It's important to be warm

If the unspeakable happens in November, a friend of a friend plans to make shirts that say “If you voted for Bush get the fuck away from me.” and on the back it would say “no, seriously.”

I really hope I don’t need one of these.

___

As we entered the house the other night, two kids on bicycles were cruising at the cross-street. One hollered to us “Dijinz just move in?” Of course, I answered “Yeah” as they disappeared behind the next house.

I love that localized contraction: Did yinz=Dijinz

Filed by joy at 4:04 pm under life, politics
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This is crossposted, but whatever. Some people read this, some people read elsewhere.

I’ve been chewing on a response to a friend about politics, and I came to the realization that it was a bigger issue than the specific arguments she posed. So, this isn’t a personal message to anyone in particular, but more of a general loud stand on the subject.

That caveat behind me, here begins the rant: This does mean YOU!

Voting is what making democracy work and all this blathering about lesser of two evils is parroting back the media. Where did you learn that phrase, after all? Let’s take this thing down to reality: Who would you rather having living next door to you: Kerry, Edwards, Bush, Cheney, Nader? Who would you like knowing your schedule, who comes and goes at your place, who you might run to in an emergency, who you might need to grab your kid or drunk friend when s/he ran into the street? Those in politics have given up the luxury of a private life, and it takes a specific kind of crazy to give that up. It’s a special fame. We allow our music and tv stars for their transgressions, even to the most heinous of events, but in politics there is no forgiving, and the life is more scrutinized. I know I wouldn’t want it, which is why I’ve always been at odds with the political life of my parents. It’s also why my grandparents never told their own story. They were beaten by McCarthyism and never spoke of it afterwards. Fear, like everything, is a habit.

“The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves.” -Plato, philosopher (427-347 BCE) What has changed since? The personal IS political. You will be caught up in the problems of the age. Do you have healthcare, do you have a job, do you think you’ll be able to retire EVER? That’s not a matter of lesser of two evils. If you want to be partisan about it, consider which party enacted things you believe in: minimum wage, the welfare state, etc. etc. I’m not saying our system is anything near perfect, but it is truly harder than most can imagine to live in that spotlight. The patriot act is a perfect example of non-partisan stupidity and you can pick several others yourself.

If you want better choices on the national front, consider the local. You have to pay your dues in this system, work up from city to county to state to national. That’s how it works. If we don’t get decent people in locally, we will never see the sort of people who are our friends and neighbors in higher office. Adding to that, we have choice in the primaries, but who paid real attention then? If you really wanted a non-military stance, did you do anything for the candidate who proposed at Department of Peace to replace the Department of War? Did you burn out early?

There will always be a left and a right and a wide center of this enormous country. Similarly in life generally, there will always be good and evil, and a wide stroke of gray. If you leave it until the last minute to give a damn, you will get leftovers.

I’m not calling anyone unpatriotic nor am I dishing out what I can’t take myself. If you know anyone who doesn’t vote, who won’t be part of the debate, who doesn’t acknowledge their role in all this, you are in part responsible for the cynical mess of this nation. If you need voter registration forms, email me. If you need to know who your reps are, and can’t find this out in the many sources online, email me. If you can’t take responsibility for your own community you have already negated your voice in making the real decisions that matter. Please don’t buy into the idea that there is no difference, because it’s not a matter of lesser of evils, it’s a matter of fear and hope, or even life and death, and if you don’t think it’s that dramatic, you’re lucky.

< /rant >

Filed by joy at 1:24 pm under politics
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Melissa and I were emailing while I watched the DNC sing their opening night song in Boston:

“I’m watching Jimmy Carter at the DNC on CSPAN. Ahh, sigh, a real president. One who talks in complete sentences. Those were the days…”

“You know the state of the union is just sad when you are nostalgic about presidents that can actually comprehend things. Like speech.”

“LOL, too damn true. Too damn true. One of Kerry’s Vietnam buddies just spoke. He’s a reverend in S. Carolina, big black guy. Can rule a room, speak the word. Damn, it’s no wonder the black church is so much stronger (and more fun) than white church.

Clinton is coming on in a few. Ahh…the good old days.”

Filed by joy at 10:37 pm under politics
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It is now 8pm EST, marking one week in The House of Pink. We’ve had a few visitors and all have been surprised that I really wasn’t kidding about the pinkness of it all. No, really. It’s pink, and keeps being pink. Marvel at the floral borders! Delight in the painted chair rail! Yes, do gape at what an impressively bad display of painting technique has been applied. It is a wowser.

I love The House of Pink. So much. From the wonder of having my very own washer and dryer for the first time ever, to the way my legs ache from all the running up and down the stairs. It’s wonderful to have a house.

It took a week to finally clear out of the apartment, but we have turned in our keys. It’s done. Yet, to help seal that old door shut, we got what everyone craves, a wee bit of closure. The Constable came back for the ho-bag who lived upstairs. He came ’round the other night as we were cleaning out the kitchen. He said he finally had a warrant for her, but sadly, we couldn’t provide him with her whereabouts. Her family (shudder to think) moved her out just about two weeks previous. Someday the mountain might get her, but the law never will. Nevertheless, I kinda felt the circle closing in quite a nice and tidy fashion.

___

Our first night here, I addressed each corner in the house by sprinkling salt, with a welcome to any friendly spirits, and a disallowing to any negative ones. While we were sorting out the washer in the basement, Ian saw some flashes of light. Saggar was also acting rather peaked and mewy regarding the basement, but only that first night. She has since puked on the carpet. The house is now fully blessed.

___

I can’t end this little essay without a HUGE shout-out to Kelly. Yesterday one of those nasty Young Republicans tried to trick her (yes, trick!) into signing a petition for Nader to get on the ballot. After pulling the truth out of him regarding what the petition was actually for, she told him to “Fuck off!”

I could only be prouder if I’d've been there to join in the chorus. Game on! November, here we come.

Filed by joy at 8:44 pm under life
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No, this isn’t a real post yet. Still too busy to actually write up the scribbled notes I’m using to remember what the hell I meant to write.

Instead, I bring you undulating almonds. This is not a gif. It is a still image that makes you feel like a little kid who has been spinning the chains on the swings too long.

Courtesy of Akiyoshi Kitaoka found via these folks.

Filed by joy at 10:06 am under visuals
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Moving is no fun at all, even when you pay other men to move your shit for you. We had way more stuff than we thought, so it took way longer, was more expensive, and our house smells like B.O. and not our own B.O. either.

I was right when we left KC, saying “Next time we burn it ALL.” I should’ve listened to myself.

But otherwise, it was totally worth it not doing it ourselves. I hurt enough as it is from all the packing, them assisting in the move, plus just being generally exhausted.

I will commence with the two rituals that Aunt Jude told me about, after all, you never know what faith the spirits might be that I want to have a word with about their stay in my house.

We’ve already met several of our neighbors, far more than we ever met in the two years we’ve lived at Maripoe. It can only be a good omen.

Filed by joy at 9:13 pm under life
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Best news I’ve heard all week: Trump would’ve fired Bush.

The move. Oi. The move.
The House of Pink is officially inhabited as of this Sunday.

Filed by joy at 10:09 pm under politics
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I was riding along in a bus that was occasionally a very elevated train, talking on my mobile phone to my former coworker Bill, who also happened to be in France. I’m cruising along, making plans and chatting with Bill about how pretty Paris is. Gazing out the window, I can see below us, along the elegant boulevards, rather large airplanes with no wings going along, mixed with the usual vehicles. Some were driving themselves, some had trucks pulling them like trailers, all were lit and looked like they were also transporting people.

I was confused by this, probably asked Bill about it, then the phone wasn’t there and instead the bus/train was accelerating in the sort of way that planes do right before take off. I hate that part, still did even on a bus/train. But instead of actually taking off, it curved into an elaborate makeshift station and stopped. The announcement, which was in English, but had an annoyed tone to it, told everyone to get off. This wasn’t the end of the line, but there was some sort of security issue going on. I got off, with a female friend who I was with for that moment, then got irritated by having to get off in the wrong stop, so I got back on, leaving her on her own. Others had done the same, or hadn’t got off in the first place. This didn’t seem to be a problem for the bus/train as it began lumbering back the way we came. I settled into my seat, wondering if Bill was on a Sprint phone, or if that call was going to cost a fortune. Then I got into a conversation with another rider about what that whole security stop was about.

“Oh, they’re shooting a movie over there.” His gesture lead me to look out and see (still at weird levels for any existing transportation method) the sort of brightly lit street that you only see when cameras are around, shooting in the evening dark. On the staged set on the street, and I could see a performer in the lights. I answered to my companion that there was a theatre over the other way (gesturing) and THAT was far more dangerous than a movie set. All around me agreed.

Filed by joy at 10:45 am under life
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We went to Fahrenheit 9/11 last Monday night. It’s colored my week since, and will continue to do so.

For everything else that it is or isn’t as a film, as a true document, etc., it IS a cultural force. For that, above all else, I respect Michael Moore. He’s out there, being a troublemaker, which, in my family, is one of the most honorable professions. He’s not the best at telling the whole picture, but he’s damn good at making himself the straw that will hopefully break the back of this President.

After all, we lefties have been trying to tell the truth and sound like whiners. People don’t really want all the detail, don’t really care. They want to be moved, and frankly, the people, in all their glory, are more ready to accept propaganda than they are complete debate. The cynicism is so great, the times so hard to digest.

I’m glad I read the Slate review first, so I knew exactly what I was getting into, and didn’t have to trouble myself with some of the fact-checking issues. With that out of the way, I could simply watch the film, and appreciate it for making people uncomfortably laugh, softly cry, and applaud at the end.

But Mike’s not worried. Our boy is on the cover of Time Magazine, and his website is dense and engaging in some serious talk. He’s got fact-checking going on. He’s unapologetic (another thing the lefties need to take a page from) and he’s still just plain pissed off and ready to do what it takes to get Bush out of office. Bless his heart.

Funny that he’s being more of a consumer advocate than Nader. Moore’s ego is helping him survive daily death threats while Nader’s is making him a thorn for anyone who would really like a third party in this country, but NOT RIGHT NOW, YOU FOOL!

As for further reading. Well, I can’t add much useful to what Zig said. Not only because she’s a great writer, but she’s a thinking person, a rare find. And she’s on the money when she says the Hope is all we can have. It’s the one reason to keep going.

Filed by joy at 5:39 pm under politics
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When film actually burns, it looks just like when I’ve seen it faked in movies. Who knew?

After a pleasant picnic filled with a very happy number of veggie/vegan items, I had to make my exit due to getting overheated. I am not good at summer, and grumpy comes on fast and furious. Ian and I made our exit, and got me into some conditioned air with large cold coffee beverage and less humanity.

On the way to said coolness, we drove through Schenley Park and right there, on the side of the road, strolling happily along, was a turkey. Ian said to the bird, “Wrong holiday!” as we cruised past.

Spur of the moment, with Zig, Erik, and their delicious little Jude, we scurried down the street to see SpiderMan 2. At the most perfect moment imaginable (the subway-stopping sequence), the film burnt up! It made the neat bubbly orange texture, sound wavering, and off-alignment. It was one of those pause/laugh where you wonder if it was intentional. We decided it was due to the friction of stopping the train. They got the film going again and it was great fun.

Later, Ian commented on how amusingly the film used the cartoon theme. I proceeded to sing it, all the verses. He says to me, “It’s entirely possible that you are a geek.”

True.

Filed by joy at 1:17 pm under visuals
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