Health Care Hell

I have an obsession - her name is Heather Armstrong and she writes a blog called Dooce. Heather is one of the funniest, most honest, and most self-aware women I've ever come across. I have been reading her blog for several years - happening upon her after the birth of her first daughter. She was blogging about her serious postpartum, which was near and dear to my heart. No, I've never had a child and suffered from this, BUT I lost my best friend to depression that was brought on by postpartum depression and I have read a lot in attempting to understand her disease.

Heather talks a lot about her family - consisting of her loving husband and her (now) 2 daughters. It was through Heather's talk of her spouse, Jon, that I came to read his blog Blurbomat. Jon is just as funny as Heather, but uses his blog to talk about (1) a band he had in college and (2) critical political concepts that aren't voiced enough.

John has been doing a series on the health care system in America - it's pros and cons and the need for a system that helps those who can't help themselves. Because I don't quite understand all the nuances of what Jon talks about (still learning and digesting) - I have posted links to his pages in the order in which you should read. He's SUCH a bright guy and I'm glad that he and Heather have each other to share their crazy lives with.

Read, enjoy and ponder. If you are so inclined - DO SOMETHING!!!

First Post:
Talking Points and Numbers

Second Post:
Additional Links

Third Post:
Anti-Competitive Monopolies

Yes, It's Been a While

I never wanted to be one of those women who started a blog and then left it to wither...but, alas. Excuses are like @ssholes - I have only one...I've been really freakin' busy. Between my travel schedule, which is only compounded by my work schedule, and trying to make time to see my husband since he's been home, I haven't had time to focus on the things I love. And I LOVE writing about random things that mean NOTHING to ANYONE except ME.

My new, and more reasonable, goal is to write 3 times per week. I hope that this will be a much more manageable task and something that I will look forward to instead of away from.

I just found out that I have one loyal reader...my nutso Auntie M still finds time to read about the random things that I ponder while she's busy trying to keep up with my equally nutso Uncle R and her painting habit. She's become quite the artist and I'm so proud of the hidden talent that she pulled from deep down inside those high-top Converse sneakers. She'll be irked that I wrote about her - but at least she can now admit that I've finally written SOMETHING.

This amazes me...

I'm having a hard time handling the fact that our economy is teetering on the edge of a rock-infested cliff and one raindrop from the sky, on either side of center, would be enough to save it or send it to it's death below. I feel like I have to trust our POTUS...at least until he screws the pooch to the point of never deserving my trust again.

But I have to admit that I'm a little stunned by the recent firing of the GM CEO. Not that I'm not all for a clean house at the top - but because our POTUS did the firing. It was a clear message that the government is in charge - not big business. He has the people behind him, screaming for more changes to come.

This is my questions, however. How can you fire the CEO of a domestic automaker who came to the federal government asking for a loan, not a bailout, but not evoke circumstances on the Wall Street executives who have squandered more capital than we could even imagine. Let's spread the pink-slip wealth, Mr. Obama. You need to prove to the American people that you have the balls to step on all kinds, shapes and colors of toes.

As a side conversation to the GM situation, I was having a conversation with my in-laws last weekend about the ratio between worker and CEO salary in this country. Here's the list, for those of you who like to walk around with useless numerical lists in your head.

Ratio of CEO pay to average worker pay, by country:
Japan 11:1
Germany 12:1
France 15:1
Italy 20:1
Canada 20:1
South Africa 21:1
Britain 22:1
Hong Kong 41:1
Mexico 47:1
Venezuela 50:1
United States 475:1

Makes you wonder how we let things get so out of control, doesn't it. My story goes like this: "Once upon a time, there was an actor from California who was elected to the Presidency of the United States..."

i'm sweet on...

...this new Antwerp Chair from Anthropologie. The patchwork is hand-embroidered and it just has such a nice vintage appeal to it. At a mere $1998, it's well worth the second mortgage.

pet peeves

There are few things in life that really get under my skin. I'm usually pretty easy to deal with, pretty even tempered. HOWEVER, these few things can set me off like a fat man on a whoopee cushion. Note to my friends: don't test me...

1. Tossing butts - the absolute last thing that I want when I'm driving down the road is a still-burning butt flying towards me at 70 mph. The simple fact that you are littering is obviously lost on you, but then you have to be a total douche and throw your flammable litter at someone else. I didn't ask to be littered on. I also didn't ask to take my life in your hands by hoping that your lit butt doesn't spark something under my hood. Do us all a favor - use your ashtray or keep an empty aluminum can in your car. Keep your butt to yourself. I have enough asses in my life.

2. Cow cud - I don't want to hear you chewing your food just like I don't want you doing it with your mouth open. It's one thing if you are eating chips or crunching on ice, but the sloppy smacking of your jaw gets my blood boiling. Really, learn some restraint...and some courtesy. And finally ...

3. 3rd grade lesson - Please learn how to punctuate. It's simple, elementary school knowledge - and if you got out of 3rd grade not knowing where a period, comma or capital letter goes, then I wonder who your mom paid off. If you are updating your FB status or sending an email, please, please do your part and grammar check. It's annoying and infantile. If you are wondering if this points at you, ask. I'm happy to call you out.

your daily bias

facebook schmacebook

I used to be so bad at keeping up with my friends that they eventually dropped off the end of the earth - usually pissed off that I turned them off. It wasn't intentional, I just don't have the time or the inclination to be a letter writer or email sender. My thank-you note skills are equally bad, and my aunt continues to remind me how disappointed she is in me when I don't live up to the 1950's expectation of gracious living.

I have recently turned into someone that I don't recognize. Facebook has revolutionized the way that I communicate with people and, at times, I'm more connected then I would really like to be. I look at these people who use their blogs as a canvas on which to verbal vomit their life story and I'm amazed that they don't get cyber-stalked. Maybe they do and they just don't care - who knows.

But this world of Facebook has made me better at keeping in touch AND equally pissed at my inability to keep people at arms length. I hate the fact that I update my status, therefore letting my "friends" know where I am in the world - but I just can't seem to stop feeding the information like baby food on a spoon. I don't quite know where this addiction came from and I know for sure that I don't like it - but I haven't found a Facebook Anonymous meeting online yet. If I do, I'll be sure to invite my friends to the meeting by asking them to give me 25 reasons why they should come. Then they need to tag 25 of their FB friends that need the same group counseling and we'll set up a chat room to have the meeting. Everyone can be responsible for their own coffee.

support the search for a cure

I dig these organic and handmade bags from Sea Bags for a Cure. These custom tote bags are made out of recycled sails (which just makes me want to hitch a ride on a island-bound vessel).

The limited edition pink ribbon sea bags were created to benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation.

These bags can be found at Tonic Home - one of the coolest housewares sites on the web right now.

rosa sat

My girl KK, sent me this great picture. I'd seen it in a few forms over the last few months, but the typography and feel of this poster is perfect.

Thank you, Mr. President (part 2)

So, at this point, he's our POTUS. He's sworn in, he's legal and he's ready to work. As excited as I was to watch him be sworn in, I was looking more forward to his speech. The speech that would set the tone for the next 4 years. They speech that would make the world stand up and take notice. The speech that Malia warned must to be "pretty good."

I have to admit, I was blown away. As an award-winning orator (granted, in high school - but really, I'm one of the few people in the world who has ZERO fear about speaking in front of a group) I was prepared for Obama's skill in delivering a message. What I wasn't prepared for was his "I just grew a huge set overnight and want the world to know that I'm not taking crap off of anyone" attitude. Because this blog is as much for historical purposes as it is logging, I'm going to post the transcript of the speech. Skip over if you've already heard in full.

"My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.

Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking

America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.

Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.

The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.

And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet.

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

I was so proud, I was beaming from ear to ear. Way to spell it out, Barack.

So, it was over. And most of the people were now walking north to head to the parade route. I walked south, toward the river, so that I could get out of the masses and head to my ride.

I walked over the 14th St bridge and headed toward Pentagon City Mall. After a quick trip inside to warm up (the bridge walk was the coldest part of the day), my sister and brother-in-law (with nieces in tow) picked me up and we headed back to Annandale. Traffic was non-existent, as most people were either home watching the parade on TV or were afraid to get stuck somewhere that they couldn't get out of.

By far, the absolute best experience of my life. I will always be grateful that I didn't talk myself out of going. I will always be grateful that I put myself in position to witness the greatest testament to our waning prejudice. I will always be grateful that I live in a nation where things like this are not only possible, but probable - if we get over ourselves enough to let it happen.

Mr. President, please represent. Please show up everyday with the same enthusiasm and knowledge that you showed us over the last 18 months.

I am proud of you. I am proud of us. I am proud.

Thank you, Mr. President (part 1)

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend the day with more than a million other people who wanted to watch history happen before their eyes. As my local newspaper said "it was like a million people all go together to have coffee on the Mall." I was honored, humbled and moved by the experience I had yesterday - and because my ever-wise aunt said I should, I'm writing down my experience so that I don't forget the details. I thought you guys might like a taste of it too.

I got up around 3:30 and drove to my sister's house in Annandale, VA. She and my brother-in-law had offered to take me to the bus station. It seemed to be a much more logical decision than trying to brave the Metro (our subway) to get downtown. I know it was wise choice, as I heard on my trip in that my Metro station was already parked to capacity - and they had only been running for 45 minutes.

It wasn't all that easy-going that morning. We had snow on Monday, the 19th, so the roads had iced over night and there were a ton of accidents going over the Blue Ridge into Loudoun County. I made it to Miki's safe and sound, around 6 am. By 6:30, Sean had dropped me off at the Metro Bus station on Columbia Pike and I waited for the 16S bus - the one that would take me directly into the city. I wasn't the only one on the bus, but there weren't any lines and it wasn't crazy. I feel a bit spoiled, because my trip was SO EASY, that it almost didn't even feel like I should have worried about it in the first place.

By 7 am, I was on the Mall, trying to see how close to the front of the crowd I could get. I noticed that by standing to the north side of the Mall, you were closer to the jumbo-trons - so I made my way across the Mall and to that side - then I walked toward the Capitol. I kept walking until it got too thick to get any closer. By my estimations, there were probably already 200,000 people there when I arrived. Not bad for a 15 degree morning.


So, there I sat - with a pumpkin muffin that my sister had given me and a latte that I picked up on the ride in. The book I was reading - "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult, wasn't exactly uplifting reading material - but it kept me occupied during the 4-hour wait.

I perched myself between a group of Boy Scouts to my south (right) and a group of high school choral kids from Michigan to my north (left). They were nice enough...but the choral kids thought it entertaining to sing the same songs over and over (and over and over) again until finally a guy in front of us nicely asked them to stop. He had a grandpa-gone-mad look to him, so the kids heeded his advice and took to screaming and giggling at the top of their lungs. Ah, to be young and stupid again. It brought back lots of memories from my days on the Speech and Debate bus...

The Boy Scouts were handing out American flags, which was a nice touch. They were stationed all around the Mall and it was an amazing sight, once things finally got going, to see all these flags waving at the same time.

While we all waited, the jumbo-trons replayed the concert from Sunday night @ the Lincoln Memorial. Everyone sang along to Garth Brooks and Stevie Wonder. We were this little collective re-run gearing ourselves up for what was about to happen. At one point, they started to show the motorcade on screen. This got everyone up off the ground and ready. The pulse in the crowd was evident.

Once they started seating all the dignitaries, things really started to get loud around me. People were cheering for their governors, senators and favorites. I found it interesting that of all the people that go the loudest "boo" from my section, it was Joe Lieberman. Some around us grumbled at Bush and Cheney, but I think it was understood that the end was SO near - that it didn't matter what anyone said.

And then, there he was. Looking dapper in his black suit with red tie. Looking a little bit grayer than he did when I first was drawn to his oratic excellence in 2004. Looking in command, in control and in awe of the moment. Barack Obama was on the stage and I knew from that moment that the world would never be the same.

Rick Warren gave the invocation. Those around me who were upset in Obama's choice let it be known. Although I, too, wish that he had different view regarding gay partnerships, he gave one amazing prayer. Aretha got up and sang "My Country Tis of Thee." She was good, not spectacular, and she was wearing the most obnoxious hat that anyone had seen in a long time. That monstrosity with the big gray bow - whew, I was just waiting for People to get a hold of that photo. Joe Biden took his oath - it was 11:54 am. At that point, we realized that at 12 noon, George W Bush was no longer our President. There was orchestral performance from Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. They were wonderful, but everyone was so anxious to see the swearing in, that it wasn't enjoyed as much as it should have been.

At this point, it's 12:04 pm. Someone mentions that Bush is no longer our President - that Biden is. It's a bit comical - because we had that 5-minute gap in time, where Obama wasn't sworn in, but Biden was. I'm glad he didn't choke on his Halls and throw the whole thing into a tizzy.

12:06 pm - Obama, with Michelle, Sasha, Malia, and the Lincoln Bible in tow, approach the podium. John G. Roberts, Chief Justice, starts the oath. He screws it up, which then makes Obama screw it up - but as Tom Brokaw said, "it still counted, folks." He finished with "So Help Me, God" - which I always took to be more of a request, than a statement. As a Christian, I like the thought of saying "so help me, God" after all my promises - as if I'm saying "Lord, I can't do this without you. Help me."

I was jumping up and down, crying, shouting, smiling, overcome with joy and pride. I had just witnessed the swearing in of our 44th President - a man who will go down in history for the man he is, not just the things he does.

I heart this...

Anyone who knows me will tell you that my closet is full of blacks, grays and brown - I wear mostly classic, muted tones in fairly classic shapes. BUT - those friends would also tell you that my shoe closet, handbag shelves, and jewelry box is full of things that make those muted clothes look like the rope holder under a gigantic parade balloon - no one notices the rope holder, everyone notices the thing floating in the sky.

So, being an accessories queen, I deem myself capable of judging good accessories. There's 99 crappy ones for every 1 great one, trust me.

Scarves are one of those accessories that become more necessity than fashion - when in actuality, they should be your parade balloon. I'm loving these neck warmers from The Textilemuse (great name, too). These neck warmers are made with super soft chunky acrylic yarn and are accented in great ways.

You pair this with a boring wool pea coat and watch out!

woof!

Tis the season to find great handmade gifts for your loved ones. I'm a fan of Etsy - not just because I sell my own creations there, but because all the items are handmade. Knowing that what you buy is handmade here in the US should be important to you. With so many of our neighbors losing their jobs - and every crisis to come - shopping Etsy will not only support domestic artisans, but also warm the spirit of those for which you purchase.


In addition to being an Etsy fan, I'm a canine fan. I love my dogs - all shaggy 5 of them. This adorable handmade weiner-dog is just too cute for words. It's handmade from retro cotton canvas with contrasting ear backings and base. I can see it decorating your child's room - or sitting on your desk to remind you to pick up kibble on the way home from work. Too cute, huh?

your daily bias

I heart this...

I have been away too long - I'm grossly sorry...

So, I'm loving Bluehouse. I always have, but they have some new, great gift ideas for those of you looking to improve on your carbon footprint. They pride themselves on being Carbon Neutral - so they are not "putting out" any more than they are "taking in." If we could all run our businesses in such an intentional manner.

This is my favorite item: a wonderful felt tote that is all one piece. I'm a sucker for innovative product ideas, but this one takes the cake. I'm just amazed that this bag can look so cute all zipped up - but then be so simple in shape when flat.

your daily bias

Courtesy of Dooce.com

your daily bias

And...here comes the bias

So, you all knew it was coming eventually. I have things to say, but so often am blinded by my inability to structure those things that I don't end up saying them at all.

One of my iPod favorites is the talented John Mayer. Love him or hate him for his music, but either way, he has the ability to verbalize things in a way that I somedays lack. The following piece was written this week, and published on the Huffington Post. I share it with you because it represents much of what I feel (sans the 80s rhetoric).

Hope Is Not a Buzz Word -- John Mayer

I was 23 years old when the nation was attacked on September 11, 2001. I can remember hearing pundits say "this changes everything" and "things will never be the same." Obviously it was a tragic and traumatic event, but that sentiment has carried on through the better part of my twenties. If you were 43 years old on that day, I would imagine it was a difficult concept to get your head around as well, but if you were a young adult just entering his or her individual life, there was an added twist; how can you process the idea of everything changing and things never being the same when you have no point of reference for what "everything" and "the same" is? I was just beginning to put my hands on the world around me, to interact and engage with it, and to actualize the dream of being an adult in a free society. To wait in line for 23 years only to have the "sorry, future canceled" sign flipped in my face was depressing, to say the least.

The social and political narrative of the last eight years, if you're a young adult, has been "you are the first generation of the second half of the rest of human existence." That's a huge psychological undertaking, and I believe it's one that will someday be diagnosed on a massive scale as having led to a kind of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. (Something has to explain away our premature obsession with 1980s nostalgia.) My generation has come to know itself as the generation that should have seen the good days, my, were they spectacular, now take off your shoes and place them on the belt.

What Barack Obama says to me is these days are good for something. Just when I'd thought my only role as an adult was to help shoulder the nation through its darkest days (known to us as "the rest of them"), Obama gives me the feeling that I could be alive to witness one of the most brilliant upturns in a country's history. Imagine that -- a young adult in this day and age being given something to someday brag to his children about having being alive to witness. What a concept.

That's why hope is a worthwhile commodity. To those who question whether hope is a tangible product worth building a campaign around, I'd say take a look at despair and how powerful that has been in reshaping how people think and live. I believe the definition of the "hope" that Barack Obama enthuses operates on the unspoken thesis that there has to be a polar opposite to the despair of 9/11. Because if we accept that there's not, the will to live becomes forever altered. To adults who will vote for him, Barack Obama represents a return to prosperity. To the youth, he represents an introduction to it.

your daily bias

top design

So, I'm completely addicted to Bravo's Top Design. I've watched it from the beginning and I just can't get enough. I've never felt compelled to blog about any of the rooms or vignettes that were created, but this past week totally changed my mind.

I absolutely ADORED Preston's room this week. The challenge was to take a Swarovski chandelier and then build your room around it. Preston was "stuck with" the Sparkle Shady chandelier - because everyone selected their pick in a predetermined order of which Preston was last. The chandelier was amazing and Preston got pretty lucky that he got stuck with the one he did.


Preston took his chandelier and made pure magic. He created a "hotel lounge" (which seems to be a standard approach from him - but, what the heck, they are always cool spaces). This was the result:


For one day and a mere $22,000 - it was brilliant!! Anyone wanna give me $22,000 to see what I could create in that amount of time?