Speaking of West Virginia (which, by the way, is having a T-Shirt Amnesty Day), my buddy and fellow SU Alum (though he went through school via the more traditional route of going there after high school and graduating in the “normal” amount of time, so he was there about 25 years before I was) is taking some vacation time in October and wants to go to the SU-WV game. On the one hand, I try to get to at least one game a year and this could be the last time I see WV in the Dome for a while. On the other hand, it’s a Friday night game (and past my bedtime), and is kind of expensive. Not that I’m cheap, mind you, but the game’s gonna be on ESPN in HD, which means I can have a much better seat (and turn it off if things start to get bad) – at the expense of having to listen to the inane blathering of whatever ESPN announcers are working the game (typically we don’t get the “A” team, though occasionally they’ll give an SU alum or two (like Sean McDonough or Mike Tirico) the chance to go back to the old homestead. A shame they don’t give alumni a ticket deal. One more reason they’ll never get any donations out of me.

They just flashed a graphic as they went to a break on the lo-cal news that said, “Falling Satteltie.” Fortunately, it appears that the satteltie will not fall on North America, so we should be safe here. Sorry, you other folks, but you’re on your own. May want to stay in the basement tomorrow (though even that won’t help you with a direct hit).

The other big story is this “synthetic marijuana” that’s out there now being marketed as incense, but being used by industrious folks to catch a buzz. This, of course, is sparking outrage and calls to make it illegal, as it contains chemicals that may be bad for you (and it actually putting people in the hospital). If they’d just make the real shit legal, they wouldn’t have to worry about it. Plus, whattya gonna do? Make every dangerous chemical illegal because it might be used to get high? There’d be no glue, spray paint, whip cream, spot remover, pesticide – you name it.

Let’s face it, as long as life sucks and then you die, people will want to get wasted one way or another. I say, “Tax the Stoners!” But tax the rich, first.

They are also referencing a “new” study (apparently they never heard of Ben Franklin) that says people who get up early are happier, healthier, and less likely to eat shitty food. I wonder, which is cause, and which is effect? Are you better off because you get up early, or are you getting up early because you’re happy and healthy? Or is it that you just can’t sleep and/or have little critter alarm clocks to get your ass out of bed?

Speaking of sleep, REM is calling it quits. I think it’s because they’re too old to be “rapid” these days. Perhaps they’ll reform as ‘SEM’ or something.

Oh well, I guess it’s time to get ready to get ready. I need a little extra time, as I’m in the process of giving myself a haircut. This is day three of what is typically a 5-7 day process. I cut a bunch, see what sticks out funny (hair-wise) and cut some more. The hard part is trying to thin it out (especially in back) so it doesn’t look like I’m wearing a helmet, without ending up just shaving it all off (my head’s too goddamn big to not have hair on it – I’d look like a 500 watt light bulb, or Uncle Fester or something).

But it was either this or go with the ponytail, and I’m not sure how that would go over at work.

If only I could find another way to pay the bills.