Fuming? Nah - those days are over.

I did say that I was fuming about the Patriot Act issue - but that's not an accurate representation of what I was doing at all. I was feeling energized by an issue that I used to fume about. I was energized enough to do a lot of web searching about topics that I'm interested in, and to read some of my text books into my iPod recorder so that I can listen to them while I'm riding my bike to and from school and work.

That's what fuming means to me on this particular topic these days. A couple of years ago I actually could have spent hours feeling truly angry about it in my blood. Now I'm angry in principle, but on this issue at least, I'm beyond feeling much intense, visceral aggravation. It's pretty much an intellectual slow-burn more than a fuming, raging firestorm.

Maybe a slow-burn leads to more effectual action and less futile ranting in my own head...