Musings of a Liberal Texan

My son finds Thanksgiving confounding. Why do we celebrate a event which led to the decimation of indigenous people? It's one thing to celebrate something before you truly acknowledge the actual incident. I grew up with the whitewashed version of history - very little Hispanic, African, Indigenous influence. I got the whole happy Indians helping out the white folk version...with very little background on what was the standard operating procedures for Euro-Adventurers. For a very prestigious school, I got a very skewed version of history. Thinking about it though, it is in keeping with how few minorities were allowed in...that weren't part of the staff.   But now that we know what Thanksgiving really symbolizes, shouldn't we modify? I know we try to paint it as a great opportunity to count our blessings and such. But shouldn't we do that on a more regular basis anyway? I mean, shouldn't we be thankful for the supportive people in our lives, the love we get from our f...

I saw the most recent video taken in one of the many nondescript places where they slaughter turkeys. I saw it about a week ago but I am still having nightmares about it. How do you stomp, repeatedly, on the head of a defenseless animal, over and over again, turn away while it desperately tries to right it self, how do you insert a rod into the anus of an animal in your care and rupture its bowel...and then go home at night, cuddle your kids, pet your dog and sleep peacefully?  How do people get so desensitized?  I would think that you are around all this noise, this terribly stifling ammonia  saturated, unventilated building with wards that flap and run and squawk and resist, I would think that if you do this for any length of time, it wears you down to the point that you don't care anymore. You not only don't care.  You hate.  You hate where you are.  You hate how little money you make.  You hate how you smell.  You hate how you feel.  And the only ones that you can take all ...

Pre -Thanksgiving  What am I thankful for...not just today, but what do I think about on a fairly consecutive basis that fills me with gratitude?  That I don't smoke anymore. I have to say, I am so thankful on a regular basis that I was able to kick that habit. The control over everything I did was staggering, looking back. I am grateful. That I exercise daily - yoga changed my life. Running and then doing self paced yoga centers me and makes me calm. It is terribly obvious when I have skipped a day. That I found the love of my life. Lance may have some shortcomings but he puts up with mine, and for that I am eternally grateful. That I was able to experience the joy, the stress, the roller coaster that is motherhood. I adore my boys. I am stunned by their beauty, their brilliance, their gifts and their very kind souls. That I have a good relationship with my immediate family. That's nothing to scoff at. A lot of people hate their siblings and parents. I look forward to being w...

My friend, my best friend besides my husband, my mom and sister, is in love. I see it in her eyes, on her face, in the way she carries herself and in her energy. It is a soul inspiring thing. Especially when you are able to catch that buzz and extend it to your own relationship. I have known Lance for almost 16 years and we are on year ten of marriage. And I still adore him. He still takes my breath away. Still makes me laugh so hard I have to tell him to stop. Still get tingles up the back of my neck when I see him. Still feel the tightness in my chest when I think of him. Still feel the rush. I can totally relate to my dear friend. It is the best feeling in the world. It's why people are always searching for it. It is a feeling of completion. A feeling of high without drugs or alcohol. And when it's reciprocated. Wow. It's the most magical, most euphoric sense one can ever hope to achieve. I am so happy for her. She deserves all the happiness in the world.

Thank you to the reader that made me aware that chaining dogs in Texas is illegal! Where the heck have I been? House Bill 1411 states (4) "Restraint" means a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device that attaches a dog to a stationary object or trolley system. Sec. 821.077. UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT OF DOG. (a) An owner may not leave a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint that unreasonably limits the dog's movement: (1) between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.; (2) within 500 feet of the premises of a school; or (3) in the case of extreme weather conditions, including conditions in which: (A) the actual or effective outdoor temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit; (B) a heat advisory has been issued by a local or state authority or jurisdiction; or (C) a hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued for the jurisdiction by the Na...

I used to go to the gym at five in the morning to work out on the eliptical and rowing machines. It was nice to get it over with. Later, in the evening, I would go back to the gym to do yoga. We ended our gym membership mostly because I freakin ' hate gyms (but that's another story) and it was m0 ney down the drain for my family that rarely used the membership to its fullest potential. I struggled with motivation for a while and not being able to find the right balance. But I have finally found it. I run two miles in the evenings with one of the dogs, come home and head straight upstairs . I shut the door to the master bedroom, dim the lights, put a new agey , spa station on XM , grab my mat and start my yoga. Not listening to others grunt, inevitably yak , or the instructions of the leader has been more than I ever imagined. Taking my time with poses, focusing in the areas I want to focus in on, breathing, pushing myself, it really has been cathartic. The run starts out stif...

It's funny how easy it is to minimize things that we don't really want to take the time to investigate and analyze. We are all busy in our lives. Parents running around working full time, grocery shopping, carting kids here and there, picking up last minute supplies, meeting with teachers, maintaining the home and transportation. Single people doing the same thing...just not multiplied by as much. They have to endure the stress of (gasp) dating, which I can't even fathom having to find the energy for. So when we drive by a house and see a dog chained to a tree with a bowl and little else, it is easy to think that it has access to water and the shelter of the tree...surely it must be fine. But I ask you to stop and think about it for a moment. The length of that tether determines the the amount of world that animal will experience. 3 ft? 4? 6? 8? An eight foot radius. In which to sleep. Eat. Defecate. Urinate. Eight feet suddenly doesn't seem like much. It's beginnin...

I did a search "what do gays want"...primarily because there's a lot of false information presented to look like fact. I think....what's the big deal? I mean there are a lot of people that don't believe in marriage. It's a legal thing anyway. Legitimizing the responsibilities in a legal sense. So, why do gays want it? It makes it way harder to leave. Suddenly you're in court splitting things, dividing time for the children, like so much pumpkin pie. One piece for you, one for me. Your piece is bigger! You get the picture. It's never pretty. So why not just cohab ? And then I read the following. ( http://www.villagevoice.com/2004-02-24/news/i-d-leave-the-country-but-my-wife-won-t-let-me/1 ) Here are some excerpts... I want to be a full citizen, with this woman [her partner, Sarah], today. I want to do whatever it takes, sacrifice whatever is necessary, go wherever I have to, for that to be so. I want to be taxed equally. I want my Social Security benefi...

I guess it's pretty well known now that something like 80+ churches decided to defy the separation of church and state with political sermons before the election. Their tax exempt status was not revoked. Now we have pastors, priests, preachers and other folks of said cloth wagging their fingers at parishioners for their possible votes for Obama. He is pro-choice...or rather as those that like to incite "pro-abortion" and therefore, doomed to eternal damnation and fast feet hot coal dancing. Who's "pro-abortion"? Seriously? Who? Who goes out and says I want to get pregnant so that I can live the joy of having a fetus sucked from my uterus? And of course the implication with the alternative to "pro-life" is...anti-life? Pro-death? Those hysterical frenzied masses that love to toss out the innocent baby images have no interest in solving the problem. The problem being: unwanted pregnancies. If they were interested in solving this problem, they would ...

In homage to those again denied their basic rights, hang in there. People will acquiesce. It is now a matter of time. Public opinion is changing. It's impossible, I know. Like seeing a child in an abusive situation until the paperwork is done for CPS. Or waiting for people to care about the plight of animals. It's heartbreaking. It's not fair. It's painful. But it will change. If we can finally elect a minority to run the country, there is hope. You will get the rights you deserve. Why Can't I Own a Canadian? October 2002 Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative: Dear Dr. Laura: Thank you fo...

There are nights that for the life of me I cannot close my eyes. I am not a "worrier", at least not in the same category as my mother and sister. I do worry about things but not compulsively. I don't look for things to worry about. I do have a tendency for "continued education" which to me is refreshing my passion for animal rights through video. There are many people that I know that cannot do it. They cannot bring themselves to watch the videos that show the plight of elephants & tigers in circuses or zoos, turkeys and chickens in factory farms, cows and pigs in slaughterhouses. It haunts them. It scars them. I understand this. But to be honest, it scars the animals a helluva lot more than it can ever scar us. So many people that I know think I am so principled. I find that counfounding. I don't consider myself excessively principled. I am, however, excessively haunted. Every video stays with me. And every time I see a burger, bacon, cheese, eggs, thos...

When Palin was tapped to be the republican VP , I did a little research. Just beneath the fluff, there were stories about her refusal to be briefed. She had no patience for coaching or training, choosing to be off the cuff and more natural. Which I do understand, in all honesty. No one wants to sound like a robot repeating factoids in rote fashion. But when one enters a new realm, especially one with so much exposure, so much scrutiny, I would think that anyone would defer to those that have experience and follow their directions. Palin , it appears, refused to do so. She balked at any training or instruction which led to her catastrophic interviews. She didn't know that Africa is a continent...not a country. She didn't know the countries involved in NAFTA. I don't think knowledge thwarts one's personal style. I believe that you can deliver thoughts and knowledge with a personal flair that separates you from everyone else. That's why Obama was such a phenomenon. Hi...

I guess the Evangelical Christians were right. God does pick the president. Glory, glory, glory! Lord God Almighty! Obama is our president elect. I am euphorically soaking in the honeymoon vibes. Let the changing begin!

And so it begins... News like this will begin as a trickle...ending in a torrent of negatives under the Palin column. NEWSWEEK has also learned that Palin's shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family--clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement. One aide estimated that she spent ...