gimmesomejones

Christmas.  I have seen Christmas décor shortly erupting immediately after Halloween.  People already talking about decorating for Christmas, shopping, listening to Christmas music and the like, and I begin to wonder.  I think, well, Christmas is all well and good and I can understand why people of a certain sense might really get into that kind of thing early, but that’s not the central theme of Christianity, strictly speaking.  Sure, the Son of God came to earth, was born of a virgin and became man, but that’s not the endpoint, that’s only the beginning- Christianity itself does not really begin until that man rose from the dead.  Yet you don’t hear people commemorating Easter two months ahead of time; you mostly just have those folk make a comment or two about it on Easter itself, and then life goes on.  And I’ll admit, I’m rather the same way, but has anyone stopped to wonder why that is?  Why don’t we celebrate Easter so friggin’ much as we like to fuss over Christmas?

*Mel Brooks voice from Spaceballs* Merchandising!  Merchandising!

We are raised in a mercantilist setup, me children, and you can make a ton more off of Christmas than you can from Easter, and thus our celebration thereof.  Christmas is not the central theme of Christianity, yet the market economy has re-focused all of our attention on it.  How much money can stores make off of Easter baskets?  But you have Christmas décor, special clothes, gifts to be exchanged, and who knows HOW MANY FLIPPIN’ MOVIES; there’s a gold mine, and we call it Christmas.  We focus on that holiday and all its attachments not because it’s the “start” of the religion, but because we’ve been conditioned to think that it is.  And here’s the real thing: you can compare the importance of the two by the amount of time focused on them in the Church: Advent prepares you for Christmas in the same way that Lent prepares you for Easter.  Advent consists of, at most, 28 days.  Lent is 40, and when Sundays are calculated in, 46.  The Church celebrates the Christmas season through Epiphany, which is (for those who don’t know, which is a lot, in spite of that song; how many of you really know what the “12 days of Christmas” even means?!) twelve days.  The Church celebrates Easter through Ascension Thursday, a whole forty days, and more when you count Pentecost.

Please understand that this blog is in no way intended to be critical of the Democratic Party, nor is it intended to express my regret in being a member/employee of that same party.  It is not intended to discourage others from being members, or casting votes on that side.  Rather, it is a plea for that same party to get its act in gear and start taking some steps to WIN a few fights.

Democrats are too nice.  We are too understanding.  We are too willing to compromise because we think that what we are doing is for the greater good.  We are not the pressure players that republicans have become; they are fighting for their political lives, and they realize that their political future is dependent on making people believe lies and propaganda.  Oh, and I should point out that I know a few good republicans who actually and truly believe in their side of things and have reasonable arguments.  I call those sorts the educated republicans.  They are the ones I can tolerate, if for no other reason than they can hold a decent argument and are actually willing to listen to the other side.

But back to the point.

Republicans know that the future of their party is based on being cohesive.  They could not run the campaign they wanted against Obama, or perhaps they knew that the stakes were too high.  Republicans are good Monday morning quarterbacks.  Just like in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, when the defeated planted a backlash which destroyed the victors… you get the idea.  Republicans are great at making sure that everyone loses, including the American population.

Take one of my more-politically-active friends.  He’s a bright guy, and a staunch Hillary supporter.  Like a lot of those supporters, he grudgingly chose to vote Obama, but then proceeded to slam the Obama administration left and right, “If *HILLARY* [* denotes angelic singing] had been elected, health care/national security/puppies being put to sleep would not be a problem in America.”  What does this do?  It discourages support for the reelection campaign, of course!  Which means that their precious Hillary will be facing an incumbent republican if she runs in 16.  Unless, of course, they expect our president to step aside in 12, but we’ve seen how that’s worked in times past, haven’t we?  1968?  LBJ?

And on that same subject, I read a great editorial this morning on that same subject- what would LBJ have done to get health care through?  The whole article is available here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/24/johnson.lbj.health.care/index.html

But the long and short of it all is that President Johnson would have done everything necessary to get the job done, even contacting his Holiness if it would help.  He would have all hands on deck and promising to make life easier for everyone involved on both sides if it would eliminate the fight and get things done.  Hey, he got the Civil Rights Act passed.

My point- Democrats have spent so much time divided upon themselves, each faction claiming their own Messiah, that even when the candidates seem to agree, the factions remain.  Republicans learned this fact of life the hard way back in 92- factions are baaaaaaaaaaaaaad.  They let candidates win by less than 50%.  And republicans let themselves learn another few things over the next eight years, which were then re-affirmed for the eight years after that.  The lesson- “we suck at getting things done.”  I was a republican back then, but it was awfully hard to show why I was proud of them.  Sure, the economy got better, but who’s to say whether it was Congress (to whom I gave credit), the President (who took most of the credit, with the help of the media), or just the natural cycle of the economy (to which I now, understandably, give credit).  Republicans learned that they don’t have to get things done, just make people scared of what the other side might do.  That’s where this whole death board or whatever they’re calling it now thing comes in.  Make people afraid and make them seem patriotic in their fear.  Don’t allow reason to play a part, it’s easier to be afraid than to think.

Take the tax issue, for God’s sake.  Make people afraid- gasp, that government wants to take MORE of my money?  MY money?  Never mind that the majority of the people who voice fear of that pay little to nothing in income taxes.  Never mind that a fair number of those same people are collecting some kind of governmental assistance.  But, again, the argument that requires them to think is the harder one to get to.  Let’s take away everything that the governmental funds go to, and then see what happens.  Oh, and you think governmental programs are pork-filled?  Try investing in projects that are intended to make the higher-ups rich, and then see how much you’re paying for roads.  How much you’re paying for everything else.  There are those who say that the market will right itself, it will require fair treatment and good services for low costs.  Yeah, because the market did so much for workers back in the day.  Oh, and those same people who depend on the market to right itself are the ones who stand against workers fighting for better rights.

Why don’t we all just admit it- Democrats want to help people, republicans want to help themselves.  Refute the point.

NOTE: All comments in this blog are made as strictly a personal reflection on personal issues, and are not meant as a public statement on behalf of any body, position, group, campaign, religion, or any other such gathering.  All thoughts, statements, questions and any other expressions contained within remain entirely personal, and may not be used without the express consent of the author, which you will not get, so let’s avoid all the issues and just assume that anything I say here is between you and me.  By continuing to read this, you acknowledge and consent to the above.

I will not donate to the Ian Rucker memorial scholarship through the Neosho school system.  I will wait and donate to whatever they set up in Maryland.  In no particular order, my reasons follow.

First, I do not trust the Neosho school system as a whole.  Anything that puts Darren Cook in charge of the high school does not earn my respect.  Though there are few reasons for me to be happy that my nieces are in East Newton, this is indeed one of them.  I do not trust him around any female students, least of all my nieces.  (Note- this is not libel nor slander nor anything else- I have in no way accused him of anything.  I have merely stated that I do not trust him.  Around young females.  Like my nieces.)

Second, I never want David Watkins to be able to use the memory of a friend in order to reward his favorites.  David Watkins is a little man.  He has spent many years playing favorites, rewarding those he liked and making life difficult for those he did not.  He spent my four years in his program limiting my opportunities every chance he got.  I beat him out in spite of that.  I refused to try to gain his favor while I was in his classes, I will not contribute to him playing favorites in the future, and I certainly won’t give him ammunition to do so.  And even less is my desire to let him use the memory of a friend for that end.  Forget that.  One person did recently contend that he is not even in charge of the debate program; to date, he is still listed as faculty at Neosho High, and I doubt very much that he would go from that position unless he left the school entirely.  If there is proof that he will not be part of that show, then I will correct this post, but, until then…

The memorial was good.  I am glad I attended.

University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small.
  - Henry Kissinger

I want to post a note in the laundry room.

"To whom it may concern-

Whoever the cocksucker is that decided to pull my laundry from the dryer before it was done, please be aware that if you ever do it again, I am going to stake out the laundry room, hunt you down, and chop off the protruding parts of your body.  While this may seem extreme, please understand that you're dealing with a man who quite literally has nothing better to do."

So today's touch from the BGI (that's Bitch Goddess Irony for those I haven't told).  As I've mentioned to some, I love my apartment.  But the downside is that, when I'm home during the day on a weekday, I have to move my car around regularly.  There is no parking for my apt, and since it's downtown, the parking is either 1 hour or 2 hour, and goes either from 8-6, 10-4, or 10-6.  So every two hours or so I'm moving my car; yes, they do inspect, I got a ticket last week.

I should point out that I have not met many people in my building as yet.  At any rate, I also had to do laundry today (when it's down to wearing gym shorts or a thong... yeah).  Thankfully, I have a very nice-priced laundry room in the basement of my building, so no problem.  I put two loads in, moved the car and rotated them.  I moved the car again later, and came back in to my building.  I decided to take the elevator down rather than the stairs, so the elevator would be down there when I unloaded the laundry.  I looked up... and there were two very attractive females walking off the elevator.  Why should this be of concern, you ask?  Ah, say I- because it's laundry day.  I'm wearing swimming trunks and a Hawaiian button-down.  And sandals.  This is not subtle clothing.  Oh, 80's Head and Shoulders commercials still ring through my memory- "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

It has not been the good week.  I think my computer is fine, though- granted, I have a lot to adjust to yet, but it will be all right.  I also have a ton of music that I need to get on there, but all in good time.

Tonight, the personal agenda!  New job meeting at 4:30, then partying with former co-workers.

I’ve a bit of an idea.  No doubt that this idea will have holes poked in it from all sides, in spite of how it satisfies complaints from each of those sides; it makes too much sense to really be approved.

Supposedly, if a child were to have $1,000 invested in particular IRAs or the like by the time that child is 18, that child’s retirement will be covered by age 65, presuming that the market doesn’t drop and stay on the bottom.  I’ve not done the math for the details, I’m just going by what information has been passed on to me by investment personnel and the like.  If you have economic criticisms of this plan, kindly address them in a separate forum, as I’d prefer to keep the debate toward the concepts of the plan.

Now, we have the end of the social security system in sight, and we’re either going to have to cut benefits, raise retirement age, or pass funds over from some other location, and any of these ends has its pitfalls.  So suppose we cut off social security, or we start, what’s the term, weaning? people from it, we start reducing the benefits in proportion to those people and their investments, or at least their ability to have invested.

The appealing portion of it- we start giving incentives to parents for investing in their children.  If a parent were to invest $25 a month in their kid, that’s $300 a month, over four years, they’ve hit the mark; if they keep it up, by the time the kid’s 18, you have $5400.  So let’s say the government backs that investment, matches it dollar for dollar.  You can ease the burden on the family or else double the investment total.  Over ten grand sitting there, drawing interest, making money on the private sector, and helping that kid make sure to have a retirement fund.

Limitations on the plan, of course, exist- a ceiling on the number of kids that are able to be covered on that plan, perhaps?  Limitations on how much money the government will put in?  What other problems can you see with the plan?  Let’s hear it.

So the play list for today, not that it has any real relevance:

1. Daisy Jane- America
2. Jane- Ben Folds
3. Mess- Ben Folds Five
4. Straight No Chaser- Bush
5. Just That Good- The Calling
6. Anna Begins- Counting Crows
7. Lodi- Creedence Clearwater Revival
8. Fingers of Love- Crowded House
9. Scum- Dada
10. Outside- Dada
11. After the Thrill is Gone- The Eagles
12. Dreams- Fleetwood Mac
13. One Night a Day- Garth Brooks
14. Every Now and Then- Garth Brooks
15. I Hate Everyone- Get Set Go
16. Certain Songs- The Hold Steady
17. Fuck, Was I- Jenny Owens Young
18. Saving All the Love- Joe Firstman
19. [song 19 is confidential, as it may elicit certain reactions not intended by readers]
20. Still Life- Men At Work
21. I Wish I Was the Moon- Neko Case
22. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel
23. Devil Boy- Seven Mary Three
24. The Sound of Silence- Simon and Garfunkel
25. Miracle- Vertical Horizon
26. A Question of Water- Wynn Walent

I’m just not feeling too up today.  Nine more positions applied for, with eight more to hit if I can ever get around to organizing my writing samples.  It’s cloudy and cold, if not quite as cold as yesterday, and appropriate to my mood.  The music is not intended to be exceptionally depressing (there were far more depressing songs that I left off the list- Evaporated, by Ben Folds Five, for example, Someday Never Comes, by Creedence, or King of the World by Bob Schneider, not to mention a ton of country songs that I have), just what I felt like listening to.  Strangely, I had a Jimmy Buffett line I was going to put as my facebook status before certain other factors motivated another, and that particular line was in a much cheerier mode.

There will doubtless be more blogging later (there’s precious little else to do around here, especially now that most of the rest of my world has gone back to work).

To All:

Another year has come and (almost) gone, and it’s time for that usual cheerful end-of-the-year cardfest and picture swap.  I’ll do the cards, but not the pictures, as I still don’t like the way I photograph.

Now, 2008 was a year of firsts, both for me and the nation… but you can read the national stuff in the news.  About my life:

Lifestyle- I lived in four states this year (counting the one to which I am about to move), starting in Minnesota, to New York, Florida and then Missouri: I had hoped to spend a full calendar year outside of Missouri, but I still lasted a little over 13 months.  The favorite residence of the year was still Minneapolis, the least was Long Island.  I met people from all walks of life, lodged with bedbugs in Brooklyn, and lived about 400 yards from the beach in Florida.  Got a pretty nice tan, too.

Employment- I worked in two U.S. Senate races in Minnesota, one non-profit in New York, and a state senate race in east-central Florida.  I also had about three or four months of downtime, in spite of which I still made more this year than any before.  My pay also increased, from start to finish, 67%.

Socially- 2008 was a low point in my social world, being the first year since 2000 in which I was not married.  It was also a low point in that it was the first year since 1996 that I wasn’t in any real type of relationship (okay, technically there were two, both in January, but one was over before the year started and the other never really got off the ground).  I had a fair number of first dates, some worthwhile, but nothing that really sent me.  Most of you have already heard what else I’ve been short on for this year, but that’s another story entirely.

Otherwise- I bought a new car, a convertible, which is slightly more realistic than the bike I spent three years with.  My second book has made some progress, but still wants for inspiration (and none of those first dates provided me with that).  I’ve also started on another story that actually possibly has some hope for the future, but that’s another story as well.  I still cook every chance I get, though I miss having people to try it out on.  I’m still as cynical as I ever was.

The Future?- Who knows?  I’m qualified, and I’m trying for jobs.  I’m not overly picky about where I go, either.  I’d prefer to avoid Alaska (unless it was to challenge Palin or hurt her career in some way), New Hampshire (unless it settled a score or two), and Wyoming, but then, if it pays enough, I suppose there are adventures yet to be had.  As I’ve said a few times, it doesn’t matter so much to me where the job is, really, as I’m miserable in Missouri anyway, so at least it’ll give me money and a different place to live.

In spite of the ups, I’m rating 2008 as a down year, one of the more miserable years I’ve had, frankly, and I am looking forward to the new year if for no other reason than it holds possibilities of being something better.  Cue Counting Crows and Dada (A Long December and The Spirit of 2009, respectively).

"Can we, in all fairness, compare driving a car to making love to a woman?"
" What kind of car?"

I miss Men Behaving Badly.  Great show, but it only lasted that one season (in America, that is); they couldn't expect to go anywhere once Ron Eldard and Justine Bateman left.  Still can't stand Roseann or Seinfeld, though.  Not my thing, those.

So this is my last day in Florida.  I've packed the car as best as I'm able at present, I'll be collapsing the rest of the apartment tomorrow, and then it's off.  The GPS says it's a 23 hour drive, and I'm going to be stupid enough to try and tackle it in one run; I don't expect to make it, but I'm going to push it as hard as I can.  Not that I'm in any kind of hurry to return to Missouri, of course; I'm just one of those idiots who feels required to make everything a challenge.

Packing up the life, it'll be another month of adventure, coast to coast travel.  I'm looking at Nashville, possibly Virginia, maybe the west coast as well- I'm all over the place.  And yes, I'll be seeing the friends and family in Neosho and Springfield as well.

I've been working on the Christmas card/blog announcement, it'll be posted sometime soon.