Just a little bit anti-social

I don't know what it is about being in large groups of people that un-nerves me, but it does. It may have at least a little bit to do with my pride and trying to keep up a reputation for... well, I'm sure something. I just really am not the most comfortable with it though. I would rather be the one who is always sitting back in the corner maybe talking to one or two people. But somehow I always end up being louder and talking more than I really want to. To be able to just sit back and be is beautiful, but its rather hard to do when other people aren't doing the same. I got to do a lot of that this thanksgiving though, with Lamar and Buck, and Adria too. I enjoy the luxary of knowing that I am not expected to talk at all if I don't want to, and that if I really felt compelled, I could be silent for hours on end and that would be perfectly fine. I want more silence in my life, and I need to learn how to balance that with the reality that at least sometimes, people make noise.

Quote of the Day #8

A couple thoughts to nibble on...

"A hat should be taken off when you greet a lady and left off for the rest of your life. Nothing looks more stupid than a hat."

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

"In our brief national history we have shot four of our presidents, worried five of them to death, impeached one and hounded another out of office. And when all else fails, we hold an election and assassinate their character."

"Whatever it is that the government does, sensible Americans would prefer that the government does it to somebody else. This is the idea behind foreign policy."

Patrick Jake O'Rourke

Quote of the Day #7

"The nearest approach to immortality on earth is a government bureau."
~James F. Byrnes (1947)

Inside

I feel as though I have been absent recently. I don't know why, but this past week has been very... alone.

I didn't

"The check mark or the punched chad on a ballot means "yes" it is the consent you give to the electoral process by virtue of participating. No wonder all candidates agree on one point: you should vote. They are like religious leaders who urge you to worship at the church of your choice. First and foremost, politicians want you to sanction the process by which they acquire power and money because, without that sanction, they have no legitimacy.

It is commonly said, "If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain about the outcome." The opposite is true. By playing the game, voters agree to the rules. Only those who don’t play and withhold their consent have a right to complain about the outcome, especially since the winner will have his hand in the non-voter’s pocket.

Voting is not an act of political freedom. It is an act of political conformity. Those who refuse to vote are not expressing silence. They are screaming in the politician’s ear: "You do not represent me. This is not a process in which my voice matters. I do not believe you."

Non-voting has a rich and long history through which the dissenting electorate has expressed everything from religious convictions to political cynicism. That history has been conspicuously ignored. If people truly believe voting is important, they should use their mouths to do more than insult non-voters and utter election slogans. They should discuss and debate the issue with those who disagree."
- Wendy McElroy

"Voting is not an expression of power, but an admission of powerlessness, since it cannot do otherwise than reaffirm the government's supposed legitimacy."
- Fred Woodworth

Unexpected

When people ask me if I have ever wanted to go to the Olympics I've always said no. I only do floor, so it really wouldn't be practical. But, that isn't quite true anymore. The dreams that I never had, somehow, they are starting to exist. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would compete at all in gymnastics, let alone be going to states. It just doesn't seam real. Awards are given out by 1-9, 10, 11, and 12 and up... yeah, I would venture to say that I'm probably the oldest person to compete level 5 in a long time... if not ever. And I'm going to states.


Here is another photographer that I really like. It is mostly China/Korea, but there are a lot of amazing pictures.

Quote of the Day #6

Dad: So what are you doing tomorrow?
Mom: Whatever I damn well please!

Quote of the Day #5

Adria: I don't believe in sex, I believe in the stork theory.
Mom: What about flamingos?
Bethany: Flamingos don't carry babies!
Mom: but they are prettier.
Adria: I told my sister the other day that I don't believe in sex, I believe in the stork theory, and she said where do you think they get the babies from?
Mom: Babies come from mervyn's
Bethany: What?!?!?
Mom: haven't you seen the papers that say "baby sale"? ... But I didn't get you from Mervyn's.
Bethany: No! I came from Buy Rite!

The Final Word

Well, the decision was made tonight, I am officially going to zones. It's still not for sure if I am going to scratch bars or not, but its a very large possibility. Everything else I'm fine on. Vault and Beam no problem at all, and the only thing on floor is a backwalkover... which I'll just do a really ugly one and take the deduction instead of trying to do a good one and hurting myself. And bars, well, I just can't do a kip, so if I can do it by Saturday then great, I may make it to states. If not... there go my chances. Even if I got a 10.0 on all the rest I couldn't get a high enough score to go :-( But unfortunately my body is more important. I wish it wasn't, but it is, and it sucks. But life shall go on, and heck, I'm alive and walking!