Not A Happy Anniversary

There are some days that you mark on the calendar that you look forward to and there are other that you hope never some to fruition. Sometimes it is a major life event while other times it is just an annoyance that keeps frustrating you every day when you come home from work. Unfortunately, today we marked the latter of the two which I had been anticipating but hoping that I would be proven wrong. That’s right, for those of you that recall the gripes from the summer, the work on the leak is still not complete.

While the actual issue with the water seems to have been solved, or at least the band aid is holding up, and the painting was completed a couple of weeks ago, the building has yet to clean the space which we still have quarantined in our living room. Keep in mind that maintenance has not been in to check this ‘fix’ since they closed the ceiling so it is questionable whether or not the mend will hold. If it were a few little pieces and drips on the carpet I probably would have addressed this once the painting was done but this is a much bigger mess than what our vacuum can handle. This is the kind of job that requires professional carpet cleaning which the building manager had agreed to employ not long after this whole debacle began.

So now I have to burn another early morning and corner this woman in her office to at least get a response to the countless queries that have gone unanswered. While we had issues with the previous building manager it was never this bad and things continue to deteriorate the longer this management company runs the facility. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved soon but I lend that statement no more credence than the cliché of yelling fire in a movie theater.

With all of that said, there is a positive side to this whole thing in that it has motivated us, more so than before, to get the heck out and find another place to live. While we made an attempt in the spring, we will be successful this time around as our lease winds down to a close. Hopefully, if we begin looking a little earlier we can find a better place to call home not just a box in which we live. I guess we will just have to wait and see what we can find and hope that there are options available to us.

Great Conversations And Unwanted “Advice”

Ever since we announced that we were having a baby there have been dozens and dozens of family and friends offering us advice based on their experience. I am a firm proponent of gathering as much information as possible from as many people as possible especially from those who are parents. We have already had a variety of great conversations and have received a tremendous amount of excellent advice since the announcement and we are constantly receiving little bits of wisdom every now and again. It is amazing how much love and support that we have received and we are grateful for those people in our life. Yesterday was one of those days when we felt that warmth as family continuously approached us, offered their congratulations, and chatted briefly about how my wife is holding up. But it was not our day and we all wanted to enjoy the party, the real reason why we were all together.

Of course, over the past couple of weeks, there have also been a few people that keep popping up and offering lectures of what we should be doing and what we are currently doing wrong. They have also offered their pessimistic views on what they “hope doesn’t happen” while mixing in monologues about how we can avoid unrelated problems that they know absolutely nothing about. This is usually followed by “offers” to gain some additional practice in the coming months because we have obviously never been around infants and know nothing about some of the unpleasant aspects which they proceed to outline in great detail.

These people have a commonality, they are the center of the world. It is not a dialogue, it is a matter of they know what is best and we need to do it that way or we are wrong. This characteristic also encompasses a few people that are not excited about the good news because that means that we are not able to give them as much of our attention anymore. Did I mention that these people are over five years old? Keep in mind that we prefer to have the quick conversations and move on to another topic. There are too many great things happening to many fantastic people in our life to focus on ourselves or any other single person.

This is a very special time in our life and we want to embrace all the positive energy, unique experiences, and great people in our life. While, for various reasons, we can’t get rid of all the negative people and energy, we will do our best to minimize them and focus on the love and support. At the same time, we are going to continue living life and celebrating the amazing events and milestones of our friends and family. Of course, we won’t turn down great advice now and again!

Measured Communication

Most work days I am on the phone, writing emails, and scanning the recent trade and general news sources constantly from the time I arrive to the time I depart the office. Occasionally, I will switch things up and work on something different but that seems to be a rare occurrence recently. However, there are moments when I am able to take a break, relax, and just have a casual moment.

In fact, those times just before a phone interview or when I am reaching out to a reporter/editor that I know particularly well are some of the best times of the day for me because we are able to talk, see how things are going, and today talk about any plans that they might have for the weekend. It is a glimpse into life rather than a constant focus on work. Heck, I am downright pleasant during those brief interludes.

Of course, there are certain days, like earlier this week, when I have to just keep to the business at hand. Not because of the long list of things to do that is hanging over my head, although that does have an impact, it is simply because there are certain days when I am not in a good mood. I might even be downright pissed on some days. Those days, while sometimes difficult, I have to work to remain positive. Obviously something had previously gone awry but I can’t let that come across to those with which I am corresponding.

The other part of those task oriented days and communications is the fact that I takes a considerable amount of effort to remain even keeled. Those are the days when I find myself exhausted when I shut down the computer and struggling to get just about anything done at night when I get home. It’s a simply fact that being negative and/or angry just takes too much effort. I know some people that are always negative regardless of the situation and I honestly don't know how they get out of bed every day.

While I am certain that weeks like this one will come and go and there will be times when my stress levels will gain force me to that angry and loud place, they are just moments in life and none of those inconveniences will last forever. After all, things could always be worse (the leak could have been above or bed) and there are much better things to focus our energy on and be positive about (our little, probably will become a big and hairy, baby). So I may have a few bad days here and there and different stresses may pop up now and again, I really can’t complain about much (but you have to give me some leeway on that).

Yesterday Was A Bit Of A Mixed Bag

Doesn't look like much but this was after only 15 minutes
under a leak that had been 'fixed'.

Yesterday, I had to share the good news because the rest of the day was nothing short of a huge mess. Having taken a work from home day, I expected some progress to be made with regard to the leak in our apartment. Following a ‘discussion’ with management (yes, I actually was able to speak with the woman who was, until that point, merely theoretical), a plumber was called in lieu of maintenance who had called out for the day (no sure if it was because of a legitimate reason or just BS). Nothing was found but by the time that the night had overtaken the light, the problem remained.

Of course, we can’t just have one issue at a time as lodge duties beckoned in the evening and parking problems persisted (no progress on the electrical or parking lot issues at all as a poorly conceived plan has halted progress for at least two days). With the lodge items prioritized and the parking/electrical completely out of control, it was time to sit down during the relatively quiet evening and write another letter to management. So, once again, I share with you my correspondence which pretty much summarizes the entirety of the dripping experience.

Dear Building Manager,

I am writing to make you aware of the ongoing situation. While the plumber today did not find anything and the drip seemed to be slowing this afternoon, it has returned during the nighttime hours. This seems to be the ongoing pattern; slow in the middle of the day and constant at night. This is the pattern that has been in place since we reported the leak nearly a week ago (Wednesday, July 16^th).

To better visualize the problem I placed a piece of construction paper on the Tupperware container positioned under the drip at 9:00 pm and now, at 9:15 pm, you can see clearly in the picture (included with this letter) that this is not just an occasional small drip. The construction paper will be left in place so that the next time the issue is addressed it can be seen in person.

I would appreciate an update as soon as one can be ascertained. Preferably something different than ‘we have to let it dry’ which we have been told time and again since this issue was first reported. Obviously, we are well past the ‘couple of day’ drying time at this point.

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to call or email using the information above.

Regards,

Sean

So now, in the middle of the following day, I have approximately no update to share. With nearly a dozen visits to our apartment there is still work to be done and, no surprise, my patience is wearing out. While I will keep pushing these people to get things done this will be the last post of this kind as I have many other things that I want and need to put my energy into and record for the future. Don’t get me wrong, I may still approach the subject in a future post but not like I have been this past week. Time to step back and think about the good things, the future, and the many ways that life has changed. I will be returning to the positive I just can’t guarantee when or for how long but it will happen as there are too many thing going on that just deserve a good gripe.

Rocking The Boat In Crap Creek

I'm pretty sure that is not dirt that he is shoveling.

Well, another day and another cluster at our apartment building. Saturday was a wasted day as maintenance was in our apartment three times attempting to fix the leak leaving us behind on our errands and too tired to do much more on Sunday. After those unsuccessful attempts they agreed that a plumber needed to be brought in to address the problem… that was the plan until today when we were informed that they had entered our apartment without our permission to attempt to ‘fix’ the problem again. I am not sure as to whether they lied or management wouldn't approve the request; either way it is a huge load of crap. By the way, still no word from management about the situation nor an apology for previously ignoring my communications regarding our refrigerator.

On top of that mountain of crap we found out on Friday (luckily I read the notices posted in the mail room) that work will be done to repair the connection to the power grid beginning on Monday morning at 7:00 am. While the repair is necessary it should have never been required as the line was severed in the fall when they dug up the parking lot and lowered the new boiler into place. It wasn’t until a recent two day power outage that this became a priority. So what does this mean? Per the posted notice, residents that normally park in the garage under the building now have to park in the lot which is already at capacity. Translation: no parking spots available.

While we have rarely requested any maintenance work in the two and a half years since we moved in and we have not caused a stir in the building regarding little things that have come up here and there, this situation has put us over the edge. We are done with this building and we are done with playing nice and letting the little things go. So much so that I sent a letter to the management office and copied the president of the board. One of those correspondences when you summarize many of the issues that you have been letting go, the bag of crap if you will, all stemming from the most recent turd left at your door. Now, I post it here for all of you to enjoy (I removed the building name and all proper names).   

Dear Building Management,

On Friday evening I took note of the notice posted in the mail room regarding the repair work that will begin on Monday morning. While not required under House Rule 18, my wife and I would have appreciated a note placed in our door or in our box which was previously done as a courtesy prior to all major projects. This has previously been an effective means to keep us informed as we do not regularly enter and exit the building through the main lobby.

As I write this on Sunday afternoon all of the parking spaces in the lot are occupied. As I expect this to be the situation when I return home from the office tomorrow I am writing to inform you that if I, or my wife, are required to park in the shopping center across the street we will be holding the building personally liable for any damage, theft, or towing that may occur. Additionally, it is my hope that the building has received written permission from the shopping center to allow residents overnight (it remains unclear as to whether this has been received). Simply put, the parking arrangements outlined in the notice are unacceptable. Parking across the street will not work.

With regard to parking, there has been numerous issues that we have taken note of over the years and we have gone without bringing this to the attention of management or the board, until now. While most “contractors, workmen, and service persons” abide by House Rule 9.B.9 there have been numerous occasions when resident parking spaces have been occupied by service vehicles most notably in front of apartments A and B. I have yet to witness and rectification of these instances when they occur. This is in addition to the fact that, when my wife and I first signed our lease, we were given the verbal assurance that the parking spaces along the side of the building were reserved for the aforementioned apartments. While not outlined in the House Rules or our lease, it is disappointing when a verbal agreement is not honored.

There are a few residents that frequently use these spaces, the agreement of which they are certainly unaware, however that is not my concern with these individuals. What concerns me is that there are at least two apartments that park along the side of the building so that they can specifically use the emergency exit from the fire tower to enter and exit the building. In addition to this being detrimental to our own sleep as they discourteously slam the door behind them both late at night and early in the morning, they seem to be in violation of Lower Merion Fire Code (78-12.1, Section 5-2.1.5: “Locks, Latches, Alarms and Release Devices” and 78-26: Sections C.7 and D both pertaining to high-rise buildings).

Furthermore, additional consideration needs to be made regarding parking during large gatherings as we find ourselves in a similar situation that we are in now. This parking situation needs to be resolved (even three extra spaces like the ones occupied by the immobile vehicles near the dumpsters might offer some additional logistical leeway). There are more and more cars parking in the lot that are without a proper permit. For all visitors, parking tags or passes should be issued as well. As residents, it is our responsibility to have our permits displayed on our vehicle. All residents and employees should be issued permits, all others found in the parking lot that do not have a resident or employee permit, visitor pass, or are service personnel in the building should be towed!

Lastly, I would like to express my displeasure regarding the limited communication from the Management Office. When I recently attempted to contact management directly regarding an issue with our refrigerator I never received any communication back. I attempted to reach out through numerous means of communication (phone message, verbally through the front desk, and a note left at the front desk) as a courtesy before calling to have the service done but did not receive a single correspondence in return. While I don’t expect an immediate response, no response is simply unacceptable.

If you have any questions regarding the content above please feel free to contact me via phone or email. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Regards,

Sean

I am generally an easy going person. True I can let my passionate opinions shine now and again but, overall, I maintain a pretty even disposition. This stockpile of issues has recently ruined that for me and that fact alone has pissed me off. I guess we are just going to have to see how this thing plays out. All I know is that I am not going to just sit in my paddle less boat as the crap level in the creek continues to rise.

Dear Microsoft…

Ever since I started using the computer back in the late 90’s I have remained a Microsoft customer. Despite the countless times when I have experienced program errors, viruses, and general crappiness in the operating system, I have stuck around and kept using what has been comfortable and familiar. However, there are times like the past couple of weeks when I question the use of your operating system and wonder if life might be a little bit easier if I were to adopt Apple as my new primary source of computing.

Even the programs that have been relatively reliable in the past have now gone to pot leaving us with these strange paper weights on our desks that whirr, buzz, and hum as they hold down the corners of our note pads and flatten out curled post it notes. As we pull out our pens and check to make sure we still have ink in them, we dream about the simplicity of the green screen. But maybe that is part of the whole Microsoft operating system. By occasionally crashing, or just being a stubborn bugger, we revert to the old school way of doing things. We write notes, we make phone calls, we, gasp, go talk to people face to face. A Microsoft crash is an interpersonal reboot.

Of course, even that is becoming a thing of the past as when one computer goes down, another, almost immediately, takes its place. While I still find myself dialing numbers and stretching the cord as I lean back in my chair, I have seen countless coworkers revert to their iPhones during server or internet issues. While I am chatting with clients, reporters, and others with whom I have not spoken to in some time, these, mostly younger, colleagues sit hunched over their desk cradling their phone as if it were some priceless ring. On more than one occasion I have received odd looks when I send them the text, “My precious!”

It is interesting when you think about it. The underlying trend in this scenario seems to be that when Microsoft goes down, people are turning to Apple. And I can’t say that I blame them. I have utilized my iPhone plenty of times to check for emails and to facilitate communication across multiple streams. However, I have always used Microsoft Word and probably always will because it is what I know and I can get things done quickly using the platform and that will most likely continue unless they make “improvements” to Microsoft 8. So, unless Microsoft suddenly shuts its doors and office is unavailable, I will occasionally have the urge, which I have been fighting for the past few weeks, to kick Mr. PC in the microchips.

Say Goodbye To Baseball Bats

I know the title has some of you thinking about the meaning behind the statement but it really is very simple. I have decided to take the advice of the President and will start doing anything I can to save lives. After all, “if it saves one life, it’s worth it.” And so begins the campaign to ban baseball bats or, at the very least, require a background check in order to purchase one. It only makes sense to start looking at sources of unregulated weapons (especially if they’re black and scary looking) to ban or control first before going after other items (themselves innocuous) used in crimes.

Essentially, a criminal can walk into any sporting goods store, Wal-Mart, or thrift shop and buy a weapon without showing any form of idea, without filling out any forms, and without a background check having been completed. Even children can buy bats at numerous retailers, even the tactical black models. How long are we going to sit on the sidelines quietly and wait for these kids to recreate the meeting scene from “The Untouchables”. This unregulated market needs to stopped and only professional athletes paid to play this sport and certified trainers should have access to these items with such deadly potential.

Of course, this is only the first of many initiatives. Knives are also an unregulated weapon which children and the mentally unstable have easy access to and the same can be said for household cleaners, fast food, and power tools. All of these things have been the cause of death on countless occasions. Also, while tobacco, alcohol, cars, and prescriptions are regulated to a certain degree, they are still prevalent aspects of daily life which also cause a substantial amount of deaths every year. Ban them all and save thousands of lives. Maybe tens or hundreds of thousands of lives.

I know what you’re asking, but why would I chose to go after baseball bats and not guns? Well, they simply aren’t as big of a concern. Contrary to the rhetoric being bandied about recently, those statistics are trending in the right direction and, therefore, should not be our first priority. After all, at least you have to pass a background check to legally buy a firearm. But why take my word for it…

As was reported by the U.S. Department of Justice and Pew Research Center, gun crime statistics continue to steadily decline while gun ownership, especially in recent years, has experienced a sharp rise. According to DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. gun-related homicides dropped 39 percent over the course of 18 years, from 18,253 during 1993, to 11,101 in 2011. During the same period, non-fatal firearm crimes decreased even more, a whopping 69 percent. The majority of those declines in both categories occurred during the first 10 years of that time frame. Firearm homicides declined from 1993 to 1999, rose through 2006, and then declined again through 2011. Non-fatal firearm violence declined from 1993 through 2004, then fluctuated in the mid-to-late 2000s.

Additionally, Pew researchers observed that the huge amount of attention devoted to gun violence incidents in the media has caused most Americans to be unaware that gun crime is “strikingly down” from 20 years ago. In fact, gun-related homicides in the late 2000s were “equal to those not seen since the early 1960s.” Yet their survey found that 56 percent believed gun-related crime is higher, 26 percent believed it stayed about the same, and 6 percent didn’t know. Only 12 percent of those polled thought it was lower.

In the end, if you really want to save a life, turn in your baseball bat and buy a gun.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

While everyone is focusing on the upcoming super bowl, I have been treating these weeks as I would any other. Football never had that much of an appeal to me. I used to enjoy watching the Eagles on occasion but never felt I was missing out on anything if I didn’t put the game on. And now, with all the rules changes, additional penalties, and a seeming increase in showboating, it really has lost the little attention I paid the sport.

Of course, that is a major issue across all sports. The rules are changing and removing some of the aspects of the game that kept it interesting. Hockey has fallen into this same model. While football has increased the prevalence of penalties, slowing the game down and, possibly, causing more injuries due to the hesitation of some players during plays, baseball seems to be implementing changes that are having a greater negative impact on the way the game used to be, the traditional game of baseball.

The most recent changes have taken the human element out of the game. The expansion of instant replay and the manager’s ability to challenge is something that I don’t have a big problem with. However, when it comes to umpires, monitoring the strike zone is something that should have never happened. Part of the game and part of the pitcher’s job is to know what kind of strike zone that particular umpire has. Some used to have massive strike zones like Eric Gregg and pitchers would take advantage of that fact. Others would have high or low strike zones. It is the pitcher’s and the batter’s responsibility to adapt to the situation.

Speaking of strike zones, whatever happened to pitching inside? The art of the brush back has been completely lost on the current generations of pitchers and I can’t really blame them. If you throw a pitch inside you run the chance of getting thrown out of the game. Put a shrinking strike zone on top of that and it’s no wonder why offense remains so stout throughout baseball.

And now we get to the real issue that bothers me about modern sports. Eliminating collisions at home plate is completely ridiculous. As a catcher, you know what may happen. You signed up for it. You made the decision to play the sport professionally knowing the risks that are involved. Football and hockey have had similar regulations put in place to eliminate certain kinds of contact. What the heck did these athletes think they were getting into when they decided to pursue this career?

There is something wrong when you can watch more hard contact in NASCAR. I think we should sign all these millionaires up to play a full season of rugby and see if they continue to complain about the violence that exists in their sport. In the end, toughen up and earn the absurd amount of money that you are getting paid to play a game!

So, going back to the original question, am I ready for some football? Eh. Not really. Not sure I am ready for spring training either. The real question is, where can I watch some rugby?

Promotion

After dinner this evening I was sitting and thinking about the day. I was also thinking about past jobs and different times in my life. It was at this time when I came to the realization that with all the jobs that I have had and all the places I have worked I have never received a promotion… until now. While this may bother some people it is something that is happening at the right place and at the right time of me. If I had been in this position in the past I don’t think that I would have appreciated it as much as I do now.

I have had many raises in my professional career but I have never been promoted during that time. While raises are nice there is something about changing your title that, for me, means more. There is only so much that money can do to recognize effort, when you know that you are progressing through the ranks in your chosen profession it really makes you feel that you are being recognized for all the work and long hours that you have put in. If I had to choose between the two I would pick the promotion. The money will come but the recognition is what keeps you pushing harder and harder. Although I will say that getting both would be the preferred choice.

I guess this is the perspective that you develop over the years. A way of looking at things, of appreciating where you are and what you do that at times is lost on the younger colleagues that I have seen come and go over the years. Like many of us in our zealous youth, more is expected than what we really deserve. However, what used to be kept in check so that we may be brought back to reality seems to now be more determined and stubborn than ever before. Too many young people are expected to be handed everything in the workplace, too many of them think that everyone should be equal, too few put in the time and energy in order to earn what everyone else has had to work for during their career.

I am proud of what I have earned and I am going to make certain I keep working hard to reinforce that decision. It has been a long journey filled with hard work and sometimes just getting by, but also one that has been tremendously rewarding and that has lead me to places and to make decisions that I would have never entered my mind a decade ago (or five years ago for that matter). While it has not been the easiest path to my first promotion I don’t think I would change a thing… that may be one of the first times I have ever used that overused phrase but it seems to sum things up nicely.

I Have No Proof But I Still Think You’re Guilty!

On Wednesday, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced the three inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2014: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas. All three men are well deserving of their place in the hall and I congratulate each one of them. However, this year further demonstrated the flaws that exist in the election process. With the exception of the years during the Hall’s inception, there has never been such a long list of candidates that deserve enshrinement in Cooperstown, New York. Because of the process currently in place, the misdeeds of many in the game in the past twenty years, and the idea that emotion outweighs talent in the minds of voters, there are many candidates that will either have to wait for a few years or will simply never see their bust of bronze.

The process has become a game of finger pointing and accusation. Evidence is no longer a factor in determining whether someone committed a crime against the character of the game. In fact, in some instances, outstanding talent and performance has hurt the chances of a few while steady performances year over year has proven an obstacle for at least one candidate still on the waiting list. For me, as someone who grew up watching man of the players now coming on the ballot, it is a shame that I will not be able to celebrate the talent that I spent so many years watching on the field.

I grew up watching and playing baseball. I never really demonstrated any talent for the game beyond a strong arm but I still enjoyed the spring and summer games. It was also one of the few sports, and still is, that I can watch on television that will hold my interest. This may be an oddity to some but my mind is constantly working, pitch by pitch, play by play, whenever a game is filling the pixels on the screen. Many of those players I watched for so many years are, most likely, never going to stand on that stage with some of the all-time greats of the game.

The problem with the assumptions, accusations, and general stubbornness of the voters is the fact that they see this tainted era as being something that is finite. We will never be able to determine the beginning or the end of the steroid/PED era and if you think you can you are wrong. While, undoubtedly, performance enhancers were more prevalent during certain years but so were greenies and cocaine during other time periods.

Heck, no one accused Roger Maris of having an unfair advantage for smoking like a chimney in 1961 in order to calm his nerves. In general, no one really knows if players received any benefit from tobacco use over the years. Granted, it did not make them bigger, stronger, or faster but maybe it helped some relax or focus. To those who respond with the fact that most players used tobacco my response is simple… exactly.

Players should be evaluated for their performance on the field in competition against their peers. Barring any illegal activity or evidence that they have broken written rules, all players should be based on performance. Even if it seems likely that they used something (i.e. Bonds and Clemens) we can’t exclude based on something that wouldn’t hold up in court. And, more importantly, we can’t put roadblocks in front of players who played in the same era where no evidence has ever been found of any wrongdoing (i.e. Piazza, Biggio, Bagwell, Walker, and numerous others). The BBWAA are an emotional bunch to the point that they have allowed there disappointment of a few during an era to cloud their judgment of the truly talented men who played the game during that time.

Something needs to change. Objectivity needs to find its way back into the process. And, while I don’t agree with how Deadspin went about it, the fans should have some say, maybe just a single symbolic ballot cast for the other voters to see ahead of time, in the process. Now that the voters have seen the ballot the fans have cast, thank to Dan Le Batard, maybe they will finally listen. However, based on the overreaction of the BBWAA, I seriously doubt it and it looks as though a generation of great players, some of the greatest of all time, will languish on the ballot finally giving way to the similarly temperamental and flawed veteran’s committee.

Would People Wait In Tents For A Tent Sale?

While we didn’t make it out of the apartment on Friday, my wife and I spent nearly the entire day going from store to store trying to get as many gifts purchased while the sales were in full swing. In the end, we could have done better but we could have done much worse. Our list isn’t completely crossed off at this point but there is a rather large hole in it with the rest of the items being relatively cheap and easily found on Amazon.com.

What did get in our way today was the desire to buy more than we really needed to get. Even though we purchase some extra items they were all cheap and we still kept ourselves within reason. However, Staples did provide us with a different challenge in trying to find more stuff to buy when we essentially had free money to play with… you know, when you have three things on your list that you need to get and a coupon that allows you to pick out several other things for free. I guess that was the best problem of the day.

One thing that I have noticed this year, more so than in previous seasons, is that all the sales remain the same throughout the holiday weekend. What used to be a heavily tiered system is now one that is nothing more than a sales plateau. Granted, there are a handful of items that are limited time (usually hours) offers but nothing that I would want to cap out for.

Granted, some of the selection is lost in the days following Black Friday Thanksgiving Thursday but there is still plenty of deals to be had in the aftermath. And by going on Saturday or Sunday you can avoid the risk of being tased trying to get in the door a half second before a disgruntled hoochie. I think that is pretty much a win-win situation.

It makes you wonder what is wrong with people that they have to miss work and/or time with family so they can camp out at Wal-Mart for a big screen television when you know they spent more money on the preparations for the extended stay in on the cold sidewalk than what they could conceivably save on electronics. Of course, as had been proven time and again, these people are whack jobs who will do whatever they can to get their hands on that discounted item (which will most likely be outdated within 12 months anyway driving the price down). This is just nuts.

Now, I have gone out on Black Friday, I have even gone out on Thanksgiving in the past, but I have never waited in line to enter a store, I have never fought someone for a product, and I have always walked out with everything on my list. If you have the patience and put in just a little bit of thought beforehand, it can be a very easy and smooth process. And that rule of thumb still applies to this day.

So, the next time the new Cabbage Patch Kid, Ferbie, big screen television, of laptop goes on sale put some thought into it… maybe there is a better place to buy, maybe you can get there 30 minutes later, avoid the line, and still get one, maybe it is, in the end, a POS not worth your time. Maybe there is greater discount at another, less popular, store. You don’t know until you stop, put away your tent and taser, and start thinking.

Generation WTF

The aftermath of an attack.

It never fails that kids are going to do stupid things but this current generation seems to be taking things to a whole different level. In a year that started with the mass proliferation of twerking among a younger and younger demographic we have now seen the devolution of ‘fun’ into the realm of aggravated assault. As many of you have seen on the news lately, more and more people are falling victim to what has been coined the “knock out game”.

The basic premise of the game is for youths to troll the streets, find an unassuming pedestrian, and try to knock them out with one punch. Thus far, the victims (men and women) seem to be of various ages, races, and in a variety of communities but the assailants seem to have three characteristics in common… they’re young violent idiots. I think it’s safe to say that MENSA is out for the question for these fine examples.

The truly sad situations have yet to unfold (and hopefully they never will). As far as I have heard, no one has died because of these attacks. While unlikely, it is still a possibility as this is essentially blunt force trauma to the head. You never know and hopefully we won’t find out.

The other situation, which says more about the state of this country than the attacks themselves, is that there have been a few instances where people have fended off their attackers. This is something I fully support. However, it may not be long before one of these attackers is injured and they wind up suing the victim or pressing charges. That is just sad but it is the legal CF reality in which we live.

Personally, if you attack me be prepared. I am going to fight back and I am not going to settle for one punch.

When these individuals are apprehended I don’t think that the traditional sentencing (and hopefully restitution) will be enough. I think we need to take a step back and employ a measure that seems to have fallen out of favor in recent decades. I think we send them to the military for extended service. Nothing like a drill sergeant to get rid of an attitude and if you really want to rehabilitate and give them a second chance, that is the way to do it. This would also give them a salary which should be garnished and distributed to the victims throughout their service.

Things need to change and many members of this current generation are in dire need of a readjustment. They don’t need to be given anything which they feel entitled to, they need to learn the cost of their lifestyle and the price of their actions. The need to appreciate what they have and respect what others have rather than covet what others have earned. While previous generations have been labeled with various descriptors (“The Greatest Generation” and “Baby Boomers”) and more recent generations have been classified with single letters such as X and Y, this generation should be classified with a simple acronym, WTF.  

This Is Not A Disney Movie

Well, there's your problem.

Trying to get to work on Monday was an absolute mess. What is normally a direct route that takes me forty five minutes to get to the office took me two and a half hours and numerous back roads. That annoying B, Siri, was actually very helpful yesterday and I was able to get to the office by ten. Today was more of the same as I tried to get to a meeting in Malvern which took me double the travel time than it should have.  

The cause of my delays was something that is becoming more and more common as the roads and highways around the city become more congested… accidents. These are the moments of mixed emotions. On one hand I am absolutely pissed at the mess that someone has caused and the delays that they have incurred upon all of us behind them while at the same time I am thankful that I wasn’t the one involved in such a serious incident that would shut down a multi-lane roadway.

What probably doesn’t help my mood during these situations is the fact that I am a regular talk radio listener and some of the things coming out of Washington are both appalling and enraging as the changed that was promised to so many people is becoming a reality. Unfortunately, it has come with lies and deceit that make the previous administration look almost passive in their initiatives. Trying to shove an unwanted program down our throats is one thing but outright lying to do so is a whole other level of wrong. Someone needs to let Obamapoppins that a spoon full of BS does not make the government sponsored medicine go down.

The latest radio tirades, usually when taking a breather from the healthcare fiasco, have been swirling around the falsified jobs figures leading up to the 2012 election. This is something that from one perspective seems to be the false persuasion of voters but, frankly, if you really believed that the job market has been improving and unemployment numbers have been correct then you have had your head up a certain orifice all along and false figures really had no bearing on your opinion anyway. It is interesting to hear how many ways the same topic can be rehashed though and I do give some of the personalities credit for some original takes on the subject.

I guess it could be worse. It may not seem like it when sitting behind a 1988 Nissan that hasn’t had an inspection since Clinton was in office but the fact of the matter is that we are alive to gripe about these things and we have enough of a mind, granted not much, to have an opinion. I have a job I love, I have a wife I love, I have my family, I have my brothers and Rotarians, and I have this blog to rant about such things. Things are actually pretty good right now. Some things could be better but there is not much to complain about at the moment. On top of that, at least I don’t live in New Jersey anymore. See, things seem to have gotten much better already.

Perspective From The Rightleft Side Of My Brain

I came to the realization tonight that I time has passed much too quickly for my liking. It used to be when I watched television shows that the characters were portraying the life that was ahead of me (in some parallel universe) but now I watch the same kinds of shows and they are my age. Or, more accurately, I am their age. Now it truly has become a means of looking into parallel lives.

However, unlike the past. I watch not in want of anything that they have but with an appreciation for the path I have taken and where I am now. There are certainly directions that could have proven more advantageous in various ways, particularly financially, not I don’t know if I would necessarily be better off. It is possible that could be the case but I am happy with where I am wand what I have right here, right now.

There are little things that I need to work on to improve myself but everyone has things that they either want to change or improve. There are times that I wish I had gotten more done or produced more work but I don’t know if that still would have led me to this moment, writing these words. There are a lot of moments where things could have been different but a lot of subsequent moments that could have been lost if things didn’t happen exactly as they have happened in my life.

And while I watch the television shows and the live depicted on the screen it is entertaining to see how my generation has developed and how much it has changed over the years. I think I may finally be comfortable with my generation. Well maybe not all of them but at least some of them. There is still a certain disconnection I feel with my peers but the chasm is not nearly as vast as it was five or ten years ago.

Of course, that may not really be a generational thing. Maybe it is just a matter of being different, about not fitting in with any particular group or population. While I have always been more of a critical, some would say mathematical, thinker I have always embraced the arts and thrived in a creative environment. I have always had the two sides of my brain functioning, and sometimes fighting, at the same time forcing me to embrace and reject certain generational characteristics.

The creative mind remains young while the critical mind has always been in a premature advanced age. Maybe that is why I have written things that are vibrant and optimistic at times while at other moments I have gone on long rants about various topics and opinions. But that is what you get with me. A struggle between the two sides of my mind and the views that they provide to form a perspective that is uniquely mine. Whether you like or not that is what you get.  

Beware of Gumby

I want food not my picture taken!

Moseying around the resort on our final morning in Arizona it was a day like any other for everyone there (except the retired gaggle of ladies who arrived early in the morning for what I assume was a means to escape the bother of youngsters). The sun was out, the birds were hopping from tree to tree, and the horses didn’t seem to care what was going on they just wanted to see if I had any food for them. It was just a regular day when I would be heading back home.

Halloween has never really been a big deal to me. I remember growing up and going trick or treating but over the years it has become less and less of an event and, in some instances, more of a nuisance than anything. This year was the first time that I had ever traveled on this particular day and it was quite interesting to see the characters wandering about the airport in Phoenix.

Driving from Wickenburg to Phoenix there was really no sign of the day being different from any other day of the week or year. But when we pulled up to return the car you knew exactly what day it was and that this travel experience was going to be one that would be both interesting and slightly disturbing. Put it this way, the young guy that checked the car had a Batman sweatshirt on…. He would have been a spinning image if Batman fought crime by playing video games all day and never exercising.

As we walked up to the shuttle service to sit down and take care of a few last minute calls before the flight I noticed out of the corned of my eye a giant green mass frightening small children at the Enterprise check in counter… it was a giant Gumby which made me wonder what these kids are thinking as that character hasn’t been relevant for a good twenty years. Regardless, I couldn’t help the thought from passing through my mind, “I’m Gumby, damn it!”

As we headed to the terminal to complete our check in and make our way to our gate the only people who seemed to put any effort into what they were wearing were the TSA officers at the security check in. By the way, can we please standardize the security process at airports in this country? While the broad strokes remain the same the details are what hold up the line (i.e. belt/no belt, watch/no watch/ wallet/no wallet, etc.). I guess this is why it is recommended that you should get to the airport two hours days ahead of time.

Anyway, walking to the gate there were people heading off to all different locations with various accents and outfits indicative of the day. Some make you just wonder what they’re thinking while others make you wonder what they’re parents would think. Thankfully, when we got on the plane everyone around us was in their usual daily attire and by the time we landed we could see the rain and knew that the eclectic residue of the day had quickly washed away before our plane touched down. I guess Philly isn’t a Halloween hot spot.

Mail Day

It’s amazing how fast the mail can build up in the mailbox. Between junk mail, bills, and donation solicitations addressed to someone who has never lived in our apartment it makes you wonder how much money is being wasted everyday by some of these people, companies, and organizations. I’m also surprised at how much can be crammed into our little piece of real estate in the mail room.

The real problem with so much mail is not necessarily the volume, it’s the fact that I no longer look forward to the mail. Remember when you were a kid when it was something special to get a letter in the mail. It didn’t have to be anything particularly special it was just the fact that someone sent something to you because after all at that age you are the center of the universe. It was a time when you felt like you were getting your very own speedy delivery.

But now it is just a mass of wasted paper and pleas for money that I am not willing to hand out even if I had the money to give away. There is the occasional card or letter but that is quickly disappearing and morphing into the empty void that is email. Don’t get me wrong, I like email and I use it constantly throughout my day but sometimes you just need to take the time, sit at a desk, and pull out a pen. There is still something to be said for a signature on a white page.

I miss receiving letters from people. I miss having enough space on my desk to write letters to people. I have always enjoyed the act of writing. Not just the formation of thoughts on a page but the fine motor skills involved in the swift flowing motion of a fountain pen as you watch the lines slowly morph into letters, then words, and finally sentences until the thoughts are fully formed and the ideas are bouncing around the margins. Think about it, when is the last time you wrote a letter?

I like seeing the personality in the handwriting. This is something that is completely lost in the quick glance of a perfectly spaced email. And, in some instances, tone can be lost between the ink on the page and the words on the screen. It’s almost like an automatic cooling of the sentiment occurs as soon as technology is put into play.

I guess this is a long way of saying that I like getting a lot of mail as long as there is a personal touch to the correspondences I receive. Maybe the best way to start doing that would be to stop typing so much in my free time, break out the fountain pen, and stain the good paper currently being segregated in the closet. Who knows, maybe some of you will be getting a letter soon and some of you may even read it before shredding.