Esoteric Bowl

The first thing that I heard this morning was that Christopher Reeve had died. The news of his death came unexpectedly, very much like the news of his spinal cord injury almost a decade ago.

I remember the interview that Reeve gave to Barbara Walters shortly after his injury. Paralyzed and confined to a chair, he revealed that he had contemplated the thought of pulling the plug on his respirator. He couldn’t believe how his life had been tragically altered. Somehow, he thought, there must have been a mistake; it was unfair, as this could not be his life.

Reeve’s words hit home with me, as I’m sure they did for millions of others. As much as we sometimes want to believe that life is fair, in reality it isn’t. Life isn’t fair, and perhaps it was never intended to be.

If Christopher Reeve had pulled the plug on his life, few could have blamed him. But to his credit, Reeve fought on, determined to face his daily challenges and to make the best of his situation. Not only did he find acceptance with his injury, but he found meaning in his in life as well. Reeve became a leading advocate for spinal cord injury research. He wrote books, raised money for various charities, continued to be a father and a husband, and testified before Congress on the urgent need for research funding.

Christopher Reeve is an inspiration for us all. While his tragic accident is a sobering reminder that life isn’t fair, his perseverance shows us that despite the unfairness of life, we should continue to strive to improve our own lives and the world as a whole. Christopher Reeve did just that.

Regardless of political views, I think it’s safe to say that we have reached the point where everyone wants the presidential election to be over with. Of course the reasons for wanting the election to be done with vary considerably depending on where people stand.

John Kerry Supporters: Supporters of John Kerry want the election to be over with because they believe that they have finally captured the political momentum. Not only is this group confident that their candidate will win, but they also believe that the Kerry/Edwards team will lead America in the right direction.

George Bush Supporters: Supporters of George Bush want the election to be over with because with each new day another report comes to light which shows how this administration has messed up. For Bush and his supporters, news reports and time itself have become bigger enemies than John Kerry. This group is hoping that Bush/Cheney can continue to put a spin on everything, but they know it’s hard work.

The Anti-Bush Group: This large group has been counting the days for this election to arrive like a child counts the days to Christmas. While their reasons for being in this group vary, they want nothing more than to see George Bush defeated and thrown out into the street. This group has joined in with the Kerry group, but in reality, they would have supported a single living cell if it meant defeating Bush.

Ralph Nader Supporters: Nader supporters want the election to be over with because in all honesty, they no longer can endure listening to another Nader speech. In an election year filled with critical issues, this group is more concerned with making a statement. While I understood the point that Nader and his supporters were trying to make in 2000, in a post 9/11 world it just isn’t feasible to give the keys of the country to someone that has never held political office.

The Undecided: Because they are the Undecided, this group may or may not want the election to be over with. I’m unsure about the dynamics of this group, whether they are wise shoppers, the ultimate procrastinators, or just seekers of attention. Personally, I don’t know how anyone could be undecided at this point, but for those that are, I admire their open mindedness. Still, I would never want to go out to eat with anyone from this group, as I’m sure they would take forever to decide what to order from the menu.

The Fragmented Patriots: This group was never big supporters of Bush, but following the 9/11 attacks they rallied behind the president and have remained there. Patriotic and loyal, members of this group want to remain loyal, yet they realize that the country is moving in the wrong direction. Surely this group wants the election to be over, as such a conflict in their choice must be a difficult one.

Had It Up to Here: This group is diverse and growing everyday. While most in this group have long since decided on their candidate of choice, they are so very sick and tired of hearing about the election on television everyday and want nothing more than for the madness to end!

The Religious Right: This large group wants the election to be over with because each passing day brings them closer to Armageddon. This group is strongly in support of Bush, as they feel he is more capable of bringing about the end of the world.

EsotericBowl Readers: While the group of visitors to this site is a very small percentage of the electorate, this group wants the election to be over with so that the mindless political rants left here will finally come to an end.

Don’t forget, round two of the presidential debates is tonight.

Have a Great Aloha Friday!

“I have not suggested there’s a connection between Iraq and 9/11.”

That single statement by Dick Cheney in last night’s Vice Presidential debate caused me to literally fall off the couch. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that Cheney could say such a thing after three years of publicly insisting that there was a link between Iraq and the 9/11 attacks. Even after the Senate Intelligence Committee and the 9/11 Commission both concluded that there was no such link, Cheney, Bush, and others from this administration continued to say there was.

I could link countless such quotes until I’m blue in the face, but what’s the point? It is perfectly clear that this administration will say anything, do anything, distort the record, and blatantly lie to stay in the White House.

While Cheney’s remark knocked me off the couch, the most telling moment of the debate may have been Cheney’s non-response to the charges made by John Edwards that much had not been done at home to protect the country:

EDWARDS: …But there are things that need to be done
to keep this country safe that have not yet been done.

For example, three years after 9/11, we find out that the administration still does not have a unified terrorist watch list. It’s amazing. Three years. What are we waiting for? You know, we still don’t have one list that everyone can work off of to see if terrorists are entering this country.

We’re screening our passengers going onto airplanes, but we don’t screen the cargo.

There are so many things that could be done to keep this country safe.

You have to be strong, and you have to be aggressive. But we also have to be smart. And there are things that have not been done that need to be done to keep the American people safe.

IFILL: Would you like to respond? Thirty seconds.

CHENEY: No.

IFILL: OK, we’ll move on.

This past Saturday morning, I woke up to the sound of rain. Even though the rain was falling, rays from the rising sun were shining through the kitchen window. This liquid sunshine is quite common to Hawai’i, and to some it’s considered a blessing for the day.

As much as I love the weather in Hawai’i, there are times when I’m a little envious of the change of seasons that others experience. Hawai’i doesn’t have the dramatic seasonal changes. The closet we come to a white Christmas is when we spray the Christmas tree with that white stuff from a can.

Outside of an increase in rain during the winter months, the weather is pretty much the same throughout the year. Because of our lack of seasons, there’s never a need to make dramatic changes in one’s wardrobe. The style of clothes that I wear in January are the same that are worn in July. The closest I come to layered clothing in Hawai’i is wearing underwear underneath my shorts.

The snowy winters that others experience always look fun, but I learned long ago that the fun of snow never lasts quite as long as the snow itself. I suppose of all the seasons, the one I am most envious of is Fall. Fall is such a great season with its dramatic autumn colors and cool brisk nights. The days of fall often require a thin jacket to be worn, but somehow it feels good to wear it. And the nights of Fall always promise cool sheets on the bed. The weather of Fall is like Baby Bear’s porridge, never too hot and never too cold, it’s just right.