Civic Minded Drinking...An American tradition.

Mondays are a pretty worthless day overall I think. It also seems to me that most people on this planet feel the same way and act accordingly. Just talking about how mean everyone can be on this day. I wonder if the violent crime rate is higher on Mondays due to the general angst and orneriness that everyone suffers from. If I would have had to deal with one more person today I might have gone insane. Luckily things are settling down.

I am one of those people who think everything about football, the sport, is great. Just watching the plays and the way things develop and move is something I truly enjoy. It is always nice to watch games that I do not emotionally invest myself in, i.e. any non-LSU game, to really enjoy the spirit, motion, and complexities of the game. I have watched the game since I can remember being able to see and every year my appreciation for this time of year and what goes on increases. I truly miss this sport when it is not on in all its incarnations. Well maybe just the NFL and definitely college football and more importantly, the SEC.

I was thinking that the prevalence of drinking in the young adults that I know and see in the area of this country I live in is pretty amazing. I do not know what the social aspects of drinking are in other areas of the country , but in the South it is almost a religion in and of itself. I know people who dedicate their days and lives to finding the perfect drink and enjoying it regularly. I have spent whole days drinking but I feel that the time of life for that is passing me by, while at the same time I feel that maybe there should have never been a time in my life for that. I guess it happens everywhere and all over the country but not with the regularity that it occurs here. Go down to a LSU game or spend a long night in New Orleans and experience the type of drinking that can only be described as sport, a long, punishing sport. Also, a sport to which I am a regular participant, as are all my friends.

At least when we get wasted we are not all over television or the Internet like the "famous" people in Hollywood now. Although our antics are much more cheeky. Rather than just getting wasted at a bar, walking to a car, and showing off our baby-making parts we all actually get some shit done while we are drunk. I know that out of a sense of civic duty some of the ladies I hang out with moved some construction cones out of the street because as we all know, they are a danger to the drunk driving crowd causing all sorts of senseless and confusing accidents to occur. That is real activism. Cleaning up the streets so we can all drive safely. I send the girls the thanks of all the imaginary people who read this. Why this weekend a friend gave a crack head, or perhaps he was just insane, a cigarette. Truly helping the homeless and drug abusing street roamers is not for the elite. Any regular Joe can make sure that a crack head sleeps comfortable and without a heinous nicotine craving, thus ridding the world of unnecessary drug withdrawals. Drought can be a big problem too, especially in this part of the country and with global warming rising. So in an effort to rid our streets and neighborhoods of gross, decrepit flower beds and lawns, we often take the time to "water the plants", if you will. Yes? Good, I thought you might. Drunks have been keeping this nation green for centuries. Really this service is generations ahead of its time since drunks have been lending their services on this front long before environmental issues reached the national conscious. Leave it to drunks to be about ten steps ahead of the ball on anything.

I guess my point is to illustrate that while we may drink a lot, we can also help a lot. I believe we can, in fact, have our cake and eat it to. Why not go party with your friends, or families, and help make America a better place too. While you enjoy the libations this country grants you the privilege to drink, why not express your gratitude by lending a helping hand. Try to ignore the whining of those who see good, old fashioned American charity and civic mindedness as the actions of a blackout drunk. We are all better than those people. We are the middle class philanthropist and activist. So next time you are mind erasing drunk or are around those who are, toast yourself or those around you and go out into the world and help clean this country up. I am sure there is a raving lunatic craving for cigarettes right around the corner or perhaps your neighbors yard leaves a lot to be desired. A life of drinking and philanthropy awaits you and it all starts at your local bar, club, or nationally owned and conglomerated convenience store; which is nice because who understands the American charity spirit better than our biggest and most powerful corporations. God bless this country and God bless you, good sir or madam. Keep drinking and keep making America better.

First post!

This is my first post on a blog. I am trying to get my feet wet with publishing myself on the Internet and I am not too sure how good this will be or anything. I guess it does not have to be very good, just some of what I have to say regarding various things going on.

I am beginning to get very concerned for the future of the country as things regress and try to progress towards elections and with the war. Everyday that passes I feel more and more that this war is unjust and wrong for the country and the world. In every possible way it is tearing us apart as Americans with each camp unwaveringly supporting itself and distancing itself from the other camps with hateful, spiteful rhetoric and actions. It disgusts me to see the way the federal government is acting and here, in Louisiana, the way the state government behaves.

I am not too sure that there is one easy solution for any of these problems. Maybe these things are too far above a 24 year olds head. But I feel that the youth of this country, if it was listened to, has some great ideas and dreams and directions for the country. There is always going to be extreme factions on any and all sides of the issue, but I think it is time for people to begin to look at the country and talk with open minds and open ears about our problems. The time for fighting like punks is over. I think open dialogue and honest discussion needs to take place, both in Washington and in Baton Rouge and the various state capitals across the country. I think everyone needs to humble themselves right now and see that however you are feeling towards these issues is not the perfect, infallible right way.

The attention given to matters of celebrities and those things is way to high. Some of our greatest citizens are in Iraq right now looking at an uncertain future. I think that focusing on these issues and those of our current domestic issues should take precedence over anything and anyone that Britney Spears is doing. She is just a piece of trash and no way indicative of the typical American or typical American mindset. I hope that everyday Americans are more focused on the issues that matter than the debate between who is a bigger skank in Hollywood. Although, that issue does bring hours of amusement to people, including myself, over some drinks with friends. But I think CNN leading the days news with fresh crotch shots of famous people might be taking it too far.

However, life here in America is not all grim and there are many passions that can keep our heads clear available to many. LSU whooped ass this weekend, although they were playing Middle Tennessee State. I am very excited about the Tigers football season this year and their defense is just mind blowing. The offense always looks hesitant in many regards, but I feel that with a new offensive coordinator, Gary Crowton, it will take time for all things to gel. This weekend the boys play South Carolina and something tells me, maybe its history, that Steve Spurrier will have those guys ready. I look forward to an awesome game filled with some great plays. I think it sucks that the games has to be on CBS in the afternoon. LSU never plays their best in BR during the day and against this team they will need to. I think its a curse that Verne Lundquist places over the Tigers before each game he does. Just seems they lose more when CBS has the game then when ESPN does it. Probably some weird superstition that I posses, but one that I am going to hold on to like grim death. Or perhaps until the end of this deal with CBS that the SEC has. Hopefully things will go great for LSU this weekend and we can continue to march towards a date with destiny and a game against USC. I hate the Trojans and all the hype that goes with them. But they are a damn good team and anyone can see that. Here's hoping that LSU makes it there against them in the national championship game.

There was a lot of rambling on my part across various issues, but I am having trouble keeping my thoughts straight in my head as I type this. Also, this stream of consciousness technique will take some time to master, if that is indeed ever the point. I hope I can find my true voice over this thing and not seem so stodgy. I think that picture of Verne Lundquist really adds a lot. He is a handsome devil, isn't he?