The Ice Storm

It's that time of year where we get frost settling on everything during the wee hours of the night. I both love and loathe it. I mean, I am in California, where it's sunny 360 days a year and all I have to do with myself is surf all day and be blonde and tanned. So this frost thing, it's like a novelty (and snow? Don't know it.); I enjoy skidding around on it walking through my parking lot. The loathing comes in when it also means I have to take extra precautions driving to stay safe, scrape ice off windshields, battle the feeling of being cold, etc. Ah, the trials and tribulations of it all.

I actually really dig the cold.

Day three of Operation Optimism and things go well. The usual douche bags that would get my ire at work haven't been (I mean, they do get my ire, but only in the moment, no longer lingering) and other work situations that would have me loathing the rest of my day just don't.

I was able to squeeze a little blood from the financial stone and throw a few presents Denise's way as well. This pleases me. Other things, some of which I'd been stressing over, have left me feeling more positive the past couple days: legal stuff, the phone battle of 2008, etc.

I dropped by the comic store yesterday and picked up my two-month backlog of comics: all six issues. It pleases me that I've been able to hold to my conviction to stop reading crappy books for more than a year now. No more holding on to X-Men for a decade just so I can say I have all the issues. Three comics a month (one of them entirely for the kids too) and the occasional TPB is all that gets my money. Which today made me realize I'd discovered why I'd been able to swing a bit more money towards other forms of entertainment (movies, video games, etc.) this year. And I have zero regrets for it.

Anyhow, time to cut this short; Denise is home and we need to sort presents for wrapping and start setting up the house for decorating.

The Spirit

I chose napping over blogging yesterday, sorry. The nap was good though.

Just over a week left 'til Christmas. . .still need to do a small amount of scrambling for a gift or two for the kids, and figure out a way to squeeze some monetary blood from stones to get Denise something too. I'm not letting the holiday stress me out, however. In fact, I'm conducting a power-of-positive-thinking optimism experiment on myself this week: wish me well. That is an order.

It's Christmastime and optimism is a little bit harder this year. Who wants Christmas cards?

The Dark Knight

Oh, I finally watched Dark Knight yesterday. I was a person who enjoyed Heath Ledger as much as he needed enjoying; he was capable, competent and a lot more entertaining that some other actors who get a lot of work themselves (ADJ knows exactly who Mr and Mrs Wooden Person are that I am referring to, and though continent separates us we'll be actively not watching their latest outing together). But seriously, everyone that salivated so hard over this, has enough time passed where you can now re-watch the movie with more of an objective mind? Because I'm going to begin my review by pissing a lot of you off: I think Ledger played a fairly passable Jack Nicholson. Yep. Many of my peers felt the Two-Face stuff was too unnecessary; myself, I found that with the plot they'd crafted, everything they'd done with him actually made sense and was necessary--he's my least gripe, if at all. We'll skip the voice acting badness (Batman growls, grr! Alfred speaks Cockney like an over-aged Oliver) and move on to my very biggest problem: the plot. For a guy whose only goal was to make the world see and live the reality of chaos, the Joker sure was written to be a highly structured planner and servant of order. Every one of his moves were calculated and plotted many steps ahead, counter to his entire message. It made me want to reach through the screen and slap him and Christopher Nolan. It really begged a line from someone (Freeman? Caine?) pointing this massive plot inconsistency as a point of irony against the Joker's character to save the wntire conceit, but that would be expecting too much.

Meet Joe Black

A couple of memes via Aimee:


#1.

Put an "X" in the bubble for the ones you've done.

() Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school
(X) Watched someone die
(X) Had your heart broken
() Been to Canada
() Been to Europe
() Been to Mexico
() Been to Florida
(X) Been on a plane
(X) Been on a cruise
(X) Been lost
() Been on the opposite side of the country
() Gone to Washington, DC
(X) Swam in the Pacific Ocean
() Swam in the Atlantic Ocean
() Swam in the Gulf of Mexico
() Seen Mt. Ranier (Washington state)
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robber or cowboys and Indians
(X) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only?
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(X) Made prank phone calls
(X) Laughed until your face hurt
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose -
() Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Danced your heart out
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
() Gone ice-skating
(X) Been skinny dipping outdoors
(X) Gone to the movies
(X) Sat outside in the rain
(X) Lived one of your dreams

#2.

1. Any nickname? Ev

2. Mother's name? Karen

3. Favorite drink? Dr. Pepper, Vanilla Chai Tea

4. Any tattoos? Yes, a few

5. Body Piercings? Yes

6. What animal would you be if you could choose one? I like being human too much that I can't even come up with an honest answer to this. Being able to fly or breathe under water would be nice.

7. Birthplace? California

8. Favorite vacation spot? Pismo Beach, CA

9. Ever been to Africa ? Nope

10. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Not that I can recall.

11. Ever been on TV? Yeah

12. Ever steal any traffic signs? No

13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes

14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? Both

15. Favorite brand of body wash? I'm happy with bar soap

16. Favorite TV show? Scrubs, Pushing Daisies

17. Favorite number? 3

18. Favorite movie? Wow. . .this week it's Once again, next week? . . .

19. Favorite holiday? Samhain

20. Favorite dessert? I'm rediscovering a love of pie.

21. Is mysteriously missing...

22. Favorite day of the week? Sunday (Favorite night of the week? Saturday).

23. Name something/someone you love? Rael

24. Favorite toothpaste? I like the Tom's Natural cinnamon stuff

25. Favorite smell? Sea air.

26. How do you relax? Song

27. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Who knows, I certainly don't

28. When was the last time you belly laughed? Never. . . ?

Everyday People

Yesterday I posted that Pushing Daisies would end without an allowance for an ending that somewhat actually wraps the show. Today Jason has posted new news somewhat updating that post from "no wrap-up" to "somewhat hurried and sucky wrap-up." I want a wrap-up, but choosing between sucky and none isn't fun. I almost wish this week's episode had been the end. Not tidy, but closure and new possibilities both occur, which could have provided us with a Very Veronica Mars Ending.

Tribal council for Survivor last night entertained me muchly. Similar to my Amazing Race post, my first round pick is still hanging in there, but will she make it to the end and win? Nah.

A lot of my silence this year has just been a mounting sense of gloom, that grew more than not with many passing days (that's right, I go with the abrupt subject change now instead of working in a transition; we'll blame it on post modernism) and my desire to not write myself as an overly whiney whinerson. In all that, I've had a lot of friends put themselves out there/here for me. Some of them ended up being more talk than not, but I don't hate them for it, I get that "If there's anything you need" and "I'm here for you" are actually canned responses we give when we're expected. So shrug. Some of them/you, though, really were there for me, so thanks. I love you guys for it.

Am I the only person who think it would actually be better for the motor industry if the government doesn't directly bail them out? Rather, the money could be set aside to redeem vouchers given to lower and middle class Americans to purchase brand new cars only from the motor companies in trouble: it would help the motor companies, stimulate the economy and help to replace old, less ecofriendly cars with newer enviro-friendly(er) vehicles. This thought was the adaptation of my recent "instead of bailing out the rich again, why not use that money to forgive every student loan and free those kids up to spend their money on the economy instead of on bills." I love imagining I'm not so naive that I can just fix the economy if I were given the power.

Videodrome

Time for a little bit of lighter-heartedness, and a post on what I've been watching and what I've been thinking of it.

Starting with canceled tv, we had the series finale of Boston Legal this past Tuesday. This was always such a pleasure to watch--the best of all David E. Kelley's shows. It was full of wit, entertaining plots, sly references to itself as a tv show (it often would off-handedly find ways to break the 4th wall without breaking the 4th wall outright). There is no other (or was now) show on network tv that showcases a large cast of over-50-somethings, main characters with "imperfections" like autism, alzheimer's, overt social commentary, often on both sides of the fence. And the series ends with a same sex marriage of two main characters. It's also a minor amusement to note that Shatner has been on more episodes of this program than TJ Hooker or Star Trek, but of course he will ever remain Captain Kirk. Which is a little sad as I think his portrayal of Denny Crane is perhaps the best work he's done ever. Now that the series is over, I'd urge anyone to go out and rent a couple seasons, immerse and enjoy (start with season 2, after Shatner's arrival and the departure of the last cast members from The Practice).

This week's Pushing Daisies was pure gold, and bums me out more that not only is the series being canceled, but that it won't be able to produce a finale that is even able to try wrapping the series up in any way whatsoever. Not to detract from her previous musical numbers (her "Birdhouse in Your Soul" was great), but Kristen Chenowith's musical number for the Bangles' "Eternal Flame" had to have been the best performed, and the best integrated into story, musical number of all thus far. I'm gonna miss that break-into-song-ever-pining-after-Pie-Maker-Ned-former-jockey-now-waitress more than ever. This episode also had a cameo by a character from Brian Fuller's previous canceled gem, Wonderfalls, which was also pure gold. Sigh.

Nothing else is all that compelling. The team I wanted to see win from the first episode of this Amazing Race did in fact win (not since Survivor season 1 have I rooted for the winner from the get-go, my picks usually make it far and then get ousted), congrats to the winners there, but really even more praiseworthy, who would have ever predicted the fratboys Dandrew to make it as far as they did at all. That was, pun intended, an amazing feat. The other shows I watch, for the most part, are habits or train wrecks I can't pull myself away from.

On the movie front, while I love horror movies, there's a special place in my horror fandom section of my heart for animals as monsters movies because animals are so much more real than zombies and werewolves (seriously, who's still afraid of sharks thanks to Jaws vs. who's afraid to go camping because a hockey mask wearing maniac might get them? Anyone depriving themselves of sleep over Freddy these days?). This week I saw the Wes Craven produced film The Breed and it was definitely not a wonderfully scripted movie at all. But really, at the root of it all, those visuals of dogs chasing people, attacking and tearing apart people. . .those will resonate far longer than the latest cardboard cut-out monster. It's just 80-some minutes of your life AND if you have XBox Live set up with your Netflix, you can just watch it for free via your XBox (which is what I did). It makes for a nice descendant of Cujo.

Parenthood

Apparently this blog post from another blogger is already fairly viral, but I've only heard of it & read it for the first time today, and feel compelled to share it, as it's well written and speaks to issues I've cared about as well, human rights issues I think we all should care about.

An excerpt (linked):

If you have ever used words like “sacred institution” or “redefine marriage” or “threat to family values” without irony or—worse yet—harbored thoughts or cast votes against marriage equality, you are not my friend. You are not welcome in my life. I honestly see you as intellectually compromised. And I don’t care what you think your god tells you to believe. Your mythology does not trump my reality."

Thanks for allowing me the indulgence.

rec

Got some news today that has me more than a good deal angered, but I can't really say anything here. So, in lieu of silent fuming, a boring meme:

1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times:
Only one movie? The Empire Strikes Back

2. Name a movie that you've seen multiple times in a theatre:
Only one? Ok again. There are actually only 3-4 movies I've seen more than once in the theatre. Shaun of the Dead

3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie:
Ewan MacGregor

4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie:
Keanu Reeves

5. Name a movie that you can quote from:
Big Lebowski

6. Name a movie musical that you know all the lyrics to all the songs:
Across the Universe

7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with:
Moulin Rouge.


8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see:
My Life Without Me or Once; I can't pick just one here.

9. Name a movie that you own:
My very most recent purchase is 300

10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops:
Mark Whalberg (Say hi to your mother for me)


11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in?
Yup.

12. Ever made out in a movie?
Yup.

13. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven't gotten around to it:
Schindler's List

14. Ever walked out of a movie?
Yes.

15. Name a movie that made you cry in the theatre:
Hook lol.

16. Popcorn?
Most of the time.

17. How often do you go to the movies?
Every couple months I'll have jags of going 2-3 times, then I wont go for months.

18. What's the last movie you saw in the theater?
Um. . .I think Iron Man.

19. What is your favorite/preferred genre of movie?
I honestly don't think I have one, but I have a special place in my heart for musicals, horror and drama.

20. What was the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?
The original Star Wars

Any Given Sunday

Yeah, I neglected posting yesterday. As it stands, as an amendment to my previous declaration of needing to do daily posts. My Sundays are usually a pretty big drain on my creative muscles as it is, so I think Sunday will be the day I skip blogging the most often. Every other day though, hold me to it folks.

So, wishing a very Happy Birthday to Aimee's little man, Cameron!

Nerdgaming went fairly well this week. I actually succeeded in writing out more plans than were necessary, leaving me pre-prepared for the next session, as they (in a good way) dawdled their way through part one of the two parts I had planned out. And an npc cameo by my old Elmer Fudd voiced gnomish wizard added to the enjoyment as I set the group out on the first stages of their next, and likely last, adventure.

I'm having a bit of difficulty fully waking up today. I'm wondering if my old fatigue problems are returning. I also need to get my annual oncology appointment scheduled. I'm already a little over a month late doing it. It still blows my mind a little that my surgery was only three and a half years ago. What blows my mind more? In fewer years than that, my Lash will be a teenager. I am getting old.

Dungeons and Dragons

I've been very lazy with my gaming group this past year, "winging" almost every game session with minimal notes, if any (not that I'm not an expert at winging it; they've enjoyed a fully emotionally and intellectually engaging campaign thus far). Now, though, that they enter penultimate act (most likely anyway) of this campaign, I find it's necessary that I not wing it. It's time for a great amount of structure, which is often both my least and most enjoyable aspects of campaign-making, adventure planning, world-building. Face it, when you've as much practice and success at winging it, it's sometimes more daunting to go back to not winging it (that ADJ's gaming group has a gigantic player-made bible to follow for their home campaign leaves me in awe. Of course, I also lack the long-term full-on commitment to fellowship and gameplay as a group that she has, which I'm sure must help. Too many of my group seem to "show up" to games only when the fancy meets them, or when there isn't a football game, or whatever. They're my friends, beloved all, but it can still be really fucking frustrating to craft a campaign that includes plans for all, only to have a key player decide they'd rather spend the second, third and fifth months lerning to knit. This is actually my primary reason for winging it as much as I do: not enough commitment.).

I find myself now, the group mostly consistent and committed, if ultimately small in numbers, sending them on the brink of a stage in the campaign I did plan as possible, but never really expected to find them moving to do: an act of planar exploration and attempted deicide that, regardless of the outcome, will vastly effect the tenor of my game for the remainder of the campaign, and for all of those that follow.

So I find myself today with a rare Saturday off, a wall of books surrounding me, and a need to plan. . .

Let the nerdcore rise up. . .

Home Alone

Just got home from work, maybe a half hour ago, and no one's here. Denise and the kids are at the Taylors' apparently doing some baking and likely playing a card game or whatnot. I hope they're enjoying visiting. . .however, for me, I hate coming to an empty home. I like having family to relax here with. Sure, I could just as easily head on over there now that I've showered and changed, but that's not the same. Some nights that'd be perfectly up my alley, but some nights I'd really rather not have to go anywhere else to relax with Denise and the kids after a tiring day at work. Whine, whine, whine. . .and other bits.

Right now I'm still finding it difficult to force myself to write something daily. My mind just hasn't been made to keep with the discipline for so long. While some of these posts feel superfluous and arbitrary to me, I have to remind myself that it's exercise to get me back into the swing of constant writing again. Mental weightlifting.

So, I'm trying to figure out how to set my digital camera up as a device to use for Google video chat and am currently sucking ass at that as well. I am technotarded. Any pointers?

I Spit On Your Grave

So today a younger homeless couple came in to work, barely able to stand on their own two feet, ordered some food, ate 3/4 or so of said food before returning to complain the food was wrong and wanted it remade, then ate 3/4 of the remade food before returning it, saying it made them sick and they wanted their recourse, which I gave them in the form of the phone number to our local office. This earned me exactly one Getting Spit At.

How was your day?

I just finished watching last week's Pushing Daisies. I'm really looking forward to yesterday's episode, which crosses over with the other wonderful & canceled show Wonderfalls, so this post shall be all about brevity in order to allow me that luxury.

Peace be with you.

The Dead Zone

Coming off of what feels like working 24 hours straight. . .yesterday I worked form 4pm til about 1am at my store and was then on loan to the Wally World store from 7am til 3:30pm today. So it feels like I've lived the last day on Burger Planet. I feel very tired right now and a tiny bit loopy, having less than 5 hours sleep and no mid-day napping opportunities. :)

I was surprised business wasn't swamped today. I guess the holiday shopping wasn't such a big fuss today, enough to impact me anyway, for which I am thankful for.

Netflix recently decided they were no longer going to offer previously viewed DVDs for sale and had a clearance sale to announce this. I treated myself to two of my favorite films from the past year: Juno and Once. If you haven't seen either of these films yet, you really ought to. If for no other reason than because I said so.

This post is about to degenerate into ramblings for ramblings sake, so, love to all, adieu!

Higher Learning

In response to my last post, Travis asked:

Why don't you teach anymore? Maybe that could be a blog post or maybe there is one already that you can point me too. Knowing you and what you know and where your passions lie, I've often wondered why you don't teach.

The answer is relatively mundane. When I taught before it was as a graduate student. In order to maintain that job, I also had to maintain a minimum number of semester units myself. It eventually became pointless for me to continue paying for tuition when the few classes I remained needing for my degree kept getting canceled or not offered at all. With student loan debt increasing each year and my last class on eternal limbo, I couldn't rationalize continuing to go right now. My teaching job was contingent on my also being enrolled as a graduate student, and so no more teaching job.

As for traditional teaching, I need my Master's Degree completed (fastest way now) or a Teaching Credential (slowest way now), both requiring I return to school, which isn't fiscally possible right now.

The Day After Tomorrow

I'm going to try and force myself back into a writing routine. It starts with, no matter how mundane or simple, a commitment to write something new here every day. Some days it'll be a meme, some days a rant against the man or work or etc., some days posts of great meaning or esoterica, etc. but something. I can't let displeasure with my current lot in life continue to cripple my writing output, and so the rebound starts here. My request to you, faithful readers and friends: if a full day passes without me posting something new, post a comment to my most recent post demanding I get off my ass and post again.

* * *

Saturday was my grandmother's memorial service. I drove up with my sister Autumn and brought Lash & Aeia along. It was really good to share the trip with Autumn and felt like we connected well and was thankful we got to catch up as much as we did.

I had a lot of trepidation about this trip initially. Everyone in my family has a tendency towards melodrama, grudge keeping, making the occasional scene, and I had my fears this would be the case then as well and am thankful that it just wasn't the case this time, that my grandmother's memorial was filled with the respect and love she deserved. One of my aunts did say to me exactly what I'd been thinking for a couple weeks: "All she ever wanted was to bring everyone together again, and she finally did, and it's sad because it won't happen again except for another situation like this." Which is sadly true. We just aren't the best definition of function.

Many of my family members present, especially the successful ones, hadn't been seen since back when I still worked as an English teacher, and every conversation I had where I had to tell one of them that no, I was no longer teaching and that now I worked in the restaurant service industry (and not as a "real" chef or owner of an eatery) left me feeling lower, pitied. It has me bummed out, but at least I'm working, providing as best I can for my family, my children--that's the thought I have to stay focused with.

Home For the Holidays

Randomly mentionable ephemera:

I need to get one last ingredient today for my award-worthy cranberry sauce and the expectation of it waiting for me come Thursday. And though I have to work Thursday morning, I'm not too bothered over it; it means I get to escape the stress of all the other cooking and entertaining until then.

TV is more and more boring, poorly written, not riveting. . .this season. And then there are gems like Pushing Daisies. Canceled gems. I swear the TV Gods have it in for me: "Hey, check it out, Evan just fell in love with this quirky/entertaining/original show. . .let's make sure no one watches it so it'll tank!" a la Veronica Mars, Wonderfalls, Firefly, Angel. . .I've decided I need to convince the TV Voodoo that I really LOVE everything on the CW, House and the Law & Order franchise, while I really hate the shows I really love. . .

My grandma's memorial is Saturday. I have trepidation.

Blatantly changing painful subjects. . .Black Friday is nearly upon us and I haven't amassed enough crazy wealth yet. That said, if you are someone I would typically be sure to include in holiday gift-giving, I'm likely to just send you a well-wishing note this year in order to focus all my energy on the kidlets. Much love to all.

This has been a very enjoyable quarter for me when it comes to video games. For the first time ever, I have too many new games bought or borrowed that rock and demand my time, and not enough time to play them all equally. For those of you who've been wondering, and don't need full-fledged reviews to convince you (other than my golden word), Little Big Planet, Rock Band 2, Fallout 3 and Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe are all worth their price tags. I am a little annoyed that XBox Live is turning into a clone of the Wii, but am happy to be able to Netflix via my XBox--I might even use that feature now.

Kids are all healthy and happy and enjoying their Thanksgiving breaks. Denise has recently been diagnosed with an amazing number of allergies, and I'm leery of how this will effect the home life for all of us, even if I do want her to have more comfort.

Wow, it's 2 am. . .I should go to bed. 'Night!

50 First Dates

Happy anniversary, Travis & Shel!
It being the "wood" anniversary. . .

Everyday People

Not much of anything going on this past week. Work, chauffeur kids to school, work, play a little Rock Band, work, not get enough sleep. . .repeat daily.

Is it me, or is TV really crappy right now, too?

I got a call from one of my cousins the other day. She's had bronchitis for months that won't go away, and a recent shadow on a chest x-ray. I'm starting to worry my family has a genetic predisposition to turn second-hand smoke exposure into cancer and think I'll be making it a priority for my kids to be checked every few years. And while I'm on this train of thought, it's time for my yearly cancer check-up, so I need to get that scheduled too. I hate getting the contrast CT done, the radiation always makes me sick.

I've been dying for some physical comfort since my grandma passed. A little human security blanket. Denise and I have been working so much, and always opposite shifts, that I almost never even see her anymore.

Freaky Friday

New Halloween pics on facebook.

The kids had a great Halloween. As you'll see, Aeia was a witch, Lash was Boba Fett, Rael was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and Tasmia was a jack o'lantern. We, as usual, did our trick-or-treating together with the Taylors and were out for about two hours. The first hour Rael would come running up to me after every house (he was led to and from every house byLash) to let me know he wanted "more house dad!" During the second hour he started getting tired and demanded I carry his candy bag and Chrissy carry him to each house. He also made sure she knew he wanted to go home with her and "protect her from getting hurt." He was very sweet. As the weather was constntly on the verge of torrential downpours, Tasmia and Denise stayed home.

That day I also had the annual parent-teacher conference for Aeia. She's doing exceptionally well, enough that her teacher suggested we might have her tested as a gifted child. She also shared a writing activity the students had done about their lives that week. Aeia had written about her visit to my grandmother's this summer and how much she loved that time with her. This choked me up a little.

I kept Rael home from "school" that day due to an incident at his HeadStart preschool the day before (the other kids were given the day off by their schools) that left me and Denise needing to discuss whether we could continue trusting his school to supervise him and keep him safe. Rael had decided he wanted to see his brother, so he left his preschool and walked to Lash's school (they're on the same block) looking for Lash, without his preschool (6 adults to watch 18 kids. . .) realizing he'd left. The good staff at Lash's school took him in, protected him and got him returned to where he belonged, while Rael's teachers floundered about. Today I received notification that Rael's school has been cited for this incident and could lose their liscence if any other incidents occur. I can't say that I disagree with this. Of all my kids at that age, Rael is definitely the biggest handful, but taking care of and supervising kids, even energetic ones like Rael, is part of their training and job requirement

As for the rest of life: work sucks. My PS3 had a system update that caused my 3rd party controller to stop working with Little Big Planet so now I need a new controller. I don't feel myself conneting well with others right now and I feel pretty alone. Oh, and it's my turn again to do the part time shifts at the Wal-Mart store, which always completely sucks ass, but at least I don't have to do it on December for the holiday rush.

Patriot Games

My fellow Americans,

In case you've been hiding under a rock, today is election day. Go out and vote, if you haven't already. Vote for more of the same,vote for a blank promise of change, vote for a 3rd party exercise in futility. . .but vote. Some 48% of our eligible voters don't turn out and vote. That isn't sad, it's ridiculous.

Go vote.