Random Thoughts, Opinions, and Observations

I can't keep one single thought in my head long enough right now to pontificate on any particular thing in detail. So, what follows are some brief, random things floating around in my head.

1. I love my job! I'm exhausted from working last night since we were so busy and I closed, which meant staying til 2. And I'm doing that shift again tonight and tomorrow. But I love what I'm doing right now, and that really surprises me. Who knew I'd love and be good at something so customer-service oriented?? But my legs and ass are a little sore, as I've been at a job for the past few years which required me to sit in a cubicle all day and now, I'm running around making drinks for 7 and 8 hours straight. This is a good thing.

2. I leave for Italy in 33 days!

3. Girls down here dress slutty. I mean really slutty. It could be that my midwestern upbringing is showing itself here and that I'm just a prude. However, I really don't think I'm a prude. I'm a pretty open-minded chick. But I have limits. Girls down here barely wear clothes, and what clothes they do wear are usually skin-tight and ridiculously low-cut. Now, the adults of course have the right to dress however they choose. Personally, I think it's hideous, but whatever. It's their choice. But what gets me are the teenage girls. Where are their parents? Why are they allowed to dress like that?! I wouldn't have been allowed out of the house like that, nor would I allow a daughter of my own to dress like that. I'm talking shorts or mini-skirts that are skin-tight and barely cover their ass cheeks, tube tops that let their bellies hang out and their cleavage wobble around for the world to see, and then super high heels to top it all off. It's ugly, gross, and makes me think nobody down here has any self-respect. Ick. I know it's hot here, but jesus christ, a real shirt, pair of shorts or jeans, with shoes that don't have six-inch heels won't cause heat stroke for anyone!

4. I just bought a couple new CDs that I love. LOVE. The first is Firecracker, by The Wailin Jennys. I've heard some of their music but this is the first CD of theirs I've gotten. It's Canadian folk music, with a hint of southernness mixed with a Celtic sound. The other is Bruce Springsteen's new CD, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. I've never necessarily been a big Springsteen fan. Well, it's not that I don't like him; I've just never thought much one way or the other. But this CD is amazing. Amazingly amazing. Starbucks plays the music sometimes, and I kept hearing it and thinking, "Damn, this is incredible" but didn't know what it was. When I found out it was Bruce Springsteen and got over my disbelief, I bought the CD at work (with my fabulous employee discount), and now I can't stop listening to it. The songs are mostly traditional folk songs, which he rearranged and recorded live with no rehearsals in a three-day acoustic session. I highly recommend it.

5. In 33 days, I will be on my way to Italy!

6. President Bush is the worlds biggest asshole. I wasn't planning to write anything about him here, but I can hear his weasle voice on tv in the other room and it makes me want to pull my ears off.

7. Did I mention that I leave for Italy in 33 days?!