Put on your reading hats!

part one

I have had a week to be reckoned with. It's been fun. Jason, my closest friend from high school and his friend (or boyfriend, who can really say) Keith from New York came for a few days of relaxation- hiking, good food, meeting with old friends- you get the idea. I played host, which I love to do, but it was exhausting. One thing it also did was remind me how much I miss having my close friends around. All of them now live far enough away that it makes it hard to see them with any regularity.

And now I have added another long distance ...relationship. Here's the story: Jason's sister called and invited the three of us to join her and her boyfriend for dinner and margaritas at their favorite Mexican place. We drove there and started on appetizer and drinks, and ordered out dinner. Jason invited his friend Allison from way back to join us. I hadn't seen her in probably three or so years, and even then I met her only a couple of times. She was on the other side of the table, so I didn't even talk to her the entire dinner. After, the guys and I went back to my apartment, and she came along. Short story long, she and I ended up staying up all night talking. The sun was coming up before we tried to get some sleep, but in the end we just kissing and such instead. It was an amazing connection that wasn't there before.

I didn't see that one coming. Neither did Jason or Keith, and they were supprised that she was still there in the morning. Especially since she was leaving the next day for three months in Hawaii, and lives permanently in New York. I always had great timing.

So I don't know what will happen, and I'm not sure if I should be excited or depressed. We'll see.

And she says the ball is in my court...


part two

"The Source Weekly", which is the liberal dessert that makes me smile almost every issue, has printed a particularly delectable treat this week. I know I am one of the few who has the opportunity to enjoy this fine local example of the First Amendment, and that makes me sad. So I'll share part of the experience with those of you who are less fortunate.

Don't get me wrong, I believe that the primary purpose of a weekly newspaper is to entertain, and not inform. It is also most certainly not to be taken seriously. What made this week's read so scrumptious was its ability to entertain while also extracting emotions out of me. I also must mention that it's free.

I always start with the letters, which are sometimes the best part. This week's best came from a man commenting on Bush calling his critics "fascists". I don't appreciate the title, thought it gave me a chuckle. Somebody please pass on a dictionary to 'The Decider'. Being critical of my own society, its leaders, the policies, laws and beliefs makes me a patriot and an important part of this culture. Politics make me very tired.

What topped off the letter section was the "Crocodile Haiku" sent in by another reader honoring the late Steve Irwin. This one struck me right, in spite of the writer ignoring the very basic of haiku rules.

The next piece to put a smile my face was "Boobs triumphant: The golden age of rudeness and stupidity in America", a commentary that explored stupid people in today's society who are interested, or perhaps only capable of, fashioning crude insults to each other. She calls these people 'boobs', which doesn't quite evoke the right picture for me. However she does effectively describe these Neanderthal people that are running rampant, cursing out their car windows, and fully unable to use more than four letter, one syllable words. Thanks H. Bruce Miller for reminding me to laugh at those type of people.

The next page featured an interview with Steve Irwin, who happened to be in town shortly before his death. It was hilarious due to Irwin's humor, yet it left me profoundly doleful. I was never a huge fan, and in fact found his antics sometimes laughable. But sister met him, and said he was an interesting man. He was a perennial presence, and one that I just assumed would be able to defy death for a long time. People like him do don't die, it is the ones who fear leaving their house. At least that's how I felt. It has made me feel somewhat vulnerable. The things I do that some people see as reckless (and me as something full of adventure) could kill me. That is a reality I must face.

Following my wakeup call article, was another little piece of reality called "The Bush Lies". It highlighted a collection made by left-side political journal Mother Jones . Scary stuff.

Then several pages were devoted to historical buildings that have been somewhat preserved. One was my Dad's old retail building, with pictures from the late 30's to now. There are lots of memories tied to that place... like the old Chinese man who stood by me for several minutes while I was sweeping the sidewalk, chanting "Work faster! Faster, faster, faster!".

The best part, however, was the advertisement combination on page 38. Ad number one: Swami Chetanananda at the Spiritual Awareness Community, September 8. Ad number 2: Mary Carey at Stars Caberet and Steak House, one of the local strip clubs. You have to tip your hat off to Capitalism and Advertising. I taste some vomit.