real quick, because i'm a bit short on time.
i've been doing a lot of thinking lately. life is such a conundrum sometimes, as i was running from one end of the floor at work to the other; for this patient's whatever and that patient's whatnot i caught myself thinking about how we all live in such a rat race. we all are seemingly caught up in getting to the next event, getting off to the next weekend, or days off, or vacation, or holiday, or whatever. i myself am very guilty of this. my train of thought usually is thinking about the next cool whatnot that kim and i have planned. right now i'm pretty pumped to be heading home to ohio for a few days. the problem with all of this is we keep looking forward to the next event and then the next event and so on until we end up old and dead, or old and out of our minds, or young and dying, or young and dead. morbid, right? incredibly morbid, but being in the healthcare field really puts shit in perspective. i mean, i take care of so many patients that have really gotten the shaft, yet to me it's just a job, just a paycheck, just another spin on the hamster wheel to pay the man.
so take a minute and get it all in perspective, take time to enjoy the now, the right now, the next 5 minutes. for me its 8 am, and i'll be in bed within the next half hour and sleep the day away and get up and go to work. right now all that's on my mind is getting through this next shift and then heading home, but why not enjoy the right now? the freedom of plunking down in front of my computer and spewing my thoughts in this wonderful world where i can do that. enjoy the fact that my wife came and picked me up from work because it was pouring down rain and i rode my bike and she kicks ass. that we are both blessed with good health and a wonderful marriage.
i really hate how this sounds, it's like one of those silly emails telling you to count your blessings, but really you're just counting through the endless work/school/whatever emails you need to delete to get through the day. it really is like one of those emails, but this time to me it's much more, count the good things in life.
i get to go home to ohio and visit my awesome family. send out a fb message right before the weekend and tell the guys we need to go get a beer. a lot of people don't even have those kind of opportunities. so thanks to all those people out there who make this stuff possible, all the good friends who make my life amazing.
thanks.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
welcome home and other ramblings
So it looks like the Rhodes family is officially movin' south. Maybe it was just the inspiration of a song by the great KoL (note sarcasm), or maybe it's because of the times.
Dad just landed a job at a construction company in South Carolina, near Greenville (pronounced greenvull). And Lee is moving down with Kim and I in Asheville. This is a pretty huge change for all involved, granted Kim and I are pretty much settled in and all, but it's still a big deal.
Thoughts.
My thoughts on this whole southern migration thing are only positive. Things have been so good for Kim and I down here. The people in the south for the most part are quite a bit nicer when first meeting you. People in the north are very kind, but often cold, distant, and busy when passing someone by or meeting someone for the first time. Northerners are cool, they (I mean we) might just be a bit too hurried and preoccupied. Asheville is also a bit of an outdoor mecca. The cycling here is fantastic, quiet mountain roads abound. The hiking is gorgeous, plenty of streams and mountain tops to explore. Also I can completely fulfill my dreams of living a hipster life to the max... If only my hair wasn't the limiting factor to my hipness.
The negatives...
Life is great down here in hipsterdom, but believe it or not there are some things I don't like. The biggest problem is the distance from family and friends back home in Ohio. Of course, we knew this would be an issue and it's one we are willing to deal with. I'm not sure why people are willing to sacrifice things like this, I don't think we are sacrificing friends, but in some ways that's what it feels like. Families and relationships are what makes adulthood so complicated. The other stuff (i.e. bills, jobs, taking care of a home, etc) is really just fluff in comparison. Adults never really cover the relationship and family thing; they tell you to get good grades, be a good person, and find a good job. But really that's not what it comes down to. Life really seems to be about finding the correct balance, some how meeting your expectations and dreams for life, but still satisfying the needs of family and friends. I guess that is why marriage is so great, you have a sidekick and a best friend that will always be at your side. The two of you are free to dream together and fulfill God's promises for the two of you, because now the two of you are one.
The following is not an apology, simply a statement. The above definitely is a rambling, or even a stream of thought, I would love to try an polish, dive deeper into it. For now though, it's all of got. And since this isn't a paper for Kandel or Baxter, it's more than enough.
Dad just landed a job at a construction company in South Carolina, near Greenville (pronounced greenvull). And Lee is moving down with Kim and I in Asheville. This is a pretty huge change for all involved, granted Kim and I are pretty much settled in and all, but it's still a big deal.
Thoughts.
My thoughts on this whole southern migration thing are only positive. Things have been so good for Kim and I down here. The people in the south for the most part are quite a bit nicer when first meeting you. People in the north are very kind, but often cold, distant, and busy when passing someone by or meeting someone for the first time. Northerners are cool, they (I mean we) might just be a bit too hurried and preoccupied. Asheville is also a bit of an outdoor mecca. The cycling here is fantastic, quiet mountain roads abound. The hiking is gorgeous, plenty of streams and mountain tops to explore. Also I can completely fulfill my dreams of living a hipster life to the max... If only my hair wasn't the limiting factor to my hipness.
The negatives...
Life is great down here in hipsterdom, but believe it or not there are some things I don't like. The biggest problem is the distance from family and friends back home in Ohio. Of course, we knew this would be an issue and it's one we are willing to deal with. I'm not sure why people are willing to sacrifice things like this, I don't think we are sacrificing friends, but in some ways that's what it feels like. Families and relationships are what makes adulthood so complicated. The other stuff (i.e. bills, jobs, taking care of a home, etc) is really just fluff in comparison. Adults never really cover the relationship and family thing; they tell you to get good grades, be a good person, and find a good job. But really that's not what it comes down to. Life really seems to be about finding the correct balance, some how meeting your expectations and dreams for life, but still satisfying the needs of family and friends. I guess that is why marriage is so great, you have a sidekick and a best friend that will always be at your side. The two of you are free to dream together and fulfill God's promises for the two of you, because now the two of you are one.
The following is not an apology, simply a statement. The above definitely is a rambling, or even a stream of thought, I would love to try an polish, dive deeper into it. For now though, it's all of got. And since this isn't a paper for Kandel or Baxter, it's more than enough.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
no, I really do want your slowest internet, THANKS
So, I'm in a huff about trying to order some cheap internet for our new place in Asheville. Part of Kim and I's current eco craze means doing with less in an attempt to live frugally. Which means we've been attempting to cut things out like smart phones and cable television.
Currently in Pittsburgh we have basic cable and internet for thirty dollars a month. Yes, it's basic, but the speed seems just fine to me, and I'm not breaking the bank on internet and television. Anyways... Today, I called the cable provider in Asheville and got verbally abused for wanting the cheapest internet known as 'Lite'. The operator asked me repeatedly if I was sure I wanted the 'Lite' internet. At one point he said, "You realize that you basically won't be able to do anything with this package." Long awkward pause and then I shifted into asshole mode. I proceeded to tell him that I'm not a fool, I realize what 1 megabit per second means and I'm okay with that. I told him that I'm not trying to keep up with everyone else, I just need and want basic internet. I believe I also threw in there that I have a college education (from Walsh University, bam!). The cable guy comes to our new place next Friday, so we'll see how slow 1 mbps really is.
The whole problem I have with all of this is that anytime you want the most basic of something people act like you're Amish or you live in a cave. Other examples of being talked down to include going to the Verizon store and downgrading our smart phones to 'dumb' phones. The man proceeded to look at us in amazement. Then with a straight face he told us that smart phones actually pay for themselves. Well, I have my old crappy flip phone back and it's great. When Kim and I bought our Subaru the guy thought I was nuts for changing my own oil. His exact words were, "Tell me something, doesn't that take a long time?" Tell me, does it kill you to do something on your own?
I'd just like to round this all out in perfect five paragraph form. In conclusion, I realize that going against the grain means that people will try and pull you back onto the wagon, but that doesn't mean I have to like or go along with it.
Currently in Pittsburgh we have basic cable and internet for thirty dollars a month. Yes, it's basic, but the speed seems just fine to me, and I'm not breaking the bank on internet and television. Anyways... Today, I called the cable provider in Asheville and got verbally abused for wanting the cheapest internet known as 'Lite'. The operator asked me repeatedly if I was sure I wanted the 'Lite' internet. At one point he said, "You realize that you basically won't be able to do anything with this package." Long awkward pause and then I shifted into asshole mode. I proceeded to tell him that I'm not a fool, I realize what 1 megabit per second means and I'm okay with that. I told him that I'm not trying to keep up with everyone else, I just need and want basic internet. I believe I also threw in there that I have a college education (from Walsh University, bam!). The cable guy comes to our new place next Friday, so we'll see how slow 1 mbps really is.
The whole problem I have with all of this is that anytime you want the most basic of something people act like you're Amish or you live in a cave. Other examples of being talked down to include going to the Verizon store and downgrading our smart phones to 'dumb' phones. The man proceeded to look at us in amazement. Then with a straight face he told us that smart phones actually pay for themselves. Well, I have my old crappy flip phone back and it's great. When Kim and I bought our Subaru the guy thought I was nuts for changing my own oil. His exact words were, "Tell me something, doesn't that take a long time?" Tell me, does it kill you to do something on your own?
I'd just like to round this all out in perfect five paragraph form. In conclusion, I realize that going against the grain means that people will try and pull you back onto the wagon, but that doesn't mean I have to like or go along with it.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Granola, Locavores, Inconvenience
So lots of things have been going down recently. Kim and I are moving to Asheville in just about 2 weeks, which amounts to craziness. I'm about to leave my first job that taught me how to be a nurse. And many other things. One of the biggest things going on right now is Kim and I's fervor for the environment. I'm not sure what has happened recently, but we have both become full out tree huggers. I mean we are trying to buy as locally, planning on planting a garden, planning on composting I no longer use plastic bags in my lunch, I cringe every time I see people loading plastic shopping bags at the grocery store, and at Subway I tell the Sandwich Artist that I do not need a bag for that sub. The list goes on and should get bigger.
The whole "green" thing has been happening for some time. It all started back in college in my Honor's classes that tied in the environment with Shakespearean literature. The fervor has increased over the past few years, but has ramped up quite a bit in the past month or two. Kim has been the catalyst that got things going seriously. She sites the blog Zero Waste Home and then a friend told her to watch No Impact Man (you can stream it on Netflix) and that kind of got the ball rolling for her. I then watched No Impact Man and was intrigued. Over the next couple of weeks I kept thinking about all the plastic we consume and how most of it is made from oil (which is now over $100 a barrel) and most of it ends up in a landfill for an eternity before it's leached into the soil as it breaks down. All of this earth humping madness coincided with Kim and I attempting to make Asheville a reality.
Asheville is this neat little mountain city that Kim and I have been exploring/drooling over the past 5 months. Asheville has experienced a cool rebirth in the past 15 years, part of this regrowth is a very strong Buy Local campaign. The city is made up of many many local businesses and all of the sport the latest ad's such as, "Put your money where your heart is. Buy Local." or, "Local is the new black." The owner of Kim's new coffee shop has compostable to-go cups, which is fantastic. BUT, they are made locally.
For now that is about all I have. Think about all of the actions we as a society make and how detrimental they are towards the environment. Why do we need everything to be individually packaged and wrapped?
The whole "green" thing has been happening for some time. It all started back in college in my Honor's classes that tied in the environment with Shakespearean literature. The fervor has increased over the past few years, but has ramped up quite a bit in the past month or two. Kim has been the catalyst that got things going seriously. She sites the blog Zero Waste Home and then a friend told her to watch No Impact Man (you can stream it on Netflix) and that kind of got the ball rolling for her. I then watched No Impact Man and was intrigued. Over the next couple of weeks I kept thinking about all the plastic we consume and how most of it is made from oil (which is now over $100 a barrel) and most of it ends up in a landfill for an eternity before it's leached into the soil as it breaks down. All of this earth humping madness coincided with Kim and I attempting to make Asheville a reality.
Asheville is this neat little mountain city that Kim and I have been exploring/drooling over the past 5 months. Asheville has experienced a cool rebirth in the past 15 years, part of this regrowth is a very strong Buy Local campaign. The city is made up of many many local businesses and all of the sport the latest ad's such as, "Put your money where your heart is. Buy Local." or, "Local is the new black." The owner of Kim's new coffee shop has compostable to-go cups, which is fantastic. BUT, they are made locally.
For now that is about all I have. Think about all of the actions we as a society make and how detrimental they are towards the environment. Why do we need everything to be individually packaged and wrapped?
Monday, February 14, 2011
An aside about Craigslist rental scams.
So Kim and I are searching for a place in Asheville right now and this involves using Craigslist. We found this awesome place that had a two car garage and was right beside the university. Here is the email response we got upon inquiring about the place.
Hello ,
Thanks for your email and interest in renting my house. I am Michelle Joe the owner of the house you are making inquiry of. Presently, I am in Nigeria. I came over here with my wife; we both acquired the property immediately after getting married. On getting here, I had a thought of selling the house of which i did a research for an agent to handle it on our behalf and after getting one, we got a deal but later my wife advised against that. Presently, it is no longer for sale, under minding the for sale sign up there in the building which I put there before leaving but available for rent at $600 per month (which includes utilities) and a security deposit of $400. More so now, our purpose of leaving the States down to Nigeria is for an International Christian Conference (I.C.C) meeting, that has to do with establishing of more churches around the West African continent, aimed at propagating the word of God amongst them as to reduce the high rate of criminal activities practiced as the end time is near. We are currently working with the Church of God Mission international, led by Arch-Bishop (Mrs.) Margaret Benson Idahosa.
Please, I want you to understand that I spent a lot on my property that you have requested to rent, so I will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this house and would want you to treat it as your own because cleanliness they say is next to Godliness. It is not all about the money to be paid on rent or spent; it is all about a good maintenance culture which I want you to adopt on the property. I want you to keep it tidy all the time so that I would be full of smiles whenever I come and above all, a good, strong and tight relationship between us when I come for a checkup. Please one more thing, I wouldn’t like to have any benefit of trust in you because I want to stand in your words that the property would be well taken care of all the time.
I believe you have seen how lovely it is if from only the pictures you saw in my posting compare to the 100% comfort to be derived from it as an occupant. Please note that you will only be able to drive by the house for now but can't have a look at the interior until I have sent the keys and documents of the house to you. Utilities include Water, Trash, Sewer, Gas etc. Please note that, a deposit payment would be required if accepted to have the property rented.
MOVE IN DEPOSIT REQUIRED ONLY: $600
Security Deposit: $400
The address to my house: 55 Sevier Street, Asheville NC 28804 .
SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW.
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
==============================
FIRST NAME: __________?
MIDDLE NAME: __________?
LAST NAME: __________?
PROFESSION: __________?
PHONE: _______________?
(CELL)PHONE: __________?
(WORK)PHONE: __________?
(HOME)PHONE: __________?
ARE YOU MARRIED: __________?
KIDS: _____ (YES/NO), HOW MANY: ________?
PRESENT ADDRESS: _____________________?
CITY: _______________?
STATE: ______________?
ZIP CODE: ____________?
HOW LONG: ___________IF RENTING
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING: __________?
IF THIS HOUSE IS BEING GIVEN TO YOU, HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING: ____________?
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN: ______________?
IF YOU HAVE A PET: _________?
NAME OF PET: _____________?
KIND OF PETS: _____________?
HABITS: ___________?
DO YOU SMOKE: ____________?
DO YOU DRINK: ______________?
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT: _____________?
HOW SOON CAN YOU MAKE THE MOVE IN DEPOSITS REQUIRED ($400): ____________
WHEN AND WHERE DO YOU WISH TO RECEIVE THE KEYS AND DOCUMENTS OF THE HOUSE: _______________?
Looking forward to hearing from you with all this details so that I can present it to my family, pray over it (because I consult the Almighty God before making any decision and if accepted, and have them stored in my file for the purpose of issuing the receipts to you and contacting you. Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the keys to you, please we are giving you all this based on trust and again I will want you to stick to your words, you know that we are very far apart now and only putting everything into God's hands and hope that you will not let us down.
The house will be available for rent for a period of five and a half years so you have a choice of deciding how long you intend staying there. Here is my number (011-234- 7038083074 or +234-7038083074)
Feel free to call me anytime for more information and arrangements.
God Bless,
M. Joe
Thanks for your email and interest in renting my house. I am Michelle Joe the owner of the house you are making inquiry of. Presently, I am in Nigeria. I came over here with my wife; we both acquired the property immediately after getting married. On getting here, I had a thought of selling the house of which i did a research for an agent to handle it on our behalf and after getting one, we got a deal but later my wife advised against that. Presently, it is no longer for sale, under minding the for sale sign up there in the building which I put there before leaving but available for rent at $600 per month (which includes utilities) and a security deposit of $400. More so now, our purpose of leaving the States down to Nigeria is for an International Christian Conference (I.C.C) meeting, that has to do with establishing of more churches around the West African continent, aimed at propagating the word of God amongst them as to reduce the high rate of criminal activities practiced as the end time is near. We are currently working with the Church of God Mission international, led by Arch-Bishop (Mrs.) Margaret Benson Idahosa.
Please, I want you to understand that I spent a lot on my property that you have requested to rent, so I will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this house and would want you to treat it as your own because cleanliness they say is next to Godliness. It is not all about the money to be paid on rent or spent; it is all about a good maintenance culture which I want you to adopt on the property. I want you to keep it tidy all the time so that I would be full of smiles whenever I come and above all, a good, strong and tight relationship between us when I come for a checkup. Please one more thing, I wouldn’t like to have any benefit of trust in you because I want to stand in your words that the property would be well taken care of all the time.
I believe you have seen how lovely it is if from only the pictures you saw in my posting compare to the 100% comfort to be derived from it as an occupant. Please note that you will only be able to drive by the house for now but can't have a look at the interior until I have sent the keys and documents of the house to you. Utilities include Water, Trash, Sewer, Gas etc. Please note that, a deposit payment would be required if accepted to have the property rented.
MOVE IN DEPOSIT REQUIRED ONLY: $600
Security Deposit: $400
The address to my house: 55 Sevier Street, Asheville NC 28804 .
SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW.
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
==============================
FIRST NAME: __________?
MIDDLE NAME: __________?
LAST NAME: __________?
PROFESSION: __________?
PHONE: _______________?
(CELL)PHONE: __________?
(WORK)PHONE: __________?
(HOME)PHONE: __________?
ARE YOU MARRIED: __________?
KIDS: _____ (YES/NO), HOW MANY: ________?
PRESENT ADDRESS: _____________________?
CITY: _______________?
STATE: ______________?
ZIP CODE: ____________?
HOW LONG: ___________IF RENTING
WHY ARE YOU LEAVING: __________?
IF THIS HOUSE IS BEING GIVEN TO YOU, HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND STAYING: ____________?
WHEN DO YOU INTEND MOVING IN: ______________?
IF YOU HAVE A PET: _________?
NAME OF PET: _____________?
KIND OF PETS: _____________?
HABITS: ___________?
DO YOU SMOKE: ____________?
DO YOU DRINK: ______________?
DO YOU WORK LATE NIGHT: _____________?
HOW SOON CAN YOU MAKE THE MOVE IN DEPOSITS REQUIRED ($400): ____________
WHEN AND WHERE DO YOU WISH TO RECEIVE THE KEYS AND DOCUMENTS OF THE HOUSE: _______________?
Looking forward to hearing from you with all this details so that I can present it to my family, pray over it (because I consult the Almighty God before making any decision and if accepted, and have them stored in my file for the purpose of issuing the receipts to you and contacting you. Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the keys to you, please we are giving you all this based on trust and again I will want you to stick to your words, you know that we are very far apart now and only putting everything into God's hands and hope that you will not let us down.
The house will be available for rent for a period of five and a half years so you have a choice of deciding how long you intend staying there. Here is my number (011-234- 7038083074 or +234-7038083074)
Feel free to call me anytime for more information and arrangements.
God Bless,
M. Joe
Awesome right, upon a little research I found this helpful article.
Well, little miss Michelle probably wouldn't have liked the part where Kim and I had to check yes to drinking. Hmmm....
Friday, February 4, 2011
In the suburbs.
In the suburbs I
I learned to drive
And you told me we'd never survive
Grab your mother's keys we're leavin'
I learned to drive
And you told me we'd never survive
Grab your mother's keys we're leavin'
This blog originally had high and lofty goals of being my breakthrough with me becoming the next Paul Krugman or David Brooks. Until I get really inspired and take some more time to write better or get my Masters in English or Writing or something snobbier; this blog will be a bit shorter, more opinionated, and rougher around the edges.
You always seemed so sure
That one day we'd fight in
In a suburban world
your part of town gets minor
So you're standin' on the opposite shore
But by the time the first bombs fell
We were already bored
We were already, already bored
That one day we'd fight in
In a suburban world
your part of town gets minor
So you're standin' on the opposite shore
But by the time the first bombs fell
We were already bored
We were already, already bored
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling again
Kids wanna be so hard
But in my dreams we're still screamin' and runnin' through the yard
And all of the walls that they built in the seventies finally fall
And all of the houses they build in the seventies finally fall
Meant nothin' at all
Meant nothin' at all
It meant nothin'
Another thing that gets me about these 'burbs is how they all look identical. Take a 'burb in Cleveland, Denver, or someplace in Cali. Its all the same idea. You've got your housing section and then you have you damn strip mall with huge swaths of asphalt and big box stores. You'd think living hundreds and thousands of miles away would make a difference to some extent, but other than changes in sunshine and natural scenery it's all the same. You've got your everything store like Target or Wal-Mart, some electronic store like Best Buy, clothing stores like Gap or Old Navy, and then some home improvement place like Lowe's.
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling and into the night
So can you understand?
Why I want a daughter while I'm still young
I wanna hold her hand
And show her some beauty
Before this damage is done
I'm movin' past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling and into the night
So can you understand?
Why I want a daughter while I'm still young
I wanna hold her hand
And show her some beauty
Before this damage is done
My last rant about the Suburbs is the whole urban sprawl thing and its detriment to the environment. First, urban sprawl is eating up our natural landscape. If more isn't done to prevent and discourage the the spread of this virus the vast swaths of American will be full of corny gated communities and strip malls. Really, is that what we want with this great country that we've been blessed with? Do we want the foot hills of the Smoky Mountains carpeted with developments? In addition to the destruction of land, these 'burbs are usually designed so people work in the city and then DRIVE home to their 'burb. This means people are wasting hours upon hours of their lives being stuck in rush hour fleeing the city in the evenings. In addition to this the amount of pollution created is awful. Regardless of whether or not the climate is changing, fossil fuels are not in infinite supply. And the stuff coming out of the tailpipe of the latest SUV or nolongerminivan can't be healthy.
But if it's too much to ask, it's too much to ask
Then send me a son
Under the overpass
In the parking lot we're still waiting
It's already passed
So move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass
Cause it's already passed
It's already, already passed!
Then send me a son
Under the overpass
In the parking lot we're still waiting
It's already passed
So move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass
Cause it's already passed
It's already, already passed!
So, I'm gonna try to bring this all together. All of these negative aspects focus on two central ideas. Suburbs lack the connection to community and all the diversity that should go along with a healthy community.
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling again
I'm movin' past the feeling
I'm movin' past the feeling
In my dreams we're still screamin'
We're still screamin'
We're still screamin'
I'm movin' past the feeling
Sometimes I can't believe it
I'm movin' past the feeling again
I'm movin' past the feeling
I'm movin' past the feeling
In my dreams we're still screamin'
We're still screamin'
We're still screamin'
Monday, January 17, 2011
Chose now for 2012. Right meow.
Lets just imagine for a second that one had to vote either Republican (henceforth referred to as the GOP, conservatives, or Republicans) or Democrat for the 2012 presidential elections right now. With no knowledge of who the candidates were or what their political stances actually amounted to; the choice would have to be based on our current views of the political climate and the parties themselves. Sorry, no Green Party, Independents (although Michael Bloomberg looks pretty good unless it's snowing), or the Tea Party (they would fall under the Republican umbrella). In writing this article one will quickly see my political biases, but I will do my best to be fair and balanced. No, I really mean fair and balanced.
So, my choice would have to be a Democratic candidate. Even with the whole thrashing that the Left received during this past election, my choice would have to be for the Dems. A few reasons, but first, more background.
All politicians are two faced, or a majority are. Sadly, its part of the game. During the past presidential election I had quite a bit of hope in all the change Obama promised. But even Obama fell short on many of his promises and ideals. Examples include: his expansion of the war into Pakistan making him about as hawkish as good ole' Cheney, his lack of commitment to real environmental change, and finally the fact that Guantanamo is still open. Based upon this, I am simply trying to explain that elections usually seem to be all about picking the lesser of two evils. And sometimes it seems to be choosing either fire or brimstone to rain down.
Now that I have that off my chest. Why not the conservatives? In many ways the smaller the government the better. The government time and time again shows us their incompetence. BUT. The Republicans are not truly about smaller government in my opinion. No matter who's in power government usually expands. The GOP is very good at talking one thing and doing the opposite. Take for example decreasing the deficit. This is supposedly second to serving the Merican Christ in their eyes. The primary goal in the 2010 elections. But, when it came to not extending tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, they balked. By not extending these tax cuts, it would have added 700 billion dollars in tax revenue. Meaning less in the gigantic deficit that America is struggling with. So decreasing the deficit really is not on their to do list. Additionally, the GOP has always been about family values and morals and other heart warming tenets. Basically I hate all people and family values. Seriously though, the GOP values mindset presents this happy little picture of a nice four person family (mother, father, son, and daughter) with a dog in the 'burbs somewhere. Which is great, but what about the drunk, homeless man in the city. Or, the family that cannot put enough food on the table for their four year old. Or, the man that just lost his job and cannot afford health insurance. All of these people the GOP seems to want to ignore. They're parasites to society. My tax dollars had better not go to help that man get in a rehab program, or that family put food on their table. And family values are nice and all unless that family is living next to a coal fired power plant in Western PA. Or downstream of a mountain top mining operation in West Virginia. Then that would be reckless regulation that kills jobs. Okay, that was a bit of a rant, but in many ways the dirty side to the "small government," "deregulation,"and "family values" of the GOP.
So vote for whoever. I'll probably be a Marxist by the time 2012 rolls around.
So, my choice would have to be a Democratic candidate. Even with the whole thrashing that the Left received during this past election, my choice would have to be for the Dems. A few reasons, but first, more background.
All politicians are two faced, or a majority are. Sadly, its part of the game. During the past presidential election I had quite a bit of hope in all the change Obama promised. But even Obama fell short on many of his promises and ideals. Examples include: his expansion of the war into Pakistan making him about as hawkish as good ole' Cheney, his lack of commitment to real environmental change, and finally the fact that Guantanamo is still open. Based upon this, I am simply trying to explain that elections usually seem to be all about picking the lesser of two evils. And sometimes it seems to be choosing either fire or brimstone to rain down.
Now that I have that off my chest. Why not the conservatives? In many ways the smaller the government the better. The government time and time again shows us their incompetence. BUT. The Republicans are not truly about smaller government in my opinion. No matter who's in power government usually expands. The GOP is very good at talking one thing and doing the opposite. Take for example decreasing the deficit. This is supposedly second to serving the Merican Christ in their eyes. The primary goal in the 2010 elections. But, when it came to not extending tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, they balked. By not extending these tax cuts, it would have added 700 billion dollars in tax revenue. Meaning less in the gigantic deficit that America is struggling with. So decreasing the deficit really is not on their to do list. Additionally, the GOP has always been about family values and morals and other heart warming tenets. Basically I hate all people and family values. Seriously though, the GOP values mindset presents this happy little picture of a nice four person family (mother, father, son, and daughter) with a dog in the 'burbs somewhere. Which is great, but what about the drunk, homeless man in the city. Or, the family that cannot put enough food on the table for their four year old. Or, the man that just lost his job and cannot afford health insurance. All of these people the GOP seems to want to ignore. They're parasites to society. My tax dollars had better not go to help that man get in a rehab program, or that family put food on their table. And family values are nice and all unless that family is living next to a coal fired power plant in Western PA. Or downstream of a mountain top mining operation in West Virginia. Then that would be reckless regulation that kills jobs. Okay, that was a bit of a rant, but in many ways the dirty side to the "small government," "deregulation,"and "family values" of the GOP.
So vote for whoever. I'll probably be a Marxist by the time 2012 rolls around.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Let's have it a go then.
This morning as I sat in church in Pittsburgh, I was daydreaming a bit. Across the aisle from me sat Tony Norman. He is a columnist for the Post Gazette, and I basically worship his columns. So, this got my brain spinning and thinking about being a journalist. I told my wife this as we drove home from church. This did not garner much of a response since my "career" aspirations change on a monthly to weekly basis.
The reason journalism sounds cool right now is because I have such an appetite for current events, history, and information in general. I also love to throw my opinions at people regardless of how interested they seem. Additionally I'm currently a year and a half into my first real job, which I guess would make it a career. Oh and this real job is the whole nursing thing. Being an RN has many pluses and minuses and I really do feel like its the right thing for me now. But. I've always loved so many different things, the whole choosing what to do with my life has been difficult. I mean there are so many things I want to do. So this blog is the beginning of something I would like to do with my life. Write. Write about whats going on in the world and my opinion of it. Ha, the modern age allows people to put their thoughts out there so easily. Maybe I should have started with a letter to the editor.
The reason journalism sounds cool right now is because I have such an appetite for current events, history, and information in general. I also love to throw my opinions at people regardless of how interested they seem. Additionally I'm currently a year and a half into my first real job, which I guess would make it a career. Oh and this real job is the whole nursing thing. Being an RN has many pluses and minuses and I really do feel like its the right thing for me now. But. I've always loved so many different things, the whole choosing what to do with my life has been difficult. I mean there are so many things I want to do. So this blog is the beginning of something I would like to do with my life. Write. Write about whats going on in the world and my opinion of it. Ha, the modern age allows people to put their thoughts out there so easily. Maybe I should have started with a letter to the editor.
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