Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Crafty Eats

I think I'm getting old. I actually allowed myself to be convinced to learn to crochet. Worse yet, we have a weekly meet-up (aka cook 'n hook) at our apartment with Dina, Lisa, and myself. On the one hand, at least this is more social than the computer. On the other hand, I'm not eighty. So every Wednesday we sit there playing with yarn and watching Top Chef. Sometimes we even bake, which Dina is always up for.

I actually enjoy it more than I thought I would. I get off later than either so they both arrive from work while I'm still puttering away at the keyboard. I'm not sure if I love the easy conversation and the mocking of the people on the television, or the routine. It's so nice to have a standing appointment for some silly downtime that doesn't include a computer.

"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." -- Yiddish Proverb

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

California, Seriously?

I generally avoid politics in blog postings because I can't imagine I'll ever feel the need to be reminded about the horror show that is politics. However, I cannot believe California of all states is so monumentally ridiculous. Rather than write some diatribe that will either fall on deaf ears or be preaching to the choir, I figured I'd just link to someone whose already summed up my opinion quite nicely.

From Memo to California By Dana Claire Simpson. It was written by the same person who did a wonderful web comic called Ozy and Millie.

"There's also the sheer idiocy of a ballot initiative process that allows constitutional amendments to be introduced by absolutely anyone and pass by a simple majority vote. The entire point of constitutional government is to prevent passing whims of the electorate to be enshrined in stone if they cross certain lines, and to protect vulnerable minorities from the tyranny of the majority. You know, like protecting, oh, say, gay people from the panicky whims of idiots who listen to Mormons."

"All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field." -- Albert Einstein