Dancing a little jig while I type this

I have just done something amazing. I made a phone call that finished something I've been working on for fourteen years. And it is with you, dear internets, that I'm sharing this news first. Because I know you, dear sweet internets, will say, "Hey that's great!" and "Congratulations" and "We should go out for drink to celebrate." And I will say, "Ok, but I'm buying. I can afford it because I just finished paying off my student loans."

Gnome of the Dead

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkins, Politics and Gnomes... oh my!

A new little guy appeared in my house over the weekend:

A GNOME YOU CAN BELIEVE IN

The gnome pattern is ready to go and I'm just waiting for the nice folks at Ravelry to add me as a seller to I can upload it.

I seem to be all consumed with politics and the election now that there are just eight days to go. I almost cannot believe that the day is almost here. There are big plans for the big day. I'm going to get up early and go and vote, then Bill and GL and I are headed up to New Hampshire to volunteer to do whatever the Obama people need us to do. We'll head back into town and get over to PCT early to stake out some space for the party. We (Knitting Liberally and Drinking Liberally) are co-hosting with Hampshire County Obama'08,The Northampton Democratic City Committee and the Young Dems. Everyone is welcome! Jaz will be broadcasting live on WRSI from the party. Free buffet with a cash bar. Free WiFi if you need it.

The all consuming, impending election was a driving force at the pumpkin carving party Tom and Tina threw on Saturday night.

Tom and Tina have a cauldron full of pumpkin carving tools.

Tom finished first.

My 'Ooobama' pumpkin in progress.

Tina scraping the last of the guts out.

Lots of guts.

Tom set up for the big reveal.

GL and Abigail waited patiently for the candles to be lit.

Do you think we got our message across?

Meet the Budget Gnomes

Meet Tax and Spend. They are the little magic gnomes that help John McCain with his math.

Tax is a cranky little guy who isn't happy with the way things are going in this country. He's not afraid to say things that will upset people. He's angry. Some might call him a... what's the word again... oh yes... a maverick. When people tell him his ideas don't make sense or that he's got his facts wrong, he rolls his eyes and turns pink. Sometimes he's trying so hard not to curse he has to write his nasty thoughts down with a fat black marker and then throw the paper away. If he gets really frustrated he might accuse you of being a terrorist (or just friends with one), but he knows that's not nice and eventually he'll take it back.

Spend is a helpful gnome, he wants to help you (especially if your name is Joe and you are a Plumber or you're just someone who likes to drink 6 cans of beer). He knows times are tough and you people on Main Street and in small faraway towns in Alaska are worried about your families and your jobs. He'll give you nice sounding vague thoughts on how he wants to help you, but more often he's going to tell you how he thinks somebody else wants to hurt you and take away your money (even when it's not true). He can be a little mischievous and crafty even though he looks nice. He's a maverick too! Isn't he sweet?

Tax thinks the government spends too much money. He wants to freeze all spending except for stuff like defense (he likes guns and he knows a pretty northern girl who likes them too). He wants to lower taxes (be careful though because he never says he's going to lower your taxes, but somebody's taxes will be lowered). He's not going to waste your money on silly things like the environment or education. What do you need with police and firemen and nurses and teachers and childcare and social services anyway - you're tough, you can take care of yourself! Tax thinks you're a maverick too!

Unlike Tax, Spend likes the environment. He supports alternative fuels like Clean Coal Technology and Nuclear Energy (he can even pronounce it correctly). You'll find he's not clear on how he's going to pay for the research, but if somebody in the private sector wants to fund it he's going to be really super supportive! And if that doesn't work out he'll find some money to pay for drilling off our coasts. Because he cares about stuff! In fact, he cares about you so much he's going to give you some money toward your health insurance (so you don't have to worry your little heads about it). It might not be enough, but he thinks it will solve the problems with health care in our country. He's got other plans too, but you'll have to look them up on his website (or you can just watch the nice people on Fox News and learn everything you need to know).


So everyone can stop worrying now, (doggone it!) Tax and Spend are here to save us! They're really good at making math really confusing so you don't have to bother to try to figure it out. They're going to sort our government right out. They know how to make soup from a stone AND a mountain from a molehill. We'll be alright! You all can stop complaining and go back to drinking your lattes (Tax and Spend like lattes too, but shhh don't tell 'kay?).

Budget Gnomes!

John McCain keeps proposing a Spending Freeze and then in the same breath talks about his big health care credits for everyone, how much he's going to support alternative fuel research, major tax cuts and funding for education. I just don't understand how his math works. Is it me? Does he have some secret way to lower taxes and not spend anything, but also pay for all this stuff? It has to be magic!

More hometown pride

My friend Kristina's dad has done it again! From the guy who brought you "Mama's Votin' for Obama" (which I had stuck in my head for days...), comes the fabulous sing-along "Sarah!":

Excuse me Mr. Senator?

John Kerry was in town last night for what was supposed to be a public forum, but ended up being a typical stump speech instead. At the end, as Kerry was handing off the microphone to someone else, a local character (they call him The Motown Man - he wears a sparkly cape every day) piped up with the question I think most of us were there to ask. He asked why the senator voted for the financial bailout bill. Kerry took back the microphone and started by calling the bill despicable (I suppose he meant the situation was despicable), but then went on to defend it and explain why he supported it. I had hoped to hear a bit of dissent from him, but there was none.

I wonder if the passing of this bill and the support or non-support of it is the new Iraq War vote. In 4 years time, when we are in the throes of our next election, will our candidates have to justify their votes on this bill in the same way that we ask why they voted for the war and then came out against it?

Something random I learned this morning.

Reading this article in the NYT about making full meals in a Rice Cooker I learned this:

"Japanese cooks, however, consider toasted rice overcooked and highly undesirable. The unwanted crust left stuck to the bottom of the rice cooker is called okoge — the same word used as slang for a single woman who spends a lot of time with gay men."