Leaving the world a little better than I found it by sharing my passions and dreams, what inspires me,
and maybe you too, and furthering the discussion about how we can listen to our better angels.
According to the Mayan legend, the world will be ending on Friday, December 21st, which is in just 24 hours, depending on your time zone.
In fact, that's one oddity that I don't know the answer to . . . will the world end when the first time zone on earth hits 12/21/12 or will the world end one time zone at a time or will the world wait to end until the single second when in every time zone in the world it is 12/21/12? How I schedule my day depends on the answer. If you know, please let me know.
Getting back to this whole end of the world thing, I have to be honest, I'm not so sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, I think it's a bunch of bunk. On the other hand, I'm not paying bills until the 22nd, just in case.
If the world ends, and this is a big if, I suppose I should say a few things to some important people in my life.
I love you.
Yes, you. You know who you are and if you're questioning if it's you, the answer is YES, it's YOU.
So that's out there.
Now back to the end of the world. In preparation for the end of the world on Friday, I'm headed to work on Thursday, then out for drinks with some co-workers to celebrate the holidays and then back home to hang out with a friend, have some dinner, and watch "2012: The End is Now," Brad Meltzer's new Decoded end-of-the-world special. Yes, seriously. You should watch it too. It's on the History Channel at 9:00 ET/8:00 CT.
The other day, my boss emailed me this cartoon to explain this whole end of the world thing. I think it pretty much sums up how I felt about it all.
But then I saw this picture on Facebook today. I honestly don't remember who I got this from, but I think it's hilarious and now I'm worried. I mean, if the Weekly World News says the world is ending, who am I to argue?
If it's really all over on Friday, then in all honesty, I've enjoyed writing Little Merry Sunshine and I've enjoyed knowing that sometimes I entertain you. Sometimes, I know we've disagreed and that's okay. I appreciate that you've always been respectful. More than anything, I appreciate that you keep coming back. If the world doesn't end on Friday, I've got some fun stuff to talk about before Christmas, so come back on Saturday.
After much deliberation (about when to release my endorsement), I have decided to announce my endorsement for President of the United States tonight.
Now before I tell you my pick in the 2012 election, I want you to know that my choice isn't perfect. Actually, no one is perfect. In the past four years, President Obama has made some decisions I disagreed with and put forward some policies I have felt didn't go far enough.
Four years ago, it's no secret that I was in love with President Obama. I believed in Hope and Change. Four years later, I still am in love with President Obama and I wholeheartedly believe in Hope and Change.
Sarah Palin rhetorically asked a couple of years ago, "How's that Hope and Change thing workin' for ya?" Well, I have to tell you, I think it's worked out pretty damn well.
We've had 31 consecutive months of job growth and 5.2 million new private sector jobs. The October Jobs Report will come out in the morning. Everyone expects it to be another month of positive job growth.
Obamacare. The GOP has attempted to make the term some derogatory slur. It's not. Thanks to Obamacare, I can never be denied insurance for a pre-existing condition and possessing a uterus is no longer considered a pre-existing condition. Young adults can stay on their parents' insurance until their mid-20s allowing them to pursue dreams without jeopardizing their futures. Insurance companies are required to spend at least 80% of insurance premiums on actual insurance benefits or send out refunds. I didn't receive a refund this year, but I know quite a few people who did. President Obama is also firmly behind the idea that women should control their own bodies and make decisions that are best for them and their families. If the right to control my our own bodies isn't enough to vote for President Obama and all Democrats, I don't know what is.
Nine words: Osama Bin Laden is dead and GM is alive.
Oh, and Chrysler is not pulling out of Michigan and Ohio in favor of taking all their Jeep production to China. They're expanding to build Jeeps in China that will be sold in China. There's a big difference. My tax dollars helped build that.
The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill to be signed into law by President Obama, gives women more freedom to fight back against pay discrimination. I think it says a lot about a President when his first major piece of legislation is to help bring equality to half our population.
DODT is no more and POTUS endorses marriage equality.
Fuel efficiency and clean energy alternatives are a priority to President Obama because he believes in leaving a healthy planet for future generations.
President Obama ended the war in Iraq. The war that was started based on a bunch of lies by his predecessor, by the way.
Middle class tax cuts that resulted in an average savings of $3,600 for typical families over the past four years.
He doubled funding for Pell Grants. That's a big damn deal. I had Pell Grants when I was in college. Today, I'm a successful, home owning, tax paying woman earning more than I could without that education.
That's a very small list at what President Obama has done. I believe that in the next four years, he can accomplish far more that will move the country forward for everyone, not just the top 1%.
So to answer Sarah Palin's question about Hope and Change, it's working quite nicely for us, thank you. We are far better off than we were four years ago. And I'm fully committed to the path President Obama is taking us down. I know that when he's given another four years in office, President Obama will lead us to full recovery.
Therefore, without reservation, Little Merry Sunshine endorses President Barack Obama for a second term as President. As I said on October 27, 2008,
If you're reading my blog and still undecided, I ask you to think about the kind of country you want to leave for your children and grandchildren. If you believe in equal pay for women, that health care is a right not a privilege, that women have a fundamental right to control their own bodies, that all people absolutely are created equal, that sometimes more gets accomplished by sitting down face to face than with the "either you're with us or against us" approach, that the politics of fear don't work, that every American deserves equal opportunity, and that government should do that which we cannot do for ourselves, then you owe it to yourself and future generations to vote for Obama.
Now if you're still undecided, I don't know what to say to you. Watch the videos below and then go vote for President Barack Obama.
Oh, and in case you're curious, yes, Sammy and Zoey are Demo-CATS and fully support President Obama.
The West Wing is back! The West Wing is back! The West Wing is back!!!!!
Okay, I may have overstated that a little, but it is. Sort of.
Here's the scoop: A woman named Bridget Mary McCormack is running for State Supreme Court in Michigan and she got the cast of The West Wing (complete with Josh and Donna!) to shoot a commercial for her. How did she manage this magnificent feat? Glad you asked. She happens to be the sister of a Mary McCormack, who was part of The West Wing cast from 2004 through 2006. How awesome is that?! So her sister and all her friends filmed a 4-minute commercial for the next Michigan State Supreme Court Justice.
And while they're at it, they even manage to teach you a lesson as memorable and important as the Schoolhouse Rock lessons. Yes, I'm serious.
Trust me, I wish I'd been there.
Now watch it and remember to vote for ALL the races and issues on your ballot this year. And if you live in Michigan, vote for Bridget Mary McCormack.
Given that Chicago has enjoyed an historically snow-free winter until this past week and as I type this we're in the middle of receiving a 9-inch snowfall, it seems that many of you have forgotten how to drive in inclement weather, at least as exhibited by those of you on the roads during my 10-minute-turned-30-minute commute home today.
You may have heard that we're supposed to get a little snow in Chicago today/tonight/tomorrow. To help you survive Snowmageddon 2011, Little Merry Sunshine offers the following driving tips:
Don't.
That's right. Don't drive. Stay inside and keep warm.
Oh, and if you're coupled up inside, you may want to schedule an appointment with your OB-GYN for about 9 months from now and also reserve a room in your favorite maternity ward. Your doctor is likely to have a backlog of appointments with no rooms available in the inn (or hospital).
On a serious note, if you must leave the house to drive anywhere, keep these tips in mind:
1. It's illegal to drive with your wipers on and your headlights off. Even if you can see, your headlights make it easier for others to see you.
2. Have a full tank of gas and plenty of wiper fluid.
3. Drive slower and leave extra space between you and other cars. Better to arrive late than not at all.
4. Stay off your cell phone., but carry it with you and make sure it's fully charged. Actually, this is a good idea even in good weather.
5. Have an emergency kit in your car: cat litter or salt, a shovel, snow scraper, a warm blanket or two, extra gloves, hat and socks, jumper cables, snacks, bottled water and activities for the kids. My emergency kit is in my backseat.
The bottom line for blizzard driving is to drive defensively, have patience, and don't be a jerk.
Additional tips:
6. Scrape off your entire car. It doesn't take more than a few minutes and clearing the snow off your roof means it won't land on my windshield. Removing it from your headlights and brake lights mean others can see you better. Cleaning your mirrors mean you'll see others better. By the time you've got the whole car cleaned off, your car will be warmed up and you'll get into a toasty car. Win. Win.
7. Make sure your car is in safe operating condition. This means checking your brakes, the tread on your tires, and keeping tires properly inflated. I know brakes and tires are expensive. I just put new brakes on my car. But new brakes are considerably less expensive than your insurance deductible when they go out on you and you plow into someone else. I highly recommend Busse Auto in Mt. Prospect for all auto work. They've taken care of my cars for almost 10 years and Mark Busse is one of the most honest, ethical people I've ever known. I'll use them forever. Use my name.
8. Be patient. Everyone else on the road in is the same situation you're in and they want to reach their destinations just as badly as you do. Don't be the asshole on the road. Getting upset will only make your drive worse.
9. Get off the roads when conditions are too bad. You're not the postal service having to live up to the inscription on the James Farley Post Office in New York: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Last summer when I was driving home from Watervale, I encountered one of the worst storms I'd ever driven through. Had I been standing still, it probably wouldn't have been so bad, but the combination of wind and speeding cars made it all but impassable. I didn't pull off the road, but my dad did. I remember sweating from stress as my hands were gripped to the steering wheel. Once I got through the storm, I wished I'd pulled over. That risk wasn't worth the time I "saved" by driving on.
10. If you get stuck in your car in the snow, stay in your car, but keep your tail pipe cleaned out. The deadly carbon monoxide fumes can get into your car if the tail pipe is blocked by snow or ice. When you've got the car on, crack the window just a little to keep poisonous gases out of the car. Clear off your headlights and taillights so rescuers can see you. And, of course, call the police.
11. Bottom line: Use good judgment and common sense. If you lack one, the other, or both, think about what you should do and do the opposite.
Yesterday a girlfriend of mine posted a story on Facebook about having been at the gas station and witnessed a man park his car, get out and walk over to another woman driving an older car and inform the woman that he wanted to pay for her gas. No ask for payback. No harassment of the woman. Nothing. Just a simple random act of kindness that made not only the woman receiving the gas happy, but it uplifted my girlfriend who witnessed this unabashed generosity between strangers.
Witnessing this selflessness prompted my girlfriend to decide that as she celebrates her 40th birthday this year, she's going to perform 40 random acts of kindness, one for each year of her life. She then encouraged all of her friends on Facebook to spend the year practicing their own random acts of kindness and asked, "What would the world be like with all this kindness"?
Over a dozen friends immediately stepped forward saying they were in for 40 random acts of kindness to celebrate their 40th birthdays.
I'm loving this idea of making 2012 the Year of Kindness. What would our world be like 349 days from now if we each performed even one random act of kindness per week? I imagine we'd see a seismic shift in our attitude towards each other, that prescriptions for antidepressants would drop off (you can't be doing that much selfless good without beginning to feel good yourself), our relationships would be better, and people would be nicer.
As Five for Fighting has asked, What Kind of World Do You Want? Let's go make the world better this year.
Lyrics to What Kind of World Do You Want by Five for Fighting
Got A Package full of wishes. A Time machine, a magic wand, a globe made out of gold. No instructions or commandments, Laws of gravity or indecisions to uphold
Printed on the box I see, A.C.M.E.'s built a world to be, Take a chance, grab a piece, Help me to believe it.
What kind of world do you want? Think anything. Let's start at the start, build a masterpiece, Be careful what you wish for... History starts now.
Should there be people or peoples? Money, funny, pedestals, for fools who never pay. Raise your army, choose you steeple. Don't be shy, the satellites, can look the other way.
Lose the earthquakes, keep the faults. Fill the oceans, without the salt. Let every man own his own hand. Can you dig it baby?
What kind of world do you want? Think anything. Let's start at the start, build a masterpiece, Be careful what you wish for... History starts now.
Sunlight's on the bridge. Sunlight's on the way. Tomorrow's callin, There's more to this than love.
What kind of world do you want? What kind of world do you want?
What kind of world do you want? Think anything. Let's start at the start, build a masterpiece, Yeah History starts now, starts now.
As you've probably noticed, I've been fairly quiet these past few weeks on Little Merry Sunshine. It's not that I haven't thought about all of you because I have. I have actually thought about my blog and my readers quite a bit lately. I've thought about where I want to go with Little Merry Sunshine in the new year and if I even want to keep writing this blog at all.
In the end, I decided that I do want to keep writing LMS and I want to get back to the reason I started it in the first place. Little Merry Sunshine was started to celebrate what inspires me and all that I'm grateful for and that's where it's going back to. That's not to say that I won't discuss politics or sports or other things I find interesting, but I'm going to focus on the good in the world because in spite of what we are constantly bombarded with in the media, life is good, people are good, and there is much to celebrate.
So to kick off the new year, here's what I'm grateful for today:
1. Being home. I was in Florida over Christmas and I may share the trip with you soon. Let's just say it was no vacation, but I'm about at the point I can laugh about it. Being home is no small thing and I am incredibly grateful for the beautiful home I have.
2. My friends. It's my belief that friends are the family I choose. Friends enrich my life in ways I am sometimes unaware of and they are always there. You laugh with me (and sometimes at me) and cry with me. You sometimes hold me up when I don't think I have the strength to get through a challenge. So whether you're real life day-to-day friend, a social media friend or a friend I haven't seen in a decade but we keep in regular touch, I am grateful for you.
3. My family. Sure, my family makes me crazy. And yes, I wish my family was more Norman Rockwell than Norman Bates, but I love them because of their idiosyncrasies (aka psychosis). As we kick off 2012, everyone is healthy, safe, and with a solid roof over their head that they own. Believe me, that's saying something this year.
4. Betsey and Ross. Okay, I get it. It's a little "crazy cat lady" to discuss them as often as I do. I own that. It's been a tough year for them as well and I'm grateful they are both healthy senior citizens (when does their Social Security check start arriving?). Ross's diabetes are finally under control and Betsey's thyroid condition is controlled as well. Those are good, if expensive things.
5. My job. In just a few weeks, I will have been at LFGSM for 12 months. It's hard to believe because the time has flown. It's a great place to work because of the people.
6. The 2012 GOP Presidential Candidates. Seriously. They provide me with endless laughter every day.
7. My own health. I got serious about working out earlier this year and it made a huge difference in how I feel. Unfortunately, that got derailed earlier this fall, but I'm getting back to it now. Well, tomorrow. Really.
8. Having the day off to spend just hanging out. After my trip to Florida, just having a day to myself is glorious.
I think that about covers it this morning. What are you grateful for today?
2012 is moments away and we all know what that means . . . it's time to pick your presidential candidate! Now, if you live in Iowa, you have your caucus on January 3rd, so you'd best get busy.
Fortunately, Little Merry Sunshine will once again be your go to blog for all things political.
First things first though. You must get behind a candidate. If you're a Democrat or otherwise refuse to vote Republican, then at the moment, your choice is simple: sit home or get behind President Barack Obama. But if you're a Republican or Tea Party member or otherwise don't vote for Democrats, you've got to wade through a whole bunch of candidates wishing to be the GOP Candidate for President.
I'm not going to try to tell you which GOP candidate to support because let's be honest, I can't come up with a reason to support any of them, but I will tell you how to figure it out.
ABC News has developed a new website called OTUS (Of the United States). Among the many cool things you'll find on the site is a quiz called the Match-O-Matic (not unlike the Cosmo quizzes, but far more important and accurate) to help you find the presidential candidate who best matches up with what matters to you.
I took the quiz and not surprisingly, it was completely accurate in telling me I should support President Obama. But then it took a turn I can't explain when it said that if I choose not to support President Obama, I might consider pulling the lever for Jon Huntsman or Ron Paul. Of course, I had 82% in common with President Obama and 9% in common for each Huntsman and Paul.
President Obama sent me the following letter yesterday. Maybe you received it too. Notice that we're on a first name basis. Ya, I'm special like that.
Little Merry Sunshine --
Today, we are filing papers to launch our 2012 campaign.
We're doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you -- with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build.
So even though I'm focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today.
We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or easily. It never does. But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we've made -- and make more -- we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.
As we take this step, I'd like to share a video that features some folks like you who are helping to lead the way on this journey. Please take a moment to watch:
In the coming days, supporters like you will begin forging a new organization that we'll build together in cities and towns across the country. And I'll need you to help shape our plan as we create a campaign that's farther reaching, more focused, and more innovative than anything we've built before.
We'll start by doing something unprecedented: coordinating millions of one-on-one conversations between supporters across every single state, reconnecting old friends, inspiring new ones to join the cause, and readying ourselves for next year's fight.
This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate. But the cause of making a lasting difference for our families, our communities, and our country has never been about one person. And it will succeed only if we work together.
There will be much more to come as the race unfolds. Today, simply let us know you're in to help us begin, and then spread the word:
