"WHAT?!" "I SAID, 'IT'S LOUD IN HERE!'"

I went to the club last night. I did some dancing but ended up holding true to my ideals.

I did, however, remember, why I dislike going to clubs in the first place. It's not because I'm not a dancer because I am most of the time. It's because I can barely hear a friend who is screaming into my ear. I must be getting old when I'm complaining about loud music, but I very much prefer the bar atmosphere where I can at least talk to people.

So here are some things that I've been pondering about lately:

I hate when someone asks my religion as if it is something I'm supposed to have. It's like asking my thoughts on the tooth fairy: "Um, I outgrew that a long time ago."

I hate when I get shorted on fast food. The other day, I paid for a 9-piece cheesy tot from Burger King, and I only found 8 in the box. I was understandably upset, but I try not to let this kind of ripoff get to me that much, especially because I have spent a good chunk of my life so far working in the restaurant business. I don't want to be that guy that goes back up to the counter and demands one more cheesy tot. It's not like they did something completely outrageous like put ketchup on my veggie burger. But that is why it's so upsetting: because I would look like a douchebag if I complained about my missing cheesy tot that I paid for and rightfully deserve.

I notice that people overuse the word "random." Most times when this word is invoked, it doesn't apply. Most things are not random. Unexpected, sure. Unusual, maybe. Not random.

I'm glad that I'm not completely socially awkward. I know when not to talk or sing loudly to myself, unlike some people I pass on the sidewalk. I also know that when a professor asks "Any questions?" as a way to conclude the class session and everyone starts packing their books and putting on their coats and scarves, one should not force a question for the sake of participation.

I recently noticed that approximately half of all the shirts I own are green. I have no insight into this. Sure, it's my favorite color, but I never sat down and planned to wear green every other day. Does this abundance of green say something about my personality? Or my future?

I organize money in my wallet. All the bills have to be facing the same way and in order by denomination. I'm sure I'm not the only one to do this, but I take it a step further. I have a pet peeve about cashiers chaotically throwing cash at me facing every which way. I make sure he or she sees me take my time and organize it all before I walk away.

Being the nerd that I am, I can crank out a 4-6 page paper for school in no time. But I can't do it without thesaurus.com being open behind my Word document. I love thesauruses. Thesauri?

Sandwich artists at Subway are NEVER in a good mood.

Until next time, Love, Peace,

and "randomness?"

Alow myself to introduce...

myself.

I'm Andrew.

This is my web log, where all of the answers to your most difficult life questions will be answered... eventually... maybe. Okay, a more appropriate description of this blog might be aimless ponderings of a nerdy, white boy in Mid-Michigan. Yeah, that's probably a more accurate characterization.

"So what enlightened insights have you to share, Andrew?" Well, nothing too incredibly special right now. But there are a couple of news stories I wanted to share.

First, according to a Pentagon statement released Tuesday, the US government accidentally shipped Intercontinental Ballistic Missile components to Taiwan instead of the helicopter batteries the Taiwanese were expecting. Honest mistake, I can see how anyone would mistake ICBMs for helicopter batteries. But is anyone as mortified by this as I am?? A plane full of these missiles are flying over middle America and the pilot doesn't even know about it! "Hey what are those tubes in the back?" "Oh, those are 'copter batteries, I think. Ya know, they look just like..." BALLISTIC MISSILES! Yeah, anyway, the Taiwanese sent them back, probably because they didn't know what they were. And although the US government shuffled its feet and mumbled an apology to China, the Chinese are not to happy about it. Some DOD officials lost their jobs, and it looks like there will be some investigations to appease China. Interesting story, to say the least; crazily scary might be more accurate.

In other news, fuck Wal-Mart. For the past 2 years, Wal-Mart has been involved with a mentally-handicapped woman, whose son died while serving in Iraq. The woman, Debbie Shank, was involved in a car accident 8 years ago, which was the cause of her mental handicap. Two years ago, Shank won $1 million from a lawsuit against the trucking company in the accident ($417,000 after legal fees). Wal-Mart, Shank's former employer, took this money because a clause was included in the fine print of its health plan that stipulated that Wal-Mart could take back any medical expenses if an employee collects damages in a lawsuit.

Wal-Mart, which makes billions of dollars a year and has a firm spot near the top of any richest-corporations list, stole $417,000 from this poor woman, who weeps everytime she re-learns the news that her son is dead. $417,000 isn't much sometimes when it comes to medical bills (especially for Wal-Mart), but it is a hell of a lot better than nothing. It would have helped this family, who fought so long and hard for the money.

Heh heh, "firm," "long," "hard."

Sorry.

I might be going to the Wayside tonight, a Mt. Pleasant bar/club that allows under-21-year-olds to get into the club part. I'm not much of a clubber, so I'm not a huge fan of that half of the scene. However, I do like the bar, the main reason I'm going. I was told I could find a slutty, drunken 18-year-old (which is what the Wayside is all about) to rebound with in the club, but that's not really my style. I think I'll stick to cheap beer and March Madness in the bar area and avoid that disaster of a setting.

Probably.

I plan to include much more personal stories and information in future entries, but I had to get those news stories off my chest today.

Until next time, Love, Peace,

and ICBMs?