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By briantologist | November 12, 2008
Look, nobody said NaBloPoMo was gonna be easy. I tried it last year, which I only just now remembered I’d done because I looked back through the archives and saw 30 days’ worth of entries, and only managed to succeed by repeatedly backdating posts, which I admitted at the time with much self-flagellating. November 2007 was, I now recall, a ridiculously dark time. I got laid off at the end of the month from a job I’d grown to like quite a bit — this was right after we had to buy a new car because the old one was burning oil by the quart — and E was recently unemployed and beginning to become disillusioned about finding work ever again.
I’m not gonna say it’s night and day between this year and last; I’m still a temp, technically, and so theoretically my job could disappear right out from under me at any time, which would, indeed, deeply depress me. E’s worries about finding work quickly proved quite founded (thanks, economy!), and the middling check I bring home doesn’t really cover our expenses (thanks, American Express! no, actually, seriously, thank you for the line of credit).
But it feels different somehow. I’m gonna go ahead and give most of the credit to the events of last Tuesday; it may well be that I’ve truly internalized the notion that change is actually coming, and at the very least I’m still basking in the glow of my fellow Americans’ finally correct election-day decision. I’m happier at my job now than I would’ve been had I stayed at the other place for a year, and I’ve made several honest-to-Pete capital-f friends here, which is a better fringe benefit than most temp agencies feel comfortable offering. Henry is thriving and cute, and continues to blow my mind with the phrases he’s able to put together (not to mention the logic behind them). E’s made the best of her time at home and is working on some exciting stuff. Our friends are great, our kitties are turds, our house is always warm, and there’s always food and beer in the kitchen, even if I’m unsure I’ll ever be able to pay American Express back for all of it. Life is still really, really good, considering.
P.S. – Oh yeah, the links. I was gonna link to some shit. Garrison Keillor on Life After Last Tuesday, and an article about how a total of seven severed human feet in running shoes have now washed up on the western shores of Canada since August 2007.
P.P.S. – Setting aside for a moment the incredible disturbingness of the Canada story, take a moment to examine the CBC website. A couple of things:
- Read the comments and be baffled by how A) correctly spelled and B) polite they are. People, these commenters all have legitimate points to make! Points which they’ve taken the time to TYPE OUT IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN TEXT MESSAGE SHORTHAND. Clearly this is because everyone can go see the doctor in their country when they’re sick. It makes for a better society across the board. Mark my words.
- Did you see? Up at the top of the story, next to the usual “E-mail/Print/Text Size” links, there’s one that says “Report Typo”? “REPORT TYPO,” PEOPLE! This is unheard of on the Internet! Christ, I’m giving Canada another look, positive election results or no.
Topics: Misc., NaBloPoMo, The Internets | No Comments »