I haven’t written much these past few weeks. It’s not that this has been a quiet time; It really hasn’t been. Over the holidays we visited with Mom while my brother’s family was also with her in New York. Then they all came down here to Virginia with us. Then they all went back to Mom’s house and we stayed here. Then we started the new year of 2008.
But I haven’t written much just because it’s been a stressful time besides all that. In late December I started to look for a new job.
Well, we had another small experiment not work out so well this past week. A little smaller scale than trying moped commuting, but still an experiment. This time, we tried keeping goldfish in traditional Chinese style.
Okay, I’ve made occasional comments as to the sometimes lively discussions between Winnie and I. While exploring YouTube videos today, I’ve stumbled across one that I just need to share.
For the first post of 2008, I want to send everyone a Happy New Year in the traditional Chinese blessing of good health, happiness, and prosperity. For those of you inclined to make new years resolutions (all of which you’ll break by the second day of the year), it’s not too late to add those final few items to your list.
Here in my lovely Prince William County, we have a group of very vocal people complaining about “Illegal Immigrants.” These people complain about a lot of things in general, but immigrants are tops on their list. Our County Board of Supervisors, led by one Cory Stewart, have done what politicians in a democratically-elected government always seem to do – pander to the loudest.
Question; What single thing can shut down entire cities, sends governments into closed door huddles, activates emergency response agencies, and sends people out into the streets in blind screaming panic?
Well, okey, but Godzilla pretty much hangs out around Tokyo. No, I’m talking about the first snow of winter.
Just because yesterday was Thanksgiving, it didn’t mean all the turkeys were in the ovens and on the tables. Yesterday’s Potomac News columnists included two of my most favorite writers; Charles Reichley and the big turkey himself, James Simpson. Reichley’s column was incoherent to the point of being meaningless and I actually couldn’t read all the way through. Simpson’s column, however, pissed me off.
So for the second time this month, I’ve written a rebuttal to one of Simpson’s columns. To the many things I was thankful for yesterday, add that I’m thankful no trees were killed to support my latest LTE.
Back on November 14, the editorial section of my favorite local newspaper “The Potomac News” once again scored big with one of our local columnists James Simpson. Unlike Ken Concannon and Charles Reichley, I haven’t bothered writing rebuttals or personal e-mails to Mr. Simpson before, simply because I don’t normally consider him worth the effort.
However, for this particular column I just had to make an exception and respond.
Although I haven’t posted much these past weeks does not mean I had nothing to write about. November has actually been a very busy month here in the Charest household.
So while the rest of the world is out celebrating Black Friday at the malls, I’m going to do some catch-up writing.
Taking On the Hacks
I’ve been posting letters to the editor (LTEs) fairly regularly these past months. Most of the letters end up being published here on my family blog along with background commentary. What I don’t usually publish here, or even comment on, are e-mails I’ve been sending directly to the columnists. Normally, the columnists ignore my e-mails. On two occasions they’ve graced me with nasty replies, which I get the last word in on.
But for the first time ever, several weeks ago a writer actually published my e-mail to him as basis for an extremely mean-spirited and insulting column. The end result was getting my first-ever column published under my byline.
Opinions & Commentary
Ken Concannon Letters To The Editor LTE Politics Potomac News