kellementology

life according to me

Tag: Obama

  • Dear President Obama

    Dear President Obama:

    I can’t tell you how much I’ve anticipated your Presidency.  Thank you so much for taking the time to throw your hat in the ring to run for the highest office in this land.

    Now that I’ve made the perfunctory niceties, let me get down to business.  I have much to say…

    1.  I hear everything you say.  Now I want you to do what you said you’d do.  I know that it will take some time, and I’m more than willing to wait since I’ve waited for eight seemingly endless years for someone to save us.  I have faith that you’ll begin your work as soon as possible.

    2.  So there are quite a few Democrats in Congress who are probably rubbing their hands together just waiting to let the rumpus begin.  As seen by us all for the last eight years, a rumpus is not a fun thing to watch, let alone be on the receiving end of.  I have an inkling of an idea that you’ll give everyone a show with respect to NOT taking advantage of the majority in congress.  In fact, I believe you’ll hold your ground and work toward what you believe matters to the country, and not generally to a party line.  Right?

    3.  Sure those Dems will be pissed off.  Too bad.  Nobody wants to have the sweet bird of paradise crap all over their birthday cake.  And pissing them off will most likely put the brakes on quite a few things you’ve got on your agenda.  But hold your own.  They’ll get over it.  It’s not about them, after all, is it?  It’s about us — the people who voted for you.  I know you listened to us, didn’t you?

    4.  On the taxes issue.  I hear all kinds of crap about taking money away from the rich and spreading the wealth.  Poor souls don’t understand they aren’t the ones with the wealth you’re talking about.  But when I think about it, it’s kind of cool that people who earn a very good wage think they’re “wealthy.”  Only in America, right?  Those are the people you’re talking about strengthening, right?  They already pay quite a bit of their income in taxes, and I know it seems like they’re rich to those who make less, but at some point, just because you make more than those who make less doesn’t mean you need to pay even more.  Percentages are always good as far as I’m concerned.  So I’ll keep my eye on this one.  I am worried about how you’ll pay for the debt we’ve incurred in Iraq.  Somehow, that not so minor issue has been effectively swept under the carpet by many people who don’t love you as much as your voters do.

    5.  It has been suggested to me that being the white woman have been since birth, I voted for you because I feel guilty that I’m white and you’re black.  I’m not sure what to say about this other than I voted for the person I thought was the smartest and had the most clear vision of what was possible for our country.  I noticed you were black and that your father was from Africa, and that your middle name was something that sends some people into some kind of a panic, but I decided you were smart and that’s more than I can say for the person who has served for the past eight years.

    6.  You represent so much of what it means to be an American to me, giving hope to those who have come from similar backgrounds to know that they, too, with persistent effort, rise beyond their challenges in life.  It’s important to provide that hope, as much as it’s important to exude the hard work and effort it takes to achieve one’s dreams and goals.  Thank you for continuing to stress the importance of diligence.

    7.  Could you please get on the health care issue?  I truly think this is the most important aspect of your work.  Having a system that is about whether an employer pays for insurance or whether one can “afford” it herself isn’t efficient.  Do what you can, please, to help people understand that waiting in line isn’t all there is to a different more effective health system for us all.

    8.  I’m kind of sleepy so will make this short.  Well, short for me.  But I’d say that second priority is energy.  Something radical has to happen to steer us in the right direction regarding energy.  I love having choices, but I know the time is gone for me to continue to blithely say that I can afford whatever I have to pay for energy.  It’s not about that.  It’s more about what matters to the planet.  I’m tired of paying for foreign oil.  I’m tired of funding not being available to sustain the progress important to the development of alternative solutions.  Yes, there are people who will find problems with any alternative, but what are our options?  We need wind energy and solar energy, and nuclear energy, and…well you know.  Can you please keep all the oil mongers in line?  They seem to be quite the tough customer and only interested in themselves.  Shouldn’t it be illegal for an oil company to record $14 billion in profits for one quarter when consumers are paying astronomical prices?  They’ve made us all clowns while they’re on their way to the bank.  THOSE are the wealthy you’ve been talking about, right?

    9.  Okay, it’s time for bed.  Thanks for listening.  I’ll be back routinely just to let you know what’s on my mind.  I’m just one of hundreds of millions, but I’m willing to talk in a civil manner which is quite challenging for others like my brother who insists upon calling you “Barry.”  You’ll have to forgive him.  He’s a bit cranky, but down deep he sort of gets it some of the time.

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart for running for President.  You have restored my weary heart and have given me so much to look forward to.

    Sincere Congratulations,

    Kelly who happens to live in Paradise

  • Choosing to Listen

    Choosing to Listen

    Remember the movie Jerry McGuire?  Remember the part where Rene Zellweger said, “You had me at hello...”

    I watched Obama’s 30 minute spot yesterday evening.  I watched it twice, listening hard for something I hadn’t heard or didn’t know.  Listening with someone else’s ears — perhaps someone who won’t listen, just to try and imagine what they might hear.

    Later, I listened to the talking heads banter back and forth about whether it was too much, or too soon, or too expensive.  At some point, a screen caption on CNN questioned whether the Democrats were buying the election and I shook my head.  They’re so foolish.

     

    He had me at the wheat waving in the wind.

    I guess that makes me a willing participant, because if I heard him correctly, he’d like us to be a part of what this country can become once again.  And since I’ve never known any of my strongly felt opinions to sit quietly while others, stumbling over their illogical fears and deep-seated issues with stereotypes, feel comfortable expressing theirs, anxiety in their voices, panic in their eyes.

    It’s not rational, that behavior, and I wonder what it must feel like to be so entrenched in one’s beliefs that there’s no possibility of change.

    I think ultimately, that attitude is what forced me out of my profession.  The idea of being surrounded by people who have no vision, who can only think of possibilities that fit inside a tiny box in the corner labeled, “My Life,” and seem to fear not knowing what lies around the next corner exhaust me.

    I used to have the energy to argue with them, but I just don’t any more.

     

    I just want to wallow in the wonder of possibility and hope that we all have something amazing ahead of us.  Something that will slowly peel the layers off the onion-like fear mongers I hear booing in response to their candidates’ empty comments.

    But I will continue to worry about people who insist upon making others’ life choices their own business, and work hard to push others to see as they do — that the world isn’t as diverse as it actually is, and that not everyone should have the same opportunities they’ve had in life — some of which weren’t necessarily earned.

    Can you choose your parents?  Your country of birth, your gender, your…

    No.

    But I can choose to keep my mind open and allow that to help form my opinions, even when I don’t care for those I’m trying to understand.

     

  • Where does the afternoon go?

    Okay, okay.

     

    So I know the headers are not quite right with the color of the rest of the page. I’m working on it.

    I was never fond of the aqua color that is prevalent in the page and have just tolerated it. Quite the exercise for someone like me. Too bad that exercise doesn’t burn calories. And I’m tired of the font, and the “kellementology” thingy above my header which has to be there. I tell yah.

    But I will be messing around with the font and colors, so if you don’t like something, by all means, let it rip. I can’t promise I’ll listen to a single thing you say, but it’s free to comment on my blog, yanno? And for a small fee will offer suggestions about how you might bump up your authoritative voice if your aim is to actually get someone to hear you.

    I’d be just fine if I could sit up here all night and figure it out. But there are so may have tos, like cooking dinner, and brushing my teeth, and sleeping, and American Noodle. Speaking of which…

    …how did you think the guys did last night? Hmmmm? Any favorites? Anybody you think should be voted off the noodle? Do tell! And will the biker type chickster get voted off this week? I’m thinking yes…

    Because that’s a whole lot more interesting than discussing what happened in Ohio yesterday. What is up? Could we please get everyone out there to vote? What is so difficult about it? All you have to do is make a mark. Or poke a button. It’s not really challenging. Just make sure it’s for the right person.

     

    Obama, Obama, Obama…

  • Politics & Paradise: What’s your vote?

    *If you want to make a comment, please click on the title of the post…sorry. Don’t know why the comment button at the bottom of the post isn’t functional. I’ll get around to figuring it out after I’m done complaining.*

    I’ve been biting my tongue about politics and the various campaigns for the presidency. It isn’t because I don’t have an opinion. Hell will freeze over before I am caught without an opinion, let alone one as important as how the next four to eight years of my life will be influenced. That’s right. When you really get down to business, it’s really all about me.

    Just kidding.

    But I have been circling my wagons, and keeping an eye on the situation. It’s quite challenging to watch debates like the one CNN aired last night when I was lovingly kneading what would turn out to be a fragrant braid of Finnish Pulla. Does Mitt Romney ever, EVER stop talking? And does he ever NOT have that smirk on his face? I can barely bring myself to listen to anything he says. And when I hear him, I don’t believe any of it.

    Remember the old Charlie Brown cartoons on television? When the adults spoke, they sounded like, “Mwha-wah-wha-mwah-wah-ah…”. That would be Mitt for me, except his diatribe is more like, “blahblahblahblahdee-blahdee-blahhhhhhh. Chuckle.” Go ahead and plug your nose, grin like a silly ass and try it. It’s annoying. He’s annoying. His eyes are glittery, which can’t be good. And he’s accomplished at the “he said, she said” junior high school game which doesn’t look good on a man in his position. Wait. Dubyah’s good at it, too.

    Ugh. It’s all so depressing. *this is the part where Chicken Little can be heard saying, “The sky is falling…the sky is falling…”*

    Not too long ago, NPR was interviewing people about the Republican candidate they’d most likely vote for and why, and more than one woman in the “my age” bracket actually mentioned that at least he “looked presidential,” and that’s why they’d vote for him.

    Excuse me?

    Don’t you wonder about people who actually don’t have a problem saying things like that for a national audience? Okay, so ANY audience. Oh. My. Gawd.

    Or my personal favorite comes from women who state that they vote the way their husbands vote. You know, so they won’t cancel each other out? Huh? They’re kidding, right? As much as one might think these voters could be compared to June Cleaver, I’d say June was a tough mother and most likely had Ward voting her way or else he’d be sleeping with the Beev. Yanno?

    (more…)