Happy New Year

For those fellow Members of the Tribe, Shana Tovah and a Gut Gebentched Yar.  And for those more religious, a ksivah v’chasimah tovah.

For the goyim, tonight starts the Jewish New Year.  Not a party night like December 31, but rather a chance to think about the last year and hope—and pray—for a successful new year.  In Judaism, we believe that the entire year is determined in the next 10 days between Rosh Hashanah (lit. Head of the Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).  As the psalm goes, “who shall live and who shall die, who by fire and who by water….”  A weighty thing.

So I’ll be out the next two days, at synagogue mostly.

Please take care of my Internets (as Jane calls it) in the meantime, will you please?

Top Referrer, Again

So, Jane is pretty much topping off her iPod because of me, right?  Once again, she’s the top referrer.  Number 2 and 3 tied: Lisa B and Teej.

The surprise?  Dan was nowhere to be found.  Dan, what happened?

Jane, name your song.

“Live” Blogging One Tree Hill

I’m at the Season 3 finale.

Nathan and Haylie are getting married, again.  Seriously, dudes, stick with the original vows.  Yours sound sappy and ridiculous.  As do most—if not all—self-written vows, I bet.

Nice new ring, though.

Aww.

Clapping at the end of a ceremony.  When did that start?  They don’t do that at Jewish weddings.  Of course, as soon as they’re done, the dancing starts.

Deb admits she, and not Keith, was the one who tried to kill Dan.  Bummer for Dan, who murdered Keith in “revenge.”

Rachel and Coop.  Seriously, why is she so hung up.

And Peyton and Brooke not speaking.  Because Peyton still loves Lucas.  Again.  And Brooke doesn’t, or does, we’re not sure.

First dance.  Aww.

I’m wondering who’s going to be in the car wreck that Nathan dreamed about at the beginning.  Because you just know it’s going to happen.

Dan at Keith’s grave.  Apparition of young Keith haunting Dan in the background.  Dan broken and crying.  Doesn’t quite work on that douchebag.  He’s just not that good of an actor.

Brooke picking a fight with Lucas.  Lucas mistakenly confessing a kiss with Peyton when she thought she was dying.  Brooke walking out.  History repeats itself.

My bet is on Rachel as the car wreck victim.  ”A kiss always means something.”  I love finding little bits of truth in stupid things.

And Lucas brings up the sleeping-with-Chris-Keller thing.  Oops.  ”Oh great! You kiss Peyton, again, and I’m the one pushing you away!”  Nice line.  

Never trust a quiet Brooke when she says she’s not mad.  Because she probably is.

Lucas’s writers write a good speech.  And strangely, tied into what’s happening elsewhere on the show.  Serendipity?  Or plan?

And Brooke’s speech?  Going with the Shakespeare.  Always a safe bet.

Karen is pregnant.  Wow!  That wasn’t even on the radar.  Not expecting that, at all.  And Dan has a nice moment.  Guilt works wonders.

I skipped over Rachel’s stupidity.  And off they go in the limo.  I knew I was right about the car wreck.

Coop…that’s what you get for sleeping with a 17-year-old.  Dude, being a cradle-robber has consequences.

Driving off in the ’stang.

And Brooke comforts Mouth.  Seriously, Mouth, it hasn’t been that long you’ve been hanging with the cool kids.  And Rachel is way, way out of your league.

Brooke forgives Lucas?  So quick?  Feels like that country western song, “Get Your Tongue Out of My Mouth Because I’m Kissing You Goodbye.”  Or not.

Oh, Nathan, don’t say things like, “I feel like the world can be perfect.”  Big mistake.  And pay attention to the road, dude.

And Lucas leaves Peyton by herself.  Nice.

Brooke breaks up with Peyton.  Harsh words, totally deserved.

Rachel humiliating herself a little more.

Who’s pregnant?  Rachel?  Haley?  Who?  Uh oh, “you’re good in a crisis,” never a good opening line.

And it’s Coop and Rachel off the bridge.  I hate it when that happens.

Nathan dives in.  

And someone knows Dan’s a murderer.  And Peyton starts burning things.

They’re really making things fall apart in the finale.  I love it.

Nathan doesn’t come up.  Oops.

End of Season.

No Time For Anything But Random Notes

• The next few weeks are just unbelievably busy.  Twenty three days of Jewish holidays.  Plus a whole bunch of work stuff.
• In good news, me and the wife are getting along great.  Kids are healthy.  And so cute we need a new language and better technology just to measure and talk about how cute.  And I have a job.
• So busy or no, life is good.
• Of course, the thing that’s really making my life miserable is my desire to lose weight.  I have a tremendously large sweet tooth, and I’m craving chocolate.  Raisinettes.  Or cookies.  Mmmmm.
• I’m almost finished with Season 3 of One Tree Hill.  I’m ashamed, but I can’t stop myself.  I’m just waiting for Lucas and Peyton to get back together (again).  And what happens with Brooke.  And Mouth.  And Nathan and Haley. If there’s some wonder drug I can take to snap me out of this, please let me know.
• I saw the first episode of True Blood.  Not bad.  Not good, though.  I’m generally a vampire book/movie/TV fan.
• Just picked up Twilight.  I’m fairly certain I’m not a 15 year old girl, all evidence to the contrary.
• Peanut butter might just be the perfect food.
• I missed the first episode of the new season of NCIS, and—damned iTunes—I still haven’t seen it.
• Ah…a new TV season.
• At this point, you have to know that I’m just procrastinating.

A Very, Very Nice Compliment

I spoke at a conference the other day and got the ultimate compliment.

A job offer.

Yeah me!

My Job, Sometimes

I love this:

Dinner

A kosher diner. Yum!

And yes, that’s a milk shake.

Referrer of the Week

Wow.  This one wasn’t even close.

Dan by a mile.

Though I wonder if he pulled a Veaj and just visited me himself 20 times by clicking from his page to mine over and over.  

Either way, Dan wins the song fair and square.

Dan, pick your song and I’ll gift it to you on iTunes.

Another One, For Your Consideration

Another Jen.  Actually, a Jenny.

Go read Jenny’s Journal.  Cute kids, too.

I’m starting a new rule.  If you follow one of my links, you must leave a comment that tells the person, at the end, “oh yeah, Hank says hi.”

It’s a moral obligation.

My Obligatory 9/11 Post

People ask me if I’m still upset about 9/11.  I was there that day, dodging the debris of the South Tower when the plane hit.  My first thought, as ridiculous as it was, was “how did they get a car bomb up that high?”

After that came the fear, and later the anger.

Am I still upset?  Seven years later?

Upset?  I’m still fucking pissed.

Sorry.  I know this is a family blog.

And I’m ashamed of myself.

Because I ran away.

I know that a lot of people ran with me, but I ran.  Away.  I didn’t help anyone.  Except myself.

I remember this woman.  Brown hair.  Medium height.  Totally vacant look in her eyes.  I’d never seen shock before that day.  I didn’t help her either.  She just walked along.  And I think “walked” is charitable.  Walked in the way that zombies walk.  Thoughtless.  Unseeing eyes.  I used the word “vacant.”  That’s just it.  Staring into space.

In my experience, there’s no anger like the anger that follows fear.  But even worse than that is an anger that follows shame.  I think the anger toward the source of that shame is permanent.  

So yes.  The nightmares stopped five years ago.  The sensitivity and hyper-alertness whenever I saw a low-flying plane stopped about three years ago.  I’m still avoiding certain areas of the city, like the big board at Penn Station (where everyone waits to see what track their train is leaving from).  I still worry about a nuclear detonation in the City.

And I’m still so very, very pissed.

On the Edge

From what I’ve read, I think I’m going to like this one…

Jen on the Edge

Go say hi.

The Power of the Internet

Sometimes, I just love blogging.  Today’s monster post (just below) is one example.  An opportunity to rant.

But ultimately, most blogs, including this one, are just vanity publications.  Self-involvement given digital form.

But not always.

Because of blogging, a two-year-old is getting a medical procedure to give her a normal life.  Go over to Veronica’s and tell her “well done!”  I just did.

Then go wish the mother well.

I’m actually a little emotional right now over this.  Go figure.

UPDATE: I decided to leave this post at the top for a little while.  It deserves it.

Why I’m a Republican

I should just say, “because I’m conservative,” but that wouldn’t do it.  And since Veaj has gotten all political lately (just kidding, Veaj), I figure I should respond.

I’m conservative because I think that the federal government screws things up by getting involved more often than it solves things.  I believe that the job of the federal government is to protect the citizenry from foreign threats, to pass laws for situations with national implications and need national direction, and to pass regulations only in those areas where the free market won’t adequately handle the problem.  And since the market works more efficiently than government does, those situations will be few and far between.

I’m conservative because I believe that just because I make a good salary I shouldn’t have to pay a greater proportion of my income in taxes than someone who makes less.  I understand it’s my duty to pay taxes, and I don’t have a problem with that.  But at this point, the government takes almost half my income.  Almost half.  Think about that.

I’m conservative because I believe a fetus is qualitatively different from a tumor.  The latter can be excised at the woman’s discretion.  The former…well, it’s different.  A fetus will grow into a child with a brain and a heart and a soul.  We can know when the brain and heart begin working; can we really know when the soul does?  And just because I’m a man doesn’t mean I don’t have the right to an opinion.  This is a moral question, probably one of the greatest moral questions of our age.  I don’t know the solution, but the Democratic presidential nominee wants abortion on demand, and I have significant moral problems with that.

I’m conservative because I believe that enemy soldiers captured on a battlefield in a foreign country are not citizens of the United States deserving of constitutional protections.  We signed treaties to govern how we treat prisoners.  Our current enemies have decided not to sign those Conventions, and therefore have no rights whatsoever.  You take up arms against America at your peril.  These are people who are setting bombs to kill Americans, and firing guns at our soldiers.  The fact that we give them meals and Korans tells me how incredibly moral our armed forces are; we don’t owe them a day in court on top of that.  It’s important to remember that we didn’t start this fight.  But we’re in it now.  And losing it would expose my children to increased danger.  Treating our enemies as a domestic criminal problem is not only foolish, it’s downright dangerous.  Possibly suicidal.  And I’m not suicidal.  I value my life and my rights above the life of someone trying to kill me.  If they leave me alone, I’m the first one to say “live and let live.”  If they want their children to have no access to literature or music, so be it.  If they teach their children that I don’t deserve to live and that it’s the duty of every person to kill me as soon as possible, well, I have a problem with that.  Especially when they then give those children money, explosives training, and then explosives.  Until the Democrats show me that they care about me more than them, I simply will never vote for one of their candidates.

I’m conservative because I think that America is a force for good and peace in the world.  And the Democrats seem to think otherwise.  I read a great quote the other day, “it seems to me that the Republicans think that the government is broken, and needs fixing, and that the Democrats think that the country is broken, and needs fixing.”

I’m conservative because the Democrats’ language of moral equivalence makes me sick.  Obama’s call on both Russia and Georgia to take no action to further the violence was one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve ever read.  It’s like telling both the rapist and victim to take no action to have sex.  And no, I don’t use that analogy lightly.  I believe there is no comparison between Israel and its neighbors.  Israel is right, and it’s neighbors are wrong.  Israel is good, and it’s neighbors are evil.  The greatest quote I’ve heard on this is “if the Arabs put down their arms tomorrow there would be no more fighting.  If Israel put down its arms tomorrow there would be no more Israel.”  I’ve yet to hear anyone contradict that statement, but I’ve yet to hear a Democrat understand its lesson.  When there’s a suicide bombing in Israel, Israeli hospitals treat anyone, Arab or Israeli, who shows up.  Can you imagine what would happen to a Jew in a Palestinean hospital?  Besides, Palestinean ambulances are too busy bringing suicide bombers to the borders.  And no, I’m not making that up.  And don’t tell me about the silent masses who just want peace.  The silent masses elected Hamas.

I’m conservative because I believe that individual responsibility and accountability is more important than government intervention.  You want to make heroin illegal, fine.  When you make trans fats illegal, that’s just being my nanny.

I’m conservative because I believe that the public education system has lost its way.  And the Democrats’ solution is to throw more of my money at the problem even though America already spends more per child than other countries, even though we get worse results.  I believe that our public education system has decided it knows better than I do what my child needs to know about certain subjects like sex, homosexuality and other alternate lifestyles, and when my child needs to know it.  I believe that this is a Christian country, and a little religion doesn’t hurt as long as it’s not overly coercive.  A moment of silence doesn’t scar anyone.  Neither does saying “under G-d” in the Pledge of Allegience.  Which we can’t say anymore anyway.  I’m conservative because I do not believe this is an advancement in public education, but rather that it’s a sad, counterproductive development.

I’m a Republican because I see Democrats playing victim/identity politics more than Republicans do, and I’m sickened by that as well.

I’m a Republican because the editorial board of the New York Times is Democrat, and I’m at the point where I’m frankly against anything they’re for, and for anything they’re against.

And finally, I’m a Republican because from where I sit, the Democrats are just plain mean. There is no excuse, none, for how they treated Sarah Palin in the last few days.  That doesn’t drive my world view, but it’s a nice little piece of reinforcement and validation.

Someone Stop Me

Oh. My. G-d.

That last post, about Side Taker?  Don’t go there.  For the love of all that’s holy, don’t set foot on that site.

It’s totally and completely addictive.

An opportunity to be completely judgmental, without the guilt.  They’re asking you to be judgmental.

It really brings out the ugly.

If you don’t believe me, read the comments to any one of the 25 that I just voted on.

No, don’t.  Don’t go there.  I’m sorry for even linking it.

OK, don’t blame me if you waste half a day.

I Can’t Decide if I’m Disgusted or Amused

I read this legal blog, and it pointed me to something that, now that I think about it, was inevitable.

There’s a site, SideTaker.com, where people can post one side of a dispute—generally between men and women in a relationship—the other person posts the other side of the dispute, and people comment on which side they think should win.

Nothing like putting your personal problems out there for all the world to see.

Says the blogger.

Referrer of the Week

The referrer of the week this week is…drumroll please,

Distractible Jane.

A close second was Teej, but not quite close enough.

So, Jane, if you let me know which song you want from iTunes, it’s yours.

Rachel Lucas is a Goddess

Teej has a recent blog entry about a Longhorn tailgating soiree she went to with a new guy, and it got me thinking about Texas, and women in Texas, and it got me thinking about a particular Texas woman.  

Every once in a while, I like to remind my handful of readers (that is, I think I have an actual count of five readers) who the bloggers extraordinaire are.  I’m talking about the biggies.  Not Kos, or Drudge.  Just ordinary people who blog so wonderful so often that their readership simply grows.

Rachel Lucas is one of them.  

She’s, simply put, a blogging deity.  

I remember when she quit blogging for a while, and still received over 1,200 hits a day.  This is with a blank page, mind you.  She came back, then quit again, and lather, rinse, repeat a few times.  

She’s been back on for a few months now.

And I’m not just saying this because she actually emailed me once, and did something nice for me, back when I was a different blogger entirely.  It was seriously like seeing a celebrity, and having them take a picture with you.  I was all, “Rachel Lucas actually emailed me.”

I still have the email.

Yes, I’m a little strange sometimes.  Tell it to the Mrs. (like she doesn’t already know).

Anyway, go read that Texas woman, that blue-eyed infidel.  And tell her that Hank says hi.

Mid-Week Referrer Watch

OK, so it’s basically neck and neck this week for Top Referrer: Teej and Jane are fighting it out.

By the way, for those of you interested in the prize—a free iTunes song—that being the top referrer gets you, you should be aware that if you come to me via bloglines or other RSS reader site, you don’t get counted.  You have to come here directly from your site to mine.

Also, can I get an idea of how many people come to your blogs from this one?

Referrer of the Week

Yes, the winner of the first ever iTunes song giveaway for being the highest ranking referrer is…Jen at The Cubicle’s Backporch.

Just tell me what song you want, Jen, and I’ll gift it over.

Oh, and for all you out there saying to yourselves “you know, I’d love to win, but those huge blogs have too many readers and refer too many people for my little blog to ever catch up,” well, Jen won this week having referred a grand total of 2 readers to me.  Both of which were probably her coming to read my blog by clicking her own blogroll.

Good luck.

By the way, in case you didn’t go over to read Teej at Hang On Little Tomato, then you really should.  See, she did four things that I really like: first, she visited my blog after I commented on hers; second, she commented on my blog; third, she posted something about my comment (which made me feel validated); and fourth, she added me to her blogroll.

Very, very polite.  In fact, the very essence of blogiquette.  And yes, I should be skewered for actually writing that contraction of “blog” and “etiquette.”

She’s now on my blogroll too.