There only was one choice

Monday, September 05, 2005

marinastudio.blogspot.com Check it out kids.

posted by Adam Monday, September 05, 2005

Sunday, July 25, 2004

I'M A YANKEE DOODLE DANDY

Ok so that's a bit of a silly title but I figure it's appropriate as I am heading down to Boston tomorrow for the DNC. It should be a lot of fun, crazy of course, but fun. I'll be attending a few fairly big events and it looks like I may be in the building for Tuesday night's festivities. I'll head back on Thursday (I'm taking the bus since the trains can't operate) and actually watch Kerry's speech from the comfort of my own home. I think the highlight will be Barack Obama's speech Wednesday night, unfortunately I'll be attending two shindigs that night and won't be able to see it live. I'm having business cards made up today, have resumes with me and plan to schmooze it up.

I spent yesterday running around Maine trying to find a battery for my cell phone which regretably went to battery heaven friday night. This was not only horrible timing but was insanely complicated because no one in Maine sells T-mobile products. This was bad, finally, mercifully, a random guy with a boutique at the Maine Mall (note: Maine must be small if THE mall is called the Maine Mall, it's the only one) happened to have a compatible battery, I could have kissed him, but gave him forty bucks instead.

I also spent last night hanging out with some people I hadn't seen in years that I knew from high school. It was a good night, good discussions, cool people, decent food.

That's about the weekend thus far, I'll try to post on the Convention when I get back Thursday. Next weekend will be Krystn and Cory's wedding, replete with bachelor party, rehearsal dinner, wedding and Monday morning brunch, when we Zimmermans celebrate, we do it big.

David is leaving for San Diego early next month, I admit I'm jealous as I've wanted to get out that way for so long, a little more north than that but still that general direction. I just can't go without a job. I am not that worried about job stuff, I just have this gut feeling that my next job, whatever it is, will be a pretty long term thing. There has been some talk that if I find work in Portland and stay here I'll run for state rep. in the fall of 06'. I hadn't ever really planned on that before but it may just be something I'd consider.

Look out Boston, here I come

posted by Adam Sunday, July 25, 2004

Wednesday, July 21, 2004

Blowin' in the Wind

So I know it's been a while, since March, have you missed me? I suppose between an insane schedule and just feeling like there was not a lot to tell despite the active life, I just didn't see the point or have the energy.

To briefly update life in the last five months. I worked for a great group of people who have a lot of expertise in issues based campaigning. I was responsible for helping to find management level staff through nationwide recruiting. The company is doing a great job and will be a powerful force in grassroots organizing.
June 1st I moved back to Maine, I couldn't afford Boston any more and I couldn't find an apartment. My employer let me work from home. Then they asked me to move to DC, to help run the office there, I did that, for a week, but I again couldn't find a place that I could afford. So, back in Maine now, and unemployed. Some solid prospects, money in the bank thanks to not paying rent in June or July, I'm doing ok. My mother is going to drive me crazy but that's nothing new. My brother is off to San Diego in a few weeks, he's got a job and an apartment out there. Him going just reminds me how deeply I yearn to be in San Fran, but I can't find any opportunities out there.
I'm having some issues with being in Maine, mostly not having any friends up here, and also the inability for someone without the ability to drive, to go anywhere independently.

Life is really ok, we'll see what happens. Anyway, there's a lot I could comment on politically but I would prefer not to at the moment. I promise to post again soon.

posted by Adam Wednesday, July 21, 2004

Saturday, March 06, 2004

WE DIDN'T START THE FIRE

I have had the political "fire" in my belly for some fifteen years now, ever since I stepped foot in Senator Mitchell's campaign office in 1988. The fire, I fear, is out. I am 25 years old, still waiting for life to really start. I can no longer internally justify spending 80 hours a week working for pay that barely allows me to get by. I will always be a liberal, and always be passionate about liberal causes and candidates but the time for me to be actively engaged in campaign work is over. It takes too much out of a person after so many years. Maybe it's my own fault for getting involved in the game so young, I figure that's why I'm burned out so fast. I desperately need to find a real job. I have two choices now as it is stands, keep doing this and loose my mind, as this is beating me down both physically and emotionally, or quit and move back to Maine til I can find a job somewhere else. I think, at least for now, despite how much I dislike it, I'll be working and not moving home, we'll see how long I can take it.

I think part of the problem right now is that I am just angry, furiously angry, about being put in this situation. I don't like to use my sight as a scapegoat but as many of you know I felt my previous job searches have been severely hindered by perceptions of potential employers. I will never be able to prove that and I am not interested in suing people but more and more I am interested in making sure the three years of rejections I have faced, due in large part I believe to my visual impairments, never happen to someone else. Somehow I have to show these companies that I can do it if only they'd give me a chance to prove myself. It pisses me off though that I might have to work in the disabled community, I mean not that I have an issue with people with disabilities, far from it, but why should I be relegated to working within the disabled community, and if qualified people with disabilities only work in that community how will anyone outside of it ever hire them, it's a catch-22 as it were. I don't like being angry, but the more I think about the situation the more I am furious about it. Will anyone outside of the campaign community that expects you to work till you drop for next to no pay, ever give me a chance to prove myself? I'm starting to have my doubts

posted by Adam Saturday, March 06, 2004

Saturday, February 28, 2004

TRIP, STUMBLE AND FALL (COCO MONTOYA)

This is a direct reference to my date last night. Only I could be on a first date, having a really great time, and on the way to go to a jazz club when I took a dive, not just a little trip, but I took a DIVE, twisted my ankle brutally and could barely stand let alone walk. She was so nice, put me in a cab, even offered to pay, and the cabbie helped me into the house. My ankle was hugely swollen right away and even worse this morning. I had to cancel my first training session at the gym (I could tell when I explained why they didn't believe me) and also had to miss our short weekend session of work. I have had my leg elevated all day, wow did that hurt, hopefully it'll be better by Monday AM.

Oscars tomorrow, hoping Mystic River does well, also have to say that though I've seen Lost in Translation and Master and Commander I was underwhelmed, All that LIT was was Bill Murray being Bill Murray, as for the Russell Crowe picture, look, they are STILL ON THE BOAT, so boring.

It's odd for me to be doing recruiting, just a few weeks ago I was willing to take any job, now I am evaluating Ivy League students and I have a say in whether or not they are going to have a job with us. I like what I am doing and it's a pretty interesting situation to be in, but odd.

Anyway they say they are close to catching Bin Laden, I'll give you 10 to 1 odds they find him within 6 weeks of the General Election.

posted by Adam Saturday, February 28, 2004

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

So I am going to do something a bit different on my blog from now on, I am going to comment on my life and on larger world issues too, much like earlier today.

Storey points out that having a viable third party in American politics is a good thing. I completely agree, it is. That said a few factors, 1. Ralph Nader, the all conquering coster-of-elections is not running as a third party candidate, he's running as an independent 2. Nader tried to hold a gun to the head of the Democratic party saying that if candidates X or Y are your nominees I won't screw the pooch and re-elect Bush that's political blackmail and thank heavens if failed. 3. A viable third party, as it stands now, is not going to happen, real campaign finance reform and host of other things will have to happen for it to occur but right now it simply is not going to, letting the MUCH WORSE of two evils win ad nausea simply so that a hundred years from now we can a Green President (by the way we will have a gay African American female in a wheelchair before a Green gets elected and as much as I'd like to see both happen they won't for a long ass time) is to put it bluntly, INSANE! Kerry may not be a lot of liberals ideal but he is light years better than Bush, there can be no debate about that for a liberal, it's just true, also he is someone who served in the US military and then came home and protested the war, he's not a fan of war by any stretch, he's not perfect but he's also not more conservative than Nixon or Reagan, which Dubya, if you look at the policies he supports and the bills he's signed, is. This is election is going to pose a choice. Cast a vote against Bush by voting for Kerry, or a vote for Bush by voting for Nader, as much as I'd love to see a real third party the idea of doing so at the expense of getting Bush out of office makes me physically ill and should to anyone else who truly espouses liberal beliefs, I'm all for voting your conscience but what does it say about your conscience if you allow Dubya to appoint two or three new Supreme Court Justices who will future erode civil rights, take away a woman's right to choose, uphold discrimination against gays, and give this ultra-conservative carte blanche to do as he pleases, that's the choice we face, the decision can not be clearer.

posted by Adam Wednesday, February 25, 2004

THE BITCH IS BACK

So it's been a while.

A lot has happened since last we spoke, it's a new year even.

January brought many new leads but nothing solid, until the last week of it, in which I had three interviews, one which has led to gainful employment. I am working as a recruiter for a new political organization affiliated with the DNC. It's not quite what I would have hoped I would be doing, given the sub-par pay and longer than 40 hour work weeks which was precisely what I was trying to get away from, but it's work....for now. There is also one other opportunity up in the air right now but I think it best not to say anything other than, if it happens, it will be the chance of a lifetime.

Aside from that, went to the Bay area for a week. Caught up with Storey, as well as stayed with folks that Bob had put me in touch with who are really great and who keep telling me I should move to DC because I am so into politics. I really love it out in California, I had a great time. I got to see SF, Berkeley, San Jose, even made it up to Ahnold's turf in Sacto for a job interview. Still hoping to hear from several of the people I met with while I was out there. Also saw Shoshi, a friend from college debate, for her B-day party, it's a shame we are separated by 3000 miles, not that I expect it would matter much but she's a really cool person I'd like to be able to spend more time with. To tell you how hectic the trip was, I spent 8 nights in Cali, at no point did I sleep in the same place on consecutive nights, we went like this, Berkeley, San Fran, Sacto, San Fran, Berkeley, San Jose, Berkeley, Oakland.

While I've been gone it seems the Senator from MA is going to be our nominee, first of all I know I said it would be Dean the day that Gore endorsed him, shows what I know. About three weeks before Iowa a friend who is at the Kennedy school told me Kerry would pull it off, he was the only one I know or that I read of or heard from who called that, pretty impressive. Good, I'm glad, I never liked Dean and I've explained why. This should be a very interesting race, already it's getting ugly which is a shame but boy, if ever there were a time for me to stop not believe in negative politics, it's now, that's how important it is that we beat Bush. By the way, Ralph Nader, FUCK YOU!!! If that little maggot costs us the Presidency again I may have to end my pacifist tendencies.

So on his site recently Storey cited a post by Beth about why egg and sperm donation is a bad thing, saying that her argument simulates his very well, that bothers me a lot, because the argument, which I'd link if I knew how but you can find Storey at www.bluepyramid.org, basically asserts that it would emotionally be really hard to know there was a mini-me out there somewhere. I don't dispute it would be hard but two things, number 1. with sperm and egg donation you never know if your sample was used so that mitigates some of that, but 2. and far more important is that the same argument could be made for adoption in fact I would say that is much harder because the mother actually gives birth to her child before giving it up, now I would imagine that Storey and Beth don't object to people giving their children up for adoption. I would argue that it is in fact a noble act to donate an egg (by the way hardly donation if you've seen some of the sick amounts of money women can make) so that a couple who can not conceive can have a child to love, that's a very noble thing to do. But beyond that adoption of course is not only noble for the couple getting the child but also for the child themselves, it is a very selfless thing to do to recognize that you can't care for a child and so you allow two people who will love it to do so. Yes it is incredibly hard but that is part of what makes it so noble, on both counts.

Let's talk totally immoral now, writing hate into the US Consititution, yet another reason Bush has to go. I personally don't see gay marriage as a big issue, the war, the economy, those are big important things, allowing two people who love one another to marry in comparison seems obvious and small. Let's look at some of the arguments the Homophobes use.
1. Sanctity of Marriage: Ok, so do these same people also object to ever allowing a divorce, if they don't they are hypocrites.
2. Religion: No one is making your church/synagogue/mosque/temple recognize a gay marriage, only the state you live in.
3. Sends the wrong message to our kids: If allowing two people who love one another to marry sends the wrong message to our kids what the hell does hating those two loving people simply because they love one another say to those kids?

Lastly for today, The Passion of the Christ by Gibson is coming out today. If seeing this movie helps people to genuinely find faith that centers around love that's good, but from the overly graphic nature of it, from the blame game it plays on the Jewish people (of which I am one) and the contentiousness already surrounding it I find it incredibly hard to believe this film will do more good than harm. It will re-create a climate of the blood libel (the Jews killed Jesus) Europe is experiencing a massive outbreak of anti-Semitic acts, in the US it is often said that the Arabs hate us because of our support of Israel, all of these things make it ok to be anti-Semitic right now, and that's scary. Gibson's father hates the Jewish people and one can only infer since Gibson is unwilling to criticize him that he was indoctrinated with that hate all during his youth. This film is not, according to roman historians, accurate in terms of who is to be faulted for the crucifixion of Jesus and that, compounded with the uneeded graphic images of the whole event can not, in the end, be good for anyone.

posted by Adam Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Wednesday, December 31, 2003

RAINBOW CONNECTION

Sorry it's been a little while since the last post. It's been quite a few weeks. Rescuing damsels in distress, spending a week in Maine, running across I-93, getting screamed at by a national radio personality, and working on finding gainful employment. I'm following up on several good leads and know without question that in about six to eight weeks I'll have a job, no doubt, the problem is, I only have about three or four weeks, that will become a problem, it's really a matter of just a little more time and no more money, maybe we can find something in the meantime, I dunno.

It's NYE again, I was originally supposed to go the my roommates ski house, can't afford it, then down to New Haven, plans changed, back up to NH for a Clark campaign NYE party, that fell through too, and it's too late to reschedule and finally plan for a train trip to Hew Haven, so, as per usual I'll be alone on New Years, that's bothersome but I suppose if I can have fun and find a way to look at it positively it'll be ok. I really really feel like 2004 is going to be my year, just a gut feeling.

Anyway not much more to report I could go into detail on the last two weeks, and on job prospects but I think I won't also could go into the Pats, Catching Saddam and a few other things but I'll just end it hear, Happy New Year to all

posted by Adam Wednesday, December 31, 2003

Monday, December 15, 2003

LOOSING MY RELIGION

Or my mind, one of the two. The party this weekend was ok, met some good people Chris and Elanie came for a bit, as did Steve and Kevin bu I felt like they didn't have a great time and that's a shame, plus I just felt like it reminded me how much my life isn't in Bosotn any mroe, I want so badly to get out, but i have no where to go, no where abut Maine that is, and that is even less of an option.

I thought things were looking up on Friday job wise, had a couple of great conversations with a few people who appeared able and willing to help me, some good new ideas, or so they seemed, but with each new promising idea is a hard thud when my hopes come crashing down around me, phone call after phone call, email after email and NO ONE calling or emailing back, it's like I am completely irrelevant to the whole world, a nothing, somone the world has no use for and that's a really depressing feeling. which makes sense since I am constantly depressed lately, I am feeling sad and angry and don't even want to leave my room. I want so badly to be gone from Boston, from Maine, I want to be somehwere new, with a fresh start, but I can't make anyone hire me and I am broke, more broke than I've ever thoght I would be, which means I will loose this palce soon and there is nothing I can do about it, I can't find any part time work, nor any real work, every turn is just another door slamming in my face.

I've been trying to stay faithful to G-d lately but so often I jsut want to scream at Him for being the sick sadistic bastard I feel like He is. I don't deserve this, I don't deserve to suffer like this, and then I feel gulty because maybe it's all some twisted test of faith, and because I know that so many people have a lot worse challenges in life, people I'd love to be able to help, IF ONLY I COULD GET A FUCKING JOB!!!!!!!!

posted by Adam Monday, December 15, 2003

Tuesday, December 09, 2003

I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU

Apparently that's what Vice President Gore is telling Howard Dean today. I've made no secret that out of the fact that I don't like Dean, I think he's a faux liberal and that bothers me, that said being endorsed by Gore, who I don't trust further than I can throw him, makes the game over. Dean is going to be nominee, no ifs ands or buts, it's over. The only thing that could make this a race again would be President Clinton endorsing Gen. Clark but that is highly unlikely. Here's all I'll say about Dean now, no matter how I feel about him he is going to be opposing W in a few months and the Democratic party had better get behind him NOW, don't beat the hell out of one another, don't let W sit back and fill his coffers even more. The other need to drop out and coronate Dean now for the sake of the party, this is the one things Republicans do very well and we need to take their example. We need to get behind him now and give him our time, money, energy, whatever Dean needs, because though I can't be inspired by him or any of the others, the most important thing is ending the conservative stranglehold on our government, if the party says Dean is the guy, then Deans' the guy, it's that simple.

posted by Adam Tuesday, December 09, 2003

IS IT WRITTEN IN THE STARS? (from the Broadway Musical Aida)

An appropriate question for today. I've been doing a very large amount of writing lately. I have chosen to work on a book whose attempt will be to inspire young people to get engaged politically, non-partisan mind you, I figure book number 2 can be why young people should be liberal. I am also working on writing a musical, moderniziing an old classic and showing that its message is still incredibly relevant today, not that I am at all comparing my ability to Jon Larson's but I figure my idea is to do for Fiddler what Rent did for La Boheme

I've also grabbed the bull by the proverbial horns, sending out more resumes, got a great lead from Reich that may lead to something, and spoke today to a company out of NYC that provides a two year fellowship to young people with an idea for a non-profit, I may just write a proposal to bring the Summer Vision program from Maine to a big city, i.e. Boston or San Fran, and see what happens, sometimes I guess you have to make your own magic.

I posted something on the APDA forum about why I was leaving the circuit and have gotten several very nice emails from people, some who I know well, some who I did not, but it was nice to know that I had an impact on some of them I will miss it, but it really is time to say goodbye.

Christmas party, Saturday Dec. 13th at the apartment, wanna come, email me :)

posted by Adam Tuesday, December 09, 2003

Saturday, December 06, 2003

RESPECT

The American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA) has been a major part of my life for the last six years now. It has brought me the friends I hold dearest in my life and has given me countless unforgettable experiences and the Brandeis team is as close as you can get to family without actually being so. But today I stepped foot in my last round of APDA debate ever. Normally when a debater graduates they will attend tournaments near where they live to judge, giving of their own time and experience, and in return are treated with respect which they deserve. Part of that respect is shown in the judging assignments that are handed out. For the last few tournaments I have attended I have seen rounds that are what most would consider mediocre at best, horrid at worst. When I finally pushed as to why that was today at MIT I was told that several teams had scratched me (preferred I not judge them) now that's fair, I think I am very fair judge, which may be part of the problem, the "good" teams never like a fair judge because they might loose, that said I was also told I was tiered for my ability as a second level judge, as opposed to many recent grads who had judged very few tournaments in comparison with my experience who were seeing great rounds all weekend, I have been on APDA for six years and have now probably judged more rounds than I competed in and people treat me like a joke. I know I'm old, fine, I actually find that kind of funny HOWEVER when others who hung on a lot longer than I have, came to judge they were at least treated respectfully, that's what hurts, this group that has given so much to me, and to whom I have given so much over the years is now treating me like a joke, I'm done, I don't need that in my life.

On a much happier note, I know the snow is hard to drive/walk in, but man I LOVE winter

posted by Adam Saturday, December 06, 2003