Thanks to President Bush, I was pushed off the "liberal-conservative" fence in 2004.  I'm now very much a liberal atheist democrat on just about all issues.  I do have my conservative moments, but they are few and far between.  I participate on Yahoo! Answers so pop on over and check out my questions and answers there.

I'm also blogging on a regular basis, too.  Please pop on by and check out my blog on Yahoo 360 if you get a chance.

RLRose63's 360 Site

Let's see... what else am I passionate about?  I'm also passionate about my family, especially my son, Brendan. As of 5/28/07, he's 7 years old!!! 

• He's almost done with FIRST GRADE!

• He's in TAG (talented and gifted) class at his school which means he's in a pull-out class for one hour a week with about 6 other kids in his school and they meet with a special teacher for some advanced work.  He's doing 5th grade math and 4th grade reading.

• He's all about the 'funny' and will do just about anything to make his classmates laugh.

• He is fully self-sufficient in the kitchen, getting his own breakfast, making most of his lunch, getting his own drinks and setting the table for the family.

• He love sports, recently taking ice skating lessons and he continues with TaeKwonDo.  He recently earned his red belt in TKD and was invited to join the Demo Team which will demonstrate TKD moves and board breaking at public events over the summer and the local schools in the fall.  In an essay at school last month, he said he wanted to be a Martial Arts expert when he grows up and own a TKD studio.

• He has a full list of chores that he's responsible for including feeding the cats, helping with laundry, emptying out the dishwasher, and much more.

• His favorite things include:  TaeKwonDo, board games, chess, ice skating, playing Pokemon cards or on the DS, and playing with friends in the neighborhood.

And my husband is the best man on earth!  He loves to cook and bake (he is completely in charge of the kitchen on Thanksgiving!), he can program anything in two seconds, and he loves me so much!  

He's a proud papa to his son, spending many hours chasing him around the house playing "monster", letting Bren walk on his back, and beaming with pride at every milestone.  He's my anchor and my rock, and he knows me better than I know myself. 

When we found out we were pregnant, he bought us a house and a new minivan (our vehicles at the time were not car-seat compatible) within 4 months by working a few extra independent programming projects in the evenings.  It made it hard to see him when he wasn't working, but now I've got a beautiful house and a vehicle I can take Brendan around town in easily!

My Mom is my best friend.  My mother had knee-replacement surgery in Summer 2006, a year after Dad passed away.  He had always wanted her to have the surgery but she constantly put it off.  She is now walking pain-free in her right knee.  She is taking a few years off before she has her other knee done.  She is still the Music Director for Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Turlock, CA.  She always talks about retiring but never has yet.  She loves her job, even if little things pop up occasionally to drive her crazy.  She'd be lost without her music.  She is also a big scrapbooker.  I think she has more stuff than I do!  We will see her in the fall at Thanksgiving when she will come up here on her own by train.  I'm very proud of her!  I miss my dad on a daily basis.

I'm also passionate about politics, especially preserving our personal rights and freedoms and keeping religious out of our government offices and schools.  I believe completely in the preservation of the separation of church and state, which is being abused all over our country.  I'm bothered by the conservative movement and I'm very upset that the Christian right believes they are being discriminated against when they are the ones doing the discriminating.