Last book read:
(ok, lots of books by Salvatore, but almost done.) Sea of Swords by R.A. Salvatore
Servant of the Shard by R.A. Salvatore
The Spine of the World by R.A. Salvatore
The Silent Blade by R.A. Salvatore
Paths of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore
Passage to Dawn by R.A. Salvatore
Siege of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore
Starless Night by R.A. Salvatore
The Legacy by R.A. Salvatore
Sojourn by R.A. Salvatore
Exile by R.A. Salvatore
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
The Halfling's Gem by R.A. Salvatore
Streams of Silver by R.A. Salvatore
Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell (not as good as the show, but still interesting)
The Crystal Shard by R.A. Salvatore
The Nanny Diaries
EverQuest Guide (ok, so I'm not reading much lately)

Note to Kerry: Get cojones
Come November 2, I'm voting for John Kerry. Not necessarily because his views are so very near and dear to my heart, but because I'm one of the faction of "Anybody but Bush." I like Kerry well enough, though he's got some serious character flaws. Namely, he just doesn't have the sound bites that he needs in order to drill his message into the thick heads of Americans who are used to learning things through slogans and commercials.

Kerry needs some snappy comebacks to answer to the barrage of inane and idiotic attacks from the Republicans. But sadly, Kerry won't stand up for himself. I'm starting to fear that we're seeing Al Gore all over again. Gore wouldn't use his strengths, like using Bill Clinton, and he sadly misunderestimated [sic] his opponent's ability to attract pit bulls for advisors.

Kerry knows to what lengths the Republicans will go in their attacks, but has yet to really prepare the kind of short and snappy answers he needs--the only kind most Americans can actually digest. When he was on the Daily Show, Kerry answered Stewart's tongue-in-cheek statement of "So, I hear you're a flip-flopper" with some nonsense about "I'm a flip-flopper, flop-flipper" and seemed rather startled by it.

But Kerry isn't a flip-flopper. The whole flip-flop thing started because Kerry first voted for the $87 billion expenditure if it came out of the Bush tax, but then voted against it when it was just added to the growing deficit. It only takes a few seconds to actually explain this, but Kerry allows the repeated utterances of Republicans Only Talking Trash & Espousing Nonsense (ROTTEN) to soak into the psyche of popular culture. And he says nothing!!! He doesn't defend himself! Where are his heroics now? Sigh. I guess it's a different kind of war he's fighting now.

And to think that the Republicans have gotten away with convincing the American of so many falsehoods (Connection of Hussein and Al-Qaida, Bush's service in the National Guard, Kerry not heroic enough, WMDs imminently found, etc.) while the Democrats aren't responding. Well, sure they're responding. You can read about all the hideous tricks and shenanigans of the Republicans on left-leaning news outlets (see list), but you won't see it repeated on the main news networks: FOX, CNN, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, etc. But god forbid Teresa should get "opinionated." That will be on every network, with all of them trying to vie with Fox News (Faux News?)for the most number of times they show the clip.

So much for the liberal media. The point is that Bush and Co are very good at one thing: Saying something over and over. It's the same tactic used by Hitler. Say it over and over and eventually people will believe you. For the Republicans, the phrases change (September 11, turn a corner, flip-flopper, most liberal senator) but the message is repeated until it's as insidiously repeated and believed as that stupid McDonald's theme song (I'm hatin' it).

I read today about how there were two conventions about Kerry. The Republicans didn't offer anything new. The only thing they offer is fear. Be afraid, they say. Be very afraid if Kerry is elected, because all hell will break loose, and Muslims and gays and hippies and vegan environmentalists will immediately kill you, convert you, get you high, and make you give up your SUV.

The Republicans offer themselves as the only advantage to this state of absolute chaos, though they don't offer anything other than a shallow and aging-fast reiteration of patriotism. Heed the president, they say! I mean, it's not like he's gotten us into any sort of quagmire in Iraq or Afghanistan (remember a guy named Osama bin Laden?)

But I'm so much more afraid of Bush. While the Bushies like to say that the terrorists are rooting for Kerry to win, it's much more likely they're on Bush's side. With Bush in charge again, there will be more terror, more hostility, more aggression on the part of the U.S. (I think Iran just looked at us funny--let's attack!) than there could ever be with Kerry. Now, I'm not saying Kerry is going to be weak on terror. But dammit, do the Republicans not understand that the rest of the world, not just the American citizenry, is composed of people?? All of us have to live here. But no, Shrubco makes its sweeping decisions on who is an enemy of the U.S. today (Iraq, Afghanistan) and who is an enemy tomorrow (North Korea is getting uppity again. And don't even get me started on those Palestinians.)

As citizens, we don't really have a say in this, other than which lever we pull in the voting booth. Bush just does not speak for me, and I'll be willing to bet that he doesn't speak for you either. Not unless you make more than $100 million a year. Or are a member of Saudi royalty. Which you probably don't and aren't. And if that's not you, then Bush is not on your side. Hate to tell you, but he isn't. If you think he is, it's only because you're not listening to anything more serious than McDonald's commercials.

It's just like the old bumpersticker: If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention. And sadly, WAY too many Americans just aren't paying attention.

Oops, must go watch a new reality show. I'm lovin' it.
10:06 p.m. | Wednesday, September 8, 2004

loss and gain
Hello my two faithful readers,

Does absence make the heart fonder? Let's not find out anymore.

So things are good. I'm not going to go back to school, because a) I really don't want to, b) I applied too late, and c) I've really gotten used to an almost-full-time paycheck. And, for the most part, my job rocks. Pros: Flexible hours, great pay, office stud to stare at, fulfilling work that interests me, casual attire. Cons: No benefits and no taxes taken out of my check. And the nonsecure nature of contracting work.

So I've been on a wild DVD buying spree. Buffy Seasons 1-6. Xena Seasons 1-2. All of Sex and the City. All available Star Wars. All available Lord of the Rings. Next: Angel. And maybe Northern Exposure. And maybe Family Guy. Am bored with video games, so DVDs are my new hobby. I'm also replacing smoking, drinking, and eating too much with shopping. And with coffee and chai tea, probably.

It's a whole new regimen. Don't smoke. Ok. Don't drink. Ok. Don't order pizza and eat out every night. Ok. Instead, shop for DVDs. Ok. Watch DVDs. Ok. Plan menu every week and make good healthy food. Ok.

Go to store and buy good quality skin and hair care products. Ok. Give myself a pedicure. Ok. Don't, however, buy clothes just yet. Give a girl a minute to compose herself.
10:26 p.m. | Monday, August 23, 2004

Summer
Ah, the heady days when the pressure is high, and the heat is on. Summer? Nah, the Democratic National Convention. How good was Barack Obama? He kicked some ass. And it's always good to see ole Bill Clinton, who most of us miss as president. Remember what it was like to have an intelligent president? Sigh.

Things are going well. I'm planning on going back to school in the fall for another master's degree, this time in Journalism. It would probably help to know a little more about writing before I proclaim myself one. Plus, my job is very flexible and I can work parttime and go to school fulltime. And in a year, I'll have yet another degree.
12:17 p.m. | Thursday, July 29, 2004