Here it is, May 22, 2007 and I have not blogged in a while, a month to be exact. Seems I have been rather busy lately. Working a part time job, keeping the lawn mowed, various chores etc.

I took a quick look in the news....seems nothing too noteworthy exists at this time. I am a bit disappointed to see Melinda Dolittle off of American Idol, I really thought she should be the one to win, but, we'll see who makes it to the last of the contest.

Also, the death of Jerry Fallwell....hmmm, not too much I can say that is noce about him. Other than the fact, he's never been the only one making trouble in the religion front. There are more to take his place I assure you.

Well, I will pay a bit more attention to my blog in coming weeks and months.

Peace.

So, I've been in Oklahoma for a while now. I have work already. Got a job by the 2nd day I was living here. I successfully moved all of my "stuff" from Texas to my new (old) stomping grounds.

I am only working a seemingly part time schedule for the moment, but it's enough to keep my attention where it needs to be.

My world consists of: 2-5 hours a day carying Propane bottles empty back to the office, filling them and then returning them to the proper businesses the next day. I can go help my Grandmother in the afternoons with my free time. I get to maintain her lawn, approximately 2-3 acres, I help her with household issues, such as light bulb changes, dusting, light maintenance etc. I get to sit and talk with an elder from my maternal side, (imagine getting to hear all of the family history from a living historian?) I love it! I am learning more about my family history each time I sit with her. This is a good thing, seeing as how I will now be able to pass along the information to my son as he gets older as well.

I went to OKC yesterday for the "Deal or No Deal" casting call. WOW! I spent 10 hours in the baseball park, (AT&T Ball Park) with about 10-12,000 other people all vying for that one chance to appear as a contestant. The only thing is, we all had about 20 seconds to sell ourselves to the casting directors at 10 people in a room at a time. Whew! I got slightly sun kissed, which is not a bad deal. I got to sit around many various folks from all walks of life. Possibly even making a mark on their lives as well. Who knows. All I can say is, if I get to go to another casting call for anything again, I will be a bit more prepared from this experience.

So, as for the news front...I can say that I have been so out of touch from the world and local events since I have a slower connection to the internet. I rarely get to view the US news on CNN.com like I used to. All the news I get to see is on local or affiliate channels i.e CBS, FOX, NBC etc. I do know this, Monday night, the new and final 9 episodes of "Heroes" begins again, after an all new Deal or No Deal. So, for those fans of the 2 shows mentioned, be on your toes. I can assure you of a fantastic new season of Heroes.

Well, not too much to blog about at the moment.

More later.

Peace.

Well, I have passed the 90 day mark on the no smoking front. April 3rd was the anniversary. I also passed the border into Oklahoma this past weekend. I got the majority of my stuff all moved into my new pad. I still have a few things to get moved up here, but this coming weekend I can finish with the move in one fell swoop.

I am looking forward to being back in the country. :)

I am already getting to see family again, that makes me feel good. There are some things that I can say I already miss in Texas, but, I do NOT miss the noise, airplanes, NOISE, neighbors above and below me, NOISE, did I mention noise? I can also practice my guitar and singing with no regard to my own noise level. I don't have neighbors to disturb (fortunately for them). I can take a walk out my back door and I have nothing but God's country to walk around in. Just about 80 acres to roam on. Nice! I just hope that all works out the way I envision it.

For now, I am good to go. Time will heal some wounds incurred by my time in Texas.

More to come. Maybe I should re-name my blog to : "Peace of my mind". LOL.

So, I have run the gambit of employment possibilities in the DFW area. I cannot seem to locate a job/career that not only suits my needs, but also is compatible enough with my attitude.
So, with that in mind, I have made a very difficult decision. I am moving up to Oklahoma to live close to my family and my grandmother. Incidentally, I will be caring for my granny and living right next to her on a nice piece of property. The property I lived on when I was a child. the same property that my papa built their house on before I was born. So, not only am I going to be close to my family on land that I am so connected to, but I'll also be fulfilling a desire to move back to the country I grew up in.

How appropriate is that?

So, I'm fully immersed thus far, in some kind of sick universal game. One whee most of us have been the players at one time or he other.

It happens like this.
First, you geto to search for a job.
Second, you get to finally find one that you might like.
Thirdly, after finding out that you don't think you like the job, you quit and now have o start all over again. This whole beginning thing I am encountering is getting boorish. And it's not even like it's any one else's fault but my own. I have yet to find a job that I really like to work at. (besides music, and that job really doesn't pay unless you're a recorded artist)
So, this year has been about allot of quitting. Quitting smoking, good choice, so I can live a healthier and prosperous life. Well, so far I feel physically better, but this whole prosperous thing is really taking aim at me. I know, my 5th seven year cycle is about to begin...for those that are aware of what I am speaking of...See, things start to change from what a person is familiar with at the passing of each 7 years of life. I have referred to it as a rite of passage, which it is, but why should my life take on such drastic changes? The changes don't reserve themselves to every 7 years, but now it seems as seven times per year! LOL! Some joke this turned out to be. :(

Oh well, I know that spring is drawing closer to our time frame. The earth is warming up a bit at a time. Soon, it will be summer again. Time to fry in the Texas heat. Thanks to HUMANITY, we a re all drawing closer to another 7 year cycle beginning. (talking politics here, but I won't start a soapbox rant at the moment) ;)

Now that the earth is getting ready to be planted, we should remember that the seeds we plant now, may not all make it to the first harvest. We have one last cold spell that has yet to arrive on our weather scene. Mark my words, we WILL see another cold spell before March 22, 2007. (also the date of the Spring Equinox)

Also in the news: Daylight Saving Time. We got to move our clocks forward later this year. Thanks to our illustrious government. I am SO pleased about that one. It was so smart too. To cause the mass of it's citizens to ask, "How does that affect us?" Like we care when the time changes! Most don't have a clue as to why we observe daylight saving time anyhow!

The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" in many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight. We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring. Yet, the implementation of Daylight Saving Time has been fraught with controversy since Benjamin Franklin first conceived of the idea. The idea of daylight saving was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin (portrait at right) during his sojourn as an American delegate in Paris in 1784, in an essay, "An Economical Project." Read more about Franklin's essay.
Some of Franklin's friends, inventors of a new kind of oil lamp, were so taken by the scheme that they continued corresponding with Franklin even after he returned to America.
The idea was first advocated seriously by London builder William Willett (1857-1915) in the pamphlet, "Waste of Daylight" (1907), that proposed advancing clocks 20 minutes on each of four Sundays in April, and retarding them by the same amount on four Sundays in September. As he was taking an early morning a ride through Petts Wood, near Croydon, Willett was struck by the fact that the blinds of nearby houses were closed, even though the sun was fully risen. When questioned as to why he didn't simply get up an hour earlier, Willett replied with typical British humor, "What?" In his pamphlet "The Waste of Daylight" he wrote:
"Everyone appreciates the long, light evenings. Everyone laments their shortage as Autumn approaches; and everyone has given utterance to regret that the clear, bright light of an early morning during Spring and Summer months is so seldom seen or used."
Early British laws and lax observance
About one year after Willett began to advocate daylight saving (he spent a fortune lobbying), he attracted the attention of the authorities. Robert Pearce - later Sir Robert Pearce - introduced a bill in the House of Commons to make it compulsory to adjust the clocks. The bill was drafted in 1909 and introduced in Parliament several times, but it met with ridicule and opposition, especially from farming interests. Generally lampooned at the time, Willett died on March 4, 1915.
Following Germany’s lead, Britain passed an act on May 17, 1916, and Willett’s scheme of adding 80 minutes, in four separate movements was put in operation on the following Sunday, May 21, 1916. There was a storm of opposition, confusion, and prejudice. The Royal Meteorological Society insisted that Greenwich time would still be used to measure tides. The parks belonging to the Office of Works and the London County Council decided to close at dusk, which meant that they would be open an extra hour in the evening. Kew Gardens, on the other hand, ignored the daylight saving scheme and decided to close by the clock.

In Edinburgh, the confusion was even more marked, for the gun at the Castle was fired at 1:00 p.m. Summer Time, while the ball on the top of the Nelson monument on Calton Hill fell at 1:00 Greenwich Time. That arrangement was carried on for the benefit of seamen who could see it from the Firth of Forth. The time fixed for changing clocks was 2:00 a.m. on a Sunday.There was a fair bit of opposition from the general public and from agricultural interests who wanted daylight in the morning, but Lord Balfour came forward with a unique concern:
"Supposing some unfortunate lady was confined with twins and one child was born 10 minutes before 1 o'clock. ... the time of birth of the two children would be reversed. ... Such an alteration might conceivably affect the property and titles in that House."
After World War I, Parliament passed several acts relating to Summer Time. In 1925, a law was enacted that Summer Time should begin on the day following the third Saturday in April (or one week earlier if that day was Easter Day). The date for closing of Summer Time was fixed for the day after the first Saturday in October.

The energy saving benefits of Summer Time were recognized during World War II, when clocks in Britain were put two hours ahead of GMT during the summer. This became known as Double Summer Time. During the war, clocks remained one hour ahead of GMT throughout the winter.

A writer in 1947 noted, "I don't really care how time is reckoned so long as there is some agreement about it, but I object to being told that I am saving daylight when my reason tells me that I am doing nothing of the kind. I even object to the implication that I am wasting something valuable if I stay in bed after the sun has risen. As an admirer of moonlight I resent the bossy insistence of those who want to reduce my time for enjoying it. At the back of the Daylight Saving scheme I detect the bony, blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier, and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite of themselves." (Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks, 1947, XIX, Sunday.)

As if us "saving" the hour during the summer is going to somehow give it back to us in the fall...umm, no. AND, we have to go to bed an hour later in the "fall back" time, thereby losing an hour of the same hour we saved! Dee, dee, dee!

Okay, okay, I am finished for tonight.

Peace!

63 days, no smoking!

Almost 2 weeks without work...

Almost 1 week without a band...

Geez, wonder what's next?

I figure, if it's really supposed to happen, me being found, discovered, signed etc, it will have to happen in my dreams because it seems I am not cut out to be in a band, at least not one that plays rock and roll. Seems that my sound is too clean, too smooth, too un rock-n-roll. So I should "not be in a metal band" if I am going to be a frontman vocalist. Seems that I "should stick to coffe shops and places where the girls can swoon at my sounds". I should not stop playing the music I have, cause it's great, I just can't "front a metal band". Those quotes are directly from one of the members of the band I WAS in. They liked all my originals, even liked the words to the songs that I penned for them on other songs even. They like the fact that I can pen a song lyric with an idea in front of me and not too much time spent. Hmmm, I seem to have all the stuff together to make it in rock, just not the sound of a scratchy, smoked out, coarse sounding voice. I have been likened unto Queensryche, The Cult, Bad Company and a few others, but I am not new enough to front a metal band. I guess that makes me talented enough to sing, but too talented to be involved with a band that wants to make it? That doesn't make a lick of sense to me personally, but maybe I'm not seeing the whole picture.

Maybe I should focus on other things, like career, family, social life, community...Maybe I should just be a hobby musician in my spare time. Play the coffee houses, open mics for the rest of my life. Maybe it's about tenacity, maybe it's about my ego, maybe I should be more forceful with band mates in the future, if I so choose to be a part of another band that is.

Oh well, guess I'll see how it goes.

Peace.

So, it's been almost 60 days with no smoking. I am starting to feel better about doing physical labor again. It wears me down a bit at first, but then again I have been on the inside office workforce for a long time running.

I am doing better than I could be. My job and I parted ways amicably, sort of...

Anyway, I am going camping this weekend with my son and a few friends. We are going to celebrate my sons 7th birthday in the woods. He'll be leaning about camping, fire safety, how to dig a fire pit, how to hike and search for "treasures", seeing the stars without the impedence of the city lights to stop him. I am pretty sure I have more fun outdoors then most folks. If the temparature were to dip below freezing, I would feel at home. I've camped in colder! Of course, when it starts to get hot, and I do mean Texas hot, it's not nearly as fun anymore. So, that's when you break out the perma shade (AKA 12X20 Pavillion Tent) That actually keeps the temparature 10-15 degrees lower than the outside. Amazing!

Back in the day, you had no options. You either camped out primative like, or not at all. Motels were for sissies! (or for those of us that might like a dirty little tryst every now and again)
So, we plan on being out there in the woods on a 50 acre semi-primative camp spot the whole weekend. I think it's fantastic that my son chose camping for our weekend together! I didn't even have o say it more than once! That's my boy! My mini-me, my clone....okay, my reality. ;)

Well, I guess I'll stop here for today. Not too much going on in my mind regarding outside influences such as News, local or worldwide right now. Employment is my focus at the very moment.

Peace.

50 Days no smoking! I have had a few dreams that I was smoking though....YUCK! I even have to brush my teeth after I wake up from a dream like that!

On other fronts....Nazi style management techniques reign supreme in my company lately. Seems as though the old adage "Shit rolls downhill" is for real.

Snooping on websites I visit, not that it's my own personal PC, but, seems to me that some of the paranoia derives from someone in the company sending an anonymous email that sparked a rage.

Well, it's the price you pay to be employed, right?

Okay, this guy is a class A "nutso"! But, how many people will agree? If in fact, this guy is "Antichrist" and has 666 tattooed on his body, I am assuming that he is nuts to believe that he is Christ in the flesh (this according to theology teachings and in-doctrination throughout my life in a ministers household).

Even those following him are convinced he is Christ or AntiChrist in the flesh, but his absence of logic suggests that he is the type that would hold some kind of mental hypnosis or some sort of mind control over his followers. I suggest that he is just one of many to come in these troubled times to rope, swindle or otherwise fool those foolish enough to believe him.

Read on...


MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- The minister has the number 666 tattooed on his arm.
But Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda is not your typical minister. De Jesus, or "Daddy" as his thousands of followers call him, does not merely pray to God: He says he is God.
"The spirit that is in me is the same spirit that was in Jesus of Nazareth," de Jesus says.
De Jesus' claims of divinity have angered Christian leaders, who say he is a fake. Religious experts say he may be something much more dangerous, a cult leader who really believes he is God. (Watch followers get 666 tattoos for their leader )

"He's in their heads, he's inside the heads of those people," says Prof. Daniel Alvarez, a religion expert at Florida International University who has debated some of de Jesus' followers.
"De Jesus speaks with a kind of conviction that makes me consider him more like David Koresh or Jim Jones."
Is de Jesus really a cult leader like David Koresh, who died with more than 70 of his Branch Davidian followers in a fiery end to a standoff with federal authorities, or Jim Jones, the founder of the Peoples Temple who committed mass suicide with 900 followers in 1978?

Prophets 'spoke to me' De Jesus and his believers say their church -- "Creciendo en Gracia," Spanish for "Growing in grace" -- is misunderstood. Followers of the movement say they have proof that their minister is divine and that their church will one day soon be a major faith in the world.
But even de Jesus concedes that he is an unlikely leader of a church that claims thousands of members in more than 30 countries.
De Jesus, 61, grew up poor in Puerto Rico. He says he served stints in prison there for petty theft and says he was a heroin addict.
De Jesus says he learned he was Jesus reincarnate when he was visited in a dream by angels.
"The prophets, they spoke about me. It took me time to learn that, but I am what they were expecting, what they have been expecting for 2,000 years," de Jesus says.
The church that he began building 20 years ago in Miami resembles no other:
Followers have protested Christian churches in Miami and Latin America, disrupting services and smashing crosses and statues of Jesus.
De Jesus preaches there is no devil and no sin. His followers, he says, literally can do no wrong in God's eyes.
The church calls itself the "Government of God on Earth" and uses a seal similar to the United States.

Doing God's work with a Lexus and Rolex
If Creciendo en Gracia is an atypical religious group, de Jesus also does not fit the mold of the average church leader. De Jesus flouts traditional vows of poverty.
He says he has a church-paid salary of $136,000 but lives more lavishly than that. During an interview, he showed off a diamond-encrusted Rolex to a CNN crew and said he has three just like them. He travels in armored Lexuses and BMWs, he says, for his safety. All are gifts from his devoted followers.
And what about the tattoo of 666 on his arm?
Although it's a number usually associated with Satan, not the son of God, de Jesus says that 666 and the Antichrist are, like him, misunderstood.
The Antichrist is not the devil, de Jesus tells his congregation; he's the being who replaces Jesus on Earth.
"Antichrist is the best person in the world," he says. "Antichrist means don't put your eyes on Jesus because Jesus of Nazareth wasn't a Christian. Antichrist means do not put your eyes on Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Put it on Jesus after the cross."
And de Jesus says that means him.
So far, de Jesus says that his flock hasn't been scared off by his claims of being the Antichrist. In a show of the sway he holds over the group, 30 members of his congregation Tuesday went to a tattoo parlor to have 666 also permanently etched onto their skin.
He may wield influence over them, but his followers say don't expect them to go the way of people who believed in David Koresh and Jim Jones. Just by finding de Jesus, they say, they have achieved their purpose.
"If somebody tells us drink some Kool-Aid and we'll go to heaven, that's not true. We are already in heavenly places," follower Martita Roca told CNN after having 666 tattooed onto her ankle.

Day 47 is here in the non-smokers realm!

Damn, I feel as though every where I turn in this life thing, stress tries to make itself so apparent to me, it's as if I try to remove stressful situations and all I get is more to deal with. You know? First off, my GF says she feels lied to about some situations we have been discussing. We were discussing us moving in together in March or April. Well, I finally told her, in a not so subtle way that I don't want to live in the trailer she has, mainly because it's out of the way to my job, another thing is, I don't want to put myself in a stressed situation living in a trashy trailer park or in a delapidated trailer that isn't worth the money she pays to live there! I have a crappy apartment that is 2 times better than where she lives right now. But, our son goes to school out where she lives. In almost everything we've talked about, it feels as though I am supposed to compromise on what I want, just to please her. And if I don't do what pleases her, I feel as though she will lord our son and visitation with him over me as she's done in the past years. I called her today to talk to her and she is "mad" over the fact that where she "thought" we stood, we don't, that's where her "I feel lied to" comes from.

I say I should remain single, get regular visits with my son and let that be the extent of it all. Besides the fact, her family doesn't think I am worth a shit, for her or our son, not that they really count in my worthy opinion category. So, I think I will forget trying to maintain anything but a "professional" relationship with her and keep all else as it should be. I'll finalize my divorce and move on with my life the way I thought it should have been to begin with.

So there!

So, it's been 44 days no smoking for me! I still feel like I should be happier than I feel right this minute. But alas, I can only feel as jovial as I am feeling. You know?

Does anyone else feel like the IRS is part of a scheme in alliance with the Mafia? Like, in order to work or do anything in this society you have to pay the government! Did you know that the IRS was an invented office by the President and Congress to help the USA out of the great depression? Yes, after all of these years, they only exist because someone, in their great understanding has allowed this office to remain in action, even though we really don't have a need for them! So, in effect, we should lobby to dis-assemble the IRS completely! After all, why should we bust our asses day after day just to see our hard earned dollars get taken from us a 2nd time? We already pay to live, eat, stay dressed, travel, own cars etc, why should we be robbed even more?

So, how do we amend this office? Do we even stand a chance with such an "incredulous" idea?

Even so, I guess I am still happy with the majority of our freedoms in our "lovely" country. At least I can speak my mind, for now. Just wait til some goon out there decides that I am a threat because of my views. LOL! I would love the publicity that would give me! Bring it on!!!

Anyway...I have a word that I figured I would share with whoever reads this blog.

It's a word I think every person involved with A "religion" should know. Dispensationalism. Look it up. I bet the majority of people would either recoil in horror or be completely confused. I think that because of the introduction of this term/belief system, there has been a GIANT misconception related to this thought process. Not only has it been taught to me all of my life, unknowingly, but it has been the foundation to almost every denomination we have in our country. That's why I am spiritual, not religious.

Anyways, happy Presidents day to America. Go spend as much money as you can while it's worth a crap.

Peace.

Well, it's been 41 days and I'm still counting the days, yes I am! Not smoking was one of, if not the greatest decisions I have made so far this year.

As for the news, well, it's no surprise that someone has killed someone else in our country. First up:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) -- A trench coat-clad teenager opened fire on shoppers at a mall with just one thing in mind: "to kill a large number of people," the police chief said Tuesday.
The gunman likely would have killed more than the five victims who died had an off-duty officer not confronted him, Police Chief Chris Burbank added.

Okay, now we cannot count on the killing happening in just anyplace outside of malls, now our shopping experience can be or will become a massacre? You know what? If and when we really start to pay attention to the mass of young people reaching out for help in this messed up world, we MAY be able to catch some of the distressed ones BEFORE they go crazy on our town/cities.
For real though, how many folks will claim that this young man was "the kid next door"? How many will claim that he had a perfect life, good parents, good neighborhood, above average in school etc...like it matters! I'll tell you straight, right now...I have great parents, I grew up in a family that believed in talking about issues. True, I was not the picture of perfection in school or otherwise everyday of my life, but, if I had a bad day at school or wherever, I could count on my family to let me talk it out. I have never thought seriously about killing anyone in revenge or because I was distraught. I have had some very stressed out days to be true, not unlike many of us out there. I think that our society is headed for a major breakdown. I feel as though these local and nationwide killings are just the beginning of some serious community issues. Are we ready to deal with the reality of it all? I don't think anyone is truthfully ready for this. I believe that with proper upbringing some of this could be avoided. I also believe that with certain restrictions on our young people in place, we may be able to avoid repetitions in the future. I know this doesn't cover or make much sense after the fact, but, we need to be more involved with our young people! Not just in after school sports! Not in just what happened at school and then leave the kid alone after a pat answer! Be involved!! Ask questions of your child, press for answers when they balk! DOn't be afraid that you're invading their privacy, if they live at home, then privacy should not be an issue! Parents, rise up and take responsibility for our actions! The younger generation is busy killing itself rapidly. Almost too rapid to keep up. Before long, gangs, murders on the streets will pale in comparison to what happens in middle class America, suburbia etc.

Not that it matters, I know I have a limited if that is the correct term for my reader base, or fan base, whatever. But, if I cause offense to anyone out there, I hope it provokes some if not all to take a short time out and consider the true reason behind my rants. To remain provoked to think independently of the norm, circumvent the typical thought process. To think outside the freaking box! That is the real reason I started blogging to begin with!

Well, until tomorrow, or the next time I write...

Peace.

Okay, okay, so someone else died that was in Hollywood's limelight. And then? If someone from my hometown died, do you think that the media would know about it or even care?

I understand, even sympathize with the faqmily and friends of Anna Nicole, but, with all this attention she's getting after her death, it makes the news appear as though she was an important icon in our world. For real! I have nothing but disdain for the media and their reasonings for making a big freaking deal out of a star dying. Since she was well known for her diet pill endorsement, her lack of intelligence, obvious fake beauty, (fake body parts), parentage questioned etc.....now that she's dead, everyone is coming out of the wood work to say how much the United States cared about her. Ummm, WTF? I would understand if she had been "like" Marilyn Monroe, but, I think she was a far cry from her.

Okay, okay, maybe I'm being a bit hard on her......whatever! The media should be concerned about what's going on in our nation, not in Hollywood. Cause guess what? The majority of us have lives we are more focused on than the entertainment arena. I mean, if I wanted to know about the rich, famous and celebs in the world, I'd look online! Papparazzi needs to be more concerned with invasion of privacy issues that they are always seeming to ignore. The fact that they have nothing better to do than to try and publicize the lives of the entertainment world 24/7 is ridiculous! Are there no other stories out there? CNN doesn't seem to have any problems getting news. VH-1 has no shortage of stories to show.

I guess I feel a bit confused as to why we care so much about what others are doing, like there is not enough to keep our attention in other realms, or is it because we have been so de-sensitized to world events that we have to focus more on star's lives and their trashy lifestyles rather than the obvious WAR, MURDER, VIOLENCE, HOMELESS, WELFARE, IMMIGRATION, CORRUPT POLITICS, LACK OF DOMESTIC POLICY REFORM etc.

If we knew what was good for our nation, we would divert our troops back to our shores, rally them to the borders between us and our Mexican neighbors, pay them to actually do something worth wile, like protecting our borders from intruders. Hmm, I bet that'll never happen, seeing as how it actually makes sense. I get so tired of ranting about things that I can truthfully not do anything about. Even as a voter, it seems that the general public have become so dazed with policies, laws, lives, personal problems, Hollywood stars lives, that we don't care about the "real issues". And not a damn one of the upcoming presidential campaign runners will ever be able to address properly the real issues in front of us in this world today. Bush, well, all I can say about him is, I'm glad he's on his way out! Thank God! But, how can I be happy with any of the upcomings? They all pretty much suck for their own reasons. I have an idea...why don't we have a debate between the campaigners and the general public. So we can present the issues to them on an upfront platform, rather than having our corrupt senators, representatives or congress men/women do it for us. Isn't it "supposed" to be , Of the people, by the people and for the people? Why don't we take a more active role? I can give one or two good reasons why we don't. Because we are so used to having everything done a certain way, "I only vote republican, or I only vote Democrat" forget voting for a good choice. It's better to vote for a loser than to vote for a winner, cause that's what we did the last 2 terms of Bush' office. He's a true blue loser republican thief and liar. He's proven that over and over, but he still got re-elected!!! Again I ask, WTF?!?!

It's about time we get someone in office that is closer to the public in the way of issues dealt with, policies not heard about, laws written under our noses without so much as a vote to let them become law. How many times are we going to allow our government to push us down, walk all over us and smile while they do it? I'm not smiling! Iam not even bitching or whining. I'm simply stating what is on my mind. I won't even bother to refer to the freedom of speech bull crap. Nothing in this country is truely free. We pay the government for the right to vote, live, work, eat, buy and sell, pro-create, worship, even pay to go to war for ignorant politicians right wing agenda's! We are the suckers in our nation. We allow unchecked policy to be written for us, because we elect the ones making those policies. We pay for corrupt Policemen and women to guard our sorry lazy asses. We pay for the economy to sag and cause poverty upon our people. We pay to support foreign nations while they are in the middle of civil war among their own countrymen. We support actions against our own people while in the midst of fighting war on a never ending supply of insurgents, in a country that was not even minutely suspect for bombing the World Trade Center Towers. We are paying for the WMD action, that never amounted to anything except a vendetta against the King of Iraq. Never mind the fact that he was as insane as we all thought! And a murdering scum like the rest of his abominable countrymen. We are paying to school foreigners that are embedded in our country even now, despite Homeland security trying to secure our land from terrorism. WTF?!?!

Anyways, I could rant and rave a long time on these topics, but I have to go throw up now. I am so sick of bitching to a government that doesn't care about it's people. Just the almighty dollar and what it can do to win at the "Most popular nation contest."

I wish that Global warming would hurry up and wipe out the population that has scattered itself upon the planet. Then we could think about getting back to the real issue. Life, the way it was intended. Innocence, without tarnished opinions or expectations.

Okay, I'll stop for now.

By the way, it's been 37 days without smoking! At least I can keep my word to myself.

Peace or pieces, whichever comes first.

So, it's 36 days into the non-smoking venture.

I went to the doctor today to check out my ear, as it hurts. I found out that I have a slight inner ear infection, similar to "swimmers ear", it affects the inner ear canal due to an abrasion caused by, likely a q-tip. Go figure!

I also found out that, since my physical in January, I have gained almost 10 pounds. My blood pressure is good, as good as can be considered. I need to watch my sodium intake and caffeine. I also need to start my cardiovascular exercise. The doctor says I should start low impact and move into more as I go. So.....you heard it here first folks. I am starting my program to get fit....next week. LOL. I love procrastinating!


On another note, a sad one even....I learned yesterday that my Grandfather is nearing his last days on earth. He suffers from Alzheimers disease. He is in the last stages, in care of a Hospice facility. He is at the same stage that his mother was at when she passed away. So, my sister and I will go up to Oklahoma over the weekend to see him with our father. I am not looking forward to seeing him so emaciated, but I know that if I wish to see him alive, then I had better go while I have time.

Anyway. I hope that when Grandad passes that his passing is done with no pain and is with those that love him.

Peace.

So, it's day # 34 in my no smoking life. I have yet to actually start my work out routine though, I am ashamed about that. That's okay, I won't feel too guilty about it yet.

I have an experience to share from the weekend.

Saturday afternoon, I went to the Irving Wal-Mart to purchase 1 item. I get there, and as always, it's so busy I want to get in and out quickly. I mean, there were crowds of folks, all shopping like there was no tomorrow! I really loathe having to wade through the masses to get to a register (out of 20 or so registers only 5-10 were open, and all of them were full).

So, I'm walking determined to get out fairly quickly, when ahead of me, I spot a line of larger than normal women blocking the aisle. I don't mean just walking wither. They weer stopped completely. They were causing several folks to stop in their tracks! It was like trying to get aorund DFW during rush hour!

So, in my "inside voice" I was telling these certain women to "move out of my way". Well, I think the inside voice came out a bit quicker than I anticipated. Because, as I reached the jam, I said, quite loudly might I add, "MOVE". The outburst echoed through the store even! But, to my surprise, they moved like the Red Sea opening up before me! So I was able to walk along through the mess unhindered from that point on. Just wanted to share my laugh.

Peace.

Day 33 no smoking!! YAY!

Oh, I need to pass along the info concerning my good friends latest web blog......please see "Tie Dyed Brain Rays" for the latest and greatest writing about local and or national news. In a format you will NEVER forget, I assure you!

I actually don't feel as though I have much to write about today. I am saving up for a real writers moment though, I bet I'll have something new to rant about before the end of the week.

Peace out Humans.

Day 30 in the smoke free environment I created for myself. Man am I tired though. I think I need a nap, even as late in the day that it is. I have too many things in my schedule from day to day that I feel I have to complete. So, even when I'm tired at night, I have to be at a stopping point in order to sleep. Sometimes I do not get to sleep as early as I would prefer.

Oh well, I'll sleep more when I can.

I am still very excited about not smoking. I get to go to my girlfriends house this weekend, so that will be a test of my will power over cigarettes (as she smokes).

I would love for her to quit smoking like I did, alas, that might or might not happen. We'll see.

Peace for now.

THIS is freaking hilarious!!

I can't believe that the people of Boston and law enforcement officials have given the cartoon network the very thing they wanted, PUBLICITY! Bunch of dumb asses! I swear, if a person wanted to cause a scare, you would think they would have been a bit more sneakiy about it all. These guys did exactly what they needed to get the attention of the public. All for a stupid cartoon called "Aqua Teen Hunger Force". I have watched that show and I still think it's stupid! I bet the general public or semi adult population will pay more attention to their everyday lives from here on out. (oh yes, for those out there that thought this stunt was dangerous, it was as dangerous as letting our children watch the cartoon network)

There, I've said my piece, so READ ON! (oh yeah, I'm on day 29 no smoking)


BOSTON - Two men who authorities say placed electronic advertising devices around the city were released from jail Thursday, apparently amused with the publicity stunt that stirred fears of terrorism and shut down parts of the city.
Peter Berdovsky, 27, and Sean Stevens, 28, were released on $2,500 cash bond after each pleaded not guilty to placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct for a device found Wednesday at a subway station. They waved and smiled as they greeted people in court.
Outside, they met reporters and television cameras and launched into a nonsensical discussion of hair styles of the 1970s. “What we really want to talk about today — it’s kind of important to some people — it’s haircuts of the 1970s,” Berdovsky said.

Officials found 38 blinking electronic signs promoting the Cartoon Network TV show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” on bridges and other high-profile spots across the city Wednesday, prompting the closing of a highway and the deployment of bomb squads. The surreal series is about a talking milkshake, a box of fries and a meatball. The network is a division of Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc.
“It’s clear the intent was to get attention by causing fear and unrest that there was a bomb in that location,” Assistant Attorney General John Grossman said at their arraignment.
The 1-foot tall signs, which were lit up at night, resembled a circuit board, with protruding wires and batteries. Most depicted a boxy, cartoon character giving passersby the finger — a more obvious sight when darkness fell.
The men did not speak or enter their own pleas, but they appeared amused and smiled as the prosecutor talked about the device found at Sullivan Station underneath Interstate 93, looking like it had C-4 explosive.
“The appearance of this device and its location are crucial,” Grossman said. “This device looks like a bomb.”
Some in the gallery snickered.
Boston mayor threatens legal actionOutside the courthouse, Michael Rich, a lawyer for both of the men, said the description of a bomb-like device could be used for any electronic device.
“If somebody had left a VCR on the ground it would have been a device with wires, electronic components and a power source,” he said.

Boston officials were livid when the devices were discovered.
“It is outrageous, in a post 9/11 world, that a company would use this type of marketing scheme,” Mayor Thomas Menino said Wednesday. “I am prepared to take any and all legal action against Turner Broadcasting and its affiliates for any and all expenses incurred during the response to today’s incidents.”
NBC News
Two characters in the cartoon named Ignignokt and Err are "mooninites" — trouble-making characters that look like 1980s-era computer graphics. They are represented on the devices making a hand gesture they often use.
Berdovsky, an artist, told The Boston Globe he was hired by a marketing company and said he was “kind of freaked out” by the furor.

“I find it kind of ridiculous that they’re making these statements on TV that we must not be safe from terrorism, because they were up there for three weeks and no one noticed. It’s pretty commonsensical to look at them and say this is a piece of art and installation,” he said.
Fans of the show mocked authorities for what they called an overreaction.
About a dozen fans gathered outside Charlestown District Court on Thursday morning with signs saying “1-31-07 Never Forget” and “Free Peter.”
“We’re the laughing stock,” said Tracy O’Connor, 34.
“It’s almost too easy to be a terrorist these days,” said Jennifer Mason, 26. “You stick a box on a corner and you can shut down a city.”

Day 28 with no nicotine! Almost to 30!

Man, last night, at rehearsal, my stamina and breathing got a reality check. I have been doing a few exercises to increase my breath and some vocal runs to increase my range. But, I discovered last night, much to my amazement, that almost 30 days no smoking doesn't matter in the real world. LOL I have to admit, I am glad I stopped when I did, cause I can definitely tell the difference already. Man I hope my voice and lung capacity gets better. I KNOW it will, but I can't help but wonder after last nights escapade. I was running short of breath, starting to hear cracks in my voice etc. I got worried about it to the point I had to take extra 5 minute breaks, against the wish of the other band members. They couldn't understand that I didn't magickally become super lung after this amount of not smoking. I have to gradually increase my stamina, it doesn't miraculously increase over 30 days. LOL!

I can hardly wait to feel the difference after training in cardio and strength training for at least 30 days plus. I figure after the years of abuse to my physical stature, I deserve some time to recuperate my health before taxing it too much. I wish I could afford a house of my own, that way I could work out in private without having to share machines with the rest of the apartment complex. At least I don't have to pay for a health club.

On the relationship front....wow that could be a long blog! For real!! What is it about relationships and me that always seems to screw up? I mean, I am to the point I think I should be terminally single! Every time I think something is going the way I want, I get another, are you ready for this? A reality check. Go figure. I mean, I DID tell my current girlfriend that "being ready to be the girlfriend of a rock star is not something many people make it through". Did she really listen? I think not. Matter of fact be known, she makes as many demands to my time and gets mad when I cannot come through with 100% attention to her rather than my career in music. I know it's never fair to anyone in a relationship to have to share the time together, but in all fairness, I did warn her about what to expect from me. This is just into the rehearsal time too. Not going over 45 miles 3 times per week to see her has caused her some stress and makes her think I don't want to be with her. Instead, her head has conversations without me talking to her! I have had thos issues before, but I worked through them successfully. I grew past my silent 1 sided conversations and sabatoging relationships because I want out. That's all in my past. However....in the past few months, I have come to realize, I am not the only one in the relationship to worry about it. With going to the studio twice per week, she already thinks we have "grown apart". Well, what happens when I leave for weeks or months at a time? What about tour? I know she's important, just as our son is. I know she has feelings, but I do too. I cannot afford to put off my dream any longer, for anyone. I can hold true to my commitment to my son and time with him, but, I am seriously considering breaking my relationship for the time being. This way I can focus on music more than I already do. After all, I may not make a million dollars overnight, but without the effort put forth into the musical arena, I may be working on the dream until retirement age. I don't want that to be my "Quest for the Holy Grail". You know?

I need to be able to put 90% of my attention into my craft. Not to mention I still have to work 9-5 to pay my bills until I can escape the check to check issue. Once I can devote ALL my waking time to my new career in the industry, then I will feel better. And yes, I do consider that to be realistic and a goal worth working towards. Sacrifice, hmmm, should I sacrifice my companionship issues to be more in tune with my band? Should I focus all my free time to working on music? Does that make it okay? Do I hurt others in the process and feel okay about it all when the results come in? Do I work for the platinum record in life and forget all other emotions in my life? What about love? I want to be loved and love someone as well, but what cost do I pay?

Just random thoughts, after all, that is why I blog under that heading.

Peace out.

27 days nicotine free! YEAH!! Not that anyone actually reads my blog. lol!

And, oh yes, I am still going to start working out at the 30 day mark. It's coming soon!


Check out the sounds of the band I'm in...

http://www.soundclick.com/pro/view/01/default.cfm?bandID=239397

ALSO

http://www.lostgenerationmusic.com/

Keep checking back for show dates and times, we will be hitting the studio soon and after that you can count on us hitting the stage in a venue near you! Not limited to the Texas area.