Running Diary: Patriots vs. Cowboys, Part 1

Foreshadowing is Always Fun

Hello everyone, my shameless and blatant rip off of Bill Simmons “Running Diary” concept is back for its NFL styled debut, featuring a potential shootout with the hometown New England Patriots against the underperforming yet dangerous Dallas Cowboys. As always, my notes/observations at a given point is what I was thinking in real time, with creative additions sprinkled in for entertainment purposes. Without further adieu, let’s get to it. (Note: The times posted are just my general estimate for what the game clock was)

Part ½: First Half

1^st Quarter

15:00 New England kicking off to Dallas, which is fine by me. Let Tony Romo take the field with a week full of criticism on his mind and no chance for the defense to take some of the pressure off of him.

12:15 Wow, as if on cue or the fact he just can’t help himself, Tony Romo overthrows his intended receiver and gets picked off by Kyle Arrington. Romo has the unique ability to throw off his back foot, yet still miss his target high by 10 feet. Most QB’s who do that get picked off by a DB jumping the route, so I guess sucking in a unique way is commendable, Tony.

10:15-9:01 After getting deep into Dallas territory, Patriots uncharacteristically stall out their drive on 2 incompletions, even though Brady could have walked into the endzone on 2^nd down (Dallas was in man coverage and NOBODY was looking back) followed by Demarcus Ware crushing Brady. Sigh. Gotskowski booms an easy one for 3-0 Pats lead.

8:36-7:20 To some degree, I understand the Cowboys conservative playcalling early. They want to get settled in and get Romo some confidence. But you have Jason Witten, Miles Austin, and Dez Bryant as weapons. Why all this underneath stuff/running plays? Whatever, I won’t complain.

-Kyle Love makes a great run stuff on 2^nd down, but Patriots get burned when they send the house on a blitz and Romo finds Bryant for a first down.

6:45-5:15- Run defense has been excellent so far. Even though a Demarco Murray run was negated by a hold, Brandon Spikes shot the gap and CRUSHED him. He has been stepping the fuck up the past few weeks. Guy plays with a tenacity and attitude we haven’t had since Rodney Harrison left. Throw in the fact he looks like (and treats other life forms with the vindictiveness of) a Predator and it’s doubly awesome.

-Also awesome is Romo getting a case of Happy Feet and getting sacked by Andre Carter on 3^rd down. Pats ball off a punt

4:53-3:56 Holy shit, that couldn’t have gone worse. Brady’s pass gets tipped at the line and the DB covering Branch intercepts it. Not sure is Brady’s delivery point is a tad low or defenses just know to get their hands up at this point, but a lot of passes being influenced at the line.

-Meanwhile, Chung kills Miles Austin for daring to come over the middle, and the Pats get REALLY lucky on an endzone play where McCourty interfered with the pass since he didn’t bother to look for the ball because a Dallas O-lineman got caught holding.

-Gerrard Warren smushes Tashard Choice into human paste on a rush, 4^th down field goal for Dallas. Tie game 3-3.

3:09-1:00 You have got to be FUCKING kidding me. Slater apparently decided it was his turn to get invited to the turnover party and fumbles despite a Dallas player barely caressing his arm carrying the ball. Sloppy execution by Pats early.

-Despite not blitzing/stacking the box the past 100 games, Bill clearly wants to pressure Romo because we’re showing and/or bringing heavy pressure frequently.

-VINCE WILFORK=turnover machine, gets his bear claw sized mitt on the ball and causes a fumble. Dallas apparently hates the hot potato( edit:football) as much as we do.

1:00-End 1^st- BJGE (don’t feel like writing his 432 letter name) is the anti-Lawrence Maroney and I love it. Dude finds the hole, hits it hard running North/South, and never fumbles. No dumbfuck tap dancing routine for 5 seconds before getting hit for a loss.

-What I don’t love is Dan Connolly completely whiffing on his block and letting Demarcus Ware destroy Brady for the second time in the game. I have to think the temptation to sacktap Connolly on the next down for Brady is overwhelming.

-Underwhelming is the score after 1 quarter, tied 3-3

2^nd Quarter

15:00-12:07- Brady slings it on a beautiful out pattern to Deion Branch while Gronk throws a massive lead block which gets him an extra 15 yards. God, why did we ever let Branch walk in 2006? Memories of Reche Caldwell/Doug Gabriel still haunt me.

-Brady TAKES OFF with his Usain Bolt like (edit: Sumo wrestler running through a tub of molasses wearing bricks as shoes) speed. Couldn’t help but be scared, 2008 makes me permanently paranoid whenever Brady leaves the pocket.

-Yet again, Patriots stall their drive with a stuffed run, then an untimely holding call on Solder. Very uncharacteristic, another field goal, 6-3 Patriots.

12:07-10:55- This section is sponsored by “Tony Romo’s massive suckage.” Pure gold for anyone not rooting for Dallas.

-After a quick first down, Tony throws an easy swing pass 10 feet behind the running back, then follows it up with a beautiful spiral…right into triple coverage. A shame it wasn’t picked off. Then again, our guys couldn’t have expected THAT bad of a throw.

-Romo, to his credit, improves drastically on third by completing a throw to a bare spot of grass. Good job Tony. Pats ball off the punt.

10:37-7:34 Since defenses have picked up on the Gronk seam route, the Gronk screen is a new weapon that works to great effect. Basically runs people over until 5 defenders converge and hogtie him down to the field.

-Brady works a beautiful hardcount exposing a Cowboys blitz, but someone fucking moves on the O-line. How his vocal chords are still functioning is beyond me, because he barks out plays louder than any QB I know.

-Hernandez and his slippery after the catch magic works two plays in a row. Elusive bastard, he is.

-Note to opposing defenses: On third and short with no one lined up over the center, Brady is running up the middle.

-Brady slings it out to Welker FOR A TD. Refs fuck up the call, but review corrects it. 13-3 Pats.

7:34-End of 2^nd Quarter- Dallas drive begins with ANOTHER fucking flag. Haven’t mentioned it, but the Refs are literally like a desperate puppy pining for attention this game. Making every effort to insert themselves by coating the field in yellow fabric to great anger on my part. Let the boys play, dickhead.

-OUCH, Dez Bryant finally breaks off a huge play, shattering Pat Chung’s ankles million tiny pieces on a juke, scampers for 45 yards.

-Swing pass to Tashard Choice who STEAMROLLS Kyle Arrington on a five yard game. That looked painful. Maybe the hit will finally teach our DB’s to stop arm tackling and go for guys legs once in a while.

-Jesus, another whiff by McCourty on a pass to Laurent Robinson for 50 yard gash. I know McCourty had an insane rookie year and to expect him to follow that success up was highly unlikely, but there have been times this year where he hasn’t just looked bad, he’s been really awful. I think, as a developing player, we should revert to giving him safety help over the top instead of isolating him like we did last season. But that’s just me.

-I didn’t know the Cowboys had a white tight end not named “Witten” but apparently they do, as he caught a pass to make it first and goal for Dallas. Our “Bend-don’t Break” approach is bending more than a circus contortionist on this drive.

-Well, there’s the “break” we were supposed to be avoiding, as Romo slings it to Witten for a touchdown. Damn it, who’s the imposter in the Romo jersey because he looked like a confident and competent quarterback. Not only did Dallas get back in the game on the scoreboard, but that drive ate up more than 7 minutes of clock, leaving the Pats with no time and basically just running out the clock. 13-10 Pats at the half. Basically, we are getting the close competitive game we expected, albeit with considerably less offense.

That’s it for Part 1, mainly since I don’t feel like writing anymore and your Generation Y ADHD is demanding you switch tasks at this point, so I’ll deliver Part 2: Second Half tomorrow.

Polish Politician Takes Page out of Scott Browns Book, Strips for Votes

A political candidate in Poland has taken off her clothes in her election video. SLD representative Katarzyna Lenart, 23, sparked furore over the ad, but maintained it was the best way to attract young voters. Oh, did we say that she's quite a looker? "My campaign targets young people," Lenart reiterated. "And young people are only interested in controversial stuff, unfortunately." Eventually, she takes off her pink bra and the word "censored" covers her breasts. A message then appears, reading: "Want more? Vote SLD. Only we can do more."

That primal screaming sound you just heard? Sarah Palin realizing she should have been running in Poland all along.

With more women than ever in or running for political office isn't it weird that we haven't seen this strategy yet? I mean, it's more than ironic that Scott Brown, a man, is the only one who's given this method a try. Come on ladies, do you want to be elected or not? From where I'm standing you're not exactly giving it your best efforts here.

Australia's Awesome No.952: Rubber Sidewalks for Drunk Bar Goers

YATALA, Australia -- Australia's hard-partying pub culture is beginning to show its softer side. Spurred by the unwanted and rowdy side effects that sometimes accompany a night on the town, drinking establishments have turned to a novel approach to save overindulging revelers from broken bones and bruised egos: rubber sidewalks. In a country desperate for solutions to curb rising alcohol-related crimes and injuries, the matting has come to be seen as a legitimate attempt to soften impacts from scuffles and stumbles. Sydney's bar bouncers are among the surface's fans. "Anything to do with safety, and this certainly qualifies, should seriously be looked at across the board."

I mean, in further evidence that Australia is the #1 place to live in the world...Our politicians are over here struggling with crushing debt, joblessness, and a bunch of smelly protestors just hanging out in public parks, while Australia's government is legislating safety precautions for drunks. The difference has never been clearer.

Here in America I'm pretty sure if a rash of people breaking their noses on concrete sidewalks was suddenly to come over bar dwellers we'd legislate like a 3 drink limit for each patron, pissing everyone off along the way...Australia, they see the problem and try to cut it off a the source, hard, unforgiving concrete sidewalks. I mean, I never realized it until just right now, but rubber sidewalks are something that I've wanted all my life. Imagine walking out of your local dive bar and not worrying about tripping and landing square on your nose? How much better would life be? 

Damnit Australia, you've done it again...seriously, when is someone from the Australia Board of Tourism going to offer to fly me out for a week of pure fun?

Boob Job Doctor Defines Perfect Breast Shape Mathematically...No, Seriously

Daily Mail - In a plastic surgeon’s quest to find the ideal female proportions, he turned to 100 glamour models...It sounds almost like parody – a top consultant plastic surgeon spends three months studying models appearing on Page 3 of a bestselling British red-top newspaper. Later this month he reveals his findings: the mathematical proportions of the perfect breast. Of course, the subjectivity of such a statement can’t be ignored – not to mention the somewhat dubious nature of the source material. But astonishingly, when shown computer mock-ups of the female form based on these equations, most women agree that they are indeed the ideal vital statistics.

Is this not the best evidence yet that men have won the war of the sexes? This Doc, spending his days charting the topographical features of boobs, created a mathematical formula for the perfect tit, and most women readily agree with his research. Just eating it up, swamping him with requests for the perfect pythagorean jug.  Game, set, match, men. 

If a guy making an honest living examining topless women in a magazine and then selling his fantasy breasts to willing women isn't the greatest victory to date, then I don't know what is. Seriously, wrap your head around that for a second. 

This guy tells girls what their boobs should look like, and they're cool with it. Like, that's it for equality. I've never sought out the advice of a lady doc on the shape of my calves or pectoral definition, and I never would, and that's really all you need to know.

Occupy Movement Spreads to Providence Where They Protest...The Mall?

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—The Occupy Wall Street movement made its mark Saturday in Rhode Island, as well over 1,000 protesters with the group Occupy Providence marched peacefully through the capital city then set up camp in a city park. Stopping outside Bank of America, the Providence Place Mall and the Statehouse, among other locations, the marchers decried "corporate greed" and celebrated democracy. They said they represent the 99 percent of the country that is disenfranchised as the U.S. economy and government have become dominated by corporate interests.

That's so cute of Providence, pretending like they're a real big city and not more like Worcester than Boston.  Seriously, if you think Boston has a New York inferiority complex, it's nothing compared to Providence's Boston complex.

How can you not laugh at this? New York protestors are outside Wall Street, the financial center of the world, Boston protestors are outside our Financial district, while not as big as NY's, still respectable...and Providence protestors are outside the mall...Yea, the Mall. Protesting the GAP and Forever 21. Way to be heard Providence. Did you all duck into Fire and Ice after for a nice buffet?

If you're in Providence and are going to protest how do you not focus on workers rights for Rub N' Tug girls and even looser legislation for all the Under-21 bars throughout the city?

Occupy Wall Street Parody: I Need Attention

Honestly, If I hadn't told you it was a parody, how long would have taken you to figure it out? I'd say about .54 seconds in when she compares the stank of the protest to her lady parts.  Up until then it was completely believable that she was just another nutso protestor...Her message for the most part is right on point.

PS: You see some of those 911 posters? The fuck is that about? Is that what they're protesting now? Flying planes into buildings? I think we all agree at this point that terrorists are a bad thing, no? Do we really need protests about that?

Yet Another Character Assasination Piece by the Globe

Don't worry Terry, I got your back.

I knew, as a Red Sox fan my whole life, that the reaction to the biggest September collapse in baseball history was going to elicit very strong emotional reactions, some bordering on irate temper tantrums. But the resulting fallout from this year’s collapse has been nothing short of a complete nuclear meltdown in terms of organizational structure. From an article published in the Boston Globe, (let it be known I despise this newspaper vehemently for their blatant and consistent negativity/unfair portrayals of prominent team members as well as possessing the most liberally slanted pieces known to man, but I couldn’t deprive myself of an opportunity offer my scrutiny on the assertions made within the piece) small pieces of evidence were turned up (players (Josh Beckett/John Lackey) blatantly admitting they care more about their stats and how much fried chicken they are getting in the clubhouse during the team completely free falling) as well as prominent “leaders” like David Ortiz mutating into from gregarious, fun loving clubhouse leader into a completely self involved asshole who put DAVID ORTIZ over everything else he formerly represented, like loyalty and integrity for this franchise. His publicly questioning Alfredo Aceves not being a starter undermining management at a critical juncture of the season as well giving an ESPN interview post collapse which was 50 % assuaging his ego/reputation and 50 % one of the most transparent negotiation tactics I have ever seen were just two instances of his falling a few step down the ladder of respectability. From some of his quotes:

“There’s too much drama here”

Translation: I’m creating leverage by giving the impression I might leave due to internal team turmoil, which serves as a great bargaining chip.

“They (the Yankees) do things right.”

Translation: Further driving my price tag up by using the Yankees financial resources and need for a DH to my advantage.

“I don’t know what my future holds”

Translation: Creating artificial uncertainty and hoping he gets a fat paycheck before Prince Fielder does because he will be fucked otherwise.

Result: There is a method to fair negotiations, and as far as I’m concerned, stringing a fan base along with vague remarks and using an epic team failure as a method of getting paid is an asshole move.

Bringing up some issues and illustrating the extent of potential clubhouse dysfunction for the Red Sox I’m completely fine with. However, there is a portion of this article I have MASSIVE issues with, and as a fan, am completely disgusted with, even ashamed that a media outlet responsible for covering my team dabbles in such reprehensible smear tactics. I refer to the portion of this abominable piece of passive aggressively written vitriol making some very dangerous insinuations about Terry Francona AFTER he has left the team.

By numerous accounts, manager Terry Francona lost his ability to prevent some of the lax behavior that characterized the collapse. Team sources said Francona, who has acknowledged losing influence with some former team leaders, appeared distracted during the season by issues related to his troubled marriage and to his health.

Francona spent the season living in a hotel after he moved out of the Brookline home he shared with Jacque, his wife of nearly 30 years. But he adamantly denied his marital problems affected his job performance.


“It makes me angry that people say these things because I’ve busted my [butt] to be the best manager I can be,’’ Francona said. “I wasn’t terribly successful this year, but I worked harder and spent more time at the ballpark this year than I ever did.’’


Team sources also expressed concern that Francona’s performance may have been affected by his use of pain medication, which he also vehemently denied. Francona said he has taken pain medicine for many years, particularly after multiple knee surgeries. He said he used painkillers after knee surgery last October and used them during the season to relieve the discomfort of doctors draining blood from his knee at least five times.


Francona acknowledged that he consulted the team’s internist, Dr. Larry Ronan, during spring training after one of his children expressed concern about a pill bottle in his hotel room. Francona said the doctor told him he did not have a drug abuse problem. Ronan could not be reached.
“I went and saw the proper people and it was not an issue,’’ Francona said. “It never became an issue, and anybody who knew what was going on knows that.’’


Francona is out the door already, trying to establish a new chapter of his life, having orchestrated a largely successful 8 years as Red Sox manager. But the Globe sees it fit to kick him in the ass AGAIN and smear him in shit, despite the fact he’s not even our manager anymore. “Team sources?” That sounds like journalistic bullshit for “Someone heard something somewhere at…some point which MIGHT be true so I’m going to use it for my story” to me. Francona probably appeared distracted during the season because he probably WAS distracted. Divorce often is an emotionally draining and miserable process. But from what I saw, Francona admirably separated his professional and personal life, weathered the deluge of criticism after the 2-10 start, remained loyal to the players, continued managing as he always did, and had the team at 84-54 by the start of September. I’ll go ahead and say, despite the difficulties of his divorce, he was still able to do his job effectively. It’s not his fault our team shat their pants and sunk faster than the Titanic.

These “Team Sources” also were concerned he was abusing pain killers?? His child, who is concerned for their fathers welfare, wanted to make sure everything was well with their father’s health. If Franconna were this pill popping drug addict, would he have gone and seen a DOCTOR for it? Probably not. Addicts are often marked by a vehement denial that they have even have a problem. Terry, out of respect for his child’s concern, made a responsible decision in visiting a health professional in order to put any potential doubt to rest. I sincerely doubt Lackey and Lester would have instantly started doing more wind sprints if Terry took one less Vicadin a day But no, these wild speculations based on SOLELY a truly terrible month of baseball are the justification for using a man’s personal life as a reason for a team failure. Not only is this wrong, I find it utterly and completely reprehensible. It is an attempt, for no discernible reason, to denigrate the character and reputation of the BEST manager in Red Sox history. Even on his way out, when he had every opportunity to trash the players and organization, Terry Francona handled himself with class. The demon spawn called journalists might try to paint an ugly picture, but for my part, I will always respect, admire, and wish Tito well. I would hope others will remember and see him for who he truly is, not what the media is trying to transform him into.

Scientists Finally Unlock and Diagnose the Mystery's of the Black Plague

Fox News - The bacterium blamed for the Black Death that wiped out more than a third of Europe's population within about five years of the 14th century looks an awful lot like the modern versions of the plague-causing bug, new genetic research indicates. By taking the now-powdery black pulp out of the teeth of plague victims buried in London's East Smithfield Cemetery — a cemetery established solely to handle the onslaught of the Black Death once it arrived in the city in 1348 — researchers have managed to reconstruct the entire genetic blueprint, or genome, of the bacterium blamed for the devastation.

Well, I'm glad that one's not hanging over our head anymore, one less thing to worry about right? Only took 700 or so years.  That's gotta give hope to those with AIDS and Cancer too, now that some of our best and brightest are done digging up mummies and crypt keepers and playing with diseases from over half a millenia ago, they should be able to focus on more pressing matters at hand, like actual viruses and diseases harming actual living people.

Seriously, what the hell is going on over there in England? No one thought, hey guys, these resources might be better served researching modern illness? Or that maybe digging up 700 year old disease ridden corpses is a pretty solid way to potentially kick off a health epidemic? In fact, I'm pretty sure that's been the basis for roughly 50% of all Zombie related moves. Old plagues and illness being reintroduced to the modern world. 

Come on guys, like we don't have enough stuff to worry about.

My Daily Occupy Boston Critique: Why The Occupiers Don't Stand for Me

Boston - When Occupy Boston protesters complain about greedy bankers, corporate jets, and the wealthiest Americans, Henry Helgeson feels as if he is one of the prime targets.  Helgeson, 37, said he is not only in the top 1 percent of American earners, but also founded a financial company and an airplane charter business. He said the protesters don’t seem to care that he built his wealth from scratch, creating hundreds of jobs along the way. “It’s a little disheartening,’’ said Helgeson, who drives by the protesters every day to and from his office at Merchant Warehouse Inc., a credit card processing firm in downtown Boston. “I’m someone who is at the epicenter of perceived evilness.’’ Today, he said, his earnings put him in the top 1 percent of all Americans. He was probably in the bottom 10 percent 13 years ago, when he started Merchant Warehouse with a college friend in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He said he often did not have money to pay rent for his apartment. And when his decade-old Dodge broke down, he had to watch it get towed away and impounded, because he didn’t have money to repair it. Today, Merchant Warehouse has 250 employees in Boston, many of whom are about the same age of the protesters, and 400 independent contractors.

It’s about time someone like Henry spoke out about what he’s seeing and what he believes. I’m not even close to a 1%’er much closer to the people living in tents and using nearby restaurants as their personal bathrooms than I am to a millionaire, but I’ll side with Henry Helgeson 100 times out of 100.

And that’s what the occupiers don’t seem to understand as of yet. This is why so many have viewed the occupiers as an annoyance, this is the reason for the negativity towards their protests to date.

This is still America. If you want to, you still can make yourself into whatever you want. You may not achieve your wildest dreams, but if you’re trying hard enough and going about everything the right way, you’ll succeed. You really will. This is why I’ll side with the somewhat goofily named 53 percenter’s any day of the week if I’m choosing sides. The rest of us (the majority) still realize that hard work, dedication and focus, and the right education will still lead to a good life.Will some do better than others? Yes, and that's ok.

Do I agree that executives profiting from the bail out of a situation they had a large hand in causing was wrong? Absolutely. I also believe the bailout was necessary, but understand that it was carried out poorly with minimal oversight and restrictions. No one at the top of any companies that received federal funds to keep their businesses afloat should have recovered while the rest of “main street” (a term I hate but is apt in this case), are still wallowing through a housing crisis, historically high unemployment and higher prices for everything from utilities to food. The fact that these companies and executives were given chances and opportunities not afforded to the rest of America was, and still is, WRONG. I can’t be clearer that I agree on this issue.

At the end of the day though, I still strive to be one of those exec’s someday, the man in power, who worked himself to the top. I know it’s a slim probability, but I know there’s a chance, and that working hard, making connections, and learning as much as I possibly can, will help me far more than complaining, whining and protesting in a public park ever will.

I also know that nothing can or will be done about the circumstances and facts of the 2008 collapse, and ensuing bailout, at this point in time. It’s in the past. We need to move forward. We need to ensure we elect leaders that have the majority’s best interests at heart, and those that have learned from some of the mistakes and wrong doings of our current crop of leaders. But it should be understood that no radical redistribution of wealth is going to happen, nor should it. The circumstances that allowed this collection of wealth should be modified, but the individuals and corporations who skillfully gamed the system to their advantage should not be punished for taking advantage of opportunities that existed to them in the past. That would be as Un-American as anything the current occupiers are protesting.

Moving on, I also agree that the price of higher education needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed immediately. Students should not have to make the choice between the school they’re qualified for and the school they can afford. This should not be a reality if we want our economy to recover and flourish in the future.

This does not, however, offer an excuse for those of us who’ve already made our choices regarding school options. At the end of the day, it was just that, a choice. I had to make one, and I chose a state school, I did not want to burden my family or my future with a daunting debt at the very start of my adulthood. I made the correct choice for me. Whether it was a fair choice or not is not really the debate in this situation, life is often not fair, you’ll presumably face many choices along the way in which the options presented to you are not ideal, but you’ll have to pick the right one. The bank didn’t set the price for college and they certainly didn’t force you to sign for that loan. Make an informed and educated decision, understand the potential circumstances of your decision, and stick by it. Do not complain if things don’t turn out exactly as you thought they would. Work harder, look for new options and opportunities instead of handouts.

Along those same lines, stop complaining about not finding a profession in the field you presumed you’d be working in. The economy changes, jobs that are in-demand, fall out. Jobs that didn’t exist, spring to life. Take a look at the landscape, retrain yourself if you have to, and target a favorable field. You can do it, I did.

I was a political science major, upon graduating I spent three months attempting to put that degree to work, turns out you can’t. I realized my choices were either furthering my education, or attempting to adapt to a field I hadn’t intended on working in. I chose to adapt.

I got my foot in the door at a financial services company. I had zero experience and virtually no training or previous education on the subject matter. I could have easily failed, or I could’ve easily quit and complained about not finding a job in my chosen field. I didn’t. I worked very hard to understand everything that was required of me, I learned as much as I could and gave my best effort every day to close the knowledge gap between myself and other entry level employees with more typical business backgrounds. It worked. I’ve been promoted a few times now and continue to grow within the company. I had no business succeeding in this field but I have so far through my determination to make it work. It is possible to succeed in something you never saw yourself doing, it is a lot of work, and it can be scary, but trying is better than stubbornly refusing to change and waiting for opportunities to be handed to you.

As you can see, I agree with some of the occupiers concerns and points of issue, there is a need for open dialogue and change in policy and leadership, but that starts on Beacon Hill and in Washington, not on a public park outside a few banks and financial firms where a handful of execs and thousands more middle class workers make their living. There are countless employees in those buildings just like me, not too different from the occupiers, striving every day to support and further themselves. They are not the problem.

The conversation cannot afford any “why me”, or “bail me out”, or “eat the rich” commentary if it is to be taken seriously. The American majority, those of us working to better ourselves, who haven’t stopped pushing ourselves ahead, even in times of economic uncertainty, do not believe in those messages. We haven’t yet given up, and we probably won’t. In truth the members of the occupy movements spreading these messages are closer to being their own 1% club. It’s a fringe message right now. Unfortunately it doesn’t take much to turn a real, open discussion about politics and the economy into a demonstration pushing borderline if not obvious Marxist and socialist ideals. If the occupy movements want to represent the grand majority of working middle and lower class Americans the message will need to be cleaned up.

In the meantime I'm going to keep observing from a distance, while continuing to work hard and look for new opportunities to push myself ahead and join that other 1% we all should be striving to be a part of. I don't expect it to be easy, and I'm realistic that I might never get there, but damn it, I'm going to keep trying.