Woody Cavenaugh

I've been pretty good about keeping my mouth shut during the Spitzer thing. I thought I could move past it, but all I did was let it fester. So, here it is, and it is on.

The Sheriff of Wall Street earned his name by really cleaning up crime and making New York a safe place to do honest business. He also made a lot of enemies doing it, many of them political. So when the day came when they finally found a way to knock him from grace, he fell and he fell hard.

"The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones."
From the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Why else in this day and age can a guy who has done so much good get lynched for consorting with high dollar whores? He fell because he kept a whole bunch of people from making a whole lot of easy money. He also fell for being an honest man. Honest men are held to higher standards and all the good they do vanishes into little more than smoke and dust when it is found they aren't as honest as it was believed.

You can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. What do you do with a former coke head who dodged the draft, and got rich and powerful by making it easier for others to get rich and powerful? You try to make him president of course! If it doesn't work out you can always use rigged voting machines and hanging chads to finish the job. Sure people were upset but whats the big deal. No one was surprised. He didn't pretend to be anything he wasn't.

Now I read that the governor of New York has admitted to having affairs. No not that one. The new one. (Thanks to Fark.com for the headline.) I can only guess that this will blow over because he had no reputation for being an honest man. From what I've heard he is a guy who likes to get along. Criminals and big business people like guys who like to get along. They help grease those squeaky wheels.

There is a triangle, that defines the difference between criminals and big business people. The peak of the triangle is where a small number of big business people are while the flat bottom is where the multitudes of criminals are. The criminal only wants to get money and power and climb to the top of the triangle. Those big business people at the top of the triangle only need to try to stay there. Its an ugly but efficient system. The space between the top and the bottom is filled with politicians.

There was a time I believed that we wanted honest politicians. Now I realize that what we really need are dishonest politicians. With a dishonest politician we know where we stand. In the Lieutenant Governor's race the state employees have been getting almost daily an email from Hampton Dellinger. He has a plan. He is liked by all sorts of fluffy bunnies. He tells us every day in the emails he does. He's getting my vote. Not because of the fluffy bunnies but because he was the one dishonest enough to spam the state employees. No other candidate sends us emails. They are probably too honest to do so, or they are not clever enough to figure out who to pay off to get the email list.

He's my kind of scum, fearless and inventive.

This of course leads you to wonder about my presidential choices. Its a tough one. I was sort of rooting for Bush as dictator for life. All of the candidates seem like good people, so I will probably lean in the direction of the Republicans. As a rule they are always closest to the top of the triangle, and if McCain is as good as a man as he seems, surely someone out there will step up and pull his strings. Perhaps they are thinking he's good enough to get elected but not good enough to abuse power. That means that the Vice president will be truly a scoundrel, and they only need to wait for age to catch up with McCain. Of course, these are republicans so I can only guess they have a plan to help him along if his health suddenly improves and his goodness crimps their style too much.

Honest men have no place in modern politics.

Posted by Woody Cavenaugh at 12:06 PM | Permalink

I finally figured out something that had been nagging mildly at me each and every time I went home to the coast. I had always just assumed that I preferred it there because it was home, and that was that. But it kept nagging at me anyway. The feeling was either I had the wrong answer or an incomplete answer.

I was sitting on the back deck gazing up at the night sky with a cup of coffee in my hand and my wife on my head set. The constellations were laid out before me clear from horizon to horizon. I did like it better on the coast. Yes, it was the salt air, yes it was the sandy gray soil, yes it was the fact that I was born and raised there, but it was much more. It occurred to me that the places I was most at home were those places with long horizons. The only place I felt near as relaxed, was out west on the great plains. My soul craves open sky. Though it had never occurred to me before, the 'boro is just a little claustrophobic. The views I like best are those with the most visibility and the most visible sky. I am happy to visit the mountains but I do not truly live until I see the great wide open on all sides. I know to that if I moved to the plains eventually I would feel the nagging again. The sky would be right, but the air and the soil would be wrong.

It was verified driving north along the coast from Newport to Elizabeth city along highway 17. I hadn't felt so natural and whole in a long time. The only thing missing was the Fairlane, and the unobstructed views afforded by the lack of a B piller.

It makes no difference though, the money is here, my friends are here, my life and my wife are all here. I'm not going anywhere, but at least I know what that odd pull is now. Now matter where you go, there you are. Best to make peace with it.

Posted by Woody Cavenaugh at 3:57 PM | Permalink

I Am A: True Neutral Human Sorcerer (5th Level)


Ability Scores:

Strength-13

Dexterity-11

Constitution-14

Intelligence-11

Wisdom-14

Charisma-11


Alignment:
True Neutral A true neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. He doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most true neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil after all, he would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, he's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Some true neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. True neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion. However, true neutral can be a dangerous alignment because it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction.


Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.


Class:
Sorcerers are arcane spellcasters who manipulate magic energy with imagination and talent rather than studious discipline. They have no books, no mentors, no theories just raw power that they direct at will. Sorcerers know fewer spells than wizards do and acquire them more slowly, but they can cast individual spells more often and have no need to prepare their incantations ahead of time. Also unlike wizards, sorcerers cannot specialize in a school of magic. Since sorcerers gain their powers without undergoing the years of rigorous study that wizards go through, they have more time to learn fighting skills and are proficient with simple weapons. Charisma is very important for sorcerers; the higher their value in this ability, the higher the spell level they can cast.


Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

Detailed Results:

Alignment:
Lawful Good ----- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (21)
Neutral Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (23)
Chaotic Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16)
Lawful Neutral -- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (21)
True Neutral ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (23)
Chaotic Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16)
Lawful Evil ----- XXXXXXXXX (9)
Neutral Evil ---- XXXXXXXXXXX (11)
Chaotic Evil ---- XXXX (4)

Law & Chaos:
Law ----- XXXXXXXXX (9)
Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXX (11)
Chaos --- XXXX (4)

Good & Evil:
Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXX (12)
Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXXX (12)
Evil ---- (0)

Race:
Human ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXX (14)
Dwarf ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXX (14)
Elf ------ XXXX (4)
Gnome ---- XXXXXXXXXX (10)
Halfling - XXXXXX (6)
Half-Elf - XXXXXX (6)
Half-Orc - XXXX (4)

Class:
Barbarian - (-6)
Bard ------ (0)
Cleric ---- (0)
Druid ----- (-8)
Fighter --- XXXX (4)
Monk ------ (-19)
Paladin --- (-17)
Ranger ---- (0)
Rogue ----- (-4)
Sorcerer -- XXXXXX (6)
Wizard ---- XX (2)

I think I found the ties most interesting.

Posted by Woody Cavenaugh at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In the event this is my last entry, I just want to say, its been OK I guess.

It all began with a simple request, try to get rid of some clutter before I go to the coast to spend some time with my ailing father.

Carpentry, we meet again. To get rid of the clutter is a multi step process that begins with putting up a shelf such that I can move some stuff, so I can move some stuff, so I can move some stuff so I can get the clutter out of the living room. Currently I live in a pile. Everything I could possibly need is within my fingertips. The downside of this is of course, I can't move. I'm trapped by my own convenience. It is time to organize so things that I don't need this minute can be put out of the way.

I used some empty coffee cans from work to sort the nails, wood screws, sheet metal screws, bolts, nuts washers, and other various bits these I put into the shed, an organization project for another day. Then I went to the local home improvement shop to buy the shelf and hardware I need to put it up. I chose my shelf, and bought a kit which was expensive but, looked like it had everything I would need to do an excellent shelf hanging job to stand the test of time. It takes an hour round trip to drive there.

I got home and discovered that my kit didn't have screws. I walked to the shed to get screws, and walked back. I sure could use a level. I walked to the shed and walked back. Where is my measuring tape? I walked to the shed and I walked back. There I have what I need. Quickly the shelf was installed and I put a few things on it to begin the cleaning process. Not heavy things, not books or sewing machines, or tool boxes, but boxes of pens and pencils and little dividers with papers in it, manuscripts, and odd school bits that Sara and I have collected over the years. A box of sewing supplies. thread, needles, scissors, etc. A plastic box filled with crayons and colored pencils.

Then there was this strange noise, I had just enough time to look up before I found a plastic box of sewing supplies had hit me full in the face. I staggered to the side and stumbled into a plastic box of colored pencils. Plastic shards went everywhere. Good thing I still had on my shoes from all that walking back and forth from the shed.

The shelf was lolling to the side. Some of those parts the kit ought to have but didn't were absolutely necessary and the proof was smashed at my feet. The shock and impact of the sewing box hitting me in the face really pissed me off. I don't piss off easily but when I do, it requires some deep breathing. I stood there breathing for some time while one by one each box slid off the shelf into the floor. Each falling item added to the amount of time I needed to breathe.

Eventually I was to the point I felt safe to drive so I got back into the car and went back to the local home improvement store to buy more things to put the shelf up with. I got them and had the same clueless cashier who I had earlier in the morning. I guess she didn't recognize me because this time I wasn't smiling and friendly. I was frowning and I had no more small talk to offer.

Only one thing to do in a situation like this. Bojangles, Killian's, and a pizza for Sara so I could have enough Bojangles. This looks like at least an eight piece problem. I won't be able to have a Killian's until she comes back. I'm weird like that. I don't want to have a drink when I think I might be needed, so I never drink when she isn't around. When she comes around, oh yes, there will be drink.

I got home and tried to ignore the new mess and began again to hang a shelf. There was an odd tingling feeling in my lips that I tried to ignore. Likely I was biting them trying not to scream and couldn't be bothered to check. I measured 12 inches from the ceiling on one side and 12 inches from the ceiling on the other and With a level I went marking and drilling holes in the drywall from one side to the other. Each hole was level with the two holes previous. By the time I got to the other end, the 1/4 inch holes were now 10 inches from the ceiling and not 12.

The tingling which by this time had moved down my arms, was moving into my legs.

There is a term for situations when you discover that though the world is level, symmetry is not within your grasp. It is "Ha ha ha you stupid fat slobby idiot."

There is a strange roaring sound in my ears and I have this incredible desire to go have a lie down.

I am off to do that now, but first I'd better take a handful of aspirin. I heard somewhere that aspirin helps.

Did I mention that I seem to be cursed at carpentry?

yeah.

Posted by Woody Cavenaugh at 4:27 PM | Permalink