When I spell Hell I spell it D-M-V

Today I went to the DMV to renew my license. After waiting in line for an hour and a half I was given ticket with a number on it and then waited some more. My number was called and I had a new driver's license in my hands after 15 minutes. I starting to think that proving that you can stand for over 45 minutes is part of the driving test. "Hey," they may say, "if you can't stand up for an hour or so then you don't belong behind the wheel of an automobile."

What I found amazing was that I was one of only two people there with something to read. You would figure that if you know you are going to the DMV and you know you are going to be doing nothing for almost two hours but waiting in a line you would bring something to read. If not a book, magazine or newspaper at least a needle to poke your arm with just to remind yourself you are alive. A whole room of people staring at the walls. I don't get it. You'd figure with this being Charlotte there would be one or two people reading a bible and I didn't even see that.

I have to give some kudos to the employees there. They were swamped with humanity and they handled the crowd with undeserved professionalism. I couldn't do that job. What they handled much better than I ever could were the people that jumped out of line to ask a "quick" question and would just slow the excruciating crawl to a stop. It's got to be hard to work someplace that everyone in the world dreads visiting and still be polite and friendly. I'm still not entirely sure why the lady sitting next to me in the queue told me she would be right back when she got up to ask a pointless question.

In honor of today's endurance test I present to you a song by Primus called DMV.

Another video

One of my favorite songs of the last year has been a song by Sparks called "Dick Around." It's funny and clever, just the way I like it. A video is below.

I first heard of Sparks back when they appeared on Saturday Night Live in the early 80's. They were supporting their album called "Angst in My Pants." You can hear a song from it called "Mickey Mouse" here. It's actually a Youtube video with audio playing over a picture of the album cover.

So, if you have a few minutes watch the video below. This song could be the Internet's theme song, "Dick Around."

Satellite go boom

Have you seen the video of the missile strike on that satellite? If not, you can view it here. Thanks to the One Big Loud Guy for the tip.

Fun with a flashlight

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Originally uploaded by zzazazz

Spooky, eh?

Hello from our porch

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Originally uploaded by zzazazz

Fun with a flashlight and an open shutter.

Porch Panorama

Porch Panorama
Originally uploaded by zzazazz

Here is a panoramic view of our back yard and the porch. There some distortion and mistakes of the closer views but the background looks really good. It's cloudy out today but actually quite nice and pretty.

My elbow is still sore. I'm betting that doctor is going to want to give me another shot when I go in for a follow up tomorrow.

Me are old

So, here it is, February 22, 2008. Forty years ago today I was born. I don't really feel it since I started being tired all the time when I hit 30. I'm just wondering when I am going to go gray and bald so I can look really cool with my pony tail. I remember seeing the bass player for Molly Hatchet in the mid 90's with a bald top and gray long hair. He looked cool.

I spent the morning of my birthday at a local urgent care center to have an infection in my elbow looked. It started Wednesday night and it wasn't getting any better so Melanie and decided I should go see a doctor. The regular doctor was booked up so off to the Promed we went. I guess there are sacks in your elbows and the doctor thinks one burst. I've had some very dry skin on my elbows this winter and maybe applying all that lotion was too much for it. Hell if I know. All I know is I got a shot in the ass and some antibiotics and it's feeling better already. This is the second time in three months something weird has happened. Back in the fall I was stung by some fire ants and got a nasty rash all over my body. It scared the hell out of me but I was with friends and they were monitoring me. I guess as long as you can breathe you are OK.

Melanie bought me a few books for my birthday, a book of easy crossword puzzles, a book on Carolina oddities, a collection of Bukowski poems and a book of essays on atheism. I also received this item I purchased on eBay. I hope it's as fun as all the reviews say it is. Now I just need to get the four of us to sit down and play it.

Since I am feeling better we are going to go to the Comet Grill tonight and see Lenny Federal. I'm looking forward to it. Ever since we've moved into the house I think I've only been to the Comet Grill to see Lenny twice. It's hard to get out when you are so comfortable at home.

The Effectiveness of U.S policy towards Cuba

I think this cartoon spells it out perfectly. Whenever I hear about how we need to keep the pressure on Cuba I always think of what Winston Churchill wrote in his History of the English Speaking People. He said that a starving population never revolts. It seems to me that the restrictions we have had on Cuba have pretty much guaranteed that Castro would be in power all these years.

New Frontiers DVD

I didn't even know that there was a straight to DVD version of DC's New Frontiers coming out. This review has got me in high anticipation mode.

Cool cloud formation

Cool cloud formation
Originally uploaded by zzazazz

I was driving downtown on Monday to attend a short training session at the children's library that is called Imaginon. As I was rolling down Kings Dr. I saw this line of clouds framing downtown Charlotte. I didn't have time to get out and get a good shot but you can see the clouds here pretty well. It would have been perfect for a panorama. I consider it a missed opportunity.