CAMPAIGN FINANCING, A RED PURSE AND A NEW JOB

Yesterday the weather was quite deceiving. It was nice and sunny outside but still quite cold. After doing some work and studying, Becca and I decided to go on a $5.00 date. I thought it up myself. It means we each get five bucks to spend on whatever we feel like so we go around browsing in different stores. Unsurprisingly, we ended up in the Deseret Industries (a thrift store). However, we are both quite happy with our purchases. I bought three used books: A History of the Jews by Paul Johnson, a Hebrew/English dictionary and Bill Clinton’s autobiography. I’ll let Becca tell you what she got.

I know that some of you are cringing at that last book but I don’t think that it will be a waste of time reading it and if it is, I can always take it back to the thrift store or throw it away (it was only a buck). I’d like to know a bit more about the man. The country flourished under his leadership and was internationally humiliated by his personal life. He has been called a huge liar but, ironically, I’ve read that when he lied it was often to his own liberal constituency so he could appease the conservative congress. I think that it is interesting that our last two presidents have polarized the nation so much. Either you love them or you hate them. How did these guys get elected and then reelected?

Speaking of politics, last night Becca and I rented and watched the Robin Williams movie Man of the Year. It’s a political satire movie that leans slightly to the left but heavily criticizes both parties. It addresses an issue that has been bothering me just a bit ever since I was about nineteen: the presidential candidate who raises the most money is the one most likely to win and therefore the presidency can be bought. I realize that it’s not quite that simple but it almost is. The winner then owes those people favors and spends his time catering to the minority instead of the majority. I believe that this is a problem that includes both parties.

This semester I’ve been getting pretty good grades and I’ve been absolutely swamped with work. I’ve been looking into getting help with work and I think that I’ll let the lovely Becca tell you more about that. Thank you to those who keep in touch. We love you all and like to know how things are going. Here’s my wonderful wife.

Well, I ended up getting a brand new Hush Puppies red suede purse for only $1.00!!!!!!!!!! I got two other purses that are in very good condition as well, but this one according to the online site, the purse probably cost around $160…..and I got it for $1!!!! I am very pleased with myself. It looks unused, and is a designer purse. Anyway, I’m quite the happy Becca! The other two are really nice, but they aren’t designer.

I “quit” my massage job and am now working for my hubby as the…get this…“Dazzling Goddess of Office Management.” Yes, that is my job title, according to my hubby. Imagine putting that on a resume!! We have already received interest in the business from the emails that I have sent out, so hopefully I will be worth the investment to him. My body is relieved to not have the amount of stress that it has been put under lately. I still work on a weekly basis with at least one person, so I’m not done with massage.

On Friday I was privileged to experience my first live birth!! One of my dearest friends, Sophia, had a baby boy. It was an at home water birth (in the water). Simply amazing!! She did a fantastic job for her first pregnancy!! She educated herself about what would happen, and used that knowledge to explain what she was feeling, and she was right! She was calm and did everything that she needed to. I was there as her massage therapist, helping in any way that I could. I got to watch the baby come out!!!!!! It was such a beautiful and spiritual experience! I just cried when they brought Cameron up to her chest. He was perfect. Her “performance” so to say in child birth is a credit to women.

Anyway, it is wonderful to have that addition to their family. I am happy to have been so involved throughout his coming into the world.