:: Always the Freak ::

:: Monday, November 13, 2006 ::

Go Jimmie... Go!

In case anyone out there does NOT know this. There is only one race left of this year's Nascar season. Jimmie Johnson is in 1st place in points with a 63 point lead. Apparently as long as he comes in 12th or better at Homestead, Miami next Sunday, he will finally get his championship. He could come in furhter back and still win it, but it would depend on what the other chasers do, too. But even if Matt Kenseth wins the race, 12th place would still clinch the championship for Jimmie. Do you know how excited, stressed, nervous, freaking out I am!?!? I know, I know. It's like this every year. We're always THAT close, but I think this might be the closest. Now we just have to all pray that no one takes him out like last year. Please.... it's our turn!

:: Jenn 5:16 PM [+]

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CONCERT WEEKEND

I saw Motley Crue and Aerosmith twice this week. ONce with overpriced ticekts and pretty decent seats down in Chula Vista and once for free on the lawn up in San Bernardino. The best part was that we were really late on Thursday ngith in San Diego, so I missed the first two Motley Crue songs... that's a bummer because I was there to see Motley Crue, not so much Aerosmith. We didn't get the chance to tailgate and drink beer in the parking lot first - just ran right in. Saturday, I had shitty tickets, but I got there really early and spent a few hours with my friends drinking and eating and just having a really good time. I figure it like this: between the two I had one great conert experience! Haha

So, the bummer is while I'm at the show, I'm telling Mr. San Diego, "there's someting wrong with Vince's mic". He says, "I don't think it's the mic". I listen some more and realize that he's right. The show was fantastic, but Vince Neil's voice was sort of sucking. I don't know if he was sick or if he's just getting old, but whatever it is, his voice wasn't so hot and he did a lot of the having the fans sing, which is okay in small doses, but I want to hear the band! The stage show, however, was AMAZING - the whole pyrotechnic thing going on there.

Aerosmith was good, but they played a short set and some weird songs, though. Not much of stage show. It was alright, but as far as the show goes, The Mot blew them away. For singing, no question - Steven Tyler still has it. I just wish they sang some songs like Jaded or I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing, etc. Ah well.

:: Jenn 7:12 PM [+]

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Blog-o-rama

When I'm not actually logged onto the Internet, I think of the many things I want to blog about. But once I log in, my brain sort of goes blank. But, here I am tonight hanging out with myself. WEIRD. Mr. San Diego has flown the coop for a weekend with the "guys". He's on his way to Phoenix to spend Saturday with a friend and Sunday at the Cowboys game. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time ever that I've been the one to stay home on a weekend while he was off having fun. There was one night that he went to a bachelor party and didn't get home until the AM, but never for TWO nights. Plus, he probably won't be home before I'm in bed on Sunday. NO big deal, but just weird.

So I'm hanging out on the computer and watching the tube. Anyone else watching Dexter on Showtime? Pretty creepy, but I like it... I guess I'm sorta creepy? heh Not so bad getting to pick what movie to watch and eat ice cream for dinner!

One last thing - GO JIMMIE!!!!!!!!!!! How cool is it that Jimmie is first in points right now with two races to go? Of course, us Jimmie fans go through this every November, but at least I have hope! EVERYONE CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!!

:: Jenn 6:13 PM [+]

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While I've found them here and there, it is a rare book that can truly get me to reconsider my beliefs. The Innocent Man by John Grisham was one of those books. I do believe in the death penalty. That has not wavered in the aftermath of reading this book, but what has wavered is the idea that our judicial system is fair and just and carried out by professionals who are committed to finding the truth.

Did I really believe this? Yes.

What I learned from The Innocent Man was that I am naïve and that there are people in the world: policemen, prosecutors, "expert" witnesses, etc who would rather slant their findings to what they personally believe, than spend their time searching for the truth with evidence to back it up. This is what The Innocent Man is about.

Ron Williamson grew up in small town Ada, Okalahoma. He dreamed of playing professional baseball, but even with talent, he only made it as far as the minors. He declined mentally, falling to alcohol and drugs and other bad behaviors. He toed the line of legal with some of his activities. The truth is that Ron Williamson was not a likeable guy or a "good guy", but he also was not a murderer. After the murder of a young woman in this small town occurred, the police department decided that Ron committed the murder and since they also decided it was likely done by two people, his only friend, Dennis Fritz, must have been in on it – guilt by association, not evidence, was all that was required.

The Innocent Man is a work of non-fiction. It is a factual account of the years between the murder of Debbie Carter and the point when Ron and Dennis are finally exonerated. There are some that will consider it dry and truthfully, there were parts of the book that were longer than I might have liked. But, Grisham was portraying a picture. In true Grisham style, he was giving us a picture of the lives of many people, not just Ron and Dennis. He showed us how the Ada law enforcement and prosecutors affected everyone in the town; from the grieving family of the dead woman to the grieving families of Ron and Dennis who had to struggle emotionally and financially to help their loved ones. The book discussed other innocents in the same city, county, or state who underwent the same unscrupulous treatment and were falsely sent to prison - some still in prison to this day. While these police officers and prosecution staff may have thought they were doing what was right, they were committing the most heinous miscarriage of justice. Ron Williamson was days away from execution when one judge finally took a look at the facts and realized that more investigation was needed. Underlying the whole story was the fact that Ron Williamson was also mentally ill. His mental illness was ignored repeatedly from the time he was arrested, and then tried, and throughout his years on death row.

This doesn't read like a John Grisham novel. There is little actual dialogue, but instead it is a narrative that spans the years and the lives of the people to whom this shocking injustice had lifelong consequences. Some people will like it, some will hate it, but everyone who reads this book should be sickened that our legal system, which we take for granted as being a good one, can so terribly go wrong. This could happen to anyone and it is terrifying that the controls put in place to keep an innocent person from getting convicted can be so blatantly ignored.

The high point of this book is the portrayal of what a true loving family is. Ron's sisters Annette and Renee supported Ron throughout his life and this ordeal. They sacrificed for him and did everything they could to help him and improve his quality of life.

I listened to this book on audio, read by Craig Wasson and the narration was very good. Mr. Wasson maintained a very even tone throughout the book and read it as it was written, which is as a narrative of facts, rather than a novel.

I highly recommend The Innocent Man to anyone, but go at it with the knowledge that you're not reading a John Grisham novel. Go at it with the knowledge that there is nothing happy about the story; even the good results can't be considered happy because of the horrible ordeals that the people endured. Finally, take away from it that our legal system is, in fact, not perfect and hopefully with stories like this being told, we can hope to see those who can make a difference, do so.

:: Jenn 9:21 PM [+]

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