Public Blog Humiliation

It is nice to have some way to link to and keep up with people here----BUT, do they have to show right on the page how unpopular a person is? The followers of this blog section should be invisible. Now I can't pretend to have thousands of interested friends who can't wait to see what I write. Typical net cruelty. This is as bad as the bullying at myspace that I've seen on the news.

They even discuss that stuff on Oprah. Is your child a victim of meanies on line?

Day one of this year was capped off by an excursion out Skyline drive. It is not very far, but it is covered with snow. Not the road, just the countryside. People drove out from sunny San Diego to sled and play. They park by the side of the road where there is a hill and snow, then let the kids play. It was kind of nice.

Somehow it is very California. There is some underlying attitude around here which is steeped in enjoyment of the place. It's hard to describe but I find it very nice. It's a laid back enthusiasm. People seem to like being here. I wish I could put my finger on it. After spending most of my life on the east coast, with frequent brushes with northeastern US culture, the contrast in attitudes stands out, but I have a tough time describing it. Maybe cynicism is the driving force there and, though it may get taxed into extinction, enjoyment of life seems to be the underlying force here.

All the same problems exist. It is just far less intense. I hope I don't live to eat these words. CA apparently made hundreds of new laws which go into effect this year. Some have to do with increased fees for God only knows what. The one getting all the attention has to do with texting while driving. Rather than just use existing laws like "driving while distracted" or whatever, CA likes to make it specific for each little detail. I'm surprised they don't have separate laws prohibiting throwing Jack-in-the-Box trash on the street, and McDonald's trash, etc. Maybe separate ones for tossing used and unused kleenex.

That tendency to micro-manage and create redundant laws baffles me. The general ambiance is so nice that I can't get overly worked up just yet. This place must have really been something before thoughtless brats gained a foothold. It's still a special place in spite of the clean-your-toilets guy in LA, and Ahnold picking pockets. Of course I'm far removed from all that. I live in a cave on the outskirts of everywhere.

In spite of all, I still have a desire to travel around more of the West. That may come later. For now, there are so many things I should, could, ought, and want to do here, that I will be occupied for some time. Being a balker when it comes to the edification of my own life and health, the going is likely to be slow. All the extra sunshine tends to help. I think I may need larger than normal doses of vitamin D just to maintain even slightly good attitude and behavior.

OK. Enough about me. Next time I'll talk about something or someone else.

Omens, Good and Iffy

Whether the demise of Journalspace is a good omen or bad will possibly be evident in time. That the system was designed against hardware failure but not human malice is too bad. An inside job, apparently. I tend to believe the story. Lots of people, once they see themselves as victim, suspend all inhibitions, parameters of behavior based on moral code. Revenge becomes righteous and the consequence to others means nothing. You see it all the time. In some ways, half the laws and tax money we spend have some of that involved. At least it is there on one side of the coin, or other.

I've come to realize that I have a some sort of core desire to write in a venue in which I feel others, if only a few, will read what I have to say. I like to also see what it is those people are thinking or writing. Somehow just putting it in a notebook is not the same. It is one of the ways in which one gets spoiled and hooked on the internet. Not everyone in my circle of friends has traditionally written, or even understood my desire to put things out there in print. Here in SoCal more of my friends get it, even if they don't put drivel in print the way I do.

In Memphis it caused anger among some and baffled others. I don't think I have what it takes to write a decent novel, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to put down my take on things. Critic at large, I guess.

So, from now on I suppose I have to write here at this cold and disjointed site. I've yet to see how one finds anything here, especially the circle of friends and such. Now I'm sorry I did most of my communicating through JS messages instead of exchanging more reliable contact information.

Perhaps this is a foreshadowing of the new era of hope and change; our brave new world in which the rest of earth will now love us and we will all be happy and healthy, etc.