What with not having a job, I've got a lot of free time; I've been reading a lot. Specifically, I've been reading a lot of George Plimpton, and I'd like to tell you why I look up to him.

He was what's called a "participatory journalist." That really just means he did shit, and then wrote about it.

That alone is nothing special, but it's the way he wrote about it, and the dichotomy between his background and what he was participating in.

He was born into a well-to-do New England family, studied at Harvard and Oxford. He started a literary magazine called the Paris Review. With that kind of upbringing, you would think he would be content to settle down and teach in some ivy covered institution. But that was not what George Plimpton did. Here's an abridged list of stuff George Plimpton did instead:

~Ran with the bulls in Pamplona.
~Hung out with JFK.
~Played triangle in the New York Philharmonic.
~Pitched in the Major League Baseball all-star game.
~Interviewed and befriended Ernest Hemingway, whom he called "Papa."
~Went to pre-season camp with the Detroit Lions, playing quarterback in an exhibition game. pictured below, number "zero."
~Boxed Archie Moore, world light heavyweight champ.
~Played goalie for the Boston Bruins.
~Wrestled to the ground the man who shot Bobby Kennedy.
~Played on the PGA tour with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
~Acted a cameo in a scene with John Wayne.
~Named himself "Fireworks Commissioner" of New York City.
~Etc...etc...etc...





The way george wrote about all these experiences is what makes him so readable and so likeable. He is clearly not properly equipped to be competing or participating at the level he was, but he goes at it with such earnestness and determination that you can't help but like him. He does it in all seriousness (or however serious he could be), there is no wink to the camera, no "hey, check out how dumb these football payers are!" Just an Ivy League guy trying his damndest to compete and usually failing spectacularly. He was the precursor to Mike Rowe of "Dirty Jobs." He, too, tries his damndest while failing, and has that same sense of honestly trying to do whatever the activity is, and paying respect to those who do it for a living.

George's genuine, charming personality endeared him to everyone he met. In the mid-90's, when George was about 70 years old, he appeared at the Apollo theater in Harlem for amateur night. (If you're not familiar with the Apollo, look it up.) He performed "opus. #1," a piano piece improvised on the spot. The crowed loved it. The differences between them could not have been greater, young black crowd/old white man, but because of the warmth of his character, Plimpton brought those divides down.

But what I love most is the Idea of a George Plimpton-esque life. That you can spend your life just doing stuff, going on adventures. In the face of whoever or whatever is telling you can't or you shouldn't, go for it. Have fun, try something new! That's what I learned from George Plimpton.

There's a song about George by Jonathan Coulton that perfectly captures Plimpton's spirit. The last verse says the following:

Enjoy yourself, do the things that matter
Cause there isn’t time and space to do it all
Love the things you try, drink a cocktail wear a tie
Show a little grace if you should fall

Don’t live another day unless you make it count
There’s someone else that you’re supposed to be
There’s something deep inside of you that still wants out
And shame on you if you don’t set it free

I think that something we can all get behind.

I applied for a job at three of the four largest banks in the US tonight. Sorry Citibank, but if I wanted a job on a sinking ship, I would have taken that position as a Coal Shoveler on the Titanic. AM I RIGHT?! EH? See what I did there?

Anyway, I'm going to post more on Job Hunt '09 tomorrow, but I'm exhausted for the night.

I work at a bank. I do loans and stuff. One of the determining factors on whether or not a loan will be approved is something called the "debt-to-income ratio." That is, the amount of money you owe on other loans/mortgage/rent/whatever vs. what you make. The highest acceptable number for this ratio is 45%. We, as a bank, will not let you over-exert yourself. I can only speak for my particular financial institution, and there are certainly less scrupulous lenders (that's one way to put it). But at my bank, if we see that 50% of your income is being paid toward your debt, we see you as in the weeds; just getting by; not able to handle even another $25 a month for another credit card.

Having said that, let's look at a chart, shall we?





This is a graph of the ratio over the last century of collective household debt vs. the US Gross Domestic Product. This is the debt-to-income ratio on a national, collective scale. I don't know if you can read the little numbers on the left side of the chart, but that ratio is currently at 100%. We are so far in debt, every cent we earn is matched by a cent we owe. That, to put it mildly, is scary. What is even scarier, as shown by the chart, is that the last time our national debt-to-income was so high was 19-fucking-29. In case you missed that day of American History in high school, 1929 was the start of the Great Depression.

Since 9/11, we've been told to spend money. We've been told that it was the American Way of Life to spend, that, hell, it was practically our patriotic duty to spend. The only problem is that we don't make enough to spend like the government wanted us too. Luckily there was a bank offering a credit card or a home equity loan.

Not to get all socialist or anything, but this what Free Market Capitalism brings. It can be a catalyst for unprecedented entrepreneurship and advancement, but it can also wreak unknowable financial havoc.

A financial system based on greed and self interest for all parties let us down. Weird, I couldn't have seen that coming...

I live here:




I really love living here. The building has so much character and history; it's been here for almost 90 years.

Sometimes I think about all the people who have lived in this specific apartment over those 90 years. What were they like, where did they move on to? I look at the little things in the apartment: the hooks in the closet, the basin-style kitchen sink. Things I interact with daily and mundanely. Dozens of others have done the same. Someone back in 1920 admired this same bathroom tile floor, soaked dishes in the annoyingly shallow sink. These rooms have seen so much, been home to so many. I love being a part of that story, adding my name to the list of those who have lived in #103. I feel connected to people that I've never met, many of whom are no longer with us.

That's pretty cool, yeah?

Well, I've just finished watching the West Wing start to finish. I got the complete series on DVD for Christmas, and it's taken me this long to finish it. It was quite a project, and I'm sad it's over (although I still have commentaries and special features...) By way of concluding this 2 and a half month journey, I thought I would pick my favorite moment from each season and present it here in typical YouTube copyright infringing fashion.

Here We Go:

( This is Pretty Long )

Really, republicans? This is your response to the most presidential-sounding address in at least 20 years? THIS is the rising star of the GOP? 2012 is looking pretty good.

Gov. Jindal, this part's for you:

1.) High Speed Rail Systems, huh? You know who builds those? PEOPLE. People that don't have jobs right now.
2.) You know what "Volcano Monitoring" does? It monitors volcanoes. That way you have a little advanced warning when a FUCKING MOUNTAIN is about to EXPLODE. I think there should be MORE money spent of volcano monitoring.
3.) Mr. Governor, we are not a class of 4th graders, do not talk to us as such.
4.) You remind me of this guy:

This is a clip from the AMC program Mad Men. I really enjoy this show. If you haven't heard/seen it (or couldn't tell from the above clip) it is about an advertising agency in New York in the early 1960's. I like it because, unlike most recent period pieces centering on that era, this show does not try to cover up the awful parts of American society in the late 50's/early 60's. Men are the real workforce, women are secretaries (one woman does become a copywriter, but is met by quizzical disdain from the men of the office as well as, interestingly, the women). Sexism is rampant, minorities are delegated to being elevator operators, bar waiters, and janitors. Drinking is common in the workplace, and cigarettes are smoked non-stop. It is an unflinching look at the societal norms of the time.

But it is also more than that. The look of the show is amazing. It is brilliantly filmic. It has the look of an Edward Hopper painting. Hopper is one of my favorite artists. His paintings (some of which are included below) are fairly straightforward. If you were to see them in a gallery, you might pass over them to examine something more eye-catching. But underneath the seemingly simple exterior lies so much drama and tragedy.









The second picture (1932's Room in New York) is my favorite Hopper painting (although his most famous is the amazing Nighthawks). The two figures are physically close to each other, yet are miles apart, so disconnected. It is heart breaking. The dichotomy between the everyday scene and the hollowness of life in that society is almost unbearably tragic.

Mad Men has the same feel to it. The veneer is so strong and Manly, yet there is emptiness inside. That it takes place in an advertising agency is completely apropos: a company that doesn't really sell anything. It sells other's products for them. It's entire business model is a front, just as the swaggering bravado of it's ad men is a front for emptiness.

Just as a Hopper painting may seem common or even simplistic, the characters in Mad Men may seem like the personification of Cool. Some watching may even wish to be back in the time of well fitted suits, french cuffed shirts, and three martini lunches. But those viewing that way are missing half the story.

Mad Men is not necessarily a celebration of that period, but more so a cautionary tale of how happiness and depth are not measured in suits and cigarettes, but in being able to openly communicate and express what is happening inside ones self.

I've included one more scene from the series, mostly for the last moments. Background: The two figures, dressed quite similarly to the figures in Room in New York, are engaged in secret affair. He is the president of the ad agency, she is the head of the secretarial pool. Both feel an emptiness that they express to each other, but no one else. The way they move in the hotel room is almost ballet. And the final shot, the two of them standing on the curb unable to express anything, at that point not even to each other, looks more like an Edward Hopper painting than a scene from a basic cable TV show.

I've been researching for an upcoming blog post (nerdy I know) and I've discovered my new favorite American figure: Adlai Stevenson, governor of the Great State of Illinois and two time democratic presidential nominee. Here are some of my favorite quotes from Mr. Stevenson:

In America any boy may become President and I suppose it's just one of the risks he takes.

Newspaper editors are men who separate the wheat from the chaff, and then print the chaff.

Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.

The best reason I can think of for not running for President of the United States is that you have to shave twice a day.

The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning.

You can tell the size of a man by the size of the thing that makes him mad.

An Independent is someone who wants to take the politics out of politics.

And my Personal Favorite:

I have a proposition for our Republican friends: They stop telling lies about us, and we'll stop telling the truth about them!

I wish that Obama supporters would stop saying "Yes We Did." That mantra was not about winning an election, but changing the country, the world, and discovering the hope and potential within each of us. Not about beating an old man in a campaign.

The thing I love about America can be summed up by our Nation's Motto: E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, One.

The standard definition of this phrase references the unity of the states under the federal system; literally many states making up one.

But this motto has evolved and taken on a new meaning to me and (I think) many others. The evolution stems from a question I think about a lot: Could the founding fathers have ever imagined the level of diversity currently at work in the modern United States?

We are so different in this country. Life style, economic standing, ancestry. There are a thousand ways to dissect the populace. Speaking to the last point, the ancestral make up of America is astounding. With the exception of Natives, we are all immigrants here. All the peoples of the world have converged here, in this place. Some came by choice, others had no say in the matter. But for whatever reason, here we all are. We are many.

But we are also one. Even with the vast differences between us, there is still far more that unites us than divides. And when we come together, we are more than the sum of our parts.

Even still, the meaning of E Pluribus Unum is evolving yet again, reminding us that the American conscience is not static. We are experiencing a level of interconnectedness unprecedented in human history. Technology, as never before, is bringing us together. Old Friends, Strangers, Ideas, Opposing View Points, are all meeting each other on the expanding plane of the internet, or through face to face interaction made possible by so many new technologies working together. Just as all the people of the world have converged at this place, so are we just now understanding and exploring what that convergence means.

I'm reminded of an old tradition that takes place at Workcamps. The participants come from all walks of life, all denominations, and they converge in one town. Hundreds become one. Throughout the week, they work together with people they had never met before the start of camp. They start to discover their "one-ness." And they do amazing things. Not only through the physical work, but also in the simple act of working together, in showing, in a literal way, that even with our divisions, we are still one. One Body, One Church. At the end of the week, as we look back, there is a moment in the program where we have a slideshow of all the residents whose homes were worked on. As they see them, the crew that worked on that house stands, without recognition, and starts to sing a simple repeated refrain: Alleluia. This continues until the entire group is standing and singing, as one. The line in the program after this moment has been used for years, and even though I've heard it dozens of times, it still strikes a chord with me.

"When we sing alone, we're just one voice. But when we join together, our voices form a mighty wave of praise that the whole world hears. The people of this community have heard your songs, and will never forget your singing."


I bring all of this up now because it's Election Day. Because today is the day that Americans stand up and start singing. And out of many voices singing, there comes one song. We don't all sing the same pitches, but that makes the harmony that much sweeter.

It's a song I hope continues.

Every night from my apartment I can hear the amtrak train whistle. And almost every night I wish I was on that train again, and that it was taking me back to her.

The train whistle makes me sad.

When asked if she was a feminist, the Gov responded (from NBC):

"I'm not gonna label myself anything, Brian. And I think that's what annoys a lot of Americans, especially in a political campaign, is to start trying to label different parts of America different, different backgrounds, different … I'm not going to put a label on myself. "


Um, excuse me? Remember that clip I posted yesterday, where she labeled herself a federalist? Remember the 4000 times she called herself a Hockey Mom? Pitbull? MAVERICK! REFORMER! WASHINGTON OUTSIDER! THESE ARE LABELS! YOU LABELED PARTS OF AMERICA "PRO-AMERICA!" AND YES THAT LABELING ANNOYS ME. YOU, MA'AM, ANNOY ME. PLEASE REMOVE YOURSELF FROM MY POLITICAL DISCOURSE. SON OF A BITCH.

Sorry about that. I just had to get that off my chest.

PS-In other batshit crazy political news (warning: this is nine minutes long):



PPS-I need to blog about other stuff. Future generations will look back on this blog and say "It was pretty good until it got all political."

Jeez, seeing these two clips side by side looks like a one sided boxing match if I've ever seen one.

"Gov. Palin, what Supreme Court cases do you not agree with?" "Uhh...I would have to say those cases that I have a difference of opinion with..."

"Sen. Biden, what Supreme Court cases do you not agree with?" "Hmm, well, there was this one case I was actually involved in...


Go back to Alaska, Governor. It will better for all of us.

I voted today!

Obama/Biden for Prez/Veep!

Kleeb for Senate!

Esch for Congress!

....and a bunch of other random, uncontested local things like "metro utilities district board member." Yawn.

But no yawn for those first three! Yay Civic Duty!

Here's my review of all the bands we saw at ACL. I've included YouTube videos when I could find them. It was a spectacular day of heat, dust, and rockin'. The Day started with:

Langhorne Slim

Solid Alt-Country, or whatever you call that. Sounded very Uncle Tupelo-esque, but not quite as growly, which is appreciated. Had some real barnburners, and really sounded a lot bigger than the guitar/upright bass/drum kit that they are. I love this style of music, and it was great to see the crowd getting into it. The lyrics sometimes drifted into cliched "my woman done me wrong" generalities, but more often were bright and new, also much appreciated.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter (out of ten):8

The Old 97's



One of the forefathers of the "Alt-Country" movement, these guys were kind of like the kindly old band that knew that a lot of what was happening that day was in part inspired by them, but that most of the audience was unfamiliar with they themselves. They still put on a hell of a show, letting everyone know that they are still relevant. They looked like they were having fun, and that sense permeated back into the crowd. Good Stuff. Oh, and they did play "Question," one of my favorite songs of all time. So yeah, that was a big moment.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter: 9

The Fratellis



British powerpop band of ipod commercial fame, the Fratellis put on a decent show. We were about 300 yards back, sitting on a hill and not terribly into it. But they did a good job, entertaining and to the point, these guys have a 60's pop sound and they don't stray too far from it.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter: 4

Drive-By Truckers



I was really looking forward to this band because a close friend of mine won't shut up about them. I knew a little about them going in, but had not heard a lot of their music. I was blown away. I loved it. They play a loud, old fashioned Southern Rock that was made for big open air festivals like this. They play epic music and they put on an epic show. Their music evokes the old south, seen from the perspective of people fed up with the norm of racism and republicans. I have to say, its nice to see awesome music coming from the south that speaks to my worldview. The truckers have released at least one concept album "Southern Rock Opera," which is not nearly as pretentious as it sounds. They put on a show of operatic proportions, and I'm really glad I got to see these guys.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter: 9

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band



Amazing show from my hometown hero. Not the best outing I've seen from Mr. Oberst (I would refer you to my post about the absolutely mind shattering, life changing Bright Eyes show from April of 2007), but still a solid, solid set. No Bright Eyes material was played, but that was expected, if slightly disappointing. But they good news is that the solo stuff off the newest album is great. Songs like "Cape Canaveral" and "NYC-Gone, Gone" hold their own against the best of Bright Eyes. The set also included an unexpected cover, Kodachrome by Paul Simon. The band did it flawlessly and that song was one of the high points of the day. The highlight of the set for me was the rollicking "Don't Wanna Die (in the Hospital)." Rock and Freaking Roll. Also, the sun set during this set, creating one of the most perfect moments of my life. Good Music, The Sunset, The One I Love (laura, not conor. Well, maybe a little bit conor. but mostly laura), Life does not get better.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter:10

Yonder Mountain String Band



Playing on the smallest stage, this straight-up bluegrass, no exaggeration, brought the house down. The self-described "Band Closest to the Portapotties" was tight and fun. Their last number was maybe my favorite song of the day, and they left the small crowd wanting more. Calls rang out for encores, a luxury not available at multi-stage music festivals with a set line-up. Can't stress how much fun this band was.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter: 8

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss



We didn't see much of them. We were really far away, and had an obstructed view of the stage. Obstructed by about 2000 people. So really it just felt like we were watching TV with 15000 people. While standing. We didn't stay long. But I got to see a living legend, so I guess that's worth something.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter: 5

Beck



Never been a huge Beck fan. I think he's pretentious and weird. But we had heard that he puts on a good live show, so after RP&AK, we headed over to the other end of the park where he was playing. This time we had about 25000 people directly in front of us. We were (no exaggeration) at least half a mile from the stage. We didn't stay long.

"Would I buy their album?"-o-meter:3

All-in-all, and amazing day, one that will be long remembered. I didn't even get to tell you about the food! Or the Heat! Or the Drug Use! (not by me!)

So...this mobile blogging thing really worked out.

I promise to write an ACL/texas recap soon. But for now I'm back in an airport and certain that leaving gets harder every time I have to do it.

Sigh.

Layover in Houston. I hope I'm at the right gate. It's boarding another flight now, and I've checked the big board about ten times, but I'm still nervous.

On my first flight, a couple of people were talking about whatever, and somehow the topic of "what they have to live for" came up. Sheesh. The one guy was very adamant that he had very little to live for. He actually said "this plane could crash right now and I'd be ok with that."

Excuse my french, but fuck you kindly sir. Some of us DO have stuff to live for and we don't need your tragic lack of a life that's worth a damn messing it up for the rest of us. Damn, dude.

I don't like being able to see the wing from my seat. I know its supposed to flex and sway, but it still makes me nervous.

PS-I am coming back from texas. On tuesday. I wouldn't leave all you Omahans so suddenly.

In the omaha airport right now. I forgot how awful airport terminal musak is. Should have remembered my ipod...

I've got a book of crossword puzzles and my goal for today is to finish one without cheating. Hasn't happened yet...but soon.

The airline attendant that helped me check-in was very nice and helpful. The 3 attendants who stood around not helping me, chomping gum and talking about how drunk the were going to get tonight were not as helpful.

I'm leaving for Texas tomorrow. I'm going to mobile-blog while I'm gone. Look for updates all weekend!

From a CNN Article regarding an SNL sketch from this past weekend's show: "A top aide to John McCain said Monday she thought comedian Tina Fey's impersonation of Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin on NBC's Saturday Night Live over the weekend was sexist because it portrayed the Alaska governor as lacking in substance."


Stop It.

I'm serious, political campaigns. You are hurting America.

Portraying a woman as unsubstantive in a comedy sketch is not sexist. Not even close to sexism. You can call foul if you'd like, but you have to do it along the lines of "...our candidate was grossly misrepresented blah blah blah, Gov. Palin has a firm grasp of the issues blah blah blah here are examples..."

Sexism is not the new race card. Do not use it as such. "OMG they criticized our candidate, who is a woman, they must hate all women! Why do you think women are stupid, Barack Obama?" That kind of reasoning is offensive to all women. It creates a double standard that women are off-limits simply by virtue of being a woman.

I have included the video below so you can see just how spot on Tina Fey's impersonation is. Not only in voice, but in body language and mannerism as well. Also, that's what Sarah Palin is really like.