I Hate Politics!

I have never been much into politics. I was always a "let your cards fall where they may" type of person. But then as I got older and I was more effected by what was going on in the world, I became VERY liberal. I believed everyone should do what they wanted. It's OK. But then that effected me too. I then started to protest everything. I protested dolphin killings. I protested gay rights. I protested freedom for women to go topless in NY. I protested against everything that I stand for now.

Even though I don't "protest" anymore, I am effected more-so now than I ever have and during this year's election, I am on pins and needles. Being a mother who works full-time out of my home to contribute to our lifestyle, or lack of; a wife, a step-mother, an aunt, a grand-daughter to ailing grandparents, a daughter to parents who have been shafted. I hate what I see in this world. I know the Bible predicts many things about the times to come and I read those passages and nod in agreement, but in my heart I hate them. Not that I hate God or His Word, but I hate that the human race as a whole can't get their act together enough to keep some sort of peace on this planet, especially with the technology that we have acquired. To think we started off as 2 purely innocent people and have grown into this mass of hate, anger, self-centeredness, loathing, selfish society.

I look at certain people in my life or people that have come and gone in my life; and the people that have made the most impact on me are the ones who fall under that description. Not because I loath the negativity, but I think to myself, "who do you think you are?" There are many who have nothing and treat people like they are above others. There are others who have everything and hate their lives and pull people into their pit only to abuse people to make themselves feel better.

But then, I see people who have nothing or just a little and they are the most giving people I have seen. They give till it hurts. I know we all have heard this before, we have said it, we have recited it, but have you ever experienced it? I have come close, but don't think I have actually experienced it before. There are many people who have a whole lot of material possessions and are very generous as well. We love those people because they can do what alot of us can't do and would love to do and that is to give to relieve the hurt.

After viewing my political hopeful's website, I just thought how great it would be to have this person win. My blog will not be a campaign, so don't think I am pushing this on you, but with the way the 4 BIG candidates are running right now, the polls could go any way.

I did not vote in the primaries, although I wanted to, I was home with my sick daughter, pneumonia, and did not want to risk her health so I let it pass, but I thought how important it was to cast my vote because so many have stepped down by only statistical counts. That was not the actual vote. The real numbers will come in November, that is when it counts. I don't like our system. I am protesting right now, our voting system is lacking something and it needs to be revamped. How can we call ourselves a democracy when voting is based on which state was won? What ever happened to individual votes? I thought that was what counted.

I guess that is my reality check for this evening. I will be going to bed tonight arguing in my head why I hate politics so much.

Please do your research carefully before you vote. With the web now you can go onto the candidate's websites and match up their views and yours to make the right decision and remember, it isn't about you, there is a whole world that is effected by this final decision and as a whole, could be good or bad. The world does not revolve around you. The reason why there are so many loathing, hateful people out there is because they are thinking about how the world should revolve around them and it doesn't. There's their reality check.

God Bless!

The Giants Won the Super Bowl

Did you have any doubt in your minds I would be rooting for the Giants?

The funny thing is I had 3 Patriots fans over and I was sure the Giants would loose. So, when they made that touchdown with 35 seconds to spare, I was amazed and I still had my doubts. When Brady painfully passed that ball down the feild during those last 35 seconds I actually believed one of his receivers would catch it and bring it home. But the Giants wanted that win so bad. They knocked the ball out of fingertip reach with each pass. It wasn't a huge victory points-wise but it was a sweet victory to watch my team who has had a hard time pulling themselves together over the past few years to take down an undefeated team; to be the last team the Pats had to play and to be THE team to take them down from their perfect year.

I am not all hearltess. I did see the disapointment in those Pats' eyes and I felt for them. They worked hard all year long for perfection. How difficult it must have been to fight and put so much into the whole year and only one game away from a perfect season, to beat the record, to a team they had already defeated once. I'm sorry for the loss but I do rejoyce with my fellow New Yawkas.

I am thankful too that my life's success does not rely on the stress of perfection. I do set bars for myself but give myself grace when I don't reach it but continue to work towards attaining my goals. My "success" is not derived from a perfect season or a Hale Mary pass or to catch that Hale Mary to make the touchdown. If I had to be the one who caught the ball, I would be scared to tears and run away with all those big guys in pads running after me. My life is as simple as just living as God leads and letting the details fall where they may and keep doing what I can to keep up with life, but the stress of perfection is slowly disapearing.

I used to be a Corporate Ladder climber. I had no college education but I was good at thinking on my feet and learning quickly and I worked my way up into positions and promotions. I am a good bookkeeper and still have not gone to college for it. My life experience alone has brought me to my position. The reality of making mistakes is very possible, but I learn from my mistakes so I don't do them again and I forgive myself for making mistakes because after all, I am only human. This year I may not get the big super bowl bonus but I always have next year.

Today I enjoy my family who at this moment are all sleeping peacefully in their beds.

Good Night.

Rain-Rain-Go Away!

I woke up this morning to the tapping of rain drops on my windows and roof. I knew the weather was coming but wasn't sure if it was just rain or ice and rain which always freaks me out. OK, I have a confession: I am a yankee living in Baltimore, MD and I am afraid to drive in the snow and ice. It isn't so much the snow and ice as it is the other drivers who don't know how to drive in this kind of weather. Even rain trips up a Maryland driver. I don't get it; when the roads are slick, SLOW DOWN - but don't slam on your breaks. Cars now a-days are equiped with traction control and anti-slip grip and ABS breaks and even something as simple and old-tech as just down-shifting will slow you down.

So, my secret is out, I'm from the North. I am a semi-native of Upstate NY. It's God's country up there. Beautiful!!!! I spent many a weekend on Lake George. I have been from one end of that lake to the other and it never gets old. I say semi-native because I grew up Military Brat. Any of you who grew up the same way, will know what that is all about. It was fun living in new places and seeing differnet geography, but you never really have a place to call home. So, when my father got out and we "settled" into civilian life, it was never easy because it was instilled in us to roam. We were kind of like gypsies in a way. You get used to moving every year and a half and when it stops, your body and mind don't know what to do. I would move every 2 years when out on my own just to get a new window view. It was an unsettling feeling. You never feel rooted. Could be good depending on how you want your life to be but when you get married and have kids, your roots start to sink in and that could be scarry.

My husband grew up in upstate NY and lived their until I blew into his life and then a move to Baltimore after getting married. It was the hardest thing for him to do. For me it was just part of life, but for him it was leaving the comfort of his roots, family, security, familiarity. He still struggles with it but knows this is where we have been called to be.

"Called?" you ask? The call from God. We are both Born-Again Christians. I see you rolling your eyes; For those of you who just stumbled upon this blog not knowing what is in store, it is ok. This is a guilt-free blog. We don't judge, we aren't in the business of making you feel bad. We are just ordinary people like you with ordinary lives with lows and highs, but through our lives we turn to a Higher Power and grace and mercy have alot to do with it. My family have gone through some tough stuff and we have gotten through it because we knew there was Another involved in our situation taking care of the details we could not. This blog site is not going to be about preaching, but there will be mention of God, Bible, Jesus and it is up to you right now to continue or never come back. Either way, it is ok. But you might miss out on something fun.

Unfortunately for me, I am currently at work (while the cat's away the mice do play). While my boss enjoys sunny Florida the rest of us are hunkered down at our desks doing whatever apeases, and at this point, I need to return to doing what I get paid for.

Beginning of something new

I work on computers all day long and I know alot about computers and never thought of doing something like this. I am starting something new. I always heard about "blogging", but always thought of it as some teen-age chat thing where I would be in this cyber world of teen-age angst. I did not do well as a teenager and certainly don't want to be swept up in that again; but a good friend of mine moved to Massachusetts and to keep all of us updated on their lives under many feet of snow and ice, she started to blog. Thanks Barb.

I thought "Reality Check" would be a good name because at 37 years old, my life has been one big reality check. I have learned alot and started late at having a family and getting married. At least I think it is late. While alot of my friends who are alot younger than me are on their 3rd and 4th kid, I stopped at 1. Reality check, kids are hard to take care of. I guess that's why I didn't have mine until I was 33. I'm still trying to grow up myself. Raising a child while living in "Peter-Pan" syndrome kind of cramps your style. So, something had to give, now there is just a shadow of a life I once had.

As much as I love my husband, I'm still an individual with individual needs and desires. But when your single life tries to come back while you are out on a shopping spree and your husband is at home wondering why there's no food for dinner - Reality Check - yes, I may make half the income but yes, I do need to make sure at least half the refrigerator is full.

So, yes, "Reality Check" explains it all for our family.

As I learn more, I will post more and hopefully it will make you laugh and help you get through your "Reality Check".