After four months of mortal kombat with the "Windows Antivirus 2010" virus, it finally crashed my system a week ago today. I'm fortunate enough to have a highly trained friend working on the problem -- something of which he is intimately familiar -- and his prognosis is optimistic. But that's beside the point.
I curse anyone who circulates the vicious trojans, worms, malware and viruses that permeate the Internet. And because going on a longwinded tirade is a waste of cyberspace, I will simply say to anyone reading this post (because I've yet to tell practically anyone about my blog) that I hope for The Eccentric Conservative to be up and running once more in the very near future.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
In the Sunday paper...
I've felt for some time that The Commercial Appeal here in Memphis is a reasonably fine newspaper. Sometimes derided for having a "slant" in one direction or another, it seems that Chris Peck (editor) endeavors to avoid the partisanship that governs the majority of other metropolitan newspapers.
Each Sunday in Viewpoint, the CA features a "Think About It" section that offers some tidbits of info that most other papers would likely avoid printing. Here are a few of the most recent that stuck out:
1 in 2: Chances that an American will suffer from a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder in his or her lifetime.
4 in 5: Chances that a U.S. conservative displays an "implicit preference" for white over black people in a psychological study.
3 in 4: Chances that a liberal does.
2 in 5: Chances that an African-American does.
Each Sunday in Viewpoint, the CA features a "Think About It" section that offers some tidbits of info that most other papers would likely avoid printing. Here are a few of the most recent that stuck out:
1 in 2: Chances that an American will suffer from a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder in his or her lifetime.
4 in 5: Chances that a U.S. conservative displays an "implicit preference" for white over black people in a psychological study.
3 in 4: Chances that a liberal does.
2 in 5: Chances that an African-American does.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Sunday quotables
Having decided to follow through with this writing thing once more, I've opted to start each week with a set of quotes. And befittingly, I will draw this time from "A Writer's Commonplace Book" by Rosemary Friedman, which I recently completed and suggest without reservation to anyone looking for a penetrating set of reflections from some of the greatest minds of all-time:
"We do not receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us."
-- Marcel Proust [1871-1922], French novelist
"Genius is partly a matter of choice."
-- Colin Wilson [1931-], British writer and philosopher
"Education has produced a vast population able to read, but unable to distinguish what is worth reading."
-- George Macaulay Trevelyan [1876-1962], English historian
"Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been put up to a critic."
-- Jean Sibelius [1865-1957], Finnish symphonic composer
"Television is a fantasy which destroys everything."
-- Malcolm Muggeridge [1903-1990], British journalist, author, and satirist
"We do not receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us."
-- Marcel Proust [1871-1922], French novelist
"Genius is partly a matter of choice."
-- Colin Wilson [1931-], British writer and philosopher
"Education has produced a vast population able to read, but unable to distinguish what is worth reading."
-- George Macaulay Trevelyan [1876-1962], English historian
"Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been put up to a critic."
-- Jean Sibelius [1865-1957], Finnish symphonic composer
"Television is a fantasy which destroys everything."
-- Malcolm Muggeridge [1903-1990], British journalist, author, and satirist
I'm gettin' the band back together
For a blog that got off to a relatively strong start, it fizzled just as quickly. Things happen and they're hardly worth mentioning, but I've decided to resurrect my own little piece of the Internet (after five months of nothing) and make into something worthwhile.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The politics of charisma (pt. 1)
Initially written before last November's election, and revised after Obama's historic win:
Since the day he announced his Presidential intentions in the same place Abraham Lincoln delivered his "House Divided" speech nearly 150 years earlier, Change, Hope, and Yes We Can became the ubiquitous battle cries of a political movement that penetrated the American ethos and propelled Barack Obama to a level of stardom not seen since JFK. But with a notable list of contentions that would have ripped like a chainsaw through any other campaign, one is compelled to question how Obama remained all but unscathed as his views and affiliations persisted amid a shroud of uncommon perplexity.
The abundance of opinions about the now-former junior Senator from Illinois nullified any chance for a consensus, but the impassioned drive to land this dashing and youthful idealist into The White House has perchance caused many to overlook the fact that Obama is far from the first politico to employ catch-terms such as change and hope into his platform. Accordingly one may also consider how this particular candidate managed to pierce the national consciousness by wielding almost elementary political methods while concurrently billing himself as major shift from the norm.
Having collected a plethora of endorsements before a clear front-runner was established amid the Democratic primaries, the Obama campaign garnered a "cult-like" distinction and quickly reached a momentum that has yet to hit its pinnacle. Still the common observer is most likely vexed to find how many Obama supporters often faltered when asked to pinpoint the precise reason(s) behind their chosen allegiance -- aside, of course, from the requisite echoing of campaign slogans that are as simplistic as they were effective.
Since the day he announced his Presidential intentions in the same place Abraham Lincoln delivered his "House Divided" speech nearly 150 years earlier, Change, Hope, and Yes We Can became the ubiquitous battle cries of a political movement that penetrated the American ethos and propelled Barack Obama to a level of stardom not seen since JFK. But with a notable list of contentions that would have ripped like a chainsaw through any other campaign, one is compelled to question how Obama remained all but unscathed as his views and affiliations persisted amid a shroud of uncommon perplexity.
The abundance of opinions about the now-former junior Senator from Illinois nullified any chance for a consensus, but the impassioned drive to land this dashing and youthful idealist into The White House has perchance caused many to overlook the fact that Obama is far from the first politico to employ catch-terms such as change and hope into his platform. Accordingly one may also consider how this particular candidate managed to pierce the national consciousness by wielding almost elementary political methods while concurrently billing himself as major shift from the norm.
Having collected a plethora of endorsements before a clear front-runner was established amid the Democratic primaries, the Obama campaign garnered a "cult-like" distinction and quickly reached a momentum that has yet to hit its pinnacle. Still the common observer is most likely vexed to find how many Obama supporters often faltered when asked to pinpoint the precise reason(s) behind their chosen allegiance -- aside, of course, from the requisite echoing of campaign slogans that are as simplistic as they were effective.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Some of the best from our first President
Ten pearls of wisdom from George Washington, a man whom I hold in the highest regard and possibly the greatest of all Americans:
"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company."
"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence."
"Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth."
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism."
"If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for war."
"Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God."
"The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained."
"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible."
"Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company."
"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence."
"Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth."
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism."
"If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for war."
"Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God."
"The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained."
"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible."
"Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
144 years ago today...
Different sites in Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina claim the location of the "last battle" in the War Between the States. Yet this distinction most likely belongs to Palmito Ranch near Brownsville, Texas.
Located at the southernmost point of the Lone Star State, the final exchange between Yankee and Rebel came to an end on May 13, 1865 -- about six weeks after Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia -- when Major John Salmon Ford and the 2nd Texas {Confederate} Cavalry "Mounted Rifles" Regement (among others) battled the 2nd Texas {Union} Cavalry Regiment, the 62nd U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment, and the 34th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
In one of the more ironic twists of the entire War, the Southerners won.
Texan forces formally surrendered on May 26, 1865. General Edmund Kirby Smith ceded his corps in the Trans-Mississippi Department one week later on June 2.
Located at the southernmost point of the Lone Star State, the final exchange between Yankee and Rebel came to an end on May 13, 1865 -- about six weeks after Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia -- when Major John Salmon Ford and the 2nd Texas {Confederate} Cavalry "Mounted Rifles" Regement (among others) battled the 2nd Texas {Union} Cavalry Regiment, the 62nd U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment, and the 34th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
In one of the more ironic twists of the entire War, the Southerners won.
Texan forces formally surrendered on May 26, 1865. General Edmund Kirby Smith ceded his corps in the Trans-Mississippi Department one week later on June 2.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Quotes of the Week
"How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it?"
-- Marcus Aurelius (c. 121-180 AD), last of the "Five Good [Roman] Emperors." He was also among the most important Stoic philosophers of his time.
"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams."
-- John Barrymore (1882-1942), actor
"If we could sell our experiences for what they cost us, we'd all be millionaires."
-- Pauline Phillips, aka Abigail Van Buren, of the "Dear Abby" advice column
"Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend."
-- Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Leader of the British Conservative Party ('75-'90) and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ('79-'90)
-- Marcus Aurelius (c. 121-180 AD), last of the "Five Good [Roman] Emperors." He was also among the most important Stoic philosophers of his time.
"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams."
-- John Barrymore (1882-1942), actor
"If we could sell our experiences for what they cost us, we'd all be millionaires."
-- Pauline Phillips, aka Abigail Van Buren, of the "Dear Abby" advice column
"Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend."
-- Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Leader of the British Conservative Party ('75-'90) and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ('79-'90)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Matters of the heart
I remember certain dates reasonably well. Notable birthdays and anniversaries don’t often escape memory. Such is the case on this particular day, as it marks the observance of my first evening with a golden-haired beauty from the not-so-distant past -- for whom I was 15 minutes late picking her up -- and it is in Sarah’s honor that I write the following post (because I’m largely responsible for dropping the proverbial ball).
Christians often cite the qualities of a "Proverbs 31 woman," but we frequently overlook the concurrent virtues listed in 1 Peter 3:3-4 [NIV], which reads as follows: "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
Indeed, and purely for the record, there is a certain raven-haired (and recently engaged) beauty for whom I will always be reminded each time the above-mentioned verse is referenced. That special, almost undefinable feeling she so effortlessly sent through me just by entering the room is something I won't experience again anytime soon.
In essence, I never liked this peerless lady (whom I’ve purposely not identified) because she’s pretty; I relished this lovely woman because of her heart. The mere sound of her voice is poetry and I may never encounter her equal. For all the women I've come across over the years, her impact upon me is altogether unmatched.
On an equally personal note, I’ve never been with someone just for the sake of "being" with someone. If it doesn’t mean something, it basically means nothing, and too many people I know are hellbent on finding some unsuspecting soul who might unwittingly take on the sizable responsibility of mending a broken heart and mind.
Thus, because I prefer to mope on my own instead of dumping on someone I might genuinely care for, I endeavor instead to avoid dysfunctional co-dependence. No matter how attractive she is, I just don't have it in me to let her in if she doesn't speak to my heart.
Socially, I have witnessed a tragic and growing overemphasis on external appeal over the years and an almost complete lack of emphasis on the inner kind of beauty that doesn’t evanesce with time. It is one of the most neglected personal issues one can face without fully realizing it.
I'm still learning how to be a man, but if I could offer a suggestion to any young woman who reads this, I implore the following: You can attract a man with your looks, but it’s better to make him love you because of your heart. It is the best kind of beauty you have.
Christians often cite the qualities of a "Proverbs 31 woman," but we frequently overlook the concurrent virtues listed in 1 Peter 3:3-4 [NIV], which reads as follows: "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
Indeed, and purely for the record, there is a certain raven-haired (and recently engaged) beauty for whom I will always be reminded each time the above-mentioned verse is referenced. That special, almost undefinable feeling she so effortlessly sent through me just by entering the room is something I won't experience again anytime soon.
In essence, I never liked this peerless lady (whom I’ve purposely not identified) because she’s pretty; I relished this lovely woman because of her heart. The mere sound of her voice is poetry and I may never encounter her equal. For all the women I've come across over the years, her impact upon me is altogether unmatched.
On an equally personal note, I’ve never been with someone just for the sake of "being" with someone. If it doesn’t mean something, it basically means nothing, and too many people I know are hellbent on finding some unsuspecting soul who might unwittingly take on the sizable responsibility of mending a broken heart and mind.
Thus, because I prefer to mope on my own instead of dumping on someone I might genuinely care for, I endeavor instead to avoid dysfunctional co-dependence. No matter how attractive she is, I just don't have it in me to let her in if she doesn't speak to my heart.
Socially, I have witnessed a tragic and growing overemphasis on external appeal over the years and an almost complete lack of emphasis on the inner kind of beauty that doesn’t evanesce with time. It is one of the most neglected personal issues one can face without fully realizing it.
I'm still learning how to be a man, but if I could offer a suggestion to any young woman who reads this, I implore the following: You can attract a man with your looks, but it’s better to make him love you because of your heart. It is the best kind of beauty you have.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Quote(s) of the Week
In a time of limited and diluted faith, I thought I'd share some words of wisdom:
"Faith is reason grown courageous."
-- Sherwood Eddy (1871-1963), author
"All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired."
-- Martin Luther (1483-1546), German monk, theologian, and father of the Protestant Reformation
"I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs."
-- Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), author, orator, and abolitionist
"Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair."
-- Gilbert K. Chesterton (1874-1936), journalist, author, and philosopher
"Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand."
-- Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), philosopher, theologian, and one of the 33 Doctors of the [Roman Catholic] Church
"Faith is reason grown courageous."
-- Sherwood Eddy (1871-1963), author
"All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired."
-- Martin Luther (1483-1546), German monk, theologian, and father of the Protestant Reformation
"I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs."
-- Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), author, orator, and abolitionist
"Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair."
-- Gilbert K. Chesterton (1874-1936), journalist, author, and philosopher
"Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand."
-- Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), philosopher, theologian, and one of the 33 Doctors of the [Roman Catholic] Church
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Every night, a beating (pt. 2)
Since July 2005 I have been employed by a sizable Memphis-based corporation, the locale of which I’ve distinguished over the years with a variety of disparaging names that are better left unmentioned. However crude and unnecessary the labels, I nevertheless find it odd to be grateful that I merely have a job, even one that takes such an arduous nightly toll as mine.
Like many of my fellow Gen Xers, I know what it is to be unemployed. I once went a full year without an income despite my corporate background and brand spankin’ new college degree, so the frustration of not being a regular tax payer isn’t foreign territory at all.
Additionally, the notion that I would have little trouble finding a suitable employer soon crumbled beneath the impact of a progressively deteriorating economy and the widespread reluctance to hire a late-20-something college grad who was trying to take his career in a direction that differed from his past work experience.
Ironically the occupation I ended up with -- the identity of which I’ve chosen to withhold -- was indeed strikingly different from all other jobs I’ve held in the past. Before I was a suit-and-tie guy. Now, and for nearly four years, I have come to epitomize the blue collar in a place that tests my mettle every night.
I attempt to keep the negative underpinnings of my job from encroaching upon life outside the workplace, and it helps to know that I'm far from the only one who can barely tolerate the thought of having to spend yet another night/morning in a work environment that has been known to incite violence.
Still the quality people I've encountered over the past 45 months (Non-Con/Gate 502, Load Team 7, etc.) have been largely overshadowed by an abundance of individuals who simply don't give a you-know-what. Whether it's inherent or learned, you'd be further shocked to find how some people have such a difficult time walking through an already open door. And that, in a nutshell, is the nature of the beast.
Like many of my fellow Gen Xers, I know what it is to be unemployed. I once went a full year without an income despite my corporate background and brand spankin’ new college degree, so the frustration of not being a regular tax payer isn’t foreign territory at all.
Additionally, the notion that I would have little trouble finding a suitable employer soon crumbled beneath the impact of a progressively deteriorating economy and the widespread reluctance to hire a late-20-something college grad who was trying to take his career in a direction that differed from his past work experience.
Ironically the occupation I ended up with -- the identity of which I’ve chosen to withhold -- was indeed strikingly different from all other jobs I’ve held in the past. Before I was a suit-and-tie guy. Now, and for nearly four years, I have come to epitomize the blue collar in a place that tests my mettle every night.
I attempt to keep the negative underpinnings of my job from encroaching upon life outside the workplace, and it helps to know that I'm far from the only one who can barely tolerate the thought of having to spend yet another night/morning in a work environment that has been known to incite violence.
Still the quality people I've encountered over the past 45 months (Non-Con/Gate 502, Load Team 7, etc.) have been largely overshadowed by an abundance of individuals who simply don't give a you-know-what. Whether it's inherent or learned, you'd be further shocked to find how some people have such a difficult time walking through an already open door. And that, in a nutshell, is the nature of the beast.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Every night, a beating (pt. 1)
The following is a non-fiction, third person narrative I wrote over three years ago about how I spent my 29th birthday. I'll explain more in part 2.
----------------------------------------------------
The long, unfriendly drive was not an unfamiliar one. Adam had taken this beaten path before. "This is not how I envisioned spending my 29th birthday." It was a notion Adam was unable to escape.
The thought of returning yet again to perhaps the most undesirable of locales turned his stomach, for it would require volumes to adequately explain how the vestiges of south Memphis made for many nauseating experiences in the past.
Though he'd seen it before, Adam found himself staring in amazement as he drove by the vacant lot where a once-massive cathedral of capitalism formerly stood. "That used to be the Mall of Memphis," Adam thought as he passed through the not-so-aptly named American Way.
Figures. Raleigh Springs is probably next.
A torrential down-pouring of finality set in as Adam approached Democrat Road. He briefly considered his options, however few they might've been, but relented when he came to grips with the reality that there was no going back.
Perhaps I should have taken the bank's offer after all.
Adam has held corporate-type jobs before, the most notable of which includes a five-year stint with a Memphis-based financial institution that actually sold itself out twice before the name was finally wiped from atop their headquarters.
That's where his brazen distaste of south Memphis originally came to fruition. In fact, Adam still blames middle management for the odium he maintains for The King's old neighborhood. The mere sight of Graceland now onset a plethora of flashbacks that compare to a corporate version of Vietnam, and it moreover supplied the basis for Adam's decision to not accept another bank job.
Surely I can do better.
It was that particular reckoning that played in Adam's head over and over again as he sailed toward a relatively obscure setting that more closely resembled a prison than that of a work environment.
Adam parked his car behind a chainlink fence that was fronted by an apathetic-looking woman who apparently represented the company's finest in security enforcement. It is doubtful she's ever done much of anything but stand in her upright box and wave people forward.
Our hero was instantly struck by the newness of his surroundings. The area was abstruse, not at all confining; yet he couldn't help but to feel almost overwhelmingly besieged by his new set of circumstances.
Time to take my man pill.
Adam forced himself to board a shuttle that was taking the new hires to orientation. He won't soon forget being packed in like cattle with such an over-abundance of morbidly obese individuals.
Adam eventually walked into a spacious room loaded with long faces. It was obvious that no one was especially pleased to be present, but even more noticeable was the sense that everyone was in the same boat regardless of background, circumstances or financial standing.
The evening was filled with what appeared to be mostly vacuous objectives. The long, drawn-out lectures and company produced videos (complete with only the finest in cheesy, synthesized background music) marked the beginning, middle and end of seemingly one trivial talking point after another.
Apparently many of the enigmatic rules and regulations are in place because of past employees who fabricated problems out of non-issues. As a result, no one is allowed to wear clothing that features a logo of any kind because someone might end up offended by it. I kid you not.
Interacting with his fellow new employees offered Adam a sense of just how demented our society is becoming. Though he gravitated towards three guys named Justin, Kyle and Judson -- "The Country Crew" they called themselves -- one could argue that the sizable classroom encapsulated a great deal of what our parents have been warning us about since childhood.
Adam picked out more than a few people who had that unmistakable I've done some hard time in prison look, including one guy who must've been a registered sex offender. Then there was Carl.
Carl was a tall, heavyset black man with cornrows. I say was because a single look at his otherwise effeminate features could bring one to assume that gender reassignment surgery was just around the corner. God help him.
The instructors didn't go so far as to tell the class that the work would be physically demanding, but Adam understood already that he could expect perpetual exhaustion. "So here I am," Adam thought. "Guess college was just a big waste." It was a defeatist perception, but Adam gets that way sometimes. Especially when a permanent escape from south Memphis appears all but hopeless.
It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to.
----------------------------------------------------
The long, unfriendly drive was not an unfamiliar one. Adam had taken this beaten path before. "This is not how I envisioned spending my 29th birthday." It was a notion Adam was unable to escape.
The thought of returning yet again to perhaps the most undesirable of locales turned his stomach, for it would require volumes to adequately explain how the vestiges of south Memphis made for many nauseating experiences in the past.
Though he'd seen it before, Adam found himself staring in amazement as he drove by the vacant lot where a once-massive cathedral of capitalism formerly stood. "That used to be the Mall of Memphis," Adam thought as he passed through the not-so-aptly named American Way.
Figures. Raleigh Springs is probably next.
A torrential down-pouring of finality set in as Adam approached Democrat Road. He briefly considered his options, however few they might've been, but relented when he came to grips with the reality that there was no going back.
Perhaps I should have taken the bank's offer after all.
Adam has held corporate-type jobs before, the most notable of which includes a five-year stint with a Memphis-based financial institution that actually sold itself out twice before the name was finally wiped from atop their headquarters.
That's where his brazen distaste of south Memphis originally came to fruition. In fact, Adam still blames middle management for the odium he maintains for The King's old neighborhood. The mere sight of Graceland now onset a plethora of flashbacks that compare to a corporate version of Vietnam, and it moreover supplied the basis for Adam's decision to not accept another bank job.
Surely I can do better.
It was that particular reckoning that played in Adam's head over and over again as he sailed toward a relatively obscure setting that more closely resembled a prison than that of a work environment.
Adam parked his car behind a chainlink fence that was fronted by an apathetic-looking woman who apparently represented the company's finest in security enforcement. It is doubtful she's ever done much of anything but stand in her upright box and wave people forward.
Our hero was instantly struck by the newness of his surroundings. The area was abstruse, not at all confining; yet he couldn't help but to feel almost overwhelmingly besieged by his new set of circumstances.
Time to take my man pill.
Adam forced himself to board a shuttle that was taking the new hires to orientation. He won't soon forget being packed in like cattle with such an over-abundance of morbidly obese individuals.
Adam eventually walked into a spacious room loaded with long faces. It was obvious that no one was especially pleased to be present, but even more noticeable was the sense that everyone was in the same boat regardless of background, circumstances or financial standing.
The evening was filled with what appeared to be mostly vacuous objectives. The long, drawn-out lectures and company produced videos (complete with only the finest in cheesy, synthesized background music) marked the beginning, middle and end of seemingly one trivial talking point after another.
Apparently many of the enigmatic rules and regulations are in place because of past employees who fabricated problems out of non-issues. As a result, no one is allowed to wear clothing that features a logo of any kind because someone might end up offended by it. I kid you not.
Interacting with his fellow new employees offered Adam a sense of just how demented our society is becoming. Though he gravitated towards three guys named Justin, Kyle and Judson -- "The Country Crew" they called themselves -- one could argue that the sizable classroom encapsulated a great deal of what our parents have been warning us about since childhood.
Adam picked out more than a few people who had that unmistakable I've done some hard time in prison look, including one guy who must've been a registered sex offender. Then there was Carl.
Carl was a tall, heavyset black man with cornrows. I say was because a single look at his otherwise effeminate features could bring one to assume that gender reassignment surgery was just around the corner. God help him.
The instructors didn't go so far as to tell the class that the work would be physically demanding, but Adam understood already that he could expect perpetual exhaustion. "So here I am," Adam thought. "Guess college was just a big waste." It was a defeatist perception, but Adam gets that way sometimes. Especially when a permanent escape from south Memphis appears all but hopeless.
It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Why "eccentric"?
Perhaps your definition of eccentricity differs from mine. I believe John Stuart Mill’s quote atop the page well explains how individuals of the acentric variety intend to present themselves, which varies, I think, from the common attributes of those who are merely tagged with the label.
Those who have known me for a while might suggest that my eccentricity centers more on personality than my perspective on politics, religion, history and social matters of every sort. Yet the prevailing notion of eccentricity among Right Wingers stands on the basis of comprehensive truth even in the face of every imaginable insult from both sides of the mainstream political spectrum. Still there are some things that cannot be overlooked.
Janeane Garofalo, for example, is perhaps the only woman capable of arising in me a sense of militant vehemence. Her pharisaical comments, most recently about the nationwide Tea Parties and the half-million people who attended, are close to unforgivable (which was probably the point):
"There is nothing more instant than seeing a bunch of racist become confused and angry at a speech they're not quite certain what he's saying. It sounds right to them, and then, and then it doesn't make sense, which... let's be very honest about what this is about. It's not about bashing Democrats, its not about taxes, they have no idea what the Boston Tea Party was about, they don't know their history at all. This is about hating a Black man in The White House. This is racism straight up. That is nothing but a bunch of tea-bagging rednecks. And there is no way around that."
-- Garofalo on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann," April 17, 2009
It has to make you wonder what society will be coerced into tolerating in the name of tolerance. And at present, there are few legitimate reflections more eccentric than that.
Those who have known me for a while might suggest that my eccentricity centers more on personality than my perspective on politics, religion, history and social matters of every sort. Yet the prevailing notion of eccentricity among Right Wingers stands on the basis of comprehensive truth even in the face of every imaginable insult from both sides of the mainstream political spectrum. Still there are some things that cannot be overlooked.
Janeane Garofalo, for example, is perhaps the only woman capable of arising in me a sense of militant vehemence. Her pharisaical comments, most recently about the nationwide Tea Parties and the half-million people who attended, are close to unforgivable (which was probably the point):
"There is nothing more instant than seeing a bunch of racist become confused and angry at a speech they're not quite certain what he's saying. It sounds right to them, and then, and then it doesn't make sense, which... let's be very honest about what this is about. It's not about bashing Democrats, its not about taxes, they have no idea what the Boston Tea Party was about, they don't know their history at all. This is about hating a Black man in The White House. This is racism straight up. That is nothing but a bunch of tea-bagging rednecks. And there is no way around that."
-- Garofalo on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann," April 17, 2009
It has to make you wonder what society will be coerced into tolerating in the name of tolerance. And at present, there are few legitimate reflections more eccentric than that.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Wow, another blog. How original.
There are many reasons why people like, or feel a need, to blog. However pretentious the subject matter of majority, some actually prove their worth in taking up the cyberspace they inhabit, which presents a personal challenge of relevancy that's only worth undertaking if one has something halfway original to offer. This weblog, after years of tepid consideration, is my effort.
The Eccentric Conservative will hit on politics, current events, religion and personal observations that only possess the capacity to be interesting if I'm completely forthcoming. In light of this, I hope to make it worth your while (and mine). Enjoy.
The Eccentric Conservative will hit on politics, current events, religion and personal observations that only possess the capacity to be interesting if I'm completely forthcoming. In light of this, I hope to make it worth your while (and mine). Enjoy.
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