Most HP-related commentary or gah-gahness will continue to remain outside the pretty white curtain. Feel free to drop me a line on the who, what, when, where, and if our interests are similar and you aren't a scary cyberstalker then I'll probably add you.

I am at chinese wedding performed in english. Sounds like kim Jong il of team america is marrying them. Trying not to laugh.

Yeah I am so going to hell.

Am writing again and therefore remembering things that were long forgotten but now rise again.

Tonight I am remembering a guy I kissed at 19. He was a junior in high school at the time, friends of many of our mutual friends, and I had either just turned 19 or was about to. I can't recall. I really liked him, I really did... but for some reason after that one night where we held hands on a drive with other friends in the car, and kissed outside his house before dropping him off.... I freaked. I avoided him, in a really shitty way, totally dropped him so as to not have to explain why I wasn't interested... even though in some ways, I was interested i just couldn't process someone being interested in me, someone younger than me being interested in me.. Wouldn't he even technically have been statuetory, if he was 17 and I was 19 at the time?

 I broke his heart, from all accounts. 

I tried to apologize a few months later at his graduation.... don't think it helped.

I look back thinking I wish I'd known where it'd go.... but I was so raw. So hurt. So not me at that time. We'd lost three friends within 9 months, and I think I was afraid to let anyone else in.... I wish I could tell him that it wasn't HIM. It wasn't HIS fault. It wasn't HIS issue.


I don't even remember his name now... 

Grrr... Either having mouse problems or LJ problems or my keyboard is now starting to crap out. Time for new computers!!!!

I'm a little bit flustered today, and I think it has to do with watching a movie about cataclysmic climate change last night... I had bad dreams. No, really, I mean, I had  NIGHTMARES about it. The one I remember most was that I was making lists of all the things we needed to take with us in an evacuation to Mexico to avoid the coming icebergs, and I was running down a street, when this green Honda Civic did one of those hairpin U-Turns to pull up beside me. My stepmother poked her head out the window and said to me that it was fated that she find me here on this day, whilst we were preparing to evacuate, and that the spirits told her where I'd be, and oh, btw, it would be better to make your lists about what to take on tiny pieces of paper instead of a big notebook just in case you have to eat the lists later if the Mexicans ask about what you are importing.

WTF?

I am watching CNN coverage of Obama painting walls for Service day, today on MLK day. His socialistic message and ideas preaching to the people who have not vs. those who can create still freaks the hell out of me, but I'm also celebrating the end of 8 years of bullshit and stupidity and my complete inability to turn on a press conference without at least two beers at the ready. I'm okay with it. I will never be a diehard Obamaniac; I still may never vote for him if his view on the economy doesn't wisen up (IE, I'm talking TAXES people. Yes, yes, I'm rich now, I make a shit ton of money now, I have nice cars and a nice house, but I worked my ass off to get it and I'm not about to roll over and think it's alright that money I made is going to pay for someone who didn't work as hard as I did, who didn't earn it through their hard work. And before someone goes all elitist, I went to a state school for University and for Law School. Ain't no Ivy here.)

Anyway... today feels like New Year's Eve. Because tomorrow, Bush will be a has-been, mandate-less toad, as he should have been 8 years ago...

No matter how I try to be a functional human being, there is still a little part of me that thinks of what it would be like to leave everything behind, to sell everything but my camera and my backpack and enough clothes to fill it, and traverse the world on foot until I get tired of it, or until the economy snaps back, or both. 

Sometimes this dream involves D, but most often it does not, as let's be honest folks... D requires at minimum three stars. I'm thinking of sleeping UNDER the stars, or a hostel at best.

This is our backup plan. If all our work in the system, if all our hopes and dreams and possessions and playing by the rules and lives must change because the dawn of a new era of depression, this is what we will do. See the world, check back in every 6 months and see what has stabilized. Because I have to have a plan of such magnitude to breath in this economic environment.

Don't kid yourselves, Houston. We're okay for now. But finance is the engine that turns the world, or at least, the world as we knew it. Trade deficits. Drilling. Paychecks. Car loans. Car makers. Construction projects. College tuition at the ivy schools for kids whose parents aren't fucking billionaires. Scholarships from schools. Fuel purchases for shipping/transit/airlines/imports/exports/lumber. Infrastructure projects. Everything. The whole globalization engine turned on the idea that Bank A could lend to Bank B cross border and Bank B could then make money on that investment from Bank A with Person A in Country B and so on and so forth.

Yes, work is slow in my section. It will continue to be, for a while. I will endeavour to enjoy it, but in truth I am one of those few people who requires excessive activity to feel functional. So I am not amused by a slow day. I am not doing well with slow days. I am not functional if I don't have twenty different things needing to be finished Right. Now.

"John Galt is Prometheus who changed his mind. After centuries of being torn by vultures in payment for having brought to men the fire of the gods, he broke his chains and he withdrew his fire-until the day when men withdraw their vultures."

Tired of playing by the rules. Meh.

 

Oh, btw. Arm is getting better. Obviously tying is no longer at issue. I'm working on fully straightening it again, and turning my palm upward. Double Meh.

IT IS SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IN HOUSTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This may not seem like anything to those of you in the frozen north, but MIND YOU it never snows here, and on top of that, it was 70 degrees yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I DROVE HOME IN SNOW FLURRIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG STICK MOTHERFUCKERS, STICK LIKE YOUR LITTLE LIVES DEPEND ON IT!!!! I WANNA BUILD A SNOW WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I have joined the 21st century and now have satellite TV (as opposed to NOTHING before this besides rabbit ears).

GIVE ME YOUR TV SHOWS!!! WHAT SHOULD I BE WATCHING NOW!?!?!

I have no idea. We're overwhelmed here. We spent two hours this afternoon on the history channell because... damn, that's cool. Yeah.

 

So not leaving the house for the next month...
 

 

In other news, house flooded, bar comes out in two weeks, missing sheetrock everywhere thanks to house flooding downstairs, putting in floors still, insurance is trying to fuck is over re: flood, so over it, so ugg. But whatever, I have satellite now. I have choices. I'm cool with it.

Between starting work, renovating the house, packing, moving, the FUCKING HURRICANE and its aftermath, the city after the hurricane, the traffic after the hurricane, oh and did I mention finally actually moving, the last month has been completely insane. We lost internet for a while after the storm, then AT&T was way too efficient and moved our service to the new house that we weren't yet living in, and which didn't have power... I had a whole posting about FEMA's bullshit down here and the local political squabbling but then I lost internet and jennem  never responded to my commentary and it was a long time ago now. I will say this: gas the first week was scarce, but we had filled up before. Water was gone for a while but it came back. Downtown was closed for a while, but it opened up Tuesday after the hurricane. It's okay here. The biggest inconvenience is traffic lights missing and power being out and not being able to find a gallon of milk for most of the city.

As for now, I'm in the new home, we have moved sort of, still need to clean up the apartment this weekend and unpack lots here.

I am sitting on (new) couch drinking (lovely) beer watching (horribly depressing) debate on TV.

That's my life.

That's it.

Yup.

:-)

So far I'm considering writing in the moderator.
 

I am in love with this commentator's perspective on Georgia. Exactly!!!

Here's a good article from the Financial Times on the whole Georgian-Russian fiasco.

You might have to register but the article is excellent!!!

Apparently, the UN's definition of genocide is much to broad because it actually includes activities other than complete extermination.

I have no words.... Just. Wow. Awesome. Let's all reflect on humanity.



Anyone know of a community that actually discusses international relations without attracting wank posters who don't believe the UN's genocide definition is accurate? Methinks this might have been a mistake. :P

I disagree with the cold-war focus that Stratfor is putting out here. I'm rather disappointed, actually, because if I were PAYING for this information from them I'd be highly dismayed at how much this report (and the American media in general, obviously) is glossing over the factual background of this situation.
What the American media (and this article) keeps failing to mention is the fact that the region in question was an autonomous region under the Soviet Empire, separate from Georgia, and the majority of the population there supports becoming part of Russia. Imagine if Texas post-independence were then claimed as part of Mexico again but the majority of the people supported being part of the United States, then Mexico were to invade Texas in a bid to enforce it. Keep in mind that in Ossetia, the people who support the contested region being part of Russia are ethnically Ossetian (not Georgian) and historically Russian (3/4ths of the population there carries Russian passports and are Russian citizens), were part of Russia, and grew up as “Russians” – is Russia to abandon their citizens because Georgia has decided the region is theirs even when the majority of the population wants to be Russians and the land was never historically part of Georgia? There have also been reports of genocide against the Ossetians by the Georgians; bombing the cities level in the region in response to the pro-Russian sentiments so their quest for ownership of the contested region is easier to accomplish.

Georgia as only gotten cozy with the US to protect itself and have the US run interference on its behalf. It is pure political cold war and international relations 101. I think Georgia is TRYING to provoke foreign involvement on their behalf. Keep in mind that Georgia’s NATO application was recently rejected and the next time they will be up for NATO membership is this coming December – Imagine if they had become part of NATO! We’d (along with the rest of the NATO membership) would be obligated to defend them under NATO! I quite frankly see Russia’s actions as more of a response to the West’s NATO policies and the EU’s expansion into the realm of Russia’s “influence.” I think the time for action was years ago, when we first had the choice between integrating Russia back into the fold or isolating Russia by embracing the newly independent states and excluding Russia from security and economic arrangements. This current conflict is a reflection on that decision, certainly not a revenge-motive for Kosovo.

The conflict between Russia and Georgia in this area (and more generally) started way before the Kosovo independence. No one in Russia wants to invade Georgia, they just want the Georgians to stop killing Ossetians and leave them alone. Further, everyone is glossing over the fact that Georgia started this conflict… AND keep in mind that this conflict actually started almost a year ago when Russia began throwing out Georgians from the country due to escalating tension over this region with Georgia attacking peacekeeping forces located in the region since 1992. This was not a surprise overnight thing; they mobilized almost a year ago to the border when this all began (with the Russians throwing Georgians out)… So none of this was incredibly surprising to us.

Though we are glad Hubby is no longer of draft age in Russia...

(also cross-posted here in conservatism )

Quite frankly, I think the whole thing is a result of the West's NATO-expansion policy. No one here is surprised by this turn of events. Russia has been shoved off, pushed aside, and degraded militarialy for years; let's not even consider the economic factors. It's conflicted territory. It's formerly Russian. It has a lot of Russian-backers living there. WHY do we feel the need to say "NO! OMFG! It's GEORGIA'S! ARG! NOT RUSSIA!"....... What factors declare territory? What right does Georgia have to invade a city? To invade an area that before the end of the Soviet era was an autonomous region, not even part of Georgia?

I am watching a bunch of really stupid people arguing about it on KLRU right now. Let's just say that Pat Buchanan is the smartest of them. One is claiming that the US has to defend Georgia because we are allies. Uh. You and what treaty? Who are we defending? What happened to the Monroe Doctrine? WTF?

THEN the commenter went on to state that McCain is more Hawkish and OMG!WTF what are Bush and McCain gonna do about it?!?! PLEASE.  Going in to help Georgia would be WWIII, OH HAI RUSSIA! WE IN UR BACK YARD?!?! No way. NO fucking way. Quite frankly, I'd think Obama from his commentary on Russia (see Accidentally Liveblogging The View) would be more "Hawkish" if anyone were to be that stupid, but even he can't be that incompetent.

Sigh.

So jennem, that's what I think about Georgia. Sorry it took me a while to actually think of a response. :D

Obama has just stated that RUSSIA is in the same category of foreign energy dependence as the Middle East. He said that foreign dependence on Russia is allowing Russia to "act with impunity" because oil and gas prices give them a role in world politics..... Yeah, and the sentence before? Referenced middle eastern oil dependence.

Excuse me? Are we cold-warring again? Have we learned nothing from the past 16 years of NATO and EU growth and Russia's reactions? Is this the same guy who said less than two weeks ago in Berlin that  "... we must reject the Cold War mind-set of the past, and resolve to work with Russia when we can, to stand up for our values when we must, and to seek a partnership that extends across this entire continent."

Fuck me.  Is this a rerun? I hope so. What's up with this?

Seriously. When my back-up plan  for economic failure and complete decimation in America includes, in order, London, Moscow, or Shanghai, there might be something going wrong back home. Coupled with Hubby's discovery last night that there is now law in effect allowing Homeland "Security" to confiscate any electronic or paper devices or books on your person when entering the country, we're strangely reminded of our history lessons and really quite skeptical of the upcoming election. I know many, many of you disagree with me on this, and that's fine, that's your right. But from where I'm sitting, I see very few differences in how the election thus far has played out between Obama and Bush Jr. The fervorrism, the blind worship, the lack of questioning, it's all there. And it scares the fuck out of me.

and

It's a WOOTOFF DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

You are in a mall when the zombies attack. You have:

1. one weapon.
2. one song blasting on the speakers.
3. one famous person to fight alongside you.


1. A bastard sword so I can swing it with both hands.
2. Are you There? by Oleander.
3. Duncan MacLeod. OH yeah.

Sometimes, I really really really hate my future profession and worry about what it will be like being a woman with a uterus and a desire to make things in that uterus while also working at a major law firm.

THIS IS WHY.


I'm sorry, you fired an associate 6 days after they have a miscarriage and it's her "PERFORMANCE?"  After how many years of excellent reviews by the partners etc? After how many arse-kissings and confirmations she received that her performance was fine for this year and that her reduced billing because the economy wasn't a factor? This firm, btw? Specializes in Employment Law and represented Sullivan & Cromwell in the recent stink over fired gay attorney Aaron Charney. Like, whoa. Good job, morons! Note to Big Law: finding yourself on ATL for something like this -- it might not be the type of press you wanted. Just FYI.

I just have to say, though, GOOD FOR HER!!!!!!! I hope if I'm ever in the same position I will have the financial security and the moral turpitude to do the same.... Naw, who am I kidding, I'm more likely to take the money and create a scandal anyway by violating the disclosure agreement then flee to Russia to live my days as a contract lawyer in the oil fields while drinking vodka and eating caviar every night..

Yup.

I AM A FASHION GENIUS!!!!! YOU ALL SHALL BE CONQUERED AND MADE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS BY MY CHOICES!! MUHAHAHAHA!!!





( The one were Allelhia makes Jennem not buy a crap-ass watch )