(no subject)

[vicarz]

Tuesday night I rode the metro out to Alexandria. The blue-line pulled into Natl. Airport, and I saw this guy in all new clothes. He had on western boots, dark pants, a new cowboy hat...and a huge across the back, on each sleeve, and in the front. He pulled his luggage on wheels. So I'm looking at this fresh-off-the-plane all-hat-and-no-cattle cowboy, and wondering what he came to see in washington. Was he looking for USA? Was he here to show his pride? Was he going to see the heart of the USA as he believed it to be? Which USA was he looking for, did he come from, did he believe in? Was his USA aware of go-go shows, or Eastern Market, of muslims, of gays/bis, of raves? Or was his USA a bunch of bbq white rednecks in unscratched pick-up trucks? Would he see his USA here? Or was he here to show his USA to the beltway bandits?

That was my line of thought when he looked in my direction and nodded. I was sure he didn't nod at me, so I looked around. Across from me was an older man, salt & pepper hair just starting in, who was wearing military fatigues. I think he got on at the Pentagon. Mr. USA cowboy had waved/saluted the military guy. I wonder if the guy saw it, and if he did/had, what he thought of it.

(all comments noting the irony of my being judgmental about the cowboy are hereby moot)

I don't know what I think of it. He might be an asshat, or he might be a sweetie. He could be hateful, he could be naive. Maybe he is an urban redneck, but with no malice. Maybe he has malice, but with the slightest bit of exposure and tolerance will learn to live with differences and even value the diversity USA might mean. I can guess and make funny jokes about it, but that doesn't change what it was. It's only as important as I make it to myself as I carry it with me for my own reasons.

WORK
I ran into my detail boss in the cafeteria, who asked how I was doing...they still have an opening available. All I probably have to do is say something. So, the environment I don't like but the work I love, or the meaningless work that bores me with a great environment and the possibility of down time to do homework (freeing up weekend time and helping with stress). Then I have to wonder if I should apply for that deputy position. I may talk to my bud again. I'm always wishy-washy on decisions like this.

YESTERDAY I HAD LIKE 3 NOT-SAFE-FOR-WORK POSTS ON MY F-LIST.
I WILL BE CUTTING PEOPLE THAT POST NSFW POSTS BECAUSE I LOOK AT LJ FROM THE OFFICE.
NSFW includes nearly naked, all the tit but no nipple, pictures of sex toys, links to rated PG or worse pics w/o warnings, the rod w/o the end, underwear / thong, racially offensive stuff that is visible at a distance...you get the idea. Nothing personal, but LJ isn't worth losing my job over and no one's input is so great that I should keep them on my f-list and lose the ability to look at LJ from work. If I cut you it don't mean I mad.

Comments

[joanarkham.livejournal.com]

I find the "Use image placeholders on your friends page" option to be a lifesaver...

[vicar.livejournal.com]

It might be, but somewhere between common sense and courtesy I thnk I'd rather cut the very few people that do that out of the >100 that don't. That way I can see all the stuff I want to w/o being inconvenienced to benefit the few.

This also applies to filtered friends' lists. I dont' really care enough to put the time into it, having to click on seperate links for lists of friends based on what location I view from - all because a couple people have different standards that the vast majority. Sigh.

Funny thing is I'd love to see the tits and sex toys! I just have to do that at home.

[crossbonesdj.livejournal.com]

good rule of thumb - don't click on ANY link in a journal until you're home.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

That's a good rule if you do most of your LJ at home. In my case, most of it is done at work, and I would be sacrificing looking at the dozens / hundreds who do warn to the 3-4 that don't. I would be changing my behavior substantially - and as my f-list scrolls many times over the day it would most likely result in missed entertainment / information.

Not a bad idea, but it doesn't work for my circumstances and preferences.

[cweaselle.livejournal.com]

I don't know if I would have appreciated someone waving or saluting me when I was in uniform or not. Now there are more people who support the troops even if they don't support the cause.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I like hte argument that "bring them home" is a very pro-troops movement. Supporting the troops might well mean getting them the hell out of there. Now, whether that is the best long-term course of action is more open for debate.

I think that support the troops nonsense is leftover from the stereotype of hippies throwing tomatoes at vets in the 60s. Did that actually happen? If so, how long has it been? It's reactionary bullshit that really seems disrespectful to me. Pro or anti today's action, I think the support the troops line is as phony as "I'll pray for you." (fuck prayer, send a check)

[cweaselle.livejournal.com]

I agree. The only time people seem to remember that these people make very little money and that most of the qualify for food stamps is durning Xmas is very distrubing to me. It's no wonder so many have problems once they get out.

[telie13.livejournal.com]

of course, one wonders if the usa sporting dude had any military aged kids at home....

people make a big deal about "support our troops" but how many of them would allow their own children to join the cause?

[mrtwitchy.livejournal.com]

A good place to start asking would be on Capitol Hill and at the White House don't you think?

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I think most, like the president, dodged the draft.

[cweaselle.livejournal.com]

I had less problems with the danger than the other people I had to deal with everyday. For me the danger was more finacial, but I seem to be the exception. I used to hate to tell people I was in the Army because then people assumed I was stupid or easy.

[mreraser.livejournal.com]

Cool, it sounds like I'm work safe :-) I just have a fould mouthed keyboard,

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Eep...yeah if it ever gets to be about the profanities, then I'll get cut coz I'ze gotta mouf on me!