blogging from an HTC Tilt because don't have work notebook right now.

went to eye doc today for first time in 5.5 years. eyes haven't changed much, just have to align them because one is stronger that other. keeping same frames because they're both timeless, I think.

while waiting for my computer upgrade I think IZll hunt for Cory Doctorow short stories and used or MMP copy of Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson.

Last night, I ate at the 5 O'Clock Steakhouse in a not-too-shady part of Milwaukee's West Side, straight shot from MBCo HQ. I enjoyed a very good medium rare bone-in ribeye with a relish tray (olives, onions, peppers, pickles, carrots), salad, warm bread, and two beers (one High Life, one Pilsner Urquell...you know, because I'm working at MillerCoors right now).

Two guys sat at the bar near me. It was payday because one guy was jawing loudly about how he cashed his check and was going to get drunk. He pulled out a stack of bills and bought beers and shots. Because he was flush with dough, he splurged on a couple of bottles of Pilsner Urquell, a shot of coffee-infused Patron, and some Knob Creek, which I think he drowned in Coke.

I guess I forgot that people still get paper checks, "cash" them, and go out drinking. The whole scene was bizarre to me, but only showed that there are still parts of life that I either don't understand or forgot about. Why would one "cash" a paycheck? I don't understand that. Then, go straight to a steakhouse bar to drink more expensive than uusal booze and then eat a $40 steak. What happens to the rest of the money? This guy mentioned a wife in a "I'm still married to her" kind of way and not as in "my ex" so I assume there's co-habitation and rent or mortgage payments to make. Did he then go to the bank to deposit the cash, or is his life purely cash-based? Can someone have a cash-based life in 2008? I guess so.

Anway, I highly recommend the steakhouse. Very smokey, old school atmosphere, and there's a little theater with all the food that comes before the meat. My steak was excellent: right temp, juicy, big, flavorful.

Took a break from Sci-fi to read some politics. Finally got around to reading What's the Matter with Kansas? by Thomas Frank. It was fine. He used the state of Kansas and its few metro areas (KC, Wichita, Topeka) to show how a populist, "let's fight for the working man" state turned from backing Democrats and Socialists to siding with Conservative Republicans. He focused on the culture war that's being fought between religious conservatives and secural liberals. This war started as a cultural "backlash" against the cultural and social liberalism of the 60's and 70's. If you're from KC, this is the book for you because there's so much critique about that city. Hell, if your a Kansan or Missourian, read it too because there is so much history. As for me, there wasn't too much that I didn't read before, know already, or bought into. The book is better for conservatives or Republicans, but Frank's tone would probably ruffle some right-wing feathers. He does come across like the "I know more than you" guy, the liberal archetype that conservatives loath so much and rally against. I'll keep it on the shelf as reference and will certainly loan out.