Say what you want about country and western music, and the "Bakersfield Sound" in general, but there is no denying that Buck Owens was an icon of both.
As most of you now know, unless you have been living in a cave (hello there Osama!) Buck Owens, the patriarchal figurehead of the Bakersfield Sound, permanently left the stage of life this last Saturday morning (25 March 2006).
To say he will be missed is almost not enough. His inspiration and support has helped many an aspiring singer get their start, and his legacy encompasses several decades of musical history.
I never actually got to see the man perform live, but I listened to the live broadcast from the Crystal Palace every Friday night, and I had the honor of meeting him once. Though it was a brief handshake and a "How're you doin'", then he was gone. Even in that short meeting, you could feel that he carried a presence about him. There was something in his walk, his talk and his overall personality that just made you like him. I am not sure how else to describe it, but he was the kind of person that you had to like.
His loss will be felt by many.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
A life not wasted
The name Tina Carroll may not mean much to you, but to many it does.
A lot can be said about a person who puts others above themselves, even when they are ill.
I did not know Tina, but understanding what I have read about her, I wish I had. she was truiely a person of unique spirit and courage, and I feel that her loss is a loss to all of us.
After asking for permission to post the article here, I was turned down. I was, however, told that I can post this link so that the author, Shellie Branco, would still get her due credit.
I ask that you take a moment to read this article. I envy this girl's ability to put others above herself. Her dedication to herself through her continued education and her dedication to others through her work as a volunteer.
While her life was short, and she was in pain, she did not dwell on this, and lived a productive, active and worthy life.
I cannot say much more than Shellie was able to in her article, and I think that she said it well. I can only say that I hope that I can live a life as full as she had in her short stay on this plane.
Thank you Tina for being one of the bright points in the lives of others. You will be missed by those that loved you, those that you touched and those that only knew of you through stories of others. Your parents have much to be proud of.
A lot can be said about a person who puts others above themselves, even when they are ill.
I did not know Tina, but understanding what I have read about her, I wish I had. she was truiely a person of unique spirit and courage, and I feel that her loss is a loss to all of us.
After asking for permission to post the article here, I was turned down. I was, however, told that I can post this link so that the author, Shellie Branco, would still get her due credit.
I ask that you take a moment to read this article. I envy this girl's ability to put others above herself. Her dedication to herself through her continued education and her dedication to others through her work as a volunteer.
While her life was short, and she was in pain, she did not dwell on this, and lived a productive, active and worthy life.
I cannot say much more than Shellie was able to in her article, and I think that she said it well. I can only say that I hope that I can live a life as full as she had in her short stay on this plane.
Thank you Tina for being one of the bright points in the lives of others. You will be missed by those that loved you, those that you touched and those that only knew of you through stories of others. Your parents have much to be proud of.
How are your sales skills?
So... how good of a sales person are you?
If your response is that you are not in sales, think again.
If you stop and carefully consider you life and the motions you go through, at some point you are a salesperson. You may not realize it at the time, however.
Let's take the obvious... something that we are all familiar with, unless you are one of the many career welfare recipients in this great land.
The Resume'
Yes... that is what I said. In fact, consider the entire job search process. You are going into a place to look for a job or a career. You are going to try and convince that HR person that you are the best person for the job. This is the best example of a salesperson, only what you are selling is your services in return for your future.
You may think that this does not apply to all jobs, but I disagree. Whether you are trying to get a job as a courtesy clerk at a grocery store or working the fryer at the local McDonalds, you are providing your services in an attempt to move up in the company, thusly you are selling your skills, or selling your ability to learn a new trade and be a promotable asset.
This being said, everyone should take their jobs seriously. If you do not like your job, and we have all had a job we did not like (mine was working Fine Men's Clothing at Harris' Dept Store.) you should still do the very best you can, and be proud of the work you do. Any time you get sick and think you might just slack off a little, think if the fact that you are not irreplaceable... there are plenty of people that will be happy to take you place should you become a liability over an asset.
Lets look at the next item...
Your Mate (Relationships)
A wise person once said that Marriage is just a legalized and institutionalized form of prostitution.
OK... that was crass, I know, but lets look at the way a relationship works, and you will see that there IS a certain amount of salesmanship in a relationship.
Courting.
The courting process goes back to the beginning of the human race. If you want to imagine the old cartoons of a caveman dragging his mate by the hair from location to location, then you have a cute imagination.
Primitive man, more than likely, courted in much the same way that animals court. The males fight for the right to mate by demonstrating who was superior and stronger. As a testament to natural selection, this then made sure that the strongest survived and the weaker, sickly, died off.
These days it is not really acceptable for people to fight for the right to mate with a particular female, although it does still happen, and mostly in bars and at the urging of young or deranged women (see my article about Cheaters.)
I will use myself and my relationship as an example of a long term successful relationship sales event. My wife and I have been married for fifteen years. I met her through her boyfriend almost eighteen years ago. I moved in with him for need of getting out of my mother's house, and he brought in his girlfriend.
Long story short, she and I developed a relationship due in part to the fact that he was abusive to her, and I treated her like she was a friend. Over time she left him, and her and I became good friends, then over time we nurtured the friendship into something more.
The moral to that story would be that the first person failed the task, and I came in and took over. While this makes things sound a little impersonal, I do not want to give the wrong impression. If I could say anything to her ex-boyfriend, then it you be thank you for being a lousy sales person, because I came out with the better end of the deal. We have had a wonderful relationship and will continue to.
Ok... Now I know that there are many of you who might read this and think that my opinion is silly or unfounded. That may be the case, but these are observations made from from an attempt to be neutral. These are also just my opinions, nothing more. If you do not like them, then that is your opinion, and that is human nature. Yes... opinions are like assholes, and yes... to some they are all full of shit.
If your response is that you are not in sales, think again.
If you stop and carefully consider you life and the motions you go through, at some point you are a salesperson. You may not realize it at the time, however.
Let's take the obvious... something that we are all familiar with, unless you are one of the many career welfare recipients in this great land.
The Resume'
Yes... that is what I said. In fact, consider the entire job search process. You are going into a place to look for a job or a career. You are going to try and convince that HR person that you are the best person for the job. This is the best example of a salesperson, only what you are selling is your services in return for your future.
You may think that this does not apply to all jobs, but I disagree. Whether you are trying to get a job as a courtesy clerk at a grocery store or working the fryer at the local McDonalds, you are providing your services in an attempt to move up in the company, thusly you are selling your skills, or selling your ability to learn a new trade and be a promotable asset.
This being said, everyone should take their jobs seriously. If you do not like your job, and we have all had a job we did not like (mine was working Fine Men's Clothing at Harris' Dept Store.) you should still do the very best you can, and be proud of the work you do. Any time you get sick and think you might just slack off a little, think if the fact that you are not irreplaceable... there are plenty of people that will be happy to take you place should you become a liability over an asset.
Lets look at the next item...
Your Mate (Relationships)
A wise person once said that Marriage is just a legalized and institutionalized form of prostitution.
OK... that was crass, I know, but lets look at the way a relationship works, and you will see that there IS a certain amount of salesmanship in a relationship.
Courting.
The courting process goes back to the beginning of the human race. If you want to imagine the old cartoons of a caveman dragging his mate by the hair from location to location, then you have a cute imagination.
Primitive man, more than likely, courted in much the same way that animals court. The males fight for the right to mate by demonstrating who was superior and stronger. As a testament to natural selection, this then made sure that the strongest survived and the weaker, sickly, died off.
These days it is not really acceptable for people to fight for the right to mate with a particular female, although it does still happen, and mostly in bars and at the urging of young or deranged women (see my article about Cheaters.)
I will use myself and my relationship as an example of a long term successful relationship sales event. My wife and I have been married for fifteen years. I met her through her boyfriend almost eighteen years ago. I moved in with him for need of getting out of my mother's house, and he brought in his girlfriend.
Long story short, she and I developed a relationship due in part to the fact that he was abusive to her, and I treated her like she was a friend. Over time she left him, and her and I became good friends, then over time we nurtured the friendship into something more.
The moral to that story would be that the first person failed the task, and I came in and took over. While this makes things sound a little impersonal, I do not want to give the wrong impression. If I could say anything to her ex-boyfriend, then it you be thank you for being a lousy sales person, because I came out with the better end of the deal. We have had a wonderful relationship and will continue to.
Ok... Now I know that there are many of you who might read this and think that my opinion is silly or unfounded. That may be the case, but these are observations made from from an attempt to be neutral. These are also just my opinions, nothing more. If you do not like them, then that is your opinion, and that is human nature. Yes... opinions are like assholes, and yes... to some they are all full of shit.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Our actions
Do you feel that your action, or inaction, can truely make those around you into better or worse people?
Have you ever noticed that when, in the course of your day, you encounter a person who is in a genuinely good mood, that mood will rub off? The power that a smile or a pleasant nod to a person is vastly under appreciated. Sometimes a smile and a nod at the right time can make a person's day a little brighter.
Just a mild thought that I wanted to share.
Have you ever noticed that when, in the course of your day, you encounter a person who is in a genuinely good mood, that mood will rub off? The power that a smile or a pleasant nod to a person is vastly under appreciated. Sometimes a smile and a nod at the right time can make a person's day a little brighter.
Just a mild thought that I wanted to share.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
In-N-Out Burgers
Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers, fries and drinks.
That's all...
Anyone that is familiar with the In-N-Out burger chain, will sympathize with me on this. This is a company that is one of those companies that has not bent itself over to add new things to the menu and try to cater to all tastes and all people.
I go there on a regular basis, and I am always impressed with the amount of business they get versus the competition. Add to this the fact that I have never been treated rudely in one, and I have never heard people speak badly of them as a while, either.
One of the In-N-Out locations in my town is located right across the street from a Burger King, and what strikes me as the most impressive aspect to this store, and a true statement to the quality of the food there, is that almost all the time, the In-N-Out (to save time I will refer to them as INO) has a line in the drive through going all the way around the building, with wait times ranging from a few minute to upward of ten minutes... Yet people are willing to wait. Meanwhile, across the street at the Burger King, there is rarely more than two cars in their driveway, and the dining area is rarely even half full. I wonder, too, if the only reason that people are in there is only because they could not wait for the line at INO. Either way, this is still a big complement to the INO.
While in any INO, if you look carefully, you may see a sign in the back that tells you an important piece of information. You will see the number of burgers that they make in a day, and in a month. If I had any suggestion to the family that still runs INO, it would be to put that sign out where everyone can see it. The numbers, while I do not recall them now, are astounding. I simply could not believe that they were right. I asked an employee about them once, and he smiled and said something like; 'you're not really supposed to see that, but yes.' Amazing. If anyone from INO happens to read this BLOG, please consider putting that sign in an easier to see place. It will not hurt your business.
In recent news, however, it looks as though there is some trouble in the INO family that may have long term affects on the company. There seems to be a rift forming in the relationship between the remaining heir and the board of directors. I do hope that throughout this ordeal, these people remember who the real jury is in this case, and make sure not to alienate us, the loyal and dedicated dining public. If something were to happen to the chain, then we would certainly lose a great place to eat. What is almost worse than the idea of them closing, is the possibility that they may go public, or sell out. These would both be a tragedy.
That's all...
Anyone that is familiar with the In-N-Out burger chain, will sympathize with me on this. This is a company that is one of those companies that has not bent itself over to add new things to the menu and try to cater to all tastes and all people.
I go there on a regular basis, and I am always impressed with the amount of business they get versus the competition. Add to this the fact that I have never been treated rudely in one, and I have never heard people speak badly of them as a while, either.
One of the In-N-Out locations in my town is located right across the street from a Burger King, and what strikes me as the most impressive aspect to this store, and a true statement to the quality of the food there, is that almost all the time, the In-N-Out (to save time I will refer to them as INO) has a line in the drive through going all the way around the building, with wait times ranging from a few minute to upward of ten minutes... Yet people are willing to wait. Meanwhile, across the street at the Burger King, there is rarely more than two cars in their driveway, and the dining area is rarely even half full. I wonder, too, if the only reason that people are in there is only because they could not wait for the line at INO. Either way, this is still a big complement to the INO.
While in any INO, if you look carefully, you may see a sign in the back that tells you an important piece of information. You will see the number of burgers that they make in a day, and in a month. If I had any suggestion to the family that still runs INO, it would be to put that sign out where everyone can see it. The numbers, while I do not recall them now, are astounding. I simply could not believe that they were right. I asked an employee about them once, and he smiled and said something like; 'you're not really supposed to see that, but yes.' Amazing. If anyone from INO happens to read this BLOG, please consider putting that sign in an easier to see place. It will not hurt your business.
In recent news, however, it looks as though there is some trouble in the INO family that may have long term affects on the company. There seems to be a rift forming in the relationship between the remaining heir and the board of directors. I do hope that throughout this ordeal, these people remember who the real jury is in this case, and make sure not to alienate us, the loyal and dedicated dining public. If something were to happen to the chain, then we would certainly lose a great place to eat. What is almost worse than the idea of them closing, is the possibility that they may go public, or sell out. These would both be a tragedy.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Cheaters!
OK... I admit it. I watch a Saturday Evening program called Cheaters.
I am one of the first people to bash you if you make the mistake of telling me you watch shows like Jerry Springer, Montel, Maury and the like. These shows, in my opinion, being out exactly how low people will go to have their story shown, even though I am sure most of these stories are fabricated.
For those of you who are not familiar with Cheaters, it is a show that uses the following formula:
1. Person is suspicious of their partner's activities while they are not around
2. Cheaters is hired to follow the partner around and "investigate" them.
3. Cheaters, once finding the incriminating footage, show said footage to the person.
4. Cheaters and Suspicious person confront the partner, usually in a very public place, to discuss the problem.
5. Copious dialogue and the obligatory physical confrontation ensue.
Ok... let me start by saying this. Cheaters does have a redeeming attribute, and that is that I am sure that the number of people that do cheat has dropped, or at the very least are looking a little harder over their shoulders.
I am not sure why I watch this show... Especially with my attitudes about the other shows that I have mentioned earlier in this blog. But I am hooked... I cannot go a Saturday without watching this show. In fact, my wife and I have our cell phones set to remind us when it is on, so that we do not miss it. How sad is that?
Do not get me wrong. Cheaters is a great show, and if by some miracle of a chance, one of their employees or producers happens across this blog, I have not a problem one with what you guys do. If I could make only one suggestion, though, it would be to have Joey Greco get rid of the damn Thesaurus that he is using. Most of the scripts he reads have words in them that look uncomfortable to him. They do not appear to be natural to his normal vocabulary.
Now... on to the real interesting part... the people.
OK... Why does a person cheat? Well... if you were to use the show Cheaters as a barometer for this question, it would be this reason... as it seems to be the most common.
"You are never there for me." - This is a real winner. I see this being used mostly when the other person is in a job that requires them to travel. I travel all the time, but my relationship with my wife is strong enough that I have never questioned what she does while I am away. I know she goes out, but I trust her.
What tickles me the most about this show is that most of the people that are making the complaints about their partners are of the following catagories: Boyfriend/Girlfriend, Boyfriend/Boyfriend, Girlfriend/Girlfriend. Very few appear to be married couples.
Now, and correct me if I am wrong, but back in the days when I was still dating, the "Boyfriend/Girlfriend" relationship implied that there was still a certain "dynamic" nature to it... meaning that nothing was set in stone until you gave your Girlfriend that engagement ring. Granted, that does not excuse a person from seeing another person without first breaking up with the one you are with, but until a promise is made, do not expect that they will be there always. I have always seen the dating and Boyfriend/Girlfriend stage of a relationship as a "Try before you buy" stage in the relationship. I do not mean this as a rude or vulgar comment, but that is how you see if the relationship is going to fit. My Wife and I dated for about seven months, then moved in and lived together for about two years, then I popped the question. The only reason for the delay in our case was that we were constantly broke, and could not even afford a cheap wedding.
It just seems silly when I see these people on Cheaters talking about their relationship being shaky, and some of them have only been dating for a few months. Seems silly.
I will continue to watch this show, and continue to watch Joey do for Cheaters what William Shatner did to Star Trek. I am hooked to the show, and I will, God help me, probably buy the season 1 boxed set of Cheaters. Complete with Tommy Habeeb (Grand) and Joey Greco and all the misfits of the Relationship Arena.
I am one of the first people to bash you if you make the mistake of telling me you watch shows like Jerry Springer, Montel, Maury and the like. These shows, in my opinion, being out exactly how low people will go to have their story shown, even though I am sure most of these stories are fabricated.
For those of you who are not familiar with Cheaters, it is a show that uses the following formula:
1. Person is suspicious of their partner's activities while they are not around
2. Cheaters is hired to follow the partner around and "investigate" them.
3. Cheaters, once finding the incriminating footage, show said footage to the person.
4. Cheaters and Suspicious person confront the partner, usually in a very public place, to discuss the problem.
5. Copious dialogue and the obligatory physical confrontation ensue.
Ok... let me start by saying this. Cheaters does have a redeeming attribute, and that is that I am sure that the number of people that do cheat has dropped, or at the very least are looking a little harder over their shoulders.
I am not sure why I watch this show... Especially with my attitudes about the other shows that I have mentioned earlier in this blog. But I am hooked... I cannot go a Saturday without watching this show. In fact, my wife and I have our cell phones set to remind us when it is on, so that we do not miss it. How sad is that?
Do not get me wrong. Cheaters is a great show, and if by some miracle of a chance, one of their employees or producers happens across this blog, I have not a problem one with what you guys do. If I could make only one suggestion, though, it would be to have Joey Greco get rid of the damn Thesaurus that he is using. Most of the scripts he reads have words in them that look uncomfortable to him. They do not appear to be natural to his normal vocabulary.
Now... on to the real interesting part... the people.
OK... Why does a person cheat? Well... if you were to use the show Cheaters as a barometer for this question, it would be this reason... as it seems to be the most common.
"You are never there for me." - This is a real winner. I see this being used mostly when the other person is in a job that requires them to travel. I travel all the time, but my relationship with my wife is strong enough that I have never questioned what she does while I am away. I know she goes out, but I trust her.
What tickles me the most about this show is that most of the people that are making the complaints about their partners are of the following catagories: Boyfriend/Girlfriend, Boyfriend/Boyfriend, Girlfriend/Girlfriend. Very few appear to be married couples.
Now, and correct me if I am wrong, but back in the days when I was still dating, the "Boyfriend/Girlfriend" relationship implied that there was still a certain "dynamic" nature to it... meaning that nothing was set in stone until you gave your Girlfriend that engagement ring. Granted, that does not excuse a person from seeing another person without first breaking up with the one you are with, but until a promise is made, do not expect that they will be there always. I have always seen the dating and Boyfriend/Girlfriend stage of a relationship as a "Try before you buy" stage in the relationship. I do not mean this as a rude or vulgar comment, but that is how you see if the relationship is going to fit. My Wife and I dated for about seven months, then moved in and lived together for about two years, then I popped the question. The only reason for the delay in our case was that we were constantly broke, and could not even afford a cheap wedding.
It just seems silly when I see these people on Cheaters talking about their relationship being shaky, and some of them have only been dating for a few months. Seems silly.
I will continue to watch this show, and continue to watch Joey do for Cheaters what William Shatner did to Star Trek. I am hooked to the show, and I will, God help me, probably buy the season 1 boxed set of Cheaters. Complete with Tommy Habeeb (Grand) and Joey Greco and all the misfits of the Relationship Arena.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
What was I thinking? :
What WAS I thinking?
Disneyland during the holidays is an exercise in self abuse, that is all there is to it.
Living in Bakersfield, Ca. One must travel some distance to the Magic Kingdom... about 2 hours and change, to be approximate. And once you arrive, you are anything but enchanted.
When I was young, I lived off of Katella, a street not far from the Happiest place of Earth, and back then, Disney was a great place to go. People seemed genuinely happy to work there, and the place was always clean.
This latest trip was a disappointment, to say the least. I would complain about the crowds, but let's face it, there are very few popular places that we can go these days that are not crowded.
No... My complaint is mainly about the PEOPLE factor of Disneyland... not just the employees, but the other guests as well.
After entering the park, we decided to get breakfast... in order to not draw negative attention to the specific place, I will not mention the name of the place we ate at, but for a reasonable sum of $50, my wife and I were treated to a breakfast that we could have easily found at a local Denny's for a quarter the price, and it would probably have been better.
The park itself (i.e. the attractions) was pretty good... Not much to complain about there, with the exception that you better not be too close to retirement age, because you will be collecting your pension in line. We were lucky, I suppose... my mother-in-law was with us, and she is in a wheelchair... anyone who has been to Disneyland knows that that puts you right at the front of the line, thusly turning a 60+ minute wait into a couple minutes, and subsequently pissing off the rest of the line.
My biggest complaint about the part, as I have said, was the employees. Very few of them smiled, and their attitude was, on average, negative. I understand that your job is not always great, and you will not be a happy employee on a daily basis, but you should show the appearance of being happy. I worked retail for the better part of 15 years, and trust me... I do have some idea of not being happy about your work. Try working at Circuit City during Christmas season.
While I am sure that there are differences between regular retail and that of the "Cast Members" of the Enchanted Kingdom, that is all the more reason to "Fake it." People do not go to Disney to pay $20 for two hot dogs, two pretzels and a drink to share, to listen to the person behind the counter bitch about the fact that they were supposed to be off that day and are angry about it, to another employee.
This is usually were I lose my composure. But I was proud of myself, and simply told the person that they should be glad they have a job at all, and that there are a lot of people out there that would love to have her job because they have none.
I am not sure when the magic left the Magic Kingdom, but if there is any left, then it is not as easy to find as it once was. The only exception to this was the veterans... When I did run into some of the minority of people there whose nametags said that they had been there in excess of 20 years, they seemed to truly be happy. Whether this was very good faking on their part, or a happiness as the result of skilled pharmacology, I am not sure, but the smiles and the attitude that I got from them was enough to offset most of the disappointment of the others.
In closing... Disneyland still holds a special place in my heart, because it was such a big part of my childhood. I will continue to go there for as long as they remain. I also feel that the best thing to happen to them was the loss of Michael Eisner from the family, though him putting a puppet in his place probably means that there will not be much of a change, but who knows... we will have to see.
Just remember... It's a small world after all!!!
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
An alternative to Illegal Immigration
Illegal Immigrants are a hot topic right now. Several states are affected by them, and they show no sign of stopping, but I think that we are going about the process all wrong, and here is why.
Right now the US policy regarding illegals is to round them up and ship them back to Mexico. Many times the people that send in the anonymous tip that illegals are in country and working the fields are the very people that brought them here or hired them to begin with, in many cases this happens right before they are paid for the work they do, so that all the farmer is out is the occasional fine they must pay for using illegals for the work, which is less that what they would have paid them to begin with.
There is another option.
Look at the jobs that they take when they are here, these are typically jobs that a majority of us, as US citizens, will not take, even in desperation. I have, personally, known several people that would take unemployment or nothing over working the fields. Understanding that, why is it such a bad idea to allow people to work the fields that do not have a problem doing it? Yes, they are not in the US legally, and they do not pay taxes, but this is not something that they have a lot of control over, and some of them would really like to be Americans, but are not able to do so through proper channels.
The US, and California especially, need to create a program where we will import a certain number of migrant workers from Mexico to do these jobs. The program I would suggest would be a Civilian Group, not a government organization, but it would be supervised by the government to insure that it was not abused. Any farms, packing companies or growers groups would pay a set amount into a fund that is administered by this civil group, the amount they pay into it would be based on the total number of hands they need for that season. The workers would be paided a fair rate from that fund, and all moneys they earn would be placed in bank accounts in their names, from that a small amount would be taken for taxes (significantly less than what a citizen pays), and insurance. The insurance would be for health and liability needs... should a worker get sick, he would not have to rely on the welfare system to pay for medical treatment.
At the end of the contract with the job, the migrant worker would be put back in the pool, if after two weeks, no new jobs come up, they will be sent back to Mexico, they can leave any money they saved in their bank account or take it back with them. After five years of being part of this program, and demonstrating that they are reliable and good workers, they will, if they "opted in", automatically be placed on the waiting list for citizenship, and if they pass the required tests, they will be granted citizenship. The tests will include a required understanding of English, US History and a quiz on US Laws (meaning what is and is not legal.)
If the worker does not want to become a citizen, then they may stay in the worker program for as long as they like, they will still get their pay and be able to maintain their bank account for as long as they wish.
I see this as a very good idea, and if a politician happens to read this and want to use the idea, then I will not complain, I will not even ask for any credit, you may freely claim it as your own. Not only will this save us money in welfare expenses, it will also ease, albeit only a little, the border problems and make it so that the farmers do not have to play games to get their fields planted or harvested.
These were just some ideas, and I welcome comments.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
...When I'm Sixty-Four.
I watched something today that was pleasant to see.
While sitting and eating a quick lunch at a McDonald's in Monterey, Ca. I watched an older couple enter the restaurant.
They went to the counter and placed their order, with a little difficulty due to an impatient cashier. After they got their food, they wandered around until they found a seat they liked. He went around and pushed her chair in for her, and then sat down.
They ordered a Chicken sandwich and a salad... While I am sure that this is of little importance to you, the reader, it was cute because of the way they ate it. He cut the sandwich in half, and divided the salad. They then sat and ate their lunch.
While, again, this entire observation my be a bit mundane or boring to most of you, it leaves me with a feeling of happiness. I enjoy seeing what appears to be a good relationship, especially today, when there seems to be a lack of romance in life and a rise in what are commonly being referred to a disposable relationships. This is not to say that all modern relationships are doomed to failure, but you will notice that the statistics are in favor of the fact that people are just not staying together as long as they once did.
Which brings me back to our friends in the McDonald's. How is their relationship different than your relationship with YOUR significant other? Maybe nothing, maybe a lot. I think that the values we are brought up with have a lot to do with this, in addition to the environment that we are raised in. Personally, I was brought up in a broken marriage... For reasons I was too young to understand, my mother and father separated when I was six years old... My wife had a similar situation... So obviously we both went into our relationship with worries. But when this couple were younger, marriage was taken much more seriously than it is today, at least more importantly that some take it. When people married then, I think they took the whole idea of "till death to us part" seriously. Nowadays people are using creative ways getting around that commitment, by saying things like "As long as our love shall last" and "Until our love doth fade."
If you were to ask me, the two later "vows", are nothing of the sort, and are actually a cop out. You are essentially giving yourself an "out". You are saying, that if you suddenly decide that you no longer love your spouse, you simple use that as an excuse to bail out. You are putting a "chicken-shit" clause in the marriage. You are preparing your marriage for disaster, by not COMMITTING to the relationship.
My wife and I have a great marriage. It is not perfect, we have had our fights, and some of them were doozies. I have never struck her, and I never will. But the fact is that we make it work, and I hope that we will be sitting in a McDonald's sharing a sandwich and salad forty years from now.
"...Will you still need me? Will you still feed me? When I'm Sixty-four."
I did not get their names, but here is their picture, in the upper right corner.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Music and the Moods it creates.
Have you ever noticed that music, aside from being pleasant to listen to, can also create a variety of moods and mental states?
I am not just talking about things like romantic music making you FEEL in the mood, when you and your loved one are together. I am talking more about the other affects that music can create. Let me provide you with some of my own personal examples.
Pink Floyd - No music inspires me or causes my creative streak to bloom more that Pink Floyd. I write stories, and find that I can hammer out two or three times the workload if I am listening to The Wall or Dark Side of the Moon. There is something in that music that trigger a response, and that response causes me to be creative. All Pink Floyd music has this affect on me, but mostly those two albums.
Ray Lynch - This music can do two things... If I am in a sad mood, it can depress me even more, but more often, when I am happy, his music has the ability to uplift me and make me see hope where I did not see it before. I listen to it, it is all acoustic, no words, yet I hear what he is trying to say to the listener. It is almost as if there is a story there, and if you listen to the chords and the notes, they will make the words. You have to really listen, though.
Moby - As odd as it may seem, Moby makes me work aggressively. I usually play his CDs while working in the back yard, or in the garden, but mostly while doing things that require real physical labor. There is something in the music that is almost like a form of potential energy that, through listening to it, becomes kinetic. Listen to We are all made of Stars or Porcelain, and you will hear what I mean... The same is true for most of the album '18'. I may not like his politics, but I ignore that in most performers.
All Classical - This is my driving music. I tend to be an aggressive driver, this is not to say I am dangerous, but when I drive, I take it very seriously and watch everything. Classical music seems to increase my focus. There is something in it that makes me acutely aware of everything that is going on around me... I drive like I play chess, looking several moves ahead of the present, thinking about where a car is going to be, what options they have and what responses I have to counter that. Classical music just seems to augment that perception.
Those are my examples, and I feel they are pretty good ones. I know that what I have described is more psychosystematic than anything else, and that if we over-analyze it, it might have less meaning, but it is interesting none the less.
It is almost as if, in my case, my mind needs a soundtrack.
I am not just talking about things like romantic music making you FEEL in the mood, when you and your loved one are together. I am talking more about the other affects that music can create. Let me provide you with some of my own personal examples.
Pink Floyd - No music inspires me or causes my creative streak to bloom more that Pink Floyd. I write stories, and find that I can hammer out two or three times the workload if I am listening to The Wall or Dark Side of the Moon. There is something in that music that trigger a response, and that response causes me to be creative. All Pink Floyd music has this affect on me, but mostly those two albums.
Ray Lynch - This music can do two things... If I am in a sad mood, it can depress me even more, but more often, when I am happy, his music has the ability to uplift me and make me see hope where I did not see it before. I listen to it, it is all acoustic, no words, yet I hear what he is trying to say to the listener. It is almost as if there is a story there, and if you listen to the chords and the notes, they will make the words. You have to really listen, though.
Moby - As odd as it may seem, Moby makes me work aggressively. I usually play his CDs while working in the back yard, or in the garden, but mostly while doing things that require real physical labor. There is something in the music that is almost like a form of potential energy that, through listening to it, becomes kinetic. Listen to We are all made of Stars or Porcelain, and you will hear what I mean... The same is true for most of the album '18'. I may not like his politics, but I ignore that in most performers.
All Classical - This is my driving music. I tend to be an aggressive driver, this is not to say I am dangerous, but when I drive, I take it very seriously and watch everything. Classical music seems to increase my focus. There is something in it that makes me acutely aware of everything that is going on around me... I drive like I play chess, looking several moves ahead of the present, thinking about where a car is going to be, what options they have and what responses I have to counter that. Classical music just seems to augment that perception.
Those are my examples, and I feel they are pretty good ones. I know that what I have described is more psychosystematic than anything else, and that if we over-analyze it, it might have less meaning, but it is interesting none the less.
It is almost as if, in my case, my mind needs a soundtrack.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Traveling and Restaurants... a Rant
When I travel, and my company does have me travel a bit, I make it a point to be adventurous.
When I get to my hotel, I look for a restaurant... preferrably one that I have never been to before, or one that I enjoy, but rarely get to enjoy. Am I the only one that thinks it is silly to go out of town and eat at the same restaurant that you have in your own home town? I mean granted, there are times that I have been in a hurry, and not wanted to look for a place to eat, so I would hit fast food or the like, but a majority of the time I would make the effort to find someplace different.
Right now I am limited, for as I write this article I am doing the "Low Carb" thing to get my weight down in preparation for a pending knee surgery... in other words my options are limited. But normally when I visit a town, and it does not matter how often I get to visit that town, I pretty much ignore places to eat that I frequent in my Home town. I even go so far as looking up a list of good places to eat around the hotel I will be staying at before I get there. Makes life interesting.
Do not get me wrong, there is a certain autistic comfort in going to the same places all the time. Sorta like letting yourself know that everything is "right" in the world as long as you see a Denny's, Roadhouse Grill, Carrows or Outback someplace. But people... you gotta live a little... be adventurous. By the simple nature of who we are, it is OK. Humans THRIVE on diversity, not monotony. How many Cob Salads from Marie Calendar's can a person eat? Are we on a quest? Somewhere is there a talley center? "Well... Paul has eaten a Cob Salad from every one of our locations in Southern California, better send him that award now." Yeah... Right.
In short... Next time you are out of town, look for some place to eat that you have never been to before, or maybe have never even HEARD of before. Personally I would even say look for the "Hole in the Wall" places... my experience tells me that, more often than not, they are the best and most rewarding meals to be had.
That is just my input for tonight... do with it what you will, nothing more nothing less.
When I get to my hotel, I look for a restaurant... preferrably one that I have never been to before, or one that I enjoy, but rarely get to enjoy. Am I the only one that thinks it is silly to go out of town and eat at the same restaurant that you have in your own home town? I mean granted, there are times that I have been in a hurry, and not wanted to look for a place to eat, so I would hit fast food or the like, but a majority of the time I would make the effort to find someplace different.
Right now I am limited, for as I write this article I am doing the "Low Carb" thing to get my weight down in preparation for a pending knee surgery... in other words my options are limited. But normally when I visit a town, and it does not matter how often I get to visit that town, I pretty much ignore places to eat that I frequent in my Home town. I even go so far as looking up a list of good places to eat around the hotel I will be staying at before I get there. Makes life interesting.
Do not get me wrong, there is a certain autistic comfort in going to the same places all the time. Sorta like letting yourself know that everything is "right" in the world as long as you see a Denny's, Roadhouse Grill, Carrows or Outback someplace. But people... you gotta live a little... be adventurous. By the simple nature of who we are, it is OK. Humans THRIVE on diversity, not monotony. How many Cob Salads from Marie Calendar's can a person eat? Are we on a quest? Somewhere is there a talley center? "Well... Paul has eaten a Cob Salad from every one of our locations in Southern California, better send him that award now." Yeah... Right.
In short... Next time you are out of town, look for some place to eat that you have never been to before, or maybe have never even HEARD of before. Personally I would even say look for the "Hole in the Wall" places... my experience tells me that, more often than not, they are the best and most rewarding meals to be had.
That is just my input for tonight... do with it what you will, nothing more nothing less.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
The Dumbing down of ME!
I live a relatively sedate life.
I work and I come home… as for entertainment, I spend time with my wife, write stories that will probably never get published (until I die… we are all famous when we are dead.) and write in my Blog… among other things.
I restrict myself to a few shows on TV a week. This does not count things like news programs, and the occasional show on the History Channel or the other various educational programs out there. That being said, here is the way my viewing habits used to be:
News. (MSN and Fox)
StarGate: SG-1
StarGate: Atlantis
Battlestar Galactica
Now the networks have gone and released a few new shows… and, to my utter amazement and spectacular dismay, I like them. I now have two more shows to add to my list…
My Name is Earl
Surface.
Keep in mind, and I am a person that does not typically enjoy TV… It is the single most destructive thing in your house since TV Dinners, Microwaves and Jazzercise. I have seen my wife… these shows have a brainwashing affect on people, and I see the glazed look in her eyes while Law and Order, Criminal Minds or CSI are on. I could yell “Fire!!!” and get little or no response until the next commercial.
I feel that if the networks continue to put more shows I like on the air, then I might, alas, finally succumb to the evil plans of the network leadership, and fall into the abyss that is… dare I say… the black hole of television dementia.
For now… I will continue to write my stories and curse you all with my Blogs and attempt to maintain my personal thoughts… but I may not last long… I feel the TV calling me.
Monday, October 17, 2005
The Miramar Airshow
The
What can I say… WOW.
I went to my first Miramar Air show with a friend, and his buddy from work… though I, personally, think they would have been better off there without me. My knee went out about a third of the way through the show, so I was a little bit of a bore.
Blue Angels, Black Knights, the Static Displays and everything else was great. I loved it. I am thinking seriously of going next year, but we will see.
I am prepping a link on my web site, the one that probably lead you here, that will show all the pictures I took.
Beyond that, not much else to say. Check back later to see the link, or go to:
www.samuraimarine.com and look in the pictures area to see my photos.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Is it Christian?
This is a article I originally posted on my yahoo account, but felt I needed to place it here as well.
Interesting thing happened to me a couple weeks ago, and it took me a while to generate a blog to it.
I made my usual act of a gentleman and opened the door for a woman and her husband. She smiled and said that that was a Christian thing for me to do for them. Without really even thinking about it, I responded with, "Well, you know how us Jews are, rude and obnoxious and all."
Over my life, I have heard that comment more often than I like. It makes no sense. Are there really Christians (or any other religion for that matter) that honestly think that the act of being kind or polite is unique to THEM alone? If so, then that only tells me that they are sadly disillusioned.
I do things like open doors, complement people and help when I can because that is the person I was brought up to be. I have a very good mother, and I think she brought me up very well. How is this a trait that any religion feels it has a monopoly on? Do these people really categorize people this way, where somewhere in the back of the grey paste that makes up their brain, they think that only Christians are capable of acts of goodness? If so, what is in their file about Jews? Are we seen as money hoarding rats with horns? How about Islamics or Buddhists?
In closing, it is sad that we have done this to ourselves, and things, I fear, are only going to get worse. Take Islam, for example... Since 9/11 people have suddenly started grouping all Islamics in the same category... as radicals, when nothing could be further from the truth. I have known several Muslims in my life, and they are all great people. Would this woman I helped see, in the back of her mind, all Muslims as being "Ragheads with bombs taped to them", as one of my more 'enlightened' acquaintances said once. Sadly, I am afraid she might.
Maybe the thing we need to do is, instead of teaching the differences between us, teach the similarities between us. Why we are all alike, not different. After all... in the dark we are all the same.
As I left the Carl’s Jr., I had the honor of holding the door open for her and her husband once again. She would not look at me, did not even 'Thank you', but her husband nodded at me, grinning. Wonder what the conversation was like at their table.
I will end this with two of my favorite quotes:
"Character is knowing the good,
loving the good and doing the good."
— Thomas Lickona
"Character is what you are in the dark."
— Rev. Dwight Moody
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
deEvolution of Friends and Friendship
It is funny.
You never really see it get away from you until the day you realize it is gone. The years seem like a cancer, some days. You are happily living day to day and then, suddenly you realize that somewhere, somehow, you lost twenty years… nothing to show for it, no prize awaiting you for winning the race, it just vanishes.
I recently discovered exactly what that means.
I am very picky about the friends I keep… so much so that I still have the same small, trusty group that I had in high school. I have not taken time to try and make more, and to be perfectly honest, I have not taken very good care to maintain those friends that I do have left.
People grow up, and grow away. This can be avoided most of the time, but it requires work… work that I have been remiss in doing. This leads me to an analogy of good friends being like a garden… they are something that needs to be tended to, and nurtured. If you do not, then the garden wilts and withers away. Likewise, friends, if neglected, drift away, and you lose them to time.
This I regret. MANY things I regret, but this more than others. I have, in my short life, lost friends to war, to disease and to happenstance, but the ones that hurt the most are the ones that I have lost to ignorance, to a controllable and preventable cause.
I really do not remember how I came upon the friendships I made in high school, or how those friends that are still around me have tolerated my personality for all these years. Though it has become apparent over the last year, that there are cracks and fissures forming, and they are more than likely irreparable. Unfortunately I no longer know how to repair these things.
Funny. Once I longed for times when I could waste days with friends, now I find that the longer I spend with them, the less we have in common.
If anyone is careless enough to stumble upon this meek attempt at a Blog, and reads this... then let me share one thought that you should carry with you to your dying day. Friendship is the penultimate achievement in your life. Jobs come and go, time passes, things can be replaced... but hold on to and charish friendship like your life depends on it, it should be forever. Otherwise, one day, you may not have the chance to recover it
It is certainly funny how time gets away from you.
Monday, September 12, 2005
U.S. Shuns Cuba's offer of aid.
First off, let me start by saying: Yes, I understand the reason behind the Cuban embargo. I have family that is Cuban, and lived there during the events that led up to the embargo. But I think it is time we moved on.
Cuba extended an olive branch, of sorts, this last week, offering to ship doctors, medics, and medical supplies to help out in the states affected by Katrina. Our response??? None... We have, at the time of this rant, ignored their offer, while accepting offers from several other countries, including France.
Listen... This should not be about politcs, this is about need. They offered to help, and in an area that really needs it. At this point most of those affected by Katrina do not care if the personal offering them a hand is Democrat, Republican, Liberal or even Communist. This was a genuinely gracious offer on the part of the Cuban goverment.
The U.S. has stated that we are basing who we accept side from based on the need. These doctors that are being offered to us are trained in disaster conditions, they were the doctors that Cuba sent after last years Tsunami that killed so many and destroyed so much. They do know what they are doing.
Seriously... after almost half a century embargo, what would it hurt to open trade and eliminate the embargo? I understand that Cuba and Fidel are one of the last holdouts of Communism in the world, but has 45 years of closing them out changed anything? Does rejecting their help do anything more than hurt the people in need after the devistation that Katrina wrought?
Lets look at it another way. I do not care how much you hate your neighbors, if your house burns down, and they offer to help, you are probably not going to refuse.
Tragedy brings people together, and, in many cases, erases the lines of race and religion. That is the way this should be, and I am VERY disapoint for the way this admisitration has handled this... they had a chance to have a golden moment that would help break down this invisible wall that exists between the US and Cuba, but they flushed it right down the toilet.
To read more on this, please see these articles"
MSN Report
Reuters Report
Cuba extended an olive branch, of sorts, this last week, offering to ship doctors, medics, and medical supplies to help out in the states affected by Katrina. Our response??? None... We have, at the time of this rant, ignored their offer, while accepting offers from several other countries, including France.
Listen... This should not be about politcs, this is about need. They offered to help, and in an area that really needs it. At this point most of those affected by Katrina do not care if the personal offering them a hand is Democrat, Republican, Liberal or even Communist. This was a genuinely gracious offer on the part of the Cuban goverment.
The U.S. has stated that we are basing who we accept side from based on the need. These doctors that are being offered to us are trained in disaster conditions, they were the doctors that Cuba sent after last years Tsunami that killed so many and destroyed so much. They do know what they are doing.
Seriously... after almost half a century embargo, what would it hurt to open trade and eliminate the embargo? I understand that Cuba and Fidel are one of the last holdouts of Communism in the world, but has 45 years of closing them out changed anything? Does rejecting their help do anything more than hurt the people in need after the devistation that Katrina wrought?
Lets look at it another way. I do not care how much you hate your neighbors, if your house burns down, and they offer to help, you are probably not going to refuse.
Tragedy brings people together, and, in many cases, erases the lines of race and religion. That is the way this should be, and I am VERY disapoint for the way this admisitration has handled this... they had a chance to have a golden moment that would help break down this invisible wall that exists between the US and Cuba, but they flushed it right down the toilet.
To read more on this, please see these articles"
MSN Report
Reuters Report
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Katrina's other victims
While we are all coming together to help the vicitms of Katrina, lets not forget some of the smaller victims of this horrific storm.
They are important in the sense that they, unlike most of their human counterparts, are unable to adjust to the problems they are facing. They also do not understand what has happened, unlike humans. All they know is that their people are gone and they have no one to be with them.
There are the countless dogs, cats and various other animals that are being forced to remain behind because the rescue agencies are not able or not willing to help these extended family members stay with their people.
Here is a list of agencies that are there to help save, reunite or adopt out animals that have been left behind. PLEASE, if you can spare a few dollars, please do so. These organizations are every bit as important as the Red Cross and others that are doing such a wonderful job of helping not only the New Orleans victims, but all those affected by Katrina.
Also... If you have room in your heart and house, then you might consider the idea of adopting one of the many dogs or cats that no longer have people to return to... there are many of them, and they need someplace to call home.
It does not take much, just an open heart and whatever you can afford to spare.
Having two dogs and two cats, my heart goes out to the animals and their people that had to leave them behind.
ASPCA Disaster Relief
Hearts United for Animals
Noah's Wish
The United States Humane Society
D.E.L.T.A. Rescue
Best Friends Animal Society
American Veterinary Medical Foundation
American Kennel Club
American Humane
Thank you, in advance for anything and everything you can do to help.
They are important in the sense that they, unlike most of their human counterparts, are unable to adjust to the problems they are facing. They also do not understand what has happened, unlike humans. All they know is that their people are gone and they have no one to be with them.
There are the countless dogs, cats and various other animals that are being forced to remain behind because the rescue agencies are not able or not willing to help these extended family members stay with their people.
Here is a list of agencies that are there to help save, reunite or adopt out animals that have been left behind. PLEASE, if you can spare a few dollars, please do so. These organizations are every bit as important as the Red Cross and others that are doing such a wonderful job of helping not only the New Orleans victims, but all those affected by Katrina.
Also... If you have room in your heart and house, then you might consider the idea of adopting one of the many dogs or cats that no longer have people to return to... there are many of them, and they need someplace to call home.
It does not take much, just an open heart and whatever you can afford to spare.
Having two dogs and two cats, my heart goes out to the animals and their people that had to leave them behind.
ASPCA Disaster Relief
Hearts United for Animals
Noah's Wish
The United States Humane Society
D.E.L.T.A. Rescue
Best Friends Animal Society
American Veterinary Medical Foundation
American Kennel Club
American Humane
Thank you, in advance for anything and everything you can do to help.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
9/11 Anniversary
As we approach another anniversary of the attacks on the US, I would like you to give me some input.
Do you think that the United States is better today than it was on September 10th, 2001?
Have the attacks and the resulting "War Against Terror" made us a better Nation, or made the people within it better people?
Do you think that the "War Against Terror" is doing what it was supposed to, or do you thing that in the course of the last couple years we have lost our direction or purpose?
What are the feelings towards Muslims and Islam today, and how are they different than that of September 10th, 2001?
I am not trying to create arguments or fuel a fire, but I would like to get the opinion of others on this.
Do you think that the United States is better today than it was on September 10th, 2001?
Have the attacks and the resulting "War Against Terror" made us a better Nation, or made the people within it better people?
Do you think that the "War Against Terror" is doing what it was supposed to, or do you thing that in the course of the last couple years we have lost our direction or purpose?
What are the feelings towards Muslims and Islam today, and how are they different than that of September 10th, 2001?
I am not trying to create arguments or fuel a fire, but I would like to get the opinion of others on this.
Welcome
Hi there...
This is my second attempt at a blog... I hope that you find some interesting reading here, though I want to warn you. When I go off on an issue, I do not make any attempt to hide my frustration or gloss things.
If you read something and I offend you, then you are offended... no apologies, that is just something you have to live with. Comment all you want... that is your right, but I reserve my right to tell it how I see it.
This is my second attempt at a blog... I hope that you find some interesting reading here, though I want to warn you. When I go off on an issue, I do not make any attempt to hide my frustration or gloss things.
If you read something and I offend you, then you are offended... no apologies, that is just something you have to live with. Comment all you want... that is your right, but I reserve my right to tell it how I see it.
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