Race for the Cure!

Every year, Ann Taylor encourages us to join in with Race for the Cure in our support for caring about the community and finding a cure for breast cancer. Last year, we didn't participate b/c it was right around the same time as our wedding. Two years ago, a group of us went from the store and had a great time. It was my first 5K ever! Well, this year was my second! Those of you who know me well, know that I hate running. I didn't even attempt to run until two years ago, outside of that torture they put you through for gym class in high school and junior high. This year, I decided to run at least 3.15 miles every morning (well, almost) in preparation for the big race. I was a bit concerned I would be running alone as all of my associates told me they would be walking. Several said they could try running, but may have to stop to walk. I was definitely going to run the whole way regardless. The morning of the race, I was happy to find an associate from the Gateway AT who said she would run with me! We ran it in less than 30 minutes! I was thrilled with that time, it was faster than what I had been running at the gym. I love races with a cause. It's always emotional to see people running for loved ones that they have lost to cancer. There were also some humorous shirts: "Big or Small, Save them All" and "Save the Ta Ta's." The group of us from the store did a bit of shopping afterward and then ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory! We had a great time.


My Team: Chelsie, Me, Jamy, Susan G & Susan W, and Holly holding the sign.

Nicola and I posing with the Mannequins (She is the store manager at Gateway).

The Gateway team: Rosanna, Nicola, and Antoinette.

I'm Back and Taking Control!

Sorry I have been MIA lately. Matt is right, I take much more interest in reading everyone else's blog than in creating my own. I see it has been over a month since I've posted, so I have a lot of catching up to do. We spent Mother's Day with my sister, Heather, and her family. Katie made me a card and I thought it was so cute, I took pictures to post. When I got to the house, Katie called for me to come upstairs and she said I had to close my eyes. She had been making these cards in her mom's bedroom and there were signs on the door that said "Do not disturb." Matt was kind of bummed he didn't get a card, but Katie promised him one for Father's Day.

Economic Stimulation!

First, some housekeeping. Robyn seems to have completely abandoned the blog, despite months of pining for one. So I've appropriately renamed the blog to reflect that fact.

Just moments ago the Steeners received their economic stimulation bribe from President Bush. Desperate to leave office on some sort of high note, W has resorted to bribing all 280 million of us with a paltry $600 per taxpayer and $1200 per family, with $300 per child. The Steeners, for our part, whole heartedly endorse his shameless, shallow pandering. I am curious what you'll do with your bribe and have included the four most likely scenarios in a poll and invite your participation.

Speaking of economic matters, specifically getting rich quick off the stupidity of others, I've received several very curious letters in the last couple of months from complete strangers. The first was from someone in Florida, the second was from Oklahoma, and the one I received yesterday, from Indiana. According to the letter, all I need to do is send $1 to the people on the list, and, long story short, if everyone on the list follows through, somehow I'll make $800,000 in just a few weeks! At first I was understandably dubious, but when I saw on the last page of the letter that this scheme was featured on Oprah, all doubt was dispelled.

Considering how the receipt of this letter is so close to the receipt of our economic stimulation bribe, it seems obvious that I am being prompted to follow through with the letter. If sending the 5 people on the list a dollar could net me $800,000, think how much I'd make if I send each one $200! 200 times 800,000 is about $160,000,000 if my math is correct. I'll keep you updated on the results!

Can Men Have Cankles?

Short answer: yes. We'll return to that in a moment.

Three posts in four days is a pretty prolific output for me. I felt the need to make a light hearted, non-Reverend-Wright-related-post to clear the air of any contentious feelings, especially among our readers who may frequent the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Some time ago (more than 3 months, in fact) I was playing basketball at the local LDS chapel when I planted my left foot awkwardly and completely rolled it underneath myself. What resulted in the next few minutes can only be described as a massive, hairy man-cankle. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this lingo, a cankle refers to the bridge between the lower leg and the foot that is usually characterized by its angular, lean girth. But a cankle is unusually thick, so that the calf appears to totally subsume the ankle, only to have its advance halted by the foot itself.

To wit:


See also:


I'm glad to say that after 3 long months my cankle is now 99% returned to its normal size, though I'm still not in basketball playing condition yet.

If you feel the need to comment, please restrict your remarks to the cankle itself and not the hairiness of my legs or toes.

Revisiting Reverend Wright

Two days ago I posted my thoughts on the Reverend Wright. I had no idea of the firestorm it would create! Sister was pitted against brother, friend against brother's sister, and brother-in-law's brother against friend! Some readers thought that far too much was being made of Reverend Wright. I'd like to address why it is a big deal and why people should care that Barack Obama associated with someone like Reverend Wright.

Obama is a new kid on the block in political years. He hasn't been around for a long time like a lot of the other guys which, yes, can be a great advantage. But whom a person, especially a candidate for President of the United States, associates with, is highly probative of several things. Think of who your friends are. Why do you call them friends? I can't speak for everyone, but I hang out with my friends because we have things in common. We believe the same things, we have a similar sense of humor, political beliefs, and see things in generally the same way.

Reverend Wright's comments shouldn't be imputed to Obama directly. But presumably, Wright has been preaching his garbage for the whole time Obama and his family attended their church. Whether Obama believes it or not, the fact that he stayed in the congregation so long is essentially a ratification of Wright's beliefs, and that's bothersome.

I'm curious, how much of Wright's "Blame America" Gospel rubbed off on Obama? Did the fact that Obama looked up to Wright lend any credence to Wright's views in Obama's mind? If Hillary Clinton can be raked across the coals for her "sniper" gaff, and McCain can be criticized for being 71 years old, then certainly Obama should be held accountable for the words of one of his closest associates.

The first sermon Obama ever heard from Reverend Wright, according to his memoir, "Dreams of My Father," was entitled White Man's Greed. The sermon apparently provided him something that made Obama want to return. Only now, when Obama has everything to lose has he "distanced himself" from Reverend Wright. Obama's relationship with Wright is just as revealing as Hillary's gaffs, her philandering albatross of a husband or McCain's unfamiliarity with the economy.

Most likely, the whole Reverend Wright ordeal won't affect Obama too much. Those who love him do so unconditionally. I suspect that for most of his supporters, his articulate manner, megawatt smile, and vague promises of change are just that comforting and convincing. One news outlet reported that the vast majority of voters in Indiana, for example, were unswayed by the Reverend Wright fiasco.

The Reverend Wright: Master Manipulator

It's been 3 whole weeks since the Steeners' last post. I've been busy with finals. Robyn is more interested in reading other people's blogs. The Steeners take a brief hiatus from their normal light hearted fare to stir the political pot a little.

I was watching the news yesterday and heard Reverend Wright's remarks at a recent D.C. Press Club gathering and NAACP meeting in Detroit. The damage his remarks inflict reach far beyond Barrack Obama's campaign. Wright is a national embarrassment and a fraud. First of all, Wright spews his anti-American views and divisive, racist gospel under the guise of it being religion. Then this week in Detroit, he deflected any responsibility for his actions, saying that all of the fallout over his comments were really an assault on the "Black Church." He also had the gall to try and justify his belief that America had 9/11 coming to it by accusing the U.S. of committing terrorism overseas and saying that we are reaping what we sow, referring to scripture in an attempt to legitimize his twisted opinions.

It's really sad what passes for religion these days. People have a right to seek whatever fulfillment they want, but I think it's unfortunate that a man can stand up at a pulpit and instead of teaching the Gospel that Jesus taught concerning loving our neighbor, forgiving, etc., Wright uses his position to promote his own political views and sow dissension, paranoia, and hate. I can only imagine how fulfilling it is to go to church on Sunday and leave feeling your country is the worst aggressor in the world and people who aren't of your race can't be trusted. But that's what Wright does. Among the uplifting "sermons" Wright has preached are those accusing the U.S. of manufacturing AIDS to kill off African Americans, and our repeated acts of "terrorism" in the Middle East.

Through it all, Wright has insulated himself from any reproach. He hasn't taken a word back. And anyone who criticizes him is really attacking the Black Church, and by implication is a racist.

I'm not a racist, far from it. And I for one think Wright is a fraud and a snake oil salesman. He's a wolf in sheep's clothing, and despite what his apologists have said before, you don't have to be a member of the Black Church to have a special insight to what he's saying. Being an African American doesn't excuse his unsubstantiated and reckless claim that AIDS is a device for killing people. I fully understand, though am obviously unable to empathize with the plight of African Americans throughout our country's history. But whatever Wright's motives in spreading his message, it certainly isn't therapeutic.

He clearly has no desire to help or soothe racial tensions. He wants to exacerbate them, all under the authority of a fraudulent mandate from God.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Heston

This morning the Steeners were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of their (meaning Matt's) favorite actors, John Charles Carter, known to millions of adoring fans and stiff necked Israelites as Charlton Heston. So today, with heavy hearts, the Steeners bid farewell to one of America's most enduring film icons and staunch 2nd Amendment defenders. Let's take a look at some of his most memorable film moments.


The Ten Commandments (1956)



One of my favorite movies. The real Moses has a lot to live up to.


Planet of the Apes (1968)

This may have been Charlton Heston's first of many futuristic doomsday pics. In this masterpiece, Heston played an astronaut who, along with his companions, traveled in a "rocket ship" into space and were supposed to return to earth 1,000 or so years later only to find that they had apparently gone off course and landed on a strange planet ruled by talking apes! Drama and unintended hilarity ensue as Heston struggles against super intelligent Apes who herd, hunt, and generally treat humans (who are on the last rung of the evolutionary ladder) like animals!

In this famous "Apes" moment, the Apes are stunned to learn that their captive human can talk!


This is my second favorite sound byte from a Heston film:



The most controversial scene from "Apes" was the one at the end featuring a steamy kiss shared between Heston's character and a "darned dirty ape." Though controversial for its time, this brief, touching scene greatly accelerated the field of inter-primate research and also bred many more tender ape-human relationships.



Jane Goodall and an anonymous darned dirty ape




Soylent Green (1973)

This movie is great for two reasons, Charlton's ascot, and the very end. Arguably the most famous in Heston's "the future is going to be horrible" series, Heston plays a scientist who finds out the nasty, unpalatable truth about Soylent Green, the food of choice of billions of miserable earth dwellers in the 22nd century.

The ascot is the thing around Charlton's neck


One of the most famous lines in movie history! And my favorite Heston sound byte. Heston's character finds out the awful truth about Soylent Green! Sure it's disgusting, but what other choice is there in an overpopulated, famished world?