So far, so good with the new Justice gig. I already realize that I need to work on my concentration as the procedures are simultaneously complex and rote.
Thanksgiving was enjoyable down in South Carolina with my Dad and our extended family there. I try to cherish these gatherings nowadays, not only because my Dad, Aunts and Uncles are approaching an average age of 70, but also due to the untimely passing of one Aunt.
I decided to go "all in" with one of my favorite interests and devote the next few college semesters at NOVA to complete my certificate in Travel and Tourism. I figure in this economy, if you don't necessarily like what you're doing, you may as well pursue something you love. To hedge my bets, I will probably also pursue a certificate in Library Technology in preparation of a Master's in Library Science. But since libraries aren't exactly in a hiring boom these days, I'm in no rush to get started.
I'll say one thing, though: it felt good to be able by some new clothes for the job with the money that I earned from it.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
So it finally looks as if I may have latched onto a long-term gig.
On Monday, I began my new role as a contractor with the Department of Justice. Without getting into any potentially classified details, let's just say I'm reconciling expense accounts. Not too difficult in theory but nonetheless I'm a bit anxious. I will have to learn a lot of new terminology and procedures. Even though I've been told by several that the learning curve usually lasts about three months, I do tend to be pretty demanding on myself for getting up to speed on things. I also would like to make a good impression as this kind of opportunity could open up other doors with the government. Having "cleared" the hurdle doesn't hurt in this area. It would be nice to slide over to the National Archives or Library of Congress one day.
It also feels good to make a more steady financial contribution to the household. Even though The Lady feels that I have contributed in other ways - I could have starred in "Househusbands of Northern Virginia" - I feel more independent and "manly" being able to win some of the bread myself.
I still don't think that I will retire as an accountant... but there are surely "worse" careers to be in these days.
On Monday, I began my new role as a contractor with the Department of Justice. Without getting into any potentially classified details, let's just say I'm reconciling expense accounts. Not too difficult in theory but nonetheless I'm a bit anxious. I will have to learn a lot of new terminology and procedures. Even though I've been told by several that the learning curve usually lasts about three months, I do tend to be pretty demanding on myself for getting up to speed on things. I also would like to make a good impression as this kind of opportunity could open up other doors with the government. Having "cleared" the hurdle doesn't hurt in this area. It would be nice to slide over to the National Archives or Library of Congress one day.
It also feels good to make a more steady financial contribution to the household. Even though The Lady feels that I have contributed in other ways - I could have starred in "Househusbands of Northern Virginia" - I feel more independent and "manly" being able to win some of the bread myself.
I still don't think that I will retire as an accountant... but there are surely "worse" careers to be in these days.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Another Side Of Yours Truly
Hey Everyone,
I've created my new blog and even submitted my first post. While it's a little more elaborate than this one, the graphics are still a work in progress. In any case, here it is:
http://travelandmusicwithtony.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
I've created my new blog and even submitted my first post. While it's a little more elaborate than this one, the graphics are still a work in progress. In any case, here it is:
http://travelandmusicwithtony.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Something New
When I set out to start this blog, I didn't know what direction it would go in but I knew that it would be a place where I could express my political views without all the partisan rants from either direction that I read in many other blogs and forums. As it turns out, with the exception of a few posts about my "consulting" gigs, it's been pretty much a platform for me to express my liberal/progressive leanings.
However, out of my surely vast and loyal crowd of readers, I'd say at least 50% are afraid they might hurt my feelings, 25% could care less LOL and up to 25% are too busy with life to tend to their own blog let alone read mine.
So I've decided to go in a different direction... and a different blog. I'm still going to keep this one and make commentary when the mood strikes me. I don't want to publish yet another open diary for the masses... but I do think a more light-hearted approach might draw some interaction.
I'm thinking that the theme will be two of my biggest passions in life: travel and music. In particular, I think I will chronicle some tales from the Summer of Love Tour that Cathy and I ventured out for. I have a lot of (mostly illegible) notes from the trip and it would be nice to share them in print. Who knows... it may become a semi-professional marketing device for my future ambitions as a travel agent.
I'll probably need some help designing the cover page as you can obviously see I did not have any imagination - or skill - in designing this one. Anyone... can ya help a brotha out??? :)
However, out of my surely vast and loyal crowd of readers, I'd say at least 50% are afraid they might hurt my feelings, 25% could care less LOL and up to 25% are too busy with life to tend to their own blog let alone read mine.
So I've decided to go in a different direction... and a different blog. I'm still going to keep this one and make commentary when the mood strikes me. I don't want to publish yet another open diary for the masses... but I do think a more light-hearted approach might draw some interaction.
I'm thinking that the theme will be two of my biggest passions in life: travel and music. In particular, I think I will chronicle some tales from the Summer of Love Tour that Cathy and I ventured out for. I have a lot of (mostly illegible) notes from the trip and it would be nice to share them in print. Who knows... it may become a semi-professional marketing device for my future ambitions as a travel agent.
I'll probably need some help designing the cover page as you can obviously see I did not have any imagination - or skill - in designing this one. Anyone... can ya help a brotha out??? :)
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Why Is It?
Why is it that the "typical" liberal would like government to be involved as much as possible... except when it comes to social/personal issues?
Why is it that the "typical" conservative would like to government to be involved as little as possible... except when it comes to social/personal issues?
Why is it that the "typical" conservative would like to government to be involved as little as possible... except when it comes to social/personal issues?
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Now That's What I Call "Fair and Balanced"!
Despite the fact he always reminds me of Kermit the Frog, I have to commend Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith for channeling his inner Alan Colmes when interviewing GOP Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming regarding the inclusion of a public option in health care reform:
SMITH: Over the last ten years health care costs in America have skyrocketed. Regular folks cannot afford it. So, they tax the system by not getting preventative medicine. They go to the emergency room in the last case and we all wind up paying for it. As the costs have gone up, the insurance industry's profits, on average, have gone up more than 350%. And it is the insurance companies which have paid, and who have contributed to Senators and Congressmen on both sides of the aisle to the point where now we cannot get what all concerned on Capitol Hill seem to believe and more 60% of Americans say they would support, which is a public option. This has been an enormous win for the health-care industry, that is an unquestioned fact. But I wonder, what happens to the American people when we come out with legislation now which requires everyone to have health care insurance -- or many more people -- but does not give a public option? Therefore millions more people will have to buy insurance from the very corporations that are overcharging us, and whose profits have gone up 350 percent in the last ten years. It seems like we the people are the ones getting the shaft here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/06/fox-newss-shepard-smith-g_n_311627.html
SMITH: Over the last ten years health care costs in America have skyrocketed. Regular folks cannot afford it. So, they tax the system by not getting preventative medicine. They go to the emergency room in the last case and we all wind up paying for it. As the costs have gone up, the insurance industry's profits, on average, have gone up more than 350%. And it is the insurance companies which have paid, and who have contributed to Senators and Congressmen on both sides of the aisle to the point where now we cannot get what all concerned on Capitol Hill seem to believe and more 60% of Americans say they would support, which is a public option. This has been an enormous win for the health-care industry, that is an unquestioned fact. But I wonder, what happens to the American people when we come out with legislation now which requires everyone to have health care insurance -- or many more people -- but does not give a public option? Therefore millions more people will have to buy insurance from the very corporations that are overcharging us, and whose profits have gone up 350 percent in the last ten years. It seems like we the people are the ones getting the shaft here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/06/fox-newss-shepard-smith-g_n_311627.html
Nazism + Communism = Socialism?
It appears that the doomsday wing of the conservative movement has succeeded in getting a lot of press by equating Obama's would-be "socialist" policies with the repressive regimes of Communist-era Russia and Nazi-era Germany. I'm sure that there are more informed people out there (including some well-intentioned Republicans) who realize that a better comparison would be to the many countries in Western Europe that adhere to various degrees of socialist policy, not to mention our neighbor to the North.
Instead of drawing a fake Hitler mustache onto Obama, they could have attached fake muscles a la Hanz and Franz from the old Saturday Night Live skits. Or instead of referencing Russia's hammer and siecle, the protestors could have drawn inspiration from the flags of Norway, the Netherlands, France and other countries who coincidentally draw from the same red, white and blue palate.
Perhaps when it comes down to it, it's the common theme of one-party rule that Germany once represented - and that Russia is apparently backsliding into - and fear of the long-term effects of such an arrangement here in the USA. I could certainly respect that as I endured the same concerns for six years. I would hope that's something conservatives would think about if <shudder
By the way, here's a list of the best countries to live per the United Nations. By my count, it appears that at least seven of the top ten countries have universal health care and/or other socialist policies. An easier-to-read summary can also be found here.
Instead of drawing a fake Hitler mustache onto Obama, they could have attached fake muscles a la Hanz and Franz from the old Saturday Night Live skits. Or instead of referencing Russia's hammer and siecle, the protestors could have drawn inspiration from the flags of Norway, the Netherlands, France and other countries who coincidentally draw from the same red, white and blue palate.
Perhaps when it comes down to it, it's the common theme of one-party rule that Germany once represented - and that Russia is apparently backsliding into - and fear of the long-term effects of such an arrangement here in the USA. I could certainly respect that as I endured the same concerns for six years. I would hope that's something conservatives would think about if <shudder
By the way, here's a list of the best countries to live per the United Nations. By my count, it appears that at least seven of the top ten countries have universal health care and/or other socialist policies. An easier-to-read summary can also be found here.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
I Like Ike!
Quote:
It's great to know that during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the wealth of the 400 richest Americans, according to Forbes, actually increased by $30 billion. Well golly, that's only a 2 percent increase, much less than the double digit returns the wealthy had grown accustomed to. But a 2 percent increase is a whole lot more than losing 40 percent of your 401k. And $30 billion is enough to provide 500,000 school teacher jobs at $60k per year.
Collectively, those 400 have $1.57 trillion in wealth. It's hard to get your mind around a number like that. The way I do it is to imagine that we were still living during the great radical Eisenhower era of the 1950s when marginal income tax rates hit 91 percent. Taxes were high back in the 1950s because people understood that constraining wild extremes of wealth would make our country stronger and prevent another depression. (Well, what did those old fogies know?)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/les-leopold/the-forbes-400-shows-why_b_306228.html
It's great to know that during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the wealth of the 400 richest Americans, according to Forbes, actually increased by $30 billion. Well golly, that's only a 2 percent increase, much less than the double digit returns the wealthy had grown accustomed to. But a 2 percent increase is a whole lot more than losing 40 percent of your 401k. And $30 billion is enough to provide 500,000 school teacher jobs at $60k per year.
Collectively, those 400 have $1.57 trillion in wealth. It's hard to get your mind around a number like that. The way I do it is to imagine that we were still living during the great radical Eisenhower era of the 1950s when marginal income tax rates hit 91 percent. Taxes were high back in the 1950s because people understood that constraining wild extremes of wealth would make our country stronger and prevent another depression. (Well, what did those old fogies know?)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/les-leopold/the-forbes-400-shows-why_b_306228.html
Monday, September 7, 2009
Glenn, Kanye and Me
By now most everyone is aware of the recent claim that Glenn Beck made regarding President Obama on the Fox News Channel. Needless to say, I found this rather outlandish considering Obama's maternal family, the people in his administration, and his success in drawing significant support from voters of all ethnicities when he won the election. My first thought (and probably second, third and fourth thoughts as well) was that the Fox News executives should demand that he apologize for his incredulous statement under threat of dismissal. The fact that he apparently not only hasn't apologized but hasn't even been suspended is rather telling and shocking to me.
But then I remembered what Kanye West said about George Bush following Hurricane Katrina. I have to admit that at the time I wondered whether there was more than a kernel of truth to that accusation, conveniently ignoring the prominent positions that Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice each held in the Bush administration. In retrospect, I believe that Bush was not a racist but perhaps a classist. But getting back to Kanye, I wouldn't have been surprised if he suffered a Dixie-Chicks style backlash which would have effectively ended his career. Instead, these days you can't go more than ten minutes on a pop station, let alone an R&B/hip-hop station, without hearing Kanye on a track. Even I must admit that I have enjoyed some of his songs over the last few years.
So it appears that Glenn and Kanye, despite their inflammatory accusations of Presidential-sponsored racism, will each continue to have successful careers due to the support of fans who ignored if not even believed these falsehoods. And that, I believe, truly makes for a sad state of affairs here in America.
But then I remembered what Kanye West said about George Bush following Hurricane Katrina. I have to admit that at the time I wondered whether there was more than a kernel of truth to that accusation, conveniently ignoring the prominent positions that Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice each held in the Bush administration. In retrospect, I believe that Bush was not a racist but perhaps a classist. But getting back to Kanye, I wouldn't have been surprised if he suffered a Dixie-Chicks style backlash which would have effectively ended his career. Instead, these days you can't go more than ten minutes on a pop station, let alone an R&B/hip-hop station, without hearing Kanye on a track. Even I must admit that I have enjoyed some of his songs over the last few years.
So it appears that Glenn and Kanye, despite their inflammatory accusations of Presidential-sponsored racism, will each continue to have successful careers due to the support of fans who ignored if not even believed these falsehoods. And that, I believe, truly makes for a sad state of affairs here in America.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Playing Catch-Up
Hello to everyone out there in Bloggerville!
I just realized that it has been exactly three months since I posted my last blog. Of course, my most loyal readers (ha!) already know behind the scenes that I had quite a busy time preparing for, enjoying, then recovering from a rather busy summer season. But now that I have the time and wherewithall, I wanted to share a few thoughts before what could potentially be a busy fall on the local front. I'll be touching on a number of things, some of which I may expound on later.
First: the Summer of Love tour. That's what Cathy and I called our 37-day, 6550-mile cross-country trip with a not-so-subtle nod to the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. One big difference between that event and ours is the only time we got "high" was in the mountains of the "four corners" states. We even managed to survive both of our family reunions located on opposite ends of the country, hers being in Jackson, MS, mine being in Los Angeles. The logistics of attending those events as well as the Vegas BBW Bash spurred us to hit the road instead of the runway. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to spending that amount of time traveling through 27 states. While I figure that we'll be making pilgrimages to visit family in Dallas - or at least as far as Jackson - I don't think we'll be planning anything that extravagant again in the foreseeable future. I especially won't need to relive spending two weeks in Vegas. I'm grateful to Cathy for letting me indulge in my sightseeing for the first few days while she mostly enjoyed having her feet up and off the brake and pedal. I still think I'll need to leave the Bash property every so often, but I think I'm more likely to repeat my favorite things to see and do in Vegas than to find anything new there. I do suspect that we will be expanding our social circle which I feel would be a plus.
Wow... is 2009 The Year of the Grim Reaper or what? They say "death comes in threes" but this year, it's more like the dozens! Some of the more poignant passings for me include: Farrah Fawcett, with whom Cathy shared a common bond of an unfortunate illness; John Hughes, the "Judd Apatow" of my teenage years; and, Michael Jackson, if only for the surreal coincidence of staying in a hotel in Hollywood on the night before his memorial service. And of course, my most loyal readers would think me remiss if I didn't mention the loss of two members of the Kennedy clan.
The domestic agenda of President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress seems to be mixed in public opinion if not also in its effectiveness. As much as I dislike the idea of corporate welfare, I believe that simply letting the banks and auto makers fail would have had a ripple effect of millions in job losses that would have cost taxpayers more in the end than the stimulus package. And while necessity may well be the mother of invention, not everyone has the entrepreneurial skill and spirit to rely on themselves instead of an employer.
Regarding health care, I consider it to be the right of every American citizen and legal resident. I believe the status quo is not working, unless you're either an upper-income employee who is happy with their coverage... or the insurance company CEO who is happy with their bonus. While I think a government-funded "public option" should be in the mix, I'm not opposed to state health co-ops as a compromise, despite the unflinching views of both staunch Republicans and Democrats in Congress. I do think that GOP proposals like capping doctor malpractice judgments and opening up insurer competition to all fifty states would have potentially detrimental results for most citizens. One of the best models to build on, ironically, would the one that Republican Mitt Romney implemented while Governor of Massachusetts; it makes sense that everyone should pay into it, just as long as everyone is covered. I am surprised he hasn't received more news coverage these days. Or if he has, it must be on news media that I don't frequent.
Peace.
I just realized that it has been exactly three months since I posted my last blog. Of course, my most loyal readers (ha!) already know behind the scenes that I had quite a busy time preparing for, enjoying, then recovering from a rather busy summer season. But now that I have the time and wherewithall, I wanted to share a few thoughts before what could potentially be a busy fall on the local front. I'll be touching on a number of things, some of which I may expound on later.
First: the Summer of Love tour. That's what Cathy and I called our 37-day, 6550-mile cross-country trip with a not-so-subtle nod to the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. One big difference between that event and ours is the only time we got "high" was in the mountains of the "four corners" states. We even managed to survive both of our family reunions located on opposite ends of the country, hers being in Jackson, MS, mine being in Los Angeles. The logistics of attending those events as well as the Vegas BBW Bash spurred us to hit the road instead of the runway. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to spending that amount of time traveling through 27 states. While I figure that we'll be making pilgrimages to visit family in Dallas - or at least as far as Jackson - I don't think we'll be planning anything that extravagant again in the foreseeable future. I especially won't need to relive spending two weeks in Vegas. I'm grateful to Cathy for letting me indulge in my sightseeing for the first few days while she mostly enjoyed having her feet up and off the brake and pedal. I still think I'll need to leave the Bash property every so often, but I think I'm more likely to repeat my favorite things to see and do in Vegas than to find anything new there. I do suspect that we will be expanding our social circle which I feel would be a plus.
Wow... is 2009 The Year of the Grim Reaper or what? They say "death comes in threes" but this year, it's more like the dozens! Some of the more poignant passings for me include: Farrah Fawcett, with whom Cathy shared a common bond of an unfortunate illness; John Hughes, the "Judd Apatow" of my teenage years; and, Michael Jackson, if only for the surreal coincidence of staying in a hotel in Hollywood on the night before his memorial service. And of course, my most loyal readers would think me remiss if I didn't mention the loss of two members of the Kennedy clan.
The domestic agenda of President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress seems to be mixed in public opinion if not also in its effectiveness. As much as I dislike the idea of corporate welfare, I believe that simply letting the banks and auto makers fail would have had a ripple effect of millions in job losses that would have cost taxpayers more in the end than the stimulus package. And while necessity may well be the mother of invention, not everyone has the entrepreneurial skill and spirit to rely on themselves instead of an employer.
Regarding health care, I consider it to be the right of every American citizen and legal resident. I believe the status quo is not working, unless you're either an upper-income employee who is happy with their coverage... or the insurance company CEO who is happy with their bonus. While I think a government-funded "public option" should be in the mix, I'm not opposed to state health co-ops as a compromise, despite the unflinching views of both staunch Republicans and Democrats in Congress. I do think that GOP proposals like capping doctor malpractice judgments and opening up insurer competition to all fifty states would have potentially detrimental results for most citizens. One of the best models to build on, ironically, would the one that Republican Mitt Romney implemented while Governor of Massachusetts; it makes sense that everyone should pay into it, just as long as everyone is covered. I am surprised he hasn't received more news coverage these days. Or if he has, it must be on news media that I don't frequent.
Peace.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Those Who Do Not Learn From (Recent) History....
A lot has been happening in the political world that I've wanted to write about. Unfortunately, a lot has been happening in my life that I haven't had the time to get in detail about my thoughts. Suffice it to say, as I predicted six months ago. black has become white... or rather, red has become blue. Democrats and Republicans look at each other in the Congress and Senate and see their own reflection just over five months ago. There are so many parallels, it's almost as if we're experience a repeat of 2001-2007. And that concerns me. Because as I said six months ago, it's hard to be smug when there's a chance that the Democrats will overreach just as the Republicans did.
I don't support corporate welfare so I haven't been a fan of the banking and auto industry bailouts. Regarding the failing banks, I would have supported their assets - and, ideally, most of their employees - being absorbed by smaller, healthier financial institutions. However, dealing with the more tangible goods of the auto industry is something different. Granted, I would have preferred that the least profitable makes and models were allowed to be spun off or closed down. As it is, allowing the companies to simply shut down would have created a dramatic ripple effect that may have had more consequences than the bailouts. However, I do think that we've reached the point that enough is enough. Nonetheless, it looks like we're all going to own a piece of General Motors. I hope that we can all at least get a new car out of the deal...
And finally, Sonia Sotomayor. We all know that she is going to pass the nomination process (save the irony of a Republican filibuster against an Democratic call for an up-and-down vote). And we all know "the quote" about the judge's quote about being a "wise Latina woman" that does look admittedly prejudiced, at least without knowing the context. What I would want to know is what is "that life" that she refers to that would allegedly not be known by a white male. Is it the life of an minority and/or female? If so, then I would understand where she's coming from, albeit in the way that Chris Rock understands O.J. Simpson. If my theory is indeed correct, she would certainly be walking a fine line between the stereotype and reality of white males' relative socioeconomic status and the ability to relate to others outside it. But again, I'm making assumptions, as many of us are, without the total context of the quote. So I'm reserving judgement in the hope that we will see all of that information soon.
I don't support corporate welfare so I haven't been a fan of the banking and auto industry bailouts. Regarding the failing banks, I would have supported their assets - and, ideally, most of their employees - being absorbed by smaller, healthier financial institutions. However, dealing with the more tangible goods of the auto industry is something different. Granted, I would have preferred that the least profitable makes and models were allowed to be spun off or closed down. As it is, allowing the companies to simply shut down would have created a dramatic ripple effect that may have had more consequences than the bailouts. However, I do think that we've reached the point that enough is enough. Nonetheless, it looks like we're all going to own a piece of General Motors. I hope that we can all at least get a new car out of the deal...
And finally, Sonia Sotomayor. We all know that she is going to pass the nomination process (save the irony of a Republican filibuster against an Democratic call for an up-and-down vote). And we all know "the quote" about the judge's quote about being a "wise Latina woman" that does look admittedly prejudiced, at least without knowing the context. What I would want to know is what is "that life" that she refers to that would allegedly not be known by a white male. Is it the life of an minority and/or female? If so, then I would understand where she's coming from, albeit in the way that Chris Rock understands O.J. Simpson. If my theory is indeed correct, she would certainly be walking a fine line between the stereotype and reality of white males' relative socioeconomic status and the ability to relate to others outside it. But again, I'm making assumptions, as many of us are, without the total context of the quote. So I'm reserving judgement in the hope that we will see all of that information soon.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Breaking The Law - Part Two
Not that anyone keeping up with this blog has been waiting with baited breath... but I apologize for not staying more current. Mt latest gig, also located in DC, has taken a lot of the slack out of my evening time so that if I do get online, I don't have the concentration to put together a couple interesting, let alone coherent paragraphs.
If you haven't guessed by now, my client company is involved in the legal profession (hence the title) which just absolutely warms the cockles of Cathy's heart. In the interest of company privacy, I can only say that some dishonesty by a prior employee resulted in a massive cash loss. So my main duty is to help clean up that situation in preparation for an upcoming annual audit.
My boss has instilled a lot of faith in my abilities which in turn has given me a lot more confidence in my decision making and ideas. Also, having to create accurate results from spotty if not also intentionally misleading information went from being from a frustrating endeavor to a growing experience. So I feel like I've gotten a lot out of the experience already.
Both my boss and recruiter have each said to me separately that the company would probably want to hire me if not for the lack of available funds. I'd say that I wouldn't mind either... but after my previous rush to judgment at the wind joint, I'm hesitant to make a similar declaration of enthusiasm. I do know that I intend to make more of an effort to find something permanent when I return from the Summer of Love tour. While I'd like to go further in my transition to other careers, the reality is that I need to make a decent living, especially if I'm going to invest in further education to accomplish those career goals.
If you haven't guessed by now, my client company is involved in the legal profession (hence the title) which just absolutely warms the cockles of Cathy's heart. In the interest of company privacy, I can only say that some dishonesty by a prior employee resulted in a massive cash loss. So my main duty is to help clean up that situation in preparation for an upcoming annual audit.
My boss has instilled a lot of faith in my abilities which in turn has given me a lot more confidence in my decision making and ideas. Also, having to create accurate results from spotty if not also intentionally misleading information went from being from a frustrating endeavor to a growing experience. So I feel like I've gotten a lot out of the experience already.
Both my boss and recruiter have each said to me separately that the company would probably want to hire me if not for the lack of available funds. I'd say that I wouldn't mind either... but after my previous rush to judgment at the wind joint, I'm hesitant to make a similar declaration of enthusiasm. I do know that I intend to make more of an effort to find something permanent when I return from the Summer of Love tour. While I'd like to go further in my transition to other careers, the reality is that I need to make a decent living, especially if I'm going to invest in further education to accomplish those career goals.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
George Will:Fashionista
(Channeling Larry The Cable Guy...)
I don't care what you say, that's funny right 'dere!
I don't care what you say, that's funny right 'dere!
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Off The Hook
Progressives and Northern/West Coast states who wanted to move or secede to Canada after the 2004 elections are officially off the hook.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D97J48IO2.html
Texas Gov. Rick Perry fired up an anti-tax "tea party" Wednesday with his stance against the federal government and for states' rights as some in his U.S. flag-waving audience shouted, "Secede!"
I did predict something like this would happen... (See Bush, Part One.)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D97J48IO2.html
Texas Gov. Rick Perry fired up an anti-tax "tea party" Wednesday with his stance against the federal government and for states' rights as some in his U.S. flag-waving audience shouted, "Secede!"
I did predict something like this would happen... (See Bush, Part One.)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Breaking The Law - Part One
The first day on the new gig was cool... but I wouldn't be me if something strange didn't happen. At least it wasn't my fault this time.
I got there at 10:00am as requested only to find out that my lady manager J had called out due to a sudden asthma attack. Since she would be the one to train me, I wouldn't be needed until tomorrow. My future female cube-mate V said that left a message with the agency. I would have probably been underground by then, anyway. Still, I was perhaps a touch miffed that my recruiter hadn't at least attempted to leave a message with me. But when I called him to see about getting compensated for some of my time, he said he had not heard anything about the situation. But he apologized profusely and offered to pay me two hours' travel time at my assignment rate.
I then thought it might be a good idea to go pick up a timesheet from the agency and meet my recruiter. (I was referred to him by another branch office where I had already registered.) He suggested that I take the train for what would be a eight-minute ride. Instead, I decided to take advantage of a rare mild and sunny day and instead chose to walk. After a leisurely half-hour stroll, I entered the office only to have my recruiter tell me that my manager made it in after all and that I was welcome to come in today if I wanted.
Oh what the heck, I didn't have anything else planned so why not! :)
As it was now 11:30, I did ask for some time to eat my lunch before starting back up there which was granted without a problem. Unfortunately I ended up eating the "brown-bagger" on a windy bench as there was no park near enough and my legs, having also spent a half-hour on the recumbent bike this morning, were saying no mas. After some recovery time, I hopped on the Metro and finally started my workday.
The manager J was definitely happy to see me. It was a nice change of pace from Bipolar who, in retrospect, didn't even greet me with a smile when we first met. Apparently quite a mess was created by the person who previously held her position, so I was there to help her clean it up before the arrival of the auditors in two weeks. One of my biggest selling points reportedly was my experience on their accounting software which I had used for three years at my last permanent gig. J said that her knowledge of that software was pretty limited. Although it took me a few moments to get back to speed, I started paying dividends already when I showed J an easier way to find certain information without printing out extraneous amounts of paper. She was very happy about that. I also was able to point out some odd items on the bank account I was reconciling. So all in all, it was a good day. I managed a "three-fer": got some exercise, saw some sights and did some work... getting paid for it all the while! :)
I got there at 10:00am as requested only to find out that my lady manager J had called out due to a sudden asthma attack. Since she would be the one to train me, I wouldn't be needed until tomorrow. My future female cube-mate V said that left a message with the agency. I would have probably been underground by then, anyway. Still, I was perhaps a touch miffed that my recruiter hadn't at least attempted to leave a message with me. But when I called him to see about getting compensated for some of my time, he said he had not heard anything about the situation. But he apologized profusely and offered to pay me two hours' travel time at my assignment rate.
I then thought it might be a good idea to go pick up a timesheet from the agency and meet my recruiter. (I was referred to him by another branch office where I had already registered.) He suggested that I take the train for what would be a eight-minute ride. Instead, I decided to take advantage of a rare mild and sunny day and instead chose to walk. After a leisurely half-hour stroll, I entered the office only to have my recruiter tell me that my manager made it in after all and that I was welcome to come in today if I wanted.
Oh what the heck, I didn't have anything else planned so why not! :)
As it was now 11:30, I did ask for some time to eat my lunch before starting back up there which was granted without a problem. Unfortunately I ended up eating the "brown-bagger" on a windy bench as there was no park near enough and my legs, having also spent a half-hour on the recumbent bike this morning, were saying no mas. After some recovery time, I hopped on the Metro and finally started my workday.
The manager J was definitely happy to see me. It was a nice change of pace from Bipolar who, in retrospect, didn't even greet me with a smile when we first met. Apparently quite a mess was created by the person who previously held her position, so I was there to help her clean it up before the arrival of the auditors in two weeks. One of my biggest selling points reportedly was my experience on their accounting software which I had used for three years at my last permanent gig. J said that her knowledge of that software was pretty limited. Although it took me a few moments to get back to speed, I started paying dividends already when I showed J an easier way to find certain information without printing out extraneous amounts of paper. She was very happy about that. I also was able to point out some odd items on the bank account I was reconciling. So all in all, it was a good day. I managed a "three-fer": got some exercise, saw some sights and did some work... getting paid for it all the while! :)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Working Wounded
Well, just twelve day after The Final Blowback - and perhaps a bit of exasperation - it looks like I will be rejoining the ranks of the working starting tomorrow and for another month, maybe two.
I'll be doing similar accounting work for yet another association in DC. The pay is the same, more or less. (Actually less... but why quibble about another $20. With the last gig, the difference between a full work week and just two hours less actually put me in another tax bracket every time I worked a full-week. I think I need to attend a Tea Party... ha!) It's a small company - a dozen or so - whose sole accountant needs help preparing stuff for their audit. I also happen to have the experience on a certain accounting software that their number cruncher concedes she lacks. I'm supposed to be there until at least the end of May when the audit is expected to end. Depending on how much work is left afterwards and/or how much they like me, I may be asked to stay right up to mid-June, which would be exactly what I had planned for. But considering the last situation, I'm going to be conservative (ha! again) and assume that I'll be finishing up by Memorial Day.
Of course the main benefit - besides not starving, of course - is that I'll be able to do my part in contributing to the big Summer of Love Road Trip coming up in about two months. I was getting a bit concerned but thankfully fate came through in the clutch!
On the other hand, I have a nagging neck and shoulder strain stemming from a workout last Friday morning. It hurt like Slash until I actually got some relevant and useful advice from my Mom to take some pain reliever for the inflammation. Between that and some heating pads that Cathy has been applying on me, the pain has generally lessened over the last few days although it seems to be making a bit of a comeback today. In retrospect, perhaps practicing the piano yesterday wasn't a good idea. For that matter, typing this blog probably isn't either.
I guess I'll be going now...
PS: Shout out to Atlanta Braves' pitcher Tom Glavine who has a rotator cuff injury. I literally feel your pain. I'm not ready to retire, either.
I'll be doing similar accounting work for yet another association in DC. The pay is the same, more or less. (Actually less... but why quibble about another $20. With the last gig, the difference between a full work week and just two hours less actually put me in another tax bracket every time I worked a full-week. I think I need to attend a Tea Party... ha!) It's a small company - a dozen or so - whose sole accountant needs help preparing stuff for their audit. I also happen to have the experience on a certain accounting software that their number cruncher concedes she lacks. I'm supposed to be there until at least the end of May when the audit is expected to end. Depending on how much work is left afterwards and/or how much they like me, I may be asked to stay right up to mid-June, which would be exactly what I had planned for. But considering the last situation, I'm going to be conservative (ha! again) and assume that I'll be finishing up by Memorial Day.
Of course the main benefit - besides not starving, of course - is that I'll be able to do my part in contributing to the big Summer of Love Road Trip coming up in about two months. I was getting a bit concerned but thankfully fate came through in the clutch!
On the other hand, I have a nagging neck and shoulder strain stemming from a workout last Friday morning. It hurt like Slash until I actually got some relevant and useful advice from my Mom to take some pain reliever for the inflammation. Between that and some heating pads that Cathy has been applying on me, the pain has generally lessened over the last few days although it seems to be making a bit of a comeback today. In retrospect, perhaps practicing the piano yesterday wasn't a good idea. For that matter, typing this blog probably isn't either.
I guess I'll be going now...
PS: Shout out to Atlanta Braves' pitcher Tom Glavine who has a rotator cuff injury. I literally feel your pain. I'm not ready to retire, either.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Breaking Wind 4 - The Final Blowback
April Fools' Day came one day early for me last week.
On the afternoon of March 31st, I went into the office of my immediate supervisor, whom we shall now refer to as Bipolar, to discuss a task with her. While giving me the information I needed, she casually mentioned the fact that this was my last week. I was stunned for a couple reasons. For one, I was told by my recruiter that the assignment would last until May. For another, I was essentially given three days notice. I would have thought that professional courtesy would have dictated at least one week's notice, if not even two, for that length of an assignment.
My manager, for whom I have no witty nickname, approached my cubicle a little later and confirmed that I was being let go because there was "no more work" for me and indirectly apologized for the short notice by alluding to the fact that things had been "crazy" around there. I was a bit confused at this point as things certainly looked "crazy" for Bipolar who still seemed bogged down with work. Curiously enough, when I called my recruiter at the end of the day, her version of the story was that during a budget meeting, my manager discovered that she had less to work with than she thought. So I was therefore the "odd temp out". I'm more inclined to believe the recruiter.
While I was disappointed, I also was a bit relieved. The reason why I call Bipolar "Bipolar" is that one day she could be friendly, even chummy, but the next day, or even the next moment, she could go from hot to cold, especially if a mistake was made (by myself or others) that seemed to inconvenience her. Nonetheless, I was determined to make the best of my last three days.
By about noon on Wednesday, I had finished my latest task and Bipolar suggested that I go to lunch. And so I did. Five minutes later, she comes over with a new task she asked for me to complete before she returned from lunch herself. Wanting to keep the instructions fresh in my mind, I interrupt my lunch to finish the task which took about a half hour. I then return to eating lunch and surfing the 'Net in my cubicle, keeping an eye and ear out for Bipolar, who usually returns to to her office by going by my desk. Time had admittedly slipped away and around 1:45, Bipolar popped up on me mid-surf and asked if I was still on lunch. I responded that I had completed the assignment she gave me during lunch, thinking she'd catch the hint that I had literally nothing else to do beyond working on my thumb-twiddling skills. Instead, she admonished me loudly in front of my other cube-mates, advising me to account for the "extra" break time on my timesheet. So basically because of her own lack of efficiency, I was going to loose a quarter hour's worth of pay. At that point, I was through with being friendly, through with being proactive... I was just through.
Fast forward (I wish I could have at the time) to Friday afternoon when I'm packing up my things. Everyone in the department was polite to cordial as I exchanged goodbyes with them. Bipolar had stepped out to the kitchen area next door which I was thinking was probably for the best. But when she returned and saw me put my jacket on, I figured I could be professional and endure ten seconds of mild discomfort... except that she proceeded to go into the office of an associate and shut the door behind her. That pretty much summed up our working relationship in a nutshell.
In retrospect, Cathy helped me to see that Bipolar definitely had some issues that she projected onto me. She definitely reminded me of a certain family member who deflected responsibilty, albeit less brazenly, for her own mistakes regarding me. It may have been that inefficiency - and perhaps inability to show quantifiable results to my manager, that caused Bipolar to lose her help just when she may have needed it the most. If there is truly such a thing as karma, it hit her at the beginning of this week as I know that Bipolar had to deal with the annual arrival of the auditors without anyone to offload work on or to assist her.
At least Robocop managed to loosen up over the last couple weeks, greeting me with a smile and a "What's up, Man?" virtually every morning. He's so anxious to jump ship himself, the client may be lucky to get three days' notice themselves.
Ironically, I found out that White Chocolate grew up in the area where Cathy and I used to live, graduating from the neighborhood high school. It's too bad I didn't get to know him a little better. Not only could we have compared notes on the past and present in his old 'hood, I also think him and the similarly large lady I saw in one of his desk pictures may have enjoyed attending a NAAFA fundraiser.
I got along with Ho Chi Minh the best, but then he gets along with everyone well. He'll be the one most likely to get a permanent job there... until, of course, they pull the rug out from under him like they did for me. I do hope that he finds the man of his dreams, though.
I'll miss working for a company whose cause I believed in. I'll miss the prestige, such as it is, of working in downtown DC just a few blocks from the White House. And, of course, I'll miss the paycheck. I definitely won't miss the longer commute, albeit still short by DC standards. I won't miss working a half-hour longer than my previous job which, combined with the commute, made my evenings a lot shorter.
And, needless to I won't miss Bipolar's crazy @$$.
"The answer, my friend
Is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind...."
On the afternoon of March 31st, I went into the office of my immediate supervisor, whom we shall now refer to as Bipolar, to discuss a task with her. While giving me the information I needed, she casually mentioned the fact that this was my last week. I was stunned for a couple reasons. For one, I was told by my recruiter that the assignment would last until May. For another, I was essentially given three days notice. I would have thought that professional courtesy would have dictated at least one week's notice, if not even two, for that length of an assignment.
My manager, for whom I have no witty nickname, approached my cubicle a little later and confirmed that I was being let go because there was "no more work" for me and indirectly apologized for the short notice by alluding to the fact that things had been "crazy" around there. I was a bit confused at this point as things certainly looked "crazy" for Bipolar who still seemed bogged down with work. Curiously enough, when I called my recruiter at the end of the day, her version of the story was that during a budget meeting, my manager discovered that she had less to work with than she thought. So I was therefore the "odd temp out". I'm more inclined to believe the recruiter.
While I was disappointed, I also was a bit relieved. The reason why I call Bipolar "Bipolar" is that one day she could be friendly, even chummy, but the next day, or even the next moment, she could go from hot to cold, especially if a mistake was made (by myself or others) that seemed to inconvenience her. Nonetheless, I was determined to make the best of my last three days.
By about noon on Wednesday, I had finished my latest task and Bipolar suggested that I go to lunch. And so I did. Five minutes later, she comes over with a new task she asked for me to complete before she returned from lunch herself. Wanting to keep the instructions fresh in my mind, I interrupt my lunch to finish the task which took about a half hour. I then return to eating lunch and surfing the 'Net in my cubicle, keeping an eye and ear out for Bipolar, who usually returns to to her office by going by my desk. Time had admittedly slipped away and around 1:45, Bipolar popped up on me mid-surf and asked if I was still on lunch. I responded that I had completed the assignment she gave me during lunch, thinking she'd catch the hint that I had literally nothing else to do beyond working on my thumb-twiddling skills. Instead, she admonished me loudly in front of my other cube-mates, advising me to account for the "extra" break time on my timesheet. So basically because of her own lack of efficiency, I was going to loose a quarter hour's worth of pay. At that point, I was through with being friendly, through with being proactive... I was just through.
Fast forward (I wish I could have at the time) to Friday afternoon when I'm packing up my things. Everyone in the department was polite to cordial as I exchanged goodbyes with them. Bipolar had stepped out to the kitchen area next door which I was thinking was probably for the best. But when she returned and saw me put my jacket on, I figured I could be professional and endure ten seconds of mild discomfort... except that she proceeded to go into the office of an associate and shut the door behind her. That pretty much summed up our working relationship in a nutshell.
In retrospect, Cathy helped me to see that Bipolar definitely had some issues that she projected onto me. She definitely reminded me of a certain family member who deflected responsibilty, albeit less brazenly, for her own mistakes regarding me. It may have been that inefficiency - and perhaps inability to show quantifiable results to my manager, that caused Bipolar to lose her help just when she may have needed it the most. If there is truly such a thing as karma, it hit her at the beginning of this week as I know that Bipolar had to deal with the annual arrival of the auditors without anyone to offload work on or to assist her.
At least Robocop managed to loosen up over the last couple weeks, greeting me with a smile and a "What's up, Man?" virtually every morning. He's so anxious to jump ship himself, the client may be lucky to get three days' notice themselves.
Ironically, I found out that White Chocolate grew up in the area where Cathy and I used to live, graduating from the neighborhood high school. It's too bad I didn't get to know him a little better. Not only could we have compared notes on the past and present in his old 'hood, I also think him and the similarly large lady I saw in one of his desk pictures may have enjoyed attending a NAAFA fundraiser.
I got along with Ho Chi Minh the best, but then he gets along with everyone well. He'll be the one most likely to get a permanent job there... until, of course, they pull the rug out from under him like they did for me. I do hope that he finds the man of his dreams, though.
I'll miss working for a company whose cause I believed in. I'll miss the prestige, such as it is, of working in downtown DC just a few blocks from the White House. And, of course, I'll miss the paycheck. I definitely won't miss the longer commute, albeit still short by DC standards. I won't miss working a half-hour longer than my previous job which, combined with the commute, made my evenings a lot shorter.
And, needless to I won't miss Bipolar's crazy @$$.
"The answer, my friend
Is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind...."
The Canine Chronicles Vol.2
Case Study #2:
NOELLEaka Slash, Zombie, Ma Barker and @#$%^!
(Yes, that last one is the same as Buster!)
This tough lady Boston Terrier would probably be at home wearing a gasoline attendant shirt with tattoos on her arm and a cigarette dangling out of her mouth. She's never met a female quadriped - canine or feline - that she didn't try to hump. The one exception to her machisma is her fear of heights, a condition I was reminded of at least twice a day at walking time.
############
Regardless of how I poke fun at these two dogs, I'm glad we had the opportunity to make the best of a tough situation. I like to think that we provided a bridge for them to their next permanent home, even if it isn't necessarily the one that they are in now.
The Canine Chronicles Vol.1
(Editor's Note: I'm a little late with this series of blogs but the aforementioned job assignment literally drained the life out of me. But anywho...)
Two of the living legacies of Cathy's dearly departed Aunt Beth were our houseguests for six weeks of fun and games. Our cats, being the hospitable felines they were, conceded all but the back of the master bedroom closet and sometimes the guest room bed to the dogs so they could maximize their comfort zone. Between the warm reception I was receiving at work and the cute antics of these critters, excitement was always just around the corner. In fact, it usually was.
Here is Case Study #1:
BUSTER
Two of the living legacies of Cathy's dearly departed Aunt Beth were our houseguests for six weeks of fun and games. Our cats, being the hospitable felines they were, conceded all but the back of the master bedroom closet and sometimes the guest room bed to the dogs so they could maximize their comfort zone. Between the warm reception I was receiving at work and the cute antics of these critters, excitement was always just around the corner. In fact, it usually was.
Here is Case Study #1:
BUSTERaka Toto, Benji, Lil' Scrappy, McScruffy and @#$^%!
We discovered recently that this little guy is a Chihuahua-Yorkie mix... or, as we like to call him, a "Chihuakie" (Chee-WAH-kee)... not to be confused with a town in Wisconsin. ;) Don't let the innocent look fool you. He's never met a trash can he hasn't bonded with. But he is an aspiring optometrist as he will literally get "eye-to-eye" with you. Also when taking him for a walk, he is the one more likely to walk in a sensible direction (i.e. not wrap himself around a pole).
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Breaking Wind Part Three
If the assignments I'm doing aren't that interesting, my co-workers continue to be so.
My supervisor runs hot and cold. One day she can be friendly and chummy, the next day she's agitated and annoyed. My manager is a little better, although she tends to assign me the more mind-numbing tasks. But then, who am I to argue if you want to give me accounting clerk work for a staff accountant's salary?
I had a nice talk with Ho Chi Minh while walking to the train one afternoon. He's been at the job site since December. He was originally supposed to take over White Chocolate's duties but that transfer never happened for some unknown reason. He's still keeping busy though. And since he continues to be invited to all the employee meetings - including today's all-staff meeting - it still appears that his formal job offer is imminent.
Robocop has actually started greeting me hello in a friendly way. He's also loosened up a bit with the people he normally works with. Today he asked me how long I was told my assignment would be. Apparently he was told he would be working through this month at first but that now he's been extended to May, which I told him was my end date as well. That would make sense as the company's trade show is the first week of May. Based on my own convention experience, not to mention the company's small staff, I figure that the bulk of their staff will be headed out of town. So there won't be any work for Robocop and me. RC says if he finds another temp opportunity before theis assignment ends, he'll leave, figuring that he may have a long gap between work. I understand what he's saying but I would like to put a couple positive references in my pocket.
Meanwhile, the library has not yet applied a pick-axe to its hiring freeze. *sigh*
My supervisor runs hot and cold. One day she can be friendly and chummy, the next day she's agitated and annoyed. My manager is a little better, although she tends to assign me the more mind-numbing tasks. But then, who am I to argue if you want to give me accounting clerk work for a staff accountant's salary?
I had a nice talk with Ho Chi Minh while walking to the train one afternoon. He's been at the job site since December. He was originally supposed to take over White Chocolate's duties but that transfer never happened for some unknown reason. He's still keeping busy though. And since he continues to be invited to all the employee meetings - including today's all-staff meeting - it still appears that his formal job offer is imminent.
Robocop has actually started greeting me hello in a friendly way. He's also loosened up a bit with the people he normally works with. Today he asked me how long I was told my assignment would be. Apparently he was told he would be working through this month at first but that now he's been extended to May, which I told him was my end date as well. That would make sense as the company's trade show is the first week of May. Based on my own convention experience, not to mention the company's small staff, I figure that the bulk of their staff will be headed out of town. So there won't be any work for Robocop and me. RC says if he finds another temp opportunity before theis assignment ends, he'll leave, figuring that he may have a long gap between work. I understand what he's saying but I would like to put a couple positive references in my pocket.
Meanwhile, the library has not yet applied a pick-axe to its hiring freeze. *sigh*
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
BREAKING NEWS: Obama "officially" rejected by Socialist Party.
It's all right here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031301899.html
As I said in a previous blog, we're no closer to being a socialist nation now than we were at being a deregulated theocracy under Bush... although I'm sure that there are some at both ends of the spectrum that would have welcome one of those extreme scenarios.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031301899.html
As I said in a previous blog, we're no closer to being a socialist nation now than we were at being a deregulated theocracy under Bush... although I'm sure that there are some at both ends of the spectrum that would have welcome one of those extreme scenarios.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Breaking Wind Part Two
As I sit here waiting for 8:00am to arrive so I can find out if/when my client is opening today in light of the continuing snowstorm - BTW did I ever mention how much I hate winter...? - I thought this would be a good time to give an update on how things are going there.
I'm actually hanging in there pretty well. My immediate supervisor, a thirtysomething African-American lady, is friendly enough but also means business. I think her attitude could be summed up best as: "I'm glad you're here, my brother, but we got work to do and if you can't do it, I'll cut you as soon as I did the two people that came before you."
I've also come to realize again something I learned the easy way in high school and the hard way in college. The less responsibilities I'm given, the better I tend to do at them. I have given perhaps a half dozen types of tasks to do and while some may be moderately complex and/or time-consuming, I've been able to accomplish them all. While I understood the necessity of taking on other tasks following the downsizing at my last job, I was never able to maintain my efficiency, to say the least.
It's still too early to say where I might fit in the company's future plans, if it all. But the future seems to be looking bright for my fellow consultant Ho Chi Minh. When a department meeting was called, he was included while Robocop and I were not. That's fine with me as I've always needed a Mountain Dew (Code Red, of course) in each hand in order to stay awake in meetings. Nonetheless, it would seem that the only thing keeping Ho from officially joining the staff is the signature of whomever approves the salary budget.
Meanwhile, Robocop continues to stay focused. But he does say Good morning more often. And I actually saw him smile!
All in all, I'd still rather be getting my foot in the door at the library... but given the economic reality of things, there are certainly worse places I could be than at this joint.
I'm actually hanging in there pretty well. My immediate supervisor, a thirtysomething African-American lady, is friendly enough but also means business. I think her attitude could be summed up best as: "I'm glad you're here, my brother, but we got work to do and if you can't do it, I'll cut you as soon as I did the two people that came before you."
I've also come to realize again something I learned the easy way in high school and the hard way in college. The less responsibilities I'm given, the better I tend to do at them. I have given perhaps a half dozen types of tasks to do and while some may be moderately complex and/or time-consuming, I've been able to accomplish them all. While I understood the necessity of taking on other tasks following the downsizing at my last job, I was never able to maintain my efficiency, to say the least.
It's still too early to say where I might fit in the company's future plans, if it all. But the future seems to be looking bright for my fellow consultant Ho Chi Minh. When a department meeting was called, he was included while Robocop and I were not. That's fine with me as I've always needed a Mountain Dew (Code Red, of course) in each hand in order to stay awake in meetings. Nonetheless, it would seem that the only thing keeping Ho from officially joining the staff is the signature of whomever approves the salary budget.
Meanwhile, Robocop continues to stay focused. But he does say Good morning more often. And I actually saw him smile!
All in all, I'd still rather be getting my foot in the door at the library... but given the economic reality of things, there are certainly worse places I could be than at this joint.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
W Got A Job Offer!
He could use the help with his resume, that's for sure...
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/02/22/store.offers.bush.job.cnn
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2009/02/22/store.offers.bush.job.cnn
Plus-Size Cover Girl
I thought this might be a good place to discuss articles I find about size acceptance issues... especially since I get virtually no response to similar topics I post in fat-friendly forums.
Cathy came across this article about a plus-size British singer named Beth Ditto who posed nude for the cover of a British fashion magazine that aspires to target people with "realistic" bodies.
While this isn't the first time a lady of size has made a cover - Oprah has the record for most consecutive appearances by default - it is the first "nude" cover I recall that didn't have even more adult content inside. We looked for the magazine at both Borders and Barnes & Noble with no success. Upon further research at home, we discovered that it was a British-based publication that just came out last week. It sounds like something I'll have to look for in an independent bookstore somewhere in DC. So I'll be doing some research during lunch or after work sometime this week.
Cathy came across this article about a plus-size British singer named Beth Ditto who posed nude for the cover of a British fashion magazine that aspires to target people with "realistic" bodies.
While this isn't the first time a lady of size has made a cover - Oprah has the record for most consecutive appearances by default - it is the first "nude" cover I recall that didn't have even more adult content inside. We looked for the magazine at both Borders and Barnes & Noble with no success. Upon further research at home, we discovered that it was a British-based publication that just came out last week. It sounds like something I'll have to look for in an independent bookstore somewhere in DC. So I'll be doing some research during lunch or after work sometime this week.
WHEW!
Yes, I've posted a flurry of blogs today. As regular readers know too well, it's been hectic times here at Casa Del Antonio y Caterina. So now that we have a moment to catch our breath, I'm taknig advantage of it by catching up on sharing my thoughts with my adoring audience". :)
The Top Presidents
http://www.c-span.org/PresidentialSurvey/Overall-Ranking.aspx
Some notables:
1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
10. Ronald Reagan
15. Bill Clinton
18. George H.W. Bush
22. Gerald Ford
25. Jimmy Carter
36. George W. Bush
Some notables:
1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
10. Ronald Reagan
15. Bill Clinton
18. George H.W. Bush
22. Gerald Ford
25. Jimmy Carter
36. George W. Bush
I Agree With Bush!
Shocking as it may seem, I actually agree with former President Bush on this one:
http://news.aol.com/article/cheney-furious-with-bush/346823?icid=200100397x1219241268x1201307694
And for the record, I believe Clinton should not have pardoned Marc Rich either.
http://news.aol.com/article/cheney-furious-with-bush/346823?icid=200100397x1219241268x1201307694
And for the record, I believe Clinton should not have pardoned Marc Rich either.
Stimulating Conversation
And so the financial stimulus package has passed at a slightly slimmer $787 billion price tag than the $800 billion previously proposed by President Obama. I’m optimistic that it will indeed help to create jobs in the industries that are purported to help the infrastructure of our country (e.g. transportation, alternative energy). I also think that the tax cut portion is a good idea. Of course, I’m going by the assumption that the administration is discarding the “trickle down” method in favor of a “flow up” method. Recent stories of corporate executive excess would seem to warrant an opportunity for the mass of lower-to-middle income households to make their own decisions rather than rely on the would-be wisdom and benevolence of the relative few in the upper-class.
And for the record, I agree that Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer were wise to withdraw their nominations for Health & Human Services Secretary and Chief Performance Officer, respectively, for not paying their taxes in a timely manner. I’ll even go as far to say that the irony of supposed financial wizard Tim Geithner should have been dismissed from consideration as Treasury Secretary for not taking care of his own tax obligations. This has certainly given an early blemish to the Obama administration.
And for the record, I agree that Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer were wise to withdraw their nominations for Health & Human Services Secretary and Chief Performance Officer, respectively, for not paying their taxes in a timely manner. I’ll even go as far to say that the irony of supposed financial wizard Tim Geithner should have been dismissed from consideration as Treasury Secretary for not taking care of his own tax obligations. This has certainly given an early blemish to the Obama administration.
Breaking Wind
The irony of Friday February 6th was that while it was a very sad day for my lady Cathy’s family, I actually received good news about a three-month “consulting” (i.e. temporary) assignment for a client in downtown DC. Interestingly enough, the client is a trade association that deals with wind energy... and not the kind that Cathy exudes in her sleep! (LOL Just kidding.) Back when electric utility choice was introduced in Pennsylvania, I chose to switch to a company who used wind power. However, when their rates jumped dramatically a year later from the slight premium I was willing to pay, I jumped back to the default utility.
Anyway, back to the job. I impressed my supervisor right away in finishing my first task in the first day. I had apparently accomplished more in the five hours I worked - they asked me to come in at 11:00 to start – than either of the two previous temps who were subsequently let go. Later tasks have become somewhat more challenging but I seem to continue to meet expectations.
One thing I noticed immediately is not only the newness of the office but the many yet-to-be-occupied cubicles and offices. I also knew that the Obama administration was planning to support and encourage alternative energy sources. So I figured that the company was definitely in expansion mode. A field visit from my recruiter confirmed my thoughts as she recommended that I “treat every day as if it were an interview”. My supervisor even admitted that if she had her druthers, she would like to get permanent help with her overabundance of work. So I think she may consider my time there as an audition as well.
The aforementioned recruiter also spent some time with the two other “consultants” in my department. One of them is an affable guy with a Vietnamese surname who seems all but hired. To wit, he is the only temp with a nameplate, albeit made out of paper. With his sensitive lilt to his voice, I’m tempted to nickname him “Geico” after the Asian restaurant owner in the “wad of money” commercial. Since Cathy and I may be the only ones to find that funny, I will instead honor his heritage and re-christen him Ho Chi Minh.
The other temp is a black guy whom I thought by his appearance that I would vibe with on a “nerd” level. However, he was all-business. If he wasn’t talking to his own supervisor, his conversation was pretty limited. For the first several mornings, he didn’t even acknowledge me. Once he even walked by and averted my gaze. He finally broke the ice one day by asking what kinds of assignments I was doing. My cynical side thought he might have been comparing our responsibilities to see how he can position himself better for a permanent position. I do have to give him credit though for providing me with a time card last week when I forgot mine. Still, he will be known from this day forward as Robocop.
Out of the full-time employees, there is one guy that stands out for his own unique personality trait. By his appearance, you’d think he might make a good stunt double for Curly from the Three Stooges… except when you hear him talk, he sounds like the overnight host of the Quiet Storm show on some R&B station. Even the black ladies in the department find him amusing. So of course I call him White Chocolate. It was sure confusing for the first few days as the high cubicles made it hard to tell if it was White Chocolate or Robocop speaking.
A full-time return to accounting isn’t exactly a thrilling idea for me but I do have to be realistic that my other career interests will not provide the consistency let alone income that I need to make. If anything, the ability to save for tuition to get my Master’s in Library Science would be my main motivator. But I have to remind myself not to get too comfortable or nervous – just to stay focused on accomplishing my assignment goals and letting the chips fall where they may later in the spring. In the meantime, I anticipate more interesting stories from the field which I will look forward to sharing here.
Anyway, back to the job. I impressed my supervisor right away in finishing my first task in the first day. I had apparently accomplished more in the five hours I worked - they asked me to come in at 11:00 to start – than either of the two previous temps who were subsequently let go. Later tasks have become somewhat more challenging but I seem to continue to meet expectations.
One thing I noticed immediately is not only the newness of the office but the many yet-to-be-occupied cubicles and offices. I also knew that the Obama administration was planning to support and encourage alternative energy sources. So I figured that the company was definitely in expansion mode. A field visit from my recruiter confirmed my thoughts as she recommended that I “treat every day as if it were an interview”. My supervisor even admitted that if she had her druthers, she would like to get permanent help with her overabundance of work. So I think she may consider my time there as an audition as well.
The aforementioned recruiter also spent some time with the two other “consultants” in my department. One of them is an affable guy with a Vietnamese surname who seems all but hired. To wit, he is the only temp with a nameplate, albeit made out of paper. With his sensitive lilt to his voice, I’m tempted to nickname him “Geico” after the Asian restaurant owner in the “wad of money” commercial. Since Cathy and I may be the only ones to find that funny, I will instead honor his heritage and re-christen him Ho Chi Minh.
The other temp is a black guy whom I thought by his appearance that I would vibe with on a “nerd” level. However, he was all-business. If he wasn’t talking to his own supervisor, his conversation was pretty limited. For the first several mornings, he didn’t even acknowledge me. Once he even walked by and averted my gaze. He finally broke the ice one day by asking what kinds of assignments I was doing. My cynical side thought he might have been comparing our responsibilities to see how he can position himself better for a permanent position. I do have to give him credit though for providing me with a time card last week when I forgot mine. Still, he will be known from this day forward as Robocop.
Out of the full-time employees, there is one guy that stands out for his own unique personality trait. By his appearance, you’d think he might make a good stunt double for Curly from the Three Stooges… except when you hear him talk, he sounds like the overnight host of the Quiet Storm show on some R&B station. Even the black ladies in the department find him amusing. So of course I call him White Chocolate. It was sure confusing for the first few days as the high cubicles made it hard to tell if it was White Chocolate or Robocop speaking.
A full-time return to accounting isn’t exactly a thrilling idea for me but I do have to be realistic that my other career interests will not provide the consistency let alone income that I need to make. If anything, the ability to save for tuition to get my Master’s in Library Science would be my main motivator. But I have to remind myself not to get too comfortable or nervous – just to stay focused on accomplishing my assignment goals and letting the chips fall where they may later in the spring. In the meantime, I anticipate more interesting stories from the field which I will look forward to sharing here.
Monday, February 9, 2009
No More Excuses
In the weeks following the elections and especially after the Inauguration, I’ve read a lot of political forum posts as newspaper article comments online whose general sentiment was that with the ascendancy of President Barack Obama African-Americans and other minorities have no more excuses about being held back or marginalized in achieving their goals.
And you know what? They’re right.
President Obama should be an inspiration to minorities that with hard work and determination, one can overcome one’s socioeconomic circumstances to live out their dreams. So-called welfare queens and kings should not look to The Source and Slam for role models so much as Ebony, Essence, Jet and especially Black Enterprise.
On the other hand, it is also time for the old boy network to, paraphrasing President Reagan, “tear town this wall” and officially dismantle the remnants of the glass ceiling. President Obama’s success as well as the excitement over both Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin shows that the vast majority of Americans are comfortable with the idea of women and minorities in positions of power.
Of course, a gap in educational resources in poorer minority communities still exists. And there is a real shortage of qualified minorities for many occupations that should not be filled with marginal candidates. But these related issues should and hopefully will be given more attention by the current and future administrations.
In the meantime, there is no excuse to deny the vast majority women access to any career for which they can prove to be qualified. Perhaps the biggest sea change will be how families adjust responsibility when more women become the breadwinners. Ideally, “supermoms” will become an anachronism as their husbands are more socially accepted as primary caretakers and/or domestic engineers.
And you know what? They’re right.
President Obama should be an inspiration to minorities that with hard work and determination, one can overcome one’s socioeconomic circumstances to live out their dreams. So-called welfare queens and kings should not look to The Source and Slam for role models so much as Ebony, Essence, Jet and especially Black Enterprise.
On the other hand, it is also time for the old boy network to, paraphrasing President Reagan, “tear town this wall” and officially dismantle the remnants of the glass ceiling. President Obama’s success as well as the excitement over both Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin shows that the vast majority of Americans are comfortable with the idea of women and minorities in positions of power.
Of course, a gap in educational resources in poorer minority communities still exists. And there is a real shortage of qualified minorities for many occupations that should not be filled with marginal candidates. But these related issues should and hopefully will be given more attention by the current and future administrations.
In the meantime, there is no excuse to deny the vast majority women access to any career for which they can prove to be qualified. Perhaps the biggest sea change will be how families adjust responsibility when more women become the breadwinners. Ideally, “supermoms” will become an anachronism as their husbands are more socially accepted as primary caretakers and/or domestic engineers.
A Simple Solution To A Complex Problem
Sign me up! Where does the line form...?
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/cheney_dunk_tank_raises_800
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/cheney_dunk_tank_raises_800
Thursday, January 22, 2009
John Roberts And Me
I never thought I'd say this (truly, I didn't) but it appears that I have something in common with Chief Justice John Roberts.
Everyone knows by now how Chief Justice Roberts essentially flubbed administering the Presidential Oath of Office bad enough that President Obama requested a private do-over. But while Roberts may be razzed by others, I actually feel his pain.
I have a tendency to freeze up when I meet someone new or have to speak in front of a number of people. My lady Cathy just loves to tell the story of how I inexplicably introduced her as the name of an ex (who also inexplicably shares the same birthday). And I just "love" when she tells it. (Not.LOL) I can only imagine the pressure that Roberts felt knowing there are not only a couple million people looking at him in the foreground but a billion or more others around the world.
So I guess the moral of this story is that everybody goofs sometimes. You just don't always see it in public. It does make me feel a little better that John Roberts and I have at least that one thing in common.
Everyone knows by now how Chief Justice Roberts essentially flubbed administering the Presidential Oath of Office bad enough that President Obama requested a private do-over. But while Roberts may be razzed by others, I actually feel his pain.
I have a tendency to freeze up when I meet someone new or have to speak in front of a number of people. My lady Cathy just loves to tell the story of how I inexplicably introduced her as the name of an ex (who also inexplicably shares the same birthday). And I just "love" when she tells it. (Not.LOL) I can only imagine the pressure that Roberts felt knowing there are not only a couple million people looking at him in the foreground but a billion or more others around the world.
So I guess the moral of this story is that everybody goofs sometimes. You just don't always see it in public. It does make me feel a little better that John Roberts and I have at least that one thing in common.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
As an African-American, I’m going through a lot of emotions regarding the ascendancy of Barack Obama to the Presidency: excitement, shock, anxiety, and pride to name a few.
As a progressive, I am optimistic that President Obama will successfully work with Congress to come up with bipartisan solutions to our most pressing issues while providing a fresh perspective from the previous administration.
As a progressive, I am optimistic that President Obama will successfully work with Congress to come up with bipartisan solutions to our most pressing issues while providing a fresh perspective from the previous administration.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Bush, Part Two
As I said in "Bush, Part One", I feel that there are two underlying reasons that President George W. Bush insisted on going to war with Iraq that, if not officially acknowledged, are an open secret nonetheless.
1. Oil. Certainly a concern to two former oilmen like Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. After all, they've got their post-government careers to think about.
2. Family honor. George W. Bush admitted as much that he did not appreciate his father George H. W. Bush’s life being threatened by Saddam during the first Gulf War.
Even if one doesn’t believe those two “conspiracy theories”, one should admit that the war in Iraq has not brought us closer to peace but instead has left not only our national security vulnerable but our international support and standing as well. A different “axis” of sorts – China, Russia and Venezuela - has been emboldened to criticize and bypass us. (While the current recession has freefall has especially hurt oil-powered Caracas and Moscow, all three countries will continue to be a cause for concern as the world economy recovers.) Billions of dollars that could have been used to stanch our financial crisis – let alone nullify bin Laden and Al Qaeda - is instead being poured into a country whose citizens never attacked us.
“But now that we are in Iraq, we need to finish the job!”
Fair enough; we should stay in Iraq long enough for their government to reach a certain level of stability and security, although what defines those benchmarks is certainly up for debate. But can we at least acknowledge that it was a mistake to be there in the first place?
It’s okay to be a Republican or a conservative in general and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
It’s okay to support Bush’s domestic policies and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
One can be patriotic by supporting the troops accomplishing their missions while conceding that their sacrifice would have held even more resonance if they were in Afghanistan and Pakistan instead of Iraq.
When I originally wrote this a couple months ago, I felt that Bush, would never admit that he made even in his most private moments, let alone publicly, that his motivations for going to Iraq were either different than what he presented to the public or just plain faulty. Shockingly, he did concede to some degree the latter as noted in the press conference referenced above. Time will tell if President-Elect Barack Obama, whom as Senator was one of the relative few who voted against going to Iraq, will diplomatically albeit more directly acknowledge some sort of regret on behalf of the United States after he takes office.
Most conservatives are probably not fond of the catchphrase: “No one died when Clinton lied.” Nonetheless, despite the Gulf War success that the most fervent Bush supporters see, the Iraq War will be as defining a moment of his presidency as Bill Clinton’s ill-advised affair with Monica Lewinsky. Each situation repulsed a significant amount of citizens while somehow galvanizing their respective political bases.
1. Oil. Certainly a concern to two former oilmen like Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. After all, they've got their post-government careers to think about.
2. Family honor. George W. Bush admitted as much that he did not appreciate his father George H. W. Bush’s life being threatened by Saddam during the first Gulf War.
Even if one doesn’t believe those two “conspiracy theories”, one should admit that the war in Iraq has not brought us closer to peace but instead has left not only our national security vulnerable but our international support and standing as well. A different “axis” of sorts – China, Russia and Venezuela - has been emboldened to criticize and bypass us. (While the current recession has freefall has especially hurt oil-powered Caracas and Moscow, all three countries will continue to be a cause for concern as the world economy recovers.) Billions of dollars that could have been used to stanch our financial crisis – let alone nullify bin Laden and Al Qaeda - is instead being poured into a country whose citizens never attacked us.
“But now that we are in Iraq, we need to finish the job!”
Fair enough; we should stay in Iraq long enough for their government to reach a certain level of stability and security, although what defines those benchmarks is certainly up for debate. But can we at least acknowledge that it was a mistake to be there in the first place?
It’s okay to be a Republican or a conservative in general and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
It’s okay to support Bush’s domestic policies and admit that going to Iraq was wrong.
One can be patriotic by supporting the troops accomplishing their missions while conceding that their sacrifice would have held even more resonance if they were in Afghanistan and Pakistan instead of Iraq.
When I originally wrote this a couple months ago, I felt that Bush, would never admit that he made even in his most private moments, let alone publicly, that his motivations for going to Iraq were either different than what he presented to the public or just plain faulty. Shockingly, he did concede to some degree the latter as noted in the press conference referenced above. Time will tell if President-Elect Barack Obama, whom as Senator was one of the relative few who voted against going to Iraq, will diplomatically albeit more directly acknowledge some sort of regret on behalf of the United States after he takes office.
Most conservatives are probably not fond of the catchphrase: “No one died when Clinton lied.” Nonetheless, despite the Gulf War success that the most fervent Bush supporters see, the Iraq War will be as defining a moment of his presidency as Bill Clinton’s ill-advised affair with Monica Lewinsky. Each situation repulsed a significant amount of citizens while somehow galvanizing their respective political bases.
Those who have heard what might seem to be constant criticism of conservative policies and Republican politicians that I feel that progressive and liberal views are superior and that Democrats are practically perfect in every way. Well that’s not true.
Okay, progressive views are “superior” LOL but conservative views certainly have their place and can provide a healthy counterbalance. When I came of age in Pennsylvania, I was required to pick a party in order to participate in the primary elections. Naturally (for me) I chose the Democrats. When I arrived in Virginia, I was actually glad to find out that the state allows voters to participate in both major primaries without declaring a party. While I’ve considered volunteering for Democratic campaigns in the past, I would not be interested at this point as I no longer consider myself to be a Democrat but simply a generally progressive/liberal-minded person with an occasional nod or two to the center-righton fiscal issues.
Politicians on both the right and left have had their share of misuse of power and overall scandal. Enough embarrassing situations have happened to individuals in both parties that one could essentially call it a draw.
Growing up in the Philadelphia area, where one-party Democratic control of city government was the rule, I saw how entrenched policies and politicians could stymie potential. I think the City Council would actually benefit from more GOP voices – or at least “Blue Dog” Democrats – to keep things more honest there. For my part, regular readers might recall that I voted for GOP Mayoral candidate Sam Katz when he last ran for the office in 2003.
Even here in Fairfax County, an affluent left-leaning area touted for its seemingly harmonious diversity and international culture, more than a few in the higher-income brackets turn into NIMBYs as they purposely avoid or attempt to restrict those of lower socioeconomic means from living in the same neighborhood and being educated in the same schools.
So I recognize that the Democratic Party is far from perfect. But as my views tend to hew closer to their platform, I’ll continue to support them while learning to respect and find common ground with the Republican Party.
Okay, progressive views are “superior” LOL but conservative views certainly have their place and can provide a healthy counterbalance. When I came of age in Pennsylvania, I was required to pick a party in order to participate in the primary elections. Naturally (for me) I chose the Democrats. When I arrived in Virginia, I was actually glad to find out that the state allows voters to participate in both major primaries without declaring a party. While I’ve considered volunteering for Democratic campaigns in the past, I would not be interested at this point as I no longer consider myself to be a Democrat but simply a generally progressive/liberal-minded person with an occasional nod or two to the center-righton fiscal issues.
Politicians on both the right and left have had their share of misuse of power and overall scandal. Enough embarrassing situations have happened to individuals in both parties that one could essentially call it a draw.
Growing up in the Philadelphia area, where one-party Democratic control of city government was the rule, I saw how entrenched policies and politicians could stymie potential. I think the City Council would actually benefit from more GOP voices – or at least “Blue Dog” Democrats – to keep things more honest there. For my part, regular readers might recall that I voted for GOP Mayoral candidate Sam Katz when he last ran for the office in 2003.
Even here in Fairfax County, an affluent left-leaning area touted for its seemingly harmonious diversity and international culture, more than a few in the higher-income brackets turn into NIMBYs as they purposely avoid or attempt to restrict those of lower socioeconomic means from living in the same neighborhood and being educated in the same schools.
So I recognize that the Democratic Party is far from perfect. But as my views tend to hew closer to their platform, I’ll continue to support them while learning to respect and find common ground with the Republican Party.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Bush, Part One
I originally started this post not very long after the election. However, I knew that I would need to step away and come back to it. It’s a good thing that I did as the country and the world overall has changed dramatically over the last two months. That is obviously not good news but I was amazed to see one thing that I thought I would never see. What that is, you ask? Read on…
Those who know me would assume correctly that I voted for George W. Bush neither in what I affectionately call The Court Appointment Of 2000 nor when he actually won the popular vote in 2004, albeit not by a landslide. Nonetheless, after September 11th I looked to Bush for leadership like most every other American and trusted that he knew what was best for the country when he chose to go after Saddam Hussein and his regime in Iraq.
Meanwhile, I was certainly not feeling his domestic agenda. Granted, with both Congress and the Supreme Court leaning to the right, one could not blame Bush for attempting to establish a long-lasting legacy of conservative social and fiscal policies. In fact, I would have expected no less. Thankfully he came no closer to instituting a deregulated theocracy than the secular socialist state that some fear President-Elect Obama will foist onto the country with the legislative branch on his side. Politics and jokes about his perceived intelligence aside, I bet I could have a casual, friendly conversation with him about sports and other light topics. That said, as far as his tenure as President goes, I truly, deeply and honestly dislike him for one simple reason.
We should not have gone to Iraq.
It was a grave mistake for which I believe we will be paying, literally and figuratively, long after our lifetimes.
Not only was the connection between Hussein and Al Qaeda found to be tentative at best, but Bush conceded in his last press conference that the “weapons of mass destruction” – the main premise for going to Iraq - did not even exist. The upshot now is that after underestimating - or at least not revealing to the public - how receptive the Iraqi people would be and how entrenched we would become in their country, we’ve lost over perhaps trillions of dollars and more importantly, the lives of over four thousand soldiers.
“But Saddam was an evil, dangerous man!” some may say. Yes, he was a horrible person who even committed genocide on his own citizens. He may have even threatened his neighbors again one day, most notably Israel. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of oppressive governments in the world. Ironically, one of the most oppressive is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Not only is that country the birthplace of the vast majority of September 11st hijackers but the Saudi royal family itself has more than a passing relationship with the Bushes.
If Bush would have had more overwhelming support from our country for ignoring the United Nations, it would have been to focus on getting the people who actually claimed responsibility for attacking us, dead or alive, whether or not we were welcome in the countries where he was suspected of hiding. But if we couldn’t somehow stay focused on rooting Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda henchmen out of the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, then why did we not choose to assist those fighting for their interpretation of freedom in, say, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia, Chechnya or Russian Georgia?
Even with the absence of WMDs, ridding Iraq of Saddam and helping establish it as a beacon of democracy for the Middle East while theoretically intimidating the other Axes sounds like a logical if aggressive foreign policy. Unfortunately, I feel that there are two underlying reasons that, if not officially acknowledged, are an open secret nonetheless.
Those who know me would assume correctly that I voted for George W. Bush neither in what I affectionately call The Court Appointment Of 2000 nor when he actually won the popular vote in 2004, albeit not by a landslide. Nonetheless, after September 11th I looked to Bush for leadership like most every other American and trusted that he knew what was best for the country when he chose to go after Saddam Hussein and his regime in Iraq.
Meanwhile, I was certainly not feeling his domestic agenda. Granted, with both Congress and the Supreme Court leaning to the right, one could not blame Bush for attempting to establish a long-lasting legacy of conservative social and fiscal policies. In fact, I would have expected no less. Thankfully he came no closer to instituting a deregulated theocracy than the secular socialist state that some fear President-Elect Obama will foist onto the country with the legislative branch on his side. Politics and jokes about his perceived intelligence aside, I bet I could have a casual, friendly conversation with him about sports and other light topics. That said, as far as his tenure as President goes, I truly, deeply and honestly dislike him for one simple reason.
We should not have gone to Iraq.
It was a grave mistake for which I believe we will be paying, literally and figuratively, long after our lifetimes.
Not only was the connection between Hussein and Al Qaeda found to be tentative at best, but Bush conceded in his last press conference that the “weapons of mass destruction” – the main premise for going to Iraq - did not even exist. The upshot now is that after underestimating - or at least not revealing to the public - how receptive the Iraqi people would be and how entrenched we would become in their country, we’ve lost over perhaps trillions of dollars and more importantly, the lives of over four thousand soldiers.
“But Saddam was an evil, dangerous man!” some may say. Yes, he was a horrible person who even committed genocide on his own citizens. He may have even threatened his neighbors again one day, most notably Israel. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of oppressive governments in the world. Ironically, one of the most oppressive is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Not only is that country the birthplace of the vast majority of September 11st hijackers but the Saudi royal family itself has more than a passing relationship with the Bushes.
If Bush would have had more overwhelming support from our country for ignoring the United Nations, it would have been to focus on getting the people who actually claimed responsibility for attacking us, dead or alive, whether or not we were welcome in the countries where he was suspected of hiding. But if we couldn’t somehow stay focused on rooting Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda henchmen out of the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, then why did we not choose to assist those fighting for their interpretation of freedom in, say, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia, Chechnya or Russian Georgia?
Even with the absence of WMDs, ridding Iraq of Saddam and helping establish it as a beacon of democracy for the Middle East while theoretically intimidating the other Axes sounds like a logical if aggressive foreign policy. Unfortunately, I feel that there are two underlying reasons that, if not officially acknowledged, are an open secret nonetheless.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The National Black Holiday Weekend
Happy National Black Holiday Weekend Everyone!
(OK, so the people most likely to read this aren't black... but don't you wish your Jewish friends Happy Hannukah? :) )
The next six days are historic not only for African-Americans but for all Americans.
Of course, today is the birthday of Martin Luther King who encouraged equal opportunity for all by dismantling much of the last vestiges of institutionalized racial discrimination. While some of his personal faults - real and imagined - were uncovered after his death, one can not deny the impact that he had on our nation, let alone wonder how much further we would be along if he had lived a full life.
Tomorrow marks the nationwide release of the movie Notorious, a biography of the life of Christopher Wallace better known as rap artist Biggie Smalls or the Notorious B.I.G. It may seem somewhat facetious to include a hip-hop musician next to MLK, especially if one is not a fan of hip-hop music. And to many "conscious rap" fans, he did not exactly reinvent the wheel on the "gangsta rags to blinged-out riches" formula. Nonetheless, his poetic skills and delivery was appreciated by many in Generation X and Y.
Monday will be the national observation of Martin Luther King's birthday. I'll never forget stumbling across The O'Reilly Factor on that night a few years ago when Bill O'Reilly acknowledged the occasion by reminding viewers of King's alleged ties to the Communist Party. Then Bill went straight to a discussion about Stop Snitchin', an underground documentary featuring would-be Baltimore drug dealers and their efforts to go about their business plans uninterrupted. Way to honor the day, Bill....
The magnitude of the King national holiday on Monday occcuring side-by-side with the inauguration of Barack Obama as our next President on Tuesday can not be understated. In fact, it's hard for me to articulate the significance and irony of it all. Whether or not you voted for Mr. Obama, let's hope that he is able to follow through on finding common ground on solutions for our country so that there will continue to be more diverse choices (including women and minorities) in future elections.
(OK, so the people most likely to read this aren't black... but don't you wish your Jewish friends Happy Hannukah? :) )
The next six days are historic not only for African-Americans but for all Americans.
Of course, today is the birthday of Martin Luther King who encouraged equal opportunity for all by dismantling much of the last vestiges of institutionalized racial discrimination. While some of his personal faults - real and imagined - were uncovered after his death, one can not deny the impact that he had on our nation, let alone wonder how much further we would be along if he had lived a full life.
Tomorrow marks the nationwide release of the movie Notorious, a biography of the life of Christopher Wallace better known as rap artist Biggie Smalls or the Notorious B.I.G. It may seem somewhat facetious to include a hip-hop musician next to MLK, especially if one is not a fan of hip-hop music. And to many "conscious rap" fans, he did not exactly reinvent the wheel on the "gangsta rags to blinged-out riches" formula. Nonetheless, his poetic skills and delivery was appreciated by many in Generation X and Y.
Monday will be the national observation of Martin Luther King's birthday. I'll never forget stumbling across The O'Reilly Factor on that night a few years ago when Bill O'Reilly acknowledged the occasion by reminding viewers of King's alleged ties to the Communist Party. Then Bill went straight to a discussion about Stop Snitchin', an underground documentary featuring would-be Baltimore drug dealers and their efforts to go about their business plans uninterrupted. Way to honor the day, Bill....
The magnitude of the King national holiday on Monday occcuring side-by-side with the inauguration of Barack Obama as our next President on Tuesday can not be understated. In fact, it's hard for me to articulate the significance and irony of it all. Whether or not you voted for Mr. Obama, let's hope that he is able to follow through on finding common ground on solutions for our country so that there will continue to be more diverse choices (including women and minorities) in future elections.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
This Weather Sucks!!!
I don't care if this is typical winter weather... and I feel sorry for people in Minneapolis and Fargo with their negative degree temperature... but this weather still sucks!!!
Bring on the Spring! :)
Bring on the Spring! :)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
With Resolve
Happy New Year! Of course, this is the time of year that people make resolutions; many people allegedly drop said resolutions to the wayside by the end of the month. One promise I kept to myself in 2008 was to kick-start a career change by "firing" my previous employer and exploring different occupations. My 2009 resolutions are essentially continuations from 2008, all of which I've had moderate success overall.
* It's Mostly 'Bout the Benjamins. I don't expect to find my "dream" career this year. It would be nice to get my foot in the door in the library. In a way, it would be almost better to fall back on my accounting skills to temp through at least the spring. It would allow me to fulfill the vacation goals that Cathy and I set out for this summer.
* Voulez-vous parler avec moi ce soir? My return to French has been successful. I hope to restart Spanish this year. Eventually I would like to learn Portuguese and Italian as well.
* Tickling the ivories. I've been hitting and pushing through a lot of plateaus in my piano playing these past few months. Regrettably I haven't been able to focus enough to sit down and compose music as I had planned.
* Pumping Iron. At the ripe old age of <ahem>, I realize that it's more important to be healthy than to train for Mr. Olympia. But despite my regular workouts, I've reached the point where my middle isn't whittling like it used to. Of course, Cathy points out the older males in my family with their paunchy stomachs being my apparent destiny. It would probably help if I weren't so "allergic" to most fruits and vegetables and "addicted" to baked goods and PB&J... but at least I'm eating (chocolate-flavored) yogurt now.
* My Other Half. Regular readers are already all too aware of the challenges that my lady Cathy faces as she continues to recover from her illness. While I attempted to be helpful by assuming the domestic engineer title during my sabbatical, getting involved in other pursuits probably helped to take my eye off the ball regarding spending quality time together. I intend to find more things that we can enjoy and bond over in 2009.
* It's Mostly 'Bout the Benjamins. I don't expect to find my "dream" career this year. It would be nice to get my foot in the door in the library. In a way, it would be almost better to fall back on my accounting skills to temp through at least the spring. It would allow me to fulfill the vacation goals that Cathy and I set out for this summer.
* Voulez-vous parler avec moi ce soir? My return to French has been successful. I hope to restart Spanish this year. Eventually I would like to learn Portuguese and Italian as well.
* Tickling the ivories. I've been hitting and pushing through a lot of plateaus in my piano playing these past few months. Regrettably I haven't been able to focus enough to sit down and compose music as I had planned.
* Pumping Iron. At the ripe old age of <ahem>
* My Other Half. Regular readers are already all too aware of the challenges that my lady Cathy faces as she continues to recover from her illness. While I attempted to be helpful by assuming the domestic engineer title during my sabbatical, getting involved in other pursuits probably helped to take my eye off the ball regarding spending quality time together. I intend to find more things that we can enjoy and bond over in 2009.
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