US Presidential Race

Just because we need a laugh, a preview of next season's Dancing With The Stars.

Ann Mary Burger (April 6, 1923 - October 20, 2008)

Diane’s mother died on Monday in Baltimore, Maryland. Diane had flown out there on Friday and got to spend a very nice day with her mother Saturday.

Along with the pain of losing her mother, her brother, who was her mother’s legal representative had Diane’s visitation privileges revoked. Why? Because he could. Because he asked her not to show up at the hospice until noon on Sunday, which she did wait until noon, but she failed to call him on his cell and ask his permission to enter the room before she walked in. He told Diane she would be subordinate to him or not see her mother at all. After Social workers stepped in and tried to mediate a workable situation an attorney friend of Diane’s in Maryland advised her to “Kiss his ass or you will not see your mother at all”. Her last visit on Sunday was a supervised 1 hour visit to say her goodbyes. Her brother informed her that her visitations would be terminated altogether on Tuesday. Diane’s mother died the next day, on Monday. Her mother’s services are private (read: Diane is not invited) Given all of this, there really was not much point in staying in Maryland so she flew back home to Victoria late last night. Diane’s relationship with her brother is strained to say the least. A lot of it is the gay thing. Diane’s brother does not hesitate to tell her how much he hates her.

Now, take a moment to imagine if Diane and I had stayed in the States and something had happened to Diane. What do you think he would have done to me?

Reason number 1909 we are glad to be living in Canada is, families are often ugly and they can not touch us here.

Thanks Giving
I’ve been very negligent in blogging lately. I have lots of material in terms of social events (i.e. Oktoberfest party, Thanksgiving, etc.) but somehow I just don’t have the levity of spirit to post these events. I read WMTC and WEB’s blogs daily and feel that I really don’t have a lot of relevancy to add comments about the current politics in the US and Canada. I seem to be glued to the financial news like watching an automobile accident out the window of my vehicle as I pass it by. It doesn’t help that financially we still have a leg in the States and one here in Canada. We still have to be concerned with every bounce and fall in the exchange rate. At the Thanksgiving dinner table of dear friends who were gracious enough to include us, we all went around the table and said aloud what we were thankful for. All of the statements that were made I could identify with. I am grateful we got out of the States when we did. My good friend N. has been trying to sell her house in Las Vegas, the worst depressed housing market in the States, to move back to Connecticut to be with her mother who has Alzheimer’s and her brother with cancer. I received an email from her last week that her mother had died and she was taking her house off the market. No hope left for N. No time to get back with her mother. I have another friend in LV on a Social Security disability with a maintenance problem on his trailer. He can’t get anyone to extend him credit to get it fixed and allow him to pay it back in small installments. Winter is on the way and he will have no heat. I have made calls and I do what I can from afar, but it is difficult. I know someone else who pulled their college aged daughter out of University because they can’t afford to keep her there. The father has lost his job and the mother was a stay at home Mom, now of course a luxury they realize they can no longer afford. She now is trying to get a minimum wage job in place where the unemployment is at 11 percent and she has no job skills or experience. There is still part of me that grieves for the America that is dead. Not just as in dead Capitalism but dead as in the dreams of friends we left behind. It is a grieving process. I have a general feeling of discontent. Nothing I can point my finger to and say, ‘Aha, that is the culprit’. Just an overall uneasiness that nags at me constantly that I should be doing something, something more than going to work and coming home to do the cleaning and cooking, necessary things for sure, but lacking in that complete feeling of accomplishment. And yet, those simple tasks are what make up the complexion of my days. That and watching the stock tickers and the political pundits scoff at the idea the sky is falling one minute and then do their best Chicken Little impersonation the next. Some of my Canadian friends believe that Canada is immune to a US style meltdown. I don’t think anyone is immune, we are possibly better positioned. But it doesn’t make me feel any better to have security in the short term while people down South are struggling so much. I watch CNN report that even though the polls have Obama so far ahead of McCain that most people polled are lying. They are just saying they are for Obama and they will actually vote for McCain once they are in the booth.

Really?

That sounds awfully convenient as a reason for stealing another election. You know, the exit polls are just a bunch of Americans lying.

I took today off work to watch the election returns. I will take of November 4th, as well. I have the banked flex time at work, so why not.

The weather here is wet, misty and so fall like. I will sign off now, as I’m going to get gas for my vehicle at 1.21 a litter. Oh yes, and be thankful for everything that Canada has provided us. We are thankful and fortunate to be where we are.

Naomi Wolf
It takes about 26 minutes to watch but it is well worth it.