Politics...WHAT?!?!?

So I am embarrassed to say that I did not vote today. What's wrong with me??? People have fought long and hard so that I have this freedom and then silly me, I just let the day slip by without taking advantage of that fact! I always try and vote...and I am sad that today I didn't!

Here is my reason - lame though it may be...I am extremely naive when it comes to anything political. I just don't get it - and yes, I know that is my own fault! I just don't know where to go for the information I want. Anything put out by one party or the other will be biased towards their particular party...watching the news is a joke - it is so skewed to the left or right, depending on which channel you happen to be watching. I don't feel informed enough on the basics to even pick up the newspaper and be able to decipher any of it. Seriously, where do you go for the facts and not all the latest hoopla and/or about the latest smearing campaign...I just want the facts!

I consider myself a relatively smart person...I'm no genius, but I am a college grad with a fair bit of common sense, (though some may argue that fact!) but I cannot get past this mental block with anything and everything political! I always try and read up on the issues I'd be voting on...but things go right over my head. I wish for my college days again, when I had my own political guru...my co-worker's hubby would come into the office over our lunch breaks (or more likely after office hours since we both devoted way too many hours to our office during the day). But he'd go through each bill or initiative and explain in plain English what was really being voted on without trying to convince me of anything- thanks again for my politics-for-dummies course!!!

I think this is my main hold up...I'm just scared to vote on anything...even if it sounds good, without knowing all the details. Sure, give the kids a new park....oh wait, this lovely park is being built on top of a radio-active chemical spill spot that is sure to cause every child's skin to break out in purple spots and to grow a third ear on the back of their heads...oh, if only I would have known.

Now I know that this election is not all about new parks or school levies or anything like that...and the facts are EVERYWHERE on these presidential candidates. I just need to give up my fantasy of there being one right candidate to vote for...there isn't one 'right' person running for office and there never will be...so I just need to have a little faith and vote for the one who will do the best job overall.

When it really comes down to it, I know who I would have voted for if I had gone...and I should have gone to cast my vote. So, to all my 2 readers out there...forgive me. I'll make it up next time around!

Why...Why...Why???

Get ready for a little friendly venting! Don't say I didn't warn you! :)

So, yes...my extra handy husband fixed our oven the other day and it is working great! I love that it is there and ready if I ever need it! (Thanks tons, babe! And thanks Pete for the late night electrician house-call!!!)

Well, now Monday night, in the process of heating up leftovers for Garrett (yeah, I guess I didn't need my oven repaired so quickly!) I pop something into the microwave and push the start button and nothing happens. All of a sudden, my microwave is deader than a doornail...just like that, no power at all! No sparks, no loud bangs...nothing! Now my little rant is not about how my appliances keep giving up on me! Instead, it's about the fact that these appliances are only a year and a half old! Why is everything breaking down after a year and a half!!! What happened to building quality products to last! My parents had the same washing machine and dryer for 30 years!!!

I really know nothing about running a company and what it takes to provide for the masses...but here are my (naive, I'm sure) views on the subject! For starters what happened to taking pride in our work and building quality products! Did that just go out the window when we started outsourcing everything!!! I mean come on...be responsible for your product!!! I'm sorry that every toy company under the sun can get their products made for mere pennies in China! If that's what's the most important...then be accountable for your decision and don't pass the blame when you are faced with a massive recall! If you choose to outsource and save money...then face the music when you see what your frugality is doing! If you're actually opposed to the lead in the paint and vinyl and plastic, then do something about it besides make a politically correct statement about how appalled you are by the lethal levels of paint in every toy you've made and sold for the last 6 months! Here's a thought - monitor your factories...and if that is so impossible to do since they're overseas, bring those factories home where you can monitor them! Now, I know that outsourcing is a way of life for our society and I'm sure that there is a purpose...I'm all for lower prices on the products we buy everyday, but if you claim no responsibility, then I think we have a problem!

The other thing that drives me CRAZY is the fact that whenever you go to buy anything these days...this is what you hear..."Would you like to purchase a 1 year, 2 year or 5 year warranty with that?" Hello??? Can you not stand behind this product that you have placed on the shelves of every major retailer world-wide??? So often I wish I could just reply with "Oh! Is this washing machine/refrigerator/cordless phone really that bad that it won't last longer than a year??? Maybe I won't buy it after all!" How great would it feel to just walk out of the store with my opinion and dignity intact, instead of a flimsy little brochure about how if my phone breaks, I can get it replaced by jumping through 45 hoops and wasting 7 hours of my life on hold with their customer service hotline - only to finally talk to someone who speaks a minimal amount of english because, oh wait...they've outsourced their entire customer service!!! Is that really worth the $39.95 that I paid for a little warranty peace of mind?!?!? Then again, me taking a stand and walking out of the store really wouldn't do anything besides make the check-out girl at Best Buy have to carry that item back to it's place on the shelf for the next person to come along and buy. I'm sure my noble action wouldn't even be noticed...and needless to say, I would then not have the washing machine/fridge/phone that I desperately need...and isn't that why I went shopping for it in the first place...to come out with an item that I was willing to purchase??? Kind of a catch-22!

I have to admit, I'm a sucker...maybe that's why I get offered these warranties so often...I'm sure they think "Here's a mom who's too distracted with wrestling her kids during the check-out process....we'll offer her a way to spend an extra $100, I'm sure she'll take it and not even notice!!! And if she does notice, we'll go into our 'don't you want the best for your sons' lecture and she'll be guilted into it!!!" And I do have to say, we do have the warranties on most of our big purchase items like our fridge and washing machine...I admit, I am easily guilted into things!!! But of course, has one of those appliances given up on me and let me get my money's worth out of that golden warranty??? NO!!! It's all the lovely products that came included with our house...too bad our builder was most likely not guilted into any extra purchases that he had to foot the bill on!!!

Okay, I'm through! I'm sure this post completely shows my ignorance on every subject I've mentioned...but this is what I've been pondering today! Thanks for listening!