This and That and the Other

I haven’t done a hodge-podge post lately, but there are some things I want to share with you and other things to get off my chest. The photo was from the New Year Eve’s storm. We’re getting more snow as I write.

Tomorrow is Michigan’s primary. I’m at a loss as what to do. On the Democratic side, there is only Hilary Clinton as a candidate (Edwards and Obama are not running because the state broke the party’s rules about primaries). Furthermore, the Democrat National Committee has threatened not to allow Michigan’s delegates to be seated. Some Democrats are voting undecided, so that someone in the party can select non-committed delegates for the convention. I don’t like the idea of voting for no one, but I also don’t like the idea of not having a vote. Many Democrats, it seems, are going to go over the Republican side and vote. I even got a computer call today suggesting that all Democrats and Independents should do this… It’s appealing to go vote against Mitt Romney, but it would mean that I’d have to go to the dark side for at least a day and that the Republican party would get my name as having voted in their primary… I’ve never skipped a primary, but that’s my other option. Any suggestions?

I only caught part of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion” this weekend—the section titled “Lives of the Cowboys.” Someone was trying to get Dusty to join a cowboy organization, but he didn’t want to have any part of it. When they started telling him about their charitable work, Dusty said that he prefers to do his own… “My cause is fallen women” he proclaimed and went on to say the he makes sure his contributions get to the right place by giving them directly to fallen women. I about ran off the road laughing.

In a not so laughing matter, did you read that the FBI has lost wiretaps because they didn’t pay their phone bill? Instead of being surprised that Bin Laden hasn’t been caught, we should be amazed when they actually do apprehend a criminal. Somewhere I heard it joked that the phone companies will take the FBI’s word when they say the court order is in the mail, but they draw the line when they say the check’s in the mail.

In another laughing matter, I’m going to finally get my Christmas letters out this week. That’s right, I even missed the Orthodox Christmas celebration (but I think I’m still within their 12 days of Christmas). A few years ago I stopped worrying about getting my Christmas letters out before the holiday—which should be okay for I find that I’ve had more time to read those that have arrived since Christmas than the pile that arrived in mid-December. I’m not going to bore you with my entire letter (besides, it says stuff on topics I refrain from talking about here), but I will let you have a peak at my first paragraph.

It should now be obvious to all of you that my Christmas cards and letters never made it. As late as it is, I can’t even blame it on the inefficiencies down at the Post Office. So this year, instead of writing a Christmas letters like almost everyone else, I decided I’d add a new twist. In Christmas letters (according to some etiquette I’ve read), you’re not suppose to brag about your great feats, nor are you to try to convince folks that your kids are the closest thing to perfection since that child born in Bethlehem two millenniums ago. So in an attempt not to upset the descendants of Amy Vanderbilt, I’m creating a new genre, the birthday letter. It’s my birthday and I can do whatever I please, etiquette or no etiquette! I’m celebrating another trip around the sun and move securely into my 50s (51 for those of you who must know). Happy birthday to me, but more importantly, I hope my birthday finds you all happy and enjoying life.

Now, those that forget my birthday—which is Wednesday—will feel doubly bad! Well, maybe not.