"Gotta Beat that Competition!" or How and When to Choose Sides

Or so says the Cyclops in "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?", but I've never considered myself to be a competitive person. Somehow that word conjures up self-important jocks and unpleaseable parents who attempt to live vicariously through their over-wrought children.

No, I prefer the word "sporting." It's a nicer adjective in my view and one that I would not mind self-applying. I want to win every board game or card game I play. I want to complete all the crossword puzzles I start. I push myself when I exercise. To put it plainly, I do not like to appear weak to others. (This is a childhood-inspired problem with me, but that's another story.)

So what exactly then constitutes a "healthy competition?" Having two coffee shops in a small town from which to choose? Sure. Two teams showcasing their acquired game skills? Absolutely. But two political parties playing fast and loose with the economy because they only recall what it feels like when they win and not when we lose? NEVER!

And that's what they're doing right now. The Reclubfreakons are noshing on pizza in Boehner's office, trying to figure out how to get enough votes from the Tea Party loons to get their bill passed and over to the Senate where it doesn't stand a chance to do anything apart from waste our time. The Dems are doing their share of posturing as well, and the gamesmanship of leading from behind is getting tiring. Can we just go to the damned 14th Amendment already??

Hey, it's going to be a long, stupid weekend here in downtown America, so how's about we do something a little more fun to pass the time. Just a little mental exercise in choosing sides in a more affable manner, lest we forget how it's done.

Would you rather...

Woodward or Bernstein
Pepsi or Coke
Cat or Dog
Ranch or Italian
White or Wheat
Coffee or Tea
Table or Booth
Belt or Suspenders
Carnivore or Herbivore
Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel
Soup or Salad
Boxers or Briefs
Tucked or Untucked (can apply to both shirts and sheets)
Gold or Silver
Aisle or Window
Sweet or Salty
Flour tortilla or Wheat tortilla
Ice cream cone or Ice cream cup
AFC or NFC
American League or National League
Comedy or Drama
Stoneware or China
Manual or Automatic
Zipper or Button-fly

Late word is they are working on a compromise between the Boehner and Reid plans with some sort of trigger mechanism built-in for (presumably) debt ceiling increases. Maybe we'll hear something soon. Until then, can you believe the Repub Congressman from Tealand who wants to introduce a bill to lower the debt ceiling?! Hey mister, could you please return that tax refund we sent you back in the Spring????

In the words of Travis T. Hipp: "Sometimes I wonder, other times I'm sure."