I noticed her pick up the pencil with her left hand.
"Are you left-handed?" I asked, immediately wondering why I thought that a question worth asking.
"Yeah. VERY left-handed." She responded.
I blinked through my bewilderment as she related in detail the trials and tribulations of growing up as a south-paw in a world designed for the right-side dominant. My head bobbed as I contemplated why she qualified the degree of her left-handedness. Besides the occasional truly ambidextrous individual, I always figured a person was either left-handed or right-handed. I did not realize there were varying intensities to which one's hand-preference could be classified.
Her oration did not address this query, but finished by emphasizing, "VERY left-handed." Then she picked up her can of Diet Coke and took a swig. With her right hand.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Finally over
Now that America has named Barack Obama our new President-elect, I'd say the two results of this deicision that I am most excited about are:
1. The incessant Bush-bashing and criticism of the current administration should get quieter as we wait to see what will happen next.
2. There is no arguing that Obama's election marks a pivotal moment in US history. Due in part to my geographical location, and primarily to my age, I have witnessed very little in the way of racial injustice. I personally don't find the idea of a black president the least bit shocking, except in the context of its significant position along our country's journey out of prejudice.
Mostly, I am deeply relieved that the election hooplah is finally finished for a while. I need a little break before being ready to focus on my crucial responsibility of voting for our next American Idol!
1. The incessant Bush-bashing and criticism of the current administration should get quieter as we wait to see what will happen next.
2. There is no arguing that Obama's election marks a pivotal moment in US history. Due in part to my geographical location, and primarily to my age, I have witnessed very little in the way of racial injustice. I personally don't find the idea of a black president the least bit shocking, except in the context of its significant position along our country's journey out of prejudice.
Mostly, I am deeply relieved that the election hooplah is finally finished for a while. I need a little break before being ready to focus on my crucial responsibility of voting for our next American Idol!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
My mailbox runneth over
It's probably been 5 or 6 days since we collected our mail. So the locked metal box was abnormally crammed with letters and bills and such today. And...this giant pile of political advertisements.
Obviously these pieces were perfectly timed to arrive in voters' mailboxes in the days leading up to the election. But these geniuses didn't count on us being so lazy about checking our mail, because we've already cast our ballots! We actually read the voter's pamphlet. Take that!
(Okay, mostly Gary read the pamphlet and gave me the highlights)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Happy Election-Day Eve
By now most people have cast their vote for the next US President, so these comments should not be construed as an attempt to sway any opinions. I simply thought I'd share a few intriguing tidbits I've come across in my explorations as an Independent Voter.
Notice that under Obama's proposal the top earners in our country will pay an average of over $700,000 MORE in taxes than they already do , whereas McCain's plan would reduce their amount paid by an average of nearly $270,000. As in the restaurant story above, I think many people vilify this tax break for the rich. Nay, I know they do, because you can read about it in newspapers and blogs ad nauseum. I'm certainly nowhere close to the top 1% of income earners, but I don't think it's fair that they paid 40% of all income taxes in 2006, whereas the the bottom 50% of taxpayers paid only 3%. This is all a very good way to disincent entrepreneurialism and achieving the American Dream.
Of course, reduce those taxes too far, and the national deficit will be grossly affected. So a flat tax isn't the answer either, but perhaps consumption tax deserves a fair look.
There are many interesting data charts throughout the study, but I found this one particularly comical. Fox News is often criticized for being too conservative, but as you can see their percentage of negative, neutral, and positive stories for both candidates is nearly identical. On the other hand, 73% of MSNBC's stories about McCain were negative, with only 14% negative for Obama.
You might be thinking, "Well, there are simply more negative stories about McCain than Obama. MSNBC and my favorite newspaper(s) just report the news." Nope. That ain't it. According to the research, "MSNBC stood out for having less negative coverage of Obama than the press generally (14% of stories vs. 29% in the press overall) and for having more negative stories about McCain (73% of its coverage vs. 57% in the press overall)." So they reported only half of the negative issues surrounding Obama that the rest of the media felt were newsworthy.
Newspapers were found to "portray a more extreme version of the overall press treatment of both McCain and Obama...Indeed, of all the media sectors studied, John McCain received the most negative coverage in print. In all, 69% of the newspaper stories studied about McCain were clearly negative, while only 6% were positive, a ratio of about 11-to-1. (The press overall was 57% to 14%, a ratio of closer to 4-to-1.) Only MSNBC offered more negative coverage of the Republican nominee." Eleven to one? That's pretty sad.
An assumption which brings me to my final point for this evening. Why is it that those of us with conservative views (at least in my area of the World) are forced into a sort of undercover secret society? The Democrats I know have no problem broadcasting their elitist opinions to a room full of acquantainces at best. The prevailing belief seems to be that any such room is filled with only two types of people: those who agree and those who are idiots. We--the latter, supposedly--keep our mouths shut in these situations because a respectful debate doesn't seem plausible. [Okay, that's the worst of my commentary, please forgive.] But there IS a wise argument for the other side of the issues. It has become increasingly less shocking for me to be tiptoeing through a sensitive conversation with someone, only to have it come to light that we hold similar political ideals, and the sense of relief is almost tangible. It happened to me just tonight! Perhaps a secret handshake or code phrase would simplify that delicate dance.
Once I boldly asked a new-ish friend, "So, are you a Democrat or a Republican?" She sighed and sheepishly (!) said, "Actually...I'm a Republican," possibly hoping the conversation would safely end with my "Oh. I see." Instead we examined why hers is a shameful confession mainly uttered in private.
Here's a fun story to get us rolling:
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for dinner and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men ate in the restaurant every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your meal by $20."dinner for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still eat for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to eat. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same percent and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to eat for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
"I only got a dollar out of the $20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got $10!"
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"
"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for dinner, so the nine sat down and ate without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.
David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D. Professor of Economics University of Georgia
For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.
I read that analogy for the first time a few years ago, and I hate to admit that it initiated my education about our top-heavy tax system. I was actually ignorant to the fact that the percentage of taxes paid across the population was so drastically divergent. I knew that rich people paid more in taxes than poor people, but naively assumed that was just an effect of their relative income levels.
So how might our taxes be affected by the next administration? Here is a great visual summary from the Washington Post:
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for dinner and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men ate in the restaurant every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your meal by $20."dinner for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still eat for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to eat. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same percent and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to eat for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
"I only got a dollar out of the $20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got $10!"
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"
"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for dinner, so the nine sat down and ate without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.
David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D. Professor of Economics University of Georgia
For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.
I read that analogy for the first time a few years ago, and I hate to admit that it initiated my education about our top-heavy tax system. I was actually ignorant to the fact that the percentage of taxes paid across the population was so drastically divergent. I knew that rich people paid more in taxes than poor people, but naively assumed that was just an effect of their relative income levels.
So how might our taxes be affected by the next administration? Here is a great visual summary from the Washington Post:
Notice that under Obama's proposal the top earners in our country will pay an average of over $700,000 MORE in taxes than they already do , whereas McCain's plan would reduce their amount paid by an average of nearly $270,000. As in the restaurant story above, I think many people vilify this tax break for the rich. Nay, I know they do, because you can read about it in newspapers and blogs ad nauseum. I'm certainly nowhere close to the top 1% of income earners, but I don't think it's fair that they paid 40% of all income taxes in 2006, whereas the the bottom 50% of taxpayers paid only 3%. This is all a very good way to disincent entrepreneurialism and achieving the American Dream. Of course, reduce those taxes too far, and the national deficit will be grossly affected. So a flat tax isn't the answer either, but perhaps consumption tax deserves a fair look.
I am not a Republican. In fact, my views on social issues tend to be more liberal. But has anyone else noticed that the media seems to lean a little to the left? Well it's not just an opinion. A new independent study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism researched how different media have covered the election, and found that "In cable, the evidence firmly suggests there now really is an ideological divide between two of the three channels, at least in their coverage of the campaign."
There are many interesting data charts throughout the study, but I found this one particularly comical. Fox News is often criticized for being too conservative, but as you can see their percentage of negative, neutral, and positive stories for both candidates is nearly identical. On the other hand, 73% of MSNBC's stories about McCain were negative, with only 14% negative for Obama.
You might be thinking, "Well, there are simply more negative stories about McCain than Obama. MSNBC and my favorite newspaper(s) just report the news." Nope. That ain't it. According to the research, "MSNBC stood out for having less negative coverage of Obama than the press generally (14% of stories vs. 29% in the press overall) and for having more negative stories about McCain (73% of its coverage vs. 57% in the press overall)." So they reported only half of the negative issues surrounding Obama that the rest of the media felt were newsworthy.
Newspapers were found to "portray a more extreme version of the overall press treatment of both McCain and Obama...Indeed, of all the media sectors studied, John McCain received the most negative coverage in print. In all, 69% of the newspaper stories studied about McCain were clearly negative, while only 6% were positive, a ratio of about 11-to-1. (The press overall was 57% to 14%, a ratio of closer to 4-to-1.) Only MSNBC offered more negative coverage of the Republican nominee." Eleven to one? That's pretty sad.
I'm not feeling very eloquent tonight, so I'm borrowing one more quote to sum up my thoughts on the media bias. This one comes from Bernard Goldberg:
...There are a whole array of stories that conservative people in America are interested in that the big, mainstream media have little to no interest in. Reverend Wright, Bill Ayers, Khalidi, the Palestinian professor at Columbia, and ACORN, things like that. ...the New York Times and the other big organizations, they have their own news judgment. I get that. ...But when you ignore or virtually ignore stories that so many Americans, millions and millions and millions of Americans, care about, then I think that detracts from your stature as a big national news organization.
I'd like to continue musing--we haven't even touched war and socialist healthcare--but I realize most people probably got bored and stopped reading a while ago. And those who are still with me might be fuming and wondering how we ever became friends in the first place.An assumption which brings me to my final point for this evening. Why is it that those of us with conservative views (at least in my area of the World) are forced into a sort of undercover secret society? The Democrats I know have no problem broadcasting their elitist opinions to a room full of acquantainces at best. The prevailing belief seems to be that any such room is filled with only two types of people: those who agree and those who are idiots. We--the latter, supposedly--keep our mouths shut in these situations because a respectful debate doesn't seem plausible. [Okay, that's the worst of my commentary, please forgive.] But there IS a wise argument for the other side of the issues. It has become increasingly less shocking for me to be tiptoeing through a sensitive conversation with someone, only to have it come to light that we hold similar political ideals, and the sense of relief is almost tangible. It happened to me just tonight! Perhaps a secret handshake or code phrase would simplify that delicate dance.
Once I boldly asked a new-ish friend, "So, are you a Democrat or a Republican?" She sighed and sheepishly (!) said, "Actually...I'm a Republican," possibly hoping the conversation would safely end with my "Oh. I see." Instead we examined why hers is a shameful confession mainly uttered in private.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Cyber-tag
All the fun of the classic children's game, without the pesky social interaction and exercise! I've been tagged by Bridget, so here goes:
FOUR RANDOM THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MY HUSBAND:
1. He can be adorably goofy
2. He does approximately 90% of the housework
3. He loves to read stories to our daughter
4. He puts up with ME
FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD:
1. Foodserver at Stanford's
2. Foodserver at Monteaux's
3. Curves Owner
4. Mother
FOUR MOVIES I'VE WATCHED MORE THAN ONCE:
1. The Cutting Edge
2. Fried Green Tomatoes
3. The Shawshank Redemption
4. Waiting for Guffman
FOUR TV SHOWS I WATCH:
1. The Simpsons
2. The Office
3. So You Think You Can Dance?
4. South Park
FOUR PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY:
1. My mom
2. Karen D
3. Melinda M
4. Linda T
FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Cheese (most varieties)
2. Peaches
3. Avocados
4. Chocolate Chip Cookies (recently the "Panookie" at a local restaurant which is an amazing fresh baked cookie-in-a-pan. Mmmm)
FOUR PLACES I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT:
1. Australia
2. Fiji
3. Aspen, CO
4. Alaska (this time on a road trip instead of a cruise)
FOUR THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR:
1. Following Madelyn's cognitive development
2. Camping with Wiyaka, DJ, and Lilly
3. The new Winkel Family Christmas Box tradition
4. Embarking on some new life adventures
FOUR PEOPLE I TAG:
1. Julee (something to take your mind off the morning sickness, and an excuse to put something on your blog!)
2. Sarah E
3. Wiyaka
4. Jeni
When people email me surveys like this, I never do them. So I will completely understand if you don't want to play.
Also, in an attempt to redeem myself from the pathetic single post in October, I have semi-accepted* Bridget's challenge to join on the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) bandwagon. So I'll be attempting a daily blog in November.
*so if I fail miserably I can pretend I wasn't really committed
FOUR RANDOM THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MY HUSBAND:
1. He can be adorably goofy
2. He does approximately 90% of the housework
3. He loves to read stories to our daughter
4. He puts up with ME
FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD:
1. Foodserver at Stanford's
2. Foodserver at Monteaux's
3. Curves Owner
4. Mother
FOUR MOVIES I'VE WATCHED MORE THAN ONCE:
1. The Cutting Edge
2. Fried Green Tomatoes
3. The Shawshank Redemption
4. Waiting for Guffman
FOUR TV SHOWS I WATCH:
1. The Simpsons
2. The Office
3. So You Think You Can Dance?
4. South Park
FOUR PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY:
1. My mom
2. Karen D
3. Melinda M
4. Linda T
FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:
1. Cheese (most varieties)
2. Peaches
3. Avocados
4. Chocolate Chip Cookies (recently the "Panookie" at a local restaurant which is an amazing fresh baked cookie-in-a-pan. Mmmm)
FOUR PLACES I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT:
1. Australia
2. Fiji
3. Aspen, CO
4. Alaska (this time on a road trip instead of a cruise)
FOUR THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR:
1. Following Madelyn's cognitive development
2. Camping with Wiyaka, DJ, and Lilly
3. The new Winkel Family Christmas Box tradition
4. Embarking on some new life adventures
FOUR PEOPLE I TAG:
1. Julee (something to take your mind off the morning sickness, and an excuse to put something on your blog!)
2. Sarah E
3. Wiyaka
4. Jeni
When people email me surveys like this, I never do them. So I will completely understand if you don't want to play.
Also, in an attempt to redeem myself from the pathetic single post in October, I have semi-accepted* Bridget's challenge to join on the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) bandwagon. So I'll be attempting a daily blog in November.
*so if I fail miserably I can pretend I wasn't really committed
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Sub-zenith run
We did it! WE RAN (at) THE PORTLAND MARATHON!
That would be my major damage with completing our "big 5-mile run" goal in conjunction with the Portland Marathon. It was difficult to be as proud of our accomplishment as we deserved to be when our feat was significantly overshadowed by those who ran more than five times the 
distance. I felt kind of like the freshman at Senior Prom. Margie and I got to take advantage of the endless spread of free food and product samples at the finish line, all of which I couldn't help but feel was a bit ill-gotten. And whenever I use my Marathon-logo tote bag I feel a bit naughty, and like I should scrawl over it with my Sharpie: "only ran the 5-miler."
distance. I felt kind of like the freshman at Senior Prom. Margie and I got to take advantage of the endless spread of free food and product samples at the finish line, all of which I couldn't help but feel was a bit ill-gotten. And whenever I use my Marathon-logo tote bag I feel a bit naughty, and like I should scrawl over it with my Sharpie: "only ran the 5-miler."Margie and Kristen near the 5-mile (and 26.2 mile) Finish Line
near Portland's Waterfront 10/4/08
near Portland's Waterfront 10/4/08
Don't get me wrong, I am really excited that we did what we set out to do...and after only 8 weeks of running. I was 100% faithful to my training plan, incorporating the specified run lengths between Curves workouts and other activities to keep me exercising 6 days per week. Since this run on October 4, I've had a hard time getting back into that groove, between being on vacation and then catching up from being on vacation. So my body feels pretty rotten right now, and I'm looking forward to returning to that place where exercise is a non-negotiable part of my daily routine.
The whole experience was pretty great, actually. It was a perfect day: cool and cloudy, and only started drizzling toward the end of our race. Margie and I are amazed at our luck with the weather. The very first time we ran together was through a downpour. But since then, during 8 weeks of training, we have not ran in rain once. That doesn't mean it hasn't rained around here for 8 weeks (hello, we live in NW Oregon), but that on rainy days the clouds simply parted when we were ready to hit the pavement.
I ran my usual pace (10:07) and finished with a decent beginner's time (50:35). It certainly was not a breeze for me--not even close. I approached that finish line with burning thighs and a tedious sideache, thrilled that it would be over very, very soon. Want to know the rest of my sweet stats? Overall: placed 538 out of 1255 people who ran the 5-mile race. Among women: 246 out of 814. Age group: 52 out of 115 females age 25-29, right smack in the middle.
The best part was the rest of our relaxing morning downtown. We drove up to Northwest Portland for breakfast, and in addition to some artisan crepes, I savored the most rich, delectable mocha I have ever experienced. It was magical. Then I was delighted to find a little Asian nail salon that happened to be open on Sunday, and had myself what could be the best cheap pedicure ever, too! What a lucky day. Normally these types of places have names like Nail4U or Best Star Nail and feature bright flourescent lighting and the calming sound of Maury Povich from an overhead TV. But this place was serene, the tech unwrapped brand new tools for me as she worked, and the piece de resistance: a hot wet towel for my neck. After running a race in the rain, this was Heaven. It rivaled the day spa experience, for the chop shop price.
Now it's time to pick the next race so we have an imminent event to motivate our workouts. Thanks to all my loyal supporters (including you girls who ran the big PM and never left me feeling a diminished sense of worthiness)!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Did you miss me?
I cannot believe that it has been over a month since I have contributed to my own blog. I was out of town for ten days, and greeting me upon my return was an unusually large and stressful Mountain of Urgency. While chipping my way through the to-do list (its nature to acquire new tasks more quickly than the old are checked off), I not only found myself having to choose between blogging and sleep, but also in the throes of dis-inspiration.
Maybe it's just the extra strain on my psyche, but I am struggling to form ideas into coherent sentences fit for entertainment or enlightenment. And if not for one or the other (or both), then what is the use in writing?
One roadblock I had in starting this blog in the first place was determining its "voice." What did I want to say, or not say, in such a forum? What tone should the writing take and how important would it be to maintain it for continuity? Who will comprise my audience and to what extent should I care about what they think?
Some of the subjects that I want to write passionately about are of the controversial variety. As a business owner, maintaining political and religious ambiguity is a necessary and delicate art. I would like to believe that true friends could respect differences of opinion. But I have too few true friends to risk offending the remaining friendly acquaintances who might discover the unveiling of my oft non-mainstream views.
There is one type of blog I did not want to emulate. So as not to offend anyone, you can check out this uber hilaralicious parody called seriously so blessed. Just be careful that you don't lol too hard or you might P your cute li'l panties. Now, I would be happy to have thought of that particular website (cha-ching), but the real-live fairy-tale-land brag-fests like that make me want to hurl my cookies, if you know what I mean. I don't wish to add 'strained eye-rolling muscles' to the list of crap that happens in my real life by reading about your perfect one. There are websites that I do admire, and I had fleeting visions of making a very healthy living and taking exotic trips courtesy of banner advertising, until I realized that I'm just not that talented nor interesting.
So I accept that my blog will simply be something fun for me and maybe a handful of amigos, yet at times I still feel paralyzed with self-doubt, if not just plain Writer's Block. I have a list of topics to formulate into posts, and I expect that one by one they will take life. So I hope you keep checking back, in case I come up with anything worthy of a big fat paycheck from Google. (I'll need you to tell them about it.)
Maybe it's just the extra strain on my psyche, but I am struggling to form ideas into coherent sentences fit for entertainment or enlightenment. And if not for one or the other (or both), then what is the use in writing?
One roadblock I had in starting this blog in the first place was determining its "voice." What did I want to say, or not say, in such a forum? What tone should the writing take and how important would it be to maintain it for continuity? Who will comprise my audience and to what extent should I care about what they think?
Some of the subjects that I want to write passionately about are of the controversial variety. As a business owner, maintaining political and religious ambiguity is a necessary and delicate art. I would like to believe that true friends could respect differences of opinion. But I have too few true friends to risk offending the remaining friendly acquaintances who might discover the unveiling of my oft non-mainstream views.
There is one type of blog I did not want to emulate. So as not to offend anyone, you can check out this uber hilaralicious parody called seriously so blessed. Just be careful that you don't lol too hard or you might P your cute li'l panties. Now, I would be happy to have thought of that particular website (cha-ching), but the real-live fairy-tale-land brag-fests like that make me want to hurl my cookies, if you know what I mean. I don't wish to add 'strained eye-rolling muscles' to the list of crap that happens in my real life by reading about your perfect one. There are websites that I do admire, and I had fleeting visions of making a very healthy living and taking exotic trips courtesy of banner advertising, until I realized that I'm just not that talented nor interesting.
So I accept that my blog will simply be something fun for me and maybe a handful of amigos, yet at times I still feel paralyzed with self-doubt, if not just plain Writer's Block. I have a list of topics to formulate into posts, and I expect that one by one they will take life. So I hope you keep checking back, in case I come up with anything worthy of a big fat paycheck from Google. (I'll need you to tell them about it.)
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