Waaaaaay different from the last one.  The 2 remaining contenders were cordial and there was no splintering or spinning or catty fighting.

Hillary looked much better this time around.  Much better.

But if I’m being honest (to borrow a phrase from Simon Cowell), I was so disillusioned by Hillary’s campaigning during/after the last debate that I don’t think there’s any redemption for her in my mind.  One of the reporters covering the debate tonight put it well.  He said, having worked with her, that there have always been two very different sides to Hillary, and when she walks into the room you’re never really sure which one you’re going to get.  I find that unsettling and a turnoff for a presidential candidate.

I also am very convinced that if there’s a national healthcare plan put in place, that it shouldn’t be mandatory.  Obama was/is apparently the only democratic candidate that agrees with me.

So on the Democratic side, I guess I’m really rooting for Obama.  If it comes down to Obama vs. McCain,  I think I’ll end up going Democrat this year.

If someone else manages to eek out the nomination on the republican side, well that might be an election worth having.

I watched the Republican debate last night.  Gah.

I am not a fan of John McCain.  If he gets the nomination, I will be sorely disappointed.  “Mr. Straight Talk” resorted to Hillary-esque spin tactics and cheap shots last night, which I have no patience for.  And I get the impression that he has the same out-of-touch-with-the-country, cavalier determination that bugs me about our current Commander In Chief.

The little grin he gets just drives me up the wall.  It’s the “I’m the man, and even though I just looked like an idiot, I’ve got my head stuck so far up my own butt that I couldn’t tell” grin.  That, and his answers to everything fall under “I knew Ronald Regan,” “I was a POW,” and “I’ve been in government longer than God.”  And the occasional change of pace with “because I’m John McCain.”

Speaking of Ronald Regan, is it me, or does the goal of the Republican party nominee seem to be “Be Ronald Regan?”  I know he was a good president and all, and managed to unite the country pretty well, but what about looking forward instead of trying to get back to the past?

And in other ponderings from the debate, WHY IS RON PAUL STILL AROUND?  McCain looked like he wanted to shove his boot through Ron Paul’s face the entire time the man was talking.  Ron Paul strikes me as, I dunno, not a real politician. He’s like your spouse’s weird uncle who has opinions on everything and never shuts up about the problems of the world and what needs to happen and tells the same stories of years gone by 15 times because he can’t remember who he’s already told, and then keeps going even if you tell him you already know this one. Or am I the only person who knows someone like that?

Though I will give Ron Paul props for effectively shutting up McCain and Romney during their little spat (which was really McCain’s little spat in which he was trying to make a point that wasn’t actually a point and WOULD NOT LET IT GO even though it was obvious he was wrong).

Mitt Romney did ok.  He didn’t really do anything that changed my opinion of him – for better or worse.

Mike Huckabee had a decent showing for the time he was given.  I like his approach.  He’s kind of the stepchild in the debates these days, which is unfortunate.  There are certainly some things I don’t agree with him on, but I do like the Fair Tax idea.  The transition might be a little rough but I think it would do a world of good for this country’s economy.

But seriously?  If the nominees come down to John McCain vs. Hillary Clinton … I think I’ll just go bury my head in the sand for a few years.

Just watched the Republican debate. Gah.

I am not a fan of John McCain. If he gets the nomination, I will be sorely disappointed. “Mr. Straight Talk” resorted to Hillary-esque spin tactics and cheap shots tonight, which I have no patience for.

And that little grin he gets just drives me up the wall. It’s the “I’m the man, and even though I just looked like an idiot, I’ve got my head stuck so far up my own ass that I couldn’t tell” grin. That, and his answers to everything fall under “I knew Ronald Regan,” “I was a POW,” and “I’ve been in government longer than God.” And occasionally he skips the justification entirely in favor of “because I’m John McCain.”

Speaking of Ronald Regan, is it me, or does the goal of the Republican party nominee seem to be “Be Ronald Regan?” I know he was a good president and all, and managed to unite the country pretty well, but what about doing something new, looking forward?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: WHY IS RON PAUL STILL AROUND? McCain looked like he wanted to shove his boot through Ron Paul’s face while the man was talking. Sometimes I could sympathize with that idea. Though I will give Ron Paul props for effectively shutting up McCain and Romney during their little spat (which was really McCain’s little spat in which he was trying to make a point that wasn’t actually a point and WOULD NOT LET IT GO even though it was obvious he was wrong).

Huckabee had a decent showing for the time he was given. He’s kind of the stepchild in the debates these days, which is unfortunate. Though there are certainly some things I don’t agree with him on, I do like the Fair Tax idea. The transition might be a little rough but I think it would do a world of good for this country’s economy.

And I just got offered a massage if I came to bed. Goodbye.

In ancient Israel , it came to pass that a trader called Abraham of Com did take unto himself a young wife by the name of Dot.

And Dot of Com was a comely woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg.  Indeed, she had been called ‘Amazon Dot Com’.

And she said unto Abraham, her husband;  ‘Why dost thou travel far from town to town with thy goods when thou can trade without ever leaving thy tent?’

And Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags   short of a camel load, but simply said: ‘How, dear?’

And Dot replied:  ‘I will place drums in all the towns and drums in between to send messages   saying what you have for sale and they will reply telling you which hath the   best price. And the sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah’s Pony Stable (UPS).’

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with   the drums. And the drums rang out and were an immediate success.

Abraham   sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever moving from his tent.  But this success did arouse envy. A man named Maccabia did secrete (look it up, it means to hide) himself inside Abraham’s drum and was accused   of insider trading. And the young man did take to Dot Com’s trading as doth   the greedy horsefly take to camel dung.  He and his brethren came to be known as Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Siderites, or NERDS for short.

And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the   deafening sound of drums that no one noticed that the real riches were going     to the drum maker, one Brother William of Gates, who bought up every   drum company in the land.

And indeed did insist on making drums that would   work only with Brother Gateš’ drumheads and drumsticks.

So arrogant became Brother Gates in his prosperity that he was not happy just possessing all the drums of the land and sought to acquire a portion of all trade, so that he could make a great name for himself by giving alms to the kings’ liberal causes. He even dared to covet the legendary ‘golden apple’ grown in the Valley of Silicon by Job’s son, Steven and longed to take a bite of its savory fruit.

And Dot did say: ‘Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken over by others.’ And as Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel , or as it came to be known ‘eBay’ he said,  ‘We need a name that reflects what we are.’

And Dot replied: ‘Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators.’

‘YAHOO!’ said Abraham.

And that is how it all began.

Al Gore had absolutely nothing to do with it.

(No, I didn’t write it.)

I heard Kaelin talking in her room this morning so I opened the door to say good morning.

“Is it light outside yet?”
“Yes it is.  Would you like to get up?”

She thought about it for a minute.  Then she stuck her finger up her nose.

“I’m gonna get a booger and give it to YOU.”

Um…thanks… ?

The crush is mutual.  Well you know, if you consider mutual to be “extreme tolerance and the mindset that if you put up with her long enough eventually she’ll get bored and go away.”

Unfortunately for him, that theory hasn’t proven itself true yet.

Well, we’ve officially begun it.

You know, the “it” that has had me shrinking away in anticipation and cringing at the very thought. The “it” that I have successfully procrastinated on starting for almost a year. The IT that means my every move for the next several months will be strategically planned around access to the nearest bathroom.
Yep. Potty training. (insert duhn duhn DUHN music here)

Kaelin did very well yesterday, and successfully peed in the potty at least 3 times (could have been 4, I lost count). Each time she pees in the potty, she gets a “special treat,” which usually means a small fistful of M&Ms or Reece’s Pieces.

We’ve found “special treats” to be a huge motivator, as our child has inherited her mother’s sweet tooth. Not entirely unpredictable, since she was pretty much fed chocolate intravenously during the entire 9 months of my pregnancy.

This morning she was attempting to go pee in the potty, and it just wasn’t happening. She started giving herself a pep talk about if she goes pee in the potty, then she can have a special treat.

Daddo: “What kind of special treat do you want?”
Kaelin: “Money. I need some money.”
Daddo: (blink, blink)

OH, LORD HELP US.

Well, we’ve officially begun it.

You know, the “it” that has had me shrinking away in anticipation and cringing at the very thought.  The “it” that I have successfully procrastinated on starting for the last year.  The IT that means my every move for the next several months will be strategically planned around access to the nearest bathroom.

Yep.  Potty training.  (insert duhn duhn DUHN music here)

Kaelin did very well yesterday, and successfully peed in the potty at least 3 times (could have been 4, I lost count).  Each time she pees in the potty, she gets a “special treat,” which usually means a small fistful of M&Ms or Reece’s Pieces.

We’ve found “special treats” to be a huge motivator, as our child has inherited her mother’s sweet tooth.  Not entirely unpredictable, since she was pretty much fed chocolate intravenously during the entire 9 months of my pregnancy.

This morning she was attempting to go pee in the potty, and it just wasn’t happening.  She started giving herself a pep talk about if she goes pee in the potty, then she can have a special treat.

Daddo: “What kind of special treat do you want?”
Kaelin: “Money.  I need some money.”
Daddo: (blink, blink)

OH, LORD HELP US.

Sheesh, I’m just now getting around to this.  You would think I’ve been busy or something…

Kaelin’s first My Little Pony – a present from Santa

Stockings are totally cool.

Santa’s Little Helper

Opening presents with Ana & Papa

Playdoh and other stocking loot

Grandpa told the Christmas story with window clings.

A recorder from Grandmommy & Grandpa… which is very high pitched and has since “mysteriously disappeared” – hmmm…

Fortunately, Grandmommy was feeling a little better on Christmas morning than she had been for a while.  We’re all glad that she now seems to be permanently on the mend.

The Republican debate was rather different, IMO, than the democratic ones. With the exception of Ron Paul, who is sort of the pariah of the bunch, you really get the feeling that the Republican candidates are all friends behind the scenes. There were no claws out between candidates, and they all commended and supported each other throughout the debate. The other big difference is that, naturally, they cover different issues.

Mitt Romney made a nice and, I think, appealing appearance. He handled himself well. Though I don’t think everything he said was accurate – particularly about the democrats. Specifically, he made several comments about Hillary Clinton’s quotes and stances that weren’t… well, true. Some of it was misinterpreted, and some of it was confusing her plans with John Edwards in areas where they are actually different. And it appears that his plan for getting everyone health insurance only extends to catastrophic coverage, or whatever it’s called in that industry. I’m not sure that’s going to be sufficient. It certainly isn’t preventative. Still, there’s something about him that I find appealing, but perhaps it’s just that he reminds me a little of my dad.

I find Mike Huckabee to be a likable guy, in the same way that I find Barrack Obama to be a likable guy. As revolutionary as it may be, I also like his Fair Tax plan. I’ve done some reading on it and it appears that there are actually answers to most of the questions that had me backing off from it at one time. However, he is very supportive of President Bush, and I can’t tell if it’s to avoid the backlash of being negative, or if it’s because he would be following in Bush’s footsteps.

John McCain was John McCain. I know he’s the most experienced of the candidates – believe me, he won’t let you forget it – and perhaps that’s my problem with him. I don’t think he really brings anything fresh to the table.

Rudy Giuliani was … forgettable. I think he’s kidding himself about not needing to impose government restrictions on pollutants. Among other things.

Ron Paul strikes me as , I dunno, not a real politician. He’s like your spouse’s weird uncle who has opinions on everything and never shuts up about the problems of the world and what needs to happen and tells the same stories of years gone by 15 times because he can’t remember who he’s already told, and then keeps going even if you tell him you already know this one. Or am I the only person who knows someone like that? You can tell the other candidates kind of think he’s a joke by the way they smile at everything he says.

Whereas the Democrats seem only to be concerned about running against John McCain, the Republicans focus all their energy on Hillary Clinton. That seems odd to me, as I think the Democratic nomination is even closer than the Republican one.

One of the major issues in both R & D campaigns is the economy. All the Republicans have various renditions of the same stance: cut spending, don’t raise taxes. Or, in Giuliani’s case, attempt “the largest tax cut in American history” (cough, cough). What I haven’t heard though, is what exactly they’re going to be cutting spending on. It’s apparently not the war in Iraq, which has just about doubled our national debt, and seems to me to be one of the most obvious ways to get the “out of control spending” back under control.

The Democrats may have plans to increase spending, but they also have definite plans for funding that spending, and clamping down on the hose that is the war in Iraq. I have to appreciate that.
I’m sure there are government programs that could use some budget adjustment. But there are also those which I would object to having the funding squeezed on. And it’s starting to sound like the “cut spending” plan means across-the-board cuts in … well, everything. This has me a little concerned.

The other thing that wasn’t really even touched on during the debate is education. Education is an issue that is very important to me, as my child will be entering the school system within the next 4 years.

It appears that all of the major Republican contenders are in support of No Child Left Behind, as well as standardized tests. Having received a very good public school education (10 years ago) in Texas, and comparing that to what I see now in our schools, I am confident that NCKaelin has all but destroyed the merit of our school system. The kids hate school. They do nothing all year but practice for the standardized tests. If it’s not going to be on the test, it’s not worth learning because it doesn’t earn the school money. I have a large degree of disgust for a system that makes kids hate to learn.

And so I find that issue hard to ignore. The Democrats haven’t ignored it.

This is really going to be a tough election.

Sorry about the Barbara Streisand reference.

You know what I really like about blogging? The opportunity to look back and remember that 3 years ago today I got charged $130 for a sandwich.

There are so many moments in life that I would never revisit, never remember at all, if I didn’t have this little written archive. There’s a degree of comfort in that.

My 2-year-old is clever. More so than I’m comfortable with at times. Particularly when it comes to getting something she wants.

“Can I watch cartoons?”
“No, not right now.”
“Can I ask Daddo?”
“No, Kaelin. If Mama says no, you can’t go ask Daddo in hopes that he’ll give you a different answer.”
“I want a different answer.”

Yesterday, we made a deal that if she ate all of her fish for dinner, she could watch some cartoons. She didn’t eat all of her fish. She didn’t get to watch cartoons. Then she decided to throw a fit, and got sent to Time Out.

We have a policy that in order to come out of Time Out, she has to tell us what she did wrong that got her put in Time Out. Sometimes pride gets in the way and she doesn’t want to admit her fault in the matter.

“Are you ready to come out?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me why you got in trouble?”
(silence)
“What did you do that got you in trouble?”
“Mama.”
“No, Mama didn’t get you in trouble.”
“I got in trouble all by myself.”
“Yes. Can you tell me why you got in trouble?”
(silence)
“Kaelin, I would like to take you out of Time Out, but I’m waiting for you tell me why you got in trouble.”
“Can I watch TV if I talk about why I got in trouble?”

Obviously, she has a one-track mind.

And a mind in which the wheels are constantly turning. Eventually, she admitted that she got in trouble for throwing a fit. She then apologized and told me she would never do it again.

Yeah, right.