Ostracism

Back in Ancient Greece...

There was once a practice called ostracism. This is a practice where a prominent citizen could be banished and expelled from the city state for ten years. Often this was used to expel people who were a threat to the city-state or a threat to the democracy. It was often a preemptive act. Each year the people of Athens had the option to hold an ostracism or not. If they chose to, they would write the name of the person they wanted expelled on a potsherd and they put it in an urn. If someone received 6,000 votes, he would have ten days to leave the city-state, and he couldn't return for ten years. And, note, the people had this power. Sort of an interesting practice...

In fact, there are a few people I would like to ostracize right now: John McCain, Sarah Palin, Joe the Plumber, Elisabeth Hasselback, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, people who think Obama is a Muslim, people who think Obama is a terrorist, people who think Obama is a scary black guy, etc.

Lazy

This was a really lazy weekend. At first I was feeling guilty about it because there are a lot of things that I could have done—like cleaning, laundry, shopping, etc.—but I didn't do any of those things except for a quick shopping trip to the grocery store. Oh well. I suppose I don't need to feel guilty considering how busy I've been and how hard I've been working lately. I deserve weekends like this, darn it!

In fact the most strenuous thing I've done all weekend was make and eat a huge dinner. And, really, how hard is it to make a simple dinner and then eat it? I wish every day was like this. I made my famous Baked Penne Pasta with Turkey, Zucchini, and Fire Roasted Tomatoes. It's basically adapted from another recipe I found. I use penne instead of ziti and turkey instead of beef. This time I was also craving some extra spice, so I added a bunch of red pepper flakes. Yum! I think I ate my weight in pasta tonight...

Current mood: relaxed and lazy
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Goldfrap "Ooh La La"
Current drink: Simonassi 2007 Malbec

Sunset

It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to take some sunset photos, but this evening we had a really nice sunset. And I was able to take all of the pictures from my balcony. Here is one of the shots.



I'm always a little worried when I take pictures from my balcony. I'm worried that the people in the condos across the way will think that I'm taking pictures of them. But so far the cops haven't knocked on my door, so I suppose I'm OK.

Current mood: relaxed
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Josh Gracin "Brass Bed"
Current drink: Simonassi 2007 Malbec

Average Folk

So...the McCain/Palin campaign have spent much of the past few weeks talking about average American folks out there in the country. Joe six pack, Joe the plumber, hockey moms, soccer moms, real Americans, patriotic Americans. Um, so how many "real" Americans spend $150,000 in one month on a new wardrobe? I honestly don't think I've spent that much money on clothes in my lifetime. (Alcohol, maybe, but not clothes.) It's no wonder the words "middle class" aren't in the McCain/Palin vocabulary, because most middle class folks can't exactly drop $150,000 on clothes. These "real Americans" are the people who are losing their jobs and homes, the people who see their finance swirling down the toilet, the once successful people who are now forced to pick up food stamps. But McCain and Palin are just like you and me, right, and Obama is nothing but a liberal elitist, right? The Republican campaign gets more and more pathetic and disgusting every day, and, like many people out there in the world, I'm getting sick of it. I'm getting even more sick of the gullible saps who fall for everything (i.e. lies and hypocrisies) that comes out of McCain's and Palin's mouth.

I'm trying to think of what I would do with $150,000, other than sharing it with my family. Maybe take a trip to Greece and Italy. Or maybe I'll by that bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac that I've been dreaming about. But I don't have $150,000, so I'll have to settle with drinking Remy Martin VSOP Cognac in my little Boulder apartment. And, you know what, I'm fine with that. Sarah Palin can have her expensive wardrobe. I have character and integrity and a soul, and I think that might count for more in the long run!

Current mood: annoyed, but content
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Faith Hill "Beautiful"
Current drink: Remy Martin VSOP Cognac (I'm breaking my I-can-only-drink-expensive-cognac-on-the-weekends rule because I'm drinking tonight in honor of my rebellion against Sarah Palin and the wingnuts)

Seasons

In typical Colorado fashion seasons can change on a dime. This weekend the weather was warm and sunny. Today that all changed rather dramatically. This morning was somewhat cold, but there was a thin layer of fog hanging around the Flatirons but you could tell that a bigger storm was brewing. I have to admit that I was distracted for most of the day and had a hard time focusing on work because I was watching the clouds building and drifting over the mountains. They were dark and ominous. I love clouds like that, but in general I think that I am obsessed with and mesmerized by clouds. In the afternoon we had a downpour of rain and some strong gusts of wind. After a twenty minute storm, the skies opened up and it was sunny again. About two hours later, more dark clouds were building over the mountains. And when I left the office, it was really cold.

As I was driving home I was still distracted by the clouds. I should probably focus on driving, but it was too beautiful. Plus the drive home, even by itself without all of the beautiful ominous clouds, is just gorgeous. I drive on a little two-lane road that passes some old farmlands. Most of the road is lined by trees, and right now the trees still have their fall colors. So the trees are red and gold and yellow, and while there are still a lot of leaves on the trees, there are also a lot of leaves that have fallen on the road. I don't know how else to describe it, and you probably have to see it to believe it, but it literally feels like you're driving through a postcard. It's stunning.

So, needless to say, it's been a lovely evening. I voted, and I'm feeling optimistic and energized about the election. And I enjoyed a lovely drive home. It's been a nice evening so far.

Current mood: optimistic, relaxed, generally good
Current music: Loreena McKennitt An Ancient Muse
Current drink: Terra Barossa 2007 Shiraz

Vote

In Colorado this election we're allowed to vote early and to vote by mail. So today I dropped off my ballot. Wahoo! Ready for change!

This and That, Weekend Edition

Winter clothing: About this time last weekend, I was talking about the change of seasons, and how winter was just around the corner. On the advice of a very lovely friend, I went on a shopping spree to reward myself for all of my hard work these past few months and to buy some more winter clothes. In spite of living in Colorado for about six years, I didn't own that many sweaters. I'm also really picky when it comes to sweaters. For one, my body tends to run on the cold side so I get cold easily. And, yes, because of this I sometimes ask myself why I moved to Colorado from Southern California! But, nevertheless, I'm here and I get cold. So because of my tendency to get cold, I need sweaters that actually keep you warm, sweaters with some weight. Sweaters that are really thin and light usually don't cut it for me. They might be soft and pretty and more suited for the fall or early spring, but in the dead of winter I need something warmer. Then there is the issue of lambs wool. I once bought a sweater, one that was heavy and warm, and it was made of lamb's wool. Well, it kept me warm, but it made me all itchy. Then there is also the issue of the "plunging" neckline sweaters. Maybe it's a personal preference, but I'd rather not expose my boobs and cleavage to the elements. I prefer v-neck sweaters, but not ones that practically reach my navel.

So this is why I don't own many sweaters, but I was determined and went on a mission to find the "perfect" sweater. And I have to say that I was really successful. I found three v-neck sweaters with the proper amount of "plunge" in the V. One was heavier and really warm; the other two were a bit lighter, but still warm. And I found two other sweaters that are a little sportier. So all in all, it was a successful shopping trip.

Weather: I was able to wear my sweaters earlier this week, because it was still chilly. Now it's the weekend, and it's 78 degrees. Should expect this from Colorado.

Vacations: With the holidays quickly approaching, I decided to buy my plane tickets home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I wanted to buy things early to get a good price...well, as good as you can get these days. I also wanted to lock my vacation days in at work. Last year, my Christmas vacation was shorter than usual because I came back early to send some books to press. The to press dates ended up moving, and I was a little upset, but that's what happens sometimes. Anyway, this year I've put my foot down and vowed (to myself and anyone who would listen) that I wasn't going to let work dictate or control my vacation. I'm going away, damn it, and nothing and no one is going to stop me! So there!

Current mood: warm
Current music: iTunes on shuffle–Tori Amos "Bouncing off Clouds"
Current drink: Barq's Root Beer

Start of Winter

The seasons are certainly starting to change here in Colorado. The leaves on the trees outside my apartment are all yellow. And when I've been waking up in the morning, I notice that it feels colder and colder, and the sun seems to be rising later and later. A few nights ago I was in bed and noticed that the heater clicked on. There was that familiar dusty smell for a few minutes and finally some warmth.

Now that I'm in a bigger apartment, I notice that it tends to be a colder apartment. Obviously there are more places for the air to go, and it's not like the small contained space like my old apartment. But, then again, my old apartment tended to be really cold, too. That had less to do with the size and more to do with the limited heater. In my current place, I have central heat and air, so the heat and air actually goes into all rooms. At my old place, the heater only vented out to the living room, so it essentially heated only the living room and every other room (all one and a half of them) was cold. It was also an old and odd heater, too. I think that it essentially worked by striking some miniature flint and steel together to create a small fire in the wall. As much as I loved my old place, one of the things I didn't like about it was the heating in the winter. But now I finally have central heating. I don't crank up the heat because I don't want an astronomical heating bill, but at least every room can be warm when I want it to be.

This is supposed to be a cold, rainy, and possibly snowy weekend. This reminds me that I need to get another ice scraper for my car. And maybe I need some new gloves, too. And maybe a few more sweaters...

Attack Dogs

Apparently John McCain knows that his campaign is going down the toilet and apparently he knows that he isn't very popular. What else could explain the fact that the women in his life are turning into the "attack dogs" to go after Obama. Sarah Palin has been doing her dirty work, and now Cindy McCain is getting into the act. I was really hoping that she would remain classy and stay above the fray. But unfortunately she has to stoop to a level far below what she is probably worth, all in an effort to try to save her husband's campaign. It's sad, really. Well sort of.

And I have to admit, when I saw this photo of her on a news story on the Web, my thoughts shifted to another somewhat unpleasant individual...



Ok. That was really, really mean of me. I'm probably going to hell for this, but it still made me laugh.

Wonderful Weekend

This has been a wonderful weekend. And, to make it even better, it was a three-day weekend for me. I decided to take the day off on Friday because it's been a while since I've taken time off, and I needed a break. I spent Saturday with my best friend, Julie, who is here with her two kids and visiting the rest of her family. We met at Chautauqua park and went on a hike around the Flatirons. The weather was perfect and it was a beautiful day for a hike. As the kids ran up the hill (I wish I had that kind of energy), we followed and talked and caught up on what we're doing in our lives. We took a route different from my usual route because there was a lot of activity on the mountain. Apparently some guy was trying to climb one of the Flatirons without any safety ropes and he fell and broke his leg. So the mountain was crawling with crews from the Boulder Fire Department, Rocky Mountain Fire Department, and Rocky Mountain Rescue. Maybe, just maybe, he learned a lesson and it's probably good that it came with a lot of pain! Next time use some ropes, dude. But I digress...

After our hike, we came to my apartment so that I could show it off, then we went to Pearl Street and had lunch at Mountain Sun. We ate yummy burgers and drank their always-wonderful beer. After lunch we just wandered around Pearl Street. After that, we drove up to Loveland and had dinner with her family. It was a great day! It was just wonderful to spend the day with a really good friend. But now I'm sad because she's gone and I miss her already. But it was a wonderful weekend.

Hypocrite? Coward? Senile?

So today, the day of the Vice Presidential Debates, McCain made an announcement that he would be giving up on the state of Michigan. Because Obama is leading in the polling in Michigan, the McCain campaign thinks that it is not worth spending the money on a state that he will presumably lose. Are you kidding me? This is the bastard—oops, candidate—who for months has been saying that he puts country first? And he is giving up on Michigan? The state of blue-collar workers? The state where the auto industry is failing? The state where unemployment is high? And he's abandoning them because they are not worth the money? Just more proof that he doesn't care about the middle class. And McCain accuses Obama of playing politics and of partisanship and not caring about the people? What a first-class idiot!