It has been one week since I started this blog, and I'm wondering where the time went. I've landed one interview for next Tuesday. Otherwise, my job search has been fruitless. My friends are telling me I shouldn't have quit my previous job before I had a new job lined up, that I was being goaded to quit and I took the bait (well, duh!). Even my brother is in on the Campaign of the Obvious. What I could not understand when I was quitting my previous job was how I was to find another job, if I didn't have time to look. Now, I have more than enough time, and I realize that my problem before was not so much a lack of time, but a lack of motivation.

Alas, it's hard to be motivated to do anything when your employer is goading you to quit your job. Also, having a steady paycheck makes learning the intricacies of online monster boards, the nuances of the cover letter, and the art of the targeted resume seem quite unappealing, especially when one must find the time and effort for this after working 50+ hours weekly, having to travel twice weekly to the other side of town to care for one's grandfather, and trying to sustain a good relationship with the only non-family person in the world who gives two shits about you.

Damn, that was a long sentence.

I'm considering getting a job that pays about what I was making before (adjusted for true Chinese Overtime), but at only 40 hours weekly, there will not be enough income to cover the bills. Hopefully, the interview on Tuesday will be successful.

Okay, okay, I suck at political posting. It's just that I cannot stand Tom Daschle. So, my last random political post is this: huzzah! I'll be writing more about this in a new Tuesday post entitled Treasure Trove of Bullshit, the only time I'll ever post a political rant. Otherwise, from now on, only fun shit.

Today, Boortz linked to this Treasure Trove of Bullshit. The ribbon has not been cut on the site yet, but the front page reads as follows:

Despite public calls for a "changed tone in Washington," conservative Republican operatives are engaged in a cynical, coordinated effort to personally malign and politically smear Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Partisan Republicans have instructed their right wing henchmen to systematically denigrate the term "Daschle Democrat" and to label Tom Daschle an "obstructionist." Boasting of a huge war chest of funds, these conservative front groups are taking their vicious attacks to the national media, the South Dakota airwaves and the World Wide Web.

We are "Daschle Democrats" who are proudly prepared to take this debate to the American people. In fact, these attacks are not actually intended to tear down Tom Daschle; these are attacks on the Democratic priorities and values that most Americans share. A "Daschle Democrat" fights for quality public education, an unshakable commitment to our Nation's defense, a progressive policy on energy, conservation and the environment, tax cuts for the middle class, health care for the uninsured, good jobs for the unemployed, protecting Social Security and providing Medicare prescription drug coverage, and a return to the days of economic growth and prosperity.

Republicans fail to recognize that the term "Daschle Democrat" is a positive, not a pejorative. We "Daschle Democrats" intend to make that clear in South Dakota and throughout America. Unless responsible voices are raised in this debate, the practitioners of the politics of personal destruction will be rewarded by our silence; unless we respond with strength and purpose, the needs and dreams of America's working families will be sacrificed.

Will you join us?

Since when has the "public" been calling for a "changed tone in Washington"? I know the Democrats are, but, to a Democrat, if you aren't a Democrat, you aren't a member of the "people." Also, I am not a "conservative Republican operative," but if Democrats would, please, consider this post an "evil, harmful ... statement" towards Daschle, and an attempt to "politically smear" him, I would be flattered. (By the way, the dictionary.com definition of malign includes the phrase "and often untrue," so I challenge any moo'ers out there to demonstrate any falsehoods in this post, or any others, please? I need material!)

About the "cynical, coordinated effort" part, that's what happens when logical, like-minded individuals catch on to a topic of discussion: they coordinate, or appear to do so, because they all have pretty much the same idea, and only the main, widely shared parts of their view are heard loudly. As far as "Partisan Republicans" and their "right-wing henchmen" "systematically denigrat[ing] the term 'Daschle Democrat'," didn't conservatives coin that phrase for just that purpose? And frankly, I find the term "right-wing henchmen" weak, because, to a logical thinker, it implies the existence of "left-wing henchmen"... but even Google knows there's no such thing, or is there? Furthermore, just who in their conservative-mind would label Daschle an obstructionist?

If anyone can find a reported instance of a Republican (or any other politician, for fairness) "boasting of a huge war chest," please let me know. And while I wouldn't call this post a "vicious attack" (hell, probably no one will read it), the rest of that sentence applies to this post, so good for them!

And just what are these "Democratic priorities and values that most Americans share"? Thankfully, some of them are listed! "Quality public education, an unshakable commitment to our Nation's defense, a progressive policy on energy, conservation and the environment, tax cuts for the middle class, health care for the uninsured, good jobs for the unemployed, protecting Social Security, and providing Medicare prescription drug coverage, and a return to the days of economic growth and prosperity."

"Politcs of personal destruction"? "The needs and dreams of America's working families"? Will I join you?

Sign me up!

This morning, I added the Spelling List to the side menu. It harkens back to my days in grade school, when they turned 'spelling' class into 'definitions, synonyms, etymology, and usage' class. Only in Georgia can children tell you the origin of "acrobat" (Greek, acro / high, bat / to walk) and use it correctly in a sentence, but not be able to spell it. For now, it points to Dictionary.com, but as the list develops, more robust sources will be used, including references to archived posts. At that point, e-mail asking about "moo" will be replied to, in haste, with "Moo!"

Connect The Dots - Vegetarians Beware!

Across the Hall - Each Sunday, starting in April, I'll be posting some crazy rant based on time spent with the Crazy Old Man (COM, i.e. my Grandfather). Until then, I'll be warming up for the task with small morsels of COM'ic brilliance (or dreck, you decide, but as a hint: it's probably dreck) from Across the Hall (i.e. where my Grandfather will live, beginning in April). By the way, I was going to name this segment "Liberal Old Coot," and I mention it here only for reference, as that is what he is. And LOC doesn't lend itself to topical acronymic punning. This week, COM is transfixed by a recent advertisement for Gateway Computers featuring a cow that says "Moo." Not the sound, "moo," but the word, "moo." Usually, when he gets upset, he devolves into a tirade of obsenity, or phrases such as "for crying out loud." Now, he goes "Moo!," with a pushed "oo," yet hushed, followed by his trademark COM giggle. "As the cow says, moo! Hehehehe." This is all very convenient, as now I have an effective weapon against his tendency to bitch and complain about anything and everything if it is not exactly his way. "Slow down, you don't need to drive so fast, take it easy, for Christ's sake, I don't need to die in a car accident..." as I drive 20 mph down any semblance of a curved road used to be met by me hitting the brakes and trying to explain to his frail, old, liberal mind that I was not going too fast, that I wasn't going to fly off of the road, etc. Now, I can just look at him with a concerted look and forceably say, "Moo," at which point he giggles and shuts up. So, this week, whenever you are trying to get a point across to your favorite numb-skull Liberal (of any age!) just counteract their misunderstanding with a good, strong "moo."