Looks to me like a lot of guys that I run into lately are soft. They can't swing a hammer or turn a wrench, repair or build anything. They don't ride a bicycle or skate or ski or snowboard or have any sort of real relationship with any sort of machine except for some electronic devices. Their hands are soft and they don't have any scars, or have ever worn a cast. They don't swing a bat or racquet and the only time they sweat is when they're on a treadmill running, like a little mouse, around in circles.
I happen to wear tattoos along with my scars, my wrinkles and my other imperfections and I'm quite proud of every mark on my body. My hands hold a few scars and sometimes I feel that if I don't bleed on a project, I may not have put enough of myself into it. My kids know which wrinkles on my face are theirs and which tattoos are for them. And if you think my wife is off the hook, think again. She also knows which wrinkles are hers, as well as the inked devil duck I wear for her.
I guess I'm seeing these marks as times in my life, good times and bad times, they're my times. I've chosen to save some memories with tattoos and some memories have chosen to stay with me in the form of scars.
But these guys I'm encountering are soft and pasty and probably don't know how to open the hood of their car. They sure as hell couldn't tell you where the oil dipstick is, let alone how to check the transmission fluid. The weird part is, they'll wear clothing that suggests they partake in some outdoor activity. They'll be spotted in surf apparel or clothing worn by motorcycle riders as if they participate in these past times.
They will also have a tattoo, which makes me laugh. You usually won't see their one tattoo, cause they're usually embarrassed about it. You'll hear some lame ass story how they were drunk, or were dared, or how some ex-girlfriend told him it would make him a bad ass. Quite sad.
The thing about all this that really bothers me, is these guys don't go outside and play. They don't have any relationship with nature, they stay inside, they experience the outdoors through various glowing screens. They live vicariously through other athletes, while never having any mud in their eye or get the thrill of a heart racing adrenaline rush. Yet they wear clothing that suggests that they partake in an extreme sport, but they don't.
It would be great if they had a better understanding of their car also. If the car won't start, turning the key off and trying it thirty more times isn't going to make the car start. And learn how to change a tire and maybe some basic maintenance. These guys do a lot of complaining when a mechanic hands them a bill that equals a mortgage payment for their services, so knowing a few things about your ride goes a long way.
So go outside guys, go to the beach, go shoot some baskets at the park, or go hike a local trail and spend some time under the hood of your car. I'm not telling you to go out and hurt yourself, but go outside, especially if you have kids. Get them and you off of the couch and go ride and sweat a little and get dirty. It'll make that beer at the end of the day that much better.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
They're trying to tell us this stuff is good
It's been a while since I've been up here rambling at you guys and I have to tell you that quite a lot has come to my attention. So, after some urging from a person who is very near and dear to me, (we will be talking about her a little later) I've opened the lappy to start spewing again.
Over the summer we decided in my house to turn off the cable television and we live in an area that only gets three stations with an antenna. We subscribed to Netflix, so we had something to watch, and for the most part, we didn't really miss commercial television.
The only thing I really missed watching was racing and especially NHRA drag racing. My son and I go to The Finals every year in Pomona and I was feeling a little out of the loop when we went in November. As the start of the racing season drew closer, I decided to bite the bullet and sign up for cable again.
I've never been a fan of commercials, (I have satellite radio in one of my trucks and the other truck gets music from my ipod) but since we're watching cable television again, I'm being subjected to these abominations called commercials. And there's not a lot of things that piss me off more than some clown sitting in a big ol' office trying to sell me useless crap or inedible food.
One of the things I've realized during these last couple of months watching television, is that most big companies are lagging behind what people like, and they're trying to be cool and relevant again. And the example I want to throw out there, is that piss water that is known as Bud Light. Budweiser re-bottled their rice water in some fancy bottles and made some commercials with a bunch of hipster looking posers, dancing around to sell this crap. It's Bud Light, it will never be good, even though they got Justin Timberlake to sing in their commercial.
The other example, was a commercial I saw for Quiznos. They had some crap sandwich with what they were calling lobster and "other seafood" in it. It's been a while since I've been out on the ocean fishing, but we called that chum. Why would I want a chum sandwich from Quiznos?
The corporate world is taking advantage of us, and they are not really concerned with our health or well being. They are only concerned about moving large quantities of whatever crap they're making, at the best profit margin possible. Someone said that, if it has a commercial on television, you probably don't want to eat it. Sounds like good advice to me.
And while I'm squawking about how the big food corporations are taking advantage of us, take a look at the next five pound bag of sugar you purchase. More than likely it will be only four pounds, yet the price never changed. Four pounds of sugar for the price of five pounds, now that's a deal, for the big company, not you. Look around, they've done the same thing to cans of coffee and what use to be gallons of ice cream to name a couple of examples.
So keep your eyes open guys. You use to have to worry about con men, now those con men work for marketing companies, pushing worthless inedible products. And they're coming right into your house through that big glowing screen that takes up most of the wall.
So turn off your television and go get yourself some real food and do me a favour, get yourself some good beer. Go support your local farmers and your local brewer, they're great people and would really appreciate your support.
Over the summer we decided in my house to turn off the cable television and we live in an area that only gets three stations with an antenna. We subscribed to Netflix, so we had something to watch, and for the most part, we didn't really miss commercial television.
The only thing I really missed watching was racing and especially NHRA drag racing. My son and I go to The Finals every year in Pomona and I was feeling a little out of the loop when we went in November. As the start of the racing season drew closer, I decided to bite the bullet and sign up for cable again.
I've never been a fan of commercials, (I have satellite radio in one of my trucks and the other truck gets music from my ipod) but since we're watching cable television again, I'm being subjected to these abominations called commercials. And there's not a lot of things that piss me off more than some clown sitting in a big ol' office trying to sell me useless crap or inedible food.
One of the things I've realized during these last couple of months watching television, is that most big companies are lagging behind what people like, and they're trying to be cool and relevant again. And the example I want to throw out there, is that piss water that is known as Bud Light. Budweiser re-bottled their rice water in some fancy bottles and made some commercials with a bunch of hipster looking posers, dancing around to sell this crap. It's Bud Light, it will never be good, even though they got Justin Timberlake to sing in their commercial.
The other example, was a commercial I saw for Quiznos. They had some crap sandwich with what they were calling lobster and "other seafood" in it. It's been a while since I've been out on the ocean fishing, but we called that chum. Why would I want a chum sandwich from Quiznos?
The corporate world is taking advantage of us, and they are not really concerned with our health or well being. They are only concerned about moving large quantities of whatever crap they're making, at the best profit margin possible. Someone said that, if it has a commercial on television, you probably don't want to eat it. Sounds like good advice to me.
And while I'm squawking about how the big food corporations are taking advantage of us, take a look at the next five pound bag of sugar you purchase. More than likely it will be only four pounds, yet the price never changed. Four pounds of sugar for the price of five pounds, now that's a deal, for the big company, not you. Look around, they've done the same thing to cans of coffee and what use to be gallons of ice cream to name a couple of examples.
So keep your eyes open guys. You use to have to worry about con men, now those con men work for marketing companies, pushing worthless inedible products. And they're coming right into your house through that big glowing screen that takes up most of the wall.
So turn off your television and go get yourself some real food and do me a favour, get yourself some good beer. Go support your local farmers and your local brewer, they're great people and would really appreciate your support.
Monday, May 7, 2012
A milestone
So I've stomped around this earth for a while and I haven't gotten this far without help. I'm lucky enough to have my best friend by my side, through thick and thin, the ups and downs and all the of the lessons I have to work through. There's no way I could've done this by myself.
We met on a blind date, set up by my best friend and his girl friend. I still can't tell you how long we dated, but she broke up with me. Of course I was devastated and to add insult to injury, she moved all the way across the country to New York.
Again, I couldn't tell you how long it was, but I do know it was my 21st birthday and she was back in California. I was asked if it was alright if she went to dinner with us, I agreed and she still hasn't left.
So, here we are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, that's right, 25th. I can't hardly believe it and I'm not gonna tell you it was easy. I take that back, her and I are easy, it's the rest of life that's a challenge. I've heard that most arguments between married people is over money. Well, we've never had a lot of money and we've always taken on the world as a team, us against them, never, me against her.
So, we've never had too much to argue about and we never wanted a house full of disrespect. Our house is exactly the opposite, lots of music, lots of laughter and over flowing with love for each other. And that was especially true for when our kids were growing up and continues on now.
So here we are 25 years later and she still thinks I play my music too loud and that I should be nicer and I think she should enjoy punk music played too loud and that she's too nice. She has compassion for them and I want to whip their asses, so we balance each other.
I've never done anything in a row for this long. No job, no school, hell, not even my kids and I know I'm not that easy to live with, but she's still here. I'm not really sure why, but I do know I love her with every fiber of my being and soul. I would sacrifice everything for her, I would die for her and I would kill for her. I may not be able to give her everything, yet, but I'm working on it.
There are only two things I can think of that I do without her. I don't work with her and she doesn't surf with me. I don't really want to work with her, but there are times that I would like her to watch me surf so I can show off for her. Cause that's what we do, we show off for our girls.
Otherwise I need her by my side on this journey and I'm uncomfortable when she's not. I'm going to ask her if she'll do another 25, I'll let you know what she says. And as I've told you guys before, I really work towards balance in my life and that's what she does for me.
Plus, she bakes me chocolate cake.
We met on a blind date, set up by my best friend and his girl friend. I still can't tell you how long we dated, but she broke up with me. Of course I was devastated and to add insult to injury, she moved all the way across the country to New York.
Again, I couldn't tell you how long it was, but I do know it was my 21st birthday and she was back in California. I was asked if it was alright if she went to dinner with us, I agreed and she still hasn't left.
So, here we are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, that's right, 25th. I can't hardly believe it and I'm not gonna tell you it was easy. I take that back, her and I are easy, it's the rest of life that's a challenge. I've heard that most arguments between married people is over money. Well, we've never had a lot of money and we've always taken on the world as a team, us against them, never, me against her.
So, we've never had too much to argue about and we never wanted a house full of disrespect. Our house is exactly the opposite, lots of music, lots of laughter and over flowing with love for each other. And that was especially true for when our kids were growing up and continues on now.
I've never done anything in a row for this long. No job, no school, hell, not even my kids and I know I'm not that easy to live with, but she's still here. I'm not really sure why, but I do know I love her with every fiber of my being and soul. I would sacrifice everything for her, I would die for her and I would kill for her. I may not be able to give her everything, yet, but I'm working on it.
There are only two things I can think of that I do without her. I don't work with her and she doesn't surf with me. I don't really want to work with her, but there are times that I would like her to watch me surf so I can show off for her. Cause that's what we do, we show off for our girls.
Otherwise I need her by my side on this journey and I'm uncomfortable when she's not. I'm going to ask her if she'll do another 25, I'll let you know what she says. And as I've told you guys before, I really work towards balance in my life and that's what she does for me.
Plus, she bakes me chocolate cake.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sometimes the truth hurts
I work at a very small site, for a very large corporation. We have to walk the corporate line and most of the time it doesn't fit our small facility very well, but we do the best we can. Our district manager worked out of an office an hour south of us and most of us did not hold a very high opinion of him.
Corporate finally agreed with us and removed this manager from our company. This manger had been with the company a long time, so his superiors are trying to spin him up as a leader and a mentor, both which could not be farther from the truth.
Since this news was announced to us, a card showed up at our shop that we were told we could sign if we wanted to. A card to wish this former manager good luck and to thank him for a job well done. A good majority of the guys I work with signed it. Guys that didn't have a nice thing to say about this manager for, at least, the last two years.
I couldn't believe it. Suddenly the shop was full of hypocrites. Guys that couldn't say his name without spitting or cursing were lining up to sign a card thanking this guy for his service.
I was asked by my coworkers if I was going to sign the card. When I told them I wasn't going to sign any stinking card for this clown, they were a little shocked and I think they were also a little embarrassed buy their hypocrisy being brought to light.
I wasn't about to thank a guy, that could not give a rats' ass whether I lived or died, for a job he did so poorly that he was asked to leave the company and I wasn't about to apologize for my position. Some of my coworkers think my attitude is a little harsh and they thought I should be nicer.
Well, that ain't going to happen, I'm not feeling charitable today, and my opinion of this former manager isn't going to change just because he is now unemployed.
I'm not sure why these guys feel they need to be so emotionally dishonest, but it drives me crazy. For crying out loud, have an opinion and stand by it, quit being so damn wishy washy.
I'm not about to stop telling my truth just so we can feel all squishy inside. Suck it up cupcake, sometimes the truth isn't pretty and neither am I.
Corporate finally agreed with us and removed this manager from our company. This manger had been with the company a long time, so his superiors are trying to spin him up as a leader and a mentor, both which could not be farther from the truth.
Since this news was announced to us, a card showed up at our shop that we were told we could sign if we wanted to. A card to wish this former manager good luck and to thank him for a job well done. A good majority of the guys I work with signed it. Guys that didn't have a nice thing to say about this manager for, at least, the last two years.
I couldn't believe it. Suddenly the shop was full of hypocrites. Guys that couldn't say his name without spitting or cursing were lining up to sign a card thanking this guy for his service.
I was asked by my coworkers if I was going to sign the card. When I told them I wasn't going to sign any stinking card for this clown, they were a little shocked and I think they were also a little embarrassed buy their hypocrisy being brought to light.
I wasn't about to thank a guy, that could not give a rats' ass whether I lived or died, for a job he did so poorly that he was asked to leave the company and I wasn't about to apologize for my position. Some of my coworkers think my attitude is a little harsh and they thought I should be nicer.
Well, that ain't going to happen, I'm not feeling charitable today, and my opinion of this former manager isn't going to change just because he is now unemployed.
I'm not sure why these guys feel they need to be so emotionally dishonest, but it drives me crazy. For crying out loud, have an opinion and stand by it, quit being so damn wishy washy.
I'm not about to stop telling my truth just so we can feel all squishy inside. Suck it up cupcake, sometimes the truth isn't pretty and neither am I.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Got to get rolling again
Well, I have to tell you guys that I'm really no fan of winter. The winter in this part of the world was not particularly harsh or anything, but it seemed to go on forever. I was really missing the sun, warmer weather and the opportunity to get the motorcycle back on the road and the surfboard in the water.
The cold, short days really threw me off my game, I couldn't find any motivation or inspiration. My muse seemed to be missing, and she's usually pretty ruthless when there's something we need to create. There's been numerous times when she's whipping my ass to get something done, but not this winter.
I went to see my acupuncturist around the beginning of spring for a tune up, which I desperately needed. She helped balance me, plus,the time changed, which means it's staying light later in the evening and all these things combined are helping me get motivated again.
I was able to get back in the surf on Easter Sunday and although the water was a little cold, it was great to be back in the line up. The weather has warmed a bit, so my son and I have been riding the motorcycles to work this week. It's amazing how being back in the water and back in the wind helps me out.
Which means I'll probably be up here spewing more things at you about what pisses me off and the general state of manliness. I really don't have a plan, so grab a beer and let's see where my muse takes us.
Now, go out there and find what it is that brings balance and joy to your world, grab a hold of it and enjoy it.
I'm going to just that.
The cold, short days really threw me off my game, I couldn't find any motivation or inspiration. My muse seemed to be missing, and she's usually pretty ruthless when there's something we need to create. There's been numerous times when she's whipping my ass to get something done, but not this winter.
I went to see my acupuncturist around the beginning of spring for a tune up, which I desperately needed. She helped balance me, plus,the time changed, which means it's staying light later in the evening and all these things combined are helping me get motivated again.
I was able to get back in the surf on Easter Sunday and although the water was a little cold, it was great to be back in the line up. The weather has warmed a bit, so my son and I have been riding the motorcycles to work this week. It's amazing how being back in the water and back in the wind helps me out.
Which means I'll probably be up here spewing more things at you about what pisses me off and the general state of manliness. I really don't have a plan, so grab a beer and let's see where my muse takes us.
Now, go out there and find what it is that brings balance and joy to your world, grab a hold of it and enjoy it.
I'm going to just that.
Friday, February 17, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, January 2, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
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.
So, enjoy your family and have a great new years celebration, and keep it under control.
I'll talk to you guys in 2012.
Friday, December 9, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, December 5, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Treat 'em like dogs
As you may know, I'm a dog guy. I grew up with a dog and so have my kids. As far as I'm concerned, my dogs are a very important part of my family and help make our house, a home. However, I make sure they know their place in my pack, they are treated like dogs and are expected to act like dogs. They are not allowed on the furniture, they only eat from their bowls and they ride in the back of the truck. I expect them to watch over the property and my stuff, by barking when strangers, dogs, raccoons, possums, cats or any other unwanted beastie gets to close to the fence. As a benefit, I receive absolute unconditional love from my dogs. Nothing matters, not the time of day, the weather, or my attitude, my dogs love me unconditionally. In fact, they don't even mind if I sit down and enjoy a beer after we've gone for a walk around the block in the evening.
It's also because of this unconditional love, I believe, people take advantage of their dogs. Dogs really aren't meant to wear clothes or costumes and I see people dressing up their poor dogs all the time. Dogs will do anything to make you happy and because your dog loves you so much, they will let you dress them and suffer humiliation for you. Dogs aren't people, don't dress them. Don't humiliate your dog stud, it just makes you look like a tool.
I'd also like to revisit for a moment what we talked about in regards to driving with your dog in the car. Get the damn dog off your lap, I think it's pretty ridiculous to see a woman driving with a dog in her lap and now I'm seeing guys do it. The dog needs to be in the back, either the back seat or the back of the truck, not hanging half their body out of the drivers window. You've seen the picture of Honey in the bed of the red truck, she's secured in with a chain, so she can move from side to side, but will not be able to go over the side. Or put them in the back seat with the window down enough for them to put their nose in the wind, this seems to be a necessity for a dog.
Another thing I've noticed about dogs, is, they like routine. It's one of the things that seems comforting to dogs. So get into a routine with your dog, it's the least you can do since they love you so much. I also believe that dogs and kids need a lot of the same things. They both need to go for walks with you, they both need to get dirty sometimes, they both need to be able to run as fast as they can for no apparent reason and they both need to spend time with you.
So go on tough guy, give your heart to a furry angel, you won't be sorry. As long as you don't expect them to be any more than a dog. You'll be surprised at the love and companionship you'll receive, as long as you remember to treat 'em like dogs.
It's also because of this unconditional love, I believe, people take advantage of their dogs. Dogs really aren't meant to wear clothes or costumes and I see people dressing up their poor dogs all the time. Dogs will do anything to make you happy and because your dog loves you so much, they will let you dress them and suffer humiliation for you. Dogs aren't people, don't dress them. Don't humiliate your dog stud, it just makes you look like a tool.
I'd also like to revisit for a moment what we talked about in regards to driving with your dog in the car. Get the damn dog off your lap, I think it's pretty ridiculous to see a woman driving with a dog in her lap and now I'm seeing guys do it. The dog needs to be in the back, either the back seat or the back of the truck, not hanging half their body out of the drivers window. You've seen the picture of Honey in the bed of the red truck, she's secured in with a chain, so she can move from side to side, but will not be able to go over the side. Or put them in the back seat with the window down enough for them to put their nose in the wind, this seems to be a necessity for a dog.
So go on tough guy, give your heart to a furry angel, you won't be sorry. As long as you don't expect them to be any more than a dog. You'll be surprised at the love and companionship you'll receive, as long as you remember to treat 'em like dogs.
More good stuff
Here's another beer i wanted to tell you guys about. One of my friends at work said it was worth a try. This is good beer, goes real well with the colder weather this time of year.
Hope y'all have a good Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Being a father
I've been a dad for the last 22 years and both of my kids just keep getting better with age. I've always said the older they get, the cooler they get. As some of you know fatherhood is not easy and is all consuming, yet it's the most rewarding job I've ever had.
Now, I'm not gonna tell you how to raise your kids, cause everyone has their own ideas and I think that there is more than one right way to go about it. What I can pass on to ya, is that you'll need to put you're childish ways aside, grow up and become the man your kid is gonna need and be the father they will look up to as an example of what a man is.
Now when I say childish ways, I'm not telling you to quit having fun or that fatherhood is deadly serious all the time (just some of the time). But you will need to realign your priorities. Since you're now part of a family, you are not the most important person in the world, the little person you just created is. It's now time to step up, cause this is not part time, it's full time and you will be a father for the rest of your life. There is a delicate balance you need to maintain. You don't want to lose track of the person you truly are, or those traits and traditions you want to pass on to your child. If you have a boy child, you will need to show him how to become a man and if you have a girl child, you'll need to show her how a man takes care of his family and the kind of man that makes a good father.
I'm lucky enough to have a next door neighbor that is a shining example of a guy that should have never been allowed to breed. He's a person that should never have the word father associated with him. I leave for work well before the sun comes up, but, I'm also usually home in the afternoon before most other people. And there's probably three to four days of the week when I come home that this guy (I can't call him a man or a father) is standing in his open garage door drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. This wouldn't be so bad, except, this is where the neighbor has been standing for at least half the day. He also, unfortunately, has a daughter, plus the baby and mom live there also, and a couple more of her family. But this piece of crap, who is probably close to thirty, would rather stand around all day smoking cigarettes and hanging out with the younger boys rather than step up and take care of his family like a man should. He's told me all his stories about where he use to work and where he wants to work (we've already talked about guys that are all talk and no action) and I'm really over it all. He just seems a little to comfortable living on a hand out and blaming everyone else for his lack of employment and the few times he's been out front with his daughter, he seems completely incompetent and removed from her.
So you need to get over it tough guy and learn how to hold that baby and change diapers and become a father. Once you've mastered that part the little bugger will get bigger and the set of challenges will change and they'll keep changing, so you'll need to stay on your toes. There won't be a lot of time for you to be consumed with yourself. Your little person will ask you questions you never thought you'd be asked and you won't have the answers for. Keep cool, don't sweat it, you can find the answer together. But you will need to be the most genuine person you have ever been. The truths you will tell and the situations you'll find yourself in with your child will stagger you.
Another thing you'll need to develop is tough skin, because there will be times when your child will hate you with every fiber of their being. But keep the situation in perspective, try to understand your child's point of view and try not to throw gas on the fire. Let everyone cool down and you'll find that the whole thing is usually not that big a deal, and when everyone is calm, it's easier to talk about what's going on. Remember that sometimes you need to be an authority figure first, and a friend second. That's not always easy, cause we all want to be liked and as a father, that's not always the case. But those moments are fleeting and you'll be surprised at the amount of love that you will receive from the little monster. They have this ability of blowing you away with the mountains of love they send your way.
So take care of 'em, feed 'em, clothe 'em and give 'em shelter. Add some water and lots of love and you will be amazed at what cool human beings they will become.
Now, I'm not gonna tell you how to raise your kids, cause everyone has their own ideas and I think that there is more than one right way to go about it. What I can pass on to ya, is that you'll need to put you're childish ways aside, grow up and become the man your kid is gonna need and be the father they will look up to as an example of what a man is.
Now when I say childish ways, I'm not telling you to quit having fun or that fatherhood is deadly serious all the time (just some of the time). But you will need to realign your priorities. Since you're now part of a family, you are not the most important person in the world, the little person you just created is. It's now time to step up, cause this is not part time, it's full time and you will be a father for the rest of your life. There is a delicate balance you need to maintain. You don't want to lose track of the person you truly are, or those traits and traditions you want to pass on to your child. If you have a boy child, you will need to show him how to become a man and if you have a girl child, you'll need to show her how a man takes care of his family and the kind of man that makes a good father.
I'm lucky enough to have a next door neighbor that is a shining example of a guy that should have never been allowed to breed. He's a person that should never have the word father associated with him. I leave for work well before the sun comes up, but, I'm also usually home in the afternoon before most other people. And there's probably three to four days of the week when I come home that this guy (I can't call him a man or a father) is standing in his open garage door drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. This wouldn't be so bad, except, this is where the neighbor has been standing for at least half the day. He also, unfortunately, has a daughter, plus the baby and mom live there also, and a couple more of her family. But this piece of crap, who is probably close to thirty, would rather stand around all day smoking cigarettes and hanging out with the younger boys rather than step up and take care of his family like a man should. He's told me all his stories about where he use to work and where he wants to work (we've already talked about guys that are all talk and no action) and I'm really over it all. He just seems a little to comfortable living on a hand out and blaming everyone else for his lack of employment and the few times he's been out front with his daughter, he seems completely incompetent and removed from her.
So you need to get over it tough guy and learn how to hold that baby and change diapers and become a father. Once you've mastered that part the little bugger will get bigger and the set of challenges will change and they'll keep changing, so you'll need to stay on your toes. There won't be a lot of time for you to be consumed with yourself. Your little person will ask you questions you never thought you'd be asked and you won't have the answers for. Keep cool, don't sweat it, you can find the answer together. But you will need to be the most genuine person you have ever been. The truths you will tell and the situations you'll find yourself in with your child will stagger you.
Another thing you'll need to develop is tough skin, because there will be times when your child will hate you with every fiber of their being. But keep the situation in perspective, try to understand your child's point of view and try not to throw gas on the fire. Let everyone cool down and you'll find that the whole thing is usually not that big a deal, and when everyone is calm, it's easier to talk about what's going on. Remember that sometimes you need to be an authority figure first, and a friend second. That's not always easy, cause we all want to be liked and as a father, that's not always the case. But those moments are fleeting and you'll be surprised at the amount of love that you will receive from the little monster. They have this ability of blowing you away with the mountains of love they send your way.
So take care of 'em, feed 'em, clothe 'em and give 'em shelter. Add some water and lots of love and you will be amazed at what cool human beings they will become.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Quit your whining
We all have bad days, or even bad weeks, and we all pull through it. Unless you really like to wallow in self pity and no matter how bad you think it is, it will always get better, especially if you're man enough to make some changes. So quit your whining, we're all tired of hearing it.
I've had the crummy days too, but what you've gotta remember is, that you're in charge of your own happiness. You're the one that needs to make the changes that will make your situation livable. Yup, that's right sparky, it's up to you. It's no one else's responsibility. Not your boss's, not your significant other's, not your coworker's, or even your mom's. It's yours. So the way to make the bad day, the bad week, or the bad life better, is to suck it up and make the change. Like we talked about before, change is not always easy, but necessary for your peace of mind, especially in this situation. If you truly want out of your miserable rut, stop whining and make the changes in your life.
We've all known the guy that shows up to work just pissing and moaning how everything sucks in their lives, and it's the same sorry ass story every day. Nothing makes this clown happy, except his own whining. At first, suggestions are made to help this guy out, but he turns down or dismisses any help, saying it won't change a thing. Then it becomes clear that this guy doesn't want help, because he doesn't have the balls to take any suggestions, or make the changes that will bring him the happiness he says he desires. He just wants to whine about it, so everyone at work feels sorry for him, he likes the attention. It's kinda pathetic and very unmanly.
I've also noticed when a guy begins making excuses about what someone else is asking him, the whiners voice gets high pitched and squeaky. If anybody gets squeaky in my house it is usually brought to the whiners attention very quickly and with much glee, and not by just me, my kids are pretty brutal when it comes to pointing out a squeaky whine. Try it, listen next time some guy is asked to do something he doesn't want to do. Listen to the pitch of his voice as the whine starts, he'll get squeaky. Especially if you continue to push the subject with the whiner, the squeak becomes really impressive. Keep it up and everyone in my house will begin to laugh and point.
Another annoying whiner out there is the guy that blames everyone else for his situation. This pathetic whiner is a perpetual victim ( I have a real hard time with the victim state of mind ) and it seems a lot of the time it's the fault of the government. Everything that goes wrong in their world can somehow be traced to how "the man" is keeping him down. I get so tired of listening to this whine about the California government, that I've suggested to the whiner that they should move. Leave the state that causes you so much grief. Go if you're so uncomfortable and unhappy here. I know California isn't perfect and I'm pretty sure there is no perfect place to live. But it will be way better here, without his whiny ass around.
So go ahead and vent, like I said, we all have bad days. Just make sure you move through the bad times and don't let the venting run your life. Don't let you're whining gain any momentum and turn you into a squeaky whiner that friends and family avoid.
I've had the crummy days too, but what you've gotta remember is, that you're in charge of your own happiness. You're the one that needs to make the changes that will make your situation livable. Yup, that's right sparky, it's up to you. It's no one else's responsibility. Not your boss's, not your significant other's, not your coworker's, or even your mom's. It's yours. So the way to make the bad day, the bad week, or the bad life better, is to suck it up and make the change. Like we talked about before, change is not always easy, but necessary for your peace of mind, especially in this situation. If you truly want out of your miserable rut, stop whining and make the changes in your life.
We've all known the guy that shows up to work just pissing and moaning how everything sucks in their lives, and it's the same sorry ass story every day. Nothing makes this clown happy, except his own whining. At first, suggestions are made to help this guy out, but he turns down or dismisses any help, saying it won't change a thing. Then it becomes clear that this guy doesn't want help, because he doesn't have the balls to take any suggestions, or make the changes that will bring him the happiness he says he desires. He just wants to whine about it, so everyone at work feels sorry for him, he likes the attention. It's kinda pathetic and very unmanly.
I've also noticed when a guy begins making excuses about what someone else is asking him, the whiners voice gets high pitched and squeaky. If anybody gets squeaky in my house it is usually brought to the whiners attention very quickly and with much glee, and not by just me, my kids are pretty brutal when it comes to pointing out a squeaky whine. Try it, listen next time some guy is asked to do something he doesn't want to do. Listen to the pitch of his voice as the whine starts, he'll get squeaky. Especially if you continue to push the subject with the whiner, the squeak becomes really impressive. Keep it up and everyone in my house will begin to laugh and point.
Another annoying whiner out there is the guy that blames everyone else for his situation. This pathetic whiner is a perpetual victim ( I have a real hard time with the victim state of mind ) and it seems a lot of the time it's the fault of the government. Everything that goes wrong in their world can somehow be traced to how "the man" is keeping him down. I get so tired of listening to this whine about the California government, that I've suggested to the whiner that they should move. Leave the state that causes you so much grief. Go if you're so uncomfortable and unhappy here. I know California isn't perfect and I'm pretty sure there is no perfect place to live. But it will be way better here, without his whiny ass around.
So go ahead and vent, like I said, we all have bad days. Just make sure you move through the bad times and don't let the venting run your life. Don't let you're whining gain any momentum and turn you into a squeaky whiner that friends and family avoid.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Change is coming
When I was going to high school in southern California, my friends and I used to listen to 95.5 KLOS, it's a rock station, that at the time, played new, current music. As I got older my musical tastes changed and I found myself looking for the newest music, leaving the rock music of my high school years behind. In fact the newer the music the better, and when my kids got older, they found all sorts of new music for me to listen to.
The music world continues to change and I continue to seek new music, and every other aspect in our world continues to change also. So I hope you're ready, cause change is always happening.
There's really no sense in fighting it, you're not gonna win, change will get you. It's kind of pathetic to see guys fight against it, they dig their heels in and just will not stand for this change. I hear things like, "well, not everybody is on the internet", when you suggest to them to go google something. They truly seem scared of anything different, anything new. They seem content to sit on their porches and watch the world go by.
The really pathetic part is these guys usually seem to have peaked in high school. I know guys in their mid fifties that still talk about their glory days in high school. Really? For crying out loud, move on. If the best time of your life was high school, you should get more of a life. There's a great big world out there and it's moving pretty quick and changing all the time. You should probably get off your lazy ass and get moving, you're not doing yourself any favors by watching it pass you by. You should really try to stay relevant and current in this world.
I know your rut is comfy and you've become use to it, but it's still a rut. Also, the lady in your life would probably appreciate something a little different from time to time. Try something new, something different, try to change it up a bit. Don't be scared of new technology, or music, or even people. Give it a shot, if it doesn't work out for you, you can always try something else. It's not life or death, it's just change. And change is good.
The music world continues to change and I continue to seek new music, and every other aspect in our world continues to change also. So I hope you're ready, cause change is always happening.
There's really no sense in fighting it, you're not gonna win, change will get you. It's kind of pathetic to see guys fight against it, they dig their heels in and just will not stand for this change. I hear things like, "well, not everybody is on the internet", when you suggest to them to go google something. They truly seem scared of anything different, anything new. They seem content to sit on their porches and watch the world go by.
The really pathetic part is these guys usually seem to have peaked in high school. I know guys in their mid fifties that still talk about their glory days in high school. Really? For crying out loud, move on. If the best time of your life was high school, you should get more of a life. There's a great big world out there and it's moving pretty quick and changing all the time. You should probably get off your lazy ass and get moving, you're not doing yourself any favors by watching it pass you by. You should really try to stay relevant and current in this world.
I know your rut is comfy and you've become use to it, but it's still a rut. Also, the lady in your life would probably appreciate something a little different from time to time. Try something new, something different, try to change it up a bit. Don't be scared of new technology, or music, or even people. Give it a shot, if it doesn't work out for you, you can always try something else. It's not life or death, it's just change. And change is good.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Just a quick observation
I was stomping around when I noticed a desperate attempt at awesomeness, that had gone horribly wrong. I hadn't brought this up earlier because I had thought this particular clothing accessory had faded away. I was wrong.
I'm speaking, of course, about the fanny pack. Fellas, and you ladies out there, a fanny pack is never ok. I don't care what color it is, or what the logo is on it, or if it has water bottle holsters on it, make all the arguments you want, just, no. Don't do it.
As a matter of fact, you should probably avoid too many belt accessories. If you feel the need to wear a wallet chain, keep it to just the chain. Don't add a key chain that carries every key you have ever come across in your life, or multiple key chains, with even more keys. It just makes you look like the janitor. And there's nothing wrong with being a janitor, but I bet if you asked most janitors, they leave their keys at work. Also, don't add some cheesy looking folding knife in a crappy looking case, or a goofy looking cell phone case, even if it's a limited edition KISS case, you ain't cool with all this shit hanging from your dorky looking belt.
About the only guys that can get away with wearing a lot of stuff around their waists are carpenters. These guys need to have their tools easily accessible and they can't be making multiple trips to their trucks to get things, especially if they are on the roof, or a long distance from their trucks. Time is always important in the construction industry, so they need to be very efficient.
So go easy on the crap you hang from around your waist, it's not a good look. And I'm pretty sure the ladies don't find it sexy or think that it makes you look important. If you feel the need to carry around all sorts trinkets, get yourself a decent looking backpack, or a bigger car.
I'm speaking, of course, about the fanny pack. Fellas, and you ladies out there, a fanny pack is never ok. I don't care what color it is, or what the logo is on it, or if it has water bottle holsters on it, make all the arguments you want, just, no. Don't do it.
As a matter of fact, you should probably avoid too many belt accessories. If you feel the need to wear a wallet chain, keep it to just the chain. Don't add a key chain that carries every key you have ever come across in your life, or multiple key chains, with even more keys. It just makes you look like the janitor. And there's nothing wrong with being a janitor, but I bet if you asked most janitors, they leave their keys at work. Also, don't add some cheesy looking folding knife in a crappy looking case, or a goofy looking cell phone case, even if it's a limited edition KISS case, you ain't cool with all this shit hanging from your dorky looking belt.
About the only guys that can get away with wearing a lot of stuff around their waists are carpenters. These guys need to have their tools easily accessible and they can't be making multiple trips to their trucks to get things, especially if they are on the roof, or a long distance from their trucks. Time is always important in the construction industry, so they need to be very efficient.
So go easy on the crap you hang from around your waist, it's not a good look. And I'm pretty sure the ladies don't find it sexy or think that it makes you look important. If you feel the need to carry around all sorts trinkets, get yourself a decent looking backpack, or a bigger car.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Women
So I'm not gonna tell you guys that I know anything about women, but I do have some ideas about 'em and I can tell you how I "feel" about women.
I've been married to a wonderful woman for 25 years and I can still say, to this day, that I do not understand her, or any other woman for that matter. One of the things that I do know, is that men need to treat women like the beautiful, delicate creatures that they are. Throughout the ages women have been treated with varying degrees of respect. You can pick any time in history and find that women were protected and oppressed at the same time. So I'd like to tell you to look to a certain time as an example how to treat women, but I don't think there is that perfect spot in history.
What I can tell you is, to open the door for them. Simple acts of kindness, they are the fairer sex, you guys are the big strong ones, be nice to 'em. Now I understand that they can be frustrating and test your patience (remember, I've been married 25 years and I have a 19 year old daughter). But as much as you hate to admit it, almost everything you do as a male is done to get their attention, so you really do like 'em. I know some of you are gonna disagree with me, but near as I can figure it, men do most things in their lives for three different reasons. To impress other men of the tribe to ensure their place in the pack, to impress women and to feed and protect their family. That's why as pre-teenage boys we fight with each other and as teenagers and beyond we dress a certain way and drive certain cars and do other seemingly stupid things to impress women. Then we work hard to provide and protect our families while still trying to impress other tribe members and women.
So you're already doing all this work you might as well be nice to 'em, it'll make your life a lot easier.
I'm fully aware of those days when, we as men, just don't get along with the lady in our life and it's usually caused by miscommunication. What I can gather is, your lady has an idea in her head when she asks you some sort of vague question. Now, she already has a response in her head that she is expecting to hear you say. The problem is when you don't give the anticipated answer, that's when things start to go wrong. You see, women really think about things, really, a lot. As men, we are generally not thinking about these same things, and they can't understand that. What I have explained to the women in my life is, instead of asking me the vague question, explain to me what they're thinking so we can come to an agreement on their thoughts. Since we try to communicate this way in my house, I now get strange, very random things being brought up as topics for conversation. I know it makes sense to them but it usually catches me by surprise and yet makes for great talks and we can usually laugh at how the topic came up. The other thing I've tried to explain to ladies is, that men are pretty simple beings and when we say something, that's usually what we meant. Yup, that simple, we say what we mean.
The other thing I've noticed is that men try to use logic in their thinking, while women seem to rely mainly on their feelings. So if you don't realize your lady is approaching a decision by examining her feelings and you are trying to present your ideas, logically, the whole process has the possibility of going very wrong. No one way to make decisions or solve problems is the perfect way, we all have different methods. But if you take a second to realize where your lady is coming from, you may be able to avoid some arguments. A little compromise on your part will save you a lot of grief and you're man enough to let her be right aren't you? There's no need to push your ideas so hard that it causes her and you to become upset and it causes the decision to get blown way out of proportion. It's not life or death, relax and she will also. The situation will get handled, usually by using a combination of feelings and logic. That's why you two make such a good team.
The last thing I want to touch on regarding women (I don't think we're done with this topic) before I go pour a beer, is crying. Sometimes women just need to cry, and as men we just don't understand this phenomenon. Typically as men, thinking logically, we want to fix her problem. When there is really none to be fixed, she just needs to cry. Giving credit to where credit is due, my awesome wife is the person who helped me learn this lesson. I've a teenage daughter crying in the backseat of my truck after volleyball practice and there I am, trying to fix her "problem". Every time I made a suggestion it just made the cry that much worse. Finally, my wife quietly told me to stop being logical and let her cry, we'd get her home and feed her, then suddenly all was better. Amazing, she just needed to get all the emotion out of her and get some food and it was all good again. Take this information fellas and use it, get her some ice cream, a blanket and just be there while she cries, don't try to fix anything. You'll be a hero and it's pretty easy, you just gotta be nice and be able to let her cry. It's ok that they are more emotional and we're more logical, it would suck if we were all the same.
I've been married to a wonderful woman for 25 years and I can still say, to this day, that I do not understand her, or any other woman for that matter. One of the things that I do know, is that men need to treat women like the beautiful, delicate creatures that they are. Throughout the ages women have been treated with varying degrees of respect. You can pick any time in history and find that women were protected and oppressed at the same time. So I'd like to tell you to look to a certain time as an example how to treat women, but I don't think there is that perfect spot in history.
What I can tell you is, to open the door for them. Simple acts of kindness, they are the fairer sex, you guys are the big strong ones, be nice to 'em. Now I understand that they can be frustrating and test your patience (remember, I've been married 25 years and I have a 19 year old daughter). But as much as you hate to admit it, almost everything you do as a male is done to get their attention, so you really do like 'em. I know some of you are gonna disagree with me, but near as I can figure it, men do most things in their lives for three different reasons. To impress other men of the tribe to ensure their place in the pack, to impress women and to feed and protect their family. That's why as pre-teenage boys we fight with each other and as teenagers and beyond we dress a certain way and drive certain cars and do other seemingly stupid things to impress women. Then we work hard to provide and protect our families while still trying to impress other tribe members and women.
So you're already doing all this work you might as well be nice to 'em, it'll make your life a lot easier.
I'm fully aware of those days when, we as men, just don't get along with the lady in our life and it's usually caused by miscommunication. What I can gather is, your lady has an idea in her head when she asks you some sort of vague question. Now, she already has a response in her head that she is expecting to hear you say. The problem is when you don't give the anticipated answer, that's when things start to go wrong. You see, women really think about things, really, a lot. As men, we are generally not thinking about these same things, and they can't understand that. What I have explained to the women in my life is, instead of asking me the vague question, explain to me what they're thinking so we can come to an agreement on their thoughts. Since we try to communicate this way in my house, I now get strange, very random things being brought up as topics for conversation. I know it makes sense to them but it usually catches me by surprise and yet makes for great talks and we can usually laugh at how the topic came up. The other thing I've tried to explain to ladies is, that men are pretty simple beings and when we say something, that's usually what we meant. Yup, that simple, we say what we mean.
The other thing I've noticed is that men try to use logic in their thinking, while women seem to rely mainly on their feelings. So if you don't realize your lady is approaching a decision by examining her feelings and you are trying to present your ideas, logically, the whole process has the possibility of going very wrong. No one way to make decisions or solve problems is the perfect way, we all have different methods. But if you take a second to realize where your lady is coming from, you may be able to avoid some arguments. A little compromise on your part will save you a lot of grief and you're man enough to let her be right aren't you? There's no need to push your ideas so hard that it causes her and you to become upset and it causes the decision to get blown way out of proportion. It's not life or death, relax and she will also. The situation will get handled, usually by using a combination of feelings and logic. That's why you two make such a good team.
The last thing I want to touch on regarding women (I don't think we're done with this topic) before I go pour a beer, is crying. Sometimes women just need to cry, and as men we just don't understand this phenomenon. Typically as men, thinking logically, we want to fix her problem. When there is really none to be fixed, she just needs to cry. Giving credit to where credit is due, my awesome wife is the person who helped me learn this lesson. I've a teenage daughter crying in the backseat of my truck after volleyball practice and there I am, trying to fix her "problem". Every time I made a suggestion it just made the cry that much worse. Finally, my wife quietly told me to stop being logical and let her cry, we'd get her home and feed her, then suddenly all was better. Amazing, she just needed to get all the emotion out of her and get some food and it was all good again. Take this information fellas and use it, get her some ice cream, a blanket and just be there while she cries, don't try to fix anything. You'll be a hero and it's pretty easy, you just gotta be nice and be able to let her cry. It's ok that they are more emotional and we're more logical, it would suck if we were all the same.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Looks like that needs fixin...
You broke it didn't you? Now what are you gonna do? Well? Fix it. Please tell me you can fix it. Please tell me you have some basic tools and the guts to at least try to fix it.
Ya know, this used to be a country that built things. We were known for producing the best of the best and we had the skills to build anything. Now it seems like all we do is move paper from one desk to another. Guys seem to be afraid of getting their hands dirty.
So I'm thinking it's time you quit paying other people to do your dirty work and fix it yourself. Fix the leaky faucet, and the toilet that keeps keeps running. Most of those things are a simple and easy fix. Go and ask the guy at the hardware store, and I don't mean Home Depot. Find yourself an Ace Hardware or another real hardware store that has real people that know how to help you fix things. No one has all the knowledge to repair everything but if you ask the right person, you can find the information to help you get through your repair. And you'll find the fix is usually way easier than you imagined. Plus, most of the time you don't need a bunch of fancy, expensive tools. Just some basic hand tools and you can tackle most household repairs. Take a run through OSH or a Sears and you can pick up some good quality tools at reasonable prices and Craftsman makes just about any tool you could possibly need.
Alright, so you've got some tools, go get some oil, an oil filter and an air cleaner and go do some basic maintenance on your car. Stop in a real auto parts store, not Walmart, and give the parts man the year, make and model of your car and he'll set you up with the right filters. Also, ask the parts man where you can recycle your used motor oil and filter, he may be able to take it right there at his store. Do a few basic things on your car and next thing you know you'll be ready to tackle a brake job or another task that seems very difficult. It's really not that hard, at my house my daughter does all the brake jobs on all our cars (although she is away at college most of the year now, so the job may become mine again). So, come on fellas, if my daughter can do it so can you. Just get the information from a reliable source and have at it. One of the sayings in our shop is, if it has a nut or bolt on it, it was made to be taken apart. Belts and hoses are just as easy to replace, just take your time and do your research and you'll do fine.
You'd be surprised at how much parts cost as compared to how much you get charged when you have someone else do the work. I've bought a heater core for my truck at 30 dollars and I've heard of people being charged 600 bucks to have a heater core replaced at a shop. Now my truck is old compared to the car that needed the heater core replaced, but come on, 600 bucks?! I'm not gonna tell you that the repair shop was unethical or they ripped anyone off, because I'm sure that their book told them to charge that. I just want to give you an example of what you can save if you get in there and get a little greasy. Plus you'll get a great sense of accomplishment by doing it yourself.
So instead of running around screaming like a little girl when your home is becoming flooded, you'll know how to turn the water off to the house and you'll be able to deal with the problem. You'll also be able to jump start your car or change the flat tire rather than sobbing uncontrollably when your car lets you down. There's also a chance that you can be the hero when you help out the lady who is stranded with those same car problems.
So go on, get in there, get a little dirty and fix it. A little dirt on your hands or grease under your finger nails won't hurt ya. Trust me, I've got all sorts of grease under my nails and I'm still going. You might be surprised at how your significant other looks at you, stud, after you fix her leaky faucet. She'll probably have a cold beer waiting for you when you're done.
Ya know, this used to be a country that built things. We were known for producing the best of the best and we had the skills to build anything. Now it seems like all we do is move paper from one desk to another. Guys seem to be afraid of getting their hands dirty.
So I'm thinking it's time you quit paying other people to do your dirty work and fix it yourself. Fix the leaky faucet, and the toilet that keeps keeps running. Most of those things are a simple and easy fix. Go and ask the guy at the hardware store, and I don't mean Home Depot. Find yourself an Ace Hardware or another real hardware store that has real people that know how to help you fix things. No one has all the knowledge to repair everything but if you ask the right person, you can find the information to help you get through your repair. And you'll find the fix is usually way easier than you imagined. Plus, most of the time you don't need a bunch of fancy, expensive tools. Just some basic hand tools and you can tackle most household repairs. Take a run through OSH or a Sears and you can pick up some good quality tools at reasonable prices and Craftsman makes just about any tool you could possibly need.
Alright, so you've got some tools, go get some oil, an oil filter and an air cleaner and go do some basic maintenance on your car. Stop in a real auto parts store, not Walmart, and give the parts man the year, make and model of your car and he'll set you up with the right filters. Also, ask the parts man where you can recycle your used motor oil and filter, he may be able to take it right there at his store. Do a few basic things on your car and next thing you know you'll be ready to tackle a brake job or another task that seems very difficult. It's really not that hard, at my house my daughter does all the brake jobs on all our cars (although she is away at college most of the year now, so the job may become mine again). So, come on fellas, if my daughter can do it so can you. Just get the information from a reliable source and have at it. One of the sayings in our shop is, if it has a nut or bolt on it, it was made to be taken apart. Belts and hoses are just as easy to replace, just take your time and do your research and you'll do fine.
So instead of running around screaming like a little girl when your home is becoming flooded, you'll know how to turn the water off to the house and you'll be able to deal with the problem. You'll also be able to jump start your car or change the flat tire rather than sobbing uncontrollably when your car lets you down. There's also a chance that you can be the hero when you help out the lady who is stranded with those same car problems.
So go on, get in there, get a little dirty and fix it. A little dirt on your hands or grease under your finger nails won't hurt ya. Trust me, I've got all sorts of grease under my nails and I'm still going. You might be surprised at how your significant other looks at you, stud, after you fix her leaky faucet. She'll probably have a cold beer waiting for you when you're done.
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