nothing happens here that doesn't happen there

i don't want to be emotional and too personal here, because lately that has gotten me into trouble.

lately, i have made some mistakes. i have made several people angry. i feel completely alienated.

things haven't been good for me, guys. this summer has been one of the hardest.

things are just so hard right now.
so fucking hard.

<3gen

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alabama has recently been running ads for their "click it or ticket" campaign on all the local radio stations. i am a full proponent of this campaign, seeing as how my current driving record truly lends itself to not only seatbelts, but probably the same sort of restraint mechanisms they use on jets and roller coasters. on these ads a stern voice comes on at the very end and asserts that "last year 1,058 people died in alabama in automobile accidents, 543 of them weren't wearing seatbelts."

while my manager and big brother steve drove me home from inventory one night, the ad came on the radio. steve exclaimed, "that's the dumbest commercial i've heard on the radio!"
i replied to him, "steve, it's important to wear your seatbelt, it's not dumb!"
"yeah, but those statisitcs are useless! if you wanna convince me to wear my seatbelt, gimme better than a 50/50 chance. tell me that out os 1,100 people, 1,000 of them weren't wearing their seatbelts. not almost half. that means if iw ear my seatbelt i still only have a 50/50 chance of living!"

i think this is a very valid point.

<3gen

p.s. i was listening in on a customer's conversation the other day as he gave advice over the phone to what i gathered was a young woman who had been fired from a job. he then traipsed into the schools supplies aisle, picked up a compass, and said into the phone, mid-sentence of hallmark advice, "i'm going to learn how to use a compass. i've decided." i think this is a lesson for all of us.