Drinking Games for the Campaign Advertising Tactics....

Every time it seems like we need an elementary school principal to pull John McCain and Barack Obama out of the sandbox and separate each other - maybe there will be a 'time-out' for both of them involved...or at least perhaps a time-out for the American people....

Drinking Games for Tonight's Debate

Including, but not limited to:

--Barack Obama throwing out George Bush's name
--McCain referring to him 'sounding the horn' on Fannie and Freddie years ago
--All previous drinking games (change, my friends, maverick, pork barrel spending)
--Main Street vs. Wall Street
--Out of touch
--Doesn't seem to understand
--Raising taxes
--Washington insiders
--Let's be clear
--Teetering on the brink

Let's see if a clear winner emerges tonight....amongst the drinking games, that is.

Optimism?

Ok, I like to consider myself an optimistic person (who doesn't?).  However, lately, I've gotten to thinking....

What is the opposite of optimism?  Is it pessimism?  Per the dictionary, perhaps.  However, does anyone actually consider him or herself a pessimist?  Probably not admittedly.  Hmm.  What would be the next thing over from a pessimist?  A cynic!?!?  Does anyone see where I'm going with this one?

Although I am ALL for cynicism, perhaps there should be a bit of limit on it.  I like to consider myself not negative but realistic (but isn't that what all pessimists say?  'I'm just being realistic'). I think reality is important because it is persistent whether or not people choose to acknowledge it.   

Also, one shouldn't be unrealistically positive and flowery at a time when perhaps someone needs to acknowledge how bad things are so he or she can take action (there's a reason admitting you have a problem is considered step one on the road to recovery, whereas overoptimistic denial is nowhere on that last).  Also, I think at times cynicism protects us all - it causes us to take that extra step in questioning the intentions of others and the possible negative outcome of a situation.  However, lately, have I crossed the line into the territory of a negative, angry person?  

You don't have to answer that.  In fact, please don't.  

Now, I certainly can't be one of those optimists who pretends every thing's all right when it's not - I have known one too many people like this in my life and they drive me absolutely nuts.   I like to think blissful ignorance and optimism are two separate things.   

However, maybe I do need to be a little more optimistic and hopeful.  This might be a challenge for me, but let's consider this my latest resolution.... 

Decision '08

I believe I have FINALLY officially made a decision about how I will vote this Nov. 4.

I am going with the 'write-in' option.  If this is not possible (I do not have all that much presidential voting experience; I have only done it once before in my life), I am going with Ralph Nader (yes, he's running AGAIN).  

The End of the Season....

Sigh.   It was a hard loss this past weekend for my family's hometown favorite.

Now, take this with a grain of salt, because I am the ULTIMATE fair-weather fan.  However, I have always unconditionally wanted the cubs to win.  Just maybe not all that passionately.  

However, I saw an editorial today in the Sun-Times that, I think, summed things up well.  To paraphrase:   

Many people are giving the Cubs a hard time and many people are upset about the cubs losing solely because of the long-time (100+ year) draught.  However, from a statistical standpoint, the cubs are not overdue. 

Look at it this way - if one were to take a coin and flip it 9 times and it came up heads 9 times in a row - would tails be 'due'?  The tenth time a person were to flip a coin, the odds would STILL be 50/50 heads or tails.  It would have no greater or less of a chance either way.  It doesn't matter about the previous 9 flips; it doesn't matter about how many previous years of not winning the series.

So - how many teams are there in the MLB?  Thirty-six, I want to say?  So, the Cubs, along with every other team, has a 1/36 chance of winning the world series ever year - not great odds for anyone.  So, are all other 35 teams a failure every year?  (Again, NOT a sports person writing this....)  I realize at the end of the season, unless your team is the ultimate victor, your season ends on a sour note, however....

The cubs (and the sox) had a great season!  They won over half their games, clinched their divisions, had some great moments, etc.   So although we are all sad about the bitter end of things and not being able to make the BIG win and break the streak, the Cubs had no greater or less of a chance of winning this time around than they have ANY OTHER YEAR, and they did better than normal.  

So let's take a moment to look back and thank and congratulate the cubs (and, sigh, I suppose, the sox) for a great season!!  They may not have won the big one and their last couple games weren't the best, but they certainly did well.  

I Know Youtube Will Take This Down Shortly....

However - TINA FEY stole my joke! Ok, I know you're ALL gonna say 'drinking games' isn't the most original idea, but I was playing them back during the DNC!!!

And actually, as you see below, I chose 'reformer' for the VP Debate. I opted for 'Maverick" back around the time of the RNC. I guess, Tina, we'll have to agree to disagree (and see who ends up more drunk).

Sigh....the sincerest form of flattery!?!?!

Another Shoutout

...to another newly discovered blog reader - Ronny D!  Or should I say RonDe?  (or is it Rhonda?)  You  know who you are.

Ron is a good friend that I worked with for a good chunk of my professional career.  He certainly brings a lot of life, entertainment and myspace usage to any office he inhabits.

I am truly flattered not only that Ron reads my blog, but also that Ron wanted a shoutout, because Ron already regularly gets shoutouts on a much bigger Chicagoland media outlet.  Ronny, I can't write a song for you about getting your name wrong, but I hope this suffices (I wanted to pull your picture off facebook and put it at the top of this post, but I thought maybe that was a little TOO creepy).  

I appreciate the readership.  This better bring on a blog comment!

Editor's note:  Ron also has a regular-appearing TV spot where he talks about how much he loves Portillo's.   The fact that he even notices my blog exists means so much....

I'd Like To Thank...

...Sarah Palin for wearing all black at the VP Debate - she has made my Halloween costume so much easier.  I do not own a red or creme color blazer, as she has appeared in public in before, and I did not intend to buy one.  However, this will be quite simple now.  I just need a nifty beaded flag pin like that and I'll be all set.  :-)

Curious....

When was the last time you bought a CD? Like walked into a Best Buy and purchased one? For me, it had to have been senior year of high school (those of you who know me know how many years ago that would have been). I believe, in fact, that last CD I personally walked in and purchased was 'Baby One More Time' by Miss Britney Spears. PRIDE.

Early into freshman year of college, I learned the joys of, ahem, acquiring music over the internet. Nowadays, it's quite common with i-tunes to purchase a song at a time (perfect for keeping one-hit wonders exactly that). Hey, it is far from the most questionable thing people acquire over the internet.

Anyhow, I know there are still people out there in my age bracket with my level of comfort with technology who still go to the stores and buy CDs. I am curious - does anyone out there still uphold this practice?

One of the best things about CDs is that one can easily randomly discover some lesser known good songs by an artist that one wouldn't be discovering under, let's say, this new system. Right now, for the most part, I think people are primarily buying songs they already know they like. I guess this way one isn't forced to buy something he or she might not want - there are pros and cons.

Any CD enthusiasts out there?

Drinking Games During the VP Debate...You Knew This Was Coming....

Any time Sarah Palin used the words "John McCain" and "reformer" in the same sentence.

Getting Sensitive...

So, as I'm sure you all know, the google ads that appear on this blog relate to topics discussed in this blog (note the many obama/biden/mccain/palin ads - and there are many more to come).

However, once in a while, and ad will come along that will have nothing to do with anything but will eerily apply to me personally (note the Lasik vision ad).

Kind of like the Dianetics society, I sometimes take these unrequested implications about myself a bit personally.

Today's "supposedly" completely-out-of-the-blue-nothing-to-do-with-anything ad:

Managing Adult ADHD

:(

More Palintology

Several of my blog's loyal readers sent me this gem....

(Someone explain to me how to make it readable.  Thank you, much appreciated.  

Worst case scenario, google "Sarah Palin Facebook page".)