Southpaw Jones

Is This Interesting?
Thoughts/feelings that just might not matter:

Good morning, friends, and happy Friday! Did you know it means a lot to me that you stop by to peruse the Gazette? It does.

Today, I sit smack dab in the middle of my own personal Great Speakers Series of 2007. Last night, I got to see Jim Gaffigan live, and today, I’ll head to a rally for Barack Obama.

They are very different men.

One is famously pale. The other is famously not.
One has far-reaching political aspirations. The other likes to lie around and eat food.

But they both come from the Midwest.
And, you may not know this: Barack had a secretary named Gaffigan, while Jim had a secretary named Obama!
Fancy that!

Seriously, seeing Jim Gaffigan live at the Paramount Theatre was a mega-treat and worth every penny. He’s just a master of straight-ahead, somewhat old-school stand-up comedy. I laughed and laughed and laughed. He has this whole new bit about bacon. A bacon bit, if you will, and I think you should. Twenty minutes on how great and magical bacon is. Made me want some bacon.

I admire anyone who can excel in that art form. Just a bare stage, a microphone, and a stool. Hundreds of people paying 45 bucks to be there. He just comes out, makes everyone laugh for an hour and a half with words and expressions. It’s classic, classy, simple, and human. Yay for Mr. Gaffigan! Check him out on Letterman tonight.

So today, I’ll take a half-day off work and join thousands of Austinites to see Presidential candidate Barack Obama. He hopes to break up the twenty-year orgy of Bushes and Clintons in the White House. Oh, and the two-hundred-plus year orgy of white men in the White House. I wish him luck.

But in my heart of hearts, I can’t get too excited. The 2004 Election broke my heart for politics. Maybe permanently. I want to be there today for historical reasons. Academic reasons. I want to be there because Obama is an amazing orator. Sure, I’d vote for the guy. But will he be able to instill the audacity of real hope in a dark, broken, almost apolitical heart like mine?

I kind of hope so, actually.

Fool Around Friday
Silly games for silly times:

Online Museum of the Week
Shaven Cats:

Sorry, no longer available.

Quotopia
Freshly-picked quotes from the ol’ reference collection:

We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.
Barack Obama

Be excellent to each other. And… PARTY ON, DUDES!
Abraham Lincoln

If I Had a Million Dollars
Unnecessary products that inexplicably tempt me:

CHICKEN SCENTED BUBBLE MACHINE
£14.95

Features:
**Safe, effective fun for Dogs of all age and sizes.
**Can be used as a means of exercise.
**Blows thousands of bubbles in 1 minute.
**Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
**Requires 6 x AA batteries (not included)
**Includes 4 oz. of scented Gazillion bubble solution.

Thank you, come again!
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