Terrapin Station

The Day After

Tremendous numbers of my friends (including Facebook friends) are thrilled at the outcome of the Presidential election. And I am, too. And then, some people are very very unhappy. Devastated, even. People I love. 

I thought and prayed long and hard about my vote, and came to the conclusion that I have to vote my heart, my faith, my core beliefs. A few days before the election I started reading What's the Matter with White People: Why We Long for a Golden Age That Never Was by Joan Walsh.  I'm not done with it yet, but it was compelling: Walsh traces  her liberal Democratic outlook and beliefs to what she learned fro her father, a first-generation American Irish Catholic who managed to get a college education by training for the priesthood (a path on which he obviously did not continue). 

I recognized myself in her instinctive knowledge of which was the right political way for her to follow.  And in the bewilderment she felt about how others could disagree so sharply with what seemed clearly right to her. 

(However...my father is a conservative from way back, and my mom has become more of one over the years, so I didn't learn my beliefs from them...I'm not sure exactly where they started. I know how they grew and ripened, but that's another story.)

I believe that I am an empath (you can read more about this at this About.com article).  Here's what particularly resonates for me from the article:

Empaths have a tendency to openly feel what is outside of them more so than what is inside of them. This can cause empaths to ignore their own needs. In general an empath is non-violent, non-aggressive and leans more towards being the peacemaker. Any area filled with disharmony creates an uncomfortable feeling in an empath. If they find themselves in the middle of a confrontation, they will endeavor to settle the situation as quickly as possible, if not avoid it all together. If any harsh words are expressed in defending themselves, they will likely resent their lack of self-control, and have a preference to peacefully resolve the problem quickly.

Empaths are sensitive to TV, videos, movies, news and broadcasts. Violence or emotional dramas depicting shocking scenes of physical or emotional pain inflicted on adults, children or animals can bring an empath easily to tears. At times, they may feel physically ill or choke back the tears. Some empaths will struggle to comprehend any such cruelty, and will have grave difficulty in expressing themselves in the face of another's ignorance, closed-mindedness and obvious lack of compassion. They simply cannot justify the suffering they feel and see.

This is definitely not meant to suggest that I am special, but I am different from a lot of folks. The pain I'm witnessing is dreadful, and it tempers my joy in my belief that the right path was taken. I keep thinking of how the large majority of my friends would feel if this election had gone the other way. I remember it from 2000 and 2004. 

I can't stand the division in our country (but I will have to).  I ask for your prayers for all of us...particularly those who are hurting over this outcome. 

The Empathy Symbol

Making the Best of a Bad Thing

(Foreword:  There are those of you who read this blog who are dedicated Republicans and conservatives.  We have agreed to disagree, with love, about a good many things.  I hope you will remember this as you read.) 

I had a cranky afternoon yesterday, and part of that was caused by taking some time at lunch to review the ballots for the primary election....it was voting day. 

The Democratic ballot in my precinct had 10 races listed.  The Republican ballot had 17 races plus (bonus!) 5 (five) proposed pieces of legislation. 

Here were the legislative items: 

Ballot Proposition #1: Photo ID-The Texas legislature should make it a priority to protect the integrity of our election process by enacting legislation that requires voters to provide valid photo identification in order to cast a ballot in any and all elections conducted in the State of Texas.  YES OR NO

 Ballot Proposition #2: Controlling Government Growth-Every government body in Texas should be required to limit any annual increase in its budget and spending to the combined increase of population and inflation unless it first gets voter approval to exceed the allowed annual growth or in the case of an official emergency.  YES OR NO

 Ballot Proposition #3: Cutting Federal Income Taxes-In addition to aggressively eliminating irresponsible federal spending, Congress should empowerAmerican citizens to stimulate the economy by Congress cutting federal income taxes for all federal taxpayers, rather than spending hundreds of billions of dollars on so-called “federal economic stimulus”.  YES OR NO

 Ballot Proposition #4: Public Acknowledgement of God-The use of the word “God”, prayers, and the Ten Commandments should be allowed at public gatherings and public educational institutions, as well as be permitted on government buildings and propoerty.  YES OR NO

 Ballot Proposition #5: Sonograms-The Texas Legislature should enact legislation requiring a sonogram to be performed and shown to each mother about to undergo a medically unnecessary, elective abortion.  YES OR NO

I'm speechless about all of these and the way they are written.  "so-called federal economic stimulus"?  Please!  But especially, oh especially, the last.  The "mother" will be forced to see the sonogram?  Please twice.  Who gets to write this stuff? 

I'm angry all over again. 

So, I voted in my first Republican primary, EVER, in 26 years.  And I am glad to say that, even in Texas, in the Republican primary, that last item was approved but only 69% - 31%.  To the rest of that 31% I say,

!!

Also, over in the Democratic Primary, Hank Gilbert only won Agriculture Commissioner by 51% over Kinky Friedman (48%). 

(This is Kinky.) 

You gotta love Texas.  Even when you don't. 

My Eyes! My Eyes!

 

This was on the newsstand when I went to the grocery yesterday.  I wanted to run away screaming.  Buy up all the copies and recycle them.  Spray paint them.  Cry.  It looked like an explosion of 1982, just 40 miles down the road from me. 

Instead I was grateful that we now have a President who is a grown up and has a professional demeanor. 

D Magazine is a publication about Dallas life...the kind of Dallas life that I emphatically do NOT live or want.  Very fancy, those who appear in the pages of D Magazine.  Including the latest denizens of Preston Hollow, the tony tony area of mansions where they will be residing. 

I wish them joy, and I wish that I may never see a photo like this in the grocery store checkout line...ever again. 

Gene Robinson to give Inaugural invocation

The Episcopal Cafe has this news:  Bishop Gene Robinson has been asked by Barack Obama to give the invocation at the opening event of the Inaugural Week activities, “We are One,” a concert to be held at the Lincoln Memorial, Sunday, January 18. 

I know there has been tremendous unhappiness about the invitation of Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration.  I have mixed feelings about that.  But I am very, very happy and very proud of President-Elect Obama with this latest announcement.

I don't think most of us who supported Obama thought that the instant he was elected, there would be roses and lollipops falling from the sky...that everything would be perfect and that everyone would be ecstatic.  But I did expect him to make bold steps and take tough chances.  And here we are. 

Election Night & the morning after

I attended two Return-Watching Parties last night.  One was virtual, one was IRL (but solitary). 

The first was Songbird's Live-Blog of the election returns!  What a delight to be able to share that with so many dear friends.  I was on Facebook often, too.  Squealing.

The second was one that Verde invited me to.   The doggies and I actually attended this together.  Nice to be at a dog-friendly party.  :) 

 

(Image from Digital Scrapbook Place)

I was watching the Comedy Central special when the victory in the Electoral College was announced.  I thought, "But...but...this is Comedy Central...can that be right?"  I flew into the kitchen where the other TV was on MSNBC (why didn't I just change the channel in the bedroom?  IDK...) and it was true. 

At that moment, Dear Spouse was sleeping with a very severe headache that he's had for a number of days.  So I weighed in at Songbird's, and then Josie and Boudreaux and I went out for the party hosted by Verde.  We looked up at the stars, smiled, shed tears of joy, and gave thanks. 

Want to say that I was invited to an IRL return-watching at Mary Ann's and it made me cry with gratitude to have such a thoughtful friend.  I didn't go because Ken was really feeling very bad.   But I appreciated her. 

And I appreciate this. 

   

I wonder if they could see the stars?  Probably not, in Grant Park.  But we were watching the stars for them. 

The Vote

I early-voted last Saturday.  I am both glad and sorry that I did, but it was the best way in my situation.  However, I saved my "I made freedom count in Denton County, TX - I VOTED!" sticker to wear today. 

When I got my ballot that day (paper, please!) and went to the voting cubicle, I had a moment of sheer panic - Obama/Biden didn't appear on it!  Oh, wait, it was upside down...with the bond measures and other local elections face-up.  So I voted it that way...end to beginning...so that the very last race was where I got to VOTE FOR CHANGE.  That felt great! 

My first presidential election was in 1983, my freshman year of college.  I voted for Mondale-Ferraro, of course.  :)  And got fussed at by the election official because I had a button on my coat saying that.  (It was the 80's - I had about 50 buttons on my coat!  I didn't even think about it.)  The polling place was just off the TAMU campus at the place that later became the Cafe Eccell...trivia for those of you who know College Station...a very Republican place. 

Speaking of Republicans - my husband voted this morning.  We have had two fusses in the past few days spurred by this election.  Both of us are deeply, viscerally, emotionally committed to our different positions.  Most of the time I avoid getting into it (Giant Conflict Avoider Woman) but my emotions are so high that I slipped. 

Saturday night it was, "Okay.  Are we going to go to this party, or are we going to stay here and have a fight?"  We went to the party, thank goodness.  Then again, last night, there was an unpleasantness. 

I hate this.  I respect his right to make his choice, and he has his reasons, but I hate and detest this disconnect between us.  We are very similar in many ways and we agree on most everything.  This is a new unhappiness, after almost 10 years together.  I guess it's important for us to go through it.  (That's what my Teacher is going to say.)

And if the election goes the way I expect...and hope...and pray...he is going to be and stay REAL unhappy. 

Oh, please please let there be a chance for him and all the others in his camp to see the changes, the benefits, the GOOD that is in store for us.  Please.

Came in yesterday's mail

 

Sweet.

Currently Rocking My World:

 

The box says:  "BARACK OBAMA: An Action Figure We Can Believe In!"

Oh, I'm so hopeful....

(he is standing next to my Starbuck's Easter Bearista Bear).  (Yes, I do have something besides toys on my desk; why do you ask?)

Whaaaaaat!?

Heading out to rehearsal.  But just need to relate this thing I heard on NPR a minute ago:

Interviewer is talking to people about how it will be if Obama becomes President, because he is a black man.

Woman says she doesn't want to sound racist, because she isn't racist.  But she is really afraid of that happening, because then there would be "chaos."  Black people would feel entitled and would push white people off the sidewalks.  There would be riots. 

As my sister used to say,

"Uh  - UH!  That's just WRONG!"

Don't you hate it when you have to yell at the radio? 

Elections (yeah, I know, you don't want to hear it!)

Here's all I'm going to say:

I was travelling in Europe with a US group prior to and during the 2000 election, so I early-voted.  We were in hotels with spotty TV access (this was 8 tech-years ago) so we were all eager to find out how the election had come out.  The day after...we tried and tried to find results.  To no avail.  Over the next several days, the small amount of news about the excessively bizarre "hanging chad situation" that reached us only served to confuse us more.  Talking with our Spanish hosts, one of them said to me, "What is wrong with your country?!  Why can't they figure out this election?!"  My question exactly. 

And now this!  I am embarrassed that the rest of the world is watching this. 

And I think McCain and Palin need to go through a spanking machine. 

 

(ps: I hate to think what sort of hits I will get now that I have the words "spanking machine" on my blog...)