Christmas

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Day (December 25th, 2004) the biggest celebration of the year. Are you celebrating the birth of Christ? Are you celebrating the exchange of gifts? Or are you just happy to have a few days off from work? :-) Whatever the case, I hope you are enjoying it. I am sitting here watching "The Sound of Music. Believe it or not, for the first time all the way through! :-)... Girlfriends... They get you to do the strangest things. There sure is a lot of singing in this flick! I know this movie has been around for awhile, but I did not realize it was based on a real family and a real story. I learned something new today! I also learned that when your girlfriend says "Let's not exchange gifts this year for Christmas because we are tight on cash..." that does NOT mean she does not expect gifts, nor will she NOT get you anything. So basically if you hear this, ignore it, or better yet, be SURE to get her some gifts. She WILL be getting you some! Christmas is a time that many people reflect on the past, and sometimes that reflection isn't a pretty sight. I personally get a little down during the holidays. I don't know how common that is, hopefully it's not. I hope most people reflect fondly on their memories, and remember the good things that they have experienced. Well I better get home, and wrap the presents... Yeah, I wait until Christmas Eve to wrap... It's become a tradition for me.

Lazy?

Well, it's December. You know what that means right? If you live in the United States or some other country that has the internet (oh that's right, you must or you would be unable to read this), then you know it is the Christmas Season. So let me say to you:

If you are part of the "politically correct" crowd, then ignore that previous statement and I say to you:

I wouldn't want to offend you with my religious beliefs in this country of freedom by wishing to you a happy day on December 25th (also known as CHRISTMAS!).

Ok now that I have gotten that out of the way let's get down to business, or whatever...

I am finding it difficult to get into the holiday spirit this year, and I am not sure why. It could be any number of things such as:

1. The very, very tight fund (money) situation this year.
2. The recent media bonaza called the presidential election.
3. The stress of completing a major project at work.
4. The current political climate surrounding this holiday that can not even be mentioned in a public setting, without fear of offending someone.
5. My growing apathy because for years I see "Xmas" instead of "Christmas". As if Christ wasn't really the reason for the holiday... Just take that "X" and fill it with whatever you want. The holiday is about the birth of a savior right? (sorry about the side track)
6. Or, I am just lazy.

I mean, Christmas does entail a lot of work right? There are Christmas cards to fill out and send, gifts to purchase, house to decorate, evergreen trees to trim, secrets to keep, food to prepare, family to visit, travel plans to make, and many, many other things to do to prepare for this wonderful holiday.

I wonder if I am the only one that feels this way this year? I drive down the streets of my home town, and I see the lights, and the decorations. I hear the holiday music on the radio. I deal with the increased traffic around my work as people shop. As I see, hear, and deal with all of these things, I begin to feel that I am the only one that has not gotten the spirit yet Maybe I should just say "Bah, Humbug!" nay, maybe instead I will just purchase an inflatable likeness of the Grinch! NOT!

Instead I will decorate, even if it's not until Christmas eve. I may even get a bigger tree this year, since my youngest feels that a bigger tree means bigger presents. I will forgo paying a few bills so I can come up with the funds to pay for the gifts for my kids, family and friends. And I will hope that by the time December 25th arrives, I will have found the spirit. If not well at least I tried!

Saturday Morning

Well, it's Saturday morning, and it's almost 2 weeks since the 2004 election, in which George W. Bush was re-elected POTUS (President Of The United States). As his supporters were often heard chanting "Four More Years!". I am glad that George was re-elected, but not because I think he is a great president, but because I think Senator John F. Kerry would have been wrong for our country. What I wish is that we had a person who really caputures the hearts of the American people like some earlier presidents... (Regan and Clinton). Even though both of those presidents had staunch opposition, they had the ability to rally the country around them, each in their own ways. Both men had the ability to come across to the country as "one of us". Regan with his ability to express himself and laugh, and Clinton in his foibles and daliances. I heard a radio talk show host say that George W. Bush was a "boring" president. Which of course he is. He isn't all over the tabloids, he isn't on the TV every other second, and he isn't a great speaker. He is however doing a good job of being president. (Oh no... I think I just said something that could get me in trouble!) So which person makes a better president? A person with whom the populace can relate because he puts himself directly in front of the public eye, and trys not to "rock the boat"? Or a person who shys from the public eye, and is shaking things up? Well, as I sit here in the waiting room of my car dealer, waiting for a free oil change, I can't help but wonder why we can't have an endearing President that also "shakes things up"? Do the two have to be mutually exclusive? I want a president who makes me proud to say I support him, rather than a president that I have to see who's in the room first before I declare my support for fear that I may be "verbally lynched." Maybe these next 4 years will be different now that Bush has received a clear majority of the vote. I hope so.

Polls

I like many other people, are watching the progress of this year's election with great interest. I have voted in many elections since I became of voting age. I wish I could admit to the fact that I have voted in every election. In any case, this election is holding my attention to a much greater level than any of the elections I have participated in prior to this one. Why am I and so many other people so "glued" to this election? Are the canidates that exciting? Is one of the canidates that outstanding? Are we expecting a surprise ending? Or is it just the simple fact that it appears to be a very close race, and that raises the excitement level? I have been watching the polls as reported on the following web pages: www.electoral-vote.com slate.msn.com www.electionprojection.com None of which match by the way. You would think that since they all use the same source, that they would all report the same results... Funny how they don't. The reason there are "swing" states is because people can't make up their minds and depending on what people see and hear on TV, radio and the newspapers that day is what they decide to follow. Why can't they decide? The reason is that neither canidate is able to capture the hearts and minds of the American people. Before I go on, please let me tell you where I stand. I am a registered Republican. I say that and tremble as if I am saying something bad, because I come from a highly Democratic part of the state of Pennsylvania. I am a Republican because I believe in certain concepts, and I believe that the Republican Party better represents those ideas. My top three issues are:

1. The war on terrorism. I believe that President Bush, and his administration are doing the right thing. They may not have always done it the right way, but they are doing it. We need to attack and eliminate them. We need to show the world, and the terrorists that we will not cower from them. We are not afraid. We need to free the many people who have been held in place by a few. With Freedom, the Middle East can become whatever it chooses to become. And I believe that they will become a place that people will want to go to and live in instead of a place to fear.
2. Sanctity of life. I believe that all life is sacred, and should be protected. I also believe that to protect life, sometimes life has to be taken, as in capital punishment. I believe that without that deterrent and punishment that people who don't hold life as sacred will destroy it. I believe that President Bush and the Republicans hold the same opinions, that I do about abortion, stem cell research, and capital punishment. And this position is in line with my first position above.
3. Lower Taxes, Less Government. I believe that less government involvment in my life means more freedom to do what I want. The less government there is the less I have to pay for it. I believe that the economy thrives and grows when there is Freedom, and the more of my own money I have the more Freedom I have to spend it the way I want. I am more likely to buy items (big and small) when I have on hand cash. I don't like credit, so I like it when I can keep more of my money. I believe that is the same for businesses small and large. I have never heard of a company without money or a bankrupt company giving raises to people, or hiring new people. Although companies with money or profit, usually give raises, and hire new people. Tax them and us, and we all lose.

I believe that the Democratic party believes in the opposite of most of those concepts. They believe that the war on terror should be waged reactively instead of proactively. They believe that life is a choice of a mother, and they believe that more government means more oppurtunity.

So I am voting for George W. Bush. Not because I think he is an outstanding president and captures my heart and mind as a great leader... No I am voting for him, because he more closely represents my ideals as opposed to Senator John Kerry.

I hope that in the next presidential election I can vote for a person that I feel strongly about as a person, not just by the party he or she represents. And then I won't need to follow the race minute by minute.

Later Lou

Luck

I have heard it said by other people, "If I didn't have bad luck, I would have no luck at all". Well that pretty much sums up most of my life. I mean, I have some great things in my life; a woman that I adore, and love, kids that I couldn't live without, friends that keep me sane, and good health to enjoy everything. However, day to day, things happen that keep me from feeling I am on top of the world... Maybe that's by design so I don't get a swelled head... Thanks God for keeping me in line! :-) Seriously though let me give you a brief run down of the last few weeks. Before you read this, let me tell you that this is a average week for me, some times things are worse, other times they are better. BTW: Most of my bad luck seems to follow directly after some good luck. I got my income tax refund recently, but due to a screw up on 2002 taxes (I claimed the same kids as my Ex), I have to repay around $1,300.00 to Uncle Sam. I found (actually my girlfriend did) a great new apartment for me that has much more room, and a garage for about the same monthly expenses as my current place. However, it doesn't have any appliances. So with the new appliances, and the deposit for the place, the rest of the income tax is now gone. I had wanted to get a bigger TV for my living room, not a 60" or anything, just a nice 30"... Oh well, maybe next year I started to move, and my new car (2002 Ford Focus wagon), started making this horrendous noise. This noise seemed to come from everywhere, and only when the car was moving. The noise sounded like a really bad ass set of studded winter tires, and since I had just got new tires I had thought the sound was them... That was until it got louder and louder... I took the car to my dealership, since the car is still new and under warrenty... They don't service that car even though I bought it from them with an exented warrenty on top of it... So they sent my car out, and gave me a rental for free. Now I have no car to move into my new apt. with. Sigh... After a week my car is finally fixed. It had a bad wheel bearing, and it took 7 days to repair it. Great warrenty huh? The dealership called me at 5:20PM to pick up my car and return the rental. They close at 6:00PM. I head the the dealership and when I am almost there (I can see the place) a pickup truck stops abruptly in front of me. I stop quickly also, and immediately look in my rearview mirror to see if anyone is coming up behind me... Well there was... It was another pickup truck, however he didn't seem to notice that we had stopped in front of him, so he didn't slow down (or so that I could tell), so he plowed into the back of the rental car which is within feet of being returned. The rental, and I, were pushed into the pickup in front of us, and so on until there were a total of five (5) vehicles collided together.

The good news is no one was seriously hurt, and I escaped with only bruised ribs from the seat belt, which I am glad I was wearing. I also got my car back, and the insurance of the person who hit the rental is paying for the rental car. Is that good or bad luck? You decided. And to top of this last week, I have misplaced (lost) my PDA. I had a Compaq iPaq H3870 PocketPC that I used all the time, and I took everywhere with me... Including to the laundry, which is where I think I left it. After multiple calls there, and a visit there, it's still missing. I have checked both apartments (remember I am moving), and I can't find it. So there goes not only the money I spent on the PDA, but a piece of my life that I use all the time. I have the money to replace it, but there goes my TV again! Good or bad luck? This past weekend, the car I just got out of the shop has now got the "Check Engine" light lit on the dashboard. I called the dealership and they said to bring it in, but it will take a few days because they have to "send it out" again... Which means a rental, and who knows what else? Needless to say I am a little afraid of taking my car in again... Wouldn't you? So I look back and see that I have recovered well from most of the bad things in life recently, but if I didn't have those bad things, I can't help but think of how much nicer my life would be now. I would have much more money in the bank, I wouldn't have sore ribs, and I wouldn't have the worry about whether my new car is going to breakdown, I would be completely moved into my new apartment, and maybe I would be happier at work! Nah! That would really be pushing it! :-)

Newsweek - "Bush and Kerry in Vietnam"

I just got in the mail my copy of this week's Newsweek magazine. On the cover is John Kerry and George W. Bush in their military uniforms during the Vietam "conflict". I was so interested in the article, that for the first time in 6 months of this periodical subscription, I actually read one of the articles in the magazine, rather than just browsing through it. I assume that most people, and I like to think that I am a person that falls within the category of "most people", think of Newsweek as a news magazine. That's the reason I subscribed to it. I am not much of a newspaper person as I don't often get the time to sit and read a newspaper. So I subscribe to get the news "weekly" in one publication rather than daily. Sounds logical... at least it helped me to justify my spending the money for the publication. Well after reading the article I came to the only conclusion I could... This magazine has very little to do with news, and almost all to do with opinion and editorial. The article had sooooo much spin in it; I couldn't tell whether I was reading truth, fiction or fantasy. The article was less a "comparison" of two people running for President than it was for glorifying one person, while lampooning (or is that harpooning) the other. I will let you read the article for yourself and you decide which side of the political aisle the author is on. Maybe I am the naive one thinking that this magazine calling itself "Newsweek" was actually a news magazine, rather than a news commentary from one side. I mean usually when I am reading a political magazine, I usually know it... I often buy them for that specific reason... Sometimes I just want the facts and nothing but the facts, so that I can make up my own mind... But I, like most people, are considered too dumb to figure things out for ourselves, so we must be spoon fed this mush. Later Lou

Hi! This is my first rambling, which has absolutely no content at all! :0( I am just setting this new blog up, and we shall see what the future holds! Later Lou