Lucidity & lights
A month or so ago, I bought Barack Obama's book-on-tape, Audacity of Hope. I loaded it into my car's cd player, and every time I drove somewhere (or when I was bored with NPR) I listened to a bit of it. Okay, I didn't always listen closely; my mind wandered, but I heard quite a bit of it. I was particularly interested in the part about religion and politics. I also listened to segments of his racism speech, given after all the hoopla over comments by his longtime pastor.
I have to say this about Obama: His writing and speaking are overwhelmingly lucid. He makes sense. He gets down to the bottom of things and finds the critical underlying threads and ties them together. He doesn't avoid anything. He is truthful and serious and rational. He doesn't cover his ears and go YADA-YADA-YADA. He doesn't slant the truth to obscure it. He doesn't pretend to consider; he actually considers. He doesn't suck up to anybody or mock anybody. He doesn't dwell on inconsequential nonsense to put anybody down
Holy cow. He doesn't think or talk like any other politician I have listened to. He seems real. I am bowled over by this discovery and very pleased with myself for voting for him in the primary. Though I would have been fine with Clinton winning, she lost my respect when she leaped to join the chorus of media pundits over his pastor's wacko ideas and his choice of words regarding the reactions of working people to hardship (bitterness, etc.). He's never stooped to hooting over inconsequential nonsense during the campaign; Clinton has.
The fact that Obama's family and upbringing exposed him to diverse cultures, races, and beliefs puts him into a very select group among largely arrogant, culturally ignorant, and super-nationalist Americans, making him uniquely qualified to communicate with other nations, whether friends or enemies, with respect and without being offensive or insulting. I have been embarrassed and ashamed to be an American for so long that it will be a proud day indeed if he is elected President and speaks for us. I can hardly believe it is possible that I will be able to feel proud of my home country. I hope it happens.
To change the subject, after a hiatus nursing my cold, the five-mile walks are back in action. Homie goes with us off the leash most of the time, freeing him for sniff-pee pauses and for running around within reason. He is exceedingly well behaved and trustworthy. But this week, for the second time in maybe three weeks, we lost him (or he lost us). The first time was in the park; we finally found him consorting with strangers. This time it was on the canal. We couldn't see him, he didn't respond to calls, and we didn't know if he was ahead of us or behind us. We spread out, doubling back and rushing ahead, and finally did find him pacing in circles far ahead where the canal crosses a busy street. He had simply trotted faster and faster, as he does when heading toward home, and he forgot all about us until out of hearing. Thankfully he waited there instead of charging into traffic or going home with somebody else!
Five miles is already a stretch for me, and all the extra panicky searching meant that by the time we got home I was practically crippled. There are several pesky little muscles connecting pelvis to thigh bone that serve as my Achilles heel. Yowchhhh! Homie now sports a new collar with a bright red blinking stripe and a bright red blinking heart-shaped pendant hanging off it. He is never out of sight. On top of that, he remembers to look back and be sure we are behind him. The past two nights have been the most relaxing walks ever.
I have to say this about Obama: His writing and speaking are overwhelmingly lucid. He makes sense. He gets down to the bottom of things and finds the critical underlying threads and ties them together. He doesn't avoid anything. He is truthful and serious and rational. He doesn't cover his ears and go YADA-YADA-YADA. He doesn't slant the truth to obscure it. He doesn't pretend to consider; he actually considers. He doesn't suck up to anybody or mock anybody. He doesn't dwell on inconsequential nonsense to put anybody down
Holy cow. He doesn't think or talk like any other politician I have listened to. He seems real. I am bowled over by this discovery and very pleased with myself for voting for him in the primary. Though I would have been fine with Clinton winning, she lost my respect when she leaped to join the chorus of media pundits over his pastor's wacko ideas and his choice of words regarding the reactions of working people to hardship (bitterness, etc.). He's never stooped to hooting over inconsequential nonsense during the campaign; Clinton has.
The fact that Obama's family and upbringing exposed him to diverse cultures, races, and beliefs puts him into a very select group among largely arrogant, culturally ignorant, and super-nationalist Americans, making him uniquely qualified to communicate with other nations, whether friends or enemies, with respect and without being offensive or insulting. I have been embarrassed and ashamed to be an American for so long that it will be a proud day indeed if he is elected President and speaks for us. I can hardly believe it is possible that I will be able to feel proud of my home country. I hope it happens.
To change the subject, after a hiatus nursing my cold, the five-mile walks are back in action. Homie goes with us off the leash most of the time, freeing him for sniff-pee pauses and for running around within reason. He is exceedingly well behaved and trustworthy. But this week, for the second time in maybe three weeks, we lost him (or he lost us). The first time was in the park; we finally found him consorting with strangers. This time it was on the canal. We couldn't see him, he didn't respond to calls, and we didn't know if he was ahead of us or behind us. We spread out, doubling back and rushing ahead, and finally did find him pacing in circles far ahead where the canal crosses a busy street. He had simply trotted faster and faster, as he does when heading toward home, and he forgot all about us until out of hearing. Thankfully he waited there instead of charging into traffic or going home with somebody else!
Five miles is already a stretch for me, and all the extra panicky searching meant that by the time we got home I was practically crippled. There are several pesky little muscles connecting pelvis to thigh bone that serve as my Achilles heel. Yowchhhh! Homie now sports a new collar with a bright red blinking stripe and a bright red blinking heart-shaped pendant hanging off it. He is never out of sight. On top of that, he remembers to look back and be sure we are behind him. The past two nights have been the most relaxing walks ever.
posted by Cranky Ol' Lady at 4:55 PM
3 Comments:
Oh, Homie!!! That would have scared me to death. I think the blinking red is a great idea!
Isn't Obama interesting? I read both of his books and was moved & inspired by all three. I blogged about him after he became the presumptive nominee. He has my vote!
I like how you put it about how Obama's upbringing puts him in a select group. I couldn't agree more.
I'm comparing your 5-mile with the ridge loop trail at TM: how long does it take you, sans looking for Homie?
Well, hooly, we've done the same 5-mile walk a bunch of times and the time varies a bit. We walk faster or slower depending on how we feel. The colds slowed us down a bit, and Grumpy battles blisters. Sometimes we make no stops at all; other times we stop and sit briefly, or longer if Grumpy removes his shoes and socks to check things out or add padding.
I'd say on average two hours or a little less, not counting losing Homie.
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