Now I’m selling the other car. But whoa. I’ve had this one for five years though, so it’s kind of like been a friend.

I know it’s stupid to become attached in inanimate things, but I go everywhere in this car.

We’ve done so many roadtrips, and the odometer shows it. But, all good things must come to an end, so now I must move on.. sniffle.

I hope this reading finds you well.. and that you’re up to something fun! It’s still winter here, although – after just returning from Detroit – I remember how how fabulous our winters can be!

Drop me a line to say hello – especially if I haven’t heard from you in a while.

It’s going to get very crowded very soon. Senator Obama will probably be announcing right after the New Year. Hillary hasn’t ‘formerly’ announced yet either. But, the question still remains. Who will the republicans put forward? Almost certainly it will be America’s Mayor, Gulliani. While he may be a formidable candidate, hopefully people will look at all the candidates full resumes rather than basing decisions strictly along party lines and celebrity image. I still think the dream ticket (at least as of this writing) is a Clinton/Obama combination. (Actually they could be flipped either way, but Hillary’s ego would never have her as VP).

So, here’s Evan Bayh announcing his exploratory committee. And, he has something Barak doesn’t have, which is a record. He has a substantiated record of leadership and success. I hope that people look at him closer than they might otherwise, given the star draw of some of the other candidates. Though he doesn’t have the name recognition, or elicit the oos or awws of some of the other candidates, he does have the experience of being a legislator and a Governor. I wish him luck. It’s going to get busy.

Sigh. Rain has arrived and sunny days are no more. But, it’ll be back. We had our Sacramento conference last weekend, and had a great time! It was so much fun, with friends visiting from Reno, the Bay Area, Southern CA and Phoenix.

I’m selling the bug. It was inevitble. We love this little bugger, but I just never had the time to restore it the way I wanted, but boy it was fun while we drove it! And, it’s running perfectly too. But hey. You can only drive one car at a time anyway right? And we have two other convertibles. Three was too much.

Oh well. We hope you’re doing well and hope to hear from you soon.

Rick Santorum, Crying after the election. If he’d been compassionate, reasonable, basically – a human being, he could have spared himself the tears.

We received news that we’ve waited for for at least 2 of the last 6 years. Finally there’s some balance brought back to our government. After years of congress, failing to do its job, we have a referendum that clearly states what we’d like. What we demand.

The country wants nothing more than strong, sensible, moral leadership. One of the ways we are guaranteed that is first by electing a President who embodies those ideals. Failing that, we have a government structure which allows a congress to keep an inept or renegade Head of State in check.

Heretofor, we’ve not had that. Now hopefully we’ve injected some humility into this administration. The days of ‘because I said so’ method of governance, I hope will come to a close.

But rather than shoot our guns in the air, hoot, holler and smack each other on the back with high-fives and “git her done-s”, I hope the democrats honor this opportunity. Let’s try and bring this country back together and reign in the President, rather than seeking to punish him. If any progress is to be made in the next two years (and progess neeeeds to be made) we should not get bogged down in retribution but seek rather to be the party of the high road.

Let’s tackle real issues of healthcare, tax relief for all not just for the richest few, energy independence, and of course the war. If we send these issues to the desk of the President, and he chooses to hang on to an expired ideology that would have him veto good, sound legislation. Then, we’ll be certain of an encore in 2008.

If however we become the party of pettiness, it’s likely voters will not likey gravitate to Dems in 2008. We’ll be guilty of what this administration has all along, that is, taking voters and Americans for granted. For whatever ‘political capital’ the president may have had (and I’d argue he had very little to start with), he’s squandered it. Just threw it away.

Let’s not make the same error. Let’s be the country we’re capable of being. Strong, compassionate, a world leader. Because currently, we’re not. And history will ultimately provide the President with the retribution he may or may not deserve. He will be recorded as the worst President in modern American history.

I don’t think Clinton lost his cool. I think he only modeled a reaction for us we all should be exhibiting. To try – 6 years into a Republican controlled White House, and Congress – to pin national security woes on the previous administration is outrageous.

The question is NOT why wasn’t more done seven years ago, the question needs to be what has been done since. Namely – little. So often lately the media wonders what the Left has to offer. The picture painted is that Democrats have no vision to counter that of the failed ‘stay the course’ (even it’s the wrong one) misguidance of our current administration.

Well – here’s a voice. And, YES, he raised it. I hope it was heard. Revisionist history should not detour the conversation of what is being done now. Today. Yet this is the strategy that the Bush administration has so succesfully trotted out in the past. Give the Americans a decoy. Gays. Stem Cell Research. Abortion. War. Terrorism.

Give us a detracting topic over here with this hand, so that we don’t see what’s going on in this hand. The one in the cookie jar. The one covering the yawn. The one only half-hiding the giggle of how gullable we are to fall for this tactic EVERY time. The hand that is trying to turn the popularity chart upsdide down so that the numbers look positive.

Were not so many of us lemmings, this strategy would be laughable.

What has been done in the last 6, 7, and in 2008, 8 years? We need to hold this administration responsible for it’s deeds, misdeeds and non-deeds. Yes the Dems have a vision, they’ve always had it. They’ve just had laringitis. Clinton rectified that perception in this interview with Conservative-Hitman-Disguised-as-a-Journalist Wallace.

Yes he came across hot headed. And damn shame on you if you’re NOT heated. I wish he’d been able to reach across and bitch-slap Wallace and ask him… “are you for real?”.

The only other regret? That President Clinton didn’t sign off the interview with something like.. “what you just witnessed, is what you can expect a lot more of in the upcoming election, when America’s outrage is expressed at the polls, in the streets, and at the next Presidential Inauguration”.

Sleeping John
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

I was at the Reno conference last weekend and had a great time. It was kind of sad to see how it has shrunk over the years. I’m thinking registration must have been right around a hundred. But I’m so glad I went as the workshops were great. I met some nice folks and we had fun at karaoke too!

It was the weekend of the baloon race and would have loved to get some pics, but those things take off before the sun rises!

All in all it was a great weekend. Here’s Jon who was sleepin in the back of the car on the way home. I snapped this one with my phone in the rear view mirror. We all got sunburnt on the way home – but there was too much luggage in the trunk and we had no place to put the boot that covers the convertible top!

Hmmph. I guess that’s what happens when you stick too many folks who love shoes and outfits in one car.

I love Lake Tahoe and Reno. I don’t go that often (really). I know. Doesn’t that sound like something a gambling addict would say.

“I don’t go very often. Just Wednesday through Tuesday”.

But, really, I go about 4 times a year. I was sitting around thinking it would be nice to take a mini vacation so I did. Rob would love to go on these little serenity junkettes with me, but I know he had things to do around the house. He starts school next week, so he’s feverishly working on house projects.

Besides, when I go for a drive.. I go for a DRIVE. I went to Reno via Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. I was gone the whole weekend and put about 750 miles on my car. Crazy I know. Actually in the end, I think I’d just hang out in Reno. I know it seems sort of .. less glamorous than Lake Tahoe, but there’s more to do (I’m not into hiking, other than to the mall).

Some random thing happened on the way home. I was driving outside of reno, I think it’s called Elko. And, came across a stranded motorist. He was driving from Fallon Nevada (No Where) to Sacramento. Oh my gosh, it was my friend Rick from the S&C Fellowship. I was all. Nuh uh. How weird is that. He was stuck without a jack, so the one from my car fit his Ford, and he was changed – off and running in no time. How’s that for a higher coincidence?

So with the Reno conference coming up next week (see link above), I think I’ll have another opportunity to hit that fabulous Price is Right slot that kicked my ass. I’ll be the next contestant, come on down, or I ain’t leavin.

(oops. That sounded like something a gambling addict would say)

ciao.

I’m looking at this story in the news about this aparition of the Virgin Mary in a chocolate factory. It seems some of the chocolate dripped and created this little statuette but, I’m not seeing anything holy about it. Hmm. I’m either blind or jaded… but I hope it brings her tremendous happiness.

Serena All Purple
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

Here we are hanging out at Leatherby’s our favorite ice cream place in Sacramento. Mikey and Hannah my nephew and neice are visiting from San Diego. Here’s Serena all purple eating lemon ice cream, her favorite.

I hope you’re doing well. We’re having a great summer.