Some days are sky’s -a -fallin’ days. This is one of them. One headline too many and I wonder if a linen sky would be cool in summer and wrinkle like my black (of course) pants.
People are still running for their life in China from aftershocks from a quake that happened on May 9th. Parents of 10,000 dead children, many crushed to death in their classrooms, are enraged and protesting their government’s complicity with shoddy workmanship and particularly in the poorer areas of Sichuan Province.
Closer to home, Scott McCLellan, the former press secretary for President Bush, who always appeared to be sweating on his balding forehead ,has just written a book saying that President Bush “convinces himself to believe what suits his needs at the moment,” and has engaged in “self-deception” to justify his political ends. He also writes “I fell short to living up to the kind of public servant I wanted to be.”
So, let me try and understand this: does he think he is standing tall now by writing this book? Telling us what made him sweat all these months later? Doesn’t anyone ever quit anymore or does everyone simply wait for the book deal?
Oh, yes. And, I just got an email offer from Bank of America for a 25,000 dollar credit card, no annual fee. Isn’t there something called the prime mortgage crisis causing credit tightening and billion dollar bail-outs?
People, when someone sweats from the head he’s lying. When buildings pancake and others right next to it stand, it’s shoddy workmanship. When banks give me a 25,000 credit line– run for your freakin’ life is all that I’m saying. What’s next? A tell-all book from The Easter Bunny?
As I said at the start, it’s a sky’s-a-fallin’ day. I’m off to buy a helmet wearing my black linen pants and brandishing my new credit card like a weapon of mass destruction.
©Pat Coakley 2008-Edited
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On days like these, I unplug and read a book. Or watch a movie. Or just sit outside and smoke. Anything to get away from the drivel. Sometimes a good chat with a friend helps put things in perspective, but silence in the presence of such madness is often more therapeutic.
I’m not endorsing an escapist attitude. But to recenter your mind often makes it easier to contribute toward ending the madness, even if it is only in your little corner of the world.
Find a happy place, friend.
Brian
You know a tell all book by the Easter Bunny aint a bad idea other than that it’s just scary but its sadly not new. Sometimes all the BS gets a bit much doesn’t it. Let me know where you got that helmet, I have days like this to, sometimes more often than not while choppers with AK47s fly past…
You know, you are right, Tysdaddy. It would be wise for me to think about contributing to ending the madness, than simply reflecting it. I edited it a bit, but it’s still a rant! Thanks for advice, though.
Sanity, I could have included in my rant, the news from your country as well..choppers with AK47s flying overhead says it all.
oy vey! maybe we all need steel umbrellas. i loved your post. McCellan is a rat-fink distancing himself too late from the sinking ship.
angelic1
http://letustalk.wordpress.com/
My biggest problem naturally is the fact that the pilots are just not good looking, I mean if you going to fly over at least give me some eye candy! Made the executive decision today, I’m not waiting around or my Irish visa – time for new oceans and new wonders :)
PS Rants are good for the system, keep em comin!
“So, let me try and understand this: does he think he is standing tall now by writing this book? ”
I don’t think he is trying to stand tall but rather, he is just trying to distance himself from an administration on the way out. He’s just another self serving lickspittle looking towards his next gig.
Without trying to sound like Dr Pangloss, all the bad news in the world helps me understand how good I’ve got things and how I should count my blessings as I enjoy every moment that I have in life. It can all go horribly wrong awfully quick and we’re here for a good time, not a long time.
I think that tysdaddy is right in that one has to step back and stop looking into the sewer for a while.
Please, rant away. I hope I didn’t come across as condescending. Sometimes a well-worded rant gets the ball rolling . . .
You didn’t come across as condescending at all, Tysdaddy. And, your point was well taken. I don’t think this was one of my better rants to tell you the truth. See entry the older post about the discontinuation of my favorite bread for that: http://singleforareason.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/ups-amazon-focaccia-bread/
I think the challenge for me is to elevate the rant away from the facts and into a truth that is not immediately obvious. I think I did it with the bread issue, and not with this. I’ll be interested if you agree? Let me know.
And, dear “we’re here for a good time, not a long time” Razzman, you are a wise man and just a little Panglossy. I would do well to live more with this motto. Then, my name could be Pat Pangloss. Double P Productions would be my movie company. See! I’m looking up from the sewer.
Sanity, where are you going to go?? Just up and leave for a new ocean, landmass? This is a new adventure. Good for you.
You know… its so nice to see that there are other people that have the same thoughts. Its crazy out there.
People lie to themselves and begin to believe their own lies so that they can sleep at night. They convince themselves that they are serving humanity by their lies. Its a scandal. What ever happened to personal integrity and accountability? I guess you can explain it all away to your soul with enough money……..
You wrote the post I didn’t have the skills to write. All day yesterday I mulled it around in my mind, how I was feeling about Scott McClellan and what I wanted to say to it. How people like Richard Dean were the true heroes who stood up in the beginning when no one else was, even if it was to sell a book. How this kind of “bravery” doesn’t really count when you’re the tenth person to do it and you’ve nothing left to lose.
But I couldn’t find the words. You did. I commend you.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD IT’S LATE.
I meant Richard Clarke, not Richard Dean.
DAMMIT.
anyway.