Days Like Today

There are a lot of good things about days like today.  Since this is the day before Thanksgiving, only about half of the employees are actually here at work.  It's very quiet here.  Almost too quiet, I suppose.  I am able to get some of the mundane tasks completed that I normally push to the side because they are not that important, but have to be done...eventually.  I guess today is eventually. 

Another good thing is that on days like today, there aren't many (if any) meetings going on.  As of this writing, I have 1 scheduled, and since people will start "sneaking" out around lunch, I doubt anymore will get scheduled. 

Of course, there are some down sides to days like today.  It seems like days like today just drag on and take forever to end.  I doubt that I will be one of the ones sneaking out around lunch. I always feel a little guilty for that.  I don't know why.

Another thing about today (and I don't know if it is good or bad) is that since it is quiet,  I have time to think.  I tend to be reflective on days like today.  Days like today tend to be very pensive for me.  I tend to dwell on things, analyze, and maybe over analyze things on days like today.  Being alone with my thoughts is sometimes a very strange place to be.  I am my own worst critic and that causes me to second guess steps that I have taken along the way. 

Oh well, I guess that is all for now.  Going to my sister's house tomorrow for Thanksgiving.  I hope you and yours have a good holiday. 

I'm out.
J

Hello, I'm the Guy That Reads the Newspaper Over Your Shoulder

To whom it may concern,
What did you think?  That I would just give in to your demands? You make demands and ask questions, but do you really know what you are asking? If you really know what you want, then why not ask directly?   I may give you a direct answer, if I know the answer.  It might clear things up.  It may make your life easier, or maybe not. I don't know. Maybe you don't know what you are asking for. I could easily give you what you think you want.   It would be so easy for me to give it to you.  I mean, it would just be a few typed or spoken words.  Maybe, some day, I will give you what you have been looking for.  BUT!!!  Right now, I won't.  It is a matter of principle, or maybe pride,  but I am not about to show you my cards.  These weeks have been long.  They have been hard.  I am tired, but I am not out.  So, keep searching and keep looking.  You'll get no answer from me. After all, I am not even sure of the question.  Right?

See you around.
J...

Nothing Special

I started reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller.  Anyway, Donald tells a story about a guy that he knows that has a notebook and when he remembers a childhood memory, no matter how small,  he will write it down.  I don't know why this intrigued me, but it did.  It made me think that maybe I should do that, but I don't know why.  Maybe it will just be something to laugh at when I am 80 (should I live that long).  Maybe it will help me understand why I am the way I am.  I don't know.

I am tired. 

Good night.

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN???

As I am sitting here alone watching the highlights from the '83 US Festival, guess who shows up on the screen?  That's right, Quarterflash.  Now tell them what they won, Don.  "That's right Jeff.  The guest has won a year supply of Rice-a-Roni, the San Fransico..."  Oh sorry.  Didn't mean to lose it.  Anyway, I digress.  The US Festival and Quarterflash happened 26 years ago.  26 MFN YEARS AGO!!! 

I bring all of this up because earlier this week I found myself working in a "war room" with a couple of engineers, regulatory and design quality people.  This is all because the SPG (sales prevention group) struck again, but that is a different story.  Anyway, we were talking about music, and I was mentioning that I I heard "Girls, Girls, Girls" by Motlley Crue on the oldies station in a store the other day.  One of the young engineers said, "well, that was a little before my time, but I know the song."

To which I replied, "A little before your time?  It came out in, like, '87."
To which he retorted, "I was 2!"

Ok, that threw me into a mind warp of biblical proportions.  Well, come to think of it, I don't know that there are mind warps described in the bible, but you know what I mean.

I suddenly felt OLD, but this guy was born when I was entering Junior High.  He has never heard of some of the biggest bands of that era.  You know, bands like, uh, well, um,  Brittny Fox or the Bullet Boys (that sounds gay), or Enuff Znuff.  Ok, now I am embarrassed that I remember those bands.

I guess what I am saying is that a hell of a lot of years have passed without me even realizing it.  It is kind of funny, but a little scary, too.  I guess it makes me think about how easy it can be for a lifetime to pass by without really ever understanding the story.  My kids will be grown someday, and I will really be old.  It reminds me of the song FADE by King's X.

One day I'll get older
Then it will be over
Want to live a long life
Like there is no next time

Who knows how long after today
Life is too short to fade away

I've heard a million stories
Some self explanatory
But then the words fade into gray
Take from the final pages
Whatever is contagious
Then make it all just fade away

Each day I get older
Get a little colder
I don't need to fit in
Like I did way back then

Well, maybe that is a little over-dramatic, but you know what I mean.  I would love to keep typing on the subject, but Missing Persons is about to take the stage.  Gotta go.

Until next time, remember Frankie says "RELAX".

PEACE.

I MADE A JOKE TO SOME FRIENDS: A POEM

I made a joke to some friends the other day.
Some caught on. Some didn't know what to say.
For the longest time, they didn't say a thing.
All was quiet, until I got an email ping.

He searched for a comment to say.
He sent it to me on this very day.
He said since I made the joke he wondered where I was.
Did he mean my in my heart or in my soul?

Told him that it was a joke.
But it made him stumble.
He was wondering about me.
He was bold.  He was humble

So was I joking, or was I stern?
This is an answer that I have yet to learn.
So maybe time will tell, but to answer him...
I am not afraid of hell.


Until then... you figure it out.

J....

IRON MIKE

Yesterday, I watched the documentary on the life/career of boxing great, Mike Tyson.  It was aptly called Tyson.  I have seen several matches over the years with Mike and his one-punch knock outs.  I also watch as Lennox Lewis beat Tyson in Memphis. No, I didn't have tickets.  I had pay-per-view.  I have also seen the many public moments in Tyson's life.  The "rape" of the beauty pageant contestant, marriage to Robin Givens, Tyson going Hannibal Lecter on Evander Holyfield, his outburst at a press conference, etc.  The list goes on and on.  Each time that I saw something else in the news that he had done, I would always wonder if he would end up killing someone. 

What surprised me was how vulnerable this guy was in the documentary.  His story was basically told by him.  I am sure it is how he remembers it, and that not all of it is accurate.  However, it was interesting seeing and hearing this guy's perspective.  He told of how he grew up and why he had to become a fighter.  Not necessarily a boxer, but a fighter.  He told about how he made a friend and trusted one person.  His rise to the top and his fall to the bottom.  I would highly recommend it to anyone that has ever thought they knew who this guy is. 

Ok, with that being said, I will have to say that there are some hilarious moments in the film, and they all come from Mike Tyson either making up words or using words improperly.  One example comes from when he describes when he met Robin Givens.  He said (insert Mike Tyson voice), "I followed her in to the restroom and ended up performing fellatio on her."  Woah!!!  He used it in a way that I had to look it up to make sure that I didn't miss something in the definition.  There is one point where he said that Evander had knocked him into Bolivian."  Now I know that Tyson isn't the most educated guy in the world, but the use of the situations are still funny.

I would still highly recommend it.  Very informative and entertaining. 

Well, I guess the only thing that I can say at this point is "Just chill till the next episode."  (sorry, I also watched a documentary on the rise and fall of Death Row records.)

J...

COMMUNITY THEATER

I took the day off yesterday so that I could accompany my oldest daughter on a class field trip.  It was to a local performing arts center.  The play was based on a Disney movie.  I knew this when I agreed to go.  What I didn't know is that it was all performed by kids between the ages of 6 and 16, and that it was a musical (which means suddenly breaking into song).  Ok, I braced myself to just sit there and pass the hour and a half or so.  Now there were about 50 kids in this musical, and I think that maybe 2 of them almost had the potential to perhaps carry a tune.  Now I am a musician and I have a pretty good ear.  When things are off pitch or just completely out of key, it is like someone is rolling a pizza cutter up my back.  I know they are kids and trying new things and I can appreciate that.  After all, if I went back and listened to my playing when I first picked up the guitar, there probably wouldn't be much evidence that I would become the guitar wizard that is typing this today.  This revelation actually snapped me back to the realization that these are KIDS and changed my perspective on the whole show.  I was impressed that these kids had the nerve to get up there, remember all their lines, and pulling it off pretty well.

Actually, what probably caught my attention (annoyance) more was the "sound guy" that was forgetting to turn on the microphones to key performers until they were 2 or 3 lines into a song.  It could have been the equipment malfunctioning because there was a lot of interference with the wireless microphones and props. 

Oh well, even if all had been complete chaos, I still got to hang out with my kid for most of the day.  She was excited that I as there, and I was glad to be there too.  Later on, we got to do one of her favorite things.  That is she got to take control of my iPod and pick the songs she wanted to listen to.  I have been trying to guide her toward good music.  You know, something beyond Hannah Cyrus Miley Montanna or the Jonas Brothers.  She has gotten a good dose of, and still likes to listen to, The Ramones, Foo Fighters, Van Halen, Extreme, and a few other bands. 

Later on, I got some take out sushi and chilled for the evening.  Maybe one day, my oldest will like sushi as much as I do.  She has tried California rolls (starter sushi) and liked it.  Although, I may have to be careful, sushi can get expensive.  And I don't need that.

Till next time, remember Mr T. don't have time for no jibber jabber, fool.

Peace, J