Loving the Quotes

I looked through a book today and a few items hit me. I have always sought out inspirational quotes and here are a couple from "10o Things to Always Remember and 1 Thing to Never Forget" by Alin Austin

Pay attention to the news, but don't pay homage to it.

The best kind of learning curve is an educated smile.

To better understand a person means being aware of the depths of their needs.

The Best Monkey Ever

Any of various long-tailed, medium-sized members of the order Primates, including the macaques, baboons, guenons, capuchins, marmosets, and tamarins and excluding the anthropoid apes and the prosimians.

To play, fiddle, trifle, or tamper with something. To behave in a mischievous or apish manner.

What have you done lately?

So much to do, so little time.

What have you read to awaken the mind's eye? Here's a list:
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm
What have you seen that marks natures beauty?
Have a peep.http://www.mapplethorpe.org/
What have you listened to? The jangle confronting today's Wal-mart, made in China patriotic jingoism.
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/earle-steve/john-walkers-blues-2206.html

Love on the one hand, Hate on the other both trying to do the right thing.

A Haiku

Orange blossom bloom
Is there a perfect one or
Are they all flawless?

Inspired by The Last Samurai

(yes the photo is not an orange blossom but it's what i like most)

FUNNY stuff

Asking if I COULD have a piece of cake, my mother in law expressed concern that I might go into "prophylactic shock", since the cake had walnuts in it and I'm allergic to em. Man did I bust a gut. Fell out of my seat and everything.

It reminded me of my brother's old girlfirend who was a dental hygienist. She told us of how it was horrible to work on a person, hovering over their mouths, when they clearly had "hemophilia". Even though I thought that that was the funniest thing ever, I had to look at her for a while trying to figure out if indeed she was serious. She worked in the field after all. How could she confuse the fields of dental hygiene and phlebotomy?

Yesterday in one of the classrooms I observe, I started laughing on the inside (had too as I didn't want the students to catch on or embarrass the teacher); however, I suspect one of the more clever students got the double entendre as well. The teacher was going over the 6 water sheds of PA and as he described a particularly interesting local tid-bit he said, "You'd have to be pretty high to see lake Erie from far away." A real knee slapper that one.

Readers of the Digest beware. This is why LIFE is STRANGER than FICTION. HEHE

Why I'm Not a Practicing Catholic

The following is a simple outline I drew up in response to a friend's inquiry to why I no longer practice the Catholic faith. I may still call myself Catholic but that does not mean that I am Catholic. Someone asked me recently what I was and my answer of "Just me" didn't seem to satisfy. There is real benefit in defining one's self even if the parameters of a basic inner epistemology are as yet unknown. What once was may no longer dominate; what could be mightn't be discovered; all while the present stagnates, deteriorates, and ceases to participate in the worthwhile. The important thing in self-discovery, in defining an essence, is in pursuing some convincing and reassuring dimension that envelopes the whole. Let's see how far I take this. I seek that which needs sought so...

1. Basic Universal Premises
   Jesus as a historical figure or the Son of God
   The idea of the Holy Trinity something difficult I'm sure for even the most learned.
   The Church as Central to salvation. Going back in time it is immensely important to trace an organization to its roots. All Christian churches certainly point to Christ as their Head but how is that Roman Catholism claims sole ownership?
2. People Particulars
   The Church Hierarchy. This is always such a hot topic when pointing out Catholism's supposed weak points. I like the idea of deference but have a problem with the hierarchy being given great lip service while being completely forsaken. This seemingly comes about because of dramatic power struggles within the church and by its laity.
   Pedophilia. NEED I SAY MORE?! Scandals have rocked through the Church for ages. Differences in theology stand out as well as political upheaval. But what the??? This recent cover-up takes the cake for me.
   Resource Distribution. I have no problem with the Church having wealth materially, historically, or monetarily. I do have a problem the apparent lack of consideration in dealing with the needy while preserving nonfunctioning, diminishing churches or needlessly expanding mediocre structures in the name of competitiveness. The Church has a responsibility to uphold charitable necessities but places more emphasis on Keeping Up With the Protestants.
3. Personal Trivialities
   Support. I am no rock. The cock hasn't crowed 3 times but is on continuous drowning cycle. All must hear my denial as the snake winds its way easily through expanding shadows of my life.
   Marital. This is very personal, and I am not seeking to blame my eternal partner in wedlock. I just thought that we'd have 6 plus children by now, attending Mass regularly, and placing God as the center of our life. NOT SO!
   Local. I haven't heard a priest give a deep meaningful homily since California. The California part may not be significant, because I'm sure there are countless good priests who stir up the best hell and damnation. I just miss hearing the word of God followed up by something so meaningfully personal that it speaks to the very trials and tribulations of the moment. How great would that be? Going to Church, feeling the presence of Jesus, experiencing the sacrifice on Mount Calvary, knowing that that same sacrifice offered some 2 thousand years ago is taking place now all in the name of your own personal dilemma, suffering, and misfortune. To feel that the priest knows via some touching oration certainly pays tribute to the ever presence of God.
   Feelings. Not to condone the charismatic movement but I haven't experienced that overpowering sense of wonder in some time. I can remember a moment where I was laying in bed envisioning the very real pain felt by Jesus on the cross while questioning the possibility of Man made Flesh. As I lay there it was as if I saw something dreamy and awe inspiring. Nuff about that least I believe mysewackybe a bit whacky.
   Habit. I simply lost the habit however it came about. Anyone having had smoked knows the VALUE and formative quality of habituation. There are good habits and there are bad ones. I lost the good habit of attending Mass and am not disposed to reacquaint myself with it except in participating in my kids weekly Mass at their Catholic school.

JD Predicted to WIN

The show just started! Don't know if I am excited that it is coming to a close or that the show needs to end. The real question is, "Is INXS really one of the Greatest rock and roll bands of all time?" When you think of the great ones, like The Rolling Stones, Lead Zepplin, or The Beatles, do you really put INXS in with the group of ALL TIME BEST? I love em. They really where one of my favorite bands when I was a kid, but come on!!! I'm not so sure the marketing meets reality.

No matter, because I watch the show. I was hooked. I even got caught up in all of the drama my democratic was supposed to. In that vain, I predict JD to be the winner regardless of my past thoughts and feelings. Let's go see who takes center stage. Hell!!! I may even go see the show when it comes around. GO JD!!!

Gum Chewing, A New ADDICTION

People are stupid!!! And make the most absurd statements. I heard this the other day, “I was a pack a day.” Now what do you associate when you hear this phrase? Generally it refers to SMOKING, right? Well the other day I overheard a teacher say this to one of the students she was watching, a teacher of all people. But it’s not what you think. No, no. It doesn’t even come close. This teacher was admonishing some gullible terrified student for chewing gum. That’s right, CHEWING GUM.
I know that most schools have a rule about NO gum chewing for a variety of reasons: health, respectfulness while teachers are suppose to be teaching, fairness, and other all cleanliness. But is chewing gum such a vice, such a dirty little habit, that people liken it to smoking? Who says in their support group, “I’m addicted to gum!” Addicted to snood maybe, chocolate and caramel certainly, with drugs and sex being some real possibilities, but GUM?
I have known people to chew until their jaws looked liked Popeye’s forearms and we have all been in a classroom where that annoying popular girl smacked and smacked until the most ruthless teacher smacked the back of her head (ok the teacher part is a fantasy). But Come On!!! Seriously, to suggest that you were “a pack a day” addicted gum chewer takes the cake. The teacher did follow up her admission of the newest addiction with, “that’s why I have TMJ.”
Stop the presses! Notify the AMA! Serious Gum Chewers beware! You can develop TMJ just by chewing gum. Do mothers think of the seriousness and potential danger they are placing their children in when they allow their sweet little babies to buy a pack of Wriggle’s Spearmint? What about the dentists that support the whitening power behind Trident? Are they simply part of a conspiracy to get people addicted to one more evil so that the doctors of the world have new patients?
I realize that people need to connect their circumstances with understanding and reason. Why did this happen to me? It’s part of man’s nature to seek out the why behind things. And it has become fashionable to reason away (possibly blame) all facets of man’s imperfect nature. Who wants to say that it because of their actions when it’s easier to suggest that it is due to some organic disease; however, is this a viable consideration for the seriousness of TMJ or one more instance of a individual flaunting their insecurities seeking comfort in the junk science of gum chewing addiction. People are stupid.

Four Noble Truths

This is good stuff!!! For all to know, for me to know; most importantly, as a guide to live our lives by. I write these out for a specific purpose but wish to share them with all, eventually, in a typical Catholic manner. We'll see about that. In the mean time, it is my wish that all who read these take what they can and apply it to the way they live their life. Not to Ambitious?! I still need to dig deeper into the meaning and purpose behind The Four Noble Truths.

1. "Suffering" Exists
2. "Suffering" Comes about, arises
3. "Suffering" Can end, cease, ushering forth Nirvana
4. Eight-Fold Noble Path as Tools to practice in order to realize Nirvana

• Right View
• Right Intention
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness
• Right Concentration/Meditation

Very Cool Stuff!!! I still need to learn, contemplate, be, and accept the way of things, whatever that may be. Yet the above is helpful in many things and I simply wanted to type it out for the benefit of all who may come across it.

Cheers and Happy. Happy; Joy, Joy to all. And in case I don't see ya, Good morning, Good Afternoon, and Good night.

It's not my fault. I Blame You!!!

Why are so many people QUICK to blame someone else? No matter the difficulty, hardship, trial, or tribulation that is in a person’s life, it always seems to be caused by someone else. Is it cultural, generational, racial, or just specific to the human race? People all over the country right now in engaged in the BIGGEST BLAME GAME I have seen in a while. There may be truth to some of the accusations. There may be good reason to wonder at the shortcomings of this individual or that; however, can we really blame people for taking part in an age old coping mechanism? Many comedians, journalists, and politicians are vying for the highest position on makeshift soapboxes so that they are the first to be heard blaming George W. I am sure every other blogger with a voice has done the same. But again, why BLAME? Why point fingers at those supposedly responsibly?

There is a long list of people who regularly “accept” blame for what has befallen the world’s heartache. The Government is an easy target. Career politicians have made a habit out of blaming their political opposite than say, “let’s not make this about politics.” Than the populace has to chime in because they are certainly the unwilling victims in some grand government conspiracy where neither side of the isle really cares about the little guy. Honestly, get out and vote! Be an active participant in whatever cause you think worthwhile. How about yourself? Parents are most likely the most popular targets. “I didn’t ask to be born!” That’s a good one, blaming your lineage for your mere existence. Hell! Go way back and put it all on Adam and Eve. Even Adam can blame Eve; Eve can blame the snake; the snake can blame God. And if I’m not mistaken, the bible says that God than blamed Adam and Eve. What a nice circular blame doughnut. No middle making no sense.

Race adds a new dimension to the blame game where differences “make up” inferiority and superiority. That’s just it isn’t it? It’s all made up! Given that it is a part of make believe the flip side is completely false too. How’s that for logic?! The point is that Blacks blame Whites, Aboriginals blame Whites, Jews blame Palestinians, Palestinians blame Jews, Whites blame Mexicans, Catholics blame Protestants, Irish blame English, Tutsi blame Huto, Pakistan blame India, Holy Mackerel!!! The list is endless! Where everyone blames everyone else for there state and condition in life. Now I do not want to get into the negative realities of life and how many people in many societies have oppressed who ever they could because certainly might maketh right. The point is that it is always someone else’s fault no matter what especially when it comes to man’s accidental differences. “AH HA! You are different than me; therefore, I will treat you differently so that you can blame me. Wait!!! I may blame you for those very differences because I may not have what you have!!!” Stupid!

We’ve heard a lot in the news about wide spread social economic classes. It’s true! There is a caste system in the United States of America, INC. If you don’t believe this simply turn on your television and watch the wonderful world of Ms. Hilton. But what of these qualitative and quantitative differences in the American public? Well just go to the grocery store about the 15th and 30th of every month and check out the unwed mothers buying up milk and cheese for their screaming 2 year olds while the geriatrics race their scooters to the pharmacy to get whatever generic leftovers Lilly has graciously left for while bleeding their social security. This all happens as P whateveryourpresentnameis Diddy shoots a million dollar Pepsi commercial in the Vons parking lot with the latest addition to Aronld’s ever expanding Hummer collection. What is it? The H$3.95 a gallon? Just what we need. If we didn’t have these, it would certainly be the fault of the Japanese! Blame em for making an economic car eh?!

Well I’m ranting!!! Maybe I should blame someone for run-on sentences or inability to distinguish between there and they're. Yeah that’s it. Blame the educational system for my poor grades, the nations failing grades in grade school, the poor scientist turn out, the lack of qualified graduate students from our own universities so go out and recruit other country’s top performers, college athletes unable to read. Yeah! It’s not my fault. I Blame You!!!

I am glad that I was mowing, because the football game between Notre Dame and Michigan would have killed me. But here it is, the finial tally.

(20) Notre Dame at 17 (4) Michigan 10

Too bad!!! Perhaps the rankings will reverse. They should given MI's dismal performance!!!

So far...

game 2 (20) Notre Dame at 17 (4) Michigan 10

game 1 Northern Ill at 17 (4) Michigan 33

NOT SO GOOD!!!

cool, funny quote

from a comic on comedy cental,
You can paint a pumkin black but that doesn't make it a bowling ball.
funny!!! muy divertido!!!



i also wish to express my Sincere Thx for the networks continued support of the best cartoon since Ren and Stimpy. i was not a fan of the 4th grade Lame Asses, because i adopted a very right wing, ultra christian attitude towards the demon spawn from colorado. even watching it and realizing that it made fun of the same things that i did especially when i was younger, i just didn't want to give into the bigger and bolder Beavis and Butthead. different cartoons to say the least but extreme on both counts. now, i love the show. regression perhaps. a new found light-heartidness. complete disregard for decentcy, wait, i never was very decent.

gr8 show though. i do offer a word of caution: kids in 6th grade may not completely understand it. hell adults may not either. but i see too many "kids" joking around about jews yet in reality these same white-bread, midwesterners are as racist as they come. they just gloss over it by suggesting that it's all good clean fun, harmless, mindless banter, and NOT REALLY MEANT. Yeah right!!! these same kids use nigger and cracker in the halls and on the street to each other and to those ment to get hurt.

sorry to be so much of a downer. i do love the show.

and i know that i cannot spell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

reality behind reality shows

lots has happened to those previously on reality shows: new shows, extra deals, spin-offs, magazine spreads, endorsements, and perhaps most infamously, celebrity. what a bunch of GARBAGE!!! as monica l. goes off to study social psychology, amateur social scientists will continue to opine over the reality behind reality shows. what they say about the people who watch em, the people on em, and whether or not they're real or not might keep us coming back for more and more. anybody remember Flickerstick YEAY BABY!!! anyways...

even with all of the moronic reality realists, none stand out so regurgitatingly real as richard hatch. what a interesting fella! can't you just see Bugs Bunny doing his hair saying, "you meet the most interesting people in the most interesting places." goodness what a marketed monster richard has become! Bugs would surely blow him up, but we could only be lucky (this is not a threat by the way you secrete agents working for Mark Burnett). what's nutters is that his evil genus is partly our responsibility. surely the guy was an ass before the show. we just celebrated it giving him the opportunity to really live life. can you beleive that the winner of season 1 is being charged with tax evasion? talk about showing the world your ass. now the world truely sees how big of one you are.

sorry man!!! i was a fan. NO MAS!!!

in other news, RIP to an old friend Sep 7, 2005

HERE'S TO YOU!!! Hope that you do not get stranded on the island of forever.

If only Bob could have directed the goings on of Richard's Ass!!!

USA 2 Mexico 0

I wish that SOCCER was as popular in the USA as it was elsewhere. I am as guilty as the rest of the country for not watching it but can still dream. Honestly though, I tried to find coverage of the USA Mexico game yesterday and was completely unsuccessful. Nothing on the thousands of cable channels that our service provides. Lots of shopping networks. YUCK!!!

The crazy thing is that is our neck of the woods there are still hoards of soccer moms. Remember that 80's craze when moms everywhere were juggling time schedules to get there precious little ones to the soccer field? The hype may have died down and the media moved on to move "interesting" trends but the soccer mom lives today. You can easily spot them with their magnetic jingles clinging tightly to the back of their SUVs right next to the support our cause magnet. There may even be a baseball magnet. But what with millions of kiddies growing up learning the virtues and benefits of soccer, why hasn't it taken a greater hold in the sports hearts of America?

A book can be written on this, and I do not want to get into it. It would be an interesting case study one of which I'm sure many have attempted. The point of this is that for some of us who are marginally interested to fanatically involved in USA soccer, yesterday's game was a good one; avenging a previous loss, shutting out the archrival team, making them eat their words, and securing a place in the next world cup. All great reasons to follow the USA's soccer team as the head for the 2006 World Cup. Perhaps the excitement of the last woman's soccer team's victory (1999) can finally be matched and we will have a men's champion to herald.

And the Steelers preseason comes to a close.

1 BYE WEEK
2 Mon. Aug. 15 8:00 p.m. ET Eagles 38-31 W
3 Sat. Aug. 20 7:30 p.m. ET Dolphines 17-3 W
4 Fri. Aug. 26 8:00 p.m. ET at Redskins 10-17 L
5 Thu. Sep. 1 8:00 p.m. ET at Panthers 21-17 W

Here's to you STEELERS. Let's go all the way!!!

no music in the Big Easy but it sure is loud.

who said this in what movie?

"There are two kinds of people in the world; those that stand up and face the music and those that run for cover. Cover is better."
---whhoooooo aaahhhhhhhh---

yet i'm not so sure frank would tell george to stand up. no music in the Big Easy but it sure is loud.