I think I'm coming to a bit of a revelation. I'm not ready to commit 100%, because this isn't something I take lightly. But I don't think I'm a democrat anymore.
There. I said it.
When I think about all of the issues I feel strongly about, they somehow relate back to the environment. All of them; it's like everything I believe in is a green issue. Because at its base, green just helps the entire world.
Let me tell you a little bit about how I made this connection.
I was a perfect democrat. I defended the party and its members when they did the indefensible. I talked about how it was OK to consider forcing the president (I use that term loosely) to govern by veto a policy strategy. I defended those that voted to enter into this unjust war-- and voted for her in the primary.
But green is where my heart is. And I realized that I wasn't the perfect democrat any more. Maybe if Al Gore had been able to claim his presidency I would be, but not any more.
We compost. We love our yard and are proud that it's pesticide free. We have a sign on our fridge (EnergyStar, of course) that lists all of the things we are doing to save the planet. We bought a Prius when our last car finally died, even though we couldn't afford it. (And, yes--- it does make me feel superior to drive it, thank you very much.) We buy carbon offsets. We created a wild-life sanctuary in our urban back yard and made the donation to NWF to have it certified. And we bought the certificate and hung it in our dining room. We planted bamboo and vowed to control it so we could reap it's environmental benefits but not allow it to become invasive. Everyone knows about the Neuton. We reduce, reuse, recycle and Freecycle. I quit smoking. We shop at the farmers market and support local businesses. I carpool with two other people so we share our 24 mile commute. And I've been doing it for two years. Since we moved into our house, we've reduced our lawn area by about 50%. We live in a city in an old house that we're trying to restore. We use the canvas grocery bags. And the list goes on and on.
See what I mean? We're not perfect democrats. We're perfect members of the green party of 2008.
I believe that zero population growth and family planning are sound environmental strategies. I believe that our dependence on non-renewable sources of energy is the root cause of an unjust war. I am just paranoid enough to believe that this war was designed to further a crazy religious zealots' chance to start the rapture. Either that or just make himself and his cronies richer. I believe that our unwillingness to help other nations is rooted in a deep fear and hatred of "brown people." And I think that we are royally fucking up our planet. As impossible as that seems. We are fucking up this amazing planet that has been nothing but supportive of our evolution.
I have to offer my thanks. Although I had been feeling like this for a long time, a current political candidate had a big impact on me this week. Gordon Clark of Clark for Congress. Gordon is running for Congress in Maryland's 8th District and is a neighbor of a great friend of ours. In fact, he joined a group of PA folks at the March for Women's Lives a few years ago. Last Thursday we participated in a house party (via video conference!) to learn more about Gordon and the issues. And as I listened to him speak, I realized that it's all connected and that I'm probably not a democrat any more. Many thanks, Gordon.
Even though I might vote for some democrats in elections, I am not going to affiliate myself with the party any more. For practical purposes in PA, you need to be registered in a party to vote in the primaries. (Not that I agree with that) So I know I'll be voting for democrats. But green candidates will get my time and money, even if some one else gets my out-of necessity vote.
I feel a little sad about it. Kind of like you feel when you know it's time to get rid of a much loved pair of shoes, or need to break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend who you know isn't really good for you anymore.
But I think green is a great color on me. And it feels pretty soft, too.
I can't say that I've made cutting the grass fun, but I do feel much better about doing it. Let me explain. I no longer have a lawn mower, I have a Neuton. A Neuton is an electric, battery-operated, rechargeable lawn mower. It's just simply the coolest thing to happen to lawn care since, well, maybe ever. Imagine cutting your grass at any time of day because the Neuton is so quiet you won't disturb your neighbors. Imagine a lawn mower that doesn't require tune ups, spark plugs, oil changes, filters, throttle cables, and, most importantly, oil or gas.
Did you know that Americans spill approximately 17 million gallons of gas each year just while filling their lawn mowers? All that gas is absorbed into the ground and eventually ends up in the water supply. Gas lawn mowers also spew CO2 into the air, which as we all know by now (that is all of us but that idiot in the White House) leads to global warming. Though I suppose I should thank him, since I used part of my economic stimulus check to buy my Neuton
I already drive a Prius, so I'm used to having that haughty feeling while driving, knowing that I'm not damaging the environment as much as others in their oversized SUVs. Now I have that same feeling while cutting the grass. So, no, it's not any more fun, but now the grass is a little greener on my side of the fence.
Info: I got the 5.2 Neuton, which is perfect for small yards. www.neutonpower.com
I know we've been bitching a lot, and a good friend who read our blog reminded us that this may not be the actual worst bathroom in the world. I have to agree--- mainly because I found two things that I actually like about the bathroom.
First, it's easy to heat. Even on the coldest winter morning before the radiator has gotten warm, all I have to do is run the shower for a few minutes and it warms the entire room and makes it like a steam bath. That totally rocks. There is nothing better than a hot, steamy bathroom on a cold winter morning. I can empty the hot water heater on mornings like this.
Second.. wait... what else do I like? I forgot for a minute. Oh, yeah-- the ENORMOUS claw foot tub. It's a little bit of a love-hate relationship, since the tub is so ENORMOUS that it makes the bathroom unmanageable. But I've got to tell you-- there is no better way to take a bath. If you've never taken a bath in an ENORMOUS, traditional claw foot tub, you really have to try it. Complete with bath pillow, bubbles, candles-- the works. You really can't get more relaxed than emerging yourself in an ENORMOUS claw foot tub to the point that you are up to your chin.
Tomorrow we'll get back to the bitching. Promise.
I couldn't of said it better myself:
Finally someone else calls it like I see it: American Idol isn't about music; it's about $$.
Because the music is terrible, but the money keeps pouring in.
It makes me miss Sanjiya.
Our sink is simply, completely, a total nightmare. Everything about the sink, it's size, location, efficiency, the look of it, and the daily peril you put yourself in just to use it, is absolutely ridiculous. It's tucked in this bathroom that we hate so much, in the corner next to the toilet and the ENORMOUS claw foot tub. Of course, the place is the same size as an airplane lavatory, so everything is next to everything else.
It's bolted to the wall. No cabinet beneath, so hence, no room to store anything. This is a major downfall. Imagine having a bathroom sink like this: where do you put your tampons, extra towels, toilet plunger, extra TP, etc., etc. Where do you put all that stuff if you don't have a bathroom cabinet? It's scattered about the upstairs of our house.
It's so old that the enamel finish on it is wearing out. It feels grimy all the time even when it's just been cleaned. Because it's cast iron, it now rusts, so it has a constant rust spot running the entire bowl. It's small, so there is no place to really keep anything like soap or your toothbrush, so we have to suction cup a toothbrush holder to the side of the sink.
Worst of all, the faucets are separate hot and cold. Can you believe that? When was the last time you saw something like that? 1929? Probably, because the house was built in 1928 and the bathroom certainly shows no other signs of a remodel.
You can never get just the right temperature, it's too hot, too cold, not mixed right, can't get it to turn off, oh crap the drain stopper just moved and now all the water's run out. Yep that's right, there's no draincatcher to keep you from losing your earring, contact lens, or your mind!
As I said in my opening, you run the risk of peril using the damn thing. Let me explain. Directly overhead, there is a stainless steel shelf with a large piece of tempered glass.
I've hit my head more times that Elliot Spitzer phoned his hos.
To your left as you face the sink, you've got the medicine chest and mirror, and directly below, you've got a 4 foot high boiling hot molten steam radiator. Standing naked at this sink takes balls.
Accidentally leaning against this radiator at 7:37 a.m. on a January day can take your balls off. By burning them off. We both have the scars on our legs and hips to prove this peril is real.
That's not all. Immediately on your right, the supply lines running up to the ENORMOUS claw foot tub are also exposed.
The hot line can and does also burn if the water is hot. Nothing looks sexier at the beach than double contact burns on your calves.
So basically, the sink fucks us to the left and to the right with the radiator and the pipes, from above with the shelf and on the bottom with no storage. Pretty much in all directions.
There is one inhabitant in the house who doesn't seem to mind the sink at all. Monday. She enjoys jumping to the sink from the toilet to get her twice daily drinks of water. She likes to make this jump and then wait for one of us to come in and turn on the tap. Lucky for her the cold water tap drips (big surprise, huh?) so she can always get some fresh water.
At least someone likes the sink. Meow.
Our bathroom sucks.
I know a lot of people say that, but we really have one of the worst bathrooms in the history of inside plumbing. When we moved in, there was only a claw foot tub. When we installed the shower ring suspended from the ceiling, we upgraded. That's how bad our bathroom is.
Next in our blog series will be a few entries about our bathroom. Because it's so bad that it deserves it's own series. Maybe some reality show will read this and take pity on us. But I doubt it, because our bathroom is so small they could never put any camera equipment inside to film it. Seriously -- I actually researched how large of a room they need to film one of those Trading Spaces like shows and on the applications it has minimum room requirements. Our bathroom could be twice its size and it would still be a small bathroom.
To make matters worse, at our old house we had a palace of a bathroom. It was actually two rooms, and was about 3X as big as our bathroom now. It had wall-to-wall carpeting, great light fixtures -- including a dimmer switch, a heat fan, a dressing table and chair. Two big windows and a floor-to-ceiling cabinet that was like an armoire. I know this sounds like bullshit, but people always talked about our bathroom and how great it was. Our cat pretty much lived in our bathroom under the vanity with it's silk, pink striped skirt. Our water pressure was legendary. Our shower once knocked down an 8 year old visitor with its force. It was like a power washer. And we don't even have a picture of it. Because at the time there was no need to take a picture of our great bathroom.
Now, our bathroom door has a yellow plastic window and when you open the door, you actually can't open it all the way or you crash into the ENORMOUS claw-foot tub.
Because in such a small bathroom, you want a tub as big as casket, and weighing about 500 pounds. The gaudy, plastic window rattles and shakes and the door smacks into the tub. Oddly, someone drilled holes in the gaudy plastic window. Just a couple. So we know whoever lived here before was a creepy peeping Tom who used our bathroom. Here are two videos of the door crashing into the tub. One is shot standing on the toilet. The other is from inside the ENORMOUS claw foot tub.
We should have entered one of those stupid contests to have our bathroom re-done.
Stay tuned. This is only the beginning. We've got at least 5-6 more entries to fully describe the overall suckiness of our bathroom. We've only scratched the surface (of the tub). Our bathroom is so sucky that we feel the need to describe it in detail. Because since we can't afford to get it remodeled, we've also come to love it in some strange way. It's like it's a challenge for us to overcome on a daily basis.
We have injuries as the result of some of the ways our bathroom sucks. Head injuries and serious burns. We have incurred damages to our bodies and our spirits. Yet we persevere in the face of this bathroom adversity.
And we will triumph.
It's strange when you can see the end of an era approaching. But, next Monday we will stop watching the Today Show. And it's all Kathie Lee's fault.
I can't believe that they are bringing back that total and complete has-been. Isn't she more suited for the view? Or for making fun of on Saturday Night Live? I hated her on Regis and I was glad when she fell from grace-- and it was a long way to fall. I know that there were sweat shops involved, but weren't there naked pictures too? Or am I getting her confused with that other wackjob Dr. Laura. It doesn't matter-- they are both one-note, dried up old ladies hoping that the newest plastic surgery technique will get them a new TV gig. And it apparently worked fro Kathie Lee.
Oh well... change is good.
Good Morning, America!!
Now here's something to celebrate...
It started life as the emblem of the British anti-nuclear movement but it has become an international sign for peace, and arguably the most widely used protest symbol in the world. It has also been adapted, attacked and commercialized.
Happy 50th Birthday to the Peace Sign! I know it's been a hard 5 years for the peace sign, but hopefully a change is on the horizon.
I should bake a cake to celebrate.
How are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day?
Celebrating? Why on earth would I celebrate yet another Hallmark holiday. Especially one that's sponsored in part by the Catholic church. Celebrating a saint? Whatever.
Remember this equation. Green Beer=Green Diarrhea
Really. All types of cake. It's absolutely my favorite dessert. I can't leave a wedding until I've tried the cake. I lust after the cakes in the grocery store cooler. I buy myself cakes for my birthday. And when it's not my birthday.
I make cakes. I make cakes from scratch and from cake mixes. I make frosting. I lick the beaters. I make up cake recipes. I make cupcakes. I search the internet for new and interesting cakes to try. If I find myself at a charity auction that includes one of those silent auction cake tables, I bid outrageous sums of money to purchase a cake. And then i keep it for myself. I spin the cake wheel at every opportunity.
I didn't make this cake though. Someone else made it for me for my birthday. It's a home-made, three layer german chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache. Totally amazing. But hey, she's in culinary school.
Today I'm making a white sheet cake, but I'm trying a twist on the famous "better than sex cake." I'm going to pour carmel topping and condensed milk over the cake, and then make a chocolate mousse type frosting. Mmmmmm... what's the occasion, you might ask? Well, I guess because it's Sunday and since I don't go to church, I made a cake.
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[this is good]Highly recommend the book and the film. The soundtrack is great, too. read more
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The best website ever. I've been reading it every Sunday ...
I've been in this shower many times. In fact, I hung the curtains. Not only is the tub huge and... read more
on Standing in an ENORMOUS bathtub in a very small bathroom