Andrew C. McCarthy
Jonah Goldberg
Mona Charen
AND THE MUST READ: Mark Steyn on health care
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I'm Enjoying My Old Age
This past Sunday, just a few weeks late, my birthday was celebrated during Young Women's. I stood at the front of the room, with two very grown up looking 15-year old girls next to me, realized that I was more than twice their age, and thought, "I'm old." But the funny thing is, the thought that I was old did not bother me one bit.
Now, of course, you will be tempted to tell me that I am not old. Well, certainly I am not old compared to many billions on the planet. I do grasp that. And I certainly intend to live for a much longer time, so I am not old in that sense, either. Rather, I am old because . . . well, because I am not young. I do not have that young mindset or spirit. You know, the whole, when I was a child, I spake as a child thing. Actually, that scripture makes me think of an interesting and important distinction -- the difference between being childish and childlike. Childish bad, childlike good. In my worst moments, I hold on to childish things, but as the years pass, I am letting more and more of them go, and I think I have let enough of them go to now consider myself old.
Now you'll have to forgive me if I offend you with what I am about to say; it certainly is not intended. But one of the childish things I have given up (gave up quite a while ago, actually) is the belief that socialized medicine is a good thing. When I was a teenager with a sick dad, socialized medicine seemed like a great idea. We didn't need it; we had health insurance. But I felt bad for all those who didn't. Feeling compassion for others is not a childish thing. That is an important, eternal thing. Forfeiting responsibility for ourselves and our fellow man and calling it compassion is a childish thing, as is using compassion as an excuse to ignore facts.
I am old enough now to realize that a government whose stated goals are to make everyone equal and give everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling is a bad government. It is not the role of government to attempt to make us equal (which is impossible for it to do, by the way). Government should recognize that God created us as equals and what happens after that is up to us. And a good government lets it be up to us and stays out of our way as much as possible. I am also old enough to realize that a government who says they want to make us all equal is actually just manipulating us to grow government and gain more power.
A good government is founded on sound principles. A good government protects the rights of its citizenry. A good government is not charitable, but through its protection of liberties allows its citizens to be charitable. A good government looks at facts, takes time to make major decisions and does not pass bills that do not even yet exist in physical form.
As has been said, facts are tricky things. Here are a few facts: where the United States government has gotten involved in health care, it has made a mess of things; socialized medicine in other countries has not led to lower costs or to better health; the numbers of how many uninsured there are in this country include those who can afford insurance, but choose not to be insured, and illegal immigrants. Here's another fact: the rich among us (which includes many more of us than you probably realize) should not have to pay 60% of their hard-earned money in taxes to support bloated and inefficient government programs, including a socialized health care system. Are there so many millions of us who are still childish enough to believe in the Robin Hood principle of stealing from the rich to give to the poor? Is stealing ever okay? Do the ends justify the means?
Alleviating suffering is not the role of government; that is the responsibility of each capable person. We are all called upon to bear one another's burdens, to lift up the hands that hang down, to look after the sick and afflicted, the poor and the needy, the widows and the fatherless. These are the duties that each person who strives to be called a decent human being must undertake. And it is the childlike among us who will undertake them. And it is the childish among us who will look at what others have and which they lack, stamp their feet and demand we hurt others so they can get their fair share.
More food for thought:
Thomas Sowell
David Kahane
Rich Lowry
Now, of course, you will be tempted to tell me that I am not old. Well, certainly I am not old compared to many billions on the planet. I do grasp that. And I certainly intend to live for a much longer time, so I am not old in that sense, either. Rather, I am old because . . . well, because I am not young. I do not have that young mindset or spirit. You know, the whole, when I was a child, I spake as a child thing. Actually, that scripture makes me think of an interesting and important distinction -- the difference between being childish and childlike. Childish bad, childlike good. In my worst moments, I hold on to childish things, but as the years pass, I am letting more and more of them go, and I think I have let enough of them go to now consider myself old.
Now you'll have to forgive me if I offend you with what I am about to say; it certainly is not intended. But one of the childish things I have given up (gave up quite a while ago, actually) is the belief that socialized medicine is a good thing. When I was a teenager with a sick dad, socialized medicine seemed like a great idea. We didn't need it; we had health insurance. But I felt bad for all those who didn't. Feeling compassion for others is not a childish thing. That is an important, eternal thing. Forfeiting responsibility for ourselves and our fellow man and calling it compassion is a childish thing, as is using compassion as an excuse to ignore facts.
I am old enough now to realize that a government whose stated goals are to make everyone equal and give everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling is a bad government. It is not the role of government to attempt to make us equal (which is impossible for it to do, by the way). Government should recognize that God created us as equals and what happens after that is up to us. And a good government lets it be up to us and stays out of our way as much as possible. I am also old enough to realize that a government who says they want to make us all equal is actually just manipulating us to grow government and gain more power.
A good government is founded on sound principles. A good government protects the rights of its citizenry. A good government is not charitable, but through its protection of liberties allows its citizens to be charitable. A good government looks at facts, takes time to make major decisions and does not pass bills that do not even yet exist in physical form.
As has been said, facts are tricky things. Here are a few facts: where the United States government has gotten involved in health care, it has made a mess of things; socialized medicine in other countries has not led to lower costs or to better health; the numbers of how many uninsured there are in this country include those who can afford insurance, but choose not to be insured, and illegal immigrants. Here's another fact: the rich among us (which includes many more of us than you probably realize) should not have to pay 60% of their hard-earned money in taxes to support bloated and inefficient government programs, including a socialized health care system. Are there so many millions of us who are still childish enough to believe in the Robin Hood principle of stealing from the rich to give to the poor? Is stealing ever okay? Do the ends justify the means?
Alleviating suffering is not the role of government; that is the responsibility of each capable person. We are all called upon to bear one another's burdens, to lift up the hands that hang down, to look after the sick and afflicted, the poor and the needy, the widows and the fatherless. These are the duties that each person who strives to be called a decent human being must undertake. And it is the childlike among us who will undertake them. And it is the childish among us who will look at what others have and which they lack, stamp their feet and demand we hurt others so they can get their fair share.
More food for thought:
Thomas Sowell
David Kahane
Rich Lowry
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Surviving Civic Duty and Other Updates
For the first time ever, I had jury duty today. It actually wasn't bad; it was mostly interesting. But the case I was a potential juror for is going to last about two weeks. I cannot be out of work for two weeks right now. Cannot happen. Too busy. But apparently, the court does not consider that a good excuse. I sat all day listening to the judge and lawyers ask questions and dismiss people, but by 3:30, I still hadn't been called as one of the people to go sit in the jury box. I thought I was home free.
Then they called me to be juror #11. Nooooooo!
I thought for sure I was doomed to miss work for the next two weeks, effectively putting me behind so far that I would never catch up. But once I explained to the judge and lawyers that I once had to get an order of protection for Alek and that I had family members who had been victims of a serious crime, they got rid of me pretty quickly. Thus I was juror #11 for about 15 minutes. (As a side note, I didn't talk about my issues in open court -- well, I did about the order of protection, but that's because I forgot to talk about it when I was privately discussing the other matter with the judge and the lawyers. But I was very vague about the details when I had to speak about that in front of everyone. I mean, hello, some things are private. Of course, this concept is lost on many, as was all too apparent today. I actually didn't need to know that one potential juror is an alcoholic who used to beat his wife. That just doesn't seem like the kind of thing you bring up in a room with 65 of your closest strangers. Maybe that's just me.)
I actually would like to be on a jury one day and I think I could be an excellent juror. But the timing right now would be pretty awful. Call me back in about 10 years and we'll see.
The worst part of the day was lunch. I went to grab a bite to eat at a local, cheap place which I have been known to frequent. When I got there, there was an obviously mentally handicapped woman trying to buy a burger, but she was a dollar short. She was having a hard time understanding that she didn't have enough and that there wasn't a smaller, cheaper burger she could order. I felt bad for her. She was hungry and was at just about the cheapest place to eat in downtown Sacramento and didn't have enough money for her meal. So I offered to make up the difference.
The woman was very nice and grateful and it was no big deal at all -- I gave her a buck and some change so she wouldn't go hungry. It was such an easy way to be of service and I felt good that I had been there to help.
Then the most appalling thing happened. The woman working the register, someone who I have had several conversations with since I am a fairly regular customer, said, "I'll let you pay for her this time, but next time, you can't do that. Because this is my place and I don't want you doing that."
What?! I was seriously disgusted at that. I can't imagine what her problem was. She got her money, what difference does it make to her who it came from? The woman I bought the burger for wasn't dirty or loud or obnoxious or making other customers uncomfortable or anything. She seemed like your run-of-the-mill, sweet, mentally retarded woman to me. I was so taken aback at the time I didn't know what to say, but I intend to write a letter to this joint and tell them I am not coming back. I don't want to go to a place that can't appreciate a simple act of human kindness and that cannot treat the mentally disabled with respect, compassion and courtesy. Consider my business lost.
So we recently got back from our trip to Utah, during which we celebrated Alek's 10th birthday. I'll post about those later and include pictures.
I did want to share the exciting news that Fitz is now rolling from his back to his stomach. He started on Monday and now he is a pro. In fact, we can't keep him on his back. Funny thing is, he hates being on his stomach. Silly baby.
P.S. Just discovered that Fitz has a tooth, on the bottom front. It's not all the way up yet, but it has broken through the gums. Guess I was right that all the drooling he's been doing lately is because he is teething!
Then they called me to be juror #11. Nooooooo!
I thought for sure I was doomed to miss work for the next two weeks, effectively putting me behind so far that I would never catch up. But once I explained to the judge and lawyers that I once had to get an order of protection for Alek and that I had family members who had been victims of a serious crime, they got rid of me pretty quickly. Thus I was juror #11 for about 15 minutes. (As a side note, I didn't talk about my issues in open court -- well, I did about the order of protection, but that's because I forgot to talk about it when I was privately discussing the other matter with the judge and the lawyers. But I was very vague about the details when I had to speak about that in front of everyone. I mean, hello, some things are private. Of course, this concept is lost on many, as was all too apparent today. I actually didn't need to know that one potential juror is an alcoholic who used to beat his wife. That just doesn't seem like the kind of thing you bring up in a room with 65 of your closest strangers. Maybe that's just me.)
I actually would like to be on a jury one day and I think I could be an excellent juror. But the timing right now would be pretty awful. Call me back in about 10 years and we'll see.
The worst part of the day was lunch. I went to grab a bite to eat at a local, cheap place which I have been known to frequent. When I got there, there was an obviously mentally handicapped woman trying to buy a burger, but she was a dollar short. She was having a hard time understanding that she didn't have enough and that there wasn't a smaller, cheaper burger she could order. I felt bad for her. She was hungry and was at just about the cheapest place to eat in downtown Sacramento and didn't have enough money for her meal. So I offered to make up the difference.
The woman was very nice and grateful and it was no big deal at all -- I gave her a buck and some change so she wouldn't go hungry. It was such an easy way to be of service and I felt good that I had been there to help.
Then the most appalling thing happened. The woman working the register, someone who I have had several conversations with since I am a fairly regular customer, said, "I'll let you pay for her this time, but next time, you can't do that. Because this is my place and I don't want you doing that."
What?! I was seriously disgusted at that. I can't imagine what her problem was. She got her money, what difference does it make to her who it came from? The woman I bought the burger for wasn't dirty or loud or obnoxious or making other customers uncomfortable or anything. She seemed like your run-of-the-mill, sweet, mentally retarded woman to me. I was so taken aback at the time I didn't know what to say, but I intend to write a letter to this joint and tell them I am not coming back. I don't want to go to a place that can't appreciate a simple act of human kindness and that cannot treat the mentally disabled with respect, compassion and courtesy. Consider my business lost.
So we recently got back from our trip to Utah, during which we celebrated Alek's 10th birthday. I'll post about those later and include pictures.
I did want to share the exciting news that Fitz is now rolling from his back to his stomach. He started on Monday and now he is a pro. In fact, we can't keep him on his back. Funny thing is, he hates being on his stomach. Silly baby.
P.S. Just discovered that Fitz has a tooth, on the bottom front. It's not all the way up yet, but it has broken through the gums. Guess I was right that all the drooling he's been doing lately is because he is teething!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Now Lamer Than Ever
There are just a ton of things I need to blog about, dozens of pictures to post, thoughts I should put out in the world, etc.
Instead I am posting this picture my husband drew. On his computer. In about 45 minutes.
For an internet comic he is planning to do.
Instead I am posting this picture my husband drew. On his computer. In about 45 minutes.
For an internet comic he is planning to do.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Lessons I Never Learned
I remember when I was a kid, when I said I wanted something or to do something and my parents told me no, I usually complained. My complaints often started with, "but I want . . ." My parents had some words of wisdom for me in those situations, words that I wish I would have taken more to heart -- "Fix your wanter."
I cannot tell you how much sorrow and trouble and heartache I could have saved myself over the past many years if I had fixed my wanter years ago. And I am thinking about it today as I sit here trying to remind myself that no, I cannot go to lunch with my friends. I need to eat my frozen meal, as unappealing as it sounds. Because I may want to go get a delicious hamburger and french fries and chat with friends, but it's not wise for many reasons. So I just try to remind myself to fix my wanter. Which means I'll be eating at my desk.
I cannot tell you how much sorrow and trouble and heartache I could have saved myself over the past many years if I had fixed my wanter years ago. And I am thinking about it today as I sit here trying to remind myself that no, I cannot go to lunch with my friends. I need to eat my frozen meal, as unappealing as it sounds. Because I may want to go get a delicious hamburger and french fries and chat with friends, but it's not wise for many reasons. So I just try to remind myself to fix my wanter. Which means I'll be eating at my desk.
Things I've Read Lately
"When the individual or even a large business makes a wrong decision, its impact is limited and more easily absorbed by the free market. However, when the Statist makes a wrong decision, its impact is far-reaching, for he uses the power of the government to impose his decision on as many individuals and businesses as possible, which distorts the free market itself." -- Mark Levin, Liberty and Tyranny
"Property is the fruit of labor . . . property is desirable . . . is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own house shall be safe from violence when built." -- Abraham Lincoln
BTW, the more I read about FDR, the less I am a fan. And I was never a fan.
"Property is the fruit of labor . . . property is desirable . . . is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own house shall be safe from violence when built." -- Abraham Lincoln
BTW, the more I read about FDR, the less I am a fan. And I was never a fan.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Not the Best at Anything
There are many wonderful things about being raised with a whole bunch of amazing, strong, intelligent, funny, generous, kind, talented siblings. And there is one thing about it that just kinda bugs. I am not the best at anything.
I am not the smartest. I am not the best looking. I am not the healthiest (by a long shot!). I am not the best singer, not the best reader, not the best mom, not the best sister, not the funniest. I mean, you can name it and I am not the best at it. Even the things I think I am pretty good at, at least one or more of my siblings is better at those things than me.
One of my least attractive qualities is that I am quite prideful, so you can see how not being the best at anything might kinda rub me the wrong way. I also have a compulsive need to be praised, so again, being rubbed the wrong way by this whole not being the best thing.
Of course, I figured out a long time ago that I would never be the best at anything compared to the rest of the world, but until recently I held out hope that there was at least one area where I was the best among my siblings. I thought maybe I was the best writer -- not a great writer, but maybe better than my sisters and brother by just a little bit. Then my sisters started blogging and I actually had an opportunity for the first time in my life to read their writing. Turns out my hope of being the best was in vain. Sigh.
So I'm not the best at anything. I can live with that. Right?
Well, no, as it turns out, I can't. So I had to rack my brain and come up with something that I was the best at. And I found it.
I am the best at loving Josh. Not just in a romantic sense either, but loving him just as a person and appreciating who he is now. I'm the best at that. Not just the best at loving him out of anyone in my family, but I really think out of anyone in the world. I think even if we had never met and he had married some other girl, that girl never could have loved Josh as well as I do. I have convinced myself that I love Josh better than anyone ever, ever, ever could or has.
It's not something I'm likely to be praised for and it will bring me no earthly acclaim, but I'll take it. I'll take it because a) it makes me happy; b) it makes Josh happy; c) it's good for my kids; and d) it's all I've got.
Best Josh lover in the world. I should put it on a t-shirt.
I am not the smartest. I am not the best looking. I am not the healthiest (by a long shot!). I am not the best singer, not the best reader, not the best mom, not the best sister, not the funniest. I mean, you can name it and I am not the best at it. Even the things I think I am pretty good at, at least one or more of my siblings is better at those things than me.
One of my least attractive qualities is that I am quite prideful, so you can see how not being the best at anything might kinda rub me the wrong way. I also have a compulsive need to be praised, so again, being rubbed the wrong way by this whole not being the best thing.
Of course, I figured out a long time ago that I would never be the best at anything compared to the rest of the world, but until recently I held out hope that there was at least one area where I was the best among my siblings. I thought maybe I was the best writer -- not a great writer, but maybe better than my sisters and brother by just a little bit. Then my sisters started blogging and I actually had an opportunity for the first time in my life to read their writing. Turns out my hope of being the best was in vain. Sigh.
So I'm not the best at anything. I can live with that. Right?
Well, no, as it turns out, I can't. So I had to rack my brain and come up with something that I was the best at. And I found it.
I am the best at loving Josh. Not just in a romantic sense either, but loving him just as a person and appreciating who he is now. I'm the best at that. Not just the best at loving him out of anyone in my family, but I really think out of anyone in the world. I think even if we had never met and he had married some other girl, that girl never could have loved Josh as well as I do. I have convinced myself that I love Josh better than anyone ever, ever, ever could or has.
It's not something I'm likely to be praised for and it will bring me no earthly acclaim, but I'll take it. I'll take it because a) it makes me happy; b) it makes Josh happy; c) it's good for my kids; and d) it's all I've got.
Best Josh lover in the world. I should put it on a t-shirt.
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