(no subject)

[vicarz]

I just don't know. TKK/Ministry was last night. Before school started I knew I was going. When someone reminded me the show was coming up, I knew I wasn't. I sat up last night polishing my paper.

Balance? Walked to work with the psycho hot chick next door again. She's dating two guys, asked what my dating life was like. I laughed. She can't stand going to movies - have to sit still too long. She went to a strip joint the other night and was impressed at a girl that did 20 pull-ups. I'm grossed out by strip joints and am fine laying around watching a movie. So, she's got enough of a life to date - but she's nuts and can't ever sit still. There seems to be no land inbetween people who are pathetic slugs and those who are psycho achievers.

A majority of new voters are voting for Kerry. The more people vote, the more likely Bush loses. http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-10-25-new-voters-cover_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA


1 in 5 morons votes purely based on the abortion issue: http://www.gallup.com/poll/content/login.aspx?ci=13786 Imagine if you were stupid enough to think that was the only issue worth voting for. Realize how many people actually do - and vote for the use of soilent green.

Whoever wins - adapt to the situation and move on. I'm honestly just looking forward to having something else on the news. Yes, it's end of the term and I'm one cranky bitch.

EDIT - so my question today is: Are my posts in which I admit weaknesses strong because I am willing to face them unashamed, or is that just another form of validation seeking behavior endemic to LJ?

Comments

[grymnir.livejournal.com]

Yes, you are cranky.
No, the paper was a good thing and TKK is always hit or miss...Ministry, well, oh well.

Soilent Green in a can is very like devilled ham.

As for the no-sane-persons land between couch-potatoes and psycho-achievers: don't delude yourself, there are plenty. True - you're experiencing and seeing one end of the spectrum oh-law-school-with-full-time-job-boi, but there are other out there diligently pursuing their interests and studies WHILE finding themselves sucked into 13 Nights of Horror or AMC monster movie classics or making it out to 2 or 3 events a week. The yard stick has to be fluid...unless we're measuring your waistline.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Waistline is very relevant to me. I'm a hard-working slacker. I can't deal with unfit as a dating partner, but the 4:30 AM 5 days a week workout just isn't me.

I don't see the middle, and yet all I see is the middle. Oh irony.

[grymnir.livejournal.com]

no, no irony unless you use a lot of starch and the middle becomes a balcony. I have issues with unfit as a partner as well, but we won't explore those now. For myself, I admit the mind over matter is probably the most difficult part...and I often lose the conflict. "Why go to the gym...I'll just get tired, but not increase my muscle mass and I have another 3 books to read for x-y-z."

Believe me - waistline is relevant to me as well - I can't afford new dress clothes.

[ericrowe.livejournal.com]

Um, I started responding to your question, but it turned into a great big rant. Would you prefer private email, or should I post it anyway?

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Up to you - I like long rants, posted or mailed is fine, critical is fine.

[ericrowe.livejournal.com]

Okay, fair enough. Here be my rant RE: your question

Here's the thing Jose... I don't mind when you post about your own perceived issues - it's your prerogative to speak about them, publicly or in private, and I don't have to listen if I choose not to. However, I was both frustrated and offended by some of what you said in this post.

Calling overweight people names is offensive behavior, Jose, and you damn well know it. It's just. Not. Okay. Is that clear? You can be angry about americans and their self-destructive habits all you want, I won't argue. But if your decision to use hurtful words is an outgrowth of that anger, then I think you need to consider the possibility that you are treading very close to the realm of hate speech.

So, that's why I'm offended. The frustration is because hurling slurs around is something that you have done for years, as a way of testing your friends' willingness to put up with your crap. All this time and you still haven't gotten it through your thick skull that yes, we do like you, for who you are? I've passed this same test over and over, why are you still testing me? If I didn't want to be your friend, I would have taken the necessary steps a long time ago; instead, I'm sitting here at my desk when I should be working, trying to tell you something that I think is important. I think that ought to indicate that my intent is sincere.

I would much prefer that this be a dialog, not just me ranting 'til your head explodes, but work is beckoning as always, and I won't really be able to focus much more on LJ today. You know where to find me, if you're at all interested in pursuing this stuff. If not, I guess that's okay too. I just needed to get those thoughts out there.

Peace...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/]

Y'see, Eric, I just slap him when he does that ;)

[vicar.livejournal.com]

(Jack's not kidding - he doesn't even let me call myself fat)

I see what you're saying, but I think the thing you are missing is that I am referring to a rant I LJ posted some time ago from http://www.illwillpress.com regarding the "Fatkins diet." That's actually a quote from many of his skits, but it was funniest in that one, along with "So you can eat a lb of butter wrapped in bacon, but you can't have an apple because it has carbs. Giggle material.

That said, I'm not testing the waters by trying to use offensive phrases. I'm not seeking validation by doing it. I'm not trying to assuault my friends with passive-aggressive jabs. I say stuff like that because I feel like I can say such things w/o people thinking that I mean them in hurtful ways. On a fun day, I use racial slurs. I refer to rape as "you asked for it." I use the term fag like there is no tomorrow. I try to balance that abuse of language with the idea that there is also enough of the topic covered to understand that I don't use it with hate or intent.

I do have a lot of big friends, and I talk about big issues. That particular post though...I'm sorry but it's common knowledge that the entire country is getting measurably bigger - literally. Now the issue is so common that I can't buy clothes that fit. So, I rant.

I'll try to watch the references, but I think you misunderstand my motivations - or perhaps I don't understand them myself, but it doesn't feel like trying to test people.

Speaking of which...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/]

I'm proud of my jiggly butt!

[ericrowe.livejournal.com]

My interpretation of your response is that you feel I should perform some kind of mental conversion when you speak, so that I can derive 'what you mean' from 'what you say'. My view is that the majority burden of effective communication falls upon the communicator, not the audience.

As for the rest, we should maybe take this up another time. I feel this conversation deserves more attention than I can provide today.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Okies :)

I think your interpretation sounds about right - only it sounds selfish the way you put it.

[ericrowe.livejournal.com]

I'm not in a position to say whether 'selfishness' is a shoe that fits you or not. I'm just suggesting that you give some serious consideration to how your communication style is being received. I can tell you that for me, the impact is very often quite negative, and I don't think that's what you're aiming for.

*hug*

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Fair enough either way. I acutally did pause when I wrote that, and think about whether anyone would take offense to it. I decided it was unlikely anyone would be offended by it, so I posted it.

I am selfish though.

Negative impact is not what I'm after - not from my friendly audience. I'd much rather know in advance when I was going to be 'actually' offensive than surprised. *huggy thing*

Public Transportation

[rivki8699.livejournal.com]

Since you once asked the question of why taxes should go for transportation I will point you to the journal (http://www.livejournal.com/users/jalfred/274603.html?view=249515#t249515) of my lovely economics major friend who can explain it far more succinctly than I can. Don't start any fights - you don't stand a chance.

Re: Public Transportation

[vicar.livejournal.com]

But her argument fails on the grounds of moral hazard. I don't mind a beat-down - I'm not professor, I'm just a p/t student. I agree that transportation is worth every dime, but how do you measure the benefits she professes? Neat theory does not strong science make.

What is measurable is the cost. Perhaps if DC had to pay 100% of the cost, they would choose to face the traffic rather than take the train. Perhaps people would move to the city more, or work closer to home. The entire economic balance might shift in the equation were people actually paying for the services they are benefiting by rather than riding on the backs of nation-wide taxpayers (who are similarly trying to scarf every federal dollar they can as though these monies have no owners).

So I didn't say it there.