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Blogger has been driving me InSane today! Just wanted to let it out there.

I feel a little better now.

The twinkie defense

Jayson Blair published his article in Jane magazine.

According to one of his supervisors at the Times, one reason for his erratic behavior was his poor dietary habits.

"One supervisor summed it up in the Times story: 'I told him that he needed a different way to nourish himself than drinking scotch, smoking cigarettes and buying Cheez Doodles from the vending machines.' But, for the record, it was Doritos and fried mozzarella sticks, not Cheez Doodles."

Reading that makes me want to get on a health kick.

(Rich Lipski - The Washington Post)

Are you ready for some football?

I headed down to the Mall after work with friends to catch Aerosmith's performance at the NFL Pre-Game Party. It was a mob of people - shirtless guys, crying babies (??!!!), drunk girls. We took one look at security, turned around and headed for a bar to catch it on tv instead.

Where am I going with this? .... Today I'm reading about how Britney Spears' bodyguard tore a reporter's notes to tiny bits and pieces. I'm bothered by this, but am not terribly surprised.

BTW - the Redskins beat the Jets, 16 - 13.

Anyone else catch the game? Was anyone else on the Mall? (it reminded me of the crowd on Fourth of July) Did anyone catch the pre-game show on tv? How many Verizon commercials were there - will someone please shoot that guy? ("Can you hear me now? *POW*)

Too much or not enough?

William Powers of the National Journal asked the most brilliant question.

"Does America not care about politics because the media doesn't cover it, or because we cover it to excess?"

Living in DC, you can't help but follow politics. Even if your job has nothing to do with legislation or the government, the local news and conversations overheard on the Metro or in bars will keep you informed. It's part of the city's culture.

I'm always surprised when I meet people - I recently chatted with people from Florida and Worcestor, Mass. - who don't know who their elected officials are. Don't know, don't care.

Or speak with college friends I graduated with who don't vote. I can't understand that - but, then again, I've voted via absentee ballot in the past. I vote all the time. I believe my vote makes a difference.

How do you feel about politics? Have you ever thought about running for public office? Do you vote? Is the media doing a good job explaining the issues? Or is more information needed?

Feel free to comment anonymously. I know some people like to keep their political habits private. I'm just curious.

Disco lights lure turtles to an untimely death

Rare loggerhead turtles are mistaking the brightness of disco lights for the "white foam of waves under the stars." The turtles crawl up onto the sand and die of dehydration. Or turn into a tender dinner for birds or dogs.

Football mania

There are some major football fans parading the streets of DC today. The party starts today at 3:30.

I enjoy going to football stadiums, like catching the games on tv, but drive most guys I know crazy. Nope - I don't talk through games or ask stupid questions. I know football.

But I have no team loyalty.

My system is simple, pretty cut and dry. If a northern team is playing a southern team (with the exception of the Dolphins), I root for the northern team. If an east coast team plays a west coast team (with the exception of the 49er's), I cheer on the east coast team. If two teams from the same geographic location play, say the Giants and Pats, I'll cheer on the Pats because, hey, I grew up in New England.

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Bears (LOVED Jim McMahon and Mike Ditka), Bills (because they need to win a Super Bowl and Doug Flutie played for them), and Green Bay (LOVE Brett Favre). And when the Redskins play the Ravens, I support whomever scores the first touchdown.

Very fickle - I know. But a step better from cheering according to uniform color.

What's your team?

How ironic

My senior year of college I was obsessed with one thought and one thought only - to get the hell out and start living my "real life." Oh what a fool I was.

I interned with law firms and papers, racking up experience and building a decent resume for my job search. I was tired of being creative to stretch my paltry $23.75 weekly workstudy check. Some days I remember burrowing beneath my bed, searching for loose change in order to buy a cup of java at the Coffee Cave. I swore I would never, ever live like that again.

Man - I had it MADE. My only responsibility was to be prepared for class and eventually graduate. That was it. No bills, no rent, no lost dreams, nothing. I was so anxious to leave where I was at, I forgot to savor it.

Two of my friends started grad. school last night. And I admit, I'm envious. I would love to go back to school, matriculate in a program and not just take random classes the way I have been.

Over the last two years, I've taken classes in astronomy, biology, calculus. desktop publishing, drawing, evolution, HTML, marketing techniques, media's influence on politics, perspective, photography, physics, public relations, short stories, and travel writing. In January I start Spanish and will be taking another class towards my certification in advanced public relations. There really is no rhyme or reason to any of it.

When I look on my life - I enjoy my work, I love where I live, I cherish my friends and family, I travel - I should be happy all the time, but there is definitely something missing (aside from a significant other), something I feel like I need to do or work towards. But what?

A question of faith

The blogosophere is rife with religious debate. People fiercely defending their beliefs (or disbeliefs) and the groups they choose to affiliate themselves with. Headlines today focus on the execution of the abortion killer and the controversy over a monument of the Ten Commandments in an Alabama Judicial Building. Here's my two cents on religion.

I giggle with glee when I'm told I will burn in hell for not practicing a religion. Often, the accuser knows little or nothing about me or my beliefs. But all that doesn't matter, because - in my case - I don't go to church so I'm burnin'. They assume I don't believe in a God or a higher power, that I'm an atheist or agnostic (I'm always surprised by how many people don't know the difference between the two), and therefore THEY are morally superior to l'il ol' ME.

This tendency is prevalent with some Catholics I'm acquainted with. The answer to everything is "confess your sins" and "go to church". Never mind that they've never read the Bible and couldn't tell you whether Noah filled his Ark in the old or new testament. Or that they aren't familiar with Canon Law - the rules they're supposed to be following as believers of the Roman Catholic religion. They'll space out through scripture and sleepwalk through ritual - but hey, they went to church. I don't think so.

Then there is Andrew. Andrew goes to Temple on holidays and has dated Christian women for as long as I've known him (about a decade). Now that he's 30 and has decided to "settle down", he'll only date Jewish women. Can someone please explain this to me? And he's not the only one - he's one example of many. I understand that he wants to meet a woman who shares his cultural traditions, but religion has never played a significant role in his life. Who knows - maybe he turned 30 and saw the light.

Countless wars are fought over differences in religious beliefs. An interest in the Crusades led me to study religion. People live and die by convictions they often share with their enemies.

Organized religions are based on the belief in a higher power - in a spirit or God. All religions prescribe that the individual treat others as they want to be treated - no one religion boasts a monopoly on the Golden Rule. Many stories are shared by religions across the board - the great flood comes immediately to mind (every religion has one).

What gives one person the right to say that their religion is the "correct" one to follow? How did we get to the point where fathers sue the government to remove the words "under God" from the pledge of allegiance? What makes one person's rights or beliefs (separation of church and state) more relevant than anothers (Belief in a God)?

Fanatics kill doctors to prove that killing babies is against a moral code of law? Paul Hill's God, the one who will "reward him in heaven," is not my God. How do these people determine which life is more valuable? (for the record, I'm pro-choice, but don't believe in abortion or the death penalty)

People often try to justify their actions through their religious beliefs. It's probably what turned me away from organized religion.... seeing how many people preach at the drop of a dime, but don't walk the talk.

I live my life by what I was taught about right and wrong, just and fair, and keep my faith to myself. I wish others would leave me in peace and quit pushing their malformed beliefs on me.

A quirky reality

I joined a local bookclub and bought the September selection, The Eyre Affair, not thinking I'd enjoy it as much as I did. I started it on my flight to Savannah and finished it on my Amtrak to DC (don't ask).

It's a well-written story that sucks you into this alternate reality of progress and the future. I'm going to run out tonight to buy Jane Eyre. I think I would have had a greater appreciation for the hijinks in the story had I read Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece first.

Jasper Fforde is on my list for writers to watch out for!

So long Savannah

Am back in DC after four days of debauchery in Savannah. It really is such a pretty little city. Two thumbs up to anyone who's thinking about heading down there.

On Friday, we hung out on River Street and met other tourists. While drinking spirits at Kevin Barry's, these two guys approached my friend and I at the bar. The city was sold out for the weekend - not a hotel room to be found - so they started making offers for our second bed. Even though they were from North Carolina, they were no southern gentlemen. Craziness!

(needless to say, we never did find out where they ended up spending the night.)

Saturday afternoon, we explored the historic district, discovering the city with our own walking tours (Did you know Savannah is the 8th most walkable city in the United States?) and riding the trolley when it got too hot. We polled the natives every chance we got to find out where they all hung out after the sun went down.... and ended up at a string of Irish bars starting with O'Connell's.

On Sunday we toured the Telfair Museum of Art and strolled through the galleries of City Market. We wrapped up the day stopping by the Waving Girl and then Moonriver.

It was the most relaxing time I've spent in a while. Everyone we met was outgoing and didn't seem bothered by all of our questions. It was the perfect mixture of live music, history, ghost tales, art, and fun times.

I don't recommend going there in August (when there's significant heat and humidity), but do give the lovely city two thumbs up!