I'm doing pretty darn well so far in my NCAA bracket. I got 13 of 16 correct, missing only Kansas State, UNLV and Texas A&M.

I got that St. Joseph's/Oklahoma game right, though Josh!

The rest were kindasorta gimmes. I won't win a prize if I do better than my pals, only the satisfaction of victory.

I have to give it to the man, it's f**king brill. He says everything that needs to be said. Not saying I'm ready to come into the fold, but I have a lot of respect for someone who doesn't hide behind their campaign staff, deflect, counterattack, or otherwise avoid difficult moments.

Of course, as usual for me, I worried needlessly.

The other night she met us out at my local to watch the Sabres game (she loves the Sabres probably more than I do) and she heard us talking about the nomenclature we use for all of the Nicoles in our lives (N1, N2, N3, etc...)

I should explain.

Jerry and I know a jillion Nicoles, some of them have been our girlfriends, flings, pals, and everything in between. Most of it of course being on Jerry's end because I have no game whatsoever. We know a lot of Nicoles. So we call my ex-girlfriend Nicole N5, because she is the fifth Nicole we know. It is only a way for us to keep all of these Nicoles straight when in conversation with each other. There is no malice or shady connotation whatsoever.

Of course, the object of my affection heard that and ran off to the bathroom, looking none too pleased. She thought when I said N5 that it was in fact the fifth Nicole I've bread and buttered, and I number them because of some sinister macho male reason, and I do this with all my lovers. Of course it isn't true at all, but that didn't matter.

She said, I thought you were different. She told me how disappointed she was. It was like a dagger to the chest. I would rather get kicked in the balls with spiked boots than hear that come from her mouth. I thought, damn, I got sunk by a negative trait I don't even have!!! Jerry caught wind of this and immediately straightened the situation out, lord knows I tried but couldn't explain so well when I had lumps in my throat.

Anyway....now things are better, and I landed another date. I told her that I might not see her on her birthday, so I wanted to celebrate with her on our own. Gonna take her to dinner, and I had an idea for the Albright Knox but she isn't all that down with the exhibit, not the kind of art she likes. So I'm sort of looking for any helpful ideas about what galleries are cool in the area and where might be a good idea to take a girl to see some stuff. Or, if you have an off the wall idea to help me, please do. I've got part of my plan set, but not all of it!

It's true, what else can I say? The one thing I looked forward to this week sort of didn't turn out like I hoped and my stomach is in knots. But don't worry, I'll be okay. Yes I will.

I'll bite. I am probably as honest about my negatives as my positives on here, and I don't mind answering some things honestly.

1. What pops into your mind when you hear the word "church?"

My childhood. Lessons in the classroom. Lots of pomp and ritual, which I enjoyed. Coffee and sweets. Singing in the choir. Playing my trumpet. Later getting paid to play at weddings and holidays.

2. Has anyone ever invited you to their church? What did you think when they asked you? Did you go? How did it feel? If you didn't go, why not?

Yes. I thought it was a pretty bold gesture, one that had to be respected and appreciated. No, I didn't go and so I can't tell you how it felt. I was pretty hungover that morning I do recall, so if I felt anything that morning it was regret.

But I do have to say that I guard the sovereignty of my relationship with God very intensely. I do not talk about it often, and I do not follow any particular doctrine. I don't even really believe in 100% of the Bible as fact rather than metaphorical teaching tools.

3. Have you ever had a sense of God or Jesus communicating with you? What was it like?

Back when I was deep in my funk, when I was, ahem, being treated, I thought about this stuff a lot, tried communicating, tried asking for help. Eventually I got desperate and asked some people for some prayers, a whole bunch of people, I thought screw it, couldn't hurt. That night I felt so freaking low. Even if I could describe it I wouldn't.

The next morning I woke up and I'm telling you, something was different. I got up, got some coffee, flipped open the news, read about the war and I felt empathy for people, something that hadn't happened for months. I realized that there is a lot in the world to give a damn about, starting with myself. It was like I was awake again.

And from then on things started happening. Two days later I got a new job. Later that month I had a girlfriend. Things have been very good, not perfect, but very good since then. I don't know whether it is coincidence, or I just snapped out of it, whether it was God communicating, or something else that is completely unknown, but it did lead to a lot of questions for me.

One answer that I got, from God or whoever, was that if you remain in isolation and do nothing you will never get any help. You make an effort first, you reach out, then you have a shot at getting what you need, and I don't see why God would be any different. You make the first step. Magic, voodoo or coincidence, I still call it a spiritual awakening, like a detox for the soul.

4. If you had one question you could ask God and knew you would get an answer, what would it be?

Things are really messed up down here, and I know you could find a way to do it, so why don't you directly intervene?

5. Would you like prayer for anything?

Just for the general well being of myself, my friends and family.

I guess I have to admit it.

You guys would be proud, I've tried this time and given a damn about it. I've been a gentleman, done the right thing, haven't acted like a jerk or ignored her. I've actually gotten on the phone and called, and she says she hasn't been feeling well since Thursday. Either I called or she called me over this past weekend, and we talked about how she still wasn't feeling right and wasn't up to hanging out.

There is a little part of me that wonders, am I being gamed or friend zoned here? Is something wrong? We went on the one date. I thought it went great. I caught myself liking spending time with her. I suppose she deserves the benefit of the doubt, but still when you keep on hearing no, no, no, you can't help but lose some enthusiasm. She said to me on Sunday, "Call me soon." I assume that is supposed to buoy my confidence. I suppose all I can do is just call her soon like she said.

We'll see how it shakes out. I'm not going to sweat it too hard.

First of all, thanks for the comments on my previous journal. Now that I think about it, that IS where we saw Henry Rollins, but was it named the same then? I do recall it used to be a nightclub, etc with a different name.

Anyway, I finally got the nerve to ask the girl that I've been sort of talking about on a date. Screw it, I thought I have nothing to lose. I got the idea to go see Keller Williams and his backing band. She is like me in that we both really love that kind of stuff so I thought it would be something she might want to check out.

We went downtown to see the game at a certain brewery (she is really into the Sabres) and get a bite to eat before the show. The Sabres lost but we did talk a bunch and got to know each other more. The show was just amazing, I even shook my ass a little bit and I think we both had a ball. The music was top notch. The layout is pretty cool for a concert. I would go there again for sure.

I know this is just one date, but I do feel 100% comfortable around her. She puts me at ease. She's cute and fun and wants to enjoy the hell out of the summer, see more shows, which aligns with me perfectly. She's also down to earth, which is a must must must for me. I guess I could always fall on my face somehow but I want to see her again.

Not that I typically care about dating "rules" but if I wait until tomorrow to call her that's okay, right?

Anyone seen a show there? Is it okay? Thinking going there Sunday evening for Keller Williams.

Well, I guess it was coming. Not that I'm ready to be a loony lefty or anything, but I think the time has come to (like Josh) jump ship. Josh is going to mail out the form for me today sometime.

I have spent some time talking to people who try their best to argue that Creationism should be taught in science class because, well, we aren't 1000% sure about Evolution, so Creationism should be taught side by side in science class, even though the gulf in evidence is so enormous, and even though Creationism isn't science.

Oh, and those same people seem to think that since certain lessons are taught in the Bible, which may or may not have anything to do with how our legal code was created or developed, then it gives SoCons license to inject the Bible into our legal code with no limits. Freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion, they say, and they totally fucking miss the point over and over that people who escaped religious persecution in Europe came here to NOT deal with people like the SoCons.

After years of having to swallow embarrassing federal marriage amendments, the Schiavo case, Larry Craig, Embryonic Stem Cell money, potential abortion bans, abstinence-only sex education - all "for the party", to "prevent Liberals from taking over", now since a Moderate is in the running now they want to take their ball and go home, arguing against the party loyalty and "getting in line" that they demanded from us since the mid 90's.

Now they talk about a brokered convention, shoving Huckleberry down our throats against the will of the people who voted. Now they say that as long as they don't get 110% of what they want, they will turn away or vote against the party because we don't bow down to them this time. They don't want to be blamed for their own failures. They feel entitled to votes in ways they won't allow others to feel. I say SCREW THEM.

The Republicans no longer advocate limiting the size and scope of the government. They no longer represent people who want to be good stewards of the public's money. Like the Liberals, they selectively choose which ways they want to defend the public and which ways they want to use government to be intrusive and naughty. They spend like trophy wives. They represent everything I can't stand about government now, and if they want to be a little niche party, unable to affect or change anything because of their narrow, bigoted world view then they are welcome to it. They can mean dick if they want to mean dick. It's okay.

So now I am an (I) - Dad is going to be thrilled until I tell him I'm still not voting for Obama.

We went out with the same girls again, just to watch the Sabres game at my local. Wednesday's plans fell through, nothing sinister, but anyway we decided to make new plans. Josh came out as well, which was a welcome change.

Now, I like to think of myself as a stand up guy and a decent fellow. You hook up with a girl, she tells you to call her, you say you will - but you never pick up the phone and call. What kind of an asshole are you? Needless to say I had to prepare myself for some kind of confrontation.

She kept on asking me, "Why? Why? I don't understand." She flat out said she likes me. You can bet that she was pissed off bit. She really turned the screws on me. I'm under no illusions here - I'm sure she has guys hitting on her all the time, asking her out. I'm sure she has lots of opportunities, and isn't used to being sort of ignored. She's a cute, fun girl. Josh was surprised that I could pull that kind of quality, which I'm sure is an insult to me somehow. She turned the screws, I tried to explain to her (a tiny bit of vulnerability goes a long way), but at the end of the night she couldn't wait to kiss me.

Funny how things turn out sometimes. There is this energy between us that has to be resolved as soon as possible. I love how honest she was. I'm going to make it up to her. Josh said he doesn't get a bad vibe from her at all, and his spidey sense is much better than mine so I think I am going to go ahead and, as people here have told me, just go and have fun, and make things happen.

I'm a moron, and my name is Jason.