Truman

I haven't posted any book reviews lately as I've been reading "Truman" by David McCullough for what seems like a year. I can't imagine ever reading a more complete record of Harry S. Truman's life. The nearly 1,000 page monster is one of the largest reading projects I've ever taken on in my adult life with the exception of perhaps "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo. From Goodreads:

"This warm biography of Harry Truman is both an historical evaluation of his presidency and a paean to the man's rock-solid American values. Truman was a compromise candidate for vice president, almost an accidental president after Roosevelt's death 12 weeks into his fourth term. Truman's stunning come-from-behind victory in the 1948 election showed how his personal qualities of integrity and straightforwardness were appreciated by ordinary Americans, perhaps, as McCullough notes, because he was one himself. His presidency was dominated by enormously controversial issues: he dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, established anti-Communism as the bedrock of American foreign policy, and sent U.S. troops into the Korean War. In this winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize, McCullough argues that history has validated most of Truman's war-time and Cold War decisions."

As with most mildly educated people I knew many of the highlights of Truman's career in politics. What I really enjoyed about this book was the in depth detail McCullough took to present a full biography of Truman. Beginning with the roots of Truman's grandparents that migrated to Missouri from Kentucky in the 1840's and concluding with his death in Kansas City in 1972. The scope and detail of the biography is staggering but McCullough presents it in a very readable fashion. It's no wonder he won a Pulitzer Prize for this work, probably a great reward for the ten years it took him to write the book.

I can't recommend this biography enough. Again, the detail to who Harry S. Truman was and how he lived his life is enormous. Though he had his faults and loses along with his triumphs, this biography made me appreciate the great American and President that Harry S. Truman was. If only we had a man of his integrity and devotion to doing what is right regardless of public opinion today! The length and scope of the book can be daunting but it was well worth the couple of weeks it took me to read.

Boomer Sooner?

"The state of Arizona executed convicted killer Jeffrey Landrigan late Tuesday after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the lethal injection, a corrections official said.

The execution was carried out at 10:26 p.m. (12:26 a.m. ET), said Barrett Marson, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Corrections.

'I'd like to say "thank you" to my family for being here and all of my friends,' were Landrigan's final words, according to Marson. He concluded with 'Boomer Sooner,' a cheer often used by University of Oklahoma fans."

See I always though Oklahoma Sooner fans were killer psychopaths, this confirms it! He should have asked for a Bevo steak as his last meal...

Link

Rand Paul Supporters

It looks like the Rand Paul (Teabagger candidate for Senate in Kentucky) supporters are just as disgusting as their candidate. Watch the video below:



What an ugly election season this is turning out to be! It takes a "real man" to kick a woman in the head when she's down...

Moreover what is the deal with the rise of the Teabaggers and all of these ultra fringe candidates? They say they are tired of a government intrusion and out of control spending, though it is odd that they were curiously silent during the the massive amount of debt this country accumulated during the Bush years. My personal opinion is that these so-called Teabaggers, in general, are a bunch of racist scum bags that have been jumping out of their skin since the election of a dark skinned President.

Liberals, progressives, and normal thinking people need to get out the vote in one week no matter how gloomy the prospects seem. I'm less than thrilled about a lot of the Democratic choices this year but they are far better than many of the kooks running on the Republican ticket. Getting out the vote is key this year, like every year, maybe not for gains in Congress but to stop the tide of the radical fringe from taking over!

Opinions?

The Presuppose You're Living in New England Meme

Once again courtesy of Sunday Stealing. (I wrote this yesterday but forgot to publish for some reason)

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Have you turned the heat on in your house yet this fall?
I turned the heat on for the first time last night and promptly shut it off this morning as the house was an oven.

2. Do you allow your pets on the furniture?
I would if I had any pets.

3. What were your final words for September?
No clue, probably something about your mom.

4. What were your first words for October?
Probably, "yay, it's Friday!!"

5. Do you think you’ve ever seen a ghost?
I believe in myself and that's about all I'm really sure about.

6. What is the one color that represents this time of year?
Orange!

7. Which of your senses do you think is most sensitive this time of year?
Not sure, maybe feel since the weather turns colder and sharper and my skin becomes extremely dry this time of year.

8. What is your favorite thing to do at the county fair?
I haven't been to a county fair since I was probably a kid. My favorite activity at the State Fair is to eat lost of really bad food like fried beer.

9. What do you like when you have a cold?
I assume this means food. Any kind of soup is good but especially potato soup or hamburger\vegetable stew.

10. Are you willing to spend over $100 for a piece of winter clothing, like boots or a coat?
Yes and I have already this season though it's been too warm to use the coat as of yet.

12. What do you have too much of in your kitchen?
Glass wear definitely, as in things to drink out of.

13. What gripes do you have about this time of year?
Overall I love fall/winter but I do have really dry skin that can get out of hand if I don't stay moisturized. The last couple of years were dreadful, I had an ongoing rash from nearly head to toe!

14. Other than yourself, are you responsible for getting anyone ready in the morning?
No, and if I were they would be SOL as I have a hard enough time dragging my own ass out of bed as it is.

15. When was the last time you cleaned your gutters?
Oddly enough I don't gutters on my house.

16. So, it’s after Labor Day. Will you still be wearing white?
Yes because I do what I want! Such a rebel.

17. What shows are you most looking forward to this Fall?
I'm looking forward to the new AMC series The Walking Dead. It starts on Halloween night.

18. What three things have you just not gotten around to from the summer, but probably should do before snow flies?
In Oklahoma there really isn't a whole lot to do to prepare for winter. We do get some pretty nasty winter weather from time to time but it's never for an extended period of time. The only preparation I can think of is to have an ice scraper in your car.

What the Hell?

Obviously I've had a lot of time on my hands today. I ran across a link to this video from an Oklahoma Democrat site:



What the hell is the world coming to? The kooks are really crawling out of the woodwork this election cycle. My friend was telling me a story about a teenage girl she knows who couldn't get parental consent for an abortion so she tried to self abort! Good lord, is this what we need to go back to, back alleys and wire hangers? Abortion has been legal in this country since 1973, get over it people. Abortion freedoms are slowly being scaled back year after year and I don't think my or the next generation can fully understand what that means and how terrible it was before the Roe v. Wade decision.

What really chaps my ass is that the two Democratic candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor in this state are anti-choice. The older I get the more I loathe going to the polls on election day. It would be really nice to have some kind of clear choice in November here in Oklahoma. I can tolerate losing, that's democracy. What I can't tolerate is losing when the candidates are, for the most part, carbon copies of each other! I wonder if conservatives feel this way, only in reverse, in states like Illinois, Massachusetts, or New York?

Perhaps as a man, I should just shut my mouth on this issue.

President Obama: It Gets Better

See, just when I was dogging on the President a couple of posts down, he goes and does something like this:



I'm still pissed at him though...

Fuck Your Feelings

I saw this exchange between someone writing in to Savage Love and Dan Savage on Facespace. Most awesome, I had to share here:

I heard an interview with you about your It Gets Better campaign. I was saddened and frustrated with your comments regarding people of faith and their perpetuation of bullying. As someone who loves the Lord and does not support gay marriage, I can honestly say I was heartbroken to hear about the young man who took his own life.

If your message is that we should not judge people based on their sexual preference, how do you justify judging entire groups of people for any other reason (including their faith)? There is no part of me that took any pleasure in what happened to that young man.

To that end, to imply that I would somehow encourage my children to mock, hurt, or intimidate another person for any reason is completely unfounded and offensive. Being a follower of Christ is, above all things, a recognition that we are all imperfect, fallible, and in desperate need of a savior. We cannot believe that we are better or more worthy than other people.

Please consider your viewpoint, and please be more careful with your words in the future.

L.R.

I'm sorry your feelings were hurt by my comments.

No, wait. I'm not. Gay kids are dying. So let's try to keep things in perspective: Fuck your feelings.

A question: Do you "support" atheist marriage? Interfaith marriage? Divorce and remarriage? All are legal, all go against Christian and/or traditional ideas about marriage, and yet there's no "Christian" movement to deny marriage rights to atheists or people marrying outside their respective faiths or people divorcing and remarrying. Why the hell not?

Sorry, L.R., but so long as you support the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples, it's clear that you do believe that some people—straight people—are "better or more worthy" than others.

And—sorry—but you are partly responsible for the bullying and physical violence being visited on vulnerable LGBT children. The kids of people who see gay people as sinful or damaged or disordered and unworthy of full civil equality—even if those people strive to express their bigotry in the politest possible way (at least when they happen to be addressing a gay person)—learn to see gay people as sinful, damaged, disordered, and unworthy. And while there may not be any gay adults or couples where you live, or at your church, or in your workplace, I promise you that there are gay and lesbian children in your schools. And while you can only attack gays and lesbians at the ballot box, nice and impersonally, your children have the option of attacking actual gays and lesbians, in person, in real time.

Real gay and lesbian children. Not political abstractions, not "sinners." Gay and lesbian children.

Try to keep up: The dehumanizing bigotries that fall from the lips of "faithful Christians," and the lies about us that vomit out from the pulpits of churches that "faithful Christians" drag their kids to on Sundays, give your children license to verbally abuse, humiliate, and condemn the gay children they encounter at school. And many of your children—having listened to Mom and Dad talk about how gay marriage is a threat to family and how gay sex makes their magic sky friend Jesus cry—feel justified in physically abusing the LGBT children they encounter in their schools. You don't have to explicitly "encourage [your] children to mock, hurt, or intimidate" queer kids. Your encouragement—along with your hatred and fear—is implicit. It's here, it's clear, and we're seeing the fruits of it: dead children.

Oh, and those same dehumanizing bigotries that fill your straight children with hate? They fill your gay children with suicidal despair. And you have the nerve to ask me to be more careful with my words?

Did that hurt to hear? Good. But it couldn't have hurt nearly as much as what was said and done to Asher Brown and Justin Aaberg and Billy Lucas and Cody Barker and Seth Walsh—day in, day out for years—at schools filled with bigoted little monsters created not in the image of a loving God, but in the image of the hateful and false "followers of Christ" they call Mom and Dad.

Meh

I guess I've had a case of bloggers block lately. There really isn't anything that I care to comment on even though the news has been ripe with all kinds of crazy stories lately:

The on again off again "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy in the military is becoming ridiculous. I mean really, one day through a court order the military is accepting gay applicants and the next day, through another court injunction, the military isn't accepting gay volunteers. A truly bizarre joke.

Christine O'Donnell, a self described Constitutional scholar, doesn't know what's said in the First Amendment! "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Watching portions of her debate the other night was extremely cringe inducing and I actually kind of felt sorry for the ridicule she took during and after the debate. To paraphrase Bill Maher, "she is one of us, we shouldn't be Senators."

Hillary Clinton makes an "It Gets Better" speech on behalf of the gay youth in this country! Unthinkable that someone fourth in line to be President would make such a speech. I'm proud that I voted for her in the Democratic primary; however, I'm not so sure that I'm proud of who I voted for in the general election.

Did everyone wear purple yesterday? I did not since the only thing I have purple is a silk sweater. I'm not opposed to the sweater I'm just opposed to wearing it to work while our air conditioning is out (again). Apparently we're going to try to hold on until fall weather arrives. When I left work yesterday it was nearly 90 degrees in the office and I had a massive amount of crack sweat going. It's sad when you feel the need to wear a "wife beater" and a thong to work to feel comfortable...

I guess there were a few things for me to comment on after all. It's been a very shitty week, most likely due to my arrival back in Goober County and heading back to work in the Chinese sweat shop. Well at least it's almost Friday! How is everyone else doing?

New Link of Interest (8)

What could be more fun than a comic strip using Star Wars action figures? Not a whole hell of a lot in my opinion! This is what you'll find at Yak's Pub (where the figures come to get served).

"The idea for Yak’s Pub actually came to me in the spring of 2005. I was sitting on the floor of my son’s room while we were playing Star Wars. As he occupied himself in his own little story line I began posing several of his figs at the bar. This lead from one scene to another and one-liner after one-liner."

Check it out for some laughs and great Star Wars nostalgia!

Chicago Architecture

I've always been interested in architecture and Chicago offers a paradise of views arguably unrivaled in the world. Growing up in western Oklahoma, the stunning site around downtown Chicago boggles the mind...


The Museum of Science and Industry in Jackson Park in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago is one of only two structures left from the World's Columbian Exposition or World's Fair of 1893. Originally it was know as the Palace of Fine Arts. I was very interested in seeing the area after reading the book "The Devil in the White City." The area is now heavily wooded with a Japanese garden as well. It was nice to walk around the area on a crips fall morning.

Historic Solider Field which was renovated in 2003 generating much controversy. Too bad I didn't have the opportunity to attend a Bears game. They lost to Seattle that weekend.

The Rookery Building completed in 1888 by John Root and Daniel Burnham of Burnham and Root was another building I had a special interest in seeing after reading the book "The Devil in the White City." I knew the building was on in the Loop on LaSalle Street but I was unsure about the exact location. Jason and I were lucky to literally run in to the building while touring the Loop area of Chicago. It is considered the oldest standing "skyscraper" in Chicago.

Trump Tower Chicago is a wonderful example of modern architecture. Very promenant in the skyline, which houses a hotel and condos, it is the second largest skyscraper in Chicago and the United States, second only to the Willis Tower. Moreover, the Terrace at Trump is one of my favorite locations to have visited on my recent trips to the city. The view from the terrace of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and the surrounding area is superb. It's worth a 15 dollar vodka sodas!

The John Hancock Center, the black structure pictured on the left, was completed in 1970. Though to the average observer the building could be considered plain, I considered it probably my favorite building in all of Chicago. The skyscraper's distinctive X-bracing and angular facade has made it an architectural icon throughout the world. The observation deck and Signature Room restaurant show off a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan and the entire area both during the day and at night.

I could probably continue to list pictures and information about a dozen more buildings in Chicago; these are just a few of my favorites.

As grand a city as there ever was in my opinion. I look forward to another adventure in the "Windy City" in the near future to explore other architectural points of interest. Mostly, I think, I'll do what I normally do when I travel the streets of Chicago, walk with my head slightly tilted upward admiring everything I can take in!

Back to Chicago!

I'm headed back to Chicago this afternoon for a long weekend visit so most likely I won't be writing any posts until next week. Have a great weekend everyone!

The Minutes III in 3D!

Unfamiliar with the minutes? Click here.

Kim started taking the minutes at Sipango last Saturday evening after some sushi and wine at Sushi Neko:

8:15 - David - “She knows the story, but I’m hot, and she wants the dick.”

8:20 - David - Showing off his new Italian Leather boots, props one up on the table to display while exclaiming it has a zipper… meanwhile, Kim, Mel, Jac, and Hay cracking up because of the piece of toilet paper hanging from the bottom.

8:23 - Hayley - “That’s why I can’t get rid of men, my sex is on fire, gotta beat em’ off with a broom.”
David- (in response) “That’s called chlamydia, you should get a shot.”

8:44 - David - “I can country stwo tep!!!”

8:58 - David - Referring to the hot lesbian, “His (her) labia is hung like a moose!”

9:21 - Mel - Talking to Kim/Hay who are gawking at the hot lesbian, “Close your lips ladies, your other lips!”

9:23 - David - To Kim, “HEY! Just cause your dating a stump!!!”

We never seem to last very long before the minute taker is too drunk to continue...

Hannibal Rising

How productive I've been at work. I finished "Hannibal Rising" by Thomas Harris, my second completed book in the last couple of days. I guess I continued to stay in a Thomas Harris mood after finishing "Red Dragon" yesterday. From Harris' website:

"Hannibal Lecter emerges from the nightmare of the Eastern Front, a boy in the snow, mute, with a chain around his neck.

He seems utterly alone, but he has brought his demons with him.

Hannibal's uncle, a noted painter, finds him in a Soviet orphanage and brings him to France, where Hannibal will live with his uncle and his uncle's beautiful and exotic wife, Lady Murasaki.

Lady Murasaki helps Hannibal to heal. With her help he flourishes, becoming the youngest person ever admitted to medical school in France.

But Hannibal's demons visit him and torment him. When he is old enough, he visits them in turn.

He discovers he has gifts beyond the academic, and in that epiphany, Hannibal Lecter becomes death's prodigy."

I enjoyed "Hannibal Rising" much more than I thought I would initially even though I would rank it as my least favorite of the Harris books involving Hannibal Lecter. Basically the novel follows the story of Lecter's upbringing in Lithuania during Russia's push into eastern Europe during World War II, to his relocation to France to live with his uncle after the war, and finally into his maturity to a promising young medical student.

The demons of his past are what ultimately mold Lecter into the monster we know so well from "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal." Early in the novel I had figured out where the story was going but I have to hand it to Harris for throwing a big curve ball near the climax of the book. The read was very satisfying to me at it's conclusion though there is still much of Lecter's young life to explore; the novel end with Lecter heading to Johns Hopkin's Medical Center in Baltimore on an internship. Should Harris decide another Hannibal Lecter novel is in order, I would happily buy and read it. Recommended.

By the way, has anyone seen the movie? Is it any good? The reviews were dreadful.

OKC Sasquatch Sitings!!

The COPA, NW side.

Coaches, south side.

Outside the Habana Inn, NW side.

Henry Hudson's, south side.

Red Dragon

About a million years ago I read a book called "The Silence of the Lambs" by Thomas Harris. Of course now everyone is familiar with the book and the award winning movie that made Hannibal Lecter a household name. When "Hannibal" was released I read it as well and actually liked the book more than "The Silence of the Lambs." All these years later I finally got around to reading Thomas Harris' second novel, "Red Dragon." A hardback edition of the book has been on my shelf for a long time but I was reluctant to read it as I had seen the 2002 movie. From the website:

"Will Graham stands in a silent, empty house communing with a killer. An FBI instructor with a gift for hunting madmen, Graham knows what his murderer looks like, how he thinks, and what he did to his victims after they died. Now Graham must try to catch him. But to do it, he must feel the heat of a killer's brain, draw on the macabre advice of a dangerous mental patient, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, and follow a trail of microscopic clues to the place where another family has already been chosen to die—and where an innocent woman has found the Dragon first."

If you've seen the movie version of the "Red Dragon," there isn't a whole lot the book will add to the experience. The movie is extremely faithful to the novel much like "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal." Though I knew the story fairly well I did enjoy reading more of the details that the book had to offer, specifically the detective work by Will Graham and the FBI on their hunt for the "Tooth Fairy" killer and Graham's background in the capture of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, which is actually different from the movie. Though Hannibal Lecter makes a couple appearances in the novel and is mentioned a few times, his presence is very limited and could be a disappointment to readers who think he is more involved in the storyline. A novel I recommend in spite of knowing the story already through the movie.

The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun by William Blake

"L.A. grew too much for the man..."

It's amazing that a large group of my friends can all go out together for karaoke and nearly everyone in the group will sing. Such was the case last Wednesday at a birthday gathering for my friend Stephanie. What's really funny is that we all always sing the same songs! One of my favorites is the Captain's rendition of "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & The Pips...

Wasn't there only three Pips?

Uh oh, the "Chicago Cubs" Pip looks drunk (that would be me)!

Big finish!

I really do love my friends, without them life would be a whole lot less fun (and crazy)...

Happy Football Friday?

Why are college football games being played on Friday nights these days? My beloved Oklahoma State Cowboys (finally ranked at #22) go on the road to face the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns tonight on ESPN 2. So it's cool that I'll get to see a televised game that shouldn't normally be televised; this game will be over for the Cajuns as soon as the first kickoff is made. It isn't cool that I really won't have any games that I'm interested in on Saturday. OSU will have already played and the dreaded Swooners of Oklahoma have a bye week.

Oh well, at least the Dallas Cowboys will back from their bye week and playing on Sunday! Happy football weekend to all the fans out there. My Pokes improve to 5-0 tonight. Sweet.

Today's question: do you like the inclusion of Thursday night and Friday night games in college football?

The Bell Jar

I started reading "The Bell Jar" not knowing a whole lot about Sylvia Plath other than some of her poetry and her famous suicide in her early 30's. I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. From the book's cover:

"The Bell Jar is the story of Esther Greenwood, who wins a dream assignment as a junior editor on a major women's magazine and finds herself in the midst of a psychological nightmare. Under the pressure of work and of her increasingly strained relationships with her mother and her college boyfriend, she has a mental breakdown. The reader is drawn intensely into Esther's growing insanity and inevitable collapse. The book is a harrowing reflection of Sylvia Plath's own breakdown and suicide attempt when she was 20 years old."

The story seems to be both a tragedy and finally a triumph for Esther Greenwood. The reader follows her through her fall into a mental breakdown and back up again into her recovery. I kept thinking I couldn't believe this book was written and published in the early 60's as it reads as well as anything written today. Some of the themes that Plath tackles, especially the role of women in the 1950's, must have been groundbreaking at the time.

"The Bell Jar was originally published in England in 1963 under a pseudonym, but Plath's family would not allow it to appear in the United States until 1971, when it became a national best seller. Upon its U.S. publication, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt of the New York Times said the novel is 'not only the moving story of Esther Greenwood's psychic suffering, but a metaphor of an entire era suffocating under a bell jar.' Time has called it 'a marvelously unself-conscious confessional novel dashed off before such documents were in vogue.' And, more recently, The Bell Jar has been embraced as a painful statement about what happens to women's aspirations in a society that refuses to take them seriously."

It's unfortunate that Plath died at such an early age with this being her only novel. Highly recommended, read this book.

I Am Voting Republican Because...

Watch this video, it is so true!



Though I've been down on the Democrats lately, it's nice to keep things in perspective. Sorry for all the political posts lately, I know it's a pisser, but it's just that time of year.

$7.25

That is the minimum wage in this country.

I saw this story over at Huffington Post about Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

"'The Last Word' host Lawrence O'Donnell challenged Steele to defend Alaska Republican Senate candidate Joe Miller's assertion that the minimum wage is unconstitutional, according to a rush transcript blasted out by MSNBC and reproduced below. 'I had a minimum wage job once, and I had trouble living on that,' O'Donnell said when Steele tried to deflect the line of questioning."

Of course most people don't know what the minimum wage is especially Republicans who think it's unconstitutional! I wonder if they feel the same about child labor laws and unsafe work environments, after all these kinds of provisions aren't specifically addressed in the Constitution.

For the record, in Oklahoma, it can be worse. The minimum wage for a service industry job such as waiting tables or bartending is $2.13 an hour. Talk about the public subsidizing wages! The last bartending gig I had paid me $5.00 an hour and I was ecstatic to make that much.

So the question of the day is this: have you ever worked for a minimum wage job and lived comfortably (many conservatives believe that only school age kids work for this wage) and do you believe the government should control such a wage? Is Michael Steele correct in asserting that creating jobs is more important than worrying about wages? I'm sure given the chance large and small businesses alike would do the right thing, no?

I'm Not Arguing That With You

This is my job:



I posted this clip from "Joe Versus the Volcano" earlier on Facespace. It's true, this is how I feel when I go in to work every single day. I try to get through the day to get off for the evening and I try to get through the week to be off for the weekend. It is fucking killing me. 4 or 5 more months and I'll be out of debt I estimate and then maybe I can find another job even if it's less money. Or better yet I can continue to save a little and maybe move out of the bible belt. Yeah right, a year from now I'll be doing the same thing or something worse, it's in my nature.

I have no one but myself to blame for my misery, not only at work but with my overall pathetic life. I have a special gift of making the worst possible decisions throughout my life starting at about the age of 18. In my entire working career I have given notice to only one job that I was leaving, most of the others I just stopped going in or told my employer to shove it. I have carried some kind of large debt with me all during this time limiting my options as to what I can do with my life. Finally I've been such an asshole over the years to people that I've pretty much run off anyone who's ever given a shit about me (I'm speaking of romantic relationships primarily but this applies to many friends as well).

In addition to all that, I have burned through three long term relationships (one ten years and one six), I've spent two nights in jail in the same year, and I've made an ass out of myself in front of nearly everyone I care about including several family members. Thank goodness I'm not a drunk texter, oh wait... I wish I had Satchel Paige's wisdom: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." But as we all know, hindsight is 20/20 and usually it's a bitch. Humiliation is a deep dark hole I climb in to often.

I started down this line of reflection last night. I was listening to music while I was doing laundry and this song came up on my play list on iTunes:



You know, I thought, I remember hearing this song all the time in 1994. That was a good year. I had moved to a new city recently, was training at what turned out to be a really fun and fantastic job, I had a boyfriend that I lived with, and I was taking college classes at night. As I review the years leading up to now they just don't measure up. I've had some great moments over those years but they've always been filled with ups and downs too.

I'm just so tired and depressed and spent with everything. I needed a way to vent these feelings and the blog felt like a good place. I know these feelings will pass eventually but I know that they will always return as well, as they always have throughout my adulthood.

It's been a while since I've had a "bitter party of one." Thanks for listening, er reading. It looks like my table is ready, now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Burn the Witch!

This has got to be one of the most bizarre political campaign advertisements I've ever seen! Wiccans everywhere breath a heavy sigh of relief. Thanks be to Jeebus that one Senate seat will be safe this election cycle, Delaware's seat. I don't believe Christine O'Donnell's a witch, I just think she's bat shit crazy.

Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun

"In a matter of weeks, Oklahoma prosecutors and their assistants will be able to carry guns inside courtrooms."

Why?

I spent a lot of time in Oklahoma County court last year, they already screen people coming into the building via a metal detector. In fact my dad was turned away from the building a couple of times for carrying his pocket knife.

Other places Oklahoma should consider allowing firearms:

Any concerts involving Taylor Swift, you know for suicide purposes.

At the Ford Center for when/if Kobe Bryant returns to OKC. Suck it Lakers!

The State Capital in case the liberals try to mount a siege.

The Oklahoma City Zoo, visitors aren't killing off the animal on the Oklahoma Trail quick enough by throwing debris in their pens.

At Tramps in case Matt tries to play one more Michael Buble song!!

Speaking of guns:




Speaking of Julie Brown:

Cause I'm a Blonde

"I just want to say that being chosen this month's Miss August
Is, like, a compliment that I'll remember for as long as I can.
Right now I'm a freshman in my fourth year at UCLA,
But, my goal is to become a veterinarian 'cause I love children!"

Hilarious. My friend Justin was channeling Julie Brown this weekend while we watched the Oklahoma/Texas game.

Where else do we need guns in Oklahoma?

Meet Me On Monday (II)

I didn't participate with Sunday Stealing this week as I thought the questions were kind of lame. The only advise I would have for my past self would be to run away!! In it's place I'm answering questions again from "Meet Me on Monday" from Never Growing Old.

1. What is the best dish you can make?
I rarely cook but I think I make a pretty good hamburger/vegetable stew (credit mom for the receipe). I think it may be the best because I can eat on it for days.

2. How often do you change your sheets?
Probably not often enough, every few weeks. I will change them if I know I'm having company.

3. What is the longest car trip you have ever taken?
I've driven to Las Vegas a few times from Oklahoma City. Great trip, especially taking the I-40 route, there is so much to see in New Mexico and Arizona along the way.

4. What is your favorite fruit?
Difficult to say. Grapes, pears, or plums.

5. Would you rather have breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast?
Either is acceptable. I eat at my parents house often when they are having "breakfast for dinner." Usually I like Cream of Wheat with biscuits and jelly, waffles, or pancakes.

Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Oh Stephanie Plum, how you used to make me laugh a lot more. This was my initial reaction to finishing the 15th novel in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, "Finger Lickin' Fifteen." Once again I picked up the latest installment about the bumbling bounty hunter from New Jersey who has crazy adventures and even crazier cohorts. From the book's cover:

"Unbuckle your belt and pull up a chair. It's the spiciest sauciest, most rib-sticking Plum yet...

Recipe for disaster:

Celebrity chef Stanley Chipotle comes to Trenton to participate in a barbecue cook-off and loses his head --literally.

Throw in some spice:

Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she’ll talk to is Trenton cop, Joe Morelli.

Pump up the heat:

Chipotle’s sponsor is offering a million dollar reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the killers.

Stir the pot:

Lula recruits bounty hunter Stephanie Plum to help her find the killers and collect the moolah.

Add a secret ingredient:

Stephanie Plum’s Grandma Mazur. Enough said.

Bring to a boil:

Stephanie Plum is working overtime tracking felons for the bonds office at night and snooping for security expert Carlos Manoso, A.K.A. Ranger, during the day. Can Stephanie hunt down two killers, a traitor, five skips, keep her grandmother out of the sauce, solve Ranger’s problems and not jump his bones?

Warning:

Habanero hot. So good you’ll want seconds."

I think the quality of the books has waned over the years, that or I shouldn't have read so many of them this year (7 so far)! Fortunately I only have book 16 left to be caught up with the series and maybe it will be a little bit more enjoyable reading one entry a year. There is still some good things to be found with "Finger Lickin' Fifteen." I still do appreciate Evanovich's easy reading style and most of the characters, especially Grandma Mazur and Lula to name a couple. I just think that the story lines are becoming either a bit too rehashed or a little over the top. I've mentioned this before, I think when publishing a book about the same characters yearly it's hard to remain fresh, especially after this many entries. Recommended for fans of the series.

October!

It's the most wonderful time of year and October is one of my favorite months on the calendar. On tap for this month:

October 2nd: The Red River Shootout! OU v. Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. So I'm a fan of either team since they always seem to beat my beloved Cowboys of Oklahoma State. I'm still not sure in this late hour who to root for in the game. I need to determine which team winning or losing will benefit OSU the most...

October 14th: Chicago! Headed back to the windy city to visit J. for what will probably be the last time this calendar year. I'm excited to see real fall weather, in Oklahoma we go seem to go from warm to cold weather most years.

October 19th: Oklahoma City AIDS walk and 5K run. A great event for a great cause in downtown Oklahoma City. Unfortunately I'll miss it since I don't get back to OKC until late Sunday night.

October 31st: Halloween aka Gay Christmas. Always a crazy time for me and I imagine that this weekend will be no different. I always struggle with wanting to wear a costume but I ultimately never do. Any suggestions?

That's about it other than more football goodness as Big 12 play goes into full swing. Go Pokes!!

Thanks again to all the readers and comments over the previous month. I had my highest hit total in any month ever! Thanks!