There was a lonely man who lost his love through his indifference.

I signed on for breakfast at Cozy Corner with mintwaster which is pretty good, but add on cocolola with a lender copy of Freakonomics and a $2.99 breakfast special, and it's like winning the lottery. The small 3-digit payoff one, not the mega-bucks one. I feel like I should just go to bed now and end my day on a high note. Except I'm getting a massage at 11:30, so that's pretty damn good too.

Still no Air America podcasts. I managed to find another site that archives Randi Rhodes and I'm reading Rachel Maddow's blog, but reading isn't the same as listening.

Random political rant of the morning:
In a news article about Gaza, they say Ariel Sharon shed tears over seeing the militant Gaza settlers being torn from their home, despite them disobeying his orders to evacuate. If the Butcher of Beirut can cry over his citizens, we're in trouble with our Smirking Cowboy Torture President who yesterday said again he can't meet with Cindy Sheehan because he "has to move on with his life too". Jigga wha? What exactly is he moving on from?

Also, I must point out to thebrownhornet that I read that Bush is (supposedly) reading that history of salt book I told you about last week. The article approached the author of the book to get his response:

Kurlansky said he was surprised to hear that Bush had taken his book to the ranch: "My first reaction was, 'Oh, he reads books?' "

The author said he was a "virulent Bush opponent" who had given speeches denouncing the war in Iraq.

"What I find fascinating, and it's probably a positive thing about the White House, is they don't seem to do any research about the writers when they pick the books," Kurlansky said.


Okay, I had to post the entire article, because it's so maddening. First with the headline using the word "impressed" to describe the authors, which is not backed up at all by their comments, but also at the end of the article when they're all fawning on how smart and "intellectually curious" the President is. I mean, he probably won't even read them, I mean he can't even bother to read all the memos on a daily basis and requires them to be read TO him, but even if he does read these books, why are we impressed? He's our fucking President, he should read complicated books, I want a President to be smarter than me, damnit. Why did that become so hard to ask? I'm not really suprised. Just still sad.
( LA Times on Bush's reading )

Also, a bumper sticker seen on my bike ride home: "We're Rural, Not Stupid"

I'm going to contribute my little bit of housecleaning now and leave DYA to her whirlwind this afternoon on her own while I attempt to write this damn chapter of my book. It was due on Monday and I got an extension which was perhaps a bad idea. Now I feel like it has to be even better because I took an extra two days.

Having nothing to do with procrastination, pop culture, writing, or bloodshed.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY drinkasyoupour!!!

AND johnny_savage!!

Abbreviated letters I should send via other longer means, like e-mail or paper or phone or person

Dear you,

I wrote you a letter on one of the first hot days of summer and then you wrote me back and I wanted to write you back right away but I haven't and now it's nearly Labor Day. I swear the time moves faster now. I don't feel I "owe" you a letter in that our correspondence began as anything but a simple gift of time, but I feel I owe you a letter because I want to write you. And I will.

Dear you,

You appeared in my dream this week and I decided to tell you about it and your e-mail response was longer than I expected and it completely tickled me and made my morning.

Dear Matt,

No, you're mistaken, I didn't go to the high school reunion and I'm so intrigued as to who you met in a gay bar in Atlanta who thinks they know me! I miss you and you're on the short list of reasons to go back to my hometown.

Dear cousin,

I really do hope you'll visit me in Chicago.

Dear mom and dad,

I visited family this past weekend. Just thought I'd let you know, to remind you I still exist and wondering if the pain of absence is yet approaching the pain of dealing with complicated emotions.

Dear perfect sofa/chaise/bed I saw in the window last week,

I want you in my office and I'm considering selling all of my CDs to make it happen except I fear CDs hold no currency in this current state of the world. Maybe a kidney instead.

Dear Future Daddy Bear Boyfriend with a penchant for foot rubs,

Can the future start tomorrow?

Dear Air America Place,

Thank you for fixing the podcasts! You've helped this junkie immensely.

Dear you,

I don't like when you're having a hard time and feeling sad, just because I love you and don't like anyone I love to be unhappy. But I do have faith in your preserverence and intelligence, both mental and emotional. I will do my best to just purely listen without getting too involved. And when I get this writing done, I hope to be upbeat, funny, loving, and positive, to help feed that energy.

Dear coffee,

I love you!!! Even at 7 o'clock at night. Or maybe especially at 7 o'clock at night.