What's the point of this charade?

I have written in awhile. It's not because of lack of inspiration. I often think, what's the point. Try as I may, things do not go the way I've planned. I'm only writing today because I need to get this nagging feeling I have inside of me out and in the open.

I went to my boss's funeral the other day and it was sad. Not sad in the way that funeral's are supposed to be. Whenever you lose someone, there's a cloud of sadness that hovers. You may realize that they are going to go to a better place, but selfishly you want them to stay here with us. What happens if you don't know they are going to a better place? What happens if you lose someone that nobody really, truly knew?

To think that I knew my boss as well as his family did after only two years of working with him is truly depressing. To spend fifty plus years of your life on this earth only to pass away without anyone truly knowing who you were. The people that attended were mostly work related. The entire company including old employees, area managers and staff showed up to pay their respects. The rest of the group seemed to be more friend of the family than long lost friends and loved ones. How can work be everything? I try to do well at my job, but I don't stress over it. I don't spend my waking hours trying to figure out how to make things better in my profession. I often feel guilty for obsessing over what I do enjoy. I'll take the time to think about a video game I'm playing or a video I'm working on. When I start a project, I have a tendency to think about that with every spare moment until it's done. Maybe he felt the same way, only work is a project that never ends and always gives you more challenges to encounter along the way.

And what do you say to someone after they've lost someone? My condolences? What does that mean anyway? I'm sorry for something that neither of us had any control over. You want to talk about the good and happy memories. But even after they fade, the stinging is still there. And worse yet, what if it's not? If I don't feel a certain degree of horrible, does that mean I'm not normal or am doing something wrong? Funerals just make me uncomfortable.

I also have no evidence that he was saved. I worked with him for two years and not once shared how I felt about God's grace. Did he know? He worked every Sunday, so he wasn't learning about him there. It fills me with sadness to know that when I go to work, I will be passing the halls of someone who devoted his life to his profession and I don't even have half of that passion. I work because I have to, not because I want to.

Instant Classic! Bulls vs. Celtics

People like to throw the term "Instant Classic" around too much. I often hear commentators use this term while the game is still going on. How can you know it's an instant classic if it hasn't even ended yet. There's something very special going on in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs between the Celtics and the Bulls.

Going into the playoffs, most Bulls fans would've been ecstatic if they had advanced past the first round. Expectations were low for both teams. These are not two teams that are expected to contend for a title. What has developed is a drop down, grinding slugfest in which both teams refuse to give up. The Celtics could've easily used Kevin Garnett's absence as an excuse. To lose that kind of leadership and defensive presence would be a staggering blow to any team. But the youth and the spirit of this young Bulls team have made it truly a sight to see.

As a Bulls fan, I was just wanting them to be competitive and not get blown out. Maybe even win a couple of games. I was not expecting, Double and Triple Overtime, with multiple heroes, flagrant fouls, and bloodied lips. The entire basketball world is tuning in to see who wants it more. When people in LA care more about what's happening in this series than the Lakers series, it means there's something truly unique taking place.

I find it most interesting that they are fighting so hard for a First Round game. This isn't the conference finals, the semifinals or even the Championship. This is the First Round. Supposedly the easiest round and after 7 Overtimes, 5 of the 6 games settled by less than 3 points, it's proving to be a daunting task for either team.

And this has come down to more than just advancing to the next round. Whoever wins the Finals this year, will not be remembered as long as people will First Round series. Whoever wins this series is probably going to get taken down in the next round or two. That doesn't even matter. It's all about the moment. The moment to prove that you dug down deep and had something extra when it counted. That you fought for everything and didn't give up. That no matter whether you've a veteran team just off a championship looking to save face, or a less experience young team looking for some respect, this is their championship. This is not playoff basketball, this is history.

A Letter to my Teenage Daughter

My Dearest,

I know it's not cool to listen to advice from your parents, but I thought you'd be more likely to read what I wrote than to listen to my words while trying not to roll your eyes. I wish for you to be all the things your mom and I dream for you to be. I hope you learn from our mistakes and not merely recreate them. I pray that you find faith and follow God and not the world. Understand that just because other people do it, doesn't automatically make it right. Learn to think for yourself and follow your heart for what you truly believe is the right course of action. Your life is in your hands and the decisions you make are yours and yours alone.

People will have no shortage of advice to offer you but be weary of the intentions of those supplying it. Your parents give you advice on the premise that we love and care for you, wanting you to do your best, having the best life possible. We may not be perfect, but we always have the best of intentions and no hidden agenda. Teachers, for the most part, have pure intentions. They have little to gain by misguiding you and blatantly lying to you. Some things they teach because they have to, but they can generally be trusted with the advice that they give. Your friends care for you and want you to be happy, but their intentions can sometimes be tainted. They want you to listen to them above all, but if you are in trouble, you are the one who will have to face the consequences of your actions. I am not singling anyone of your friends out as I don't even know who your friends will turn out to be. You haven't even begun to turn into the woman you will be when you read this. Friends can be loyal, loving and trustworthy, but they can also be two-faced, vindictive and bitter. People don't show their true colors until they have to.

Be wary of the company you keep. Your time is valuable and shouldn't be wasted on the brain dead. Money isn't everything. Though it may seem like it when you can't get the things you want, God always provides us with the things we need. Don't spend all your time comparing yourself to other people. No matter how high you make it up the social ladder, there's always someone higher with seemingly better stuff than you have. Try to be happy with what you have and realize you are so much better off than a lot of people. You have two loving parents who will always be by your side no matter what. Don't be afraid to let us share your life.

You may find it hard to believe, but we were both young once. We know the trials and tests you will be tempted by. Though it may seem hard to pass up the pleasures of the world, things are not always as wonderful as they appear to be. The ways of the world are fleeting and empty. In the grand scheme, they only give you loneliness and emptiness when the whole scenario plays out. You try to say that we don't know what it's like, but we do. The types of drugs, sex and peer pressure that you face might be in a different form but it's still the same as it was twenty years ago. The world hasn't changed all that much, everyone has just become more tolerant of the wickedness.

As I wrap this letter up, remember that you can always talk to me. I may not have a lot of knowledge about the details of your problem, but no matter what the subject, I will always listen. There are a lot of kids who don't have two parents, so be wise and use the gifts that God has given to you. Your mom and I love you with all your heart and we look forward to meeting you.

Love,
Dad

Knowing Movie Review

I've been on blogger break the past few weeks. I've been working on my story so have had limited to time to write about my incessant ramblings. I return to you with a movie review. I recently watched the Nicolas Cage movie Knowing. The general consensus about Nic Cage is that if he is in a movie, you shouldn't see it. I've liked most of his movies. They aren't great, but good. Knowing has me conflicted as I'm not sure if I really liked it or not. It bugged me at first, until I thought about it deeper. Please realize the following does contain spoilers as to plot and purpose. If you want to see this movie and not spoil anything, please read after viewing. And then maybe we can discuss.

In Knowing, Nicolas Cage's son finds a list in a time capsule containing a young child's view of the future from fifty years ago. Instead of a picture of flying cars or spaceships, he finds a paper with nothing but a list of numbers. The numbers, he infers, are related to predictions of major disasters including date and death count.

I won't go into the details in case you want to see the film for yourself. The suspense is pretty exciting even if some of the events are a tad unbelievable. As you approach the end of the film, you realize that the earth is doomed with no chance of redemption. The numbers are not meant to be a warning for prevention, but a prophecy for belief. With all of the references in the believers, and the ones who are called, I suddenly realized it was a christian film or at least heavily lined with christian themes. The whispering people seem creepy for the entire film, but have wings on at the end. The unbelievers are burned up in a solar flare and the young children approach a beautiful tree that looks like the Tree of Knowledge.

I still don't think it's a wonderful movie, but the christian elements definitely give it a deeper meaning. God said he wouldn't destroy the world again with a flood, but does that mean he won't ever start anew using another disaster? We'd like to think that's untrue. Maybe it's more reminiscent of the New Heaven and a New Earth reference.

It was an interesting movie and the people that downright hated this movie, have to question their ideology. Do they hate the movie because of the content or because they're not seeing the deeper message? It's definitely worth a view to make your own mind up.

Who are "they" and why should we listen to them?

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "Well, people say..." or "they say..." or even "I've heard..." I do it all the time though I try not to. But who are they anyway? Where do they come from and why do they feel the need to stick their nose in my affairs all the time?

Apparently they know everything. They dress nicer, have more self control, slimmer waistlines and are experts in the field of psychology and finance. Modesty is not one of their strong suits as we talk about them all the time. People rarely challenge the they. We follow blindly feeling like we're smarter than others, like we've gotten a hot tip. We think of it as inside information only the privileged few have. I know something you don't know because I heard it from a supposed reliable source.

If all you're going to do is criticize than just leave my life alone. Go spend time with the rest of the sheep and see if I even notice. I'm tired of listening to them. I have enough to deal with without worrying about impressing the anonymous collective. They'll probably hate me for it. They always do.

I could be a they and you'd never even know it.

See movies in real 3D without the bluish/redish tint. Your eyes will thank you for it.

I feel like a little kid today. I went to see the Jonas Brothers today. The show was very well done. I've always been a fan of the concept of 3D, but it's hard to find good 3D. They had a couple of the shows at Disney World that were really well done. I especially liked the Muppet show with the two old guys int he balcony. "We would've left along time ago, but our butts are bolted to the seat! Ha ha ha!"

But when you go and see a movie are are drooling when the previews are running it's a good sign. I'm glad that Real D uses clear glasses instead of the red and blue lenses. Watching the explosions and the words coming right at you just makes you go "ooh." The movie itself was better than I thought it was going to be. They mixed up the music with very humorous behind the scenes information. It really did feel like you were on stage with them because of the 3D effect. I look forward to seeing some of the full length movies that are coming up in that kind of 3D as it doesn't make your head hurt. When you can watch the opening credits of the Jonas Brothers movie and be in awe, it makes you feel young again. I think it's funny when people walk out of the 3D movie with their glasses still on. It's like they want to see the world in 3D or something.

I know why it's not busy. They were charging $15 a ticket, but I only went because it was free. People don't want to pay $45 for a family of three to see a concert that's probably for their kid anyway. And in these rough economic times, people are looking for ways to trim expenses, not create more.

How can they allow such violence on tv? Oh, it's just the news!

You know the last time I watched the news was when I was on it. I was in the same newscast as Arnold Schwarzenegger (I think that's right), presidential candidates McCain & Obama, and a Kindergartner class's mauled pet pony (the pony didn't make it). The news is quite absurd when you think about it and very outdated since the popularity of the Internet has boomed.

The job of the news is like any other television show, ratings. Only the news is never going to get canceled. People will never stop committing crimes. Disasters will continue. There is apparently so much news that the half hour show from my childhood could not contain everything that's happened.

There is also a multitude of newscasts throughout the day. They have morning news, evening news and nightly news. I once saw the news on at noon. I thought, it's been three hours what could I possibly need to know about. There's also entire channels devoted to the news and weather. If there's anything more exciting than watching the weather channel, I haven't found it. We even have entire shows dedicated to making a parady of the news. There's apparently so much information floating around that we don't know what to do with it.

But we have all these news shows, and what do they talk about? The news always presents, it's most exciting stories at the beginning, advertising what they'll be talking about later. You sit and wade through the gunk just to get to the five minute topic that you thought sounded kind of interesting. All the news has on it is crime. Death, murder, fires and crooked politics. Happiness is apparently not news worthy. If you only watched the news, out world looks like it's on the brink of destruction, like we might not even survive until the morning. It's just so depressing.

And the format of the news is actually quite interesting when you stop to think about it. The news tries to make every story and every "angle" more exciting than it actually is. How many voiceovers or live "on the scene" interviews to they need in one broadcast? They do it because it draws attention. You can tell the exact same story, but if you present it like it's important for us to pay attention to, we're more likely to do so.

This is the anonymous idiot reporting out in the cold and sleet, that nothing new has happened on the scene for the last three hours. Thanks and have a great night!

Well, I don't know know. Who do you admire?

I've never been someone who's had someone they admire, a hero-like figure you could say. I think there are many great men, but the man part always seems to get in the way because we are flawed. Even the most stoic of beings can be enticed to wrongdoing.

I've never been a military person. I hate the thought of losing your own identity for someone else's agenda. I don't want others to tell me who I should hate which is why I never watch the news (Again a story for another time). I understand the need for following orders in a military institution as you can't have people questioning orders in the heat of battle. Don't get me wrong as I am not anti-military. Where would this country be without our history of military force. I respect them, but I couldn't choose their life.

Which brings us to the next category of celebrities. Sports icons used to rank high on people's admiration list. With all the talk to steroids or as it should be called, cheating, how can you possibly idolize them. If it's illegal to use them, then you chose to break the rules. I realize it's an epidemic, but if you don't like the rules then don't play the game. I always wanted to be a lawyer, but I see how corrupt or at least morally ambiguous our justice system is and chose not to become a part of it.

Television and movie celebrities are not much better. They get paid millions of dollars to entertain. Sure they put in a lot of hours and sacrifice for their craft. But I would work just as hard and long of hours if someone was willing to pay me millions for it afterward. The problem with celebrities is that they are too rich and they have no idea what to do with their money. They buy 2 & 3 houses, with a yacht and still have boatloads of money left over. They get involved with drugs, alcohol or affairs because they feel invincible or are just trying to escape the pressures of a public life.

Don't even utter the word politicians in this discussion. They are the crookedest profession out there. All they care about is pleasing the lobbyists and getting reelected. They don't really care about making a difference. If they did, they just get swallowed by the machine and silenced. Why should a politician get paid millions of dollars for doing the job they do? Senators can and do, vote to give themselves a raise for all their hard work. I wish I had that option on my job.

It's hard to find someone worthy enough to be admired and when you do you're always wondering, "What's the Catch?"

I'm not sold on the whole Obama is great, thing.

The effect has started to wear off a little now, but it's still been bugging me. I have never seen a president treated more like a rockstar than our current president. Leading up to the time that he would take the office, we got to find out the most mundane of details. I personally don't care who the White House Chef or what kind of dog the family is going to get. I wonder if I'm hearing about it more since it's from my home state. Maybe the local media is discussing it more than past presidents. I just want to see what the guy is going to do before everyone labels him the country's hero.

At this point, I must say that he is being active if nothing else. He's been in office for about a month and he's already actively involved in causes. The big economic stimulus plan got passed which may or may not help the economy. Obama seems to be holding rich people to a higher standard than politicians of old but I still don't trust him. The last economic stimulus plan, though it did put a little more money in our pockets did not solve the overall problem. The rich still rewarded themselves for their terrible decision making. The housing crisis is just as bad or worse as it was and the economy is causing more people to lose their jobs with little hope in sight. He's looking to do a Universal Health Care system which I think is a great thing that will probably never get passed. People have been fighting against this forever in this country because they are greedy. The fact that the president is backing this fight is an interesting twist.

I hear that he's working on the whole one religion thing. Can anyone say mark of the beast? A well liked, very well liked world leader, trying to unite the world under one religion, one health care plan. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions, but whenever anyone's too popular I wonder if they might end up being the world's doom. I thought it could be Tom Cruise for awhile until I discovered he's just an idiot.

Obama is going to pull out of Iraq by August 2010. This was the main reason why I didn't vote for him. I am all about letting other countries handle their own affairs. The US has enough internal issues to deal with to spread ourselves to thin around the rest of the world. The reason why the country's deficit is as large as it is, because we go around the world, blow them up and then help them rebuild the country we blew up. Seems an odd state of affairs to me. But if we pull our troops out too soon, it will set things back. All the lives that have been lost, all the money and time spent to let this country stand on its own two feet will be wasted. Someone else will just step in and take over because we won't be there to stop them. I'm all for not being the World's Policeman, but if there is injustice somewhere and we have the ability to stop it, than we should. Just one idiot's opinion.

The Afterlife

Nobody truly knows what happens to us after we die. But everyone has a theory. Some people believe in...nothing. This life happens and then that's it. That's sad. What is the point of living a good life or even being remembered if in the end there's nothing? This reminds me of agnostics. An entire belief predicated on punching holes in other people's beliefs. You don't believe in God? That's great for you, but have a backbone and tell mean what you do believe in. What is your purpose in living a life that isn't completely self serving?

Some people believe in reincarnation. Depending on how you live your life determines how you return? Does that mean returning in human form is a priveledge or a demotion? It's hard to tell sometimes. Let's say you return as a fly. What can you possibly do to gain or lose position? Do those annoying flies that keep pestering you and won't leave you alone get demoted to a maggot or something? And if you do come back as a human, nobody should have to go through puberty and high school more than once. That's just plain cruel.

Some people believe in heaven and hell while others believe that there's just a hell. I think you have one, you have to have the other as well. I for one, believe in heaven. This world is much too complex to have by formed by mere chaos. Karma is out there, but it's more than just karma. Plus, you have to believe in something in a world like this or it'll tear you apart. If there truly is nothing after this life (which the mere thought is depressing and sad), have you really missed out on all that much by living a good life? At the end of your life, you won't be thinking your life is a waste. It'll more like having a blaring television that someone turned off into silence. If on the other hand, there is a heaven and hell while you chose not to believe...watch out!

They don't make them like they used to

Whatever happened to building things so that they'd last? You know, Edison's light bulb is still burning. The one he first designed is still operational. I think it's on display in his museum. I have to change light bulbs every few months. Oh, how the times have changed. If a light bulb lasted a lifetime, there would be no industry for it. Imagine handing down your light bulbs down to the next generation. "Take care of that son and it'll last you another fifty years." Just don't let the kids play ball in the house. I remember how upset my parents were when we broke something. Just imagine breaking the family light bulb. How tragic. They could've just raised the price and kept the quality. This light bulb costs one hundred dollars, but it will never need replacing.

It just seems that everything nowadays is being modeled after this inferior light bulb; cars, televisions, refridgerators. The list could go on and on. We were apparently too efficient. So much so that the next generation of products is now worse that the last. Technology not always makes improvements, apparently.

Pets

I never saw the purpose in a pet you can't hug. You can't hug a fish. Well, you could but it would probably slide right out and then you'd have to go chasing after it. I've never been a fan of things with scales or hard shells. Don't even get me started on snakes. Ants are pointless and you can't make a hamster fetch. Even if you could, their cage is like the size of a box. It wouldn't be very impressive.

I've had pet cats and dogs since I was little. As I've gotten older, I think I want a dog but also realize how much work they are. But is there anything in the world that makes you feel more loved than a panting happy dog at the end of a long day.

The debate between dogs and cats has been raging on since the first domestic animal took up residence. Cats are stubborn and self-centered. If they want attention, it's only on their terms. They will be petted exactly when they want to be and at no other time. Cats are incredibly agile when they choose to be. They choose to do things the hard way most of the time and yet at other times, they can be the one of the laziest creatures on the planet. I had a cat that used to fall asleep in the air. You could hold him an arm's length away from you above your head and he would fall asleep within minutes. Cats are very funny to watch though. They will run and chase after each other, climb the wall and chase after a flashlight for hours. You give cats a little bit of catnip and watch the magic happen. Have you ever seen a cat pant? I never knew they could, but it is hilarious. Dogs on the other hand are incredibly loyal and more playful. A dog is almost always willing to play. You wake a dog up in the middle of a sound sleep and he will play fetch or tug-of-war with you instantly. Dogs are great companions and make you feel loved and needed.

I think, why can't you have both. Just be prepared to have the cat be the dominant pet. Even though the cats are incredibly outsized, the cats have little fear and sometimes claws (we usually let them keep their back claws). The dog will soon realize that even if it's ten times as big, the cat rules the house. But I still love the lowly mutt. They stink, drool and bite but they are still an invaluable part of life. This is why we go to work each day with pet hair on us.

Am I Above Average or Not?

Not everyone can be above average, or else that would be average. But most people tend to think that they are. Have you ever had to fill out a self evaluation? Has there ever been a more flawed measure of performance? I mean, whenever I have to fill out one of these ridiculous tests, I'm always battling between bragging and incompetence. If you grade yourself high, it feels like bragging which may be what your employer wants. Maybe they're looking for confidence. However, you don't want to seem too cocky. If you grade yourself too low than they'll question your ability to perform you job. Maybe your boss will say, "We were going to give you a raise, but if you don't think you deserve it, than maybe we need to reevaluate." It seems ludicrous to me. In the end, the only opinion that really matters is the one of the person who signs your paycheck. They will grade you however they want to because they are the boss and you are the lower man or woman on the totem pole.

All this evaluation reminds me of a teacher I had in college. He had no tests and no formal grading scale. You wrote papers but never knew how you scored. He gave surprise quizzes, but you never found out the results. And class participation was also included in your grade. You were absolutely clueless until grades came out what your position in the class really was. Anyway, this teacher told us, we had a final exam coming up and since there were no tests, we would't be having a final. We would, however, be meeting from 8-10 am that day as he had more material he'd like to cover. 8 am to a college kid is torture in and of itself, but on a day where there was no justifiable reason to even be there was almost unbearable. If you didn't show for the final, he informed us, you would get an automatic incomplete for the semester. At the end of his "teaching final," he gave out the teacher assessments for the class. I for one was not in the best of moods when I graded his assessment. In the end it wouldn't matter because he had tenure. What an arrogant jerk!

Evaluations in any form when you think your opinion matters and it really doesn't is such a joke and should be outlawed.

Writer's Block

It's a strange thing when you're having trouble writing something. Your mind starts to play tricks on you. Whether you're trying to concentrate on a particular idea or even just brainstorming, it's fascinating just where your mind can take you. You notice the details in the cement outside your window, the every tiny particle that makes up this nearly impenetrable substance. The birds outside fly off a telephone line, to a nearby rooftop and back again like they are playing a game of tag. The wind whistles and seems to sing a song, shaking branches who tap tap tap on your rooftop. The cat circles your feet in endless loops. Does it want attention, or to be fed? And as you go to feed the cat, you notice the water pitcher was never filled. It will only take a moment to do...the dishes. They've been left out for several hours. If they are left overnight they will crust and be infinitely worse. But before you can do the dishes you have to put away the remaining dishes in your drainer because you've never taken the time or money to get a dishwasher. Mother always said you were her little dishwasher.

One of the plates slips out of your hand and drops to the ground shattering and making the cat cower in fear. You get the broom and dustpan, sweep it up and realize the trash needs to be taken out. But you forgot to pick up trash bags from the store. While you are there you also need some more milk, some cereal and bread as well as something for dinner tomorrow night. And by the time you get done running around. You're so tired and you realize...the dishes are still not done, the water pitcher was never filled, the garbage has not been changed, you forgot to pick up cereal for breakfast tomorrow as well as the hamburger for dinner. And last but not least, your story has not gotten any longer.

And the more you try to concentrate, the more you realize that there are more important things you should be doing. I know I should be writing how Johnny Trueblood escapes the room full of gunman to live to fight another day, but I really should pay the water bill as it's due on Tuesday. What's the big deal in putting it off for another day? Johnny will still be there tomorrow. The longer you wait, maybe the more clever his escape will be. Afterall, you don't want to rush things. Everything has to be perfect. The last thing I'd ever want to do is rush...

Are you going to eat this tofu wrap or can I give it to an animal to bury?

Eating healthy is not as easy as it sounds. From a beverage standpoint, how many options are really available. I like water a lot, but even I can only drink so much. You have pop or soda which is clearly not good for you. Some drinks are worse for you than others, but they still rot out your teeth. Diet pop is not much better. Less calories, but more sugar which makes you crave sweets even more. There's also been a controversy brewing for years now about whether diet pop causes cancer but honestly what doesn't these days (but that's a story for another time). So maybe you should drink the fruit juice pops which have very little fruit in them and once again mostly sugar.

I enjoy a good glass of milk now and then but too much milk is not good for you either. I also really enjoy chocolate milk which once again is healthy for you (more healthy than other choices) but on the other hand is really not. How about juice? Juice is great, but you have to make sure you get the right kind otherwise it's pretty much apple or orange flavored water with lots of sugar. I've never been a fan of tea. People are going nuts over McDonald's Sweet Tea lately. It's good for you, they say but once again incredibly sugary.

Coffee is not good for you either, no matter how many different forms they have it in now. They say coffee is an acquired taste. I say anything you have to take enough to wear down your body's natural gag response is not worth having. Besides caffeine is not good for you either. Which rules out all of those energy drinks which is pretty much sugar and caffeine shots. But try telling the parents and business people in this world that they can't have caffeine throughout their day and see how easily they survive.

Which brings me back to water. Purified water is good, even though the water is treated before it even comes to your tap. I had a friend that used to run everything through her water filter and then boiled it. That seems a little excessive to me. Maybe after we've survived the nuclear winter we'll have to resort to those methods and probably much, much more. The problem with water is there is an entire industry based on a product that you can get for virtually nothing. Who knows what is actually in the bottled water and how healthy is it compared to your local drinking water. Just because they say it comes from a mountain waterfall doesn't make it true. Avian backwards will always spell Naive.

The bottom line is, it's so much more expensive to eat and drink healthier. Those who have to scrimp and save can't afford an extra $2 a helping to make sure they get organic fruits and vegetables. So many places are catering to a healthier lifestyle. McDonald's salad loaded up with what they serve (cheese, chicken, bacon, etc.) is just as many calories as their cheeseburgers. Middle class has an obesity problem because it's so much cheaper and easier to eat things that are unhealthy for you. You get more for your money and that's what it comes down to a lot of the times.

Growing up, I heard a disturbing thing from one of my health teachers. As is general knowledge, red meat is bad for you. Most people will not dispute this or even really try to argue. What about Chicken? Chicken is pumped so full of hormones that it's not that much better. Farmers want their chickens to be big so that they can make more money. A friend told me that growing up he heard a story about this young boy who loved chicken. He ate chicken all the time. So much that he developed breasts because of all the extra hormones. My friend told me he gave up chicken for a long time after that. He still eats it now, just in moderation. Back to health class, fish is healthy, right? With all the pollution in our water, the fish breathe that in and then you digest it. Which brings us to vegetables. Eating a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is supposed to be extremely healthy except they never seem to have as much energy as the old fashioned meat eaters (This is where Tim Allen would grunt "Oh, oh"). Farmers use hormones to grow our vegetables as well to make them bigger and grow faster. They are also experimenting with cloning food and who knows what kind of side effects those foods are going to have.

The bottom line is that everything is bad for you in some form or another. The trick is to take everything in moderation. The only alternative is to not eat.

Misguided Beliefs

I never understood how Astrology got a following. First of all the forecasts that they predict are the most vague statements ever assembled. It's like telling someone "Tomorrow you're going to wake up and eat," and then I did wake up and eat. It was sooooo amazing! But how can someone predict by the stars that these people all born under the same astrological sign are going to have the same futuristic outcome. And how soon? Is it today, this week, year? Give me an estimate please. But there's billions of people in the world and all these people are going to have these events happen to them. And then there's the whole hokey about compatibility with other people. Well, Leo's don't mix well with Scorpions, "Which is why my first marriage didn't work out, don't you see Margaret?" People are not shaped by their birthday. They are shaped by their environment, some chemistry, but mostly by the experiences that they engage in. And people put this into practice and truly believe it. And do horoscope followers have a certain area that they rule over? I mean, most papers have a horoscope. Is that only for people in that area? If you are visiting, should you follow the horoscope you read before you left, or does proximity take jurisdiction?

Someone asked me the other day if I wanted to get my color personality red. What does that mean anyway? Is that like the old mood rings, because I was always blue. I apparently never change mood. But depending on your color preference, that's supposed to provide some deep insight into your personality. Or the fung shei business. Now we have to arrange our entire house or apartment to provide the best chi or aura. People are so desperate to believe in something that they just latch on to anything.

Which brings me to the most ludicrous of all. I don't have a problem with different religions around the world. I believe in Christianity whole heartedly, but other religions seem to be based on the same premise, same beliefs just spin things differently. I am not going to judge and tell people what they believe is wrong. That's God's job to sort out upstairs. What I do have a problem with is the Scientologists. The basic premise of Scientology is that you can buy yourself into the next higher bracket to advance in their religion. It's all based on money. This is why only the rich and the famous follow it. Whoever came up with this has to be besides themselves that this worked. Rich people are tripping over themselves to give away their money because they believe it's for a higher cause. The entire religion is founded on the beliefs of a Science Fiction writer. Apparently if you spend money, it makes you more worthy to be saved then other people. Looks like I'm in trouble. I'd probably end up being the equivalent of a dishwasher in their religous tier.

It's really sad they people spend all their time aimlessly wandering around bouncing into walls looking for something, anything to believe in. Maybe it's just the state of the world and the belief that things are getting much worse than they've been that is driving people to look for hope in whatever form they can find. I hope and pray that people can find their own direction in life.

What's wrong with the Oscars?

Why does Hollywood have such an obsession with the sad and depressing? If you don't believe me just look at the critics. Critics don't even give a long look to movies these days unless their a foreign film nobody's ever heard of, or if they are ultimately sad. Romantic comedies are automatically slammed because they are too happy and predictable. People must not be settling for happy endings anymore. Movies have to be sad just like real life. So much for escapism. Put a little torture or a villain prevailing in your film and that's true art.. We call that writer a creative genius. Look at the last few Best Picture winners. Last year, No Country for Old Men which followed an emotionless killer who offed people with an air gun. The Departed about an organized crime family involving crooked cops and ratting on each other. I'd say not creative since I've seen Goodfellas, but critics say Best Picture. Crash, a film about a group of strangers who's lives are entertwined by emotional scarring and self implosion. The actors are much better as we credit a butchering barber and a tyrant with oscar acclaim. Sure they probably did a phenomenal role in their films, but why is this how we want Hollywood represented?

Don't get me a wrong. A unique perspective is one of the things that makes this world interesting. When five people can listen to the same song or watch the same movie and each have a different opinion. People focus on things that I wouldn't even think of noticing. It's just sad that these are teh movies that are praised and the masses will go and watch them just because of they are nominated, like sheep. Underdog and "Feel Good" stories are seen as too cliche. But give us more abuse, terror, fear and substance abuse with a side of sex and violence, with maybe just a small slice of vulgarity and nudity for dessert and the people eat it up. Mmm. More please!

Fast Food Ponderings

So when did the fast food world get turned upside down and confusing? Burger King, Hardees and McDonalds all used to be pretty similar to each other. The last time I went to Hardee's (or Carl Jr's as it's also called) they were charging $9 for a cheeseburger combo meal. If I go to a fancy restaurant I won't even pay $9 for a cheeseburger. If I'm going to spend that much or more on a meal I'd rather spend it on something else. Don't get me wrong. Hardee's does make quality burgers. I'm not pitching them or anything, unless I get paid, but the Monster burger is one of the best cheeseburgers I've ever tasted. Very rarely do you get a generous helping of cheese with enough bacon to actually taste on a burger. But I can't bring myself to pay nearly double the price for a combo from McDonald's. I see signs for Burger King advertising 2 for 4 Whoppers. I remember when Whoppers were 2 for 2 and that wasn't all that long ago. I know inflation drives up prices, but the last time I checked we still had plenty of cows around.

Wendy's was always just a step above the other three. A little more expensive but a little bit better. McDonald's has apple slices now. As a kid it was a treat, a rare treat to go out to eat. It wouldn't have been as big of a treat if I was getting apples instead of fries.

The last time I went to the West Coast I ate a burger place called In 'N Out, a chain unfortunately only located out there. Quality tasting food for the price. Their menu contains only a burger, cheeseburger, fries and drinks. That is it! They only have 4 combos and they are always packed with customers. They also have a secret menu, different ways you can order your food that only people who regularly go there. The animal style fries are sensational.

McDonald's even stopped giving out their Happy Meal box. Pretty soon even Ronald and the Hamburglar are going to be out of work. Rubble, Rubble.

I know there's a recession, but...

I know that people are struggling and unemployment is at its highest in like 20/25 years but I keep losing or potentially losing stores I like. I read an article that Krispy Kreme was going to be closing stores. You know it's hard times when people are not willing to pay the extra even for something as good as Krispy Kreme. Blockbuster is supposed to be closing some stores and the Sharper Image & Circuit City are going bankrupt. I never bought anything from Sharper Image but they had some amazingly cool things there. I was mostly sad that I missed the going out of business sale on a glow in the dark remote controlled mustache trimmer or whatever else was the trendy new item of the month.

First gas prices got outrageously high, and now they are back to being reasonable and suddenly that's an even worse thing. They said the worst thing for the ecomony was the drop in gas prices. The housing market is a mess. Now is the best time to buy a house, if you have amazing credit, money down and are financially able to risk losing money on your investment if the prices don't rebound soon. I'm just glad that I have heard no rumors of layoffs in my company. But only time will tell. Things have to get better soon, but I fear they might continue to get worse before they do. We have been eating at McDonald's more than I would like. Not because their food is so amazingly good, but just because their prices are more reasonable than the competition. Which brings me to my next article. What happened to price of fast food? Stay tuned for more details....

Oh to be a cat

To live in a world with no responsibilities. Cats don't have to worry about how they are going to pay their bills. They don't need to be concerned with the economy or what to have for dinner since they have the same thing everyday. No need to be concerned about a retirement plan or how you're going to be able to afford sending your kittens to college. I mean, all cats do is eat and sleep. I love to do both of those things. Cats have the amazing ability to take a 2 hour nap, stretch, walk across the room and fall back asleep. Humans who act like this we call narcoleptic and put them on medication (or kids tv shows. Say "Wiggles" everybody!). Cats don't feel the need to be fake or pretend to be something they aren't. If they don't like you, they avoid you or hiss and claw your face off. They don't worry about sparing anyone's feelings. The biggest concern a cat encounters is where to take their nap. A nice sunbeam can be an afternoon of adventure. They also have legal drugs called cat crack or catnip by it's more traditional name.

Cats also love to play, when they're awake anyway. Cats can turn a milk ring or a feather into the greatest toy ever invented. I once scared my cat so much that it jumped straight up in the air and then changed direction. It looked like it was radio controlled. I would love to be able to jump over a hedge or a fence on a single leap. To have the ability to always land on your feet. I'm not so fond of mice so I'd have to live in a clean home. Also, cats keep themselves well groomed which reminds me of the hairballs. Disgusting. Ok, maybe this plan has its drawbacks as well.

Don't you 'how are you' me, young man.

Why do we feel it's necessary to ask 'how are you' all the time? Why is this a standard greeting? If you're just passing someone and they ask 'how's it going' you are obliged to ask them the same thing and if the response is not short they will be out of earshot by the time you finish your exchange. It just doesn't make sense. And typically there are few people that I really care how they are doing. That might make me a bad person, but at least I'm honest. If you ask someone how they are doing and they say 'terrible,' I mean what is the best reply to that anyway? I'm sorry? All we really want people to say is 'fine' or 'good' so we can go on with our lives knowing we shallowly reached out to someone else and did our part at being civil. I find the response, "Not too bad" to be funny when you really think about it. This is a positive response in our exchange. It's basically saying I'm bad, but I could be worse. That is very uplifting but it means I don't have to pursue this line of questioning.

I think the whole 'how are you' question should just be thrown out unless you really want to know. I like when people replace it with 'what's up' because you feel no reciprocity whatsoever for ignoring their rhetorical question.

2/6 Semi Quick Movie Review

I saw two movies this week, so I thought I would offer my quick impression of them. I might see one more tonight, but have to wait and see. First off was Coraline, by the creator of Nightmare Before Christmas. First thing I noticed was the animation seemed incredibly chopping and lagged. One of my colleagues told me it's stop motion, but I've seen lots of stop motion and it's never made me feel like I'm watching a robotic presentation. The story was ok, but there were a couple of things I found disturbing. Coraline finds these other children's ghosts in the wall from her Other Mother's other kids. Since when do we reference murdered or at least neglected to death kids in a PG children's movie? They make references to ghosts and scary imagery before, but murdered kids? Secondly, and this I found more disturbing, was a semi nude scene. You know if movies or television shows when someone is naked and you blur the image or put something in front of it. They had two rather large women who were performers. One of them was wearing almost like a thong and no top on with just a star covering each side on top. It showed an awful lot of skin for a PG movie or am I just being critical? It sure seems like PG used to not let you get away with as much as it does nowadays.

Next movie was "He's Just Not That Into You", which I had been looking forward to seeing. They've been advertising it for over a year and it has an excellent cast. Right away you feel for the characters because you've been there before or at least know what it feels like. They cover every aspect of relationships, from marriage to long-term dating to just started dating. They show you just how difficult it is to figure out if the other person is interested and what men and women are really thinking. I really liked the mix of characters with the interview style mixed in. It felt like it was a little on the long side and the hints of infidelity made me uncomfortable. I'm happily married and grateful I don't have to be on the dating scene. It's filled with confusion and uncertainty and too much pain for me to want to deal with.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my semi Quick Movie Review. I will be doing more as they come up, but it might be awhile before I get to see something else. Pink Panther 2 might be on the horizon, but just have to see how it goes, shall we?

Prequels, Sequels & Remakes

I've always been the person who believed that it's hard to find new original ideas, but things are starting to get out of hand. Hollywood can't even come up with a concept that hasn't been used before. Everything has to be spun off of something else. Which explains all the bad 70's and 80's television shows that are suddenly coming to the big screen. They are working on the A-Team and Smurfs as we speak. I'm split on the concept of remakes as with better technology and a well done script it can surpass the original. Not all of them put in the effort though. Who are they going to get to play B.A. Barracus? Mr. T is getting a little too old to do it and how can you possibly recast Mr. T? They are working on a remake of the Karate Kid series. Four movies wasn't enough. They're also restarting Friday the 13th series. It's like they take a concept so far and if they don't like it, they just start over. Which explains the current new Batman series. I have liked the movies so far, but to just decided you are going to start from scratch because you painted yourself in a corner is just ludicrous. And you can't even mention the word prequel without the new Star Wars movie springing to mind. They managed to isolate an entire section of their fanbase with the mere mention of one word.

I will admit that I like to write stories and some elements of my stories are inspired from other things. How can you not be influenced by things that you have enjoyed when trying to create new works? I know what I like and try to create that for my readers or potential readers. I've also found that I come up with a concept and before I'm halfway through writing it, a book or movie comes out with a very similar premise. I just don't understand having an entire occupation of writers sitting around thinking we should turn this cartoon into a movie or a random video game. When is Grand Theft Auto the Motion Picture coming out? Or a Legend of Zelda movie? Actually that one I might check out. Just don't go and get Owen Wilson to play Link.

Insurance is a scam

I believe that insurance is one of the biggest ripoffs that exist today. You pay hundred dollars a month for health insurance and car insurance and don't need it 95% of the time. You are paying for a service that you don't use, but you have to have it otherwise when an emergency hits you will be in debt for the rest of your life. And what happens when you use it? They raise your rates. And insurance companies are constantly finding ways to avoid paying for things in your policy. They have so much red tape and fine print that they can get around major expenses. And even if you don't use it much, they still end up raising your premiums every year for unexpectedly high amount of claims for the company. Because someone else got sick that I don't even know, you are going to penalize me for it? I'm not even going to get into the argument about free health care which is offered in other countries. Michael Moore did an entire documentary dedicated to that topic.

Insurance is a fraud in other areas as well, such as extended warranty plans. You pay extra to be covered "just in case" and when something really does happen, that is not covered under your warranty. I purchased a cell phone with insurance that was paid every month and when I needed to replace my phone due to damage there was a $75 deductible. Why do you waste your money on an insurance plan that doesn't end up saving you all that much in the end anyway?

Stupid people are such idiots.

I hate stupid people. I mean with a passion. Sometimes they make you just want to pull out your hair. Sometimes I wonder if it’s because they can’t hear that makes it appear that they are extraordinarily stupid. When people say, “huh?” or “what?” before you’ve even finished your question. And that brings up the point am I talking to low or are they just that deaf? Stupid people cause a lot of confusion. And you don’t want to just assume someone’s stupid unless you’ve had previous contact with them. I just can’t believe anyone on the planet is as dumb as this person is. And I will admit that I have asked dumb questions. Mostly I ask dumb questions because I don’t trust that people remember to do things or that they do them the right way. I have to ask people what they’ve done and how they’ve done it, because when it’s wrong I get blamed for it.

I remember the Jeff Foxworthy sketch about stupid people and “Here’s your sign.” It really would save a lot of time and energy if we could identify these people. I’m not going to waste my time trying to explain something to someone who just doesn’t get it. My biggest problem with people is their lack of responsibility. If I’m wrong, I’ll admit it. I might explain or defend why I did something a certain way but I’m not unwilling to declare that your way might be better, faster or more efficient. I hate when someone is dead wrong and refusing to apologize when they’ve acted out of line for their ignorance. Working in this world gets harder the more people refuse to think before they speak. It’s like people do not have an inner dialogue anymore. Is that due to people being too busy or tired to take the time to run a thought by before speaking? Sometimes you’re just grateful when you can be in the company of someone else and not say a thing.

Why Do We Cheer?

Sports are so pointless. We cheer for a team by whatever measure we deem most important. Whether it’s their philosophy, their work ethic or just because of proximity. We fight through the hard times but continue to cheer, sometimes curse through failure. And in the end, the likelihood of them being successful is very slim. The people who play the hardest, or the dirtiest are the ones that most often come out on top. And year after year you continue to cheer, with your heart being let down a little bit more each time. I’ve almost given up on having a team. You pour so much energy into cheering for one team in particular that it’s exhausting and heartbreaking. And for what? Sports are nothing but a waste of time. People spend their entire lives talking about sports and anticipating what’s going to happen when nobody really knows for sure. It’s such a wasted endeavor and in the end you’ve gained nothing by being a part of it. The owners keep raising the ticket prices. Memorabilia and autographs are so much more expensive than they need to be. And we pay these athletes millions and millions of dollars to play a game. It’s sad when you think about it. But sports make us feel good and feel like we’re a part of something. And so we continue to watch because what else is there to do. And the ball keeps on bouncing.

Secret of Life

The Secret of Life is to be happy with what you have. The other guy's life is always going to look more appetizing. He's always going to be more successful, seem happier or better than you are. Even if you become that guy, you will be envious of someone else. No matter how good you are at something, there's always going to be someone else that comes along who is better. It's frustrating that life seems to keep coming at you with problems. It kicks you and knocks you down and then kicks you in the teeth while you're lying there trying to recover. We live in such a rich society, even what we consider poor would be blessed to someone elsewhere. I try to adjust when things get tough. I try to make the best of the situation. When you're used to your electricity, and plumbing working all the time, it's a real travesty when they are not for one reason or another. You're amazed that you can cook an entire meal using only one extension cord. Though I'm not dirt poor, I have friends with a lot more money than I do and wish I had it to make life easier. But they don't have the love of a family and would trade all their earthly possessions for the feeling that I get on a daily basis.So try to be happy with what you have. No matter how bad things are, they can definitely get worse. Be thankful for all that you've got and stop driving yourself insane because you think someone else has it better off than you do.

Hello and Welcome

First of all, I would like to say hello to anyone who may stumble across this. I am writing this to you. To anyone who's bored enough to read it. I need to do more writing, to share my thoughts with the world no matter how odd they may seem. I plan on writing at least once a day, maybe more depending on time constraints. Day is a relative term. I don't like the concept of midnight so my days are measured by when I wake up and when I go to bed. That is what I consider a span of a day. The calendar be damned.