I've been away for a while. Sorry. I'd say I've been looking for a job, which I have (just in case I don't make it to Aubergine House this time around), along with thousands of other Americans, but I've also been sitting around thinking that a lot of my time is spent wondering why people do the things they do, and why ask the rest of you? Well, then again, why not?
Tokyo Knife Rampage
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUST27752620080609
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=84261&newsChannel=worldNews
I'm not really asking "why," in this case. I think the reasons people are committing these acts of violence against people they don't even know, en masse, with increasing frequency in places like the US and Japan, are pretty transparent. The question is why we don't do anything? "We..."
Plus, there is the propensity I have to slip inside what I call my 16-track mind and wander. Some really interesting things happen in there, and disconnect me from people sometimes. (Good thing Presidents have___ House Spokespeople.) And there are the tangibles of the immediate environment to distract me from things like job seeking and blogging, like books and kites and baking cookies. (If we lived in the cookie economy I dream of, I'd have it made economically.) At least I am not consumed by the virtual world in front of me on the laptop that sits on my kitchen table.
While in Denver with Netiquette back in late March seeking, and finding(!) fabric for her wedding outfit, I wandered down to the coffee-and-magazine shop in the lobby of our Fancy Hotel on Sunday morning and bought a tall cup of strong hot coffee and the April issue of Glamour magazine and sat on a couch, the upper end kind the looks of which belie its lack of seating comfort, to read and watch people traffic. An interview with several guys about "Men's New Sexual Needs" (yes, that's right) revealed that one of them is that men need "at least as much attention as your laptop." (Have they all figured out it works the other way around, too?)
People of this Fine Country, if I were your President, you would not have to worry about me spending more time playing computer games (and subsequently running around knifing people; that's what some would suggest is the next step, right?) than attending to you in person. (Though I do love my Facebook and Scrabulous and currently would welcome at least a couple new challenges at that table.)
Enough for now; it's late enough in the morning to start pestering people about jobs. (Apparently there are more jobs, proportional to people needing them, than a person can shake a stick at here in Wyoming, as opposed to other states, just not in Albany county)
Congratulations, Ken Griffey, Jr:
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200806092878787
Oh, and check out the new Beastie Boys: The Mix-Up. The Guardian claims it's "for fans only" and gives The Mix-Up just 2 stars, claiming the music, all "jazz-tinged instrumentals," doesn't stand alone. However, I'm with Roberto on this one, that you have to respect guys who have been around a long time, are considered solidly as a particular genre, and then bust out with something new and different. Plus, the tracks stand up just fine as interesting and worthy dinner party music. Maybe it'll be on the menu for my first Aubergine House get-together.
Showing posts with label ____ House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ____ House. Show all posts
Monday, June 9, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Aubergine House
The second comment about my campaign for President of the USA was a request by my boss, Tim, that a new color for the White House be chosen quickly because he was having trouble saying "_____ House." I am pleased to report that the contest has ended. (Not only have I proven my ability to inspire people to rise to action- there were three entries within hours- but to listen and respond to the public, two traits that I believe are pretty handy for a President to possess- though we may have forgotten over the last several years.)
In case Obama loses the race (which he certainly will, should I win), I would like to carry on the message of change that he has used to imbue the American public with a sense of hope for the future- and that other candidates have echoed, knowing full well that the American public really would like to be seen and heard and considered a part of the American population that benefits from the government that is necessary to some degree in order to prevent greedy people from traipsing all over people who are less greedy or malicious in order to further their own gain. After all, we all pay our taxes, right?
We could use an image that the world sees on a regular basis to convey that we, the people of the USA ("U" stands for "united"), intend to require a big change in the behavior of those we elect to represent us, since for the most we part are underrepresented by them; that we are ready to throw out some stale old traditions like primarily letting older white men with a lot of money stand in for us when most of us aren't older white men with a lot of money and we know these older white men with a lot of money have little to no idea what it is really like to be a "regular" American (except that they, like most of us, probably watch far more TV than is necessary, and they probably aren't always tuned in to C-Span.)
(Note that I am employing a Presidential Strategy that, unfortunately I have pretty much always excelled at and ought to drop: rambling in run-on sentences. This is why I will let RobRohrTM be my Aubergine House Spokesman. Or at least my speech writer, though I will insist on editing myself.)
Yes, that's right; the contest has ended, and the initial change that will illustrate the colorful future to come is that the White House recently called ______ House will be painted and renamed accordingly, Aubergine House. (The length of the name makes it sound better to drop the article before, and this will make it immeasurably easier for my foreign students to send me grammatically correct letters and post cards while I reside there.)
There were two entries for Pink House, but I chose to go with Aubergine House for a number of reasons that I will lay out here, being a transparent future President: 1) I thought it might be a bit much for the public to buy a female President living in a house painted a color traditionally seen as female in this country, and that I might appear "weaker"- yes, in 2008! I think we all know there are still some terribly outdated notions in people's heads, even in this century- than I actually am; 2) another outdated notion some people still carry is that "pink" associates with "commie" and "commies" are bad; 3) aubergine is a preferred color for me. Frankly, I would rather live in an Aubergine House than a pink one, and I am the one who will have to live there for at least 4 years. Orlando knows how much I like aubergine, so he wins the contest. Since the night in the Lincoln Bedroom prize is a moot point for him, as he will be First Man, I am happy to let both Cyndie and Barry, the other contestants, have their turn. This is a detail I'm fairly certain I will remember when the time comes.
If you do not like the French connotation of "aubergine," feel free to call the Presidential residence Eggplant House, but I think that sounds a little strange.
Thanks for playing. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a little lighter time in this country, and took care of our people, too?
p.s. If Uncy or RobRohrTM or someone else with creativity, computer savvy- and time- would like to contribute to this blog and the campaign by turning a picture of the White House into one of Aubergine House and sending it to be posted, I'd be grateful.
In case Obama loses the race (which he certainly will, should I win), I would like to carry on the message of change that he has used to imbue the American public with a sense of hope for the future- and that other candidates have echoed, knowing full well that the American public really would like to be seen and heard and considered a part of the American population that benefits from the government that is necessary to some degree in order to prevent greedy people from traipsing all over people who are less greedy or malicious in order to further their own gain. After all, we all pay our taxes, right?
We could use an image that the world sees on a regular basis to convey that we, the people of the USA ("U" stands for "united"), intend to require a big change in the behavior of those we elect to represent us, since for the most we part are underrepresented by them; that we are ready to throw out some stale old traditions like primarily letting older white men with a lot of money stand in for us when most of us aren't older white men with a lot of money and we know these older white men with a lot of money have little to no idea what it is really like to be a "regular" American (except that they, like most of us, probably watch far more TV than is necessary, and they probably aren't always tuned in to C-Span.)
(Note that I am employing a Presidential Strategy that, unfortunately I have pretty much always excelled at and ought to drop: rambling in run-on sentences. This is why I will let RobRohrTM be my Aubergine House Spokesman. Or at least my speech writer, though I will insist on editing myself.)
Yes, that's right; the contest has ended, and the initial change that will illustrate the colorful future to come is that the White House recently called ______ House will be painted and renamed accordingly, Aubergine House. (The length of the name makes it sound better to drop the article before, and this will make it immeasurably easier for my foreign students to send me grammatically correct letters and post cards while I reside there.)
There were two entries for Pink House, but I chose to go with Aubergine House for a number of reasons that I will lay out here, being a transparent future President: 1) I thought it might be a bit much for the public to buy a female President living in a house painted a color traditionally seen as female in this country, and that I might appear "weaker"- yes, in 2008! I think we all know there are still some terribly outdated notions in people's heads, even in this century- than I actually am; 2) another outdated notion some people still carry is that "pink" associates with "commie" and "commies" are bad; 3) aubergine is a preferred color for me. Frankly, I would rather live in an Aubergine House than a pink one, and I am the one who will have to live there for at least 4 years. Orlando knows how much I like aubergine, so he wins the contest. Since the night in the Lincoln Bedroom prize is a moot point for him, as he will be First Man, I am happy to let both Cyndie and Barry, the other contestants, have their turn. This is a detail I'm fairly certain I will remember when the time comes.
If you do not like the French connotation of "aubergine," feel free to call the Presidential residence Eggplant House, but I think that sounds a little strange.
Thanks for playing. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a little lighter time in this country, and took care of our people, too?
p.s. If Uncy or RobRohrTM or someone else with creativity, computer savvy- and time- would like to contribute to this blog and the campaign by turning a picture of the White House into one of Aubergine House and sending it to be posted, I'd be grateful.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Grassroots Campaign for President of the United States of America
Here's my slogan: Vote for Lisa, cool as the BBC.
(Look; the BBC far surpasses the American media in challenging journalism: in scope, in depth, and in excellent reporter monikers. Do they get to make those up when they're hired?)
Here's my commitment: I will offer a stance on any issue proposed, seriously. And when I get into the White House, which needs a paint job, I will follow through, or place Uncy in my cabinet to do that part. He practically offered last week when he said he would like to go into business with me, that I would be "hellacious and unstoppable." I take that as an endorsement.
(And I will hold a contest to choose the next color of the ____ House. The prize will be a night in the Lincoln Bedroom. Disclaimer: If you win, expect to be filmed.)
Some issues on which I will not deviate, proving I am not wishy-washy, or waffly, or flip-floppy, or whatever else you want to call that trait that those of little principle possess:
1) Whether or not we ought to take care of the inhumanitarianism we ignore in our own nation instead of spending an inordinate amount of time and money on offering our version of freedom to other countries. (Read: It is absolutely inexcusable that we allow for a hungry and homeless population in this country while sending our own citizens off to kill and die in other places.)
2) Whether or not we should make young people and their families, pretty much regardless of income, pay ridiculous sums of money to get college educations so they can better contribute to this economy, then further contribute to those with the cash already by paying back the loans forever and ever, whether or not they actually are able to secure the positions that are supposed to exist for them when they graduate with that degree. (Uh-uh, we should not.)
3) Whether or not we ought to be doing things for and with each other in our own communities, rather than depending on a big government made up of all sorts of people who don't even know us yet claim they do, from a vantage point far far away in more ways than one, to take care of our ills.
Dang, I just shot myself out of a job, didn't I? Well, if I haven't yet, let me add that I am smart, hardworking, energetic, passionate, sociable- enjoy and care about people- and think that with at least four years in the _____ House (which, believe me, and those who know me will corroborate, will likely hurt), I think those of us who care can turn things up on end and make a statement that speaks for more than half the people of this country (even though many of them may not be paying attention.)
And, as you can see, I look good in a tiara, just in case I have to dress up- which would be the most fun part of the deal.
(Look; the BBC far surpasses the American media in challenging journalism: in scope, in depth, and in excellent reporter monikers. Do they get to make those up when they're hired?)
Here's my commitment: I will offer a stance on any issue proposed, seriously. And when I get into the White House, which needs a paint job, I will follow through, or place Uncy in my cabinet to do that part. He practically offered last week when he said he would like to go into business with me, that I would be "hellacious and unstoppable." I take that as an endorsement.
(And I will hold a contest to choose the next color of the ____ House. The prize will be a night in the Lincoln Bedroom. Disclaimer: If you win, expect to be filmed.)
Some issues on which I will not deviate, proving I am not wishy-washy, or waffly, or flip-floppy, or whatever else you want to call that trait that those of little principle possess:
1) Whether or not we ought to take care of the inhumanitarianism we ignore in our own nation instead of spending an inordinate amount of time and money on offering our version of freedom to other countries. (Read: It is absolutely inexcusable that we allow for a hungry and homeless population in this country while sending our own citizens off to kill and die in other places.)
2) Whether or not we should make young people and their families, pretty much regardless of income, pay ridiculous sums of money to get college educations so they can better contribute to this economy, then further contribute to those with the cash already by paying back the loans forever and ever, whether or not they actually are able to secure the positions that are supposed to exist for them when they graduate with that degree. (Uh-uh, we should not.)
3) Whether or not we ought to be doing things for and with each other in our own communities, rather than depending on a big government made up of all sorts of people who don't even know us yet claim they do, from a vantage point far far away in more ways than one, to take care of our ills.
Dang, I just shot myself out of a job, didn't I? Well, if I haven't yet, let me add that I am smart, hardworking, energetic, passionate, sociable- enjoy and care about people- and think that with at least four years in the _____ House (which, believe me, and those who know me will corroborate, will likely hurt), I think those of us who care can turn things up on end and make a statement that speaks for more than half the people of this country (even though many of them may not be paying attention.)
And, as you can see, I look good in a tiara, just in case I have to dress up- which would be the most fun part of the deal.
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