"Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil..."

or something like that.

Here it comes. I'm going from my "red-state" (Ohio) to my origin "blue-state" (Pennsylvania) for a Thanksgiving family get-together.

My brother and his wife are two that have been very pro-Bush. Her, I can understand, since she seems to have come from some stuck-up parents that seem to be of some "money".

Him, he and I benefitted from the same upbringing, the same "union-benefits", such as health, dental, and optical care. In fact, he was the "popular" one in high school, while I was the nerd with his nose in a book all the time. Hmm, maybe that's where we "parted ways". (Actually, since I moved out of state, we have been getting along a lot better - until Election 2004). I never "had the car at 16", I didn't go to all the "gatherings" of school kids, I was a virgin until I was married, I got into computers as a vocation in 1978. He had the chicks, a different car, it seemed, every year, a new motocross motorcycle every year (see a trend? - spending money like it was going out of style).

I wonder if it grated on his "liberal-hating" to have to borrow money from me (his established brother with a good job held for 15 years) to put money down on what was probably his 5th house.

So, I'm hoping that it goes smoothly. I'm not going to bring it up, but he might just want to gloat. I'll give him some leeway. He does like to aggrevate my wife on her love of the Browns (well, maybe not this year!!), but if he really starts pushing the "Bush is God" bit, I'm heading home.

I'm heading out the door to travel to the "neutral ground" of my uncle's house. Uncle might have been somewhat converted due to my informed influence, but that's shaky. The area is relatively red, and he's a hunter and small business owner (wonder how well he's done servicing the local "millionaires"!).

See ya, might give a report later tonight when I get home.

And Happy Thanksgiving.

The tryptophan will put you into a stupor, to the point you won't be able to respond to pro-Bush comments. Barring that, just fall asleep on the couch like everyone else and plead "trip exhaustion."

Enjoy your holiday and don't let any rethug spoil it even if the rethug is your own brother.

and I don't mean breath mints! :)

What I'm talking about is breathing evenly, in and out. If someone says something that tends to make you angry, your breath changes from this even rythm. If you are able to remember to literally count 10 even breaths, you'll find you stay calm. Let Brother be the one who blows his stack while you calmly make points.

Sounds like there will be more than one turkey in the room. Try not to give them the satisfaction of engaging in political discourse. From now on my statement in Bush-voters is plain and simple: You had all the information you needed to turn this man out, and you chose not to. Now we'll all live with the consequences, unfortunately, but you will have no right to complain when it all hits the fan. Which believe me, it will--and soon.

Not that they'll listen to me. Give 'em time, though. Someday it will filter through to their closed little minds. Incidentally, re the Bush-God thing--do they really think God would allow all of the evil, ugly reprehensible things Bush is doing to our country and our world? And if they think it's all good, then there is no hope for them.

Hope your day goes well. Happy Thanksgiving.

Classof56

I intend to talk about voter fraud... in Ukraine! Isn't that a horrible thing, in Ukraine. Good thing Colin Powell and Senator Lugar are fighting voter fraud in Ukraine. Funny thing the exit polls didn't match the votes in Ukraine. Been hearing lots of reports of voter intimidation in Ukraine.

I think Randi Rhodes had a brilliant idea. I will get some frustration out, and my relatives will never know. Or is that too nuanced?

:hippie:

I have to go to my in-laws...total Bush voters. Won't even pretend to listen to the other side. I am kinda sick...maybe I can get out of this.

it doesnt seem surprising that he'd go for Bush. Remember how whitehouse.org (or was it the Onion - can't remember) summed up the 2000 election:

"Jocks win, nerds lose!"

got home a couple of hours ago. It went well.

Nothing political came up until we were watching some show that had "shocking moments" or something on it. The Gong Show's "Popsicle Twins" caught our attention (as would any understanding male).

The next thing up was Bob Dole falling off a stage in his 1996 campaign. Me, actually showing human concern, might have made an unintentional jab. I mentioned that it was better that he fell on his left side, for, if he fell on his right, he would not have been able to brace himself. Well, if not for my concern, we might not have heard my brother and uncle (whom I thought might have been slightly blue this season, but, if his joke is any indication, voted red) trade "well, I was going to vote for John Kerry, then I wasn't." statements. I let it slide in the interest of family peace.

Later, something came up about Sheryl Crow. My uncle said "Who's she married to/dating?" My brother said "Lance Armstrong. Have you " (my uncle) "read any of his books? I read both of them. " me - WTF? A freeper that reads? Well, it must have been on the Rush Limbaugh reading list. Anyway, - "They were very interesting . . ." and so on. No mention of the fact that another "Moral Bush" guy was divorced (BTW, my brother seems to be one of those "Catholics in Blinders for Bush and 'LIFE'"). Again, I let it be.

Of course, there came a barb that had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING related to politics (honest!). He reminded me that it was 31 years ago today that I broke his wrist. I joked "Well, you didn't like me much before then, so it really didn't change anything . . ."

All in all, we did have a nice time. No overt gloating, no nastiness, and a good time by all. And I got to have fun with my wonderful nieces and nephew and my family.

So, it wasn't "hell". But I was "prepared" for anything . . .

for I am the baddest mother in the whole damn valley.