Well, it looks as if I'm going to be stuck at home dealing with a migraine today, so I may as well seize the opportunity to unburden myself:
- I hope some of you had an opportunity to participate in MoveOn's Democratic primary. The results will be announced on Friday, but I'm not holding out much hope for any one candidate. I voted for "Undecided", simply because I could not bring myself to make that sort of commitment. I was leaning towards Dennis Kucinich, but I really think he is far too Liberal for the general electorate to support. I have some issues with Kucinich myself, but I admire his passion- something I haven't seen from any of the other Democratic wannabes. I will still support ANY Democratic nominee (anything is better than the lying despot currently in office), but I am hardly enthused just now.
- Natalie Yates has been on a roll over the past couple of days. On Monday, she posted a lengthy piece on her battle with depression, and yesterday it was a thoughtful piece on blogging. I can't get her permalinks to work, but I'm sure you can find the posts without too much trouble. Natalie's got some interesting things to say, and it's well worth your time. It would appear that the student has become the teacher.
- My own battle with depression is an ongoing series of skirmishes, filled with setbacks and victories, and yet never completely settled. It's been this way my entire adult life. I've learned to "live" with it, but as with anything else in life, ignoring a problem is not an effective way to make it disappear.
It's not as if I don't have things to be happy about it; it's just that I've never really learned how to be happy, and it's difficult to enjoy life to any degree with that sort of handicap. I've got a great family, a beautiful wife who loves me (and I her), a nice home...and yet wherever I go, that damn black cloud is never far away. Perhaps it's time for me to actually DO something about it.
- I simply do not understand the idea of people using their weblogs as a vehicle to rip others apart. If you do not agree with someone, fine, but must we air our dirty laundry in public? Anyone who has read TPRS for any length of time knows that there are a few regular readers/commenters with whose opinions I strongly disagree. These people are welcome here (yes, even Owen...) because I value diversity, and because they are by and large respectful. No, I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but every now and then I manage to learn something from someone with an opposing viewpoint. Really, they're only opinions. Thinking differently doesn't make one a bad person. Besides, if everyone thought like me, this would be one seriously screwed-up world.
Can't we all just get along??
- I'm still looking for some generous and artistically inclined soul who can design a logo for my DUMASS AWARDS. I will be forever in your debt....
Also, nominations are always welcome. Just send them to me at yuppieskum-at-yahoo-dot-com. Keep in mind that I am not looking for garden variety stupidity. If that were the case, I'd just post Tom DeLay quotes and anecdotes all day long. What I'm interested is stupidity that goes far and above the call of duty.
- A big ol' turtle is barrelling (if a turtle is capable of that) through our backyard at the moment, on it's way back to the lake just beyond our property line. This means that it more than likely laid some eggs somewhere. Perhaps if I'm feeling better later I'll go out and try to find them. It's safer than chasing water mocassins or copperheads.
- Adam at Single Southern Guy is the host of this week's Carnival of the Vanities- and it's one of my favorites. I've seen a number of hosts try to outdo themselves by being overly cutesy (yes, I was probably guilty of that myself in February), but Adam's Carnival is simple, clean, and very subtle. Nicely done!! (OK, so he's still on Blogspot. He still did a helluva job....)
- Boo seems to have attained a degree of popularity that I could not have imagined, so I thought I'd give y'all an update. Our famous kitten seems to be going through the feline equivalent of "The Terrible Twos". No extremities are safe, particularly toes or ankles, and the results can be painful.
As I am writing this, he is competing with me for the keyboard, but his nonexistent attention span should soon move him on to other conquests. I've never been around a baby, but this one has both his hilarious and horribly annoying moments- like chewing on my knuckles as I try to type.
Boo has an amazing habit of falling asleep anywhere at any time. Just a few days ago, while he was tearing down the hallway, he stopped and dropped. He was probably asleep by the time he hit the floor.
argabgtnbignsaav- oops, that was Boo stomping on the keyboard....
I would like to get past the point where he views me as a six-foot-tall chew toy/climbing post. It would be nice to be able to let some of the scars heal. Boo hasn't yet grasped the concept that claws will easily (and painfully) penetrate a thin layer of cotton.
I've got to go. I'm under attack....
