Scrubbing the toilet bowl of the soul

If I were prone to dispensing folksy wisdom, I would say "I reckon a man who scrubs his own toilet has no choice but to be honest with himself." Or to put it in Shakespearean terms: To thine own bowl scrub true, for as the flush follows the brush, thoust canst be false to oneself.

It's hard to believe that you are farther up the ladder than anyone else. It shows that your willing to do the dirty work like anyone else. It is also a good anecdote for a swollen ego, lying to yourself, believing your infallibility or any other kinds of folly.

Not that this happens to me a lot. But this can be an acquired personality flaw among college-educated white collar workers who have never worked in a blue collar job and may believe they have never actually touched a toilet (ya know, the foot flushers).

If you really want a heavy dose of modesty, take apart the toilet seat that a 5 year old boy has tortured with a thorough and repeated urine soak and clean each part. Of course, urine is a natural disinfectant, and sailors used to clean their clothes in it (back in the wooden ship days when no one smelled good). Anyway, you could say I was real humble yesterday.

Why haven't I posted for the last month?

Is it because I have been busy with both work and writing and, ya know, life? Yes.

Is it because the increasing number of people I'm following on Twitter, like Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, Brent Spiner, John Hodgman, Levar Burton, Leo Laporte, etc., has made that a bigger time suck? Yes, but an excellent return on investment for geek knowledge.

Is it because I have been fixing various tax payment problems that may preclude me from being confirmed as President Obama's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cursor Moving Devices at the nascent Department of Geek Affairs? No comment.

Is it because some discretionary time has been chewed up by Micro Trackball's Super Smash Bros. Brawl obsession? Yes.

Is it because I have been getting ready for two Feb./March birthdays which require much research and planning? Yes.

Is it because of the economic downturn? No, but if you want to use that excuse, go for it. It's very much in vogue right now to 'tighten your belt' and make other people miserable because you want to fit in with people who really have it bad.

Is it because January is a boring, miserable, full of extra laundry, piece of shit month? Yes.

Is it because I have been putting together an application for Clarion 2009 in sunny San Diego this summer? Sadly, no.