So, I don�t usually discuss politics here. That isn�t really a conscious decision, I just don�t like talking about it much. I have to take a small change in tactics for just one second, though, and say:

WOOOOOOOOO! All of the Governor�s anti-democratic, corporate based, anti-labor, anti-education, bullshit propositions were beaten. Every single one, even the one that was pushed by every pharmaceutical company in the country with very misleading ads on television every 5 minutes during primetime. I was worried about that one. I am so happy about this. When I got home last night from Tech I didn�t go to bed before checking the results. I did a little happy dance right there. I am so happy on so many levels. Not only because these horrible, poorly thought out propositions were defeated but it was a huge slap to the governor. Basically, on a lot of levels this was the public telling him to quit his grandstanding and whining and do what he said he would do during the campaign: work WITH the legislature. Don�t waste state money (especially when crying broke) on a needless special election just because you don�t want to play nice with the Democrats. Also? Don�t call teachers �special interest groups� and brag you are going to kick nurses� asses. That was really stupid on his part. Teachers, nurses and firefighters hold a place in society which doesn�t reward the employees financially, like at all, but they do hold a special reverence, almost. They are our local heroes, they are the necessary people who sacrifice wealth and prestige to help the community. That sort of makes them like the fuzzy kittens of our society, and it isn�t good for your image to kick fuzzy kittens and tell them one cup of kibble a day is WAY too much, especially when you get ten cups. OK, bad analogy, but you get my point. Also, not a good idea to piss off nurses and firefighters when they could be the ones holding your life in their hands later on. Or, at the very least, your comfort.

I also think it is just so slimy that the real reason for the special election is that because it was not originally scheduled and because there weren�t any state offices up for vote there would be a really low turnout, and in those situations the conservatives tend to win the day. It just seems shady, like he knew his ideas would never really fly with the majority of the population, so he was trying to weed out as many people who would disagree with him as possible to skew the results in his favor. Yuck.

My favorite thought about all of this is that his wife, Maria Shriver, is a Kennedy and a dyed in the wool Democrat. She has said flat out in interviews they just don�t discuss politics in their home. I just know that when they went to vote he voted �yes� on everything and she voted �no.� She probably completely cancelled out his ballot with hers. Awesome. Her tongue must be so sore from the amount of time she must spend biting it while the Governator is giving his ridiculous speeches.

Seriously, he has got to go next year.

Anyway, tech is chugging along. I would say happily, but there is still much in confusion. I�m hitting snags I just really didn�t anticipate. This is the theater that was recently renovated and I keep running into stupid, piddly problems that really should have been discussed before the renovation happened. Like the fact they changed all the house connectors from stage pin to twist lock. They also changed the fixtures for us� but not the cable. All of my student assistants have been spending their time making cable, not helping me get the show up. Also? I can�t get a 45 degree angle from the Front of House now. Hot.

Anyway, other than that all is rather quiet on the Western Front. I�ve been spending so much time working there hasn�t been any time for getting in trouble. That is good, I suppose. Anyway, it is time for me to move along and get to rehearsal.

Sigh. No rest for the wicked.