Archive for November 4th, 2002
2 items.
Part of me wishes I could have done this strip Monday to commemorate the DVD release of Spider-Man, but I was on such a role inserting Cami into the strips, why kill a good thing?
Besides, this leaves room for me to do a whole week of Spider-Man strips. I’ve got some ideas, so stay tuned for those.
My love for all things Spider-Man knows no bounds. I’ve been reading the comics since I was about 8. I’ve since had to let it slide for financial reasons and, admittedly, the clone storyline of the late 90’s did a lot to sour my expectations of my favorite friendly, neighborhood wall-crawler. But the initial appeal and awe of Spider-Man will never wane. He’s the best super hero hands down in my book.
What a relief after almost a decade of legal wrangling that Sam Raimi didn’t screw it up when he brought ol’ web-head to the silver screen. Sure, there were moments of camp and, in certain parts of the web-slinging screamed “YOU ARE WATCHING A SPECIAL EFFECT”, there is a lot of love and admiration of the character in the film. Because of it, I respect it.
Shameful as it is to admit, I didn’t wait in line overnight to pick up my copy of the movie when it came out on Friday. This time of year is often nebulous and frustrating because since I have both my birthday and Christmas in December, I can’t go out and buy some of the movies or CD’s I want.
I talk so much about the new releases that I can’t be sure someone hasn’t already gone out and purchased something for me as a gift. So from the beginning of November until the end of the year, I’m caught in a self-imposed media lockout. I realize that if I end up getting a second copy of a movie, I can just take it back, but it’s never worth the hassle. Have you ever tried returning something to Target without the receipt? Plus, if someone is going out of their way to get me anything at all, it’s too heartbreaking to tell them “Sorry, I already have this” Everyone wants to feel like they put some thought into their gift giving. I can’t bear to bring that disappointment in their lives because I can’t display a little self-restraint.
But don’t think it doesn’t tear me up to see those Spider-Man displays everywhere I turn…
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Normally, a site like this one isn’t a place you visit to be confronted by issues, but because it’s Election Day, I’m making a special exception.
I’m not political by any means, but I’m voting today and strongly suggest you do, too.
If the campaigns in your state have been anything like ours here in Iowa (bitter, name-calling diatribes equivalent to 5th grade hair-pulling), you might be turned off to the concept of voting altogether. But in the face of the alternative, democracy is an institution worth taking a few moments out of your day for.
This year, each political seat is being hotly contested. I plan on voting for the corporate-sponsored whore who ran the less offensive campaign. For me, 9 times out of 10 it’s a Democrat. That’s not an endorsement, but in my experience, I can’t shake the stereotype that most Republicans are greedy, old white men who don’t live anywhere near the tax-bracket or planet I come from.
I find the attachment of the Christian-right to the Republican party particularly scary. I’m often offended that Republicans use “family values” as an issue when attacking their rivals. I can’t tell you how many ads I’ve seen where an ominous voice-over declares “Candidate X doesn’t represent Iowa values”. As if we all shared the same brain, or something. I know what’s good for my own family, thank you. I don’t need your mandate to make these choices for me. I can’t find myself voting for a party that believes we should all behave like some homogenized 1950’s nuclear family. Life is more complex than that.
Not that the Democrats don’t have their share of faults. More often than not, they seem to think throwing money at a problem will make it go away. It usually makes it more difficult for those who really need help to actually get any.
In the end, it all comes down to money. I guess the Democratic attitude towards it just offends me less.
I’m not trying to piss off anyone who is a die-hard, card-carrying member of either party. I’m just extolling a preference. So please redirect any energy you would misspend sending me hate mail and use it for getting your lazy 20-something brethren to go out and vote. That was the point of this blog all along.
I don’t vote because I believe in the candidates. I vote because I believe in the system the allowed these chuckleheads to get into power in the first place. If you cast aside your right to vote, you run the risk of losing it altogether. The best you can do is to mark your ballot and hope the guy you picked won’t screw as hard as the other guy would have.
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