John McCain is still a dick.

My original writeup was total crap. I realize this now. It was written literally minutes after the annoucement of Sarah Palin as GOP Vice Presidential nominee, and consisted of my very first gut reactions to the announcement. It was very poorly researched, maybe a grand total of 20 minutes on Wikipedia. For this, I am sorry.

Given time to adequately absorb the news and look a little more into Sarah Palin and the reasoning behind the choice, I have come to a few conclusions.

First, John McCain is still a dick. The more I look at Palin, the less I see a Vice President, let alone President. She is nothing but a weak attempt to pull female voters from Obama. In her own words: "It was rightly noted in Denver this week that Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America. But it turns out the women of America aren't finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all." Simply put, John McCain wants to women of this country to vote with their tits, not with their brains.

Secondly, I owe these women an apology. I do still see this incredibly dickish move pulling a few extra Clintonites to the Republican side, but the majority of these people are much more intelligent than that. As time goes on, more and more people will see Palin for who she really is, look beyond her pretty face and see that her policies do not match their own. If they still choose to vote Republican, hold their noses for four years of John McCain, and cross their fingers for a reinvigorated Clinton campaign in 2012, that is their choice to make.

Finally, John McCain is extremely irresponsible. He is 72 years old and has been treated multiple times for skin cancer. He cannot truly believe that Sarah Palin, former city council member and mayor of a town of 5000 and governor of the 4th least populous state in the union, is ready to be President of the United States. Executive experience? Don't make me laugh. Twenty months governing Alaska is not going to relate to the United States as a whole.

This may seem like a double standard, given Barack Obama's lack of experience (though it is, at least, more than Palin has). But Obama was thrust on the national stage in 2004 when he addressed the Democratic National Convention, and has been campaigning for President for nearly 18 months. He has had ample time to convince America that he is ready, willing, and able to be Commander in Chief. Palin has two months.

Besides which, Obama's experience prior to entering politics is at least applicable to the job. Community organizer on the south side of Chicago, president of the Harvard Law Review, director of Project Vote!, teacher of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. Palin's prior experience consists of local TV sportscaster and Miss Alaska runner up. And that's pretty much it.

And yet she has the gall to chastise Obama for his lack of experience.

I can't recall being this tired at work before.

Possibly it has to do with the Klonopin my shrink prescribed me a couple weeks ago; it doesn't help put me to sleep or keep me asleep worth a damn, so I've been sleeping like shit when I can manage to get to sleep at all. Later today I'll try to call him and ask for something stronger, like Xanax or Valium. I tried multiple times to call him yesterday at his office, which, previously unbeknownst to me, is closed on Wednesdays, and at the office of his previous practice, as well as his home phone number, which I found on Google, which he didn't answer. Today's another day, at least, they say, so maybe I'll have better luck contacting him this morning.

Caffeine isn't helping here, and neither are my "Kyolic® Aged Garlic Extract™ with Brewer's Yeast Energy Formula 101" herbal supplements. Cigarettes and occasional trips outside for fresh air (and cigarette smoke) have had no effect. Energetic music: nope. Vojo® EXTREME Energy Mints (caffeine, taurine and vitamin C) have been no help, either.

I've been having cluster headaches lately and as such, I obtained a prescription for Midrin earlier this week. I can't take one of those at work, however, because it makes me even more drowsy. I found that out the hard way on Tuesday.

Anywho.

I had my head shaved with a straight razor yesterday, at the Nashville Barber and Style Academy in the West End ghetto area (not too far from the Vanderbilt University campus, where I work). The barber, a dreadlocked Rastafarian named Smokey, did a great job. I like the total baldness look on me; it's definitely better than the ever-present head stubble and bald spot.

Now, I'm drinking a Cherry Coke Zero, taking those garlic pills, and hoping for the best over the next 7.5 hours I have to remain here.

I get my car back today, too, after taking it to a Ford dealership to replace the constant control relay module (which controls the electricity for the A/C system—the car has been without A/C for about a year and a half). I took it to the dealer on Tuesday morning and they said they'd have it fixed yesterday morning, but they called to say the accidentally ordered the wrong type of CCRM for my car and thus they would have to keep it an additional day while they waited for the correct part to arrive. So I've been driving my dad's 2000 Chevrolet Silverado to work and back since then. You'd think that a two-day delay would inspire them to give me a loaner car until my own car was fixed, but apparently they "don't do that." Dicks.

Also, in an effort to lose about 15 pounds, I've been fasting twice a week (Sunday and Wednesday) while power-walking two other days of the week (Monday and Thursday). I weigh 165 lbs now and I hope to get to about 150 lbs before the new year. And no, I'm not anorexic or anything loathsome like that, it's just that I have a small frame (5'7") and prior to last year my weight hadn't exceeded 135 lbs or so. I like having a small frame and I'd love to get it back.

Oh, and I lowered the price on the motorcycle jacket I'm selling from $100 to $75. Still not a single response. I don't suppose any of you guys would be interested?