Cashing in

I have started the long, drawn out process of spending my birthday gift certificates.
Last night I came home with a great book by Molly Ivins on Dubya's adorable little political career, a CD of Motown classics, a CD of Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, a book on lesbian astrology and a coffee table book featuring the cows in the San Antonio Cow Parade.
The Ivins book details Dubya's phony military career and how he scored the lowest possible points and still managed to sidestep a 100,000 person waiting list to become a pilot for the Texas Air National Guard.
This particular branch was filled with the sons of Texas congress reps, senator's kids, rich guys' kids and even some negroes. Of course, the negroes were all Dallas Cowboys.
Dubya's daddy was a Houston congressman at the time.
Nobody from this elite branch was ever called into active duty. This was a shelter for rich and famous young men so they could stay out of harm's way under the guise of serving their nation.
'Nuff said.
I still have almost $200 worth of gift certificates to spend. I may have to just haul off and buy a DVD player and start a DVD library.
I am always behind the trends.
I bought a Betamax as my first VCR. I drove a Volvo, then an Audi. I've always used a Macintosh computer. I don't know how to burn CDs. I don't know basic html. I don't know how to unzip zip files.
I do not know how to play in any of the high tech reindeer games.
My girlfriend la is equally clueless about high tech. She knows how to work e-mail and how to get to Pulp Friction, otherwise she's in the same techno darkness as I.
On the plus side, she doesn't like Bush, either. I couldn't be with a big Bush supporter.