Sarah is a Biblical name. Right?

I'm sorry; I just had to sit down and write this blog. It will be mostly if not all about Sarah Palin. First, what's so bad about her? She has my mother's first name, so that's a good start. The media has been very mean. So what if she can see Russia from her house? How many people can say that? All I can see from my house is a parking lot in front and an excuse for a lake in the back. And, what's so bad about being a hockey mom? How many kids do you know who play hockey? So that makes her kind of special, though somewhat chilly. It's not a far step from hockey to hooky, and she is not a hooky mom except, perhaps, when she's not around the rink... And why such a todo about her 17 year old daughter being pregnant? After all the girl does have some hormones and a horny boyfriend; what else does it take? How many people can say that they have a 17 year old daughter who is pregnant? That makes Sarah special. Sarah's daughter is going to have that baby, but many of the others will exercise their right to choose. This will no doubt upset Sarah. Roe vs. Wade gave them that right and Sarah, if elected, will try her very best to dump RvW to please her supporters. She never met Roe, and neither did she meet Wade. However, she does her homework and she now knows why R was versus W. She certainly wants all women to have their babies; the more the merrier, and especially if they become Republicans and taxpayers. And, not to be outdone by her opponent Joe Biden (not plumber Joe), she has studied foreign policy every night on her computer by googling foreign recipes. She has learned how to cook pasta and meat sauce; how to make blintzes and potato latkes and kugel; how to bake German pancakes and French crullers; Polish sausage and Shrimp in Lobster sauce. What better ways to influence foreign policy than to converse with the wives of Prime Ministers and Dictators about her knowledge of edibles? What about that Katie Couric? What say you now Tina Fey? Sarah Palin is a blessing in disguise, and her disguise is just in time for Halloween! Damn! That McBrain is clever. He knows how to entertain the American people. And, oh yes; Sarah does have a health plan for the middle class. It's obvious. She has gone to CVS and purchased several cartons of various sized band aids. So, you can see how hard she's been working to prepare herself for the presidency in the event the GOP nominee gets elected and then dies in office. OK, now, friends...give Sarah a break. After all, she does have a nice body. I did have my tongue in my cheek while writing this. But now, for some reason, it's stuck there. I should know better than to write drivel, but the Lord called upon me.

An Early Vote Adventure

Today, a neighbor was having hurricane shutters installed on his windows, and the noise of the work was ear shattering, so I took my cane and hobbled out to the car, and on my way for breakfast. Rhoda hasn't been feeling well lately; she still is stressed out from the train ride from Hell. However, she did finally get out to a surprise party luncheon for one of her friends. I wolfed down a bacon and egg sandwich on white bread -- not toasted--why toast good fresh white bread. Then a trip to the bank to deposit a CD that matured. I love things that mature. Finally, I took advantage of early voting at the new library on Hagen Ranch Rd. The line was very, very long and it took all of two hours to get indoors where voters were handed a form to fill out with name, address, and signature; then you had to march over to a table where a worker with a laptop (there were 18 of them in the room) took the paper and collected an ID with your picture and signature. After entering some mysterious stuff into the laptop, you were handed back the form you had filled out and took it to another line where you waited for someone to give you a paper ballot. Then you filled out the ballot with the choices you had decided upon. I believe, firmly, that these long lines on the first day of voting were Barack Obama lines. But that's just a guess--not a wild one, however. I can just imagine what the lines will be like on Election Day!

This election is historic, and a totally new experience. To conclude, I got another email from a former student and I'll share it with you.

Dear Dr. Ross,
I am so glad to get your address from Bob Fox-- I am still grateful
for your providing a window to the outside world when I was living in
Glen Head! My father's family had been farmers for 300 years, we had no
books in the house, and you opened so many doors for so many of us. My husband of 20 years Michael Stocker and
I published an Oxford U. Press book, Valuing Emotions, in 1996; we still
write together occasionally, mostly about the shockingly different
premises of psychoanalysis (me) and philosophy (he). I have enjoyed
reading bits of your blog and imagine what it is like to live in
Florida; so far I have not pictured retiring despite various surgeries
and ailments including double hip replacement 3 years ago. I have taught
anthropology/forensic psychology at John Jay College of Criminal
Justice, CUNY, for 42 years now, and have a private practice of
psychology. Cynthia Edelstein just retired as a prof of English
Literature at DePauw U. in Indiana; recently she brought a group of
students to NY on a field trip for her course in Jewish-American
literature.
I hope you can feel the gratitude and warmth coming your way from NYC!
Yours, Betsy Hegeman

Don't expect a blog every day, now.

Youth or Age? Think please.

I know I wrote that I wasn't going to do any more "daily" blogs--but I reserve the right as a blogger to do one now and then... when and as the spirit moves me. This morning I read that Colin Powell, whom I had the honor to meet when Robin was made a Lt. Colonel, has endorsed Barack Obama as President of the United States. He says, "I think we need a transformational figure. I think we need a president who is a generational change, and that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for John McCain." John McCain at the age of 73 is not a "transformational figure" nor does he represent a "generational" change. In fact, he hardly represents any change at all. Powell's statement reminded me of a passage in the essay, "Of Youth and Age" written by Sir Francis Bacon in the 16th Century. Bacon writes, "Young men are fitter to invent than to judge, fitter for execution than for counsel, and fitter for new projects than for settled business; for the experience of age in things that fall within the compass of it, directeth them; but in new things abuseth them....Young men, in the conduct and management of actions, embrace more than they can hold, stir more than they can quiet; fly to theend without consideration of the means and degrees; pursue absurdly some few principles which they have chanced upon; care not how they innovate. Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success." I'm not saying that McCain would not make a good President, only that Obama, in this time in our history, would make a better one. Obama is leading now in most all the polls, nationally and statewide, so that if he loses this election, the reason will have to do with the "Bradley" effect...voters will say one thing to pollsters and when they get into the booth will do the opposite. Obama leads now by a few points, but if he were white, it is my belief that he would have a double digit lead. This election ought not to be about race or even issues. Though both men may disagree on many paths to fix our problems, two roads often lead to the same place. This Presidential race should focus primarily, as Gen. Powell avers, on a "generational" change. It is the young man who ought to be elected. The youthful Obama is the one who will have the motives, the drive, the spirit, and the energy to do the enervating jobs that have to be done in this nation. If you don't believe me...or Bacon...or Powell, then just try to be 73.