Sometimes inspiration is non-existent

Published 12:27 pm Friday, September 5, 2008

By Staff
I really appreciate all the people who stop me on the street or in the grocery store and say they read my column.
I especially like the ones who add they like reading it.
Knowing I actually have fans who look forward to a few moments of hearing the latest about my kids or what is going on in town, is also a bit of pressure.
Since I know I am being read, I feel I have an obligation to not disappoint. Coming up with an interesting column week after week, year after year, is certainly a challenge.
Last night my mind seemed to be blank after having a three-day holiday, where I didn't think about work at all for the entire time.
I slept in every morning, made potato salad, visited with friends and spent some quality time with my dog Lucy, even purchasing her a new dog bed.
I knew early on Wednesday morning my time would be up, as the deadline to print the Niles Star, Vigilant and Argus was looming.
I took a reporter's notebook and pen to bed Tuesday evening. First I did my usual routine and worked a few Sudoko puzzles. If continuing to use your mind keeps you from losing it – I am there.
Still with no muse, I gave it up and turned off the light.
This morning I woke to find I slept lying on my pen.
No princess and the pea here.
Still, no ideas have come.
I did talk to Jennifer Ray at Cass District Library in Cassopolis before I went home last night about whether to write about politics.
She and I had the same view on the extensive coverage of John McCain's running mate.
All day when I wanted to learn more about the hurricane, I kept seeing that Sarah Palin's daughter was pregnant running across the screen.
Why CNN felt that was the most pressing news of the day I don't know.
Every parent of a girl – I don't care how well you have raised your children – worries this will happen, unless you are like one parent I once knew who put a birth control pill in her daughter's orange juice every morning without her knowing.
Jennifer's take was that family of the girl was dealing with it in a positive way and shouldn't be criticized. This is a private family matter.
Unfortunately in this world when you are involved in politics your life had to have been squeaky clean from the time you wore your first diaper.
I would hope that instead of just searching for dirt to throw on this woman, the national reporters would be asking her views on more important matters.
As far as can a mother of five do justice to the job of vice president – if you want something to get done, ask a busy person.
When I finally went back to work, after my four were born, it was when they were in school full time. Still I believe I brought more to the table – to their lives.
If the actual food wasn't as homecooked or grown as before, I don't think they suffered.
They gained from my fulfillment and expansion I got when I went out into the world, met more people and interacted with other adults.
What I am not going to do is vote the McCain/Palin ticket, because a woman – a mother – is onboard.
If this is why McCain picked her as a running mate, I think this will backfire. I predict he will lose more than he gains.
I am not a one-party person, nor have I ever been. I vote the person, not the ticket.
Many years the leaning has been to the Republican side, but this year I am getting on the Obama wagon.
Whether we ride into a better economy with better health care for all, less war and lower prices on groceries and gas still remains to be seen.
She can be e-mailed at marcia.steffens@leaderpub.com.