I was out back trying to heat up the compost pile so that like a fire it's heat can sustain itself, and... well... oops.

I had a gallon tub of hot tap water and I poured it in the old brick barbecue pit that I'm using as a composter, and out the hole in front runs a opossum. I was worried at first that I injured it. Well, at first I laughed very loudly and then I worried. Either way, I'm pretty sure that the water wasn't hot enough to burn the opossum, and even though the opossum only fled and never squealed (like they did when I hit them with a tomatoe), to ease my mind I held my hand under the faucet for half a minute with the hot water and while the heat was uncomfortable I was uninjured.

I'd like to address an issue that often stymies liberal causes: Liberal smugness. Sure, the conservatives have a smugness too, but I am addressing it specifically when it comes to the left wing.

Smugness differs from being sure of oneself. Smugness is when you are not only sure you are right, but also think those you consider wrong are sheep, idiots, etc. Smugness comes in the belief that something must be wrong with the cognitive abilities of anyone who would disagree. The problem with smugness is that it is usually simply implied, though sometimes it is outright stated. And this attitude is endemic in the liberal community.

Yes, it can be frustrating addressing non-liberals. Yes, I've been guilty of liberal smugness myself. It's hard not to be, sometimes you can feel like you're only talking to brick walls. However, if you want to convince people of your point of view – people who don't currently agree with your point of view – it is best not to start out by insulting them either directly or indirectly. Liberal smugness reflexively turns people off of liberal ideologies. It makes people not want to be associated with liberals or even the word "liberal".

Be sure of yourself, but keep in mind that just because someone hasn't come to have the same "enlightened" views as yourself does not mean they are inherently evil or cognitively impaired.

I took purpleglitter's camera along with me on my walk this morning. This is what I saw:


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I obsess about little things far too much. I need to be looking at the big picture everyday, but I have not been. I have focused on the small things and ignored the All that is Everywhere. I have ignored the Amazing that has been right before my eyes if I were only to open them.

I have beaten myself down before others. I humbled myself to too many people. I have always felt that I am less. It is true that I am different, but in that I am no less and no more than any other person. I am one of the small in the light of the Big. I need to humble myself to only that which is ought to be humbled to.

I will pray and try to remember my place in the Universe, my place as one of the small. I am as one brick in a great building. I have not felt myself worthy of being part of that great building. But, we are all worthy and all have been chosen to be part of It. No brick is unimportant. Without any one brick the building would be incomplete, but without the building there are no bricks.

Was going to switch my website over to GearHost, until I found out that they only had Windows servers. I'm shocked that WantSomeGetSome recommended them. Going to switch to slightly more expensive Ci Host instead, because they have Apache servers.

Shawn, a former roommate, came over. I was glad to see him. He's in town from LA until the 5^th of January, so I'll get to see him at least a couple more times before he goes back.

I went to a party at cobweb's house. I'm glad to see she's doing better. I hope things continue to improve.

I met someone I thought was very interesting at the party. She works in an abortion clinic and likes to talk about her experiences there. I find it all very fascinating. I'm very pro-choice and admire the courage of someone who is willing to work in such a high-risk job helping ensure proper healthcare for women. I gave her my number, but failed to ask for hers. I hope she calls, as I'd really like to get together and talk with her again sometime.

I left the party at about a quarter till 2. A 10 minute walk to the bus. I hate walking alone in the city so late. It's always really creepy. I've gotten harassed and had to run and/or hide in the past. Mostly when I was homeless and out on the streets all night. Never been caught, but I'm still scared on the streets at night.

Waiting for the bus, there was a convenient shadowy spot tucked away between a tree and a brick wall. I could still see the bus coming, but no one could see me. I'm really afraid of getting pulled into a car passing by, so that I was unnoticeable makes me feel a lot safer. The bus took about 20 minutes to show up, which made me very happy I had found my hiding spot.