And the Nominees Are...

The 57th U.S. presidential election will be held on November 6, 2012. So far, there are 16 republicans and two democrats, one running in the green party, one in the libertarian, two in the prohibition, one in the socialist and three in the independent party (who, I might add, includes Roseanne Barr and Robert "Naked Cowboy" Burck).

I believe that every American should be involved in the election process. I know, I know. What's the point with the electoral college? The point is to care about the affairs of your nation and take a stand on government issues. Now that you know how I feel about the upcoming election, I will tell you how I feel about a couple of the candidates.

Michele Bachmann of Michigan is married to Marcus Bachmann, who is a clinical psychologist. Together, they have five children, and the couple owns Bachmann & Associates, which is a Christian counseling clinic. Michele holds a law degree from William & Mary and has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2006. I like her Christian values but I think she's one of those God-fearing people who wants to make everyone else be Christian. I'm a Christian and of course, all Christians want everyone else to be a Christian, but I'm completely against forcing any belief on anyone. Plus, she recently switched from a Lutheran church to a more Evangelical one, which shows me that she isn't even completely sure about her own identity.

Herman Cain of Georgia is married to Gloria Cain, and together they have two children. Cain has never held political office but has held many higher up positions in very prominent companies such as business anaylst for Coca-Cola, vice president of Pillsbury, president and CEO of Godfather's Pizza and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. He has been praised for his successful tenures at each of these companies, but I don't know how I feel about someone who changes jobs more than I change my nail color. He holds a position as an assistant minister at a Baptist Church, which he has attended since he was 10 years old. I appreciate his religious roots, and most especially I appreciate the article he wrote defending Mitt Romney's being a Mormon. I think it shows great character and a sense of equality--an attribute that this country seems to be lacking.

Newt Gingrich is a republican from Georgia with a vast history as a politician. To me, he just seems average. But all I really have to say about him is that he's been married three times and cheated on his first two wives. I will not vote for anyone with such an evasive history of disloyalty and deceit.

Mitt Romney grew up in Michigan, but eventually settled in Massachusetts with his wife, Anne, after attending law/business school at Harvard. Together, the couple have five sons. He comes from a family of politicians and served as Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. He is well-known for "flip-flopping" on issues including abortion and stem cell research, but I don't think these choices should define his candidacy. I think many times politicians vote for something that they believe is right but later find out that it wasn't a good choice, and instead of swallowing their pride and changing their agenda they would rather bare and grin it, even in a flailing economy.

Rick Perry is a governor from Texas who served in the Air Force. Sound familiar? He is married to a nurse and together they have two children. He is the sterotypical republican who opposes abortion and same-sex marriage, supports the second ammendment and really REALLY likes the death penalty. In fact, half of all lethal injections that have taken place in Texas since its reinstituion in 1982 have happened under Perry's governance. That's 234 death sentences in 11.5 years. Seems a little morbid to me. But of course he tries to spin it as a hardcore politician who doesn't put up with heinous crimes. My question for him: As a hardcore Methodist do you not believe in forgiveness?

Barack Obama--not much to be said. He was elected because this country needed "change." But not much has changed under his direction unless you want to count the fact that the economy is definitely getting worse. No, I do not blame President Obama for the mess this country is in, but I don't hink he is helping either. I think he probably had good intentions to begin with, but was eventually overwhelmed with the idea of becoming the United States' first black president. In fact, everyone become overwhelmed with the idea and now look at where it has brought us. Nowhere!

Randall Terry, the other democratic nominee, claims to be a hardcore Christian and has a long history of pro-life activism and has been arrested over 40 times. With his first wife, he had one child and three foster children, two of which he eventually adopted. One coverted to Islam, another was banned from the family after getting pregnant twice as a teenager and another he disowned for being a homosexual. After marrying his second wife, Terry coverted to Roman Catholocism, quit claiming his only biological daughter and has four new sons. Yeah, he's not getting my vote.


If you're struggling like I am to decide on a candidate I hope this blog helps. I haven't quite made up my mind on who I will be voting for, but I do know that once I do I would like to get heavily involved in the election process. After all, I want to be a part of history in the making :)

How "The Help" Helped Me

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch this movie:

Sure, I'm only one of the over 2 million people who saw it, but I like to think that my experience was sort of special.

Entering the theater 15 minutes early we were sure to get good seats. However, as we turned the corner to face the audence we quickly realized we would have to settle for what we could find--the place was packed! And to my pleasant surprise, the crowd appeared to be 50/50 Caucasion- and African-American.

The movie is set in Jackson, Miss. and based on the story of a young journalist who writes about something that "disturbs [her], particularly if it bothers no one else," and that is the spiteful treatment of "the help" in 1960s Mississippi.

So you see, when I entered a Mississippi movie theater on a hot Mississippi day and saw that I would be able to inadvertently address the racial issues that we still face today in 2011, I was very excited.

There was laughter, there were tears and in the end, something very surprising happened, something I have never before experienced in a theater. It was intense applause. I teared up as I looked around to all the smiling faces in the audience and realized wow, we have come a long way.

I know, I know the applause was for the direction of a masterfully-played movie. But I also like to think that the applause was a celebration of how far South Mississippi has come when it comes to racial issues and integration. Just the fact that we could sit in a theater together and enjoy a movie together that addresses racial concerns proves that we have come a long way.

Now, I am not ignorant. I know we still have a long way to go. In fact, I devoted an entire thesis to proving that racial prejudices still exist in America. But I do believe that there has been great progress.

When we drove away from the theater that day, my husband said to me, "You remind me of Skeeter." I take pride in the statement because like Skeeter and Kathryn Stockett I do find things that disturb me but don't seem to disturb anyone else.

Working 9-to-5...but why?

Read here>>>>Would you like a shorter workweek?

Such a silly question. Of course, I would love a shorter workweek! Who wouldn't?

I'm always telling the hubby that we are away from our home and family for far too many hours each day. His reply: "That's life." I sit and ponder this.

Is this our life? I'm at work, or en route to work, about 9 hours each day. The hubby is at work/en route to work for 11-12 hours each day. That leaves us with about 3-4 hours a day to spend time with one another.

But wait. We also have to fit in the grocery shopping, exercising, cleaning the house, mowing the grass and all the other things on life's list of things to do.

It's very VERY rare that we have time to just lounge around and do whatever we feel like. He says it's because I keep us too busy with so many outside commitments. My reply to him: "That's life."

The only justifiable answer I can come up with is that workforce hours need to be shortened. I guess for that to happen the economy would have to slow down. Maybe employ more people to work less hours, which means lower incomes and less spending, which means fewer jobs...so no, that wouldn't work.

But do you see how our "booming" American economy has forced us to be slaves in this so-called free country!?

Okay, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but I just don't think it's fair.

Family should come first in this life, not work. So why do we agree to devote a third of our lives to something we despise? Is it just because we have to?

Someone please give me a solution to this dilemma.

Loving Yourself First

Last week, a fellow employee shared a poem with me. It's all about loving yourself and putting yourself before all your other loved ones in your life because yourself loves you unconditionally and needs your attention from time to time. I would like to share it with you...

Love After Love

by Derek Walcott

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

I love the idea of recognizing yourself and even saying "hi" once in a while. Reflecting on myself, I do feel like a stranger sometimes, as if I don't have enough time to really get to know who I am.

My favorite part reads, "Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you all your life, whom you ignored for another, who knows you by heart." Wow! Such powerful words. Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea of romantic love and the unconditional love that exists between parent and child that we forget about the adoration that we should have for ourselves first. After all, myself is the one that has always been here, undeterring, unconditionally in love with who I am.

So why do I not pay myself more attention? I'm not talking about treating myself to a fancy spa date, but actually recognizing the self that's inside of me and all the capabilities and talents that are kept so bottled up because of the busy world we live in.

Last night I went to the mall, just a simple trip taken all by myself. I'm the kind of person that enjoys being around others and would have loved to have had someone join me but the way it turned out I was alone walking from store to store...and I liked it. I did what I wanted to do with no one to answer to or no coversations filling the air surrounding me--it was just me and my thoughts.

I was having a conversation with the hubby on Saturday and we were talking about how much we really enjoy spending time with one another, how we would rather do something together than alone. This is true, but I must say that by constantly being with him I have made myself a perpetrator of ignoring myself for another. It's not that I want to spend less time with him, it's just that I need to spend more time with just myself.

It's easy to overlook yourself and "let yourself go" as the saying goes. So from now on I will try to greet myself, treat myself, be in love with me and "feast" on who I am. And I encourage you to do the same.

DIY Anyone?: Part 1

Inspired by my dear friend Amy's blog and her "do-it-yourself" attitude and this blog that my sister, B, recently escorted me to, I decided to take matters into my own hands and spruce up some things around my home.

I'm starting small but it's a very big step for me. I'm the kind of person that would rather buy it off the shelf than take time to make it. Because I'm rich right?...haha...yea right!

We recently planted some herbs and I wanted to make some cute name tags for them.

What you'll need:

Indoor/outdoor stain (approx. $12)

1 small paintbrush (approx. $1)

Marker (approx. $1)

Paint stirrers (FREE)

I had some leftover stain from another project. I couldn't decide between the black with silver marker or clear with gold marker so they are both pictured. And I eventually went with the clear and gold.

Using your marker of choice, write the names of your herbs on the paint stirrers. Make sure your stain is well shaken and apply an even coat on all sides of the stirrers. Let dry for at least one hour and apply another coat. Let it dry again and decide if you want to add another for a more intense gloss or leave it as it is. I applied three coats to mine.

After the stirrers have completely dried, voilà!, you have your own handmade herb labels.

It was so easy and fun! You should try it.

Women Can't Drive

Read here>>>Saudi women defy driving ban

Yes, you heard me right--women can't drive. Now that I have your attention, I should tell you I'm not referring to the the unrealistic stereotype held by a lot of men that all women can't drive. I'm talking about the fact that women in Islam can't drive because they aren't allowed.

There is no law against women drivers in some parts of the Middle East; however, religious statutes prevent women of Islam from doing many things such as driving, looking a man in the eyes, opening a bank account, attending school, walking in front of a man, etc.

Nevertheless, today, women in Saudi Arabia took to the streets to participate in a peaceful campaign. Women everywhere started their engines and rolled through the streets of this conservative country to make a statement and hopefully, make a difference.

I know I'm guilty of taking my driving capabilities for granted. In fact, I tell people all the time that I hate driving. But today I will happily climb into the driver's seat, push the pedal to the metal and follow the road less traveled with all my Saudi sisters in mind.

Green Tips: #2

In the second part of my green tips series, I was going to talk about twist ties but my dear friend and fellow blogger has written an article about something much more meaningful.

For just $30 you can buy an eco-friendly iPhone case that also benefits the victims of the recent tsunami and earthquakes in Japan.

Yes, the people across the Pacific are still suffering. Magic doesn't happen over night people! And besides, doesn't everyone on earth own an iPhone now?

What better way to showcase how cool and giving you are?

To find out more read her article here.

Side note: More to come on the twist ties later.