Impending doom

I'm taking a breather from the political posts, but before I do, let me say- It was surprising to see Hills and Barack get very snappy with each other at the most recent debate- guess their won't be a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket in the future. And- Barack needs to win SC on Saturday or its over for him. I feel compelled to comment on Hillary's attire just to keep up my status on the "Hillary Clinton Fashion Watch List" this time I will say that I liked the orange scarf-y thing she wore at the debate. Not many people can get away with wearing orange, but it looked quite nice on her and her snazzy lipstick/lip gloss. Her hubby Bill has been sporting the orange tie as well- maybe its a thing they are doing like when you see retired couples wearing matching windbreakers- very matchy-matchy in more of an upscale way.

I have to say I'm getting kind of depressed about what I call "impending doom"or turning 40 on Saturday. So, how the hell did this happen?

The logical answer is that I was born in 1968 and now 40 years have elapsed. That's not really satisfactory. I kind of feel like that Talking Heads song where the lyrics say "How did I get here? Where does this highway lead to?"

When I look back its all a massive blur of childhood, a completely crappy adolescence, a few fun high school years, fun, revealing, emotionally distressing college years, suprise pregnancy, single motherhood, suprise marriage, and now just day to day living.

I never thought my life would turn out the way it did. Mainly, because I didn't have really a concrete plan of how my life should turn out. I didn't have a burning career passion- I waivered between being a crusading journalist and history teacher. I did as a high school student and at the beginning of college fancy myself becoming a sleuthing investigative reporter a la Woodword and Bernstein. Two things that stood out for me as a youngster in the 70s were all the Nancy Drew books and Watergate. When I was very young I thought about being and archeologist digging up Egyptian treasures, while on the side solving crimes, did I mention I was also a huge "Scoobie Doo" fan in the 70s as well? So really my youthful version of my adult self would be tooling around in a van called the "Mystery Machine" solving crimes, uncovering ancient Egyptian treasures and writing blockbuster articles about political wrongdoing for the "Washington Post."

Having this unrealistic road map for my future probably led to my subsequent aimlessness in getting established in a career until my late 20s/early 30s. Now I work in non-profit PR. I have had my writing published, and that's exciting, although none of it was about political wrong doings, nor do I drive a purple van called the "Mystery Machine." I haven't solved any crimes although I did uncover a consumer scam that got on the news.

The other thing I didn't think about while creating a Scoobie Doo-Nancy Drew-Bob Woodward amalgam of my future life was becoming a mom. I think I always pictured myself having kids but in a vague way. It wasn't a major goal to be a mom, just something I thought would happen and it would slow down my crazy crime solving/archeologist/journalist lifestyle. I had a surprise pregnancy and my "partner" hit the road and said "good luck with that." Though it was hard, Allie was the best thing that ever happened to me. EVER. EVER. The mom thing became much more consuming than I ever imagined. I really love being a mom more than anything else.

And the whole marriage thing. I've always been catastrophically bad at choosing romantic partners. Its an area where I tend to make the worst, stupid, emotionally damaging, horrible choices. Weirdly, I met someone in my early thirties who was SANE, funny, smart, cute, had a college degree, was not a right wing wacko, and we ended up getting married. That freaks me out, because if there is one thing I super bad at- its romantic relationships. So, I consider that I married someone very cool very surprising.

Yea, its true, I suck at intimate relationships. I very rarely allow anyone to get close to me and I don't tend to get close to other people. I'm closed off emotionally. I think that's probably bad.

Anyway, I really had no clue that this whole turning 40 thing would sneak up on me. I have no plan for the second half of my life. I no longer want to be Nancy Drew, and Scoobie Doo started to really suck when they introduced Scrappy Doo, and I thought the live action movie of Scoobie Doo was really dumb. Bob Woodward really lost my respect when he wrote that fawning book about Bush a few years ago. I no longer have much of an interest in archeology.

So, what do I do now?

I will consider myself "warned"

Okay, there was a comment on the last post, where I poke fun at Hillary's choice of clothing, where someone "Anonymous" (a person who I will call "A") commented "Be careful about the appearance comments..." (hello, WTF!) and then went on to suggest that I was slamming poor Hills alone (because she's a gal!) about her appearance.

First of all I was pissed off for being told to "be careful" about expressing my opinions and felt that comment carried an implied quasi-threat ("Nice little blog you got there...hate to see anything happen to it")

Then I was surprised "Hey, maybe more than the 6 people I know read my blog, read my blog" that's funny.

I had to conclude that "A" isn't a regular reader, because if "A" were a regular reader "A" would know I am an equal opportunity slammer, and don't have a "double standard." For instance, in the very same post I called John McCain an "old geezer" and "insane" I didn't comment on what he was wearing because when he gave his speech I was driving home and didn't see what he was wearing, but if it turned out he was wearing an old carpet re-fashioned into a jacket, you can bet your buttons I would have blogged about it. Also, in my previous posts I have said Fred Thompson is a "re-animated corpse" and I've also said that Mitt Romney wears a ton of hair gel, or pomade or whatever he wears to tame that helmet of hair into unmoving submission.

So, "A" if you're reading this...Hills got off light!

Also, the true ridiculousness of someone telling me to "be careful" about expressing an opinion about fashion. I probably own the most boring wardrobe in America. I'm not even kidding. I don't know the first thing about fashion or high fashion, her jacket might just be cutting edge haute-couture. I would have no idea.

So, how does one go about being "careful" in how they comment about Hillary's clothing choices? Am I not supposed to blog about it, but can I verblize it? Can I say something when I'm waiting on line at Starbucks? Or is it only permissible in the privacy of my own home? If I can't verblize it can I silently think, "Wow, that jacket was ugly!"

Am I on some sort of watch list now? Now that I've been warned to "be careful" and not "use double standards" will I face an increased penalty if I express an opinion on this blog or elsewhere about Hillary's clothing? Do other candidates have watch lists? Because by my count I should definitely be on McCain's, Romney's and Thompson's at least.

Sorry, "A" I know you probably think you're helping me out by telling me to be "careful" but that's not me. I believe I will continue to be entirely "reckless" in saying whatever I would like to say about any topic I choose. I've always been one of those uppity women who doesn't know her place.

Hillary rides to victory on her magic carpet coat

Wow, Hillary won New Hampshire. Good for her. I'm not a fan, but it makes the race interesting.

Some people say she won because the facade of robohillary cracked, and she got a little weepy at a campaign stop. Maybe, or because on the same day, we were reminded of what a jackass Bill Clinton can be as a husband. Yes, perhaps he is a great politician, but not so great as a husband. He literally said at a campaign rally, 'I can't make Hillary any younger.'

This poor woman, she had to re-direct all the anger she had into something - like running in a soul sapping, grueling campaign with a husband that says crap like that! It was running for national office or hittin' the bottle pretty heavy.

One thing I did find interesting was the freaky "jacket" she wore at her victory rally. The styling of the coat was a futuristic, pointy, mandarin collar - star trekish, but the fabric was some sort of old Victorian upholstery or carpet in ash greys and black. Google it if you haven't seen it- a very strange garment. It looked very stiff, perhaps its was a bullet proof carpet that she fashioned into a protective coat, lest some crazed Obama supporter came after her.

She's worn weird jackets before. Apparently, they work for her.

McCain won also, and joked at his age, he can't be the "Comeback kid"- it would have been even funnier if he called himself the "Comeback geezer" - He proposes that it would be okay to be in Iraq for a hundred years, in which case he should be the "Comeback insane-elderly-person"

However, that really isn't a compelling tagline- too long for a bumper sticker.

A bit off in political musings....

My predictions did not come to pass exactly, but I didn't do too poorly. Obama won more decisively and Hillary finished third, not second but she and Edwards were within one point of each other, as I predicted.

On the Republican side, I was pretty close too, Huckabee won and Romney finished second. The re-animated corpse of Fred Thompson finished third, which really surprised me, but I think it says more about the enduring popularity of "Law and Order" than his campaign. I believe John McCain finished a close 4th. I still believe McCain will win New Hampshire.

Obama made a wonderful speech after winning the caucus in Iowa, it makes you see his appeal. I also believe Mike Huckabee to similarily engaging, though I do not agree with many of his positions on issues.

I won't dare to hope that Obama's and Huckabee's wins has finally changed the "attack and play to the base" politics we've endured since the late 80s, but wouldn't that be nice. I was glad to see that Hillary's tactics did not succeed.

I predict

More political musings...the Iowa caucuses are tomorrow. I think its going to be a little unpredictable, but I toss out my following predictions:

Democrats:

Obama 29%
Clinton 26%
Edwards 25%

Yes, I think its going to be THAT close...I hesitate to pick a winner and second and third place in the sense I think that it could be all jumbled up between these three and they are within a few points of each other. I think that Edwards has the chance to grab the whole thing. I chose Obama because the momentum is in his favor now. Hillary could pull it out too, but I think that's unlikely. If you've been watching the polling she has been steadily but surely declining in Iowa since mid-November.

Republicans:

Huckabee: 30%
Romney 26%
McCain 15%

I would have given Huckabee even a higher number had he not made a completely stupid campaign mistake in recent days. He called a press conference and declared he would not run negative attack ads on Romney, then proceeded to show the press the negative ads he wouldn't run! That is a very ham-handed stunt. He should fire his PR person, although I do think any seasoned PR person would not have done this, which means it was Huckabee's idea. Which means he's going to make a lot of mistakes. Plus, I think he fades after Iowa. Iowa Republicans make some pretty quirky picks at times- like Pat Robertson in '88. I understand Romney spent a crapload of money in Iowa and I think that gets you somewhere. The real story is McCain, I think people too easily dismissed him. I think he will finish third in Iowa but win New Hampshire. He will be around awhile. I don't know what happens to Romney, but I don't see him having momentum. He too, makes a lot of stupid mistakes. I kind of hope the nominee is Giuliani, because this man is a trainwreck. He doesn't have a skelton or two in his closet, he has a whole boneyard! Plus his messy private life and stance on social issues will keep a big block of Republican voters away from the polls. He's the easiest to beat.

So, there you have it. I could be completely wrong, or spot on- who knows.