Endurance Mom

Ted Strickland seems to have lost touch....

2009-03-05T14:11:00.001-05:00

When I woke up Sunday morning, March 1, 2009 and went online to read the Dispatch, I read the article “Strickland plan would slash online-school funding” by Catherine Candisky. As a lifelong Democrat and staunch supporter and campaign volunteer for Ted Strickland, this article saddened me deeply. It seems as though lines have been drawn and I have been left questioning everything I have ever stood for as a Democrat. I have always been a person willing to put myself out there to help out those in need and those less fortunate. I am a strong supporter in social programs that assist our disenfranchised youth and adult populations. I have made a career out of public service in Ohio public charter schools, the schools that take in the students that just couldn’t make it in “traditional” schools or that the traditional schools just don’t “want”. I thought that Governor Strickland was a public servant also, caring for those that struggle or haven’t been handed the easiest cards in life.

The more I read and thought about the ramifications of such a budgetary plan, the angrier I became. I did not become angry because of the prospect of being unemployed due to being an employee at an Ohio charter school. I became angry for the tens of thousands of students that would be affected by this. Of course, the loss of the career at which I have spent seven years working would be a horrible loss, as would the thousands of other jobs lost. The unemployment of these school employees would be another negative factor in our already struggling economy here in Ohio. However, I do not want to lose focus on what is truly at stake here, the lives and futures of students here in Ohio. In the Dispatch article, Amanda Wurst, Governor Strickland’s spokeswoman, while referring to online charter schools, states, “They have a different business model. We are, through the evidenced-based education model, funding them with the resources to provide an adequate education to their students”. Adequate? Adequate is defined as either sufficient to satisfy a requirement or meet a need or barely satisfactory or sufficient. Do either of those definitions sound like they are enough to make the students of Ohio prepared for college or competitive in today’s global economy?

I am fortunate to live in one of the best school districts in Central Ohio and know that if you told them that they would receive funds to give their students an “adequate” education, they would not stand for it. What makes Governor Strickland believe that somehow charter schools should accept it? This is just another example of how the disparities between the “haves” and the “have nots” are perpetuated by underlying political agendas and bureaucracy in our education systems. I urge Governor Strickland to put aside his political agenda and see the bigger picture. Slashing funding and shutting down public charter schools can only result in more students becoming involved in our court systems and prisons or even ending up dead. For many of the students I see on a daily basis, we are it. We are their last hope, their only advocates and as their advocate, I vow to not stop fighting this proposal until Governor Strickland can take his blinders off and see that these students need these schools and are succeeding. To see that these students receive an “adequate” education is most certainly not enough. To see that these students deserve to be afforded the same opportunities to a quality and excellent education as their “traditional” school counterparts is only fair. I hope that Governor Strickland can realize this as well.

A new day...

2009-01-29T11:13:00.003-05:00

It's official now, we have a new President. President Barack Obama. To me, this is such a monumental change in our lives and our country. We needed this. And now, a new day is here.

I wanted to maybe vent a little bit about naysayers and those people that are so critical of President Obama, even though he's been in office, oh, a little over a week. I have run into so many people that seem so upset that "nothing has changed". I mean, they seem honestly annoyed and angry that nothing has changed yet during President Obama's administration. I have had several people tell me, "he was all about the change, so where's the change? I want to see the change" and honestly, I am at a loss how to answer this question. It's like saying you want the baby to be born RIGHT away without any gestation period once you find out you're pregnant. I mean, really, it's pretty childish.

It is my hope that people will realize that he is their President. We dealt with George W. Bush for eight long years...Like it or not, a new day is here. More blogging later about not-so-political stuff.

What can I say...

2008-12-11T15:03:00.006-05:00

I have a penchant for not updating. So, as you are all aware, November 4th went just as I imagined it and better. The day went well save for a few arrest threats, more about that later. The day ended better than I could ever imagine. We spent that night at the Democratic party downtown watching history being made, being part of history. I was emotionally so high I could hardly even think straight. I felt unbelievable. Truly amazing. To think that finally, after eight years, our country came together over an amazing and very special man. A man who is going to bring change. A President-Elect that is unlike any President before him. A man that makes me proud to say that I am an American. The people have spoken, and it was obvious that we are ready for change, and President-Elect Barack Obama is going to bring that. I pray that God watches over our President-Elect and his family and keeps them safe from any harm. I have hope for the future of my children. Thank you America.

The time has come...

2008-11-03T19:00:00.002-05:00

Finally. Tomorrow at 4:30am, I will wake up and prepare for a marathon of a day volunteering as a "line manager" for the Obama/Biden campaign. I am tired. Exhausted. Emotionally drained. I have been at this for almost a year. I have been in it to win it. I need this. My children need this. Our country needs this, as does our world. Tomorrow, I hope to cry tears of joy.

I feel blessed and honored to be a part of history this past year. The rallies, the canvassing, the fundraising, the parties and the trainings. The passion that I have shared with others for our candidate. Sharing these moments with my sons, these are moments I will remember forever. One day, when I am old, I can tell my grandchildren that I was THERE. I was a part of history. I helped make history.

If you haven't already voted, get out there and VOTE. Let our voices be heard. Let our cries for hope be answered. Vote for the people who cannot. For those that cannot speak through voting, speak for them. Vote for Barack Obama.

See you on the other side...

14 days to save the world...

2008-10-21T12:24:00.002-04:00

My heart really has been heavy the last few days. I’ve been thinking about the “what if”….what if John McCain and Sarah Palin become the President and Vice President of our country. What if that actually happens? Makes me sick to my stomach. Women’s rights are at RISK of being taken away! Even in the event of a life threatening situation. It makes me sick. What will we do? How will we explain this catastrophic let down to our children? It’s a very scary and real possibility. I fear that and that fear drives my passion to help on the Obama/Biden campaign. Please, if you are an Obama/Biden supporter, please get out there and volunteer, get out the word and make sure you do all you can to ensure the safety and security of not just our own country, but the world. Okay, PSA over.

So, “Joe the Plumber”. I’m about sick of these “Joe sixpack”, “Joe the Plumber”, “Tito the builder”. I want to see “Joe the pissed off American”, “Joe the Republican voting Obama”, “Tito lost his job to outsourcing”. I mean, isn’t anyone else sick of this Republican propaganda. I mean, Joe the Plumber isn’t even a union plumber, doesn’t have a license and doesn’t pay taxes. I don’t even believe he is registered to VOTE! I mean, that’s the best McCain and Palin could come up with? Nice. Joe the Plumber is an embarrassment to me as an Ohioan. He’s upset at all of the scrutiny he’s getting, but hey, you play you pay. It’s just so typical GOP to be able to dish it but not take it. Get over it Joe. It’s like Sarah, I am unqualified for the position I’m running for so I’ll smear the opponent, Palin and pretty much calling Barack a terrorist for knowing Bill Ayers. Really? That’s the best you’ve got? He was eight years old when Ayers was doing the things that Barack has publically condoned. He doesn’t “pal” around with terrorists. If anyone pals around with domestic terrorists, it’s the GOP’s own Sarah Palin. Her husband was an actual member of the AIP (Alaskan Independence Party). It is documented. She not only associates but sleeps with a man that was a member until 2002 of a gun-toting, anti-government party that is a potential risk of disloyalty or even worse. And she has the balls to say Barack “pals” around with terrorists. You may want to check yourself on that one Ms. Alaska.

Now, onto my favorite vicodin popping cotton candy haired lady Cindy McCain….yesterday on Fox News (known for their unbiased perspective…) she stated: “What has really stunned me is the — quite honestly, is the kind of viciousness of the media on occasion, in 2000 — there's certainly always been, you know, differences, and the — you know, the things that occur. But this has taken on a different tenor. And I don't know why and what's caused that, and I'm sorry for it because I think it turns a lot of young people off." Uh, what turns a lot of young people off is your husband and Ms. Alaska. Not the “liberal elite media”. It’s pretty much just them, McCain and Palin. They don’t need much help to turn people off. Honestly, it seems to come pretty natural. I mean, is Cindy so much in her vicodin fog that she doesn’t even realize the smear campaign that her husband and Ms. Alaska have waged on Obama? I mean, is she wearing earplugs at their rallies (I mean, I would have to to avoid freaking out after McCain’s hundredth “my friends”)? Does she not hear their supporters fervently shouting “terrorist”, “off with his head”, etc…? Is she that dense? Is it the vicodin? What? Tell me Cindy, what is it that you find stunning about the media reporting what is going on at your husband’s rallies and commenting on it? Please, I’d love to know.

2008-10-09T12:59:00.007-04:00

This week, Cindy McCain stepped out of her vicodin fog long enough to begin her attack on Barack Obama. She spoke to a crowd at a McCain/Palin (honestly typing that makes me ill) rally and addressed that Barack voted no on giving the troops more money in May of 2007 and her son was serving our country at this time. It is true that Barack voted no, but it wasn't because he didn't want to fund the troops, it was because there was no time line on it. What Cindy forgets to add is that John McCain also voted against funding the troops a few months earlier than the May 2007 vote because there was a time line on that. Cindy also said that she wanted Barack to change shoes with her for just one day...how would that work? We don't want Barack to be in Cindy's vicodin haze.

I'm also so disgusted at the crowds that seem to be going to these McCain/Palin rallies. At a rally in Pennsylvania, people screamed out "LIAR" and "Off with his head"...now I've been to a Barack rally and I know nobody acted like a complete and utter disrespectful jackass. This was the same rally where they made a point to say "Barack Hussein Obama"....what's in a name??? So what, it's Hussein. Big whoop. That's the best they can come up with????

GOP Chairman William Plat of PA said this "Imagine if you woke up on November 5th and Barack Obama-Barack Hussein Obama-was our new President". Imagine what, a new chance to give our children and the other children of the world hope? Imagine HOPE. Just imagine. When I imagine Barack becoming our President (which he will!) I am filled with not only hope but excitement, happiness, comfort and much more. The feelings that I am filled with when I think about that are things that I know is not something that I think many, if anyone voting for McCain can feel....and that, feels great.

I obviously don't have the knack...

2008-10-08T11:03:00.002-04:00

For blogging regularly. So much has happened in the past six months. Shortly after my last blog, my dear husband's company tanked like a lead weight. Went bankrupt and left us precariously teetering on the edge of it ourselves....we had just finished some major home renovations/addition and BAM...no job. Well, we got through it, we're ok now and that's what counts, right?

So fast-forward life a few months...we're just settling into "normal". As normal as my family has the capacity to be, which honestly, is not too normal. Figure in this span of time we did Disney, finished our house stuff, oldest was in the hospital for a week (he's ok now), etc...so you know, a "modified" normal.

I'm still running, if I didn't I think that I might end up looking like John McCain...okay okay, that was rude of me but the man is a robot dinosaur, if he doesn't watch it, he'll be competing with this for the hot holiday toy this year. I'm planning on running a local half marathon but not paying for it....hey, we're in a "recession". I'm not planning on taking a medal, just using the massive group of runners to get my runners high so I won't be guilted into thinking it's wrong (though it obviously is...). Has anyone out there ran without paying? Will I be knocked down and arrested, I don't know if that's how I want it to play out.

Funny story (I'm jumping around on this like crazy, sorry about that, I swear it's adult ADD but it relates somehow to running because I'm in pain when I try to run...), last night, I was getting ready for a concert and went to get into the shower and the chrome shower rod flew down and smacked me right on the bridge of my nose, knocking me out and making my nose swollen and bruised instantly. Ouch. Now, honestly, what kind of Bad News Bears shit was that....who can honestly say that's happened to them? Hm? Anyone?

Publish Post

Pink ribbon and tea parties....

2008-03-22T11:16:00.002-04:00

As far back as I can remember, I always knew I would be a mom to little girls. I never once even gave a single thought to having a son let alone sons. Well, I have two sons and no daughters, so obviously, my marketability as a psychic is nil.

I remember finding out my first son was, well, a boy. I felt betrayed. I know, I know, you're all thinking what a rotten bitch I am for being disappointed but I was. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled the baby was healthy but I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad. He arrived and was amazing. So, I figured, next time around, surely I'd have a girl. So, I got pregnant about four more times, all ending in miscarriage (more on that lovely ordeal at a later date). Finally, one stuck...and that one that did stick....boy numero dos. Honestly, I felt like I was in the twilight zone when we found out. I always said two kids was the max, and here I was at two kids, both boys, that is when I realized that everything that I had pictured and thought of was changed. I was now the only girl, besides my spayed cat, in a house full of testosterone.

So much for the pink ribbons and tea parties....I now get monster trucks and hot wheels and entire conversations on poop and farts. It's a learning curve, but I'm learning.

Welcome.

2008-03-22T10:04:00.002-04:00

I guess I should take a minute to introduce myself. I am a wife and mother of two young rambunctious sons. I decided to put myself out there and start blogging on the life that is that of a working mother of two young boys because I often find myself thinking "is this normal what just happened here?".

My boys are beyond active, they are super active. I tend to shy away from the term "hyperactive" because I don't like that word. I titled my blog "Endurance Mom" because I really believe that being a parent is like endurance running. It is an event that only the masochistic enjoy, myself being one of them. It is a grueling event that you keep going back to, banged up knees, pulled muscles, shin splints and all. Parenting is a marathon, just one that never ends. To decide to become a parent is way easier than the actual parenting part....parenting is harder than anything I ever imagined. Harder but much more amazing as well. I just wish someone would have told me, "that baby is going to grow up and turn 3 and smack your face, spit at you and say they don't love you reducing you to tears even though they have no idea what they are saying or how they made you feel.". I wish I would have had a small glimpse into what being a mom was like. The highs, the lows. The yelling, the spanking (yes, I spank but only with reason and fair warning, but it's rare, like tar tar rare...). The words coming out of my mouth that stop me dead in my tracks...realizing I sound just.like.my.mother. Oh God. If only someone would have shed some light I feel I may have been a bit more prepared. Like maybe, you know, how you train for a marathon, gradually building to that grueling 26.2.