Monday, December 28, 2009

My subconscious still surprises me at times

Normally, I think it's boorish to talk about dreams, but I was just surprised to find that my subconscious is so slow on the uptake.

Backstory: There's a recurring theme in my dreams where I am present when my (maternal) grandparents' graves are unearthed--sometimes with purpose, sometimes through freakish accident. Another theme is that I'm venturing into their house (which was control-burned by the Fire Dept. something like 20 years ago). Once, Grandma was somehow alive despite the fact I knew in the dream that she wasn't supposed to be.

I lost an uncle just over a month back, and last night was the first night I returned in my dreams to the house in which he and my aunt (still living, albeit in a nursing home) shared for decades. Almost returned, anyway--I woke up before the fact. Now I wonder how often I'll be returning in sleep to that house, which is on the opposite end of the road on which my grandparents' house stood.

...And yet you will weep, and know why...It is Margaret you mourn for...

Friday, December 25, 2009

Nice call-out

I can't say I'm a fan of what's become of health care reform, particularly given the anti-choice poison-pills and the big fat, chocolate-dipped giveaway to insurance companies in the form of the coverage mandate. Frankly, I hope the reconciled version dies and the process begins again--with rather less hysteria. What will be remembered of the 2009 putsch, though, is how close it came...and that the GOP lost the round.

That being said, I thought that the smackdown the Associated Press handed the hypocrites in the Grandstanding Old Party was ace: Democrats see GOP Hypocrisy in health care debate.

The bleat that "the economy has changed since the Medicare expansion" just doesn't wash. When you pass an entitlement in perpetuity, do you assume that the coffers will be full and still expect to balance a budget during the lean times? I call bull$#!+ on that line of self-excusing spin. Particularly as the economy was rather precarious even after things settled down post-9/11. I knew it at the time, and I've had six whole credits of Economics. And these so-called leaders couldn't figure that out? Really?

Just goes to show what not having to do your own grocery shopping and balance your own checkbook does to your mindset, I guess. Man, I hope these pinheads are handed their heads in 2010...

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

D-minus way-too-friggin'-little

The second to last piece dropped into our laps last night, largely thanks to Dearest's persistence, and the last piece was handed to me early this evening. All should--Flying Spaghetti Monster willing--be safely stashed in the fire safe now. Weather permitting, I should be able to FedEx the whole lot to the paralegal no later than Monday.

I won't moon Fate by considering this a done deal: There could be any number of hurdles, delays and other bureaucratic nightmares in store--in fact, I'll be shocked if there are not. But I'm celebrating this milestone nevertheless...and toasting from my usual half-empty cup, hoping that I/we haven't overlooked something. I just wish that I could share the Snoopy-dance with a few more folks.

My most immediate boss took the news pretty well, all in all, and was actively looking to find ways to keep me working for the firm even after the (still hypothetical) move goes down many months hence. Which was quite touching. Still is, actually.