Friday, October 3, 2008

A Jumble

I am unsettled. I feel like I want to say something profound, but I don't know what it is.
I am hard to please at the moment. Tom and I went to Oktoberfest at the Puyallup Fair grounds today. I was hoping to have some good autumnal fun, now that the rain has come. Tom says he enjoyed it. I didn't. I was just glad that there was no admission charge today, because it wasn't worth much, in my view. I am currently hard to impress, it seems. We came home and I ate cake. That impressed me. It was chocolate zucchini cake that I made yesterday for Tom and his twin sister's birthday. I was also glad to be home. I think we have been coming and going too much lately.
I watched the VP debate yesterday. Then I listened to pundits and read headlines. They all kind of said the obvious. Where are the new ideas? My headline would read "Sarah Didn't Suck". As much as I really can't stand her, I'm glad Palin didn't do too badly, because she was really becoming an embarrassment. The world watches us and our politics, and I cringe to think what they must think.
I thought Joe Biden was wonderful. My favorite line, when Palin was accusing him of always looking at the past, was "past is prologue"! Now that impressed me!
Earlier this week I went to Oregon to visit my mother. She is 86, still lives alone, but is hard of hearing, can barely see, had to give up driving, and is not very mobile. She has had a hard life, and it has taken it's toll. And yet she is determined to stay independent, and I honor her for that, even though my four siblings and I worry about her. She sees and hears enough to be aware of the financial crises, and she decided she wanted to cash out her AIG annuity. She asked me to help her fill out the forms she had sent to her.
Now, investment finances are not my strong suit. In fact the whole topic makes me feel insecure. But I did know enough to ask if she really wanted to have to pay taxes on this considerable chunk of money. I consulted her bank. They advised caution. I told her that we, the tax payers, now own a controlling interest in the company. Did we really want everyone to bail out of our company? I convinced her to wait, to get more advice, and when I got home I dumped it on my brother, who is her executor. He thanked me, but I'm not sure he meant it.
Today we bailed out Wall Street in the hopes that the rescue will trickle down along with the misery. Will it? How will we know if it is working? Will it work fast enough to stop the hemorrhaging of loan freezes, layoffs, businesses going belly up? How will we pay for it?
I am dissatisfied today.

7 comments:

  1. It's easy to get dragged into the woes of the world and the struggles between politicans. Sounds like you need some more R&R-looking at sunsets, reading a good book to escape and mostly not thinking about it all. Life will go on.

    I remember my dg-in-law being so upset when Bush was elected that she wanted to move away from America. To her it was the end of the world.She's from Turkey.

    I bet people felt that way in the 1920s when the great depression came and went. Also when in the midst of WWII. But life continues with its ups and downs.

    Try being an observer from outer space and develop a sense of humor at our continued struggles. As great grandma used to say..."this too will pass."

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  2. Linda...I too am concerned and feel a sense of dis-ease with everything that is going on. Thank goodness for NYS teachers' retirement because our TSAs really stink right now.

    The debate..no Palin wasn't as awful as I expected, but she didn't answer any of the questions either. I am so afraid of McCain/Palin.....But Lin is right..this too shall pass...

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  3. Linda, I think your feelings and concerns are echoed in all of our lives today. What uncertain times

    We need both vision, and realism, without both now, what will ever happen to man's attempts to survive?

    I'm afraid I don't believe Palin is cognizant of either of these aforementioned needs, not do I believe with her extreme fundamentalists beliefs that she cares.

    I suspected she was playing ineffective during interviews as a ploy, and somehow knew she'd do much better in the debate.. I don't trust or like her, or the Republican Fundamentalist party, (how I refer to it). I think we can all feel the creepiness, but can't always put our finger on it.


    Your Mother is simply amazing, a real inspiration. It was nice to see her photo, thanks for sharing. I wish her well. It is a bright note to the day. I am sure she has been through quite a lot in her day. What a blessing to have her.

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  4. Sounds like you are in a funk! You need something to look forward to...Before my mom came to live with me, I used to like to go to a matinee movie and spend 2 hours watching the big screen and forgetting the sorry state of the planet!! I read the book,'The Secret Life of Bees' and loved it. It is coming out as a movie in Oct, and I think I might arrange a getaway for a couple of hours.[Even though the movie is never as good as the book.] Have some chocolate.

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  5. Well I'm reading this on Sunday evening so I hope you're feeling better and that some fun things have happened.

    I know what you're describing very well. I feel as if I've been in a funk for weeks. I shake it off for a bit and it creeps back in.

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  6. I agree with you about the debate...Palin was just ok but Biden was really good..It is nice that your mom is still so independent..she must be a very strong person. Have a great week!

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  7. My view from New Zealand is that she was a n unfortunate choice for Mc Caine. - Dave

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