...it's not dark yet, but it's gettin' there...
[On August 28 and 29 of last year, I interviewed the famous Skippy Stalin of the blog Eat Every Sandwich. What follows are some highlights from that interview.]
[We talk about his blog's title, and the philosophy that inspired it, and of virgins generally.]
annikagyrl: okay so here we are with Skippystalin of Eat Every Sandwich which has been a favorite of mine on my blogroll for quite some time
skippystalin: Enjoy actually
annikagyrl: enjoy what?
skippystalin: Enjoy Every Sandwich. It's a Warren Zevon quote
annikagyrl: oh then name of your blog is Enjoy Every Sandwich?
skippystalin: Indeed
annikagyrl: i'm pretty sure it's Eat Every Sandwich, but whatever, I'll check it later
skippystalin: I would insist upon it
annikagyrl: so why did you pick the name enjoy every sandwich (as you call it)
skippystalin: Are you familiar with Warren Zevon?
annikagyrl: he did werewolves of london, right?
skippystalin: Yeah.
skippystalin: He was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Before he died, he appeared on the Letterman show. The entire show was devoted to him, actually. One of the questions he was asked was if he learned anything from his impending mortality. His answer was " I learned to enjoy every sandwich."
annikagyrl: well, nice way to begin this interview... on an up note
skippystalin: Yeah, I'm a pretty "up" guy I suppose if there's a single sentiment behind my dopey musings, that would be it.
annikagyrl: what if it's a grasshopper sandwich?
skippystalin: You bear with it. Could be worse.
annikagyrl: i suppose. it could be a live grasshopper sandwich, for instance.
Okay, i totally love your blog, it's very eclectic like my favorite blogs all are, you're not tied down to one gimmick or theme, you post about whatever the fuck you wanna post about
skippystalin: Ah, you make me blush. I'm just a man of varied interests. I have been concerned about my readers getting whiplash though
annikagyrl: okay if there is one recurring leitmotif, besides blonde celebrities, it seems to be oral sex
skippystalin: some guys play golf, I have my .... passions.
annikagyrl: hey if you gotta be fixated on something, it might as well be oral sex
skippystalin: Can you think of anything better?
annikagyrl: question: in the world of oral sex, is it truly better to give than to receive? you see, i think it is better to give than to receive. especially when one is the one receiving
skippystalin: As do I. There's a certain power in giving, particularly to a woman.
annikagyrl: okay, if you were captured by terrorists and they said to you, "We'll let you go skippy, but only if you do something first. ... to prove that you are worthy, you must select one of three virgins to go down upon and if you satisfy her, we will release you." and then they bring out three veiled virgins and they pull up their veils but it's 1) helen thomas 2) rosie odowell and 3) madeline albright! which do you choose to go down upon?
skippystalin: Interesting question.
annikagyrl: yes, remember thay are all virgins
skippystalin: First, I despise virgins.They're degenerate. Second, I feel that decapitation would be a general improvement on both my life and my apearance. I'll go with death.
annikagyrl: hmm, okay, well if you get to use the condiment of choice on one of these three women, what would it be, mustard chocolate or caviar?
skippystalin: ...
[Whereupon the subject was changed to one of my pet peeves.]
skippystalin: You're an aspiring lawyer. Do you think that the Boulder DA's office should be merely fired, disbarred, or actually killed?
annikagyrl: let me tell you something about DA's. DAs are a pet peeve of mine. Invariably, they're the worst lawyers in the world (next to mark garregos, that is)
skippystalin: Of course they are. Just look at their suits.
annikagyrl: a job in the da's office is very competitive, so they pick only the best law students The top law students make horrible trial lawyers.
skippystalin: Yes, excellent students tend to be more theoretical than practical.
annikagyrl: by definition, they have absolutely no people skills. these are freaks of nature, nerds to a very high degree, only they sucked at math so they went to law school instead. And plus, prosecutors go into every trial with a huge advantage. Really they should never lose. But they do. Another thing is that they always try cases against public defenders who are by and large even bigger idiots. So whenever the da goes up against a real lawyer, they fall apart. Unless its the aforementioned garragos.
skippystalin: I disagree. I think Geragos intentionally takes horrible cases so his media profile and therefore his billable hour rate goes through the cieling. He doesn't need to win, he just needs to be on TV a lot. Is Gerragos really a lawyer, or just a media whore?
annikagyrl: it would be better if he won a few though. i mean, he lost a shoplifting case for pete's sake
skippystalin: Actually, I used to arrest shoplifters. They almost never get acquitted.
annikagyrl: no freaking way! were you a store security guard?
skippystalin: Loss prevention. Undercover. Liscened as a PI
annikagyrl: tell me, did being a security guy make you less tolerant of petty theivery
skippystalin: I always was. But it got frustrating because of cop and Crown nonsense that led to them never pressing charges.
annikagyrl: whats that some sorrt of canadian thing?
skippystalin: Yeah, a Supreme Court due process decision that resulted in a municipality litterally three blocks from my place throwing out charges up to and including drunk driving and sexual assault. In, I think, 1988.
annikagyrl: why
skippystalin: Because the cops were charging everyone and the Crown was putting them on trial. Therefore people were waiting YEARS for their day in court. We're talking thousands of cases backlogged.
annikagyrl: so they lost their right to a speedy trial?
skippystalin: Yeah. And they would very much not like to see that happen again
[On to the subject of blogging mechanics and influences.]
annikagyrl: i want to ask you about writing. how long does it take for you to write a post?
skippystalin: Depends on what I'm writing. Something about a guy in Orange County blaming Samoans for the dildo in his ass might take a half hour to an hour. The heavy political stuff requires research and takes much longer
annikagyrl: that took you a half hour to write? amazing
skippystalin: Maybe an hour. I was running late for work
annikagyrl: do you have any non-blog writing experience
skippystalin: None, other than some dopey songs about a decade ago.
annikagyrl: wow, i'm always impressed by people who can just toss off a polished post in a short time. I agonize over my long posts, which is why i do so few of them anymore
skippystalin: Well, some do take forever. I'm fast in that I already have apretty good idea what I think before I write. Most of that is sourcing for my readers though
annikagyrl: your smackdown of jackie passey is the classic of the genre, and believe me, there's a lot out there in that genre
skippystalin: I dunno. The Ace of Spades piece was brilliant. Mine was a little long winded I liked yours a lot, too. Yours led to mine
annikagyrl: you've almost generated a sort of, i don't know, authority in matters of love and relationships, with your previous postings - always with a sense of irony though, really brilliant stuff - which added to the quality fo the passey smackdown
skippystalin: I'm actually shocked by a couple of things about those relationship posts. I usually preface them by saying that I'm as big a mess as anyone or more so.
annikagyrl: we all are, believe me
skippystalin: I'm also not particularly charitable in describing anyone.
annikagyrl: well that works in the blogosphere better than in real life, lol. Do you ever get trolls?
skippystalin: Not so much. I have gotten dates though. That's an interesting experience.
annikagyrl: you do have a lot of female fans, more than usual for a male blogger, i'd say.
skippystalin: You think. I actually have a very small audience, so it's hard to say.
annikagyrl: who are your blog influences?
skippystalin: When I started, I wanted to be half as good as a few people. Ace, you, Deus Ex Machina and a blog called Forget Your Fears. As a matter of fact, I'd still like to be that good. Also the Late, Great Rob Smith. The Acidman was perhaps the bravest man on Al Gore's interwebs. And Joan of Seven Inches of Sense, the single greatest writer out there today.
annikagyrl: how about goldstein?
skippystalin: Only recently started reading him. The Frisch stuff was compelling.
annikagyrl: oh that was good theater, definitely. and i didn't realize how photogenic he was, did you see the video he did for malkin? it was pretty funny. How about the maximum leader? he is one of my blog idols too
skippystalin: And a great guy. We had dinner and drinks last fall.
annikagyrl: cool. so you must know of bighominid too then
skippystalin: I've read Kevin's work, but don't know him personally.
annikagyrl: well, he's an ocean away
skippystalin: Yeah. And I admire that he writes in that style under his own name. That takes HUGE balls.
[Breaching the blog proscenium, and my ass.]
annikagyrl: anyways im fascinated by the fact that you breached the blog proscenium by meeting a reader. I couldnt do that. The closest I got was when some dude tried to show me his penis on webcam
skippystalin: Shit, I was going to try that later...
annikagyrl: hahaah lol... Is that your picture on your blog? are you really bald?
skippystalin: Yes it is.
annikagyrl: very leninesque
skippystalin: Used it to prove that I'm every bit as ugly as I say I am.
annikagyrl: hahah, no its very sexy
skippystalin: Now I'm blushing again. Yeah, I should grow the Saddam beard back.
annikagyrl: i posted every thing on my banner except my ass, i think
skippystalin: And may I say that you have the Greatest Ass in Human History.
annikagyrl: what ass?
skippystalin: You had a picture of you in a blue sweater and jeans with a girl next to you in white jeans. Well, I fell in love.
annikagyrl: oh haha, i was about 23 in that picture. it don't look that good anymore now that im pushing 30
skippystalin: Ahhhhh, still in the flower of youth
annikagyrl: haha, the chick next to me is a real hottie in that pic
skippystalin: I beg to differ,. and I'msomething of an expert in that area.
[Flawed Giants.]
annikagyrl: anyways back to more pressing issues if you have time
skippystalin: Sure.
annikagyrl: oh what books are you reading
skippystalin: I just finished Dalleck's second volume of his LBJ biography. Right now, I'm moving back and forth between American Dynasty about the Bush family and Six Days of War by Michael Oren
annikagyrl: why dalleck, rather than caro?
skippystalin: Master of the Senate was a GREAT book. I'll get to Means of Ascent sooner or later.
annikagyrl: so you are really an LBJ fan?
skippystalin: He was interesting. I think he and Nixon were the last near great presidents and certainly the last interesting ones
annikagyrl: i think dalleck's book's title says it all about the man: flawed giant. I think what saves LBJ for me is that he was such an interesting guy, although i think his presidency was harmful in many ways. But I love stories about the "johnson treatment"
skippystalin: I'm not as well -read on Johnson as I am on Nixon. I've read probably 50 books by or about Nixon
annikagyrl: i saw something on fox tonight, where they said pelosi fancies herself as a real tough broad, i thought, yah right, LBJ was tough. Tip O'Neill was tough. Pelosi's not tough
skippystalin: I saw a headlinr to that effect. In a way, it's almost tragic that the Democrats are so pathetic.
[Jessica Simpson's talents and Katharine Harris's titties.]
annikagyrl: did you see this story skippy? "Jessica Simpson's publicist makes a shocking admission: 'she can't sing'" she should fire that publicist
skippystalin: Her cans more than make up for it.
annikagyrl: gee i wonder if theyre real?!
skippystalin: Her cans? Who cares? They're Katherine Harris nice
annikagyrl: haahha. i must say i've never noticed katherine harris's titties, i'll have to take a look next time she's on tv
skippystalin: They are superiour. I have pics on my blog. I'll send you the link
annikagyrl: harris is such an airhead
skippystalin: Yup. Also, remember that Harris is 830 years old. But I'd endorse her if she promises to make all of her Senate speeches on a trampoline
annikagyrl: on the radio today, she said tax reform would help us get back the millions of jobs we've lost. Jeb is probably ready to call her and say. "uhh honey, cool it with the lost jobs thing mmkay?"
skippystalin: Uh, yeah. Not exactly a selling point for Republicans.Particularly with this president
annikagyrl: maybe she can mud wrestle with barbara boxer
skippystalin: Nah, she's not hot enough. That's why I wanted Mimi Miyagi to win in Nevada
annikagyrl: ill have to google her.
skippystalin: Oh, I wrote aout her campaign too. Frances Townsend is hot, but she's an appointee
annikagyrl: who is that, pete's mom?
skippystalin: No, the Homeland Security advisor
annikagyrl: yes she is very pretty
skippystalin: I'd like to elect her to something, then have her dance in a bikini
annikagyrl: hahaha. maybe she could be the official pole-ster
skippystalin: Could be. I'd like a Frances/Condi sandwich.
annikagyrl: interesting, would you insist that condi wear the boots?
skippystalin: But of course.
[Conclusion.]
annikagyrl: great stuff, Skippy, thanks.
skippystalin: Thank you and sweet dreams
Who was that brilliant thinker who said this?:
Listen, i'm not saying i think people should have rushed him or anything like that. If i was unarmed, and i was a guy, i'm not sure i would have had the guts to rush him. Even if a couple of other guys went with me. In the spur of the moment, I can understand hesitating, who wants to be the one guy who gets shot so the others can jump him? Bravery like that doesn't exist in our culture anymore, as Professor Librescu demonstrated. What i am saying is that one guy with a gun could have stopped the whole thing. And every. body. fucking. knows. It. One guy. Because, think about it... If you're unarmed, it takes a hell of a lot of guts to jump a guy with two guns, but if you're sitting in that room, and you know you've got a gun in your pocket there is absolutely no way you're not going to use it. How could you live with yourself if 32 people die and you know you could have stopped it? You'd have to intervene. Whereas, unarmed people don't have that kind of motivation. They are more likely to wait for the Librescus of the world to save them.Guess who.
Update: Part 2 is here.
If I had an internet messenger chat with Larry King, i think it might go a little bit like this:
larrykinglive: tonight, a journey from private heartbreak to internet superstardom with annika. she shares memories and family secrets and more in an emotional hour next on LARRY KING LIVEannikagyrl: wha?
larrykinglive: hello annika!
annikagyrl: who are you?
larrykinglive: A great pleasure to welcome to LARRY KING LIVE, annika becker, of annika's journal, we'll get to your calls in a moment. but first annika, why blogging?
annikagyrl: what do you mean?
larrykinglive: did it surprise you how popular blogs have become?
annikagyrl: is that you Jason? cut it out.
larrykinglive: you were diagnosed as bi-polar schizophrenic with homicidal tendencies as a child. did that affect you growing up?
annikagyrl: wha? are you on something dude?
larrykinglive: do you enjoy blogging?
annikagyrl: umm yeah
larrykinglive: speaking of um yeah, he'll be our guest on LARRY KING LIVE tomorrow night. we're on with annika becker of annika's journal. Do you get many trolls?
annikagyrl: actually the people who comment at my site are mostly all nice... there was this one guy who..
larrykinglive: ...let's take some calls. pompano beach florida, hello
callerdude: hi annika, big fan here
larrykinglive: did you have a question for our guest?
annikagyrl: this is really weird. are you sure you're not some kind of bot?
callerdude: I just wanted to say that you're just great. Up until you i found you, I was reading margret cho's blog but you totally set me straight,
annikagyrl: oh that's good. i'm glad you stopped reading that awful blog
callerdude: oh no i read you both, i think youre both just great
larrykinglive: do you enjoy reading other people's blogs?
annikagyrl: yes, i try to whenever i can,
larrykinglive: barbra streisand has a blog
annikagyrl: does she, i didn't think she did
larrykinglive: marvelous voice don't you think
annikagyrl: well, i guess, she's not one of my favorites
larrykinglive: rosie o'donnell has a blog it's very funny
annikagyrl: it's horrible, she's a terrible writer
larrykinglive: have you ever thought about entering politics?
annikagyrl: actually when i was little, i wanted to be president
larrykinglive: the first lesbian president...
annikagyrl: im not a lesbian
larrykinglive: it says here you're a lesbian
annikagyrl: where?
larrykinglive: on your blog
annikagyrl: i think you must be looking at rosie's blog
larrykinglive: oh your right, i am. Austin texas, you're on with annika becker
callerchick: yes hello annika, i'm a bi-polar schizophrenic with homicidal tendencies too, i was wondering if you had any drug recommendations?
larrykinglive: any drug recommendations... annika?
annikagyrl: drug recommendations? but i am not a schizophrenic, i don't know why you said that, i think you're on drugs
larrykinglive: did you enjoy rehab?
annikagyrl: what the fucxx?
larrykinglive: many talented people suffer from mental disorders. Next week, Tom Cruise will be on the show. Let's get another call. Mapleside Maryland, hello...
confusedcaller: hello annika
annikagyrl: hello
confusedcaller: first i want to say i love you and i think you're great
annikagyrl: well thanks
confusedcaller: is there any chance you might try to qualify for another PGA event?
larrykinglive: another PGA in your future annika?
annikagyrl: i'm not that annika
larrykinglive: michelle wie can really hit the ball, are you two friends?
annikagyrl: i dont even play golf
larrykinglive: right now we go to west chenango, new york. hello
liberalcaller: i think you're a worthless no-talent whore and a shill, you're bad for america, and only an idiot cares what you say. i'm going to have a party the day you quit, which i hope is soon because i cant fucking stand you and you make me sick
annikagyrl: well, i don't know how to respond to that...
liberalcaller: actually i was talking to larry
larrykinglive: Next week Celine Dion! we have time for one more call. Rubidoux, California, hello
annikagyrl: i love the name of that town
larrykinglive: don't you? it's fun to say. rubidoux rubidoux rubidoux
rubycaller: hello annika?
larrykinglive: rubidoux ruby rubidoux
annikagyrl: lol
rubycaller: i was wondering annika, what's the deal with the pumpkin?
larrykinglive: that's all the time we have. Tomorrow night on LARRY KING WEEKEND, we'll talk with Bill Maher. Boy, can he tell a joke, right annika.
annikagyrl: not really
larrykinglive: Until then, arrivaderci.
And for the record, letting somebody think somebody they love is dead, when they're not, is quite cruel.In what was most likely a really bad idea, i decided to ask Casca to help me live-blog the Jennifer Wilbanks interview that aired last night with Kiki Kouric on NBC.―Kill Bill, Vol. 2
But i'll be damned if i'm going to waste an hour of my life (and Casca's) live-blogging that shit and not post about the stupid thing.
You've probably already heard the main sound bite from the show. The bride took a bottle of pills on the bus with her, but decided "not to play God." Someone needs to tell John Mason that any girl who considered killing herself rather than marrying him, may not be "the one." Cut your losses dude.
Anyway, here's some excerpts from my IM critique with Casca:
Immediately, the conversation focused on physical appearances.
annikagyrl: the bug-eye is not that hott
Casca: she's hideous, and crazier than most. who could sleep next to that? i'd be waiting for the knife in the chest
annikagyrl: yah, she's another lorena bobbit waiting to happen, no doubt
Casca: OMG, what an ugly child
annikagyrl: john mason's no looker either
Casca: "well hell, you KNEW she was nutz"
annikagyrl: he looks like a georgia bulldog
annikagyrl: that's twice he's made that "huuuuh" noise, what a doofus
Casca: his haircut is gay
annikagyrl: nice page boy haircut, doofbag
Casca: he's a vulcan. did you see that ear?
annikagyrl: she looks romulan to me, too
Casca: lol. her face is fucked up
annikagyrl: yah its asymmetrical
Casca: she's gonna be damned ugly in ten years
annikagyrl: hahaah! if i was kiki, i'd ask her how her face got all bent
annikagyrl: HE IS A VULCAN look at those ibrows
Casca: definitely Spock's bastard child
annikagyrl: or he's a hobbit, a tall one
Casca: look at that bizarre skin on the side of her face
annikagyrl: what is that ?
Kiki gets up close and personal, with a sappy background piece on the bride.
annikagyrl: "an idyllic southern upbringing" lol
annikagyrl: i'm waiting for the incest joke, casca
Casca: i'll bet she DOES kiss daddy on the lips
annikagyrl: haha there it is, "she still kisses her dad on the lips!!!!"
annikagyrl: hahaaha
Casca: with tongue and everything!
annikagyrl: "she alternated between mommy and daddy on the weekends.....!"
annikagyrl: lolololool
annikagyrl: noooooooooo
Next i begin cracking on Kiki.
annikagyrl: they call it "A Katie Couric Special"
annikagyrl: gowd, i hate kiki
annikagyrl: i wonder when kiki and al roker are going to go public with their illicit affair?
Casca: Al's too nice of a guy to wallow with that skank
The groom reveals that he was indeed a partyer in his younger days. Casca and i were skeptical.
annikagyrl: hahahaha
annikagyrl: he was wild???
Casca: party animal and virgin
Casca: doesn't really mix
annikagyrl: haha. he's like "Lee Harvey... when you stole that cow... and your friends tried to make it with the cow?"
Casca: yeah
annikagyrl: "i wanna party with you cowboy!"
The groom says that the two of them decided to save themselves for their wedding night. Again, we were skeptical.
Casca: well, premarital sex was out of the question for one of them
annikagyrl: it was out of the question cuz her dance card was full, with all her other fuckbuddies
Casca: sadly close to the truth
Then a shocking revelation. They had planned a dry wedding!
Casca: OMG
Casca: a DRY wedding?
Casca: i'd rather be neutered
annikagyrl: there is no such thing as a dry wedding, you of all people should know that
Casca: good point
annikagyrl: lol, i went to a dry wedding once
annikagyrl: i still got plastered, that's what purses are for
Boredom began to set in, and the conversation strayed.
annikagyrl: i had an excellent bowl of top ramen tonight for dinner
annikagyrl: the secret is teriyaki sauce
annikagyrl: and lots of pepper
annikagyrl: and veg-all if you got it
Casca: i ate a seven bone roast
Casca: and baked beans
Casca: had to take a break in the middle
Casca: whew
annikagyrl: mmmm
annikagyrl: baked beans
annikagyrl: did i mention that i hate kiki kouric?
Kiki Kouric managed to do a whole hour without adding any new information to this already tired story, sending me into a frenzy of Kiki hatred.
annikagyrl: it was a life or death decision for her?
Casca: yeah
annikagyrl: okay kiki, now ask her the "why" question...
annikagyrl: kiki you suck
annikagyrl: kiki shure can draw out a half hour show into a full fucking waste of an hour can't she?
annikagyrl: fucckckckckc Kiki, do you have to ask the same question twice?! oh she is so annoying
annikagyrl: Howard Stern should be doing this interview
Casca: OH YES! that would be genius
annikagyrl: she denies reports that she was headed there to see an old boyfriend, and kiki doesn't challenge her on that denial
annikagyrl: what a fucking loser, kiki you suck
annikagyrl: shit, kiki, don't fucking ask any question that anyone might care about the fucking answer to, nooo don't do that...
annikagyrl: she won't answer the "why" question
annikagyrl: she won't say why she slandered a whole ethnicity. what good is this fucking intvw?
Casca: it's all about feelings
annikagyrl: i'm going to strangle Kiki
Casca: nothing more than feelings
annikagyrl: kiki, you fucking suck, ask a fucking question you bitch
Casca: feelings of loooooove
annikagyrl: kiki has failed on all accounts, she hasnt asked anything that might elicit new information, and she hasn't made the bug-eye look more sympathetic
Casca: feeeeeeelings
annikagyrl: it's all tripe
Casca: woooohhhhooohh feeeeeelings
annikagyrl: i'm going to strangle you Casca
Actually, the big news of the interview was the revelation that while the groom still wants to get married, the bride is still reluctant.
annikagyrl: oh, so they aren't still engaged, or what?
Casca: they're not getting married
annikagyrl: ohhhhhhoaho, she's the one who's still holding back. did you catch that?
Casca: yeah
annikagyrl: and she's the one who says, "I'm not sure I'm the right woman for him." that's the oldest excuse in the book: "it's not you, it's me..."
Casca: well, even if she doesnt' marry him
Casca: she still gets to keep the moolah
annikagyrl: bug-eye is loving this attention, she is a selfish narcissist
Apparently, the wedding gifts are stashed away someplace, even though there's no new wedding date.
annikagyrl: You are kidding me, they haven't given back the gifts?
Casca: nope
annikagyrl: that's fraud!
Casca: actually, would you want your gift back?
annikagyrl: yes i would want it back, because i usually only give gifts of things that i secretly want for myself
Casca: lol
Well, that's about it.
i apologize to you, gentle visitor, and to Casca for making him watch that piece of shit. My sincere hope for all of us is that this blog post will be the last time we'll ever have to hear about that stupid runaway bride.
Hey all. Part two of Tony Pierce's interview with me is up. Thanks for the love Tony! We really get into some shit this time: Bukowski, the French, smoking Wead, neocons and wmd, Nathanael West, trekkies and Wil Wheaton, to name a few.
Here's part one, in case you missed it. Topics that time included .pdf manipulation, Ana Marie Cox, rabbits in space, my ex's, and the Gannon brothers.
Between Matt's and Tony's interviews and my own 100 things list, i don't think there's anything you don't know about me. Except for my current hair color, maybe.
Read Part One of my interview. It's even illustrated!
Then go buy How To Blog.
Haha, Matt Rustler is a bad bad person. He interviewed me like around Veteran's Day, i think. Then i waited. And waited. Okay, so i know he's a busy lawyer, husband and father, but heck what about my ego? Huh, how about that?! Anyways, better late than never, he's finally got around to posting it. Topics include Anglophilia, bra-lessness, Catholicism, how i started blogging, my (now ex) boyfriend, Douhetian theory, and Murphy's Stout. Matt's a sweetie, and it was a fun interview. So if you are at all interested in what makes me tick, go over there now and read it.
Update: Reading through the interview, i noticed a contradiction between what i told Matt and what i said in my interview with Sarah about the first blog i ever read. As i recall now, the first blog i ever saw has to have been TranceJen, which i probably pulled up during a google search about electronic trance music. The first blog i ever linked to was, i think, Anne straight from the hip, which is still on my blogroll after all these months. Just my opinion, but both are among the best personal blogs you'll ever hope to find.
For this month's annieconversation, i interviewed Professor Hugo Schwyzer. His blog is one of my favorites and should be on your regular reading list too; it's always so thought provoking. Topics for discussion include feminism and sexuality, chinchillas, religion, and that ever popular subject: butt-cleavage. How's that for a teaser? Read on.
annikagyrl: i usually start by saying something like: hi Hugo
Hugo: Hi Annika!
annikagyrl: which i think is appropriate, since that is your name
Hugo: Indeed, and I am fond of it.
annikagyrl: but that brings up one of the questions i had, which is that you really put yourself out there on your blog
Hugo: Yes...
annikagyrl: i mean you use your own name and you're kind of a semi-public figure, being a college professor and all
Hugo: Well, true
annikagyrl: do you ever wish you were blogging anonymously?
Hugo: Occasionally. But one of the privileges of tenure is that I don't have to worry about future employers reading my blog and getting scared off!
annikagyrl: ah, tenure...
Hugo: It gives me the luxury to be public and to take risks
annikagyrl: you are so honest about yourself, and despite the blogosphere's promise of anonymity, i hardly ever see other bloggers revealing as much of their inner selves as you do
Hugo: Thanks. I have learned that that is what matters, though
annikagyrl: why?
Hugo: There is lots of posturing in the blogosphere. Lots of folks trying to be clever, witty, ironic, sexy. Fewer trying to write from their core experiences
annikagyrl: uhhhh,
annikagyrl: not me of course, never me
Hugo: Hon, you don't try to be any of those things... you already are!
annikagyrl: speaking of sexy, you do know that i have a huge blog crush on you
Hugo: (Blush)
annikagyrl: haha
Hugo: Even if I am a confirmed socialist/pacifist?
annikagyrl: anyways you’re taken!
Hugo: I am. I am very lucky
annikagyrl: that's what's so wierd. How is it that i love reading your blog so much, when we have such great political differences
Hugo: Well, I would hope it is because I am civil. And I try to be fair. And leave my anger out of it
Hugo: or it could be the chinchilla blogging
annikagyrl: and i'm not the only conservative who likes your blog, Xrlq is another regular reader who comes to mind
Hugo: I like him because he loves dogs so much
annikagyrl: oh it's more than just your civility, which is also refreshing, btw
Hugo: I think it is important that we have friendly banter across the partisan divide
annikagyrl: i also noticed that you tend to stay away from reporting and/or commenting on the latest news snippet du jour
Hugo: Well, there' s so much of that out there. Unless I know I can offer a unique take, I stay away
annikagyrl: and so i check your blog several times a day, simply because you always get me thinking about issues that i wouldn't normally consider
Hugo: Thank you so much, Annika. You were the first person to link to my blog, you know
annikagyrl: is that so?
Hugo: In 2003, I sent you a link to an article in First Things, and you linked me
annikagyrl: you're like a celebrity now, i'm so pleased i could have been the first to link to you
Hugo: And you gave me the inspiration for Short Poem Thursday
annikagyrl: how many hits a day are you at now
Hugo: Well, this week has been crazy. Since the Glenn Sacks show, over 5000. Before, it was 1700-2400. It will die down
annikagyrl: WOW
annikagyrl: re: the poetry: one of the original purposes of my own blog, as you may know, is that i wanted to encourage people to think about poetry more, and to read it regularly
Hugo: a noble purpose...
annikagyrl: so, your taking up that meme, by doing poetry Thursdays, has fallen right in with my plans
Hugo: Indeed, I have been co-opted by the literate right!
annikagyrl: and since then, i've seen other bloggers do their own poetry days, which pleases me greatly
Hugo: It is a very cool thing. People don't read poetry enough
annikagyrl: 2tru
annikagyrl: so what is your current state of mind regarding your recent appearance on the Glen Sacks radio show and its aftermath?
Hugo: Well, I really enjoyed the experience. And the aftermath has been a bit overwhelming. I didn't think there was so much rage out there. And to have it directed at me was a bit jarring.
annikagyrl: rage about what?
Hugo: About taking a pro-feminist stance
Hugo: About calling men to radical accountability
annikagyrl: okay, you see, another thing i love about your blog is that i don't think you can be categorized so easily as a “pro-feminist.”
Hugo: No, not given my social conservatism on many issues. I'm pretty clear on abortion/porn/promiscuity. But I still call myself a pro-feminist
annikagyrl: i consider myself pretty anti-feminist, yet i’ve found that i agree with much of what you have written on the subject
Hugo: Well, part of the problem is that we have made it so unappealing for women like you to identify as feminists. Here you are, a law student, confident, gregarious and independent
annikagyrl: awww
Hugo: and yet, the feminist label doesn't work for you. Part of that is the feminist movement's inability to connect with many young women, part of it is media distortion
annikagyrl: well i do like doors held for me
Hugo: Sure, but chivalry and feminism are not incompatible. I hold the door for my fianceé
annikagyrl: in the dating scene, our roles have become so fucked up by the gender wars, that men don't know what to do nowadays. It’s weird.
Hugo: There is a lot of uncertainty and fear. Men have to be proactive, not reactive
annikagyrl: i imagine they’re pretty confused. Are they supposed to be forward? Is that too aggressive? Should they be passive, what? i really feel sorry for guys nowadays
Hugo: I'm not suggesting it's easy!
annikagyrl: but that leaves us chicks often waiting for nothing, cuz we don't know what to do in the proto-dating situations a lot of the time either
Hugo: I hear you. I am a big advocate of traditional behavior -- in the sense of opening doors, meeting the parents -- because these roles allow people to feel comfortable, allow people to feel that they know what they are doing
annikagyrl: but your ideal, if i may put words in your mouth, is also that we need to remember respect, ultimately
Hugo: absolutely, respect is the key. And a willingness to listen to the other's needs and concerns
annikagyrl: and a lot of people, like those men’s rights advocates who have criticized you, can't get past the label "pro-feminist" to see what your viewpoint is really all about
Hugo: Yes, it's unfortunate. But I'll keep blogging. And trying to learn more about how to pierce that anger and get to these fellows
annikagyrl: Now you, like me, were once pro-choice
Hugo: Yes. I was raised to be
annikagyrl: what happened there?
Hugo: Well, several things. Religious conversion, for one. But also a sense that abortion was really a consequence of not taking all of our actions as seriously as we might. I don't work to change the laws in this country. My pro-life position is more nuanced than that. I want to prevent abortion through encouraging male responsibility
annikagyrl: interesting angle. Not one that you hear much about these days
Hugo: I want men to take a completely different view of women and sexuality
annikagyrl: how so?
Hugo: I think we need to remember how amazing sex really is -- how intimate and special. I am not advocating abstinence -- I am advocating radical caring. Where two people take full and complete responsbility for the outcome of their actions. As a liberal, I believe we ought to consume less. As a pro-life social conservative, I believe we ought to honor each other's bodies more.
Hugo: Oh damn, I am on a rant again. It's hard to get across in an IM message. But I've touched on it in various ways in my blog
annikagyrl: i think your pro-life stance is more credible because it is consistent across the board
Hugo: Well, it's not quite where I'd like it to be. I want to be a vegan! But I am not there yet
annikagyrl: it's a difficult position for someone on the left to take,
Hugo: It is
annikagyrl: to say, "im against the death penalty, and abortion"
Hugo: and war, and euthanasia. oh yeah, it’s loads of fun. You piss off everybody
annikagyrl: it’s courageous. It's like when Gloria Allred took the position that "i'm a feminist and I don't like how President Clinton abused his position with Monica Lewinsky, and Im not going to defend him"
Hugo: Absolutely
Hugo: I wish Clinton had resigned in '98
annikagyrl: seriously?
Hugo: But that's another road we don't need to go down... It would have sent a remarkable message about actions and consequences. And it might have led to the reelection of Gore in 2000. Clinton harmed the left in myriad ways
annikagyrl: wow, i bet i'm more pro-Clinton than you are, haha
Hugo: Well, I like him immensely. He is a magnificent speaker, and I bought the book the day it came out. But he was no friend to real progressives
annikagyrl: i thought his perjury was wrong, but then i also see that there would have been no grand jury if Starr hadn't been so zealous
Hugo: Oh, I'm not defending Starr
annikagyrl: anyways, it’s neither here nor there now. But i was shocked to hear Sean Hannity say, on the radio just a few minutes ago, that he thought the Clintons were the most reasonable people on the left, compared to the Boxers and the Kennedys et al.
Hugo: Well, that's because the Clintons aren't really the "left!"
annikagyrl: Hannity’s comment was the first time i ever heard any conservative say anything approaching nice about any Clinton
Hugo: Time heals a lot, don't it?
annikagyrl: oh we could chat forever about the Clinton era, but lets go to another subject, closer to my heart
Hugo: You bet
annikagyrl: No, not Cal Bear football
Hugo: Darn
annikagyrl: haha
Hugo: We are having a great recruiting class, I hear...
annikagyrl: we won't talk about that, i'm still hurting over the Holiday Bowl
Hugo: The what?
annikagyrl: haha
annikagyrl: no, my next topic is History
Hugo: Ah
Hugo: I thought it might be fashion
annikagyrl: you are a specialist in a somewhat disfavored field right now aren't you?
Hugo: Well, my Ph.D. was in English Medieval Ecclesiastical History
annikagyrl: that's a mouthful
Hugo: My dissertation was entitled: "Arms and the Bishop: The Anglo-Scottish Wars and the Northeastern Episcopate" Oh, it's a page turner
annikagyrl: is that pre-Tudor?
Hugo: Yes. It's Plantagenet England. Late 13th, 14th centuries. If you saw Braveheart, you know the era
annikagyrl: then i'm afraid i know very little about it, except -- and this segues nicely into another of the many subjects i wanted to ask you about -- are you familiar with Christian mysticism?
Hugo: A bit. Julian of Norwich. Hildegard. That sorta thing
annikagyrl: specifically the The Cloud of the Unknowing, by the anonymous 14th century English monk?
Hugo: I read it in grad school in 1991. Haven't read it since
annikagyrl: Hell yah, one of my favorite spiritual works of all
annikagyrl: oops
Hugo: You can say "hell" around me, Annie. I have a foul mouth, actually
annikagyrl: haha. Yes, but in the context of a religious discussion?
Hugo: Oh, sure. One of my favorite theologians, Hauerwas, drops the 'f" bomb all the time
annikagyrl: okay, in that book there is a great discussion about "Mary's part" vs. "Martha's part" [as found in Luke 10:38-42]
Hugo: Oh, my beloved Martha
annikagyrl: and the anonymous author comes down squarely on the side of Mary, but i suspect you are on the side of Martha aren't you?
Hugo: Well, yes and no. Martha wasn't able to transcend traditional gender roles, as her sister was. But without the Marthas of the world, the gospel doesn't get preached. The Marthas are the backbones of the church. Working in ministry is a lot about washing dishes. Wiping snotty noses. Making sure the coffee is made. A receptive heart is great, but someone needs to go out and do the work.
annikagyrl: how do you see the different approaches to being a Christian as symbolized by those two biblical women? Is it possible, in today's America, without cloistering one’s self, to really follow Mary's part completely, or does one have to live by necessity in both worlds, the contemplative and the active, as a modern Christian?
Hugo: Annie, that's an essay question!
annikagyrl: haha! the teacher has now become the student... lol
Hugo: Seriously, you do have to struggle to do both. And fortunately, God created us with different gifts. Some of us are more contemplative, others more active. Me, I am too extroverted. I am like Martha. I need to be out there, running around
annikagyrl: literally
Hugo: Indeed!
annikagyrl: Okay, what's up with the chinchillas?
Hugo: Well, my fianceé and I wanted a pet. But we are both gone all day, which wouldn’t be fair to a dog. We read and researched and one day, came across chinchillas. We went to Petco, and they had this one little grey female available, six weeks old
annikagyrl: My bro saw one at Petco last weekend when i was visiting, and he decided he wants one now
Hugo: They are incredibly intelligent and loving. They need lots of attention, but in spurts. You’re able to leave them alone for extended periods
annikagyrl: really? That'd be perfect for Derrick
Hugo: Just make sure they get handled every day
annikagyrl: Make sure they get handled every day?
Hugo: Held and kissed and cuddled
annikagyrl: perhaps a perfect name for one would be dick, then!
Hugo: Hah!
annikagyrl: lol, sorry, it just came to me...
Hugo: Oh, dear Annika, where is your mind? ;-)
annikagyrl: it’s always in the gutter
Hugo: And they can't be in rooms over 75 degrees or they die. Too much fur. You should have seen our AC bill last summer!
annikagyrl: Do your students read your blog?
Hugo: Some do. I mean, they google my name and find it. I don't tell them about it, but they seem to find it
annikagyrl: so you don't advertise it in class?
Hugo: No. That would be too self-promoting. They are curious, though
annikagyrl: Your regular commenters are really great, they are usually so articuate
Hugo: I think so -- I feel like I've met so many people... I am so lucky
annikagyrl: except for that one troll, which La Lubu commented about the other day. The guy that just says: “You’re wrong... out!”
Hugo: Oh yeah, we've had our share of wingnuts come by
annikagyrl: haha
Hugo: I have banned a few. But I don't like doing it
annikagyrl: i've only banned a couple from annika’s journal, and only because of totally racist statements
Hugo: That's certainly reason to do so! I will only ban when people say really unpleasant things that make it unsafe for others to comment
annikagyrl: i'll leave them on if they attack me civilly, but not if they get ugly
Hugo: Civility is key
annikagyrl: Hey, fashion
Hugo: Ah, the good stuff
annikagyrl: i know you appreciate fashion blogging, because you are a fan of Candied Ginger
Hugo: I am -- love those gals
annikagyrl: one of the best Hugo posts of all time, made me very conflicted about certain fashions i’ve worn, though. You know which post im talking about...
Hugo: Oh, the "Sisterhood is easier in winter"?
annikagyrl: haha, yah
Hugo: Well, it's not a condemnation of sexy clothing. It's about recognizing that when we live in community, our choices impact others. How we dress affects others, and we need to be cognizant of that. But on the other hand, I think we need to stop connecting revealing clothes and sexuality
annikagyrl: see, a lot of dressing by myself and my peers is done unconsciously. It's like the whole lumbar cleavage thing,
Hugo: Lumbar cleavage?
annikagyrl: i recently heard it referred to crudely as the "pencil holder"
Hugo: Ah, I get it. Hadn't heard that one
annikagyrl: but the thing is, i don't think guys know that those pants are just more comfortable than the old-school high-waisted style. But yes, i have given thought to that too, since your post
Hugo: Well, and the other thing is, men can control their leering. Our eyes are not involuntary muscles. I always say, there's a colossal difference between the appreciative glance and the penetrating gaze
annikagyrl: Still, it is a bit unfair to other students to provide that kind of distraction, although i once posted a vignette about it, in a tongue-in-cheek way
Hugo: I am aware it isn't easy for women, because you are expected to be both sexy and demure, both professional and appealing, both powerful and feminine
annikagyrl: Next topic. Today, i sent you an article, where this guy critiqued my comments on non-violence, which i posted in my “100 Things” list. He didn’t have comments or post his email on his blog, so i couldn’t respond to him directly. Here’s an excerpt:
The truth about Hawks is that they're all a bunch of pussies. They are unwilling to take the abuse Gandhi and his followers did in the name of their ideas (Can you imagine George W. Bush fasting for 21 days in the name of Democracy? In the name of anything?). They lack the conviction that would allow them to see past the short term gains of beating said ideas into others. They lack the faith required to see that, as Gandhi often said, non-violence works because it taps into a fundamental truth buried deep within all human beings.Hugo: I read the article. I agree with you. King and Gandhi were operating in a context where their enemies were playing by the rules, at least to some extent
i'm in the middle of my first week of exams. i'll let you know how that's going later on. But in the meantime, Sarah of Trying to Grok was nice enough to let me interview her earlier this month, so i could post it during my finals. She's a pretty amazing blogger with a wide array of interests, as you will see. Sarah's blog has been a daily must-read for me ever since she came over to Munuviana. Trying to Grok isn't your typical mil-blog either - Sarah is a teacher and a military wife. i love her honest writing style and she's always got really good links to fun and informative stuff. Enjoy the interview, and i'll try to check in again this weekend.
annikagyrl: hi Sarah
Sarah: hi
annikagyrl: okay my first question has to do with the “Dukakis” picture you used to have on your blog. What was the story behind that? You know the picture with you riding in the Bradley?
Sarah: Actually it was an M1A1
annikagyrl: cool, even better
Sarah: Last year for my birthday, my husband took me to the motor pool to "meet" his tank.
annikagyrl: for those who don't know, your husband is, i believe, an officer in the 1st Infantry Division
Sarah: Yes, he's a 1LT serving with 1ID in Iraq. He's Armor (branch detailed from Finance -- heh), so he's currently a platoon leader and a tank commander
annikagyrl: and also for those who haven’t noticed yet, i have an interest in tanks and military aircraft, which i'm told is unusual for women
Sarah: oh boy do I love tanks
annikagyrl: what's it like inside an Abrams?
Sarah: cramped. My husband and I were in there together, and we kept bumping into each other and banging our arms and legs on stuff. I have no idea how they fit four people in there. It was the thrill of my life though
annikagyrl: i was re-reading some of your old posts and i came across a link to The Strategy Page, which i got lost in
Sarah: Yeah, that's a good site, isn't it?
annikagyrl: i read another link regarding the use or alleged misuse of the M1A1 in Iraq
Sarah: hmmm, I don't think I've seen that one
annikagyrl: the gist of it was that we’re misusing our tanks in urban warfare, which seems silly. i mean, i'm no expert, but if a layperson like myself can imagine how not to use a tank in urban environments, the army has already figured those things out
Sarah: Ha, hopefully! I know my husband feels safer inside his tank, especially since he's been hit by RPGs and lived to tell the story. You know, back in August, one of our good friends from Fort Knox was injured in Mosul. He's with the new Stryker Brigade out of Fort Lewis and even though he nearly got ripped in two, he still swears by the Stryker
annikagyrl: from what i read on the strategy page, the M1A1/2 is a very surviveable piece of machinery. Do you ever worry about your husband in Iraq?
Sarah: My deployment philosophy is that people die every day, and there's nothing we can do about it. I know I have to lose my husband someday, so if I had the choice between losing him to democracy and losing him to being hit by a bus, I'd rather lose him in Iraq. It's just my own way of dealing with the danger.
annikagyrl: as a lietenenant, does that mean he's in charge of a platoon?
Sarah: Heh, spelling lieutenant is a bitch, huh?
annikagyrl: yah
Sarah: Yes, he "is in charge of" roughly 20 men, a fairly formidable task for a 24 year old. He and his Platoon Sergeant work together to manage the platoon.
annikagyrl: i love the way you describe your relationship, it's very inspiring to me as a single girl
Sarah: Ha, thanks. That means a lot to me. He's my best friend.
annikagyrl: it sounds like the type of marriage i would like to have someday
Sarah: I have more in common with him than with anyone on the planet; I got lucky that he was a guy instead of a girl! More than anything I just miss hanging out with him, watching Futurama and talking about politics. Each day we get to chat online for like 30 minutes.
annikagyrl: first war where that's been possible, i guess. Thank you Yahoo!, lol
Sarah: We're sorta an odd couple, I'm sure. For example, yesterday we spent our entire time talking about why the dollar is so weak against the Euro. Probably most couples don't talk about that stuff!
annikagyrl: that's cool.
Sarah: Yes, we have it so good that I can't even complain. When I start to feel down -- because there are times when we'll go 12-16 days without talking -- I think about the men who went years in WWII without talking to their families. I have nothing to complain about.
annikagyrl: You come from a military family don't you?
Sarah: No, actually my family isn't that military. Neither is my husband’s. His father served in the Army for a few years, and two of my uncles were in the Army and AF, but that's about it.
annikagyrl: didn't i read that your grandpa was a pilot?
Sarah: My grandfather was in WWII, flying bombers. He and his brother enlisted in the AF to avoid being drafted into the Army... ha, even back then guys knew which side was sweeter!
annikagyrl: lol
Sarah: He served during the war and then met my grandma and had thirteen babies. He's an interesting guy.
annikagyrl: What bomber did your Grandpa fly, if you know?
Sarah: Oh goodness. You know, before I met my husband, I neither knew nor cared about the military. I'm sure my grandfather told me once, but when those things don't mean anything to you, they're in one ear and out the other. Now that the military has become such a big part of my life, I have so much more in common with my grandpa. I send him Veteran's Day cards and Memorial Day cards and all sorts of stuff. But he's sorta past the age where he can really talk about specifics.
annikagyrl: i've had the pleasure of meeting three or four men who flew in bombers during WWII and they were all lovely old men, very fascinating personalities. And they all wore hearing aids, too. It was loud in those things, i can imagine.
Sarah: I mentioned a few days ago that my grandfather flew with Chuck Yeager. They were in the same squadron, and they have remained friends. Pretty cool, huh?
annikagyrl: Yah. We lost over 50,000 aircrew over Europe in bombers alone. i am amazed at the bravery of those guys.
Sarah: I've gotten into watching military movies since my husband left, and I can't watch a WWII movie without feeling an overwhelming mixture of pride, sadness, gratitude, and horror.
annikagyrl: You live in Germany now, and i'm curious about your opinion of the German people.
Sarah: Dang, my thoughts on the Germans could take hours. In a nutshell... I was a French major and lived in France for a year during college. I later studied Swedish and lived in Sweden for a summer. I was about all Europed out when we learned we were being sent to Germany, and I really wasn't interested in coming. However, I have found that the Germans in our area are generally very accomodating and helpful. They like having us here -- especially when we spend money at their restaurants! -- and they've been good to us. I went north to visit my Swedish friend in Hamburg last weekend, and I was a little nervous. Up north, they're not used to us Americans like they are in the little belt of bases down at the south of Germany. I was honestly afraid that my car might be keyed or something, but luckily everything was cool. My Swedish friend's boyfriend is a rabidly anti-war German, and I was nervous about him too!
annikagyrl: How did that go?
Sarah: He asked a million questions, but it felt like he really wanted to listen and learn, so I went away with a good feeling. I'm sure I didn't change his mind, but maybe I gave him some things to think about. My favorite moment from talking to him... He was asking where we lived and if we lived "in an apartment or in a room where you like share a bathroom at the end of a hall." He nearly choked when I said that we have a three bedroom house.
annikagyrl: lol
Sarah: I don't think he could related to the size and might of the US Army, that they have enough money to give everyone a house! The Army takes care of us, that's for sure. I don't think he could relate, since in his mind military service is mandatory and the German soldiers live in barracks.
annikagyrl: i think the Europeans have the luxury of being anti-war because, unlike Americans and Israelis, they are not in the crosshairs... yet.
Sarah: Oh of course.
annikagyrl: At least not since the end of the Cold War.
Sarah: But with the Muslim population growing by the day, they might have to face reality sometime soon...
annikagyrl: i think they already are being forced to deal with that issue. The van Gogh killing was a big wake up call.
Sarah: Sometimes I feel like patting Europe on the head and sending them back to the "kids table" while the grown-ups discuss the real issues.
annikagyrl: moving on... Who in your opinion is the most influential rapper?
Sarah: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
annikagyrl: lol
Sarah: certainly not what I expected you to ask. I think I'll never admire anyone like I admire Dr. Dre
annikagyrl: reeeaaaaally? What about Snoop?
Sarah: Ha. Well, of course he was in on the ground floor too
annikagyrl: Eminem?
Sarah: Eminem is one of my favorites, simply for the mess that he stirs up.
annikagyrl: very true.
Sarah: In case your readers don't know, I'm a college English professor who enjoys rap for the use of language
annikagyrl: i don't follow hip hop that much, but i do think that Snoop Dog is a genius. On a related subject, do you still have The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock memorized?
Sarah: When I started memorizing it, I would learn it piece by piece. I started with the beginning "Let us go then you and I..." and then the next day I started from the beginning and went further, and then further, and then further. Thus I remember the beginning quite well, but I'm starting to get hazy on the ending
annikagyrl: Can you imagine someone doing a hip hop version of Prufrock?
Sarah: I love that poem
annikagyrl: If we had more time, i'd ask you to explain what the fuck The Wasteland is all about, i never had patience for that poem. But Prufrock is beautiful. “Oh do not ask “what is it”/ Let us go and make our visit” was my favorite line
Sarah: My favorite was always "is it perfume from a dress that makes me so digress?" Man, I can think of ten stanzas I love about that poem. I admire someone who can use words well... it doesn't matter if it's a rapper or T. S. Eliot, if the words feel like silk, I love it. And don't even get me started on how amazing I think freestyle is.
annikagyrl: How long has it been since you've been in the United States?
Sarah: About a year now... we went home last Christmas before my husband deployed. On Valentine's Day, mind you. Ha
annikagyrl: Do you feel like an expatriate travelling so much?
Sarah: I feel like my heart will burst if I don't go home soon.
annikagyrl: And travelling has not turned you into a liberal, like it does to some people
Sarah: I love my country more than anyone can fathom, and if anything, travel has made me appreciate my own country and shown me that there's nowhere else I'd rather be.
annikagyrl: Thank you Dorothy, lol
Sarah: Which is hard to deal with when you're forced to live elsewhere...
Sarah: Ha, yeah I'm sorta like Dorothy
annikagyrl: You live on the base, right?
Sarah: Yep, but actually I live on a post. One of the things you learn when you become an Army wife is to stop calling them bases. Base is the generic form, which covers AF and Marines. But Army lives on "posts", not bases. I can't tell you how many times my husband corrected me on that. It's burned in my brain.
annikagyrl: yes and i learned from reading your blog that it’s a "weapon" not a gun
Sarah: ha, yeah, he corrects me on that one too
annikagyrl: Were you blogging on 9/11?
Sarah: No, I wasn't even reading on 9/11. I was totally insulated and stupid and ignorant
annikagyrl: What is your 9/11 story? Where were you, etc..
Sarah: It's almost too embarrassing to repeat I woke up and was getting ready for class, and my roommate told me what was going on on the TV. I barely paid attention because I was in a hurry for school. I'm ashamed of how uninformed I was on 9/11, but I'm proud of how far I've come since
annikagyrl: somehow i doubt that you were ever as uninformed as you say. Your writing is so very thoughtful and articulate.
Sarah: Oh but I was. My philosophy was one of humming-with-fingers-in-ears whenever my husband (then boyfriend) would try to get me interested in history/the middle east. I was one of those typical grad students who only cared about what was needed for class
annikagyrl: Speaking of your blog, and it's title, are you a big Heinlein fan?
Sarah: Um, I'm definitely a big Stranger in a Strange Land fan
annikagyrl: What was the deal with that novel? Was the martian dude supposed to be like Jesus?
Sarah: HAHAHAHA
annikagyrl: i didn't get it
Sarah: I guess what I took from the book was that people get so caught up in what they think is right or what they're doing at the moment that they forget there are other ways of doing things. Mike came along and taught them to understand things and not just accept what they'd been told was true
annikagyrl: You know, i’m afraid to admit that i tried and tried to get into Heinlein in college but i couldn't do it.
Sarah: Hey, that's OK. I don't like Shakespeare, and I'm sure people think that's treasonous.
annikagyrl: Oh that segues into another question: i'm sick and tired of having liberals say that conservatives don't think for themselves, and just regurgitate whatever Limbaugh and Hannity tell them. What do you think? i think its totally the other way around.
Sarah: Hmm. I think that very few people really know how to think. I know I struggle with it every day.
annikagyrl: You know, i was against the Iraq war at one time... for about two days.
Sarah: Ha
annikagyrl: Then i thought about it and came to my own conclusion
Sarah: Den Beste was my inspiration to really learn to think. I believe I'm getting better at it, but I honestly don't think most people have much practice at thinking on their own.
annikagyrl: Was Steven Den Beste’s blog the inspiration for Trying to Grok?
Sarah: Den Beste was the first blog I ever read, when my husband sat me down right when we got married and said, "You read this while I go to work." And I was hooked.
annikagyrl: Wow. The first blog i ever read was probably TranceJen, quite a difference there
Sarah: My husband had been reading for a while, so he knew all of these things that I didn't know. Now I'm the one who's throwing around references that he doesn't understand
annikagyrl: haha, cool
Sarah: like MSM... he had no idea what that was when I typed it once on IM. He doesn't get to read blogs much from Iraq. I try to keep him updated on the current stuff
annikagyrl: Did you get to follow Rather gate from Germany much?
Sarah: Sure, via blogs, which was where all the action was anyway.
annikagyrl: Very true
Sarah: I just don't get the stuff that's not blogged about. My mom mentioned the controversy surrounding Pat Tillman's death last night, and it was the first I'd heard.
annikagyrl: i heard the friendly fire story months ago, i don't know why it’s just now being reported widely
Sarah: See, I never had. And that's a hard one for me, I guess.
annikagyrl: yes
Sarah: I thought a lot last night about how I would feel if a coalition soldier killed my husband. I had just watched The Big Red One (where the Americans were fighting the French in Africa!) and with Pat Tillman, it got me thinking. It's a rough call... would I rather live with the truth, which sucks, or not. I wouldn't be angry, but I would be sad.
annikagyrl: Tillman's death was a milestone in the war for me, too. Like the Private Lynch story. Both turned out much differently than they were first reported. You know there are so many other heroic stories out there that are not being told
Sarah: I know. Instead we get Abu Ghraib
annikagyrl: and i think that's where we don't give the mainstream print media enough credit. Broadcast media has never been good at telling us about the heroes
Sarah: But hometown newspapers do it well
annikagyrl: and the recent Time magazine and even New York Times articles have given me hope that the big time press is coming around too, albeit slowly.
annikagyrl: i have a theory that blogs are a way for conservatives to be activists, since we all have jobs and are too embarrassed to march around with signs chanting. How do you think Trying to Grok has had an impact?
Sarah: Hmm, has it? I don't know...
annikagyrl: Oh i know it has. You definitely have a following
Sarah: Yeah, but think of the number of my friends and family who hate me now. I can't say if I've had an impact on anyone, but I know blogging has had an impact on me
annikagyrl: how is that?
Sarah: I felt so alone before I started, and now I don't feel that way anymore. Word has gotten out around here that I blog, and my friends now want to talk politics with me. When I worry about my husband, I turn to Bunker for advice. When I need laughter, I look to Farm Accident Digest. When I wonder about language, I turn to Amritas. I have a world of experts at my fingertips too. And I feel connected, and like there's always someone out there who will understand me.
annikagyrl: The blogosphere is amazing. i think we tend to pat ourselves on the back a bit much, but then other times i think we deserve all the praise we give ourselves
Sarah: For years I had this whole part of myself that I had hidden away, and now I don't have to do that anymore. And with my best friend thousands of miles away, I have people who can "fill his shoes", so to speak.
annikagyrl: Well thank you Sarah for letting me pick your brain like this
Sarah: It was fun. Thanks
As promised, in the extended entry you'll find my interview with Ginger, who along with co-blogger Candace, runs one of my all-time favorite blogs, Candied Ginger. i apologize for it's length, but i do get chatty when i'm chatting. Plus, we had a lot of ground to cover. Topics include, blogging, fashion, books, TV, politics, plastic surgery disasters, a certain really cute blogger, and of course, shoes! Please read on...
annikagyrl: i think everyone should know, by how much i have pimped your blog, that you are one of my favorite bloggers
Ginger: aww thanks. You too-- seriously
annikagyrl: its true, Candied Ginger is on the short list of blogs that i check more than once a day
Ginger: yeah, you are definitely on that list for me too
annikagyrl: thanks. How did you and Candace decide to start Candied Ginger?
Ginger: we were both a little disenchanted, and feeling a little lazy, so we decided to join powers and rule the world
annikagyrl: haha. Its an interesting mix. You are an east coast lawyer, and Candace is a west coast Russian language expert
Ginger: yeah, but we are both shoe lovers
annikagyrl: as am i. So it’s all about the shoes?
Ginger: basically, with a little politics and life thrown in
annikagyrl: i want to talk about blogging some more, but footwear is on my list of topics too, so lets just cut to the chase
Ginger: works for me
annikagyrl: do you hold to the rules regarding the use/non-use of white shoes after a certain seasonal deadline?
Ginger: I don't own white shoes
annikagyrl: ohhhhhh
Ginger: they are disgusting
annikagyrl: i just bought some white pointy mules
Ginger: sorry.. but I imagine the rules in Cali are different
annikagyrl: now you have generated an unhealthy attack of buyer's remorse in me
Ginger: did you wear them yet? return them if you haven't
annikagyrl: fuck no, i never wear white after labor day, or is it memorial day?
Ginger: um, labor day. But it should be never. I think I may own a white t-shirt, but that's the extent of my white apparel. Mostly because I am a slob
annikagyrl: did i ever tell you about the guy i went out with who wore all white to our second (and final) date?
Ginger: ouch. You actually went on the date??
annikagyrl: i had no idea. The first date was a setup. i mean, what kinda guy wears all white?
Ginger: Jesus
annikagyrl: it wasn't even off white, lol
Ginger: okay, we are way off topic... what happened to shoes?
annikagyrl: oh okay. i got another question, sort of related. i have formed the opinion during the last year or so, that the toe ring jumped the shark as a fashion accessory when women over 50 started wearing it.
Ginger: hell yeah. That is so stupid looking
annikagyrl: i'm so glad you agree.
Ginger: I really don't get it. It was cute on twenty-something girls a few years back -- for about three months
annikagyrl: i even saw a guy wearing one recently. That's going too far. It was in San Francisco, but still
Ginger: was it the same guy who was wearing all white?
annikagyrl: haha, noo. That would have been too weird. Next question: So how many shoes do you own?
Ginger: That's really difficult...
annikagyrl: of course it is
Ginger: the last time I tallied it, was years ago, before my shoe fetish really took hold, and the only number I can remember was that there were 27 pairs of black shoes. Yes, black shoes. Since then, I have obviously purged a lot, but I would have to venture a guess at around 100. Maybe a few less. Probably at least 40 pairs of black now
annikagyrl: Wow. What organizing system do you use?
Ginger: i don't really have an organizing system...
annikagyrl: its called a closet i guess, lol
Ginger: it works itself out, the ones I wear the most are scattered at the base of my closet, secondary are in a rack in the bottom of the closet, tertiary are on hanging racks on both sides of the closet door, the fourth level is three hot pink crates stacked by the closet, then, fifth, there are boxes in the attic
annikagyrl: describe for our readers what goes into putting together a suitable outfit for say, just going to work in the morning. A lot of my visitors are guys, and i think guys have no idea
Ginger: this sounds so silly, but the outfit usually just comes to me... I wake up, and get a feeling for a shirt or something that I want to wear, and the outfit just falls into place, based on what items of clothing I like to pair with that particular piece
annikagyrl: personally, i change clothes a minimum of five times a day. Unless i'm deathly ill. But then, i’ve always had severe decisionmaking issues. Describe the most comfortable outfit for blogging, is it pajamas, as they say?
Ginger: absolutely... my laptop is on a tray table in front of my sofa, and I like to sit curled up, so definitely always have the pjs on
annikagyrl: i like yoga pants and a sweatshirt myself, but i live with roommates
Ginger: well, the pjs I wear are basically like yoga pants, so same dif
annikagyrl: now, would it be fair to say that you and i are sort of feminine curmudgeons?
Ginger: totally
annikagyrl: in that we have a semi-distrust bordering on dislike of our fellow human beings?
Ginger: yes. it's called misanthropy
annikagyrl: isn’t misanthropy when you think you're a wolf?
Ginger: huh?
annikagyrl: ooops that’s lycanthropy (sorry. too much sci-fi)
Ginger: i was just thinking about this the other day... my real problem is that I have ZERO tolerance for stupidity. ZERO.
annikagyrl: how did we get to that point of curmudgeonliness, do you think? Because as for myself, i think its one of my most attractive attributes
Ginger: I don't know... most people find me a little hard to take sometimes, until they get to know me. Then I guess that's one of the things my real friends love about me.
annikagyrl: when i was in undergrad i went through this phase where i thought everyone i met was "totally amazing" as in “OMG, i just met your roommate and she is such an amazing person!”
Ginger: no... I never feel that way about someone. Usually it's "what an asshole"
annikagyrl: well, lately i have determined that most law students are either boring or assholes
Ginger: yeah, that's probably where both of us got this bitter.
annikagyrl: but your personal misanthropy has been the source of some of your funniest writing, i think.
Ginger: thanks... it's the stuff I'm most proud of!
annikagyrl: there’s one particular incident you wrote about, which to this day still makes me chuckle. It was an example of perfect comic timing, if that's even possible on a blog. Do those crazy things really happen to you?
Ginger: yes. That's one thing that's consistent in all of my writing... it is all 100% true
annikagyrl: Youre the anti Tony Pierce in that respect, lol
Ginger: yeah i guess, although he is one of my own personal gods
annikagyrl: what do you like about Tony’s Busblog?
Ginger: his creativity. It's very nuanced. Sometimes you almost miss it, but when you get it, you're like "damn." Other times he's just silly
annikagyrl: i'm a big fan too. i once wrote Tony a gushy drunken fan email
Ginger: ha ha, I probably have too
annikagyrl: i think he thought i was weird. i do that kinda shit sometimes
Ginger: you are weird. But that's a good thing
annikagyrl: Weren’t you drunk when you wrote your first post, and did you know much about blogging when you started?
Ginger: not much... here's how I came to it all.... y'know those free magazines laying around law school... well there was a write up on one about Glenn Reynolds. I was immediately intrigued... and from there, I just clicked the links on his site (found Moxie, and then found you through her very early on)... it only took a few days before I was totally hooked. It took a while until I actually started for myself... and yes, I was drunk.
annikagyrl: Beer, wine or what?
Ginger: I forget... but I think it was wine, because I remember making a post about how sauviginon blanc tasted good with Sno-Caps.
annikagyrl: haha. You actually left one of the first comments on my blog.
Ginger: seriously? That's funny, because I thought you started before me...
annikagyrl: i was so excited that i googled your name "Ginger" and i got a recipe, which really confused me, lol.
Ginger: ha
annikagyrl: is it a conscious decision for you to write more on pop culture than on politics?
Ginger: no... except maybe for the days leading up to the election... I was sick of it... I have never been an extremely political person, so it's just that pop culture is what interests me more
annikagyrl: what do you think of Desperate Housewives, (i've heard it compared to Sex and the City, which i think is way off.)
Ginger: I think it's crappy
annikagyrl: Thank you!
Ginger: I tried to watch the second episode... it was so stupid and campy, and not in a good way
annikagyrl: i think they were trying to fill the vacuum created by the end of SATC, but they were totally clueless about why SATC struck such a chord
Ginger: yeah, they missed it completely
annikagyrl: you loved 90210 too, right?
Ginger: best show in the genre. I actually had been watching it religiously for the past year on F/X, but they just took it off completely at the beginning of the fall... I was SOOOOO bummed
annikagyrl: i think that was the show that defined our generation
Ginger: yeah, you could say that.
annikagyrl: what else could fit in that category?
Ginger: hmmm, I really don't know about that... I thought My So Called Life was lame
annikagyrl: it had potential, but it didn't last long enough
annikagyrl: Okay, okay: true or false:
Ginger: i'm ready
annikagyrl: Jennifer Love Hewitt's boobs are unnaturally too large for her skinny ass
Ginger: true. Plus her hair is too big for her body
annikagyrl: you see, when chicks do that, it makes it hard for all of us. Tori Spelling too
Ginger: she is a monster
annikagyrl: hahaha
Ginger: have you seen the gap between her boobs? Scary. And there were a few episodes of 90210 (college years I think), that her nose was TOTALLY FUCKED up and mutated from botched plastic surgery. they tried to cover it up with makeup, but it looked awful
annikagyrl: do you remember an episode where Tori Spelling was in a pool after she got her operation? It was like two cantaloupes stuck on a skeleton
Ginger: sick... how is that even attractive?
annikagyrl: OMG yes! Not much you can do with that square head of hers either. Or am i being too cruel?
Ginger: not too cruel. She is abusing her body, so it's fair game
annikagyrl: who were your favorite 90210 characters?
Ginger: first of all, let me just get this out of the way, that I hate Emily Valentine... I know she's a secondary character, but she was the worst. And I wasn't too fond of Claire either.... my absolute favorite was Kelli Taylor. I love Jennie Garth so much
annikagyrl: Claire, yah, me too. How bout the guys?
Ginger: ummm, I don't know, they were all cheezy. I guess Dylan
annikagyrl: haha, you gotta admit Jason Priestly had some good years
Ginger: maybe even David... even though he was portrayed as a dork for the first years, he is actually kinda cute
annikagyrl: i saw him in a mall once. Back in his dorky days. He looked pretty good in real life
Ginger: Jason Priestly was so emotive that his fake acting always got in the way. But my friend Weezie swears the he was probably the best kisser on the planet
annikagyrl: Did she ever?
Ginger: no, she never actually kissed him, except maybe in her daydreams
annikagyrl: how about Noah?
Ginger: too brooding.
Ginger: I actually liked Jesse until he cheated on Andrea with the clerk of the Judge that he went to interview with in somewhere like Idaho... and I always wondered why you would go to Idaho (or wherever for a clerkship). But Andrea cheated on him too, and then they talked about it at their kitchen table in their pjs, and it like cancelled each other out or something, because they were fine with it. That was wierd.
annikagyrl: Steve?
Ginger: Steve is a goon
annikagyrl: i remember the first season, Steve defined cheesy high school guy with the cool car
Ginger: that black corvette. UGH
annikagyrl: lol. Come on, there was one of those guys at your high school too, wasn’t there?
Ginger: probably... I am from Jersey
annikagyrl: haha. i wanna ask you about being a lawyer. Is it all you thought it would be?
Ginger: Yeah... I knew it would suck
annikagyrl: lol... And yet...
Ginger: it sucks. That's basically it
annikagyrl: haha
Ginger: either you make not enough money to cover you debts, or you are raking in the cash, but have no free time to spend it
annikagyrl: i hear that the first year of being a lawyer is tougher than the first year in law school. And the first year in school is pretty intense
Ginger: definitely... I have it somewhat easier, because I work for a judge... don't have billables, don't have to do much lawyering, it's mostly analysis of other people's work and the law that applies to it. First year of law school can be rough... I actually thought it was okay though
annikagyrl: So you get to goof on other lawyer's work and get paid for it, cool
Ginger: yes! I sit next to a clerk for another judge, and we just sit there and laugh at people's shitty work product all day long
annikagyrl: is it really that bad?
Ginger: plus lawyers call all the time with their sob stories about how they can't make it for a motion hearing because they stubbed their toe or something, and we just laugh. A word to all the lawyers out there calling clerks asking for something: niceness counts! Some of these people call up and they are such assholes to us... we don't really go out of our way to help them, but if someone is nice, we will accomodate them however we can. You wouldn't believe some of the crap that people submit either. It's unbelievable... some of it's not even spell checked
annikagyrl: do you ever deal with pro pers?
Ginger: yeah, we have some pro se litigants that come through the system... they are ALL loony. Every single damn one of them. And they normally can't write properly
annikagyrl: "he who chooses to represent himself has a fool for a client"
Ginger: exactly!
annikagyrl: okay okay, i got another topic: Scott Peterson. Discuss
Ginger: that guy is skeevy.
annikagyrl: i can just imagine how many marriage proposals he's gotten. i was quite surprised they found him guilty, and of 1st degree too
Ginger: although I always thought he HAD to be guilty, I never got the strong reaction in my gut about him that I got for Susan Smith... remember her, she drowned her kids or something...
annikagyrl: yes, and then she blamed it on some black guys?
Ginger: I just remember seeing her on the news the next day. Her bangs were done with a curling iron... and I thought: that lady killed her kids... she is too eerily calm. Scott Peterson was a dumbass. What the fuck was he thinking?
annikagyrl: not as dumb as Mark Hacking in Utah though, a Scott Peterson wannabe
Ginger: I always think it's so weird when people have last names that relate to something about themselves...
annikagyrl: like Jack the Ripper, lol
Ginger: Mark Hacking -- hacked up his wife
annikagyrl: he should blame his parents for naming him that
Ginger: yeah, or blame Ellis Island, if his ancestors came through there... the name was probably Hackinowskiosidine.
annikagyrl: lol
Ginger: Jack the Ripper was some English artist guy...
annikagyrl: Not the Prince of Wales?
Ginger: nah, Patricia Cornwell financed a bunch of research and wrote a book about how she thinks it was this dude
annikagyrl: We both signed up for last year’s NaNoWriMo. i notice that neither of us has said anything about it this year.
Ginger: yeah, I couldn't be bothered... it's a dumb ass way to write anything of substance
annikagyrl: i quit after about a week last year, how did you do?
Ginger: probably about the same... although I did keep working on the story I had started... only to have it lost when my hard drive crashed
annikagyrl: Oh no!
Ginger: yeah, I lost EVERYTHING... all my law school writing, all the music I had downloaded, stuff I had written, a zillion recipes I had downloaded, pictures. It sucked
annikagyrl: do you think you'll ever write a novel?
Ginger: yeah, I dream about it every day, seriously...
annikagyrl: Really?
Ginger: but I am also impatient, so that's why blogging works for me now
annikagyrl: the guy who runs NaNoWriMo wrote something i thought was very interesting
Ginger: what's that?
annikagyrl: He said that its not a good idea to plan the story out too much before NaNoWriMo because then you fall in love with it, and when you rush to get it done, you just quit because you want to do it right. That’s exactly what hapened to me. i started thinking that my idea was too good to waste on NaNoWriMo, and i wanted to do it right, then i ended up never doing it
Ginger: yeah. I could have done it if I wanted to write 200 pages of junk
annikagyrl: i still want to write it someday though
Ginger: yeah, so do we all
annikagyrl: i see you as a chicklit novelist, am i right?
Ginger: true. I wouldn't be capable of anything else
annikagyrl: a Jennifer Weiner who's heroine is in better shape
Ginger: yeah. I love her books... looking forward to reading Little Earthquakes
annikagyrl: my novel is going to be a sexy sci-fi shoot-em-up novel about a futuristic police woman
Ginger: that's cool... I could totally see you writing that. I am reading Ann Coulter right now... that's as far from chick lit as possible, while still being written by a woman
annikagyrl: i love Coulter, she and Laura Ingraham are my neocon chick idols
Ginger: I saw Ann Coulter give a talk on election night eve. It was so fucking cool. We were all so jazzed up about the election... and she fed off of it
annikagyrl: wow! Did you ever read any of the Bridget Jones books?
Ginger: yeah, read them both... decent
annikagyrl: who's the best chicklit author?
Ginger: I really like Jennifer Weiner. I just read a book called Big Love by Sarah Dunn. I loved it
annikagyrl: do you get into the romance genre?
Ginger: no, never have read a romance novel. The thought of Fabio peering out at me from the cover skeeves me out.
annikagyrl: can i adopt the term “skeeve?” i like it
Ginger: yeah, it's very useful
annikagyrl: yes, i notice you used it as a verb and an adjective, it’s versatile
Ginger: yeah, it's like the word "smurf"
annikagyrl: or "fuck"
Ginger: I read a lot besides chick lit... one of my fave contemporary authors is Paul Auster.
annikagyrl: what kind of books does he write?
Ginger: um, just stories. It's crazy though... here's my story about Auster's work: I had just read The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett... in that book, the character Sam Spade tells a story about a man named Flitcraft who up and abandons his life after a freak mishap on the street where he could have been killed. So right after that, the very next book I read, coincidentally, was The Book of Illusions, where the main character up and abandons his life after a freak occurence. At that point I didn't make the correlation. A few books later in my reading schedule, I read Auster's Oracle Night, about an author, who upon conferring with another friend, discusses the Flitcraft story and then writes a story within the novel which is a Flitcraftian tale. It was kinda trippy because I kept getting all the stories tangled up in my head when I was reading that last book.
annikagyrl: how coincidental
Ginger: okay, that's kinda dorky getting excited over plotlines of books!
annikagyrl: not at all. Do books ever make you cry?
Ginger: nah, I'm not a sissy
annikagyrl: ha
Ginger: seriously no. I don't usually get moved by books that way. Although movies sometimes make me cry. And I cried the other night while watching the rerun of the Sex and the City where Harry proposes to Charlotte
annikagyrl: oh, that's totally understandable. i got all teary eyed reading Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel trilogy -- three smutty fantasy books -- and i totally don’t even like fantasy
Ginger: I never read that kind of stuff... there are so many books out there that I want to read, I try not to waste my time on trash
annikagyrl: Well, i loved the Kushiel trilogy. It’s beautifully written, but it didn't make me want to read more fantasy stuff. In my opinion, once you've slogged through the Lord of the Rings, why bother with anything else in the genre
Ginger: Well, i've certainly never done that either. Sounds silly, unless you are an eleven year old boy -- which I have never been and will never be
annikagyrl: okay im gonna rapid fire some random topics at you to finish up
Ginger: sounds good
annikagyrl: have you ever met Ken Wheaton?
Ginger: yes
annikagyrl: is he as cute in real life as the picture on his blog?
Ginger: yes. He is actually cuter
annikagyrl: no way!
Ginger: way
annikagyrl: okay, of the following choices, which is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise of the internet? eBay, blogs, or amazon.com
Ginger: eBay. There is some crazy stuff going on there
annikagyrl: Glenn Reynolds: genius or madman?
Ginger: both
annikagyrl: why didn't Bush win Pennsylvania? i totally thought he would
Ginger: sorry, I can't answer that... I really don't know what is wrong with this area... it is liberal soaked. Western Pennsylvania may be a little more Red, but Philly is all Dems
annikagyrl: when you go out for fun, do you like live music, or dance clubs, or something more sedate?
Ginger: what is going out for fun? That does not compute
annikagyrl: lol
Ginger: No, I used to love going to clubs, but now I'd much rather just chill at a bar/restaurant
annikagyrl: oh yah, that should have been one of the choices. i have a guy friend who is not comfortable eating in a restaurant unless he's at the bar, its odd
Ginger: sounds like he needs some medication
annikagyrl: Okay, do you have any tattoos?
Ginger: yes
annikagyrl: interesting, i would not have guessed that
Ginger: it supposedly stands for "bravery and fearlessness" but I joke that it means "drunk girl." I wish I didn't have it.
annikagyrl: lol, do your parents know about it?
Ginger: yeah, my mom loves it, and my dad couldn't be bothered. My grandmother thinks I'm a sinner
annikagyrl: my parents were not happy when i got my first one, and they were pretty pissed about the second
Ginger: why? it's your body. you're an adult
annikagyrl: they really flipped out about my tongue stud too. Which i don't wear anymore, btw
Ginger: that's reversible... speaking of which, I have had my navel pierced for NINE years now (geez I'm old), and it's definitely time to take it out. I want to take it out, but can't do it... I have to go to a body piercer and get them to take it out for me
annikagyrl: i like mine, but i guess it will eventually have to come out someday. But i couldn't be taken seriously in law school with a pierced tongue, that just wasn't going to happen. It’s funny, i justified piercing myself by saying i needed to express my individuality, but everyone does it now
Ginger: that's why I hate mine... so many people have it now
annikagyrl: okay, what was the last cd you bought?
Ginger: Christmas cd: Christmas with the Rat Pack. Last regular cd: Turin Brakes, Ether Song
annikagyrl: who's your fave rat pack member?
Ginger: Dean Martin
annikagyrl: cool, mine’s Sammy. Okay babe, i’m out of topics, is there anything i haven't covered that you feel people must know?
Ginger: San Dimas High School Football Rules!
annikagyrl: hahahahaha
Ginger: nah, that's it... but we'll definitely do this again sometime!
annikagyrl: you gotta say woooooooooohoooooo after that, lol
Ginger: yeah
annikagyrl: okay, let me reiterate how much i love your blog and thanks for the fashion guru guidance tonight
Ginger: Thanks... glad to be of service
annikagyrl: even though, when i get off tonight, i'm going to have to log onto eBay and see if i can get rid of those white shoes... and the toe ring, haha
Ginger: It's a moral imperative
annikagyrl: lol, bye
annikagyrl: i'm here now with Publicola, who is one of my favorite bloggers, and also one of the oldest visitors to my blog. Hi Publicola...
Publicola: Hi miss Annika. & I thought I was in the middle age range of your visitors?
annikagyrl: i don't mean oldest age wise, of course. But i understand you are having a birthday soon? Happy birthday. How old? If i may ask
Publicola: Thank you. I’ll be 33. Lord willing & the cholesterol level don't rise
annikagyrl: Wow a third of a century? lol, You are old
Publicola: I am not old ya whippersnapper. Where’s my cane?
annikagyrl: You know i still remember the first comment you ever left on annika's journal. Do you remember? It was to a post i did about the German machine gun
Publicola: hmmm actually no. I remember e-mailing you about the "Hitler Saw" (the MG-42) post you did as well as linking to you because of it, but I can't recall the comment I left.
annikagyrl: You chastised me for misunderstanding the specifics of muzzle velocity. You wrote me a scathing email about that. i was so embarrassed
Publicola: & I wouldn't say chastised, more like offering a simple correction of a common misunderstanding
annikagyrl: i was only trying to impress people with my broad base of knowledge
Publicola: You shouldn't have been embarrassed. A lot of gun owners make the same assumption.
annikagyrl: You totally took the wind out of my sails. That was when i discovered that although you are very long winded
Publicola: I must categorically deny the false & baseless accusations that I, when trying to explain the nuances of a point, have a tendency to circumnavigate brevity
annikagyrl: Although you are very long winded you are also very smart and one of the most intellectual persons i've had the pleasure of meeting. Even though we haven't actually met. How many words do you type a minute Publicola?
Publicola: Correctly? In a language that originated on Earth? lol
annikagyrl: No, never correctly, that’s another thing i noticed, you don't sweat the occasional typo. i bet you type faster than some legal secretaries.
Publicola: Well, possibly. Then again I've never had a typing race with anyone in the legal profession. Hell, I'd be happy if they just understood the law.
annikagyrl: And you argue as well as any lawyer. Have you ever considered becoming a lawyer?
Publicola: lol, Once, but then I realized I preferred honest work. Actually when I was a little kid my grandfather used to tell people I'd either become a lawyer or a preacher. I think that was his nice way of saying I was a stubborn smart-ass with a big mouth
annikagyrl: i've seen you demolish not a few trolls in my comments section
Publicola: Well, honestly, you have an easier variety of troll to deal with. See, I remember, back in the day, when IMs were sent on stone tablets, that trolls had a certain level of intellectual ability. Not so anymore
annikagyrl: You are very passionate about individual rights
Publicola: Yes, & it's a selfish thing. I really could care less if you or anyone else had individual Rights, but if you don't have them then I don't either. So we're all in it together as it were.
annikagyrl: Are you an independent or a libertarian?
Publicola: I'm registered as a Libertarian, but I don't usually vote a straight party line. The Libs have some good ideas, but they fall short in a few areas
annikagyrl: Like where?
Publicola: well, their view on Iraq specifically - & understand that there are two factions within the Lib Party concerning this - I think the Lib Party was almost on the right track as far as Iraq goes, but they went off course a bit
annikagyrl: i'm not sure i know what the Libertarian view on Iraq is, or yours for that matter...
Publicola: Well, here’s a link that describes the Libertarian Party's view on Iraq. Or rather Badnarik’s. Since he’s the LP candidate for president of the US, I assume it’s reflective of the official LP Party position. The gist of it is they feel the war on Iraq was unwise & unconstitutional
annikagyrl: Oh that...
annikagyrl: And your view?
Publicola: As far as the constitutionality of it, I agree with them - Congress delegated their responsibility to the president & this wasn't a good thing. For the move itself being unwise, I'm torn honestly. Getting rid of Hussein & freeing a whole people of a dictator was a good thing, no question, & it served our interests, but I keep remembering Mencken whispering in my ear that freedom is not so important that it should be forced on a people.*
annikagyrl: Do you think that the Iraqi people see freedom as being forced on them?
Publicola: Well that's the sticky part - no one would see freedom being forced on them, & I would assume that most of the Iraqi people are happy - much happier than under Hussein. But from what I understand, only the Kurds & certain other groups in the northern part of Iraq were actively trying for some sort of freedom from Hussein. It's more comparable to giving someone financial assistance - if a person's down on his luck he won't bitch if you give him the rent money, but maybe it's better if you give him a chance to earn it for himself. That way he appreciates & takes care of it a bit more than if it were a gift. But like I said I'm torn. I can't say if I were in charge I wouldn't have gone in just like Bush did (well, actually I'd have done it a little cooler. heh).
annikagyrl: i remember you were critical of the coalition authority collecting guns from the Iraqi people
Publicola: Oh yes, & I'm really pissed that that sonuvabitch Bremer made damn sure the Iraqi interim constitution specifically mentions there is no Right to Arms without government approval. Doesn't anyone understand what a Right is anymore?
Publicola: Kevin of The Smallest Minority has a theory that three things are necessary for a free people to flourish, one of those is the means to defend the other two things (which are the ability to reason and the free exchange of ideas). I really don't see any people staying free for long without being able to do so forcefully if necessary
annikagyrl: i would agree that a right is a right and a government doesn't have the moral power to proscribe what comes from God, but
Publicola: But?
annikagyrl: Don't you think there's a pretty compelling interest in Iraq for some sort of gun control?
Publicola: Um, have you ever heard the phrase "hell no" meaningfully applied?
Publicola: Gun control of the prior restraint variety (which prohibits mere possession) simply is ineffective at any of the goals it purports to accomplish. It has as much of a chance of working in Iraq as it has a record of working in D.C.
annikagyrl: Define "absolutist"
Publicola: In the sense that I use it, an "absolutist" is someone who opposes any form of prior restraint based gun control on the theory that owning & possessing the means to defend yourself & your community are Rights that should not be touched by any government. For example, California has some pretty strict gun control, in fact they just banned a whole line of bolt action rifles - do you honestly think that's gonna slow the Crips down?
annikagyrl: Crips don’t use bolt action rifles. Too hard to hold them sideways and shoot, lol
Publicola: I mentioned the bolt action thing just for the helluvit - not that I’m disappointed in Arnie or anything.
annikagyrl: Are you an absolutist?
Publicola: Yes'm. I'm about as Absolutist as they come. Hell, I'm so pro-gun sometimes I get accused of being anti-gun, lol
annikagyrl: lol
annikagyrl: You and i have become quite good friends through our correspondence, and i credit you with moving my own view on Second Amendment issues much further to the right than i ever imagined
Publicola: Well you're a bright person, all I did was push you to think about it more in depth - odds are you'd have come to the same conclusions without me
annikagyrl: i don't know, remember, i grew up in the Bay Area
annikagyrl: Still, i think there remains a large gap between our points of view. What would you say to me to make me see the light, absolutist wise?
Publicola: Well it all revolves around prior restraint - prohibiting something because of the potential for harm....if you take away the sensationalized bits of news you hear (Columbine, Stockton, etc..) & think of only the generalities could you really say that someone should be punished for mere potential instead of his/her actions?
Publicola: If I have a shotgun with a 10" barrel, which is a federal crime (Constitution be damned) without the proper paperwork, would you think I was any more dangerous than if the shotgun had an 18" barrel?
Publicola: Similarly, if a Crip had a shotgun with an 18" barrel, would you feel better about that than if he sawed it down to 10"?
Publicola: But if I had a 10" shotgun sans unconstitutional paperwork, I could get 10 years federal time. Even if I had it for years and harmed no one with it
annikagyrl: So you're saying size doesn't matter?
Publicola: Why is it women always make it a size issue? lol. It’s not just size, but possession. It's intent. Remember your Aristotle - actuality is more important than potentiality. In a very abstract sense the gun control laws we have punish the egg because it might become a chicken
annikagyrl: Aristotle?
Publicola: Yes, Aristotle - old guy, went to school with him. We used to hang out with old man Soc
annikagyrl: You really are the Basilios of Ballistikos!
annikagyrl: Devils advocate here... If our gun control laws are stupid and ineffective, why shouldn't we just try to craft smart and effective ones?
Publicola: Easy - there are no smart or effective prior restraint based gun control laws. Tell you what, you tell me how to initiate car control laws to keep people from speeding without adversely affecting their ability to drive (passing, using small bursts of speed, etc) & that'll be the same way you can have smart gun control laws
annikagyrl: That’s a good way of putting it
Publicola: What would you do ban red cars? (Like the Assault Weapons Ban outlawed guns that looked scary?) Having a licensing system (like our de facto license under the Brady law)? Would those cut down on speeding?
annikagyrl: Here’s my question: i understand the whole slippery slope argument, but what's wrong with requiring some sort of safety class for first time gun buyers. How is that different from what we require of drivers? i mean a car isn't intended to cause harm, but a gun is. So isn't it more reasonable to make sure that gun owners have some basic knowledge of safety?
Publicola: Well easy - if you require proof of the safety class in order to buy or own, then that's a form of licensing. It could be made as restrictive as any form of licensing. The slippery slope would be in play there as well. However, if it were a general requirement, say for passing 7th grade in public or private schools, then I'd go along with it. In fact, gun safety should be taught explicitly, starting at say 2nd grade - that'd cut down on the already statistically insignificant (but tragic in each case) of negligent homicides involving firearms
Publicola: And yes, a car wasn’t intended to kill, but cars account for more deaths in the US per year than guns do. Besides, a gun isn't designed to kill. A gun is designed to propel a projectile. That projectile is designed to kill. A semantic point, but a fun one if you really want to piss off a leftist/socialist anti. Not that I’d ever do that intentionally of course.
annikagyrl: My own opinions on the Second Amendment are still in flux, thanks to you. But i'll tell you where it has evolved recently, and it’s on the licensing issue. Before, i didn't see the harm in requiring licenses
Publicola: A lot of people don't. & that's why licensing is so dangerous
annikagyrl: Now that i’ve thought about the issue, i don't see any legitimate reason the govenment should need a list of people who have a gun, unless they plan to take them away in the future. So i've become firmly opposed to any sort of government licensing of gun owners
Publicola: Here's an analogy: Tell me miss Annika, is driving a Right or a privilege?
annikagyrl: We've talked about this, you and i. According to the DMV, driving is a privilege.
Publicola: And what would you say if I told you it was a Right? Would you be inclined to believe me? Or would you believe 20+ years of personal conditioning & 90+ years of collective conditioning?
annikagyrl: That's a hard one to get over, you know. It’s like Pavlov and his dog. lol
Publicola: If gun licensing isn't stopped, then your kids or grand kids will no longer see owning guns as a Right, but as a mere privilege granted by the state. I know it's hard, but the thing that most people & especially (no offense) most young people don't get is that freedom is hard. It's damn scary. & it's dangerous
annikagyrl: i'm an enthusiastic Bush supporter, as you know. Recently you wrote that you don't intend to vote for Bush or Kerry
Publicola: No ma'am
annikagyrl: "No," thats true, or "no" you didn’t say that?
Publicola: No ma'am, I won't vote for Bush or Kerry
annikagyrl: At one time, i thought you implied that you might vote for Bush if the assault weapons ban was not renewed. It hasn't been renewed. What gives?
Publicola: No, I don't ever recall saying that - what I do recall is urging people to not vote for Bush if the AWB was renewed. There's a difference, subtle perhaps, but different nonetheless
annikagyrl: So you didn't intend to vote for him either way...
Publicola: No. For me Bush is too anti-gun. I'll grant that I'm an Absolutist but his record is no better than Kerry's as far as the laws he enforces, his understanding of the Constitution, & his desire for more gun control. Kerry wants more than Bush perhaps, but what Bush wants would make it easier for someone in '08 or '12 to get what Kerry wants. No, I can't vote for a candidate who fails my litmus test
annikagyrl: It's a matter of principle, not pragmatism for you
Publicola: Actually it's both. Principles aren't merely abstract concepts one discusses over a nice cognac & amaretto. They have to be applied. Take the issue of the Right to Arms - if the government doesn't trust you with the means of your own defense, that has very practical implications - not the least of which is what other Rights it decides to not trust you with
annikagyrl: It’s a matter of voting your conscience?
Publicola: Yes, as well as voting for what I think will best ensure my freedom
annikagyrl: You and i are both fans of Hugh Hewitt, and we’ve talked about his show before
Publicola: Yes. He’s probably the most all around entertaining talk show host around
annikagyrl: i bring up Professor Hewitt because i wanted to read to you a quote from his recent bestseller, If It's Not Close, They Can't Cheat. Let me read the quote and get your comment
Publicola: k
annikagyrl:
"No Republican should ever think about pushing a gun control agenda on the party.Publicola: Well what really got me about that quote was that Mr. Hewitt, a Con law professor mind you, is ignorant about the law itself as well as the Constitution...
"But the gun absolutists have to realize that the prohibition on individuals owning machine guns and high powered automatic weapons makes sense to a large majority of Americans. So if the GOP agrees with the consensus, the gun absolutists should sit down and shut up. By demanding a theoretical purity they endanger a working majority.
"Control of assault weapons is not the first step down the slippery slope. It isn't even a slope. It's called a broad consensus. Live with it, strengthen your side, and all will be well." [p.190-191]
* “I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone.” --H.L. Mencken
