Long time, no write

And I mean that in several ways. Well, I have been busy. Or rather, Ainaechoiriel has. Just because the MEFAs ended, didn't mean she was through with it. No, she had to format all the comments to put them on the web. She finally got that done though.

But really, it's the power outage that brings me around today. Since I can't access my computers remotely (because they don't turn on when there is no power at home), I'm left with lest diversions. So here I am.

How did the power come to be out? Well, we got snow. Now, the last I remember, the weatherman said if we got snow, it would be to the south of the city (where I'm not) and only a dusting. We got 3 inches or so. It's November, and fairly late November at that, so I'm not surprised we have snow. I'm not a snow-wimp.

But in the process of snowing, somehow the weather took down a tree that pulled on a powerline and caused the transformer to blow. I woke up at 6 am because I must have heard it. I saw through my window what looked, to my still-half-asleep eyes, like fireworks at the back of my neighbors' house. As it sparked my lights (or rather the lights on my clock, cable modem, stereo, etc.) would blink on and off. then finally they stayed off. So I called the power company and waited on hold for 40 minutes to talk with a human being.

The good news is that I got to come into work late and thus sleep in. Or rather go back to sleep. When I left, just before noon (after shovelling snow and manually opening my garage door) I saw the work crews at the next cross street. So hopefully, I'll have power by the time I go home this evening.

I still have one kitten too many. If you know of anyone who wants a cute little tabby boy kitty, drop me a line. He was born Aug. 11th and he's a frisky kitten who also loves to cuddle. He's developed these two spots of long hair just behind his ears like two little wings. I'll have to get a more recent picture of him. In the meantime, he's a link to his 12 or 13-week picture: Tabbyboy. The other three kittens have been adopted. The two girls went to the same family and are now named Angel and Wild Thing. As far as I know, Dice is still Dice. The longer Tabbyboy remains with me, the more I think I need to give him a more permanent name. So I'm trying to find something that will go with those "wings" he has. Like that Greek myth guy with wings on his heels. Who was that?

Four more years?

Well, you know the election results as much as I do. Bush has won another four years. I wonder how the environment will be by the time he's done. How high with the deficit be? How low will employment be? How many people below the poverty line? How many seniors clammoring for real help with perscriptions. Will Big Brother be watching, logging each book we buy or whether or not we put ketchup on our fries?

At least Ashcroft is gone. So that Big Brother won't be in the picture. But I'm sure Bush will replace him with someone just as objectionable.

Would it surprise you to know I'm an evangelical Christian who goes to church at least once a week?

See, not all of us vote Republican. It just feels that way. Especially in certain parts of the country. There's this assumption that if you are Christian, you vote Republican. Mostly because of abortion. Well, I'm Pro-Life, too, but I'm not going to base my whole vote on that one issue. I think Jesus cares about us being good stewards, of the planet and of money. What's the Republican record there? I think Jesus wants us to take care of the poor and the elderly. What has Bush done for them lately? I believe Jesus wants us to be peacemakers, not warmongers. Yes, sometimes war is left as the only option, but was that the case with Iraq? We were given two reasons for going to war, and they both have been proven to be false. More and more Americans die every day. Some of them aren't even soldiers. How many more will be beheaded? How many more suicide bombers will there be? I think we can all agree that Saddam Hussein is an evil man. But can we all agree that Bush really did everything before going to war? Was it his last resort? Why then did he lie to get us behind him?

I'm not feeling too good about the next four years. I didn't feel very good about the last four. The ecomony tanked; unemployment soared; the deficit sky-rocketed; environmental protections were eased and eased until they are hardly protecting anything anymore. Our allies don't trust us and our soldiers are dying. No, it has not been a good four years.

We've managed to keep Bush out of the Alaskan Wildlife Preserve for four years. Will we be able to do it for another four? Will we be able to pay off the deficit in our generation or will our children have to pay it? Will there be Social Security for those that have already paid into it? How far will we let them erode our civil liberties?

Or is it even worse than that. Find some information about the NeoConservative conspiracy and see if you're not scared for our future, too. I'm hoping to start a YahooGroup so that members can encourage each other to write letters and be active.

Will I ever get back to writing The Honored? Good question. I hope so. I'm just a little preoccupied at the moment. With these dismal thoughts, and with the MEFAs. Ainae has been working hard to get the results figured before the 15th. Things should let up after that.