The Experience Whore

The East Coast had a rare earthquake recently, and although it was mild (about 5.9), my first thought wasn't for the damage or for people's safety. It was: why wasn't I there? I desperately wanted to experience an earthquake.

It isn't just earthquakes. I have a yearning for all sorts of experiences, both natural and social. I've briefly been in California and Seattle, both quake-prone locations, but nothing happened. The one hurricane I have direct experience with was so mild we went out and walked around in it, wondering if we should try flying kites.

I wouldn't be so jealous if the women I know didn't have a long list of experiences behind them. As a group, them seem to blithely have taken hash, acid, mushrooms, heroin, and coke. They've had one-night stands and threesomes and rape. There has been skipping school, blowing off work, drunken partying, and thievery.

And the consequences? None. They are happy, intelligent, and well adjusted. If they wanted to write a story about tripping at a party and waking up in a strange hotel room, they have the authenticity to make it feel real.

I don't. Yet I'm the one that fancies himself a writer.

So when my hometown experiences a disaster, my first emotion isn't empathy.

It's jealousy.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Conservative Christian/ Republican politicians often beseech god to lead their way, to show them a sign that they are doing the right thing and guiding events. It stands that god would also warn that you are being a douche.

Eric Cantor recently played a role in the federal debt ceiling negotiations, insisting that millionaires and billionaires shouldn't be taxed, and that only spending cuts were acceptable to him, and was willing to shut down the government to get his way. He advocated cutting things like NPR, Planned Parenthood, the US Geological Survey, the National Weather Service, NASA, and NOAA.

This week a large earthquake hit the east coast. It was a 5.8, and was felt from Georgia, to Illinois, to Rhode Island. The epicenter was in Eric Cantor's congressional district. Do you think he took it as a warning? Keep in mind that the USGS tracks earthquakes and is learning to predict them, potentially saving lives and rebuilding costs.

Within days of the earthquake, Irene, a Category 3 hurricane, will make landfall near his house. The National Weather Service, NOAA, and NASA are all instrumental in predicting the strength and track of these storms, again potentially saving lives and protecting the country.

Has Mr Cantor been reading the signs?

Apparently not. He is now claiming that any money spent on repairs from the hurricane should be accounted for by spending cuts.

I wouldn't stand close to him. At this rate, a bolt of lightning is next. With his spending cuts in place, he'll never see it coming.