Colfax, North Dakota

It's not everyday I receive a package from 'back home.'

I received a package from my cousin, Tom, the other day. The contents of it made me cry... In the package, along with other assorted items, was a letter I had written to my cousin Karey (Tom's sister) many, many years ago that included my school picture of when I was a junior in high school. On the back of my school photo was the endearing rhetoric I had written to Karey consisting of girl teen-speak complete with "all guys SUCK" and "gag this photo with 10,000 volts."

The explanation letter Tom included with the package he sent to me was that he was cleaning out his deceased parents home and came across some odds and ends that he thought I'd be interested in.

Of course I was.

The reason I think that particular letter I had written so many years ago was held onto for so long was because I'm not exactly sure whether or not Karey actually got to read it. Karey died in a car accident about the time I sent that particular letter. Did Karey read my letter before she died? I'll never know.....

Caskets at Costco

When you check out at Costco, you can really "check out."
....and I don't mean waiting your turn to get your receipt marked off as you leave....

I don't want to be subject to my inevitable death while exiting a routine, brain-dead shopping excursion complete with a basket piled high with: kitty litter, wine, toilet paper, frozen ravioli, 3 dozen eggs, orange juice, the latest tax computer software, tighty-whities, and butter.

It's a grim reminder of where all things will eventually end..... I don't want to be reminded of it while shopping for day-to-day necessities. I can't speak for all people, but I've dealt with the untimely death of someone close to me where I don't want reminders of it popping up at me while shopping - especially near the exit of a mega store located adjacent to the pizza/snack stand. WHERE IS THE DIGNITY?????

Job Losses

Signs of the crappy economy are worsening. Most people I know are holding their breath about their jobs -- they are completely in limbo. The people I know holding their breath expect some significant news regarding whether or not they still have a job around March.

My sister-in-law just got word that her job is cut effective the end of February. Her employer decided to eliminate everybody with health benefits. Nice corporate strategy. How's that for being a loyal and dedicated employee and going above and beyond for your employer? Great. Now us taxpayers get to subsidize even more uninsured, unemployed people.

Can we blame "corporate" for our woes? Yes and no. However, we consumers need to take responsibility for our choices. We all want our crap for cheap, but sometimes getting our crap for "cheap" turns out to be more expensive for all of us in the long run.

Somewhere in Texas......

a village is no longer missing its idiot.

YouTube: Music Videos

Yes, I'm a YouTube addict. I especially like music videos. What pisses me off is when I find old music I like on YouTube, save it in my "favorites" and then it disappears suddenly one day because of some 'copy right claim from a third party.'

Give me a break.

We are NOT going to go out and purchase an obsolete album or tape from a band from long ago that conjures up fond memories simply because you've banned it on YouTube. There is NO money to be made of trying to limit exposure on YouTube. We really don't care about your fucking has-been music career and that you're now broke and need money to send your kids to college or whatever. We simply want to relive some good memories. Get a job at WalMart if you need cash.

When you limit your has-been music on YouTube you make yourself look like an asshole. FUCK YOU because we won't buy your music anyway....go ahead and DIE with it. If you die with it NOBODY will remember who in the fuck you were 15 years from now. Isn't what what you really want? Immortality? No price tag is on that one...Mozart would agree. He died penniless.

Gran Torino

Finally.
Somebody from my high school located in the tundra outpost has made it.
Finally.
Somebody who failed to abandon his dreams got them realized. The screen writer for this new Clint Eastwood movie and I many years ago partied together. We also had some conversations on a "deep" level that only such party atmospheres could induce.

All I can say is.... congratulations.... party on, dude..... and don't spend it all in one place;)

Al Franken: US Senator

Leave it to Minnesotans to elect a comedian to the US Senate. There is so much truth in humor. Minnesotans just seem to "get it" on a very different level than the rest of the US -- and we manage to do it with common sense, razor sharp wit, and a sense of humor.

Minnesotans are good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, people LIKE us!!!!