I have no respect for people who are willing to compromise their core beliefs in order to make a few people happy. At the moment, I have no respect for myself.

Thank you for your time.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

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There's a famous clip of George Gobel from "The Tonight Show"...he was a guest on a night that Bob Hope and Dean Martin were also guests. Sitting on the couch with those two mega-stars led him to ask "Did you ever get the feeling that the world is a tuxedo and you're a pair of brown shoes?". Great line. And I'm sure that we have all had that feeling at one time or another. The feeling that you don't quite fit in with the people around you. I get that feeling a lot. I have hinted before that I spend a wee bit of time in drinking establishments. Unlike some people, who go to these places to socialize, or at least attempt to socialize, I actually go into these places to drink. I don't like to drink alone, but I don't like to be bothered when I drink, either. I enjoy watching other people interact with one another. as long as they keep there distance from me.

Getting back to my original thought...because I don't interact with these people, I tend to feel like an outsider. That's my choice, I know. It's not something that I should complain about, even if I chose to do so. Which I don't. The thing is, I don't just frequent one kind of bar. I mix it up a bit. From high-end martini bars to low-end biker bars. And just about everything in between. Despite the variety of people I choose to surround myself with, I don't seem to fit in with any of them. I'm like that pair of brown shoes that Lonesome George was talking about. And I don't mind. I really don't. Those brown shoes in the back of your closet may not see a lot of action, but they'll be there when you need them. After all, you can't wear a tuxedo every night. Unless you're a maitre d' or a British super-spy. And isn't it good to know that those reliable brown shoes will be there for you when you feel like dressing down a little?

Thank you for your time.

Just for morbid fun, I've decided to keep track of the number of critters that have fallen into my uncovered pool and drowned this year...

1 squirrel
1 chipmunk

I will update this information as needed. Believe me, the numbers will increase.

Thank you for your time.