Goddess Woman: November 2004

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

I started a new blog....

... to feature my candles and other crafty endeavours! (thanks for the idea BoJo! :)

Check it out if you have the time and inclination: Attempts at Craftiness.

I'll just put my new stuff on there. I like having them in one spot, sort of a photo journal as I progress.

Anyway, I've been cleaning like a madwoman today! I want the house spotless for the long weekend, so I can truly relax. It's a long weekend for me too, after all! :)

Posted by Jodi Selander at 3:52 PM

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Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Big Dreams

Dave and I have been kicking around the idea of getting some land somewhere. We were thinking of buying a couple of acres down in Sandy Valley, but I don't think we're going to do that now. For one thing, the developers are already buying up most everything out there, so there is ONE plot of land to choose from, and it's about $15,000 more than we anticipated. Also, it's a pretty... trashy area (for lack of a better term). There are a lot of meth labs, etc. around out there because it's so remote. I know in time that would all calm down, and the junkies mostly stick to themselves, but still. The view out there is beautiful, I would love to have land out there - as long as we had enough land that we couldn't see our neighbors. ;)

We're going to just sit tight, pay off our debt, and start saving money. We now are thinking possibly in Canada somewhere - the land is very inexpensive, as long as you're a ways from a big city (like Vancouver area would be WAY too expensive). As an example, I found a *gorgeous* plot; 21 acres, covered in trees, 2000ft of lake shore (Lake Michigan). It was breathtaking, and it was $119,000 Canadian. It was 10 minutes from a decent-sized town. The pic is below - I would love to wake up to this view every morning!

In order to do that, we have to be self-sustaining. So we are going to just save money so that we won't have a mortgage when we move, and since Canada has universal healthcare, we won't have to worry about buying our own health insurance. The taxes are more, but with our own garden we won't have to buy a lot of the most expensive stuff (other than meat) - we could have our own milk and eggs. I already make most
of our food from scratch, anyway, and I would start doing that even more now (for practice). I've never really had a garden, but I grew up on a farm and was around it all my life, so I'm not completely useless out there. My mom used to can a lot of things from our garden, so I'm not too worried about that either.

Anyway, I really feel it's possible. I'm already so much farther along toward that dream than I ever thought I would be (as far as quitting my job and being home with our daughter), so why can't we go all the way? I figure where there's a will (and time!), there's a way.

I just think it'd be so cool to have something like that. And then invite several of our dearest like-minded friends to build a home on the land somewhere, and life is perfect. :)

Posted by Jodi Selander at 4:39 PM

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Saturday, November 20, 2004

News Gathering Is Illegal Under New Patriot Act ll

I found this article discussing the 2nd Patriot Act, and what it all includes. Man, if this guy is even half right, this is scary stuff we're talking about. You really ought to read the whole article, but here are a few of my favorites:

"SECTION 103 allows the Federal government to use wartime martial law powers domestically and internationally without Congress declaring that a state of war exists.

SECTION 106 is bone-chilling in its straightforwardness. It states that broad general warrants by the secret FSIA court (a panel of secret judges set up in a star chamber system that convenes in an undisclosed location) granted under the first Patriot Act are not good enough. It states that government agents must be given immunity for carrying out searches with no prior court approval. This section throws out the entire Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures.

SECTION 109 allows secret star chamber courts to issue contempt charges against any individual or corporation who refuses to incriminate themselves or others. This sections annihilate the last vestiges of the Fifth Amendment. "

Isn't that freaky? Unauthorized searches, secret police-type shit?

What about this:

"SECTION 128 allows the Federal government to place gag orders on Federal and State Grand Juries and to take over the proceedings. It also disallows individuals or organizations to even try to quash a Federal subpoena. So now defending yourself will be a terrorist action.

SECTION 129 destroys any remaining whistle blower protection for Federal agents.

SECTION 202 allows corporations to keep secret their activities with toxic biological, chemical or radiological materials.

SECTION 205 allows top Federal officials to keep all their financial dealings secret, and anyone investigating them can be considered a terrorist. This should be very useful for Dick Cheney to stop anyone investigating Haliburton. "

Why doesn't this get discussed? I can't even comprehend that this is true, and happening right now. I mean, it just can't be true. There would be riots and public outrage and protests every day. Right?

Posted by Jodi Selander at 4:54 PM

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Thursday, November 18, 2004

Tailspin revisited

In over-analyzing my previous post, I thought I would mention that when I titled it "tailspin", I was referring more to the world's news lately, like a downward spiral type thing. I don't want it to come across that *I* am in a tailspin! I wouldn't want anyone to worry about me (Shonna! :).
Also, when I refer to "losing it", I mean yelling or getting easily frustrated; not losing it in any extreme sense of the word.

In that vein, today was a much better day. Other than the medicine binge (argh), it was really great. Rhiannon played outside a lot because it was so nice out, and I swore off housework (other than laundry) to play games, hang out, and read a little bit. So we were both in a much better mood. Gotta have those days too!

I'm off to bed. There are never enough hours in the day to get everything done! I have to order some more candle wax, so I can get going on my holiday makin's. We're trying to keep things a little low-key (although Dave already has his present - 512mb of memory *it was on sale! with a rebate!*, plus the latest Myst game *I can't believe we came to the store the day this was released!*). My husband can excuse any purchase, he is a master.

Didn't I say I was off to bed?

Posted by Jodi Selander at 12:08 AM

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Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Overdose

Well, I got to make a happy call to poison control this morning.
I, being negligent as usual, was occupied in the bathroom for a while. I went to check on Rhiannon because she was being very quiet (which is a sure sign of trouble brewing). She had somehow gotten the little kit of homeopathic medicine off the counter, maneuvered a new bottle out, removed the protective casing around the cover, and consumed 1/4 of the bottle. I walked in, and she happily raised the bottle to me and proclaimed "Medicine!", with her face covered in chalk from the stuff. Can you say FREAKOUT???

I called, and they said the dosage was usually so small on those things that there was no real danger, but the possibilities are just terrifying. What if it had been my Wellbutrin, or aspirin or something? Arrrrgh. I called Dave at work, and he really freaked out. I'm sure he was pretty pissed at me, but he didn't say anything, just told me to call poison control (yes, I called him first) and to call him back right away.

*retrieves the Bad Mother flogging stick, again*

Posted by Jodi Selander at 1:44 PM

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Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Tailspin

I have been in a funk since the election. Grumpy, irritable, weepy; chronic PMS basically. Everything I read in the news is bad; Colin Powell resigning (I think he had integrity, for a politician), that poor lady, Margaret Hassan being murdered in Iraq (which is totally fucked up, since she had lived in Iraq for 30 years as a "humanitarian official", helping Iraqis! And they shot her in the back of the head while she was blindfolded. There is NO honor in that.). Which is another thing about her story - MSNBC had a big picture of her on the front page, a closeup from the video where she's pleading for her life. Let's plaster around an image of her in the awful, final days of her life, so everyone will remember her that way. I think it's disgraceful. At least CNN had enough class to use recent photographs depicting her as she truly was in life, before the awful final month. I'm sure her family would prefer to see her that way. And then her poor husband, pleading to know where her body was dumped so she can have a proper burial - I could weep for the disgrace shown to this poor woman, who had only worked so hard to improve their lives. It's so disheartening. If she worked so hard for so long in a truly heartfelt attempt to improve people's lives, and that was her reward, what is the point? Does there come a time when we just give up, say "you are beyond help; you have lost the most basic of human emotions and capacity for reason"? Where is that point?

The only good news I read was that Scott Peterson got convicted of first degree murder for Laci, and second degree murder for their baby. And, considering, that is not "good" news anyway.

So, I've not been in a good mood. Then, Rhiannon starts pushing every single one of my buttons, over and over again. These last few days have been really hard. Somehow I need to break that little cycle too.
I am the adult. I can control myself. Rhiannon can not. (repeat as needed)

Tomorrow is a new day! I can (probably) make it until naptime without losing it once.
Man, sometimes it really does feel like that. I was aiming for a joke there, but it came out a little too close to home.

*slinks off to retrieve the Bad Mother flogging stick, which is always close at hand*

Posted by Jodi Selander at 10:13 PM

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My latest candle creation! I used lavender in it - both the dried herb inside, as well as the essential oil for scent. It smells good, and I like how the decoration turned out.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 2:42 PM

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Friday, November 12, 2004

Govt. brochure wrongly links abortion, cancer

This really ticks me off.
The government can publish brochures citing faulty findings linking abortion to breast cancer, and distribute them in dr.'s offices to women considering termination.
BUT - let's debunk every scientific study that points to the danger of thimerosal and vaccinations in our children. Pro-life? Right.

I read something once that has stuck with me, about the pro-life hypocrisy:
Life doesn't end at birth.

No kidding. Let's make sure the children that are born are taken care of, and empower parents with all of the information they need to make wise choices about their options. Let's stop pandering to the drug companies (who make billions of dollars MORE every time the gov't adds another vaccine to their list that tiny babies need to have injected), to lobbyists (who re-wrote the FDA food pyramid to over-represent the breads and grains group, thanks to agriculture special-interest groups), to the religious right and others who dictate whether or not I can get my birth control pill Rx filled (did you know that even if you dr. writes you a Rx for bc pills (and (s)he can refuse!), that your pharmacist can refuse to fill it if it doesn't mesh with their "beliefs"?).
Stop screwing with our health (not to mention our minds)!!!!! Stop distributing false information and suppressing actual facts in order to push forward some right-centric agenda. Stop trampling on the right to make our own choices. This is America, for Pete's sake!

It's too early in the morning to get this fired up. I'm going to go read something fluffy.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 8:33 AM

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Wednesday, November 10, 2004

New browser to challenge Microsoft

Firefox rocks!!!! You can download it here. It is so much better than IE, I can't even tell you.
I like this:

"[Internet] Explorer's critics argue that Microsoft stopped making developments once it had achieved market dominance. Microsoft says a new version with enhanced security features will be ready for the next edition of Windows, currently scheduled for release in 2006."

Ok, Microsoft. I'll look forward to a new release to fix all your massive security loopholes in, oh, two years or so. So typical - as soon as they figure they're rid of competition, they just let it sit and stagnate. They are Big Business, they totally lost out on the soul of the personal computer movement. They are so not true techie geeks.

dorks.
Seriously. Start using Firefox!

*My anti-Gates, anti-Microsoft techie self popped up. I shall suppress her as much as possible from now on.*

Posted by Jodi Selander at 5:11 PM

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Monday, November 08, 2004

Wisconsin district to teach more than evolution

Geez, they're on a roll!
It just makes me glad we intend to homeschool Rhiannon.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 8:43 PM

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Suit challenges textbook evolution disclaimers

I just don't get it. Apparently, a group of parents signed a petition to have stickers placed inside of textbooks, explaining that evolution was a theory, not a fact. Since it doesn't specifically say anything about religion, they figure it's OK.
What?!? How about you go ahead and place stickers inside the Bible, saying that it's an opinion piece and shouldn't be taken too seriously? Any such "sticker" basically discredits anything it is placed inside. We cannot allow a religious theory with no basis in fact to be considered with the same weight as years of scientific study and knowledge.

Which reminds me of a quote I heard once:
Knowledge is the enemy of faith.

No wonder they hate it.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 2:48 PM

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Friday, November 05, 2004

Machine glitch gave Bush extra Ohio votes

And so it begins.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 8:57 PM

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Moving to Canada, Eh?

Moving to Canada, Eh? - Let Slate help you decide if it's really for you. By Dahlia Lithwick and Alex Lithwick

It sounds like my kind of place! (except for the FREEZING temperatures. But then, I'd be inside getting stoned, so it evens out.)

Posted by Jodi Selander at 8:27 PM

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Thursday, November 04, 2004

The Unbearable Darkness of Being

AlterNet: The Unbearable Darkness of Being

This is an *awesome* article. A must-read for any grieving Kerry supporters (or Bush detractors)! It was posted to a political list I'm on, and it totally speaks to how I think a lot of us are feeling right now.

I love this:
"My mind can handle the body blow of defeat, but it's the slow, seeping chill of dread that is harder to fend off."

And am a bit disturbed by this:
"I'd planned to get pregnant next year. Maybe I'll just stay home with the baby – lose myself in motherhood as some women do when defeated in other parts of their lives."

Yet another (childless) woman who thinks it is impossible to get complete fulfillment from motherhood. *sigh*
Oh, well. The rest of her thoughts on the election aftermath are really great.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 5:37 PM

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Elizabeth Edwards diagnosed with breast cancer

MSNBC - Elizabeth Edwards diagnosedwith breast cancer

I don't even know what to say. I feel so badly for the Edwards' right now. Maybe now that John gave up his senate seat, he'll be able to be home with his wife and help her through treatment. I really hope she beats it, it sounds like the odds are in her favor.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 10:43 AM

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Wednesday, November 03, 2004

A refugee?

Yahoo! News - Unhappy Democrats Need to Wait to Get Into Canada

I guess I'm not the only one thinking of packing it up to Canada. It's more complicated than I initially thought. Luckily, Dave is a citizen and I'm not going to be working anyway, because it takes months to get a work visa/permit. UNLESS you claim yourself to be a refugee, apparently.

"Anybody who enters Canada who claims refugee status will be provided with a work permit ... it doesn't matter what country they're from," Iadinardi [Canada's immigration ministry spokeswoman] said.

It's not easy to get approved, but what a trip.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 7:04 PM

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Mourning

I keep hearing this word mentioned as I talk with people about how they're feeling. Yes, we're all in mourning. The religious zealots have won out against logic. Big business has triumphed over the working folk. Invading countries to line the pockets of massive corporations is A-OK with us, since the President is a God-fearing man (never mind the fact that he actually attended church fewer times than any other president in history).

Personally, I'm mourning the Jodi of yesterday. Yesterday, I had hope and faith in this great nation. I had hope that reason would triumph over self-righteousness. I had hope that a man who had actually fought in a war and had been personally touched by its ugliness would take over from a man who had used his daddy's influence to avoid any hint of combat (and who didn't even bother to show up for the last year of 'service'), and therefore interject the war effort with a bit of wisdom from experience. I had hope that science would triumph over ignorance. The hope is gone, and has left pure cynicism in its wake. I feel so jaded. I feel like I need a shower, but I don't think this icky feeling will wash off anytime soon.

I thought we were going to send a message that WE outnumber THEM, that WE are taking over the reins and will no longer allow the ultra-conservative, ultra-religious right-wingers dictate national and international policy completely out of step with the rest of the world. But, we were wrong. We thought the youth of this country would get motivated and turn out in droves at the polls to get rid of Bush. But we were wrong. And THEY re-elected Bush to chants of "Four More Years". To do what? He has fucked up everything in the past four years, do you really think he's suddenly going to start governing properly? Let's see, we're already at war with Iraq, why not just step on over and invade Iran? The economy is shit, so let's just go ahead and make sure American companies have lots of incentive to outsource American jobs - after all, we have the No Child Left Behind act, which will remedy everything, according to Bush in the 3rd debate. We let more people into this country now than pre-9/11, none of our nuclear energy plants have been protected, so since he's doing such a bang-up job of keeping us "safe", he should just keep on doing nothing! Go Bush! Oh, that's not good enough - let's make sure to stir up international tension a bit more, just for good measure. Let's reaffirm to the world that we are all on his side, that Americans really do believe we're right to invade whoever we want, whenever we want, and that we're so stupid we can't see the truth right in front of our eyes. Let's reaffirm every single negative American stereotype, shall we? That will make me feel so very much safer.

I can't even take it anymore. This country is not the country I thought it was. This country has seriously disappointed me. I thought better of us. I really did. Dave was born in Vancouver, B.C., so he has dual citizenship. Maybe it's time to get the hell out. Time to leave this country to the dictators and their willing sheep. Time to allow it to disintegrate in its own capitalism, feeding on the ignorant who mindlessly follow a puppet leader.

1984 has arrived, only 20 years late.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 2:27 PM

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The nightmare continues

I am in total shock. I'm stunned and saddened that the race was even close, letalone that Bush the Mindless Puppet is likely going to be re-elected to another four years like the last. Who in this country can say we are better off today than we were four years ago? The Democratic ticket needs to find another Clinton. I liked Kerry, but it seemed he didn't have enough charisma, or whatever it is that makes people vote for a person. I just don't understand how every single exit poll had John Kerry leading by 2-3 points, and then all of a sudden, the votes don't add up. I really think something is wrong, that those Diebold voting machines were tampered with. How better to steal votes than to create a machine that has no backup, no verifiable mechanism for checking the integrity of the numbers they produce, and put major Republican contributors in charge of creating and running them. Then all the Republicans have to do is spin the Democratic protests into a "sore loser" vein, and your man is in office for another four years.

I am really concerned about the message that this sends the world. It shows everyone that America really does believe in this idiot, in what he stands for, in war-mongering and swaggering and self-righteousness. I think Bin Laden will be thrilled with a second Bush term, because he can tell his followers that we're all the same, that we stand behind this leader, and that we're all fair game. By electing Kerry we would have shown them that we do NOT support Bush's policies in the world, that we do NOT believe in just taking whatever we think is ours, and that we do NOT think he is a good leader or represents the vast majority of Americans. Unfortunately, the opposite just happened.

I'm glad Kerry isn't conceding right away. He deserves to wait until all the votes are counted before conceding anything. CNN still has Ohio as "too close to call", so that's good too. Watching ABC's coverage of the election last night, every time Peter Jennings called a state for Bush, it was like a death knell sounding. Absolute quiet would fall over the studio, and a profound sense of dread filled the air. Florida was the worst. It is just so unbelievable that Bush could win this year by an even larger amount than last time. HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN????? Gore was a limp dish rag; Kerry is a war hero, with character and personality and the intials JFK for Pete's sake! How much more do the people need??

Oh, Christ. Kerry just called Bush to concede. I'm off to resume weeping.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 8:46 AM

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Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Can this be for real?

Unbelievable. NBC is projecting Ohio for Bush now. CNN has it at too close to call. Kerry better not puss out and give it up right away, especially if they're still counting ballots.

I'm going to bed. Hopefully when I wake up I will discover that this was all a very bad dream, and Kerry swept the nation like I'd hoped, and that war-mongering Daddy's Boy is no longer ruining our country.

Posted by Jodi Selander at 11:06 PM

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Election 2004

I'm watching the election coverage - it is way closer than I'd like! I thought for sure Kerry would take FL. Argh. I suppose, his brother IS the governor. Kerry has to take Ohio, I think I'll cry if we re-elect Bush. What does that say about our society? I think it says that "they" really do outnumber us - the fundamentalists, the evangelical christians, are now mandating government policy for the rest of us. The entire world will lump us all into that group, and that is NOT who I want to be associated with.

Off to writhe in agony some more...

Posted by Jodi Selander at 9:13 PM

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