Today I saw an 18-wheeler make a U-turn at a street light. Not a Y-turn. A U-turn. I guess you had to be there but I was kind of impressed.

Recently a friend of mine was asked to be the Godfather to an acquaintance's newborn son. It came as a bit of a shock given that he hasn't seen or spoken to this acquaintance in two years. Even worse, the acquaintance never took the time to even tell my friend that his wife was pregnant. My friend asked my advice. I told him flat out - say no. For some reason he felt guilty about saying no so he reluctantly said yes. Yesterday the acquaintance called to tell him the Baptism will be held on Saturday, December 23 and it's in another state. So now my friend is expected drive to another state on the biggest holiday weekend of the year to be Godfather to a kid he'll probably never see again.

The other day my wife and I were shopping at the mall when we walked by the windows of a pet store. Of course she wanted to go inside and I got dragged along. There was a decent crowd of people - all gathered around the dogs (for some reason the cats don't get much attention. Probably because they don't really do anything). Anyway everyone was watching these two little puppies play around with each other. There was the regular "aahs" and "they're so cute" being thrown back and forth. One woman had just remarked to her husband that she wanted one when suddenly one of the puppies paused and got into a semi-squat. With his ass to the window, he started taking a dump. Alright, not the cutest thing but everyone's seen this before. Then the other puppy got behind the first one and started eating the crap directly out of the first dog's ass. It never touched the ground. When they were finished they started sixty-nining each other (both were male). Every couple seconds one would let out a yelp when the other puppy bit down too hard (probably wondering why no milk was coming out). The husband looked at his wife, "You still want one?" "Let's look at the cats."

I love Christmas. I absolutely love it; however, I love Christmas starting the day after Thanksgiving - not the day after Halloween. What's happening to our society? I don't want to hear Christmas music in a store in October. I just read today that a radio station in Chicago has already started 24-hour Christmas music. Does anyone really feel this is appropriate? As a Christmas lover I find it absolutely ridiculous, and every year it just gets worse. It reminds me of when I was a kid and they started the back to school sales in mid-July. I used to get pissed off at the assholes for trying to convince parents that they should buy school supplies over a month before school even started. Give me a chance to enjoy my summer in peace. I feel the same way about Christmas. The holiday should not overshadow Thanksgiving and definitely should not overshadow Halloween.

I saw two Jennifer Aniston movies this weekend:

1. The Break-Up. I liked it except for the ending. It's obvious the ending was a reshoot, it just didn't seem natural. On the DVD they have an Alternate Ending which clearly was the original ending that the test screenings shot down. I can't say the new ending is much better. Both Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are naturals in this role in the sense that I suspect they are somewhat playing themselves.

If I wasn't watching the movie with my wife and sister I would have played back the Aniston bare ass scene. Ever since, I've been wondering if it's really her or a double. Actually I think I'll look that up right now... Okay, just looked it up. It's all her. Now I really wish I had given it a second look.

2. Friends With Money. This movie was the complete opposite. What a pile of crap. It's not that I don't like chick movies because there are several that I do like and it's not that the movie went over my head - no movie has ever gone over my head. It's just crap. Aniston was completely unconvincing. The comedy was weak. The various threads were often left open and unresolved and Joan Cusack was her usual annoying self. I can't stand the way her face moves when she talks. Maybe it's just me.

Is there a radio station in Milwaukee that does not play Nickelback? The one damn band I can't stand the most is played on every station in town; and when they're not playing Nickelback they're playing the other same 10 songs over and over. I've also noticed more and more of these stations editing songs down. As a guitar player, it really irks me that they routinely will cut out or shorten guitar solos. Take the Chili Peppers' "Dani California". The best part of the whole song is the end solo and it is cut completely out. It's like playing "Layla" without the piano outro. It's ridiculous. I pretty much only listen to CD's in the car anyway except with my wife who doesn't like "my music." Even though I don't listen to the radio, I've forbidden her from programming KISS FM into my stereo presets. It's purely a matter of principle.

I was visiting my sister in Minnesota recently. She lives on a 5 acre property as do all her neighbors. I was watching one neighbor across the way load her kids up in the minivan, pull down the driveway and out to the corner about 200 yards away. Here the three kids got out and they waited for the school bus to arrive. Once it came, the mother drove back the 200 yards to her house in reverse and pulled back into the garage. Maybe it's me but the incident just screamed out laziness to me. My sister then informed me that the woman is a stay-at-home mom. Evidently a true stay-at-home mom as the lazy woman can't even walk to the corner, much less drive her kids to and from school.

I have to admit I've never cared for the title stay-at-home mom. I still prefer housewife or homemaker. I guess women felt the term housewife implied subservient to the man but I can't imagine what the problem with homemaker was. I suppose they felt the need to point out that they are a mom so you don't confuse them with one of those women who doesn't have children but doesn't work either spending her days on the golf course and such. Of course how long can you still use the term stay-at-home mom? What if you kids go to college or move out, then what are you? A homemaker I guess.

Today as I was leaving for work at 6:30 I noticed a small group of high school kids lined up on the corner waiting for the bus. I have to admit I was a little surprised to see several of the kids wearing only T-shirts in the 25 degree cold. I couldn't help but think they were nuts. Don't you kids have lockers to put a coat in? Then I started thinking back on my own youth. I recall back in my day none of the kids ever wore winter hats to school no matter how cold it was. Everyone was too afraid of messing up their hair. Even in grade school at recess we'd all huddle around shivering hatless for a half hour waiting for the bell to ring. I think it was probably around 7th grade when we became too cool for hats. I don't recall anyone ever being too cool for a jacket though. I guess that's just the way it goes. One generation is similar to the next, they just take it a step further. I suppose these kids' kids will be waiting for the bus shirtless in twenty years.