(no subject)

[kittydesade]

Didn't get a chance to do this on the day I meant, on account of being up front all day and thereby prone to interruption, so we'll do this and the next exercise now.

1. 田中さんは　きのう　何か　食べました。
田中さんが　きのう　食べた　食べ物は　何ですか。　

2.　田中さんは　きのう　だれかに　電話をかけました。
田中さんが　きのう　電話をかけた　人は　だれですか。

3.　田中さんは　きのう　だれかと　デートを　しました。
田中さんが　きのう　デートをした　人は　だれですか。
　　
4.　田中さんは　きのう　どこかで　本を買いました。
田中さんが　きのう　本を買った　ところは　どこですか。
　
5.　田中さんは　きのう　何か　飲みました。
田中さんが　きのう　飲んだ　飲み物は　何ですか。

6.　田中さんのねこは　どこかに　います。　
田中さんのねこが　いる　ところは　どこですか。

7.　田中さんは　だれかに　会います。
田中さんが　会う　人は　だれですか。

8.　田中さんは　何か　つくります。
田中さんが　つくる　食べ物は　何ですか。


A:　どんな　物を　食べた　ことが　ありますか。
[question word] [clause subject] [clause verb] [object of clause] [verb+question particle]

B:　おすしを　食べた　ことが　あります。
[clause subject] [clause verb] [object of clause] [verb]

A:　どうでしたか。
[question]

B:　あまり　おいしくありませんでした。　
[adverb] [adjective][copula verb]


A:　どんな　映画を見た　ことが　見ますか。
B:　アキラを見た　ことが　見ます。
... Oof, no, I'm going to leave that.


That's what we need. We need a bunch of Swearengens to sic on the Republicans. There's new fuckery up on the Link Roundup, and, you know. It is really, really exhausting feeling like I'm the only one who gives two tugs of a dead dogs cock about this. Especially when I know my flist is, or used to be, full of people who charged to a cause, who believed in change, who were active and... oh, hell, I know it still is, I can name four or five such just off the top of my head, but I'm tired and discouraged. I want to shake people and go, do you like your mandatory eight-hour days? Because that's what unions gave us. Do you like your mandatory half-hour lunch, vacation time, sick time? Safe working conditions that don't involve health hazards, or at least the expectation of them? Because that's what unions fought and fight for. Safety. Security. A fair shake. That's what at risk here, the expectation that these are things we deserve.

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm just too damn old. Maybe it's because my grandfather fought for the unions, and my mother fought for the unions, and I remember what it was like to watch my family argue that people who work for you, whether you're a large farm or a business or a factory shop or what have you, deserve to be treated like human beings. That crop pickers deserve to be treated like human beings and not slaves.

And people take these things for granted, now. We believe, even if it only manifests in our bitching and moaning, that we deserve a half hour lunch and a fifteen minute break if we have to work eight hours a day. We believe that we deserve a day or two off every seven to ten days. We assume that we deserve a fair compensation for our labors, that a good employer gives us a health care plan, that a decent place of employment gives four or five vacation days a year, perhaps more, and that you can call in and say "I'm sorry, I have the plague" without them saying "too bad, show up or you're fired." And if we don't get these things, we feel this is unfair.

And this is a new thing. This is a recent thing, and I don't know how to explain this any more or any better, but we are lucky to have these assumptions. We are really fucking lucky. Because there are people still living who remember when this wasn't an assumption you could make. I work with people who remember when this wasn't an assumption you could make. Who remember when working conditions were suffer through deafness and backbreaking posture and long hours for crap pay or we'll replace you, and no, you have no recourse. Do it or go hungry. And homeless. And you might go hungry and homeless anyway but it's still more than what you would have otherwise. This isn't an HBO TV show, this isn't a PBS special, this isn't Kingdom Hospital, this is real. And no, the unions aren't perfect. They're far from perfect, but they are better than nothing. Which is exactly what this country will start having if states are allowed to run roughshod over the idea that workers can unite and bargain for safe conditions or a wage they can live off of.

Never mind. This doesn't affect you. Of course it doesn't. It'll go away. It always does. People will see sense, right? It'll get better on its own. It's swell and all, but the swelling'll go down.

Not that I'm tired or cranky or bitter. Where's my damn filthy assistant.