Ultranormal

Author: Kevin Lawver

  • We had a big combined

    We had a big combined birthday party for my mom, and my in-laws. Their birthdays are all in the first week of July so we decided to have a big dinner. We ended up talking about politics (it was all my fault). With a fun cross-section of political reasoning at the table it was lively to say the least. It was mostly presidential with my mom bringing up anti-Clinton stuff, my father-in-law defending him where possible, and me playing devil’s advocate. I ended up realizing (thanks to my mother-in-law) and we kept bringing up examples of the same kind of behavior for both Clinton and Bush Jr, just different situations. I think I’ve figured it out. By the time you get to be President, you’re beholden to certain parties who helped you get there. For Bush, those interests involve huge energy and oil companies like Enron and the defense industry, which explains some of the problems he’s had with his top secret energy taskforce.

    It’s depressing that politics is dirty. Maybe dirty is too strong a word, but it definitely has the appearance of payback, unethical behavior and being sold to the highest bidder. Unfortunately, I don’t see any hope on the horizon. There is no idealistic third party with enough organization, money or good ideas to provide an alternative. What do we do?

  • I’m feeling better today. Still

    I’m feeling better today. Still a little down, but definitely not despondant. Not exactly sure what was going on last night. Everything is ready for the in-law’s visit, and I can’t wait to see them. I think it’s great that we have such a great relationship, and that Jen has a good relationship with my parents. It makes things SO much easier.

  • And don’t think I’m picking

    And don’t think I’m picking on a single party… My cynicism is not partisan. I’m an equally disenchanted with all of them. Remember, I voted for Nader out of desperation, and even he turned into a raving a-hole after the election, so I was wrong again. I would have voted for Harry Browne, the good ol’ Libertarian candidate, but he was nowhere to be seen during the election.

  • I try not to be

    I try not to be completely cynical, but it’s getting harder and harder. With everything that’s going on in the world, how can anyone be optimistic or even believe in the altruism of others? For example, President Bush is proposing that Worldcom be investigated and those responsible do time. Where was this fury for Enron? Oh, I guess Mr. Ebbers didn’t donate enough money to the campaign.

    In the interest of disclosure, Worldcom is right down the street from us, and I have friends at church who work there and had all of their 401k in the company stock (which if I knew, I would advise against – I mean, you can believe in your company, but don’t be naive). But, I don’t know anyone who works at Xerox and the same thing applies.

    I just can’t believe that things are going to get better, and that I’ll ever get that idealism back. Everyone in charge is crooked. No one’s clean. I ask anyone to please find me a clean politician, CEO or corporate lawyer.

    It makes me feel powerless. There’s nothing I can do to affect change in the world on a scale past my neighborhood, and even that would require me to have the drive to attempt something, and I just don’t.

  • It has been one crazy

    It has been one crazy week. Jen’s parents are coming into town tomorrow night (a lovely drive around the beltway to go pick them up), so she’s been working me pretty hard this week to finish up last-minute decorating projects. This week I’ve:

    • Painted part of the basement red

    • Installed hooks in the basement ceiling for Jen’s ingenius faux closet

    • Install a nifty little wire curtain rod from Ikea (using drywall anchors and wire cutters too, I might add)

    • There’s something else I’m missing… I swear I’ve done more than that

    Work has been equally busy with all kinds of things going nuts at the same time and very little rest in sight. So, I’m looking forward to birthday parties this week, pinochle, photos and fun.

  • Oh, by the way, the

    Oh, by the way, the presentation went well. I told them all how we should do things and no one complained too much.

  • In an attempt to woo

    In an attempt to woo me further, the lovely couple who give the world Movable Type released a new version yesterday with support for MySQL, which is kind of what I was waiting for. Now there’s no excuse other than time, and now that I’ve installed it once, I think I’d be OK installing it here. Look for neat-o stuff in the very near future (although I may wait until my vacation to do this).

  • So, I’m taking a vacation.

    So, I’m taking a vacation. Yes, I am. It’s been over two years since I’ve taken more than a day off at a time other than my knee , and I was drugged for most of that. In that time, I think I’ve only taken half a sick day. So, I’m taking two weeks off at the end of July to relax and do… nothing.

  • The big presentation is in

    The big presentation is in 13 minutes. Wish me luck.

  • Today has sucked. It has

    Today has sucked. It has sucked so bad, I’m not sure I can do this tomorrow. Unfortunately, I have to give a big presentation tomorrow morning at 9am and can’t miss it. Maybe I’ll fake a rib injury in the meeting and just go home. I need a vacation so bad I can taste it.