Revised

Sometimes I read through old postings and, although I crack myself up, I see that there's room for improvement. I know, big of me to admit, eh? Anyway, I often end up making changes in such a way as to make the revision practically a new post (for example, today I significantly added to this one). It's not a new post, truly, but I fear loyal readers will miss out. Then again, maybe I am deluding myself, for I know not whether you all even read enough of this blog to make it matter to anyone other than me. Hmm, that's sort of depressing. Maybe just a new tag--revised--and a little moving on is in order. :)

Free the rice

Next time you are looking for something to do on the web, check out the simple to use, free vocabulary quiz FreeRice. It may feel like test prep all over again but this time the stakes are higher, so check your answers before submitting. Each correct answer generates a donation of 20 grains of rice. Read more about the project or just go play. (And if you need help, that's what a dictionary is for.) Thanks to Lisa for pointing out this webgem.

Nov 30 update: Apparently I am de rigeur (and you can be too!). The latest issue of Rolling Stone listed the FreeRice site in its what's hot on the Internet section.

Thanksgiving

November brings thoughts of politics and thankfulness, not usually in the same moment. But today I am feeling thankful for the opportunity we in the U.S. have each day to express ourselves and our political views, no matter how in or out of the mainstream we may be. Why so patriotic? I discovered yet another wacky political website, natch.

Irregular Times discusses current events through a fairly spirited progressive/anti-establishment political lens. They refer to themselves as "Progressive Patriots". Their merchandising arm, Irregular Goods offers bumper stickers, t-shirts ("I am Barack" Obama says, while Bush states, "I am an island"--take a look; do you get the reference?), and even underwear with political messages.

The thing that drew my attention today was their holiday stuff (I am engaged in my annual find-the-perfect-year-end-message card hunt). I didn't find the right card but I did spot a holiday tree ornament which reads "Peace on Earth is not just for the holidays" and a holiday card clarifying that "the solstice is the reason for the season". Fabulous!

Tribbles

Anyone who grew up watching Star Trek should check out Wired's list of the 10 Cheesiest Classic Creatures. The original Enterprise gang faced some pretty silly villains and the Wired folks have given each a nice tribute, including the episode in which the creature was featured as well as a list of its powers and weaknesses (Tribbles "make Klingons edgy" but can presumably be done in with hammers, though the latter is an assumption on the editors' part). Very good fun. Thanks Boing Boing, for pointing this and other amusements out to me.

Bizarre

I'd already tracked down the quote below, which is quite worthy of being shared regardless, when I forgot why fate was to be tied to bizarreness (real word, I checked). It was a brilliant thread, no doubt, but it is lost. And so I ask a bit of patience with my all-over-the-mapness in today's posting. Many thanks. :)

I was introduced recently by Last.fm to a band whose style is alternately labeled indie, alternative, punk, folk, psychedelic, progressive rock. Black Mountain are compared to Velvet Underground, Neil Young, and early Pink Floyd. After listening to a few of their songs I'd say it can be wrapped up as stoner music (which you need not be stoned to enjoy, as I can attest). It's a throwback to 70's album rock. Recommended.

Based on a recommendation from someone (I don't even recall who; things do linger on my wishlists for years), I put Tangerinephant on my Amazon wishlist. Amazon now thinks I might like to read The Haunted Vagina (you read that right) by Carlton Mellick (author of, among other "bizarro fiction", Satan Burger and Razor Wire Pubic Hair). "It's difficult to love a woman whose vagina is a gateway to the world of the dead," declares the book summary for The Haunted Vagina. Before you go all "What?!" on me for seriously contemplating this recommendation, consider that the book is described by one Amazon reviewer as "an exploration of the female body and the power it can hold over men (figuratively and literally)". Is it fated that I read such a book?

Last night we watched The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, about a regular person who runs on her own Purple Alliance platform for British Parliament and becomes Prime Minister based on little more than a desire for change. It's a political fantasy that does a passable job of portraying the realities which would surely come with a dream come to life. I like to dream, but I do enjoy reality more. As fortune would have it, this morning in the newspaper came news of the "There Oughta Be a Law" initiative by California state senator Joe Simitian. If you live in California and have an idea for legislation, go to Senator Simitian's webpage and submit it. In the six years he's hosted this contest, 11 citizen-initiated bills have been signed into law.

Finally, from A Room With a View by E.M. Forster comes this conversation between Reverend Beebe and young George Emerson:

"[C]oincidences are much rarer than we suppose. For example, it isn't purely coincidentally that you are here now, when one comes to reflect."

To his relief, George began to talk. "It is. I have reflected. It is Fate. Everything is Fate. We are flung together by Fate, drawn apart by Fate--flung together, drawn apart. The twelve winds blow us--we settle nothing--"

"You have not reflected at all," rapped the clergyman. "Let me give you a useful tip, Emerson: attribute nothing to Fate. Don't say, 'I didn't do this,' for you did it, ten to one. Now I'll cross-question you. Where did you first meet Miss Honeychurch and myself?"

"Italy."

"And where did you meet Mr. Vyse, who is going to marry Miss Honeychurch?"

"National Gallery."

"Looking at Italian art. There you are, and yet you talk of coincidence and Fate. You naturally seek out things Italian, and so do we and our friends. This narrows the field immeasurably we meet again in it."

"It is Fate that I am here," persisted George. "But you can call it Italy if it makes you less unhappy."

Don't say I give you nothing to think about when you read my blog. :)

Voting

Not that you asked, but...

And he's coming to San Francisco next week, the evening of the day I will be volunteering in a disaster drill. November 14 is looking to be much more fun than my average Wednesday.

I'll add more to this later.

FOLLOW UP...
Okay, so the disaster drill was not inspiring (we would all be dead or super ticked off after a real biohazard) and I did not make it to see Obama. But I did get to share my views in a political opinion poll by phone, which always perks me up.

My day as a quarantined pretend concert attendee was one of several reminders I've been given lately to practice preparation and patient self-reliance. There was that earthquake a few weeks back, the largest in this area since Loma Prieta. Then I spent an evening in the emergency room last week with my mom (fear not, everyone is now okay). This last experience also served as a good reminder of the need for advocates, people in this case who know what your medical issues are. That and a current list of prescriptions. The hospital is good for immediate life threatening treatments; it is practically useless at making sure you are well.

In the end all of these remind me that I can depend on no one but myself, as there may be no one else around with greater knowledge or preparedness in the event of an emergency, whatever the scope. (Can political disaster be counted? Yes, I believe so.) No man is an island, to be sure, and we can count on others coming to our aid where possible, but first and foremost I need to make sure I am okay and I cannot--or certainly ought not--assume that the world will drop everything to see to my needs. At the same time, acting selfishly does nothing for the greater good. Being well means more than meeting my own short term desires. There's that whole karma issue of what goes around comes around. But I digress...

I will leave you with a happier thought (I hope). Thich Nhat Hanh points out that "Until we are able to love and take care of ourselves, we cannot be of much help to others." Taking care of yourself is about being kind to yourself, accepting and letting go. When you do that, you will be available truly to take care of others, those you love first and extending outwards. That's a nice idea, don't you think? Much nicer than being a hater and letting that be what extends out, right? :)

Grrrrr

Recently on Christopher Moore's MySpace blog, the always funny author posted a slightly worked up letter to Santa and asked readers to post their own requests in the comments. Alas the spirit of replies ends up being not so merry and Moore subsequently comments "evidently my books appeal to people with anger issues." Tonight listening to Last.fm I was offered a pleasant little song that I came to realize was not all that happy, yet it was a decent song. Thus I present the Angry Song of the Week award to "Baby Bitch" by Ween. You can check it out if you like (here's a concert clip and the song's lyrics). Because I believe in balance and as an antidote to the anger I offer you these tips on dealing with anger. I also give you what might not immediately seem relevant but in fact is quite in line with not getting into situations where you will become angry, this nice little list on Making Ethical Decisions. Now go deal with your anger. :)