Kryssi K - I understand your feeling of not being “sensitive” enough. I grew up with a mother and sister that would scare me silly. Both were bright, educated, and well read. But some of the things that happened in our lives that these two were involved in were just down right eerie. I have always wondered why I didn’t possess these same traits. I think we are all born with special talents. Some can talk to animals, some can take dead plants and bring them back to life, some are on a special wave-length with children, etc. I say this to try to explain to myself the fact that I just wasn’t ‘born’ with the talent to see beyond the vail. You and I were just born with other talents :)

I sit here staring at my worn and tattered posters of James Dean that grace my office/bedroom wall. I have packed these carefully over the years - probably better than the fine china. Was only 9yr when he died but have grown old lusting after and loving him. He played a troubled soul better than any other actor - East of Eden, Giant, etc. He wasn’t the bad boy - just the misunderstood boy.

At least Sarah doesn’t have to worry about talking to the librarian about this book.When did we become such wimps? Now we are afraid of the written word? Bush has us looking over our shoulder about everything - what a shame.

Lorraine - that was my first thought when I read this question. We belong to a tribe (whether we want to believe it or not) and it is important to most people that the rest tribe looks on their union as something special. That is why we have so many laws governing marriage. I personally think that people are better off if they just live together - forever or as long as the flame is burning - and not have to get so involved with all the ritual crap. But that is my opinion (which has changed because I can remember when I was a young lass and couldn’t wait to tie the knot so that the whole world would know how much that man loved me). I think we will always have some form of marriage - jumping over sticks in front of a group or walking down the aisle in front of a group - somehow it has always been important.

Just watched Letterman and it was sad, funny, and scarey. This whole thing is going to cause such a stink that we STILL will not be able to get to the real issues of the day. Sometimes I think the whole country did too many drugs in the sixties.

Catherine - thank you so much for such a heartfelt post. I really think that it is of world wide importance that we elect the right man. And which ever man gets elected I just pray that he CAN do something to dig us out.

Susan B - I agree that McCain is probably a very nice man and wants to do the best for the country. It is just to bad that he has surrounded himself with people that are giving him such lousy advice and he doesn’t have the intelligence to realize it. If he cannot manage his campaign, ads, and important decisions better than he has been doing how in the world is he going to manage the responsiblities of the Oval office? I hate the all mudslinging that goes on here - on both sides - but even the press is starting to write about McCain’s mismanagement. I want them to debate on friday because I want to hear what comes out of their mouths, not what someone wrote, or some sleazy ad. I think we can all tell alot more about a person when we actually see how they handle themselves, their body language, how long they take to answer a question - whether it takes time because they don’t know the answer or because tey are thoughtful and want to give the best answer. I think the American people really need this debate and need it now.

C A Rose - I never have been one to cuss but I will tell you what - when I do EVERYONE pays attention. I think there are points in life when you have to hit the mule on the head to get it’s attention - LOL. I never really want to say “get your f—-ing hands off my stuff” I always just want the grit to say it if that is what I felt. I love getting older and grittier.

Suzanne de - This kind of remark is what I would be looking for. A statement about a fact that you have researched, where the article came from, etc. Then I get to form my own opinion about whether to believe it or not. But when some of the posts start out “You idiot - didn’t you read the Time Mag. article that shows McCain is a liar? What kind of uninformed voter are you that ……….blah, blah, blah.” Do you see what I mean? I totally agree that McCain has so twisted the truth in his ads that he either doesn’t grasp reality or he knows he is lying. But that is my opinion and I understand why people also think there is things going on in Obama’s campaign that aren’t above board. I just wish that we could discuss the different things that we have heard without calling each other names. It just seems so childish. Thanks for your comments stated in an adult fashion. LOL

JCM - I still come back every nite to look but don’t get involved as I use to. What is the use of stating your opinion if someone is going to tell you how stupid your are for not reading whatever crap they have just read. I live in a small town and have to deal with small minds all the time. That is why I thought this website was so exciting. I heard stupid things like “Obama took his senate oath on the Koran, not the bible. McCain married his wife for her money. Etc., I really thought this website was going to be different. There are several people I do enjoy whose opinion I like to hear - even when I disagree with them, because they are so well stated. But the mudslingers seem to be taking over. It is sad. You can’t stop posting - your picture alone makes me smile and I have always enjoyed your sense of humor. We both just need to learn how to speed read. Then we can skip the trash posts and get to the real meat of honest discussion. (Don’t tell anyone - but I do enjoy it when Mugsy verbally spanks some of this foolish people.)

What can I say after 40 that I couldn’t say before? “I think …………..” I never thought my opinions were important enough to matter. I can now actually say “Excuse Me!” if someone is impolite and interrupts me. I remember helping a elderly woman (89) years ago. She needed help cleaning her apartment and I volunteered. I picked up some knickknacks to dust under and she whacked me with her cane saying “Get your hands off my f—-ing stuff!” I reminded her that I was helping as I thought to myself…..I want to be able to have the nerve to tell people “Get your hands off my f—-ing stuff!” It is starting to come with age. Loving life after forty.

I am not as excited about this whole website as I use to be. I come here to listen to women talk about subjects, voice different opinions, state my own opinion, and hopefully get a wider view of many subjects. But this constant hateful, and hate filled, posting is getting depressing. I find it very hard to consider this intelligent discourse. I don’t hate Palin and McCain - they are probably very nice people who have strong beliefs - I just happen to disagree with them. I think that they could do great harm to this country but that is just my opinion. This liar, liar, pants on fire crap is something I would hope was beneath all of us. I do want to know if Palin tried to ban books - but I want the truth. I do want to know if Obama has hidden agendas - but I want the truth. I don’t want to hear - “I read this article on GotASecretToSpread.com and this is what it said….” I think some of you ladies should be ashamed of yourselves. If your children, or grandchildren, acted this way you would tell them not to spread gossip. The postings on this whole website are starting to remind me of my uncle who thought the Enquirer was the only newspaper that told the truth. Once in awhile an article would pan out to be the truth and he would use it to press his point. I guess I don’t have anything more to add to all this crap.

Mugsy you slay me - :) I h-a-v-e to be alone at the end of the day. Even if I don’t have things to mull over - I just need that down time. I use to think I was selfish - but now I think of it as making life easier for everyone else. If I don’t get my down time - after a few days I am not very nice to be around. Even when I was young and married with children I would go to bed with everyone else and as soon as they were all asleep I would get up for atleast two hours of me time. T.V., book, just plain quiet,whatever. For some of us it is as necessary as food and water.

It has been said over and over again - just the cost of all the uninsured that end up in the emergency rooms across the nation that cannot pay would help cover national coverage. The uninsured could go to the doctor when a symptom was first noticed and able to be handled at very little cost rather than waiting until it is life threatening and very costly. I think that even the ones like myself that are living on a very tight budget would willingly pay a small amount monthly to be able to see a doctor when needed. As I have posted before - I had a sinus infection that ended up costing over $3,000.00 in ER visits because I could not afford to go to the doctor when it started. It got so bad they thought I had had a stroke and ordered Cscan and MRI. It was ridiculous. A $150 doctor visit could have saved me many weeks of pain and suffering and thousands of dollars that the taxpayers had to absorb. It isn’t much different than saying food is so expensive that we just have to let some people starve. Not sure what the answer is - just know that something has to be done.

Ya made me smile after a hard day - thanks