You can’t please anyone

I like to think of myself as a good person.  I try to be nice to people, and while I like the occasional bit of gossip (okay, lots of gossip), I try not to be completely malicious.  Or malicious at all, really.  I’m having several issues right now about various things going on in my life, and the only conclusion I can come to is that you just can’t please a single person.  You will have friends and family and lovers who will love you, but you will never be able to please anyone.  There will always be something about you which irritates them, worries them, makes them not like you just a little bit.  No matter what you will disappoint people, whether in small, insignificant ways that, in the long run, most likely mean absolutely nothing, or in the big ways which tear relationships apart.

I realize this sounds fatalistic and completely depressing, and I suppose it kind of is.  For many years now, I have attempted to follow an ideology whereby I didn’t care what others thought of me, and since I was secure in who I was, I would not need to change what I was doing or how I was acting as long as I stayed firm in the conviction that I was not only good, kind, etc, but willing to strive to be better.  This was easy to do when I was around people I did not care about and saw those I did care about infrequently.

Since coming to graduate school, I have learned that this … ideology is totally flawed.  Not just because it doesn’t entirely make sense, but it is near to impossible to keep up.  Everyone has someone they want to please.  Everyone wants people to like them.  Whether it be friends, family, co-workers, lovers, acquaintances, whatever, there will always be people you want to please.  Because, at the heart of it all, no man is an island.  No one can exist entirely on their own.  We need people to love, to befriend, to talk to, to use (yes, people use each other, that should be readily apparent).  We need to please people because we need to be pleased.

I have discovered bad habits and things about myself which, while I never thought they were a big deal, they are to others.  People who have become my friends.  And because they are my friends and I love them, I will strive to change those habits.  And the same goes for parts of me I know my family does not like about me, but I was that way anyway because I thought it was fine since I never saw them.  Now I know that it just isn’t like that.

It is extremely important to remain true to yourself, no matter what.  But we need friends and family and other people to help us with certain aspects of ourselves which may not allow us to be completely true to ourselves and others.

My problem with the Nobel Peace Prize

According to the Nobel Peace Prize website, President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”.

Even I can see that this is a bunch of crap. First of all, Mr. Obama has been in office for 8 months.  Yes he has been slammed recently (thanks to SNL) for not getting anything done.  His lofty goals certainly weren’t going to be completed within the first year, and it has become the elephant in the room for the media (CNN in particular is in a tizzy over SNL’s claims) and the Democrats who practically declared him to be the second coming of Christ.  His aims were never going to be completed so quickly, if ever.  I apologize for sounding so pessimistic, but come on.  Plus, a lot of them were simply campaign promises.  I could see his campaign promises for what they were when they were being said.  Even so, things take time; Mr. Obama has said so himself.  Unfortunately, no one listened.

Now, 8 months into his presidency, he has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for trying to strengthen diplomacy.  Except that while he is attempting this, those people he is “strenthen(ing) international diplomacy” with are going right back to their countries and talking shit.  (Sorry, foul language.)  I understand that these things take time, but why are we awarding a Nobel Prize for something that hasn’t been accomplished yet? Also, I have a huge, and I mean HUGE problem with anyone who would snub the Dalai Lama in favor of China for fears that they would get upset with such a meeting.  Peace Prize, my big toe.

As I told other people who seem to back this award, there are many who have been continuously snubbed for these awards … maybe their actual success in achieving greater world peace is not as important as fostering international diplomacy and attempting to achieve greater world peace.

What about a posthumous nomination for Pope John Paul II (maybe it would also put Pope Benedict XVI in check for trying to destroy everything John Paul built)? Ronald Reagan for ending the Cold War? Gandhi for being Gandhi? Or Cesar Chavez for his civil rights activism? If they want the Nobel Peace Prize to actually mean something, they should nominate people who actually deserve it.

Alfred Nobel wanted to keep political corruption out of this award and thought that it should be awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”  (thank you, Wikipedia) I hope he isn’t rolling over in his grave.

This is for the radicals

I should start off first by saying that I love studying the radical nature of humanity. My research focuses/hopes to focus on radical religion during the Reformation, and I find modern radical religions absolutely fascinating (I include in this Charles Manson’s Family and Fundamentalist Mormonism). The nature of radicalism is a fascinating ideology which acts as a figurative pendulum in history. The problem is that when the pendulum has swung too far to one side, it can break.

Today, we are faced with the radicalization of politics, the polarization of this country’s government. The biggest problem of all is that people think that this is okay. The Far Right have taken over the Republican Party, allowing it to maintain a spiteful, hateful persona which has completely turned this Moderate away from any kind of agreement.  The problem with polemical thought is that those who are forced to endure it are, by basic tenets of human nature, going to automatically disagree because the way in which the argument is set forth is usually insulting and juvenile. You can find examples of this in Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, Ann Coulter’s obscene writings and even Fox News’ fear-inducing propaganda. No one wants to be yelled at, no one wants to be told they are stupid.  And yet Rush Limbaugh, a paragon of virtue to be sure, sits on his high horse, telling people off about various issues and insisting that he is the only voice of the Republican Party worth listening to. I, for one, would rather listen to nails scraping on a chalkboard.  His polemics are a disgrace to the Republican Party, and yet he is still talking. Republicans should be advocating less government, but what the Far Right really want is to make sure they are the ones controlling you, not the Democrats.

And to all you Radical Democrats, you’re just as disgraceful.  You allowed the Global Warming debate to be politicized when you knew the theories of global warming have so many holes, it may as well be called swiss cheese. I am a firm advocate of being more aware of the global problems we have brought on ourselves.  The problem is that the earth continues in a state of flux, warming and cooling.  However, the political nature of the debate is such that the only focus for the opposition has become the downfall of the global warming theory. Moving on, the biggest issue I have with you is that you believe that the government can solve anything. What a load. How’s that stimulus working out?  How about the 3.5 million jobs Obama promised to create in his campaign? Where is unemployment? Over 9%? Yeah, government control of the finance and car industries sure seem to be keeping those bonuses in check and the usury of credit card interest/overdraft fees sure seems under control now … oh wait, no they aren’t. Complete government control doesn’t work. Socialization of everything doesn’t work. Yet you insist that it does even while it is failing. So Nancy Pelosi, you can continue to stand by your radical ideas, but you’re a fool for doing so.

I have to give it to all of you Radicals, both right and left.  When people tell you to your face that your tactics aren’t working and they are disgusted with your methods, you continue on doing what you want, and continue to push people away.  That’s ballsy.  Or just plain idiotic, I’m not sure which anymore. The thing to remember is that you can have your way, you can push people down in order to get what you want, but once you have done so, you’ve completely defeated the original ideals you are supposed to stand for.

Like I said, I love to study radicalism.  But only because it is so mind-boggling that people actually think it works.

Email Exchanges with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Below is a chain of emails that has affected me so strongly that I felt the need to post it here, mainly in the hopes that more people will stand up in anger over this. If you have read my blog, you will see that my views on religion are a little … eccentric. However, I do believe in Christ and the Trinity and I practice that belief through the Catholic Church. When I see what is displayed below, I cannot turn a blind eye. I am leaving out certain names in the below emails, but am leaving the titles in because I think attention needs to be called to the blatant disrespect.

This is an email sent by an old family friend in response to the LA Times article “Cardinal Mahony calls Kennedy a champion of the powerless“. He is a faithful Catholic (in fact, I know him from my Church growing up):

Cardinal Mahony,

Once again your eloquent words regarding Senator Edward Kennedy in the LA Times amaze me!

“a champion of “the voiceless, the powerless and the most needy of our citizens . “

As a devout Catholic, I might consider that these “voiceless and powerless” you speak of were the many unborn children that “Teddy”, time and time again chose to vote to terminate their existence . If my 16 years of Catholic education taught me anything, it was that abortion was immoral and sinful! Yet, once again you side with your good friend “Teddy” on the side of politics, fame and fortune rather than your own church doctrine you allegedly stand for .

You have once again proven what a sad representative you are to true Catholics nationwide . I pray you find the truth amongst the many gifts God has bestowed upon you . I pray you understand the responsibilities and the consequences of your words in such an important Catholic teaching . Lastly, I pray for your soul because I know God expects more from those he has given so much .

God Bless You!

This is the response sent by the Director of Media Relations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (the DIRECTOR):

Subject: How dare you

How dare you insult the Holy Father! Some “devout Catholic” you are . I’m not going to stand by and let some yahoo defame the Bishop of Rome and the Archbishop of Los Angeles just because they acknowledged the good things that Sen . Kennedy did during his lifetime . Shame…SHAME…on you!!

Only a pea-brain would argue that Kennedy’s support for abortion not only completely eclipses any good he may have accomplished, but turns into demons those — including the two aforementioned church leaders — who would point out his good deeds .

In your mouth-breathing, senseless jabbering you obviously didn’t stop to read the entirety of Cardinal Mahony’s statement on Sen . Kennedy . Of all the bishops who made statements, Cardinal Mahony was the only one who also pointed out Kennedy’s inconsistency when it came to his support for abortion laws .

And only pea-brains lap up every carefully edited story published by the Los Angeles Times .

Shame on you for insulting the successors of the Apostles! Devout Catholic, pshahh!

I need to interject at this point and say, wow, what terrible writing, not to mention completely hateful.  How did this guy get to be the Director of Media Relations for the Archdiocese?  Is Cardinal Mahony aware that he employs people like this?  This is a spokesperson for the Catholic Church of Los Angeles!  How dare he respond in such a manner!  So, I felt compelled to send a response:

I have been privy to a recent email sent by a long-time friend, Kevin Conway, to “info@la-archdiocese . org” and your, I must say, rather vitriolic response, both of which I have included below, just in case your memory has deserted you. I wish to address a number of points with regard to this exchange, not the least of which will involve your apparent disregard for the actual content of Kevin’s initial email.

When Kevin emailed Cardinal Mahony, he was doing his just duty as a member of the Catholic Church in speaking out against words the Cardinal made about the late Senator Kennedy, a man who was certainly no “champion of the voiceless.” Regardless of an individual Catholics’s views on abortion, gay marriage and other controversial issues, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, speaking as the Archbishop, is responsible for representing Catholic dogma to his diocese, and abortion, in any form, is considered amoral, sinful and murder in the Catholic Church’s eyes. Senator Kennedy was a champion of the pro-choice movement, and to deny that a fetus, an unborn child, is a member of the “voiceless” society is quite ludicrous. While I understand the need to speak on the occasion of a powerful man’s death, it was completely unwarranted and inappropriate for Cardinal Mahony to speak so lovingly about a man who throughout his political career denied basic Church teachings consistently and reprehensibly. You mention in your email that in his statement, Cardinal Mahony “pointed out Kennedy’s inconsistency when it came to his support for abortion laws,” and was the only bishop to do so out of all the bishops who made statements. So what? And could that have been any more of a mediocre statement? Was it actually necessary for Cardinal Mahoney to make any kind of a statement in the first place? At the very least, he could have spoken just to Senator Kennedy’s work with the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act.

Moving on to your email, I would like to point out that Kevin never made any mention of the Holy Father in his initial email, however, you thought fit to call forth the Bishop of Rome in defense of your baseless accusations. I would like to remind you that the Vatican has issued no official statement in response to Senator Kennedy’s death, a rather intelligent decision by the Vatican and the Bishop of Rome. You accused Kevin of calling the Bishop of Rome a “demon,” but you are the one who has defiled the Holy Father in your email through your hateful words. You call Kevin a “pea-brain” for taking in the “carefully edited story” from the LA Times, when, in fact, the only place to find this “statement” made by Cardinal Mahony is from that article. You are the Media Relations Director for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, who on earth allowed you to have that position?

In his email, Kevin said that he would pray for the Cardinal, while in your email, you spewed hatred out of every sentence. Shame you, Mr. Tamberg, for defiling the Church’s relations in such a way. Are you even a Catholic? How dare you speak to a faithful member of the Church that way. As a practicing Catholic, I am appalled that a spokesperson for any aspect of the Archdiocese of LA would speak in such an immature, afactual and asinine manner. I am ashamed for members of the diocese for having such a spokesperson as you.

Shame, shame, shame on you for being so incredibly disrespectful.

I have posted this blog in the hopes that others will speak out against the Archdiocese.  It is totally unacceptable for a person, speaking for the Church, to say such things, and frankly, Cardinal Mahony, as a representative of the Archdiocese, was in the wrong for saying such things about the late Senator.  Your comments are welcome.

Economic Stimulus?

Seriously?  I have many questions about the new president’s plans for a) the socializing of our government and b) nominating clearly corrupt criminals (alliteration, anyone?) to the presidency.  Now, before anyone tries to tell me that Bush nominated idiots to his Cabinet, my answer is, do you want this to be a repeat of the last 8 years?  And as for socializing the government, if you don’t think that is what is coming, you have quite the whallop aimed right at your head.

That is not, however, what I actually want to discuss.  What really bothers me is this so-called economic stimulus bill that is being pushed down the throats of Americans.  It’s almost disgusting how much money is being allocated to ideas that very obviously have nothing to do with stimulating the economy.  This bill is pork-barrel spending at its best (or worst?).  While I am not a Republican, I am a fiscal conservative, and this is really really bad.

The following is a list of the items within the Bill that the Republican members of Congress have deemed wasteful.  I have to say, I agree with many of them.  Some of them I am okay with, but, for example, $246 million in tax breaks to Hollywood producers is a blatant attempt to pay off some key figures in key circles.

Like I said, I believe that some of the measures the Republicans claim are wasteful would be extremely beneficial, like the $850 million for Amtrak.  But if this is what we are to expect from the Democrats for the next 2 to 4 to 6 to 8 years, I shudder to think what we as a nation will turn into.

• $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.

• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.

• $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

• $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).

• $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.

• $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.

• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.

• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD’s.

• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.

• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.

• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

• $75 million for “smoking cessation activities.”

• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.

• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.

• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.

• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.

• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.

• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into “green” buildings.

• $500 million for state and local fire stations.

• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.

• $1.2 billion for “youth activities,” including youth summer job programs.

• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.

• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.

• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.

• $160 million for “paid volunteers” at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

• $5.5 million for “energy efficiency initiatives” at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

• $850 million for Amtrak.

• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.

• $75 million to construct a “security training” facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.

• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.

• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.

(This list was provided by cnn.com in their recent article)

Saying Good-bye to Another Year

There is this song sung by Frank Sinatra that is running through my head right now: It Was A Very Good Year. It’s a nice song, sung by a man who lived a long life, full of triumph and failure, pleasure and pain.  For me, it has more of an immediate meaning, especially considering that it’s about an hour until midnight (in Midwestern America) and the beginning of a new year.

2008 has been quite the year.  I wonder sometimes how so much can be packed into 366 short days (Leap Year!).  It seems as though every day something new happened, something was hitting the news, causing incredible fervor.  I think it’s acceptable to say that it was a crazy year.  There were floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, Olympics, elections, Recessions, Economic crises, political scandals . . . the list goes on and on and on.  The world has hit a rough patch and a lot of people out there are probably wondering what has been so good about the last year.  As cheesy as it will sound, for me the best part about this year, as has been every year, is that we survived to see the next one.

As the world says a weary good-bye to 2008, I, too, say good-bye to the year behind me.  My thoughts, inevitably, turn to New Year’s 2008.  I was working at a restaurant in Chicago, and had to work that night.  I remember not making much money (certainly not enough to have made the sacrifice of working on New Year’s Eve), and getting out just in time to listen to the countdown from outside a bar with a co-worker I didn’t care very much for.  It was quite the inauspicious beginning.  Within two weeks, I had flown home to California and back again, been let go from the restaurant, and completed my grad school applications – all in the middle of a multi-record breaking winter in Chicago.  The next two months were spent stomping through the snow and cold trying to find a job.  My lowest point came when, in one week, I was rejected from a group of graduate programs and was running out of money.  Eventually I found a job, and decided on an awesome grad program, but I don’t think I will ever forget that point in February 2008.  The next months were filled with making/saving money (unsuccessfully).  During this time, I prepared to move yet again, and actually developed some pretty radical views on religion (theories I don’t think anyone would expect to actually come out of my mouth).  I got to see my Aunt get married to a man I am honored to call family now, and heard of the births of new family members.  I grew closer to all my sisters, and I feel like I can actually call them friends now – an incredibly awesome feeling.  My parents, grandfather and older sister have been my bulwark in the hard times, and my younger sisters the source of great entertainment to keep me distracted during the difficult times.

After moving north to begin a graduate program in Early Modern European history, I realized that I had stepped into an entirely new world – one I was not prepared for at all.  My first semester was an adjustment, to say the least, and I would be lying if I said that I had adjusted completely to grad life.  But I realized at some point, that, as difficult as this all is, I am finally doing exactly what I want to be doing, and what I should be doing at this point in my life.  Not many people say that they enjoy sitting in the library for 8 to 10 to 12 and more hours of the day reading, studying and writing.  But I can.  Ignoring all the procrastination, I have thoroughly enjoyed my productive library time the last few months and am looking forward to more.  There have been ups and downs this semester, but when it all comes down to it, the pros have outweighed the cons.

There have been three things that have helped get me through the toughest times this year – my 3 F’s.  Faith, Family and Friends.  Without these three, I couldn’t have done it.  I am, finally, exactly where I want to be.  Sure I’m alone again this year, with a head cold to ring in the New Year with me, but when I think about the foundation I have built for myself for 2009, I couldn’t be happier.

So as I raise my glass of Bailey’s on the rocks and sing Auld Lang Syne to 2008 and ring in 2009, I know that not only was it a very good year, but, with faith, family, and friends with me, it will be a very good year.

All in Moderation

What does it mean to be a Moderate in today’s society?  Well, let me tell you.  I am a fiscal conservative and a social liberal.  This means that I have no place in a society with such a polarized view of politics.  I feel like I’m entrenched in “No-Man’s Land” from WWI, with blue and red not only fighting around me but pulling me back and forth, trying to get me to cross over to their side.

When I argue with my rabidly conservative father and grandfather, I am a liberal who doesn’t know the “right way” and has been taken in by the liberal media (it’s not just “the media” anymore – it’s “the liberal media”).  According to them, many times, I don’t have the capacity to realize that those liberals out there are just out to destroy our freedoms and attack Christianity.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the phrase, we’ll talk in 10 years or so when you really understand what’s going on.  OR when I get told that I don’t know what “evil” is.  That’s my favorite.

So I’ve been dealing with this for a while.  NOW I have a friend, a very good friend, who, essentially, is a Communist.  We argue constantly about politics and the “American way” (whatever that is anymore).  He’s all about the revolution and is just waiting for it to happen.  According to my friend, I am completely conservative and cannot understand the “right way” because I am too entrenched in my family’s political ideas (which is funny because I’m pretty sure my mother is more of a moderate liberal) and my religious upbringing (also funny because Catholics are the most liberal of the Christian religions) to truly understand that communism is the only way.

Therefore, I argue with my father about one set of issues and am a liberal, and then I argue with my friend about the same issues and am conservative!  I understand that, in the grand scheme of things, Americans are, as a people, way more conservative in ideals than Canadians and Europeans.  I totally get that.  But it is absolutely amazing that, in order to be a moderate in this country, you are attacked by both sides!  And both Democrats and Republicans have their heads shoved so far up their asses that they can’t tell that they are acting like idiots.  It is patently obvious that we shouldn’t be spending money willy-nilly right now, and yet that is exactly what is happening, especially now with the election of a Democratic president and an incredibly Democratic Congress.  And the “Grand Ole Party” has proven that it no longer “walks the walk” or actually believes in being fiscally conservative, which has been proven by the fact that our National Debt doubled while the Republicans were in control.  Give me a break

I am definitely a fiscal conservative.  I think it is extremely foolish to put ourselves deeper and deeper into debt in order to get ourselves out of debt.  I also am very concerned with the fact that the government is getting more involved with the market.  We have nationalized the banks, but everyone is so concerned with their own financial woes (real or perceived), that they do not truly realize what that means.  One of the first steps on the road to complete governmental control is for the governments to take control of the financial sector.  I’m sorry, but I don’t think it is right for the government to tell me what I should be doing with my money (whatever is left after they take out taxes).  And I definitely don’t think it’s right for the government to tell people that it is okay to spend money you don’t have because eventually it’s just going to bite us all in the ass.  It has become apparent to me that the Stimulus package was absolutely useless and this Bailout plan will be no better – all it will do is put off the inevitable.

On the other hand, I am a social liberal.  I am against the death penalty, I am for stem-cell research.  While I am personally against abortion, I believe that this nation is not prepared for the ramifications at all levels if abortion were to be outlawed.  I believe that the violence in this country is caused by a laxity in gun laws and the drug war that has lost us countless lives.  I believe that first and foremost on our nation’s priorities should be education, but that people are too busy worrying about how they are going to pay for their McMansions and luxury cars to care about the plight of our nation’s children.  I believe that every child in this country should have access to affordable medical care.  I believe that welfare was a good idea, but needs to be greatly reformed.  I believe in Social Security, but that it should be the people’s choice as to what happens to the money when it is taken from our paycheck (a little bit of both, there, don’t you think?).  I believe that while climate change is real, it is a combination of many factors, not just human interference, and the sooner we get rid of our dependence on all oil, but especially foreign oil, the better off this country will be.  I believe that war is wrong, and I wonder if there should be a formal investigation into the real reasons why the US invaded Iraq.

This is what it means to be a moderate in American society.  Well, in my mind at least.  For those of you who wish to blast my beliefs, know that it comes from a deep sense of who I am as a person and what I want this nation to become.  I didn’t come to any conclusion lightly, and to assume that I have because of media bias or even familial loyalty is not only ludicrous, but insulting.

So to all of you who think that straddling the fence is the easy way out – you have no idea what it truly means to compromise.  And to all of you who think that this country hasn’t been damaged by the partisan nature of our government – think about the Congressional approval ratings or when the last time you actually believed that Republicans and Democrats were working together.

Random Thought 14

Or, why I believe in soulmates.

In this crazy, cynical world full of hate, I often run into people who are completely incredulous when I tell them that I believe in soulmates.  Willing to over-analyze the concept, people ask me how it’s possible, or if people can have more than one soulmate, and if so, if that cheapens the concept.  All I want to say to all of you nay-sayers is that, whether or not you believe in the concept of soulmates, they are there.  Unfortunately, not everyone meets their soulmate, but it can definitely be said that soulmate-dom (I know that’s not a word) can develop over time.  And just because you don’t necessarily meet your soulmate doesn’t mean that you are doomed to a life of misery and loneliness.  And no, your soulmate doesn’t need to be your romantic partner.

So, how did I come to this realization?  Mainly because I’ve seen it.  My grandparents were soulmates, and I don’t think there is a single person who knows them who would think otherwise.  And when I talk to Grandpa about Grandma (who passed away), it’s immediately apparent that they were meant to be together.  I remember hearing the story of when they met from both Grandma and Grandpa, and it really is amazing.  I have other examples, but I don’t want to embarrass them just in case they ever read this.

It’s not surprising that today people don’t understand the concept of soulmates.  With the divorce rate as it is, and the new-found cynicism following the “Free Love Movement” of the ’60s, who can blame people for not wanting to admit to fully connecting to just one human being?  But it does happen, and it is definitely real.

As a final note to this random thought, I will leave you with the article that sparked this blog.  I do believe in destiny as a converging of free will and fate, but just read the article, and maybe you’ll understand what I mean.

Amazing Holocause Love Story Lives On

Random Thought 13

Or, Why I Am Single.

And probably will remain that way.  Forever.  I am 24 years old now and I have never had a boyfriend.  Now, you can tell me that’s really young to be worrying about this stuff, but I’m not kidding when I say that I have never ever dated anyone longer than a month.  This isn’t even the problem.

You see, since I’ve started grad school, I’ve had some time to think about all this stuff.  You get home by 2 or 3pm everyday and procrastinate a lot, and you end up with time to think.  My problem is that I am attracted to inappropriate men.  And they are attracted to me.  No matter how inappropriate or in what way they are inappropriate, I will end up attracted.  It’s very frustrating.

So here’s what I’m saying, right now.  STOP IT.  Inappropriate men – STOP going after women looking for an appropriate man!  You know you are inappropriate!  Leave us alone!  I realize this is my fault, too, I’m not an idiot and I don’t have a martyr’s complex, but seriously!  Inapproriate men just distract us from what our real goals are.  And let’s be honest, women get distracted easily.  So please, go back to whatever is making you inappropriate and leave appropriate women alone.

Me, I’m going to hole myself up in my apartment for a little longer, and then continue to look for an appropriate man.

A(nother) Great Depression

It’s closer than we think.  On September 29, 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 failed in the House of Representatives.  This is just the first step towards approving a bill, but now it will not even get to the Senate or the White House without some major changes.  That’s part of the great system of checks and balances we have in the American government – one branch doesn’t like it, it doesn’t go through.

On September 29, 2008, exactly one month (to the day) before the 79th anniversary of the beginning of what is currently known as the Great Depression, the DOW dropped 777 points.  The greatest drop in one day EVER.  Ironically enough, the number 777 is significant Biblically.  You see, the number 3 means “completion” and the number 7 means “perfection”.  So you could say that 777 means “complete perfection”.  (To give a correlation – the number 6 means “imperfection” so 666 is “complete imperfection” – I think you can take it from there.)

I am afraid.  I am honestly afraid of what will happen in the coming days, weeks, months, years.  Not what will happen to the economy, or even the government.  I’m afraid of what will happen to the people.  We are hurting right now.  We have no confidence in anything.  People will continue to lose their jobs, homes, their lives as they know it.  The soul of our nation is hurting, it’s wounded.  We have been brought low by 2 wars which have little support, but are still killing Americans, Iraqis and Afghanis.  Approval of the US Congress is, at last count, at 9%.  Presidential approval – 20% (if that).  And in the midst of all this, voting has begun in one of the most-watched elections in the history of the US.  An election that, from what I can tell, won’t bring very much “change” no matter who is elected.

And yet, here is my plug for hope.  This is a cycle.  Granted, a cycle that has gone down further than other years.  It will get better.  We, as Americans, as world citizens, have to stick through it.  We don’t really have a choice.  This is life, this, sometimes unfortunately, the way things are.  But it will get better.  The problem we all seem to have is a lack of preparation for the future.  No one thinks, when things are good, that things will go bad, and no one thinks, when things are bad, that they will get better.  But they will.  We must have hope, we must have confidence in ourselves as Americans, as humans.

At the onset of the Great Depression, John D. Rockefeller said “These are days when many are discouraged.  In the 93 years of my life, depressions have come and gone.  Prosperity has always returned and will again.”  It took 12 years and a world war for prosperity to return, but it did return.

And we will prosper again.