Saturday night, at the bar where happiness goes to die, an elderly drunk guy gave me and Mike some interesting advice.
He said, "Don't worry too much about the future. Because it's going to come. And it's going to be stupid."
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Artsy Fartsy Liberal
During a recent political conversation, my mom repeated a sentiment she's expressed several times. She said, "Emerson turned you into such a liberal, Maggie."
I've heard variations on this over the years. She has often wondered aloud (and sometimes as an accusation), "Where did you come from?"
I'm the type who generally does what I'm told, so it's a mystery to me how I came out believing the opposite of what my parents believe. And Emerson College may be the reason.
I applied to go there because the two tour guides had huge tattoos, piercings and brightly dyed hair. And because they had a writing program that was supposedly pretty great. I also liked that it was right in the city.
It's a cliche, but being there opened my eyes to lots of things. I felt like the most boring, plain student there. Aside from the millions of wild ways my fellow students dressed and decorated their skin and hair, they all seemed so informed. And they all cared passionately about things. They were strict vegans. They cared about the integrity of art. They protested the war in 2003. They gathered publicly in support of gay rights. They cared about the election; they volunteered to work in support of their candidate's campaign.
I didn't care about anything when I got there. I'm slow to change so I think it took me a while for the example of my peers to sink in. But I think I'm such a "crazy liberal, like that liberal hippie Jon Stewart" (as my mom says) because of the exposure to all of the crazy liberals at Emerson.
My mom may feel like she shelled out money for what ended up being liberal brainwashing, but I'm thankful for it. Thankful to my mom for letting me go to "that artsy fartsy school" and for paying my way. And thankful for what I learned from the other students there.
I like to think that Emerson helped me become the person I was already on my way towards being. It just nudged me there faster and educated me in the process. But I wonder if I'd have gone the other way if I'd attended, say, Bob Jones University?
I've heard variations on this over the years. She has often wondered aloud (and sometimes as an accusation), "Where did you come from?"
I'm the type who generally does what I'm told, so it's a mystery to me how I came out believing the opposite of what my parents believe. And Emerson College may be the reason.
I applied to go there because the two tour guides had huge tattoos, piercings and brightly dyed hair. And because they had a writing program that was supposedly pretty great. I also liked that it was right in the city.
It's a cliche, but being there opened my eyes to lots of things. I felt like the most boring, plain student there. Aside from the millions of wild ways my fellow students dressed and decorated their skin and hair, they all seemed so informed. And they all cared passionately about things. They were strict vegans. They cared about the integrity of art. They protested the war in 2003. They gathered publicly in support of gay rights. They cared about the election; they volunteered to work in support of their candidate's campaign.
I didn't care about anything when I got there. I'm slow to change so I think it took me a while for the example of my peers to sink in. But I think I'm such a "crazy liberal, like that liberal hippie Jon Stewart" (as my mom says) because of the exposure to all of the crazy liberals at Emerson.
My mom may feel like she shelled out money for what ended up being liberal brainwashing, but I'm thankful for it. Thankful to my mom for letting me go to "that artsy fartsy school" and for paying my way. And thankful for what I learned from the other students there.
I like to think that Emerson helped me become the person I was already on my way towards being. It just nudged me there faster and educated me in the process. But I wonder if I'd have gone the other way if I'd attended, say, Bob Jones University?
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Beware the clutching of the face!
A note to photojournalists everywhere: please come up with a new graphical representation of the plunging economy! The Wall Street dudes clutching their faces is getting really tired!
How about a new theme of these guys wearing barrels with suspenders... clutching their faces?
How about a new theme of these guys wearing barrels with suspenders... clutching their faces?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
But take heart
Yesterday at a McCain rally when McCain asked his new favorite question, "Who is the real Barack Obama?," some guy in the crowd screamed "A terrorist!" McCain looked a little startled, then continued on with his speech. (Video here.) He should've had the guy dragged out by the tongue.
Later at a Palin rally, after she did her "Obama pals around with terrorists" shtick, an audience member suggested, "Kill him!" She, of course, did nothing about it either.
To quiet my rage, I look at today's election projection, and take heart:
28 days to go. In the meantime, as McCain continues to encourage/permit the kind of behavior mentioned above, I hope the Secret Service stay at the top of their game.
(Hat tip to FiveThirtyEight.com.)
Later at a Palin rally, after she did her "Obama pals around with terrorists" shtick, an audience member suggested, "Kill him!" She, of course, did nothing about it either.
To quiet my rage, I look at today's election projection, and take heart:
28 days to go. In the meantime, as McCain continues to encourage/permit the kind of behavior mentioned above, I hope the Secret Service stay at the top of their game.
(Hat tip to FiveThirtyEight.com.)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Bailout
A good article about the failed bailout package from one of my favorite indepdent magazines, YES! Magazine.
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