Traffic, relationships, and trainwrecks.

Traffic:

Why is it when your not in a hurry to get some where, everyone is willing to run you into the wall to get where they are going? Are we so preoccupied with our lives outside the car that we forget to pay attention to the lives of those in the car next to us? This phenomenon seems to occur quite frequently during the hours of 3p and 7p. Rush hour(s). Now mind you this is Des Moines, IA. population 500k give or take, and its not like there is a whole lot to do at home once they get home other than watch corn grow, or yell at their kids, or even maintain their meth lab, but still that shouldnt prevent them from driving properly... should it?

Infraction #1: Going the speed limit or slower in the left lane. There is a reason 4 lane roads have an inside lane. Its for the people who want to speed to go around the people who don't want to speed. If you are getting tailgated in the left lane, there is a reason for this.. YOU ARE DRIVING TOO SLOW!

Infraction #2: Wide turns. If I remember correctly and since I have access to the internet, I can look up the instructions for the State of Iowa's recommendation for making turns from one road to another. Here goes! When you make a change of direction from one road to another stay in the lane closest to you as you make the turn... EXAMPLES: When in the left turn lane on a two lane road onto a 4-lane road stay in the left lane until you have reached the speed limit then merge right.. this means DO NOT SWING IMMEDIATELY INTO THE RIGHT LANE WHEN TURNING, you could cut someone off, or actually cause an accident with someone turning from the right lane into the right lane.. Which brings me to the whole Right lane to Right lane turn.. dont swing into the left lane, you could again cause an accident or some other stupid that costs someone a lot of time and money.

Infraction #3: (I am guilty of this one) Turn signals are not OPTIONAL equipment on cars. Use them when making turns, or changing lanes. Turn signals let other motorists know you are doing something other than staying in your lane of travel.

Infraction #4: What exactly is the purpose of slowing down to 20 mph 2 and 1/2 miles away from your turn? then not even use your turn signal?!?? (see infraction #3)

Infraction #5: Rude gestures towards motorists because they honked at you for violating the above rules. Wow buddy, your mom must really be proud of you! You just cut off a guy in a full-size pickup with a gun rack in the back window in your little beat up VW to make a right turn from the far left lane into the quicky-mart to get your cigarettes and beer, and you have the balls to flip off the guy off because he had to slam on his brakes to keep from turning your little VW into yet another bug on his cattle-guard. If you can't plan ahead, get off the road.

And since we have broached the topic of planning ahead, here is a tip for motorists; because people are blind to the world outside once they shut the door to their little rolling section of their world, accidents happen. In order to prevent any delays from being added to your already important schedule (see corn, meth and kids) it is a good idea to learn alternate routes around the city. These alternate routes will get you home and help prevent everyone from having to wait for hours in a hot/cold truck/car with cranky kids/dogs/spouse because you don't want to get off on the side streets or want to check out the carnage. If you're one that likes to watch the carnage, why dont you get a life and look at something else, or run your little VW into a concrete barrier and get your very own front row seat.

Relationships:
I had a friend ask me where all the good guys are, "Guys like you," she said. I didnt know how to respond to that question. I mean, I only recently found out I was a 'good' guy, kind, caring, loving, attentive, responsive, etc. So, I asked her where she had been looking for these 'good' guys.. well her description of the places she goes reminded me of the Trojan commercial where beautiful women are surrounded by a bunch of pigs cept the one that gets a condom. Guess what ladies, any guy you pick up in a bar is still going to be a pig even if he has a condom. The so called 'good' guys that are like me are usually going to be found playing videogames, or hanging around with friends. They are not looking for an easy lay at the local bar, not driving expensive cars, they drive beat up things that get them from point-a to point-b with probably a good $10 worth of pop-cans in it. These good guys, like me, arent about the flash and bling, they usually wear jeans and a t-shirt, they probably use computers on a regular basis, infact they probably have several chat programs so they can talk to their friends. If you really want to meet one of these 'good' guys, they are there, just have to recognize them for who they are, not what they (choose one: wear, drive).

Trainwreck:
Now for the trainwreck. This one isnt so much about trains, or wrecks for that matter, just simple things that go terribly wrong. My sister is the focus of this one, so sit back, relax and read to your hearts content, and by all means, please offer suggestions, prayers, etc. My sister is a good person who like many cant tell the difference between a good guy, and a bad guy in good guy clothing. She lets herself fall into these traps where she falls in love with a guy and wants to spend the rest of her life with the guy, only to get told by her friends that the guy is a loser.. In this event, this guy helps my sister lose a pretty good job, and even her home. He is the master manipulator, even though this guy and my sister aren't seeing each other, he still makes her feel responsible for his two kids instead of placing the responsibility on his own shoulders, and the funny part is they live more than 5 states apart from each other. My sister is trying to build herself a new life, and I hope she succeeds because I hate seeing her in pain. Please if you want, help me figure out how to reach my sister and give her hope in this time of need. Maybe in the process I can rebuild the bond that siblings are suppose to have and let her know that I still love her and hope the best for her.

Well, this ends my first official rant/blog/whatever. Thanks for reading it.

Introductions are in order

It is time to put my thoughts and insight to words to let others feel free to browse them in no particular order, since they are going to come out of my head in no particular order.

First a bit about myself. I have been called Lazy, cynical, delusional, violent, disruptive, even dee-dee-dee. But one thing remains true, I am who I am because of my world around me.

Now, I am 38 years old, I am white, I am male. I have been several things in my life including goth, rebel, conformist, and anarchist. I have thought that socialism was a good idea, and I once thought democracy was a good idea.

I am in love with a beautiful woman who has a great family. I hope to some day marry her and start a family of my own. In the mean time I am going to work on building our relationship and friendship and continue to make my way through the world that I did not create, but may have some small impact upon it.