A Day in the Life

Follow the Flow

Today was going to be my last day of temping at an insurance agency, but it looks like they'll keep me on for one day a week, beginning next week. Combined with two days per week doing janitorial (excuse me, I meant sanitation engineering), which I'll be starting on Monday, this is perfect to help me catch up on all the service time I've missed while working full time for the past month and a half.

Obladi Oblida

I probably won't be updating for quite a while since I'm unable to do so at the library, which is my primary source for internet access right now.

However, as long as I'm here now, I'll toss out the brief life summary.

It's good.

Ok, so my car is working, I have a decent temp job with an insurance company, I'm still learning Russian, although our class is over, and I'm still pioneering.

That pretty much sums it up. Email me at dan@_no_reply_genuwyn.com if you need my phone number. I still check my mail a couple times per week, and Molly still has a barrow in the market place while Desmond is a singer in the band.

The Crying Heard Round the World

The tsunami of last December was unquestionably the single biggest natural disaster I've ever seen, but the past two weeks must hold the record for the greatest number of unrelated non-war disasters.

In case the following slipped by in the footnotes:

- Nearly 1000 killed in Baghdad stampede.
- Massive typhoon damage and casualties in Taiwan and China.
- Major flooding in Romania and Hungary has killed at least 40 and displaced 1000's.
- Major flooding in Indochina has killed dozens and displaced more than 10,000.

Drained

Coverage of Katrina's aftermath is leaving me emotionally drained, but I can't seem to tear myself away. It's difficult to find space inside for the simultaneous heartache, frustration, anger, and helplessness. I'm two thousand miles away and practically penniless. I'll do what I can, even if prayer is the best I have to offer.

Although there was understandably minimal media coverage in the first two days, it's fairly impressive now, and I have never seen this level of raw emotion in reporters. That's a testament to the enormity of this disaster. And yet, Katrina still pales in comparison to the scale of last December's tsunami. I can't even begin to fathom that quantity of suffering.

As always, tragedy refines, revealing those of kind heart and sifting out the scummy dross of the selfish and callous. It also shines a spotlight on human weakness and frailty. Of course, finger pointing is easy and, unfortunately, inevitable. Clearly, much of the criticism being meted out by practically everyone with a mic is well deserved, but when you get right down to it, politics aside, the biggest shadow on center stage belongs to the abject failure of humans to govern themselves. Failed planning. Failed prioritizing. Failed budgeting. Failed warning. Failed evacuation. Failed security. Failed relief. You know there's something haywire when the National Guardsmen sent to secure the city fearfully bristle their weapons at the crowds of victims they've come to protect. Crowds that have had little or no food or water for four days. Right here, in a major city of the loftiest, richest, most powerful, and most arrogant country in the world.

I would rather use this blog for posting interesting observations and ruminations of everyday life, but time and initiative always seem to be at a premium, so I'll settle for the occassional life update ...

I was laid off a couple weeks ago and am in the hunt for a new job. I think I'd like to ditch computers for a while. I like work that makes me think, and I like being good at what I do, but I think these factors may be outweighed by the benefits of reducing stress and being able to devote my limited brain juice to more important things.

In about two weeks I'll be moving in with a friend to reduce expenses. I'll miss this cozy basement I've called home for the past three years, even though it's led some to infer that I'm a creep. Really, it's a nice basement. And I'm not a creep. I hope.