That's it.  Comments are disabled.  I can't take this anymore.  It's gotten to the point where emotions are so high that people are saying things they don't mean.  Start your own blogs, or email each other directly.  This is now an officially politics-free zone.  Excuse me while I go count the number of people that will probably never speak to me again.

This is ridiculous.  All I want is for everyone to get along—but I get treated like the ignoramus because I want to put differences behind us!  I know our history sucks!  I’m embarrassed by the incivility and intolerance that’s pervaded this country.  But the POINT is that we are finally starting to move past it!  Stereotypes are being disintegrated by the day, but we hold on to them for dear life!  My last job was at a law firm that was mostly Hispanic—and they all made far more money than me!  Within the last century that would have been a virtual impossibility—that’s how far we’ve come!  My great-great-grandmother couldn’t vote, and today we’re on the verge of a female President!  150 years ago brothers were killing each other over slavery, and today we have black men and women at the highest levels of our government! God, what’s happened in the past was wrong and unjustifiable, but how long are we going to hate each other over it?  How long are we going to hold people who weren’t even alive at the time responsible?  We’re all over the world forcing peace on people who don’t even want it, while we can’t even manage the same thing here among people who desperately need it.  Right—none of us have anything to lose by holding on to the hate and bitterness—nothing except a country that’s going to fall apart from the inside.

 

This is what I get for violating my no-politics-on-the-blog policy!  We’ll be returning to regular programming immediately!  And I promise I won’t use any more exclamation points for at least a month!

 

What's (not) funny is that I didn't actually intend to start a debate.  I have very few opinions actually.  I rarely vote (I don't complain much about the government either, so don't yell at me for not voting). I'm rather apathetic towards politics as a whole.  I really dislike politicians.  Except Kinky Friedman; I love him.  I'll probably register to vote just so I can go vote for him ("I'm the only one that supports prayer in schools and gay marriage."  That's my guy!)  I just want everyone to work hard, get along, discipline their kids and be happy.  

I really hate the "points" competitions where kids run around trying to get you to buy magazines, and once they've gotten 20,000 points they get to go to Ireland.  I must look especially gullible because I seem to get to get cornered by these people all the time--at the mall, on the street, in my house.  Once a guy in the mall talked me into walking all the way to Brookstone to sit in a massage chair while he gave me his spiel and I listened for 10 minutes before I finally convinced him I wasn't going to buy anything.  Why don't I say no and walk off?  Because I'm too nice, I tell you!  It's the bane of my existence.  Don't be nice; you spend way too much of your life talking to people you don't want to be talking to.

So a couple of these kids knocked on my door today (as if they weren't obnoxious enough, the tapped with the international "I'm annoying" signal: tap-taptaptap-tap---tap-tap).  I never answer my door.  (I live alone, I'm a girl--it's only prudent.)  But then they did it again.  I couldn't take it, so I answered.  There they were, holding my door mat.  "Is this yours?"  "Uh...yes."  "You might want to take it in, people are stepping all over it."  Beat.  Beat.  Oh, that was a joke.  Haha.  I immediately informed them I was not buying any magazines, but that didn't hinder them.  "If we get 20,000 points we go to Ireland, have you ever been to Ireland?"  Unfortunately I'm not witty enough to develop a stinging comeback.  So they keep talking.  I'm inching the door closed..so close...almost there...one last ditch effort "Well, will you hold this magazine catalogue while I tie my shoe?"  Finally I get the door shut, and I hear one of the guys mutter to the other "Dude, she was hot."  Perhaps, but I'm not helping you get to Ireland.  On second thought, if I send you there, will you promise not to come back? 

Ok, so I totally chose my answers so that I'd get JR, cause he's just about the hottest thing ever.  My meemaw thinks he looks like Perry :)  Take the quizzes and let me know your results!

What All My Children guy are you most hot for?

What All My Children girl are you most like?

I really love Frappuccinos. The bottled kind, not the frozen kind. Frozen is good too, but the bottled is better. I quit drinking them for a while (pretty much one a day for 5 years burned me out). I moved on to Sugar Free Red Bull, which was unfortunately more expensive, but at least only 10 calories. Normally I'm opposed to diet food of all types, but my office only supplied Sugar Free, so I got used to it. It was better than buying my own. Then I got tired of Red Bull and switched back to Frappuccinos. To my dismay, I discovered that during my absence the price had gone up. Seriously, when I quit drinking them their profits probably went down so much they had to raise the price. You used to be able to buy them singly for about $1.29--.99 if you went to the right places. Now they've gone up to $1.79 or more--$1.99 at fancier places like Tigermarket. (Yes, I know I just described a convenience store as "fancy"--but really, Tigermarkets are pretty cool.) A pack of four is $4.99 or more! And it seems I'm developing a 2-bottle a day habit--which is not only calorie-laden, but really expensive. I should just be happy that this is all I've got to worry about in my life right now, right?

I also decided I need a hobby. I don't have a whole lot of free time, but when someone asks me what I "do" I want to be able to say more than "Uh....I used to dance." I wish I still danced, but I don't have time or money. I checked out one studio today, but not only was it $65/month for 2 classes/week, but by the looks of their schedule, I was more qualified to teach most of the classes than to participate in them. So in a flash of inspiration (impulse buy at the cashier) I decided to learn how to crochet. Because I thought it would be easy. It is NOT easy. After one day of trying, I'm about to turn over 2 balls of yarn to the cat. I got the chain stitch down great...which does nothing but make the first row. Once I have to start connecting stitches to previous rows, it's all over. I bought the supplies, and I'm determined not to be taken down by a skill that your average octagenarian has mastered. There's gonna be some ugly scenes between me and the crochet hooks in the next few days--and only one of us is going to make it out in one piece. If it happens to be me, you can all count on badly made gifts on the next major holiday.

FOX went and cancelled Reunion in the middle of the season. Could they not have spared one hour a week to at least finish the first season? The OC and 478 different reality shows, not to mention endless reruns, still air, but they cancel the one truly unique concept show to come along in years? Now I'll never know who killed Samantha, how Craig got paralyzed, why Will became a priest, how Carla's husband died, what happened to the evil mistress, if Aaron stayed with the French girl or finally admitted his love for Carla, whether Jenna revived her movie career, or whether Detective Marjorino ever faced his demons. I've always had my doubts about that people running tv stations, but this confirms that they're working for the lowest common denominator. Bah.

My last ode was to Casa Ole. It's been too long, so I have several to share.

An ode to...

...DSW (free and cheap):
DSW stands for Discount Shoe Warehouse or Designer Shoe Warehouse. Not sure which, but either way it's fantastic. They have all sorts of fancy discounted designer shoes. And they always have a huge clearance rack in the back--which is where I shop. If you have the drive and the patience--we're talking Nine West, Steve Madden, and Kenneth Cole for $10! I made a pilgrimmage there today and bought 5 pairs for under $100. Then I remembered that I've been woefully negligent in updating the Infamous Shoe List. So I went though all my shoes today and updated, adding pictures of the ones I bought today. The grand total now stands at 99. Before my dad blows a gasket--I didn't actually pay for any shoes, I had gift certificates from my birthday.

...Half-price Book Store (cheap):
This one is self-explanatory--it's all in the name. The best feeling in the world? Finding a 40 year old copy of an Agatha Christie book that's 50 cents...and only having to pay 25 cents.

...summer weather in January (free):
How great has the weather been? I don't think I've touched my winter clothes.

...my iTrip (neither free nor really cheap, but it gets an ode anyway):
I LOVE this thing. Barbara gave it to me for Christmas. It's a tiny little thing you plug into your iPod, and it transmits to your radio (stereo, car, anywhere!) It is SO cool. It's like having your own personal radio station in the car. I wanted to drive around randomly in my car just to play with it.

...grades coming out on time (free):
The professors have until January 17(!) to turn in grades, but 4 of the 5 came out today, the first day any grades could be available! I'm very happy overall (though I reserve judgment and don't want to jinx the one grade I don't have yet). While I was driving randomly playing with the iTrip, I actually did a little dance in my car when it hit me that my grades really are pretty good. One semester down...5 semesters, one summer abroad, 2 internships and 1 job search to go!

New Year's Eve photos are posted.