Breakin' in the Lasso

So, a few days before I left Texas, J-M gave me a rope. Well, the above picture shows a classic "now what" moment. We tried for about 15 minutes to get the rope around the loose cow. We weren't sure what to do once the cow was tied up. Eventually, after being drug through about 1/4 mile of woods, she got herself all tangled up and we were able to grab her. Cows, you see, are huge and can pretty much do whatever they want to do. The trick is to not let them realize that. She figured it out and we were just along for the ride.

“Muck” is a Verb…Who Knew??

So, I’m living here on a farm near Rutland, MA, and if my first day is any indication, I’m going to be doing quite a bit of work, having alot of fun, having my fair share of adventures.

The first person I met last night was an older guy who picked me up from the airport. The farm is about an hour from Boston, so we had a while to get to know each other. Just in our short time together in the car, I was able to learn that he worked for the NSA for a couple of years before starting his 40+ year career as a freelance interpreter. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish, German, Russian, in addition to who knows how many other languages that just didn’t come up in conversation. He and his wife are now retired and, living out of their motor home, volunteer full time splitting time between Overlook Farm and a couple of marine refuges in Florida.

I am already impressed by the type of people involved with Heifer, and I’m not even to the farm yet.

When I arrived at the farm, I received a warm welcome from everybody in my house. (The house, by the way, is called “Camelot” because the camel’s pen is adjacent to the house.) The only other guy in the house is my roommate, Matt. He’s about my age, plays guitar, and is a returned Peace Corps volunteer, so we’ve got some stuff in common.

This post is already waaaay too long, so I’ll tell you as briefly as possible about my first day….

I spent most of the morning “mucking,” that is, shoveling cow poo from one place to the other. Then I moved some cows (a mother and her calf that just dropped on Friday) to another pen so that I could convert their little barn into a series of stalls that we’ll use for breeding goats. (I’m already calling it the Cabrito Love Shack. We’ll see if it sticks) While moving the same cows later in the day, we had to walk them through the camel pasture. When the camel got between the mother and her calf, the mother head-butted the camel, which caused the camel to rear up like some pissed-off horse. Now, camels are big animals when they are on all fours. When they rear up like that, you’ll want to go ahead and get out of their way.

So, lots of other stuff happened today (loose cows, frightened children, dogs herding sheep…), but I’ll save them for later.

Thanks for reading….I’ll be better about posting. As always, comments are more than welcome, even if they’re completely unrelated to the post.

I’m off to eat another meal made solely from organic vegetables and fresh dairy products….it’s rough.

The Road to 'Minority Report,' '1984,' and 'Children of Men'-esque Government Control is Paved with Stories Like This

People (mostly conservatives) who are of the "I don't care if you listen to what I say on the phone because I'm not breaking any laws" school of thought are naively and lazily handing over control of the freedoms of which they are so vocally proud to people who have little regard for personal privacy or liberty. Just as they shop at Wal-Mart while bitching about jobs moving abroad, these same people can be seen waiving flags while the foundation for what that flag used to represent being whithered away. Unfortunately, 57 Democrats proved themselves weak and susceptible to Administration fear-mongering, leaving the concerned minority with fewer allies than we might have assumed.

We should all be at least a little worried at this point.

A Couple of Bourne Observations

***NO SPOILERS HERE****

So, I just got back from seeing the new Bourne Existential movie, and I have a few observations to make.

1. Having seen shots from Turin, Madrid, France, London, and NYC, I have to say that while they are all just big worldly cities, they make Dallas look pretty boring. Not that I'm looking for a greater bomb in the marketplace to person ratio, but all of those tiny streets just look fun.

2. I have now expanded the exclusive and invitation-only "Women who are allowed to date Travis Kelly" list to include Julia Stiles. I haven't decided where she ranks in regard to Reese Witherspoon and Jenny Lewis, but she'll have to wait patiently just like all of the other ladies. If nothing else, I suppose she could teach me to dance.

3. Was the last scene supposed to be a very convincing and not too subtle attempt to dissuade each and every potential Army recruit that they might end up an unwilling participant in a super-secret government killing program, or was that just my take?

4. Maybe it is just me. I just heard from my Peace Corps Placement Officer. After asking me questions about the most private and emotionally sensitive topics in my life, she told me that the possibility of my leaving in late October/early November was "very real." She couldn't tell me where I'd be going or what I'd be doing once I arrived. I suppose that all of this secrecy is just part of the DC vernacular. Hopefully this is one of the few things that the Peace Corps shares with the War Corps.

Guns, Oil, and Money: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

So, I was quite flattered the other day when a friend told me that he was suprized that I hadn't commented on the recently announced arms deal between the US and various ME countries. The reason I hadn't commented is because I had been completely and totally out of the loop in regards to all things news. When I read what was going on, I was (unfortunately) not surprised, but was definitely scared.

For those of you who don't know, the US just announced, via a tag team tour of the region by Rice and Gates, that it would increase aid to 8 ME countries by over $60 billion over the next 10 years - IN THE FORM OF MILITARY AID. Essentially, we're giving them money with the understanding that they will turn around and purchase tanks, planes, missiles, bombs, etc from US companies. And just in case you thought Bush was turning meek in his lame duck days, he's claiming that these guns will help "empower the moderate voices in the region."

Wow.

If I'm ever asked to make a list of noteworthy moderates, I don't think that Charles Bronson or Tony Montana would make the list. Maybe I'm just being naive, but I tend to think that moderates can do almost all of their work WITHOUT TANKS. Does Bush really watch the news and think "Geez, if only the moderates were better armed they could make a real difference."

Not that our actions in Iraq are moderate by any stretch of the imagination, but nobody is as well-armed as we are, and all we've accomplished is the picking of a giant sandy scab. It's gonna decades to heal, if it ever does, and more guns is not their problem. In fact, the 190,000 guns that we've distributed to the bad guys hasn’t really made the place any safer.

In trying to actually figure out what could be the real reason for this deal, I figured that I had at least two options from which to choose. Option 1, the Bush Administration is completely corrupt and this $60 billion dollar donation to US arms manufacturers is simply that—a handout to ‘friendly’ countries for personal and/or political gain. Option 2, the vacuous Whitehouse braintrust actually thinks that by arming Iran’s neighbors they can intimidate Iran into backing down. (Note: see ‘arms race,’ ‘MAD,’ and ‘pipedream’)

Now, even I am not cynical enough to believe option 1. I don’t think that Dubya has enough to gain from such an arms deal that he would risk such a front page-bound move. Plus, he has certainly proven himself capable of such naivety in regards to easy fixes to complex problems. (Note: see ‘Iraq,’ ‘Afghanistan,’ ‘education,’ ‘AIDS,’ ‘Medicare,’ ‘tax reform,’ ‘social security,’ and ‘Al Gonzalez’) So, I think that it is most likely an unfortunate combination of options 1 and 2. He (Cheney) thinks that more guns can actually create peace, and the military industrial complex helped make the decision anything but complex for him.

Let’s, if just for a moment, look at this from Iran’s point of view. (I realize that if talking to Iranian leaders is unpatriotic that looking at things from their point of view is likely to get me shot for treason.) This map, which is oversimplified and pretty bad, but the only one I could really find,




shows the crazy number of permanent US military bases in countries that border Iran. Again, this map is rather vague, but the number from a map that appeared several months ago in The Economist put the number at 15. So, the US occupies two countries on your border, and has 15 PERMANENT military bases and two carrier groups well within striking distance of you. What do you do? You look remember that the US has never attacked a country with nuclear weapons and you start cranking the bitches out. As fast as you can.

Iran is only acting in its own interests, that is clear. I’m not sure in whose interests we are most interested. Looking at this map, I hardly think the region is suffering from a shortage of guns. I think that Dubya's legacy as a peace monger might be in jeapardy here.

Take A Picture - It'll Last Longer

Now that the guys are back in DFW for the time being, we decided that a night out on the town was an appropriate way to celebrate and make the most of our being back together.  After dinner at Kenichi, strategically positioned to become the go-to sushi place for the trendy and ultra-rich, we were ready to have a few cocktails.  Even though I had deliberately chosen a restaurant in the middle of Plastic Dallas, I was not too excited about the prospect of what would likely become our next stop - Ghostbar.

First, a couple of notes to those that aren't "in the know."  Ghostbar is located at the top (33rd floor) of the new W Hotel.  Graced (allegedly) regularly by celebrities, it is the place to go if you are looking for a scene, or just want to be seen.

That being said, I justified our visit by noting that "this is definitely one of those places that you only go once."  I said this on the way up to the club, but I didn't mean to poo-poo on the party.  It's just not the type of place or crowd that I typically enjoy.



I immediately caught flack for throwing cold water on the white-hot excitement brought about by the imminent explosion of all things fabulous.  I'll have to admit that while I can't see myself ever setting foot in that place again, I did enjoy the experience.  It became quite obvious that no money was spared in the planning of the club's amazing lighting schemes, ultra-modern furniture, flooring, and paint schemes, and the great patio looking out over downtown Dallas.  On the surface, this was a first-class place - right down to the clientele.  Most everybody was very well dressed and expertly coiffed (I, the bearded, pearl snap shirt-clad sore thumb being a notable exception, of course) to complement the high aesthetic standards of the venue.

Though I should have known better than to look much past the surface of such a place that was obviously designed to be easy on the eyes, I couldn't help myself.  Not much of a "scenester," I was not completely won over by the skin-deep beauty of the place.  My other senses were only patient for so long.  After all, I was there to have a drink.  Surely this neon pinnacle of Dallas nightlife would offer first-class high-end products for its discerning clientele.  Not so much.

The first three vodkas and two gins that I requested (all of which can be found in any of the city's 3 or 4 star restaurants) were not to be found.  The bartender, who was nice enough but less than accommodating to my questions than I would have liked, had to ask her bar back what vodkas they had.  When I did get my drinks, they were served in plastic cups.  Though not the red frat party-esque dixie cups, they did feel incredibly cheap for a place that charges a $20 cover on the weekends.  I mean, really, did I just get the kiddy cup, or is this the stuff they serve Justin Timberlake when he visits?

So, exhausted by the sleazy old men on the prowl and the lethal saturation of uber-snobbery in the room, we hit the road after one round.

I'm just incredibly more comfortable in Adair's, the Elbow Room, Milo's, Amsterdam Bar, etc.  No doubt we all do our share of pretending to be something that we're not, and perhaps if/when I have the means to frequent places like Ghostbar I'll understand why it exists.  But I'm just incredibly more comfortable in a place that's dark, smokey, and filled with crashing billiard balls and people of all ages and backgrounds shouting "Sweet Caroline" as loud as they wish.

You can keep your unblemished and surgically-enhanced go-go dancer cocktail servers and bartenders, I'll take the friendly and "average" looking server that shakes my hand when I walk in.

Things Learned on Those Nights When I Just Wasn't Ready to Go Home

As a waiter, I usually don't get to have much of a "nightlife." If I do go out after work, I usually don't get wherever I'm going until after midnight. Since it's hard to squeeze a full night's worth of fun into two hours, I've discovered several places that are more than happy to take my money until the wee hours of the morn.' Here are a few of the life lessons and observations made possible exclusively by such establishments:

1. It's ok to make friends with the giant Hispanic dude at the pool table, just don't put money on the game. It's probably not his first time to hold a cue stick.

2. Just because the young and agile black guy makes the Usher-esque moves easy doesn't mean that they are. When everyone clears away from the middle of the dance floor, it's not for you. Stay away, whitey.

3. If you happened to forget to wear underwear or some other important garment, don't bother feigning modesty. We're not buying it.

4. If three women are dressed alike, it was most likely the more attractive woman's idea. She knows that she's likely to come out ahead in the inevitable comparisons.

5. Somehow, Bud Light just tastes better out of a styrofoam cup. After 2 am. For $5.

6. It's ok if you feel safer in clubs that require a good old fashioned pat-down prior to entry. Just don't try to joke with the guy giving them out. He's usually not in the mood.

7. If ever offered a cocktail made with beer, lime juice, and a "secret family recipe" don't be tempted. It's a waste of a good beer (or two).

8. The repercussions of the "Beware of Mexican Food After 9" rule double after 2. And again after 4.

9. Long line outside + $15 cover + crazy trance music + only $6 Red Bulls to drink = check please.

10. You're much better off just grabbing a bite at Cafe Brazil, Cuquitas, Los Arcos, or the Metro Diner and going home. Save it for next time.

Looking for Trees, Waiting for My Forest

So, just because I haven't posted in a while doesn't mean that I haven't been writing. Lately, I've been starting pieces that I thought would be posts, only to find them incredibly too long, too personal, or just very poorly written. I think that I just experienced some clarity that, if I can stay on task long enough to write about it, might just make sense.


As I look forward to my official Peace Corps invitation, I've been giving some serious thought about all of the other experiences/adventures that I'd like to check off of the list. I have a life list, but that's not exactly what I'm talking about. I'm talking more about those experiences that, when you're older and perhaps in the middle of some sort of career, you can look back and smile knowingly. You know that it was these experiences, these singular opportunities that you took full advantage of, that made you into the person that you had become.

Though my life to this point hasn't exactly exemplified such an attitude, I see myself as someone who needs to go, see, and experience. I'm beginning to look at life more as a collection of experiences than a progression of them. Rather than embarking on adventure/stage/step "A," simply because it logically and necessarily leads to adventure/stage/step "B," for example, I'd like to see what "R," "F," or "Q" are like. That is to say, there are numerous experiences that I'd like to have, and I no longer feel as though they have to fit into some neat little steps-to-prepare-me-for-a-career box. When I do discover what it is exactly I want to do, I will no doubt look back and appreciate the role that these various experiences played in getting me there, but the means may not make alot of sense until the end is realized.

The "clarity" that I referred to was from a quote from an article about Leslie Feist, known simply as Feist to most people. When discussing the way her career just sprang up and took off rather organically with the success of her track "Mushaboom," and where her life might lead, she simply said "I'm looking for the trees. I'm waiting to find my little forest somewhere, and I just haven't figured out where it's going to be yet." I love the way that she turns the whole "not seeing the forest for the trees" saying on its face. I'm trying to appreciate and make the most of the trees, knowing that in time they will make up my little forest.

I Bite My Tongue...with a Caveat

Since I have used him as an example of righteous zeal on numerous occasions, I knew that I could not allow the death of Rev. Jerry Falwell to pass without comment. I will not, however, repeat or join in with any of the people who are already expressing their satisfaction with today's news.
Though he enjoyed popular support among many evangelicals, the vast majority of thinking people (believers and non-believers alike) had grown tired of his scathing, thoughtless, and disrespectful one-liners directed towards women's rights groups, homosexuals, and other 'secularists.' His death, therefore, should not be seen as a victory or success for anyone. As despicable as his views were, there is a family in Virginia grieving the loss of a father.
I know that many news outlets will focus on his founding of the Moral Majority and his role in getting "values voters" to the polls. But since one's death does not make one a "better" person, but simply a "dead" person, I hope that reporters will not shy away from giving adequate airtime to his numerous offensive statements, and the high-level politicians that still sought his counsel. Having advocated such divisive and unsustainable morals, I am confident that history will not be kind to the narrow moral absolutism of which he was so proud.

More Morsely Morsels

Dirk may have been the best in the regular season, but if he's the best player on his team, the Mavs will never win it all. I agree with everything JJT has to say.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/jtaylor/
stories/050407dnspotaylor.3dda6d5.html

Or, for a little encouragement, read Bill Simmons' take.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?name=simmons

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Is anyone else frightened by the fact that 3 grown men running for president of the United States readily admitted on live TV that they do not believe in evolution? I guess I'm actually frightened by the fact that their rejection of 150 years of biological study will actually HELP their campaigns in many corners of the country.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/05/us/politics/05repubs.html

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Take a second to laugh. Check out McSweeny's. Start here, then make your way to the lists. They're pure gold.

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2007/5/3hutchinson.html

Ironic Bedfellows

Does it strike anyone else as ironic that the US and Sudan have nearly identical views on the International Criminal Court?

Here is Stephen Hadley, W's deputy national security advisor, in 2002:

"President Bush is determined to protect U.S. citizens from the ICC. An effort by the ICC to detain an American would have serious consequences. No one should underestimate Bush's commitment on this issue."

Here is Sudan's Justice Minister, Mohamed Ali Al-Mardi, today, in response to two warrants issued by the ICC:

"We do not recognize the International Criminal Court ... and we will not hand over any Sudanese even from the rebel groups who take up weapons against the government"

For the record, other non-participating countries include China, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Qatar and Israel.

If we ever need moral support, it's good to know that Muammar Qadafy will have our back.

More seriously, this is something that Clinton got wrong in 1998 that Bush has made even worse during his administration. Maybe if our troops were held accountable to international standards, they'd quit torturing people so readily (or at least photographing it when they do). Even though we act as though we are above the law, it's high time that we agree to play by the rules.

McDonald's Sportin' the White Hat?

Since Blockbuster has been calling me for a few days wanting their movies back, I decided to watch one yesterday. If you haven't seen "Fast Food Nation" yet, you probably think that since it was shown at reputable independent theaters and shares it's name and theme with a popular book that indicted America's fast food industry and culture, it is likely a good movie.

(Spoiler alert......)


Well, it really wasn't. Considering the cast (Wilmer Valderama, Greg Kinnear, Patricia Arquette, Bruce Willis, Kris Kristofferson, Ethan Hawke, Avril Lavigne....) one would expect a much better product. Rather than providing a ballsy fact-based narrative indicting all of the shady and unethical things that fast food chains most likely do, they gave us a hodge-podge of unrelated characters whose stories all involve this fictional meat plant in Colorado. As a solution to the wrongs that were portrayed in the movie, traditional letter writing campains and boycotts were mocked. Eco-vandalism was the preferred method of action (though it didn't work either) because one character "[couldn't] think of anything...more patriotic than violating the Patriot Act! "

Though a tedious drag of a movie, it did rekindle some of my thoughts on mass-produced meat, among other things.

As many of you know, among my various principles is a refusal to eat at McDonald's or shop at Wal-Mart. It's been fairly easy to abide by those simple rules since I have (quite possibly just as bad) Whataburger and Target (no news is good news, right?) to provide relatively guilt-free burgers and domestic goods. One thing this movie did make me think about, even if accidentally, is the real effects of my everyday actions. The meat I eat and the clothes I wear have to be made by someone somewhere. I frequently buy things that I know I shouldn't. It's like my age-old gripe that the same people who refuse to let their teenagers work on Sundays, are more than happy to go out to eat with them after church. My kids are going to church, yours get to fry my chicken and go to hell. (hyperbole, I know.)

My point is that even though I have this knowledge and the guilt that goes with it, I'm not quite sure where to go from here. Should I never wear leather or eat meat? What about supporting corrupt regimes (at home and abroad) through purchasing gas and other petroleum products like plastic? Most people, myself included, just get overwhelmed with all of the guilt and decide to just do what we can.

And then the good news...

In the story linked above, Robert F. Kennedy's daughter tells us of a victory for Native American farm workers in Florida. It sounds like, perhaps as a result of all of the negative media attention and various boycotts, McDonald's is ready to make some real changes. We've all seen their menu get progressively greener. I think that you can now get milk or bottled water in your value meal. Perhaps this is the example of how consumer-led activism can bring about real change. McDonald's could be our generation's "dolphin-safe tuna."

Though it certainly took a lot more than passive consumer action to bring about this change, this can certainly be partially attributed to the reaction of consumers to the negative press. So, I will continue to "just do what I can" and support those that keep stirring up that bad press. Heck, now that McDonald's is inching its way off of my shit list, I just might try their McWater or McSalad or whatever else seems relatively safe. A little positive reinforcement never hurt a soul.

I'd Rather be Hot and Jammin' than Stylin' in Silence Any Day

So, now that I'm a bearded Mac-using waiter I feel much more at home in Urban Outfitters than ever before. Ironically, I'm able to find time to shop in the middle of the day, but not able to buy anything. While rubbing elbows with my fellow wearing-new-clothes-inspired-by-That-70s-Show-sters, I made a decision that gave me a little deja-vu...

First, a flashback....

The year was 1997, the place was my parent's living room. This is where I made my first car purchase. I bought my sister's 1989 Isuzu pickup for $200. It was a grey, four speed, single cab, short bed beauty with just over 125K miles. After my dad invested a further $400 or so to make sure that the tires and brakes were good to go, all it would need is a radio and air conditioning and it would be a sure lady-magnet when I got my license. The problem was, my job at Chicken Express was only lucrative enough to allow me to invest in EITHER a radio, OR a functional AC.

I think that all of Waxahachie knew when I got off from work because every night I would blast Beck's Odelay album from the two 6x9's screwed to the floor behind my seat.

This brings me back to today's Deja-Vu....

Last night was perhaps the craziest night that my restaurant career had ever seen, so I decided that would reward myself a bit for avoiding a complete and total meltdown. So, off to Urban O I went. The decision that I eluded to above was whether or not to spend $45 on a shirt (something that I certainly don't NEED, but something that I could certainly USE), or to go down the street a bit and by music (something I have alot of but can' seem to get enough of).

Two record stores and (only) two albums later, I feel adequately rewarded (though I will no doubt stare frustrated into my closet in the very near future.

Incidentally, the albums I bought today are quite good. Panda Bear's Person Pitch came highly reccommended from Gorilla vs. Bear and so far it's living up to the hype. I haven't gotten to Clipse's Hell Hath No Fury yet, but I expect good things there too.

Pope Benedict: King of Denial

Pope Benedict, in a riveting 131-page document, reaffirmed many of the stodgy outdated principles by which Catholics are supposed to live. Among other things, he reminded Catholic politicians that they are expected to aid the Church in its opposition of abortion and gay marriage. He also chimed in on the "painful situations" of remarried Catholics. Instead of getting remarried, which implies a sinful consummation of said marriage, he urged the divorced faithful to "commit themselves to living their relationship ... as friends, as brother and sister."

Obviously Benedict didn't get to be pope without being an intelligent man. He no doubt wielded significant political prowess in the secret meetings that eventually produced the white smoke a couple of years ago. So the man who formerly served as Pope John Paul's head theologian is no dolt.

He does, however, seem to be in denial.

His call for Catholic politicians to "support laws inspired by values grounded in human nature" seems terribly ironic coming from someone who, theoretically, is still a virgin. Talk about going against human nature. Catholics can talk all they want about how unnatural homosexuality is. At least they're having sex. I would contend that it is more "unnatural" to abstain from sex your entire life and then use the highest and loudest pulpit possible to make judgments about "values grounded in human nature." His views are not grounded in reason, much less human nature.

Benedict either 1) has had sex and is having a Ted Haggard episode, attempting to assuage his overwhelming guilt by implicating everyone else; or 2) has been so cloistered his entire life that he long ago abandoned any notion of his own human nature and easily mistakes his high intellect for Holy approval.

The same same kind of hate-filled counterintuitive and counterproductive speech can be heard coming from Protestant pulpits too, of course. For me, it just provides additional confirmation that those people who, in 2007, still talk of the immorality of homosexuality and the "painful situation" of remarried people are not the loving, thoughtful, and compassionate people that they claim to be.

Just as people find religion (or no religion) outside of your rules, people are going to find love outside of your rules. People don't fear you anymore, Benedict, and when given a choice (as all free-thinking people have), choosing love will always trump the guilt that you are selling. Religion can do alot of good, as can the Church. Don't you have bigger fish to fry? Call me crazy, but sitting in your golden city casting judgement seems like a terrible waste of time and resources. Many of the people whose steadfast alliegence to thier faith lends you what legitimacy you have left are among the poorest, most disinfranchised and oppressed people in the world. While I'm sure that your reminder to the faithful that they speak Latin during mass gives these people considerable comfort, a little more attention to their physical and political plight might do a little more good.

Of Hate and Basketball

My Dad and I today at the Big 12 Mens Basketball Championship game in OKC


Because it was raining and cold in OK* and we were unprepared, we spent an hour or so searching for a couple of light jackets. As a result, I was forced to face the ugly convergence of two of my most hated entities: Wal-Mart and Oklahoma. It was scary. The people were not quite right. They moved rather slowly, had an unusual affection for processed cheese products, and seemed very fascinated by the display of "belly fat" pills. Since I hadn't entered a Wal-Mart in about 18 months, I didn't think it wise to venture too far into the belly of the beast, but I'm certain that the young children working in the meth lab by the McDonald's were doing just fine. I left hurriedly without buying anything.

Anyway.... I survived Wal-Mart and we went on to the game, which was GREAT. Kevin Durant, who by this time next year will have been named NCAA Player of the Year, and will be watching the 2008 NCAA Tourney on his bazillion foot yacht, was great too. He couldn't miss (in the first half), and Texas was cruising to a blowout (in the first half). In the second half and overtime (yes, overtime), things worked out a bit differently for UT. Kansas won a nailbiter and received a top seed in the tourney.

Enough about basketball and my hatred of the land of meth and casinos. I'm off to ruin my bracket. If you want to join in on the fun, go here: http://pick-wisely.mayhem.sportsline.com/. Just email me for the password.


*It was only cold and rainy in OK, not in Texas. I am wise enough to attribute this not to some sort of "occluded front," but to the same meteorological phenomenon that resulted in the constant rain cloud over the Addams Family's house. Somehow, the earth is pointing out to us via wierd weather patterns those people who don't really belong here. Oklahomans, like the Addams Family, are here only because we tolerate their existence because they can be entertaining at times (Kings of Leon, Flaming Lips, etc.)

Cheney Should Go, Really, but Not Like This

Ok. Scooter's guilty. If an independent prosecutor can't find someone (anyone) in the current administration guilty of lying, he would merely be proving himself to be neither independent nor a prosecutor. But kudos, Mr. Peterson. Though this wasn't an attack on the president himself, and was merely at times an absentia trial for Cheney, you didn't allow it to get ugly or too political. Though you weren't able to bring down one of the bog dogs, you were able to implicate them beyond defense in the public's eye.
Many now see the damning look into the Bush Whitehouse that the Libby trial provided could punch Cheney's one-way ticket back to Wyoming. Since Cheney is the type of guy who would set up his closest political aide to be his scapegoat for a horrible sin that was lost and overshadowed by myriad of other sins, I doubt that he's they kind of guy that would easily step down from his mighty perch.
Unfortunately, I think that the only way that he will leave office early is if he is forced out by an official investigation in Congress. This would require enormous political capitol on the part of the Democrats, because they would need serious support from the other side of the aisle to give the investigation any teeth. So, even if the planets were to align properly, any serious discussion of pre-war intelligence would require the Dems to abandon any serious legislation regarding our current "strategy" in Iraq.
As much as I'd love for Cheney to turn in his badge, I don't think that the country can afford the lengthy distraction that his investigation would necessitate. And while Bubba W has earned his own investigation, that too would prove to be a disastrous waste of time.
Ken Starr may have just been doing his job back in the day, but both parties spent entirely too much time and money to embarrass one man. Bush and Cheney committed actual crimes, but it would exacerbate their crimes even further to ignore the war they created to punish them.
So, Senator Schumer, put away your dagger and your mascara. Stay away from the cameras a little bit longer and fight the good fight, if you can.

Where Have You Been?

Ok, so I'll admit it, my last post was a long time ago and was written from my sister's house after consuming quite a bit of alcohol (after all, it WAS New Year's Eve). Quite a bit has happened since then. I'll do my best to avoid the messy details, though they will no doubt trickle out piece by piece.

I was unemployed pretty much the entire month of January. While I thought that I could never get bored, what with all of the books, magazines, newspapers, and daytime tv at my dispoal, boredom set in about the third week. So, between the oppresive boredom, the blinding red glow of my checking account balance, and the blunt encouragement of a dear friend (Dude, get a job!), I decided to do just that.

So, to my student loan-paying father's unspoken chagrin, I am now waiting tables (again). My recent return to the service industry has been an incredibly humbling learning experience for me. Even though I was not making enough money to warrant it, I developed this sense of superiority while working at the Council. I somehow started to believe that a desk + business cards + wearing suits = success. The truth? My bosses now are pretty irritating, but they don't call me at home or curse at me. I don't miss the happy hour bitching sessions either. Regardless of what my plans for the near future are, when it comes to my job, I think I traded up. What's really interesting is that it will be my current job waiting tables that will provide for me the means to move abroad, not my job at the Council.

There is much to say about what has gone down in the last couple of months. They have truly been some of the most instructive, self-revealing, and emotionally wrenching weeks that I have ever experienced.

I'll be writing more now, and they won't all be this boring and diary-esque. I promise.

2006 - 1, Travis - 0

OK, 2006, you got me. You really kicked my ass. Anyone who got to know me during your ruthless reign has seen more of the pensive, downtrodden, self-consumed me than the me that I believe that I am. It seems as though those were the only parts that you allowed me to show. Well, 2006, you're history. 2007 is here now, and so far (since I've been kind of inebriated the entire year), we're off to a good start.

Now I know that I made some pretty crazy decisions while you were around, 2006, but I think 2007 can handle them. Under your watch, I abandoned some pretty serious commitments (marriage, employment, etc...), but I think that 2007 will prove itself more than capable of handling all the fallout from the damage that you've seen me through. Even though I greeted 2006 with open arms, a good(ish) job, and a somewhat coherent life plan, I can't help but feel (perhaps out of desperate necessity) that having abandoned all of these upon entering 2007, I'm still destined to come out ahead.

Since you will likely be remembered by many as the year that cemented Democratic control of the Congress (and the country??) for years to come, I will give you the benefit of the doubt. You won the battle, 2006, but I will emerge from this heap and win the war. You hide and watch.