Ain't No Cure, But It Ain't No Thang

"Well I'm a gonna raise a fuss, I'm a gonna raise a hollar;
'Bout workin all summer just to try to earn a dollar.
Well the time to go on baby, tryin' to get a date;
Boss says, 'No date son you gotta work late.'
Sometimes I wonder what I'm-a gonna do,
But there ain't no cure for the summertime blues."
-Eddie Cochran, "Summertime Blues"

That's a great song. I put it up there because it speaks quite directly to my own situation. I really feel like all I'm doing is working right now, and half the work I'm doing isn't even for pay. And what brilliant idea have I come up with to alleviate this problem? Simple. As soon as I'm done with my internship hours in two weeks, I'm returning home to D-Town to start working 40 hours a week at the golf course again. Huh, you ask? Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. The thing is, that like Eddie Cochran's timeless classic suggests, my summer is being dictated by the almighty dollar. It has put controls and restrictions on my every move since the semester ended. I am doing this internship so I can get a job after college--in order to make money. The only way I was going to take this internship was if I could have a job at the same time that would help me pay my rent--which requires money. And since that job hasn't worked out exactly as I planned, I now have to go home and work like a dog in order to pay my current rent while not incurring any further rent debt--it's all about money. Best of all, I am already 3 hours away from my girlfriend, and once I go back to DeKalb I'll add another 3 hours of distance to the gap, just because I have to keep making money. See how I might have the blues?

But as my title suggests, it's really not all that big of a deal. See, this is what college has taught me. No matter how much of a drag life seems to be, it could always be worse. Case in point, I am going to go visit my Aiea in a couple of days. I get to see her perform in Anne of Green Gables, and despite her warnings, I am very excited about it if only because it is what she's been working on the entire time we've been apart this summer. So for not only her, but me as well it's a labor of love and I know she's going to make it worth all the effort. 'Cause she's amazing. So that will at least tide me over on Aiea exposure for a little while. And yes, I do have to work a lot now and even more once I get back home, but the two jobs I'm juggling now are not exactly back-breaking or brain-bending. Both take place in air conditioned buildings and only for about 3-4 hours at a time. Apart from the all-day baseball shoot next Wednesday, it should be a breeze to get through my last bit of slaving in South Bend. And of course, 4o hour a week job or not, it's always good to be home. I'll admit it, I've now tried being semi-independent for a few weeks, and it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. And despite what I might say to the contrary, I like being mothered by my mother. I like having free room and board and free food. I like not having to do my laundry. I like having access to free digital cable TV whenever I want to watch it. Now I'm not saying I want these luxuries to last forever, because I'm sure that if I stay in my house for too long my parents and I will eventually drive each other insane. But for now, it still works, and it's nice to know that if I have to live at home for a while after college lets out or if I ever want to visit my folks after I move out that we all get along even though we're now all grown-ups. Well, sort of in my case.

Now I know what you're thinking. What happened to your glorious summer of debauchery with D-Locke in the Bend? Well, truth be told it's kinda hard to have that many wild times when you're not around on weekends. And as expected, I have not spent more than a few hours of weekend time in my little house since before D-Locke moved in. Who's at fault? Not really important. He wanted to go to Latin America, and when he came back he wanted some time at home. I sympathize. I, for my part, have had stuff to do in D-Town. Simple as that. Does it mean that I have some psychological blockage against hanging out and partying in South Bend? Have I aged before my time? Will next year be one boring bust of a weekend after another? Or could it be that I really am mature in some backwards sort of way? I dunno, personally I think it all comes back to money. After all the cash I have to put down just to fuel my vehicle, the thought of dropping an easy $20 just so I can feel loose out at a bar doesn't seem so appealing any more. And the other truth is that now that I am happily off the market, I'm no good to D-Locke. I can't very well play wingman when the only thing I have to entertain ugly friends of hot girls with are tales of my girlfriend. Works for me, doesn't work for them. So that's just what a relationship is. You make changes. And sacrifices. In this particular case, D-Locke has to make the sacrifice of me not hanging out with him. May not seem fair, but then again, I think he owes me for all the times I've been screwed over. And he seems to get inappropriate action whether I'm there to help him or not. In any case, I plan to be in the Bend for the weekend after this one, and I hope to make it up to him by having a raucous good time. So if anyone's in the area or really bored, come on down to Irish town. I guarantee that me drunk is a real sight if you've never observed it before. And after that weekend I go back to being a real working stiff. So to paraphrase Animal House, since I'm getting nailed no matter what I do, I might as well have a good time.

Move 'em on, hit 'em up! Hit 'em up, move 'em on! Move 'em on, hit 'em up, quick thoughts!:

-The White Sox continue to amaze. Add four all-stars to the list of things I did not see coming for this season. I couldn't be happier for Scott Podsednik; he went from being a monster talent on a nothing team (that has a stadium that is way too nice for them, by the way) to completely turning around an up-and-coming club's style of play and making them the best in baseball. His other stats besides steals may not be all that pretty, but when you put in perspective what he's meant to this club, he's an easy pick to make the squad. Oh, and HA HA Derek Jeter. Fuck you in your fucking ass.

-Remember a while back when Mark Prior got hurt and everyone was ready to ring the death knell on the Cubs season? You know how dead bodies sometimes spasm post mortem as if they're alive? I think that offensive outburst followed by the few weeks of strong play was just rigor mortis setting in on the North Siders. Because right now, they look positively dead in the water. Now even Derrek Lee is having nagging shoulder problems. What, did Kerry Wood start teaching him how to throw sliders during batting practice or something?

-Shawn Michaels superkicked Hulk Hogan Monday night on Raw. I've had that idea for no less than 8 years, and it took HBK having a "career-ending" back injury and Hogan being around so long they put him in the Hall of Fame before WWE caught on. If Michaels says anything about how Hogan sticking around prevented young guys like him from getting a break next Monday, I'm suing for idea infringement. I thought of it first, pay me some damn cash!

-Fantastic Four comes out Friday followed by Wedding Crashers next Friday. Sorry, but try as I might I just can't get excited about anything movie-related now that I've seen Batman Begins. Everything else pales in comparison until it comes out on DVD.

-If you're in Lansing, Michigan this or next weekend, go see Anne of Green Gables! Or I will hurt you, many times! I will kill you until you die!

Es todo para hoy. Voy ahora.

"The city is crowded, my friends are away and I'm on my own
It's too hot to handle so I gotta get up and go
It's a cruel, cruel summer (leaving me)
Leaving me here on my own
It's a cruel, (it's a cruel) cruel summer
Now you're gone
You're not the only one."
-Ace of Base, "Cruel Summer"