Dear Kevin Smith

Stop it with the man capris already.

Self Hyphen

Where is the line between self-indulgence and self-loathing? Or is it all just selfishness?

A Question for the Class

Does a lack of compassion have any practical applications?

iFail

I had lost my iPod Shuffle a few weeks ago, but I found it last week ... in the bottom of the washing machine. I let it dry and plugged it into the USB port (It's a 1st generation.), and was surprised that it synced to iTunes. However, when I plugged in my earbuds, I was saddened to find that it no longer played. Oh well, at least I can still use it as a 1G flash drive.

So, in order to assuage my deep sorrow over the loss of my beloved technological distraction, I've put a replacement on my Wish List. Although, instead of another shuffle, I'd like to try out an iPod Touch. I promise not to stupidly leave this one in my pants pocket.

New Sneakers

old sneakers

I've had the same pair of sneakers since the end of my sophomore year of college, circa 2003. That's longer than my longest relationship, and they've put up with more abuse than my exgirlfriend. That's longer than I've lived in one place, and they feel more comfortable than any place I've called "home" in a while.

But I think it's time to put them out to pasture. The tread, where it's still visible, is faint and shallow. I've worn through the sole on the heal and across the pad of my feet on both shoes, and my socks get wet when I walk on wet grass or through the shallowest of puddles. The toe has been starting to separate from the left shoe. I ripped out the loose insole lining of the right shoe years ago. Surprisingly, they don't smell too terribly bad.

I just bought a new pair of sneakers, a discount pair of red, grey, and black Converse. (I was going to get a pair of Chucks, but they didn't have any good-looking one's on sale.) So, I'll check back in when I'm thirty and let you know how they're holding up.

He's Followed Me

I was standing around at work, minding my own business, expressly not working, when a regular customer who knows my name (even when I "forget" my name tag) called out to me in distress. I turned my head and raised my eyebrows before I even realized she'd called out for "Josh" to help her.

So, he's here, too; Josh moved here with me. And he apparently hasn't had much luck finding a job in the city, either, and is working at the Piggly Wiggly, too. Or else he just likes to hang out at grocery stores and get to know cranky old ladies who can't open the ladies bathroom door because the handle sticks a little.

Either way, I'm glad to know he's alive and well. I was starting to get worried about him.

Text Message Apologies

I'd rather get no apology at all than a text message apology. I don't want to have to pay my cell phone provider just to know that you want me to forgive you.