I'm dreaming of a Vegas Christmas. . .

Uh, huh. I know that's right, Suga!  Peter has graciously offered to bring me home for the Holidays to give me a break from my studies (sort of) and treat me to his good company and that of beloved friends and family. Woop woop! I'll be in Vegas from December 22nd until January 4th, so . . . be sure to clear some time on your busy holiday calendars for a little scoop of Shawn    . . . Miss Jolley if you're nasty!

Finally

Today, for the first time since Election Day, I was able to think about Barack's victory without my eyes welling up with tears. I am such a freak!

A crazy day!

Yesterday I had the most hellish day since the semester started.  I had two exams and an oral presentation due. I was fueled by adrenaline all day long. My oral presentation consisted of a skit. The scene: Sigmund Freud and Rollo May meeting for coffee to discuss a client in common. I played Rollo May, the first American Existential Psychoanalyst and my partner, Candice played the part of Sigmund Freud. We psychoanalyzed our client and made fun of each other's theories. Sigmund blew a bubble pipe while I tried to explain my over the top explanation about human despair. It was fun.  I saw my professor sitting in a student desk at the back of the classroom laughing at all the jokes and having a good time.  Whew!  Glad it is over though. 

Tonight I study math again. . .solving systems of equations. It never ends. :-)

Isolation

Wow, I feel really alone lately.  For as polite as people are here in Kerrville, I haven't found a lot of acceptance.  I am starting to think that the stereotype of a "Vegas Girl" has followed me here. Funny, in Vegas I was too "down to earth". I am still trying to figure this out in my mind. Perhaps it really doesn't matter anyway. It's not as though I would change to increase my social life. Really, it's just this moment. It will pass. I'm sure I'll feel differently tomorrow. 

YES, WE DID!

At 1:03 a.m I received an email from Barack Obama that thanked me for my work.  He said this: "We just made history. All of this happened because you gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign. All of this happened because of you".  Well, he is quite welcome. I sent him an email as well, that a Llasa Apso is the best dog for a family with small children. . . just a suggestion. . . during his speech thanking the American people for their support and hard work, the millions of volunteers, and letting them know he will live up to all that he promised to the best of his ability.  .  . "And to those whom support I have not earned, I have not earned your vote tonight, but I hear your voice and need your help. . . Our climb will be steep but we will get there. . .  I will listen to you especially when we disagree. . . This victory is not the change we seek, it is only the chance we need to make the change. . . Let's resist the urge to fall back on partisanship. Let's heal our divide. We are not enemies, but friends. This is our chance.  This is our time. Out of many, we are one. Yes we can". -- Barack Obama, November 4th, 2008, the 44th President Elect of the United States of America. 

A miracle?

Okay, many of you know that I suck at math.  I really have to work hard to get an "acceptable" grade on my tests.  Well, this last test I received the highest grade on the test. Yep, no kidding. Yea, me!

My last effort to convince anyone who has a conservative open mind. . .

In my view, Barack Obama is actually a moderate and conservative and Bush/McCain are the radicals.  Please let me explain.  The Bush Doctrine, which is a foreign affairs policy of  "bomb now, ask questions later" is a radical attitude. Surely Ronald Regan would have disagreed with this preemptive strike way of dealing with other countries. Barack Obama, in 2002 said this: "I know that a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, of undetermined cost and undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without international support will fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than the best impulses of the Arab world and strengthen the recruitment arm of al Qaeda. I'm not opposed to all wars, I am opposed to dumb wars." In 2002, some "conservatives" (including McCain) shared Bush's blindness to history, abstract theory of forcing democracy in a world where religious and cultural hate has been the the norm for centuries. This decision has cost thousands of lives both our peoples and Iraq innocents, and $700 billion dollars.  The current situation is that we are not safer from al Qaeda.  They are alive and well and recruiting just like Obama warned in 2002. So, I submit that Obama is what our country needs, not McCain.  We need common sense, we need to come together and work out our collective economic and foreign relations problems. I've been abroad twice since we waged war on terror.  I've heard people say that the US is just a bully. . .a bunch of teenagers who think they know everything and unwilling to make sacrifices for the good of the whole. Some may say that it doesn't matter what others think of us, but trust me, it does matter. We need allies. We are falling behind in technology, trade, infrastructure, health care, and our military is stretched very thin and you can't blame the democratic party for that. We have an opportunity now to fix our domestic and foreign broken policies. If you think Obama is too liberal, do some research before you vote.  If you think he is a socialist, do some research, objective research.  If you don't like him because he is black, well vote for the white part!  We need him right now!  We need his formal operational thinking, his ability to see an issue from all sides and the long term consequences.  We need his ability to unify for the better of all people.  We need his compassion.  We need his discipline and values.  He was asked recently: "Are you sorry now that you may win the election, the country is not in good shape?"  He said: "If a person is running to do some good and make a difference, now is the time to be President." I believe he means it.

Whoa! Don't step on that!

A pretty caterpillar that Sloan found just outside our back door.

Peter's Visit Last week.

This is Peter and I at dinner in Fredericksburg, TX.  We shared a steak and  a really amazing eggplant perogie.  During our weekend, we went to three wineries, tasted a lot of wines, and found a few that we liked at Grape Creek and Tierra de Pietra. On Saturday night, we drove to Kerrville and I took him to my beloved campus.  I showed him where I study, where my classes are located, etc. etc. He made fun of me big time but later remarked that he was happy that he now knows a great deal about my environs here in Kerrville. We had dinner with my brother and his girlfriend at Rails.  The weekend was very nice, I think. It took us one day to experience all that Kerrville has to offer. I don't know how I am going to lure him back. Hopefully my smiling face with be enough!