Well So Much For NOT Getting Political

I didn't originally tend to use my blog as a forum for political issues, but one has taken place that I just can't freaking ignore these days:

The protests in Iran

I have been following these events over the past few days on the major networks, and now via Twitter.  I am simply amazed!  I am moved to tears at times.  I am cheering from my TV and computer at the same time.

As I watch, I am reflecting back quite often to when the Presidential campaign was in full swing.  Some of you may remember John McCain with his camp singing their "Bomb, bomb, bomb...... Bomb, bomb Iran..." mantra to the tune of "Barbaranne" by the Beach Boys.

I can't help but think that these hundred's of thousands of people protesting that their votes be heard are a great part of the Iranian collective that he encouraged the bombing of during his campaign just a short time ago.

I wonder what he thinks about it now, Hmmmm........

I, for one, had hopes that Iran would turn itself around.  Before seeing these protests, I was too quick to judge a country based on it's current "leader", Ahmadinegad.  Please DO NOT ask me to pronounce his name as I am going into that age where one tends to drool on oneself when pronouncing large words or long, rambling sentences.  Saying his name may initiate a flood of spit from my mouth that could short out my iMac.

So well just call him President "Shithead" instead.  That's easy enough to say and UNDERSTAND.

What I have observed over the past few days has led ME to believe that what WE were lead to believe about the people in Iran before this, are not the people we have been actually seeing or hearing from.  These are not the people that are secretly making nukes behind closed doors.  I see way too may peace signs in those crowds.  

It seems that all we've been seeing are overloaded press op's by President Shithead for the past few years.  The speech he made at Columbia University back in 2007 is so laughable it's hard to believe anyone took him seriously.  Schizophrenia comes to mind here when thinking back to that delusional time in history.

It is very clear to see now that he does NOT speak for the country of Iran.

See, President Shithead is just a short guy compensating for his size.  I bet the sucker has to stand on two vegetable crates just to get that squirrely little Mickey Mouse head of his to reach the edge mike.  He's the kinda short guy that uses ego and attitude to make up for the size he lacks (you can take that ANY WAY you want to here).

I bet his biggest issue is that he was never breastfed either.  He was probably given some of that Chinese made formula that was recalled long after it did some serious desert storm action of it's won on his brain.

Also, WHAT is with that haircut of his?  Didn't we last see that hair style on Al Bundy in the 80's show "Married With Children"?  

And what is up with that facial hair?  Has anyone heard of Nair in his administration?  Hey, I would just love to give him the same wax treatment on his face that I recently gave myself here. Now that would be a demonstration of "shock and awe".

He does seem to be a hairy little midget, doesn't he?

This is why President Shithead wants to keep his current position in Iran.  Where else is the little hairy tirade gonna get a job?  Would you want a recount if it meant the possibility of you getting your legs surgically stretched in order for people to see you over the height of, let's say..... a bush! 

Oops!  That was a subconscious slip if I've ever had one!

But that's not really my point.  I'm proud of this sect of Iranians who have chosen to stand up and fight for their votes and to have voices  be heard in lieu of being imprisoned or assassinated - or both - by the current government regime.  

When was the last time we ever did that in this country?

The Revolutionary War comes to mind.  Or maybe the Vietnam protests of the sixties.  Oh geez, my dad is gonna kill me for that comparison.

Okay, okay.... I'm getting WAY too political here.

The fact that the Iranian military is loading the dead bodies from the protests in trucks and carting them off without even informing the next of kin, is just a testament to what is going on over there.   This is according to a blog by an eye witnessed account from a medical student there (thank you to inicotone.com for this).

The fact that there is 13 year old child, who was killed during gunfire and carted off in a military truck, whose family will NEVER know what happened to him or where he is.  His mother and his father will never get the chance to see, or mourn their now dead son.

The fact that a hospital, after protesting themselves because of the unjust treatments of both the living and dead being brought in, was shut down by the military and the entire staff was imprisoned inside.

The fact that the current Iranian regime is methodically gathering names from twitter accounts tweeting out of Iran and hunting them down for arrest, as they continue twittering regardless, shows us the passion of a nation whom we have not set eyes on since all this mess between our governments started.  

Where have these people been, and why is it only now that their voices are being heard?

Why are we just now seeing the true faces of Iran?

It is inspirational to see the whole world rally around a country that most of us here in America were beginning to feel as if they were returning to the barbaric days of the early 80's when the hostage situation happened.

I'm sure a few of you still remember how crappy that was.

Would it get so bad that the government under President Shithead's watch would start taking hostages themselves, or worse yet, threaten to nuke the crap out of several choice countries; ours and Israel being at the top of their lists?  I think we have heard a resounding NO from hundreds of thousands of thirsty, worn out, yet passionate patriots of Iran who prefer a more peaceful and humane resolution to differences between cultures.

I say, GOOD FOR THEM.  Let's support them in their efforts.  This is one time our government didn't shove the  ideology of democracy down their throats.  It seems that they have hungered so long for it that they are begging, screaming, protesting, and rioting in the streets for it.  It was not forced upon them; it was by their choice that they decided they wanted it.  That is what a part of being free is about.

Let their voices ring through Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, My Space, and anywhere else they can yell it from.  Let us hear them and support them regardless of the outcome.

I REPEAT THEIR CRIES OF:  "NO MORE PRESIDENT SHITHEAD!!!"

And I say:

A Flower For Madeline

In Memory of Madeline Spohr

Madeline Spohr
November 11, 2007 - April 7, 2009

Please Show Your Support In Lieu of the March Of Dimes
HERE

State of My Family Union

So I've been down lately over the state of the economy, my bills, and the affect it's having on my family. It doesn't help that it's been raining cats, dogs, and a few frogs lately. I could never live in Seattle no matter how green and beautiful it is there.

Rain just intensifies my negative emotions!

I have to give a big thanks to my Twitter and blog buddies who have lifted my spirits here and there. Special thanks goes to Tara and turning me on to Blip.fm, and to my Aunt Edna for all the funnies she emails me daily. Point is, even though life is complicated for most of us right now, there are rays of sunshine all around you if you choose to look. People overseas are suffering the same plight as this country as my friend from Scotland tells me all the time, and it all seems so bazarre and overwhelming to absorb sometimes.

When one gets "stuck" in this kind of muck, it becomes very hard to see what is actually going good in one's life. One of our cars went down and I'm waiting for the Honda Odyssey to go next as we have already sunk almost $6000 having various major repairs done to it in the past 2 1/2 years. It's a piece of junk I tell you.

I'm still paying off huge amounts of medical bills from when my son was sick for two months in the latter part of last year. And I sit among a pile of bills trying to balance this against that and hoping it all works out in the end. But I realize that I'm not the only one doing this. I keep thinking to myself; "I could be one of those losing my house". It still all makes me a bit cranky and crazy as the kids could tell you.

I grew up in a family that chose to pretend on the outside that everything was fine and dandy, while the inside of the family unit was falling apart at the seams. I'm sure many of you know what I'm talking about. Now, I wear my emotions more on my sleeve and refuse to hide anything... almost. So if you see me crying at the grocery store because I have to choose between a healthier organic choice for my kids (and it IS about the kids), and a box of chemical-laden crap because of the size of my bank account lately, maybe... just maybe, you'll understand what some of us are going through.

Then I read from a fellow celebrity Tweeter about this: Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2009 (H.R. 875). This is a bill creating much controversy (if you read between it's loosely knitted wording), over whether we'll be able to have our own backyard gardens, or do any organic gardening at all!

Our family has never been into major extravagances, but eating healthy food has always had it's priorities in our life. I get a bigger high out of driving 3 hours to Whole Foods than I do going five miles down the road to the mall. We are, in fact, a family of "Foodie's". But when it gets to the point that people can't afford the high prices of food and decide to make their own garden, and someone at the big "M" agricultural corporation starts pushing to make it so strict so no one can make one so they can wrap the entire food market thing, I get reeeeeally pissed off!

This just started my downward spiral this week. That, and the fact that Dish Network called me last night to tell me I was three stinking days late on my payment and if I didn't pay it within the week, they would turn it off. Now I pay this bill el' pronto at the first of every month; well the second to be precise. So I called them. Their response is that "it is due on the 27th of the month". Okay, so according to them, I am 7 freaking days late. I can understand a phone call after 15 days, but seven! Come on, are they getting that desperate too?

This doesn't bring any happy, happy, joy, joy into my life either. Panic starts to set it, and when that happens, it breeds faster than rabbits on Viagra. I can't seem to get past the thought of the world crashing around you, and my lungs cease to function properly. And when I panic, I panic badly; it seem to ooze from every pore and it's colored coded as to what level I am at at the moment. It was inching toward bright orange last night.

I start rummaging through rooms while itemizing what can be sold and what can be kept. The kids thought we we're moving when I started this. I just tell them I'm planning to clear clutter via the yard sale. But kids are far more intuitive than we give them credit for. They KNOW something is wrong, thus the endless questions begin because they themselves, are reacting to my panic and eventually create their own in the process.

But their panic creates a kind of creative chaos that I envy and am in constant awe of. They are soon jumping off of beds and trying on every single piece of clothing in the drawers (Toni and Nia). Then either starting an incredible and senseless conversation, or catching the infectious giggles over something as simple as floating dish soap bubbles from the sink (Nadia and Julian).

What I realize is that I am not putting things into perspective. Life is handing me more lemons than I can make lemonade from, and instead of organizing these lemons in their proper place, I've chosen to let them clutter the floor of my life instead.

Things COULD be a lot worse!

So I wake up today to a sky full of sun and brightness instead of rain, and a different perspective on life. I should take this as a message from God that gloom does not last forever, unless you choose it to. I have my family, plus some extended family that I have recently connected with that bring love and joy into my life. So what that I don't have friends close by to share a cup of coffee with every morning; I have made new ones by having this blog and we share our cups of cyber-java each day. My girlfriends are spread far and wide, but on days like this, they are in my living room sharing their hugs and advice with abundance.

I have four incredible kids that seem to patiently put up with a mother who changes emotions as much as we change our underwear. I marvel in their cleverness to rise above adversity, and how much more smarter they are than when I was at their age. It is priceless when Nadia's face suddenly beams as she has overcome her latest math issues last night, by working through the problem patiently and diligently. I have more to learn from them than they do from me.

I have a roof over our heads, food in the refrigerator, and we are without major medical issues. The house is clean, the laundry is done, and no one broke anything this week (except my 20+ year old scarf that Nia ripped a huge hole in last night). I take a deep breath and realize that though the bills still exist, so does my relationship with myself and my family, and those I have come to know in the recent months. Now which is more important?

So today I will make a picnic lunch and take Nia to the park for some much needed playtime in the sun. I will gather some some more items to sell on Craigslist and for my yard sale, but now, they are just meaningless "possessions" that can be purchased again somewhere down the road if need be. My most important items are those I feed, love, and nurture daily. Possessions do not love you back - they only drag you down.

With regards to that stupid HR 825 bill, I'm still making my backyard garden regardless. If they want to take me on somewhere down the road for a stinking tomato plant, then we'll deal with that when the situation arises. I'll just sit back and eat my favorite ice cream as they rip the suckers out themselves!

Now, anyone for peanut butter ice cream with Reese's cups in it?