Thursday, June 12, 2008

wait, I think I missed a season ...

I can't believe my last post was in March ... I can't believe it is June ... I can't believe a lot of things lately and what else is new? the world continues to puzzle and mystify me

so I am still unemployed and looking for regular work; the search has taken me on two interviews (not a great track record if you're keeping score at home) and a seriously draining ongoing examination of who am I, what do I want to be when I grow up and why does life have to be so damn hard? not that my life is actually hard by virtually any standard but a heat wave mixed with PMS, the end of unemployment benefits and the dangerously close, big bad stretch of summer (a/k/a no school for kids) makes one prone to self-pity and having snacks of raw cookie dough, followed up with some doritos, and maybe washed down with a nice cold coke!

aside from stress eating I have been following news of the economy (it still takes a minute to realize that the unemployment figures on news radio refer to me) Valiant Hillary finally stepped off the path to 1600 (still don't think it much matters, Iran invasion coming soon to a world theater near you, no election ... or illegal anointing of McCain for the Bush/Cheney third term ~ they're on a roll since 2000, why stop now?)

I have been thinking a lot these last couple of days about language. Maybe it started when I realized that "coverage" has become a completely normal term to be used in relation to one's children (i.e. "can't have lunch that day, I have no coverage for Little One ..." or "how can I take this job when I have no coverage for the kids after school?")

coverage?!?? the dictionary definition is as follows:
noun, 1. the extent or degree to which something is observed, analyzed and reported. 2. the extent of protection afforded by an insurance policy. 3. the amount of funds reserved to meet liabilities.

nice! society now speaks about its young like risk profiles, just more of our "anesthetization nation" -- obscure the real meaning, blunt the hard edges, candy coat it so it goes down easier ...

a message from Senator Chuck Schumer today referred to "victim-activated explosives" ... figured that one out yet? I must have signed some petition about the US signing some land mine treaty or some email campaign about the cluster bombs in Lebanon killing innocent civilians (otherwise known as mothers and children but that's too graphic) and this email from Schumer's office is the standard response.

I've noticed that politicians have gotten much more targeted in answering these things and instead of (or in addition to) getting a receipt (thank you for your email, due to the large volume of communication, we cannot promise a response blah blah) I get a written letter (most often from my Representative Carolyn McCarthy, or my favorite, from the White House : ) or these new emails from Chuck and Hillary with some policy position spelled out and why I'll be glad to know they share my concerns and have co-sponsored some legislation or take my comments very seriously and will do everything in their power to represent my interests.

It all seems so hopeless sometimes. But, it's a nice day and time to pick up, dust ourselves off and maybe go to the park and have some ice cream. That always makes things look better!

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