From a conversation last week:
Me: I don't remember how to get to the airport
Ranger Man: Okay.
Me: That could be a problem for you.
RM (calmly): Okay.
Me (increasingly frustrated): It could be an awfully long walk home for you if I can't remember how to get there!
RM: Babe, by the time I get on the plane, you will have mapquested it 5 or 6 times, and probably practiced packing your purse twice for the trip. I'm not worried.
Me (rather sheepishly): good point
It's a 15 minute drive to the airport. Maybe. Maybe only 10.
So far, I haven't practiced packing my purse, or mapquested it. But that's just because I know there's lots of signs for how to get there. And I've still got some time.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Terrorism = Piracy and Slavery?
President Bush made a comment at the UN last week that's been bugging me.
I usually try to keep politics out of this blog, but this isn't really politics- it's more fundamental than that.
Speaking to the leaders of the world, President Bush said it is necessary to show that, "like slavery and piracy, terrorism has no place in the modern world."
That really worried me. The terrorism that we have experienced in the past few decades is absolutely nothing like slavery or piracy.
Firstly, as a matter of fact- piracy is obviously not eradicated, or even hidden from the United States as the USS Howard is currently pursuing a hijacked ship off the coast of Somalia.
That just seemed like a factual error to me. More disconcerting was comparing terrorism to slavery. Slavery was widespread, government approved and indeed part of the foundation for the economic system of mercantilism. It was accepted. It was legal. It was not just condoned, it was pursued enthusiastically by government agents. Obviously that changed, but these were the foundations of slavery in the early modern era.
Terrorism, on the other hand is illegal. That is a fundamental difference. Terrorism is a political tactic used by fringe groups to gain recognition and support. It seems to undermine politics and economics rather than support them. These are all fundamental differences. Terrorism has never been legal. Slavery certainly was (3/5 of a person, anyone?). Terrorism has never been the foundation of economics for major powers. Slavery was.
Obviously the president wasn't going for that much analysis, but I think that it does history a disservice when false analogies are drawn.
Hopefully I'll feel less bothered about it now that I've gotten it out of my system.
I usually try to keep politics out of this blog, but this isn't really politics- it's more fundamental than that.
Speaking to the leaders of the world, President Bush said it is necessary to show that, "like slavery and piracy, terrorism has no place in the modern world."
That really worried me. The terrorism that we have experienced in the past few decades is absolutely nothing like slavery or piracy.
Firstly, as a matter of fact- piracy is obviously not eradicated, or even hidden from the United States as the USS Howard is currently pursuing a hijacked ship off the coast of Somalia.
That just seemed like a factual error to me. More disconcerting was comparing terrorism to slavery. Slavery was widespread, government approved and indeed part of the foundation for the economic system of mercantilism. It was accepted. It was legal. It was not just condoned, it was pursued enthusiastically by government agents. Obviously that changed, but these were the foundations of slavery in the early modern era.
Terrorism, on the other hand is illegal. That is a fundamental difference. Terrorism is a political tactic used by fringe groups to gain recognition and support. It seems to undermine politics and economics rather than support them. These are all fundamental differences. Terrorism has never been legal. Slavery certainly was (3/5 of a person, anyone?). Terrorism has never been the foundation of economics for major powers. Slavery was.
Obviously the president wasn't going for that much analysis, but I think that it does history a disservice when false analogies are drawn.
Hopefully I'll feel less bothered about it now that I've gotten it out of my system.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Question of the Day
How is this possible:
There's a gas station I pass on my way to/from work. It's been out of gas for the past three days. Three days ago the price of gas there would have been $3.99. Today, the cost was $3.89.
How does the price of gas go down amid a shortage?
There's a gas station I pass on my way to/from work. It's been out of gas for the past three days. Three days ago the price of gas there would have been $3.99. Today, the cost was $3.89.
How does the price of gas go down amid a shortage?
Thank you
Thanks to the commenters (why is spell check saying that's wrong?) on the post from the other day. Cookie, Loquita and Rebecca- you guys are awesome and I'm so appreciative.
You're right. They're bad news bears and I don't need them. I'm not sure of the exact course of action I'll take in the long term. But it's not going to be all-inclusive, if you know what I mean.
In the meantime, I need a sign to hang over my desk at work that says "If you come into my library to ask me a question and don't care enough about your question to ENUNCIATE it, I am unable to assist you. Come back when I have bionic ears. Thank you and have a nice day." Do you think my boss would mind?
(The southern drawl/mumble combination is incomprehensible to my west-coast-hippy ears. I can't help it, I haven't got a clue what they're saying to me)
Oh, and I'm done with the first set of diamondy-pattern on my Juno. I'm at the middle part of repetition. At least some progress is being made!
You're right. They're bad news bears and I don't need them. I'm not sure of the exact course of action I'll take in the long term. But it's not going to be all-inclusive, if you know what I mean.
In the meantime, I need a sign to hang over my desk at work that says "If you come into my library to ask me a question and don't care enough about your question to ENUNCIATE it, I am unable to assist you. Come back when I have bionic ears. Thank you and have a nice day." Do you think my boss would mind?
(The southern drawl/mumble combination is incomprehensible to my west-coast-hippy ears. I can't help it, I haven't got a clue what they're saying to me)
Oh, and I'm done with the first set of diamondy-pattern on my Juno. I'm at the middle part of repetition. At least some progress is being made!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Facebook again- the bane of my existence?
I've blogged about my struggles with Facebook. Here and here. The concept is difficult for me. This is another post about that, and about stupid High School drama. It's long and ranty. This is for me to write down and hopefully feel better about, dear Readers, so there's no knitting, very little mil-girlfriend content. Read at your own (boredom) risk.
I hated high school, with a passion. To the extent that I got out as soon as I could, which in my state meant that I could leave after my sophomore year and attend community college full time. I took this opportunity for the state to pay for my college and from that point on, I didn't take any more classes at my high school. One of the reasons- the primary reasons- for this was all of the awful high school politics and drama that accompanies teenage girlhood. I was sick of it. I was tired of the people that were supposedly my friends making me feel bad about myself, and I was tired of being one of the "mean girls." And yeah. I was. It was ugly.
So I left. And I was kind of ostracized by my 'friends.' I know, I know- if there were so bad that I wanted to leave, why would i still want to be friends with them? That was the conclusion I eventually came to, but it's taken me since high school to come to that conclusion. All I knew is that I could no longer get anyone to return my calls, and I whenever I did manage to get myself invited to an event I felt like a slut (the virgin slut is a truly malicious creation that exists purely for the entertainment of high school girls). But it hurt.
I also have trust issues. Reading this blog may make that apparent. Even before all this crap with my parents I have had problems trusting people. I don't know if it was this way before these girls treated me this way or not, but I know it has been since then.
But I grew up and I came to the conclusion that, after all, I could have tried harder to fit back in with them, whether I feel that should have been required or not. I came to the conclusion that not being constantly exposed to the high school harpies made me a better person and I was okay with it.
Enter Facebook. Holy crap do I hate facebook sometimes. It makes me deal with these unresolved issues.
And also- how did I still remain a gossip topic after not having talked to ANY of these girls (there were five of us in our group) for FIVE YEARS? get a life people!
Ranger Man and I happened to run into one of them the weekend before he deployed two summers ago. She and her husband (I think I may have introduced them, actually) were having dinner and so were Ranger Man and I. They gave me their phone numbers- but it was right before a deployment and leaving for grad school and I didn't want to introduce any more drama. So I didn't call them, but I felt bad because she made an effort, and after all- wasn't that what I said I wanted all those years? So I started it, and I sent her a message on Facebook. I opened Pandora's box.
She wrote back once or twice, but after that I didn't hear from her and it wasn't that big of a deal. No guilt on my end- it was okay. Then the parents situation happened and all of a sudden I was getting messages from another one of them, and then another (that's three of the four, for those that are keeping track). I suspected at the time it was because they heard about my parents. I suspect more strongly now, due to some of the things that have been said.
I don't know how I feel about that. On the one hand, I guess it's fantastic that they found out I was going through something and decided to reach out. On the other hand, when I broke off an engagement and moved back in with my parents (which apparently they all knew about?!), I heard nary a word. So far the ones I had heard from are the ones that it was easiest to justify. The ones that I personally had spent the least amount of time and energy on trying to contact and talk to and hang out with during high school. In short, the ones that I felt less personally slighted by. So I talk to them, because I think their hearts are in the right place, and I think that I feel appreciative for the support.
Today I got a message from the last of them. The one that actively wouldn't return my calls. The one that would say rude things about me to my face. The one that hurt me the most there at the end. Today. Not six months ago when I needed to know that people cared, today. And today I am feeling the hurt and the rage and the indignation all over again. (Yes, I hold grudges).
I don't really think I want to talk to her. She has an ability to make me feel badly about myself. She always has to be the best at everything (which means I am bad at everything by comparison), and I don't know that I need those feelings right now. I love my life, and I love where my life is going, but I know for a fact this person is the least likely to try to understand the lifestyle choices I've made. And misunderstanding in her book has always led to put-downs.
But maybe that's all in the past. It was what, eight years ago since sophomore year of high school? Maybe I'm being too harsh. Or maybe I've learned my lesson.
It is days like this that I really hate facebook.
I hated high school, with a passion. To the extent that I got out as soon as I could, which in my state meant that I could leave after my sophomore year and attend community college full time. I took this opportunity for the state to pay for my college and from that point on, I didn't take any more classes at my high school. One of the reasons- the primary reasons- for this was all of the awful high school politics and drama that accompanies teenage girlhood. I was sick of it. I was tired of the people that were supposedly my friends making me feel bad about myself, and I was tired of being one of the "mean girls." And yeah. I was. It was ugly.
So I left. And I was kind of ostracized by my 'friends.' I know, I know- if there were so bad that I wanted to leave, why would i still want to be friends with them? That was the conclusion I eventually came to, but it's taken me since high school to come to that conclusion. All I knew is that I could no longer get anyone to return my calls, and I whenever I did manage to get myself invited to an event I felt like a slut (the virgin slut is a truly malicious creation that exists purely for the entertainment of high school girls). But it hurt.
I also have trust issues. Reading this blog may make that apparent. Even before all this crap with my parents I have had problems trusting people. I don't know if it was this way before these girls treated me this way or not, but I know it has been since then.
But I grew up and I came to the conclusion that, after all, I could have tried harder to fit back in with them, whether I feel that should have been required or not. I came to the conclusion that not being constantly exposed to the high school harpies made me a better person and I was okay with it.
Enter Facebook. Holy crap do I hate facebook sometimes. It makes me deal with these unresolved issues.
And also- how did I still remain a gossip topic after not having talked to ANY of these girls (there were five of us in our group) for FIVE YEARS? get a life people!
Ranger Man and I happened to run into one of them the weekend before he deployed two summers ago. She and her husband (I think I may have introduced them, actually) were having dinner and so were Ranger Man and I. They gave me their phone numbers- but it was right before a deployment and leaving for grad school and I didn't want to introduce any more drama. So I didn't call them, but I felt bad because she made an effort, and after all- wasn't that what I said I wanted all those years? So I started it, and I sent her a message on Facebook. I opened Pandora's box.
She wrote back once or twice, but after that I didn't hear from her and it wasn't that big of a deal. No guilt on my end- it was okay. Then the parents situation happened and all of a sudden I was getting messages from another one of them, and then another (that's three of the four, for those that are keeping track). I suspected at the time it was because they heard about my parents. I suspect more strongly now, due to some of the things that have been said.
I don't know how I feel about that. On the one hand, I guess it's fantastic that they found out I was going through something and decided to reach out. On the other hand, when I broke off an engagement and moved back in with my parents (which apparently they all knew about?!), I heard nary a word. So far the ones I had heard from are the ones that it was easiest to justify. The ones that I personally had spent the least amount of time and energy on trying to contact and talk to and hang out with during high school. In short, the ones that I felt less personally slighted by. So I talk to them, because I think their hearts are in the right place, and I think that I feel appreciative for the support.
Today I got a message from the last of them. The one that actively wouldn't return my calls. The one that would say rude things about me to my face. The one that hurt me the most there at the end. Today. Not six months ago when I needed to know that people cared, today. And today I am feeling the hurt and the rage and the indignation all over again. (Yes, I hold grudges).
I don't really think I want to talk to her. She has an ability to make me feel badly about myself. She always has to be the best at everything (which means I am bad at everything by comparison), and I don't know that I need those feelings right now. I love my life, and I love where my life is going, but I know for a fact this person is the least likely to try to understand the lifestyle choices I've made. And misunderstanding in her book has always led to put-downs.
But maybe that's all in the past. It was what, eight years ago since sophomore year of high school? Maybe I'm being too harsh. Or maybe I've learned my lesson.
It is days like this that I really hate facebook.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
ahh, he's growing up!
My lil bro is a really cool kid. Not cool like hip/with it or whatever lame term signifies fleeting popularity, but cool as in mellow, deeply caring and intelligent.
Unfortunately for him, he's also got a healthy dose of teenage boy apathy/lazy. When he applies himself, he does great work, but you generally have to ask him to do it. He doesn't complain. Every once in a while, something will irk him and I see a teeny bit of something inside of him that lets me know that this mellow and chill dude is actually related to me, but for the most part he's extremely level-headed. This was (and is) frustrating to people like me who like to overract periodically.
Lil Bro graduated from HS this past spring, and he had been taking a few classes at the local tech college for his senior year alongside his last HS requirements. He's starting regular college (i.e. not running start college), and he's going to buy my car from me so he can be mobile.
One of the things that has seriously freaked me out about my parents is what it's going to do to lil bro. I just don't want him to feel like he is stuck taking care of one or both of them and that coming at a great cost to him. On the other hand, as far as anyone can tell, he was not bitten with the same "change the world in a big way" bug that I was, and maybe my parents --read "my mom"-- will respect that he's a person in his own right and doesn't need to be taking care of his adult and fully functional parents. We'll see.
I'm just very proud of the man that my lil bro is working towards becoming and every time I talk to him I am more and more impressed with what a together kid he is.
//end gush here.
Unfortunately for him, he's also got a healthy dose of teenage boy apathy/lazy. When he applies himself, he does great work, but you generally have to ask him to do it. He doesn't complain. Every once in a while, something will irk him and I see a teeny bit of something inside of him that lets me know that this mellow and chill dude is actually related to me, but for the most part he's extremely level-headed. This was (and is) frustrating to people like me who like to overract periodically.
Lil Bro graduated from HS this past spring, and he had been taking a few classes at the local tech college for his senior year alongside his last HS requirements. He's starting regular college (i.e. not running start college), and he's going to buy my car from me so he can be mobile.
One of the things that has seriously freaked me out about my parents is what it's going to do to lil bro. I just don't want him to feel like he is stuck taking care of one or both of them and that coming at a great cost to him. On the other hand, as far as anyone can tell, he was not bitten with the same "change the world in a big way" bug that I was, and maybe my parents --read "my mom"-- will respect that he's a person in his own right and doesn't need to be taking care of his adult and fully functional parents. We'll see.
I'm just very proud of the man that my lil bro is working towards becoming and every time I talk to him I am more and more impressed with what a together kid he is.
//end gush here.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sock Club Round One
We all know that I like knitting socks. Now I like knitting lace too, but that's another post.
I heard about the Wollmeise sock club and I thought I would enter, because it seemed like a monumental occasion, and an opportunity to get some great sock yarn. I didn't really think I'd get in, and I didn't on the first lottery round, but somewhere in the subsequent lottery rounds I did get in. There was a little debating about cost, but Ranger Man said that I ought to go ahead and do it, and with that large of a yarn purchase I deferred to his judgment.
The rest of this post shall be pictures. They are close in color, although I really couldn't catch the true vibrance.
I heard about the Wollmeise sock club and I thought I would enter, because it seemed like a monumental occasion, and an opportunity to get some great sock yarn. I didn't really think I'd get in, and I didn't on the first lottery round, but somewhere in the subsequent lottery rounds I did get in. There was a little debating about cost, but Ranger Man said that I ought to go ahead and do it, and with that large of a yarn purchase I deferred to his judgment.
The rest of this post shall be pictures. They are close in color, although I really couldn't catch the true vibrance.
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