Our state fair is a great state fair, it's the best state fair in our state!

This past Friday, ATM and I went down to the Arkansas State Fair.  In short, I have Fair Fever now.  In case you didn't know,  parking & admission is free M-F, 11-1, so, you know, LUNCH BREAK.  I think my co-workers and I are going to try for Thursday.  It's so much better in the day!  No lines and, as my co-worker pointed out, you don't have to deal with knucklehead youths.  

I love how busy October is.  Unfortunately, we've not been able to camp at all.  I do get a bit wonk when I don't get to hang out of doors properly.  Perhaps we can rent a cabin or go to the lake house soon?  At this moment, getting out of doors is more out of necessity than want.

So, I'm on a Halloween party planning committee.  We decided to have a decent blow-out this year.  We've got some pret-ty ambitious ideas, guys & ghouls, so I hope you (yes, you) can make it.  It's pretty much open invitation as long as we know you to some degree & you aren't an asshole.  Assholes will be pistol-whipped & used as decoration OR outright chucked from the premises.  Do bring your own brouha.  Please come costumed.  Be ready to cut loose on the Damned Dancefloor. Oct. 27.  209 Victory St.

This week/end will be fun, if not busy.  I've taken off Friday afternoon to go to the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival to see the Renaud Brothers speak about film making and journalism in the world's most dangerous places.  I couldn't tell you why it took Tim Hetherington's getting killed in Libya for it to really sink in the risks these documentarians take to expose what's going on in every corner of the world, especially ones that are extremely dangerous.  He held back on starting a family because of the uncertainty and danger!  It should be an intriguing panel.

Directly after that, I'll be rushing back to NLR to attend a fish fry.  It's not very cool and it's not very hip, but we enjoy sitting down with strangers and having a meal.  I've got two extra tickets if anyone wants to join us.  Proceeds benefit the church's kitchen.  On Saturday, I'm attending a yoga workshop that I have no business attending.  I'm chuckling at myself right now. Why on earth did I sign up for this?  At the time, it wasn't ambition, but a willingness to try something new.  Now, I've got my ever reliable self-doubt weighing me down.  I actually don't have the experience for it.  I'm guess I'm expecting the worst and hoping for the best. I've been assured that I haven't made a mistake, but we will see.  And, finally, if all goes to plan, we will have new insulation installed in the attic.  Exciting, I know.

Hm, what else?

Recently, I've been R A G I N G  because of people who remark on politics so casually and flippantly.  There's usually no regard for others or any thought of what they are actually saying.  With broad, sweeping remarks, they dismiss a lot of people -- people who aren't just like them.  Just because you can't see, feel, or understand the pains, hurt, and needs of others doesn't mean it's not real.  I firmly believe we really need to fortify the separation of church and state.  They've become too entwined and it's no good.  

Politics and religion are things you don't talk about with just anybody, but things have gotten so toxic and downright disgusting that even if you don't actively engage in conversation, it can be delivered right to you in a steaming pile.  I've seen people's property destroyed because they have Candidate A's bumper sticker on their car.  What the hell is that?  That's no way to behave.  It makes me want to take a break from politics, which is really unfortunate because I have a natural, if fatal, attraction to politics and I spend a lot of time keeping up with current events.  I do get a little unhinged when someone who doesn't have but a passing interest, if you can call it that, tries to engage with me.  Well, you can't argue with crazy or with someone who is factually deficient.  I don't even try.  Who has time for that?  Anything short of blatant racism, sexism, or homophobia will slide.  If you're just going to tell me our President is a Muslin, then we're done.  If you're going to call me names, I'm movingon.org.  You get the idea.  I believe in Freedom of Speech and people participating in the process, but I'm really gutted that it's being hijacked and held hostage by people who don't even know what the word (democracy/socialism/capitalism/consumerism/fascism, etc) means.  

One very long exhale.  Pops two aspirin.  I don't even know anymore.