Okay, confession: I forgot that I had WYFP tonight until just a little bit ago, so tonight's offering won't be the touching and possibly life-changing work of wordsmithing geniosity that I, of course, always provide. Instead, I offer for your perusal two items - one troubling in a way that makes you wonder about our current state of investigative affairs (think troutfishing's exposes of religion in government), and the other mystifying in a way that makes you question just how we as a society define "value". I'll tell you about the first as soon as you go outside and copy the following on your neighbor's driveway in chalk:
WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pictures, favorite adult beverages, and anything else that we think might help. Everyone and all sorts of troubles are welcome. May we find peace and healing here. Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?
Okay - the first one. When we were in DC for the inauguration, we had the opportunity to tour the FBI. We had a fine time and the gentleman who gave us the tour provided our son with a bag of items when we left. In the bag was a ruler. An FBI ruler. The pictures that follow are lousy. My camera's not great. But you can see the salient parts. On the front is the official FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION stuff. Then it says "Success is measured by making right choices." Fair enough (although I've known some people who've made some fairly shitty choices and are still succesful, but that's neither here nor there).
It was when I turned the ruler over, and was confronted with what is apparently the first "right choice" you need to make to be a succesful investigator that my jaw flew south.
There it is: "Believe in God".
Well, blow me down and pray over me.
Now, I'm not against believing in God. I'm not against government workers believing in God. I'm certainly not against FBI agents saying a wee prayer before they kick in the door of the meth lab. But can you see where that being the first right choice printed using my tax dollars on a piece of "outreach" swag might cause some concern? Discuss.
The other item is this:
My mother brought me this item today from her trip up to northern Washington.
If you guessed that this is a tea napkin holder made to resemble an umbrella, you'd be correct. I realize that this item is fairly harmless, and so I'm perplexed as to why I fear it may give me nightmares. Do any of you remember the particular turn that we as a society took that put something like this in our path? When I look at this, all I can do is grimace as I stand with my fingertips shoved between my gritted teeth, hoping my eyeballs don't burst into flames.
Anyway, I know it's not much, but you go to print with the FP you have, etc.
And, by the way, what's your f#*&in' problem?!?