I've Officially Had It

I have lost all faith in the United States political system.

After the bail-out was rejected by the HOR, naturally I tuned into the news networks. I don't know why I expected to be spoken to like a human being instead of just a 'vote', but call me naive. Every interview started with the same thing: 'Today, the Democrats/Republicans failed America'.

The hell you say?

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

This is a bipartisan issue! The economy doesn't give a damn whether you call yourself a 'Democrat' or 'Republican'. It affects us all the same!

I think we, the people, need a call to arms. Because it is now clearer than ever that these fools running around Washington have lost their damn minds. They have forgotten that their purpose is to serve the people, not their own selfish political interests.

These people need to be reminded that we put them there. We gave them their power. We need to demand that they use said power for the good of us.

Personally, I think we should just throw them all out. The whole lot of 'em. Useless, that's what they are.

Earlier this year I changed my voter registration to 'Unaffiliated'. And the next time someone asks me why, I'll point to this debacle. 'Nuff said. I will never understand how anyone can listen to these idiots spout such gibberish and willingly be grouped in with them under the same label. Boggles the mind.

"What we have here is a failure to communicate"

R.I.P. Paul Newman (1925 - 2008)

Awe Inspiring

I've resisted the urge to talk about it until after he did it, but - HE DID IT! I've followed Michael Phelps' career since before the Athens Olympics, and I have never been more in awe of him. What an amazing human being. He's inspired me to follow my dreams no matter how big.

He's also inspired me to get my ass off the couch and exercise. Sweet Jesus. That man's body is perfection personified.

Congratulations Michael. Now get some rest - you've earned it. And then party hard - you've earned that, too. ;-)

R.I.P.

I could not believe it when I read earlier today that Bernie Mac had died. I was a big fan of his because I could always relate to his take on life, and he will be missed.

My Current Obsession

I am completely obsessed with Rihanna's new music video for 'Disturbia'. It's completely creepy and quirky, and awesome! It's kinda Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Marilyn Manson with a little Nine Inch Nails thrown in for good measure. I love it. And the song is catchy as Hell.

It's Taken Me 4 Days To Digest...

Awesome, fantastic, phenomenal, great, epic....

None of those words do justice to the masterpiece I viewed this past Saturday.


I'm not Ebert or Roeper, so I won't blather on about the storylines and plot twists. There is less than no need for that sort of thing. But I will say that I loved this movie so much. By far my favorite movie of the year. It was also by far my favorite Batman movie ever (knocking Batman Begins to number 2). Christian Bale is a fantastic Batman. The difference between him and say, Val Kilmer or George Clooney is that they were pretty good Bruce Waynes, but they were not good Batmans. Keaton was a better Batman than he was Bruce Wayne, I thought. But Bale pulls off both parts of the character very well.

And Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, and Gary Oldman played their roles so well. And Maggie Gyllenhaal didn't annoy me the way Katie Holmes did as Rachel.

But, of course, the best performance was from Heath Ledger. He amazed me, like he did most others. That is a legendary performance. That should be required viewing in acting classes. He made the role of The Joker his bitch. At no point did I ever think to myself - 'that's Heath Ledger playing The Joker'. It's so cliché to say that he 'became' the role, but he truly did. For those 2 and a half hours, Heath Ledger completely disappeared. He simply ceased to exist. It's a damn shame that he's not around to see the reaction his performance is receiving. Well, not around to live it anyway, I like to believe he is seeing it, somehow. But damn, what a way to go.

'The Dark Knight' is, IMO, the greatest movie based on a comic book ever made. I won't say it's the best 'superhero' movie, because I don't believe he is one. I think that's a large part of the point of Batman. He's human, not super-human. That's not at all a slight against him, as I much prefer Batman to Superman or Spiderman.

Regardless, any directors or studio execs who were planning on making an action movie or comic book movie of any kind in the near future - I hope you were taking notes.

I haven't yet gone back to see it a second time, but I most likely will. And I'll certainly be buying the DVD as soon as it comes out. That's a piece of cinematic history that I have to own.

For those of you out there who haven't seen it yet - what are you waiting for? I've heard people say it's not their 'thing'. IMO, if you like good movies - it's totally your 'thing'.

It Feels Even More Final Now

So today I got my diploma in the mail. I had this odd sense of...finality? I mean, I thought I already felt done with college, but this made it more real, I guess. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's how I felt when I held it in my hands. I wonder if anyone else feels that way when they receive theirs...

Still Recovering

I will never get tired of looking at that. It was amazing, exciting, emotional, etc. There just aren't enough adjectives to describe the epic match that was the 2008 Wimbledon Final. I will always remember where I was and how I felt as I watched it. It was one of those moments in sports. I feel sorry for anyone who missed it, and for anyone who can't see the beauty in what that match was. I am so happy for Rafael Nadal. He's a great champion.

I'm a huge fan of Roger Federer as well, and he did very well to make the match as entertaining and suspenseful as it was. It could have very well been over in 3 sets, but he refused to go down without a fight. Credit to him.



These two men are amazing athletes, and I consider myself very lucky to be able to watch them make history.

Ahhh...Don't Ya Just Love It?

Ladies - don't ya just love this time of year when you style your hair just right, only to have it poof up like a poodle the moment you step outside?

*grumbles*

Quite Possibly The Cutest Commercial On TV Right Now

I LOVE this Dairy Queen commercial. This little boy is too cute. His expression after he says the word is too funny. I bet he got the part just for his ability to do that.

I Graduated!...Now What?...

I finally graduated college 2 weeks ago. I wasn't all that excited about it, to be honest. I was much happier about my high school graduation. This time it was more like a 'been there, done that' type of thing. But I'm so happy it's over. Well, over in the sense that I don't have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to get to an 8 AM class or stay up until stupid o'clock writing a 10 page paper. But there's still that tiny little matter of student loans that is certainly not 'over', nor will it be any time in the near future...

I'm taking the summer off before getting a job in the fall. I'm thankful I have the freedom to do that, since I know so many that don't. But after that? Who knows? I know for sure that I want to do some volunteer work. I don't want to wait until I retire (and by the time I get up there, retirement age will be somewhere around, ohhh...80). Most likely I'll get a part time job and that will allow me to do volunteer work. I'm thinking I'll do that for about a year at least before tying myself down any more than that.

So congrats to all of my fellow college graduates out there!

And to the young'ins graduating from high school in the next month or so - congrats! If you're heading straight into the job market - good luck with that, and I mean that in all honesty. If you're heading to college - good for you. Try to remember that college isn't just supposed to be about training you for a career, it's also (mostly, IMO) about finding out who you are and what you want to do. If you already know what you want to do for the rest of your life - that's great! If you don't - that's normal! Keep that in mind no matter how much pressure is put on you to 'Choose!'. And to those of you joining the military - God bless you.

Thank God!

I meant to talk about this last week, but can I just say 'Thank God!' the writers strike is over and TV shows have stopped showing re-runs? Damn that got annoying. I need my weekly fix of Ugly Betty, House, and The Office. Can I get an 'Amen!'?

Now I'm just waiting for the actors to go on strike...

When, Oh When...

...will school be over?!? I graduate college on May 10th, but I don't think I'm going to make it!

Pray for me.

TV Shows That Lasted Too Long

The recent announcement of the ending of the TV Drama 'ER' left me stunned.

Stunned because I had no idea that freaking show was still on!

Which got me to thinking...what are some TV shows that went way past their expiration date? And which current shows really need to be put out to pasture?

1) Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Don't get me wrong, I loved this show. But after a while it just got really stupid. It lasted 7 seasons when it really should have ended after 5.

2) Roseanne - After they won the lottery, it was pretty much over. Everything after that point was just so ridiculous.

3) Prison Break - Is anyone still watching? Seriously?

4) Yes, Dear - Did you ever watch an episode of this crap? Yeah, neither did anyone else. And yet it lasted 6 friggin' seasons! The hell?

5) The Drew Carey Show - It was great for the first 3 seasons or so, but then it got too silly with all the gimmicks. It ended up going down in a ball of flames thanks to the ABC execs.

5) The Simpsons - I might get some disagree vehemently with that, but come on folks. There are still some moments that make me chuckle, but overall? - It's time to stop the madness.

Those are just a few TV shows that stayed on the air way past their point of usefulness. Can anyone name some others?

You Know What I'm Sick Of?

I am sick and tired of the weather changing drastically from day to day! I love cold weather, and I like warm weather, but it needs to make up its mind! Where I live it could be 80 degrees one day, and not make it out of the 50s the next. It's not only annoying, it's bad for your health! How the heck is your body supposed to adapt to that b.s.?!?

Ugh! Just had to get that off my chest.

Some Changes

Just a quick note on a change I've made to the blog - I have a new domain name, so this blog can be reached at www.claritytru.com. The title of the blog will remain the same, but I liked the idea of having a short and easy to remember domain name instead of the long blogspot address.

Ever Have One Of Those Days....

Have you ever had one of those days that totally convinces you that every person on the planet received an instruction manual for life at birth....except you?

Just a Quick Pimp of a Song That's Been Stuck in My Head for Months...

I LOVE this song! It's "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson. It's only about 2 minutes long, but it's 2 minutes of total awesomeness.

Oh Yeah...Gotta Have This!

Because no matter what my driver's license says, I am still 9 years old...

Some Things Should Stay In The Past

Do we really need this? Hell, does anyone even want this?

Beverly Hills, 90210: The Remake?

A spin-off of Beverly Hills 90210? Seriously? I loved that show when I was younger. But it is quintessential 90's. You can't bring that into 2008! It just won't work. Plain and simple. Absolutely ridiculous idea. What's next? Melrose Place? The Wonder Years?

Get it together, TV Execs!

Random Thoughts

Couldn't think of an interesting blog topic, so I'll just throw some random thoughts out there:

It's really nitpicky of me, I know, but I can't stand it when people say "I could care less". *bangs head against the wall* People...It's I couldn't care less! If you don't care about something, you couldn't care less! Saying you could care less implies that you do, in fact, care. There are times when saying you could care less might be appropriate, but I'd guestimate that 99.9% of the people who use the phrase are using it incorrectly.

Here's something else that I hear people say that drives me insane: "Irregardless". Seriously? Just...no.

Why is it that all radio stations seem to go to commercial at the same damn time?

Why don't people put their cart in the designated spot in store parking lots? Why do they just leave them near their parking spot? Lazy bastards.

Why is Jessica Alba famous? I mean, yeah she's pretty, but...come on.

Am I the only person in the world who doesn't watch 24, Lost, or Prison Break? And doesn't have any interest at all in doing so?

Uggs are comfy, but they come by their name honestly.

I feel sorry for today's generation that doesn't have a real pop star. I'm not talking about freakin' Miley Cyrus. I mean a real pop megastar. Like Michael Jackson. I'm not that old, but I am old enough to remember Michael before he made the full transformation into Wacko Jacko. I really feel bad for today's generation who have no idea what that was like. And they never will because I don't think it can ever happen again...not with the way the world is now. Damn shame.

Kanye West just needs a healthy, daily dose of shut the hell up.

And lastly, I know it was a huge YouTube phenomenon months ago, but it rings true - Leave Britney alone.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

I know it happened last Thursday, but I just wanted to send out my thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the shootings at Northern Illinois University last week. It's a horrible tragedy, as it is every time it happens. These college shootings really freak me out because I am a college student and it just drives home the fact that it could easily happen here. There is no way to really prevent it. It's just scary as all hell.

Again, my thoughts and prayers to everyone directly affected by this terrible event. And to those indirectly affected as well, as I am. I know how you feel.

Having the Flu Sucks

Rewind back to Tuesday afternoon - it's a normal day and I'm feeling fine. All of a sudden I develop a bit of a cough. No big deal, I thought. I slept normally that night, but when I woke up I could tell that the 'bit of a cough' had progressed into a severe cough. I'm a college senior, in my last semester, and I really can't afford to be missing classes, so I head to my 8 AM class. About half way through I start to get a fever, my head aches, and I'm coughing up a storm. Througout the day these symptoms persist and some severe body aches are added to the mix. I realized that, for the first time in about 8 years, I had the flu. It's not surprising, being that it is flu-season and just about everyone at my University is sick as a damn dog. It still sucks, though. And I had 3 tests to take that day, and all I could think about was going home and sleeping for days. I made it through the day, though, and I know I did really well on those first two tests. That third test, though, at the end of the day when my symptoms were really coming on strong - I could have very well blown that one, and I didn't really give a toss if I did at the time.

Here's the thing, I don't believe in flu shots. I never get one. My mom gets on my case about it all the time, but I don't care. I believe we are supposed to get sick. Plenty of people have survived the flu in the past, I am doing it now, and people will continue to in the future. How big of babies are we? Yeah, the flu sucks major ass, but suck it up and deal! You cannot defeat a virus! The flu virus will just continue to mutate.

And now I have people saying 'Heh...guess you'll be getting your flu shot from now on? Heh heh heh...' I just love the look on their face when I answer in all seriousness 'Nope'.

R.I.P. Heath

Rarely am I shocked by a celebrity death. Not that I expect it, but it rarely causes a big reaction in me.

When I heard on the radio about Heath's death on Tuesday afternoon, I was stunned. I just sat there, mouth agape as what I was hearing sunk into my head. I couldn't believe it. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't my favorite actor or anything. But I still remember when I first saw him in '10 Things I Hate About You'. I loved him in that, and he was great in 'The Patriot', 'A Knight's Tale', and of course 'Brokeback Mountain'. I don't think I ever saw any of his other films, though I am sure he gave great performances in those as well.

Seeing the trailers and promos for the upcoming Batman film, the only thing that made me actually want to go to the theater and watch the movie was Heath Ledger as The Joker. I can already tell it is a commanding performance.

It's so tragic that he leaves behind so many people who love him - especially his two year old daughter, Matilda. I have no doubt that Heath's family and friends will make certain that she knows all about her father.

It's times like these that I realize how truly silly and trivial things I complain about in my life are sometimes. They don't even begin to compare to something like this. It's sad that it takes the death of a celebrity, someone I don't even know, to put things back into perspective.

****Credit to daydreamdrifter for making the banner****

I Hate School

Been 3/4 of a month since I last posted. Stupid college. Will be glad to finally be done with it come May, if I make it that far.

So I figure I'll talk about something that's all over the news now, and will continue to be through November.

That's right...the 2008 election.

But it's not about the actual election right now, it's about the fools fighting it out to be nominated to actually be in the election in November.

And yes, IMO, they are fools. You couldn't pay me enough money to be President of the United States. No way. Have you seen the pictures taken of the Presidents right after they are elected? Have you seen the pictures of them after their final term in office, whether they were in 4 years or 8? Haggard doesn't even begin to describe it. It has to take some years off your life. Nothing is worth all that stress and crap.

I distrust politicians immensely. They are all liars. They will all tell you whatever the hell it is they think you want to hear so you will elect them. Nevermind the fact that they realistically won't be able to accomplish 95% of it. The President doesn't have complete control. Anyone who thinks they do doesn't understand our government at all. What would be the purpose of Congress or the Cabinet, then? But, as always, the person at the top always gets all the blame and/or all the glory. I give them neither. It just doesn't work that way.

Watching Clinton, Obama, and Edwards yell at each other and not even try to veil their contempt for each other is not entertaining for me. It certainly doesn't make me like them or want to vote for them. It makes me think they're petty and silly.

And watching some of the Republican candidates drone on in their speeches is a great sedative.

Nope. Don't trust any of 'em. I am automatically suspicious of any person who thinks they should be running the country. That they are important enough, smart enough, kind enough, worldly enough, experienced enough, etc. Ugh. Narcissistic bastards, the whole lot of 'em.

I still don't know who I am going to vote for come November. But I just hate that I'll have to hear and see all of this crap until then. It's January for Christ's sake! Give it a rest for a few months, will ya?

Happy New Year!

2007 is gone, and 2008 is here! I hope all of you have a great year. I certainly intend to.

And to kick of the year, here's an actual news stories from News of the Weird to make you giggle:

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People Whose Sex Lives Are Worse Than Yours

A 24-yr-old man was arrested for choking the turkey in a changing room at a Kmart in Melbourne, Australia, an incident his lawyer said was brought on by "exam stress." The changing room was, of course, open at the bottom for all to see, and the man’s preferred wanking position is, apparently, on the floor.

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Oh yeah...that "exam stress" will make ya hot. WTF? Imagine being one of the store customers witnessing this. And once you stop laughing, attempt to get that picture out of your head. It ain't easy...