The Tide Continues to TURN!!!!!

Could it be? Might we see? Will it be a win for Hillary?

I hope so! My pride will grow! Madame Prez will run the show! :)

She can beat McCain and flush this (less than) half-ass admin down the DRAIN! With the rest of the poo! :)

I never said I was a poet, but the mood struck so there ya go! This was my intro to the following Off CNN's Political Ticker:

Poll of polls: Obama losing ground

Posted: 09:30 PM ET

Obama now leads Clinton by 1 point nationally.

(CNN) — The Democratic presidential race is tightening nationally, according to a new CNN average of several recent polls.

Obama's lead is now down to 1 point over Clinton nationwide, 45 percent to 44 percent, in CNN's "poll of polls." That margin is down 3 points from another CNN poll of polls conducted two days ago. In that analysis, Obama led Clinton 47 percent to 43 percent. The margin is also considerably lower than an April 18 poll of polls that showed Obama with an 11 point lead.

The poll of polls consists of three newly released national polls from Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, Gallup, and Newsweek. There is no margin of error on the poll of polls.

Both the Fox News poll and the Gallup poll were conducted partially after Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, made a fresh round of controversial comments earlier this week.

The Fox News poll also appears to show Obama no longer has an edge over Clinton among independent voters. In head-to-head match ups, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain wins independents by a 4 point margin over Clinton (42-38 percent) and by a 10 points over Obama (47 percent to 37 percent).

Super big happy delicious sweet feel-good news!!

TWO STORIES!!! Read below....

First:

Poll shows Clinton has better shot of beating McCain

Posted: 05:20 PM ET

Hillary Clinton would beat McCain by 9 points, a new poll shows.

(CNN) – A new poll out Monday appears to bolster Hillary Clinton's argument that she is in a better position than rival Barack Obama to beat John McCain in a general election match up.

According to a newly-released poll from The Associated Press and Ipsos, Clinton would beat McCain by a wide 9-point margin, 50 percent to 41 percent. But when Obama faces McCain, the two are statistically tied — Obama holds a two point edge over McCain, within the poll's margin of error.

The Clinton campaign has long argued the New York senator has a better shot at beating McCain because of her demonstrated appeal with working class white voters — a demographic that is key to winning several swing states.

SHE CAN BEAT HIM!!!!!!! VOTE HILLARY!!!!

AND SECOND:

Easley on Clinton: She makes Rocky look like a 'pansy'

Posted: 11:55 AM ET

Watch Easley's comments Tuesday.

(CNN) – North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley formally endorsed Hillary Clinton's White House bid Tuesday, saying the New York senator "gets it."

"It's time for somebody to be in the White House who understands the challenges we face in this country," Easley said at a rally in Raleigh with Clinton at his side. "They are significant. I never ever thought the United States of America could get in as much trouble as we have over the last 7 or 8 years."

Easley, a popular two term governor who is unable to run for re-election because of term limits, also praised Clinton for her persistence.

"I've been accused of being persistent, and down right aggravating…but this lady right here makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy," Easley said.

The endorsement gives the New York senator a symbolic boost in the state she is trailing Barack Obama by double digits. Easley is particularly popular with white, working class voters, a constituency that has favored Clinton in other primary states. He is the second superdelegate from North Carolina to back Clinton. Six North Carolina superdelegates have endorsed Obama.

Easley is a former backer of John Edwards' White House bid.

GO NORTH CAROLINA!!! DO THE RIGHT THING! ;) It feeeeels goooood!!!

GO Hillary!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!

A few words from Maya Angelou

From Maya Angelou:

"Dear Friend:

I am writing to tell you about my friend, Hillary Clinton, and why I am standing with her in her campaign for the presidency. I know the kind of president Hillary Clinton will be because I know the person she is.

I am inspired by her courage and her honesty. She is a reliable and trustworthy person. She is someone I not only admire but one for whom I have profound affection.

Hillary does not waver in standing up for those who need a champion. She has always been a passionate protector of families. As a child, she was taught that all God’s children are equal, and as a mother, she understood that her child wasn’t safe unless all children were safe. As I wrote about Hillary recently in a praise song: “She is the prayer of every woman, and every man who longs for fair play, healthy families, good schools and a balanced economy.”

It may be easy to view Hillary Clinton through the narrow lens of those who would write her off or grind her down. Hillary sees us as we are, black and brown and white and yellow and pink and relishes our differences knowing that fundamentally we are all more alike than we are unalike. She is able to look through complexion and see community.

She has endured great scrutiny, and still she dares greatly. Hillary Clinton will not give up on you, and all she asks is that you do not give up on her. She is a long-distance runner. I am honored to say I am with her for the long run.

I am supporting Hillary Clinton because I know that she will make the most positive difference in people’s lives and she will help our country become what it can be. Whether you are her supporter, leaning towards her, undecided, or supporting someone else, I believe Hillary Clinton will represent you – she will be a president for all Americans. It is no small thing that along the way we will make history together.

Vote for Hillary Clinton and show your support www.hillaryclinton.com. I know she will make us proud."

DOUBLE DIGITS!!!!

Clinton claims victory in Pennsylvania

WOOHOOOO!!!!!! Yeahhhhhh bayyyybe!!!!! Not by a huge margin, but big enough!

CONTRIBUTE and KEEP the MOMENTUM going! She can beat McCain people! The other guy...not so much! :( I do NOT want another four years of the same!

"Oh, What A Night!... "

"Late December back in '63...What a very special time for me...As I remember what a night!"

Actually, I wasn't even born then. My parent's hadn't met yet in 1969, as my father was still overseas fighting as a Marine in the Vietnam war. And still, that song is one I love, in spite of the circumstances in my life the first time I heard it ringing loudly through the air.

I was living in a small town (think no-airport-access w/in a couple-of-hours-small) in PA attending my first year away at college. This song would play with great regularity out the windows of the Frat house very close to the dorm building I lived in. I could see their large homemade banner hanging from the windows. It was made from a large sheet and had big red letters painted on it that read "BUSH '92".

I was a strong Bill Clinton supporter in my first legal election. I was eager to vote and did so via absentee ballot that year due to being away from home for the first time in my life. The campus was so republican it was weird. I had heard college was a more liberal place and every day my Clinton signs were being ripped off my dorm room door!

Yes, everyone, I was in hell. This had a lot to do with why I only stayed in PA one year!

I fondly remember that song for some odd reason, even though when I did hear it blasting from the sporty expensive convertibles driving around campus or from the windows of the Republican old-money dorm it gave me the willies back then.

Tonight, as I sit by an open window with a very atypical chilly breeze blowing in and the loud splattering of rain hitting the balcony, that song came to mind. I actually said to my husband, "Oh! What a night!" :)

On a not so great day, this night has cheered me up and left me revived and inspired. Thank goodness for small miracles! :)

Reflecting over morning tea...

The past couple of weeks have been insane (or at least felt that way at times)! I feel like I'm just now starting to recover from the events and set backs I've experienced. The biggest event was the Senatorial Conventions here in Texas. Those were interesting, hard, frustrating, but rewarding. I am glad I did it, but sad it was how it was. Apparently, the Democratic party is well known for their disorder and rough-around-the-edge running of things. Little did I know how true this was until I was neck deep in one of the biggest events run by Texas Democrats.

The day started early and ran late. I left at one thirty a.m. and the convention had still not ended! The good news is that I was selected as the delegate from my precinct to represent us at the Austin state-wide convention coming up. That is an exciting honor because it allows me to learn more about the process and hopefully make a difference for Hillary. Its a strange system because although it seems like the process was over back on election day, it is still 1/3 incomplete.

That day was the longest time I have ever been away from my daughter. It was a strange experience, but good in the end. She did fine and enjoyed spending time with my parents and her dad. It was a good "break" for me in that regard, but one stress was replaced with another one!

I could go on and on about the senatorial convention, but I will spare you. :) Your welcome!

My courses have been insane and I've fally behind due to the other stuff going on in life. This is fine and dandy really, except for one thing. I got a notification that I will be getting peer-reviewed this session. The peer reviewer, of course, was assigned my *worst* class to review. If that isn't the worst luck, then I don't know what is! I have three other courses they might have selected to review! But noooooooooooooooooooooo...they want to see the ONE course where I have been late more than I ever have in my entire college teaching career! They want to observe the train wreck that is this course. Darn the luck!

The good news is that as of today I'm pretty well caught up in there, but the damage is done! I cannot wait (sarcasm) to read *that* review! Egad.

Weight loss has slowed lately. Mostly because my gym trips aren't quite as frequent and my eating was not as regimented due to the running around and craziness of the past two weeks. So that is pretty much unchanged. I've teetered back and forth with the same pound for a couple of weeks. While that is disappointing when you want to see a loss, it is not entirely so since I am quite happy to see myself maintaining. The difference about this time around is that I wanted to acquire changes that would last a lifetime, not just until i finished "losing" weight. I think I have done that and that makes me very relieved.

It will be interesting, if we are blessed with another child in the future, to see how I can keep up my lifestyle changes over the course of a pregnancy and after that. I intend to stay in the gym and remain active. I plan on also maintaining healthy eating habits. It will be a very different experience from my last pregnancy but I look forward to it and hope that it means things will end in a better way than they did last time around. While my pregnancy ended in a happy and healthy child, the experience itself left quite a bit to be desired. I was miserable leading up to it and that feeling lingered and left resentment afterwards. It was a very difficult time that I hope I never have to relive!

And speaking of my little one, she's started school! I'm excited to begin this regimine with her--for me and for her. She gets to socialize and learn a new language (in a Spanish-immersion program) and I get three hours two mornings a week in which to grade and sip coffee and have uninterrupted mommy time. It has been a long time in the making and as Len likes to say, "It was worth the wait!"

Just last week, on her second visit to school, she got her first invite to a "friend's" birthday party. Strangely, its a gathering at a tea house in the middle of the week, but I'm excited about taking her. I believe the birthday girl is a year and a half older than mine, so I have no idea what a girl that age wants! I will have to call the mom to find out! :) It is a nice moms & daughters only event which seems like a cute idea and I'm sure Len will have a great time!

I thought her "firsts" were over, but it seems she has quite a few ahead of her that I had never thought ahead to! It is still a very exciting ride we are on and for that, I am thankful!

Back to my current cup of Green Tea before it completely goes cold on me!