The weight loss has been going way too slowly, so I got desperate and joined ediets.com. It's only $5 a week, although I had to pay for three months up front.

It's tailored so you can pick all kinds of weight plans, from Atkins to The Zone to Dr. Phil. They make it really easy if you're a convenience food eater, because there's a whole list of frozen foods you can eat. There's also a fast food option if you want that.

I've already found out I can eat two slices of Pizza Hut (there's one in the hood) Thin and Crispy pepperoni pizza and still follow their plan. I miss eating pizza!

I think my problem is I've been cheating way too much, and I've been in a diet rut. The ediets.com recommendation for me is to consume 1,200 - 1,300 calories a day if I'm a light exerciser. Exercising more will increase the calorie intake for the day.

I can cancel any time I want, so if I can't follow it I'll quit. I do like that you can substitute freely, and it has recipes if I feel like cooking.

Some political blogs that I've been reading lately remind me intensely why I dislike most indie films. They're too smug, too self congratulatory, too insider, and talk about self masturbation and self indulgence.

Some people like to read, or as in the case of films, see this kind of stuff. Thankfully, most people still like to read commentary and see films that are not only entertaining but actually have something very interesting, something of substance to say.

I took the car in for its 30K well baby care exam and just like a real child, car care is not cheap.

My huge tax refund is slowly being eaten up by unexpected bills. I guess it was too good to be true that I could get away with not having to fork over "real time cash" for my new entertainment devices.

I just want to stay on schedule for opening up my new cash maximizer savings account. I need another savings account that earns more interest! I'm becoming a big believer in the saying that "hordes of cash in the bank is a very good thing".

I've read a ton of blogs and news articles saying there is populist movement going on in the democratic party. Much of it driven, I think, by those people who are against the war in Iraq.

John Edwards' stump speech is about the "two americas". John Kerry spouts about those "special interests", and Howard Dean preaches his "Take Back the Power" drivel.

And I'm like I sort of relate and I can't relate. Most of it has to do with the fact that I agreed with Thomas Friedman and Christopher Hitchens in supporting the US led war with Iraq.

Howard Dean's "Take Back the Power" speeches don't mean a thing to me, because I don't feel like I've lost my power as a voter. Dean's rhetoric annoys me a little because the assumption is you as a voter either willingly or unwillingly gave your power away in the first place.

I vote. I've voted in practically every federal, state and local election since I was 18 years old. I read. I wasn't blindsided by the republican take over of the government. People have been writing about it, and trying to sound the alarm bell for years.

I think Dean appeals to people who didn't care enough to vote, or were so cynical they didn't want to or gave away their vote because they didn't think in the long it mattered. They gave away their power by not voting, by not staying informed, and by thinking their vote wasn't worth anything and threw it away when it really mattered. And now they're mad and upset, and I'm supposed to care.

Kerry's speeches are about "special interests" make a little bit more sense, but I'm a cynic and if it's not business' special interests it's somebody else's and everybody wants things their way without compromise. Decisions from either side are never about what would be good for the whole country, but what would be good for my group.

John Edwards' "two americas" speeches make the most sense. It's the closest to class warfare, and I totally despise the notion of "class warfare", but there are definitely people out there who a have a ton and people out there who don't have much at all, with the middle still trying to figure which side they belong on.

I feel like I'm in the middle in every thing. I was for the war, but think the handling of everything from the reasons to the war itself, and to the post war activities were very badly handled by the Bush administration.

I'm cynical about "special interests" because either extreme only seems to care about their own groups, and to hell with everybody else.

And I can't decide if I'm really poor and have no hope and am too stupid to know it, or if there's still a chance for me to get the things I want in life. Because in my reality, in my little world, I have achieved many of the things I've wanted in life so far. And I like to stay positive which means I'm going to think I'll keep achieving my goals.

Sure I've had disappointments in my life, who hasn't? But I've had many more successes than disappointments so far, and I don't expect that to stop.

Maybe I'm just fooling myself, or maybe I'm a victim of what is popularly called "lowered expectations", I don't know. I'm still a happy camper, I like being a happy camper, and I see no reason to change my outlook.