I wish I could sing.....

I love pro-American lyrics in fact I get tears in my time every time I hear The National Anthem. If only God had given me the gift of voice, I would be heard from sea to shining sea each time The Star Spangled Banner is played, when I forget that I can't sing I pitty for the person directly in front of me at a game, sorry. Today I participated in a Tea Party Rally (Taxed Enough Already) in Lisle, my hometown. It was scheduled to start at noon, I arrived at 11am because I figured parking would be a nightmare. From the moment I passed over the bridge to enter Community Park the atmosphere was warm and inviting, folks waving signs and directing traffic to the designated parking lot. I had not prepared a sign so I used that time to make one. Picture everyone draped in red, white and blue, flags waving crowded together to protest the current situation in Washington. There were speakers on the agenda with patriotic songs and parodies playing in between. When I heard Lee Greenwood's God Bless America I had to sing and during the chorus ".. and I"ll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.." I waved my sign high over my head rocking in rhythm with tears in my eyes. I stood there surrounded by like minded Americans and I could not stop smiling. As I visually scanned the crowd I saw a black man, wow and then I a saw a second one but my jaw dropped when I saw a black woman with her young daughter holding a sign with a message asking Washington if they wanted her arm and leg too. It's not easy being a black conservative, one armed paper hangers have it easier. We are a rare sighting like big foot and UFOs,  actually those are more common. I listened to Chairman Steele on talk radio this morning and emailed him immediately in support of a black Republicans. I made my way through the crowd to introduce myself to the "sister" but she took her daughter to the bathroom and I had to leave. My democratic pro-Obama family thinks I was switched in the hospital or dropped on my head, they don't understand how I could be a Republican and as Christians I'm at a loss trying to reason how they support a person this with radical abortion beliefs. I am fed up and fired up, Obama is a one hit wonder we must work to keep him from a second term.

Spring Break

They started talking about months ago and they started leaving today. There are various destinations but Florida is the number one location for spring break. I need to feel some white powdery sand in between my toes. It has been two years since our last family vacation in Puerto Rico. Now it is that time of year again, since we are not going on vacation until June I am bitter because everyone is leaving. I don't hope they get rained out or anything but it's not fair I need to feel some sun now. Normally I don't count the days until summer but this winter was brutal and has left me wanting. Next week I want my boys to have fun but we have some spring cleaning projects that must be completed. I want to spend time in the city with family members that I miss. I will anticipate picture messages from my beach bum friends, let me start working on witty responses to cute pictures of them kissing mermaids as I wipe cat hair off my drapes and Jinxie has been gone for weeks. "He who vacations last vacations best" that is my new mantra. I will miss my buddies and look forward to the stories.

If Bill Maher Has A Show My Four Year Should Have Two

Reagan (4) is very entertaining and the most offensive word he uses is "poopie", Bill Maher is a potty mouth but if you lack the intelligence to complete a thought it is common that to use profanity in the place a real idea. My sister tells me to listen to both sides, I normally avoid Bill Maher for many reasons but anyone who mocks religion gets extra space. I decided to watch March 13th because Andrew Breitbart was a guest, I love it when he sits in for Dennis Miller, he's a conservative in Hollywood, that is as rare as a Big Foot sighting. Bill's opening monologue was laced with racial jokes but my favorite one called Republicans superstitious about a "black cat in the White House". It was an ambush from the start, the other guess was Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, a black liberal elite.  Dr. Tyson was out of central casting, well spoken professor so down with the social problems and his script included the usual, Rush is a racist and Justice Thomas is self-hating and misguided. I just finished reading the book My Grandfather's Son, Clarence Thomas is a great American success story. I could only make it through the panel because it is the Bill Maher Show, I have included the link to that panel portion of the show. I hate to bring up race as a way to categorize people but I know that there are other conservative black Americans that are angry with the Democratic Party for leading by fear. I lived this as a child, I heard adults say, "Republicans only care about rich white people and if Reagan becomes president we will be slaves again". At 15 I knew enough about my country to know that was not possible. I feel sorry for white Americans that have legitimate issues with the current administration, God forbid you express them, you are a racist. Hollywood and the Chicago Democratic Machine deemed Obama the Savior and when you question his socialist policies they say, "Bush.....". I will teach you how to spot a person suffering from the side effects of drinking the Obama Kool-Aid, ask he or she a direct and or specific question about Obama's socialist policies and that person will look wide-eyed and mutter BBBBush....., that's the point when I wish I could pimp slap them but I am non-violent, darn. My favorite Obama campaign worker recently told me that "Obama is just some rich person and I am trying to get my business going", when I told that person that last fall that Obama was just a like any other rich Democrat that person told me I needed therapy... I am starting my own line of t-shirts and bumper stickers, "Don't Blame Me, I Am A Martin Luther King Republican, I Voted Based On The Content Of Character Not The Color Of Skin", will that fit across a bumper? I am the mother of bi-racial sons I wish I could have supported Obama but I am holding out for a conservative, black, white, yellow, red or mutt.... Question, why are black conservatives self-hating but black gang bangers that terrorize their own community are labeled victims of the social ills of America, discuss? Oh, yeah Reagan is cheaper and cutter than Bill Maher, does anyone have the number to HBO?

 http://mefeedia.com/entry/bill-maher-real-time-march-13-2009-andrew-breitbart-and-michael-eric-dyson/15421011 

Missing! James Caviezel If Found Call Hollywood

James (Jim) Caviezel had a breakout role in 2000 with Frequency with Dennis Quaid. Those eyes draw you in and you believe everything he says. In 2002 he released two great films, The Count of Monte Cristo made him a movie star, I watched that movie at least 5 times, then he  starred opposite Ashely Judd in High Crimes and he was destined to be one of the great actors of modern times. In 2004 he was blessed with the role that won him critical acclaim and box office success, The Passion of the Christ. I remember that Mel Gibson chose him because of his strong Catholic beliefs. Imagine a devote Catholic in Hollywood, a place filled with man made gods, Madonna and the red string cracks me up. That film was groundbreaking, it proved that the Christian story was one people wanted to see. Jim's ticket was written, he was young, handsome, talented and had proven to be a box office draw he was going to be huge. Not so fast he played Jesus in a movie in Hollywood, he committed professional suicide. If he were accused of marrying his own step-daughter or rapping an under aged girl he would have to or three Oscar nods by now. This is just me speculating but did the calls stop coming or did he stop taking them because the role changed him. In 2006 he played the villain in Denzel Washington's Deja Vu but that's the only notable role in 5 years. I love Hollywood which conflicts with my core beliefs but I was sucked in at an early age but as an adult I try to choose my screen idols by looking at the entire person, some don't want to own up to it but they are role models. I have not researched any interviews with him but I hope to see him back as a leading man soon.

I Didn't Walk by Faith.....At First..

"Walk By Faith" is the name of the current bible study I am taking on Wednesday mornings. I try to apply what I learn to my everyday life but I missed a huge opportunity to walk the walk. Winterfest 2009 was a approaching and I really wanted my 13 and 15 year old to participate in this wonderful retreat for teens. The trip was Friday 5pm until Monday 5:30pm, wow. My husband was not keen on the idea and I thought at the last minute they were going to be saved by a earlier commitment that I forgot about. I started searching for coats and bibles, they hardly use either. Packing was a real challenge when one kid is threatening to run away and the other is making himself sick but I kept going. The trip to the church was delayed when my older son hid for 45 minutes under our 4 year old son's bed. The time in the van started with me apologizing for not making them go to more teen activities when school started because they would have made friends and be a little more eager to attend. When we turned into the parking lot I saw a kid carrying an unrolled sleeping bag up the stairs to the church, I was relieved that we had not missed the buses. They refused to get out of the van. I found the strength to carry 2 large duffelbags and 2 sleeping bags up the stairs, they felt like feathers, thank you God. I registered them, tagged the luggage and started up the stairs for the task of getting them out of the van. I was in a sweaty state of panic but I spotted that unrolled sleeping bag but a different person was holding it and she was trying to fold it. I walked past her but doubled back, I apologized, explained that I was a former Girl Scout and asked if I could roll her bag. At that point I realized that maybe my sister is correct when she says I am bossy and controlling, I had to help the poor girl, my Girl Scout leader Mrs. Wilson would expect nothing less, back to the boys.  There is a tiny vestibule next to the main entrance and that is where I cried out to God for help. When I got to the van and it was empty, I pictured them walking down Diehl Rd. without food, coats or cell phones. I kept reminding myself that the rest was up to God, I got them to that point and I was spent. I went into the gym and found them sitting and eating pizza, WOW, God is good. We walked to the buses and hugged. I have left out the ugly parts to protect the guilty, but they know what they did and maybe one day they will apologize. I didn't walk by faith until the very end I should have turned it over from the start. My current small group prayed for my boys but I had doubt even as I prayed. The youngest returned from the trip and said that he had a good time and made friends, the older one would never give me the pleasure of saying anything positive, Brian Urlacher could have been his group leader and he still would have insisted that it was the worst time of his life. I am so grateful they went because I know they got something out of the experience and I got to paint my 13 year old son's room with Chicago Bulls official colors and he was pleased.

One Mother

Why is it that as adults your mother has the ability to cut to the core and make you feel like crap (I gotta find a better word)? No matter how successful, adjusted and complete you feel your mom can pull the rug out from under you in ten seconds or less. When I pick up my mom at the train station after her 55 minute commute from the big city I can clock how long it takes her to dig into her bag of insults. Just like the excrement flinging primate she hits me right in the kisser. Her best time is 6.5 seconds, if our high school wrestling team could pin opponents that fast we would be undefeated. The top 3 are, 1. "Why did you move here, it is to far and to dark?" 2. "Why were you late, you wouldn't treat ________(insert any other relative"s name) like this?". I have never been more than 5 minutes late and only because she refuses to read the train schedule prior to leaving home. She prefers the Russian Roulette method of blindly leaving home only to arrive at the station without a goal in mind. If she just missed a train and the next one is 2 hours later, fine. She has the uncanny ability of arriving exactly 2 minutes before the event she is coming to witness. But if you start the day my saying, "Mommy the followings times are great so that we won't miss the graduation because we are picking you up", she will reply, "I won't be rushed, I will get to the station when I get there, you know I have an illness". I digress, where was I? 3. "The train conductor singled me out and tried to have me thrown from the train because he took my ticket and forgot. He did it because I am black", so was the conductctor. Once she hangs up her coat she unloads the big guns, someone has either gained weight or lost (they were fat the last time she visited). It's late but insist we serve her whatever we had for dinner, "I normally don't eat like this so late, in fact I ate on the train, could you put the leftovers in the refrigerator?", "Does your husband always cook this kind of food, no wonder you guys are so big, hee-hee?" and finally, "Is that new?" (pointing to an item that was there the last time she visited) "It must be nice.".  I feel pressure to lie by saying we found it in the trash or got it hot from the flea market, it probably came from Sam's Club where she to can shop for good deals since we added her to our account but Mayor Daley won't allow Walmart and Sam's to open in her area because he is in the back pockets of the unions, but I digress. It boils down to as an adult your mother can cut you to the quick but when I am threatening my teens, I can't penetrate the wall of defiance. In 15 years when I exit that train in their towns it will be equal to the tornado scene from The Wizard of Oz.

Slumdog Millionaire (Spoiler Alert)

I enjoy a great film especially if it is at matinee price in a near empty theater, in the middle of the day. I applaud cleaver writing that delivers from start to finish. There is nothing worst than a smart powerful start that fizzles as if someone stood over the writers shoulder screaming "Hurry up the producer is waiting" so they type "The End". You think to your self, "That person wouldn't do that." or "Why did the story take that quick lazy turn?". Fasten your seat belt you are in for a bumpy intelligent ride that will have you crying, laughing, on the edge of your seat and cheering. It is filmed in India but it is a great American story. We think poor people in our country have it hard but in countries like India they would consider an apartment in CHA an amazing upgrade. Each person character's was developed as a result of the hand that life dealt them. I don't condone children that steal and con people but this was their way of rising from the ashes of their circumstances. Dev Patel, the actor who portrays the lead was outstanding. He grew up in England and prior to the film he had only been to India once at 7 years of age but he nailed the core of a slumdog. I regret my husband and teen sons did not express interest in seeing this film, it really makes you understand what it means to win the genetic lottery by being dropped off on this part of the planet. If you were lucky enough to be born in America that's half the battle, the rest is up to you.