smart, qualified, and mean.

Not just her. I'm talking about all of them. But concerning her and in response to her very well delivered speech, earlier today I was thinking, "everybody, lay off Sarah Palin." Now I'm thinking, "Sarah Palin, lay off everybody." Sarcasm doesn't invite sympathy. So, the gloves are officially off. Who has the right experience? Who has the right judgement? Who has the right vision for America? You make the call.
I can't help but believe there are real and good intentioned people topping the ticket on both sides. They say what they think they have to say. They beat the crap out of each other over meaningless things- saying their names are too Muslim, or their shirts don't have enough pins on them (flair? is this an "office space" joke?), or their daughters are too pregnant- because that's how elections are won. And in the end, their best hope is that we will hate them less than we hate their opponent. Maybe one day it will be different. Probably not.
So, in the spirit of having your hate grounded in fact- or in the spirit of trying to see past the spin and focus on more substantive issues- here are a few interesting, non-partisan web sites.

Politifact. A site that rates the truthfulness of the claims made by major players in the presidential campaigns and their ads. http://www.politifact.com/

Factcheck. Same idea, with a less exciting interface, but they have an interesting weekly "vidcast," video to summarize the week in politics. http://www.factcheck.org/

VA Joe Canidate Calculator. You answer 22 questions concerning your stance on key political issues, they tell you who you align with. If you don't know where you stand on the issue, click on the question, they will give a very brief summary of it. http://www.vajoe.com/candidate_calculator.html

Have fun.
Vote in November.

"Now a word on politics. This is an election year, and there are many strong and strident voices incident to political campaigning. It’s a wholesome and wonderful system that we have under which people are free to express themselves in electing those who shall represent them in the councils of government. I would hope that those concerned would address themselves to issues and not to personalities. The issues ought to be discussed freely, openly, candidly, and forcefully. But, I repeat, I would hope that there would be an avoidance of demeaning personalities." Gordon B. Hinckley, 1982.

Background Music

Back, in spite of popular lack of demand, is the only recurring feature on Johnandashleyconnors.blogspot.com- the album of the month. 'Months' technically, in this case. Amidst summer vacations, the sleep depriving Olympics, and the Political Party Conventions it's easy to miss out on the music. Or at least to push it into the background.
For my own sake, I will try to be better.

MAY- Two of my old favorites battled it out this month for top honors. In fact, I'm tempted to give them a tie since they have actually played together on the same bill in Utah. In 2006 Mates of State opened for Death Cab for Cutie in Orem. In 2008, both bands released notable albums in May. Try them both. Or if you wish to merely sample both, try "Bixby Canyon Bridge" or "Talking Bird" from the Death Cab's Narrow Stairs, and definitely try "The Re-arranger" and "Get Better" from Mates of State's Re-Arrange Us.

JUNE- A very good month for music. Particularly nice for Sub Pop records, with the highly anticipated releases of Wolf Parade and Fleet Foxes albums- both of which were good. They were outdone though, in my mind, by Sam Phillips new album Don't Do Anything. Great gritty electric guitar, beautiful piano, McCartney-esque chord progressions- this is a great album. Try "Can't Come Down," "Another Song" or "Shake It Down."

JULY- The Hold Steady's Stay Positive. No contest. Easy contender for top five of 2008. Great band. Great album. See them live if you can. They expand only slightly on their high energy, classic rock meets indie storyteller sound here, but it was a pretty solid sound to start with. I'm a sucker for it. Some people can't stand it. You make the call. Try "Stay Positive," Sequestered in Memphis," or "Lord, I'm Discouraged."

And that is all. Defend your favorite.

Dear...

Dear East High Class of '98-
I knew I liked you then. I still really like you now. What a fun reunion. Well done people. Hope I see you more often.

Dear Thousand Oaks, Ca-
Take care of those crazy people that I really like. I miss them already.

Dear St. George-
Lauren is coming. Watch out. There is a hole in my heart that only she fills and Sunday dinners (and more) are going to feel lonely with out her.

Dear Pregnancy Hormones-
Could you ease up just a bit? Must I always feel so crazy?

Dear Turkey and Swiss Sandwich from the Dodo-
Thank you for always hitting the spot. I know I can always count on you.. MMMmmm.

Dear Kicking baby-
Thank you for your little jabs. I like being reminded that you are there.

Dear Tylenol PM-
I heart you.

Dear Nikki Norman Williams-
I am so glad I ran into you at Gateway. You amaze me with your strength. Your family and Eliza are in our prayers.

Dear Dirty House and Undone Laundry-
I am ignoring you...just get used to it. I am just kind of over you right now.

Dear Anyone that comes to my house-
Please read the previous note and pretend you don't notice the mess.

Dear Regular Bedtimes and Normal Schedule-
Where are you? Promise me you'll come back.

Dear Parker-
Can you please rethink your decision to stop taking naps? It is making your mother crazy.

Dear one-on-one time with Mushie-
Thanks. That was really fun, I needed that.

Dear Shower-
I am coming....



* format style is stolen from the talented and awesome party throwing italians...the nicolai family. thanks erica/noelle.

Beach Week.. we miss you.

We have been home for a while now. Perhaps it is time to post about our beloved Beach Week. We miss you already. We love this trip. We love the people, we love the beach, we love the food, the traditions 18 years in the making and we love how insanely crazy it is. (My children had multiple meltdowns.) Here is an overwhelming amount of pictures to view.

The Parker Girls.

Sophie eating a very large, yummy cupcake. Leftover from the "Twinkies" birthday!

Parker and Scotty at the beach.

Parker, and the Girls at the beach.

This is how it all started. Four friends... now four very large families later... pure bliss.

Sophie and Kate at the Santa Barbara Zoo.

Sophie playing in the water..

Sophie sporting her very cute, $50 sweatshirt at the Dodgers game... I believe I told John not to forget her own sweatshirt. Oh well, she loves it.

Parker dude.

Jaden and Sophie. Um, look at the gaze she is giving him. Is it love so soon?

Owen buried in the sand.

John... um yes. He had a mustache for the beach. I could not take him seriously at all. I did spare you the pictures of him in his jungle speedo, with the mustache. It was hilarious. Just something that may not be blog appropriate.

See you next year! We love you fellow Beach Weekers...........

tagged...

I was tagged by Amy Nielson and thought I should get my booty in gear and do this... here it goes.

Random Facts:
1. I love Ashton Kutcher. It is pathetic but true...
2. I love really cheesy music ( of course-in addition to all the really good stuff I do like...) ie... 80's music, Micheal Jackson, and of course Enrique. John LOVES this about me.
3. I love Peanut Butter. All things PB- sandwiches, cookies, brownies, cheesecake, candy bars. If you can put peanut butter in it I say do it!

Current Obsessions:
1. The OLYMPICS... I can't get enough of the swimming, water polo, beach volleyball and more. I seriously love the Olympics. Plus it is the only time I get to watch water polo- which just makes me sooooooo happy.
2. Michael Phelps and all of the USA Swim team. Like I said... I really like the Olympics and any water sport.
3. All things baby... baby names, baby car seats, baby clothes, baby advice, births... guess it is just on my mind these days. gotta love the Internet.. so much information and shopping.. so little time and money!

Goals ( we will go with today- since it is already almost noon...)
1. Clean my house
2. Get dressed.. um yah.
3. Get my kids dressed....
4. Watch more Olympics.

Fears
1. Not being able to come up with a name for baby #3 that we both really like and has enough meaning to work for both of us.
2. My ten year reunion this weekend. (j/k... i am actually kind of excited. I just need something to wear that makes it obvious that I am pregnant and not just really carrying extra weight in my belly)
3. Dinner tonight. I need to go to the grocery store... or else there won't be any dinner.

Well. I am sure that is way more information that you really ever wanted to know......... :)

USA

Best swimming race of all time. Congrats USA men's 4x100 swimming relay team. You had us screaming at the top of our lungs and jumping up and down in our living room in the middle of the night. If you missed this, find a way to watch it.

Further congrats to Jake and Sean for a really great beach volleyball win, which, thanks to the relentless rain, could probably have been considered a pool event as well.

good 'stache, good start

Every night I read Sophie a book. It is one of my fatherly shortcoming that I don't always get excited about this. Often I try, with guiltless sophistry, to convince the girl she'd rather have mom read her a book, but to no avail. In the rare case that my argument finds a young convert, she will instruct, "ok, we'll have mom read a book first," stating that last important word slowly, clearly communicating the implied- "all that tricky philosophy crap bought you ten minutes pal, then you're mine."
Sophie 1 Dad 0.
This race is a biathlon though. So we transition to the "book choice." My strategy for this event is simple. I begin by throwing up a hail Mary of sorts. "Alright Sophie, tonight we will read Where the Wild Things Are, (or The Giving Tree, Goodnight Moon, Guess How Much I Love You, and few others books I am willing to read and reread forever.) Sophie sees this as a completely unreasonable low ball offer. She'll be making the book decisions.
I then try to steer her away from books I do not want to read -those with lots of words and those I have already read- and towards books I would not mind reading -either a book on my approved list or a new book. This generally fails and I end up reading whatever book is her self appointed book of the moment (Miss Spiders New Car right now) for the 30th time.
A few days ago I found a nice looking picture book about Martin Luther King, Jr called Martin's Big Words in her book pile. I suggested we read it. She was uninterested. I persisted and she kindly looked up from her book search to ask, "what's it about?"

"It's about him" I said, holding up the book to show the picture on the cover.
"Who is he?"
"Martin Luther King."
She seemed curious, so I continued.
"He did some really great things."
"What did he do?"
"He helped people choose to do the right thing in a time when people were having a hard time choosing to do the right thing." This question was harder to answer simply than I had expected. I hoped to say enough to get her thinking. I was ready for the next questions- what was so hard, why was it hard, what did he say- I was ready for our big teaching moment to rise from the dust of these nights and nights of mindlessly reciting Miss Spider's New Car. Already in my mind we were talking as frankly as an adult and a 4 year old can about the need to be brave in the face of seemingly impossible odds, and the "fierce urgency of now." I waited in heavy anticipation as she studied the picture on the cover of the book. It was as if she was searching her soul for the right words. How does a little heart deal with such heavy questions?
Finally she spoke.

"Ok dad. You can have this book."
"but can we read it?"
"you can take it upstairs and put it in your room and you can read it."
"can I read it to you?"
"no."

We looked at the cover one more time, as if to say goodbye.
"He has a cool mustache," she noted, sounding like she was trying to ease the blow.

It was a subtle comfort. At least she can recognize a good mustache. We'll tackle bigotry another day.

I sat on the bed next to her and began to read. "Mom writes that we should come to tea. Let's go!" Miss Spider cried.


this is the first of two mustache themed posts in honor of JD and Kallie's nuptials and in anticipation of the 7th annual Shitkicker Invitation which will take place in Oakley this weekend.