Currently Tennessee Pusher By Old Crow Medicine Show see related

If it's the beaches

First things first...I'm glad the election turned out how it did. I am not surprised that Obama won nor am I surprised that the Dems picked up more seats in the House, Senate, and state gubernatorial races. Am I worried about the Dems having too much power? Not sure...the GOP had this kind of power for 6 years and did a lot of damage...maybe we need 6 more years to fix it all. I hope that Obama does govern near the center, but I also hope he can make some direct changes to the policies of our current administration.

Boston was great! It was so cool to get away for a few days with Kim. We went up to Maine for part of last Saturday and drove around some of the fishing towns on the coast...that may have been the best part of the trip. We went to an improv comedy club too, and that was hilarious! I hear there is one in Richmond, so I may have to make a trip over there and check it out.

Here is a nice picture or three from Swapscott, near Lynn Harbor. Beautiful, indeed!

There were dogs all over the beach, playing...that was cool, if you're into that kind of thing.

Currently Listening Tennessee Pusher By Old Crow Medicine Show Motel in Memphis see related

Car keys in my khakis

First things first. I love this time of year. Great weather, colorful leaves, hot drinks. It's awesome baby! I'm looking forward to Boston on Friday!

Second, my boys Old Crow Medicine Show released a new cd, Tennessee Pusher, about a month ago, and it is fantastic. If you like old-timey string music and/or bluegrass-type music, you should check OCMS out sooner than later. Also, they have band members named Ketch Secor and Critter Fuqua. Not makin' that up!

In less than 48 hours, we will know (more than likely - see 2000) who will be leading us for the next four years. I'm nervous, excited, and scared. I'm confident that Obama can win, but I am not going to count my chickens before they hatch. McCain can go back to Arizona, and Palin can go shoot wolves from helicopters. There are two unpopular wars going on...more like a war and an occupation, because we don't know who we are at war with in Iraq...a bad economy, and a smudged reputation internationally. Let's put the right people in office to change these things and not the cronies of those who put us in this mess.

I'm tired of hearing unintelligent voters throw the word "socialism" around as a scare tactic. We already have socialism in our country, and it benefits everyone, including the big companies and the rich. Tax refund checks? Socialism. Social Security? Medicare? The 700 billion and some bailout? All those things are socialistic policies. Don't give me some bull crap about Obama bringing us into socialism. We're already there, and it benefits the big companies who have been screwing us over for many years. Socialism is a GOP swear word, kinda like "liberal" and "Muslim" and "Arab." Who cares what religion or ethnicity our president identifies as being? For people like that nutty old woman at the McCain rally who thought Obama was something other than a Christian American, there needs to be mandatory voter education;that way people won't make dumb comments. People like Elizabeth Dole, who calls a fellow Christian (and her opponent) "godless" because an atheist group supports her, need to get a clue.

I'm off my soapbox. I am praying for the day when people decide to live their faiths out and leave them off of the stumps and campaign trails.

Currently Listening Life for the Taking By Eddie Money see related

Success

I got it! I got a new car ladies and gentlemen. I got a 2006 Toyota Camry. It's silver, or as close as you will get to it. The actual names for colors these days blow my mind...anyway, I got it last night. It's weird to think I'll be sending my truck back to Tennessee. I have driven my Ford Ranger since early 2000. When I took the reigns, it had about 23,000 miles on it. This weekend, I eclipsed 170,000. 8 and 1/2 years, approximately 147,000 miles. That's a tad over 17,200 miles a year. I'd believe it, honestly, with the amount of driving I do. My truck has been to a lot of states and has seen a lot of interesting things (inside and out), and if it could talk, no one could understand it, because vehicles probably don't speak English. Well, maybe mine would because it's American-made. My Prelude wouldn't have.

I'll put up some pictures when there is actually enough daylight to take some. It's getting colder and more dreary each passing day; part of me is thrilled about that. I will be leaving for Boston next week. I hope I didn't wait too late in the year to travel to New England. Maybe Hilton Head plane tickets would have been a better buy. Oops.

Currently Listening Live, Vol. 2 By The Avett Brothers see related

Terrible blogger

That is me mentioned in the title.

I'm looking for a new(er) car. My truck is back up and running (very nicely, I might add). However, I have been driving it for almost 9 years, and it is up to the 170,000 mile mark. The Ranger has been fantastic to me, and it has been a sound investment by my family. For posterity's sake, I am at least keeping my eye open for something else. I am thinking about either a Ford Escape, Subaru Impreza or Outback, Toyota Camry or Corolla, or Nissan Maxima. Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about any of those vehicles? I am willing to look at other vehicles as well; those six just happen to be at the top of my list. Kim has a Corolla, and Bill has a Corolla, and they both seem to be excellent cars. I would love some input!

I am looking forward to my Boston vacation. I am also open to ideas for what to do in Boston. I have some things planned, but I am always open to suggestions.

Working in higher education rocks, by the way. I couldn't think of a better work environment. It's progressive, people are learning and growing (usually), and it can be a nice source of pride when your university or college does something cool. I suggest that everyone should try it!

Currently Listening Ripe By Ben Lee see related

By golly, can I call ya Joe? (This is for Amy)

Update time! These are becoming few and far between. I'll get better, I promise.

Mom and Adam came up to see me this weekend. It was cool to see em, and Mom loved getting to meet her grand-kitty. If you don't know my mother, she is the ultimate cat-lover. Meeting Mia was like crack to her.

Work is going well. I am still busy beyond belief; the last two weeks were insane in the membrane. Being busy is good though. The days go by much more quickly, and it means that I have a job that can justify paying me my salary.

The debate was interesting on Thursday evening. It was mostly uneventful, because all Biden had to do was not tear Palin apart, and all Palin had to do was not say something stupid. Biden accomplished this, but Palin didn't. She screwed up the name of General McKiernan (not McClellan, as she stated) and flat out dodged questions posed by the moderator. I guess that bad ol' liberal media struck again, asking that someone answers a QUESTION during a DEBATE. How dare they! That is gotcha journalism at its best.

I know I'm biased because I detest almost everything that Palin stands for, but Biden won this one. He came up with facts and figures; Palin had rehearsed ideology and cutesy winks and colloquialisms. Dontcha know, that Palin is not suitable for the VP or Prez spot, ya hear? Gosh darnit, we don't need Joe Six Pack in office. At least, we don't need one who supports abstinence only sex-ed (which clearly doesn't work) and thinks that the Iraq war is a mission from God. Now Palin is going around telling people that Obama is "palling around" with terrorists. False, yet again. Yep, this is the candidate that the Bible thumpers want in office. God help us.

It was nice to stay home for a weekend. Its weird to not have to drive somewhere. I'm excited about Boston in Novemeber! Bean-town, yeah baby yeah! Let's go!