Thoughts, rants, and musings

Just some random shit been on my mind:

• I like to stay on the outskirts of things, to be a supporting rather then a lead player. You know, that part of the group that your happy to see, is always near by, but never so involved he gets caught up in the drama. I can’t always do this but it is my preferred position
• You know it’s bad when gas drops to $2.99 a gallon and everyone is excited about it. I don’t really know nor care about the politics of the whole thing but it sucks balls when you have to actually think about how much it’s going to cost you for what used to be routine drives
  
  
• I think I’m just lazy and indifferent at this point but I can’t figure people obsessed with whatever fill in the blanks recreational activity is their bailiwick. It tends towards, but is not limited to, seasonal activities. Skiing, snowmobiling, golfing, ATV’s, hell even concerts. I just have never been that caught up in anything (ok, except maybe drinking haha) that I would regularly schedule my life around it rather then it around my life
  
  
• Yield signs are rarely if ever obeyed when entering onto the highway etc from a ramp. It’s such a waste of time as practically no one ever looks to the point it’s actually the persons in the right lane looking to exit that are forced to yield to those entering
  
  
• I miss people wearing baseball caps like baseball caps. You can say it’s fashion sense, generational, ethnicity etc but the bottom line is a BASEBALL cap is worn visor pointed straight ahead, visor bent. They were designed to keep the sun out of your eyes while playing baseball. I’ll give a little leniency to wearing it straight back but that’s really for catchers. This sideways, off kilter, straight visor bullshit has got to go. OR if that’s what you insist on, come up with a new name like, “I-think-I’m-all-urban-and-ghetto” hats
  
  
• Obsession is a terrible thing and I’ve found my Obsession; The Food Network. I didn’t know where to find this channel a year ago. Now nary a day goes by I don’t tune in. Be it the geeky science obsessed Alton Brown, the strangely proportioned and annoying Rachel Ray, the oddly sexy Paula Deen (no I can’t explain it) and the rest of the merry band of foodies. I don’t know if it’s my desire to become a better cook or simply that the entertainment value is just simply better then that of network TV.
  
  
• People riding their bicycles in the snow. Don’t get it. Never will

• Having been there, done that, I can’t understand how many people risk life, limb, and their jobs continually driving after having WAY too much to drink. I have friends with 2 strikes against them and drive for a living who continue to drive while shattered, friends with kids at home who drive smashed regularly, and friends who just simply refuse, despite forgetting how they got home (and they drove), have mystery scratches or dents etc, to think they are too drunk to drive. Now some of you are likely laughing with this coming from me but if you know me I walk, bus, or cab or have a designated driver whenever I’m going out power drinking. I just don’t want to see people I care about make the same mistake I made…or worse

The best medicine?

Ok, admittedly I have been a bit down of late and disappointed in people (and therefore myself) who I have always considered close and important. It’s a cold slap in the face when you realize you couldn’t be more wrong and that most people care only about themselves or, at the very least, never about you. I guess maybe I’m just cut from a different cloth then a lot of my “friends” in that I’m there for them no matter how small the issue and yet so many wouldn’t know if I lost both of my arms in an accident unless it was because I couldn’t dial my phone to get back to them the minute they had another minor crisis. This is not most or even the majority of my friends but really a select few who in my wildest imagination would never be like that. In some cases it’s sunk as low as lack of appreciation for unselfish acts. Weird.

Well, all that said, leave it to real friends to restore my faith in people. About a month ago I made plans to go to New York City with 3 friends. MY friend Marc who, if you’ve read my blogs over the years, is a great friend I see a lot, Cliff who I see now and then (ironically he lives just around the corner from me but with kids etc he’s not around as much) and Chuck who is now living in VA and I rarely see at all. As the trip loomed looked less forward to it. I have a laundry list of stuff going on right now ranging from home and car issues, some health stuff, etc (please Kevin, if you read this don’t go into panic mode lol). None is major but added up it’s had me on the edge. So much was on my mind I didn’t think I’d have fun and New York is not my favorite place to begin with. Well, if laughter is the best medicine I declare myself cured. I haven’t laughed this much since I went to Ireland with the same group. I mean, LAUGHED. At one point I laughed so hard I was sweating, had tears running down my face and my nose started bleeding which naturally, had my friends laughing even harder (I know a real pretty picture). All we did was eat and drink and make fun of each other and ourselves. I don’t know how much anyone else would have loved it but it was totally us. Gone for a few days were worries of front brakes, refinancing, infected toes, transmissions, and mice. They all still exist but seem a little less important. I won’t bore you with a blow-by-blow recounting of the trip, as no one else would find it funny

My point is twofold. First friendship, real friendship can make everything feel better and makes me appreciate my REAL friends more. Secondly I realize that there are some friends who just make you feel better and others that tend to make you feel bad. I really don’t need anymore of the latter and more of the former. Chuck and Cliff, while I don’t see them that much, make me laugh and are great, great friends and Marc is my friend through and through. Most of you who will actually read this know you’re my friends so it’s not likely you fall into the care less category (some might tho haha) but should know that at the end of the day each and every one of you is important to me.