Last night I wound up on a writing groove much better than I've had in a long time. Got to bed way too late. Woke up with Stacey getting up and was falling back asleep for perhaps another half hour when I heard her yelling. Turns out our power went out while she was in the shower. I keep a lantern around for such occasions and we lit candles until our times to go. The power was out in our whole little area of town, turns out. The cat knew something exciting was happening and was absolutely thrilled.

With Nebraska a solid Red state and vicarious Iowa presidential election news only providing so much action, the big deal for us Nov. 2 is an initiative that would allow various forms of gambling (primarily casinos and more electronic gambling in public places) in Nebraska. I don't really view this as a great idea. Yes, all we have to do is cross the river to gamble in Iowa (or stay ON the river and hit a boat!) but I also don't want the element that accompanies gambling popping up anywhere near my neighborhood. I like to think of casinos as classy places with the Rat Pack and smooth gangsters and dancing girls but all we ever get in the casinos here is white trash and old people. The last thing we need are more casino country concerts and the eldery warding off senility by throwing away money and enjoying cheap buffets. I'd like to play the moral card here but I think people should be able to make their own decisions. No, this is more of an issue on which I assert my horrid snobbishness.

I gave blood today. Took up my whole lunch hour. I always love the questions they have you look over and circle "Y" or "N"...Beware, readers...your sexual deviance could prohibit you from sharing blood. If you are a man and have slept with another man anytime since 1977, that could stop you from giving blood. If you're a woman and have slept with a man who's slept with a man anytime since 1977, it's possible you could be shooed away as well. If you're a man who has given money or drugs to someone for sex, and that person has slept with someone who has slept with a man AND you've recently gotten a tattoo and/or piercing AND you've visited a foreign country lately (or slept with someone who has) then don't even bother.

I promised the kids we'd talk about a "scary movie" of their choice (well, their choice as approved by me and their dad) for Sunday School. We're using this year to focus on learning to see past the surface on things and analyze what's really going on within whatever one sees/hears/observes/experiences, doing so as Orthodox Christians. Tough to do with middle-school kids of the Video Game Generation but I believe it will be good for them. Anyway, the movie we're discussing is "The Ring." I've not seen it so we'll have to rent it tonight so I know what questions to email them tomorrow morning. Also tonight is the Richard Buckner and Damien Jurado show. Then tomorrow we'll get ready for tomorrow night's party at our house. Busier than I like for a weekend to be, but should be good times.