Yes, I’ve been quite quiet recently. But alas, I am still alive. I shall blog again soon. Fall and winter are rapidly approaching, my favorite seasons and the source of much joy and stories I hope to share with you all.

The attached picture (please click on it for a larger version) shows the front and back of a postcard that came in the mail the other day. An attempt to convince voters that Prop 201 wastes taxpayers dollars, it panders to the fear of sex offenders and shamelessly parades schoolchildren as victims of this waste. The sponsors of this ad want you to vote against Prop 201 and for Prop 206 so smoking in public places can continue. A careful look at the small print reveals that this ad is funded by (drumroll ……) the Arizona Licensed Beverage Association and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company! Surprise, surprise.

Before you write me off as a Carrie Nation of Smoke, I used to smoke. I smoked almost two packs of cigarettes nearly every day for 19 years. The last five of those years I woke up each day, determined to quit smoking. Thanks to the generous chemical additions of the tobacco companies, I was addicted and fighting a much more serious battle than I imagined. Through constant attempts and, finally, hypnosis, I quit smoking on January 19, 1987 and have not had a cigarette since.

Quit almost 20 years, but that doesn’t mean I don’t remember the desire, the want, the need for a cigarette. It is an addiction in every sense of the word and you better believe the bar owners and the cigarette companies want to make sure smokers stay addicted and new smokers join the club. They don’t care about tracking sex offenders and they certainly don’t care about school children’s supplies (much less their health) - they just want to sell more alcohol and cigarettes. The taxes to which they refer are taxes on cigarettes - taxes paid by the addicts. If you don’t smoke, it isn’t coming out of your pocket.

Smokers will tell you they don’t want to quit, they enjoy smoking, so get off their backs. But that’s a lie. They are addicted and every one of them, at some level, knows they are smoking because they have to, that it’s no longer a choice for them. There is absolutely nothing good about cigarette smoking except the bottom line on the ledger for the alcohol and tobacco sellers. Please don’t let them spin your vote against Prop 201- it is NOT ridiculous. Vote FOR Prop 201 and AGAINST Prop 206.

I saw enough good things from the Cardinals this past Sunday that I am once again a believer. The pieces are there. The mistakes can be overcome. Matt did not suck in his debut and did enough to put them in a position to win. I do not have to squint too hard to see the winning team that lies just beneath the surface. Pass the Kool-aid good things are coming…

My bus stop qualifies as “partial amenities” - chair-quality bench (back and arms) and trash can - no lighting or overhead canopy for shade or cover from the elements. While waiting stopside this AM, storms visibly moving towards me, I began to wonder how much lightning protection does the typical bus shelter provide? Most shelters seem almost treelike and conventional wisdom makes trees verboten in lightning situations. However, as the bolts slam out of the sky, I feel extremely vulnerable without any cover at all.

Golf course protocol says to lie down on the ground during lightning storms. I certainly understand the logic, but fear the bus driver wouldn’t see me and stop if I chose to wait in full prone on the concrete. Or, if she did see me, might just drive by and call the police to report a drunk passed out at the stop. Then the police would come and find out I wasn’t passed out or drunk, just taking proper storm precautions and they might be angry and arrest me for wasting valuable police time. Then again, they might let me wait for the bus in the cruiser, providing much needed shelter from the storm. Probably not. Fortunately, rush hour storms in Phoenix are infrequent and the lightning-dodging dilemma rarely surfaces.

Who needs these thoughts?

On the off chance you are looking for something festive to do this weekend I recommend hitting up the Rainbows Festival. It is going to be at Heritage Square Park (7th & Monroe-ish) Saturday and Sunday from 10-6. There will be food, shopping, music, art, and (my personal favorite) people watching! Admission is free and the weather looks clear, so I hope to see you there :)

I’m not one to push political agendas here, but local-boys-gone-big Jimmy Eat World are headlining Go Vote 2006, a show on Oct. 19 at the Clubhouse in Tempe that is serving as a fund-raiser for Harry Mitchell, who is running against J.D. Hayworth for U.S. Congress in Arizona’s District 5.

Also on the bill: the Format, the Stiletto Formal and Monique Reagan.

Whatever your political alliances, it’s great to see the younger generation, so often derided as lazy when it comes to voting, making an active effort to get people involved.

You can buy tickets ($22) for the show here. Stateside Presents also has information.

I was dragged on a shopping trip to Kierland Commons this evening. The stores in this mall get it. Coldwater Canyon had very comfortable man chars with the sports section laid out. Unfortunately it was in the back next to a waterfall. Chico’s on the other hand totally gets it. There were three (four?) sets of man chairs at the front entrance - right as you enter. There were stacks of car and boating magazines. No SI or ESPN the magazine (hint hint). Next time runners with bottled water and chips, please…

I spoke to soon when I said that summer was over and fall has arrived in my last article. This past week was very disappointing. I couldn’t go anywhere without slathering a bunch of suntan lotion on my daughter and myself. On a side note, I found out that the Banana Boat SPF 50 for babies works very well for mommy and baby.

Hopefully the weather forecast for this month will be a little bit more favorable unless I am mistaken: http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/85296?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

Even the sound of the title made me question why there would be gangs anywhere in this desert landscape. I would understand South Central L.A., the rough streets of New York, and other places made popular by the stereotypical perpetuation from movies and television. But Chandler?

The article from AZCentral: http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/1002brk-shooting-ON.html just made me scoff at these so-called “gang” members. It made me question why do people need to join a gang when they could be inside air conditioned recreation centers or doing something that helps the community that they live and not hurting it. It’s already so tough living in this hot environment, why add fuel to the fire? Do you think the heat is an accessory to violence? I haven’t done any research but are there gangs in snowy environments? It makes me wonder…

I read this article about a lost 3 year boy roaming Phoenix: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1002brk-childfound1003.html

My heart goes out to him and being in a family that is separated by divorce. Being away from our family, it’s hard to raise my daughter without grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. I can’t imagine what this poor child is thinking about when he is walking by himself in the wee hours of the morning and what kind of man he will grow up into without that cohesive family core.