Some things on my mind lately ...

� What is the deal with the gas prices? One station I pass on the way into work has consistently been one of the cheapest around, so I will usually stop there when I need to fill up. I've been paying $1.39 to $1.50 per gallon for regular unleaded for months now, but each pass this week has seen an increase in the price � $1.63, $1.72, $1.79. I know it's been reported on CNN and other places about how prices are skyrocketing, and I imagine it's due to some shortage somewhere.

� Do I not drink enough? I mean, I've had nights to rival those which are documented on the site, but not nearly as regularly, and certainly not as regularly recently. Am I missing -- GASP! Have I missed already? -- my roaring 20s? Is this going to be something I feel leaves a gaping hole in my life when I look back, like my experience wasn't as fulfilling as it could have been? Like my college experience wasn't what it should've been because I didn't hook up with 30 different people a semester?

� Do I take two running backs with my first two picks (ninth out of ten teams) in Monday's fantasy football draft? With the "snake" style draft (first round is 1-10, second round goes from 10-1) I'll have two out of four picks at the end of the first and beginning of the second round, but then watch 16 more players go off the board before my third pick arrives. I think it will depend on which running backs remain by the time that second pick comes up.

� I'm glad someone in Alabama follows the law. I haven't been following the Ten Commandments monument saga that closely, but with all the news coverage lately, I did brush up on it. While I don't hold any strong religious beliefs, I was raised a Methodist and I did attend a Catholic university. I know what it means to millions of people.

Yet there's this document called the Constitution, which is meant to be the basic set of laws upon which this country is founded and based. Of course, it's not perfect, and the Founders understood that, so they added to it in something called the Bill of Rights, which proved to be the precursor to several more additions and, as they're called, amendments. Anyway, I'd hazard a guess and say that 200+ years ago, when our whole government and country was established, the percentage of adults who felt strongly about religion was much higher than it is today. (For my argument, "adults" refers to people who were allowed to own land and vote, etc.; that means only white men in the 1770s and most people 18 years and older today.) So back then, they decided that there had to be separation of church and state -- that is, matters of religion and politics shouldn't mix, certainly not in any official capacity. Granted, there likely hasn't been a president in the sound byte era who hasn't uttered "God Bless America," but that's pretty general. It's also the president's right, as a citizen, to free speech.

But the monument to the Ten Commandments on display in a government building is a concrete (or marble, in this case) example of church and state colliding in ways it shouldn't, according to the Constitution. Chief Justice Roy Moore, who installed the monument two years ago, defended it by claiming it was his right to free speech to erect such a display. And it is -- if he displays it on his lawn or maybe in his office. But when you put it in a government building's common area, in a place paid for and maintained by the state's taxpayers, that's not an individual's free speech. Heck, it's not really speech. (And check out the irony, as pointed out by Wendingo: the people defending the monument are praying over it, worshiping it, even. Worshiping a graven image. Violating Commandment No. 4, I believe.)

As chief justice, Roy Moore's responsibility is upholding the law, which he clearly wasn't doing before he was suspended and the monument removed today. Furthermore, the reason separation of church and state is so important today is because of the variety of religions practiced by people in this country and the freedom of those who choose not to worship. It's an individual choice to be made by each person, not one that can be decided -- or appear to be decided -- by a government, state or national.

� I'm sure I've had more on my mind, but that's been the gist of it. I also really need to update my checkbook; there are a pile of receipts on my desk, plus a bank statement from 10 days ago. And I've been trying to come up with gift ideas for my birthday next week, since my mother and sister apparently can't draw on nearly 27 and 25 years, respectively, of knowing me and figure out what I might like. Maybe because they haven't lived with me in a while.