Donald Trump, Medical Marijuana and Throwing a Big Fat Republican Party

What is the matter with us?  Have we taken the level of political correctness, injury to our feelings and ability to be offended by anyone who looks different or thinks differently than ourselves, way too far?

Having a conversation with my daughter this morning, she informed me that Donald Trump, candidate for president, had assaulted a protestor and that anyone who votes for him promotes violence.  I asked her where and when.  She couldn’t provide the details, but because she read it online, she took it as fact and this information, possibly misinformation, has helped shape her opinion. 

Rewind a few days and this same intelligent daughter informed me that the Republican Party is one of intolerance, hatred and racism.  Now, this was an arrow through my very political soul.  I am a Republican.  I am a proud Republican.  I don’t believe that I am a terrible person consumed by hate, racism or intolerance.  The discussion about passing judgment on an entire group of people based on their voting preference will come later, when we have time to talk, not just chat over the sound of a blow dryer.

In the meantime here is what I do believe, because if you will hate me for my party affiliation, you might as well be clear on my beliefs:

• I believe that there are more people like me, in both parties, who believe in the Republic and the rights of the individuals to live and prosper with the freedoms that our founding Fathers spoke of during the formation of our nation.

• I believe that our family knows best how to manage our money and that we are all responsible for our own choices, decisions and repercussions of these decisions.  I do not believe that the government or my neighbors should be burdened with the financial responsibility of my personal choices.

• I believe that we as a human race and as a culture of hard working people, should offer assistance to those who need it, but never make that assistance a way of life.
  
• I believe that love comes in all forms.  I believe that it is not a choice that we make of who we love, but is the human nature of love and attraction.  I also believe that others, who do not agree with me on this issue, have the right to disagree.  It is my belief that these people are not homophobic, just living life by their beliefs and opinions.  I also believe that we should be able to live our beliefs without fear of reprisal from those who would not agree.

• I believe that issues that make us human should never have been politicized.  Life is life, but the person who ultimately must make the choice should have the freedom to do so without being fearful of being considered a murderer.  There are dark times and moments that many of us will never have the misfortune to experience, those who are in those moments deserve the same care as those who would deny them.

I believe that I am a good Republican.  I recognize that the party is evolving, the same as the Democratic Party has evolved; I challenge you to do your research.  Before you paint all Republicans as elite racists, it might help to know that the Republican Party was born out of a need to address human rights issues.  These same fundamental beliefs are what hold me to the party today,  

If you go to this link: http://www.ushistory.org/gop/origins.htm you will find the following, plus much more.

Trying times spawn new forces. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 divided the country at the 36° 30' parallel between the pro-slavery, agrarian South and anti-slavery, industrial North, creating an uneasy peace which lasted for three decades. This peace was shattered in 1854 by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Settlers would decide if their state would be free or slave. Northern leaders such as Horace Greeley, Salmon Chase and Charles Sumner could not sit back and watch the flood of pro-slavery settlers cross the parallel. A new party was needed.

With the current flood of rhetoric and candidate bashing, it is a wonder that any everyday American who looks to the media for their news is able to make an informed decision.  Because a fight broke out at a rally, candidates’ opponents will accuse him of promoting violence.

We will never all agree, that is where representative government comes in.   It is our responsibility to go out and cast our vote, not just post our dislike for one another, use the power that our founding fathers gave us and cast your vote; not just this year, but also every year.

While we are at it, maybe we can learn a little tolerance and yes I support Medical Marijuana too!

Need to Create an Off the Beaten Path Map

I want to share this amazing place we found on New Years Eve.  My darling husband and I were traveling to North Carolina to visit my Father and stopped in Southern Virginia for the night.  Right off of I-95 in Petersburg Virginia we found a place to stay and set out for a place to eat dinner.

We had big plans to ring in the New Year at a local bar, but anyone who knows me knows that midnight is the name of a cat, not a time of day that I see on a regular basis.  I can admit it, I like my 8 hours of sleep so much that I try to get 10.

https://www.facebook.com/LighthouseRestaurantandbar

We found our way to a restaurant we found online called – the Light House.  The menu online looked great and was close enough for us to walk.  When we walked in the door, we did a double take.  It was a restaurant/bar that was not in any way as pretentious as it seemed online. 

The first thing we saw while waiting for the hostess to come seat us was a patron at the bar go face first onto the floor, with a blonde right on top of him.  We told the hostess, “we will eat at the bar. “ I was not going to miss any of this fun.

We had the most awesome dinner, fried shrimp and haddock that had to have been deep fried in what can only be described as seasoned oil; and a bartender/waitress that had the greatest southern accent.  When she asked me what I wanted to drink, I had to spell WATER since the way we pronounce it (wooder) was foreign to her down home ears. 

They treated us like we were regulars.  Everyone was friendly, open and ready to share a laugh or a story.  The greatest moment came when the DJ began playing a series of tunes such as, Lynrd Skynrd – Give me Back my Bullets and then Hank Williams Jr – I got Rights.  Each one was better than the last and only made the night more memorable.

I highly recommend you get off the beaten path and find a local gem, there is nothing like it.  If you make it down to the Light House, make sure you look for our dollar on the ceiling!

I may be Stupid, but 7 Days Into the New Year and I Haven't Quit Yet!

Who doesn’t begin a brand new year with resolutions and dreams of being a better person?  We all want to be thinner, richer, healthier, and happy, but how do we get there?

I have done the “workout” resolution for years.  Every year I say to myself, “self, you’re a fat ass, it’s time to get on the ball and lose some weight;” and every year I fail miserably because, well, chocolate and cheese.  The two greatest things ever discovered by man are the downfall to my self-control.  That and Chic Filet, but that’s another problem for another day.

If I were to take a real inventory of my being, it wouldn’t be that difficult to find those spots that need work.  I have been eating better, more to the benefit of my health than because of any resolution to enhance my vanity.  Eating better and exercising each day takes on a life of its own.  I won’t say that what I do is considered working out, because that would be a ridiculous overreach.

Finish What You Start

A good resolution to have might be for me to finish what I start.  I get all gung ho on some activity, diet or challenge and then realize that I never finished, leaving half sewed projects, half written books and half-baked foods for me to clean up..  

On that note, I am currently working on a 21 Day No Junk food Challenge, and so far, as of Day 3, I have been pretty good.  Here is what is not allowed:

• No Chocolate
• No Candy
• No Cake, Doughnuts or muffins
• No Pastries
• No White Bread
• No chips
• No Fast Food
• No Carbonated Beverages
• No Ice Cream

Who wants to join me and who wants to take bets on whether or not I can make it another 18 days?

Stop Being so Judgy and Gossipy

One thing that I have been working on for a looooooong time, is the “if you haven’t got anything nice to say rule.”  I seriously suck at this.  I mean well, I wake up every day and tell myself, “Self, don’t be such a bitch today.”  People aren’t perfect and it helps to remember that even if you can’t remember all of your transgressions, I can guarantee you that someone out there can.

Sharing other people’s bad decisions and poor judgement doesn’t make me look better, it makes me look smaller, personality wise that is, because if being petty was a diet, I would be back in a size 3.  This is what I really want to change this year.

I would be wrong to not admit that occasionally, just sometimes engaging in some light gossip is like a balm.  Like Aloe to my own personal burned self-perception.  It is because it feels so good that I need to not do it. 

Say You’re Sorry

Let me start 2016 by apologizing.  I really want to apologize to anyone that I owe an apology to that might not have received it from me.  I can state with 100% accuracy that I know each time I did someone wrong.  Many times it was unintentional and other times, it goes back to being a bitch.  Either way, I am sorry that my insecurities, my ego, my jealousies, or my stupidity made me behave offensively.

You should try it, it really feels good to let go and admit being wrong.  Every fight doesn’t have to be to the death, yes family members this means you too!  Every argument doesn’t have to end with silence and judgement.  Life is too short and I am too tired to keep that kind of negativity alive, so if the apology is what you are waiting for, here it is; delivered with sincerity and love.  Sometimes the answer really is a simple as “I am stupid and I am sorry."

Happy New Year to You!