Fit right in.

Today was one of those therapy sessions that makes me think I need to get out more and meet more people. Also, that I need to read Ulysses. We spent a good chunk of time talking about postmodern literature and art that embraces its given form, and how to extend empathy to other humans through storytelling. Like if someone's speeding through traffic and cuts someone off, making up a story why they're speeding - he has to rescue a cat from a tree, or she needs to get to a hospital to perform an emergency surgery - it cuts down on a lot of anger and frustration. Doesn't get rid of them, but makes the situation a bit easier to deal with because it makes the whole thing bigger than just 'cut off in traffic' even if they're probably not going to rescue a cat.

We also talked about coffee, caffeine addiction, and the need for control groups in long-term studies. And how my mood is better now that my computer's stable again.

Also, what I want in a job. This is something I don't think will ever really be settled until I'm gainfully employed, since it's on my mind nearly every day. I do want a job, and I don't want one that involves managing a lot of people or going on a lot of committees and dealing with outreach or anything like that. There are a lot of listings I come across I pass by because they specify a lot of that sort of work, and I know I wouldn't like doing it. I told her how I filled out a little profile for a website that asked me about career goals, and I wrote something close to "full-time employment in a workplace where everyone is driven and committed" and I'm not sure that's what they wanted, but it's definitely true, and it sounds better than "full-time work in a position that would allow me to pursue creative projects outside of my employment." Which itself is much closer to what I fantasize about.

Selling myself to a nice agent-shaped person who would in turn sell me to many other people is something I can deal with. Selling myself and my entire organization to a much larger governing body which would control everything down to toner for the copy machine is something that makes me want to go sit by myself very quietly and stay still. Getting a book onto a shelf would be more than just finishing up a manuscript, but I'd like the work involved in producing a manuscript a lot more than sitting on a committee arguing about something or other.

Raymond Carver had the right idea. Stick me in a janitor's closet somewhere, and I'll be happier than if I've got to deal with budget reports.

BAD Internet Laws Heading Your Way

Originally posted by write_light at BAD Internet Laws Heading Your Way

From the flist: 



Spread the word, even you're not a US citizen, it is important for everyone!! It easy to do and it can change everything. More info by clicking on the banner.
<center><a href="http://americancensorship.org/"><img src="http://pics.livejournal.com/justmyb0nes/pic/002q4gwp"></a></center><textarea>

Website Blocking

The government can order service providers to block websites for infringing links posted by any users.

Risk of Jail for Ordinary Users

It becomes a felony with a potential 5 year sentence to stream a copyrighted work that would cost more than $2,500 to license, even if you are a totally noncommercial user, e.g. singing a pop song on Facebook.

Chaos for the Internet

Thousands of sites that are legal under the DMCA would face new legal threats. People trying to keep the internet more secure wouldn't be able to rely on the integrity of the DNS system.

Read this analysis from boing-boing.net

Get on the phone and call your representative. Express your disapproval. Tell him or her exactly how you feel, and that you don't support this. Tell your friends to call their representatives, their Congressperson, and complain. Mention that you are a registered voter that takes your civic responsibility seriously and that you will use that vote to express your feelings about this.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_60/Internet-Companies-Boost-Hill-Lobbying-210345-1.html?pos=olobh

“We support the bill’s stated goals — providing additional enforcement tools to combat foreign ‘rogue’ websites that are dedicated to copyright infringement or counterfeiting,” the Internet companies wrote in Tuesday’s letter. “Unfortunately, the bills as drafted would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action and technology mandates that would require monitoring of websites.”  The chamber-led coalition in support of the bill includes Walmart, Eli Lilly & Co. and Netflix.

Google and other opponents of the legislation argue that restricting the Internet in the U.S. sets a bad international precedent and that the language defines infringing too broadly.

SIGN AND FORWARD THESE PETITIONS

American Censorship
Whitehouse Petition
Fight For the Future
DemandProgress
Save the Internet