An Open Letter to Congress

Dear Sirs and Madams:

First, let me introduce myself. I am an American citizen and a voter, also known as a constituent. There are a lot of others just like me in this country though it would seem some of you have never actually met any of us.

So the purpose of my letter is to tell you a little about us, ‘we the people’ of this great county. Maybe if you actually got to know us you would have a better grasp of our expectations, because truly, your job is all about our expectations. This is non-partisan so please don’t see it as focused on one party or the other. I hold you both at equal fault.

Here’s the thing, we, the people, elected you into office for one purpose and one purpose only. That would be to represent us, our desires, our expectations. You work for us. We pay your salary. In general we don’t care about your power plays, your fundraising, your campaigning or your grandstanding. Heck, most of us don’t believe 99% of what you even say.

The sad, cold, hard truth though is you have failed us miserably. You have failed to act in our best interest. You have failed to work together to improve this country. You have quite simply failed at the job we are paying you to do. Shall we take a look at your failures?

1. You have had a year to put together a new budget yet you once again wait until the 11^th hour and then use the budget as a weapon in an attempt to get what you want. Have you even given a single thought to how your procrastination and partisan politics will affect people? Have you thought about the people who will suddenly be without paychecks but will still have mortgages, car payments, electric bills and groceries to pay for? Do you seriously think these people are more interested in your moral high ground than they are their own financial hardship caused by you? So the question begs to be asked, why haven’t you done your Constitutional job yet and finalized a budget? It would appear you have failed to do this job.
   
   
2. We have a system for passing laws as well as repealing them. Obamacare is a law, passed and upheld by the Supreme Court. This is true whether you like it or not. If you don’t like the law you’ve had three years to get the support to repeal it. So why wait again until the 11^th hour to try and circumvent the law, particularly to the detriment of the very people who elected you? Again, it’s real easy to hold your moral high ground when you personally have nothing to lose. So now the question is why haven’t you been able to get the support you need in three years to legally repeal a law you don’t like? Is it easier to make grand sounding speeches and get press time than to actually do your job? It would appear you have failed in this as well.
   
   
3. We are at war on more fronts than I think most Americans can even keep track of. Yet oddly enough I don’t think most us have any desire to be in these wars. We did not elect you to Americanize the world. We elected you to take care of our country. Yet, while we face constant economic meltdown, violence, deteriorating infrastructure, homelessness, joblessness and countless other problems you have been sending our people, our money and our supplies to help out other countries. We are supposed to be your first priority. The question is simple.  Why does the rest of the world come before us? It would appear you have failed to do this job.
   
   
4. One of your main jobs per the Constitution is to protect our borders. Based on the heated debate over this you have obviously failed to do this job.
   
   
5. Our Constitution was written to give us, the constituents, the power over the government. Your job is to uphold, protect and defend that very Constitution. Yet you have twisted, perverted and even out-right ignored it in the name of ‘national security’ or protecting us from ourselves. We are a strong and resourceful nation. We do not need our government to take care of us. It is simply not your job to tell us who we can love, sleep with, marry, what we can drink, eat, smoke or chew or what we can or can’t do to our own bodies. To be treated as a criminal just because we want to ride a plane is insulting. So I ask, why do you feel you are above the very document you swore to protect and defend?  When it comes to upholding the Constitution, it would appear you have failed at this job.

I fear you have lost sight of who you are and what your job is. You have come to believe your own press and the sycophants around you who tell you how wonderful you are so they can curry favour. You have come to believe that power is what your job is about and you pursue that power over all else. You hold elaborate parties, fundraisers and inaugurations while the people who you are supposed to work for are jobless, homeless and starving. You appear to not care about us, we the people, the voters at all. And that is your biggest failure.

Randomness on a Tuesday

No one particular subject in mind today.  Just various things wandering through my head and some of them will probably step on toes.....you have been warned.  Let's start with chefs.

I'm a Gorden Ramsey person, just saying.  When this whole Paule Deen thing erupted I was like, yeah, whatever.  I didn't have any feelings one way or the other regarding her.  Then I started seeing all these posts and memes on FB about how unfairly she's being treated and give her back her job, etc, etc. Made me curious about what all the hoopla was about so I started paying more attention.  It seemed so bizarre that she would have lost her job and all that corporate sponsorship over something she said 10, 20, 27 or 30 years ago.  Apparently how long ago it was depends on which FB meme you choose to use as your news source.  So I started doing a bit of my own research.  Forgive me for not just mindlessly posting memes on FB just because I have friends doing so......it's on FB so it must be right.....right?

My research turned up some interesting things, including the actual legal paper filed against her.  Interesting reading.  I was able to quickly debunk the stuff I'd read about this all being racially motivated.  Since it was a white woman who filed the suit against Paula racism just doesn't seem to hold water.  

As for the rest, just let me say this; before you decide to stand behind someone in support you might want to do your own research and find out what that person really stands for.

I've noticed a common thread amongst my friends on both sides of the political spectrum.  They are absolutely incapable of admitting their party/candidate/elected official just might be wrong about something.  What brought this to my attention is on the occasion when I post something a party/candidate/elected official is doing or has done that seems to make no sense or be total opposition to what they have said I never hear anything from their supporters trying to help me understand.  It's nothing but crickets chirping.  You know what, if someone you support is doing something you disagree with have the moral fortitude to stand up and say so!  Jeesh, I promise no one will come take away your party membership card.  It's this ignorant blind allegiance to a party that has gotten our government into the corrupt mess it is today.

On a related note, I'm still trying to understand why our President is giving a crap ton of money to a country to institute something his party says is discriminatory for us to do.

The Supreme Court had a busy week last week and actually got most of it right. Yeah, I know, I have friends who are waiting for someone to marry their cat now because it's all a slippery slope.  Uh huh, whatever.  Now I do understand their concern that polygamists will be next in wanting their marriages recognized.  Well, ok, so I don't really understand their concern.  Heck, even my most ultra-conservative religious right friends shouldn't have a problem with this.  Polygamy was a valid form a marriage in the Bible after all.

Snowden...hero or traitor?  Honestly, I'm not sure I'd call him either.  What baffles me the most about this whole thing though has been the general response.  Everyone's focus seems to be debating whether what he did was right or wrong.  Ummm....is no one else the least bit interested or alarmed about WHAT he disclosed???  Wide-scale spying by our government on everyone, including us.  Wow, talk about not seeing the forest for the trees.

Those are the big things that have been rattling around in my head lately.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Independence Day.  Fly our flag proudly, celebrate and be thankful for the freedoms we have.  Remember those who have and are serving our country.  Spend a few minutes thinking about the good things in your life.

 

A Numbers Head Game

I seriously need to get some new work pants.  Most of the ones I'm wearing I've been wearing for the last 8-10 years and quite frankly they've become pretty ratty around the hem.  That's a result of 2 things.

1. Petite length pants are made for women 5'4.  I'm 5'2.
2. I HATE hemming pants.

There is another factor in the need for new pants.  All the pants I have were bought 60+ pounds ago.  So yeah, they are just a bit baggy on me.  Oh heck, I'm constantly yanking them up while walking.  In fact, going up stairs can be a tricky business if I happen to step on the hem......could lead to embarrassing moments of exposure. 

So on the way home last night I stopped to see if I could find some inexpensive pants.  (I refuse to pay a lot for pants that will hopefully be too big for me within a few more months)  I go in and find some on sale for under $20 so start looking for the size I need, grab a couple styles and go try them on.  They fit with no problems at all, plenty of room.  As I'm looking in the mirror though something suddenly hits me......I'm trying on the same size pants as what I'm trying to replace!!!  Of course they "fit".....and I can pull them on and off without even unfastening them.  I was having to yank them up while I was just standing there.  Had this crazy idea then.....maybe I should try one a size smaller.  So I head back to the pants, find one smaller and back to the dressing room I go.  Here's when the numbers head game really struck me.  I was nervous trying them on and didn't really have any expectation that they'd fit.  I've become so used to being a "size" that the idea of being a smaller size doesn't seem possible.  My head can't wrap around that idea.

Guess what.  The smaller size fit with plenty of room!  So I bought a couple pair and am wearing one of them today.  I'm starting to wonder something though.  As I walk around I'm having to constantly yank these pants up.  Makes me kinda wonder if I could have gone down TWO pants sizes.  The brain is trying to wrap itself around this idea.  Do I dare explore this possibility...............

Celebrating the first half

I turn 50 in 15 months.  Its a very abstract concept for me since, in my mind, I still see myself somewhere in my 30's.  Of course, the arthritis has others ideas.  It likes me to feel 90 on some days.  Anyway, so why am I writing about a birthday that's still a ways off?  Because; I want to take a trip for my 50th and it's a trip that's going to take some planning and I'm reaching out to you, my friends and family, to help.

For my 50th I want Don and I to take 3-4 weeks off work, get an RV and take a trip heading west.  There's several reasons I want to do this.  Growing up I had the wonderful opportunity to see so much of the world but I have seen very little of my own country.  I want to change that.  We want to check out the states on our list of potential places to move so when we're ready to buy land we know where we want to look.  And, last but not least, maybe get the chance to see some friends.

Here's where you all come in.  I'm looking for suggestions of places to visit, things that must be seen, even restaurants that aren't to be missed....or, places to avoid like the plague.  Below is a list of states we're looking to plot our course through though it's not etched in stone.  The ones in blue are states that are on our retirement list.  What our final route looks like will really depend on where things and people are we want to see.  So, share your wisdom with me!  Where would you go if this were your trip??

West Virginia
Ohio - will probably just be doing Jackson and Cincy stops
Indiana
Illinois
Wisconsin
Minnesota
South Dakota
Montana - eastern part
Wyoming
Idaho - eastern part
Colorado
Kansas
Missouri
Tennessee
North Carolina - probably just stopping for family visits.
Virginia

Three strikes, you're..........President?

I'm curious what people's thoughts are on three highly politically-charged news stories, regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum.  As always, feel free to share your opinions and comment on others'.  Respectful and thoughtful debate is always welcome; insults are never tolerated.

1. The IRS admitting to singling out and harassing conservative groups.
2. The Department of Justice obtaining phone records of AP reporters.
3. The Benghazi testimony.

I'm still researching and working out my thoughts on these three stories but will post what I think in the near future.

Is that a gun in your pocket or are you happy to see me?

I've been planning this post for quite awhile.   Now seems like a good time.  So, let's talk gun control.

Warning: Be prepared for extreme pro-gun and maybe a bit of conspiracy theory.

Anyone who knows me knows I am very pro-gun, very pro-Second Amendment.  I believe the Constitution not only allows but expects us to arm ourselves.  I don't understand the logic of the gun control crowd (GCC).  And I find a lot of flaws in their logic and reasoning.

The first thing that always gets tossed out there is no one needs an assault weapon.  This idea makes me twitch on several levels.  First off, "assault weapon" is a meaningless term used by a liberal media and the GCC to fan the flames and make something sound worse than it is.  If I pick up a rock and hit you with it that rock has become an assault weapon.  I used it as a weapon to assault you.  Anything can be an "assault weapon".  Second, since when did need become a determining factor as to whether law abiding citizens should be able to own legal items?  There's lots of things we don't need but own because we want them.  Don't talk to me about what I need and don't need.....not your decision to make for me.

Another thing I hear is hunters don't need assault weapons.  Let's make this real simple.  The 2nd Amendment and my right to own and bear arms has absolutely nothing to do with hunters.  The 2nd Amendment has one express purpose; to ensure the citizenry of this country is able to defend itself against it's own government.  Considering the types of weapons our government has at its disposal you're going to try and tell me I don't need an "assault weapon" to defend myself?

Now on to the conspiracy theory portion of this post.
1. I do believe the ultimate goal of our current administration is to disarm the citizenry.  Anyone who doesn't believe that needs to take a refresher course in world history.  A defenseless citizenry would sure make it easier for a government to impose its will, don't ya think?

2. I have a very bad feeling this country is headed towards another civil war.  In the event of such a tragedy, I'd rather be on the right end of a gun, thankyouverymuch.  I'd rather not have to rely on local police to defend myself.

3. I find the sudden burst of mass shootings that have occurred in the last few months to be a bit.......odd.  There is a part of me that wonders if there isn't some extreme, whacked-out gun control group staging these to force their agenda.

Do I think there's a problem with violence in our country?  Of course I do.  Do I think gun control is the solution to it?  Of course not.  Jeesh people, gun control laws only control law-abiding citizens.  Criminals don't care about laws and don't care if they obtain their guns illegally.  How hard of a concept is that to understand?  If you want to solve the problem of violence then deal with the problem.....the people committing the acts of violence.

Keep your mitts off my guns and Constitutional rights though.

The next step

I totally suck at counting calories, points, carbs or any other thing.  I simply don't want to be bothered with having to keep track of it.  Maybe I'm just lazy but it is what it is.  So for 2012 I decided to try something different.....eat less.  I worked hard at learning to stop eating really before I hit that "full" feeling.  It worked pretty well, I lost 42 pounds last year just by doing this and it wasn't all that difficult.  Not to say I still don't over eat at times but it's not the norm now.

This year I'm going to continue down this path since it is working for me.  But I'd like to up the amount I lose this year and I still need to work on getting in better physical shape.  So Don and I have joined a gym.  We met with a personal trainer yesterday and got workout programs put together.  I have a few sore muscles today but really nothing that bad so I'm happy there.  For the next three months I'll be going three days a week to work out.  I'm contemplating going a couple additional days just for a cardio workout, we'll see.

The only new goal I'm working towards this year is regular and consistent gym workouts.  I'll continue to work on the portion control thing.  I'm kinda excited to see how this year goes.