Hello, again, readers (if I may be so hopeful with my use of the plual).  I guess this is a little late coming, since I haven't done it in a while (stay with me, it gets less obvious), but about a week ago I went through a another minimalizing period.  That's when I go through all or most of my stuff, reorganize, clean up, and get rid of some of said stuff.

  I'm trying to reduce the number of things I have, and from time to time, I spend a few days actively doing it.  I used to keep things that I found neat or thought I might have a use for later, but I've toned that down a whole lot over the years.  Still, I have more than I care to have, and I'm still hanging onto some things that will undoubtedly be thrown out next time.

  This is something I'm taking in baby steps, so to speak.  Actually, I'm not sure that's entirely accurate.  It suggests that it's more a cause than an effect.  I'm mean, yes, I am doing partly for the result of having fewer things for a practical reason, but it's personal growth that has me desiring that practical result to begin with.

  I'm gradually ridding myself of placing importance on possessions.  I mean, I don't currently have intentions of eventually owning only seven things, but let's just say that I'd consider it mission accomplished if I managed to be able to fit everything I own into one car.  I think this may come from all the times I've helped my sister move.  That's a large part of it, anyway.

  But don't overlook the general wisdom in understanding the difference between needs and wants, and wants being largely a bad thing in the grand scheme.  I've managed to get to the point where I have made a list of things that I currently consider of "importance", in the materialistic sense.  I discovered it's longer than I had hoped, but all things considered, it's still short.

  I haven't really done any more cleaning in the past few days.  I've been busy with my new computer, taking care of a number of things that I had planned to do when I finally got it.  Just between you and me, I think I may have just been trading one type of possessions for another: physical objects for zeros and ones.  So, I'm kind of wondering just how much I've actually progressed in that respect.

  But I have a few other things I want to talk about.  It's not often that I see or hear about something happening that actually makes me feel good about the progression of humanity.  Well, I mean there are big things that happen, but because they are big scale, when they do happen, I tend to feel more like, "it's about time", like Saddam being removed from power.  What I'm talking about are things that happen on the smaller scale: things being done by people who are not figures of power.

  One such thing that has happen recently is the new Jetta ad campaign.  I've seen two different ones, so far, but for those who don't know what I'm talking about, I'll give you the run down.  You're view is in the car with people who are one their way somewhere.  They're having some benign conversation, and then the car smashes into, or gets smashed into by something.  BTW: the commercials are about the safety features.

  Now, understand that I don't really give two shits about Jetta.  I don't really give two shits about automobiles beyond their ability to efficiently get me from point A to point B.  There's undoubtedly a more eloquent way of saying this, but I'm glad to see a commercial with balls.

  In this country swarming with weak-ass, pathetic, pussies, it's nice to see someone willing to stare harsh reality in the face.  Just today, on a news teaser, or whatever they're called, there was something about a billboard that a group put up.  I did not see exactly what the billboard said, but it I believe it somehow featured a statistical probability of a child dying in some way.  Of course, officials got calls complaining about it.  Someone was quoted as saying they felt disturbed by it.  Too many pussies.

  On a somewhat related matter, I want to talk a little about the tv show Medium, which is based on a real life person.  Well, that show is an excellent example of something showing the true meaning of "based on".

  I like the show, for the most part.  I watch it regularly, but I've noticed that the Allison character has become increasingly disappointing and pathetic.  That, in and of itself, would not excessively annoy me.  What does annoy me is the fact that I've seen an interview with the real life person, and I do not believe for one second that what the character has become is anything like the real person, in regards to personality.

  I can understand some creative liscense with a "based on" character, but the character has the same name, even.  The character has become more like the actress by whom it is portrayed, but I am speaking in generalities, here.  I have certain specific complaints which I cannot factually attribute to the actress, nor can I factually say that they cannot be attributed to the real person.

  One such complaint is that the character seems to be making more stupid, stupid mistakes, and making assumptions out the wazoo, and I talking stuff that I find very hard to believe that someone, who has been a physchic since she was six years old, would do.

  I might be digressing a little but the behavior of the kids and ways that the parents behave towards, though mostly just in regards to, them, just makes me want to slap them around.  It's not always just in regards to the kids, though.  In a recent episode, to make it short, Allison put her husband in a position to see a dead body.  She later felt bad about her own lack of consideration, but you would have thought she almost killed his family from the way she was reacting.  He's an intelligent adult and he saw a dead body.  So what?  He wasn't anwhere near as bothered by seeing it as she was by him seeing it.

  The phrase, "quit being so pathetic", or a relative equivalent, goes through my head at least twice per episode, these days.  And maybe if both the parents weren't such pussies, their oldest daughter wouldn't be such a little bitch.  Make that a pussy bitch.

  The thing about harsh reality is that it's only as harsh as you are too weak to handle it.  It's just reality.  The harsh is all in your mind.  But apart from the symbolic qualities, that's another digression.

  Let's not end on a bad note, though.  Still on the subject of tv shows, I want to make mention of the comedy, "The Loop".  I'm leary of new comedies, as most tend to be lame or just almost lame, but I'm enjoying this one more and more.  It has a degree of originality which I find refreshing, and it's got its own set of balls.  No big surprise that it's a FOX show.

  And may I just say that a part of me is digging the secretary character.  It's odd, but I think she'd be less attractive if she had a better attitude.  Understand that there's a difference between attractive and compatable.  I'd like to fuck that frown upside-down... theoretically speaking, of course.

  I was considering apologizing for my language and what could potentially be construed as comments degrading to women, but seriously, if you feel offended, then how are you being served by choosing to feel so?  You're doing it to yourself.  You owe yourself an apology.  Don't be a pussy.