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July 20, 2006
Kinky for Guv
On the TX Governor's race, I think this says it all:
The Democrats, who haven't won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, nominated Chris Bell, an obscure former one-term congressman from Houston. Bell doesn't have a nickname, but he's frequently referred to as "What's-his-name, the Democrat."
The rest of the story at the Washington Post is informative for you folks not indoctinated into the Kinky life, and it has more gems, such as:
Kinky is one of Texas's most famous animal lovers. He donates the proceeds of his line of salsa -- Kinky Friedman's Private Stock -- to the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, a central Texas facility for abandoned animals that's on land donated by Kinky's late father, Tom. (Laura Bush is on the board of directors.)"We've saved more animals than Noah," Kinky says. "It's Gandhi-like work, and I'm a Gandhi-like figure. Meaning I don't do any of the real work, I just promote it."
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Jamaican violence cause revealed
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July 18, 2006
General updates
I'm really loving my new living situation -- despite it's many, many flaws, overall it gives me a lot more personal freedom (BTW - this is a general open invitation to crash at my place in DC now). And the porch! Woooooo porch! It's great to sit on it and watch the fireflies in the yard, or the occasional summer storm roll down.
Work has been really difficult the past few weeks. I'm caught between an impending workshop and the contractor putting the registration system together, and am reminded why I hate managing people, as they so rarely live up to my expectations, at least in business situations. In social situations, they generally surpass my wildest dreams and make me feel inadequate, but that's an entirely different story. But even on that thread, I've been doing better of recent.
Despite some rocky/stressy times at work and in life, I've been overall in a good mood. I watched The Day the Earth Stood Still at Screen on the Green with some other grad students last night (the origination of "klatu barata nictu"!!) and have somehow found myself busier than when I was in school. Generally, this is a good thing, tho.
I've read a collection of Mieville short stories (Looking for Jake), and Freakonomics. I'm currently reading The Elusive Quest for Growth: Economists' misadventures in the tropics, which, as
"... many readers have asked if my statement in the original prologue that “my employer ... the World Bank ... encourages gadflies like me to exercise intellectual freedom” was really accurate. Well almost. It should be modified to “the World Bank ... encourages gadflies like me to find another job."
I was underimpressed by Freakonomics. Sure, some interesting points, but it read more like the string of smaller articles and publications it grew out of than any cohesive idea. To be fair, the authors stated that this was the case many times, but still. It left me unfulfilled.
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July 06, 2006
Cautiously Optimistic
I hate to break the general pattern of malaise of my blog of recent, but I ... I might be kinda happy right now. I'm done with school until August, getting moved in to my new place, and ... dunno, just a bit more cheerful.
But in the tradition of personal blogs, let's over-analyze! whee!!!
*I enjoyed the summer course, but it's nice to not be constantly be nose-in-book or writing, or worrying about those things. I'm reading for pleasure. It's nice. Next semester should be OK, as one course is an independent study, so it'll be a bit more structured towards exactly what I want, and I'm slowly figuring that want part out.
*My new house is interesting. Lots to keep me busy with, and good roommates interested in a communal situation, where we do home-improvement projects together and such. It's a beautiful old (late 1800s) house, with some definite problems, but it has a great vibe.
*Takoma is a great neighborhood. People are out and about walking dogs and kids, all the homes are turn-of-the-century with big yards and trees and anti-war protest signs in the windows. There are restaurants and coffee shops and vintage clothing stores and a big farmers market on Sunday. There's a food co-op and a Safeway both within an easy walk. I'm <5 minutes from the metro, and there are bus lines straight to Adams-Morgan.
*E and JP came down for the weekend of the 4th. Tho I was a bit frazzed with the move and grad-crowd plans, I got to spend some quality times with them, which always has a centering effect, reminding me that balance is within reach!
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