Yet another new TechTard feature: The Swingset Diaries. An explanation of "swingset" is in order. It's the term I use when I get on my soapbox about the shitty direction this world is taking!

You see...I'm from one of those conservative, Godfearing, Catholic families where family get-togethers served no other purpose but to update one another on doom-n-gloom! I can't tell you how many nites, as a wee one, I'd lay there in my dark bedroom, eyes bugged open, sweating, thinking of impending nuclear doom, for example. At age 7, I had the mere childhood pleasure of overhearing my mother discussing a prophetic story with someone: In the year 1986, some temple somewhere in Jerusalem was going to collapse and that would bring on the end of the world. You can imagine how well I slept for the next coupla weeks.

What's a child to do? Pent-up with all of this anxiety, anquish and worry. SHARE IT, of course! One day, playing on the SWINGSET with my friend Cassie...I decided to get on the doom-n-gloom bandwagon (why not, everyone else was doin' it?!?!?!). I triumphantly pronounced the prophetic tale to Cassie...eagerly awaiting her reaction (no doubt one of astonishment...begging for more details...of which I had none!).

Immediately, Cassie BURST into tears!!! She ran as fast as her legs could carry her -- away from me and into the loving comfort and safety of her mother's arms. Me...I just stayed planted on the swingset, pathetically looking after Cassie, thinking: "Yes...that's good, Cassie. Run...RUN as fast as your legs will carry you. For you know it to be true! There's no running away from any of it!!!" The memory gets foggy after that...but I THINK that might've been the last time I was invited over to Cassie's.

So, there you have it...stay tuned for future installments of the Swingset Diaries. Feel free to throw a topic onto the table!