Why I Won't for Obama in 2012

I voted for Obama in 2008.  I admit it - I bought into the hype, and the whole hope-and-change bit. 
Well, 4 years later and I can tell you that "hope-and-change" was little more than "smoke-and-mirrors".  Granted, Obama is intelligent, interesting and a fabulous orator, but as a leader he is woefully inept. 

In my opinion, the president has two MAIN duties above all others: 1) protecting our interests at home and abroad; and 2) ensuring (as much as possible) that the economy stays healthy and that people can find jobs. 
So, how has he done? National Security: bin Laden is dead. This was big. However, since then, his record has been lousy. He routinely ignores his security/intelligence briefings, and his response to the Middle East crisis has been (at very best) extremely lukewarm. Iran will very quickly become a nuclear power, and he's done almost nothing to stop this. (Case in point: he's too busy to meet with Israeli PM Netanyahu, but yet has time to film "Letterman". REALLY??) 
The Economy: again, abysmal record. Unemployment is still ridiculously high; real family income is practically in free fall; and he really truly feels that government is "the answer", as opposed to the private sector. 
Now, I'm FAR from a Romney fan, but I find myself asking: do I want a charming intelligent yet INEPT leader marching us 4 more years towards Socialism.... or do I want a somewhat stiff and cloddish capitalist who UNDERSTANDS Economics 101 and wants to work to pull us out of the quicksand, before we sink deeper? 
In my mind, the answer is very clear.  

Death of a Hero

Today is a sad day for me... one of my (literary) heroes has fallen off her pedestal.  As in crashed to the ground and shattered in a million pieces, fallen.

I really really love Ann Lamott's writing - I think she is profoundly talented.  I've written about her before on this blog:  Bird by Bird, Operating Instructions, and Traveling Mercies are some of the BEST non fiction books I've ever read.  Ever.

She is smart, wickedly funny and a great independent thinker but OH.MY.GOODNESS are her FaceBook posts irritating. She is wildly self-absorbed... just over-the-top. 

Such a buzzkill when one of your 'heroes' turns out to be that way....

Separated at Birth?

Alf and Leon Pannetta. 
Fo shizzle, y'all.

Memorial Day 2012

Yes, I know it's been almost 2 years since I've posted.  I've been.... busy.  :) 
And we'll just leave it at that.  (WAY too much to sum up in a couple tidy little sentences...)

Hope all is well in the blogosphere... and THANK YOU to ChiTown Girl for suggesting I put my toe back in the water. 

We WERE on vacation on the Georgia coast until T.S. Beryl sent us home early...  Hubster and I love good storms, but this was just 5 miles shy of a hurricane, and walking on the beach a few hours before landfall was enough for us to realize it was time to head back to the ATL. 

But that's OK.  It's still Memorial Day. 
National Grilling Day.

MAKE SURE you take time to remember those who died to defend our country, and our way of life.  And, if you know a veteran, or an active-duty serviceman (or woman) tell them THANK YOU!