No, I don't mean it that way. We're having some severely windy weather here in San Fran, with gusts topping 70 miles per hour (55 mph sustained!) in some areas. I'm fairly certain I'm in one of those areas, as the wind is absolutely howling by the roughly 32 windows we have in this place. It may be over-dramatized by being top floor and our right-on-the-corner status, but man is it loud.
But also very cool. At the worst part, around 6:30 this evening, the lights were flickering and opening a window even a crack meant a piercing howl of wind would then shoot through the apartment. And I mean through; it knocked papers off the table on the other side of the room.
I like wind. I love storms. Part of the reason I disliked San Diego (and there weren't that many) was that there was never any damn weather. 72, sunny. 72, sunny. 71, sunny. Granted, that month we had fires burning down a good chunk of the county was sort of cool, but that's both not weather, and more damaging than a good old-fashioned thunderstorm. San Francisco, while very weathery in its own right, still seems to lack serious thunder and lightning action. Maybe this will change (wrong season), but for now I'm just happy to see storms brewing. The feel of that nearly-warm, rainy wind against my face reminds me so much of Michigan and Virginia that it's almost overwhelming.
(I've resolved to take more pictures to accompany my blog posts, but alas, wind is tough to photograph, what with the invisibleness and all. Next time.)
February 27, 2006
February 22, 2006
The Best Advice You Ever Got
That was the question posed the other day; what was the best advice anybody ever gave you? It's not easy to answer unless, well, unless it is--like if you're a firefighter and you love it, and the best advice you ever got was "stay the course, you'll make it!" Then you'd just point to that and say, "and now I love my life, so there you go!"
But I don't think I've had a moment like that before. And when I try to think of good advice I've been given, I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting the source/manner of giving of at least 75%. And I think I'll end up doing my parents a disservice, as it would seem that all the "advice" given during the formative years just sort of blends into my personality now. I'm sure I'm the way I am because of stuff I was told way back when, but I can't single out any particular comments.
So with all that being said, I think the best modern advice I've been given (i.e. fairly recently) was to be more confident. It wasn't phrased exactly like that, but for awhile I had labored under the largely incorrect impression that people would just like me for me--true when you're a great person, but less true if you let your insecurities define you. If you want to Make Friends and Influence People, you must be confident in your good qualities, and keep your less attractive aspects a bit more secure. Not hidden away forever, just not out on your sleeve.
Anyway, the person who gave me the advice probably doesn't even know that he/she did so, but I've always been grateful.
....
I totally just remembered, my step-mother's advice to go to San Diego for law school, when everyone else was leaning towards Jersey and Rutgers, was really good advice. I mean, I think it was. I may not be far removed enough for 20/20 hindsight. But it feels like it was good advice.
But I don't think I've had a moment like that before. And when I try to think of good advice I've been given, I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting the source/manner of giving of at least 75%. And I think I'll end up doing my parents a disservice, as it would seem that all the "advice" given during the formative years just sort of blends into my personality now. I'm sure I'm the way I am because of stuff I was told way back when, but I can't single out any particular comments.
So with all that being said, I think the best modern advice I've been given (i.e. fairly recently) was to be more confident. It wasn't phrased exactly like that, but for awhile I had labored under the largely incorrect impression that people would just like me for me--true when you're a great person, but less true if you let your insecurities define you. If you want to Make Friends and Influence People, you must be confident in your good qualities, and keep your less attractive aspects a bit more secure. Not hidden away forever, just not out on your sleeve.
Anyway, the person who gave me the advice probably doesn't even know that he/she did so, but I've always been grateful.
....
I totally just remembered, my step-mother's advice to go to San Diego for law school, when everyone else was leaning towards Jersey and Rutgers, was really good advice. I mean, I think it was. I may not be far removed enough for 20/20 hindsight. But it feels like it was good advice.
February 20, 2006
Happy Prez Day
Our greatest modern Presidents, as decided by me, at 9:30 in the morning on a Monday:
1) Franklin Roosevelt (saved America)
2) Woodrow Wilson (ideas were before his time)
3) Harry S Truman (got stuck with a tough job)
4) Bill Clinton (will be screwed over by historians)
5) Jimmy Carter (more effective post-Presidency when he grew a pair)
This could not be less thought-out, so don't anybody go all "Mormons rock" on me and disagree. I mean, go ahead and disagree, but don't expect me to back up these choices as if my life depended on it. I'm right, of course, but I can't be expected to tell you why. That's just not how America works these days, son!
By the way, our worst Presidents (narrowing this list down was tough) were Nixon, Hoover, Grant, McKinley, and Bush Jr. Welcome to the club, dubya. They don't deserve a line each. Johnson was close, because of Vietnam, but in the end I'm fairly certain that history will note the current President as one of our most uninspiring.
1) Franklin Roosevelt (saved America)
2) Woodrow Wilson (ideas were before his time)
3) Harry S Truman (got stuck with a tough job)
4) Bill Clinton (will be screwed over by historians)
5) Jimmy Carter (more effective post-Presidency when he grew a pair)
This could not be less thought-out, so don't anybody go all "Mormons rock" on me and disagree. I mean, go ahead and disagree, but don't expect me to back up these choices as if my life depended on it. I'm right, of course, but I can't be expected to tell you why. That's just not how America works these days, son!
By the way, our worst Presidents (narrowing this list down was tough) were Nixon, Hoover, Grant, McKinley, and Bush Jr. Welcome to the club, dubya. They don't deserve a line each. Johnson was close, because of Vietnam, but in the end I'm fairly certain that history will note the current President as one of our most uninspiring.
February 17, 2006
Science 2,240 - Religion 2
Once again, science is showing that religion--most religions anyway--are a bunch of hooey if you try and take their scripture or myth literally. The Mormons have always had what I've thought to be one of the kookier back stories out there, so it's really no surprise when it turns out their view of the world is highly inaccurate.
I mean, this is a religion that's less than 200 years old, for one thing. How can you sign up for that? I could start a religion today that would make more sense and wouldn't be all that much younger, especially when compared with some of the big hitters like Christianity (2000 years) or Judaism (um... even longer).
Also, the Mormon church was started by a belligerent drunk who got kicked out of more towns than he was welcomed. Big surprise that he moved all the way to Utah at a time when Utah seemed about as far as the moon. And they think Jesus stopped by the New World (of course he did! Doesn't have anything better to do when rising from the dead, why not hang out where nobody lives yet, bury some dinnerware in upstate New York, and then hoof it back to Israel)! I'm not a huge believer in any religion's particular dogma, but I gotta tell you--the odds that the Mormons have it right have got to be pretty small.
Anyway, I know plenty of Mormons, and the majority of them are very nice people. Some of the nicest people I know, in fact. But it just goes to show you how religion can ask even the sanest and kindest souls to accept the preposterous.
I mean, this is a religion that's less than 200 years old, for one thing. How can you sign up for that? I could start a religion today that would make more sense and wouldn't be all that much younger, especially when compared with some of the big hitters like Christianity (2000 years) or Judaism (um... even longer).
Also, the Mormon church was started by a belligerent drunk who got kicked out of more towns than he was welcomed. Big surprise that he moved all the way to Utah at a time when Utah seemed about as far as the moon. And they think Jesus stopped by the New World (of course he did! Doesn't have anything better to do when rising from the dead, why not hang out where nobody lives yet, bury some dinnerware in upstate New York, and then hoof it back to Israel)! I'm not a huge believer in any religion's particular dogma, but I gotta tell you--the odds that the Mormons have it right have got to be pretty small.
Anyway, I know plenty of Mormons, and the majority of them are very nice people. Some of the nicest people I know, in fact. But it just goes to show you how religion can ask even the sanest and kindest souls to accept the preposterous.
February 13, 2006
Anxiety Much?
I had one of those post-first-waking dreams this morning; the kind that come after you've woken up once but then fall back asleep, and they're always weird.
Without going into too much detail (because accounts of dreams are usually tedious and boring, even if they involve weird sex acts or something), I dreamt I woke up to find my roommate's room very clean and her bed propped up on its side against the wall (as if moving).
Other things normally found in the apartment were gone as well, but before I could figure out what was going on some guy comes in because he thought our apartment was his. I explain that it's not, and express bewilderment at the fact that his key works our lock, and then (because I'm me, I guess) offer to help him move in to a different apartment in the building. While going downstairs, I'm pretty sure I started getting chased by a bear.
At the very end, I was returning to my building and I saw an ex-girlfriend moving her stuff in to my apartment.
Now that I've seen that in fact, roommate's bed is in normal position (though room is still cleaner than mine) nobody has yet to burst in, with key, and claim squatter's rights, and the ex-girlfriends all remain (at last check) hundreds of miles from current location, I've relaxed a bit.
I'm still watching for that bear, though.
Without going into too much detail (because accounts of dreams are usually tedious and boring, even if they involve weird sex acts or something), I dreamt I woke up to find my roommate's room very clean and her bed propped up on its side against the wall (as if moving).
Other things normally found in the apartment were gone as well, but before I could figure out what was going on some guy comes in because he thought our apartment was his. I explain that it's not, and express bewilderment at the fact that his key works our lock, and then (because I'm me, I guess) offer to help him move in to a different apartment in the building. While going downstairs, I'm pretty sure I started getting chased by a bear.
At the very end, I was returning to my building and I saw an ex-girlfriend moving her stuff in to my apartment.
Now that I've seen that in fact, roommate's bed is in normal position (though room is still cleaner than mine) nobody has yet to burst in, with key, and claim squatter's rights, and the ex-girlfriends all remain (at last check) hundreds of miles from current location, I've relaxed a bit.
I'm still watching for that bear, though.
February 10, 2006
"Don't ya get it, Springfield? You lose!"
I've been watching, on both broadcast and on the excellent DVD set given to me for Christmas, The Simpsons Season Six. It's quite possibly the best season, though 6-7-8 were all quite good so I'll reserve final, absolute judgment for when I can review those as well.
Anyway, since it's Friday and few people read blogs today anyhow, I present three of the best scenes from the best season. Also, not coincidentally, three jokes I can make to Adam and Jason anytime and have them completely understand.
"Shake harder, boy!"
"Incapacitating..."
"He's already dead!"
No points for telling me what episodes these are from. It's way too easy.
Anyway, since it's Friday and few people read blogs today anyhow, I present three of the best scenes from the best season. Also, not coincidentally, three jokes I can make to Adam and Jason anytime and have them completely understand.
"Shake harder, boy!"
"Incapacitating..."
"He's already dead!"No points for telling me what episodes these are from. It's way too easy.
February 9, 2006
Questions to the Prime Minister
Or, in the unlikely chance that he doesn't read this blog, to anyone else:
Is the phrase "deep-seeded" or "deep-seated"? I always thought it was the former, but I saw a fairly knowledgeable person (as far as I can tell) use "deep-seated" and now I'm not so sure. The first seems to make more grammatical sense.
What is the purpose behind making a non-electric razor battery-powered? What do the batteries do in there? I'm referring primarily to the lame "Fusion" Superbowl commercials from Gillette. Also, if we perfect the difficult process of cold fusion, is it likely that we will immediately ask "how can we apply this new and life-altering technology to shaving?"
My favorite commercial--even though I actually watched for the football this year--was the Sprint "phone with a anti-theft device" one, even though I thought the second assault was unnecessary to make it hilarious. Oh wait, these are supposed to be questions. Am I wrong?
How is it that at 9 a.m., people get on the MUNI's second car and just sit down? I know they're not transferring from somewhere (not around here, with MUNI lines so prevalent that busses are rare). So are they risk-takers or is there a MUNI pass that I don't know about? Something to just let you get on without paying? Or you pay early? Maybe I should just look this one up...
I could go off on a complete tangent about last night's Lost (I liked it) and how Sawyer is the epitome of the bad boy and look how he hasn't changed, despite seeming all changed and having the pseudo-love of a good (hot) woman in Evangeline Lily. But I won't. Because I have no questions to ask, and today is about answers, people. Answers!
Is the phrase "deep-seeded" or "deep-seated"? I always thought it was the former, but I saw a fairly knowledgeable person (as far as I can tell) use "deep-seated" and now I'm not so sure. The first seems to make more grammatical sense.
What is the purpose behind making a non-electric razor battery-powered? What do the batteries do in there? I'm referring primarily to the lame "Fusion" Superbowl commercials from Gillette. Also, if we perfect the difficult process of cold fusion, is it likely that we will immediately ask "how can we apply this new and life-altering technology to shaving?"
My favorite commercial--even though I actually watched for the football this year--was the Sprint "phone with a anti-theft device" one, even though I thought the second assault was unnecessary to make it hilarious. Oh wait, these are supposed to be questions. Am I wrong?
How is it that at 9 a.m., people get on the MUNI's second car and just sit down? I know they're not transferring from somewhere (not around here, with MUNI lines so prevalent that busses are rare). So are they risk-takers or is there a MUNI pass that I don't know about? Something to just let you get on without paying? Or you pay early? Maybe I should just look this one up...
I could go off on a complete tangent about last night's Lost (I liked it) and how Sawyer is the epitome of the bad boy and look how he hasn't changed, despite seeming all changed and having the pseudo-love of a good (hot) woman in Evangeline Lily. But I won't. Because I have no questions to ask, and today is about answers, people. Answers!
February 6, 2006
Weekend Wrap
It was a good weekend, all in all.
There was a party, and the Superbowl, which I cared little about but it was a good excuse to hang out and eat lots of food. I helped a friend move into an apartment downstairs (!) and flirted with a cute Irish bartender.
Sure, I could go into more details (except they're really not that exciting--that was the best of each thing in short) but the best part was that all the activity made me forget, for a little while, that I'm an unemployed hobo.
It's nice to be reminded of how things can/will be when I've got a job. Makes San Fran a good deal more comfortable.
Oh also I ran on Saturday and Sunday and the thing about that is, my legs could keep going but my feet can't. I think I need new (better) shoes. I've taken to simply driving the 15 blocks to the ocean, and then running the nearly 4-mile stretch of road/path that is the Great Highway between Sloat and Lincoln. It's an excellent, excellent place to run; so much so that I almost look forward to the run, which is highly unusual for my lazy ass. At some point I'll drag my camera down there and take a picture, so you can see what I mean.
There was a party, and the Superbowl, which I cared little about but it was a good excuse to hang out and eat lots of food. I helped a friend move into an apartment downstairs (!) and flirted with a cute Irish bartender.
Sure, I could go into more details (except they're really not that exciting--that was the best of each thing in short) but the best part was that all the activity made me forget, for a little while, that I'm an unemployed hobo.
It's nice to be reminded of how things can/will be when I've got a job. Makes San Fran a good deal more comfortable.
Oh also I ran on Saturday and Sunday and the thing about that is, my legs could keep going but my feet can't. I think I need new (better) shoes. I've taken to simply driving the 15 blocks to the ocean, and then running the nearly 4-mile stretch of road/path that is the Great Highway between Sloat and Lincoln. It's an excellent, excellent place to run; so much so that I almost look forward to the run, which is highly unusual for my lazy ass. At some point I'll drag my camera down there and take a picture, so you can see what I mean.
February 2, 2006
Groundhog Poetry
I like poetry almost as much as I like an easy blog post, so when I saw this on Dennis!'s blog (original excellent idea from here) I thought "why the heck not!"
Since winter and groundhog day are both sort of bleak (prediction: cold, grey, and it's going to last you for the rest of your life), I present to you Pablo Neruda's untitled "Poem 20" (translated from Spanish):
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
Write, for example, 'The night is shattered
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'
The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
Through the nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.
She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.
To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.
What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
The night is shattered and she is not with me.
This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.
The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.
I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.
Another’s. She will be another’s. Like my kisses before.
Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.
I no longer love her, that’s certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.
Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.
Since winter and groundhog day are both sort of bleak (prediction: cold, grey, and it's going to last you for the rest of your life), I present to you Pablo Neruda's untitled "Poem 20" (translated from Spanish):
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
Write, for example, 'The night is shattered
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'
The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
Through the nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.
She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.
To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.
What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
The night is shattered and she is not with me.
This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.
The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.
I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.
Another’s. She will be another’s. Like my kisses before.
Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.
I no longer love her, that’s certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.
Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.
February 1, 2006
Such a Masterful PR Job Gone To Waste
The Post has an interesting article on how the GOP handily outplayed the Democrats in portraying Alito as a good guy, something that I think we can all agree on. The Democrats didn't get nearly as much on him as they could have, given some of his prior rulings and associations, and the media didn't pick up much of what the Dems did give.
How funny is it, then, that the first thing Alito does--literally hours into the job--is break with the other conservative judges in granting a stay of execution?
Now, I'm not exactly jumping on board the Alito ship, as I'm certain he will do many, many conservative things that I disagree with both politically and as a matter of jurisprudence, but this strikes me as amusing. Maybe he's just showing that nobody "owns" him, and picking a fairly inconsequential case to do so (the guy gets a stay to argue that lethal injection is "cruel and unusual punishment"; good luck with that one). Either way, even the mere hint of another Souter makes me giddy. I'm sure it'll fade by tomorrow when Alito writes an opinion restricting the vote to white, land-owning males or something.
How funny is it, then, that the first thing Alito does--literally hours into the job--is break with the other conservative judges in granting a stay of execution?
Now, I'm not exactly jumping on board the Alito ship, as I'm certain he will do many, many conservative things that I disagree with both politically and as a matter of jurisprudence, but this strikes me as amusing. Maybe he's just showing that nobody "owns" him, and picking a fairly inconsequential case to do so (the guy gets a stay to argue that lethal injection is "cruel and unusual punishment"; good luck with that one). Either way, even the mere hint of another Souter makes me giddy. I'm sure it'll fade by tomorrow when Alito writes an opinion restricting the vote to white, land-owning males or something.
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