Auto Bailout?

I have been reading a lot about the auto bailout and I have mixed emotions, to say the least. When I think back to the Wall Street bailout, I had NO mixed emotions, I was (and still am) completely opposed to the idea. Now, I understand the financial fallout if some of those companies failed, but Wall Street got themselves into that mess, why should the rest of the country have to get them out.

Now, weeks later, banks still aren't lending money, which was supposed to be the point. Maybe someone can lend me $700 billion and not impose any oversight.

Back to the point of my blog posting tonight, the auto bailout. I think that most of the American Automakers problems are of their own making. Continuing to build huge, gas guzzling SUVs even when people aren't buying them is irresponsible. Of course, the American public is a fault as well. In our quest for bigger and better, we keep buying SUVs that are SO much bigger than we need. It is irresponsible, and wasteful of finite natural resources. I guess I am lucky in that sense, my dad stressed fuel efficiency for as long as I can remember, he even bought cars without air conditioning to improve gas mileage. My first car purchase was Honda Civic, which sipped its gas. Now, of course, my minivan's gas mileage gives me indigestion, but it is much better than any SUV that would seat six.

Okay, I keep straying off topic. The bailout?!?!?! I still have issues with the idea that I have to bailout the auto industry for their bad decisions. If I get into deep debt are they going to bail me out? Now, I have a HUGE understanding of the devastating impact it would have for any of the Big 3 to go under. However, I am not opposed to their declaring bankruptcy, the airlines have done so and still managed to come through.

Now, my biggest concern about any of this is the workers employed by GM, Ford, or Chrysler. I just read about a couple of Senators who want an alternate bill passed which would call for minimal oversight of the bailout, but would also require the blue collar workers (UAW members) to take huge pay and benefits cuts. I don't know about you, but the idea that Congress could require individuals to earn less and have less benefits is frightening. Maybe the Senators in question should be willing to give up as much pay and benefits as they want the workers at the low end of the totem pole to give up. I thought it was wrong when they (meaning the bankruptcy courts) made the airline pilots take pay cuts, and I think so now for the auto workers...that is what their contracts are for, to protect them.

If someone came along and told me I had to do the same job I am doing for less money than I am now would be terrifying. I need every penny I bring into my household, I would imagine the auto workers are in the same situation, especially in this economy. Taking away pay, taking away benefits, and cutting jobs only end up causing more harm to the economy because there is less for people to spend.

The idea that the Michigan auto workers should have to take pay cuts to get them "in line" with the Japanese car plants in the South is hard to swallow. The significant difference in the cost of living in the South and Michigan is huge. There is also the issue that we live on what we make. My rent, my car payments, my bills in general are based on my income at this moment. If you took away part of my income, but didn't do anything to adjust my bills, that would leave me homeless or having my cars repossessed, or having my phone and electricity cut off. Not to mention that I have four children that appreciate food on the table and clothes on their back.

Yes, Detroit needs to become more efficient and more cost-effective, but to do so on the backs of the working class is inappropriate and unfair. Someone needs to let Ford, GM, or Chrysler know that if they can build a car or van equivalent in fuel efficiency and reliability to the Japanese, I will be first in line to buy one. Not to mention that the Japanese cars just look nicer inside and out.

Now that I have done rambling, I guess I would approve of a bailout as long as it didn't hurt the working class. Of course, nobody asks me.

MySpace, Facebook, Blogger

Until recently I had all three of the above. I just recently got rid of MySpace because I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I am now considering the same with Blogger. I am just putting this up as an FYI for anyone who follows my blog.

Election and reasons to vote...

The election has come and gone. We have voted for Barack Obama to become our president, and I for one, am grateful. Following the election run-up very carefully, it became abundantly clear that the only real choice was Mr. Obama. Mr. McCain, while an American hero, and presumably a good man, is very out of touch with the average people in this country. Maybe being wealthy has insulated him from the everyday problems of the majority of people in this country.

When Mr. McCain made the statement that the fundamentals of the economy are strong, he lost my vote, that statement seemed to indicate that he was out of touch with the needs of the average American. Then, he picked Sarah Palin as his Vice-President. She seemed like a nice lady and, according to a co-worker of mine from Alaska, a very capable governor. However, being the capable governor of Alaska and Vice-President of the United States of America are drastically different. There are many prominent, smart Republican women, with the necessary experience, that John McCain didn't really need to look very far. Senator Elizabeth Dole would have been a great choice. Christine Todd Whitman would have been another excellent choice. Not to mention Condoleeza Rice (who would have been an amazing counterbalance to the Obama/Biden ticket.)

We are in an economic crisis. We have a TERRIBLE health care system that we should be ashamed of as one of the richest, most powerful nations on earth. We are in the middle of a war in Iraq. Our nations most powerful industries are falling apart...the auto industry, the financial industry. People are losing their homes, losing their jobs, can't afford health care, can't afford gas, can't afford their prescriptions, can't afford to eat, can't afford to buy new school clothes, can't afford Christmas presents, can't afford to buy new shoes for their children, winter coats, etc. If you make too much money to get on Medicaid, but can't afford health insurance...or have a job that doesn't provide insurance, what are you supposed to do? Affordable health care is a necessity, a right, not a privilege.

So many people I know who voted Republican said they voted for life. This means they voted for the politician who is opposed to abortion. Well, I am adamantly opposed to abortion as well. However, that is one issue. To vote for a politician based on one issue is irresponsible in my mind. If you are supporting the entire Republican ticket, then that is another issue altogether, but most people I know who claim to be Republicans are also those who claim to be Christians. However, the Republican party doesn't support the teachings of any Christian church that bases its teachings on the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus taught us to feed the poor and care for the needy. Jesus was a healer; made the lame to walk and the blind to see. His primary focus was to help those who were underprivileged, disenfranchised, and poverty stricken.

Yes, I support life. I support the lives of unborn babies. I also support the lives of the poor and needy. I support the lives of our young people sent to Iraq to fight an unjust war. I support the lives of the women and children killed by bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. I support the lives of those fighting horrible genocide in Darfur and those who are under the leadership of terrible dictators. I support the lives of those starving all around the world. I support those fighting for the rights of those without a voice. I support what Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-46. Specifically verse 45 says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." Unfortunately, those in power in the Republican party only seem to support the rights of the unborn, and I am grateful they do, but there are so many others that need that support as well.

I am sorry if I offended any of my Republican friends, but I really needed to post what I feel.

Vote

A week from today we Americans are heading out to the polls to vote for the next President of the United States. No matter what your political persuasion, I hope you go out and cast your vote. I am going bright and early next Tuesday because I have to then get in the car and drive to Boston so I can go to work Tuesday night. I have thought about voting early since Vermont does provide this service, however, there is something special about voting on Election Day.

Please go vote and make your voice heard!

As economy sags, so do faces ... and breasts

Sometimes you read things that make you go "huh?" or "wtf?" The title of this post is certainly that. It is the title of an article on MSNBC.com, here is the link.

I guess that with the economy being so bad, women can't go for face lifts or boob jobs.

Authors

I have read books from a couple of "new" authors recently. One is a new author in the past couple of years. The other is just new to me.

Stephenie Meyer, the author of "Twilight" and its sequels. It is definitely part of the young adult genre, except maybe the last book, and it is definitely easy reading. One of my Facebook friends called it brain candy, and maybe it is, but I REALLY enjoyed reading all four of the books.

Jodi Picoult, is the author of many books, all of which (from what I understand) are set in New England. I am in the process of reading my first Jodi Picoult novel and I am really enjoying it. It is interesting because it is set here in the Upper Valley (the region of Vermont and New Hampshire that I live in.) I was also interested to read that she lives just across the river from me in New Hampshire. I do hope I enjoy the last 1/3 of the book as well as I have the first 2/3 of the book.

Of course, my favorite authors JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, and Anne Perry are still my favorites, but I am always looking for someone new to add to the list.

Sunday Scribblings ~ Somewhere

This week's prompt is "somewhere."

I automatically think of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz. I love this movie, I have loved it since I was a little girl. My children have seen it once or twice, maybe this weekend I will put it in again for them. Here is Judy Garland singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

Unspectacular Quirks

Okay, I am going to respond to the tag, but I am not going to tag anyone else. I will have to explain that further for quirk one.

1. Most of the blogs I read are written by people I don't know. I have generally stumbled across them by accident. Such as, reading a comment they left on another blog and following them to their own blog. I follow about six such blogs by following one to the other. It is interesting. However, it means it would be weird for me to tag the folks because they don't even know who I am or that I read their blogs!

2. I am a neat freak...at work. I hate my work area to be junked up. My biggest pet peeve is when another nurse leave medication wrappers on the counter instead of throwing them away. I end up cleaning up after them as well as myself. The biggest irony to the quirk is that I am NOT that way at home. I cleaned my desk off the other day and can actually see it for the first time in about a month (or more!)

3. I don't like dealing with strangers on the phone. If a number shows up on my caller ID as unknown or I don't recognize the name/number, I won't answer the phone. That is why I have voice mail. If they really want to speak to me, they can leave me a message and I will return their call. I am more comfortable having a phone conversation with someone if I know who you are and why you are calling.

4. I am an amazing grocery shopper (just ask my husband!) Between coupons and sales, I can get a huge amount of groceries for a relatively small amount of money (which is good with a large family.) My hubby used to be blown away when he would see what I would bring home, he would ask me what I spent (fearing I had gone way overboard) and I when I would tell him, he couldn't get over how I got so much for so little.

5. I am terrified of snakes. Not slightly scared, but deathly afraid. I can't even go into the snake house at the zoo, I can't see them on television, or even see pretend rubber snakes (can you say, hyperventilating anxiety attack?) I have only had to take care of one patient with a bite (a ten year old boy) and I had to go into his room every hour to take measurements on his leg. Seeing the area where the fang marks were scared the crap out of me. I have managed to avoid caring for anyone with a bite since then, thankfully venomous snakes are very uncommon in Vermont.

6. Recipes are good things. I like recipes. I follow them to the letter. No experimentation at all. Ever. Of course, every rule has an exception and mine is my spaghetti sauce! I make the most amazing spaghetti sauce (and that is other people's opinions, not just my own.) But, again, recipes are good things and they should be followed exactly (except for spaghetti sauce.)

Okay, so I am not going to tag six people, but if anyone reading this would like to do it, leave me a comment and I will come read yours.

Job Hunting and School Starting

Job hunting is STRESSFUL! Especially when I am job hunting because I am not happy in my current position. I like most of my co-workers, which is nice, but I am not thrilled about the job in general. I am not going to rant here about all of the issues I have with my job, because I have been through them enough as it is.

Now, job hunting....I have applied for about six or seven positions at the hospital where I currently work. I have heard back about two of them and am in the process of interviewing or setting up interviews. The others? I can't imagine how it can be three weeks with no word at all. If they aren't interested, then let me know. But just leaving it hanging is not very professional, which makes me really think I may not want to work in those areas anyway.

I have also put in an application at another facility. While I am not very impressed with their human resources department (or at least the individual I was dealing with,) I really enjoyed my brief conversation with the hiring manager. I spoke with him to set up the interview and he seemed very nice and very pleasant. This is good. Of course, the interview will hopefully tell me more, but my first impression of the manager was very good.

On to school starting. I am very ready for the kids to be back in school, they are going stir crazy. Drew says he isnt' ready to go back, but I really don't think he is being honest with himself. I think he is more worried about being a junior in high school, it is getting time for him to figure out his future and that is scary.

Sam is going into first grade. The first day of school is probably going to be very stressful for him. He doesn't deal well with change and has a hard time making the adjustments. However, the second day of school will be so much fun for him as he will know who is in his class and he will have some idea of what to expect from his teacher.

Olivia is so excited about starting kindergarten that she is about to jump out of her skin! She was in pre-K for three days a week once we moved to Vermont last year and she LOVED it. She was so much in her element in school. She is so giddy about school starting that she makes me laugh. We are now counting down the days until next Wednesday.

Well, the kids are in bed and all is quiet, I think I am going to enjoy the lack of noise :o)

Harry Potter and Bon Jovi

Yes, I know that Harry Potter and Bon Jovi have NOTHING to do with each other, well except for the fact that I love them both!!!!!!

Olivia and I went to Boston yesterday and saw Bon Jovi. The concert was amazing! They put on a great show and I am so excited that I FINALLY got to see them after wanting to for over 20 years! Just don't tell anyone how much I was drooling everytime Richie showed up on the jumbotron. Thankfully my hubby knows how much of a crush I have on Richie Sambora and is cool with it (of course, I know who his celebrity crushes are also.)

Now, Harry Potter, how does this fit in? I took my iPod with us on the drive and I have multiple episodes of PotterCast on my iPod. When I discovered PotterCast after JK Rowling gave her interview, I downloaded every episode available on iTunes and started listening from the "beginning" (beginning is in quotes since I started listening to the earliest available on iTunes.) I am almost caught up to present. I love Melissa, Sue, John, and Frak...they are great!

These days I can be found online most often at the Leaky Lounge, which is the discussion board area of The Leaky Cauldron. I love having people to discuss Harry Potter with, most of it is intelligent discussion and it makes me think.

Harry Potter and Bon Jovi, my great escapes. LOL!!! Even my little kids love both Harry Potter and Bon Jovi. Olivia went with me to see the concert. These days the kids are going to sleep listening to the HP audio cd's. They are just starting book 3!

Happy Birthday to Sam

My baby boy, Sam, is six years old today. He was born Saturday, June 15, 2002. Thomas always said he was the best Father's Day present in the world. Sam celebrated his first birthday on Father's Day and now he is celebrating his sixth birthday on Father's Day.

It is amazing to me that it has been six years since I had him, sometimes it really does seem like it was just yesterday (of course, the c-section pain is gone, so that should be an indication that it wasn't yesterday, but you know what I mean!!!)

















This picture is the earliest I have of him on my compter, he was about three months old. We got our first digital camera at this time, all the pics before that are real, live, developed pictures :o)















This picture was taken about a month ago. Yes, we were still wearing long pants and long sleeves in May. Sam wanted to wear a tie with his pink button down shirt, he decided he wanted to dress up for school. He and Thomas went through Thomas' ties and he about had fits when he found the Mickey tie he is wearing. Sam loves Mickey more than almost anything. His cake is a Mickey cake, I can't wait to see his reaction after I go pick it up from the store :o)

Happy Birthday to my wonderful little boy.

Update

I have been slow to update my blog, sorry about that.

My cousin went into surgery last week and when the surgeon went in to remove the tumor, it turns out it wasn't a tumor. He found a large pus pocket in her brain. Very large from the descriptions I have received. It is a streptococcus infection that was originally an ear infection that spread. She went home with a PICC line (a long term IV) and she will be on high dose IV antibiotics for at least six weeks. She is also going to be receiving physical therapy to help overcome some of the disabilities caused by the pressure of the "tumor" in her brain.

It is awesome that everything worked out so well. When she went to surgery, my uncle had been told to say his good-byes because they weren't sure she would make it through. We are all very grateful to the happy ending.

Sad News

My cousin, Lauren, who is 26, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor today. She is going to surgery tomorrow to have it removed (or as much as possible.) She will then need chemo and radiation. Please keep her, and her family, in your prayers, as well as the surgeon who will be operating on her. My uncle is not handling this very well according to my mom. He has remarried and has two little boys aged 5 and 4. Lauren is single, but has a wonderful boyfriend who has been with her through all of this.

I think I am rambling now, but just please keep everyone in your prayers.

Jimmy Kimmel/Ben Affleck

Jimmy's response to Sarah's video. LOL!!! PLEASE don't let your kids watch. My four year old walked by as this was playing and said she liked this song and asked if I could make her a CD (of course, the answer was no!!!) LOL! Again, if you are easily offended, please don't watch!!!!!!

Sarah Silverman/Matt Damon

OMG! This is so funny. Of course, please don't watch it in front of your children, it really isn't appropriate. Of course, it is a catchy tune, so please don't sing "I'm F*cking Matt Damon" in front of them either...LOL! Also, if you are easily offended, please don't watch.

McCain and Obama!

Wow! If the nominations go the way things are leaning now, I am actually looking forward to a Presidential race.

I have liked John McCain for a long time now. I have also developed a huge amount of respect for Barack Obama. For the first time, I feel the two major parties may actually nominate someone interesting.

The Bush/Gore baloney was an embarrassment. Bush/Kerry was just more of the same old, same old. McCain/Obama has the potential to be something different than the usual politics.

I dated someone for a while who was very involved in politics. He was a member of the North Carolina Young Republicans and dating him helped me develop more of an interest in politics. He was MUCH more conservative than me, but that was okay, we had great conversations.

I have been a registered Democrat, a registered Republican, and I have been registered as Independent. In Georgia, we didn't need to register with party affiliation, which was great, I much prefer that. I am not sure yet about the process here in Vermont, I am going to register when I get my driver's license changed. I just hope I don't have to claim party affiliation...the reason being, I can vote either way depending on who is running.

I am very opposed to the party system and party affiliations. I could never identify myself as a Republican without cringing when the image of George Bush or Dick Cheney entered my mind. At the same time, I could never identify myself as a Democrat without cringing when the image of Hilary Clinton or Barbara Boxer entered my mind.

My politics vascilate back and forth between moderate to conservative and moderate to liberal. I definitely don't fit any "definitions." I am against abortion, for the death penalty (sometimes), for gay marriage, and am lenient on my views of immigration. I think the war in Iraq is wrong and the president lied to us. I think we should be more worried about our own economy, housing issues, credit concerns, etc. I am so split down the middle, that the only way I could find a candidate who represented MY views would be if I were to run for public office...which I am not EVER going to do.

I have never, and probably will never, vote straight down any party line. I always know who the candidates are (even for small positions like sheriffs or other local offices) and I research those running. I do my best to learn as much as I can through research and vote my conscience, whether that be Democrat, Republican, or Third Party.

Okay, now that I have offended ALL of my friends (on both sides of the aisle,) I am going to shut up and watch the political landscape over the next few months. I have NO idea who I want to vote for in the upcoming election, but I do know that I am glad that the individuals that I would NEVER vote for have either dropped out of the race or will not get the nomination. Now, lets do something about Hilary and make sure she is out of the running!

Vermont

Well, we made it to Vermont safe and sound. I love it here. I love the snow, the area, everything. After spending most of my life in the south, I am very surprised to find people here more friendly and gracious and hospitable than any I have met anywhere. Mountain View, CA, is a VERY close second though. I don't know if it is that we live in a small town, or if the people are just that much nicer, but I definitely appreciate it, especially after the minor catastrophe yesterday that could have been a MAJOR catastrophe, and would have been back at Sam's old school. Drew has found the high school to be a great change from South Cobb in Austell. He also says there are a lot of cute girls (well, he is almost sixteen, so this would be a priority.) Sam is getting settled into his kindergarten class and adjusting well to the half-day routine as opposed to the all day kindergarten he has been used to. One OUTSTANDING thing is that Pre-K is in the public schools in our district AND they had room for a new student. Olivia had her first day of school yesterday and loves it! Pre-K is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a half day. She is in afternoon Pre-K and Sam is in afternoon kindergarten, so it works out great.

Snow has been the name of the game since we got here though. Last Wednesday schools were delayed by two hours. This Wednesday (today) schools are canceled completely. Every school district in the area, both on the Vermont side and the New Hampshire side are closed. We have had a huge amount of snow overnight and it is still snowing pretty heavily. There is some expectation of ice accumulation as well today, so I am glad we have nowhere to go at all. I am SO glad that I was able to take care of my errand to the capitol of New Hampshire was able to be completed yesterday afternoon. My only frustration is how long it is taking to obtain my NH nursing license. I hope that my errand to Concord yesterday corrects everything and I am licensed in relatively short order.


We live in beautiful condos. This is a resort area and many of the homes are second homes. Our condo is 2300 sq. ft. so it is very nice sized. There are three buildings adjacent to our parking lot and each building has four condos in it, all with separate outside entrances. The picture to the left gives an idea of the outside. None of the other 11 units around us are occupied full time. Most folks come up on weekends for skiing (or golfing in the summer.) It is interesting (strange) to be the only full time residents. Of course, some of the other condos/homes in other sections are full time homes, but it is very strange having no immediate neighbors. On the weekend the parking lot is full of CT and MA cars (in addition to our Georgia cars, of course.) The downtown area is about two blocks in length and the post office appears to be the hopping spot. Of course, that could be because there is no mail delivery and everyone has to go to the post office to pick up their mail from their p.o. box. That is a very strange phenomenon to me.

All in all, I am very glad to be here. I think we are all going to be very happy here. The kids love it and so do Thomas and I. I am a little antsy to get back to work, but that will come next week. I am certainly not rushing my "vacation." Sofia is going to have the hardest time with me going back to work. She has gotten rather used to having Mama around and she is definitely my girl these days. She runs to me for everything!

Oh well, I have rambled a lot now, I should probably be doing something else. I hope everyone is well!

Saying Goodbye

I am 34 years old and I am too young to say goodbye to my friends, my generation. I am too young to die, so are my friends. Way too young. However, age doesn't always matter. Cancer doesn't care how old you are. Neither does any of the many things that can take our life.

You might be wondering why I am struggling with this. I am a nurse in a Pediatric ICU, I see death in children all too often. I have lost some patients that I have come to care about. Little Miss LPD, Mr FQ, and Mr YJ, all have become angels, all I have cared about so much. Do I think it is fair? Not a chance, the oldest of the three mentioned above was two, all were much too young to die. However, I saw them all struggle and fight. I was there for their battles. I was there for one of their final moments as he was held in his mother's loving arms. I have hugged so many grieving family members and it never becomes any easier.

However, on my way home from work this morning, after spending the night caring for a little boy who may not live much longer, everything was challenged. I found out that one of my peers, a beautiful young woman who was 36 years old, has died after a battle with breast cancer. Suzie was a couple of years older than me, and I adored her when I was a kid. She was the most beautiful girl in the world. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and looked like a model.

As I grew up, she became a source of great strength to me. She had her son Zach around the time I got pregnant with my son Drew. Zach was born in September (I believe) and Drew was born in February. I was alone, Drew's father left, and at that time, Suzie was a single mother. She lived at home with her parents after Zach's birth and she was such a great friend to me during the time I was pregnant, and scared.

As it happens, so often in this life, she moved on and so did I. She married Zach's father and moved away. I moved away, became a nurse, and got married. My mom would keep me updated on Suzie and her family whenever she heard news. Last spring, Suzie's father died after a massive heart attack. Don Varela was a wonderful man and it hurt so bad when he died. However, he was in his sixties, and sometimes people in their sixties die, even though sixty is still young in my book (the older I get, the further away old gets.)

However, fate is sometimes cruel. Suzie was diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer???? What? I know. I really do. I am a nurse, I used to work with adults. I worked on plastic surgery units where I would take care of MANY women after reconstruction post-mastectomy. My grandmother lost both of her breasts, one in the 1980's and one in the 1990's. I know that cancer doesn't care who you are, how beautiful you are, or how old you are. Breast cancer is deeply devastating to women and their families.

I don't know how to say goodbye. I can't even wrap my brain around that fact that Suzie Varela is dead. I haven't seen or spoken to her in a dozen years, but I can't even imagine that she is not a part of this world anymore. I can't say goodbye, I don't know how to. Maybe someday.