Archive for September, 2010

Still A Captive…

It has been 15 months, 23 days, 11 hours and several minutes since I last saw civilization.  I have forgotten what day it is.  Is it Sunday?  No, I saw from my vantage point this morning a few cars driving by.  Most of the cars had just one occupant and they seemed to be trying to juggle coffee, put on makeup and adjust the radio at the same time.  If I remember correctly, I think that’s what they call someone commuting to work.

The walls of my living abode seem to be closing in on me.  It’s all I can do to keep from going stir crazy.  My captors have left me with a few things to entertain myself.  There is the television with its endless opportunities to view brain-numbing shows.  While channel surfing I found shows like “Judge (fill in the blank)”, cutesy morning shows with way too perky blondes, and something called soap operas where nobody sings. 

There seems to be a lot of women on daytime television.  Oprah, Tyra, and Ellen all seem to be happy because their being paid a boatload of cash to interview some celebrity about some stupid movie.  I stumbled upon interesting commercials for “accredited” schools in culinary arts (fry cooks), medical billing (yeah, sounds like fun), or I.T. training (as if I need training to be a geek).  By watching these commercials you would think that my opportunities were endless.

Yet, here I sit, this captive soul wondering what happened, where the time has disappeared and what tomorrow may bring me.

You see, before being captured I was a fully functional member of society.  I had a place to go to every morning.  A place where I would drink coffee, gossip about sports and co-workers, read my personal email, check the internet, and eventually get some kind of work accomplished.  I was a happy and content man. 

I had a job.

You need to understand that I have not been a willing captive.  I tried to evade confinement and I am constantly looking for ways out of my current imprisonment.  I have scoured the want ads until my fingers were black; I’ve checked every job board the internet has to offer until my fingers bled from typing.  I have been to job fairs, networked my little heart out, and killed a small forest in resumes.

However, I can’t complain too much.  I have had the opportunity to wear shorts everyday, the dog is happy to have a companion all day, and my wife enjoys the fact that she comes home from work to a clean house and laundry.  Life could be worse.

 I wonder who’s on Oprah today?

Was Michael Crichton Right?

As a casual cigar smoker, I found this interview of Michael Crichton very intesting.  Mr. Crichton held a PhD from Harvard Medical School as well as being a famous author and film director.  He explains his views about second hand smoke and how the government couldn’t get the facts right. 

As a side note, Between 1960 and 1998, James Enstrom and Geoffrey Kabat, two American researchers – fiercely anti-smoking, both of them – conducted a survey of 118,094 Californians in a bid to discover once and for all whether or not the inhalation of other people’s cigarette smoke causes heart disease or cancer. Their conclusion? No it doesn’t.

I am in agreement with Mr. Crichton’s views that not everyone enjoys having someone smoke next to them and I believe that there should be some laws that protect those who wish not to be near it.  However, using the scare tactics that have been employed by anti-smoking lobbists is just wrong.  Remember, this is a discussion about ‘second hand smoke’ and not about those of us who have chosen to smoke ourselves.  I am fiercely proctective of those around me who do not smoke or who do not enjoy cigars as I do.  I do take it upon myself to make sure that I don’t offend anyone near me.  I smoke outdoors (unless I am at a cigar lounge) and I try to stay away from crowds.  However, with the current climate here in California, I am afraid that soon I will not be able to enjoy my cigars anywhere, inside or out.

What do you think of Mr. Crichton’s opinion and how do you stand for smokers and non-smokers rights? 

9/11 Has Become Our Generation’s Remembrance…

This is a re-post I like to put up on the anniversary of 9/11 in remembranceof those who lost their lives on that tragic day.  Even after nine years, we as a nation seem to be having a hard time with the tragedy that fell on us that day. 

That’s a good thing as we should remember the people who lost their lives that day.  However, we should also recall it as a time when we all came together as a nation.  Unlike the hatred that seems to prevail the news lately.

Where Were You When….

An Appreciation for ‘Parenting Lessons’…

I have been enjoying Carrie Mitchell’s series of ‘Parenting Lessons’ she’s been sharing with us on KPCC’s ‘The Freeway.’  Her writing about her young children and the experiences of raising them bring a chuckle and fond memories for me. 

I have three daughters, ages 22, 18 and 17, so those younger years truly are but a memory for me now.  However, I do have some ‘Parenting Lessons’ that I would love to share with Carrie and anyone who has children approaching the ‘adult stage’ of their lives.  These are not so much lessons as they are rules I’ve asked, pleaded, and begged my girls to adhere.  By the lack of hair on the top of my head, you will understand that worries I’ve been through.

Lesson One
“Boys are Bad” This declaration was imparted on them at a very early age.  I come from a long line of boys and having God decide that I get girls (showing that God has a sense of humor), I took it upon myself to make sure that my daughters understood what every boy is looking for.  Because, let’s face it, when you get right down to it we boys are all looking for the same thing.

Lesson Two
When you turn eighteen, you are going to ‘big girls jail’ if you do something unlawful.  Not little girls jail (juvenile detention).  Mom and dad cannot get you out of big girls’ jail very easily.  Tread carefully!
 

Lesson Three
My three daughters know that I love them very much.  I will traverse dangerous situations, place my own life before theirs, and do whatever I need to make sure they are safe.  However, just because I love you does not mean l like you all the time. 

Lesson Four
For the love of god, please do not end up on any ‘Girls Gone Wild’ video.  Just like a bad tattoo, you will have to live with that for the rest of your life.  Remember the ‘internet is forever.’  This goes for Facebook pictures as well.

Lesson Five
If I send you off to college and you come home one day declaring that you have found the love of your life and that you want to keep the baby…just shoot me.  Now that I think about it, this probably falls under Lesson Three….