here it comes...

Ok, so it's been a while. I've started writing something longer. It started out as just notes in my phone, then worked it's way up to a journal, and now I kind of liked the idea of making it more formal, so it's been fun, but the story itself is not quite over, so I can' post it until it's done.

Ok, so it feels good to let my fans know that I still sit down and type once in a while. It's hard though. It takes time. But that's more of an excuse. The real reason is that I easily get addicted to video games, and right now I'm addicted to Age of Empires III.

On that note, I wouldn't object to a week or two off. (Maybe after the weather warms up.) But I guess this isn't exactly the type of economy into which one wishes to find themselves unemployed. And that's a problem with contract attorney work: after every project ends, you don't know when - and if - the next project will come. I've probably got to get out of this game at some point.

Although, for a lot of people, this would appear be a good time to be unemployed, because you've probably got some unemployed friends to hang out with. (and the potential problem with that - for the entire economy - is that if a bunch of unemployed people begin to appreciate the joys of unemployment, they may be more reluctant to go back into the workforce when duty eventually calls.)

That realization brings to light how much I miss being in school. Having friends around all time was nice. I don't see friends nearly as often when I'm working. Maybe one night a week, and some on the weekends. And it's not like I had any money in school. We were all living on very little money, and it was great anyway.

Takes on current events:

I love how that little North Korean leader has got the world all worked up about launching his missile. He is really mortgaging the future of his bloodline. His grandchildren could be fucked... to the point where they could possibly end up as slaves. That's how much he's gambled. But who knows, maybe he's the one telling the truth, and we're all brainwashed the way we think his people are brainwashed.

On all this tax stuff: Here's an excerpt today from John Kass that I liked:

All American elections should be held on Tax Day.

Under my plan, there would be no federal withholding taxes from paychecks. That sleazy political trick is only about numbing us to the extent of the federal tax bite. Under my plan, such tricks would be relics of the partisan past.

Instead, every American would pay a quarterly tax. We'd write our national and local tax checks to the government on Election Day, April 15.

And only after writing the checks could we vote.

Clearly, politicians would hate my idea, since voters would be angry.

But we wouldn't be arguing about "tea parties," would we? We might not even need them any longer.

Can you imagine!

I remember talking to these guys from Denmark at our training center at Andersen and they said that their government paid for their college and health insurance, (and I don't remember what else.) But their taxes were much higher: ~60%. When I asked them how they felt about it, they all seemed fine with it. No passion on the subject either way. (Kind of like the way I am about taxes.) We were fine, and didn't have anything to be pissed off about.

I got a personal injury case and referred it to a friend who does that stuff. Psychologically, it's an interesting racket. The issue is trying to decide whether I'd be content spending a majority of my waking hours - and freshest hours - doing something I consider "a racket".

(a saving grace of personal injury law would be the knowledge that you truly cannot put a value on pain and suffering)

I feel alone when trying to explain my bewilderment at the amounts of themselves people put into their careers.... which I guess would be great if they liked their work.

The idea of having kids kind of scares me too, because unlike a job, you can't just quit on your kids. (assuming that you share mankind's expressed moral viewpoints.)

So that's my big issue right now as far as where to go with my life....

(this has turned into a very narcissistic post)

How much responsibility do I want to take on at 30? and then how much responsibility to I want to take on ever?

Can I leave any out?

Kids are the biggest, then career, then being a homeowner. I don't want to be a homeowner anytime soon. Maybe a condo owner. But that's still a financial responsibility that I'm nowhere near ready to take on.

Dirk is still blogging, but barely. Hang on Dirk.

Dirk, how about this, for every word you write, I'll write one. Ok. Deal?