Comments on Girl's Gone Child: Momversation, Episode One & Win a Guitar!!!

My family has never agreed with my political views...

2008-11-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

My family has never agreed with my political views. When I was 18, I registered as an Independent and that just set them off. I listen to them spout off what they need to spout off and then I smile and show them what I know. They gave up long ago trying to get this stubborn girl to change her mind politically.

Love the video.

If politics comes up in ou...

2008-11-05T20:54:00.000-08:00

Love the video.

If politics comes up in our family conversation, we usually wind up changing the subject. My dad holds his views pretty close to his chest - probably because they are wildly different from my outspoken stepmother's thoughts.

Uh, that guitar is so cool.

The way I deal ...

2008-11-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

Uh, that guitar is so cool.

The way I deal with political differences is to bring them up as often as possible. We agree on most world issues, but when I came out 17 years ago, my parents turned radical right. So every time I spoke to them I said things like, "As a lesbian, I think I'll have the egg salad." Or "Lesbians are so like that, we all look alike."

This strategy broke them down. After 17 years, my mom is a gay-rights advocate.

Andrea

Oh how interesting and fun! If you guys ever need...

2008-11-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

Oh how interesting and fun! If you guys ever need another voice :) or a fill in, I'm so available!

In my family, we are split very much down the middle between liberal and seriously conservative. Our way of handling this is to avoid the subject completely. It has occasionally made it's way into the conversation anyhow and has ended in everyone leaving the room...LOUDLY.

Thank God my husband and I are of the same mind when it comes to politics...we both voted for Obama, both are liberal, both are open to being better informed, which I love about him...that he agrees with me :)

I'm not entirely sure how I deal -- I think I'm un...

2008-11-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not entirely sure how I deal -- I think I'm under the influence of some sort of GOP-Jedi mind trick. I've been happily married to a Rebublican for four years. It feels dirty and wrong to say it out loud, but he's kind of *cool* for a Republican. (!!!!)

We disagree on a lot, but it somehow works because we respect each other, read as much as we can, try to debate without letting it get out of hand, and know how to compromise. And if the arguing ever does get out of hand, post-debate makeup sex is pretty cool, too. :)

My in-laws are a completely different story. There is no mutual respect, they only read subjective Republican propaganda, and they cannot talk about issues without the situation escalating. They don't compromise...and alas, there is no makeup sex. Cause that's just gross. I often end up tongue-tied, tense and furious. I'd have already seriously considered physical assault if a few of them if they weren't packin'!

my dad is uber-conservative, my mom is on the fenc...

2008-11-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

my dad is uber-conservative, my mom is on the fence, and the rest of my family would adopt john mccain if they could. i am pretty much the odd woman out in my family being a very liberal democrat.

when i was younger i used to fight them and argue until my grandfather (bless his soul) would slam the dinner table against the wall and pick up his plate and eat alone in his bedroom. it was his only thing he could do that wouldn't require bodily harm on me. he has a short fuse and grew up in different time. if he was still alive today i cannot even IMAGINE what he would say about barack obama.

nowadays i just play it cool, shrug it off, and joke around. my dad and i debate a lot but it's usually in good fun. i know that i cannot sway him and he knows that he cannot sway me, so we don't get too heated. we are both confident in our different beliefs and deep down we both just want whats best for America.

I play it cool, play it neutral, and enjoy the hec...

2008-11-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

I play it cool, play it neutral, and enjoy the heck out of watching them SQUIRM. I state my opinions in the most matter-of-fact way. They retort with something that makes no sense, and I smile and raise my eyebrows. I never bother to explain myself because they don't WANT to understand. They see that their opinions don't affect me (and that I am clearly laughing at them), and they lose all ability to even make a coherent sentence while I stare at them like they have 3 heads. I know I am the black sheep. It's not a role I chose, but it is one I can get into and enjoy, and I may as well enjoy it because it's not going to change no matter what I do.
Rachele
ladyofnomads@hotmail.com

He did it!!!! WAHOOO!!! (just had to get that in t...

2008-11-04T21:58:00.000-08:00

He did it!!!! WAHOOO!!! (just had to get that in there...)

I have one brother (of 4 of us) that thinks Rush Limbaugh is his BFF. Otherwise the rest of us can talk about it. After MANY altercations, we just don't bring it up with THAT brother. Otherwise scenes like what Heather described will happen.

if that little spot doesn't get you a MAC endorsem...

2008-11-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

if that little spot doesn't get you a MAC endorsement by the end of the week, they need to have their marketing heads checked.

now seriously, gimme that guitar.
(AND WELCOME PRESIDENT OBAMA!!)

Misterpie and I totally disagree about politics, s...

2008-11-04T20:08:00.000-08:00

Misterpie and I totally disagree about politics, so we largely avoid getting too deep into it, but we talk a bit about who we are voting for and why we are making that choice individually. We just try very hard to keep it respectful and not go at it and take it personally.

I love the vlog! Amazing!

My family is nut...

2008-11-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

I love the vlog! Amazing!

My family is nuts when it comes to politics. I blog about them until they get pissed off and go away. :)

Amy @ http://prettybabies.blogspot.com

oh and you and heather could be sisters with your ...

2008-11-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

oh and you and heather could be sisters with your little pointy noses!!

yeah, politics...my husband doesn't even vote yet ...

2008-11-04T14:42:00.000-08:00

yeah, politics...my husband doesn't even vote yet he comes home with all these great tidbits of misinformation that his friends have given him. i tell him he should watch a debate. half of a debate. one question and response even, before he makes a judgement. someone told him McCain is going to lower taxes and Obama is going to raise them so if he was voting he'd vote for McCain. really? how much do we make again? if we are making over 250,000 please let me know!!! so how do i handle his ignorant rantings????

i stay calm, let him speak and then counter with a question that only a well informed citizen can answer. when he can't answer it i just nod and say "riiiight..." He hates it but it makes me feel good.

Loved the video! Can't wait for more.

In m...

2008-11-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

Loved the video! Can't wait for more.

In my family, my husband + I share the same political brain. Which is good, because I am frequently unable to come up with more than a few actual facts to back up my arguments, as I can get emotional around my family. They're all somewhat conservative + much more religious than I am... I'm definitely the black sheep, which can make it feel isolating to discuss politics.

I have no problem bringing up the election with my mom, and have actually helped educate her on many points (with my husband's help - heh). But my dad is a(n Episcopal) priest + no longer reads my blog due to my "far-left leaning politics and bashing of the Christian Faith" - huh? So forget about politics - I can hardly talk to him about the weather! My husband's family, on the other hand, while straight-up Republicans, can actually JOKE about politics, which is so flippin' amazing! I love them.

My family agrees on politics, but not with my grea...

2008-11-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

My family agrees on politics, but not with my great aunts. We just keep filling up their glasses with white zinfindel and hope that they stop talking about Palin/McCain and keep drinking. When they try to question our beliefs, we simply change the subject.

It's not worth arguing with them about it. And I. Am. Tired.

Obama '08!

And Jen? That would drive me CRAZY. Annoying indee...

2008-11-04T11:24:00.001-08:00

And Jen? That would drive me CRAZY. Annoying indeed.

Ha! Thanks! I use pretty much only MAC cosmetics. ...

2008-11-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

Ha! Thanks! I use pretty much only MAC cosmetics. Been a loyal MAC wearer since the cold war. Eyeshadows are: Honeylust (gold-ish) and Showstopper (dark matte brown) in the creases and as liner. Gold shadows with browns are pretty much all I wear on my eyes... contrast, contrast, contrast with shadows. Especially when you have lighter eyes. And of course, MAC's the best because of the 6 container recycling = one free program. And they don't test on animals.

Yeah, we gots issues in our house. My anti-religi...

2008-11-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

Yeah, we gots issues in our house. My anti-religion conservative husband in one corner, and my God-lovin' lefty self in the other. Sigh. DH is making some allowances for my beliefs, whereas I can't seem to make any for his. So I have no ideas on how to deal with THAT...

I can't really comment on American politics but I will say this - I'm glad that this year there has been such awareness, but I'm also kind of saddened by the Hollywood-ization of it all.

Case in point: 10% of my FB friends are wearing Obama t-shirts and declaring their Obama-love on their statuses, but I know for a fact that at least half of them didn't vote in our Canadian election less than a month ago!! Grrrrrrrr.

yes the eyemakeup rocks! what's the shade/brand??...

2008-11-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

yes the eyemakeup rocks! what's the shade/brand???

eff politics.
give me that guitar.

your ...

2008-11-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

eff politics.
give me that guitar.

your makeup looks good.
and i love you.

I am a democrat, my parents are democrats, my brot...

2008-11-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

I am a democrat, my parents are democrats, my brother and brother-in-law are republicans and my sister considers herself independent. When my republican relatives start getting heated, I usually just say that they have no chance of changing my mind and acknowledge that I am not going to change theirs. It may be cowardly, but ever since the "Incident of 2004" that involved my brother-in-law and I engaged in a screaming match as my sister looked on in horror, I've decided it just needs to be off limits. But I do make comments every once in a while about the mess that "their president" has created.=

Momversation...awesome!

When I disagree wit...

2008-11-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Momversation...awesome!

When I disagree with family members or loved ones about politics, I try to very gently stick up for myself while using kindness and humor. I think this effectively gets the message across that you have your own opinions but don't hate the other person because they don't share them. But, honestly, arguments are sometimes unavoidable...you should be able to be yourself around your family. So they can just deal.

heh.

I always just try to make a joke when members of m...

2008-11-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

I always just try to make a joke when members of my family disagree with my politics. Humor keeps the arguments away.

I wonder, when families start talking, if there is...

2008-11-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

I wonder, when families start talking, if there is a difference between conversations that genuinely seek to share information and conversations where one side really tries to change the mind of the other. I've had respectful conversations with friends this election season who do not share my own opinions. In the back of my head, I chanted, "They don't HAVE to agree with me!" and things remained civil.

When either side disregards the opinions of the other, explosions are bound to happen. While I am voting for Obama today, I know that there are many legitimate reasons why someone else might choose to pull the lever for McCain.

I have no beef whatsoever with anyone holding well-reasoned, genuine opinions.

I look forward to more installments of Momversations. Very cool.

I just ignore the big elephant in the room (litera...

2008-11-04T06:13:00.000-08:00

I just ignore the big elephant in the room (literally). I try to keep my head down and let things roll off my back. But we're definitely a shout/door slam/never-coming-home-for-Xmas-again type family. There's definitely some email arguing going on ...