Monday, September 29, 2008

Observations, Character Wins ...

In a journal that I read, 'Observations From My Cave', the journalist, Dave, is very concerned about the proposed bailout for the financial markets.  In some of his recent entries, he has broke down the crisis, even in a fashion that a cat such as myself can walk away from reading, with a solid understanding of what is happening.

I am wondering how is it that giving 'the smartest guys in the room' a break, literally giving them all the money (without mentioning the money they've already squirreled away) to take care of this mess, is better than letting it collapse.

With a collapse, there would be the illusion at least that the reasons as to 'why' things are tough and difficult.  Giving these guys all the money, means that there is still no accountability for what went down.

... but that is me ...

A list.  Made with no regards to importance.

Abolition of Slavery.  Manifest Destiny.  WW I&II. The Great Depression.  Suffrage.  The Industrial Revolution.  Civil Rights.

In my mind, 'yearning' and 'want' are different.  When you have a 'yearning', I think that you are making an appeal along with your initial 'want', to do all that you can do to make your yearning happen.  You are saying that it is so deep, that you are willing to climb a mountain, with its peak obscured by the clouds.  You are willing, in spite of the difficulties to endure to reach your goals.

'Want' is much different, something that is indicative of a much less mature, much less mature mind.  'Want' is looking for compliments for its contributions, 'want' is looking for acknowledgements and knows little of earning praise.  'Want' is the petulant child looking at the empty freezer, wondering why the ice cream isn't there.

But that is what was left by the children of the 'Baby Boom', for 'Generation X' (which I consider myself a part of).  Both groups need to get a freakin' grip, and get over themselves.

I have always longed for the late 40's thru the early 60's.  Friday Night Fights, and Jane Mansfield.  A time where a willingness to work hard would earn you a shot at making a respectable, desirable life.  When Idlewild and the Inkwell still were great spots, and I think I would have flourished.

... didn't see it ...

Went with AKA on a 'Bed, Bath, and Beyond' tour, going to all the knick-knack shops and looking at make-up, flowers, and seeing the bedding that I want for my bed!  Had the game on the radio, and the Badgers were doing to Michigan, what the Badgers do.  Michigan meanwhile, were still stumbling along, making mistakes.

When the tour is over, the radio comes on, and the announcers are breathless!  Michigan has come all the way back, and is about to kick the ball off with less than two minutes left in the game.

I didn't say it, but I expected the Badgers to score.  That is simply what they do, there is nothing in their make up that says then have to win by 20 points.  They just win.

They drove and scored a touchdown, which left them two points down.  They had to go for two, and the radio announcers conveyed the uncharacteristic confusion on the Wisconsin side of the ball.  Even though they'd get the conversion, there was a penalty flag, illegal formation.  Replay, with addition yardage marked off, and Michigan made the play, recoverd the on-side kick, and ran out the clock.  Good win, and I guess the Wolverines only have two 'not gonna happen' games (OSU, of course, and PSU) and two more tough games (State and Illinois) on their schedule.

FOUNDATION

That is what Nietzsche's 'Formula For Happiness' is for me, a foundation, not the sum of my philosophy.  Were it so, I wouldn't be capable of writing too far above the 'Beavis and Butthead' (heh, heh) level!

After not being able to 'come back to me' without great difficulty, the formula, 'A yes, a no, a straight line, a goal ..."
keeps me on track and is the light that prevents me from getting lost.  I like it as it is a process that solves a lot of problems for me.

I am thinking about a 'tagging' project, taking a break and going over what I have written and trying to 'tag' my entries.  One of the reasons that I haven't done it before, is because I am changing, and change comes gradually.  What looks one way now, will look different a month, a year from now. 

'Tagging' an entry that says 'Badger think' today may mean something else in the future (because, as we all know, it's a party state!).  And looking at all the grammar and spelling errors ... oh, the humanity!

OKAY ... THE LAST TIME ... Maybe ..!

Sage Steele is absolutely stunning this morning.  What is the color ... maybe it is a gun metal color ..?  Don't know, but it looks good because she has it on!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The tagging project seems like a great undertaking, and a long one to do as well.  I understand your comments about change.  I see these journals as always a work in progress.  It's hard to tag when it's always evolving.  Great entry, I enjoyed reading it!  Sue

Anonymous said...

I'm a PSU fan myself but that's because the people at Hershey Hospital are the ones who really take care of me and my family and it's a part of Penn State.  When it comes to NFL though, I'm Raven's all the way.
Trying to imagine you looking at make up.  What color eyeshadow are you using? ;)

Anonymous said...

We "don't like" (I try to refrain from using the H-word) Michigan here, so we were pulling for the Badgers. Sorry about the loss. :(

I'm going to attempt an entry later about the bailout...I don't understand everything about it, but I'm trying to.

While I think the time period you mentioned, the 40's-60's, has a certain appeal ("Things were so much simpler then," that sort of thing), and the Greatest Generation had the attitude that they could GET THINGS DONE, remember that it wasn't all idyllic. Women were still very much second-class citizens, expected to behave in certain rigid roles, and blacks...well, you know the score there. While things have gotten more complicated, I think that all in all, we've made some pretty wonderful progress socially. I could even say "We've come a long way, baby!" ;)

Hugs, Beth

Anonymous said...

I like Dave's journal; he does write, like you said, in a way that I can understand what is going on so much better than trying to read it in the newspapers and he also has some very good ideas and points to get us out of this economic disaster that we seem to currently be in

had to say, when I first read tagging project, because of experience, I thought graffiti and vandalism and tagging, but then when I read it again, of course it made perfect sense with what you would accomplish by going over previously written entries; I think that's always a good thing to do to see where you've been and how far you've come over a course of time

I kind of liked the 1980s myself; I liked that time, but as I'm here now, I'll be content and grateful :)

betty

Anonymous said...

Glad your Wolverines got the victory :o)

Glad you had an enjoyable day shopping.  We are not real big fans of the mall thing, we like doing most of ours on-line.

Anonymous said...

Which Dave is this that you are talking about?  I mean what is his screename or his blog?  I'd like to check out his entry.  I was talking to my dad about this topic all day.  I guess I am technically a baby boomer, as I was just born on the tale end of the baby boomers, perhaps the last year.  I want to see where I fall amongst baby boomers and generation xers.  I'm just curious.

Krissy :)
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink