The Loaded Question

So I was perusing Facebook this morning, and saw one of those "question" things that periodically appear in my feed like an annoying distant relative who keeps showing up for Sunday dinner:

Sigh.

The thing that depresses me about this isn't that some people think Barack Obama is not doing a good job as our president - people of good conscience can disagree about the best course of action for our country.* No, the thing that distresses me about this is the utter ignorance of history demonstrated by the responses above. Barack Obama is a worse president that Jimmy Carter? Who was a worse president than James Buchanan? Really?

Leaving aside for the moment that that the President's first term is not yet over (and thus such a comparison is patently unfair), who can reasonably compare the president who basically failed to prevent the Civil War and the president who reformed our health care system and find the latter wanting? Who can reasonably compare the president whose policies and execution were so abysmal even the Democrats didn't want him to run for a second term with the president who passed legislation that protects consumers from predatory lending practices and think the former is the better choice?

I'm still making an effort to believe those people who vociferously oppose our president are not prima facie racists without demonstrable supporting evidence. I'm really, really trying. So I'll choose to believe that those individuals who believe Barack Obama is a worse president than James Buchanan are simply ignorant. Horrifyingly, shockingly, appallingly ignorant.

Of course, expressing such a belief does tempt me to ask a question of the "Have you stopped beating your wife" variety regarding the opinion-holder. But that's better than simply assuming they're racist asshats.

Right?

Hello?

::tap, tap::

Is this thing on?

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*Like my on-line acquaintances Seth and Elena, I'm trying a new approach called "other people are not idiots," i.e., the fact that you disagree with me, even vociferously, does not make you a dumbass. More on that tomorrow.

Chicon 7 Cosplay

This year the Smart Man and I have decided to attend the 2012 World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago, IL, called "Chicon 7." This will be our second time attending a WorldCon, as we also attended the Denvention event here in Colorado in 2008.

We'll be attending with other members of the UCF and their assorted partners, spouses, etc., and so (naturally) the subject of costumes came up.

I've decided to bring two costumes - one for Zoe from Firefly, and another in the steam-punk style. So now I'm prowling for costume options.

One of my challenges is the issue of SIGHT. I wear glasses with progressive lenses, and believe me, they are not optional. But my rockin' new Anne Kleins are not appropriate for what I have in mind. Which got me to thinking - why not buy a set of glasses specifically for this event? A pair of rose-colored glasses. In my typical fashion, I'm now in love with this idea, and can't decide what to buy.

This was my first idea. Round sort of screams "steam punk" to me without resorting to the stereotypical goggles.

Then I saw these, which have a sort of a "clockwork" look to them, which definitely relates to steam punk. These make me think I should be living in Seattle.*

Then I saw these, and decided they were even more clockwork-y.

You must imagine them with rose-tinted lenses in each case. I am torn - TORN - about which to buy. Give me your opinion, Hot Chicks and Smart Men.

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*If you don't get that reference, you're missing out on some really cool books.

2012 Flower Pr0n - Hawai'i!

Boogie Blogging Friday - The Most Spoiled Dog in the World Edition

It was very cold last week. COLD. And I'm old. Shut up.

Whackadoodles R Us

Seems like we're being overcome by whackadoodles lately. Consider:

• Rick Perry has decided to stay in the race for the Republican nomination for President in spite of his poor showing in the Iowa caucus. This makes me happy, because I would love, love, love to see this buffoon try to debate Barack Obama on any subject on the PLANET. Who intentionally signs up for this kind of intellectual humiliation? A victim of Dunning-Kruger, that's who. Or a whackadoodle, your choice.
• Hugo Chavez thinks the United States is giving Latin American leaders cancer. Because that's how we do here in the U.S. of A. - we give foreign heads of state THE CANCER when they don't do our bidding. Seriously? If the government had the technology to give people cancer when they disagreed with us, do you really think John Boehner would still be walking around? Dude's still smoking and hitting the tanning bed, cancer would be TOTALLY PLAUSIBLE.
• Iowa Republicans decided that Rick Santorum was their second choice for their 2012 Presidential nominee. I really have to wonder if these caucus goers are just some sick sons of bitches. "Haha! Let's stand up for Santorum! Because what could be funnier than having the name of our choice for our future president show up on Google as 'The frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex'? Haha!" I don't think that word means what you think it means.

Also: I wonder if Barack Obama is secretly making campaign contributions to Ron Paul?

This Stage of Life

I love this stage of life: New Years house party and I can wear sweatpants if I want. And all I get are envious looks!

This was posted on Facebook by my sista-from-another-mista The Mechanicky Gal the day before yesterday, and it served to remind me of something I need to work harder at remembering: This is the best time of my life. This - right now, my middle age.

My life is no longer an unlimited plethora of professional possibilities. It's exceedingly unlikely that I'll ever go to law school, compete in the Olympics, or become an astronaut. But I've spent a significant number of years in service to my country and fellow citizens. I've grown into a profession where I contribute to the society in which I live (however indirectly). I continue to learn and grow both academically and professionally.

I'm no longer the hot young hottie I once was. Time marches on, and the fact that it's doing so across my skin is simply a fact of life. But I'm in the best physical shape of my life. I'm approaching my eleventh anniversary of being a non-smoker. I'm beginning to accept with grace the reality of what it means for my body to grow older. And my silver locks rock the house.

In the last twenty years, I've chosen to significantly prune my family tree - an operation that has resulted in a great deal of pain and distress for me. But I'm blessed by the family that remains, and doubly blessed by my "family of choice," those people who I choose to love like family, and love me the same way.

But perhaps the best part of this stage of life is that if, like The Mechanicky Gal, I want to wear sweatpants to my house party, I can. And the people who share my life will in fact be envious rather than judgey. Which doesn't mean, of course, that I'm not filled with glee at the thought of wearing a supremely well-fitting, age-appropriate outfit that hearkens back to my Hottie McHotterson days. Because I am. But the choice is mine, and not predicated on what others might think. That level of self-confidence, of knowing who I am and choosing my course of action based on that self-knowledge instead of the expectations of others - that is what's making this the best stage of life.

Middle age: The reward for all the mistakes we make when we're young and stupid. I'll take it.

This I Believe - 2012

I believe in accountability.

I believe in accountability because it is an engine for change in my life.

When I hold myself accountable, I'm forced to stand up and publicly admit my mistakes, and do what needs to be done to make it right.

When I hold myself accountable, I'm not able to rationalize my bad decisions. I must take responsibility for them, and make better choices in the future.

When I hold myself accountable, I'm forced to admit that when I choose an action, I choose the consequence of that action. This gives me the strength to make the right choice instead of the easy one.

When I hold myself accountable, I can see my relationships and my life more objectively. This allows me to more accurately determine where I could have worked harder and done better, and where the right thing to do is to cut my losses and move on. 

The longer I hold myself accountable, the stronger my moral courage becomes, as doing the right thing becomes a habit rather than a struggle.

If I've been able to change my life and become the person I want to be, it's the result of holding myself accountable. If I want to be courageous, to be honest, to be generous, to live the kind of life that will result in the world being a better place for having me in it, then I must be accountable to myself for those outcomes.

I believe holding myself accountable allows me drive the change in my life that I want and need.