Politics as performance art is nothing new but I actually find it intriguin. While her speeches are mostly nonsensical ramblings, taken as free verse, Conan is right – it’s brilliant. Well, maybe NOT brilliant, but at least it is more intelligible. There may be potential there.

Ont the other hand, it is scary to think that she may be one of the first to be able to ONLY communicate in 10 second sound bites. A speech requiring depth of thought, logical reasoning and solid arguments are apparently beyond the scope of her capabilities. We lament the “news” reporters only looking for that fragment of thought that will sound good in the news report, that are capable of sensationalism, that can be lifted in part and used to make any point desired. Not to worry with Sarah. There are only minutes fragments of … what? Insight? Positions?  Critique?  Lunacy?  Humm… let’s just say minute fragments of Sarah Palin. And a constant supply at that! Thanks be to Twitter.

So – for what all has transpired since the advent of the glorious redbud of my previous post, stay tuned.

First off, I should note I have graduated. I now have a Masters’ in Theological Studies. Here is a picture of me at graduation to prove it. It took eight years and lots of reading, writing and traveling. This was my last official walk on the campus of MTSO.

Walking to graduation

Done talking the talk and have walked the walk. Its nice to feel I have my life back. I can move on.

FYI classes are “Spirituality” and “Human Trafficking” – about as far apart on the theological spectrum as one can get.

Peace

the (panicking)  Muse

How about: The poor will be with you always but roaches don’t have to be…

Maybe it’s just because I finished up a big meeting (which seemed to go well), but when I stepped outside in the cold rainy mist, I knew a walk was required of me. It had been pouring most of the morning which was good actually since the prediction was for freezing rain. The temps were up in the upper 30′s and there was mercifully no wind for a change. It was absolutely still. I did stop at home long enough to change my shoes and pick up a book to read while I ate a quick lunch at my favorite spot down on the levee on the Ohio River.

Looking down the Ohio

While I ate and read, I also had one eye on the beautiful Ohio, occasionally swiping the windshield wipers to see through the accumulated drizzle. It was quiet there – only two other cars present. Those people who only think to dine on the river when the weather is pleasant are missing out on a good portion of the beauty being offered.  (Kinda like not going to the beach just because it’s raining – but that’s a different post). In this picture, the lunch spot is on the right bank near the bridge pylon with the white strip on it.

Anyway, as I ate and read and watched, Mother Nature offered more enticement just in case I was thinking of reneging on the walk. Fog began to appear. I smiled. Oh, yes, this was a perfect day for a walk. Huddled in my warm winter coat, umbrella overhead,  I walked along the river to where the Ohio and Muskingum rivers meet- not so much looking around as I followed the river as keeping within myself and letting the heavy air absorb me into itself. If I’d ‘a had really warm raingear on I would have considered sitting down on the banks for awhile. But since I didn’t I just walked. The earlier rain that was a drizzle at lunch was now just a falling mist. The puddles appeared to be undisturbed if you just looked a them while moving along. You had to stop and watch carefully to see evidence of this finest mist as it met the puddle surface. After about a half hour I returned to my warm car… it would have been nice if it had been about five degrees warmer… I would have liked to walk and sit for a longer time.

The title of this little story comes from a fortune cookie I got a few days ago and I had made reference to it in the meeting earlier while talking about HOPE. So I was just thinking – did I want a cold rain? Did I want what most would call a gloomy day? Did I get what I wanted? Maybe not exactly – but I did get exactly what I needed.

Here are the lyrics

Haul out the holly;
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.
Fill up the stocking,
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now.
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute.
It hasn’t snowed a single flurry,
But Santa, dear, we’re in a hurry;
So climb down the chimney;
Put up the brightest string of lights I’ve ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It’s time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For I’ve grown a little leaner,
Grown a little colder,
Grown a little sadder,
Grown a little older,
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder,
Need a little Christmas now.

If that doesn’t describe the yearning of a people who feel beset with the difficulties of today’s world, I don’t know what does. So whether you are of a religious stripe or not, no matter if you want to crank on keeping ‘Christ in Christmas’ or just enjoy the holiday, we allow the season to be rushed in for the hope that accompanies it, swirling around like the invigorating sting of cold blown snow.

Imagine my surprise when in the festive spirit of the season of compassion and serenity and peace, I was slapped upside the head with this opening:

What was so ire-invoking?

1. Mocking real work by Al Gore to bring climate change as an issue into the public focus. As if the environmental concerns aren’t worth the effort.

2. Slaping me in the face with the huge debt as if I had any control over it. Oops – guess I shouldn’t have charged that last war on my VISA. Oh- wait! I didn’t. HE did.

3. My share of today’s debt?! MY SHARE?? I don’t remember agreeing to go on the bail-out date dutch treat!! Actually I distincly remember telling my congressman I didn’t support paying for this bailout. Well – that was the wall street bailout not the auto bailout. Silly me.

I fired off a reply before I even bothered to look at all the ‘good things’ the Senator has been doing for me. The newsletter could have said anything else – I couldn’t get past the headline.

Here’s about what I said:

Thank-you for sending the e-newsletter. (I wanted to be polite)

Although I’m sure you only meant to present the debt figures as information, I didn’t appreciate it… as if I have any control over the debt. The REAL inconvenient truth is that the debt is LARGELY due to an illegal, immoral and unnecessary war in Iraq that YOU voted in favor of.  I resent that you are trying to imply I am somehow not paying my fair “share” of the daily debt. This is an insult to the middle and poverty classes to make us feel guilty for your bail-out of high-financiers and big business.

You have made a mess the world over. Tout that in your newsletter.

A disgusted and angry constituent. (and I put my name on it)

It just pissed me off.

Here’s a little Christmas card just for YOU – from the Muse