Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The Day After



What a day. That's what was going on in my kitchen at six-thirty a.m. And it's almost five p.m. and I just got the house straightened up. And I have to get up at three this morning, if not earlier, to take Mr. Moon to the airport as he is flying to Canada and leaving at 5:30. The airport is really, really far from our house.

There was a lot of potty training going on around here today. Lily and Jason have decided to quit putting diapers on Owen in hopes that he'll just come on over to enlightenment. The little guy is perfectly capable of using a potty. He does it at home a lot but he says he's scared to use the potty anywhere else. I believe his exact words are, "I can't. It's scary."
So he ran around naked from the waist down today and peed outside about six times and actually and truly peed in my toilet once. I had promised him that if he did that, we'd make muffins and so we did. He helped me. Carrot, banana, apple, raisin, pecan oat bran muffins. He mashed and grated and broke the egg and mixed.
Then he ate six muffins.
Pooping is not going to be a problem tomorrow.

There was a lot going on, needless to say, and they were good boys. Here's Gibson, doing his happy boy thing on the front porch with me.


There was painting and goat-feeding and egg-checking and chicken-feeding and a bath and cuddling and playing camping and there was laundry. And soup making. And so much more. 

Can I tell you I'm exhausted? 

Anyway, all day in between kid and baby-wrangling, I was checking the reaction to the election on my phone. Since almost every blog I read and almost all of my Facebook "friends" are of my political persuasion, there was a lot of joy expressed. But in a few cases there were words that seemed ridiculous to me. One woman's blog I occasionally read, said that the country voted, in essence, to have the government provide everything for them for nothing. This woman and her husband are staunch believers in the fact that they worked hard for what they have and they should be able to keep it and that anyone who chooses to work as hard as they did and do can also thrive and receive the bounty of their labor. 
Of course they are white and were born fairly well off and were completely expected to go to college and supported in that by their families. 
They are also very firm believers in their faith, which is Catholic. 

I think they are just very angry. I think a lot of people are angry. Especially Republican white people (sort of redundant) who are watching the status quo crumble. The ones who were born, if not on third base the way Romney and GW Bush were, at least IN THE DAMN BALLPARK which a lot of the citizens of this country were not. As I have said so often before, it's one thing to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. It's another not to even have bootstraps. Or boots, for that matter. And suddenly, it's become apparent to these formerly entitled-by-birth people that things have changed and are changing and are going to continue to change and and that by god, that seems good and reasonable to a great many voters in this country. 
Voters who are not necessarily white or rich or straight or religious. Or male, for that matter. And who do not (the horror!) especially want white, rich, straight, religious, males making all of the decisions. 

I've read a lot of stuff today written by people who claim that their main concern is that we have elected the same ol', same ol', and that nothing is going to get done in Washington again. 
This may be true but, then again, maybe it's not. A lot more women were elected to high office. Minorities played such a big role in the election that they can no longer be ignored by politicians who are going to have to realize that they better start serving some minority interests if they know what's good for them. States voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Two states voted to allow gay marriage. 
The vast wealth of Republican backers didn't manage to buy the election. Or steal it, either.
This is NOT the same ol', same ol'. 
Which is exactly why, I believe, a lot of people are angry today. 

Well here's what I say- suck it up. We managed to get through eight years of GW Bush and it almost killed this country. And a great many Americans yesterday proved that no, we don't want to go back in time to that sort of leadership. We want to go forward. 

And if the Republicans will finally realize that fact and quit frothing at the mouth over the fact that things ARE changing, then maybe we can get something accomplished. It's happening anyway and it's going to continue to happen with them or without them. 

Because ultimately, it's the people who make the changes. The leaders need to, as they say, follow or get out of the way.

I look at my grandsons and I wonder what kind of a world they will live in. I, quite frankly, hope the changes continue so that the world they live in will be a world of equality and of peace and of more responsible care-taking of the planet. 

Okay. I'm so tired I can't focus on the screen and obviously, my mind is not focusing either. 

But. Change. Good. Happening. Yes. 
And yes, change can be scary. But like with Owen and his fear of potties outside his own home, there really isn't that much to be scared of. And the sooner we all come to grips with that, the less shit we'll all be dealing with. That's my theory, at least. 

Sleep well, y'all. 

Much love...Ms. Moon


25 comments:

  1. Oh Owen, I understand how he feels. Bless his wee sensitive heart. He likes to think things out doesn't he?
    When I was very little my grandparents bathroom freaked me out. The house was very, very old and the bathroom was added on many years later and never insulated. It was so cold. I still remember over 35 years later how cold the toilet seat was! I also remember being little and how BIG the hole was! Falling in was always a fear. My grandma used to let me sit backwards and that made it fun.

    Did your mom find her money yet?

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  2. To those people who are saying the "same ole same ole" thing, you can if you choose inform them that there may be up to three supreme court justices retiring during this next term... EVEN if not one other thing gets done, who would you rather have appointing supreme court justices. (Besides maybe Rosanne!)


    That alone is worth casting a ballot for.
    xo

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  3. Birdie- Owen won't pee in ANY toilet except the one at home so today was a huge break-through. He was so proud. And he did it all on his own, too.
    No. Mother hasn't found her money. I'm afraid she threw it out by accident.

    Ms. Fleur- NO SHIT!!!!!

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  4. The Supreme Court, yes! Worth crawling to the polls for that one, but we won in so many ways and people who didn't will just need to be angry for a while. All that money gushing into those ridiculous campaigns and all those bullying ads just didn't work. Too f-ing bad.

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  5. VERY well said!! And now it looks like WA has approved it's same sex marriage resolution, too.
    I had to laugh at one blogger, who has decided to bury her head in the sand and shut down her blog (from sorrow) for now...
    Get a grip!!

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  6. Andrea- I agree. It's sort of crazy-amazing-wonderful, isn't it?

    Bobbie- Have we met? I'm so glad you're here. A blogger shut down her blog due to sorrow? If Mitt had won I would have started posting FOUR TIMES A DAY!

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  7. I don't care what other people are saying, I am just damn happy it turned out like it did. They can whine all they want.

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  8. I think you pretty much nailed it with this --
    "believers in the fact that they worked hard for what they have and they should be able to keep it and that anyone who chooses to work as hard as they did and do can also thrive and receive the bounty of their labor." This type of person has absolutely no clue as to how difficult life is for those who are marginalized.

    I can't believe Gibson is already standing. What next?

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  9. To everything you said. Yep. I worked all day and asked every client if it was a good day. And I came out TWICE because now I can get fucking married in my state. Maybe I will, maybe I won't but at least I CAN.

    Every single client said it was a GOOD DAY, lordy, yes it was. And Gibson, gawd I want to lick him and eat him.

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  10. Nichol- Yeah. They can whine 'til the cows come home. I do not care.

    Rubye Jack- And to not have any idea means they are in real denial. Gated communities. ETC.
    Gibson can stand if he's leaning against something. He is growing up. I know. Talk about denial- I'm in it when it comes to him growing up.

    Beth- Yes! Yes! Yes! All of what you said. About what I said. And Gibson, too. I'm surprised he still has a face.

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  11. Ms. Moon, Todd Akin lost! Claire McCaskill (D) won!!!!

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  12. I'm so happy and relieved. I haven't stopped smiling all day!

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  13. Oh man, sweet grandbabies with a chance of a sweet future.

    I told my friend, we lived through eight years of the Boy King- we earned this second term. WAHOO!!!!

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  14. Owen and Gibson are precious babies! You are a lovely grandma. s Jo

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  15. Gibson's smile lights up the planet. I feel more hope for both of your grandsons' futures after last night.

    Petit Fleur, I'd rather have Oprah than Roseanne. I would actually vote for her for president, but she refuses to run (not that I blame her)!

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  16. I have crazy muffin envy.
    My dying wish will be a muffin from you, or maybe that apple cake. What is it again?

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  17. I, for one, have been smiling all day! Yes! Congratulations, Mr. President!

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  18. Oy. Little boys are so weird with their peeing and pooping. I know that both of mine had the strangest phases, but it did all shake out in the end.

    I loved this post --

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  19. I think it's pretty common in Central and South America for pre-potty-trained kids to run around with no pants. Maybe this is your Cozumel spirit coming through?

    I think the entire country took massive steps forward on Tuesday. Conservatism is definitely a fear reaction to change, and that's what we're seeing on the right. But most of my friends -- the VAST majority -- are really happy with the way things turned out.

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  20. One thing about privilege. Those who have it rarely recognize it. Uh, people need to get out more.

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  21. Yup. Very succint.

    Would Owen prefer one of those comfy seats that goes over the toilet seat? Or would that be scarier! My guys didn't potty train til closer to 3... I kind of figured a later start would be less of a battle, and it was.

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  22. Republicans need 6 muffins and they'll feel a lot better.

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  23. That last paragraph cracked me up. Only you could tie potty training to the election hangover. Nice work, I'm on your side.

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  24. I have read a lot of terrible comments by people that I thought I knew--not my scientist colleagues--but others. And some of them are freaky right wing nuts who think that the world is coming to an end because the President was re-elected. Meanwhile, several European friends are so happy. I am happy and grateful to have this President at this time.

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  25. Rebecca-Yep. I heard that. Pretty big national news.

    Lois- It has sort of seemed like Christmas, hasn't it? In a good way. Not the way I hate.

    See Kate Run- I have had that thought more than once.

    Sweet Jo- Some days I am a better grandmother than other days. I admit this.

    Lulumarie- Me, too, baby. I feel a lot more hope.

    Bethany- Are you talking about the prune cake? I do make a hippie apple cake. E-mail me if you want. I'll send you whatever recipe I can come up with.

    Angie- All I have to do is look at a picture of him and I'm happier. He has a beautiful face, doesn't he?

    Elizabeth- That is reassuring. The pee/poop thing. Thanks.

    Steve- I think it's my old hippie ways. Whatever. It's just easier on the little guys. Which is good for them.

    Murr- Welcome! So nice to have you here. And baby, you are RIGHT! Get out of that damn bubble. Some people just have no idea because they don't want to. It's so much easier to blame poverty on the poor that way.

    JJo- Owen turned three a month ago. He's had different potty configurations but he seems to like the regular one. At home, anyway.

    Magnum- I'd put prunes in the muffins for them.

    Brother Wrecking Ball- I swear- I KNEW you'd like that.

    Syd- It's so odd, isn't it, to read stuff by people you thought you knew, only to find out that you don't know them at all?



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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.