Don't Cry for Me Argentina

At 8:03pm I tuned into President Bush's farewell address to the nation so I was already a little late. Thankfully, the station that the TV was already on was broadcasting the address allowing me the true benefits of my trusty TIVO; I could rewind to the beginning. Unfortunately, there were so many interruptions, children, telephone, chaos and the like that I must have rewound 20 times for it was well after 9pm that I finally heard the last word.

I must admit that at least half of those rewinds were me realizing I had just tuned out yet again and I had to focus my attention. I pretty much have had this trouble for every one of Bush's speeches - staying fully engaged - maybe because there is no sense of emotion or gravitas; nothing to reach out and draw you in. These speeches are read with a blank expression and bad phrasing; speeches that quickly decend into the iconic Charlie Brown teacher drone.

This speech, in particular, lost me almost immediately as it became evident that he would focus, yet again, on 9/11 and the Iraq war and how he had kept his promise to keep America safe. The premise was, we may not have agreed with all of his actions but look how well things turned out; there will be a lasting legacy of democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan, a goodwill of freedom throughout the world and let's not forget the absence of another terrorist attack on American soil. We are supposed to accept what he says, expect little and cut him some slack because he has no choice but to find and trot out whatever successes he deems to have merit. He did his job and we should be grateful.

There was a brief mention of these being difficult economic times and that his stopgap measures - I assume that he is referring to the Congressionally approved TARP funds in conjunction with Federal Reserve Funds and Treasury Funds - have been successful in minimizing the impact of the economic collapse. I must interject that today Citigroup's financial services model will be torn asunder to survive, even after receiving $42,000,000,000 in federal funding and some $300,000,000,000 in asset guarantees; AIG just continues to quietly ask for more funds through its now direct pipeline to the Treasury despite the $150,000,000,000 in federal funding already received; and Bank of America needs another $20,000,000,000 in federal funding on top of the $25,000,000,000 it has already received and requires up to $120,000,000,000 in asset guarantees if it is to complete its purchase of Merrill Lynch. We should give the TARP that familiar slogan "the gift that keeps on giving" now that the Senate has agreed to release the remaining $350,000,000,000.

All we can hope for is that it is well spent and documented but somehow I think not, but miracles can happen - today a US Airways jet "expertly" crash-landed into the Hudson River shortly after take-off when it "collided" with a flock of birds who apparently were sucked into the engines disabling them; everyone survived. Hallelujah! My husband flew down to Orlando this week for his company's convention on US Airways. I hope this pilot is at the helm of his plane. Certainly as I prepare to take that vacation I was wailing about yesterday, where I intend to include air travel for myself, because I have not been on a plane since 2001 and for my children, one of whom has never flown and the other who last flew as a toddler, I will not take this as any sign whatsoever.

However, I have already practically talked myself out of going anywhere. Maybe there are too many travel websites and too many reviews; should I spend thousands of dollars for a few days and nights for an overpriced room and food? The more I think about it is the more it becomes a bad idea. I tried to pitch some US-based destinations to my husband today but his immediate sticker shock only added to our usual discourse; I will start to talk myself out of it and he will let me. Rest assured, it happens in reverse too.

The reality is that our biggest excitement is the possiblity of refinancing our mortgage as the rates descend to 4% - we have a pretty good rate already so we need it to be in the low 4s for us to benefit. I have, however, promised my children a vacation and we will have one, regardless. Although, after hearing my complaints about costs and charges, my eldest will be happy to go anywhere as long as there is a semblance of a vacation that includes a hotel with a heated pool; might not have to go too far at all.

Bush, on the other hand, will go back to Texas to his new digs, moderately priced at $2,000,000 for a man with family cash, and find those 20% of believers who will donate to his library. Doesn't the phrase "Bush Presidential Library" seem like an oxymoron? Be nice now- it is almost over.