mmm...tastes like democracy...

Two posts in one day? Yes. Why? Because I said so.
I got my ballot in the mail this morning. I've changed my mind and decided I do like this vote by mail method. I can do all the candidate research I need to do in my house slippers and I get to lick an envelope. It's win-win!
The County Commish candidates where the toughest decision. Both seemed very worthy, had all the right supporters, had decent stances on the issues. It seemed odd that instead of holding my nose to vote I had a tough time choosing between two legitimate candidates. I thought the primarys where supposed to polarize the choices in November, making it an easy call. I can't lose for winning. Whichever guy wins they'd better fix my street so the trucks stop rattling my house!
The only bad thing is I have to wait for results. I remember as a kid staying up late on election night waiting for concession speeches. I need my fast resolution damn it!

They call me 'Ace'

I finished the outside of my greenhouse. The first test for its weatherproofness came with the rain today, and it past with flying colors. $100 worth of silicon and polyurethane sealants will keep out a drizzle. the true test will come with the worsening of the weather later on this fall.
My violin teacher gave me the most frustrating excercise last week, and it demoralized me. I barely practiced at all, but the excercises I have this week should be more up my alley. Even though my bowing is what needs the most work I prefer to practice my fingerboard work. They say the key is to practice what you are poor at, not what you have mastered, but I say who asked 'em.
My first Bio test got graded. I blew a couple simple questions, but made it up on the extra credit for an overall %100. This is an acceptable outcome, since I really need top marks when I apply for the radiography program.

21 days

We vote by mail in this state, and should be receiving our ballots soon. Even my wife is registered this year(talk about a pain in the ass, it involved 2 weekends at the DMV). On the national front the progressives need to turn out the vote sumthin' fierce and every last conservative needs to sit on their hands come the first Tuesday in November. We really need a mild early November so the poor don't get shut in by the weather. If the progressives can pull off one house I'm hoping they can make some heads role for some of the corruption and deception by the ruling party of the past 6 years. If they don't it will be time for a new progressive party.
I've looked at the voter guide (Volume 1) for our ballot measures. The only one that is worth voting for is a state prescription drug measure. The rest are either too invasive (parental notification) or worthless and won't achieve their stated purpose (campaign finance reform). People always trying to make things more difficult. If you want me to vote for your ballot measure I'd better be able to see a direct benefit and no drawbacks, otherwise my inner conservative resists change.

The glass could be half full...

I got a construction staple stuck in my rear tire causing a flat tire on the way to school today. Luckily, the 40 bus was about a minute behind me. So I hopped on and reached into my wallet for my bus fare, only to realize I was $1.00 short. But the dude just let me pay the dollar I had and ride on my merry way. I figure it's karma for all the times I paid $1.95 when the fare was really only $1.65. Good on the dude for not being a dick and letting me ride anyway.
On Saturday, I tried to stab my thumb through my fingernail with a screw-gun. Luckily it was my left hand, so I'm still able to hold the bow and practice my fiddle. Speaking of which, it turns out my $350 rental fiddle is woefully inadequate. I'm getting wicked bow-bounce, which my instructor ascribes to the horribly substandard bow; and there's a rattle at the low end, somewhere in the bridge area. But since today's post is on the glass half full, the upscale luthier in town will rent me a better instrument for only a modest upcharge that he'll apply to the purchase price of a better violin, thereby allowing me to play another year without having to plunk down the purchase price of another instrument. That works out well since the wife's begun to beat me for spending all her beer money.

The Four Fat Groups

CK is having eye problems. This translates into heartburn for my uninsured a$$. It be great if we had public healthcare like other first word countries such as Canada or Cuba.
To take my mind off it I made a bacon avacado cheeseburger. That runs the gambit with pig fat, cow fat*two and avacado fat. Mmm mmm.

Girl Looking at River

 

Beatitiudes

I was reading this Vonnegut article when he mentioned the Beatitudes. Needing a refresher I did some googling and came up with a minor translational/ recording difference:
Matthew 5:3( the one which everyone likes): Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 6:20 (not quoted quite as often for some reason): Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
Not being a follower of the teachings of Jesus myself I am under no direction to be poor, poor in spirit, hunger nor be hungry or to have any characteristics of asceticism. I do find the fact that Mattew's recording of events require less actual suffering and are therefore more oft quoted. Being poor in spirit is a whole lot easier than being actually poor.
On the lighter less sacrilegious side of life, Lou and Senia were up this weekend. We had a good time, and we made CK and Lou tag along as we went out looking for night time photo ops. I got some ok shots, but nothing worth writing home about. The Murphys put on a good show Monday night at the Crystal Ballroom. This venue has some kind of springs underneath the floor, so lay off the booze when visiting because you might not like the jostling when the crowd gets to jumping.