Tuesday, November 11, 2008

More on West Wing

So I have a few things to say about The West Wing vis a vis the current political situation, but in preview if you are as obsessed with the show as I am this may excite you. I mean, I figured what with the Josh connection, but still: Whoa. Now if we can get Aaron Sorkin to be a speech writer...

If I had sperm, this would be a perfect description of my feelings

Warren Ellis tweets re: Ryan Adams.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Soundtrack

Some random thoughts pushed into one:

My therapist mentioned several weeks ago that if you are engaged in work for social justice, equality, et al and truly expect that you will "fix" whatever problem or situation you are working against, then you will not only be sorely disappointed, you will be bad at your job. This got me thinking about one of my big issues, namely that I have gotten so cynical over the past 8 years I can barely stand myself, and so prickly that I probably shouldn't fight the good fight anymore even if I had the energy, which I maintain I do not. I do not doubt that wanting to fix the world, and suddenly being slammed up against the realizations that not only could I not fix the world, but that most people don't really want the world to be fixed, contributed to this greatly. I was thinking about this yesterday morning, watching the Obama speech. He's not going to fix everything, and probably people will get mad at him for it. But there's nothing to fix. It is an imperfect world. But just because it is imperfect doesn't mean we shouldn't want it to be better, or that we shouldn't strive to live as though it is at the very least worth saving.

I've said several times over the last day and a half that if Obama does nothing but bring a modicum of compassion back into our national politics, I for one will consider him a resounding success. Whether I lost my compassion along with the country, or whether the loss of compassion in the country made me lose hope... who knows? I would not have called myself an Obama supporter, and maintained throughout that I would have preferred Hillary. I guess I drank the Kool-Aid though, because I no longer believe that Hillary could have won. She certainly would not have been able to give the sort of speech PEO (I'm going to call him PEO from now on, you heard it here first) gave yesterday, and I probably would not be sitting here contemplating what I can do for my country. Something has changed, at least in me. I feel willing to give the whole living thing another go, with fewer battlements to hide behind.

I am going to be running in a memorial race next month for a guy I went to high school with. I went on two summer ministry trips with him, and after the second, which ended right before senior year, I made a mix tape for all of the participants, all of whom I felt very close to at that point and throughout the next year. I used to do that a lot, make tapes for people (who didn't?), and I used to listen to and appreciate music more; I let music affect me emotionally much more. I'm thinking I should make myself a PEO playlist, that I can have as my ipod mantra, to call upon as a reminder that things aren't really that bad, and things can change. For a few weeks I've been thinking about REM's song "These Days," and how I'd play it if PEO was, in fact, PE today. REM apparently thought "I Believe" was more apropos to the moment, but since it's off the same album (my first and favorite REM of all time) I'll forgive them. If you don't have it, I'll burn you a copy. Along with my PEO mix.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Every silver lining has a cloud

In a sad parallel to the 2004 election, three states passed propositions banning gay marriage. Although there will surely be challenges, it seems that for now at least CA won't be doing such a brisk wedding cake business. Hey, President-elect Obama? I have an idea for an issue you can start working on...

We Can Haz New Prez!

It is, indeed, the World Series all over again around here, so thank goodness we got that joy-practice in last week (and thank goodness nothing was set on fire this time- yet). I went to bed early last night, just after FOX News called Ohio for Obama, mostly because I am a deeply superstitious person and I was too scared to watch. I remember an election where it was all wrapped up by bedtime, except it wasn't, and that nightmare lasted these eight long years. I wept with relief this morning as I watched The Speech and Jesse Jackson weep. I've been weepy this morning seeing pictures from around the country of people of all ages and races embracing, jumping up and down, smiling and laughing. This is the World Series over again, except so much better, because it is for the whole country and we've elected a man who realizes our lives and dreams are not just a game after all. I must have been carrying a 4-ton weight, because I haven't had posture this good in ages.

My whole office is electric this morning. My colleague and I were just dancing in the kitchen, wondering aloud at what students would think if they came in, and not really caring. There is electricity in the city air, crackling in the subway and the sidewalks, and damn it's been a long time since it's done that for good reasons. Well, except last week of course. I got an email from Bed, Bath & Beyond this morning with the subject line "In the air there's a feeling of Christmas." Yes. Yes there is.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

It has begun

The illness has started. My hands are sweaty, my pulse is racing, my heart is in my throat, and I'm shaking. Must be election day!

I certainly don't want false hope, and I understand the whole time-space continuum thing, but damn do I wish some returns were in. Like, all of them. More than just Dixville Notch that is. (By the way, that article isn't correct: the town leaned Democratic during Jed Bartlett's reelection. Well, Hartsfield’s Landing did anyway)

Several feeds, most of them detailing potential voter intimidation and challenges and whatnot, are not helping. The Onion is helping a lot actually, but I still feel this pounding in the pit of my stomach. Thank god Google is feeding the madness!

I'm going for a long run tonight, then I'm getting drunk and watching season three of the West Wing. Wake me when there's good news.

The pronunciation on the back is for "eggroll"