Letters: the commuter’s edition

Dear driver of the 1980s style Jeep Cherokee Sport on Harding Road: You are a bad driver. First of all, as you could see, I was the girl in the Jetta stuck in the right lane behind the truck hauling a few construction items that would only drive about 40 mph. Seeing that you were passing both me and the truck, I thought I’d get in to the left lane, pass the slow truck, then get back over in the right lane. Thank you for destroying that idea. First you drove the same speed as me and I couldn’t get over. So I slowed down, merged into the left lane, and got behind you. And you SLOWED DOWN even more! And secondly, you weave. And that, my friend, is not something the police generally enjoy. Just ask the 11th grade version of my brother. He knows. His weaving was caused by him being him. If your weaving was caused by you being drunk or high, then I really do hope the police stop you today. Fighting road rage in South Nashville, Mandy

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Dear writers and producers of LOST: Your show has been over and done with for about three weeks. So it should be out of my system now, right? Wrong. On my way to work today, a truck with some issues left a plume of dark smoke behind and I thought about the Smoke Monster and then remembered something from an earlier episode this season and started wondering anew what it all meant and how it fit together. I really thought I’d gained that space back in my brain, but I guess not. I love you LOST and I always will, but you’re over. And I’ve got to move on. I hope that doesn’t hurt your feelings. Love isn’t LOST, Mandy

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Dear CMT video awards show: I will admit: I watched part of the show last night. I mean, it’s here; I like Lady Antebellum a whole lot; and I’m going to one of the CMA Fest concerts tonight and running in the 5K on Saturday. But your show felt very amateurly done at parts. The push-ins coming in from commercial and going out; Kid Rock as the host; the backstage interviews; all of it. You’re better than that, CMT. I have faith in that. Music fan in Music City, Mandy

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Dear Trailer Choir: I had never heard of you until I saw a snippet of you performing last night on the CMT Video Awards show. And you’re all very talented and stuff and things. But must we rely so heavily on dumb sexual euphenisms in country music? I mean, come on. Country girls shakin’ that tailgate? That was your lyric. I will say this: I’m not a huge fan of the most of today’s country music, but I deeply admire it’s roots and the traditional honesty it has always professed. And I hate that we’ve made it a bit trashy with songs like the tailgate song, Honky Tonk Badonkadonk, and She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy (and I grew up in farming country and let me tell you, there ain’t nothing sexy about a tractor). Anyway, I think you’re very talented and could do so many things with your songwriting and singing. Don’t take the easy way out and write the songs that only get a quick laugh and get radio play because they’re referencing sex or sexiness without actually saying the words. Have fun, but do more! Always the encourager, Mandy