Facie’s Ramblings

Last month while I was getting my driver's license picture taken, I tried to change my political party affiliation. For whatever reason, my choices were Democrat, Republican, Other, and None. But first, how I got there. I registered as a Democrat when I first registered to vote, just before the '92 election. At that time, I was "kind of" liberal (for growing up in a somewhat rural area in western PA), and pretty much all of my relatives were registered that way, so it made sense. I was not really into politics at that young age, however. As I got into my late 20s, I started to realize I was becoming more conservative, so a few years later, when it was time to renew my driver's license, I changed to Republican. I still remember the day at work when I told my coworker Anne that I was really a Republican. She told me she had known it for years. During the 2008 election, I was on board with John McCain running for president, mostly because I thoug...

Before I launch into some random thoughts, I first wanted to make a push for the latest Calamityware project on Kickstarter, the Classy Curse Kit . Each element of the Classy Curse Kit includes a colorful and typographically refined, all-purpose curse in a socially acceptable form—the euphemism graphic ($%*?&!, which starts off with a lightening bolt). The kit contains 2 mugs, 2 decals, 12 note cards, and 12 calling cards with customizable Banner-Hulk scale. I really hope it funds, because I look forward to raising my coffee mug during boring meetings where someone says something annoying. I especially want to place the decal on the back of my car with all the jagoff drivers in and around the Burgh. And it would be pretty nice to slip a calling card with a personal, pointed note underneath the windshield of a car that parked stupidly. If you are like some of my friends and most of my coworkers, $48 may be a bit steep. But I encourage you to talk to a friend and split the kit....

This election season, which pretty much started 3 years ago, has been particularly contentious. I can't believe we have another almost 7 months until the general election and then another almost 3 more months until the inauguration. Lord, help us. But what bothers me even more than the bitterness, hate, and name-calling is when people say things like this on Facebook: "If you support _____, unfriend me right now."  If you have just met me or read my blog for the first time, the best way I can describe myself is a liberal Republican. Facebook reminded me a few days ago that my hubby had called me a "bleeding heart liberal" 2 years ago. Not surprisingly, my liberal friends were pleased and said things like "what a compliment" and "thank him." In fact, only one conservative friend made a comment, which was "If the shoe fits..." As I have said several times here, my (somewhat confusing and conflicted) political leanings ofte...

I don't have any one big thing weighing on my mind, so here are the handful of thoughts swimming around my head. And by a handful, I mean close to a dozen. A deer probably runs in front of my car three or four times a year, right in suburban Pittsburgh. But for some reason, the instant I see a deer (and in yesterday's case, it looked like a fawn), I immediately think dog. Giant dog, usually. I have no idea why; it is not as if I never see deer. As I was driving down a hill near my house this morning, a PennDot worker must have thought it would be amusing to keep switching the "Stop/Slow" sign back and forth, while three other cars were coming up. What a jag-off. C'mon, how hard is your job that you cannot or will not do it correctly? What if I would have started to drive down the hill as soon as I saw the sign switch to "Slow"?! When I voted yesterday, I showed my driver's license, as I always do. I don't understand why everyone should not ha...

I spent the past two hours watching CNN and Fox News, preceded by a moment of prayer at church. I hope most of us take some time today to think about what happened eight years ago and how it changed our lives. I was so shaken by those events when they happened. For weeks, I spent hours a day watching CNN and Fox, constantly checking those same sites on the web, waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. I remember the Saturday or Sunday after, when planes were again allowed to fly. I was doing sit-ups at the gym and saw a plane fly overhead. I stopped cold. For months, I found myself watching planes, almost waiting for them to fly into buildings. I just reread my post from last year and, not surprisingly, I said some of these same things. They just stick with you. I continue to try to watch programs about 9/11. There was just one last week. I especially appreciate hearing about people who were directly affected, those who still mourn the loss of their loved ones. Watching video fro...

But I am. I promised myself and others that I would give Obama a chance, that I would show him the respect that so many others did not give Bush. So far, I am breaking that promise. Pretty much any time I see an Obama bumper sticker, I have a visceral reaction. I wince, make a snide comment, or roll my eyes. I pretty much always roll my eyes. I want to like the guy. I want to want him to do well, so why can't I get over this? Partly, I guess, because ever since I started following politics, around 2000, my guy has won the presidency. I was not a big Bush supporter, but he seemed the lesser of two evils in 2000, and mostly I wanted all traces of Bill Clinton out of the White House (that was when I voted on the basis of morality, which I no longer do). And in 2004, there was something about Kerry that made it impossible for me to vote for him, so it was Bush again. Maybe I am sore loser? Last night during Obama's address to Congress, when I saw Nancy Pelosi in what appeared to be...

I want to be happy that the country has elected its first black president. It really is a great, long overdue event. But why did it have to be Obama, such a liberal guy? I was on one of the P-G forums yesterday, and a poster told some people to stop bashing Obama because we have had to put up with 8 years of W's stuff (or something like that; I cannot seem to find the forum anymore). So let me get this straight: I have had to listen to Bush bashers for eight years, but only 12 hours after the election was called, people are not allowed to be upset or say negative things because their candidate lost/the candidate that they did not like won?! Since the forum is now gone, removed, vanished, I guess that gives me my answer. Perhaps the Fairness Doctrine was put back into place overnight! Another poster talked about restoring the image of the country. I believe that a big part of the tarnished image is that people did not stand behind Bush. It is one thing to disagree with a president, ...

Yesterday, I and a coworker went to a rally for John McCain. It started out with odd directions and multiple turns and exits thanks to "Beverly" (what I dubbed my coworker's navigation system). But once we got on a road behind a car with an Illinois license plate and a McCain sticker, we figured we were headed in the right direction. I joked that that person must have had it with Obama. When we pulled into the parking lot designated "event parking," which was located a couple of blocks from the school, we saw dozens of cars with McCain bumper stickers. After we parked, we saw numerous people with McCain-Palin paraphernalia, and we followed them to the chartered bus. A far cry from the area of Pittsburgh where I live. The mood was pretty festive on the bus and waiting in line outside the building once we got off the bus. There were at least a dozen Obama supporters across from the entrance, but the crowds on both sides were civil. Once inside, we tried to get as...

That was the title of a presentation that a freelance photographer gave at a recent staff meeting where I work. He talked about wanting to go to NYC, to meet girls, maybe to be famous. Not sure which of those were dreams and which were goals. But as he was speaking, it occurred to me that I don't really have any dreams anymore. I don't mean that in a crushing sort of way; I know it certainly sounds a little sad or pathetic. And the reason I don't have dreams has little to do with that I think they won't come true, although I am a bit of a realistic and certainly cynical. Most of all, I am a slacker. When I was in high school, I wanted, at least a little bit, to be an actress. I had the lead in my high school musical, so it did not seem so far-fetched. But once I got to PSU and tried out for some musicals and choral groups and did not make the first cut for anything, I gave that up. But the reality is, I am too much of a homebody to have been an actress. I would never li...

When I started writing this blog, I was not sure what I would write about. I was fairly certain, however, that I would ramble on and on, whatever the topic. About eight or nine months into this, I mostly ramble about politics and money. But right now, I am just sick of both of those things. I am tired of reading about the latest bank/business/whatever to go bankrupt or be bought out. I don't like worrying about money. And yet I am worried that I am not worried as much as I should be. The excitement I felt when McCain picked a refreshing woman as his running mate? That has almost evaporated. Should I be concerned by her lack of experience? I don't know. What I do know is that about all the candidates can do is throw jabs at each other. I am just sick of it. I had a dream about Sean Hannity last night. I think it is time to turn off Fox News. I will try to watch some of the debate tonight, but I am not sure how long I will make it; my heart is just not in it. I am not sure anythi...

Some people feel very strongly about working mothers (for or against), and with Sarah Palin, mother of five, including a special needs child as well as a teenage daughter who is pregnant, on the ticket, the debate is really heating up. Some time ago, Sarah Palin said she was not even sure what the VP did (I am paraphrasing). And I have to say I am not entirely sure either, other than knowing that the VP is one heartbeat away from being president (I think I have heard that phrase no fewer than 20 times in the past five days). Sometimes I think Cheney's biggest claim to fame during his tenure will be that he shot his hunting buddy in the face. I have already forgotten most of the details about the Scooter Libby saga, as I am sure many have as well. I am a working mother; I don't think I am wired to stay at home full time. But when I was pregnant, I don't think I gave it much thought; due to our circumstances, we had no choice but for me to work. Some people seem born to be wi...

For the second time in about six weeks, I drove past a group of people waving Obama signs, some of which read, "Honk for Obama." On this day, the peopled who probably numbered 20 or 30 were having a barbecue to help register voters and, of course, garner support for Obama. As I did when I drove past them the last time, I waved my fists in the air, which made the sign holders cheer. Jordan asked me why I did this, and I said, "These people really want this man to be the next president, and it makes them happy that I just did that." I could not honk my horn because I do not support Obama, but I do support these people and am glad for them, and envious, actually, that they are excited about their candidate. I wish I could be. The election is about three months away, and, once again, I do not want either of the top two candidates to be president. Several friends and relatives tell me if I vote for Ron Paul, who does stand for most of the things I believe in, I will be w...

Just over two weeks from the PA primary, I am fairly certain I will be casting my vote for president for Pittsburgh-born-and-raised Congressman Ron Paul. Because mainstream media pretty much no longer covers him, some people have never heard of Dr. Paul, and others assume he dropped out of the race months ago. But I am here to tell you that this former libertarian is still fighting the fight, even though it will be an uphill battle. After all, too many people want to know what the government is going to do for them. Ron Paul's vision is not like that. In that respect, he reminds me of Alan Keyes. When he was running for president in '96, Keyes was asked what he would do about the government shutdowns that were going on (maybe it happened just once). He said he planned to do nothing, that he was all for less government and less government spending. I appreciated that stance, but Keyes was a little too conservative for my taste, especially back then. But now that I have been a wo...

In all my years of presidential voting, I have never really felt strongly about anyone I voted for. In most cases, I was simply choosing the lesser of two evils. In the '92 election, I voted for Perot. Why? Honestly, the only thing I remember about him was that he was not going to take a salary. I hope I had other reasons at that the time, but I am not sure. Similarly, I voted for Tom Ridge for governor the first time because he said he would not give himself (or maybe he said he would not vote for) a pay raise. I seem to recall he did, though. So when Ed Spendell ran for governor five years ago and said he was going to lower property taxes, I did not believe him. And rightly so. Now a year into his second term, I am still waiting for lower property taxes. Probably the only way I, not a senior citizen, will see them is if Spendell raises our income taxes, which he has already done once. A few weeks ago, I was complaining about taxes going up, when one of the bosses happened to be a...