Handshakes, and Hand Raised

While I'm backfilling and following up on recent posts…

Last week, while we were all delightedly shaking hands and patting each other's back, a couple more emails were passed along behind the scenes. After putting up last week's piece that had served to acquaint both my occasional readers to Blue Dog's blog; I detailed myself a bit further to him. Blue had mentioned earlier some familiarity with Arabic, so of course I had to offer the proper salutation:

Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 1:26 PM

Salaam aleikum, BlueDog! Or, as it is still is out on the West Coast, sabah al-kheir! ["sabah al-kheir" in Arabic is equivalent to "good morning!"]

Thanks for your permission to quote your email and your blog; these are in the latest entry. And I've added a link to your blog in my "Hopping Mad" category, in a place of honor ahead of the leftist "Buck Fush" folks. Please note that I was selective in quoting your email, leaving out your given name, and details of your background (beyond correcting my misstatement on your USAF status) and work history / current employment.

For obvious reasons of privacy, no one who shows up in my blog (other than public and/or historical figures) does so under their own name. This also allows me to write a bit more freely about them, of course – though I steer away from the negative, other than hopping-mad issues of faith, politics, and general human stupidity.

Re politics: myself, I've only ever voted for two Republicans – one, the mother of a friend (to the County Commission), and the other the boss of another friend (to the School Board). Beyond that, I vote Democrat when in doubt, though I've pulled the metaphorical lever for a Green candidate once (she didn't make it, but… well, being half-German, I was proud to have been among her supporters!). So I'm more Dem than independent.

And, at least on my blog, I'm frustratingly broad, where you're enviably deep and well-honed. So I'll veer across a wider swath of issues, such as genealogy (I dig around my family's roots… haven't found the truffles yet, though), language, family, writing, and particularly religion/faith. Plus I've got an embarrassing delight in horrid puns, and can't resist posting some of those I am struck by (or stuck with).

Having just finished four stressful years with [a large, world-spanning firm] (never identified in name or clear location on the blog), I’m currently sweating out a span of unemployment while handing out my résumé on street-corners and sailing them as paper airplanes into open office-windows.

Longer-term, I hope to be allowed to study for the Catholic priesthood, or at least be accepted into a professed religious order, once my younger daughter (17) is in college. But while firmly obedient to Rome in the big things, I do grumble from the left about the little stuff, especially when I find myself concurring (NB: not "agreeing") with the conservatives on issues such as abortion and immigration.

Anyway, take care, sir. ;-)

Salaam!

And of course he didn't bat an e-lash at my Arabic when he answered:

Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 5:58 PM

Wa aleikum al Sallam,

You wrote a wonderful introduction to my blog. I was very pleased. I tend to focus on those areas where I hope both conservatives and liberals can see eye to eye. I often get both sides of the fence complimenting me on some post or the other. I try to lay out both sides of an argument as fairly as I can, but then explain why I come down on one side or the other.

But in the end, except in the areas of racism, I am comfortable as long as people are making informed decisions. We seem so polarized as Americans these days. And I find that disturbing. I hold a lot of liberal beliefs and a few conservative one.

I am a devout Christian. Of course, having said that, we would need to talk to figure out exactly what that means. We have so many different factions and sects, etc. But my believes shape many of my attitudes. I cannot bring myself to be pro-choice. On that issue, I must vote my conscience. On the other hand, I have no problem with the state recognizing same-sex marriage.

I just started this blogging fairly recently. It's a way to let off some of my frustrations with the direction our country is heading. At first, I was pretty much just blogging to myself. Now I have six people checking out my bluedogthoughts blog and maybe 16 or 17 checking out my Myspace version. The two are basically the same, it's sort of a back up and I tend to update the bluedogthoughts more often, because I get a lot of comments on the myspace version.

Ancestry? I am basically German/Scotch/Irish with a Cherokee great great grandmotther (which is a few drops and not much more). [...] I am Church of Christ and while I don't quite agree one hundred percent on all of their positions, they are my family and I will stick with them.

Good luck on your job hunt. I've been there and it can be frustrating. When I first got out of [college], I ended up working with [someone well-established in the field] for free just to get experience. I think it took me over a year to finally get a decent position.

As for the Catholic priesthood, I can only wish you the best with that. We (and I speak broadly) need good dedicated men in the religious field.

Take care and always feel to write,

Blue Dog

The next day I put up a posting that finally allowed Spartacus to get a foot in edgewise, and he gave Blue Dog's paw a friendly shake, and while he was at it he tossed out a bone (viz., the interstate highway system) that I want to gnaw on soon.

Blue Dog saw me and Spartacus playing in the back yard, and watched the bone sail past:

Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2007 10:23 PM

AC,

Lovely to read your Out of the Blue Part 3. I do need to track down your friend [Spartacus]'s blogs and give them a read. Do you have a link? I would love to comment on something other than politics.

As to whether I am centrist or liberal. Have you noticed how both liberals and conservatives love to claim J.F.K. these days? I can show you the posts if necessary. But I would gladly claim the liberal mantle, because in truth, my social views are very liberal, if JFK is our model liberal.

But these days, if you claim to be a conservative, or you claim to be a liberal, those views have become so extreme, that you really cannot tell what baggage you bring along with those labels. [...]

I have a lot of fun [with my bluedogthoughts blog], because these posts allow me to let off steam in between works. The one area where I get fired up and feel some genuine anger is whenever I run into blatant racism and ugly intolerance.

Ah well, my family is gathering. Time to be a dad.

Thanks again and I look forward to more conversations with you and your friend. And yes, I'm a liberal if we go with Kennedy's definition. I'm also a fiscal conservative, because while I admire the good intentions of government, we often get it wrong. Finally, enjoy your Interstate Highway System even as you grumble while driving on it!

Blue Dog

I did get a note out to the Dog at last, this evening, that Spartacus doesn't have his own blog, but does shove me off my soapbox occasionally to express some of his own views on the current world, generally topical of my own subject at the moment, though not always. I'll get the two talking; there's enough fundamental political difference between them (despite similar backgrounds) that this should make for some interesting reading.

The second part of that blog-posting dealt with my ongoing job-hunt, and what had come of my interview with the awesome faith-based non-profit. One more detail there, too: the outbound executive assistant sent a wonderful, further note in answer to my offer to volunteer and assist their efforts:

Sent: Friday, August 03, 2007 5:04 PM

Hi AgingChild,

[The president] was delighted that you offered your time on behalf of [our non-profit]. He mentioned that he might be interested in utilizing your skills in an office capacity, if you are still interested.

[She detailed the kind of work needed in the office itself, having to do with document management]

There are always back-up support projects on hold, so if you feel that you might like to try one of these ventures, let us know and give us an idea of when you might be available and we can go from there.

Thanks again for the generosity of your kind offer to volunteer your time and talents! Enjoy your weekend.

Best regards,

[name]

I spent next-to-no time on my personal email this past week, and so have yet <embarrassed blush> to get a response to her. Work around the office?? I'd expected to be called on to meet some of their folks with a hammer and apron, one weekend-dawn, and help (re)build someone's house!

So… sure; I'd be glad to help out there – it keeps my skills (and versatility) sharp, and of course allows the firm a continued look at me in action. I'm hoping this will be workable over a couple afternoon-hours, two or three times a week, which I can still spare for now.

If you have something to say, say it. Be ready to follow through when the teacher sees your hand up, and calls on you.