Level Orange

With Florida in the news so much over the last few months, I couldn’t help but occasionally see that smug, knowing face of Jeb Bush on television. Then, after recollecting the last time I had seen his face plastered all over the news–the 2000 presidential election fiasco–an old saying came back to me.

What goes around, comes around.

I mean, my heart goes out to those that lost everything they had, but isn’t it just a little strange that this happened this year, another election year? Look at the following tracking charts of Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances, Hurricane Ivan and Hurricane Jeanne. While Ivan didn’t exactly hit Florida head-on, it did drop enough rain and blow through there hard enough to do some damage. These storms all hit Florida hard and all within the span of a couple of months. Coincidence? Hmmm…

Hurricane Charley	Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Ivan	Hurricane Jeanne

While it seems that someone at Snopes have already tried to disprove the silliness of it all, I think there’s something to it. Really. I mean, in the state that decided the last presidential election amid its own storm of controversy, four years later four hurricanes strike–leaving billions of dollars in damage–only months before another presidential election? C’mon! Somebody call me a cab because I’m moving to Mars.

UNISYS – 2004 Hurricane/Tropical Data for Atlantic

Snopes – Almighty Wind

CNN.com – Hurricanes complicate election projections

AlterNet – Something Rotten in the State of Florida

To find out just how boring I probably am, I decided to play along with this list. Basically, it’s a list of daring activities, the kind that will stick with you forever. Some are good and well-intended, some not so good and probably embarrassing, and a few are just outright wrong. But the point is not what’s right or wrong, rather to show just what kind of person you are depending on what you confirm or deny. It’s a novel idea, sort of like an personality questionnaire that FBI profilers might use to track you down later…

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With the company’s name in the news almost constantly for the last few months, you’d think things are going well, but some of the news I’ve been reading is giving me a bad feeling.

The lion’s share

Probably the biggest news in the last couple of weeks has been Sony’s acquisition of MGM to the amount of $3 billion. Sound like a good deal right? But Sony already has it’s own production studios, including Columbia Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics and Screen Gems. While MGM hasn’t exactly been on fire in quite a while now, they’ve got an enormous catalog of classic films. This is what Sony is expecting to take to the bank as it releases these thousands of titles on home video.

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Call me lame, but I’ve just now begun watching some great stuff that’s been available on “the pay TV” for some time now. I’ve heard about them, read about them, and while I’m sure most folks have already digested them fully, I was still hungry for a taste. So I only had one other option–rent them on DVD.

The upside to not having cable TV is that I don’t have to put up with all of the crap that airs in between the really good stuff.

I’m talking about shows like Da Ali G Show, Chappelle’s Show and The Office. Having only recently made their way to my television, I’d even dare to say that they’ve made up for the last few years that I haven’t had cable TV.

I used to like the news channels, perhaps even to an unhealthy degree. I still read CNN.com several times a day, but as far as the TV network goes, I can do without all of the talk/panel/pundit programming. That and after seeing what has become of FoxNews and MSNBC–which I have subsequently judged it’s parent companies by–I have to say “no thanks”.

There was always MTV, which while still keeping a cutting edge visually, has grown stagnant from prolonged exposure to Britney-crotch-rot. That and I just don’t like any of the music anymore. From what I’ve read, fuse is on the verge of becoming the new MTV. Hmm…

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So it’s been 29 years since I was born. Well, not yet officially. That’ll be sometime around 10:15pm CDT tonight. Added up, that’s 10,585 days, 254,040 hours and who knows how many minutes. That’s a long time to be sure, and even though it’s relatively young for some people, it’s older than I thought I’d ever be around to see.

Most of the time, I’ve felt like I’m about five years ahead of myself, age-wise. But lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m approaching some sort of weird intersection. Now 29 doesn’t feel so far ahead of the mark. I’ve been married for four years to a woman I love more than anything, I’ve got a beautiful son, I’ve got a new house and I’ve got a great job. Somehow, I’ve managed to catch up to myself with what I wanted to accomplish and what I have accomplished. It wasn’t exactly what I set out to do, but in some ways it’s even better.

No piece of art, no song or film, no story that I could write, nothing can hold a candle to the creation of a life. There is nothing is more life-affirming than life itself.

My career—which I intended to make my life’s work—isn’t exactly a shining beacon of glamorous success, but I’m satisfied with it thus far. For being a creative person, I can say that nothing I’ll ever do will compare to having a family. No piece of art, no song or film, no story that I could write, nothing can hold a candle to the creation of a life. There is nothing is more life-affirming than life itself. My days of nihilism and brooding are long gone. I mean, really, what’s the point?

Now, just the idea of a new life from nothing is simply fascinating to me. I’ve never really asked my parents what that night in September so many years ago was like, maybe because I never thought to ask. But now I’m curious, and maybe I’ll do just that. Curious about what? I’m not quite sure.

Carol and I have now found out that we’re expecting our second child—something that neither of my parents experienced together. Have you ever wondered what it must be like to see your child grow up and have his own children? I can’t imagine it. Like I said, fascinating.

I look at my son, with his curly locks and beautiful smile and his gaze in awe at the simplest things, and can’t see what lies ahead. All I can hold on to is my love for him and the hope that I’ll do a good job of raising him to be a strong, intelligent man someday. It is my ultimate goal.

I’m starting to realize that there’s so much more to the world that I have to give my children. So much more than I’ll ever know. I love music, I love films, I love writing and I definitely love art. But what does that matter in the grand scheme of things? I haven’t been around the world, I’m not terribly political and I’m certainly not any sort of grand intellectual. I’m more the observer than the participant. That’s the way I’ve always seen it.

But at what point do I have to step in and take part? Sooner or later, my children’s future will depend on it.

On the way home a few days ago, I passed by an elementary school. As I drove by, I noticed an inordinate amount of cars in the parking lot for that time of evening. It could only have been that annual meeting of the minds known as “open house” where parents come to the school to meet teachers and see what their children are learning. It suddenly occurred to me that in about four years or so, I’ll be one of those parents.

The point is that I feel like I’m coming to another turning point in my life. One where it will no longer be enough to sit, watch and interpret. Now another step will be required. Now it’ll be sit, watch, interpret and take action. Perhaps some people have that instinct from the start, but I guess I don’t. I can’t say that I’ll become any sort of rabid activist, but I’m feel myself developing some hard and fast rules and principles—and wanting to do something about it. The idea that I really can have an effect on the world around me is actually kind of new to me. It’s a power that I never considered real, maybe because I never cared enough. But after twenty-nine years, that’s all changing.

Thanks to Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11) and Kevin Smith (Jersey Girl) for their combined efforts today to help me further evolve into adulthood.

Tell your loved ones that you love them.

If it’s your spouse, your kids, your parents, your friends, your coworkers, even a stranger, tell them you love them. It might seem a little much, but in today’s world, it’s a necessity.

The world has become a much different place in the last few years, and even though it may never be the same as it was, there’s no reason to stop hoping and striving for a better place. But I can’t get there on my own, and neither can you.

Today’s the day for the world to remember that we’re all in this together.

In the same day, two completely separate news stories speak volumes about the current state of our nation.

One on hand, Vice President Dick “Bad Cop” Cheney has sunken to what has to be the lowest of the low as far as political rhetoric goes. In a speech to supporters in Iowa, Cheney resorted to scare tactics in reference to a victory by the Kerry/Edwards Democratic ticket, stating that if voters choose the Democrats, that America would be wide open to more terrorist attacks. What?! Has the nation ever been at anything less than Terror Alert Yellow?

With September 11 only days away, and every American fully aware of it’s gravity, why else would someone bring up the idea of another terrorist attack on our nation? Why? It must be true, the Republican party is the party of cynicism, willing to go to any lengths to twist things their way.

(Cheney spokeswoman Anne) Womack went on: “As the president and vice president have both said, John Kerry has a fundamental misunderstanding of the war on terror.

Fundamental misunderstanding? I seriously doubt that. I don’t think anyone who lives in this country has such a misunderstanding. Understanding a world with terrorism is not unique to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney alone. Not by a long shot. In fact, if nothing else, America is new to this world.

Just ask the soldiers in Iraq right now if they’re having trouble understanding terrorism. Today marked the 1,000th casualty among American soldiers stationed in Iraq. Apparently, when the President announced that major combat was “so last week” and that we had accomplished our mission, some folks weren’t listening. With our mission being accomplished, some might be wondering what US troops are still doing in Iraq. I often wonder the same myself. We found Saddam, we helped them build a democratic government, we cut some nice deals on Halliburton goods and services, we tortured and humiliated prisoners, what other business do we have there?

Unfortunately, it might be a while before our bonehead Commander in Chief gets it through his thick skull that at this rate, this isn’t going to end well. We can only continue to count the bodies until that day comes. Are you willing to count one of your loved ones among them?

CNN.com – Cheney: Kerry win risks terror attack

CNN.com – U.S. death toll in Iraq passes 1,000

And if you need more reasons dump this administration, visit McSweeney’s and read the growing list.

Just how is it that dreams can be so surreal? Let me explain. I’d been taking Tetracycline for a couple of days and it was having some really strange effects on me. More than anything I began having headaches and sweating fits and couldn’t get a good night’s sleep. The other night, it all culminated in a dream that came straight out of my past.

The setting:
Present day, in a little town called Rosenberg, Texas

The players:
Myself, Carol (my wife), Robbie (my son), and a young woman I’ll refer to as Jane.

So, this girl Jane, she likes me. I mean really likes me. I’ve taken her up on an offer to come over and cuddle and whatnot. STOP.

But I’m married. And I have a son. And I love them so very much. STOP.

That should be plenty reason for alarm, but they’re not around. In fact, I don’t really know where they are. That concerns me, but somehow I realize that this is obviously a dream, so I continue.

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