Tuesday, Feb 26th - Hero: Snoopy

Yep, Snoopy. Well, actually Charles Schultz.

My sister-in-law, Tracy, forwarded an email that had a great message in it. Essentially it was a reminder that none of us really care who the winners of races, Nobel prizes, beauty pageants, etc, are. Try naming the last 5 Miss Americas, or the last few winners of Best Actor.

But, the message went on. Name the last 5 people who made you feel appreciated. Your 3 favorite teachers from your childhood.

That really says it all, doesn't it? The best we can strive for in our lives is to make a difference, a real impression, in the lives of those we love. You want immortality? Be important in the life of a child. Make yourself unforgettable to your kids and grandkids, neices and nephews.

I think about this alot. And, considering all the driving time I have had over the last couple of weeks, there has been lots of time to think. Please forgive me for getting philosophical.

I think back to my childhood and the adults that had tremendous amounts of influence on my life and try to take lessons from each of them. Hands down, my favorite person in the world was my maternal grandmother, Pearl Mildred Smith. She is a beautiful woman. Not just physically, but spiritually and mentally as well. Some of my earliest memories are of laying in her lap and touching her face and having her smooth my hair. I felt so safe and so loved that the mere memory brings tears to my eyes. I also remember that she was genuinely happy to spend time with us kids. She had a great imagination and never seemed to tire of our questions and demands of her attention. That stuff is huge to a child!

She also had an unwavering faith in God that was contagious. She made going to church a part of our life. She never let us get away with excuses not to go. Thinking back on it, Grammy worked all week long at the Daisy gun factory, kept a clean house, cooked supper for Poppy every night, and on most Saturday's watched us grandkids. She got out of bed early on Sunday to get lunch for that day started, then got ready and went to church. She taught Sunday School as well. Then home from church to feed anyone that showed up for dinner, clean up, and back to church that night.

My God. How can any of us look ourselves in the mirror and say we don't have time to get it all done?

My fervent prayer is that I can be half the woman she is. I have tried in the past few years to set time aside to just listen to my kids (daughters and nieces). I love each of them with a passion that I can't describe or hope to express eloquently. They are the hope of the future.

I hope that someday my daughters, nieces, or grandkids can look back and say that I left even a sliver of this impression on them.

Peace, Love, and GOD,
Tracy

Sunday, Feb 24th - Zeros : Truckers on I-40

For some reason, this only applies to the section of I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis. I have made this particular journey 5 times in the last couple of weeks and it has been HELL!!!

I must have missed the memo that says that the interstate belongs to the truck drivers and that us regular car people should bow to their will..

There was a couple of times that I am sure I resembled Hulk Hogan - veins sticking out on my neck, eye ticking, hand gestures. I'm sure you get the picture!

My particular issue: I have the cruise set to about 80mph, cruising along pretty good, then I see a line of 3 semi's in the right line a mile or two up the road. They are stacked pretty tight, but no one seems to be making a move. Can you guess what happens? Sure you can!
I get caught up to them, move the the left lane, and about the time my front bumper is even with the trucks rear bumper, Mr. Trucker whips over in my lane and proceeds to take the next 10 stinkin miles to pass his two buddies.

This happened a minimum of 30 times to me last Friday on my way home.

But again, my fault for not getting the memo and having the audacity to think the 30% in taxes I pay gives me the right to use the Interstate system!!!!

Peace, Love, and GOD,
Tracy

Wednesday, Feb 20th - Zero: New York Times

Greetings from Greeneville, TN.... or am I in Rockwood.... maybe it's Chattanooga.

I have to admit right up front that I was interviewed last monday by Mark St. Amant, a writer for the NYT. It was a sports related article, though. Trust me, they don't want my political opinion.

And really, all of the far-left leaning media are zero's.

My specific problem today is the fact that today the New York Times newspaper has chosen to dredge up an historical story about John McCain and a female lobbyist. The 'inference' and 'innuendo' is that he gave favors to this woman and that he was romantically involved.

The main problem with this? It's a story from 1999 and the man that investigated him, Bob Bennett, found NOTHING true about it. He even wrote about it in a book and he told everyone, including the NYT that there was no proof behind it.

So, why would the NYT choose to dredge this crap back to the surface? Because they, like NBC and Moveon.org, are fully invested in seeing the extreme far-left liberal, Barak Hussein Obama, elected to the white house.

People, you are truly on your own these days to find the truth. The media is extremely biased these days. 99% is biased AGAINST conservatives, they don't even try to hide it really. This is the reason I watch Fox News. They are the most fair news channel there is.
But, I also watch some CNN and some of the network programs. Just so I will be informed. One of these days, though, I will likely die of an anyuerism while watching some jackass like Chris Matthews or Keith Olbermann....

Peace, Love, and GOD,
Tracy

Tuesday, Feb 19th - Zero: Michelle Obama

Sometimes it is too easy.

I'm sure you have all heard about what Michelle Obama said in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In case you haven't, though, here it is:

“People in this country are ready for change and hungry for a different kind of politics and … for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.”

Then, just to make sure no one could mistake what she meant, she repeated it later the same day in Madison, Wisconsin:

“For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country … not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change,” she said. “I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment.”

Considering that Mrs. Obama became an adult in the early 80's, she is saying the end of the Cold War without a shot fired is nothing to be proud of. Or the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 91, the liberation of Kuwait, the appointing of the first female Supreme Court judge. Or how about the invention of the personal computer, the Internet, mobile phones. Medical advancements, anyone? First artificial heart transplant, MRI invented, radiosurgery invented, huge advancements in the treatment of cancer, aids, etc.

Finally, is there nothing in the last 25 years to be proud of in the arena of human compassion? I don't know about you guys but I was very proud to be an American when we all banded together after the bombing of the Oklahoma City buildings. Same after 9/11. What about the millions of dollars we raised for the victims of the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina? These are the huge ones. There are millions of examples of Americans stepping up and taking care of others in small and large ways.

Michelle Obama's ridiculously stupid statement pissed me off in a bad way. As far as I'm concerned, war has been declared. Because America is not the land between Mexico and Canada. America is not our government. No, America is people. Us - me and you. And for that ignorant woman to stand up in front of a crowd and say that WE have done nothing that makes her proud, well, BRING IT BI-OTCH!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone should have shown her the tapes of Teresa Heinz Kerry.

Grrrrrrrrrrr...

Peace, Love, and GOD,
Tracy

Wednesday, Feb 13th - Hero: Senator John Cornyn

This guy is a hero because he stood up to the ridulous town of Berkley, CA.

In case you haven't seen this in the news, the town of Berkley has decided to kick out the Marines. The city council sent a letter to the Marine recruiting office a letter saying they were no longer welcome in their city and that if they insisted on staying they would be considered "unwanted and unwelcome intruders".

They also took away their parking spaces and gave them to some radical groups so they could protest the Marines every day as they come and go.

Now, can you imagine for one minute what would happen if the same situation was happening at a pro-gay organization? Or an NAACP office? Or any other minority organization?

WHY,WHY, WHY aren't more people screaming at the top of their freakin' lungs over the blatant discrimination in this country??? When did it become okay to discriminate against the military, christians, and white people. Why is this acceptable?

Well, thank God for guys like John Cornyn, Texas Senator. He has identified over $5 million in federal funding that he is suggesting be stripped from Berkley. Let's pray that it happens. It's about dang time our country stop letting this outright Anti-American sentiment playing out within our own borders! Maybe we should actually start prosecuting Treason again...

I'm a little cranky from being in a different hotel everynight for the past week. At least last week in KC I was in the same hotel the whole time.

I really sick of snow, too. We had it in KC and then this morning I was caught in a white-out snowstorm in Ashland City, TN. Yuck, yuck, yuck. By the time my travel is over in Mid-March I will be ready for some beach time, I think. And more than one Pina Colada!!!!

Peace, Love, and GOD,
Tracy

Tuesday, Feb 12th - Zero: The State Department

This afternoon, as I was driving from Manchester, TN to Nashville, TN I was listening to a talk radio station. What I heard was so unbelievable that had to look it up when I got to the hotel. This is what I heard: Our State dept and GWB have put a proposition out there to give a $1.4 Billion economic stimulus plan to MEXICO. There's also an add on to that package that would give Mexico money to strengthen their southern border to prevent Illegal Immigration from Central America!!! No, I am not making this crap up!!!!!!! Our tax dollars will go to stimulate Mexico's economy because the poor Mexican Illegals in our country aren't sending back enough of our money to their families. You know why this necessary? Mexico's second highest source of GDP income is money transfers from America!! Of course it's our fault. We just aren't building enough houses for them...

I am not making any more smart ass comments for this. It totally speaks for itself....

In other depressing news: Obama is now leading Hillary in delegates. Not that I want HRC to win the presidency, I just shudder at the thought of President Obama.

I am not convinced that BHO can win. Alot will depend on running mates. I think McCain has a good chance, but I can't help but be reminded of a total schuyster who ran for president with nothing more than terrific charisma on his side. That guy was president for 8 years. Bill Clinton had a HORRIBLE record in Arkansas, but he oozed charm and could deliver a speech that had more people sending in money and shouting Halleluiah than Jimmy Baker. Remind you of anyone? Me, too. That's why I am scared. There's a vast majority of our country that care more about a guy's personality than what he stands for.

The great state of Texas may be our last hope for a Hillary nomination. Let's hope they pull it out for her.

Speaking of Texas - I saw an article today about Obama's campaign headquarters in Houston. One of the leaders in that office was being interviewed had a Cuban flag on the wall behind her, with a picture of Che Guevera. Don't know who that is? Look him up on the internet.

Alex, I'll take Communist Guerilla Leaders for $400.....

Here's the video:

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=5700252&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Peace, Love, and GOD,
Tracy

Sunday, Feb 10th - Hero: Road Warriors

I have so much respect for people that travel for their living. I don't know how they do it.

I do a fair amount of travel, and a lot of mine comes in large chunks. I am currently in the middle of one of those chunks. I was in KCMO for a week, and right now I am sitting in a hotel in Memphis, TN. Tomorrow I go to Murphreesboro, or maybe it's Manchester. See, I am already losing a grip on reality. Anyway, I have 4 more weeks after this of Sunday-Friday travel. Worse, I think my husband is secretly happy... at least my Dog will miss me!

So, it's been an interesting couple of weeks in Politics. Looks like the candidates will be McCain and Obama. Dear God, please help us.

As I feared, the war is going to be the deciding factor in our president. McCain is for finishing the war, continuing to spend billions to colonize the Middle East. He's also very liberal on immigration. His record on fiscal issues is not so great either - he voted against the Bush Tax Cuts, but he's now saying that he would make them permanent. That's good. The other good thing about McCain is that he is for stopping the "Pork Barrel" spending. This is VERY good.

Obama is the guy that anti-war folk will vote for. I wouldn't be surprised if he announced a withdrawal plan within a month or two of taking office. This will make lots of people happy and they will forgive him for all the other bad crap he does. For a while anyway. When he takes away the tax cuts for anyone making over $50k per year, there will be some grumbling. When he takes an additional 10% of income from people making over $97k for Social Security without increasing their benefits, some people will cheer until small business owners have to lay-off staff or not give raises. When he re-instates affirmative action and their is a huge increase in unemployed white college graduates, who will care? Whether you know it or not, you will. Everyone will. Obama is a quietly angry guy. And that scares the crap out of me. I don't want to pay the price for whatever perceived wrongs he's holding on to.

If I sound fatalistic, I guess I am a little. I really recommend that everyone keep a very close eye on your earnings and savings. It could be a scary 4 years coming up, especially if we end up with a Dem president and a Dem House and Senate. Your taxes WILL go up - I guarantee it.

I'm not going to say vote for McCain, but I am going to say vote AGAINST Obama.

Peace, Love, and GOD,
Tracy