Here it is the first day of Summer. I guess I'm still feeling a bit fellered out. It seems I'm not the only one, but I have a recommendation.

I drove in to work today listening to the new Dixie Chicks CD, Taking the Long Way, that I got as a Father's Day present from Kenny. I'm not a big country music fan, but I went out and purchased their last CD, Home, on March 15th, 2003. I remember the date because I thought it ironic that I was doing so on the Ides of March. I'll leave it to you all to figure out why I decided to get the CD that particular week when the only other Country album I've ever purchased was something by Jerry Jeff Walker so I could learn how to play Mr. Bojangles.

I highly recommend Home, I still listen to it on a regular basis, the song Travellin Soldier can still bring a tear to my eye, and their cover of Landslide is suberb. The new CD is almost as good; I'm sure it will grow on me after a few listenings, the way good stuff always does, and I surely do love fiddle and banjo music. A few of the songs already give me chills and the message conveyed by the last song, I hope, is timeless. Some of the songs have a bit of an edge, some might call the lyrics confrontational, but I prefer to think of them as spunky. Natalie Maine's voice is pure country, but the music is more mainstream than you might imagine and both CDs are keepers. Anyway, how often do you get to make a statement of support and get something worth listening to at the same time. Things like Alice's Restaurant don't come around that often.

Speaking of which, I wish I knew a way to end Bush's war, before Kenny gets drafted. We've passed 2500 young men and women killed and the new press secretary says it's just a number. Karl Rove, fresh from weaseling out from under some well-deserved jail time, is out and about calling patriotic democrats who question Bush's failed policies, cowards. Were I ever in a fight and I had to choose between John Murtha and John Kerry or Bush, Cheney, Rove and all the other loud mouth neo-cons, I know who I'd want covering my back.

Peace be with you