Oktoberfest now Rhythm and Ribs...FU Economy

I'm going to apologize for this in advance 'cause it's been a shitty day and that's going to come out in this post.

So some of you may recall my first blog about the cancellation of Oktoberfest. No I am not happy about it...still. And today, the news got worse. You may remember that funding for the traditional fest was pulled in favor of supporting Rhythm and Ribs, which I was totally fine with. Well not totally but you get the idea.

Apparently, as reported today by the KC Star, declining sponsorship money has forced the cancellation of this festival as well. WTF? Not only do I have to miss one of my favorite events, but now I don't get a chance to support it's replacement. Maybe its' selfish, maybe it's me being bitter, but this blows.

What we really need is something we can rally around as a community. All we hear about is who cut jobs, or things getting canceled due to lack of funding. Somebody step up and give our city some good news for a change. Fuck.

How Steve the DUI lawn mower made an appearance at Easter

So I'm not one to wax on about my family because I know most of you could probably care less. But something really interesting to me happened this past weekend at our family's Easter dinner.

I'll preface by saying that when I think of family meals, at least with my family, I think about food and overdue conversation. Holidays give us the chance to catch up with each other outside of the day-to-day grind. But this was different.

We'd just finished eating our meal when my aunt asks me if I've seen Steve the DUI lawn mower guy. It's important to note that this is the same aunt that does not own a cell phone or a computer. I had no idea what she was talking about but admit I was intrigued. So my cousin pulled up the video on my sister's computer to show us what they were talking about.

It's not that the video was that funny. Clearly it's a comedian putting on a skit and posting it online. It's the fact that instead of sitting around the table discussing the recent happenings of our lives, we were sitting around a laptop and asking each other if we caught the scene of Steve trying to pee while the cop was trying to arrest him. I'll admit, I thought it was pretty cool.

Clearly things are changing and I'm definitely not opposed to it. Laptops have replaced the dinner table for families to gather around and "catch up." Technology is going to keep changing...I'm glad my family is beginning to embrace it instead of fearing change.

Home Buying...yikes.

So I'm finding myself stuck in a whirlwind of what some (myself included) consider the perfect storm for buying a new home. With mortgage prices falling at a rapid pace and fixed APR's nearing lowest levels on record, I can't help but daydream about owning my own home. Oh yeah, throw in the $8,000 credit that the Obama administration's stimulus plan is offering for first-time home buyers.

Honestly, a year ago, I would have never thought I was ready to purchase anything of this magnitude. I was scraping by, a year into my first job, hoping I was doing well enough to stick around and make my next rent check.

Now I find myself searching Trulia every day hoping that "perfect" house jumps up and bites me in the ass. I'm not under some illusion that the financial burden of a purchased home won't be difficult. I know that even though I'll only be paying a couple hundred bucks more than I am now, things are bound to go wrong. Yes there'll be updates that need to be made. Yes there will always be a project to be done, or something to be replaced. But I know I'll be kicking myself if I don't take advantage of this while I can.

I'm 25, in a great relationship, and still have a job. I'm really feeling that it's time to make that first big step into adulthood and "become a man." Though right now I feel more like a little kid trying to grow up as fast as possible. Ahh, the irony.