somewhat disinterested ramblings

i really don't have much to say today. but i'm trying to update. i get points for that, right?

i thought of a few more things to add to my list, but i (obviously) can't remember them all.

what i do remember:
-- go to the grand canyon (although i think this was implied in 'go to arizona' but i'll specify.)
-- see niagra falls.
-- stand in/behind a waterfall -- although NOT niagra falls, because i'm pretty sure that volume of water would squash me.
-- go to vegas. i'm not even sure i'll like it -- i've only been to a casino once, and i wasn't really a fan. it was too bright and noisy for me. i felt overwhelmed. so i'm sure vegas will be the biggest assault on my senses, ever. but i'd like to see it once.

in other news, jon might have to go on a camping trip in mid-october. hahah. he is an advisor for the post in ellington -- high school kids can be a part of the post and ride along with the ambulance and learn emt-things. they can't actually be certified until they're i think 18, but they can participate with some stuff and they do all sorts of training and drills, and ride along and help out. mostly as gophers -- go get the gauze, go get this, etc. and then as a post they do random things -- we went on a ski trip this past winter with them, as chaperones (ugh. talk about feeling old). and so i guess they decided in late july that they wanted to go camping, and so the best they could come up with is southern vermont columbus day weekend. which is clearly not the best idea ever, since that will be, well, cold. haha. i probably can't go, because i would have to take friday and monday off and i'm already taking that tuesday off.. i probably could, but i'd get a lot of bitching for it and i'd have no more vaca time. so that means it's a no-go for me. jon is trying to make it a no-go for him too, but right now, the only advisor signed on isn't allowed to drive any of the vehicles. so i say he should not sign up, and then they can't go at all, and they'll have to reschedule for when it's warmer, haha. cause seriously, who goes camping in southern vermont in mid-october?? although, as jon pointed out, it is new england, so it could be anywhere from 70 to 20 degrees outside, haha. i wouldn't mind going if it wasn't mid-october. eep. i like vermont, i like camping. but i'm still new to the camping game, i don't think i want to be exposed to a possible winter camping experience yet.

speaking of winter, though. it's almost fall, which means it's almost winter, which means it's almost skiing time!! i freaking can't wait. YAY! i guess i won't try to skip through fall, what with coming up we have: eric's birthday, my birthday (for which i am trying to get together a dinner with my mom & grandparents, woot!), dad's wedding, possible aerosmith concert, smashing pumpkins concert. those are pretty good things. then before you know it, we're in mid-october, which means jon's cousin's halloween party is soon. then thanksgiving and my mom's birthday, and then christmas. woot! and we'll know who's winning the primaries, since they're all going to be like next month anyway. yeesh.

i am not super political, and i am registered as an independent, because i can't pick a side. both sides have arguments i appreciate, so i figure i straddle the fence, which is fine with me. i had thought maybe i'll try to pick a candidate before the primaries this time, and switch to one or the other so i can vote in said primaries. i will admit i haven't been paying the closest attention, but working in the news business, i hear tidbits, and i did try to read summaries of any debates (since i missed every one of them so far, argh), and i have to say....no one really stands out for me. i'm not enthralled or completely backing anyone. i do feel, though, and maybe this is bad, but i feel that the democrats are kind of trying to lose the election. nothing personal against hillary (hilary?) or obama, but.. a woman and a black man? i'm not prejudiced against either, but a heckuva lot of the country still is. and i'm not saying that's right, i'm just saying i'm not sure the rednecks are ready for that. and with bush's popularity rating oh so high, the democrats sort of had this election lock stock & barrel, had they proposed a solid, non-offensive candidate. and again, let me make clear that i am not offended by either candidate. but i think any chance the democrats had of getting some loose republicans to swing on over to their tree is a little far-fetched now. i don't know much, but what i hear on the streets (not as in 'the hood' but as in 'public opinion') seems to be that hillary is a bit of a bull dog, scary, and not someone people want running our country. i personally can say that i'm not really sure i respect her, because her husband cheated on her, the entire world found out, and she stayed with him. i mean, i guess that's good marriage values. but what happened to girl power? why are all the feminists backing her after she was used and abused (metaphorically, of course) by her husband and she stayed with him? and what i hear about obama is that he's too inexperienced. to which i sardonically ask, how does one get experience to be the president short of, you know, being the president? (and to which you all equally sardonically respond, spend more time in politics than 10 minutes, you 12-year-old (obama).)

so. those are my meaningless thoughts on politics, because as aforementioned, i admit i don't pay a lot of attention to these things. i've been trying though lately. and these are just some observations. i'm sort of bracing myself for a long explanation of why i'm wrong from kate, who is staunchly democratic and usually very sound in her logic, so i will probably learn a lot from it, hahah. (anyone else with ideas is certainly welcome to share them, not just kate.)