First off, let me say I have nothing against LOST. I loved it...when I could understand it. Which was pretty much the first 15 minutes of the pilot, 6 years ago. I thought it was an amazing show with impressive plot twists, believeable characters, and very clever marketing (remember the "commercials" that weren't really? Pure genius.) But when I watched the series finale, I remember thinking that I can't believe I've been watching that show for 6 years and I have nothing to show for it but some stupid memories about a dude killing a polar bear with a 9mm (uh, yeah) and a fat guy who hasn't lost any weight while living on mangos and rainwater (I know, he had Dharma food, blah, blah). It kind of depressed me...for good reason I think.
Television has been a major part of my life and I'm starting to realize how sad that is. I think the thing that really has brought me to this point is the fact that I can't wait for the season finale's of the shows I watch so that I can enjoy the beautiful weather. Seriously, that is depressing if you think about it. I'm willing to sacrifice the beauty of living my life in the world God created for me because I need to see Jack Bauer shoot seven specially trained Russian Spetsnaz commandos before one of them can even get his hand on his pistol. I'm pathetic.
So my friends, I've made my decision. I'm getting on the wagon. No more TV addictions for me. I refuse to get dragged into the next big series. Thankfully, LOST and 24 are gone, so that helps. But no more American Idol (shut up, my wife got me into it), no more Apprentice. I'm done with any show that will cause me to go into withdrawals if I don't get to see it. This doesn't mean that I'm giving up cold turkey. I'm keeping The Office and Parks and Recreation, humor is good medicine. But I'm no longer adding new shows to my agenda.
I think TV is a major cause of the decline of our civilized society. I doubt you can name one social ill that hasn't been caused, spread, or agitated by our nation's love affair with "the boob tube" as my mom so lovingly called it. Speaking of my mom, when we were kids she cut the cords to all the TV's in our house because we were watching too much TV. You know what? I think she was on to something. I know she would be proud of my decision.
Now where's my 24: The Novel...I've got some reading to do.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Love It or Hate It
I have what could be called a “love-hate relationship” with a city that goes by the wonderfully “green” name of Ann Arbor. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate name for a place that pound-for-pound is the most liberal city in the tri-state area.
With that said, my wife and I love Ann Arbor. It has a big city feel in a relatively small town. A stroll down Main Street is a great way to spend a beautifully sunny Saturday afternoon. There are tons of small stores and interesting restaurants in AA, as the locals call it. Ok, so maybe I’m the only one who calls it AA but I’m hoping it catches on.
HOWEVER, I also hate AA, and I have several reasons. It is the home of the University of Michigan. I am a Penn State fan. Enough said. However, this is not the biggest issue I have with the city. As I said AA is liberal. Not Barack Obama liberal. Not Nancy Pelosi liberal. We’re talking Michael Moore / Sean Penn / Rosie O’Donnell liberal. And boy does it show.
Our first stop in AA was at Whole Foods. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s a grocery store that has a “social conscience”. Apparently, their food is either organic or locally grown, so that gives them good karma, dude. Honestly, they do have some good stuff, so we usually stop in there just to look around and maybe try something new like a hemp soda or patchouli pockts (delicious). I swear I could have covered my house with the number of Obama decals, rainbow symbols and other various “Eat Green” stickers on the cars in the parking lot. Needless to say, our car with its anti-Obama and “No Socialism” bumper stickers was a little out of place.
We made our purchases and moved on to downtown AA. The first little bookstore we entered was obviously a liberal one. The table in the front of the store was covered in books about the errors of Christianity and how this world would be better without people, etc. The pinnacle was a book of the collected writings of Ted Kaczyinski. If you are unfamiliar with this gentleman, he also goes by the name of “the Unabomber.” That’s right, they were saying that while they don’t agree with his tactics, his ideas were valid and reasonable. Seriously? I wanted to ask the guy behind the counter if he had Glenn Beck’s latest book, but I didn’t want to have to touch him if he got violent. He probably could use his dreads as a weapon, like a dirty, marijuana soaked cat o’ nine tails or something.
When my communist hippie intolerance got the best of me we moved on. A little later we went into a used bookstore and I was happy to find a children’s Bible for which I have been searching for a while. It’s identical to one I used to have as a kid, but I think one of my sisters stole it. Could you imagine stealing a Bible? It’s just horrible…Anyway, I bought the Bible and since it was just one book (albeit a MASSIVE book, with CHILDREN’S BIBLE written plainly on the cover), I just carried it without a bag. I was about 10 steps out of the store when I remembered that I was in Little San Francisco (my other nickname for AA) carrying a Bible under my arm. At first I was a little embarrassed, knowing that I was certain to draw some stares. But then I realized that the people staring should be embarrassed for being shocked to see a Bible. Of course they may have been staring because a grown man was carrying a children’s Bible, but one can never be sure. So I decided to carry it proudly, making sure it’s title was plain to see.
I made a comment to my wife that I was probably the only person in Ann Arbor that day who was carrying both a Bible AND a firearm. Oh yeah, I had my pistol on me too. Sometimes it feels good to be both a gun-nut and a Bible-nut, all at the same time. I have to say I’m proud to be both.
So as it is, I love Ann Arbor. Not so much because of the stores or the restaurants, but mostly because it reminds me that we live in a great country where you are free to express your views on a variety of issues.
Even if your views are stupid.
With that said, my wife and I love Ann Arbor. It has a big city feel in a relatively small town. A stroll down Main Street is a great way to spend a beautifully sunny Saturday afternoon. There are tons of small stores and interesting restaurants in AA, as the locals call it. Ok, so maybe I’m the only one who calls it AA but I’m hoping it catches on.
HOWEVER, I also hate AA, and I have several reasons. It is the home of the University of Michigan. I am a Penn State fan. Enough said. However, this is not the biggest issue I have with the city. As I said AA is liberal. Not Barack Obama liberal. Not Nancy Pelosi liberal. We’re talking Michael Moore / Sean Penn / Rosie O’Donnell liberal. And boy does it show.
Our first stop in AA was at Whole Foods. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s a grocery store that has a “social conscience”. Apparently, their food is either organic or locally grown, so that gives them good karma, dude. Honestly, they do have some good stuff, so we usually stop in there just to look around and maybe try something new like a hemp soda or patchouli pockts (delicious). I swear I could have covered my house with the number of Obama decals, rainbow symbols and other various “Eat Green” stickers on the cars in the parking lot. Needless to say, our car with its anti-Obama and “No Socialism” bumper stickers was a little out of place.
We made our purchases and moved on to downtown AA. The first little bookstore we entered was obviously a liberal one. The table in the front of the store was covered in books about the errors of Christianity and how this world would be better without people, etc. The pinnacle was a book of the collected writings of Ted Kaczyinski. If you are unfamiliar with this gentleman, he also goes by the name of “the Unabomber.” That’s right, they were saying that while they don’t agree with his tactics, his ideas were valid and reasonable. Seriously? I wanted to ask the guy behind the counter if he had Glenn Beck’s latest book, but I didn’t want to have to touch him if he got violent. He probably could use his dreads as a weapon, like a dirty, marijuana soaked cat o’ nine tails or something.
When my communist hippie intolerance got the best of me we moved on. A little later we went into a used bookstore and I was happy to find a children’s Bible for which I have been searching for a while. It’s identical to one I used to have as a kid, but I think one of my sisters stole it. Could you imagine stealing a Bible? It’s just horrible…Anyway, I bought the Bible and since it was just one book (albeit a MASSIVE book, with CHILDREN’S BIBLE written plainly on the cover), I just carried it without a bag. I was about 10 steps out of the store when I remembered that I was in Little San Francisco (my other nickname for AA) carrying a Bible under my arm. At first I was a little embarrassed, knowing that I was certain to draw some stares. But then I realized that the people staring should be embarrassed for being shocked to see a Bible. Of course they may have been staring because a grown man was carrying a children’s Bible, but one can never be sure. So I decided to carry it proudly, making sure it’s title was plain to see.
I made a comment to my wife that I was probably the only person in Ann Arbor that day who was carrying both a Bible AND a firearm. Oh yeah, I had my pistol on me too. Sometimes it feels good to be both a gun-nut and a Bible-nut, all at the same time. I have to say I’m proud to be both.
So as it is, I love Ann Arbor. Not so much because of the stores or the restaurants, but mostly because it reminds me that we live in a great country where you are free to express your views on a variety of issues.
Even if your views are stupid.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Beginning of Something
Well, well, well, so this is blogging that all those kids have been talking about. If you would have asked me two years ago if I would ever blog, I would have looked at you funny, then said: “Of course not, I eat plenty of fiber.”
Okay, so maybe I’m not that computer illiterate, but I seriously never thought I would have a blog, because, come on, who really wants to hear what I have to say? I get sick of my own thoughts sometimes, so why would others want to read about my thoughts?
Honestly, my purpose in starting this blog is actually pretty selfish. I think about a lot of different things on an average day (it’s a condition of my severe, but as of yet undiagnosed, ADD). Writing these mental creations out helps me to solidify my thoughts when I put them in print. So my purpose is basically to use this outlet like a mental refinery that will help remove the garbage from my thoughts and intensify the good stuff (we’ll see about that though, there’s a lot of garbage to burn through).
With all that said, this blog will be a random compilation of my thoughts. I plan on writing about politics, religion, books I’ve read, movies I’ve seen, and really just about anything that comes through my noggin that seems like it should be immortalized on this soon-to-be-obsolete fad called the internet.
So if this sounds like something that trips your trigger, then buckle up. I’m ready to get my blog on…whatever that means.
Okay, so maybe I’m not that computer illiterate, but I seriously never thought I would have a blog, because, come on, who really wants to hear what I have to say? I get sick of my own thoughts sometimes, so why would others want to read about my thoughts?
Honestly, my purpose in starting this blog is actually pretty selfish. I think about a lot of different things on an average day (it’s a condition of my severe, but as of yet undiagnosed, ADD). Writing these mental creations out helps me to solidify my thoughts when I put them in print. So my purpose is basically to use this outlet like a mental refinery that will help remove the garbage from my thoughts and intensify the good stuff (we’ll see about that though, there’s a lot of garbage to burn through).
With all that said, this blog will be a random compilation of my thoughts. I plan on writing about politics, religion, books I’ve read, movies I’ve seen, and really just about anything that comes through my noggin that seems like it should be immortalized on this soon-to-be-obsolete fad called the internet.
So if this sounds like something that trips your trigger, then buckle up. I’m ready to get my blog on…whatever that means.
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