everything you need to know + 53 or so other things

What just happened? The good, and the bad.

2010-04-04T01:54:00.000-04:00

So I spent the day, about a week ago, having a yard sale. My very good friend John Babcock was there with me as we sold our possessions to strangers for minuscule monetary gains... ya know, a yard sale. Well, about half way through the day this truck pulls up to the sale with a massive trailer in tow that is just heaped with other peoples discarded treasures. It was like a combination of "Sanford and Son" & the sleigh from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Out of the truck step three "gentlemen", the first of whom was the father and he was 75 if he was a day. He waddled up the drive wearing a trucker hat brazened with a buck's head over St. Andrews Cross. Then came the two boys, the first of the two looked like a 250 pound Neil Young that had been raised by George Bush and Marge Schott. The other son... well, he was Lenny straight out of "Of Mice and Men". To help complete the imagery of Lenny, he was carrying this little dog named Button. He was wearing camo overalls and spoke with a speech impediment that was a cross between Truman Capote and Mumbles from "Dick Tracy". They bought some brass flower pots and waddled back down the drive to their rolling junk yard and they were off.

Later that day, we went to see "Hot Tub Time Machine," as we were standing in front of the theater discussing the merits of the film... actually, let's back it up a second. when it comes to sports, my friend John is a faux-natic... which is to say, he's not a real fan, but a fringe fan at best. He's started paying more attention to sport than before.. but still... not a fan in the true sense of the word. Not that there is anything wrong with not being a fan, just don't front. Anyway, he grew up in Buffalo, an has acquired through gifts some Buffalo Bills paraphernalia. Including a front vanity plate with the logo on it and an antenna ornament in the shape of a football with the Bills logo on it. I was razzing him about his "fandom" by mentioning his tire cover needing to be Buffalo Bills branded. So that's when we we're discussing the movie. We prospected which 1980's screen stars should have made cameos in the film when a voice from behind me says, "You're the first Bills fan I've seen in Atlanta." I turn around to see who could be interjecting this thought into our conversation... low and behold, there stands Aurthur Blank, billionaire owner of the Atlanta Falcons and co-founder of Home Depot. He had just stepped out of his pristine black Mercedes.
Perhaps he was going to see "Hot Tub Time Machine" as well... we will never know. It was, however, a very cool experience.

Oh, one more thing... earlier in the week, as I was driving home, I witnessed a guy having his very own "Falling Down" moment. I'm just tooling along, like John Mayer described in "Why Georgia", when suddenly over in the HIV lane this guy in a white Hynudai Elantra pops into the back of a Toyota 4-Runner. At first I thought... whoops, someone wasn't watching the road. Suddenly the guy started speeding up and smacks the back of the Toyota again. Then he pulled around and started to accelerate and I am thinking now that I've just witnessed a hit and run. I pick up and the phone and dial 911. As I am getting connected with the operator this guy starts moving across the highway toward the shoulder, narrowly missing multiple cars along the way. I'm assuming at his point it's a drunk driver, but continue to follow while describing the events to the 911 operator. Just then he side swipes a GMC truck in the far right lane, not once, or twice... but three times. He then goes around the truck and slams the barrier as he continues down the shoulder. I have no idea what is going on with this guy now as he begins to slow. Then he speeds up again and hit the barrier a few more times as he is rapidly approaching an exit ramp. It's looks like he is either going to continue his rampage up the ramp or derail into the ditch off the exit... instead he goes right through the exit ramp, again narrowly missing another car. He decides to slow and comes to a stop just before the overpass. I thought about stopping to see what this was all about, but I had to get to a class and there were other witnesses in addition to the victims that were stopping with him, so I decided to just go. as I pulled even with the car, not sure what type of driver I would see, I was shocked when I looked over and the driver looked like Edward Herrmann wearing glasses.
I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. It's a crazy world out there, you never know what you might see...

Trying to find balance

2010-02-24T12:06:00.003-05:00

I suppose it's hard being human sometimes. We all go through periods of doubt and feeling alone, whether things are going well or going poorly. Some handle it better than others, simply because they are wired that way. Then there are those that sink so deep that the only way they feel they can get out is addiction or suicide. I don't fall prey to either of the latter, but I do sometimes feel alone and doubtful. In those times I guess I just remind myself of all the positive things there are in my life. The old mantra rings true, "count your blessings." But the overwhelming sense of failure sometimes continues to lurk in the recesses of my brain. I suppose the only way to overcome it is to get up and get busy doing something productive. You can't win, if you don't play. The human animal is an interesting one. We all want to be accepted in one way or another and we all go about it in different ways. I suppose the bottom line is you won't find acceptance, true acceptance, until you are willing to accept yourself for the imperfect being that you are. Additionally we have to be willing to keep working toward something. Whatever it is. Give yourself purpose and if you ultimately fail, pick yourself up and try again. Some people are born great, others have it thrust upon them, and there is a third category of those who never stopped working until they found their greatness. We are all great in some way... find your greatness.

My thought for the day is... There is a fine line between confidence and conceited just as there is between humility and insecurity.

So much for blogging goals

2010-02-23T15:42:00.002-05:00

I started with a mission of blogging something everyday... it lasted two. What can I say, I don't have that much to say. I suppose I should just blog my random thoughts in the hopes the I inspire someone, or myself. I also guess I'm not so narcissistic to think that what I have to say is all that important. Maybe that is where I will inspire myself, but not in a bad and selfish way, rather in a thought provoking sense.

So hear is my thought for today.... Hard work is not a guarantee of attaining any measure of success, but I guarantee success won't be attained without some measure of hard work.

Tigers "Press Confrence"

2010-02-19T22:32:00.004-05:00

To me... it should be this simple... I don't know why he should have to apologize to anyone but his wife. If this is the life he wants to lead... get a divorce and do your thing. I think his press release should have gone something like this... He should have entered in a fur hat and coat, diamond encrusted shoes and a cane and said "That's right! I put the dick in addicted! See you at the Masters bitches!!!!!!" Then throw the mic to the ground with a squeal of feedback and strut out grabbing his package whilst one of his flunkies makes it rain behind him.

do something

2010-02-18T10:12:00.001-05:00

"I'm going to start blogging daily." He tells himself, in an earnest attempt to jump start some creative impulse in writing or, at the very least, use a keyboard. It starts off well, day one.... a blog about writing a blog everyday, all be it a short one. What will day two hold? Let's see tomorrow.

The turnaround

2009-10-08T22:46:00.002-04:00

I am still waiting for this mythical turnaround that all the economic pundits insist is happening. I am behind on every bill I am responsible for and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight for me. At least my home was not flood damaged. I suppose there is a silver lining to every cloud.

So I suck at blogging

2009-08-13T12:12:00.002-04:00

I guess I don't have enough to say, or I am not so self important that I think everyone wants to read what it is I have to say. In either case, I think I need to resume writing my blog as a healthy habit of writing/venting/creating. So I will go back to it on a weekly, if not daily basis.

Right now my eye of attention is focused squarely on the start of football season. I am so jazzed about it. I am on NFL.com looking at highlight packages just salivating for the ref to blow his whistle and signify the start of fresh new competition. Be it college or pro, I am excited beyond belief for any pigskin to begin in earnest. I am so reved up that even the presason is going to be of interest to me, more than it has in any year previous.

The other significant reason for my longing of football season is fall. I love autumn. The changing of the leaves, cooler temps, major holidays. It is by far my favorite time of year. The fact that it conjuncts with football is all the more special. So here's to fall, football, and me starting my blog back. Well, two out of three ain't bad.

Since September huh? Now that's dedication.

2009-06-01T23:03:00.002-04:00

see the heading.

The non-fan

2008-09-30T17:43:00.004-04:00

This is a post for all my sports fans out there. We have all been through the wins and losses.. the ups and downs. We've experienced the sore loser and the sore winner. Both, equally uncomfortable.. but I think there is actually something worse than all the worst of a bad loss and a fan of the other team giving it to ya like there is no tomorrow.. and that is the person who has no dog in the fight but decides to gouge at you anyway.. just to pile on.

I can take a ribbing from a fan who obviously bleeds with their team a lot easier than that of a once in a while fan who happens to be on board the win wagon. But nothing chaps my hide worse than someone who just wants to get a shot in.. to.. I don't know.. make themselves feel better? You've seen them.. sometimes they are hard to detect... but I would wager most of them are women. Sorry girls...but the fact is more men enjoy sport than do ladies and I know first hand some of those that I speak of.. they couldn't tell who starts on the O-line or QB, hell they probably wouldn't know when game time is if not for their man following so closely. You know who you are...you would rather be shopping or going to a fall festival and if 'your team' loses.. you could care less... but should they win, you are the first to thump your chest. Now this is not to say all ladies observe this moniker... but to those who do.. shame on you... and to the men who do contribute to this sort of behavior... catch fire!

Americans... Nobody panics better than we do!

2008-09-15T18:26:00.001-04:00

So with Hurricane Ike looming off the coast of Texas, reports went out across the southeast of potential problems with distribution of gasoline as well as an increase in cost. Reports said the price could go as high as five dollars a gallon. Naturally we as a public chose to conserve, carpool, cancel non-essential trips, etc. right? NO.. we are Americans! People actually left work to go get gas. There were so many people at the pumps.. it looked like it was 1979 all over again. The cars were 4 and 5 deep in some places. Many stations ran out of gas in a matter of hours.

Since it is a supply and demand industry, as supply decreased.. price increased. in a matter of minutes the price jumped 30 cents. Panic is not good! It helped push the Great Depression when there was the run on the banks. What about Y2K. I know people who went into serious debt preparing shelters and stocking up food for the end of the world. Speaking of stocking up.. when there is a threat of inclement winter weather in the south, you can count on a run on bread and milk at your local grocer. Simply put... calm down people. I quote Tommy Lee Jones, as Agent K in 'Men in Back' when I say.. "a person is smart... but people are stupid"

Why we can say we

2008-09-14T01:12:00.000-04:00

In the sports arena fans will often attach themselves to a team, so much so, that they include themselves in the success or plight of that team. When speaking of this team , the fan will often say 'we'. For some reason a fair number of athletes and sports personalities find this offensive. It as though the feel it is their right, their entitlement. Well, I am here to argue on behalf of Joe Fan everywhere... and I intend to use some logic to back up my argument.

First of all we know that fan is short for fanatic.. and when it comes to fanaticism, logic usually flies right out the window along with the paraphernalia of a rival team when in reach. However consider this when debating the 'we' argument... what is the true driving force behind sports? The answer is money. It is not athletes, or owners, or sportsmanship.. it is money. The all mighty dollar. All sports are where they are now because of revenue...

Which brings me to my second point, where does all this money come from? Now you could say something smart like.. the owner writes the checks, or big companies pay ad revenue to these leagues... in both cases you would be right, but why do they do this? Just because? No, it is to lure the fan. The owners put forth a product to lure the fan so we will spend money. Advertisers spend their money so when we watch we will spend our money.

So, in truth we are a silent.. or sometimes, very vocal partner in this operation. That is why we can say 'we' when referring to our favorite team(s). The fan ultimately pays the bills. We fund these endeavors and as such belong to that team(s) just as much as any owner, manager, coach or player. We give not only of our wallets, but also our hearts through our passionate screams and chants for defense, when appropriate... and when WE win, we the fan don't ask for a championship ring to put on our finger... just the right to be a part of the organization that we... yes we all put together.

First

2008-09-11T16:43:00.000-04:00

Well here I am trying my hand at this blogging thing. I did one on MySpace once.. but I was not motivated to do another. Mainly because I have grown to despise MySpace. Not for the concept of social networking.. but because everyone is always changing their names from meaningless nonsense to even more meaningless nonsense. One day someone's name will be.. oh I don't know... "Bluebird" and the next they are **<3HuGgYbEaR<;D**. That is so annoying to try and read... plus, how the hell am I supposed to know who you are? Especially when you change your photo to a picture of some guy, that isn't you, wiping out on his skateboard...

Then the layout customisation just got to be too much for me to handle.. there is just way too much clutter on some of those pages. Plus someones songs blaring out at me when I switch to thier page... thankfully that one has a remedy. I know I sound like I must be a 95 year old man pining for simpler times, but I think it is more that I am bored with the anxt that is so frequently on display on MySpace.

The bilboard is what really sent me over the edge. So many people posting random thoughts that I, god knows why, would find myself reading. Everything from a post about Nachos being too hot and burning the roof of someones mouth leaving that little flap of bruned skin hanging down, to an attempt at deep meaning full poetry about the boy that just broke up with this 12 year old who has no true concept of a committed relationship. Somtimes something so inane as, I'm getting in the shower now. WTF?!? Who needs to know this? Do you always narrate your life?

Long and the short, I made the move to FaceBook and am much happier. So if you are an avid MySpace user... nevermind, you're not going to relate to this anyway...