My aunt posted something on Facebook, wondering if people really thought that their posts would change anybody's mind in the upcoming election.
And all the comments were like, no way. Some others were like you can't just vote against a person if you don't like the other.
And I'm like, God, I hope so. I hope that when someone posts a fact-filled article about either candidate or either party that you read it. That you read both biased and non-biased articles posted by your friends and family and that you take the time to both think about "your" candidate and the other candidate.
Because that is how our country is going to work best. If you keep an open mind. If you look at their policies, their party, and their actions and words. If you take in all the information possible and then, then you decide.
So for all those people who are talking about the lesser of two evils. Here's why my candidate is great. I'm going to vote for Hillary, because she has a plan. Because she fights for women's rights and the rights of children. Because she has proven diplomatic skills. Because she is poised and collected in the face of all that has been thrown at her.
The fact that her opponent is Donald Trump. Well, that's just icing on the cake.
The best coincidence? She's a woman. I am voting for a major candidate who is strong and is a woman. Nearly a hundred years after women fought for our rights and one of our candidates is a woman. A woman who has all the qualifications necessary.
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
It's not the lesser of two evils...
This election, it's about more than that. It's about a candidate who has the credentials that the electorate could only dream of. And a candidate who has had no political aspirations, beyond playing devil's advocate.
It's about a candidate who is cool and calm in the face of hatred and anger. It's about a candidate who throws tantrums anytime a negative thing is said about them.
It's about a candidate who focuses on hope and helping vs. a candidate who preys on your worst fears and focuses on deepening divides.
It's about a candidate endorsed by leadership and organizations from all over. It's about a candidate who is endorsed by hate group.
Forget for a moment that one is male and one is female. Look at the facts that matter: a candidate who was a senator and a Secretary of State, who helped revitalize the White House under two presidents, a successful lawyer for years, an advocate for children and adults alike. And then you have a candidate who considers 14 million dollars a series of small loans, who fought against Barack Obama for years after there was no doubt that he was an American citizen, who has filed for bankruptcy 6 times, who has gone bankrupt in multiple casinos, who would have more money if they invested it, who is proud that he has not paid taxes in years, who believes that transparency is not the best bet for the American people, who believes that violence is the way to end terrorism(nope, wrong answer, tried that in '03...and it worked out swell).
Here's the biggest flaw is voting for Trump, though. He's a businessman. First and foremost. He will not have your best interests in mind, because they won't be his. That's it. How can he be unbiased when he has millions tied up in trade abroad?
So, forget for a moment that Hillary is a woman. Forget that she is a she. Because her gender does not matter. What matters is the fact that Trump will not be for the common person (have a small loan anyone...).
He can't be, because he has never been one.
And I am proud to say that I am supporting Hillary. I am proud to say that in less than one week, I will cast my ballot for a candidate that I believe can run our country with poise and confidence. The fact that she is a woman, well, that's the cherry on top.
It's about a candidate who is cool and calm in the face of hatred and anger. It's about a candidate who throws tantrums anytime a negative thing is said about them.
It's about a candidate who focuses on hope and helping vs. a candidate who preys on your worst fears and focuses on deepening divides.
It's about a candidate endorsed by leadership and organizations from all over. It's about a candidate who is endorsed by hate group.
Forget for a moment that one is male and one is female. Look at the facts that matter: a candidate who was a senator and a Secretary of State, who helped revitalize the White House under two presidents, a successful lawyer for years, an advocate for children and adults alike. And then you have a candidate who considers 14 million dollars a series of small loans, who fought against Barack Obama for years after there was no doubt that he was an American citizen, who has filed for bankruptcy 6 times, who has gone bankrupt in multiple casinos, who would have more money if they invested it, who is proud that he has not paid taxes in years, who believes that transparency is not the best bet for the American people, who believes that violence is the way to end terrorism(nope, wrong answer, tried that in '03...and it worked out swell).
Here's the biggest flaw is voting for Trump, though. He's a businessman. First and foremost. He will not have your best interests in mind, because they won't be his. That's it. How can he be unbiased when he has millions tied up in trade abroad?
So, forget for a moment that Hillary is a woman. Forget that she is a she. Because her gender does not matter. What matters is the fact that Trump will not be for the common person (have a small loan anyone...).
He can't be, because he has never been one.
And I am proud to say that I am supporting Hillary. I am proud to say that in less than one week, I will cast my ballot for a candidate that I believe can run our country with poise and confidence. The fact that she is a woman, well, that's the cherry on top.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
A new worst tragedy
Today, the largest mass shooting in US history happened. The worst before this was the Virginia Tech massacre. These tragedies are awful and heartbreaking and terrifying.
This crime was committed by a lawful gun owner. A man who had the right to own a gun and used it to buy assault weapons. Used it to go into a nightclub of LGBT folks in Pride Month and killed many and injured others.
I want us to take a stand. I want every single American and every single resident of the US to look thoughtfully and carefully at the Second Amendment. I want us to review our rights, but to also think about the rights of those who have died and those who have been injured, not just in this tragedy, but in so many others, whether accidental or intentional crimes. Let's think about the kids who played with a gun and killed their brother, sister, best friend. Let's think about the battered wives who bought a gun, only to be killed with it while they were trying to defend themselves. Let's think about the desperate and depressed teen aged boys who thought they were at a dead end and used a gun to end their young lives. Let's think about the Trayvon Martins of the world who were shot for being "suspicious." Let's think about the cops who have to react to toy guns in the hands of 12 year olds as if they were real assault weapons, because the assault weapons are so prevalent. Let's think about the people killed by lawful gun owners in a fit of road rage. Let's think of men who shoot up night clubs and movie theaters and Planned Parenthood, all because they could get a gun as easy as I can vote.
Let's end this. Let's make this the last tragedy. The last time, mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and husbands and wives have to wake up to the news that their child, sibling, spouse, friend, neighbor, etc was killed by a gun.
This crime was committed by a lawful gun owner. A man who had the right to own a gun and used it to buy assault weapons. Used it to go into a nightclub of LGBT folks in Pride Month and killed many and injured others.
I want us to take a stand. I want every single American and every single resident of the US to look thoughtfully and carefully at the Second Amendment. I want us to review our rights, but to also think about the rights of those who have died and those who have been injured, not just in this tragedy, but in so many others, whether accidental or intentional crimes. Let's think about the kids who played with a gun and killed their brother, sister, best friend. Let's think about the battered wives who bought a gun, only to be killed with it while they were trying to defend themselves. Let's think about the desperate and depressed teen aged boys who thought they were at a dead end and used a gun to end their young lives. Let's think about the Trayvon Martins of the world who were shot for being "suspicious." Let's think about the cops who have to react to toy guns in the hands of 12 year olds as if they were real assault weapons, because the assault weapons are so prevalent. Let's think about the people killed by lawful gun owners in a fit of road rage. Let's think of men who shoot up night clubs and movie theaters and Planned Parenthood, all because they could get a gun as easy as I can vote.
Let's end this. Let's make this the last tragedy. The last time, mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and husbands and wives have to wake up to the news that their child, sibling, spouse, friend, neighbor, etc was killed by a gun.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Time keeps on Moving
Last night, as we lay in bed, the light just turned out, Kevin said to me that soon it will be as long with his mom like this as like she was when he was a child.
Soon, there will be more memories of his mom with a fragile emotional and mental state than what he remembers her being like when he was a kid. Soon, those memories will be harder and harder to access as the new ones form and take over.
And what do you say to that? This is the first real grief he ever had. His grandparents either died when he was a baby or are still living. This is the first year marker he's ever had. He never even moved houses as a kid, he never changed schools. This is it.
And I think that's what makes it harder. His defining moment as a teenager was his mom's breakdown and the subsequent divorce.
Me, I've had other grief, but the year when I realized I had been alive longer without my maternal grandpa than with. That was hard. And I was a kid when he died.
The hard part is when that flip is thrown. When the thing you hate has now taken over.
Soon, there will be more memories of his mom with a fragile emotional and mental state than what he remembers her being like when he was a kid. Soon, those memories will be harder and harder to access as the new ones form and take over.
And what do you say to that? This is the first real grief he ever had. His grandparents either died when he was a baby or are still living. This is the first year marker he's ever had. He never even moved houses as a kid, he never changed schools. This is it.
And I think that's what makes it harder. His defining moment as a teenager was his mom's breakdown and the subsequent divorce.
Me, I've had other grief, but the year when I realized I had been alive longer without my maternal grandpa than with. That was hard. And I was a kid when he died.
The hard part is when that flip is thrown. When the thing you hate has now taken over.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Jeopardy
So a little over two months ago, while sick with a bad cold, I missed a call. Surprising me most of all, there was a message. So, I listened to it and it was from a woman from Jeopardy. I had tried out in June, the day before my golden birthday, and now I had made it to the show.
She asked if I was available the first week of March so I said yes. Then I asked her to tell me the dates again.
I studied and studied books about religion and music and general knowledge and trivia and science and movies.
And then we flew out to LA. I had to be at the lot at 7:45 and I missed my shuttle, but a taxi got me there in time. It was a whirlwind, everything blending together as we discussed the legal aspects of the game and did makeup and finally went on the stage for practice. It was huge and the monitors were much smaller than I expected.
So we practiced and I did great, probably one of the best.
And then I watched one game and the returning champ kicked all of their butts. And then it was my turn!
I couldn't believe I was going to be on Jeopardy! And I did fine. I answered some questions right and had control of the board and I told a great story about my husband and the first time I auditioned for Jeopardy! And then I lost, by a lot.
So now what? What dream, what goal do I set for myself now? It's amazing to cross an item off my bucket list, but sad, too. Is this how it always feels?
She asked if I was available the first week of March so I said yes. Then I asked her to tell me the dates again.
I studied and studied books about religion and music and general knowledge and trivia and science and movies.
And then we flew out to LA. I had to be at the lot at 7:45 and I missed my shuttle, but a taxi got me there in time. It was a whirlwind, everything blending together as we discussed the legal aspects of the game and did makeup and finally went on the stage for practice. It was huge and the monitors were much smaller than I expected.
So we practiced and I did great, probably one of the best.
And then I watched one game and the returning champ kicked all of their butts. And then it was my turn!
I couldn't believe I was going to be on Jeopardy! And I did fine. I answered some questions right and had control of the board and I told a great story about my husband and the first time I auditioned for Jeopardy! And then I lost, by a lot.
So now what? What dream, what goal do I set for myself now? It's amazing to cross an item off my bucket list, but sad, too. Is this how it always feels?
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Quack Doctors and Supplements
My husband's grandma thinks that there is a cure for cancer, but the people won't put it out because they make so much money from the funding. Also, radiation and chemotherapy kill people and that there are natural remedies that would cure a person's cancer.
There are so many things wrong with that idea. First, there is no such thing as "cancer." There's leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoma, non-squamous small cell lung cancer, etc, etc. You could get breast cancer and I could get breast cancer and they are probably going to be caused by two different mutations.
Second, while organizations like Susan G Komen certainly make money off of breast cancer money, it's not because they are getting all the research grants, it's because they only donate very little money to research.
Third, no researcher is getting rich off of research money. Because it's actually not that much and there are checks and balances to make sure that they are actually doing what they say they are doing.
Fourth, people research cancer because their dad had it or their grandma or their son or their niece, etc. If there was a cure for all cancer, you can bet that we would know about it.
Fifth, radiation and chemotherapy are actually pretty bad, but certainly better than the cancer they are working to cure. There have been leaps and bounds in cancer treatments and they target it much more exactly than ever before.
Sixth, supplements and natural remedies may help some people, but they are certainly not going to cure cancer. Especially, not the way my husband's grandma takes them. She takes pills and vitamins, which use the natural stuff and put it together in a completely different way than was ever proven to be effective(most of the time, the herbs or whatever were used by tribal societies for years are powders, teas, or even just the whole form). Also, there's a huge placebo effect here and confirmation bias from women and men like her. Well, my friend did chemo and took supplement A and it was the supplement A that cured her...
This is a woman who has such high blood pressure she had to go to the ER at least 4 times a year. You can bet that she doesn't tell her doctor about all the supplements she is taking. If there were a cure for
There are so many things wrong with that idea. First, there is no such thing as "cancer." There's leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoma, non-squamous small cell lung cancer, etc, etc. You could get breast cancer and I could get breast cancer and they are probably going to be caused by two different mutations.
Second, while organizations like Susan G Komen certainly make money off of breast cancer money, it's not because they are getting all the research grants, it's because they only donate very little money to research.
Third, no researcher is getting rich off of research money. Because it's actually not that much and there are checks and balances to make sure that they are actually doing what they say they are doing.
Fourth, people research cancer because their dad had it or their grandma or their son or their niece, etc. If there was a cure for all cancer, you can bet that we would know about it.
Fifth, radiation and chemotherapy are actually pretty bad, but certainly better than the cancer they are working to cure. There have been leaps and bounds in cancer treatments and they target it much more exactly than ever before.
Sixth, supplements and natural remedies may help some people, but they are certainly not going to cure cancer. Especially, not the way my husband's grandma takes them. She takes pills and vitamins, which use the natural stuff and put it together in a completely different way than was ever proven to be effective(most of the time, the herbs or whatever were used by tribal societies for years are powders, teas, or even just the whole form). Also, there's a huge placebo effect here and confirmation bias from women and men like her. Well, my friend did chemo and took supplement A and it was the supplement A that cured her...
This is a woman who has such high blood pressure she had to go to the ER at least 4 times a year. You can bet that she doesn't tell her doctor about all the supplements she is taking. If there were a cure for
Friday, February 26, 2016
Another shooting
I check the headline for where it is and then the article to see if anyone I know could be involved. They aren't, so I continue on to other news.
That is what these mass shootings have become to even me. I'm as anti-gun as they get. I would be happy if we no longer had guns in the US. I would settle for only having rifles, one shot, the same way that we had when the amendment was written.
And it makes me so angry. So so angry. People died and we don't care. People died and they are simply one more mark in the tally. We are desensitized to gun violence. Even people like me, who care so deeply about the people who died. But I can't. Because yesterday it was Kansas. Today it will be somewhere else. Tomorrow, yet another place.
We are the "greatest nation in the world" and yet, daily, people die and people fight harder for their own right to own a gun. They use these deaths as a rallying cry to get more people out there with guns. And maybe having more guns is the answer if you are a white male adult. But how many kids died from playing with the deadliest weapon allowable by the government? And how many people take those guns and turn a mistake or an argument into murder and death?
A woman who owns a gun for protection is 4-5 times more likely to die from that gun than a woman who doesn't have a gun. This is what it boils down to. Easily accessible guns equal easily accessible guns to men and women and children who are angry or sad or humiliated.
Just one day, I'd like for the gun nuts to have a conservation that doesn't refer to the 2nd amendment. Because guess what? My right to life are guaranteed, and not by an amendment, but by the document proper. And more importantly, by the Declaration of Independence. My right to life is guaranteed by the very charter of this country.
That is what these mass shootings have become to even me. I'm as anti-gun as they get. I would be happy if we no longer had guns in the US. I would settle for only having rifles, one shot, the same way that we had when the amendment was written.
And it makes me so angry. So so angry. People died and we don't care. People died and they are simply one more mark in the tally. We are desensitized to gun violence. Even people like me, who care so deeply about the people who died. But I can't. Because yesterday it was Kansas. Today it will be somewhere else. Tomorrow, yet another place.
We are the "greatest nation in the world" and yet, daily, people die and people fight harder for their own right to own a gun. They use these deaths as a rallying cry to get more people out there with guns. And maybe having more guns is the answer if you are a white male adult. But how many kids died from playing with the deadliest weapon allowable by the government? And how many people take those guns and turn a mistake or an argument into murder and death?
A woman who owns a gun for protection is 4-5 times more likely to die from that gun than a woman who doesn't have a gun. This is what it boils down to. Easily accessible guns equal easily accessible guns to men and women and children who are angry or sad or humiliated.
Just one day, I'd like for the gun nuts to have a conservation that doesn't refer to the 2nd amendment. Because guess what? My right to life are guaranteed, and not by an amendment, but by the document proper. And more importantly, by the Declaration of Independence. My right to life is guaranteed by the very charter of this country.
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