Revival?

now that we're winding toward a new round of Democratic primaries, is this blog going to be active again?

Musical Resources: The Truth About Piano Lessons

Musical Resources: The Truth About Piano Lessons: "Dear Piano Parents: You're probably getting mailings right now about fall activities from your kids. The soccer coach wants to know if you..."

the end of life as we knew it?

in all the howling this week about how the election of a Republican to the Senate in Massachusetts was going to kill the hope of a real health care reform bill, we almost missed the even more ominous event yesterday

the Supreme Court -- the one that Bush loaded up with conservative idealogs -- decided that we no longer need to be governed by a democracy

nope, the corporations can now spend as much money as they like to elect the candidates they like

if you've ever worked for a bad boss, you've had a small taste of what this will be like

forget about affordable health care -- and if you think the scare tactics of the summer's discussions of "death panels" were bad, just wait -- the health insurance companies will decide who gets health care -- because they will own the representatives in congress

forget about being able to get a loan if you have a small business -- the bank will decide who gets their money -- because they will own the representatives in congress

get used to $4 a gallon gas -- or $5, or $10 -- the oil companies will decide what the price will be -- because they will own the representatives in congress

you want to put solar panels on your roof to cut your power bill and help clean the air -- forget about it -- that's going to cost you big time to the power company -- because they will own the representatives in congress

you think taxation on the middle class is bad now -- just wait -- the middle class will soon cease to exist under the new taxation while the rich will get the tax breaks -- because they will own the representatives in congress

perhaps we'll just avoid the whole voting thing --- we won't need to have Senators from Arkansas and Washington and Texas and Minnesota -- instead we'll have Senators from Walmart and MicroSoft and Halliburton and United Health Care

if you want to read (or listen to) Keith Olbermann's Special Comment about this issue, use this LINK

if you want to read about Alan Grayson's petition, use this LINK

The New Millennium

The elections are finally over. Like many of you, I'm a news junkie and have been parked in front of the TV late every night for months and I've got dark circles under my eyes to show it! I'll be tracking the new Obama administration's transition, of course, but now I can get a life.

I'm so pleased that we may re-engage the rest of the world now and I know many people around the world feel the same. If you have time and if you're inclined, read this Washington Post article about reactions around the world. It astounds me that the world still looks up to us as the embodiment of possibility and craves - needs - a better relationship with us. We need them too.

Washington should be an interesting place for a while. I've been here through a few administrations, but this one feels different already. Washington usually feels like the city described in The Jungle (I think?), in which the characters live largely in anonymity, unseen by others. I found this disturbing at first, but I've gotten used to it. I can be plenty self-absorbed too, especially on my way to work in the morning or speeding home at night. But something odd has happened over the last 24 hours - people see me. In my encounters at the grocery store last night with the clerk and another customer, and with a bookstore cashier and at Starbucks this morning, people have found an excuse to talk to me and look me in eye longer than they usually do. It's nice to be seen.

I've thought about moving at least once a month since I moved here 20 years ago, but I'm glad I'm here now. I've watched all those other inaugurations on TV, but I'll attend this one. I want to be bathed in this positive energy for as long as it lasts.

Though I expect that Washington will return to being Washington again as we settle into addressing our devastating problems, right now it finally feels like the 21st century has really begun.

Yes We Can!!!

here in blue Colorado (at long last!!), at 9:15 p.m. nearly speachless with the amazing news

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would see this in my life time

I have no illusions that everything will be instantly better -- that every soldier will be home tomorrow, that the economy will be fixed, that our health care system will actually be about health and not profit

but I have hope --

hope that after the last 8 years of mistakes and the deliberate misleading of the country that we can look forward to listening to a man that will tell us the truth -- even when the truth is hard

that we can make the change we need happen

yes, we can

It's Time

I saw Obama at the rally in Manassas, VA via simulcast at Market Square in Old Town last night. It was inspiring, to say the least. There were 100,000 people at the Prince William Fairgrounds last night. Many waited all day - and his plane was late coming in to Dulles by over an hour. I have great hope that Virginia will go blue this election. Hope with me.

I voted. I hope you did too.

It's time!

Go thou and do likewise!

Yesterday was the first day of early voting here in Colorado and we went and cast our ballots.

We have the dubious distinction of having one of the longest ballots in the country this year (largely because it is WAY too easy to get initiatives on the ballot that just end up being fought in court and tossed out), and there was a line, but I'm sure it was a shorter line than there will be on election day.

Now I can just hope that the rest of the nation sees the wisdom of my thinking and votes with me!

It's so laughable and painful at the same time...

Katie Couric: Why isn't it better, Gov. Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

Gov. Sarah Palin: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the -- it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.

I've been a little surprised at the lack of posting here, too, but I suspect it also has to do with all the political discussions going on on Ravelry. I have to admit, I love lurking on the McCain/Palin discussions, but only with a glass of wine in hand. Otherwise my blood pressure would rise and my head might explode.

It's always good to keep an eye on the opposition, and from what I've seen in the last few days, the opposition is starting to sweat. And that makes me happy.