ugh. I've gotten into the habit of scouring USA Today, Buffalo News, NY Times and the Wallstreet Journal every morning. The Wall Street Journal is by far my favorite. USA Today is the easiest to read. NY Times has pretty good articles. The Buffalo News sucks.

Blah. I wish we had UK papers imported here. I'd like to get into reading those and see what the daily media thinks of the US. I've noticed that the papers used to ride Clinton and Bush appears to get a light smearing.

Now that doesn't seem very fair does it?!

After years of being tethered to AIM I am ready to take the plunge and disconnect myself.

I still have my cell phone and email, but AIM appears to do more harm then good. I have felt like I am dodging people when I am online; I leave my away message up and get anxious when I get IMs and just ignore them.

My away messages serve no purpose other than stupid message to people I should just call on the telephone to begin with.

I took iChat off of the dock, out of the status menu. I deleted my AOL program as well as AIM.

I hope I can stick this out. :oP

I've felt like I am bouncing off the walls the past four days. Its very odd.

I hate my job. Its part-time, I think my co-workers are fantastic, but the actual job is numbing. I went in today after having an entire week off and I felt horrible. Its time for something new.

I saw the Cole Porter movie yesterday with my friend Paul. It was entertaining. I think the title was De-Lovely.

I went to see Little Black Book tonight with Britney Murphy and it was terrible. Weak story line and it dragged. V. low budget.

Is AIM on its way out? I used to have a ton of people on my list and I could spend hours chatting online. Now I have about 25 people, four of which are on but always away and I have no motivation to chat with anyone online for any length of time. I have text messaging on my phone which I enjoy, but sitting in front of my computer to chat with people is really boring.

I bet I'm boring and too arrogant to admit it. hum.

8* haha cute face

ok ok Mike I smell. I'm sorry. I called Teres and told her I wasn't going to be able to make it. :o( sorry. I would have called you but I don't have your number.

Anyway. I missed 80s night too @ Off the Wall. I walked past it though and it looked mad fun. oh well.

I need to go to bed I have to work tomorrow morning. ugh.

Here you go Paul. YAY It works!

Hahah ok. Soooo at work yesterday I *gasp* recycled everything I could. It took me a little longer but it made Beast happy, so I figured why not?! :oD

While I am feeling charitable, I think I will go pay part of my boyfriend's cell phone bill and drop off a bunch of clothing to Good will.

Speaking of clothing. I was at the new AmVets store on Walden or something near the Galleria mall. They had some awesome stuff in there. I didn't have any money so I could buy anything, but I was impressed.

I am mad excited to be going to Cedar Point on Sunday. I've never been there. I hope its fun.

yay! thanks paul for continuing to update for mac users :o) haha I'm glad you are feeling nice.

I sailed in the levels tournament this weekend at niagara-on-the-lake. it rocked. we did really well. :oD

I don't really have anything to write out here. Maybe my cut and paste news stories are getting old. but I haven't done anything lately. I go to work and come home. I went out last night to Coffee & and found a cool shirt at Urban.

I watched my friend Kitty chase down my boyfriend as he ran by the coffee house last night. She makes gay guys horny. An impressive trait if I do say so myself :oP

Thanks, Mr. President, but no thanks
7/22/2004
By ROD WATSON

Dear President Bush:
Thank you so much for your kind invitation.

The "Star-Spangled Banner" played in my head as I opened the envelope and saw the membership card - in red, white and blue, of course - with my name on it.

I was especially appreciative of your accompanying letter thanking me for all I do "as a long-time friend and supporter."

Of course, I was bemused at first, given some of the things I've written about you. It seemed as though the intelligence - if we can use that word - operatives who told you Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction were now running your political campaign.

But upon deeper reflection, I realized that inviting me to be part of the Republican National Committee Victory 2004 effort shows that we're in a new era in which the old political labels and divisions no longer apply.

By inviting me into the fold, you've taken the concept of the "big tent" to a whole new level. I heartily applaud your effort to reach out to me - even as you snubbed those radicals over at the NAACP who can't seem to let go of that whole "equality" thing.

Nevertheless, I do have some concerns.

Since people judge you by those you associate with, I have to admit I have qualms about being linked to your vice president, who uses the "F" word in public and practically brags about it.

My mother told me to stay away from street-gang members because they talk like that. I'm not sure what she would say if she found out I was hanging out with Dick Cheney. After all, values count.

Speaking of values, I'm still trying to reconcile that word with what you call "our compassionate conservative agenda." (That "our" is pretty presumptuous, don't you think?)

You warn me away from liberal groups that espouse a government that "makes your choices for you," as opposed to the GOP, which "puts the individual in charge."

But I'm confused. Would that be the choice about whether to have a child? The choice about whether to end terminal suffering? Or the choice about whether to import cheaper medicines from Canada?

Of course, honesty also is a value - one that has taken a severe beating since 9/11 became an excuse for a war to rid Iraq of supposed weapons of mass destruction. Or was it to rid Iraq of a mean person? Or was it to create Middle East stability and then sing "What a Wonderful World"?

This ability to manipulate words is pretty impressive for a guy whose speech is constantly ridiculed. But you'll be pleased to know that I no longer have a problem with your English; it's your math that scares me now.

There's that little matter of the $236 billion budget surplus you converted into a deficit approaching $500 billion. There's the Dow that's down nearly 5 percent since you took office - which means I can't afford the "special contribution" you ask for. And there's the Economic Policy Institute study showing the 2003 tax cuts you touted have created 2.2 million fewer jobs than you predicted.

And, of course, there's that one number from Iraq that trumps them all: 900 U.S. dead, and counting.

Meanwhile, those of us who are supposed to benefit from the values they died for live in fear of your agents snooping through our library records, detaining Americans without charges or using "sneak and peek" warrants to spy on us.

Since it pains me to say all of this, I started not to reply. But Miss Manners says that would be rude.

So again, I thank you so much for your kind invitation and for thinking of me.

Unfortunately, I will be unable to join you this year because of a prior commitment - to values you wouldn't understand.


Very truly yours,
Rod Watson