Oval Office

Is it just me, or does the Oval Office seem to be a lighter, brighter place these days? Even with all the storm clouds overhead (the economy, the wars, the economy...), it just doesn't look as dark and dank as it did before.
Oh--I get it now--the lighting HAD to be that way for certain organisms to survive!

On the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

President Obama issued this statement on the 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade:

"On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women's health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman's right to choose.

While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services.

On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere."

I especially love the last paragraph; this is spoken by a man with daughters, and he gets it. He really gets it. On behalf of my daughter, nieces, great-nieces, mom, sister, friends, and partner, I thank you, President Obama.

What a Day!

Where were you when history was being made yesterday? Home, work, school, a party? You will always remember where you were, as surely as those of us turning 50 this year might remember where we were when Kennedy was shot, when the Challenger disaster happened, when the towers were hit on 9/11/01.
I was at work. We set up a television in the lobby, so anyone who wished to could stop and watch. Surprisingly, there were people in the building--counting employees, about 15 people watched Barack Obama being sworn in as our 44th president. Most stayed to hear his speech too. I felt sorry for the moms who had to take care of their kids, who hushed them and then headed out the doors, and who missed history as it was unfolding. I guess they will be able to see it on the "highlights tape", but still...
Some observations:
First of all, I'm so glad the day went along without a hitch. I'm sure I wasn't the only person who feared for the safety of President Obama, his family, and other leaders, as they encountered a real sea of people. However, Rachel Maddow, on MSNBC last night, reported there were no arrests in Washington DC that were a result of the Inauguration crowds.
I love to play "spot the celebrity in the crowd", so it was fun to watch the dignitaries as they came in to take their seats on the platform. At the same time, it was sad to see so many of our elder statesmen and realize how frail they have become.
Not too many hats; I think the last president to wear a hat at his inauguration was John F. Kennedy, and he looked funny. Aretha Franklin DID wear a hat, and what a hat it was! However, I do think she needed to sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" the way it was written.
The rest of the music, the pomp and the speeches were a mixed bag as well.
I believe each president should have the choice of whether or not to have an invocation and a benediction, BUT I think the prayers themselves should be as ecumenical as possible. Rick Warren did not surprise me--I knew I would be uncomfortable hearing his prayer, and I was. There is no place in a ceremony of the government for specific religious references--the goal should be to invoke the god of as many as possible, not just the God of one group. And the prayers should be as short as possible--it's not necessary to deliver a sermon in the guise of a prayer (not only Rick Warren was guilty of this--Gene Robinson went on a bit long on Sunday as well but redeemed himself by beginning, "Oh God of many understandings"). Rev. Joseph Lowery gave the best prayer of the day in the Benediction--you just can't beat ending a prayer with audience participation!!
Elizabeth Alexander's poem was a fitting footnote for Barack Obama's speech, but damn it's hard to beat Maya Angelou's poem, "On the Pulse of the Morning", which she read at the the 1993 Inauguration of Bill Clinton . In my opinion, there will never be another Inauguration poem to top it.
I wonder how President Obama felt when he looked out on the 2 million people, many waving American flags, who were there to witness his Inauguration? I know I teared up and got goosebumps. Perhaps he was just nervous about his speech, but he really didn't appear to be anything but confident. His demeanor and his words were truly inspiring. Here are some of my favorite quotes (in the order he spoke them):
"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."

"What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them--that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small but whether it works...."

"These ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expediences sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. "

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus--and non-believers." Wow--he mentioned non-believers.

And my very favorite of all: "To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their societys' ills on the West--know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."

The true measure of a leader is not what he says in public, but how he acts and what he says in a private setting. I was very happy to see that CNN covered the luncheon after the Inauguration, because it gave me the opportunity to hear President Obama and Vice President Biden speak to what essentially were their friends in Congress. President Obama spoke first, and echoed the sentiments of his Inaugural address. But then he did an amazing thing--after thanking the usual people (hosts, etc.), he thanked the wait staff who served him lunch! I was truly amazed and very heartened to hear our president recognize those people who too often are overlooked. That gesture gave me as much hope for this administration as his Inaugural speech did.
Vice President Biden spoke briefly after the president, and mentioned at least 4 times that the branches of the government were "co-equal"--what a perfect example of how very different he, and the rest of the executive branch, will be from Cheney and the "old guard". Hurray! They plan to follow the Constitution!!
Oh what a day--with many more to follow.

Oath of Office

I will write more later, but I just cannot believe that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court could not even get 35 words in the correct order! WTF??? I know he's a Bush appointee and all, but don't you think he should have memorized, then practiced, the Oath of Office? It made me a little angry that something so important was messed up.
It's like John Hancock saying, "Oops. Hope you have a second copy--I flubbed my signature!"

Goodbye, Hello

As we say, with relief, good-bye to George W. Bush, and welcome, with great relief, Barack Obama, I think it's appropriate to review two of the notable speeches given this week. George W. Bush gave his farewell address to the nation on Thursday night, but only about 5 people noticed, and even Dick Cheney nodded off. The bigger story that night was an airplane crash and subsequent "heroism on the Hudson".
Earlier in the week, Senator Hillary Clinton began the process to become Secretary of State, and made some opening remarks to the committee. Many people, especially those on the committee, listened very carefully to what she had to say. Let's examine these two speeches, shall we?
I know Bush and Clinton have speechwriters, but they did have input, and they do have to take responsibility for what they say. In Clinton's case, she was speaking on behalf of the new administration. But still, I was struck at how different the very tone of their remarks were. I believe that the administration of Barack Obama will be quite different from the current administration, and that belief was reinforced as I read their speeches. All I can say is, thank goodness the ways of the past eight years are coming to an end!
The Bush years were most heavily impacted by the events of Sept. 11, 2001; I think all would agree with that. But there is a time to take the lessons learned and move on--something I think never happened with the administration. The point that he always seemed to raise, and that helped immensely in his re-election in 2004, was "Be afraid. It could happen again." He continued with this theme to the very end: "As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation. And I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe....But there can be little debate about the results. America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil....Our nation is blessed to have citizens who volunteer to defend us in this time of danger." Indeed, be afraid. Be cautious and suspicious of all, especially "the others"--defined by the Bush administration as those who would disagree with his administration, chief among them, the Democrats.
It's a breath of fresh air to hear these words from Clinton: "The president-elect and I believe we must return to the time honored principle of bipartisanship in our foreign policy, an approach that has served our nation well. I look forward to working with all of you to renew America's leadership through diplomacy that enhances our security, advances our interests, and reflects our values.... In spite of all the adversity and complexity, there are so many opportunities for America out there, calling forth the optimism and can-do spirit that has marked our progress for more than two centuries. Too often, we see the ills that plague us more clearly than the possibilities in front of us, but it is the real possibility of progress, of that better life free from fear and want and discord, that offers our most compelling message to the rest of the world."
While Bush has told us to "be afraid" for most of the last seven years, it's odd to hear, in his parting address to the nation, these words: "In the face of threats from abroad, it can be tempting to seek comfort by turning inward. But we must reject isolationism and its companion, protectionism. Retreating behind our borders would only invite danger." Huh?
Maybe he took to heart the words Hillary Clinton spoke earlier in the week: "Now, in 2009, the clear lesson of the last 20 years is that we must both combat the threats and seize the opportunities of our interdependence, and to be effective in doing so, we must build a world with more partners and fewer adversaries. America cannot solve the most pressing problems on our own, and the world cannot solve them without America. The best way to advance America's interests in reducing global threats and seizing global opportunities is to design and implement global solutions. That isn't a philosophical point. This is our reality. The president-elect and I believe that foreign policy must be based on a marriage of principles and pragmatism, not rigid ideology, on facts and evidence, not emotion or prejudice. Our security, our vitality, and our ability to lead in today's world oblige us to recognize the overwhelming facts of our interdependence. I believe that American leadership has been wanting, but is still wanted. We must use what has been called smart power, the full range of tools at our disposal -- diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal, and cultural -- picking the right tool or combination of tools for each situation. With smart power, diplomacy will be the vanguard of our foreign policy. This is not a radical idea."
It was interesting to notice another theme emerge as Bush spoke to the nation; it's a theme he has embraced throughout his presidency, and is a kiss on the lips to those who elected him: "The battles waged by our troops are part of a broader struggle between two dramatically different systems. Under one, a small band of fanatics demands total obedience to an oppressive ideology...The other system is based on the conviction that freedom is the universal gift of Almighty God and that liberty and justice light the path to peace. This is the belief that gave birth to our nation. And in the long run, advancing this belief is the only practical way to protect our citizens." It's hard to tell exactly what belief he wants to "advance" on the world, but what jumped out at me were the words, "freedom is the universal gift of the Almighty God." My question is, and always has been, "Whose God"? Pushing an ideology is tricky if you're also ignoring the culture and beliefs of another society. That's why Clinton's words comforted me: "George Marshall noted that our gravest enemies are often not nations or doctrines but hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. So to create more friends and fewer enemies, we must find common ground and common purpose with other peoples and nations to overcome hatred, violence, lawlessness, and despair."
In the end at least they found some common ground: as Bush remarked, "But every day I have been inspired by the greatness of our country and uplifted by the goodness of our people...I will always be honored to carry a title that means more to me than any other: citizen of the United States of America," and Clinton echoed: "No matter how daunting the challenges may be, I have a steadfast faith in this country and in our people. And I am proud to be an American at the dawning of this new American moment."
In less than two days, we will have a new president, and I find myself in agreement with these two very different leaders; I too am proud to be an American. An American who will undoubtedly disagree with our new President, but right now finds a lot of hope in the words from his administration.

Semantics

Well, I took one for the team. I watched Ann Coulter on "The View"--not once, but TWICE. Hope you appreciate that sacrifice. After watching her performance a second time, I went out to shovel the walks, and I've never been so warm or preoccupied when performing this job as I was this morning.
Let me be up-front about a few things before starting. I believe Ann Coulter is a genius with language; absolutely brilliant. However, I do not have the intestinal fortitude, nor the anger control, to read an entire book written by Ann Coulter. I have tried, but decided after a few chapters that life is too short to get so angry about something so trivial. I firmly believe that her books belong in the "Fiction" section of the library, not the "Non Fiction" section--she plays fast and loose with facts. Finally, I will admit that I have not read her newest book, "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and Their Assault on America". I tried, but there is a waiting list at the library. So, all of the facts and quotations in this post are from the short interview on "The View"--nothing more, nothing less.
Much of the dialogue between Ann Coulter and the women of The View focused on a single chapter of the book in which the author accuses "liberals" of "exalting single motherhood"--as a matter of fact, Coulter believes that this is a "specific plan by the Left". Coulter explains that single mothers, "play the victim, are exalted--have doors opened for them, when in fact they are the ones victimizing others." She also states, "Victim of a crime? Thank a single mother."--This is her way of pushing the "statistic" that 70% of inmates come from single parent homes.
Ah...where to start, where to start? First, I've gotta say that I am so disappointed that many of the "discussions" on television these days are in fact shouting matches--hard to follow, and not a good way to clarify positions. That's why I so appreciate what Rachel Maddow does; she has one guest at a time, and if the discussion gets heated, she stops talking and lets the other person finish before making her next razor-sharp point. But I digress. There are many who abuse the system--males as well as females. There are some who "live off the government" and are content to do so--I would argue that these folks do not have much of a life, and have no dreams or aspirations, but that's another post. And there are those who will claim, from their jail cells, that they were "victims"--that it wasn't their fault. If Ann Coulter is making the case that there is no personal responsibility, that those in prison have no control over the choices they made, then yes, they are victims. Also, many in prison are victims--not of their single mothers, but of our legal system, of poverty, of a system that gives bonuses to CEOs who have stolen more from the American people than any petty thief could dream of, and yet the CEOs avoid prison because they have very, very good lawyers, and the money to pay them.
We as a society (not just the liberals) may "exalt" single mothers, because we recognize how hard it is to raise a family. We know the work they do with their children is the hardest they will ever do, and it's the most important too--these single mothers are responsible for the next generation of adults. Perhaps society "exalts" single mothers because it just does no good to say that the men need to "keep it in their pants" and be responsible. It's just too easy, and it always has been, for men to walk away after sex--leaving the women to deal with the consequences. Sure, there have been plenty of women who have walked away from their children; literally and figuratively--perhaps these women are the ones Ann Coulter is referring to--the women who starve and abuse their children and doom them to a life of crime.
But it all boils down to semantics. Ann Coulter knows this, and in her books, has perfected the art of the written word. " Victim", "exalt", "liberal", "single mothers"--in one eight minute interview, she managed to rile her hosts by using these words derogatorily. She chose to do this exactly this way. Instead of focusing on other causes of the ills of America, she decided to focus on single mothers, and used her words and statistics to prove her points. Brilliant.
As I was shoveling this morning, I thought about Ann Coulter the person. What motivates her? She's said, more than once, that money is important. I remember hearing her brag about her books' position on the New York Times Best Sellers list, so sales are a motivation. She apparently craves attention, even the negative kind. Does she see herself as an entertainer? As an important figure in this country? Someone to be taken seriously? Does she wish to have the respect of others? A position of power? I'm not sure anyone, including Ann Coulter, have the answers to all of those questions. I do know that she is very intelligent. She has a command of the English language, and it's apparent that she reads a lot, or at least watches a lot of television, because she knows much about current events.
But who is the person inside Ann Coulter? She chooses her words very carefully, yet in paragraph after paragraph, her missives are biting, cruel, bitter, and hate-filled. She offers nothing constructive; no words are devoted , or suggestions made about how to improve this world. When I read her communications to the masses, I am left with an acidy feeling in my stomach, and instead of feeling inspired, I feel only anger. As I moved snow from one side of the walk to the other, it came to me--she's the kid in your school that was just plain mean. There was only one kid like that in the whole school, and everyone knew them. The kid who seemed to know all about you, what "buttons to push", how to make you cry, how to humiliate you in front of others. Ann Coulter was the kid that everyone, even the teachers, was afraid of--you never wanted to be on their radar, to be the focus of their next diatribe. In that sense, the mean kid had a lot of power; as long as someone else was listening, they had a lot of control over others. But take away their audience, and they had nothing.
Here's what I do know about Ann Coulter (I've learned one thing from her--to choose my words carefully): if nobody gives her attention, she's nothing. Eventually she will be consumed by her bitterness. And at the end of her days, there will be no one to mourn; she will not be missed. Her words will not have inspired greatness, nor will the world be a better place. I almost feel a little sorry for her. Just a little.

Just being a Copycat!!

I'm being lazy too, just like my friend Cindy. This seemed like a fun and easy blog to do. Feel free to send me your 100.


RULES: There are 100 statements and you capitalize the ones you have done. Grab it and play for yourself!!

1. STARTED YOUR OWN BLOG
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. GIVEN MORE THAN YOU CAN AFFORD TO CHARITY
7. BEEN TO DISNEYLAND (does Disney World count?)
8. Climbed a mountain (I've climbed on a mountain - not really the same thing)
9. HELD A PRAYING MANTIS
10. SANG A SOLO
12. VISITED PARIS
13. Watched a lightening storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. HAD FOOD POISONING
17. WALKED TO THE TOP OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
18. GROWN YOUR OWN VEGETABLES (carrots--just once)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (tried to--twice in one week, but couldn't, because of a bomb threat)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. HAD A PILLOW FIGHT
22. Hitchhiked
23. TAKEN A SICK DAY WHEN YOU'RE NOT ILL
24. BUILT A SNOW FORT
25. HELD A LAMB (they smell good)
26. GONE SKINNY DIPPING
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. SEEN A TOTAL ECLIPSE (SOLAR)
30. WATCHED A SUNRISE OR SUNSET
31. HIT A HOME RUN
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. SEEN AN AMISH COMMUNITY
36. TAUGHT YOURSELF A NEW LANGUAGE (well, I had the help of a teacher and textbook)
37. HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO BE TRULY SATISFIED
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michaelangelo's David
41. SUNG KARAOKE
42. SEEN OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER ERUPT
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. VISITED AFRICA
45. WALKED ON A BEACH BY MOONLIGHT
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. BEEN TO THE TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER IN PARIS
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkleing
52. KISSED IN THE RAIN
53. PLAYED IN THE MUD
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. TAKEN A MARTIAL ARTS CLASS
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. SOLD GIRL SCOUT COOKIES
62. Gone whale watching
63. GOT FLOWERS FOR NO REASON
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. BOUNCED A CHECK
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. SAVED A FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOY
70. VISITED THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. STOOD IN TIMES SQUARE
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. SEEN THE CHANGING OF THE GUARDS IN LONDON
77. BROKEN A BONE
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. PUBLISHED A BOOK
81. Visited the Vatican
82. BOUGHT A BRAND NEW CAR
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. HAD YOUR PICTURE IN THE NEWSPAPER
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. HAD CHICKEN POX
89. Saved someone's life (I have taken care of my children for the past 23 years - does that count?
90. Sat on a jury
91. MET SOMEONE FAMOUS
92. JOINED A BOOK CLUB
93. LOST A LOVED ONE
94. HAD A BABY
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. BEEN INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT (one of the bonuses of public office!)
98. OWNED A CELL PHONE
99. BEEN STUNG BY A BEE
100. READ AN ENTIRE BOOK IN ONE DAY

It's in Print--It Must Be True!

I guess the local newspaper and television stations are working on stories about stalled building projects in the area.
Here's the first article.
And, humbly, I am asking that you note who they quoted at the end of the article!!!
And, the first news story. I'm the one with the bad hair.

One Year Later, Champions Centre is Still a Bad Idea

One year ago tomorrow, at their very first meeting of 2008, the West Lafayette City Council voted to rezone a small strip of land, located in the backyards of some homeowners on Carlisle. Three of the seven City Council were new members, casting one of their first votes ever. Unfortunately for the neighborhood located just south of City Hall, they voted to re-zone this small strip of land.
Why should anyone care about a small strip of land, adjacent to a couple of houses? Why would that vote be noteworthy enough to write about a year later? Well, since I live in that neighborhood, I feel I have the expertise to fill you in!
This small strip of land had been designated R1, for residential use only. There were no structures on the land, but it served a very important purpose as a buffer between a hotel and the homes adjacent to the back of that property. Since the 1960's, many developers had tried, and failed, to have that little strip rezoned--at least 4 City Councils (in their infinite wisdom) had voted to maintain the R1 designation. Then, last January, a developer named Gary Spillers asked the City Council to rezone this strip of land, so he could proceed with his "Champions Centre" project. He needed this land to be rezoned so that he could proceed with his 7 story parking garage/condominium structure--if he had "X" amount of land, his building could be "X" stories high. He planned to build parking spaces on this strip of land--parking that was required by the Area Plan Commission. The neighbors were, of course, not in favor of this rezoning, and were definitely not in favor of the Champions Centre project. Why were we so opposed? As explanation, I offer what I wrote as a Guest Column to the local newspaper:
"The CEO of Champion’s Centre has done a terrific job of selling his project to the city of West Lafayette, and to the media. But there is another side to this story, and it’s my intent to outline it here for you.
Fact: this is a proposed $61 million dollar project. It includes a 7 story condominium/parking structure, a 4 story hotel, and a restaurant.
Fact: it will be built in a 50 year old, stable neighborhood of one-story homes.
Fact: the physical address is Northwestern Avenue.
Fact: the proposed buildings sit so far back on the site that they are IN the neighborhood, just as surely as my home is in the neighborhood.
Fact: this developer has worked for a company that has success building condominiums in urban areas close to football stadiums filled with dedicated fanatics.
Fact: this will be the first project built by this developer on his own, it will be built in a residential area, and will be over a mile from a stadium that never sells out.
Fact: this developer wants to target the condominiums to wealthy alumni, who will most likely use them a few weekends a year.
Fact: a 7 story building will tower over the neighborhood, but no one knows for sure what will happen if the 100+ condominiums don’t sell.
Fact: the condominium building will be 7 stories, including 4 stories of parking garage, and the hotel will be 4 stories.
Fact: at least 7 homes on Carlisle, and at least 5 homes on Windsor Drive will not have sunlight for the entire afternoon. The impact on these homes is unknowable, for there has been no investigation by the city into this (other cities, such as Boulder, CO have enacted ordinances which speak to shadows on residential dwellings), but what is known is that these homes will first have to replant their gardens, for no sun-loving plants will survive.
Fact: over 100 condominium units, 100 hotel rooms, and over 400 parking spaces will be built on this site.
Fact: there will be increased traffic in the area, and the population density will increase in this neighborhood—that is, if the units are sold and the hotel occupied.
The West Lafayette City Council reached a few milestones in its’ vote on Monday night. First, they ignored the wisdom of at least 3 previous City Councils, who voted against rezoning this property from R-1 to PDMX. This should make every homeowner in West Lafayette nervous, for there is no reason to assume that this Council will not vote to rezone a parcel of land in your neighborhood from R-1 to Planned Development Mixed Use.
As a result of their vote, for the first time, there will be a 7 story structure in the city of West Lafayette. And, this structure will be in a neighborhood. As a point of reference, not even the new hospitals go above 6 stories. What does this mean? For at least a 3 block radius, any child playing in a fenced-in yard can be observed by people standing in the condominiums or hotel rooms. How will this impact my neighborhood? I invite you to tell me how you would feel if you knew your children were being watched every time they were out in your yard.
Because of their vote, for the first time, residents on all adjacent streets will breathe in who knows what during demolition, be subjected to home-rattling vibrations as piles are driven into the earth to support the 7 story structure, and then be dealing with the dust, noise and construction traffic for at least 2 years. How will this impact this neighborhood? If the residents don’t sell their homes now, certainly they will consider it as their foundations shudder, or as their health is impacted. For the first time, a West Lafayette City Council voted to build a 4 story parking structure right in the backyards of residents. How will this affect my neighbors? We don’t know—it’s never been done in this city before. The City Council did not consider this, as they asked no questions during the meeting about the impact this project will have on people. As a matter of fact, I’ve been told by Council members that this project will have NO impact on my neighborhood.
Finally, I caution you to organize a Neighborhood Association to protect yourselves from the West Lafayette City government. My neighborhood didn’t, and we are paying a very steep price."
I was most disappointed by the votes of two on the Council in particular: Ann Hunt and Peter Bunder. Mrs. Hunt, because she had known about the proposed project, and its implications, for months before the vote, AND, even though we had a very cordial relationship, had not talked to me about any of it. Mr. Bunder, because he lives in an area of the city with a dense population, and could most appreciate the problems such a project would bring to our neighborhood.
Anyhoooooo, it's one year out, and I neeeeed to go talk to the Council again. This is what I plan to say:
"To the members of the West Lafayette City Council:
One year ago, at your January 2008 Council meeting, you voted to re-zone a small strip of property adjacent to homes on Carlisle, despite objections from over 70 neighbors. Your actions allowed developer Gary Spillers to proceed with his planned development, the Champions Centre project.
I thought I would come to the meeting tonight to let you know what has happened in our neighborhood since your vote last January. I am speaking before you tonight because I’m not entirely sure you’ve received my e-mails—not one of you has responded to me—not my Council Representative Vicki Burch, and not even Council member Peter Bunder, who always received a response from me when I was on the School Board, and he was a frequent correspondent. But I digress.
When Mr. Spillers spoke at the meeting last January, he proposed an aggressive timetable for development of the property, beginning in March with the demolition of the Family Inn, breaking ground in August for the 7 story parking garage and condominium structure, and opening the Champions Centre hotel and condominium buildings by August 2009—in time for the football season. He was confident last January that he would be able to sell his over 110 condominiums to alumni and alumni only; indeed, he took offense at the suggestion that any of his units would be used as “kiddie condos”.
It was April when the ceremonial demolition of the Family Inn building was held, and demolition continued through much of April and May. In late May, we got water in our basement—I should point out that our home is across the street from the development site. We got a little clear water in the basement-- less than ½ an inch covered the floor; to us it was more of an annoyance than damaging. We were told a lift station at the end of the street had failed, causing this problem. Shortly after this happened, my neighbor, whose property is directly adjacent to the Champions Centre site, began to have severe mold problems in her basement. She built this house nearly 40 years ago, and had never had a problem with mold in her basement—it cost her close to $3,000 to have it removed. The water in my basement and mold in hers were not isolated incidents; other neighbors were experiencing the same sorts of problems too. The explanation for the cause of the problem arrived via a letter from the City Engineer on July 30th. Our neighborhood was experiencing problems because the Champions Centre crew neglected to plug a sanitary sewer pipe during demolition of the Family Inn. The letter from the City Engineer told us to seek restitution through one of two insurance companies if we had suffered any losses. Now here’s the kicker: my 87 year old neighbor, who had spent close to $3,000 on mold removal, DID seek restitution. She was told it was a pre-existing problem, and she would therefore not receive any compensation for her loss. In June, Champions Centre opened its Sales Office on Windsor Drive, complete with a model condo unit. Neighbors, curious about what one of these units might look like, stopped by. The salesperson proudly told them he had had over 30 inquiries (hard to tell how many sales), including one sale to a family who was buying a unit for their child, who would be attending Purdue. I really don’t have to remind you that, by definition, that would make that unit a “Kiddie Condo”.
On August 14th, bulldozers destroyed up to 50 trees on the Champions Centre property. They were healthy, 30 to 40 year old trees that did not present any apparent safety issue; they were just in the way. It’s hard to determine why they were in the way, as they were at the back of the property, and construction had not yet begun on anything. Indeed, as of today, there has been no groundbreaking for any structure on the Champions Centre property. Right now, there is a large hole at the front of the property, lots of mounds of dirt, and fencing surrounding the property. This fencing is coming down in places, so is not serving as a safety barrier—if indeed that is the intended purpose. I dread to think what will happen if we receive a large amount of rain this spring—the large hole will be an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.
So here we are in a new year. The economy is in a serious state of disrepair, and it’s no surprise Mr. Spillers is having problems selling his condos. I’ve heard he is having problems finding a hotel chain to manage his hotel as well. Last year, Councilperson Bunder assured us this neighborhood would not be destroyed if the Champions Centre project went forward. That might be true, but the project has had a major impact on the neighborhood: to recap—loss of residential land, water and mold in basements, trees destroyed, and the very real possibility that there will be “kiddie condos” in yet another neighborhood of single-family homes. If you’ve learned nothing else as a Council this year, I hope you’ve learned “Buyer Beware. NOTHING is as good as the developer makes it sound."
What I really want to say is that I'm still mad as hell, AND I was right! I was right!

Some Bushisms to Keep You Entertained

**"There's an old saying in Tennessee _ I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee _ that says, fool me once, shame on _ shame on you. Fool me _ you can't get fooled again." _ Sept. 17, 2002, in Nashville, Tenn.

** "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." _ Aug. 5, 2004, at the signing ceremony for a defense spending bill.

** "Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." _ Sept. 6, 2004, at a rally in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

** "Our most abundant energy source is coal. We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." _ April 20, 2005, in Washington.

** "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." _ September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.

** "Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?" _ January 2000, during a campaign event in South Carolina.

**"They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander in chief, too." _ Sept. 26, 2001, in Langley, Va. Bush was referring to the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks.

** "There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." _ Oct. 4, 2001, in Washington. Bush was remarking on a back-to-work plan after the terrorist attacks.

** "We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job." _ Sept. 20, 2005, in Gulfport, Miss.

**"I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors back into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." _ Sept. 5, 2005, when Bush met with residents of Poplarville, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

** "It was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship. After all, 60 years we were at war 60 years ago we were at war." _ June 29, 2006, at the White House, where Bush met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

**"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." _ Dec. 7, 2006, in a joint appearance with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

** "These are big achievements for this country, and the people of Bulgaria ought to be proud of the achievements that they have achieved." _ June 11, 2007, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

** "Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." _ September 2007, in Sydney, Australia, where Bush was attending an APEC summit.

**"Thank you, Your Holiness. Awesome speech." April 16, 2008, at a ceremony welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the White House.

**"The fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place." _ May 27, 2008, in Mesa, Ariz.

** "And they have no disregard for human life." _ July 15, 2008, at the White House. Bush was referring to enemy fighters in Afghanistan.

** "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." _ June 26, 2008, during a Rose Garden news briefing.

**"Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." _ July 4, 2008 in Virginia.

** "The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer _ prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them. It's good to come down here." _ Sept. 3, 2008, at an emergency operations center in Baton Rouge, La., after Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast.

** "This thaw _ took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." Oct. 20, 2008, in Alexandria, La., as he discussed the economy and frozen credit markets.

Lazy Day

I took the day off today, and I'm really looking forward to the rest of my 5 days off.
I am savoring this time....I don't have any more "have to's" to do, and just a couple of "should's". Should put away the Christmas decorations and should get the rest of the holiday cards into the mail. Should finish the laundry, and should pick up more of my mess. But really, I have 2 1/2 more days to do all of that, so I'm taking it easy and working slowly on the "should's"--hence the sitting down to write this blog. I might even do two blogs today--it's funny how, when I actually have time to think, that the words just want to pour out.
I started to day slowly; said good-bye to Karen as she went off to work (yes, I did feel kinda sorta guilty), and then snuggled back down under the covers for another hour or two. That was a truly decedent feeling--to be able to go back to sleep for so long. As a mom, I do appreciate the ability to just turn over and go back to sleep without worrying whether someone is going to tear the house apart or really, really need me. Not even the animals stirred, which was remarkable in itself. I think I needed the extra sleep--we went to a great party on New Year's Eve, and the champagne to end it all took its toll on my aging body--yesterday I felt tired all day long. I hate the aging process; the aches and pains that didn't use to be there. The not being able to hold my liquor as well as I used to. The remarks from my daughter, who worries that I might "break a hip" if I do something mildly strenuous. But mostly, I hate the fact that I might possibly be beginning menopause.
At the word "menopause", some of the males reading this will want to stop, as will some of the young female ones, but keep reading--you might learn something to help you deal with the women in your life, or your future life.
I plan to make an appointment with my gynecologist just to make sure, but from what I understand, all the symptoms of menopause are present and accounted for in my body. I've just had two cycles where I've had all the signs of a period without any bleeding. Actually, the signs were more like what I experienced as a young teenager--bad cramping, feeling horribly bloated (I felt just like the Pillsbury doughboy), backaches. The new symptom, the one that surprised me the most? Mood swings. I felt depressed and would cry for no particular reason. I hated that--it's like I was outside my body and watching someone else take over, and I had no control over what that other person was doing to me. And then, like a flash, it would be over, leaving me (and probably Karen) to say, "Huh? Who was that?" I've been a little down this holiday season, for reasons I can't fully explain, and I'd like to think that's a result of my body changing too. Who knows?
I've started to gather advice from all the crones in my life--the wise women who have gone through menopause and who therefore are holding wisdom instead of releasing it once a month. They've had plenty to tell me: what to look forward to (hot flashes, or as I prefer to think of them--power surges), what vitamins and other supplements to take, what things to avoid. But I think the biggest benefit for me is being in a relationship with another woman--Karen has been very understanding and supportive and willing to listen as I tearfully explain that it's not really me talking, it's that other creature inside me. She knows full well that someday I will be the one who is listening to the menopause monster inside of her.
But today I'm enjoying the time between pseudo-periods; time when I am me, and don't have any "have to's" on my list. No need to rant today on this blog (well, maybe just a little, but I'll save it for later), just an opportunity to say I hope the rest of 2009 feels as peaceful as it does today--for me and for you. Happy New Year.

End of an Error

Good bye, indeed!