Just wanted to post that before I go out and celebrate. This is the first night I have gone out in several years. Last year I was recovering from major surgery and opted to stay home...the year before, I am pretty sure I spent it in Idaho Falls at my apartment being a recluse. The years prior to that were spent being my reclusive self--tonight, I make up for all my boring New Years Eve's and have some fun! If you read this and haven't gone out, be safe, don't drink and drive, and I hope your 2007 is spectacular.

is dead.

What will be his legacy? Is it, as the media says, one of healing the nation after Watergate? Not being a big history buff, and certainly not being one who paid as much attention to Ford as I could have, I would have to say that certainly seems to be his legacy, at least according to the "liberal media".

However, I don't know if I agree with the assessment that he healed the nation, or at least helped heal the nation. A few things stick out in my mind when I think of this healing that apparently took place. One is a comment I read on a liberal blog, wherein the person commented that you can't heal something that hasn't been cleansed. The cleansing that never took place was Nixon accounting for his decisions, at least accounting for them by serving time.When I was in Young Women's, I remember reciting the Young Women's values. One of which was choice and accountability. I don't think the Church, or Christ, intends for our accountability to be the most minimum we can get away with. I think accountability means accounting for it in the fullest possible way. This didn't occur because Ford pardoned Nixon.

Which brings me to the next thing that crosses my mind when I think of Ford's legacy...I was at my dad's house last night for dinner. Keep in mind my dad is a Republican. Solid Republican. He said Nixon belonged in prison and should've gone to prison. It was said in one article I read that Ford pardoning Nixon cost Ford the election.

Now before everyone gets to thinking that I despise Ford and Nixon, let me state that I wasn't alive during this difficult period in America's history. Let me also state that I do not possess any psychic abilities. I cannot say that had Ford not pardoned Nixon and Nixon went to prison if this country would have been better off. Perhaps pardoning Nixon was the best thing for this country. I don't know. Is any of this making any sense?!?

Let me end by saying that what President Ford did as President, aside from pardoning Nixon, was what this country needed. What was it exactly? It was not being Nixon! Though Nixon did some good things as President, which is a whole other topic for another post.

Had an experience last night and this morning with a psychotic police officer in Renton, Washington. I anticipate a long legal battle with this psycho. Wish me luck.

Today I was doing some last minute shopping at Barnes & Noble and overheard a sales associate tell a customer that they were sold out of Barack Obama's newest book, The Audacity of Hope, and the book, Screwed by Thom Hartmann. Now I was shopping in my hometown that could very well be in one of the most liberal counties in America (my county includes the city of Seattle), but I was still pleasantly surprised to hear about two books, both of which appeal to Democrats and are written by Democrats, that were sold out!

That's all I have for now.

I apologize for not blogging, though I haven't really shared this blog with very many people. I have been busy with work and flew to Seattle this morning/afternoon.

On my vacation in Seattle, I will be writing two papers. One on presidential scandals and another paper will be about the book, Fiasco, by Thomas E. Ricks. I highly recommend that people read Fiasco. It's not light reading, by any means, but it gives some very in-depth information about the build-up to the war in Iraq and the actual war in Iraq. Basically I am going to be analyzing the decision making process involved and analyze the book using some public administration principles. I plan on sharing some of both of my papers when I complete them!

For fear of revealing far too much personal information, I just want to say that something that happened today made my entire year, and I will end there!

Well, I think I have ticked off most of the readers at the BYU-Idaho Dems blog because I keep whining about Tom Luna winning the election. SORRY! Now that I have apologized, let the whining recommence!

My perspective on the race for Superintendent has been different than most. Since my major is public administration, I have a slight obsession with public administration. I have never just looked at the position as that of policymaker and one that works with the legislature on funding. Yes, those are imperative aspects of the position, but what the Superintendent is day in and day out, and first and foremost in my mind, is that of administrator.

When I picture the Superintendent, I picture them managing almost 150 employees. Hiring, firing, and all of the other personnel issues that accompany a management position, not just anyone can step into that role and lead an entire state department. I picture them being someone with a background, knowledge, and expertise that would give them an immediate and automatic respect from their subordinates. I picture them being a person the employees, or any teacher, principal, and superintendent in Idaho can go to with concerns and feeling confident knowing they can receive the help they seek in their leader.

Hopefully this explained how I view the position and in a roundabout way why I supported who I did and why I didn't support who I didn't support. While being vague, I just wanted to clarify my views without being too redundent and long-winded.

I was born in Seattle and raised in the Seattle area. Being the good Mormon that I was, I moved to Rexburg, Idaho to attend Ricks College. I loved Ricks College so much I stayed there while it started transitioning to BYU-Idaho (Ricks was a two year college and when it started transitioning it started offering 4 year degrees). During my three years at Ricks/BYUI, I earned two Associate of Arts and Sciences degree's-one in Sociology and one in Social Work. I then decided to transfer to Idaho State University just a little over an hour south of Rexburg.

There is no logical reason as to why I transferred to ISU, though having my best friend so close by in Rexburg was a big motivator. I had been accepted to Eastern Washington, Washington State, and Boise State, but I felt compelled to go to ISU. When faced with the big decisions in life, I followed my gut, listened to my heart (insert own cheesy saying) and did everything in such a non-rational way, sometimes I am amazed I have accomplished anything!

I write as though I no longer make big decisions this way, but I do, and I can't see that ever changing. I have no regrets and there is no place I would rather be than in Pocatello, Idaho at this very moment.

As much as I love Seattle, Idaho is where I have met my best friends, it is where I started to believe in myself, it is where I started to heal from a "tragic past," and it is as much home as Seattle is and has been.