Oh No!

My roommate was fired from his job as a teacher today for being gay. Of course that wasn't explicit, but it is pretty clear from the complaint that this is the deal.

Charges include showing an indecent movie (actually rated PG-13); having indecent photos on his computer, one of which is a photo of his arm around his husband; talking about making out with a chic [sic] on a cruise, which is unlikely, since he's...umm...gay; giving a group of students a bad grade; other bullshit like this. Seven pages. Seven pages! When it isn't obvious lies, like the charge that he took underage students drinking on a school sponsored trip to london (not school sponsored, ex-students, not underage across the pond), the charges are all hearsay. The draft is so full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors - fucking frustrating.

I want to get even somehow, so I went looking for means of revenge, and I found crabs! Of course! Revenge crabs, to put in the superintendent's bed to make him itchy itch with my indignation. Each scratch would give me satisfaction.

Honestly though, there aren't a whole lot of other options. My roommates pay is suspended, if he get's another job he can't pursue damages for this one, and his union is doing jack shit. Don't even get me started on the union. They have done absolutely nothing for him, a teacher for twelve years who took the school's team to nationals for Mock Trial. They've just been complicit, sucking the superintendent's dick the whole time. The only comment the union representative said during a meeting today was that he would still have to pay his dues now that he's fired if he wants the help of the union.

If McCain wins, that would just top it. You know what did it? A couple of Jehovah's Witnesses came to the house yesterday morning and I asked them a number of hard questions about free will and homosexual marriages. This is god's punishment? Or maybe it was because I've played Madlibs with the bible? Who knows these things.

As tough as all this is, imagine being forced to watch this video 100 times in a row. I suppose life could get worse.

The World is Getting Larger

When I was summering in Europe a few years ago, I was amazed by the obstacles to traveling. They weren't the same as in the US, but they were rather difficult to overcome nonetheless. Over here we've got a problem with distance - everything is so damn far away. I can make it over to Colorado, but it takes a good twenty hours. In Europe the distances aren't so severe, but the cost of traveling is. I spent $250 getting from Arco in northern Italy to Font in central France. It was just over ten hours of driving, which I can easily handle, but I went broke in the process.

As gas prices increase, the world is going to grow. The world has been getting smaller for the last thousand years, but I see this trend changing in the next ten. With the end of the era of cheap energy, traveling will become more difficult for the first time in human history. I feel is this summer looking at plane tickets. Getting to Europe this year costs as much as China last year. It is only going to get worse, so I foresee my wanderlust becoming more and more of a burden.

Academy and Car

I'm getting lunch with a member of the American Academy today. Awesome, I've never done that before, no one at Davis or Riverside is in the Academy. Jesse says that he didn't even know there was an American Academy, just the French one, and after I told him about it, he still thinks there's only one Academy. What a pretentious bastard.

I found out how they stole my car. I had a small pocket knife between the seats, and Jake noticed that it had been broken since I got my car back. We started thinking about why this could be, then realized what happened. Apparently my pocket knife can start the car, and as we later found out, can also open the doors. So they stole my car with my own knife. Great.

My Car Returns

My Car has returned! Found a mile away, no computer, lacking love, but safe and working. They took my faceplate, but not the stereo. My crashpad, but not my climbing shoes. My broker speakers, but not my new ones. I am a little glad thieves ore stupid. If they were smart we would all be screwed. My car has beer so violated! No paint on the font half, no A/C, no stereo, leaks coolant. what has happened?

Now I play catchup with the work, making up for a few days of depression/apathy and a few days without a computed. I made it up to the rocks twice to lift my spirits. One day at the Tran I sent Harry Pothead (V8) and Angus (V9) second go, onsighted Soul Caliber (V9), and redpointed Year of the Cat (V10). Black Mountain booted me off Regeneration a bunch as well. I fell of the top, I could feel the skin peeling off my finger as it happened. There we go, another bloody hole in my tip.

But I finally came to terms with the theft, so I think I'll be ok now. One hell of a week.

[UPDATE] I wrote this post on my new tablet notebook using the handwriting recognition software. Look how far technology has come!

Stolen

It makes me sad. My car and I were friends. Without transportation or communication, I'm not sure how much longer I'll make it. There isn't a whole lot to Alan, so if my cell phone breaks I think I'll cease to exist. Isn't that how these things work?

Surprises

I've never been a fan of surprises, they seem to typically turn out for the worse. I tried something new once, and it only brought displeasure and heartache. I still can't stand the taste of ginger. I just received some surprises from two friends, one of which I've known for years, the other I've known of for years.

One friend was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Aren't we always too young to be diagnosed with degenerative diseases? Another lost his foot in a work related accident. Luckily he sent his project the week before, but this certainly shouldn't be the cost.

I haven't used names in case someone would prefer that this information weren't well known, but my heart goes out to both of you. We climbers need to look out for each other.