Posted by
drpete on Tuesday, July 07, 2009 3:07:20 PM
It was 12 days ago that my computer (actually its screen) died, went toes-up, assumed room temperature, started a permanent dirt nap, went to be with the supreme microchip in the skies. I shipped the carcass to Vision Computers in Atlanta. On its arrival at the Vision Hospital, Tech Chris examined it, and pronounced it DOA June 26.
While driving northbound on I-75 in Kentucky, I had Chris transfer the call to the sales weenies. It's like when you lose a pet dog as a kid or like when you fall from a horse, I think. You get a new dog or climb back on right away. So I immediately ordered a new one. I'm on my second day of trying to decipher anything, anything at all. With the capable, kind, patient an solicitous assistance of the TH Blogmaster, Chris Regal, and the blogging denmother of many of us hereon, Bobbie Kelley, your host of gumballs returns.
So there were 12 days. For 10 of them, I had two of my five grandchildren with me, almost-12 Eric and now-13 Evelyn. For the last two of those days I had their mother, my daughter Lara, join them, bringing a 19-year-old girl in tow. For the last three I had my brother JT and his wife Bonnie in. For the last 2 3/4 I had my almost-26 son Sean and his girlfriend of significant tenure Piper down from the Big Apple. So for most of my 12 days away from Townhall, I was -- with my lovely (and still working-for-a-living) wife Terrie -- running a camp, B&B, marina and drinking emporium. Tubing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and just cruising here on the Tennessee River just off our deck were daily. I did lots of food prep and cooking, and it went well. The first day and last day of the 12, book-ending the grankids' visit, I played golf . . . badly . . . both times. In some quiet moments, I finished reading Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism and read the whole of Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny. Both great reads, and recommended.
During those twelve days, I neither received nor sent an email. During those twelve days, I never watched a news program or listened to talk radio. I never read a newspaper, other than the local sports section. I participated in not a single political discussion. I did watch some great tennis, the women's and men's finals at Wimbledon, and some of Tiger's golf tournament. Great on my front-projection HD 108" screen, I must say. An even bigger show was 4th of July fireworks displays in panorama from the boat.
Having, then, dropped out, made love not war, focused on friends and family, not Washington and the world; having pondered and mind-wandered over single-malt and over cognac and over a red with a prime-tenderloin roast; having tuned into the minds of our many of all ages and perspectives; I conclude that we get more energized getting somewhere than getting back. I conclude that fledgling entrepreneurs are fighters and corporate execs are appeasers. I conclude that building something engenders more commitment than preserving something. I conclude that people yell "Gimme more!" louder, much louder, than people yelling "Gimme less!" I think that statists are trying to get somewhere and Constitutionalist lovers of liberty are wanting to get back. I think that statists are always entrepreneurs and conservatives are just holding on. I believe that statists are building big government while conservatives and libertarians are but seeking to preserve.
A dozen days ago, I had come to believe that America is toast, and had posted such here. If there were ever to be a tipping point, a last straw for productive and thinking Americans, the eight months of Obama and the statist liberal fascists, starting last November, should have been it. The most we've seen, though, has been a bucketload of group hugs, aka "Tea Parties". A dozen days later, I still believe that America is toast. However, it's been a great dozen days.