Happy Halloween!

Getting Out All of the Political Posts Before Election Day

So, if, on Tuesday, I vote for one of the two major party candidates (it's not looking very promising right now), I would choose, of those two utterly awful tickets, Obama/Biden. And I wouldn't be voting FOR Obama, I'd be voting AGAINST McCain/Palin. A vote is a vote is a vote - no mater how enthusiastic or unenthusiastic - it counts for the same amount.

I don't really know why Obama bothers me so much. In the entire past two years of this campaign, I have not been able to figure this out. (Sorry to 90% of my blog readers/Obama fanatics.) I think it's the fact that so many people keep trying to tell me that "just you wait Jaime - he's going to CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!"

Not everyone who has the ability to inspire have actually been able to effect a positive change. Obama's been inspiring, etc., for the past year and a half - and has this movement he's evoked actually accomplished something? (Don't tell me 'it got young people interested in politics' - he's mainly gotten them to CAMPAIGN FOR HIM, as opposed to improving anything - I suppose it's the rallying of the lemmings, not where they're actually lead, that matters to some.)

The other day I read a letter to the editor in my favorite newspaper. I don't remember the exact words, but it was something to the extent to 'Illinois is so messed up - our corrupt politicians, broken economy, etc. We need Obama! Oh wait, we already have him....' I couldn't have summed up my feelings better myself.

Again, to my loyal readers/Obamaists - I'm sorry. But man, I had to say it!

Is Anyone Self-Proclaimed 'Corporate Material'?

So, I'm reading a book called "Slackonomics" which lists a lot of observations about "Generation X".  There's an entire chapter dedicated to the fact that many young adults, throughout the late '80s to the present, have declared themselves "not the 'Corporate America' type".

I find this amusing because almost EVERY FRIEND I have has declared him or herself as such!  I  have quite a few friends who have gone back to grad school to get out of Corporate America and into the school system or some other 'non-corporate' field of work.  Aside from them, I have a lot of friends who are working corporate jobs and feel 'misplaced'.  

Here is my question - is anyone out there 'the Corporate America' type?  Or, more simply, does anyone consider him or herself 'Corporate America material'?  Also, realistically speaking, there are however many corporate careers and there are only so many non-corporate jobs out there - someone's going to need to do the corporate jobs and some of the 'non-corporate' people are going to be out of work (or forced into Corporate America, which some people might say is what is happening now).  

Also, what, exactly, do these people define Corporate America as?  Is it every job outside of self-employment, the arts or the educational system?   Is it really the nature of corporate jobs, or is it just some stigma associated with them (being stuck in a cubicle dead-end job under florescent lighting doing the same monotonous tasks without any creativity)?   

Another point the author brought up was back in the late '80s and early '90s, people did things that went against the mainstream and called it 'alternative'.  Soon alternative became the norm.  Will Corporate America become the alternative career choice?  (and possibly become more appealing in the process?)  What are your thoughts?

I Love the Pharmaceutical Industry's Sense of Humor

If the light stays on for more than four hours, call an electrician immediately.

Help!!

Where might I get a McCain/Palin pin?  Or a flag pin?  I tried the grocery store and Walgreens with no luck.   Where do people get political things like this?  I need to buy it tomorrow - I dropped the ball on this one (so ordering online is not an option...).

Still Relevant

I was 'yahooing' myself (don't comment), and I found a snippet of an article I wrote back in my budding journalism days (a.k.a. sophomore year of college).

Illinois Economy

I wonder if anyone would notice if I performed a quick 'find/replace' of 2002/2008 and reprinted it....

P.S.  Yes, my story has been archived in some database.  You can be supercool and buy it!!

In Case You Are Wondering....

Gee, what's Jaime going to blog about after the election is over?

Fear not, I have some alternate topics in mind.

That, and we'll have a lame duck Bush.    There will only be some seventy-something days left to make fun of him while he's in office, and let's face it, I've really been holding back.

Today, On the Homepage of Amazon.com

I am not alone in my feelings.  Time for a write-in.

Facebook Pet Peeves

The first in what I am sure will turn out to be a series of rants.  Today I will focus mostly on facebook photo pet peeves.

1)  "Couples" pictures.  Ugh.  It's supposed to be a picture of YOU, the owner of the profile.   Don't get me wrong, it's not to begrudge one of his or her happy couple status - one is more than welcome to tell the world he or she is in a happy relationship in the 'relationship status' and even the 'about me' section.  But seriously.  (I guess maybe someone like me, with a unisex name, can see greater potential problems.)  Also, not to mention the 'gag me with a shovel' effect couples pictures have - which is undeniably present.

2)  Baby pictures.  Now, don't get me wrong.  You sure were cute as a kid.  Well, maybe.  At least, you may have been cuter as a kid than you are now.  I feel for you.  Really, I do.  However, what started out one person's cute little idea spread like gossip through a high school locker room - EVERYONE is suddenly doing it.  That, and let's be honest - no one is all that awed by how cute of a kid you were, sans your parents.  And they probably (hopefully) aren't looking at your facebook page.  And the general facebook community probably just looks and thinks 'hey, it's you when you were younger'.   

3)  Glamour shots.  SERIOUSLY.  It's supposed to be a reasonably accurate picture of you.  What good does it do to feature an overly photoshopped/angled/misleading picture of yourself?   Even if it's going to lead you to meeting the man/woman of your dreams, he or she is going to see you in real life (presumably) at some point.   

4)  Political jokes/sports cartoons/etc.  Not that there's anything seriously wrong with this - there are just other places for it.   The section for a photo of you is supposed to be exactly that.

To be continued....

Jessie! No! Those Pills are Dangerous!

So, I have an unnamed friend who is a high school math teacher.  This past week, said teacher was working a problem with her students from her text book.  In the problem, there were two plants and a sprinkler - the object of the problem was to figure out where to place the sprinkler between the plants in order to make sure they both get the same amount of water. 

The name of the problem was "Equally Wet".

The problem appeared on, you guessed it, page 69.

I gotta give props to whoever edited this textbook.  He or she really had a strong appreciation for how the minds of high school students work.  

Sorry

I was at a cabin in Michigan.  I know I am due.  I thank you for visiting anyway.

Summoned to Duty....

So recently, I got a message from a good friend saying something to the extent of "I broke up with (longtime boyfriend).  If I possibly consider getting back together with him, please come knock some sense into me".

Now, I've been summoned to the duty of "break-up buddy" many many MANY times in my life.  I have always given the job 100% dedication.  I have never faltered on insisting that said friend should NOT get back together or casually hook up with said ex (and I have always believed so 100% in my heart).  I have never failed to remind the friend not only of small pet peeves but also of large scale character and relationship flaws that most likely have not and will not change.   I have been tough as nails. 

However, all too often, said friend has ended up at least backsliding at one point.  Said friend has become all hopeful that said ex is the most wonderful person in the world (believe me, NONE of my friends' exes came even close).   In fact, often, said friend LIES to me about her backslide.

I want to be a good breakup buddy.  And I have surely tried my hardest.  Have I failed?  (I feel like I have, each and every time.)   What can be done to keep the friend from going back to and hooking up with the jerk?  Has anyone out there been a truly successful break-up buddy?  Can one be a successful break-up buddy?  How?  

I am currently on duty and I know I will be summoned to duty again soon.  I want to do a good job.  Help.