A coda with a curse

BWAHAHAHA! Happy Halloween, you little maniacs!

I'm not all into Halloween, although I always love scary movies. Being out in the boondocks, there are never any trick-or-treaters here, so it's pretty much just another night. However, I'm looking forward to watching the premiere of AMC's "The Walking Dead," which looks like a dandy series about the zombie apocalypse. Actually, by the time I post this, I will have watched it, so I can give a quickie review.

I've been more occupied lately with the upcoming election. Despite my intense interest in politics, I have to admit that even I have battle fatigue. The ads are constant, and the amount of postal flyers is staggering. Thank science for caller ID, because the calls are also coming fast and furious. I read somewhere that I believe it is $4 billion dollars that has been poured into this campaign, from both sides. That's obscene. All I could think of is how much good $4 billion dollars could do for people around the world, and people right here, who are hurting and even dying. I would love to see true campaign reform in which election time is quartered, and funds are limited to a certain amount. While I enjoy the run-up to the election, it gets pretty old by the time the actual day rolls around--even for me! In fact, I watched the second debate between Donnelly, Walorski, and Vogel and took notes in anticipation of writing about it a little bit here. I don't even feel like it. My mind is more than made up, and I don't feel like rehashing the same old stuff. Walorski is a dick. I don't usually call women that, but...it works here!

I have really enjoyed the lively debates on Facebook, though. Most of my friends there are of like mind, but every so often, you get a friend of a friend who does not agree and is ready to rumble. It's really entertaining. I'm always dismayed to see people who are so turned off by politics that they refuse to vote. "I hate the negative ads, so I'm not voting for anyone who uses them." "They're all crooks, so I'm not voting for anyone." Personally, I think it's a cop-out, and an excuse to not do your homework and learn more about your choices. I'm constantly amazed by people who think that somewhere, somehow, some way, they will find a candidate that agrees 100% with them. That they will find this prince or princess among humankind, the person that is a perfect reflection of their own political views. That person does not exist. It is up to us to find a candidate that we support because we agree with most of their views and most of their plans of what they want to do when in office.

I remember being amused some time ago when someone sent me a story about how President Obama is against gay marriage. They were like, "Have you seen this?! What do you think of this?" like I was going to withdraw my support because of this one issue. I said that it might surprise you to know that I don't agree with everything he does. However, I think he is the best person for the job right now. I also wish he did have more plans for stricter gun control laws, although that is not even a glimmer in his eye on his agenda, despite the hysteria you hear from some folks who seem to believe that Obama is going to personally come to their house and wrest the guns from their grasp. Not happening, folks.

Anyway, there are several things that Congressman Donnelly espouses that I don't agree with. He's a blue dog Democrat, for pete's sake, and I wish he were much more liberal. However, he's done a lot of good around here, especially with trying to bring jobs and stimulus money to his district, and his work on behalf of veterans. He is very visible, spends a lot of time in the district talking with people, and is amazingly accessible--always responding whenever I've sent a letter to him. He's a decent guy, and I think he proves the maxim "They're all crooks" wrong.

I honestly don't understand how anyone could give up one of our greatest freedoms and greatest privileges as U.S. citizens: the ability to vote for those who will represent us in our legislative branch of government. People fight and die for this privilege, and our ancestors did so when trying to establish our independence. I take it as a grave and amazing responsibility, and I don't mind telling you that I usually get a little choked up when I go vote. That is one of the reasons I take umbrage at those people who like to say that because I have certain political stances that I am not a patriot, or even that I hate America. You know what? Fuck you and the tired old nag you rode in on.

So please be involved, be informed, and no matter which way you go, right or left, please vote. It's important, and it's an honor.

Okay, the premiere of "The Walking Dead" is over. YES! I loved it! It's a gorefest, so if you don't care for that, don't bother watching. Graphic zombie killshots. I know I'll be watching again next week. I was really impressed, but I shouldn't be too surprised with a fine director like Frank Darabont. (You might have heard of a couple of his movies. "The Green Mile," and what was that one about the guy in prison...oh yeah, "The Shawshank Redemption." haha) Wow. I was glued to the TV, and usually I'm up and about doing other things. Not with this one!

It's kind of a typical story, in which a guy is hospitalized, in and out of consciousness due to a gunshot wound, and wakes up to find that everything changed while he was out. After a pretty quick learning curve, he gets an idea of what he's going to have to do to survive. And he must survive, because his wife and son are missing, and he has no idea if they are alive or dead...or undead. What always works in apocalypse tales is the relationships that are forged, often reluctantly. There is always a jerk that you just know is going to screw things up for everyone, and that you really kind of want to get eaten. There are people trying to find others, trying to either form a new society or just to get help in trying to survive. It's not a new story, but this one already promises some interesting relationships.

One thing that I always get a kick out of with apocalypse movies or shows like this: someone always wants to go to the city where there are said to be "people in charge" who are "working on a cure." It's often the CDC, but sometimes it's a fictional facility, like the one in Stovington, Vermont that Harold Lauder is so anxious to get to in The Stand. The sense of despair is palpable when they find that no one is in control.

By the way, the zombies in "The Walking Dead" are the worst kind...they're fast. It seems like when there are only a couple, they just sort of shuffle along slowly, but get them in a group and they seem to speed up. Yikes! The last thing you want when confronted by a zombie mob is a sense of competition amongst them!

Two undead thumbs up!

Here is my coda, and I will probably curse in it, thus my title. (Kudos to anyone who knows the origin of the phrase!)

Don't you just love it when someone who has treated you shabbily for some time, or has had little to no contact with you, suddenly gets a hold of you and asks for money? They seem to think they can say whatever they want about you, do whatever they want to purposefully hurt you, and then for some bizarre reason, they think you'll happily fork over some dough when they demand it. It's laughable, it really is. What's even funnier is when the person is the type who hates government entitlements, despises those who "demand handouts," and ridicules anyone who they think is unwilling to work for the money they get. I guess handouts are okay when you're the one asking for them! Everyone else is a bunch of goddamn slackers!

There seems to be a serious disconnect from reality in these people, or a complete lack of comprehension of cause and effect. You don't get to call someone names and say shitty things about them for years, then turn around and play nice when you want money. You know what I call someone like that? A manipulative, money-grubbing jerk, and someone who obviously has no idea of how to deal with people in a reasonable way. I suppose sometimes they can't help themselves; they just don't have the ability to understand that their actions have consequences, and they're so wrapped up in their own little world of deception and bitterness (Malice in Wonderland) that they can't control their own behavior. That doesn't make it any better, it doesn't make me sympathetic, and it certainly doesn't make me any less resistant to such manipulation.

We all make choices in our lives. If your choice was to purposefully treat others shabbily, time and time again, it's going to come back to bite you on the ass. Guaranteed. Go lie in that bed you've made.