Friday Five: Better Late Than Never

Wow! I'm horrible at blogging these days. I didn't realize how much blog writing I did at work until I got a new job with actual work to keep me busy. I don't know how many people still check my blog for updates, but I'm making a spring resolution to blog once a week. Starting today

1. Overall, I was pleased with the Oscars. Loved Hugh Jackman as host, especially his opening song-and-dance number. Last time I blogged, I recommended you see Slumdog Millionare, so I'm glad it won Best Picture. I wish Kate Winslet had won for Revolutionary Road instead of the Reader, but she is incredible in everything she does, so I'm glad she finally won an Oscar.
   
   
2. I've given up caffeine for Lent. I did this last year, and liked the results. This year, my goal is to stay off caffeine after Lent. I might have to make an exception when I am required to stay up all night two Fridays in a row for Relay For Life events. Justified exception. I've been drinking caffeine-free Dr. Diet Pepper and Fresca as I slowly eliminate all carbonated beverages from my diet.
   
   
3. Quote of the Day: "Others take notice of your radiance; share your happiness."
   
   
4. Terrell Owens is no longer a Dallas Cowboy. I'm a fan of this decision. He was the biggest voice in the locker room and more often than not, a divisive presence. I don't have statistics in front of me, but it seemed like Romo threw more interceptions in Owens' direction than any other receiver. This doesn't fix the problems the offense had last season, but at least the quarterback and offensive coordinator's number one priority doesn't have to be Owen's happiness.
   
   
5. Here are a few things that have made me happy lately:
   
   • on-demand channels
   • buying a bridesmaid dress for $25
   • getting back in touch with a friend
   • Nadal beat Federer to win the Australian Open
   • watching the Super Bowl with friends
   • sleeping with the windows open
   • Love Potion #31 ice cream at Baskin Robbins (Rachel, I think this is our favorite flavor from college!)
   • Starbucks Sour Jellybeans (and seasonal candy in general)
   • artichokes
   • being silly with Rachel
   • ringing in the new year with old friends
   
   

Friday Five: Long Time Gone

Wow! I can't believe I haven't blogged in more than a month! I now return to my weekly feature.

1. The new job is going well. January started with a bang. I've started traveling to my territories and made several trips to the Austin office for training and events. I enjoy working with volunteers, and am staying positive about my more challenging events and communities. My boss is encouraging and easy to talk to. My coworkers are friendly and supportive. It's a good fit.
   
   
2. Because of all the traveling I've been doing for work, I haven't been able to establish much of a routine or find a church home. My best bet for a church of Christ here doesn't have any single people my age. The young professionals class I attended was full of married couples. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, but I'd prefer to find some people in the same life stage as me. So I'm still searching for that. I've joined a group of girls that meet once a week for dinner. After three or four weeks, I've determined these aren't the right type of people for me. No one from this group will become a lifelong friend. So I'm "using" them until I find a group where I feel like I belong.
   
   
3. I had a great girls' night with Rachel and Lauren (plus a few add-ons) from college a few weeks ago. We had a blast! It's always fun to spend time with close friends, the kind where you can pick up where you left off, not matter how much time has passed between visits.
   
   
4. Movie Update. I recommend Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Button is a classic "Oscar movie." Very polished and epic. I'd read that it was hard to connect to emotionally, but that wasn't the reaction I had. Can I just add that Brad Pritt is beautiful? Slumdog is at heart a romance, which makes all the critical acclaim bizarre. I have a theory regarding the mostly male movie critics and feminine-oriented films. Critics do not forgive weakness in chick flicks, usually romances, but they forgive all sorts of liberties and flaws in male-oriented films. Slumdog is a violent, gritty film that appeals to males, but it's also a love story. Somehow the so-called flaws of this love story are acceptable because it's in masculine packaging. Anyway, I liked the movie and encourage you to see it. The presentation - colors, soundtrack, editing- is great. Also, the subtitles were part of the presentation instead of a distraction. I also enjoyed the movie Last Chance Harvey with Emma Thompson and Dennis Hoffman. Emma Thompson is fabulous! A grown-up love story. Rachel Getting Married was more emotional than I expected. Anne Hathaway is good. She should take more complex roles like Kym and stay away from fluff like Bride Wars. I'm pretty sure the heat wasn't working in the theatre; I wore my coat and gloves. Gloves! In the documentary genre, I suggest American Teen, a profile of high school seniors in Indiana. It's been compared to a the Breakfast Club (with real people) because it profiles a nerd, a jock, the popular girl, and the quirky outcast. Some parts seem phony, but character of Hannah was enough to keep me invested in the story. Worth a rent.
   
   
5. Book Update. I went on a reading kick and read two novels by Tana French - In the Woods and the Likeness. Both are murder mysteries set in Ireland (!) with well-developed characters, interesting, complex stories and excellent writing. The books are a series, so read In the Woods first.
   

Tagged

Rachel tagged me...

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Moe's
2. Orlando's (Lubbock)
3. Bogie's (Abilene)

4. Joe Allen's or Sharon Allen's (Abilene)

5. Jamba Juice
6. Rockfish
7. Cheesecake Factory (one day I will live in a city that has one!)

8. McAlister's (love that sweet tea!)

8Things that Happened Today:
1. I scraped ice off my car
2. I ate someone else's leftovers
3. I had a "gut check" meeting with my new boss
4. I received Christmas presents from coworkers
5. I wore a scarf for warmth (not fashion!)
6. I bought a Christmas present
7. I drank hot chocolate
8. I cooked dinner

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1. Making double chocolate pumpkin pie for Christmas
2. The year 2009
3. Making new friends in a new town
4. One day, not driving a station wagon
5. The return of LOST on TV
6. Weekends
7. Cowboys games
8. Loving my new job

8 Things I'm Scared Of:
1. Not being good at my new job
2. Not making new friends
3. Missing opportunities
4. Not reducing my debt substantially in 2009
5. Making a huge mistake
6. Losing ANYONE I love
7. Severe pain or serious illness
8. Not realizing my potential

8 Things I Wish For:
1. To live in a house
2. Another international travel adventure
3. Peace
4. Happy, healthy marriage for my sister
5. A baby for Rachel and Joe
6. A job I love (hopefully my new one)
7. The economy to turn around
8. Continued happiness

8 Things I Watch on TV:
1. Pushing Daisies
2. LOST
3. 30 Rock
4. The Office
5. Chuck
6. Bones
7. How I Met Your Mother
8. Ugly Betty

8 People I TAG:
1. Wendy H.
2. Janie
3. Wendy K.
4. Jenise
5. Elisa
6. ABL
7. Megan
8. Terri

Friday Five: New Beginnings

1. I've worked one week at my new job. The week included an evening board meeting and a home meeting in Austin. Next week I actually get to start doing my job and contacting volunteers and setting up meetings. Yay!
   
   
2. I miss the cheap gas prices in Lubbock. I'm paying about 20 cents more per gallon here, but at least the price is dropping.
   
   
3. I went to Wine Wednesdays with the other newbie at work and four girls that work on TV. Being surrounded by 22-year-old TV personalities was a definite change in pace. They make me feel old!
   
   
4. I went to a tumor conference this week. Being surrounded my doctors and nurses for the past six years in Lubbock came in handy because I wasn't totally lost. That didn't mean I knew what I was looking at on CT scans though.
   
   
5. I started my ACS t-shirt connection today. I'm going to collect ACS and Relay for Life shirts quicker than I collected LCU shirts. I didn't think that was possible.
   

News!

I'm moving to Waco to work for the American Cancer Society!

Today was my last day at my old job. I've got a busy weekend of packing ahead of me. I'm heading to Waco to find a place to live on Monday, then on to to GP to spend Thanksgiving with my family. I'll move sometime after Thanksgiving.

It's a quick transition, but I'm exciting! It was time to leave Lubbock.

Happy Friday

I'm skipping the Friday Five format this week.

I'm reading Madam Secretary by Madeleine Albright. It's fascinating to read about the inner-workers of the UN and a White House administration, especially as it parallels to the administrative transition we are experiencing. As ambassador to the UN and Secretary of State, Albright dealt primarily with foreign affairs. Reading about the international response and investment in our election helps remind me that nothing happens in our country without repercussions around the world. That is a lesson I believe the Obama administration understands.

I'm started watching the critically-acclaimed TV series the Wire. I've only watched three episodes, but I'm already invested. The show centers on the drug scene in Baltimore, shown through the eyes of both drug dealers and law enforcement. It aired on HBO, so pretty much everything you associate with those subjects is depicted. The pace is pretty slow through the first few episodes as they set the scene and introduce the characters. From what I understand, the entire show - all five seasons - focused on the same investigation.

Friday Five

1. So I spent four out of five weekends in October travelling. Last weekend I spent $75 on gas, and that was with buying gas for less than $2. I'm excited about staying home this weekend and not spending money. I plan on reading, watching Netflix movies and cooking.
   
   
2. I am the official pie maker for my family. My great grandmother made a delicious chocolate meringue pie for every Thanksgiving and Christmas. After she died, my mom took over the pie-making duties, but she didn't have the patience - or the gene as my family calls it - for the job. So my aunt starting making pies. One Thanksgiving, they asked me to make the peaks on the meringue. Apparently I made such great peaks they determined I must have the gene. Tough criteria. I've decided that because I will be making pies for every holiday until I die, I want to introduce my own pie to to the family tradition. My experiment begins this weekend when I make a German chocolate pecan pie.
   
   
3. Barack Obama is the next President of the United States! Regardless of whether or not you voted for him, the significance of his historic victory is something all Americans can take pride in.
   
   
4. Did you watch 30 Rock last night? Funny and timely, as usual. Sleeping pills that cause "dizziness, sexual nightmares and sleep crime." Two characters, a white woman and a black man, debating who has a harder time in American. Liz Lemon's (Tina Fey) outpouring of personal details to Oprah after taking sleeping pills. Tracy complaining about all the things white people stole from black people, including Will Smith and heart disease. Liz Lemon dressing up as Princess Lei and saying she can hear people's thoughts to get out of jury duty. (I should try that!) Oprah turned out to be a "spunky little tween." Those sleeping pills again!
   
   
5. The Cowboys don't play this weekend, which is probably good for my nerves. Texas Tech plays a big game against Oklahoma State on Saturday. I hope they can sustain their momentum.
   

Friday Five

1. Don't see the movie "The Happening" by M. Night Shyamalan. Awful. The dialogue is cheesy, cliche and unrealistic. The acting was bad. I like Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel, but both were horrible. They didn't have much to work with in terms of character development and dialogue, but they were painful to watch. Shyamalan has officially lost the benefit of the doubt. I didn't see "Lady in the Water" but I heard from several people that it wasn't as bad as the reviews. Now I don't want to give it a chance.
   
   
2. So glad "30 Rock" is back on TV! With Tina Fey's popularity this Fall, I can't believe NBC didn't capitalize on that buzz and launch the show earlier this month and try to build a larger audience. Wasted opportunity. SNL didn't need Thursday specials to drive traffic to their show during this election season. The episode wasn't one of the best, but it's still good. Loved the facial expressions in this episode. If you aren't watching this show, you need to be! If you missed this episode, try watching it on the NBC website. I wrote this Monday night after watching it online.
   
   
3. I voted, and I hope you have to. I love early voting. If you haven't voted yet, don't forget to cast your vote for President on Tuesday! The only time I remember not voting for a major office was the 2002 gubernatorial race. I did all sorts of research to determine who I was going to vote for, and then the night before the election, I found out I was registered to vote in Abilene and not Grand Prairie. I could have driven 300 miles round trip to vote, but I didn't. I've talked to several people the last few weeks that don't plan on voting, and I don't understand that. We live in a democracy, where our voice is our vote. Why choose to be voiceless? Next time you are at your grocery store, pick up the Voters Guide or click here for the Texas edition. You can take it in to the voter's booth.
   
   
4. The Vietnam Ministry of Health has recommended banning small-chested people from riding motorbikes! Why? To improve driver safety of course. I guess their thinking is that larger drivers are less likely to suffer serious injuries if they are involved in an accident. What will we think of next?
   
   
5. So did anyone watch the Obama "infomercial" on Wednesday? I was traveling and missed it. It's an interesting tactic, especially since McCain can't afford to buy the same airtime. I'm curious about the response/backlash and the ratings, although as you read this on Friday, you've probably formed your own opinion after watching it or already know how well it went over.
   

Friday Five

1. Here is a picture of me and Eileen from the Cowboys game a few weeks ago. We had a blast!
   
   
   
2. I spent last weekend in the DFW area. On Saturday, I participated in the Dallas Race for the Cure. So much bigger than the one in my town. Here is a picture of my team - the Pirates.
   
   
3. I can't believe the month of October is almost over! It was 38 degrees when I headed out of the house this morning. I loved it! Today it's chilly with blue skies and sunshine. Those conditions create the perfect Fall day.
   
   
4. I'll be at ACU Homecoming this weekend. Hope to see you there! Next weekend I'll be in the DFW area again. I always seem to be traveling in October.
   
   
5. I haven't read the book "The Shack" since I wrote about my lack of interest in recent post. I probably need to give it up so I can start a book I want to finish. I can't read more than one book at once. Usually that is not a problem because I finish them so quickly.
   
   

Friday Five: Fall Break Edition

1. Oh the joys of working at a university. I have Thursday and Friday off for Fall Break.
   
   
2. Fall makes me happy. I love the seasonal food offerings, specifically pumpkin and eggnog. I've been eating pumpkin bread for breakfast this week. It's store bought and not super, so I've been searching for recipes online and have found a few to try. I'll let you know what's worth making. Not worth it: pumpkin pie blizzard from Dairy Queen.
   
   
3. I tried four new recipes this week: acorn squash quesadillas, chicken apple chili, salmon soft tacos and ginger & cilantro tilapia. How did they fare? Acorn squash is delicious all by itself. These quesadillas took an hour to make and about five pots and pans. Too much work. I could eat acorn squash all by itself. The chicken apple chili was interesting, but not something I'll make again. I like the salmon soft tacos; the cilantro crema had a unique flavor. I'll probably make those again. No report on the tilapia. Jaime took the router with her to Seattle and I haven't set mine up yet.
   
   
4. My poor Cowboys. First, they play poorly and lose. Then, injuries force their starting quarterback, explosive running back and Awesome-Aussie punter off the field. To top it off, the NFL suspended cornerback Adam Jones indefinitely (minimum four games). It's his own fault, but the timing couldn't be worse. At least the Redskins and Giants (!!!!) lost this week. They did sign receiver Roy Williams, which should help, but I worry T.O.'s response could be negative.
   
   
5. My landlords are awesome! Even though I'm losing a roommate and even though they know I'm looking to move out of the city, they are not making me pay Jaime's half of the rent for the rest of the year. It pays to be a good tenant.
   

Friday Five

1. I had a fantastic time at the Cowboys game! What started out as a potential blowout ended up being a competitive game. It's fun to be part of the crowd, especially when you feel like you have an impact on the game. I'll post pictures as soon as I get them from Eileen.
   
   
2. I've decided to follow one of those Couch-to-5K training plans. If you've followed this blog for a while, you know I used to be a runner and then over training (stupid spinning class!) resulted in tendinitis in my left foot. I've had to take several breaks from exercising as a result. I miss running and want to do again, but I don't want to do too much too soon. I figure this slow-build plan should do the trick. Plus I'll keep up the anti-inflammation diet I mentioned in this post.
   
   
3. How many of you have read the book "The Shack?" I'm just not that into it. I had to force myself to read it last night, never a good sign. It's such a cultural and religious phenomenon that I made myself read it. I just don't get what all the fuss is about.
   
   
4. I don't like watching Presidential debates. I'm following the election enough that I don't learn anything from the debates. I didn't watch the one this week, but I read the transcript the next morning. The polls said Obama "won."
   
   
5. I watched two high profile summer movies this week: Iron Man and Sex and the City. Both movies could have been shorter, but I enjoyed them. Jon Favreau seems to be a talented director. Elf and Iron Man couldn't be more different. I didn't like the choices the characters made in Sex and the City. Seemed written to advance the plot and create conflict instead of reflecting the characters well.
   

Friday Five

1. Political Rant of the Week: The Presidential Debate. I don't know how many times McCain said "I don't think Obama understands..." during the debate, but every time he said it, he made me angry. If you listen to Obama, he's obviously educated and knowledgeable, even if you disagree with his policies. He also called Obama or his policies naive several times. Piggybacking on my rant about sexism and politics two weeks ago, can you imagine the response if Biden had said either of those things about Palin? Uproar. If it's OK for McCain, it's OK for Biden; if it's unacceptable for Biden, it's unacceptable for McCain. The same standard should apply. (I wrote this BEFORE the VP debate.)
   
   
2. Blog Discovery of the Week: Foreign Policy Passport. If you are interested in affairs outside the United States, check out this blog by Foreign Policy Magazine. I just started subscribing toit, but I already like it. When I was living abroad, I continued my subscription to Newsweek, and I received the English-language international edition. I like it better because it includes major stories and issues in the United States, but doesn't leave out the rest of the world. Unfortunately, it feels like you have to seek out that international perspective more here in the States than you do elsewhere. And I seek it out. I enjoy the "Morning Brief" post that provides an overview of the top news stories here and abroad. Check it out.
   
   
3. Embarrassing Moment of the Week: Crying at TV shows. Most people that watch TV and find themselves emotionally invested in a show or fictional characters have probably experienced this before. My embarrassment doesn't come from the act of crying but from the TV show that brought me to tears. The O.C. Yep. I'd always heard that the show was good, at least in the beginning, but never checked in out. Then I found out that Warner Brothers was launching thewb.com to stream episodes of their shows. I figured I'd try the show because it wouldn't cost me money. Last night I watched the season one finale and cried. So much pain and separation. I'm still surprised at my reaction.
   
   
4. I'm Art Walking Friday night, Racing for the Cure Saturday morning and dying of happiness at my first ever Dallas Cowboys football game at Texas Stadium Sunday afternoon.
   
   
5. I'm out of things to write about.
   

Friday Five

1. I went to the Opening Night Gala of the Metropolitan Opera... at my local movie theatre. Spending four+ hours in the movie theatre after a day at work was uncomfortable, but overall it was a neat experience. Going to the opera at the movie theatre has several benefits. It's cheaper than the real thing, they provide subtitles so you know what is going on, and the shots are up close and personal so you can actually see the facial expressions of the singers. I'd like to go to an opera in person, but until that day, watching the opera in HD at the movie theatre is a good option.
   
   
2. Last week I killed my iPod nano. A day of mourning indeed. The new nanos had just been released, so I ordered a (PRODUCT) RED nano online. It arrived Wednesday. It's so pretty. Because you have to purchase the (PRODUCT) RED editions directly from Apple, I had never seen one in real life. The color is so vibrant. Here's the story of how I killed my iPod. I still can't believe it. I put my iPod, which I keep in a hard, plastic case, in the outer, narrow pocket of my purse. I sit my purse down next to my chair at the movie theatre. I open my smuggled Sprite Zero, and it explodes, with Sprite Zero falling on the ground. And into the outer, narrow picke of my purse, apparently. I leave the movie theatre, get into my car, and plug my iPod into the car charger/iTrip. The volume is strangely low. I turn the volume up and nothing happens. Then my iPod just quits. I give it a few minutes to reboot; still nothing. I look at my iPod and think, "Odd. It looks wet. Oh no." I unplug it from the charger, and Sprite Zero drips out. My heart sinks. I Google ways to fix my iPod. General consensus is that iPods are resiliant creatures, and will dry out and work fine, unless, of course, electricity passes through and fries them. Oops.
   
   
3. TV Show to Watch: Firefly. This short-lived but excellent science fiction drama holds up after multiple viewings. Great characters, fun dialogue and creative stories. Joss Whedon of "Buffy" fame created the series. Every once in a while, usually after I see Nathan Fillion (Waitress) in something, I get in the mood to watch it. It's completely different than anything you've ever seen, and that is a good thing.
   
   
4. Thursday night television is back! If only NBC had aired an episode of 30 Rock, the night would have been perfect. Jim proposed to Pam in the rain on the office! Awww.
   
   
5. I don't really have a political rant of the week; I must not have been paying attention. I do hope there is a debate or not. Regardless of whether I truly understand what is going on with the economy and the best way to fix it, I'd like to hear what the candidates have to say about it.
   

Friday Five

I'm a little bit annoyed with Blogger right now. I typed part of my post in Outlook and then copied it to Blogger. When I hit the "Publish Post" button, I was told my HTML was unacceptable. No matter what I tried, it wouldn't go away. So I had to retype this entire post. If you read it to the end, you will understand why I'm so annoyed.

1. New Music Discover: The Wailin' Jennys. LOVE the name. If you like female singer/songwriters with gorgeous harmony, you'll like this Canadian folk band. When they aren't singing traditional folk songs, they write songs independently, and take the vocal lead on songs they write.
   
   
2. Movie Update: Son of Rambo. This British film about two boys that make a home movie about the son of Rambo on a search to rescue his dad is adorable. I started smiling during the opening credits, and that sense of enjoyment never left. The soundtrack added to the somewhat whimsical nature of the movie. Rent for a feel-good, upbeat movie experience.
   
   
3. Book Recap: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Janie was right; this was a good book. Here are my three favorite quotes, one from each section.
   
   "Still, despite all this, traveling is the great true love of my life. I have always felt...that travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. I am loyal and constant in my love for travel... I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, cocky, restless newborn baby - I just don't care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it is mine. Because it looks like me. It can barf all over me if it wants to - I just don't care."
   
   "We're miserable because we think that we are mere individuals, one with our fears and flaws and resentments and mortality. We wrongly believe that our limited little egos constitute our whole entire nature. We have failed to recognize our deeper divine character. We don't realize that, somewhere within us all, there does exist ad Supreme Self who is eternally at peace."
   
   "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it and sometimes travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you...leak away your innate contentment. It's easy enough to pray when you are in distress, but continuing to pray when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to it's good attainment."
   
   Bonus quote: "He's got a smile that could stop crime."
   
   
4. Best News of the Week: I'm going to a Cowboys game! I love the Dallas Cowboys. My obsession started in high school for no apparent reason. I used to pain my fingernails blue and silver to celebrate the start of every season. In the majority of my high school pictures, I'm wearing a Cowboys shirt. I even took a Cowboys-themed senior picture. On a clear day, from a certain spot near my high school, I could look toward Irving and see Texas Stadium, something I did every time I drove past this spot. I have never been to a Dallas Cowboys football game. That changes on Oct. 4! My awesome sister somehow got her hands on two tickets for the game and game them to me as an early Christmas present. Best. Present. Ever.
   
   
5. Political Rant of the Week: Sexism and Politics
   (Yep, I'm going to rant every week. Whether you agree or disagree with me, hopefully you will do your own research and engage with this campaign. And vote, Wendy H.! No excuses! I'll try to keep them balanced, but right now it's the Republicans are doing and saying stupid, offensive things. I'm sure the Democrats will get their turn. Joe Biden has never had a successful bid for president for a reason.)
   
   I start this rant by acknowledging that sexism, racism, ageism, etc. exist in this country and are part of the campaign narrative. I believe that true sexism should be challenged when it exists. False charges of sexism for personal, or in this case, political gain, should not be tolerated. And that is what the McCain campaign and the Republican machine are currently engaged in. It's insulting. I'm sorry, but asking someone running for president or vice president about their experience, qualifications, opinions and world view is not disrespectful or sexist. Now, the argument and discourse about the Palin can be a good mom/wife and VP can be sexist because Biden isn't being asked the same thing. However, Biden has made his commitment to his family part of the discourse because of his decision to take the train home every night to Delaware.
   
   I just read an opinion piece in Newsweek that set off this rant. The author seemed to imply that asking female politicians tough questions is inherently sexist. She said she thought Charlie Gibson was sexist in his interview with Palin. She was offended that she and Palin were given a "foreign policy exam" in their interviews. The author, the first female every nominated for the vice presidency, said, "But who the the hell does he (Gibson) think he is, acting professorial and getting impatient and annoyed because she didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was. Frankly, I'd never heard it called the Bush Doctrine either, although I know what Bush's foreign policy is."
   
   (CAVEAT: I read a transcript of the interview but did not watch it. I thought it was going to be aired much later than it was. So his tone and non verbals could have been sexist. I read the questions and thought they were fair.)
   
   I did a Google search on the Bush Doctrine, and it's a fairly common term. Obama and Biden have each been asked how their doctrines would differ from Bush's. I can't see how the question was inherently sexist, and I think Palin did a decent job of answering the question, even if she didn't say exactly what Gibsom wanted her to. Does the author consider the fact that Palin in completely unknown and these questions are being asked so we, THE VOTERS, can make our minds up about her? No one is asking Biden these questions because he's been around forever and the media knows him. A Google search let me know everything I want to know about him. That is not the case with Palin. As a major and governor in Alaska, she hasn't had foreign policy experience. (The ability to see Russia from her state does not count.) She didn't even have a passport until 2007! Without these questions, how am I supposed to be an informed voter? It doesn't make me sexist for wanting to know her answers. No one said the media was being racist (or sexist) when they questioned Obama's experience and qualifications during his campaign against Hilary. So you can question a male's experience, but when you question a female's, it's sexist?
   
   But this quote from one of McCain's spokesmen about Tina Fey's portrayal of Sarah Palin is a perfect example of what I'm ranting about. By the way, I thought the skit was hilarious and spot on and the only good thing about the season premier of SNL.
   
   Fiorina: Well, I think that she looked a bit like her. I think that, of course, the portrait was very dismissive of the substance of Sarah Palin, and so in that sense, they were defining Hilary Clinton as very substantive, and Sarah Palin as totally superficial. I think that continues the line of argument that is disrespectful in the extreme, and yes, I would say, sexist in the sense that just because Sarah Palin has different views than Hilary Clinton does not mean that she lacks substance. She has a lot of substance.
   
   So suddenly it's sexist to compare and contrast two politicians? Objectively, Hilary has more experience than Palin, not just different experience. How can reporting that be sexist? How can thinking someone lacks substance by sexist? That comment is just as bad as when the Republicans accused Obama of making a sexist remark directed at Palin when he made his comments about pigs and lipstick. Quit insulting my intelligence. Most people can recognize sexism when they see it an don't need people fabricating something.
   
   Now, in all credit to Palin, I haven't read anything about her saying Gibson and every other journalist covering here is sexist. But she did say this about Hilary's claims of sexism during her campaign. "When I hear a statement like that coming from a woman candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism, or maybe a sharper microscope put on her, I think, 'Man, that doesn't do us any good, women in politics, or women in general, trying to progress this country.'" So why is she letting McCain and the Republican machine cry "sexism" on her behalf?
   
   It does do more harm than good. It should backfire on them, but it probably won't. It's going to make it harder to stop real sexism if we focus on false charges.
   
   And that is my political rant of the week. And the end of my post. Did anyone make it to the end?
   

Friday Five

1. I've had two short work weeks. Last week included the Labor Day holiday, and this week I took Monday and Tuesday off to go wedding dress shopping with my sister. Short work weeks are fabulous.
   
   
2. I'm just finished reading the "Twilight Saga" book series. In case you haven't heard of it, it's a Young Adult series, aimed mainly at girls I would assume, about a normal teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. The first book is being made into a movie to be released around Thanksgiving. It's like Harry Potter for girls. Apparently there was a reader backlash against the final book, but I don't really understand the hate. I like the simple cover design of the books and the appropriate color choice (see examples.) The books are a quick and enjoyable read.
   
   
3. I don't offend easily; I never have. But the Republicans offended me during the convention. I support Obama, but I've always generally liked McCain, well, until he became Candidate McCain. During the convention, both Giuliani and Palin attacked Obama (to be expected because that is what happens at these conventions) for his service as a community organizer. They treated that position with absolute contempt and disgust, which upsets me. I'm not a community organizer, but I am involved in my community and do not take kindly to people that undermine the great work community volunteers do. People who use their talents and resources to make their communities better should be commended not scoffed at. I just keep thinking of all the great people I work with and how much time and energy that put out to do everything in their power to make our community better. Our country has always relied on community organizers and grassroots efforts. As a female, would I even be able to cast my vote for president, would Palin even be on the ticket, if it wasn't for the people that fought for my rights, and did it as outsiders? It's also unsettling that so many Republicans supported and cheered the negative view of community organizers that Giuliani and Palin share. Anyway, I'm angered and offended, and I will not be voting for John McCain. Oh, and that wolf ad McCain has out now claiming Obama will try to destroy Palin? Wow. During campaign season I wish we lived in England where the candidates actally had to talk about issues because they use public financing. It's much more civil and educational.
   
   
4. I'm off work today. Apparently the city flooded (and I'm far away from the Hurricane) and our campus shut down. I've worked there five years and never once has the campus closed, even on snow days when the rest of the city shut down. They didn't send out text messages as part of the emergency communication plan like expected, so I showed up to work as usual.
   
   
5. I'm about to start reading "Eat, Pray, Love." Janie said the beginning is annoying she the author wines about divorce that she instigated, but once you get past that part, the book has a lot to offer. So I'm trusting her judgment and trying the book. Here's hoping. Anyone else read it?
   

Friday Five

Five Things I Think I Think (Who knows where I "borrowed" that phrase?)

1. Sarah Palin. Really? I'm still thinking this decision over days after the announcement, which I guess was part of the plan. The Republican party definitely took the story away from the Democrats, but it hasn't all been positive. I don't like what this choice says about McCain. It seemed so rash. He only met her once before asking her to be his running mate, and potential leader of the free world. She gave an interview last month saying she didn't know what the VP does and that the job didn't seem productive. The cynic in me sees this choice as a blatant political move. "The Democrats didn't nominate a female president, so I'm going to nominate a female VP and all those Clinton supports will become McCain supports." Palin and Clinton don't appear to have anything in common other than gender. I would hope McCain has better judgment than that. Same goes for the voters. Her selection has also set off another round of Mommy Wars. Will those other end? What is interesting is that the Republics are defending her for things they traditionally criticize and the same goes for the Democrats. Politics as usual. As a person, she appears to have a compelling personal story.
   
   
2. Brett Favre in his Green Bay Packers uniform everywhere to market the 20th anniversary of Madden NFL on Xbox. Brett Favre playing for the New York Jets in 2008. Gotta love that. (How wrong does Favre look in a Jets uniform?)
   
   
3. Has anyone ever tried Pandora to listen to music? The new computers we have at work have embedded speakers, so I can plug my external speakers into my iPod and still listen to music or videos on my computer, which is a nice change. I don't love Pandora because I just found it, but listening to free music online is a great thing, especially when it's customized to match your taste.
   
   
4. Microsoft Vista. Can't make up my mind about it. Do you use it? Do you like it? It seems dumbed down a little to me. At work everyone received a new computer running Vista. I didn't use mine all summer because I was at camp. The first few days back I couldn't get any work done because so many programs weren't running properly. And Bloglines, the program I use for RSS alerts, isn't compatible with Vista. Boo! But I can subscribe to RSS feeds in my inbox with Outlook. I like that. No one will ever know I'm not working.
   
   
5. I'm ready for Fall to arrive. It stayed in the 70s here yesterday, and it was so nice. It was a short reprieve from the heat, but it made me crave cool days, colorful leaves and everything else that comes with my favorite season.
   

Friday Five: One Week Late

I'm so out of the habit of writing on this here blog that I up and forgot to write a Friday Five post last week, after I advertised it and everything. Oops. But today, I do have five things to share with you.

1. I've been watching tennis for the first time all summer! Gotta love the US Open. Just turn to USA on a weekday to catch a tennis match or CBS on the weekends. The night matches that start at 6 p.m. are usually entertaining.
   
   
2. I made a delicious salmon with blackberry brandy sauce last night. Thanks to Steamy Kitchen for the recipe. My sauce was a little tart, so next time I'm going to add more blackberry preserves to sweeten it.
   
   
3. Check out my friend Janie's blog, "Inside the Sparkling." Be sure and read the great explanation for the blog name in the "About" section.
   
   
4. Even though I spent my summer in the mountains, I managed to not read a single book that entire time. That fact blows me away because I love reading. With all the reruns on during the summer, I usually devour books in that time span. I must have missed being absorbed in great book because I picked up a book last week and read it from start to finish in one night, with the Olympics on mute in the background.
   
   
5. I said I would prove I spent my summer outdoors, and here is your proof. My friend Jenise visited and we hiked to the "crevice." (I have no idea how to spell that word. Pronounce that word with a French accent, and you are probably saying it correctly.)
   
   

Back in the Saddle

I'm back in Texas. I was not prepared for the heat. I wore a sweatshirt every night this summer.

Monday was my first day in the office since the Thursday before Memorial Day. Wow! I'm pretty sure the few readers I had deserted this blog when I stopped writing this summer, but now I'm back to regular blogging. I'll be posting pictures from Canada in the next few days, as well as proof that I actually spent my summer in the middle of nature. And of course, the return of Friday Five! I know you can't contain your excitement.

There's a First Time for Everything

The summer has been going along smoothly. Time moves so slow up here. I talk about things that happened at the beginning of the week, and they seem so far away I can barely remember them.

It finally started raining, and we had our first campfires two weeks ago. We got six inches of rain in four days this week. The forest needs it, but that quantity is bad for the camp because activities have to be postponed.

We had a great week. Some drama of course, but overall, a fun, unique week. How did I end it? While the campers were getting ready to leave, I was firing an employee. Yuck. First time I ever had to do that, and hopefully the last. It gets worse. This person didn't have a car, so I had to wake her up and let her know so she could get a ride back with someone that was leaving camp today. Not ideal circumstances. I'm comfortable with the decision, however unhappy it makes me, and I keep telling myself I had to do what was best for the camp, even if it was difficult. This whole camp experience is definitely beneficial and extremely educational.

In more upbeat news, I'm getting a break from this camping life and leaving for Canada on Thursday. I'm leaving my counselor unsupervised, which is hard because they are so exhausted. They are a good group and I don't worry about them too much, but because they are so exhausted, it will be easier for them to be lazy. They'll be OK. I'm taking 12 people to Toronto, Montreal and Quebec. It should be fun!

Nadal won Wimbledon! I so wish I could have seen it! And Venus won! My two favorite tennis players won my favorite tennis tournament.

Time to get back to work. Have a great day!