That's what my little brother says when he has to drive through Mississippi. Such a comment is usually met with "ha ha" laughter, but he's one not to find any redeeming qualities about the state to our immediate east.

Certainly not with their two major college programs, being the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University. Southern Miss, he's ambivalent.

(Speaking of my brother, I wish him good luck: he has an 8:11,000ish chance of getting his name pulled later today for a $1600 grill package. Would go great with the patio I helped start Saturday.)

Anyway, this entry is not about my brother. This is about a weekend recap.

Yesterday was Memorial Day. A national holiday that I spent at work.

No, it's not quite that bad. At Digital, we don't have Memorial Day off, per se, but the afternoon is always called off for a crawfish/shrimp boil, coupled with the annual volleyball match. This year, it was held in Pass Christian, Mississippi, at the home of the Senior VP over the Mississippi office. I ate about three dozen of these huge shrimp (I'd say they were 20's.), and a few crawfish, before warming up for the volleyball.

While I was really the weak link, the team I was on won the first four games: 11-1, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5. Then teams were switched up and I was on the losing end: 8-11, 12-14. I guess I warmed up too much and got tired or something.

One thing I don't have to guess about was that I got sunburned. Really, really sunburned. My forehead is a slow, throbbing itch, my nose is unbelievably tender, and my lips are blistered. I'd offer a photo, but you'll just have to believe me when I say I've gotten sympathy from everyone I've called attention to. If it stays overcast for the next week & a half, that'd be good.

However, being in Mississippi yesterday is not why I feel dirty.

As Omi has recently related, I am not a Mac User for Life by my own volition. I did not make a conscious case for said title, to be sure. But alas, some people cannot appreciate the zen of constructing one's own computer. That, and I don't want to run a shell for 93% of the programs I use.

Just to clear things up.

-KIE, Windows XP user