Wow...this makes it official. -900-

If I may make a small statement, "That's a hella' lot o' words."

Now, a small quote:
"I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side, if you understand me."
(That's Treebeard from J.R.R. Tolkien's book The Two Towers)

This is how I feel about politics. I'm a proud registered non-affiliated voter in the Republic of California, and that was done for a particular reason. And before I go into that reason, I'd like to make a point. As a student of politics, so much that happens (may I say, all that happens) is reported in exactly the same format as the entertainment industry, which makes it extremely hard to stay informed on what your elected Representatives are really doing.

With the archaic rules of the Congress, and the back room dealings so impossible to follow by the average person with even a smidge of curiosity of the political realm (not a lot, I gather) only the largest of storylines can be grasped, which so misinterpret the actual actions of the ruling class that it's impossible to tell who's in bed with whom, and what the hell anything really means.
I am, not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side.

(P.S. I AM TOTALLY NOT MAKING THIS UP, I JUST GOT A CALL FROM "OPINION ACCESS" WHO WANTED TO KNOW HOW I GET MY NEWS AND INFORMATION! I asked the woman who owned the company and where my information was going to go, she didn't know, but since she was clearly just doing her job, I bid her a pleasant, good-day.)

As much as you want people to be on your side, sometimes it just doesn't happen. Presidents, Senators, Congresspeople, they might get your email, and they might get your phone-message, (if they're really good, super-impassioned, or just something for the office to make fun of,) but when the CEO of Lockheed shoots an email or calls up, even to vehemently disagree, with said President, Senator, or Congressperson, you're damn right they get a response back toot-sweet.

We all know this exists in our space too. Bosses, co-workers, friends, they all operate on very similar principals. Who gets the callback? Who gets the immediate response? Is it based on friendship, performance, personality, connections, attractiveness, skill? Well, I suppose it's a combination of those, and others I've failed to mention. However, I would like to pull out another quote...this one from Miller's Crossing, (Still my fave of the Cohen Bros. films)

"Nobody knows anyone that well. Nobody."

Even your best friends can betray you because they're doing something that's actually good for you, or an action they take to fjuck you will be straight-up good for them, or they're just so damn surrounded by the chaos of their world that they can't see what they are doing will have any impact on you whatsoever, they're just thinking about themselves, and their situation, period.

Not that there's a whole lot wrong with all of that. It's life, and living in/on this stupid planet, it's what we as humanids do. It's just being thrust into a world of, "What side are you on?" over and over becomes awfully dumb after a while.

You have allies, and you know who they are...and sometimes they change. You have hopes and dreams that other people can help you towards. And there are roadblocks and people who wish to see you fail, and there are active interests that systemically try and keep you in your place. When even a few of the things I've just mentioned move across one line to another...I'd just like to bring back the quiet dignity of the first quote.

"I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side."

Well, hope that helps. And if you need any further encouragement, please know that I'll be rootin' for yas!

-Tusnami-