Corporate Bailout, Taxpayer Wipeout

They are passing out tents in Galveston
As temporary housing for Hurricane Ike victims
And debating on handing out million dollar checks on Wall Street
They are passing out tents in Galveston
While robbing you and I of our retirements, sanity and security
They are passing out tents in Galveston
And sending our jobs overseas
Not caring to create new jobs. Only seeking to quench the hunger of capitalism
They are passing out tents in Galveston
Taking our money faithfully to do as they will
Taking our men to fight their battles whilst they vacation in Europe
With our money they have laundered
Not giving a damn about us, our ideals, our families, or our futures
They are passing out tents in Galveston
While hard working victims of Ike ask themselves how they are going rebuild
Without the aid of FEMA or insurance
They are passing out tents in Galveston
And debating on handing out million dollar checks on Wall Street
Apparently if the bailout is not given immediately, a ripple effect will begin
More companies crumbling more Americans without jobs
They want us to believe the bailout will prevent the ripple effect
But I see through the smoke and mirrors
The ripple effect has already begun
The bailout only a band aid on a festering wound
Why is it a bailout on Wall Street?
But a handout on Main Street
Is anyone out there awake?
Why are we silently sitting by watching the insanity?
This modern day slavery must end
The rich continually get richer
Finding/creating the loop holes to keep their money
The poor are exempt
The middle class are paying into a system that continues to steal from us
Yet we the people finance the theft in the form of higher taxes
In other words we are paying to be robbed
It's time we fight back
We have been victims far too long
Let us not sit silently watching in dismay
Now is the time to rise up and claim our future
Its time for a REVOLUTION!

Dealing with the Aging Among Us

*Written prior to hurricane Gustav.

This weekend I took some time out of my schedule to visit my dad. My family and I drove down to the coast of Texas and overall we had a great visit. This was the first time my dad got to meet the newest addition to our family.


My trip ended with me having a heavy heart. As I drove back home I was praying that hurricane Gustav would not wipe my dad out, since he refused to come home with me. And this got me thinking about a subject that has plagued me for years. How am I going to care for my elderly parents in their time of need?


My dad is retired, disabled and not in the best of health. He lives alone and at one time had a home health nurse coming to assist him. For one reason or another that nurse was not a good fit and has not been replaced. This weekend I also found out my dad is fed by Meals on Wheels. This broke my heart. In that moment I felt as if someone hit me over my head. The gravity of his situation came crashing down upon me. Where have I been? How could I be so tuned out and clueless? Thank God for these types of charities but I should be the one making sure dad has what he needs not a case worker. Needless to say I feel overwhelmed and haven't a clue on where to begin.


Thinking through the issues and calculating the amounts of money required to help support him is daunting. The best option would be for him to move in with us but of course he will not. Because he says he does not want to be a burden. He is not at the point where he needs round the clock care and so I want to respect his wishes. However, I can't even put into words how frustrating it is asking your parents how you can help and always get a resounding everything is fine. And I know everything is not fine as I watch from the sideline powerless to change what's happening. I should clarify I am not powerless but this issue can be all consuming when I am pinching pennies to sustain myself.

My chief concern now that my mom is getting close to retirement is how I can tackle both situations. My parents are divorced, live six hours apart and I am an only child. I don't have siblings that can help me pick up the slack. Nope, there's just me and I am sitting here scratching my head. For some reason I always assumed caring for my elderly parents would be long after I was established and my children were out on there own. It has become very apparent that my assumptions were incorrect. The time to help is now and I am behind the eight ball.

I have to say, I wish there was some sort of resource for people like me and there is not. There is no dialogue happening for people in their twenties/early thirties dealing with this. There are no magazines, television or radio programming for this target audience. Everything I have come across that deals with this subject matter is for people who are older and have established their careers. Not one bit of information is out there for people like me who are just beginning their families and careers. I need to know how much I should be setting aside not only for my retirement and kids’ college fund but also how much I need to set aside to help cover the expenses my parents have. This is extremely scary when you look at the realities of corporate misdealings and no one's investment is secure.


If you are in a similar situation I would love to hear from you.

Primal Urges

something has taken over my seven month old

a force so strong he can not resist it

from the time he rises, until he sleeps peacefully

he is constantly honing this skill

my baby is learning to stand

stand on his own two feet

the two feet that will carry him out my front door

one day

bitter sweet this primal urge

sweet because he is gaining his independence

bitter for the same reasons

Come Back! Come Back! I cry within myself

for he is my baby, and I don't want to let go

my final baby and once he takes that first step

the letting go begins

and it's the letting go that's hard

Hurricane Ike Update

Thanks for all your prayers and words of encouragement. I have a small update. I have heard from some of my family. They all made it through but suffered property damage. Physical things can be replaced but as we see from Katrina it is not easy. So keep all the families in your prayers.
Question: Why is it that hurricanes hit Florida every year and the people rebuild without problems. Yet people who were affected from Katrina and Rita are still living in trailers or displaced. Can anyone explain the bureaucracy? Hopefully the response from the government will be different with Gustav and Ike. Chime in I would love to hear your thoughts.

Today Has Not Been A Good Day

On the heels of Gustav we are now faced with Ike. What else is there to say, it's hurricane season. It just seems like we can't catch a break here. I have about 50+ family members in the Galveston, La Marque, Texas City, Houston area. To my knowledge some have made it to higher ground and some have not. I am an emotional wreck today. I have kept to a certain routine, watching CNN, crying, calling relatives then calling my hubby. Then my inner self speaks up and says "Girl change the channel, watch something else." That works for a moment then I am back to my routine watching CNN, crying, calling relatives then calling hubby. For a moment I breathed a sigh of relief hearing that my eighty year old great aunt was going by to pick up my disabled dad and take him to Houston. Only later to find out they did not get to Houston and chose to stay in La Marque. I wanted to say hey there's still time keep going but what can you say. She's 80 and my dad is beside himself and I can feel the anxiety and despair.

And if that isn't enough, I get to my son's preschool today and the bully who has made my son his amusement for the hour is still relentlessly going after my baby. I am overwhelmed with emotions that include sadness and rage. Honestly I want my son to be strong and feel courageous enough to protect himself but at the same time I think he is only in pre-k for crying out loud. My daydreams about parenting never included these issues.

Well I have to go now and pick back up my routine. Watching CNN.....

22 With 5 Kids

An observation

Young girl, what are you doing?
Giving yourself away to every man that comes along
Why?
I wish I could get inside your head
Understand your thought process
Gently guide you ashore
Perhaps your mission is only for the temporary pleasure
My advice is to find another hobby
But if you must, may I suggest protecting yourself my sister
Because your face is the new face of Aids
Or maybe in your loneliness, you think the new man will provide what the last man couldn't
News Flash
Nothing and no one can make you happy
Happiness comes from within and radiates out

Young man, I ask you the same
What are you doing?
Out to bed as many women as possible
Your conquests read like a scrabble score card
I wonder what all these women see in you
They probably see the possibilities
Unfortunately your blind to them
No you choose the road heavily traveled
Wanting the the blinged out lifestyle
...the car on 24's with suicide doors...
yyyyyaaawwwnnn!
Generally you take two shapes
You don't work, while others make excuses for your sorriness
Or you choose the dope game
Selling death to your community

5 kids 5 baby daddies
5 kids 5 baby mamas
MADNESS!
Yet the soap opera continues for decades
Bad choices = more innocent children suffering needlessly

I know you think it's none of my business
But, it is because I pay my taxes
And if we are being honest
I wish you would stay out of my pocket

My hope for you is that the veil is lifted from your eyes
So that you can see your folly
And save your seeds from continuing the heartache

Introducing Sarah Palin

As I watched in horror the Republican National Convention here is what I came away with. Tonight was the night where Sarah Palin got the opportunity to introduce herself to us again. I thought she did what most Republicans do which is attack, attack, attack but I am waiting for more. Her speech was to the Republican base and probably some small town voters. I was hoping she would touch more on the issue of her daughter's teen pregnancy. I wanted to hear her battle with this issue as a mom and how it resonates with most of us. This is obviously an epidemic we are dealing with here in America and I wanted more than a prepackaged response. But we the viewers were left with nothing, this topic was skipped altogether. Shoved under the carpet so to speak. This is a sign to me that all is not well in Palin home about this issue. I can't help but feel that if the roles were reversed and a candidate on the Democratic side had this same particular issue the Republican Right would have a filled day. It's amazing how they can spin things to their advantage, absolutely brilliant.
The Republicans came out swinging tonight. I need bandages for all the bruises they inflicted upon me with their trash talking lies. Not once did they bring up issues that are important to me. It's true what Barack Obama said if your party does not have a platform the only thing they can do is talk about their running mates. That's all they did tonight was attack. If you want to see what Obama has done as a community leader go to Chicago. This brings up what I call the politics of deceit. So many politicians tell you what you want to hear to get your votes, only to get into the big house and serve their own interests. George W is an excellent example of this. I am reminded of so many of his shenanigans he has pulled including this "war" with the intent on finding weapons of mass destruction which we haven't found. We have found higher gas prices, more of our jobs going overseas, and our dollar weakened and more unemployment. This means nothing to the richest one percent, but it means a hell of a lot to me and millions of other Americans.
So Democrats lets not fall for the okie doke again. We can not have another four years of Republican rule. This is not the ticket for change. If you are looking for change, positive change that is more in line with your values please get out and vote for the Obama/Biden ticket. In the words of Hilary Clinton " No Way, No How, No McCain".