I Don't Need This Crap...But I Want It.

Have you ever found yourself coming across an item you don't need, but for some reason you cannot talk yourself out of wanting it?

The latest addition to my "I Don't Need This Crap, But I Want It" List is called a Utilikilt.

Yes. That's right. For $250 I can look like a girl: man-style.



Here's a list of Pros and Cons.

Pros:
1. I could legitimately justify spending fifteen minutes a day fantasizing about living in the forest with the rippling William Wallace (I'm not even Scottish, but I'm sure the kilt will buy me into a clan, somewhere).
2. With a neutral color, I could potentially wear it to work, daily, for the rest of my life, and never be worried about breaking the feminine dress code.
3. Button up or dress down with t-shirt and sneakers: This kilt looks flippin' AWESOME.

Cons:
1. For the price of one kilt, I could pay for approximately one-half of my entire current wardrobe.
2. I'd have to wear shorts with it (I just couldn't risk falling bum-over-tea kettle without a back up plan. Besides, what if I wanted to climb a tree?).
3. I know it would give me a more authentic look, but I just don't know if I can stand NOT to shave my legs.

I realize I'm alone on this particular item, but does anybody else feel this way about something this ridiculous?

A Quick Word on Greg Laswell

One of my favorite alternative artists, Greg Laswell, is launching his latest record on May 5th. In celebration, I decided to add a play tab to my site.

If you like mellow (well...generally), piano driven alternative music, I suggests you take a listen. A few of my favorite titles are:

1. Take Everything
2. My Flight
3. Come Clean
4. In Front of Me
5. Off I Go

Go ahead. Who's it gonna hurt?

I’m a Confederalist

As of late, I’ve been reading a lot of Civil War novels, in lieu of what I should be reading: Victorian period literature (I find I never read WHAT I’m supposed to, WHEN I’m supposed to. It’s the curse of an English Major).

When I was a kid living in Philadelphia, and I first learned about the Civil War, it seemed like a no brainer: of course the Union was in the right. But as I’ve matured, become more informed, and spent most of my teenage years in the South, I’ve discovered there was a lot more to it than the issue of Slavery.

What makes me Federalist?

1. The United States would never have realized its full potential if the South had successfully and permanently seceded: “A house divided cannot stand.”

2. I have tremendous conviction Abraham Lincoln was anointed of God to lead this nation. His push for the Union and his emancipation of slaves, if nothing else, made his cause just.

3. I have two great, great uncles who served in the New York Federalist regiment, and I feel a kinship to them. (Both, incidentally, served in Gettysburg, and both survived.)

What makes me Confederate?

1. I realize slavery was a horrible and unjust construct, and I’m glad the Union succeeded in abolishing it, but I definitely have sympathy for the Confederacy’s resentment towards the Federal Government. The Government, unless there is a strong possibility the laws of God or the Constitution will be violated, doesn’t have the right to control a state if the majority of that state doesn’t believe in what the Government is pushing. For a contemporary example, if 38 States of 50 don’t want socialized medicine, and the Government still somehow pushes the legislation through, there’s a problem. As far as I’m concerned, you want money for schools or for an army? Fine. But when the Government starts ownin’ the banks, people start talkin’ ‘bout socialized control, and I’m told half my paycheck is going to lazy asses with five welfare babies, I start thinkin’ about pullin’ out a HUGE Confederate flag, myself. Charity is for the weak, not for the lazy and weak-minded. (Wow! That went someplace entirely unexpected.)

2. The South is by far the superior culture. PERIOD. Who wouldn’t want to preserve it?
Southerner to strangers: “Hi y’all. Did you eat? Well, come on in. I’m sure glad to know ya.”

North Easterner to family member: “Get the hell off of my doorstep, unless you’re here to give me that money you owe me.”

Maybe I’m just crazy, but I feel sympathy and alliance to both.

Wouldn't Take Nothin' for My Journey

I looked out the window this morning, and this is what "Spring" had for Salt Lakers. Yep. That's my backyard covered in snow.

At first I thought of the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' song: "June Bride, Reprise."

LIZA, SARAH & DORCAS
March comes in like a lion, what else?
Still the snow never melts.

LIZA & ALICE
April showers will come, so they say.

LIZA
But they don't, and it's May.

Then I could just hear my cousin saying, "That's why I moved back to Florida."

After that, I took another moment, stared at the mountains, breathed in the cold wet air, and I thought to the myself, "Well, Sara Lyn, I'll always wish you were here. But I wouldn't trade these grand peaks of the North or the red rock of the South, if it snowed until August, and I never saw the ocean again."