Random thoughts

I've had a hard time collecting my thoughts to put together a blog this last week. I'm trying to get back in the swing of things - but my mind has not been ready to go back to the blogs I was preparing from my Colorado trip about mining, reclaimed mining land, pine bark beetles. They'll come . . . eventually.

I watched the first night of the Democratic Convention . . . I've been considering writing down some things I've been thinking about this election year. The problem with writing about politics is that people tend to have very strong political beliefs - and you know that old phrase . . . never talk religion or politics . . .

For whatever reason, my readership seems to have gone down since my last contemplative religious post . . . but I've titled this blog, Mary Ann's View, so that it is based on what I'm seeing and experiencing at any given time.

Tonight, I came in on the end of Jimmy Carter's interview on PBS. I really appreciated the PBS coverage - listening to historians putting some of this into perspective.

I was impressed with Caroline Kennedy . . . by why aren't they using her married name as well????? Being raised in the panhandle of Texas, my political beliefs have seldom agreed with Teddy Kennedy, but at this point in his life, you have to give him a lot of credit for standing up for what he believes in, for working hard, and for the way he has been such a strong support for his family - in particular the orphaned children of his brothers. The camera kept panning back to both Maria Shriver Schwartzeneger and Caroline Kennedy during Teddy's speech. They both noticeably had tears in their eyes. Teddy came against the advice of his doctors . . . this could easily be his last major public speech. And he put all his heart into it. Whether you agree with him or not . . . at this time in his life, you've got to respect him for what he has accomplished.

I was also impressed with Michelle Obama. I have to confess I've had other things going on in my life this year and have only half heartedly paid attention to the campaigns. No one has really captured my imagination. No one is talking about the issues I care about. So I've only read about the sound bites . . . the misspoken words, etc. Learning more about Michelle Obama, there is much to respect, much to appreciate - she seems to be an amazing lady.

I don't know yet if I'll reveal my private political thinking via the blog, but I'm thinking about writing about it, if for no other reason to clarify my own thoughts as to how I should vote this year.