New Supervisor, Leaks in the Party, and My Health

I'm told that Tom Brewster was appointed by the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors today to temporarily fill the seat recently vacated on the Board for the Northern District. Tom is a friend and he'll do well on the Board. (For my readers outside Virginia, most states would call this body a county commission.) Congrats to Tom.

I went to a Democratic Party meeting last night. Jon Bowerbank spoke. Jon is a candidate for Lt. Governer in Virginia. He's competing with four other people for the Democratic Nomination. He was lucid and entertaining. He was also quick on his feet in the Q&A session at the end of his time. I didn't hear anything I didn't like. Jon's on the Board of Supervisors in neighboring Russell County, which means he understands local government. I'll probably put a sign in my yard for him sometime soon...

One of the things that came out at the meeting was that when the Northern District met back in January to talk about filling our vacant position on the Board, some of the things said in the party meeting got repeated to members of the opposition party. I have to say... it pissed me off. The idea that we can't talk freely with each other without something like a spy in the room made me feel a little betrayed. I asked who it was; no one wanted to say. But I think I figured it out. We'll have to look into excluding individuals we don't trust in the future.

I haven't been particularly healthy this month. I spent four days pretty low with bronchitis. A head cold quickly moves to my chest these days. This is my third bout of it this school year. My doctor gave me Avelox and that seems to fix me right up, but I missed two days of work.

I've tried once or twice to list blog posts I've written elsewhere here so that people can see them. That's gotten to be time consuming. I'll just say that here's a list of blogs I contribute to regularly (get paid to write for) and you can reference this list from time to time if you're interested. Most get four posts each month out of me.

BUSINESS

• BizInformer
  
• BizPlanHacks
  
• BootStrapMe
  
• China Venture News
  
• TJ's Weblog
  COMPUTER
  
• Social Networking - Twitter, Facebook, etc.
  
• Search Engines
  
• Web 2.0
  TRAVEL
  
• Latina Viva
  
• Flyaway
  
• Wandalust
  
• Hidden Travel Gems
  OTHER STUFF
  
• Celebrate Wine
  
• Global Mobility - Immigration News
  
• Online Dating - Emphasis on the Internet issues (I'm happily married and don't really keep up with the dating scene, per se...)
  

I had to laugh

I've been reading Rene Steele's little forum recently from time to time because someone told me my name came up on it. I used to visit the forum, even post there before I completely understood what a homogeneous group of narrow-minded rightwing reactionaries frequent the forum. But the board's biggest problem then still haunts it: the near complete anonymity allows people to say anything with relative impunity. For the most part, I posted using my real name there. And my experience on that forum helped me formulate a policy of avoiding anonymity.

If I have something to say online, I'll gladly attach my name to it.

About this time last night Rene started a thread that included my first name in its title. She talked mostly about the vacancy on the Board of Supervisors. An anonymous poster going by the handle "Bounty Hunter" responded today, and I wondered if his (her) words were meant as a threat:

In entering the political arena, everything Greg C. has communicated on any forum will become visible for inspection and interpretation. That is part of being a political candidate...

I had to laugh.

Is there stuff out there with my name attached to it that people might take issue with? Well, sure there is. My guess is that Rene herself has a folder somewhere of printouts of things I said on her forum - things about taxes or religion or gay marriage or global warming or abortion or - well, who can remember. And who cares. Taken in isolation they can be twisted. The quotes would be years old; I might have changed my mind and some of those issues...

If you're looking for damning words from me, there are plenty of words out there. A Google search of my name in quotes brings up over 19 thousand pages. I've blogged for the NY Times Company, participated in political forums, written for Suite101 and Creative Weblogging, and scatter my thought to the four winds in cyberspace. I think it's pretty clear who I am...

I'm a Yellow Dog.

I take a position on abortion that makes prolifer’s say I'm a baby killer and pro-choice people question my loyalty to the Democratic Party. I'd like to see a whole lot less abortion, but I'm not convinced that the Bible speaks as clear to the concept as the Religious Right would have us think.

My solution to gay marriage is simple. Let the government get out of the marriage business altogether. My wife and I were married in a church, by a preacher. I bought a license because Romans 13:1 says to obey the government. The government sells the licenses because they think they need the money. I'm a Baptist; what do you think that I think about homosexual activity? I'm also a card-carrying member of the ACLU. What do you think I think about the rights of individuals whose sexual orientation happens to puzzle me?

What issue do you want to talk about? I'm sure I can tick you off over it. I said I was a Baptist and I've set the alarm to get me up for church in the morning. I believe many Baptist things - the inspiration of scripture, the great commission, separation of church and state, eternal security, the sinfulness of mankind. Those kind of things.

But I set her writing with a glass of Merlot in my hand. Baptists make an unconvincing argument on that issue.

Anyway, I don't remember the last time I was afraid of having someone quote back to me something I'd once said. I'm entitled to change my mind (doing so is actually a sign of intelligence). I'm not adverse to apologizing if I was insensitive. And I'm quite happy to defend what I same most of the time.

Bounty Hunter's assumption that I had "entered the political arena" was wrong. I might one day. If he shows up when I do, we'll see whether people think he's stupid, or I'm stupid. Place your bets...

The end of a long month...

I started January well enough. I spent New Year's Day putting about a ton of top soil into a new flower bed. The bed is about half planted with bulbs now (mostly tulips), and as spring comes we'll pick out some annuals to fill it up with.

But January turned out to be no bed of roses. And by the 3rd or 4th I'd contracted a computer virus that Norton didn't stop. In the process of getting rid of the virus I somehow messed up Windows. And for most of the month I was without my PC.

The PC itself was not the problem. Emails, lesson plans, personal records, student records, account user names and passwords for various and asundry web sites, three or four thousand personal photos I'd take over the years, and ten gigabytes of music - I was locked out of it all. I spent January starting from scratch with a laptop I have, reinventing the wheel, etc. It wasn't until the 20th that I finally found a techie who would return my calls. I got the PC back up and running a few days ago. I'm still trying to get it set back up the way it was.

Today I spent sixty bucks on three 8-gig Scandisk drives and I backed up everything important. I suppose I'll start doing that monthly.

But the computer wasn't my only problem. It seems like routines changed. Basketball season has required my wife to work late at school. I take her dinner and stay there with her. It seems like twice a week we end up leaving the house by 7:30am and getting home 14 or 15 hours later.

We've also developed the habit of going to Bluefield on Saturday to shop for snacks that can be sold at school. We take a calculator. The snacks have to have less than 200 mg of sodium, get less than 35% of their calories from sugar, be under 200 calories per serving, get less than 35% of their calories form fat, get lest than 10% of their calories from saturated fat, have less than half a gram of trans fat, and a meet a few other requirements I can't quite recall off the top of my head. So we spend a few hours most Saturdays do that - time I used to spend doing other stuff. That's okay, but I haven't adjusted yet.

There were other distractions. There was the night my dumb dog got free and chased a rabbit up into the woods. It was 9 or 10pm and six or eight degrees and I spent an hour outside calling her event though I was already sick. My dad spent a few days in the hospital (he's fine now) and my daughter brought her boyfriend up for a visit (I enjoyed seeing her). Somehow I didn't manage to finish everything this month.

Maybe February will be nicer to me...

Rumors (and the Board of Supervisors)

A week or so ago, Bill Rasnick resigned from the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors. (Most states call that body the "County Commission.) The remaining four members of the BOS will have to appoint someone to fill his position until a special election can be held (in November) to fill out the final two years of Bill's term.

It took about two days for someone to ask me if it was true that I was going to be the new supervisor. They told me that, according to what they'd heard, I was asking to BOS to appoint me to the position. And they told me that they thought that was a good thing. I'd make a good supervisor, they said...

I was flattered. But it wasn't something I'd contemplated much. And the rumor (that I'd already approached the BOS and was lobbying for the position) simply isn't true.

In the time since then I've thought about the BOS job. There are really two positions being discussed. The first is the appointed position as Northern District Supervisor; whoever gets that will probably take office in late February or early March. The second is the elected position as Northern District Supervisor; in November, someone will get that position and serve just over two years on the BOS, from November, 2009 to January 2012. Of course, the person who gets the first appointed position could easily also get the second elected.

The last time that a vacancy came available on the BOS, Jimmy Durham was appointed to fill the position temporarily and Mike Hymes was later elected to fill the position. Hymes had submitted a resume to the board and asked to be appointed, but wasn't.

So what is the truth about me?

Tom Childress has expressed an interest in filling both the first and the second position, being appointed to the BOS in the near future and then being elected to continue in the position in November. Childress has served the Northern District's interest through the local Democratic office since the 1970's, I think (long before I was around), and done so admirably. At least one other person has expressed interest in the elected position in November. I don't know that his interest in the position has been made public, so I won't mention his name here. But he wants someone else to take the appointed position and warm that seat on the BOS until November. And former Northern District School Board member Spot Steele tried to unseat Rasnick for the Democratic nomination for Rasnick's position back last year. I would guess that he's interested in the appointment, but I don't know for sure.

At least two other names are in play. Tom Brewster agreed to consider warming a seat on the BOS for a couple of months. But Dr. Brewster is a member of Virginia's State Board of Education and works in the Pulaski County school system (I think). Ken Franklin's name has also been mentioned as a seat warmer, but I haven't heard him express interesting in the position himself.

And the truth about me is that I hadn't really considered the position when the rumors started. I've asked some questions about it and talked to one member of the BOS about time commitments involved.

I work as a teacher during the day and I come home and work as a writer at night. Taking the position would require me to rearrange my life some and make some sacrifices. I suppose that's true for anyone who enters the level of public service we're discussing. In March, at about the time someone will fill the appointed position, I'll start the final internship for a educational leadership program I've been working on for the past two years. The internships are demanding and time consuming - at a time when the BOS will wholeheartedly involved in the budget process.

On Saturday January 10th, I stood up at a meeting of the Northern District's Democratic Committee and said in public that I wasn't interesting in running for election to the position in November. I'm really not. It probably wouldn't be fair to Northern District residents for me to put my name forward for the appointed position; I know that my internship will distract me greatly BOS activities until at least mid-April. I'm not arrogant enough to think that I can do it better than the other people who want it.

I suppose that one day I may grow more political ambition. But for this year at least, I think the BOS will have to live without me.

Finally, a shout out to Rene. I hear she reads my blog...

Ending My Sentences with Prepositions

A note on my title at the Green Cup: I received a comment shortly after publishing this. No body; just a subject line that read "With whom do you reflect?" I went and found my copy of The Little, Brown Handbook. It's a Fifth Edition and I thnk they're up to the 10th now, so it's a little out of date. But I suspect the rules have become even more relaxed. It says that "Prepositions usually come before their objects. But in speech and informal writing the preposition sometimes comes after its object." It gives the example "What do you want to see him about?" This is a blog - a writing genre characterized in part by its informal tone. As a linguist, I doubt that a single native English speaker would miss my meaning in the title simply because of the placement of the preposition. I agree with with Tina Blue on the matter: Some of the "rules" of English grammar that you learned in school were devised by pedants who believed that English was inferior to Latin and should be improved by forcing it onto the Procrustean bed of Latin grammar. Finally, although I'm certified to teach high school English, I consider "whom" to be an archaic form that gets used now in only the most formal settings. I can't recall the last time I used it myself...

Lady Vol's Biggest Comeback Ever

I got up this morning to the alarm clock (even though it's Saturday). Cheryl and I went to the breakfast buffet at Big Daddy's down the road. There weren't many people there, so we got to talk with Punky & Becky (the owners) a lot while we ate (which was nice). When we came back I set to work moving dirt into my flower bed (which is why I sat the alarm).

The dog played in the creek while I worked. She killed at least one mole for us (our yard is full of moles for some reason. She dug holes and got absolutely filthy. So When I finished with the tulip bed I brought her inside and bathed her (twice). I took a shower. Then I sat down in the recliner in the living room and contemplated a nap. The dog jumped up on me and decided to take a nap of her own.

I never got my nap. I figured out that Tennessee Women's basketball was on. They were playing Rutgers. It was depressing at first. It was almost half time and Tennessee was down 13-33 at the half. No Lady Vol's team has ever been that far behind at half time in the history of the universe. No Lady Vol's team has ever been held to just 13 points in the first half since God created time. So (like I said), it was depressing.

The Lady Vol's came out in the second half on a role and scored 11 unanswered points. I won't pretend to be a sports writer and try to give play-by-play or anything, but it was an exciting comeback. And with about two minutes left, Pat Summitt's Volunteers took the lead. They won 55-51.

Then I got out of the chair and cooked supper.

New Year's 2009

Cheryl and I spent NYE at a small party at a friend's house. We arrived there about 7pm and left at 12:30ish. Four other people were there - three of them teachers. Food, a card game (I don't know the name of it), and a small amount of alcohol. I brought a bottle of Pinot Grigio. The host made strawberry daquiries.

We got home about 1pm. It was 2:30 before I went to sleep. So I slept until 9:30 or so. After breakfast I worked outside on the new flower bed. It runs along the edge of the house - about 40 ft by 2.5 feet. I put landscape timbers down a couple of days ago and today I broke the ground, sprinkled it with a broad leaf weed killer, and started the process of filling it with fifty bags of topsoil (40 pounds each). I got about 600 pounds in before the sun went down behind the hill next to our house. That was about 2:30pm. It got much colder so i called it a day. This weekend I'll finish mocing the dirt and put the bulbs in.

I listened to my new iPod while I worked. Some music and a couple of Philosophy podcasts. Frederick Nietzsche's view of art. A discussion of Kants efforts to reconcile rationalism and empiricism. Recent developments in neuroscience and how the impact philosophy.

Recent Blog Posts Elsewhere...

Some recent blog posts I've written:

• Venture Capitalists Karen Gordon Mills Nominated to Head the Small Business Administration December 20 at Bizinformer.
  
• Are You LinkedIn? Why...? December 26 at Bizinformer
  
• Do You Make a Good Impression on People? December 20 at BizPlanHacks.
  
• What is a Bootstrapper? December 24 at BootStrapMe
  
• Fear Not! In a Recession, Fear Will Kill Your Business... December 25 at BootStrapMe
  
• Wine Without Clothes: The Naked Wine Show December 18 at Celebrate Wine
  
• Job Hunters Flock to Emirates December 26 at Global Mobility Report
  
• Tasmania: It's Summer Down Under... December 20 at Hidden Travel Gems
  
• Empty Beaches in Goa December 27 at Hidden Travel Gems
  
• China's BYD Auto Puts a Plug-in Hybrid on the Market There December 20 at IfEnergy
  
• Biofuels May be Obsolete Before We Can Make Enough to Matter - Part I December 26 at IfEnergy
  
• Mexican Christmas Eve Dish: Bacalao a la Vizcaina December 20 at Latina Viva
  
• Creative Destruction? This Recessions is Partly the Change of an Era... December 26 at TJ's Weblog
  
• 2009: The year of the Travel Deal? December 22 at FlyAway Weblog
  
• Protecting Your Online Privacy December 26 at The Search Engine Weblog
  
• Looking for a Raise in 2009? Don't Hold Your Breath... December 22 at Personal Finance Weblog
  
• What's Your Name (Really)? December 20 at The Social Networking Weblog
  
• Twitter Relaunches People Search December 26 at The Social Networking Weblog
  
• Google Blogger: And Now... Imports and Exports! December 20 at The Web 2.0 Weblog
  
• Amazon.com Big Christmas Retail Winner December 27 at The Web 2.0 Weblog
  
• Strike at Hong Kong's Airport Delays Flights December 27 at Wandalust
  

Christmas in Redhouse

Redhouse, Md. – I’m here at my father-in-law’s house in Garrett County, Maryland. It is unseasonably warm today – 65F at the moment, which is more common for May or June.

We did a little shopping yesterday in Oakland, Md. Not exactly a big city. We started at the Dollar General where we picked up some half-price Christmas cards for next year. Then we headed on over to Wal-Mart for a few groceries and some wrapping paper that was on sale. We stopped in the down town area at a little jewelry store and Cheryl’s dad ordered a 50th anniversary gift for his brother. And we finished off our trip at a second grocery store where I bought a couple of pieces of chicken (and two turkey drum sticks) that we’re going to shake and bake tonight for dinner.

Last night we had the family’s traditional Christmas dinner. Those present: Cheryl’s dad (Benny), brother Steve and his wife, Janet, along with their three daughters (Emily, Sarah, and Jennifer), complete with Sarah’s boyfriend Spencer and Jennifer’s boyfriend Brody; and sister Nancy, with her husband, Mitch, and their daughter Holly (who spends a week with us each summer). So that 13 people. We had pork loin, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, yeast roles, apple sauce, green beans, corn, cheese, deer sausage, a pumpkin roll, fudge, and some cheese cake.

Most of my time during the days has been spent blogging through a dial-up connection. We played Phase 10 last night for a couple of hours. Tonight we’re discussing a trip to the high school to watch a girl’s basketball tournament.

Cheryl and I drive home tomorrow…

Things I Did Today...

Wrapped Christmas presents (between midnight and 1am last night).

Watched West Wing while I wrapped presents. (I own all seven seasons on DVD.)

Slept.

Got up at 7:30 to turn the heat back up. Went back to bed.

Got up at 8:30 and made coffee. Put the dog out.

Cooked breakfast. Scrambled eggs with chorizo sausage and cheddar cheese, grits, and a biscuit with butter and honey. Biscuits and sausage gravy fro Cheryl. We also sliced up a store-bought tomato.

Read my email and my Google Reader.

Got dressed for church. Wore my Blue suit.

Some time online. Facebook (I friended my cousin Lee), tetras, news.

Went to Church. The Pastor preached a good message on the Old Testament prophesies that Jesus fulfilled.

Went to town: CVS and Food Lion.

Ate at Big Daddy's restaurant. usually I cook Sunday dinner, but Big Daddy's is closing for the rest of the year, so we thoguht we'd go see them...

Watched a little football: Titans and Steelers.

Took a nap.

Drank some coffee and read my Google Reader.

Got some boxes ready to mail.

Took the battery out of the riding lawnmower.

Lit the propane heater in the basement (it's supposed to be near zero tonight).

Spent a little more time in Facebook.

Cleaned up the kitchen.

And now... having a glass of Burgundy while I watch the second have of SNF.