9½ HOURS

Where do you want to go today?

To paraphrase Lisa Simpson, I no longer fear hell, for I have worked a nine and a half hour shift that gets out at 1:30. On the way, I listened to Jay-Z Unplugged & Stankonia. Then before a slice of pizza, I wrote down the jerseys they had out that intrigued me. Football, gold Terrell Owens & a retro Chargers style. Don't matter who.

Now to basketball (deep breath): black retro Kobe, retro Warriors Richardson, ludicrously expensive 1962 blue-and-white Elgin Baylor, retro dark blue Nowinski, retro Milwaukee Payton (superceded if the Lakers sign him WHICH THEY SHOULD), black alternate Iverson (stars & stripes down the sides), black retro Bulls Williams (cause it sucks what happened to him and it's retro), a T-Mac, and a white Kobe. Not too shabby, list subject to change, force majeure and whatnot.

So, 9.5 hours at the NarcAnon. 50th anniversary too. Lots of guys hugging. I guess it's helping them get over but I usually only hug things that're pretty and have breasts. Except for the bad days, in which case they just need to have breasts. Plenty of pretty girls, of course THEY didn't hug me. Really funny joke that'll expedite my trip to Hell: You know how you get a girl at NA? You beg, and then when that doesn't work you sing "I've got blooooo-oooooooooow." I know, I know. But that's what happens after nine hours of people asking "Is that upstairs?" when you say "DOWN. THE. HALL." and one misguided jackass who actually said to me "Starbucks Coffee?" No, Starbucks Rent-A-Car! On the corner of You Need To Be Vascetomized and Why Would It Be Illegal For Me To Kill Your Dumb Ass? Just a cacophony of noise that didn't stop unless I was on break until I got off of work. I was listening to "Straight Out Of Line" & "Come Out & Play (Keep 'Em Seperated)" and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open.

And I get to do it again in 14.5 hours! You better hold me, 'cause I'm scared.

The Storm draws strength. I'm going to surf the net another 20 and call it a night.

Parting thought: is trading the needle for 3 frappacinos REALLY progress?

I don't need to walk around in circles, walk around in circles, walk around in...