Celebrity Crushes-Good or Bad for Relationships?

Crushes are normal.  Unless it's for another species, they are healthy ways to admire beauty and awe or respect for people who may or not be attainable to you.  Relationships on the other hand are bonds that are meant not to be broken.  So, what happens when you have a crush on an unattainable person while in a relationship?  For most, it's harmless.  For others, it's forbidden.  I think the difference in the two revolves around a few things.  One, TRUST.  If your significant other can't trust you, good luck talking to them about anything else you have an attraction to.  Second, SELF-ESTEEM.  If your spouse lacks self-esteem on any level there is no way that they are gonna be ok with the comparisons drawn to anything else.  Third, RESPECT.  Some spouses feel disrespected when it comes to their partners looking anywhere else for gratification.  I think I have it easy.  I have all three when it comes to my relationship.  I trust my wife, am very confident in myself, and don't feel disrespected on any level by her.  Our communication is pretty bad ass to handle anything like that. She has a crush on Adrien Brody.  It's not hard to compete with a guy who looks like Gonzo and Kermit from the muppets had a baby and starved it.  She also likes Jason Staham.  That one would worry me a little bit.  He could slap me on national T.V. and all I'd be able to do is apologize for pissing him off.  I don't think she has much to worry about on my end.  All my crushes look like my wife anyway.  Fairuza Balk and Sarah Miller are pretty close.  The one that doesn't is Laura Calder but she lives in Canada so I don't think my wife is worried.  She has said that it would be different for her if these people were accessible to me.  I wouldn't worry if I were my wife, crushes to me are fantasy.  There are boundaries in fantasy though.  Look back at what I said about respecting your partner.  Just remember, beauty should be admired but not worshipped.  Crushes are normal, as long as the line isn't crossed based on your significant others' comfort level.  Till next time, I gotta go.  I have a French Food at Home marathon planned for today.

So Close, No Matter How Far...

I'm a social media whore pretty much.  I get off to the idea that I can stay connected with people I can't normally see on a regular basis and especially those who live long distances from me.  This weekend opened my eyes a bit.  We drove down to the Texas coast which by normal standards is a hell of a road trip.  Only there was I able to meet up with old friends that live merely minutes away from me.  The question was raised on the beach as we caught up and reflected.  "Why do we have to drive 200 miles to hang out when we're normally 5 minutes away from each other?"  The past few weeks a friend of mine and sister in law spearheaded a reunion for all of the people that went to our high school.  The response was less than overwhelming.  Again, why?  Why is it ok to see each other in passing at a funeral or a hospital but we can't sacrifice enough time to get together for a meal or just to show our appreciation for each other?  We are so comfortable being one with each other via a social media site but not face to face.  I have friends on Facebook that I rarely ever spoke to and some people I flat out never met in person.  We are comfortable with divulging intimate details of our lives with strangers on the biggest open outlet known to man but ask them to come over for a drink and all of a sudden things are awkward.  It's time we stepped it up.  I genuinely care about my friends and if I have to organize a reunion every few months to see them, then thats what I'm gonna do.  Hell, if I have to see 800 pictures of your newborn every day, at least let me meet the little guy/girl.  I mean that in a smart ass way of course but I hope you get my point.  Life is short, peeps.  I much rather say goodbye to you with a hug and not while looking in a casket.  Until next time, I love you all, you're beautiful.

Peace, Love, and Confusion

I sit at my laptop a bit of a mess today as I woke up to some disturbing words aimed my way.  I know I'm not the best type of friend to have.  I hate schedules, appointments, and I hate rushing.  I have a gigantic family and several friends so it's impossible for me to spend as much time as I'd like with everyone I want to. My demeanor is simple, I don't like to have any enemies or have anyone with negative thoughts about me.  I do my best to be someone who is enjoyable to be around.  My favorite thing in the world is to make people laugh.  I've said a million times that life is too short to have any kind of negativity in my life.  So why did these words destroy my day before it started?  Because I felt that I'd failed.  I failed as a friend, a person, and I failed someone who I care about and respect.  My intentions are never to hurt anybody.  Maybe I've undermined how enjoyable I can be.  I don't know.  In retrospect it will teach me how to move forward and be everything that I want to be as a person.  A better husband, father, and most of all, friend.  I learn from things that happen to me and don't take things for granted.  I radiate love but at this moment I feel that inside me is a black heart.  They say time heals, in this case I pray it does.  I have so many regrets in life that I can't get back.  The only thing I can do is dust myself off and push forward.  Till next time, I love you all....you're beautiful.

Memories of Memories

This past year I was sick a lot.  My time in and out of the hospitals really put my life in perspective.  I thought of all the amazing people in my life whether they were part of my past or still in it.  The influences of my friends and family have impacted me in so many ways I couldn't imagine leaving this world without letting them know exactly how I feel.  I decided to write each person a little something via Facebook with memories and anything else I wanted.  I found that my memories of them, no matter how vivid and clear to me, were not always remembered by the person I was trying to honor.  Does that make my gesture invalid?  Does this mean that I was or am not anywhere close to being important and influential to them as they are to me?  I started to feel pretty small about it.  My good deeds to myself always seem to bring me down a bit.  I was thinking that maybe I should have just dedicated a song that reminded me of them and let that tell the story I was trying to get across.  Then I realized that whatever came from my heart is what they were supposed to hear.  I realized that it doesn't matter what mark I've made on them, the point is to show what they've done to influence and shape me.  I will continue to write for them cause I have a long way to go.  So many awesome people have crossed my path.  I've created a very long task.  Life is very short, though.  Be sure to let the people you love and care about know exactly how you feel.  I don't go a day without telling my wife and daughter that I love them.  Try not to hold grudges.  Easier said than done, I know.  The most rewarding part of life is love.  Don't forget that.  Till next time, I love you all, you're beautiful.

The Easter Bunny (and other tall tales)

Well, it's that time of year again when pretty much every family has already blown their tax return and are looking for excuses to return joy to their lives.  Look no further, we have Easter!  What should be a huge triumph for the faithful has taken the path of Christmas and has gone commercial.  Instead of celebrating the core of christian faith, the masses have turned the symbol of life to natures' biggest fornicator, the rabbit.  I don't know about you but the rabbit hasn't a damn thing to do with Jesus, his sacrifices, and what he gave to the world and for us believers.  Around my house, rabbits are merely pests that the coyotes feast on.  The little bastards don't ever leave any candy on my doorstep but all of a sudden he magically takes on super powers to be at every mall in america to take the most expensive, pointless pictures known to man.  Before you judge, the easter bunny never took any presidence in my house growing up so maybe I'm biased.  I was never really sure of Santa's fat ass either cause we didn't have a chimney and I never heard a doorbell.  Aside from that, I feel that it is time to stop glorifying fictitious things in celebration of our faith and Lord.  On top of one of the biggest lies people push on their kids is the symbol of the egg on easter.  I'm no scholar but I'm pretty sure rabbits don't shit out eggs to reproduce.  Show me ANY animal that produces chocolate and I will be the best known animal farmer the world has ever known.  Speaking of eggs, I'd like to meet whoever started bashing people over the head with hollow eggs filled with confetti and return every concussion I suffered enduring this traditional practice.  I guess you can't have fun without some kind of punishment.  The last thing I'd like to change is the label of "good" friday.  There ain't a damn thing good about what that day represents unless you have front row seats to the pointless parades that we have to mark the darkest day of Jesus' life.  So, I leave you with that as I go stand in line somewhere to find a basket with fake plastic grass and every diabetics nightmare.  All in celebration of when the world created a chocolate egg shitting rabbit.  Till next time...

The Measurement of Success

This year started pretty rough for me.  Anxiety and depression rear their ugly heads as I try to figure myself out and take a sharp left turn in ways of career.  My pride has gotten in the way of making this change as I don't want to sell myself short.  Then I asked myself, where is the line of selling myself short?  My whole life I have strived to be a good provider and hard worker.  I want to be able to look at myself and deem my life "successful."  I realize at this point that success isn't always based on career and how a person makes a living.  I took a line from Don Corleone in "The Godfather" when he tells a slimy drug pusher that "it makes no difference to me what you do for a living."  I've always felt that way toward anyone who works a steady job.  I treat everybody equally no matter what job they perform.  I joked at one time and asked why it is that people with a big job title that make a lot of money are the only ones that ask what I do for a living.  I live a happy life and am surrounded by a ton of people who love me.  I have a beautiful daughter and wife whom I love with all my heart and who loves me just as much.  If you've seen me lately you know I have plenty of food on the table.  I may not drive the newest or best looking vehicle in the world but I love my truck.  My kids (ol dirty) Baxter and Teagan look up to me no matter what.  They may be dogs but I'll take what I can get.  I'm going to end this with a story that changed my life as I saw it.  Years ago my uncle Eddie and I were driving up the road looking for a place to eat.  It was a friday night.  We stopped at a not so big named steak restaurant that is now defunct.  We ordered our steaks and were served the skinniest most pathetic slab of meat we'd ever seen.  As we complained about our pathetic meal I looked over to another table and saw a man and woman who had just finished their meals.  The woman's arms were wrapped around the man and she kissed his check over and over in between her words that made him smile from ear to ear.  Their kids ran around and laughed loudly.  The man had a look on his face of pure happiness I'll never forget.  Point is, what we deemed as a poor experience and pathetic food was probably the pinnacle of this family's week.  I envied the man for throwing his hard earned money toward his family and not at a bartender.  I felt that for the first time I had seen success and that was what I wanted to achieve.  As I continue my journey, I'm sure I'll look back at this point in my life and realize that I am not judged by what I have but who I am.  Gotta go, headed to the county dump.  I look forward to going every week to yap with my buddy that runs it.