Saturday, August 30, 2008

It's fucking brilliant

In comments, Jovial asked me about McCain picking Palin as his veep. My friend Nardo had a discussion about it too. Both used the word "token".

Token- for sure. But still brilliant as far as political moves goes. She shores up the right wing fundys with her forced pregnancy ideas. She brings in right leaning independent women. She may even pull a section of PUMAs, especially since the neo-dems and Obamabots are already unleashing the same misogyny the used on Hillary. The Republicans can now actually say they are less the less sexist party (if you ignore all the slut shaming they do). As far as veep picks go, this is the one of the most amazing choices I have ever seen.

I'm still not voting for McCain. But damn. I am impressed. My question is this- are the Dems going to finally wake up to the misogyny in their own party when they are called out on it by Republicans? Or will they stay willfully ignorant to their own abusive behavior in the name of winning (which will surely make them lose).

And will Obama continue down the every sperm is sacred road now that there is no way in hell he can win the Evangelicals? Or will he wise up and realize that women do get to have complete control of their own bodies, just like men do?

I have little hope for our party. Really, if 18 million of us screaming at them about misogyny didn't penetrate their tiny brains, can the enemy actually teach them the error of their ways?

Guess we've got 2 months to see what happens.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

They just don't fucking get it

and by they I mean just about anyone talking about the "angry, bitter" Hillary supporters. Hillary is great, awesome even. Would have made a hell of a president. But if we spent our entire lifetimes being angry that wishes don't come true then everyone who has ever bought a lottery ticket would be too pissed off to function.

The reality is that come next January we are going to have a fuckwit in office, no matter who wins. We are going to have someone who thinks women aren't quite full human beings, who has no idea what it's like to be poor or struggling or working class at a time when vast numbers of people are poorer, struggling harder and lacking meaningful work. We are going to have yet another executive branch brought to you by some giant corporations instead of by the people, for the people (cough* AT&T*cough). That is what we are pissed about. Hillary wouldn't have solved all of these problems, but we saw in her our best chance at fixing some of them.

And the more they turn this into a a battle between cranky old ladies and everyone else, the less attentions those big things like poverty, healthcare, education, bodily autonomy, etc. are going to get.

And it's not an accident that they are framing it in a way that makes us seem like jilted first wives (cough*Amanda Marcotte*cough) left old and alone because our party left us for the younger voters who don't demand so much and aren't mistrustful (yet) of the party's sweet words. I mean if they actually got what we are fighting for, most people would agree. We want our government to work for us, not against us (telecom immunity). We want accountability and the constitution to be upheld (impeachment). We want healthcare for everyone (there is no one-word description for Obama's pathetic healthcare plan, sorry.)

We've seen just recently Elizabeth Edwards turned into a blamemobile cause her husband coudn't keep his zipper up. it's funny that she becomes a scapegoat just after she becomes someone recognized by large swaths of the country who actually knows some shit about healthcare reform and doesn't buy Obama's version of.

That is how we frame powerful, smart, fighting women in this country. We either use the metaphor of the jilted wife or we dig up dirt so metaphor becomes literal. Either way, it diminishes their power, our power, to affect real change and influence. Our voices can be dismissed cause we are just angry, bitter, irrational creatures who are pouting over something.

We are not angry because our candidate didn't win. We are angry because our best chance at fixing the country was shot down with misogyny and election fixing. We are angry because we see that the next four years won't be much better than the last eight. We are angry because the real problems of this country are going ignored while the press and the politicians turn to soap opera style dramatics to subdue the populace.

But if the acted like they fucking understood that, then things might actually have to change. And then wouldn't have us angry, bitter, old ladies to blame for their failings anymore.

But I don't want to

pack and clean anymore. I just want to wave a magic wand and be done with it all. I want magic powers.

The kid and I have an ongoing conversation about what superpowers we would like to have. Sometimes they are the expected like being able to fly, and I have always said that I wanted the ability to be fluent in every language. But we've come up with a few not so standard ones too.

The cleaning snap: Kid and i wish that we could just close our eyes, snap our fingers, and have all housework be done. No muss, no fuss, no hours of mindless labor. I really really hate to clean. And I really really hate that because I was born with ovaries it is expected that I will be more tidy than someone without them. I already cook and decorate and make stuff by hand. Adding cleaning responsibilities on to that just seems like housewife overkill.

The bubble of no harm: This one isn't so much a shield or a weapon. It's more the idea that anyone who would want to cause us harm (like say 3 grown up thugs who think robbing children is a career path) would experience crippling regret and shame for having those thoughts before they could act on them. It means dealing with a lot fewer assholes and saving our strength for the doochebags that morals don't work on.

And of course, we want teleportation now. Right now.

And the winner is.......................

no one. Not you, not me, not America, not the scary terrorist menace ( note the snarkitude), not Hillary. not even Obama or McCain.

We are a screwed people, a screwed country, and a screwed planet.

For all the wailing and gnashing of teeth over this election, the truth is that no one person is going to save us from ourselves. We have to fix it. And waiting for a savior politician ain't gonna help. So if McCain wins or Obama wins in November- it doesn't matter. We are screwed. And it is not in either of their best interests to help us. Unless we make it in their interest.

So what hasn't really worked as far as getting the government that is supposed to be by the people, for the people to work? Those small everyday things that most of us do are gonna save us. Recycling is good but I've been sorting garbage since childhood and the planet is still heating up. Organized protests haven't worked this time around. This isn't the 60s and you mom's methods are outdated.

Perhaps, since we live in a consumerist society, we should use that to our advantage. I don't mean boycotts. Those are fine and all, but I think that boycotts are a bit like the protest non-voters. The voice not heard because it's not saying anything.

Instead, I think that since our government is acting a bit like the cable company, charging us too much money for a shit load of services we don't need and then only doling out the really good stuff to people who can afford it, that we should use the method of complaint with our government that we do with unresponsive corporations.

I think we need to create a Consumerist type way of annoying civil servants, politicians, and political worker bees like campaign managers until they hear us loud and clear. We are mad as hell and we aren't going to take it anymore.

It's not that far off from the petition signing requests we see all the time. But think of this as petition signing with a vengeance. The point is no longer to passionately persuade. We are soooooooooo long past the point where reason, logic, compassion or ethics will make our government work for us. The point is to annoy, bother, pester, and make them change their behavior just to get us to shut up. I'm talking Donna Brazile and her crazy blackberry messages type of annoyance. I'm talking flooded inboxes, voicemails, and sorry to say it to my fellow admins in the world, but cranky secretary levels of annoyance.

So if the election has got you feeling lukewarm (or even despondent)- I've got a plan and some concrete things to do to make you feel better.

First we gather contact info. We need not just emails and phone numbers for politicians (easy enough) but for people like the civil servants at HHS who are trying to make birth control equal abortion or make opting out of providing services like abortion referrals legal. I want to know their secretaries phone numbers and email addys. I want to know the email and phone numbers of people who work under them and over them. If it's a stupid and harmful bill that is about to pass, we don't just lobby our senators or congresspeople. We take it to the corporate suits who are pushing for it. We take it to their underlings and overlings.

We will be our own lobbying group. But you know, not evil. Just really fucking annoying. Like Obamabot stalkers, except we will be exercising our constitutional right to petition the government instead of harassing women and bullying civilians.

What do you think? Can you be the squeakiest wheel?

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

From the mod que

A lot of the things we criticize people for are stupid. John Edwards' fancy haircuts, women's looks, poor people being poor, saggy pants, etc.

But there is a reason that shame has developed as a social tool. It is meant to curb behaviors that are damaging to a society. So I am going to use that little social tool called shame to call someone out. I've debated with myself a bit on this one, mostly because I don't actually want to give the person the attention they so obviously desire. But, I think he needs to realize just how awful he is at his core. We all like to think that any actions we take are righteous and good. This action is particularly reprehensible that is simply must be pointed out and corrected.

From the comment mod, our resident stalker troll, Matthew, has left me this:

Matthew (nascentgrasshopper@yahoo.com) wrote the following:
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/redqueen319/4565459480666452270/
Did you get evicted? Typical Clinton supporter.


FUCK ALL PUMAS AND DAMN THEM TO HELL!!!


Now imagine the kind of person who relishes a single mom and her child be thrown out on the street. Can anyone who finds joy in the misery of others have any sort of redeeming qualities? Do you think this is the kind of person who has friends who would take him in if his luck turned so bad? Do you think this is the kind of person people would respect or admire? Or is he really just a miserable little man who no one could love because he is so full of meanness and spite that there is nothing in him that could make people would want to be around him. Do you think he could ever make someone smile? He could make them laugh, at him, not with him, but not smile with happiness and excitement at seeing him.

Such a sad little life this sad little man must lead. I actually feel pity for him. I mean, my money situation sucks. But because I am kind and compassionate, I have friends who love me and will help take care of my family. I don't think a person like Matthew could ever know that kind of love.

I wonder if he felt any twinge of regret after sending that comment. I doubt it. I doubt that he thinks he did anything wrong. He probably is justifying his angry, obviously lonely response by calling me a bitch or something comparable. But it is meanness and a stingy spirit like his that will rot his insides and leave him alone and bitter. Poor sad little man, all alone in his tiny mind and no one understands him.

I hope, for his own sake, that he finds a way to be kind and generous. He's got a very dark life ahead of him if he doesn't.

Even my fingers hurt

My back is trashed. My legs are sore. And my fingers ache.

And I packed the fucking valium and advil already. Fuck.

A moment of silence

For the crock pot.

I have done pretty damn well for having started packing at 12 pm today. Nearly everything we are keeping is gone including almost my entire kitchen (witch means eating for the next 2 days will be interesting- oops).

Unfortunately, while trying to fit my big antique steamer trunk packed full of dishes into the back of a Subaru Outback, there was a bit of a tragedy. The Crock Pot, the thing that makes the pot roasts and pork roast and Christmas Day veggie chili, died an untimely death. I am sad for the crock pot loss, but that is a relatively small loss considering that I got my entire kitchen packed and loaded. This morning i was thinking that I would be lucky to come out with a few pots and pans and no dishes.

My neighbors have all been kind and concerned. My friends roped more friends into helping. We'll pull the rest of this stuff out Tuesday morning and we'll be done. I am in really good spirits ,not just cheerful but pumped full of actual spirits (moscow mules- vodka, ginger beer and lime) cause grown ups shouldn't have to move boxes sober.

Now I am going to watch mad men and weeds and then pass out on the couch.

Monday, August 25, 2008

I do not have time to be blog nanny

Right now. So please everyone, behave yourselves.

As far as voting goes- you all know my opinion. A vote is as personal a thing as religion or choice of feminine hygiene products. You may explain why your vote is different from someone elses, but bullying people for their choice IS NOT OKAY.

We don't like being bullied by Obots. Let's not adopt the behavior of the abusers. Seriously. I'm a bit peeved that I even have to write this.

Now kiss and make up and play fair- or else.

Updates to the update

The sheriff won't actually be stopping by my soon to be former abode until Friday AM. So I have some extra time.

Question is this- do I leave the mess and just get the fuck out of dodge? Or do I leave it in a tolerable condition? It's not the landlady who has given me two extra days, it's the sheriff. I'm just scheduled in for a later date than originally thought. The land lady has been a total fucking wankstain about this, no doubt. But I hate leaving places in a bad state.

BTW- several friends have offered to pee on the rugs in revenge. I can't go that far.

Update- dramaville

The darling Wonder tried to intervene with the landlady on my behalf. It was a no-go. Which means I no longer fell bad that I am about to leave my house in seriously filthy condition with most of my stuff here.

Anyways. Ruth is here with a car, boxes and a bottle of wine cause she thought I needed a drink. We're packing up what we can and staying there for a bit. They have internet. So I won;t be out of touch for long.

I love you guys. And I have some really fucking awesome friends.

Okay the zen filling is a bit broken

Somehow I have lost my cell phone between the driveway (where I pulled it out of my pocket because it was taking pocket pictures) and my house. I have no phone numbers, no way to call anyone, no way to find out if the land lady has decided that some human kindness + money is a better way to go than eviction.

I am fucked kids. I can;t even call any of my friends to ask help moving or for a place to sleep. Oh fuck fuck fuck

The creamy Zen filling At the Center of The twinkie Storm

So details details.

I told you all that shit around here was about to get much worse, and so they are. About 2 weeks ago I got an eviction notice, one of the respond either with money or a legal reason why you aren't paying your rent by a certain date kind.

So after thankfully minimal begging, my brother wrote a check to cover all my back rent, late fees, plus September's rent.I took a deep breath and thought I was in the clear for a wee bit, at least on the rent. Two days ago I got a notice of eviction posted on my door that says I have till midnight of the 26th to get out or the police will be helping me move. Numerous calls to the owner have gone unanswered and I was a dumb ass and didn't get a return receipt when I dropped the check off at the post office.

I have no idea idea where we are going and the Kid comes home on the same day we have to be out. I don't have the money to rent a truck or to put my stuff in storage. I don't know where we are going to sleep.

But I grew up in house where packing in the middle of the night and running away was pretty common. I went to 17 different schools. We moved probably 3 times a year. I've been in my current home for 5 years. That's the longest I've ever lived anywhere.

Moving that many times has made me a phenom at packing and chucking. I'm sitting around my house making the mental list of the must keeps, keep if you can, and the just fucking leave its. It's easier than I thought it would be. These walls have been closing in around me and I am almost feeling peaceful at the moment. Like zen even. Perhaps all this sadness and fear comes from trying to hold too tight to certain ideals. I wanted my kid to stay in the same schools and not always be the new kid. But his school is crap and I am seriously considering home(less) schooling him. Our neighborhood has become a scary place. We're not going to be tied to it anymore.

I have absolutely no idea what we are going to do, but I do know what I have to do right now. Perhaps it's adrenaline. Maybe my overtaxed fight or flight response is finally kicking in with flight instead of fight. I'm so tired of fighting. Kid and I have done this before. We spent almost 2 years couch surfing and living in our car. That is probably my biggest regret right now. I wish I could just pack up my old red corolla and drive off into the sunset for a bit. But I gave up the car when we became stable and moved in here. Oh god I love road trips. I always feel a million times lighter when I can get behind the wheel and push to see how far away I can get before I have to sleep.

So kids, I'll be packing. But not a lot. I think it's time to travel light.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Best description ever

From Kevin at Republic of Dogs (First quoting the fab RKMK at Shakes)

RKMK

What kills me is that Joe Biden is a longtime “Washington insider” (like HIllary*) who voted for AUMF (like Hillary), who dared to criticize Obama for his lack of experience (like Hillary), and is a pitbull (like HIllary), but Hillary was an evil monster who was undeserving of the Presidential nomination, or even the VP shortlist, and Biden is an awesome pick, even though she got 18 million votes, and he flamed out early.


Kevin:
WTF?

Here’s WTF, in three words or less: “Bros before hos.”


And that my little chikadees is the heart of the New Democratic party.

Existential Crisis Update

Thanks much to raj who posted a video in comments on the Loss of Belief post. While I don;t know that electric shock is my cup of tea (I had electric shock therapy done on my knee to help heal a torn meniscus (sp) that saved me from surgery but was horrible to sit through) it did give me a little hope. I think the hardest thing about this particular episode is that ever since the first one I have worked my ass off to keep it from getting this bad again. I've seen the doctors and the therapists and the shrinks. I've taken the pills. And I understand that it will never go away forever, I thought I was doing everything to keep it from getting really bad. It pisses me off that I'd been doing everything i was supposed to do and still got the shit kicked out of me. It turns out the chronic depression is just like any other long term illness. You can do all the things the doctors tell you and still get bad flare ups.

In other news- there seems to be a blogging for universal healthcare thing going on in random places about the intertubes. I'm done arguing with idiots about how it's a better, cheaper, healthier way for our country. In the future i am just going to ask non- believers if they have a mother fucking Costco card. If they do, then they understand the idea behind the power of bulk buying. Universal healthcare is like Costco. You pay your membership fee to get access to the purchasing power of many people who can drive the costs done by sheer numbers. And the entire American populace is the club.

And in more news- what do you get when you mix a classist, sexist, free market blowhard with a racist, sexist, free market blowhard? The Democratic Party Presidential ticket of course. Now riddle me this my little pooh bears. If Hillary was the anti-christ for voting yay on the Iraq war and was a big bad racist, how exactly is Joe " articulate" Biden a better choice?

Oh wait, I know this one. Biden and Obama share the core belief that women exist for ownership reasons only and that only giving money to the rich in a free market will save our tanking economy. Remember ladies and gents, it's all about power, penis, and pussy control for the Hope and Unity crew.