Getting Political

I was invited this weekend to attend an event hosted by a local CSA farmer and other concerned citizens.  The event was to promote Francis Thicke as the next Secretary of Agriculture in Iowa.  Unfortunately, due to a crazy, hacking cough, I decided that I would be obnoxious in a crowd, likely causing people to fear for their lives as I coughed and sputtered as politely as I could.

But I took the time to visit the candidate's web page.  And I liked what I saw.  Thicke's banner sports those most mesmerizing of modern metallic flowers: wind turbines.  The peace I get from watching those huge blades speeding through the air is indescribable.  I find them beautiful, serene and inspiring simultaneously.

Thicke advocates farmers owning mid-sized wind turbines, used to power their farms.  Any excess energy could be sold back to the power companies as a credit towards the purchase of the turbine.  Sign me up!  I want one!  Besides that, when the wind comes howling through my yard in the dead of winter, we'd likely not lose power due to a downed line miles away.  I bet those blades would crank out some real wattage in the middle of a storm...

His website talks of bringing fruit and vegetable production back to Iowa, something that could go hand in hand with the crops already harvested in the state, saving millions in transportation costs and increasing jobs in the state.  This is something that is important to me -- although I plucked 60 radishes from my garden today, why should my neighbor have to buy hers in the store, brought in from California?  As a side note, anyone want some radishes?  I'll have a bushel by the end of the week...

One of the other ideas Thicke suggests is developing and allowing the technology which would enable farmers to produce their own bio-fuels to power their equipment.  Wouldn't I love that?  Sure, my tiller uses a gallon and a half of gasoline a season, so bio-fuel for my hobby farm may not make sense, but my neighbor?  The one with the hundreds of acres?  Well, that would make a heckuva lot of sense for him.  Plus, he could sell me the 1 1/2 gallons I need for my tiller.


I have no idea why I was invited to this event, other than more and more frequently my blog is being discovered under the search term "organic."  Perhaps someone out there stumbled across one of my posts talking about my passion for locally grown food or describing our fledgling attempts at homesteading.  I'm not sure, but I do know that I feel strongly enough about the CSA movement to put a candidate's name in my blog, to come out vocally in support of local food.  I guess I believe that if agriculture is the leading industry in the state -- shouldn't we, as Iowans, be leading the agriculture industry?

Why Some People Should Not Breed...

I am about to tell you about an overheard remark, one that has been sitting on my brain for the last couple of months.  I keep coming back to it in utter disbelief, like one might look at an oddity in a Ripley's Believe It or Not museum.

One day, the hubster and I were enjoying a lunch on the town, just the two of us.  We decided to stop at a sushi restaurant and indulge in some tasty morsels.  We ended up seated within earshot of two men, both dressed in business-wear. 

I promise that I was not eavesdropping.  Our table was very close to theirs and one of the men, in particular, had a very loud and clear speaking voice. 

At first, Scott and I tried to talk around him.  But eventually, the xenophobic rant he was spewing became far too entertaining to ignore.  We are the exact opposite of xenophobic around here, so getting a glimpse into a close-minded mindset is always an education.  He tried to rally his colleague around issues such as, "What if I don't want my tax dollars funding a library that I don't use?"  His tone was fairly good-natured, but his colleague wasn't really buying it, at least as far as I could tell.

And then he dropped the bomb that inspired this post.  "The best thing about having kids is being able to go to kids movies and not feel like a pedophile."

THAT is the best thing about having kids?  THAT???!!!???

It's not sweet sticky kisses?  Not the joy of watching a baby discover his/her world?  Not thee feeling of pride you get when your child accomplishes something he/she has been working toward for months?  Not the overwhelming sense of love and peace you feel as a child drops off in your arms? 

Nope.  According to this fella, it's not feeling like a perv for watching a Pixar movie in the movie theatre.  Such an astounding display of maturity, so thoughtful, well-examined, and intuitive.  Why do women have children with "men" like this?  I have never understood the appeal of an adult with the emotional capability of a goldfish.  My five-year-old son could give you better reasons for starting a family.

I realize that not every child is born into a situation where both parents are ready and willing to grow up.  And that many immature parents really DO mature quickly once their kids are born.  And this isn't a comment on young parents, because Mr. Superdad looked to be at least my age, which isn't really young.  I've known plenty of young parents who have done a super job being parents and raising their kids.

But, seriously, would you ever consider the BEST reason to have kids is to feel legitimate while sitting in a movie theatre and watching a kids movie?

I wonder if his kids know that he's just using them for cover...

So Not a MILF

I have come to the realization that I am not a cool, hip, with-it mom.  I'm just... not.

When my daughter is twelve, she is not going to raid my closet, looking for something fabulous to wear to the middle school dance.

My son isn't going to struggle with embarrassment as a teen because he has a MILF for a mom, because the only one on the planet who remotely considers me a MILF is his DILF.

My ears are only pierced once.  I have no other piercings.  I barely remember to change my earrings...

I don't have a tattoo.  Anywhere.  That little pink spot above my knee is a birthmark and it has been there since, well, birth.

If tattoos and piercings are your thing, go for it!  They're just not my thing.

And right now?   I've got a lovely allergies-turned-cold thang going on.  Which means that unless you think it's sexy for your woman to sleep with Vicks under her nose, I'm not your woman.

But yeah, maybe it's because I'm ancient to have a five-year-old and three-year-old, but I'm definitely NOT going to be the mom all the kids want to be.  I think I'm OK with that.  But shoot me now if I start watching CBS for any reason...