Capitalists Everywhere

As Hurricane Rita headed toward Texas and hundreds of thousands of evacuees jammed the freeways, A few people on foot plied the freeways filled with nearly-stationary vehicles. They were apparently selling drinks to the motorists stuck in the traffic in the 90-degree weather. I'll bet they were charging a pretty penny for those drinks too, like maybe 10 bucks each? I wonder....
There's always someone around to take advantage of a bad situation and to profit from it.

A Letter To Mom

Dear Mom,

There has been something that I have wanted to tell you for a while now, but have not been able to find the right time or manner in which to do it. On the phone? No. By e-mail? No. Even in person… Well, not with the wife or the kids present. So, this is the best way I can figure out to do it; a good old-fashioned letter. What is it that I want to say? I want to say:

I'M SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!

I'’m sorry for everything that I have done that has upset, disappointed and otherwise annoyed you. I know that you have not approved of some of my decisions and actions in life and that some of them have totally upset you to this very day. Please understand that I have never intended to upset or disappoint you. Most of the things that I have done, including joining the (mormon) church, were my attempts to find my place in life. I know maybe you don't understand this, because you have always had a lot of friends and such, but I have never felt that I fit in anywhere. I have had very few friends throughout my life and I have no close friends at the current time. Mostly, people have either ignored me or seemingly downright hated me (going all the way back to grade school). I never did anything to anyone so I don't know why I was treated the way I was. I finally realized after having some nephews and a son of my own that some of the problem was the way I responded to them, (the other boys my age) but I didn'’t know any better at the time. But even now, in any kind of social situation, people, even those that I know, don'’t usually bother associating with me other than a quick "“hi, how ya doin'’?" I even feel like you would rather spend time with your old cousins and such than with you son and grandchildren (not saying this to make you feel bad or anything; just trying to express my feelings).

I joined the mormon church in an attempt to find a place where I would fit in. Turns out I don'’t fit in there either, but it'’s fine with me if the wife and the kids go. Our daughter, in particular, is active and happy in the youth program and seems to have several good friends. Our son seems to be not so keen on church stuff but at least has a few friends, mostly from school.

I became a meteorologist because it is something that I really enjoy doing. It is certainly not the best paying career one could have after getting a college education, but I think I am better off doing something I enjoy than having more money and doing something that I dislike. Sometimes I feel happier when I am at work than at any other time.

As far as my selection of a mate is concerned; I know that this has been another disappointment from your perspective. It seems that the only girls/women that were ever interested in me were either fat, ugly, stupid, lazy or some combination of these. No pretty, smart girl was ever interested in me to this very day. My first fiancee was smart but not all that good looking, and was more interested in her career and how much money she could make than in our relationship. My wife is neither pretty nor exceptionally smart but she does love me very much.

So I have ended up with a job that I enjoy and a wife and kids that love me. That is what I wanted out of life . Am I happy? Sometimes. Other times I get very depressed and feel like everything I have ever done and every decision I have ever made was wrong. In fact, you almost lost me a few months ago. I was so depressed in early June that if I had had a revolver in the house I might very well have blown my brains out. Instead I drank three-quarters of a bottle of whiskey and pretty much passed out. (Again, there are no intentions here to make you feel bad; this is no fault of yours!!) Note: I am not an alcoholic; I hardly ever drink. My wife keeps urging me to see a psych, but I don'’t have a very high opinion of those guys and I don't want to depend on drugs or some kind of weird therapy to make me feel good. I am much happier again now, especially since we have moved to a place where there are more opportunities for me in the way of physical activity and where I don'’t have to do much driving. (I hate driving). Had to break a lease to do it, but I don'’t think I could have survived another year where we were.

I think that I have written everything that was on my mind that I wanted to tell you. Again, I'’m sorry that I have upset you or been a disappointment; that was not my intention. I love you very much and appreciate everything you have done for me and for us.

Love, Your Son

Great Gas Mileage!!

One of my co-workers rides a bike to work.

He gets great gas mileage: 6 miles to the fart!!

If I Were Single

Today is the seventeenth anniversary of my wedding. Some married men wonder what things would be like if they had remained single. I can tell you, almost definitely, that if I had remained single, I would either be in prison or dead. Why? Because I have always harbored a great deal of hate and rage within me, as you might be able to tell by reading some earlier posts in this blog. Being married and especially being a parent has blunted some of the hate and rage, but make no mistake, it is still in there. If it were not for being married, the hate and rage would probably have led to me kill one or more people, or to commit some other horrible crime, for which I would likely be in prison...or perhaps I would have been killed by one of my intended victims. So, thinks to my wife (luv ya, honey) and kids (luv ya too), and the responsibility that I feel toward them, I am not in prison, and I am still alive.

Who Stole The Ruby Slippers?

It has been noted that Dorothy's (Wizard of Oz) ruby slippers were recently stolen from a museum. I'll bet the Wicked Witch of the West's cousin took them. This sould be investigated immediately!!

What A Bargain

Wow! Gas is down to $2.99/gallon!! What a bargain!

Something I'd never thought I'd say about that price just a couple of weeks ago... :)

It Doesn't Affect THEM

Despite the incredible rise in gas prices over the past week and the shortages in various parts of the country...

...plenty of people still drove their gas-sucking RV's to the local my local university to attend the football game at the local university. These are rich alumni and the like with an endless supply of money. I am sure the same thing happened at the other football games over the weekend. These are some of the THEM...the rich people who are not affected by the price of gas.

...Nascar races went on. Another incredible waste of fuel, not only for the cars participating, but also for the spectators traveling to get there.

What will it take for us as a country to change our wasteful ways when it comes to oil? Ten dollar per gallon gas? Twenty dollar per gallon gas?? Or maybe just no gas at all, period. What happened this past week is just a preview of what will eventually happen when the world does run out of oil or when a large-scale war breaks out in the Middle East or with the Arab nations. Let's not wait until it happens. Let's start changing our habits and making preparations now. It is a difficult path, but one that must be taken if we are to survive in the long term. And we need leaders who are courageous enough to help us and guide us along that path.

Send The Refugees To.....

Here are ideas for what we can do with some of the refugees from Hurricane Katrina:

1) Send them to D.C. They could stay at the White House with the First Family and share in some of the niceties.

2) Send them to Crawford, Texas. I hear there is a ranch there with plenty of room!!

Mother Nature-Terrorist

Hurricane Katrina has caused more death, destruction, misery and economic impact in this country than any terrorist attack. I doubt if the terrorists themselves have the means to duplicate such a mess. Nevertheless I am sure that some radical Islamists and Al Quieda people have been laughing and dancing gleefully for the past week.

So Sayeth The Shack

Sounds Like Something I'd Do

From "News of the Weird" in the local newspaper this past Friday...

"...And David Owen Rye, 48, was arrested...for allegedly firing at least 3 bullets into a Toyota Camry in an apartment-house parking lot because its car alarm wouldn't shut off."

Yup...sounds like something I'd do...shoot a car for making too much noise.

Of course, I'd rather shoot a Ford than a Toyota, but....