Be Responsible, Dammit!

Another year, another St. Patrick's Day.  A nice quite one for me again.  I've been done with going out for the holiday for many years now.  I enjoy celebrating at home wearing a little bit of green to keep with tradition and drink a few beers.  Stout beers!  Not green beer.  And a glass of whiskey. 

This year, there were about four hundred DWI/DUI arrests in the Twin Cities, up from three hundred fifty (roughly) last year.  Which is good and bad.  The police staged more DWI checkpoints.  This is an awesome initiative by the police to try and deter drinking and driving.  It's not awesome because of how many people still found it necessary to go drink and drive.  The numbers went up despite the fact that it was well advertised that there were more cops on the road.  I cannot preach down to everyone on drinking and driving.  I have, ashamedly, left the bar more than a few times and gotten behind the wheel even though I knew I shouldn't have.  Those were the days of going out to not only get drunk, but to have a little bit more fun than was necessary.  Now?  I go out to socialize with friends and co-workers.  Gone are the days of drinking to get drunk.  Here are the days of drinking because I am enjoying the taste of beer and enjoying the company.

So what changed?  What changed in me that I wanted to be, you know, responsible?  Luckily, I never was pulled over or injured anyone.  I never wanted to push my luck when it comes to this situation so I have taken it upon myself to be responsible.  How mature of me, right?  The easiest way to deal with it is with the help of my wife.  She doesn't drink.  Even one drink makes her sick so she just stopped drinking alcohol.  No better way to get home responsibly than to use a designated driver, plus mine I don't have to pay for.  And I do not take advantage of her driving.  I don't go out and get shitfaced just because I don't have to drive home.  That's not my style anymore.  And even if she did drink, I would be more than happy to alternate who gets to drink and who drives home. 

The problem with social media

Remember back in the day when sites like Facebook and MySpace were getting started and it was fun?  Remember when it was just about posting your thoughts, pictures, and funny jokes? Remember when you found out about a party that a friend was setting up because of these sites?  Remember when it was not about stating what companies you like or posting those stupid little pictures with witty statements on them?  Remember when it wasn't about politics?  I miss those days. 

Back in 2004, Facebook was starting to take off.  I was a senior in college.  I wasn't really interested in sitting in front of a computer and looking at what everyone else was doing.  I was interested in, you know, graduating college.  If I had just been starting out in college, I'm sure I would have jumped on the bandwagon.  As it turned out, I had to go back and check this, I started my account two years after Facebook was established.  I have often thought about just up and deleting my account, but there are some good aspects to it. 

Staying connected with family and friends.  The main point is to stay up on the doings of those you care about.  Or at least it was.  Now it's about these stupid little games and sharing other peoples' photos, not your personal pictures you took on a vacation or your plans for the weekend.  I would even take all the stupid personal statuses that are so vague that you know a person is fishing for comments.  You know what I mean.  'I just don't know what to do anymore...'  That kind of thing.  Very junior high-ish.  I stay on Facebook to keep up with family, not to get the most comments on statuses.  I do my best to limit the amount that I share of other peoples' stuff.  Unless it is relevant to me. 

It use to be that there are things you shouldn't talk about at work.  Politics, religion, and sex.  I say 'use to be' these things because that line appears to be gone.  I feel that this guideline should hold true to social media.  Those topics are what drive wedges between friends and family.  Unless you hold the same view, it just gets tricky.  This year we have a presidential election and there are so many links and pictures and 'information' from both sides of the aisle flooding the site.  It's aggravating.  I find myself just rolling my eyes and scrolling to the next story.  It's hard to find actual interaction between people.  I know I wrote about this just a few months ago, but I feel that people just don't understand the problem with it all. 

So after all that, why do I continue to use Facebook?  It's easy to delete your account.  Other than the reasons I have already stated, I keep it because of the past.  I look back at some of the old posts and older pictures that I have been tagged in.  It makes me smile when I go back and look at that stuff.  There are pictures from when I worked on the Island.  From past trips that I have been on.  Times I have spent with friends.  I keep on keeping on because at any time I can go back and remember what Facebook was originally used for.  And I stay on because of this blog.  I link it so family and friends can keep up on my writings.  I know it is few and far between this year, but that happens. 

Baby Athletes

Dez Bryant is being coddled by the Dallas Cowboys.  Apparently, a grown professional cannot take care of himself.  He needs a team of three people to keep track of him.  Listed below are the six rules he agreed to in order to continue to play football. 

• A midnight curfew. If he's going to miss curfew, team officials must know in advance.
• No drinking alcohol.
•  He can't attend any strip clubs and can only attend nightclubs if they are approved by the team and he has a security team with him.
• He must attend counseling sessions twice a week.
• A rotating three-man security team will leave one man with Bryant at all times.
• Members of the security team will drive Bryant to practices, games and team functions.

This is a professional athlete people!  Now granted, he's young and has more money than he ever dreamed of when he was growing up, but you shouldn't have to do that.  All that should have to be done is have these written into his contract when he signed it.  Everyone knew that he had some personal issues coming out of college.  Just put some verbage in the contract that states that if you don't tow the line, you'll get cut.  You don't have a job if you can't follow the rules.

The stipulations about the curfew and attending counseling make sense, I like them.  Midnight is reasonable, and besides nothing good happens after one o'clock in the morning.  And knowing that he has had some personal issues in the past, having counseling sessions a couple of times a week gives him the opportunity to work through the issues.  You know, instead of going out and self destructing.  I don't know how I feel about the no alcohol thing.  Drinking never really leads to good decisions, especially in heavy amounts, but do you mean to tell me that the guy can't have a beer or two after a game?

The big issues deal with this, for me, is the security team.  Professional baby sitters.  Three guys are getting paid to babysit another adult.  At what point did it become necessary for this to happen?  One able bodied adult needing another to drive them to their job.  I might start lifting weights and start talking to some teams to see if they need any of their players need a babysitter.  I could stand to make some serious bank to make sure someone else doesn't screw up their life. 

The simple solution to this problem is not to pay them as much money as they are making.  If you don't make hundreds of thousands of dollars every month, guess what, you aren't going to strip clubs.  You aren't making horrible financial decisions like buying ninety thousand dollar cars that you don't drive.  You won't have people coming around looking for handouts.  People who are looking for handouts because they live a life that might be a little less than savory. 

Words to Destruct By

One of the most dangerous and destructive words in the modern day is 'potential'.  It's not a hurtful word, it's not going to cause wars, it's not going to demean anyone in any way.  What it does do, is it can create pressure for someone who has 'potential'.  It puts more light on the little flaws that would otherwise go unseen.  It makes the person put more effort into each and every day to the point where they could burn out.

I first started thinking about this when I stopped to watch the NFL draft a little bit last week.  I personally do not think that they should put that much hoopla and fanfare into it, but what do I know?  So watching the experts talk about the upside and downside to these kids getting drafted, they started to throw the word 'potential' around.  'He has the potential to anchor that team's offensive line for years to come.'  'He has the potential to be a shut down corner.'  'He has the potential to be the cornerstone for this franchise going forward.'  So on and so on for almost every single player.  While some positions in football fly under the radar, think about the offensive and defensive line, there are other positions (quarterback, wide receiver, safety) that are such an individual position or spot that one little mistake will be over analyzed for weeks.  But, that quarterback that threw four interceptions thought that he had the potential to make those throws.  He has the potential to carry the team on his back with his ability to read defenses and make accurate throws.  He has the potential to be the franchise player that will lead them to the playoffs and beyond.    

Another instance in sports is Bryce Harper.  A nineteen year old kid that got called up to the Washington Nationals over the weekend.  He has the potential to be the best player in the game for years and years.  He is going to be the face of the sport.  He....got booed by the visiting fans in Los Angeles when he walked up for his first at bat.  If this kid is suppose to be the future of baseball, why would they boo him?  Even if he didn't play for my team and the next best thing was making his debut, I would be excited to see that.  Think back to when you were nineteen.  Were you doing what you loved to do?  If you were, were you getting booed by tens of thousands of people?  Even if you weren't, think about if you were.

Potential isn't meant to be a destructive word, but if it is applied and whatever or whomever it is applied to doesn't live up to the potential, are they a failure?  Does potential set people up for failure if they don't reach something that another person says they have the ability or potential to do?  What if they don't want to reach that potential?  If a person goes to college and gets a bachelor's degree and has the potential to continue on towards a master's or doctoral degree, but they go off and use that degree in getting a job, have they failed or is getting that one degree all they really wanted?  Being in school for a decade isn't for everyone, some people get their degree and want to get out into the real world and start their careers.

In the end, the only potential that people have to live up to is their own.  Whether it is in sports, life, school, whatever, outsiders' opinion on someone's potential doesn't mean anything.  Live your life and you can't go wrong.  

Having Fun, Giving Away Pizzas

To bring back balance to the sports world force, I give you a link to this great article.  Now, if this doesn't make you laugh a little you are dead inside.  That's all there is to it.  Last year, I watched quite a bit of Kansas City Royals baseball games and no matter what the end results were, Jeff Francoeur always seemed to be smiling and having a great time.  He always found positives in the game, no matter if they won or lost.  That is professional.  That is a leader.  That is greatness that won't get you elected into the Hall of Fame (unfortunately).  The thing about him is the interaction with the fans that he has.  It doesn't matter if he plays at home or on the road, he takes everything in stride.  I'm pretty sure he would meet people for beers after games if someone would ask.  He jokes around, throws hundred dollar bills around for bacon dogs or beer, and makes it impossible to hate him.  You know, no big deal.

I read this article the day after my rage and rant post about some basketball players wanting to get paid to play in the Olympics and I'm pretty sure that if all pro athletes didn't get paid to play, Jeff Francoeur would still play ball.  You can tell he plays for love of the game and that the paycheck is just a hefty benefit.  I tip my hat to you, Jeff Francoeur.  Every team needs at least a player like this on their team.

More Than Olympic Gold

Ray Allen and Dwayne Wade need to shut their fucking mouths.  They are both in favor of NBA players being paid to play in the Olympics.  Here's an article on ESPN about it.  This is going to be a quick and vulgar post.  Hold onto your pants.  Kids, look away. 

Ray Allen is quoted as saying: 

You talk about the patriotism that guys should want to play for, but you (need to) find a way to entice the guys," Allen was quoted as saying in the interview. "It's not the easiest thing in the world if you play deep in the playoffs and then you get two, three weeks off and then you start training again to play more basketball, where it requires you to be away from home and in another country. It's fun, but your body does need a break.

That is complete bullshit and here's why.  Look at the majority of the sports that are played in the Olympics and they don't have paid athletes to start out with.  Hell, most athletes that are trying to make the Olympic teams would pay to make it on the team.  Think about all the sports that take place during either of the Olympic events and how many of them do not have professional levels?  The majority of the sports.

Now, basketball is not the only Olympic sport that has professional players.  It is, however, the first sport to have players come out and say that they need to be paid to play for their country.  That is how fucking selfish these players are.  This is how much of a 'me me me' type of sport basketball is.  I'm not the most patriotic person in the world, but if I had the ability to play my sport against the world's best, I wouldn't be begging to get paid.  I would be asking if I could pay to play.  I would be humbled at the opportunity that comes around once every four fucking years.

If this situation were to pick up any kind of steam with more greedy athletes wanting to get paid for playing and I were part of the Olympic Committee I would just stop pros from participating in the games.  What would be wrong with that?  I think that pros in the Olympics cheapens the games anyways.  They get paid to play every single year.  They shouldn't get the opportunity to play in the Olympics.  The Olympics are a special event.  They don't need over paid, privileged, self righteous pricks thinking that they need more money to play a game that most play for free.  And for national pride.  

Most of the Olympians train for three years just to get a shot at making the Olympics.   Not only do they train for all those years, but they give up everything to train.  Their families give up everything too.  Pro athletes should thank the amateur athletes for their efforts to be in the Olympics. 

The new counterculture (part two)

This is the second part of the Occupy Wall Street posts.  Here's the first one.


I like the idea of the Occupy movement but there is something missing in it.  For the longest time, I couldn't put my finger on it.  Then it dawned on me.  It wasn't some great epiphany or in the middle of the night and I shot up in bed with this great idea.  It just popped in my head when I was reading some articles on the movement.  They aren't doing as much as they should be.

It is great that there are so many voices in so many places finding a purpose.  Not only are they finding a purpose, but it is the same purpose.  A unified front speaking out against those they feel have let them down.  Or at the very least, looked down on them from their corner offices and downtown penthouses.  

The movement is great, but you can only say so much before needing to take action.  They must realize that marching in the street, camping night in and night out in a town square, and making funny yet poignant signs can only get you attention.  Going on political talk shows gets the attention that you need, but you need to take that next step and get your voice heard by those who really can make the change you want.  If you are there just to protest that's fine, but if you want actual change, you need to take your anger and your voice and present your case, whatever it might be, to the government.  They aren't going to sit up on capital hill and eventually change the way they do things just because there are protests all around the country.  They can wait it out.

Do I think this will actually happen?  I don't think so.  I know that the thought process behind the movement is that it is suppose to be a leaderless movement.  No one person is the voice of the Occupy movement.  They are a collective voice.  There are local leaders I guess you would call them, but there is not one or two big time leaders, but that is what they need.  They need just a handful of people to meet with lawmakers and get these changes made.  The only way just flat out protesting will get anything accomplished is if it is a violent protest.  With guns.  And that won't happen.  It worked in the Middle East, but that is an entirely different world compared to the one that the Occupy movement is dealing with.  The Middle East protests started violent and used violence to end oppressive and violent regimes.  You can't go from being a non-violent protest movement to taking up arms.  That would be disastrous.


In the end, the important thing to take away from the Occupy movement is that thousands of voices can find a common theme.  And what they say can change the country if they find the right people to lead them.

The new counterculture (part one)

I wanted to break this up into two because I got half way through and realized it would be too much for one post.  I also think it's worthy of two posts just because it is an interesting topic and can be so much more in the end. 

One of the greatest things about this country is in the first amendment of the constitution.  The rights to free speech and the right to assemble.  Since the first movement of Occupy Wall Street took form in New York I have been passively following it just because I'm obviously not in New York and cannot participate.  Occupy Minnesota has been going on for a few weeks, but it has not had the coverage that some of the larger city occupations have gotten.  Mainly because it isn't as interesting as some of the others.  All across the country there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of arrests of protesters for various infractions and at Occupy Oakland there have been violent clashes with the police.  This is just the latest case of violence and I'm sure there have been minor clashes throughout the country and the world.  

I can't help but feel like the occupiers are the new counterculture.  Just like the hippies of the sixties who were out and about protesting the government, Vietnam, civil rights, and whatever else they felt like, those protesters had a voice and a cause and were willing to clash with the government over it.  The occupiers are starting to find that same voice and that same fight.  They have found something they think is worth fighting for, worth getting arrested for, worth getting their skulls bashed in for.  

The occupiers and protesters feel wronged by the top tier (or one percent) of this country and are sick of the greed that they have used to their advantage.  This is where the 'We are the ninety nine percent' theme came from.  Groups of people have unified under one banner that most of us can identify with.  This isn't something that the normal person hasn't thought about before.  Everyone wants to shake their fist at the government in a public place.  They want to be seen, they want to be heard and that is what the Occupy movement has allowed many people in cities throughout the country to do.  New York, Columbus, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Oakland.  It has gone global.  London, Madrid, Melbourne, Berlin.  That's the beauty of the internet within this movement.  It's allowed for worldwide unity against the rich.  

But there is a downside to this movement that I will get into next post.  Before I get into that, I have a quote from Gangs of New York which I think is appropriate for the movement.  'The earth turns, but we don't feel it. And one night you look up. One spark and the whole sky is on fire.'  Just think on that for a little bit.  Absorb the context.  Until the next post.   






Interested in learning more?  Click it. 

Movie escape

Movies are meant to be a way to escape reality for a couple of hours.  Time to forget all about the world outside and enjoy yourself.  There are those movies that are nothing but fight scenes and explosions and they are great.  The ultimate escape.  They will never be an award winning movie or sneak into a top one hundred list of the year, but they are serving a purpose.  Entertainment.  And according to a good friend of mine, that is their purpose.  There are dramatic movies out there that draw you into a different time or different circumstances that you would never ever see and blow your mind.  Those are the award winners and the top one hundred movies of the year and they are around to make people think. 

And then there are documentaries.  I love love love documentaries.  Call me a nerd or a geek all you want but they are great.  I'm watching 'Imagine:  John Lennon' at the moment and, if anything, it is making me laugh.  He had such a nonchalant approach to life that it make me sad that he isn't around anymore.  He was socially aware of the goings on in the world as well.  He promoted peace and love in his adult life which is what makes him such a fascinating person.  But above all of that, he was a musical genius (and I try not to use that term [genius] very often). 

Documentaries are meant to make you aware of the world.  Of certain situations you may not know.  Or, if you want, to just learn about people.  Currently on my Netflix queue I have documentaries that range from the life of Hank Greenberg to the rise and collapse of Enron, to the struggles to find and reclaim European paintings the Nazis stole during the second world war.  So there are many different forms of documentaries and they are not all Michael Moore type documentaries, edited for the director's own agenda.  Those aren't documentaries.  Documentaries are meant to be objective, not meant to push an agenda.

I watched 'Taxi to the Dark Side' last night and if you need a reason to hate the George W. Bush administration even more, this documentary is for you.  It took a look at the escalation of 'enhanced interragation' and the death of a man suspected of being a terrorist.  The reason this man's death was so important is because he died from injuries he suffered while being beaten and left in stress positions for hours (and by hours, I'm talking twenty to thirty hours) on end.  It explored the blurring line between what is right and what is wrong and how the Bush administration abused their power. 

The next time you want to watch a movie, think about a documentary.  They can open your mind. 

Novembeard

November is right around the corner, and we all know what that means.....November! The month in which men grow facial hair in recognition of men's health and prostate cancer awareness. Now, the formal version of November goes alike this:

Step one: Shave your face. All of it.
Step two: Grow a moustache.
Step three: ...that's it.

Keep the stach for the month to show your support for the men in your life you may have lost, or just men in general.

I have taken this and twisted it a little bit. I have called it Novembeard. I don't think I would ever rock a moustache, so I go with a beard. Generally speaking, I keep my beard year round. Last year, I grew out the beard for the month and then some. It was mountain man-like. Here's a picture from last Thanksgiving.
This year, for the month of Novembeard, I'm going to shave a little bit of my beard and go with the mutton chops look. Look it up, I can wait.....





It's pretty awesome right? Show your support for men's health. Grow some facial hair for the next month. Even if you can grow a little bit. Do it because it's fun. Do it because it's a great social stance for health awareness. Do it because growing facial hair is manly.

Keep aware

October is upon us. And everyone knows what awareness month it right? Domestic Violence Awareness month. Ha! Breast Cancer Awareness month was the first thing you thought of. And it's okay, it's a disease and can be researched and a cure can be found (eventually. hopefully.) For the past couple of months, I have written about this because domestic violence can be fixed, you can make sure that it doesn't happen. With breast cancer, you can't stop it because we don't know how it works. You can take steps to prevent it, so women, take care of yourselves please. Guys, go out and buy some Yoplait yogurt and send in those pink tops and think that you are helping out.

Domestic violence is just about the worst thing in the world. Just about. There are other things that are worse. Murder and...and....and thats about it. Sexual violence is up there too. I just can't wrap my mind around why people can do anything like this. With domestic violence, I think it is something that gets swept under the rug in our society. I'm not saying that our society thinks it's okay, but I'm certain that it is such a frequent occurrence that most people don't blink an eye at it when it is reported on the news.

You want to do something to help people in domestic violence situations? Donate to a local women's shelter, the YWCA is a great organization that is throughout the entire country and even the world!





Donate and feel great about yourself. Be part of the solution, not the problem.

Powerless words

It seems to me that phrases such as 'thank you' and 'you're welcome' have loss their meaning in society. Not to say that people are no longer grateful for the little things, they just take it for granted. I came to this conclusion last week while out and about with some friends.

We were sitting next to a group of people at a bar and every time the waitress brought their drinks, they didn't bother to acknowledge the job that she was doing. They continued on with their drinking and talking. It may not seem like much, but I know that if I were in the restaurant business, I would feel appreciated even if it were something as small as a 'thank you' from some drunk person you may never see again.

I make it a point to thank a waiter, waitress, or bartender. I know that it is their job to serve me, but I want to thank them for doing their job. Sometimes, their jobs look like the hardest jobs in the world. Dealing with drunk and belligerent people make their lives stressful. It may be a small gesture, saying thank you, but I like to think that it lets them know I appreciate their work and I hope that they know that.

Plus, it could lead to better service if they know I say thank you. At least that is what I'm going with.

Up early

Every time my body finds in necessary to wake up three or so hours before I need to, I find myself compelled to write something.  Even if I have nothing to write about. 

This weekend coming up is the annual Concealed Revealed art auction in Topeka.  We went up last year with K & M and it was great.  The only problem is that I have to work, so I miss out on it this year.  *sad face*  It is a great excuse to get out of Wichita for the weekend, get a little dressed up, and it benefits a great cause.  If you live up in the Topeka area and have nothing to do this Friday at 7:00 post meridian, shell out a few dollars at the door and enjoy the evening.  Even if you don't buy anything at the auction, you can feel better about yourself for helping out the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment.  We got one little piece of art last year for not that much and it hangs on our wall in the living room and we feel good about ourselves.  Every little bit helps.  

This past weekend, we took a trip out to Colorado Springs to visit my brother-in-law.  It was nice to get away for a three day weekend.  Spent a lot of time visiting and just hanging out.  We took a day trip up to Denver and walked around an open air mall.  The weather was great for it, got a decent amount of pictures I have yet to get off the camera.  Half way through our drive back, we decided that the next time we take a trip out there, it would be better to fly.  Not better monetarily, but better time wise.  The drive is eight and a half to nine hours long, and in western Kansas, that takes FOREVER!  Once you get into Colorado and see something other than flat lands or rolling hills, the drive goes quickly. 

Becoming a regular

After work last night, a co-worker and I went out for our normal after work, relaxation, stress taking away beer at a local establishment. Normally we get there and it is a little busy, but there are still plenty of tables to choose from. It also starts to wind down because it is close to midnight. Last night, however, was different because the college kids are still out for winter break. Before I pulled into the driveway I thought that it wasn't going to be busy because it was snowing (yes, twice in one month!) and most people in Wichita hunker down because they never learned to drive in the snow. Then I turned into the parking and was shocked at the amount of vehicles in the lot. I walked in and found one lonely little table just abandoned and quickly sat. I didn't care if the glasses and ticket were still on the table, I just wanted to sit.

Throughout the course of the hour or so we were there, we had several servers come up to us to basically say hi and thanks for not being douche bag college kids who don't know how to behave or leave tips. This, honestly, was one conversation from a guy who has been our server maybe twice: 'Still drinking Guinness?' You know it. This was BEFORE the beer was sitting in front of me. How great is that? Another server came up to us right before we were ready to leave to tell us how much she hated the college kids and that she couldn't wait until school started again. I am just a few more visits away from claiming 'Norm status'.

We hadn't been there in a little over a month because of the way our schedules worked out at work, so it was nice to get back into the routine and people watch. College kids try too hard to look hip and cool. I don't remember trying to look cool, but maybe I did and just blocked it out of my mind. We mostly get to watch office people drunkenly fall over each other before realizing how awkward it would be if they hooked up and the college kids were a change of pace. They were drunkenly catching up with people they went to high school with and what they had been doing the past couple of years. I did enjoy going back home from school at winter break and hitting the Downtowner or Maloney's and doing the same thing.

But...it's my dog

As I was shopping in World Market today, I saw some lady walking around with a little dog in a handbag sitting in the cart. In what world would someone think that this was okay? I understand having a close relationship with your pet and wanting to spend time with them, but leave them at home. Or in the car. The weather is nice enough, not too hot not too cold, to leave a pet in the car for just a quick trip into a store. All anyone would have to do is crack the window. Or leave the house with someone who can sit in the car while it runs.

That time of year

Two days from now, I will have to roll out of bed at one in the morning for work. I will start my work day an hour later. Two o'clock in the morning. It is the busiest day of the year. I have always wondered two things about Black Friday.
1.) How did it start? I understand the name. It is when a store or company start to actually make money. The fourth quarter is when you go from red in the books to black. Apparently though, in 1869, there was a stock market scandal in which some people tried to corner the gold market (I love the not always reliable Wikipedia). But who had the idea to drop the prices on pretty much everything and to open at such an ungodly hour? Which brings me to my next point....

2.) Who the hell wants to stand in line for a couple of hours, in the freezing cold in some places, just to save some money? Especially if you have to get up at two or three in the morning. The only reason I am up is because of what I do. If I didn't work in retail, there is no way in hell someone could convince me to stand in line to go shopping. It brings out the worst in some people. The people that come into the store four hours after opening and wonder why the 56 inch t.v. that was dirt cheap isn't in stock anymore. Most people in the store are happy with what they get. They are usually out for one or two things and once they get that, everything else is just gravy.




And gravy for the stores I suppose.

Fun drunk v. Angry drunk

Everyone who knows me, knows I enjoy having a beer or two or three from time to time. On very rare occasions, am I ever in a bad mood while drinking. Like most people, beer makes me happy. One thing that helps that out is being around friends that are having a good time and are having good conversations.

After work tonight, while out at a local establishment, we saw someone who was three sheets to the wind and looking for a fight. Don't know why, but he was pissed about something. It happens, I know this, but do you have to be a downer? When I get angry drunk or mad drunk, I just get quite or, you know, don't go to the bar!

And where were this guys friends? Good friends would get that guy some water and get him the hell out. And the management, where were they? We thought he was getting tossed when a management type person walked him out of the place, which made me smile, but then he came back in. What the hell! I wanted to see him get dragged out and tossed never to return.

So, if you are ever going to go out to a bar to just get completely shit faced and are going to be angry about it, go out with friends who will take care of you and make you drink water and take you home before you end up making a scene. It may be fun to watch every once in a while, but far too often it ends up being annoying.



P.S. Thank you each and every veteran throughout the world.

Another sign of the apocalypse

Quick side note, this is post three hundred. Sweet.

A sad moment passed through in my life earlier this week as I walked into the break room at work. There was a copy of People magazine on one of the tables and on the cover was the guy from the Twilight movie. The dude with the freaky standing up hair and cracked out looking eyes. Yeah, him. So, big old picture of him and a headline about his love life and this that and the other thing. Not a big deal usually, but in the upper right hand corner of the cover is a little blip that said 'Walter Cronkite 1916-2009'.

I know that this is People magazine, but come on...does some teen movie star (who will probably never be heard from again after these twilight movies are done) warrant a cover story over Walter Cronkite's passing? The answer is no. There is no argument.

Surely if there were more reputable magazines around, there would be cover stories about Cronkite but alas...

People watching

Author's note: I started typing this in Chicago while waiting to fly to Michigan, so it is a bit dated. However, it is still relevant. The reason it is a long time coming is that Andrea kept the lap top, on which this was saved, with her while she stayed home and I returned to Kansas.

I digress....

One thing that has interested me for a long time has been people. People watching seems to be in my family's genes. But I think that it is just our nature as people. Airports present prime targets for people watching. I just enjoy seeing what people wear.

You see the people that travel in comfort: jeans or sweatpants (for those who want to be extra comfortable), tee shirt, tennis shoes (or sandles in the summer time).

The professional traveler: dress shirt, dress pants, bluetooth headset, cell phone used to text other professional travelers.

Military people: self explanatory.

Skanky sorority girls and over dressed frat boys with their Hollister plastered too tight tee shirts.

The family with the screaming kid, the family with the quite kid (the former outnumbers the latter).

That is about it, at least that I have seen. I am sure that there are tons of others, but they are less frequently spotted than others.

What a difference a city makes

As I was meandering around Michigan (Flint to Grand Rapids to Detroit back to Flint in a four day span) I did a lot of the driving.  My in-laws are not fans of driving in big cities, I can handle it just fine though.  While we were in and around Detroit, I started out driving five over the posted limit.  And in the mean time, was getting passed by blue hairs.  I did the only rational thing....sped up to the flow of traffic.  And before I knew it, I was going twenty and twenty five over.  A fact my friend Marc would be most proud of.  And I was still getting passed by some people (although I was doing more passing than being passed).  Holy shit.  

I didn't think much of it at the time because I was going with the majority of the flow of traffic.  But when I got back to Wichita, that drastically changed.  I hit about five over the limit and was passing everyone.  It is funny how things like that work.  Just recently, the city police set up a bear trap and nailed someone for going about thirty five over the posted limit.  That right there is why I don't speed too often.  I have no desire to be the person sitting on the shoulder of the road while other drivers laugh to themselves (at least that is what I do when I see speeders pulled over on the highway and/or in the city).  There is nothing wrong with setting up a bear trap.  It helps maintain.  

Big cities like Detroit have crazy drivers.  The way Marc described driving in Atlanta was the following.  'Just go.  The drivers behind you are paying attention.'  He tried to pass this mentality onto me while we were in Dallas a couple of years ago.  My brain doesn't work that way.  I need to look, I need to know what is going on around me.  I understand the thought process behind it, but can't bring myself to change lanes blindly.