Discuss

Thesis:

Office Manager is not synonymous with mother.

Corollary:

Administrative ______ is also not equivalent to mother.

My Gay Agenda: World Domination

7:15 Wake up, take shower, dress
7:40 Feed dog, kiss el Mayor goodbye, leave house
7:56 Wait at bus stop
8:02 Get on bus, notice I’m the only rider
8:11 Arrive at Metro, get on train
8:24 Attempt to transfer to Red Line, wait for train
8:34 Waiting for Red Line
8:44 Still waiting for Red Line
8:54 Red line arrives
9:30 Get to work
10:00 Make web pages
12:03 Finish web page, go to lobby for lunch
12:07 Someone’s hellspawned crotchfruit pulls fire alarm
12:29 Fire alarm over, eat lunch
1:00 Resume web pages
4:10 Have asinine conversation
4:55 Leave work
6:20 Meet Majorkins for dinner
6:53 Finish dinner, wait for check
7:21 Get check, leave for home
7:36 Walk dog, freeze fingers off
8:02 Relax
9:27 Make popcorn, read
9:30 Fire alarm sounds
9:31 Get dog, wallet, phone, go outside
10:02 Fire department address alarm, lets us know a burst water pipe set the alarm off
10:03 Go back inside
10:04 Fire alarm still ringing
11:03 Fire alarm stops ringing
11:05 Read
11:18 Dog bays at people walking in hallway
11:19 Calm dog down
11:40 Dog barks at people in hallway, again
11:41 Calm dog down
12:07 Cat pukes on desk, clean up desk
12:40 Go to bed

Media Mayhem

I came across the following headline via the Elevision this morning:

Bush to be first president in nearly a decade to visit Palestine

The headline struck me as ridiculous and misleading for many reasons.

1) Being the first to do something implies significance. You know, because no one's ever done it before. But someone already did -- a decade ago.

2) Use of the word decade: It means exactly 10 years. It doesn't mean less than 10 years or nearly ten years.

3) If we consider the 'decade' to mean1998 - 2008, then Bush has been President of the USA for 8 of those 10 years. If you consider it's really 'nearly a decade' -- call it 8.5 - 9 years, then what we're really talking about is the fact that this is the first time since Bush has been in office that he's visited Palestine.

The last President to do it before Bush, was Clinton -- his predecessor. But the headline reads as if it's been ages and ages since an American President has been to Palestine, and Bush is doing something fantastic and should be lauded for his efforts. The only problem Bush has had 7 years prior to this one to do something about Palestine. He shouldn't be lauded for doing something he should have done ages ago. It's like praising your kid for finally cleaning his room after already asking him 7 times.

While it is regrettable that Bush has waited so long to visit Palestine, my real problem lays with the media's presentation of this. It's the spin to make it look like he's doing something, he's being the Decider. A more accurate headline would be Bush makes first visit to Palestine.

[I did a lot of research online to find the source of this story and it appears to be from the AP . I saw the headline on the televisions in the elevator at work via Captivate. There's been some minor differences across headlines, but they more or less say the same thing.]

Man v. Machine

Things have been a little crazy lately. After recovering from the Family Flu And Cold (2007 edition), I haven't had a nice, normal, quiet day at work. It's been non-stop, go-go-go, get this done NOW! Fortunately, it's enjoyable work. Unfortunately, I haven't really had time to do anything else.

After 2 nights of very little sleep, it all caught up with me this morning. I was happily sleeping in my bed and woke up to pleasant sunlight. I enjoyed it for a couple of moments and then I realized: there's sunlight! OH CRAP! WHAT TIME IS IT?!?!?! A quick glace at the clock let me know it was 9:30 and that I'm now going to be at least 3 hours late to work. [Don't you just love non-rush hour bus schedules?]

I made the best of it, worked like a dog and got a lot done at work. My work groove was running smoothly, but little did I know that the Paper Shredder had other plans for my afternoon. Foolish mortal, don't you know you don't make me shred 4 pages at 4:30? To thwart you I will jam up and force you to use mini screwdrivers to pry little bits of paper out of me. For 30 minutes. Maybe I should have just stayed in bed this morning?

2007 Wrap-up

I survived the trip to the tundra, but only just barely. No one acted-up, misbehaved or was otherwise nasty. With the exception of one minor tiff, it was a very pleasant trip. I got to spend a lot of quality time with my nephew who staged a Christmas Pageant with his matchbox cars: "Hi, I'm motorcycle. Let's go to the North Pole."

My loving family did send me home with 2 wonderful gifts: the flu and a head cold. My nose starting running like faucet somewhere around mile 109 on the Ohio Turnpike. The flu induced fever hit shortly after I got home. For reasons that I'm going to leave unwritten, I had to drag myself into work on Thursday and Friday.

By the start of the weekend, I was completely out-of-it. Saturday to Wednesday is a giant blur in my mind. I do know Princess Hot Muffin, the Malator, Assley, the Mayordomo and I had a great meal at my favorite Thai place on Saturday. The rest of the time I was asleep or taking up space on the couch. 2007 went out the way I started it: sick and strung out on meds. I sure hope this isn't some portent that 2008 is going to be more of the same.

2007 -- without a doubt -- was the worst year of my life. I had some good times and reconnected with some old friends, one of whom I never thought I would speak to again. But The Great Nexorcism effectively made 2007 a great steaming pile of mierda. I figure I'm due for some good karma in 2008.

I hope everyone out there in cyberlandia had a great holiday and an even better New Year.