Here’s Another Recent Strand, Courtesy of the Nat’Cademenian Nuts!
(Original font and color remain as translation allows.)
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Hi, All,
So what do you think about this steroid madness? Do you think Congress should be involved in the whole process; if so, what part of the Constitution justifies such action? Or is this whole song-and-dance just about ego?
Another gaping whole,
Keith
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I agree! I think that it is very strange that our elected officials are spending so much time on steroid use. Aren’t there are issues to be debating!
Natalie
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Hey Everyone!
Remember that the Roman emperors tried to “feed and entertain” the masses in their efforts to cling to power. We are certainly not undernourished overall in our country and we have 24/7 entertainment choices, which now include the reality TV option of watching Roger Clemens lie infront of a Congressional committee. Here is smoke-screening of a high level by a Congress whose jurisdiction in this issue is dubious at best and a Congress which surely shares in the responsibility of whatever difficulties our nation is facing domestically and internationally. Perhaps the real work of our elected officials is too difficult for them to face up to in a truly honest fashion. Do you sense that there is a yearning among our populace not just for “change” but for truth?
Have a great weekend,
Jerry
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Under the commerce clause and the elastic clause, perhaps Congress canget involved in just about anything. I think there are more pressingissues, clearly, and wish they’d be more mindful of things like healthcare for needy children, Iraq, the cost and financing of collegetuition, and climate change. But I love baseball, and am happy Congressis shining a spotlight on the steroid issue. Jerry, you wrote “Do you sense there is there is a yearning among ourpopulace not just for “change” but for truth?” For my personal benefit,I wish you would briefly expand on that statement as it relates to thecandidates. Of course, feel free to ignore me as you probably havebetter things to do on this blissful three day weekend. What the hell is everyone doing these days? Tomorrow, I turn 49. But as you all know, part of me is stuck in adolescence.
Larry
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Larry,
Happy Birthday to another old fart like me. You are a young adult,not an adolescent! We have been hearing the lines, “same old same old” and “business as usualin Washington” and “time for change”, so often that they are beyond meaningless when our candidates say them. I don’t think that we believe mostof what our politicians say yet we carry on and permit business as usual tocontinue. We babyboomers especially were going to create change but wemellowed into expediency. I am sensing for the first time in a while a sort of messianic yearning,especially among the young, for substantive change. Most of the candidates for president represent the typical political caricature and then thereemerges something about Obama that rings a different note. He is notexperienced, he is not a policy wonk, he is not connected to the internalparty machinery as closely as other candidates, he does not have too manyspecifics when addressing policy. However, for all of these negatives, heseems to be appealing to that yearning for leadership that calls us to ourbetter selves. I am not saying I am an Obama backer yet but I am saying his growingpopularity seems to come from a different place in our frail human psyches.It is not necessarily the rational place that the founders envisioned as thebe all and end all of political realtions but something else, something thatrises from the spirit, the spirit of good which, in my opinion, does not getenough quality air time in the public arena. Too much thinking for a Friday afternoon!
Love to you all,
Jerry
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Jerry,
I know where you’re coming from re: Obama. Two years ago I recommended a student for the Alabama Model Senate program–100 young people who got to play the role of a US senator for a 4-day weekend–and Jacob had to pick a senator that he would portray. He wanted a Democrat who was “different.” I didn’t know much about Obama at the time, but he was getting a lot of press, so I suggested him. When Jacob got back to school, having researched Obama’s positions on a few things, he told me that Obama would be president one day. Jacob turned 18 recently, and voted for Obama in the primary–as did my own 18-year-old son.Does Huckabee strike anyone as a Republican Jimmy Carter? In 1976 Carter had an advantage in that he was not a member of the incumbent party, and the economy was weak (remember stagflation?). Historically, throughout the 20th century, if the economy has been strong in an election year, the incumbent party wins, but gets ousted if the economy is weak–which is why I think we’ll get a Democrat this time (I looked up GNP/GDP correlations once for a college econ class I taught); in other words, we vote with our pocket-books! That being said, I don’t think Huckabee has a chance this time around, but his personality really does remind me of Carter–a nice, kindly Southern gentleman-type.
(Laura)
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I feel like I have been fooled by Huckabee. I disagree with his policies but I have been telling people for over a year that he seems to be a man of integrity and one that I would be comfortable with coming out of the GOP. Then the campaign started and the more I found out about him and the more he had a chance to talk and try to explain his views the less and less I liked him and the greater the feeling of being duped by him grew in me. He does have that “aw shucks” Southern gentlemen feel and he is certainly charismatic and engaging, but I would not call him a man of integrity any longer. He lost that when more and more information came forward regarding the pardon of the rapist. He really lost me when he disclosed that he didn’t believe in evolution and believed the Constitution should be altered to fit God’s laws. I am sorry but that just steps right over the line for me and brings all the scary theocrats out of the woodwork. Being agnostic I really don’t want anyone’s idea of God or their God’s law invading my civil liberties or how I live my life. Many would have me stoned for how I live or for who I chose to spend my life with because it does not fit into their narrow view of right and wrong.Obama is inspiring and has the gift of rhetorical speech and of the big three left standing he is the one I would like to see make it to the finish line. Does he speak the truth or does he just have an elegant way of reaching people and inspiring them to believe once again? I am not sure. I want to believe but I am not sure he will be able to deliver if he is successful in winning. Not because he lacks experience or conviction or anything they will throw at him in the election but because the politicians are completely in the hands of those that donate all the money to their campaigns and they will not do anything that may cost them an election and end the good times. I believe the Clintons will say anything you want to hear in order to get elected. I use to respect McCain in 2000 but his pandering to the right since the despicable treatment he received at the direction of Rove has turned me off. As I have stated in an earlier stream I do not believe the politicians are completely at fault for pandering to what the voters want to hear because we reward those that do and punish those that tell us the truth.As far as Congress and steroids, what a waste of time. Will it matter to anyone if Roger is found guilty of perjury because the guy has already shown people, kids especially, that there are very lucrative rewards for cheating. Yes, he may lose his legacy but no one is going to take away the millions he has made over the years. Athletes have been cheating for decades at the Olympics for the chance to win a Gold Medal. Roger and Barry have shown just how lucrative it can be when you apply it to a paid sport. Speaking as an Astros fan and a fan of Chairman Waxman, I wish he would call off the witch hunt on Tejada as well. What exactly does he wish to accomplish by going after him? Are they trying to flex their muscles and show they still have some power to make people tell the truth when they allow Alberto Gonzalez and his minions to get away with obvious perjury over the Attorney purge, torture questions and the FISA bs? It is a waste of Congress’ time but it is baseball and of course they all had a chance to get a picture and autographs from “The Rocket”.
(Kerryn)
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Happy Birthday, Larry!
Jimmy Buffett had a song line that applies: “growing old, not up.” Not that 49 is old–I’ll be 48 in July, so I’m not far behind you! Have a lovely day–and long weekend!
Love,
Laura
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Okay, has anyone else been to an Obama rally? I went to see him in Hartford the night before super Tuesday. He was amazing. He literally had us on the edge of our seats with our hands in our palms. I totally “felt” everything he was saying and am seriously going to volunteer for his campaign if he wins. I personally think it goes beyond rhetorical talent to actually believing in what he is saying and believing that change is possible, that the system can be better than it is, that it can be all of the things that we’d hope it would be. This is honestly the first time I’ve ever been so moved by a political figure and the first time I’ve ever believed that a politician could actually bring about true change.
So, that’s my two cents, albeit a very passionate two cents.
Hope, all of you are having a great winter break, and happy birthday Lorenzo!
xo,
Rachel
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Okay, so I just read through my last email and, yes, I am obsessed with Barack Obama. I am a groupie. He is my new political boyfriend (thus, replacing both James Madison and Cicero) 
(Rachel)
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David Brooks, the conservative columnist for the New York Times, haswritten some things that underscore why I like Obama: “The third reason Obama should run for president is his worldview. Atleast in the way he conceptualizes the world, he is not an orthodoxliberal. In the book, he harks back to a Hamiltonian tradition thatcalls not for big government, but for limited yet energetic governmentto enhance social mobility.” and “Out of that perceptiveness comes a distinct way of seeing the world.Obama emphasizes the connections between people, the networks and thewebs of influence. These sorts of links are invisible to some of hisrivals, but Obama is a communitarian. He believes you can only makeprofound political changes if you first change the spirit of thecommunity.” and this was a clincher for me as I compared Obama to other Democrats: “But Obama does not ratchet up hostilities; he restrains them. He doesnot lash out at perceived enemies, but is aloof from them. In the courseof this struggle to discover who he is, Obama clearly learned from thestrain of pessimistic optimism that stretches back from Martin LutherKing Jr. to Abraham Lincoln. This is a worldview that detests anger as amotivating force, that distrusts easy dichotomies between the parties ofgood and evil, believing instead that the crucial dichotomy runs betweenthe good and bad within each individual.” In the past, I have voted for Democrats, Independents, and Green Partycandidates across various levels of government. I definitely lean towardObama this year, and am jealous that Rachel saw him in person.
Larry
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We’re gearing up for the Obama/Clinton debate in town this Thursday. I went to the grand opening of Obama’s office this weekend and it was packed! The last time I was in a crowd like that there was loud music and a hint of cannabis in the air! The campaign is boasting of a ridiculous number of “precinct captains” and that they trained 4,000 of them this weekend. The paid staff hadn’t been on the ground long enough to decipher some of our idiosyncrasies so I sincerely doubt they’ll have 4,000 local precinct captains delivering on a great deal these next couple of weeks. The office and the staff weren’t prepared to capitalize on the amount of attention they received. They were thinking “Texas” and weren’t prepared for Austin’s ready army of activists. The excitement really has been fantastic in so many ways. I’ve worked primary elections before where well-meaning citizens came in to vote but weren’t prepared for the idea of a primary. When we asked them to select either a Democratic or a Republican ballot there were often looks of confusion. (Yes, both parties use the same polling place on the same day.) On top of that, Texas Democrats actually have a hybrid system with some delegates awarded through the primary election and some awarded through precinct caucuses that same evening. Each senate district has a set number of delegates to award through the turnout of these caucuses. The number of delegates in play for each senate district correspond to turnout at the last caucus and the number of supporters for the party’s eventual nominee. So many of my colleagues in education had never heard of these precinct caucuses before and these meetings are designed to be the very roots of the party! Obama’s campaign is focusing a lot of attention on this “Texas Two Step” and trying to educate voters here about the process. Crammed in a room with 100 or more of my newest friends, only a handful of us had any idea what the paid staff were talking about when talking through the caucus process. I ended up being the go-to person for questions about how the elections office actually manages the whole process. So many adults there who consider themselves activists were blown away to find out they had been missing their precinct caucuses for years. Which brings me back to another one of my favorite themes…if you’ve never worked an election before, volunteer to do it this November (or sooner if you have local elections between now and then). There are so many issues of critical importance regarding accessibility and ballot security. All of that as well as some of these local quirks like a “hybrid system” of awarding delegates all become much clearer after participating in the process from this perspective. I have a secret wish that no one would be allowed to participate in the debate over voter verifiable paper trails unless they have first worked an election and been responsible for the care of the machinery. I know I just hinted at limiting speech in order to protect the voter’s ballot but I think we’d have a much more productive conversation if we approached it from that shared experience. So, back to Rachel and Obama, I’m doing what I can in Texas. Barack needs to win something they don’t expect him to win and Texas is probably his best chance for that on March 4th. I’m also writing a short op-ed to send to my hometown newspaper in Fostoria, Ohio. I’d encourage any of you who are excited about this campaign to do something similar. Write out why you’re so passionate about Obama and send your thoughts to your friends and families in Wisconsin (if you’re quick), Texas, and Ohio. If you can then edit those thoughts into a letter to the editor or a short opinion piece, consider
sending it to newspapers in those areas if you can find some “connection” to provide local interest. I’ve really enjoyed reading your opinions and insights on these campaigns and think there are some big ideas there we all ned to take some responsibility for contributing to the public dialogue. And now, I’ll step off the soap box…how did I get up there in the first place? I think it’s Larry’s fault.
Best,
Shellee
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Hey People! If there’s to cold up there, common enjoy me in one of our beautiful and warmmmm beaches around the Island. Remember if you are planning to visit Puerto Rico, there’s a free tour around sponsored by Mr. Jefferson. Take careAnd by the way…theres a Obamamania in Puerto Rico!!! Could it be possible that at the turn of fate WE the islanders decide eventually the winner?
Elmo
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Shellee, Keep up the good work and thanks for inspiring the rest of us.Unfortunately, the Obama bubble has burst this morning as I heard a reportthat he actually used words in the English language that someone else hadused before him!!!!!!!!! So much for the vision thing………..Save us Hillary.
Jerry
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Yeah Jerry… I’ve been quiet through all the conversations about the Obama v.Clinton. Have a found another follower????
H (Heather)
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Alright…alright! Enough of this banter! I have a question that has been gnawing at me for weeks-the same question I posed to my fellow Democrats at the recent Nebraska caucus. Why couldn’t the Democratic Party come up with a candidate for president with some executive experience? It’s disappointing to think that the Democrats finally have an opportune moment in history to retake the White House and all we’ve got is a freshman Senator and a former First Lady living her political career off of name recognition. I’d throw my support behind Hillary if she didn’t come with a built-in “I ain’t votin’ for that bitch” voting block. I’ve had my fill of Obamamania. Change in this context seems nothing more than empty rhetoric. Hope is a wonderful thing, but it don’t put legislation on the table. The Clinton clan may be upset by the recent “Where’s the beef?” moment from an Obama speech, but I’m just stuck on Where is the Beef? Don’t get me wrong, there’s no way I’m voting for Emperor McCain. The Hundred Years’ War ended a long time ago. I just wish I had a better choice. If any of you Hitllary backers or Obombers can provide me with some solid rational reasons to back your candidate -BRING IT ON. Regardless of the outcome I have a feeling I’ll be sitting at home Election Night watching election returns and cranking up the Yoopers classic hit “F@*# You I’m Drunk” (That ones for you, Larry).
Here Endeth the Lesson
Lord
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The Lord has spoken! It takes you a while, Kevin, but when you get revvedup, we all listen. I completely understand your position and support what you say. However,there are times in history when people want to wash themselves off and feela bit of hope. We may be suckered by rhetoric but it feels somehow alright.(Bad metaphor, but it’s like taking a laxative…..we got to get the badstuff out!)
Back to work.
Jerry
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So Sayeth the Lord!
(Keith)
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And on the eighth day the Lord pondered politics????
H
(Heather)
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Lord V, those are some solid points. I ask you, though, have you been to an Obama rally? The guy is so inspirational and, for once, I’m going to let myself hope that the system can be better than it is right now, that it can be what I want it to be, that we really can have a more just social and political order. Call me idealistic, but I’m rolling with it.
Rachel
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Lord,
Unless I am mistaken the only democrat in the race with the executive experience was Gov. Richardson. If you were not a Richardson fan, who exactly did you want to come out on top? Or did you have another candidate in mind that decided not to toss their hat into the ring? It is hard to vote for someone that doesn’t want the job. I mean the whole field of democrats were all a bunch of senators and a rep. from Ohio. While there were some impressive resumes among the early contenders they were still senators without a lot of executive experience. Am I forgetting someone that was in it early and dropped out?I am not sure I could convince you of why you should support one of those remaining but I am just curious, who are you looking for in this campaign? Jerry, you are dangerously funny.
k (Kerryn)
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Lord Volt,
Did you see? Barack answered your questions himself with his speech in Houston tonight. As best as I can remember his points: 1. He would be a president who has studied the Constitution, believes in the Constitution, and would obey the Constitution.2. He hasn’t been stewed and steeped in the ways of Washington until all the hope has been boiled away.3. It is his central premise that the only way to bring about real change in America is if we can bring new people into the process. Those are words he has delivered on too. I enjoyed reading his book the Audacity of Hope that included his understanding of the Constitutional expectations of elected representatives and the people they represent. When is the last time you had something like that on the table from a presidential candidate? Our elected representatives in Congress let us down with their authorization to use military force before Bush ever had the chance to mess it up. There’s a “check” they were supposed to provide on the President’s power and they missed it. Worse than that, they gave it away. Before Obama’s campaign, every analysis of voters between the ages of 18 and 24 always included the term “apathy.” That analysis has now disappeared while pundits remark on the energy and record turnout of this same group. It’s up to you to convince me that expanding the conversation to include new people and new ideas is a recipe for disaster. Where is our commitment to a belief that only those who have held this particular shade of office before can be trusted in a position to do it again? I don’t remember that pledge in any of our founding commitments. I do recall a tremendous faith in the people. That’s something I see in Obama’s campaign that I have missed in the others. You can call me a sucker for rhetoric but I deeply believe in the “fierce urgency of now.” I deeply believe that the “same old people in Washington doing the same old things” isn’t going to lead us to anything promising. The commitment to not only end the war but to end the mindset that got us into war is important to me. I want a vision guiding our policies and diplomacy that is grounded in faith and hope instead of terror and fear. He also included in his speech tonight an echo from Kennedy, “Never negotiate out of fear and never fear to negotiate.” Obama then asserted that we’re a strong and powerful enough country to meet with our adversaries and and lay it all on the line. He has a firm commitment to the belief that we should never resort to military force without exhausting every avenue to a diplomatic resolution. That’s the kind of leadership I can respect. And, I’d like to remind you that we’re at the end of a Presidency of a Texan with what he was able to sell as very successful executive experience. Do you really expect me to believe that kind of experience proves anything about the reliability of the possible set of outcomes? Most of our state governments are organized so governors are little more than toads on a log….cccrrrooooaaakkk….you tell me what that experience proves. He can effectively warm the seat behind the big desk? Quit clinging to that security blanket of cynicism and wrap yourself in the power of a movement instead. It won’t hurt, I promise.
;^) Shellee
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We’ve all studied the Constitution, etc., too, and if teaching teenagers isn’t executive experience I don’t know what is, but I AM NOT QUALIFIED TO BE PRESIDENT–mostly because I don’t want to be! No thank you, fish-bowl life is not for me. Maybe most governors have had enough. Y’all make me ROTFL!!!
Love ya!
Laura
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Wow, Shellee, you are on fire!! Thank you for noting Obama’s refreshing points from last night’s speech (even though he looked like he needed refreshment badly; I hope he gets a bit of rest). I agree that there is a sense of urgency in our decision-making in November. Most of us are not happy with the way we look and feel as a nation. Increasing participation in the dialogue is a good thing. As he pointed out, real change happens from the bottom up and we need to be heard. The United States is in such a unique position in the world and in history to influence how inhabitants of this planet relate from this point on. The neo-cons, oilmen, and war-mongers we’ve been saddled with seem incapable of thinking in different ways. We must never forget, for all their exploration of the dark side of human nature, there is also a good side and let’s mine that for a while and see what happens. I cling to such hope and I believe many others do as well. (Remember, I am a N.Y. Mets fan!…..and they WILL win the World Series this year!).
Jerry
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Hey guys… what have you been sending? Almost all of your e-mails havebeen blocked for “inappropriate langugage.” Ah, the joys of living andworking in conservative southern Ohio. Oh well, at least we get snowdays…
(Megan)
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Actually, I’m a little concerned about the tenor of this campaign. The last time we as a nation were this disenchanted with “same old, same old” government, tired of being led by insiders, etc., we got a Clinton; before that, we got Reagan (both of whom had executive experience, btw). And Kennedy, and FDR, and Harding…and Lincoln, Jackson, Jefferson, and Washington! However, while how we look and feel as a nation may be indicative/symptomatic of who we are as a nation, they’re not definitive. If we’re content with that, the candidate who generates the most enthusiasm wins–surely our governmental ancestors didn’t pledge their lives fortunes, and sacred honor for appearances. Do y’all really think there is some substance to support Obama’s style? For McCain & Clinton, substance is same song, 110th verse, in two-part(y) harmony; Obama has good ideas and preaches like he means it, but doesn’t have much of a track record. Maybe I’m uninformed, but what SOLUTIONS can he deliver? I’m not wild about some of Hillary’s solutions, but at least she’s good at documentation. Obama’s telling us what’s wrong (and I generally agree), but how does he plan to make things right? Enthusiasm is necessary, but not sufficient–we need depth, too. It may very well be there, but I haven’t seen it yet. Here in the rural deep South we’re constantly inundated with persuasive speakers–political stumpers as well as pulpit pounders. I’ve been to Billy Graham crusades, tent revivals led by Brother Billy-Bob, Reagan and B. Clinton rallies, you name it. Same style, different subject, periodic substance. I’ve seen so many people manipulated by that brand of rhetoric–either turned off of politics and/or religion completely, or becoming so fanatical that they’re beyond reason (it’s fun to be Catholic and non-partisan; they don’t know what to make of me!). I like the “difference” in Obama’s campaign, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but when I watched his speech on TV last night, I got nervous. After all, Hitler spoke charismatically, too, before equally enthusiastic crowds. And Jim Jones’ followers were true believers. May we always maintain a healthy bit of cynicism! On a slightly different note, could I get your input on something? I had to deal with a student this morning who objects to Obama because he’s black and Hillary because she’s female–and Victor is merely the only one who was bold enough to voice it–yet this is a heavily Democratic area–there may not be a dozen Republicans in the entire county! I responded for the umpteenth time that I don’t believe it’s right to vote for or against anyone because of biology–skin color and body parts don’t define good government–but it went in one ear and out the other (competing with pervasive local rhetoric). Any insights would be appreciated. Being responsible to help young people learn to think and discern for themselves is a weighty one!
Laura
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There’s a line between drinking the Kool-Aid and respecting the Kool-Aid man for breaking down walls. Okay, that’s not the best analogy cuz that dude’s just plain scary.
Re-boot. I believe that thoughtful Americans can get caught up in hope as long as they realize that, in the end, it’s the people that have to sow the seeds, tend the garden, and mind the weeds in order to reap the harvest. Without a whole lot of specifics, that’s Obama’s message.
It’s a message that appeals to Americans who want this country to grow up. When we live in fear and await direction ala the Bush years, we incapacitate ourselves. We regress as a nation. We have put up walls and restricted our freedom in the name of security blankets. But more than that, so many Americans have forgotten that we’re the ones who have to do the work. I wasn’t around for the Kennedy years, and I know that he has his critics; but for my generation his words still ring of self-determination, independence, and empowerment.
This is the message we want to hear, isn’t it? “Ask what you can do for your country.” I know I do. I want to be told, Go on. Get out there and do it. I wanted to be treated as if I am capable.
I don’t want to be told what I can’t do. I don’t want to be told what I can’t say. I don’t want to be told to sit around and watch the colors on some terrorist barometer. If I’m going to submit, passively, to such dictation, I’ve surrendered me. If we do so as a nation, we’ve surrendered our freedom and what we are when we proudly call ourselves Americans; and that’s the road we’ve placed ourselves upon…
Executive experience matters little. Certainly, it’s not business acumen or gubernatorial exposure that will decide whether the President’s going to respect the supreme law of the Constitution.
However, if we, as Americans, can re-learn our power, then we’ll be able to bring strength back to the checks and balances. It’s only as strong as us.
There’s a tendency to shiver at the thought of a powerful speaker. But when the message is not “follow me or die”, but “follow yourself and live” I think those are words to which I can cheer. I can do so because: 1) on the level of a citizen, I’m rooting for what we can be as a community, and 2) on a personal level, I’m believing in me.
My two pennies.
Keith
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My 18-year-old son just read your stuff and mine, and said “I’m a cynic and I like Obama….” OK maybe there’s hope for American youth after all!!I guess I need specificity. I like hope with backbone, not mere wishful thinking. As to being or not being told what to do, I’d rather not. However, some of Obama’s (and Clinton’s) philosophy sounds as socialist as Bush’s do fascistic. It’s hard to sort it all out, do lesson plans, grade papers, prep kids for the SAT-10, and select $1600 worth of new books for the library. Guess I’ll have to sleep when I’m dead!Simply put, are Obama’s ideas better? Or simply different?
(Laura)
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Laura,
Interesting about your students opinion towards Hilary and Obama, because I had a completely different experience. I am involved in Kids Voting, so my students were able to vote in the preliminary election and I had a polling booth set up on campus, stickers, etc., to give them the experience of what the voting experience is all about. A majority of my students (6,7,8) voted for Obama because of his race. I work on the Southside and in Tucson where immigration is a very “hot topic,” and I found it interesting that my students selected Obama when he is not supportive of illegal immigration and they are very pro-immigration. My students voted for some candidates who are no longer in the race. Additionally, they voted for Hilary because they thought it woud be “cool” to have a female in charge. Its very discouraging to me, that my students are not educated, and would vote for a candidate based on such little knowledge of their stance on political issues, etc.. The teachers here are so caught up on standards and AIMS that there is little talk of the election. I know at this age, students do not vote, but there should be some time given to the election; especially, with the apathy of this age population. I feel so disheartened that they would be so excited to experience the voting process, but have such little insight into the “bigger” picture regarding the candidates.
Highly Discouraged,
Melissa
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