Sarah Palin-Going Rough, like only a Hockey Mom Can

I think this is my first official Blog regarding anything political. After a year of having a new President things are just about the same as they were last year. The economy is still shaky, the war is still going on, and a self important Hockey mom from Alaska still thinks she can run the country. Now if history has taught us anything, it’s that if you lose the bid for the presidency, or in her case vice-presidency, you take some time off, go back to your respected position and lay low for a year or two until the next election comes up. In Sarah Palins case that would be a big no. Instead of going back to her respected position, she decided to say FUCK YOU ALASKA! resign as Governor, Tell the world she is better suited for Washington, and ow yeah, write a book called SARAH PALIN: Going Rough-An American Life.

Now this, in no way, is a review of the book. This is my opinion on some of the things she said in the book, and how I personally feel about the book and her after reading it. I have to say honestly that the book was a page turner, and I found myself laughing and shaking my head at times at her views on the world. The opening of the book starts with her chronicling her life before she got into politics. It’s your typical hard working, blue collar type story, including the type of family she grew up in, her sometime struggle to obtain an education and falling in love with her husband. Really nothing you haven’t heard in every lifetime movie in the last 20 years. Well there is no rape, I guess that is the only difference between her and lifetimes movies. As the book progresses, she touches on many points where she was misrepresented by John MCain’s campaign staff, and in several instances silenced from speaking her mind about issues and situations to the press. One instance in particular, she makes reference to how she was not briefed on the press release regarding her daughters (unplanned) planned pregnancy sent out by the McCain camp. When it comes to insults on the part of Palin, they are weak and have no teeth. So if you were expected her to drop the word Asshole in the book, or even maybe call Katie Couric a Coose you will be disappointed. She insults hurt no more than a slap in the face with a silk glove.

In the book Sarah also discusses policy and government the way she sees it. Now I need to state that there is not a specific chapter where she talks about this subject, throughout the book policy and government is mentioned, so piecing together her view was not a straightforward process. To say it bluntly, the book did not offer any deep insight on any political views, no clear cut plan for anything, and no grasp of the big picture. This is not to say that she didn’t try, but I got the impression that if you asked her for a written plan on improving the economy, she would present you with a book written by Matthew Lesko (The Question Mark Guy). I didn’t really expect her to wow me with any political insight, and in allot of ways this book reinforced what I think we already knew about her. Now I don’t know if she plans to write another book about her political strategy, but if this is all she offers, then chances are you are better off watching The West Wing for hard hitting political commentary.

To sum it up, this book reads more like a fluff piece then an actual biography. The real meat and potatoes, or anything of substance, is about 100 pages. And the picture she paints of a Blue Collar way of life is a story that has been told 100 times before. There will be no surprises or anything that jumps off the page in this book. And while I admired her adversity, I could not get over the fact how little she actually understands about the world around her. And to add insult to injury, biting narcissism that is douche-chill worthy at times. And if you are looking for the Next Wizard of Oz you will be asked to pay no mind to the man behind the curtain. 

 

A long time coming

I seem to do this every time, I have a good spurt of blogging, and then nothing for a long period of time. But the fact is, Spring is upon us, the birds are chirping, the grass is growing, and the thaw is here. As for me, I seem to be in the same place I was almost 2 years ago. I have come to learn that relations are a tricky thing, they suck and are amazing at the same time. Right now I am in the middle of figuring out where this bus is going. In no way am I lost or off the beatin path, but I think we missed a few stops. Since were on the topic of buses, I will try to sum up relationships and compare them to a bus ride. When I was kid I used to take the bus about 3 times a year to travel to the other end of the state. The great thing about getting on a Bus was magically a 5 hour trip would turn into a 2 day affair. During that time you would be seating next to some interesting characters, you really didn’t mind, but really it raises a red flag. This is much like a person you are getting into a relationship with, there might be a few red flags, but you tend forget about it and let it slide under the radar.

When you get on the Bus you realize you have no control over this metal Sub sandwich. True it ain’t a plane but at the same time there is something a bit uneasy about it. Like a relationship you really have no true control over it, there could be a pothole about 40 miles down the road, you could get a flat, hit a deer, or have a blowout and re-enact the day Cliff Burton played a game of smear the queer with a tour bus. With that being said you take a beat and go and let the wheels turn. As the bus rolls on you look around and realize there is allot to see, and you get the choice to sleep or can see and enjoy every bit of the trip, this is not to different from real life, you can sleep through a relationship, or keep your eyes open. Now here is where things start to get a bit crazy. The first few hours are awesome, you are totally take by the magic of the bus, then you take a look at your watch and realize for as long as you have been on this bus you somehow have traveled only about 20 miles.

This is the point you begin to weigh your options. You think wow this was fun and I was into it, but now I take a good look around me and see the junkie in the seat next to coming down from a 4 day bender. The smell of urine, sulfur, and cat crap, overtake your senses, and you realize the seat you are sitting in has not been cleaned since Welcome Back Kotter was in prime time. At this point you really hit the wall and consider getting off the bus and taking your chances hitchhiking, or riding this basted out and getting off at your said destination. So this is where I am. I’m 20 miles out of the city, I have been on this bus for a bit to long, and I am thinking about getting off this bus. At the same time I want to get to my destination without having to take my chances as a drifter and risk becoming a skin lamp…. I will say this for that lame attempt at an over played analogy. I really love taking the bus ride. I choose no other mode of transportation for going from from point A to point B. It’s crazy and amazing at the same time, and I love my metal sub sandwich… Irr I mean my girlfriend. So at the end of the day I love it all, the ride, the trip, the cat crap, and more then anything I love the fact that I want to go back.