Exile in Fishkill

I'm on day two of my self-imposed exile from New York City. Salem took the trip with me, mostly because I felt really guilty about any thoughts of leaving her in the apartment with very little ventilation while I spend two weeks up at my parents' house upstate, better known by some as The Compound. Granted, as my friend Doug pointed out years ago, its not an actual compound since there is only one residential structure on the property, but I do prefer Heidi and Carrie's reading of my parents' somewhat sizable house years ago. It's on an acre and a half of land up in the hills, surrounded by woods. It's used by me to get away from the city sometimes, therefore, it's a Compound.

Why the exile? you may ask. Well, as part of the latest non-layoff strategy by my firm, along with the 20% paycut, we all also had to take a two-week non-paid vacation/furlough/leave. Yes, it's a bit of a stretch, but everyone involved seems to be in agreement that this was the best for everyone. At this point, there are very few people left in the firm that can believe they are safe from getting laid off, and although this may be preventing the inevitable from happening - more layoffs in October - it gives the firm more time to evaluate what to do ITE (in this economy. Picked that up from Heidi). Anyway, I decided to spend my two weeks where I would spend no money - up in Fishkill.

As most places of exile, I'm taken away from my day to day life. There will be no sailing. There will be no chances to be the guest star of Chey's blog for two weeks. There is no easy access to gluten free eating. The local Walmart had no gluten free bread, although they did have the gluten free pasta that I would normally buy at Whole Foods. Nothing is within walking distance accept for Fishkill Farms, the local orchard. Even that's a stretch. Yes,that's right. I did just say I walked into a Walmart.

This has led to some strife, mostly between the two cats. Finn, my parents' cat, has been at some times at ease, some times looking totally fearful of his life. It may surprise some of you who have met Salem, but she's been the total neurotic New Yorker, growling anytime Finn comes within 10 feet of her. I guess living in a New York apartment, she really has not had anything farther away from her anyway. She immediately assumed the whole house as her own, and Finn is welcome nowhere. The poor thing is fearful no matter where he is. I really hope Salem calms down. There of course have been some joking comparisons to her owner's own assertive behavior and what she has learned from living with me. She's always such the zen cat down on Pearl Street. At any time, I'm expecting this to happen:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/kitchen_floor_conflict_intensifies

Politics are another source of strife. Being a liberal leaning Democrat, it can be a challenge staying in a house where 90% of the time if the TV is on, Fox News is broadcasting, and there is right wing talk radio tuned in on the car radio. It's inescapable. Left on long enough, a familiar sinking, yet crushing, feeling in my chest, matched with an aching in my left shoulder lets me know that all of this really stresses me out. Luckily, the house is huge, although I can still hear some whispering from the TV twisting the great thing that President Clinton did today for those two women in North Korea into something awful, something that he only did for his own advantage.

This is what really bothers me about Fox News and the right wing talk radio. It's not that their viewpoint is a polar opposite of mine, it's the negativity towards the current administration, and the seething resentment of any opinion other than their own. There is also a bizarro world contrast in their reporting between now and the last eight years when Bush was in power. How on earth were those days all wine and roses, and now its all the world is basically coming to an end? It's all brought down to a junior high school level - everything is stupid. Democrats are accused of leaving their offices to go to the strip club instead of answering phone calls from these talking heads at 7PM. I brought up that as an example to my mother as to why I couldn't stand to listen to it anymore. Instead of having any intelligent debate about issues, they are resorting to juvenile accusations against the opposing side, and that the rhetoric is just so vile and negative. She told me to lighten up. I told her that if she was listening to a left wing radio show, and they were spewing similar crap against the GOP, she'd be offended. No response of course. This attack media is all ok as long as you agree with what they are saying. The extreme media is the reason for the great divide between opposing sides, they thrive off of people's anger.

I suppose exile can't be all good.