Hi--I'm back

[ginnyinWI]

Everything went well--an awards ceremony on Friday, graduation on Saturday morning, then loading up and moving our daughter home for the summer the rest of yesterday--whew a lot for one day, for sure.

You Kerrycrats have been busy posting some really interesting items--I'm going to enjoy going through them. The most notable at first glance: a 90-mile bike-a-thon??? That guy must have something us mere mortals lack. Lol--maybe his real father was Zeus or Hercules, not Richard Kerry!! :)

[WildEyedLiberal]

1. He is a demigod.

:loveya:

[TayTay]

2. I still can't get over the fact that he did this race

after knee surgery six weeks ago. Hell, I'd still be wearing a knee brace or something and using it to exact sympathy from my kids. "C'mon, make me a cup of tea. I'm injured over here!"

Much love to Big John. Again, ahm, I am in awe of his stamina. (No, I'll be good. Not another ode to vigor and stamina. I promise.)



John Kerry April 10, 2005

[TayTay]

3. Now, on a bike?

Wow!



Picture from file, not today, but close enough. It's, the same race.

Unbelievable!

[TayTay]

4. Well, there is another cycling pic

Ahm, it's a way to save time on the way to work? Nice pic. It combines so many Kerry elements into one picture, I just don't know where to beging. There's the omni-present cell phone. There's the suit top in blue, which is his color. There is the way nice bike and the gloves and the shorts. Ahm, it's all there.

[JI7]

18. does he run ?

i know he rides the bike, the water and snow sports. and he likes playing around with football,soccer, and other similar things.

golf is one area i have never seen him show any interest.

he seems to be into things which require a lot of physical energy. i would get tired so easily attempting to do the things he does.

[whometense]

5. Hi Ginny!

Glad to hear you had a good time. A summer with your daughter - great, huh?

[ginnyinWI]

6. Hi

Yes, it will be nice, especially because she's landed a summer job so won't be underfoot all the time (waitressing). All three of my kids have supported themselves by working as servers.

But wow, all the clutter that has suddenly appeared. It's crazy. She's got some work to do around here!

[whometense]

8. I hear you.

My younger son moved home last weekend, and I'm still tripping over stuff. It's all migrating upstairs, but oh so s-l-o-w-l-y...

[sandnsea]

7. Exciting time!

I haven't had one graduate from college yet. One of these days I guess. Congratulations to your daughter!

Mine is coming home from his freshman year in 3 weeks. It is going to be very peculiar to have a kid back in the house all the time.

[whometense]

9. My youngest is the same age.

Just finished his freshman year. He's living at home for the summer, but we hardly see him. Just the mess. And the dishes I find in the sink in the morning...;-)

[sandnsea]

10. beats socks in the living room

eeewwwww!

[whometense]

11. hahahaha

no socks yet. But it's still cold here. I expect to see them any day. :P

[ginnyinWI]

12. thanks

Since she's the youngest, and says this is the last summer she'll be home with us, it's a little sad (sniff). But then it's really gratifying to watch them go out into the world and succeed. But I'm so completely aware of how much harder it is for this generation. Costs are up, benefits are down, and it is so much harder to get ahead. sigh. We've just got to vote these ideological failures out of office asap!

[WildEyedLiberal]

13. I'm really afraid

I don't know what I am going to do with myself when I get done with school. There are so many college educated people now, I don't know how I'll stand out.

*sigh* Don't mind me, I'm just having a dismal day...

[whometense]

14. Awww, sweetie...

I can understand how you feel. I think it's a tough time to be starting out.

On the other hand, each generationhas its own unique cross to bear. For us boomers, it was the fact that there were so damned MANY of us all at once looking for meaningful work.

Just from reading your writing I can tell you it's my firm opinion that you will have no difficulty whatsoever distinguishing yourself. You sparkle.

[karynnj]

15. I agree with whometense

Your writing shows that you can both analyze situations very well and express your conclusions in clear, well reasoned statements. Both of these skills are needed in almost every field and there are many people lacking one or both of these skills.

[ginnyinWI]

16. WEL, what is your major?

Some are doing much better than others are, as far as demand goes. I will agree with the two posts above--you are a very good writer, and any career that involves is will be one you will excel at. :)

[WildEyedLiberal]

17. Aww, you guys

:hug: for each of you.

I'm a history major, with a plan to minor in political science. Not exactly "career" planning, but whatever... I couldn't stand majoring in something that limited me to a narrow career path.

I appreciate the compliments. I DO want to do something with my writing ability, whatever that may be. Professional political writer seems like an awesome job to me (and a springboard for a future political career :D). I guess there's just enough of a cynic deep down inside me still that makes me wonder how likely it is for a blue collar girl from central Illinois to cut through all the bullshit and legacies and rich people with connections to actually get recognized out there.

[TayTay]

19. Outwork 'em sweetie!

Show up early, stay later. Don't arrive at work hungover, unless you were out with the boss the night before. Write. No matter how crappy your start-out job is and how tired you are when you get home, find the time. Write, if only to keep yourself sane and appraised of what you truly think. Keep you eyes open and remember the most essential skill in the history of the workplace: the ability to anticipate what your boss wants a half a second before he or she knows they want it. This will carry you farther than you can possibly imagine. Cultivate this talent. Trust me.

Remember that politics sucks sometimes beyond the telling. Find something or someone that loves you enough to let you vent, loudly and with all the passion that you will sometimes be denied elsewhere. (That's what love is, you know, people who accept you utterly when you need them and allow you to vent even when you aren't making much sense. That's love. May you know it completely.)

There is a writer I have read who told this story about what it's like to write for television. He said it is analogous to seeing a huge mountain of shit and figuring out that you have to climb this mountain of shit in order to find the one perfect rose that is at the top. You climb and climb and you ache and it stinks and your tired and the whole thing is so much harder than it should ever have to be. Then you arrive, triumphantly at the top, only to discover you have lost your sense of smell during the climb. Try not to let this happen to you. Try and keep your sense of smell. Otherwise, everything becomes pointless.

And be not afraid. Life will teach you things you will have no idea you needed to learn. Try and stay awake for this or you will kick yourself later.

Cheers Dearie! It's going to be an interesting life.

EDIT: Oh and if you want the experience of working on a campaign, show up. If you want the once-in-a-lifetime experience of working on a Presidential campaign, cultivate friends in Iowa and New Hampshire (or near there anyway.) That way they might let you live with them (Cuz you remind them of someone) and with the crappy wages, long hours, exhaustion and total commitment involved in really working on a campaign, you will need this, if only for a hot meal once in a while. It can be done. It has been done countless times. (Who was Michael Whouley, consultant extroadinaire for the Dems before he was discovered by one John Kerry. Another working class kids from Dorchester. There are a zillion examples of this. It can be done. It's up to you.)