Respite

I'm back to blog briefly, though don't know how long it will last. I needed time away from it...probably still do. I was away from Thursday afternoon until yesterday (Friday) afternoon at a client association board retreat. It was held at the incoming chair's lake home about two hours east of Dallas, on Lake Holbrook. The intended "let's bond" atmosphere did not emerge for me, probably because of my contribution to the "share a secret" game the host set up. Each person was to share something interesting about themselves that others at the event would be unlikely to know. I decided to share that "I lean to the far left, politically." I knew that would go over well with this group, many of whom avow their super-patriotism by making verbal assaults against victims of hurricane Katrina, countries that do not readily roll over to U.S. imperialistic demands, etc.

Anyway, the response was predictable. "You're in business for yourself and you're a liberal?!" How could that be, they wondered? My revelation simply goaded them to their worst. I took it all without comment; I just thought to myself, "what a bunch of utterly uninformed idiots!" I did, that is, until one of the most demonic republicans among them talked at length about how great a person Paul Newman is for all he does for the world. I pointed out that what Paul Newman does in lending his name to good causes and contributing money from his salad dressing sales to charities is suspiciously liberal in tone. "Not all liberals are bad, but most of them are," the ugly American responded.