That darn election.

Maybe you know this about me, and maybe you don't, but I love to vote. I've voted in every election since I was 18. No matter how big or how small I am at my polling location ready to cast my ballot.

So of course I voted on Tuesday. It's my civic duty!

I did my research and was totally prepared for just about everything on the ballot. Later Tuesday night we watched the results come in.

Now, I'm not going to tell you who I voted for, nor am I going to admit affiliation with any particular party, but I am going to say this.

If was I an Independent or Libertarian I would be realistic that my candidate probably wouldn't win. I would therefore do my research and decide which candidate I would want to win if mine wasn't going to. Then I would vote for that person. Why? Because it's almost always (I'm not doing research to get facts) either a Republican or a Democrat that wins.

It brings me to my conclusion that not voting for either a Republican or a Democrat is throwing away a vote.

For instance, if everyone that voted for Monds in the Governor's race voted for Barnes or Deal, there probably would've been a run off race. Basically a vote for Monds in this past election was a vote for Deal because it was not a vote for Barnes.

Does that make sense?

OK, I don't like talking politics. It's a private thing, and I find it incredibly rude when people ask "who did you vote for?" Instead, just ask "did you vote?"

On that note, this post is done. I don't want to get into politics. I have three rules I try to live by, especially in social settings - NO PREACHIN', NO POLITICIN', AND NO PEDDLIN.

And the beat goes on...

Change is one of the few inevitable things in life, like taxes and death.

Recently there were some changes in my life. Mainly in my work life, but it's amazing how that life, the work life, can spill into "regular life."

Most of the time, these changes don't make sense, and aren't up to you, but they happen. I think we get so freaked out by them because they are out of our control, and that's scary. But we have to accept them and trust that they are for the best.

So, that's what I'm doing. I'm not trying to understand these changes. I'm accepting them and finding the good in them. And like Sonny & Cher once said, "and the beat goes on."

Also, any excuse to post a pic of Cher is good with me.

Also, you should Google image search "Cher." Lots of awesomeness.

This is what's been in my head since July 4th...

Since July 4th when I went to see Phish I have had this song stuck in my head. It's one of the few Phish songs I know. I only like the waaa, waa, waaa, waaa, waa, etc. part. Enjoy!

Omens...

So, I like to wear my hair a certain way sometimes. It started when I had bangs a few years ago and didn't feel like messing with them. It's not that I invented this hairstyle, it's just something I tried out and liked.

So, back when I was interviewing for a job at that alternative free weekly, a girl I had to meet with who got the original job I was being interviewed for (because she knew it was down to me or her she immediately didn't like me even though she ended up getting the job) was wearing her hair in that certain way. And so was I... In fact, when the big boss talked to me after the mean girl and I met she asked me what I thought and I told her it was funny that her and I were wearing our hair in the same style that day.

This girl ended up being a SUPER BITCH.

So, today, I am wearing my hair that way again (even though it's been a while since I've had bangs). And I meet someone today, and I don't get a great vibe from this person, and then I notice she's wearing her hair the same way...

I'm going to stop wearing my hair this way.

It must be a sign.

Oy.

Gone Phishin'

I'm not even going to acknowledge how I've been absent for entirely too long.

Instead, I'm going to tell you about how I went to see Phish this weekend.

As I've mentioned before, I am not a Phish Phan. Jamie is and because of this I go with him to Phish shows (I've now been to four, plus a Trey show). Why? Because I don't particularly mind Phish, and Jamie comes with me to all sorts of stuff I'm sure he would prefer not to. So, Saturday and Sunday night were spent at Phish.

Here's the thing at Phish, nothing happens very quickly.

The tickets said the shows (both nights) started at 7:30, which of course really means 8:15ish. I know that, everyone should know that, but it didn't matter. We had to be in the lot by 4 (which was a compromise since the lots opened at 3:30). So what do you do for 4+ hours in a parking lot waiting for a show to start? I don't know.

What I did, was I did a lot of people watching.

A lot.

So much.

More than anyone could ever want to do.

But, boy was it a lot of fun.

I saw old people, young people, fat people, naked people, people drinking, people doing drugs, people selling drugs, people looking for drugs, people wanting to buy tickets, people wanting to sell me tickets, weird people, normal people, sober people, the opposite of sober people, dogs, babies, people selling clothes, people selling pictures, people selling t-shirts, people selling grilled cheese sandwiches, and people selling pipes.

There was so much people watching.

So, eventually we get to get up from our tailgating home and go into the show. Which is nice because we have seats. Except that no one sits down at a Phish show.

Here's the thing about going to concerts. I like to hear songs that I know. Not the whole show, but every few songs it's nice to hear something that sounds familiar. At these shows, for me anyway, I didn't know a single song, save for a couple of covers and one of the five Phish songs I actually do know.

But that was OK because the crowd was so electric that it didn't matter. Plus, you can still people watch from standing in front of your seat.

I saw a guy pass out and the fire rescue team had to come get him. I was scared for him but he probably had too much fun in the lot beforehand. It's one of those cases when you expect to see a kid passed out from making stupid decisions. This guy maybe made stupid decisions too, but he was an older, somewhat well dressed dude.

Everyone is entitled to having too much fun at a Phish show.

Then something really weird happened. Phish covered a Rage Against the Machine song. I only know it was RATM because the song is on Guitar Hero. This got me thinking, how many other people only know this song because of Guitar Hero? Probably a lot.

Going home was fun too, because the lot was still alive with energy. Apparently all those people that couldn't find someone to sell them tickets just hung out in the lot during the show keeping the party going.

Also, Phish had played North Carolina before coming to Atlanta so all these people had the super, illegal, kind of fireworks you can only get from leaving the state of Georgia. So there were all these fireworks going off, and they were being shot up from every direction and it looked super cool. It was very abstract and somewhat chaotic, but in those moments, it made all the sense in the world.

I'm not going to say that I won't ever go to a Phish show again, I probably won't do two shows in a row though.

I just hope Jamie is ready for two very loud, very rockin nights in November with The Black Crowes.

And moss grows fat out on a rolling stone...

Well, not totally...

My frienemies, the kidney stones, are back. It's just so bizarre because I had a check up six weeks ago and I had no visible stones. As of Friday, I have three stones, with one being a nuisance.

I don't know if I'm just used to the pain or if I have the world's highest pain tolerance, but I'm not feeling as bad as I know I could. I don't feel great, but I don't feel like total ass. So that's good.

My thoughts? I'm no Dr. House, but I think I'm allergic to the sun. Yes, I've been in the sun/around the sun my whole life (I love to be outside) but these stones only pop up in the summer, and only after I've spent time outdoors, in the heat of the summer (yes, it's spring, but last week it was in the high 80s, so I consider that summer).

Of course, this diagnosis is based on nothing. No medical or scientific findings, just my own opinion.

It's back to the lithotripsy machine on Monday. Oh boy.

An open letter to Midtown Green and the City of Atlanta

Dear Midtown Green, City of Atlanta, and anyone else responsible for this debauchery,

I belive in safety and I believe in beautification and in trees.

What I don't believe in is creating blindspots for driveres on already dangerous roads.

Just about everyday on my commute to work I get on 14th Street and take a left onto West Peachtree. It's just easier for me to get to work and much faster. But that's neither here nor there.

Someone thought it would be a genius idea to plant trees and beautify Midtown. And in doing so, they created a HORRIBLE blind spot at the above mentioned intersection.

Now, if the trees were planted for safety reasons (hit a tree, not a car when you drive into oncoming traffic), I get it, but they are also a hazard.

When trying to take a left on West Peachtree I no longer have a clear view of oncoming traffic. And if it's bad now, it's going to be even worse in a few months when those trees are in full bloom.

So, Midtown Green and City of Atlanta, can we get some smaller trees?

Two of a kind

Hi, remember me?

So, a while ago I blogged about Jeff Garlin and Seth Rogen being voice twins (check it out here if you have no idea what I'm talking about). I was reminded of that this morning when I heard Jeff doing a radio interview (he's going to be in town this weekend doing a signing and some stand up, I guess he went "green" and wrote a book about it, which is ironic because Larry David's ex-wife was all "green" and they got a divorce, so I hope this doesn't mean that Larry and Jeff will divorce because I would be sad and Curb wouldn't be as funny, or would it? A Larry/Jeff divorce, like the Larry/Cheryl divorce, because that was kinda funny when everyone chose sides.)...

Anyway, I this triggered my memory. The other night I saw a commercial on TV for a new movie "How to Train Your Dragon" (????) or something like that. I'm not completely sure what this movie is about except that dragons aren't bad like everyone thinks and there are vikings.

I noticed that one of the vikings (the viking king? I have no idea. Someone must go see the movie and let me know) looks just like Gimli, the dwarf, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

This also got me thinking about a post I did a really long time ago called One Eyed Monsters (click here to check it out) which is basically about how the Seth Rogen (whoa, he keeps coming up) blob character in Monsters Vs. Aliens looked a lot like Billy Crystal's (lots of Jews today) character, Mike, from Monsters, Inc.

So it all comes full circle.

Anyway, my point? Too late? Is that this viking guy looks an awful like Gimli (the dwarf) from The LOTR. You be the judge. Side by side comparison above.

From the hat to the braids in the beard, to the big beard, the broad nose, and the cool armor stuff, these guys are twinsies!! Plus, Gimli has red hair like the viking guy (I couldn't find a color pic of Gimli that I liked).

Is it possible that we've collectively used all of our creative juices and forever more we will just recycle old ideas and make them new? Hollywood has been doing that for years with remakes of TV and movies. I just heard that they were making Gilligan's Island into a movie. Not to be negative, but the show wasn't that great (save for it's campiness) I cant' imagine a movie being worth a damn. Maybe they'll cast Seth Rogen as Gilligan, a one eyed monster as The Professor, a viking as Mr. Howell, and Jeff Garlin as the Skipper.

I'm just sayin'.