11.10.04
Veteran’s day tomorrow, federal holiday and I’m off. Thinking its a good break from the scheme of things, also marking an anniversary of sorts, something to keep in mind on what I’ve been working on for a while now. Probably try to get some work done, clean the hobbit hole, kill some weird basement bugs, rake some leaves, pay some bills, cook some food.
Had an interesting meeting with an agency recently, it was in the middle of the interview that it dawned on me where I was sitting, puts it into perspective the new opportunities and experiences that this job has provided me so far. Also noticing the poltical jockeying among the higher ups between agencies, each protecting their prospective jurisdictions, standing, and impressions. A little like fuedal society on a civil and smaller scale.
Meanwhile, the battle for Fallujah rages on. Sporadic reports of casualties, along with images of crumbling buildings and soldiers with their weapons raised, grit on their faces. To show a bizarre disconnect from Americans sitting out the veteran’s day holiday from at home, and the soldiers getting shot at in the middle east, you only have to look at some of the commentary from the right-wing bloggers gushing over the brawny appearance of combat soldiers smoking marlboros while squinting under their camo face paint.
Chairman Arafat has also died in a hospital in Paris. What this means for the future of the Isreali-Palestinian conflict will influence our own foreign policy as well. I’ve heard arguements that he had been both an obstacle and a help to achieving peace in the region. Either way, the future in the region looks uncertain.