2012

2012 is already kicking 2011’s ass, but that isn’t really saying all that much since 2011 pretty much sucked balls. The thing is, even though I was laid off and stressed out and had my heart broken, there were some unexpectedly amazing things that happened last year too. I stumbled upon what might turn into a real career for me. I absolutely love my job right now. The days fly by and I’m so busy I forget to eat and work evenings and most weekends and go in early.

And I love it.

I’ve never understood people who did that before but now I get it. They actually like what they do! When I first got laid off, the only person who said anything that made me feel better was my sister. She told me that several of her friends had been laid off and it was horrible for about a year or so but that every single one of them was happier now then they had been. And that is absolutely 100% true for me too. I never ever ever would have even thought about working in politics and I’ve always thought that people who did were all assholes. Oh, they are there alright, but there are also people working to actually make a difference in the world too. Maybe I’m just too new to be jaded, but I think new is exactly what we need in politics.

Last year I also met a man who was only in my life for nine months. But he showed me that there are still some good guys out there. And even though right now the thought of him dating some Missouri whore makes me want to puke, I am glad I met him. He made me laugh and reminded me that I don’t have to settle for someone just because I want to be in a relationship. Because when you have a connection with someone it is amazing but when there is no spark, it’s not really worth it. We got to take an awesome road trip together, I got to see where he belongs and I can move on knowing that he is happy and I am happy for him. Obviously, I’m sad that he is not going to be in my life more, but I got to meet a great guy and left him knowing that if I ever need to talk to him I can pick up the phone. And that’s a lot more than I can say about most of my past relationships.

I also met some really great people last year. There is no way in hell I would have hung out with a bunch of 23-year olds if I hadn’t been forced to take an entry level job. At first I felt incredibly old working with them. But I think they actually reminded me how to have fun again. I was definitely in a bit of a rut before I got laid off. Working in a job I didn’t enjoy and playing it safe because I wasn’t a kid anymore and had to get serious. It was humbling to start over again and it was terrifying to take a series of jobs that paid crap and were only temporary in hopes of landing something better. Not knowing where I was going to be in four months was new ground but I think it mellowed me out a bit.

This year, I still don’t know where I’ll be in six months. The difference is, now I am okay with that. Hopefully I’ve gotten through the worst of it and things are only going to keep getting better. 2011 taught me that life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect it to. That sounds really cliche and maybe it is, but I don’t know how else to say it. Even my lowest points weren’t all bad and even though pretty much nothing went the way I thought it was going to, I think I am better for it. I feel like I learned a lot and I hope that I am right about the direction I am going. But if not, I know I will be able to handle change better because I’ve already had to go through it once.

Last Night

Even though the news out of Wisconsin is depressing, Alaska is still awe inspiring enough to get me out of a funk. I haven't seen the Northern Lights in years, but they were out last night in full force. This is not my photo because my camera sucks but my friend took this shot last night. It's the same glacier as the photos in the last post. It was wicked cold out but I stuck it out to enjoy a sight that always lifts my spirits no matter how bad of a mood I might be in.

If you can read this, thank a teacher!

Both of my parents are public teachers. They work late into the night grading papers and creating lesson plans. They deal with limited supplies, classroom size that grows every year, little respect, classroom fights, budget cuts and kids that come from unbelievably sad backgrounds. They do it because they love to teach. They want to make the world a better place. They love kids. They certainly didn't become teachers because the pay was so amazing. If you hate unions, do your own electrical work, put out your own fires, teach your own kids, police your own communities, staff your own jail, work your own steel, build your own car. Walk a mile in the shoes of a working class union family. Sure, some people slack off and abuse the power of a union, but that is not the norm. And it is not the reason Wisconsin has a budget deficit. And whatever you do, don't talk shit about my parents (or public school teachers in general) or I will hurt you. I went to an inner city public school my whole life, don't think I can't fuck a bitch up. But I also got a damn good education.

I'd like to apologize

For all Alaskan politicians. They all suck. I don't know who to vote for this year. Joe Miller is a horrible, horrible person. The fact that the people of Alaska are dumb enough to push him through a primary makes me angry. And sad. But I don't think Scott McAdams, our 'Alaskan democrat', which basically means he'd be a Republican anywhere else, has a chance in hell of winning. He might have had a chance, but Lisa Murkowski had to become the Ralph Nader of Alaska this year. And while I don't like her, I don't hate her either. And I think she has a better chance of winning that McAdams. I'm sick of voting for the lesser of two evils.

And I cannot believe Feingold might not win Wisconsin. What the hell is going on in this country?!

Dabbling in Politics

The political season in Alaska has started, which means my job gets quite a bit busier. But a lot of my job is the hurry up and wait kind. And even at the state level, watching every single meeting/conference/briefing/hearing of the political process gets really boring. I mean, how many frickin’ finance meetings does one budget really need? Apparently, a lot.As I was sitting there today, I decided to set a goal for myself. My new goal is to wink at every single state senator and representative at least once. I think this plan is brilliant because it keeps me involved with what is going on. And anyone who knows me knows that I am most definitely not a winker, so I get kind of nervous about it and am hyper alert waiting for the exact right moment and it make my move.

Today I picked a Republican Senator. He looked both bemused and flustered and refused to make eye contact the rest of the meeting. It was awesome. Most of these meetings are in incredibly small rooms, so there aren’t too many places to look, and I am usually behind the only camera in the room, which as everyone knows, politicians are drawn too. I am totally looking forward to getting to everyone now. I might even take a page from 5000 and create a spreadsheet for this!

*Note: If I am being somewhat vague about my job, it’s on purpose. Certain key words pop up in a lot of Google Alerts around these parts, a lesson I learned a little too well last year.

Trap League Started Again...

And I added a little somethin' somethin' to this wonderful sign that is posted front and center at the gun club:

Independence from Palin Weekend Extravaganza

With so much to celebrate this weekend, it was hard to know where to begin. The sailing club had a float in the 4th Parade. Here's Fletch helping out with the decorations:
Commodore Lieb mastering the art of the hula hoop, always a good time:

It was a sailing club float, so of course, I am on a boat:

I'm not really sure what hula hoops have to do with sailing, but I really can't imagine life without them.

It was also an amazing weekend to go fishing. We threw out some crab pots and didn't catch anything but this ginormous sea star. (Remember kids: Starfish are NOT fish!! They are SEA STARS.)

Even the whales came out to celebrate our liberation from the Palin administration!

Both humpbacks:

And orca:

All in all, I'd say it was a pretty spectacular weekend.

Circus show continues...

I really didn’t want to have another political post so soon after the last one, but I live in an ass backwards state where Sarah Palin reigns, so obviously there’s always plenty for a liberal to complain about. And I couldn’t help but share a few doozies with my four faithful readers. It’s just too hard to resist.

As I previously mentioned, Palin decided not to accept the Democratic nomination for the open state senate seat and instead picked some guy who until recently wasn’t even a registered Democrat (srsly, did you think no one would notice that?) and is best known for losing his campaign bid for a state representative seat back in 2002. Palin’s pick had to be approved by the House, which obviously didn’t happen but then Palin tried to reject their rejection. That is pure horseshit, seeing as she has never had a problem with this process when it’s gone her way. What a ridunculous way to handle this situation.

Another great Palin decision? Appointing Wayne Anthony Ross as Attorney General for the state. OMFG, are you kidding me?! This douchebag needs to crawl back under the rock he came from. I can’t believe this guy went to Marquette University. Way to taint their reputation! He opposes Native subsistence laws, has called gays ‘degenerates’, and has said that he’d have the golden ticket into heaven if he ever managed to overturn Roe v. Wade. Yes, I am serious. The abortion stance I expect from a Republican, and honestly, the degenerate comment doesn’t really surprise me although it does make me incredibly sad, but for an Alaskan politician to argue against Native subsistence living is really, really interesting. Major Native federations are in an uproar over this pick and I don’t think the pressure over this move is going to go away anytime soon. Personally, I understand where he is coming from. He's basically arguing that everyone should have the right to subsistence living here. Currently there is Native and rural preference, but still, it's not a smart move to go around saying that in the state with the largest Native population in the United States. He really needs to work on his wording at the bare minimum.

Then of course there’s the Ted Stevens debacle that just won’t go away. Alaska republicans are calling for Mark Begich to resign to make way for a special election that would allow Stevens to run. Again. Have they not realized yet that Stevens is like, 5,000-years old? Give it a rest. (And yes, I am aware of the fact that if Stevens was in office and died, Palin would just appoint a new Senator and there wouldn't be a special election. But for the love of Pete, let the man enjoy a retirement and develop a new candidate for your party!) I actually like Mr. Stevens. I do not agree with most of the things that come out of his mouth, but you’ve got to give him credit for the pork he brought into Alaska and the sheer amount of time he stayed in the game. But come on. The jig is up. Seriously.

And finally, there's the new Fish and Game regulations regarding black bears. I admit, I'm behind on this one, but it's so disgusting I can't just ignore it. New tactics include using snares and helicopters. Alaska is now the only state that allows either. And it's bullshit. These bears are in remote areas that are ecologically sound. There is plently of game to support our bear populations. And there is no way to keep grizzly bears or moose out of snares set for black bears. It's supposedly to help caribou and moose populations, but it's a crock and a horrible way to 'maintain' populations. I just don't understand how anyone claiming to love the outdoors or claiming to be an ethical hunter could ever support these measures. It's wrong, wrong, wrong.

Okay, rant over. I’ll try to go back to vampires and book reviews now.

Tea time!

This weekend, I read Three Cups of Tea, the story of Greg Mortenson’s epic mission to build schools in Pakistan and later Afghanistan. Perhaps it’s because I was raised by two urban public school teachers, or maybe it’s because I live with a teacher and seem to surround myself with educators everywhere I go, but I was floored by this novel. It’s well written, which I’m sure is in large part due to David Oliver Relin, but I think Sarah Palin* could have written this story and it still would have been compelling.

I admit I’m behind the curve on this one. This book has been out since 2006, but it’s better late than never, right? It’s just so inspiring to see children so eager to learn. And it’s so refreshing to see an informed, compassionate perspective on the Muslim world. I couldn’t agree more that the real way to effectively combat terrorism is through education. Why is that such a hard thing for our government to comprehend?

*[Side note: Palin just announced her replacement for former State Senator Kim Elton. Elton left Alaska to be part of Obama’s Dept. of the Interior, and the only name that Democrats submitted to Palin as a replacement was Rep. Beth Kerttula. Kerttula is awesome, but she publicly stated that she didn’t think Palin was qualified to be VP during her presidential bid last fall. Big surprise, Palin decided to reject Kerttula and has instead named Tim Grussendorf to fill the empty senate seat. Plus, she used up almost all of the 30 days she had to name a replacement, leaving Juneau without representation right in the middle of our legislative session. Vindictive much? Now there is the potential for the senate to reject this selection and the process would start all over again. This comes after Palin has created a big stink even with state Republicans by not accepting Obama’s stimulus money. The circus show continues…]

Okay, so that’s my political rant for the month…

Happy January 20th, Everyone!!

Even though I am quite bitter about having to work during Obama's inauguration, I am pretty sure this has been one of the best Tuesdays of my life thus far.

I DON'T HAVE TO MOVE TO CANADA.....YET!

Obviously, I am quite excited about the outcome of the Presidential election, but this ain’t called Capital Cities Whine Monger for nothing!

Last night, while most of the country was busy voting Blue, I was in a state that was electing a convicted felon into the Senate. Seriously? No really, what does a politician have to do in this state to NOT get re-elected? Because I cannot explain it. Not even a little bit. And now, since he will obviously get kicked out of the Senate, I’m guessing that Palin will run in the special election that’s almost inevitable at this point. Sure, there is the slimmest possibility that Stevens could still lose once all the absentee ballots are counted, but it’s really not looking great.

Palin as Governor = annoying. Palin as Senator = scary-ass shit. It’s not quite move-to-Canada scary, but it sets her up for a 2012 bid and that is pretty terrifying. And it ensures that Caribou Barbie is going to do everything in her power to keep shooting down animals from helicopters, fuck up ANWR at her earliest convenience, and move the Capital to Anchorage (or even worse – Wasilla, the taint of Alaska).

So, thank you, my fellow Alaskans. Thank you for providing me with more blog fodder and keeping me up until 1am last night. Thank you for making this the second Reddest state in the nation (Oklahoma, you go ahead and hold on to your title for a few more years!) and reinforcing all those stellar Alaskan stereotypes.

Now if you don’t mind, I am going to try to ignore your unbelievably stupid voting habits and enjoy the sweet, sweet taste of victory. It’s been a long time since I actually had an election to celebrate and I plan on milking it as long as I can. I figure I get at least a few extra days because of the historical significance in this election.

Election Results

Vote! Vote! Vote!

I am starting to hyperventilate. I can’t concentrate at work and I think I have an ulcer. TOMORROW is the big day. Tomorrow, one way or another is going to be historic. And I am about ready to crap my pants in anticipation. I have been phone banking and blogging and putting up signs and wearing buttons for Obama since I was two months old it seems. Tomorrow could be like all of my favorite Christmases and birthdays all rolled into one or it could be as horrific as when I had to put my cat to sleep. I am going to be a nervous wreck tomorrow! Eek!!

On a quick side note, if you haven't watched McCain's appearance on SNL, you really need to. FUNNY stuff. I really like that man. If he hadn't picked a batshit crazy running mate, I don't even know if I would be all that worried about tomorrow.

Anyway, hopefully after this election, I can stop blogging about politics for awhile.

I know you are sick of politics, but I just can't help myself...

One week to go. In just one week, we will have elected a new President. And despite the poll numbers that should be putting my mind at ease, I am terrified of the outcome. I campaigned hard for a local election in 2004 that appeared to be close in the polls. My candidate lost by a landslide, and Bush was re-elected. The double-whammy hurtled me into a weeklong depression.

The stakes seem higher this time around. I have literally broken out in hives at the thought of Palin in the White House. Okay, so I think I just have really dry skin right now, but I am sure that it’s a direct result of living a block away from an abandoned Governor’s mansion that I pass every day on my way to work. That house just sucks all the joy and happiness out of me. Sometimes, I go out of my way just to avoid seeing it. I’ve also let my dog take a dump in the driveway and I purposely didn’t pick it up even though I had a bag in my pocket. Take that, Palin!

Before getting back to Juneau, I actually did some campaigning for Obama in northern Virginia. Even though I was closer to DC, they needed volunteers to go out to Manassas, so I did. I was shocked by how many racial slurs were dropped by otherwise unsuspecting little old white ladies. I am probably going to hell for telling one especially old biddy that I hoped she died before November 4, but that is a price I am willing to pay. I know that there is still a lot of prejudice out there, but I have never been more ashamed of my race than I was that day, standing on a civil war battlefield and seeing a lady that looked like she just came from church drop the n-word.

Then there is the Ted Stevens race. I really like his opponent, Mark Begich, but this state is dumb enough to elect an 84-year old convicted felon. There really is no way to explain Alaskan politics. Once you’re in, even prison can’t stop you!

So basically, I am just giving everyone a fair warning that if the country goes red next week, I am going to be a very unhappy camper and I am apologizing ahead of time.

OK, enough about politics!! Let me just leave you by saying that while I was looking for a picture to put up with this post and I stumbled upon the Freedom is Not Free calendar. How do I become the photographer for that organization?

And then I found this really weird comic that shows us what both Obama and Clinton would look like with Humpty Hump noses. So, now you know and you can scratch that burning question off your list.

Alaska is sorry!

A few hundred people showed up for Juneau's Anti-Palin rally this morning, which is a really good showing for a town this size.

I was really impressed with the  time some people put into making signs.
It was raining and chilly, but that never stops things from going on here. This guy was awesome.
If you aren't terrified of Palin in the White House, you aren't paying enough attention.

Anchorage also had a great Anti-Palin rally and I just hope that everyone knows not all Alaskans support McSame's horrible VP choice! We're sorry!!

Clusterf*ck to the Whitehouse Continues...

Regardless of what the polls have been saying in the past week, I think that the Vice Presidential debates tomorrow night are going to have a huge impact on the election. My worst fear is the Biden won’t know when to shut the hell up and will be portrayed in the media as a pompous, sexist, know-it-all. The man is wicked smart, but long winded and at the same time unbelievably blunt. Plus, the spin surrounding this debate has pretty much assured the Republican Party ‘victory’ so long as Palin doesn’t drop a racial slur or rip off her shirt on stage. Expectations are so low, that if she forms complete sentences it will be considered a KO for Palin.

The other thing the keeps me up at night is the thought that the Republicans are continuing to out-strategize Democrats. If Palin does well, she finally gets some credibility. She’ll have a debate under her belt, some new confidence in herself, and her handlers can start loosening her leash a little bit. If she sucks ass, they could convince her to step down because of ‘family issues’ and fill her spot with Rudy Giuliani or Joe Lieberman. If there is one thing Republicans do well, it’s put the spin on bad decisions. (Anyone remember that there were zero Iraqis on board the planes on 9/11?) And if she gives a great concession speech and hits all her talking points - makes it clear she made this decision with her family, it has nothing to do with the press, McCain is a Maverick, blah, blah, blah – there could be a media firestorm, which spun the right way would be Republican gold. Bastards!

Oh Jon, how is it that you always know how to get me to chuckle, even when it is just oh so wrong?

How ironic that Republicans are calling Democrats hypocrites. I guess I would consider having kids with Jon Stewart too...

Hey Levi!!!

The only man I'd have children with is Stephen Colbert.

Here We Go Again...

Ok, I am pretty liberal. And I am going to get political here, so if you are going to have a problem with that – well, that’s just too damn bad. Quit reading.

Last night, Obama’s Democratic acceptance speech was absolutely phenomenal. Not quite as good as the speech he made four years ago, but damn good. I fully admit that I am a big cry baby, but he made me cry nonetheless. And more importantly, he gave me hope. The last eight years have been brutal, and Obama is the most interesting politician I have seen since Feingold first ran for office. Do I agree with his stance on clean coal and nuclear? Hell no. But in a two party system, I don’t think there is ever going to be a candidate you completely agree with and you can either accept that or vote for some random Green Party candidate that doesn’t have a chance in hell. The point is that after Obama’s speech, I was revved up and excited about politics again.

Then McSame, er, McCain announced his VP running mate, Sarah Palin. You may be asking yourself, who? She’s the Governor of Alaska, silly! She’s been in office since 2006, how could you not know her? I just better not hear anything else from the Republican Party about Obama not having enough experience. Palin is younger and her only political experience comes from a state with less than one million residents. She has zero foreign policy experience. But she was the runner up in the Miss Alaska pageant in 1984, so I mean, that’s gotta count for something.

I am not a fan of Mrs. Palin. We don’t agree on many things politically. But unfortunately, I think it was a fantastic move on McCain’s part. She’s a woman, so she can potentially get some of the stubborn Hillary supporters. (Personally, I think that is total bullshit. Obama’s and Hillary’s voting records are SO similar. Voting for McCain just because you wanted a vagina in the White House is fucking dumb.) She is also young, which is something McCain obviously isn’t. Her oldest son is actually in the Army – and how many politicians can say that - and her youngest, born this past April, has Down’s syndrome. She’s got two built in audiences right there.

Alaskans also seem to really like her even though she is under investigation for illegally firing a police officer. (The officer sounds like a total douche, but he was also Palin’s ex brother-in-law and douche or not, I don’t think there was enough evidence to fire him. I think. I haven’t really been paying attention to that story because I don’t have a tv and to be completely honest, the story is boring.) But that story should be an easy PR cover-up, nothing major. Then there's the pregnancy rumors. (Seriously, this is Palin 6 months pregnant? Life is not fair.) They started almost as soon as Palin annoucned she was pregnant. Some people say Trig is actually her 16-year-old daughters. It's especially fishy since the last few months of Palin's pregnancy, her daughter was out of school because she 'had mono'. I've had mono, and I certainly didn't miss MONTHS of school, but I know it can be a beast and I feel like the facts would have been leaked by now if that story was true. So I highly doubt that will factor in at all over the next two months. And with the right media spin, she is going to be gold this election. And I am going to have to consider moving to Canada. Again.