...but my boat club is in danger of flooding this weekend. (Really, you say? Don't boats float? Why yes, they do float, but we rowers prefer to be IN them at the time they're wandering around on a river, and also that they not be floating around during a flood. It's not like they're the Ark or something.) And since I'm too busy at work to ever leave, my great friend J has offered to help make certain my boat and oars don't float down the Mississippi River without me any time soon. Thank you!
3.18.2010
3.16.2010
New Workout Plan
Dear Internet,
I haven't left work before 10pm on a weekday in weeks. I sit in a chair all day long, with the occasional run between my office and committee, or between committees, or to the chamber floor and back. But really? My only exercise this week has been the twitching of my left eye, which began last Friday and hasn't really ever stopped, and the insane amount of typing I do to get my job done each day.
I wonder how many calories are burned with the eye twitch? I'm guessing not enough to make up for the two pieces of chocolate cake, piece of cheesecake and jelly beans I've eaten today. (I promise I eat fruits and vegetables, Internet, but every serving of the healthy stuff is supplemented by slices of dessert.)
As ever,
Minny LinnEy
I haven't left work before 10pm on a weekday in weeks. I sit in a chair all day long, with the occasional run between my office and committee, or between committees, or to the chamber floor and back. But really? My only exercise this week has been the twitching of my left eye, which began last Friday and hasn't really ever stopped, and the insane amount of typing I do to get my job done each day.
I wonder how many calories are burned with the eye twitch? I'm guessing not enough to make up for the two pieces of chocolate cake, piece of cheesecake and jelly beans I've eaten today. (I promise I eat fruits and vegetables, Internet, but every serving of the healthy stuff is supplemented by slices of dessert.)
As ever,
Minny LinnEy
Something not to be missed.
For the last 9 months or so, I've been reading a blog that I find hilariously funny: Nothing But Bonfires. It's one of the few that, even during my busiest of times, I always take time to read. And now I've come across a post written by blogger Holly, nice English lady living in San Francisco with her husband, about the demise of her husband's beard. This epic tale told through photographs and captions should not be missed. Here.
3.15.2010
Looking for lighthearted fare? Yeah, it's probably not this.
Dear Internet,
If you've been going through long hours and hard times at work, and are looking for some lighthearted fare, I somehow doubt Macbeth at the Guthrie will do it for you. In fact, it's a rather depressing Shakespearean tragedy, and may make you want to toss yourself out the nearest window whilst you mire even further into the depths of the human nature.
I don't really have any inclination to toss myself out any windows (sounds like too much work and effort and a lot of pain, and oh, way too much to clean up the mess), but I did feel a little too in touch with the human condition after a long week of committees and session and cloudy, gray days, topped off with Macbeth Saturday, followed by a movie based on the final short story in James Joyce's Dubliners, "The Dead."
If you've been going through long hours and hard times at work, and are looking for some lighthearted fare, I somehow doubt Macbeth at the Guthrie will do it for you. In fact, it's a rather depressing Shakespearean tragedy, and may make you want to toss yourself out the nearest window whilst you mire even further into the depths of the human nature.
I don't really have any inclination to toss myself out any windows (sounds like too much work and effort and a lot of pain, and oh, way too much to clean up the mess), but I did feel a little too in touch with the human condition after a long week of committees and session and cloudy, gray days, topped off with Macbeth Saturday, followed by a movie based on the final short story in James Joyce's Dubliners, "The Dead."
Just sayin'...
Sunday was bright and sunny and I enjoyed the day with scarcely a thought about work. Oh, to have more like that.
Yours,
Minny LinnEy
Sunday was bright and sunny and I enjoyed the day with scarcely a thought about work. Oh, to have more like that.
Yours,
Minny LinnEy
3.12.2010
L-SADD: A Public Service Announcement
I may not be a psychologist, but I've coined a new type of disorder: Legislative Staffer Attention Deficit Disorder. I like to call it L-SADD (pronounced el·sad - preferably with a little stutter on the end to represent both those Ds...). L-SADD is easy to remember because it makes a legislative staffer sad [read:depressed] and crazy [read:crazy], all at the same time. L-SADD's effects are extremely bad when its sufferer has sat through a 6-hour Judiciary Committee without break two days in a row [read:within a 30-hour period], or an 8-hour Judiciary Committee hearing with no break other than for dinner. But the worst are L-SADD's effects when its sufferer has sat through 14 hours of Judiciary Committee hearings in a 26-hour period, with a scant 1.75 hours for dinner/lunch breaks during those 14 hours...and no other breaks...and this is combined with other insane committee meetings to make the legislative staffer's life beyond nonexistently miserable.
L-SADD sufferers such as yours truly don't ask for much. Fifteen minutes off every few hours would be acceptable. Not hearing so many bills would be even better. We don't need drugs to keep us calm - oh, no. By hour 5 we're pretty much catatonic as we sit atrophied to our chairs in a hearing room known to many as The Crypt. At that point, the medical script should be some caffeine, real food, a smidge of sugar, and five minutes of being able to walk around and not hear members blather on and on about such things as data practices and sex crimes and guardian/conservator law and whether-the-tractor-driver-should-be-liable-for-the-trailer,-too,-and-how-did-this-whole-mess-begin?-with-a-data-practices-bill-five-years-ago. [Read:I think half of life's problems are somehow related to data practices or the discussion thereof.] All of these things will help us pay better attention to members' insanely long, intricate discussions, and we may even be helpful wading through the minutia at that point.
My name is Minny LinnEy, and I'm a sufferer of L-SADD.
L-SADD sufferers such as yours truly don't ask for much. Fifteen minutes off every few hours would be acceptable. Not hearing so many bills would be even better. We don't need drugs to keep us calm - oh, no. By hour 5 we're pretty much catatonic as we sit atrophied to our chairs in a hearing room known to many as The Crypt. At that point, the medical script should be some caffeine, real food, a smidge of sugar, and five minutes of being able to walk around and not hear members blather on and on about such things as data practices and sex crimes and guardian/conservator law and whether-the-tractor-driver-should-be-liable-for-the-trailer,-too,-and-how-did-this-whole-mess-begin?-with-a-data-practices-bill-five-years-ago. [Read:I think half of life's problems are somehow related to data practices or the discussion thereof.] All of these things will help us pay better attention to members' insanely long, intricate discussions, and we may even be helpful wading through the minutia at that point.
My name is Minny LinnEy, and I'm a sufferer of L-SADD.
3.10.2010
Ramen: it's what's for dinner
I believe I have eaten too much ramen in the last week. I daresay I have consumed enough sodium from ramen alone to comprise an entire salt lick.
Quote of the Moment: How many are too many regulations?
"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law."
-Winston Churchill
p.s. MN has too many regulations.
-Winston Churchill
p.s. MN has too many regulations.
3.08.2010
It's what's for dinner.
Some people stocked up on supplies for their fallout shelters back in the day of the Cold War. Some people stock up on supplies for the end of free government as we know it, or the end of the world, or, you know. Stuff like that.
Me? I stock up on supplies for session. I have a filing cabinet at work, a rather large one, of which one drawer contains only food and the implements with which to eat said food. I have to, see. During these hard times at work when I'm constantly working at work, working at home, or thinking about work when I'm not actually working on work while at work or home, I don't really have time for trivial matters like procuring food. I vaguely recall such things as buildings where they sell stuff that one can eat.
Me? I stock up on supplies for session. I have a filing cabinet at work, a rather large one, of which one drawer contains only food and the implements with which to eat said food. I have to, see. During these hard times at work when I'm constantly working at work, working at home, or thinking about work when I'm not actually working on work while at work or home, I don't really have time for trivial matters like procuring food. I vaguely recall such things as buildings where they sell stuff that one can eat.
Such exotic places of which I have heard much, but remember little.
Never fear, however, Internet. I'm all set. I stocked up a couple weeks ago before I forgot what the inside of one of these places looks like.
And now I'm really grateful that I did, especially since it means I won't have to eat this:
Ah, I'm glad that I work at a state legislature and not Canadia-land's Parliament (or the Parliament cafeteria).
I don't know that I necessarily have any objections to hunting the seals for legitimate purposes, of which food is one. There are legitimate purposes to hunt. I mean, look at what they did to sea lions on the opposite side of the continent - they killed some to prevent all the salmon from going away...there is an issue of circle of life, all that...sometimes it's not a bad thing so our ecosystem doesn't get out of whack, I'm thinkin'. Remember when the Simpsons go to Australia and Bart leaves a bullfrog there and it takes over their ecosystem because it had no enemies? Yeah, that.
Anyway, I just don't think seal sounds that appetizing. Wouldn't it be half blubber? I'm guessing it's not a lean meat. And that is why I'm glad that I have stockpiled resources that are not seal for me to eat.
(Also, I have family and friends who cook and are willing to share with me.)
3.04.2010
Guns don't kill people. People kill people. Similarly, McDonald's won't make you fat. You eating too much at McDonald's will make you fat.
Leave it to Minnesota to go the opposite direction of the rest of the country:
Effort to tighten Minnesota's gun law getting folks riled up. A bill would require a background check on anyone who buys a firearm at a gun show.
Effort to tighten Minnesota's gun law getting folks riled up. A bill would require a background check on anyone who buys a firearm at a gun show.
From Virginia to Arizona, federal and state gun laws are loosening everywhere from national parks to Amtrak trains.
But in St. Paul, a proposal that would send Minnesota in the opposite direction is headed toward its first hearing Friday -- a bill requiring background checks on the purchaser of any firearm sold at a gun show.
Even while Minnesota is doing this and other states are loosening their guns laws, the Supreme Court has given an indication it will move to strike down U.S. cities' outright ban on guns...
What is it about Minnesotans? Why this need to be different than the rest of the country? Personally, I have theory. Minnesotans want to be known and liked by other "more important" people - i.e., people and politicians of the east/west coasts. Too many activists and politicians here want to be liked by the "popular" kids. One way they think they'll get noticed is if they're the "best" at everything. Get real. Politicians of Minnesota: we are the Midwest. Passing laws to make the east or west coasts notice us as the front runner of whatever it is you're pushing will not make them notice us. We are and will continue to be flyover country in their eyes. Embrace that. I have, and so have a lot of other people who live here in the Midwest specifically because we wouldn't be able to take the insanity that is the rest of the country. Not that I even mind being "flyover" territory - in fact, I really relish being unknown to the whacko parts of the country. I have enough self esteem to not care what they think, and on top of that, why would I want to be the best at stupid? I'd rather not be known for passing stupid laws and electing even dumber politicians.
OK, back to the gun thing. Do I believe that people need to exercise caution with their firearms? Yes. Do I believe you should leave them lying around where little kids can reach them? Of course not. Do I believe that those who abide by gun laws and registration are the ones out there causing all the violence and crimes? No. Do I believe we have a right to bear arms under the Second Amendment? Yes. 'Nough said.
Along a similar front as the gun front...
Anger over Weight Watchers' endorsement of McDonald's
'Diet-friendly' menu to roll out in New Zealand
Nutritionists say tie-up does not promote healthy eating
McDonald's in and of itself will not make you fat. Is it healthy? Probably not. But will it make you fat? If you eat too much of it, sure. But that's the rub: it's you who eats it and chooses how much of it you'll eat. McDonald's is not force feeding you. You choose to go there, and when you do, it's your responsibility to not eat too much.
Sorry, but call me a person who thinks personal responsibility should not be the exception to the rule - it IS the rule. If you are a personally responsible individual and things still go wrong, then you can come talk to me about whatever ails you.
Thus ends my ranting for the morning: enjoy anonymity, get over yourselves, don't try to be the "best" in the country if it means you're the stupidest, and exercise a little personal responsibility.
3.03.2010
Quote of the Moment: You will call, I will answer
William Stuntz, a professor at Harvard Law School, is dying of cancer. In an interview with Timothy Dalrymple in patheos, he stated the following:
Q: Do you have any favorite quotations or favorite scriptures, when it comes to death?
"Yes, a passage in the fourteenth chapter of Job. The passage as a whole is not hopeful. Job is uncertain what will happen to him when he dies. In the end, he says that he will return to dust and there will be nothing after death.
"In the midst of the passage, however, before he turns to despair, he has a moment of hope. It's a brief moment, just a couple of verses in the midst of an extended passage. Yet he says, 'You will call and I will answer. You will long for the creature your hands have made' (Job 14:15).
"I find those lines very powerful. The concept that God longs for the likes of me is so unspeakably sweet. I almost cannot bear to say them aloud. They are achingly sweet for me to hear.
"There are many passages I love, but that one in particular has grabbed hold of me. Job's hope, it turns out, is more realistic than his despair."
Read the entire interview here. I don't agree with every word Prof. Stuntz says, but I did find it thought-provoking because it makes me, as a Christian, think about what do I believe about death and God's purpose for each of our lives.
Q: Do you have any favorite quotations or favorite scriptures, when it comes to death?
"Yes, a passage in the fourteenth chapter of Job. The passage as a whole is not hopeful. Job is uncertain what will happen to him when he dies. In the end, he says that he will return to dust and there will be nothing after death.
"In the midst of the passage, however, before he turns to despair, he has a moment of hope. It's a brief moment, just a couple of verses in the midst of an extended passage. Yet he says, 'You will call and I will answer. You will long for the creature your hands have made' (Job 14:15).
"I find those lines very powerful. The concept that God longs for the likes of me is so unspeakably sweet. I almost cannot bear to say them aloud. They are achingly sweet for me to hear.
"There are many passages I love, but that one in particular has grabbed hold of me. Job's hope, it turns out, is more realistic than his despair."
Read the entire interview here. I don't agree with every word Prof. Stuntz says, but I did find it thought-provoking because it makes me, as a Christian, think about what do I believe about death and God's purpose for each of our lives.
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