The Fine Art of Doing Nothing.

Once or twice a year I read an essay or article I especially like. Today was one of those days. It's a good post for a Saturday. I am posting the first few paragraphs, if you like it, the link will bring you the rest.
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All Nothing All the Time
Neil Genzlinger / February 16, 2008 / NY Times

IF you’re wearing a cast right now, this advice comes too late, but file it away for next winter: There’s nothing wrong with doing nothing. And there’s a bed-and-breakfast out there, framed in snow but with plush rooms and welcoming fires inside, that is made for helping you remember how.

A certain high-powered personality type, the kind that advertises itself with a ski rack on the car, doesn’t grasp this concept. These folks may check into a cozy B & B on a chilly day, but then it’s eat and run run run, to the slopes or the snowmobile trails or the icy sidewalks of some antiques alley.

People like this guarantee full employment for paramedics and anyone in the crutch or quick-set-plaster business. But we travelers who have attained more of what I like to think of as maturity — “slothfulness” and “decrepitude” seem like such harsh words — know that human beings are supposed to hibernate in the winter. A bed-and-breakfast or small inn is, to us, a well-appointed cave where we go with the goal of doing nothing. Not just a little bit of nothing between bursts of something. I’m talking about all nothing, all the time.

for the balance of the essay:

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/travel/escapes/?8dpc

The Wave.

A Grotesque Baboon - - -

A "third-rate country lawyer", a "coarse, vulgar joker", "a dictator, an ape, and a buffoon." “The craftiest and most dishonest politician that ever disgraced an [American political] office."

A description of President Bush? No, that's the press' description of the President during the Civil War -- Abraham Lincoln.

I was preparing a nice post on our delicious St Valentine's Day dinner when I switched on the news to see if I could catch the latest on Romneys's endorsement of McCain or Obama's comments on Hillary's comments. Instead, Keith Olbermann was ranting about President Bush, the fascist.

President bashing is an American right and tradition, kind of like booing the umps at a baseball game when a call goes against your team. Or second guessing the coaches decision to go for it at 4th and 1. But Olbermann goes too far, regardless of political view that kind of slander is unnecessary and wrong. And I believe it does us all harm when we show contempt and disrespect for the office of the President. He is not just a Prime Minister, he is a combination of Prime Minister and peoples King. I will say the same about Clinton, Obama or any other person who takes the oath of office. The president can be criticized, but in my view, respectfully.

Leaders make unpopular decisions. I have no idea whether this war was justified or not. I do believe there is such a thing as a just war, I don't know if this is one of them, but that's not my decision. Disagree with this war all you want. Fight to withdraw all you want, but to say the President is motivated by personal animosity, oil money, self-aggrandizement or anything like it is wrong. I don't think President Bush's decisions are motivated by anything but the desire to protect the very people who are criticizing him. He may be right, he may be wrong, only time will tell. That's my opinion.

For the record my news watching of choice is:
Matthews / MSNBC
A Cooper / CNN
Hannity & Colmes / Fox

Shows I do not watch:
Olbermann / MSNBC
Lou Dobbs / CNN
O'Reilly / Fox

Comments anyone? Agree, disagree?