mixed bag

The weekend has come and gone too quickly once again, but back to work it is.

Speaking of the weekend:

- Saturday I went running around more or less aimlessly, but ultimately with the intent to hit one or more bookstores and procure some reading material. I am constantly reading at least one book, and you should to...keeps the mind active. I read all sorts of fiction or nonfiction, just anything that appeals to my vast collection of interests. Tom Robbins is a great author who painstakingly agonizes over each and every word he writes to make sure that what he is expressing is done so in a most interesting and eclectic way. For one I got his latest book, which is nonfiction and includes all of the various articles, essays, poems, reviews, and other short works that he has done over the years. I'm really looking forward to that. It's titled "Wild Ducks Flying Backwards." He and John Irving are way up among my favorite authors. What fun each is in his own unique way. I enjoy lots of other authors as well. Another book I got and almost finished over the rest of Saturday and Sunday was the book that Annie Duke released about her life and poker career. It has been a wonderful read with as many autobiographical details as there is poker content. I love to see how a professional poker player makes it in life. God knows I'd like to be one, but that is a chance that I just can't take with two children to support, so I will just settle for playing on the Internet. That though is soon to be forbidden by law thanks to the asshole politicians on Capitol Hill. What a bunch of hypocritical crooks...all the lobbyist and PAC money they take (and pocket) for whoring their influence on any given issue. It was passed by including it in a bill that was drawn up to help secure our seaports (a no-brainer after that Dubai fiasco). I seriously wonder about our future with this kind of governing body.

- I will be thrilled when the elections finally come and go tomorrow.

- I will be even more thrilled if the Democrats take over control of the House (a good chance) and the Senate (long shot). I'd love to see a firm plan put in immediately to begin drawing our troops out of Iraq and letting the Iraqis take control of that utter mess we sadly helped create. I've thought all along this war was not one we should be in. This is a subject for a whole post in and of itself, more on this sometime in the future.

- The Bengals (my favorite football team since childhood) lost again and continues to spiral downward after such a promising start. Bummer.

- I played some very positive poker over the weekend, mostly Hold em' with a bit of Omaha thrown in for variety.

That's enough for now.