It's Time...

I finally finished reading Thomas Friedman's: Hot, Flat, and Crowded. It took me a long time but I am glad I persevered and finished it. I know many people think Friedman is an environmental nut. He may be, but he has some good points.

The main one is this: the energy revolution is the opportunity for America to stand up and be truly innovative and lead the world with new technologies dedicated to new forms of energy that are better for our planet rather than allowing other countries to take that lead. This opportunity can allow us to transform our economy, creating new companies and jobs. Instead we have had our head in the sand and handed hand-over-fist billions of dollars to foreign countries, many who hate us, and allowed them to be successful off our backs. And whether or not you believe in global warming, which I am amazed there are those folks out there who think it's great for the planet to burn fossil fuels, (ever been to a coal plant?), how could you not believe we have the opportunity to change our country economically. We aren't in the best place right now are we?

And today, I turned on the radio to hear that Al Gore is saying that the current House bill on global warming is akin to the Marshall Plan and Civil Rights and Glen Beck was throwing a hissy-fit about that. Well guess what Mr. Beck? A plan that in all-encompassing and geared to change the energy landscape of the USA is akin to those things. It would change everything. One day it would give access to electricity to those who don't have it and electricity is necessary for an improved standard of living. And doing it clean is absolutely necessary as the areas of the world this effects have the most people.

So America, when are we pulling our heads out of the sand? We have men and women losing their lives because of oil right now and every time you fill up your big-ass SUV or truck you are paying the people who are killing them. Being all fuzzy and nice with Arbor Day, which is today, and Earth Day is nice but it isn't enough. We need politicians to make tough decisions by passing laws that force the companies who are polluting the planet to change and mandate it's citizens to make new choices. Change is tough and sometimes people have to be forced. It's time...

I want to ride my bicycle...Lessons Learned.

Yesterday sister Laura and I decided we needed to get out of the house and get some exercise and since she lives really close to the fantastic Pinellas Trail we thought we'd go there. Also, just south of her the trail crosses the intercoastal waterway in Seminole and we have been wanting to cross it. The picture above is on the bridge crossing the water. I guess there could be worse ways to spend the afternoon.

Lesson 1: Remember that if you haven't been on a bicycle for a while, yes your ass WILL hurt.

Lesson 2: Drink enough water and eat something a little more substantial than a granola bar and a banana because add the two deficiences together and you too could faint on the side of Seminole Boulevard (at least it wasn't in the middle of the boulevard!). I am fine by the way, just a sore ass and a couple of scrapes.

Doe a Dear...

Something about the Sound of Music that gets me every time.

Get By With a Little Help From Your Friends

I posted this on my career search web site today. I am thankful for my friends and family!

B.U.E. (Before Unemployment)I had the chance to have a variety of things happen to me and since I was around a variety of people, this upped my chances of interesting interaction. Since U.E. (unemployment) I'm home most of the time and the amount of people I actually talk to on a daily basis is much smaller. So my inspiration for posts seems to have gotten smaller. I don't have a lot to report. I get up, go to mass (guarantees I get out of bed at a good time (7:30 a.m.)and gets me out of the house everyday), come home, exercise (yoga, weights or nothing), eat a bowl of cereal if I didn't get up in time to eat before going to mass, look for a job, have lunch, look for a job, have dinner, look for a job or watch a TV show or read a book and finally go to bed. I think if I didn't use FaceBook, I'd go nuts because I can follow mini conversations throughout the day.

Staying home costs me less money, so that's good, but it always is tedious. But I have to be home to look for a job which I need, badly.

I just wish employers would go back to the whole, we'll let you know that we are no longer considering you instead of postings that scream "NO PHONE CALLS, IF WE THINK YOU ARE WORTHY, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH." OK, I made up the last part, but that's what goes through my head when I see that. Out of all the resumes out, I've only had one response that said thanks, but no thanks. What stung the worst? The job listing went back up.

Enough of my ramblings. I go to the outplacement company on Friday morning and I hope they will help me. I can't handle being by myself so much. I'm ready to work!