It is almost February already?

So, we went away for Christmas. That went well, although I really don't see the point of Wisconsin. It just makes Chicago 6 hours farther away. The we came home, and Matter-Eater Lad got a really bad ear infection, and then our parents were in town for V's birthday, and then Matter-Eater Lad's semester started, and here we are.

Oh, and this happened:




(courtesy of my sister and her cell phone, both of whom witnessed the event on the Mall)

Although my *very favorite* part of Inauguration day was when we were watching MSNBC and Peggy Noonan was mooning in that way that only people like Peggy Noonan can about how Bush was leaving in Marine 1 (incorrect, BTW, since he was no longer president) and how maybe he would tell them to circle the Washington Monument like Reagan did (so that you *remember* that Peggy was a *Reagan* speechwriter) in Marine 1 (still incorrect, even when referring to Saint Reagan), and as the helicopter took off onscreen, the crowd started singing, REALLY LOUDLY, "Nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah nah, HEY HEY HEY, GOOOOOODBYE." It was just excellent.

It is, as Jeeves would say, an "axiom."

A car trip halfway across the country with a one-year old at the holidays seems like a much better idea when it is conceived in August than it does two days before the commencement of said trip in December.

Posts like this are one reason why I will never get a political job.

My solution for the Lieberman thing, since the Democratic Caucus has failed to borrow Hillary Clinton's balls**?

Someone should be assigned to kick Lieberman in the nuts as hard as they can.


If they were to do that, I would feel like he at least had faced some consequence for campaigning in a nasty, religion- and foreigner-baiting way against the Democratic candidate. Taking away his chair, a plum saved for someone who acts as part of the caucus, would not have been "retribution," it would have been the correct consequence for not BEING part of the caucus in terms of the actions he was taking.

**Please note that this refers to an SNL sketch, not Clinton's actual vote, since she also supported Lieberman today.

My tired the work.

And yet I have just SO MUCH to do. *yawn*

(Typing "yawn" just made me yawn. Hmmmmmmm . . . .)

Progress marches on.

Even with Prop 8 passing in CA.

I can't be the only one who keeps having this thought.

Obama won, guys. *The election is over*. I know it has been almost a week, but it still seems unreal.

I thought of this in the car this morning and you are not allowed to smack for me saying it aloud.

Obama? Is in the process of creating his Barackracy as part of the transition.

Thank you very much. Tip your waitress.

There were fireworks in my neighborhood last night.

And I suspect we woke up the neighbors when we both yelled as MSNBC called Ohio for Obama. That was when we were sure it was over. As you have all seen, we have tried to make Veronica a part of this historic campaign at every turn. Last night was no exception. We woke her up so that she could watch Barack Hussein Obama give the speech in which he accepted the role of President-Elect of the United States.


She was confused. And she won't remember it. But she was there. This country isn't that far away from the shame of slavery, and it is even less far from the shame of segregation. Leaving aside all of the other (more important to governing) reasons why I am excited that Obama won, I am proud to be a citizen of the country that elected him.

We voted. I was--get this--voter #270 in my precinct.

Did you? It matters. And if you have voted, wear your sticker--I got stopped on the way to the train by a woman who was considering voting who was worried about the length of the wait. I think I managed to convince her to take the time.


****And a note for Fox News: I know my baby has an "I Voted" sticker. This is not a sign of voter fraud. Do not begin running special reports about voter fraud in Minnesota. Her little kitty also wore the sticker for a bit. Minnesota has also not started to allow stuffed animals to vote. Just in case you were confused. I know you find these things confusing.

Too nervous to talk about the election.

Here is more baby.

Still not about the election

I think from my past posts you can tell how I feel about what has been happening with the election.

And I just don't have the energy right this second to comment on every lie and scandal. Who knows, I may change my mind later today even, but for now I am just holding my breath and hoping next Tuesday goes well.

In the meantime, on the election front, one of my sisters lives just outside of Northern Virginia, in Leesburg. She spotted this sign in a window on Saturday night:


The McCain campaign in general seems to have made some major miscalculations in Virginia.

Eight years

Eight years ago today, right about now, Matter-Eater Lad and I were getting pictures taken by the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. We had been married for less than two hours.

Our families and our best friends were there, too, along with some Japanese tourists who were very nice.

Veronica recommends the carrots.

I want to see baby pictures, so all of you are going to see baby pictures, too.

A friend put this together. I think it is hilarious.

Things I can't say out loud during a casual business lunch

Dear [boss]:

The reason you have the perception that the media is harder on McCain is not because the media is harder on McCain or Palin. One need only look at the lack of coverage of the Troopergate report to see that--can you image what would have happened if BIDEN were involved in such a thing? The media seems harder on McCain and Palin despite letting things go because McCain and Palin are lying and their plans make no sense and they keep making erratic changes. You are a smart guy who nit-picks about everything else--why do you have such a blind spot when it comes to this?

Sometimes, when it seems like the coverage of one guy is more negative, it is because that guy has more negatives.

And that's just a great start to the working week.

Sigh. While I was getting ready this morning, the baby rolled off the bed. She's fine, and she was just scared, but really not a good sign.

And this is just what we need.

Palin is trying to kill Troopergate by preempting the probe. Why is this not being covered *at least* as much as the Ayers smears? Her behavior here was appalling and unethical. If we are not going to talk about the real issues at stake in this election, why are we not talking more about this?

Irresponsible.

If Obama wins and GOD FORBID someone carries out a violent act against him, the roots of it will be here, and both McCain and Palin will in part be responsible. The level of their rhetoric is disgusting, and they should be ashamed of themselves. They won't be, because clearly all they care about is winning, but they should be. They have nothing to add to the economic discussion that needs to be happening *right* *now*, and so they resort to whipping up violent, racist hatred.

John McCain, there was a time when I had respect for you. Not anymore.