Saturday, February 07, 2009

playing for change


please, check out this site and
listen to the familiar song sung by street performers all over the
world. very cool.
Mom saw the documentary and has been looking for it ever since.
It's not out yet, but she says it's wonderful.

an article from Salon about the new facebook trend...

...TWENTY FIVE THINGS ABOUT ME.

...kinda funny and interesting and timely morning reading while the kids are watching Saturday morning cartoons. (and a good break for me from the politics that makes me alternately crazy and worried.)
This year the cartoons of choice are "Emperors New School" 8-8;30, "Handy Manny" 8:30-9:00, and
then "Pokemon" 9:00-9:30...for the record.
I remember when it used to be "Zaboomafoo" and "Blues Clues"...ah, simpler times.

I love Saturday morning cartoons. It's the only morning of the week where tv is allowed and I get to read and make toast and tea and put up my feet...oh and blog.

Friday, February 06, 2009

"bull puckey"

ok, this is a long segment from the ultra-knowledgable yet annoyingly sarcastic Rachel Maddow about what the Republicans are doing for political points and what they are not doing for the country.

I wish that she could do what she does without the "attitude" but I guess then it would be NPR or the BBC and wouldn't get the viewers...however she is the best option for actual backed up facts on tv and I like the clarity in this segment, especially the part about tax cuts vs. spending. check it out.

the toys are freaking me out lately...


...not because they are everywhere, which they are, but because
they appear to be trying to tell me something. (Spidey: "Help! I
seem to be tethered by the neck to this joker. Hey, little dude,
come help a brother out.")
I am wondering if Matt has been setting me up with action hero
dramas all over the house or if it's always like this and I just started
noticing. Very "Toy Story" around here.


Spidey: "My hand is sticky and it's not webbing?"

And then there is this guy (video below) that Silas loves and really weirds me
out. He is always looking at me and sometimes
I swear his eyes were closed and then they open when he is OFF.
Rather than "Toy Story", this is getting a bit "Chucky".




(Megan, between "Granpas Magical Toys" video and Teddy Ruxpin,
you have proven that you were one trippy kid!!:)

two cents.

Check out this Paul Krugman article and bookmark Common Dreams website on your computer!! www.commondreams.org
...and here's a slideshow of socialist activity in the US, all the frivolous spending of previous generations...check it out here---> (slide show)


I really don't get why everyone thinks the stimulus plan should be smaller and calls much of it wasteful spending. Republicans say they would like each of us to get a check for 1,000 dollars, in the form of a tax refund. Well, with that money we would maybe pay back a credit card bill and go out to dinner, once. And then we'd be right back in the same mess we are in now, in one week.
I say a stimulus PLAN should be just that, STIMULUS!!! in the form of lots of money spent!!...The bill should have the government spending as much money as we can possibly afford on all sorts of needed projects all over the country, quickly ...flood every avenue of the market...at this point there is a need to not only create jobs but save them...all that "frivolous/socialist" medical spending is actually hospital jobs saved, the "inappropriate" spending on education IS teachers salaries and all kinds of maintenance jobs on a really BIG scale that are being threatened by state government...all that "PORK", aka social program money, saves social service jobs, and there are A LOT of them. And then it is important to CREATE jobs...construction jobs, factory jobs, technology jobs...When someone says that something is frivolous I wish I could get a breakdown of how many saved and created jobs it actually affects.

For instance: one item in the bill that is getting criticism....500 new smart cars for government employees ...being viewed as if Obama just wants his posse to have new cool rides...I have heard this item alone destroyed on Fox News but it seems to me it creates jobs...it's not fluff. It kick-starts factory production so parts can be made cheaper so one day we all can afford them...combined with tax breaks for big companies that buy these cars for their employees etc.
It snowballs. All of this spending sprinkled LIBERALLY all over the country touches everyone and if done all at once with visible results, can get the demand going again.
It's easy for republicans to say, tax cuts or buy every foreclosed house because they are not in charge so it doesn't matter if it doesn't work. BUT IT DOES MATTER. To all of us.
I wish someone who knew the answer could take every line of the stimulus bill and explain its purpose...and then I wish that the country would LISTEN and try to understand. Then maybe the ridiculous news headlines like, "Obama says, I Screwed Up" and "How do Abortions Create Jobs?" will be replaced with facts.
Come on Republicans. Don't be so fearful of being re-elected and DO THE RIGHT THING.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

5 years ago in NY AKA Quest for Kapusta

Craig and I leaving his and Cami's apartment (Frank Serpico's opera was too loud...watch the movie....)


"Quest for kielbasa "to bring out to heathens in San Diego who think that the crap from Hillshire farms you buy at the Foodmart is related to the actual ambrosia of the gods. Note the awesome adventureness of the transformed San Diegan bravely risking life, limb and frozen toes to acquire delicious polish sausage.


Victory is ours!


Thanks to Cami for sending the pictures.  That was a fun trip.  I got snowed in (obviously) and was delayed returning to San Diego.  Cami and I then went to Rock Center to see the tree.  Cam, you got pics of that?

Matt

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Emmett is EIGHT years old today!

Here is the birthday boy with his new Ranger Bow. Yes, the real thing, baby. We are going to take some great walks in the woods ... falling leaves, watch out!!
He's had a pretty great birthday with more to come in the form
of dates with all his favorite people...the best gift of all, the gift of a good time!!
Benihana and Icecream Cake also completed the wish package.









Happy Birthday Emmett!!
This is the "infinity year", a great year.
We love you quite obviously and completely.xxxxxxxxxooooooooooo


p.s. just a few of the "diamond rings" from emmett over the years.

Monday, February 02, 2009

why we blog.

why do we blog and flicker and youtube and facebook?

does it begin as voyeurism? are we selling our lives..."see how good it is" and do YOU buy it?
are we being creative? is it avoidance? is it simply better than late night tv?
is it now unfortunately such great documentation that we can't give it up?
is it better than a baby book and a photo album and a diary combined? or is it worse?
is it something new entirely? better maybe? is it noticing and sharing and therefore realizing how good our lives are? and why is that necessary to realize how good our lives are?

I am having a bit of angst about the blog as some of the blogs that originally inspired me are practically defunct (you, yes, you :)
So, the questions I have been asking myself....should I just go off line except to family? Would that make it feel "purer"? (whatever.)

Who gives a flying monkeys a*@#!!, right?

Today I really almost wrapped this blog up like a small package and sent it down the chute.
But then I remembered Emmett' s birthday and knew I had to do a post about that..and then Mac's play is coming up...and the CD will be coming out soon...and I really never ever talk to Lauren and rarely Caroline so this is kind of a virtual friend maintainer..and just look at these lovely stones and fossilized shells, I must photograph them for the banner....

And here I am. It's like creative-voyeuristic-self-centered-awesome-heroine that doesn't make you sell (too much) of your soul...if you promise only to do it while everyone is sleeping and to not cut into family time...

And, so, F*** it. I am a girl who needs a creative outlet 24/7. So sue me.