This is Maia, the new addition to the family. She is an adopted kitty whose previous mommy couldn’t keep due to an allergic roommate. She’s giving Shayla a hard time wanting to play all the time, but I’m happy to report the hissing is gone, and they seem to be getting along well.
Maia moved to our house on November 7, 2008. She was born in August.
[See more photos of Maia on Flickr]
After taking a careful look at my blog, I decided I had too much crap on it. So I decided to change it again, this time using Derek Powazek’s Depo-Clean theme. I tweaked it a little, and guess what? The font is plain Times New Roman (changed it to Palatino). :-)
Now if only I could figure out how to create a decent archives page…
A man must be excessively stupid, as well as uncharitable, who believes there is no virtue but on his own side. – Joseph Addison
I am not an American citizen. That means that even if I was very interested in the election, wishing for Barack Obama to become the next president, I could not vote. I am grateful with the people of this country for choosing the new leader according to what they believe is best. What happens here affects me and my family. I live here, I work here, and I’m planning a future here. I am as concerned about this country as any other person who carries either a passport or a citizenship certificate, and I think Barack Obama is what this country needed after 8 years that, obviously, haven’t been the best.
Am I planning to become an American citizen? Absolutely. I moved to this country because this is where my husband is, and I want to be part of everything. I want to vote, I want my rights, I want to make part of any events that will make history like this past November 4th. And the prospect of becoming an American under Barack Obama’s rule is exciting. For legal immigrants, becoming citizens is a choice, not something that comes by default with a birth certificate. They CHOOSE to be citizens and act as such, making decisions about what they think is best for THEIR country.
Do I believe the U.S. is the best country in the world? Not really –I don’t think in absolutes. I’m Colombian, I’m Canadian, and I can see outside my comfort zone to grasp the concept that everything is relative when it comes to your country of origin and how you feel about it.
That being said, I’ve felt that many people believe that just because legal immigrants can’t vote when they’re permanent residents, we don’t have a voice. And I completely understand that point of view. But when it comes to immigrants who have chosen to become American citizens and have earned that right after working hard, I can’t understand why they have to be the targets of malicious comments by some people who can’t see outside their frame of mind when it comes to a political party.
It happened to my husband, and it made him very sad. It made ME very angry. To have his own friends question him because he voted for Obama, and ask him “Why the fuck didn’t you just stay in Colombia?” and “Don’t come into this beautiful house (USA) as an outsider and try to change it after you’ve clearly failed elsewhere.” — That is disrespectful, hurtful and insulting. My husband not only has not voted in Colombia because he hasn’t been there since he was 16, but also he didn’t come to this country to fix anything; he had to follow his parents when they decided to move. How soon some people forget about personal history.
The problem here is not what people feel after the election has passed. We all have the right to express our opinion. I understand how disappointed and frustrated McCain followers feel, but to bring your frustration to a personal level with someone who’s done nothing but love you and offer you unconditional friendship? That is plain wrong.
And it’s just an example of the ugly side of politics. People still don’t know how to separate beliefs from feelings, and I don’t think anyone ever will. But we have the ability to watch and measure our words. Just because someone is able to forgive, it doesn’t mean you can’t wound their hearts.
So stop the political discourse, remember that person who voted for the other candidate is first and foremost your friend, and start working together for better times.
It sure has been a long time. I started blogging when the blogosphere was in the early phases of its evolution. I think I’ve seen it all, or almost. A blog can be fun, or it can be a real pain the butt. But I’ve enjoyed it most of the time. And for the last 2 years I’ve been blogging every single month (with nothing really interesting to say, if I may add).
And then every day when I open my browser, my website is the homepage so I get to see this weblog as a reminder to post, darn it, post! And I stare blankly at the screen thinking “What do I have to say that will catch people’s attention?” –Nothing. Have I become too lazy to discuss what really matters to me? Not really. I think I just lost my audience; and that is my fault.
Truth is I don’t even read many other blogs anymore. I just go quickly through my Google reader, check that everyone is alive and kicking, but I don’t pay attention to what they are saying. Yeah, that is horrible of me… How selfish! But then again, I’m not craving the attention either.
And here I am wondering if I have burnt all the bridges. This blog isn’t even an emotional outlet anymore; thankfully because my issues are either solved (Hah! Yeah, right…) or because I have other means of expression. I feel like my opinionated days are somewhat over. Not because I don’t have an opinion, but because I don’t feel the need to say something when I’m not asked to. That sounds kind bland, doesn’t it? But that’s the way I feel.
Maybe I’m too busy, or maybe it’s been long enough since I started blogging. And the word “Retirement” sounds good right now. But I know I won’t do it, mostly because this is a habit, and old habits die hard.