You’ll always be OUR That Girl, Marlo. We grew up with your wonderful dad and you. We saw you fall for your husband. Even though we’ve never met in person, we share so much of the history of this country and the times we experienced. You’ve always been such a role model. Elegant, classy and with integrity unmatched. You are talented in many ways and very giving. Many more WoW Birthdays to you!

I lived in New Mexico and Richardson ran a good state. He pulled up the level in his schools and did much that was positive. As far as his decision to back Obama instead of Hillary, he did what he thought was best for the country. Why do people continue to be so bitter over the nomination process? It’s over with; Obama was elected president of this country. He has chosen Hillary to be his Secretary of State a job she will excell at. Richardson will do much for this country because after Bush, we need to improve our relations with our neighbors to the South. Instead of clinging to the past and calling Richardson a Judas or a political slime bag, why not see what good he can do instead. Put your energies behind the new administration which is working harder and faster than any other transition team to make sure this country gets on track again. Why be so bitter and judgemental? We are fortunate to have a president elect who is tapping a pool of very experienced and talented people instead of putting his buddies and pals in place. This is a good thing. Bill Richardson did not stab anyone in the back by coming out for Obama; instead, he did what he felt was best for us. He didn’t practice the old style of politics and go for a buddy. Let’s grow up and move on. All of us will reap the benefits of this progress and try being part of the solution instead of standing firmly in the past and being more of the problem.

LOL! Hey, Marjorie, faulty skimming skills has got to be better than doubtful retrieval skills. You know, when someone asks you for your phone number and you stare blankly and utter some sort of nonesense about never calling yourself. I have a lifetime’s worth of information stored; often I don’t seem able to get to it.

Dianne, one thing I have discovered in my travels is that there ARE great people and lovely food all over this wonderful country. And if one is polite and interested, one can come across both in quantities. I love to get out and admire peoples’ gardens and chat and ask where people think are the best places to get fancy and just plain yummy food. I’ve been known to send postcards to people whose gardens I admire when I visit a city. I appreciate great food, the effort some put into their gardens and I always enjoy meeting people and getting to know their ideas and their cities and towns. To me, it’s one of the very upsides to being human. Sad that others don’t always see it that way. And I do recall some very friendly, helpful, and talented people in your state.

Merrell, I think Margo summed it up: someone likes to hear herself type. You know, RNS; Rampant Narcissism Syndrome. I think we should take your advice.

You know, Marina, if Laura Bush could let her true self be known, she could make our jaws hang open. I find her an enigma like my own mother; she, too, stay married to a man I would not have. I don’t understand Mrs. Bush nor do I relate to how she can look at her husband with loving eyes after all he has done. But I will respect her choice to do so and I won’t judge the woman. I sense there is so much more there than meets the eye; a person held in check in such a tragic way. I sense she is funny, sweet, kind and intelligent. If she could cut loose and tell us all, I think it could be a hell of a read, indeed and if she did open up, I would read the book then.

Dianne, I would LOVE to eat at your home! If this is what you’re serving, “… fried chicken (my grandmother’s recipe), fried green tomatoes, squash casserole, mashed potatoes and homemadepecan pie (Karo syrup’s recipe) with sweet tea for supper. If you come for lunch the next day, you shall have grilled tilapia with salsa fresca, chopped salad with aged balsamic and fresh pasta pesto. You sound like a heck of a good cook and a lovely, generous hostess. I do have to say I find Laura Bush an enigma; rather like my own mother who stayed with a man I would not have in a million years. That said, I see a sparkle in her eyes, a gracious manner to her and she seems genuinely kind and sweet. I don’t know why she loves the man she does or how she sees what he has done to this country with loving eyes, but I will respect her desire to do so. Just as I did not get on the wagon telling Mrs. Clinton she should divorce her philandering husband. I do not support being rude to anybody and I can’t imagine were I to meet Laura Bush that I would rush up to her and list all my complaints and criticisms of her husband, although I certainly have many. I do not know what their relationship is but she must love the man to stay with him and I don’t understand nor do I blame her.

I agree, Marjorie. I hope he and the family go to Hawaii, sleep, eat, eat some more and relax before it REALLY gets nuts. Still, it always amazes me that some of us get skinny under stress and some of us puff up. LOL

By the way, what’s a Sarah Wink? Is that an insult, a snark, a put down, or what? By Marjorie C. on 11/22/2008 2:12 pm :: A Sarah Wink IMO is a form of self-depecration. I used it because < I > was ranting that time! LOL

By Marjorie C. on 11/22/2008 1:55 pm Re Obama: If he gets much thinner, walking on water just might be possible. :: OMG, no kidding, Marjorie, I wish I had his metabolism. He eats and eats and it doesn’t stick on him. Makes me jealous.

Snark Alert! If Okpulot annoys you, skip her posts — easiest thing in the world to do… particularly since you don’t own this site. Other choice would be to hook up with a site where she doesn’t post. In other words, move on. By Marjorie C. on 11/22/2008 1:33 pm :: Marjorie, you posted earlier in this thread that Okpulot is “… one of the few interesting people left on this dwindling site.” I’m neither agreeing or disagreeing but I’m thinking if you believe this site is so dwindling and that few of us have good personalities or much to say that interests you, why do YOU not move on? It’s rather insulting, IMO, to imply the rest of us are beneath your standards then tell someone to move on if they don’t like it here. You could follow your own advice or at the very least, not post on a thread by someone whom you obviously detest so much or at the very least take a rather meanspirited delight in seeing put down by others. You don’t own the site either. Telling anyone to move on is something I did once until Mugsy Peabody pointed out the error of my ways. We’re all here and it behooves us not to insult each other. I avoid posting on Monica Crowley’s threads because I disagree with her and it would be rude of me to arrive in her “living room” and egg on people to be disrespectful to her. So. I got to rant and hopefully I didn’t go on too long. Sarah Wink.

OMG. Okpulot Taha and I have common ground!! She writes: On Eastwood’s movie, “Unforgiven”, this is up there on my top ten list of lifetime favorite movies. Eastwood is a master, a true master. :: And I completely agree on this matter.

But Marjorie mercifully keeps hers short, Marina.

By Okpulot Taha on 11/22/2008 1:14 pm: Obama is cool. Obama can walk on water. :: I guess you’ve seen him doing that while you’re squatting by the stream of life drinking.

Are you kidding?!? WE are the ones who owe you so much. Your talent and Ms. Lily’s have been an inspiration to us all for so long. I try never to miss Ms. Lily when she performs near me from the 1970s to present. And you, Ms. Wagner, have talent, wit, integrity, brains, the works. You both do. You are THE Dynamic Duo and the world would be a dim place without the likes of you two.