Training, Kids, Politics and Feminism in the 21st century

Hello from Reno!

Alright, first things first, TRAINING. It's going pretty well, I'm currently taking a little break from the long distances, I've been feeling a little burned out, just feeling like I have to run instead of WANTING to run...I've found that taking a short break helps to alleviate that burned out feeling. I'm currently running at between an 8:30 and a 10 minute mile.

Next, KIDS. The kids are getting bigger, Scarlett is talking more and more, sadly, she's learned the word "No", happily, she doesn't use it very often...yet. We are still working on potty training with Boo, he goes potty on the toilet, but he hasn't made the leap to telling us when he needs to go. Practice is progress! Also, he went for an assessment at a local Montessori school to see what level he would be and if he's ready for school. It went pretty well, he ran around like a crazy person, but that was mostly due to it being a new place that needed exploring. He did get into a little trouble when he threw a box with latches on it, he wanted it opened and didn't understand how the latches worked, so he threw the box on the ground, since in the rest of his sphere of understanding, if you throw something on the ground, it opens!

Finally, POLITICS and Feminism in the 21st CENTURY. Again, I am a registered Democrat, I believe that President Obama is a good man and a good president, he has done a very good job with the giant crap sandwich that he was given and done well despite other politicians' insistence on putting a pickle on that giant crap sandwich!

I don't agree with ALL things Democrat, though. For example, the remarks made by Ms. Hilary Rosen regarding Ann Romney. She made remarks to the effect that Mrs. Romney "hasn't worked a day in her life". Well, as the mother of just one boy, (I can't begin/don't want to imagine what it's like with FIVE, I can tell you that it's WORK!! And I don't know if it's the same with all boys, but with mine, it's both intense physical work, and mental work! With all the bending and lifting and pulling and holding in bear hugs, I am physically exhausted at the end of the day! Mentally, it's a lot of work, having to stay ten steps ahead of a child whose mind is a sponge, and figures things out VERY quickly!

As for staying at home to raise her children, rather than go out in the work force, I will tell you that unlike women of just a couple of generations ago, Mrs. Romney most likely took the counsel of her church leaders and her own desire to be there for her children into consideration and made that decision on her own!

For a long time the Feminist movement was about women getting BACK out of the kitchen after getting sent back home after men came home from WWII, and saying, "I did it before! Why can't I do it now that the husbands have returned?!?" There were still a large portion of women who stayed home with their children, though not always by choice. Then, it seemed that the pendulum swung the other way when women who stayed home and maintained a house and cared for their children day in and day out were portrayed as not having a brain or as being lazy not doing any work all day. Now, it seems that, with the exception of Ms. Rosen, people understand that women generally choose their own paths in life. Although, there are women who don't have the luxury (and I recognize that I am very fortunate to have a husband who works so I don't HAVE to, and I'm sure Mrs. Romney recognizes that she too, is very fortunate to have the life she does) of being able to choose whether they work outside the home or not. I know several of these women and I'm sure a lot of them would give anything to be able to stay home with their children.

I'm sure there will be a correction/clarification will be coming shortly from Ms. Rosen, but understand that she is just a very loud, less evolved voice among millions of other Democratic voters who do not believe as she does. Just as we (Democratic voters) understand that the entire Republican party does not necessarily believe as the nuts in the Tea Party.

That's all! Hope everyone is well!

TTFN! Ta Ta For Now!