Catch-up time!

So it's been a while readers, bloggers, and unincorporated webizens. Alot has occured since the last time I posted anything, namely the election of our new president-elect, Barack Obama! I could spin off into a rant about the epoch event that was our election, or how it signals a major cultural shift for our society, or how the mobilization of a new generation of voters points to the future of American politics--oops, kinda spent off anyway!

What I'm particularly interested in writing about at this moment is the changing landscape of our economy. I recently had (and subsequently left) a job with a real estate company. While the work was not terribly complex and required about as much physical effort as taking a shit, what I was put off by was the attitude of my emplyer. Upon interviewing me, he made no effort to be clandestine in his overwhelming support of the former presedential candidate, John McCain. Now far be it for me to criticize anyone's political sway, but I found that to be offensive and let me explain why.

This bobbling head buffoon proceeds to justify his decision to vote for John McCain on one premise: That realtors in the foreclosure market would continue to make alot of money. WHAT?? I had to restrain myself from launching a loogie directly on the bridge of his nose; but at that moment I realized what type of people would support McCain and, by proxy, where McCain stood on the issue of economic recovery.

Now some of you might think that it's overly simplistic to assume that the musings of one regular Joe (Joe the plummer not withstanding) can speak for an entire subset of McCain's campaign, but what we must not neglect is that what applies to the least of them must of course apply to all who precede. In other words, if this lemming was persuaded to belive that McCain's platform applied to him, then what would the attitude be of the more privy Republican? It became painfully evident where our economy was, and what potentially lie in store: A psuedo-feudalsim in which our government was Lord, and the wealthy would war with those that threatened that order.

So maybe i'm a little imaginitive, I can accept that, but we can't deny that there was a sharp line being drawn between the haves and have nots. Thank God for Obama! I began to really understand the way economic forces interact to shape society, and in no small way does that apply to our current circumstance.

I guess the reason that I'm so interested in the economy right now is because I, like many, am broke. I considered dropping out of school to work and hopefully become a homeowner, but setting foot in "the real world" reminded me of a few things: education is always the great equalizer; and even working, unless I was networked with the right crowd, still meant me being in the same situation. Our economy in a nutshell

--needless to say, I only worked for the realtor for about a month!

Obama, What a guy!

Tonight Obama gave his speech at the DNC (Democratic National Convention for those who spontaneously came into existence), and for those who missed it, the man was utterly amazing. It was surely not a coincidence that he timed his speech for the same day that Dr. King gave his address at the Lincoln monument 45 years earlier; his speech conjured all the same emotions that unified Americans then. He talked about how patriotism isn't red or blue, not Democrat or Republican, etc.; he talked about how he tucks his daughters in at night while promising them a better tomorrow and how he knew that's what his listeners did as well. I mean, this guys whole mantra of hope really got some levity tonight. For those less privy to the lightning strike that is Obama, it's hard to prevent yourself from simply sitting back and exclaiming: whoa!



I loosely paid attention to the previous days of the DNC, one of the stubbornly political apathetic twenty-somethings left. My cynicism so overwhelming that I was ready to write off Obama as little more than a novelty; a diversion tactic contrived by a decomposing political machine. Being a member of the post-Existentialist generation, disassociation with institutions is common; but Obama really is a rare find in a sea of duplicates. I watched and listened as this man spoke with the passion and authority as an evangelical preacher; the gentle persuasion of a loving father; the subtle suggestion of an older brother--he had it all. I became convinced he's the man to lead this country out of this first decade of the 21st century into the present of future possibilities.

Now please don't mistake my tone, I'm not one to be swayed to yield all objection because of a good speech, but I am inclined to take a leap of faith--and perhaps the audacity of hope will be warranted as Obama comes through on these audacious promises.

Thoughts on love..

Often described as a quintessential human emotion, love is as elusive as it is obvious. We can usually tell when people are in love, but if you ask a hundred different people what makes it so visible, your likely to get as many answers. My mother once told me that you would know when you're in love because just the thought of the person was enough to make you want to cry. A bit pecuilar I thought, but hey, by virtue of the fact i'm asking I really wasn't in a position to question it.

So my own experience lead me here; writing a post about how i think the idea of love is highly overated, but simultaneously experiencing the feeling that defines millions of books, movies, and songs--heartbreak. It, of course, goes without saying that the only time your heart can be broken is when it is preceded by being in love. What an unfair relationship: the greatest joy being the reciprocal of the greatest sorrow humans can experience.

I told myself I would do all I was able to avoid this most unfortunate of emotions. Why be so enraptured by a person that you lose touch with who you are only to be let down when it ends? But as most would know--it's not quite that simple. It seems like cupid floats his pudgy little ass around like a spy satellite, waiting for the first opportunity to descend on an unsuspecting target. But the feeling is so invigorating; nothing else makes life worth living more than the feeling of extacy that is being in love. So here we have a psychological dichotomy: one one hand, the complete anihilation of a person's since of reason and will; but on the other hand, a feeling so strong as to be able to motivate mankind to its highest aspirations.

So what conclusion have I come to after this thorough analysis of the zenith of human emotions? Fuck love!

Spring break blues

Well, the time has come and gone -- again! Spring break is over. I enjoyed it. I wasn't fortunate enough to find myself in some exotic part of the country as many of my comrades are now returning from. I overheard plans of those going to such destinations as Las Vegas, Mexico, Hawaii and i'm sure countless other places that most would deem a well-deserved vacation. So therein lies the wonder: Do you deserve a vacation to an island in the Pacific seas because you put in a few extra hours for your midterm? I am already critical of my tone because i know i run the risk of sounding bitter, or in some way disingenuous, but none can be further from the truth. I know first hand the indescribable stress that a student in today's college system must face in order to navigate the tempestuous conditions that comprise university life: escalating fees, shortage of classes, teachers that, "don't want to strike...but will" It is indeed, "hard out here on a [student]" I am still unconvinced, however, that it's so hard that one would need to escape to the tranquil waters of Cancun (of course accompanied by throngs of students in similar circumstances) just to regain some semblance of sanity so that they may be able to complete the arduous final weeks of another semester. There are people who work sixty-hours a week to be able to pay a mortgage and tuition to a private high school so that, like you, there future hopefuls can make it to a prized university and endure countless hours of study, lecture, and writing so they too can one day gain the exclusive title of "college student on spring break." What a vicious cycle.

Okay, maybe i am a little bitter!

The pursuit of Happiness!

Doesn't the title alone evoke that longing sense of what it felt like to be a child? The anticipation of the dawn of Christmas morning; or the thrill of the first day of summer. These simple, yet powerful moments in time shape our meaning of happiness; and in doing so, sets us on the fateful pursuit of simpler days.

Of course, as we grow older, the symbols of happiness change; while in college, it's graduation day. When we find that person destined for us before time itself unfolded, we realize that happiness can be found in another person. We progress. We change; but the driving force at the core of our being: the pursuit of happiness is always before us. So what is happiness?

The definition, even more than the pursuit thereof, defies simple explanation. As made evident by the preceding examples, happiness is as simple as the bows on a gift at Christmas; or even simpler, sometimes the word alone can evoke those feelings that characterize the experience. In that line of reasoning, we come to the conclusion that happiness is self-descriptive. Though of course circular in defining what happiness is, it does supply a powerful anecdotal message for us.

We can say there was no time i was happier than when i sat on the porch as the sun began to set, ice cream dripping on my shorts. I smelled the summer air which was warm but fresh. I was happy! So we see what happiness is because it was what someone called happy. Perhaps i have floated away on an unfollowable tangent and my logic is no longer coherent to the reader; if so i apologize for simply emptying my random thoughts on to this blog, but if you're still with me at this point, you'll see that it's really just another step as i continue on this endless pursuit of a journey we call happiness!