"Y'have it?" he asks me. "Sorry John, I don't remember."

This past Tuesday Melissa and I went to see The Strokes. I really had no idea what I was getting into since, as anyone who knows us knows, Melissa is the music person. Looking back on it now I can safely say it was the best concert I have ever been to ... and I never want to go to another one like that again. Everything about the event seemed to define the concept of a rock concert. There were people moshing and crowd surfing. There were girls screaming and climbing up on stage. The lead singer even came out into the crowd a couple of times. The problem was, I didn't like being a part of that crowd. I never had a good view, got knocked around, and couldn't really leave the spot to get a drink or go to the bathroom. 24 hours later my ears were still ringing. As we were leaving I almost wanted to imitate the bouncer and check my ID. There is no way I am 26. 62 seems more likely.

Yesterday, during my first poker game with the iRichard, Taylor said something that has been bothering me all day. "I just want buying high-speed Internet access to be like using a vending machine." At the time, and on other occasions where he has said similar things, I agreed with him. It does seem like in a free-market economy buying a good or a service should be a straight forward and simple process, even efficient. Any call to your cable company or Internet provider or telephone service provider will show you otherwise. But hold on a second. You can call any of those people and get what you want, you just usually feel like you are paying too much for what you are getting, or you think you are getting screwed in some other way. Isn't that what is actually going on when you use a vending machine? I mean those peanut M&Ms cost a whole lot less in the grocery store, and probably even less if you buy them in bulk, and yet we still buy them from the vending machine. Maybe the hassle of shopping around for the best deal and fighting with the people on the phone is similar to the hassle of driving to the grocery store.