ok, so there was one gift that i didn't get this christmas that i really wanted. normally i could care less what i get, but i've really had a desire to get back in playing the guitar. my wife doesn't fully understand this and wasn't crazy about me getting one for christmas. you see, i have two guitars, a nice Guild acoustic and a Peavey Predator that needs some work....oh and i don't play them very much. i pull out the Guild every once in a while, but i guess i just want something new to "inspire" me. what's really weird about all of this is that in college i never went without playing the guitar for more than 24 hours. i was in 2 different bands and i loved to sit back and play in my free time. once i left Johnson City and entered the "real world" I learned about a new concept called "work" and "responsibilities". and in college i was surrounded by musicians, so we could just pick up and play whenever we felt like it.

so, i can understand why she doesn't understand why i desire a new guitar so much. i think if i had a few people to "jam" with every once in a while it would make more sense. at any rate, i'm getting 2 final Christmas gifts....one from my in-laws and one from work. a new guitar and a new amp. i got a bonus from work that will pay for the amp and some cash from the in-laws that will help pay for the guitar as shown below. i present to you the Squier '51.


It's a unique guitar that has fender strat and tele parts. it also has 2 different kinds of pickups on the same guitar. it doesn't have the normal switch to change between the different pickups--it has a push-pull coil tap and a rotary tone selector. every review about this guitar i have read has been positive. they are discontinuing this model, so i knew that i needed to convince my wife as soon as possible. she finally gave in, so it should be in my hands soon.

everyone knows the etiquette for opening doors for other people...especially for women...guys you're supposed to pull open the door for the ladies...and if you don't, you're a jerk. but...someone tell me this. what do you do when there is a door that you have to push open? it's too difficult to push the door and not go through it. sometimes i will do that, but usually i just go ahead and then step to the side to hold the door open for other people. i guess it just depends on what you feel comfortable doing..as long as you are making the effort to be nice, that's what is important.

here's another question, how long do you hold open a door for a person that is walking towards the door? sometimes you're holding open the door for someone and you see a person walking up at about, say, 20 feet or so...if you let the door close, then are you a jerk? or is that unnecessary? where's the cutoff? i guess if it is a really old lady that can barely walk, then there is no cutoff, but for everyone else, maybe we should set a limit.

we started getting this question about a week or so after we got married. at that time, i told people, "hey, we just got married! i think we'll wait a while".

i was thinking yesterday afternoon that i needed to post a blog...but then i'm like, what's the point? no one probably reads this, therefore, it's for my own amusement. although, the CEO of my company might have browsed the blog a few weeks ago. he approached me the other day about a computer problem and somehow we started talking about web design and i showed him my personal web site. he saw the link to my blog and was curious to find out what someone might write in a blog. most people have a theme, i guess, but i just write whatever hits me.

lately, nothing has really "hit" me to write about. i tried to make something up or even find a gadget that i found interesting. i almost made this post about Cube World, but there wasn't really that much to say about it. then i almost wrote about the ultimate christmas gift, but what if my mom read my blog and found out what my family might get her next year for christmas.

so i've come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what i write or when i write it, it's all about my therapy. when no one else understands my logic or my humor, i can count on blogger to listen and we both have a good laugh. if you're out there, i hope you're not bored with me, and thank you for listening.

and thank you blogger or blogspot, whatever your name is, you're a real pal.

if you've ridden in a car with me for any amount of time, you know that i have some pet peeves when it comes to drivers. i don't know if people are just lazy or if they have some kind of mental block or if they think that they are more important than everyone else. below you will find my list of pet peeves when it comes to drivers. if you find yourself an offender of these, please fix the problem as soon as possible, or you might see my high beams and hear my horn.

1. People who don't use their signal when changing lanes
- I just don't understand why this is so difficult. some people lose a hand when they are talking on their cellphone, so they don't signal. others just "assume" that the other person sees them cut them off. these are not good excuses. it's not just a courtesy, it could possibly save your life. if you change lanes without signaling, the person you are cutting off might not be paying attention and is getting ready to make a move for themselves--possibly to cut off another driver. if you signal and the person races ahead causing a wreck, then it's his fault. if you make a move to cut me off and you don't signal, i will probably speed up so that you can't get in safely.

2. People that drive in the emergency lanes
- this usually happens when there is a traffic jam and some idiot is in a hurry. this happened a couple of weeks ago and it scared the crap out of me. it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but this guy was flying through this lane. what if someone wasn't looking and decided to open their door to pour out a drink or something since traffic was not moving? BAM. are you more important than all of the other drivers? if you truly have an emergency, then you could probably take this lane with your hazards, but at a safe speed. an accident could still occur, but it's less likely.

3. Motorcycle drivers who think they should drive between the lanes
- again, a problem when there are traffic jams. i don't think i have to talk about this one...see #2.

4. People who drive slow in the fast lane.
- there is no need for this...just put on your right hand signal and get over. if you do this, i will probably pass you on the right and give you "the stare".

5. People who cut in and out of traffic at high speeds.
- this is totally unnecessary and dangerous.

6. People who get out of the fast lane because it is moving slow and try to get back in further ahead.
- this usually happens when a semi is stuck in the fast lane, but he's going just a little faster than 1 vehicle in the slow lane. eventually, the semi will get over and traffic will resume. but, because people are passing on the right, he can't get over, thus causing a slow fast lane.

7. People who drive without their headlights on at night
- usually this bothers me when it's starting to get dark. sure, you may not need the light to light your way, but other people might not be able to see you. and just turning on your running lights is stupid. what's the harm in turning on your lights all the way? you're not any less cool if you turn on your lights when the sun is out. it just means that you are cautious and courteous.

that's my list for now...i'll let you know if i think of others...most of the time i will flash my lights and honk my horn at you if you are an offender of the first six...and if you're lucky you'll get a stare from me that says, "you're an idiot." for the 7th, i'll probably just turn my lights off and on to let you know that you forgot to turn on your lights.

here's the main problem. people don't think about the other drivers on the road. they think of them as obstacles that they must maneuver around and people should get out of their way. we have to share the road, people. it's not a right to drive, it is a privilege. pay attention. be courteous. and be careful.