You can, like a carrot, go into the water hard and rigid, only to have the water (those difficult circumstances) make you soft and squishy. (Personally, I don’t relate to the before or the after.)

Or you can, like the egg with its hard, exterior shell, come out of the the water (those difficult circumstances) hard on the inside as well as the outside. (I might, just a little bit, relate to the hard exterior shell.)

Or you can be the coffee. Instead of letting the boiling water (or difficult circumstances) change you, you can be the coffee, changing the water instead. I don’t know about you.

But I am the coffee.

Check out the trailer–would you take your kids to see this film? It’s rated PG-13, however, I would say it should actually be rated PG in the very least. It certainly isn’t “Finding Nemo,” which is what a 3-year old should be watching. I don’t know why I get so irrationally worked up over this, but I do. some parents are f’ing stupid!

This post was generously brought to you by Suunto watches.

Like most of America today, I have the inauguration events playing in the background. Being lucky enough to work from home, I don’t have to stream it from the internet. 🙂 While listening, I was thinking of President-elect Obama ((At this time, he’s not quite president yet.)) and trying to formulate what it is about him that has energized our country in this difficult time. Here are 10 reasons I, personally, love Barack Obama:

1. Whether it be limo or armored car, he still opens the door for his wife himself.
2. He still holds his wife’s hand, and actually looks like he enjoys it.
3. He is articulate beyond words. ((Some of you will get that, some of you wont. 🙂 ))
4. He gives (most) Americans hope.
5. There hasn’t been a First Family as attractive as this since the Kennedys.
6. His ideas for change actually make sense. The Issues
7. He shows respect, compassion, and understanding for people from all walks of life.
8. He has the potential to be one of the most influential presidents in American history—and I can say I was a part of it. ((Everyone who voted for him is a part of it.))
9. For the first time in a long time, I can say “I’m very proud to be an American.“
10. He is bringing intelligence and dignity back to the White House.

Another view I hold strongly was best represented by Craig Ferguson in his Sept. 10 monologue on “The Late, Late Show.”

If you don’t vote, you’re a moron!

Here’s the monologue. It’s a little long, but well worth it.

As a newly-naturalized citizen of the United States, he does a great job of expressing his outrage and confusion regarding the voting process (or lack thereof) in America. I’ve never been a huge fan of his, until this show.

After his monologue, he kept on going. 🙂 Here’s part 2. Again, well worth the watch.

I’m interested to hear what the rest of you think…