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“Oh, switch off.” – 3-PO, Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
This is pretty much how I feel about the mess we find ourselves in politically. Frankly, I’d rather we drop over the fiscal edge and start from almost scratch again than pass something that will only kick this bloated can of slop a few months further down the calendar so we can do it again. Because this has been Just. So. Fun. It’s hard for me to make any easy-peasy “We should just do A-B-C” statements because:
I’m very liberal socially.
- I don’t care who you sleep with or marry.
- Soft drug use (while stooopid) is a non-issue for me and the time/money spent policing it is completely ridiculous.
- Basic medical care, for one of the wealthiest countries in the world, should be available to all.
- People in need of assistance should be helped back on their feet by people who are flush with cash.
- Religion and politics make for VERY bad bed-fellows – like eyebrows, there should always be a space between them.
I am also fiscally conservative.
- Balanced budgets are not optional in real life. They are a must in real life.
- We should not pay people (aka, give tax credits for) to have children or buy houses.
- If you have a fat retirement account, you probably don’t need a monthly Social Security check, too.
- Yes, most benefits should have a time limit. “Just one more year” and “six more months” cannot go on indefinitely.
Like life, it’s inconvenient and messy and scary and absolutely essential that we actually make an effort here. So the house has just voted to vote. (Reminds me of my Dutch meetings to set up a meeting.) What will we get?
Chancellor Palpatine: “Must I remind the Senator from Malastare that negotiations are continuing with the separatists. Peace is our objective here… not war.”
Padme Amidala: “My noble colleagues, I concur with the Supreme Chancellor. At all costs, we do not want war!”
Chancellor Palpatine: “It is with great surprise and joy the chair recognises the Senator from Naboo, Padme Amidala.”
Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones
Dad Windu and I just spent a long weekend in our old hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, celebrating his parents’ 50th wedding anniversary with his brother and sisters and all their families. Despite all our differences religiously and politically (many of them are conservative in every way while we are right by leaning strongly left  ), we had a wonderful time seeing everyone, visiting all the ArtPrize 2012 exhibits, drinking far too much, eating even more, and possibly partaking in other vices.
They rented out hotel rooms for us all in the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, right in the middle of it all the ArtPrize festivities. We drove/flew in from all over – Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, and Vienna, Austria – and like a great amoeba we rolled together and apart and together and apart during the days, but we spent the evenings together (see the above paragraph). Our packages included massages, free drinks, sumptuous meals, valet parking, private dining areas, etc. And it was good. Very good. Too good.
I love living in Des Moines, but there is something about a West Michigan autumn. The days are cool but not cold, the nights encourage the use of comforters and quilts, the sky is cloudless and brilliant blue while the tree – oh, the trees! – are a ridiculously perfect blend of colors. If you haven’t ever been to Michigan in the fall, you simply must carve out a week in mid- to late-September. I will apologize in advance for the state if the roads, however. They are uniformly deplorable.
“Oh my goodness! Shut me down. Machines building machines. How perverse.” C-3PO, Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones
Just a quick line here to ask for your help on a matter I’d like to pursue.
What is (are) the most impressive engineering/architecture project(s) in your area? A beautiful bridge? A gorgeous townhall? A slick roundabout? I’m looking for cool feats of engineering/architecture near and far to follow up on. Help a girl out?
Jar Jar Binks: “Mesa busten wit happiness seein Yousa again, Annie..”
Anakin Skywalker: “She hardly even recognised me, Jar Jar. I’ve thought about her every day since we parted… She’s forgotten me completely
Jar Jar Binks: “Shesa happy. Happier den mesa see-en her in longo time.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “You’re focusing on the negative, Anakin. Be mindful of your thoughts. She was pleased to see us. Now let’s check the security.”
Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones
We arrived to 53 very cool degrees, but it was almost midnight so no big deal, right?
Pfft. Next day we sight-saw in rain clouds and 45 degree weather, made an evening grocery run at 37 F, and woke up today to sun (thankfully!) and a frigid 32F.
I plan on lodging a complaint with the Southern Arizona Tourist Board for Breech of Contract.
Tucson = warm and sunny
[to Wicket the Ewok]
“You’re a jittery little thing, aren’t you?” – Princess Leia, Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
Of course I am, I’ve had about 17 cups of coffee and half a carton of chocolate covered almonds since waking up at 8am this morning. This is not, just so you know, a recipe for steady hands. It is, however, a recipe for happy taste buds. Small victories.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a perpetual dreamer. I ask annoying questions like, “Do you ever wonder if we’re making the right choice by saving as much as we can for retirement, owning our house/having a mortgage, working full-time instead of traveling while we can, since there’s no guarantee that we’ll a) live to retirement, b) be healthy enough to travel and learn/do all the things we want to by then, or c) not have all our retirement funds go belly up in a huge stock market crash by that time?” or “What types of things do you want to learn, and is it really a want (aka, you’d be willing to really work for it) or just a wish (wouldn’t it be cool if I could…)?”
We had one of our oldest friends out this weekend. We didn’t do much, but it was great to see her and she seemed to enjoy the downtime in a different locale. Being the nice person I am, I even put her to work in the backroom at the store during my short shift yesterday. That’s right, come visit me and I’ll make you look for rips, stains and excess wear in piles of used clothing. Good times, good times. (But as a volunteer, she got 50% off her purchases, so everyone wins.) Now it’s time for her husband to come visit so we can visit with him, too!
On an unrelated note, Padawan Learner gets to go to Catalina Island during spring break as part of a volunteer effort to remove invasive species, help get the island ready for summer tourists, and learn about the island’s biodiversity. How cool is that? He even gets 2 hours of Field Studies college credit for it. I am jealous beyond words.
“And you, young Skywalker; we shall watch your career with great interest.” Chancellor Palpatine, Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace
I have been watching, on and off, The Universe on demand from Netflix this week (thank you awesome internet-ready Samsung TV and forced week of vacation!), and I have decided that when I grow up I’m going to be an astronomer. Then again, if I get back to watching Mythbusters I may decide to return to my earlier decision to be a Physicist. I think the fact that we only get one short ride on this rock is deeply unfair.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: ” What took you so long?”
Anakin Skywalker: “Oh, you know, Master, I couldn’t find a speeder that I really liked, with an open cockpit… and with the right speed capabilities…”
Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones
Here’s the Green Lantern, all fresh and shiny with bonnet stripes. Isn’t he purty?
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