My dad - the rock star.

It turns out that my dad has the same name a one of the guitarists from Winger - John Roth. This is groundbreaking news to me because my father also plays guitar.... Is it possible that my dad was jamming out to "She's only seventeen," before I was old enough to know what that meant? Did my dad live a double life as a classical guitarist and a rock star without letting people know? I'll have to do some reserach on this matter and hopefully expose my dad for the true rockstar he is. More on this as the investigation continues...

the ground beneath me

I was on my way to school today. I was in no hurry, but I was late, so I wasn't sluggish by any means. But apparently, the wiry man with a greying goatee in the Mercedez behind me though otherwise. Just inches from my rear bumper, he was entirely too close for my tastes. However, on barely five hours of sleep, I was too tired to expend energy on anger and I proceeded to ignore him. About fifteen seconds later, I calmly began to merge into the exit lane. I checked my blind spot and there he was! I slammed on the breaks and tires squaled as I fishtailed and he blurred past.

I then did what any sane driver would do, I sped up behind him at the stoplight, layed on my horn and swore at him as loudly as I could. I used "road-rage sign language." No, I did not flip him the bird (at that point), but I explained to him, by waving my arms incessantly, that I was trying to get over and that he was in the wrong by zooming through my lane change. Something that is entirely too complex for gestures, but the metal and glass surrounding you limit your communication ability somewhat. Add a near-miss car incident, and voila, you have some serious road rage sign language, followed by the bird.

I imagine Speedy Gonzalez thought I was in the wrong as he started his own road rage sign language and answered my one-finger-salute with his own classy one-finger-salute-kiss-his-hand-one-finger-salute.

After we went our separate ways, I started thinking about what his point of view must have been. Maybe he really did think I was in the wrong and he was doing everything right. Maybe I had done something that I was unaware of and was returning some sort of favor. It reminded me that every argument happens because of differing viewpoints. There wouldn't be an argument if you both had the same viewpoint.

It has helped me in some disagreements to pretend to go over to the other viewpoint and try and examine the issue from over there. It sure doesn't fix the problem. I don't think anyone would ever all of a sudden agree with their opponent. Imagine James Carville and Rush Limbaugh debating and Carville stops talking for a moment (yeah, that's a miracle all on its own). Then he says "wait a minute, Rush. You mean to say that if we stop all our wellfare problems, I too will have to pay less in taxes, therefore retaining more of the money that I work hard everyday to earn?" At that point Rush would grow a wide smile and say "James, are you looking at this issue from my point of view?" ... It just won't happen. However, it does help you explore what might be going throught the other person's head, therefore opening up your mind, slightly.

So I did that. I looked at the other point of view. I thought about what the other man in the nice car was thinking. And he's still wrong. He's an asshole and the ground beneath him shows one point of view - the wrong one.

End of the session?

I don't have any time to post new thoughts today, so I'll borrow a small article I wrote in December of last year before the session started. Now that we're in the midst of a partial government shutdown, this piece is a refreshing glance back to the days approaching the start of the session.
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Capitol Cowboy
by Justin Roth
December 17, 2004

A reproduction of a painting sits on the scarred hardwood floor of John Curry’s cold corner office. The painting depicts two blanket-smothered cowboys riding drooping horses through a windy snow-covered prairie. Curry looked out his window at the Minnesota State Capitol building four blocks away, still free of snow in December.

“I walk to that building in my wing-tips all winter” Curry said, pointing out the window to the tall pasty dome.

Curry is the legislative director at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, an office of about 20 people. Light spills into the office through Curry’s large wood framed window reveals the building and the path he will walk all winter. Around the window, peeling paint has been covered up with more paint to try and slow the chipping.

Curry has requested from his employer a Segway, a two-wheeled stand up scooter, to help him get to the capitol on the snowy days. They declined, but he still thinks it would be nice to have an easier way up there.

Every day of the session, from January to May, Curry walks up to the building and talks to senators, representatives and other groups in an effort to increase the number of votes on bills that will benefit the environment. He says he puts in 40 hours a week at the capitol building, and then around 25 hours a week more at the office. The ironic factor is he joined the advocacy group to have more time for his family.

His resume includes a job as a staff at the Minnesota House of Representatives, work on several political campaigns and lobbying for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. When he had a little girl he wanted to continue campaigning, but the 18-hour days were not family-friendly. He mentioned that he wanted to work for the environment so he called the center for environmental advocacy. He was hired during his call to the center, but he worried about his limited environmental experience. He was told ‘if you know lobbying, we can teach you environment.’

His long days are due to the amount of time meeting with politicians takes. He says he has from six to eight committees that he has to meet with about several different bills, and there are usually over a dozen members on each of those committees. He has to spend 15-20 minutes on each person on each committee for each bill he wants to discuss. Then he has to come back to the office to organize everything. On top of that, he says trying to schedule time with a legislator takes about an hour.

In addition to meeting with politicians, he has to meet with other groups that may have similar goals as the MCEA. This adds difficulties to the task because his group likes to work quickly.

“We’re more of a cowboy organization,” Curry said. “We take an issue and go. Working with coalitions adds more stress”

Curry recently talked to a woman who didn’t want to bring in other groups that helped the goal they were working towards. He says some of the groups that share environmental goals can surprise some people. He says hunters, while they tend to be conservative, obviously share goals with environmentalists, who tend to be liberal. On the other hand, Curry says even environmentalists can clash. The Sierra Club recently disagreed with the MCEA while the government sided with the center. Curry said it could have confused the public, but Curry convinced the Sierra Club to take a neutral stance.

The power to get your way as a legislative assistant comes from relationships, Curry said.

“Even if they oppose your bill, they will still meet with you if they have a respect for the way you present the facts,” Curry said.

But inside his office decorated with children’s marker drawings and pictures of his family, he prepares for the upcoming session. He says sometimes there is not enough time in the day.

“Sometimes when you’re close to defeat, you’re right on the edge,” Curry said. “If I work harder, someone might call their legislator. The wife and kids get ignored, the dog doesn’t get walked and the home doesn’t get cleaned.” But he has also negotiated time off during the summer. He said a lobbyist is worthless when there aren’t politicians meeting.

“Over the summer you’ll find me being a dad,” he said. “You’ll find me at the state fair or at the science museum.”

John Curry will soon he will be braving the Minnesota prairie on the snowy four-block journey to the capitol, in his wing tips. He’ll be the cowboy, John Curry, lobbying for the environment.

New and improved

So I reached into my refrigerator today to move the bottle of Neuman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar salad dressing so I could grab my bottle of cranberry juice. Much to my surprise, the salad dressing bottle was made of plastic. Neuman always has used glass bottles for his salad dressings (at least the ones I have used). I'm not sure, but Cool Hand Luke may have changed to plastic so he doesn't break his famous salad dressings' bottle while reaching for the hard boiled eggs. Either way, the plastic replacement is slightly disappointing.

It was quite a coincidence that I just noticed this material make-over because I was pondering this very issue in my head as I drove home from a Spanish test this morning. I was thinking about how old materials are constantly being replaced with new materials. The cheapest material available will be used in an effort to maximize the profit earned per product (in many cases). As every material goes by the wayside, a part of our culture leaves us. As we improve our surroundings, we lose experiences that have been a part of our culture.

Some of these things may not be noticeable to some. Many people couldn't tell the difference between listening to a guitar made out of maple wood compared to a guitar made out of rosewood, but other changes are much more noticeable. For instance, a hand rail made out of metal instead of wood. As I walk by objects, sometimes, I reach out and touch it as I walk along. I may not be able to feel that particular texture after that material is replaced. Try it. It amuses me to realize I am thinking about this thing that no one else is thinking about. As I feel the indents in the wood handrail, no one else is thinking about that texture as I think about it. It kind of puts a spin on your day that eases the stress, at least a little bit. So many things in life are fleeting. It's important to take advantage of what is there when it is still there.

So enjoy your glass bottles of salad dressing, wood hand railings or genuine leather jackets. They all may be plastic tomorrow. And lord knows that no matter how many hard boiled eggs you plan to eat, it’s always pleasing to feel the weight of a glass bottle in your hand at dinner time.

shutdown

Today's made-up word: governmensia: dimensia from all the trouble our governments can cause

The Minnesota State government went into a partial shut down today. The shutdown happened because the Senate could not agree on a budget plan. It is fascinating that these politicians don't show up and do their duty. One Sentor revealed that on some days during the regular session, the Senate met for less than an hour and left. It's no wonder these folks can't get anything done in the time allotted. If we all showed up for work for fifteen minutes and left, there would be a stack of flies/burgers/iron that wouldn't get taken care of.

Now I know that they have other things to do besides meet in the Senate chambers, but they have a responsibility to conclude their discussions and vote on something that benefits the people of the State. One Senator spoke about how the Senate would be a failing business, and it's true. If a business performed that poorly, they would be done.

One other gripe I have with these guys is that they talk so slowly. Some of them say "um" more than all other words combined. I artificially estimate that they waste 25 percent of their time stumbling over words, saying um and pausing while they read some note their intern scribbled on a computer print out.

This is our representative government. If you also feel appalled about how the government handles their duties, contact your representative.