... Who Would Haunt Your Dreams?
Your parents? Your spouse and children? Your best friend? Freddy Kreuger?

Well, I'm sure they would. But that's not what I'm talking about here.

Urge? She's got the uuuuuuurge for herbal!
I recently felt the urge to reread Stephen King's The Stand. It probably had something to do with the Sci Fi Channel's latest showing of the made-for-TV mini-series. I love that mini-series. I mean, finally, someone recognized that they could accomplish what the 80's failed to do: put Rob Lowe and Molly Ringwald on the screen together. But, as good as the mini-series is, it's not the book, so I had to go back to the unabridged version and sink myself back into the world of The Stand.

Halfway through, I started thinking. If I survived Captain Tripps, where would I end up? In Boulder with Mother Abigail, or in Las Vegas with Randall Flagg?

Never underestimate the power of the dark side.
I would like to think that I am a good person at heart and that in my dreams, Mother Abigail would be welcoming me with open arms from the porch of her house. Randall Flagg would be that dark, evil man scaring the hell out of me at night. Isn't that the basic hope of everyone?

But... the power of the dark side is strong and compelling. I am a good person, but I am by no means a saint. Even good people get coerced and drawn to the dark side. They don't see the evilness of it all until its too late. I don't know if I have the power inside of me to be stronger than Anakin Skywalker and never cross over to the dark side.

Plus, I mean, come on! Vegas! Boulder's nice and all, but I don't know how to ski.

Survey Says...
By the end of the book, I came to a final conclusion. Flagg wouldn't want me. Not because I reek of goodness, puppy dogs and flowers, but because in a world with no technology, I'm useless. I have no technical skills. If I woke up in a world without technology, I'd be lost. How would I dry my hair? How would anyone read this article? And let's look at one final issue: without a plane, how the hell would I make it all the way to Vegas from the East Coast? There are mountains and stuff in the middle of the country! I'd be lucky just to get to Boulder!

So when Captain Tripps comes, look me up in Boulder. I'll save you a place in my house and my heart if you know how to cook...