findingmuse's Comments (231)

“Major General Eaton, my dad--a military school graduate, Vietnam vet, and staunch Republican--would have completely agreed with everything you wrote here were he alive today. He wouldn't have voted for Obama, but he would have been respectful of the Commander-in-Chief once he took office. Good military training teaches you that (I know, because I got to experience some of it as his daughter).

Thank you for writing this (you said it so much more level headed than I've been saying it today) (one example of why I know I am *not* good military material. :-)”

“I think Joe Wilson is a good example of what happens when you make an goober out of yourself in public.

There he was, going along on his neo-con Republican happy little way--wreaking destruction and havoc on all that is progress, but doing it quietly and behind the scenes, under the cloak of darkness. And suddenly he comes out from under his rock and lets his ego win, and now look at him: he's frickin' EVERYwhere. And I bet his email inbox is full of hate mail. And his voicemail. And his regular mailbox. And there will be about 1,000 anti-Joe Wilson websites up and running soon. And his opponent's campaign is getting lots of donations. And, among the sane portion of the United States, he's reviled and looked at like he's lost his marbles (which he clearly had, yesterday). And he has a clever new nickname that will follow him, like, forever.

And all because he got a boss with darker skin than him, and then convinced himself the darker skinned immigrants were going to steal medicine from him and his family. God bless the USA. :-)”

“I'm so glad I'm not a celebrity.”

“There's a key phrase in the chaplain's prayer that I think is important, and I'd hope every man and woman working in Congress takes to heart and remembers when they show up for work: "We cannot control all that may endanger us, but we can choose our behavior and the example we set as leaders."

It's okay to be emotional and have strong convictions. It's not okay to be an a$$ in public, especially when you're in a position of leadership. You're not a rock star or an athlete. You're in public office. Have some dignity. Children (and voters) are watching.”

“Classy. It really makes me want to jump ship and start voting Republican, like, immediately. (This was a sarcastic comment, for those who are sarcasm-impaired.)

On the plus side, at least he didn't throw his shoes.”

“Your comment is highly offensive to me as the mother of a biracial child. I just want you to know that.

I'm curious as to what makes you believe you're an expert on the issue of biracial children? Because as far as I can see, Barack Obama doesn't appear confused at all: he comes across very confident in himself and thoughtful about race and what it means to be biracial in the United States of America.”

“I so love Ellen. She has a kind, gentle sense of humor that's smart and irreverent. However, I have to say: I had a very Sarah Palin-y reaction when I heard they'd picked Ellen. At first I was all, "Wow! Now THAT'S interesting!" And then I really started to think about it and...gosh, I hope it works out for her. Because I really, really LIKE Ellen. And her dancing--why didn't they make her a Dancing with the Stars or a So You Think You Can Dance? judge?

P00p. I really hate it when Hollywood messes up my favorite people.”

“I had to pop over here and comment. When I saw the headline, a song from my little girl's favorite show YO GABBA GABBA came into my head: Never give up, no never give up.

Someone should tell that to all the people who keep wanting to make concessions on the healthcare bill. Little kids don't give up...why do adults do it so easily?”

“Ew, cobaltbluedog. I just clicked on your link, and now I need a bath. (And so does my computer.)

It's gotta take a lot of energy to store and refresh that much hate every day. I can see why they'd gravitate towards Glenn's crazy brand of "journalism"...that's about an hour a day someone else can do it for them. People can be so, so sad. And angry. Angry and sad and really very crazy.”

“I used to attend a progressive Christian church. The minister told us that if we were ever in a church and heard that church's minister saying anything that was even remotely un-loving, we should get up immediately and run--not walk, run--out of that church. Because whatever "God" they were worshipping wasn't any God we'd want to know about.

God--if you believe in God--is about love. Not politics, not race, not religious affiliation, not sexual orientation, not money. Love. Period. If you think otherwise, you need to do some very deep soul searching.”

“Hm. Post a picture of yourself first, and we'll go from there. Otherwise, if it's not something you'd want someone to say about you, then don't say it. Wow.”

“Facebook can cause so many misunderstandings if you use it wrong. For example, if you're having a personal issue/disagreement/problem with someone, please don't use your status update to let everyone not in on the issue/disagreement/problem know that. It confuses those not in the know, and further agitates those who are in the know. Occasionally, it makes you look crazy, and people wonder about you.

As a general rule, I don't say anything online that I wouldn't say to someone's face. Ditto for facebook. I don't post things I don't want to come back to haunt me. I don't use the internet to deal with my psychological issues--a therapist and lunch with my best friend work so much better, i've found. All lessons learned the hard way (which is how I like to learn my lessons best--they stick with me better and longer).”

“She's like the Jon & Kate of American politics...a big ol' train wreck that just won't. go. away.”

“I laughed out loud at the "linguistic schizophrenia" remark. Good times!”

“That does it. I cannot have any more empathy or sympathy for this man. I did--I've been through a midlife crisis in which I did many, many stupid things and made many, many ridiculous statements. I did not have to do these things in front of cameras, and I felt for him.

But he does seem to be seeking out the attention at this point. And making more and more outlandish statements; statements that even I, neck-deep in my midlife crisis during which I was being the weirdest I've ever been, would not have made.

I won't watch this show anymore. I'll just want to rescue their children, and that's their job not mine.

Sad.”

“I have a challenge for you, Captain of Industry:

1. Google "white privilege." (Here's a good article you can start with: http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/whiteprivilege.htm)

2. Reflect on what you just wrote here.”

“What is mind boggling to me is the level of vitriol these people have toward the President. I was no Bush fan--I thought he was embarrassingly simple-minded, but stunningly dangerous. Yet every time I taught the Social Studies unit on USA symbols to my first graders, I somehow managed to talk about President Bush and his job respectfully. Because small children simply cannot grasp abstract things like hyperpolarization in politics. What in the world those little kids of the insane parents are conjuring up in their heads tonight about I can only imagine...but whatever it is, it's just ridiculous. It's like the blind leading the blind.

I blame Fox News. And too much TV. Turn off the tv and go read a book, cr@zy parents who scared the beejeebus out of their kids about the president.”

“I get very snarky and sarcastic a lot when it comes to neo-con types like Rove and Cheney. And usually, after I say my snark and make my sarcastic remark, I feel a little "less." In other words, I think they win whenever that happens. (But dagnabit, they'd make Jesus himself need to count to ten before speaking, I bet :-p).

HP doesn't allot me enough space to go into all the various reason NCLB is a flawed law (though I do think it's made schools more accountable, and that's important), how we ended up where we're at today, and all the ways in which we could improve our public educational system. But quite honestly, no one seems to listen to teachers much--they're far more interested in what politicians have to say about it. And researchers who haven't been in an actual classroom in XX years think they know. Nobody reallys bothers to ask those in the trenches.

I think what I'm saying is that I agree: we are at a spiritual crossroads/crisis in America. I see it in the children and families I work with, every day. It makes me hypervigilant to make sure I'm being the change I'd like to see in the world (until Dick Cheney says something else :-p)”

“When my dad died, we found him in his bed--it was very traumatizing because it was so unexpected, and we never got to say good-bye. But I remember that looking at him was like looking at a picture: it was him, but not really HIM. He wasn't in there anymore. Even walking into his bedroom and immediately going into denial about what was happening, deep down I knew the truth: the room was too still (even though there was a lot of frantic activity around him) and too quiet (even though his tv was on); there was a distinct lack of energy--something was missing. I'd imagine that is very similar to what went on in Michael's house when his loved ones found him.

What mattered most afterwards (and afterwards is always for those left behind, never for those who've passed on to whatever's next), were the stories people told about my dad. My dad was a complicated man with a lot of positives and a lot of negatives, and the stories people told me about him showed how deeply he was loved and how deeply he loved others while he was here. And in the end, I think that's all that really matters. How much love you put out there.

I just wanted to share that, because your Michael stories reminded me of that. Thanks for sharing :)”

“I understand where he's comingfrom. It's always unsettling when there are big changes at work (a new boss, a new person on your team...). Even when you really, really, *really *wish somebody would just frickin' GO already, and then your wish comes true, there's always that moment of "oh lord, I hope we don't get somebody worse in his/her place." Sometimes the devil that you know is easier than the devil that you don't. And then, sometimes, you just learn to get used to and find love in your heart for the various quirks of the different people you work with--they become your work family.

I think that's what he's saying here...no need to get all right wing cr@zy about it and think he's saying something he's not (the headline is a tad misleading in that direction).”

“Loved--LOVED--this reply. Right on, Molly Mal.”

“With all due respect, it kind of looks like a Crazy Revolt. The sentiments of many, many people in this article are a good example of that. Just sayin'. :)”

“amen to that, zenfull. well said.”

“Oh me. God is on everybody's side, but she really wishes Mark and the other conservatives would stop being a-h*les. (I believe that's actually in the Bible, somewhere in Proverbs: The Lord thy God loves thee always, but doest wish thoust will refrain from being a-h*les.)

Politicians do so love attention, even if it's bad.”

“....but what if Donald Trump's definition of beautiful isn't the Universe's definition of beautiful?

(I'm just being facetious...I don't think Donald actually cares what the Universe wants. I think Donald thinks that whatever Donald wants is what the Universe also wants.)”