What's this?

I find it hard to believe, but in some ways, I actually seem to be...(deep breath) growing up. Not an easy confession for me, but one that needs to be made, if only for my own self-realization. I realized it as I've been thinking about and planning for this Friday - Christmas! The more I think about it, the more I realize my focus has been on two main things - trying to remind myself of the Reason for the Season, and wondering about presents. No, actually, not wondering about the presents I'll get, but about those I've given, and what people's reactions to them will be. This is in part due to the fact that I am the world's worst present giver. You know those commercials about the two people who continually give crappy gifts? Yeah, that's me. If you want proof, ask my dad and sister - about 6 years ago, they had to swap the gifts I had given them because they were so mismatched.

But no, the main reason I'm wondering about the outgoing presents this year isn't just that I'm more concerned about how they'll be received. I've got a big surprise in store for a relative or two this year, and I do hope they go over well. But I also realize I already have more goodies than I know what to do with or have time to enjoy properly. I can squeeze in time (and hopefully space) for a few more books or movies here and there, and I can sure use some new jeans and a sweatshirt or two, but I actually find myself avoiding the big 'wish list' this year. Well, mostly. I will admit there's still that voice in the back of my mind screaming "LOOT! GIVE ME LOOT!" but it's not as loud as was in the past, even last year. I'm seriously not saying this to brag or anything; if anything, I'm surprised at this myself. And maybe next year I'll relapse and demand twice as many presents as I got last year. But it's interesting (and even a bit more exciting) to be more anxious over what you gave than what you'll get.

Prepare to be offended

But only if you disagree with me. :) I've been lightly following the health care debates still raging (because getting any more involved would drive me completely insane) and I've seen some debate over abortion's place in Obamacare. Obama insists that there's no funding for abortions, but as he's lied on pretty much every other promise he made (except to fundamentally transform the US, which is the ONE promise I wish he'd lied about) you can almost guarantee that abortion funding will be included. I mean, he's one of the most pro-abortion (not just pro-choice - pro-abortion) politicians I've ever seen. I did a fair amount of digging during the presidential campaign, and everywhere I read, he was in favor of abortions without limits. The only part he was against was assigning another doctor to be there to save the life of the fetus should the abortion not succeed in killing it (a thought too horrible to even contemplate).

As the details of abortions sicken me (literally, I get queasy and sick at heart just thinking about thinking about it) I don't delve too deeply into the debate. But I do know that a pro-life amendment, which would have kept health care funds away from abortions, was defeated. Which means you can bank on your tax dollars (not just the pro-choice taxpayers' money, but taxes from ALL of us) will be going to fund abortions. How is that constitutional? How is that even legal? And this isn't just about Democrats - there are pro-choice Republicans, like Dede Scozzafava in New York (who I think flipped sides after she dropped out of the election in NY 23). This isn't about pro-choice vs pro-life. This is about our voice on how our taxes are spent being silenced. We're being lied to, and those in power must be held accountable for their actions. Glenn Beck hit it right on the nose - we have to put an end to the corruption of Washington DC, hold their feet to the fire as it were, and if they don't respond - we vote them out! We can't sit idly by and hope they come around, and we can't give up because our voices seem so small they can't be heard out east. THEY were elected by US - WE are the boss in this relationship, not the other way around. If you don't perform at your job, you continually screw up and goof off, you get fired, right? It's time to fire some of those screw-ups we call congressmen and get some new blood in there. It's not working out, and it's time to let them know.

In a related note, Michelle Malkin has posted an expose of Planned Parenthood on her website, or at least the first stage of it. The video is short but unbelievable. The people at this company lied outright to this girl supposedly asking about abortions, telling her getting an abortion is safer than delivering the child, and refusing to call her child a 'baby' telling her it's not a baby until it's at least 6-7 months along, or even until birth. They won't even admit it has a hearbeat!! They call it 'cardiac activity' and having 'heart tones' just to avoid giving the mom-to-be any kind of a connection to the baby. And it's places like this that will be getting money from Obamacare! I want NONE of my taxes to go to slimeball companies like this. It's time to stand up. Come next year, I'm going to be working with some friends to put together a website - maybe just a chat room or forum or something, but something! - where we can inform each other about this kinda stuff, and decide on action to take together. If interested in joining, please email me - ironhide781@hotmail.com.

As always, if you've read this entire post, you're either a better friend than I deserve, or have too much free time on your hands. :)