Time to Find Another Barrel

As many of you are quite aware, I generally attend services at Central Market on Sunday mornings. Now, as I go quite early and few people are out, I don't feel the need to get really dressed up. I usually wake up, brush my hair and teeth, put on some regular-type clothes and head out to beat the crowds. No, I don't go glamourous, but I never leave the house if I think I am queen o' nastiness.

But apparently I've been wrong about this.

Background: In the produce section, I don't like putting everything in bags. Strawberries and potatoes and other things with many, potentially loose pieces--yes, but bell peppers or an onion? No. The bags just irritate me. Much as take home boxes at restaurants being noisy irritate me. I can't explain it. I'm quirky. Deal. So if I have no bag and I am, for whatever reason, unable to affix the label to one of the produce items, I just stick the label on my shirt or hoodie or whatever until I get to the checkout. This system works fine for me and I like it. So, yeah.

Anyhow, I'm finally at the checkout this morning and this super marginal hippy lady is staring at me. This lady appears not to have had a haircut since God was a boy, is sporting a fanny pack, a hemp-type tee, eau de patchouli/B.O., all kinds of braidy necklaces, Jesus sandles, and so on. And I'm thinking: why is weirdy lady staring at me? Finally, she comes over and says:
"Did you know that you have stickers all over your shirt?"
"Yes, I am aware. It's for my produce."
"Oh, I see. I just thought you might not notice since you look a bit frazzled and scatterbrained this morning."

EXCUSE ME? EXCUSE ME, HIPPY LADY! *I* LOOK SCATTERBRAINED? ONE OF US REMEMBERED DEODORANT. ME! ONE OF US HAS HAD A HAIRCUT MORE RECENTLY THAN WHEN DISCO WAS IN ITS HEYDAY. ONE OF US IS NOT RUDE!!!

Okay, so seriously. Hippy lady thought that I didn't look very with it. Clearly, I am now scraping the bottom of the barrel.

In Loving Memory of a Childhood Friend

This friend came into my life when I was 11 years old. I used to get him to dance on his hind legs for a treat. If he was in the mood to humor me, he'd jump through the hula hoop. He was a performer, but always, always the boss. And he was my friend.

Other dogs in my life have been so compliant and followed me everywhere--and they're great. But no dog is like Asta. He always greeted me at the door, but it was he who gave me an education. He didn't let me pick him up, even at the end when he couldn't even get in the car.

He had a kind of pride I've never seen before or since and a very dignified air about him. That's the way he lived and it's the way I'll remember him.

So to my friend, who spent 13 of his 14 1/2 years in my life, thank you. You are sorely missed.

Is this the face that launched a thousand ships?

Highlights from the Republican National Convention

George Bush: Hey Dick, did you hear about the new pirate movie?

Dick Cheney: Yeah, it's rated ARRRRRRGH!

Mary Beth Cahill: You MUST Chill

More political jibjab.

If any of you have signed up to volunteer or have given money or are in the directory on John Kerry.com (which I highly encourage), you have likely received a barrage of emails from Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry's campaign manager in the last couple of days. I have actually gotten more emails from her than any of my friends, with whom I email *regularly.*

I certainly appreciate her sense of urgency and her anger at the nasty smear campaign that the Bush camp is funding and putting forth at the Republican National Convention, which I have caught a little bit of and which has literally made me sick to my stomach. (Well, that or all the fried stuff I was eating, but whatever. Last night when Ah-nuld said that the Dem's convention should have been named like his movie--True Lies, I gagged. I'm sorry, but could the man possibly whore his celebrity anymore? I hope Maria gave him the cold shoulder for that crack, though honestly--what self-respecting Kennedy would marry a Republican? Ahem.)

Back to Mary Beth Cahill. I do not think it behooves her to stoop to the other side's filthy tactics. It has always been my experience that a few well-chosen words are much more powerful than an inundation of angry, oft pseudo-fabricated, and retaliatory ones. (This explains why my readership is very limited. Ha!) MBC has not taken this approach as of late and it's starting to have the opposite result of the intended purpose, deterring me from wishing to contribute. Now, I have contributed my heart out and will work like an insane person as much as I can to help Kerry get elected and there's no pushing me away from that, but I think MBC is getting a little email happy. Her latest rant involved a lengthy blast of Dick Cheney and Halliburton. Now, I am no fan of Mr. Cheney and not a particular fan of Halliburton, but I found her vengeful marks to be beneath Kerry and factually marginal. One reason I am so enthusiastic about him as a candidate is his unbelievable integrity and courage and dedication to running a campaign free of smears and negativity.

So is MBC to be the pill in all this jam? I hope not. I plan to write HER an email today expressing my concerns at the damage she may be doing to voters who are not quite so entirely won over as I am.