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.