There’s this nameless, faceless politician from a middle no-name state - Wait, scratch that. There’s this guy who is lobbying for Obama’s senator seat. With my limited knowledge of this guy, I assumed he was dead and this was a joke, because he’s listed his qualifications on his mausoleum. Morbid. Nevertheless, among the things listed are statements like, “First African-American attorney general.”

Since when is your race a qualification?

Since when does the color of your skin make you good at something?

Or better yet, worthy of the position you’re vying for?

Of course, those questions, and even I, may be hypocritical because I believe there are inherent differences among the races. But the difference between my thinking and racism is that the conclusions I draw do not make one person less or more than another.

I don’t care one way or another if our president is black. However, I’m disappointed that it’s a big deal that he’s the first black president. I was disappointed that Halle Berry was the first black woman to win Best Actress. It’s also reasonable to assume that I’m disappointed Burris lists a fair qualification as “First African-American…” It’s a shame that this matters to some, and that it’s a big deal.

That’s part 1. Part 2, is as follows.

From what I’ve heard, the ladies on The View have been discussing racial slurs. Elizabeth spoke out and said calling someone a nigger is bad. To my surprise (or not really), Whoopi and the other black woman said it’s perfectly acceptable for black people to use that term among themselves.

I suppose not to your surprise, I have a few things to say about that.

1) What?

2) I am under the impression that America, nigh even the world, is trying to squelch the negativity of one race toward another. While the use of the word “nigger” among a group of blacks does not involve another race, it is excluding other races and thus racist. (Does that make sense?)

3) As we good Christians have been taught, words in themselves are not inherently bad. The ways in which they have become used are what make them unacceptable. And, the acceptability of their nature varies by generation.

My great grandmother and a neighbor grew up in a time where black people were called niggers both as a simple description (like “black”) and a derogatory term (like “idiot”). As the treatment of blacks improved, these women grew to a ripe old age and continued to refer to black people as niggers only because that is what they knew. No malice was incurred, it was simply what they were.

However, there are many black people who are not involved in the hip hop and rap community who are offended by the term. It reminds them of what was, what all has been done to overcome it, where they are now, and where they could be now. I can imagine that black youth’s flippant use of the word makes their parents and grandparents feel like they’ve been set back.

4) Dictionary.com refers to “nigger” as an “extremely disparaging and offensive” word. It defines the word as “a victim of prejudice”, or “any race regarded as contemptible or inferior”. When anyone - black, white, brown, red - uses the word “nigger” to refer to anyone else, whether said in jest, for fun, or between friends, automatically places the recipient in a lower place. Shouldn’t we be trying to avoid that?

I wish for racism and discrimination to go away, or for the word to lose its negative meaning and reflect the fact that there are natural and benign differences among the races. I wrote an article several years ago about becoming an American and then whining because you aren’t afforded any special privileges (of course, today, you are - which is… racism). Stop flaunting your ethnicity and then whining about mistreatment. I don’t think any word more perfectly illustrates this phenomenon than “nigger”. Of course, the fact that I’m a white female may discredit my opinion. I don’t think that it should, but in this day and age of passive racism, it seems reasonable to assume that Burris would be put off by my words.

When I am the first African-American attorney general, then it’s something to put on my resume.

Alice looks tough. She also looks very clear. Maybe I should have kept this camera (the Sony).

Yesterday, I got an invitation and the note said, “If you already received this through your husband’s email…” #^$@%&*! What?! (That’s not profanity, in case you missed it. It’s shock and confusion - you know, like when Charlie Brown’s mom speaks.)

I was surprised.

Mostly because I’m not married. And then I was a little offended. Maybe I was a little offended first. I’m not sure why for the offense, maybe it was more like a blow to my gut. A tender point.

“I already sent this to your husband’s email. Oh wait, you’re not married. Why aren’t you married? You should be. What’s wrong with you?” Woah, back off.

So, I returned the Sony. Did I say that before? I picked up the Casio instead. I’m still not convinced on either account. I don’t know what to do. It was so much easier when my paternal Kodak grandparents would buy me a camera every few years and I wouldn’t have to think about it.

Also got Savannah a Hello Kitty digital camera. And this is why:

I’ve already mentioned I’m not a gracious gift receiver, but the one time I opened a present and was truly shocked, no one was there to see me. That is unfortunate. Do you want to know what it was?! One of the partners at my workplace handed me a small bag and said, “I got everyone else champagne, but I didn’t know if you were twenty-one or not.” It was an iPod Shuffle! Now, I don’t need an iPod Shuffle since I purchased a full sized version through Pleo Marketplace a year and a half ago. But how much better is a Shuffle than champagne?! A lot.

Anyway, it spurred a gift idea for my mother. Yes, I finally thought of something to get my mom the night before Christmas Eve. [Paden|paden] and I got her a Nano! It’s red, so it matches all of her farm stuff, and I had it engraved. (I like to engrave stuff.)

Unfortunately, it made my mother’s computer explode. But, after spending a while in the freezer, Dad was able to get the hard drive working again. (The hard drive was in the freezer, not Dad.)

Also unfortunately, I spent the majority of the holiday ripping Mom’s CDs to my computer so when her iPod arrived, I could load it right up. While working on that project, I noticed that my own music library was sustaining duplicates and everything was really weird. So I deleted everything off my hard drive. Only then did I realize iPods work one way.

Bah.

So I bought a MediaWidget license. Good purchase. I recommend it.

That’s what I got. It’s amazing. Amazing is an understatement. A Kitchen-Aid mixer should be in every home. It is …it IS. And if you’ve ever picked one up, you know what I mean.

I usually use Moleskine notebooks. But two years ago, [Jenni|jennileigh] got me these other colorful notebooks that I’ve been using instead. I pretty much put anything in them. They stay in my purse and are used for whatever I need to jot down (I actually used it to make notes for writing this post). These notebooks (as well as the Moleskines) are the perfect size for exactly one year. On December 31st, I wrote in the last page. (The outline for this post.) Crazy.

The kittens are figuring out they’re too big to climb legs now.

I thought that my hermit crabs were all dead. I’ve been trying for the last couple of weeks to get rid of them through FreeCycle and Craigslist. Apparently, though, they aren’t dead. In fact, they’re thriving. Two have just molted, one for the second time since I got them in August. Now I think I might get them a bigger tank so it will be easier to take care of them.

In my extensive reading of CNN.com, I’ve discovered the NerdBlog. I don’t have much to say about it other than it’s entertaining. Thanks, NerdGuys.

I’m pretty irritated that on both Christmas and New Year’s, I got the day off, but not the day after. So I’m off Thursday and I have to go back for Friday. What’s that about?

Also, from CNN.com, I learned about Saturnalia. It’s the actual pagan holiday that coincides with Christmas. It’s the holiday that someone decided to put Christmas on top of. The most popular of Roman festivals. Multi-god society aside, I’d like to live as a Roman for a year.

I had two small portions of my hair dyed black on Tuesday. It was supposed to be navy, but my hair wasn’t taking the dye. Oh well. I like it, but …I guess my hair is a lot like my teeth: resistant to change. So if I have it done again, I think I’ll make them bigger.

My parents invited my boss over for Christmas. :) It sounds strange, but it wasn’t bad. They played Wii.

I went to use my work toothbrush on Monday and discovered it was moldy. That was disgusting. I’m really pretty freaked out about that. How can I keep a toothbrush at work and keep it from mold?

Betsey Johnson is coming to North Park Mall in 2010.

There were three pairs of shoes at Steve Madden that I planned on buying. However, the sales guy there ignored me for a good 15 minutes, and then helped another patron before even looking at me. So I walked out.

We got another second yesterday. Did you know? I thought it would be at midnight, but Dad said it was at 6PM. Midnight GMT. Bah, I missed it.

Listen, I saw this story on Palin pardoning a turkey. From what I gather, this is a traditional thing for political figures to do. Are you kidding me? What a colossal waste of time. Get a life.

I like Ashlee Simpson. I do. But, she’s named her kid Bronx Mowgli. What was she thinking? Jungle Book?

I’m rather fond of Twilight, but I’ve got to get something off my chest: “And so the lion fell in love with the lamb,” is the most idiotic line I’ve ever read. It’s lame. It’s other things, too, but lame about covers them all.

Also gleaned from CNN.com - tainted milk (in baby formula?) from China is giving babies kidney stones. Further pressing the question: Why are we still trading with China? What else needs to happen?

I saw a t-shirt line that read: “This person is a dead fish.” I immediately thought it referenced a dull person. Nope - the real story is far more funny. Beth Nudelman, an Illinois Democrat was dismissing accusations of voting fraud after her deceased goldfish, Princess, received voter registration info. “This person is a dead fish.” Hilarious.

A kid named Lin walked next to Yao Ming (basketball player) at the Beijing opening ceremonies. Why? During the last big Chinese earthquake, Lin carried his unconscious classmates to safety. His reasoning? He was the hall monitor, it was his job. Awesome.

And to the pregnant man, I say: Idiot.

I looked at my paycheck the other day and came to the following conclusions: Why am I paying for Medicare when I have medical insurance? Why am I paying for Social Security when I’ve been solicited to participate in a retirement program? Why is America being forced into a “mandatory” retirement plan? And Income Tax?? Do I even have to say anything about that?

This is my cousin, Carly Grace. I’ve never seen her in person, but there were tentative plans for me to be her nanny, and she is quite adorable.

Stay tuned for another racial revelation tomorrow. There are numerous political agendas I’m passionate about and would be an advocate for/against, however racism is a gray issue that really gets under my skin. Income Tax, Social Security, and the Federal Reserve Bank are black and white issues, but racism is ambiguous.

When I got to the farm, my grandparents were there. Grandpa said he got two of my thank you notes. :) He said that when they received the second, they originally thought, “Oh, she forgot she sent one!” Then they noticed it had been placed in a plastic baggy with a note of apology that it was damaged.

:)

Awesome.

I may drop mail in the street more often.

I forgot that Larry’s graduation was today. When Terra mentioned that he was graduating this Saturday I thought, “Oh, the party must be another week…” I thought it was like, the 19th or something. But, when I got to the farm with only my Sunday dress and some raggitty (raggidy? raggy? What is the word…) farm clothes, I decided I’d have to wear what I wore to work Friday. Nice. And sort of uncomfortable. Whatever.

I’d never been to a graduation before. So when the commencement speaker started talking about political apathy, I leaned over to my mom and whispered, “Is this how they usually go?” and she said he was probably just trying to make the students aware. I had this image in my mind about Bill Cosby making funny jokes and it being all about how this is the beginning of your life and stuff. But no.

Then I leaned over and said, “He must not know Larry. I’m sure he’s made half the student body more aware.”

And then I said, “Dad’s going to meet this guy afterwards.”

Sure enough.

After the speech, my dad shot up into the air like he was spring loaded and started exuberantly clapping. He was standing alone for a good 5 seconds (which seemed like forever) before Uncle Mark stood up and then the rest of us relatives dragged ourselves up as well. That started a chain reaction in the auditorium that eventually made its way down to Larry on the front row.

Betcha didn’t know Uncle Tom was responsible for that forced standing ovation, huh? (Well technically you did because we talked about it later. But, at the time…)

You kinda can’t be the only one sitting during a standing ovation.

So yeah, I didn’t have lunch til about 2 because Dad had to go meet this guy. I sent him a text message, “Round it up. Invite him to lunch,” but the only time Dad ever left his phone in the car was today.

N E Wayz, he thinks the Second Depression will be coming sooner than thought.

You know how WW1 was just called The Great War or whatever until WW2? I wonder if my grandkids will be talking about D1 and D2. Or living D3.

I wonder if Obama will be shot. I wonder if Laura’s government class predicted that, too.

I’m really trying to take advantage of not having to go to bed at 10 while I’m at the farm… but I’m just so exhausted from all the nothing I did today. All I’m guilty of today is sitting in a car, sitting in an auditorium, sitting in a resteraunt (I’m not even going to look up how to spell that word. I’ll never be able to do it. Wait, did I get it right?? It’s not underlined in red! Wow), and sitting in an apartment. Yet I wanted to go to bed at 5:30.

Let It Rock by Kevin Rudolf

There was lots of talk, as usual, over Thanksgiving. Not so much old family stories talk (that apparently some non-family members hate a lot). But, that could just be because I took some long naps and showers at night (prime time… er, for all of it). But, here’s what I want to know:

There was brief discussion on Sunday about “Liberal Brethren” and if that’s an appropriate term. If they are liberal and therefore we can’t worship with them, they are not brethren. Most of the time, I find myself lumped with the “Conservative Brethren”. However, there are two cases I’m familiar with where I feel… *shudder* liberal: 1) Down the street from the WA church there’s a “one cup, no class” church; 2) The only church around the farm (i.e. “franch”) that holds services on Wednesday is also “one cup, no class”.

And I’m prompted to ask… Am I “Liberal Brethren” to these groups? If so, what does that mean for me?

I’m going to throw three things out there that I’m not sure about. 1) I think that “one cup” is gross and unnecessary, but I don’t think you’re doomed for observing that way. 2) I think “no class” doesn’t have a good argument. 3) I think the church needs to reevaluate how they appropriate their funds.

Also, were it not for the gross factor of the “one cupping” (??) at said E. TX congregation, I would be worshiping there on weekends. While I would appreciate a class atmosphere, this church seems to tingle with aliveness. Is it vain of me to not want to put myself in a situation where I have to drink after people? I’m not sure, but I think so.

The career woman. This woman is someone who thinks she’s the man. She’s the breadwinner, the provider, and the do-it-all girl who doesn’t need any one. I want to make a point to say that I don’t think that on the whole this is a Christian woman. However, if you took offense to what I said… it probably is you.

If you’re a Christian woman and you work outside the home or have a career, I don’t by any means think you’re a heathen. That’s ridiculous. But I want to know what this woman is really thinking and really trying to do.

I don’t believe in equality. When God created people, he didn’t make one better than the other, but he made them right for each other. Each has a purpose. The purpose of a woman, by and large, is not to put on a business suit, scheme and deal, and work her buns off to beat the boys. It doesn’t matter what your business is or how you do it, if your children are suffering, you should be at home.

Who can deny most of the world’s children are suffering?

I struggle to see why a Christian woman would join those ranks. Even if your children aren’t seemingly affected by your independent schedule, why look like a worldly woman?

Lastly, I strive not to offend you all, but may very well by saying that I don’t believe for a second that you’re winning souls for Christ by working in the corporate world. I don’t believe that’s your goal, either. I know it’s possible, because my dad can’t talk about income tax without talking about Scripture, but, um… brought anybody to church lately?

(That was harsh. I know it was. Some do make a difference - Thanks. Isn’t it irritating that I have to apologize for this in my own post? I guess I don’t have to.)

I’m also interested in what makes a business man think he’s accomplishing something. Pushing paper? I’ve always felt it a little bit, but I think the farm has pushed me over the edge. I don’t think we need cities, and skyscrapers, and Wall Street. I think that if you had a big bushel of zucchini in your garage, you’d understand why. You might not agree, because then you’d have to hitch up a horse instead of rev an engine, but you might understand.

Don’t be mad. I’m just 25. What do I know?

Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

Grandma comes to places with snacks. Recently, her snacks have been a trail mix by Sprouts that includes Toasted Corn. I love the corn. Last week, Grandma bought me some corn. It pertains to the next story; that’s the only reason I told you this one.

This weekend, in the life of Meagan, I walked down to the donkey pen to see if I could tempt Henry with some toasted corn…

…but I was distracted by the sound of a golf cart (okay, it makes no sound because it’s electric) headed toward a small herd of angus that had wandered onto our property.

(Uh, did I do the flash wrong on that one?) I thought Dad and Cowboy Cory were going to round them up and herd them on down the street, so I climbed Buddy’s fence and walked purposefully across his pasture toward the cows. Dad and Cory didn’t come, but I didn’t realize they weren’t until I was already there, however my presence caused the cows to scatter (even though there was a fence between us).

As I got to the fence and started taking pictures of the oddly small cattle, Buddy suddenly became interested in me. He ambled over and stole the corn I’d been saving for Henry.

(Yes, it’s corn in that yellow Hello Kitty container.) Then he nudged me, pushed me, and wiggled his oddly dexterous lips at me trying to find more. I climbed up onto the gate to watch the cows graze back toward me, and Buddy stayed with me. Over me, under me, pushing me, laying his large cumbersome head in my lap.

After I sat for a while and got sufficiently dirty, I hopped down and wandered off to the barn. As I approached, Nala, the neighbor’s Weimaraner, started barking at me like she didn’t know who I was.

So, instead of inciting an attack, I stood outside the barn and let Cowboy Cory berate her for her treatment of me. Then, I wandered around the barn and found my first deadly spider. (They are deadly, yeah?)

Dad squashed it. (Black Widow, in case you can’t tell. Click on it and it’ll get bigger. If you’re not chicken.)

It was slightly disconcerting to see that it was in the same stall Mom has been putting the kittens in during the day.

Speaking of the kittens, I returned to the breezeway from the barn and sat down with Alice and Jasper where I related the story of the black widow (and all things before) in a text message. (Apparently it was actually 3.)

Of course, the text was cut short by Alice who plucked a sticker from my jeans and got it stuck in her mouth. I grabbed her and ran in a panic to my mother who did an emergency sticker-ectomy with some tweezers.

That was frightening.

By the way, if someone saw my bare legs today, they’d probably think I was a cutter. The cats are getting heavier and sharper. That’s Pearlie’s biggest complaint: “Those kittens are too sharp.”

Today, I followed Mom back to Dallas to do some fabric shopping. Please note here that I was following my Mom. She passed a car, so I was passing with her. This jerk (it’s coming up) in a silver Pontiac cut in between us. I made sure to give him as much room as he was giving my mother, but he decided to flip me off anyway. Then, he slammed on his breaks so hard that his tires smoked and I could smell them. I honked.

A lot.

Then he did it again. When he got over to the right and I passed him with my mom, I put on my cruise so he could tailgate me all he wanted to appease his roadrage and I wouldn’t hit him.

Sometimes people are just jerks.

But anyway, some of you will be pleased to know that I managed to get her to (She thinks I railroaded because I was able to accomplish this in only one store when she had a list of several to go to. However, because I won, we got to eat at Kabab.) buy fabric for curtains in both back bedrooms. Thus far, there have been no window coverings. And while I’m okay with that while there’s an empty house, I doubted a house and yard full of Thanksgiving (or are we calling it my birthday this year?) guests would appreciate the lack of privacy due to no curtains. For some reason, she doesn’t trust me to finish the curtains. Maybe it’s because of that time I made a 12-square quilt in 9. Who knows. But anyway, I’ll assemble them, she’ll finish, and they’ll be up in time. They’re awesome. I’m just letting you know.

Oh, and then tonight I had a guy lump me with all women everywhere. He made assumptions about me, then told me how I felt, then wouldn’t let me correct him. To top it off, he said he’d pray for me. What’s that about?

Five more days of serving coffee to the most high maintenance people in the world. :) Sometimes I wonder why some of them don’t buy espresso machines and make it themselves. It would be cheaper. But then they’d have no one to gripe at when it came out wrong. Ah, I say it with humor. It’s amusing, but only in a sad, depressing way. Anything someone can control…

Rumor has it, Obama’s going to try to ban handguns. This is lunacy. “And… is the Constitution going to play into that decision at all? I mean, there’s no reasonable reason he should succeed, right?” I don’t know.

In A Little While, the Hanson version