We just had a 5.8 earthquake. It was centered not too far from me and it lasted a good 30 seconds or so. Long, in earthquake standards. It was a shaker as opposed the a roller. The rolling quakes are actually kinda fun, barring being involved in any kind of injury or damage (I've lived in So Cal my whole life so one must get used to earthquakes and the view of them gets skewed a bit). Shaker quakes are scarier but this one wasn't too bad where I'm at. What gets me is the stupid people whom I can hear going down the stairs to get out of the building - WHILE THE QUAKE IS STILL GOING. Hello?!? Dumbasses, just move away from the windows and be ready to hide under your desk if stuff starts falling but walking down stairs while the building is moving? Stupid, stupid people. Let's see if we can fall down and hurt ourselves when we would have been perfectly safe had we stayed put. Yeah, that sounds like fun.
Proofing sucks. Well, at least for me it does. After I've just spent hours typing a document (or documents) or transcribing something for the 2nd job, the last thing I want to do is painstakingly go through the file and make sure I didn't screw anything up. Do I do it anyway? Yes, I do because I want to keep getting more work and won't be able to if I turn in crap. Also, I have this stupid thing called pride in my work. I hate it when I goof up.
I even play this little game with myself with my primary job work. Whenever I type a letter or anything going to a client, my immediate boss always proofs it before it gets sent out. I have no problem with this as I'm human - I miss things, I make typos. She always makes the corrections on the draft copy in red pen - just like school, right? Well, anytime I get the draft copy back without any red marks, I celebrate (quietly, mostly, to myself) be it either with a smile or a silent "hehehe" (complete with correlative enthusiastic head movement - think "Night at the Roxbury"). It's a dorky incentive to myself to do the best job I can when typing something. Sometimes I'll even proof it before I give her the draft.
I'm actually finding I hate the painstakingness of proofing things. I tend to want to do cursory comparisons between the original and the typed draft, trying to focus on major points instead of reading through word by word. It becomes a war between wanting to make sure I did a good job and just getting it over with already. Damn my lazy ass.
Exciting work, typing. Oh yeah.
On a completely unrelated note, partners in law firms make insane, obscene amounts of money. No wonder you lawyerly types want to make partner as a career goal. Wow. I mean, really.
Wow.
That is all.
I even play this little game with myself with my primary job work. Whenever I type a letter or anything going to a client, my immediate boss always proofs it before it gets sent out. I have no problem with this as I'm human - I miss things, I make typos. She always makes the corrections on the draft copy in red pen - just like school, right? Well, anytime I get the draft copy back without any red marks, I celebrate (quietly, mostly, to myself) be it either with a smile or a silent "hehehe" (complete with correlative enthusiastic head movement - think "Night at the Roxbury"). It's a dorky incentive to myself to do the best job I can when typing something. Sometimes I'll even proof it before I give her the draft.
I'm actually finding I hate the painstakingness of proofing things. I tend to want to do cursory comparisons between the original and the typed draft, trying to focus on major points instead of reading through word by word. It becomes a war between wanting to make sure I did a good job and just getting it over with already. Damn my lazy ass.
Exciting work, typing. Oh yeah.
On a completely unrelated note, partners in law firms make insane, obscene amounts of money. No wonder you lawyerly types want to make partner as a career goal. Wow. I mean, really.
Wow.
That is all.
Scene: The kitchen at Lil's house
Time: This evening
The Nephew walks up to where his Aunt Lil is cooking her dinner at the stove
The Nephew: Can I have a hug?
Lil: Sure.
The Nephew hugs Lil
The Nephew: Thank you.
Lil (quizzically): For what?
The Nephew: For being here.
Awwwww.
Lil: Love you, buddy.
The Nephew: Love you, too.
This is how The Nephew manages to stay alive while being 13. 
He's really such a good kid.
Before I get to the meat of this blog entry, I want it to be clear that pedophilia is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. In no way should it EVER be excusable, acceptable or in any form ok. Have I made this clear enough? Bad, bad, bad pedophiles. Be reviled and ostracized oh practicers of the pedophilia for you shall never be accepted anywhere and rightfully so. Even prison inmates hate the kiddie porn pushers - how's that for a final say on the matter?
Which brings me to the blog seed that was sowed in my brain by a news item I heard on the way home from work the other day. They were reporting that a group of prison inmates had beaten a fellow inmate to death (said fellow inmate was a convicted pedophile). It's common knowledge that if you're into kiddie porn or are an active pedophile in any way and you are sent to prison, you're going to know a world of hurt. In true old testament fashion, I'm actually glad of this. If there is one thing that I find more reprehensible than any other crime in the universe, it's preying upon those who are unable to defend themselves. This is what pedophiles do. However, as I was ruminating upon this, my thoughts went down a different path.
What if pedophilia is a sexual orientation? As far as sexual orientation goes, I believe that this is something that is innate from birth. Either you're attracted to men, women or both. That's it. You don't really have a choice in the matter, it just is what it is. There's nothing wrong with any of the aforementioned options. Love/sex between consenting adults is wonderful no matter what the formation. However, what if pedophiles don't have a choice in who they're attracted to? Maybe they just can't help themselves - they are only sexually excited by children.
Now before anyone gets all upset, hear me out. I'm not positing this so as to engender sympathy for pedophiles. Quite the opposite. If they can't help themselves in being attracted to children and then acting upon those impulses, then perhaps there isn't any way to "fix" them or make it so they don't harm children. Perhaps their sexual interest in children is an innate behavior for a pedophile, something that is not within their control. In that case, I think prison inmates are nature's way of getting rid of a horrible, vile, unacceptable force of nature.
It's like in the awful remake of Godzilla (the one starring Matthew Broderick). Godzilla isn't a bad creature, it is merely unable to function within the real world. It is just too damn big and thus doesn't have a way to lead its radioactively huge lizard life without causing harm to millions of tiny humans. In the same way, pedophiles can't exist within the confines of normal society without inflicting significant harm upon those who are unable to protect themselves. However, unlike our friend Godzilla, they are bad guys. Maybe the only way to handle pedophiles is to get rid of them. I'm a firm believer in capital punishment. I think the only reason it doesn't work is that it isn't enforced sufficiently. I'm of the opinion that there are just some people who can't function in the world without hurting others and there is truly no hope for them. I think perhaps pedophiles fall into this category. However, let us not be diverted onto the death penalty and who is fit to decide who dies and who doesn't discussion. That's a whole other can of infected, writhing, pustule-riddled worms.
Disclaimer: This isn't a call for the death penalty for the crime of pedophilia nor is it suggesting vigilante justice is the way to go. I'm merely thinking out loud and possibly providing an impetus for discussion. I am fully aware that such hot button topics like pedophilia are never black and white - there are many, many layers of gray. As such, these opinions are just that - opinions, to be agreed or disagreed with according to your own ideas...which I'd love to hear, by the way.
Which brings me to the blog seed that was sowed in my brain by a news item I heard on the way home from work the other day. They were reporting that a group of prison inmates had beaten a fellow inmate to death (said fellow inmate was a convicted pedophile). It's common knowledge that if you're into kiddie porn or are an active pedophile in any way and you are sent to prison, you're going to know a world of hurt. In true old testament fashion, I'm actually glad of this. If there is one thing that I find more reprehensible than any other crime in the universe, it's preying upon those who are unable to defend themselves. This is what pedophiles do. However, as I was ruminating upon this, my thoughts went down a different path.
What if pedophilia is a sexual orientation? As far as sexual orientation goes, I believe that this is something that is innate from birth. Either you're attracted to men, women or both. That's it. You don't really have a choice in the matter, it just is what it is. There's nothing wrong with any of the aforementioned options. Love/sex between consenting adults is wonderful no matter what the formation. However, what if pedophiles don't have a choice in who they're attracted to? Maybe they just can't help themselves - they are only sexually excited by children.
Now before anyone gets all upset, hear me out. I'm not positing this so as to engender sympathy for pedophiles. Quite the opposite. If they can't help themselves in being attracted to children and then acting upon those impulses, then perhaps there isn't any way to "fix" them or make it so they don't harm children. Perhaps their sexual interest in children is an innate behavior for a pedophile, something that is not within their control. In that case, I think prison inmates are nature's way of getting rid of a horrible, vile, unacceptable force of nature.
It's like in the awful remake of Godzilla (the one starring Matthew Broderick). Godzilla isn't a bad creature, it is merely unable to function within the real world. It is just too damn big and thus doesn't have a way to lead its radioactively huge lizard life without causing harm to millions of tiny humans. In the same way, pedophiles can't exist within the confines of normal society without inflicting significant harm upon those who are unable to protect themselves. However, unlike our friend Godzilla, they are bad guys. Maybe the only way to handle pedophiles is to get rid of them. I'm a firm believer in capital punishment. I think the only reason it doesn't work is that it isn't enforced sufficiently. I'm of the opinion that there are just some people who can't function in the world without hurting others and there is truly no hope for them. I think perhaps pedophiles fall into this category. However, let us not be diverted onto the death penalty and who is fit to decide who dies and who doesn't discussion. That's a whole other can of infected, writhing, pustule-riddled worms.
Disclaimer: This isn't a call for the death penalty for the crime of pedophilia nor is it suggesting vigilante justice is the way to go. I'm merely thinking out loud and possibly providing an impetus for discussion. I am fully aware that such hot button topics like pedophilia are never black and white - there are many, many layers of gray. As such, these opinions are just that - opinions, to be agreed or disagreed with according to your own ideas...which I'd love to hear, by the way.
Setting: In Lil's car on the way home from the park
Time: The other day
Players: Lil (38-year old auntie extraoidinaire, sitting in the driver's seat), The Nephew (13-year old nephew extraoridinaire, reclining in the passenger seat)
Atmosphere: "Slow Ride" by Foghat begins playing on the radio
The Nephew: Hey! It's Slow Ride. (begins playing air Guitar Hero guitar)
Lil: Yes, that it is.
The Nephew: It sounds just like in Guitar Hero III (continues playing air Guitar Hero guitar and now adds rock n' roll guitar player scrunchy faces)
Lil: (Perplexedly) That's because the song in Guitar Hero is the actual song.
The Nephew: Yeah, but it sounds JUST like it! (throws in wild air Guitar Hero guitar movements in addition to air guitar playing and rock n' roll scrunchy faces)
Lil: (Pauses for a moment) Well, this version does have the guitar playing throughout the whole song while during Guitar Hero, there are parts where there isn't any guitar..you know when you miss a note and the guitar part cuts out.
The Nephew: (Stops playing air Guitar Hero guitar long enough to glare at Lil)
Lil: (Smiles)
Time: The other day
Players: Lil (38-year old auntie extraoidinaire, sitting in the driver's seat), The Nephew (13-year old nephew extraoridinaire, reclining in the passenger seat)
Atmosphere: "Slow Ride" by Foghat begins playing on the radio
The Nephew: Hey! It's Slow Ride. (begins playing air Guitar Hero guitar)
Lil: Yes, that it is.
The Nephew: It sounds just like in Guitar Hero III (continues playing air Guitar Hero guitar and now adds rock n' roll guitar player scrunchy faces)
Lil: (Perplexedly) That's because the song in Guitar Hero is the actual song.
The Nephew: Yeah, but it sounds JUST like it! (throws in wild air Guitar Hero guitar movements in addition to air guitar playing and rock n' roll scrunchy faces)
Lil: (Pauses for a moment) Well, this version does have the guitar playing throughout the whole song while during Guitar Hero, there are parts where there isn't any guitar..you know when you miss a note and the guitar part cuts out.
The Nephew: (Stops playing air Guitar Hero guitar long enough to glare at Lil)
Lil: (Smiles)
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