Sunday, July 8, 2018

Wish List

My wish list:

I wish that I could look in the mirror & see what they see.

I wish I were not on constant trial, evaluation, or whatever other term I can think of to describe the self-scrutiny I put myself under in a daily basis.

I wish I could believe that people are not out to get me, or that I am one misstep away from blowing everything, whether in my personal life or my work.

I wish I could accept that my family will never be as united as I would like them to be.

I wish I were able to accept that people have no hidden agendas when talking to me, or that it’s not my job to be the answer to everyone’s problems.

I wish I were not bound by the constraints of the horrors of my early childhood years, which still give me nightmares and haunt me more & more as I go through therapy & new memories come to light.

I wish for my children to never have any ideas of what their father has battled, and still battles on a daily basis.  I know my wife does, and I have such great sorrow that I’ve brought such things into our lives.

I wish I had... peace.  True inner peace & a feeling of belonging.

Mostly, I wish... I wish I weren’t me.  Or at least, this version of me.


Blunt & brutal honesty.  I can’t walk around with this anymore, it hurts too much.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Did you ever hear the one about the three-legged platypus...?

Good morning, bloggeroos!!

… I will soon slap myself for having made that statement. But I digress...

Anyway… today’s topic is, well… um… actually, I’m deceiving you.  You’ve called my bluff, I have no topic to speak of.  It’s a few hours after what was a really cool Thanksgiving, and so I think I’ll take the time to just write.  Not really about anything in particular, just a few random bubbles of thought floating around the humongous noggin which rests upon these shoulders…

OOHHH, WAIT A MINUTE!!!  I just came up with something cool!!  Score one for me, I truly can’t believe just how awesome I am!! 

In light of a recent idea I just had (see above), I decided to scour the internet from top to bottom, left to right, A to Z, and any other way the Wonkavator could take me (awesome Willy Wonka reference, self high-five) and I stumbled upon a personality profile type quiz.  Soo… you see where this is going, right? 

That’s right, boys & girls… you’re gonna learn about one of the most unique phenomenons to ever grace the planet Earth… ME!!

… LOL, seriously, how full of myself am I tonight?!  Just to be fair, if you take into consideration how full of turkey I currently am, the answer could be much worse J

And… here… we… go…

Fun Questions About Movies to Ask Friends
Everyone watches movies these days, so here are some fun questions to ask you friends about the movies.
1.     What’s your favorite movie of all time and why?
Ooh, tough one, being that I’m a movie buff… but I’ll have to probably take the easy route out and say The Shawshank Redemption.  It’s a constant reminder that no matter how deep the hole is, faith & karma will always be there to lend you a hand & help you find your place.  The Big Lebowski would be a close second, because that’s just, like, my opinion, man.

2.     What was the best movie you saw this last year and why?
I was tempted to say Lincoln, because it’s on my all-time Top 5 list, but it’s been over a year.  So, I’ll go with Saving Mr. Banks.  I cried, and I felt the pain of P.L. Travers as she struggled to open her heart again… and I felt the joy she finally felt when she did.  Movies that can grab my emotions… that’s where it’s at!

3.     Who’s your favorite director and why?
Christopher Nolan.  His work on The Dark Knight trilogy was incredible.  A close second would be Ivan Reitman… Ghostbusters & Kindergarten Cop.  Enough said J

4.     Do you like black and white movies? Why or why not?
Some movies just have to stay in black & white to keep their full measure of effect on the audience, so… yes.

5.     Do you read movie reviews? If so, which reviewers do you enjoy? If not, why?
I read them every now & then, but I prefer to form my own opinions rather than be assigned one.

6.     What’s the scariest movie you’ve ever seen?  Do you like horror movies?  Why or why not?
Super Mario Brothers, the live action version.  I’m terrified that it exists and that somewhere, someone else could be exposed to it…

… oh, a serious answer?  LOL… yes, I like horror movies, and I honestly can’t think of one that scares me enough to qualify for this answer… except maybe House of 1,000 Corpses, that was some demented shit.

7.     Who’s your favorite actor and why?
Again, another one where a single answer is extremely difficult.  However, just based upon his job in the movie Lincoln, I can’t get Daniel Day-Lewis out of my head.  What an outstanding film.

8.     Do you cry at movies? If so, which movies make you cry?
Yes.  Titanic, Tommy Boy, Saving Mr. Banks and The Muppet Movie.  There may be others, I’m not sure.  And yes, I’m serious.

9.     What’s the funniest movie you’ve ever seen?
Either Super Troopers, Grandma’s Boy, Waiting, Office Space or Ted.  They all qualify.

10.   Would you rather see a movie at the theater or at home on DVD? Why?
Probably at home.  The theater is way too overpriced and I like my comfy couch.  Plus… free parking.

Fun Questions to Ask Friends About TV
Even more people watch TV than go to the movies. So here are some fun questions to ask your friends about TV.
1.     What’s your favorite TV show of all time and why?
I have to go with The Walking Dead. No show has taken me on such an emotional roller coaster before, and the fabulous group of actors they’ve gotten is second to none.  Anyone who snubs it as just a “zombie” show is clueless.

2.     How many hours a week do you spend watching TV?
Honest answer?  Other than the news, no more than five.  I never have time to just sit & watch anymore.

3.     What’s your favorite TV station and why?
Whichever one has the show that I feel like watching.  Self-explanatory.

4.     What was your favorite TV show when you were growing up?
Probably The Simpsons…. and I’m still a fan.

5.     Who’s your favorite actor on television and why?
Patrick Stewart.  Capt. Jean-Luc Picard.  He beat The Borg.  And he made bald cool.

6.     Would you rather watch a sitcom, a reality show, a police drama, a legal drama, or a medical drama? Or something else? Why?
None… I’d rather watch The History Channel.

7.     Has a television show ever moved you to tears? If yes, which one and when?
The Walking Dead has… on occasion.  So has Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but that was only because the batteries in the remote were dead and I couldn’t change the channel.

8.     Do you watch the news on TV? How often?
Yes, every day.

9.     Have you ever been on TV?
Well, there was this one show with a puzzle board & a wheel…

10.   If you were a character on a TV show, which one would you be?
I’ll let the inner geek answer:  The Second Officer of the USS Enterprise, Cmdr. Data. He never abandoned the mission and was unintentionally funny.

Fun Questions to Ask Friends About Books
This one is a little tougher, because a lot of people don’t read books anymore (unfortunately). But here are 10 fun questions to ask friends about books anyway:
1.     Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?
Macbeth.  Not sure how much it changed my life though, other than introducing me to a love of literature & studying humanity on occasion.

2.     Do you prefer to read fiction or nonfiction? Explain your choice.
Science Fiction, actually.  It just appeals to me.

3.     If you could be a character in any novel you’ve ever read, who would you be and why?
The protagonist character in the book 11/22/63 by Stephen King.  I would enjoy the opportunity he got, but might choose a different path.

4.     Has reading a book ever made you cry? Which one and why?
... actually, no.

5.     How many books do you read each year?
Probably 7 or 8.

6.     Have you ever written (or started to write) a book?
No, but I’ve written a lot of short stories.  Those will stay with me, however… I find them a bit too unshareable.

7.     Name one book you had to read but hated, and explain why you hated it.
Lord Of The Flies… I really had no use for any of those little bastards.

8.     If someone wrote a book about your life, what would they title it?
“What the hell?!” – A story of someone who lived.

9.     If you could pick a book you’ve read to make into a movie, which one would you choose?
Tietam Brown, by Mick Foley… it was a strange tale & I’d like to see how it would look on film.

10.   What was your favorite book as a child and why?
James & The Giant Peach.  If you knew my childhood, you’d understand.

10 Sexy Questions to Ask Your Friends
Depending on your relationship with your friends, you might or might not be comfortable asking them sexy questions. If so, just skip past this list of 10 sexy questions:
NOTE: SOME THINGS I DON’T REALLY FEEL APPROPRIATE THROWING OUT THERE IN PUBLIC… SO I’LL LEAVE IT TO YOUR IMAGINATION WHETHER OR NOT YOU TAKE THIS AS FACT.
1.     Have you ever been involved in a threesome? Would you consider doing so in the future?
Yes.  And Yes.

2.     At what age did you lose your virginity?
Does it matter?

3.     What’s your favorite sexual position?
The Alabama Crabdangle.

4.     What’s your favorite foreplay activity?
Um… do you really need to know this?

5.     Have you ever faked an orgasm?
Every single one!!  LOL :-P

6.     Have you ever had a one night stand?
Maybe…

7.     Which 3 celebrities would you most like to have sex with?
Jessica Rabbit, Smurfette, and Nanny from the Muppet Babies.

8.     What’s the kinkiest kind of sex you’ve ever had?
It involved a spatula, several pounds of cottage cheese and a one-legged El Salvadorian midget named Consuela.

9.     Do you own any sexy underwear? How often do you wear it?
Yep… and every third day of Hanukkah I rock it over my jeans.

10.   How often do you have sex each week?
Why… are you bored?

Fun Questions to Ask Friends About Money
Money is a less sensitive issues than sex with some people, but others might find it even more personal. Here are 10 lighthearted and fun questions about money you can ask a friend:
1.     What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Buy a house, pay off bills & take a vacation to each continent in the world.  Then save the rest to buy a small cottage in Ireland for when I retire.

2.     Are you a spender or a saver?
A little of both, but more of a saver at this point.

3.     How much money do you save on a regular basis? (As a percentage of your income?)
I really don’t know… but I’ll say about 40% just to take a guess.

4.     Do you have a personal written budget?
Mostly… I never go over budget.

5.     When you go to a meal dutch, would you prefer to itemize the receipt or just split it in half?
Split it in half… it’s more about the company than the money anyway.

6.     When you’re on a date, do you think the man should pay or not?
If a woman takes her wallet out on a date, you’re doing something wrong.  Sorry if that sounds sexist, but my grandmother would haunt me from the grave if I thought differently.

7.     What’s the most expensive gift you’ve ever given someone?
Don’t really know… I always thought the value of the gift was in the emotion behind it, not the dollar sign.

8.     What’s the most expensive gift you’ve ever received from someone?
See above.

9.     If someone offered you a million dollars for a night of sex, would you do it? Would it matter if the person were good looking or not?
Hell yeah, a million for a few hours work?  That’s like running an large oil company, except the work is harder J

10.   Do you invest in the stock market? What kind of investing strategy do you use if you do?
No interest in this at all.  It’s corporate gambling… hit the casinos, at least you can enjoy yourself a bit while losing.

Fun Questions to Ask Friends About Music
Almost everyone listens to music. Here are a few fun questions about music you can ask your friends:
1.     What’s your favorite kind of music?
Way too many to put one above another… though currently I have the Celtic playlist on the iPod.

2.     Who’s your favorite singer or band?
Male: Ed Kowalczyk, formerly of LIVE.  Female: Mary Fahl, formerly of October Project.

3.     What’s your favorite album?
REM – Automatic For The People.

4.     What’s your favorite song?
12 O’Clock by Vangelis.

5.     Do you like to sing karaoke?
I don’t sing karaoke… I OWN karaoke.  Step up, son, I’ll knock you down J

6.     Are you a good dancer?
I would call what I do “semi-organized partially-rhythmic coordinated movement”, as opposed to dancing.

7.     Do you like musicals? (movies or theater)
I perform in them.  But do I like them?  Honestly, I’m not sure.

8.     Has a song ever made you cry?
Several.

9.     If your life was a song, what would the title be?
Perseverance.

10.   If you could be a particular singer or musician, who would you be?
I’d be me.  That’s pretty damn easy!

Fun Questions to Ask About Games
All of us played games of some kind growing up, and some of us still play games now. Here are some fun questions on the subject:
1.     What was your favorite game to play as a child?
Hero Quest, it’s a D&D-type role playing board game… and I actually have an app for it on my phone, LOL J

2.     Do you play video games now?
Very rarely, I’m usually way too busy.  I wish I could play more, though.

3.     What’s your favorite gambling game?
Poker.  Texas Hold ‘Em or 7-Card Stud.

4.     Do you prefer card games or board games?
Board Games.

5.     Do you ever play drinking games?
Depends on how much I’ve drunken, LOL

6.     Are you good at Chess?
I used to think so, but recent matchups have left me in doubt.

7.     Have you ever played Dungeons & Dragons? Did you like it?
Yes… and Yes.

8.     Do you ever play solitaire when you’re bored?
Rarely.

9.     Are you good at Trivial Pursuit?
Actually, yes.

10.   Have you ever been on a game show? Which one?
Well, there was this one show with a puzzle board and a wheel…

Dilemmas
Dilemmas are questions you have to think about. Thinking aloud about your answers with your friends can be a lot of fun, and it can shed a lot of light on why your friends are the way they are.
1.     Would you rather be rich or healthy?
Healthy.  No question.

2.     Would you rather be good looking or rich?
I’m already good looking, so I’ll take the dough.

3.     Do you believe in the death penalty? Why or why not?
I think that if all forms of rehabilitation have failed & a person is a genuine threat to all around them, then the death penalty is the only option.

4.     Have you seen Sophie’s Choice, and if so, do you think she made the right choice or the wrong choice?
Nope.

5.     Would you like to know the day you’re going to die ahead of time? Why or why not?
Nah… I like surprises.

6.     Would you rather have super strength or super intelligence?
Super intelligence… it can provide super strength in non-muscular ways.

7.     Would you rather have the power to be invisible or the power to read minds?
Invisibility… it can be a powerful ally.

8.     Would you rather spend the rest of your life without a significant other, or would you rather have a partner who is extremely difficult?
If I don’t find a match that suits me, I’m fine where I am. 

9.     Would you rather spend life in prison or be executed?
Prison.  One can always be saved before the end.

10.   Should marijuana be legalized? Why or why not?
I personally think so… it’s not as harmful as people make it out to be, and if someone is responsible enough to partake & not be a danger to those around them, why not let ‘em have their smoke?


So, friends… there it is.  I can say without question that this was the single most uninspired blog I’ve ever written… and the single most inspired blog I’ve ever written.  Wrap your noodles around that one, y’all.

Enjoy your day… let the turkey digest, and of course, try to keep in mind those three little words that I will forever live by:

Be you, bravely.

***END TRANSMISSION***