Category Archives: nostalgia

A Little Political Meandering

I’ve been thinking about the 1992 election a lot lately.  In November 1992, I was 27 years old, married for just a little under a year, and really afraid of Bill Clinton becoming president.  Then, it happened.  The election was over and Bill Clinton was president.  I don’t know what I thought was going to happen, but I was truly frightened.

However, if we take a little trip down memory lane to the months before the election, we see that incumbent President George HW Bush was thought to be invincible.  He had high approval ratings in the polls because of the success of Dessert Storm.  Then in a few short months, with perseverance and an excellent campaign staff and who knows what else, Bill Clinton rallied to victory.

I am remembering this little bit of history because as the 2008 election draws near, I think there is genuine fear among conservatives that Obama may be the next president.  I can actually say I am more fearful of what life with Obama as president would be like than I was about Clinton.  But, if we look back at that 1992 campaign, we see that it isn’t over until all the votes are in and things can change direction very quickly.  As republicans push toward the election, they can take solace remembering that no matter what the polls and the media are saying in July through October, what matters are the results in November.

A Frustrated Former News Junky

My first real job out of college was working for a large Christian ministry as an editor/writer.  In that job, I was expected to keep up with the political news of the day at least enough to write and/or assign and edit somewhat thoughtful pieces for the ministry’s political newsletters.  I used to read more than one news magazine a week.  I watched all the news shows.  I read the newspaper every day.  Hey, it was part of my job.

After marrying and having children, I still wanted to keep up.  But it became harder.  I got most of my news from Fox News and NPR (now, there’s balance for you!).  Reading news became practically unheard of in my world of changing diapers and keeping everyone fed and in clean clothes.

Now that the children are older, I am starting to realize my excuses are gone.  So now, as most 21st Century Americans do, I read my news on the web.  Of course, NPR is still programmed at #1 on my van’s radio.  Admittedly, I don’t watch Fox News much anymore.

But even with the web and radio news, I still don’t feel confident that I have any right to comment on the events of the day.  There was something about the news being a part of my daily work that made me feel like I was worthy to share my perspectives on politics and what bills were being passed, etc.  Now that I am in the middle of a life that is really affected by what happens in Washington and Jefferson City, I don’t feel qualified to register my thoughts anywhere “important.”

With the Democratic Convention drawing to a close, I am thinking this fall is a great time to get back into the groove of political pontificating.  So you may have to bear with me as I start to get my political feet wet again and share some of my thoughts about today’s goings on.

BREAKING NEWS — I wrote this post yesterday, but now with the announcement of John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, I know it is time to get excited about politics.  The addition of Palin has been called a “game changer.”  I don’t care what you call it and whether you like her or the republicans or not, it was really brilliant political strategy!  It’s about time we have something fun to watch in this campaign.

Some Photos from the Late Fall & Early Winter

The trick-or-treaters who live with us.

The four young Hornes posing with a statue of Punxsutawney Phil. We took this on our recent trip to see my mom and family. My mom grew up in Punxsutawney, and I was raised about 15 miles north closer to DuBois, PA.

High drama as the newly 10-year-old Nevin prepares to blow out the candles on his cake. This small cake was the last in a series of cakes for him. So please do not think he was deprived on his birthday!

Mark and me at his surprise 40th birthday party the weekend before Thanksgiving. Wonderful friends agreed to host the party at their beautiful home, and he was completely surprised. His actual birthday is this coming Monday, so if you think of it, stop by his blog to give him your well wishes.

Of Reunions and Reminicsing

Ok. I am now admitting that my 20 year college reunion is going to occur next weekend. I have not been back to visit since the homecoming the year after I graduated. (If you’re doing the math, that was 1988.) I haven’t kept in touch with many college friends. And, I only communicate very occasionally with the ones I have kept up with.

Nonetheless, when I think about my college years, I have fond memories. I was so happy to be in a Christian environment after going to public high school and wanting so much to be around believers on a more regular basis. My college was rigorous enough academically to keep pretty much anyone on their toes. I squeaked out with an acceptable average. I did pretty well in the coursework for my major, and I had what college admission people would describe as a “well-rounded” college experience.

I worked on the college newspaper, the college yearbook, served as an RA for 3 years, went on a short-term mission trip, worked on the coffee house ministry team. I had 2 really good public relations internships–one for the Pennsylvania State Historical Commission and the other for the Tri-County United Way. Overall, I was busy but happy.

My sophomore year, my father passed away very close to the end of the spring semester. I was so thankful for all the kindness and Christian love expressed to me at that time. It made a difficult situation much easier to bear.

When I read my college’s alumni magazine, I always come away feeling “a little less.” You know, like I haven’t accomplished very much. It is hard to believe that 20 years have passed, and I am not really doing any of the stuff I thought I would be by now.

I am still almost always worried about money. I am still struggling with my weight–even more so in the last 3 1/2 years than before. I am not a corporate PR or publishing exec.

But then I have to think about what is really important. I have been happily married for nearly 16 of the last 20 years. I have 4 beautiful children. God has always met our basic needs as a family + some.

When the college writes up stories about alumni, they generally don’t highlight mothers of small children for their accomplishments. They also don’t mention all the things that the alumni they are featuring don’t have. It is good for me to remember that stuff.

I won’t be attending the reunion next week. It is a little too distant, both geographically and emotionally. I think I would leave feeling a little empty, which can’t be good for me in any way I can conceive.

Despite that, I am thankful for my college experience. Even though my college is what many of my current friends would consider liberal, both theologically and politically, it was a great place for me to grow and test the waters of life.

 

Tonight I was looking through old photographs to find one to send to one of the reunion coordinators. It was fun to show them to Evangeline. The picture at the top is (obviously) on graduation day. How young and fresh we look! It’s really amazing to me that I have been out of college now nearly as long as I had been alive then.

It has been good to reminisce. It reminded me of God’s faithfulness to me these many years. I am indeed blessed!