FINISHING THE JOB

One of the worst things about being a stay at home mom, even if you are now a grandma is that there is an overwhelming amount of your work around you. In my case, since I hate housework, there are a lot of jobs I start, and then just lack the energy or the will to finish. Sometimes it is the lack of brute strength since I have a lifting limit of 15 lbs. Other times it is lack of a real plan as to how to complete it. But, here is my point I hate looking at my unfinished work. I need to get organized and get the jobs finished.

This is going to amount to making a plan, getting some help from my kids and hubby, and it will involve some decision making on my part. And, some of it will require funds. I will need some storage containers, cleaning supplies, and paint, the usual. It is not free to be free from clutter or painful reminders of one’s lack of Susie Homemaker-ness. But, I say bite the bullet finish the job. Get them brooms sweeping and those trash bags snapping. Dust, mop, pick up stuff, and for God’s sake, vacuum. That is what I call finishing a job.

My husband has some things to do around the house too. He has some jobs to finish. We have an outdoor lamppost and lamp that need to be installed. Finishing that job, amounts to digging a hole to set the post and installing the wiring. He has the tools and the know-how. Next, he needs to put the matching lights by the door, the ones we bought to match the lamp on the post. Finishing that job will be a little more complicated because the last residents of this home put the existing lamps in on a slant, they don’t line up. We may need to cover some holes in the front of the house with wooden plaques and hang new lights on those.

While taking a break from my housework hand wringing, I came across the following statement in the news:

On Wednesday, Max Boot Wrote: “Our Best Response Is Exactly What Bush Has Done So Far-- Reject Premature Calls For A Cease-Fire And Let Israel Finish The Job.” (Max Boot, “It’s Time To Let The Israelis Take Off The Gloves,” Los Angeles Times, 7/19/06)

“Finish the job?” Really? Perhaps those who speak to the media about the war ought to be clearer in their statements to the press. Please, finish the job? You mean this job? (Don't hit that link if you have a queasy stomach when it comes to decapitated children and stuff like that or if you're so locked in to an Israel-forever-right-or-wrong mentality that your head will explode if someone hints Israel may be over-reacting a teensy bit in Lebanon.)

What kind of job is that? I understand work, and I understand jobs. Somehow this just does not compute. I got to thinking how the language we use in reporting on world events is misleading, meant to put us to sleep or at least at ease. Think about it. "Let Israel finish the job." Oh yes, certainly, by all means. I have a few jobs of my own to finish. I understand completely, cannot have jobs piling up now can we?

"Heck of a job, Brownie!

The images above haunt me. I cannot go through my day without seeing them. I cannot listen to the reports of the violence without understanding the meaning of what I see in those pictures.

Last night my granddaughters were here. One is only a few months old. I hold her close to me, the images haunt me. Finish the job? Maybe that is not the job to finish. Maybe that is one of those jobs better left undone. Don’t finish that one. Maybe… please.

I gather George Bush has decided to help Israel finish this job. Looks like we (whether we like it or not) are in on it. We are going to roll up our sleeves and help them finish the job. Dear God.

All this job finishing is keeping the "being president is hard work" Decider-in-Chief feeling a bit harried. Don’t worry. Bush will finish the job right after a much needed break, relief if you will. Taylor and team will be there to wipe his overwrought brow.

We must stop talking in code for killing innocent children and bombing a country into submission. We must grasp that we are entering an age which just might require us to get honest about war. Have we come so far down the road to obscurity that we call this killing, finishing a job? It makes us all sound like the Godfather. Go back and look at those photos if you can. Finish the job? THAT job? NO!!!!!! I want to do what George does, I want to take a break. A really long break.

I say, take a break, Israel. I say take a break, Hizbullah. I say, hey world, take a break. Call, Cher, call the Stones, Call Neil Young. Take a break. All off now; at ease! Calling all entertainers! Calling all clowns (no not you George and Tony... sheesh)! Hey, calling all comedians. Hey EVERYBODY!

Max Boot is wrong. I know that no matter what else I know or do not know about the Middle East. No amount of political or historical background will change my mind. Go back and look at the pictures. Is there any need for debate?

We must demand a new language in the commentary of wars. We must demand of our news outlets and those commentating, real speech, descriptive speech. If we as a people could mount such a campaign to speak plainly, I believe we could revolutionize the peace process overnight. When we stop using numbers and we stop using metaphors and bogus phrases in our discussion of war, we will be confronted with the reality. Being confronted with reality is way different than hiding the gruesome facts behind everyday phrases. Go back. Look at those pictures again. Now, describe those to someone as a job to finish. Reality people! Come on, we can do it!

-Mags