March 23, 2008

The Easter Bunny Is Very, Very Late

Since Dawson was a baby I’ve The Easter Bunny has always prepared an Easter basket for him, filled with little chocolate eggs, a hollow chocolate bunny, jelly beans and a small toy or two.

In past years, he’s been too young to understand what’s going on, and this year he finally understands that The Bunny hides a basket of candy somewhere in this house and he is supposed to find it.

However, this year I failed The Bunny sort of forgot. In fact she was so busy it didn’t even cross her mind until THIS MORNING that she forgot to fill a basket.

Dawson is oblivious to the fact that The Easter Bunny makes mistakes and he is so distraught that I told him The Bunny is just running late, and that to make up for her erroneous ways, she is sending him something super cool, scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, when the Easter UPS Man gets his bunny-butt hoppin’ (the Easter Bunny ordered the super cool thing on Monday as a surprise, but didn’t think to use express shipping to get the item here by Friday. What a dumb bunny!).

In the meantime, we’re coloring Easter eggs because that damn bunny forgot all about that, too. She’s definitely not getting the Bunny of the Year award now!

Happy Easter, everyone!

March 20, 2008

Dana is unable to come to her blog right now, but please visit her at Blogher and MSU. (Or just leave a message after the beep.)

Can our government save the millions of desperate, job-seeking Americans? I’m over at BlogHer today, talking about unemployment. Head over there and share your thoughts with me. Pretty please?

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Don’t forget to check out my review of the book The New Feminized Majority: How Democrats Can Change America’s with Women’s Values. Click the link in the post below to read and comment at Moms Speak Up. It’s a double feature for Politics & News today!

The Rise of the Feminized Majority

**Cross-posted from Moms Speak Up.

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As a woman, wife and mother, politics is important to me. We live in a country that is struggling. We’re at war in Iraq. Millions of Americans are jobless, have no health insurance and are losing their homes in a mortgage crisis. Our planet is dying a slow and painful death due to global warming, and our gasoline prices are skyrocketing because we live in a society dependent on automobiles. I’ve never been as invested in politics as I am with the 2008 Election.

With so many problems that need to be addressed, many of which are important to women like me, I was excited when offered the opportunity to read The New Feminized Majority: How Democrats Can Change America with Women’s Values, by Katherine Adam and Charles Derber.

As a lifelong Republican, I have often voted in elections based on my values. As a Catholic, my religious morals and values have influenced how I vote on issues such as abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

In their book, Adam and Derber shed light on the assumption that the Republican party is the “party of values”, due to the fact that Christian Conservatives (the right arm of the Republican Party) often define themselves as “moral values voters.” However, Democrats have values, too, but they often avoid any direct claim to morality.

The book begins by explaining the difference between masculinized and feminized values:

Men are socialized into what we call masculinized values that include competitiveness, aggression, individualism and a belief that violence is a necessary tool to solve problems. Feminized values are those in which women are socialized in a given time and place. These values include cooperation, empathy, an appreciation for equality, a preference for nonviolent solutions to conflicts, and community, or the feeling that everyone is a part of something bigger. People with feminized values look at the issues affecting their families and their communities with the goal of “together we can.” Those with masculinized values move through their lives with the feeling “alone I will”.

This book illustrates why feminized values are fueling the desire for change in America, and explains why Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton will have a better chance at winning the presidency in November.

Adam and Derber explain that both Obama and Clinton represent feminized values, which are the same values that many American voters, both women as well as men, hold today.

The authors believe that John McCain and the Republicans are thriving on “hyper-masculinized” values, which might explain why McCain doesn’t hesitate to say that American troops could be stationed in Iraq for “hundreds of years.” Masculinized “values voters” often believe military force is the only solution to most conflicts in foreign affairs.

However, the values of American voters are dramatically shifting, and the feminized majority first emerged in the 1960s when ideas about equality, social change and community inspired a new moral viewpoint.

The women’s movement of the 1970s also contributed to the shifting of values in America, at a time when the new wave of feminism reshaped and transformed a new generation of women.

My favorite paragraph from the book offers explanation as to why women’s values are not capitalist values:

Women’s values lead to progressive politics because women are integrated into our social and economic order differently than men. They live in capitalism but are not entirely of it. Women’s values generate a moral foundation for progressive opposition because: (1) women are subordinated in the existing order, and(2) their movement against their unequal position expresses values that can benefit all disadvantaged groups and promote equality and peace.

Women’s values revolve around family, children, health care, maternal rights, a thriving economy, and a beautiful and well-preserved environment. We want our children to inherit a strong country of opportunity and prosperity, not despair and tragedy.

How can America embrace feminized values? The authors offer three steps for a Democratic victory in 2008, and beyond:

First, Democrats need to run a campaign directed towards feminized morality. Second, Democrats needs to renounce the masculinized morality of the current political atmosphere and present a feminized populist alternative. A majority of Americans want to move away from social Darwinist economic policies and perpetual war. Third, Democrats need to motivate disengaged voters to become part of the movement. The feminized majority includes many non-voters and Independents. They are crucial to Democratic victory.

In the Wisconsin primary, I voted for Barack Obama because I was tired of “politics as usual”. I’m desperately seeking change, an end to the war, and to rebuild our flailing economy. For so many years I’ve felt as though the Republican party has pandered to me because I’m a woman to win my vote, only to abandon my values for those that are more masculinized.

Adam and Derber pose the idea that Barack Obama is a more feminized candidate than Hillary Clinton because of his “Yes, We Can” campaign slogan. Obama’s vision for America inspires feelings of community and equality. He sparks a desire for change in our country. In every speech he gives, Barack Obama emphasizes that there is a common good that can and will bring Americans together.

On the contrary, Hillary Clinton faces enormous challenges because she is a woman. It’s difficult to walk the gender line in this presidential campaign, and we shouldn’t completely disqualify her simply because she doesn’t use her gender as a means to win.

Overall, I was very impressed with The New Feminized Majority. It inspired a new way of thinking for me and convinced me that my decision to vote for Barack Obama was the right one. That in itself is amazing.

March 18, 2008

Rambling, Ranting and Other Blogorrhea

I’ve been going to the gym five days per week because I’m trying to slim down. Way, way down. I’ve got to shed at least 100 pounds. I know you might be rolling your eyes at that statement, but it’s true. Seriously.

I’ve never been this heavy. It makes me sick just thinking about it. I’m not going to tell you my number, but it has a 2 in it. At the beginning of the three digits. This is not good. It’s not healthy, either.

I’ve ditched the fast food (unless it’s an extreme emergency — like the Shamrock Shake I had on my birthday), I’ve stocked up on fruits and veggies and lean meats.

I’m digging 30 minute workouts on the elliptical trainer and I attend two toning classes a week. This all good, right?

And yet, I’ve only lost four pounds. I know. I know. Muscle is working it’s magic here. But still, I’m not a patient person, I want this weight to melt right off of me. High expectations. Totally Unrealistic Expectations. I know this. I’m not totally naive.

Since I subscribe to nine million magazines (totally NOT my fault), one of which is called Self, I decided to take the challenge. The Self Challenge.

Not only that, I’m joining Christina in the Hot By BlogHer Challenge, too.

And, I want to fit into my fricken skinny jeans again.

Yeah. Remember when I said I’d write a coherent post? I fibbed. This is a rambling mess. I can’t even get a sentence put together these days. What the hell happened to me? It’s like I’ve completely forgotten how to blog.

Totally suffering from Blogorrhea. No doubt.

If you missed my latest Mommybloggers post, I highly suggest you run from here and go there. That post actually makes sense. Maybe. I don’t know. See? I’m in a bloggy rut or something.

Although I have some good posts coming up for other blogs, The Dana Files is suffering. For that, I apologize.

But anyway, back to the rambling.

I think I hit my breaking point when I was trying on clothes in Target on my birthday. I found some adorable things, but they quickly became ugly ass fashion disasters the moment I put them on and stared at my rear in the mirror with the dim lighting of the dressing room, which highlighted my biggest assets. It was horrible. I cried. Can we say “muffin top”? Followed by “pear shaped blob” a.k.a my ass?  I think my ass grew an ass.

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

Thing is, I’m all for eating healthy and exercising, but my husband is not. He could care less about what he puts in his mouth. His weight barely fluctuates year to year. Not that he’s a thin mint, he’s got some marital bulge, too. But he does most of the cooking and I do most of the sulking when buttons pop off my pants.

I saw a photo of myself from Christmas and I was sick. I look terrible. And it’s not a self-image problem. I’m seriously overweight.

I have so much to say about this topic, but I can’t get the words to come out. I don’t know what my problem is.

Y’all better read this post quickly, before I wake up tomorrow and delete it.