Someone has recently been in my life whom I have come to regard with utter contempt. I can’t believe she even has to ask if she’s offended me. Everything about her makes me seethe, and I can barely contain my disgust. But she did ask, and so I will answer…
Yes, you waste of human tissue, you have offended me. You came to us presumably because you needed help. You used an old connection to a family member to open the door, and you made your way here under the guise of an emergency. But it was no emergency. It was yet another crisis of your own creation. Every choice you make in life is thoughtless and stupid, and you don’t see your role in bringing on the consequences of your actions. Because you are thoughtless and stupid.
But to the point. You are a drunk, a liar, and an addict. And though I find you disgusting, none of that really impacts me directly. But you did offend me when you smoked in my bathroom the second night you were here and then lied about it. And you maintained that lie when I know what I smelled (fresh smoke, not the stale smell of smoke in your clothes) and I saw ashes in the toilet where you flushed the butt. Since I had already seen you lie about something else, I wasn’t surprised that you lied about that. You knew that was a hard and fast rule and the one thing that could get you kicked out of the house. Because you’re thoughtless and stupid, I won’t question why you just didn’t obey the rule and only smoke outside. I already know you’re thoughtless and stupid. You honestly believed you could get away with it.
But, still, that’s not why I hate you with every fiber of my being. No, I hate you because after I caught you smoking in the house and you lied about it, I explained that it’s not just the smell of smoke that is a problem. I explained my health problems, and how the smoke isn’t just an odor, but dangerous particles in the air that injure lung tissue. I have precious little lung tissue, so injuring any bit of it merely accelerates my decline and brings me closer to the end of life. Every little impurity you bring into this house makes it more difficult for me to breathe. Your pot, your tobacco smoke, your perfume, those flowers… you’re killing me. So when I tell you to leave those things outside, I would expect a guest in this house to have the common decency to do that. But you’re thoughtless and stupid.
So I find myself, for the first time that I can recall, actually hoping someone (namely, you) develops COPD. My only regret is once you leave this house I will not maintain any contact with you, so I won’t be around when you start to experience the terror of trying to catch your breath… the exhaustion associated with clearing your lungs in the morning just so you can breathe enough to get out of bed… the headaches brought on by hypoxia. But your day will come. And I hope you live with it for a long, agonizing time. And throughout your slow, painful death, I hope you remember me and how you poisoned my air, and you come to loathe yourself as much as I loathe you.
On a practical note, I considered filing a suit against you for the injury you caused me. I put you on notice, and you acted in a way that caused me direct harm. I would file that suit and seek a judgment against you, but I know you will never amount to anything because you’re a drunk and an addict. So instead, I will just find pleasure in the knowledge that when your life is inevitably in crisis again (next week? Next month?), you won’t be coming back here. This bridge is burned, bitch.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am a blogging failure. (That sounded like censored profanity just there, didn’t it?) It’s been about a year since my post frequency dropped off precipitously. While I tried to make a comeback with the launch of my Last Great American Road Trip earlier this year, I found posting while on the road to be a bit cumbersome. Downloading the iPhone WordPress app couldn’t even resolve the problem. I’m not sure what to say. I suck.
On the other hand, I am awesome.
So, there you have it. I am sucking awesome! (More modified profanity?)
But getting back to being a blogging failure… You may be wondering why I didn’t resume posting at the end of the Last Great American Road Trip in mid-June, since posting-on-the-go is the reason I cited for not posting between April and June. The answer: because I wasn’t home for very long before taking off again for an unexpected Part Three! After about six very busy weeks at home, I left again in early August for another lengthy trip. And I’m not home yet as I type this. This time my route was sort of the reverse of Part One:
Los Angeles, CA — August 10 – September 18
Oakland, CA — September 18 – 21
Portland, OR — September 21
Everett, WA — September 22 – October 2
Tri-Cities, WA — October 2 – 4
Columbus, OH — October 7 – November 5
Detroit, MI — November 5 – 8
HOME — November 9!
I will attempt to get back into a posting routine soon. I got to thinking that I should either start using this space or stop paying for it, and I’m kind of emotionally attached (as I discovered when I tried changing the look and feeling nothing but regret for it), so stop-paying-for-it is probably the wrong answer. So, yay for you! You [might] get more of me! Huzzah!
And I might might might even post pictures for you. (Of course I will!) So, watch this space. And this time I mean it!
I have been reading a lot about a growing anti-Islamic movement in the US and some European nations, and it has me gravely concerned. Most notably, there is a church in Florida that has declared September 11, 2010, “International Burn A Koran Day”, and they intend to hold a Qu’ran burning that evening. Of course, this has triggered an international backlash. However, the pastor of that church is not backing down.
I live my life according to a basic Judeo-Christian (and Buddhist?) philosophy: Do not treat others in a way you would not like to be treated. I don’t know about you, but I personally would not like seeing the holy text of my foundational beliefs burned in a public display of hatred. While I support this man’s civil liberties (primarily his right to free speech), I disagree with his view. In light of this, please view this video for a counter movement if the pastor follows through with his plan…
Enjoy the video and please join the cause! Click this link for the Facebook page, and read the “About” section.
While out doing some shopping (and driving my friend’s car for him so it doesn’t sit idle too long), I decided to stop at the little park between LAX and In-n-Out Burger on Sepulveda Bvld. in Westchester, California. You haven’t lived ’til you’ve gone through the long but incredibly fast-moving drive-thru for an In-n-Out fix, then sat in this park eating your food as jumbo jets graze just overhead in their approach to LAX. Seriously cool.
On Saturday, August 21st, I went to El Mirage Dry Lake, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles. While there, the Corvette’s lockout protection failed, and we were locked out. It was 100 degrees and we were in the middle of nowhere. We were very grateful for roadside assistance. (Incidentally, getting into a locked Corvette is NOT easy!)
I got tired of the look of that other theme, and I haven’t had time to design something that I do like, so I’m bringing back my old green site. For now. Or maybe forever. We’ll see.
Meanwhile, I am home from the first part of my Road Trip 2010, but I have a birthday party to get to, then I have stuff to accomplish. I’ll post highlights of my trip so far before I leave for Part Two. *assure*
EDIT: And comments are broken again. I must remember how I fixed them last time so I can fix ‘em again. *sigh*
So much for the down-time I thought I would have. My trip has been so amazing at each stage of the journey that I keep telling myself, “I’ll write something at my next stop… the next stop…” But then I get to the next stop and it’s even more awesome than the last. (My apologies to people I visited early in my trip for the awkward way I’ve said that. Of course you are all fabulous friends and gracious hosts!)
So here I am, a full month into my travels, and I have very little shown for it. But I’ve had an incredible time, and that’s what really matters (to me), right? And at some point in the future, I will share some photos. (Of course I’ve been taking a lot of pictures. A really lot, to borrow my sister’s phrase.) Please continue to hold. An operator will be with you soon.
Miles-wise, I’m about half-way through the first part of my two-part road trip, and I’m having a fabulous time. I leave my present location in the Tri-cities area of Washington within a few hours (boo!), and then I’ll have a short drive over to Erica’s (near Seattle), where I’ll spend the next almost-two-weeks (yay!). I’ve been taking quite a few pictures, both along the road*, and at each stop. When I get to Erica’s, I’ll have more down-time so I can get some of the photos prepped and posted. Check back soon!
* Yes, I’ve been doing more of that in-motion driver’s seat photography I’ve warned you about. Listen to me: Don’t do it! No! Bad!
My Friend: John Locke was freakin’ smart. And sensible.
8 hours ago
3 Comments - Like
Commenter: at 2:01am
What episode are you on?
My Friend: at 2:03am
I’m studying political science.
*sigh* And that is what’s wrong with America today. Too many of us go straight for the Lost TV show reference without regard for one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers, whose views are reflected in the American Declaration of Independence (“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…“).
Mind you, I had a good chuckle over the exchange. But then I felt like crying.
After weeks of behind-the-scenes planning (in the midst of managing my very first ever paid photography gig!), I am within two hours of departure for the Last Last Greater American Road Trip – 2010 Edition!
This is my rough itinerary:
Part One:
Denver, CO – April 20
Salt Lake City, UT – April 21-26
Rossland, BC – April 26-30
Tri-Cities, WA – April 30-May 3
Everett, WA – May 3-14
Los Angeles, CA – May 15-26
Oklahoma City, OK – May 27-29
Intermission:
Central AR – May 29- June 1
Part Two:
New York City, NY – June 2
Boston, MA – June 3-6
Baltimore, MD – June 6-16
Around MI – June 17-20
If you’re somewhere along my route and we have not already planned to meet up, let me know! If you want to send me gas money, let me know (or just Paypal to Smarmoofus [at] gmail [dot] com)! Pictures and updates to follow.
