83-year-old blogger skewers Palin and Pals - Priceless!
Margaret and Helen have been best friends for over 60 years. They lived near each other in Texas almost all of their lives, until Margaret and her husband moved to Maine. Then they talked on the phone every day, sometimes for hours. Then Helen's grandson set up a blog for her so that they could communicate that way. Most of what they wrote when they first started was personal, but then people found it and started commenting. Helen embraced her new audience and started writing to them and for them. (Margaret is the foil, so to speak--Helen's Ed McMahon.)
But lest you think that M & H are just two boring old grannies, let me tell you, first, that as of today they've had 2,016,391 hits on their WordPress blog.
Why are these two old ladies so popular? Let me quote for you some stuff from their blog. This is Helen in a piece called,"Sarah Palin Called a Family Meeting and the Rabbit Lived. . ." :
I would cut [Palin] some slack but she used up all her slack with me while on the campaign trail. This is the woman who called the parts of the country where I don't live more Pro-American than the part where I do live. She stirred up crowds across the country to the point that McCain campaign stops frequently resembled a lynch mob. She mixes religion and politics like I mix gin and tonic but then calls for less government involvement. Freedom from government is her battle cry until a vagina gets involved and then watch how much involvement she wants. Show me a woman who is making a private medical decision to end a pregnancy and I'll show you a Palin screaming for more government involvement.
In her piece called "In Appreciation or Depreciation of Michael Jackson", she wrote:
If it were up to me, I would establish a few rules right about now regarding hypocrisy. Something along the lines of:
- If you're Michael Jackson's father now is not the time to be enjoying the limelight.
- You can't be Pro-Life and Pro-War at the same time. If one of these dispositions has to be in your cadre, then pick one and live with the consequences.
- You can't deny the right to marry to some and then cheat on your spouse. The right to happily marry belongs to all no mater how unhappy it makes you.
- You can't tolerate the atrocities of one President for eight years and then assign the consequences to one who follows. From this day forward everything was Reagan's fault.
- The Christian Right should be forced to spend a week in Iran. May the best radicals win.
- The Real Housewives should actually be housewives.
About that last one. I mean it. Really.
Here's Helen in "My Big Fat Ass":
Margaret, whatever happened to common sense? I eat a lot of pie. I have a fat ass. I get the connection. You hardly eat anything, walk everyday and a strong wind could blow you over. Again, I get the connection. So why is it so hard for Bill O'Reilly over at Fox News to understand the connection between what he says and how someone responds to what he says?It's just not that big of a leap to see a connection between the television news calling someone a Baby Killing Nazi over and over again and some religious fanatic deciding to finally pull the trigger. I get that it is not quite the same as the pie making my ass fat, but I don't work for Jenny Craig. Bill O'Reilly, however, works for Fox News. The emphasis, of course, is on that last word - News. He should know better. He is paid to know better. He should be fired for not knowing better.
And lastly, but not leastly, this one from "Shit Happens":
I'm 83. For most of my life, I drove a big car and watered my lawn in the middle of the day. Now I think twice about how I live because I realize life goes on and my grandchildren will be here long after I am gone.For most of my life I never gave much thought about gay people. Now I watch Ellen and really hope she and Portia are happy together. What do I care if gay people want to get married.
For most of my life I really didn't care too much who ended up in the White House. Then one day a lunatic took up residence and started an unnecessary war, condoned torture and made me ashamed of my country. So now I pay attention... because shit happens. Really. I mean it.
Margaret blogs, too, and I've given her short shrift here, but I suspect she's used to it.
Check them out. They're two of a kind. (The comments are terrific, too. Am I jealous? You bet. But I can't be Helen. There's only one Helen.)
Really.
Ramona
(cross-posted at Ramona's Voices here)
Those women are my new role models...just the kinda saucy old ladies I want to be when I grow up! Thanks for the introduction! I'm trying not to add any further complications to my life, but I'm bookmarking the blog...I may have to add it to my reading list!
July 8, 2009 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is the best thing I have read in weeks.
I love these women .
July 8, 2009 7:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Me too. Oh, yes--me too.
July 8, 2009 7:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know what you mean. It's nearly 10:30 AM here and I'm still in my robe. First I had to read their blog and then I had to write about it. Okay, now I'll start my day.
July 8, 2009 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
I backtracked and found where I found it. In one of the comments on FireDogLake.
Ain't the internet grand?
July 8, 2009 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I highly recommend.
It is my belief that USA is only country to not hold the elderly in their population in high esteem. We even go as far as to look upon them irreverently, rather than revere them as in most other societies. Prove me wrong!
This social flaw has cost us to lose, what I call, our "societal memory"(the ability to pass utilitarian knowledge from one generation to the next). It has doomed us, I fear.
There's a lot of good reading in old books.
July 8, 2009 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
We're also the only country where (until recently at least) smart politicians are required to pretend to be dumb. I suspect there's a connection.
July 8, 2009 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, that's sad. That dumbing down was so painful. I hope it's a thing of the past. Of course, in Bush's case, he wasn't pretending. Even sadder.
July 8, 2009 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't want to depress anyone too much, but consider the following:
1) Half of all people are of below-average intelligence.
2) There's way more stupid in the world than can be accounted for just on the part of stupid people.
If you go through life keeping those two things in mind, you'll rarely be surprised.
July 8, 2009 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin too. isn't pretending. scary-- particularly if a lot of other stupid people see her as their shining light.
July 10, 2009 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's a lot to learn from the elderly and from the past, but there's also a lot from the old days that we have to move past. Let us not forget that the baby boom generation is the one that gave us George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, among other things. And I am not going to respect and revere John McCain any time soon.
I'm all for building a greater respect for our national memory and history, but I don't think reverence for the old is quite what we need.
July 8, 2009 1:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have a total misapprehension of my post.
July 8, 2009 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well then I apologize. Please enlighten me.
I'm not being snarky. I really just want clarification.
July 8, 2009 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
It has to do with general knowledge being passed from one generation to the next. This knowledge is more of a functional nature than philosophic. Survival, it's done throughout the animal kingdom; the elders teaching the younger. In our species we lose a little more of this "knowledge necessary for existence" with each passing generation.
I remember, during the midwest floods in the early 90's, an old man was being interviewed on his front porch overlooking a flooded St. Louis below him. His words were, "I seen water that high before. Never could figure why they built all them houses down there".
In another instance an economic professor ask a class of 50 where potatoes come from, only 1 person knew how to propagate potatoes. This was 25 years ago. Do you know where potatoes come from?
It has nothing to do with political thought. Just as well, you DON'T want to hear what my grandmother thought of Taft.
July 8, 2009 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great comment, jonnienohand.
You said: "societal memory"(the ability to pass utilitarian knowledge from one generation to the next)
What a terrific phrase. I think we all spent a part of our growing-up years either ignoring or denigrating our elders. It's only when we get older ourselves that we understand and appreciate their wisdom. Then we're in a position to pass it along, but unfortunately the young are too young to listen. But they WILL get old, they WILL remember and then. . .
it's the cycle of "societal memory".
July 8, 2009 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
The best part of it all is no one is gonna pick on a pair of olma's that dish it out and dare you to sass them back. I remember both mine and the lessons I learned from both is shutup and listen cause they've been there done that and they know the outcome before hand and why were you so stupid.
July 9, 2009 5:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Did I mention that I'm 71? It thrills me no end that these feisty broads are more than a decade older and still going strong!
July 8, 2009 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
May these fully-engaged, direct speaking women put an end to derogatory dismissals of older women bloggers as "New Age grans... whose houses are probably full of cranberry potpourri..." or words to that effect, as recently offered up the blue vegetable here on TPM, as an echo of many similar comments made by others. Each of whom would swear that he has complete respect for older women, and may, in some cases. But the unconscious statement does not lie.
Good for Helen and good for you Ramona. Because you write just as fearlessly and with as much good-natured ferocity as anyone.
Thanks for the treat. Rec'd and bookmarked for future reference.
July 8, 2009 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
One thing people never seem to think about is that during the nutty, volatile 60s and 70s most of us old people were parents of young people. We'd have to have lived underground (literally) not to have been influenced in some way by the radical changes in our society.
Okay, I still can't identify the smell of pot smoke, but that sexual revolution was something else, wasn't it?
I've been a liberal all of my life, and I suspect Helen has been, too. We were out there in the thick of things for two reasons. To recognize and understand the pitfalls of an increasingly loose society so that we could defend and protect our children, and to change the world for the better.
It's hard to turn that off. We're not done yet.
July 8, 2009 2:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can I adopt these two as new grandmothers?
July 8, 2009 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
They say wisdom comes with age, ad these two grannies prove it.
July 8, 2009 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great blog, Ramona - I have a few years to go before I catch up to their ages but I have eons to go before I could catch up with their knowledge and wit. God bless them both - I will look up their blog and add it to my list. I am still in the learning stages of my new political life. They will help with my education, I am sure.
July 8, 2009 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, Maggie, you're one of us now. Don't put yourself down so. You don't need to apologize for who you were before. It's a part of you and it's what makes you special.
July 8, 2009 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a terrific 'find'! Thanks so much - am sending link to their blog to others.
July 8, 2009 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hi Aunt Sam, me too. Love those ladies!
July 8, 2009 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love the Helen Wheels pic.
July 8, 2009 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cute! And why wouldn't you??
July 8, 2009 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
OMG, had to run for the fire hydrant, Ramona.
Can you believe she wrote this?
Thanks for the great find!
July 8, 2009 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I laughed out loud at that one! But then I was laughing loudly at a lot of her lines.
July 8, 2009 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
And the MSM print version wonder why they're loosing readership.
July 9, 2009 5:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I've just added another blog to my required reading list.
July 8, 2009 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
My pleasure. Thanks for commenting.
July 8, 2009 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love these women. I've been following them for awhile now....I think Andrew Sullivan actually first introduced me to them during the election. Their fantastic and never fail to bring a smile to my face.
July 8, 2009 4:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, you rascal. And you didn't tell us? Wanted to keep them all to yourself, huh?
July 8, 2009 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know. My bad. :)
In all seriousness, though, if anyone has some extra time on their hands, they should peruse Margaret and Helen's archives covering the election (particularly after Palin's selection). Absolutely priceless.
July 8, 2009 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the suggestion, SC. I'm really going to go back and look. Can't wait.
July 8, 2009 7:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank God for the Internets.
Without it (or "them" to W) we would really be up shit creek without the paddle by now. People are communicating with each other again like the old letter writing days. So regular people are getting regular viewpoints now. MSM cannot deal with that.
July 8, 2009 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
wv, couldn't agree more. It's an amazing, truly democratic place. Anybody can have a voice there--which may or may not be a good thing!
July 8, 2009 5:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
You gotta love the author(s) of "Is there something special about a Republican tallywacker that it requires so much attention?"
July 8, 2009 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to stop or I'll paste the entire thing.
OK, one more.
"Imagine a world where women were in control of governments. Children would never go without health care. Corporate executive bonuses and private jets would happen only after corporate day care centers and meaningful maternity leave were paid for. Birth control would be free and Viagra would be priced based on the going rate for a barrel of oil. And by that I mean to say the price would go up and down without making any sense – much like the penis in question."
Are they going to publish a book?
July 8, 2009 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tom, I laughed out loud at that one, too, and really meant to include it in my blog. I got sidetracked--not an unusual event--and it got by me. Thanks for including it here. Those two are too much!
July 8, 2009 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Holla!
Conservatives have been hijacked by the Rapture Republicans.
The one single thing that really really irritates me are the Tea Parties, here's why:
They are held at public parks, on public sidewalks etc. that are paid for with TAX DOLLARS, i.e. PORK!
The one here in Wasilla is always held at the Wasilla Lake Park which was JUST CONSTRUCTED a few years ago with HIGHWAY PORK MONEY, (i.e. Don Young's infamous Transportation Bill).
I'm only saying that because I build those things for a living, I provide a quality product and bid competitively on the project to win it.
I don't think they make a font big enough for the WTF???? I have bouncing around in my head.
July 8, 2009 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting, but are you sure you're in the right place??
July 8, 2009 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Ramona for the find!
I think that this society frequently underestimates "older" folks, somehow forgetting that one day they will be older with the passions and sensibilities they have nurtured (or not) over a life time.
There was a liberating book that came out some years ago by Jenny Joseph called "When I am an Old Woman I'll Wear Purple.' Below is the titular poem from that book. (Copied from geocities.)
WARNINGWhen I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other peoples gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
Jenny Joseph
July 8, 2009 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I have that poem in a book by the same name. It was given to me when I was in my 50s by a good friend who was 87 at the time. She lived to be 99 and went down fighting. She was my role model.
I love that poem, but find the upcropping of the Red Hat Society sort of an insult to Jenny Joseph. I'm sure they don't see it that way, but the poem speaks to me of individuality and going against the grain. How do you do that when every lady at lunch is dressed in red hats and purple clothing?
July 8, 2009 7:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well there is that. Solidarity perhaps?
July 8, 2009 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sad fact is individuality and going against the grain are being whittled out of society. Business wants conformity so wit and sense of purpose are signs of nonconformity.
July 9, 2009 5:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
THIS IS JUST A BLAST RAMONA!!!
What a kick.
And everybody likes this post.
No wonder.
July 8, 2009 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not the post, DD, it's those two terrific "elderly women".
July 8, 2009 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I almost didn't read this, Ramona, because I'm so sick of hearing about Palin, but I'm so glad I did. Yes - what a find. I've bookmarked *Margaret and Helen* and will check in with them frequently.
And,by the way, I'll be 71 shortly. You and Maggie and I should get together some time.
July 8, 2009 7:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
FDRdog, we could be the Trynamic Trio. We'd kill 'em, wouldn't we?
July 8, 2009 7:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm actually finding myself a little jealous that I'm not old enough to join the group (only 57!) Can I be an apprentice?
July 8, 2009 9:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, to be 57 again. Look at it this way: You'll catch up to us; we can never go back again.
Feel better now?
July 8, 2009 11:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know, I had no problem w/ 30 or 40, 50 had me a little concerned, and I can't say I've been looking forward to 60. But with all you amazing women here that are over 70, I'm getting less and less concerned with aging. Thanks for being such great positive examples!
July 9, 2009 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just doin' our jobs, Babe
July 9, 2009 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
50 got to me big time - the first, and so far only, birthday ever to bother me. I was furious that AARP sent me a soliciation to join. I was entirely too young for AARP!
Yes indeed, Stilli, you would be welcome. I've always thought it would be deadly to live in an old folks retirement home without younger people around.
July 9, 2009 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or even in one of those Senior Citizen glorified ghettos where no kids are allowed. Just old folks. Gruesome!
July 9, 2009 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly!
July 9, 2009 7:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just great.
Presenting the hypocrisy so simply.
Wonderful people.
July 8, 2009 8:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's apparently pretty easy to underestimate our senior citizens.
July 8, 2009 8:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, you really struck gold here. How absolutely lovely to read these frank remarks. Thank you so much for sharing your discovery.
Regarding some of the comments, I understand that the elderly are often grossly under appreciated in general but my gran was the greatest. And my great grandmother, the one that was part native american, she used to smoke cigars, drink Budweiser, and watch the roller derby when she was in her 80's and using a walker to get around. I swear, she reminded me of George Burns except that she didn't talk very much. I think it's hard not to love and appreciate the elderly when you have grandparents or great grandparents you've loved and adored.
July 8, 2009 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're welcome. Love your story about your great-grandmother.
Yes, old people come in all shapes and sizes and temperaments and intellects. All that binds them(us)is the creeping years.
As the great Maggie Kuhn, leader of the Grey Panthers said:
“Learning and sex until rigor mortis.”
and
“Old age is an excellent time for outrage. My goal is to say or do at least one outrageous thing every week.”
and
“Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind -- even if your voice shakes.”
and
“When you least expect it, someone may actually listen to what you have to say.”
July 8, 2009 11:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOVE IT!
July 9, 2009 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've included them on my tabs. that list just keeps getting longer. thanx for adding to it, Ramona.
July 10, 2009 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
icetree, I know what you mean! Mine is getting longer, too, but I love every one of them.
July 10, 2009 7:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Discovering TPM and Margaret and Helen on the same day 'Yippie' for me!
Also happy to see your in Michigan!
July 14, 2009 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink