Money Money Money

I guess there is a shiny side to being broke-ass poor. Wall Street troubles? They don't trouble me. Banks failing? Pff, if my bank disappeared completely, I'd lose roughly the price of a pizza. My industry is fairly turmoil-resistant, and there's always work to be had (my particular lack of having any being my own damn fault).

There's even something of an advantage to be had here, in that stocks, in general, are cheaper than they have been at any time in the past few years. I'm around (okay, past) the age where I need to start thinking and planning for an eventual retirement - nevermind the fact that I can barely conceive of ever possibly being that old - and putting any money I can into a retirement fund now will certainly end up growing as the market and economy inevitably recover. It's going to be a troubled next couple of months, sure, but in the long-view, a few months are a blip in a retirement account.

If I were at all the kind of person who liked to make a point, I guess it would be this - don't panic.

And I'm lucky to be here

with someone I like

who maketh my spirit to shine

Lessons in American Civics From a Scotsman

Dear Craig,

Regarding last night's (Wednesday) show: Fucking bravo, sir. That was absolutely some of the ballsiest and most inspiring television I've seen in a good while. And that was just the Shirley Manson segment!

I salute you, and thank you for saying things that most would consider to be outside the purview of the late-night talk show schtick. You are absolutely right to be angry and vocal about it, and I hope that every single person who had the good fortune to be watching last night is today talking about what you said, and spreading even just a small bit of the passion, courage, and common sense that I witnessed.

I've been a fan of you and the show for a long time now, and I want you to know I shall most certainly continue watching.

What did we learn on the show tonight, Craig? I guess we learned that when the journalists, politicians, and tycoons are too afraid to call bullshit, that maybe it falls to the comedians to be democracy's last hope.

Regret is a shitty thing.

For a long time, I've known that I need to better recognize moments while they're happening, not some minutes, days, or weeks afterward. Once it's passed, it's gone. "I think you're missing an opportunity", she said.

I don't want to miss this one.

The previous post is a lie in that John McCain is not Abe Simpson, and Sarah Palin is not Maude Flanders. That's all I have to say for now.

Here it is -

First lie.