Friends Come & Go....

I find it weird how friends enter and exit your life.  Last night I hung out with a couple of friends that I haven’t been able to get together with for over a month due to the holidays and hectic schedules.  It got me thinking about one of them, Doug, who I didn’t even know two years ago.  He was dating a friend of my wife’s and one night we all hung out and we just clicked.  It’s like we were friends for years.  Since then he’s been one of my best friends and I’m even in his wedding this upcoming June.

On Christmas Eve, I received a text from a friend that I used to go to grammar school with.  We were best friends from Kindergarten all the way up through eighth grade.  We both went to different high schools and lost touch but he saw me on Facebook and e-mailed me to get my number and we were texting away on Christmas Eve.  We’ve made plans to get together and get back to when were close and in a way I hope that happens.  Maybe it’s me but it’s a shame that we don’t talk or hang out anymore.  We used to be so close.  How does that happen?  How can you go from best friends to never seeing each other?  Not only that but how does it happen so quickly?

All these things got me thinking to what my son said a couple weeks ago.  He’s in first grade and noticed out loud that some of his friends from Kindergarten don’t talk to him anymore because they are in different classes now in first grade.  It seemed like he missed them and was wondering why they aren’t friends anymore.  I thought about it and told him not to worry because the friends he’s talking to right now, probably won’t be his friends when he goes to high school.  I told him friends come and go and sadly it’s just a part of life.

All these recent events have led me to that exact thinking.  Friends simply come and go and you really have no control over it.  People grow apart, people move, and there are just way too many people weaving in and out of your life, that it’s hard to keep a close knit group of friends.  It’s a shame but at the same time, I guess it’s expected.   When you’re young, you’re kind of confined to the people that are in your school class or on your block where you live.  As you progress in life and get older, you’re able to branch out to meet new people with a car, parties, college and then your job.  The more freedom you have, the more people are going to be in and out of your life.

The point of this ramble is to cherish the friends that you have now because who knows if they’ll be there in a week, month or even a year.  Build these relationships so that time can’t come between them.  Make sure there is no growing apart but instead growing together.  Sappy I know but it bothers me that friends from ten years ago are not the same as they are now.  Think about it.  If you’re like me, you probably have a new group of “close” friends then what you had ten years ago.  Maybe it’s me but friends shouldn’t change with the times, they should be there for the long haul.

Blizzard? Who Cares? Get your ass to work!

In the midst of a blizzard I was on my way to work today at 7 o’clock in the morning because I felt like I had to be here.  I followed protocol; watch the news cancellations, call my voice-mail for weather closings/late openings, called my boss and even called the main phone line to see if we had to get to work in this hazardous weather.  All of these information venues did not have any information it was simply business as usual.  That’s strange.  On the news the weatherman, police officers and state officials that are being interviewed are telling me that if possible STAY OFF THE ROADS!  Only those that NEED to be going to work or those that have shitty employers who leave no information on what we’re supposed to be doing should be on the road.  Thanks, thanks a lot.  The thing is, I have PTO left.  I could have taken the day off the problem is I don’t know the repercussions of that move.  Will they be pissed?  Will they hold it against me?  What’s the policy?  There really is none.  Maybe it’s me, but there should be some sort of policy when these type of weather situations occur.

I’ve always thought that it’s at your own discretion to whether or not you want to brave the weather conditions and come into work.  My problem with that, how the fuck do I know if I can’t get to work until I’m driving in this shit?  How do I know my car can handle a blizzard or not until I’m in a ditch somewhere freezing in the cold?  I’ve never driven my car is heavy snow let alone a fucking blizzard!  No policy though, so get your ass to work I guess.

In the end it worked out.  I know I can drive in a blizzard because I’m writing this entry from work where 7 people are currently.  Yup, that’s right, only 7.  Guess they didn’t care what the company thought or maybe their bosses spoke to them about snow policy.  Either way, next time, I’m taking PTO.  My work shouldn’t put my life in danger.  Maybe it’s me, but I’m not an essential WORKER, I should NOT have been on the roads this morning!

It's Christmas? Did I miss it?

Well Christmas came and went again.  Wow!  That was fast.  Maybe it’s me, but Christmas goes by way too fast!  If you think about all the time you put into shopping, cleaning, traveling, decorating and stressing involved in the holiday, is it really worth it?

I love Christmas, it’s my second favorite holiday behind Thanksgiving.  There’s something about the decorations on the houses, the classic Christmas specials on TV and even the one station that plays noting but Christmas music the entire month of December.  The thing is, I’m also getting a bit sick of the entire Holiday as well.  Not only did I spend way too much money this year but I also spent way to much time with all the other holiday activities with cleaning and traveling being the worst of all holiday festivities.  The shopping and spending will be there every year but I need to spend less time next year cleaning and traveling and ruining the holiday.

I had two Christmas “parties” at my house this year.  These two parties were awful to clean up after.  Not only that but I didn’t have the time to clean up after these parties because I had to travel somewhere the next day.  Don’t get me wrong, I love hosting people at the house but I’m used to once a week type of parties.  Not two in 48 hours, that’s just too much for me to handle, especially when you don’t have adequate time to attend to the cleaning.

The traveling is getting to be a bit much as well.  Why can’t I just sit and relax and enjoy the holiday?  I would say this started when I had my first child but that’s not the case at all.  I’ve been traveling on Christmas Day since I was a little kid.  My grandmother lives up in the Berkshire’s and every year after opening Christmas presents at home, I’d be shuffled into the car and driven an hour and half to spend the holiday with people I see twice to three times a year.  Meanwhile, my poor new toys I just opened at home are still under the tree awaiting me at home.  Crazy!  This year, I had to do it again and you know what, it still SUCKS!

I’m all for Christmas but I need to change up my routine.  Maybe it’s me, but Christmas could be better if it just lasted as long as the crappy parts of the holiday!

Getting a Bachelor's Degree

I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration back in May this year.  It was an accomplishment I figured would lead to better opportunities and a better financial situation for me.  I took out a student loan to complete my degree and currently owe quite a bit of money that I soon will have to start paying back.  The student loan process is nice in that after you graduate you aren’t required to start paying back the loan until six months down the road.  Almost like a breather until you get settled.  Either way, I’m paying a heft sum for a degree I thought would open up new doors and help me obtain a better financial situation.

Boy was I wrong.  Well, it’s only been six months but still I really thought I’d have more opportunities or a better grasp on where to go with this new degree.  The thing is, there just isn’t much out there for jobs and the opportunities that are out there are paying significantly less that what I make at my current employer.  My current situation is a really good spot but there is little to no room to grow.  I figured if I obtained my degree, I could find a job that paid me equal to what I am making now and also have more room to grow.  Nope!

I could take a pay cut and more to an opportunity that has room to grow or stay in my current situation, make better money and hope someone quits, dies or a new position is created for me.  The first option is just not going to work for me, I can’t take a pay cut with my current situation, so I guess I’ll have to go with option.  Wait it out and keep looking.  I guess I should be grateful because I do have a good job but I know once January comes and I have to make my first payment to these student loans for a degree that was supposed to better my situation I’m going to think, was it really worth it?

Maybe it’s me, but getting my Bachelor’s degree doesn’t seem to be panning out the way I thought it would.  Right now I’m thinking, was it worth the time and money?

Crying at a Wake

My weekend was pretty uneventful.  I guess that’s good every now and then but definitely different that what I usually do.  I did attend a wake service for the grandmother of a close friend of mine.  I never met the woman but friend duty calls and you have to make an appearance.  As I was walking through the line, shaking hands with people I’ve never met and people that I sure are wondering what I’m doing there I came across a young lady (late 20’s) that was crying uncontrollably.  After I got through the line and during a “down” time my friend came over to chat and I asked if the young lady was as close as he was to his grandmother.  Get this.  She’s a girlfriend of his brothers and not while they’ve been together for about six years, my friend tells me that she only met the grandmother three times.  I couldn’t believe it.  If you looked at this girl you would have believed that her mother just died.  Ridiculous!

I’m not totally shocked but I am a bit appalled.  I’ve been through this before and one time had the person I brought break down like a mental patient when they barely knew the deceased.  When I was in high school, a friend of mine’s father committed suicide.  My girlfriend and I attended the wake, funeral and the after party and my girlfriend had the waterworks and hysteria for the entire thing.  It was not only embarrassing but also led to a break-up.  At one point when I was outside with her and had to leave her by herself because she was so ridiculous.

My question is why are there people like this?  I can see if you were close and you’re really going to miss the person but if you had very little contact or none at all with the deceased I think it’s time to turn off the waterworks.  Are they looking for attention?  Does it bring up memories of past funerals and wakes they’ve been to?  Whatever the case, shut up and stop crying, you’re embarrassing me and yourself.  Maybe it’s me but if you’re crying at a funeral and you’ve had less than six conversations with the deceased, look yourself in the mirror and laugh because that’s what we’re going to do…

Gym Hoodrats

I’ve been away so long I had to do a double post today!  This has been bothering me for quite some time but I really haven’t mentioned it and late last week it hit a breaking point for me.  I go to a local gym about four to five times a week.  Generally after work and not to pump iron and look like an asshole but basically to work off what I eat and drink because quite frankly if I didn’t exercise, I’d be about 350 pounds.  What bothers me is the appearance of some of the people at the gym.  I know what you’re thinking, it’s not a beauty contest, who cares what you look like and I totally agree with you?  That’s why it bothers me to see women (maybe they’re girls) wearing make-up at the gym.  Maybe it’s me but if you’re at the gym with eye-liner and make-up, you’re not there to work out you’re there to be a hoe bag.

I’m not talking about every woman or girl that enters the place either because I would say the majority (probably around 95%) don’t do this.  They’re there to work out and leave the socializing for some other place.  I’m talking about the girls with five pounds of make-up on that are there to try and pick up guys and use the gym like a social event.  I’m not there to talk to anyone, I’m there to do my hour to hour and a half workout and get home so please don’t talk to me.  I see these people just walking around, talking to people and if they are on a machine, they tend to spend most of the time watching the TV’s above them or talking with someone.

Last week I was about 45 minutes into my elliptical workout which means I was covered in sweat (I sweat like a fat guy with a heart condition) and one of these young ladies who I didn’t see get on the machine next to me tries to start a conversation.  She as polite enough and let me get this right out of the way, in no way do I think she was trying to pick me up.  I was covered in sweat and probably smelled like a grundle (the place between your asshole and your nut sack).  I’m thinking she was just bored and wanted to socialize.  When I looked over and saw the make-up and that she wanted to talk I was immediately pissed off.  The first couple of minutes was just basically how to work the TV and what I was watching and I politely answered and went back to trying to ignore her.  Then she asked my name and how long I’d been going there.  That’s when I said nothing, got off the machine, wiped it down and went to the same exact machine two positions down.  I could tell she was put off by this gesture but I don’t give a shit.  She deserved it.  I’m there to work-out and not talk to pretty girls.  There’s a time and a place ladies, remember that.

PS – the poor sap that went on the machine after me was probably burdened with the story of how much of an asshole I am.  Sorry man, should of did what I did….

Dealing with Stupidity

Sorry for the delay in posts but with the holiday and crazy work schedule I've had recently, I just haven't had the time.  I know no excuses but sometimes things get put on the back burner when you get busy and unfortunately this is one.

Speaking of work schedules, I don’t think it’d be all that busy if I was working with competent co-workers.  This is more of a rant than anything because I do like my co-workers but the constant stupidity and complaining is starting to irritate the shit out of me.  I get that you’ve been here for a long time, in fact, it’s quite annoying how you say you’ve been here for as long as I’ve been born.  I know you’re old, you work pace shows it, I don’t need the reference.  Maybe it’s me, but if you would just stop complaining and pay a little more attention then we wouldn’t be as busy and stressed.

I work in the insurance world, employee benefits (health, dental, etc.) to narrow it down a bit.  It’s not rocket science, in fact, all you have to be is detail oriented, organized and able to read a bit and you’re pretty much set.  The deadlines are usually the toughest thing to grasp and my co-workers are easily frazzled and have a complete meltdown when shit starts to hit the fan.  Calm it down, breathe, relax!

I guess my biggest gripe is that I constantly have to show my co-worker the same thing over and over again.  Well, maybe worse than that is that I am also constantly fixing the same mistakes over and over again.  That to me is just stupidity.  I know you’re old but you’re not mentally handicapped.  I bet if I showed you how to order yarn over the internet you wouldn’t keep asking me over and over again how to do it.  I just can’t deal with having to hold someone’s hand when they should be able to do it themselves.  Maybe it’s me but if you’re in a position where you’re not completely competent anymore, perhaps it’s time to be removed, regardless of your seniority.

I see this in not only my employment but in a lot of companies.  Seniority is king and it really shouldn’t be.

Stay True To Your Roots Actors

I went to a sneak peek of the new Dwayne "Don't Call Me Rock" Johnson movie "Faster" last night.  Decent movie, nothing spectacular new but a entertaining r-rated action movie.  What I enjoyed the most was seeing The Rock as a badass again killing people, swearing and just being The Rock.  He's back and bigger than ever in this movie.  I thought he'd lost it after all these Disney family movies he'd been putting out.  The last time I saw him, he'd lost a ton of weight and just wasn't the same guy as he once was.  Well, he's back and his neck muscles alone in this movie are bigger than my thighs.  It was refreshing to see him back in an r-rated movie and it led me to thinking, why do so many actors stray from what they are good at?

Maybe it's me but Eddie Murphy should not be making kid movies and Vin Diesel and The Rock should be killing people in action movies and not dancing around in Disney family movies looking for a quick buck.  I really don't mind straying once in awhile but when you start doing movie after movie in a genre you really shouldn't be in, I start to get pissed.  As far as I'm concerned Eddie Murphy is a lost cause.  Unless he gets out there and does two or three r-rated comedies and a stand-up routine I will most likely not ever see one of his movies again.  It's gotten that bad.  I thought The Rock had chosen the same path when he made The Game Plan then followed that up with Tooth Fairy.  When I heard that a Tooth Fairy 2 was in the works I all but gave up on him.  Then last night happened and I still have some faith.

Now don't get me wrong, sometimes a cross-over to a family comedy or a straight comedy works.  Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger and his roles in Kindergarten Cop and Twins.  Those movies worked but then again, he always went back to his action roots and made badass r-rated movies.  I don't mind a cross-over movie if you go back to your roots and all but sometimes actors just don't come back.  Maybe it's me, but you have to kick a little ass and make a raunchy r-rated comedy and stay true to your acting roots to get my respect and money.

Aspiring Screenwriter's Rant

I’m not sure I’ve mentioned it before on this site but I’m an aspiring screenwriter.  I’ve been writing screenplays with a friend for about two to three years now.  We have three completed and are now revising them so we can try and get some industry folks to read them and give us money for them.  Right now, I view this as more of a hobby than anything, because I’m not going to quit my job, move to Hollywood and pursue a screenwriter’s career.  Instead I’m writing at my leisure and if my “big break” happens, great.  My problem is why is it so hard to get someone to at least read my screenplays?  With all the crap that gets made nowadays and the unoriginality in the movie business, why wouldn’t studio producers and executives read more amateur screenwriters?  Maybe it’s me but if the people that wrote Strange Wilderness and all the latest crappy spoof movies get a chance, how come I can’t?

I’m not saying I’m a better writer than the people that write crappy movies, I’m just saying I can probably write a better movie than Strange Wilderness or Grown Ups.  It just seems like you have to know someone to get your screenplay looked at or produced.  My partner and I have really good ideas and are fine tuning our craft as we speak but are we doing it for nothing?  Is it just a waste of my time?  I guess since it’s something I enjoy and I’m not banking on it for income that it will never be a waste of time.  I just hope that my ideas one day are at least read.  If they’re crap, great, tell me, but how do I really know?

Maybe it is me.  Maybe I’m not doing enough.  After the new revisions and final drafts in the next couple of months, I think I’ll enter some contests.  Most contests read every script and provide feedback.  With the feedback I can at least see if my writing is any good and if I should continue this as a hobby or get more involved.  This will at least give me some honest feedback and get some reads on my scripts.  I can’t even get my own wife to read them.  I’ve had a couple friends read them but are they really giving me honest feedback?  I doubt it.  And truthfully, how could they give honest feedback, they’re not fine tuned writers or producers.  What do they know?

I guess this is just a frustration rant but it really irks me when I go to the movies and see trailers for crap like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Tooth Fairy, Spy Next Door, Cop Out, The Bounty Hunter, and The Back-Up Plan.  Though I’ve never seen these movies, the reviews and box office haul indicates they just aren’t very good.  Maybe it’s me but give some aspiring and amateur screenwriters a chance.  We have some great ideas and could really help Hollywood right now.

Happy Birthday Pete!

Sorry for the double post today especially after that long one about Michael Jackson but today is my son’s sixth birthday and I believe it deserves a post.  I really can’t believe that he’s six years old.  It just doesn’t seem that long ago we were bringing him home from the hospital or seeing him take his first steps or hearing him talk for the first time.  Time really flies because he’s like a little man now.  We can rough house, have an intelligent conversation and do things together that I do with my friends (video games, movies, etc.).  I view him as my son but also as my best friend.

I remember his first birthday I wrote him a letter that we put in his 1^st year time capsule.  Basically it was a letter on the first year of his life and something he could read just in case I wasn’t there with him.  I planned on doing it every year but haven’t since.  I know, bad dad right?  I did try but really didn’t know what to say.  It’s hard to come up with advice and yearly recaps on the spot.  I guess I should have tried harder but instead I’ll just have to keep myself alive to tell him all the advice and knowledge I have in me.  Maybe this blog will be around for awhile and one day he’ll be able to read all the posts and get a sense of what I am all about.

Either way, it’s been a very interesting and great six years.  He’s a great kid and I couldn’t ask for anything more.  Happy Birthday Pete!

Maybe it’s me but having a son makes you soft.  I would have never written this stuff six years ago.  Ha, ha, ha.

The Death and Rise of Michael Jackson

On my day off yesterday I took my six year old son to see the new movie, “Megamind: and was very surprised at the ending of the movie.  As usual in these animated movies, the ending usually has the main characters dancing to a popular song that continues during the credits.  Well imagine my surprise when they had “Bad” by Michael Jackson playing to finalize the film.  While it was totally fitting to the movie it’s something that just would not have happened three to four years ago.  When Michael Jackson was alive the last years of his life we didn’t hear a lot of his songs in movies, let alone a kid’s movie.  It seems with his death people have started loving Michael again.  Maybe it’s me but the best thing that could have happened to Michael Jackson was to die before his time in a dramatic fashion.

I’ve always been a huge Michael Jackson fan.  It probably has something to do with me growing up in the 1980’s when he was officially blowing up.  I stayed a fan through all the nonsense in the man’s life but the general public gave up on him in the late 90’s (at least in the United States).  After the first child molestation charges, people formed their own opinions and stopped caring about him.  Most people assumed he was guilty because he paid the kid off for it all to go away but is that the case?  I recently read several books on Michael (can you believe how many have come out in the short time he’s passed?) and almost every book I’ve read says that he wanted to fight the charges back in 1994.  His lawyers and wife at the time (Lisa Marie Pressley) thought it’d be better just to pay the kid off and let this thing pass.  While it did pass it didn’t paint the best picture of him, people viewed him as a pedophile.

I was a little skeptical too at the time but deep down I just couldn’t believe it.  That’s why when it happened again later in his life and charges were brought against him and we saw the court trial I was happy to see that he was innocent.  This leads me to believe that he wasn’t guilty back in the day either.  The cases were very similar and I really truly believe that the people after him were simply after some cash and saw an opportunity because of the lifestyle he chose to live.  The man was a big kid and liked to surround himself with children.  He was an easy target and because of his fame people tried to take advantage of that.  While it’s a little strange to surround yourself with children the man had a really messed up childhood and I think deep down considered himself to be just a big child.  With this crazy paparazzi world, people were quick to form their own opinions without the full knowledge of the situation and though he was proven innocent in the court of law, people still believe he was guilty and the “pedophile” claim stuck with him until his death.

A full year and a half later though, it seems all has been forgotten or at least has went to the background.  People are finally enjoying his music again and a whole new generation now has the chance to experience his music and life.  My six year old son who’s way too young to remember Michael’s good days loves his music and videos.  Michael’s popularity is as big as it was in his heyday of the 1980’s and he’s been dead for a year and a half.  Maybe if the general public didn’t form their opinions on tabloid stories and accusations of money hungry parents he’d still be here right now.  I’m not saying that these allegations and bad press led to his death but I’m sure it didn’t help.  The amount of stress the man had to deal with had to be enormous.  Maybe it’s me but Michael Jackson dying was the best thing to “revive” his career.

On a side note, Megamind wasn’t half bad.  I’d give it a 7/10 and for a kid’s movie it kept me thoroughly entertained.  See the 3-D version though as it was really cool.  The story was pretty good and the voice talent they assembled was really good.  The ending was the worst part but for an animated kid’s movie you can do a lot worse.

Thank you Veterans!

On a more serious note than usual, just wanted to give a big Thank You to all the veterans out there.  Without you guys we wouldn't be able to enjoy the fruits of freedom, like being able to write whatever I want on a blog site.  So thank you and I will never forget what you have done for us!  If you are reading this blog and see a veteran today (or anyday for that matter) say thank you and appreciate what they've done for our country.

Lights Out!

This past weekend we had my son’s sixth birthday parties, yes parties, as in two.  We had a “kid’s party” where he had all his friends from school and then a family/adult party for those that really don’t have kids or have kids that are too old to enjoy that venue.  I really didn’t want to have two different parties but because of where we were having the “kids” one and the cost involved it was easier to just separate the parties.  Not easier for us but easier for everyone else and more cost effective for me.

Before I get into my major issue with the day I wanted to first say where did the last six years go?  Seriously, I can’t believe my son’s six.  I still remember the first day we brought him home from the hospital and other milestones that don’t seem all that long ago.  But it has been.  It really does go by fast and I’m alright with that.  While the early stuff is important and cool, my son is way more “fun” right now.  We can wrestle around, watch movies, play video games, play sports and play with Nerf guns!  Maybe it’s me but the first few years of a child’s life is more for the mommies than it is for the dads.  He’s a person now and not only can communicate, he can think for himself and participate in relationships that are more involved that just cuddling and changing him.

The only issue we had with the day was the first party for the kid’s.  We had it at a place called Nomad’s in South Windsor, CT.  This place has arcade games, laser tag, bounce houses, bumper cars, small amusement park rides, mini-golf and an indoor play area for children.  It’s like a more grown up Chuck E. Cheese’s.  About Fifteen minutes into our party the entire establishment lost power.  The whole industrial park we were in lost power for some reason that was really never explained to us.  We heard everything from car accident to transformer being faulty.  Whatever the case, the power is out and the emergency lights are on.  Now what?  We have 20 kids, 30 parents and no electricity.  No food, no fun, what do we do?

I do have to give praise to the staff of Nomad’s.  They communicated what was going on (though each one had a different “theory” of why they didn’t have lights) and they did try and keep the kid’s entertained.  They played group games with the children as they tried to figure out if they were going to get the lights back on.  When it was determined they were going to have to close the place, they allowed us to at least have cake and let my son open his presents.

Now, maybe it’s me but when you have a business that solely relies on electricity, I would think you would invest in a back-up generator or two, or three or whatever it takes to run your business just in case you have an issue like this.  I don’t know the whole deal with generators but my brother in law has one that will run his entire house for up to a week if they should lose power.  If they have those available to consumers, they must make ones for commercial use.  What about ones for grocery stores and other place with perishable items?  If I owned an establishment like this I would definitely invest in a bunch of generators.

It didn’t matter in the end I guess.  The kid’s had a blast anyway running around like crazy people in the dark place, they had their cake and my son received his presents.  He really wanted to do laser tag so we’ll bring him back with some friends and let him do that.  I also saved about 600 bucks so that’s not bad either...

Healtcare Costs Complaints.

There’s been something bothering me for awhile now and I just need to vent a little today.  I’m sick and tired of everyone crying about healthcare costs when no one’s really doing anything to try and get in better shape.  Everyone wants lower healthcare rates and better care but what are they doing as individuals to help the cause?  Nothing!  That’s the point.  I sat through a seminar yesterday that showed that about two-thirds of the country is 20% overweight and that almost the whole country is “bigger” than other countries in the world.  Maybe it’s me, but people should stop complaining about healthcare costs and actually do something about it.

The best option to keep healthcare costs down is not a federal controlled medical plan or healthcare reform, it simply comes down to being in better shape.  Instead of complaining and shoving down a Big Mac at lunch, how about you go for a walk or sign up and go to a gym.  Obesity is causing more people to be diabetic and have heart problems.  Guess what?  Those two conditions are very expensive to control and cure.  You know what how to combat these conditions?  Good ole fashioned exercise and a better diet.  Drink in moderation, eat better and get your ass off the couch.

I’m not one to point fingers as I don’t drink in moderation and I could eat better but I also exercise about 8-10 hours a week.  Not that wimpy take a walk exercise either, I’m in the gym on treadmills, elipticals and other machines busting my ass because I know I’m eating and drinking bad.  I don’t necessarily care that you eat or drink like an asshole but how about you get out and exercise off some of the excess you are eating and drinking.  If we could get the population healthier, we could lower medical costs extremely.

Maybe the government needs to take it one more step with their “healthcare reform” bullshit.  How about allowing people to use funds in Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Savings Accounts to pay for gym membership?  How about incentives for people who stay in a certain weight class or BMI index?  Have a system set up where if you at least try and take care of yourself, join a gym, eat healthy you can get lower premiums.  I know it sounds crazy but people won’t do something if they aren’t pushed to it.  I guarantee you that more people would join a gym or get in better shape if they were eligible to receive incentives to do so.  Let’s make it happen, it’s the only way people are going to change their habits.

Maybe it’s me, but I think I should be the one complaining about you lazy, smoking overweight assholes.  Think about it, because of what you are doing, I have to pay more in healthcare.  It’s not vice-versa.  If anything I’m the one trying to help the cause.  I stay in shape and am constantly trying to keep myself in a weight range that I feel will help me not develop diabetes or a heart condition down the line that will be a catastrophic healthcare cost.  Can I see some help on your side?  Put down the cigarette and drumstick and I’ll see you on the treadmill…

Trick or Treating Age Range...

I was busy yesterday and didn’t get to post so I’m hitting you guys up with a double post.  This one deals with something that was debated quite a bit on Halloween while handing out candy.  What is the cut-off age for trick or treating?  Everyone seems to have different opinions and who’s to say who’s right.  Should there even be a cut-off age?  I think there has to be but what is that age?

Here’s my range; AGE 3 through YOUR AGE AS A FRESHMAN in HIGHSCHOOL.  That seems fair to me.  There’s no reason for infants through Age 2 to be trick or treating.  If your parents have to hold you to go trick or treating, we all know who the candy is for you greedy ass cheap bastards!  We all know that the parents are going to eat that candy.  Every time this happened on Sunday, I tried to fish out the crappiest candy I had in the bucket.  All Dots, tootsie rolls and gum.  Let’s see you’re infant eat that those candies you selfish son of a bitch!  I know what you’re doing and it’s not cool.  Maybe it’s me, but when you have teeth, can walk and are coherent enough to know what is going on, that’s when you should be allowed to start trick or treating.

On the flipside, maybe it’s me but if you’re out of a training bra, sporting a REAL mustache and have already popped a cherry or had your cherry popped, it’s time to put the trick or treat bag down and retire from the scene.  I can’t tell you how many borderline teens I saw trick or treating.  I can see the fun in it but there has to be a time where you say, ok, enough is enough and I need to grow up.  In fact, that is the first step in growing up, putting the trick or treat bag down and handing out candy out is a christening of adulthood.

Is this a good age range?  Let me know what you think?

October 31st? Why?

It occurred to me late Sunday night on my way home from a small trick or treating party at a buddies house that it’s time to change Halloween.  My five year old son was a disaster Monday morning and pretty much all day.  He was so tired that he went to bed at 7:30 and we didn’t hear a peep from him the entire night.  Halloween is a night mostly for kids that are between the ages of 4 and early teens, and the holiday activities have to start at night time so why are we still celebrating this during the week and on Sundays?  Maybe it’s me, but I think it’s time for a change to Halloween.

Halloween should be changed to the last Saturday of October regardless of the date.  This would allow kids to stay up a later and still enjoy the festivities.  They would have a day to rest before going back to school and parents could enjoy themselves a little more as well.  Is there any real date significance to Halloween?  Does it really need to be on the 31^st?  A quick Google search relayed me information that the date has different origins and different stories that are just too much to get into today.  There is no real date significance so why do we stick with the 31^st?

I see the significance of Christmas and New Years but other holidays have set time frames and are given a specific day of the month instead of floating around.  Easter is always changing depending on the lunar schedule but always happens on a Sunday between March 22nd and April 25^th.  Thanksgiving is always on the second to last Thursday of November.  These holidays a lot more significance than Halloween.  Easter has something to do with Jesus, sorry I don’t know exactly what, I don’t follow that fairy tale.  Thanksgiving is about being thankful for what you have and spending time with families.  I get it, and I like that it’s on a set day instead of a date as it makes planning and enjoying the holiday a lot easier.

So who’s with me?  Let’s make the change.  Someone call President Obama!  You’ll probably find him in between his Letterman appearances and Esquire photo shoot.  It’s time for a change!!!  He’s all about talking about change, this could actually happen, I’ll lead the campaign.  Maybe it’s me, but Halloween should be changed to the last Saturday of October, regardless of the date!

Game 1 - World Series - Unpredictable!

I’ve been watching baseball for a really long time and last night goes to show you, just when you think you know the game, you truly don’t.  I guess that’s what’s so great about baseball.  You just never know.  I along with many others thought last nights game would be a pitcher’s duel.  No way would this game be a slugfest where both teams score 18 runs and 25 hits, but that is exactly what happened.  The best pitcher of the postseason the last two years, Cliff Lee, lasted only four and two thirds innings while the great Tim Lincecum lasted only an inning more.  I really thought we’d see an exciting pitcher’s duel but instead I was kept up most of the night by an exciting hitter’s duel.  Maybe it’s me, but baseball (and I guess to an extent sport’s in general) is just unpredictable.

Doesn’t that make it great though?  When you think you have it all figured out, games like this happen.  If you had told me before the game that it wouldn’t be a pitcher’s duel and that one team would score 11 runs and get 14 hits, I would have guessed that team was the Rangers.  The Giants were one of the lowest scoring teams in the league, the team is built around their pitching so there is absolutely no way I saw this coming.  Great game and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

Who said it wouldn’t be an exciting series?  I was truly into the game last night like it was my own team.

1.21 GIGAWATTS!!!!

I’ve come to the conclusion that they just don’t make movies like they used to.  Last night some friends and I attended a 25^th anniversary showing of Back to the Future.  Maybe it’s the nostalgia or maybe it’s the fact that movies used to be original, fun and magical.  I wasn’t old enough to see this movie when it was first released, I do remember seeing part three in the theaters but when part one was released I was only five years old.  I missed out and that’s why these showings are so special and fun.  Maybe it’s me, but more movie theaters should screen older movies.

Not only for my benefit because the theater I saw it with was a packed house.  I would say 85% full and into the movie.  This was the second showing, the first happened on a Saturday night and I’d be willing to bet they had the place full to capacity on Saturday.  Think about it, it was a Monday night showing of a twenty-five year old movie opposite a really good Monday Night Football game with the Cowboys vs. Giants and they had 85% capacity.  The Giants are huge here in Connecticut so to me that’s pretty impressive.  I never expected the theater to be even half full.  Not only was it full, people were into it.  There was one guy dressed in full Marty McFly gear.  While I would never do it, the inner nerd in me was pretty impressed.

There was hardly any promotion for this showing as well.  I found out through a movie website that AMC was re-releasing the movie for its 25^th anniversary.  I then did a search in CT for AMC theaters and was lucky enough to have one 25 minutes away.  I didn’t see AMC promoting it at all and if it wasn’t for the movie site I visit, this experience would have been missed by me.  I think it’s a shame they didn’t get word out, obviously they didn’t really need it as they still had a packed crowd but think of how many more people they could have gotten.

Please movie executives, bring back the classics!  People will come.  Maybe it’s me, but I think there’s a market out there for older movies.

Update on Friday Night

This is more of an update than an actual post today.  As you all know I went to a late night showing of Paranormal Activity 21 on Friday.  I wanted to let everyone know that my theater experience was average and I think I will stick to matinees and day visits to the movies because people just don’t care.  About twenty minutes into the movie about 4 out of control teens came in and carried on like special kids and disrupted pretty much everyone in the theater.  After that, just had people constantly talking or laughing at spots in the movie where there really shouldn’t have been any laughing.  Just some dumb idiots I’m sure but it took away from the movie.

On the plus side, the movie was good and overall my experience wasn’t horrible say for some select moments.  Seeing a horror movie in a packed theater can be fun and mostly everyone was good but still, we have some ignorant assholes screwing it up.

Movie – 7/10

Movie Experience 4/10

Movie Theater Experiences

I can’t wait to see the new movie coming out this Friday, Paranormal Activity 2 but at the same time I’m dreading it.  I don’t know if you’ve been to the movies lately, but I’ve almost completely given up on seeing a movie opening night due to horrible movie theater experiences.  Instead, I now opt for a Saturday or Sunday matinee or if I can, a weekday showing.  Movies are far too expensive to sit in a theater with immature, inconsiderate assholes.  Basically you pay $15 for a ticket, then possibly another $10-$15 on snacks, so $30 to sit in a crowded theater with dumbass kids and old ignorant idiots that obviously are rich because they could not care less about the movie just isn't for me.  I don’t understand this at all.  There must be a lot of rich people out there because when I got to the movies I see a lot of people basically throwing $30 down the toilet.  Maybe it’s me, but if I pay $15-$30 to see a movie I actually plan on watching it.

Maybe it’s the theater but in my area, there is really only 1 major movie complex in a 20 mile radius so it’s very popular.  My friends and I used to attend a movie almost every weekend but with the theater etiquette we started experiencing it turned us off and we almost never go.  If we do go, it’s a matinee and I have to say, it’s just not the same.  I’m a fan of seeing movies in theaters because seeing it in a packed theater with a controlled crowd can add to the experience but nowadays people are more interested in talking on the phone, talking amongst themselves or just plain fooling around than paying attention to the movie.

I was a kid once, and believe it or not I can not recall ever acting like these fools do nowadays.  Granted I didn’t have half the technology to distract me (iphones, cellphones, etc.) but I was always into the movie.  I shouldn’t say always because there are times I was making out or doing other x-rated things but I always did it in a politely DISCREET manner.  Lately, kids just don’t give a shit.  I can’t tell you how many times, my friends and I have had to tell someone to shut the fuck up in a dark movie theater.  Then in a moronic twist of events, they get mad at us for yelling at them.  You’re at a movie you idiot, shut up.  If you want to talk with your friends, go to Denny’s.

Old people are bad too.  If you’re too old to follow the movie and have to ask the person you’re with more than once what’s going on, get the fuck out of the theater.  How hard is it to follow a movie?  Just shut up and pay attention.  Half of these old people shouldn’t even be allowed out of the house let alone DRIVING and SITTING through a two hour movie.  My parents aren’t even that old but they drive me crazy with this.  They’ll have full conversations about a certain actor or actress or about parts they missed.  Drives me crazy!  It’s to the point where I avoid going with them to not be grouped in with the assholes.

Now that it’s off my chest, I’ll just cross my fingers we don’t have any idiots at the Friday showing I plan to attend.  This will determine if I just give up entirely on premiere nights and become a matinee person.  Maybe it’s me, but can’t people just watch the movie and shut the fuck up!

Facebook Bitching!

Yeah, I know.  Double post but there is something I really need to get off my chest.  It has to deal with Facebook and all the people that feel it’s appropriate to air out their private thoughts and feelings.  My wife has a cousin that totally blasted his uncle on Facebook last night and not only was it inappropriate but it was also disrespectful and something that should be talked about in the privacy of family not to the entire media population of the world.

This is not the only instance of this I noticed.  In fact, I have a “friend”, it’s really more of an acquaintance than a friend but you can’t separate them on Facebook.  He’s the type of friend where if I see him, we’ll say hi and chit chat a little bit but I’m not going to seek him out to hang out or talk to everyday.  They type you see every so often and you’re friendly but in reality you could give two shits about.  We all have them so don’t act like you don’t think the same thing.  Can’t Facebook come up with something to separate all your “friends”?  Some type of separation with, “friends”, “acquaintances”, and even “enemies”.  I’d love to see an enemies section on there.  You know the saying, “keep your friends close but your enemies closer.”

Anyway, back to this acquaintance.  He pretty much had a nervous breakdown on Facebook last week and while entertaining it was annoying and quite frankly a little sad.  He was obviously having ladies issues but felt the need to air out all these problems for his “friends”, family and acquaintances to see.  It got to the point where his real friends were posting to cut it out and the girl he was talking about was telling him to stop posting stuff.  It was a real live Facebook soap opera!  Again, entertaining but embarrassing.  In fact, I don’t know if I could look this kid in the face if I see him again.  I would take him off my “friends” list but I don’t want his next post to be blasting me….

I don’t know what these people are thinking.  A lot of people are doing it and not only is it embarrassing to the people posting but it’s embarrassing to the people it’s about and it’s something that should be handled privately.  Please stop putting personal grudges, personal feelings and overall your personal shit live on Facebook for the world to see.  Instead, try this, pick up a phone and have a conversation.  Trust me, it’ll work out a lot better in the long run and will make you look like a grown up instead of a twelve year old girl in grammar school.  Maybe it’s me, but some things should be kept PRIVATE!

Performance for the Ages

What a great pitching performance again last night in baseball.  I’ll take a great pitching duel over a slugfest any day and boy was I treated to something special last night.  Cliff Lee was fantastic and I think we have to give it to him as the best postseason pitcher of the last two years.  He has been so lights out in the postseason the last two years it’s not even close.  He’s like that one pitcher in little league that makes everyone just look stupid.  It’s seriously unreal what he is doing and I’m astonished every time I see him pitch.

Then yesterday, we see him up against arguably the best postseason pitcher in the history of the game, Andy Pettitte.  He was brilliant as well, making really only one bad pitch to Josh Hamilton.  He amazes me too because the last two regular seasons he’s been very average, but in the postseason, he’s masterful.  He just knows how to pitch in the playoffs.

I remember at one point in that game saying, damn!   Someone open the game up so I can go to bed, it’s almost eleven!!!  Then the Yankees took out Andy and the Rangers proceeded to piss all over the Yankees bullpen.  I was a little relieved as I could finally turn off the T.V. but what a great 8 innings of baseball last night.

Maybe it’s me, but give me a good pitching duel over anything in sports.  Truly captivating.

That's What She Said...

I always thought that a joke at some point will get old and not as funny any as they originally were.  Then, the “that’s what she said” joke came around.  God that joke never gets old.  Seriously, it’s always funny.  I was thinking about it yesterday while watching football with some friends, it just never gets old.  No matter who says it, when it’s said and how many times it’s said, it’s just as funny as the first time.

Before I go any further I guess I should explain the joke in case you’ve been under a rock somewhere playing with Osama and oblivious to pop culture the last few years.  The “that’s what she said” joke is basically when in casual conversation someone says something sexually provocative or sexual in nature by accident or unknowingly, usually a male but it can still be funny when a woman says it.  Then after it’s said, you immediately say, “That’s what she said”.  Here are some examples (from yesterday in fact).

My buddy is eating a kielbasa and actually says, “Man, that’s some good kielbasa!”  I then without missing a beat say, “That’s what she said”.  Room erupts in laughter (even from the ladies).  My buddy just shakes his head and chuckles.  Maybe an hour later, an announcer on TV says something to the effect of “wow, great penetration”, my buddy without missing a beat, “that’s what she said”.  Again laughs.  But the best one had to be later on when I was putting the garbage out for pickup in the next morning.  The garbage was in the garage and I had to have my wife move the car so I could get it out.  I said, “Babe, I need you to pull out”, my buddy says, “That’s what she said”.  CLASSIC!!

It then proceeds to go on all day long and it never gets old.  It will always get a laugh and whoever can put the “that’s what she said” on the best non-sexual comment, gets the biggest laugh.  Maybe it’s me, but some jokes just never get old, in fact the longer you keep it going the better it is….

That’s what she said!

WTFF! - What the F&@k Friday!

WTF Friday!  You ever look at a news story and just scream WTF!!!  Well, it seems there’s something in the news every week that just makes no god damn sense.  This week’s is this article (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101008/od_nm/us_lennon_fingerprints) on the FBI seizing John Lennon’s fingerprints before an auction.  I know the article is from late last week but I still can not get over it.  It seems the FBI thinks it’s important to seize a fingerprint card of John Lennon from his citizenship card from 1976.  I’m not sure why this is a top priority as Mr. Lennon has been dead since 1981.  Not only did they waste tax payers money in the seizure of this “important” document but think of the time they’ve wasted seizing this useless document.  I hope there was no new information on a terror attack that day because the FBI had their hands full seizing the fingerprints of a man that has been dead for almost 30 years!!!

I get that they are investigating how it came into the private collection of a civilian but are we really that concerned?  If the federal government had been auctioning it off, would it have been ok?  It just seems really silly to waste our tax money seizing a document that clearly holds no real importance to the government.  Maybe to make some money, the government should actually hold an auction on items like this.  Think of how much we could deflate the national debt by selling fingerprints and artifacts that they have in their possession.  Hell, they were going to get $100,000 or more for the fingerprints, just imagine what confiscated items from other celebrities and criminals could bring in.

Maybe it’s me, but I think the FBI and the government have better things to do with their time and money then to hunt down useless documents from dead celebrities.  They have no clue were half the terrorists are, can’t locate weapons of mass destruction, but don’t worry their hard at work collecting memorabilia from celebrities, man do I feel safe….

Parking Lot ROBBERY!

I was lucky enough to get a ride into work today by my wife so I escaped the robbery or I like to call it raping of parking in downtown Hartford.  I know that may be a bit harsh to describe the price to park downtown of a major city but that’s what I feel like happens to me every time I hand over my five dollars.  Now I know what you’re saying, “why is he complaining about five dollars a day?  That doesn’t sound so bad?”  Well, I park a half mile away in an open lot with no cover from the elements in a parking lot with broken concrete and pretty much gravel flooring.  Not only that, but the “lot attendant”  who is supposed to be supervising the entire lot looks like a pot head who I know goes around and tries the handles on all the cars to see if he gets lucky and someone leaves them unlocked.  I caught this guy doing this one morning when I forgot something in my car and had to go back to retrieve it.  He was lurking around my car and I saw him try one of the back doors.  I asked him what he was doing and he acted like he wasn’t doing anything.  I tried to find a different lot but unless I want to pay anywhere from 8-25 dollars a day, this shady ass lot will have to do.  Maybe it’s me, but it’s too god damn expensive to park downtown in major cities.

By the way, I work in Hartford, CT and the parking lot in question is located at corner of

Morgan St.

and

Main St

.

(also an entrance at

Chapel St

.

), stay AWAY!  The problem with this scenario is that I know it’s not exclusive to the city I work in.  I recently visited both Baltimore, MD and our nation’s capital Washington D.C.  Not only was it almost impossible to find parking but when I did find parking it was ridiculous.  We ended up paying $25 for the day in both cities because we parked for longer than 5 hours and you automatically pay the maximum price after five hours.  At least in those cities my car was in a covered garage and it felt a lot safer than where my car is usually.

Is there a solution?  I don’t think there is.  You have to come to the city and most of the time you have to park, unless you want to use public transportation, which come on, does anyone really want to ride the bus or train with the crazies?  So basically they got you.  They can charge whatever the heck they want and guess what, we’re going to pay it.  We have to, there’s no way around it.  They got us by the balls so to speak.  So, I’ll continue getting rides from my wife whenever I can and on the days I can’t, I’ll suck it up, bend over and take it like a man.

Holiday?

Off today on a “holiday”.  Does anyone even consider Columbus Day a holiday anymore?  I don’t.  How can you discover something that was already here?  Not only that, but there is some proof and theories out there that says he wasn’t even the first one here.  There are many documented experiences to this “New World” by the Chinese, Vikings and even the Hebrews.  Take a look at this article as I feel it has many good ideas and accounts of other people getting to America before Columbus: http://hubpages.com/hub/Was-Christopher-Columbus-Really-the-First-to-Discover-America_2

So why are we still celebrating Columbus Day?  Is it just easier to keep telling children the same ole story?  Is it harder then re-doing all the texts book all over again?  Is this story more romantic that all the others?  I don’t know what it is but most companies (1 out of 10 in fact) either do not acknowledge the holiday or call it something entirely else. (http://whoknew.news.yahoo.com/?nc&vid=22349437).

I’m not complaining though.  I’ll take the day off and explain to my five year old son that though Christopher Columbus may have not actually discovered America, he was one of the first to travel to and name our great continent.  I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the relaxation that comes with this “holiday” and be thankful that I work for one of the companies that recognize this day, even though they probably shouldn’t.

On a side note, poor Native American Indians!  I’m sure they were thinking, what?  Discovered?  We’ve been here the whole time.  That’s like me “discovering” a house being built and moving all my shit it and claiming it as mine.  See you tomorrow, I’m off to enjoy the holiday!!!