Hey all...got someone to do a little remodeling for me, so consider this a test...

...and the test was a success...My thanks to Gumbo.

I have absolutely nothing deep to discuss tonight...consider yourselves lucky. Hmm...I guess I'll go with the first random thought that pops into my mind. Hold, please...Ok, here we go.

Richard Simmons: True self-help guru or a trojan horse for the anti-Christ? Discuss it amongst yourselves...

"The Golden Girls" are on...I have to go.

Work Sucks

How was your day? Hmm...intersting. "How was mine," you ask? Well, it was just like any other day.

So, ok, I'm not going to get into some long, drawn out exposition here, because if I decide to fill the role of an embittered 20-something who does nothing but complain about being employed by a thankless company, being under-appreciated, overworked and not paid nearly enough, I'd just end up being a cliche of my generation. I will tell you one good thing about hating my job...at least that is one area in life where I know FOR SURE that I am NOT alone. It's nice to have a bit of company every now and then, right? I have nothing too deep on my mind this evening, but I still felt compelled to type out a little something...so I will now move on and watch "The Real World Chicago" (gotta' LOVE that Keri!) but not before I lay on one of my favorite quotes...taken from the movie "Bounce."

"It's not brave...if you're not scared."

Goodnight...pleasant dreams.

The Knowledge of an April Fool

April Fool's Day. Woo-hoo. So, let's start off with a few little things. For those avid video/DVD renters out there, here's something for you to check out. On your next visit to multi-media land, pick up a copy of "Life As A House." It's a small, almost independent-feeling flick about the rigors of being a member of a dysfunctional family. Extremely funny, very moving...not enough female leads to be considered a 'chick flick,' but almost on par with "Steel Magnolias" in the category of "I'm a guy so there's NO WAY I'm going to admit that I teared up."

And this next little message goes out to Kelley from "The Real World New Orleans."

Kelley, I just love you to pieces. If that Doctor doesn't pan out for you, look me up...I work retail, I can get you a groovy discount!

And now for the thought tinged portion, which, I might add, comes to you upon request from a certain reader...and if I do say so myself, this is the first request I've ever received as far as my blog is concerned, so yes, I do feel like a rock star right now...

Question: Why do people choose not to feel? I'm just wondering that right now, because I know many people who make that choice. Right now, for instance, I'm feeling incredible. I am in a great mood, I'm soaking up the wonders of being alive and it just makes me feel whole. Why are some people afraid to feel? Is it because they're afraid of the truth? Or is it because they're afraid they may not have the capacity to withstand the full force of emotion? If something negative occurs, if there is something bad to be felt, I find that most people accept that with open arms. But, if there is something good to be had in this life, if there is any amount of love to be received, so many of us push it away. We build these huge, monumental walls around our souls guaranteed to keep these wonderful gifts out and away. There is something so fundamentally wrong with that. I know because I was once that person. I heard a speech in this movie one time, and I agreed with it completely. See, I believe that sometimes, people refuse to feel or accept love or respect...they convince themselves that they're not worthy or incapable of such...because the fact is, if they allowed themselves to take all of that in, the feeling would be so strong that it would kill them.

Sorry to tell you this, but that isn't a fact. It might be uncomfortable at first, it might even be painful, but you won't die. Trust me, I know. I'm not saying tear down your walls...I'm just saying modify them...add a door...because once you do, once you allow something good to pass through, well...it's just the greatest thing. And I feel sorry for those who stay bound. The ability to resolve is there...you just have to stop being afraid.

Well, it's late, and now that I've accomplished the feat of making NO sense whatsoever, I'm signing off.

Sleep well.

On This Day...

On this day...

Found an old journal. And at this very moment in 1995 I was writing...

"Tomorrow is April Fool's Day, and I certainly feel like a fool, a fool in love. Sometimes I ask 'Who am I kidding?' but then I see her, and I just get this feeling."

Sheesh...what was I writing? A doo-wop song? A future "Moulin Rouge" number? It's amazing. Seven years and about three lifetimes ago, the biggest issue in my life was how to get over a high school crush...and now I sit here, having grown more than can be humanly described, and instead of jotting down thoughts on a crush or two, I'm trying to figure out the greater meaning of existence. Funny how things change, isn't it? If only things were as black and white as they were in our youth...if only.

p.s. Thanks to http://www.howrobinson.blogspot.com for the cool endorsement. Same goes for that site...check it out periodically...there's a writer in that cat yet...

Goodnight...pleasant dreams.

Quote of the Day

"...you can't talk about music. Talking about music is like dancing about architechture.

And I was like 'Well, if you're gonna' get all philosophical on me, it's just as pointless to talk about a lot of things...Love, for instance.'

And my friend laughed and he said, 'Definitely, most definitely, talking about love is like dancing about architechture.'

So I don't know, he might be right...be it ain't gonna' stop me from tryin'"

p.s. Happy Easter, everyone.

Ahh, the joys and the rigors of inebriation. (And for all of you grammer junkies out there, no, I don't care if I spelled the "i" word correctly.) Say you're sitting there, problems are bothering you, and you decide to go to a doctor. "Doctor, doctor, help me out. Something just isn't right" you might plead. "Well, I have just the thing for you" says the Doctor. So you sit there, patiently waiting. Soon, he carries out this strange little tube. Now, here's where I have some advice for you...if the tube is full of a purple liquid that smells like a combo between gasoline and Kool-Aid, and has the faint aftertaste of Dimetapp Elixir, RUN LIKE HELL!

So ladies and gents of cyber land, I ask you this: What makes a good friend? See in life, people throw around the saying "You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends." I agree with that for the most part. Who you're genetically bound to is up to God and no one else...but fortunately, we can choose the rest of the people we surround ourselves with. But check this out. You can be friends with someone. No big deal. But if that friendship is based on solid ground, they soon become your family. Family is supposed to be there for one another. When a friend/family member chooses not to be there for another, knowing good and well that their excuse, however creative it may be, is still as weak as a baby bird fallen from the nest, it can only mean that they suck. They suck. There is no nice way to put it. And, to be honest, that bothers me...it eats away at my insides, it makes me see red, it makes me want to listen to pop music...that's how much it makes me want to feel tortured. But alas, that is just my humble opinion.

All I know is that you reap what you sew. In this lifetime, I just want to be good to people who are good to me. I want to be there no matter what, because there will be a time and a place when I will need to depend on those in my life, and right now, as of this moment, I feel confident that I'll always have that. Those who aren't observant of that rule...well, I feel sorry for them. Because 'alone' is a shitty place to be stranded...