"Lock the doors and close the blinds -- we're going for a ride..."

Well, folks -- I've officially paid my highest price for self-serve, regular unleaded gas ever. I had paid $1.94/gallon back in 1991 when driving through Connecticut. But I just got back from my lunch break, where I paid a whopping $1.98 per gallon.

I know that some of you reading this out there have already broken the deuce mark when it comes to gas. (And for those of you purchasing petrol outside of the 50 states -- I know that it costs far more there.) But this is simply a new record for me -- one which will be broken pretty soon when the prices continue to spiral upward.

I only wish I lived closer to my job. A 67-mile round trip is hurting me where it counts. And I'm driving a compact coupe to work, not a gas guzzling Hummer. Public transportation is not a cost or time-effective option, especially since I pick up Av from day care after work. Cost of living increase at work? Ha -- I wish...

So, in the meantime, I continue to shell out at Shell.

Are gas prices really going to plateau? I highly doubt it. My prediction is that the price of oil will top $51 a barrel by the end of February 2005. I know that's a long ways away, but we're going to keep seeing these prices. And you know what? We won't even be as shocked as we are now when we see the prices!

Why this complacency? Because, chances are, we're going to elect Bush again, sadly. I can definitely see him manipulating the American people enough to win even the popular vote. And Ohio, although it will be close.  Let's just assume that Kerry will choose John Edwards as his running mate. Although they'll clean up at the debates, they'll still lose.

And then, while we're paying out our asses at the pump, Bush will probably make the American people spend gobs of money on security for his inauguration. That'll be fun.

I just wish I didn't have this uncanny knack of predicting the future so accurately...