Aftermath

The ruins of Hurricane Katrina are all over the news and papers. I must admit that I keep the tv tuned to MSNBC to watch all the developments. I cannot comprehend what the La and Miss residents are going through. Apparently the refugees that were in the Superdome are now being bused to Houston, where they can stay for MONTHS if needed. Can you imagine living in a sports dome for months???

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (www.umcor.org) is a reliable site in which to make donations of supplies or money. Please give.

Up, up, and away!!

Gasoline prices jumped today because of the hurricane (Katrina). I swear I saw gas for $2.50 on Sunday and then today it was $2.75. Isn't that gouging or something??

Community

We had three people join the church today--is always a blessing when people want to formally align and walk in faith. In the United Methodist Church, we have a short ritual/set of questions that are asked when a person comes to join. After one has answered the questions of intent and faith we, as a congregation, respond with the following:
We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love. As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of the United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Amen.
I've said this statement many, many times over the years and it flows easily from my lips. I love this renewal of the vows I made to the Church many years ago and how United Methodists everywhere have a common bond through this witness of faith and action. This is community.

Three to tangle

YES, i know the expression is "it takes three to tango" but "tangle" seemed so much more appropriate for this entry.
tonight my friend Dwayne came in from Arkansas for the weekend. he thinks Oklahoma City is more exciting than Fayetteville...he's probably right. he's become pretty good friends with two friends of mine, whom i'll call James and Danny. so, Dwayne and I had dinner at James' and Danny's and then they had a little cocktail party with several ppl. Afterward, we all went out to The Copa to dance and whatever. It was a busy night at the club and we actually had to stand in line to get in. I should have some sort of Diva VIP pass. I mean, me--Rachel--standing in line with all the common people?? Please. Oh wait, I'm off topic.........so we danced for a couple of hours at the club and stayed until closing. Dwayne was going back home with James and Danny and I'm not sure i want to know any more than that.....like I said, it takes three to tangle.
Boys.

remembering mom

today is the 4 yr anniversary of when my mom died. needless to say, i miss her. i am very glad that i just spent the last week with my brothers because it helps connect us all.
my plan is to keep myself busy at work today and then have some down time tonight, relaxing, praying, and remembering. forgive me if i seem emotional or sappy today. it comes with the territory. my mom was a wonderful woman and we all miss her. i cry not because i'm so down or disrought, but there's just so much to miss. yes, i remember lots of good things and they make me smile or laugh. mom loved music and singing. we used to sing rounds in the car. she would wake me up in the morning by singing (loudly....and high pitched). makes me smile just to think about it.

what i keep repeating to myself is that THESE are the memories that sustain me. they make her feel closer. i remember because i love her and miss her.

time for me to make my annual donation to the American Cancer Society. this also helps me (constructively) memorialize her. the painful memories linger in my mind but they aren't what controls me. i admit that sometimes they get the better of me but mom was so much more than her cancer.

thank goodness for my faith, which mom and dad instilled in all of us, to give me strength and peace.

in memory of my mom.

She sells sea shells

So, for our vacation this year we went out to the lovely village of Montauk, on the Eastern tip of Long Island. It was the whole family, minus Doug and his crew. This was one of my favorite spots for vacation I think, because we still had access to stores and technology yet were secluded enough to not be consumed by any of it. Well, I do have to recount our first day in Montauk....see, my steppappy loves coffee. He drinks it day and night. So, while we were driving out to Montauk he pointed out every single Starbucks that we passed. So, our first morning he wants Starbucks. Ok, we're on vacation, I can dig that. So, we set out for the nearest one but don't really remember where that is. Yeah, turns out its like a 20 minute drive away, two towns over. Crazy. All this for coffee?? It was amusing. He's so easy to please. Give him a cup of coffee and a NY Times and he's happy. For the most part we spent the week sleeping late, eating seafood, catching up with the kids, and enduring the cold ocean water. That's my kind of vacation. I actually didn't find any seashells but I did bring home a few rocks. (what happened to seashells at the beach?? is global warming destroying all the shells?) As stupid as it sounds, I kept hoping to see a shark in the shallow water near the beach. Yup, I've been watching too many movies.

Family vacation 2005

Just got home from the annual family vacation. we went out on Long Island this year, to the lovely village of Montauk. it was a good time. we spent a lot of time on the beach and playing in the ocean and i got a lovely, painful sunburn. ah, memories. i am so proud of my nieces and nephews....6 of the 8 were on this trip. they range in age from 5 to 17 and it's so amazing to see watch them grow into their own sense of self. they are good kids. funny. witty. polite. bitchy. loving. smart. i expected them to be all those things but it's still amazing to watch the process (of growing up) unfold. i'll post more about the vacation later...i'm too tired now to do it.

Chills

Today the 9/11 Commission started releasing various text and audio transcripts from their post 9/11 inquiries. the NY Times online has posted most or all of it for the public to browse through. i listened to quite a bit of audio today and you can't imagine the chills it gave me. it's powerful stuff....go to www.nytimes.com to view/listen. you have to register with the online site but there's no charge and you won't get spammed.

role models

I just returned from our Young Democrats of America convention in San Francisco, CA. It was a CRAZY busy week but I had a lot of fun. The best part was seeing friends from all over and being able to spend time with liberal, like minded political hacks. My term as the Vice President of Programs is over and I am relieved to not be an officer again. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed what I did but there's too much bull that goes into running for YDA office. This was the first time in like 10 years that there were contested elections and they were NASTY. There were two teams competing for the 9 offices and dirty, shady, underhanded politics occured all week. People's jobs were threatened back home if they didn't vote one certain way....reputations were trashed, rumors started, voters intimidated, voices suppressed....Hard to believe this is an organization of Democrats! When it was all said and done only a few people that I liked were elected, Lauren Goode and Rob Dolin. They will be the voices of reason and sanity to a control freak of a president. My state president, Kathy North, lost her race for the vice president of development but i am very, very proud of her. she didn't compromise herself, cut deals, or sell out our state. she was one of very few people who can say that. she had a hard race to win and she did the best she could and i couldn't be more proud of her. it's going to take me some time to recover from this convention. i love young democrats but i have never seen a race within an organization get so nasty.

Remembering

I'm in San Francisco right now, attending the national convention of the Young Democrats of America. It's a great time & I am loving seeing friends and political buddies.

I was so busy today with our Platform meeting (I'm co-chairing the platform development process). Then, something tonight clicked in my brain and I remembered that today would have been my father's birthday. Dad would have been 71. It all kind of runs together these days. So, once I remembered Dad I stopped and said a little prayer for him, for me, and for my family.

I don't dwell on these sort of anniversaries, at least I don't anymore. They used to really bother me but as time as gone by I have evolved in my reactions. I miss him for other reasons, not because it's his birthday. I guess I should remember to stop and pray a little more, I don't need a reason like an anniversary/birthday/etc to do that.

In memory of my dad...............

love,
rachel

Caution: Donkey Crossing

Tomorrow afternoon I leave for San Francisco for our Young Democrats of America convention (www.yda.org). I am really looking forward to seeing a bunch of folks, hanging with friends for several days, and seeing all the crazy cat-fights that I predict will happen. For the past two years I have served as the Vice President of Programs for the Young Dems and while it's been a good time I am ready to give up my crown. I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to accomplish but I don't think my time has been wasted in the organization. There are two people vying to replace me and I like both of them. No matter who is elected they will do a good job representing the organization.
I think it's great we are going to San Francisco--I mean, what better place for a bunch of Democrats to hang?? I hope to have a little free time to roam the city and see some of the sights I didn't get to see the last time I was there. I'll have e-mail while I'm there but if there's not much posting or emailing from me don't be surprised......Go Democrats!

regrets vs. responsibilities

I'm having a dilemma. does this purse match these shoes? just kiddin on that one. ok....so, the 2006 election cycle is gearing up and i really want to work on a campaign. not just volunteer, but work a campaign. i could be a manager or at least an assistant if i found the right race. yet, that would mean having to leave my very secure (yet very boring unfulfilling) job and taking something that would only last through November '06 and be over. plus, i would probably have to relocate for the campaign and would have to rent out my house or something. i'm very very torn because i'm afraid that if i never take a chance at running a campaign i'll regret it. yet, i can't just drop everything i have here and go running off for a year. just when did i become an adult and what happened to my carefree years???? ugh....what to do..............

My own little village

I was watching "The Village" tonight on cable. I've seen the movie a few times and in fact own it on DVD. I liked it the first several times I saw it but now I'm beginning to think that it truly is a stupid movie. I mean, at face value it's good but if you get to thinking about all the little details it just doesn't add up. Like, how can they live secluded all those years and never be seen by anyone? Where do they get all their livestock and produce? Cloth for dresses? Books for teaching? Come on people, get realistic. And WHY would the dad send his blind daughter into the woods by herself???? Why didn't he escort her at least part of the way. It just doesn't make sense to me. It's probably not supposed to make sense.......So, I got to thinking what it would be like if I formed my own little village. That sort of seclusion and isolation might be nice for a while but I'd have to have internet or something. I would make some rule that all men must bow and hail me as Princess. Children would all live together in a communal home, where they would learn conflict management, sharing, and the support of surrogate siblings. Young women will learn auto mechanics and young men will take cake decorating classes. There will be a huge wonderful vegetable garden and we will create a new species of tomatoes that have no seeds and slimy junk in them, only the red flesh. Oh, and there will be a secret patch of marijuana but only I will know it's location. Remember, this is an IMAGINARY village. Sigh. You know, I probably shouldn't create blog posts at 1:30 in the morning.

Girl Talk

I'm amused at how women can talk so freely with one another, even if they don't know the person they're talking to. This afternoon I wandered down to the hospital gift shop to buy a soda and was chatting with the clerk. I've seen her around the hospital but I don't know her or anything. We were talking about the weather because it's been freakin hot in Oklahoma lately (I think it was like 105 today) and I HATE this weather. I'm telling you--the minute I walk outside my head starts pouring sweat---it's completely nasty. But anysnooch---the gift shop clerk and I are moaning about the heat and she comments on how she hates wearing tight clothes. She motioned to the flowing dress she was wearing and said that it was loose and comfortable so she doesn't feel like she's got something clinging to her. I laughed and said that I totally understood--nothing worse than a blouse stuck to your back. Then, she said "As soon as I get home I strip down and put on my pajamas." Uh, ok. Now, was it really necessary for me to know this?? I'm all for being comfortable and wearing clothes that make you happy, but did she need to tell a complete stranger that she strips down and puts on pj's? My guess is men don't talk about this stuff. Yet, men also don't have the curse of wearing a bra and let me tell you--if they had to wear one there would be a lot more gritching going on! You want to talk comfort, then let's talk about how the best part of the day is being able to come home and free the twins. Yeah, it also helps to say "free the twins" as you remove the cursed clothing article.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. I live in a strange and wonderful world.
Peace!

To kill or not to kill

Before anyone runs out and calls the police, you should know that my blog title is about a spider.
I've been typing away on the computer for about 15 minutes and I just noticed there's a spider on the wall to my left. Now, if you know me at all, you know that I detest spiders with all of my heart and soul. To say that I have arachnaphobia is an understatement. It doesn't matter what the size of the spider is--I'm sooooo not comfortable around them. So, the spider is not moving at the moment but I can't decide if I should kill it or just let it be. Yet, what if it moves and gets closer to where I am? Or what if it's poisionous and bites me and I die? What if it breeds millions of baby spiders and they take over my house and spin giant webs and use me for a cocoon? I'm starting to freak myself out.

I'll ask the spider for forgiveness before I smash it. Sorry dude, you have to go...........

Mis-fortune

I wonder if it really means something if you get a fortune cookie that has spelling errors. Friday night my fortune said, "your life will be wonderf***" and that's it. Wonderful? Wonderfilled? Wonderfucked? The worst fortune I've ever received said "You lover Chinese food." Well duh. But wonderf***??? At least it didn't say "you will get hit by a car today." There....that's optimism!!

Reconnecting

The past two nights I have gone out to Lake Hefner and watched the sunset. It's so beautiful out there, peaceful and quiet. I sat on the ledge of the concrete barrier and watched people fish, felt the breeze off the water, and pondered existence. Sometimes I have to make myself have quiet time, away from phones and computers and people. I admit that I have a fear of quietness because I don't always want to hear what my mind has to say. But, I also recognize that when I slow down I hear God better and I so crave some spiritual uplifting in my life right now. I'm not getting it through church and it will probably be that way for a while so I have to seek it elsewhere. Not that my relationship with God is rocky right now b/c it's not but I haven't put much effort into prayer lately and I can feel that void in myself. So, I'm making a conscious effort to reconnect with myself and hear more of what my instincts tell me.

Praying for Shelly right now--melanoma related brain tumors and a rocky future ahead. Hang in there girl.

Movie review: War of the Worlds

WARNING-movie spoiler below.
Went to see War of the Worlds with Danny, Pat, John & Diana this afternoon. I have not seen the original "War" but overall I thought it was a good movie. The beginning was a little lame because I'm sorry--if some alien being/machine was coming out of the ground people would NOT be standing around in a tight circle gawking. I don't care if it's NYC and they are used to weird people and things, folks would be running for their lives. But, once you got past the initial overly dramatic pieces you kind of sank into the story. Of course I'm a big fraidy cat so every time the music would get menacing I would cringe and wait for a monster to pop out. Special effects are great and I'm constantly amazed at the ability of computers and graphics. Tom Cruise attempts to play the tough guy dad but both his character and his true personality fail to totally live up. Dakota Fanning is getting better and better as she gets older. Don't know who played the son but it doesn't really matter as it appears he gets killed off. Anyhoo---I recommend seeing the movie if only for the pure entertainment.

The movie did make me think a little (go figure...ME thinking on a Saturday). All these people are running in fear of the aliens and struggling so hard to stay alive, even as everything and everyone around them are being destroyed. Call it a cop out, but I think if that were happening around me I would just say my goodbyes and let myself go. I mean come on, who wants to live in a planet filled with alien machines, no electricity, no food or water, and all your family & friends dead? At that point it's time to just "go home to see my Maker." Wow, the Southern Fundamentalist in me just came out. Scary. What's even funnier is I'm neither Southern nor Fundamental.

Ok, that' s my review. Go see the movie. But, if big ass alien machines come out of a pothole tonight don't expect to see me trotting down the street. Me and the cat will be dozing in my bed.

My first laptop

Well, I bought my first laptop computer today. I've been shopping around for a long time and finally bite the bullet. I got a Toshiba S325 and it's pretty. :-) Ok, it's not pretty, but it looks like it will be a good one. Damn well better be. I will pick it up in about an hour from the store (having software and junk installed) and then will have the rest of this 4th of July weekend to play with it! Fun! Big purchases scare me but I think this was a good one.

Happy 4th of July! Don't drink & drive.

This car brakes for pythons

Before I begin this post I must confess that it's hard to come up with a blog title that contains the word "python" without it sounding sexual. I think I've been hanging around boys too long.

In this day of modern technology I have discovered the joy of adding distinctive ring tones to my cell phone. The standard "ring ring" is so boring.......For the past couple of months I've had GreenDay's "Good Riddance" as my tone and at Christmas it was Eric Cartman (of South Park) singing "O Holy Night." While scrolling through my ring possibilities I discovered a whole section on Monty Python! Joy! Yay! I downloaded "The Lumberjack Song" as my ring and every time it goes off I giggle. In fact, I laughed so much the other day I couldn't even speak when I tried to answer. Who would have thought that a cell phone could bring so much joy? Since I loved that song so much I decided to download another. Now, when I have messages, the cue tone is an excerpt from "The Holy Grail," a piece on the Knights who say "Ni." I love it, just love it. Monty Python rocks.