Keeping with the spirit...

At my church we are doing a fundraiser for a mission parish in Arizona. The idea is to take all of the receipts that you have from your Thanksgiving dinner, add it all up, and than donate 10% to a local charity. So... if you spent $100 dollars on your turkey and stuffing, bring ten bucks to the local soup kitchen. Its very easy, and I don't think that you have to be a church goer to try this out.

The Christmas Spirit

http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/28/news/economy/blackfriday_walmart/?postversion=2008112819

This is embarrassing. Every Thanksgiving Day we watch so many poignant television shows, we salute our troops and tell our family and friends how thankful we are for all that we have. What happens over night? Does Big Retail poison all of the turkey in America to turn us into savage beasts? Yeah, we really have to bring in the belt this holiday season, but in the mean time, lets trample pregnant women just to be the first to get that new TomTom at half price. What a disgrace.

Americans really believe that we are the shit. Who do we think we are? Then we are shocked when we wake up and see in the news how some scum bags ran off with a couple of million dollars. Tell me, what is the difference between that CEo, and that soccer mom who tramples a pregnant woman at a WalMart? Absolutely nothing.

Sorry for being a downer - but seriously, disgusting.

Thank You

I thank God for every one of you.

The Earth is Not a Cold, Dead Place

or is it? This is something that I have been struggling with the past several years. In fact, I know the exact time and place where things in my life became completely fucked up. October 9, 2003, everything was pretty awesome in my life. Great friends, great grades, a very promising future. It was the fist time in my life where I know that everything with my family was nearly perfect. on October 10, 2003, my life became a nightmare. sometimes it is the smallest, seemingly unimportant decisions are the ones that change the course of our lives forever. Since that day, that night, I have let my life spiral completely out of control. I lost everything in my life I worked hard for. I am no longer respected amongst my peers, my family sees me as almost nothing but a burden, I have hurt myself and others more than I will ever be able to repair. And what for? Where has this gotten me? Am I some type of sadist? Do I enjoy the pain I put myself through? Is it for the attention? I am sure that people go through much more difficult times in their lives, why am I, why have I for five years now let one moment of my life dictate the rest of my life? Is it nothing but anger? Am I jealous of everyone who hasn't had these trials or obstacles to maneuver? Even so, why do I hurt myself? Why do I continue to put these mountains in my path, and than cry when I fall down the slopes? It makes absolutely no fucking sense. Do I even want to be happy? Have I found my fucked up happiness in this misery I constantly put myself through? It is no longer her fault. I cannot put blame on people who no longer have any influence in my life. Fuck, just writing this down makes me feel like shit. Doctors say to write down your feelings and it will help you to release tension and anxiety. Not me. Not now at least. Maybe one day; and maybe on that day I'll see if the Earth is a cold, dead place - or if I have just a cold, dead soul. Deep.

How many people have been on business trips?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/19/autos.ceo.jets/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Is anyone shocked to hear about corporate CEO's living lavish lifestyles? Unfortunately, I have become very cynical to this issue and almost see it as a moot point. However, the recent news of the Big 3 auto CEO's traveling to DC to beg for $25,000,000,000 (billion) in tax dollars to help stave off a massive, cross-industry economic collapse, while each flying in their own private jet, struck me as most disheartening. In Congressional sessions yesterday, Rep. Brad Sherman of California asked if any of the three flew commercial. It was a rhetorical question I am sure. However, what really, really, really struck me as odd was what Mr. Tom Wilkinson, the GM spokesperson said, and I quote the above article:

"Making a big to-do about this when issues vital to the jobs of millions of Americans are being discussed in Washington is diverting attention away from a critical debate that will determine the future health of the auto industry and the American economy..."

Huh?

Chrysler Spokeswoman Lori McTavish said in a statement, "while always being mindful of company costs, all business travel requires the highest standard of safety for all employees."

I personally know at least 20 of people who fly for business. None of them get a private jet. I know hundreds of people who MAY get $0.30 per mile they drive for business.

I wonder how many Chrysler employees have access to the private jet?

WTF?

What the hell am I doing here?

OK so just to outline the title, this is not some mid-life epistemological query. I really don't know what to do with this information medium. I guess I will just have to learn as I go.