Princess in the Queen City

Proof we're going to hell in a hand basket

2007-10-06T17:32:00.001-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/fashion/07kids.html?hp

Another Democratic response...

2007-09-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

First of all, I know almost no one will read this as it's been longer than a half a year since I posted. But, still, I've had it up to here (imagine my hand perpendicular to my neck)and had to vent somewhere.

Here's why I'll never understand conservatives: recently in the state in which I reside there was a massive tornado and there's about to be a shit fit out east because people aren't insured appropriately to qualify for FEMA help. That's all well and good, I mean if a whirlwind ripped through my house I'd have my hand out as well, waiting for some much needed funds. Here's the problem: no one wants their taxes to go up; everyone praises tax cuts. How are we meant to fund anything if people don't want to put money into something and then have their hands out waiting for help? No, it can't be someone else's money, it has to be all of our money. That's how government is supposed to work.

That example not good enough for you? Why is it then that as I've been listening to the city and the county attempt to adopt an annual budget that the public safety keeps getting the shaft? No one wants to hear their taxes are rising because we want another police vehicle or we need another officer to man the schools. But sure enough when the bomb threats come in, people wonder why there's not more staff.

I'm not saying I have all the answers and I certainly don't have the money to offer to the victims of the tornado or the sheriff's department, but I pay my taxes and don't bitch too often.

God, I miss the good ole days of FDR. Sigh.

My family is better than yours...

2007-01-23T21:27:00.000-08:00

...and so are my friends!

First, I will tell you that my mom dresses cooler than me. She still gives me hand-me-downs, and they are way cooler than anything I own. Plus, she likes some pretty cool music and movies.

Second, I will tell you that my dad was happy about the mix CD I made because it included a band that he had really liked but didn't know who it was. Even better, he thought the band sounded like Iron & Wine. Does your dad know who Iron & Wine is?

Third, I will tell you that my brother has a very smart and nice girlfriend, which really doesn't make him better than your family but it is good news. He does again have good taste in movies and music and surely knows more actors than you do. And he got me severely drunk this weekend and that makes him damn cool in my book.

Fourth, my baby brother already likes music more than your average listener, which makes him cooler than most average listener.

Finally, my step-dad knows who Jeremy Piven is, which is pretty nice for a doctor.

These were in no particular order.

Now, on to my friends. Well, there's no real debating it that they're better than your friends but I will tell you what tops the list this week: one of my best friends in the world is first cousins with a friend of mine from college. Now, I didn't go to a college with 2,200 people, I went to one with 22,000 (well more), so me knowing this kid is not easy. And while there aren't many people in the Queen City, not too many foreigners end up here and certainly not ones who know people I know. Damn, my friends are awesome!

That's all the news for today. I missed the State of the Union so I'll have to read about it and catch up on it later to offer this year's democratic response. Yay politics!

The most OFFENSIVE forward I have ever received...

2007-01-05T11:29:00.000-08:00

Text below:

This text is from a county emergency manager out in the western part of
Jefferson County after a snowstorm.

WEATHER BULLETIN

Up here, in the Northern Plains, we just recovered from a Historic
event--- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" ---
with a historic blizzard of up to 44" inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH
that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds
of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of
communities and cut power to 10's of thousands.

FYI:

George Bush did not come.

FEMA did nothing.
No one howled for the government.

No one blamed the government.

No one even uttered an expletive on TV.

Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit.

Our Mayor did not blame Bush or anyone else.

Our Governor did not blame Bush or anyone else, either.

CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC did not visit - or report on this category 5
snowstorm.

Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.

No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.

No one looted.

Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something.

Nobody expected the government to do anything, either.

No Larry King, No Bill O'Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No
Geraldo Rivera.

No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Hollywood types to be found.

Nope, we just melted the snow for water.

Sent out caravans of SUV's to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars.

The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didn't ask for a
penny.

Local restaurants made food and the police and fire departments
delivered it to the snowbound families.

Families took in the stranded people - total strangers.

We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman
lanterns.

We put on extra layers of clothes because up here it is "Work or Die".

We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of
a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades
votes for 'sittin at home' checks.

Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has never fallen this
early, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.

"In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 40
degrees North Latitude, 90% of the world's social problems evaporate."
It does seem that way, at least to me.

I hope this gets passed on.
Maybe SOME people will get the message. The world does Not owe you a
living.

<span style="font-size:100%;">I cannot stand it when people try to pretend that other weather phenomena we've experienced since Hurrican Katrina even compares to that level of devestation. Yes, Denver had a bad snow storm. Yes, it more than likely screwed over a lot of residents and travelers. Did it cost thousands of lives? No. Was there something that could have been done beforehand, like say build better levees? No. Besides all that, having lived through a damaging blizzard in the last year, I'll be fairly confident that even though FEMA wasn't called in immediately (probably because it wasn't as damaging as the Hurricane), they're going to be giving money to the state and the city. It happened here. Finally, what makes this worse is there are devestating things like this all over the world - there was a tsunami last year at Christmas in Asia, a Hurricane somewhere else in Asia this year, a earthquake that people are probably still recovering from more than a year later in Pakistan; and still, poor pitiful us and our snow.

Tell me how a blizzard in Denver is on the same playing field with these events and I'll listen to how well you cared for yourselves and didn't require the same amount of assistance as these real disasters. But chances are good you can't come up with anything to match these natural disasters, so spare me your ridiculous forwards.

I don't think I'm single...

2006-12-12T20:53:00.000-08:00

I just took a Mental_Floss quiz asking if I was single. I got 2 out of 5. Does this mean I'm not single or just it's more pathetic that I am? I'm confused.

incredibly pathetic

2006-11-27T00:43:00.000-08:00

About the only reason I have to live anymore is The West Wing.

I can't tell you what an incredibly good show it is and how much it means to my faith in humanity (but it does help that the Dems just took control of both houses). But what I will say is that I've been watching the show at its peak (the second season, from what I've been told and read) and what I will say is the last two 'sodes have inspired me in every aspect of my life.

1) Episode 1 - "The Stackhouse Filibuster" - "Tonight, I've seen a man with no legs stay standing, dad, and a guy with no voice keep shouting; and if politics brings out the worst in people, maybe people bring out the best."

2) Episode 2 - "17 People" - Josh Lymon - "If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for a beer." Donnatella Moss - "If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for red lights."

It appeals to the romantic and democracy-lover in all of us. Now if I only had more of a life to care about something other than a drama that premiered eight years ago.

Sleep well and happy December.

Big Mouth strikes again...

2006-11-24T16:47:00.000-08:00

Oh, Republicans, when will you ever learn? If you'd stop doing ridiculously dumb things, I'd stop thinking you were so ridiculously dumb. And stop dragging Boston University's good reputation through the mud. To read more, click here.

I guess the College Republicans at BU are trying to make some point about affirmative action. Something about awarding scholarships to specifically caucations. But I am not convinced that the BU campus is the right one to make such a point. If memory serves, it's one of the whitest schools on the planet. And while there were a lot more ladies, certainly there wasn't a lot of color. So whatever point they're trying to make, seems lost.

Further, since when does BU have Republicans? Again, if memory serves, everyone votes blue in Boston (except, probably, the former Chancellor).

The world has turned...

2006-11-21T23:19:00.000-08:00

Do you think that Weezer's blue album is the Gen-Y's Rumours? It has been out for more than a decade and it still never gets old to me - do you think it has another score in it?

Just a thought in this mushy brain that is over-stressed, over-tired and possibly deranged.

That's all folks.

Where's the funny?

2006-11-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

You know you're at a lull when your romantic life resembles a plot from The O.C. and your professional life resembles Bridget Jones' Diary.

I have either forgotten to laugh at myself or am lacking for people to laugh at me.

Sigh. At least I have the children.

Whose house runs House?

2006-11-09T22:35:00.000-08:00

This will be quick because I'm either busy watching a liberally slanted television show or reading a liberally slanted magazine/blog or both.

Whose house runs House?!

The mother-f-ing Dems that is who! We have both houses. Both. We have the House of Representatives. We have the Senate. Even in my lowly state, which isn't about to make Blue State of the Year had losses (with a half-billion dollar surplus, no less). I concede we're still in the minority here, but somebody pinch me, D.C. is seeing BLUE!

Seriously, literally, on every level imaginable, I cannot honestly remember a Dem controlled Congress. The first House leader I remember is Gingrinch - try getting that out of your nightmares. That reminds me, somebody pinch me, if I can't remember a Democrat controlled house, I'm probably dreaming.

Or else watching The West Wing. Oh, that reminds me, back to season two....

Anything is possible!

2006-11-08T01:18:00.000-08:00

I have not felt this happy and giddy since the Red Sox beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the division series in 2004! What a day. Godspeed, you two fine Democrats who have yet to win a Senate seat.

I got the VERY best comment today about the trials the Dems have ahead of them. It was this: 'Once you catch the fish, or shoot the bear, then the real work begins.' To me, it says, we've got it, what are we going to do with it (and don't screw this up!)? Godspeed to all you Dems. Shine on you crazy diamonds!

Good night...

Wiser? Maybe.

2006-11-02T23:54:00.000-08:00

Meaner? Yes.

So, I turned the sprightly age of 25 this week, and it's got me a little freaked out. However, if you're older than me and you're name is Pete, you think I'm a fucking idiot for worrying so much. But hey, them's the breaks for a whiner like me.

I hope I'm not a bad person, but I realize as I get older I deal a lot less with people's bullshit. I still don't particularly like confrontation, but telling someone what I really think has saved me a lot of energy in the past few months. Ahh, I'm a bastard.

As I've expanded on it personally to some of those closest to me, I won't go into this second installment of my mid-mid life crisis, but rest assured it is here. Maybe it's an every milestone thing or an every five year thing, but sometimes you need to re-evaluate where you are at and where you want to go. For me, I'm thinking beach-front property in a blue state. Ahhh....

I have two other unrelated matters to discuss.

1) Fantasy Congress is going to be amazing!!! I picked my team today and on the plus side I got Barack; on the plus-side-but-going-to-lose-miserably, I got Dennis Kucinich. Hooray for being a nerdlinger.

2) I have a new boyfriend. His name is Christian Bale. You might have seen him recently in The Prestige. In X-inia world, he thinks I'm fantastic too. In the real world, the $25 bucks or so I've spent to see his movies probably doesn't amount to much. Sigh.

Back to this little lady's fantasy world....

I live for this...

2006-10-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

One-third of the way in, I've got fall fever, baby!

Even though I spent way more than I should have at the grocery store, I'm in fall heaven. I did not get a cornocopia, nor did I get cider, so I may not be the BIGGEST autumn enthusiast, but I'm pretty close.

I bought cranberries and green apples for fruits. I bought all kinds of squash - two went for a delicious chowder and the other will be eaten with dinner at my leisure - for vegetables. I think the cranberries are still a bit tart, but hey, so am I. I've moved on to warmer lunches of chili dogs (turkey dogs and veggie chili, but still) and chicken & dumpling soup. I made pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. I bought candles that smell like cranberries with orange and mulled cider.

It's a fall fest all the way. Now all I have to do is convince Allison to do some pumpkin carving with me and I'm all set.

It's eight days till my birthday, and I'll be honest, I'm a little freaked about being 25. But that's why I have all of the above, and red wine, yummy red wine (which, by the way, goes great with cranberries).

Oh did I forget to mention, it's the World Series? I live for this (and those awesome commercials)! Go Tigers!

Disappointing endings

2006-10-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

If I ever get around to writing a book about relationships ending, the best metaphor might be of an anti-climactic one is the end of tonight's Mets v. Cardinals game.

Seriously, how anyone can live with a game that ends with the bases loaded and two outs and someone (ahem, Carlos Beltran) gets the third and final out on a CALLED STRIKE?! Who loses the pennant race on a called strike? It's horrifically anti-climactic and yet still depressing, again, like a relationship that just slowly fades away... it's no less melodramatic and tragic but still it fades away. Sigh.

Okay, now that I've been my own kind of dramatic, I'm going to make myself a consolation prize brownie and go on with life, secure in the knowledge that the Tigers will beat the Cardinals in the World Series. Ahhh. Enjoy the calm.

Two happy thoughts...

2006-10-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

On this weird/miserable/okay day, I have two simply joyous little thoughts:

Could there be anything better in this world than (1) white Russians and (2) The West Wing on a freezing cold evening after working a late shift?

Well, maybe, but I'm still in heaven tonight.

13 Going on 25

2006-10-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

Last night was hands-down the best night I've had since Labor Day.

I lived like a 13-year-old girl and it's never been more fun. My Internet friends, who really at this point should just be called friends, invited me over to their house to watch horror flicks. In celebration of Friday the 13th and the fact that Halloween is just over two weeks away, we thought it was appropriate. Well, okay, Allison did, but it was an emotion seconded by me and thirded by her husband. Is thirded a word? Can I add it to the dictionary if not?

More than watching horror movies, we dined like kings on peanut butter cups, popcorn and wine. Who could ask for better horror movie grub?

I probably stayed up later than I have in months but we made it through three movies. In honor of our reason to get together, we watched Friday the 13th Part II first, and I was delighted that my friends were happy to laugh at the movie with me. I'll grant you our comments were no deeper than analyzing how particularly clueless the characters were, but it was great fun nonetheless. We then bantered briefly about the meaning of organic and whether I could write a story on it. Then, we watched perhaps the best named movie ever to be made, Frankenfish. I'll grant you the movie was hilariously bad but it was all that the three of us could have asked for, and I even think a bit character from Batman Begins is in it. I imagine you can guess the plot based on the title, but it's so much more than a flick about a giant man-eating fish, it also touches on such deep subjects as the after-effects of the Vietnam War (thanks to Ricardo), the crazy voodoo lady and her gut feelings and the sport of hunting big fish. We then ended up chatting on the awesomeness of Emergency & I and The Arcade Fire. Then, we watched The Howling, which kind of confused me but that might have been because I was too busy talking about cryptozoology instead of watching the werewolf flick. Still, there were some great scenes, some maulings and of course, tons of nudity. Great times!

So, yeah, all in all, it was a good weekend and now it's time to catch up on reading my goofy political stuff. Yay Barack!

Just a little bit...

2006-10-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

I keep getting all these ideas for blogs but when I finally sit down to write, I can't think of anything except all the other things I should be doing. However, since I'm drawing a blank, I'll keep this short and simple.

Basically, I caught up with two Netflix movies in the last few days and wanted to share my opinion with the world:

1) Jersey Girl - you know a romantic comedy isn't good in my book when I start crying because of the Bruce Springsteen song at the end and not because of the movie. As most romantic comedies go, it was all right, and although predictable still fun. Of course, the end scenes happened and sort of groan that that's the end and then this little live song comes on and The Boss starts singing Sha-la-la, and I lost it. I just broke down like the little girl I am. At least my heart is buried in this body somewhere.

2) Born Rich - like both these movies, I should have seen this a long time ago, and in fact have been thinking about it ever since I heard about it at least three years ago. It's awesome. Really if you haven't felt bad for really, really rich people for a long time, this is a movie to make you pity them. I am being mildly facetious but it was an interesting perspective and it does make you sympathize with them to an extent. I mean, Ivanka Trump found out her parents were getting divorced from The New York Post. At least I had the luxury of learning about it in private and sharing it with my friends when I was ready. One of the Johnson (of Johnson and Johnson) learned how rich he was from one of his 5th grade classmates who brought in a Forbes Fortune 500 issue. That would totally mess a kid up. Plus, on some level it is a little interesting to see how much these people don't understand about what is a reality for most people. Finally, the last thing I'll say is this: an overpriced, private school education sure does work; all those kids (most of them my age or younger) had tremendous vocabulary and had an understand of their place and that most people weren't like them, and most of them had even at least tried to hold down a job or find something they liked to do. A couple of them were even a little cute...too bad they don't date outside of their class. Sigh.

Anyway, it's crossword puzzle time! Yessssssss!

Post Script - I used spell check for the first time on this - did you know that Blogger doesn't recognize the word 'blog' as a word? Weird.

Oh no! I'm GWB

2006-10-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

It's a rough day when you realize that listening to your gut instinct and intuition make you think you're the Commander in Chief, rather than a sensible person. I'd ask somebody to talk me out of it, but I'm too stubborn.

Welcome to the world of Xinia surrendering to destiny. Take that, free will!

Ferris Bueller, you're my hero

2006-10-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

In an effor to make this timely, I feel like i should say something along the lines of: with the recent success of Heroes, the theme of today's blog is about my hero of the week. But that probably just means I've been watching too much daytime television or something.

But seriously, my hero this week is Cindy. She totally picked up my slack.

Because it's short, I'll start with her advice on relationships. She said, "You should never feel bad about loving somebody." Truer words were never spoken and I'm sure it was all the more difficult for Cindy to muster them as she doesn't really have faith in relationships. Still, kudos to her for offering some sage advice.

The second (and larger) reason she's my hero is for her taking me to Bismarck for a procedure. Eh, let's not mince words, I might still be delusional from the anasthesia so I may as well tell the world (like Katie Couric did but on a much smaller scale) that I had a colonoscopy. I recommend the anasthesia, but not the process to getting there.

Real quick: I'm fine, sort of; the results so far are negative.

Anyway, Cindy is my hero because she drove me there and back. But if that wasn't enough the nurses didn't warn me, and therefore not her, that she was going to be in for most of the ride. I got there at 7 a.m., and I was told to undress. Thankfully, Cindy left the room for that, but she did come in once I got my hospital garb on and watched the Today show with me (Matt Lauer used to be cool), and stayed while they started the IV and I almost passed out from saline (yeah, I have a low tolerance). Then, they carted me down to the room for the procedure and Cindy was taken to a waiting room. Once they started me on the anasthesia, I remember nothing. I remember the doctor coming in and I remember the nurse with the cool glasses and the other nurse who wrapped me in warm blankets. Before I knew it, I was back in the other room; the doctor had already told Cindy all my results; and they said I could get dressed. This time I was so dazed that Cindy did stay in there while I dressed to help me stay steady. After I got dressed, she sat with my while I ate one piece of toast and drank some water. I fell asleep while she drove me home and she helped me inside and fed my cats so I wouldn't fall asleep again and leave them locked up. All in all, she was great.

She even made me call later just to let her know that I was doing okay.

It's certainly not an experience I would recommend for anyone, but I was so glad to have someone there with me. Hooray for heroes.

The Ice of Boston is muddy

2006-09-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Native Bostonians Unable To Defend Land From Invading College Students

BOSTON—With vast amounts of outside money funding the invasion, Boston-area locals say they are unable to compete with the student onslaught.

It's been awhile since I've read The Onion, but this caught my eye. It made me laugh one of those nostalgic laughs that then almost made me cry. Almost.

Anyway, if I did it right you should be able to link to the full article. All you crazy Bostonians out there, enjoy.

On the dark side

2006-09-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

Well, my first official post under my new web address is a grouchy one.

I'm finally starting to get my cold; it's f-ing freezing already (not literally, but it was in the high 30s tody); my tummy aches; and in general, I'm becoming a malcontent. The bright side is I think I did a few things right at my job and it's going smoothly - of course, this might be because it's the only thing that isn't going badly. (I'm feeling a tad melodramatic.)

I'm really searching for something more interesting going on in my life, but I'm roughly coming up with the fact that I have an extra long weekend coming up, with nothing to do. So far, my imaginary plans are to have lunch with my Internet friends on Friday (but I have to ask first) and be cured on Monday of whatever is causing my upset stomach (this is only a hope). That's not too many things in four days, so I might also read a little; I will likely sleep a lot; and I'll probably spend time with the co-workers at the bar.

Anyway, feeling not a little pathetic, I'm going to go watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the 10th time, just right after I check my email and play online a bit.

It's good to be back.

Going Underground

2006-09-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning the slow process toward becoming anonymous.

I don't mean that in any sort of meta/nihilistic sense. I mean it literally. As anyone might have noticed who has even bothered to check my blog, I've been very, very absent. That has happened for a multitude of reasons, most of which relate to the fact that I've been discovered too often and really meant my posts to be for friends and family. So, I'm removing my name from everywhere on my blog and I am changing my blog name. For those who look here again, it will be gone (assuming I do it right and within the next few days).

Those of you who I want to continue reading my blog, I will email you with the new address (it's an awesome one - I'm so proud of myself for being so clever). For those of you whom I miss in the email, if you contact one of our mutual friends, I'm sure they'll tell you. Or you can email me if you have that as well.

Anyway, rather than go out with a whimper of whines, I'm going out with a bang of positives:

1. Zoolander - That Hansel is so hot right now!
2. Knitting
3. My children, who are eating in the other room
4. that boxed wine is now acceptable (sort of)
5. SportsNight - which I will be watching once I finish this post.
6. Chatting on the phone (or via the Internet) with friends, it's been awhile.
7. Turkey Pot Pies - comfort food for 50 cents.
8. Sleep is pretty awesome.
9. political articles, good journalists
10. The Smiths, Tom Petty, Coldplay, Wilco, et al. that I've been listening to on my iPod.

So, yeah, within the next few days, expect this blog to be gone and a new one in its place. Hoorah for going underground!

Sanctity, my ass

2006-08-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Although this post could go toward my anti-marriage rants because nothing should be sacred that isn't a right for EVERYONE, it isn't. So, those of who have been waiting for me to write another liberally-slanted article supporting gays or abortion, you will have to wait just a little longer until Bush attacks homosexual marriage (AGAIN).

Oh, and don't even get me started on the religious right claiming that my somewhat well-rounded and highly educated ass is dysfunctional because I'm a product of divorce.

No, instead this post is about a fancy little Forbes article by Michael Noer I found via Slate.com, which can be found here. By the way, the article has been removed from the Forbes Web site from what I can gather from the articles I've read, so that's why my link is to another blogger instead of the site.

At first I was truly, truly offended by the Forbes article, which is titled "Don't Marry Career Women." But after reading the Slate article about it by Jack Shafer, I feel calmer, but only slightly.

Mostly, the Forbes article has the weakest lead and nut graf I've ever encountered, considering what the article should really be about. The beginning, as the article title suggests, says basically that women are more likely to be divorced if they're career women. It's written as if because I have a college degree and a full-time job and half a brain and ambition that I'm a plague upon men, that men would, in fact, be wise to avoid me, and actually a majority of my co-workers.

And although the rest of the article is QUITE suggestive that these career women are to blame, many of the statistics actually don't apply to a specific gender. In fact, one such factoid explains that a married person who works outside the home is more likely to have an extra-marital affair (where they come up with these genius observations, I'll never know -- if you rarely leave the house, who are you meeting other than Rosey Palme or your wife/husband?). Another one says that houses are less likely to be cleaned - well, thanks, asshole - it's really too bad I don't fucking dust every day because I have better things to do. What the hell kind of observation is that? And anyway, if not dusting is going to lead to a divorce, should I ever get married, I'm quite certain there's more to it than merely not dusting often enough.

I disagree with Shafer on the point that women are just using "backlash journalism." Basically (and I might not be making his exact point on this one), he's saying that women who don't like this Forbes article are offended by it without even thinking and don't have a logical argument to back it up - it's just bra-burning for the sake of an offensive-sounding title. In his defense, I started this blog because I was going bitch and moan about sexism without thinking anything other than the Forbes writer is a dickwad and if he were happily married and/or getting laid he might not have such a grudge against a pretty little journalist who happens to like and (if I do say so myself) be pretty damn good at my job. But, where I disagree is that in thinking about it, it is still suggestive of sexism if not outright sexist. And, there's plenty left out of the article that isn't explained or justified. Shafer points out one (Okay, he points out more than one, but this is his strongest and best argument that never came to me):

Before my female readers break their nails pounding out angry e-mails to me, they should consider the piece's fundamental weakness. Forbes' definition of a career woman is extraordinarily broad, including any woman who has a college education, works 35 hours a week, and makes more than $30,000. So, if you define non-career women as all the "undereducated" who work part-time and make less than $30K, it becomes painfully obvious why female careerists are more likely to divorce than non-careerists: They can better afford to get out of an unhappy marriage than their sisters.

That may be bad news for all the schmoes getting dumped, but it's great news for the gals. So, go ahead, young ladies. Get your degree. Even go to grad school. Gun for that corner office if you want to and get the guy. If you divorce, make sure to stick him with the shared subscription to Forbes.

The first two arguments that come to my mind are 1. Where's the statistic that says how much more likely a career woman is than a non career-woman to get divorced? The divorce rate in America is more than 50 percent, which is quite a number. Are career women 70 percent more likely to end up in divorce, making it 20 percent higher than average? Or is it only a few percentage points more - and perhaps the writer was taking liberties with a few stats that might support his case? 2. Are there any statistics that might show whether it was the male or the female that was looking for the divorce? And, I guess from that, the larger point is, what was the reason for these alleged many more divorces involving women with careers? Were the women bitchy at not wanting to clean house? Where the men intimidated by a woman who was ambitious?

In all honesty, I don't think divorce is nearly that cut-and-dry, but shame on an author for taking a few statistics and building a weak and (in Shafer's word) broad case against women with careers.

I welcome any comments, especially as I'm sure I forgot some additional snarky remarks. And if you're looking to take a dig at an alleged career woman (I don't meet one of the qualifications - salary - but I think that'll change someday), who is single and in many regards quite the pain in the ass, touche.

Viva La Bunn!

2006-08-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to anyone (and especially Shayna and her children: Bartelby and Nico) for praying for Bunn. If I haven't told you already, Bunn survived his ordeal. It was a four-day stint in a vet clinic, but here are the highlights:

1) Bunn ripped out his catheter, night one.
2.) Bunn got put in a neck brace to stop him from biting at his catheter, morning two.
3.) While knocked out, Bunn, in a neck brace, broke free and ripped out his catheter, afternoon three.
4.) Instead of bringing me Bunn in the morning, the vet brought in his litter box to show that he peed, morning four.

He came home 24 hours later. Yay! I'm going to write a column about it so I don't want to give away too much, but he had a urinary problem and it resulted in it hurting him to pee and therefore not going. He then got an infection and couldn't go, so he had to get de-peed and flushed with fluids. He's now on a special diet and my sickly kitty. He's like the asthmatic kid of the soccer team that you just love because his heart is in it, even if he isn't the best at it.

In other news, I have two knitting projects and I saw my internet friends this weekend. Those are both stories for a different time, as is Planes on the Prairie. But for now, I'm going to shower and finish reading about Iran and Iraq (so I can vent again).

Later gators.

Pray for Bunn

2006-08-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

Without being too melodramatic (yet), my orange cat is very ill. In fact, the vet used the term "life-threatening." At the moment, I barely understand what's happening (it's all happening very fast), but what I do know is that Bunn essentially has kidney stones. And before you think I'm a bad parent, you should know that it's hard to tell if your cat isn't peeing when you have two of them. And I feel bad enough already, thank you very much. But anyway, they don't know if after they empty his bladder with a catheter, if he'll get any better, because they're not sure if his kidneys and bladder will still function.

Anyway, I felt so bad about the whole thing and nearly sick to my stomach that I decided I'd light a candle for Bunn. I don't know the reasons that real Catholics do this but I know that it does give me some comfort to do and I like to feel it takes a load off of my shoulders and gives it to God, or whomever. Anyway, it would have meant a lot to me to do, but the church I stopped at didn't have the option and I'm saying (possibly) goodbye to a friend tonight so I'm not stopping in every church on the way out. But, I will light him a personal candle from home tonight and I'm asking each of you, whatever religion you may be, to pray for Bunn.

I am not ready yet to be a parent to just one little children and I think Bunn feels the same. Dixie, after all, does need some company. I'm trying to be hopeful, and maybe if we all are, it'll help. I'm sorry to be so sentimental about my cats and almost nothing else in the world, but it is very important to me. Thank you.