17 (Again)

I've been passively following the presidential election race/coverage for a while. I was totally relieved when Hillary was NOT chosen as Obama's running mate, but other than that I haven't really paid a ton of attention.

Until recently.

I am a younger-ish person and I remember being 17 VERY well.

At 17, I was engaged to be married.

I was a senior in high school. I wasn't planning my prom, or worrying about who my roomie in college might be. I was planning a wedding, a move 200+ miles away (with no car), finding affordable housing for myself and my soon to be husband (no small feat in a college town). My intended had the "honor" of being older- by 6 years. A teacher made it clear that she felt I was the victim of statutory rape. I know several "well meaning" adults spoke to my father about the situation privately.

I dealt with the question, "are you pregnant?" every single time I told someone of my plans to get married. Several people made very loud (and rude) judgements about my father's parenting abilities. I got lots of funny looks. I had people literally counting the months from my annoucement to my wedding out loud on their fingers in front of me. I got lots of interesting advice and commentary about the likelihood of my intended marriage's length.

And it was hard. I cried a lot. I got mad a lot. I was a stressed out wreck and my dress almost didn't fit because I put on weight from all the headaches. (I eat when I am stressed.) My fiance at the time (now The Dude) listened to me vent a LOT.

I was NOT an embarrasment to my father. I was NOT something he was "sad" about. I was NOT a dissapointment or a "bad thing".

And I was NOT pregnant.

I just can't imagine how hard this time is for Bristol Palin. I'm sure that no one in her family wanted this to come out the way it did. I'm sure that Bristol didn't want or need the additional stress right now, at a time when life is hard enough. I wish that I could send her a hug and offer her some support.

I didn't have a lot of rules when I was at home, but "don't get pregnant" was one of them. I know how easy it could have been. I know how simple just "one time" is (my SweetPea is a result of "one time") and how hard it is to navigate that at a young age.

And now all these implications and accusations that Sarah is somehow deficient- they make me angry. And sad.

I know I will be paying a lot more attention to the presidential election race for a while. I just hope Bristol can take it.

Happy Anniversary to Me!

Yesterday was my 17th wedding anniversary. Our 18th anniversary of dating was a little over a month ago (and also right before my previously mentioned trip to France). The Dude and I did our usual lunch-movie celebration and had a very nice time.



We ate at O'Charlie's, which has cemented itself as an avenue solely for the Dude and myself. We ate, chatted and enjoyed each other's presence. We then realized that this was the only place that we go to that we don't take TallBoy and/or SweetPea, and just like that -bam!- it is now just for us.



I don't think we realized that we needed such a place, but it felt more and more right as the meal went on- just mellowing in the space of each other; the person we're committed to for as long as we're stubborn (a LONG time). We then went to see The Dark Knight.



This movie has made its way onto my favorite movie list, which until yesterday, was 2 movies long. Not only does it feature Christian Bale (YUM), Chicago (I'm an Illinois girl), and Michael Caine (can he DO any wrong?) , it had the much talked about Heath Ledger-as-the-Joker.



Some information: My favorite book is Helter Skelter. I have read the Hannibal Lecter trilogy 7-10 times. I have a collection of books on serial killers. The librarian knows to send me alerts to new Ann Rule or true crime authors. I have a morbid fascination with the monsters in our world.



The Dark Knight fed that hunger, that insatiable desire for the disturbed, and filled me up. I'm still sated from the deepest, darkest and most unsettling portrayal of a true OTHER I have seen in 10+ years. It wasn't "creepy", or "scary"- Ledger's performance was TERRIFYING in its utterly clear depiction of what we consider evil. This was a brilliant and thorough communication of something none of us like to face.



There are 2 real downsides here-



1, Heath is dead. I was not a fan, and had only seen him in a very minimal role a couple years ago. I am now definitely interested in seeing more of what he did, and maybe grasping more of that intensity. I am making it a point to watch anything with him I can get my hands on- and I am going to have a hard time selling Brokeback to The Dude. (Not a Western guy; nor is he into doomed romances.)



2, The rest of the movie was a background to this exemplary performance. Don't get me wrong; I loved the movie. However, the settings, the other actors and the plot, were made MORE by this role and this performance. Everyone around him was improved and made to look better by the essence and completeness Ledger exuded here. Bale had something like this in American Psycho, but not to this degree.



After the movie, we discussed our kids ability to handle it. We agreed TallBoy (almost 15) can probably go see it with no real issues, but SweetPea (almost 12) is not seeing it unless it is at HOME, with US, and ALL THE LIGHTS ON, and maybe a lot of snack breaks.

We then wandered over to a local tattoo shop that was new to us and checked out their portfolios. I found a piece that was VERY close to what I have in mind for my next piece, but would need a little modification. It was really the boost I needed after looking for hours online and finding nothing but crud.

We went & hung out at Armored Gopher for a bit, talked to Squirl and played a hand of Storming the Castle by ToyVault. Had a nice time and enjoyed a new game before realizing I had teenage kids at home without food. Hint: this is BAD!

We went home, fed the kids (ours and 2 extras) and went to bed. The Dude and I talked off and on for a few minutes until my fuzzy exhausted head fell asleep in his arms. Life is good.