It’s tough when you’re not young & invincible. August 19, 2008

And able to live on 4 hours of sleep.  Ugh.

When I was in my teens, I was often getting into trouble with my parents…not because I’d sneak out, or rebel, or even because I was dating some stoner.  Nope, my main transgression was that I would stay up past my bedtime and read into the hours of morning against their wishes. 

I just couldn’t put them down, you know?  My favorites at first were the ridiculous Sweet Valley High books, but I moved on to far better works by Charles Dickens (although I did sometimes enjoy a good Stephen King thriller).  So avid was I to be able to read undisturbed that I’d contrive ways to hide my room light from my parents…whether it was clothes strategically arranged at the base of my bedroom door, or resorting to a flashlight under the covers (not my favorite alternative, especially in the summer), I continually came up with ways to thwart the parental authority and pursue my reading in spite of the late hours.

And you know what?  I survived just fine!  I could read until 2 or 3 in the morning and still get up for my first class at 7:05am.  I may not have been at my best that day, but I was totally able to handle it.

And those days are GONE, dude.  It’s amazing what a couple of decades will do to your need for more then 4 or 5 hours of unbroken sleep.  And how ridiculously dumb one can be when one decides to start off the work week on only 4 hours of sleep when you know you have something happening every night thereafter.  Ridiculous.

I guess I just need to adjust to the fact that I’m not in my teens anymore, and yes, my body actually does require some rest if I’m going to be able to function.  Ahhhh, to be 14 again.  Wait…no thanks.

“Rachel Run-Out-&-Get-Fast-Food” has become “Suzie Homemaker” August 9, 2008

It’s amazing what having a kid can do to your normal character and tendencies. I knew being a mom would mean there would be those nights where I’d have to become a genius (and a rapid one) in the kitchen so little guy or girl would have treats to take to share at class, or something like that. But it goes much farther then that!

I just spent 3 hours in our kitchen baking 2 batches of brownies, decorating them, baking banana bread, and dipping strawberries into chocolate…all in preparation for my son’s 2nd birthday party tomorrow! And do I regret any of it? Not one second! I’m so excited to be able to do that kind of stuff for him, even though he’s a bit too young still to appreciate it (although I expect his eyes will light up tomorrow and he’ll yell “CAKE!” with delight when I present him with his huge personalized chocolate brownie). Amazing what being a mom can do to you – I still recall the days when me following the “bring something to pass around” meant stopping off at a King Soopers or Costco to get a premade dish.

People come before pets. August 3, 2008

That is all.

Here Comes the Rainbow Tour… of Barack Obama. August 1, 2008

For those of you who appreciate musical theater, I recommend that you take some time in the nearby future to revisit the story of Evita as presented by the Andrew Lloyd Weber music and lyrics.

And then make a simple swap of replacing Evita with Barack Obama. Oh sure, you’ll have to open your mind and change the protagonist’s gender from female to male…but the rest isn’t that much of a stretch. Just for kicks, here are some excerpts from the musical Evita’s lyrics. Try not to get to freaked out by the similarities. The song “Rainbow Tour” is what first clued me in when Obama and our blessed left-wing-lovin’ media decided to turn his Europe travels into a campaign and p.r. extravaganza… and yet no one has voted him into the Oval Office yet.

Barack Obama

And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
They are illusions
They're not the solutions they promised to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me...

High flying, adored, what happens now, where do you
        go from here?
For someone on top of the world, the view is not exactly
        clear
A shame you did it all at twenty-six
There are no mysteries now
Nothing can thrill you
No-one fulfill you
High flying, adored, I hope you come to terms with
        boredom
So famous, so easily, so soon, is not the wisest thing
        to be
You won't care if they love you, it's been done before
You'll despair if they hate you
You'll be drained of all energy
All the young who've made it would agree

I came from the people
They need to adore me
So Christian Dior me
From my head to my toes
I need to be dazzling
I want to be Rainbow High!
They must have excitement
And so must I

I'm their product
It's vital you sell me
So Machiavell-me
Make an Argentine Rose!
I need to be thrilling
I want to be Rainbow High!
They need their escape
And so do I



I'm their savior!

Obama our Savior

That's what they call me
So Lauren Bacall me
Anything goes
To make me fantastic
I have to be Rainbow High
In magical colors--

You're not decorating a girl for a
 night on the town!
And I'm not a second-rate queen
getting kicks with
        a crown!
Next stop will be Europe!
The Rainbow's gonna tour
Dressed up, somewhere to go
We'll put on a show!
Look out, mighty Europe!
Because you oughta' know what'cha'
gonna get in me
Just a little touch of
Just a little touch of
Argentina's brand of
Star quality!



Spain has fallen to the charms of Evita
She can do what she likes--it doesn't matter much
She's our Lady of the New World with the golden touch.
She filled a bull-ring--forty-five thousand seater.
But if you're prettier than General Franco
That's not hard.

There you are, I told you so
Makes no difference where she goes
The whole world over--just the same
Just listen to them call her name

Now I don't like to spoil a wonderful story
But the news from Rome isn't quite as good
She hasn't gone down like we thought she would
Italy's unconvinced by Argentine glory
They equate Peron with Mussolini
Can't think why

Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour
It's been an incredible success.....
We weren't quite sure
We had a few doubts
Would Evita win through?
But the answer is....yes...and no...and yes...and no.

Forgive my intrusion but fine as those sentiments sound
Little has changed for us peasants down here on the
        ground
I hate to sound childish, ungrateful, I don't like to moan
But do you now represent anyone's cause but your own?


And the money kept rolling out in all directions
To the poor to the weak to the destitute of all
        complexions
Now cynics claim a little of the cash has gone astray
But that's not the point my friends
When the money keeps rolling out you don't keep books
You can tell you've done well by the happy grateful looks
Accountants only slow things down, figures get in
        the way
Never been a lady loved as much as Eva Peron!

But on the other hand--she's all they have
She's a diamond in their dull gray lives--and that's the
Hardest kind of stone--it usually survives
And when you think about it, can you recall
The last time they loved anyone at all?

Barack Obama

She's not a bauble you can brush aside
She's been out doing what we just talked about--example
Gave us back our businesses, got the English out
And when you think about it--well why not do
One or two of the things we promised to?

But on the other hand she's slowing down
She's lost a little of that magic drive--but I would
Not advise those critics present to derive
Any satisfaction from her fading star
She's the one who's kept us where we are

Tell me before I waltz out of your life
Before turning my back on the past
Forgive my impertinent behavior
But how long do you think this pantomime can last?
Tell me before I ride off in the sunset
There's one thing I never got clear
How can you claim you're our savior
When those who oppose you
Are stepped on, or cut up, or simply disappear?

The choice was mine and mine completely
I could have any prize that I desired
I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire
Or else--or else I could choose time
Remember I was very young then
And a year was forever and a day
So what use could fifty, sixty, seventy be?
I saw the lights and I was on my way

And how I lived! How they shone!
But how soon the lights were gone!

Evita Peron

Barack Obama