archived entries for November 2004

Monday, November 22, 2004
imagine if i was studying to be Doctor J
Wow, this is what journal atrophy looks like. Ick.

Apologies to my three readers. Work, holidays, caustic introspection and mild depression have prevented me from providing you with my daily narcissistic diversion. Remedies shall be forthcoming.

Just some quick notes as I’m still treading in my wallowing

The trip to Chicago went well. I think I may have found a calling, or rather a more fitting life endeavor. More on those thoughts to come. Yet as I sat in the Hyatt Regency lobby watching high-powered captains of capitalism conduct five-minute meetings on the fly, whose outcomes would affect millions both in terms of money and people, I couldn’t help being intoxicated by the power they wielded. The view is definitely different when looking up close.

Continuing in the tradition of the human conundrum, this past weekend’s gross transgression in sport (Pacers vs the City of Detriot and the subsequent South Carolina brawl) reminds us that we are not as civilized as we’d like to think. How can what sports are supposed to be about fall to such a disgusting level? Because we are merely human - capable of grandeur and grotesque all at the same time. But that doesn’t make what was on display this weekend on (and off) the playing field any more palatable. It has been a long time, if ever, that I’ve felt so revolted with those in sport. It was commented, I think by the NBA players union rep, that sports are a reflection of society. I think many of us got a good look at a problem that needs to be addressed. How long can we keep raising and praising egos and not persons?

One last thing, Josh if you’re keeping up with the reading (which isn't much here), glad to have you aboard! I enjoyed catching up and look forward reconstituting our friendship. Thanks for the book recommendation as well.

What, turkey?

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Thursday, November 04, 2004
the years after
Well it’s all said and done, finished and now we move forward. I’m sure after this the Democratic Party will have to re-evaluate it’s position among the populace. How have so many people come to believe that Democrat is synonymous with moral depravity? And why has taking a side on issues such as gay marriage, abortion or stem cell research become a litmus test of one’s morality? Does taking one side or the other really mean you’re morally right or wrong? Whose morals do we go by?

Listening to some of the talking heads prattle on about the voter mindset and perhaps why the huge showing for Bush, it seems that those who voted for Bush did so because of “moral values”. I can’t help to think that a lot of what is considered moral and of value stems from a Christian point of view. Which is absolutely not a “bad thing”, a lot of my own moral fabric has been founded on Christian principles. But I feel that those same “principles” also preclude constructive dialogue to issues we face today such as stem cell research, gay marriage, but also foreign policy and immigration.

Regardless, President Bush has been given a mandate, undeniably by the majority, to finish what he and his administration have started. History will reveal if indeed they were and will be the correct choices. And honestly I think in the hearts and minds of many we hope this is true.

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Tuesday, November 02, 2004
i voted
I did and got the little sticker to prove it!

So the day of reckoning has come and the people will go en masse to choose who will be our next chief presiding executive and put to rest the farce that politicking has become. Despite the hype and over-sensationalized process I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that yes indeed this election could very well have considerable consequences on the path our country takes in the future. Especially in the light of foreign policy and the Supreme Court.

To be honest I had to really weigh my choices and revisit them this weekend. I tried in earnest to dig into what I thought each candidate would bring to the future of our country and the future of my life in it. And I think that is what hits you most about this election cycle, looking at where you’re at in the country and how to reconcile that with the administration in office. Then it becomes are you really voting for what it necessary for the nation as a whole or are you voting for your own prerogatives. Obviously it is expected that the vote tends more toward personal issue but with personal voices straining in only two refrains how long can we go before we start to tear away at the fabric of the very democracy we so cherish?

As much as a comeuppance a Bush/Edwards result would be for putting up with the nastiness of these campaigns, I genuinely hope that this election ends within these next few days and the victors are allowed to get started fixing what so desperately needs the attention. These coming few years will prove critical to the disposition of our nation and we don’t have time to dally around with lawsuits, voter fraud and hanging chads. If only we may be so fortunate.

But in regards to my actual voting process, it went off without a hitch (as far as I know… the voting machine scanner thingy that ate my ballot could still chuck my vote). I left to be at the polling place at seven. Sitting in the line of traffic took more time than standing in line to vote, which was about thirty minutes. I was expecting to be in line longer, but perhaps some of it was taken care of by early voters.

There were no hijinks or disruptions that I noticed that would incite a frenzied dialing of 1-866-OUR-VOTE to get Michael Moore on the case. The process was orderly and cordial. The volunteers were efficient, polite and competent. A pleasant experience really. People were mostly debating about the amendments to the constitution on the ballot while in line with a sprinkling of how the week was going. Should I be naïve and think that such an experience is repeated at all our polling places? Yeah… Well, I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Catch you on the greasy side.

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