Why Americans Need Help

I just discovered this article by Victor Davis Hanson. He is a writer/journalist who almost always has good ideas. The article discusses how we view history in the United States. I thought it made some excellent points. Hanson argues that we twist history and use it for political purposes. Since most Americans are not up on their history these days, it's very easy to get away with saying all manner of outrageous things. I hear it on a daily basis. I'm not the best with history unless it has to do with politics, so I am probably as guilty as any of letting outrageous statements slide. Anyway, great article, read it. I am stoked about finding Victor Davis Hanson's personal website as well. You will find a link down with my other political links.

Waiting for the Ring

This post has nothing to do with getting engaged since I am already married and have both my rings. It also has nothing to do with funny short people who have hair on the tops of their feet and are formally known as Hobbits. And nothing to do with a big, creepy, red eye wreathed in flames.

I am just frustrated because I do not have a job yet. I sit here all day waiting for my phone to ring and praying that I will get the perfect job for me. At least, it seems like the perfect job for me. But still no ring. Now I am almost jumping up and down in frustration. Please, please, please, I need a job and I want that job. I feel like a three year old or something. Except that there is much more on the line than whether or not I get a piece of candy in Meijer. There are loans to be paid and bills that keep coming.

Worst of all I am terribly restless. I need stress. I never thought I would say that, but it is true. In order for me to be happy with my life I need at least some stress. I do not need too much stress, I need just enough stress. I enjoyed working at Meijer even though it was stressful because when work was over I could leave the stress go home and vege-out. I had a reason to feel relieved and tired. I was not too stressed to work on my other projects. In fact, I had more reason to work on my other projects because they were stress reducers. Here I am tired with no reason, I do nothing but sit around, make food and read. I need a continuous project. I have things that I could do, but since I feel no challenge from the working part of my life to relieve stress I do not do those things.

My only ongoing theme seems to be waiting for the phone to ring.

The Draft Pence Movement

I had a meeting with two very interesting people this morning. They are part of a grassroots movement to elect Congressman Mike Pence for president in 2008. This was all interesting because Mike Pence himself has not decided to run for president. These two young people are starting a conservative movement to draft Mike Pence for president in 2008.

I have decided to join this cause and I will share my reasons for that.

A couple weeks ago I got a message from facebook telling me that a person in Indiana wanted to be on my "friends" list on the facebook. I thought, "Cool, I will finally know someone in Indiana." I checked out his profile and found that he was "very conservative." I thought "Cooler, this is a conservative in Indiana!" After a few days I received an email from my new friend. In this email he explained that he and his brother and a lot of other young people are working in a movement to draft Mike Pence for president. Furthermore, this is a grassroots movement where they travel around the country talking to people at colleges and spreading the message of conservatism. So today I invited two total strangers over to my apartment to discuss the conservative movement.

After coming to this town I discovered that most people's political ideals are far and away from my own. If you look at the post "Trim the Trees or Die" you will notice the differences between my views and the views of those who live in this town. It is rather depressing to realize that you are almost one of a kind. That you are surrounded by people who automatically assume you are pro-choice, you think trees look better when they are causing car accidents, and you hate George Bush. So when I saw the chance to get involved with something conservative I jumped.

These two young men entered (after knocking of course) our apartment, at first glance they looked almost exactly the same and are the same height. "Is one of you older or are you twins?" I asked. They are twins. No kidding. Just like me and Maria. One is quieter, one is more outgoing. But both are very interesting guys. They went to school together and seemed like best friends.

We started talking about conservatism, conservatism and Christianity, Christianity, and eventually got around to Mike Pence. We discussed why Christians should be involved in politics. And we heard about what a humble man Mike Pence is. He has moved up in leadership in the House very quickly, and he even turned down a leadership position because it went against his beliefs. This is a man who puts his principles before himself and any desire for power. He is in politics because that is where God wants him.

I am so impressed by the stories these two young men told me. To think that you can go into politics without the hunger for power driving you. Even when I fully believe that God wants me to be involved in politics; even when I see the principles God has convicted me about as higher entities than myself; even though I understand responsibilty and how terrifying it is, I cannot escape the desire for power. To realize that a humble person who really does hold to his principles is in office is an encouragement to me. But it is more than just that. It shows me that there is hope for this country and there is hope for good people to get involved in politics on a higher level. It shows me that you do not have to allow elected office to corrupt you and draw you into its ever downward spiral away from great principles. Like many I have often wondered if I can actually cheat a system that's very incentives are corrupt.

Mike Pence's story shows me that with God it is possible to live in the system and not be a part of that system. The story these two young men told was of a person convicted by God and brought back into politics years after he first tried to run for office. Now his message to people is not that of a politician, but that of a man saved by grace. He has prospered and risen to a position of authority not because he pushed people and drove them from their positions, but because God has blessed him. And that amazes me.

You may think that this is really cheezy. However, no one can say anything bad about Mike Pence. People who question him in anger do not rile him up. He answers them in kindness. Furthermore, he brings a positive message to young people. He speaks at youth conferences quite frequently and if you ask some young person in the DC area what they think of him they will tell you how much they like him.

If you check the side links you will see that I am linked to the blogs of the two people who told me about Mike Pence and the reviving of the conservative movement. We will continue to persuade others about Mike Pence. In the meantime I intend to research Pence thoroughly and post on him every once in a while. Good information is a part of good persuasion and I am looking to persuade my United Statesian readers.

Home Again

This past weekend mine and Craig's good friends Matt and Amber were married. The wedding was in Detroit. We drove more than six hours to be there. And it was definitely worth every hour plus all the caffeine it took to keep us both awake through the entire wedding and reception.

Several of our other friends were there as well including Bonnie and Amy, Josh and Gloria, and Casey and Andy. It was like a small class reunion. We missed Foley, Natalie, and anyone else who I might have forgot to add to this list. That may very well be the last time our group is almost all together in one place again. How sad.

Still, the wedding was awesome. The ceremony was beautiful. The food at the reception was great. We had tons of fun dancing. Craig and I can cut up the dance floor a bit. Although I have to say, Matt's friend Belal (sp?) was probably a better dancer than either of us. During several songs Craig, Belal and another friend of Matt's went out there and put on the moves. It was hilarious. They put their suit collars up and danced around out there. Then, to show off even more, Belal decided he would dance the rumba with me, of all people. It was fun even though I barely remember the rumba. I also have not danced with someone other than Craig since . . . well, since last year when I went to Vermont with the debate team and we all went Latin dancing. That was kind of weird. You get used to one person's style and leading after a while.

After the wedding we found a hotel at which to crash for the night. Then it was on to my old workplace to get some wedding photos. And then we went to my family's home for dinner.

Now I am back in my new home, much the worse for wear and with a scrapbook to work on.

To any of my good friends from the Dale who read this, I just want you to know you are the best friends a person could find and I miss you all so much. We will find a way to road trip out to see you all someday when I am making money instead of just spending it.

I Hate Interviews!

So, my interview was this morning. It took a long time to drive up there. Finding a parking place in the overcrowded visitors ramp was quite a feat. But at least I did not have to pay. I only found the parking garage because I accidentally ended up in the left turn lane on a one way street and had to go around the block. The entrance to the garage was down a street I had passed by. Furthermore, the parking garage did not even look like a parking garage except on the side with the entrance. So I guess you could say that God was watching out for me.

Finding the right room in the building was interesting. I have been in some screwed up buildings before, but never as bad as this one. I finally found room W072 between room W046 and W032! And I was still two minutes early! Yay! Good first impression for being early.

The interview started well. Being both Hillsdale alums we had lots to talk about. Toward the middle he asked me a question which I did not understand and could not answer. It was a stupid question anyway. Did I ever mention that I hate interviews. So then I had to do a writing sample to prove that I can write business-y emails and stuff. I think those turned out great. If they go by my paper trail they will have every reason in the world to hire me. But I was a little disoriented in the interview and I knew it.

I know that I am somewhat reserved when I first meet someone. Many people call this "shy" or "timid," but I maintain it is RESERVED. I choose not to be over exuberant. I choose to figure people out before I completely open up to them. I choose to be a little hesitant at moments. And I choose to mess up and destroy every interview I have to face! I hate interviews.

I am just praying that they are desperate enough to hire me. My past work experience is good and it shows me to be a responsible person willing to do tons of work all the time. I can deal with people, I can deal with research and I can make decisions. That is all they need.

And I could not answer that one stupid question . . .

In the end, God is still in control. If He wants me in this job, He will put me there, whether I make a few initial mistakes or not.

Scrutinizing Nonsense

I am never sure why the New York Times insists on publishing outright nonsense in its editorials. After reading the article linked in this post title I could only wonder, "They pay people to write this stuff?" I guess so, but they sure do not pay them to research it. Every time I read a New York Times editorial I am so annoyed that I do not usually finish reading it. This time I actually did finish the article. And I would like to make a few comments. First I will quote the article, then I will write my response. The colors differ, so you can figure out what's going on.

Quotation from the article:
" If [Roberts] is a mainstream conservative in the tradition of Justice O'Connor, he should be confirmed. But if on closer inspection he turns out to be an extreme ideologue with an agenda of stripping away important rights, he should not be. "

What's a an "extreme ideologue?" And what rights are they referencing? Perhaps they give us an answer . . .

"If extremists take control of the Supreme Court, we will end up with an America in which the federal government is powerless to protect against air pollution, unsafe working conditions and child labor."

The rights? Okay, child labor was outlawed in the early 1900s when we supposedly had a more "extremist" Court. Workers unions took care of unsafe working conditions. I highly doubt the court would start striking down federal laws on working conditions anyway, since it has to do with interstate commerce. And air pollution, hold on, how often does the Supreme Court make decisions about air pollution?

"He dissented in an Endangered Species Act case in a way that suggested he might hold an array of environmental laws, and other important federal protections, to be unconstitutional. "

Another right! And the Constitution has an entire section on endangered species and why they must be protected . . . or NOT. To me this just says that the man thinks for himself.

"Compared with many of the possible nominees whose names have been circulating, he has a thin record on controversial subjects. This may have helped him win the nomination because it gives the other side so little to work with. But it also puts a greater burden on the Senate to determine what kind of justice he would be."

Or it puts a greater burden on annoying, stupid reporters and editorialists with no understanding of research to make the American people uncertain about the nominee? Furthermore, Roberts has a lot of experience in law and a decent record of writings on issues of the day. His paper trail is hardly "thin."

"There are also serious questions about the attitude of Judge Roberts toward abortion rights. As a lawyer in the first President Bush's administration, he helped write a brief arguing that Roe v. Wade should be overturned."

As a pro-lifer I do not mind if he did help write such a brief. Speaking to a probably liberal NY Times writer I would point out that liberalism holds a relativistic view. That means that more than one opinion exists on most issues and more than one opinion is valid on just about every issue. Apparently not "abortion rights." And the editorialist who knows so much left out the fact that when confirmed as a circuit court judge Roberts said he would uphold Roe because it was law.

"President Bush did the country a service by making his nomination early enough for the Senate to have ample time to investigate the judge's record and hold hearings."

Translation: Isn't it exciting that those of us who know absolutely nothing about the Supreme Court or the federal government can pick this guy apart for an entire month before his hearing starts? Wouldn't you like to be the writer of the next "Bork's America?"

"It would be irresponsible to take a position on the nomination of Judge Roberts until his background is carefully reviewed, and until senators have a chance to question him at length."

Anyone but a New York Times editorialist should not make a hasty decision about this guy. Even if you do bother to go read up on him, remember that you should "carefully" research his background and make up your mind along with those who obviously did no research whatsoever!

"The nomination of a new Supreme Court justice is a great moment for the nation, providing new vigor to a great American institution. The entire country has a stake in the outcome."

And don't forget to throw some random thing in at the end to make this sound like you were trying to be inspiring.

More Than Ten Years

President Bush has chosen John G. Roberts for his nominee to the Supreme Court to replace Sandra Day O'Conner (who announced her retirement on July 1st). At least that appears to be the case.

Speculators (otherwise known as reporters) have been hashing this out all day. Most assumed that GWB would choose another woman for the nominee. This has been talked of a lot since First Lady Laura Bush suggested that it would be nice to replace O'Conner with another woman on the court. I agree with the First Lady, but I think Bush should have chosen Priscilla Owen. That would have been somewhat explosive, considering it took him three tries to get her elevated to her current judicial status. And if you put her name into Google you will get nothing but reports that badmouth her. Nobody wants another confirmation hearing like that of Bork in 1987.

Roberts appears to have a squeaky-clean and conservative record. He has written against Roe v. Wade, but he has also stated that he must uphold it because it is law. You can read more about him in the above link, and you can read more about the process as it occurs here.

After years of filibusters and total crap, I certainly hope these hearings will be quick and clean. In May, Bush reached the Gang of Fourteen deal, which is supposed to help stop filibusters in relation to confirmations. We will see how that goes, won't we? Personally, I find it amusing that Democrats are so gung ho for filibusters. I would point out that the most famous filibuster was the 57 day filibuster that attempted to block the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I think that was the longest filibuster ever, but I could be wrong. The late Senator Strom Thurmond holds the longest one person speech in a filibuster (or anyting on the Senate floor). He held out for 24 hours and 18 minutes. During that speech Thurmond urinated into a spitoon located near him on the Senate chamber's floor. Anyway. That's just a bit of trivia. I find it odd that so many can uphold something that has been used for so much wrong. The filibuster has been a hindrance to freedom many times. It is most well known for the moments that southern Senators held out against civil rights legislation, even civil rights legislation that banned public lynchings. Yet the ones who were and are against the way it was used in the past are the ones who leap at the chance to filibuster a court nomination now.

What To Say?

I am having one of those days where all kinds of ideas, words, and potential writings boil inside of me, yet I do not know what to say. I have been thinking about the Iraq war. I have tried putting the London bombings into perspective. I have been reading about the Supreme Court potential nominees. The whole Karl Rove thing bores me silly, but I read it. I have kept up with the news like a good poli-sci graduate. Still, at the moment I do not really care about the news.

Moving to a new place is a cool experience. But it took until I was almost completely settled to start reflecting on what has happened to me over the past several months. I sit here day after day finishing up wedding related things (like those thank yous that still sit in boxes on my tabletop), and trying to find a job. I spend my free time reading my friends' blogs to keep up on their lives. (That is, when I am not spending time with Craig.) And that is my dilemma! I have to keep up with my friends' lives online! I am not with them anymore. I am within road tripping distance of most of my friends. Some are farther away than others.

The horror. This is how it is going to be for the rest of my life! The friends I made at school will probably never be within walking distance of my home again. We spent the most responsibility free four years of our lives together! And now there are bills, bills, and more bills.

To think, four years ago I did not know any of these people and had no indication that I ever would! How things change! A wise person once said to me, "It does not matter how long your life is, at the end it will always seem like it went by so fast." That is how I feel about college. At the beginning everyone has the same thought, "Four years, that will take forever!" And at the end, you can only look back and wonder that it all happened so fast yet meant so much.

That is, unless you hated your college experience, or unless you were an immature jerk and you realize that now. Okay, that was random.

Back on topic. I miss my friends! I think the weirdest time will be when we do not all return to the Dale in the fall. Then, naturally, I will be asked to come back to Hillsdale and judge some debates, or judge debates in my area. And I will see nothing but students who were in classes other than my own! But the campus will still look the same.

At Random

Foley wrote this so I am posting this description of me to my blog, so here goes:

Esther
1. Well, I like everything about you, but I'd have to say your consideration for others is at the top!
2. 7:50 am because that's about when you had to take a shower in the morning and I had to try to be out by then.
3. Hmm, only one? Faithful
4. Oh, man, we've had a lot of memorable momments. Let's see, the Mickey Dance is at the top, but I think the best was after we both went to bed, but we'd talk for hours and then get upset because we had to get up early for class.
5. Blue, definitely. One because of your eyes, two because you just look stunning in it!
6. I've always wondered if you had grown up with lots of money would you still be so practical with it?
7. Put this in your blog!

It answers the following questions:

1. If I were to apply an o'clock to you, I'll tell you what it would be.
2. I will try to name a single word that best describes you.
3. I'll tell you the most memorable moment I've had with you.
4. I will tell you what color you remind me of.
5. I'll then tell you something that I've always wondered about you.

Other news. Yesterday I watched "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". If you know me in real life than you probably know that I have anticipated the arrival of this movie to the big screen. In fact, if you know me well enough you know that I anticipated it so much I thought it came out 17 days before it actually did appear in theatres. I was stunned watching this movie. It was not at all what I had expected.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory outdid any imaginations I had about it. It was better than I thought it would be. I have heard so many people whine and say things like, "Johnny Depp would never make a good Willie Wonka," and "How can you replace Gene Wilder?" I completely understand this viewpoint, after all, most remakes suck. But this one was better than the original.

Chances are, if you have read some reviews, or if you have watched some previews you're thinking "Johnny Deep was trying to act like Michael Jackson!" Yes, even Roger Ebert agrees with this diagnosis. Okay, so let's put this in perspective. Roald Dahl wrote a story about a kid named Charlie who goes to a chocolate factory that is owned by a reclusive man in a tall hat. His wardrobe in the book is similar to that in the movie. He is an adult who has created a giant, dreamlike palace of candy and lives there alone. Hmm, does this sound like Michael Jackson? Yes. Except for the candy part. How is it not supposed to sound like Michael Jackson? The only way for that to happen would be if you made Willie Wonka into a muscular or tubby African-American man with a beard. From my own perspective, I did not think Johnny Depp's Willie Wonka was creepy at all. I thought he was hilarious. I thought he was a great overgrown child whose father did not allow him to eat candy when he was a kid. He did not remind me of Michael Jackson in the slightest and his responses to those around him were much like a child who does not know how to act would respond.

On a side note I really liked the flashbacks that Willie Wonka had into his own childhood. I cannot imagine someone putting headgear like that on a kid. It was hilarious, and you could feel his painful embarrassment just watching him.

The acting all around was amazing. The kid who played Charlie did a remarkable job. All the kids were good. And I thought the punishments that the monstrous children went through were less creepily done than in the older version of this movie. The Oompa-Loompas were hysterical. Their musical numbers cut the place up, and Willie Wonka's response to their singing was great. He'd start dancing a little and whatever parent whose child just arrived at a tragic moment would just glare fireballs at him. It was so funny.

The visual effects were amazing. That room with all the candy just made you wish you were there eating and enjoying to your heart's content. The little suits that the Oompa Loompa's wore were so cute. And the Oompa Loompa's were NOT orange! That made me happy. Also that one part where they travel on the barge through the tunnel did not nauseate me. In the Gene Wilder movie, that was really creepy.

One other thing that I liked better than the older version was the pace. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory moves a little faster. I think I could watch it over several times and not get bored, whereas if I watch the old one more than twice a year I am bored out of my mind by it. All in all, "Charlie" kept the charm of "Willie Wonka," while adding some things that made it a better movie.

I recommend this movie. Unless you really hate Tim Burton (it is Tim Burton at his very best, and who else could do dark, slightly morbid Roald Dahl so well?), go watch it.

Awesomeness

Happy blue it is today!

I just got off the phone with a government office in Indy. I have a job interview in one week!

To make this even better the job interview is with a Hillsdale College alum whom I have spoken to on the phone countless times! He told me flat out that he thinks I am overqualified for this job. Furthermore, he advised that it is one way to get a better job in his agency, and in Indiana politics in general. That means that I am basically a shoo-in. What Hillsdale graduate with a poli-sci major would not hire another Hillsdale graduate with a poli-sci major? None, of course.

I am so thankful, God willing, I will have a job in not too long at all. I have been praying about this so much and this may be the answer that God is giving me.

Trim the Trees or Die!

This unexplained statement describes the town where I now live extremely well. As it happens, the people of Bloomington would rather die than trim the trees. All along the narrow streets of the city overhanging trees block motorists' vision. They cover road signs -- including speed limits and school crossings. They block the streets that may be on either side of you, so that a driver cannot tell where a street is until he or she is already driving past. Sometimes when coming up on a stop and looking past the stop I am not sure if the road I am on actually keeps going or if I have reached its end. Furthermore, the city government has allowed large trees to grow up through the power lines. Some of these trees have entwined themselves through the wires. If one of them fell it would most likely land in the road, bring down live wires and probably a few smaller trees as well. They also have no shoulder to their roads. And that would be fine, except that nobody mows the tall grass and bushes away from the road edge. Visibility is limited at best.

Who could possibly be this stupid?!

It's nothing more than your common, ordinary, everyday hippy. They're everywhere here. And they flatly refuse to trim their bushes. "Let the beautiful trees grow," they say, "killing them is bad." Who says you have to kill the trees to trim them away from the roads and power lines?!

None of this would be so bad, however, if people actually knew how to drive. Now I am from Michigan, I am not from a place filled with paragons of excellent driving. I am from a place where most people drive too fast, weave around one another on the exressway and pull out in front of other cars whenever possible. At the same time, there is a major difference between Michigan and Indiana drivers. Michigan drivers try to avoid accidents, Indiana drivers just don't care. For example, driving yesterday I saw three accidents in the making and three accidents after the fact. I have never seen so many traffic problems before. And it was apparent to me that the people driving just did not care what they did. They don't have a death wish or anything, they just don't give a rip if they or somebody else gets into a terrible accident. They do nothing to avoid accidents. I am not sure if they know how to avoid them.

When I drive I do something which I refer to as "behavior modification tactics." This means I make other people change the way they drive, at least while I am around. I honk my horn (something no one in America does!), I move in front of idiots who try to pass me on the right, I slow down in front of tailgaters until they either pass me or realize they have to stop tailgating to get me to go faster. This works in Michigan, but in Indiana, nobody cares!

I am partially amazed and partially not surprised by all this. But if I have to live here for the rest of my life I am going to have a public temper tantrum and rant at everyone around me about how stupid they are when they get into a car.

And why can't they just trim the trees back away from the roads?!

Home From Paradise

Maui is the most beautiful island I have ever experienced. A little more to the point, it is the most beautiful place I have ever been. Lush, green beauty covers the island and the sun shines all day long. The scent of the sea permeates every breeze. Lovely, unimaginable beauty.

Then I saw my home state of Michigan again. I know, it rains or snows three quarters of the time. And three quarters of that fourth quarter there is nothing but clouds in the sky. The sun rarely shines in that fair state. But its beauty to me overpowers the immediate beauty of Maui.

I am crazy. Let me explain.

Michigan is the smell after the rainfall, the soft, fertile scent of growing grass and trees. It is the smell of dark topsoil awaiting the plough. The weather, while some might call it stereotypical is true weather. It changes in a heartbeat from good to bad and back again. But it is weather. You can feel the power in each thundercap and rejoice in the strength of a torrential downpour or a blowing snowstorm. The beauty of the wind as it sweeps across the rippling fields of corn or wheat or soybeans is comparable to the waves lapping toward the Maui shore. Unpredictable, in winter or summer, the weather gives one no room for boredom. While the intense cold of the winter months has been more difficult to bear with each passing year, I love the knowledge that unlike the warm weather crowd, I am no wimp. And despite the terrifying and capricious way I have described my home state, there is something more you ought to know. I can tell you every change in the weather before it occurs. I can look at the clouds and tell you how soon it will rain or if it will rain in the place where you are. I can test the wind -- direction and speed -- and know what tonight or tomorrow will bring. I can smell the air and tell you a hundred different things. And I can look at the sunset and know if tomorrow will be warm or cold, and if so how warm or cold it will be. That is part of what I love about Michigan. But there is more.

In a way the waters make the state.The lakes, though a bit fishy, are perfect mirrors when the wind stops. The cleanness of the white sand piled in dunes along the beaches of the Great Lakes surpasses the dirty, sticky sand of the Pacific Ocean. When you duck beneath the waters of any lake you come out clean, with no taste of a salt overdose in your mouth. The fishing, oh the fishing! While I would love to experience deep sea fishing, nothing will ever take away the joy of sitting in a canoe casting my line and reeling it in, hoping for a bass, bluegill or walleye. In Michigan you can never be more than half a mile from a water source. If a lake is not available a stream or river angles across the road. A marsh or bog may sit idle in the brimming summer heat.

Then there are the trees and the wildlife. Climbing trees is such a joy. And who can climb a palm tree? I don't know, but I can climb just about any tree in Michigan. Sitting in the dimness of a woodsy glade, watching small Bambis play, or squirrels chatter, or birds sing is a fine occupation. Building forts in the woods is also fun.

It is a wonderful place to be a child. You come home covered in mud or grass stains, but you had fun getting that way. And besides, you're still not self conscious enough to care who notices that your clothes never come clean and your hair is always untidy.

I suppose if I had grown up in Detroit I might have a different perspective. But different or not, I think I would always love Michigan more than Maui.

And those were my thoughts when I returned home for half a day. I gathered the last of my things, and promptly moved down to Indiana. Indiana is (pardon my language) crap, compared to Michigan. And the people are freakin' weird! But here I am, with my wonderful husband, happy as a clam.

If you are someone I know in real life and do not have my new phone number, let me know. I will get it to you.

Yeah, the wedding was great, the honeymoon wonderful and we are settling into married life quite well. I will go back to my good old political posts soon.

P.S. If you want to see a few wedding pics go to my friend Foley's (on the right among "Friends") blog.