Tu n'es rien d'autre que ta vie

Fun stuff has been going on. I found a place to stay, at least for the month, last weekend. I am staying with an older woman and another boarder in her home, which is near Chevy Chase and Rock Creek Park. The best part is, I am only paying utilities at the end of the month, that's it. This is something I like a lot, believe me.

I wanted to talk about something political as well. The privatization of social security appears to be a dead issue now, one of the few times the Bush has made a significant push for something and not had either the republicans crush all opposition to it, like the war in Iraq, or where the Democratic leadership didn't just go along for the ride, like the tax cuts and No Child Left Behind. For the first time in a while, the Democrats in the Senate and House refused to be bullied, and I have to say I'm very impressed with Harry Reid because of that fact. I watched the State of the Union at the Bayne's, while I was still in Fairfax. Bush spent nearly 20% of his speech on his plan, and yet Americans really seem to hate it, if you believe the polls. I, along, I'd wager, with most of the readership of this blog, are among those for whom this bill is supposed to be popular, the young. But I really hate this idea. I really do. I recognize the logic behind it, but still, the numbers do not add up. Bush has promised no benefit cuts, no tax increases for Social Security, and the creation of accounts. But by decreasing the amount of money going into the system, while increasing (and since people are living longer and Boomers are coming to retirement age we pay more benefits) payouts, only means massive borrowing, which will have to be saddled by my generation anyway. In the country's that have tried it, Chile and Britain, it has failed miserably to protect people's retirement, basically, it seems like a back door way to destroy the most stable leg of the retirement stool (the others being personal savings and investments/pension).

A couple of quick sports notes: With the signings of Pollard and Kennedy, the Lions greatly improved their secondary and tight end position, but now, the draft possibilities seem a lot more interesting. A lot of drafts had the team taking either a safety (Thomas Davis of Georgia or Brodney Pool of Oklahoma) or a tight end (Heath Miller of UVa) with the ten. Now, the Lions will probably take the best player who drops to them. Of those possibilities, I really like the idea of them taking Derrick Johnson of Texas, the linebacker (which would move Teddy Lehman inside) or Alex Barron, the tackle out of Florida State (to replace Stockar McDougal and maybe Jeff Backus' LT spot in a few years). None of the defensive ends (Marcus Spears, David Pollack, or Erasmus James) seem to be sure fire talents, Johnson and Barron do. One other football note, the Cardinals (now probably my second favorite team in the NFC) seem to be destined to take Cedric Benson with the seventh pick, thus taking the running back most likely to be a bust. Often, players who get a lot of carries in college don't have much tire tread left on their knees, and seem to flame out.

Rick Ankiel announced today that he will switch permanently to the outfield. This is interesting to me because I was in the KC, watching Game 1 between the Cardinals and Braves in the 2000 NLDS when Ankiel melted down before our very eyes. He threw five wild pitches in an inning, it was seriously one of the damnedest things I had ever seen. I was getting lunch, because that semester I didn't have ant Tuesday or Thursday classes other than choir, which may have been only 3 days a week then, so I may have had nothing. I watched this can't miss prospect hit the backstop again and again, another victim of what ballplayers call "The Thing", which gripped Chuck Knoblauch and Steve Sax, leaves catchers unable to throw the ball back to the pitcher, and pitchers tossing heaters around incredibly wildly. Still, this was the first time Ankiel had experienced it, and seemingly, despite annual stories the last few years about Ankiel working his way back, Ankiel has decided the "Thing" just might be too powerful a force to combat.

I have decided, firmly, that I will start a new play soon. I had been wanting to get a job and be settled first, and hopefully that will coincide with me starting it. I know I need to get a bit further into the realm of a plot and away from autobiography, though I certainly want to use elements of my life in it. I've had to experience a lot since I last wrote a play, and the life experience has given me plenty of ideas, the key is now to try and put them together.

Still working on finding a job, I was able to send out a lot of resumes yesterday, and plan on going into downtown tomorrow. Wish me luck.