The Citizen Dichotomy

Great lesson...takes me back to my Political Science days in College (I majored in it donr nothing with it since). Do you teach it?? if not ya should :)

Irt was the first of many majors I ahd in undergrad.

PoliSci,History, Chem/Physics (Dual Major), Accounting, History. I finally got a BA in history. A year of Law school. Then joint major (BA) in Finance and Econoics. Accepted to Doctoral Program in Economics at Perdue, but lacked the money. Did nothing for a few years. Did 1.5 years of MS in computer science. But I had worked 5 years in the field before that and realized how useless compsci really is, a lot of theory that matches nothing in reality.

But, while I work at a university, my position has nothing to do with teaching, I manage web servers and write diagnostic programs, as well as fixing broken code. (I was both a computer administrator and a software developer in the past, as well as actually running cables for both computers and phones).

I also worked as a eligibility worker for social services, a bartender at an Italian restaurant, a bartender at a yacht club, and at a horse track. I sold cemetery lots, and sold a variety of junk door to door. I also did mortgage refinancing back in the late 80's.

And, I did teach once. When the dot com crash came, and I found myself unemployed, I taught statistics to people studying for their MBA, because I had 100% on every test I ever took in college statistics, including midterms and finals.

But other than that, any teaching I do is here.

At least I hope someone has learned something here. I know I say I write for my own enjoyment, but I really do hope I spread a few good ideas.

Well, glad you enjoyed the post. I have a few other half-finished one son similar topics I am trying to wrap up soon.

I forgot, when Perdue said I wasn't getting any money (I had a 4.0 and 800/800/800 on the GRE, along with a recommendation from our dept chair [and my drinking buddy], but no cash, I did not complete my last semester of the BA in econ/finance. Didn't see any reason to wrap it up if I wasn't going to grad school.

So I spent the next 4 years as a drunken writer. Or a drunk who wrote fiction no one would publish. I also supplemented this with my many bartending jobs listed above. Somehow being a drunk is conducive to working as a bartender. I guess because you can supplement the miserable salary with stolen booze, making the job seem more appealing.

Well, enough of my CV. When I go back too far, I start to realize what a miserable being I was at various points in my past. I'm sure that's true of everyone, but I am finally old enough that nostalgia for youthful stupidity has lost its charm.

So, to summarize my long, meandering answer. Nope, no teaching.

If you want to see why I am often glad I did not pursue a PhD in economics, read this post:

http://andrews.blogtownhall.com/2008/06/28/sterility_of_for mal_economics.thtml

It pretty much says it all.

So, Gee too bad ya didnt find any time to do anything LOLOLOLOLOLOOOL

just kidding of course lolo you got me beat by a mile. I should have stayed in the Political field, dabbled a little, in college worked (when i was still a dem) for reform movement in Jersey City NJ and we elected a reform mayor, a med Doc. also ran for Dem primary Hudson Sty NJ as a delegate to Dem convention pledged to Ed Muskie. After school dabbled in local politics in NY state where my family moved to from jersey while I was at college but I found them any way . Ean for reciever of taxes in Cornwall, NY (where Gen Petreus is from) I lost that race. also ran a campaign for our party chairman who wanted to be town supervisoe. I got out of politics cause when I was running for tax reciever I told my GF she needed to watch out who she hung out with as I was going to be a professional politician. She watched out and chose friends over me. I thought then politics wasnt worth loosing a relationship over. Now years later I can say I was wrong. Should have stayed in LOLOLOLOLOL Such is life I did get to met Hubert Humphrey Geo McGovern, had a big argument with Gary Hart who ran MgGoverns campaign ( I won LOLOL)O and several other Senators and congressmen. SO only been on the outskirts of politics but anm still addicted to it.

I have always been fascinated, but knew from my teen misadventures, I had too many skeletons to run. Not that I make a secret of it, but the truth, even stated openly, would keep me out of office. I also have a bad tendency to tell the truth, and not in very politic terms, so I doubt I would win. I would have the "Phil Gramm disease". It's funny, I supported Gramm in the 80's, but said "he is too honest to win", and then this year he shows me I was right all along.

I did debate politics in college, got into lots of arguments, and was made VP of the campus Republicans thanks to it, even though I wasn't even a member. (The president was a friend, and he argued for them to appoint me.)

Since then, I have known a lot of Republicans, my grandmother was also one of the few Republicans in Maryland. She hated FDR and Philadelphia's democrat machine so much, she was a lifelong die hard conservative in a formerly completely blue state. (She was close with Helen D. Bentley, the one Republican who won in Maryland during the all Democrat days.)

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I met some Republicans here and there, Alan Keyes, who is an incredibly nice guy in person, and Pete DuPont, who is also much nicer in person than he comes across on TV. But I have largely been a theorist more than a participant. I just know a few who are more involved, so from time to time I meet some of the lesser lights here and there.

You definitely have me at a disadvantage in terms of hands on experience. I am not a complete outsider, thanks to a few friends, but I am pretty close to one.

Then again, being uninvolved has advantages. Just as the media sometimes gets blinded by conventional wisdom, those on the inside sometimes miss things those outside the process see clearly. I see it a lot with "inside the beltway" blindness. DC is so saturated with politics sometimes the politicians forget DC is a poor model for the rest of the nation, and what sells in DC often doesn't fly elsewhere.

I suppose to get a truly balanced perspective you need a bit of both.

You are right theory and participation- a litle of each is best. most chose one or other, I was never much ontheory and sputtered after some participation LOLOL Guess is why I came here last month (seems longer ago LOL0 ) needed an outlet to vent my views. Wife is disabled so really cant do mush participation, tho at this stage I itch to git back in.

aHey! stop by my Blog if ya get a chance, I chose a little humor/satire as my style, mainly cause need less substance LOLOL...but My belief is we deal with a lot of serious stuff here and a little hunmor discussing serious crap helps take the edge off it. Any way come buy and take a look. If ya dont like anything is ok LOLOL I dont think its that great either LOLOLOLOLO really, I dont, just have fun writing it.In that light I am still embarrassed being on this Top 10 LOLOL I think it a real HOOT. Must have something to do with me now in Florida and some hanging chads??? I shld demand a recount my self!! LOLOLO I know my stuff is not comperable to the intellectual writings of most here but guess some one likes it LOLOLO anyway life too short speially my age, 58, so guess I will enjoy till they fix the chads or the counter HAHA

Sorry to hear about your wife. Technically I am disabled, not allowed to drive because of medication and work form home, but I function pretty well otherwise. My wife had thyroid problems, but is doing well now, thank G-d.

I will have to come by and read your posts, you have been such a consistent reader it is the least I can do. And I am sure I'll find some good material I can steal as well. (kidding...)

My blog actually started as nothing at all. If you look at my first post, I put up a page to let people leave me nasty messages. I then posted maybe 3 comments in 6 months. And then after that I just started writing, and writing and writing... No comments at first, but after a while one or two regular readers...

Well, still not much of a readership, but a few very nice regulars, as well as a day here and there where I get a few dozen newcomers. In general the response has been very positive, which makes it more enjoyable.

But, like you, I really write for me. I find it satisfying to write this stuff. If it pleases someone, or even makes them think a little bit, that is just an added benefit. I would probably be writing even if no one ever posted a comment.

The only downside is it keeps me from writing fiction, which is my other love. I spend so much time here I haven't been able to get back to my fiction. (I took about a 3 year break from fiction writing when my son was born. I now have 4 or 5 great ideas, and mean to write them, but this blog always seems to keep me from writing...)

Well, I will drop by tomorrow if work allows. If not, definitely Tuesday. I'll let you know what I think.

NEVER let any one or anything be an excuese not to do what you really love to do deep down. With you its fiction - DO IT. Me, it was Politics and I didnt and here i sit.I was supposed to be in Congress by now fighting with Stretch Pelosi!! Dont end up looking back and not having released the ideas you have- bring them to life!

Ah, I will. Fiction is strange. Having written two complete novels and more short stories than I can count (though publishers won't touch them, though many friends adore them), I know to some degree it is not the blog that is keeping me from it. I have to have lived with an idea long enough for it to truly be "alive", and then I can write. In fact, when they reach a certain point I can't help writing. When it is right, I do nothing but work sleep and write. I finished one novel in under a month. (Though rewrites lasted two or three times as long.)

I blame the blog, but likely I am just not quite ready yet.

And don't regret the political career too much. I am sure you feel you missed out one something, but I don't know if there is really any "one and only" path for anyone. You may have missed one calling, but you likely found others.

I was probably meant to be a professor, but I found another path which satisfies me just as much. I have my wife and son and a job I enjoy and I write, which I love doing. Had I entered academia, I may not have run into my wife, might not have my son, and I would probably be writing academic works instead of strange fiction and political/social blogs.

I think it is easy to look back and say you missed some chance or another, but, had you really followed that path, you might find it wouldn't have been as satisfying as the life you really lived.

It's funny, I don't ever think in terms of G-d planning out my life, but I suppose, in a lot of ways, I really do believe in individual providence. You still have free will, but He has arranged things in such a way that your free choices still take you where you were supposed to go.

Just please don't ask em to prove that, as I can't even begin to do so. I am logical enough to know faith is not something provable. Then again, neither is atheism, which is something a lot of atheists seem not to know.