Getting this thing going....dying for decent cloves

sooo...Ummmm, is this thing on?
Heck, what do I care.

I really don't have the patience to start this thing out with a background story...or cute little tidbits about myself. Gonna skip all that and get to the nitty gritty...if I may be so cliche.

So-first item up for bid...

The Clove Saga

At first I thought I was all alone in my plight, to duplicate the only vice that could subdue the savage and irrational beast for a few minutes. Little by little, as some of us have come to discover, the US Ban on Kreteks is not some awful Orwellian nightmare - it's real.

And it SUCKS.

But you know what, I am not going to sit here and spew any more of the crap you can read elsewhere. Don't kid yourselves, it's all pretty mild compared to how I feel anyway. Truth is, I don't want to waste time rationalizing about irrational shit like politics. Being right about something doesn't do much good if you don't have the power to do anything about it. So let's look at it from a different view point for just a minute, if you will oblige. (I will assume that you do.)

I want to thank the US Government for returning to its Monarchal (<-is that a word?) roots. It is only fitting that an Elite few should decide the fate/freedoms/rights of those of us that are unable to think for ourselves...(wait-did that come out right? umm-yeah, let's go with it and see where it takes us.) I mean...$8-$10 a pack????? WTF...is there opium mixed in there? Obviously, I was certainly not thinking clearly. COULD NOT think clearly...
Why would anyone in their right mind pay such an outrageous amount for something proven to be so morally wrong? But I have finally been FREED!!!(I hope)

The bereavement process started like any other...first denial. Then anger. Then hopelessness. then ANGER. Confusion. Jonesing. MORE ANGER. RAGE.
Hording...all that I could get my hands on. Then shifting to the lesser quality stocks- when the hordes had been used up too quickly. Shop after shop - searching. Succombing to the GOUGING....(thanks for that)...and actually thanking the shops for the opportunity to pay out my arse for something so crappy. Hitting rock bottom - I spent entire weekend days perusing the city and shady areas of town, looking for the Entrepreneur who had the foresight to snatch them all up and create a profitable Black Market for the coveted clove cigarette. I tried talking to the shop keepers...letting them know I would pay top dollar...and keep everything hush hush. I have smoked every god-forsaken brand that has called itself a kretek (and there are some baddies!) in the last 3 weeks. I am in the abyss...

Then Clarity...(with a twinge of anger)...and now a subtle Peace (yes...with overtones of anger to be sure.)

If I can't buy them...I will make them!!!!!!