Dead.

This was fun, but regretfully I've decided to end it here.

street walker.

This has got to be one of the most annoying things in my neighborhood right now. There is this old woman who has no idea what the concept of a sidewalk (that strip of concrete between property and the street) is and can usually be found by me walking up the middle of the street as I'm trying to drive down it. Excuse me miss, how rude of me to intrude on your leisurely walk. Now I guess I could get over it if I didn't encounter her seemingly every time I was in a rush and possibly if she could at least move to the side so I could get by without having to honk obnoixiously. What is her problem?

Maybe I'm missing the pleasure that can only be experienced when strolling down the freakin' dead middle of the street rather than on the boring olde sidewalk. I can see it, everybody's walking the sidewalk now a days, how passe is that, wouldn't want to be that person who simply follows what everyone else is doing! So why don't I jump on the "before it becomes trendy banwagon" and start walking on the street too before everyone else starts doing it. I would, but ya know what, I'd rather be tragically unhip than tragically DEAD!

So look out woman, next time we cross paths, your coyote! Well, okay maybe not, I only wish I could do that, but I guarantee I will be thinking it.

my sim life.

I'm begining to wonder which life is more exciting... My own? Or those of my sims. Yes, lately I've been spending a lot of time playing The Sims 2 and I think I may be having too much fun. I realize how silly it can be to spending hours playing a video game, especially one that is essentially a glourified virtual dollhouse, but for reasons I haven't been able to fully comprehend myself, at times I can't pull myself away from it. It's just strangely satisfying to manipulate the lives of these little Sims. Their lives can be as successful, fun, and as taudry as I want them to be (or quite the opposite if I so choose) and it's just too damn fun to watch it unfold. And actually the best part may just be building them homes to live in rather than playing them in the game. Plus, you can share those homes, or lots as they are called in the game, over the net for all the world have and put in their game too.

That brings me to new obsession number two... I quite possibly may also be spending way too much time on the The Sims 2 website in the message boards and the exchange. But in my defense, what's a person to do when their fixation for something isn't shared by those close to them. And just think a university expansion pack is coming in march, I may never want to live my own life again.

the yellow bracelet

Does anyone still remember back when freakin' everyone in America, hell the planet even, wasn't wearing those yellow braclets. I originally had the adjective silly included in that last statement, but I guess out of respect for the cause behind those bracelets I took it out. Yes, the cause, I wonder if the people who are now wearing (or still wearing) those bracelets (everyone but me it seems) even remember the cause that used to be numero uno, and not just the fashion statement.

I'll admit I once proudly displayed one on my wrist too, but I think I bailed on the movement in the nick of time - right before the exact moment they became trendy. Well maybe not before they became trendy, but certainly before they became a phenomenon and everyone from preschoolers to grandmothers were flossin'. I remember the moment it dawned on me. I was sitting at a stoplight alone in my car and happened to look over into the car in the next lane. It was a mom and three kids in the wagaon. I remember thinking, wow a wagon, not even an SUV, damn those poor kids, I wonder if they know they got parents who aren't even cool enough to to be uncool. Then I saw them... yellow bracelets! I haven't worn mine since.

It was back in the first week of June that I first got word of these infamous yellow bracelets. I was in a shoe store at the mall one afternoon when this chick flew into the store and raced straight for the register, instantly peaking my attention. I heard her asking if they had any of the bracelets and the guy telling her they had sold out. She was pissed because I guess she had inquired previosly and was assured the store would have some in on this day. Turns out they did, she was just a few hours late. Looking at her I thought to myself, judging by this girl's appearance and clothes she's certainly a somebody at her school, I gotta know what these bracelets are. And apparrently fast since they sell out in mere minutes. Long story short, five days later I had one of my own and I couldn't wait for people to notice.

Yes, I did just blast other people for only caring about a fashion statement a few lines up this page, but trust me, my fashion statement was a completely different monster. When I used to wear mine, back when mom and pop didn't wear theirs, I was eager to tell everyone who inquired all about Lance and his story. I'd gladly speak all about cancer, the foundation, and the man who inspired it all. Then within a few weeks I went from the torch bearer to one of the fraternity - those few who were cool/lucky enough to have acquired one. By then the Olympians were all wearing them. Then what two months later, every Tom, Dick, Jane, and gosh even Mr. Kerry was wearing one. Suddenly, I was one of the masses, but hey it was in support of a good cause so it was still okay.

But now, wow! What happened? Now they come in ninety thousand million colors and say everything from "Support The Troops" to "Princess". And I'm sure if you are opportunistic enough you could even have one of your very own reading whatever slick, but clever catchphrase you wish in that trendy but mass marketable color of your choosing. "Go Cards" right! Personally, I'm looking to flaunt the orange "just another pretty toy" one on my wrist. Then I too could be on my way to becoming one of those people running around with an entire rainbow up their sleeve. It might actually be fun to be completely clueless as one the biggest tools in the entire world. Then again, I like what I see when I look in the mirror. And Lord knows, if I ever lose that, I'm through. And I like to think I'm not completely void of personality.

It's just sad what the yellow bracelet has become. It's success is almost it's worst nightmare. I wonder if they knew then it would become what it is now, if they'd still do it? Yeah, your right, they totally still would have, you can't knock all the good they do. Still though it's just a bit bothersome that something that started with such a noble intention and grand purpose could be so mangled and practically stripped of all it's meaning.

I'm sorry Lance, I really am.

I'm miserable?

It's offical, I'm miserable! Well no, not really, but who am to disagree with the observations of others. This I've heard on more than one occasion before, but it became especially annoying while out last night. Not one, or two, but a handful of chicks approached me new year's eve night just to tell me how miserable I looked. I actually had to convince a few I really wasn't too. Who does that? Who goes up to someone you don't know, tell them they look miserable, and then when they tell you they aren't, you insist they are and they are politely lying?

And if that wasn't bad enough, I think one chick even used the "I'm miserable" line to approach me and flirt with me. Yeah, real smooth girl. Word of advice people, the Constanza approach probably isn't the best way to go even for a female. I mean this girl approached me three times asking me how miserable I was, the third, to essentially tell me how cute I looked with a scowl. Yes, my trademark scowl, always a heartbreaker. I do feel sorta bad though because I did use a friend to blow her off. It wasn't that she was hideous, boring, or annoying, she was quite the opposite, it's just telling me that I looked miserable didn't exactly make me want to get to know the her.

Anyway, sure I admit, lately I haven't been the bubbliest person and in way I really haven't been able to show much ecitement for anything, but honestly for some reason, I usually look something like that. I don't know what it is, but even when I'm content and haven't a worry in the world, it's there. I think maybe it happens when I'm just standing around with no one to impress. Ya know what, I think I'm going to commission myself to single-handedly make the scowl and the miserable look, sexy. Wish my luck.

a christmas wish.

As I sit here on this Christmas Eve day I am reminded of all the lunacy that has surrounded the holiday most of us will celebrate tomorrow. I wonder what is happening to us as a people of this great country that even something once so simple as celebrating a holiday becomes the subject of bitter inbattles and controversy. Now I'm not going to profess that I am smart enough to hash out the details of what is appropriate as far as the religious aspects of our holidays, but I can't help think there has to be better way than what is happening now. It saddens me that our children suffer over and over again in matters they don't completely understand because their mothers and fathers refuse to put aside their political correctnesses and personal agendas. It seems to me that people now aim to erase differences, thus in my opinion forcing conformity, rather than celebrate and encourage respect of our beatiful cultures. I believe there is a way to improve upon our futures without denying where we all come from. I wish, before it's too late, for greater minds to prevail and we end this holiday madness. With that said, I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy holidays.