A Familiar Place and Other Tales in Book Six: Trying to Hold On 2019

So… last night a familiar feeling came back.

Rage without reason.

This typically signals something is coming that is increasing my pain. Considering the weather reports, it should be obvious to me. The cold snap is finally coming, which will cause my back and leg pain to skyrocket, so my body is doing the “rage cope” which keeps my adrenaline up and my neurotransmitters “otherwise focused.” That is the most obvious explanation all things considered.

But feeling rage, knowing it is a non-emotionally inspired feeling, my brain still looks for things to be furious about because it is trying to emotionally justify that anger. So my mind whispers, “Isn’t it infuriating that you’ve lived in your new house since Oct 31, and you haven’t even made out with your wife in it?” So my mind whispers, “Criminals aren’t punished appropriately, even though that is part of your job. Doesn’t that piss you off?” So my mind whispers, “You’ve been working out hard for the last three months but you’re still fat.” So my mind whispers, “Beautiful women with intelligence prefer barbaric cruel men, so you’ve never had a chance.” So my mind whispers, “Your job is meaningless today but you have to be here and miss MK11 Reveal Event.” So my mind whispers, “You’re never going to experience any of the erotic delights you want.” So my mind whispers, “The injustice of the world is being ignored.” So my mind whispers, “Trump is going to win a 2nd term.” So my mind whispers, “Barr will never let the American Public know the contents of the Mueller Report.” And just… on and on and on trying to convince me that my rage is based on the billion and one things that are fucked up in this world… despite a rational, knowledgeable understanding of the genuine cause of that rage: My chronic pain issues.

TL;DR- Rage, even when formed from a non-emotional, logical place… can be a hard thing to live with.

Random Statement:

I must attend Democratic Caucus for 2020. At this point, judging the wide range of “Running”, “Might Run” or “Considering Running” I would say my caucus Support would be for Amy Klobuchar or Kamala Harris. If Harris won the nomination, I would hope that she tap Beto O’Rourke for her VP in an effort to grab the Middle-American Voters. If Klobuchar won the nomination, I would hope that she tap Julian Castro for the VP in an effort to grab racial minorities and coastal democrats. Though… truthfully, looking out over the field right now? It appears that Warren or Biden would more likely secure nominations should they choose to run.

An interesting and worrisome element to all of this? Electoral College. The EC is the alleged “political in the know” people who exist to truly cast the votes and, in theory, protect the American people from themselves. In 2016, they gave the presidency to Donald Trump despite Hillary Clinton wining the Popular Vote. As a politically minded person, I reasoned that this was due to a Political Perspective that regarded “Unknown” as less dangerous than “Hillary Clinton.” Personally, I would consider the proof in the pudding that this particular “unknown” has proved as dangerous as they come. But moving towards 2020, it is difficult to predict how things will go. I would hope that the Political In the Know are now hyper aware of how dangerous Trump has been and would be more willing to look past any alleged shortcomings of a Democratic Candidate… but that might be saying too much. It would not surprise me if, say, Warren won the nomination that the Electoral College determined that Trump would be better. Not saying I disagree or agree; but a concern that comes to mind.

Despite now owning the Playstation 4 game “Spider-Man” my own time issues and video game priorities are making it more and more difficult to simply get around to it. However, the game has been said to have one of the very best versions of Doc Ock as detailed in the following article: https://io9.gizmodo.com/marvels-spider-man-has-one-of-the-best-twists-on-a-clas-1828975399.

That article DOES have significant spoilers for those who may otherwise wish to be surprised about certain elements of the game’s story. That being said, I was in no way concerned with spoilers as I’ve been reading Spider-Man comics since I was 7. Not regularly mind you. The Ben Riley, Peter Parker Clone arc in the mid to late 90s kind of lost me… and the Brand New Day arc totally upset me… not to mention the weird and somewhat awkward Doc Ock as Spider-Man thing… okay, basically Spider-Man has a lot of weird stories in his comic book world!

ANYWAY… the review shares a perspective I have long felt about a different Superhero in Comics that is also well-known for wearing red and blue.
From the article:
“A great Spider-Man tale cannot just rely on one side of Peter’s life or the other. It must find threads across both that it can weave throughout—and then tighten at the worst possible time to smash those two lives into each other.”
The same is true for Superman but not in the way that some think. I’ve written extensively about this before and may simply re-post my analysis someday for new readers to see… but the strength of Superman stories comes from Clark Kent. Technically there is no need for Clark Kent. Superman could be Superman all day every day and travel the world saving as many folks as possible at all times. So why does Clark Kent exist? Because he came first. Because despite his alien birth, despite his alien powers… Clark Kent was raised as a human being on planet Earth in Smallville, Kansas, United States. He’s a man that grew up with the same dreams and desires we all have… to get his dream job, help people, fall in love. But then he discovered he was something more. He had the ability to leap high into the air and catch a spacecraft as it crashed, setting it back to earth safely with no loss of life. He had the ability to outrun a speeding locomotive and prevent the train from careening off a damaged bridge. He could throw his body in front of innocent people being shot at with no damage. He could physically do wonderful things. But that didn’t mean he didn’t want to follow his dreams, as well. Sure, he could save lives… but Superman can’t change the world… not the way Clark Kent can. Superman can beat people up; but Clark Kent can publicly expose systemic corruption. Superman can catch a building as it falls over; but Clark Kent can write a Pulitzer-Award Piece about the need to save Hobb’s Bay from being leveled by developers.

In other words, to steal the words of the above article “A great Superman tale cannot just rely on the extraordinary powers of Kal-El. It must find threads across both Superman and Clark Kent that it can weave throughout; and then tighten at the worst possible time to smash those two lives into each other.” Or, as was done during the Hush Saga… Batman and Catwoman had to fight a Poison Ivy Mind Controlled Superman. Batman did not tell Catwoman who Superman was; but said, “The people at the Daily Planet are very close to Superman.” Catwoman then kidnapped Lois Lane and threw her off a building. The Clark Kent side of Superman took over, breaking through the mind control, and Superman saved Lois despite the Poison Ivy toxins. Any story that treats Clark Kent like a mistake, like a non-character, like an afterthought… is fundamentally missing half of its story.

Here’s the oldest statement I can make:

Speeding Ticket Cases piss me off. Because some people treat them like fucking life or death and… dude, fuck off.

OCTOBER… a man got a speeding ticket for 82 in a 65. That isn’t fast enough to equal any License Based Punishment. It is just a fine. The guy wanted to challenge the ticket, but requested a continuance because his child was sick. Granted. The guy called yesterday to say he had a migraine and couldn’t make it to court. To which I told him, “Sir, your hearing is tomorrow.” To which he said he wouldn’t be able to make it then, either. I told him, “that is fine. you can appear by phone if you can’t get here.”
He calls again today. “How can I not have court?” Sir… you can pay the ticket. “No you don’t understand. I was passing a truck because my son was ill. He needed a restroom. When the officer pulled me over, I was going 68.” Sir, our officer’s radar states 82 mph. You were going 15 to 20 miles per hour over the speed limit which is not enough to result in a suspension of driving privileges. There is nothing I can do for you on this ticket. “Then I want to continue the case. I cannot be in court today.” Sir, as discussed yesterday that is a matter you will have to bring before the judge. I am not your attorney and cannot file a motion on your behalf. Further, you are allowed a hearing by telephone so that you don’t have to drive all the way to the courthouse if that is a burden for you. “No, I need to see the judge. She needs to hear my story. She will understand.” All right, then you will have to speak with the judge. “How do I do that?” Call. Her. Or file something. (I didn’t say this but: or pay the damned ticket!)

Here’s the thing… I’m not heartless. If his son was sick and the citing officer can verify, I’ll see what we can do. But the gentleman also told me that his son lives in Iowa City and is hospitalized. The “son in the car” only came out after I wouldn’t file a continuance on his behalf since, as the opposing lawyer, I cannot make motions FOR him. So… a guy that continues to say he won’t pay the ticket, but won’t come to court, but won’t do a hearing by telephone.... I’m not inclined to go out of my way for him OR take him at his word after his third different story. Meanwhile, this is a speeding ticket that has already taken over 2 hours of my time all things added together and we still haven’t had a trial. So, yeah. Even less likely to contort my position over a speeding ticket where all I can confirm for sure is “Driver who is speeding wants to waste our time and do nothing.” (Here’s the secret… the guy hasn’t even given me a halfway decent reason why he shouldn’t pay the ticket. Like he hasn’t said ‘I’m a truck driver’ and he hasn’t said ‘It is a financial hardship.’ Those are things that sometimes I’ll work with because I’m not a heartless bastard. All I’ve gotten is “I don’t want to pay”… well congratulations, sir, nobody on the face of the planet has ever wanted to pay a speeding ticket… it isn’t on someone’s bucket list, and people don’t cue up hoping to be selected for Speeding Ticket. But it is a fact of driving… if you choose to drive in excess of the posted speed, you are subjecting yourself to the possibility that you will be cited for speeding. DONE.

THEN I get a call from a “City Lawyer.” I use that expression because… there are specific places in Iowa where people think “I live in a City, I’m better than Rural.” I know this because I’ve lived in those places. This is one of those lawyers. He called yesterday asking for his client to be given 1 week before she has to appear for her hearing; but since he isn’t representing her on the matter, could I maybe take it to the judge for him. So I did. I literally did as he asked as a professional courtesy. The judge said, “No. Fuck that. We’ve had a warrant out for this woman for over a month. When she is released from jail in County 23, we’re transporting her here, she is getting her Initial Appearance out of the way, and then we’ll release her.” Okay. I did my part. The attorney is not representing his client in our county, but I took his request to the judge, who rejected it, as judge’s are able and wont to do.

He calls me today. “We talked yesterday and I asked you to do something.” Yes, sir. I did. I took your request to the judge. “Then do you mind telling me why one of your sheriffs is picking her up to take her to your county right now?” Sir, I took your request to the judge who said that this client has not made an appearance nor has an attorney. The warrant has been out for over a month with no Initial Appearance. Likely, she will have her appearance hearing put on record, receive notice of her next hearing date, and be released. “Well, she better not stay in your jail. I asked you to do something and now she’s getting picked up. Is she going to be released at all?” ::sigh:: Sir, typically for an offense of her level, she will have her Initial Appearance and be released. “Well, she isn’t likely to get an attorney appointed so I can’t exactly file for her in that case.” I understand, sir. But without an initial appearance, we can’t even determine whether she is eligible for Court Appointed Attorney. She is likely to have her initial appearance, receive notice of her next hearing date, and be released. “I just don’t like hearing that she’s getting picked up when you were supposed to take care of things.” ::longer sigh, keeping my professionalism in mind:: “I appreciate that, sir, but as you know the Judge always has final determination. Now if you aren’t representing her in a Hardin County case, I do need to see to some other matters.

UGH. If it isn’t “Speeding Tickets shouldn’t need to be paid” it’s “I’m an important lawyer, you’re a little county… do what I want”. GR

:/ So I still haven’t called Obsessive Mother yet. And I feel an almost ethical quandary over that. Because my predecessor stopped returning her calls. So, it isn’t like there isn’t any precedent to just blow this lady off. This office prior to my being hired used to blow her off as a matter of course. But I feel like that sets up a bad precedent and establishes an unnecessarily cruel relationship with our office and this woman. Because she has a genuine feeling that something terrible happened to her daughters. And she could very well be correct. But there is nothing this office can do for her at the present time. And she really wants that to NOT be the case. But I’m honestly not in a position to magically fix all the errors and decisions and past actions of this office. So my ethical quandary is:
Do I subject myself to a return phone call where I have to listen to this woman re-hash the same events from four years ago while attempting again to convince her that there is nothing I can do while again hearing her displeasure and anger that I’m not doing enough to help her get back at her ex-husband.
Or do I simply not call her back; thereby disrespecting her and not following through on my pledge to represent the community in matters of importance.

I mean, that may be overstated? But… something honestly may have happened. So I don’t want her to feel like Law Enforcement/County Officials don’t care. In the law, especially when it comes to inappropriate contact with minors, the painful truth is… often times we do care very much, but that doesn’t change how (too often) there is very little we can actually DO.

Court?
WELLLL......... Speeding Ticket man called the judge like I suggested he do. We were all ready to have trial and then he stated, “Actually, I don’t think my English is good enough for this. I cannot do this today.” The judge turned it over to me. I, as The Government, have a Responsibility to uphold the Constitutional Rights of all citizens and all peoples in this country. Technically, he has a Constitutional Right to an interpreter. So we have to continue it to comply with that request. THEN he asked if he just hires a lawyer instead, could the lawyer be in the courtroom so he doesn’t have to show up. Again, the judge turned it over to me. “Your Honor, that can be acceptable. However, the attorney making an appearance on behalf of his client would need to demonstrate (likely through paper filing) that his client did not wish to testify. Further, the attorney would have to file a waiver of the Defendant’s Confrontation Rights.” The judge actually looked impress and told me that she hadn’t considered the Defendant’s right to face his accuser as granted by the Constitution.

In short… I’m smart enough to do my job, kind enough to do it in a way that respects other people’s legal rights, and ethical enough to make sure those rights are observed. However, I lack the patience to put up with this kind of shit as this guy will be found guilty of speeding because the factual reality is that he was speeding. But fine… continue it out. Defendant gets to rely upon his rights as much as he wants.

And on the day where Political Immaturity reached a new low point...............

The Government Shutdown has reached a historic length. On one side, you have the Senate that wants to re-open the Government but aren’t being allowed to vote due to McConnel blocking the voting. On the other side, you have a President that has manufactured an emergency due to his own uneducated Campaign Promise. Many federal employees are not working and not receiving pay. DESPITE what Trump has claimed REPEATEDLY these are not “people with pay and benefits that protect them from this kind of thing.” These are people that are facing eviction, foreclosure, utility shutoffs, and other harmful effects. Many federal employees are working and are not receiving pay. Federal Corrections Officers, TSA, and others. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has officially declared that we are approaching serious security risks due to the Government Shutdown. SO… translate that. Trump keeps screaming that we need a wall for National Security Reasons (despite his own administration’s reports suggesting the security threat is at Airports, the Northern Border, and Visa Overstay). Meanwhile, his tantrum about national security issues is causing a national security issue. But all of this was known. None of this is news, and none of this is what I was discussing with the line “And on the day where Political Immaturity reached a new low point...............”

HERE’S what I was talking about.
Wednesday, Nancy Pelosi suggested that the President postpone his State of the Union Address. She stated that with the government shutdown, it would be difficult for secret service to protect the President appropriately. What with them being on the list of “Required to work, not getting paid” and that being a concern for obvious reasons.

I would argue that it is deeper than that. NO State of the Union Address should be given in the midst of a Government Shutdown because the State of the Union Address is a speech designed to discuss where we have been as a country, where we are as a country, and where we are going as a country. When the government is shut down? Shut up. You don’t get to make a speech about past, present, and future when the present is NO GOVERNMENT. That shouldn’t even be a question. The absolute lack of tact and decorum and good taste in trying to do a pat on the back speech in the midst of a shutdown just… I know Trump doesn’t know better, but he should dammit.

In retaliation, today he “got back at” Nancy Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi and other members of the government were set to travel to Egypt, Afghanistan, and Brussels to visit the troops (in part to view how the Shutdown affects foreign stationed Americans) and NATO Defense Forces. THIRTY MINUTES before the plane was set to take off, Trump tells Nancy that she can’t use a military plane because the government is shut down.

HIS EXACT WORDS:
“I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the Shutdown.
Obviously if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative.
I look forward to seeing you soon and even more forward to watching our open and dangerous Southern Border finally receiving the attention, funding, and security it so desperately deserves!”

Aside from the fact that flying on a Commercial Plane to Military Bases is an abuse of stupid (Commercial No Fly Zones, you dimwitted fuck); this also assumes that there is a negotiation to be had. THE DEMOCRATS LITERALLY TRIED TO NEGOTIATE WITH HIM ALREADY! He asked for 1.6 billion, they gave it, he rejected it coming back asking for 5 billion. They were like… okay, we see his game. NO. We’re not going to keep saying yes to you only for you to turn around and ask for more each time. NO 5 billion. AND AGAIN he turned around and said 5.6 billion. HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO HAGGLE. So there is no negotiation. There is a tiny man with no sense in his head screaming for him to get his way. He’s a petty, petulant, spoiled toddler of a man.

BY THE WAY not that I’m necessarily a fan of Miss Ocasio-Cortez, but she’s right here:

Right now, the man MOST LIKELY to end the Government Shutdown is Mitch McConnell. EVERYONE knows that the President is not going to accept anything less than EXACTLY what he asked for. So Trump has painted himself firmly into a corner. If you never budge from your asking amount (or worse, keep increasing the asking amount over and over)… reasonable, rational adults will STOP negotiating with you. So giving Trump EXACTLY what he wants is off the table. So, if Trump won’t budge and if dealing with him won’t work… then we need a system that can override the President. The system that already exists and was specifically written into the Constitution circa 1782!

The Senate, upon reaching a 2/3 majority, may vote to approve a bill that the President has vetoed. In short… the way it is SUPPOSED TO WORK
Senate writes a bill, President signs it, bill becomes law.
OR
Senate writes a bill, President vetoes it, Senate votes by 2/3 majority in favor of overriding the veto, bill becomes a law.

The original bill to fund the government had 100% bipartisan support and passed 100 to 0. THAT bill is the one the President vetoed. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can call for a vote to override that veto. PEOPLE ARE ASKING Mitch McConnell to call for that vote overriding that veto. Mitch McConnell has continued to say, “I will not call for a vote on any bill that the President will not sign.” THAT’S NOT HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK, YOU ABSOLUTE TOOL! As Senate Majority Leader, you are supposed to have (actually) a little more power than the President because your bicameral governing body has the power to override the President. Your obstinate, asinine, irresponsible, unreasonable choice to hold the Senate for Ransom until they do what the President says… is a complete insult to the Constitution and the Democratic Form of Government.

UGH in a Nerdy Gamer Way.

The Mortal Kombat 11 Reveal Event was today and Facebook and YouTube are exploding about it. But of all the websites and videos and recaps and story discussions and EVERYTHING… the only thing my At Work Computer will let me watch is the roughly 75 second clip showing “gameplay footage” that indicates the story will have Raiden, Baraka, Skarlet, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Scorpion, Sub Zero. MBFITWW was watching it on his phone and said that it looks like a lot of my predictions for the story are right… BUT I CAN’T CONFIRM because of the security firewall here at work. Granted… not a huge deal.. and it isn’t like it is going to change the game in any way… I’ll still pick it up, play it, know story/roster/play changes and all of that then. But… MORTAL KOMBAT NEWS and I don’t have that information yet.
Information that I am interested in that I do not yet possess! GAH! No wonder I relate to Edward Nygma! :)

I’m wasting time which always feels stupid because “I’m at work” but this is what it is to be someone that grew up working. Whether Dahl’s or Theatrical Shoppe or Wynsong or Overland Trading or Steve’s or Best Buy.... downtime where you try to look busy is an expected part of work. Totally call me out if that isn’t true, though. I’ve got about 75 minutes give or take 5 minutes left of the day. Then I drive home. Change clothes. Pick up Wife. Go exercise. Come home.
I want to do like three things all at the same time tonight.
I want to watch all the MK Reveal stuff
I want to finally grab that achievement in Fallout 4 I’ve been working toward
I want to watch Whiskey Tango Foxtrot with the wife. We’ll see which of those happens.

So, time is a thing that is so interesting as there is always too much and not enough.
I wish I had more time to play video games.
I wish I had more time to read erotica.
I wish I had more time to write erotica.
I wish I had the time and ability to live erotica.

But… I don’t. After exercising tonight, I’ll likely help make dinner, we’ll eat dinner, I’ll do the dishes and it will be around 8:00. That leaves one to two hours to do something with my time; but as Wife has been home alone for most of the day, I do feel some obligation to be free if she would like me to be in the room and/or watch something with her.
Tomorrow after work I drive to Ames to pay for the Home Theater. Then drive back up. Maybe have one or two more hours.
Saturday is go to the gym, then to Cedar Falls to watch Broly with MBFITWW, then maybe come back to mine to show Wife season 3 of My Hero Academia.

Maybe I’ll have time on Sunday or Monday. But then… it is weird, then, too. Wife certainly doesn’t encourage or allow the erotic lifestyle but also… I can’t view or read or write that with her around. So… maybe I’ll spend Sunday and Monday finally finishing to get all the Fallout 4 Achievements.