I can stop anytime

It's an election year, and despite better efforts, I'm sure a political rant will crop up here every so often, starting with this one.

For most of last year, I wasn't paying much attention to the races. But then I hurt my foot and spent the days leading up to the IA caucuses stuck at home watching just enough CNN that, coupled with my NPR habit, pushed me from an ambivalent observer to a hopeless election news junkie. Over the past month, I've bookmarked political blogs, election '08 sections from the major news sources, and have been checking in on them far more often than I'd care to admit throughout the day. I'm watching CNN as much as your dad does. When Stewart lampoons network news clips, I've often seen the original broadcast. I turned down a night of drinking to watch the SC primary returns, candidate speeches, and analysis (okay, I was really tired too from a few 50+ hr work weeks).

Folks, if you're not paying attention, you really are missing something that at best will make history, and at the very least will be referenced heavily for years to come in discussions of politics and the nation. You could be experiencing all of it first hand, right now.

I can't conscientiously encourage the kind of habit I've developed, but research will surely show one day the benefits of recreational use!

Season's Triage

I've been a real frequent flyer at the ER this holiday season. On Xmas eve I finally got fed up with the cough I'd been dealing with for about two weeks and checked in, eventually picking up some fine Codeine syrup and antibiotics.

Then on New Year's even I went in for some odd foot pain that I originally woke up with on Friday. I had figured I maybe slept on it wrong or something and just needed to walk it off. By Monday it was excruciating so I was right back into the ER (couldn't find a Podiatrist open) and they figured it was some kind of ligament tear/partial tear in the foot. Raised a fuss and got some vicodin which even then only barely helped.

So I rung in the new year on my couch with my foot propped up and popping pain meds while watching the local news anchors cavort at various local festivities. Probably will have to take the rest of the week off from work too.

Quite a way to kick off '08. I'm really starting to wonder if, contrary to Chinese numerology, 8 is actually a bad number for me. I actually got laid off from my job back on 8/8/01 (though obviously I'm back now), dropped out of Cal in 1998, and probably my worst primary school year ever was 8th grade (but I hear that's the way it is for most people), which started in 1988.

Any way, happy new year, everybody! As for myself, I'm going to be busy watching my back!