The 5:20 TBA turned out to be his adoration session with lawmakers in the Cannon Caucus Room, where even committee chairmen arrived early, as if for the State of the Union. Capitol Police cleared the halls -- just as they do for the actual president. The Secret Service hustled him in through a side door -- just as they do for the actual president.
Inside, according to a witness, he told the House members, "This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for," adding: "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."
As he marches toward Inauguration Day (Election Day is but a milestone on that path), Obama's biggest challenger may not be Republican John McCain but rather his own hubris.
Some say the supremely confident Obama -- nearly 100 days from the election, he pronounces that "the odds of us winning are very good" -- has become a president-in-waiting. But in truth, he doesn't need to wait: He has already amassed the trappings of the office, without those pesky decisions.
I realize that I am not some grand arbiter of men's fashion.
I realize that by writing this post I am making myself out to be a fuddy duddy or some sort of crotchety old lady, but so be it.
I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!
Perhaps you may have noticed the teenage boy's fashion fad that will not go away?
You know what I'm talking about: Baggy pants that hang off of the butt, showing boxers (if you are lucky), "shorts" that are really men's capri pants with less shape, t-shirts that are 2, 3, even 4 sizes too big, haircuts that look like you may or may not be male (you could just be an unfortunately shorn big-boned girl)... These are the symptoms of the men's fashion moment that won't quit. We're going on what...five, six, seven years now?
How is this fashion? And, in the name of all that is beautiful in this world, who the heck is supposed to be attracted to this sloppy package? You look like you smell. And, I don't mean that in a good way. I mean, you look like you smell like instead of taking out the garbage at your mother's direction, you stuffed it in your laundry bin instead which is, coincidentally, where you found that charming ensemble you are currently wearing. Or, is it wearing you? Hmm.
See what I mean? I am totally channeling my inner granny.
These are teenage boys. I, not so long ago that I can't remember quite distinctly, was once a teenage girl. And, if my memory serves, teenage boys are very concerned with teenage girls. Well, maybe not the girls themselves as individuals in all cases, but at least they are concerned with sex.
I'm not going out too far on a limb, am I? Teenage boys like (at the very least) the idea of sex. Can we agree on that much?
Barreling forward, if you wanted to catch a fish, would you masquerade as a grizzly bear in a stream? I think not. So then, why are these bozos dressed as though they are auditioning for the lead role in The New Grizzly Adams: On the Rough Side of the Skateboard? Why do they present themselves as though they are in some sort of bum apprenticeship program?
I'm serious!
Teenage boys can be h-h-hot! Raging libido, rock hard body, stamina, no wrinkles...I realize I may sound a bit like Mrs. Robinson, but I'm totally not into that. What I'm saying is merely this: boys, it doesn't get any better than this so act like you are interested!
And, for heaven's sake, have a little pride! Get a haircut! Tuck in your shirt! Pull up those pants and wear that belt! Tie your shoes - you know how, I know you do! Put on your deodorant and smile once in a while!
I fear for the continuation of the species.
But, then again, with specimens such as these in the gene pool, maybe it is better if they sit this one out. Dummies.
Americans are beginning to notice Obama's elevated opinion of himself. There's nothing new about narcissism in politics. Every senator looks in the mirror and sees a president. Nonetheless, has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?
Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted "present" nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself.
And then, this must read post by The Confederate Yankee. In the post, Bob discusses Obama's recent call for a "civilian national security force" that is equal to the U.S. military in terms of power, strength, and funding.
Most liberty-loving Americans can read through the fog to recognize what he is proposing. It is nothing short of an state security detail, or SS, if you prefer! We already have a full alphabet of National Security forces: DEA, DHS, FBI, ATF, ICE...etc. Not to mention state troopers, local police, the National Guard, and Coast Guard. Excuse me, but what the F-you-see-kay do we need another force for?!? Is this Obama's idea of job creation? I have to tell you, I don't see it as long before he starts rounding up undesirables and putting a special mark on their chests. Forgive me and all of the other people who are reading between the lines on this remark, we're all seeing the same thing. It is one small step to the creation of an American SS and one giant leap to the caliphate and dhimmitude. You can kiss your civil liberties goodbye.
There's so many letters in that title, I'm not sure if I spelled everything correctly. Anyway, moving on...
When my Grandmother died late last summer, I decided that I would join the DAR to honor her memory. I contacted a second cousin who had all of the information prepared for me, then started looking for a local chapter.
In preparation for a meeting with the representative of the local chapter, I began reading some of my documentation. In actuality, I was genuinely interested, but it was much more than that. The thing is, I am a workaholic. I come from a long line of workaholics. And, being handed the documentation was really nice but...too easy. I have a rabid work ethic, you see. Anyway, in going through the documentation, I learn that there is not one, but likely two ancestors who fought for the cause back in Revolutionary times. I have to admit, that gave me a little thrill right there.
Anyway, I met with the Regent and showed her what I had. We went through the documentation and she felt it might be simpler to use Grandma's application and piggy-back in on her. It is called going short-form, but really all that is required is that I prove that she (a one-time DAR member) is my grandmother. This is pretty easy, as you can imagine. So, because I don't have my grandmother's member number, I give the nice lady my grandmother's name and particulars and she looks her up.
And emails me the results.
It turns out Grandma had been a member, but her application wasn't on either of the 2 Revolutionary ancestors I was aware of, but a third one. This is like winning some sort of game show. No whammies, BIG BUCKS!
And then, I'm reading the book written about my ancestors on my Grandfather's side of the family...just wondering if maybe....
And that side may actually require some work. There is no question that they were here before the Revolutionary War, having arrived in 1752. And, there is documentation that my ancestor's big brother fought (and was actually at Valley Forge with Gen. George Washington - Super COOL!), but my direct ancestor was only 5 years old at the time. It is possible that their father fought as well, but I'll have to do some research to see.
So, while currently it looks like only three of my direct ancestors fought, there is still a possibility of locating a fourth. I'm really very excited!
But then there's another thing. I'm all excited about all of these discoveries and last night I decide to look again for the family photo album that my stepmother insists that she sent to me. I've only ever seen it at my grandmother's house when it was a work in progress, but I decide to look again last night.
The photo album is still AWOL, but I found something much better. It was a bit like a personal time capsule, prepared for me by my grandmother. She seems to have known somehow that one day I would look for/need this information. She typed up family stories in her own vernacular and left them for me. I spent last night reading for over an hour! All family stories like how my grandmother's father (I think) met Dwight Eisenhower. I have all sorts of clippings about my father going to the National Spelling Bee and my uncle's electricity experiment for 4-H. Articles about how my grandfather brought electricity to the county...all really cool stuff. And in there, she included family bible pages and records for the line to the Revolutionary Ancestor she applied under.
I was all misty eyed, I'll be honest.
And wouldn't you know it, now I'm all motivated and shit. I'm thinking I'll apply, get accepted, then send in supplementals on all of the ancestors I can document who served. Christina will understand best, but I'm an overacheiver extraordinare. Even for overacheivers, I'm an overacheiver. Or, I'm an overacheiving overacheiver.
I'm home with Bunny Boop today. The babysitter is laid up with some as-yet-unknown malady in the hospital. Anyway, since the toddler is napping (Yee Haw!), I have some time to blog. Whaddaya know, eh?
This weekend was our big Murder Mystery Party. And, I must admit, it was a huge success. And, this isn't my own personal bias talking either. To a one, every single guest arrived in costume and excited by the prospect of the game. And the actors emerged!
One such participant proved some deeply hidden skills, indeed! This man, we'll call him "D" portrayed two characters - the murder victim and another. The murder victim character, he played it to a tee! He was bigger than life and deep in character from the moment he arrived until the moment he slumped over at the table.
Other participants really got into their characters too, but there are just too many to elaborate on. Even so, the most telling point of how much fun was had by all, was the fact that my husband (who usually thinks these things are a giant waste of time) had a blast and admitted as much to me more than once. The last of the guests didn't leave until about 2 am on Saturday night/Sunday morning. And a great many of them were quick to ask when we would have another murder mystery party. But, I need some time to recuperate from this one.
Personally, and despite the fun had by all, my fun was a bit muted. I :had a horrendous headache that only built as the night wore on and I'm afraid that it dulled my enjoyment more than a bit. I tried not to let on so that my guests would enjoy themselves, but I was frazzled. And the menu suffered for it.
I was so distracted by the headache and trying to keep the game moving forward, that I completely forgot to put out the veggies and dip and the guacamole! This is an amateur mistake! I am appalled with myself!
And, in a real first, I was up the next morning before 6 am. I was having nightmares and still had the headache, so I got up and started doing the dishes. Ordinarily it is my husband that gets up early the morning after and does the cleaning. Not this time! I totally impressed him and got the kitchen cleaned up and everything put away before he got up...at 9:30! If you knew him, you would know how big a deal it was that he slept that late. I made five individual breakfasts as our houseguests staggered out of bed...and then fell asleep on the couch.
We may have to hold off on this type of party for a while, however. Bunny Boop woke up several times during the night due to the noise and ended up napping with me on Sunday like she had been a participant too. Or, maybe next time we just keep the shrieking in check (it was really just one guest, who I love, but who was really getting into her character) a bit better.
Anyway, I want to work on getting all of the feathers off of the floor, so this will have to be the end of this post.
I've been having some seriously bizarre dreams lately.
For example, recently I dreamed that my family had been kidnapped by two lesbians. They chained my husband to the bed and "milked" him for seed so as to impregnate one of them. They made me clean their very bizarre bathroom, and kept my child playing Chutes and Ladders all day long in some odd marathon championship series.
Then, just the other day, I dreamed I was at work, only my job was casting movies. My boss was Nick Nolte - but he was channeling bum. All of these aspiring starlets kept offering me stuff and favors, but none of them were right for the job. It was very frustrating.
I don't know where this crap comes from. I'm not aware of any roaming lesbian kidnappers and my work couldn't have less to do with Hollywood.
20 Villains Vanquished Points if you can identify the quote in the title.
Seriously, folks, I've got the blog-blahs. I have started posts only to never get around to finishing them. Things have been very busy for me lately.
Bunny Boop got glasses, work has been nuts, am hosting a party over the weekend that has consumed much of my excess time.
I totally missed my calling, by the way. I am a planner extraordinaire. I love making lists, compiling facts, checking off completed items...I should have been a wedding planner!
Of course, I'd then only work my way to the top of the heap, planning celebrity weddings, and then have to deal with an unending supply of self-important divas. Come to think of it, I dodged a bullet there.
Anyway, said party is a murder mystery. I will be the one in the Catherine Zeta-Jones a la Chicago black bob wig. I play the Madam. So, looking forward to that fun. I love me a murder mystery party!
