Too Much of a Good Thing!

Ye cats, it’s hot out there! I sit around all winter moping and whining that it’s cold out, and now that it’s summer I’m sitting inside because it’s too hot out there.

It’s over a hundred again.

I saw on the news that some cities in Iowa are closing certain roads because they’re buckling and crumbling in the heat.

Didn’t Mr. Jimmy Carter start warning us about this whole “Global Warming” and “Don’t Use So Much Darn Oil” about 30 years ago? Why, oh why didn’t we listen to him?

A Wee Little Ride

Took the bike out for a ride last weekend. Being a blue dot in a red state (I think Iowa’s more purple, actually), I decided to avoid South Dakota. That particular state is way too conservative for my taste, and I’m simply not going to spend any money in South Dakota until they come to their senses. (I know, I know – it’s a silly thing to do, but my personal little economic boycotts are just something I do. It’s important to me.) I know what Iowa looks like… So I went through Nebraska on my little outing.

From Sioux City I tootled down to Omaha, hung a right to Lincoln, then back north a bit until I hit a road that turned west toward a town called “Rising City.” Something about that name, and the fact that I’ve never heard of the place before, made me wanna go there. As I pulled into the gas station in town, the first thing I noticed was the mural of Bigfoot coming out of a corn field holding a pizza. The second thing I noticed was that Rising City is pretty flat. The third thing I noticed was that it’s really more of a town than a city. (Of course, people say that about Sioux City, too, which has some 60,000 souls.)

Just a little slice of Americana I though some of you may find interesting.

I continued on to Columbus, NE – one of my bands used to play in a couple venues there years and years ago. The hotel is still there, but I couldn’t find the Quarthouse for some reason. From Columbus I headed east to Fremont, again to visit an old gig. Turns out the bar in Fremont we used to play at is now an office building. So much for having a beer there for old times’ sake…

eBay

I’m selling stuff on eBay now. I’ve never done that before. I’m a bit apprehensive… It costs a few bucks to put stuff up for sale; I’m worried I won’t sell anything and I’ll be in the hole. More.

Why sell stuff on eBay? Simple. I have a student loan, I had a wisdom tooth pulled a few days ago, my boss hasn’t given me a raise in years, we’re making little or no headway on our credit card debts, the toilet hasn’t quit running in days… I simply need the moolah. It turns out, much to my chagrin, that having two full-time incomes isn’t enough to pay the bills these days. I always thought that if you work hard and honest, things will work out in the end. I can’t imagine what it’d be like if we had new cars, a fancy house, or children. (We do have a nice motorcycle, so I really shouldn’t whine, but whining is SO much fun!)

So, I’m taking a break right now from posting stuff on eBay. If anyone’s interested, you can click here to see one of the photos I’m selling. If you click on “View Seller’s Other Items” you can see all the other stuff… I don’t have much up for auction yet, but I’m hoping I can sell one or two things so I can afford to list more items.

Ahhhh! I get it now!

Dagmar’s off visiting her mother. I’ve been sitting here in front of the computer listening to blues all afternoon. THAT’S why I’ve been writing such grouchy stuff today! I was wondering why I’m so pessimistic…

Sorry about that! I’m switching the music now…