Show me some love....

So i know this is a new blog. And I know that’s the big thing about blogs getting people to read them. But here's the thing...

I really want a comment.

I'm writing this all just for me, and I know its not that good (although I do have some real zingers brewing), but come on, just one. Now I could tell the family about it, get them to read it, friends too. But I really want to reserve the right to talk about them. When I write about my freakishly aloof mother or my passive-aggressive mother-in-law, I want this to be my safe zone. Sure, I have plans like all of you - this is going to be the biggest blog ever, thousands of hits everyday, the masses waiting to hear what comes out of my wacky mouth next, etc., etc. But when that day comes and my mom happens upon a link here from the drudge report she reads religiously (scary I know), I can talk my way out then, but not from the beginning.

So please, if you are out there and you happen upon me, drop me a line. Anything really, I’ll even take a, “You suck!” Granted, I will delete it immediately and cry to my husband and think about giving up blogging forever, but at least I will know you are out there.

Thanks – the author

All political on you

Stolen from my friend Stephen. (Thanks Stephen). A good honest, not so politically biased, not paid by lobbyists, UCLA student. He’s looked at the issues and created a California cheat sheet. Yeah, yeah, we should all make our own opinions, study the issues, critique the candidates. But come on, who really has time for that? ...Eager college students! And besides I’d rather be biased by them than millions of dollars of ads. Take a look, do with it what you like, but above all - VOTE!

GO VOTE! IT’S NOT JUST A RIGHT, IT’S A DUTY.

The following are just my opinions, though I sincerely hope you will adhere to these strict guidelines.

Here’s the rundown, look below for explanations on each one, I spent a lot of time doing this, I hope you will take the time to read it, and be an educated voter.

Governor, Schwarzenegger
Lt. Governor, McClintock
Secretary of State, Akin
Controller, Wells
Treasurer, Smithson
Attorney General, Brown
Insurance Commissioner, Ogden
US Senate, Feinstein
1A, YES
1B, NO
1C, NO
1D, NO
1E, YES
83, YES
84, YES
85, NO
86, NO
87, YES
88, YES
89, NO! NO! NO!
90, YES

Governor:	Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican)
Here’s why:	Simply put, the Democrats can not afford Phil Angelides. That party needs to learn that it has to stop putting forward mediocre (at best) candidates, if Angelides becomes governor, he will be hard-pressed to be perfect, because if he makes one significant mistake, he will ensure a Republican dynasty in California for fifty years. Voters that remember Davis will not vote within that party again. So, basically, the only reason that you vote for Schwarzenegger is that he’s not Angelides. Also, Schwarzenegger is in the Microsoft spell check list in Word, Angelides comes up with that scary red squiggle. Besides the elephants have had great statistical success in California throughout it’s history, the donkeys have not.
Lt. Governor:	Tom McClintock (Republican)
Here’s why:	McClintock is the most honorable and hard-working member of our state senate, rest assured that should his name been in the Governor box he would have my vote. Just watch him on CSPAN and you’ll be convinced too. His a very moderate Republican, so he doesn’t ruffle my feathers that much. He also championed Proposition 90, which I’m cool with.
Sec. of State:	Margie Akin (Peace & Freedom)
Here’s why:	Dr. Akin... I’m sorry, let me say that again just in case you didn’t get that: Dr. Akin, a graduate of California’s public school system, worked for the Farmworkers’ Union in ‘65... that’s good enough for me. Oh, did I forget to mention she’s a Ph.D.?
Controller:	Laura Wells (Green)
Here’s why:	Wells went to Antioch in Cambridge, Mass... she’s no idiot. She’s also not one of those people who says: "We’ve been doing a great work, I want to continue with that great work." She believes there have been major injustices regarding taxes in our state, and by golly she’s right. She wants to actively work to overhaul the system.

Treasurer:	Marian Smithson (Libertarian)
Here’s why:	Oh my God, she’s a working Treasurer! For the city of West Covina, no small backwater. She went to UCLA, which is OK in my book. She also wants to move California to a "pay as you go" style of economy, that may not happen, but it is certainly worth working for, getting rid of all these bonds and just paying cash for our public works. Beware of Thakker, he has scary Amerindian gambling ties.
Attorney Gen.:	Jerry Brown (Democrat)
Here’s why:	I think that having this particular Democrat in this particular office would be a wonderful check and balance to the Schwarzenegger/McClintock administration. His father was Pat Brown, a California governor, nicknamed "Pat" in honor of Patrick Henry, no small compliment. Jerry himself was a California governor and secretary of state in the 70s, he served on the LA Community College board, and not to mention, attended Berkeley and Yale. Even though Berkeley beat by beloved Bruins last week, Jerry has got my vote.
Ins. Comm.:	Dale Ogden (Libertarian)
Here’s why:	This is a no-brainer. Ogden is the only candidate that doesn’t want to add to the red-tape involved with our insurance department. His goals are to reform the department itself, not its policies. He wants to trim the fat off the office and save our state money. He’s sort of a Isabella of Castile without being a Catholic monarch... I suppose he may be Catholic though, but he’s certainly not a monarch. He wants to fix current institutions, not introduce new ones, a good policy in my book.
US Senate :	Dianne Feinstein (Democrat)
Here’s why:	Her record speaks for itself. She’s a proven California leader and representative, and her love of her state runs as deep as mine.

Prop 1A :	YES
Here’s why:	The most important part of this prop is that it restricts the use of transportation funds being used in other areas of the state. It is a fix of current policy rather than a new one.
Prop 1B :	NO
Here’s why:	This is REALLY expensive, $40 billion over 30 years... do that math. I believe that enacting prop 1A will sufficiently encourage development of our transportation systems, and if you’re just voting YES for this because they tacked on "Air Quality" to the title: BEWARE... vote yes on 87 if you want to do that.
1C:	NO
Here’s why:	The mismanagement of these funds are readily apparent, and I see new seniors’ homes going up all the time. There is enough money in the current budget for these, we need not take out yet another high interest loan for this purpose.
1D:	NO
Here’s why:	I doubt we’ll ever see the day when the authors of these propositions will stop pulling the wool over our eyes. This act is unnecessarily costly, it is another high interest loan, costing taxpayers around $680 per year, over $10 billion to the actual building of facilities and almost $10 billion right into the pockets of the bank, so this only gives educational institutions a ten-year window with this money. Vote YES on prop 88 instead, this will raise revenue of around $450 per year, and the banks get no money! That’s why they’ve put so much of it into shooting down 88! This way, $450 million goes to educational purposes, instead of half of that $680, and we can rescind this tax, which is only $50 per parcel of real property, when we are satisfied with the results.
1E:	YES
Here’s why:	Our state, especially in recent memory, is having a lot of problems with its flood systems. I see no need to impede the construction of new facilities and to boost our preparedness for a disaster. It is a relatively small bond being paid over 30 instead of 10 years.

83:	YES
Here’s why:	If you vote NO on this, you’re probably a sex offender. Repeat and violent offenders are the worst kind, and GPS is a proven deterrent. No amount of money is too much to protect people from sex offenders, and there is no bond money involved.
84:	YES
Here’s why:	Again a small bond over 30 years that will not cost much per year. These bonds are general obligation, which will allow them to spread across a large spectrum of conservation projects, and it also address flood control issues.
85:	NO
Here’s why:	I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I will quote my friend Valeri: "For the California kids: No, no, no, no, no, NONONO on prop 85 - because you expect me to believe a girl who can’t keep herself from getting knocked up is going to be able to navigate the complex inner-workings of the California judicial system? Doubt that." A woman is a woman whether she is 15 or 25, I believe we should let them make this life-changing choices for themselves, whether we agree with them or not, that’s what free-will is, who are we to impede that?
86:	NO
Here’s why:	This is an acrid punishment of smokers, and though I am not one myself, increasing the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 150% is just an attempt to fish tax revenue out of the pockets of people they think no one cares about. I care about my fellow Golden Staters, smokers and non-smokers alike. This is an abhorrent use of the public initiative system by the failing legislature, the same that has ushered us into this great debt of ours.
87:	YES
Here’s why:	Though I foresee the increase of cost to us, the consumer, I believe this is an important measure in getting the upper hand with the oil companies, though it will decrease local revenue, it only does so until the four billion has been reached, then everything will go back to normal. I believe this a prudent step, and will provide much-needed funds for for alternative fuel research.
88:	YES
Here’s why:	Please see my "Here’s why" of 1D.

89:	NO
Here’s why:	Public funding for political campaigns?! Are you kidding?! I’d rather pass a bond to provide Frogger machines in every school than to pay for candidate’s political campaigns. Vote NO. NO! NO! NO! They say the revenue will be excised from corporations. Oh, I must be an idiot! What happens when things cost corporations more money? They pass along that cost to the consumer! Political campaigning should be eliminated, not paid for out of the public’s pocket!
90:	YES
Here’s why:	This is Tom McClintock’s fight, and it limits the powers of eminent domain of the state, I have seen myself the trouble caused by the state when they want property, it should be limited.

Dear Roomba,

How I do love thee. I love how you do your duty so regularly, every afternoon while I am at work. I’m not there monitoring your work, telling you not to cut corners. I’m not there, but do you spend the day surfing the web or watching TV? No, you are loyal.

You keep chugging along, day after day. No matter what bumps this hard knock life throws you. The bathmat in the guest bath that is just a little too fluffy, you work it out. The dog that keeps shedding day after day and occasionally growls when you get a little too close, no fear. And that bobbin of thread you sucked up on Monday, all I can say is wow. How you sucked it up in your belly, really, I will never know. And the bobbins red thread wrapped around your brushes like some crazed CSI serial killer, you survived.

But, Roomba we need to talk.

Sometimes you don’t make it home at night. I know it can be hard to find your way home in this palatial suburban estate, navigating 2200 sf of luxurious carpets and hardwood floors. At first I thought it was all my fault – getting stuck on the People magazine I carelessly tossed on the floor; getting strung up in an extension cord I forgot to put away.

Lately I have begun to question this guilt. At first it was the 2 nights in a row I found you carousing with the desk in the den, all wrapped up in his legs like a cheap prom date. Or the night I found you passed out under the couch, just a few feet from your home. Don’t get me wrong Roomba; I have been there. Its called college, and come on, aren’t we a little old for that?

And now Roomba, you have gone on what fear is your last bender. Last night you were gone again. Surprise. But this time you were nowhere to be found. Not stuck behind the toilet. Not passed out in the closet surrounded by shoes (Man, have I been there). Not even in the kitchen, gorged on the makings of last night dinner, carelessly brushed to the floor by the husband. Gone. Vanished. Do I call the FBI? Ask for there missing robot division? But come on, I watch that “Without a trace” show, your past is too checkered for them to care. One interview with the bathmat and they would know, you are just out partying.


Roomba, please come home. We miss you. Even the dog misses you. Tonight I will organize a more thorough search. But after checking your usual haunts, who only know what you are up to.

And in the future, ff you need to blow off some steam, or take a “mental health” day, you just let me know. I’ll come home a little early and we can mix up a batch of margaritas and kick up our feet (or dirt baskets, whatever). Roomba, I am here for you. Really, lets fix this.

The first five....

So here it is my big first post in my new blog and I have nothing to say.....


really.....


nothing.....


So lets start out with a little introduction 5 of the the first 25+ things about me:

1. I'm 25+ years old. Why 25+? Well, 25 was a great year, 26 rolled around and I said, "Um, no thanks. I'll stick with 25" So every June we celebrate a brand new anniversary of 25. I don't plan on being that crazy old lady that insists she 38 or anything - I will update when another good year comes along - maybe 30+ or 32. Only time (or time plus) will tell.

2. I have a dog - and a cute dog at that. He is a mutt, pound dog special.



3. I work for a Community College. It is just a bureaucracy hop, skip and a jump away from the DMV. Our student population is full of kids that need a break – they come from poverty, bad high schools, rough home lives, and long lines of bad decisions. Some days I think I am helping the world be a little better place; some days I think I should be working on screenplay. Because really – you can’t make this crap up.

4. I’m an only child. Sharing is hard.

5. I know that deep down I do have something to say.