Mr. Obama Goes to Washington

"Change You Can Believe In"

A wonderful Inauguration day. Full of high expectations, high hopes and relief that "Ding, Dong, the Wicked Witch (ie: Republican Party) is Dead".

Yet... we have a cabinet full of political friends, cronies, paybacks, former Clinton administration appointees.

Where's the change, Mr. Obama?


Accountability??
A bailout plan (which is only needed by the CEO's who have their multi-million (or billion) dollar salaries at risk lacks any accountability -- even worse, it carries millions in pork barrel promises. Even the million to replace the sod at the Washington Monument as a direct result of the crowds at the inauguration. Hm. When I don't have the luxury of spending on new seed & water (which I never do -- green lawns are one of the most anti-ecological and economical expenditures in this country), I let my lawn go brown. Proudly.

Wonder how many people THAT million could directly help?


Where is the change, Mr. Obama?

Green nation??
see above. And where are the infastructure, ecology-promoting programs "WE" must embrace?

Where is the change, Mr. Obama?

Politics as usual. Paybacks, bargaining, games, payoffs. As usual.

So what can I believe in now?

Trickle-down theory

So I just finished watching a recent episode of "Wife Swap" (it's my weakness, forgive me), and there's a young-ish couple parenting two children who self-admittedly value appearances/looks above everything else. They even have their kids in beauty pagents -- both of them. The youngest is 13 months old & "competing" since she was 3 months old.

Ok, sick enough.

But during the course of the show, the father is questioned "do you want your daughter to just grow up and be someone's accessory?" (like his wife is to him?). His answer shocked me: "I fully expect my daughter will grow up and be someone's accessory."

That should be enough to re-awaken the spirit of women's lib in and of itself. Talk about a wake-up call! What are we doing to our country's daughters?

Growing up in the 60's & 70's, I watched the demise of "Barbie" and "GI-Joe". One small step for wiping out stereotypes... one giant step for humankind.

I watched the "girlie" frills, lace, big hair, big make-up, low-intelligence expectations, role-stamping of housewife (that word should be banned), subjective feminity diminish.

But it's back -- and with a vengeance. When? How?

And it isn't a matter of having it all. ie: you can be ultra feminine and a corporate power-house. Nope. Girls today are programmed to like clothes, dolls, bling, and not appear too smart. Boys must be aggressive, warlike, hyper-active, beer guzzlers who live in camo. Oh yes, I forgot, there's pink camo now.... my, haven't we progressed.

More than ever, it appears we continue to be a society which values, looks, money, prestige, celebrity, winning, and popularity much more than inner beauty, compassion, integrity, fairness, courtesy, humanity and the welfare of our own people and earth.

Is it any wonder we have arrived at this place? Talk about trickle-down theory.
Take a trip to Pakistan where men rule the home.... and women are mutilated and tortured for even suspicion of non-compliance. Look at Afghanistan and the price women pay for just having a female (un-touchable, un-lookable) body. Check out the statistics for female abortion and female baby murder/abdonment in China.

And then ask any woman who has risen to the higher ranks in the current business world what she has witnessed and been subjected to in the still very much alive "old boy network" of executive America.

Envisioning

photo of Lake Superior from Chapel Rock, UP MI, c. 2009, Sherri Lasko

I'm currently engrossed in the book "The Vision Board" and working on expanding my mind and my visions for myself and my life purpose. There's a great statement in the opening of the book:

"Now is the time for you to suspend your disbelief -- to believe that anything is possible in your life -- and to embrace change. Be brave and take the leap -- what comes next will amaze you."

Don't know about you, but that sends chills down my spine. And contemplating that statement makes me realize just how small my vision for myself and my world were. This year, 2009, will be a year of grand gloriousness. It has to. The world needs a vision more than ever, and those who are willing to take the challenge to dream big, and begin to act, will catapult us into a new era of world prosperity, awakening, and, peace.

"For without a vision, my people perish."

Join me in dreaming big. Now bigger. Oh... come on now.... even BIGGER!

Just my opinion...

It seems to me that if you're going to be in customer service, or sales, that it would be a tremendous asset to be fluent in the language of your customer -- especially in their country. C'mon people, when I ask for a fork at a fast food restaurant, I don't expect a blank stare...

or is that asking too much?

One Creative Cat

Anyone who's ever had a cat will appreciate this. But think about it... why shouldn't every stair be savored?

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http://digg.com/pets_animals/Slinky_Cat_4

'Obama's Challenge': A Transformative Opportunity

Robert Kuttner has reported on elections for more than 30 years. His new book, Obama's Challenge, looks at the Herculean obstacles the president-elect faces — and what it will take to tackle them.A great interview by Terry Gross. Outlines some common sense, practical stuff that I think most of us have realized, but seems to escape Washington.Check it out: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96694999

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Eve Ensler and her life's passion of helping abused women

Listen and you cannot be unmoved. The level of abuse of women and children around the world leaves me speechless. Eve Ensler reminds me once again that I have to do something about this.We hear of hunger. We hear of disease. Do we hear of women being beaten for eating ice cream? Or not having dinner ready for their husband? Or children forced into sexual slavery, tortured and beaten? It's not entertaining. It's definitely not easy to hear. But I am scared that we, once feminists, are afraid of that word and what it stands for. And in that fear, we are betraying the women of our world. We may have rights and respect in this country (although many still do not, and much work needs to be done), but in most of the rest of the world, women are treated as throw-away objects.I've seen it in Israel, Egypt, China, Eastern Europe... and I've seen it here, in our own country -- first hand. The insecurity of our world cannot tolerate the real strength of a woman, so they beat them down. They make them believe they have no strength, so many women never even become aware of this immense power within them.Our world persists in believing the lie that physical strength and dominance are meaningful. Would that any of those hellbent on displaying their "strength and bravery" would ever even attempt to endure the pain of creating life, perhaps they would have more respect for it. Or if people could witness, first-hand, as I have, a mother's unwavering love and sacrifice, the strength of taking on the medical establishment, and the countless hours of comforting special needs for a disabled child. Perhaps if we could comprehend the strength and power of this love, we would bow in humility and respect -- for women, for each other, for the most powerful life purpose of nuturing and loving life.

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