9:38am

People can't handle driving in the rain. It's a fact. Now I can understand rain at night. Rain at night sucks. You can't see the lanes, the reflections from the lights play on the water on the road in a maddening light display. However, light rain in broad daylight does not mean freak out and drive like maniacs.

9:56am

There really is nothing like sitting back and watching the Republican Party tear itself apart. Now don't get me wrong, not all Republicans are bad. But as my dad said, "this Republican Party is not the party I've supported for my whole life." And it isn't. So, I don't feel at all bad sitting back, drinking my beer, watching the Bush-led theocracy tear itself to pieces over things that should be no brainers.

1) Support the torture ban. No explanation needed. Decent people don't torture.

2) Don't so obviously cater to the Religious Right, they are not your base, and while catering to them, you are losing people like my dad.

3) Shut the fuck up about Roe v. Wade -- 60% of America supports a woman's right to choose.

4) Fire Karl Rove- he has done more for the disuniting of America than any difference in ideology.

5) Take responsibility for bad pre-war intelligence. Say we were wrong about going to war, but we have to finish what we started for our troops and the Iraqi people.

6) Roll back the tax cuts. The nation cannot afford them right now, and the insanely wealthy can afford to help us out a little.

7) Support Katrina relief. You don't have to rebuild the city (the debate continues - though the US has never just abandoned a city, and arguably we cannot and should not, but the debate continues.), but you do have to take care of the people.

8) Stop getting involved in the Intelligent Design debate, especially when you're on the wrong side - Intelligent Design is not a theory, it has no place in the science class room. If something cannot be disproved, it is NOT SCIENCE.

9) Don't drill in ANWR - it's true that maybe people don't go to visit, but that's not the point. We must preserve the beauty of this world, not for us, but for our children - even if they never visit, they must have the option. And if you're so for ID, then why don't you get this? The majesty of heaven in the beauty of earth, and you want to cover it in oil rigs.

10) Wise up about energy - as Lauren pointed out, we have hand-held video viewers, but we can't come up with economical solar cells, wind mills, mass produced hybrid cars, clean energy.

11) Reach out to Dems. Encourage bipartisan cooperation, not polarized alienation.

And there you have it. Clean up the Grand Old Party. Create meaningful dialogue. Unite the nation. Restore our place in the global community.

10:33am

"Thanks a lot hon."

10:48am

My landlord sucks. Not only did he fail to adequately inspect between tenets, meaning that we are going to get slammed with three years of damages, but also that there are things that have been broken for years. For instance, many of you have experienced the magic detaching and reattaching door knob - well I finally fixed that myself, after putting in numerous repair requests, and I fully intend to deduct it from my rent. It's called repair and deduct BOB! Next, half the locks on the ground floor windows don't work, this is a violation of our lease. Thanks Bob. The back door allows a palpable draft during the winter. I've managed to cut down on the breeze by applying heavy paper and duct tape. Thanks Bob. In addition the light fixture in the dining room hasn't worked in three years, making it quite dim. Two of the four light sockets in my light fixture also do not work, making my room, also, quite dim. My door doesn't shut, the floor is sloped, the linoleum is coming up in the kitchen, there's no hot water in the bathroom sink, the fire escape is rusted through, we have no mailbox key, etcetera etcetera ETCETERA!

11:34am

I'd just like to share that everyone else in this company gets to leave 1.5 hours earlier than normal next Wednesday, except us. The phone lines stay open until 6pm, no matter what. Damn.

11:53am

Moon Land

Really folks? Selling land on the moon? How did you think that you were going to make that claim?

12:03pm

Hey! Greg is getting to use his fluent spanish today. Someone just called and wanted to speak to someone that spoke spanish. I'm proud of myself that I was able to pull out enough spanish to make the transfer. Go me.

12:07pm

Beer is good for you! Finally!

1:36pm

There is a chance for flurries tonight ... maybe we'll turn on our heat ... nah!

1:49pm

Me: "Thank you for calling Customer Support, this is Jennifer, how can I help you"

Caller: "Hi Jennifer, how are you today?"

Me: "I'm doing well, and yourself?"

Caller: "Good (pause). Hey! I was hoping that you could help me out with something."

Me: "Sure, anything I can do."

It's funny to recognize when someone is using a technique that they learned in a manager training program to get compliance from you. It's even more funny when you recognize it and it still works on you.

4:05pm

Here's another Rachel Ray recipe for everyone:

Grilled Cheddar and Bacon

Fry up some bacon

slice 1/4 inch slices of cheddar

Butter two slices of bread

one slice in the pan, butter side down

place 3 slices of cheese on bread

top with bacon

top with more cheese

last, remaining slice of bread, butter side up

grill on one side

flip the whole thing

grill on the other side

continue until both sides are golden brown and cheesy is gooey.

Enjoy with a nice cold beer.

I can't wait to get home for dinner tonight.

4:42pm

If you liked Paul Hackett, then you'll probably like these fighting democrats running for US congress. And here's some righteous indignation felt by our men and women in uniform on Veteran's Day.

5:34pm

Space Cadet Numero Uno just tried to leave because she thought it was 6pm. Yeah.