"The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind..."

May I preface this by saying that I am an evangelical Christian conservative, who votes Republican and thinks Ronald Reagan is the best president this country has ever had....

But I would like to say that Americans need to stop fighting this war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 2 young men from Pennsylvania above that were best friends in life, are now buried next to one another, after both dying in separate incidents in this war. We've been there too long; it's becoming another Vietnam. The people I associate with, in church, and in the conservative Texas hill country all concur. We need to get out of there, it's time for an exit strategy and sooner rather than later. Really, why are we still there?! It's not for oil, that is clear with the current price of oil. (Which, by the way, is one of the things I thought Trump made perfect sense about.) We are losing the best, the brightest and the bravest, for what? We've taken down Saddam Hussein and now Osama Bin Laden, so let's pull our ground troops out, and just let special opps target the heads of these organizations. This has gotten ridiculous. I find it very curious that when Bush was president, the liberals talked incessantly about ending this war, but now are saying nothing. I don't get it. Or maybe I do... it really IS all about politics. Yack. It's why I prefer nominating a non-politician for president.

It's not a video game, these are real lives. It's not monopoly, it's real money - OUR money.

What has happened to common sense???

"We're the Land of the Free because of the Home of the Brave..."

As we all celebrate Memorial Day in whatever fashion we choose, let's remember that our freedom was bought with blood. Wars have consequences. The victor gets the spoils, ergo freedom. We're not speaking German or Japanese because young men and women paid with their lives. And these days we don't even have a draft, these brave folks sign up on their own. And we're fortunate they do...

I've also noticed since the libs are back in power, that the anti-war people are nowhere to be found. They were strangely silent when this administration killed Bin Laden, and they're silent about Gitmo. Yet they still want to prosecute Bush and Cheney for what they deem as war crimes. It just shows me that they are all about their lifestyle choices and the rest is about stopping conservatives. It's too bad that, as conservatives, we are fighting 2 wars:

The enemy overseas and the enemy over here...

Due to a death in the family, I won't have any postings for a few days.

"The fat lady has sung..."

Well, I think all the season finale's are finally over, with American Idol crowning their winner last night as the final finale. It was an interesting season and fun to watch the musical chairs each week, leaving 17 year old Scotty McCreery from Garner, North Carolina as the last man standing and the 10th "American Idol." As I watched all the hoopla last night in the star-studded final show, it occurred to me that America got it right this year. I secretly had hoped that a practicing Christian would win, and the first thing Scotty said was that he wanted to thank God who had gotten him to that point. It surprised me that the last 2 standing were 2 "country" teenagers from the South, who seem like good, clean, innocent teens who love their parents, their families, their towns, this country and singing! I think the country collectively knows this nation has gone too far down a wicked lane, and it's time to turn back and return to good, clean fun. The country genre of music seems to be the cleanest of the choices for the young people currently. I just hope that the music scene won't ruin any of the 13 finalists that will tour this summer, because most of them seem like regular people without all of the airs they pick up in the business. One person that comes to mind that really went rotten is Will Smith. When he came onto the scene in "Fresh Prince of Belair" at about their age, he was fresh and funny and entertaining. Now? He's a pompous ass.... It's just hard to watch these normal people get ruined. We can only hope that the Bible verse will hold true, "Train up your child in the way in which he should go, and when he grows old, he will not depart from it." Personally, I don't think I would want my child to enter and have this kind of life, no matter how much money they could make. Some of the richest people I know are also some of the unhappiest. It's certainly a life of stress and not all can handle it.

Anyway.

Now that all the shows are over I'm not real excited about reruns this summer... I'd like to read but it's not something DD and I can do together.

Now what?

"She's come a long way, baby...."

O. No.

Another end of an era.... aaaaaaaaaaahhh, too many lately!! Today I taped Oprah's last show and I cried at the end. My children will never believe that, since I rarely, if ever, cry. My father would never let us cry. ever. We had to stuff it. We had to stop crying or we got in worse trouble. To this day, I cannot cry in front of anyone; only alone. So today, alone, as Oprah walked off her stage, I cried. She's been doing this my entire adult life. 25 years.... And since I've worked all of that time, I was never able to watch her show unless for some reason I had to come home on a weekday. But I've seen enough and heard about enough of her shows to know how inspirational she is. How charismatic she is. And how powerful she is.... Wow, talk about the power of one... Oprah came from a very tough beginning; VERY tough. She was sexually abused, from a poor family in Mississippi, and born at a time when black women could aspire to be a maid or a teacher in a segregated black school. She's come a long way, baby. And she's been an inspiration not only to black women, but to all women. She figured out what all successful people in the media know, that if you can help others help themselves, then it will come back to you 100 fold. Good karma, if you will.

Her last show surprised me at first, but then, as I thought about it, it made perfect sense. She was still teaching. Or as DD said as she watched it with me, preaching. She said she knew she was doing what she was born to do. She said once you realize that you and you alone are responsible for your life, it's a game changer. No more blaming other people for your lot in life. And she said each of us is responsible for the energy we bring to others. I found this very convicting. I know I sound mean and sarcastic in my blog, which I'm sure is from my own insecurities. She said she's found that most people feel unworthy, unworthy of goodness in their lives, and she has tried to show them that by just being alive, just being born, they are worthy. She said we all have a common thread of wanting to matter. We each want to be heard. And in her quest for the truth, for answers, we have learned with her. And it has been inspirational. It was never about the money for her. She has said she dropped everything to be in "The Color Purple," years ago. It was never about the money, and that showed. She has been incredibly generous with her gifts, and even that has come back to her, as she is one of the wealthiest women on the planet. I have incredible respect for Oprah. She has the unusual name for her unusual life. She knew early on that she had a huge calling. And she said today that she was able to do it because of the viewers, her team and Jesus. Her last words on the show were, "to God be the glory."

Amen sister...

"Read the handwriting on the wall..."

Wow. This is the most telling thing I've seen in awhile... Here is what our president signed TODAY at Westminster Abbey (yes, where the royal wedding was just one short month ago - the one he didn't get invited to.) Notice that he got the right day, but the WRONG YEAR. What's up with THAT?! His one line is, "It is a great privilege to commemorate our common heritage, and common sacrifices." And if you read handwriting, you will see that he's all flash and no substance. My mother wrote a long article when she was still alive on handwriting analysis. The first letter of the name is very large and flashy, which means over-confident. The rest of the name is illegible, which means he leaves the details to someone else. Hello? His signature says it all. (As a matter of fact, before the next election, we just need to read each candidate's signature to see who is best for the job, but I digress.) The prez continues his European vacation... Oh and let's not forget his wonderful words of encouragement to the victims of the worst tornado disaster in over 50 years, "We're here for you," from London and then plays a mean game of ping pong with the prime minister...

ugh.

"You can fool some people sometimes, but you can't fool all the people all the time."

Does this bother anyone else besides me??! They can't get an invitation to the 'wedding of the century,' so they go over to London and suck up to the royals?? Yack. Barry thinks he's so charming that he can just call them and ask to visit, so he can win them over. For some reason, this totally disgusts me....

P.S. Remember when he gave the Queen of England an iPod with his speeches on it??!

"Keep Calm and Carry On"

Well, it's been, like, all of a MONTH since the President and First Lady have taken a trip, so here they go again... This time the Apology Tour VII began in Ireland, for God knows WHAT reason except to drink Irish beer? And to claim that B.O. has Irish roots? And then they had to lift off early due to volcanic ash, (a sign maybe?) Seems they are going to head to London to schmooze with the Brits since they didn't get an invite to the royal wedding and were embarressed in front of the entire world...

I'm gobsmacked at this load of codswallop...

"Party like it's 1999..."

Well... it's finally over... the much-anticipated 8th GRADE DANCE.... In our town, it's sort of a Pre-Prom, which is code for spending a ton of money for a 3 hour dance, but... it's a rite of passage, and we have to do it right. My dad always said, "If you can't go first class, don't go at all." (easy for him to say, but I try) This is the dance they talked about at her private school for years. And last weekend she had to miss the beloved 8th grade dance at her old school, but the public school she now goes to, has one too (thankfully.) As always with girls, it's ALL about the dress, so it had to be perfect for DD. You might recall I had a blog about finding "the one," but it was really the one I thought was the one, but DD didn't. So that dress went to her good friend at the old school, and you can see the new dress in above photos.

So how did the dance compare? Well, since I was a 7th grade parent last year, and we put on the 8th grade party last year, it took 6 months to plan, and our budget was $2,000. The party is always very impressive, and was extremely difficult for DD last weekend that she did not get to go. But her new school had their's tonight, and all things considered, she loved this one much more. And although the budget was way lower, she said it was the people that really made it fun, and she had a blast. And I realized she had learned a valuable lesson.

Progress...

"The end of an era..."

Say it ain't so, again... Tonight watched Mary Hart's final show at Entertainment Tonight. She started 29 years ago in 1982. 29 years.... And she looks much younger than her 60 years, so I'm not sure why she's decided to leave the show, which seems to have been a pretty sweet deal interviewing celebrities. But maybe she's tired of it. Or maybe they told her she needed to quit or be fired due to her age? Maybe she wants to do something new, although that's hard to imagine.

All I know is that my entire adulthood Mary Hart has been on TV. We've had dinner together all these weeknights. As I fed my babies, or got home from work, she was there with her smiling face. Her ever smiling face. Yes, they've replaced her with a younger model, but it's not the same. It's not Mary. She has been the consummate professional. She has had dignity and class. She's just someone I would want to be friends with; positive and personable.

Like all goodbyes, I wish her well. But I'm not sad for her; she will be okay. It's me I'm feeling sorry for. It's the end of an era. Seems to be a lot of those lately... Oprah's last show will be next week. And Katie Couric left CBS, although I don't really care for her style. The Baby Boomers are starting to pass the baton and I don't like it. I know it's a part of getting older, but I don't like that either. The next generation just doesn't seem to want to make a difference for the most part. They just seem to want to be at the top, but not willing to work for it. They just don't have the soul of my generation....

Next Monday at dinner time, I will turn on Entertainment Tonight and will watch her replacement. And I'll still hear the entertainment news. And life will go on.

But it just won't be the same...

"I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance.... and they have divided up my land."

Today I was in my weekly networking luncheon when an AP mobile app appeared on my iPhone. It said that President Obama wants to take the Israeli borders back to pre-1967... and I got a chill.... I mentioned it to a few in the group that I know are Bible believing Christians and they just shook their heads. God is very clear in His word, that there will be divine judgment on the nations that divide up Israel. Very clear. And although most don't want to hear it, it is just another (huge) sign that we are in the last days. Yes, I know, one guy says the world will end on Saturday, which probably means it won't since God told us in His Word that we will NOT know the date and time, but only the season. It's just not how He works. He says it will be like a "thief in the night." We are supposed to be ready, as it will be sudden.

Anyway.

I know we have to go on. We can't sit on top of the mountain top waiting for Jesus to come. No, He told us to keep doing our work for Him until He comes. Keep telling others that if they will just turn to Him, that He will meet them, and take their burdens and give them peace. I don't know when He's coming.

But it feels like a movie with 10 minutes left, and you know the big finale will happen any moment...

Tick. Tick. Tick.

"And they lived happily ever after..."

How cute is Miranda Lambert?? This past weekend she married her beau here in Texas, very close by. It was on the Don Strange ranch, who by the way, was the caterer at my wedding in the late 70's. Everyone in the (Texas) hill country was talking about it, since lots of country stars were so close. We hear they had some of the parties at near by Luckenbach -- you know the song, "Let's go to Luckenbach, Texas with Willie, Waylon and the boys..." Yes, for many years Willie Nelson had his big 4th of July concert there, but has since moved it around to different venues.

Anyway.

I think Miranda and her new husband just seem like normal cute newlyweds.

Cheers!

"Time to draw a line in the sand..."

It starts here. It starts now. We the People need to take this occasion and, like they did at the Alamo, draw a line in the sand. In just a few short months, we will no longer be able to buy regular light bulbs. No, we will have to buy the "Eco-friendly" $50 light bulbs that, should they break, will cause a eco-disaster... Try googling how to clean up breaking one of the new light bulbs. It's truly DANGEROUS. You might have to call Hazmat to assist...
WHY IN THE WORLD ARE WE THE PEOPLE PUTTING UP WITH THIS??!! So now we don't have the freedom to buy the light bulbs we desire?? We are quickly watching our freedoms fly out the window. Just heard this week that Indiana has passed a law that the police don't need a warrant to come into people's homes in that state. Or even a reason. I find that beyond alarming. We are quickly becoming like a communist country. And why aren't we doing something about this??
Over the last 2 years, we have watched an administration that promised "transparency," and then wanted stimulus' and healthcare passed without even reading it. Pelosi said, "Pass the bill so we can see what's in it." Say what?! We've been told with each huge bill, that we are in a dire situation, and quick, just pass it so the country doesn't collapse. And here we are today, with the U.S. hitting the debt ceiling, and the libs tell us that if we don't increase it, that there will be dire consequences. Yeah right... I think they've cried wolf a few too many times.
Where is the outrage??

It's time to take our country back. Just like with the Boston Tea Party. We need to get "mad as hell and not take it any more."
Tea anyone?

"They are dropping like flies..."

So in the last few days, we hear that neither Huckabee or Trump will run for president on the Republican ticket. And I'm thinking, why should they? Huckabee's doing pretty well with his show on the Fox Network and Trump is a businessman, entreprenuer with a hit TV show. Why would ANYONE want to go through the grueling process of running for president? All the debates. All the traveling. All the stress. And then you add the fact that the mainstream media is going to crucify you and dig up every previous bitter girlfriend and give you the biggest anal exam of your life... And then there's the money... All that raising of funds. It's endless. I'm sure Trump looked at it as a businessman, and saw all the money he would lose. Even if he won, the president of the United States only makes like, $200,000 per year? And then there are his children who probably begged him not to run, and have the family dragged through the mud. Not to mention, part of their inheritance would be flying out the window. Trump probably thought back on the press dinner at the White House last week, and knew the media would continue to roast him like a pig for the next year and a half.

So now what? Well, it's back to the politicians. ugh... The conservatives need a strong leader, someone with charisma, but they MUST have the heart of Ronald Reagan. They have to truly believe in morality and decency and getting this country back to sanity. Why does it seem almost impossible? I can remember flipping through channels on the remote several summers before, and landed on the Democratic convention when everyone first heard Barack Obama. I told my friends, he's so charismatic, they will put him up for president even though he had no experience. They knew how strongly people reacted to this man. Granted, he's now had over 2 years to show us what he's got, and it's not good. At all. Under his leadership and those of his cronies, we see the naked truth, and it's very, very ugly.

I don't know who will emerge now to run on the ticket. The media has already crucified Sarah Palin, and made such a mockery of her, that the all important moderates of this country would never vote for her. As a matter of fact, for each presidential election, I just ask my older sister who she is voting for, because that's who wins. She's one of those swing voters. She voted for Reagan, Clinton, Bush and Obama.

Go figure...

SEX

SEX.... Did I get your attention? It seems to work every time... I find it worrisome that there are so many sexual messages that young people see, and without censorship (as I mentioned earlier this week) it seems that almost anything goes. In our conservative small town in Texas, a 7th grader just had a baby about a month ago. And another sweet little girl, also 7th grader, that my daughter went to school with 4 years ago, allegedly was pregnant and got an abortion (according to DD.) As a matter of fact, last week in class, DD's 8th grade classmates were talking about sex at lunch, and her close set of friends said, "You're not going to wait until college to have sex, are you??!!" She said she answered, "uh, well, I was thinking about it..."

Wow. This is junior high. 2011.

"Loose lips sink ships"

How comical that we are finding out that Osama Bin Laden didn't think that Joe Biden was worth an assassination attempt, but as I think further, why did the government allow this information to get out? Was it to embarress Biden? As a matter of fact, why is this administration letting ALL of this info from the raid out? I get it that they are portraying the Islamist's revered OBL in a poor light, sitting in some crack house looking structure with pornography. But what about all the rest of it? We know the Navy Seals aren't talking, it's against their code. So who is leaking all of this out? Shouldn't it be funneling through only ONE designated spokesperson? Why are there so many versions of the story? We hear OBL was in his pajamas, then his underwear, then naked - which is it? We hear there was a 25 minute lapse and we hear the head cameras caught the entire raid. Why all the versions? Why didn't we just not say what we found? Why is the administration showing our hand and telling critical details of the raid? At the most, it's the height of irresponsibility and at the least, terribly unprofessional.

But then those are the consequences of electing liberals who disdain the military, to the highest office in the land...

"Mean people suck..."

Yes, that's right, I watch American Idol. I know, I know, I'm a Baby Boomer, and not many of us do, but it's really a guilty pleasure. I love watching these kids plucked out of obscurity and watch them bloom right before our eyes. So tonight, they are down to 4 contestants, 2 guys and 2 girls. My favorite one left is Haley, a raspy, blues singer who is AWESOME. Obviously JLo (Jennifer Lopez) and Randy (Dawg) did NOT agree with me (or the audience) and were 10x meaner than Simon Cowell EVER was. I mean it was RUDE. It was even embarressing how mean they were. The first performance she gave, those 2 were obviously trying to get her voted off. Fortunately Steven Tyler, who is very endearing, jumped in and told Haley that the other 2 were dead wrong and that she gave a beautiful performance.

I know, it's "Bubble gum for the brain" but sometimes we just need that - right??

"All things truly wicked start from innocence." - Ernest Hemingway

If you're a little older, you've probably asked yourself when did the decline in America start? I read a Christian author that takes it all back to 1969 when the censorship laws were lifted. I totally believe that... When I was growing up the television shows couldn't even show a married man and woman in the same bed and now look at it. In this country's attempt for complete freedom, anything goes and no one is protecting young people any more. Take for example pornography. They used to have to go to some XXX Adult sleazy place, but now it's just a click away. It's on the internet and even at public libraries they are allowing children the freedom to look at it. And we have very little music censorship here either. Rihanna's new song, "S&M" has been banned in 8 countries, and I read this week that Britain is appalled with it and isn't going to allow it on their music tv station for fear that children will see it. When is the last time you heard THAT in this country?? My daughter's friend that has gone wild (since her parents cannot seem to discipline) is going to several websites where people with webcams show and do everything they would like to total strangers, which ends up being a lot of men exposing themselves and worse. Or she gets on chat sites with alias names and is opened up to a world of vile things. A few months ago this friend had invited DD over along with another shy school friend, and told me they got on one of the sites and this man was trying to convince them how cool the heroin high is. Great..... I contend there are monsters out there and I hear of them every day. Even in our small town of under 10,000, parents are still reticent to let their kids walk too far from home, since we do have lots of tourists. And where is the outrage?? Are we all too tired to fight any more?? Baby boomers have raised their children and the next generation isn't too concerned. My 30 something coworker told us today that the DARE police program against drugs comes to the schools in 4th and 5 th grades and shows the kids joints and lets them smell the smell and asks if they have seen this. She says that lots of kids raise their hands and say yes, and then the police take their names and go to the homes. She says lots of her friends smoke pot at home, some in front of their kids but most do not with their kids around. Her generation isn't too concerned about censorship and most of them don't think that it's bad or else don't think at all.

This worries me that conditions will continue their downward spiral...

"Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend."

This is an unusual blog - I think - because I'm all over the map in terms of what I choose to write about. Honestly, each day, I try to write about what I feel the most passionate about. What evokes the most emotion. And today I am most passionate about what DD is going through at school. As a matter of fact, our entire family has listened to the ups and downs this entire school year, and we're all ready for junior high to be over!! And her looking for a good, decent friend reminds me of the Bible story about Abraham asking God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were only 50 righteous men, 45? 40? 30? 20? 10? But alas, there were not... There just don't seem to be any girls who aren't just out for themselves. She can't find ONE good friend that has her back. Not ONE. Is it just the area we live in?? Her older brother thinks the kids these days have "gone feral," since they have been raising themselves. Her older sister thinks we should move to another city since she will just go to high school with the same kids. My thoughts? I think kids are the same everywhere...

Just listen to the news - all of the bullying... it's out of control. And Alex says Tina Fey's new book discusses the fact that girls these days only compete against each other and don't back each other up. In my day, at least your close circle of friends would, for the most part, support you in almost everything. These days it's every man for himself. We were joking yesterday (on Mother's Day) that kids these days are like "Lord of the Flies" or even "Survivor." Even at church, the kids are goth. Yes, goth. Go figure...

I think... I think that competition has run amuck in the United States. Everybody is competing to be #1 and are willing to do ANYTHING to get there. Don't get me wrong, I'm a competitive person myself. I like to be the best I can be. I strive for excellence. But not at the expense of others. I challenge my children to do the same. I want them to be happy, that's my goal. I want them to do what makes them happy, whatever that is. And DD just wants some nice girls to hang out with. That's it.

I've noticed that there are 2 older girls in high school that are some of the sweetest girls in town, and both have been cheerleaders, but they don't have any good friends. It's like the really nice ones just don't fit in. It truly is like one of these teen angst movies with all the bullies.

And I just wonder, will it ever get better here?

"A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's."

Dear Mom,

I wish I could have visited with you today... It's not the big days I miss; it's the small, simple things like sitting around the kitchen table talking to you while you cooked dinner. I miss your laugh and the twinkle in your eye. I miss your positivity; you were always so, so positive. I miss your hugs, which you had for each of us every time we saw you. And I miss the feeling of security I always felt every time I was home. Yes, you created a wonderful home for us; not just a house. Home was where you were, and it was an oasis of warmness in this cold world of selfish, mean people. I knew I could never measure up to you, and I haven't... as hard as I try.

Bubba and Sissy have turned out very well with your help; you would be so proud of them... They are wonderful and, along with DD, are my favorite people. You've missed so much over the last 10 years... graduations, weddings... all the things you should have been at, and were... in spirit. At each event, I know that each of us pauses at a moment, and feels your presence. You were the glue in our family, and nothing is the same without you. Oh, how I wish DD could get to grow up with you. She only has 2 memories of you, and you were sick at that time. She doesn't have the privilege of your family dinners, your wonderful listening ability or your wonderful, uplifting comforting. I'm doing the best I can, but wish you were here. I was driving home from work this week, WISHING I could pick up my cell phone and call heaven... I just want to hear your voice one more time.

Happy Mother's Day Mom - God, I miss you...

The 3 best gifts ever

Requiem to the Mole

Today DD had minor plastic surgery to remove 2 moles from her face. I loved her mole by her mouth... It looked so Marilyn Monroe... so Cindy Crawford... so movie star-esque. I would've given my eye teeth for a cool mole like she had. It almost insured her future movie star status. It was so discriminating. I guess I wanted one since my whole life, I've had an average name, an average height, an average weight, average, average, AVERAGE!! I always wanted to stand out and be unique! It's why I gave her the cool, unusual name (DD are her initials.) But alas, she's in junior high where all you want to do is fit in. I had put her off as long as she would let me. She started her nagging last year. And then this year, it's all she wanted for Christmas. But still I procrastinated, hoping high school would change the equation, and she could celebrate her individuality. But then when she switched to public school and several of the boys started making fun of them, it's all she could think about. (Too, they were getting larger... and puffier...) and the boys were starting to be grossed out by them, although as you can see from the photo, the one by her mouth was still cute. So, yes, they're gone now... goodbye moles... hello scars... She has 2 really gnarly scars at this point with big black stitching. And looking at them, it's hard to believe he's a top pediatric plastic surgeon in Austin, (sigh) but I guess they will heal, and hopefully, fade away into the sunset...

But I'll miss them...

"Read between the lines..."

Have you ever noticed that the news gets on one subject, sort of a 'News du jour," and beats it like a dead horse?? Of course you have, if you have a television, radio, newspaper, et al. Right now it's the alleged killing of Osama Bin Laden, last week it was the Royal wedding, before that it was Charlie Sheen, and on and on and on..... It's amazing to me how the networks control the news by the subjects they choose to concentrate on, and the rest of us are at their mercy... Much of the time the major media are distracting us from the more important story, such as the New York Times burying it towards the back, or the spin the networks will attempt. For instance, since we have a far left liberal in office, unemployment is described to be a great 'vacation' and time to spend with the family, whereas when Bush was president they would say how low his public approval was because of the number of unemployed. As a matter of fact, I think the word "spin" was coined under the Clintons, when the media became COMPLETELY sold out to the Democrats. What I don't understand is why they are doing such terrible harm to our country by not being the checks and balances these days. In communist countries where the media is truly "state-controlled," only the propaganda is allowed to be released, which is where the U.S. is almost at, except for talk radio and internet. But not everyone listens to radio or has the internet. My father was a good example. When I was growing up, he was extremely conservative and intelligent, but after his stroke his brain was affected, and he just believed everything Walter Kronkite and Dan Rather told him as the gospel truth. So many of the older Americans don't have computers, and rely on the 3 main networks for all their news. But the news is so biased now, only Fox News even tries to be "Fair and Balanced."

There are still things that give me hope... the fine young men and women who join the military and protect this country. The alternative media that gives me a voice. And the devoted mothers and fathers that still impart values and morals to their children, which give me the most hope of all. So in the midst of one liners like, "Winning!" and "Kiss Me Kate!" and "Geronimo!" I'm going to keep the faith that there is still hope for this country.

So help us God....

"Enough already"

"You can't be too rich, too thin or too blonde."

I read about this girl a few weeks ago that did her thesis on eating disorders, and made a life-size model of Barbie, so she could illustrate what her measurements would look like. I mean, to a lot of American girls, Barbie is the benchmark of what an all-American girl wants to be; not only in looks, but with the proverbial Ken on her side, any dream job she wants, and all of the toys. It's the quintessential perfect American life. It's what we think men want; the tall, thin, big breasted girl with long blonde hair. Think Pamela Anderson or Blake Lively. It's also what "The Hill's" Heidi Montag was attempting to transform herself into after her 10 plastic surgeries in one day last year. The human Barbie doll... Men just seem to find blondes sexier. I mean they will marry something else, but they seem to think that blondes are the ultimate. Now that I'm older, I'm okay with this. It must be difficult to be a sex symbol on an ongoing basis.

So. Much. Effort...

"Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: 'In God we trust.'

Last night we got the word that Osama Bin Laden is dead. And yes, justice is served. So why don't I feel more exuberant about this? I think if it had happened the first year after 9-11, I would've been dancing in the streets. And I think if it could have happened on George W's watch, I would have enjoyed seeing him reach his goal. And I think there are a whole lot of things we'll never know about this scenario, so I hate to judge it on what I DO know, which is only what the media says.

As I went around to all of my clients today, we talked about it at each stop. And lots of my Facebook friends talked about it all day. Comments ranged from "Burn in hell" and "hope you're enjoying your virgins - not!" to the more religious who didn't want to rejoice at someone's death. Some, like me, thought it was suspect to shoot him in the head and then follow Muslim customs by burying him within 24 hours. Then they had a burial at sea? What's up with that?! But as the day went on, it was explained no country would take his body and that Americans do the right thing and comply with the dead's burial wishes. Still though, we ARE talking about one of the most evil men on the planet, in Hitler's category, so this was no ordinary situation.

Too, I am suspicious of this current administration going on their past history. I'm wondering why now? And why not just kill him and not announce it? The jihadists have threatened for years that they would avenge his death, and they will. Maybe not soon, but at some point. Maybe they would attack us regardless of his death? Maybe we can't live in fear? Maybe it becomes like the Hatfields and McCoys and the avenging goes on and on and on? To them, we started it. To us, they started it. But I've never understood why they think we started it. Or maybe they don't. The truth is that they are very deceived. They operate on hate and lies and forcing their beliefs on non-Muslims. They began as a fringe element, but are growing quickly.

Did this administration allow this to happen now so they can pull the U.S. out of the Middle East? I'm just wondering why now? The one thing we can ALL agree on is that the military rocks and we are all proud of the Navy Seals. For that we can all be united.

The other questions? Time will tell...

"If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world."

With so much about the royal family this week, I actually felt sorry for James Hewitt. Entertainment Tonight found him in living in Marbella, Spain and interviewed him from his Polo Bar. Much to my embarressment, they asked the question again, "Are you Prince Harry's father?" Well, it's obvious to anyone with eyes, but what was he supposed to say? It was 2 days before Prince William's wedding, so they expect him to say, yes I am, and hijack the entire wedding? It's time for everyone to forgive and forget. Charles was in love with Camilla when he married Diana, and continued his affair with her. Diana was very sad and lonely, and had an affair with James Hewitt for many years. He admitted recently that he was going to go on a trip and commit suicide over it all, but his mother intervened. After he sold out Diana, the British press drove him out of town, and he's a very, very broken man. And yes, he's reaping what he sowed. It must have been extremely painful for him to watch what looks to be his biological son on every television all over the world, and know that he cannot be a part of his life ever. He seemed very sad in the interview and I tried to think about what it might be like to be in his shoes.

And it seemed really sad and empty...

"Everything old is new again"

And hopefully

"They Lived Happily Ever After..."