Hey, thanks for the link. I just read the article and I enjoyed it and I feel everything personally that was described in it. I guess it’s hard for me to take that leap of faith that a public servant can transcend just being another politician, but if anyone can do it, it would be Barack Obama.

I don’t have any eloquent words to add. I’m just sitting here watching this day unfold and it is absolutely awesome. It is one of those times when you remember what being American really means. It sounds kind of corny as I write it, but there you have it. I have learned a lot over these past months from the people on this site. I truly never realized there were women out there who are so concerned about the world and who are so informed about the important issues. People like this are not a part of my everyday life, and, truthfully, a lot of the time I do not grasp all the intricate details, but it’s good to have a place to learn.

Maybe we should let him actually take the oath of office and be the president for a couple of months before we have the coronation.

Thank God you are here in our midst to not only tell us we “should” acknowledge the day, but also acceptable ways in which to accomplish that. And as much as I appreciate it, I have to admit I do not hold MLK Day in the same esteem as the birth and resurrection of our Lord.

I have to go with my first response, which was laughter with a touch of “uh oh, she’s gonna get it now.” Good for you, Candace. I appreciate your honesty and humor, and in no way feel that your response has anything to do with how “deep” you are as a human being. That’s a bit of a stretch.

Oh, Bonnie, your response was so nice I hate to ruin it, but the truth of the matter is I am currently in this marriage, thus the cynicism. I am a 53 year old woman who has never been solely responsible for myself in my whole life, and just really scared of what would be on the other side if I take the leap. But his alcoholism has gotten progressively worse over the years and there is nothing left of this relationship but bitterness; not to mention the terrible affect it has had on my daughters. But I do take a lot of deep breaths every day, and I do thank God for so much, and I just bought 3 little bouquets of yellow flowers in honor of “thinking Spring” so there is good. Thanks so much for the good thoughts.

Oh, I know, Bonnie. That last paragraph was just me trying to be funny. I don’t believe for a minute that George and Laura will ever get divorced; nor Bill and Hillary or John Edwards and his wife. That was my point when a lot of these women were trashing Laura for “staying” with George Bush, as if somehow that makes her complicit in his actions. I am the last person to assume I know what’s going on behind the closed doors of a marriage. If there is one thing I have learned after spending more than half of my life in a terrible marriage and still not knowing if there is a way for me to live the rest of my life on my own, it’s that a long marriage does not necessarily equate to a good marriage. Also, that the reasons people stay in a marriage seem to have less to do with “true love” and more to do with a myriad of other reasons. If this sounds cynical, it probably is. Believe me, I wish I could wax poetic about the great love story I am living like so many other women do on this site, but at this time it is not to be. It’s just me feeling so fatigued as I look out the window at this frozen tundra and contemplate what’s next.

Watching that show was surreal. I just kept thinking how totally weird it is that 7 years later he’s the President! He was all politician, though, even then. It was almost like a comedy skit; the bumbling firefighter who could barely put a sentence together, the punky looking chick who apparently loves fish, and the politician who kind of took over the show. He just talked and talked, and when the others spoke, did you notice how he just sat back with his arms folded and stared intently at them? I would love to know their feelings about that experience. The firefighter looked really intimidated to me. Of course, maybe that’s because I know he’s sitting with the President, but he didn’t! And when the date would flash, August of 2001, I just kept thinking, “God, how the world was about to change.”

Thanks for your thoughts on this painting. After reading your post, I went back and studied it again. I know when I enjoy art, but cannot really express why I do.

I think women are sincerely interested when they see other women who seem to be in trouble. We all want to analyze what the problem might be, and give our take on what steps she should take to rectify the situation. I, for one, am much better at seeing the solutions to other women’s dilemmas rather than my own. As far as Cindy is concerned,whether the DWTS thing is true or just a rumor, it’s pretty obvious those two didn’t seem to have much of a connection. That being said, I could never understand everyone’s “Stepford Wife” thing when it comes to Cindy or Laura Bush. What political wife, no matter what their party affiliation, has called out their dog of a husband and left him, especially when they are in office? Did anyone really expect Laura Bush to divorce the President of the United States while he’s in office no matter what was going on? That’s kind of ridiculous; this isn’t France, after all! Really, when you are in that position, I don’t think it’s just a man and a woman discussing their relationship. There are advisers and troubleshooters and Lord knows who involved in their lives, public and private. The only one I can think of is that governor’s wife who stood there while he told the world he’s a gay man! I think she divorced him. Anyway, I know you ladies don’t read the tabloid rags, but according to the ones my mom brings me, Laura has left George several times and plans to divorce him and take him for every penny he’s got once he’s out of office. So now you know the truth!

I hear you. I was in the exact same situation, and the next step, I was told, would be bifocals. So there I was; contact lenses, prescription glasses (which would soon be bifocals), and now I was throwing reading glasses into the mix over the contacts. Vanity is a crazy thing. Anyway, for my 50th, I treated myself to lasik surgery. It hasn’t been perfect. Some days dry eyes can blur my world, and the glare of lights with night driving gets pretty bad. But some days everything is crystal clear. I still use reading glasses for books and newspapers, but the cost of a couple pairs of stylish reading glasses is a steal compared to my old routine.

Thanks, Chris. I’m happy for you.

Jeannot, thank you! I thought I was losing my mind for a minute there. I responded to someone’s post before realizing it was 5 months old! And why has the same poll question been on for a week? Did I miss some announcement or something? Maybe someone in the know can explain.

Ladies, would you be able to give me an example or two of what kind of changes you are actually talking about? I so want to live my true life; but I have been stuck in the same hole for so long I hardly know how to climb out. How did you start?

I have always wondered what she carries in that purse.