Man, I cannot believe it has been four days since my last post on here. Does not feel that long, I can say that.
I guess I haven't had too much to say.

I have something to say now, though.
This is my album review of the new Counting Crows album, "Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings".
Of course, this review will be bias since I am a big fan of this band. I have been waiting for a new studio album to be released by them for almost six years.
That is a LOOOOOOOONG time!

I have to say it was worth the wait.
The concept of the album is pretty simple and also works well with how it was produced. The first half of the album is Saturday Nights. Now Saturday Nights is meant to be a more harsh, abrasive album with more of an electric sound and self indulgent lyrics. Of course, done perfectly in my opinion.
With songs like "Hanging Tree" which is about a life that is full of debauchery has done nothing but provided a noose around a proverbial tree for the subject to hang for his sins.
Then there is "Los Angeles" which gives the feel of a man that is loving the L.A. life style with all the sinful acts that have been done and have been witnessed. And, apparently, L.A. is a good place to find a taco. (As stated at the end of the song)
The best, and probably the most fitting, is a song "Cowboys" that reminds me of nothing less than old school Counting Crows with such spiteful lyrics filled with hate, but yet with no regrets. I could be wrong, but somehow I get the idea the song was written about more than a life of debauchery, but also about the present state the U.S. is in.
Now, Sunday Mornings is a more mellow, dramatic sounding part of the album with regretful lyrics.
With songs like "When I Dream Of Michelangelo" and "On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago", you get the feeling of pure hatred sprinkled with regret for the lifestyle that is wanted but still taking a toll on the soul.
But, the last song on the album is a more uptempo song called "Come Around" which, to me, seems to say that with all that is regretted about the night before, you will still find me here next week continuing the cycle.
Adam Duritz, the lead singer of the Crows, writes the lyrics of all the songs. Once again, he has portrayed the feeling in each of his songs that of which was intended.
If we were rating the album on a five star basis, I would definitely give this album four and a half stars. I would have to shy from a total five star album for the reason that their first two albums, "August And Everything After" and "Recovering The Satellites", were outstanding albums that could never be outdone. Yet, with their best work behind them, they never disappoint and once again delivered a must buy album that is nothing less than spectacular.

CTA, My Way

So, with gas prices soaring and my wallet thinning, I have decided that it was time to put myself on a budget. I examined the expenses and came up with some ways to cut back on my spending. One, of course, is this journey I am on of quitting smoking (those too have skyrocketed in price over the last couple of years). Another way I have came up with, with the help of my insightful girlfriend, is to start taking public transportation to work. Today, Monday March 24 of 2008, was the first time experimenting with this public transportation known as the CTA - Chicago Transit Authority.
I took it on the chin and rode the eighty-nine blocks from my home to work with the everyday'ers that treat the CTA as if it were their own personal vehicle. I do have to admit though, it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I know on my ride I would encounter not only the "weirdos" that ride the bus just for fun, but also the trash that abides in the bad neighborhoods that I would have to ride through in order to achieve my destination.
Of course, my place of employment is in a bad neighborhood, so I am quite used to walking around with my eyes open and my ears up.
I sat there, in my hard plastic seat, watching, waiting for the throw down where I would have to display my abilities of running away. But that did not arise and I was able to keep my pride for yet another day.
I have not taken public transportation since I was in college, riding everyday to downtown Chicago where I would weather the cold and the hot and everything inbetween. The CTA is definitely more advanced now with computerized voice overs announcing each stop along the way and also when the doors would be opening or closing.
Quite impressive.

Anyway, as I sat glutted on the eighty-nine block ride back home, I had nothing better to day but pay attention to the computerized voice that is still playing in my head. As I listened I heard something interesting and grammatically incorrect. I played back the recording in my mind and came up with a story that made myself chuckle, and also kept me entertained as I waited for my stop to approach.

The recording said, and I quote, "Be courteous. Stand up for passengers with disablilities, elderly passengers and EXPECTED mothers. Thank you for riding the CTA".

So I was entertaining myself with the idea of a man who would not stand up for a woman because she was pregnant for he did not see it to be courteous since she was unexpected and not a mother as of yet.
I was entertaining the idea that he would interview her with questions like "are you a mother?" and if she did answer yes I was thinking he would ask "were you expected?" and if she said no than he would merely let her stand for she did not fit the criteria set forth by the recording.
Then, a woman with a stroller boarded the bus soon after my thoughts took over.
She had crooked eyebrows!
I know women like to pluck their eyebrows so they do not appear to be so bushy, but don't women also make sure they pluck them evenly so they look presentable? This just set my mind racing toward a Seinfeld episode.
I thought of Kramer on the bus asking those questions. I thought of Kramer pointing out the crooked eyebrows. I thought of Kramer sitting next to George, telling him not to stand up for it was not necessary.
I thought of Kramer giving beauty tips that he had learned from his friend Bob Sakamono. Then I thought of Elaine inquiring about the father only to find out it was a bastard child, which would then set off a rant about the decline of humanity.

Next thing I knew, my stop arrived.
Eighty-nine blocks and I kept Seinfeld on the air for another episode.

How can a day get better than that!

Not exciting, I know, but hey, just thought I would share this with you.

Socially Unacceptable!

In order to keep this blog from going religious, spiritual or anything else devoid of practical practices and everyday life, I have decided, for my self, to just write about some silly socially unaccepted quirks that most of us have we try so hard to hide.

First, I would like to discuss nose-picking.
Why is it so disgusting to watch another individual pick their nose when I would say 90% of us do it? What is so repulsive about watching and man or woman as they bury their hand, up to their wrist, in their nostril? We all know, that sometimes, blowing your nose does not get all the bears in the cave out of hibernation. Sometimes it takes the almighty finger to satisfy that sensation of cleanliness.

Secondly, how about scratching your ass?
Depending on the day, especially if it is hot, we all know that since there is a lack of ventilation down there, sometimes the swass, sweaty ass for those who are unaware, becomes so unbearable that the ass begins to itch. And how do we satisfy an itch? We scratch it! Now, some ass might be scratchy due to improper hygiene, namely not wiping completely, but nonetheless, it is still am itch that needs to be scratched.
It amazes me that it is more socially acceptable to watch a guy scratch his balls with no remorse than to watch someone scratch their ass. Is it not one and the same? It is on the same end of the spectrum, just different sides.

Thirdly, why is it unacceptable to curse in front of customers if you work in retail? This one is probably more about manners than anything else, but nonetheless we all know the person we are serving curses just as much as you might. Are we not to talk to customers as we would want to me spoken to? Well, i expect my friends and family to curse at me, in a non-derogatory way of course, when they speak of events that has happened. It is human nature to throw around those four letter words, but still those words are dirty and yet probably the most used, not to mention ambiguous, words in the English language.

And finally, why is it socially unacceptable to fart or belch in public?
These are natural bodily functions that are needed to keep proper balance within ourselves. It removes the gases that are caused by foods and beverages alike. I know, the smell can be offensive, but still it is necessary to do such things especially if a tummy ache is to be avoided. Yet, it is alright for us to announce ourselves when it comes time to take a shit. We all know and most have done this, for some reason it is necessary to let everyone around you that it is time to drop the kids off at the pool, see a man about a dog, or simply, take a shit. For some reason, though, farting is far more offensive than putting the thought into peoples minds of you squatting down over the toilet to relieve yourself of last nights dinner. Belching is not as much a shun as farting, but belch in a crowded restaurant and see the looks of disgust you will receive from other patrons.

Simply, what I am trying to say is nothing. I was just wondering these things and thought I should write them down. For I too wish not to live in a world of nose-picking, ass scratching, cursing, burping degenerates who fart for the pleasure of watching your face turn green from such a wretched smell.

Missing the Now

When you are missing something or someone, how can you help but miss that someone or something with a childish mentality? When you are missing that one thing in your life you lose hope and sometimes you lose all reason of all things sensible. The only truth in your life that remains is the truth of feeling empty. That is what missing truly is at the heart of the matter, a feeling of emptiness.
There are never, usually profound reasons for missing someone or something. The reasons usually do not go beyond merely wanting a feeling or emotion back in your life. It is a cold hard truth of life to lose things or people that mean so much to you. It is nothing but truth that contains the simple fact of loneliness or emptiness.

Is it a selfish notion, missing someone or something?
Probably.
Is it wrong to feel selfish at that moment and want to have back what has been lost?
I don't feel that is so.

Human nature, I believe, keeps us striving, keeps us wanting, it even keeps us ignoring the inevitable notion that nothing is forever.
I have read that if eternity is what is wanted than live for that moment; live for the now and believe there is no past nor a future.
For whom would wait for eternity in a heaven or in an afterlife when it could be had right here by merely living in the now?

I say, simply or sophomoric, pish-pash.
I do not, by any means, wish to live my life waiting for death so that I can experience eternal life. But, I also do not wish to believe that living in the now is all that is necessary to live a free life.
As wondrous the notion might sound, eternity cannot be found in believing each second that passes is merely life. How can we live for the now when everything we know is derived from history, which is the past. When everything we do in this moment is to better ourselves (or worsen, whatever the case may be) for the future. For our future.
So, how can we deny a past? How can we deny a future? How can one tell me that I do not have a past when my past is the consistent make up of what I am today? What I am right now?
I do believe that seizing the moment is something that should be done in a persons life. Looking ahead only causes you to live for a future when you should be living for the day.
Carpe Diem!
But, I do not feel that what I believe is the same thing. We look to the past for answers to the problems that face us in the now. We look to the future to determine if the choices we make right now will inadvertently effect our outcome. By doing so, I do not feel we have denied ourselves the sense of oneness with the world around us. We have not denied our spirit of completeness by learning or rather by becoming one with what was yesterday.
Humans, to me, cannot help but mourn the passing time, nor can they help but celebrate what the future might bring. To me, it is the unknowing that keeps me living in the moment I am living in. The truth that shall reveal itself to me in the days, months, or years to come is what keeps me striving, what keeps me wanting more from myself as I live today.
I do not know if this at all will make sense to you, the reader, but to myself it makes perfect sense.
The reason I went into this is because looking back at the things we once had, which could be the things we want back, is about reflection. It is about knowing thyself fully with complete understanding.
We miss so much about ourselves as we grow older but that does not mean we wish to be a different person that we are today. I feel more at ease with myself today, at this very moment, than I did yesterday and the day before, and the year before and so on. But with comfortability comes the knowledge of the person I once was, the person that I tried so hard to challenge into becoming a better person, a more knowing person. Without the knowledge of my past, can I really become a better person today, or in the future for that matter?
I miss the years I spent in college, but those years I spent in college were the years of mental expansion. Those were the years where I shed my boyhood notions and formed them into adulthood notions by simply shaping them and giving them acknowledgment with understanding.
I miss a lot of things and people that have come in and out of my life, for good reasons I suppose.
I do believe in fate, not whole heartedly I must admit, but I believe there is a minute amount of truth in the statement "everything happens for a reason".
I believe that statement more to the effect that everyone you meet, you meet for a reason.
I cannot help but believe that every person that comes in and out of your life is there to show you some kind of truth that would not have otherwise been found. I believe that knowledge can not only be found through books and education, but also through experiences.
I believe that what does not kill us can only make us stronger. I believe that unknowing is part of an unknown world. I also believe that if our past is not there to be learned from, than why do we have a past?
Whatever the answers may be or not be, the only question that should matter is: Do you live the best life you possibly can?

But, back to my original point of missing something or someone, is it deemed unnecessary to miss a person or a point in your life since the past should not matter?
I say not, it is very necessary. For it is all of the longings that keep you striving for greatness. Not greatness in knowledge, but greatness in living a life that would be deemed acceptable to your soul. The soul that allows you to miss, to wonder, and to keep living.
I too have missed and am missing at this moment.
For I miss my beloved family pet who was euthanized in the middle of last year. I also miss my Nana; so much in fact that her memory keeps me wanting, it keeps me warm everytime I remember her love.

To Be Or Not To Be. That Is A Journey

Well, well, well. Here I am again.
I am thinking, since I have posted a good amount over the last few weeks, I am officially back; and back with a vengeance, I might add.

I do have to say, also, that I am quite consumed with anxiety since I have taken on the task of running two blogs.
What a chore this is.
Now I have to not only come up with something witty and enlightening to entertain all of you here at this blog, but now I must rise to the challenge of documenting my journey, or adventure as my sister called it, of trying to kick that age old bad habit of what we know as smoking at my other blog I started at the beginning of this week.
But I think I can handle it.
Not only can you read my rants and raves, and sometimes sophomoric antidotes here, you get another little piece of my life at www.squaredup.blogspot.com.
How lucky can you be!

Anyway, I do have something worthwhile, or at least I think, to say here tonight. I am undertaking a new quest. This is a quest to discover the truthfulness about my beliefs and what I stand for as far as religious beliefs.
With the help of my sister, I am exploring the beliefs that I have imposed upon myself since breaking away from the Catechism.
These beliefs I have imposed upon myself are mostly due to the questioning of the Catholic religion that I had pounded into my brain since the day I was born, pretty much. These thoughts I have had were not completely mine, and I thought I should own some part of them. So, I am setting out on a journey of enlightenment so ignorance could never be blamed for what I, as a person, believe.

I am not going to get technical here with a lot of ramblings on teachings and quotes, for I am still a stranger to other beliefs, or for that matter, a stranger to non-beliefs.
Nonetheless, as I read, I come to understand more clearly as the uncertainties and unclear notions are put into perspective, just a tad. I have, since I began college, had thoughts that the Catholic religion - which I was raised in for twelve years - had many flaws and imperfections. These thoughts have cause myself to sway from religion altogether. As I grow older, though, I realize that believing is in my soul. The only problem that I am encountering now is what to believe in.
I know what I want to believe, but that is not enough for the reason that is has no grounds.
If someone were to ask me why I believe what I do, all I would be able to muster is a simple because.
Now, I know that is simply not enough. I would not accept that as an answer from anyone else, so why would I accept it from myself.
In the past I have not cared so much as to understand what I have heard bits and pieces of. I heard, I liked, I regarded it as my own.

But what does it mean?

I do not know. I cannot even begin to understand why the Catholic religion is not enough for me. I cannot understand why I believe that there is more out there than faith in one man, one God. I cannot begin to believe why I do not believe creationism as much as evolution.

I am not looking to be born again. I am looking for an understanding of what I am and why I am the way I am.

A person is who they are according to their beliefs. I find, at times, that my confusion leaves me bitter and tainted. This world is full of questions and it is unfair to myself to try and not resolve these question or at least understand why these questions had been proposed.
With the world in turmoil and the fabric of humanity hanging by a thread, beliefs are necessary more now than ever before. Whether these beliefs be in a God - or ideology if you will - or in a community, or in yourself even, beliefs are what keeps humans, well, human.
To believe in nothing only leads to there being nothing. Without beliefs comes the absence of meaning, the absence of knowledge.
How can one live with that?
Nietzsche once wrote, "Nothing is true, everything is allowed". Well, I would have to say that is a loaded statement. It seems to me to be filled with resentment and doubt. But, if his statement is true, than what I just said is false anyway. On the other hand, if his statement is fact, it would not be true either.
This whole thing we call life, love and happiness is all a fantasy, an apparition if you will. And, I would have to go as far to say that if nothing is true, than are we even real?
Life is definitely the one thing that most humans hold near and dear. It is the one thing that, oddly enough, people are willing to lay down their lives for. But I have to say, what kind of life would it be without belief, or for that matter, without understanding your beliefs.
Misunderstandings and misconceived notions lead to hate through ignorance.
I do not want to live my life in ignorance as much as I wish not to live my life in uncertainty.

Craving A Piece Of Time

Time.
Is it more than the hands of a clock or the rising and setting of a sun?

Is it a mere conception of control over our daily lives?

What if we were able to break the constraints of time and move through it like it did not even exist?

A bit sci-fi, I know, but think about it and wonder what it might be like if we controlled time instead of time controlling us.

I guess these thoughts are partly due to the fact that I watch a British television show called Dr. Who where the main character, the Doctor, is a time lord and not only is he able to travel through time, but he is also able to control time.
In essence, he is time.

I wonder, not constantly, but a lot, what it would be like if we were able to change time and right all of our wrongs.

Time, to me, is merely a concept. A concept of where we are supposed to be.
Maybe it is even a concept of what we are are supposed to be.
We are classified throughout time as "The Dark Ages", "The Middle Ages", "The Stone Age", and so on. We are even classified by time as being baby boomers, generation X'ers, generation Y, in our golden years, or even in our youth.
We are merely victims of a time period where our personalities and tendencies are chalked up to the era in which we were born.

It is kind of a generalization, don't you think?

But for whom do these bells of time toll?

Well, they should toll for those who toss aside labels of time and become the person they are meant to become.
I believe that controlling time is more than being able to travel through it or around it, but also being able to shatter the label of what time has meant for you. I know I have met people and said something to the effect "you don't act your age", but what is an age supposed to act like?
Everyone, inherently, wants to make a mark on the world. They want to be remembered for something, be it by their family or by the world.
Everyone seems to be looking for their moment in time where they shine brighter than the rest.

Some people, as they get older, try to escape time, whether it be with activity or with plastic surgeries, but nonetheless are trying to preserve themselves into a timeless manner.
Growing old is a curse to some, while growing old brings wisdom to others.

Is living to one-hundred or more really beating the game of time?
Is living to thirty years of age or less really being defeated by time?

Is time really so cruel to some and more generous to others? Or is being defeated by time living to be one-hundred years old?
Time has taken a toll on a body by that point to where independence is no longer an option?

We all crave more time. Whether it be time with our friends, time to ourselves, or time in a moment with a loved one, we always want more of a good thing and less time with what is considered a bad time.
We watch incessantly at the hands of a clock or a watch hoping it will speed up or slow down. Hardly do we give thought to the notion of living in a moment or in the now, we are constantly looking back at what has been and looking forward to what might be.

In essence all we really want is some time.
Some time to live and some time to relent.
Some time to believe and some time to forget.

But what we want most of all is to do these things in our own time. So what would this world become if time was merely a minor inconvenience that was able to be changed at our own will?
Would this world relish in every moment that was once a memory, or would we stop time and hope that we can live forever?
For it is immortality that humans try to achieve more than anything else.

New Blog!

Check out my new Blog everyone!!
www.squaredup.blogspot.com

Let The Countdown Begin!

Client 9: Spitzer or Swallow

I do not have a lot to say about this subject, but I need to say something.

First, if you are not familiar with this situation, let me fill you in.
The once beloved Governor of New York State got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and in the sensual knickers of a high priced call girl.

Apparently, during a trip Mr. Spitzer paid to have this young working woman flow to Washington D.C. so she could keep him company and relieve some of his stress after all that political business winds him up during the day.
The bank, from which Spitzer was transferring money from one account to another, became suspicious and contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to make them aware of the questionable transactions.
With, of course, an investigation, the FBI found that the money being transferred was being used to pay for Mr. Spitzers bad habit of pricey hookers at $5500 and hour. The conclusion was that Spitzer spent over $80,000 on this bad habit.

WHOA!

Well, the kicker of the story is that Mr. Spitzer is a former New York State prosecutor where he spent much of his career prosecuting the same thing he was just caught participating in.
Believe it or not, Spitzer has shut down and jailed many leaders of prostitution rings that riddles the New York borders and with that popularity he gained as a family man he was able to finagle his way into the Governor seat.
I say, WHAT NERVE!!

Now, there are talks of plea deals to go after the main proponent which is the Pimps.
Those being the owners of The Emperors Club, which is a classy hooker joint found on the web.
But, I say show NO mercy.
Go after this guy to the fullest extent for he has been a contradicting, lying thief that maybe just wanted to do away with the competition for this Emperors Club.
Yeah, yeah, I know the humiliation he is suffering right now could be punishment enough.
TOO BAD!!
What about the humiliation his family is feeling?
How about the humiliation of the citizens of New York that put their trust in a man that is nothing more than a two faced cuckold that mislead friend, family and voters?

Put him in jail and make him pay for more than being a horny bastard, make him pay for being a bad person.
People are rotting in jail for less!

Then, we have to watch his wife stand at his side while he apologized to the world. We had to watch he be "strong" for her man as he swallowed his pride and his checkbook.
Who was she being strong for?
Spitzer?
Yeah right!
She was being strong for her kids, maybe, but I believe most of all being strong for herself so she can absorb all that pity the American people are now bestowing upon her as they muddle under noises from press conferences and analysts; "Poor woman".

So, that is all I want to say.
Make him pay for his sins.
Corrupt politicians are becoming too much of a normal thing.
Make an example, even if his crimes are not as serious as others, his intentions were the same.
He lied and left his supporters standing with their mouth wide open gasping for air as details unfolded revealing he was merely one of the same.

When the President Talks to God

I am going to keep this simple.

Seperate State and Religion!
I cannot think of any situation where either should have any bearing on the decisions made by the other.
It is time to realize that religion is for yourself, it is where you find your own saving grace.
Government is the elected officials that are meant to be looking out for our best interest as far as a day to day living.
God loves everyone. Your government, on the other hand, loves the idea only of what their country could be.
If politicians believe that God and government should be integrated and should be judged by theological standards, then truly all the jokes will come true.

What did one politician say to the other politician?
I will see you in hell

So Tired...

I am so tired.

I can barely keep my eyes open when watching the nightly news or reading the daily paper.

Front page news.
Read all about it!

Somebody else was shot, stabbed, poisoned; somebody else got their ass kicked, or was pushed from a high rise building. Another fire has broken out that is believed to be arson, an explosive device was found, an explosive device was detonated.

Another fifty soldiers were killed in Iraq, in Afghanistan by roadside bombings, enemy fire, friendly fire.

Yet another victim of kidnapping has been reported, it has been three months since his/her disappearance, it has been a year since his/her disappearance and their spouse still remains the prime suspect, but no body has yet been found.

Extra Extra!!

I don't think I can take anymore.
There are always those little stories that tug on the heart strings thrown in during the last thirty seconds of the broadcast that kind of make you say awww and kind of make the world a better, gentler place.

Those happy fillers just don't do that for me anymore. I still remember eighteen public school children in Chicago have been killed since the beginning of the school year. I still remember we are in a never ending war. I remember there is a rapist, a murderer, and a pedophile creeping around my neighborhood preying on his next victim.

I REMEMBER!!

Remember the Beatles?
All you need is love!

How about Austin Powers? Free love and happiness, baby!

I am not sure if anyone has heard about the theory of December 21, 2012 being the end of the world, but there are many books written with scientific and historical arguments to back up this theory of a world ending. I will save that overview for a different blog, but with the way things are going, I am starting to believe that there is a change coming.
A drastic change.
If we do not make this change, then unfortunately, nature and higher powers will make the change for us.
If that happens, I am sure we will not approve of the outcome.
After all, we have been trying to stop nature for centuries.

Maybe free love and peace will work for the next lives that will be entrusted this earth.
Maybe they will not mess it up as bad as we are trying to.

Well, What Can I Say? The Party Is Coming!

OK. So I wasn't completely honest about my resolution.

I wrote my blog with every intention of getting on here at least a couple times a week and writing some ramblings about nothing. But, of course there was a hitch in the wheel of progress.
My computer at home, for some reason, blocks the access to blogger.
Needless to say, I am not very happy about this.
I have a lot to say with so little time to say it.

Right now I am fighting a cold that is trying its best to kick my ass.
I will not let it though.
We are in round eight of a ten round match and I believe we are even in points with myself pulling ahead with a perfect one, two combo that put this cold up against the ropes.
Let's hope this cold doesn't pull the old rope-a-dope on me.

Anyway, I am getting excited.
The countdown has begun to the end of the Bush administration.
I am considering a party on January 20,2009 which is officially the last day of George W. Bush's presidency.
Maybe I will buy a keg and invite all of my friends and family over and just celebrate the whole day and all of the night; for the Unites States of America will be out of the grips of, who I believe to be, the worst president in this country's history.
I am still not sure who the sad schmuck will be that will take over the problems that seem almost irreversible, and I wonder to myself, who would want that job at this time.
But hey, someone has to do it.

I hope it is going to be Barack Obama.

Honestly though, I am hoping more that a Democrat will be elected because I don't believe this country can handle four more years of a Republican mindset.

Let's go over what has happened in the last eight years of this country with good ol' Georgie at the helm.

First. We were attacked by our "number one enemy" on that fateful day in September. But, of course, I cannot completely blame Mr. Bush for the events of that day.

Second. We engaged in a never-ending war on terror with Afghanistan.

Third. We engaged in a never-ending war on terror in Iraq, which oddly enough did not house terror until we declared war on the country and sought the end of a Saddam Hussein regime.

Fourth. Gas prices sky rocketed from an average of $1.52 per gallon at the beginning of 2001 to an outrageous $3.10 per gallon as of February 2008.
But not to worry, prices are still rising with the price per gallon expected to reach $4.00 per gallon.

Fifth. Our economy has been slowly sinking into a recession which is finally showing its ugly head here in the early months of 2008.
But no worries to Americans, Georgie is giving the economy a booster shot by sending out tax rebates to most tax payers.
YEAH!!

Sixth. The real estate market is booming with foreclosures. It is estimated that one million houses are in foreclosure right now in the United States with that number on the rise.

Seventh. North Korea has threatened the United States with nuclear weapons and of course we were once again ready to spread our troops thin to start a war we probably could never win.

Eighth. We are threatening war with Iran for the belief of cooperation with terrorists and nuclear weapons.
Those nukes are popular these days.

I know there is more that I will not get into. But I know that better days are coming; at least I hope better days are coming.

So, remember, January 20, 2009. Be at my place for a kegger and we will party like it is 1999.
Be there or be square! For I have seen the light!
We will all, one day, walk together through happier days where our troops will no longer lose their lives for one mans greed, where we will not have to worry about how bill will be paid because the car needs to be gassed up.

For I have seen those days and those are good days.

Follow me my fellow Americans to a new era.
The Post-Bush era where we will once again believe in a country that once did so much for us.

Wake Up Call

Alright, I have finally made my New Years resolution!

I am vowing from here on out to be more devout to my web page and get back to where I was as far as posting brilliant and thought provoking blogs that entertain the masses.

I have had so much to say over the past few months, but never found the time to sit down and write to get everything off my heavy chest.

So now, where do I start?

Hmmm, now that is a loaded question.

First let me just say rest in peace to Heath Ledger.
I don't want to get into a whole blog about the influences and poor judgments of Hollywood youth, but I do have to say that if his death is found to be related to drug abuse and what not, it is time we as a people stand up against the so called role model socialites and movie stars.

We poke fun and come up with witty puns to make light of media starlets and stars that go in and out of rehab like it was a summer vacation house without realizing the effects that all the attention being drawn by this exclusive community is doing nothing but glamorizing, to put it bluntly, being FUCKED up.

But, Heath's death is not known as of yet, so I don't want to assume the worse. All I do want to say is that I believe we have lost a talented actor and, from what I have read, a decent human being, which is how I hope he is remembered.


This country is in need of a serious wake up call!!


We, as a people, have lost our damn minds.

Maybe it is because the incompetent administration we have in the White House at this time and we as a people just feel we need to follow suit.
Maybe it is because craziness and nonsense are the new fads of the 21st century.
Whatever the case may be, it is time we wake up and shake this stupidity haunting our world image.

There should be no more glamourizing or idolizing of human beings that believe in everything opposite of the values that should be held close to each and everyone.
That value is PRIDE!!
Have some damn pride in yourselves and say no to the tabloids that keep us on the edge of our seat night after night.

There should be no more trying to make sense of doing something that is blatantly wrong. For example, a month or so ago a forest preserve in Northern California were setting traps to kill beavers that were gnawing on trees along side a bike path casuing those trees to fall down into the path.
Now these traps catch the beavers underwater and hold them there until they drown, which takes about twenty minutes which seems to me to be a slow and agonizing death. I can not find the quote again that I have printed up, and now lost, but reading an article from a local paper in Bakersfield, CA. there was a state offical quoted as saying something to the effect of how harsh decisions need to be made when nature conflicts with the existence of man.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

I know that man needs to progress and with that will come the inabilty to coexist with nature, but this is supposed to be a forest preserve where the beauty of nature is supposed to be preserved, not killed for interferring with the little men and women pedaling their way through a serene backdrop in their bright multi-colored spandex who are afraid of getting a tree branch stuck in their spokes.

Come on people, let us get a clue.

I am tired of the human race wanting to progress so far with their race to the point that destruction is inevitable.

There were talks about Japan putting a device in the air to control the weather for when they are hosting the Olympics to guarantee gorgeous weather.
Global warming is coming to the point where no matter what might be done in the future a fix is not ensured.

We are full of questions with no answers.
We are full of problems with no solutions.

Basically, what we need to understand and take heed to.

WE ARE FULL OF IT!!

Where Am I At?

Where am I?

Where am I!

Well, I am here and I am there but never where I want to be, it seems.
It has been a long couple of weeks with moving and working and now dealing with three little demon cats that sleep all day and keep me awake at night.


Under my eyes, it seems someone took a black marker to add a little color and bags are packed like my eyeballs are planning a trip. I go to work to escape the madness of a growling dog who sees and hears nothing, and three cats that believe my feet are scratching posts.

Thank God I found a job!

But, in the middle of it all I have a woman that keeps me sane and loves all my frustrations away. And, on top of that, I love our new apartment and the neighborhood. It is actually the kind of area I have wanted to live in for a while; right in the middle of the action where men and women pile into the bars for a wild Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. night, where the homeless give you advice on where the best places are to pick up women, and where a dominatrix club meets in a hall next door.

I have been relaxing the somber sounds of rhythmic whipping through my windows.
Ahh!! Refreshing.

To sum it all up, Homo Escapeons, I have been where I am supposed to be.
In the middle of life instead of the middle of my day dreams.

Happy Sweetest Day!!

Well, here it is once again. That third Saturday in October where all the men go crazy at the last minute purchasing flowers, candies, cards, or whatever they feel would make a great gift for their significant other.
Just like every other holiday that has undertones of love and happiness, guys do not remember about Sweetest Day until that day is upon us.
I got off easy this year. I was reminded the day before.
A whole night of planning paid off as I surprised my girlfriend with roses when she came home with a card expressing my feelings.
Such the romantic, I know.
Being that this was the first Sweetest Day in the three years we have been together that I actually found myself purchasing a gift, I became interested and decided to research the origins of this holiday, for I was certain it was started by a woman who needed more attention from her man.
To my surprise, it was actually a gentleman named Herbert Birch Kingston who hailed from Ohio, Cleveland to be exact, that started this late year incongruity. I read on though, feeling disappointed that a fellow man let us down by starting yet another holiday which is easily forgotten, but when is forgotten only has treacherous circumstances.
But, the holiday apparently has been blown way out of proportion for the reason that Mr. Kingston was an employee for a candy store, so, he thought it to be nice to bring candies to orphans, shut-ins, and others that he knew have been forgotten just so he could shed a little happiness unto their lives.
What I have also found out, is that Sweetest Day is primarily celebrated in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.A. with the state of Illinois being third in sales for gifts on Sweetest Day.
How lucky am I?
Thank God, though, people are moving from the Midwest throughout this country and carrying the tradition of Sweetest Day with them so men of all ages and all locations can wallow in the pity of their significant others faces when love has been forgotten for the second time this year!

Wishing For Anything

Wish.
A nice compact four letter word that holds too much meaning, like a lot of four letter words used day in and day out.
But wish, just sit back and think about it for a moment and ponder the thoughts that come into your mind as you whisper the word to yourself over and over.
I know for me it reminds me of my dreams, my hopes, my downfalls and all that I do not have as of yet or will never have.
Talk about a whirlwind of emotions.
Happiness strikes as the thoughts first creep into the front of your mind, but as the thoughts unfurl you are only left with the thought that you do not have what you really want or believe you should have. Therefore, a calm, soothing depression settles firmly and the rest of your day is spent trying to shake the cold hard facts of what you believe is a meaningless existence of failure.

Wishes are so powerful when denied. I believe that we as humans are so strong in many aspects of our lives with one not being our wants or our needs. It is so difficult to live unfulfilled. We seem to constantly take for granted what we do have and throw all the love or possessions out that proverbial window and focus only on what we do not have.
It comes down to this, simply put, the haves and the have nots.

I have this, but it just does not seem to make up for the fact that I do not have that.
I want that so badly I can almost taste it.

Taste what?
After many years of wanting and needing everything I didn't have, I have come to a realization that I am still trying to adhere to. Being alive and witnessing the beauty of this world and also witnessing all of the harrowing events of this world is better than wanting something that apparently is not needed because if it was, it would have been had to begin with.

Did that make any sense?
After I wrote that I am now thinking about the down-trodden. Those people that are out there that try so hard to catch a break that will help them live comfortably but those breaks just run too fast and slip right out of their arms.
Is what they have all that was meant for them to have?

This world is becoming more and more money orientated to the point where the oppressed just do not have a chance to climb from that barrel of monkey's and live with the big dogs for a while.
There is a lot of chatter floating around from the mouths of our representatives saying how much they care and want to help the less fortunate who only have time to wish for necessary luxuries of life like heat in the winter, air conditioning in the summer, or water that can be had from the faucet that sits rusty atop a sink to give an appearance of domestication.
They first woman speaker of the house, Ms. Nancy Pelosi can talk mindlessly all she wants about how much she cares and will do whatever she is able to to help stop the Bush administration from helping the rich get richer.
Are we to believe that she is scrupulous?
I know one thing if I know anything. Never trust a rich person who is saying they are willing to not become any richer than what they are already. AND, never trust a rich person that is saying they are willing to pay higher taxes and believe the classes should be balanced and more equal.
I have my doubts Nancy, somehow I just can't find myself believing you.
I WISH I could.

But I digress.
I believe we should have dreams that we can aspire to achieve. Dreams are healthy because it makes a person work hard to achieve these goals.
Wishing is so much different a lot of the time. It seems to always be a wish for the unachievable where there is little or no work put forth in achieving this wish; just a kind of hope that this wish will be granted with a magic wand.

My lap has still not had any of that millions of dollars fall into it.
I am still wishing though.

But I do not get depressed.
I do not believe it is worth a headache thinking about everything I don't have that I wish I did.
Who knows, maybe the reason I am not rich or the fact that I am balding is because my life would be much more difficult if I did have these things.

Now that should make you feel better.

I am a firm believer in fate. Everything happens for a reason.
If you are meant for something than that something will be yours.
Now here is my twist on it though.
I still believe that even though you are destined for a dream or a wish, without the proper time and work involved it shall not be yours.
Hence, not living your life to its potential.

But, for right now, I am only going to focus on potential of that timer going off in a couple minutes because I am about to make my wish for a pizza come true.

MMMMM, pizza!!

Oh! There goes that beautiful buzz of the timer.

PIZZA IS DONE!

I want to end with a quote from an article I read online from "There Lariat" distributed by Baylor University. I do not want to infringe on any copyright laws, but this does seem suitable for this rambling blog.

What if God wishes that things could be otherwise and someday will make all things perfect?


Just something to think about when your wishes turn to prayers of greed.

Two Of A Kind (A new poem)

Flowers quietly bloom amidst a winter change
The cold we only knew is now all we can remember
With everything but time on the side of the casualties
Another heart yearns for the memories that could have been
The grass is colored with the change of the seasons
The stone is embedded with words that mean something
The hard remains of months that held such hope
Now only hold the remains of those months we remember
If life was meant to be, why is the expendable truth left to die
A heart beat, once upon a time, meant something
Now the silence is murder and the tears were never there
But, I swore I heard the cries of an infant welcomed into the world
I swore I heard something that was filled with joy
The glass that separates shows the truth
As the display of names leaves an empty carriage
The silence of the halls that only bear regretful faces
Turn to blood red walls with the hand prints of the torture
The bloody remains drop to the pristine floor
While the tears that fall find no hope for piece of mind
It was all that could have been done
It was all that could have been said
But I was too young to care anyway
I can hear that first cry of two of a kind
In the middle of a dream that I will not have again until the world finds me
In that mourning glory of all that could have been
But I can hear a cry throughout this bloodied dream
I swore I heard that new born cry of two of a kind
Just a mind playing tricks on the shallow scars of remembrance
Flowers bloom quietly over the cold stone remains
That bear the words of love and hopes never rendered
It was all that could have been done
It is all that is done

I'M BACK, BABY!

Well, I hope I will find the return of the usual three visitors to my blog, since I have been gone so long.
I have missed you all.
I am back, though, and badder than ever. Well, at least employed once again.

Yeah for me!!

After four weeks of finding my ass get lazier and lazier feeding off the unemployment wages, I figured it was time to turn the search up a notch and land another substandard job.
It is good to have my old life back.

I am doing well though, if anyone does care. The only bummer that is lingering now is the replacement of my license plates. Some, well let's just say schmuck, decided to steal my rear plate while my car was parked at work. Of course, as many know, when something bad happens, you, as the victim, is the one that is inconvienenced with schedule adjusting and bad attitudes at the police station while filling out a report and the department of motor vehicles where the plate must be obtained.
As I stood in line at the police station for an hour, I had the distinct pleasure of hearing the stories of many people that had come to right the wrongs that were bestowed upon them. All, I can really say about most of these stories is very interesting.
My favorite story had to be the gentleman who was filing a police report on himself for running into a wall while driving. When asked if another car was involved his answer was no. Now I stood there wondering if there was more to the story, but there was not. So, this "gentleman" lost control of his car, hit a wall, and decided to file a complaint against himself.
Am I the only one not seeing the logic?
I was waiting for him to turn himself in for drunk driving considering the time of the incident was at least nine hours prior to the report being filed.
If that was the case, I would maybe say he was very admirable. Stupid, yes, but admirable. But there wasn't alcohol involved, according to him, just plain bad driving.
I wish I knew the reason for him filing the report, but my mind was so boggled by the fact he was standing right there in front of me explaining this story, my attention faded toward the end of his story. That and the fact that the police woman's voice taking the report was as shrill as a choir of children.
Anyway, I just wanted to get that off of my chest.

On to bigger and better things.
Sort of.

Is God keeping score?
Or is Allah keeping score?
How about Buddha? Is he in the mix amidst all this bullshit?

I wonder who is winning. I hope my team is in the lead.
It feels sometimes like the whole world is in a pick up baseball game and it is in the bottom of the ninth with one man on and two men out in a tie ball game. The only problem with this is that there are not going to be any extra innings. This is it.
Time to step up to the plate people and take a long hard look at your life and the people running it.
For those of you who do not understand baseball, let's just say this.
Sink or swim!!
Damn good thing I am a good swimmer, because I am a lousy baseball player.

I am becoming more and more aware of the fact that more and more people just do not care about other people. It is either they are number one or they have no regard for their life which leads to the opinion that other life's are just as useless.
Well, for anyone out there reading this that believes this way, I just want to say this.
I love my life and I do not want to die, so please don't kill me!
Like the Beatles wrote, "All you need is love". How simple but how true.
Maybe all we need is to mind our own business.
Hurt yourself if you want, but why does your disregard for life lead to the demise of the innocent that just happened to cross the wrong path?

If life is a play and the people merely actors, I say it is time for a recast because we are getting terrible reviews.

Elton John - Original Sin

Yet another video for the love of my life, Pam. I will never understand how she knows the right right things to say or do to make me feel more than I am.
She will forever be my original sin, and I am also forever thankful to her for the love she so unconditionally gives a lost soul as mine once was.
Plus, this is one of my favorite Elton John songs. Also, just ignore the fact that the video is from the television show, Angel. Just listen to the songs and pay no mind to Angel choking that girl towards the end of the video.

Sorry, No Title For This One. Brain Fart

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear 9/11
happy birthday to.....
What was that?
Not appropriate?

Oh well, ummm, don't I seem foolish.

How about,
For Bush is a jolly good fellow
For Bush is a jolly good fellow
For Bush is....

Ahh, hell. I need to stop myself right there.
I know that is VERY inappropriate.

So how is it exactly that we celebrate the six year anniversary of that fateful day known simply as 9/11?
Do we light candles? Do we sing celebratory song? Do we sing protest songs to show our disapproval for where the last six years have taken us?

No.
Well, we do sing those idiotic protests songs, but most of all we sit back in our armchairs and relent. We watch CNN or NBC, or whichever obscene news network you choose, replay all those videos from that day. We tell heroic stories of firemen and police officers. We talk about the bravery shown on United Airlines flight 93 that saved thousands of other lives, but not quite sure whose lives those were that were saved.

Stories.
That is how we celebrate our downfalls. We tell stories. We reminisce on our own downfalls and let the rest of the world laugh at us as we tragically mourn the deaths of three thousand plus innocent people.


Hallelujah!!! Praise your Jesus, Mr. Bush.
The world is ending and no one seems to care.

We are no longer concerned about finding Osama Bin Laden, our time is being taken up by those proverbial bigger fish in Iraq. We have no immediate threat from Al Qaeda, says our great country's intelligence department after studying for minutes on end the new tape released by Bin Laden.

No worries!!! Yea!!! We have no worries.

Well, I kind of knew that since we haven't been worried about Bin Laden for the last four fu**ing years.

I am starting to believe that since the only time we hear the name Osama Bin Laden in the news is when a new video tape is released, that there might be some kind of truth to these 9/11 cover ups. If a man came and invaded our country to such a degree that over three thousand people were killed in one day, wouldn't he be first on our list for taking out of commission?

No, I guess that is not how things work.

We need to focus our attention on the man who is sitting quietly in his palace killing his own people. Mr. Saddam Hussein.

You know why? We need FUEL!!

Stick that fuel right up your poop chutes my faithful government.
I can not express my gratitude enough for putting my safety at risk on a daily basis with the fear of attacks on our own land.
Nothing like making a situation propel from bad to fu**king worse.

So, happy birthday to the day our country changed forever. Happy birthday to the day that has shown us the true face of evil. And, most of all, happy birthday to the day that made me realize we, as Americans, are ignorant and gullible.

Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear 9/11,
Happy birthday to you!

P.S. Happy birthday also to my good friend Steve Stiso. He turned 28 today. What a way to remember his birthday. Don't you think?