The right valentine for the rest of my life.

I will be sending a pantygram to a “hunky” triathlete that I have been dating and dropping off a gift certificate for rock climbing, that I hope we will do together…..fully clothed of course….:-)

I could go for about a week…..I have the chin and neck hair issues as well. I have been accused of being “high maintenance”, but, I have never been a make up girl. So, I am comfortable with the camping in a more rural area, idea. At this stage of life I am seeing more of a elementary school grounds than being in the view of a single man. So, I am quite comfortable without the “face paint”. It is the maintance of being over 40 that would make me run to a mirror….I agree with the idea that I would not want to “scare small children or horses in the street.” But, between the home office and the school, I don’t put on make up often. And to think! Back east, I used to buy a new dress and get dolled up for Thanksgiving! How life changes…..

I guess that the competiative part of me left when it comes to being the first in line to spend money. I find the season more enjoyable when I take some time during the season and think about what a great gift is for the particular person. My family has given up the big switch routine with 5 siblings and thousands of miles between us, the phone call is good enough. So, I get to relax and bake cookies over the next few weeks and think of two or three great gifts for my 8 year old. I do miss spending time with them, but, I do not miss the pushing, shoving and all things that do not represent the holiday, but, do come with the shopping part of this season. Something about the phrase “the reason for the season” comes to mind.

Ok, Sex is my favoriate. You know that just touching his chest that makes your body zing with electricity kind…That kind that just his kiss makes your heart beat faster and feel like it is running a race…. Ok, now for the exercise part of this. I love Spinning! But, when the class is hard to get to! I walk about 3 miles with hand weights or ride my bike for 15 to the coast or swim about 30 minutes. Yea, I know! but I do it in rotation and take my days off! I keep hoping that by keeping in shape that some man will recognize the good person within after checking out my butt? It is a nice dream…..

AT 3:00 today I was on a 2.5 mile hike with a great girlfriend of mine and her friend Ben. I had just spent two hours playing pictionary with 8 people and nibbling my way across a shrimp and vegetable/fruit covered table. (Way too california for this east coast girl!) Where is the Dip!!!! I escaped to quiet as my son is with his dad for this vacation week and the absence of arguing relatives is a very nice feeling this year. I ate a very nice pork tenderloin with roasted sweet potato and broccoli. It was a great day! And no huge pile of dishes! Yea!

The movie sounds great, but, I am opting for Moonstruck and Love Actually. Both great and since I have not had relatives, only friends this year, it will fill my need for those crazy moments in life and TONS of laughs. The laughter is something we all might need! Happy Turkey and I hope someone else does all your dishes! Beth

Ah! if memory serves me right, although, it can be faulty at times. Abortion became a political issue when someone requested that the federal goverment pay or fund them! Ahhhhh! Yes, So if we look at this issue again, we have a medical procedure that a woman or a couple is asking of their insurance provider, which might be partially funded by a federally linked aka funded group. Enter the congress to be lobbied to and not listen to the general public, on what they would really like to be the law. When I was about 13 and had that talk with (gasp!) both of my parents, together with articles by that gracious Ann Landers spread infront of me, they did talk about love, committment and respect, but, they also talked about STD’s and getting “with child”. (Hey, my dad was a gentleman.) Abortion was discussed and I was enlightened that they both agreed that it was ok with them and that it was a woman’s decision. At this time my parents were in their 50’s if not early 60’s, as I was born when my mother was 38. When I was traveling and visited Berkely CA, I saw a table set on the sidewalk that was covered with bumperstickers. The two I bought were so profound and I am quite sure I was not going to find in my country town on the east coast. “What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular”. The second was “If you do not want an abortion, don’t have one.” This issue is about a woman’s body, like the ERA, a simple thing of person, respect and values has been taken up by men who want to control it. The ability of this country to have free speech is wonderful and I am greatful for the ability to do so, especially in this website. But, when a individual tries to force another to think or act or behave in any manner other than what is within themselves…..Well, if I were English my history book might have recorded that as the American insurrection! For us, it was our fight for independance! My sense of humor leaves me to ponder, What if men had the role of carrying the fetus? I wonder if this would still be a issue at all???????

Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with “me”. I pray that the way I live my life will somehow encourage others to live his or her life with a non-violent way and with charity and generous spirit. I have no contacts to influence the great minds of today, nor funds to help the UN. All I have to give is who I am and my actions as an example of how a peaceful life is what this world should be. The line if I remember is a part of a song? Yes? “Let there be peace on earth, a peace that was ment to be. With God as our fathers, brothers all are we. Let me live with my brother in love and harmony.” We may not see this in our lifetime, but, if star trek has any positive influence in the future, let it be with this as a goal of gobal peace……Leading by example, we can do this. One person at a time….Here is hoping Peace for all long after this week has ended.

I agree with many voicing the opinion that Palin is not ready for a VP job. She looked like a cheerleader who was prompted and coached for her time on the court. She was not a professional with years of experience, she was and is a light weight and with her running mate of 71 years of age, her “cheerleader” persona and obvious lack of need to address the issues directly along with absolutely no clue of what she will be up against in the presidential office. The thought that she would have “more” powers than Cheney is horrifying! He was bad enough….I am a independant, but, as a american and a woman I want a intelligent and savy woman to represent our country. The woman is an embarassement! The republican party should be ashamed!! I can’t imagine all women who believe in the basics of the republician party are this inept! Agh! Biden and Obama, should not have a difficult time with this. McCain has hired himself a “little woman” to do as he says and let him run the show. If you saw anything else on that stage, you need to have a trip to the eye dr.’s! quickly, With all of the extremely intelligent and capable woman in history that have governed all over the world, to think that we selected that is such an embarassement! From Margaret Thatcher to Goldia Meier and Indera Ghandi (forgive me if I have misspelled any names) These woman would be shuddering if their country had produced this woman….Recognize her for who she is….a woman with limited experience and not the “balls” and knowledge or capacity to handle a presidential office. Hillary and Fierro must have been stomping around with frustration at her ineptness and then laughing at the attempt of the republican party to pull this over the countries eyes. The only woman McCain is going to listen to is Cindy…..The woman with the jet and money!

ok, here is my take on this…I think it is that they are more afraid of getting old and seeing a older woman in their life, that insecurity and fear of age rears it’s ugly head and they run for the twenty something. They don’t feel old enough to have a wife that might be starting the change of life, getting gray hair or gasp! not be a perfect size 6 anymore. They still feel like that 40 year old guy!…Of course, this.sounds like Mr. Klein to me! He is a true dinosaur…….Lucky for us older gals, the 36 to 45 year olds still chase us!

Palin does make a difference in the republician thought process and McCain needed her to do two things. Bring in the conservative side of his party and her sex was needed to balance him and his views. She does not help my picture of the Republicians, nor is a positive influence for women. If she became president, many of the rights we as women have would not be supported. Her view that shocked me was her non-abortion for any reason. Not for rape, nor for the safety of the mother. So, I could be attacked getting into my car in a parking lot and have no choice but to carry a child to term or die trying, just because I am a female of the species. Sorry, we don’t deserve to go back to before the time of sufferage. She would move the country too far away from the rights of women. Obama and Biden are more liberal, but, would support more or sustain the current level of rights of women. That is a route I can drive down. Women are smart enough to see that just voting for a woman is not the intelligent direction to go in. The issues and the reasoning skills that the candidates have are what we need to focus on. If we as a country can not look beyond sex or color of skin, then we will fail…Time to open our eyes, wipe off the make up and look at the naked truth. I keep hoping that one of these (possibles) will finally give more information on what they will be doing in action plan form, so that I can feel that my choice is well informed and will move us in the right direction. I wish that Charlie Rose was doing the debates….We might get some answers then….Charlie you can never retire you know, just long vacations!

No, to over extending myself. I can say that I will tell a man to take a hike if he is improper to his face instead of just walking out of a party that I really was enjoying. No, to a many things and Yes, to so many things that I accepted not to do or did not do, due to a man’s influence. As for specific words…I guess that I was never the swearing type of woman and it just doesn’t fit me, but, I can now tell someone off in the sweetest and most eloquent manner you have ever heard.. Hey, Cindy McCain should hire me! or I could just get credit to use her plastic surgon…..:-)

My choice is Jane Austen’s - Persuasion. But, I agree that a woman should read many books before she is 21. I would hope that she would read about Martha Washington, our first president’s wife. She was the one who held land, the funds and ran the plantation while her hubby was fighting for independance. Even before we women were thought of as equals, her family provided in her marriage contract her security as the owner of property. She was a smart woman as well. imho…

Ahh, Emma, who married the man who played Willoby in her movie, Sense and Senseability, smart woman…..I am looking forward to her view of “My Fair Lady”!