Cleanup, Aisle 25-don't forget the sawdust

No one is more shocked than I that I agree with something Russell Brand says, but this really is a very nice tribute to Amy Winehouse-and I can't believe that I would echo something this guy says, as I think he is an awful comic...but heroin addiction is one of the toughest things to recover from.
We really should've started to look at the option of getting addicts clean instead of chucking them in jail a long time ago. My main reason for stating that is simple-an addict can get better junk in the joint than on the outside. I swear from all that I've read and heard (I have an extended family member with a life sentence-not that you care-but that's how I know) that being inside will only get you more hooked, if not dead. The prison system, like a lot of other things, is massively broken.
At the same time, I don't think it's right that the media, and the paparazzi in particular, take such a shine to someone's downward spiral, their demise. It would be one thing if they were a douchebag, or a murderer (waive your hand over there in the corner, OJ), but Winehouse was successful, and no one could deny her voice. So why the hate? Is it because those that don't have that talent choose to berate the person that holds it? Have these same haters not seen someone they love go thru the downward spiral of success? I have, on a much smaller scale. It sucks, but it happens. On top of all the musicians, there are plenty of actors, comedians, wrestlers and athletes who end up chasing the high of performing, at the highest of levels, in front of huge crowds. Most of us will never know what that is like, let alone succeeding in that environment. For us as music fans, we lost a voice that was amazing. While I may not have loved her voice, I know talent when I hear it-and she had it.

Now, on to the things that I've had tabbed on my internet search for awhile...

I want one! Admit it, you do, too...

The founder of SavvyAuntie.com needs to get a grip. Read this, and then get my back story. Ready? I pull up many websites a day at work (hey, when you're trying to track down contacts at major corporations, Google is a great tool), and Google News is one of them. Other than the screaming liberalism - seriously every other article is from either the NY or LA Times, c'mon man-I came across the article linked above, and my reaction was to gag. And in the 2nd to last paragraph is what made me throw up in my mouth a lil' bit:
"My infertility is circumstantial but my life is not barren."
Lady, I got news for you-the reason you don't have a kid is very simple, so simple I can't believe someone who comes across so learned that you don't see it. No one talks like that, except women who are covering for the reason they're single and/or without child. You do a disservice to those who can't have children. Quite frankly, you're an offense to me, a man. You chose your career over opening your mind and heart to a man who was trying to make you happy. You want too much. And now, it's probably too late.
I know from which I speak. As a single man, I have been such a picky asshole for so long, I probably wouldn't know a good woman if she walked up, bought me a beer and shook my dick. This is part of what happens when you look longingly for something and someone that isn't there.

Again, Denver, I ask-Why no mention of hate crimes? Why is okay for '4 to 10 black men and women' to attack whites and hispanics but no mention of race but the moment a minority in Boulder gets slapped it has to be race-related or a hate crime? Does hate only work one way in this country? In the eyes of the law? Have white people (I mean the rest of you, not me, I could care less) become so afraid of being dubbed a 'racist' that they will bend over and just take it. This is the 3rd summer in a row that black youth has beaten up some white people near or in downtown Denver, and no one is throwing down the race card. Sorry, but this is gang violence, just like it was 2 summers ago at the Denver Pavilion. Charge these criminals as such.

Sprint is the last one at the unlimited data party. Considering how many phone calls I don't make, I am glad I have an unlimited data plan-makes for using Pandora for my commute nice. Although I will admit, I'm starting to get iPhone envy as my Android phone has been acting clunky lately. It must know its time is up come December.

Let me see if I have this right-Obama wins the election in 2008, then tells everyone with an 'R-' in front of their state to deal with it because in case they forgot, he won. Then in 2010 people came out in middle elections and put a new brand of people that would tell him his policies suck, now with this debt deal he wants 'bipartisanship'. Dear Mr. President-get bent, buddy. You don't get to own both sides of the street. Your fiscal policy is to bankrupt my friends' grandkids. Your party hasn't come up with an original budget idea in over 800 days, yet I have to read and watch you say that social security checks might not get cut. Way to freak out the old people. Add to it that when you are told by someone who has run a few businesses what's what, when he doesn't get his way he storms out of a room. As someone that didn't vote for him-not because I'm racist, not because I'm afraid of hope or change, not because I think W is the devil, but I don't think he has the background to lead-I'm going to point out something Obama said that I repeated on stage for an open mic night: "That is above my pay grade." He was telling all of us, most of you refused to listen.

How to win the baseball trade deadline-see Braves, Atlanta.
How to lose the baseball trade deadline-Astros, Houston.
More on the baseball trades tomorrow, a whole blog on those deals that went down.

The new apt
Ah, living on my own-such a dream that I just snatched from the jaws of a nightmare. The kitchen will be complete tomorrow. The bedroom is set. The bathroom is 98% set. The living room? If I were a sophomore in college it would be all set. The TV is a beauty-football cannot start soon enough, in LED on an HD feed, I may pass out. I need to purchase a couch still, and once that is in, then the coffee table will go in, along with a dining room set.
This place is huge for a 1 bedroom-792 sq. feet. And it's all mine. Now that doesn't mean there haven't been a moment or two of drama, but all things have worked out. I'm just happy to be able to enjoy peace and quiet, and my own space. It's been 7 years since I've used my own cups/plates/silverware, and I bought so much crap for this move it's beyond calling it over the top. But I'm stocked up on all sorts of things, so now it's time for the great couch hunt, and all will be in place well before Labor Day.

Now, as for the grad school or not for me? That question has an answer. The answer is not for me, not right now. Don't be disappointed in me. I took my closest friends take (or at least those that I knew could give me a hard hitting answer in a short period of time-if you weren't asked, take it for what it's worth) along with Ma Dukes input, thought about things, mostly what I wanted, and came to this conclusion:
While I'm not certain what I want to be yet, going to get an MBA just to get one (without any focus) doesn't seem like the brightest idea, on top of taking on a potential $60K in debt. I know the area I like, and this program that I mentioned in a previous blog would not be a fit, nor I a fit for that program, no matter how flattering the recruiter was of my 'varied career'. It's nice to be told I have a lot of the talent level and skills that they would look for, but I wasn't really looking for this at this moment.

I'm going to attempt to make this as normal of a week as possible, no crazy trips, just going to work and coming home, exercising, eating right and getting some much needed rest. Then the week after that hitting the job search, hard. Nothing against my current role, but it isn't managed to my expectations. I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I do know I want more out of my career and my life.

Things to look forward to-here's what I will be writing about this week:
Baseball trades
Hitting the 'unfriend' button and ripple effect
Why family is the yin/yang of our existence.

Have a good week, everyone, I know I will.

and this person is employed?

So, I look back at times and remember when I wasn't employed, struggling financially and stressing out about finding a job. And I remember being pissed when I would meet someone that had no talent and/or acted like an assclown. And then I heard this:

"I didn't know that there were black people in Minnesota"

How fucking ignorant can a person be? This is 2011 and someone has the gall so say some stupid shit like this??!! Yup, and they've been with that company for a good long time. Meanwhile I was struggling for 18 months trying to get a job.

It truly is tough to soar amongst the eagles when you live with turkeys.

School or no school?

Yesterday I spent 2 hours in a meeting with the recruiting director for a graduate school program. What the hell am I thinking?

Well, here are some of my thoughts:
I'm 35, and if I were to enroll in this program and graduate, I'd be done at 37.
I'm single, and by the looks of it, that ain't changing anytime soon.
Better to get an education or keep watching TV?-I've been watching TV for a loooong time now, and never been nearly as rewarding as reading a book. Damn it, I can't believe I just admitted that out loud!!
How many options would this give me?
I'm not sure what I want to be, but this gives me more opportunity and allows me to talk about my so-called 'career path'. If this were a real path, I'd have fired the guide and chucked them down the side of a mountain a long time ago.
There will never be another point in time in my life when I'm not busier.

One of my biggest fears is the work. I honestly have no clue how much work goes into this type of thing. I do know that my current job isn't going anywhere (ah, security, ya smell so nice) and that this role isn't so involved that I couldn't handle both.

But face facts, I've been out of school since 1997, I've jumped around in my jobs quite a bit the last 5 years, but I've excelled in all of them. It's just that I was either a contractor or got laid off. Sometimes the timing isn't there. This may be the time when it is.

Anyone got an opinion? My ears and eyes are open!

There's cool, there's calm, and then there's my brother

Went and saw 'Horrible Bosses' after work today. Go see it. You'll laugh, it's highly inappropriate. Which is what I needed.

Sidenote-saw the preview for 'Footloose'...did they make the guy playing Kevin Bacon's Ren McCormick from freakin' Boston??? If that's the case, my retort is 'yup, when you think of all the great dance companies from around the US, Boston ranks way up their with NYC, Detroit, Chicago and LA...WTF?? Boston guys dance slightly better than the clowns in Jersey..c'mon!'

I get out of the movie theater after my bladder buster almost busted my bladder (a large popcorn and ginormous soda for $13??? At least fake like you're going to rub my penis, AMC Theatres, I deserved it for that, right?), I looked at my phone, I had 2 texts and a voicemail.

The voicemail was non-important, an old roommate who is trying to reconnect-you know him as HotDog Neck. Nice guy, but I don't need to hear about all the ills of the world. I have the internet and a smartphone, thanks.

Also non-important, but noteworthy, was a text about 'Chopped' from the last roommate. Would have been much cooler if hadn't received this one:
U still at work?-from my baby brother
Just got out of the movies, wasup?-Me
Mom fell. Big gash on the back of her head. Im in the er with her now-baby brother

Yes, I dialed immediately, told my buddy I had to go, my brother answered the phone all casual. "I can't talk right now, they're stitching her up, she seems alright."

Unlike my brother, I was freaking the fuck out. This is/was/will be one of my biggest fears, my Ma Dukes falling down steps. She's 60 going on 80. And since my brother told me he'd call me back I decided to speed like a madman home. More like I thought I was Superman and could drive fast enough to go back in time (get the reference?)...and then I wait....

and wait...

and wait somemore...

Then I had to text my brother 2 hours (!!!!) after he hung up on me. Yup, Ma Dukes bumped her noggin pretty darn good. She was apparently cleaning up cat puke (oh how I don't like her cats-yes, it's dumb but this is my Ma we're talking about) on the top step and went over and hit all the steps. 4 stitches. She's sore, but the doctor in the ER told her to get some rest, or so my brother tells me. He then tells me, and I quote, "I gotta go, I'm walking into a bar"

Yup, that kid is way too cool for anything. Or too fucking aloof.

I'll call my Ma in the morning to see how she is.

Ain't family great?

Ok God, you can turn off the water now

Day 7, in a row no less, of lightning and rain in this town. Fine, alright already, I ate the last scone at the office mtg and didn't own up to it. Can you turn off the spigot already? People are getting freaked out by the hail, the sideways rain and the lightning & thunder scares my friends kids.

(If you really think I'd take the last scone then you don't know me at all...I'd take the 2nd to last one, but never the last one)

Dear Comcast-it's just raining here in Denver!

So last night I decided I needed a bit of a break from unpacking. Again-how do I own this much crap? Although it was awesome to find my Mr. T bobblehead...makes me grin.

In the meantime, I wanted to watch something on the newest electronic addition to my stable, the big ol' 55-inch TV. 'Wall Street:Money Never Sleeps' was on, and since I'm such a huge Gordon Gekko fan, what the hell. Here's what the hell. 5, yes 5, Emergency Alert System interruptions in an hour, for a place that is well over 30 miles anywhere near me. Couldn't watch the MLB All-Star game, either. FYI-the 1st hour of that movie listed above was the setup, and it sucked. Shia LeBouf's costar should have been cast with a ridiculous rack or something, it was awful. Every actor that I saw looked like they ate a block of cheese the night before and were looking for a glass of Metamucil. Pensive, to say the least.

The Mad Canadian I work with was all fired up at 7:34 this morning. I was trying to choke down my cup of coffee (fine, it's like 4 cups, whatever) to tell him I was irritated, but in truth I was ticked last night. I miss DirecTV already. Fine, there's one drawback to my new apt.

Tough times, eh, Hef?

I have taken great pride in canceling (fine, not renewing) my subscription to Playboy magazine a couple of years ago. I had my reasons:
1. I can get all the pics online. What more is there?
2. I can get all the celeb nipslips online, if I so desire.
3. The content started sucking beyond sucking. Once a year, they would interview a so-called 'conservative' and the other 11 would be someone telling me how someone with a view that wasn't completely in agreement with their wide-open lifestyle made me a close-minded retard. Go figure, the same group of folks that tell me not to say the word 'retard', let someone call me 'retard'. Ironic, ain't it? I couldn't take reading more of their drivel. I know this country has problems, but it sure seemed like a bright light was being shown on the crap pile on one side of the street, while the other side was allowed to say 'it was like this when we got here (40 years ago!)'. I don't like hypocrites.
4. And most importantly, Hugh Heffner is a giant hypocrite. Back in 1986, there was a centerfold named Teri Weigel. Well, Teri went and did porn and was blacklisted for doing so, losing all Grotto privileges and the keys to the Playboy Mansion. This happened in 1991. Now, Playboy has had Sasha Grey in the past 2 years and will have Bree Olson gracing the cover next month. Guess everyone else already figured out what I know-the internet is for social media, porn, and fantasy sports. That Playboy empire ought to be crumbling within the next 5 years, mark my words. And I won't have to miss the nekkid ladies, thank you for the internet, Al Gore!

The 1st post from the new dugout!!

This will be short, sweet, and to the point...

I'm finally in a good enough space, especially financially, that I got my own place. This place is huge-I'm learning how much useless crap I've kept throughout the years, how much of that will be donated and or chucked-the bedroom is almost unpacked and the john is merely missing a couple of things, but this place is sweet. Kitchen is almost set up, too, as the dishwasher is rumbling for the 4th time in 2 days. But the coffee pot will have its inaugural voyage at 6 AM tomorrow.

The only other thing I can mention right now is the following-if I were the type of person who believed in signs, I'd be scared to leave the new place. Between some communications I've received, whom I've met recently, the amount of rain, the freakish rainbows and the music that has been coming over my TV (more on this new monstrosity soon), I'm starting to wonder....

now off to that sweet sleep that is my own place....ahhhhhhh