What A Dream I Had Last Night

I often stay up late at night or all night. If I go to bed at a decent time I'm usually an early riser. After all, I am an adult now and my cats don't seem to mind my strange hours as long as they get fed on time. Anyway, I had stayed up for a night and late the next night. When I finally went to bed I had a dream right out of Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of Dreams!

(Warning. This is a dream so it won't necessarily make sense.) 

I was driving my sports car (named Blue) with the top down and as usual it was shinning and we were both looking hot. I pulled into a parking lot that seemed very deserted for the time of day it was and I go into the store to get a few things. When I come out there was a pick up truck parked right next to my car, too close for comfort. I look at my car and it had a big dent in it from the pick up trucks door and I start to freak out! Then the guy comes out and gets in his truck. The first thing I notice is he's a fox! So I go up to his window and nicely ask him why he wasn't more careful about parking his truck. He smiles an awesome smile that makes me melt and tells me to; "Fuck off!" Taken aback, I tell him I still want his insurance information and added that he was an ass and to fuck off himself. As I started to get back into my car I see him start his humongous gas guzzling, 4 wheel drive, truck and pull out of the spot; still not giving me his insurance information. I scream; "You can't leave, it's your fault and I need your insurance info to fix my car!" He looks at me and gives me a big smile revving his eight-cylinder truck engine. All of a sudden he drives his truck into the front of my car. Awestruck, I figure I just have to fix my front bumper and the dent so I ask him to stop this madness and please let us exchange insurance info. He revs his engine and hits my car on the side. I am getting really mad but no one is around to help. I frantically try to dial 911 but my cell phone won't work. As I'm doing this he is still smiling that damn smile like he thinks he's Fabio or something and drives over my car as he continues destroying it. I stand in front of my car pleading with him to stop but I can tell he isn't going to and I get out of the way at the last minute. He almost hits me! This just makes him start laughing as if he's enjoying it. All of a sudden his truck is a convertible and I throw myself on him, hugging him and begging him to stop. Of course he throws me off and continues until my car is nothing but a blue pile of metal trash. So I beg him again to exchange insurance info so I can get my car fixed. He was covered but he just grins, then gives me the finger and takes off in his truck. I can see as he's leaving that only his front bumper is messed up. I try 911 again but my cell phone is useless. By then I am getting so upset I'm feeling crazy. Even though my cell never worked the police show up. I am now so upset that I'm screaming at the police about the guy and I can tell they just think I'm crazy and of course he is nowhere to be found. They don't believe me and as I turn around there’s my car with nothing wrong with it. I get handcuffed and taken to jail. By then I am totally angry at the police, spitting at them and flipping out. They end up putting me in one of those bad behavior chairs with a spit guard on my head. I am trying my best to make them believe me but they won't so I have a total meltdown. They don't believe there was another person and it just makes things worse! My court date comes up and the guy shows up with his girlfriend in tow and of course he and his girlfriend (who wasn't even there) say I'm crazy and did it all myself because I wanted to go out with him and he turned me down. I am so angry I get taken out in restraints while I watch the guy and his girlfriend smiling at each other and laughing. They start making out in the courtroom as the judge states I'm to be put into a mental hospital and treated until I come to terms with reality. I can't believe this is happening and all I have in my head is the mental image of my car flattened into a blue metal mess and that couple making out. I scream at the judge on the way out. When I get to the mental hospital I really get violent and bang my head on the wall. They give me a knock out shot. When I wake up I'm in the mental hospital in a straight jacket. The male nurse takes me in to see the psychiatrist and he asks me why I think I'm in there. When I tell him the truth he says I'm delusional and I'm put on a suicide watch and force-fed heavy duty med's. I fight against them and get put in a straight jacket and thrown into a padded room. I am so upset because no one will believe my side of the story and I've lost my wonderful car on top of it all! When they let me free I throw feces and spit on the doctors and nurses. I also abuse my time with the doctor and it doesn't make things any better for me. The guy and his girlfriend visit me at the hospital making like they're sorry that I have to be in there but they just have sex in front of me and laugh at how clever they are. After their visit, I try to escape and get caught. I am so sedated I have trouble following things. As a last resort, they schedule me for shock treatment. I feel the coldness of the conducting gel as they apply it. It feels nice. As they are strapping me in for the shock treatment I burst open with the frustration, the fear, and anger. But everything is so blurry. Then I woke up because I was talking in my sleep and heard myself calling out.

Lol! What a dream huh? Almost textbook in so many ways. Also, it's an extremely personal dream showing me many paths. Like I said earlier Freud would have had a hay day with this one, as I can see some of his ideas in my twisted dream.

When I told my roommate that morning he actually went outside and checked my car. Of course, it was still there with no damage! It still made me laugh that he did that but he has had dreams like that and it must have touched a nerve in his psyche.

I wouldn't want to lose my beloved Miata, I own it and enjoy driving it so much. All I can say is thank God it was a dream! Glad I woke up too! The weirdest thing of all is when I woke up, my temples had some kind of gel on them......

Have a good Sunday my friends and I hope you have some great plans for tomorrow!

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Ten Worst Places To Live In America

Times are tough right now and everyone is feeling the pinch. The housing market is still weak and families that can't afford a home are stuck living in one bedroom apartments if they're even that fortunate. Unemployment remains high and the amount of people who have never owned a home keeps rising. Dabbling in the stock market is not for the weak of heart and most people are using their meager earnings just to put food on the table. You don't need the U.S. *Misery Index to tell you that things are bad in the U.S. with some very real indicators that we are heading toward a double-dip recession. But you can thank your lucky stars because things could be worse if you live in one of these 10 cities, which face the highest unemployment in the country, corrupt money grabbing city officials and sky-high foreclosure rates. Although this is an unofficial list of the 10 worst cities to live in, you will see why these cities were picked as you read on.

1. El Centro, California-Population: 41,241

Lose your job in El Centro and it may be quite some time before you find another one. One in four people here are out of work and the city holds the not-so-distinguished honor of having the highest unemployment rate --27.5%-- in the country (close behind is Yuma, ., with 27.2% unemployment). The desert city, which is located in Imperial County just across the border from Mexicali, has a jobless rate triple the national average of 9.5% thanks to the seasonal fluctuations of field laborers. Fieldwork is the county's third-largest employment sector after government, transportation, and utilities. "Its location across the border from a much larger Mexican city means that there is a large floating labor force," Jim Gerber, an economics professor and director of the international business program at San Diego State University, told AOL News. "The data for Imperial County is skewed by this, such that the layoffs and out-of-work laborers are not actually counted correctly." Even with the ebb and flow of its working population, things are still pretty bleak in El Centro. Last year, the city's cemetery went into foreclosure.

2. Cleveland, Ohio-Population: 431,363

LeBron James isn't the only person leaving Cleveland. The U.S. Census estimated that 2,658 people left the city in 2009, the largest numerical drop among America's major cities. Forbes also put Cleveland atop its list of most miserable U.S. cities, factoring in its high unemployment (although at 9.1% it's below the national average), high taxes, lousy weather, political corruption and lousy sports teams -- and that was before LeBron decided to leave. Weather is a big factor. Located on the south shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland gets hit by lake-effect snow, averaging almost 60 inches of the stuff every winter. Its frigid winters help produce an average annual temperature of only 50 degrees, 10 degrees below the average of the 50 cities measured by Forbes. Nicknamed the "Mistake by the Lake," Cleveland ranked near the bottom when looking at corruption on the Forbes list. "Northern Ohio has seen 309 public officials convicted of crimes over the past 10 years," according to the Forbes story, which cites data from the Justice Department. "A current FBI investigation of public officials in Cuyahoga County (where Cleveland is located) has ensnared more than two dozen government employees and businessmen on charges including bribery, fraud and tax evasion." Cleveland also ranks in the top third of all metro areas for foreclosure rates. The city has thousands of abandoned homes, in part because it provided down payments through the federally-funded Afford-a-Home program to many people who could not afford their mortgage payments.

3. Detroit, Michigan-Population: 871,121

Detroit is America's most dangerous city, with 1,220 violent crimes per 100,000 people, according to violent crime statistics from the FBI's latest uniform crime report, issued in 2008. Its heavy reliance on the stumbling auto industry hasn't helped matters much. Motown also boasts high foreclosure and unemployment rates. As a result home prices have nosedived. Just last year you could buy a home in Detroit for $10,000. Foreclosures in metro Detroit were up 35% in the first six months of this year, compared to the same time in 2009. Vacant homes and blight are so bad that the city recently imposed a new ordinance requiring banks and homeowners to register their property with the city for a $25 annual fee. Even the city's office vacancy rate is high, with a 30% rate that leads the nation. While Forbes names the Detroit metro area (which has a 13.7% unemployment rate) as one of the worst spots to find employment, job growth is expected to rebound as the auto industry starts to recover. Finally, some good news for the people of Detroit.....if anyone is left.

4. Las Vegas, Nevada-Population: 552,539

Las Vegas was one of the hardest hit cities when the housing bubble burst. In fact, the metro area was at the epicenter of the mess, with the highest foreclosure rate in the country in 2009, according to a report by RealtyTrac. So many homes are empty that some neighborhoods either have no one around or one lone resident. That doesn't make for much of a neighborhood block party. Nationwide, 2.21% of housing units received a foreclosure filing in 2009, compared to 12% in Las Vegas. Those who have hung onto their homes are likely underwater on their mortgages; meaning their mortgages are worth more than their homes. During the first quarter of 2010, home prices in Las Vegas continued to fall. Prices in the metro area have fallen more than 50% from their peak in August 2006.

5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-Population: 560,332

Oklahoma City is the unhealthiest city in the country, as measured by the American College of Sports Medicine's annual fitness index. The index looks at 30 fitness indicators, including obesity and exercise rates, the death rate from cardiovascular disease, acres of parkland, number of primary care physicians per capita and percentage of residents who bicycle or walk to work. The index compares the 50 largest metro areas on a 100-point scale; Oklahoma City received a score of 24.3, making it the most sluggish city in the U.S. The obesity rate is 30.2%, four points above average. It has an exercise rate of 71% and has half as many baseball diamonds, recreation centers, and dog parks in most cities. Detroit and Las Vegas also performed poorly on the fitness index.

6. Los Angeles, California-Population: 3,849,378

If you don't really care about breathing, Los Angeles is a great place. The metro area that stretches from Long Beach to Riverside has the worst ozone pollution in the country, according to the American Lung Association's State of the Air report for 2010. Along with being tops in ozone pollution, L.A. is ranked third in year-round particle pollution, and fourth in short-term particle pollution. Ozone is the byproduct of pollutants released by cars, chemical plants, refineries, and other sources. It exists naturally in the upper atmosphere of the Earth, but when emitted at ground level, it's considered a harmful outdoor pollutant. Inhaling ozone can cause wheezing, coughing, chest pain, throat irritation, congestion, and can make people more susceptible to respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Think about that next time you drive in Los Angeles, which also lays claim the worst traffic in the country.

7. Phoenix, Arizona-Population: 1,512,986

If Arizona's tough immigration laws get through the courts, Phoenix is going to be a much more difficult place for immigrants (or really anyone of Latino origin) to live in. The law would allow police officers to ask people for proof of their legal status when stopping them for another violation. Charges of racial profiling and discrimination can quickly turn a city into one of the worst places to live and it's already sparking huge protests and impacting Arizona's already-fragile economy. Beyond the controversial immigration measure, Arizona's housing market still remains a mess. According to RealtyTrac's latest foreclosure report, Phoenix and its surrounding area remain among the top 10 worst metro markets when it comes to foreclosures. However, in May, foreclosure activity in the city was down 9% from May 2009, offering a tiny sliver of hope. Phoenix also ranks poorly among metro areas in per capita income growth. Between 2007 and 2008, the city's income growth shrank 1.4%, the nation's worst one-year loss. And let's not forget about being able to breathe in Phoenix. For year-round particle pollution from freeways, power plants and other sources, Phoenix is the worst city in the country.

8. Newark, New Jersey-Population: 281,402

Where to start for one of the worst cities in America? Newark has been likened to Detroit, but with its own political and social dysfunction. More than a quarter of its population lives below the poverty line, the state has the most Superfund toxic-waste sites in the nation, and Newark Mayor Cory Booker is trying to close a $70 million budget deficit by cutting items like toilet paper. Non-uniformed city workers will soon start working four-day workweeks, which won't make it the first city to cut employee hours, but at least Booker has said he won't raise taxes. Booker has brought the city a long way since being elected in 2007, but he still has a long way to go. While crime in the city has been reduced, it still remains a major issue. A recent spate of shootings has reminded residents of the city's long history of violent crime.

9. Miami, Florida-Population: 362,470

Detroit is listed by Children's Health magazine as being the worst place to raise a family, but right behind it is Miami. If a city isn't a good place to raise a family, that likely means its also a terrible place to live. Factors the magazine used to come to its conclusions, included crime and safety, education, economics, housing, cultural attractions, and health. According to RealtyTrac, Miami has seen close to 40,000 foreclosures, making it one of the most active markets when it comes to people abandoning their homes. Crime is also a problem. Neighborhood Scout reports that Miami has one of the highest crime rates in the country, with a one in twelve chance that a resident will become a victim of a property or violent crime. Making things even worse, the city not only has some of the worst drivers in the country, but it also has some of the worst commuting times.

10. Memphis, Tennessee-Population: 670,100

Memphis has one of the worst violent crime rates in the country and was ranked third by Forbes in its list of miserable cities for corruption by city officials. According to stats released by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the city had the second-worst rate of violent crime. NeighborhoodScout, which tracks crime and other factors in various cities and neighborhoods said "One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 10. Within Tennessee, more than 90% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Memphis." As for political corruption, reportedly nearly one public official per month over the last decade has been charged with public corruption. Recently, a former city administrator used a city account that was supposed to be for auto parts to buy big screen televisions.

No matter where you live or what your job is (if you're lucky enough to have either,) it's not exactly a picnic these days is it? My roommate who works for Sony in Foster City, California told me his Boss owns a home and from outward appearances looks like his family has an upscale lifestyle. Yet just the other day his boss confided to him that he is now going without cable TV or an Internet connection in an attempt to make ends meet.

No Internet? I'd rather be homeless! Tee hee! All kidding aside though, it has gotten to the point where you can't go to any city in America and not see an increase of these types of problems. Unfortunately, the people who were voted into public office by us to deal with these issues are more interested in voting themselves pay raises and job security rather than tackling the problems we all must face if we are ever to get a handle on this. If you do happen to live in one of the 10 cities mentioned I'd love to hear your comments on living there and what you think your situation is like.

* The misery index was initiated by economist Arthur Okun, an adviser to President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960's. It is simply the unemployment rate added to the inflation rate. It is assumed that both a higher rate of unemployment and a worsening of inflation both create economic and social costs for a country. A combination of rising inflation and more people out of work implies a deterioration in economic performance and a rise in the misery index.

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