Frustrated - I wasn't going to write today, but I didn't write yesterday or the day before. My batting average is pretty low. It's been a frustrating week. Not angry or particularly depressing, but I feel like most things around me have been surrounded by unnecessary effort and resistance, and I just need to complain for a while. I know the idea here was to keep this site upbeat and light, but I'm not feeling that way today. Feel free, more free than usual, to tune out, navigate away.

I'm frustrated by this job hunt. Frustrated by the fact that all the employers are only interested in even considering people who are the absolulte perfect candidate in every imaginable way, yet they themselves can't manage to put together coherent and job ads that don't contradict themselves. I'm frustrated by the fact that if your resume does manage to get through whatever process they use to choose people to interview, and you go in to make an ass of yourself, they can't even have the courtesy to call back and say "Thanks but no thanks."

I'm frustrated by this stupid Gubernatorial Recall and the fact that there's actual news going on that is being ignored because this farce takes up so much time on every news show. Now, this week, the day I got my sample ballot in the mail, we learn that the election might not happen at all, and even if it does, more money has to be spent to print and mail new sample ballots the next time around. The only good thing about this is the fact that I'm not currently a California taxpayer, so it ain't my money getting wasted. I'm frustrated by the fact that because of this stupidity I have no idea who to vote for in San Francisco's mayoral election, a real election, this November. I don't even know who's running.

I'm frustrated by this stupid radio station that seems to play nothing but that damned "Bang the Drum All Day" by Todd Rungren and this completely pointless cover of "Laid," by Matt Nathanson that's exactly the same as James' original version all the time.

I'm frustrated by the White House's revisionist history policies regarding everything they've screwed up since they took office, and I'm frustrated with the Democrats for not doing anything to stop any of it.

I'm frustrated with the San Francisco Bay Guardian for never, ever, not once, ever in the time I've been here having a cover story about something ANYTHING good in the Bay Area, except for the one "Best of the Bay" issue, which I believe was reader voted. Even the Villiage Voice managed that once in a while.

I'm frustrated by people who can't be bothered to pick up after their dog. I'm frustrated by the bashed out car windows in my neighborhood. I'm frustrated that Banja has to carry pepper spray. I'm frustrated by purse slashers, as incompetant as they are. I'm frustrated that the SFPD couldn't care less about anything that might require them to do their job, unless that job involves ticketing bikers for running a red light in the hopes of trying to avoid getting run down by an SUV that they ran a red light while the biker was being ticketed.

I'm frustrated by people asking my advice and thoughts on things that I happen to know more about than they do, only to have them not follow the advice and then complain to them that my not specifically telling them not to act in the way they acted while ignoring me wound up in them screwing up whatever it was they were working on in the first place. Not that I'm talking about anything or anyone in particular.

I'm frustrated by the stupid cashier at the Rainbow Store who wears a "Stop US Support of Israel" button on her shirt, with all the S's replaced with swastikas, has no apparent knowledge or concern of what those swastikas actually mean, nor any idea how naive the idea that stopping said support will immediatley solve the Middle East's troubles is.

I'm tired of people sitting near me telling me, without me asking their opinion on the matter, that I'm wrong for eating cream cheese because of the environmental issues surrounding cows, and that I'm wrong for wearing t-shirts and jeans because of the environmental issues surrounding cotton plants.

I'm tired of won ton soup costing $6 a bowl and shallots costing $7 a pound.

I'm tired of being cranky and needing a nap. Arg. Good thing today is Talk like a Pirate Day.

But, man, do I dig the F Market.