LOTUS blog

Jen Lancaster nicely sums up my feelings on New Year’s resolutions and, specifically, people who ask for yours.  Our failures are hard enough to admit to close friends.  So, why do nosy strangers insist on asking?  Jen writes on Jennsylvania.com:

The thing is, resolutions are rarely about what we already find kind of awesome about ourselves, like I resolve to continue to be a great parent, or I resolve to continue to visit my senile grandma in the nursing home three times a week or I resolve to keep adopting third world babies. 

(OK, maybe just Angelina Jolie on that last one.)

Point is, resolutions generally entail what we don’t like about ourselves, as in I’m too fat or I’m disorganized or my spending is out of control.  Therefore, when you, a perfect stranger, ask me about my resolutions, you’re basically requesting I lay all my flaws bare and I think it’s incredibly rude and presumptive, especially when you’re in no position to help me achieve whatever it is I resolve to do.

So, going forward, if you ask me what my New Year’s resolutions are, I’m not going to give you the bullshit I resolve not to make any resolutions! answer.  Instead, I’m going to tell you this:

I resolve to be self-aware enough to spot potential problems within myself and to begin to work on them immediately, without a making a public announcement or waiting to start the improvements on an entirely arbitrary date.

I came across an interesting list posted on a Facebook group event for Ron Paul supporters making the trek to South Carolina.  (I guess they’ve already written off Iowa and New Hampshire.)  I’ve selected a few stand-outs from the list.

What to Bring

- Warm, presentable clothes (South Carolina winters are cold, and you don’t want to look like a bum)

What NOT to Bring

- Guns, knives, fireworks. (Although RP is THE Pro-2nd Amendment candidate, carrying this stuff around will probably send the wong message in many parts of SC)
- Alcohol (Sorry, no drinking; this is business time)
- Drugs (Same reason as with alcohol, not to mention that’s illegal and this is something the campaign does not need to deal with. Save your stash for home when the campaign isn’t liable, or better yet until after Ron Paul gets elected and abolishes the DEA)

Geez, are these guys always on?

Sometimes I don’t mind having divorced parents because the gift-giving can last for days.   The eating also doesn’t stop.

Dec. 24, 9 p.m., Miss Bunny (my dad’s girlfriend)

EAT: Crabcakes, pecan-crusted grouper, potatoes, rolls, rum cake

GET: Sweater, pajama set, shirt, necklace and earrings.  BONUS: Gift certificate for my birthday that was sent to her house by mistake.

GIVE: Necklace, Harley pajama bottoms, earrings, Man & Machine calendar, and cookbook

Dec. 25, 10 a.m., Daddy and Jennifer (my sister)

EAT: Diet Coke and leftover corn muffin (they can’t all be gourmet meals)

GET: Flagler College sweatshirt, license plate frame, and ornament, pajamas, Bluetooth thingy, pajama set, The Simpsons Movie (woohoo!), makeup bag, girly stuff, stuff for my new car, and a bunch of other stuff

GIVE: Harley Davidson stuff, Nick and Nora pajamas, signed Ann Coulter books, Vinnie’s Tampon Case (Know your flow!), sheepskin slippers, misc. books, Lladro panda, scarf, Muhammad the Teddy Bear (great gift to yourself after Christmas), Chick-fil-a calendars and gift cards, and a bunch of other stuff.

BAKE: Two apple pies (served with Haagen Dazs)

Dec. 25, 6 p.m.

EAT: Daddy’s spaghetti, braciole and turkey meatballs

GET: Stocking stuffers — Reese’s Elvis Edition peanut butter and banana cups, travel-size stuff, more candy

Dec. 26, 11 a.m.

EAT: Diet Coke and stocking candy

POSTPONED GIVE AND GET: I decided to change my flight, so Christmas with my mom, stepdad and BOTUS will have to wait until tomorrow.  I miss BOTUS!

Colorado’s KKTV reports:

A religious freedom foundation says it has uncovered evidence that bolsters its federal lawsuit claiming that the military is permitting widespread violations of religious freedom at installations across the country.

Included in the evidence disclosed yesterday are photos and videos of religious materials and activities at Fort Riley in Kansas, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

The evidence is part of a lawsuit filed by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation — headed by 1977 Air Force graduate Mike Weinstein.

Among the evidence is a book for sale at the Fort Riley post exchange titled “A Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam.”

Other evidence includes a display outside a military police battalion’s office with a quote from conservative columnist Ann Coulter that reads: quoting — “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.”

Military officials say their policy is to accommodate all religious beliefs.

I actually think it should be mandatory to have Coulter’s quote in every military office, cubicle, tank and tent.  In fact, if you know anyone currently serving in the military, send their APO address to me at lisajanine1112 (at) yahoo.com and I’ll gladly send them this poster of Coulter* at my own expense.  

*This asterisk absolves LOTUS from any repercussions that may come from the PC police and their time-wasting antics against the military.

Click here to watch me and BOTUS dance.

Denver
Cincinnati
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
Baltimore
Cleveland
Green Bay
Jacksonville
New England
Seattle
Tennessee
Indianapolis
San Diego
Dallas
NY Giants
Minnesota

This has been long overdue.  As JOTUS said, “He’s old, but he’s still got it.”  JOTUS also said he wants more pictures of cheerleaders.  Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre is the cute football player of the week.

This is an amazing story.  Arnel Pinedo and his band The Zoo are from Quezon City in the Phillipines.   They mostly perform cover songs from Journey, Bryan Adams, Heart and Van Halen, just to name a few.  The Zoo has several videos on YouTube. 

Enter the real Journey.  Several years ago Journey front man Steve Perry parted ways with the band and they have been without a lead singer.  Journey guitarist Neal Schon said:

I was frustrated about not having a singer so I went on YouTube for a couple of days and just sat on it for hours. I was starting to think I was never going to find anybody. But then I found THE ZOO and I watched a bunch of different video clips that they had posted. After watching the videos over and over again, I had to walk away from the computer and let what I heard sink in because it sounded too good to be true. I thought, ‘he can’t be that good.’ But he is that good, he’s the real deal and so tremendously talented. Arnel doesn’t sound synthetic and he’s not emulating anyone. I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him that night, but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter.

Of course it took awhile for Arnel to believe that the real Neal Schon was contacting him.  Arnel’s friend said, “What if it really was Neal and he wanted to offer you the chance of a lifetime?”  They eventually connected and Arnel was asked to be the new lead singer for Journey. 

You must watch Arnel Pinedo’s performance of Journey’s “Faithfully.”

Long live the American Dream.

My esteemed American Conservative Union has posted its questionnaire to the Presidential candidates.  My favorite question is “Why Do You Want to Be President?“  And I’m not just saying that because it’s the only question I submitted that made it through to the finals.

Click here to read the rest of the questionnaire.

In Godless Ann Coulter wrote, “Liberals are perennially enraged that Republicans are allowed to talk back.” As such, this has spawned “Hugo Chavez Democrats” that make it their life’s work to get conservatives blacklisted from the media.  The Left’s perpetual whining is usually funny, but not so much when the spineless surrender to them.

Read the rest of my Townhall column for this week.

BONUS:  Give the correct number of shameless plugs in this week’s column and win a special prize!  Leave your answer in the comments section.

Back when I was a kid, we only had red and white candy canes… and we liked it.  When I was at Target today I was shocked — shocked! — to see the array of candy canes kids have to choose from.   Gobstoppers, Spree, Sweet Tarts, Now and Later, and Jolly Rancher candy canes lined the shelves.  The poor Classic Cane looked so sad sitting by itself.  It simply can’t compete with Gobstoppers’ claims of three flavors and three colors.  Now even candy has to keep up with children’s short attention spans.

(Note to JOTUS: Happy now?)