This week is a wash. Might as well blog.

I typically start my work morning checking my two email boxes (one for Chamber, one for Tourism). Then I check my friends' blogs, then sometimes Slate, the Hometown newspaper's opinion page (inevitably lame) and the Hometown radio station's opinion page (more lively, but way more stupid people). And sometimes I blog. And then I get to work.

This morning I perused slate.com in search of a blog topic, and hit on this one: http://www.slate.com/id/2204599/. It's about repurposing big box stores after they move out and build a bigger store down the street.

That is exactly what is happening in Hometown. Currently, we have a small, crowded, really annoying Walmart. Down the street 1/4 mile, they are busy building a big, not-so-crowded, but probably still really annoying Super Walmart. The two locally-owned grocery stores in town are not pleased, and they are not alone, but they are countered by the people who want and maybe even need the convenience of a bigger Walmart.

Now, y'all can probably guess where I stand on Walmart. Their corporate value structure deserves its own level of hell. The race-to-the-bottom, consumption-mad, super-hideous right-wing orthodoxy, mostly anti-community, anti-beauty-and-quality values its spews should keep me not only out of the stores, but actively protesting them.

But I don't. I still hate Walmart, but sometimes I just gotta go there! I'll save that for another post.

So, anyway, down the road...there once was a stand of large trees surrounding a pond. All around this pocket of beauty there was development--grocery store, mid-sized factory, Sonic. But Walmart is building their new place there, so the big yellow machines came in, drained the lake, CHIPPED all the trees into useless mulch, completely remolded the land to flatten for building and parking and...is that a new lake?! Not sure. Why they couldn't just add on to the other, I don't know. There was room.

And now Hometown is faced with the prospect of a really big, ugly, empty store right on the edge of a big, ugly strip mall.

I have some hope after reading that Slate article. There is some really cool stuff that could be done there. But, in Hometown, we have these awesome brick Victorian buildings, most of them also empty, that used to be a military school and, frankly, I'd rather see them used first. And we have a number of potentially beautiful buildings Downtown that I would also like to see first, including a really big one that used to be a J.C.Penney's--the first generation of box store. I especially want to see them filled first because there are loud idiots around who say stupid things like 'just tear those old buildings down!'

I have made peace with a lot of stupid views, but one I just can't stand and can't get is the view that old buildings should be bulldozed and replaced...with what? Aluminum-sided shit boxes that you can find ANYWHERE? I can't take it! I just want to shove something in their mouths to shut them up. Go medieval. I mean, it makes no sense--no historical sense, no economic sense, no aesthetic sense. Shhhh...calm down.

So...what will happen to our old Walmart? Maybe it'll burn to the ground and return to pastureland. More likely it will sit empty for a good long while, or become the new unemployment office. Back to work.

My Blog Needs More Pictures. I know that.

I'm just not good about using gadgets. I've been very slack about taking pictures of my kids, let alone getting them developed. I've been out of saline solution for two days, for God's sake. Getting pictures developed is practically Herculean. Mom--good task for you on your next visit?

In the meantime, I'll entertain you with things my children have said.

Stevie first. That kid is very, very smart. All four of us were in bed last night. Kevin was quickly off to the land of nod, and I had just finished reading three really cool story books to the boys. Having done that, I picked up "Buddhism Without Beliefs" for myself. I had pulled it off the bookshelves earlier that evening after finishing "The Year of Living Biblically", which I recommend. I just love sitting in front of my books and deciding which one to read. It's like opening a present.

Anyway, I've had "Bw/oB" for a long time and thought I'd give it a try. I started reading, and Stevie reads the title and says he knows who the Buddha is. "How do you know that?" I asked, because I couldn't recall any in-depth conversations I've had with him about Buddha. He told me that Buddha was a prince who went in search of happiness, meditated for a long time, and found the answer! How the hell did he know that?

So I told him a little about the four noble truths--we all suffer; we suffer because we want stuff; to stop suffering stop wanting stuff; and here's how to do that. Or something to that effect. And he said, "But if you stop wanting stuff, you will no longer want to be happy." (Ah! Very good, grasshopper! The absence of wanting IS happiness. Or something to that effect.) Thirty seconds later he said, "I know a rock song that would be good for Buddhists. 'You Can't Always Get What You Want.'"

Now, how cool is that? How does the 8-year old brain throw a logic curve into the base of a philosophy/religion that's been around for many millenia? I was impressed.

Now, Mark. Mark loves making a mess, and he loves colors. You can imagine what happens when we get the paints out. Or when he is left alone in the bathroom with drawers full of hair product and makeup. Not long ago, he 'painted' his fingernails and toenails (and much of the surrounding skin) with Sharpie. More recently, he got into my hair gel, glopped it all in one spot on the back of his head, and later complained that he had "curlies" in his hair. Translation = tangles. I don't know where he got "curlies", but he couldn't have come up with a cuter word.

On Sunday, I painted my toenails. And Mark wanted his painted, too. So I did. He spent the morning running around in his green thongs, painted toes displayed in all their cherry red glory. Later, he wanted to ride his bike. Here's the exchange:

Kevin: "If you want to ride your bike, you need to put on socks and shoes."
Mark: "I don't want to put on socks and shoes. I want to wear my thongs."
Kevin: "Sorry buddy, you need to put on socks and shoes. Head upstairs and grab your shoes."
Mark (heading up the stairs, speaking to those behind him): "It's going to mess up my toes!"

I can't top that. Good day, dear reader.

So Much Interesting Stuff

What should I write about?

1. My visit to a plantation on Friday, complete with four women in hoop skirts, to welcome a group of mostly black travel writers who are interested in the slave quarters there, and the host, "Winky", an absolute delight of a woman who is turning a spry 83 despite decades of smoking and drinking sherry.

2. The books I'm reading--Tipping Point and The Year of Living Biblically. The latter is written by the guy who read the entire encyclopedia. The new book is about his year of following the Bible as literally as possible and all that he learns in the process. It's so interesting, I'm actually thinking of reading the Bible. That is quite a leap, dear reader.

3. There were more, and now I've forgotten them.

4. Ummmmm...I could write about how I've been exercising and am already seeing and feeling the results, how my skin has started to clear, my general outlook is much less stressful, how taking care of myself a little bit is reaping big rewards. But I just did.

5. I'm going to get to work. That is one thing that just doesn't slow down. The good news? No meetings today! Just 6 hours or so of sitting at my desk, working. Ahhh...

I will write about #1. I had a fabulous time.

Tuesday Afternoon

It's appropriate that that post title came to me in a flash. For the last three days, I've had Moody Blues songs stuck in my head. Nothing against the Moody Blues, but their music can be as damp and heavy as this chilly November weather, and I don't want my night on butter yellow cotton to turn into Nights in White Satin immediately upon awakening!

With that song in my head, I trudged outside this morning and took down a bit of electric fence to allow the horses and cows into the south pasture and fresh grass. I stepped over another dead, half-eaten chicken to get there. Damnit! I'm hoping to have a FEW chickens left! Still, it's nice to see my animals enjoying fresh, untrampled grass.

I was almost finished getting ready, the boys had left, and I sat down in front of Good Morning America. Alicia Keys came on as part of their 'fall concert series'. Usually, those morning show music performances are just awful--bad talent, lackluster crowd--I mean, it's a morning TV show! Not exactly the place to kick out the jams.

But Alicia Keys elevated herself above the setting. I actually got a little choked up! She is just really, really good. She can sing, play, write, she's absolutely a joy to look at, and she radiates joy as well! I'm pretty convinced that the number of dancers on stage is in inverse proportion to the talent of the lead singer, and we see a LOT of dancers on stage these days. But Ms. Keys, all she needs is a piano and a microphone. It is refreshing to see a successful musician who packs a powerful wallop of pure talent.

It doesn't mean I'm going to buy her albums--her music is not really my style. But I'm impressed and will definitely check out her foundation that helps kids with HIV in Africa. Even her charity is good.

What else. I had a big heart-to-heart with the two interns who work in the tourism office. In many places, they would have been fired ages ago. One is too ramped up--she panics about things, can't work through a to-do list, and she misses work and has not perfected the art of calling and letting people know that. The other has an astonishing lack of basic office skills. My big plans for her running a project have quickly broken down until my new big goal is teaching her how to properly fold and send a business letter. We're not even close to the place where she can actually draft a business letter for me.

My job experience--even the crappy one I had under my last awful boss at the Hill--is really helping me be a decent boss. I've done about every shit detail there is to do. I've been there. I've been unqualified for things, had to go through the humiliation of hearing that, have thought about things I've done and said while doing a job and winced. I have a lot of sympathy for the people I'm in charge of now, and I'm trying to all of us better. I've learned that a friendly, curious, want-to-get-better attitude is probably the #1 attribute that I want in an employee and a co-worker. Skills can be taught--but someone with that sort of attitude picks them up a lot faster. So these gals have caused quite a bit of stress, but putting them out of a job is a serious thing and, if they're willing--REALLY willing--I'm game for helping them. And it's nice to find myself in a position where I can. I'm pretty happy with the way I'm turning out.

And that brings me to the final thing I want to write about today--stress. I'm doing much better! I've been exercising about 4-5 days a week and the difference in my energy and outlook is remarkable even after just a few weeks! We're still poor, but we're getting by. Kevin works all the time and it really helps his mental outlook when I live with that. When he starts moving on his huge to-do list, he does much better. Stevie is still stressed out. How do you know you're stressed? When the smallest of things puts you over the edge. Stevie is still there, but I can only help him if I continue to work on me (I'm still there--sometimes). It will come together.

I hope you're doing well, whoever you are. Have a wonderful day, dear reader!

The Bellweather Cracked. Huzzah!

It’s 5:48 a.m., and I couldn’t wait any longer to see which way Missouri went. After much perusal of the local news, I finally saw that McCain got Missouri’s _____ electoral votes—by 5,868 votes out of nearly 3 million votes cast. That’s a squeaker.

But I’m so proud of Ohio! And Pennsylvania! And Florida (the Great Schlep worked)! And Virginia!? Wow. I haven’t heard about North Carolina because local news is only interested in weather and crime. Sometimes I lament our lack of cable and internet. But you’ll be thrilled to hear that I’m typing this post on my new, refurbished, clunky-but-sturdy laptop, in the comfort of my own home. It was $235, does everything I need it to do, and it was delivered right to my office, in person, instead of me having to suffer through a computer-shopping nightmare. Back to the election!

So…this post. It’s going to be a scattered one because I have many thoughts about yesterday’s events.

First of all…REJOICE!!! Four years ago, I was up to the wee hours, a very sour feeling spreading through my gut, and I went to bed with tears of frustration and even desperation streaming down my cheeks.

Last night I went to bed relatively late, but with tears of joy and pride (pride!) drying on my face. Great speech—and what a relief to have a President who can speak! It was very evident that President-Elect Obama gets what’s ahead for him and for us. I think he’s got what it takes. I really do. I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership lately and Obama’s emphasis on personal responsibility won me over. That and his seeming willingness to surround himself with experts and ask for their advice; I appreciate intellectual curiosity in a President. I am hopeful that it will all pan out.

I just saw that Ted Stevens won in Alaska. That is ridiculous! I have serious doubts about the judgment of Alaskan voters.

But I can deal, because Americans elected a black president last night. That is just outstanding. It’s really possible! And it means that women are soon to follow. I am SO GLAD that it wasn’t Palin—she does not deserve the honor of being the first woman vice president or (gasp!) president! Obama, on the other hand, seems to deserve the honor he was given yesterday. I hope. I hope. I hope.

When I heard that people in France were thrilled about our choice, I let out a little cheer. As I’ve said, my #1 issue is how the next leader will guide this big ‘ol country through the murky waters of the world, and to hear that there is hope on behalf of world leaders is a thrill. Maybe this country that I love won’t be seen as such an ignorant bully anymore. We have a lot of work to do in that regard, but things are looking up.

And—WHEW!!—big relief on the Supreme Court front! Let’s put in our order for young, hearty justices who like to ‘legislate from the bench’. I like those kinds of justices. They are the kind who integrate our schools (read up, Palin—especially if you really are going to be on the national scene for awhile. Shudder.).

On the homefront, Missouri elected a Democratic governor and attorney general, and handily re-elected a capable Democratic Secretary of State. I’m pretty happy about all that. Locally, Hometown’s annexation went down—but that frees up money for other things! And since the casino loss-limit was lifted and the voters decided to not allow any more casinos to be built in Missouri, that sweet casino money will continue to flow into Hometown’s coffers. The two Republicans I voted for won—one with only 100 or so votes even though he put in about 100% more work and money in the campaign. Both men are members of the Chamber board.

What else. I’m thrilled. I know that. I know that it’s the exact opposite feeling than the one we all endured four years ago. I thought a lot about my Hill friends (and my Ohio family), and how we watched Kerry’s next-day concession speech in the cafeteria. And wept. And then everyone went to my place and we drank and ate much-needed comfort food. I am celebrating with you today! In spirit!

I liked McCain’s speech last night. He was gracious and I think he showed the side of himself that he should have shown more of during the campaign. Two negatives. The first was the rude crowd, booing Obama. That is so not cool, but I’ll chalk it up to frustration. McCain has some work to do to restore the honor that he talks about among his followers. (Palin might be too far in the hole to ever crawl out.) I was happy to hear that the huge crowd in Grant Park did NOT boo McCain during his speech. That is the difference I’m hoping for across the country. I’m going to do my part. I really am.

The other slight problem was when McCain said something about this victory being a victory for African Americans. I think he meant the best by it—it was certainly a historic and joyful time for a group of people who probably never thought they’d live to see this. But it was a victory for ALL of us. Maybe he said that in other ways during the speech (remember—I’m not online and can’t look up the transcript. Blast!), but he didn’t come right out and say it directly. And that is one of the problems facing the Republican party—this ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality. I’m reminded of a woman in Virginia who feared that Obama, if he won, would only work for ‘his people’ and ignore ‘the rest of us’. If the Republicans don’t get out of the dark ages on this one and start appealing to people who don’t say stupid shit like that, or yell “Vote for McCain—you’re white!” from their pickup trucks, they’re not going to make it in an increasingly diverse U.S. And I hope they stop courting my least-favorite group of voters—White Evangelicals. Maybe this election will awaken the fiscally-conservative, small government Republicans. Maybe this election has given the non-neocons some hope.

A reporter just showed the crowd in Grant’s Park, Jesse Jackson crying, and she said “At times, overcome by what they were witnessing—their first African American president.” And it hit me again. And I’m crying—again! All the mistrust of the two parties, the money and corruption, all that has been put in a little box—for now. I’m going to be watching. I’m going to write letters and speak out. I’m going to do my part to be less partisan, to listen respectfully, and I’m going to continue to realize that no one party has a lock on intelligence, or good ideas, or reasons for believing the way they do.

Except when it comes to Ted Stevens and the people who voted for him. I mean, come ON! We’re going to elect convicted crooks who abuse their position? That’s just stupid. AND it’s a total slap in the face to our democracy! Come on Alaska, get your head out of your ass. But the newly hopeful Lulu says…maybe the Democrat was a real loser.

Finally, when Obama listed the groups of Americans who won last night, and included among them ‘gay and straight, disabled and not disabled”, it wasn’t lost on me. Hoo-RAH! THAT is what a Democrat should be. Maybe there’s hope for the Democrats, too.

(Later) OK, one last thing. I gave my sons an extra big hug this morning when they left, and pulled Stevie aside for a minute. He knows that this is historic and why it is historic. I told him that I was thrilled that this thing that many of us doubted would happen in our lifetime came to pass. I was thrilled that he was going to grow up in an America where this psychological barrier was shattered--and where it will soon be shattered for women, too. That we get closer all the time to living up to the ideals in our founding documents. And you know what? That kid was happy! He was bouncing all around the house this morning, occasionally pausing in front of the TV to watch the news. He gets it, and I love it.

Congratulations, America! I love ya.

Republicans and Meat

I Voted! I was very excited about it, too. I was going to take Stevie with me, but he bailed this morning. If I picked him up from school today, we were going straight to the polls. If daddy picks him up, it's straight to the computer for games (after homework). He voted for the latter. So much for democracy.

No lines! Well, I waited for a minute or two behind these two old women who had a hard time signing their names. But after that, it was straight to the voting room. I picked up my big, sturdy cardstock ballot and began filling in the arrows that were pointing to the candidates and issues I wanted elected and passed.

I voted for Obama. Gobama! Let's turn this red state BLUE!

I voted for Democrats in the state races. I voted for two Republicans on the local level, and left the other local races blank. The Chamber hosted a Meet the Candidates night last week (yours truly kept the time and held up the "30 seconds" and "STOP" signs) and the local candidates are good and the party platform has nothing to do with what their job duties call for.

I voted to increase the size of Hometown--an issue that went down in the primary vote because of three votes among the folks in the annexed area. Now it needs a combined (Hometown and Annex Zone) 2/3 majority to pass.

So there ya go. I'm itching for 6 p.m. CST to come, when I can turn on the TV to see what happened on the East Coast (and PA . . . and Ohio . . .). Go Pennsylvania!

As for Halloween night, it was loads better than last year. I'll try to get some pictures of all these happenings loaded up soon. Both my boys went in last year's costumes! Stevie was a ninja--sans red flame embellishments. He spent the evening creeping up on people. Mark went as the cutest little Indian ever, copying everything his brother did. I painted 'war stripes' on his cheeks and nose with marker. The kid loves make-up. He embellished himself the very next day--with Sharpie.

I'm going to get to work. Happy voting, everyone!