***News - Drunk driver convicted of murder.   A Jackson County judge convicted a Lee’s Summit man of murder Thursday in the deaths of a mother and her 12-year-old daughter in a drunken-driving car crash.  Read more here. 

I have a 12-year-old and an 11-year-old.  Spooky.

***Congressional candidates already trying to show how "congressional" they are.   Kevin Calvey, bless his heart, put out a press release stating that he "condemned Iranian dictatorship."  I saw that and I had to laugh because virtually no one in the race for CD5 would actually support the "Iranian dictatorship."  It's kind of like saying, "Oklahoma's 5th District candidates support breathing." 

Come on, Captain Calvey.  You can do better than this and you'll have to to be beat Mike Thompson or even come close to the Super Mayor, Mick Cornett who I have been told actually invented the NBA.

Check out Calvey's site here.   No doubt, Captain Calvey is going to have yet another rough race for Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District because the Super Mayor Mick will probably get in the race and whip everyone's ass.  Calvey will have to learn to diversify his campaign message and not rely on ONE Club for Growth ad repeated ad nauseum.  He's a hard worker, but so is Mike Thompson who will undoubtedly get tons of support from the energy sector.

Calvey's best asset is that he served in Iraq while in the reserves - a move some considered to be wickedly political because he really couldn't find another job - and his family.  His wife is a political insider who knows how to campaign as hard as anyone.

***15 Days with no cigarettes.  After waking up and coughing blood a couple weeks ago and the subsequent trip to the hospital and my down-time...I realized that smoking probably just wasn't going to cut it.  It's been over two weeks since I last smoked and for the handful of you out there who are in tune with all the crap that has gone on in my life lately, you'll know that it is nothing short of divine intervention that really, really bad things haven't happened. 

Of course, the month isn't over yet.

Interestingly enough, the cravings haven't been overwhelming.  There are moments that I would like to sit down and fire up a Marlboro Red to be sure, but it is more a result of little habits - like that morning coffee or something.  I have tried the transdermal patch things and they really make me want to smoke for some reason.  Instead, I use a little Skoal when it gets really edgy.

So, congrats to me - a reformed smoker.  Now, if I can cure my addiction to nachos that have replaced smoking, I'll be all good. 

And by the way, I won't be one of those jackass former smokers who become freaking Nazis about it either.  But I know that it's time to get my fat ass back in the gym.  Suzanne and I close on her new house on Monday (maybe) and once that happens, I will be hitting it full-force to get back into shape.

***Jackson, 50, dead.  Michael Jackson was one weird dude, but amazingly talented.  He was always very creepy to me but with his passing, my thoughts go out to his family...a death is a death and his family will now have to fight over his crap for the rest of their lives.

***Kids come home from camp today.  The Gorilla offspring will be coming home from church camp today and will be greeted by some good news, but also some very not-so-good news.  They are probably going to hate me for a while but doing the right thing is sometimes a hard thing to do and it often ruffles feathers.  They will get over it eventually.  They are not the parent, I am.

***4am is just too early.  With a few weird, minor exceptions, I have been waking up at 4am for the last few weeks and I can't figure out why.  Just thought I'd share that.  You know.  In case you were wondering.

***"You're being mean to me."  One of my daughter's favorite lines and I love her for it.  My daughter hates being told she is wrong or having her mistakes pointed out to her.  For example, she was told to put the dishes away in the dishwasher one time and she assured me that she would get it done.  I asked her a little while later if she had it done and she said no, but that she would get it done.  A third time I asked her if it was done and she informed me that the program on the Disney Channel would be done soon enough and she would get the dishes put away then...and she had an attitude.

I turned off the television and explained to her in a stern tone that her disrespect was completely not necessary and that she had given me her word she would to that which was asked.  I told her to get it done NOW, and no lip.  She started to cry and said, "You're being mean to me..."

How many adults do you know that like that?  The Scripture says "let your yes be yes," but we don't like to hold ourselves to that standard do we?  Hell, I know I don't half of the time.

Being a parent is tough - no doubt about it.  Kids are faced with issues today that makes my head swim thinking about it.  But you know, once those kids are born you are ALWAYS a parent.  No matter where you are, you are still a parent and our choices will impact their lives and we have to choose today - right now - whether we are going to sometimes say the things they NEED to hear or tickle their ears and say that which they WANT to hear.

***Colby or Todd?  Who will be the GOP darling for Lt. Governor?  Both candidates "well known" candidates on the GOP side for Lt. Governor have come out on the wrong side of support for candidates and issues.  BOTH Colby Schwartz and Todd Lamb supported former House Rep. Rob Johnson for Corporation Commissioner - something that had more to do with sucking up to campaign consultants than supporting a candidate in Dana Murphy who was actually QUALIFIED for the job.  Neither Todd "Pretty Boy" Lamb nor Colby "Who?" Schwartz have been outspoken supporters of the Campus Concealed Carry bill - actually, I think Pretty Boy came out against it.

Lamb will probably take the nomination, not on merit mind you, but by default.  Schwartz will work hard, but he just doesn't have the stroke to take Lamb.

***Tea Party July 4th...who will be there? I saw on Mark Shannon's website that the Tea Baggers have another tea bag party scheduled July 4 down at the methane gas filled dome.  Independence Day weekend.  Yeah.  Should be a crowded day down at the dome. 

***Let your 'yes' be 'yes'...  Politics is such that a 'yes' actually means 'maybe' and in some cases a straight up 'hell no.'  We have kind of grown to expect that from elected officials and particularly when those officials are running for office. 

I am watching very closely this election cycle...

***Political climate in Oklahoma is shifting.  There are those who are beginning to believe that the fringe elements of both political parties in Oklahoma are gaining traction, that they are becoming increasingly important.  Take, for example, the support for Senator Brogdon in his quest for Governor.  Clearly, he has no chance whatsoever against Congresswoman Fallin, but he will stir the OCPAC Shi'ites up into a frothy lather and make the Republican primary a bloodbath - which is what OCPAC does. 

On the other side of the aisle, there is chatter that former Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth may be considering a bid for the 5th District in Oklahoma.  Now, whether you like him or his lifestyle, Roth is a tough campaigner and will receive support from quite a few in the CD5 business community.  Roth is a champion of the hard left in Oklahoma because of his sexuality, but he is also supported by moderate Republicans because of his 2nd Amendment and business stances. 

So you see, there is a shift taking place.  Folks on the right are pissed off because Obama is president and that he's pretty much doing what he said he would on the campaign trail - grow government.  Folks on the left are pissed off because, well, they are getting their way and there really isn't that much to bitch about but they have to bitch nonetheless.

2010 will be lots of fun to watch.  Get some popcorn.

***Sometimes, I forget stuff.  Getting the house here in Edmond ready to sell has been an very daunting task.  I love my real estate agent and all but sometimes, she is like the Super Nanny - showing up and sending lists of new stuff to do.  One of the things on the list is to "green up" the front and back yards.

I am usually pretty good about these things but last evening I left the sprinkler on in the back yard and Gunnar the Wonder Dog and his compadre Daisy have greatly enjoyed the wet yard.

And they have left evidence of their fun and frivolity on the deck out back.  Yay.  I get to clean it.  Again.

***Excellent questions for Oklahoma County residents:  Read this.

***OCPA - more of the same.  The McCarville Report that former Representative Forrest Claunch of MWC has been named Executive Director of the Oklahoma Council on Public Affairs.  Read the story here.

***Shaking out the cobwebs.  I don't know about you, but this year has been a barn-burner.  New president, new Congress and so many changes in my life I can hardly speak!  Up until about a month ago, I've been in somewhat of a daze, the lives and well being of my kids the only thing upon which I can focus.  But what I am finding with each passing day, the behaviors of others within my sphere of influence has clarified my thinking more than anything.

It as afforded me the opportunity to shake out the proverbial cobwebs and move forward.  A great example of this was last night - two of the last people I trust(ed) broke promises to me last night and it really pissed me off.  But at that very moment, I received a telephone call from my oldest, Matthew.  It brought into focus everything for me.

My kids (all of them) are the priority now.  Like the Metallica song, nothing else matters.  Clarity of thought is a welcomed friend.

***Designated drivers save lives.  I have been watching the news lately and have seen more and more talk about people getting DUIs and the like and I have been wondering what kind of person allows their friends to go out and get hammered, and then drive?  None of what are left of my friends would EVER allow me to do that - particularly since I have kids at home for whom I am responsible.  

I find myself now asking all of what left of my friends before they head out for their night on the town, "Who is your designated driver?"  Most appreciate it. 

***Kids are gone to camp...  So the kids headed out to church camp for the week and I thought it would be massively refreshing, that there would be the solace and respite we parents always dream of but that just wasn't the case.  I sat around the house last evening bouncing off of the walls and the silence was defeaning.

I need to get out of the house more.