Monday, October 27, 2008

Clarification

So, I mentioned the hamburgler in my last post. This is how I refer to my sister Katie's boyfriend. I realize it is mostly lost on them, as they basically became conscious after the Berlin Wall fell down. So, this is who my sister is dating, except he's 6'10"

Some awesome things

So, I am going to have more of a list post here, rather than several little short ones. Its a bit of a change up, but there were several things I wanted to blog about.

Trains: First off. I love trains (not the real ones, I'm talking toys here). I always wanted a train, and never got one as a kid. Alisa rectified that a few christmas' ago. It was, of course, a rather cheap one, as I didn't have a real job yet, and nice model trains are expensive. Nevertheless, it is a really cool train. I get it out now and again, and play with it. Hyrum and Cora both got me to set it up this weekend, like I said, it isn't fancy, but we put it together, and set it to going. Needless to say, there were three childish grins watching that little toy train going around the track for a substantial amount of time. I will eventually get nicer ones, but that will always be my first train. Thanks Alisa, you rule.

Real Salt Lake. So, after a crap filled game on Saturday, with a last second goal, our soccer team is headed to its first ever playoff appearance. This saturday at Rio Tinto, be there, or be like Bryan.

Movies. So, I saw a couple of movies this last week or so. The first was The Incredible Hulk with Ed Norton. I missed it in the theater, and have wanted to see it. Luckily, Katie and the Hamburgler brought it over on Friday night and we watched it. It was really quite good, and it gave me yet another teaser glimpse at what is coming, i.e. The Avengers.

So, The Incredible Hulk ***

Then, on Saturday night, while I was missing a party at Amelia and Breanne's, I laid on the couch and watched Constantine. I am sure that many of you have no idea what that movie is. Here's the trailer. Now, I remember when this one came out, I thought it looked cool, saw that it was R, and didn't waste much more time on it. But this weekend it was on cable, and I caught it. It was actually really cool. I know I'm going to be spitting right in Bryan's cheerios, but I thought it was much cooler than Hellboy, which had at least a somewhat similar idea (fighting demons, etc., etc.).

Friday, October 10, 2008

Rio Tinto Stadium

So, last night was the home opener of Real Salt Lake's new stadium. I wish I could find a good picture, or that I had taken one myself, to give you an idea of what it was like coming in. The whole group of us went down there last night. Luckily, Will suggested that we go around the stadium and come in from the NW, which is right about where our tickets are. So we walked up the grand staircase, and when I came up over the top, I was starring lengthwise down the field, it was awesome. I felt like I was walking into some stadium in England, or Germany where they know how to watch soccer. The stadium couldn't be cooler, it was dark with the bright lights and the two great white overhangs, it was sweet. Our season tickets are like 6 rows up, about 2/3rds of the way between the goal and the corner flag along the NW baseline.

While the game left a little to be desired, would have liked a win, it was an incredible experience, and several of us were as giddy as school girls.

We have a stadium, and I own a seat in it.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Too much emotion.

I think emotions are good things. I have emotions, I ocassionaly display emotions. However, I think in the realm of politics, people should really try to set their emotions aside. You will have noticed that I have not blogged much about politics. Part of that is that no one that reads this will much comment on political things (not that I get many comments anyway, most people tell me in person they read this, I just take their word for it, as far as I know, me and one nerd named letterman are the only ones who remember it exists), and the other part is that I find myself caring less and less about politics.

Some foundational points. I don't consider myself a member/adherent/dedicant/believer in any political party. I was at one time a died in the wool republican, but can hardly muster any feeling besides disgust for that party now. And I can't follow any party so willing to stake its claim to the pro-abortion position as the democrats (not my only problem with their platform, but just a reference to one of my biggest problems with politics right now).

This election cycle, I think, has highlighted so many of the things that I dislike about politics now, but one of the overarching problems is the amount of emotion. It has really seen an escalation since Clinton was president. For some reason, a deep abiding, visceral hatred of Bill Clinton began on the right wing side (don't get me wrong, I didn't much like him, and think he is really smarmy). It fed upon itself until it was almost a religion of enmity from the right directed at all things Clinton. Funny thing is, as far as politics go, its hard to come up with too many things Clinton did, thus its hard to come up with real reasons for the hatred.

This of course was like a challenge to the Democrats/liberals, who rose admirably with their undying hatred of George W., to the point that I have a friend who will look at me and with a straight face blame the democratic legislators shortcomings on George W.. The cycle continues. People who once could agree with, or at least admit some admiration for McCain now hate him. Obama is just this side of the devil for many, and worse for a lot of the rest. And don't even mention Palin around someone planning on voting for Obama. They hate her with a passion that is usually reserved for those who have done you a personal harm, or emanating from the clinically insane. Not sure why. Disagree with her, go ahead. Think she is a horrible choice, fine. But the vehement level of animosity is amazing.

This all brings me back to my point. Too much emotion. We are not talking about choosing between someone who will save your childs life and someone who advocates running children over. This is politics. I cannot think of a decision that would be more helped in this country by a dose of reason and rationality, but that is falling further and further away from both. This is why soundbites, and scripted debates work so well in this day and age. Adherents to both can walk away claiming victory, and the candidates don't have to go to the trouble of actually giving information to the voter, because information is not what the voter desires. A pep rally is what he wants. Someone he can chant for, or hate his neighbor over.

I have a buddy at work who likes to say democracy has now failed (its more than a bit tongue in cheek, but he is trying to make a point). Now, I don't believe that. I believe our govt. (please don't bother with the definitional distinctions between what the U.S. actually has and a democracy, I know them, I get it, move on), was divinely inspired. However, it really only works in a nation of virtuous people (John Adams said that, not me).

Too often, today, people believe that they can have their moral/religious lives/selves, and also have their political selves, and their business selves, etc.. As if the different facets of their lives are and should be governened by a different set of maxims. Its a tragedy. Especially when its members of the church, who should know that all of our lives are meant to be governed by one set of maxims, and our character shouldn't have a different hat it puts on in the public sphere and the private sphere. There is no, I have to play by this set of rules because I am in the political/business world, and if I want to get stuff done and be successful, I have to play by those rules.

Anyway, this has gone on longer than I originally anticipated. But this is the kind of stuff that goes through my mind during an election cycle. Its sad, but this is how I see our current system.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Random

So, as Will was giving me a ride to the train the other night, I look over, and who is in a car right next to us. Thats right.


Wednesday, October 1, 2008

This is what a stroke must feel like.

Follow up on the story below.

So, the stupid attorney asked me why we were collecting child support. Again, since I had no file, I turned it around to him. Well, is there a court order? I asked. No, he said. So I said it must be an administrative order. AS THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO POSSIBILITIES.

So, I told him I'd fax him our admin order.

I get back to the office, and guess what. No, wait for it, let it build. Roll his stupidity around in your mind for a minute and imagine what it could be......

They have 2 court orders. That's right. What's that you say, wouldn't an attorney know if his client had a DIVORCE DECREE that ordered child support, seeing as that attorney was currently in court arguing over said child support?

You would think, but just remember, lawyers are stupid.

Self-deprecation, the pinnacle of arrogance

So, I have had to deal with stupidity in other attorneys, multiple times. I have had to deal with arrogance, even more than stupidity. But, today took the cake. It was the biggest waste of time in the court ever.

I was sitting at my desk in my jeans (thats right, I wear jeans to work, every day unless I have court, take that), and the court called saying I needed to get down there ASAP because there was a hearing going on that involved us. So, I put on my emergency court clothes, and head down. No file, no referral, nothing. I don't actually have this case, and my client, the State, doesn't care in the least what happens, so you can imagine my enthusiasm to get right off to court.

When I get there, I am acosted by an attorney that is equal parts stupid, arrogant, and self-deprecating. Every single question he asks me could have been answered with a quick 5 minute phone call to the agent over this matter. But no, he prefers dealing with 'someone of my astute abilities' (at that point I dry heaved a little). Irony was, I couldn't answer any of his questions. They aren't my area, I don't know, and even more importantly, there is no conceiveable way I could have cared less. I told him *BUM BUM BUM BAH* the AGENT could answer all these questions. Through the entire thing, he keeps saying stuff like, "I know I'm not that smart, so I can't understand this, if you could explain to me ______" To which I would continue to answer, no, I don't know, you'd have to ask the agent, who actually has that information.

Here's the problem. He doesn't think he's stupid. I know he doesn't think he's stupid. So, the self-deprecation could only be one of two things. Either he a) thinks that I am stupid enough to believe him, so I will do his work for him, or b) he is fishing for compliments.

Most of the time that you run into self-deprecation, it is b. But in this case it was clearly a. He was lazy, and more than a little stupid, but he really thought if he kept up this poor me act, that I (as a sub par lawyer, I mean really, I just work for the state), would do all his work for him.

Either way, I hate self-deprecation. Its only basis is arrogance.

I'd like to stab him in the eye with something. Preferably something much larger than his ocular cavity.