.
Part of me believes in the 'small town' ethics (hard work, values, etc.) that Palin spoke about. But there's a reason that I have chosen to leave the small town life for something a little different. A consultant on CNN said that we may find ourselves in another old-school battle in this election--urban America vs. rural America. So, how do you vote if you're a small town girl who left the small town for something better? OK, so truthfully I'm pretty sure how I'm going to vote but I guess I'm just having trouble dealing with what we talked about tonight at our 'discussion group"--people who believe differently than I do. How am I to feel about this woman who just a week ago was unknown and who now is a national celebrity?
I'm tired and rambling. Good night.
| | |
| --I'm really glad that I'm not a 18 year old 5'4" little girl gymnast who holds the hopes of her country on her shoulders. Holy cow...I couldn't take the pressure.
--4th place sucks.
--Michael Phelps is a MAN. All the previous jokes about Chuck Norris should be changed to Michael Phelps. You know something like "When the boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Michael Phelps" or "There are no weapons of mass destruction in the middle east, Michael Phelps lives in America". His best competitor is that green line. But it can't seem to catch him either.
--The Olympics brings out the worst in my husband. He calls all other competitors names..."dirty French" or "dirty Australians". It's not nice.
--There have been so many world records broken this Olympics. How was the world so slow before?
--Michael Phelps can touch MC Hammer
| | |
| If you can read, you should read this book.
| | |
| We are officially serving our last day as youth directors at COH tomorrow. It's such a bittersweet thing but it's a good thing. We need a break. And I'm sure we'll be replaced by someone excellent. My husband wrote all about our last mission trip on his blog so I'll avoid too much of that. Here are some pictures that he hasn't posted that I like...
We got to see our friend, Sam, again. She's awesome! She lives in the HOOD (have you seen "The Wire", if so, then you've seen Sam's neighborhood) in a tiny apartment with five other girls and is now working at a food pantry (and some other places in Chicago). She and her roommates are at home in their neighborhood and more friendly to their neighbors (with whom they have, I'm guessing, little in common) than we are. Very cool and humbling. I'm ready to have her home. She's the kind of person I want my J to be around.
Here we are hanging out at Rock and Roll McDonald's.
We had "interesting" showers most of the week. On one particular day we showered in a hose in the parking lot of the church/backyard of the parsonage where we were staying. Thank you Flatfoot 56 for the use of your stuff. T
One of the coolest parts of Cornerstone was the Jesus for President tour. At the end of our time together we lit a bunch of sparklers under a tent and sang songs. Very cool. If you're interested we're going to see the tour on its Dallas stop on Thursday. I'm standing next to one of the best people I know, Heidi...she's another person that I hope will always been in J's life. She's a beautiful person.
Here we are with our friend, Tobin, from Flatfoot. Check out his sweatshirt. I think everyone is making the face of the guy on his shirt--no one clued me in.
OK, so it's a wonder that we've kept our jobs this long. Especially with Bryan's lack of judgment at times (ok, a lot of the time). Here's a story I found on my friend Dustin's blog that is shocking. I thought we were at risk of losing our job...but this story makes us look like candidates for youth directors of the year.
| | |
| All 3 of you who read this already know that I was raised by my great-grandparents and that my great-grandma is not doing well. Because I spent so much time with old people growing up I'm pretty scarred and weird. I love Luby's Cafeteria and a really warm house...among other weird quirks that come from growing up in a house with 70 year olds. Because of those formative years spent with old folks I've really grown to dislike old people. I love MY old people, that is, my family members and friends from church but would, if I'm being honest, rather not spend much time with old folks. I've served my time already!
Now, my great-grandma is in a nursing home, the same one where my great-grandpa died. So, it is now my duty/privilege/responsibility/commitment to visit her as often as possible. And it's pretty awful. She was much better today and even recognized us, sat up in bed, and carried on a pretty good conversation...but I just hate nursing homes. I know that there really aren't many people that love nursing homes (it's something like saying "I hate dentists or shots or snakes...who really likes those things?) but I REALLY do hate nursing homes. Now, it's very difficult to see her there. And it's just, honestly, very difficult to go there and subject baby J to a weekly visit to see his Nanny. The old people really do perk up when he comes in. The other day he was throwing a little tantrum in the dining room and one of the old folks said "Oh, he's dancing..."
This isn't meant to be a pity party. I'm well, young, and healthy so I have nothing to complain about, and am happy to visit her as often as possible for as long as I can.
| | |
|
