Washington Women

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison once told me that she would be glad when the day came that being a woman in politics wasn’t even an issue.

It looks like we’re getting ever closer to that with John McCain’s selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his Vice Presidential candidate.   

I talked with Representative Kay Granger of Ft Worth this morning and she was very enthusiastic about Palin.  Granger said Palin “knows no fear…is sort of a superwoman who came back to work 3 days after her baby was born this spring…a real get it done kind of person”.  Granger also told me this was the best kept secret she’s seen in Washington.

It’s no secret that Granger may well run for Senator Hutchison’s seat if the Senator runs for Governor.  So it’s not just at the national level — Texas could soon have even more powerful women in it’s leadership.

Web Weddings

Have you ever seen the ads for computer dating services and wondered if they work? 

Today I asked the girl who was giving me a facial where she met her boyfriend and she said “eharmony”.  I was kind of surprised because I’ve always been skeptical about whether those dating sites work.  We got to talking about it and she told me she had 6 or 8 friends who met their mates on computer sites and a few of them are now married!

It’s sure easier then going to all those places where you’re “likely to meet someone” and apparently it works.  You just never know.

Classy Caroline

The Democrat and Republican Conventions are here, and it’s always interesting to see the candidates’ families and listen to their wives.  I remember Laura Bush saying at one time that the only thing she would never do is give a speech!  I’m usually amazed at the composure and presence of the spouses.

At the Democrat Convention Monday night Michelle Obama had her big moment in front of a national television audience.  No matter what you think of her politics, I thought she carried herself well.  I’m pretty sure Cindy McCain will also.

But the woman who stood out to me was on stage earlier.  I don’t think it’s just memories of “Camelot” that set Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg apart.  It seems as though she took in some of both her mother’s and father’s grace and style.   And perhaps her life experience, losing her father, mother, and brother at such a young age gives her a wisdom beyond her years.

It’s just interesting to see her and observe how she handles herself.  Again, regardless of her politics, some people might say “she’s the real deal”.

Something Fishy?

Are you sure the white tuna in your sushi is really tuna?  Or is it tilapia, often farm raised.

Students used a genetic fingerprint technique on 60 samples of fish from New York sushi restaurants and found 23 percent were not as advertised.

If you ordered red snapper for instance, you were frequently served another fish.  It might be worth a question next time you visit a sushi place.

You can read the story here.

Drinking Dilemma

As the Mom of a 14 (almost 15) year old, I’m getting increasingly nervous about the fact that he’ll soon be driving.  Most parents have imagined the horror of learning your child is involved in an accident caused by drinking alcohol.

Now the debate about whether to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18 is back on.  I don’t know the answer on this one; I can see both sides.  But here’s what worries me:  with the drinking age at 21, 19 and 20 year olds feel much more entitled to drink.  If we lower it to 18 again, it’ll be 16 ad 17 year olds who feel that way.

MySpace?

Who doesn’t know someone with a page on MySpace or Facebook these days?  Usually fun information about the person, hobbies, family and friends.

Well, you might want to be careful what you reveal on your page.  MSNBC is reporting that potential employers are looking up applicants’ pages and then contacting people listed on the page for references! 

So watch out who you list on your page.  Try to remember everything they might know about you!

Counting Calories

So we learned this week that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps eats 10,000 calories a day to maintain his physique.  Not that I’ll ever have that experience, but it got me to thinking about what I would eat if I had to consume 10,000 calories.

I think I’d start with a breakfast of buttermilk pancakes, eggs over easy, and bacon.  Then I’d probably throw in a chocolate chip cookie just because I could.

For lunch, I’d go to Sonny Bryan’s BarBQ and get a couple of sandwiches, fries, and a Coke to drink.  (I’m starting to feel full.)

Sometime in the afternoon I’d run by Kathleen’s Art Cafe and pick up a half dozen brownies.  (That would take up 2,000 calories alone!)

And for dinner, I’d go to Nonna Tata in Ft Worth for a huge plate of pasta, bread with olive oil,and her custard tart.

Then I’d go home and probably not be able to get up for a couple of days!