The Great Debate

Recently I have been getting into the debate scene for the GOP presidential candidate. I've spent some of my down-time at work researching the positions of the candidates on the issues and watched the 4 recent debates. I have started forming my opinions about the prospective candidates. Some of those opinions are based soley on their ability to "look" the part of the president, some on their ability to "sound" the part of the president, and some on their ability to "act" as the president. I also have clear favorites and clear non-favorites. Here are my thoughts on the potential nominees at this point and time:

Jon Huntsman, Jr. -- I think of all the candidates, Jon Hunstman has the best international policy experience and know how of the group in that area. I also think he makes a great arguement about his ability to stimulate an economy, lower unemployment, and create jobs as Utah has been at the top of the charts in these areas under his governorship. But I also think that Utah has a very unique group of people in it, so his strategies might not necessarily apply to the country as a whole. Its too bad this guy can't get more ground. He brings some great things to the table, but is overshadowed because of his more moderate views. I like him, but I doubt the mass conservative base will vote for him. Another side-note -- has anyone else noticed that his eye brow does crazy things when he speaks? Its very distracting to me! I think he looks like a president and even sounds presidential. But I don't think he really gives off that presidential aire. Although he has had some good things to say in recent debate performances, the comments that make the largest impression are when he makes dumb jokes... stop the awkward joking and get down to politics Jonny boy!

Michele Bauchman -- I am tired of hearing about how you mothered 20-something foster kids. That's a great thing to do (shoot, I would LOVE to do that), but what does that have to do with being the president? I'm sick of these crazy tea partiers making all conservatives look like crazy right wingers. You are trying too hard to be the Sarah Palin upgrade and it gets you into trouble. Go back to beautiful Minnesota and enjoy the lakes, but please stop pretending like you are actually going to get the nomination.

Mitt Romney -- I'll admit it, I'm a Mitt fan. I think he has that presidential aire that is necessary to lead the nation and be effective in the international scene. Mitt comes out looking, sounding, and acting like the next president after each debate. He has clearly put alot of thought, time, and energy into how he would change the economy and other problem areas of our nation. He is intelligent, well-mannered, and knows how to defend himself well in a debate. He would also be a solid moral leader in our nation. I also think he stands the best chance of ousting Obama from office. That being said, I don't think he is the perfect candidate, but I think he is the best we've got and I think he'll do a superb job as the President of the United States of America. I like his more moderate views because that is what we need, someone who can work with both sides of the fence and can bring America together. I find myself repeatedly screaming at the TV during debates, "You tell'em Mitt!"

Rick Perry -- I like watching Mr. Perry stumble and fall in the debates. Its really not his scene. Perhaps its because he has no experience in that arena, or perhaps its because he can't think quickly on his feet, or perhaps its because he's just not presidential material. I contest to the latter. I am happy to see the Perry hype has fallen after his terrible debate performances. I feel like he is just another Bible-thumping Texan (and that is not meant to be a cut on the Bible -- I like the Bible, I believe in the Bible. But people who use their own religious beliefs to cut others down and belittle them while they are trying to build themselves up clearly aren't living by the principles taught within that book). I do, however, want to hear more specifics on your energy independence plan.... I hope you elaborate tonight in the debate.

Ron Paul -- You've got to love Ron Paul! He's kind of this adorable, crazy old man with little beaty eyes. I think some of his ideas are good (like going back to the Constitution and really focusing on the liberties and power expressed within that document, as well as less government control), but his ideas are pretty radical and his followers seem to be more crazy than him. I don't agree that illegal substances and prostitution should be legalized, although I understand his arguement that the government should be more hands-off. Does he look like a president... NO, he's too old. Does he sound like a president... not really. Does he act like a president... no, not really. Do I think he stands a chance, NO! But I like hearing his ideas during the debates because they are so different than the other candidates.

Hermain Cain -- I like his laid back attitude and sense of humor. I don't really think he's presidential material, and I'm kind of getting sick of hearing nothing but his 999 plan from him. I particularly enjoyed his comment during the CNN debate "If 10% is good enough for God, 9% should be good enough for the government!" That won some points with me. I think his lack of any experience in the political arena will hurt him in the long run, but I think his business experience is worth taking into consideration. What are his views on foreign policy, illegal immigration, or anything (for that matter) that doesn't have to do with the economy??? Well, when you figure it out, let me know. Does he look like a president? I don't think so. Does he sound like a president? Not really. Does he have that presidential demeanor? Not so much. Do I think he has a chance.... NO! But I like some of his comments and he adds to the entertainment of the debates.

Rick Santorum -- I kind of like this guy as the underdog. I particularly agreed with his attack on Rick Perry based on the in-state tuition given to illegal immigrants and their children in Texas. I thought he did a great job stating that it is not that those kids shouldn't be able to get an education, they should -- but why is the government subsidizing their education, when legal citizens who live outside of the state pay out-of-state tuition? Illegals should have to pay the out-of-state tuition rate just like others who are not true residents of the state. I think he pushed himself into more of the limelight this past debate and I hope he takes some of Michele Bauchman's people with him. I don't, however, think he knows what he's talking about when it comes to international affairs. Does he look like a president... I think he looks too young and unpolished for the president. Does he sound like a president? Sometimes. Does he have that presidential aire? No. Is he going to win.... No? I think he'll be one of the early candidates to remove himself from the race after the first few primaries.

Newt Gingrich -- Oh Newt, I think you just say what everyone is thinking. I really liked that he called out the media and the people running the CNN debate on trying to get the republicans to fight one another and tear eachother apart so Obama could win again. I like his candid, relaxed attitude and I think he has great political experience to run with. That being said, I think personally the guy is kind of a scuz. He cheated on his first 2 wives and blames these inappropriate trists on his "passion for politics and his job." Sorry buddy, that's a different kind of passion. All in all, I like listening to Newt in the debates. Like Santorum, I think Newt will be an earlier puller-outer of the competition once it gets going.

Gary Johnson -- You are awkward! He has only been in 1 debate I watched but this guy even stands awkwardly. I had a good laugh as I watched the debates with one of my friends just because of the way this guy's hair is cut and the way he looked into the camera. I really like him from a comic relief stand point, but this guy doesn't stand a chance.

Those are my thoughts... you can be with them or against them, tis your perogative. All-in-all I have found this debate season rather entertaining. I just wish the same questions weren't asked over and over again. It gets kind of repetitive.

Tune in tonight at 8pm ET for the next GOP presidential debate on CNN!

A Castle for Willow Smith

My friend has gotten me hooked on a new TV show - ok, it's not new (there have been 3 seasons) but it is new to me. The show is called Castle and airs on ABC. It is a show about a famous murder mystery novelist who starts to work with the NYPD to get ideas for his books. At first, I thought it was an awful lot like Bones (one of my fave shows) because it has to do with solving murders. But the humor and characters in the two are different, making this a fresh show. And obviously there is a crime-fighting duo whose chemistry make the whole thing worth watching continually. I highly recommend the show, although I will say that some of the culprits are pretty predictable.

What does this have to do with Willow Smith? you might ask. Well, last night I went to the public library to mooch off of their free internet -- I needed to catch up on some of my Castle watching before the next season starts. As I sat at my computer desk, this chubby, black kid (approxiametely 9 or 10), sat next to me watching Willow Smith videos over and over again. He had a grand time, as was evidenced by the boisterous laughing, knee slapping, and the fact that he almost fell out of his chair chuckling 2 times! Everytime he started laughing I looked over to see what he was watching, and each time (without fail) he was watching an interview or performance by Willow Smith. Clearly, he's a fan. This kid made my whole day because it was so stinkin' entertaining.

I have attached a video of Willow Smith's "Whip Your Hair" in his honor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymKLymvwD2U&ob=av2e

Liverpool!

I've been back home in Liverpool, NY now for almost a week. I haven't been home for over a year and a half. And I haven't spent more than a week and a half at home since the summer of 2005 -- so this is a special treat for the summer... I love the town I grew up in, there is no place like it anywhere! This past week I've been checking out the Duke's garden, hanging out with the Torres clan at Onondaga Lake Park, shopping at Wegmans (it is seriously the best grocery store known to man-kind), eating Avicolli's (best pizza ever) and Dinosaur BBQ (a Syracuse specialty), and hanging out with one of my best friends from highschool Tiffany Jane! Tiff is moving with her hub and kids to New Mexico in a couple weeks. I'm glad we get to spend some time together before she heads out West.

While I was in St. Louis, at the City Museum, I spotted the "World's Largest Pair of Underwear" and had to buy it for my friend Jane (its a long story about our adventures growing up)... It was a hit! We cracked up at this lovely pair of humongous undies... Oh, Stuetz and Jane together again!

I've got the itch...

2 days left in my internship, yeah! I can't wait to be done... but that's not the itch I'm talking about.

So, I haven't been feeling well for about a week and a half. Its been kind of miserable -- stuffed up head and nose, headaches as a result. Then I was prescribed some medicine (from my dentist -- so it had nothing to do with original illness). After taking Amoxicillin for about 24 hours my original illness was feeling much better, I was able to breath better, the headaches were going away, the pressure was going away.... and then... I started itching uncontrollably. I didn't think anything of it, I mean, sometimes you just have to itch your wrists. Then my entire body started itching and burning. It is seriously one of the most uncomfortable feelings I Have ever experienced. I couldn't sleep for 2 nights straight because my feet were burning and itchy. I seriously couldn't figure out why I was so itchy-- I didn't have a rash or anything. Then I remembered the duke mentioning that he was allergic to penicillin once, and it hit me: I have inherited alot of unpleasant things from the Duke (squatty legs, stubbornness, etc.), it seems as though I have also inherited his penicillin allergy. You would think that as a 25 year old you would know if you were allergic to something. But I don't get sick often and haven't ever had to have any penicillin-based medication before. Needless-to-say I stopped taking the Amoxicillin and my itchiness went down alot. But it is still here -- my skin is still sensitive to heat and touch and is still kind of itchy. It better go away fast, because its driving me crazy!

Some highlights...

Here are a few highlights of my life over the past 2 months:

- We had 4 straight snow days in the beginning of February so I packed up my car and drove out to Ohio to visit Becky and the fam. It was fun hanging around my sister's house with her family.

- I won a Wii bowling tournament! I am seriously the worst real bowler ever. My first semester of bowling in highschool (its a required part of gym) I bowled a whopping 38. But I have honed my craft and can officially call myself the bowling champion of the Columbia, Missouri LDS institute program.

- I had some visitors from beautiful Minnesota! Some friends from Dinkytown came down for President's weekend and we spent the weekend seeing the sites and taking pictures. We spent and day in St. Louis and a day in Kansas City. It was a lot of fun to hang out with these ladies under the arch.

- Last weekend I went camping outside in the woods, without a tent, in the snow. This was a first for me. It was a bit creepy, but with some good company and a campfire, it ended up being an enjoyable night at 3 creeks.

5 day school week...

So this week is the first 5 day student school week that I will have since Christmas break. We've had 9 snow days (only 2 of which should have been snow days, in my honest opinion), parent-teacher conferences, teacher work days, and throw in some holidays and you have yourself a blissful 2 months of irregular work weeks and cranky kids off of a daily routine. Needless-to-say the work load is now piling up and we have a ton of evaluations and other activities going on that keep getting pushed farther and farther back. For the first time in my internship I have actually felt really busy, like there is no downtime (which I love b/c it means that the days fly by). Only 3 more months left of my internship! And then its back into the career world... How exciting!

Here are a list of some things that I've learned in my time as a school psychologist intern:
1. I don't really like the highschool setting. Maybe its because I could still pass for a highschool student. Or perhaps its that I work with the tougher kids in a school and they could totally take me out. Could it be that I just really like the supportive, community environment found in an elementary school? Or maybe its simply that the highschool level is just too chaotic for my taste... I'd say its probably a little of all -- but I don't really like it. I like middle schools and elementary schools, I would probably even enjoy early childhood/preschool settings - highschools are not for me.

2. I can't handle people who stress out over deadlines. The work will get done on time and it will be done well. I really don't like to work with high stress people, it drives me nuts!

3. I really like working with systems level (school-wide) projects. I like the organizational aspect to it. Although I love working with individual kids, the three-tiered model of prevention and intervention is so much more effective than the test and place model.

All-in-all I am really enjoying my internship. And I have really started to enjoy Missouri. I have no intention of staying here beyond June, but I am finding the people more exciting and the whole experience is a good one. I am no longer waking up and asking myself "Why in the world would anyone move to Missouri?"

Lumos!

Thanks to winter break and two well-timed snow days, I have finished the Harry Potter series for the first time. Admittedly, I enjoyed the books a lot more than I thought I would. I thought the 4^th and 5^th book in the series were kind of long and drawn out; however, once I got to the 6^th book, I could not put in them down because I wanted to know how the whole thing ended.

The British vocabulary I found quite intriguing and have decided to incorporate some of these new favorite words into my everyday communications:

• row – fight/argument
• snogging – kissing/making out
• ruddy - having a healthy/reddish face
• git – a person who is stupid/incompetent
• mental - crazy

Another interesting thing that I noticed is that J.K. Rowling really doesn’t like blonds. Think about it, who in these stories is blond, good, and normal? No one! You have the Malfoys and their long blonde hair, Harry’s cousin Dudley, a couple of death eaters, and then Luna Lovegood (who is a great character, but somewhat strange). All the red heads are good, upright people (the Weasleys and Lily Potter). Interesting? I thought so!

The Harry Potter series is an example of a classic coming of age story with themes of good vs. evil. As I was reading these books, particularly #5 on, I kept thinking about the similarities between the treatment of muggle born wizards with the behavior of the Nazis during WWII and discrimination during Apartheid (registering muggle borns, propaganda against them, and people being too afraid to rebel against the dictator) -- no doubt where she got the inspiration for that story line. Clearly this is a series with deep messages about discrimination and prejudice. Another apparent theme is the idea of pride and selfishness vs. love and friendship. My favorite theme, however, is that of the importance of choice. From the beginning of the series, when Harry "chooses" to be in Gryfindor rather than Slytherin to the end when Harry chooses to go back and kill Voldemort, this theme is of great importance. The books show that we choose who we become and how we get there. We are the master of our paths and the choices we make along the way greatly impact the way our "story" proceeds. Harry chose to be in Gryfindor, he chose Ron and Hermione over Malfoy as friends, he chose Horcruxes over Hallows, he chose to return and kill Voldemort, he chose to continue on Dumbledore's quest, he chose to be kind to Kreacher -- just to name of few choices he made that made all the difference. Voldemort also made decisions that impacted his future, he chose to mark Harry and to believe the prophecy. I really liked Dumbledore's chat he had with Harry about his choices and how choosing to believe the prophecy that he was "The Chosen One." The very end of the series closes with Harry telling his son his secret that he chose to be in Gryfindor rather than Slytherin -- we control our future!

I am sad that the books are done, as I have become very fond of the characters in the series: My favorites being Hermione, Snape, Lupin, and Dobby.

Years down the road, high school students will be reading these books for english class and analyzing them to death... to those students, I say, "At least you get to read an interesting book!"