So let me get this straight

Making sure that people have food, shelter, and health insurance is considered socialism, but bailing out banks, insurance companies, and car manufacturers is responsible capitalism?

Welfare and medicaid are bad because they throw money at lazy good-for-nothings who don't work, but subsidies to corporate farms to grow corn for livestock on corporate farms or to help American sugar farmers compete with other sugar farmers is good?

It is bad for an intellectual to run for president, despite the ill effects of the last eight years of an anti-intellectual in the Oval Office?

Did you realize that it is ok to criticize a Democratic president for operating under a deficit (Carter), but perfectly ok for a Republican to run up the largest deficit ever (Bush II)?

um, okay.

A lovely post here: http://droolstreet.blogspot.com/2008/10/i-am-real-american.html

Conversations

Maya: Mama, wait, stop. I just want to tell you something.
Maya: I just, I just really like being with people. I like people, I like friends, I like doing things with people.
Me, in my head: omg you poor child, you were so born to the wrong mom.
Me, outloud: Maya, that is so great that you know that about yourself. I know you like to be with people, and I will try to make sure you can have play dates and get togethers. I like to be with people too, but I also need a lot of alone or quiet time.

***

Maya: What do you call Grandpa Ken
Me: um, Ken?
Maya: yeah, what do you call him? You know, like I call him Grandpa Ken, but he's married to your mom so what is he? What is he for you?
Me: ohhh, ok. Well, I was kind of big when he married Grandma Dana. I never lived in his house, and he was never really my step-dad (she's familiar with the concept because some of her friends have step-dads). I do love Grandpa Ken a lot, he's so special in our family, but I don't have a special name for him. I just call him Ken.

***

Erik: Why are you so worked up about everything! (sort of yelling)
Me: That's like me asking you why do you have to be so bald! I'm high strung! You're bald! Deal with it.
Both: hysterical laughter

***

Me: Maya, you may have some money for the book fair, but you may not buy a character book.

Maya: like, no Bratz, Strawberry Shortcake, no princesses?

Me: Right.

Maya: (starting to feel an injustice has been done to her) But Mama! If I can't buy a book about a character what would it be about? Please? It has to have a character or else it is not a book!

Me: nononono- yes, you are right, books are about characters, but I am talking about a specific type of book, the type that has some type of toy character on the cover. Do you know what I mean?

Maya: ok. Yes. I get it.

Me: Whew.

A way in which I am not very different from my 17 year old self

One day when I was 17 my parents came home from work and asked us to turn General Hospital off. My father proceeded to tell us that he was in love with someone else and that my parents would be divorcing. I have no memories of the words he said after I confirmed that he was not in fact joking. In the days and weeks that followed I had many aggressive thoughts about E (the other woman). I took out my hostility while chopping vegetables, or while thinking about chopping vegetables. I wished she would die. When my dad and E got an apartment together, I dreaded speaking to her. If she picked up the phone, I would very formally ask "May I speak to Arthur, please?" I refused his offers of bringing her to dinner with us, or an offer of a vacation which included her. Don't worry, I had plenty of hostility for my dad--he was just as culpable as she was.

Eventually I came around. I was tired of being so angry all of the time. I spoke to E. I rode in the same vehicle as her. I didn't get sick when she came to my graduation party, though I did have a glass of wine before she arrived with my dad. And when she died of breast cancer a year or two after they married, I felt terrible.

So, I thought I was past those vindictive feelings. Apparently not! A few years ago my dad went out with a woman I despised. She was awful. She manipulated him terribly. They'd break up and then get back together. He knew I didn't like her so he'd try to keep it secret--impossible since I work for him. They are finally done for good, but maintain a business relationship.

I had to write a check for her the other day. I found myself mentally putting hoaxes on it, and I very nearly spit in the envelope when I was getting it ready to mail. When I stopped myself I cracked up, and immediately recognized the 17 year old me.

Peek-a-boo

I'm here, I'm here. I really am.

What I've been up to:

• on a Harry Potter marathon with Sam. He read book one ages ago but not the others. I announced I was going to read them all, and he took off along with me. We're having so much fun, though I do need to keep reminding him not to tell me any details! He's one book ahead of me. I've threatened to duct tape his mouth closed, with a slit for liquid nutrition.
• observing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This has probably been my least angst-filled High Holy Days since I've had kids. Yay me!
• writing an article for publication on a web-zine. For pay! More on that when it is published.
• trying to renew my enthusiasm for my photo project. I have missed more days than I'd have liked, and find myself getting a little bored. But I've been pushing through this week and have had fun taking pictures. Now I just need to catch up on posting a month's worth of photos. Yikes!
• planning holiday gift crafting, cooking new recipes, and getting ready for my sister and her family to visit in a few weeks. Can't wait to meet my new nephew, who is a butterball!