I never started out with the intention of being a political junkie, it just sort of crept up on me and got a death grip on my throat. Oh yeah, I thought I could control it – a protest here, a petition there, just one late night watching the talking heads dissect the latest political speech – sure I’m tough, I can indulge at the political bar and quit anytime I want, right? SUCKER

Like an alcoholic who can’t walk away until all the booze is gone, I watch CNN, MSNBC, CSPAN and yes, I admit it, even Fox News, until the wee hours of the morning. Unlike the alcoholic who knows that last drink will help him achieve his own sweet oblivion, I have no idea what the payoff is for me. Am I looking for an ‘AHA moment’ when all of life’s mysteries become clear? Is it the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat? Am I just bored or nosy or crazy?

I admit, I’m hooked. Well and truly hooked. It’s gotten so bad I dream about politics and politicians – I even dream about blogging about politics and politicians.

It all started in my troubled youth with the Vietnam war raging, 18 year olds clamoring for the right to vote and women seeking birth control and abortion rights. Heady stuff for a young women in a small southern town. I circulated petitions; gave speeches at school; protested the war; harassed the editor of the local newspaper with incessant letters to the editor submissions; and crowned my activism by persuading an ACLU lawyer to convince the school principal that he, too, was subject to the VA Supreme court’s dress code ruling.

I was born with a rabble rousing gene.

I subdued my political junkiness for a short time, but was deluded in thinking it was conquered. I failed to take into account that my lack of interest was due to life circumstances and not victory over my vice, and with the advent of the reign of George W. Bush, the addiction roared back in full force. I feel that I must warn you…get out, get out while you can. Get out before politics take over your life. Stop the insanity while your children still have a parent, your spouse has a partner and you have your eyesight.

I admitted I was powerless over politics and my life had become unmanageable in a really fun and tingly kind of way.