I guess we don't matter

I have just spent the last couple of hours cruising the political blogs (really interesting right now), and one thing that struck me is that no one in either party even mentioned native issues. I mean many blogs, no mention. It's like we're invisible.
I guess there aren't enough native votes to matter. Oh well.

Winter?

It's not even november, and it's been below freezing a number of times. I hope that doesn't say something about the winter, especially with electric rates going up as much as 55%.
This time of year I always start to get a lot of appeals from native charities. I would like to help, but while I know a lot of them are legitimate, I also know that a lot aren't. Unfortunately, I don't know anyway to find out which is which. It's a real shame that I have to worry about this. I,m going to ask around, because I know a lot people need help now, on and off the rez.

maybe good news

Just found out the city hired a new public works director. If they planned on privatizing, I don't think they would do that. Got my fingers crossed.

What a time at Archon

I know it's been a couple of weeks, but I just have to talk about the great time I had at the SF con. Talk about babes! There were scantily clad ladies everywhere. One couple had a hall costume as the Rubbles. Believe me, Betty Rubble never wore anything like that!
The only downer was when we all found out friday night that Bob Tucker had died that night. We all smoothed him. It was realy bad for a while.
The only real problem for me was that everyone was so much younger. But it's really great that there is a new generation of fandom, and no one treated me as an old timer, that's what fandom is all about.

Nervous about my job

It's official, four of the six of us at the sewer plant have taken early retirement next year, and the fifth is considering it. That will leave me. I know retirement sounds great, but I just can't afford it right now. Plus what would I do with all that time? After all, I'm only 49.
But if it's just me, what will they do? I hope they hire all new people, and things go on, probably with a promotion for me.
But what if they use this as an excuse to privatize? Where will that leave me? Surely they won't just dump me after 28 years, especially since I will be the only one left who knows the plant.
The whole situation has been eating at me, I just have to hope for the best.
Enough of these downbeat posts, I'm going to get some nice stuff up later.

I guess I am political

I didn't used be very political, but things now are so bad, I have to take a stand.
This is from Henry V:

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage

My rage is no longer still.
Almost 50 american soldiers have died this month for no good reason. This is criminal.
We have to stop this!

felt good at mt. pisgah

It really felt good singing at Mt. Pisgah today, we had a lot of energy, and we were on!
The other guys did spend a lot of time throwing hawks, I guess I better get one if I want to be part of this group (I borrowed one and managed to stick it a few times, wow).
Fred Warbonnet was there doing his fancy dance thing, just a great time.
We did learn that next year may be the last year for Mt. Pisgah. Well, what a ride!

I guess I'm a fan again

Last weekend at Archon was a revelation! Once a fan, always a fan. I had the best time I have had in years! The masquerade was fantastic! By the way, if you don't know, a masquerade at an SF con is not a dance, it is a presentation of costumes on stage, not a bunch of star trek or star wars stuff, but creative, professional, innovative acts.
Archon is known for one of the best in the world, and this was no exeption.
One of the funniest was " The next Harry Potter movie: Snapes on a Plane!". If you don't get it , ask someone.
I will have more to say, but friday night we all learned that Bob Tucker died.
Bob was SMOOOTH!

back to fandom

I made to Archon, the SF convention by St. Louis, over the weekend, and I'm really glad I did. I can't believe this was the first con I've been to in over two years, But it all came back, I fit right in again.
The con was huge this year, the last I heard close to 3000 people, but I found a lot of my old freinds and talked about old times. Everyone was as shocked as me about my brother Dan's death last year.
I think I am going to start going to at least a few cons again.
I'm going to have more to say about the con and going to Cahokia mounds in later posts, but now I have to talk about the section of concrete manhole I found in my backyard when I got home sunday. How do you lose something like that! No one seems to know anything about it, but the city says they will haul it away. WEIRD!

I got on dailykos!

Wow, I just got a post on dailykos! People might actually listen to me.

Back to SF fandom

Well, I guess I am going to Archon, one of the biggest science fiction conventions in the country, this weekend. I haven't been to a con in years, since well before Dan died. For years it was a major part of my life, I traveled all over the country, sometimes 7 or 8 a year or more. Not only am I going, I am supposed to be on staff this weekend. I hope I can fit back in, I have to try for Dan's sake.
I really feel guilty about missing the Black Fox performance at Mt. Pisguah this weekend, I mean it is really bothering me. But I never miss practices or performances, I have given up so many things over so many years for the group. I never said I was giving up my whole life for the drum. I have to learn to think of myself occasionally, I really need this weekend.
Besides, we need a native presence in fandom, there have been a few great native SF authors.