Why Drilling for Oil is Just Like Using Wrinkle Cream

First and foremost, thoughts and prayers to the people of Japan. What a horrible tragedy, yet through it all, I find my love of country swelling. America will be called upon to lend her hand and share the burden carried by the Japanese as well as those who have friends and family there. As always and in spite of our own difficulties, the American people will help however possible. What a blessing it is to help our fellow man.

Moving along...

Now, this idea may be beneath the understanding of liberals since they are, according to NPR's Ron Shiller, smarter than Conservatives/Republicans. Personally, I think they'll never understand what I'm saying because it is based on principle, something most liberals lack.

Because Bill Clinton could not pinch hit for Obama this time, Obama had to give today's press conference on oil prices all by himself. *change channel* After I puttered and finished some stuff around the house, I turned back to the news expecting to see more about the situation in Japan. All I could think was Good heavens! He's STILL talking. One comment President Obama made did catch my attention, and it concerned drilling for oil now. He wanted to be perfectly clear and let us know that deciding to drill for oil today doesn't mean it is going to be available tomorrow. Well, duh! Anyone who uses wrinkle cream understands that.



You see, when I was about 25, I decided to stop going in the sun. By that, I mean, I would make an effort to use sunscreen more often and not schedule time 4 times a week to camp out by the pool in the summer with my sunglasses, bottle of Hawaiian Tropic Suntan Oil, and my copy of Gone With the Wind, my favorite poolside read. I did this because I've seen the bacon ladies and didn't want to look like them or appear old before my time. (I've been blessed with a pretty youthful appearance. Once I went to see a taping of Dr. Phil when I was about 26, and the girl admitting everyone had to check my i.d. because she didn't think I was 16 which is how old you needed to be to sit in the audience.) It was a hard choice. I love being tan. It gives your skin a glow. You don't need to wear a lot of make up--burns off pimples. And it's the best cellulite camouflage a girl could ask for. But I gave up my sun goddess status because I knew the decision would pay off eventually.

Fast forward, I'm 33. I'm better off now than when I made that decision 8 years ago. It was a long time coming, but not only do I still look younger than I am (eh, what's a blog without a little bragging?), I also have an added bonus of having reduced my chance of getting skin cancer. However, as Truvy wisely said in the movie Steel Magnolias, "Honey, time marches on, and before you know it, it marching across your face!"

40 is just around the corner. Wrinkles are waiting to set in along my forehead, eyes, and lips. They'll show up at some point, but I can delay it just a little by using wrinkle cream. Sure, I'm in my early thirties but it's not too soon to start preparing for the future. It's kind of a pain, and I don't know how well it will pay off. But in 10 years--and if I look a little younger than what my driver's license says--my efforts will have paid off. I won't have look back and say, "I wish I would've started the process when I had the chance because I am paying the price now." And that is exactly what is happening at the pump.

10 years ago, we were told that it made no sense to start drilling and building new refineries because it would take years for us to see the benefits. Well, here we are at the same spot 10 years later. Gas is creeping up to $4.00/gallon, and the cost of my wrinkle cream is going to go up as a result. It really stinks, but we can avoid the same fate in another ten years and learn from our anti-aging efforts. Sure, it seems pointless now, but when the time comes it will have been one of the smartest decisions we ever made. Do it now because the effort will pay off in the future.