Category: Uncategorized

So, I spent 24 years living in Texas, and I don’t think I really noticed that Summers were stupid hot until I was in 9^th grade. That might be one of the weirdest things to say, but when I hit 14, I started hating how hot it got during the Summer.

I also remember that the local news used to have a 100-degree count over the Summer, which was something that people liked to keep track of. In fact, when we moved there is 1982, people were still talking about the summer of 1980, that was an awful Summer.

Now, growing up, down the street from my neighborhood was a waterpark, and that might be part of the reason that I never paid too much attention to the heat. My family got season passes to the water park, and I sent days there up to 7^th grade. (At that point, I thought it stopped being cool to go there… No reason, just fear of being in 7^th grade and be seen having fun someplace.) My mom would take me, and she would sit in a beach lounge chair, and I would run around the park. Then we’d head home at lunch, only to return for a few more hours before dinner. Not that we did that every day, as she was a part time nurse, but I would say, twice a week for a few Summers.

That White House Correspondence thing happened over the weekend, and it would appear that some people were offended by the comedian, and then there are some people who are shocked that the integrity of the event has been ruined.

As with all performance, it only means something if you let it mean something…

What I have read is that this is a new reality of the tribalism we live in, with regards to America today. (I think I heard that on This Week) This isn’t new outrage, this is the old outrage. I find this whole situation funny, because where have these people been the last 20 years? I seem to remember Don Imus going after the Clinton’s, and then there was Stephen Colbert and George W. Bush. The Outrage, the Strum and Drang… The adults behaving like children claiming to be adults… “Won’t anyone think about the children…”

What I get tired of is the fact that before an event like the WHCD happened, I already knew that the Trump side was ready to fire back at whatever was said. I mean, Trump was in Michigan that night making the point that he didn’t want to be at the dinner, anyway. SO, that side of the reaction was expected, and rather pedestrian, if you ask me.

What I didn’t expect is that the press was “outraged.” That is what rings the most hypocritical of the lot. The event was to celebrate the 1^st Amendment. I can understand some journalist not like the humor, but the should be defending the exercise. The 1^st Amendment allows you to be offensive. That’s kind’a the point.

The Bill Cosby verdict came in, and I am happy, and even relieved, that it was guilty. The hung jury last time was bad, but a not guilty verdict would have felt like nothing has changed in this world.

As I read about the trial, I wondered if Cosby thought that he could get away with it. That he would never be caught. I believe that he didn’t view women as equals or even as human beings, but at the same time he knew what he was doing was wrong. I wonder if he thought that he could run out the clock? I wonder if he thought that other men had done this, and died, and no one was the wiser. He must not have any remorse for what he has done, and living without a conscience is unfathomable to me.

Which also brings me to the Golden State Killer, who was captured this week. There are a couple of different thoughts that I have on this, the first one being, like Cosby, did he think he was going to get away with it? He was old, his 70’s I think, and that point in his life, was the thought that he wasn’t going to get caught crossing his mind. Also, why did he stop in 1986? What little I know about serial killers, it’s a compulsion they cannot control. What made him stop?

These are question that might never be answered.

As I get older there are several things that I am trying to avoid. Most of them involve my death. Such as I am trying to eat better, work out, go to the doctor to get checked out. Now that I know the value of life, I want to preserve mine.

The other area that I want to do some upkeep, is my political philosophy, and my desire to hang onto my liberal bent.

The adage goes that the older you get, the more conservative you become. Especially if you watch Fox News. This is true for my parents who went from Marching for Civil Rights in the 60’s to believing that Black Lives Matter is a terrorist organization. Part of it I do blame on Fox News, because that channel has made them feel like they are under assault and their way of life is being destroyed. The other part is that the world has changed, and they didn’t always change with it.

And that is the other truth that cannot be avoided; the world will continue to change. Will I be able to keep up with the changes? Will a future generation put forth something that I cannot wrap my head around, and my answer will be outrage a disgust? (For the record, that Tide Pod thing didn’t bother me.)

So, how do I remain open minded? Is there an exercise program I should follow to accomplish this? I know the stock answers are reading, engaging with new people, asking questions. I think I want to travel more. I have no proof that this will help, but I think going new places would help.

Do you remember when you were a kid, and the sound of a word that you had said a thousand times, all of a sudden started sounding weird? Like, multiple… Multiple… why does that sound mean that? M-U-L-T-I-P-L-E… weird.

The way a word can sound weird is kind’a how I feel about working… Working is just weird…

How did we as a society get to where we are when it comes to employment?

I know that working originated with, well, survival, and the things you had to do each day to stay alive.

My ancestors “work” was hunting a mammoth… Mine is making spreadsheets all day.

Doesn’t seem comparable.

It also could be that since I hit 40, I have been wondering if all this time at the office is really worth it.

The truth is that I would prefer to not work at all, and just lay around and read books.

The real truth is that I would prefer to sit around and watch movies and think about the books I should be reading…

And then there is that thing about having a kid, and I feel like I should be setting a good work ethic. Such as, see how Dad likes his job, and how he is happy going to work, and then he is happy when he comes home from work.

But still, getting up, going someplace, being there for 8 hours, and then going home, and only having a few hours with my family before we go to bed and repeat.

It just sounds weird…