Racism or Gender Bias?

Yes, there are a few more issues than that surrounding the Democratic race, but I was quite surprised to learn that Iowa Democrats supported a black candidate above a female candidate, and not by just a smidgen.

I find this interesting, especially when the media bombards me with tales of inequality based on race. Is it because Barack isn't really black? His father is Kenyan (not a descendant of slavery) and his mother is white - maybe that makes him more palatable? His platform isn't all that different than Hillary's - they are both touting a universal health care plan and withdrawal from Iraq. Sure, the details are a bit different, but the outcome is the same.

And what does this say about women in positions of political power? There are women who hold what I would consider to be far more powerful positions than President - two of them are U.S. Supreme Court Justices for goodness sakes. I heard rumblings on the news today of this country wanting ... needing ... an alpha-male for president. Really? Or is this just because Hillary is a bad candidate?

My take on this? I am one of the many people who don't like Hillary, I don't like her politics, bust mostly I don't like her, and I know why I don't like her - she hasn't mastered the art of phony. She still comes across as phony unlike Barack whose phony is refined and looks politically sincere.

If you want to be a successful political candidate, you better figure out how to convince the masses that the lies you speak aren't as bad as they will turn out to be. It isn't about race or gender, but about who is the best liar, and Hillary still looks like a liar.

Loose Ends

Thought I'd skate on the blog post a bit today (the ZERO degree temps have frozen my brain) and do a quick wrap up of a few past blog entries.

UNEMPLOYMENT SNAFU'S - Reuben stepped up to the plate and made certain I received the missing week of benefits ... well ... kind of. He actually had the WRONG week released (my waiting week rather than the week I was eligible for benefits) so I'm guessing at some point I'll have to revisit this situation, but for now it is resolved!

JOB SEARCH - I am finally starting to get some call backs on applications I've made. Tomorrow, I have an interview for a part-time paralegal position with the County and Monday I have an interview for an accounting position (my first career) with a company here in town (with a population of 3500, these positions are few and far between). I am becoming cautiously optimistic.

GET BACK TO DIRT - You just never know who might find your blog. Turns out the producer/director (Jeff Bowden) of the "back to my roots" film, Get Back to Dirt, happened upon my blog on New Year's Eve. He was kind enough to send me a free copy of the DVD and ... are you ready?? ... an autographed poster! I will My son will be absolutely beside himself! I'll be sure to post a review of the DVD upon its arrival! I know there are a few of you who will actually read that review!

See?? 2008 is stepping up to the proverbial plate!

Looking Back

I'm a bit slow in posting this, but it's been a difficult post to write. By nature I am an optimist - usually seeing the glass half full. In fact, I've often wanted to be more of a pessimist as I've thought that expecting things to fall apart, and then having them fall apart, would be much easier than expecting a good outcome and then having things fall apart. The problem? Well, there is this side of me that knows we usually get what we expect, and if I expect bad things to happen, guess what? They usually do!

Back to my post ... 2007 was an extremely challenging year for me as an individual, as a mom and as a wife. I didn't want this reflective post to be a downer as each of my challenges has, to some extent, resulted in a positive change in my life. At the same time, it was important to me to be honest - sometimes life sucks and about the best you can hope for is to just get through it.

A few of the highlights ... and the lowlights ...

2007 was the year I went from this

To this

Yes, I am gloating - losing 70 lbs was an amazing goal for me to attain. What, you might ask, could be negative about this? My husband was far more comfortable with my appearance, and my attitude, at the beginning of 2007 than he is with me now. My weight loss has resulted in some challenges in our relationship, both for him and for me.

I've also discovered that after 40, the body does not quite bounce back to it's original form after significant weight loss. Not only do I have to struggle daily to maintain the weight loss, there is much firming and toning work to be done.

2007 was the year that my husband secured a new corporate position where his skills and knowledge are being recognized and rewarded. Unfortunately, this position came about FOUR months after he walked out of his previous high-paying, corporate job without having a job to go to. Four months of unemployment, without being eligible for unemployment benefits, put us in a financial position that we are now only beginning to climb out of.

2007 was the year that I finally secured my dream job - the first position I ever held that was actually in my degree field. It promised to meet every expectation I had and was the realization of a goal I set when I finished my degree in 2006. Yet just four moths into the position, I was told I wasn't a good "fit" and now I am questioning if all of the hours I put in to finishing my degree were in vain and if my degree is a good "fit."

2007 was an odd year for me. The highs were amazingly high, and the lows were extremely dark. I want to look back on the year and celebrate the achievements, yet I don't want to let the lessons go unrecognized.

I know that 2008 is a clean slate. Sure, there is some baggage that must be carried in, but it doesn't have to be stacked up in front of me as an insurmountable obstacle. I start this year with the realization that there is balance in all things - a price to pay for the failures as well as the successes. I look forward to negotiating that price.