tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53867349762020682712011-10-17T15:45:04.744-04:00The things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice. (Mahatma Gandhi)Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.comBlogger1171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-29557897316370580122008-08-25T14:56:00.006-04:002008-08-26T23:14:02.809-04:00

I came across this article and couldn't help but chuckle. It just underscores how important it is not to take everything you see/read as truth - on either side of the political spectrum.A Rough Summer, Factually SpeakingBy Bill Adair, CQ StaffIn the presidential campaign, truth has been a casualty of summer. We’ve rated more than 600 claims on our PolitiFact Web site since the campaign began, and

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-1255707527019207142008-08-22T01:23:00.003-04:002008-08-22T01:28:49.592-04:00

I almost forgot the biggest news of all: I get to go to the Republican National Convention this year!!I am beyond excited. It's something I've always wanted to do and I can't wait. It will be tough navigating the ethics mess (with rules like you can serve bagels and muffins for breakfast but not eggs lest you actually feed people), but I figure there will be a lot of people in the same boat

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-65993446441509476012008-08-21T23:32:00.013-04:002008-08-22T01:22:15.565-04:00

It's hard to believe August is almost over! Man, oh man. It feels like the month just started. Which isn't good because I have a lot of work to do before recess is over.I spent the first day of the month, which was the last day the House was in session, reading the Politico blog and wondering what the heck was going on on the House floor, then traipsing down there with my coworkers to watch

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-45166764555863129982008-08-19T16:32:00.002-04:002008-08-19T17:37:11.807-04:00

This was, I thought, a very insightful perspective on the Olympics and the country hosting them, courtesy of one of my favorite writers, George Will (in a mostly unrelated piece on the respective responses of the two presidential candidates to the crisis in Georgia). If you watched the opening ceremony, you know what he's talking about:"For only the third time in 72 years (Berlin 1936, Moscow

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-23371253686663612862008-08-01T12:21:00.003-04:002008-08-01T12:51:00.243-04:00

Well, we here in Congress are officially on a five-week vacation as of 11:23AM this morning, despite the myriad issues that have yet to be resolved, and only having passed one appropriations bill (even though that's the only job expressly dictated to Congress by the Constitution).So in the spirit of the frustration that accompanies most of the Members heading home today and the staff left behind

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-42251933183753583102008-07-20T13:40:00.004-04:002008-12-13T00:28:34.653-05:00

I'm actually really enjoying this summer in DC. It's the first summer I've really felt completely at home here, and not like a wide-eyed tourist pretending to be a local. I actually feel like a local now. I'm even getting used to the humidity. I know, it was a shock to me, too. I didn't really notice it until I realized that I didn't really notice it. Still not a fan of the random

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-8506154551181064412008-07-08T22:46:00.002-04:002008-07-27T23:03:50.130-04:00

Here was the view from our front yard at our awesome Fourth of July party last weekend. I love this city!

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-48437743367431668862008-06-09T23:47:00.003-04:002008-06-10T00:08:30.205-04:00

I learned the hard wayThat they all sayThings you want to hearAnd my heavy heart sinks deep down under you andYour twisted words,Your help just hurtsYou are not what I thought you wereHello to high and dry

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-79473547849293333782008-06-08T19:39:00.003-04:002008-06-08T19:48:20.955-04:00

Think alike. Sound familiar?Fresno voters say no to another baby boomer mayor By Jim Boren / The Fresno BeeJune 8, 2008There was a generational change that occurred in Tuesday's mayoral election that didn't get a lot of attention. The next mayor -- Henry T. Perea or Ashley Swearengin -- will be in his or her 30s. Fresno voters rejected several baby boomers in favor of Perea, who will

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-74611997701452841652008-06-07T13:11:00.003-04:002008-12-13T00:28:34.818-05:00

Tom Boyajian, long time city councilman and mullet/foo man choo combo sporter (who finished 5th in the race for Fresno mayor this week), as quoted in the Fresno Bee:"Fresno deserves better. We all deserve better. Neither Ashley Swearengin, nor Henry T. Perea has the integrity or the capacity to bring Fresno forward and this is why neither of them will receive my vote in November despite the

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-70949078232214918312008-06-04T23:16:00.005-04:002008-12-13T00:28:35.051-05:00

Congratulations, Fresno. It looks like the voters there have finally seen fit to usher in a new generation of politicians. They did so by narrowing the mayor's race down to Henry T. Perea and Ashley Swearengin - two candidates who are anything but status quo - to compete in the November runoff.And not a moment too soon.Fresno is at a tipping point, as Ashley Swearengin has so articulately

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-88054428463861740832008-06-01T21:07:00.020-04:002008-12-13T00:28:36.563-05:00

Last weekend, Brian and I flew out to California for a badly needed mini-vacation. We stayed in Huntington Beach and spent the day laying on the beach, walking on the pier, and watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean.It was a perfect day. Exactly what we needed.I love the beach. I could absolutely spend every day laying on the beach, completely forgetting that there is a world out there

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-41465635790318310542008-05-18T20:58:00.002-04:002008-05-18T21:03:39.985-04:00

I'm going to be archiving my old MySpace blog on here, just FYI in case you get a slew of new posting emails tonight. Apologies in advance for any inconvenience.

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-41943150693907833082008-05-16T00:10:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:28:36.631-05:00

Since I'm sure most of you have heard by now (it was the top Google News story all day) that the California Supreme Court is at it again - this time rewriting the definition of marriage against the will of 61% of the electorate - I won't bore you with much on the decision itself (here is an interesting analysis if you're interested). In fact, I won't be discussing the underlying issue at all.

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-15819687507231527342008-05-04T00:31:00.003-04:002008-12-13T00:28:36.824-05:00

This is an incredibly fascinating look at the evolution of the social divides that exist in America. A definite must-read. Also, Fresno got a shout-out.Demography is King - New York Times (By David Brooks)"...Over the years, different theories have emerged to describe the educated/less-educated divide. Conservatives have gravitated toward the culture war narrative, dividing the country between

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-34141144933072177172008-05-01T17:03:00.001-04:002008-05-01T17:05:11.754-04:00

Classic. I heart the Onion.Dying Newspaper Trend Buys Nation's Newspapers Three More WeeksWASHINGTON—A recent glut of feature stories on the death of the American newspaper has temporarily made the outmoded form of media appealing....onion_embed {background: rgb(256, 256, 256) !important;border: 4px solid rgb(65, 160, 65);border-width: 4px 0 1px 0;margin: 10px 30px !important;padding: 5px;

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-51020007462233311672008-04-28T23:31:00.004-04:002008-12-13T00:28:37.036-05:00

I'm now a hockey fan. Brian and I got to go to a Caps game for the first time the week before they made it to the playoffs, and we ended up going to 3 games in a row after that. I had never been to an NHL game before, and it was awesome (not that Falcons games aren't fun, but this was seriously the most fun I have ever had at a pro sports event). They ended up losing to the Philadelphia Flyers

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-10784630406538084062008-04-28T23:10:00.008-04:002008-12-13T00:28:37.276-05:00

Wow, squeaking one in after just under a whole month! Here's an interesting observation from Dan Walters of the Sac Bee about California's voting patterns. So much for Democrats being the party of the poor.Blue counties are the greenest, as in moneyState tax officials are still processing millions of personal income tax returns for 2007, but they’ve released data about California’s widely

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-19583150897358882922008-04-01T10:45:00.004-04:002008-04-01T10:53:16.026-04:00

I thought this was slightly awesome. And yes, I am officially a nerd.

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-77746403731821033822008-03-24T23:03:00.004-04:002008-05-19T01:04:35.132-04:00

Lots been going on for the past few weeks. I won't bore you with all the details, but here's a quick recap...-- A California court ruled that parents are breaking the law if they teach their children at home without a credential. This one's actually a pretty big deal to me personally, having been home educated K-12 in California (by non-credentialed parents who did a damn good job, thank you

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-71428655112515412692008-03-19T17:21:00.000-04:002008-03-19T19:24:00.481-04:00

So much for cutting down on the number of earmarks. This should make for a great Politico/ HOH story tomorrow...(From the House Appropriations Committee online submission website)"As a result of the massive influx of requests being submitted today, the Appropriations Committee website is experiencing unavoidable access and processing delays. In order to accommodate Member offices attempting to

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-11690316975166319012008-02-21T22:18:00.104-05:002008-12-13T00:28:57.034-05:00

Here, at last, is the visual documentation of the most difficult, stressful, and rewarding project I've ever undertaken. We started the renovation on October 1 - the day after we closed on the house - and the bulk of the work was completed by mid-January. There are still a few more projects left, like replacing the front door with an authentic reproduction, installing stairs from the upstairs

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-82804570017686720362008-02-18T15:34:00.003-05:002008-02-18T15:43:02.469-05:00

How much I love being at home on a rainy day, wearing pajamas, listening to opera, drinking tea, playing the piano, cleaning my house, and completely forgetting that I have a job I have to go back to tomorrow? It's pretty much amazing.

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-11315763716534951492008-02-13T23:58:00.003-05:002008-12-13T00:28:57.230-05:00

I almost forgot that last week was my birthday. I officially hit the quarter-century mark. And there was much rejoicing.It was actually a great day, even though it fell on a Wednesday while we were in session, and even though my mom decided to leave me a message in which she informed me that she was 25 when she had me and wasn't that so crazy! Geez, Mom. (I love you!)Brian sent me a dozen

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-46739125816144373092008-02-12T17:41:00.000-05:002008-02-12T17:46:47.641-05:00

Finally, someone comes out and says it. All this earmark nonsense is just that. Nonsense.The talk that you can reduce federal spending by eliminating earmarks is flat wrong.For years, lawyers and analysts have tried and failed to come up with a standard definition for “earmark.” But there is no dispute about one thing: All an earmark does is allocate part of the funds being appropriated. That

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-86444342060968934552008-02-09T09:49:00.001-05:002008-02-18T01:26:44.231-05:00

John McCain is probably going to be the Republican nominee. And, amazingly, the earth is still spinning.I, for one, am a little amazed at all the weeping and gnashing of teeth. It's really not the end of the world. Really.While it's true that the Republican party is going through an identity crisis, it's been going on ever since quasi-conservative George W. Bush took office and started trying

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-26883099807376974452008-02-04T00:19:00.000-05:002008-02-04T12:23:33.107-05:00

As underwhelming as yesterday's game was , there were a few great commercials that emerged from the blah.Here's my favorite one, for your entertainment... we (Brian, Rob, Becky and I) were cracking up laughing and cheering and loving that we knew all the landmarks and attractions they went to (I especially love the Segway tour). Major kudos to Frist, Carville and Coke for having great senses of

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-9054907398001366532008-02-03T23:35:00.000-05:002008-12-13T00:28:57.536-05:00

So as I was coming out of the post office on Saturday after spending $16.25 to overnight my absentee ballot to California (I know, it's probably time to re-register), a man held open the door for me and then exited behind me. As I walked to my car, which I had parked in the handicap spot in front of the building, I heard someone saying something to me, and then realized it was the guy who had

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-78405888055964411252008-02-03T01:52:00.000-05:002008-02-04T01:54:06.286-05:00

Pain has an element of blank;It cannot recollectWhen it began, or if there wereA day when it was not.It has no future but itself,Its infinite realms containIts past, enlightened to perceiveNew periods of pain.(Emily Dickinson)

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-61215357407346349992008-01-25T10:50:00.001-05:002008-12-13T00:29:03.225-05:00

The miles are getting longer, it seems,The closer I get to youJust wanted to share a few of the amazingly beautiful photographs that were on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art's Ansel Adams exhibit that Brian and I went to last night. We actually kind of ended up going on a whim, even though I've been wanting to see it for a long time. But I'm so glad we did.The photographs brought me back to

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-61165502443714031392008-01-24T21:43:00.000-05:002008-01-25T10:30:01.978-05:00

This isn't necessarily an original observation, but it's one I've been thinking about ever since I saw the commercial below. If this doesn't describe our society in a nutshell, I don't know what does. Simple, yet profound.Our culture has become commitment-phobic. And it's evident in nearly every facet of our lives.Whatever happened to for better or for worse? Loyalty? Faithfulness? Character?Just

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-78662103210664656182008-01-24T02:21:00.001-05:002008-06-06T22:46:54.047-04:00

As you can probably deduce from the timestamp on this post, I can't sleep... one of the many wonderful side effects of being (as my husband lovingly calls me) a mutant, and having to take a handful of steroids along with some NSAIDs in order to regain the ability to function without doubling over in pain. I'm sure the glare of the computer screen isn't really helping the situation much, but

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-80430297231145678352008-01-23T13:06:00.000-05:002008-01-24T00:16:10.969-05:00

I'm not sure exactly why, but I've been in sort of a dark place for a while now.Maybe dark isn't the right word. Not dark as in weird, scary or depressed (or "emo," whatever that is).Dark as in pensive. Reflective. Moody. Introspetive. Contemplative.Searching?A place that leads me to fall desperately in love with the music of Coldplay, Chopin, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis. A place that

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-64816442088925703102008-01-18T19:04:00.000-05:002008-01-18T19:06:09.847-05:00

I will update my blog. :)Thanks everyone for your patience... it's been a crazy couple months!

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-12695562052881246872007-11-08T19:34:00.000-05:002007-11-08T19:54:49.440-05:00

We moved into our house last Wednesday. I use the term "moved in" loosely. All our stuff is in the house, but whether or not the house is actually a habitable domicile is, well, debatable at best. We are hoping to have more than one working toilet by the end of this week, and maybe even a shower (yippee!). And I'm really hoping that at some point I won't come home to a layer of dust 1 inch

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-63222817527740413972007-11-07T14:13:00.000-05:002008-12-13T00:29:03.812-05:00

It's not very often that I feel inspired after listening to a politician speak. Call it cynicism, disillusionment, realism, whatever. It rarely happens.Today was one of those rare moments.Below is the speech that President Nicolas Sarkozy of France delivered to a joint session of Congress (I got to watch from the gallery!). As an unabashed history nerd, I was surprised to find myself overcome

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-14754870043604170732007-10-30T14:54:00.000-04:002007-10-30T15:00:51.641-04:00

Although I have zero free time, this article was so good I just had to pass it along. Enjoy!CluelessThe New RepublicEditorial: November 5, 2007 issue; P. 1Forget "liberal": Given a few more weeks like the ones congressional Democrats just endured, and the dreaded L-word they'll be struggling to shake is "losers." Children's health care, government spying, the atrocities of the Ottoman Empire,

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-65625405961625566382007-10-28T21:13:00.000-04:002007-10-28T21:40:33.404-04:00

So you might be able to tell by the number of posts so far this month (I believe this makes a grand total of 2), but the last 28 days have been one of the most stressful, exhausting, insanely busy months of my life. Thankfully though, we are now nearing the end of that adventure, and were able to spend the weekend starting the move into our new house.Our contractor finally finished staining the

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-81354938813395210502007-10-07T22:54:00.000-04:002007-10-12T09:29:07.350-04:00

That's the only word I can use to describe last night and Thursday night.I'm singing with the Choral Arts Society of Washington again this year, and we had our first performances this weekend. We performed Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Slatkin. It was my first time ever performing Beethoven's 9th, and to get to do it with the NSO in

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-56203894421458875802007-09-30T21:13:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:04.177-05:00

We bought a house! We closed escrow on Friday and it will take about 2 weeks for the initial work to be finished. We're basically restoring the original floor plan by getting rid of all the terrible decisions the previous owners made that destroyed the integrity of this beautiful historic home (random walls, raised floors, etc.). Once the work is done, then we can move in!Here's a picture of

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-89865938188769168342007-09-24T15:48:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:04.470-05:00

Regarding Jim Boren's recent article (a definite must-read)... I have to congratulate The Bee on publishing what is probably the most honest assessment of Fresno I have ever read. I'm usually not a big Bee cheerleader, but kudos to them for having the guts to speak the truth to power - especially in a city that seems to be allergic to the truth at the expense of the city and its citizens.I was

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-10186692084032038402007-09-24T08:53:00.000-04:002008-01-24T16:04:28.283-05:00

Hi everyone! Just wanted to post a quick update on non-news-related life events...Brian's parents came into town on Friday and will be here until Wednesday night. It's the first time they've ever been to Washington, and the first time they've come to visit us since we moved here 3 years ago.One of my absolute favorite things is seeing the city with people who have never seen it before. There's

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-44828738532489817122007-09-14T14:38:00.001-04:002007-09-14T14:41:28.838-04:00

Here is the full transcript of President Bush's address last night regarding Iraq. Kudos to our troops and commanders who have worked so hard to turn the tide in Iraq and are now seeing success. We owe you more than we can ever repay.

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-11332141511012451992007-09-14T09:32:00.000-04:002007-09-14T09:38:47.387-04:00

The House Republican Conference (www.gop.gov) sends out news clips every morning for all of us aspiring wonks on the Hill. Today's were especially interesting, so I thought I'd pass them along for all of you to enjoy...House Republican Conference Morning Clips – Friday, 9/14IraqLA TimesBush redefines 'victory'Troop cut could be less than reportedBig N.Y. Times discount for MoveOn.org Betray Us

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-82999264164542837492007-09-14T08:47:00.000-04:002007-09-14T09:41:44.387-04:00

Very interesting analysis of the events of the past week...Political Surge (Wall Street Journal)Look who won Petraeus week.BY KIMBERLEY A. STRASSELFriday, September 14, 2007 12:01 a.m. EDTHad anyone suggested six weeks ago that the GOP would emerge from the Petraeus hearings on the political front-foot, they'd have been laughed at all the way to Anbar. There's a lesson here for Republicans, in

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-73843158765640087812007-09-13T09:43:00.000-04:002007-09-13T09:58:24.084-04:00

Just to brag about my wonderful boss a little bit...Forbes would make a terrific senator (Tidewater News)Also, this is just for fun. Is anyone really surprised by this? Yet another black eye on the face of "unbiased" American journalism...

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-61761386426824743962007-09-11T15:06:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:04.754-05:00

Quick shout-out to my hometown on how the mayor's race is shaping up.Ashley Swearengin would make a phenomenal Mayor, but unfortunately the Good Ol' Boys Club back home would be more likely to collectively jump off a bridge rather than allow an intelligent, articulate, competent, authoritative, attractive woman under 40 to be elected Mayor. At least that's my prediction after dealing with the

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-85366793860962488612007-09-11T09:09:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:05.074-05:00

Below is an excellent op-ed from today's Wall Street Journal about the unfortunate and dangerous takeover of the Democratic Party by MoveOn.org. A definite must-read for anyone who cares about the future of political discourse in the United States.Update: Another interesting analysis, this one from Politico.Trashing PetraeusThe Wall Street JournalSeptember 11, 2007; Page A18; EditorialImportant

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-83008948635566214372007-09-10T16:03:00.000-04:002007-09-10T16:12:35.571-04:00

In the way of a quick update (and as part of my futile but passionate quest to encourage Americans to make decisions based on facts rather than after-the-fact synopsis and spin) here is the link to the full text of Gen. Petraeus' report to the House Armed Services Committee. I would encourage you to read it (all of it). Also, pass it along to your friends and family in order to educate people

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-84357433011953587712007-09-10T11:20:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:05.304-05:00

Well, the Petraeus Report hearing is happening less than 100 feet down the hall from my office in about an hour. One of the fun perks of working on the Hill: you get to wait for elevators with media types and capitol police with bomb-sniffing dogs. Fun times.Wanted to pass this along, too. This is our good friend Pete on Fox News today. He's an Iraq vet and a really great guy. He's talking here

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-34920786684871088742007-08-30T15:13:00.000-04:002007-09-10T12:47:42.669-04:00

Just a quick update on Nathan Hubbard's story:Mr. Hubbard and Jason spoke to the media today for the first time since everything happened last week. I was on the phone with my mom yesterday as the casket was being driven from the Fresno airport to the Hubbard's house (which is 2 doors down from my in-laws' in Clovis). She was in tears. She went to the funeral home last night for Brian and I, to

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-81727068987707192752007-08-30T12:24:00.001-04:002007-08-30T12:29:01.299-04:00

I realize that everyone and their mother has now seen this about a million times, but I just had to preserve it for posterity.Enjoy!Miss South Carolina attempts to answer a simple question and ends up inventing a new dialect of sentence fillers...God help us.

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-49175931800517147932007-08-29T21:45:00.000-04:002007-09-10T12:01:29.052-04:00

One more for the road...A Senator's Wide Stance: 'I Am Not Gay'Best quote from the article: "Though he has been writing laws for the past 32 years, the senator spoke yesterday as if he lacked the most basic grasp of the legal system."This story has been the buzz on the hill for 2 days now, but my take on this ridiculous mess is a little different.Personally, I'm actually pretty Libertarian when

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-63187631400539726262007-08-29T16:03:00.000-04:002007-08-29T16:14:37.051-04:00

"...after doing lots of reading and giving it extensive thought, Karelis concluded that the reason some people are perpetually poor is that they don't have enough money."That is an actual quote from what turned out to be one of the most insightful articles on poverty in America that I've read in a long time. I don't necessarily agree with his conclusion, but his premise is pretty spot-on. Let

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-80771492565376490142007-08-29T14:08:00.000-04:002007-08-29T15:58:34.820-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted, and I'm sure all 3 of you who read this have been waiting with bated breath for the next one to appear, so here it is. :)We've spent the past few weeks traveling, celebrating birthdays, settling into our new jobs, and cautiously testing the waters of the DC housing market. We went back to California for a week and spent one last wonderful and romantic

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-28119797941323775672007-08-24T15:06:00.000-04:002008-01-24T16:16:39.878-05:00

Brian and I would greatly appreciate your prayers this week. Yesterday, we learned of a horrible tragedy for our hometown and our families. One of his childhood friends, Nathan Hubbard, was killed in the Blackhawk crash on Tuesday that’s been on the news. The Hubbard’s live two doors down from Brian’s family in Clovis, CA, and they have been very close friends with them for many years.Brian grew

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-62446240787638425922007-08-07T11:07:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:05.599-05:00

It actually pained me to read this.Let me preface my comments by saying this: I have many, many wonderful friends that fall on every point along the political spectrum (and no point at all), and I love them all dearly. They have helped me define my own viewpoints through many deep and insightful conversations over the years, and for that I am deeply indebted to each of them. I am a firm believer

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-12347876968457904402007-08-06T22:49:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:06.819-05:00

In the way of a quick update, here are just a few of the articles that ran in response to Thursday night's fiasco in the House. I found it particularly amusing that Nancy Pelosi felt the need to insult both Republicans and the legislative process itself when she called Republican requests to resolve the issue "frivolous" - even after her Democratic colleagues had admitted to the egregious mistake

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-11673965796174900362007-08-03T03:16:00.000-04:002007-08-03T13:15:26.080-04:00

Anyone who doesn't watch CSPAN should start - you don't know what you're missing.Last night just before 11pm, the House went crazy. And I do mean c-razy. Republicans were shouting and eventually stormed out en masse to protest the Democrats' procedural "oops" regarding a vote on a motion to recommit. The motion would have changed the Agriculture Appropriations Bill to prohibit illegal immigrants

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-14561924010219632262007-07-31T08:44:00.000-04:002007-07-31T09:05:01.181-04:00

Just for fun... how many of these can you answer correctly? The first thing this made me think of is JayWalking on the Tonight Show - I am constantly amazed at how little people know about America, even people who have lived here their whole life and gone through 16 years of school! Wouldn't it be amazing if high school seniors had to be able to pass this test before they were allowed to

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-25814175119676340082007-07-30T09:27:00.000-04:002007-07-30T09:47:29.788-04:00

Somewhere, pigs must be flying. The New York Times today ran a positive(!) editorial on the War in Iraq (albeit not by one of their in-house folks, but they ran it, nonetheless). As if that weren't astounding enough, it is actually a very well-written piece analyzing the prospects for success in Iraq post-surge. And guess what... that surge? The one everyone said would just get our troops more

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-88743706844139518292007-07-24T14:36:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:06.993-05:00

Anyone watch the Democrats debate last night? No? It's okay, neither did most Americans.Regardless of the fresh/new/modern approach to debate courtesy of CNN and YouTube, it really wasn't all that much better than, well, any other televised debate. In fact, I found it even more frustrating at times.Still, it did provide an entertaining, odd and somewhat disturbing look into the state of modern

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-86866167378920916982007-07-23T15:02:00.000-04:002007-07-23T23:58:58.895-04:00

Another article worth passing along... this time by Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard, explaining how congressional Republicans have successfully stopped Democrats from doing... well, pretty much anything.http://news.yahoo.com/s/weeklystandard/20070723/cm_weeklystandard/anunusuallyeffectiveminority

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-4022028703415649292007-07-23T14:02:00.000-04:002007-07-23T14:16:53.318-04:00

This is a fascinating article about the class distinctions represented by the demographics on MySpace vs. Facebook. While I don't agree with everything the author writes, it is definitely thought-provoking!http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-65697342599740331532007-07-15T22:17:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:10.503-05:00

Here you go, Mom and Dad (and everyone else). Since the pictures somehow vanished from the disk I sent you guys, I have posted some of the pictures of our new apartment, all nice and clean and unpacked and homey. :) Enjoy!The entry:The guest bath:The kitchen:The dining room:The living room:And, the best part... the view:(This one was taken on a less hazy day)

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-24773768800056117812007-07-12T23:13:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:10.799-05:00

This is just a quick update to let you all know about the newest and most exciting development in my life (and no, Liz, I'm not pregnant).Tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM, I will be realizing a dream that I have had since I first started thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up.I will be working on the Hill!After about 6 weeks of endless meetings and interviews, I will be going to work for a

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-23767750082881591372007-07-12T22:07:00.000-04:002007-07-15T22:07:50.776-04:00

Victor Davis Hanson is brilliant. The left is so wrong on Iraq it is dumbfounding, and this week's displays of incompetence and borderline-treasonous actions are even more proof. It amazes me how easily facts and evidence are trumped by emotions, negative media reports and the polls they influence. There is a reason we do not have a pure democracy, but a representative republic with three

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-47752352988275803132007-07-07T12:26:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:12.867-05:00

One of the things I love most about living in Washington is that there are so many things that you just can't do anywhere else in the world. One of my greatest frustrations when we live here, then, is when we don't take advantage of living here and doing all those things. We didn't take advantage enough during the 2 years we were here before, and I am determined to not make the same mistake

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-17547118348750131042007-06-29T15:41:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:13.130-05:00

I came across this article and thought it was just too good not to pass along. With Michael Moore's so-called "documentary" film Sicko coming out this week, let's try to remember the facts and not get swept up in the sensationalism and hypocrisy of a smart but seriously misguided Hollywood propagandist. "Paradise Island" The myth of Cuban health care.By Fred ThompsonMay 02, 2007, 11:10 p.m.You

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-72973514018350852902007-06-02T02:53:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:14.841-05:00

This is the truck's butt...Robbie and I rode together for the last couple days, and that's what we've been watching that entire time.Yesterday morning, the brake alarm on the moving truck started beeping, so we spent half the day at the Penske place in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the heart of Appalachia in eastern Tennessee. After spending 4 hours inspecting the brakes and the engine, the team of

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-30572150434165666442007-06-01T02:56:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:15.685-05:00

This made my day... :)Since we have been driving a 26 foot truck with a 10 foot trailer on the back of it, the only places we are able to stop are truck stops. We've seen some pretty interesting characters at some of these places. Think McDonald's employees meet trailer park residents meet Jerry Springer guests, and you've got a pretty good idea of what kind of folks I'm talking about.Who knew

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-9566594549510090942007-05-31T02:29:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:19.379-05:00

The honeymoon is officially over. :)I tend to romanticize memories and events in my life, and this move back to DC is no exception. When I thought about moving back east, I mostly imagined walking around the city, enjoying amazing food at my favorite restaurants, going to art exhibits, attending concerts, shopping in Clarendon and Georgetown, and working on the Hill.I forgot about the actual

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-58301936745759869752007-05-28T12:02:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:21.825-05:00

I have never cried harder than I did on Thursday night.Last week was probably one of the worst, most stressful, most difficult weeks of my life. I also only got a total of about 20 hours of sleep, which didn’t help when dealing with the overwhelming stress and exhaustion of packing up our entire house. Not to mention family issues, relationship problems, and the helpless frustration that I didn

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-38847701436226919362007-05-07T03:13:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:22.587-05:00

We're moving back to DC! It's been in the works for a while, but we've actually set a date (May 24th), put in our 30-day notice at our current place, and leased an apartment in Ballston that will be ready for us on June 1st.I'm so happy. And really sad.You'd think this would get easier, since we seem to move at least twice a year. But it doesn't. Moving back (like moving here was) is

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-89395037555180764972007-05-06T14:54:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:23.789-05:00

I lived on Capitol Hill for just 4 months almost 3 years ago, but my heart has remained long after I left. Some of my fondest memories of my first days living in my favorite city are there, and to this day one of my favorite places in DC is Eastern Market. So many defining moments in my life were spent in the coffee shops and flea markets there, talking over big ideas with great friends. I

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-68906095118609104192007-05-05T03:47:00.000-04:002007-05-05T03:55:40.565-04:00

Americans seem to think so. So much for calling out Republicans for not getting anything done.

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-58062666436557805352007-04-28T00:52:00.000-04:002007-07-14T00:06:44.086-04:00

My office is empty.My drawers are empty.My files are empty.My chair is gone.My desk is clean.I'm done.That last one is true on so many levels.Today was (kind of) my last day. Technically, my last day is Monday, but I'm done with work, and I'm having my wisdom teeth pulled that afternoon. That is, at least after I have my "I get to tell off my boss" meeting with the CEO. I'm really looking

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-49751611132352671652007-04-26T17:57:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:24.006-05:00

In the words of Joe Lieberman, "Al-Qaeda, after all, isn't carrying out mass murder against civilians in the streets of Baghdad because it wants a more equitable distribution of oil revenue. Its aim in Iraq isn't to get a seat at the political table; it wants to blow up the table -- along with everyone seated at it."With all the disgusting political maneuvering being played out this week at the

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-34914731119240346832007-04-10T13:20:00.000-04:002007-07-14T00:04:21.775-04:00

Most of the time, I'm a problem-solver. You know the friend that you love but can never just sit there and let you complain about how much your life sucks without them telling you why it sucks and what they think you need to do to fix all your problems?That's me. I'm a fixer.The problem is, I can't fix myself. I used to be able to. I used to be able to sit back, objectively look at myself in

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-42075458424768596582007-04-08T19:28:00.000-04:002007-07-14T00:04:46.421-04:00

If a world-class musician were dressed like a street performer and playing in a subway station on your way to work, would the beauty and brilliance of the music transcend the surroundings?Would you even notice?Or would you - like almost all of the 1,000+ people that passed Joshua Bell playing his Stradivarius violin in the L'Enfant Square metro station that morning - walk by without so much as a

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-81834435499533223112007-04-05T15:32:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:24.171-05:00

I got to meet Josh Groban last night. It was cool.The concert was good (not great). The music was beautiful. He is extremely talented, but the show was poorly produced. It seemed very awkward and amateurish compared to his previous shows. The worst part was the strange video images on the background. There's a fairly universal rule in stage production: the sets and lights and effects

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-43166010472588802382007-03-30T16:15:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:29:24.407-05:00

I don't think I've ever been more excited to go to Disneyland.This last few weeks has really taken its toll on me. I won't go into all the gorey details, but if you can imagine combining the stress of finding a new job, possibly moving, family issues, and financial struggles, then throw in some abnormally bad health problems just for fun... well, you start to get the idea.Times like this (and

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-10515493563366351002007-03-28T15:22:00.000-04:002008-01-24T17:56:49.728-05:00

This is me... apparently.Thinking: HealerWorking: HealerEmoting: SentinelSENTINEL™ Emoting Style of StrengthNo pain is greater for them than betrayal. They keep diaries or personal journals. "A most common emoting style. Behind trademark reserve and alluring attractiveness is an individual who is hard to know and harder to love. Trust is the wall that divides. Whether Sentinel trust is an open or

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-2767038445624962007-03-27T19:06:00.001-04:002008-12-13T00:29:24.691-05:00

I must be obsessive compulsive. Or ADD. Or something.I just spent the last 2 hours (ish) trying to fix this thing so that I can actually post to it. Now I feel obligated to post something, but I don't know what. I think I'll post what I posted on my Xanga, and my Myspace, since that will be in keeping with the whole OCD theme I've got going on right now.*Ahem*So I officially spent the entire

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-18381586374748810072007-03-16T21:16:00.000-04:002008-05-18T21:18:01.330-04:00

As I was reading my beloved Washington Post online this week, I happened upon this article. (Richard Florida's site also links to it.) It's a fun read. One of my greatest frustrations living here in Fresno is that local organizations who could be working to address more of the underlying issues keeping this region from reaching even some of its potential... don't. Instead, they host monthly

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-46489500205092560922007-01-25T10:34:00.001-05:002008-05-18T21:33:01.913-04:00

"In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination." (Mark Twain)We have become a society of lazy idoits. We not only fail to gather information or think for ourselves, we have gotten to the point where we don't even form opinions ourselves. Instead of forming opinions after careful research and weighing all sides

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-14344010112992565132007-01-12T00:20:00.001-05:002008-05-18T21:26:11.859-04:00

(Originally posted on FresnoFamous.com)I have been passively observing and absorbing the Famous world and Fresno/downtown politics for several months now, and have often thought about adding my 2 cents, but for some reason the incident with Fagan's has stirred me to pen my first ever Famous blog. So for what it's worth, here is my 2 cents about Fresno, the downtown area, and the cultural,

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-53809447460334628582007-01-09T11:08:00.001-05:002008-05-18T21:32:37.193-04:00

I realize I don't normally post scripture, but this passage really touched my heart this morning."The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men,

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-10293541888561260782007-01-04T16:24:00.000-05:002008-05-18T21:36:44.160-04:00

In honor of my office finally getting its act together and fixing the internet which has been down for 2 full days(!), I thought I would share this psuedo-commentary on the history of the American workplace. It made me laugh. (Who knew we were supposed to be celebrating?) Americans Celebrate 10 Millionth 'Bring Yourself To Work Day' The mood was palpable as commuters set out to mark the

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-28712368450586060492006-12-12T15:19:00.000-05:002008-05-18T21:39:34.071-04:00

On Friday, December 8, 2006, America lost one of its most brilliant minds to ever have lived, and one of my personal heroes. I was especially saddened because I worked closely with Ms. Kirkpatrick in the office right next to hers at the American Enterprise Institute, where I interned for Newt Gingrich in 2004. She was gracious, visionary, humorous, confident, and an undisputed genious in the

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-70652972974557559132006-12-08T16:25:00.002-05:002008-05-18T21:43:00.667-04:00

I received this from a friend, it makes you think. (A letter from God to His children.)Dear Children,It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My Name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday during what was actually a

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-75211732881383524772006-11-07T13:08:00.000-05:002008-05-18T21:45:08.413-04:00

GET OUT AND VOTE!!!(especially if you are a republican!!) (just kidding... sort of)In case you're curious, here's how I'm voting (not completely along party line, btw): STATEWIDE:Governor- ArnoldLieutenant Governor- TOM McCLINTOCK!!!!Sec. of State- Bruce McPhersonAtty General- Chuck PoochigianController- Tony StricklandTreasurer- Claude ParrishInsur Commissioner- Steve PoiznerBoard of

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-36945664525814830932006-11-03T15:35:00.000-05:002008-05-18T21:47:26.164-04:00

"The society that loses its grip on the past is in danger, for it produces men who know nothing but the present, and who are not aware tha life had been, and could be, different from what it is."- Aristotle, Politics

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-89117197890418193872006-10-20T14:13:00.001-04:002008-05-18T21:58:35.831-04:00

For those of you who know me well, you know that my passion is for people of faith to get involved in the political process. I believe strongly that we are called in no uncertain terms to be involved in our government and work to influence policy, since we have the incredible and rare opportunity to do so in our nation.However, I also believe very strongly that as Christians, in most cases we

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-32098577781620796932006-09-27T10:16:00.001-04:002008-05-18T22:02:48.961-04:00

For those of you who read this, please be praying for Nancy (Smithson) and Jesse Wilkin. Their beautiful 6 month old baby girl, Claire, went to be with the Lord on Monday. Nancy is one of my oldest and dearest friends, my college roommate, and a faithful sister in Christ. She is a wonderful mother and I can't even begin to imagine her loss. Please be praying for peace and comfort for the

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-79843946906445057752006-07-26T14:30:00.000-04:002008-05-18T22:21:05.896-04:00

...I Google myself.http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=30&si=1280651&issue_id=11638Final word from Ohio was the cue for one hell of a partyThursday November 4th 2004 FOR the hardcore Republican faithful gathered in the nation's capital, the moment of euphoric confirmation came at precisely 12.41am. In the bowels of the Ronald Reagan building, where the party was holding what

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-49383202578075753412006-07-24T11:20:00.001-04:002008-05-18T22:23:39.524-04:00

I just found this online and had to post it. This is so good.Transcript: Bono remarks at the National Prayer BreakfastRemarks as prepared for delivery and courtesy of DATA by Bono to the National Prayer Breakfast; Feb. 2, 2006.BONO: Thank you.Mr. President, First Lady, King Abdullah, Other heads of State, Members of Congress, distinguished guestsPlease join me in praying that I don't say

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-24677290663797026872006-07-19T13:12:00.000-04:002008-05-18T23:27:12.274-04:00

I thoroughly enjoy lists. They keep me sane.Goals for the rest of the Summer...1) Finish watching seasons 3, 4 and 5 of 24 (a.k.a. the best show ever) to get caught up for the new season. I admit, I am totally obsessed. It's one of those things that really makes life worth living... in a non-blasphemous sort of way. Jack Bauer pretty much rocks my world.2) Furnish/decorate our apartment.If you

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-65151446522916968952006-07-10T23:48:00.001-04:002008-05-19T00:50:04.648-04:00

I wrote this as a letter to a friend, and have shared this story with several people in past months. I hope that if you are dating someone or considering marriage (ever), you will read this and take it to heart...Dear friend,I want to share with you the story of my husband and I, in the hope that it will encourage you and give some perspective. I'm not usually one to give unsolicited advice, but

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5386734976202068271.post-78435350472338983852006-06-28T14:45:00.000-04:002008-05-19T00:13:18.796-04:00

(adapted from my latest bulletin)Hey everyone.So I know it's been forever since I updated anyone on anything about my life. Let's just say that there has been so much going on that I haven't even had a chance to process anything that's happened yet. I'll probably write another blog with all the details soon, but I'm still in the middle of the craziness so this is all I have time for. It'll

Carolynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09483180131451063445noreply@blogger.com0