Awesome. I'm in. I only WISH I could sign my official papers in Vegas.

I'll join your new family, Cash. The kids thought I was making shit up when I told them that some schools weren't broadcasting the speech.

Bracing myself for going to my brother's house for his grand daughter's 1st birthday. My brother is politically in a different world than the rest of my family. We are usually pretty good about avoiding the off limits topics. My mom doesn't know where she went wrong with him, but honestly suspects he has been brain washed by FOX News. I don't know exactly when he veered down a different path. In his early teens he was in anti-war protests in DC. He worked for a couple decades in a drug and alcohol rehab center. Street level going and picking up unconscious people in alleys and cleaning them up and stuff.

Now he wears "I'll keep my money and guns, you keep the Change" t-shirts. Which is kinda funny since he has neither money or guns. Every single one of his kids with 3 women is on public assistance of some kind, as is his ex-wife who still lives with him. eta: and the new grandchild with the teen unwed mother is on assistance of course

Um, short version. Most of my family I'll keep, but I'd be happy to call Buffistas family.

I only WISH I could sign my official papers in Vegas.

Don't worry, you can catch the next family reunion in Vegas! They should be held annually.

At least.

I want to be in Cash's family!

Here's a fun bit of Burning Man pranksterism.

Death Guild is a long running goth event in SF, and they run a Mad Max style Thunderdome at Burning Man and have for several years.

Some pranksters changed their sign.

Cash, you're welcome to join my family any time.

Some pranksters changed their sign.

Haaaaaaa. That is AWESOME.

Cash, I'll join your new and improved family!

Cash is welcome in my family.

Speaking of, didn't sell my open tix, so I sent my dad odd there by himself. Figure it's a decent treat to give him and he deserves a rest from us.

Mac and I are out with a friend of his and his mom, to a new playground in manhattan, then the high line then a water playground. Our plan is to tire them out as much as possible.

I'm officially seceding from my family. Who wants to belong to my new one?

Me!

I wonder if the schools who decide to not broadcast the president's speech will excuse the absence of any kid whose parents want to keep them home to watch the speech.

I think that is fucking BRILLIANT.

My Dad pissed me off so much the other day that I told him we needed to change the topic of conversation immediately. We were talking about healthcare reform (which my Medicare-reliant heart-disease father opposes), and he said, "I just think electing Obama was a bad idea. He's been in office for, what, 9 months, and I can't see where he's done anything for ME."

I was stupefied. First I told him that it was barely over 7 months in office, and second, what exactly was he expecting Obama to do directly for him, Dad L.?

"Well, it's almost September, and I've already hit my prescription drug limit for the year -- he could fix THAT."

"But you don't want the government to interfere in your healthcare -- you just said that!"

"Not my drugs, just my healthcare."

At which point I sputtered and choked out something about how the HELL can someone who takes literally 15 drugs NOT think they're considered "healthcare" and by the way, do you remember what I do for a living, and we need to change this topic right now.

God DAMN.

I think the Obama administration needs a little PR campaign to explain that Medicare is a gubmint program and always has been.

People somehow don't seem to understand that.

"I don't want the Government interfering with my Medicare!"