The cost of war

I think like a lot of people, when Pat Tillman died in Iraq I gave the story rather short strift. Even after the revelation that Tillman was the victim of "friendly fire" the media and the Bush administration seemed intent on using this young man's death as a PR opportunity to promote the U.S. presence in Iraq.

Yesterday I came across this story by Kevin Tillman. It asks some serious questions about American policy and what a complaisant public has been willing to tolerate from a questionable government.

I have nothing to add other than to offer my sympathies to the Tillman family.

Rough week

It has been kind of an off week for me. I have not been feeling all that well, involving tummy upsets and "the dire rear". This also meant some lost work time and general feeling sorry for myself and grumpiness.

It has left me feeling a little guilty, because I have been feeling pretty self absorbed and not paying attention to what is going on with my friends. A good example being that my co-worker and friend Buttermonkey is in the middle of home buying hell and I don't feel like I have been as supportive as I should be. God knows he has an equally if not more dreadful family than I do, and they are not being of any help at all. I think if I was buying my own place, my own family would be taking the opportunity to share every home buying horror story they could think of and in general letting me know I was making the biggest mistake of my life up until this date. At least they'd take an interest!

I just need to cheer up. Aside from wondering why the top of my head hasn't caved in, since I am sure I shit my brain out a couple of days ago there are things to be cheerful about. I am going to symphony tomorrow night and I will be going to the opera on Sunday for "la Clemenza di Tito", an opera I have not seen in years, and which I quite like. Both I should add, at the largess of friends, since theater tickets are not in the budget currently.

I should also think about doing some work in my sadly neglected garden this weekend. I have been very lazy about things, and so last weekend went out and bought some spring bulbs. I am trying not to think too hard about the fact that there is a very good chance that all of the tulip bulbs will wind up feeding squirrels over the course of the winter. Not that this is a promising weekend for bulb planting. The weather is still too warm to plant. It is the 20th of October and the temperature is suppose to be up in the 60's! How they hell did this happen?

So, onward an upward. Besides, I get to do some charity work next week. I have a very expensive visit at the dentist and I am sure that will help him pay his mortgage! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that my cavity ridden teeth are in their own small way, making life better for someone.