Dreaming of this bed...

Oh, the wonderful dreams that could be dreamed sleeping on this bed...

Manifesting time!

New Year's Resolutions

So it's about that time again to achieve and stick to some new things to do.

Here's mine:

1. Condition myself to run up to six miles. (This was my resolution last year!)

2. Get highly into reconstructing old clothes into new clothes.

I got these books just for this:

Along with all my old clothes, I think I'm going to find it fun and exciting to find stuff at thrift stores to turn into something new and creative.

3. Eat or drink one chlorophyll rich meal at least once a day. (I've already started and it's way easier and yummier than I thought. Can we say 'kale chips'?)

4. Work more on filling up my Book of Shadows.


5. Spend money more wisely to save more.

I may add to the list if I think of anything else.

"Santa Claus looks different."

This is a photo of my son Gavin at about 11 months - his very first photo with Santa. The other day he found this photo in a drawer and looked at it confused. Recently, his school had Santa Claus visit them for photos. Gavin asked me why the Santa in the photo looked different from the one that visited his school and then continued on to say that this Santa in the photo was not the real Santa. He did say the Santa that visited his school was the real one though.

We have a couple more photos of him with different Santas each year.

Our Golden Yule Tree!

I finally have photos to share of our golden Yule tree. The funny thing is that I had to go really cheap with the ornaments (bought today at the last minute) but hopefully next year I'll have some ornaments that I really like and adore.

I took like 87 photos!!! I didn't know I took so many until I plugged my camera into the computer to upload. It's like a vortex you go into where you just lose time I guess taking photos, because 87 photos of a tree just doesn't make any sense at all! I picked out 8. I think the photos really don't do the tree any justice but here they are:

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

I'm in love with the book Fairest, by Gail Carson Levine. I am loving reading it. I see now that I must read all the books she's written because her imaginative world is quite lovely. She wrote Ella Enchanted (which was made into a movie starring Anne Hathaway). Fairest is set in that same type of world.

Anyone else prefer to stumble upon books not knowing whatsoever what the book is about? I love total surprises. I remember the very first book I read like that, not knowing anything about the book and how much I loved what a complete adventure it was (The Eyes of the Dragon, by Stephen King). I think it's sort of sad to know what a fiction book is about - everything should be a discovery - it makes picking up the book and reading it all the more fun and exciting. Descriptions totally take away from that. Try it and see what you end up with! Pick up a book on total blind faith without even reading the back cover. Let EVERYTHING be a surprise.

The most recent movie I happened to not know anything about before watching it made for an amazing watch! It was No Country For Old Men. It was only because of Brian that I watched it, and wow, that movie was a total delicious shock.

Play-Doh PacMan

Brian and Gavin made this neat little thing today together: a PacMan game scene out of Play-Doh!

The Vertigo Tarot, Again

I received the new copy/edition of The Vertigo Tarot by Dave McKean. I have an old copy but a few years ago I foolishly believed it was safe in my suitcase on one of my trips to Austin. Airport security managed to make a very prominent bend in one of the cards while they went through the deck. And of course, that bend has always bothered me.

But now I have a new copy and all is well! I'm so glad they decided to publish it again. I thought that would never happen.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE!! I hope your day is filled with lots of love and joy and many reasons to be thankful!!!

Cucumber Noodles!

I am in love with cucumber noodles!

Yesterday, after trying to decide what to do with the rest of the cucumbers in the fridge before they went bad, I FINALLY made noodles out of them. I used a julienne peeler that I bought from a lady who sold Pampered Chef. Love it! The little handheld one is very convenient and quick for servings for less than a few people. Cucumbers peel nicely into noodles. And of course making noodles out of fresh whole foods is just FUN and fun to eat!

So yeah, this was my dinner tonight (and last night) - cucumber noodles with spinach cream sauce. YUMMY!


Tomorrow I am off to the grocery store for more cucumbers!

Fireplace Blues

I am so tired right now and my back hurts. Just got through putting the logs back into the fireplace after trying to figure out how to relight the pilot in there. Earlier Gavin rushed to me saying he had to tell me something, that he "blew out the fire". It was the fireplace pilot light he blew out. I cannot believe he did that when he knows not to mess with the fireplace at all and all of a sudden he can't help himself but to BLOW at the little pilot fire. He now knows that things like that can be very dangerous, that gas can lead to houses being blown up and people dying. I could have sworn I told him it was dangerous before, but now I really had to let him know how morbid things can get. Hey, it's the truth. He seemed to really get the message.

I AM glad that he felt the urgent need to tell me though.

I called the gas company and the lady I spoke to said everything was fine as long as I didn't smell gas (which I don't) and for me to call tomorrow to find out when someone is available to come relight it. I called my dad, and of course he said lots of "Oh shits", he doesn't even like candles being lit in his house for fear of a fire being accidentally started. But he made sure also that I didn't smell any gas. They have a fireplace that needs to be relighted too!

Looks like I'm waiting for Brian to come home to see if he can manage to relight it. We spent much time on the phone with each other on the internet looking at how to fix this mess. Our fireplace does NOT have that little red ignite button. Things would be so simple if it did. And honestly I cannot specifically find the pilot light area anyway! I even took photos to send to Brian to see if you could see something I couldn't see. Nothing. I guess we have to wait until he gets home in a few days.

He did have me turn off the gas valve in there though.

I wonder how much it costs to have the gas company come relight it. I'll find out tomorrow. I bet it's a ridiculous price, though I hope I am wrong.

Green Soul Challenge - Day 7

I haven't updated in a bit but I am doing well on my challenge, having my daily green including getting in some spirulina that I'm mixing with fresh orange juice. Last night I cut open the most beautiful grapefruits for juicing. I just love grapefruit juice! The grapefruits didn't look like much on the outside but boy were they beautiful when I cut them in half. You know that feeling you get when you cut open a beautiful watermelon? I get that same feeling when I cut open a beautiful grapefruit. So very luscious. I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to juice them or just pour a little agave on them and eat it with a spoon.

Speaking of cutting, I don't think I ever blogged about my favorite knife. I love this knife. It's a 7" santoku, but most importantly it's rainbow! Having a favorite knife I feel is nice a nice touch when making and caring about the food you make.


So, all this green has been very cleansing for me. A couple of days ago I started detoxing something fierce in the right gland near my throat/jaw. It is a lot better today though. I'll be sure to get my circulation going more to help it finish clearing out. I wish I had a rebounder though!

It was 17 degrees out this morning! I really need a new winter coat.

Green Soul Challenge - Day 3

I'm starting to type this at 11:11, awesome spiritual numbers. It's amazing when you really focus on eating cleaner to rid the body of unwanted things, outer things follow that show itself in needing to be rid of. There is a true connection with treating your inner life well and your outer life wanting to reflect that and I feel so blessed in experiencing that, it's very freeing.

Why yes, I did have my daily green today. Lots of salad still. We went to the grocery store to pick up some more stuff, so I was able to get the usual mixed greens. I didn't do the green smoothie today but hopefully soon. I just seem to be on this salad kick and I am really enjoying it.

I may just make a spirulina drink before I go to bed though.

Brian says he has birds too!

Brian sent this cell phone video to Gavin of some seagulls on his truck. The caption he sent along with it is what's funny. It said, "I got birds too.", in reference to my new birds. Silly Brian! What's also funny is that Gavin took him serious at first, thinking his daddy had some new birds! Silly Gavin!

Green Thoughts and Raw Packages

It feels good to be back in the green mode. This is day 2 for me in my Green Soul Challenge. All these leaves are filling me up! I only have lots of baby spinach left though. Depending on the weather tomorrow, I may go pick up some more variety of greens, if not I'll just make a banana mixed berry green smoothie with the baby spinach. I've actually been eyeing all those damn dandelion leaves in my backyard, I think I'll check tomorrow for some immature leaves if it isn't too wet outside, which it probably will be.

More raw agave nectar came today, I almost ran out. I am so thankful for Amazon on selling cool raw food staples like that at a more affordable price. I remember a few years back when agave nectar was ridiculously expensive. I mean, it really was robbery. Also recently from Amazon came my order of goji berries. For over 6,000 years, the Goji berry has been used to help protect the liver, help eyesight, boost the immune system, prevent cancer, and promote longevity amongst other benefits. Goji Up! I really need to make some sort of chocolate goji recipe soon. Mmmm.

Read more on goji berries.

Green Soul Challenge - Day 1

So I actually started yesterday, making sure I ate lots of leafy greens but I'm counting today as the starting point hoping my friend Sherry also started today. I had a nice salad of mixed greens - baby romaine, baby spinach, tango and a few leaves of radicchio. I don't really care too much for the purple leaves, they are awfully bitter to me, but when it's just a few leaves of it in the salad, it isn't bad at all and actually gives a nice contrast in taste.

The creamy salad dressing I make is really good (saving the recipe for my book). I love that my son loves it as well, he specifically asks for it whenever he has salad. Instead of water as the base, I use coconut water (along with nuts), it doesn't have a coconut taste whatsoever for those that are wary in using it. Coconut water is highly refreshing with loads of electrolytes. I swear I get a zing from it! I can feel its energy. Coconut water is awesome!

So yep, I had my green for the day! Yay!

I currently have some cucumber and lemon water marinating for tomorrow. I'll be sipping on that throughout the day. I meant to make it earlier today but totally forgot!

My 30 Day Green Soul Challenge

I am inviting anyone who wants to join to a 30 Day Green Soul Challenge.

What does this challenge entail?

The daily consumption of raw chlorophyll-rich foods - at least one meal having lots of good chlorophyll. The easiest and best way in my opinion are raw Green Smoothies - fruit smoothies with added leafy greens in them. This blended form allows for better absorption thus more nutrition.

I will eat salads as well some days and count that towards the "daily green". The salads must consist of dark leafy greens and no, iceberg does not count. You can eat iceberg salads of course, but it does not count towards this challenge. What we are aiming for here are the lovely dark greens, such as spinach, kale, swiss chard and collards. These have a higher content of chlorophyll and nutrition all around.

Also counting towards this challenge are supplements like adding spirulina to raw juices and wheatgrass of course is included. Let me know if I should add anything else to the list.

The benefits of "green sunshine" are enormous and foolish to ignore. Chlorophyll is chemically similar in composition to that of human blood, except that the central atom in chlorophyll is magnesium, while iron is central in human blood. This, and the fact that chlorophyll is central in plant metabolism, had prompted scientists to find out if chlorophyll can offer similar benefits to humans.

Overall, chlorophyll has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties but here are some details of the benefits:

• It has been seen to help in the growth and repair of tissues.

• Chlorophyll helps in neutralizing the pollution that we breathe in and intake everyday - a good supplement for smokers.

• It efficiently delivers magnesium and helps the blood in carrying the much needed oxygen to all cells and tissues.

• It is also found to be useful in assimilating and chelating calcium and other heavy minerals.

• It had been seen to have a good potential in stimulating red blood cells to improve oxygen supply.

• Along with other vitamins such as A, C and E, chlorophyll has been seen to help neutralize free radicals that do damage to healthy cells.

• Chlorophyll is also an effective deodorizer to reduce bad breath, urine, fecal waste, and body odor.

• It may reduce the ability of carcinogens to bind with the DNA in different major organs in the body.

• Chlorophyll may be useful in treating calcium oxalate stone ailments.

• It possesses some anti-atherogenic activity as well.

• It can be used to treat infected wounds naturally.

• It has antimutagenic and anti-carcinogenic properties so that it may be helpful in protecting your body against toxins and in reducing drug side effects.

• These are only a few of the multitude benefits that chlorophyll can do to the body.

http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/chlorophyll-benefits.html

Hopefully, this can be a great jump start for a continual love of raw green foods after experiencing and feeling the benefits for some. If you are joining, join whenever you can, we don't all have to be on the same days. Wishing you lots of yummy health!

Fire Over Fire - New Candlesticks

I finally don't have to look at an empty space above my fireplace anymore. The mantle now displays those very cool candlesticks from my wish list! I used the $100 gift certificate I got in return from FrontGate for buying that Gold Xmas Tree to buy them. And let me tell you, these candlesticks are larger than life! Brian and I were in awe at just how huge they were. The tallest one is 24 inches in height.


It has taken awhile (ever since we moved in this house) for me to figure out what to put there above the fireplace. I had ordered a Goddess Kwan Yin painting for the area awhile back, but the dimensions weren't right for the space. Now all I have to do is find some cool candles! I think I already know which ones I want though.

White Java Finches

My java finches came today! They are so pretty! I absolutely adore their beaks, it has got to be the main factor on why I like them (other than their birdsong of course!). I have a male and female couple. Only the male of the species actually sings a tune though the female does make a noise. My male was already singing a bit after he got use to being in his new surroundings, which I was extremely happy about. I have new and more natural branch perches coming soon to replace the ugly bulky perches that came with the cage. That'll really add a more natural look to the cage and better suit the birds.

Female on left, male on right.

Female.

Male.

Gavin is excited about having pet birds. He wanted to stay up later to be with them. I told him he could get ready for school near them in the morning and he looked at me like I was crazy and said, "They'll see me naked!"

Anyhow, I still need to name them. I usually name animals Asian names and words, so more than likely I'll go that route.

Barack Obama - Our Next President

How happy am I? EXTREMELY happy!!!!

America is on her way to positive change and growth. I feel very relieved about that, for America and the world.

A Grim Reaper Halloween!

Gavin had a blast being scary for the first time for Halloween. He chose this costume himself. I ended up inverting the colors of some of the photos I took of him and I think they turned out good - a perfect vibe for Halloween photos.

Click to enlarge this inverted closeup. It's freaky good!

Hope everyone had a nice Halloween! Sadly, I didn't have any trick-or-treaters come to the house, and Brian bought GOOD candy. We would have been considered one of the "good candy houses", but alas, no faeries, witches, or monsters stopped by.

Brian took Gavin across the street to explore the neighborhood over there for Gavin to trick-or-treat at, and I was really surprised when they came back with his bag full of candy. Supposedly, the houses that were giving out candy were so happy that someone actually stopped by to trick-or-treat that they gave Gavin handfuls!

I'm glad he had fun.

Oh, something really tacky but funny, someone handed out pink wrapped "It's A Girl" mints.

Sitar, My Soul

So I finally took my sitar out of the garage and out of it's case and into the living room. I haven't played it since before we moved and that has been way too long for someone that claims she's determined to learn how to play it well. I love the sitar - everything about it - from the way it looks to the way it sounds. If an instrument ever could represent the sound of a soul, it would by far be the sound of a sitar. Holding and playing the sitar I find to be such a spiritual experience, it's hard to describe really... But it's so meditative and soothing. I've never gotten that feeling from other instruments I've played.

Here's my sitar set up in my living room. I just recently got that floor pillow from World Market. It is officially my sitar pillow just for when I play - my official "ass pillow." Hahaha!

I love the upper large Lotus Pegs, they add such beauty.

The removable toomba that's behind. It's hollow with a hole underneath and adds extra resonance when you play.

A shot of the various carved detail and decoration.

Tinker Bell - The Movie

I preordered Tinker Bell on Blu-ray. I'm excited!!! It comes out on video on the 28th, so I should have it on the Thursday or Friday after that. I just love faeries! And I'm excited about a movie that has a black faerie! You don't see that all that often which makes me so sad. In the movie, Arthur and the Invisibles, I absolutely loved the part where the dreadlocked Jamaican-like Minimoys starred. That was extremely cool!

I actually only recently got into "Tinker Bell" when my friend Liz lead me to the Disney website where you can make your own faery and decorate her room along with other neat features. Check it out!

Smoothies and Berries: Blended Goodness

One of my favorite smoothie flavors to make is banana-berry (shown above). It consists of bananas, mixed berries (blueberry, blackberry, strawberry and raspberry), lemon juice (for a zing), and agave nectar to sweeten. Smoothies are a great way to absorb more nutrients from your food since we tend not to chew our food properly and no chewing is needed with smoothies - the blender has done all the work!

Maybe I am lucky in that I just simply love eating berries but they are amazing superfoods with many health benefits such as preventing cancer and heart disease, keeping your eyes healthy, controlling your blood sugar and of course keeping you looking young - you can't go wrong.

I love being blessed with berries!

Gavin's Fall Festival

Today I took my son to his school's Fall Festival. It was fun seeing him enjoying himself so much, the school had some cute games available including a hay ride with a tractor. Supposedly the girl he likes was there as well but he didn't even point her out to me! I so wanted to see! He assumes I know who everyone is when I really don't. It was cute seeing kids come up to him to say hi though. I'm just glad he's made new friends coming from a different school. His teacher was there selling ice cream and his bus driver was there helping out with the bounce house (which by the way Gavin was way too cautious in). Below are some photos from the festival.

Getting his hair dyed.

Curly polka dotted colored hair!

Smile!

With the Chick-Fil-A Cow! Haha!

Car Bash!

I think it's so funny the Car Bash was so popular. People love hitting things!

O.J. Simpson Can Help You! Informerical

This video is freakin' hilarious! They took the actual audio clips from that stupid idiotic stint he did trying to get his memorabilia back and made an infomercial out of it. It's about it helping you be assertive and getting your family's respect! Haha!

Caution! This includes cussing, so don't have any kids around while you watch.

The video is done by Lisa Nova. She has plenty of HILARIOUS videos on her YouTube channel that she does and most she stars in (not in this one though). She is very talented and oh so funny.

Best Barack Obama Impersonation

This is the best Obama impersonation I've seen yet. I think that guy on SNL who does Barack completely sucks at it. They should hire this guy here!

Astrology Drinking Glasses

Check out these Astrology Drinking Glasses from Urban Outfitters. They are awfully mean, but funny.

I'm a Capricorn and mine says:

The Capricorn constellation is a goat. When was the last time you saw a goat pay too much for an apple or miss out on a good sale? Goats never get ripped off and you don't either. You are so tight-fisted you can barely pick up this pint. With all the money you save, you should be buying everyone the next round but the only full drink is your own. p.s goats don't have friends.

OUCH!!! Haha!

Fall Flowers

I just recently started to buy cut flowers for the dining table. This is what's currently on there. I really love the fall color.

As you can see, I'm new at this! I didn't realize until after I put the flowers and lotus pods in a vase that I really should have bought more for a fuller look! Next time will be better.

Delicious Raisins!

Raisins that are delicious? Before yesterday I would say that was completely an oxymoron. I rarely buy raisins, the main reason being is that they aren't anything special, but another reason being is that if they aren't organic you are taking in a concentrated from of pesticides being that they are a concentrated form of grapes. Concerning mass, you are eating more of the grapes in dried form compared to eating them in their fresh juicy form.

Well, last night I finally opened up a box of organic raisins I bought from Harris Teeter, the raisins are their store brand. I bought them mainly for when I make a Waldorf Salad type of meal. I am very rarely in the mood for just straight raisins, only when it seems I want something sweet but there really isn't anything around at the moment. I didn't have high expectations in the raisins, I mean they ARE just raisins.



But when I ate few I noticed their texture was different from what I was use to, seemed to have a little sugary slight crunch to them while still being moist. And then WOW, it was a total pleasant surprise - it tasted like candy! I quickly looked at the ingredients on the box to make sure what I was eating didn't have any "added sugar" or anything, but nope the ingredients just listed "organic raisins".

So there I was just eating away at this newly found delicious taste making me so content at the world at hand and in comes my son. Of course he wonders what I am eating and has to have some. The same reaction comes from him as well, he finds them so good! Then he gets even more excited when he learns they are organic! He is so cute.

So it looks like after 28 almost 29 years, I finally like raisins. Maybe all this time they just had to be organic. Organic food does seem to taste better.

Afro Samurai - One Badass Anime

Afro Samurai (voiced by Academy Award® nominated Samuel L. Jackson) is an epic tale of a black samurai's hunt for Justice (voiced by Ron Perlman: Hellboy Alien Resurrection ) who murdered his father. With music score by The RZA ( Kill Bill, Wu Tang Clan), Afro Samurai blends traditional Japanese culture, funky technology and hip hop to create a brutally fresh entertainment experience.

Plot Summary:

The TV anime series is set in a "futuristic, yet feudal Japan," and stars a samurai named Afro for his hair. The story follows Afro as he tries to avenge his father's murder. In the world of Afro Samurai, it is said that the one who becomes "Number One" will rule the world, wielding powers akin to a god. Someone becomes Number One by killing the previous Number One and taking his ceremonial headband. However, the only rule in this world is that only the "Number Two" (also designated by a sacred headband) is allowed to fight the "Number One." The downside of this is that anyone (and typically everyone) can challenge and try to kill the Number Two, to gain the right to move forward and challenge Number One. Afro Samurai's father was the old Number One, until he was challenged by a gunman named "Justice" (who was then Number Two), who fought him in a duel to become the new Number One. At the time Justice challenged his father, Afro had only been a child. Justice severed his father's head right in front of the young Afro. Now an adult, Afro Samurai is the current Number Two and a master swordsman; he travels the road seeking revenge on Justice, the current Number One.

Lengthy flashbacks interspersed throughout the story detail how Afro rose from frightened boy fleeing the death of his father, to master swordsman, and eventually to become the current "Number Two", while the story in the present deals with the adult Afro making his way to the mountain top keep of the "Number One" to duel Justice, while at the same time the mysterious cult known as the "Empty Seven Clan" sends various agents to kill Afro and take his Number Two headband.

A new season (referred to as "Afro Samurai: Resurrection") has been announced for 2009 on Spike TV.

Afro Samurai Wikipedia Entry

We just bought this on Blu Ray (the photo at the top is linked to the Amazon page). I haven't had the chance to watch it but I am excited to watch it over in HD. Even for cartoons/animations, it being in high definition looks amazing, so vibrant and crisp!

Palin Is Ready? Please.

Written by Fareed Zakaria - Editor of Newsweek International, columnist

Will someone please put Sarah Palin out of her agony? Is it too much to ask that she come to realize that she wants, in that wonderful phrase in American politics, "to spend more time with her family"? Having stayed in purdah for weeks, she finally agreed to a third interview. CBS's Katie Couric questioned her in her trademark sympathetic style. It didn't help. When asked how living in the state closest to Russia gave her foreign-policy experience, Palin responded thus:

"It's very important when you consider even national-security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America. Where--where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to--to our state."

There is, of course, the sheer absurdity of the premise. Two weeks ago I flew to Tokyo, crossing over the North Pole. Does that make me an expert on Santa Claus? (Thanks, Jon Stewart.) But even beyond that, read the rest of her response. "It is from Alaska that we send out those ..." What does this mean? This is not an isolated example. Palin has been given a set of talking points by campaign advisers, simple ideological mantras that she repeats and repeats as long as she can. ("We mustn't blink.") But if forced off those rehearsed lines, what she has to say is often, quite frankly, gibberish.

Couric asked her a smart question about the proposed $700 billion bailout of the American financial sector. It was designed to see if Palin understood that the problem in this crisis is that credit and liquidity in the financial system has dried up, and that that's why, in the estimation of Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and Fed chairman Ben Bernanke, the government needs to step in to buy up Wall Street's most toxic liabilities. Here's the entire exchange:

COURIC: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

PALIN: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the--it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.

This is nonsense--a vapid emptying out of every catchphrase about economics that came into her head. Some commentators, like CNN's Campbell Brown, have argued that it's sexist to keep Sarah Palin under wraps, as if she were a delicate flower who might wilt under the bright lights of the modern media. But the more Palin talks, the more we see that it may not be sexism but common sense that's causing the McCain campaign to treat her like a time bomb.

Can we now admit the obvious? Sarah Palin is utterly unqualified to be vice president. She is a feisty, charismatic politician who has done some good things in Alaska. But she has never spent a day thinking about any important national or international issue, and this is a hell of a time to start. The next administration is going to face a set of challenges unlike any in recent memory. There is an ongoing military operation in Iraq that still costs $10 billion a month, a war against the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan that is not going well and is not easily fixed. Iran, Russia and Venezuela present tough strategic challenges.

Domestically, the bailout and reform of the financial industry will take years and hundreds of billions of dollars. Health-care costs, unless curtailed, will bankrupt the federal government. Social Security, immigration, collapsing infrastructure and education are all going to get much worse if they are not handled soon.

And the American government is stretched to the limit. Between the Bush tax cuts, homeland-security needs, Iraq, Afghanistan and the bailout, the budget is looking bleak. Plus, within a few years, the retirement of the baby boomers begins with its massive and rising costs (in the trillions).

Obviously these are very serious challenges and constraints. In these times, for John McCain to have chosen this person to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible. McCain says that he always puts country first. In this important case, it is simply not true.

PostGlobal co-moderator Fareed Zakaria is editor of Newsweek International, overseeing all Newsweek's editions abroad. He writes a regular column for Newsweek, which also appears in Newsweek International and often The Washington Post.

Click here for website.

Tina Fey Does Sarah Palin Again

The ending is especially hilarious.

Wish List - Gold Tree

I'm amazed by this tree. It's stunning! I would totally do the feather decoration with it as in the photo because that looks SO GOOD! I did always want a white tree and to decorate it with silvery things but this golden tree is like a pure dream and fantasy.