if you can't say something nice...

...don't say anything at all.  One of the sagest pieces of advice my wisdom-filled mother taught me.  And I'd like to say that I always, always abide by it.  But I don't.  But I try.  Most of the time.

This is not one of those times when restraint will win out.

In just over a year all card-carrying voters will be heading to the polls to elect a new president.  Already the rhetoric, mudslinging and hyperbole is being vomited out of a million mouths, most of it reprehensible, inflammatory, inaccurate and completely not necessary.

I'm doing my best to ignore it, but my Facebook page is blowing up with articles about what a terrible president we currently have and there's a billionaire who's giving Sarah Palin a run for her money for saying the most ridiculous things I've heard in a long time.  LISTEN UP REPUBLICANS...if you want to have a decent chance next year, get this guy off the mic and turn your attention to some folks who have some serious political chops.  At this point, the only Donald I'd even consider casting a vote for is Donald Duck.  And he doesn't even wear pants.

Okay, rant over.  But probably not for long.  I'll try to keep it in my head and heed my mom's advice.

In other news...

I walk most days and my current favorite song is "Seventeen" by Ratatat.  I guess you could call it rap, although there aren't any words (excepting the intro Mr. Ratatat gives stating that he doesn't write any music anymore, he just kicks it from his head...).  Basically it's got a central beat and then it's just three or four chord progressions, each about a minute and a half long.  I play it about five time in a row just to keep me moving during the first part of my walk.

I like to listen to my music loud.  Probably too loud and in a few years I'll be staring blankly at people when they speak to me.  However, when I approach other walkers or lawn mowing people, I always turn it off, lest they think I've gone 'round the bend.  Once I pass them, though, it's all about the bass, baby.

I think I'm so hip.  I'm sure my kids would replace "hip" with "pathetic."

I don't really give a rip.

Lastly, I have this weird reaction whenever I see a lone shoe or sock or child's toy on the sidewalk or on the road.  I immediately think, "abduction."  Part of me wants to pick it up with a stick, bag it and tag it and take it to my local CSI station.  Because you never know...