Yeah, I don't like learning either...
Sunday, May 11, 2008
let's learn!
Hey, remember when Nazi Germany hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics?
Yeah, I don't like learning either...
Yeah, I don't like learning either...
Sunday, May 4, 2008
will we even listen?
Excellent op-ed piece from Thomas Friedman today. They all are really, but this one especially
Who Will Tell the People?
Who Will Tell the People?
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
you're really gonna go there?
This is nice.
According to the Clinton campaign:
ABC News reported this morning that "Clinton has pulled ahead of Obama" in the popular vote.
What ABC News' Rick Klein actually reported in today's edition of "The Note" is this:
By one (rightly disputed) metric -- the popular vote, including Florida and Michigan -- Clinton has pulled ahead of Obama. But without the rogue states, Obama is still up by 500,000 -- and if you can find another objective measurement by which she’s in the lead, let us know.
Conveniently enough, whoever posted the page on the Hillpub site neglected to post a link to the original ABC article. Oops.
But seriously. Be real. Even with a stretch of the imagination the likes of which hasn't been attempted since da Vinci, this is not what this article was saying. At all. It's just banking on the fact that (largely) the only people reading her campaign's site are supporters, and supporters likely will have little to no intention of verifying what the campaign says. So why tell the truth when you can lie and have people believe you and consequently give you more money?
Anybody to whom that question needs even be asked should not be running my country damnit.
According to the Clinton campaign:
ABC News reported this morning that "Clinton has pulled ahead of Obama" in the popular vote.
What ABC News' Rick Klein actually reported in today's edition of "The Note" is this:
By one (rightly disputed) metric -- the popular vote, including Florida and Michigan -- Clinton has pulled ahead of Obama. But without the rogue states, Obama is still up by 500,000 -- and if you can find another objective measurement by which she’s in the lead, let us know.
Conveniently enough, whoever posted the page on the Hillpub site neglected to post a link to the original ABC article. Oops.
But seriously. Be real. Even with a stretch of the imagination the likes of which hasn't been attempted since da Vinci, this is not what this article was saying. At all. It's just banking on the fact that (largely) the only people reading her campaign's site are supporters, and supporters likely will have little to no intention of verifying what the campaign says. So why tell the truth when you can lie and have people believe you and consequently give you more money?
Anybody to whom that question needs even be asked should not be running my country damnit.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
I'm so scared this will generate outrage for a week .. then disappear.
Behind Analysts, the Pentagon’s Hidden Hand
Behind Analysts, the Pentagon’s Hidden Hand
Friday, April 18, 2008
in case you forgot
Because this won't add an unfair slant to those doing the prosecuting at all...
This is fucking appalling
U.S. to televise Guantanamo trials to 9-11 families
This is fucking appalling
U.S. to televise Guantanamo trials to 9-11 families
any takers?
This truly is just downright disheartening. Really.
I just got a call on my cell phone from a local number I didn't recognize, and because my cell phone is my only phone I do occasionally get marketing calls, so I ignored it. Upon receiving a voicemail, I promptly checked it out.
The somewhat downtrodden voice with which I was presented belonged to one PFC Richard Boris from the United States Army. He was calling because he had received information that I may be interested in joining the U.S. Army or the U.S. Army Reserve, and if it was true I should give him a call back (at a number at odds with the one on which he was calling me).
Is this really what we've come to? Is the United States Armed Forces really cold-calling cell phones looking for people to sign up for a war the majority of the country (to say nothing about the rest of the world) disagrees with?
Yes (if you hadn't yet guessed). Yes they are. How do I know this? Because nowhere does there exist information – credible or otherwise – indicating any level of interest on my part in joining the U.S. Army or the U.S. Army Reserve.
I just got a call on my cell phone from a local number I didn't recognize, and because my cell phone is my only phone I do occasionally get marketing calls, so I ignored it. Upon receiving a voicemail, I promptly checked it out.
The somewhat downtrodden voice with which I was presented belonged to one PFC Richard Boris from the United States Army. He was calling because he had received information that I may be interested in joining the U.S. Army or the U.S. Army Reserve, and if it was true I should give him a call back (at a number at odds with the one on which he was calling me).
Is this really what we've come to? Is the United States Armed Forces really cold-calling cell phones looking for people to sign up for a war the majority of the country (to say nothing about the rest of the world) disagrees with?
Yes (if you hadn't yet guessed). Yes they are. How do I know this? Because nowhere does there exist information – credible or otherwise – indicating any level of interest on my part in joining the U.S. Army or the U.S. Army Reserve.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
let's go babies!!
It's spring!!!!
Know how I know? Do ya? DO YA?!? It's beautiful and sunny out today, but that's not how I know. It's the second day of April, and people are wearing lighter and lighter outerwear, but that's not how I know either. It's not that the water taxi has started it's daily trips back and forth up and down the Chicago River, nor is it the increasing numbers of people running, walking, blading and cycling along the lakeshore trail at all hours of the day. No no my friends. On the bus this morning, on my way downtown..
..city workers were taking down the winter beach fences along the lake, transforming it from this to THIS. YEAH BABIES!! That means they're getting ready for sandy, warm weathery good times at the beach! And surely you know what THAT means…? I'll be expecting visits from all you wayward friends who seem to think there are places to live that are superior to Chicago. Because now that it is no longer the unofficial North American Siberia, we can go rollerblading, cycling, swimming, play water frisbee, lay in the sun, go dancing*, drink beer at a blues house or whiskey at a jazz joint, walk the streets at night without fear of being mugged by Jack Frost (that wanker), eat good food and drink great beer on the back patio of the supremely Scottish Duke of Perth (aka the Duke, hands down the best pub in my neighborhood with one of the best Scotch selections in the city), have cheap picnics near North Pond near that really expensive restaurant called .. North Pond, go kayaking up and down the Chicago River, take 3 hour long walks around the city because we can … ok, I really have to finish prepping for my event today. I need to leave in an hour.
For those of you with whom I've been out of touch, apologies. Really. Seriously. Lately my talents for keeping in touch with those I hold in high esteem (probably you if you're reading this) have run right along the same lines as those of a mollusk. Not a cool one. A bitchy one. Thanks all for putting up with me and staying my friend. I like you.
*I realize not all of these are exclusively Spring/Summer activities, but I'm in a good mood for once, and I finally feel like doing them. So eat it
Know how I know? Do ya? DO YA?!? It's beautiful and sunny out today, but that's not how I know. It's the second day of April, and people are wearing lighter and lighter outerwear, but that's not how I know either. It's not that the water taxi has started it's daily trips back and forth up and down the Chicago River, nor is it the increasing numbers of people running, walking, blading and cycling along the lakeshore trail at all hours of the day. No no my friends. On the bus this morning, on my way downtown..
..city workers were taking down the winter beach fences along the lake, transforming it from this to THIS. YEAH BABIES!! That means they're getting ready for sandy, warm weathery good times at the beach! And surely you know what THAT means…? I'll be expecting visits from all you wayward friends who seem to think there are places to live that are superior to Chicago. Because now that it is no longer the unofficial North American Siberia, we can go rollerblading, cycling, swimming, play water frisbee, lay in the sun, go dancing*, drink beer at a blues house or whiskey at a jazz joint, walk the streets at night without fear of being mugged by Jack Frost (that wanker), eat good food and drink great beer on the back patio of the supremely Scottish Duke of Perth (aka the Duke, hands down the best pub in my neighborhood with one of the best Scotch selections in the city), have cheap picnics near North Pond near that really expensive restaurant called .. North Pond, go kayaking up and down the Chicago River, take 3 hour long walks around the city because we can … ok, I really have to finish prepping for my event today. I need to leave in an hour.
For those of you with whom I've been out of touch, apologies. Really. Seriously. Lately my talents for keeping in touch with those I hold in high esteem (probably you if you're reading this) have run right along the same lines as those of a mollusk. Not a cool one. A bitchy one. Thanks all for putting up with me and staying my friend. I like you.
*I realize not all of these are exclusively Spring/Summer activities, but I'm in a good mood for once, and I finally feel like doing them. So eat it
Thursday, March 13, 2008
cast out
Cast out - It's tough being different
in a homogeneous world
Originally uploaded by normalityrelief
This caught my attention one day while getting on the bus on my way to work. It's this ordinary-looking midrise about two blocks away from me, with nothing about it out of the ordinary save for one entire side is completely without windows. Except that one little guy. I wish I knew who decided to build it that way and why. It's just all sorts of curious
Thursday, March 6, 2008
good idea, but it just never worked (for me)
You know what? For all their good intentions, I can’t stand soup spoons. No. I should clarify. I can’t stand using soup spoons. I understand the idea – to get more SPS (soup-per-spoonful) – but no matter how hard I try, I can’t ever seem to get all the soup out of the spoon, leaving me to wonder how much is soup and how much is spit. That’s gross. Who wants to put that back in their bowl of beef stew? I sure don’t.
Friday, February 8, 2008
i'm done with rumbling
Alright, enough is enough. For real this time. I mean it. Goodness gracious. And I thought football’s popularity was ridiculous.
Politics has become a sport, that’s all there is to it. It’s a total spectator sport, complete with MVPs, strategies, goals, player stats, coaches, star rookies, dirty tricks, and two teams. It’s not a sport! It’s not supposed to provide entertainment, and it’s not supposed to generate ratings! Politics is supposed to be the process by which we select the individuals who will lead our government and our country, NOT an über-competitive trial where only those who have spent enough time practicing the plays win! Politics should be about honestly deciding who is best suited to make decisions for all of us. Today, it’s all about the win. After that we, the spectators, go home and wait for the next game.
Never have I heard the word electability tossed around so damn much as in today’s political parlance, as if a candidate’s ability to win the office is way more important than how the candidate will lead the office. I know people who would prefer Obama win the nomination and presidency, but voted for Clinton because she’s the stronger player and therefore more likely to win. It’s not about who’s best (or who one feels is best), it’s about who will bring home the title. And nothing has done more to encourage this stupid mindset than the 2-party system.
This system epitomizes sports. It breeds professional players so efficiently that someone who genuinely would be great for our country practically isn’t allowed to be considered for the major leagues without paying their dues to one of the two teams. Worse, it creates a far-reaching mindset of “us against them,” where the home team’s win is more important than what the home team will do with the trophy. Thing is, in real sports, the trophy sits in a glass case and gets dusty, it does not deal with world leaders who would like nothing more than to see both teams – along with the entire stadium and its fans – cease to exist.
This über-competitive spirit is doing more and more and more to damage our country in so many ways. It distracts us from nearly everything else that’s happening, and more importantly the ramifications of what’s happening. We’ve become so blinded by this intense desire to win that we’ve stopped considering what that win will mean. When a Republican introduces a bill to the Senate, it seems the Democrats – before even READING the damn thing – band together to destroy it. AND WE SUPPORT THEM!!! We cheer them on, and praise them for “defeating” the other team’s play! Nevermind what that bill may have meant or done, the important thing is it was killed. And we can trust that every time a move is blocked by one team or another, we’ll hear about it somehow.
Our modern media is relentless in transforming an election into an exciting, action-packed contest. Daily headlines read Clinton, Obama face off, Blitzer: Deny, deny, deny to the bitter end, Clinton's Penn vs. Obama's Axelrod, TIME Poll: Clinton More Beatable than Obama, Bush: Keep a conservative in White House, Clinton polls strongly on Super Tuesday (take a look at the picture on this one!), Inspiration vs. Substance, S. African Head Wary on Circumcision … wait, scratch that one … and Why Romney's Product Launch Failed. PRODUCT LAUNCH??!? He’s not a damn product any more than he’s a damn linebacker, but anything is better than making it sound potentially boring! And yes, I realize how trendy it is to point a bony finger at the morally corrupt mainstream media (MSM) and bellow out (usually in a thick, Sideshow Mel-esque English accent) “there lay the devils!!” While I am fed up with them, truthfully it’s not entirely their fault. It’s ours. It’s us. We’re the problem. We’re the problem because we ask for it and have come to expect and demand it. If a newspaper doesn’t provide action-packed headlines on a daily basis, we ignore them until they go out of business, telling everyone else very clearly that we expect excitement, and if we don’t get it from one source, we’ll find it from another. After all, why read something boring when you COULD be reading about the latest underhanded play?
Honestly though, it’s understandable that we don’t pay attention to anything else: today’s issues are freakishly complicated. Not that we shouldn’t be aware of the issues; we should. But frankly, it’s downright unrealistic – and I think unfair – to ask the average American to understand the complexities of immigration policy and its subsequent economic effects on international trade agreements, or the ancient, nearly incalculable factors behind the hatred between some of the religious sects in the Middle East, or the very precisely worded language of constitutional law and how it’s intended to be used and upheld. Each of these subjects require nearly a lifetime devoted to their study even to begin to understand, and expecting Americans to have the knowledge and understanding to be able to vote based on a candidate’s suggestions in ridiculous! Once again, I’m not advocating ignorance of the issues; I’m suggesting that, given the choice between studying a few dozen white papers on public policy and watching play-by-play coverage of last night’s “GOP v Dem Cage Match: Final Countdown to Super Tuesday,” people are naturally going to choose the one they enjoy more. The problem lies in the fact that we don’t really have any other models from which to base a selection. It’s either study up on public policy and ignore all the heated back and forth, or get sucked into the fray and make your decision based on who puts up a better fight. And what better way to pick a side than joining others who share your own personal value system?
What a stupid thing it is to have an entire country trying to pick a leader based on something as vague and inconstant as values. Let’s be real, it’ll be relatively easy to tell if a candidate has poor principles, and ditto for someone with little personal honor. All you have to do is look at how they’ve lived their life. Beyond that, value takes on a predominantly religious undertone. I’m not even going to start on that, except to say I’m all for not picking a leader who’s going to lead me and the rest of us based on what he reads in a heavily-edited, highly-political, 2000 year old text. Values change over time, and are not representative of all of us. They are, however, deeply based on emotion, making them easy to use to rally hordes of people behind your team. Hence their use in the 2-party system. Just yesterday our president declared “I'm absolutely confident that with your help, we will elect a person who shares our principles.” Nobody questions whether they’re well suited for working with the rest of the world, or if those principles best represent the nation. It’s an appeal to our emotions, rather than our best judgment.
One last thing. I’ve brought up representation twice now, and I think it warrants a quick explanation. There is no way we could ever elect anyone who represents all of us. There are too many of us, we are too widely varied, and we don’t really even know what we’re talking about when it comes to governance. Full representation just is not possible, which obviously causes problems in a representative democracy. The 2-party system addresses this by offering people the option of voluntarily aligning themselves with one of the two parties, thereby offering representation even if the candidate isn’t really all that like you. This is where a third option for choosing a candidate needs to come in. We need to start evaluating candidates based on their reason and intelligence, instead of how well they represent us. I don’t want a candidate who’s plan for Iraq and the Middle East vibes with my own, because I know basically nothing about Middle Eastern politics, country reconstruction, and negotiating treaties. In short, I wouldn’t trust me to formulate a plan, so why on earth would I vote for someone who’s plan meshes with mine? I want to vote for someone who I feel I trust. Someone who is intelligent and reasonable enough to track down and utilize the world’s foremost minds in policy, and build a plan based on their consensus. Not a plan based on the consensus of a country full of people who know very little about the problem at hand.
I don’t want someone who promises to run the country how I’d run the country. I want someone who promises to run the country well.
Politics has become a sport, that’s all there is to it. It’s a total spectator sport, complete with MVPs, strategies, goals, player stats, coaches, star rookies, dirty tricks, and two teams. It’s not a sport! It’s not supposed to provide entertainment, and it’s not supposed to generate ratings! Politics is supposed to be the process by which we select the individuals who will lead our government and our country, NOT an über-competitive trial where only those who have spent enough time practicing the plays win! Politics should be about honestly deciding who is best suited to make decisions for all of us. Today, it’s all about the win. After that we, the spectators, go home and wait for the next game.
Never have I heard the word electability tossed around so damn much as in today’s political parlance, as if a candidate’s ability to win the office is way more important than how the candidate will lead the office. I know people who would prefer Obama win the nomination and presidency, but voted for Clinton because she’s the stronger player and therefore more likely to win. It’s not about who’s best (or who one feels is best), it’s about who will bring home the title. And nothing has done more to encourage this stupid mindset than the 2-party system.
This system epitomizes sports. It breeds professional players so efficiently that someone who genuinely would be great for our country practically isn’t allowed to be considered for the major leagues without paying their dues to one of the two teams. Worse, it creates a far-reaching mindset of “us against them,” where the home team’s win is more important than what the home team will do with the trophy. Thing is, in real sports, the trophy sits in a glass case and gets dusty, it does not deal with world leaders who would like nothing more than to see both teams – along with the entire stadium and its fans – cease to exist.
This über-competitive spirit is doing more and more and more to damage our country in so many ways. It distracts us from nearly everything else that’s happening, and more importantly the ramifications of what’s happening. We’ve become so blinded by this intense desire to win that we’ve stopped considering what that win will mean. When a Republican introduces a bill to the Senate, it seems the Democrats – before even READING the damn thing – band together to destroy it. AND WE SUPPORT THEM!!! We cheer them on, and praise them for “defeating” the other team’s play! Nevermind what that bill may have meant or done, the important thing is it was killed. And we can trust that every time a move is blocked by one team or another, we’ll hear about it somehow.
Our modern media is relentless in transforming an election into an exciting, action-packed contest. Daily headlines read Clinton, Obama face off, Blitzer: Deny, deny, deny to the bitter end, Clinton's Penn vs. Obama's Axelrod, TIME Poll: Clinton More Beatable than Obama, Bush: Keep a conservative in White House, Clinton polls strongly on Super Tuesday (take a look at the picture on this one!), Inspiration vs. Substance, S. African Head Wary on Circumcision … wait, scratch that one … and Why Romney's Product Launch Failed. PRODUCT LAUNCH??!? He’s not a damn product any more than he’s a damn linebacker, but anything is better than making it sound potentially boring! And yes, I realize how trendy it is to point a bony finger at the morally corrupt mainstream media (MSM) and bellow out (usually in a thick, Sideshow Mel-esque English accent) “there lay the devils!!” While I am fed up with them, truthfully it’s not entirely their fault. It’s ours. It’s us. We’re the problem. We’re the problem because we ask for it and have come to expect and demand it. If a newspaper doesn’t provide action-packed headlines on a daily basis, we ignore them until they go out of business, telling everyone else very clearly that we expect excitement, and if we don’t get it from one source, we’ll find it from another. After all, why read something boring when you COULD be reading about the latest underhanded play?
Honestly though, it’s understandable that we don’t pay attention to anything else: today’s issues are freakishly complicated. Not that we shouldn’t be aware of the issues; we should. But frankly, it’s downright unrealistic – and I think unfair – to ask the average American to understand the complexities of immigration policy and its subsequent economic effects on international trade agreements, or the ancient, nearly incalculable factors behind the hatred between some of the religious sects in the Middle East, or the very precisely worded language of constitutional law and how it’s intended to be used and upheld. Each of these subjects require nearly a lifetime devoted to their study even to begin to understand, and expecting Americans to have the knowledge and understanding to be able to vote based on a candidate’s suggestions in ridiculous! Once again, I’m not advocating ignorance of the issues; I’m suggesting that, given the choice between studying a few dozen white papers on public policy and watching play-by-play coverage of last night’s “GOP v Dem Cage Match: Final Countdown to Super Tuesday,” people are naturally going to choose the one they enjoy more. The problem lies in the fact that we don’t really have any other models from which to base a selection. It’s either study up on public policy and ignore all the heated back and forth, or get sucked into the fray and make your decision based on who puts up a better fight. And what better way to pick a side than joining others who share your own personal value system?
What a stupid thing it is to have an entire country trying to pick a leader based on something as vague and inconstant as values. Let’s be real, it’ll be relatively easy to tell if a candidate has poor principles, and ditto for someone with little personal honor. All you have to do is look at how they’ve lived their life. Beyond that, value takes on a predominantly religious undertone. I’m not even going to start on that, except to say I’m all for not picking a leader who’s going to lead me and the rest of us based on what he reads in a heavily-edited, highly-political, 2000 year old text. Values change over time, and are not representative of all of us. They are, however, deeply based on emotion, making them easy to use to rally hordes of people behind your team. Hence their use in the 2-party system. Just yesterday our president declared “I'm absolutely confident that with your help, we will elect a person who shares our principles.” Nobody questions whether they’re well suited for working with the rest of the world, or if those principles best represent the nation. It’s an appeal to our emotions, rather than our best judgment.
One last thing. I’ve brought up representation twice now, and I think it warrants a quick explanation. There is no way we could ever elect anyone who represents all of us. There are too many of us, we are too widely varied, and we don’t really even know what we’re talking about when it comes to governance. Full representation just is not possible, which obviously causes problems in a representative democracy. The 2-party system addresses this by offering people the option of voluntarily aligning themselves with one of the two parties, thereby offering representation even if the candidate isn’t really all that like you. This is where a third option for choosing a candidate needs to come in. We need to start evaluating candidates based on their reason and intelligence, instead of how well they represent us. I don’t want a candidate who’s plan for Iraq and the Middle East vibes with my own, because I know basically nothing about Middle Eastern politics, country reconstruction, and negotiating treaties. In short, I wouldn’t trust me to formulate a plan, so why on earth would I vote for someone who’s plan meshes with mine? I want to vote for someone who I feel I trust. Someone who is intelligent and reasonable enough to track down and utilize the world’s foremost minds in policy, and build a plan based on their consensus. Not a plan based on the consensus of a country full of people who know very little about the problem at hand.
I don’t want someone who promises to run the country how I’d run the country. I want someone who promises to run the country well.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
fun with random emoting
When I get excited – for any reason, good or bad – I lose my ability to communicate. I’ve begun noticing when I’m calm I can be articulate, reasoned, concise, and clear. Anything else, I start rambling, stuttering, forgetting simple words, talking myself (and whatever I’m talking about) in circles, getting further and further from the point, and ultimately losing track of the entire discussion. Not to mention supremely weirding people out. What royally sucks is it’s exactly those times that I’m discussing something I’m passionate about that I want to explain why. It’s so goddamn frustrating when I’m talking about something exciting with someone, and it feels like my passion and my ability to impart said passion are in this diabolically evil inverse relationship. One that does imply causation, if there was any question. And for as long as I can remember, it’s made me feel like a damn idiot.
And people wonder why I prefer to communicate in writing, where I can stare at the computer screen with a blank look on my face without it staring back, wondering when I’m gonna come back to earth.
And people wonder why I prefer to communicate in writing, where I can stare at the computer screen with a blank look on my face without it staring back, wondering when I’m gonna come back to earth.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
cold mornings
You know what I like? I'll tell you what I like. Really, truly, brutally cold Chicago mornings. Not at all unlike this morning. While waiting for the bus just before 8, yeah, it was straight up 0°F, with a wind chill of - ready for this madness? - -20°F. There really is nothing as invigorating as feeling your nose hairs freeze over.
But the best part, I feel, about really, truly, brutally cold Chicago mornings is the bus ride downtown on the drive. Because on really, truly, brutally cold Chicago mornings, the lake, all the way to the horizon, is completely enveloped in a shroud of rising steam.
I like that.
But the best part, I feel, about really, truly, brutally cold Chicago mornings is the bus ride downtown on the drive. Because on really, truly, brutally cold Chicago mornings, the lake, all the way to the horizon, is completely enveloped in a shroud of rising steam.
I like that.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
a kid in a suit
Goodness gracious. Did that really just happen? I certainly hope that had at least the appearance of organization!
I'm at our event today - a debate between the 6 candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for Cook County State's Attorney. At the moment I can hear them yelling at each other in the next room. Normally I enjoy watching these, but I'd kinda rather sit here in the lobby & write today. After getting slammed with everyone arriving at once (not to mention having reps from all 6 camps peering over my shoulder), I can use the downtime!
Don't think for a moment that I'm bemoaning my fate; this is the best part of my job! I love the excitement of event management! Seriously, everything can and will happen. In the middle of writing that last paragraph a reporter from the Tribune (who plugged into the mult box and has been recording the show) came running in from the next room frantically telling me that all of a sudden none of the media plugged into the press feed were getting audio. Whoops! We got it fixed though. As it turns out a (thankfully) very polite gentleman had settled the leg of his chair on the wire running to the back of the room. Didn't see that one coming. Although I have to admit - to cater momentarily to my ego - there is something deeply gratifying about being a kid in a suit who actually knows enough about what he's doing to tell professional businessmen (one of which I am not) and politicians what to do.
This thing has to be ending soon. It's already gone on far longer than normal. Though considering it's 6 politicians on stage, I probably could've seen that one coming...
I'm at our event today - a debate between the 6 candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for Cook County State's Attorney. At the moment I can hear them yelling at each other in the next room. Normally I enjoy watching these, but I'd kinda rather sit here in the lobby & write today. After getting slammed with everyone arriving at once (not to mention having reps from all 6 camps peering over my shoulder), I can use the downtime!
Don't think for a moment that I'm bemoaning my fate; this is the best part of my job! I love the excitement of event management! Seriously, everything can and will happen. In the middle of writing that last paragraph a reporter from the Tribune (who plugged into the mult box and has been recording the show) came running in from the next room frantically telling me that all of a sudden none of the media plugged into the press feed were getting audio. Whoops! We got it fixed though. As it turns out a (thankfully) very polite gentleman had settled the leg of his chair on the wire running to the back of the room. Didn't see that one coming. Although I have to admit - to cater momentarily to my ego - there is something deeply gratifying about being a kid in a suit who actually knows enough about what he's doing to tell professional businessmen (one of which I am not) and politicians what to do.
This thing has to be ending soon. It's already gone on far longer than normal. Though considering it's 6 politicians on stage, I probably could've seen that one coming...
Monday, January 28, 2008
feelin' a bit crazy! (literally)
I tried a little experiment over the weekend. Normally I take a 20mg adderall tablet twice a day - once when I get up around 7 and again around 2 - and it does me pretty well. Due to the downright silly levels of stress last week however, I decided to try taking half a tablet on Saturday and Sunday instead of the full to see if maybe it would slow me down a bit and help me relax. (God I love admitting to taking FEWER drugs to relax.)
Well. It slowed me down. A lot. My mind was all over the map this weekend. I was having mad problems holding conversations left and right. It slowed me down so much, in fact, that I just plumb forgot to take the second half pill Sunday afternoon. It got to the point where I was talking to one of my roommates and wound up sitting and staring at her thinking "should I be saying something right now?" (As it turned out she was waiting for a response.) I'm back on my regular dosage now, but I'm still feeling the effects of being off. It really is a very strange feeling, and it reminds me why I used to be so frightened to talk to people. Because I'd wind up staring at them with a silly blank look on my face wondering "are they waiting for me to talk?"
So now I'm still a bit off, but getting better. Fortunately, it's Monday. Meaning it's burger night. Meaning a variety of friends will be converging upon Matisse for burgers, beer (possibly veggie burgers, depending on the friends that show up), and some much needed catching up. Then back to our front porch for a little bit of hookah to wrap up the evening. Yay!!
Well. It slowed me down. A lot. My mind was all over the map this weekend. I was having mad problems holding conversations left and right. It slowed me down so much, in fact, that I just plumb forgot to take the second half pill Sunday afternoon. It got to the point where I was talking to one of my roommates and wound up sitting and staring at her thinking "should I be saying something right now?" (As it turned out she was waiting for a response.) I'm back on my regular dosage now, but I'm still feeling the effects of being off. It really is a very strange feeling, and it reminds me why I used to be so frightened to talk to people. Because I'd wind up staring at them with a silly blank look on my face wondering "are they waiting for me to talk?"
So now I'm still a bit off, but getting better. Fortunately, it's Monday. Meaning it's burger night. Meaning a variety of friends will be converging upon Matisse for burgers, beer (possibly veggie burgers, depending on the friends that show up), and some much needed catching up. Then back to our front porch for a little bit of hookah to wrap up the evening. Yay!!
brief lull in the day ... a few days ago
Originally posted on Jan. 27th, 2008 at 11:00 PM
And here it is!! Go me!
WOO!!
Here's the deal: over the holidays our last full time man got accepted last minute to law school. Kick ass for him, for reals! Also, kick ass for me, in the very literal sense of the phrase. I am getting my butt whooped! Did I mention we have no part time staff? Cause we kinda don't. In other words, in addition to my job (which has been spectacularly busy booking & organizing over 11 events in the past 2 1/2 weeks!), I'm suddenly doing a second full time job in the same office AND going over resumes & conducting interviews with potential new employees. If I've learned anything from the latter, it is this: when applying for a position - any position, whether it be at a job, school, anything - do whatever you have to do to avoid asserting that you are the "ideal candidate" for said position. There's no way anyone could know such a thing! I'd like to say I've begun discarding the cover letters the include this phrase, BUT THEY ALL DO!!!
To be fair though, it really isn't an offensive suggestion, & applying for a job is nerve-wracking. It doesn't really annoy me nearly as much as all that, I just find it terribly amusing that's it's use is so ubiquitous (how ya like that action McNulty!*). I also realized as I was writing that I sound somewhat bitter at having become so busy as of late. I'm totally not! Sure I'd like to have a bit more time to read, or watch movies, or watch The Daily Show online, or play with my camera, or run (even though I'm always looking for excuses not to), or clean my room, but that'll come at some point. Plus I get all those things in every now & then.
As for my peace of mind & sanity, oh yeah, totally got that covered in all sorts of creative ways. For example, this morning I got up as usual, took a slightly hurried shower, & while getting dressed you know what I did? I played on my computer "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" No better way to put a permagrin on your face for the day, guaranteed! Oh Peanuts. How can anything be so wonderfully simple & beautiful? Answer: it can't. The end.
*Not in the original text
And here it is!! Go me!
WOO!!
Here's the deal: over the holidays our last full time man got accepted last minute to law school. Kick ass for him, for reals! Also, kick ass for me, in the very literal sense of the phrase. I am getting my butt whooped! Did I mention we have no part time staff? Cause we kinda don't. In other words, in addition to my job (which has been spectacularly busy booking & organizing over 11 events in the past 2 1/2 weeks!), I'm suddenly doing a second full time job in the same office AND going over resumes & conducting interviews with potential new employees. If I've learned anything from the latter, it is this: when applying for a position - any position, whether it be at a job, school, anything - do whatever you have to do to avoid asserting that you are the "ideal candidate" for said position. There's no way anyone could know such a thing! I'd like to say I've begun discarding the cover letters the include this phrase, BUT THEY ALL DO!!!
To be fair though, it really isn't an offensive suggestion, & applying for a job is nerve-wracking. It doesn't really annoy me nearly as much as all that, I just find it terribly amusing that's it's use is so ubiquitous (how ya like that action McNulty!*). I also realized as I was writing that I sound somewhat bitter at having become so busy as of late. I'm totally not! Sure I'd like to have a bit more time to read, or watch movies, or watch The Daily Show online, or play with my camera, or run (even though I'm always looking for excuses not to), or clean my room, but that'll come at some point. Plus I get all those things in every now & then.
As for my peace of mind & sanity, oh yeah, totally got that covered in all sorts of creative ways. For example, this morning I got up as usual, took a slightly hurried shower, & while getting dressed you know what I did? I played on my computer "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" No better way to put a permagrin on your face for the day, guaranteed! Oh Peanuts. How can anything be so wonderfully simple & beautiful? Answer: it can't. The end.
*Not in the original text
a memory like a triscuit
Originally posted on Jan. 23rd, 2008 at 8:02 PM
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!! We had an event today, and while the speaker was doing his thing, I hung out at the check-in table and wrote a blog entry. A pretty good one too, a whole page long! Go me!
Annnnnnnnndddddddd I left it at the office. Go me! I'm still posting it though. Only tomorrow. Like a little window back in time. 24 hours ago.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!! We had an event today, and while the speaker was doing his thing, I hung out at the check-in table and wrote a blog entry. A pretty good one too, a whole page long! Go me!
Annnnnnnnndddddddd I left it at the office. Go me! I'm still posting it though. Only tomorrow. Like a little window back in time. 24 hours ago.
wait ... was someone just serious?
Originally posted on Jan. 16th, 2008 at 7:55 PM
UPDATE!!
I opted to run 3.62 miles instead of the 4-5 on which I so heartily had designs a few hours earlier. And you know what? It SUCKED!! Just like it always has! I'm so happy I'm still me and not some slender, leggy, muscular hotshit runner who all the chicks wanna do and all the guys wanna be.
Me is way better.
Just fyi.
UPDATE!!
I opted to run 3.62 miles instead of the 4-5 on which I so heartily had designs a few hours earlier. And you know what? It SUCKED!! Just like it always has! I'm so happy I'm still me and not some slender, leggy, muscular hotshit runner who all the chicks wanna do and all the guys wanna be.
Me is way better.
Just fyi.
let's stop being serious
Originally posted on Jan. 16th, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Wanna hear a joke? Yeah ya do, cause it’s good. It goes like this:
I’m holy crap tired from the tremendous lack of sleep I’ve been getting as of late. It’s kinda ridiculous. Stress? Stress and I are so close we’re practically having an affair (which is possible even without a wife or girlfriend; I looked it up). I won’t go into any details, cause that’s not the kind of guy I am, but I will say I’ve been having her pretty much non-stop since that whole shift in the year happened. It’s been hot. I’ve said too much. The weather here suddenly seems to have gotten the notion that it’d be a good idea to do everything it can to mimic its uncle in Russia … meaning it’s cold. Really cold. On top of all this, I’ve become aware of this strange phenomenon currently present in my life. It’s this odd deal where as I’m being given by those in complete power less and less reason to invest myself personally in my job, the amount of work required of me increases more and more. Kinda awkward. Still trying to determine whether there’s direct causation in play here or if it’s just a coincidental correlation. More on that as it develops.
And the punch line? Get ready for this; you may need to sit down, it’s pretty outta control. All I want to do tonight is go home and run 4-5 miles. ME. RUN. FURTHER THAN THE KITCHEN. Is that not ludicrous?? I’ve detested running all my life, and now not only do I want to run (in excess), I’m seeking refuge and comfort in it. If that doesn’t make you laugh out loud you may want to consider a line of work other than orthodox economics.
Plus, I’m pretty sure I’m happy. I like being happy. So bonus there.
The ½ marathon in Phoenix was, in a word, completelyridiculouslyfun. It rocked. My only goal (and a flimsy one at that) was to run faster than 10-minute miles, which I killed. By killed of course I mean I came in JUST under at 2 hours, 9 minutes and 13 seconds, which amounted to a pace of 9:52-minute miles. It hurt, but I’m thinking it was probably worth it. So much so in fact, that I kinda really want to sign up for the ½ in St Louis on April 6th. I haven’t yet, but to be honest that’s only because I spent way way more in Phoenix than I intended (those cabs are pricey!). HOWEVER, Friday is payday. Nuff said about that. (I’m gonna sign up on Friday!!) And in the spirit of pushing myself to the limit, I think I want to run it alone. Thing is, I know the only way I was able to train consistently for this last one was because there were friends involved, and this time around I want to know I can do it on my own by my own volition, with no one else to push me along. Probably a dumb idea I realize, but I’m kind of a dumb guy in many ways. In all other ways I’m a genius though. Just wanna be real clear about that.
Wanna hear a joke? Yeah ya do, cause it’s good. It goes like this:
I’m holy crap tired from the tremendous lack of sleep I’ve been getting as of late. It’s kinda ridiculous. Stress? Stress and I are so close we’re practically having an affair (which is possible even without a wife or girlfriend; I looked it up). I won’t go into any details, cause that’s not the kind of guy I am, but I will say I’ve been having her pretty much non-stop since that whole shift in the year happened. It’s been hot. I’ve said too much. The weather here suddenly seems to have gotten the notion that it’d be a good idea to do everything it can to mimic its uncle in Russia … meaning it’s cold. Really cold. On top of all this, I’ve become aware of this strange phenomenon currently present in my life. It’s this odd deal where as I’m being given by those in complete power less and less reason to invest myself personally in my job, the amount of work required of me increases more and more. Kinda awkward. Still trying to determine whether there’s direct causation in play here or if it’s just a coincidental correlation. More on that as it develops.
And the punch line? Get ready for this; you may need to sit down, it’s pretty outta control. All I want to do tonight is go home and run 4-5 miles. ME. RUN. FURTHER THAN THE KITCHEN. Is that not ludicrous?? I’ve detested running all my life, and now not only do I want to run (in excess), I’m seeking refuge and comfort in it. If that doesn’t make you laugh out loud you may want to consider a line of work other than orthodox economics.
Plus, I’m pretty sure I’m happy. I like being happy. So bonus there.
The ½ marathon in Phoenix was, in a word, completelyridiculouslyfun. It rocked. My only goal (and a flimsy one at that) was to run faster than 10-minute miles, which I killed. By killed of course I mean I came in JUST under at 2 hours, 9 minutes and 13 seconds, which amounted to a pace of 9:52-minute miles. It hurt, but I’m thinking it was probably worth it. So much so in fact, that I kinda really want to sign up for the ½ in St Louis on April 6th. I haven’t yet, but to be honest that’s only because I spent way way more in Phoenix than I intended (those cabs are pricey!). HOWEVER, Friday is payday. Nuff said about that. (I’m gonna sign up on Friday!!) And in the spirit of pushing myself to the limit, I think I want to run it alone. Thing is, I know the only way I was able to train consistently for this last one was because there were friends involved, and this time around I want to know I can do it on my own by my own volition, with no one else to push me along. Probably a dumb idea I realize, but I’m kind of a dumb guy in many ways. In all other ways I’m a genius though. Just wanna be real clear about that.
Monday, January 7, 2008
writing about writing?
There are so many things I want to say, so many things I want to write, but for some reason I'm not. This is unacceptable.
I want to write about my trip home for Christmas (sadly, I even already have the title for that post), how my running is going (the Phoenix 1/2 marathon is THIS Sunday!), how I'm feeling, what I'm thinking (lots, to say the least), what I'm reading ( which is contributing greatly to what I'm thinking), even what I'm eating (Trisquits & tuna). I just can't seem to find the time between working, training (goodness I never thought I'd hear that come out of my fingers), reading, and trying to keep in touch with those I care about. Grrrrrrrrr. I know I can function more efficiently than this!
Alas, this is not the post to remedy any of the above yearnings. Hopefully the next will relieve my backlog of personally expressive correspondence. At the moment, I'm in far too peaceful a state even to being to delve. I suppose that's a good thing.
Plus I need to get my butt to bed...
I want to write about my trip home for Christmas (sadly, I even already have the title for that post), how my running is going (the Phoenix 1/2 marathon is THIS Sunday!), how I'm feeling, what I'm thinking (lots, to say the least), what I'm reading ( which is contributing greatly to what I'm thinking), even what I'm eating (Trisquits & tuna). I just can't seem to find the time between working, training (goodness I never thought I'd hear that come out of my fingers), reading, and trying to keep in touch with those I care about. Grrrrrrrrr. I know I can function more efficiently than this!
Alas, this is not the post to remedy any of the above yearnings. Hopefully the next will relieve my backlog of personally expressive correspondence. At the moment, I'm in far too peaceful a state even to being to delve. I suppose that's a good thing.
Plus I need to get my butt to bed...
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