Well, I think that Utenzi has somehow passed his sickness through the blog and now I am getting sick! Thanks a lot!! It all started really when Mom and I stood outside in 67 MPH winds for well over 3 hours on Sunday to see Hillary Clinton speak. After we finally got inside and started to warm up, she canceled and we had to head right back into the wind and walk home (about a 15 minute walk). Clinton canceled due to the really bad winds, the airport had closed. There were also 2 pretty major forest fires started by downed power lines, so it was a rough weekend!

We were supposed to go see Obama on Monday morning, but he was not able to make it either, the winds were just too bad. The news said that 75,000 people in the area were without power (ours stayed on, thank goodness) and some people just got power back today (Wednesday).

All day Monday my head hurt, and my eyes felt dry and tense. I thought it was just from being out in all that wind for so long. Tuesday afternoon the sore throat started, so I went home early and took some Airborne and swallowed some raw garlic. I went to sleep about 10, and woke up this morning feeling really bad. It hurt to breathe and swallow and I was pretty miserable until I had showered. I took some more garlic and Airborne and planned on staying at work only long enough to finish what really had to get done today.

My throat still hurts, but not near as badly as it did last night or this morning. I just took another dose of Airborne, but don't have any garlic here at the office. I am going to work through lunch so I can justify leaving early. I plan on resting the whole evening and not doing anything! I am hoping that I can ward this thing off before it really takes hold and I get completely sick. I would even be happy if I can just hold it off until tomorrow or Friday, since we have Monday off.

Back to the Obama/Clinton subject! I really wanted to see them speak, because I am so conflicted about who should be the next president. As a woman, I really want to like Hillary, but I just don't. There are some women who, when they get a position typically held by a man, they take on male characteristics and loses the ability to take women's issues on, because she fears that she will be criticized for not being as objective as a man. This is the problem, I want a woman in office who will take a hard look at women's issues and be a force for change in those areas. I don't think that Hillary will be that force. She is facing the same issue any woman would be facing. She is trying to break into a boy's club and having to lose some of her femininity to do it.

She is criticized for having emotions or showing too much skin. Have you ever heard these kinds of things talked about when it comes to the male candidates? I just think that she is in a lose/lose situation. If she wins the presidency, she will have to break new ground and take all the flack that will come with that. I am not sure that she can really effect changes that need to happen in our country while fighting to chart a new course in history. Our country is in need of some big changes and I don't think that she can do both. I feel almost like I am buying into the prejudice that says a woman isn't strong enough to be president, but it's not that. I don't even know what it is....

I don't know if it is the media or what, but people are still not seen as people. Obama is black or a Smug-Hubtian or whatever else may be controversial. Hillary is a woman, she might cry, she showed some cleavage. What about voting records? What about where these people stand on issues? Gay marriage? Taxes? Heath care? The economy? The war? I want to see these things reported on while I get ready for work in the morning. I wish that I could put into words, how I feel about everything. I know that I don't want another republican in the white house, Bush as royally messed up this country and our relationships with other countries. The US needs a fresh approach, but who?

I wish that I understood the whole election process. I don't understand how, if the people's vote makes a difference, how someone can win the popular vote but not win the election. I don't understand why some states are more important than others. I live in VA, and the candidate I liked, John Edwards, dropped out of the race before I had a chance to cast my vote! I don't think that is fair!! I think there should be one day of primary voting, like there is one day of voting of the president. Why does my state's opinion matter so much less than Iowa or California?

OK, I am just rambling - I think it is the pressing head cold that keeps rambling on and on. If anyone knows of a website that might explain (in VERY simple terms) the whole election process and why it makes/doesn't make sense I would love to hear about it!!

Wish me luck on my war with my sore throat!!