Okay kids you have just a few hours left to win one of two HP Photobooks in the Where in the World is Mamma Contest. Get your guesses and rhymes in now. The final clue is at the end of this post.

DREAMS:
I woke up this morning having visited Broadway in my dreams. We never actually made it to the show, but we were contemplating the tickets we were going to purchase. The top show on our list? CHUCK! A musical adaptation of Chuck Norris’ book Little Brother.

You want the drugs I have don’t you?

OBSERVATIONS:
Tonight Larry King will host a number of stars who will be talking about the importance of voting. Now while this is a topic I can get behind 110%, I must wonder who Larry is using as a booking agent. The headling guest? Josh Groban.

What is this Soft Rock the Vote?

Or maybe this is Larry’s sneaky way to throw his support behind Hillary by getting all the middle-aged white women to the polls.

I’m looking forward to Tuesday. As BOSSY would say, I’m pulling for Barak Oboyfriend.

THE FINAL CLUE:

Okay, here’s the second clue. Take a guess or make up a rhyme and win an HP photobook .

Have you missed me? Lie to me and say yes.

I’m out of town, I have some HP photobooks to give away and I’ve been taking photos with my new camera, so I thought why not a contest.

as to my lack of domestic goddessness.

The hubs just brought the ironing board and iron up to press his shirt for our date tonight (don’t get all excited, we’re going to a wedding–you think he’d iron for me??).

Mr. 4: Dad? What’s that?
Hubs: *steals a glance at me and chuckles*
Mr. 4: I mean what does it do?

Two minutes later…

Mr. 5: Dad? What’s that?? What are you doing?

In my defense (and his), I did offer to iron the shirt for him but he wanted to do it himself. And honestly, I don’t mind ironing. It’s like vacuuming–you get immediate gratification for your efforts, but I don’t have a place to leave my iron set up so we just don’t do it much and neither of us are that partial to button down shirts–they’re just not that comfortable.

UPDATE:
Hubs gave it a shot with limited success. He’s decided to let me “take a stab” at eliminating the wrinkles. Gotta go. Off to make Fussy proud.

Ever have one of those days when you feel like Ally Sheedy pre-Molly Ringwald make-over?

Yeah, me either.

In a discussion this evening regarding his new sneakers:

Mr. Sixth Grade: Mom, you wouldn’t know cool if it hit you in the butt.

Mr. Sixth Grade: I mean maybe in the 70’s or something*, but not now.

Then again, earlier this evening he threatened his younger brother saying that he wished he could “summon a magical unicorn to silence him” or he might be forced to use his “curls of fury.”

I may not be cool, but I am smart enough to record these conversations for future embarrassment.

*Would you take a look at the size of that swish.

This is the reason I didn’t get to vote yesterday.

This is the reason it took me two and half hours to go the first thee miles of my commute.

I left the office at 5:45 p.m. and arrived home at 10:15 p.m. I had ten miles to traverse.

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I’m not strong with math, but I’m pretty sure that even after subtracting my one hour stop for peeing and food (what? there were no cups in the car) and the use of improper fractions, the rate of my progress was akin to Alice’s courtship to Sam, the butcher.

It’s a whole different primary day here in the Mid-Atlantic today.

The “mommybloggers” are blogging about it.

Our office manager is quietly sporting a Vote of Die t-shirt under her cute sweater today.

Everyone in my office had already voted by 9:00 a.m.

The Liberal Ladies* were aflurry on email this morning reporting in on their poll experiences.

I went at 8:45 a.m. and was number 105 on the D side and noticed that there were about 35 voters on the R side. There was a small line (about 4 people) when I left which is a lot for our little precinct!

I left my house at 9:30, walked over, no line at all but they said right
before I came that the line was to the door, which is my usual experience.
A few came inafter me, all Ds – not an R in sight.

OK – My Husband went at 11:00. No one else was there. He took
an ‘R’ card (don’t ask) – he was number 45. The R cards are white and the
D cards are blue. He said there was a huge stack of blue cards…

I voted for Hillary because as I stood in the booth and looked at the names
on the ballot I just HAD to vote for a woman, especially after my daughter told me
this morning that she wanted me to vote for Hillary because she wants to be
president one day and thought that having a woman now would help her
later. How could I not??

Had I been able to vote, I would have voted in the democratic primary for
Obama (You missed a bit of the political banter at dinner – I am not a fan of
Hillary Clinton – my impression is that she will stop at nothing to gain power
so there was much debate over the pros and cons of the two leading democratic
contenders). As you may know, in Virginia Independents are allowed to vote in
either primary and you must sign a form saying you will not vote in the other
primary.

Got to tell you, I was so pleased and proud to see a woman’s name on the
ballot. Empowering.

But I’m one of those “older women in pant suits” – I really resent being
stereotyped (and being old). I suppose the rest of you can figure it
out…I stopped at the Corner Bakery after I voted proudly wearing my “I voted”
sticker. The cashier asked if I voted for her candidate and when I said
yes, she gave me the thumbs up. I guy in his early 20’s with a goatee
gasped in horror and said at least I was in the right party. I asked him
if he wanted to discuss and he rolled his eyes, and turned away in disgust, and
under his breath said “you people are losers”. Needless to say, I was a
bit deflated. This party needs to work together!

So the Liberal Ladies who were able to vote (one is a registered Independent and therefore can’t vote in the MD primary) went for Hillary 2-1 (in VA). We still have two who haven’t yet voted (one in VA and one in DC)–but they plan to.

Co-workers are coming in 3 for Obama (two voting in VA and one in MD) and one for…we think Huckabee.

I’m leaning very heavily toward Obama. And I say leaning right now because I this morning I was sure I was going to vote for him, but I’ve talked to two different women today who talked about the idea of voting for Clinton because of their daughters.

I have to tell you I am over the moon that there is a woman on the ballot. For the first time in my life, I have the chance to vote for a woman for President. My whole life I’ve been told I could do anything, but the faces in the highest office never looked like mine, so there always seemed to be a caveat to that promise.

I mentioned this to my boss over lunch today and he responded by saying that it might be wonderful to see a woman on the ticket, but that doesn’t mean she’s the right candidate–and then he laughed like he had made the best joke at my expense. While I agree with this premise, it pissed me off. As a white man, he has no idea how it feels to look at our country’s top leaders (save the recent ascent of Pelosi) and not see your mother’s or your face among them.

And don’t worry. I told him so.

So when I visit the polls tonight I believe I will put a check next to the name Barak Obama, but not without ache in my heart.

*I’d link to a post about my girls the “Liberal Ladies” but they refuse to comment on my blog–except one of them, once, anonymously–though I know they’re lurking. So alas. this is the first time you’ve probably heard of them. And if they don’t begin to comment, I’m going to start making up stories about each of them here.

I was taught that if I worked hard, tried to get along with folks and followed the rules that I would succeed.

At each stage in my life, I asked the authority figures why this plan didn’t seem to be working out the way they promised. I was always reassured that the folks who were seeming to get things easy wouldn’t always have it that way and it would work out better for me in the long run.

They said that in middle school.

They said that in high school.

They said that in college.

They said that when I entered the work force.

And now?

I just had the same exact conversation once again!

For crying out loud! I’m nearly 38.

I’m seriously thinking my time might be better spent focusing on looking hot before it will be too late to use that to my advantage.

(Sorry for the pity party today. I’m just tired of working in an industry where people who can’t find their way out of a paper bag make more money than I do and then hire me to tell them how to do their job.)

The ever-lovely Heather from Oh My Stinkin Heck is inspiring us once again to spread some blogging love with a pre-Valentine’s Day exercise. With just minutes to spare, I wanted to get in on the lovin’ and I’ll start with our gracious hostess.

I never actually had a chance to sit down and talk to Heather at BlogHer–a situation I hope to rectify this year–but that didn’t stop me from noticing this beautiful women furiously typing away at her Mac. She had the warmest smile and most gorgeous eyes that I just knew she would be friendly. And I can attest through following her for the last eight months she is. She is constantly looking for ways to help her fellow bloggers out with useful advice and linky love–even little ole bloggers like me.

Next, I’m sending out big, gigantic smooches to the wonderful woman who put up with me as a roommate in Chicago. More than a year ago, I started reading the words of Canape at Don’t Take the Repeats as she chronicled the heartbreak of a recent miscarriage. The bravery of honestly sharing her emotions hooked me immediately, so you can only imagine the pure joy I felt when just weeks ago she delivered the beautiful Little Bird. I can’t wait to meet him, because I know he’ll be just like his amazing parents–kind, sincere and loving. And as further proof of Canape’s beautiful heart she is also the founder of Team WhyMommy.

Speaking of WhyMommy…how could I spread some love without mentioning the brave and beautiful Susan of Toddler Planet? The forthright chronicles of her battle with inflammatory breast cancer over this past year have brought attention to the disease throughout the blogosphere and beyond and inspired many of us to value our lives just a little bit more. Thank you Susan for sharing your story with us.

I don’t want to lead you to believe that all my blog reading is so serious. There are a number of bloggers who make me laugh out loud on a daily basis. Neil and his talking Penis over at Citizen of the Month is so worth the read. He’s recently shared his blog with his therapist–brave huh? Among the guys too there are Whit, Dorky Dad and Mitch McDad (who loves to blog about vibrators) who provide me with the dude side of parenting. Their blogs make me wish they would each move their families into the houses on my cul-de-sac. The neighborhood cookouts would be classic. As for the girls, Jessica, Jenny and Lotta may be responsible for buying me a new monitor in the not so distant future for all the diet coke that has shot (shat?) out of my nose while reading their posts and comments. Not only are they hysterical online but they are each the kind of chicas you want to hang out with once you meet them in real life too. I haven’t met Kristi yet but she too is going to need to pay up.

And of course there is no way I could be throwing around my love without mentioning a number of women who are near and dear to my heart. Have you ever met someone and known immediately that you would be friends forever?? Kristie and Lisa and I had been exchanging comments for some time by the time we met up in Chicago, but with that long weekend behind us, they will never be able to shake my stink. Real, down-to-earth, funny, smart and caring don’t even begin to describe these amazing women. Love you girls!! And though I haven’t met Sara, Megan, Andi, and Jennifer yet I just know I’m going to be stalking them for years to come. Consider this a warning girls.

If you would like to participate in Heather’s festivities, you still have a half and hour or so by my clock. Thanks again Heather for giving me an excuse to let just some of the terrific bloggers in my community how wonderful they really are.

PS–If you aren’t on this list and you regularly leave me comments, please don’t think I don’t love you. I do. I do. If you’re not on this list and you DON’T leave comments, why should you be on here?? just kidding