Thank You's

As an avid music fan i often find myself looking through the liner notes of the albums/cd's i own looking for names i may recognize or even a little insight into the making of the record. i have no album coming out (or 'droppin') this week but felt the need to put out some 'Thank You's" for making this past week what it was.

First, a thank you to the Bush Administration Energy Plan: this week i spent the same amount of money, filling up the 10 gallon tank in my hybrid, as i used to spend, two years ago, filling up my previous 20 gallon SUV tank. My gas bill balanced itself out in just two years time! If only the nation's budget was balanced so easily. You've got to love progress.

Next, Joe Lieberman: for failing to realize that he lost the election (again). Reality has been bumming me out lately so it's nice to see that our politicians aren't letting reality bum them out.

Lastly, the terrorists: it wasn't bad enough that i couldn't bring nail clippers, tweezers, or my swiss army knife on planes anymore... or that i had to take off my shoes in airports (exactly how hygienic are airport floors anyway, the guy in front of me looks like he has athlete's foot)... but now we can't bring bottled water or liquids onto an airplane. If you can't bring your moisturizing cream on board what exactly are you supposed to do with the Playboy magazine you bought in the tax-free shop at the terminal?

And a big thank you to anyone i forgot to thank who made this week possible.

i couldn't watch more than 10 minutes of 'The Producers'

...Vespas are still fun...

Vegetarian 4 Life

As a vegetarian i am frequently at the receiving end of defensive meat-eaters when the news of my 'disorder' are made known. i realize that i make decisions and other need to make their own, but i am regularly amazed how frequently my choice to be a vegetarian is minconstrued as an attack against individual persons. As i'm getting old i've grown tired of defending or arguing a choice i made over 13 years ago and typically just eat my food which clearly cannot sustain a human being (let alone for 13 years).

Here i am going to state my primary reason for being a herbivore so that i can just tell people to check this site rather than repeating myself at every public meal for the rest of my life. There are many beneficial reasons to eat non-animal foods but for me the true motivation is based on morals and my appreatiation of life.

In my years breathing i have had people in my life pass away, as have most people of my age. i have also seen people die right in front of me. It is a powerful moment that never leaves you. Contemplating these experiences life is seen as a valuable and cherished gift, sometimes short lived. No matter the length of time shouldn't every moment of it be lived to the fullest and appreciated as much as possible? If i can live without causing others to die wouldn't we all be better off?

In my years breathing i have also interacted with animals. With a dog as a small boy's best friend, time spent in nature observing critters in the wild, and siblings' various pets it quickly became clear to me that animals DO have feelings and an awareness of their living conditions. We've all seen animals scared, happy, depressed, content, and even cry. They too can suffer and are aware as they suffer. This is not a new concept. Native Americans would thank the Great Spirit for the animals they lived off, Buddhists see animals as sentient beings, and even Saint Francis argued for animals as God's creatures with souls.

*(i frequently struggle with trying to understand how people can buy sweaters, toys, and houses for dogs; morn their deaths as a passing of a family member yet remain completely disconnected from the look in a cow's big innocent eyes as it gets hit over the head with a sledgehammer. People spend hours training their parrots to say ridiculous lines but don't mind chickens having their beakes removed before living in overcrowded cages where they can't move. What inequity in our treatment of animals. With a majority of people in this country being Christians believing that God gave man dominion over the creatures of the Earth, shouldn't we take care of those creatures. If i leave someone my house to take care of while i'm away on vacation i expect them to take good care of it, not destroy or damage it.)

We live in a time were not eating meat is a simple decision. Deciding what aisles to go down in the grocery store is not a matter of life and death for us (although maybe it is when you look at the health and the environmental ramifications). It is a matter of life and death for the animals, the life killed/tortured for that food. With all things being equal shouldn't we choose to do the right thing?

There are many reasons for being a vegetarian, which i don't mind mentioning at various times, but ultimately my reasons stem from a sense of compassion and appreciation of life. Hell, if that decision leads to a healthier and possibly longer life for myself as well, so be it.

"Let's Get Retarded"

Hey all,
i decided to make this one interactive for any and all (if any) of you that read this regularly. Taking advantage of the comments abilities we will play a little game. A song title game of free association. i will start with a song name, then you can comment the next song name that comes into your head, then the next person can comment on that, etc as many times as you'd like. For example: if i started with the winter-time classic "Baby It's Cold Outside" someone might comment their first thought of the band-aid wearing, phonetically challenged "It's Gettin' Hot in Here", and on and on. If no one reads this it will be a short game.

So Here's the start:
"The Son Never Shines (on closed doors)"