I called my Republican mother tonight, out of the blue, so that she and I could talk about stuff that’s been going on in my life, and in hers, and it ended up being a great talk.  We laughed and laughed and agreed on tons of stuff.

So then I turned the topic of conversation to politics, by asking, “So, what do you think of Obama’s veep choice?”.  And she surprised me.  She said, “I like Joe Biden well enough.  He seems to be a good man and he’s got wonderful credentials.”

She continued, “I received an email from a Republican source that showed Biden in the debates last year saying that Obama is young and not ready to be President.  It reminded me of Bush and Cheney, but I think Biden is a better man than Cheney.”

Well, as you can imagine, my socks almost got knocked off by THAT remark!

My mother even admitted she likes Biden for his history, his personal story, his dedication, and his knowledge.  So I then asked, “Who do you think McCain is going to counter with, as HIS veep?”

She thinks McCain has to look more conservative now.  Romney might not be the right choice.  But she doesn’t like any of the other choices and ended with:  “Well, Romney is a Mormon, but at least Mormons believe in God.  We ALL believe in the same God, right?”.

Another socks-off moment for me!

My mom admitted she is no fan of McCain, nor of Romney, but my mom also admitted that for her, it’s the platform -- conservative v liberal.  She doesn’t believe in liberal.

I found this entire conversation to be most interesting.  She knows how I loves me some Obama, she knows how much I’ve donated to his campaign, and she loves the fact that I’m political and doing something more than just watching the news.  She admits that she wishes she could be as fervently passionate for HER candidate as I am for mine.  We agreed that the town hall format benefits McCain but we were also able to agree that when everyone sees the two candidates side by side on television for the first real debate, Obama is gonna look more Presidential.  She says she’s worrying a bit. 

I hung up happy tonight.

Anyone else talking with Republicans lately?  If so, add your comments.  I’d love to read them.

Oh, and…..good night, Mommy.  Sweet dreams to you too.

Well.  While you were all blogging all week about who should be Obama's Veep, and who should not be, and while the Olympics went on and we all found out how many houses John McCain doesn't know he and Cindy own, my life has gone topsy turvy and I'm all up in the air with an ex-boyfriend's boxes in the bedroom and my life all roiled in turmoil, yet all I seem to care about is people getting up off their feet.

Get up off your feet and do what you can, for yourself, for your family, for your loved ones, for yourself.  Get up off your feet and make a difference because this year it truly makes a difference what your differences are about.

Be smart.  Make wise choices.  Give your all to your chosen "thing", or "man", or "woman", or your "whatever", but give it your all.  Starting now.

This is for Billy, not that he'll ever read it:
For Billy

To walk down
straight hallways
and see nothing but a twisted labyrinth

To dream dreams
of getting out
and getting home again

This can’t be easy
my friend
but it’s all you have at this point

No one is able to take you in again
No one is willing to let you back again

And that’s hard
your hard place
Between the rock
and the wall that is your hard place

But you have to roll that rock back
Up the hill
On your own
Own it and roll it and sweat for it
and toil over it
On your own
and make it yours

No peaceful respite is worth it
if your own sweat and tears didn’t make it
No safe harbor is handy
if you don’t make it yours from scratch

I hope you learn that

I hope you learn
and live
and live and learn
as I have
and many, many others have
before you

- Lis, 8/08

August it gets scary

Everyone’s a fairy

No one is behaving

Everyone is caving

Voting season comes way too fast

Lou and Fox want to make it last

What’s done is done and now it’s past

The die is broke before it’s cast

Truth matters!

SCAAMD splatters!

Cows fatter!

I flatter!

Flatter, flatter, flatter

Pile it up on Fifth Avenue

Directing traffic

Some kind of fashion

Is that all you gonna do?

Mimic, mouth out, sing along

Sway your body to that well-loved song

Doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong

Is that all you’ve got to lose?

I seem to recognize

Your face

Haunting

Familiar

Can’t trace

No time, no place

Who’s won the race?

Olympia, Olympia

Oh limp your way to me

And breathe the air

That we all share

From sea to smoggy sea