Monday, December 19, 2011

Tis the Season...

Ok, I'm just about done with my Christmas shopping for the year. The short list of 4 people I was shopping for swelled to 9 over the past week, so it appears I won't be treating myself to that special gift, after all :-(

But fuckit, it's all in the spirit of the season, so I really don't mind. Although I have no children of my own, watching kids rip thru wrapped gifts gives me great joy, so I'll gladly take the extra hit in the wallet for their sakes.

You see, Ma told me guest would be staying with her over the holiday & that I'd better not show up without presents, lol. So just 2-3 more smaller items, then I'm completely done, I'll be sure to handle those before midweek hits. There's no way you'll catch this guy here dickin' around in anyone's mall just days before Christmas.

Roads in the DC area are a congested nightmare, even without holiday traffic, so best of luck to any of you last minute shoppers out there.

I did manage (well... I almost manged) to stay within my shopping budget & that even includes what I expect to spend on the final few items I've yet to buy. I find I always struggle to stay within my set budget most years.

What can I say? I guess I'm just not a shitty gift-giver. Truth be told - I wish I was, at times, since buying thoughtful gifts can be challenging when you actually give-a-fuck. Plus, I know how it feels to get a shitty gift & I'd simply rather not be thought of in that particular light, lol.

Admittedly, for birthdays & other celebratory occasions, I'll quickly grab a gift card & call it a day, all in the name of saving time, I guess. But for Christmas, if not supplied with a list, I really do like to get people useful gifts.

All & all, I'm pleased with the gifts I came up with. I didn't even go the Internet route this year. I actually put in the leg-work myself for all but 1 gift & that was only because I ran across a really good online deal.

Anyway, since I doubt I'll post again between now & Sunday, I guess I'll take this opportunity to wish all of you a very merry Christmas! Enjoy the time with close friends & family. Despite all of the commercialism that Christmas now involves, remember above all... this is a time for love, peace & goodwill, regardless of religion -- now go out there into the world & BE somebody, lol.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Oh Yea??? It's cool, bet that...

So... it seems the world seems to has effectively forgotten about the kid, eh? Well check this out, I've decided to forget about the world. Yunno, those I never call, or who never call me? Deleted. Ex-girl('friends') who've lingered for years, but have no intentions of somehow developing anything meaningful? Deleted. Reluctant women who I've recently pursued, but to no avail - ALL deleted, deleted, deleted. You've been nothing but a huge waste of my fucking time, lol.

Long story, short... I've decided to nix the folks who don't enhance my life to some degree. In addition, I'm taking a break from social networking for the time being, as I no longer have any desire to update those connected to my past, with any of my current comings & goings. Why wait for the new year when I can cut the fat right now?

The way I see it, I've waited my entire life for people to act right & since that still isn't happening, its well beyond time for me to cultivate an entirely new crop of humans for harvest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not angry with any of the folk referenced above - but I'm very much offended & no longer care enough to carry each respective 'friendship' on my own.

You see, I've discovered that (outside of a few loyal niggaz) I've got 1 person I can count on in this world, ONE! The rest of my associations are comprised of people who are very much interested in getting theirs & really couldn't care less about the potential impact upon others.

Clearly these aren't healthy relationships worth preserving in the 1st place, so with that in mind, I'm consolidating my efforts, & strictly looking out for those who look out for me. Where exactly do I go from here, you ask? I've got no idea & to be quite honest - I'm absolutely terrified.

What I'm NOT afraid of is cutting my losses, & moving onto better opportunities in life. Any friends, family or lovers who truly wanted to be here... would be here - PERIOD. We've all got different priorities in life, so if you've chosen not make me 1 of yours, I'm completely cool with that, just don't expect me to check for you anymore either.

At this point, there isn't a soul who'll save me except for myself, life has proven that much, but I've finally come to terms with that & you know what? I feel better about it already... silly rabbits.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Goddesses of the Gridiron...

Last night I attended my 1st Lingerie Football League game as the Philadelphia Passion defeated the Baltimore Charm, 24-12, so I decided to blog about the current state of the 3 year-old league. But 1st-off, the game was well-attended & the atmosphere in 1st Mariner Arena (located in downtown Baltimore) was pretty electric throughout the contest & the action was FAR more exciting to witness in-person.

It just so happened that 1 of the league's best players (if not the best), Marirose Roach, plays for Philadelphia and she was very impressive! It definitely won't be my last taste of 'Friday Night Football' - I had a blast! The 2011-12 season began back in August & this makes the 2nd time in a year that I've blogged about the league (click here to see that post), but this time I felt the league deserved it's very own post. I know a lot of folk view the LFL as a joke or objectifying towards women, but the LFL actually features quite a few studs (if it's ok to call women studs, lol).

The women of this league definitely play with an extremely high level of passion & aggression - I respect that. There will always be those who view the league as a gimic & regardless of whether that's true or not, it's currently the only place where women can play (televised) competitive professional football, giving the LFL a certain amount of instant credibility in my eyes. Besides, who doesn't love a good ol' fashioned chick fight from time to time? Lol.

But seriously, what many critics fail to understand is that LFL teams are often led by former NFL players & the rosters are comprised of women's golden glove boxing champs, US Olympic hockey team stars, lacrosse, basketball, softball standouts, & even the daughters of previous NFL Superbowl champions - bottom line, these gals are ATHLETES, not just pretty faces in sexy uniforms attempting to be cute.

In the games I've watched on tv & now in-person, I've noticed much improved coaching & overall gameplay. Quarterbacks are throwing fade patterns, receivers are pulling in 1-handed grabs with ease, running backs are slamming into would-be tacklers, defenders are running down opponents & finishing with big hits too! At this point, I honestly think I could go without the revealing uniforms, especially if it meant more people taking the league more seriously. I just don't think the lingerie is necessary to push the popularity of the league anymore, but a very nice bonus, I'll admit, lmao.

Above all, the young league seems to be flourishing. Game footage normally condensed into half-hour highlight segments for television, are now hour & a half time blocks reserved for complete, live game coverage. Now you're able to see coach/player interaction in-between plays & really get a feel for both the attitude & tempo of a game. They've even got instant replay challenges & better in-game analysis by television commentators (including former NFL athletes).

I've found that I'm even learning certain strengths & weaknesses of various players across the league. The LFL is doing a great job of developing recognizable stars & I've even got a favorite player now! Since 2009, the league has expanded from 10 to 12 teams, each playing a 4-schedule, not including playoff games & the widely known Lingerie Bowl (a perennial pay-per-view event broadcasted during halftime of the NFL's Superbowl since 2004, which ultimately lead to the start actual LFL league play).

League commissioner, Mitchell S. Mortaza, expects future expansion in 10 more U.S. cities (including Houston, New Orleans & Washington, DC) in coming seasons. To help promote the LFL's 1st attempt at an international league, LFL Canada, the 2010-11 LFL all-star game, appropriately dubbed the "All-Fantasy Game," was played in Hamilton, Ontario this past July. Additional international expansion is expected to include LFL Australia (2013) & LFL Europe (2014). LFL Canada will begin play in 2012.

During regular season games, arena's often appear to be filled to near-capacity & both men & women, alike, seem to enjoy the non-stop action. Hopefully, the very next orders of business will include longer schedules & getting future games/seasons broadcasted in high definition! Of all sports, the Lingerie Football League has the absolute most to gain from an HD format for obvious & quite perverted reasons & I won't even get started with what a 3-D presentation might do for one's viewing enjoyment :-D

Monday, October 31, 2011

Trick or Treat?

It's Halloween, the cold weather is upon us here in the DC area & I ain't got no ‘boo’ lined-up for the winter - ahhh... but what can you do about it? Not a damn thing, that's what, lol. But seriously, I really do love this time of year & girlfriend or not, fall is my very favorite season!

There’s football, cooler temps, pumpkin-flavored coffee (another fav) & 3 major holidays (if you count new years) – it's great! It's also the time of year where I generally see more of my friends & family that have been estranged, so I'm looking forward to reconnecting with my peeps!

I picked up jogging earlier in the year, so the next few weeks will be my 1st true experience with longer distance running during the fall/winter months, but already I’ve noticed how much easier it is to pump-out a 4-mile run with cooler weather, perhaps it’s time to raise the bar again.

Oh & I think I'd like to hit a ski resort someplace up in the mountains at some point this winter, the last time I went on trip like this, I really enjoyed myself - I'll have to put a few 'feelers' out there & see who's interested in some drunken-mess fuckery in the snow, lol.

I encourage you to relieve some of that stress that everyday life can bring & take-in more of the sights & sounds of fall. Thanksgiving & the holiday season will be here before we know it & I'm ready for it! I can already taste the wonderful food & hear the echoes of uncontrollable laughter now.

Be sure to enjoy it all folks!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Jobless (1955-2011)...

As a frequent user of Apple products, I'd be a bit remiss not to post about the death of someone who many might describe as a technological visionary. On October 5, 2011, former Apple CEO, Steve Jobs would succumb to pancreatic cancer at the relatively young age of 56... but in his passing, he left us with so much. Whether you're an Apple supporter or hater, you've got to realize the genius in the man, coupled with his unrivaled presentation skills & ability to create anticipation among loyal consumers.

It's funny, I'm heading home from work on the train, composing this post from my iPad & will later use the data signal from my tethered iPhone for upload to Internet (all before I even get to my car). I never imagined we'd be using cell phones & mobile computers this way - now look at us! It's also pretty fitting that I purchased my very 1st Apple computer on the very day of his death. An obvious example of how, even in death, his ideas, concepts & standards will influence the way we operate & think for some time.

Apple has made life much easier for me over the years. 1st there was my very 1st 1gb, black & white display iPod (graduation present from my aunt). By the end of that summer I'd fallen in love with idea of mp3 music file playback, pitched my CDs, & upgraded to a 30gb iPod Video. Then I figured, why not consolidate the devices I lug around & get an iPhone? I was was tired of losing oPods anyway - no brainer. Then I added an Apple TV to the mix & was introduced to the visual world of Apple. Then finally the concept of mobile tablet computing exploded with the success of Apple's iPad.

So now that I finally have a Mac to tie everything together seamlessly, I'm completely in-sync! Whether I'm in the home, the car, at work, or on the go, I'm never without any of my emails/messages, tv shows/movies, music, important documents, magazines/books, social networks, photo galleries, so on, & so fourth. Apple's newest iPhone (4S) hits the streets in less than a week, but I 'think' I can hold out for the iPhone 5 (which I expect to drop in 2012) since there will be an iOS update for all devices as well in the coming days.

It really just depends on how many new features software updates are unique to the new handset only & whether or not I feel I can go without 'em until the release of iPhone 5. In either instance, my next phone will most definitely be an Apple product, & thats a credit to a great company that a certain 2-time CEO left fingerprints all over. For that, I'm so very thankful Steve - scratch that...
iThankful.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Just Thought this was Pretty Cool...


The Baltimore Ravens (my favorite football team) now distribute iPads to it's players, rather than the old-fashioned playbooks & to me, that seems like an excellent idea.

Players now have the convenience reviewing game film, studying plays & game plans all in one device. The only other team that seems to use iPads for playbooks are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so it appears the Ravens are on the cutting edge in this regard.

According to the blog I read on the teams website, Ravens offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron (pictured above) wondered if the team's several-hundred page playbook could somehow be transferred to some sort of tablet device. Less than a year later - the notion is a reality. The teams says the responses by players & coaches alike, have been rather positive so far -- well duhhh! Lol.

"There are things it’s good for & things that the paper is better for. You can put video on it, which is very convenient. It’s nice to not have to carry around a giant playbook all week. “I do print some things out so I can mark down the route progressions & things like that, but in all, it’s been an easy transition", said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

The team purchased 110 iPads & even purchased 10 more when the NFL expanded training camp rosters to 90 players this year. According to Nick Fusee, the Ravens' Director of Information Technology, several tablets were tested before settling on Apple's 64 gb iPad 2. Fusee expects the new playbook distribution method to save the considerable printing costs over the new few years.

“Our video staff has already got the game loaded on their laptop, so all they have to do is plug in through iTunes & load it up on the plane. It only takes a minute, & the guys like that,” Fusee added.

Another huge benefit of going the iPad route is that the Ravens cam always remotely wipe data from any stolen or missing iPad ensuring that playbook & scouting info doesn't 'conveniently' fall into the hand of another team. Additional security measures include automatic wiping of the device after 3 incorrect password entries.

The Atlanta Falcons also flirted with iPads this year. They used the tablet to conduct pre-draft interviews. In my opinion this is yet another example of how tablets are taking over & I, for 1, love it...

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Selective Discipline...

Yea, I know - it was more than 3 weeks ago, but I'm still angry about it... ever since Roger Goodell took over as NFL Commissioner in 2006, I've generally been supportive of the changes he's made & pretty much given him a pass on most of the questionable rule-changes & decisions he's made, but the Terrelle Pryor 5-game suspension, quite honestly, pissed me off.

Just to catch you up, Pryor (and 4 other teammates) received a 5-game by the NCAA for selling championship rings jerseys and awards along with accepting gifts & money from a tattoo parlor & it's owner during his time at Ohio State University, an infraction his coach Jim Tressel, had full knowledge of, but failed to report to the NCAA. The improper benefits were later discovered by the NCAA this past winter, but Pryor & company were allowed to play in OSU's bowl game, provided they agree to serve the 5-game suspension the following season.

Pryor & his 4 co-conspirators did indeed participate in the Sugar Bowl (a 31-26 victory over Arkansas), but this summer Tressel resigned as head coach of OSU amid the ongoing scandal & Pryor decided to go pro, rather than return to OSU. Since the NFL draft had already taken place in April, Pryor entered his name into the NFL's supplemental draft (a closed-door draft held for players with special circumstances preventing them from participating in the NFL's general draft) to be held just before the start of the season.

He was allowed to participate in the draft provided he agree to serve a 5-game NFL suspension following his eventual selection by the Oakland Raiders in the supplemental draft. There are few things in life that bug me more than interfering with a person's right to go out & make money. In my mind, the league has no right (nor authority) to impose any sort of suspension based upon infractions in a previous 'amateur' league.

Yes, he most likely committed infractions while a student-athlete but there is no previous precedent that justifies commuting an NCAA suspension to any sort of NFL punishment. In fact, the exact opposite is the only precedent that existed before this situation. In 2009, Jeremy Jarmon was suspended for his ENTIRE senior season at the University of Kentucky for what the NCAA called an illegal diuretic. The NFL allowed him into the supplemental draft that year with no carryover punishment whatsoever, so.... wtf???

Colleges & universities are hit with NCAA sanctions all the time based upon infractions committed by players who have long since gone pro, so why is Pryor being made an example here? It would have been all-too-easy for the League to develop & properly publicize such future penalties for players who go pro & are later found (or already known) to be violators of NCAA rules, but to be singled-out & be used as a lab rat isn't right either. This is the same league that denied Johnny Unitas (& many more) disability pay for injuries clearly sustained as a result of a professional football career, & now all of the sudden the league has a conscience? Yea, right.

League spokesperson Greg Aiello said Pryor was suspended by Goodell for 'essentially' violating the spirit of the supplemental draft... really? So violating the spirit of rule justifies completely making up your own in response? The case-by-case evaluation of players to be disciplined by the league has gotten completely out of hand. It seems that Gooddell & the League office haven't a clue as what they're doing & I'm wondering when the NFL Player's Association (or any civil rights group for that matter) will step-in.

I was even MORE disappointed to learn that Pryor would not be appealing the 5-game suspension. I guess I understand why - he just wants to cut his losses & get started with his pro career & put this all behind him, who could blame him? But I think he did he & his fellow league players a bit of a disservice by giving-in to 'Master Goodell' so easily. Incidentally, did you know that a violation of the league's substance abuse policy typically only carries a suspension of about 4 games (for repeat offenders) & as few as 1 game, or in the case of popular stars like Pittsburgh's Hines Ward, a 0-game suspension? So that means the NFL's penalty for getting slapped with DUI, using coke, smoking weed or taking steroids is LESS severe than receiving improper benefits while attending any of the NCAA's member schools - what a f@#%ed up system.

Oh & Pryor's former college coach? He accepted a coaching position with the Indianapolis Colts, without penalty from the League. Instead, the Colts themselves decided to suspend Tressel (for 5-games) days later, as the new hiring began to pick up steam among media outlets. When asked about the team-imposed suspension, Goodell said he would have suspended Tressel if the Colts had not already done so, bull-sh!t, absolute bull-sh!t.

He didn't waste a moment suspending Pryor beforehand, so why would he sit back and allow the Colts the opportunity discipline Tressel themselves, when he hadn't offered the Raiders the same opportunity with Pryor??? While I don't condone Pryor's improper actions, such infractions have existed for years & it's hardly fair to use Pryor as an example to help supplement the League's weak stance regarding players & their previous NCAA infractions before turning pro.

What if you quit a VOLUNTEER job, failed to give 2-weeks notice & the government decided to dock your 1st 2-weeks of pay at your new PAYING gig? The way I see it, that's basically what happened here. Yes, quitting the job & giving no notice is certainly frowned upon & probably considered immoral by many, but you'd go ballistic if you were penalized for actions taken while employed in a previous position.

The 1st thing you'd probably wonder is 'why the government is involved in the 1st place' the second might be 'can they even do this?' Where is the equal standard of justice? All I ask for, in any walk of life, is consistency across the board - the League has proven to be incapable of providing such. I don't trust the Goodell to be fair in such dealings & can't possibly conceive how any NFL player would either...

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Seismic Activity...

Ok, clearly the photo to the left is a joke aimed at just how green life-long easterners such as myself are when it comes to earthquakes, but the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that rocked much of the east coast at approximately 1:52 pm this afternoon was most definitely a WTf moment. Any native of the east coast will quickly tell you - that's not something that happens here, so we're NOT at all used to such occurrences! To us, it was a very big deal indeed.

I can recall standing in front of my desk & looking down at the computer screen, when suddenly the floor beneath me began to shake slightly. Then the shaking got more & MORE intense - my 1st thoughts... "what the fuck is goin on!?!" Then shit started to fall off my desk - my next thoughts involved terrorism, specifically the possibility that the Washington, DC government building I work in had been bombed. "Now where did I put that gas mask?"

As the moments of uncertainly &then panic grew even longer, it finally hit me - I was standing in the middle of a God-damned earthquake! Then shouts were heard in the hallway instructing employees to immediately evacuate the building. Honestly, I was the last person who needed to hear that as I'd already had my phone, iPad & keys in-tow before racing across the hallway towards the stairwell, lol.

When I got outside the building, I encountered a sea of people, also spilling into the streets from nearby office buildings & shops. Each armed with a (non-working) cell phone attempting to place calls.

Thankfully, text messages & emails seemed to be getting to their intended recipients; without the cellular data signals we've grown so fond of, there would've been almost NO communication at all between most friends & loved ones across the region. So even though mobile telecommunication devices are often considered both a gift & a curse, I'm SO very glad to have 'em around!

From the reports I've gathered so far, the quake's epicenter was someplace outside of Richmond, VA (which is about 85 miles from DC) & was felt as far north as Toronto, Canada, as far south as Georgia & was about 3.7 miles deep. I'm hardly any scholar on seismic activity, but to me - that was fucking amazing. The undeniably brute force of nature can be so overwhelming to take-in at times.

The initial aftermath of the quake was reminiscent of the 9/11 attacks on the US. I can clearly recall the nonexistent cell phone service & overall lack-of knowledge regarding the events that had just taken place. Again, sirens blared non-stop, dazed & confused citizens aimlessly wandered the streets, it really was a pretty scary snap-shot of time in the nation's capital.

Shortly after the masses pieced together what just happened, then came the talks of after shocks, broken gas lines & cracked roadways/structures. At this point, my thoughts shifted to just how in the hell I would get home. I take the subway to work, so being stranded was not something I was looking forward to. Fortunately, the subway trains remained operational, but were only moving at 15mph.

But outside of an extremely long commute back to my car & then a rather erratic drive the rest of the way home, things for the most part seemed okay. At the time of this post no deaths or major injuries have been reported so I'm thankful for that. We took a punch from mother nature & survived the ordeal. At any rate, I guess those still awaiting the rapture, doomsday or whatever folks chose to call it, can get back on their respective soapboxes & start spreading the word once again - the end is coming, lol

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

A Day at the Beach...

A good friend & I took our annual trip to the beach over the weekend & we had a blast! Typically we hit Ocean City in Maryland, but this year we decided to hit Rehoboth Beach in Delaware - what a wonderful decision that was! The drive up was not unlike the drive to Ocean City, we took many of the same roads & the time it takes to get to either beach is about the same.

I'd been to Rehoboth Beach years back when I was a child, but I have very little memory of that ancient trip. I really enjoyed the area (Henlopen, DE) & the scenery we took-in as we made our way to the sand. It's a shame I don't go to the beach more often than I do, especially considering how much I love road trips. I'll have to try & go more often in the future.

I really liked the boardwalk at Rehoboth, there's alot to do on the beach & the bars, restaurants, stores & nightlife are pretty fun as well. Granted, it's not big city living or anything close to the sort, so the options are certainly more limited than what some might be used to, but you'll definitely find something to do as long as you're in good company.

It's always nice to get away from the bright urban lights & experience the small town life, even if only for a day or so. I often wonder what it would be like to live in a small town. I'm definitely not opposed to the idea & if I knew I could secure decent (local) employment, I'd be more than willing to relocate!

Alas, August signifies the beginning of the end, as far as summer goes, & since I don't anticipate any future trips this summer, I'm now shifting my focus towards the fall. I'd really like to go camping this fall, I've never been before. Perhaps I can convince a few good buddies to accompany me on an excursion in the woods somewhere before the weather gets cold...

Monday, August 1, 2011

Stinkin' Lincoln...

I got a bit impatient & bought a new car this weekend. Initially, my plan was get a new computer & 3D television before taking-on a new car note, but my previous vehicle registration was set to expire on August 31st & I was NOT about fork over $128 to the State of MD to renew my old registration for a minimum of 2 years when I'd only have the car for another 1-2 months, tops - that's just stupid, or at least I thought so, lol.

So I got my lazy ass up early Saturday morning & took a trip to Annapolis, I'd already been researching several vehicles over the past year so I knew exactly what I was looking for. It was just a matter of which dealership gave me the best deal & since July marks the end of the model year, I took advantage of some unexpected savings as well.

After spending much of the day on dealership row, I chose the Lincoln MKZ (the front runner among my list of cars to consider - the others I considered were the Infiniti G37, Acura TL, Buick Lacrosse & Dodge Challenger). After my research & test drives, I felt the MKZ gave me the best combination of luxury, sport & TECHNOLOGY :-D

I decided I wanted to buy American, making the TL a long-shot unless they threw some kind of crazy deal my way (they didn't). I'm too used to the convenience of sedans, so the 2-door Challenger was the next car I eliminated. The G37 cost far too
much after including certain options I couldn't live without & even though the Lacrosse was close to being my selection - Buicks still just screams 'old person' to me, so I passed, lol.

After a weekend of driving, I'm rather pleased with my decision. It looks nice, performs well on the road & has all the necessary (ok, maybe not so necessary, but desired) bells & whistles. It's actually my 1st new car, all of my previous vehicles have been used, so this purchase was long overdue, glad I took the initiative Saturday morning. Right now I'm calling her 'my cougar' - as a Lincoln, she's seasoned with a well-established reputation & definitely into younger men, lol...

Friday, July 29, 2011

Somebody Get Her a V8, Lol...

Just minutes ago I shared with someone, my plans to go home on this Friday evening & watch tv & maybe a couple of movies. "Hell, I might even squeeze-in a run," I told her before she promptly informed me that I "really have no life," lol. She didn't say it with any malice, but whether or not I believe that, I guess I do have to recognize that I no longer have the urge to fill each & every weekend evening with marvelous tales of adventure & amusement.

You see, nowadays when I go home, I enjoy doing just that - going home! While that might sound boring or uneventful to some, it simply doesn't bother me in the least. Between the Playstation, Apple TV, computer, cable, liquid libations & 'party favors' (as an ex once called it), I'm fully capable of occupying myself, but I know the thought of a Friday/Saturday evening in the house just kills some people, so I'm not knocking them either.

Now that I've been there, done that & read the book too, its become a bit difficult to get myself riled-up for the weekends. Sometimes I enjoy the act of being able to do absolutely nothing at all, those are the moments in time I live for! But even if I were under the impression that I somehow didn't do enough elbow rubbing with the areas most visual & active socialites, I've come to a certain realization.

That realization being that I'm now in a place where I appreciate the simple things life has to offer so much more than I used to. I'd chose to spend an evening cooking a meal with a young lady of choice long before I'd suggest hitting a bar, heading out to eat, catching a movie or going to a club or some other venue. Sometimes it's nice to sit back & enjoy the company of another & even when there's no one but you, you've gotta learn to enjoy yourself!

But I know such a concept is easily rejected by the those of you who just can't sit still, lol. I get it, some folks have to be seen, heard or acknowledged in some way in order to feel alive. To those those of you, I say go for it - keep the party goin! Look at it this way, if you lose ur keys, get physically assaulted or can't find your ride home, give me a buzz. According to the friend I referenced above, I should be rather easy to locate, lol...

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Takeover 2011

I'm back from my annual trip to Miami (well... sort of anyway) & I'm feeling as refreshed as ever! Got a chance to meet some new people as well as discover some new things about a few old people. Any trip away from home always provides an opportunity for self-reflection, so I managed to get some of that done as well.

The trip was a package deal that a buddy & I have purchased for the past few years. It includes airfare, transportation to/from the airport, hotel stay & free admission to several venues throughout the stay. This year; however, I wasn't overly impressed with our accommodations (Shelborne Beach Resort). While our room featured a decent view & had everything we needed, many others who also traveled with the group did not find their rooms to be satisfactory. The hotel was under renovations so, certain features of the hotel were unavailable to us and there was obvious construction taking place throughout the facility.

But I enjoyed our time in Florida & the many high-jinks I either witnessed or participated in myself. As far as some things I got into this year, I did karaoke, hit a few nightclubs, enjoyed many great meals, did some night swimming on the beach, enjoyed a couple pool parties, went shopping, I even got my miles in along the beach (incidentally, beach running can be kinda hard, considering the angled slope of the shoreline -- being inebriated certainly doesn't help either, lol).

There were plenty of things we weren't able to get to, but that's been the case each time we travel, so I'm satisfied; nonetheless, with what we were able to accomplish during our 4-day stay.

So it's back to the grind (both socially & professionally speaking) with a clear head & renewed purpose. Things were a bit monotonous & routine at the job & I'll admit I was still harboring a few less-than-positive feelings for a couple folk before I left, but at this point, I feel like I can re-focus at work & fully move beyond the past transgressions of others.

Now I'm just looking towards the fall (my favorite time of the year), football is right around the corner, soon the temperature will be cooler & it's a GREAT time of year to hang-out with that special someone ;-) Don't act like y'all don't like the idea of a warm body to curl-up next to, lol...

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Wow...

This makes web log post no. 92 & I can hardly believe it's already been an entire year since I 1st blogged. Though the page construction/content development for this site has indeed been a learning process, I'm rather pleased with the digital gumbo of arbitrary thoughts I've chosen to share during that time.

Hopefully you guys have been able to stomach my informative, emotional & (sometimes nonsensical) thoughts as well. I never imaged I'd actually come up with that much to say about... well, nothing in particular at all. In 1 of my initial posts, I recall mentioning how I'd be winging it until I decided exactly what it was I wanted to blog about on a regular basis - 11,772 page hits later, I guess I'm still just winging it, but I'm comfortable with expressing my various thoughts here & expect I'll continue to do so for years to come.

Since the inception of this blog site, I've learned quite a bit about life, people & most importantly myself. In writing this post, I've had quite a few laughs, mostly at my own expense, while looking through some of the older entries. Indeed, many thoughts on certain topics & people have changed in a year's time, but others remain completely intact & it's been fun examining each circumstance.

If looking back at my feelings & reactions from the previous year provides this much amusement, things should really get interesting after a 5 or 10-year review of this blog. Ok, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself - who knows what technology we'll be using to capture our individual instances of contemplation years from now? What I do know is that I've enjoyed this blogging thing, I should have gotten around to this years ago!

I guess there's really no cast or crew to thank since this is a 1-man show, but I certainly appreciate each moment you've wasted unraveling the ball of confusion that often describes me. Unfortunately, I've got a strict no-refund policy, so I'm afraid you'll never be able to recapture any of time you might have spent deciphering my random/fleeting thoughts, but again - I appreciate it :-D

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Really, What's the Beef???

I'm currently aboard a train departing from Baltimore, heading back to DC after visiting a friend for an evening on the town.

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from her while at work & she suggested that I come up to visit her on the MARC train. So in super-spontaneous fashion I agreed, headed to Union Station straight from my office in Washington, DC bought a commuter ticket & was on my way to Baltimore's Penn Station within minutes!

After some bar hopping we spent some time walking along the pier at Fells Point. The weather was great last night & I had a absolute blast catching up with my old friend - it was the perfect way to kick-off this 4th of July weekend.

I've always enjoyed the city of Baltimore & I've never quite understood the rift between the residents of the DC, B-more & the surrounding suburban areas of both. For whatever reason, the 2 cities refuse to acknowledge 1 another & I've always thought it was a shame to have 2 major cities (separated by only 40 miles) where the locals of each so often fail to take advantage of what both have to offer.

As a lifelong resident of the DC area, I've always found my way back & fourth between the 2 areas & I love the history of both great cities. Just think, if the 2 could get they're acts together & make a realistic pitch to the International Olympic Committee we could bring the Olympics to the area.

Granted, there's always a natural rivalry between any 2 cities so close but, the hate-hate relationship Baltimore & DC seems quite unique in that other competing cities caross the nation seem well aware of the amenities of both & their residents seem to inter-mingle well. Yet when it comes to DC/B-more, that couldn't be further from the truth.

The styles are different & the same goes for the local language/accents used by the natives of each city. But outside of those trivial differences the two cities seem similar in many ways to me, so it baffles me how the 2 cultures haven't merged more (on their own) over the years. For the now, the line drawn between the 2 remains distinct & well defined. I truly hope that changes in the near future - but if not, fuckit more for me. Happy 4th guys, be safe...



Thursday, June 30, 2011

While Walking the Dog Tonight...

I got to thinking & realized that despite my occasional gripes & complaints, things are actually falling into place & I'm beginning to feel like I have a much better idea of why certain relationships, people & situations didn't pan-out the way I'd once hoped. It's nobody's fault, really - just bad timing & slight errors in judgement, I figure.

I've always believed things happen for a reason, but never before has the statement seemed so profound. I used to think I wanted this beautiful, voluptuous & take-no-shit kind of vixen who encompassed confidence, sex appeal & style as well. Get this, I also wanted this woman to be intelligent & worldly, yet down-to-earth at the same time.

I still believe this superwoman does indeed exist in the physical, she just doesn't describe herself as such - you see, she's far beyond those little boxes we attempt to place one another in, so advertising herself in such a way would never even cross her mind - I get that now.

Trust me, I've had no shortage of beautiful women in my past. A couple of 'em even closely resembled the ultimate vixen described above, but fell far short of being the humble girl next door needed to complete my vision in the end. My vision, lol... just seeing that bullshit in writing makes me laugh at how warped my thinking once was.

In any event, some women focused too heavily upon my habits, others questioned my commitment, then there were those who battled too eagerly & a few that didn't bother to fight at all. Still, I'd never trade the valuable experiences gained through each encounter. They've all contributed in one way or another to the reshaping of me.

Wanna know something else? My eyes are now open to possibilities that were always right in front of me, so I plan to explore each & every 1 of 'em now that I'm aware. The past is the past, so I'm moving forward. What type of woman do I seek nowadays, you ask? I'm not sure, but I'm definitely done with the stupid boxes - right now I'm just riding the wave of happiness. What's got me so happy, wouldn't you like to know (lol)?

For years I sought that 'perfect' woman so she'd complete me, but I never once stopped to 1st, perfect myself - that's no longer an issue. The reality is that those who gave up on me or passed me over never deserved me & conversely, I never deserved the 1 woman who loved me unconditionally. I hope & pray she's doing well in life.

To the lesser women of yesteryear, months back or hell, last week even - fuck you & I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart. You helped me define precisely what I don't want in a woman, but thanks for playing :-D

I say all of this to document the progress I've made as a person. Long gone are the days where I punished women for not living up to such unattainable & arbitrary standards. To the decent women I've hurt - I'm so very sorry, I know it's late, but an honest apology nonetheless - be well...

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Now THAT was Fuckin' Hot...

Figured I'd better hurry & blog about this photo before it's too old to be considered news worthy. How cool is it that the couple captured in this photo (taken amidst a riot this past Sunday in Vancouver after the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup) seems to be completely oblivious towards everything going on around them?!?

They're focused solely upon each another & it sure makes for great art,
or at the the very least, 1 hell of a discussion piece. You immediately begin to wonder about the couple upon viewing it for the 1st time. Who took the photo, was it staged, did someone eventually break-up the love fest? We'd later come to know this couple as Scott Jones & Alexandra Thomas.

According to the couple, Thomas was knocked to the ground & Jones rushed to her aid. What a wonderful moment to have frozen in time during a riot that, ironically, got started as a result of the collective feeling of heartbreak among Vancouver Canucks fans who'd just watched the
wrong team win the Stanley Cup. Hopefully, the 2 last as a couple, if so - they'll always have something interesting to sit on their coffee table & share with any visitors that might swing by.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Should I Do It?

Yea, I think I kinda have to... fuckit, why not? Besides, familiarity breeds complacency & I've got things to do, so there's certainly no time in my schedule for any of that!

Months ago, I watched an infomercial for the Insanity, a 60-day total-body conditioning program & thought to myself, 'I could do that.'

Well this weekend while visiting a good friend of mine, I noticed she had the Insanity workout kit. So she was kind enough to lend the kit to me so that I could burn the 10 workout discs.

Based upon what I already know about Insanity, I expect the workouts to be completely brutal over the course of 2 months time, but I'm ready for a new challenge so bring it on! I plan to start the 60 days of intense conditioning on August 1st, following my return from Miami in late July. If I stay on schedule, I should complete the workout plan by October 2nd, or so.

As challenging as Insanity appears, I still plan to continue my 5k runs, 3 days a week, but I'll need to scale-back my weight training activities if I wanna give myself a decent chance at sticking with Insanity for 2 months full months. I guess, I'll develop some sort of reduced lift plan to coincide with some of the Insanity workouts.

There's no getting around the fact that 45-minute conditioning intervals, 6 days a week for 2 straight months (not including the miles run), will test my level of commitment but hey, you only live once - so, come August, I'm making it happen...

Monday, June 13, 2011

Introducing Ms. Cookie...

Last week I heard the ADT entry chime sound, alerting me that my brother was getting in for the night. I could hear that he had company with him but this time, his company beat him to the very top of 2 flights of stairs. 'Cookie,' an all-black pit bull terrier/black lab mix with 3 white feet (looks like she's missing a sock, lol), quickly appeared & briefly introduced herself before proceeding to tear through my room with complete & reckless abandon, lol.

I didn't have anything dangerous laying around that could harm her, so I gladly allowed her to continue exploring her new surroundings. I can recall thinking at the time, 'Clearly, she was an apartment pup,' because she seemed super-excited with the additional real-estate. I've never seen a dog SO happy just to go up & down stairs. So up & down she went, from the 1st to the 3rd floors, for almost 30 minutes! I just couldn't tell her to stop - not on the 1st night, lol.

After work the next day I took her out for her 1st walk around the hood. I'd forgotten the small things required to break-in a new pup. We sniffed each & every tree before she finally got thirsty & led me back home, lol. Did I mention it was 95+ degrees that day??? The next several weeks will be spent breaking her of any bad habits she managed to pick-up during her short stint with her previous owner. But she's a good pup, so me & my bro can handle her.

The previous owner has a newborn baby, so apparently Cookie was evicted. One man's trash is another man's treasure :-D But the timing was perfect since I was literally weeks from bringing home a new puppy myself. It's been rather quiet at home lately, so it's really nice to have a fresh dose of energy running around the house. Cookie's sudden arrival is certainly welcomed by all here at 9914.

She likes to keeps me company when I'm weight training & doesn't get in my way. She already knows to catch me between reps, she's pretty bright - wonder how long before she's ready to run along side of me when I jog, right now her endurance isn't anywhere near where it needs to if she ever wants to accompany me, but we're working on that...

Monday, June 6, 2011

Relax, it's Just Sext...

They were talking about sexting on the radio this morn... ever send sexually suggestive text messages or naked photos of yourself to significant others or 'buddies? Well why-the-fuck-not??? Personally, I'm not so huge on the dirty text messages myself (that's a little too much work), but I'll definitely admit I'm guilty of sending a nude pic here & there :-D

Generally such messages have been reserved for girlfriends I've had in the past, but there have been more than a few times when that wasn't necessarily a prerequisite, lol. I really enjoy receiving sext messages/nude photos - always a blast whenever the fun is reciprocated on the other end.

Now that I think about it, I haven't gotten 1 in a while - soooo... if you've got my number............. lol. It's a no-brainer that you've gotta be careful with these kinds of messages & photos. It's seems everyday we learn of a prominent figure who goofed & sent compromising photos or messages that are later shared with the world.

But fuckit, I'm not running for office, nor am I ashamed of my body, so even if revealing photos of myself were somehow leaked to the public - big fucking deal. I actually think I'd be far more embarrassed by a sext message I'd composed than any nude photo of myself.

If you're a card carrying member of the 'Fun Police' & you remain completely uncomfortable with trusting your naked flicks with ANYone ever, the most obvious suggestion for you would be to keep your face out of the photo (if you want to be a punk about it, lol), that way if it's ever shared, folks can't be certain it's you.

Still everything aint for everybody & some people will continue to live like it's the 19th century forever, so to you folks I say... do you. Besides, I guess the last thing you want to do is offend someone who isn't quite as in touch with their sexuality (or yours).

I can only recall maybe 1 time that I actually managed to offend someone with a suggestive photo & it wasn't even nude, lol. As I recall, she never responded to the pic, she flat-out ignored it, rather. I'd soon come to find this women to be a bit of a prude - God bless her in each & every 1 of her future endeavors, but.... next!

To make a long blog short, I fully support sexting and/or nude photos of all kinds. It keeps things interesting & fun, whether you are or aren't involved a relationships. So yea, I've done it before & I'll certainly do it again - now c'mon, live a little & send him or her a little eye-candy right now! You scared?

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Raising the Bar...

Alright, what's going on here? I was never a health nut at any point during the 1st 30 years of my life, but in addition to my new love for running, I've been using the days previously reserved for rest, to tone-up as well lately. I still loathe the gym, so instead I've been working out at home on my core, chest, arms, legs, shoulders & back with 15 & 30-pound dumbbells in addition to an exercise ball.

Last night, I found some fitness videos to stream to my tv (via Netflix) & actually ended up developing my 1st workout plan afterward. It took me the better part of yesterday evening to test each dumbbell weight, activity & rep count. Then I still needed to breakdown 21 activities into separate exercise groups to complete over 3 days time.

The plan is to perform 3 sets of each of those 21 activities I've came up with. I figure I'll be tweaking the rep count & weight sizes over the next couple of weeks until I get a better idea my current strength level in each area. But I'm telling you - some woman is gonna end up with 1 fine, chiseled piece of man-meat by the time I' done here, lol.

To maintain at least 1 day of rest, I had to remove a day from my previous cardio routine. I'm not so happy about that since I've come to enjoy running so much, but 3 days of weight training coupled with another 3 days of 3-mile runs sound like more than enough to do during a given week.

What I like most about my proposed workout plan is that it gives me the freedom to do it from just about anywhere. Whether I'm home, at work, out of town, or yes, even the unthinkable -visiting the dreaded gym, I can manage a decent workout with very few adjustments (if any) to the routine.

I'm a huge NFL football fan & with that in mind, I thought it'd be wise to reserve Sunday as the new rest day since I'm down to just 1 now. My previous off-days had been Monday, Wednesday & Friday, now I've got 7 activities scheduled for each of those days & I plan to continue running each Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.

It's clear to me now how working out can be so addictive. With any luck this WON'T just be a phase, but a far healthier lifestyle, rather. What feels the best about this healthier living over the past few months is that nobody pushed me, the encouragement from watching those close to me provided more than enough spark to get me out there on my own.

Off to get today's miles in, until next time kiddies...

Friday, June 3, 2011

Feature Friday: Distant Love...

Ok, I'm thinking this particular Feature Friday post will be the last. I find I just don't have the time to locate these hidden gems on my own as of late - but at least I managed a good 6-month run. Who knows? Perhaps it will return at some point. Anywhoo, the 6th & final selection is a poem I found online at www.short-love-poems.net & really liked.


The writer goes by Tiffany B, 'Distant Love' reads as follows:



My life has been so empty for so long,
no one to love or call my own.
I patiently waited for that time to come,
To share this special with someone.

Until you came from the mist, unexpectedly,
Taking me as I am and accepting me.
You filled the emptiness that laid inside,
releasing me form my bitterness and pride.

We shared endless moments together,
questioning if the feelings were true,
Not realizing how fast time had flew.
The time had come for me to part and go away,
The words goodbye I had refused to say.

I am now miles away from the one I love,
things are so different, but your still all I think of.
A day seems like year and a month feels like forever,
I think about the times we spent, and THAT
I will always treasure.

Your soft brown eyes that made me shy away,
your cute little smile that brightened my day.
Your gentle touch that gave me chills,
and your whole body in itself that gave
me thrills.

I'll wait patiently until we can touch again,
but i am now more satisfied because you
are more than just my friend.
To bring back those moments, and to
finally see your smile,
And hope that things will remain the same
for a while.

My feelings for you are now stronger than before,
and your love is something I will not ignore.
See now, a part of you has grown in me,
I love you always and forever it will be.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Pounding the Pavement...

Today I submitted an application & registration fee for what will be my 1st 5k race! 5k events are about 3.1 miles long, but since I’ve been running beyond that distance recently, & 4 times a week too, I think I’m ready for the challenge. Initially, I’d hoped to run this event with 2 friends, but 1 is out of town & the other flaked on me… I guess, I really haven’t been privy to any info in that regard.

Nonetheless, the kid will indeed be at the starting line on Lexington Street in Baltimore at 7:30 this Sunday morn & I’m beginning to get pretty excited about it too. The course starts downtown & portions of the race run along-side of the inner-harbor, both before & beyond the turn-around point, so it should be a pretty nice run, aesthetically speaking.

I didn’t have the free time for flag football this spring/summer, so I’m hoping the 5k helps quench the competitive thirst that’s been building in recent months. I’m reserving final judgment ‘til after the race, but I honestly don’t see myself doing many 5/10k races in the future. I do enjoy the camaraderie of being among other runners, but I love the loner aspect of my personal workouts. If nothing else, it’s 1 less item on the bucket list.

Plus, I’ve always been an independent worker. Just tell me what needs to be done, by when & you will get what you seek. No need to concern yourself about how I get it done – that part is up to me. So, likewise, increasing or slowing my current pace to match fellow runners or workout partners would probably prove to be more work than it’s worth to me anyway.

When I 1st started running, my sole intention was to stay in-shape until returning to action in 1 of my flag football or softball leagues. Since that point, in early March, I’ve become far more invested, & I mean that both literally & figuratively. Considering the time & money spent on this newfound hobby – there’s absolutely no way I’d stop right now.

I needed better running shoes (my New Balances were far too heavy), sole inserts (had to correct my arch), patella bands (the pavement was abusing my knee cartilage those 1st few weeks), glucosamine pills (to prevent further joint-cartilage degeneration), running apparel (just because I need to look good, lol) & an iPod sleeve (for obvious reasons). Still, the biggest investment to date has been my heart.

When I ran track in high school, I only ran the shorter races – I was a sprinter with quick bursts of speed. Hell, my specialty was FOOTBALL anyway, so I was only out there because my football coach demanded it. There was no way I’d even consider any events over 200 meters – I was terrified of distance running & remained that way until now.

I say that to help demonstrate how often, we as humans, miss-out on the things we’d really enjoy in life because we’re either too afraid, stubborn/lazy or smart to get involved & give something new a try. I’m glad I took the initiative to try something I wasn’t completely comfortable with. It certainly taught me a few things about myself, including the discipline I possess when properly motivated...

***Update -- May 30, 2011

Well I successfully completed the race yesterday & I think I did ok for my 1st crack at it. Overall, I placed 130th (out of 312 total runners) & 14th (out of 30 total runners) in the 30-39 year-old division. I clocked my 2nd best mile-split avg. time since I've been running longer distances (9 min./56 sec.) & my overall 5k time was 30 min./51 sec.

Coming into the race, my only goal was to finish race in the top half of the categories above & the official race results indicate my performance was right on target. So in general, I'm fairly satisfied with my performance...

Friday, May 20, 2011

D-Day

A month or so back, I marked today on my calendar as the start of a new attempt to quit smoking. How appropriate is it that the date I selected falls just one day ahead of the great the rapture that will sweep the globe (according to Christian radio host Harold Camping, lol) on the 21st of May.

Pushing back my quit date would only prolong the effort, so I'm holding true to my word & slamming on the breaks from this point forward!

I did cheat a bit in preparation for today as I've only smoked on 3 occasions (lunch time at work) since Monday. I was trying to soften the blow that accompanies goin cold-turkey, so even before today, I'd already drastically reduced my tobacco consumption so... go me!

I've actually cycled on/off many times over the years. But this time, I've decided to stop myself, so I'll be monitoring my own progress. I'm a bit weary of being my own watch-dog (in the past, women have eagerly performed this role - lol). But I'm committed to a healthier lifestyle, so I'm making a serious effort here.

There's this iPhone app (LiveStrong MyQuit Coach) that I've been using over the past week that helps alot with the quitting effort. Each time I get an urge to smoke, I open the app to get both my custom & preset reminders, photos, factoids, messages of encouragement, so on & so forth - all pushing me to resist the urge.

Ultimately the app wants to know whether I gave into the craving or not. Based upon my individual selections (among other user-entered data), the app generates reports & develops quitting programs. There's also a support community of fellow smokers/former smokers embedded right into the app & companion website.

All I which I've found to be useful thus far. Not a bad way to analyze your individual habit & take the best approach towards quitting. During my 3 jogging activities this week, I've actually already felt the increase in my stamina & endurance levels.

I really hadn't intended to adjust my drinking habits since I only drink socially anyway. But sadly, beer/liquor makes me crave tobacco, so it's looking more & more like I'll be cutting the alcohol as well, at least until I'm confident I'll be able to handle those tobacco cravings after consumption.

Wednesday night/Thursday morning, there was ALOT of both liquor & tobacco in my home as my brother & some friends had gathered after leaving the bar. But I resisted on both accounts & didn't partake in either past-time, even though it would have been so natural for me to do.

I felt like passed a small test, lol. So at least I'm off to a good start so far. This weekend will likely provide the biggest hurdle. I'll have alot more down-time to deal with, so I'm gonna try & keep myself busy - wish me luck...

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Finally Got a Hall Pass...

Last week the US passport I applied for arrived & I'm still so very excited about it! I can't help but open it from time to time, just to make sure there's still a photo of me, & not someone else, on the inside of it, lol.

I'd been procrastinating so long on completing the application process, but figured I'd at least get the photo taken. After doing that during lunch at work & then returning to my desk, I decided not to wait another day & complete the entire process immediately.

A little online digging revealed there was a place that processed passport applications across the street from my office. I completed the necessary paperwork, grabbed my birth certificate, hit the corner store for a money order & made it happen!

Now I don't have a place to go, nor anyone to travel with per se (since I'm not so sure my normal traveling buddy is up for getting his passport too), still, having the option to get up & bounce at a moment's notice gives me great pleasure.

Some of the places I've always wanted to travel to include Egypt (Cairo/Giza), England (London), The Netherlands (Amsterdam), Australia (Sydney), any of the Carribbean islands (since we need passports just to take cruises now - thanx Osama) & also India (Mumbai).

I refuse to die a person who never saw any of what the rest of the planet has to offer. Obtaining my passport was step 1 of my 'cultural enlightenment period' & I'm really looking forward to seeing what the rest of the world has in-store for me :-D

Once I return from this year's annual trip to South Beach in Miami this July, I'll begin making plans for my very 1st international trip. Any suggestions based upon places you've been? Let me know, I'm very open to suggestions at this point.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Better Lifestyle Choices...

In recent months, I've been making an effort to live a healthier lifestyle. For starters, I'm a smoker, so it's my goal to completely cut the smoking (tobacco anyway, lol) over the next few months. The same goes for my insatiable appetite for fast food - but that's already a non-issue. Outside of absolute necessity, I hardly eat it anymore.

I've been doing a few other things to combat my negative lifestyle choices. Outside of liquor (& coffee from time to time), I only drink water, even with my meals. It's been more than 2 months since I've ingested any soda or other liquids containing things like artificial flavoring and/or preservatives. I also jog every other day & get this, I've been COOKING (& low-fat meals, at that!).

Don't get me wrong, I'm far from a calorie counter, but I do eat much more sensibly & I'm very proud of that. Taking on a healthier diet, hasn't been cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but hell, the money saved if I were still consuming cheaper, unhealthier foods would be spent anyway, so fuckit - it's an investment in my health.

As far as the types of meals I'be been cooking, they've been things like chicken quasedillas, blackened chicken, lemon peppered salmon, crab-stuffed potatoes, you know - shit like that. I think I'm going with angel hair pasta with garlic shrimp and broccoli for my next "kitchen assignment." Fuck, I'm getting hungry just typing about it, lol.

I've always given credit where credit is due, so I've gotta mention the fact that I received great motivation from a buddy in getting started on this healthy kick. The initial encouragement she provided was essential in getting me started (& I'm VERY appreciative of that), but keeping things going on my own shouldn't pose a problem.

Not long ago, I published a post where I outlined the various negative associations I'd eliminated since the beginning of the year. I think this too, is a really important area of healthy living. I'm a firm believer that stress (regardless of cause), reduces one's lifespan. So I made it a point to reduce the stressors in my life & what a wonderful decision that was!

With that in mind, I guess I'd better roll this current period of abstinence into my list of healthier choices too (granted, this really isn't a welcomed change in lifestyle, but a healthier change nonetheless, right?). Can't really recall just how long it's been, but long enough - I'll leave it at that, lol.

Lastly, I've developed a far better since of positive thinking as of late (I'm taking full credit for this 1 myself). In general, I've lived life as a pretty cynical & pessimistic individual, but now I focus far more on positive situations & the correction of negative situations (not the negative situations, themselves).

The whole power of positive thinking thing has been working pretty well for me. So wish me luck as forge ahead & continue to better myself, remember - if it ain't growing, it's already dead...

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Mission Compromised (breaking formation)...

I never before realized how conditional a state, good chemistry between 2 people can be. In years past, I guess I've been lucky as I've never before felt the need to force things because the chemistry always materialized on it's own, but its clear to me now that sometimes 2 people just don't have it.

You can say & do all of the right things but when the mutual attraction or sexual desire isn't obvious to both, it doesn't take long for the alienated party to begin losing interest before eventually raising the white flag in defeat. For those of you who'd argue it's about more than sex, trust & believe that this post references all forms of intimacy - throw a nigga a bone - damn, lol.

It's no one's fault I guess, but I'm definitely stuck in the 'friend-zone' with someone, so that, as they say, is that! Friend-zones are difficult to navigate & damn near impossible to get out of, meaning you can pretty much check any notions of physical/emotional intimacy at the door, lol.

I don't expect the following will garner much support from women, but if you're open-minded enough to hear me out, you too might recognize the ironic nature of it all. You see, there's always an inherent risk when a guy befriends a woman before sex is on the table (yea, you read that right).

As a result, we as men sometimes end up kicking ourselves for not being the ass-holes we're expected to be in the 1st place. Sure, historically, women have been encouraged to make a guy wait if she likes him, but uhhh... that's a pretty dated ideology & it most certainly doesn't apply across the board.

Then there's the ever so popular, "I've been burned before" spiel, lol. I love it when I get that 1 :-D But I'm giving you guys the benefit of doubt this go-round & assuming there's no need to elaborate any further on why living your life in fear of failure won't work either...

I figure it's probably best just to follow your heart & not some redundant study guide developed by others to justify their particular ways of living. On the other hand, if a woman's heart truly tells her to wait, then I guess Mr. Man (me in this case)is shit out of luck, in either instance, lol.

I know some will definitely consider my simplistic logic as a flawed outlook on life & that might indeed be the case, but be honest with yourself & decide which of the following 2 methods seems like the bigger waste of one's time:

-- Openly expressing the desire to have sex with a woman
you've only recently met & getting an on-the-spot decision...

-- Coming correct, putting in the time, playing all the
angles & possibly reaching the point of intimacy...

I'm just saying, method 1 seems like a huge time saver to me, lol. Besides, in today's age of the 'empowered' woman (who I might add enjoys the idea of sex just as much as men), the ass-hole has a much higher success rate - i.e. nice guys DO usually finish last. Any scientific study would surely expose the pattern here.

Which begs me to question, why we, as a society, choose to refer to such guys as 'ass-holes' to begin with. Honesty (no matter how brutal) should never be punished. Perhaps we should instead start using the term 'efficient' for these types of guys moving forward, lol.

But seriously, it's time to start developing an exit strategy on my end. I mean, it's not the end of the world, picking up yet another friend of the plutonic variety, but just how many friends does 1 guy need, really? Fuckit, if there's no chance in winning the war, I'm bringing home my troops - all of 'em!

Final Verdict: Honesty remains the best policy, even if that entails your perceiving me to be the quintessential ass-hole :o)p

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Whatever Doesn't Kill Me...

So.......... if a jogger falls running along a trail in the middle of the forest & there's nobody around to hear him, does he make a sound? Damn, right I did & it was something along the lines of "@&%#."

Earlier in the evening while treading the portion of my jog that takes me through the woods, I took a pretty good spill & even managed to break some skin as I hit the dirt, lol. You know how when tripping in public you look around to see who witnessed your mishap? Yup, I did it - even alone in the middle of the forest, lol.

Before taking-off again, I DID take a few moments to collect (& laugh at) myself. Honestly, I don't know what the fuck happened - I was coasting along gracefully 1 moment & the next, I was tumbling forward (& cussing all the way to the ground, lol). Guess I clipped a fallen branch or unearthed tree root.

I finished today's run exhausted, slightly traumatized & most definitely distracted. Hell, it had to happen at some point, I'm just glad it took place out of plain view & upon a soft (though apparently not soft enough) surface. I'm tellin' ya - I'd pay good money to somehow get video footage of the blunder.

Even though tomorrow is 1 of my normal rest days, I'm really tempted to get back out there & redeem myself. At any rate, I guess I'll cross that bridge tomorrow - assuming I can manage to figuratively stay on my feet, of course...

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Goin Dark...

The dictionary defines 'going dark' as follows: (1) To disappear; become suddenly unavailable or digitally out of reach for an undefined period of time. (2) Term used in the intelligence world, meaning to go silent (not speak or communicate with anyone for a period of time), a way of protecting oneself from people who would cause harm.

Ok, a little about me... I do NOT handle inconsistency well, lol. Neither in casual friendships, nor romantic courtships have I ever appreciated the up & down, here & there nature of such relationships. At this point, I've grown impatient & rather than wait on people to exercise a little tact, I'm just goin dark on their asses at the stroke of midnight. In doing so, I'll be realigning my priorities & gettin back to doing me.

It'll be an interesting challenge to see how long I'm willing to remain dark this go-round. But my best folks know how to reach me (even during times like this), so I'm not the least bit concerned about losing touch with those who ultimately mean the most to me.

It gets pretty intense whenever I decide to do this from time to time. Typically it involves avoiding most gatherings or parties, not updating social networking websites, switching the cell phone to airplane mode (i.e - disabling data/notifications, cellular signals, email/sms message delivery & instant messaging), so on & so forth. Keeping to myself is the only remedy I can come up with whenever the people around me stop making sense.

Though disappearing the way that I do at times would be considered an extreme measure by some, it's a necessary action at times. Generally speaking, I enjoy company of others, but when effectively backed into a corner by actions or inactions of others, its pretty easy to withdraw from everyone & remain in solitude. As it turns out, I'm rather adept at entertaining myself, lmao.

But seriously, you can call it self-absorbed, introverted, or whatever - the fact that I'm comfortable befriending myself remains a plus in my eyes & I'm in no way clear on why I'm supposed to feel apologetic about it either...

"What a commentary on civilization, when being alone is being suspect; when one has to apologize for it, make excuses, hide the fact that one practices it – like a secret vice."

~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Friday, May 6, 2011

Feature Friday: She's Just Not That Into You...

This week's selection is a blog post I found online at TheFrisky.com, the writer goes by 'Simcha,' & since I found it to be an interesting post, I thought I'd share it with you guys here for this month's Feature Friday post.

Checked out any good blogs (literary, vocal or otherwise artistic works) you'd like to see shared? Or perhaps you've got some good stuff yourself. If so, shoot me an email at Ghostwriter28@me.com & I'd be glad to post it here. "10 Signs She's Just Not That Into You" reads as follows...

Guys can be just as clueless as women when it comes to reading the signs, especially since women have their own set of subtle brush-off techniques. After countless boring dates and awkward interactions, we’ve decided to let you studs in on our secrets. We’ve cut through the BS and compiled the signs that she’s just not that into you.

1. Message in A Message
You call her, you leave a voicemail, and she texts you back. If she really wanted to reach out and touch someone, she would have rung you.

2. Conflict of Interests
Sure, everyone has a busy schedule, but it’s the quality of the excuse that counts. If it’s, “I have to clean my apartment,” she doesn’t want to get dirty with you.

3. Private Eyes
Whether you’re having dinner for two or getting down on the dance floor, if she’s not looking at you, she’s not looking for you.

4. Please
You’re generous in the sack. She doesn’t return the favor. That’s the only clue you need.

5. Easy Access
At a party, if she’s talking to Joe Schmo and Wendy Whatsherface more than she’s chatting with you, you’re nothing special to her.

6. Rider’s Block
You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get her to give you the time of day. If you have plans, and she invites other people along, it’s time to say bye-bye.

7. Friend in Deed
She tells you what her friends think about you—and it’s not all good. This level of regurgitation is TMI and intended to drive you out the door.

8. Cuddle Monster
She has sex with you, but that’s it. She’s using you. Say adios—unless that’s all you want, too.

9. Multiple Choice
If she so much as mentions other sexy guys, you have to forget her—because she won’t forget about them.

10. Dressed to Kill
From lipstick to low-cut tops, if she never uses any of the tricks of the lady trade to look her best for you, she doesn’t think you’re worth her effort.