America's unhealthy obsession with celebrity

We've all been starstruck at some time, running into a celebrity whether your expecting it or not.  Your heart beats a little faster, adrenaline starts to take effect, legs start to shake a little, butterflies in the stomach, etc.  Celebrities are looked at as superior in some circles.  I have to ask why.  I've met several of my heroes and people who have influenced huge parts of my life and I can say it is very humbling.  My issue is when people take it too far.  While reading the ABC headline news stories, I came across an article that Kim Kardashian adopted a cat.  With all the turmoil in the world, our economy in ruin, the wars brewing and other topics that people need to be educated on, was this the best that this news organization could come up with?  A person who has become famous for getting porked on tape adopting a cat is going to somehow make my life better?  Don't get me started on Honey Boo Boo!  The white trash Shirley Temple has this country mesmerized.  I've been better entertained with a paddle and ball yet all you hear about is this train wreck of a family and their misadventures.  Am I missing something?  Every week our mail pours out every variety of tabloid you could think of.  The most appalling cover stories I see before rolling my eyes are the Teen Mom's.  My mom had me in her early teens and I don't recall anybody giving a hoot about what she wore to Denny's while getting breakfast.  The extremes that people will go through for 15 minutes of fame is sickening.  The way I see it, if the terrorists want to bring America to it's knees, hit Hollywood and leave New York alone.  Americans can live without an economy but i'm not quite sure what we would do without Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.  These media whores break the law almost weekly but their fame keeps them out of jail and in the spotlight.  When your cousin Junebug gets busted smoking a joint...lock him up and throw away the key.  Another thing that pisses me off to no end is how we mourn the loss of our more popular counterparts for days and years while our truest americans are dying every day without any notice.  We pay teachers poorly while we pay hundreds of millions of dollars to people who can handle a basketball or football to the liking of the masses.  I write this while keeping in mind that I have a box full of autographs as trophies but I have never changed my mind or point of view or belief based on a celebrities opinion.  Wake up, people.  Whether Miley Cyrus cuts her hair or not, the bills are still due and life goes on.  I can go on and on but I gotta go,  I cant think straight until I find out what J lo ordered at Starbucks this morning.  

Lets give credit where credit is due

The other day while strolling through the mall with my daughter, I saw a teenage girl that was wearing a t-shirt that said Porn Star on it.  It may have been a 30 year old woman but these days you really can't tell the damn difference.  I think it's time to stop worrying about gluten in our food and start thinking about whatever the hell is making 11-13 year old girls look like Dolly Parton.  Anyway, I wondered what made the Porn Star such a coveted role in our downward spiraled society?  I always envied the cameraman!  Think about it. You show up, not even showered, probably didn't comb your hair, no pressure to perform and without him, it's anyones ballgame. What makes porn? The difference between everyday loving and porn is....the camera!  Another example, every time someone buys a new home what is the first thing you say?  It's soooo beautiful!!!  OMG, this is nice!!!  Nobody runs to Home Depot to thank the dirty stinky mexican in the 1980's Journey T-shirt or the other 17 guys crammed into the single cab pickup truck with the water cooler strapped to the side of it to thank them for building beautiful homes.  The buyer gets all the credit.  What does the builder get besides a 24 oz. beer in a brown paper bag at the end of the day? Not a damn thing.  Everyone loves teachers, right?  I give them all the credit they deserve and more.  I think that they deserve a hell of a lot more pay than they get and would earn every penny of it.  What about the bus drivers?  Who the hell gives them an appreciation day for waking up early as hell every morning to hop in a submarine sized, piece of shit to haul a bunch of sleepy eyed pissed off little bastards who don't want to go to school in the first place?  What do they get?  A big ass mirror above their drivers seat that serves a constant reminder of who rules their lives.  No hazard pay, no non road rage incentives, no dealing with asshole parents who's kids do no wrong checks.  All they get is a picture in the back of the yearbook next to the ad with the local restaurant thats gonna close by next semester.  I'm done ranting, all I ask is that the next time you praise someone, dig a little deeper and go behind the scenes of who REALLY makes it happen.  The guy who puts the piece of bacon in the pork in beans at the factory would really appreciate it.

Equal Rights and a Chicken Sandwich

Within the last couple of weeks the country was divided by an issue that had the power to disrupt everything that the mighty United States of America stood for.  It could have easily unjustified every time that we poked our nosey government heads into the business of other countries in the name of freedom.  What was the issue you ask?  It wasn't about nuclear weapons or abortion or welfare reform. It was about that dreaded thing that no one ever wants to face....Whether to eat a chicken sandwich or not.  I stood back and saw the debate blow up.  This chain made some statements that said they were against the idea of gay marriage, and so the debate started.  I've been very minimally vocal about my stance on the situation, until now.  Let me start by saying that the separation of church and government seems to only matter when it benefits the government.  Our government works just like a casino, the house will ALWAYS win.  Throw in a successful christian based business and boom, civil war.  I've heard disgusting points of view on the matter and the worst thing I've heard from people so far is that they have friends that are gay, but their church says it's wrong for them to marry so they stand by the church.  Different variations of that statement have been posted via social media and to me it's translated like this: I may say racist things and use the "N" word but I have friends that are black, so i'm not racist.  Where were the christian bible thumping majority when not longer than a few decades ago African Americans were fighting tooth and nail for equal rights?  The minorities in this country couldn't share a freakin water fountain with white people much less be treated fairly.  Fast forward to 2012 and we have in my opinion the same type of issue.  Lets not kid ourselves, the institute of marriage between what christians assume is acceptable isn't exactly as the bible thumpers make it out to be.  There are quite a few of my readers who have gone through a divorce.  Some have been married multiple times, or have had extramarital affairs and think nothing of it.  But ask them to support gay marriage and they feel that they will burn in hell for standing up for what should be an equal human right.  These are the same people who will shun and disown their own children for being gay.  Where are the God given morals and values in disowning your own blood?  A huge turning of the tides is coming.  Equal rights will prevail.  I hope that humanity chooses to do what's right.  Imagine your surprise when you get up to the pearly gates and Saint Peter is jamming to some Indigo girls, wearing a half t-shirt and cut off jean shorts with birkenstocks, hair in a pony tail and a martini in one hand.  While I'm in the express line to the promised land, I'm sure there will be a Chick-fil-A for the rest of you to hang out at.

A Daddy/Daughter Summer

A lot of you know that the hardest decision of my life was made last year when I opted to leave San Antonio, Texas to live in Maryland.  Not only was I leaving my friends, family, and career behind but I was also leaving the single most important person in my life.  My daughter Azilee has been the foundation of my life since she was born in 2001.  I'll never forget how hard I cried when I said goodbye to her before making the trek up north.  Fast forward to a few weeks ago and something great came out of it.  For the first time, I was able to take advantage of my summer visitation rights.  She hopped on a plane and into my home for an extended stay.  I could see right away by her smart ass attitude and incredible sense of humor that she took after me in several ways.  She clings to me to the point that my shadow booked ass cause there was no point in trying to keep up with her.  She's been my sioux chef in the kitchen and we've invented a top secret mashed potato recipe that she swears she's going to open a restaurant based on.  I guess it will be a Ramen noodle, mashed potato restaurant as those are the only two things she knows how to make.  Overall it's been an amazing experience for me and my heart melts knowing that she sleeps in the next bedroom over.  She makes me laugh hard everyday and I really look forward to saying goodnight to her every night.  The time is almost coming where we head back to take her home.  It saddens me that the time leading up to this seemed to take forever and now it's almost gone.  I ask each one of you with children to cherish every moment you have with your kids.  Create traditions, do things that will make memories they will never forget.  Don't take one minute for granted with them.  That is all for now, gotta go wake her up as its almost noon and her breakfast has gotten cold.  I guess Ramen and mashed potatoes it is.

From Mad Men to Magic Mike

As a nation of horny lonely women anticipate the release of the movie Magic Mike, it occurred to me that the tides have turned on the men of this world when it comes to chauvinism.  No longer are the days of the crusty construction worker screaming cat calls at women crossing the job site with us.  These days are the days of the cougar!  The only thing missing is the equivalent of the members only jacket for the girls.  Back in the day, if an older man wanted to court a younger women he was considered a pathetic old pervert.  In the 2000's, hordes of older ladies turned the tides and started robbing the cradle as a sense of entitlement.  Samantha from Sex and the City became a role model for those who grew tired of Viagra popping men.  Midlife crisis cars were no match for a younger man with more stamina where it counted.  I've learned another thing or two recently about the evolution taking place.  Women have no shame anymore when it comes to sexuality.  Sex toy parties are more popular than ever.  Back massagers are going out of business because the stigma is all but gone.  Let's face it, hundreds of millions of people didn't end up on this earth from two people watching television together.  Why hide what makes the world go round?  Based on the reaction to a few male stars baring some skin on the big screen, women are done hiding it.  One of the biggest differences is how women react to seeing men bare all as opposed to how men handle themselves when put in a similar situation.  Women act as wild and crazy as they can when they are put in this type of environment.  They scream, yell, let loose, and ultimately let out their inner whore.  Men act nonchalant about a half naked women on a pole in a thong.  The code is just different.  Maybe we've just gotten soft.  Until next time, I gotta go.  My mani and pedi await. 

The Man That I've Become

As I get older, I'm noticing some weird changes in myself.  I'm having to treat abnormal hair growth in my ears, nose, back, eyebrows, and only god knows where else.  My stubborness has reached new levels, my love for oldies music is out of control, and my belly has reached a growth that only pregnant women experience.  After careful consideration I sat with my arms crossed with a puzzled look on my face when it hit me so hard I felt like one of Chris Brown's girlfriends.  I am turning into my dad!!!  This, of course is not a bad thing.  It made me take a good look in the mirror and ask when all this happened.  I don't remember giving a lesson with every speech I give.  Have I really been talking about the good ol' days when I was a kid?  I felt like maybe I should carry some of the other good qualities that my pop has.  He's always put our family and everyone in it first.  He's always had a gentle heart, even though he looks like he could strangle a bear.  (I'm sure it's crossed his mind to strangle me at times!)  He's always had a very strong work ethic, something I've always tried to model.  Overall, he is the example of the all american dad, and maybe a Harley is in my future!  I have incredible memories of going to baseball games with him and everytime I have had an event that I have participated in, he's been there.  Cheers, Pop.  I'm looking forward to some of the other changes I may encounter during this transformation...except your Build-A-Bear obsession.  

The Domesticated Man

I took a vacation day today.  Most men my age would have done so to go fishing, or hit up a ballgame.  I did it so I could catch up on housework, laundry, and to go do our grocery shopping.  It may seem strange or odd to some but I asked around and it seems that more and more men are picking up the slack at the homefront these days.  I also noticed that the women who's men helped to some degree were happier about that aspect of their relationship.  As I've said before, the womans role in the house has changed dramatically over the years.  They are more independent, educated, and most make more money than their spouses.  That is definitely the case in my household.  I feel that in order to earn my keep so to speak, I can do things around the house to take the pressure off of my fiance when she gets home from a long day or week at the office.  Of course the role of the nagging housewife has been put in my hands as well.  I seem to be the one hollering all the time about her not picking up her clothes or not rinsing a dish.  I'm sure at this point that I nag worse than my mom ever did.  Point is, I'm here to do what it takes to make my relationship as stress free as i can. If that means I have to put on my Aunt Jemima outfit and clean the bathtub, I say pass me the rubber gloves and pine sol and watch my fat ass go.  Peace with chicken grease, peeps.  I got a list of stuff I gotta get done.