Okay. I don’t want to bear all of Edward’s children, or anything. I do like his ‘do, however.

Photo: Official “Twilight” site

I’ve been reading since I was four. I read very quickly. Typically, I have several books going at a time. Right now, as a matter of fact, I just polished off three books in less than a week. I’m also reading Jon Krakauer’s biography of Pat Tillman. It’s hard to finish, because I know how it ends. I will review the book at some point here; Jon Krakauer is one of my favorite authors, and I’m really glad he decided to write about this particular subject. Back to those three books I devoured earlier this week.

To my everlasting shame, they’re “Twilight”, “New Moon” and “Eclipse”.

I’m still trying to decide if I’m reading the fourth book (“Breaking Dawn”) or not. There are a lot of readers who are really, really mad about “Breaking Dawn”, if Amazon.com’s reviews are any indication. I decided to finally read “Twilight” after hearing a lot of my author friends rhapsodize about it. I saw the movie ($1 from Redbox, baybee,) a couple of months ago, and prior to reading the book. It was enjoyable. I don’t give a rat’s furry behind about vampires, werewolves, young adult novels (well, I like the ones written by my friends,) or the dreaminess of Robert Pattinson, so maybe I just didn’t get it.

The book, though? I was glued. Transfixed. Couldn’t put the dang thing down. I raced through it, and then I tormented The Dauphin till he agreed to take me to Costco to get the other two books over the weekend. Here’s my whole problem: The movie Edward does little for me. The fictional one? Ahhh, Edward. (sigh)  Speaks in complete sentences. Holds two advanced degrees. (Evidently, vampires have a lot of time to study.) Drives a Volvo. Is (according to the description of the heroine,) more beautiful than the angels, smells really, really good, and has a great voice. He’s thoughtful and protective. Plus, he’s loaded. When all that’s not happening, he listens to classical music and sparkles in the sunshine. If he liked football, I’d have to marry him.

Most of my issues with the movie Edward are a) I’m old enough to be his mother, and b) He doesn’t look like the Edward in the book. Let’s face it: Whomever cast the “Harry Potter” series is a genius. He looks EXACTLY like I thought he would, and so do the other leading characters. (Plus, they were smart enough to cast the amazing Alan Rickman as Snape, who is the sexiest bad guy ever. Or is he?) Edward, on the other hand — no. He doesn’t look like the Edward in my imagination, which leaves me — sad.  Yeah. That’s it.

I’m trying to cut the movie people some slack here. After all, what a fortysomething woman would consider “more beautiful than the angels” is much different than the book’s target audience, which (again, I’m totally embarrassed,) is teenage girls. It is evident to all who read TLPC that I have impeccable taste in men, but I never seem to be attracted to the guys all my girlfriends are interested in. (There is the George Clooney rule, though. Everyone thinks he’s cute. Plus, he seems to have quite a sense of humor and he’s intelligent, which just proves my “handsome, smart and funny” rule.)

Back to the books. I wish I knew what makes them so gripping, and why Edward is so captivating, aside from the obvious. I have been exploring these questions with The Dauphin. After all, there has to be a lesson in here for me. Besides that whole Romeo and Juliet “doomed lovers” thing, and the cute thing, I think it’s the following. Edward is still chasing the object of his affection, Bella. He loves her enough to want her to remain the way she is, which means he will spend the rest of her life protecting her, and the rest of his life denying his own nature. It’s self-control none of us can imagine. Plus, it’s fiction. If a guy acted like this in real life, our girlfriends would (truly) be staging an intervention, no matter how cute he was.

I’m still mulling it over. In the meantime, I’ll be lining up next weekend with everyone else to see “New Moon”.

-S

Moose’s baby picture, taken by moi

Our chocolate Lab boy would like to thank everyone that made this possible, including the vet, various pet stores, and the Kong Company (for producing at least one toy he can’t destroy within five minutes…)

Of course, birthdays mean presents, but Moose would like to share his. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the antics of our beloved puppy over the last several months. If you’d like to help out some other very deserving animals, please dig another few bucks out of your wallet for the following: Pasado’s Safe Haven. Every pet should be a wanted pet, and Pasado’s does great work.

Moose got a few extra treats yesterday, (including some frozen yogurt made especially for puppies!) and spent most of his evening playing fetch with Mom and Dad. Of course, he got some extra hugs and kisses, too.

Our sweet Moosie is one, and our lives will never be the same!

-S

Photo: Legion Post 163

Every year about this time, we’re at the grocery store, and we see the vets manning a donation table. I am honored to put some money in the jar for other vets, shake hands, look them in the eye and say, “Thank you so much for your service.” I do not support the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I will always support the troops who fight those conflicts. We could never thank them enough for their sacrifices, but a little appreciation is always a good thing.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to thank a vet for their service today. If you’d like to give a little donation as well, this organization will be more than happy to use that cash for the benefit of those in the military.

If you are a vet and reading my words, on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you so much for your service.

-S

Photo: www.blissfullydomestic.com

I’m a bit out of “Sesame Street”’s target demographic, but this post is brought to you by the letter H, for Happy Birthday.

Here’s to forty more.

Love,

-S, who still knows the lyrics to “It’s Not Easy Being Green”…

Photo: www.europa.eu

There is a small piece of concrete with the rest of my valuables. One side is a melange of colors; the other side is smooth. One of my roommates brought it back for me years ago after a visit to Germany. It’s part of the former Berlin Wall.

Google thought this event sufficiently important to put up a slideshow of photos and video at their site. You might be interested in taking a look.

http://www.google.com/berlinwall09.html

-S

I was relieved to read late last evening that there’s someone in custody. Looks like the party in question’s been pretty busy in the meantime.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010226607_suspect08m.html

Amid the carnage and confusion of the Halloween night ambush-slaying of Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton was one seemingly incongruous clue that soon took on an ominous meaning.

A bandanna printed with the American flag, found near the patrol car where Brenton was gunned down, provided a chilling connection to a second crime, just nine days earlier, that also targeted Seattle police.

The link — to the bombing of Seattle police vehicles on Oct. 22, where a small flag was found — allowed investigators to quickly determine Brenton almost certainly had been targeted simply because he was an officer. And it helps explain why police officials quickly labeled the killing an assassination.

Detectives are trying to determine why the man suspected of both crimes, Christopher John Monfort, 41, apparently held a grudge against officers that spiraled from destructive to deadly in so little time. Police on Saturday labeled him a “domestic terrorist” who was apparently acting alone and whose motives remain under investigation.

I don’t have anything vile enough to call Mr. Monfort. The English language fails to meet my need for self-expression right now. I hope he recovers from his gunshot wound. I hope that he stands trial. After all, that’s the way we do things in America. If he is found guilty, I hope he never sees the exterior of a prison again.

It’s unfortunate that those who wish to make a statement in our society by killing others can’t simply lean into the strike zone and take one for the team, to quote Dennis Miller.

-S

Photo: Seattle Police Department

Thousands of law enforcement officers joined in the procession to Seattle Police Department Officer Timothy Brenton’s funeral this afternoon at Key Arena in Seattle.  A being I can only classify as a waste of skin spineless coward murderer shot Officer Brenton to death on Halloween night as he and a student officer were parked in their police car on 29th Avenue in Seattle. Officer Brenton leaves behind a wife, children, loving family and friends, and a stunned and shaken community.

A 1980-83 Datsun B-210 was seen more than once in the video from the officers’ car, and is believed to be driven by whomever did this. One doesn’t see a lot of those on the road these days, so hopefully, someone will come forward with information that might help identify the shooter.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010213315_copshot06m.html

Police urged the killer to come forward, saying they would listen to any grievance and why he chose the Seattle Police Department as a target.

“Everyone has a conscience,” Pugel said, noting the assailant might even admire police.

“The fact that he killed a very good human being, I don’t know if he understood that when this occurred,” Pugel said.

In the meantime, if you know the shooter, tell him or her to man up and turn themselves in. If they’re so proud of what they’ve done, facing it should be no problem at all. If you’d like to make a call, I’m sure Crime Stoppers would be happy to talk with you. They’re at 800/222-TIPS.

My condolences go out to Mrs. Brenton and her family. If you live in the area and you’d like to make a donation, it’s possible to do so at any Bank of America branch. Please specify the “Brenton Family Assistance Fund”.

What an incalculable loss.

-S

The press conference wrapped up minutes ago; there’s another one shortly.

Twelve are dead, including one of the alleged three shooters. Thirty-one people are injured.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ihGepAkECGoDagETVBMpPb3w7Y3gD9BPKKFG0

The first shooting began at about 1:30 p.m. at a personnel and medical processing office, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Nathan Banks said. The facility, called a Soldier Rating and Processing center, handles administrative details for soldiers.

Banks says the second shooting took place at a theater on the sprawling base.

Sgt. Rebekah Lampam, a spokeswoman at Fort Hood, said it was not known whether the shooters were soldiers or civilians.

An Army spokesman said the base was locked down after the shootings.

For more information, please go to the following:

www.cnn.com

www.msnbc.com

My thoughts and prayers go out to those at Fort Hood, their families and friends.

-S

I’d like to dedicate the above to Senator Harry Reid… After all, “meet the new boss, same as the old boss” is highly appropriate, isn’t it?

It seems like I spend a lot of time these days apologizing for being tardy at TLPC. Mostly, stuff like the following demoralizes me. I realize there’s a lot of other things I could be covering on my blog as well, but for someone who typically lives and breathes politics, the current climate is beyond frustrating. It occurs to me that politics is, essentially, kabuki — it’s all about power and money, and whatever those in public office have to do to solidify their hold on power and keeping the campaign money rolling in is what’s going to happen.

It’s so nice that people like Harry Reid can screw around with legislation millions desperately need. After all, it sure doesn’t affect him or his colleagues, does it? If there was a way to strip Congress and the executive of their health insurance until every possible American is covered, it would be a great thing. I find it more than amusing that a complicated bailout of the financial industry was accomplished in one week, but health care — not important!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091103/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., spoke as Democratic officials said it could be December before Senate debate begins in earnest on the issue atop President Barack Obama’s domestic agenda, months after senior lawmakers and the White House had hoped. The drive to pass legislation has been plagued for months by divisions within the party’s rank and file.

House leaders, on a somewhat faster track, pointed toward a vote this weekend on a bill to extend coverage to tens of millions who lack it, ban insurance industry practices such as denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions and generally slow the rate of growth of medical spending nationwide. The 10-year, $1.2 trillion legislation is estimated to expand coverage to about 96 percent of eligible Americans.

The measure includes an option for consumers to purchase a government insurance plan, an attempt to put pressure on private firms.

While Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House leaders weighed final changes to their version of the bill, Reid for the first time publicly raised the possibility that lawmakers would not be able to meet their — and Obama’s — self-imposed deadline of completing work on health care by year’s end.

“We’re not going to be bound by any timelines. We need to do the best job we can for the American people,” he said after the weekly closed-door meeting of rank-and-file Democrats.

Don’t you actually mean “the best job we can for the health insurance industry”,  Senator Reid? Do you have the slightest idea what it is like for millions around the country who wonder whether or not they can afford to go to the doctor, whether to fill the prescription the doctor has just given them or go without, or whether or not to take the baby they think has H1N1 to an emergency room because they have no insurance coverage, and can’t hope to get it? These people cannot wait. While you dither, wave your hands around and count the money in your campaign coffers, the people who voted you into office (and pay your salary!) are the ones who suffer. Of course, again — this means nothing to you and your colleagues. As long as those checks clear, it’s all great, isn’t it?

In the meantime, there is news today about a H1N1 emergency sick leave bill proposed in Congress. People are going to work sick because they either can’t afford to stay home without sick leave, or their employers compel them to come to work anyway. I was amused to note that the bill in question doesn’t take effect until 14 days after it’s signed. Isn’t it the height of flu season right now?

If you’re as angry as I am, feel free to give the good Senator’s office a call. I’m sure his staff will enjoy it.

528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3542 / Fax: 202-224-7327

If they tell you you’re outside of Nevada and Senator Reid doesn’t have to respond, be sure to tell them that as Majority Leader of the Senate, he represents the country, which means everyone.

If you’d like to call your own electeds about health care reform, they’re available at the following.

http://www.senate.gov/

http://www.house.gov/

-S

2,200 goody bags containing a White House cookie, Presidential M&M’s, and dried fruit were prepared for tonight’s trick-or-treaters.

Photo: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

No matter how frustrated I am with President Obama, it’s nice to have children in the White House again. It’s even better when 2,200 of their friends can come and visit.

We won’t see 2,200 tonight at Casa de Dauphin/Strategerie, but the sixty or so kids that usually make it to our front door will be treated to Kit-Kats, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Smarties, and (if they ask!) a hug.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

-S