Is this reality? Seriously, I'm asking...

Reading the papers, watching the news, however you get your "what's up world?" fix - do you feel like you are living in the Twilight Zone?

I wouldn't install a new faucet without the ability to shut off the water so I don't get soaked and waste water. However, oil is being drilled by companies who had no clue that maybe they might someday need to clean up after a catastrophic failure. BP had no frakkin' clue about how to handle the oil spill. And now politicians simultaneously want more drilling, but still don't want any sort of oversight for the oil companies when they do drill. They don't want the federal government to interfere with commerce, but now that there's a crisis, they are crying out for - yeah, you guessed, a strong federal response.

People want freedom of religion, unless you are Muslim, in which case, you are a terrorist and don't deserve to be in the Greatest Nation in the History of the World™. And if you are an atheist or agnostic, that goes for you too. Apparently, there are quite a few people for whom "freedom of religion" means they get to impose their religion on everyone else.

The unemployed are being told they should get a job, and that unemployment benefits are so great people actually want to be unemployed to get all that money. Kind of like a lupus patient saying "that new drug for my lupus that costs a hundred dollars month after insurance and gives me diarrhea and stomach ulcers is so great, I love having lupus and I hope I never get well!" (Note: I have lupus, I'm on that drug, and I don't like having lupus. I don't want it.)

The unemployed are unemployed because they can't find a job because THERE ARE NO JOBS! Which of explains why a certain party (which I am NOT a member of) stopped unemployment benefits: the unemployed are having too much fun!

We need new public works programs, the type that helped us survive the Depression. And politicians need to remember we are their bosses, and they should get packing because lots of them won't be rehired in the fall. We, their employers, aren't pleased with their job performance. Yup, they'll join the ranks of the unemployed. Until they are hired by a lobbying firm. Or former "corporate constituent".

It's now time for the A/V club presentation on one of America's finest justices: Thurgood Marshall.

I want to make some rock and roll and need advice.

Don't know where to start. My lumbar fusions surgery seems to a big fat happy success! There's still minor things, like getting the SI joint to behave, and keeping the inflammation at bay. I am taking less pain meds, and I have much more energy and clarity of mind.

What I don't have is a job. I didn't think I'd be feeling well enough to start looking until October or so. Having been an administrative assistant for 20 years for various companies, I could go back to that. But I am wary of doing that.

You see, before The Fall in 2000 AA work was all I had ever done, aside from waitressing, clothing and jewelry sales. Since I was sidelined for (let's not beat around the bush) ten frakkin years, my life has changed, my body has changed because of the complication of The Fall. So here I am, starting over.

What do I do now? I don't know. I am at the midpoint of my life (53) and have great skills for an AA, but I want to do something else now. I have a drive to do something else different. I have a degree in Geography from Temple U (Go Owls!) but I inner self has decided it needs to get out more. So what's all that nonsence mean?

Well, I have a drive to make music. The problem is I don't play any instruments and can't sing. All that, I'm sure can be dealt with if someone wants to take on a 53 years old female student that likes blues rock, glam, bluegrass and really would like to learn bass, although I'm open to more. I'll put right out front I'm a Queen, LedZep, Pink Floyd, Joan Jett fan. But what to do with all this?

What instrument/s would be good for me to learn at my age? Has anyone out there in the tubes start playing instruments late in life, and what did they choose? I'm leaning towards bass myself, then guitar, keyboards, drums, lap harp, dulcimer and who knows what else might be appropriate.

No one in my family plays, except my husband, who really hasn't touched a guitar in years.

On the other hand there is urban planning and hazard mitigation.

And it all takes money and/or crazy planning and/or dumb luck.

What I need is someone to chat about this midlife career change. Interested?

This is the problem posting late at night when my mind in benedryl kookie mode. I'm open to any comments, and I do live in Nashville, so maybe something will come this way.

I have no desire to become a rock star, I just want to rock out and have a fun time.

Ushta, babies.