This year I'm going to do this a little differently. I'm not only going to review music that came out in 2012, but music with which I became familiar or re-familiar. I'm also going to expand my categories to include live music as well as music that disappointed or did not live up to expectations.
Most Surprisingly Good Album
Foster the People - Torches
I was all set to hate this album. I first started hearing "Pumped up Kicks" in 2010 when it was released as a single. By the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, the song was everywhere. It's a good, catchy song with some social significance, but I didn't think that Mark Foster could produce an entire album that good. I was wrong. The album is cohesive and complete. While it isn't ground-breaking, there are lots of good songs and it's a feel-good album. I also caught these guys on Saturday Night Live and they were very good live!
Most insidious song of 2012
Someone that I used to know - Gotye
Sure, I could have picked Carly Rae Jepson's "Call Me Maybe" but I think Gotye's song transcended popular culture more deeply than that song. There were parodies on top of parodies about the song. It is STILL playing on several Sirius radio stations. His video was weird. The song was good on SNL but the rest of his album is pretty much crap.
Along those lines, Guilty pop song pleasure of 2012 goes to "Broken Hearted" by Karmin. Yeah, it's cheesy, but I found myself jamming this song more than a couple times. Fun to "car-dance" to and simple to enjoy, it's just one of those tunes that sticks in your head.
Favorite group of 2012
Two Door Cinema Club
OK, so Tourist History one was released in 2010, but I didn't start listening to it until the end of 2011. I listened to it extensively in 2012 and it quickly turned to one of those albums that I could leave in my CD player constantly and listen to it over and over again. Their 2nd album, Beacon, came out in September 2012 and it's also good. I don't care for it as much as Tourist History, but it is growing on me. I also saw them in concert in Denver and they are excellent. Their sound is retro-80s with some added electronic feel. I didn't even realize they were from Ireland until I looked them up after getting into them. And though their sound is highly synthesized, it transfers very well to live music. I started a Pandora channel based on them and it's one of my faves!
First Listens
Philip Phillips - The World from the Side of the Moon
I really like Phillips. Being an American Idol watcher for several years, I'm always partial to those artists who seem to stay true to themselves. Phillips has a nice, gravelly voice with pretty pure tone. Yeah, he looks like he's taking a shit when he sings, but so what? So, I was pretty happy to hear "Home" being played all over the place towards the end of this year. I was actually excited when I was finally able to get his album. After the first listen I am disturbed and disappointed by how much he sounds like Dave Matthews, whom I hate. Hate is a strong word. Let's just say his music mostly disgusts me. Anyway, Phillips album doesn't SOUND so much like DMB, but damn his voice does. The album starts off pretty well and then seems to wallow in a bit of DMB-esque mediocrity until the 8th track "drive me" which is a little grittier and more original. "A Fool's Dance" is good and "So Easy" is better. Then he does a cover of Chris Isaac's "Wiked Game" that I find much more real and soulful than the original. Will this be an album I grow to really like? I don't know. But I do like Phillips and "Home" is an excellent song.
Favorite Album I'd never listened to
Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
OK, much love to Jack White, but when you pair him with another excellent vocalist in Brendan Benson, you get absolute magic. I had heard Broken Boy Soldiers and liked it, but this album is pure genius. White brings venom and spittle and Benson brings the poetry and quirk. I feel embarrassed and distressed that I didn't know about this album until this year. It came out in 2008! It will definitely become one of my favorite albums soon.
Live performance reviews
This one is difficult. I'm going to have to split it out into several categories because I saw a LOT of music this year.
Best live music performance This year I was able to see one of my favorite bands of all time: New Order. I got to go with my neighbor and close friend and it was a total blast. To see them perform all these songs with which I'd become so familiar over the years was really a special treat. They are excellent in concert and if I ever get a chance to see them again, I will with absolutely no hesitation. The crowd was one of the best, most accommodating, friendly groups I've ever been around at a live performance. They played quite a bit of the older stuff including Joy Division. Seeing these guys was really a dream come true.
Best Show
Rammstein. I was lucky enough to go with one of my closest friends and we sat at the very top of the arena. Now, I'm semi-familiar with their music. I like their sound and enjoy listening to them, but none of their stuff is my favorite. Their performance, though, transcends music. To me, this is the kind of stuff Freddy Mercury would have done if he'd been a metal-head. There is so much fire and special effects I felt like I was watching a German circus. These guys are tremendous professionals. They just don't play music, they entertain. Truly a spectacle!
Favorite performance
The Jayhawks. This is a band I discovered on my own. One Summer in Minnesota I found "Tomorrow the Green Grass" in an endcap at Best Buy or Walmart or something and just decided to buy it. It soon became one of my favorite albums ever. I played it over and over and over. More than once at a lake party it played on repeat all night and was still playing in the morning. So, when I got to see these guys in Denver I had high hopes. Well, those hopes were exceeded. Individually these guys are not tremendous. Together they are incredible. The harmonies of Gary Louris and Mark Olson are fantastic. They sound even better live than on the album. And they played plenty of songs from my favorite album. Even my metal-loving friend agreed that they "weren't too bad"(high praise from him). I got chills when they played "Blue". What a wondrous, poignant, awesome show.
Most disappointing live show
When I heard that the Toadies were going to be playing with Helmet, I was stoked. I love the Toadies and could never find another band that was anything like them. Helmet was another band I really enjoyed. So, when I found that they were playing together I was elated. Well, Helmet started the show. I quickly realized that, though I know 3-4 of their songs pretty well, their music is just plodding, muddy and, quite frankly, boring when viewed live. Don't get me wrong, they are great musicians, but there is just something missing from them live. As the Toadies started, I was excited. But, after a fan got on stage, Todd Lewis (lead singer)went into a rant about how nobody should come up on stage and this is their work environment and blah blah. The crowd visibly cooled. I've seen a lot of live music and fans sometimes do dumb shit, but the LAST thing you want to do is alienate them by basically telling them to fuck off. I remember a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert when they actually stuck up for a fan who was being hauled off stage by security. They then invited people to come up and dance with them as long as everything was "cool". If the Peppers can do it, why can't some little one-hit wonder from Texas? Later another fan came up and Lewis basically pushed and kicked the guy off stage. That did it for me. While the music was still really good, I was just soured with the whole experience. Dispite still liking their albums, I won't go see them again unless it's free or something. Bummer :(
Best Punk Album
Pennywise - All or Nothing
OK, so I've loved these guys for a long time. I know they sound a lot like Bad Religion, but something about them resonates with me. When I heard that Jim Lindberg had been replaced as lead singer with Zoli Téglás,I was bummed. But when I heard they were coming to the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs, I couldn't pass it up. They didn't disappoint! Zoli was AWESOME! In fact, I actually came to prefer him over Jim. (Jim has since rejoined the band and they're coming back to the Sheep in February). This album is one of those you have to listen to a bit. But, once you do, you realize that it's some of their strongest work ever. The songs sound more dissimilar than some of the other albums, which is a good thing. Until now the only song that REALLY stood out from their work is the phenomenal "Bro Hymn" which basically made this band who they are. But on this album there are standouts like "Waste another day", "Stand Strong", "United"...ok, the whole thing is awesome. Very powerful anti establishment sentiments entwined with empowerment and brotherhood. Great album. Can't wait to see them again.
Best alternative album of 2012
Never Trust a Happy Song - Grouplove
Yes, this came on in September of 2011, but it didn't get much play til 2012. OK, so Tongue-tied is one of those songs that makes you want to dance but is also very fun and has substance. That song was good enough for me to get the album and I wasn't disappointed. The whole album is GOOD!. Very good, actually. It's a retro-feeling record with lots of interesting singles including "Itchin on a Photograph" and "Colours". You won't find a bad song on this album, which is rare these days. The whole thing is cohesive in both quality and element. Though it's definitely got an 80s sound, it has a modern feel to it. This is one of those records you can put in and play it over and over again.
Honorable mention
Night Visions - Imagine Dragons
When I first heard "It's Time", I instantly loved it. After their next single, "Radioactive", hit, I knew I had to have the album. This isn't one of those albums that hits you in the face and makes you say "WOW!". It's one you listen to and instantly feel like you've listened to it several times. It's really actually not tremendously remarkable. What it is is solid, cohesive and enjoyable. I feel like these guys will be making good music for years to come.
Best Album of 2012
Jack White - Blunderbuss
Two words can describe this album: Fucking Brilliant. I've been a fan of the White Stripes for years. However, most of their albums lack the cohesiveness to really make me LOVE them. Icky Thump was my favorite one and maybe that was just the final piece that led to this excellent solo album. After hearing "Love Interruption" a few times, I knew I had to get the album so I pre-ordered it. I wasn't disappointed. "16 Saltines" kicks ass and there is so much visceral experimentation and musicianship that I sometimes feel overwhelmed when listening to it. White's weird and honest and his voice is sometimes a mix between whiny and screamy without becoming annoying. This is one of those that will stick around for a long time.
Honorable Mentions
Voodoo Glow Skulls (performance), fun. - some nights, The Shins - port of morrow, All American Rejects - kids in the street, Gaslight Anthem - handwritten, Soundgarden - King Animal
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Monday, December 03, 2012
Chain link fence
The sound of a chain-link fence is unmistakable. It's not quite the jingle of change in a pocket or a key ring. It's metal on metal but sounds different than anything else but every fence sounds the same.
The sound can elicit different feelings or memories depending on who you are. Maybe it brings back thoughts of playing kickball on playground. Or pitching your first baseball game in high school. Maybe it's a sound you remember from being shoved up against it by a bully. Or of a dog leaning up against it. Maybe it was used to keep something in. Perhaps it kept something out.
You know sounds in movies and TV shows aren't recorded while they happen. If you see guy run down an alley and jump on a fence and climb it, they're not recording the sound of the fence as he climbs it. All that stuff is edited in later. There are even professionals who do nothing but MAKE those sounds to sell to studios or work on-set to create the sound to go along with the specific scene. The click of a gun isn't really the gun clicking. The "sound" of a knife is the same in nearly every movie. But when have you heard a knife actually make that sound? It's kind of like watermelon candy. You know what the taste is, but it isn't REALLY watermelon. Same with BBQ potato chips. (gross!)
But back to the fence. I think they are overused. They are ugly and unremarkable. Make sure that whatever you're using your fence to keep in...or out...that you're not missing out because of it. And always remember, there is more open space in a fence than the wire itself.
The sound can elicit different feelings or memories depending on who you are. Maybe it brings back thoughts of playing kickball on playground. Or pitching your first baseball game in high school. Maybe it's a sound you remember from being shoved up against it by a bully. Or of a dog leaning up against it. Maybe it was used to keep something in. Perhaps it kept something out.
You know sounds in movies and TV shows aren't recorded while they happen. If you see guy run down an alley and jump on a fence and climb it, they're not recording the sound of the fence as he climbs it. All that stuff is edited in later. There are even professionals who do nothing but MAKE those sounds to sell to studios or work on-set to create the sound to go along with the specific scene. The click of a gun isn't really the gun clicking. The "sound" of a knife is the same in nearly every movie. But when have you heard a knife actually make that sound? It's kind of like watermelon candy. You know what the taste is, but it isn't REALLY watermelon. Same with BBQ potato chips. (gross!)
But back to the fence. I think they are overused. They are ugly and unremarkable. Make sure that whatever you're using your fence to keep in...or out...that you're not missing out because of it. And always remember, there is more open space in a fence than the wire itself.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Happier and happier
Just when I think I'm completely blissful...so thoroughly happy and content that things can't possibly get any better...they do.
So far November is shaping up to be one helluva month.
You know when you give up on a dream? Sometimes it's sudden or sometimes it's gradual. Or sometimes you just come to the realization that, "Hey, this probably isn't going to happen". And sometimes it's OK.
I had kind of given up on a few things. And then someone showed me that I didn't need to give up on love. And that love can still be a surprise. It can be something you've never experienced before. And that makes giving up some other dreams just fine.
And then...then other dreams begin to become realized too. I am slowly beginning to realize that with the right person, anything is possible.
I feel like jumping for joy. But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't survive re-entry from the upper atmosphere.
So far November is shaping up to be one helluva month.
You know when you give up on a dream? Sometimes it's sudden or sometimes it's gradual. Or sometimes you just come to the realization that, "Hey, this probably isn't going to happen". And sometimes it's OK.
I had kind of given up on a few things. And then someone showed me that I didn't need to give up on love. And that love can still be a surprise. It can be something you've never experienced before. And that makes giving up some other dreams just fine.
And then...then other dreams begin to become realized too. I am slowly beginning to realize that with the right person, anything is possible.
I feel like jumping for joy. But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't survive re-entry from the upper atmosphere.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Advertising
I love how commercials try to convince you that their product is the best because of the features or effects they have, even if those effects are largely useless.
I always used to think that with the selsum blue commercials where they said "you can feel it tingling. That's how you know it's working". Really? Acid will make your scalp tingle. Is that better?
The latest is for the Galaxy 3 phone where they are making fun of Apple users by having 2 guys share a playlist by tapping phones. Really? How often are you going to use that? Ever? There are apps that let you do stuff like share contacts and stuff that seem more useful. As much as I love music I don't think I would ever share a playlist with them by touching a phone to them. At that point you just say "Hey, Fred did you hear the new song by Dynosaur?"
I always used to think that with the selsum blue commercials where they said "you can feel it tingling. That's how you know it's working". Really? Acid will make your scalp tingle. Is that better?
The latest is for the Galaxy 3 phone where they are making fun of Apple users by having 2 guys share a playlist by tapping phones. Really? How often are you going to use that? Ever? There are apps that let you do stuff like share contacts and stuff that seem more useful. As much as I love music I don't think I would ever share a playlist with them by touching a phone to them. At that point you just say "Hey, Fred did you hear the new song by Dynosaur?"
Friday, October 12, 2012
Belonging vs. individuality
You know, I think we all struggle with maintaining a balance between being unique individuals and also fitting in with the "norm".
In my recent trip home, Mom and I went through a bunch of childhood stuff. Some of it was my brother's. Kurt had Down Syndrome and from all accounts, was an awesome person. I say this because he died when I was several months old, so I don't know myself. One of the items we came across was his baseball uniform. He didn't play, but he had a red and white uniform that he apparently wore when the Cardinals were playing. It made me think that, even though he had what most people would consider "diminished" or "different" mental capacities, he still wanted to belong to a group. He still wanted to show his support, to be a member of the team. I can't say at all whether he wanted to be considered "normal" or if he even had any realization that he was different. I'm hoping he didn't, but, knowing humanity, I bet he did.
I remember desperately wanting to be like everyone else in jr. high and high school. My first day of high school I wore shorts with high tube socks. One very mean (and also dumb-ass) girl laughed at me, made fun of me and just ridiculed me. That very night I made my parents take me to get white lower-rise socks like everyone else wore. I was so embarrassed and upset that I was almost (or maybe was) in tears. Just because some stupid bitch made fun of my socks. Hell, I dressed more progressively and better than most of the people in our school, even though we did shop mostly at places like Venture, Walmart, etc.
I spent those years mostly in hiding. I didn't want to be different or unique. I wanted to belong to band. But though I wanted to excel, I didn't want to be singled out or anything. I guess as you get older you want to be more unique. Or maybe it's that you want to be noticed more. Certainly when you start dating you want to stand out from the crowd, right? But most people don't want to in a negative way. I've certainly seen some of that. Some people are very unique and different and they take pride in that. Some people even get their identity from it. I find it funny that those who struggle so much to be DIFFERENT are really no different than those who struggle to be the SAME. Conversely, disliking something because it is popular is no more "cool" than liking it because it IS popular.
Back to my point. We all want to belong. We want to have friends. Many want to belong to groups. Go to church. Have similar faiths or religions. Root for the same team. Work at the same company. We get our identity from this. But, we also strive to be different and unique. We want to have the best ideas. We want to be the winner. The conqueror. The discoverer. But most of us would act very similarly to how I did with the sock incident.
The older I get, the more confident I am with my style. I like things for certain reasons, not just because they are popular. I like my Adidas shoes because they work for me. If people think they look silly or stupid, I don't really care. At the same time, no matter how much I like an article of clothing, I wouldn't wear it if the general consensus was it makes me look stupid or weird.
I believe we're experiencing a similar identity crisis with our country, both as individuals and globally. Many have long associated themselves as a Republican or Democrat. But, the way both of those parties are being run, that label might no longer fit for us. And I think many choose one of the parties simply because of their greater dislike for the other. It's like that bumper sticker: "I root for two teams, The Cubs and whomever is playing the Cardinals".
I think many struggle daily with an identity involving religion. But what does it mean to be a Christian? Muslim? Jewish? For thousands of years people have killed each other because they think the other has a wrong idea on this. It's still happening. And "religion" can really be defined as more than just what god(s) you worship. It's about where you live, what you do, who you root for, what music you like.
As a country, we're the upstarts. People forget how incredibly young our country is. We take pride in the "old west" mentality of the cowboy. Killing indians. Building a home. Living off the land. Breaking wild horses. And that has helped us to be very successful very quickly. But now what do we do? Do we keep looking around for a fight? Or can we now look at ourselves as a country and re-define our global civility? We need to realize that we're not simply the smartest, strongest or "best" by default. Just because you were born in the U S of A doesn't make you better than anyone else. It's taking advantage of your opportunities (of which there are numerous) which you're afforded by living here. It's YOUR job to make the world (locally and globally) a better place.
In order to do that, you're going to have to be an individual. But, you'll have to figure out how to belong, too. And that involves not only forming opinions on things and sticking to them, but in changing them as well. Because those ideals, groups and political parties have changed and so have you. We (individuals and our country) need to re-evaluate where we belong, so we can lead.
In my recent trip home, Mom and I went through a bunch of childhood stuff. Some of it was my brother's. Kurt had Down Syndrome and from all accounts, was an awesome person. I say this because he died when I was several months old, so I don't know myself. One of the items we came across was his baseball uniform. He didn't play, but he had a red and white uniform that he apparently wore when the Cardinals were playing. It made me think that, even though he had what most people would consider "diminished" or "different" mental capacities, he still wanted to belong to a group. He still wanted to show his support, to be a member of the team. I can't say at all whether he wanted to be considered "normal" or if he even had any realization that he was different. I'm hoping he didn't, but, knowing humanity, I bet he did.
I remember desperately wanting to be like everyone else in jr. high and high school. My first day of high school I wore shorts with high tube socks. One very mean (and also dumb-ass) girl laughed at me, made fun of me and just ridiculed me. That very night I made my parents take me to get white lower-rise socks like everyone else wore. I was so embarrassed and upset that I was almost (or maybe was) in tears. Just because some stupid bitch made fun of my socks. Hell, I dressed more progressively and better than most of the people in our school, even though we did shop mostly at places like Venture, Walmart, etc.
I spent those years mostly in hiding. I didn't want to be different or unique. I wanted to belong to band. But though I wanted to excel, I didn't want to be singled out or anything. I guess as you get older you want to be more unique. Or maybe it's that you want to be noticed more. Certainly when you start dating you want to stand out from the crowd, right? But most people don't want to in a negative way. I've certainly seen some of that. Some people are very unique and different and they take pride in that. Some people even get their identity from it. I find it funny that those who struggle so much to be DIFFERENT are really no different than those who struggle to be the SAME. Conversely, disliking something because it is popular is no more "cool" than liking it because it IS popular.
Back to my point. We all want to belong. We want to have friends. Many want to belong to groups. Go to church. Have similar faiths or religions. Root for the same team. Work at the same company. We get our identity from this. But, we also strive to be different and unique. We want to have the best ideas. We want to be the winner. The conqueror. The discoverer. But most of us would act very similarly to how I did with the sock incident.
The older I get, the more confident I am with my style. I like things for certain reasons, not just because they are popular. I like my Adidas shoes because they work for me. If people think they look silly or stupid, I don't really care. At the same time, no matter how much I like an article of clothing, I wouldn't wear it if the general consensus was it makes me look stupid or weird.
I believe we're experiencing a similar identity crisis with our country, both as individuals and globally. Many have long associated themselves as a Republican or Democrat. But, the way both of those parties are being run, that label might no longer fit for us. And I think many choose one of the parties simply because of their greater dislike for the other. It's like that bumper sticker: "I root for two teams, The Cubs and whomever is playing the Cardinals".
I think many struggle daily with an identity involving religion. But what does it mean to be a Christian? Muslim? Jewish? For thousands of years people have killed each other because they think the other has a wrong idea on this. It's still happening. And "religion" can really be defined as more than just what god(s) you worship. It's about where you live, what you do, who you root for, what music you like.
As a country, we're the upstarts. People forget how incredibly young our country is. We take pride in the "old west" mentality of the cowboy. Killing indians. Building a home. Living off the land. Breaking wild horses. And that has helped us to be very successful very quickly. But now what do we do? Do we keep looking around for a fight? Or can we now look at ourselves as a country and re-define our global civility? We need to realize that we're not simply the smartest, strongest or "best" by default. Just because you were born in the U S of A doesn't make you better than anyone else. It's taking advantage of your opportunities (of which there are numerous) which you're afforded by living here. It's YOUR job to make the world (locally and globally) a better place.
In order to do that, you're going to have to be an individual. But, you'll have to figure out how to belong, too. And that involves not only forming opinions on things and sticking to them, but in changing them as well. Because those ideals, groups and political parties have changed and so have you. We (individuals and our country) need to re-evaluate where we belong, so we can lead.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Dead deer here
I moved the car to catch the sunlight. I think I noticed the flies first. Or at least the sound of them.
When I went around to photograph the back of the car I smelled something. Often I'll smell a skunk or something out there, but this was...different. It smelled like something bad. Musky. Dead.
As I moved, I saw a cloud of flies take off from a pile of compost someone had dumped. People dump stuff at this place quite a bit, so I hadn't really noticed it. Then the smell hit me again. Stronger this time. Fetid.
That's when I looked closer at the pile. It WAS death I'd smelled. It was a little unsettling even after I figured out what it was. There's been a lot of violence in the news. A recently-discovered body up north was still fresh in my mind as I looked at the carcass. And then I started wondering about scavengers. What about a bear or mountain lion attracted by this? It hadn't been around earlier in the week.
It's interesting. Anatomy is interesting and so is death. It bothers me that a hunter probably dropped it there. I'm not sure why they wouldn't just dispose of it normally. And then THAT got me thinking...why? who? how? It looks like the body has been decomposing for some time. So it's obviously been moved. Maybe someone found it on their property and just didn't want it around. There was also a pile of skin and several legs. I didn't really stick around to find out if it was just one deer or several. It was really starting to smell.
When I went around to photograph the back of the car I smelled something. Often I'll smell a skunk or something out there, but this was...different. It smelled like something bad. Musky. Dead.
As I moved, I saw a cloud of flies take off from a pile of compost someone had dumped. People dump stuff at this place quite a bit, so I hadn't really noticed it. Then the smell hit me again. Stronger this time. Fetid.
That's when I looked closer at the pile. It WAS death I'd smelled. It was a little unsettling even after I figured out what it was. There's been a lot of violence in the news. A recently-discovered body up north was still fresh in my mind as I looked at the carcass. And then I started wondering about scavengers. What about a bear or mountain lion attracted by this? It hadn't been around earlier in the week.
It's interesting. Anatomy is interesting and so is death. It bothers me that a hunter probably dropped it there. I'm not sure why they wouldn't just dispose of it normally. And then THAT got me thinking...why? who? how? It looks like the body has been decomposing for some time. So it's obviously been moved. Maybe someone found it on their property and just didn't want it around. There was also a pile of skin and several legs. I didn't really stick around to find out if it was just one deer or several. It was really starting to smell.
Monday, October 01, 2012
Ah home
So I now remember why I mentioned "home" in my previous post.
Growing up in central Illinois was great. And when I moved to Colorado 15 years ago I never thought I'd move back. However, I always called it home. Even now I refer to it as "back home". I've used it to relate to people or compared little towns I've been through. I've submitted it as my hick pedigree to prove to customers that I get the small-town way of life.
But, being back here after many years and actually having time to experience things and people whom I haven't seen in a long time made me realize that this place is STILL home. I love the smells. I love the people. The tractors. I love how green it is and how easy it is to grow things. Colorado is beautiful and I have some wonderful, life-long friends here. But, it is time to come back.
Regardless of the geography, there are just some things you can't replace. Family and special relationships are two of those things. Two of the things bringing me back to Illinois.
So, tomorrow I head back to Colorado and begin my quest to leave. I am impatient to make it happen but dreading sorting through all my shit.
I am sure I will become familiar with Craig's list and ebay. Wish I could do it all in a month! Can't wait to be back.
Growing up in central Illinois was great. And when I moved to Colorado 15 years ago I never thought I'd move back. However, I always called it home. Even now I refer to it as "back home". I've used it to relate to people or compared little towns I've been through. I've submitted it as my hick pedigree to prove to customers that I get the small-town way of life.
But, being back here after many years and actually having time to experience things and people whom I haven't seen in a long time made me realize that this place is STILL home. I love the smells. I love the people. The tractors. I love how green it is and how easy it is to grow things. Colorado is beautiful and I have some wonderful, life-long friends here. But, it is time to come back.
Regardless of the geography, there are just some things you can't replace. Family and special relationships are two of those things. Two of the things bringing me back to Illinois.
So, tomorrow I head back to Colorado and begin my quest to leave. I am impatient to make it happen but dreading sorting through all my shit.
I am sure I will become familiar with Craig's list and ebay. Wish I could do it all in a month! Can't wait to be back.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Of birthdays and childhood and home
Birthdays have always been pretty happy occasions for me. A couple years ago that changed. I had a party and got spectacularly drunk. Puked.
Now that's nothing new, but when you get older it hurts a lot more. Not a good decision.
And then last year I got my face beat in. Again, not a great party. :)
Every birthday represents another year of getting older. I don't want to get older. Getting older sucks, pure and simple.
Well, birthdays used to be a lot of fun. They were an excuse to party and have fun. I remember some great birthdays at arcades. I remember a Star Wars themed Bday that was tons of fun. Growing up as an only child with 3 parents, I was pretty spoiled and catered to.
And, I think this year is the beginning of that happening again. Lots to be thankful for and so much making me happy (especially one thing).
So, I kind of lost the point to this particular entry since it's taken me about 5 hours to type it. If I regain my thoughts I'll add. But I guess I'm just happy to...be happy. :)
Now that's nothing new, but when you get older it hurts a lot more. Not a good decision.
And then last year I got my face beat in. Again, not a great party. :)
Every birthday represents another year of getting older. I don't want to get older. Getting older sucks, pure and simple.
Well, birthdays used to be a lot of fun. They were an excuse to party and have fun. I remember some great birthdays at arcades. I remember a Star Wars themed Bday that was tons of fun. Growing up as an only child with 3 parents, I was pretty spoiled and catered to.
And, I think this year is the beginning of that happening again. Lots to be thankful for and so much making me happy (especially one thing).
So, I kind of lost the point to this particular entry since it's taken me about 5 hours to type it. If I regain my thoughts I'll add. But I guess I'm just happy to...be happy. :)
Saturday, September 08, 2012
H a ppi
In my entire life, I have never been more happy.
My heart vacillates between feeling like its missing and that it will explode from my chest.
If you haven't experienced it, I highly recommend it.
My heart vacillates between feeling like its missing and that it will explode from my chest.
If you haven't experienced it, I highly recommend it.
Monday, August 13, 2012
the rendezvous...
The hanging lights shone off of her copper hair as she walked towards him. They appeared to flash as she strode between each sets of lamps, making an effect like a very slow strobe light.
As he saw her for the first time in many years she was exactly what he expected and yet more. He was momentarily dazzled and didn’t go toward her. Others were gathering around the exit point of the ferry as people disembarked and joined loved ones. Smiling and shaking his head he started to walk to her. How could he NOT go to her?
So he did. Not running, exactly. He didn’t trust his feet to carry him too quickly.
He gathered her in his arms. How could something so small feel so big? He let out a sigh of well-aged contentment. Then he kissed her…just a brief peck to let her know how he felt.
She kissed him back. He grabbed her bag, put his arm around her and held her closely as they walked from the pier to the parking up on shore.
There were others around, but they went unnoticed. When the couple got to his car he kissed her again. And again. Breathless, they leaned against the car as he pushed against her. He barely managed to break off the spell and get her into the vehicle, hardly noticing the 4 girls riding past on bikes and giggling furiously at the “old” couple making out.
The night was ending and yet just beginning. He couldn’t help but think that there was another beginning occurring too. And maybe just a bit more hope.
As he saw her for the first time in many years she was exactly what he expected and yet more. He was momentarily dazzled and didn’t go toward her. Others were gathering around the exit point of the ferry as people disembarked and joined loved ones. Smiling and shaking his head he started to walk to her. How could he NOT go to her?
So he did. Not running, exactly. He didn’t trust his feet to carry him too quickly.
He gathered her in his arms. How could something so small feel so big? He let out a sigh of well-aged contentment. Then he kissed her…just a brief peck to let her know how he felt.
She kissed him back. He grabbed her bag, put his arm around her and held her closely as they walked from the pier to the parking up on shore.
There were others around, but they went unnoticed. When the couple got to his car he kissed her again. And again. Breathless, they leaned against the car as he pushed against her. He barely managed to break off the spell and get her into the vehicle, hardly noticing the 4 girls riding past on bikes and giggling furiously at the “old” couple making out.
The night was ending and yet just beginning. He couldn’t help but think that there was another beginning occurring too. And maybe just a bit more hope.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
No title because I'm too lazy to be clever.
Random thoughts.
Even though I'm a bit sad, I'm happier today than I've been in a long long time.
The cast of Leverage probably has a blast hanging out/working together.
Chinese makes the best leftovers.
Bees have such a better disposition than wasps.
I love the sun. I am solar-powered.
Even though I haven't watched as much of it as I thought I would, I'm going to miss the Olympics.
Even though I'm a bit sad, I'm happier today than I've been in a long long time.
The cast of Leverage probably has a blast hanging out/working together.
Chinese makes the best leftovers.
Bees have such a better disposition than wasps.
I love the sun. I am solar-powered.
Even though I haven't watched as much of it as I thought I would, I'm going to miss the Olympics.
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Radnomnses
If I were God-sized with God's eyes, what color would I appear to be?
I liked Jar of Hearts (until they overplayed it), but Chistina Perry's new song drives me fucking batshit. I love how 20-somethings can sing songs about how they've been looking for that "special" someone for "their whole life" or "forever" or whatever. Join the list. Get in the back of the line, fucker.
How come we get our eyes, teeth, skin, guts or whatever tested periodically but nobody ever gets their hearing tested. I wouldn't even know where to go to have that done.
MOG! Bring O'Grady's au gratin potato chips back!
If Summer is murder, then I'm a killer. I live for this shit.
I liked Jar of Hearts (until they overplayed it), but Chistina Perry's new song drives me fucking batshit. I love how 20-somethings can sing songs about how they've been looking for that "special" someone for "their whole life" or "forever" or whatever. Join the list. Get in the back of the line, fucker.
How come we get our eyes, teeth, skin, guts or whatever tested periodically but nobody ever gets their hearing tested. I wouldn't even know where to go to have that done.
MOG! Bring O'Grady's au gratin potato chips back!
If Summer is murder, then I'm a killer. I live for this shit.
Saturday, August 04, 2012
Poly Ticks
I don't consider myself a liberal. I guess I would say I'm a hopeful progressive.
Perhaps with respect to social values I'm "liberal".
For instance, I think that any human should be able to be married to any other human (of legal age) that they want to. I don't think gender should play a role. And, I also don't think that "civil unions" are adequate. To me, giving gays and lesbians the legal rights to a civil union instead of giving them exactly the same rights (including name) of marriage is equal to "separate but equal" rights. It's similar to saying African Americans can drink out of a water fountain that is just as good as the one whites do as long as it isn't the SAME one. Think of it this way. If you had a gay brother or daughter or friend. Wouldn't you want them to enjoy the exact same things in life as you do? Or would you say, "Oh, well, my daughter is gay, so giving them approximately the same thing as I have is OK, as long as it's legally the same"?
To me, the issue of gay marriage...or rather the opposition against it...is a religious one. Some religions state (according to some people) that it is forbidden. That's fine. But we can't base our federal laws on any one or even several religions. Hell, it's in our Bill of Rights of our constitution. Freedom OF religion is also freedom FROM religion. Yes, I know that people get all worked up over lawsuits and statements of people who don't want religion-based practices in the workplace...or schools. Our forefathers created the guidelines for our government to keep this nation from being a Christian or Muslim or Jewish nation. It's a nation to be governed free from religion, not based on it. And anyone who argues otherwise simply doesn't know our country's history.
When I think about most views, I think about acceptance and objectivity. But, sometimes I think this can go overboard. For instance, I wasn't able to run track, the ONE sport I was good at, in high school, because they cancelled it. Why? Because of Title 9, they had to have the same number of men and women's sports. And, since they couldn't afford a bunch, cuts had to be made. So, men's track didn't make the cut. Since there was a woman's team, it would have been fairly simple to add a men's team, but nevertheless, that wasn't the rule.
I feel the same way about how our government provides for others. I think it's great to help the downtrodden. I myself was unemployed for most of 2010. And, without unemployment I would probably have either lost my house or I would have had to borrow from friends and relatives to keep afloat. But, even though I looked for work, the jobs I was offered actually paid me LESS than unemployment. So, if I'd taken a job, and paid for the gas and time it took me to get to/from work and to actually work, I'd have been way behind what unemployment paid me for not doing anything. To me, that's not right. It rewards people for NOT working. To me, a better system is to pay for the difference in wages and credit the worker for actually working. So, let's say I make $3000/month at my job and my unemployment pays $5000/month. Let unemployment pay me the $2000/month and credit it towards the length of my payouts. So, if I had a "budget" of $50,000 for unemployment, my job of "$3k/month" would allow me to draw benefits for a longer time. Additionally, that job might either turn into a better job or give me connections to a better job somewhere else.
I believe God helps those who help themselves. I have an external locus of control (look it up). I think that if a tornado is coming at you, you get in the fucking ditch and cover your head. You don't fall down to your knees and say "God, save me". Save yourself!
I believe that women have the right to what happens in their bodies. Furthermore, I think it is not only egotistical, but outright misogynistic for legislatures composed primarily of men to impose laws on women governing what they can do with their bodies. I think it idiotic to say that it's OK to kill a fully-formed adult, but that it's murder to kill a embryo.
I think that our technology has out-paced our social intelligence. I think that all of these topics and issues have come flying at us far faster than we've been able to adapt to accept.
As far-fetched as it sounds, I think that there is a real danger that we will eventually spawn a cyborg-based culture that could eventually destroy humanity. It's only a matter of time before our smart-phones and blue-tooth headsets turn into chips that are implanted into our brains. From there it's a fairly small step for programs and computers to start controlling humanity rather than the other way around.
I believe that God wants us to love each other more than hate. I think that all religions are just a different interpretation of the meaning of life...something which I don't think we comprehend, and perhaps are never meant to.
I think that we need to back the government out of some programs and stop paying for people to be lazy. At the same time, I think it's a slippery slope to be able to judge who's being lazy and who realistically can't provide enough for themselves and their family. And, who judges this? Most religions mention charity and other similar notions as a attributes to which we should aspire. The problem is that we've stopped being good neighbors and members of the "village who raises the child" and government has taken this over for us. If we were all better people, we wouldn't need our government to try (and fail) to provide for our society. If we valued our elders and if we took care of one-another LIKE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, then we wouldn't have to pay an insane amount of taxes for programs like "Save the childhood-victim-of-ant-attacks-near-the-western-coast-of-great-lakes" or other such ridiculous shit.
So maybe that makes me a social liberal and a fiscal conservative. Honestly, I don't give a fuck anymore. I just want all of us to start providing for each other more, fighting less and loving life. Because despite all the crap you hear about on the news, there is still a hell of a lot of life to love out there.
Enjoy yourself and your fellow humans, please.
EDIT: Let me state that I'm not against Title 9 and that it is a great program that has helped many women. I just used that as an example of laws/rules designed to help people that can, at times, actually cause harm to others.
Perhaps with respect to social values I'm "liberal".
For instance, I think that any human should be able to be married to any other human (of legal age) that they want to. I don't think gender should play a role. And, I also don't think that "civil unions" are adequate. To me, giving gays and lesbians the legal rights to a civil union instead of giving them exactly the same rights (including name) of marriage is equal to "separate but equal" rights. It's similar to saying African Americans can drink out of a water fountain that is just as good as the one whites do as long as it isn't the SAME one. Think of it this way. If you had a gay brother or daughter or friend. Wouldn't you want them to enjoy the exact same things in life as you do? Or would you say, "Oh, well, my daughter is gay, so giving them approximately the same thing as I have is OK, as long as it's legally the same"?
To me, the issue of gay marriage...or rather the opposition against it...is a religious one. Some religions state (according to some people) that it is forbidden. That's fine. But we can't base our federal laws on any one or even several religions. Hell, it's in our Bill of Rights of our constitution. Freedom OF religion is also freedom FROM religion. Yes, I know that people get all worked up over lawsuits and statements of people who don't want religion-based practices in the workplace...or schools. Our forefathers created the guidelines for our government to keep this nation from being a Christian or Muslim or Jewish nation. It's a nation to be governed free from religion, not based on it. And anyone who argues otherwise simply doesn't know our country's history.
When I think about most views, I think about acceptance and objectivity. But, sometimes I think this can go overboard. For instance, I wasn't able to run track, the ONE sport I was good at, in high school, because they cancelled it. Why? Because of Title 9, they had to have the same number of men and women's sports. And, since they couldn't afford a bunch, cuts had to be made. So, men's track didn't make the cut. Since there was a woman's team, it would have been fairly simple to add a men's team, but nevertheless, that wasn't the rule.
I feel the same way about how our government provides for others. I think it's great to help the downtrodden. I myself was unemployed for most of 2010. And, without unemployment I would probably have either lost my house or I would have had to borrow from friends and relatives to keep afloat. But, even though I looked for work, the jobs I was offered actually paid me LESS than unemployment. So, if I'd taken a job, and paid for the gas and time it took me to get to/from work and to actually work, I'd have been way behind what unemployment paid me for not doing anything. To me, that's not right. It rewards people for NOT working. To me, a better system is to pay for the difference in wages and credit the worker for actually working. So, let's say I make $3000/month at my job and my unemployment pays $5000/month. Let unemployment pay me the $2000/month and credit it towards the length of my payouts. So, if I had a "budget" of $50,000 for unemployment, my job of "$3k/month" would allow me to draw benefits for a longer time. Additionally, that job might either turn into a better job or give me connections to a better job somewhere else.
I believe God helps those who help themselves. I have an external locus of control (look it up). I think that if a tornado is coming at you, you get in the fucking ditch and cover your head. You don't fall down to your knees and say "God, save me". Save yourself!
I believe that women have the right to what happens in their bodies. Furthermore, I think it is not only egotistical, but outright misogynistic for legislatures composed primarily of men to impose laws on women governing what they can do with their bodies. I think it idiotic to say that it's OK to kill a fully-formed adult, but that it's murder to kill a embryo.
I think that our technology has out-paced our social intelligence. I think that all of these topics and issues have come flying at us far faster than we've been able to adapt to accept.
As far-fetched as it sounds, I think that there is a real danger that we will eventually spawn a cyborg-based culture that could eventually destroy humanity. It's only a matter of time before our smart-phones and blue-tooth headsets turn into chips that are implanted into our brains. From there it's a fairly small step for programs and computers to start controlling humanity rather than the other way around.
I believe that God wants us to love each other more than hate. I think that all religions are just a different interpretation of the meaning of life...something which I don't think we comprehend, and perhaps are never meant to.
I think that we need to back the government out of some programs and stop paying for people to be lazy. At the same time, I think it's a slippery slope to be able to judge who's being lazy and who realistically can't provide enough for themselves and their family. And, who judges this? Most religions mention charity and other similar notions as a attributes to which we should aspire. The problem is that we've stopped being good neighbors and members of the "village who raises the child" and government has taken this over for us. If we were all better people, we wouldn't need our government to try (and fail) to provide for our society. If we valued our elders and if we took care of one-another LIKE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, then we wouldn't have to pay an insane amount of taxes for programs like "Save the childhood-victim-of-ant-attacks-near-the-western-coast-of-great-lakes" or other such ridiculous shit.
So maybe that makes me a social liberal and a fiscal conservative. Honestly, I don't give a fuck anymore. I just want all of us to start providing for each other more, fighting less and loving life. Because despite all the crap you hear about on the news, there is still a hell of a lot of life to love out there.
Enjoy yourself and your fellow humans, please.
EDIT: Let me state that I'm not against Title 9 and that it is a great program that has helped many women. I just used that as an example of laws/rules designed to help people that can, at times, actually cause harm to others.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Olympics
I love the Olympics. Specifically I love the camaraderie, and the sportsmanship. You have people from all over the world cheering each other on. There are international handshakes and people from nations which are normally at odds pulling others up on the gold medal podium with them.
This is the kind of thing that gives me hope for humanity. I know that it's dramatized. And I know that a lot of these athletes already know each other. In some cases they play professionally on the same team or attend the same college. But then there are the countries who send 4 athletes or countries who have never won a medal before. Still the athletes attend and compete. Some of these people only attend one Olympics, returning to lives of obscurity with little or no fanfare. Others become national heroes. These people devote their entire lives for that one race, a single shot or a critical performance.
In ways I envy them because they have a focus that is unrivaled by nearly anything else. Many times they start training before they even go to school. This dedication is staggering. And their sacrifice is substantial. But, they know what they are going to do and they go for it. Succeed or fail, they go and compete.
While I love the USA and I mostly root for our teams, I can't help but smile when I witness the jubilation that comes with any athlete's win.
So, I'll continue to watch these games occurring in London. And I'll cheer on the athletes and applaud acts of sportsmanship and generosity. And my hope is for success for all those competing, whether that means a new personal record, a gold medal or simply competing for the first (and possibly last) time on the largest stage in the world.
Congratulations to all of you. You're an inspiration.
This is the kind of thing that gives me hope for humanity. I know that it's dramatized. And I know that a lot of these athletes already know each other. In some cases they play professionally on the same team or attend the same college. But then there are the countries who send 4 athletes or countries who have never won a medal before. Still the athletes attend and compete. Some of these people only attend one Olympics, returning to lives of obscurity with little or no fanfare. Others become national heroes. These people devote their entire lives for that one race, a single shot or a critical performance.
In ways I envy them because they have a focus that is unrivaled by nearly anything else. Many times they start training before they even go to school. This dedication is staggering. And their sacrifice is substantial. But, they know what they are going to do and they go for it. Succeed or fail, they go and compete.
While I love the USA and I mostly root for our teams, I can't help but smile when I witness the jubilation that comes with any athlete's win.
So, I'll continue to watch these games occurring in London. And I'll cheer on the athletes and applaud acts of sportsmanship and generosity. And my hope is for success for all those competing, whether that means a new personal record, a gold medal or simply competing for the first (and possibly last) time on the largest stage in the world.
Congratulations to all of you. You're an inspiration.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Texting
Texting gets a lot of press for being a teenage girl thing. I think it's the best thing to happen to dudes with respect to communication in a long time. Emails are fine but the text message works over more platforms and is shorter and more to-the-point.
There's lots of times when I just want to tell someone "I'm on the way" or ask a quick question. It allows me to check in with my dudes without having to make a phone call. Let's face it dudes don't usually like to spend a lot of time on the phone.
It also allows you to have a conversation over a length of time. When it might be awkward to calm you friend just to say "what's up?" you can text it and your friend can get back to you whenever is most convenient.
Plus you can send pictures, tell someone what you want on your burger, send directions or whatever and you don't have to write it down because it's already there! Extra good for forgetful people like me.
Yay for texts!
There's lots of times when I just want to tell someone "I'm on the way" or ask a quick question. It allows me to check in with my dudes without having to make a phone call. Let's face it dudes don't usually like to spend a lot of time on the phone.
It also allows you to have a conversation over a length of time. When it might be awkward to calm you friend just to say "what's up?" you can text it and your friend can get back to you whenever is most convenient.
Plus you can send pictures, tell someone what you want on your burger, send directions or whatever and you don't have to write it down because it's already there! Extra good for forgetful people like me.
Yay for texts!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Facebook....and shit
It amazes me how much unoriginal, re-circulated bullshit is on the internet, and Facebook in particular.
It's annoying when a friend, who hasn't posted in a week, gets online and shares 5-10 photos, statements or videos. You know what, say it YOURSELF, don't just share some lame shit someone else has already written, stolen or bastardized. It's like Facebook is suffering from the same malaise as Hollywood - nothing original.
The other really annoying thing is the new genesis of the chain letter. I'm talking about people who always...ALWAYS...share a status because it says "If you love the USA, share this photo!" or "If you think Jesus Christ has 3 testicles, share this!".
You know what that shit garners from me? A click on the line saying "Mark as Spam". JC doesn't give a fuck if you like something someone tells you to like if you love him. It's not going to make you a better Christian or a better person. It makes you a fake, posturing, unoriginal motherfucker.
It's fine to "like" things. Hey, I've liked dozens of movies and musicians. I like to get random Caddyshack quotes or see where the Voodoo Glow Skulls are playing that night.
But for the love of gum, stop screaming from the rooftops how much a supporter you are of the United States or Jesus Christ. Or, if you do, scream it in your own voice, not with recycled trash.
It's annoying when a friend, who hasn't posted in a week, gets online and shares 5-10 photos, statements or videos. You know what, say it YOURSELF, don't just share some lame shit someone else has already written, stolen or bastardized. It's like Facebook is suffering from the same malaise as Hollywood - nothing original.
The other really annoying thing is the new genesis of the chain letter. I'm talking about people who always...ALWAYS...share a status because it says "If you love the USA, share this photo!" or "If you think Jesus Christ has 3 testicles, share this!".
You know what that shit garners from me? A click on the line saying "Mark as Spam". JC doesn't give a fuck if you like something someone tells you to like if you love him. It's not going to make you a better Christian or a better person. It makes you a fake, posturing, unoriginal motherfucker.
It's fine to "like" things. Hey, I've liked dozens of movies and musicians. I like to get random Caddyshack quotes or see where the Voodoo Glow Skulls are playing that night.
But for the love of gum, stop screaming from the rooftops how much a supporter you are of the United States or Jesus Christ. Or, if you do, scream it in your own voice, not with recycled trash.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Edumacashun.
If you say "I could care less", then you're saying exactly that. Does that make sense? I think what you're trying to say is "I couldn't care less". So you're basically saying you don't give a shit about something, right? OK, then say it correctly.
Their, They're, There. How many times can this be abused? Answer: many. Let me try to simplify this for you. Their is possessive. This means it signifies ownership of something. Example: "That is their house". There is a destination. "Go over there." They're is a conjunction. It is a shortened form of "They are". Don't misuse these, please. It may sound harmless but it makes you look like a dumbshit and it only adds to the bastardization and destruction of the English language. Maybe if everyone clamoring for "Americans to speak English" actually learned how to read and write it correctly, their position would have a little more credence.
One of the ones that I see misused more and more often is "It's". "It's" is a contraction. It literally means "it is". It is not possessive. This is actually an understandable mistake because many possessive forms DO have the apostrophe-s after them. Examples: That is Sally's dog. That is the company's building (not companies, which is plural for company). If you say "It's over there", you're fine. If you say "That's it's tail", you're wrong (and probably shouldn't use two contractions together anyway)and are basically saying "That is it is tail". Funny, right?
Also, did you know that if you are using a possessive form of a word which ends in "S" it is your choice whether to use another S or not? "Chas' blog" is correct, but so is "Chas's". I usually try to leave off the other s because it makes me feel like I'm saying Chasesesesesssssssssss.
Right. So I'm not perfect, but just wanted to mention this as 73% of the people on that thare internets seem to really fuck up our language.
P.S.
When you combine languages you really get something fun. I just read this one. How about The LA Angels baseball team. It literally translates to "The The Angels Angels". Stutter much?
Their, They're, There. How many times can this be abused? Answer: many. Let me try to simplify this for you. Their is possessive. This means it signifies ownership of something. Example: "That is their house". There is a destination. "Go over there." They're is a conjunction. It is a shortened form of "They are". Don't misuse these, please. It may sound harmless but it makes you look like a dumbshit and it only adds to the bastardization and destruction of the English language. Maybe if everyone clamoring for "Americans to speak English" actually learned how to read and write it correctly, their position would have a little more credence.
One of the ones that I see misused more and more often is "It's". "It's" is a contraction. It literally means "it is". It is not possessive. This is actually an understandable mistake because many possessive forms DO have the apostrophe-s after them. Examples: That is Sally's dog. That is the company's building (not companies, which is plural for company). If you say "It's over there", you're fine. If you say "That's it's tail", you're wrong (and probably shouldn't use two contractions together anyway)and are basically saying "That is it is tail". Funny, right?
Also, did you know that if you are using a possessive form of a word which ends in "S" it is your choice whether to use another S or not? "Chas' blog" is correct, but so is "Chas's". I usually try to leave off the other s because it makes me feel like I'm saying Chasesesesesssssssssss.
Right. So I'm not perfect, but just wanted to mention this as 73% of the people on that thare internets seem to really fuck up our language.
P.S.
When you combine languages you really get something fun. I just read this one. How about The LA Angels baseball team. It literally translates to "The The Angels Angels". Stutter much?
Behind the boathouse, I'll show you my dark secret
So let me start by saying it's come to my attention that some people are actually reading this blog. Well, at least a couple. OK, one. I've been told "Chas, you should tell people about your blog. It's good". Hmmm. I dunno if I want to do that. However, dear reader, if YOU want to share this blog and tell more people about it, please do. After all, the BEST form of advertising is word-of-mouth advertising.
Now on to today's thoughts.
Nobody likes being lied to. Do they? I mean, people are into some weird shit. But I don't think anyone LIKES being lied to. So why, when your media source consistently and undeniably lies to you over and over again, do you keep listening to/watching it? I'm talking about Fox news, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh and others like him. I'm talking about seriously skewed networks like NBC or ultra-liberal publications that have their heads so far up Obama's ass that they chew his breakfast for him. Now, granted, not all of these mentioned purposely lie and deceive the public, but many of them do. Why? Power and money. Apparently people like being lied to, right? What other explanation can there be? Surely the extremists (right and left) can't be that ignorant not to recognize when their talking-head-of-choice is spewing fantastic fabrications. OK, maybe some people are that dumb, but come on! Are they just too proud to admit, "Shit, what Glen Peck just said CAN'T be right"? Maybe. I mean, there are people out there who still think Obama isn't a U.S. citizen. They're fixated with that. Why? Because their 'head tells them it's true and they believe it just because. Lambs. Slaughter.
If Obama and his party/team/minions were able to deceive the entire U.S. government, the entire intelligence community and everyone else by fabricating his citizenship (or hiding his past) then he must be an evil genius. A mastermind of such obscene proportions that I'd think he'd find a much better position to fill than the POTUS. Those who believe he's not a citizen - If your party is so inane as to be unable to find ACTUAL proof of his lack of citizenship after all these years, then maybe your party is dumb.
OK, so my point. Point? I have to have a point? Shit. OK...my point is that the media is a multi-faceted entity. It entertains. It reports. It protects. But, somehow a lot of the NEWS has passed into the realm of entertainment. And, gradually , the lines have blurred and you're not getting facts anymore, you're getting entertained. And, these people wouldn't lie to you if you didn't like it. Right? Because, bottom-line, they make money off of you being entertained. If you like what you see or hear. If you are getting some sort of value from it, then you watch/listen and they sell advertising and they make money. My question for you is, are you willing to expect MORE from your entertainment. If you want bullshit lies and fabrications, watch Real Housewives or Jersey Shore or something. If you want the truth and the facts, unfortunately, I think you...I think we all...are going to have to dig a little deeper.
This has become much longer than I intended. I wanted just a paragraph and then to move on to other nuggets of wisdom. So, I'll end here with this topic and add another short note separate from this one.
Now on to today's thoughts.
Nobody likes being lied to. Do they? I mean, people are into some weird shit. But I don't think anyone LIKES being lied to. So why, when your media source consistently and undeniably lies to you over and over again, do you keep listening to/watching it? I'm talking about Fox news, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh and others like him. I'm talking about seriously skewed networks like NBC or ultra-liberal publications that have their heads so far up Obama's ass that they chew his breakfast for him. Now, granted, not all of these mentioned purposely lie and deceive the public, but many of them do. Why? Power and money. Apparently people like being lied to, right? What other explanation can there be? Surely the extremists (right and left) can't be that ignorant not to recognize when their talking-head-of-choice is spewing fantastic fabrications. OK, maybe some people are that dumb, but come on! Are they just too proud to admit, "Shit, what Glen Peck just said CAN'T be right"? Maybe. I mean, there are people out there who still think Obama isn't a U.S. citizen. They're fixated with that. Why? Because their 'head tells them it's true and they believe it just because. Lambs. Slaughter.
If Obama and his party/team/minions were able to deceive the entire U.S. government, the entire intelligence community and everyone else by fabricating his citizenship (or hiding his past) then he must be an evil genius. A mastermind of such obscene proportions that I'd think he'd find a much better position to fill than the POTUS. Those who believe he's not a citizen - If your party is so inane as to be unable to find ACTUAL proof of his lack of citizenship after all these years, then maybe your party is dumb.
OK, so my point. Point? I have to have a point? Shit. OK...my point is that the media is a multi-faceted entity. It entertains. It reports. It protects. But, somehow a lot of the NEWS has passed into the realm of entertainment. And, gradually , the lines have blurred and you're not getting facts anymore, you're getting entertained. And, these people wouldn't lie to you if you didn't like it. Right? Because, bottom-line, they make money off of you being entertained. If you like what you see or hear. If you are getting some sort of value from it, then you watch/listen and they sell advertising and they make money. My question for you is, are you willing to expect MORE from your entertainment. If you want bullshit lies and fabrications, watch Real Housewives or Jersey Shore or something. If you want the truth and the facts, unfortunately, I think you...I think we all...are going to have to dig a little deeper.
This has become much longer than I intended. I wanted just a paragraph and then to move on to other nuggets of wisdom. So, I'll end here with this topic and add another short note separate from this one.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Happiness.
Is there a topic upon which more writers have focused than Happiness? OK, maybe love. and Hate. Possibly mosquitoes.
Regardless.
I heard someone state recently "Happiness isn't a destination, it is a mood". I've since repeated that ad nauseam to anyone who would listen...but mostly people who won't.
"Are you happy?" "Is your life happy?" "Does your job make you happy?" "I need to find someone to make me happy".
I've got news for you, sister, nobody is going to MAKE you happy...except you. Happiness is a mood, but it's more than that. It's a decision.
"Look at the bright side". No shit. Seriously, perception is reality and you can definitely alter your perception. People do it all the time. You have to simply choose upon what you focus. You can choose the people with whom you spend your time. You can CHOOSE...to be happy.
There are definitely things...other choices...which make being happy more often simpler. Get in shape. Have I mentioned this before, dear reader? I think maybe I have once or twice. Do cardio. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get cardio-fit. But now that I am, I will never go back. I bounce around like fucking Tigger half the time. And when I want to do something, whether it's running around with my friends' 3-yr old son or taking an impromptu hike through a local park, I enjoy it more because I'm fit and I can do it. Shit. Wit. Sorry, word salad.
And that's great! But, when you're healthy you also alter your brain chemistry. Your neurons fire more efficiently, you not only have energy for the body but you have energy for your mind. That goes a long way towards making you mentally limber enough to choose to be happy.
Choose to do something you love. If you hate your job, make a change. Need more school? Take it. Need some certifications? Do it. Need to downsize your car, house, pet or blu-ray fixation in order to afford it? DO. ET.
We're surrounded by media that fixates on the bullshit bad stuff. Politicians, greed, hunger, malice, selfishness. Avoid that shit! Watch uplifting stuff on the tele. Watch CBS Sunday morning for your news. Listen to happy music. TURN OFF THE BULLSHIT.
Got that friend who always brings you down? Feel like you owe it to them to hang around and try to build them up? You don't. Not if it's going to pull you into the depths of despair. If you are miserable you will only make others miserable and we don't need any more miserable people bleeting around.
Now, don't get my wrong, everyone has sad days. Mad days. Bad days. It happens. But, with a little mental floss, you can turn those bad days into a bad DAY. Or, maybe some sad hours. Or, eventually a few mad/bad/cad/sad/plaid minutes.
You'll be doing us all a favor. So, dust off that smile, get off your ass and start spreading happiness like it's a fucking flesh-eating virus.
That is all.
Regardless.
I heard someone state recently "Happiness isn't a destination, it is a mood". I've since repeated that ad nauseam to anyone who would listen...but mostly people who won't.
"Are you happy?" "Is your life happy?" "Does your job make you happy?" "I need to find someone to make me happy".
I've got news for you, sister, nobody is going to MAKE you happy...except you. Happiness is a mood, but it's more than that. It's a decision.
"Look at the bright side". No shit. Seriously, perception is reality and you can definitely alter your perception. People do it all the time. You have to simply choose upon what you focus. You can choose the people with whom you spend your time. You can CHOOSE...to be happy.
There are definitely things...other choices...which make being happy more often simpler. Get in shape. Have I mentioned this before, dear reader? I think maybe I have once or twice. Do cardio. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get cardio-fit. But now that I am, I will never go back. I bounce around like fucking Tigger half the time. And when I want to do something, whether it's running around with my friends' 3-yr old son or taking an impromptu hike through a local park, I enjoy it more because I'm fit and I can do it. Shit. Wit. Sorry, word salad.
And that's great! But, when you're healthy you also alter your brain chemistry. Your neurons fire more efficiently, you not only have energy for the body but you have energy for your mind. That goes a long way towards making you mentally limber enough to choose to be happy.
Choose to do something you love. If you hate your job, make a change. Need more school? Take it. Need some certifications? Do it. Need to downsize your car, house, pet or blu-ray fixation in order to afford it? DO. ET.
We're surrounded by media that fixates on the bullshit bad stuff. Politicians, greed, hunger, malice, selfishness. Avoid that shit! Watch uplifting stuff on the tele. Watch CBS Sunday morning for your news. Listen to happy music. TURN OFF THE BULLSHIT.
Got that friend who always brings you down? Feel like you owe it to them to hang around and try to build them up? You don't. Not if it's going to pull you into the depths of despair. If you are miserable you will only make others miserable and we don't need any more miserable people bleeting around.
Now, don't get my wrong, everyone has sad days. Mad days. Bad days. It happens. But, with a little mental floss, you can turn those bad days into a bad DAY. Or, maybe some sad hours. Or, eventually a few mad/bad/cad/sad/plaid minutes.
You'll be doing us all a favor. So, dust off that smile, get off your ass and start spreading happiness like it's a fucking flesh-eating virus.
That is all.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Getting fit
Starting at the end of last year I decided to get in better shape. I'd always worked out on and off, but the last 5-6 years it was mostly off. In 2010 I started walking regularly on the treadmill. But, then when I started my new job in October 2010, I stopped working out and started eating more. Not good.
In the spring of 2011 I decided to hire a trainer and go to the gym regularly. My trainer was good and he knew his stuff, but he wasn't really that committed to me. Thus, I didn't commit to him. It helped a little, but when he kept missing appointments I finally decided to quit.
In September I bought a treadmill so I could walk at home and have no excuses for not going to the gym. I did a few other exercises at home too. I got back to the shape I'd been in in 2010, but nothing ground-breaking.
Then a friend, a trainer, introduced me to HIIT (high intensity interval training). Since I have a treadmill, I decided to try it. It sucks. It was so hard! I had to take many breaks. The first week was brutal. The second week was almost worse! I kept having to take breaks. By the 3rd week I was pushing myself a little harder. I did a little more. After a month I wasn't having to break as much. I've now been doing it for 8 months. I've increased the intensity/speed and I've raised my incline 4x, the most recent just last week. I'm in college shape. And, by that I mean the kind of shape I was in when I was a freshman and junior in college. Yeah, teenager. In fact, I'm probably in better shape, I'm just older.
I see a lot of people my age trying to get in shape. I have some friends who have had great success. But, I also see a lot of people doing the "Shakeology" stuff and extreme diets like Adkins. I think whatever works for you is what you should do. You're going to have to change it up now and then to keep making strides. But, here is the number one rule: THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS!
You can't take a pill. You can't eat a magical shake that sheds pounds. And, if you could how healthy do you really think it would be? If there was a chamber where you could step inside, get radiated and lose 50% of your fat, I'm sure a LOT of people would do it. And I'm sure a lot of people would grow a 3rd arm in the middle of their forehead. While that is extreme, you get my point.
Here is the gist of weight-loss and keeping in shape. If you expend more energy than you consume in calories you'll lose weight. If you eat more calories than you expend you will gain weight. So, you have to know these two things. Use something like MyFitnessPal.com to track your intake and to gauge your energy usage. This is the MOST IMPORTANT step.
I spend about 4.5 hours a WEEK staying fit. Here's how it breaks down: Mon, Wed, Fri I do my HIIT on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes. My HIIT is a 20-minute program, but I often throw in an extra 5-10 minutes of cooldown. I run in front of the TV. I drink a protein drink afterwards for recovery.
On Tue, Thur, Sat I go to the gym. I make a point never to be in the gym longer than 1 hour unless I'm interrupted or something. Most of the time I leave about 45 minutes after I enter. I lift weights and build muscle. Muscle is important in a LOT of ways. It burns calories. It protects you from injury. And, recent studies have shown, that it actually delays the aging process. Work your entire body. Some of your biggest muscles are the legs, glutes (butt), back and stomach. Even if you have a gut, if you have strong muscles under that gut, you're burning more calories and keeping yourself stronger, more fit, better able to fight disease and you're going to live longer, plain and simple.
Here's something else to remember. Did you get fat overnight? Did you eat an extra piece of cake at a wedding and then - BLAM! - you woke up 150lbs overweight? Was it that one Summer when you worked at McDonalds that put on 50lbs? (well, ok, yeah that could do it) Or, did you do it gradually? I'm betting you did it gradually. And, you should lose it gradually. You should get involved in a program that is built for long-term success. Yeah, you could probably lose 50lbs in a month if you tried very hard. But, it just makes it that much easier to GAIN that 50lbs back in a month. If you plan on losing 1-2 lbs/week, your body will be better off. It'll adjust. You won't throw off your balance. And if you do it gradually and the right way, you're a lot less likely to burn yourself out.
Time is a big issue with people. They don't have time to go to the gym or walk on a treadmill for an hour every day. So, make the most of your time. INTENSITY! Don't go to the gym, stand around, watching TV and talking. Get in, do your shit and GET OUT! Hit it hard and then take off. If you can build yourself up to running, then RUN! Running for 20 minutes beats walking for an hour ANY day. Plus you're building up your heart and lungs and muscles. After a month or two of high-intensity cardio you will not BELIEVE how much energy you have. If you can't afford a gym or the time to go to the gym, buy a program at home. Get P90x. Get some equipment you can use at home. You don't have to set up a professional gym in your house, but with a stability ball, some hand weights and some creativity, you can build muscle at home. Don't have a treadmill? RUN OUTSIDE! Yeah, even when it's cold. Yeah, even when it rains. Pretty soon you'll be so bad-ass you will laugh at obstacles.
Diet is a HUGE deal. You're not going to get a 6-pack by eating 5lbs of bacon/day. Remember the old adage "you are what you eat?" It's true. If you want to be lean and mean, eat protein. If you want to have a strong heart, avoid saturated fat. If you want to have energy and boost your immune system, eat the right kinds of vegetables. Take EVERY OPPORTUNITY to make the right choice when eating EVERY MEAL. If you can put off eating that burger for another day or another week or another month, you'll be much better equipped to eat it. When you're 5 pants-sizes below what you are now, by all means, go eat a Blizzard. Maybe make it a medium instead of a large, but DO IT. It's fine! And then turn around and go right back to your normal diet. Here's another thing to remember. "Diet" does not mean temporary. "Diets" are temporary. "Ooooh, I can't eat that, I'm on a diet". "Nooo, bacon isn't on this diet". "No carbs! I'm dieting". No. What you're doing is temporary. You need to change your way of life. So your D I E T is what you eat. It's what you eat every day. It's your plan to feed yourself for the rest of your life. When they talk about the diet of an animal they are talking about what they consume every day. You're an animal and you're no different. Use your head and make the right decision. If you make the right decision 99% of the time, you're going to be AWESOME.
My father always said, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right". So, take this advice in your 30s or 40s or even 50s. Do it right. Take the time to plan. Consult a professional. Read up. THINK ABOUT IT. Change your life and live longer. Live longer for your kids. Live longer for your family. Live better and healthier FOR YOURSELF.
You can do it.
In the spring of 2011 I decided to hire a trainer and go to the gym regularly. My trainer was good and he knew his stuff, but he wasn't really that committed to me. Thus, I didn't commit to him. It helped a little, but when he kept missing appointments I finally decided to quit.
In September I bought a treadmill so I could walk at home and have no excuses for not going to the gym. I did a few other exercises at home too. I got back to the shape I'd been in in 2010, but nothing ground-breaking.
Then a friend, a trainer, introduced me to HIIT (high intensity interval training). Since I have a treadmill, I decided to try it. It sucks. It was so hard! I had to take many breaks. The first week was brutal. The second week was almost worse! I kept having to take breaks. By the 3rd week I was pushing myself a little harder. I did a little more. After a month I wasn't having to break as much. I've now been doing it for 8 months. I've increased the intensity/speed and I've raised my incline 4x, the most recent just last week. I'm in college shape. And, by that I mean the kind of shape I was in when I was a freshman and junior in college. Yeah, teenager. In fact, I'm probably in better shape, I'm just older.
I see a lot of people my age trying to get in shape. I have some friends who have had great success. But, I also see a lot of people doing the "Shakeology" stuff and extreme diets like Adkins. I think whatever works for you is what you should do. You're going to have to change it up now and then to keep making strides. But, here is the number one rule: THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS!
You can't take a pill. You can't eat a magical shake that sheds pounds. And, if you could how healthy do you really think it would be? If there was a chamber where you could step inside, get radiated and lose 50% of your fat, I'm sure a LOT of people would do it. And I'm sure a lot of people would grow a 3rd arm in the middle of their forehead. While that is extreme, you get my point.
Here is the gist of weight-loss and keeping in shape. If you expend more energy than you consume in calories you'll lose weight. If you eat more calories than you expend you will gain weight. So, you have to know these two things. Use something like MyFitnessPal.com to track your intake and to gauge your energy usage. This is the MOST IMPORTANT step.
I spend about 4.5 hours a WEEK staying fit. Here's how it breaks down: Mon, Wed, Fri I do my HIIT on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes. My HIIT is a 20-minute program, but I often throw in an extra 5-10 minutes of cooldown. I run in front of the TV. I drink a protein drink afterwards for recovery.
On Tue, Thur, Sat I go to the gym. I make a point never to be in the gym longer than 1 hour unless I'm interrupted or something. Most of the time I leave about 45 minutes after I enter. I lift weights and build muscle. Muscle is important in a LOT of ways. It burns calories. It protects you from injury. And, recent studies have shown, that it actually delays the aging process. Work your entire body. Some of your biggest muscles are the legs, glutes (butt), back and stomach. Even if you have a gut, if you have strong muscles under that gut, you're burning more calories and keeping yourself stronger, more fit, better able to fight disease and you're going to live longer, plain and simple.
Here's something else to remember. Did you get fat overnight? Did you eat an extra piece of cake at a wedding and then - BLAM! - you woke up 150lbs overweight? Was it that one Summer when you worked at McDonalds that put on 50lbs? (well, ok, yeah that could do it) Or, did you do it gradually? I'm betting you did it gradually. And, you should lose it gradually. You should get involved in a program that is built for long-term success. Yeah, you could probably lose 50lbs in a month if you tried very hard. But, it just makes it that much easier to GAIN that 50lbs back in a month. If you plan on losing 1-2 lbs/week, your body will be better off. It'll adjust. You won't throw off your balance. And if you do it gradually and the right way, you're a lot less likely to burn yourself out.
Time is a big issue with people. They don't have time to go to the gym or walk on a treadmill for an hour every day. So, make the most of your time. INTENSITY! Don't go to the gym, stand around, watching TV and talking. Get in, do your shit and GET OUT! Hit it hard and then take off. If you can build yourself up to running, then RUN! Running for 20 minutes beats walking for an hour ANY day. Plus you're building up your heart and lungs and muscles. After a month or two of high-intensity cardio you will not BELIEVE how much energy you have. If you can't afford a gym or the time to go to the gym, buy a program at home. Get P90x. Get some equipment you can use at home. You don't have to set up a professional gym in your house, but with a stability ball, some hand weights and some creativity, you can build muscle at home. Don't have a treadmill? RUN OUTSIDE! Yeah, even when it's cold. Yeah, even when it rains. Pretty soon you'll be so bad-ass you will laugh at obstacles.
Diet is a HUGE deal. You're not going to get a 6-pack by eating 5lbs of bacon/day. Remember the old adage "you are what you eat?" It's true. If you want to be lean and mean, eat protein. If you want to have a strong heart, avoid saturated fat. If you want to have energy and boost your immune system, eat the right kinds of vegetables. Take EVERY OPPORTUNITY to make the right choice when eating EVERY MEAL. If you can put off eating that burger for another day or another week or another month, you'll be much better equipped to eat it. When you're 5 pants-sizes below what you are now, by all means, go eat a Blizzard. Maybe make it a medium instead of a large, but DO IT. It's fine! And then turn around and go right back to your normal diet. Here's another thing to remember. "Diet" does not mean temporary. "Diets" are temporary. "Ooooh, I can't eat that, I'm on a diet". "Nooo, bacon isn't on this diet". "No carbs! I'm dieting". No. What you're doing is temporary. You need to change your way of life. So your D I E T is what you eat. It's what you eat every day. It's your plan to feed yourself for the rest of your life. When they talk about the diet of an animal they are talking about what they consume every day. You're an animal and you're no different. Use your head and make the right decision. If you make the right decision 99% of the time, you're going to be AWESOME.
My father always said, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right". So, take this advice in your 30s or 40s or even 50s. Do it right. Take the time to plan. Consult a professional. Read up. THINK ABOUT IT. Change your life and live longer. Live longer for your kids. Live longer for your family. Live better and healthier FOR YOURSELF.
You can do it.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Apologies, please!
Apologies are way too common and commonly insincere. I say fuck apologies. Do your best to do things for which you'll never need to apologize. And, in the rare case you must apologize, be genuine. Remember, there is no heart without ache. There is no bravery without fear.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
My dog, Jax.
OK, I know everybody thinks that their kid is the cutest or their dog is the neatest or smartest. It's human nature. But, my dog, Jax, really is the best dog in the whole world.
He is naturally kind and gentle. From the time he was about a year old, weighing about 100lbs, he would play very rough with me, but whenever a child would come over and try to play with him, he'd immediately back off and cease being aggressive at all. It wasn't something that was taught to him, it is just his nature. Any small human he gives a wide berth, is extremely kind and patient and makes sure he doesn't hurt them. I've even seen a toddler grab hold of a handful of fur and skin and use Jax to help him get up. Jax didn't move, didn't wine, didn't even give a look of "ah, shit, what is this guy doing?". He just stood there and waited until the kid was stable on his feet.
He's got some personality. He always wants to play, even at 10 years old. And when he doesn't get his way or doesn't get the attention he deserves, he'll pout. For instance, he'll go into the closet and orient himself with his backside pointing towards me. Or he'll go lie down somewhere and emit a huge dramatic sigh. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't whine or cry or chew things up in frustration. He just sits there and waits for me to get off my computer or finish cooking food or whatever I'm doing.
He is so strong and powerful. I remember once he pulled my 200lb friend AND my loveseat across the room while playing with a pull-toy. But he never hurts anyone. He won't take a treat from your hand unless he is sure that he won't bite you. He never snaps or grabs anyone. He doesn't jump ON people, though he has been known to jump up to your level to say "hi", but he won't put his paws on you like some dogs.
He's beautiful, inside and out. And I love him dearly.
He is naturally kind and gentle. From the time he was about a year old, weighing about 100lbs, he would play very rough with me, but whenever a child would come over and try to play with him, he'd immediately back off and cease being aggressive at all. It wasn't something that was taught to him, it is just his nature. Any small human he gives a wide berth, is extremely kind and patient and makes sure he doesn't hurt them. I've even seen a toddler grab hold of a handful of fur and skin and use Jax to help him get up. Jax didn't move, didn't wine, didn't even give a look of "ah, shit, what is this guy doing?". He just stood there and waited until the kid was stable on his feet.
He's got some personality. He always wants to play, even at 10 years old. And when he doesn't get his way or doesn't get the attention he deserves, he'll pout. For instance, he'll go into the closet and orient himself with his backside pointing towards me. Or he'll go lie down somewhere and emit a huge dramatic sigh. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't whine or cry or chew things up in frustration. He just sits there and waits for me to get off my computer or finish cooking food or whatever I'm doing.
He is so strong and powerful. I remember once he pulled my 200lb friend AND my loveseat across the room while playing with a pull-toy. But he never hurts anyone. He won't take a treat from your hand unless he is sure that he won't bite you. He never snaps or grabs anyone. He doesn't jump ON people, though he has been known to jump up to your level to say "hi", but he won't put his paws on you like some dogs.
He's beautiful, inside and out. And I love him dearly.
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