Yes we did

Republican... Democrat... we made our voices heard at the polls and via mailboxes across the country. And Barack Obama is the next President of the United States of America. For the first time in eight years I feel only pride on November 4th.

The birds and the bees from someone who knows

Oh boy.  You know, normally I'd have a hard time feeling sympathy for Disney princess Jamie Lynn Spears but teenage pregnancy is capital "N," not easy and I can't imagine it's any easier knowing there's a full-on army of average Joes and Janes just waiting to capitalize on your mistake.

However, it's definitely a fresh spin on this classic theme song on reproductive know-how from Grease 2.  Oh how I loved Michael.  I can't tell you how many times I've been caught singing "Cool Rider" or "Let's do it for our Country."  Bless the early '80s.

Shallow vs. deep thoughts

Sorry folks about the radio silence here at Properly Salted. I'm not sure if it's the freaky weather, the job search or what but my head has been way more in the outernet lately. My life offline hasn't even been that exciting which makes it that much more deplorable. But anyway, here's a big thought for you:

I was recently reading this article about unemployment and came across a quote that rang so completely true with me I had to share it. In the context of getting laid off, the author affirms his belief in the concept that "nothing happens until it happens to you." Read that quote again and really think about it. Because I've been thinking recently about the big world issues facing us these days and how I'm so nearly completely estranged from all of them. I know I should be more concerned about so many things but at the risk of sounding totally self-absorbed (which is not my unique problem), I just don't think about it all that often. But that alone concerns me. It seems so foolishly American to be largely unbothered about issues just because I haven't been an eye witness to their by-products. Sure, my gas costs just as much as yours (maybe more) and snow in April is by no means normal but what does it take to really shake me up?

I think I have a hard time because I vacillate between feeling empowered to change through small actions, supporting the right types of people and businesses and speaking up ...and then feeling totally powerless because of the sheer scale of these problems. I don't have the time to lead marches nor the voice to give a battle cry when I'm so busy most days that my seven minutes of reading takes place in the bathroom. But is that the ultimate in apathy? Is that the epitome of selfishness? (Not the bathroom part- the "too busy" part...)

And then I start to actually feel guilty. Guilty because when I have an extra fifteen minutes I'd rather be blogging than discussing the inescapable issues that refuse to solve themselves. And I know so little in reality about these issues that even attempting to discuss them seems disingenuous. Blogging doesn't really seem to have an adverse effect on my life or anyone else's and you could certainly argue that the sense of community is kind of nice. So I guess maybe, part of it is I'm wondering: is doing no harm (but no specific good either) and having an awareness of these problems, better, worse or neutral in comparison with doing nothing at all? Or more succinctly: just how bad of a person am I if I don't really want to talk about the war/the presidential campaign/famine/natural disasters/strife/economic turmoil/etc., etc., etc.?

Is it enough that I'm concerned or is that not sufficient? Where's the measuring stick for me to gauge where I fall on the scale of self-involved, insulated, asshole? Any thoughts? Part of me believes that bloggers, like entertainers, allow people to escape their own lives for a few minutes to immerse themselves in another world or mindset. And that alone is of some value in times of difficulty. But I'm no Bob Hope on tour with the USO. I'm just Salty.

I need to think about this.

Everybody loves a secret

This story is incredible. If you're not into links, I'll summarize: NY family buys fancy home, asks designer guy to do interiors... designer guy crafts crazy-ass, long and involved, super detailed and well-thought out puzzle involving the entire apartment (pieces of furniture, walls, cabinets, doors). Family is amazed. And so am I. This totally kicks the ass of some lame wardrobe that leads to a hidden land filled with talking cats and men who had sex with horses. (Okay, that's a joke in case you think I have no idea what a centaur is.)

But really, who doesn't love a good hidden compartment? I mean, this is like the movie Clue on crack. Minus the singing telegram girl. I like to think of myself as a pretty clever person. But this man and his army of designer friends have kind of blown my mind. Can you tell?

Oh, and according to UnBeige, the rights to this story have already been picked up by king of tv, J.J. Abrams.

Check this out

Now.

And prepare yourself for an eyeful. In an age of over stimulation, the large scale format of this daily photo blog manages to completely overwhelm in a way that is amazingly breathtaking and serene. Even when the subjects of the high resolution photographs are victims of war, natural disasters and poverty- the clarity, richness of color and composition collaborate to capture moments in time with complete, objective honesty.

Boston.com has got themselves a hot ticket in the shape of The Big Picture and I imagine it can only get better.

Oh, and don't take the landing page at face value (though it does make a stunning first impression) - make sure to click on the links to additional photos for each subject. You'll never want to see another thumbnail photo again.

Sad news

I think it's a testament to the power of media that when someone famous passes away, it's often hard not feel a small pang of sadness because the side-effect of living very public lives is that people begin to feel as though they "know" celebrities.  Through trashy magazines and infotainment programs we "know" everything from their favorite lip liner to their recent breakup while newspapers, websites, and billboards showcase splashy photos of both their highlights and less-than-savory moments. 

One entertainer was a personal favorite of mine who I became familiar with vis a vis Sunday morning television on channel 67 (for those of you without cable in the Seattle area).  Tim Russert was a fantastic news person.  His command

 of my Sunday standard program, Meet the Press, was inimitable.  As a non-politico myself, I found

  MTP to be both educational and entertaining.  In an hour, I could watch the newest roster of political scenesters and industry analysts duke it out over  current affairs.  And I both balked at and delighted in the careful handling of starkly opposing opinions.  My favorite rebuttals frequently began with, "Well, Tim... as you know, I consider Rep. Suchandsuch to be a solid politician... we've spent many years working together... I consider him a friend... BUT..." 

It's been over two years since I first drew the host and guests of Meet The Press.  It began almost as a test to see how well I could sketch out the basics of their faces and postures while they bantered, rapid-fire style with only Tim Russert as arbiter.  And Tim himself was one of my favorite subjects.  His rounded jowls gave his face a nearly square shape (were it not for his little point of a chin) and his eyes were always alight with some sort of almost-private enjoyment at the sparring of his guests.  He had the perfect newscaster's voice and laughed when appropriate which always makes a person more human.  Some days he got little screen time in favor of high profile (or

 loud-mouthed) guests and I was only able to get a scribble down on the page- just his signature jaw line... but mostly that was enough.

Without getting too sappy, I know I'll miss hearing his voice on Sunday mornings  and I can only hope that his family will feel the full weight of the love and respect his colleagues and viewers clearly have for him.

Tim Russert 1950 - 2008.

Photo  courtesy of the Associated Press.