Monday, November 29, 2004
long time...
...no blog. And when Chuck has said that my lackadaisical blogging is "making [him] look good, well, I take that as the implicit challenge it's meant to be. Especially when readers like TheFirst are letting me know that they are, more or less, tapping their feet and looking significantly at their calendars.
As usual, it's not for want of ideas that has prevented me from tip-tap-typing out a pithy lil' post. Oh, no, my friends. It is, instead, a mental and physical exhaustion that has crept over me, as it is wont to do.
As it is, I should totally be asleep right now, as ValleyGirlRep is picking me up at 6am for our 8:45am flight from LAX to Atlanta, from which we will fly to Knoxville, TN, after which we will be driven to Morristown, TN. Whee! But I'm a little nervous and excited and wondering if my knees are going to lock up whilst sitting for a little over four hours. A nothing flight for some people, perhaps, but the longest I will have ever taken. Until the flight back home from Atlanta on Thursday, which will be just under five hours.
Anywho, I thought I'd throw together a little entry before going on my trip, since I probably won't be able to write anything here until after Thursday. What shall it be about, I wonder? How about my holiday weekend? That holds a world of entertainment promise, does it not? It doesn't? Well, too bad.
Wednesday I worked. Joyous, no? However, because I wanted to make sure things were somewhat wrapped up before being gone for a week I ended up staying at work until 5:30pm instead of leaving at 3pm, when my office mates left for the week. I was picked up that night by BSHubby (he was in the Valley anyway) and crashed on my mom's sofa.
Thursday was (No)Turkey(ForMe) Day. YoungerSis and her family were all there, as were Mom and BSHubby's parents. No OlderBro and family and no YoungerBro and family - there are issues happening with both brothers. And I was feeling a wee bit left out by my sisters. I don't think they realized what they were doing, but when I pretty much had to fight to at least bring my traditional mashed potatoes, well, exclusion was pretty much what I was harboring, though I know they didn't do it on purpose. I haven't had a chance to mention it to either of them yet, but I will probably bring it up at some point. At least with BabySis.
Thursday night I crashed yet again on Mom's sofa and Friday I was picked up by TheFirst (he was in the area dropping off family), whereupon he took me to his place for a picnic lunch with his family. So I got a chance to meet his lovely wife and too-cute kids. Unfortunately, due to being tired and family stresses, I wasn't at my most gregarious, and TFWife was understandably tired herself and a little reserved, so I don't think we connected all that much. And because of my tiredness and a wee bit of nervousness on my part, I wasn't my usual wacky self around his daughter and son. Perhaps next time we'll all fare better. Perhaps next time shouldn't be the day after a major family holiday. But I did make TFWife laugh a couple of times, so, as usual, that was of the good.
Late Friday afternoon I bussed home from TFHome on the west side of the Valley and vegged. I watched Lantana and a little bit of Firefly (which I'd never seen - TheFirst lent me his DVDs).
Up bright and early Saturday to head out to ModelGirl's apartment, whom I hadn't seen since May. Which meant I hadn't yet met her handsome and happy baby son, born nearly six months before. So I spent a few hours catching up with her and her hubby and playing with MGSon, which was terrific. Then they took me home, I watched a bit more Firefly, went with Sarriah to copy my keys so that she could actually get into my home when she came to look after the cats while I'm gone, then a bit of Baja Fresh and back home.
And today I watched more Firefly, ran errands, failed entirely to find a sailor's hat for a silly thing going on in Tennessee, did laundry and cleaned the tiniest bit.
Well, look at that. A honest-to-goodness entry with little-to-no entertainment value. I think now y'all realize why I've not been burning up the blogging wires of late. So instead I'll leave you with this, swiped oh-so-gently from the stunning Beth:
As usual, it's not for want of ideas that has prevented me from tip-tap-typing out a pithy lil' post. Oh, no, my friends. It is, instead, a mental and physical exhaustion that has crept over me, as it is wont to do.
As it is, I should totally be asleep right now, as ValleyGirlRep is picking me up at 6am for our 8:45am flight from LAX to Atlanta, from which we will fly to Knoxville, TN, after which we will be driven to Morristown, TN. Whee! But I'm a little nervous and excited and wondering if my knees are going to lock up whilst sitting for a little over four hours. A nothing flight for some people, perhaps, but the longest I will have ever taken. Until the flight back home from Atlanta on Thursday, which will be just under five hours.
Anywho, I thought I'd throw together a little entry before going on my trip, since I probably won't be able to write anything here until after Thursday. What shall it be about, I wonder? How about my holiday weekend? That holds a world of entertainment promise, does it not? It doesn't? Well, too bad.
Wednesday I worked. Joyous, no? However, because I wanted to make sure things were somewhat wrapped up before being gone for a week I ended up staying at work until 5:30pm instead of leaving at 3pm, when my office mates left for the week. I was picked up that night by BSHubby (he was in the Valley anyway) and crashed on my mom's sofa.
Thursday was (No)Turkey(ForMe) Day. YoungerSis and her family were all there, as were Mom and BSHubby's parents. No OlderBro and family and no YoungerBro and family - there are issues happening with both brothers. And I was feeling a wee bit left out by my sisters. I don't think they realized what they were doing, but when I pretty much had to fight to at least bring my traditional mashed potatoes, well, exclusion was pretty much what I was harboring, though I know they didn't do it on purpose. I haven't had a chance to mention it to either of them yet, but I will probably bring it up at some point. At least with BabySis.
Thursday night I crashed yet again on Mom's sofa and Friday I was picked up by TheFirst (he was in the area dropping off family), whereupon he took me to his place for a picnic lunch with his family. So I got a chance to meet his lovely wife and too-cute kids. Unfortunately, due to being tired and family stresses, I wasn't at my most gregarious, and TFWife was understandably tired herself and a little reserved, so I don't think we connected all that much. And because of my tiredness and a wee bit of nervousness on my part, I wasn't my usual wacky self around his daughter and son. Perhaps next time we'll all fare better. Perhaps next time shouldn't be the day after a major family holiday. But I did make TFWife laugh a couple of times, so, as usual, that was of the good.
Late Friday afternoon I bussed home from TFHome on the west side of the Valley and vegged. I watched Lantana and a little bit of Firefly (which I'd never seen - TheFirst lent me his DVDs).
Up bright and early Saturday to head out to ModelGirl's apartment, whom I hadn't seen since May. Which meant I hadn't yet met her handsome and happy baby son, born nearly six months before. So I spent a few hours catching up with her and her hubby and playing with MGSon, which was terrific. Then they took me home, I watched a bit more Firefly, went with Sarriah to copy my keys so that she could actually get into my home when she came to look after the cats while I'm gone, then a bit of Baja Fresh and back home.
And today I watched more Firefly, ran errands, failed entirely to find a sailor's hat for a silly thing going on in Tennessee, did laundry and cleaned the tiniest bit.
Well, look at that. A honest-to-goodness entry with little-to-no entertainment value. I think now y'all realize why I've not been burning up the blogging wires of late. So instead I'll leave you with this, swiped oh-so-gently from the stunning Beth:
|
You Are a Life Blogger! |
 Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary. If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible. What kind of blogger are you? |
Thursday, November 18, 2004
notes, notes, nothin' but notes...
Yeah, I have haven't written an honest-to-goodness entry in a long time. Yes, you, my stunningly sexy readers, have properly chastised me for it. Yes, I will write a proper entry soon.
This is not that entry.
It is, instead, a few more notes:
* Both Shuffle and Nebraska have been updated. Enjoy!
* Check out This Is Not Over, put together by some of the fine folks over at Damn Hell Ass Kings. Just a reminder that just because it appears Bush has actually been elected president this time doesn't mean we have to roll over and let him and his brand new spanking cabinet screw over Americans. I've got a couple of meetings I'll be attending this weekend (Democracy for America and MoveOn.org), so I'm excited about those.
* Related to above: I totally need to put together this mix CD. It kicks all kinds of ass.
* And in the "This Should Come As No Surprise" Department:
This is not that entry.
It is, instead, a few more notes:
* Both Shuffle and Nebraska have been updated. Enjoy!
* Check out This Is Not Over, put together by some of the fine folks over at Damn Hell Ass Kings. Just a reminder that just because it appears Bush has actually been elected president this time doesn't mean we have to roll over and let him and his brand new spanking cabinet screw over Americans. I've got a couple of meetings I'll be attending this weekend (Democracy for America and MoveOn.org), so I'm excited about those.
* Related to above: I totally need to put together this mix CD. It kicks all kinds of ass.
* And in the "This Should Come As No Surprise" Department:
|
You Are From Neptune |
 You are dreamy and mystical, with a natural psychic ability. You love music, poetry, dance, and (most of all) the open sea. Your soul is filled with possibilities, and your heart overflows with compassion. You can be in a room full of friendly people and feel all alone. If you don't get carried away with one idea, your spiritual nature will see you through anything. What Planet Are You From? |
Monday, November 15, 2004
coupla more quick notes...
* I was back from Ventura County by noon on Saturday (ended up having to rent a car, which worked out fine), but I spent the rest of the weekend napping and watching DVDs on my lovely DVD player. Did I mention it's lovely? Because it is, you know. Did you know DVDs have these things called "special features"? No, it's true! And sometimes those "special features" include things like commentary from the film makers. Honest! I'm not making this up! I like Buckeroo Banzai commentary very much. There was also much IM chatting to be had on Sunday night, which managed to help pull me mostly out of the down mood I'd been experiencing most of the weekend while at the same time making me a little sad. It was a very complicated, yet enlightening chat with TheFirst. I'm glad that we're doing this whole friend thing.
* The Life and Times of Nebraska has been updated. Just click on Week 7, Week 9 and Week 11, in that order.
* I think I may be back later tonight with a new, proper entry. Not sure yet. We'll see.
* And lastly, grow the fuck up, America and change the g-ddamned channel already. Yeah, Saving Private Ryan offends me, but that's because it's a manipulative piece of jingoism masquerading as art. Which is why I choose not to watch it again. I'm not about complain to the FCC about it. Then again, the opening scenes just reminded me of a more graphic version of an Amazing Stories episode that I saw on TV many moons ago. One I enjoyed more than Saving Private Ryan, I might add.
* The Life and Times of Nebraska has been updated. Just click on Week 7, Week 9 and Week 11, in that order.
* I think I may be back later tonight with a new, proper entry. Not sure yet. We'll see.
* And lastly, grow the fuck up, America and change the g-ddamned channel already. Yeah, Saving Private Ryan offends me, but that's because it's a manipulative piece of jingoism masquerading as art. Which is why I choose not to watch it again. I'm not about complain to the FCC about it. Then again, the opening scenes just reminded me of a more graphic version of an Amazing Stories episode that I saw on TV many moons ago. One I enjoyed more than Saving Private Ryan, I might add.
Friday, November 12, 2004
quick notes...
I'll be away from the computer most of the weekend, as I'm going to be in Ventura County helping my mom out with a few things (the family drama doesn't involve her, thank heavens) and she has no computer. But I just wanted to jot down a couple of things:
* Last night I attended a performance of Letters Never Sent that Pamie and her friend Liz are entering into U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. It was as funny as the first time I'd seen it, with a few new bits to keep it topical. While there I met Shack (who told me he sometimes reads my blog - don't think that didn't give me a warm feeling) and Dan (who wrote an incredible response to the form e-mail he received from the Kerry campaign after the election). And, of course, seeing Pamie again was cool. I think I've become an official Pamie groupie. Especially considering that she joked that every show she does has to be at one of two theatres since they're on my way home via the bus. Or a limousine would be provided, even if they make it to Aspen. All very, very cool people. I missed seeing stee, because he was off on a bachelor party weekend, and no one I invited could make it to the show, but otherwise it was a fun evening. And the theatre really was close to one of my regular bus stops, so I made it home before 10pm.
* I've signed up for NaNoWriMo again, but I've gotten precious little written on the story. The working title is Shuffle. Maybe if I write 5,000 words a day from now until the end of November I'll get somewhere. Or not. Eh, I'll write what I can and not worry too much about the word count.
* I do have more about Nebraska written, but I haven't transfered it from my notebook to the site yet. I think I need to do that on Sunday. And Saturday night needs to be devoted to writing. After talking with all those writers last night, I'm inspired again.
See y'all in a few days!
* Last night I attended a performance of Letters Never Sent that Pamie and her friend Liz are entering into U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. It was as funny as the first time I'd seen it, with a few new bits to keep it topical. While there I met Shack (who told me he sometimes reads my blog - don't think that didn't give me a warm feeling) and Dan (who wrote an incredible response to the form e-mail he received from the Kerry campaign after the election). And, of course, seeing Pamie again was cool. I think I've become an official Pamie groupie. Especially considering that she joked that every show she does has to be at one of two theatres since they're on my way home via the bus. Or a limousine would be provided, even if they make it to Aspen. All very, very cool people. I missed seeing stee, because he was off on a bachelor party weekend, and no one I invited could make it to the show, but otherwise it was a fun evening. And the theatre really was close to one of my regular bus stops, so I made it home before 10pm.
* I've signed up for NaNoWriMo again, but I've gotten precious little written on the story. The working title is Shuffle. Maybe if I write 5,000 words a day from now until the end of November I'll get somewhere. Or not. Eh, I'll write what I can and not worry too much about the word count.
* I do have more about Nebraska written, but I haven't transfered it from my notebook to the site yet. I think I need to do that on Sunday. And Saturday night needs to be devoted to writing. After talking with all those writers last night, I'm inspired again.
See y'all in a few days!
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
remiss-ing...
As David has pointed out, I've been a bit remiss in my blogging duties. For that, I apologize. I've just been mentally and physically exhausted. I finally caught up on my long-missing sleep over the weekend, which was good because I had felt as if I'd been fighting off a cold for at least a week. Lovely as the resting was, I think it merely served to push the cold to the periphery rather than exterminating it, because once again I am tired and feel the tickle of the throat trying to creep back.
Part of me just wants to let the cold have at it. Get it out of the way so I can be relatively healthy in a few weeks. Because at the end of the month I'm flying to Tennessee - by way of Atlanta - and I definitely don't want to be sick on the plane. Or to miss out on this trip. Because even though it's work related, I'm actually looking forward to it.
But there is too much to do at work and at home for me to have the luxury of being ill. Plus there's even more family drama afoot, which is wearying even though it's not swirling around me.
Actually I was all ready to post a moody entry last night, full of Sturm und Drang. I was edgy, I was tired, I was in one of those PMS moods where the least little thing could have pushed me to either laughter or tears. And I came close to both throughout the day. But chatting online with TheFirst last night edged me from the brink of tears (which hit me when my stupid computer froze up during our chat) to laughter. So you may either thank him or blame him for the lack of an overwrought entry, shot through with hormones and wistfulness and, "Oh look, BookCrossing Meet-up Night and I'm not going yet again"-ness yet one more time.
Plus I know I have links that I promised to post, but I seemed to have lost the folder I saved them in at work and I didn't send them to myself at home.
On top of all of that was our monthly sales meeting at work today, which is always exhausting. Usually I support my reps from afar, but even though much of the day is spent sitting around a coffee table going over information, the times when we take "check messages" breaks are spent with five women wandering around the showroom with cell phones clasped to ears while I check my e-mail and voicemail, look at system information the reps might need, jot down down notes for work to catch up on after they leave, field information requests from the SisterCompany folks and just be an all-around Gal Friday for several people at the same moment.
Tiring for one day. Makes me glad I don't have to work like that daily.
I think I'm ready to nap again.
So I can't make any promises about a regular updating schedule right now. I will update when I have the energy. I'm sure it'll be at least once or twice a week, though. I don't see myself as being gone for any serious length of time.
I thank y'all for still coming back to check on my simple lil' blog. Consider yourselves group-hugged. And not in an icky new-agey way, either.
Okay, who just copped a feel?
Part of me just wants to let the cold have at it. Get it out of the way so I can be relatively healthy in a few weeks. Because at the end of the month I'm flying to Tennessee - by way of Atlanta - and I definitely don't want to be sick on the plane. Or to miss out on this trip. Because even though it's work related, I'm actually looking forward to it.
But there is too much to do at work and at home for me to have the luxury of being ill. Plus there's even more family drama afoot, which is wearying even though it's not swirling around me.
Actually I was all ready to post a moody entry last night, full of Sturm und Drang. I was edgy, I was tired, I was in one of those PMS moods where the least little thing could have pushed me to either laughter or tears. And I came close to both throughout the day. But chatting online with TheFirst last night edged me from the brink of tears (which hit me when my stupid computer froze up during our chat) to laughter. So you may either thank him or blame him for the lack of an overwrought entry, shot through with hormones and wistfulness and, "Oh look, BookCrossing Meet-up Night and I'm not going yet again"-ness yet one more time.
Plus I know I have links that I promised to post, but I seemed to have lost the folder I saved them in at work and I didn't send them to myself at home.
On top of all of that was our monthly sales meeting at work today, which is always exhausting. Usually I support my reps from afar, but even though much of the day is spent sitting around a coffee table going over information, the times when we take "check messages" breaks are spent with five women wandering around the showroom with cell phones clasped to ears while I check my e-mail and voicemail, look at system information the reps might need, jot down down notes for work to catch up on after they leave, field information requests from the SisterCompany folks and just be an all-around Gal Friday for several people at the same moment.
Tiring for one day. Makes me glad I don't have to work like that daily.
I think I'm ready to nap again.
So I can't make any promises about a regular updating schedule right now. I will update when I have the energy. I'm sure it'll be at least once or twice a week, though. I don't see myself as being gone for any serious length of time.
I thank y'all for still coming back to check on my simple lil' blog. Consider yourselves group-hugged. And not in an icky new-agey way, either.
Okay, who just copped a feel?
Friday, November 05, 2004
hope abounds...
I've been reading a lot of post-election online words of late, as have many of you, I'll wager, and there are some wonderful sentiments being issued across this great land. And they all say one thing: We may be down, but we're not close to being out.
I'm going to collect all of them in a favorites folder and post an entry of links, possibly tonight or tomorrow. Perhaps you've already read them. But if you haven't, please do so. They are inspiring.
Here's one as a teaser: What You Won't Hear on TV Today
I feel the tears coming again. But this time they are tears of hope.
I'm going to collect all of them in a favorites folder and post an entry of links, possibly tonight or tomorrow. Perhaps you've already read them. But if you haven't, please do so. They are inspiring.
Here's one as a teaser: What You Won't Hear on TV Today
I feel the tears coming again. But this time they are tears of hope.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
btw...
taking a breath...
Okay. It's been over a day since Kerry conceded the election to Bush. Whether he should have capitulated so quickly or not isn't the issue. I can understand how maybe he wanted to be the bigger man, to avoid the circus that happened last time around. To unravel all the voting irregularities that seem to have occurred could take a very long time and, in the end, might not change the outcome.
I think it's pretty obvious that I desired a different outcome, as did 48% of voting Americans. Whether we voted for Kerry because we thought he was the man to help get us out of the mess Bush et al. got us into or just because he wasn't Bush (agreed, not a good reason to vote for a candidate, but sometimes necessary under the political system as it currently stands in the United States), we believed that it would be best to get Bush out of office. So we showed up at the polls in an effort to achieve that outcome. And we showed up in record numbers. Bully for us.
And bully too for the conservatives who voted. It's not surprising that, in my not so humble opinion, those who opted to keep Bush in power because they thought he would be a stronger leader for the War on Terror or they thought he was a more moral person or that at least he stands by his decisions (even if the decisions are misguided or just plain wrong) - well, I think those folks are blind. Some are stupid and blind, others just blind in their inability to see Bush for what he really is, i.e. an obdurate, smug, pompous man in the pockets of big business who does not practice the spirit of the faith he proclaims so loudly to follow.
But those conservatives still voted. They exercised their rights in a mostly free and open election to choose the government they wanted. There just happened to be more conservative-leaning folks in the voting booths on Tuesday than liberal-leaning folks. And so we have Bush.
There have been a lot of heated words flying through the air and the wires over the last 36+ hours. Liberals screaming at the conservatives for being blind idiots. Conservatives shouting at the liberals to suck it up and move on. Some of it has remained civil, most degenerated into "You stupid!" "No, you stupid!" exchanges.
Thing is, such exchanges, while understandable (and trust me, I understand the anger that many liberals and progressives are feeling right now), are not going to solve anything. They're not going to change the facts and they're not going sway anyone to see things our way. Neither will threats of violence against an entire region of the US. And yes, I've seen that out there in the electronic ether.
Chris suggested in his blog that all the whining and vitriol the liberals are throwing out are because we Americans just don't know how good we have it. Rather than respond in his comments section, which may not give me enough room, I'd prefer to respond here.
I beg to differ. I would venture to guess that much of the vitriol is simply frustration and anger and disappointment at the outcome geysering out upon the keyboards. We've all said unfortunate things in anger. Sometimes we mean it, sometimes we don't. And since this has been one of the most intense campaigns in recent memory - certainly as far back as I can remember - all of the emotions came to a head and naturally spewed forth. Whether for ill or good, those words are now captured in the public arena. They make me sad. But I can understand. And I do.
As for the charge that we just don't know how good we have it: again, I disagree. I think it's precisely because we know how good we have it that we're angry and nervous and scared. Since we've seen how badly Bush and Co. have treated this country that we love in a mere four years, we fear for the future of our country. With the executive and legislative branches of the federal government currently being held by the Republican Party - and the judicial branch sure to follow conservative lines with the likely appointment of three or four judges by Bush - it is likely that an even larger portion of American citizens will be marginalized by the administration. Will it get as bad as the examples cited by Chris? Probably not. But we've seen how Bush and Pals have torn at our beloved nation over the last few years. Imagine what they could achieve in the next four. This frightens us.
The question is: Now what?
Well, we don't suck it up and move on. We don't indulge in denial. We don't go about our lives as if to say, "Oh well, nothing to be done now, tra la la." Because there is much to do.
We start by looking at organizations such as MoveOn.org and True Majority and volunteer our time and money. We check out our local Democratic or Green Party offices and see what we can do to help. We help these organizations to serve as watchdogs for the upcoming administation. And we stand up for our rights and the rights of others.
I've been too passive in the past. I can't afford to be passive anymore. None of us can. Those of you who have been actively working to make this country a better place, I applaud and commend you. Those of us who have voted but done little else, let's change that. Now. Today. We can't wait until the next election starts to gear up. Too much can happen between now and then.
As Sars said, "This is not over."
Not by a long shot.
I think it's pretty obvious that I desired a different outcome, as did 48% of voting Americans. Whether we voted for Kerry because we thought he was the man to help get us out of the mess Bush et al. got us into or just because he wasn't Bush (agreed, not a good reason to vote for a candidate, but sometimes necessary under the political system as it currently stands in the United States), we believed that it would be best to get Bush out of office. So we showed up at the polls in an effort to achieve that outcome. And we showed up in record numbers. Bully for us.
And bully too for the conservatives who voted. It's not surprising that, in my not so humble opinion, those who opted to keep Bush in power because they thought he would be a stronger leader for the War on Terror or they thought he was a more moral person or that at least he stands by his decisions (even if the decisions are misguided or just plain wrong) - well, I think those folks are blind. Some are stupid and blind, others just blind in their inability to see Bush for what he really is, i.e. an obdurate, smug, pompous man in the pockets of big business who does not practice the spirit of the faith he proclaims so loudly to follow.
But those conservatives still voted. They exercised their rights in a mostly free and open election to choose the government they wanted. There just happened to be more conservative-leaning folks in the voting booths on Tuesday than liberal-leaning folks. And so we have Bush.
There have been a lot of heated words flying through the air and the wires over the last 36+ hours. Liberals screaming at the conservatives for being blind idiots. Conservatives shouting at the liberals to suck it up and move on. Some of it has remained civil, most degenerated into "You stupid!" "No, you stupid!" exchanges.
Thing is, such exchanges, while understandable (and trust me, I understand the anger that many liberals and progressives are feeling right now), are not going to solve anything. They're not going to change the facts and they're not going sway anyone to see things our way. Neither will threats of violence against an entire region of the US. And yes, I've seen that out there in the electronic ether.
Chris suggested in his blog that all the whining and vitriol the liberals are throwing out are because we Americans just don't know how good we have it. Rather than respond in his comments section, which may not give me enough room, I'd prefer to respond here.
I beg to differ. I would venture to guess that much of the vitriol is simply frustration and anger and disappointment at the outcome geysering out upon the keyboards. We've all said unfortunate things in anger. Sometimes we mean it, sometimes we don't. And since this has been one of the most intense campaigns in recent memory - certainly as far back as I can remember - all of the emotions came to a head and naturally spewed forth. Whether for ill or good, those words are now captured in the public arena. They make me sad. But I can understand. And I do.
As for the charge that we just don't know how good we have it: again, I disagree. I think it's precisely because we know how good we have it that we're angry and nervous and scared. Since we've seen how badly Bush and Co. have treated this country that we love in a mere four years, we fear for the future of our country. With the executive and legislative branches of the federal government currently being held by the Republican Party - and the judicial branch sure to follow conservative lines with the likely appointment of three or four judges by Bush - it is likely that an even larger portion of American citizens will be marginalized by the administration. Will it get as bad as the examples cited by Chris? Probably not. But we've seen how Bush and Pals have torn at our beloved nation over the last few years. Imagine what they could achieve in the next four. This frightens us.
The question is: Now what?
Well, we don't suck it up and move on. We don't indulge in denial. We don't go about our lives as if to say, "Oh well, nothing to be done now, tra la la." Because there is much to do.
We start by looking at organizations such as MoveOn.org and True Majority and volunteer our time and money. We check out our local Democratic or Green Party offices and see what we can do to help. We help these organizations to serve as watchdogs for the upcoming administation. And we stand up for our rights and the rights of others.
I've been too passive in the past. I can't afford to be passive anymore. None of us can. Those of you who have been actively working to make this country a better place, I applaud and commend you. Those of us who have voted but done little else, let's change that. Now. Today. We can't wait until the next election starts to gear up. Too much can happen between now and then.
As Sars said, "This is not over."
Not by a long shot.
political quiz...
Is it any surprise? Well, except for the affluent part. Haven't gotten there yet.
(Lightly borrowed from Magnum P.I.)
An honest-to-goodness post should follow by the end of the evening.
(Lightly borrowed from Magnum P.I.)
|
You Are a New School Democrat |
You like partying and politics - and are likely to be young and affluent. You're less religious, traditional, and uptight than most Democrats. Smoking pot, homosexuality, and gambling are all okay in your book. You prefer that the government help people take care of themselves. What political persuasion are you? |
An honest-to-goodness post should follow by the end of the evening.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
too furious to write...
...but GruvLoungeGoth isn't:
While I'm waiting with held breath
An Apology to the World
Definitely excellent reads.
While I'm waiting with held breath
An Apology to the World
Definitely excellent reads.
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
still unknown...
I got home from my writing group meeting about ten or fifteen minutes ago and I still don't know what's going on with the election. No TV yet, no news sites, just a few nebulous words in a couple of blogs I read. Words that don't fill me with hope.
Obviously this willful ignorance is my own doing. Why? Because I'm scared. And I'm nervous. Perhaps there's a part of me that thinks, "As long as I don't look, then it'll all turn out okay." Never mind that, despite my fondest wishes, I don't have that sort of power over the course of events. Part of me kind of thinks that's the case.
So I sit and I type. A nervous knot in my stomach, the cartilege around my heart constricting as it likes to do these days in times of stress. Luckily it's been diagnosed as perfect safe - if somewhat annoying - costochondritis.
I think too there's a story or two about the election that I wish to relate, but I know if I check out the returns and find things are not going the way I feel they should be going, I am not going to feel like relating these lovely stories at all. So I'll do so before I discover the results thus far:
** Proof that one is never too old, or too set in his ways, to re-evaluate:
Last week, in an IM exchange, TheFirst told me that he was going to write to his father to try to convince him not to vote for Bush. As a lifelong Republican voter in his 70s living in Florida, TheFirst's father seemed destined to think the country would be best served by keeping Bush in office.
Last night I asked TheFirst if he had gotten anywhere with his father. The answer was better than he, or I, had hoped for. His father was actually going to vote for Kerry.
So, what swayed this staunch Republican voter to the side of Kerry? TheFirst's argument that having Bush as president again would totally screw over his grandchildren. TheFirst presented cogent arguments regarding No Child Left Behind and a few other issues - which elude me now - and his father decided that his son was correct.
As I told TheFirst last night, I'm very impressed.
** This morning I arrived at my polling place (a church right down the street) around 7:15am. I had planned to be there earlier, but alas, it was not to be. As I stood in line, I thought, "This line isn't so bad." Then I remembered that the front door actually leads to a courtyard, which then leads to a large room.
Oh.
The wait turned out to be about 30 or 45 minutes, which was way longer than any wait I've had at this place in the eight years since I started voting there. But that was perfectly alright, because that meant the voters were turning out. And that is a very good thing.
As was the lovely conversation I had with an attractive, slightly older man about books and surround sound systems. Certainly started my day off on the right foot.
** And now the depression begins. While I was waiting to save this entry to draft (I've lost a number of entries after massive typing) I unwisely headed over to Chuck's and saw this.
Fuck.
I hope it's wrong. I hope there are absentee ballots still left to be counted that will make a difference. I hope that challenges are presented due to the massive voter irregularities that seemed to be occur in epidemic numbers.
I fear that is not the case.
It's time for me to turn on the TV and weep. Weep for our nation. Weep for the lives of our service men and women. Weep for the have-nots. Weep for the idiots who actually think four more years of Bush, his incomptence and the power-hungry creatures that surround him are actually a good thing.
I have nothing else to type right now. Good night.
Obviously this willful ignorance is my own doing. Why? Because I'm scared. And I'm nervous. Perhaps there's a part of me that thinks, "As long as I don't look, then it'll all turn out okay." Never mind that, despite my fondest wishes, I don't have that sort of power over the course of events. Part of me kind of thinks that's the case.
So I sit and I type. A nervous knot in my stomach, the cartilege around my heart constricting as it likes to do these days in times of stress. Luckily it's been diagnosed as perfect safe - if somewhat annoying - costochondritis.
I think too there's a story or two about the election that I wish to relate, but I know if I check out the returns and find things are not going the way I feel they should be going, I am not going to feel like relating these lovely stories at all. So I'll do so before I discover the results thus far:
** Proof that one is never too old, or too set in his ways, to re-evaluate:
Last week, in an IM exchange, TheFirst told me that he was going to write to his father to try to convince him not to vote for Bush. As a lifelong Republican voter in his 70s living in Florida, TheFirst's father seemed destined to think the country would be best served by keeping Bush in office.
Last night I asked TheFirst if he had gotten anywhere with his father. The answer was better than he, or I, had hoped for. His father was actually going to vote for Kerry.
So, what swayed this staunch Republican voter to the side of Kerry? TheFirst's argument that having Bush as president again would totally screw over his grandchildren. TheFirst presented cogent arguments regarding No Child Left Behind and a few other issues - which elude me now - and his father decided that his son was correct.
As I told TheFirst last night, I'm very impressed.
** This morning I arrived at my polling place (a church right down the street) around 7:15am. I had planned to be there earlier, but alas, it was not to be. As I stood in line, I thought, "This line isn't so bad." Then I remembered that the front door actually leads to a courtyard, which then leads to a large room.
Oh.
The wait turned out to be about 30 or 45 minutes, which was way longer than any wait I've had at this place in the eight years since I started voting there. But that was perfectly alright, because that meant the voters were turning out. And that is a very good thing.
As was the lovely conversation I had with an attractive, slightly older man about books and surround sound systems. Certainly started my day off on the right foot.
** And now the depression begins. While I was waiting to save this entry to draft (I've lost a number of entries after massive typing) I unwisely headed over to Chuck's and saw this.
Fuck.
I hope it's wrong. I hope there are absentee ballots still left to be counted that will make a difference. I hope that challenges are presented due to the massive voter irregularities that seemed to be occur in epidemic numbers.
I fear that is not the case.
It's time for me to turn on the TV and weep. Weep for our nation. Weep for the lives of our service men and women. Weep for the have-nots. Weep for the idiots who actually think four more years of Bush, his incomptence and the power-hungry creatures that surround him are actually a good thing.
I have nothing else to type right now. Good night.
nerves a-twitter...
I don't even really have time to post this, but I need to take a couple of minutes here.
I don't like spoilers. Movies, books, TV shows - I just don't like to know the outcome before I get to the end. Once upon a time I didn't mind it so much, unless it was a surprise ending, but since I immersed myself in the world of Buffy fandom, I learned to actively dislike spoilers.
However.
With the election I don't think I can wait for the final results. Mainly because we probably won't know the actual outcome until all of the challenges have been filed and resolved, which may not be for weeks.
(BTW, there will be challenges. You can bank on it.)
So I sit on the edge of my nerves, all but nibbling my long fingernails down to the quick. I feel nervous, scared, exhilarated and just impatient. But I don't want to know exit polls. I don't want to get my hopes up and have them dashed.
So I'm just going to ignore Magnum P.I.'s latest post. And the continual election coverage...coverage from a dispassionately funny Canadian. Because it really is the best for my delicate nerves.
Oh, BTW, wanna check out some sexy, sexy people? Sure you do. All of these people make me growl like a naughty schoolgirl.
And if you voted? You're a sexy, sexy person too. Especially if you voted for Kerry and Edwards. In fact, if you voted for Kerry and Edwards, you should come over here and whisper sweet Kerry-isms in my ear.
Ooh, yeah...
I don't like spoilers. Movies, books, TV shows - I just don't like to know the outcome before I get to the end. Once upon a time I didn't mind it so much, unless it was a surprise ending, but since I immersed myself in the world of Buffy fandom, I learned to actively dislike spoilers.
However.
With the election I don't think I can wait for the final results. Mainly because we probably won't know the actual outcome until all of the challenges have been filed and resolved, which may not be for weeks.
(BTW, there will be challenges. You can bank on it.)
So I sit on the edge of my nerves, all but nibbling my long fingernails down to the quick. I feel nervous, scared, exhilarated and just impatient. But I don't want to know exit polls. I don't want to get my hopes up and have them dashed.
So I'm just going to ignore Magnum P.I.'s latest post. And the continual election coverage...coverage from a dispassionately funny Canadian. Because it really is the best for my delicate nerves.
Oh, BTW, wanna check out some sexy, sexy people? Sure you do. All of these people make me growl like a naughty schoolgirl.
And if you voted? You're a sexy, sexy person too. Especially if you voted for Kerry and Edwards. In fact, if you voted for Kerry and Edwards, you should come over here and whisper sweet Kerry-isms in my ear.
Ooh, yeah...
to my american readers...
Have you?
Will you?
Please do.
Thank you.
These people have voted thus far:
Chuck
David (he's an American national abroad, so no excuses for anyone else!)
Pamie
Magnum P.I.
Wil Wheaton
Mike Reed
John Scalzi (with guest voting by Athena Scalzi)
Jim
These people (and many of the folks above as well) have written excellent entries re: election day and voting (disclosure - the entries below carry a decidely non-GOP slant):
M. Giant
Chuck
Chris Naze
Wendy
John Scalzi
Jim
WorkingNob
he left me with a smile...
...and more.
It was a busy, busy weekend for me. Between the film festival on Friday and Saturday, two Saturday Halloween parties with Sarriah and a Sunday Magic Castle visit (my second this month after a fifteen year hiatus) with Boychik and his family and friend, I spent the weekend trundling about Los Angeles in buses and cars, rolling suitcase and bag in hand. Looking, no doubt, a wee bit odd, but hey, had to transport my two changes of clothing, wench costume and various toiletries somehow.
Quick rundown: film festival - while kind of interesting, was mostly spent sitting, talking with other volunteers and drinking energy drinks; Halloween parties - first one, which was at a bar, was okay (Sarriah and I had been invited by NewYorkWriter) but not a lot of mingling was done by us and at one point I got furious at one of the bartenders because he just didn't seem to notice I was waiting for a couple of waters for myself and Sarriah, who was sick, for a good twenty minutes - poor NewYorkWriter and Sarriah bore the brunt of my ranting; second Halloween party was the annual one thrown by PythonMan and Summer'85Boy, which I had gone to last year and Sarriah and I were less than impressed - she was back in the car within ten minutes and I followed close behind; the Magic Castle on Sunday was fun enough, but there was a little family tension which is always a bit hard to deal with, even if it wasn't my family.
With all of this going on, what was my best outing? Dinner with TheFirst tonight (he suggested FirstDateGuy, but in the end I do rather like TheFirst - it just seems very appropriate somehow, because though we were not each other's first "time", we were each other's first date - and he definitely has a bit of evil in him).
We set it up a couple of weeks ago for him to stop by my workplace. We had dinner at one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants and coffee and dessert at the nearby Coffee Bean, with a bit of walking thrown in there for good measure. All of the e-mailing and IMing of the past few weeks continued apace in the conversation and laughter and smiles of the evening. On top of that he showed me all sorts of lovely pictures of his wife and children, causing me to grin like an idiot.
After a while he took me home, but before I could walk to my front door he called me to the back of his car (an Aztek, but I'll forgive him for that). As he opened the hatchback he started talking about missed birthdays and cards and such, then said that in the end he opted for something simple, whereupon he handed me a Fry's bag. I think I raised an eyebrow and peered inside. And what did I spy with my little eye?
A DVD player.
Yep, he gave me a DVD player.
I'm still stunned. I'm wondering how I somehow lucked into being the recipient of such generosity of spirit yet again. I believe I said the most singularly intelligent thing I've ever said to a person in thanks:
"Duuuuude! No way!"
How I managed to be more Valley than TheFirst - who's been in the Valley since he was eight, whereas I didn't show up until I was fifteen - is beyond me. I'm still cringing at that one.
We parted with a second hug, then off he went home.
Anywho, as lovely and very appreciated as the DVD player is, the best thing about the evening, and weekend, isn't that. It's just spending time with a pretty cool guy I hadn't seen in nearly 20 years. I can't say we picked up where we left off all those years ago, because we're not the same people we were then. I think we've achieved an ease we didn't have in our teen years. That is a very nice thing to have. As is my new, yet not-so-new, friend.
As I may have said before, cool people? Very good to have as friends. I think I'll keep him.
It was a busy, busy weekend for me. Between the film festival on Friday and Saturday, two Saturday Halloween parties with Sarriah and a Sunday Magic Castle visit (my second this month after a fifteen year hiatus) with Boychik and his family and friend, I spent the weekend trundling about Los Angeles in buses and cars, rolling suitcase and bag in hand. Looking, no doubt, a wee bit odd, but hey, had to transport my two changes of clothing, wench costume and various toiletries somehow.
Quick rundown: film festival - while kind of interesting, was mostly spent sitting, talking with other volunteers and drinking energy drinks; Halloween parties - first one, which was at a bar, was okay (Sarriah and I had been invited by NewYorkWriter) but not a lot of mingling was done by us and at one point I got furious at one of the bartenders because he just didn't seem to notice I was waiting for a couple of waters for myself and Sarriah, who was sick, for a good twenty minutes - poor NewYorkWriter and Sarriah bore the brunt of my ranting; second Halloween party was the annual one thrown by PythonMan and Summer'85Boy, which I had gone to last year and Sarriah and I were less than impressed - she was back in the car within ten minutes and I followed close behind; the Magic Castle on Sunday was fun enough, but there was a little family tension which is always a bit hard to deal with, even if it wasn't my family.
With all of this going on, what was my best outing? Dinner with TheFirst tonight (he suggested FirstDateGuy, but in the end I do rather like TheFirst - it just seems very appropriate somehow, because though we were not each other's first "time", we were each other's first date - and he definitely has a bit of evil in him).
We set it up a couple of weeks ago for him to stop by my workplace. We had dinner at one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants and coffee and dessert at the nearby Coffee Bean, with a bit of walking thrown in there for good measure. All of the e-mailing and IMing of the past few weeks continued apace in the conversation and laughter and smiles of the evening. On top of that he showed me all sorts of lovely pictures of his wife and children, causing me to grin like an idiot.
After a while he took me home, but before I could walk to my front door he called me to the back of his car (an Aztek, but I'll forgive him for that). As he opened the hatchback he started talking about missed birthdays and cards and such, then said that in the end he opted for something simple, whereupon he handed me a Fry's bag. I think I raised an eyebrow and peered inside. And what did I spy with my little eye?
A DVD player.
Yep, he gave me a DVD player.
I'm still stunned. I'm wondering how I somehow lucked into being the recipient of such generosity of spirit yet again. I believe I said the most singularly intelligent thing I've ever said to a person in thanks:
"Duuuuude! No way!"
How I managed to be more Valley than TheFirst - who's been in the Valley since he was eight, whereas I didn't show up until I was fifteen - is beyond me. I'm still cringing at that one.
We parted with a second hug, then off he went home.
Anywho, as lovely and very appreciated as the DVD player is, the best thing about the evening, and weekend, isn't that. It's just spending time with a pretty cool guy I hadn't seen in nearly 20 years. I can't say we picked up where we left off all those years ago, because we're not the same people we were then. I think we've achieved an ease we didn't have in our teen years. That is a very nice thing to have. As is my new, yet not-so-new, friend.
As I may have said before, cool people? Very good to have as friends. I think I'll keep him.
Registered!
This is my blogchalk:
United States, California, Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, English, Carol, Female, 36-40.
