... but I'm a "Good" Republican!

So, I'm a Republican in the state of Kentucky. From that sentence, how many stereotypes just popped up in your head?

1. I'm white (okay, you can tell by my profile photo that I am)
2. I'm religious
3. I have a rebel flag in my rear window
4. I'm uneducated
5. I'm missing my front teeth
6. I live in a trailer
7. I love George W. Bush
8. I'm pro-war
9. I have an arsenal in my linen closet.

Okay, nine is enough, but there are so many more! So what gives?

Well,

• I'm an atheist (gasp!! burn the pagan!!)
• I'm a Yankee born in Michigan
• High school graduate still working on that 'someday' degree
• I own a modest home
• I have all my teeth (although since I'm terrified of the dentist that could change someday)
• I "like" W and H.W. and Reagan, but I LOVE Teddy Roosevelt.
• I am definitely not pro-war, but I am thankful to those that serve and protect
• I personally do not own a gun, but my husband has a few. And, by the way, my husband doesn't beat me into submission either.
  

So why is it unfashionable to call yourself a Republican these days? What are folks afraid of? On the internet, primarily, there is a heavy youth audience which is liberal. Any time you throw an opinion out there that leans to the right then you are insulted and spotlighted as a moron. Guess what folks? There are African-American Republicans! There are homosexual Republicans! There are atheist/agnostic/pagan Republicans! It is true, shout it out to the world!

Personally, I think Republicans are the liberals, not the Democrats or the extreme left. Why do I say that? Because Republicans believe in liberation. They believe that the less a person is dependent on their government, the more FREE they are.

So the next time you come across a Republican (or Kentuckian) online don't make assumptions. You don't have to agree, but give a listen. There might be something in there you can agree with.

I'm always on, always connected.

We asked for it, and now we have it. A constant connection to the rest of the world. I write to you now on a small Palm handheld that connects via Wi-fi. Likely when I am too far from this type of connection, I am probably in my truck and my handheld becomes my GPS unit.
If I'm not at home, or in my truck, or even at the local Panera bread, I am at work. At work is where I would be connected to the server for e-mail, printing and copying, and yes, the internet.
There are very few places in which I would not be connected. I always have my cell phone with me (attached at the hip no doubt), the handy GPS, and the little Palm. Somehow, some way, something of mine is communicating with a satellite orbitting our globe, and you know what, I love it!
Sure I'll need a vacation from all this someday, but I could never complain about it. It keeps us all together and makes the world so much smaller. I can pay my bills quicker, say HI to my sis in Michigan for free. I can even write to my silly blog laying in bed in the dark with a handheld and a stylus. (Hey at least I'm using handwriting...so old school). Although it seems like you just can't get away, this is what we wanted. This was meant to make life easier. And it has to a point. When you are working two jobs to pay for all this technology then you might want to step back some. If your life is more complicated because of it, then you might want to shut something off.
Me? I will likely be the first guinea pig for an all-in-one 1Tbit, always connected brain chip, but for others the only escape will be somewhere in the locale of the Peruvian Andes.
Alas, this is what we thought we wanted or even needed. And there is so much yet untapped. While we learn all this new gadgetry, we should always remember one important thing; how to turn it all off.