Misc. Random Stuff

Thanksgiving is coming, and tomorrow, we’re driving back to the Buffalo area. This is the first time we’ll have gotten to go back since last Christmas. I’ll actually be taking 3 vacation days, in addition to the 2 holidays and 2 weekend days. That’ll bring my grand total of days off this year to 9, which will leave me with 8 to use up in December. Sounds like a recipe to 3 day weekends…

I’m also really digging Paul McCartney’s new stuff (The Fireman, free listens here).

Oh, and we’re going to Disney World in February, partly for my 40th next birthday, but, really, mostly for the kids. Looking for tips for 4 year olds and 1 year olds… and for vegetarian dining.

My daughter has only seen previews for the movie, Bolt, but already is making me play Bolt with her, based on her understanding of the story. “I’d really like a stuffed Bolt,” she told me. “Maybe we can ask Santa. I am not even sure if they make a stuffed Bolt,” I told her, thinking it best to hedge my bets in case Santa doesn’t get it for her. Her response? “Well, then Santa can make it!” Of course. I don’t know how to argue that one.

Have a great Thanksgiving, all!

The Election and My Kids

One more thing on the election…

At first, I was a little disappointed that the historic nature of this year’s election would be lost on my kids, what with them being 4 and 1.

However, the more I thought about it, the happier I was that they would grow up thinking it was perfectly normal that anyone, not just white males, could run for President and that anyone, not just white males, could potentially be elected.

And that’s the kind of world I want my kids to grow up in.

Wow.

I have to say that, in general, I am proud to be an American. I may not always be proud of some of the things my country has done, but I don’t think that makes me any different than most other Americans, or most other people in the world.

Last night was a proud moment.

I know a vast majority or people voted for one candidate or the other because of what they stood for, and what they wanted to do. But I think I would be naive to deny that there was probably some people who refused to vote for one candidate because of the color of his skin. Heck, I would probably be naive to believe that there weren’t some that voted for Obama solely because of the color of his skin.

But I like to believe that most Americans who voted chose based on their belief in who was the better candidate. The fact that Americans were able to look beyond skin color, and not have it affect their opinions is, in my book, something to be proud of.

It is something that would not (and did not) happen 40, 30, even less years ago. And I hope that my kids will grow up in a world where people will look beyond what a person looks like, and focus on who they are.

So, yesterday, Ms. Kaz took our daughter with her to vote, because, being 4, we think it is time to start teaching her about such things. She and Ms. Kaz talked all about what a President is, what voting is, etc. in the car on the way there. Our daughter was all excited. She and Ms. Kaz went and voted (well, Ms. Kaz did, not my daughter) and afterwards, my daughter’s opinion? “That was boring.”

But, I am proud to say (although she is free to have her own opinions) that, in her preschool election, she voted for, “Rock Obama”.

Ms. Kaz said they talked in class a bit about the elections and the candidates. I asked my daughter if she learned about Ralph Nader, and she said, “What’s Ralph Nader?”

In other news, my daughter goes for her Peanut Challenge today. The docs think she might be over her peanut allergy, so they are going to expose her, little by little, to peanuts, stopping if they see signs of a reaction.

With any luck, they will be gone a long time…