So two months ago, some Firestone-tire-sportin' Explorer-drivin' moron rear-ended my economical little Ford Escort and pulverized her trunk into the back seat. "Splat!," went the Escort, into a salvage yard in Bastrop populated by rusting car-hulks and marauding goats. I was not driving, and we were, obviously, not at fault. Behind us, one more SUV and a truck all following too closely managed to complete a grand total of a four-car collision, and as far as I'm concerned that was Darwinism in action. One small war waged with Allstate Insurance (carrier of the offending party) later, I had a bad backache, a handful of Vicodin and Soma, and sufficient cash in hand to buy a newer, better vehicle.

I chose a 1995 Camaro Z-28 in a two-tone blue and green colour called "Mystic Teal," (I think they ought to have named it Tripping Teal, myself--there's nothing "mystic" about it) with leather seats, a CD player, and best of all, the LT1 Corvette engine. Coming from 4 cylinders, the 275 horses under the hood of the Z are more fun than a girl should have on the highway. Call me Miss Goodwrench, but I love F-bodies (Trans Ams and Camaros) and have always missed the '85 Camaro I drove in high school, so I was thrilled to be experiencing some "driving excitement" again. At the very least, it's nice to be able to merge.

Enter Prudential Insurance (rotten fruit, pigshit, and other decomposing sticky substances welcome to be thrown here). After nine years of insurance coverage with these fools--in which I have owned three previous vehicles *including a Camaro* and in which I have never had an accident, my fault or otherwise--I get a letter from them which informs me that they cannot issue me an insurance policy due to the "recent accident" and the fact that my new car is at a high risk for theft. Worse, the Z-28 is a "non-standard performance vehicle. Prudential insures only standard performance passenger vehicles." I guess this means only anemic mini-vans and station wagons need apply. Chevrolet makes an awful lot of "non-standard performance vehicles"--I wonder who the hell insures us pesky theft-prone drag racers?

I am 25 years old. I am single and female. I haven't had a speeding ticket for three years. I have a college degree, rent a home, and have a stable job as a software lackey. Insurance-ly speaking, what isn't there about me to like? I realize that this is a free country and that the insurance industry is allowed to run rampant and suck up as much money as it likes, but I'm really feeling the heel of the Man's boot.

OK. so... i got rid of my ebay account the last time for a reason. i'm an addict. i can't stop shopping. the lure of anything i want at bargain basement prices is just too much of a temptation for me to deal with.

today... bodystocking fiend. i bid on pink *PINK* platform boots in size 8. I'm a size 6. and bodystockings? where am i going with those?

so now, i have forbidden myself from looking at anymore fetish items. no more shoes. no more collars. no more bodystockings.

so what am i doing now? searching for suitable backdrops for my photo studio. oh sure, that sounds suitable. practical. sane. it's going to degrade into something manic, though. i can feel it.

I. CANNOT. HANDLE. THE. PRESSURE. OF. EBAY.

please. someone. stop me.

This actually isn't really a rant in that I'm not particularly angry about anything... I'm more satisfied. Basking in the afterglow of my not-so-guilty viewing pleasure that is HBO's series OZ.

For those not in the know about the series, it is set in Oswald Penitentery where the criminials of the worst sort are sent. These are rough, very bad men that for the most part are not people you'd want to spend any quality time with.

But my goodness is this show interesting. It's like a soap opera with a point. With rough man-sex. With political ideas pulled apart and explored. There's plots and subplots and anyone could get killed off at any point. Sometimes there's characters that you just know are temporary, but don't form any huge attachments to anyone because they could end up dead or turn out to be disgustingly bad people. Good people doing bad things?

The other thing that I highly enjoy is all of the male nudity. I know, that's not the point of the show, but it is so nice to see a show that isn't all about T and A, and that the male actors are expected to bare it all.

One of my favorite characters (although, he's probably the most evil, vile fuck on the show) is Simon Adebisi. He's this huge black man and he has just so much charisma, that as bad as he is, you just love him. I've also seen him on the Showtime series "Link's."

Another of my favorites is Ryan O'Reily. He is portrayed as a loveable schemer and a hopeless romantic. But make no mistake, this boy is ruthless.

You know, I actually like all of the characters. They're not flat like most fictional characters. They're flawed and frail. The political points are made and then backed away from. I don't find them to be heavy-handed for the most part, they're not all just cloying attempts to pull at your heartstrings.

hink the realism of it is what really hooks me (well, that and the male nudity and cocksucking, gratuitous violence, etc.). This drama really stands out.