So my Monkey started 8th grade today. How did I get so old as to have an 8th grader? And tonight I do feel old! I've done my obligatory Mom homework. I will be assaulted with it all week. Who is my child? How can this teacher help me help him? Jesus! I can't figure out how to help myself!!! Grrrr...I'm gonna have Jamie fill it all out for me. She's a teacher, she can appease them!

The thought this year is NEW YEAR, NEW ATTITUDE. So far I think the only attitude Jack and I have got down is CRANKY...Maybe a lil more sleep for tomorrow's adventure in this thing called life?

I checked the backpack, I did the DO IT OVER! rant that come with a teenage boy and a whole mess of "I don't care" that come with that same boy...We'll make it thru...the 1st week at least.

I am off to contemplate the inner rims off my eyelids at greater detail...since falling asleep at the desk would be bad!!!...

I am pretty much as anti-social as I have ever been but other than that...all is pretty much the same.

...I am BACK! I finally got a new computer that doesn't suck! And I got a new big monitor that makes it difficult to stop looking at pictures of cute boys and NASCAR videos and stuff...I gotta go look at it now...

Yes it is true, I haven't been updating here. My computer is DEAD...I am only able to post this thanks to my good friend and her dad who gave me his old computer until I can get a new one...which at this point leans toward the day after Thanksgiving at the Walmart Super Sale...but only if the computer is $20 or so...So if I am slow in posting or replying, it's not cause I don't care. It's cause I SUCK and so does my computer!

Poor Martin Truex Jr.! I'm sure (according to Stremme) that the giant wreck at the end of today's race was his fault. If Kvapil would've been a ft. further to the right...well, I think Marin would've been more than just sore for the rest of this week!!! Hope it's not too bad Martin!

Here are my impressions of the race. You don't have to agree with them. Wanna know why? It's MY opinion. You can't even tell me I am wrong. Wanna know why? Again, MY opinion so I can't be wrong! I LOVE THAT!!!

1) Harvick is racing WAY too hard too early! When he attempted to thread the needle between his own teammate(Burton) and Denny Hamlin, he's lucky no one wrecked. If he doesn't have the pleasure of a chat Helton and the gang, I will not only be surprised, but disappointed.

2) Kyle Busch deserves the finish he got. He continues to make rookie-like mistakes that only made Denny Hamlin look that much better in his rookie season.

3) Jimmie Johnson voiced his own fate in pre-race interviews. "I said you can't win the championship here in New Hampshire, but you can lose it today," he said. He's either out of it or he'll win the next 9 races. Hard to say. But I think the Devil is starting to realize Johnson's soul isn't worth it...

4) Ryan Newman moves steadily closer to the top of my "What an ASSHOLE" list. Can someone PLEASE tell him that he didn't make the Chase? Can someone then remind him that he's not in contention for 11th? Maybe it's the girth of his so called "neck" that makes it impossible for him to see faster cars when they drive up. Or maybe he just hates Dale Jr for the "8" shaved into the back of his head.

5) Denny Hamlin worries me. He is much too calm and collected to be a rookie. He will either loose his nerve and falter, or give everyone a real run for their money. I'm gonna like him a lot better if he finished behind my driver. ON A SERIOUS NOTE: Worse things could happen than Denny Hamlin winning the Chase and I am sure he would do a great job representing my favorite sport for the next year.

6) Kasey Kahne. Great showing for his 1st date with the Chase. He has a nervous personality that in past years would've collected the rest of him and put him into the wall.(Don't roll your eyes, you KNOW it's true!) I am proud of him for staying calm when he was "really upset" and for bringing his car back from being 2 laps down to a respectable 16th. Good job Twinkie!

7) Cranky old man Mark Martin is a thorn in my side! I am NOT of the opinion that just because he never has, he should. If he earns it, then let him hoist the Cup. I think, however, that crotchety will will the game and he will be forced to pretend he is retiring again next season.

8) Tony Stewart, Can I get a WOOT WOOT!!! I am so proud of him for not giving up. I know he doesn't think he has it in him, but anyone who saw his pre-qual interview knows it was hovering. Way to go to almost catch Harvick! I see at LEAST one win in this "post season" for him. Still the reigning champion!

9) Jeff Gordon could you be more of a selfish asshole?!?!?! I cannot believe that he continues to berate his own teammates for not bowing down to get out of his way every time he's racing for position. I can't believe he would want to cheapen the Championship by insisting his teammates get out of his way so that he can win. Brian Vickers had the better car, Jeff! Quit your fucking whining!!!

10) Jeff Burton...almost forgot him...think that says a lot. Sorry Burton. I know that you led a lot of this race you may even have finished in the top 10. Sad that I will have to go check. Guess it was "smart racing" but it was boring none the less.

11) Matt Kenseth is a lucky driver...or a damned good driver. Since I know that Dale Jr. raced 80+ laps at Richmond last week with no rear brakes, I wanna be biased and say Kenseth's problem was more mental than physical. But then again, I wanna say it was skill that kept Kenseth in front of Dale Jr. today. I'll have to call it a draw and see how he does in the next few races. I defer my opinion to a later date...

12) Dale Jr. will be (cause he told Tony Jr. he wants to be) the "fastest mother fucker out there" at Dover next week. He did a great job of regrouping post-race after crappy adjustments took him from a top 5 to a top 15 car. I can't blame the crew 100% since it's a team effort and Dale Jr. said it himself, "You get what you come here with." Started off with a car that wouldn't turn worth a damn and they ended the race the same way. It's frustrating though cause they had a much better car than that. Let's hope the "Brew Crew" gets him what he wants at Dover next week cause a fast Dale Jr.is a scary thing...for the other Chasers especially!!!