1. I want a new coat.
2. new coats are expensive
3. I will put off getting a new coat for a while as said new coats are expensive.
1. I want a new tv.
2. new tvs are expensive
3. I will put off getting a new tv for a while as said new tvs are expensive.
1. I want an exotic vacation to Europe.
2. Going to Europe is expensive
3. I will put off going to Europe becuase going to Europe is expensive
1. I want a new house
2. new houses are expensive (not nearly as expensive as they where when i got my townhome in 2006, but nevermind that)
3. I will put that off for a while
On the plus side, i have a semi new car that runs well, I am not in danger of lossing my house, I have a healthy baby. I have a smokin' hot wife, my dog rocks ( and not just because he is named neil diamond). The Steelers just beat the patriots. My daughter is doing great. I have a good job, even if it causes people to sorta cringe.
Things are going great, but I just can't stop thinking I want this and that.
A want that I get to have, I want to run a marathon when I am 40. That is my new goal. I think i can do it, i just need to be consistent in my training, and well get some training.
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Monday, October 31, 2011
the short bus review
As i mentioned before, I actually read the book "The Short Bus" by Jonathan Mooney. Abby asked what i thought of it, so here goes.
I liked the first 1/3 of the book and the last chapter a lot. But the book is kinda repetitious in its format.
Dude opens up talking about himself and why he was labeled different, and discusses all the pain it cuased, then he talked to a kid similar to him and talks about his journey, and you pull for the kid, although, you never know how they turned out.
The books starts out with kids that are labeled learning disabled and it is kinda addressing the whole labeling thing. Do we need to label the kids, or are the kids treated differently because they're labeled.
But it evolves into something else entirely. Towards the end the stories are 1. painful, 2. hopeless to me. The characters at the end have disabilities that are not just labels they're physical ailments or handicaps or whatever.
Not that i am trying to minimize add, or adhd, or dyslecsia, but peopel with those disorders can blend into society if only for a minute. A blind and deaf child can not, is all i am trying to say.
Anyway, the last few chapters of the book, you read and you feel bad and the chapter ends, and then you think WTF, now what, you want them to be okay and to lives happily ever after, but I doubt they will be.
So the message of the book was good, the intent of the book was good, and overall i say it is book, but the book made me think, society sucks while at the same time thinking there is nothing one can do about it.
I liked the first 1/3 of the book and the last chapter a lot. But the book is kinda repetitious in its format.
Dude opens up talking about himself and why he was labeled different, and discusses all the pain it cuased, then he talked to a kid similar to him and talks about his journey, and you pull for the kid, although, you never know how they turned out.
The books starts out with kids that are labeled learning disabled and it is kinda addressing the whole labeling thing. Do we need to label the kids, or are the kids treated differently because they're labeled.
But it evolves into something else entirely. Towards the end the stories are 1. painful, 2. hopeless to me. The characters at the end have disabilities that are not just labels they're physical ailments or handicaps or whatever.
Not that i am trying to minimize add, or adhd, or dyslecsia, but peopel with those disorders can blend into society if only for a minute. A blind and deaf child can not, is all i am trying to say.
Anyway, the last few chapters of the book, you read and you feel bad and the chapter ends, and then you think WTF, now what, you want them to be okay and to lives happily ever after, but I doubt they will be.
So the message of the book was good, the intent of the book was good, and overall i say it is book, but the book made me think, society sucks while at the same time thinking there is nothing one can do about it.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
reading and my thouhts
First reading, i had made it my rather unremarkable goal to read 12 books this year. I had got a nook and was making decent progress. I had a nook is an important thing to say, i no longer have a nook, and I've not been reading as much because of it.
It is so nice to be able to just sit down when you have ten minutes and the thing opens up to exactly where you were. This year I had read, 4 to 6 books, I am not sure exactly I should add a couple to my tally just to make an effort. Besides if Splat the Cat counts, I am way way way way over.
Last time i asked for book requests, I read the short bus.
So i am asking again, any book ideas?
Insert section divide here
I had a conversation at work the other day which really really troubles me.
Remember Anders Behring Breivik? He is the crazy dude that killed somewhere around 80 folks in Norway. We were talking about him and comparing him to the US death penalty. In the US dude would likely get the death penalty. In Norway he'll likely get like 20 year. The point of our discussion was is the US right or is Norway right?
I found myself stunningly on the Norwegian side, not because i think this guy should be kept alive, but because if you are judging comparing and contrasting societies and awarding points, who wins. The society that is judged by most of the world as murderous for the death penalty policy, or the society judged by the rest of the world as being too compassionate?
I also don't think the death penalty is in anyway, helpful. So dude kills someone and 16 years later is put to death. Does that erase his/her sins? Does that some how atone for the doing? And does it make us safer at all?
According to the innocence project 273 people have been exonerated because of DNA of those 13 had been on death row. That is only since 1989. That is about 1 once a year. How many people has the US killed that were innocent?
If we don't protect the lives of people are we as a society any different from those members that kill?
My co workers called me a liberal, pinko commie. I am like seriously, you think it is wrong to not want to protect innocent people from the death penalty even at the risk of subjecting not innocent people to the paradise that is life without parole.
It is so nice to be able to just sit down when you have ten minutes and the thing opens up to exactly where you were. This year I had read, 4 to 6 books, I am not sure exactly I should add a couple to my tally just to make an effort. Besides if Splat the Cat counts, I am way way way way over.
Last time i asked for book requests, I read the short bus.
So i am asking again, any book ideas?
Insert section divide here
I had a conversation at work the other day which really really troubles me.
Remember Anders Behring Breivik? He is the crazy dude that killed somewhere around 80 folks in Norway. We were talking about him and comparing him to the US death penalty. In the US dude would likely get the death penalty. In Norway he'll likely get like 20 year. The point of our discussion was is the US right or is Norway right?
I found myself stunningly on the Norwegian side, not because i think this guy should be kept alive, but because if you are judging comparing and contrasting societies and awarding points, who wins. The society that is judged by most of the world as murderous for the death penalty policy, or the society judged by the rest of the world as being too compassionate?
I also don't think the death penalty is in anyway, helpful. So dude kills someone and 16 years later is put to death. Does that erase his/her sins? Does that some how atone for the doing? And does it make us safer at all?
According to the innocence project 273 people have been exonerated because of DNA of those 13 had been on death row. That is only since 1989. That is about 1 once a year. How many people has the US killed that were innocent?
If we don't protect the lives of people are we as a society any different from those members that kill?
My co workers called me a liberal, pinko commie. I am like seriously, you think it is wrong to not want to protect innocent people from the death penalty even at the risk of subjecting not innocent people to the paradise that is life without parole.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
weekend
As a working professional, i work monday thru friday, and sometimes on the weekend like this weekend, i brouht home work to do tommorrow afternoon.
Anyway, the weekend is supposed to be for relaxing, or getting stuff done, or having fun.
However this weekend this is/was my agenda.
Saturday morning gymnastics for 2 and 1/2 year olds.
Saturday afternoon, matine showing of Swan Lake, (completely unrelated to this post, but i was watching swan lake and this is what i thougth
Sunday morning church
sunday afternoon 2 year old birthday party
sunday evening, get to work i was supposed to do.
Now for those of you at home keeping score, you'll notice there isn't a place for football watching, this is more than a little unnerving.
On the other hand, my daughter likes spending time with me, so i'll milk that for a bit.
Anyway, the weekend is supposed to be for relaxing, or getting stuff done, or having fun.
However this weekend this is/was my agenda.
Saturday morning gymnastics for 2 and 1/2 year olds.
Saturday afternoon, matine showing of Swan Lake, (completely unrelated to this post, but i was watching swan lake and this is what i thougth
- I know this music, i had no idea it was swan lake but i knew it, which is a little unnerving, i think i should try to not know that.
- I watched the first act, scene 1 and scene 2 then read the plot synopsis, and i thought that is t what i got from that at all, but in fairness after i knew what was supposed to be going on, well that is what seemed to happen, but my version of the events well, not what was supposed to be conveyed.
- despite the resent hollywood movies, about the ballerinas in the ballet, the ballet is completely devoid of hot girl on girl action.
- I sorta like the ballet, do not like the opera, but the ballet offers a fair amount of entertainment.
Sunday morning church
sunday afternoon 2 year old birthday party
sunday evening, get to work i was supposed to do.
Now for those of you at home keeping score, you'll notice there isn't a place for football watching, this is more than a little unnerving.
On the other hand, my daughter likes spending time with me, so i'll milk that for a bit.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
my thoughts
It seems it is the time of political posts again. I have no idea what i will do this presidential election. Oh yea, i do, vote for the not GOP candidate.
This is what i don't get, how you can say that Obama is waging class warfare while at the same time endorse and idea like Herman Cain's 9 9 9 plan. Here is the basis, 9 percent national sales tax, 9 percent flat income tax, 9 percent flat corporate tax.
Here is a link to the site to his plan. Which is basically the FAIR tax in disguise. The FAIR tax is class warfare. When you do not tax capital gains or dividends and only tax consumption you shift the burden of the taxation system from the wealthy to the poor.
I have no idea how the middle class works out in this plan, i would suspect near neutral. But if you only tax spending, those with little or not savings will pay a higher tax rate. That just seems unfair at the most basic level to me.
Also his plan says fair tax but it doesn't define sales. So is rent now taxable? Are services taxable?
This is possible the cruelest idea i have ever heard to stimulate the economy. This is class warfare at its worst.
The douche bags you here on the radio claiming obama is waging class warfare by proposing taxation levels below where Regan had them while at the same time claiming Regan as a role model are hoping that the listeners are stupid.
Also dude says you could get rid of the IRS. I know that every state that has sales tax has an enforcement division. You can't tax the poorest people the most and expect everyone will just pay, this sort of thing just encourages a cash based unreported economy.
Which brings me to my other point.
The other day i was making fun of the I am a Mormon campaign. I still think it is a horrible campaign, but then i see dickheads like this guy and understand why the church thinks they need a publicity campaign.
Lastly I bought a used guitar, turns out it needs repairs sometimes the Internet sucks, as i bought it and the guy said like new, i was expecting some cosmetic flaws. turns out the cosmetics are perfect, the functionality is crap, which is not new
This is what i don't get, how you can say that Obama is waging class warfare while at the same time endorse and idea like Herman Cain's 9 9 9 plan. Here is the basis, 9 percent national sales tax, 9 percent flat income tax, 9 percent flat corporate tax.
Here is a link to the site to his plan. Which is basically the FAIR tax in disguise. The FAIR tax is class warfare. When you do not tax capital gains or dividends and only tax consumption you shift the burden of the taxation system from the wealthy to the poor.
I have no idea how the middle class works out in this plan, i would suspect near neutral. But if you only tax spending, those with little or not savings will pay a higher tax rate. That just seems unfair at the most basic level to me.
Also his plan says fair tax but it doesn't define sales. So is rent now taxable? Are services taxable?
This is possible the cruelest idea i have ever heard to stimulate the economy. This is class warfare at its worst.
The douche bags you here on the radio claiming obama is waging class warfare by proposing taxation levels below where Regan had them while at the same time claiming Regan as a role model are hoping that the listeners are stupid.
Also dude says you could get rid of the IRS. I know that every state that has sales tax has an enforcement division. You can't tax the poorest people the most and expect everyone will just pay, this sort of thing just encourages a cash based unreported economy.
Which brings me to my other point.
The other day i was making fun of the I am a Mormon campaign. I still think it is a horrible campaign, but then i see dickheads like this guy and understand why the church thinks they need a publicity campaign.
Lastly I bought a used guitar, turns out it needs repairs sometimes the Internet sucks, as i bought it and the guy said like new, i was expecting some cosmetic flaws. turns out the cosmetics are perfect, the functionality is crap, which is not new
Friday, October 7, 2011
Being a Fed is Sweet
Sometimes working for the Government sucks. Dealing with administrative tasks all day instead of your job while still being expected to do your job is crazy.
Having what they refer in the public world as administritve support staff just cause you headache and work takes some getting used to.
Getting Columbus day off, takes no getting used to.
Having what they refer in the public world as administritve support staff just cause you headache and work takes some getting used to.
Getting Columbus day off, takes no getting used to.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
I am not a mormon
So this weekend I saw the commercials that say that "I am a Mormon."
It might just be me, but those commercials remind me of a 12 step program. I could make a commercial that says, that I am Jerry, I am an accountant, husband, father, son and I am a recovering alcoholic.
They also crack me up.
I actually tried to be a Mormon a few times, growing up it would have been easier to be one, so you take the lessons read the crap the missionaries tell you to read then they ask you to pray about it and open your heart. I did that and this is what my heart says. This is a bunch of crap.
I am a Christian. I go to a nondenominational chruch, Probably from where I grew up, or maybe just my interpretation of things, but i bristle at those who force their religion on others. This is what jerry thinks.
If you are not willing to listen and learn about other peoples beliefs, you have no right to share your beliefs.
So if you are telling me that i need to listen to the teachings of Joe, or Mohammad or Jesus, or Buddha, if you're not willing to learn about the other teachings then shut the f. up.
2 Sundays ago, the pastor who is not the usual pastor at our church, gave a sermon on sharing the good news. Those message anger me, because they're steeped in creating divisions in society. We no the truth, god favors us more than he does them. Well if that is the God they believe in I want no part in your faith.
I am fairly certain I was taught God loves people, not some people or a few people, but all people.
All of the leaders of the LDS church were alive and supported the church when it disallowed entrance into the chruch for black people, and interacial marriages where viewed as punishable by death. The later part of that was said by Brigham Young. Hey is looked at as a profit by Mormons. That is all I need to know about the church.
If they LDS chruch was true and the president had spoke directly with god, if gods speaker said something like that, I want no part in that god.
Also which is why i got thinking this. Mitt Rommney is a Mormon. I wouldn't vote for him anyway because he is also a republician, but I wouldn't vote for Rommney because he is a mormon. Which I know is prejudicial, but this is my weak defensive of that thinking.
I have spoke to a lot of mormons who will vote for him becuase he is a mormon, That is equally prejudicial.
I am Jerry, I am not a mormon, and I will never be one.
It might just be me, but those commercials remind me of a 12 step program. I could make a commercial that says, that I am Jerry, I am an accountant, husband, father, son and I am a recovering alcoholic.
They also crack me up.
I actually tried to be a Mormon a few times, growing up it would have been easier to be one, so you take the lessons read the crap the missionaries tell you to read then they ask you to pray about it and open your heart. I did that and this is what my heart says. This is a bunch of crap.
I am a Christian. I go to a nondenominational chruch, Probably from where I grew up, or maybe just my interpretation of things, but i bristle at those who force their religion on others. This is what jerry thinks.
If you are not willing to listen and learn about other peoples beliefs, you have no right to share your beliefs.
So if you are telling me that i need to listen to the teachings of Joe, or Mohammad or Jesus, or Buddha, if you're not willing to learn about the other teachings then shut the f. up.
2 Sundays ago, the pastor who is not the usual pastor at our church, gave a sermon on sharing the good news. Those message anger me, because they're steeped in creating divisions in society. We no the truth, god favors us more than he does them. Well if that is the God they believe in I want no part in your faith.
I am fairly certain I was taught God loves people, not some people or a few people, but all people.
All of the leaders of the LDS church were alive and supported the church when it disallowed entrance into the chruch for black people, and interacial marriages where viewed as punishable by death. The later part of that was said by Brigham Young. Hey is looked at as a profit by Mormons. That is all I need to know about the church.
If they LDS chruch was true and the president had spoke directly with god, if gods speaker said something like that, I want no part in that god.
Also which is why i got thinking this. Mitt Rommney is a Mormon. I wouldn't vote for him anyway because he is also a republician, but I wouldn't vote for Rommney because he is a mormon. Which I know is prejudicial, but this is my weak defensive of that thinking.
I have spoke to a lot of mormons who will vote for him becuase he is a mormon, That is equally prejudicial.
I am Jerry, I am not a mormon, and I will never be one.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
my thoughts on stuff
Fall has arrived, I mean besides the obvious signs like there is football. The morning air is a little brisk as well.
This mean among other things that it isn't so hot!
But side note for those who care, It has been 6 days since my dog had a seizure. That sucked, the vet said it likely wasn't a real seizure because it was short, isolated and proceeded immediately by vomiting, i have no idea what that means, but i hope it is true, I can't imagine having a seizure last for 2 to 5 minutes, that would be freaky.
It also means that it is fall, and Swallow hill is going to start their fall classes soon, well, they usually start them as they're 8 week courses but I am going to begin taking guitar classes again.
Also last sunday I did P90X once, I couldn't move for 3 days. I am not sure how you do that and have a daughter nipping at your heels.
Anyway, I think I am going to try to find like knockoff telecaster. not knock off in cheap unauthorized copy, but knock off in the cheap authorized squier copy.
Fender makes the telecaster, and the much more common stratocaster, but they own a line of "affordable" guitars that modeled after the real thing but cost much less.
If i ever play for a paid show, I'll consider the upgrade, till then i just want to know a song.
This mean among other things that it isn't so hot!
But side note for those who care, It has been 6 days since my dog had a seizure. That sucked, the vet said it likely wasn't a real seizure because it was short, isolated and proceeded immediately by vomiting, i have no idea what that means, but i hope it is true, I can't imagine having a seizure last for 2 to 5 minutes, that would be freaky.
It also means that it is fall, and Swallow hill is going to start their fall classes soon, well, they usually start them as they're 8 week courses but I am going to begin taking guitar classes again.
Also last sunday I did P90X once, I couldn't move for 3 days. I am not sure how you do that and have a daughter nipping at your heels.
Anyway, I think I am going to try to find like knockoff telecaster. not knock off in cheap unauthorized copy, but knock off in the cheap authorized squier copy.
Fender makes the telecaster, and the much more common stratocaster, but they own a line of "affordable" guitars that modeled after the real thing but cost much less.
If i ever play for a paid show, I'll consider the upgrade, till then i just want to know a song.
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