From the Peanut gallery - 01/28/2005

Welcome to this week’s Peanut Gallery I wanted to get it out earlier but I got a flurry of emails this week. I have to say a big thank you to Mommy Hustle. I don’t know if there was a dry eye on the ENTIRE planet. I think everyone who read your letter called their Mom to tell them they loved her. It was a powerful letter and that’s why I shared it so thanks.

Q:
It must be stressful living under the conditions you do,

A:
For me, not really I was stressed when I first came out here but not now. Stress is a relative term and I feel more comfortable today than I did when I came out here.

Q:
You write pretty well...that may be a secret talent, you know.

A:
Thanks, it is not really a secret talent. I do it all the time. It is just I'm not public about it. Most of the things I really like to do like draw, write, read, and think about the world are private affairs. These things aren't consistent with the "kicking it" lifestyle people like to think I lead. The people at Club Central aren't looking to hook up with someone who wants to talk about his thesis about the Importation of American Hegemony to the Middle East and its impact on the native culture.

Q:
What do you think happens when you die?

A:
I think you just die. I don't know I've never really thought about the after part too much. I'm not sure you grow wings and play a harp for eternity. That sure isn't heaven to me. Nor do you boil in a pot of flames forever either.

Q:
Do you believe in God?

A:
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't it depends on the day. Most times I do but I only talk to him on 6 occasions.

1. When I'm writing a check.
"Please God, don't let this bounce."

2. When I think I'm going to get some action.
"Please God, make her take off her clothes."

3. When I think I'm going to get caught.
"Please God, don't let her notice the perfume and glitter. DAMN you glitter why won't you come off."

4. When I think I'm going to die.
"Please God, don't let this asshole kill me."

5. When I think I'm going to kill someone.
"Please God, don't let me kill this asshole."

6. And of course
"God, if you let me live through this, I swear I'll NEVER drink again."


Other than that God and I have a live and let live relationship. I know he is busy keeping all of reality together at a subatomic level through his sheer force of will alone. That HAS to be time consuming. I know gets busy with that so I don't bother him too much. Pretty much I let him keep all of reality in place and he lets me get to the bar for 2 for 1 drinks and hit on skeezers. If he needs me he'll call and if I need him I'll call. I don't get upset if he doesn't pick up I know he's a busy man.

Q:
Do you go to Church?

A:
No, one thing EVERYONE knows about me is that I'm physically repulsed by the idea of entering a Church. Not that I think it's a bad thing, it’s just not my thing. I see Church for what it is, a place where people with similar religious views go together to fellowship. That's not a bad thing. I'm just not down with the dogma that can go along with it. I think humans got it wrong about how God works and I prefer not to be talked down to. I've learned more about Christianity from reading on my own and living. There is a logic gap that I can't resolve. People believe that the universe is run by some benevolent father figure in the sky who loves you unconditionally but will punish you for all eternity if you cross him?

Personally, I've never understood this line of reasoning. Shit, I don't think you could even find a human parent who would sentence one of their children to eternal suffering. Wouldn't you expect at least equal treatment by a supreme being? To me that is kinda what is taught in Church. Maybe I’ve been listening to the wrong part or maybe I haven’t found a Church that shares my ideals on what His plan is.

Actually, it was one of the reasons that I didn't go through with getting married. My ex-fiancé is a person of strong Christian faith and she subscribes to the Christian traditions. I can't see myself doing that and to me I think it is of the utmost importance that couples share the same views on how they practice their faith. I could never practice like she did, and I bailed. I think my name being Thomas is prophetic because I take after the Biblical one.

Q:
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A:
For me it is futile to even answer this question. I've never been where I saw myself in 5 years. So why even plan anymore? I can tell you want I want to do and that is travel the world. I'll probably spend some time in Europe when I get out of here for a while maybe Poland and Germany but, where I want to go is the Island of Gorée in Senegal. More than likely that is the last place my ancestors were before they were sold into slavery. I owe it to them to return and make the trip full circle. Show their spirits that as much as they tried they couldn't break us and we have returned stronger than ever. Other than that I'd love to go to Sydney that's always been a place I want to go and I guess finally I'll head to China. Why? Because it's the birthplace of fireworks.

Forgot a very important country I want to go to Brazil. I don't think I have to explain why.

Q:
What do you do on the weekends?

A:
Nothing, I "work" if you can call it that on the weekend I'm always on. Basically I just kinda play games and stuff. Sorta like I would do at home anyways.

Q:
I'm confused are your ex-girl and your ex-fiancé the same person?

A:
No.

Q:
Do you ever think about your home and wanting to go there after work?

A:
Naw, not really. I never really went home after work. I was always out until 10 or 11 at night. I just went home to got to bed and if I had a change of clothes at T Money's I probably didn't go home then. I didn't have anyone to go home for so when I got home it was the TV and I. No phone calls or anything. So I really didn't spend a lot of time there.

I think more about Atlanta than I do about Phoenix. That's where my emotional connectons are.

Q:
Who is the little one?

A:
That’s my nephew D. Hustle Jr. I figured that the past few weeks had been kinda depressing so I figured that I liven it up with a little DHJ appreciation. Everyone loves babies.

Q:
He is really cute he should be a baby model.

A:
I’ll pass that along, I think it is because he takes after his Uncle.

Q:
I’ve been reading your blog and I think you would be great as a politician.

A:
I don’t. The American people don’t want people like me running the country. Besides, the way I see it there is enough ammo in this blog alone to bar me from ever running for political office. If I ever did it I would do it for the most part to poke fun at the system. It is not my intention to make this blog political so I won’t I will only say this the people in our government are there to serve the party first and the people last. If you look at our political leaders they will vote in lockstep every time in order to support the party regardless if the idea is bat shit insane or not.

Think about the person you love the most or you trust the most. Are they correct 100% of the time? So what is it about the group you align yourself with that makes the difference? On top of that left wing and right wing describe what side of the aisle you sit on. So at the end of the day the direction of America is based on where you sit. Politicians sound a lot like high schoolers to me.

Q:
Aren’t you being pompous as well by claiming you are “Rich Bitch”?

A:
Aren’t you missing the point? You need to take me and this site as tounge-in-cheek not everything here is to scale and I intend to be funny. If you are looking for serious analysis then go to CNN, or NPR.org or something. You aren’t going to get that here.

Q:
There are some fine women on your site is there anyway I can get in touch with them?

A:
1. Don’t thank me. Thank their parents
2. Who are you?
3. Hell, I can’t get 90% of them to email me and they KNOW me what do you think your chances are?
4. That’s kinda creepy. I would prescribe a bit more outside time for you.

Q:
I heard about the helicopter crash are you ok?

A:
Yes, I’m fine. I’m not going to go into much about it out of respect for the families but, it saddens me. I mean I'm not a Marine but, I am you know? I'm here with them I live with them, talk with them about home, about family, kids, bothers and sisters and things like that, when I pass by computers I look at the wallpapers they have and it’s almost always a woman or some kids or a family photo. It's a brotherhood here in some ways and either you are a brother or not. And know I mourn in a different way when I hear about troops dying.

One of the things they have at some command centers is like a wall of
honor for the fallen troops in their units. I look at every name every time I go into command center, if only to say I know that you exist. I look at the ages I mean we got kids out here that are dead and they were born in 1985 or 1986. I know when I come back I'll be different because of it.

Q:
How’s that bug bite?

A:
It’s fine besides a few fever dreams about me being a coyote running up a waterfall to see the sun melt into the visage of a skull. I’m fine.