Random Days on the Road
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Fahrenheit 9/11
Saw Fahrenheit 9/11 last night real late as I have had some really crazy hours the last couple of days. If you are interested in this kind of thing, you should look at www.michaelmoore.com as well as www.moorewatch.com. I never have been able to sit through Michael Moore's movies, but this one was a lot of clever editting. I think that he has some great points, and that he does mislead, and some of the "deceits" that are there are misinterpretations on all side. It's still propoganda. (and he should have checked with Ray Bradbury about the title).
I remember where I was when I saw 9/11. I was at our house with the kids and the CEO and my parents. I was supposed to fly to Texas for a client. I have a picture (somewhere) of the kids dancing while the news of the trade center is on the TV. It was a sad day and we couldn't explain it to them. I don't even think we have ever explained to the kids about 9/11. The problem for me (and I think many people outside of New York and Washington) is that the events happened outside of our understanding. I grew up in the area, and still it has not affected me the way it should. I had been on the top of the WTC when I was a kid. I remember being on the roof. But...it's too far away. I have the same reaction to Columbine, even though that happened only 20 miles away. I was out of the country in Italy.
I know this will someday be misquoted, but I'll try to explain. My heart goes out to all of the families and victims, but it was not part of my reality at the time. These incidents are too far away. I guess I'm part of that group that goes along with what happens. The CEO and I have prospered well for the last 5 years, for a small business. Are my rights in trouble? I don't like the TSA, but I go through with it, and they won't get my biometric data from me. Do I prefer not giving away my personal information? Absolutely - I just went to guitar center for some strings, and within 8 weeks, I'm already getting their catalog, even though I didn't give them permission (or at least I don't remember). And security at Guitar Center - whew! Unbelievable. Worse than a grocery store.
All that being said, by 9/11/04, with the help of lawyers and other people, my divorce should be final. I will be broke, but with assets. I keep calling it the "Financial Holocaust". It is. I can't see any situation where I will have that much free cash. The company is going to have to deal with a lot of debt - because the CEO wants a LOT of money. I will have to pay some sort of maintenance, but only for a short period of time. But the money that will be sucked out due to her "sale" of stock will be large. It almost seems not fair - it's going to hurt the company in the short term. In the long term, we should be able to grow out of it. As someone said, I am the dreamer. I am the one out of the two of us that will make the big things happen - maybe why movies appeal to me. If there were no dreams, there would be no economy.
The kids are gone to NJ. I am hoping that they do not get alienated by their grandmother. I refuse to let them suffer from what the CEO did to us as a family. Whatever mistakes I did, I have made sure (past and present) that the kids were not involved in them. I think the CEO does not realize the damage that has been done. (I should say know, but that's a little too strong - she understands what she has done to me, but does not understand about the kids). The past couple of days have been a little slower. I have made sure that I have done what I have had to do, and not much more.
My computer hard drives are named Liberty, Independance and Freedom. Hopefully that day will come soon.
