Category: Uncategorized

Potential federal employee

GAO App complete! Just under the wire, ‘cuz, well, I’m still me, and old habits die hard. And the fax number was busy, making it difficult to get the transcripts through, but even they made it before 5. Unfortunately, my “why I am perfect for this department” essays were painfully brief, which may work against me, but I’m sure there are other opportunities out there I can apply to which I would like just as much, so I won’t stress over it, and I will apply elsewhere.

Some tips for the nonsingle

I’ve been trying to remember what the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” for relationships were according to some shrink out there who did some intensely voyeuristic watching of couples in arguments, approximately since I left the class in which they were introduced; they seemed like a very useful analytical tool. It was in my social psych course during my last semester at cmu before heading off to chicago, so that’s what, 5 years ago?

The four horsemen (listed at the bottom of the following article) were criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling. At the time, I diagnosed the end of my relationship with (a year or 2 prior to that) and decided that we’d split the horsemen down the middle, two apiece. I’ll not get into who got which. =)

But this page has another useful analytical tool. The types of functional marriages. I have friends in both the “volatile” and “avoidant” types of relationships. The former takes some getting used to and can still be quite uncomfortable to be around in the heat of the moment. The latter can seem like denial. Both leave one waiting for the other shoe to fall, and for some it never does. The final type, a “validating” relationship (the only one that actually _sounds_ healthy. They could call the others “energetic” and “mellow” or something), I don’t know that I’ve seen much of. Maybe they just look like mellow marriages?

http://www.bccf.bc.ca/learn/coup_divpred.html

Missing Driver’s License

Sometime after I got back from washington, my driver’s license went AWOL. Now this isn’t life alteringly bad. I drink rarely and drive even less often. But a dl is essential for future car rentals or carshare programs (and there will be a car share program with a lot in uptown before next school year). A complicating factor is that I never got a MN license, or even converted my CA license address to the last location I lived in CA.

Now, unless I’m mistaken, my options are keep cleaning, and hope I run across it, try to get a replacement CA license, somehow, or go through the entire license rigamarole in MN, including on-road driving test, and whatever sort of parallel parking bullshit they require. Laziness bites me in the ass yet again. Joy. When will we start getting the cars that drive themselves, anyway? It’s 20042005, science is lagging. =)

My token conservative subscription

So, in an effort to alleviate the echo chamber effect that happens with my subscription choices on livejournal, I added a rabid conservative. They probably worship ann coulter. This was awhile back. I’d forgotten about it (they don’t post often). Running across the first entry was a very jarring experience. At first I assumed sarcasm. Then I felt blank incomprehension, then memory returned. I’m trying to see if there’s value to be harvested from the viewpoint.

I’m not sure if it’s compelling writing, forceful presentation, slow thinking on my part, a habit of blind acceptance of what I read on my subscriptions, or what, but I find myself unable to argue with the viewpoint presented until well after I turn away. Then the selective quotation’s context is remembered, strawmen become apparent, the chain of rationalization dissolves, etc. My first reaction on reading is an internal wail of despair. Maybe it’s just not knowing where to start.

The author in question is Canadian, for an additional note of irony.