The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Please check out last night's Daily Show to see Barack Obama say just about everything I've wanted him to say since the GOP decided to vilify him as a socialist and the more lefty wing of the Democrats have decided it would be better to kamikaze themselves and deliver the reigns of power back to 'Them' (dun dun dun) than to give their guy some time to do his thing.

Comedy Central in the US or the Comedy Network's website in Canada will allow you to see the president's interview, and it's good stuff all around. Good job to Stewart for not shying away from the hard questions, and good job to Obama for answering them. Kudos to both men for perhaps buying the Democrats some time and votes en route to Tuesday's midterm election.

Happy Birthday Al!

Hi all - sorry it's been several days, this has been a big celebration weekend in our family, as Ari's dad turned 60. We had him, my mother-in-law, as well as Ari's aunt and uncle in town for the weekend. It was a lovely, tiring, busy, fantastic time, that we'll get to do all over again next month when Little Tyke turns 2 and Ari turns 29. Hurray for families gathering for fun, positive occasions.

BTW just as a note on politics, since yes I still follow that from time to time between teaching, pastor-ing, parenting, etc. - Toronto. All I have to say is ... HAHA! ;) No ... I joke. I honestly think one of the most immature and irresponsible people in Canadian politics was just elected mayor of Toronto. It is a sad day. Mike Harris, former Ontario premier, spoke at Rob Ford's victory rally - nuff said. At least Ottawa seems to have kept its head - in a fairly accurate reflection of the "B"-ish report card I'd give our current city council, a few incumbents were returned, some new faces were sent to the council table ... I think by and large I'm happy with the results.

Is this where we say we get the hockey team ... I mean ... government ... we deserve? ;) ((again ... honest, JOKES. As sad and depressed as this makes me, I am still a Leafs girl through and through ... the shame)).

Back - I hope!

Not that I've REALLY been away - more that it's been a busy few weeks and I have been unable to blog as I would hope.

I've wanted to express my relief at the rescue of the Chilean miners this week who were pulled out of a collapsed mine after 68 days underground ... and my disappointment at some dismissing this as just another flash in the pan Princess Diana dies/Paris Hilton gets arrested story.

I've wanted to express how impressed I am at how people have come together in light of so many LGBT youth who have been bullied to the point of suicide/suicide attempts during this still-young school year ... and who knows how many before.

I've wanted to explain how important it is, as municipal elections come up here in Ottawa (and I think Ontario more broadly), and mid-term elections are coming up in the States, what an important civic duty voting is - especially in the United States where the only party worth their citizens' trust runs the risk of losing Congress this time around.

At the same time, I've wanted to express how that party needs to stay true to their ideals - especially the current Democratic administration, for whom I have nearly-unlimited respect in the light of healthcare reform, financial reform, etc., but in whom I am currently very disappointed as they appeal the Federal bench's repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a policy they express disagreement with in the first place. You just got your way with no political fallout folks - come on.

I've wanted to express my sadness this week as celebrity couples (shock of shocks I know, but ones who seem to have cared about each other) Courteney Cox and David Arquette, and Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman, have broken up (nowhere quite near the level of the other stories of course ... but nonetheless caught my eye).

I have done all those things now - although in nowhere near as timely a fashion as I'd like, nor in as much detail as I'd have liked. That's just the kind of week it's been ... in OUR world as a whole, and mine in particular.

May God bless you as we head into a new one. XO

Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Homage

NICE! :D

Happy Thanksgiving

So it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada! Ari and Little Tyke headed to California to celebrate his grandmother's 90th birthday, so Little J and I spent the weekend with my mom and my grandparents, before coming back to Ottawa yesterday (as a youth pastor ... oh yeah, I work Sundays!). The other boys should be home tonight. So it hasn't been a great big family celebration. But I did one to list off some things I'm thankful for:

1. Starting close to home, the people I live with. Ari is my best possible co-parent, a wonderful help and support, and my best friend. Together we are creating two wonderful little men, LT and Little J, and for that, no matter how tired we might get, or busy, we will always have a reason to connect with one another, and I could not be more proud of the job we're doing with those boys. The boys themselves - LT's energy and smiles and eternal good mood, and Little J's sense of wonder and waking up to the world, to me, are what the Bible speaks of when it speaks of approaching the Kingdom like a little child. It is so inspiring to me. I suppose I am also thankful for my cats too, useless mousers that they are.
   
2. My parents - all four of them, in their ways, are good people from whom I have learned a lot. They have all shaped me in some way, big or small, and while of course there have been disagreements and disappointments along the way (I mean, I was a teenager once after all, heehee), I can honestly say they've never let me fall, and they've always been there when it matters. I have never felt alone in any struggle, and that is because of these people. My mom's selfless and unconditional love and support, my dad's intelligence and generosity, my step-dad's no-nonsense, hard working, but good-hearted approach to life, and my step-mom's grace and good humour in the face of almost anything are all things I aspire to.
3. My brother - this little person (yes whose diapers I used to help change lol) has grown into an incredibly mature, strong young man who has handled a tough year with more grace than I think I would have. This kid is my hero and even more than ever his protective big sister wants nothing but the very best of everything for him.
4. My in-laws - they have raised a great kid, welcomed me into their family, and love my children. Good food and good wine flows whenever we visit, and we have grown into a relationship now that I don't know if I could have foreseen when Ari and I were just dating. For all of these things, I am eternally thankful.
5. My friends, past and present - I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I have had friends who have mistreated me, and who I have mistreated; I have friends who have been wonderful to me, and who I have been wonderful to. I have friends everywhere in between on that scale. But they all have meant something, and again, they have all shaped where I am now in my life. And I am appreciative of all of them.
6. The tangible stuff - a roof over my head, three incredibly flexible yet fulfilling and enjoyable jobs, food in my belly, a car to drive, the lovely neighbourhood and city we live in, the opportunity to travel and go out a bit ... these aren't things I take for granted, and they are things I am so thankful we have.
7. The less tangible stuff - I am thankful for my God, for the peace and happiness I feel today despite coming off a rough week, I am thankful for nature, and the world's increasing awareness of it. I am thankful for music, for the sun and rain, for all the things that make our world more than just a space rock suitable for living on, to a place we would WANT to live. :)

What's your list? XO

Inspiring

There's an infuriating yet inspiring story I've been following on Anderson Cooper 360 of late - a long one with lots of details but this video sums it up pretty well. Feel free to poke around more if you want. But in light of the recent rash of young LGBT people committing suicide due to bullying and mistreatment, and given in this case that the mistreatment is coming from a 'respected', professional in a position of influence in the community - I applaud Anderson Cooper and the U of Michigan student body president Chris Armstrong for their class and eloquence in covering and living through this story respectively, with an eye to both this personal matter, and the bigger picture of the acceptance of the LGBT community.