CNN’s I’m Voting Poll

So, I took CNN's I'm Voting poll.

Maybe I think too deeply about the questions and answer choices (or maybe I think too deeply period), but some of the questions, both answers (or at least more than one) I agreed with.

An example:

"What's your opinion on Super PACs?"

Answer choices - "They corrupt the political system." or "They should be protected by the First Amendment."

My answer (out loud): "Yes." (I checked "They should be protected by the First Amendment.", for the record) Reasoning: They should be protected as an expression of speech. Sorry if you disagree or are worried about the rich corrupting the system, but they have that right as American citizens. I also believe they corrupt the political system, but blaming Super PACs for their impact is like blaming the dog you fed sausage and barbecue to this afternoon for the rank stench of their dog-farts. You could have avoided that issue by making an educated choice and not feeding the dog those things. You can avoid the corruption of the political system by Super PACs by educating yourself about the issues and the candidates. And don't just listen to Fox News, MSNBC, or CNN. Listen to all of them, then read (from all sources), then think about what makes the most sense to you. Then, formulate an opinion and be able to defend it. Don't formulate the opinion until you've done ALL of the above (not just part of it).

It's your responsibility to be the most educated and thoughtful of citizens. That doesn't mean we're all going to agree. Different opinions are what make the world work. Besides, without them, it would be boring. I leave this rant with the following quote from The American President:

"America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about "the land of the free".'"

While I would never burn a flag, that is one of the best definitions of what America is that I've ever heard, read, or even written myself.

A Little Personality Profile

I was recently requested to complete a self-descriptive profile and…..well, to be honest, I, intrepid writer and master of fiction that I am, found it difficult to do.

This was a first thought. The final deal was very different, but I think there’s something to this effort.

 

To borrow a line I heard recently, I wish I could be the person my dogs think I am.

This is not an unusual feeling for me.

Because of the rather unusual nature of my personality, there are times I find it hard to accept praise. I often feel embarrassed when others recognize those things I do right and am actually more comfortable hearing where I messed up.

Please don’t think I never mess up.

I see the light in those brown, “puppy-dog” eyes, when I’ve handed them a treat or let them out in the morning or even when I put them in their kennels when it’s time to go to work and I know they feel safe in my presence, protected and cared for.

It’s uncomfortable sometimes, because it’s the same light I’ve seen in the eyes of students and friends, of family and those I love most in this world. It’s a trust, an assurance that they know that I will do everything in my power to take care of them, that I will fight to the death to protect them.

And, with my personality and confidence, I put on a devil-may-care grin and swagger my way through the challenges of that day, leading my team to victory, albeit sometimes only victory of the moral variety. I’m not usually sure how we got to the winner’s circle and, when it comes time to celebrate, I don’t heap the laurel leaves of victory on my own brow. They don’t fit on me. They fit on the others. They belong on those who were made to wear them, while I stand in the background and beam with pride for their achievements, their accomplishments. And then they come back to me, shaking my head, patting me on the back, trust and love pouring out of them into me.

What my dogs (and all of those others) never see are those moments when I doubt. They don’t know the moments when I feel fear. They don’t realize that I am simply a flawed mortal, no different from them.

So, I wish I could be the person my dogs think I am.

The New Coffee Pot

Well, we took the plunge.

We got a Keurig.  And it’s out….wait for it….standing!

I’m now an official K-Cup junkie. So send me your recs for good coffee and I’ll check them out.

By the way, so far my favorites are Folger’s Caramel Drizzle and the Coffee People’s Donut Shop Brew.  And I’m really pretty fond of Emeril’s Big Easy Blend.

So, I’m going now to return to the world of caffeinated bliss that is my kitchen and brew up something.

I’ll be back soon with political updates as Romney continues to march his way to victory through Georg……South Carolina.

Hehehehehe.