This is what a $28 haircut looks like

Ok, let me back up. I am going to my cousin's wedding this weekend. I needed a haircut, so I went to the one near the drug store as I was getting a prescription refill. It had the name Salon in the title, which should have been my first clue. As I walked in, there were no posted prices, which of course should have been the second clue. They asked me if I had an appointment. Clue #3. 

I said no, but they whisked me away anyway and ended up in the back chair with an older lady named Ann. She starts in with the clippers and some small talk, while I try to keep up. I look at the counter. There's a little vial, no more than a couple of ounces, laying on its side with its bottom facing me exposing the price tag. $16. Holy shit. Then it hits me. This haircut is going to cost me.

I get myself mentally prepared for the payout as Ann canvasses my head five times with various scissors, clippers and other implements. She tries to get me in the shampoo room. Not happening. 

I am actually relieved when the guy at the front only asks for $28, as all I could think of in the chair was John Edward's $400 pompadour and that Midtown Atlanta seems like the type of place where that might fly.

The kicker? It's a really good haircut. One of the best I've ever gotten. Once I'm back in the workforce, this might have to be an occasional luxury.

AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

Jonathan: The Complete Works 2002-08

In response to several writing sample requests I have received over my most recent job hunt, I have linked to nearly everything I have ever written on the website. Still lacking are most of my press releases that never made it online, a few works from Hawks.com, freelanced stories from the Cary News and all of 2003 from the Chautauquan Daily. But if you still can't tell if you like my writing after reviewing all the posted articles, you probably can't read.

Shaq posterization by former teammate?

Photo from Espn.com's lead story today.

First thoughts: Hey, isn't that Dwyane Wade dunking on Big Diesel, bloated from an inactive off-season in PHX and too many trips to Whataburger? He's really let himself go since the trade. And what the Hell is he doing playing for Greece? I can't believe I spent $14.99 on Shaq Diesel.

No, you say? That's actually Sofoklis Schortsanitis, whose nickname is Baby Shaq? Oh. I guess I should call the MBPD and get him reinstated. 

Googling all over myself

I submitted my website to google a few days ago, and I'm already #1 when you search my name in quotes. I'm still not 100 percent sure how SEO works, but I'm hoping to corner the market on my first and last name individually, and put Jonathan Karl out of business.

Why I love the AJC

Whoever is scanning the AP wire for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's international news desk should be commended for running this gem on the website Monday. Russian invasion of Georgia? Yawn. Worsening human rights crisis in Darfur? Bor-ing. US tourists hacked to death with a machete in Guatemala? Getting warmer...

Wait, a 700-pound man was forklifted to a lake in Northern Mexico Sunday, where he "snacked on fish and vegetables and joked with a local boat operator?" Now that's news!

New Business Cards

I would so hire me.

Jim Crow's Tavern

Joe Barry Carroll, a former NBA All-Star with the Hawks, filed a Federal lawsuit Wednesday because he and his friend were asked to leave the Tavern at Phipps  because they declined the staff's request to give up their seats at the bar to two women. It's the South—not that big of a deal, right?

Now insert race: Carroll and his friend are black, and the two women were white. According to the lawsuit, there were several white males sitting at the bar, but none were asked to give up their seats for the ladies, while staff members repeatedly targeted the two black males to stand up after they declined.

Sounds abhorrent. But racism, like rape, is sometimes a tough crime to prove. You need to know intent and if nobody throws out a slur, it's hard to differentiate between two African-American men who were unfairly targeted to stand up for white women and then removed or two buttholes who wouldn't abide by restaurant policy. And since the incident happened two years ago, witnesses' accounts may not be quite as sharp.

If Carroll and his friend were discriminated against because of his color, they justly deserve as much money as the courts allow. And forcing anyone to give up their seats after they decline is just bad business. But yelling "racists!" can be as problematic as yelling "rapists!"— just ask Mike Nifong.

Let's just get to know each other first...

Who are you?

My name is Jonathan, and I live in Midtown Atlanta. I'm currently looking for full-time PR work in the greater Atlanta area.

What's this all about?

This blog is pretty much a continuation of one I hosted on my own site for a few months, but realized that to do all of the cool things like RSS, posting multimedia and getting readers, I was going to have to either take a web course or get on Blogger. And I saved $495 by switching to Blogger!

What can I expect to read about here?

This will be primarily focused on sports, culture, news and other goings-on in Atlanta, with a little wiggle room for assorted tomfoolery.

So Jonathan?

Yes?

Nevermind.

No, what?

Well, it's just that... if you're looking for a job, shouldn't you be job hunting on a weekday? 

Umm...