Last of the line

I just got snipped. All yesterday I started raising ethical questions with myself about making a conscious decision to permanently end my lineage. I've used jimmy hats and dated women who were on bc, but this is more final. That's what bothers me. It's one thing to temporarily cut off the opportunity to make a baby, but this isn't reversable. It is, but it has a low successrate.

The other side of the coin is I don't want to take make any more babies. If one is placed on my doorstep, I'm fine with that. But I don't want to be an active participant. I don't know if I'll be as patient as I need to be to raise any kids after this next one. And I don't want to subject a kid to a less-than-adequate dad. But, a lot of good people come from shitty situations.

At least I met my deductible.

Who the Hell is Ross Douthat?

Obviously, he hasn't been around long enough to amass a body of work that is worthy of a regular op-ed columnist position at the New York Times. What has he done besides worked hard, published a book and graduated from Harvard? He doesn't even have a law degree! Do I think he would be in the position he is today were it not for his parents' names and influences? The answer is a brief and resounding NO!

Instead of offering congratulations to a man who was chosen as recipient of an elusive prize, he, instead, pour vitriol from his piehole over the accomplishments, past and future, achieved and contemplated, that President Obama owns.

I can hardly wait until the news breaks about Mr. Douthat's serious character flaws. Wait, make that his humanity.

I forgot

David Gregory has won me over. I miss Tim Russert, but Gregory sticks to the general point rather than calling out his guests over a specific word.

Graham

I don't believe what I'm hearing. Sen. Lindsey Graham said something positive about Obama and something less-than-sycophantic about Bush II.

And all the guests this morning on Meet the Press said they'd support the elimination of "don't ask don't tell." Am I freakin' dreaming? My dad served in WW II and years ago he told me in his slow Southern cadence, "I served with homosexuals in the war. There's nothing wrong with that. They were good soldiers." Dig it. Anybody who's willing to pick up a gun and lay down his life for this country has my respect.

Dang, I haven't posted anything in a while...

Oh, it's because I put in new windows and insulated the bedrooms am trying to prepare for a presentation that I don't know much about this Friday and I work full time. Yeah, that's why.

Slick Vick

I don't know, I feel like anybody who served his time in the pokie deserves to get a second shot at anything. Politics, acting, construction, engineering, whatever. Yeah, even sex offenders. But sentence them appropriately. I don't have a problem giving rapists (not necessarily statutory) life in prison. But never let them out if sentenced to life. Life should mean life.

Sooooo, I don't have a problem with Vick playing football again. He did his time. I don't think he should be allowed to own a pet, but we have to let people make a living. Either that or send every parolee to somewhere in remote Alaska and let them fend for themselves.

Sarah Smile

I know a few people who seem to have the same disposition as Sarah Palin. I don't know her, but I've seen her type. The type who criticize more than construct. The type who dismiss others' opinions as spiteful while spitting their own vitriol. The kind who wave off observations with a "you don't understand and you never will."

Of course people don't understand if Sarah doesn't explain. I think Eminem used the same line about observations of his music. "Those who get it get it and those who don't don't." Well effin' explain it to me. I speak English.

Anyway, I'm interested to see how bright her star shines after she's out of the spotlight for a few months. I'm hoping it dulls quickly and somebody with something to contribute steps up and fills the void that is being created by some of the older conservative leaders.

Good luck, Sarah. I hope you've learned something

Happy Birthday to Her

From her many, many men.

I wonder if she really loved me at all. Almost everything she told me was a lie. We had a great time together, but she was always for show. If it made her look good then she'd say it. I miss her, but it wasn't worth it.

The Silent Treatment

A couple guys at work were told to take down their anti-Obama cartoons from their cube walls. These guys are in their 30s. One of them hasn't talked to me at all since May, when they were told. He's convinced that I made his boss break it down to him. If he'd talk to me he'd know that I wasn't the only one who said the cartoons weren't appropriate for work, but he's not talking. He did say good morning the other day, but he doesn't swing by my cube like he used to. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sweating it. I think it's kinda pathetic that a grown man is upset because he was told do not do something that he shouldn't have been doing. Freedom of speech doesn't extend into the workplace. If he knew what he was talking about maybe I'd have some respect. But, for instance, he had a cartoon of Obama standing next to Karl Marx. Well, he should know that Obama isn't a Marxist, or even a Communist. He's a socialist (small case). But that's okay, because we already live in a socialist country. Even Republicans in this country are socialists. Not as far left as Europeans (some are further right than Gorbachev) but socialists nonetheless.

But the thing is...the boss had the final say. If he bothered to talk maybe he'd learn something.

I've lost better friends over smaller deals. I'm just surprised that someone his age is so childish.

Iran so far away

I hope the people of Iran get a government that they can trust. Not one they like, not one they agree with, but one that they trust. One who plays by the same rules. By most accounts, Mousavi is not better than Ahmadinejad, just different. I'd rather have a president who admits to being a little shady than one who pretends to be a saint. Kinda like the mayor of Las Vegas over George W. Bush. I'd know what to expect. And hats off to Obama for steering clear of criticizing the results. A buttload of my conservative friends (and elected officials and talking heads) had a mouthful to say when other countries' leaders expressed their disappointment in the outcomes of the 2000 and 2004 elections. Those same knobs are saying that Obama needs to be more forceful about Iran's elections. Thankfully he knows better than to get pulled into that trap.

Speaking of elections...Akron's mayor is staying put!!

Metalheads

I wonder if there will be a day when everyone has everything pierced. What's the next big thing? Maybe it will go back to basics, like music briefly did in the early Ohs when the stripped down rock of The Strokes, Ben Harper, The Hives, The Killers, etc hit the scene. It would be nice for me if things went back to basics. I have no idea what my wife's natural hair looks like. I've never seen it without chemical enhancement. It would be nice if everyone, regardless of ancestry, cut their hair down with a #1 guard on the clippers. Also, take out the posts and laser off the tats. If a person wants to be noticed it should be on accomplishments, like how many hungry people did she feed, how many shoes did he make for the people with no shoes on their feet. And for every 100 then a person can get some ink or an earring.

It was weird to watch the NBA playoffs and see guys with all those tatoos missing freethrows. Instead of sitting in the parlor those mofos should be practicing hitting those easy shots and earn all that money. Shhiiiiiiiiiit. If I was paying those fellas I'd take $10,000 away for every free throw they miss and give it to Big Brothers & Sisters.

It will be nice when people don't feel the need to be recognized and noticed and go back to doing their jobs.

I Let the Days Go By

I was ironing clothes today. I get really, really sentimental when I iron my daughter's clothes. It's probably because I know she won't be wearing them for much longer. She'll outgrow them, outgrow this house, outgrow my advice. I had her when I was so old that I'll probably never get to see her as an old lady. I bet she'll be beautiful, like an Eartha Kitt or Katherine Hepburn.

It started out and ended up a nice day.

Cheney Lips

Why is he still talking? He'd pick Rush over Powell? He'd pick an over-fed, drug-addicted, fired sports commentator entertainer over a man who actually served in combat and was three steps away from the presidency? How many times does Cheney have to prove himself pure evil? He has nothing but destruction of this country's morale at heart.

My First Kid

Twenty years ago this week my then-girlfriend told me that she had had a miscarriage. It didn't bother me much then, because I was only 24 and hadn't known her for very long. But now, man, I'd have a nineteen-year-old kid. Probably very pretty or very handsome. Probably very smart. Probably very kind and giving.

I miss having the opportunity.

But, I realize that I probably wouldn't have my beautiful, smart, kind and giving eight-year-old daughter.

I'm very glad for that opportunity.

Specter of things to come

I'm happy happy happy! Another Republican jumped off the sinking ship. And it's not like it's a crazy party switcher, like Zell Miller or Joseph Lieberman. I've always thought Specter was a decent person. I don't always agree with him, which is fine with me, but he's always been rational. Welcome! Glad to have you! Come on in!

More of the Same?

I've read articles about how President Obama is adopting or adapting several of W's more controversial stances, like holding enemy combatants indefinitely, state's secret, etc. But is the president actually holding on to those ideologies or does he recognize that sweeping changes can cause catastrophe. Look at the sweeping change that happened in Iraq. Look at the sweeping change that happened in Russia, Yugoslavia, South Africa. Whether the longview is good or bad by Western standards, sudden change almost certainly spells disaster for any social structure. Tantamount to a hurricane or tornado.

Peace!

SURPRISE!

I found out Thursday that a guy I work with is sending distasteful anti-Obama emails to another guy I work with. The recipient told me that some of them cross the line and he asked the sender to stop sending them. Now, for a little context, the recipient has shares with me all kinds of off color jokes and videos, so if he says they're over the line, then I believe it. It's like Karl Rove saying McCain went too far, or Satan saying Rove went too far. Most of them aren't about his policies, but about his skin color. (I say skin color because I don't believe in race and I'm trying not to use it anymore. It's a word of convenience.)

Anyway, now I look at the sender with totally new eyes. I'm wondering who else he sees as less than.

I almost wish I didn't know about his political views, but I'm glad, because now I can fuck with him and he won't know why.

Change

Tuesday was a great day! It was effin' awesome to hear the president finally talking about helping countries (including this one) overcome fear and fighting; keeping security and principles; healing the planet; unity. I don't understand why so many conservatives feel it has to be a fight and why only one can win.

I was speaking with a co-worker yesterday. He told me about his heart attack at 46 and that if he lives a few more months, into his very early 50s, he'll have outlived any other man in his family. He said he doesn't let the little things bother him anymore. That's where I want to get. Not let the little things, or even the big things beyond my control, bother me. So I won't block the entrance to an abortion clinic (or the funds to keep it open) even though I don't support abortion. I won't give an ultimatum to people who disagree with my position; I won't disparage those who compete against me for the same things.

I found an old friend online a couple days ago. I've googled him once in a while for years but just found him on Facebook. He was one of the coolest (not cool like, "yeah, man" but cool like always willing to listen and tell a good story) guys I knew back in Minneapolis. It's always a dice roll looking up old friends. I found one friend but she was way too into faith, religion or whatever for me to comfortable. She assumed that I'm not happy because I don't exercise my faith the same way she does. This was in her second email to me. Anyway, my old bud from Mipples was really down to earth back in the day, but I know we all change, and I hope that bringing up the girls he boned or that guy we worked with who dug him won't be a sore spot.

A new bar opened around the corner from me. I went there with a neighbor last night. I found out my neighbor's moving to Boston in a couple of weeks. That bums me out. We wave and he gives me a ride to work when he sees me at the bus stop. We even went jogging once. Unfortunately we never really hung out in the two years he's livd across the street. But I know he's one of those guys who's always will to split a six-pack. Good luck in Beantown.

Marriage...I'm hoping mine changes to one I can believe in.

Goodbye 43!

So, the last baby boomer turned 44 a few days ago. If the real last babyboomer is anything like this one then his/her body is starting to hurt for no apparent reason. No impacts, no cuts, no medicines. Just out-of-the-blue pain.

I spoke with a friend of mine this morning. I told him that my head was hurting and I was nauseous earlier that morning. His back started hurting the other day for no reason (he's 42). Our diagnosis is age. I can't treat myself like a teenager or 25-year-old, even a 35-year-old, anymore. I pride myself on how much I can eat and stay around 200 pounds (I'm 6'2"), but I can feel my insides starting to revolt.

This year: no more chicken wings, no more than one hamburger each week, no more hangovers, no more crap. I will try to save a bunch more money, spend only three hours on a house project, finish a marathon in under five hours (that sounds like a lot, but I have thalassemia, so there's my excuse) and be more available to the wifey and kid. And I'll try to let go of April 1996 through August 1999.

Luckily my fiscal year and calendar year are concurrent, so my bookkeeping is really easy.

Peace.