http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/waiting-for-schadenfreude/?em
A nice blog entry in the New York Times that shows that I'm not the only one wondering about my life choices while the financial crisis is going on. But I don't like the concept of schadenfreude. (except with respect to sports teams I don't like. hehehe. Dook, I'm looking at you.) Schadenfreude, or taking joy in other's misfortune, is bad bad karma, and just sort of mean. I know the folks that she is talking about made a lot of money and don't care how, but I still couldn't find joy in them being ruined....
Just me.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
A Life Well Spent
Don't worry, I don't think this is a mid-life crisis, but with so much attention being paid to the financial crisis, and greed, and wealth (or lack of it), I've come back to a question that haunts me from time to time.
Hopefully without seeming too full of myself, let me tell you that I'm pretty sure I could have made a lot of money in my career. I graduated high in my class from a solid professional school and had some offers to make a lot of coin right after graduation. I didn't. I chose instead to go to work for the Federal Government and recently celebrated 15 years of public service. Needless to say, I haven't become rich working for the Government. I'm not starving, but I do drive a ten year old car with 150K miles on it (but it gets 36 mpg so who's complaining?).
So was that the right choice? Is a life of service (I almost said "was") worth the sacrifice of the extra money that I could have made doing other, more corporate things? I have always thought so, and almost believed so, but I've never been sure how I could put that belief into words. I was never quite sure how I would explain to my son (once he is old enough to understand even) why his father chose not to make all the money he could.
As with most other things, someone else has said it much more eloquently than I ever could. And not surprisingly, it is a quote from one of my heroes, John F Kennedy. On the occasion of the 1961 State of the Union address, he said: "Let every man and woman who works in any area of our national government, in any branch, at any level, be able to say with pride and with honor in future years, 'I served the United States Goverment in that hour of our nation's need.'"
And I am able to say that. And I say it with pride and with honor.
Hopefully without seeming too full of myself, let me tell you that I'm pretty sure I could have made a lot of money in my career. I graduated high in my class from a solid professional school and had some offers to make a lot of coin right after graduation. I didn't. I chose instead to go to work for the Federal Government and recently celebrated 15 years of public service. Needless to say, I haven't become rich working for the Government. I'm not starving, but I do drive a ten year old car with 150K miles on it (but it gets 36 mpg so who's complaining?).
So was that the right choice? Is a life of service (I almost said "was") worth the sacrifice of the extra money that I could have made doing other, more corporate things? I have always thought so, and almost believed so, but I've never been sure how I could put that belief into words. I was never quite sure how I would explain to my son (once he is old enough to understand even) why his father chose not to make all the money he could.
As with most other things, someone else has said it much more eloquently than I ever could. And not surprisingly, it is a quote from one of my heroes, John F Kennedy. On the occasion of the 1961 State of the Union address, he said: "Let every man and woman who works in any area of our national government, in any branch, at any level, be able to say with pride and with honor in future years, 'I served the United States Goverment in that hour of our nation's need.'"
And I am able to say that. And I say it with pride and with honor.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Bumper Sticker Politics
I don't want to make this a blog about politics, but it is election season and I'm bound to see things that make me think. And things that make me think, I want to share with you all. So, with that said, I saw this bumper sticker:
"Jesus was a community organizer and Pilate was a governor"
Now there is undoubtedly a partisan message in this slogan, but I'm really less concerned about that and more interested in what it points out about drawing conclusions on about a candidate based on one or two characteristics. Certainly, Obama is not Jesus and Palin is no Pilate. But hammering Obama because a big hunk of his previous experience is as a community organizer seems just as shallow as suggesting that Palin's experience as a wife and mother doesn't make up part of her qualifications to lead.
Ultimately, you need to know as much as you can about the whole person before you decide who is right to lead the most powerful nation on earth. What cynical political machinery assumes about you, is that you are willing to reduce candidates to cardboard cut outs with only one characteristic. The machinery banks on the fact that you will vote based on their caricatures. The machine assumes that you don't care enough to look farther.
Rage against the machine.
"Jesus was a community organizer and Pilate was a governor"
Now there is undoubtedly a partisan message in this slogan, but I'm really less concerned about that and more interested in what it points out about drawing conclusions on about a candidate based on one or two characteristics. Certainly, Obama is not Jesus and Palin is no Pilate. But hammering Obama because a big hunk of his previous experience is as a community organizer seems just as shallow as suggesting that Palin's experience as a wife and mother doesn't make up part of her qualifications to lead.
Ultimately, you need to know as much as you can about the whole person before you decide who is right to lead the most powerful nation on earth. What cynical political machinery assumes about you, is that you are willing to reduce candidates to cardboard cut outs with only one characteristic. The machinery banks on the fact that you will vote based on their caricatures. The machine assumes that you don't care enough to look farther.
Rage against the machine.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
You're Only as Old as You ... Listen?
I was talking with a colleague of mine today and somehow we got on the topic of music and I described an artist as emo (I forget now who it was) and despite the fact that she is at least ten years younger than me (perhaps fifteen), she said "What's emo?" Well, I named a few emo bands (none of which she had heard of) and ultimately said "Well, its sort of post-grunge." And she said "Grunge?"
She then told me that that was how she knew she had gotten old. She no longer listened to or cared about new music. In her view, there was nothing on the radio worth hearing and she spends most of her time listening to music she already owns. Is that a definition of old? I guess...
By that count, I am certainly not old. I'm always listening for new music, and quite frequently really liking what I hear..But, I do admit to feeling somewhat creepy (and definitely old) when I think about the age of some of the artists that I like. I felt that way about Avril Lavigne's first album and feel that way again about Paramore. But I can't help it, even though Haley Williams is not yet 20, that band frikkin' rocks.
Really, though, what does it matter? If someone thinks that my age (44 btw) makes me old, the fact that I listen to Paramore isn't going to change their mind. Old is just a label that I can put on myself (like my colleague has) or that other people can put on me. It doesn't affect who I am, or how I feel, or how I live my life.
Or what music is on my iPod.
She then told me that that was how she knew she had gotten old. She no longer listened to or cared about new music. In her view, there was nothing on the radio worth hearing and she spends most of her time listening to music she already owns. Is that a definition of old? I guess...
By that count, I am certainly not old. I'm always listening for new music, and quite frequently really liking what I hear..But, I do admit to feeling somewhat creepy (and definitely old) when I think about the age of some of the artists that I like. I felt that way about Avril Lavigne's first album and feel that way again about Paramore. But I can't help it, even though Haley Williams is not yet 20, that band frikkin' rocks.
Really, though, what does it matter? If someone thinks that my age (44 btw) makes me old, the fact that I listen to Paramore isn't going to change their mind. Old is just a label that I can put on myself (like my colleague has) or that other people can put on me. It doesn't affect who I am, or how I feel, or how I live my life.
Or what music is on my iPod.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Of Raw Fish and Fast Food
There's a new "fast food" sushi restaurant near work. I've been hesitant to try it, because for one, I already have a carry out sushi place near work, and for two, it seemed extremely corporate--a sort of McDonald's with raw fish. The place that I usually go to is a very Mom and Pop sort of place or maybe two brothers and a daughter... in any event, very much a family operation. I like them, they know me, and the sushi chef there has an uncanny knack for keeping everyone's order in his head. Seriously, no matter how busy they are, I've never seen him write anything down.
So anyway, as curiosity overcame me and I decided to finally try the new place, I felt somewhat unfaithful as I entered the slick and eye popping newness of "Wasabi To Go." Now I try very hard not to be sexist, but the first thing I noticed is that there were three young women behind the counter. This was not a good sign, as I know the Japanese culture is pretty sexist and for the most part, women are not taught to be sushi chefs. I also try very hard not to be culturally biased, but I also took it as a bad sign that two of the three young women working there were not Japanese, but Hispanic.
Well, the sushi lived down to my greatly diminished expectations. The rolls were made on, get this, a MACHINE!!! All the sushi "chef" did was put the ingredients down in order. All the fish had been pre sliced and spending god knows how long losing its flavor.
The lesson here must be that "There is value in loyalty." Or something like that.
So anyway, as curiosity overcame me and I decided to finally try the new place, I felt somewhat unfaithful as I entered the slick and eye popping newness of "Wasabi To Go." Now I try very hard not to be sexist, but the first thing I noticed is that there were three young women behind the counter. This was not a good sign, as I know the Japanese culture is pretty sexist and for the most part, women are not taught to be sushi chefs. I also try very hard not to be culturally biased, but I also took it as a bad sign that two of the three young women working there were not Japanese, but Hispanic.
Well, the sushi lived down to my greatly diminished expectations. The rolls were made on, get this, a MACHINE!!! All the sushi "chef" did was put the ingredients down in order. All the fish had been pre sliced and spending god knows how long losing its flavor.
The lesson here must be that "There is value in loyalty." Or something like that.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Uh, What?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080905/lf_nm_life/britain_music_dc_1
Again, what does this say about me? Sounds like a poorly designed study to me. Wealthy people like opera? Well, did they control for socioeconomic factors before drawing that conclusion. Heavy metal listeners are gentle, while indie lovers aren't? Really? What about emo indie?
Meh, I've already wasted too much cyber-breath on this dumb study.
Again, what does this say about me? Sounds like a poorly designed study to me. Wealthy people like opera? Well, did they control for socioeconomic factors before drawing that conclusion. Heavy metal listeners are gentle, while indie lovers aren't? Really? What about emo indie?
Meh, I've already wasted too much cyber-breath on this dumb study.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
RSSs and My Music
I'm still not really sure what an RSS is or how it works exactly, but I like the one that I picked up from iTunes that lets you all see what songs I've bought there lately. I think a person's taste in music says a lot about them, but I'm not really sure what my crazy eclectic taste says about me. That I'm crazy? That I'm eclectic? Who knows?
Speaking of taste in music, I make no secrets about the fact that I am older than most around the imvu ranch, but check this out. Not once, but twice, I've bought music from iTunes only to have it be a featured free download the next week. The first time was with Toy Shiny Guns last year and the second time was just this week with Black Kids. You ought to give this track a listen and this band a try. They really are very good. Sort of lounge meets Depeche Mode updated.... Anyway. What have you got to lose? It's free. But am I one step ahead of iTunes and thus really hip? Or am I just anticipating the next corporate push to mold us into one unvarying consumer? I know which one I want to believe....
Speaking of taste in music, I make no secrets about the fact that I am older than most around the imvu ranch, but check this out. Not once, but twice, I've bought music from iTunes only to have it be a featured free download the next week. The first time was with Toy Shiny Guns last year and the second time was just this week with Black Kids. You ought to give this track a listen and this band a try. They really are very good. Sort of lounge meets Depeche Mode updated.... Anyway. What have you got to lose? It's free. But am I one step ahead of iTunes and thus really hip? Or am I just anticipating the next corporate push to mold us into one unvarying consumer? I know which one I want to believe....
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