Hey Dude.
(dallas)

Wow, so I'm part of the Union Stewards at the University. Meaning that I represent Sociology, those that have jobs, ie, Ta's, so I've been mucking about in Union affairs all year.

In Actual Union world, not much happens, untill now, the renegotiation of the contract. You know the drill, the employer wants to low ball the union and offer as little of an increase as possible.

So, we had a good ol fashioned Union meetin' today, woody Guthrie even played, okay he didn't, but the jist is, there are over 300 employees and we needed at least 100 to show up to make quorum, meaning that with quorum and a positive vote to strike, our bargaining committee would have some leverage in being able to say that the Union would strike if the conditions as set out by the Union were not met.

Sadly, though we had 80 people, we did not have 100 people. Meaning, no quorum, no vote, but the room did become quite heated, almost like I was reminded what it felt like to be alive, part of a teeming and seething body of impassioned individuals.

The feeling of being pissed off coursed through my veins, it reminded me of the days of high school, when i was certainly pissed off on a daily basis, and had a soundtrack to back it up.

The meeting is planning to meet again on monday, the goal there, will be for the mass that showed up already to come again and to BRING FRIENDS, or drag bodies, do whatever you can to get there and VOTE.

On my way home I sang the words to a good riddance song, Understood from the record, Ballads from the revolution, "Do you remember when 500 stood as one, and reached for the sky!"

"In my heart I still believe we can make a difference somehow!"

These words, those sounds, this anger, this furry - good riddance, and music gave me a way to channel my anger, to direct all my anger and fear, my insecurities, into music and the possibility of change.

Now as a graduate student, it is a constant effort no longer to simply keep from exploding as a teen but rather to evade APATHY, JADEDNESS, BANALITY... that which fills the lives and hearts of a great majority of modern subjects. The drudge of everyday life has a way of taking it's toll on anyone who works, spends time doing jobs for and under and at the service of others.

My recommendation - GET OUT and VOTE. Be a part.

We can talk about NIHILISM another time. Today is for HEART and SPIRIT and IDEALISM and RAISING YOUR FUCKING FIST IN THE AIR.

THANK YOU PUNK ROCK FOR MAKING ME WHO I AM TODAY.

a

You know that horrible feeling of typing up, linking and texturizing a raft of writing, images, music and texts of all sorts and then bamm - unexpectedly your internet connection is reset, well it is a near common experience if you subscribe to the internet via TBAY TEL - thats right, Thunder bay still has it's own phone company, good on them, and as is with city specific coverage, they have a monopoly. So needless to say, I lost my fantastic post and was a tad upset. So this is the reflexive of that which may have been. Me with a Calgary Flames Sticker from the dentist. Thanks Eli for posting like a ninja, a real inspiration.
A