Saturday, November 08, 2008
The other 10%
I got the results of my blood test Friday. The genetic counselor said they looked "great." So that completes my first trimester screen that began with the level II ultrasound last Friday. We've moved from the 85% assurance to the 95% assurance that the baby has no Trisomy abnormalities. She said my risk of Downs went from 1/104 (purely based on maternal age) to 1/2036 (based on the screening).

I know they like to play with their ratios a lot, but what is more meaningful to me is that nothing they've seen so far indicates there's a problem.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Driving home after work...
Emma says, "Mommy, we're doing letters at school."

"You are? What letter did you do today?

"The letter T. T is for tooth, for tent, for that other thing that looks like a tent that people live in, but it's not a tent."

I thought for a minute. "A teepee?"

"Yeah, that's it! A teepee! It's not like a tent because it's round and has a pole in the middle. Tents don't have a pole in the middle."

"Emma, who lives in teepees?"

"Aliens live in teepees."
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Something to console the Republicans...
Steven Den Beste's post "It's Not the End of the World." Democrats read at your own risk. Hat tip to the blog that I frequent more than any other, Instapundit.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
How I feel tonight...
Serene, believe it or not. I'm serious. It's over. To me it was a bellwether when PA went blue. When Ohio went blue it was over in my mind. I don't look for any surprises in the western states. I am curious to see how VA goes, but I don't think I can stay up that late.

Before I go to bed I'd like to make a few comments. First, I honestly feel it's nice that so many people will be so happy. Many of my closest friends are Democrats and it's been a long eight years for them. They have a lot to be excited about. I look for a lot of ugly gloating on the web, but not from my friends, they have more class than that. Congratulations to them.

Now, for my true feelings, my gut. After the initial euphoria many of my Democratic friends are going to sober up and realize that they've elected a cipher. This man is essentially a blank slate, no one can say definitively what he stands for on so many important issues. "Hope" and "Change." Meaningless. We'll get change for sure. But I learned something the hard way. I voted for "Change" in 1992. Yes, my dirty little secret is revealed. I wandered off the reservation and voted for Clinton in 1992. Twelve years of Republican rule was enough. Time for something different. I learned to regret that decision within a year and never strayed again. I believe that's what we have this year, a protest vote, people are tired and want a change.

Obama is someone people can "feel good" about voting for for all sorts of superficial reasons. But he will never be able to live up to the hype surrounding him. His Presidency will be one disappointment after another for people who have imbued him with supernatural qualities. He is not a redeemer. He's a man, and a politician at that. A man with a lot to answer for, his campaign practices included.

I've spent years being told by Democrats that I'm an unenlightened hick, voting against my own economic self-interests every time I voted for a Republican. Well, now the worm has turned, the Democrats will rule the roost. I look forward to being relieved of my pending $800 a month out-of-pocket payment to insure the health of three out of my family of four. I look forward to having the money of all those rich people redistributed my way. Actually, right now I'd like to lay dibs on some money from Oprah Winfrey, Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Bruce Springsteen and, hell, give me some of George Soros's money too.

I, for one, welcome our new socialist overlords. I'll sleep just fine tonight.
Good morning, starshine!
M works for the Board of Elections. He's their electronic voting machine guru. No, that doesn't means he programs them so McCain will win. It means that he has to go running whenever a precinct can't figure out how to boot up the damned things.

The first call came at 5:30 a.m. They called twice. Next I could hear the car firing up and see the lights as he pulled around the driveway to leave. No idea where he went, which wouldn't be a problem except I'm the one who gets to field the next two calls that come in. I can't even tell them where to find him. First it was headquarters looking for him, then it was the precinct captain from the farthest precinct away. Joy.

Finally I give up and go downstairs to use the bathroom. He left a note. He's at the nearest precinct, the one where we vote. I call him to pass along his messages. Phone busy, busy, busy, busy. Finally I give up and call headquarters to tell them where he is. "We know, Honey."

Grrrrrr.

The good news is there's no chance I'll oversleep and miss my chance to vote before work.

P. S. 6:14 a.m. Just fielded a call from the second farthest precinct. They can't boot up either. The good news is that in this county the primary method of voting is, and always has been, paper ballots folded up and dropped in a box. Nothing better than that. They put up the electronic voting machines because the state mandated it, but most local voters avoid it. The bad news is I'm thoroughly familiar with how often people can and do screw up and invalidate simple paper ballots. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is idiot proof.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Election anxiety
Are you feeling it? I sure am. At this point the only thing I can do is show up early in the a.m. and cast my vote. Then it will be a long day of sitting at my desk with a couple of my favorite political blogs in the background, hitting refresh, refresh, refresh. (On breaks, of course! :) I feel silly for my compulsive need to check the news because nothing good comes of tracking things during election day. A wise person would wait until the polls close and then start checking out the coverage. During the day it's all rumors and misdirection. But, alas, I can't help myself. I'll live and die a political junkie.
Feeling good
Sue asked. I've been blessed again with no morning sickness to speak of. I threw up only the one time on the day of my first Dr. visit. I still need to eat every two hours. As soon as my blood sugar dips a nice dose of carbs helps settle my stomach. I've been sleeping better just recently and I think I am slowly getting some energy back. Other than a few ligament pains I have nothing much to complain about.
Pitiful
We took one whole picture in Williamsburg this time. We've gotten so lazy about taking pictures at all. Can you tell?