41

So now I’m officially IN my 40’s. I’m not 40 anymore. I’m IN my 40’s. And I’m not sure how I feel about that. I guess I’m fine with it. There’s nothing I can do about it really. I mean…time keeps on tickin’ and I keep getting older. Seems like that’s the way it goes so there’s no use in harping on it. I’m just getting older. And that I’m okay with…I think.

I wish I had some clue to what the future might bring. Like that tv show “FlashForward”. Just a 2 minute & 17 second glimpse to know that I’ll live to see 42. But no one ever really knows. We just keep waking up and living our lives and eventually we find out. We find out what our future brings. What I have learned in my 41 years is that life happens. There’s nothing you can do about it but get to it and face the issues and hope for all the best.

I am a very lucky man. I have all the things many people want. I have a good family, a good home, a good job, good friends. I got it pretty good! And at 41 years old, I couldn’t ask for much more than that. I have plenty of questions that have gone unanswered, but maybe that’s not a bad thing. It’s nice not knowing every little detail about everything…right? Just let it happen and keep the ball rolling.

Anyway…today I’m 41 years old. I’m feeling pretty good about it. And for this year, I hope that I can learn more about myself and pay more attention to the little things. It’s in the little things that we learn who & what we are. I need to pay more attention to those things. And learn to appreciate them as I go.

Aaaaaaand…that’s pretty much it…

Taking The Long Road To See “The Road”

After waiting for over a year and watching the movie trades for a release date, the film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s”The Road” finally hit the big screens a week or so ago. Except it didn’t. Well…it DID…but no theater in my immediate area was carrying it. So I had to hunt it down. So on a trip to Jacksonville, I had to drive to Orlando (2 hours down, 2 hours back) to see it. And, I’m happy to say, the movie is every bit as bleak as the book.

If you like happy endings. If you are one of those people who likes kitties and hearts and smiley faces…you do NOT want to see this film. Family entertainment this is not. But what this movie CAN do for you is give you a peek of what can happen to human nature in a devastated world. What man can and will do to survive when faced with extinction. It’s not a pretty picture…at all. And director, John Hillcoat, does an excellent job of providing a stellar cast with amazing locations to get the job done.

First off…I loved the McCarthy book. It’s not an easy read and to follow it required much concentration on my part. So, in the same manner, the film adaptation isn’t easy to watch either. There are scenes where the father (played by an excellent Viggo Mortenson) and his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) are simply walking and looking for food. In a post-apocolyptical world, there stands to reason that there would be little else to do besides finding food, keeping warm and seeking shelter. But within these scenes, there are feelings of dread. Constantly the characters find themselves facing life & death confrontations from cannabilistic scavengers or other stragglers who want to take their food & clothing. It’s an ongoing possibility that at any given point, either of the characters might die. And that possibility (even if you HAVE read the book) will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the movie.

Secondly, the locations and backdrops for each scene of this film (mostly shot near Pittsburgh) are remarkable. Complete devastation with ash and falling trees everywhere. I was taken into a completely destroyed world where there were no chirping birds or barking dogs or cars or trains. There was only wind blowing, rain falling and the sound of trees crashing to the ground. It is my opinion that the only way this movie could have been any better is if there had been no soundtrack accompanying it. Not that it’s invasive in any way, but the gloom of the film would have been enhanced if it had been dead silent in moments when the score is playing with the scene. But the set pieces are possibly the greatest post-apocolyptical backdrops of any movie of this genre and the grey tones and deadened hue really sets this movie in a place all by itself.

Although I mentioned the stars of the film, there are also performances by a couple of great actors who surprised me. Charlize Theron plays the wife & mother of the main characters. She is only shown in flashbacks and, in the book, I don’t recall there being a mention of her really at all. But in order to give some emotional attachment, her character was given a larger role…and she nailed it. And a surprise appearance by Robert Duval (practically unrecognizable under all the dirt and facial hair) is a highlight in the movie.

So will “The Road” be a force when Oscar time rolls around? I will say probably not. Not because it’s not deserving, but because it is, in most accounts, one of the most harrowing and unnerving films to be released in many years. There really isn’t much hope in this world that McCarthy has created. Only a prolonged and agonizing fight to live and fear of never finding peace. It’s not a happy picture and in this holiday season, very few will probably even see it. Possibly that is why it’s in limited release. However I can say that it was worth the 6 total hours that I took to see it. It is a truly remarkable adaptation and well worth the time if you are one who enjoys this sort of moviemaking. But trust me…the theme of the film and some of the graphic images are stark and violent. And those usually don’t add up to Oscar wins. But in MY mind…this film could stand to win quite a few.

Konversations With Kids: Is Santa Real?

We put up the Christmas decorations today. Part of my “day off for myself” was to get the tree out of the garage and we all chipped in to get the ornaments on the tree. While we were finishing up, daughter hit me with THIS big question as she sat sprawled across the couch watching “The Santa Clause II”…

“Is Santa Clause real?”

And without missing a beat, I replied…“Yes. Santa Clause is real.”

Now some might argue my answer. Some may totally disagree with me. Some might even go as far as to say that I am lying. But they would all be wrong. Santa IS real. And in many ways!

First, let’s get the facts out there right now…there are hundreds of Santa’s all over the world. The name Santa is listed as the first name of over 15 Santa Smith’s listed on Facebook. There were at least 20+ Santa Thomas’ listed and at least 13 Santa Johnson’s. Granted…the name Santa was often a middle name. But the fact of the matter is…there are hundreds of people with the name “Santa”. It’s a very popular name. So on that fact alone, I am not a liar.

Secondly, there are actually 2 towns named Santa Clause. One in Indiana and one in Georgia. So…there IS a Santa Clause. It just happens to be a population.

Thirdly…I WANT to believe that there truly IS a Santa. Not because of the toys and such…but because of the spirit the thought of him gives me.

Every year at this time, I get a sense of…oh I dunno…childish wonder? I remember when I was a kid and coming into the living room and seeing the tree all lit up and all the presents stuffed under it (there were 6 of us. So there were LOTS of presents!). I remember the Christmas parade in our little town and watching Santa ride down the main street, tossing candy and waving at me. I remember living in Phoenix with my girlfriend (now wife) and we didn’t have a Christmas tree so we devised a Christmas table and put all of our gifts under it. I remember the first time we picked out a Christmas tree with Christopher when he was just a tiny tot, but he was smart enough to know which one was the best of the bunch. I have so many wonderful Christmas memories…and all of them are special to me. It would be a shame to not have that Christmas spirit. And for now…I love that my kids both know that the Santa spirit is alive and well in our home.

So for me…yeah…Santa is real. And he always will be. Because every time I see that man in the big red suit and he smiles at me or one of my kids, those memories come flooding back and the magic of Christmas is still very much alive in this adult soul. There really IS a Santa Clause, Ava. And he is always smiling with that twinkle in his eye and ready to make a new memory for you…

A Mind Is A Terrible Thing

Would YOU remember THIS face?

Hey! How are you! Wow…so many years have passed, huh? You look fantastic! Are you married? Kids? What do you do? Where do you live now? Do I remember what? Oh…yeah…THAT incident! How funny that you remember that! Wow…yeah…so many years ago…huh…

Wait a second. Hang on…

Ya know…I have to be the first to admit…I have no idea who you are. Look…please don’t take it personally because I know that I’m not the kind of person who remembers everyone who I have ever crossed paths with. But lately I have had people from my childhood contact me and…uh…I don’t remember them. And I feel like an ass.

I’m gonna be 41 in a month. The last time I can honestly say I remember seeing some of these friends are maybe 30 years ago. And I DO remember moments. Moments like when I would play on the playground at school and me and some other kid in my class had the same “Fonzie” shirt (stupid shirt!). Or the time I got busted in class eating candy because a girl in my class TOLD on me (stupid girl!). Or the time I was at the park and some guy flipped me off from his car and when I flipped him off back he chased me down and threatened to beat the crap out of me…until he figured out I was 7 years younger than he was (stupid guy!). So many fond memories of back in the day…yet the memory of you is not there. Why is that?

At this point, I can’t imagine who else is gonna find me but I have to imagine I won’t remember them either. I don’t know what is going on with me. I can remember a whole slew of worthless crap (need a song from the 80’s? I probably remember it. Wanna know some useless movie knowledge? I can probably get that out of my brainiac archives as well), but when it comes to people who have been in my life and who I spent time with and who I should remember? Nada. I’m drawing a blank.

What is it with the head? How is it possible that I can’t recall some of the people who have “Friended” me on Facebook or who have contacted me through other networking sites. They say the brain can only retain so much information. I imagine it remembers what I want it to remember. It remembers what I enjoy remembering. It is just a muscle…and it has its limitations. Mine definitely has its limits. And mine is limited to about 1980.

So for all those friends who have found me again and who actually remember me…thank you. I certainly appreciate that I made an impression on you and I find it amazing you remember me. But forgive me if my brain has been overloaded through the years and I can’t recall who you are or where I know you from. I’m a partially stunted social idiot and thinks have started to slip. It’s old age, I tell you! Okay…now that I got that out…let’s get back to what we were chatting about…

Uh…

What WERE we chatting about again?

Blogging 101: Thick Skin & Lady GaGa

Or…How Lady GaGa taught me how to love my blog…

I recently had a friend ask me about starting a blog. She asked me…”What should I know?”  Well…a long, long time ago, I kind of made a list of what you should do when blogging…but that was before Lady Gaga. And what does Lady GaGa have to do with blogging? Well…if anything, she has shown me that you have to be very thick-skinned.

On March 27, 2009, I read an article in now-defunct “Blender” magazine that was an interview with pop singer Lady GaGa. In the article, she was quoted saying several things that I found to be somewhat obnoxious for an artist just getting out of the gate. I called her out on it in my “What The Heck…” series (one of my favorite series’ of posts, I might add). Since then, not only have I gotten a shitload of hits (I went from averaging 450 hits a day to over 1,500) from people “Googling” her image which I posted with the article, but I’ve also gotten a boatload of comments from people who either agree with me or who think I’m a complete woman-hating schmuck.  I have re-read the post and I still don’t disagree with what I said, but it is interesting other people’s interpretation of it and THAT is where I would tell my friend to be careful when blogging.

Initially I was taken aback by what some people thought of my comments. Then when all the hits started, I figured I didn’t care. Then I took it personally. Then I thought about it and decided that this was good for me. It keeps me in the mindset that everyone has a different opinion about things and as it has gone along, I have actually learned a few things about myself through that blog. So…in a way, Lady GaGa has taught me a few things about myself. And I’ve learned a valuable lesson about blogging…you gotta have thick skin or else you will get eaten alive.

There are people out there who have strong opinions, whether you feel they are right or wrong, and they will comment and they will say rude things and they will rain on your parade. It’s in our nature to want to be heard and some people will say anything just to get on your nerves. It’s also in our nature to want to be able to say anything just because we can. I admit, sometimes when I write a blog, I write it without thinking about it. Sometimes I just let it out without much thought to who would care about WHAT I say. But then you find out that sometimes it’s best to save your post, then come back and re-read it later to see if what you wrote actually conveys what you are trying to say. I have been guilty of publishing something too quickly and then wishing I hadn’t. Although I admit…the Lady GaGa post is NOT one of them. Anyway, in order to enjoy the process of blogging and being creative, I guess the most important rule is to understand that not everyone is going to agree and they will argue and call you names and they will leave rude comments and it’s all up to you to decide how you handle that kind of criticism.

I am a blogger. I write down my thoughts and my ideas and I post pictures because I enjoy it. If some people find what I write to be offensive or disparaging they don’t have to return. They can continue on their merry way and I won’t care one way or another. But occasionally there is an interesting debate that comes along and I find it fascinating. And THAT is the reason I blog…to make a connection. Not to be argumentative or to be bitchy. I do it because I can connect with my family, with my friends and with the occasional stranger who passes by and actually reads what my thoughts are. Maybe they agree, maybe they disagree, but either way…they are reading and hopefully enjoying what I put out there. But really…it’s all about me and my thoughts & ideas. And it doesn’t really matter what they think of me…because it’s MY blog and I can do what I want with it.

So there’s my advice…do what you want and say what you want. But be aware that not everyone will agree with you and if you can accept that…you’ll be just fine.

Have fun typing Julie! And let me know if you need any help!

Life & How To Live It

You know what I find interesting? Life. Life is interesting. And the reason it’s so interesting is because it can change on a dime. I don’t know about you, but MY life seems to change every single second. My mood swings change, my attitude changes, my outlook changes. Everything hinges on each & every little thing that happens. And it’s complicated and at any given second, it can all come crashing down around me.

I don’t know about you, but one day I find I’m happy & chipper, moody & irritable the next. I’ll be singing songs to my daughter at 8am and then pissed off by 10. It’s a round robin of emotions and my family is caught in the crossfire. It’s made my life somewhat unpredictable and, by all accounts, I don’t think I’m the only one with this kind of problem.

Au contraire…just about everyone I know is. Of all of my friends, we are all going through life changes. Whether its a job that was lost, or a relationship that is faltering, or how our lives have changed with the addition & responsibility of children. I am dealing with with all of these things AND a damaged economy AND lousy healthcare AND trying to pay the bills AND trying to maintain some dignity within myself as I let all of my wants & needs sit in the balance as I try to be all things to everyone. Whether it’s being a father or a husband or a friend. There are pressures swirling all around me and it can be very cumbersome. Not that all of these responsibilities are burdens. On the contrary, these things are what define me. I AM all these things. But sometimes there just doesn’t seem to be an hour in the day where I get any peace. And that is where some of the biggest issues lie.

Life is frail. Relationships are frail. Friendships are frail. Children are frail. And sometimes I’m the bull in the chinastore, plowing my way from one side to the next without any regard to what or who gets hurt. It’s aggravating to have to worry so much about what everyone else needs or thinks. At some point, I think I just don’t care. When life requires THIS much thought, then what’s the point. Then I am simply reacting to things. Reacting to what others’ opinions of me are. Reacting to what others expect of me. Reacting to what society tells me I should expect of my life.

It’s a tightrope. And I walk it everyday. I see everyone reacting to what is happening around us. Every day brings a new complication or a new burden. It’s hard, this life we live, and I’m trying to make it all good. Sometimes it comes in a song on the radio. Sometimes it comes from a good book. Sometimes it comes from my daughter’s laugh. And then there are times when the burden is lifted by a good memory or the possibility of one. All I am looking for is inner peace. And aren’t we all?

I want to be everything to everybody, but that is just not possible. I want to be the best father. Sometimes I’m not. I want to be the best husband, but often times I’m not. I would love to be your best friend, but I realize that I won’t be. But I get up every morning, ready to tackle the day and I get to it. And I live it. And usually it’s all good. But there are times when I feel like there should be more. More than just getting up and rolling through the motions. More than walking on that stupid rope and hoping it all works out in the end.

Life is frail, my friends. Fragile and ready to be broken. But it is one we all share together. And if we live it together, knowing we are all not perfect, it makes life a lot easier to deal with. Being there for one another makes all the difference, as family or friends or neighbors. None of us are perfect…even when we want to be. But we ALL are doing the best we can. And sometimes that is good enough.

Thursday…uh…Thinkings?

I got a few things on my mind so I figured…let’s let ‘em out! Here are my Thursday Thinkings for this week. And who knows? Maybe this will become a regular series! YES!!! Something for YOU to look forward to on Thursday!!! ‘Cause you know, except for it being the day before Friady, Thursday is the most boring day of the week…

1. The Cincinnati Bengals
Seriously…who can’t root for these guys? I mean, they’ve been an underdog all season. They were highlighted on HBO’s “Hard Knocks”. They are a team that, by all accounts, was left for dead by almost every NFL analyst in the country. Yet here they are, 4-1 and winning some pretty tight games. This can only bode well for later in the season. And considering they’ve beaten the Steelers, the Ravens and the Packers already this season…confidence is running pretty high. Now…if they could just get back that first game against Denver where they lost in the last seconds on a deflected ball that went for an 80+ yard TD, they’d be undefeated! Who woulda thunk?

2. The baseball playoffs
So over it. I mean, you have 4 major market cities competing for the World Series, so if you live anywhere other than New York, Los Angeles, San Fran/Oakland or Philadelphia…you’re not really all that interested. And even if you are interested, who cares? Another Yankee World Series? Blah. The Dodgers? Blah. Baseball in general? Blah. Over it.

3. Halloween
My son is a spartan. My daughter a pumpkin princess. Stephanie? Dunno. Me? Dunno. I gotta come up with SOMETHING! Help!!!

4. This Weather
Well….in a word…it SUCKS! It’s cold, wet rain and it’s not even the middle of October yet! Where’s our indian summer? I want some sunshine and mid-60’s weather around here! C’mon Mother Nature! Get with it!

5. The Local Paper
Yesterday the headline was about some kids who put a cat into a dog pen and the cat died. Uh…okay? I realize that is cruel and with all the Michael Vick hype with the dog fighting and stuff, maybe that could be a headline but really? Ya know…I don’t even think Stephanie even LOOKS at the paper anymore. Ever since we got wireless in our house, she goes straight for the laptop. And I have this IPhone of mine. And I barely get a chance to glance at the paper because we are so busy getting the kids off to school. *sigh*  I like the IDEA of the paper but maybe it is an exhausted medium. I don’t know. I’m close to cancelling. Thoughts?

6. My IPhone
Greatest…invention…ever. And I can take it ANYWHERE! Thinking a Top 10 list is in order here soon. Gimme a couple of days.

7. “Dexter”
So Steph & I have been watching every night for the last 3 weeks. We’re early in season 3 and I just love this show! I don’t know what I’m gonna do once I’m all caught up? I will probably suffer withdrawals and then, I hate to say it, I’ll lose interest. Weekly episodes suck! Watching 3 or 4 shows a night ROCKS! It’s like watching a movie only kinda better. We’ll see. I hope I don’t lose interest. I really do…

8. Billy Squire
Every time I turn on the radio, “The Stroke” is on and one of his other singles was featured in a main scene in “Couples Retreat.” Am I missing something here? Did the guy die or something? Because he seems to be everywhere! Oh…and if he’s making a comeback, why is it I can only get a couple of his tunes off ITunes? WTF?!?

And that’s enough for now, I guess. Now if you’ll excuse me…I’m all done and need to flush…

Top 9 Reasons I Love My Wife

9 years ago this week…

9 years we’ve been married. 9 long years. And you know being married to me ain’t easy. But somehow my wife has done it and she has done it with grace and style. There are a multitude of reasons why I love her, but these Top 9 will do for THIS year. But NEXT year I’m gonna have to come up with something better than this to profess my love…

9. She lets me be me
I’m not the easiest shlub to get along with. I can be cranky & moody & sometimes downright obnoxious! But she puts up with me and gives me her “opinion” when I need it. Usually she is a voice of reason in my overloaded brain.

8. She’s supportive
I can really get stressed out about things. Everything from money to work to the kids. It all gets in my head and I get all worried and crazy. But she brings me down to earth and keeps me focused. She has this way of dragging my worries & concerns out of me. She can be relentless when it comes to forcing me to talk about all the crap in my head and I don’t think I could survive without her!

7. She’s  funny
As she will tell you, she IS funnier than me. I don’t necessarily agree…but everyone always laughs at her jokes. Me? I usually get the “What are you talking about?” look and an uncomfortable silence. So yeah…maybe she IS funnier than me…

6. She’s a great mother
My kids are wonderful and she is the main reason why. They love her unconditionally and when I’m gone for a few days, she takes care of them and loves them and makes sure they are well-behaved. Without her I’m lost when it comes to dressing the kids, feeding the kids, fixing their hair, etc…

5. She’s hot
14 years into our relationship and I still find her to be as gorgeous today as she was when I met her. No lie.

4. She’s charitable
When she told me she wanted to quit her job and work for a charity that would pay her very little but it would make her happy, I was skeptical. But she just seems to glow when she talks about how well the charity is doing and how much they are doing for pediatric cancer research. I recommend that if you haven’t heard of “The Cure Starts Now“, you look it up. Seriously…is there any cause better than one that is trying to help save children?

3. She’s beautiful inside & out
I know…I already said she’s hot, but this is different. Because I think she IS hot…but being a beautiful person is totally different. She doesn’t have a bad intention in her body. She is always looking for the equality in life. And that is one of her strongest qualities.

2. She gives me my space
This might not seem like a great reason to love my wife, but when I need alone time, she gives it to me. When I’m gone for a while for work, she trusts me. When I need time with my friends, she tells me to go. It’s nice not being smothered, because when I need my time alone, she gives it to me. Thanks honey!

1. She’s an awesome friend
If you need an ear, she is ALWAYS available. You will never have a better friend than my wife. She can talk to just about anyone and if you need help with anything, she will drop whatever she is doing to be there. I used to think her allegiance  to her friends was a little much, but I see now that it is just who she is. She loves to socialize and she is at her best when she is around people. Unlike myself, she is an open book…and she is always supportive, even if she doesn’t always agree with your opinion. It’s one of her best qualities and I love that about her!

Today…and STILL smiling!

October Comes Knockin’

Well damn. Summer is now officially over.

When October hits my calendar, I know the seasons are definitely changing. Today I worked my final baseball game of the year. Today is also my Dad’s birthday (happy 71st Dad!) and there is a distinct nip in the air. Summer FLEW by and now it’s time to throw on some flannel and get ready for those long winter months when no one comes out of their homes until April and you can smell the dry leaves falling off the trees. Truthfully…I LOVE October and fall in all it’s glory. In these here parts (that’s a southern way of saying “Here in Kentucky/Ohio”), it’s downright beautiful from now until early November. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to get married in October. And we did coming up on 9 years ago. It’s also the birthday month of my Dad, my Mom, my youngest sister and my niece. It’s also the month for one of the coolest holidays of the year! So needless to say, October is usually very busy.

To celebrate, here are some of my favorite pictures taken in October from years past. Enjoy…and welcome October!

The Long & Winding Road

I own a Garmin. It’s like a Tom Tom. Which is to say it’s a GPS. Which is to say that the damn thing should know how to get EVERYWHERE…doncha think? But today…it didn’t. Today it took me and my wife through the rolling hills of Kentucky. As beautiful as it was, I would prefer to have THAT extra 40 minutes of my life back. But as we were driving through the rolling hills I got thinking…

Why?

Why are the roads out in the country so twisted and curvy? I mean…there’s NOTHING out here! So…when time came to pave a new road…who actually drew up the plans and decided to make it curve and twist all over the freakin’ place? If there’s nothing in the way, why not just make the road straight. You know…like the easiest way to get from Point A to Point B? In a STRAIGHT line? But instead I wasted a quarter tank of gas stepping on the gas and then stepping on the brakes and then curving up a hill and then winding down a hill…and for what?

THERE’S NOTHING OUT HERE?!?!

So to whoever is building roads in the middle of nowhere America…all I can say is this…

Straight is better. Point A…here. Point B…there. Straight line? Gets me there everytime.

Thanks for listening…whoever you are Mr. Road Maker.

Money Comes In, Money Goes Out

Finally the pressure has been released! Since the start of summer, we have been swimming upstream financially. With my summer employer paying on a 40 days out basis, it makes it very hard to figure out what money we can or cannot spend. We had to cancel a trip to visit my wife’s aunt & uncle due to lack of funds and with the additional work we had done on our kitchen and the economy being the way it is, I was sweating bullets! But now I start working for a company that pays every 2 weeks and some additional paychecks have arrived. We’re not out of the woods yet. Paying quarterly taxes and insurance always takes a big chunk and then you have the regular bills and such. But for the most part, I am breathing easier and I feel a little less under the gun.

How are you doing? This economy has never been worse. I have friends who have lost jobs. I have seen people caving under the pressure. I was one of those people. I can’t recall being so stressed over money as I was a better part of this entire summer. It makes my stomach hurt and takes days off my life. I can’t imagine how people are doing it. It’s been tough and I keep looking for a silver lining in all this. But apparently we are still in a recession and it might be around for some time. So how are YOU dealing with it? Have you been able to sleep at night? Have you been hit as hard as we have? What can you do? I’m curious to hear what you do to save money or how you plan for what has happened in our country. Can you plan ahead? I mean, with the middle class in such a struggle, how can you plan? Living paycheck to paycheck. Trying to get the best education for your kids. Trying to feed them. Trying to live life with SOME taste of satisfaction. It’s close to impossible and it’s been very difficult. This is not something they teach you in school…but they need to.

So…comments are welcome! How are you doing? I wanna know…

The 2009 VMA’s

I gotta be honest…I didn’t watch the VMA’s last night (do they still MAKE music videos? Because I haven’t seen any on television in forever…). I was too busy hanging out with my wife & kids and then we tuned in to watch some more Dexter (which is my new favorite show). But this morning I kept reading all about the Kanye West silliness so I went searching and came up on THIS site which showcased some of the highlights (or lowlights) and I had to share my thoughts…

He’s an idiot.

1. Kanye West has run his course. If there ever was an artist who has taken the limelight and watched it flicker out, it is this tired act. I don’t care how talented he THINKS he is, the truth is he is simply another rapper who has managed to stay popular by making a spectacle of himself in public. Here’s a thought, Kanye. If you’re so good, why not just let your “music” speak for itself? I seriously doubt Beyonce Knowles needs YOU to stand up for her at the freakin’ VMA’s. My feeling is that Beyonce will be around a lot longer than you will. No matter how robbed she might have felt (Yes…her video is VERY good. But still…), Beyonce is a class act who realizes, in the grand scheme of things, that a VMA award is little more than a trinket in her closet. For you to attempt to steal the limelight for her is bull. What you meant to do was steal the limelight for yourself. And unfortunately, it appears that your little plan worked. It’s all anybody is talking about today. But I think you’re an ass who needs to be sent a message. So for that, I will not ever buy another Kanye West song or album…ever. And if another artist uses you in their song, I won’t buy it either. You are dead to me Kanye West (not that you were ever high on my list anyway…).

2. The Michael Jackson tribute with Janet making an appearance is very cool. The dancing was excellent and seeing Janet perform in honor of her brother was top notch. Nicely done by the crew!

3. Lady GaGa is still a mystery to me. I’ve received so many responses to the blog that I wrote about her and I keep getting a huge amount of hits from folks “googling” her name (over 5,700 hits today at this point). I have no idea what the public likes about her so much. At the VMA’s last night she performed her latest single, “Paparazzi”, and then managed to hang herself onstage while covering herself in blood. I get the imagery and she was basically just emulating her video for the show, but you know she is one of the best artists out there today when it comes to manipulating the media. She is popular because she knows how to use the paparazzi. And her video and her performance last night speaks for itself. She has become the latest Marilyn Manson. And that’s cool, I guess. But look where Manson is today. And I have to believe she is following the same career path.

4. Beyonce has ass for days. And she can sing too. But I still can’s stand that “Put A Ring On It” song….

5. Paula Abdul hosting a show called “Divas”? Seems perfectly logical…

And that’s all I got.

Of All The Things…

My kids have stuff. And lots of it. Like just about everyone else their ages, my kids get stuff from me and their mother and their grandparents and their friends and their friends’ parents and eventually stuff starts to pile up. There’s nothing you can do about it…it just can’t be stopped. And of all of these things…all the hundreds of dolls and balls and lockblocks and Star Wars figures and Polly Pockets and Legos and Pokemon cards and stuffed animals and Wii games and baseball gloves and play kitchen parts and dress-up clothes and makeup and light sabers and Transformers and Disney Princess accessories and Power Ranger play action figures and whatever else stuff my kids have piled in various rooms all over our house. Of ALL of these things…the one thing that gets the most attention? More than any stuffed animal or blankie or Pokemon X cards (or whatever) or ANYTHING?

This freakin’ thing…

Good job Mom. Excellent Christmas gift. Who woulda guessed that a drum kit would be THE plaything du jour.

Dammit.

United States Health Care

Normally I don’t like to open my blog up for controversy, especially one of this magnitude…but I’m curious. I’ve had friends who have brought up healthcare on their Facebook updates and there have been some heated arguments for and against such an idea. I haven’t decided. In all honesty, I think there has to be SOMETHING done, but I can’t decide what is the best way to go. Considering how slimy insurance companies have become and considering how slimy the government can be, I don’t know what the best options are. Here’s what I do know…

I’m a 40-year old male with limited health risk. Prior to 2 years ago when I had back issues and received 3 epidurals for back pain, I had experienced limited health problems. I had a skin mark removed from my face, had a few trips to the doctor for colds & what not, regular teeth cleanings. Your basic health things that over a 40 year span you kinda have happen but nothing like a multi-million dollar surgery or anything. So now, I assume because of the epidurals, I cannot seem to get affordable coverage from ANY health insurance company because I’m apparently considered a liability.

Let me say up front…I understand that health insurance is a luxury. There is nothing guaranteed in life so to have health insurance in case of a medical emergency is something that is not necessarily a given. I don’t expect the insurance companies to GIVE away health coverage for free and I understand that they are essentially running a business and intend on making money. In no way, shape or form do I consider the health insurance industry to be operating out of the goodness of their own heart. So with that being said, I’m amused by the fact that I cannot find one company that is willing to look at MY case (non-smoker, history of clean living, no broken bones, no surgeries) and think that maybe I’m not that big of a deal and insure me for a reasonable price. I am willing to pay my premiums for a reasonable price, but what they are asking is a jeopardy to my family and our home. Seriously…asking a grand a month (or something close to that) is absolutely insane. It’s price gouging and I refuse to pay for it.

So in comes the Obama plan. Now I am not gonna say this is the answer. I’m sure there is lots of fine print to read and I understand why everyone has concerns. This is a free country and to have the government overseeing the healthcare industry might potentially be a disaster. Look at all the other things our political pundits have managed to screw up. Not sayin’ they aren’t trying, and maybe right now there are good intentions, but you have to wonder…given the opportunity…who in Washington might see potential in making some big dough by being in charge of health care for the wealthiest country on Earth? In my head I can see fat businessmen rubbing their hands together and salivating to get their hands on the money that will be trading hands in THAT situation. It’s not pretty.

So here’s what I would like to propose. I am looking for your thoughts on this matter. And I don’t want any screaming or yelling or calling names or slamming thoughts or ideas. That is what is getting us in trouble. Instead of working together, we seem to always be miles apart and it would be nice if, for once, we could at least have an educated and civil discussion about such a heated topic. I can’t watch the news anymore…it’s giving me a headache. Can’t we just talk and come up with ideas about how to take care of this? It IS what free speech and free thinking is all about. So I am looking for comments! But be warned…I won’t post comments that are negative and angry on here. I am not trying to start a fight. I am just looking for honest opinions and answers. So let’s give this a shot, shall we? I hope I don’t hate myself in the morning…

New York…Liberty Island

There are so many things to do in New York, I figured I would fly in a little early and go see some sights. So here I am…what to do? I started walking and came up on the Ed Sullivan Theater. How about going to see the David Letterman show? Not a bad idea. So I stood in line for 15 minutes, got a number (unlucky number 46) and then waited around to see if they would pick my number. Needless to say, I didn’t get to see the show. But that’s okay. It wasn’t something I HAD to do. So I started wandering Times Square…again.

I waited & waited & waited…

So now what? I know…how about a trip to see the most iconic monument in our country? Sure…why not? So that’s what I did. I hopped a ferry and scooted on over to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Lots of history there and you really need to see it for yourself, but here are a few shots that I took with my new Nikon point n’ shoot. Enjoy!

This way to the boat

On the water

Silly Bird

Sold out for months!

A nice view of the city

Me & the big green lady

Headin’ back to the mainland

Is there anything MORE beautiful?