Saturday, March 22, 2008

The peace protesters were out on Airport Road today. For those of you who aren't from Huntsville, the intersection of Airport and Whitesburg is one of the busiest in town. Frequently on sunny Saturdays a group of ten or fifteen well-meaning citizens will congregate on this corner and hold up signs with sayings such as "END THE WAR." Now, while I don't agree with their politics (while I agree that it was probably not the wisest decision to enter the war in the first place, I don't think that immediate withdrawal from Iraq is a viable or safe solution to our problems), I do admire their idealism and dedication. However, I have to ask: is this a productive way to spend time? What, exactly, are they accomplishing by standing at an intersection waving posters around? They no doubt offend quite a few people, given that Huntsville is a largely military-populated city in the middle of a red state; I'm sure they expect this. But other than that, what is the purpose of this activity? I highly doubt anyone is going to change their vote based on a posterboard on a stick. If they are really, truly passionate about the cause of peace, why not do something? Write a letter to a congressman. Campaign for a specific candidate. Get involved in the political process. While I don't identify myself with the political left, I have a lot of respect for the passion I've seen in a lot of them and they seem to overall have more enthusiasm for politics than conservatives generally do. But why not put this passion toward something productive instead of standing on a random street corner?
Just a thought.

Happy Easter!

Friday, March 7, 2008

love & hate.

five things i love:
1. The song "The Temptation of Adam" by Josh Ritter. You can listen to a gorgeous live NPR recording of it here if you're interested.
2. The fact that Josh, along with Ingrid Michaelson, is coming to Bottletree on May 4th and that I will be there.
3. The sheer talent of both actresses in Notes on a Scandal. Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett are absolutely, 100 percent perfect. Both of them capture the roles with such subtlety. That fight scene at the end, where Cate's wearing all the eyeliner... wow. Go see it. (Side note: I really want to see I'm Not There. I am thoroughly convinced of her ability to play a man and it just makes me curious.)
4. Go-Gurt. Remember those? Well, turns out they only have 70 calories apiece and they taste amazing if you keep them in the freezer. It's like an ice cream popsicle, except in flavors like "Scooby Doo's Cool Fruit Punch." The downside: You have to hunt to find a package that doesn't include the "Cotton Candy" flavor.
5. www.toothpastefordinner.com. Some of my favorites:
> know your body type
> movie quote (the story of my life)
> fifth day


five things i hate:
1. capital letters. enough said. i was probably e. e. cummings in a former life. (is he dead?)
2. FACEBOOK APPLICATIONS. No thank you, I do not want to "add some dope bling" to your profile. Nor do I want to give you a "werewolf hug." I'm only trying to find your wall amongst the colorful chaos that has abducted everything useful that used to be on your profile.
3. The fact that whoever lives directly above me feels the need to play the piano and the drums every day at such times as, oh, say 12:30 am. It varies, but it is always when I'm trying to sleep. Come on, have a little common sense or something.
4. A low of 34 degrees tonight when it is snowing pretty much everywhere north of here. That is probably the worst temperature I can think of: cold enough to be miserable but not cold enough for any fun precipitation.
5. The song "Your Body Is A Wonderland" by John Mayer. I kind of want to throw up every time I hear it, it's so awful.