In case you haven't already figured it out, Internet, this weekend SUCKS. big. time. Let's review:
--Apparently, it is open season in Arizona on Jewish Democratic Congresspeople. Oh, and federal judges are fair game also. And nine-year-old girls who were FREAKING BORN ON 9/11. Guess what, Republican nimrods looking for that perfect sound bite that will be crazier-than-thou? Violent speech leads to violence.
NOTE: I am not saying that people do not have the right, within already existing case law, to say whatever they want in this country. But I'm saying that some of the so-called leaders of the people in this country might want to exercise some judgement and, um, leadership, rather than snickering in the corner when their supporters are bringing guns to everything. And to Sarah Palin and her PAC, I can only say, "Fuck you." Maybe this incident will help show some of the non-wingnuts in this country who kind of like you how crazy you really are.
--Debbie Friedman died. She provided the soundtrack for my Jewish childhood. And my Jewish young adulthood. And even a not-insignificant part of my Jewish adulthood. And those of my friends and relatives and their friends and relatives, etc. Here is the Reform Movement's tribute. I know it's corny to say that she will live on through her music, but it's true. My three-year-old niece, who has probably never heard the name "Debbie Friedman," was singing the aleph-bet song the last time I saw her.
--I have to stop comparing my professional accomplishments to other peoples'. I actually like what I'm doing as a postdoc and don't know what I would do with a super-high-stress job of the sort some of my friends from grad school have. But it's not like anyone is offering any of those jobs to me, so who cares? And this week I have to go to an event that will include some former grad-school classmates who are super-hot tenure-track assistant professors at elite colleges. This will make me feel like shit. It just will. Even if I know I should chill.
So, internet, are you going to cheer me up? Please?
