Penny Rene: August 2008 Archives

John McCain Tried to Bribe Me

By Penny Rene on August 31, 2008 8:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night I had a dream about John McCain. I don't usually dream about politicians, least of all, politicians that I don't particularly like. But after watching an interview with him on CNN and reading an unflattering interview in Time, I guess I set myself up for this.

Anyway, here's how it went.

I was a reporter for a small, insignificant newspaper. (No big surprise there) and I won an opportunity to sit in on a major interview with McCain. Afterwards, I would be allowed to ask a few questions myself. I arrived at McCain's house in the suburbs where every house was new and looked identical except for landscaping. I seriously doubt McCain has a house like this, but in my dream he and his wife had moved there to make themselves look more "normal" to the American voters.

The man let me in himself and as we were walking to the dining room he stopped in the family room to show me a "couch" that he and his wife were planning to get rid of. His daughter, he said, had told him the couch had to go. It was made of very soft red leather and dark wood trim, queen anne style - Not my taste at all. In fact, as I looked at the couch I thought of drag queens and the movie Marie Antoinette. He asked if I liked it. "It's really interesting", I smiled, trying to be nice but honest. "Would you like it? I mean, if you want it, I could have it delivered to you." We had just met and he was offering me a gift, an expensive gift at that. I got the feeling this gift came with his hope that I would write about him in a flattering way, regardless of how the interview went. I didn't know what to say except, "Well, if it helps, I read your interview with Time last night and I feel some sympathy for you." "It's a start", he says.

The next scene of my dream, McCain is finished with his interview with the big-time reporter and he turns to me and says, "You have 10 minutes." He doesn't look happy at all, so I quickly spout off "Why should I vote for you? Why do you want to be MY president?" Suddenly his face turns really sad and he says, " I don't want to be President." Only he says this in such a way that it's as if I, of all people, should know this and he disappointed that I don't.

There Should Be A Safe Drug

By Penny Rene on August 27, 2008 8:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

...for the anxiety of pregnant women.

I'm not sure how I have managed to escape writing about this pregnancy on my blog. I'm trying not to feel guilty about already not giving the 2nd kid as much press as the 1st, but all that is about to change.

As easy as my pregnancy is compared to so many other women out there, I feel obliged to admit that I am not the baby making machine that I *might* appear to be. Being pregnant, overall, isn't bad, but it's not something that I wake up marveling about. Perhaps I should, come to think of it, but really, I just wake up thinking morbid thoughts like, "Are you still there, little guy?" and "Will my water break now?" Frankly, I've lived the last nine months in disbelief that this is working, that I am growing a healthy baby boy in there and that he will join our family without any trouble. This is what happens to your mind when you have had a past miscarriage.

I'm writing about this because in the last two years I have run into countless, and I do mean "too many for me to count" women who have become pregnant, only to have the fetus / baby die before it's born. As a matter of fact, I hardly know any women my age who haven't experienced a miscarriage. It's been a shocking thing, to hear these stories and to understand that this happens more than I ever imagined.

Couple that with the information, or lack of information on why this happens and it can leave a woman feeling very vulnerable and scared at a time when she should feel excited and happy. In layman's terms - It sucks.

I've thought about this kind of tragedy a lot in the last two years. Why are some babies born and some aren't? Is it nature taking care of things or are we doing something that is causing more miscarriages than ever? Is there something we can do to stop it? How do we morn those babies that don't live? What do you say to someone when they have a miscarriage?

Knowing that "it happens a lot" doesn't really make a difference when it happens to you. But when you do conceive and carry to term a healthy baby, it does drill one thing into your head: LUCK. This very unlucky woman feels lucky in the midst of her worry. Damn lucky.

So that's how this particular journey started out. Happy and terrified - that was us for the 1st 35 weeks. At that point, we kind of eased up a bit, knowing that we were past the most scary part. It was then that we began to get practical, wondering if the kid will have enough socks to wear and a place to sleep. Frankly, it makes the actual labor and birth look like an evening well spent. Cuts down considerably on the worry about the physical pain.

One week left until the official due date. We have a dresser full of clothes, diapering necessities and many, many pairs of socks. We even have a name picked out. Though, if you know me, you won't be expecting to hear that name until after the birth. That's the way we do it. We keep the crazy bits to ourselves until it's legal and no one can do anything about it. (Marriage, pregnancy, names - you know the drill)

Meanwhile, we did take more photos. I'd love to share the perfectly posed images with you to print, but that's not how how photographer earns her money. This will have to do.

Michelle

By Penny Rene on August 27, 2008 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Everyone is talking about Hillary's speech last night at the DNC and I have to say, I appreciate her call for unity within the party. However, I just watched Michelle Obama's speech from the night before and I found it to be yet another example of the reasons why I trust this man to be the president we need right now.

What You Don't Know About Women

By Penny Rene on August 6, 2008 8:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was going through some old files on my hard drive and found this, circa 2004, probably. That was when I thought maybe I'd like to write for GQ. That alone, is comedy enough.

Things You Don’t Know About Women:

We wish all of you were required to take a class on how to bring us to orgasm. Because 90% of you have no clue.

Hiding your "package" behind sheets, a pillow or your fumbling hands after sex is not good. Letting it all hang out, like the man we know you are reeks of confidence and may get you a second round.

We want to love you. We really do.

We don't want to think about car maintenance, how to make the stereo sound better or what brand of tools are in the garage.

We think that if you want us to buy bigger breasts, it's only fair that you buy a bigger dick.

Your mother doesn't like us and we know it.

The amount we trust you and the more communication you give is directly linked to how much and what quality nooky you'll be getting.

We are counting your drinks at dinner even if you aren't.

If we feed you, clean your apartment or buy you an item of clothing, we are probably falling in love with you.

Watching you play on a sports team or in a band makes us want to rip your clothes off right then and there. So don't ignore us after the big game; we're just getting started.

I Know I'm Emotional But....

By Penny Rene on August 6, 2008 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I first started watching this, I was all, "Yada, yada, yada." Then, something about it made me feel so good and hopeful, I cried.

Thanks, Trey !

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