I'm feeling like I need a break with some elements of the past, which I can't (through my own paranoia) seem to do as long as I've got this handle. Old business, other boards, stuff I haven't dealing with very well, stuff that won't end as long as I still feel "monitored" by people elsewhere. I've been poked at, I've poked at them, I've been seriously (kinda catastrophically, I'm learning) disappointed, and have thus been going out of my way to be disappointing in turn. Basically, there's been more drama than a Univison soap opera, and the only way to stop all the stupidity (most of it of my own making, I admit - I can be bad about picking at sores) is to go off-the-grid and "die" so there's no connection at all anymore, no more mistakes to make, no more resentment to build. And I'm spending too much time online lately anyway, I need to cut back. Since these handles are all masks to begin with, I'm gonna ditch this one (even though I really really like it!) and rejoin at a later time when I think up a new one. Kinda like our pal Droogie did, although for different reasons. Nothing so formidable as the AP bastards!
Some final-thoughts-under-this-handle to follow...
Overall, I think things are looking up.
We all know about the turmoil involving the convention. Would things go off well? Would the Clintons slag Obama? Would there be unity? Were there too many columns? Would we have to burn the chair Sean Hannity sat in? Etc. And the poll numbers were down (well, not really down, but even, and when you're only even with a guy as unappealing at John McCain, that's cause for some concern) and some people were getting jumpy. Things looked (relatively) bleak around here.
Keep all this in mind, 'cuz I'll come back to it later, after a personal sidetrack which serves as a symbol, as well as a vent.
As angst-filled as the political world was, things in my personal life were far more hellish. Monday I found out that a friend - this guy who helps my mom with her garden - got attacked by a maniac and was in the hospital, probably going to die. The guy's name is Frank. He's a black man about 55 years old, and he's mildly retarded, due to a forceps mishap at birth. He's able to take care of himself and drive and everything, but he can't read, can't count, has poor judgement, and needs a lot of guidance. He's a very nice, gentle, good-natured guy, incredibly friendly and really proud of himself if he can help somebody, and Mom has to watch out for him because his friends and family are always taking advantage of him. He's got some pretty mean family.
Anyway, Frank had been hanging out with a girl who was on drugs. She had some other boyfriends who were also druggies. Frank had been warned by practically everyone he knew that these folks were trouble, but, he liked the girl and he wouldn't listen. So, apparently in a dispute over this girl, this guy (who's been in prison a few times and terrorized everyone in his neighborhood) attacked Frank and left him for dead. This gets a bit graphic, so I won't blame the squeamish for bailing.
Monday, we were told that this guy had broken in, tortured Frank by cutting off his fingers, then beaten him severely with a hammer. They had to take him to one of the bigger hospitals in another city, and he was in critical condition and might not make it. And that's all the details we had.
Tuesday morning, we heard more: apparently the guy had cut four of Frank's fingers off with wirecutters and cracked his head like an egg, from the forehead to the back, and Frank had managed to walk to his mom's house (around a quarter mile away) with his brain exposed. And they couldn't find the fingers to re-attach them.
By Tuesday night, my mom had managed to run into the sherrif, who told her that Frank only lost one finger, and it was smashed off with the hammer as a defensive wound. He hadn't been tortured, just attacked. And he was in stable condition. So, things were still horrible, but getting a little better.
Wednesday, Mom got a phone call. Guess who?
Yep. It's Frank! Sounding just like his old self, talking a mile a minute, calling to tell Mom that he's getting out of the hospital on Friday. "But I don't think I'll come to work on Friday!" (Mom had to laugh at that, but it's typical Frank - he's more worried about taking care of the garden than he is about having a fractured skull). He said that this guy showed up at his house Sunday night, wanting to know if he could spend the night. Frank had the girl over, so he said no. The guy left, and Frank said he didn't seem to be mad at him, and Frank wasn't mad at the guy, everything seemed cool. He went back to bed. Hours later he woke up, and the girl was gone, and there was blood all over his bed. He didn't even know what had happened. When he figured out he was hurt, he walked to his mom's and got help. And (also funny if you know Frank), he said, "I'm gonna press charges!"
It's still a very, very horrible thing, but Monday we thought our friend had been tortured and was fingerless and possibly going to die, but by Wednesday we find out that he's sounding like his old self and will probably be okay. He hasn't noticed any other effects from the injury. (I had an aunt who was also attacked with a hammer once and she got tunnel vision and lost her sense of smell from the injuries, but so far Frank hasn't noticed anything). And, fortunately, he slept (or was unconscious) through the whole thing. Bad enough that it happened, but at least he was spared the horror of knowing what was going on. And the cops found the girl who was with him (the assailant had taken her hostage, apparently, but then let her go) and she told them where to find the bastard who did it, so that guy's likely going to the pen for a long time this time. Or, if I get my wish, into the ground. I'm not sure why "attempted murder" is treated as a lesser crime than murder. Why give points for lack of success?
Anyway, you see how things can go. Speculating always makes things seem worse. I worried myself sick about Frank (couldn't think about much else the early part of this week) and, while I'm still worried, it went from absolute doom to "I don't think I'll come to work on Friday!"
And it works in politics, too. I'm as guilty of it as anyone. I figured Hillary would do a good job, but she exceeded my expectations and turned in a world-class speech. Bill, I had more serious doubts about, but, he proved me wrong in a major way, and I'm glad he did. I can't fault either of 'em. I worried Obama's speech would end up being a bit of a letdown, just because expectations were so high, but... nope, he nailed it and that was one for the history books. Even Pat Buchanan was in awe, and that's sayin' something.
And now we see things are looking up in McCain's veepstakes, too. I know he likes to shoot craps, but I think Palin is going to be crappier than he thinks. A couple of Republicans at work have already reacted to this very negatively and think McCain's thrown his campaign away. It may help him a bit with women voters, but, overall, I think it's going to be a mistake, and undermine a lot of what McCain's been saying about Obama. Especially given McCain's age and health, people are going to have to really give Palin a hard look... and the people who are concerned with Obama's age and experience really aren't going to like this.
Things will look dark off and on during this campaign, but try to remember, speculating can fool you and put you through hell, unnecessarily. We've got the RNC to get through this week, and that may contain some depressing moments, just 'cuz the cameras will be on these people all week. But, if it seems bad, don't let it drag ya down.
Don't be a pessimist and see the glass as half-empty. But don't be an optimist and see it as half-full, either. Be a euphamist, and see it as something naughty!
And don't give up on the South... there are a lot more "blues" in the red states than you might think.
Peace out, and see ya in some ressurected form later on.