Comments: A veritable melange of musings on various topics

So I’m sitting here listening to Renee Montaigne and Steve Inskeep. They soothe my soul, those lovely NPR announcers. I am never alone when I have my radio. I’m such a geek.

Anyway, I’m reading this amazing book called “Rockabye” by Rebecca Woolf, a young mom who is way cooler than me or most people and also a much better writer than most. She has the kind of writing skill that makes you almost ill, it’s so good. She is able to speak lyrically about her child. So often, writing about motherhood can get mired in mushy, romantic images that are a dime a dozen. But not in this book.

Here, Woolf fully expresses the passion and deep love of motherhood, without sentimentalizing it. Her turns of phrase are amazing. I keep having to re-read what I’ve read because it’s so good. It's keeping me from my teen vampire habit.

And I’m only halfway through. She talks a lot about her identity and being an individual as well as a mother, but not in a strident way. She is a curious and intelligent new mother and she takes us along on her journey.

So by all means, check this book out.

Anyway, I’m a little freaked out today, because I just watched some clips of the Sarah Palin/Katie Couric interview, which I know, I know, was on weeks ago, but we don’t have network TV so I hadn’t gotten to it.

It scared me to see how unprepared she is for being Vice-President, let alone President. She is being trotted around like a pretty show horse, which is insulting and disturbing. (And it’s not a comment on the fact that she’s a woman or that she’s conventionally good-looking. I’m strictly talking about how McCain “handles” her. It’s creepy.)She is obviously qualified to be doing certain things, and there’s no question she is ambitious and determined. Fair play.

But when you actually hear her speak about issues, it’s scary to see how little she knows, and how inarticulate she is. There are plenty of politicians who don’t know what the hell they’re doing, but they can at least talk a good talk. Palin needs more experience talking to people and thinking for herself. She does not cover her ignorance on issues well, and ends up sounding like an apologist for McCain with no opinions of her own, unless she has his permission. It’s a little scary.

So I’m just thinking that if McCain does get elected, this woman is the second in command for the whole COUNTRY.

I know I’m not the first to say all of this. I’m probably the thousandth, but honestly, think about it: if you haven’t heard her speak, go listen. Compare her knowledge, skills and experience with Hillary Clinton. Are you sure this is what you want?


And finally, in today’s news, I have no idea what’s going to happen with the economy. It’s actually quite scary and makes me want to learn to churn my own butter and weave my own clothes. Things could get pretty tight around here for some time. And we’re so spoiled as Americans, because for us, it’s all about consuming. That’s what got us into this mess in the first place. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. We ate too much and now we’re bloated and have indigestion. And there’s no Pepto Bismol left in the house.