For those who hadn't heard, I decided that I WAS going to vote.

And I did.

And I voted for McCain.

I continue to have minimal confidence in Obama. Everyone who supports him is all about HOPE and CHANGE. Things may change, but who says it's going to be better? I keep hearing people saying, "he's going to get us out of Iraq and end the war."

End the war? You mean the war we're winning? How about instead of ending it, we win it first? You can badmouth President Bush all you want for tying us up over there... but how many times have we been attacked since 9-11? None.

Maybe I should just shut up about it, because I hate arguing politics. Or maybe we can talk about it when President Obama escapes an assassination attempt of the first black president, or when we're attacked by terrorists after that, or when all the small businesses start going bankrupt, or when more American jobs go to illegal aliens.

Yeah.
That'll be a change, alright.

I might be uninformed, unsure, frivolous or just plain lazy... but I AM NOT STUPID.

People need to quit telling me that I'm stupid and making a BAD decision. It's not a bad decision; it's MY decision. By verbally bashing MY desicion, repeatedly calling me ignorant and my ideas ridiculous in the process and overusing the word "bullshit," this does not sway me to change my mind. If anything, it cements my decision even more. You talk smack about the political ads that do nothing but talk down the opposing candidate, but that's kind of what you're doing to me. So quit being hypocritical.

This is not directed at any one person.

Everyone needs to quit telling me why I posted that blog. Nobody knows but me. I didn't post it for attention. I didn't post it to start arguments. I didn't post it to subliminally make known that I care too much to not care (or whatever the hell that one was). I posted it to tell everyone that I'm not voting, why, and that nothing you can say will make me change my mind. And, gee whiz, THAT'S WHAT I WROTE ABOUT. Imagine that. There was no hidden message. I was telling it like it is.

I will say that I left some stuff out. There was more I wanted to say about why I am not voting. It was growing long, though. I left it out. I'm not going to bother now, because someone will just twist my words around again and make it sound like I'm an asshole.

Anyone who interpreted my not voting giving me the right to complain about everything and whoever votes cannot complain about anything READ IT WRONG. Besides, I threw that in for more of a comedic value than anything. Do you really think that I believe that?? Did you not read the George Carlin quote at the end? Lighten up, y'all.

My not voting shouldn't mean a damn thing to you. If it does, you're worrying about the wrong thing. Why should the fact that I'm forfeiting my choices worry you enough to send you into a political rant that ends with me getting my ass chewed by everyone who commented on my blog?? Worry about yourself. Worry about YOUR country. It's my prerrogative to abstain my vote. I obviously DON'T want a voice this year. Why should you care? I say I don't care because I don't. I don't say I don't care to get attention. If I wanted attention, I'd post something about the lady in Greeley who shot her dog to death.

IT'S NOT A BAD DECISION. IT'S MY DECISION. I haven't told ANYONE voting for McCain or Obama that they are making a bad decision. And on top of that, I am SICK TO DEATH of people telling me that I HAVE to vote. Vote, vote, vote. If I don't vote, I'm letting the nation down and blah blah. Hey... have you heard me ONCE yell at anyone to NOT vote? Don't cram your shit down my throat, and I won't cram mine down yours. I haven't and I don't plan to. All I have done is said what I'm NOT doing and why. And to prove that, I HAVE NOT GOTTEN PERSONAL, BUT MOST OF YOU WHO COMMENTED ON MY BLOG SURE DID.

Fine. I guess I'm just a big, fat idiot who "doesn't know what's good for him" and is "letting his nation down." I won't say anything about who is going to be "running" the country for the next four years and may be ACTUALLY letting the fucking nation down.

People also say because I'm a Democrat, that I should just vote for Obama. How freaking dumb is that? I don't like him. I don't like his ideals. I don't like his thoughts on health care and the economy and the war and immigration. Why would I vote for him?

I have more to say, but I'll just get yelled at, so here is where I stop. Have fun voting... I hope you "MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE." Oh, wait... according to ME, there is no right choice. So... MAKE A CHOICE. As Satan once said, "CHOOSE YOUR ETERNITY."

I think you all know that I am not a racist by any means, and never have been.

That said, let me tell you two things that happened within the past week.

First let me talk about my lunch yesterday, because it's still very fresh in my memory. Even though I am pretty much opposed to going to the Chipotle on Leetsdale near George Washington from 11:00 to 1:00 because of all the high school kids, I went anyway. The line was pretty long, but not long enough to make me change my mind. I had beaten most of the kids there, since it was only about 11:20 or so. Moving very slowly, I had worked my way through about half the line, when an incident occured.

With only about four or five kids in between me and the start of the counter, I was thankful it was nearly my turn. Then about twelve, no kidding, TWELVE kids came in the door, all trying to move forward in the line and exclaiming "'scuse me. I said, 'exCUSE me!'" I pretended not to notice and hoped that they would be getting in line with someone further behind me. Unfortunately, they were planning on moving up ahead of me to join their friend who was about two kids up. In the presence of all the loud talking and rudeness, I kind of snapped.

"Hey, whoa, whoa, guys," I said as they all started passing. "Where you going?"

"Psh. Up there with our friend. She's holdin' our spot," the one closest to me replied.

I briefly contemplated letting it go... but I couldn't. "Uh-uhh, guys. No way. You gotta wait in line just like all the rest of us." I pointed behind me with my thumb. At this point the line was out the door.

"Fuck that shit," one girl said back. "We ain't gotta do shit," another boy said. The girl who was already in line then spoke up in a surprisingly sweet voice, "I was holding a spot for them."

"No, I'm sorry," I said back. "You can't save a spot for a dozen people." At this point it was time for the girl who was already in line to order. She pretty much ignored me as she turned around to place her order. The other kids who snuck in didn't let what I said seem to bother them, either. After she ordered, and the lady behind the counter asked to help the next person, I tried to get her attention or the manager standing next to her. "These two fellas are next," I said loudly as I pointed to the two boys in front of me. " I made eye contact with the manager, who I actually kind of know, since I'm in there all the time. She put her finger behind her ear to have me repeat what I just said. "These guys are next! All these guys here just snuck in."

"Aww, man. What the fuck, man?" Several of the group were outraged. Unintelligible slang and epithets were flung at me, as the manager looked at me as if she already knew they had snuck in.

"Back of the line, kids," she shouted, motioning her open palms towards the front door. They all started to shout at her also. "Nope! Nope! Back of the line or don't come back!" I was pleased with her authority, but the kids obviously were not.

"Yeah, you better watch that shit," one of the older boys said to me. "Ugghh, fuck that! Fuck that guy," one of the girls said.

Then the most upsetting of the comments came from another young man. "Wouldn't'a done that if we were WHITE people."

I didn't really know what to say to this without causing more of a ruckus. "Ohh, give me a break. I would, too." That was the only thing I could think of.

As the dozen or so kids exited, a few of the remaining line members actually started to applaud mildly and one of the young men barked back with, "you better watch your back." All or most of the kids actually left and did not come back. I still ate at the window like I always do, but recieved several odd looks from kids walking by outside. Only a few were dirty looks given by the kids who were forced to leave the line, but most were from kids who appeared to be pretending not to look, all of whom were smirking ever so slightly.

Near the end of my lunch, a girl from the high school wearing a White Stripes t-shirt and black strap-and-buckle pants came up close to me from behind, touched me on the elbow and said quietly in my ear, "would you still have done that if they were white?" She giggled. I knew her question was rhetorical and she was kidding, but with my mouth slightly full, I replied, "yes, I would." I wiped my mouth with my napkin and she took a small step back. "Yes, I would," I said again nodding.

"I know," she said. "Just kidding." She walked out the door right after that and caught up with her friends who had already left. I chuckled to myself.

Why does it always have to be about RACE??? I actually WISH those kids were white. Then what could kids say? Nothing, that's what.

~~~~

The other incicent was more brief, but still involved a GW kid. I was waiting at a red light on Leetsdale, right there at the high school. A black young man using the crosswalk and looking rather upset (perhaps at society?) was wearing a black t-shirt that announced "BLACK POWER" in big, red letters.

I'm sure the look on my face was something of one raised eyebrow and a crooked stretch of the lips. I didn't think much of it until the young man started walking slower and made direct eye-contact with me. My window was rolled up, but I made out something like "Gotta fuckin' problem?" He then stopped breifly to stare at me. I gently scoffed and proceeded to put my attention back on the red light in front of me. The young man then said something to himself, and after passing my car, turned back around to shout something and point at me. I'm not sure what, as I said my windows were up.

I'm sorry, but how appropriate is this?

How about if I walk around in a t-shirt claiming "WHITE POWER," and make it my intension to give all other races a dirty look and yell at them for no reason.

Here's my next question... IS the country ready for a black president? I don't think most of us are, and I don't think it's the white people who aren't. I'm not the one who lets my life revolve around my race. I'm not the one who continues to bring it up. In fact, I don't think I would be that far off in saying that whites are more often AFRAID to bring up race.

I'm not trying to stir anything up. Just saying what's on my mind.

Comments?

I've been thinking about another kind of list... "more things that make me smile," "more things I can do without," "more things I wish people hadn't forgotten about," yet since my last iwantiwantiwant list was so popular, here's another. Haha. I would like to thanks Dez and Nicki for actually finding a bunch of the shit on this list and getting it for me for my birthday. You guys rock. So here's the next list... You DON'T really have to get me the stuff on this list, lol! This is only for fun and my birthday is over!

I WANT...

...fresh jalapenos to be available again.

...a drinking fountain that runs Hawaiian Punch.

...a fake plant, because I'd kill a real one.

...new carpet.

...to play hangman with someone while having to wait unexpectedly.

...to make my cat a collar.

...a "new suits" pictures with Johnny, Seth and Kevin.

...gas to go down even more.

...a girl who isn't afraid to say, "you should wear that more often."

...a Weezer sticker for my car liks the one Jillian has except blue.

...a new pair of shoes.

...No Doubt to get back together.

...to see them in concert when they do.

...people to not get annoyed with one another.

...to at least camp out in someone's backyard before summer is over.

...hand puppet versions of my friends kind of like in What About Bob?.

...a big, wet kiss.

...my megaphone back.

...The Sandlot to be re-released in theatres and in 3D.

...a pet giraffe the size of large cat... or would that be freaky?

...a stamp that says "BULLSHIT" in big, red letters.

...Julie Andrews to make another movie before she dies.

...Betty White to do something else, too.

...my neighbor to quit banging on the wall when it gets to loud in my room.

...to get started on my Halloween costume.

...a leg lamp like in A Christmas Story.

...to finish those caricatures I started!

...more Beavis and Butthead watching videos on Dvd.

...to make more lol versions of people I know.

...a new coffeetable... maybe a round one with a big clock in it.

...my grandma to get better.

...people to knock off the drinking and driving.

...Friday to come quick.

...to own more bizarre instruments like a set of bagpipes and a concertina.

...Rachel Rey to make dishes containing pot just to see what my mom would say.

...my disc player in my car to quit screwing up!

...to go hit some golf balls with my pops.

...a raise.

...a girl who sings to wake me up.

...people to start fucking listening to shit I say and quit asking the same bullshit questions over and over again. Jesus fucking Christ.

...my bedset to not wrinkle so easily.

...to start those scary story books that Dez and Nicki got me.

...finish watching Batman Begins.

...one of those old school phones like in Mary Poppins where you just put the thing to your ear and talk into the whole phone like in and I want it to work right.

...a Slurpee machine in my kitchen.

...a girl to watch horror movies with me.

...to go to The Old Spaghetti Factory, 'cause I haven't been there in a grip and it's my favorite restaurant.

...to finish this list.

...to cover my headboard with a different fabric.

...the next Freddy movie to come out.

...the next Jason to come out, too.

...some new socks.

...to finish hanging my pictures, already!

...to get back to work, so BYE!

Miss my "I want" blogs? You know you did.

I WANT.........

...power steering that works.

...to go camping outdoors with friends.

...an ice maker/dispenser on my refrigerator.

...my cat to have odorless poopies.

...a big stuffed rabbit.

...less armpit hair.

...a nice new table big enough for four people to eat at, but small enough to leave there all the time.

...to repaint the toilet.

...my dad to grow his mustache back.

...a friend who will let me borrow their convertible.

...people to come over unexpectedly.

...more ska bands in the world.

...Sea Monkeys.

...a new bulb for my lava lamp.

...to get more ghost story books.

...a girl who doesn't mind when I feel like staying home.

...Gumby and Pokey action figures.

...bigger comic book collections.

...people who jaywalk to stop giving me dirty looks and yelling at me when I slow down or swerve to avoid hitting them.

...more closet space.

...a new vucuum cleaner.

...a grandpa again.

...The Wonder Years to come out on dvd.

...to do another show at Lakewood Cultural Center.

...an endless supply of Skittles and Reese's Pieces.

...more work clothes.

...everyone to just follow the rules already.

...a pen that lights up when you write with it.

...to learn how to play a wind instrument.

...someone to come to me for advice about something stupid.

...someone to come to me for advice about something important.

...a girl who lets me rub her feet.

...an airbrush.

...my new Notary stamp to arrive, damn it.

...a really nice camera.

...to be in the movies.

...a friend with a pet monkey.

...people to quit smoking in the un-designated areas.

...to finish the screenplay.

...more places to serve fresh sliced jalapenos as apposed to canned.

...long hair again.

...another tattoo.

...better recordning equipment.

...DUI enforcement to be more harsh.

...a ceiling fan in my bedroom.

...new bathroom floors.

...to get pictures taken at Kmart with friends like we used to do.

...to play my guitar and have a sing-along around a campfire.

...less beer belly in my life.

...a girl who doesn't mind a little beer belly in her life.

...a girl with a car and doesn't mind driving every once in awhile.

...a new garbage disposal.

...new glasses.

...my pilot's license.

...to go back to Las Vegas.

...to win big while I'm there.

...a Pez dispenser collection featuring the phases of Michael Jackson.

...my big nephew to move to Denver.

...a girl who likes cats and won't mind sharing the bed with mine.

...some nachos later.

...a blue Slurpee to go with them.

...a best friend.

...a lazy Susan above my stove.

...someone to spoon with again.

...to get rid of that stupid glass table in my living room.

...something funny to put in my fireplace.

I have lots of friends. Obviously some are better friends than others. Some I can go weeks and sometimes months without talking to. Not because I don't like them, or are mad at them, but because I am just not as good of friends with them as I am with the friends I see on a daily and weekly basis. Simply because a certain amount of time goes by without talking to someone, I do not think that they wouldn't want to be friends anymore. There are times, however, that I will say, "hm. I haven't talked to so-and-so in a long time. I should call them and see how they are doing." Then I do. I'm sure all or at least most of you can relate to everything I just stated.

Then there's another thing that's happened to me with what I like to call my "best" friends.

I had a friend a few years back named Jason Thompson. You may remember him as one of my fellow Aggies in Best Little Whorehouse. Over time, Jason became my best friend. We hung out all the time. Pretty much every night we would either go to the bar, hang out at my place or just drive around. This, of course, was long before gas prices were insanely high. Jason was the man. I really liked him as my best friend. He was one of the few people I could true-heartedly say that I never got tired of being around. He never annoyed me.

...Then he met a girl. Ugh.

I found him wanting to hang out less and less. He was always wanting to be alone with his girl. We rarely went to the bar anymore, and if we did, he was always either late or would want to leave early. He stopped coming over also. As more time went by, our friendship eventually fizzled into nothing. He wouldn't even call or email me back. I went ahead and made the assumption that he didn't want to be friends anymore. I would still call him from time to time, however, to let him know about a party or a band gig or whatever, never hearing back from him. I wasn't the only one Jason quit talking to for no obvious reason other than a girl. He stopped talking to two other mutual friends as well as his own mother. Jason, I am willing to wager, had something going on in his head that caused him to change. I will never know what it was.

About a year after Jason stopped talking to me, he called me out of the blue. He said that his car was broken down on the side of I-70 and asked if I could drive him to his house all the way across town. I told him he should call his girlfriend and ask her for a ride, since she seemed to be the one he wanted to spend all his time with. He chuckled and said that they broke up a long time ago. I said that was too bad, but he still needed to find another ride. He laughed again nervously and I think was a bit confused by my unwillingness to assist. He didn't say anything for a few seconds and neither did I. Then he broke the silence. "Hello?" I then repeated myself that he needed to find another source of help, as I didn't seem to be thought of any longer as a friend. Then I hung up. That was the end of that. To this day, Karla and Gina will ask if I've heard from Jason, to which I always must respond with a no.

Next let me sum up a brief story about Nick. Nick eventually became my best friend after I graduated high school and remained so for several years. Even when I considered Jason my "best" friend, Nick was still always what I thought of as my real best friend. I know; it's weird. Anyway, Nick and I never got in arguments and if we did, it was about stupid crap that we'd be over in five minutes.Nick and I were buds through thick and thin, never letting another person take over friendship, blah, blah. All that...

Most of you know that Nick's longtime significant other was another very good friend of mine, Nicki. They eventually got married and I was their best man. Just this past year, Nicki and Nick unfortunately decided to divorce and Nick asked if he could move in with me for awhile. I said yes, but told him not to expect it to be permanent. (This is where the story gets long and complicated, so I'll just jump to the part where...) I eventually threw Nick out, and Nick took it like a punk. He became all bitter and didn't talk to me for a long time even though, all of my reasoning was totally legit. I knew my throwing him out would possibly jeopardize our friendship, but that was something I was willing to risk given the off-putting situation.

Nick and I continued not to talk for a long time, but were eventually reunited at a mutual friend's party. When he first saw me, he rolled his eyes and shook his head, but after that he headed towards me and gave me a big hug. He said, "I fucking miss you, man."

So everything was cool for awhile. We just had this miracuous, unspoken amends and started hanging out again... for awhile. Then I don't know what happened, but Nick stopped talking to me again. He didn't return texts or phone calls. The last time I talked to him was the night after the last Halloween party. Everything was cool, too. Then he just stopped. I went to Nicki, I went to his mom, I went to his other friends. I was trying to figure out why he decided I wasn't a friend anymore. To this day I haven't figured it out and hive since given up on trying to reach him. So that's the end of this story as far as Nick goes at this point. I don't see anything else developing soon.

Now there's Steve. Wtf, Steve?
Okay, so I've met and become friends with Steve only within the past year. I would say if we weren't best friends, we were pretty dang close. He came to help me fix my car in the freezing cold of the night on the side of 85 one night. I also stayed on he, Brandon and Sara's couch for almost a week while my car was getting fixed. He came over the night before TacoFest and helped John and I start emptying the keg while watching Salute Your Shorts. We talked a little about taking a road trip together, too. He came to a few of me and Beck's Saturday beer lunches and the last time I saw him was at Dave & Buster's for one of them.

I haven't heard from him since. I've tried calling, emailing, texting, myspacing and Facebooking. Nothing works. I even contacted Brandon, his roommate, who had nothing to say about his whereabouts. I received word from his girlfriend that his phone was not working and that his internet was out. Well, now that they're both supposedly working again, neither one of us have yet to hear anything from him. According to Brandon, everything is fine and nothing overly dramatic has happened that could cause his self-inflicted isolation. He is also not showing up for his league softball games.

I still haven't a clue what's going on with him, but it is at this point that I'm giving up. It's been about a week and one half, and I've decided that I'm not going to waste as much time on Steve as I did on Jason and Nick. Fuck that. If "friends" are willing to do crap like that, then in my opinion they weren't as good of friends as you thought. And if they think they are, then they need to re-consider keeping in touch with who they think their true friends (including girlfriends) are. This also includes making up excuses as to why there has been no contact.

This was a long, aggitated blog. If you read the whole thing, you rock!
=)

This is real. This is Joel writing this. This is not a forward.

(I will not be using any names to protect anonymity of my friends.)

My very close friend's spouse's best friend was just sentenced to six years in prison.
The charge?
He killed a guy.
Although, unintentionally.
He was driving drunk and hit another car. He killed a 55-year-old man and injured two other people.
This is real. This could happen to you, if you're stupid enough to get behind the wheel when you're drunk. Are you leaving yourself open for this?
I think all or at least most of you know where I stand when it comes to driving drunk. Why any of you on my friend's list would even consider driving drunk anyway is a thought that is beyond me. I would assume that all of you are smart enough to not attempt to drive when drunk. I've said it many times; if you have to think about whether or not you're okay to drive, then you're NOT OKAY TO DRIVE. Don't even consider it. It's not worth it. Stay where you are, sober up or get a cab.
A DUI will ruin you for a long time.
Can you even imagine being at fault in a fatal accident??
You could be headed that way if you continue to drive when intoxicated.
KNOCK IT OFF!
I'm not afraid to ask HOW FUCKING DUMB ARE YOU??
I know a lot of you have driven drunk and still do from time to time. This disgusts me. That could very well be the god damn dumbest decision you could ever make. Why do so many of you continue to do it??

I knew this guy. He was normal. He had a good life. He has a kid, too. He's not going to get to see him grow up now, either. He's going to be behind bars for six freaking years. Is that what kind of wake up call it takes to get you guys to quit this drinking and driving bullshit?
I don't know what I'd do if any of my close friends had this happen to them.

Please don't be dumb.
Wake up.
It could happen to you if you let it.