Where are the men?

  I don't really follow entertainment news or award shows like the Oscars or the Grammy's. If you ask me all those award shows are just a way for all the "stars" to get all dressed up, walk down a red carpet and be all glamorous and all that other crap. I think they take themselves a little too seriously.
  So, I was driving home the other day listening to the radio ( I have Sirius satellite radio in my truck, I love commercial free, uncensored radio) when they started talking about Chris Brown winning a Grammy and what a travesty it was.
  I don't listen to Chris Brown, I don't know any of his songs, I'm not a real fan of pop music. But, what they were pointing out on the radio show, was, that the music industry gave a guy who hit a woman a goddamn award. I don't really care about the Grammy's, but really? This guy beat Rihanna bloody. Why the hell would they give him any award?
  As far as I'm concerned this guy doesn't deserve shit, he hit a woman. I don't know Rihanna or listen to her music, but I do know, she should never be hit by any man.
  So where's the outrage and public outcry? And who are these people buying music made buy a guy that hits women? Chris Brown is worthless piece of scum that deserves absolutely nothing, except a beating like the one he gave Rihanna.
  The other point that was brought up on the radio program was, where are the men in Hollywood? Are there no men in the music industry? None of these executives would stand up for a woman or stand up to an abuser. What a worthless lot these people are. This just shows us their true colors and what is important to this industry. All they are worried about is the almighty dollar and if a woman beater sells records, they are right there to give him some crappy trinket.
  I'm a huge fan of music, not of the music industry and trust me, I will not be buying any music by Chris Brown. That guy can rot in hell. And if I have the unfortunate opportunity to hear one of his songs being played I will point out to the owner of the sound system Chris Brown's tendency to hit women.
  C'mon guys, you need to protect our women and keep them away from guys like Chris Brown.     

My family is growing

  My family is small and that has its good points and bad points, depending on who you talk to. My wife and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this year, that's right, she has put up with me for 25 years, in a row, and, I have two kids. My daughter is in her second year of college and my son works at the same place as I do, but in a different department. The four of us are quite close, we've always watched out for each other and my daughter being away at school, about six hours away, is as far away as any of us have lived from each other and that is still taking some adjustment on all our parts.
  But my small family is changing and growing. My son is getting married this year. He and his fiancée have been going out since high school and we think they make a pretty good couple.
  So my close knit little family had to let this young lady find her way into our house and hearts. And let me tell you, that's no easy task, at least the hearts part, our house is pretty easy to get into. We are a pretty wicked bunch, especially sitting around the dinner table. We have been known to be a bit competitive and nothing is off limits at the table. The music is usually on and in between verses being sung the barbs fly fast and furious.
  So this young lady comes to dinner and I'll be damned if she doesn't jump right in. Her and my daughter become best friends and she asks my daughter to be her maid of honor. This young lady managed to move right into our hearts, so, we gave her a key to the house.
  The other day one of my most favorite people in the world asked me if I'm ready to be a daddy-in-law. I never even thought about that. This young lady has endeared herself to me in such a way that the pending wedding is just like the next step, a natural step. I'm actually very excited and honored about gaining another daughter.
  My little family gained another member, my son is taking a wife, my daughter gets a sister and my wife and I get another daughter.
  I couldn't be prouder.

The only way through it, is through it

  I just got done with one of "those" weeks at work. I had two of my work mates on vacation which left me on my own in the shop. I was expecting a long week of not being able to keep up with an overwhelming work load. Leading up to the week I had a sense of looming disaster and dread. I had the feeling I was driving into a car wreck and couldn't turn away, the crash was imminent.
  About halfway through the week I still had my head above water and I was actually surviving the imagined car wreck. This fact started me thinking about my attitude leading up to the week of doom and I wanted to share my thoughts and realizations with you guys.
  It seems to me, that we are presented with situations as we wander through this universe and some of them are really not to our liking. We try to avoid these situations, or lessons, for as long as we can, because we only want to do the pleasant and easy lessons, they're fun. Since we hate the hard or difficult lessons, we'll walk clear around the block or whatever else it takes to avoid the hard stuff. But, try as you might the universe will make the difficult lessons available and unavoidable for you.
  So there I am, halfway through a difficult lesson and, like I said, I'm surviving. Plus, I'm now understanding that the imagined doom and the anticipation of being totally overwhelmed was way worse than actually living the week. Yeah, there was more work to do, but it was all doable and I missed having the extra sets of hands working with me, but, goddammit, before I knew it, it was Friday, I made it. There was no fiery ball of flames or anything, just a sense of accomplishment.
  So go on, go live your life and learn the lessons set before you. You can avoid them for a while, but you have to learn them and, trust me, you will. Just try to have a good attitude and see them for what they are.
 A very good friend of mine said, "the only through it, is through it", so don't get yourself all worked up the way I did. Get yourself ready and go learn something about you.
 
  

End of the world

  Well, you made it, it's 2012. Hope you guys had a great holiday season and accomplished everything you wanted to during 2011. If you didn't get everything done, don't worry, you've got a fresh new year in front of you.            
  However, some people will tell you that you only have roughly 11 months to get your affairs in order. In case you haven't heard, the Mayan calendar runs out on the 21st of December this year and a lot of people think that spells the end for us. Needless to say, I'm skeptical.
  Our world has changed many times over, we did not grow up in the same world our grandparents did and our grandkids will also come of age in a different world than us. So, I guess in one aspect, our world is always ending and also beginning again at the same time. There have also been countless predictions about the time the world will end and they have all come and gone and we're all still here. So, there's a pretty good chance that the world will be here this time next year.
  The unfortunate side effect of all this end of the world stuff is, it spawns these survivalist idiots. What a sorry ass lot this is. These are the people that think the world is ending, so they need to stockpile what they consider essentials and that usually means a whole lot of guns and ammo. They will build bunkers, buy a bunch of dehydrated food and fill water barrels and they claim they need the guns to keep you away from they're stash. I really have no time for these clowns, listening to them tell me about their survival strategy is like listening to them tell me about their political views, I don't want to hear it. They are so busy preparing for something that isn't going to happen, that they forget to live their lives. It just makes them look like scared little boys with some sort of twisted view of the universe.
  My personal view of this is, if Surtr swings his flaming sword and the world is going to end, so be it. I'm not in a real hurry to survive the whole end of the world thing. None of us are going to get out of this life alive and I really don't want to be on a decimated planet with a bunch of scared survivalist morons.
  So, go live your life, enjoy some good beer and let's get this year rolling.

happy holidays

  Just wanted to pass on my wishes for you guys to have a happy holiday season. Even though things can get a little crazy, remember what this time of the year is really about. Take care of your loved ones, especially the kids.
  So, enjoy your family and have a great new years celebration, and keep it under control.
  I'll talk to you guys in 2012.

It's her day

  I was noticing on those television shows that feature home videos or videos of people crashing that they like to show wedding videos. The wedding videos that make this show usually feature some tool acting in very poor taste, dancing badly or generally displaying lack of judgment. These idiots have usually drank too much and look like absolute fools.
  But the part that really bothers me is when the video shows the bride falling or being dropped by somebody. You guys have got to remember that this young lady has waited her whole life for this day and you really should not ruin it. Keep your drinking, your dancing and your enthusiasm under control. Just because there is a video camera running, doesn't mean it's on to watch you.
  So when the beautiful bride, in her great white gown, is on the dance floor, dancing with the guests, do not go out there and proceed to show off your lack of dancing skills by trying to jitter bug, salsa dance or swing dance with the bride. There's a pretty good chance that one of you doesn't know how to do that particular dance style and the other one probably shouldn't be doing it.
  Also, the brides feet should never leave the floor, ever, do not pick her up for any reason. I swear, every time someone tries to pick her up they end up falling and the bride ends up hitting the floor. Not cool. You have just ruined her day and made the highlight reel showing some drunk idiot at a wedding dropping the bride.
  So act like a gentleman while at a wedding reception, treat the bride with the respect she deserves on her special day. I really don't want to see you on some stupid television show.

Let's make a list

  I thought I'd jot down a list for you, these are some of my thoughts on manhood. We may have talked about some of these already and we may talk about some in the future, who knows? Some of these bug me and some of these are what I expect from you as a man.
1. Respect. You've got to give it, to get it. You can not demand it, you've got to      earn it.
2. If you're going to drink, drink responsibly. There's nothing worse than a             drunk guy at any sort of gathering. You look like a fool, a drunk fool. And I'll     say it again, do not drink and drive. I don't think there is a penalty severe            enough for when the cops bust someone for DUI.
3. Take care of your family. If you have brought another life into this world, you     need to be there for that child. And I don't mean by laying on the couch all          day doing nothing but getting high. You need to take care of that baby.
4. Treat women with great care, respect and kindness. Remember, they are  the     fairer sex and you need to keep them from harm. And if I ever hear of one of       you guys hitting a woman, I will personally come over and stomp a mud hole       in you.
5. Act like a grown up, you're not in high school anymore.
6. Don't beat me with your religious or political views, I have my own and I           think yours suck anyways. The ideas you're beating me with also show me        that you have no original thoughts and by trying to convince me, shows me         that your trying to convince yourself. You'll believe anything that they shove        down your throat.
7. Take care of the little people out there. Kids are innocent and need to be             taken care of. And refer to my warning in number 4 up there, if I hear of you       harming a child.
8. Quit your whining, god I hate whining. Everyone has problems, get off your         sorry ass and fix yours.
9. Go outside and play, put the remote down and get out in the sunshine.
10. Call your mom. She misses you and is very proud of you.
11. Go get the spider, mouse or whatever it is that is making her scream and            remove it from her presence.
12. Get yourself a florist and put your credit card on file with them. I learned
      this a few years ago. My florist can get flowers to anyone, anywhere. That
      comes in very handy at times.
13. Make something. I don't care if it's dinner, a house or a mess. Unleash your
      creativity and let it run, go with it.
  Alright, that's it, 13 is my lucky number and that's probably enough for now. We'll let these roll and see what comes of it.