until it has won...otherwise it is known as an insurgency, or a rebellion.
This is in response to someone saying how Obama's movement is basically a revolution in America. While I agree with the sentiment and see how vast numbers of people are stepping up in ways they haven't previously, I am cautious and picky about the terms.
So until we win, we are just a potential side note in history.
For instance, the youth voted in 2004 at rates basically not seen since 1972, and they voted for Kerry at rates that NO age demographic had done for Democrats lately. Yet we get told that Kerry didn't inspire and we don't consider it a revolution.
To those who say Kerry didn't achieve anything, I kindly say "up yours". The youth (me at age 22 then) made a huge movement towards the Democrats. We followed that up with 2006, where we again showed up for a mid-term at rates not seen in quite a while. That was not yet Obama time, remember?
Some of those new young party activists and caucus-goers this time around found their inspiration in their loathing of Bush in 2004 and their first political acts were getting behind Kerry. If Kerry had won then, it would have been called a revolution. Considering that the election practices in Ohio were as fishy as they come in America, I think the revolution has already started, but history will just have to catch on to it when we score a more visible win.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Tales from the Campaign 1
Encounter 1:
Fifty-something, white woman, supervisor of elections for a small, rural county in Georgia. I am in her office and she finally directly asks me which campaign I am on. I show her my shirt, to which she replies that she is probably going to vote for Obama. She says she doesn't like McCain and DEFINITELY won't vote for him. "But if Huckabee had won I would be voting for him. I really like Huckabee." Then when we talk VP candidates she says that if Sam Nunn would have been the candidate she definitely would have voted for him! This woman was all over in her preferences.
Encounter 2:
I am basically ran out of clean clothes, so I decide that my dad's old cowboy shirt (brown and blue) will have to do for today. I put my little button on my chest as always though. I head to lunch at a burrito place and when I am paying the mid-twenties white guy messes up my change. I mention it and he says "I was just making sure you were paying attention." The other early twenties white guy who actually made my burrito leans over to his coworker and says "Look at the button on his shirt: he IS paying attention."
Encounters 3,4,5:
I pull into a gas station to clean up the evidence of a week of eating out. It's raining, but I am covered, and its 11:00 pm. The black womanl in the booth: thought she registered a few months ago, but never got her card. Registration 1. Another black woman comes up for gas: she has moved since she registered. Registration 2. Another black woman comes up to pay for her gas: she doesn't vote, never has registered, doesn't care to do it. I tell her it's important to me because I don't want my brother to be in danger in Iraq again. Registration 3.
Fifty-something, white woman, supervisor of elections for a small, rural county in Georgia. I am in her office and she finally directly asks me which campaign I am on. I show her my shirt, to which she replies that she is probably going to vote for Obama. She says she doesn't like McCain and DEFINITELY won't vote for him. "But if Huckabee had won I would be voting for him. I really like Huckabee." Then when we talk VP candidates she says that if Sam Nunn would have been the candidate she definitely would have voted for him! This woman was all over in her preferences.
Encounter 2:
I am basically ran out of clean clothes, so I decide that my dad's old cowboy shirt (brown and blue) will have to do for today. I put my little button on my chest as always though. I head to lunch at a burrito place and when I am paying the mid-twenties white guy messes up my change. I mention it and he says "I was just making sure you were paying attention." The other early twenties white guy who actually made my burrito leans over to his coworker and says "Look at the button on his shirt: he IS paying attention."
Encounters 3,4,5:
I pull into a gas station to clean up the evidence of a week of eating out. It's raining, but I am covered, and its 11:00 pm. The black womanl in the booth: thought she registered a few months ago, but never got her card. Registration 1. Another black woman comes up for gas: she has moved since she registered. Registration 2. Another black woman comes up to pay for her gas: she doesn't vote, never has registered, doesn't care to do it. I tell her it's important to me because I don't want my brother to be in danger in Iraq again. Registration 3.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Obama wants to raise taxes??
I don't know if I can be more clear about the difference in the tax plans of McCain and Sen. Obama. Every family that makes less than 112K a year would benefit more from OBAMA's plan. Who wants to help you be able to afford health care? OBAMA.
The Democrat's just closed a huge ENRON loophole in the oil law that previously allowed companies to do WAY TOO MUCH speculation in the oil markets. Since they closed the loophole, gas has dropped nearly 30 cents where I live. World supply has not increased and world demand has not decreased. Go figure.
Democrats lowered your gas prices this summer...
Sen Obama wants to lower your taxes (if you make less than 600K a year).
See for yourself:
..
The Democrat's just closed a huge ENRON loophole in the oil law that previously allowed companies to do WAY TOO MUCH speculation in the oil markets. Since they closed the loophole, gas has dropped nearly 30 cents where I live. World supply has not increased and world demand has not decreased. Go figure.
Democrats lowered your gas prices this summer...
Sen Obama wants to lower your taxes (if you make less than 600K a year).
See for yourself:
..
Monday, July 28, 2008
99 days, rural Georgia
I have been here for three weeks now and I feel like I have done so little to get towards the very large goals they have put before us. I had an interesting experience this week though, that made me realize that this organizing is a little different from what some people imagine it is supposed to be. When we trained how to do a good one-on-one they always said we should meet our people somewhere they are comfortable. We tended to say something like "Can you meet me for about thirty minutes for a cup of coffee so we can talk?" But in rural Georgia in the summer, a coffee shop is not a very likely thing to exist let alone to go to for this kind of activity.
Instead, I had my last one-on-one sitting in a plastic chair out on the lawn of a small house in very rural Liberty County. We sat under some shade trees in the evening and tried to not let the bugs eat us alive. We had a great talk. It was frequently interrupted by a honking car passing on the small country road that ran in front of the house. Every car that passed must have belonged to someone she knew because my volunteer waved at each one and usually recalled the name of the person driving as well. Her house was situated at what I would call a country crossroads. It had a flashing red light and a small, old church on one corner. Two houses on the other corners completed it. A few miles to a filling station in the middle of nowhere and 15 miles to town.
It's not unheard of for people to live fifteen miles from town, especially a larger city with good, high paying jobs, but this small town has very little besides a military base. At points in history where wealth was more evenly spread and transportation was accessible and affordable, this living in the country might be a very pleasant thing. If you actually farming your land that provides you work and occupation there close to home. But that isn't the case for all, dare I say most of the people living out in some of these rural places. They are there because maybe it's old family land that someone built a cheap house on in the 1950's. They may have moved there when they had a good job and when gas was cheap. All of this changes when folks get older, or lose their good job, or get sick, or have kids, or have to start watching their grandchildren. Now that gas is more expensive, those fifteen miles starts to really feel more like a million. Rising transportation costs hurt rural families a lot. Indeed, recent articles have discussed how rural people, especially in the poor South, spend a disproportionate amount of their income on just gas and transportation.
These are the folks that need a comprehensive energy plan to be implemented in this country. Sure, people should maybe live in denser settlements where they are close to what they need and where they might have access to public transportation. But that alone is not a comprehensive policy. All good solutions should be put in place, especially solutions that solve multiple problems. In particular in Georgia, advances in cellulosic ethanol would open up the possibility of utilizing the abundant timber resources to drive local energy economies.
I have met some great Americans and Georgians so far, and I am sure I will meet many more as I really get out into my area. These people are citizens, whose opinions should matter. They have the right to vote, and they deserve to be asked for their vote. I believe the politics of cynicism intentionally discourages these people from participating in the political process. I think they are disenfranchised by a lack of being involved in the political culture. And I think it hurts America.Sunday, July 20, 2008
What it's all about
Contact with voters.
(Picture: Me registering a new young voter in Hinesville, GA)
We need to help THOUSANDS of folks register. Not just in Atlanta, but in smaller counties like Bryan, Liberty, and Long. Atlanta is not an endless well of voters. We must increase Democratic performance in every single county of Georgia if we want Barack to Win.
How bad do we want it? Bad enough to give up a Saturday to walk the town registering voters? Bad enough to come straight from work to the campaign office to make phone calls one night a week? Bad enough to take time off of whatever we are doing the week before the election and on election day to ensure that every voter who already supports Barack gets to the polls?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
You ain't seen nothing yet!
"Haha I'm just making the case that our generation doesn't have it as bad as the 1960's and 70's generation so there isn't as much protest. "
This set this off. This was a response to a long note about Arkansas politics and the actions of the youth and progressive populations. Here is my response:"
The protest generation may have been faced with the draft, so it may have seemed like the threat loomed more closely, but Gen Y faces the complacency of Gen X and problems that don't seem to be as serious as the draft. But lets get real about the soon to come disasters of our time.
Peak oil is going to RAPIDLY transform our world and Americans are going to feel the pain (perhaps mainly culturally) of a messy shift in energy consumption patterns through ALL aspects of production and consumption.The huge public debt of the last two generations is going to catch up to us. It will catch up at a time when Americans have greater personal debt than at any other time in our nation. Combine this with a sour economy triggered in part by the ever growing demand for oil, and economically MILLIONS of Americans will be stressed. As this hits the fabled millions of Boomers will be retiring (the first boomer just retired early this year, did you see the story), coming into Social Security, and their strongest VOTING years! They will demand full funding of Social Security with not only NO changes, but probably increased benefits for things like Part D, etc.
And what if perhaps we do want to limit carbon emissions? Who will feel that pain? For sure Gen X, but most accutely will Gen Y feel it.
I argue though, that Gen Y is a greater protest generation than the Boomers and Co. Only about 25% of Gen Y could vote in 2004, yet we saw a huge increase in their numbers voting and they solidly voted a PROTEST vote against Bush. In 2006 it strengthened. They protested with their vote and by getting their fellow Gen Yers to vote. Just wait until November. Even more of us are eligible to vote, and the trend will be huge to protest the policies of the past and putting Obama in office.
Just wait. Fine.. here you go. I propose the largest youth protest in the history of the US. Tuesday November 4th. Be there or be square.
A great story on how the Millenials (Gen Y) may affect politics: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/16/102625/574
This set this off. This was a response to a long note about Arkansas politics and the actions of the youth and progressive populations. Here is my response:"
The protest generation may have been faced with the draft, so it may have seemed like the threat loomed more closely, but Gen Y faces the complacency of Gen X and problems that don't seem to be as serious as the draft. But lets get real about the soon to come disasters of our time.
Peak oil is going to RAPIDLY transform our world and Americans are going to feel the pain (perhaps mainly culturally) of a messy shift in energy consumption patterns through ALL aspects of production and consumption.The huge public debt of the last two generations is going to catch up to us. It will catch up at a time when Americans have greater personal debt than at any other time in our nation. Combine this with a sour economy triggered in part by the ever growing demand for oil, and economically MILLIONS of Americans will be stressed. As this hits the fabled millions of Boomers will be retiring (the first boomer just retired early this year, did you see the story), coming into Social Security, and their strongest VOTING years! They will demand full funding of Social Security with not only NO changes, but probably increased benefits for things like Part D, etc.
And what if perhaps we do want to limit carbon emissions? Who will feel that pain? For sure Gen X, but most accutely will Gen Y feel it.
I argue though, that Gen Y is a greater protest generation than the Boomers and Co. Only about 25% of Gen Y could vote in 2004, yet we saw a huge increase in their numbers voting and they solidly voted a PROTEST vote against Bush. In 2006 it strengthened. They protested with their vote and by getting their fellow Gen Yers to vote. Just wait until November. Even more of us are eligible to vote, and the trend will be huge to protest the policies of the past and putting Obama in office.
Just wait. Fine.. here you go. I propose the largest youth protest in the history of the US. Tuesday November 4th. Be there or be square.
A great story on how the Millenials (Gen Y) may affect politics: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/16/102625/574
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Sexual Predator/Offender
On April 17th 2008, I came home to a plastic bag hanging on our doorknob. It contained a notification that a sexual predator/offender had moved into the neighborhood. One Gary L. Whipple now lived just two short blocks behind our house, facing the park I run around. Reading this sheet set off my frustrations with how "we" handle sexual offenders in the U.S. justics system. Why do I need to know about this 53 year old black man (very large black man) whose crime may have been committeed 20 or even 30 years ago?
Now, I am usually in the vast minority when I speak up in conversations opposing more restrictions on the lives of those convicted (or even suspected) of a sexual offense. Most of my objections come from the fact that many crimes can easily be described as a sexual offense and this be imprinted upon the person for life. Yes, sexual molesters do tend to have higher rates of recidivism, and yes I understand the fear a parent has that their child may be harmed. But remember that many people get statutory rate charges in cases of a mutual relationship. Imagine the 16 and 23 year olds, especially if mom and dad don't want little Bobby sleeping with that 23 year old man. Slap rape charges on the 23 year old that was doing exactly what the 16 year old wanted. That will teach little Bobby to not be gay, right? What about dater rape? Do those offenders get branded FOR LIFE as sexual predators?
Now let's look at the punishment. It varies by state, but many offenders have rules that go beyond correction or rehabilitation. In the name of protections of children, many offenders are forbidden from living within 500, 1000, or 1500 feet of schools, libraries, parks, beaches or other public spaces. Some may not even be able to walk their dog in a park ever again! In many compact cities these laws could be quite onerous to someone just trying to get on their feet and live a normal life. Secluding criminals in common ghettos probably doesn't creat the positive atmosphere needed to alter the course of these people's lives.
Okay, so I have these opinions in my head about the justice meted out to "predators", "perverts", and offenders. It seems we treat them in all together different ways than other offenders of other laws. People who send thousands of young American men to death in war using lies and coercion, sure they get legacies and libraries, but one screw up with biological impulses that may be quite natural (though prohibited) can sully your name for your entire life. What's consent in Britian is an offense in the U.S. Go figure.
My opinions on this once case changed, though, as I read down the notification. His qualifying offense was Sex Battery, Coerces by threat. His victim was an adult male! Whoa now! Okay, now visions of Casey running shirtless (hey, I like to get a tan while I run) in the park and being confronted by a big, scary black man with one thing on his mind. I know I am playing into stereotypes and racism, but that is where my brain first went. The irrational, or perhaps perfectly rational, fear that parents feel about their children just ran through me, about myself.
So I remain torn on the issue. Thanks for the note, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. I hope everyone is safe, but that there is a way to not terrorize this many long after his crime. I don't know all the details so I can't judge it though.
Should I change my habits to make me safer? Sure, but not because of this, but because this is a just a reminder that things happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. My neighborhood is rough, but I refuse to lock myself away. Participation in everyday life in a neighborhood is necessary to improve the feeling of community. Kids need to see good role models. They need to see adults excercising, walking the dog, picking up litter near their house, communicating respectfully, with out fear, and in a friendly way with their neighbors. Plus, I am probably safer if the folks on the street know who I am and respect me.
Just another day in the (neighbor)hood.
Now, I am usually in the vast minority when I speak up in conversations opposing more restrictions on the lives of those convicted (or even suspected) of a sexual offense. Most of my objections come from the fact that many crimes can easily be described as a sexual offense and this be imprinted upon the person for life. Yes, sexual molesters do tend to have higher rates of recidivism, and yes I understand the fear a parent has that their child may be harmed. But remember that many people get statutory rate charges in cases of a mutual relationship. Imagine the 16 and 23 year olds, especially if mom and dad don't want little Bobby sleeping with that 23 year old man. Slap rape charges on the 23 year old that was doing exactly what the 16 year old wanted. That will teach little Bobby to not be gay, right? What about dater rape? Do those offenders get branded FOR LIFE as sexual predators?
Now let's look at the punishment. It varies by state, but many offenders have rules that go beyond correction or rehabilitation. In the name of protections of children, many offenders are forbidden from living within 500, 1000, or 1500 feet of schools, libraries, parks, beaches or other public spaces. Some may not even be able to walk their dog in a park ever again! In many compact cities these laws could be quite onerous to someone just trying to get on their feet and live a normal life. Secluding criminals in common ghettos probably doesn't creat the positive atmosphere needed to alter the course of these people's lives.
Okay, so I have these opinions in my head about the justice meted out to "predators", "perverts", and offenders. It seems we treat them in all together different ways than other offenders of other laws. People who send thousands of young American men to death in war using lies and coercion, sure they get legacies and libraries, but one screw up with biological impulses that may be quite natural (though prohibited) can sully your name for your entire life. What's consent in Britian is an offense in the U.S. Go figure.
My opinions on this once case changed, though, as I read down the notification. His qualifying offense was Sex Battery, Coerces by threat. His victim was an adult male! Whoa now! Okay, now visions of Casey running shirtless (hey, I like to get a tan while I run) in the park and being confronted by a big, scary black man with one thing on his mind. I know I am playing into stereotypes and racism, but that is where my brain first went. The irrational, or perhaps perfectly rational, fear that parents feel about their children just ran through me, about myself.
So I remain torn on the issue. Thanks for the note, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. I hope everyone is safe, but that there is a way to not terrorize this many long after his crime. I don't know all the details so I can't judge it though.
Should I change my habits to make me safer? Sure, but not because of this, but because this is a just a reminder that things happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. My neighborhood is rough, but I refuse to lock myself away. Participation in everyday life in a neighborhood is necessary to improve the feeling of community. Kids need to see good role models. They need to see adults excercising, walking the dog, picking up litter near their house, communicating respectfully, with out fear, and in a friendly way with their neighbors. Plus, I am probably safer if the folks on the street know who I am and respect me.
Just another day in the (neighbor)hood.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Pienso en ti
Okay, time for a new song, this time in Spanish. I first heard this song from a CD of Shakira I checked out in the spring of 2004. I fell in love with the song while driving across the cold, cornfields of Illinois in March on my way to visit some Midwestern college towns during my spring break. She recorded this when she was about 16 years old. It was her first CD that hit big in Latin America. To this day, I say she is a great poet and artist IN SPANISH, and that her English work sucks...plain and simple.
If you don't here it on my blog, here is a link to a video of it Pienso en ti.
First in ENGLISH for you gringos:
Everyday, I think of you,
I think a little bit more of you,
I take apart my heart,
and something inside me is destroyed.
Everyday I think of you,
I think a little bit more of you;
Everytime that the sun comes out
I look for a bit of courage
to continue this way,
And I see you;
that I didn't touch you in that way.
I pray for you every night.
It dawns and I think of you.
The tick-tock of the clocks
rumbles in my ears
and I keep thinking of you,
and I keep thinking....
Now in SPANISH for everyone else:
cada dia pienso en ti
pienso un poco mas en ti
despedazo mi razon
se destruye algo de mi
cada dia pienso en ti
pienso un poco mas en ti
cada dia pienso en ti
pienso un poco mas en ti
cada vez que sale el sol
busco un algo el valor
para continuar asi
y te veo asi no te toque
rezo por ti cada noche
amanece y pienso en ti
y retumba en mis oidos
el tic-tac de los relojes
y sigo pensando en ti
y sigo pensando...
If you don't here it on my blog, here is a link to a video of it Pienso en ti.
First in ENGLISH for you gringos:
Everyday, I think of you,
I think a little bit more of you,
I take apart my heart,
and something inside me is destroyed.
Everyday I think of you,
I think a little bit more of you;
Everytime that the sun comes out
I look for a bit of courage
to continue this way,
And I see you;
that I didn't touch you in that way.
I pray for you every night.
It dawns and I think of you.
The tick-tock of the clocks
rumbles in my ears
and I keep thinking of you,
and I keep thinking....
Now in SPANISH for everyone else:
cada dia pienso en ti
pienso un poco mas en ti
despedazo mi razon
se destruye algo de mi
cada dia pienso en ti
pienso un poco mas en ti
cada dia pienso en ti
pienso un poco mas en ti
cada vez que sale el sol
busco un algo el valor
para continuar asi
y te veo asi no te toque
rezo por ti cada noche
amanece y pienso en ti
y retumba en mis oidos
el tic-tac de los relojes
y sigo pensando en ti
y sigo pensando...
Sunday, April 27, 2008
You wouldn't know it, but natural gas prices affect food prices
Last week the St. Petersburg Times, well regarded as probably the best newspaper in the state of Florida, ran an article on the increasing price of food around the world. Frong page and above the fold, the article tried to discuss some of the underlying causes of the increase BESIDES the increase in demand for grains caused by biofuels. It was a decent article until the last section when the author totally blew a crucial fact.
I suggest you read, and then read my follow up email to the journalist. I may have been a tad harsh on him, but it seems like a journalist for a major newspaper should do a little more complete research rather than just draw conclusions from his assumptions.
"Instead of biofuel, other global trends starve Haiti"
http://www.tampabay.com/news/world/article465408.ece
_____________________________________________________________
Mr. Adams,
I am glad you went indepth on some of the many reasons for rising food prices, but I feel like you REALLY dropped the ball on a huge component of the increase. You posit a strong correlation between increased corn yields and increased fertilizer costs (168% since 2000).
My first thought was.."well, that's is bad logic" An average reader reading your column can even see the fallacy given what you told them: more corn, less soy and rice, Did total acres in production go up or does corn use more fertilizer than soy and rice per acre?
Then I remember something in a college class call "Conservation of Natural Resources" The basic idea (with some rough stats plugged in from quick research): industrial fertilizers are produced with huge quanties of AMMONIA. To create (afix nitrogen molecules) AMMONIA, massive amounts of NATURAL GAS are used. Upwards of 90% of the cost of AMMONIA is the NATURAL GAS used to afix nitrogen. US natural gas wellhead prices: Jan 2000=$2.6/Kcubicfeet, Jan 2008=$6.99. Price difference=$4.39 Price Difference as ratio of Original Cost: 4.39/2.6= 1.69, as a percentage increase that is 169%.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2003/4-14-2003/natgasn.html
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/ng/ng_pri_sum_dcu_nus_m.htm
Those are rough numbers just on wellhead price, not wholesale, import, commerical or industrial delivery, but isn't that a great coincidence?
I am no agricultural economist, but I am going to bet the farm on this one: The greatest SINGLE cost behind fertilizer increase is the increase in the price of natural gas. AWESOME ARTICLE! Besides dropping the ball on this one. Feel free to call me tonight or tomorrow early if you want to real quick chat. Or call an agricultural economist from some university. I am sure they have those, right?
_______________________________________________________________
I suggest you read, and then read my follow up email to the journalist. I may have been a tad harsh on him, but it seems like a journalist for a major newspaper should do a little more complete research rather than just draw conclusions from his assumptions.
"Instead of biofuel, other global trends starve Haiti"
http://www.tampabay.com/news/world/article465408.ece
_____________________________________________________________
Mr. Adams,
I am glad you went indepth on some of the many reasons for rising food prices, but I feel like you REALLY dropped the ball on a huge component of the increase. You posit a strong correlation between increased corn yields and increased fertilizer costs (168% since 2000).
My first thought was.."well, that's is bad logic" An average reader reading your column can even see the fallacy given what you told them: more corn, less soy and rice, Did total acres in production go up or does corn use more fertilizer than soy and rice per acre?
Then I remember something in a college class call "Conservation of Natural Resources" The basic idea (with some rough stats plugged in from quick research): industrial fertilizers are produced with huge quanties of AMMONIA. To create (afix nitrogen molecules) AMMONIA, massive amounts of NATURAL GAS are used. Upwards of 90% of the cost of AMMONIA is the NATURAL GAS used to afix nitrogen. US natural gas wellhead prices: Jan 2000=$2.6/Kcubicfeet, Jan 2008=$6.99. Price difference=$4.39 Price Difference as ratio of Original Cost: 4.39/2.6= 1.69, as a percentage increase that is 169%.
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2003/4-14-2003/natgasn.html
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/ng/ng_pri_sum_dcu_nus_m.htm
Those are rough numbers just on wellhead price, not wholesale, import, commerical or industrial delivery, but isn't that a great coincidence?
I am no agricultural economist, but I am going to bet the farm on this one: The greatest SINGLE cost behind fertilizer increase is the increase in the price of natural gas. AWESOME ARTICLE! Besides dropping the ball on this one. Feel free to call me tonight or tomorrow early if you want to real quick chat. Or call an agricultural economist from some university. I am sure they have those, right?
_______________________________________________________________
Monday, April 14, 2008
My response to an asinine comment
Okay, I don’t watch too much TV, and have always loathed anything that is too popular, but this year I have been watching some American Idol on YouTube. This past week was Idol Gives Back or something about giving to charity, and each contestant picked a song of inspiration. Together they performed a few numbers that are generally inspirational. One they chose was "Shout to the Lord", a contemporary Christian song popular in many evangelical sects. AI removed the world "Jesus" and replaced it with "sheperd", but the rest of the song has imagery that any Christian will recognize, but that also speaks to persons of other faiths. I didn’t even catch that they took Jesus out until I read that they did. I personally was surprised to hear this kind of song on AI because I thought it was risky for their audience (people who consume popular culture by the shovel full), not just because I am not used to Christian music in the media mainstream.
Fine. It was a group number that needed to be inspirational, and that speaks to people. The other group number was "Seasons of Love" from RENT, a song that focuses on love and friends, but comes from a play full of gay people, drugs, rock music, straight sex, AIDS, New York City, vulgarity, and with a very skeptical, liberal, secular bent. Sounds fair to me. They sang the "nice" song from a risque modern play. They sang a VERY popular Christian song, but changed the reference to Jesus, thus expanding the audience by at least a billion Muslims who will still get the imagery of shepherd, savoir, and a tower of refuge and strenth.
But Christians are bitching. I happened across one blog about it, and got pissed. So I am ranting. One person suggested that the previous contestants that were openly gay would have objected to singing the song had they have still been on the show. Asinine. Rather, what an ass!
Here is part of what this person said:
"I wonder what would have happened if the openly gay singers like David Hernandez and Danny Noreiga were still on? The song was left pretty ’safe’, though, from my view, was still focused on Christian imagery. I don’t know if they would have balked."
This was my response:
"I find your comment about the possibility of openly gay singers "balking" over singing a Christian song plain asinine. Assuming that openly gay people are or are not Christian is prejudice, plain and simple. LGBT people are all over the spectrum when it comes to spirituality, everything from atheist to evangelical Christian.
I thought the night was supposed to be about inspiration and drawing people together to do good. In drawing out everyones better angels, I think coming together over a low common denominator like, say, HUMANITY, is quite appropriate.
Calling forth the images of "the wonders of your mighty love" shouldn’t be reserved to Christians or be used, in this sense, to proselytize. People the world over respect the music of other people, but music that speaks to people directly can help bond humanity together. Common language, themes, ideas, etc, can help everyone who listens understand that humans the world over share core values and cultural imagery.
In this setting, I am sure even some CHRISTIANS feel a little uncomfortable with the idea of asking for charity only through the lense of Christian charity. I think many Americans believe in charity because we are wealthy country and it is a human tragedy that many live in squalor while a slim minority of humanity reaps the benefits of globalization, technology, and capital."
Hell, shouldn’t they have been concerned with perfect Mormon boy David Archuleta (a current favorite to win) singing a song that comes from a worldy play? This just burns me I guess. I grew up Catholic. I still practice (sort of). I sing the contemporary worship sounds because they lift me up and inspire me and make me feel connected to something bigger. Hell, the only reason I even go to Mass any more is to sing in the choir. I leave just as much of a skeptic though, doubting the divinity of Jesus and questioning whether there is anything more than just some bigger thing that is so mysterious that all we can even imagine about it is utterly ridiculous and stupid.
And by the way, let’s be real: that little boy David Archuleta has HOMO written all over him. Give him a few years, time to escape from family and the Mormon church, and he will be singing showtunes on Broadway and giving speeches thanking some ridiculously good-looking stud for his support over the years. I love him to death, he is talented and cute, and maybe he is not actually gay, but let’s be real....
So I am going to leave you with two things.
1) the link to blog article so you can read it for yourself and
2) a song. A very interesting song in that it has changed over time. The orginal score was part of a larger patriotic piece called "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius that was changed into a stand alone piece called "Finlandia Hymn" that quickly became a pseudo anthem of Finland. It was so beautiful though, the music, that an international version was written with lyrics that almost all nations on earth could identify with patriotically, but with a great respect for the peoples of all other nations. This is the version that most of us know as "This is my song." Here is a link to the different versions of the lyrics, check it out to see how it was changed to draw the whole world into the audience. This song literally makes me cry when I here it done well. It is beautiful and really speaks to the fact that we are all humans on this earth and that others have feelings and passions just as real as our own.
Link to the video in case my embed doesn’t work!
http://www.youtube.com/v/pCjuxePRyCo
Monday, April 7, 2008
75 years ago today! Celebrate folks!
April 7th, 1933 - Prohibition ends, Utah becomes 38th state to ratify 21st Amendment
I think we should all celebrate this momentous occasion by going out tonight and enjoying your favorite brew, spirit, cordial, or vintage. Better yet! Buy one for a friend, lover or family member! Buy a locally produced product, like local wines or microbrews and support a local, more energy effecient economy!
Alcohol truly does make the world go around! Charities wouldn’t raise a dime if there wasn’t a bar at functions, no one would go to college (but those who did would probably graduate at a higher rate!), and hell, even cars run on alcohol!
Celebrate!!!
(and post below why you are thankful for ALCOHOL!!)
I think we should all celebrate this momentous occasion by going out tonight and enjoying your favorite brew, spirit, cordial, or vintage. Better yet! Buy one for a friend, lover or family member! Buy a locally produced product, like local wines or microbrews and support a local, more energy effecient economy!
Alcohol truly does make the world go around! Charities wouldn’t raise a dime if there wasn’t a bar at functions, no one would go to college (but those who did would probably graduate at a higher rate!), and hell, even cars run on alcohol!
Celebrate!!!
(and post below why you are thankful for ALCOHOL!!)
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Can you spot the Irony?
So one of the stories burning up the CNN.com tonight is about a barista who donated a kidney to a regular customer. Turns out the customer had Polycystic Kidney Disease, but her "angel" came to save her. Does anyone see the irony here?
Here is one clue: Wiki Description of PKD
Here is a second clue:
Wiki Description for Treatment for Hypertension
Last clue, in question form: Does this customer drink decaf?
Information about Organ and Tissue Donation in the U.S.
(I had some nasty comments about this diary when I posted it on DailyKos. Needless to say, some got the irony, some didn't, and some didn't care. I was urged to add the link about donating organs and tissue though, so it was an overall good experience. For those of you who don't get it, the irony is that the barista has been serving this person COFFEE which is something that someone with PKD should avoid!)
Here is one clue: Wiki Description of PKD
Here is a second clue:
Wiki Description for Treatment for Hypertension
Last clue, in question form: Does this customer drink decaf?
Information about Organ and Tissue Donation in the U.S.
(I had some nasty comments about this diary when I posted it on DailyKos. Needless to say, some got the irony, some didn't, and some didn't care. I was urged to add the link about donating organs and tissue though, so it was an overall good experience. For those of you who don't get it, the irony is that the barista has been serving this person COFFEE which is something that someone with PKD should avoid!)
Which guy would I like?
To all my friends and readers, here is a little test. Which of the guys in this picture does it for me the most? I think I know which one does, but do you? How well do you know me and my tastes?
I want to see some guesses on here and later on I will come back and tell you which one is the most attractive me.
Alright, go for it!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The High Road, or how I lost by ignoring reality
(My latest diary from DailyKos)
I am not the best of writers, and I don’t have the patience to do all the research needed to thoroughly educate and raise the awareness of all the Kossacks across the nation, but I want to try to start a conversation that goes a tad beyond the Democratic nomination. I need help though. This is where you come in.
I want people to think about the bigger picture of the forces who are trying to influence the 2008 election (Presidential AND Congressional). I see two disturbing trends.
The first is the momentum behind candidates that talk about not accepting special interest campaign funds. Sounds simple enough, but what about independent campaign expenditures? Can the Democratic nominee raise enough funds from average Americans to beat McCain’s campaign PLUS the campaign waged by independent special interest groups? Of course not. Because of campaign finance reform laws are not comprehensive (namely that we don’t have mandatory public financing) the money has to, has, and will come from somewhere.
The second trend is how little I see progressive’s discuss the huge elephant in the room. I am going to pick on one part of that huge elephant: Freedom’s Watch. Someone here knows more about this than I, but I don’t see enough people talking about it. They alone want to raise and spend close to $250 million to influence the election in 2008.
Freedom’s Watch will raise close to a QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS to influence the election
They side with the conservatives, the tax-cut and spend folks, the global capitalists, etc. They are not the only ones. Yes, the Democrats have some big money thinktanks and funding groups gearing up as well. They have always had labor.
But are we painting ourselves into a corner? How can the Dems accept a $53 million AFL-CIO campaign to defeat McCain AND say they don’t accept or condone special interest groups?
AFL-CIO launches aggressive campaign against McCain
Where does this leave us people? I don’t know exactly, but I want to see it addressed. It feels like people are ignoring it because they know they can’t yet compete with that kind of funding and that it has the potential to do more damage to the eventual nominee than the intra-party war could right now.
Will you join me in asking those who know to take it seriously and start talking to us? Recommend this diary, and directly ask Kos to address this.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
In the rain
I woke up late today, as I had been out late last night. I felt very good this "morning" and had a good breakfast at noon. It started raining, and when it rains in Florida it pours. The temperature was mild, perhaps 65 degrees or 70. For some strange reason I decided I wanted to be in the rain and then I figured if it was going to keep pouring then I could wash my car by hand. I changed into some athletic shorts and a cut-off t-shirt. Out into the rain I headed.
It was great. The rain was just the slightest bit cold but it felt good and refreshing on my skin. I used a rag to scrub my car off. It has so much crap on it that comes from the trees I guess, and it never comes off in the rain. I don't think I have ever really washed my car by hand. By some strange accident I have never taken part in a carwash fundraiser either. How is that possible? Isn't that a right of passage for middle American youth? My excuse is just that my Boy Scout troop never did one I guess.
It poured and I scrubbed. I got soaked and my clothes stuck to my body. My car received some much needed tender, loving care. And I was silly and young for a change. It was much needed as well. I played. I didn't care. I was by myself. When was the last time you played in the rain? Just for the sake of it, played in the rain, not to be crazy or to impress someone or because you were a little drunk.
When was the last time you played in the rain?
It was great. The rain was just the slightest bit cold but it felt good and refreshing on my skin. I used a rag to scrub my car off. It has so much crap on it that comes from the trees I guess, and it never comes off in the rain. I don't think I have ever really washed my car by hand. By some strange accident I have never taken part in a carwash fundraiser either. How is that possible? Isn't that a right of passage for middle American youth? My excuse is just that my Boy Scout troop never did one I guess.
It poured and I scrubbed. I got soaked and my clothes stuck to my body. My car received some much needed tender, loving care. And I was silly and young for a change. It was much needed as well. I played. I didn't care. I was by myself. When was the last time you played in the rain? Just for the sake of it, played in the rain, not to be crazy or to impress someone or because you were a little drunk.
When was the last time you played in the rain?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
A dream over
John Edwards dropped out of the race for the White House. The candidate, with the most compassionate policies for America, for working Americans, and for the least among us, has ended his campaign. I really feel like he is the only one willing to tell the truth about how the government has abandoned the promise, how Americans are not taking care of each other, and how our hyper-capitalism allows MILLIONS of people to slip through the cracks. Economic Justice is no different from any other right, freedom, or liberty. Here is that Sen. Edwards said that really got to me:
*************************
**************************
How much more clear can a politician be? This is a moral cause. And he has given us the moral clarity to understand it as such. Someone else said it better. Maybe it was Sen. Obama. He said something like that the Democratic party needs to say, "No, I AM my brother's keeper." Our individualist nature as Americans is tearing this country apart. We need to have more concern for the least among us and we need an America that works for everyone, not just the wealthy or the gifted or the entrepreneurs. Isn't starting a family being an entrepreneur? We never reward them with free money to locate in our community or offer them low interest start up loans.
Every person who works 40 hours a week should have health insurance, from day one in their job. Our economic policies should restrain the crazy boom in housing prices that prevent young people from buying their first house so they can start a family. Our government should stop subsidizing ethanol just because the election season always starts in Iowa, and start subsidizing the green power industry that will create jobs all over America, not just in the corn belt. It shouldn't be easier for a business to declare bankruptcy than for a real person to do so. We should reward labor as much as we reward capital. Our American prosperity shouldn't be wasted fighting a war that didn't have to happen.
So many things to do towards economic justice, and now the most clear voice has called it quits. If the Democrats really wanted a candidate to beat McCain, they just missed the boat. All of this "oh, all three are really good candidates" business is fine and good when we think we are only going to have to beat a Giulliani or a Romney. When McCain bounced back Democrats should have stopped and thought a little harder about whether they want to make a statement and history with their nominee, or make the choice to put Democratic values and policies in place by electing a Democrat to office.
For America's sake, I hope the nominee has the brains to pick Edwards as Vice President, and that Edwards has the humility to accept.
*************************
We sat with poultry workers in Mississippi, janitors in Florida, nurses in California.
We listened as child after child told us about their worry about whether we would preserve the planet.
We listened to worker after worker say "the economy is tearing my family apart."
We walked the streets of Cleveland, where house after house was in foreclosure.
And we said, "We're better than this. And economic justice in America is our cause."
**************************
How much more clear can a politician be? This is a moral cause. And he has given us the moral clarity to understand it as such. Someone else said it better. Maybe it was Sen. Obama. He said something like that the Democratic party needs to say, "No, I AM my brother's keeper." Our individualist nature as Americans is tearing this country apart. We need to have more concern for the least among us and we need an America that works for everyone, not just the wealthy or the gifted or the entrepreneurs. Isn't starting a family being an entrepreneur? We never reward them with free money to locate in our community or offer them low interest start up loans.
Every person who works 40 hours a week should have health insurance, from day one in their job. Our economic policies should restrain the crazy boom in housing prices that prevent young people from buying their first house so they can start a family. Our government should stop subsidizing ethanol just because the election season always starts in Iowa, and start subsidizing the green power industry that will create jobs all over America, not just in the corn belt. It shouldn't be easier for a business to declare bankruptcy than for a real person to do so. We should reward labor as much as we reward capital. Our American prosperity shouldn't be wasted fighting a war that didn't have to happen.
So many things to do towards economic justice, and now the most clear voice has called it quits. If the Democrats really wanted a candidate to beat McCain, they just missed the boat. All of this "oh, all three are really good candidates" business is fine and good when we think we are only going to have to beat a Giulliani or a Romney. When McCain bounced back Democrats should have stopped and thought a little harder about whether they want to make a statement and history with their nominee, or make the choice to put Democratic values and policies in place by electing a Democrat to office.
For America's sake, I hope the nominee has the brains to pick Edwards as Vice President, and that Edwards has the humility to accept.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Obama’s Feel-Good Campaign
My first DailyKos Diary! Read below or find it (and vote in the poll!) at DailyKos
Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 08:32:04 PM PST
Warning: My first Diary ever! Please don't be cruel..in fact, be kind. And as for advice, just forget about it...the wise don't need it and fools won't heed it. I usually alternate between wise and foolish, with little time spent in between.
My first Diary is not so much an attack on Sen. Obama as it is an observation on how many of my friends relate to his campaign. This started as a comment, but I realized that I should start making diaries out of all my several paragraph long comments. So here we go:
I keep on hearing people talk about what "appeals" to them. Does anyone else see this as a problem? Follow below for my thoughts (and a great poll!).
Of course Obama "appeals" to people. He has built his entire campaign (and arguably his entire political career) to be as appealing as possible. It's a common thing to see people who belong to a minority but live in a majority of "others" change themselves to be as appealing as possible. "Don't give them any reason to not like you." I am sure my mother told me that when I headed into unknown territory.
His campaign basically makes people feel good for buying into it. Don't get me wrong, all good campaigns have to stroke the egos of their donors and volunteers. Obama has gone much farther than just appreciating his supporters. He has tapped into the aspirations of people and made them believe that by being active in his campaign they are doing what is right and what is good.
IMO, Obama appeals to the psychological needs of many, and that is why he is so popular. So many people, now feeling guilty (and foolish maybe) for their tepid Bush vote or their previous tepid dedication to the Democratic Party, need the perfect excuse for why they have never given a damn but why they all of a sudden do.
Thank you Sen. Obama for enabling the masses of the mushy-middle and the politically unaware, uninvolved, and uncommitted.
Poll
I am active in my candidate's campaign because:
it's the best investment of my finances.
0% 0 votes
I feel good afterwards.
0% 0 votes
my candidate gives me hope.
31% 5 votes
my candidate is likely to get me a sweet civil service position.
0% 0 votes
everyone in my circle supports the same candidate.
0% 0 votes
I am a purist and my candidate is pure as snow.
6% 1 votes
my support will push a great candidate just over the line.
6% 1 votes
they asked me to. (its amazing how a personal call can do that!)
0% 0 votes
my union/company/organization that represents me made an endorsement.
0% 0 votes
they have the best chance of beating a no-name Republican.
6% 1 votes
they are the candidate who can beat a McCain-Huckabee ticket.
6% 1 votes
my capital (and capital earnings) will grow.
6% 1 votes
my labor will rewarded more.
0% 0 votes
their campaign will deny another candidate the nomination,
0% 0 votes
all ships will rise in their tide.
37% 6 votes
| 16 votes | Vote | Results
Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 08:32:04 PM PST
Warning: My first Diary ever! Please don't be cruel..in fact, be kind. And as for advice, just forget about it...the wise don't need it and fools won't heed it. I usually alternate between wise and foolish, with little time spent in between.
My first Diary is not so much an attack on Sen. Obama as it is an observation on how many of my friends relate to his campaign. This started as a comment, but I realized that I should start making diaries out of all my several paragraph long comments. So here we go:
I keep on hearing people talk about what "appeals" to them. Does anyone else see this as a problem? Follow below for my thoughts (and a great poll!).
Of course Obama "appeals" to people. He has built his entire campaign (and arguably his entire political career) to be as appealing as possible. It's a common thing to see people who belong to a minority but live in a majority of "others" change themselves to be as appealing as possible. "Don't give them any reason to not like you." I am sure my mother told me that when I headed into unknown territory.
His campaign basically makes people feel good for buying into it. Don't get me wrong, all good campaigns have to stroke the egos of their donors and volunteers. Obama has gone much farther than just appreciating his supporters. He has tapped into the aspirations of people and made them believe that by being active in his campaign they are doing what is right and what is good.
IMO, Obama appeals to the psychological needs of many, and that is why he is so popular. So many people, now feeling guilty (and foolish maybe) for their tepid Bush vote or their previous tepid dedication to the Democratic Party, need the perfect excuse for why they have never given a damn but why they all of a sudden do.
Thank you Sen. Obama for enabling the masses of the mushy-middle and the politically unaware, uninvolved, and uncommitted.
Poll
I am active in my candidate's campaign because:
it's the best investment of my finances.
0% 0 votes
I feel good afterwards.
0% 0 votes
my candidate gives me hope.
31% 5 votes
my candidate is likely to get me a sweet civil service position.
0% 0 votes
everyone in my circle supports the same candidate.
0% 0 votes
I am a purist and my candidate is pure as snow.
6% 1 votes
my support will push a great candidate just over the line.
6% 1 votes
they asked me to. (its amazing how a personal call can do that!)
0% 0 votes
my union/company/organization that represents me made an endorsement.
0% 0 votes
they have the best chance of beating a no-name Republican.
6% 1 votes
they are the candidate who can beat a McCain-Huckabee ticket.
6% 1 votes
my capital (and capital earnings) will grow.
6% 1 votes
my labor will rewarded more.
0% 0 votes
their campaign will deny another candidate the nomination,
0% 0 votes
all ships will rise in their tide.
37% 6 votes
| 16 votes | Vote | Results
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
My Endorsement, and this Friday
Dear Friends,
That's right. This Friday is the day that average Americans, working Americans, union members, progressives, SOUTHERNERS, and populists of the liberal persuasion will stand together and tell America that we are ready for a President who will change the SYSTEM, not just change the gender or color of the White House.
I am supporting John Edwards as our next President because he has the deepest commitment to wrestling power away from the wealthy interests of big business, Wall Street, big medicine, and lobbyists. He understands that you can't compromise power away from the powers that be.... you must take that power back! He, more than any leading candidate, knows that for this country to survive we must have a more equal distribution of wealth, power, and knowledge.
This is not a two horse race! Nationwide polling shows that only John Edwards beats all Republican candidates in the general election. People all across America are realizing that we don't have to elect a candidate just because they raise a $100 million or because they were Mayor of New York on a very bad day in 2001. The media is just now realizing that, lo and behold, voters still make the decision in this country.
By supporting John Edwards, you will be part of a grassroots movement to make the agenda of the Democratic Party more progressive, more democratic, and more people-focused. Every dollar helps John Edwards get his message to people who are ready to hear it. Every vote cast for him in your state primary helps earn more delegates to the national convention. A strong Edwards delegation to the convention will become quite a power broker to establish the agenda of the Democratic Party as a people-focused, progressive, problem-solving, and populist one.
I am giving what I can afford on Friday. Will you be part of this awesome day too?
Sincerely,
Casey
That's right. This Friday is the day that average Americans, working Americans, union members, progressives, SOUTHERNERS, and populists of the liberal persuasion will stand together and tell America that we are ready for a President who will change the SYSTEM, not just change the gender or color of the White House.
I am supporting John Edwards as our next President because he has the deepest commitment to wrestling power away from the wealthy interests of big business, Wall Street, big medicine, and lobbyists. He understands that you can't compromise power away from the powers that be.... you must take that power back! He, more than any leading candidate, knows that for this country to survive we must have a more equal distribution of wealth, power, and knowledge.
This is not a two horse race! Nationwide polling shows that only John Edwards beats all Republican candidates in the general election. People all across America are realizing that we don't have to elect a candidate just because they raise a $100 million or because they were Mayor of New York on a very bad day in 2001. The media is just now realizing that, lo and behold, voters still make the decision in this country.
By supporting John Edwards, you will be part of a grassroots movement to make the agenda of the Democratic Party more progressive, more democratic, and more people-focused. Every dollar helps John Edwards get his message to people who are ready to hear it. Every vote cast for him in your state primary helps earn more delegates to the national convention. A strong Edwards delegation to the convention will become quite a power broker to establish the agenda of the Democratic Party as a people-focused, progressive, problem-solving, and populist one.
I am giving what I can afford on Friday. Will you be part of this awesome day too?
Sincerely,
Casey
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The Reading Year 2007
For those of you who know me well, you know that I like to read. In fact, I read a fair amount. Ever since senior year in high school I have consistently read 25 to 40 books each year and I record my reading meticulously. I have kept a database of the books I have read each year and it is a document that is sort of dear to me. It definitely helps me remember which books I have already read and very few weeks when I update it I get to reminisce about what was going on in my life when I read each book.
This document was stored on my jump drive that I lost early this year. Luckily, I had a version saved on my hard drive and only had to reconstruct about 5 months of reading history. Then this summer my computer crashed…badly I think. Evidently my operating system decided to disappear. I don't know what that really means, but I assume my information is stuck somewhere in the bowels of that useless piece of junk. I did lug the CPU with me to Florida just in case I figure out a way to get my data off of it. Someone want to help me? (Not just advice, actual help!)
I stupidly decided in the spring that I should read something by Jane Austen because I liked one of the movie versions of "Pride and Prejudice." I had found an old copy of "Emma" in a box of trashed books one day, so that seemed like a good place to start. It was a mistake. I hated it, and it took me months to read it because I could only get through a few pages before I tired of it. I read several other books while I was technically reading "Emma."
A similar experience of extended reading has occurred with "Harry Potter y el Caliz de Fuego." I love the book and I read Spanish pretty well, but it is sometimes hard to keep focus while reading in Spanish. I have been reading on it for months, but I got a lot read during my Christmas trip back to Arkansas.
It's not often that I take the advice of anyone, especially in the matter of any sort of cultural consumption, but I did this year. Twice! The first happened with a very nice (and good looking) guy I chatted with online. He is an Air Force guy in Little Rock (formerly from AZ). It was sort of a low spot for me this spring when I didn't know what was going to happen after school ended. I was depressed and very worried, anxious about my life. He was such a great person to talk to. He suggested that I read "The Alchemist," and by chance I had a copy of it, but in Spanish. So I checked out an English copy, read it, loved it, and it was worth following someone's advice on it. During the fall I read the Spanish copy as well.
The second happened here in Florida. My new friend Ric (a certified Mac geek and a reader as well) highly recommended a book and even brought me his copy to encourage me to read it. "Kindred" by Octavia Butler turned out to be an excellent book about a 1970's black woman who is transported to antebellum Maryland. It's kind of science fiction, but it really gets in to the psychology of a woman figuratively and literally torn between two worlds.
Heading home to Fayetteville from Tampa, I had an awkward book moment. The woman next to me pulled out Clive Cussler's "Sahara" to read and I couldn't resist starting a conversation about how it was the first Cussler I had ever written and how my sixth grade teacher had been the one to turn me on to the author.
Lastly, I added Visual Bookshelf to my Facebook. It's pretty neat because I can see what my friends are reading, what they have read, and what they want to read. Hopefully I will get some good ideas for my future reading. Overall, a good year in reading it was and hopefully a good year 2008 will be!
This document was stored on my jump drive that I lost early this year. Luckily, I had a version saved on my hard drive and only had to reconstruct about 5 months of reading history. Then this summer my computer crashed…badly I think. Evidently my operating system decided to disappear. I don't know what that really means, but I assume my information is stuck somewhere in the bowels of that useless piece of junk. I did lug the CPU with me to Florida just in case I figure out a way to get my data off of it. Someone want to help me? (Not just advice, actual help!)
I stupidly decided in the spring that I should read something by Jane Austen because I liked one of the movie versions of "Pride and Prejudice." I had found an old copy of "Emma" in a box of trashed books one day, so that seemed like a good place to start. It was a mistake. I hated it, and it took me months to read it because I could only get through a few pages before I tired of it. I read several other books while I was technically reading "Emma."
A similar experience of extended reading has occurred with "Harry Potter y el Caliz de Fuego." I love the book and I read Spanish pretty well, but it is sometimes hard to keep focus while reading in Spanish. I have been reading on it for months, but I got a lot read during my Christmas trip back to Arkansas.
It's not often that I take the advice of anyone, especially in the matter of any sort of cultural consumption, but I did this year. Twice! The first happened with a very nice (and good looking) guy I chatted with online. He is an Air Force guy in Little Rock (formerly from AZ). It was sort of a low spot for me this spring when I didn't know what was going to happen after school ended. I was depressed and very worried, anxious about my life. He was such a great person to talk to. He suggested that I read "The Alchemist," and by chance I had a copy of it, but in Spanish. So I checked out an English copy, read it, loved it, and it was worth following someone's advice on it. During the fall I read the Spanish copy as well.
The second happened here in Florida. My new friend Ric (a certified Mac geek and a reader as well) highly recommended a book and even brought me his copy to encourage me to read it. "Kindred" by Octavia Butler turned out to be an excellent book about a 1970's black woman who is transported to antebellum Maryland. It's kind of science fiction, but it really gets in to the psychology of a woman figuratively and literally torn between two worlds.
Heading home to Fayetteville from Tampa, I had an awkward book moment. The woman next to me pulled out Clive Cussler's "Sahara" to read and I couldn't resist starting a conversation about how it was the first Cussler I had ever written and how my sixth grade teacher had been the one to turn me on to the author.
Lastly, I added Visual Bookshelf to my Facebook. It's pretty neat because I can see what my friends are reading, what they have read, and what they want to read. Hopefully I will get some good ideas for my future reading. Overall, a good year in reading it was and hopefully a good year 2008 will be!
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