I tried not too... Belling the Cat...

Y'know that guy at work who does stuff he shouldn't or does, basically, nothing but escapes notice by pointing out the flaws of his co-workers?

Would you vote him in as President?

Or the person who uses the work of others as their own accomplishments?

Or just points out what a bad job someone else is doing and says that if they had that job, they could do better?

I don't know when the last time I went to a job interview and tried to get the job by making the other applicants look like they aren't a good choice so hire me...

Name calling? Funny quips?  Fact distortion?

Is this a presidential election or the 5th grade?

A few  thoughts, correct me if I'm wrong with constructive criticism...

One of Barak O'bama's running points before was ending the war by bringing our boys home.  The hint was that the mission would not be completed and I thought thats what people voted for. 

Now the mission is complete and our President is taking the credit.  yes, he has to ok the operation but aren't we glossing over the fact of all those soldiers and intelligence workers putting the thing together until it was handed to the President, whoever it was?  What would be the response if such had happened and the go ahead had not been given?  After all this time and energy and lives spent?

Point of order; it has been hinted that there were times in the past that the problem may have been handled pre 911 but the President at the time did not give the go ahead.

So, unless there had been a total withdrawal, wouldn't the mission have happened no matter who was President?

The war had started before he took office so he can't be blamed/ hailed for that.  This was the culmination of the work begun then...right or wrong. 

But I'm not sure what the other guy will do and the waffling and softening of position has begun to please the... contributers?

A sociology professor of mine once said that maybe there should be a 'None of the Above' button in the toll booth so that people wouldn't have to split along party lines or try to vote in a 3rd party canidate who, frankly, doesn't stand a chance in our media driven culture.

And maybe if None of the Above got the most votes then the 2 VP canidates would have to lead the country together until more suitable canidates could be found instead of the two guys with the deepest pockets and the most friends. 

We're not voting for the Prom Queen here, people.

I'm finding it easier and more satisfying to be non-partisan now than ever before.  Unfortunately, the way things are, this is a two person race.  the guy who's been doing the job and the guy who wants to do the job.

And, in my mind, they are spending tons of money calling each other names when we have an economy that is hindered partially by our countries ever increasing debt.  There's something to spend the money on.

Can someone give me a percentage of the debt that could have been paid off by the amount of money spent on the election include dinners and fundraisers?

I'm an assistant manager and I have closed and re-opened a position because no one who has applied was qualified.

I have also hired the wrong person before.

So, in conclusion,

Go out and vote, it's our right and duty.  Just, please, vote with your head and not with what others tell you to do or what you've always done in the past.

And don't get your hair stuck in the polling levers...

H.A.N.D.

Hello! I'm talking to you!!

I finally figured it out yesterday.

I had heard tons of reports and commentary about texting, most of which i can't remember except the whole keep the phone a foot from your head...

You know about that, right?

Anyway, the problem I have with texting...

I text a ton.  i'm not as bad as my 16 year old daughter but between work, friends (from work), and family I get the amount up there. 

The problem... this is why people don't like my blog.  i can't stay on topic...

And that's the point.  Kinda.

Conversation is immediate.  Conversation is reactive.  When you are talking to someone there is also body language and tone of voice...

The average length of time between statement and response is 3 - 5 minutes. i'm at work and text my boss about an issue at work.  5 to 10 minutes is a long time to wait for a resolution.  Usually it becomes like a test answer if his response matches what I did.

And, in a text-ual conversation, people will often just not repoind to statements they don't want to address.  Kinda like a political debate.

Or they just never answer.  I didn't get the text or I was busy or I must have accidentally erased it.

And then there are the people who get upset if you don't answer right away.  Like, I'm driving or at work busy. Give me a break. 

They are also the people who just never get back to you when you check on them and then are mad when you run into them in the grocery store.

That's like me saying something to you and you walking away and the next time we talk you get mad at me for not saying good bye the last time.

And saying goodbye has gone away too.  My daughter doesn't say goodbye to her friends when she talks to them on the phone.  When she calls them.  I have seen her text a friend who is on the other side of the car.

Now I;m telling us to bell the cat here.  I mean, what can we do?   I geuss we need to work on conversational closings so you know that the conversation is over.  And maybe coloring the messages would help with tone of voice.

Or maybe some courtesy instead of just never answering.  Apologize later. Tell what happened.  It's ok if you can't answer back right away.  If you need an instant answer or a conversation, dial the phone.

If I am too busy or driving, I won't answer.  or I will answer and explain that now isn't a good time.

Just some thoughts.  I still prefer face to face conversation...

Stripping! It's not what you think...

Get your brain out of that gutter.

I spent most of my Saturday off stripping the old wall paper in our bathroom with the help of my mom and wife and kids.  It was actually fun.  and i kinda like the new appearance of the room with just the plaster and wall board, little scraps of wallpaper and glue still clinging in spots waiting to be scrubbbed/scraped off while we prepare to paint.  The old dingy room is getting a new look.

I was pondering this after i dropped Jake off at school this morning and realized a theme.  kinda the frying pan to the back of the head as the Lord showed me a connection to other things.

I also shaved my moustache off a couple weeks ago.  I was done hiding behind it.  I was never one to believe much that facial hair meant you were hiding but, as I looked back at the past, oh, 20 years, I realize I came to Corning with a full beard, mustache, and long enough hair to tie into a small pony tail.  Over the years, the hair got shorter, the beard became a goatee and then just a moustache.  I would chew on the moustache when it got too long and it would smell gross at times.

So I shaved it off.  My son didn't want to get in the car the first afternoon after school until I spoke.   He wasn't sure it was me.  People at work tell me I look good. neater.  Younger.  15 years younger to be exact by the usual estimate.

And I felt better.  I have dealt with some old baggage and struggles.  I can't believe I carried some of this stuff around for so long.  Not that shaving the moustache got rid of the baggage but what i got rid of made me appear younger.

And I didn't do it because I thought I would look better but because I was sick of the old thing.  Too much time spent making it more presentable, like old wall paper that no longer serves its purpose.

Now I'm starting to wonder why a couple of people at work are growing out their facial hair.  Wonder if they are trying to hide something from themselves...