So, Husband is "out on the town" tonight. He is in town at a concert given by a guitar "finger-picking virtuoso"- I believe that is how the musician was described to me. Anyway, Husband sent a message with a little bit of the concert, and I have to say that it sounded great, even through the high-quality voice mail that we have!

My exciting evening? After getting the kiddos to bed and cleaning up around the house, I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to use the "rack dry, air-dry temp" setting on my dryer. Until tonight, I didn't know that there was a "rack dry, air-dry temp" setting on my dryer. We'll see how exciting this evening truly gets when the dryer beeps and I can see if my sweater is any dryer than it was when I put it in! :)

Wish me luck!

***UPDATE*** My sweater is not even this much dryer than it was when I put it in. Maybe next time it's 42 degrees out I should try using something other than the "air-dry temp".

A Soapy Day

Warning... I found my soap-box today, and it is about to get some use!!!

A guy in my class this evening mentioned that he isn't going to vote. His reasoning? "Whatever. It doesn't matter if I vote, taxes will go up no matter". I just about crawled out of my skin. Mind you, I am not normally a terribly outspoken person, particularly to people that I don't know and have only spoken to as part of a large, passing conversation. He was standing in the front of the class next to the instructor talking about this and I- sitting in the second row back- looked at him and said "Did you just day you don't vote?" When he repeated his sentiments, I couldn't hold my tongue and said to him "Shame on you!" I felt a little like my grandmother.

I got to thinking this evening about just why it bothers me so much that people don't vote. To me, it is a HUGE privilege. I remember the first time I got to vote. I was super excited to know that I was taking part in something so big. I was excited because it was my first "grown-up" responsibility and I was on my way, baby!! I honestly, to this day, remember looking down at that huge list of registrants and waiting for them to find my name so that I could go into that little red, white, and blue curtained booth to cast my vote. It is a privilege that so many in the world do not have. It is something that people, even today, are fighting- and dying- for. It is a privilege that our forefathers fought for, that women before me fought for, that minorities fought for.

It means that I don't have to sit idly by and let one person decide what the world is going to look like for me. There are a lot of things going on in our country that I don't like. There are laws I don't agree with. There are people in power that I don't think should be. There are things going on that I think are just down-right stupid. You know what? I have the power to change things. Do I always see that power reflected? Maybe not. It may not seem like my one little vote makes a difference, but guess what? It does. I have had the privilege to take part in elections that have truly turned our "local" politics around, and I'm proud to say that I was a part of making that happen. I'm proud to say that I went out- in the 3 degree weather, in the dark, in the ice and snow, with a baby- to cast my vote, because it is such a privilege.

Voting is not a right, it's a privilege. It's not a requirement, a privilege. It is not something that I have to do. If I don't go to the polls, there won't be any thugs knocking down my door in the dead of night to make me vote. Lightening will not strike me dead. I won't be visited by plagues. Really, not one single thing will happen to me. But I vote anyway. Because I can. Because I realize that it is an honor to be able to vote- for our next President, for our representatives in Congress and the House, for our state and local representatives, for our laws and statues- for the very things that will shape the future of our country... the future of the world for my children. How could I not want to be a part of that?

Can someone pass me a ladder? I don't think I realized just how tall my soap-box was, and I'm having a bit of trouble climbing down!!

Ahhhhh

It's quiet in my house this morning. The kiddos are both back in school this morning after fall break and being sick. Husband is at work. The dog is sleeping.

I'm tempted to just sit and veg all morning, but I think I will take the time I have and get some things done!

The Crazies Are Out Tonight

I had to excuse myself from the dinner table early tonight. The craziness was closing in on me.

To my left: a 4 year-old making up songs with gibberish words.
To my right: my husband, wearing his Army issue glasses. (Better known as "BCGs"- birth control glasses.)
To his right: a 2 year-old trying to out-sing her brother in broken English/ Toddlerese.

Dinner in my house is never boring!