and she said.. "how you interpret the dream is probably more important than the dream itself"

I look around and see exciting things happening around me. Right around me. Like I'm surrounded by up and comers. Like I'm a magnet for could-bes. New bands are formed right in front of my eyes with all the verve and bravado. All the energy. Ideas are hatched like spring chickens and worked out late at night at kitchen tables. Cigarettes are smoked, beer is consumed, the next-big-things are born.

Note to self: Idea#1 - hypothesis, re: why my generation is fucked -> The negative effects of the information age as it pertains to drive and motivation.

Note to self: Idea#2 - story, re: invisible girl and the inability to come to terms with what we can't see.

Things happen, you see. Interesting things happen. Can't talk about it here or now, but I'll fill you in when the need arises. Incognito, yah?

But sometimes I'm surrounded by has-beens too, which is a super bummer. Has-beens know they are has-beens and they just like to fuck other people's shit up cause they're bitter about their position. They're the sorts to tell my pal not to sleep with the 19 year old, you know what I mean? (Okay.. almost 19. Whatever.)

14 year olds in California are trying to get the vote, and my pal can't sleep with a 19 year old? (almost 19, whatever). What sort of country are we living in here, anyway? I'm probably not the first one to say this but isn't giving 14 year olds 1/4 vote status akin to giving black slaves 3/5ths vote, or whatever it was that we did back when? It's taking the implicit stance that teenagers aren't "real people" and getting awfully damn close to being pretty damn explicit. Plus, if I'm 18 and MTV is babbling at me to "get the vote" and Bush and Kerry are arguing on TV and 10% of my fellow classmates are going out and voting.. hell, you think I'm going to go out and vote at 14 when I BARELY EVEN COUNT? People live their entire teenage years feeling like they barely count.. will giving them 1/4 vote really improve anything?

Current estimates of population by age in California pegs 14-17 year olds at right around 2 million in a state where total population exceeds 35 million. The 18 and older population is right around 26 million. That means that, if 14-17 year olds could vote, they would account for 7% of the voting public. Account for their 1/4 vote and you're talking about less than 2% of the voting power. Account for the 75% of 14 year olds who won't vote anyway (and I'm being optimistic to think 25% will show up at the polls) and you're now down to 0.5%. LESS THAN ONE PERCENT.

Just think of the amount of money being wasted on this issue. The press conferences. The lobbying. The counter-attacks. All for LESS THAN ONE PERCENT, a number so small that it won't matter anyway.

Gag.