tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141876752024-03-14T00:07:48.894-05:00clouds in my coffee...its a site about pop culture... life... Jesus... love, pride and deep fried chicken... not necessarily in that order... d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.comBlogger1058125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-78971730180803841512023-12-01T14:38:00.002-06:002023-12-01T14:55:29.331-06:00to campbell, on your 12th birthday<p> Dear Campbell,</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkFy03csr7N5WiUkeFdR9wM1fmT9Mb9YoDoU3dfgqmqh2mF2ctwd_og4AdEuuZE5vYJplAU8c_rL041fdHa8pnKn2DwW6A5nyI8p81xfkMn6-oz_VHfoaV_rcAczIMGosTn1BFXlT1jCe4Rrd-OhqPqc8sPjvJ91T00DGu-R2vzNW-QB0QfaTO4Q" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="933" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkFy03csr7N5WiUkeFdR9wM1fmT9Mb9YoDoU3dfgqmqh2mF2ctwd_og4AdEuuZE5vYJplAU8c_rL041fdHa8pnKn2DwW6A5nyI8p81xfkMn6-oz_VHfoaV_rcAczIMGosTn1BFXlT1jCe4Rrd-OhqPqc8sPjvJ91T00DGu-R2vzNW-QB0QfaTO4Q=w328-h311" width="328" /></a></div>I don't understand the math, but somehow you are 12 years old today. You were born in 2011, so if I used all of my fingers, plus two more, counting to this year... yep, 12. Wow.<p></p><p>So, <a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2022/12/to-campbell-on-your-11th-birthday.html">I read my letter from last year</a>, and I sort of cheated you out of a good note, and for that I'm sorry. I didn't take the time you were owed to share my thoughts with you - I apologize, kid. So let's hope this one is a little better.</p><p>It's been one crazy year - they all seem to be - and maybe I'll say the same thing year after year, but you have grown so much. Your vocabulary is grown by leaps and bounds, not only in what you say, but what you spell out - your thoughts on kindness, on Jesus, on faith, on your love for us and understanding how much we love you... it's mind blowing. </p><p>Lot of growing up for you too this year... finally, at Alabama Splash Adventure park, you got to ride the roller coasters by yourself... I asked you, "Do you want to ride by yourself, or do you want me to ride with you?" you'd say quickly, "By myself."</p><p>Your independence is coming, dude. I feel it. </p><p>Of course, I still love the fact you like hanging out with me. Our weekly Saturday afternoon adventures are always memorable, and something I look forward to - our weekly stops at the Joyful Bakery, at Whole Foods, sometimes a Wal-mart, occasionally the mall, and of course, "Homewood Target". Why? "The elevator!" You sit in the cart, I wheel you around and get my own steps in, we look at Thomas stuff, books, clothes, Legos, and everything else in our Target trip... though admittedly, soon, you'll be too big for the cart and will be walking everywhere. Your mom is feeling that now while you are in Disney World with she and GG, because even though we get you the special needs stroller that is larger, it can only hold you for so long. So, kid, be prepared to walk everywhere soon... though if I'm honest, I think that's what you'd prefer anyway. <br /></p><p>Let's talk music... a few services like Spotify have this thing where they tell you the artists you listen to the most - we don't do Spotify, but we do Apple Music, and I gotta be honest, it's a little annoying because it's all YOU dude.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYZ3tTLIhwkYHOP6Pr9VtS1A5_dg58cdAKyDjtgzc7Jjm9PAbmWb4J000MW48R4GXhpJL7TAcIoMFGi-RDOsral1_NNG9DckthmgPYdkIvXET7vNudX0iNsse0KlaktgfwsRZrfmIGivvS0mYuGxfcFaZgKpKI-bB0tFOc-ooPF65l46cBsuRbQ/s1335/APPLE%20MUSIC%2001.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1040" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYZ3tTLIhwkYHOP6Pr9VtS1A5_dg58cdAKyDjtgzc7Jjm9PAbmWb4J000MW48R4GXhpJL7TAcIoMFGi-RDOsral1_NNG9DckthmgPYdkIvXET7vNudX0iNsse0KlaktgfwsRZrfmIGivvS0mYuGxfcFaZgKpKI-bB0tFOc-ooPF65l46cBsuRbQ/w301-h387/APPLE%20MUSIC%2001.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, seriously. I'm not listening to <br />"Rolling in the Deep" 281 times without<br />some sort of outside coercion</td></tr></tbody></table><i>(Pardon me, Campbell, while I explain to the audience what I mean... so each night, as part of our bedtime routine, we listen to music as we get him ready for bed. Campbell has picked the playlist, and while the first song has rotated some -- we've had Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" and "Before He Cheats" from Carrie Underwood and "Africa" by Toto and Harry Style's "Satellite" to name a few, we are currently on Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know"<br /><br />The other three songs are staples... "Levitating" by Dua Lipa, featuring the rap by DaBaby, which I of course have to sing... I'm not kidding, it's his request... and then "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele... and finally, "How to Save a Life" by The Fray. After music, we do our Bible story, but 1 or 2 times per week, we skip the story and do a fifth song, "Your Song" by Elton John. I like that one, because I get to sing the line "you are the sweetest kid... I've ever seen...". Then we turn out the lights, say our prayers, and go to sleep)</i><br /><br />So, because of your songs every night, my Top Ten played was dominated by YOUR music... including "Rolling in the Deep", "Levitating", "How to Save a Life", "Break My Heart" by Dua Lipa (also originally on the rotation before being moved out), and "Your Song". We have to get to the 9th song on the list before we get to a song that wasn't or isn't on your list - "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry. Which you'd like that one too if I'd let you have a 6th song. <br /><br />ALL that said... I LOVE that you love music. I love that you love piano, that you listen to everything, that you enjoy dcTalk as well as Taylor Swift as well as Elton John, and even some Will.I.Am, though thats from the "Rio" soundtrack.<br /><p></p><p>Your movies this year? After a year or two of not paying any attention to it, you cycled back to "Rio 2", which has become almost a daily watch... this, of course, was after a few months of daily "Encanto", which followed a few months of daily "Moana", and it's still fun to not only hear you sing the songs, but actually quote lots of dialogue. </p><p>TV? You're still all about GameShow Network, loving you some Cash Cab and Family Feud and American Says <i>("host John Michael Higgins!")</i> and People Puzzler and much more, though you'll settle in with your mom on the couch and watch Hallmark... granted you have your iPad in hand, volume on, snuggled up so close to her you are almost under her, which led her to start using captions on the TV, but still. <br /><br />Okay, last thing before I go... I want to offer you some advice as you grow and finish your elementary school career and head to middle school next year... Campbell, always let kindness carry you. Always. <br /><br />One of the things we’ve really picked up on this year is your empathetic nature, which is going to be a blessing, and a curse as you grow up. You’re ability, your nature to take on the pain of others, and to feel what they feel, is a remarkable trait that not many people have. As you live your life, you’re going to be able to see and hear things, and know things about people that some other people will miss because they’re just not feeling the emotion of those around them. And God is going to use that gift tremendously to show compassion and care to so many people.<br /><br />However, middle school is coming, and it’s going to be a gauntlet. This isn't to scare you, but to just remind you that it's something your mom dealt with, I dealt with, nearly all adults have dealt with... it can be wonderful, it can be fun, as you'll meet new people and make new friends and have new adventures that you've never had a chance to before... but it can also be hard. <br /><br />But let kindness carry you. Not just in middle school, but everywhere you can. In every possible case, don’t just be nice, be kind. </p><p>Sometimes that means saying or doing things that aren’t popular because it's the right thing, the kind thing to do.</p><p>Sometimes that means sticking with people who aren’t the best people in many other eyes because that's where kindness carries you. </p><p>But kindness also doesn’t mean to roll over and let people walk all over you. As I've told you before, I want to prepare you for the fact that there are people out there who are just... well, mean. Doesn't mean Jesus doesn't love them - He does. Doesn't mean that we shouldn't love them - we should. But it also doesn't mean we have to like them or be around them. We don't. </p><p>As you grow up, you’ll have to discern when to stand and when to back down. </p><p>Stick up for those people around you who cannot fight for themselves. Stick up for yourself. And hold close to those friends who will stick up for you. You have an army of older folks, parents, teenagers, friends who would be willing to fight every battle for you they can… But none of us can be there all the time. </p><p>I want to remind you, it won’t be easy. But, I am there for you. Your mom is there for you. Your friends are there for you. And God will always be there for you in a way that none of us ever can be. </p><p>Finally, Campbell, we live in a crazy world, a world where somebody who believes one thing gets super mad at somebody else who believes something different. <br /></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OC-_PFKCFoKLcsGbbfDwugeLQVyfTt1eCsXRXTSDuBuayLUUBOFRT202JW9JyUAyMeptdqs474_5yeRJ7hYxAoPTQu7Rq2RnFPqXJAEnUEAu0Z8eP5mZ9K9V8nmsVUzaiuJS9vx9tb9rpVShuHTDkTXvwhonUjXKCYrwynSN9FR665kUcjrQew/s1280/CnS.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OC-_PFKCFoKLcsGbbfDwugeLQVyfTt1eCsXRXTSDuBuayLUUBOFRT202JW9JyUAyMeptdqs474_5yeRJ7hYxAoPTQu7Rq2RnFPqXJAEnUEAu0Z8eP5mZ9K9V8nmsVUzaiuJS9vx9tb9rpVShuHTDkTXvwhonUjXKCYrwynSN9FR665kUcjrQew/w247-h371/CnS.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Campbell and his mom, taken not<br />long before I published this post. <br />He loves Disney World SO MUCH</td></tr></tbody></table>Our family believes in the death, and risen life of Jesus Christ, and in that sacrifice, our sins, our bad deeds are covered. Everything we’ve ever done before, everything we ever will do, is covered under the sacrifice of Jesus. Knowing you have accepted Jesus in your heart is a beautiful thing to us, an answered prayer from the day you were born. <div><br /></div><div>But there are many people out there who don’t believe that, and while we know and are positive of what we believe in, it is important to remember that we should never make fun of, or treat badly those who believe something different. <p></p><p>No matter what people believe, they deserve respect. </p><p>Sometimes people will treat you with disrespect, and you just walk away. Jesus is in your heart and He will be there for you, that I can promise you. </p><p>Okay, I've rambled on long enough. <br /><br />I love you so much, more than you can possibly imagine, and I pray every day that your mom and I can be good examples for you as you grow up - I hope you see and feel the love we have for you at all times. </p><p>It's your birthday today, and your mom tells me you were enjoying a birthday burger at Sci-Fi Cafe in Hollywood Studios today, and honestly, it kinda made me a little sad that I wasn't there with you today. But I promise you, we'll enjoy a good meal on your birthday next year. Of course, you'll be 13 and probably won't want to hang out with me because I'm not cool enough, but I'll try anyway. </p><p>Your mom loves you, your GG and Pops love you, your aunts and uncles and cousins love you, your Granny Jan and PawPaw Randy love you - and Jesus loves you more than all of us put together, times a bajillion. And that's a lot, my friend, a lot. <br /><br />I'll see you in a few days when you return home! <br /><br />Love always,</p><p>--Dad </p><p><i>"to campbell on your 11th birthday" link is at the beginning of this post... here is the link <a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2021/12/to-campbell-on-your-10th-birthday.html">"to campbell on your 10th birthday"</a>, and the rest of the letters are at the bottom of that post... </i></p></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-41857717043088547242023-05-26T20:49:00.005-05:002023-05-26T20:49:48.134-05:00the class of 93... thirty years later: the last will & testament<p>So it's our last will & testament, read on Senior Class Day in May 1993. </p><p>Everyone in the class, with a few exceptions missing, turned in what they would "leave" to whoever they wished. Lots of inside jokes, nearly everyone wished graduation success to the following year's class, and the word "ability" is mentioned about 800 times.</p><p>I tried to type out exactly as typed, which by the way was then printed on a word processor, and lots of notes written in the margin. I also typed in the misspellings on some names, some grammar, and some sentences. Some corrections were made (then, not by me now) and I tried to list anything marked through just for posterity - though some things were just marked out too much (I still wonder what Shannon Williamson left Manda Donaldson and Amy Zorn)</p><p>And a few nods to "finding true friends", which I'm sure is a definite sign of being 17 years old. Or now. Sometimes things remain the same, eh? </p><p>So here is the Class of '93's Last Will & Testament. </p><p><b>Beth Adkison -</b> I leave to Amy Zorn the directions to get to that place. (We still haven't got there, but don't worry, I'm starting to remember.) To Jenny Day, Julie Dunn, and Lynne Mock I leave shoes for the summer. To Christy Maloy and Amy Farris I leave an automatic truck and the nicknames SPIN-OUT and PUNCH-IT. (I'm sure Felicia Simmons head, and my rear-end think so). To Nicole Wilson and Jeromy Howell I leave all my typing paper, correction tabs, and the knowledge to press reprint. To Misty Kimble I leave a boyfriend for each week of the year. To Tammy Ward I leave a Barf Bag, and to Felicia Simmons, Jackie Warren the best of luck, because you'll need it. To Kecia Slosh Morgan and Nicki Rowboat Vann I leave these nicknames. And to Christie Mock, Kathy King, and Jan Lolley (who we all know as Air Heads) the ability to blow up a balloon. To Joni Floyd and Amy Bowers "YOU'RE BLOND SO GIVE THE ACT UP." Good luck Class of '94</p><p><b>Greg Avant - </b>I leave my parking space to whoever gets there first.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrYqioxnJwSQgxt5L9Dr3e75EfCQYUWbbScmQJXQKcxqY0Jk5tvzRgeWVgnM8QbDzEKMx5MOYA3wwFfX0w4Y6hhG1Zvd-WvHRI9jyUFx1Cspygxt68crEp64a_teWgSedphXWzWuTSqF0Ek_3MBetErVODwFE5ADxLI3rVOR5pqJu4M4-XGCA" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="483" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrYqioxnJwSQgxt5L9Dr3e75EfCQYUWbbScmQJXQKcxqY0Jk5tvzRgeWVgnM8QbDzEKMx5MOYA3wwFfX0w4Y6hhG1Zvd-WvHRI9jyUFx1Cspygxt68crEp64a_teWgSedphXWzWuTSqF0Ek_3MBetErVODwFE5ADxLI3rVOR5pqJu4M4-XGCA=w298-h372" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top Row: Jan, Kecia, Tammy W, Brian<br />Middle: d$, Daniel, Chris<br />Bottom: Johnny, Michael K, Nicki, Brandi<br />Bottom right: Victor; Bottom small: Misty<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><b>Michael Creech -</b> I leave to Karen the ability to do what she wants and not get in trouble. To Brenda good luck in the future and maybe you'll make it. To Angie I leave all my love.</p><p><b>Wade Fulford -</b> I leave all the luck in the world to Kim.</p><p><b>Shane Gillis -</b> I leave Michael Mock some bifocals, my beautiful truck and my high standard taste in women, and to Craig McCollough I leave an eye. To the Junior Class I leave Avery and Drew</p><p><b>Brian Green - </b>I leave to Craig the ability to stay awake at the wheel. And to the rest of the class of '94 Good Luck.</p><p><b>Rodney Hornsby -</b> I leave to my sister Christie the ability to play basketball and to the Varsity Basketball team good luck in the future. Special thanks to Mrs. Rials and Coach Thrasher.</p><p><b>Wendy Marsh - </b>I leave to my Home Ec. Class the willingness to do class work. I leave to the Junior Class the school. I wish Mrs Gilly the best of luck at good ol SHS.</p><p><b>Misty Kimble -</b> To Victor and Shannon, I leave the ability to drive from the back seat. To Nichole I leave the bathroom in pizza hut. To Joni, a certain curb on the Geneva-Enterprise highway. To Kecia I leave a video of herself in the Hotel room in Panama City. To Tammy Ward, a full WalMart bag. To Beth Adkison, I leave all our good times and laughs, also the ability to sleep without getting a holy blanket. To Felicia, Kathy, Chris McCall, Jackie, and Lynn Mock, all my love and the best of wishes. <br /><strike>To </strike>[redacted] <strike>I leave a friendship that I never thought would</strike> [line incomplete]</p><p><b>Drew King - </b>To Mike Mock my good reputation with teachers, and to Craig McCollough a socket set to take the screw out of his leg.</p><p><b>Johnny Knowles -</b> I leave to my brother Adrian my wealth from broadcasting and the ability to pass</p><p><b>Michael Knowles - </b>I leave to my brother Eric the ability to graduate, and do it within the next five years.</p><p><b>Jennifer Lambert - </b>To Kam I leave the ability to play with a big glove. To Paula I leave the 4th of July!! To Jason I leave the ability to do good in school and stay out of trouble.</p><p><b>Jan Lolley - </b>To the class of '94 Good Luck and to my little brother Andy, all my love. And the Leah Hutchinson I hope you get to be on Saturday Night Live one day. To the Class of '93, thanks for the memories</p><p><b>Chris McCall - </b>To my brother Douglas I leave the school bus, since I won't be here to take him to school next year. To everyone else who asked me to leave them something I leave my spot in the parking lot. Ya'll can fight over it later [final line crossed out, can't tell what it is]</p><p><b>Stan McDuffie -</b> I leave good luck to next year's baseball and basketball teams I leave my brother Ross the best of luck and the ability to sleep in English class every day and still pass. To the Class of '94, best wishes and thanks for being cool about everything</p><p><b>Victor Miller - </b>To Kim, Jenny, Joey, and Lynn the gossip table in the dungeon. Toby, some "good ole" common sense. Stacey, Tracy, Amanda, and Michele, the ability to master the pronunciation system of French numbers. To Nicole Wilson, the skill to keep on asking, "But why Mrs. Davis?" Julie Dunn, his empty seat on bus, 75-1, and the ability to pass notes about everything in Mrs. Rials class and not get caught. Kellie, Erica, Amy, and Andrea the ability to "work it girls." Rory Farris, the ability to keep worshipping me, although I'm gone. To Bradley, the hope and ability to graduate and the ability to speed and not get stopped. Good Luck</p><p><b>Christie Mock -</b> <strike>I leave to my brother the best of luck with the rest of his highschool years. I love you and may all your dreams come true</strike> I leave to my brother Chad all my love. And to the Seniors of 94, may you have a fun and exciting year. Good luck and God Bless you all!</p><p><b>Kecia Morgan -</b> To the Class of '94, I wish you all the best of luck and hope you all have a wonderful Senior year! To Misty, Nicki, Tammy T., Tammy W., Felicia, Jackie, Beth, and all my closest friends I leave all my love and I hope that we will always be the best of friends. Good luck! To Steve Dillard, I give all my love.</p><p><b>Latoya Morgan - </b>I leave to Tita, Tarlisha, Christy, Tracey, and Mel, the ability to achieve all your goals. I hope that you will do well in school, sports, and the band. I leave to Bradley, Shannon, Larry, Kantrell, and Gregory the ability to behave, because you really need it. I also leave Patrick, the best of luck in all you do.</p><p><b>Stephaine Phillips - </b>To Kam and Paula, I wish ya'll the best of luck with your senior year. I hope its your best yet. To the Lady Tiger Softball and Volleyball Teams, I wish you the best of luck next year, I know you can bring home the state championship. To my brother Jeff, I wish you the ability to sleep in class and also be able to keep your grades up. To Jacklyn, Good luck with everything you do. Always hold your head high and you will accomplish everything you set your mind to. To the Class of 94, I wish you the best of luck. I hope your senior year is the best. </p><p><b>Monty Powell -</b> Enjoy life and never take things too seriously</p><p><b>Brandi Schertal - </b>I leave to Kam, Paula and Letita the ability to go to state in volleyball and basketball. I leave to Kam Johnson & Paula Baxley my Accent (HA! HA! BIG JOKE) Good luck to the class of '94. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me, since I've been here.</p><p><b>Felicia Simmons -</b> I leave to <strike>my</strike> her sister Amy the ability to get out of the car correctly and not to take notes in Mrs. Daniels room and still pass. I leave my love and best of luck in life to: Amy F., Christy Maloy, Tammy W, Jackie W, Misty K, Beth A, Kecia M, Chris Mc, Victor M, and Cathy K. I leave to Beth A, the ability to know when an ant is biting you. To Mrs. Peterson the number afer "40"</p><p><b>Jason Slay - </b>I leave to John Slay that ability to drive and graduate. To Drew King the ability to graduate and to Michael Mock a bottle of roach killer. To Daniel Stephensons [sic] and Joey Stephens a Key to my house. I also leave to Daniel Stephson [sic] a newspaper. To all of my teachers of the past, best of wishes. And to Mr. Johnson, extreme thanks. I also leave to all Agi. students my ability to ace the hunter safety test and still shut-off their TOE</p><p><b>Jason Smith -</b> To all my friends at Samson High, a big "Good Luck" and to Julie Dunn, Walt Logan, and Jeremy Howell the ability to "break it down"</p><p><b>Joey Stephens -</b> I leave to my sister Jennifer the ability to graduate and the best of luck during high school.</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS86sslLhvuEXZ9QpElOTOdjy1NIeMThXlXl8mmI26q7f929U1UEIswPxdj54NKvZAo206HmWG-EBoB9vmOZ-6RW-a79TcX-R7IEmniulP-rSDzUZrvZxR2f7YzUrrHK79EV7Lru_cJz3N_X0R6RRCsZzY9fSOlMfTVIaAu49hCXZrKIGKlWY" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="430" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS86sslLhvuEXZ9QpElOTOdjy1NIeMThXlXl8mmI26q7f929U1UEIswPxdj54NKvZAo206HmWG-EBoB9vmOZ-6RW-a79TcX-R7IEmniulP-rSDzUZrvZxR2f7YzUrrHK79EV7Lru_cJz3N_X0R6RRCsZzY9fSOlMfTVIaAu49hCXZrKIGKlWY=w277-h387" width="277" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top: d$, Nicki, Shannon<br />Middle: Traci, Jennifer, Susan<br />Bottom: Latoya, Christie, Clay</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><b>Daniel Stephenson - </b>To Toby Chastain I leave the ability to change his name from ugly tackle to strong tackle. To the class of '94 the ability to keep the fun going and all my love to Beverly. To my Brother David I leave ability to graudate & party hard</p><p><b>Tammy Thomas -</b> I leave to Rona Mock my highwaters, Amy Farris the ability to beat up Shannon Bowers. To my sister Jamie all of the love and luck in the world, and to Coach Baxley I leave her all of my love and a bunch of Thanks for shaping me into a good athlete and for letting me know that someone really does care. </p><p><b> Nicki Vann - </b>I leave to Kasee Mock and David Chancey the ability to make it one more year. I leave Misty K. Kecia M. and Beth A. all of the memories and all of my love and the best in the future. I leave Tony Hornsby the ability to get along with Mrs. Daniels. I give all of my love to Chad Davis. I leave to my sister the ability to go to school and graduate. </p><p><b>Chad Ward - </b>I leave to the class of '94 all the best, and the ability to graduate.</p><p><b>Susan Ward -</b> I leave to Kimberly Davis, Julie Dunn, Jennifer Jones, Brandie Hamic, and Kelley Wise a package of dry Gatorade (Remember that at Cheerleader Camp this year.) Good Luck to the Classes of '94 and '95</p><p><b>Tammy Ward - </b>I leave to Heather Ward the best of her school years and good luck. To Amy Farris good luck with the guys and my love.</p><p><b>Jackie Warren - </b>I leave to Tanya Merritt and Beth Edison the ability to make good grades and graduate. I also leave to Tanya Merritt a paint brush for those deer and chickens, that Sunday afternoon. I leave to Johnathan Aplin the ability to graduate and give everyone who works at Ground Control a hard time. I leave to Nicole Wood the ability to borrow all those neighborly things, and the ability to be friends with most people and to graduate. I leave to Kim Linton the ability to learn how to drive a truck without wrecking it. To Felicia S. Beth A. Tammy W Misty K. Kathy K. Kecia M. Nicki V. and the rest of my friends all the luck in the world and my love.</p><p><b>Leslie Whigham - </b>To my brother and sister, I leave the ability to graduate <strike>and find true friends.</strike> And to the class of '94 & '95 best of luck.</p><p><b>Shannon Williamson - </b>I would like to leave to: <strike>Manda Donaldson and Amy Zorn </strike>(unintelligible). Melanie the ability to hit Jimbo and J.J. back. To Andre a smile, to Christy Poon a frown. To Traci I leave thanks for being a good friend. </p><p><b>Tonya Windham - </b>To my brother Tony, I leave the ability to graduate. To Tracey and Stephanie my messy room and a bottle of aspirin. To Julie, Andrea, Tanya and Shanna, the ability to stay in band through your senior year.</p><p><b>Avery Baine - </b>To my cousin Tanya, the ability to graduate, and to Kelly all my love</p><p><b>Traci Baine -</b> I leave to Kam the jug and christmas lights. To Paula Tulips and the ability to touch your toes. To Amy Zorn a disguise so she won't be seen where she shouldn't be. To the Lady Tigers, best of luck in all 3 sports. I hope you go all the way. </p><p><b>David $ - </b>To Jason Howell the ability to get away from Subway with only minimal bruising. To Heather Chancey the ability to tell the Archibald joke, To Cristie Wright the ability to learn how to play tennis. To Rona, I leave thanks for being my friend. And to all the Junior High Students who made me one of their favorite seniors - Good luck!</p><p><b>Anthony Landingham -</b> I leave my brother Douglas the ability to graduate within the next five years and find success in his life.</p><p>Previous: <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-class-of-93-thirty-years-later.html">The Samson High Class of 93 History</a></p><p>Next: The Bahama Cruisin' Epic Poem </p><p><br /></p>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-7431377890421828372023-05-25T23:49:00.004-05:002023-05-25T23:49:30.943-05:00the class of 93... thirty years later: class history<p> As a sort of "class historian" of Samson High School Class of '93, because I'm a legit nerd and keep everything like a Hoarder Lite, I've managed to hold onto a few documents that honestly no one in their right mind should still have.</p><p>Not that anything I have is bad or scandalous, but who else has their Class History and the Class Last Will & Testament still on the original paper, with the original notes written in <i>(including the Last Will & Testament that is signed "not cleared" by a teacher).</i></p><p>So as we celebrate 30 years since we walked that football field to get our diplomas, I thought it was finally time to print and preserve what our lasting legacy is. </p><p>In the next few days, I'm going to post and publish the aforementioned papers, as well as my own writings - the class haikus and the "Bahama Cruisin': The Epic Poem" senior cruise recap </p><p>But first... the Samson High School Class History, transcribed directly from the paper upon which it's typed, copied in the same format. I added the years above each section, just for context, since most of us are too old to do math now. </p><p><br /></p><p>I dare say this is the first time this has seen the light of day since Class Day, 1993.</p><p>Here we go:</p><p><i>1980-81</i><br />We started our schooling years in kindergarten.<br />This was the year Chris McCall got in trouble for throwing foam during naptime.<br />Tonya Windham got a paddling in the bathroom. She got another one when she said it didn't hurt.<br />If you've ever noticed Nicki Vann's nose, you'll see a scar. She got it when Latoya tried to staple her nose together.<br /></p><p><i>1981-82</i><br />In first grade, Marsha Richardson joined our class<br />In the process of attacking the monkey bars, Stephanie Phillips became the first in our class to lose her front teeth.<br />This was the year we began our traditional Civil War... like the Energizer Bunny, it keeps going, and going, and going...</p><p><i>1982-83</i><br />We were finally second graders, and Stephen Stowe, Vanessa Olive, and Jackie and Felicia joined our class.<br />Misty Kimble took two karate lessons and became known as Kung Fu Kimble when she bodyslammed Susan Ward.<br />Greg Avant hit puberty early when he gave Jennifer Lambert a big box of chocolates on Valentines Day to win her heart.<br /></p><p><i>1983-84</i><br />In third grade, Tywania Phillips joined our class and jumped right in to the Civil War, pigtails and all.<br />Playing house became serious when Kecia Morgan and Jerry Hysmith got married... thank goodness there were no children born.<br />This year, the I've only Got Nine Toes Club was formed, it's founding member - Anthony Landingham.</p><p><i>1984-85</i><br />We knew we were moving up in the world when we entered fourth grade, and a brand new school was built just for us.<br />Yes, we thought we were all that when we became the Seniors of the Elementary School<br />We were cursed this year when Victor Miller, Beth Adkison, and David Dollar, and Brian Green joined our class.<br />And David Dollar got the wonderful Samson welcome when Shane Gillis, and Drew King would chase him home everyday, cussing and shooting birds at him<br />Girl trouble started early for Jason Smith, when he couldn't decide between Susan and Nicki - so, because he could, he chose them both. <br />Michael Dumas made our trip to the capital exciting, when he got sick after eating the animal food and throwing up on the way home.<br /></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrCxkQ_UBPQnKdFuE_4waP8JfGXOHG6kKvPZGgF5BY4Smcs5CXozv42h0Q8knofij60DvTi1cTjmHR2nAt4YQ-ZgVoVyP--6qZRAAJBggDIDnb3leW-Na3DL8NUWGtqZopoCE5c3jUAsUMxS7UWwCQXA8YswbHnrB44a8GqgQWoUJWSbQXOV8" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="720" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrCxkQ_UBPQnKdFuE_4waP8JfGXOHG6kKvPZGgF5BY4Smcs5CXozv42h0Q8knofij60DvTi1cTjmHR2nAt4YQ-ZgVoVyP--6qZRAAJBggDIDnb3leW-Na3DL8NUWGtqZopoCE5c3jUAsUMxS7UWwCQXA8YswbHnrB44a8GqgQWoUJWSbQXOV8=w387-h304" width="387" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs Wikel's Class, 1985</td></tr></tbody></table><i>1985-86</i><br />In Fifth Grade, Shane Gillis, Shannon Williamson, and Jan Lolley became part of the Class of 93<br />Gerald Smith began his career as an arson when he set fire to the woods behind the school<br />The We Hate Everything But Boys Club was founded... only if we were still so naive.<br />Jason Smith became jumpsticks king, but endured heavy competition<br /><br /><br /></p><p><i>1986-87</i><br />We were finally sixth graders, and we moved over to junior high school.<br />Michael Creech, Lee Futch, and Drew King and Tammy Thomas joined our class this year.<br />This was the year we got used to living without chewing gum, because Mr. White threatened us with the paddling board.<br />The new fads this year were Reeboks, Converse, and beginning band.</p><p><i>1987-88</i><br />In Seventh Grade, Latoya showed us all her violent side when her and Sambo Cade got into a knockdown drag out brawl.<br />Coca Cola shirts and Mrs. Brooks parts of speech tests were the hottest things going this year.<br />Mrs. Williams locked Victor in the closet, and she tried to give Shannon a lick, but Shannon convinced her she'd just had surgery on her butt.<br />Tonya began her attitude when she told Mrs. Brooks, "You're crazy!!" where Mrs. Brooks replied, "I am not crazy!!!"<br />This year, the class of 93 joined Avery.</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLDCpks_uPNdrXu-xen90RnWkmTnQebWeqinjRwYRawgTos0omCZ7Tz1R4Vc9yPXGX0n4fIy3hSu3D_tctQtuCAez_aJ9K-r5yQSMytNMwERLa7DFbutN0-hpx98poj5SS0vuTIVljkx3GZk8DWNKT7Sh1Gb3jYMUEutqT7lpaqNqrKiUf_wA" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="720" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLDCpks_uPNdrXu-xen90RnWkmTnQebWeqinjRwYRawgTos0omCZ7Tz1R4Vc9yPXGX0n4fIy3hSu3D_tctQtuCAez_aJ9K-r5yQSMytNMwERLa7DFbutN0-hpx98poj5SS0vuTIVljkx3GZk8DWNKT7Sh1Gb3jYMUEutqT7lpaqNqrKiUf_wA=w370-h268" width="370" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Class of 1993... in Eighth Grade, Coach<br />Week's civics class</td></tr></tbody></table><i>1988-89</i><br />In Eighth grade, our class took our second field trip, with Coach Chastain to the falls, where the word Tree became a new saying. <br />We all had Mrs. Free believing that Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and our Nigerian exchange student Hakeem Olajuwan were absent from class.</p><p><br /><br /></p><p><i>1989-90</i><br />We finally were Freshman, and we had a <br />mere four years left.<br />Joey Stephens, Wendy Marsh, Christie Mock, and Cleve Kirkland joined up with our class.<br />The Greg to Diamonds Foundation was formed, <br />raising 15 dollars for Greg to buy a ring for Jennifer.<br />This was Mrs. Peterson's first year, and Hold the Phone became a familiar cliche, and Drew earned the name Drewski<br />Traci continued the war when she and Tywania got into a fight.<br />New Kids on the Block were hot this year, as Susan, Traci, and Leslie became big fans</p><p><i>1990-91</i><br />Our Sophmore [sic] year soon came, and Driver's Ed was the most dangerous class with Shannon backing into a hill and David driving on the wrong side of the road<br />Everyone got an A in Chemistry with Mrs. Collins and Mr. Farris<br />The Fulfords began a road kill tradition when Clay attacked an alligator and took it home.<br />War raged on as Jennifer and Kecia got into a heated argument, Felicia bodyslammed Wendy, and Misty tried to pluck Amy Bowers.<br />Drew reminded Mrs. Willis that her literature class was not a sex education class.</p><p><i>1991-92</i><br />Juniors at last, and the saying Hoop! There it is! became famous.<br />Brian Green began taking the Freedom of Speech a little too far.<br />Johnny and Wendy became a famous couple coming home from ESJC<br />Traci Baine lost her necklace at the prom, and only she could find it.<br />Sherella joined our class this year.</p><p><i>1992-93</i><br />We are now seniors and what a memorable year it has been.<br />Jan Lolley showed us all her intelligent side when she asked if leather came from animals and what Ray-Bans were.<br />Misty, Nicki, Beth, Tammy Thomas, Brian, Drew, Daniel, Shane and Wendy got kicked out of JC's haunted house for unknown reasons.<br />Lydia and Sherella became famous for their great hair.<br />Felicia, Jackie, Christie, and Tammy Ward became known for their gossip table in ag class.<br />Cathy King and Brandie Schertal joined our class this year.<br />Joey, Clay, Wade and Daniel's skateboarding days came to a delay when Officer Morgan pulled them over for riding on the back of Traci's car.<br />Monty became famous for his quiet little get togethers and Greg's grandmother knew he didn't have the flu.<br />Greg also went into the remodeling business when he attacked Chris and Chad's cars.<br />This became the year of the sucker punches, right Michael and David?<br />Jason Slay joined the I've only got nine toes club this year.<br />This was the year we set a record for having three Miss Samsons and we even had a Miss Peanut, Jennifer Lambert.<br />1993 will be remembered as the year of our Bahama Cruise, where Drew found our what Security meant.<br />The group was known as Eric's Groupies<br />Brian Green got personal directions to Kentucky</p><p>Tonight we graduate, and although our high school years will end, we have made some memories over the years that will never go away.</p><p><i>Up next: The Class of 1993 Last Will and Testament </i></p>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-36175601875970752572023-05-03T21:20:00.005-05:002023-05-03T21:21:51.000-05:00don't let them rewrite history<p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Okay. Soapbox time. This is long, sometimes meandering, and I put Biden and his idiot Press Sec on full blast. I also go after other members of the Admin, including Fauci, who is a straight up a** clown. And Trump doesn't go unscathed either. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you only want to hear what gives you warm fuzzies, keep scrolling.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCGrdxVxCv97xP3komfUvn6A7k308ZoBsYFHDghU1J9YPMqPM_1dvgmrvKOFZ3EWZWEThBqHvmUDpYTORIA85JpSVzn_KOqCSwaSv76gRTf7zvHJ3mqvn-fQkREju6Fsuu9vZLu9ltZkjSi_GpREUpA5FA36cSWXnswuDq1EJuSTCX2UB-EFg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="907" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCGrdxVxCv97xP3komfUvn6A7k308ZoBsYFHDghU1J9YPMqPM_1dvgmrvKOFZ3EWZWEThBqHvmUDpYTORIA85JpSVzn_KOqCSwaSv76gRTf7zvHJ3mqvn-fQkREju6Fsuu9vZLu9ltZkjSi_GpREUpA5FA36cSWXnswuDq1EJuSTCX2UB-EFg=w210-h315" width="210" /></a></span></div><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I just heard a soundbite from the worst Press Sec this country has known in modern times, the esteemed Karine Jean-Pierre. Matches up with the worst POTUS we've had in </span><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">my lifetime.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">So she tells us: "Kids have lost so much in the pandemic. This is why, when the president walked in, he made a priority to open schools one of the things that was important to do"</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bullsh*t</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am passionate about this -- not only in everything that we were lied to about, including masks, social distancing, vx, vx mandates, lockdowns, and especially school closings, but I'm continually angered by the fact there is no accountability for those who did this to us and worse, their attempts -- and by many the allowing to do so -- of rewriting history.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Do not let them rewrite history.</i></b> They did this. And they think you are too stupid to remember or understand.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me explain. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump pushed for the country to be locked down in March of 2020. He was president, and he should have fought harder to open back up within weeks. Heck, I'll even give you "months" for the "we didn't know what we were dealing with" responses. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">But by summer, when the data began to come in, when we had a good understand of who was really in danger with Cvd, the country should have opened back up. Didn't hear the data? Thats because a lot of doctors and scientists who had such data were being attacked, suspended, and deplatformed -- we know this because of the lawsuits we are seeing now. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump's biggest mistake was not firing Anthony Fauci, who from March 2020, my wife said, "He's a clown. No one should listen to him. But they will."</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of Fauci, and American Fed of Teachers Randi Weingarten, and other complete idiots in power, schools remained shut down. States had control, but they were being leaned on by the federal government, teachers unions, and the CDC. Oh, and Fauci, who declared "I am the science". It's a circle... Fauci can say he "recommended", and lean on the CDC, and states/schools consult the CDC who tell them what to do, based on Fauci's very strong recommendation. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Do not let them rewrite history.</b></i></span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">My kid, for whom online learning is a colossal waste of an attempt, had no structure of schooling for almost 7 months. He's autistic. Lack of structure was devastating for him and for our family.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">The school opened later in the fall of 2020, with a demand of masks and distancing. My kid, like many, learns from facial expressions, mouth movements, word structure - and he was deprived of that. We thank God that our area had a summer school for a few hours a day, a few days a week over the summer by a few teachers who understood the urgency and fought for that to happen. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nonetheless, he regressed. Third grade was not a good year for him, and I know many parents can say the same. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">That said, many of us tried to tell all of you that masks were not the safe-haven they were promised. We tried to tell you that "social distancing" was ridiculous and did not work.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we tried to tell you that kids should have been back in school that August. I even wrote a post about it and was blasted for it. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was unfriended. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was taunted. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I got messages about my "reckless statements", one from a nursing student who I worked with a Starbucks, who told me I was a fool and that "your son will be fine missing a little more school until it's safe". Then she blocked me. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steph and I kept reading, Steph and I kept researching, Steph and I kept trying to find data. My position never changed. Theirs did. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then Biden took over. Trump, for better or for worse, gave these decisions back to the states <i>(OMG HE'S A TYRANT FACIST!! Shut up. If he was a tyrant fascist, he never would have given control back to the states.)</i></span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Biden mad</i>e everything 100x worse. He derided Trump for the vx, then tried to take credit for it. Then he tried to force corporations to force vx on everyone to come to work, and to make sure every kid was vx'd. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Do not let them rewrite history. </b></i></span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because we were told if you had the vx, you won't get Cvd. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then we were told if you had vx and boosters, you won't spread it. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then we were told if you had it, and more boosters, you might get it, and maybe spread it, but you won't be really sick.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that they were safe. Completely safe. All of them. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">My own family was facing a decision on what to do if my wife, who had just been promoted, was told to get it and whether she would leave. Would we have to hire tutors for our kid because if schools forced it, he couldn't go.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>OUR OWN GOVERNMENT DID THIS. </b></span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Literally tried to force a medical procedure on EVERYONE, stemming from companies that legally could not be held responsible for the results. People were being censored on social media, accounts banned and suspended for merely asking the questions of "Okay, is this actually right?"</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was DM'd by people I knew and generally liked... called a coward because I wouldn't get the vx. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">One conversation asked me "why are you so scared? its been given to millions of people and its safe. And you are responsible for your son and his well-being, so if you dont get it, at least protect him!" Then I was told later that "people are questioning your positions, and wondering if they should even come to you for their trips". </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was called a bad father. I was told that maybe our family shouldn't come around some gatherings because of smaller children that may be present. Our position never changes. Theirs did. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Do not let them rewrite history. </b></i></span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it turns out... we were right. Masks by and large didn't work. Vx are turning out to be quite the issue for a lot of people (note: i didn't say ALL). And Biden turned around and blamed Trump for the misinformation on the vx, after trying to take credit for it when he thought it was working. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fauci lied.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Biden lied.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weingarten lied</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Congress lied. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now... in 2023... they are all trying to tell you it wasn't them. They didn't do it. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weingarten recently said she pushed for schools to be open as soon as possible. Fauci said that it wasn't him who pushed for any mandates, he only made recommendations. Biden is saying that one of his top priorities was to reopen schools from Day 1. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those who got the vx and still are happy they did - awesome for you, and I hope it helped you. I don't blame you. You made the decision you thought was right for your family. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">I blame this administration for trying to force it on all of us. I blame this administration for trying to take the decision of my family's well being and livelihood out of my own hands.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Do not let them rewrite history.</b></i></span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember what they said. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember what they did. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember what they tried to force all of us to do.</span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh, and hey you people who unfriended and blocked me. My position never changed -- and I was right about all of it. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you called me a coward and blocked me, please don't send me new friend requests, I will delete them. And have. </span></p><p><span color="var(--primary-text)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Do not let them rewrite history.</i></b></span></p><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="x168nmei x13lgxp2 x30kzoy x9jhf4c x6ikm8r x10wlt62" data-visualcompletion="ignore-dynamic" style="border-radius: 0px 0px 8px 8px; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="xq8finb x16n37ib" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 x2lah0s x1qughib x1qjc9v5 xozqiw3 x1q0g3np x150jy0e x1e558r4 xjkvuk6 x1iorvi4 xwrv7xz x8182xy x4cne27 xifccgj" style="align-items: stretch; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; justify-content: space-between; margin: -6px -2px; padding: 4px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x193iq5w xeuugli x1r8uery x1iyjqo2 xs83m0k xg83lxy x1h0ha7o x10b6aqq x1yrsyyn" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 0px; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 2px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div aria-label="Send this to friends or post it on your timeline." class="x1i10hfl x1qjc9v5 xjbqb8w xjqpnuy xa49m3k xqeqjp1 x2hbi6w x13fuv20 xu3j5b3 x1q0q8m5 x26u7qi x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xdl72j9 x2lah0s xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x2lwn1j xeuugli xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x1n2onr6 x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1ja2u2z x1t137rt x1o1ewxj x3x9cwd x1e5q0jg x13rtm0m x3nfvp2 x1q0g3np x87ps6o x1lku1pv x1a2a7pz" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-items: stretch; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-radius: inherit; border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><div class="x1o1ewxj x3x9cwd x1e5q0jg x13rtm0m x1ey2m1c xds687c xg01cxk x47corl x10l6tqk x17qophe x13vifvy x1ebt8du x19991ni x1dhq9h" data-visualcompletion="ignore" style="border-radius: inherit; font-family: inherit; inset: 0px; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; transition-duration: var(--fds-duration-extra-extra-short-out); transition-property: opacity; transition-timing-function: var(--fds-animation-fade-out);"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="xzueoph" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 6px;"></div></div></div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-29656667335218594832023-01-26T23:43:00.008-06:002023-01-26T23:55:39.626-06:00that pyramid book scheme<p>Facebook is a funny thing -- you'd think after a certain amount of time people would stop falling for the "I am telling Facebook they do not have permission to use my photos, and I'm going to make this known right here in this post so ol' Marky Zuck will see it" hoax that likes to pop up every now and again. Then the person doing the post advises you to not share the post, but instead gives you instructions on how to copy and paste into your own Facebook feed. </p><p>This, as well all know <i>(or most know, as there are some that don't) </i>is false, and Zuckerberg and his META Minions could care less about your declarations of what Facebook can and cannot do -- they have your pics and such, and that's that. </p><p>I think the one that makes me kinda angry are the posts that declare that some big company -- Ford, Chick-Fila, some RV Camper company -- will give away a massive amount of prizes, from free vehicles to free lunches, all you have to do is like the post and share the post and such. </p><p>This is false, and frankly, when I scan these posts and the comments below them, I always see people I know and am FB friends with, and automatically question their intelligence for believing in this utter nonsense -- sure, you are probably smart, but come on... </p><p>Disney, who is usually tagged the most on these and thus makes me the angriest, is NOT awarding you free vacations for liking and sharing their ghetto page titled "DISNEY.WORLD THEME PARK" with just under 8,000 followers and two out of date pics, one of them a hand with chubby hands with nails coated in chipped nail polish holding up a set of park ticket cards that haven't been used since Bob Chapek had a high favorability rating in the company itself. </p><p>If you share these type posts, I make fun of you. Seriously. <i>(also sharing these is a form of phishing, and you are opening up your account and in many cases, other people's accounts to information gathering to all sorts of nefarious companies, so don't ask "What could it hurt" because it could hurt)</i></p><p>But then there is the book exchange. </p><p>You know the one, the one that suddenly pops up and takes over your Facebook feed for a few weeks with your friends and family wanting you to be a part of a program that will garner you reading material for days and weeks. </p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I am looking for people to participate in a huge book exchange! </span></span></i></div></i><p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You can be anywhere in the US! </span></i></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All you have to do is buy your favorite book (just one) or gift one you own and send it to a stranger! l’ll send their name and address in a private message…</span></i></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>should then receive roughly 36 books to keep! </span></i></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">An easy option is to order your favorite book from Amazon and have it shipped directly to your person. </span></i></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">This should be fun… And what do you have to lose other than one book!? </span> </span></i></p><p><br /></p><p>That was actually taken from a post from someone I consider an absolute dollface and a long time friend, so if that's you reading this, I promise, I'm not making fun of you -- that would come if you shared that aforementioned "Free Disney trip!" post.</p><p>Digress. </p><p>I am the last person to toss water on someone's joy... but I also don't like that joy to be based on a false premise...</p><p>However comma</p><p>Let's talk about this Book Exchange program that promises that for the cost of one book, you'll receive up to 36 in return. That might be idealistic, but hey, what if you get only 18 books in return? You probably won't like all of them, but if you like 12 of them, you can pass off the other 6 to friends, and now your friends have new books (and they may have a lot of them, because what if they also did the Book Exchange?!) and you have 10 new books to read. </p><p>Say it with me... WHAT COULD IT HURT??? </p><p>While I'm no math scholar, I have yet to figure out how this works, and how you only send 1 book and get 36 in return. </p><p>So to be clear, you spend a little money, then recruit a bunch of friends to spend a little money, and... they in turn recruit friends to spend a little money... and those friends recruit friends to... um... </p>Truthfully? That sounds a lot like... a pyramid scheme. A well intentioned one, one that isn't promising untold riches, unless you count the hours of wordy entertainment as untold riches <i>(you can count reading as riches, sure, but you get what I'm saying, right?)</i><br /><br />Let's play this out. <div><br /></div><div>I get six of you in on my Book Exchange <i>(to get 36 books, I have to get 6 people, and they have to all get 6 people)</i> -- Jenn, Kyla, Heather, Amy, Nikki, and Mikey. Mikey is going to send Star Wars comics, so just ready for that. </div><div><br /></div><div>All six of them recruit six people, so we now have 36 people in the mix. If all of them send me books -- so now I have 36 books, or 35 books and an old copy of Star Wars Old Republic #188 <i>(thanks Mikey).</i> Because I started this shindig, I made out like a banshee. A reading banshee. Of Inshiren. Great movie. </div><div><br /></div><div>But why would they all send me books? The instructions are a little vague on most of the posts -- if I recruit 6 people, and they all send me one book, then I have 6 books. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've only sent one book, to Kyla <i>(it's a coloring book #BecauseKyla) </i>as per the instructions, so the rest are bookless? They send out a book to someone else, and that person... sends a book to someone else? Where does the 36 come from? </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, let's not forget the fact that as this begins to spread, with me sending books to a stranger, I now have in my hands someone's address, someone I do not know, nor do they know me. Which means someone, or someones plural, have my address... in the day and age of Instagram and TikTok and other social platforms, the information super highway is littered with vehicles of personal data, but are we willingly just tossing it out there in this? </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's an explanation from Slate.com, and I'll toss in some names to help make it more personal:<br /><br /><span face="Retina, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-size: 19px;">When user A (let's say "Nikki") messages user B (d$) on who's account the Book Exchange post appeared, making Nikki excited because she's a rampant reader... Nikki tells d$ she wants to participate in the exchange, so d$ provides Nikki with two addresses, one for Nikki to mail a book to and one to pass onto Nikki's followers that end up wanting to take part once Nikki posts the Book Exchange post on her own feed. </span></i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Wait. What? </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's what Medium.com had to say:</div><div><span face="source-serif-pro, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif" style="background-color: white; color: #292929; letter-spacing: -0.003em;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="source-serif-pro, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif" style="background-color: white; color: #292929; letter-spacing: -0.003em;"><i>The number of recruits needed at increasing levels forms a geometric series (6, 6², 6³, 6⁴ …). It starts with 1 person but just 8 levels down, it requires more than 1.6 MILLION people to keep it going.</i></span><p class="pw-post-body-paragraph iw ix hh iy b iz ja ii jb jc jd il je jf jg jh ji jj jk jl jm jn jo jp jq jr ha bi" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="8969" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: source-serif-pro, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 32px; margin: 2em 0px -0.46em; word-break: break-word;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuqW6LcTtrSr7w79dNd_fqcA-UxMDzGHA9YIqm7oQSOw5B96njE_fPdyhCp4wZoUdJhy0PhhmH-wsRyn1hUKUFXjX5mIBWRqqJuFxIiJ0SqvgIt1TNYDwNzc6UuUj4DpjrPUw7tsJ74WsvXjJU3xNdS2x5S-lbb-EVCrYqbJqI4Unjmmh_tvw" style="background-color: white; clear: right; display: inline; float: right; font-family: source-serif-pro, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1200" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuqW6LcTtrSr7w79dNd_fqcA-UxMDzGHA9YIqm7oQSOw5B96njE_fPdyhCp4wZoUdJhy0PhhmH-wsRyn1hUKUFXjX5mIBWRqqJuFxIiJ0SqvgIt1TNYDwNzc6UuUj4DpjrPUw7tsJ74WsvXjJU3xNdS2x5S-lbb-EVCrYqbJqI4Unjmmh_tvw" width="320" /></a><i>For a pyramid scheme to benefit everyone who enrolls in it, it would have to expand indefinitely. But the population of Earth is finite, and when the scheme inevitably runs out of new recruits, it collapses. Since most people in the scheme will be at the bottom layers of the pyramid, they would have sent a book each but end up receiving nothing in return. Thus, the ones who join early are much more likely to benefit and typically feed off the people at the bottom of the pyramid.</i></p><p class="pw-post-body-paragraph iw ix hh iy b iz ja ii jb jc jd il je jf jg jh ji jj jk jl jm jn jo jp jq jr ha bi" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="8969" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-family: source-serif-pro, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; line-height: 32px; margin: 2em 0px -0.46em; word-break: break-word;"><em class="kh" style="box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.003em;">As seen above, a pyramid scheme is characterized by a few people (including the creators of the scheme) reaping large benefits, while subsequent members lose out.</em></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So... yeah. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my pretend Book Exchange, if it works like it's supposed to <i>(and really, does anyone know how its supposed to work?)</i> I'll get 36 books... but by the time you get a few layers down, people are sending books and getting nothing back. People at the top get the goods, people at the bottom don't. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also called "A Pyramid Scheme". </div><div><br /></div><div>Or Biden's economy, but again, I digress. </div><div><br /></div><div>Honestly, the idea that you will recruit 6 people to send books, and those people will recruit 6, and those people will recruit 6 is far fetched -- I mean, I can't get some of you people to like my Disney Instagram <i><a href="http://www.instagram.com/themagiconadollar">(@TheMagiconaDollar </a> and the only commitment there is a click to Follow which results in endless digital pixie dust).</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Part of me wants to join a Book Exchange to see what happens because it might make for good material. In fact, I think I'll do that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Having said all that... let's recap...</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Facebook is not going to care about your permission given or taken away when it comes to pictures, no matter what you say in your post</li><li>Disney, Ford, Chick-fila or other companies are not going to give you free stuff by sharing the post</li><li>Book Exchanges don't work. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div>Happy reading. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-44482489984854609112022-12-31T22:04:00.005-06:002022-12-31T22:04:50.292-06:00to campbell, on your 11th birthday<p> Dear Campbell,</p><p>Well, nothing like waiting til the last minute of the year to type something up for you, huh kid?</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVb4OD3Xsm_BldcdVAY0fV-6rXYjRbFjPsmDe_j0ZIg_nRO57ekf1h6RKmdsFoxwZPF62qrc0XR5CTIE4Sg90J5RtWjNIJwmivc2pvUpPjtdvgLHapLerlgu131WwbU0qY-C1fI_0uvh4mp0PklWCqavXsgmdvopFO7819iSnZ_Dn-VZRqRys" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="622" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVb4OD3Xsm_BldcdVAY0fV-6rXYjRbFjPsmDe_j0ZIg_nRO57ekf1h6RKmdsFoxwZPF62qrc0XR5CTIE4Sg90J5RtWjNIJwmivc2pvUpPjtdvgLHapLerlgu131WwbU0qY-C1fI_0uvh4mp0PklWCqavXsgmdvopFO7819iSnZ_Dn-VZRqRys=w265-h352" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />You, enjoying some of that birthday<br />ice cream (sorbet) at Crystal Palace</td></tr></tbody></table>I know, I know, I usually go on a bit about your year, about the music you loved and things you did and places you went, but I just ran out of time... especially considering we were in Disney World on your birthday <i>(lunch at Sci Fi Dine In Theater just for you!)</i> and then time just go away from me... <br /></p><p>So I hope you'll forgive your Dad this one year for making it much shorter. Your 10th year of life wasn't a lost year by any means... in fact, I kinda came up with a Campbell Top Ten of songs:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>"Break My Heart" by Dua Lipa</li><li>"Levitating" by Dua Lipa</li><li>"Rollin' in the Deep" by Adele</li><li>"Unstoppable" by Sia</li><li>"Forget Me" by Louis Capaldi</li><li>That "Six Small Wheels" song from one of those Thomas specials</li><li>"We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Encanto</li><li>"I Like You" by Post Malone with Doja Cat</li><li>"Streamlining" from one of those Thomas specials</li><li>"Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd</li></ol><p></p><p>That last song, "Blinding Lights" was your number one in 2021, but its waned a little in the last 12 months. </p><p>Either way, this was the year you really started talking. From the presentation that everyone cheered about from school, to telling your RPM therapist that God promised you you would speak, this was the year that you really came into your own as a person, with a big personality, with a big kind heart, and continued love of trains, airplanes, Disney, and people.</p><p>Keep it up.</p><p>That's all. </p><p>I promise next year's letter will be much better. </p><p>I love you kid</p><p>Your Dad</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-19406523482327069202022-03-22T00:13:00.001-05:002022-03-22T00:14:08.232-05:00movie monday football<i>Fun fact... I actually wrote this article in 2013... I've been looking over my 30+ drafts that I've written off and on, some totally complete, one or two being completed parts of a series that is unfinished, and some half done. I even have a pointed piece about the kid who caught flack for smirk smiling at a fake protester on the steps of the Capitol -- I'll probably hold onto that one. </i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>But either way, here is a post about my favorite football movies... I added a few lines and did some grammar correction, but otherwise, here ya go... <br /></i><div><br /></div><div>For our inaugural Movie Monday.... since football season is winding down, at least college wise, I thought I'd celebrate America's true pastime with my favorite five football centric films...<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0191397/?ref_=nv_sr_1">5... "The Replacements" (2000)</a></strong><br />
When pro football teams all go on strike, replacement players are used, including on the Washington Sentinals, where their star QB takes a slide instead of scoring a game winning TD so he wouldn't be hurt. Enter Shane Falco <em>(Keanu Reeves),</em> who, together with his grizzled coach, Gene Hackman, and a wacky cast of teammates played by Faizon Love, Orlando Jones, Jon Favreau and Rhys Ifans, have to win three of the final four games of the season to make the playoffs.<br />
<br />
Sure, its silly. And goofy. And its so much fun. And the incredibly cute Brooke Langton is Annabelle, Shane's love interest... this movie is also known for its great line, "Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory? Lasts forever."<div><br /></div><div>What happened to Brooke Langton? She's 50, she's still working, and still beautiful. <br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210945/?ref_=nv_sr_1">4... "Remember the Titans" (2000)</a></strong><br />
Herman Boone <em>(Denzel Washington)</em> is hired on to coach a racially divided Williams High School, taking the reins from Coach Yoast<em> (Will Patton),</em> who stays on as an assistant. Set in 1971, the school is awash in racial prejudice, as Coach Boone is told that if he loses a single game, he's fired. <div><br /></div><div>The movie, sometimes being a little sappy and predictable, is solid, fun and weaves a great story. The cast is also stellar, with Ryan Hurst and Wood Harris as the main white and black dudes on the team who <em>(naturally)</em> find a way to come together, with supporting roles by Kip Pardue as the surfer QB, Ethan Suplee as the token fat guy, Donald Faison as a RB named Petey and a young Hayden Panettiere as Coast Yoast's daughter. Oh yeah, Ryan Gosling is in this too. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Fun fact... of course, as most films based on a true story will go, this one plays a little fast and loose with the truth -- turns out, by many accounts Coach Boone was quite the jackwagon in real life -- and lot of the racial tension drummed up in the movie was really just drummed up for the movie. Alas, Hollywood. <br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120484/?ref_=nv_sr_1">3... "The Waterboy" (1998)</a></strong><br />
What a stupid film. It just is. And I love it. Do I really need to tell you the plot? Adam Sandler is Bobby Boucher, a Cajun in Louisiana who is recruit by Mr Coach Klien <em>(Henry Winkler in this don't-take-myself-so-serious phase)</em> to play football for the terrible South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs, after being rejected by the U of Louisiana Cougars... and of course, it all climaxes in... The Bourbon Bowl. Of course it does.<br />
<br />
You know the lines... "been playing the foosball behind mama's back!?" and "water sucks! it really really sucks!" and "I saw Vicky Vallencourt's boobies and I liked them too!"... love this movie.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102517/?ref_=nv_sr_3">2... "Necessary Roughness" (2001)</a></strong><br />
If you are sensing a trend here, of me liking bad football comedies, you are right. And this one is the best of the comedic bunch. Scott Bakula! Sinbad! Robert Loggia! Larry Miller! Harley Jane Kozak! <br />
<br />
Yeah, you probably know those names, and you definitely know the faces... The football season approaches for the Texas State Fightin' Armadillos, but with most of the previous players suspended and coaching staff fired due to NCAA sanctions <em>(the accusations here are very similar to the real life charges against Southern Methodist University, which was handed the "death penalty" in 1987--more on this later).</em></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="text-align: left;">Enter Coach Ed Gennero</span><span style="text-align: left;"> (Hector Elizondo)</span><span style="text-align: left;"> and his assistant coach Wally (Robert Loggia), who are forced to not only deal with the NCAA restrictions, but also the ones placed on the team by the mean Dean Elias </span><span style="text-align: left;">(a wonderfully smarmy Larry Miller)...</span><span style="text-align: left;"> Dean Miller has left Coach with only 17 players allowed on the team, forcing them most players to play offense and defense, hence, "ironman" football.</span>
<br />
The quarterback? A 34 year old former high school star named Paul Blake <em>(Bakula)</em> who never attended college and has eligibility, who also convinces a TA named Andre <em>(Sinbad),</em> who also has a year left, to play.<br />
<br />
And the movie takes off from there, with supporting roles from Jason Batemen, and Kathy Ireland as a the soccer star turned female placekicker <em>(Kathy, I've always loved you from when I was a teenager... but acting is not your forte)...</em> Harley Jane Kozak as a professor, who becomes Paul's love interest and continues to spurn the advances of Dean Miller, thereby fueling the Dean's hatred of the team.... Rob Schneider, before he got too ridiculous in movies, as announcer Chuck Neiderman and finally, the university president, played by former US presidential candidate Fred D. Thompson.<br />
<br />
I love this movie and watch it every time its on, no matter where I catch the film. Its funny, predictable and a little (a lot) ridiculous, but its so much fun.<br />
<br />
<em>Trivia... Texas State wasn't a real university until 2003, when the real life Southwest Texas State University shortened its name to Texas State, with the mascot the Bobcats. In the movie, the first opponent that the fictional Texas State Fightin' Armadillos plays is the Southwest Texas State U Bobcats. Irony.</em> <br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0878804/?ref_=nv_sr_1">1... "The Blind Side" (2009)</a></strong><br />
There are some who would say this film is sappy. There are some who would say this film is made to directly pull on your heart strings. There are some who would say that it took a little section <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blind-side-michael-lewis/1007854010?ean=9780393338386">of a mighty fine book</a> and made an entire movie about that one section. And they would all be right.<br />
<br />
That doesnt change the fact that I am in love with this movie. I love everything about this film, from the cast--Sandra Bullock in her Oscar winning role... newcomer Quinton Aaron as the lead character of Michael Oher... Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy... Kathy Bates as tutor Miss Sue... young Jae Head as the youngest son SJ, who has some of the best lines... and of course, the good-lookin' Lily Collins as, conveniently enough, Collins Tuohy, the daughter of Leighe Ann and Sean.<br />
<br />
You perhaps know the story, as the Tuohy's, a well to do family in Memphis, TN, ends up not only befriending but becoming the caretakers of Michael Oher, who has been shuffled around from foster home to foster home, running away each time to return to his drug addicted mother. <br />
<br />
The movie then chronicles Michael's story, as everyone discovers how he's been lost in the education system and how he's helped, loved and redeemed by the power of one family loving on a stranger who becomes their friend... then son. In addition to circumstance, the other foes in the movie are an NCAA investigator who come around, questioning the Tuohy's care for Michael when he chooses what school he'll go to, and gangsta's from the Michael's old neighborhood.<br />
<br />
How much do I love this film? Its currently my 53rd favorite film of all time, has a total re-watchability factor <em>(like "Necessary Roughness", I can pick this movie up anywhere and watch it to completion)</em> and is <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blind-side-michael-lewis/1007854010?ean=9780393338386">based on a book that is also extremely awesome</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Honorable Mentions:</strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108002/?ref_=nv_sr_1">"Rudy"</a> (1993) -</strong> Like it. Don't love it, not nearly as much as everyone around me does.<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116695/?ref_=nv_sr_1">"Jerry Maguire"</a> (1996) -</strong> Considered putting this on the list, and it would have ranked #1 if I had--its my 35th favorite film of all time--but to me, this is not necessarily a football movie, not like the ones listed above. Football plays a part, but its a football agent story.<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071771/?ref_=nv_sr_2">"The Longest Yard"</a> (1974) -</strong> The original with Burt Reynolds, not<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398165/?ref_=nv_sr_1"> that travesty</a> made a few years ago with Adam Sandler.<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0139699/?ref_=nv_sr_1">"Varsity Blues"</a> (1999) -</strong> I only list this here because I've rewatched it recently. It holds up, if only for the great cast--Scott Caan, Ali Larter (besides the whipped cream, I mean), Amy Smart (underrated as an actress) and of course, the late, great Paul Walker.<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102266/?ref_=nv_sr_1">"The Last Boy Scout"</a> (1991) -</strong> Like Jerry Maguire, football plays a part of the story, but is not the story. But I do love me some Last Boy Scout, so I had to mention it.<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086161/?ref_=nv_sr_1">"Quarterback Princess"</a> (1983) -</strong> A made for TV movie with a very young Helen Hunt, a female who quarterbacks a high school team. This used to come on cable all the time when I was a kid, and I watched it at least a dozen times.<br />
<br />
<strong>Worth noting...</strong><br />
<br />
There are a couple of football documentaries that must be mentioned, including <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1704731/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">"Pony Exce$$" </a>(2011), a film that takes on the SMU scandal as I mentioned above... <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1501756/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">"Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL"</a> (2009), following the rise and fall of the 1980s USFL, including an interview with who the movie suggests might be the culprit--Donald Trump... and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1860355/?ref_=nv_sr_1">"Undefeated"</a> (2011), the story of the 2009 high school team seeking its first playoff win ever...<br />
<br /><em>(ps... I've never seen "Brian's Song")</em><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /></div></div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-33500505591330265742022-03-14T23:58:00.001-05:002022-03-14T23:58:07.080-05:00a porter waggoner name drop <p>It's 11:52 at night. and I've got 7 minutes to finish a task.</p><p>One of them is writing. Writing something. Anything.</p><p>I love writing. For a long time, it was how I thought I'd make my living. I won "Most Talented" in the Senior Superlatives voting in the fall of 1992.. me and Christy Mock, who was an incredible singer and over these last 30 years has spent time performing in the country music circuit, including many concerts with Portner Waggoner. </p><p>That might be the first time in 1100+ posts and 17 years of this blog I've mentioned Porter Waggoner. </p><p>And now I've written 100 words. </p>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-66914997900871674732021-12-01T20:08:00.003-06:002022-01-01T00:16:06.061-06:00to campbell, on your 10th birthday<p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>This is the 10th in an annual series of letters written to my son, Campbell, who turned 10 in December 2021 - you can find the previous letters at the bottom... </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>While I usually write it on his birthday, I didn't get the time to devote to it this year like normal, but I wanted to knock it out before the year officially ended.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Dear Campbell,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEG81YRGz-b7Lh1RnCS6ZV-F26dsbq0PEVPMSorus1-QBk4jW6p0nZ-ijLzmaBqe7rbR6tUqWLuSx7pMpJaRrUqVHjgN6GgVD_sVo49mVS9RfZ0ZLxWu4iAl-Izr9722eFFDhrw/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEG81YRGz-b7Lh1RnCS6ZV-F26dsbq0PEVPMSorus1-QBk4jW6p0nZ-ijLzmaBqe7rbR6tUqWLuSx7pMpJaRrUqVHjgN6GgVD_sVo49mVS9RfZ0ZLxWu4iAl-Izr9722eFFDhrw/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your love for trains did not diminish, as <br />evidenced by the 3000 Thomas and Lego Duplo<br />trains we have, and that stop all the world<br />if we are around tracks when a train goes by</td></tr></tbody></table>First of all, kid, what right do you have being ten years old? How did that even happen? How on earth has it been ten solid years since you came to us via Mommy's tummy and God's divine hand? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">If you remember, you were actually supposed to be born two weeks later -- I think December 17th was your expected date -- but you decide to come a wee bit early... <a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2011/12/be-my-be-my-baby-be-my-little-baby.html">your mom had just gone to the hospital</a> for a check up and the doctor said, "Hey Steph, you are having a baby tonight or tomorrow." And there went the rest of our lives, huh.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Second of all, this year has been... well, I'd say insane but that's typical for our little family. Full of stress, joy, faith and much, much more. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Usually I fill this note with recaps from the past year, starting with any pop culture things you picked up on... well, without going down that road too much, I can say this is the year you picked up on Top 40 radio. Okay, so remember when Mom had the grey car, the Honda, and I had the red car? And you rode with me to all of your stuff in the red car? Mom got a new white car, a Toyota SUV, so this is what you wanted to ride in all the time. Unfortunately, I had satellite radio in my red car, but Mom did not in the white car, nor did she have a CD player, so we listened to Magic 96.5, Mix 97.3, and (sadly enough) 103.7 The Q.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO43s89NHGkU_5vcZ6B3eOBesj4m0mORt4EB2Pi0Q9oundCrVJOQwG4wcTIYcpA1-dd6ouMrRhlHh78ke6XlTQJLfW3FP06Xtew9d0HD__Vofiuc7htJkR27pqjwgMnqI3DekrTQ/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="463" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO43s89NHGkU_5vcZ6B3eOBesj4m0mORt4EB2Pi0Q9oundCrVJOQwG4wcTIYcpA1-dd6ouMrRhlHh78ke6XlTQJLfW3FP06Xtew9d0HD__Vofiuc7htJkR27pqjwgMnqI3DekrTQ/w250-h304/image.png" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken at Ady's Racers in December... <br />you had a huge grin because it was<br />a pretty amazing day</td></tr></tbody></table>And you became a huge fan of Maroon 5, The Wkend, Pink, Lewis Capaldi, Adele, and especially Dua Lipa. As the songs caught on, you just listened, learned, and sang -- and you know their other songs too. When Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" comes on, you yell "ROAR!" and when The Wkend's "Blinding Lights" played, you holler "Save... Yo.. Tears for another day..." You spent the first half of the year obsessed with "Blinding Lights", and the back half of this year all about up Dua Lipa. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">If "Break My Heart" is on, you want "Levitating." If that one is on, you yell 'BREAK MY HEART!" And at bedtime for at least the back half of this year, you ask to hear both of those songs, and if there is time, "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele. And you love "Easy on Me", but I'll be honest with you, I can only handle hearing that one the 38 times they play it per day. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Of course, it can backfire a bit... we have to watch constantly what is on, as the song title and artist displays on the screen, and I'm not a fan of Doja Cat, whoever the heck that is, and I don't want you walking around saying "Oh My God" (the Adele song) or "[D-Word] It Feels Good to Be Me" (Ed Sheeran). It's bad enough you like to quote Justin Timberlake, saying "Rocka My Body". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I'm so happy you love music so much. You are doing awesome with piano -- Ms Alaina loves having you. You do gymnastics now, and you are doing so super good at the vault -- you love just running and hurling your body at a soft mat, which is terrifying to watch, but also fun to watch you come up smiling at a maneuver well done. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">We spend much of the summer at Alabama Splash Adventure - and you finally hit all the slides (except for the free fall slide, which is pretty much a plummet straight down -- you can't do that one right now because you sat up on it and thats bad news). We spend 3-5 afternoons per week at Next Levl, to the point where they all know by name and give you high fives. We hit any combo of Whole Foods, Publix, Target, and Wal-Mart 3 or 4 times per week, and you love them all. Sprouts too, but the buggies are smaller and you have to walk with me -- and you can be a handful sometimes, champ. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">A lot happened this year in our world around us. It struck me and your mother both how perceptive you probably are right now at everything, and while we don't talk a lot of news around you, you undoubtedly have picked things up along the way. Joe Biden is our president. This note isn't to tell you what you should or shouldn't think based on what we believe -- but as you read this, whatever age you might be, I hope that you have learned from both of us that facts are important. Look at both sides. Then figure out what you believe, and then ask yourself why. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3H8mI09eiTcRVrOjMmnJZG0sTIBNok-1vXdVBwvF09P3uCG2GcqUAoE0alfG1m7dLArzCbQzNm0Kls64WtxnC4Q6w014UAouVH_86gNzOa0_qAx8v55j0Wi0Cuj8m_9w7RSMTtA/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3H8mI09eiTcRVrOjMmnJZG0sTIBNok-1vXdVBwvF09P3uCG2GcqUAoE0alfG1m7dLArzCbQzNm0Kls64WtxnC4Q6w014UAouVH_86gNzOa0_qAx8v55j0Wi0Cuj8m_9w7RSMTtA/w358-h269/image.png" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great moment in November when we met up with<br />my very good friend Lindsay in Hollywood Studios,<br />and it was so cool to have her meet my little family tribe.<br />FYI, Campbell, like when you met Heather a few <br />days prior, you held Lindsay's hand, and was quite <br />the flirt.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Sometimes though, faith is all you have... and I think we started to see some of that, especially in May, when I felt like you... well, you had a breakthrough. RPM, your therapy, has had its ups and downs. Sometimes we walk out and I'm excited you've just done so well. Other times, its been a tad bit frustrating. And sometimes we leave, and I'm all like "Well, ok. Guess that was that."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">And sometimes you bust through and say whats on your mind. Back in May, with Ms Lanae, she asked you the questions and you answered. You told her that you needed more Jesus in your life. You told her that your super power was C-A-R-I-N-G. You said your mom was cool... and your dad too. You said you loved school. When asked if a boy or a girl would be better at something like engineering, you said "does it matter?" <br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: times; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Along the way in those specific sessions, this also happened -- I'll just pull from the Facebook post I wrote on May 7, 2021...
<i>Steph and I have been saying for years that he has a lot to say, he just isn't sure how to say it. This week, I've watched him speak. I've heard what he's had to say. And I'm over the moon hearing his thoughts. Simple, some sorta philosophical, some random, some just black and white.</i></span></p><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>At RPM, his communication therapy, he spent time answering open ended questions, never being led to an answer, he said the following... and these are pretty much verbatim, not embellished for impact.</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--"It is fine to hope I never grow up"</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--"Old people think they know everything"</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--When asked (as part of a conversation about stereotypes) if he thought girls or boys would be better at science and math, he responds, "I think it don't matter"</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--"One hour is long for me"</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--Regarding being emotional, "it's bad to cry too much" (he's a sensitive soul)</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--"Screaming is not bad if you mean to agree to stop head from hitting on the wall"</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--When asked what language he wanted to learn, he said "French". When asked why, he said "It is a Floody language". When asked what is 'floody' about French, he said "It floods your head with sounds."</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>--"I find it weird in life I sometimes smile..." (he didnt get a chance to finsh this statement, as someone interrupted, but I do wonder where he was going with this.)</i></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Autism. Always presume competence. And underestimate <span style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 q66pz984 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.c.dollar?__cft__[0]=AZVM5CmZk25lO2vAFKC1OUY9iq1C4iedK7P4suz3bykm3wgCnOT8WiMEu_XRh0UnbuGxfNsPl-a54-UjffPA9E0Q7QA0yuet1PUJSyYl2ifa7g&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none !important; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="animation-name: none !important; display: inline; transition-property: none !important;">Campbell Dollar</span></a></span> at your own peril.</i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;">Campbell, we love you so much. We love that you still believe in Santa, even at 10--or at least you play it off. We love that you are using your imagination so, so much right now. We love that you sing constantly, that you are such a helper at school (to the point where the teachers have to tell you that they can handle the leadership part, and you can just sit). We love that you love on your friends Hillary and Jack and Lily and more. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;">We love that Kindness is a central theme with you. We know it means something.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;">And obviously I have no proof, but I feel it in my soul that you and God have a connection. Whether He talks to you, or you talk to Him, or (more likely, it happens both ways, your mom and I want you to never forget how much Jesus loves you, died for you, rose for you, and will never stop loving you. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>When asked about places you'd like to go, you told Ms Lanae... "I want to go to Washington. And be president. And hit the world with kindness" (direct quote from C Dollar)</i>
We love you, son.
Your Dad</span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;">Birthday letters to Campbell... </span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2020/12/to-campbell-on-your-9th-birthday.html">9th birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2019/12/to-campbell-on-your-8th-birthday.html">8th birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2018/11/to-campbell-on-your-7th-birthday.html">7th birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2017/12/to-campbell-on-your-6th-birthday.html">6th birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2016/11/to-campbell-on-your-5th-birthday.html">5th birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2015/12/to-campbell-on-your-4th-birthday.html">4th birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2014/11/to-campbell-on-your-3rd-birthday.html">3rd birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2013/12/to-campbell-on-your-2nd-birthday.html">2nd birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2012/12/to-campbell-on-his-first-birthday-post.html">1st birthday</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><br /></div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-59850076598122766172021-09-12T02:26:00.002-05:002021-09-12T02:26:50.591-05:00the levity of donna tucker<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE7kyaNIx3qkpiLtcI2yw_OhNwcxuh1__VlqeF67Q7iJYRPmml1S_t7lGVyRaT2pCdTc15COLIMlc9hIx-GIVIRc3_0KN8HAnamVNXEfg5w06qj2dSuJzmdkwewSiPwJKmax5eQ/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="604" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE7kyaNIx3qkpiLtcI2yw_OhNwcxuh1__VlqeF67Q7iJYRPmml1S_t7lGVyRaT2pCdTc15COLIMlc9hIx-GIVIRc3_0KN8HAnamVNXEfg5w06qj2dSuJzmdkwewSiPwJKmax5eQ/w375-h288/image.png" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only picture I own with myself and Donna both<br />in frame. She's the one on the far left, holding the<br />finger gun to my head. Fun fact - with the three girls <br />forming the semi-circle with Donna, I actually<br />went out on a single date with one, dated another<br />for about five months, and cannot remember the name<br />of the third. Ah college. </td></tr></tbody></table>As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 ends, I always find myself bemused by one anecdote that pops up in my head. On a day filled with chaos and tragedy and the unknown, with buildings burning and collapsing, and people losing their minds -- and rightly so -- there was one single moment of levity in that entire day... and maybe for several days.</p><p>Donna Tucker.</p><p>As a junior at Troy State, I met Donna as she was an incoming freshman. You know those people that you like, you enjoy being around, but neither you nor they put up any effort to really spend a lot of time together -- you see them around, are very friendly and genuine with each other, then you bid your adieu until the next time? </p><p>That was me and Donna Tucker. She rushed and pledged Alpha Gamma Delta (my personal fave of the sororities full of girls who would never go out with me) and I was Farmhouse, so we definitely crossed paths routinely. Yet, we never got to know each other.</p><p>And that was okay. I'm not lamenting that Donna and I were never BFFs, or that she didn't pay more attention to me -- despite her beauty and her loud personality, I never really dug her romantically. She was just... Donna Tucker. Cute, funny, outspoken Donna. She loved Jesus, and I considered her a friend.</p><p>And when I graduated from Troy State in March of 1998, and then moved to Birmingham in August of that same year, she wasn't on my list to try to find and say goodbye to. Conversely, when she left Troy, she never had any reason to find me. </p><p>Because that's how we are with people, and that's quite alright to be that way. We can't be besties with everyone, we just don't have time for it. But we can still be friends, good friends for coffee and conversation, without having to keep up with each other. Good friends for a smile and a laugh and sort of inside joke that's a callback to something long ago and even gas. Like, for the car, not the Taco Bell kind.</p><p>You see, September 11th, 2001, was the last time I saw Donna Tucker, or heard her voice, or heard anything about her at all. She may be single now, living in Tacoma. She might be a married stay at home mom to five kids over in Homewood. She could be a successful exec at an Atlanta area corporation, or an artist with an Etsy shop... I legit have no idea. I even tried to look her up on Facebook tonight, but found nothing.</p><p>Like all of you who remember that day, September 11th, was a crazy day. I saw the news about the plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers (I was there a mere 3 years prior!) and watched in disbelief as another plane flew into the the tower, then saw the news coverage switch to Washington DC because there was an explosion at the Pentagon and heard there were more hijacked planes on the way to Disney World or Chicago or Los Angeles or wherever (it twas a blessing indeed that only four planes were taken, with only three getting to their intended targets).</p><p>I was working at 106.9 The Point, though you would know it now as 106.9 The Eagle (actually... I think at that time it was Oldies 106.9...) but either way, I was sort of interning with Rob & Shannon in the mornings as the events of the day unfolded. And around 9a, I still had to actually go to work on the other side of the building.<br /><br />No one was really working, to be honest. Everyone sat in their cubes, stunned, trying to read stuff on the internet as page after page would load and crash, or not load at all, due to being overwhelmed. MSNBC's page had the familiar picture of the South Tower with the explosion shooting from the side. Fox News page wouldn't even come up. I meandered my way through the morning and finally got to lunch, and had to get out of the office, even for just a minute. </p><p>Of course, I knew gas was going to go up, because in times like these, it always did, so whether I was a reacting to the problem or was part of the problem, I headed for the BP station on the corner of Lakeshore and Columbiana to fill up my tank.</p><p>And as I stood there, mind whirling from everything, I heard, "Well hey David Dollar". I turned around, already knowing the face I'd see because the voice is so recognizable.</p><p>And I was right.</p><p>"Hey Donna Tucker," I replied, with a smile. <br />"Been a morning, huh?" she said back, with words that seem empty, things you'd say as you passed someone familiar in a grocery store, then hurried past and then spent the next 1/2 hour scoping the aisles to avoid more conversation. No, Donna was real. It's all she knew how to be, really. </p><p>"Yeah, you could say that," I chuckled with exasperation. </p><p>Is this what we actually said? I have no clue. But it is the air of the words we chose. Friendly. Light. Fun. Authentic.</p><p>I asked her how she was, where she was, and she told me of her then-current life, which seemed pleasant enough. She asked me the same type questions, and I answered in kind -- single, working, no I havent seen ____ but I've heard he's here -- and our conversation lasted no more than a few minutes, however long it took for my car and her car to top each top off with fuel.</p><p>We said our goodbyes, wished each other well, climbed into our respective vehicles, and our paths, that only slightly intertwined years before and had only for a moment touched on this day, then diverged out into different directions once again. </p><p>It was the calm of my entire day.</p><p>I went home for a minute, back to my apartment. I shed a few tears as I watched more footage in my room. It took a deep breath, went back to my car, drove back to work and finished the day. The next few days were the same -- the radio station was like other stations, both TV and radio, with wall to wall coverage for at least three days. Even if I wanted to get away from the news, and there were times I was ready to leave it, it was all around me. At home, I could shut out the world if needed, but myself and my roommates Mikey, Shawn, Tom, Tommy, and anyone else there discussed it all at length. Probably needed to, just to voice our thoughts.</p><p>But Donna Tucker. For 7 minutes on September 11, 2001, there was no attack. There was no collapsing towers or thousands of lives lost. For about 7 minutes, I had a warm, pleasant conversation with Donna Tucker. It was exactly what I needed. A friendly -- and beautiful -- face to look at, and a perky and wonderful voice to listen to when the whole world had collapsed into ugly and horrible. </p><p>Strangely, Donna doesn't cross my mind often, and that's not an insult to my memory of her, as I can pretty much guarantee "d$" is never top of mind for her either... but she does come front and center in those front and center lobes of my brain on 9/11.</p><p>She was my levity. She was my calm.<br /><br />Thank you, Donna. And I hope you are well. And as the world once again falls slowly apart, maybe another gas station meet up would be helpful. </p><p><br /></p>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-80854245560132226022021-02-17T12:38:00.004-06:002021-12-01T20:03:17.929-06:00rush is right<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rush Limbaugh died today. Here are my thoughts. They are my thoughts, and while I usually have no problem with dissenting opinions, if you decide to take this time to trash, insult, and make false claims, I'll just delete your comment. Simple as that. </span></span></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">One of the compliments I hear often when I discuss politics on a random thread, or the rare times when I post here, is that i don't make it personal, I come at it with facts in my pocket, and am amenable to changing my mind on certain things. It doesn't happen a lot, but it has happened. And sure, you may not agree with anything I say, and that's okay, sometimes even the same facts are used to strengthen an opinion on both sides. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now, what I'm about to say may put one sentence in your mind that will be hard to forget, that being "Well, no wonder he thinks all that stuff he thinks". And I have no problem with you thinking it. Because I don't hold a belief in any opinion anymore without having reasons why. But it wasn't always this way, but probably in the last 10 years or so. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Where did I learn this? Rush Limbaugh. I've already scanned social media and seen some of the disgusting things said already, about "burning in hell" and "lies and vitriol" and such, and it makes me think back to what Rush always said -- you cannot understand his show by listening for one day, or even a week. He, maybe jokingly, maybe not, said you have to listen to his show for six weeks to make an accurate assessment. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In college, I was on the air for 2 hours every day at WTBF, playing the best of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, then worked the board for the first hour of Rush, from 11a to noon (CST). I was a Democrat, thought Bill Clinton was cool, and honestly, paid no attention to politics. Beyond six weeks, I listened for 9 months and while I wasn't sold, it taught me a different perspective... or, as I'm proud to say most people cannot say about themselves, it taught me there IS a different perspective.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rush never told me or anyone who listened what to think. He was like all shows that did play a sound bite and he picked the context in which to discuss it, which left me with no option but to go find the full context -- and way more often than not, his context was correct.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">All told, I've listened to his show pretty much daily since 1996, ended up voting for Bob Dole in my first Prez election, and have learned an infinite amount of history, wisdom, and strategies for debating and arguing my point. I didn't always agree with Rush, and sometimes he was bombastic. I would hear CNN take a Rush bite, or see people on twitter say "OMG RUSH SAID THIS EVIL THING" then see the "evil" thing and laugh, knowing the full context and weight of what was actually said.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He wasn't perfect. His nicknames were usually hilarious, occasionally too much, but many times on point. He had a Rx addiction problem many years ago that he openly discussed and took time to deal with. And no, he didn't make fun of Michael J Fox. He made a point about how Fox was being used by the media, a point that I agree with to this day. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rush believed in American exceptionalism, and the pure belief that capitalism will help a nation thrive, conservative works, and that liberalism doesn't. Extreme positions? Maybe. But I'm not seeing a whole lot of evidence to the contrary. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The media overall hated him but wouldn't be where they are without him, playing those very same soundbites out of context. Hannity, Shapiro, Beck, would have had a much harder road had it not been for Rush. He lived in the heads of so many in the media, and even when they tried to compete (Air America anyone?) they failed miserably. By the way, I listened for a week to Air American. It was so freaking bad. Chuck D and some other dude spent a whole hour making "W Bush is so dumb" jokes. Like, what? Where was I?</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not until the advent of podcasting did Rush have any real competition -- and even then, it was a different medium. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I will miss Rush immensely. When he announced he had Stage 4 cancer last year, I knew we didn't have him for much longer. And when he came back on the air in January, I knew that his time was even more limited, and I smack myself for never trying to call in. He was my afternoon news update, a break from the I HATE TRUMP SO MUCH WAAAAA screaming that CNN, and even some parts of Fox, gave me daily. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Finally, Rush openly professed a love of God, and more pointedly, a belief in the fullness of Christ. So while Twitter is flush with "he's burning in Hell!" tweets from people who said the same about Billy Graham, if you have a belief in the Bible -- the whole thing, not the warm fuzzy parts -- then rest assured, Rush is having a pretty good day right now. (I've legit lost 3 followers in the 20 minutes since I tweeted about my mourning for his passing)</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thanks Rush for all you taught me. You get some rest now. After 25 years, I think your tens of millions of listeners and fans can take it from here. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">your friend and loyal patriot</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">d$</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia;">xoxoxo</span></div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-56540649347183045792021-01-07T01:29:00.005-06:002021-01-07T01:45:59.024-06:00late night you tubery: the music videoSo I originally wrote this as a Facebook post over the course of an hour, but I realized it was way too long -- heck, I never read long FB posts, so why should you? Figured I'd copy and paste my ramblings here, and then if you wanted to come see them, then ok.<br /><br />Here are my random thoughts... So I'm making the kid's lunch for tomorrow, and getting his supplements ready for the next few days. This is normally a task I'd knock out in 20 minutes, but it took me over an hour tonight. Why?<br /><br /><div>Well, I made the decision -- right or wrong -- to open up YouTube and let a music playlist go... and because I've watched these videos a ton, it knows what I want to see... and as each video played, I had some thoughts.<br /><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDUC1LUXSU&list=RDyyDUC1LUXSU&start_radio=1">“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke.</a> </b> I love this video, but not for the reason you think... no, I love it because I love watching T.I. do that ridiculous dance he does. T.I. Dance gives me joy. Also, this is a great parody of "Word Crimes" by Weird Al.<br /><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUbLv4ThOo">“Timber” by Pitbull ft Ke$ha.</a> </b>Was anyone else shocked when they found out that awesome female voice in the backup was the same voice that actually sang “brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack” in that ridiculous “Tick Tock” song? <br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaRiD5ym74&list=RDyyDUC1LUXSU&index=5">“Cake By the Ocean” by DNCE.</a></b> Anyone else still weirded out by whichever Jonas that is dropping the F bomb so many times? <br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY">“Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye.</a></b> Has to go down as one of the best one hit wonders ever. Also does anyone else nearly scream the “Cut me out” part? real quiet “you didn’t have to” then loudly “CUT ME OUT!!!” This song is so great. The video is paint by numbers on acid. And if you don't like feet, the first 10 seconds of this video will give you the skeeves. <div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoNS-1xDHYriDDWggRSZHmnS1WJxO37nooImDRaQuEEtIAqk_7KSPaJj6xsQ_cN6uRUpRrJs7QqAHDU-s2Zh_kOHAp242YkTl7ka4T0z1sYdY3TkwcGjDySXmo34wED084Vzy9g/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoNS-1xDHYriDDWggRSZHmnS1WJxO37nooImDRaQuEEtIAqk_7KSPaJj6xsQ_cN6uRUpRrJs7QqAHDU-s2Zh_kOHAp242YkTl7ka4T0z1sYdY3TkwcGjDySXmo34wED084Vzy9g/w384-h217/image.png" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">but you treat me like a stranger and it<br />FEELS SO ROUGH</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMqgVXSvwGo">“Fireball” by Pitbull. </a></b>Who put another freaking Pitbull on here? <i>(Hint-it was me. I like Pitbull)</i> Also, the “we’re taking we’re taking we’re taking it down/bringing it back” part is a bucket list item of mine to do on stage with a raucous crowd. One day. </div><div><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uLI6BnVh6w&list=RDyyDUC1LUXSU&index=13"><b>“Ex’s & Oh’s” by Elle King</b>.</a> First up, Ron Schneider’s daughter. Wat. Second, this is an Incredible driving song. Great drums. Good for counting. <br /><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousaiByU1ko&list=RDyyDUC1LUXSU&index=8">“Run-Around”</a> & <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hook+blues+traveler">"Hook” by Blues Traveler</a>.</b> Let’s be real. Anyone can learn “WAP”. You just say a bunch of raunchy words and try to have as little talent as possible. Blues Travelers songs take some real work to learn. And “Run-Around” and “Hook” is one of the best one-two punches by any band ever. “Hook” has Paul Schafer, but “Run-Around” has the Wizard of Oz theme, and is slightly more fun to sing. Advantage. <br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIGMUAMevH0"><b>“Impression That I Get” by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.</b> </a>AAAAAAAHHHHH NEVER HAD TO KNOCK ON WOOD BUT I KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS WHICH MAKES ME WONDER IF I COULD... you know it. Keep going it. Flailing around enhances the experience. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVt1Dy_LblQ">“Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger.</a></b> I legit just laughed when this song started. It’s so stupid... and so freaking catchy... plus the lead singer <i>(I found out later is Sean Nelson)</i> looks like a total dork, which helps me relate. "Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding" is a line that just owns me. And no kidding, I just hopped across the kitchen to the fridge to the beat of this song...<br /><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjNn4bbbgSw">“Cumbersome” by Seven Mary Three.</a></b> It’s an outrage, nay, a scandal, that 4 Non Blondes get their suck tune** on heavy rotation on SiriusXM and I never hear this song. Cumbersome freaking RULZ. And I nearly blow out my vocal cords doing the raspy voice. Worth it. <br /><br /><i>**the song I reference here is "What's Up". I have determined that I hate this song more than any other song in the history of life. I deplore this song. Were I being tortured, I could endure toenail pullings and teeth drilling, but continuous play of this might make me tell the bad guys where the money is. Toss in my 2nd worst most hated song ever, "Get What You Give" from the New Radicals, and maybe my 3rd most worst hated song ever, "Anything By Cardi B with Special Emphasis on Bodak Yello", and frankly, I'm just going to die of awesome deficiency.</i></div><div><i><br /></i><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRGXAy4I2vWQO8ZEucNUYOMv3N1F4Wjku1mIk-uh2F9R07XQgdZKIjpstV7Yl5SEE99kGhbCloEcf2LTtpLz5sRboVr7bNurLXuh7C8zxVVe6poezGnMWvQf5-nqGmVtghYpQIQ/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRGXAy4I2vWQO8ZEucNUYOMv3N1F4Wjku1mIk-uh2F9R07XQgdZKIjpstV7Yl5SEE99kGhbCloEcf2LTtpLz5sRboVr7bNurLXuh7C8zxVVe6poezGnMWvQf5-nqGmVtghYpQIQ/w375-h211/image.png" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have a hard time dealing with how<br />adorable she is in this video.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><b>FINALLY</b><br /><br />I have two fave songs in the whole wide world, ever. Like all time. Not ironically, like, legit 1a and 1b. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi7Yh16dA0w&list=RDyyDUC1LUXSU&index=3">“Love Song” by Sara Bareilles</a></b> is one of them. This song is perfect. Flawless. And the video is also awesome. I listened to it, then restarted it so I could watch it before I went to bed. <br /><br />Okay, that's it. I also saw "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley but forgot to write it down, so... next time. </div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-81306757055952576652020-12-31T22:35:00.003-06:002020-12-31T22:41:26.786-06:00the not top ten best books of 2019 (part 1)So, hey! Happy New Year! So you may be thinking "Oh, it's the last day of 2020, so this must be the favorite book list of 2020, right?" Nope... I have had this draft, half-written, in my drafts for 8 months, so I thought since 2020 is not officially over yet, it would be a good time to finish it...<div><br /></div><div>So here is my report on books read in 2019:</div><div><br />Every year, I list my Top Ten Fave books of the year, and while they can be from any year, they have to be first time reads for me. In 2019, I actually only re-read two books, both I've read several times through the years, leaving the rest as brand new. Of course, when I say "read", I do mean audio, because that's reading too... to the tune of 344 hours listened to via Audible.<br />
<br />
So let's look at the books I read that didn't make the top ten... and I'll number them - not by the order in which I read them, but just to keep track of how many <i>(for my own purposes because I'm bad at math)</i><br />
<br />---------------------------------------------------------------<br /><b><br /></b><div><b>THE COMEDIANS</b></div><div><div>These are a handful of books written by actors and stand up comics, usually telling their story with lots of jokes and such<br />
<br />
I was all in on the first season of "The Unbelievable Kimmy Schmidt" on Netflix. The star, Ellie Kemper, I found to be just flippin' adorable, and so when she released <i><b>(1) My Squirrel Life</b></i>, a memoir of sorts, I had to grab it. In fact, it was the very first book of 2019 for me... and I was delighted. Its short, its sweet, and it's fun... though I cannot tell you that I remember much about it. I just remember liking it.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDYZOWBvg_5CPaNQ8eEpv1-RdOi7WG_ShGy4Maa7yp9oC1oxEOJzCyCklPWnSq9wZ8vOCNFR5S4pB8ep2KhplyFHdjdB388gWtj7SDZzxiH8s72H0DVUemjNpgTOkOmTc2zhQCw/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1355" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDYZOWBvg_5CPaNQ8eEpv1-RdOi7WG_ShGy4Maa7yp9oC1oxEOJzCyCklPWnSq9wZ8vOCNFR5S4pB8ep2KhplyFHdjdB388gWtj7SDZzxiH8s72H0DVUemjNpgTOkOmTc2zhQCw/w209-h315/Kemper.jpeg" width="209" /></a><br />
<br />
When my friend Amarylis <i>(by morning, up from San Antone)</i> said she had read David Spade's<br />
<i><b>(2) Poloroid Guy in a Snapchat World</b></i>, I nodded. I had been circling that one for a while on Audible, and was trying to decide if I wanted to read it. I finally pulled the trigger, and liked it. He's got another, <i>Almost Interesting</i>, and I'm undecided. Perhaps.<br />
<br />
Another comedian I enjoy is Greg Fitzsimmons, and had heard Fitz discussing his book <i><b>(3) Dear Mrs Fitzsimmons</b></i> on the Adam Carolla podcast. The book is somewhat of a memoir of sorts, told through a series of letters filled with funny stories of growing up. I found it amusing, but it wasn't my favorite. It was a well done book, just not my jam.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, Annabelle Gurwitch, who I've always loved from the old school Dinner & a Movie program on TBS, put together a collection of monologues and essays called <i><b>(4) "Fired! Tales of Jobs Gone Bad"</b></i>, as she, plus comedians like Taylor Negron, Paul F Thompkins, Dana Gould, Paul Feig, and more tell tales of how they were kindly -- and unkindly -- asked to leave various jobs. Hilarious.<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>RE-READS</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Might as well toss these in... the two books I re-read this year are Richard Paul Evans <i><b>(5) "The Christmas Box"</b></i>, a short but lovely little story of a family moving in with a well-to-do matronly saint of a woman, to assist, and discovering that family is the most important thing. It's a great story to help that Christmas spirit.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another re-read is one that I read once every 2-3 years, so I'm likely on my 4th or 5th reading of<i><b> (6) "Salem's Lot"</b></i> by Stephen King. Its one of my all time favorite books, and while somewhat dated <i>(it takes place in the fall of 1975)</i>, its thrilling. If you didn't know the main villain of the book going in, it's a masterful way of slowly unspooling the horror of the story. </div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of Stephen King...</div><div><br /></div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /><b>GRISHAM & KING</b><br />
<br />
My unspoken, unconscious vow to read all Grisham novels continued in 2019, as I read the older classic <i><b>(7) The Chamber</b></i>, about an idealistic law student who is trying to save his racist grandfather from the electric chair. Grisham books are never bad, but this one was a little sluggish... I also watched the movie of the same name, starring Chris O'Donnell and Gene Hackman, aka, "The movie where Hackman destroys O'Donnell in every scene he's in". So, I can say that<i> The Chamber</i> part of my life is closed for good. Not so with <i><b>(8) The Reckoning</b></i>, however, which tells the story of Peter Banning, who one day long ago drove into a small town and shot in cold blood the local preacher, then gave himself up.<br />
<br />
The power that Stephen King has on me is pretty ridiculous, as I do read -- and always have read -- anything he releases. It's a little personally unnerving, as he politically hates me, but I'm still a fan. One book that had previously eluded me, and intimidated me, was <i><b>(9) Four Past Midnight</b></i>, which contains four smaller... and smaller is a relative term, as this sumgun is just under 30 hours on audio... novellas, including "The Langoliers", about a very unfortunate, dark flight into madness... "Secret Window, Secret Garden", about an author who's own characters are driving him into madness... "The Library Policeman", about a library who's secrets are simply madness... and "The Sun Dog", my favorite of the bunch, about a very sinister Polaroid camera. And yeah, madness.<br />
<br />
I dug the book as a whole, and it skirted my Top Ten, as did <i>The Reckoning</i>, but both authors have books in my Top Ten of 2019 already.<br />
<br />
---------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<b>THE WRASSLIN BOOKS... AND ANOTHER SPORTSER BOOK</b><br />
<br />
Read two books on the fake sport that I love so much... and yes, I realize that while it's fake, the injuries are very real and so on and so forth. but nonetheless, first up was <i><b>(10) Best Seat in the House</b></i>, by former WWE and now current AEW announcer Justin Roberts. One of Roberts lifelong goals was to be a wrestling announcer, so it gives his take on his pursuit of, and finally achieving that goal -- and as all know, sometimes that goal isn't all we wanted it to be. It's got some great stories, and I believe him, though it does come across as a little whiny in a few spots.<br />
<br />
The other was by a guy named Sean Oliver, who has been around wrestling for a long, long time. In this book <b><i>(11)</i></b> <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Kayfabe-Stories-Youre-Not-Supposed-to-Hear-from-a-Pro-Wrestling-Production-Company-Owner-Audiobook/B078NDQJWK?qid=1587277649&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=86A65JXKSQ0GC471TN3A" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Kayfabe: Stories You're Not Supposed to Hear from a Pro Wrestling Production Company</a><i style="font-weight: bold;">, </i>he does in fact tell some stories, though I'm unsure of whether I should have heard them or not.<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>The book is more of a history of his production company, Kayfabe Commentaries, which does extensive interviews with past and present wrestling superstars, and releases them on DVD and digital. The book does chronicle stories from the world of WWE, WCW, ECW, and more, and though I enjoyed the stories, it did come across as a long advertisement for his studio.</div><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjol-Zg1pX8o3DJtXQb6bHbvpok09_yNQLGkb8Ot1Qt1TSw0FVLUduQtT5yHXCFcT6hr_QdNMTk-bOK76JxISzLfyXcaAOW9lZ_k5AsUCC_djyBppQAp3eWN5xNrAsfkxLKLi08Fg/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1347" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjol-Zg1pX8o3DJtXQb6bHbvpok09_yNQLGkb8Ot1Qt1TSw0FVLUduQtT5yHXCFcT6hr_QdNMTk-bOK76JxISzLfyXcaAOW9lZ_k5AsUCC_djyBppQAp3eWN5xNrAsfkxLKLi08Fg/w212-h323/Football.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><i>For the uninitiated... "Kayfabe" (kay-faybe) means "in story". As in, when wrestlers are in a match, they are in character, and you stay in character before and after a match. You never "break kayfabe" unless it's something major, like a serious injury, or you are "shooting", which means you are talking real life in a ring. When someone breaks kayfabe, and shoots, it's always entertaining. See CM Punk's "Pipebomb" or Nash & Hall's big hugs before they left WWF in the 90s.</i><br />
<br />While not Wrasslin, it has nowhere else to go, so I'm sticking Jeff Pearlman's <i><b>(12) Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL</b></i> here. The subtitle explains it all, and it's an excellent bit of sports history, and the words "crazy rise" and "crazier demise" are right on point. It's a wild story, and yes, Donald Trump added to that second part. <br /><br />
<i>---------------------------------------------------------------</i><br />
<br /><b>ONE SHOTS</b><br /><br />
Does it count if there is only an audio book, and not a tangible book? Well, I'm counting it anyway, so there.<br />
<br />
Author Curtis Sittenfield wrote and released a short book called <i><b>(13) Atomic Marriage</b></i>, about a hotshot Hollywood writer who is sent to a small Alabama town to interview a pastor who has written a book about marriage. A 12-step process, actually, on how to stay together physically, emotionally, mentally and so on. Of course, Heather, the writer, has her doubts on what this Alabama hick can teach her (and honestly, I was a little timid on how it would treat the South) but to my, and the reader's, delight, that's not at all what happened. It's a wonderful little book, even with the ending that seems to just... well, end. I liked this quite a bit, and I wished it was actually longer.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In all my years of listing my Top Tens, the first time I ever listed a book purchased at a book fair was... well, right here. <i><b>(14) "Where is Walt Disney World"</b></i>, part of a "Where Is..." series, this one by Joan Hulab. It's pleasant, written on a kid level, giving general history and location of The Most Magical Place on Earth. </div><div><br /></div><div>----------------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><b>STAGE PLAYS & SCRIPTS</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm a huge fan of stage plays and screenplays. I have a few on my bookshelf, and I like the way the word is presented, as opposed to a narrative <i>(much like "Harry Potter & the Cursed Child" is done, but I just can't bring myself to read it yet.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>So I knocked out several of these, including <i><b>(15) I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom</b></i> by Gregg Oppenheimer, about the creation of the classic television show by way of Lucy and Desi. Enjoyed it, though wanted more from the story.</div><div><br /></div><div>David Mamet is one of my favorite playwrights and so I found <b><i>(16) Speed the Plow</i></b> to read. It's about a Hollywood producer's who's influence is tested when he's torn between a promising script and a hot chick. If I had a dime for every time I had to make such a decision...</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>(17) The 64th Man</i></b>, by Bryan Tucker and Zach Phillips, is about a washed up athlete trying to get back in the league while dealing with his own love life and family. I found it... boring. </div><div><br /></div><div>Neil Simon is one of my favorites, and I've been picking his plays up all along for the last few years, and in 2019, I liked <i><b>(18) Lost in Yonkers</b></i>, a Pulitzer & Tony Award winning play about two teens living with their grandmother in Yonkers during World War II. The other Neil Simon play I read in 2019 will be coming later.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another drama that I didn't enjoy as much, though still was drawn into, was <i><b>(19) Dinner with Friends</b></i> from Donald Marguiles, a Pulitzer Prize winning story of two couples, their secrets, divorce, and friendship. It's heavy. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, there was <i><b>(20) Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers</b></i>, by Geoffrey Cowans and Leroy Aarons, about the struggle the Washington Post had to release the classified US documents about the Vietnam War. It was engaging and tense, even though I knew the outcome. </div><div><br /></div><div>Check Out the <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-not-top-ten-books-of-2019-part-2.html"><i><b>Second Part of the NOT TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2019</b></i></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And then Check out the <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-top-ten-books-of-2019.html"><i><b>TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2019</b></i></a></div></div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-89453807624753710872020-12-31T22:35:00.002-06:002020-12-31T22:39:38.813-06:00the not top ten books of 2019 (part 2)Make sure you check out part 1 of the books I read last year that didn't make my Top Ten... and then be sure to check for my <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-top-ten-books-of-2019.html"><i>Top Ten Books of 2019</i></a>.<div><br /></div><div>The numbers continue from the previous post -- again, not in the order I read them, but just to keep up with what I've listed. Also, again, bad at math and all that. <br />
<br /><b>
BE MORE ORGANIZED AND IMPROVE YA SELF</b><br />
<br />
While I'm not necessarily into "self help" books, I do read some if I really like the concept and the author. I'm a big fan of Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano in "Star Wars: the Clone Wars", and a legend around Star Wars circles, and while I did enjoy <i><b>(21) It's Your Universe</b></i>, I recognize I'm not the target audience. But, even not being a chick, this book still is good for everyone. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's her story of becoming a voice over artist, and eventually becoming the voice of Ahsoka Tano <i>(though Rosario Dawson is playing her in The Mandalorian, and I'm excited about this, because I love Rosario Dawson hey boo).</i> It's a book about setting a goal and going after it, and I aligned with it nicely.<br />
<br />
I'm also always looking for great books on the clean up process, because... well my house needs a good clean up. Hence reading Robin Zasio's <i><b>(22) The Hoarder in You</b></i>. Zasio is known for being one of the main people in the "Hoarders" series on A&E, and while nothing here is revolutionary, it's still a good reminder of how truly easy it is to get organized, it's just having a plan and doing it.<br />
<br />
If you are kicking yourself for not accomplishing all that you wanted in 2019, or even 2020, though that's an entire other discussion, then... well, <i><b>(23) In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It</b></i>, the book by Lorelei Gilmore herself, Lauren Graham. Lauren, a Gilmore, a Braverman, and eternal hotness, gave this speech to her high school in a commencement speech, and we got to enjoy it book form. It's worth the brief time it takes to read it.<br />
<br />
It's always fun to be reading a book by an author who winds up sitting about five feet away from you as you read. Thus, the situation I found myself in in a Embassy Suites lobby as I was reading <b><i>(24) Get Weird</i></b>, while author CJ Casciotta sat nearby. He was there to speak at a conference, and I was there to listen, and it was all around a good time. It's a book about not fitting in, about using your creativity to the fullest, and about being weird and embracing that weirdness. I felt seen.<br />
<br />Lee Cockerell, a retired VP of the Walt Disney Company has a series of books, and this one spoke to me the most... <i><b>(25) Time Management Magic</b></i> was some magic I could really use. Let's be real, nothing here is mind-blowing -- it's all basic concepts, but like Zasio's book about not being a hoarder, its advice we need to be reminded of frequently. Plus, it helps that he also has a background in the Happiest Company on Earth, which really spoke to me.<div><br /></div><div>As a sidebar, he's pretty liberal in his politics and legit came after me in a thread where I wasn't addressing him nor responding to something he'd said. It was bizarre. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FaNCouO6S67R4qBV4hlZ-PdG_4SBNZepzm3h8fqhahkuAQrOTVqmKkCaF3mMypWe_BMJyzj3TnbwOUqnOcer3ybYiZ8CtvybyVHhrtr-RSLxb8c9X1QvIDPzgepaVuTACC-BcA/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="880" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FaNCouO6S67R4qBV4hlZ-PdG_4SBNZepzm3h8fqhahkuAQrOTVqmKkCaF3mMypWe_BMJyzj3TnbwOUqnOcer3ybYiZ8CtvybyVHhrtr-RSLxb8c9X1QvIDPzgepaVuTACC-BcA/w212-h329/know+mcoc.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div>Finally, one of the most popular podcasts around, The Popcast, saw one of it's hosts write and publish a book in 2019. <b><i>(26) The Wondering Years: How Pop Culture Helped Me Answer Life's Biggest Questions</i></b> is by Knox McCoy, and is a solid book. Knox, a Christ Follower, weaves boy bands, reality television, current musical artists and more around a number of spiritual and Biblical quandaries with God and the Christian Walk. Believers would likely enjoy this and Knox's take -- he's quite brilliant, actually. Barely missed my Top Ten. </div><div><br /></div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><b>TRUE CRIME</b></div><div><br /></div><div>An author I always check on for new material is Kathryn Casey, who is based in Texas and seems to be covering every major murder and sensational court case in the state -- her book in 2019 was <b><i>(23) In Plain Sight: The Kaufman County Prosecutor Murders</i></b>, telling the tale of Kaufman County Assistant DA Mark Hasse, executed in broad daylight, the massacre that followed, and the couple who did it. I enjoy most of Casey's stuff, and while I haven't really like the style of the last few, this was somewhat of a rebound. Good, not great.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bryan Burrough's <i><b>(24) The Demon Next Door</b></i> tells how he learned that a high school classmate of his, Danny Corwin, ended up becoming a serial killer. The book is just okay.</div><div><br /></div><div>Amanda Lamb's <i><b>(25) "Love Lies: A True Story of Marriage and Murder in the Suburbs"</b> (true crime subtitles are long)</i> tells of how Nancy Cooper's strangled body was found in a ditch in North Carolina, while her husband claims she went out for a jog and never came back. You might know where this is headed.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>(26) "Twisted: The Story of Larry Nassar and the Woman Who Took Him Down"</b></i>, by Mary Pilon and Carla Correa, is the first of several books & films I consumed about the Nassar, the douchebag doctor for the US Gymnastics team, and how the women he sexually assaulted found the bravery to come forward. Takes you through the first few women to speak up, then the women who followed, and Nassar's world that crashes around him. Very informative and very detailed. This is where I toss in that trigger warning thing. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>-------------------------------------------------------------</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>ENTERTAINMENT</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Final three books on this "outside the Top 10" list all fall under the entertainment and pop culture category list. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>(27) Best.Movie.Year.Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen</i></b> by Brian Raftery essentially just looks at a pivotal 12 month period in cinematic history -- some of the biggest movies and pop culture touchstones came out that year. Fight Club, The Matrix, The Sixth Sense, American Pie, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Magnolia, and so many more are all discussed, with interviews and soundbytes from Sofia Coppola, Reese Witherspoon, Taye Diggs, Matthew Broderick, and loads more. Any movie fan would love this -- in fact, while I did my list and ranking in January of 2020, I'm not even sure why this isn't in my Top 10. But I'll go with what I have, though I may re-read this one soon.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4-34yqN0V5Fm0WBKof2yUBCaDMdYlAo0q67hKSYFwB4SJ5TmYuP9WJIS20jRWkIBWetyZ5QyrkfkBDWivoHQOd4Qzb9ipm64loByzuPXYBLj6J79CVr86wSVDqvhcefw0vet0A/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1357" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4-34yqN0V5Fm0WBKof2yUBCaDMdYlAo0q67hKSYFwB4SJ5TmYuP9WJIS20jRWkIBWetyZ5QyrkfkBDWivoHQOd4Qzb9ipm64loByzuPXYBLj6J79CVr86wSVDqvhcefw0vet0A/w195-h295/movie+year.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div>I read two books about the making of, and behind the scenes of, the show Friends. Both are excellent, but the one I liked 2nd best of the two is <i><b>(28) I'll Be There For You: The One About Friends</b></i> by Kelsey Miller. Like the other<i> (which you can guess will be in the Top 10),</i> it's an indepth look at the creation, the casting, the premiere, and the seasons -- good, excellent, and mediocre -- that followed. If you are a Friends fan, you can't go wrong with <i>I'll Be There For You</i>, but I like the other just a little more. </div><div><br /></div><div>And then, <b><i>(29) Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV</i></b> by Brian Stetler, is another who's subtitles give you the sense of the book. It concentrates mostly on the battle between The Today Show on NBC and ABC's perpetual 2nd place "Good Morning America", and how the latter slowly chipped away at the former's decades long dominance. The book was written in 2013, years before the <i>(deserved)</i> fall from grace of Matt Lauer, but you can see just in his actions and words that, knowing now what we know about his douchecanoery with his female coworkers, things were not well. It does paint a rosy picture of how NBC treated Ann Curry, and I can believe it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>---------------------------------------------------------- </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>
<b>AND THE KIDS BOOKS</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Finally... books <b>30 to 33</b>... </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>One of the joys of being a dude who works from home is that I am able to attend school functions with my kid -- including showing up and shopping with him at the yearly Book Fair <i>(here's to hoping 2021 will bring this back to us</i>. Who doesn't love a good book fair? Back in my day, I'd show up with $15 in my pocket, I'd walk out with a Beverly Cleary book, the latest Bill Wallace novel, a Star Wars read-along, a poster of a Ferrari, a Trapper Keeper folder, and some pencil erasers shaped like West Indies Komodo Dragons. Now? $15 might get a two books from the pre-school section and a sheet of glitter stickers.</div><div><br /></div><div>I said earlier that "Where is Walt Disney World" was the first book I've ever listed purchased at a Book Fair... I should have said "purchased FOR ME", as these were books I bought at my kid's book fair, that I read, and that I count on my list -- you'll see why in a second.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site</b> by Sherri Rusker... <b>Mighty Mighty Construction Site</b>, also by Rusker... <b>Going on a Bear Hunt</b> by Helen Oxenbury... and <b>Me & My Dad</b> by Allison Ritchie.</div><div><br /></div><div>All can be read in 3 minutes or less. So why would I put these four kids books on the list? No, not to pad my stats. I think I get credit for these books because I read all four, every night, out loud to Campbell at bed time, and I read them every night for around six or seven straight months -- and that ain't even hyperbole. So these count. <br />
<br />
-----------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div>So there is my list of books that didn't make my Top 10...</div><div><br /></div><div>The three that I would say were on the edge -- Knox McCoy's "The Wondering Years", Kelsey Miller's "I'll Be There For You" and Raftery's "Best.Movie.Year.Ever". Toss in "Football for a Buck" by Jeff Pearlman and Pilon & Correa's "Twisted" and there is the next five after the Top 10.<br /><br />That's the Outside the Top Ten List... <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-top-ten-books-of-2019.html"><i>onto the Top Ten</i></a>! </div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-48424791804616960402020-12-31T22:34:00.006-06:002020-12-31T22:42:02.348-06:00the top ten books of 2019If you haven't read the rest, make sure you catch up on <i><a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-not-top-ten-best-books-of-2019-part.html">The Not Top Ten of 2019 (Part One)</a></i> and <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-not-top-ten-books-of-2019-part-2.html"><i>The Not Top Ten of 2019 (Part Two)</i></a><br /><br />Without further scribble dabble scrabble, on the microphone I babble... here are my fave book that I read for the first time in 2019... <br /><br /><b>My 10th Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>The Goodbye Girl</i> by Neil Simon (1977)</b><br />As I mentioned, I'm a fan of plays and screenplays, and this is probably my favorite of Neil's... the story centers around Paula and her daughter Lucy, who gets deserted by Paula's boyfriend. Enter Elliot Garfield, a neurotic but kind actor, who shows up because the landlord has now rented the apartment to him... much to Paula's dismay, because she and Lucy are still living there. And you can see the conflict... and of course, romance coming at ya. The movie version was wonderful as well, garnering Richard Dreyfuss an Oscar for his portrayal of Elliot, and became the first RomCom to cross $100 million in box-office gross.<br /><br /><br /><b>My 9th Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures</i> by Malcolm Gladwell (2009)</b><div>I tend not to read authors who are way smarter than I am... not just smart, but super smart -- but I am always drawn to certain authors like Michael Lewis, Randall Munroe, and of course Gladwell. This is a collection of 19 essays first featured in the New Yorker. Each was handpicked by Gladwell himself for the book, all bearing a running theme of seeing the world through the eyes of others -- even a dog. Because, you know, What the Dog saw. Right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Broken into three parts, it discusses people who are experts but not known, the issues with predictions and basing actions on those predictions, and the failure of intelligence, spending a chunk of time on the fall of Enron, and finally, personality and sociological discussions on random topics <i>(I know this book sounds crazy boring, but trust me, it's well written and well read.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsokBSalkk71V1Q0SrH_k3MHPR0LUKRj5I94Mr2e2DLjlg48UwI4Cl-H_8RumC69l8Khr2DTh9ewSXoXPhVE8EQPr7dAKsBQGr_bFFhrpHCW3mC8ztcxcbWc3zKl30vZuW1_7TOQ/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="224" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsokBSalkk71V1Q0SrH_k3MHPR0LUKRj5I94Mr2e2DLjlg48UwI4Cl-H_8RumC69l8Khr2DTh9ewSXoXPhVE8EQPr7dAKsBQGr_bFFhrpHCW3mC8ztcxcbWc3zKl30vZuW1_7TOQ/w200-h310/oracle.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>My 8th Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>The Oracle</i> by KB Hoyle (2012)</b></div><div>The first narrative of our Top Ten sends us back into the mythical land of Alithia, a place that Darcy and her friends discovered -- and saved -- a year prior. This time, pushed by the princely Tellius, they set out on a quest to discover the truth of a prophecy, something that will impact her life, for the rest of her life.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you like Narnia, with a little Lord of the Rings quest, shaken and poured over some Harry Potter, then The Gateway Chronicles is worth investing time into. I did <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2019/01/top-ten-books-of-2018-six-by-kb-hoyle.html">a more comprehensive write up</a> a few yeas ago, when Book 1 ended up in my 2018 Top Ten.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned before in that article I just linked to, mad props to KB, my friend and a writing idol, as she has successfully done world building... which the more I read and learn, the more I understand ain't easy. </div><div><br /><br /><b>My 7th Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>The Run of His Life: The People vs OJ Simpson</i> by Jeffrey Toobin (2015)</b></div><div>As the 20th anniversary of the murders of Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ronald Goldman hit in 2014, there was a glut of TV specials and books and retrospectives on the whole thing -- everything from OJ & Nicole's relationship to the murder itself to the infamous White Bronco chase. </div><div><br /></div><div>While I watched both American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson, a narrative with everyone from Cuba Gooding Jr to John Travolta to David Schwimmer (!?), and the superior, incredibly good ESPN 30for30 documentary that tops out around 7 hours and 45 minutes (watch it in parts), it was this book that really filled in the gaps -- the background of all persons involved, what led to the murder, the suspicions that Toobin has about what OJ did and didn't do (by the way, I had no idea that Goldman and Nicole weren't together -- he was truly in the wrong-place-wrong-time), and the trial itself... and the absolute circus it became. Yes, OJ got away with murder... Toobin doesn't push you one way or another, but the evidence is pretty stacked against OJ.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, 2020 was a difficult year for Jeffrey Toobin... he and Zoom are not the best of friends. Don't let his touching dismissal from NYTimes keep you from reading this book if you are interested in.<br /><br /><br /><b>My 6th Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company </i>by Bob Iger (2019)</b></div><div>One of the few non-King books I read as soon as it was released... ironically, I didn't even want to read it, I felt as if it might be a progressive manual for running a theme park. But Iger is the guy who brought Lucasfilm (aka Star Wars), Indiana Jones, Pixar, Marvel, and 73 billion dollars worth of 20th Century Fox to Disney, plus oversaw the creation of Disney+, among other things, so I figured it might be worth a glance.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was. It totally was. From his early days in production and management to working way to the Walt Disney Company, succeeding Michael Eisner<i> (who was not in his save-the-company save-the-animation era, but in his ego trip, Imma get Walt's nephew Roy out of the company era)</i> to basically become Mickey's 2nd in command. The book is surprisingly candid, spelling out both victories and mistakes, and he speaks with openness and honesty at major events like Shanghai Disney's opening <i>(after it was well overbudget and sort of a disaster)</i>, the Pulse shooting in Orlando, and the alligator attack that took the life of a little boy right on the beaches of the Grand Floridian. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sprinkled along the way is leadership advice and bits of wisdom, but it was truly the Disney history stuff that really drew me in. I would hope that the 10th anniversary will feature a chapter on how he resigned, then came roaring back to assist with the company as the parks shut down entirely due to COVID.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5d9QhUQZbUQm6_PpHK4Zeln-uh8IC0n9ESTT1ZeOHB6PybYM_YQYH5Q6EKrg-tIrfRGrMgVRVWMisJeb-pPCE1t3FAb-Wo0kjbzHZCWVza4tYuUwANpdoZmhk5HE0-p798TRfw/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1357" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5d9QhUQZbUQm6_PpHK4Zeln-uh8IC0n9ESTT1ZeOHB6PybYM_YQYH5Q6EKrg-tIrfRGrMgVRVWMisJeb-pPCE1t3FAb-Wo0kjbzHZCWVza4tYuUwANpdoZmhk5HE0-p798TRfw/w227-h343/Generation+Friends.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><b>My 5th Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era</i></b> <b>by Saul Austerlitz. (2019)</b></div><div>Much like "I'll Be There For You" from Kelsey Miller, this book also goes in-depth with the shows creation, the hiring and casting, the production, and the opening, middle, and closing seasons of the show. <br /><br />Why did I like this book better? More in-depth. In-depthier, if you will. Is that word? Could it BE any more fake sounding?</div><div><br /></div><div>Whereas Kelsey Miller's book hit the highpoints of many topics, I felt as is Austerlitz really dove deeper on things, from contract disputes to controversies to personal lives of the actors <i>(without being schmaltzy or gossipy)</i> and I just got more out of it. </div><div><br /></div><div>But either book will satisfy you. <br /><br /><br /><b>My 4th Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>The Guardians</i> by John Grisham (2019)</b></div><div>I'm an avid JG guy, though I have my criticisms of much of his work... many of his stories build to a great crescendo then just drop you cold with no real resolution. Some start meh, get good, end meh. And then some start with a bang, build to a great climax, and then really give you the ending that leaves you satisfied. Thus is "The Guardians"</div><div><br /></div><div>With a lawyer killed in his own office, a black young man named Quincy is arrested for the crime, even though we as the readers find it quite obvious he didn't do it. The one person who listens is a guy named Cullen Post, who runs Guardians Ministry, a non profit that can only take a few innocence type projects per year -- and of course, non-hilarity ensues.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well written, riveting, and could actually qualify as a "page turner". One of Grisham's better novels in recent years<i> (he did two at 2020 and both are great. We'll get to that on a 2020 list)<br /></i><br /><br /><b>My 3rd Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup</i> by John Carreyrou (2018)</b></div><div>Sometimes you find news stories and you kinda just become obsessed with them... truthfully, the US Women's Gymnastic team battle against Larry Nassar and Michigan State felt a little like that, as I read and watched multiple books and movies. </div><div><br /></div><div>And another story like that for me? The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. This story blows my ever lovin' mind. Holmes, charismatic and beautiful, even with the <i>(possibly fake)</i> deep voice that became one of her trademarks. Basically, a drop of blood can get test results back in minutes, using these incredible new machines and processes, courtesy of Theranos... and they struck multi-million dollar deals with Wal-Greens and Safeway... Holmes became a billionaire.</div><div><br /></div><div>And it was all a sham. </div><div><br /></div><div>You'll read this with your mouth open, wondering how in the world someone could actually pull this off, even temporarily.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>(You can also check out The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, an excellent documentary on HBO Max. The doc and book together make for a great pair)</i><br /><br /><br /><b>My 2nd Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>The Institute</i> by Stephen King (2019)</b><br />Pre-Covid, it would take me a week or more to go through a book, especially if the book tops 15 or 20 hours. This one, however, I knocked out in two days, falling behind on podcasts and other things that I had to do. But it was worth it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The story starts with a guy name Tim, who leaves his job and find himself working for the sheriff's department in small town South Carolina. Then it shifts to a 12 year old boy named Luke who is kidnapped out of his room in Minnesota and taken to a place called The Institute -- a secret shop that does experiments on kids, then when the kids are run through, they are put into the "Back Half", where the kids never return from.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luke is a crafty little lad, though, as the story progresses, you'll find he isn't one to take orders. He and his merry band of other kids trapped at The Institute decide to fight back. And of course, Tim from South Carolina finds himself in the middle of this same story. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was caught up in this story and saw it through to the very end, one hour after another, and when it was over, I put down my earpods, sighed deeply, and smiled. Because that's what a good book should do. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b>My Favorite Book of 2019 - <i>The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11</i> by Garrett M Graff (2019)</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvMcDoLxIvk9jGXGn_FgffGtBAD9VAQAKfZwq4w9DCF_v7D_fwPFnVJVMmo0BWH3AKArAl2oTFcCEM8nsfLWXWa0ex1yjN3dllidKz0tWs7HeGHP0Tjo_QGR4c1_cfU-TLgVWqQ/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="329" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvMcDoLxIvk9jGXGn_FgffGtBAD9VAQAKfZwq4w9DCF_v7D_fwPFnVJVMmo0BWH3AKArAl2oTFcCEM8nsfLWXWa0ex1yjN3dllidKz0tWs7HeGHP0Tjo_QGR4c1_cfU-TLgVWqQ/w237-h361/the+only+plane+in+the+sky.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>I've spent the last 9 years thinking that "102 Minutes" from Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn was the best book ever written on 9/11. And to me, it was. Until I read "The Only Plane in the Sky"</div><div><br /></div><div>First, know that I'm a fan of oral history in books, as I love hearing the stories from the people themselves<i> (even if they don't narrate the book itself in audio version),</i> and in this one, it starts from early on that Tuesday morning, carrying you through the entire day and beyond.</div><div><br /></div><div>Soundbites from Rudy Giuliani <i>(remember when it was okay to like him?) </i>and George W Bush and reporters and policemen and firemen and those working in the offices of the towers and paramedics and so many more. You know what happened that day.. but yet, you'll still be engrossed in the words of those were in Manhattan and in Washington and sitting at home, awaiting their loved ones to call them from United 93. </div><div><br />This book blew me away. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Up next, in a few days... or weeks... hopefuly not months... the Top Ten Books of 2020 -- more King, more Grisham, some Psycho, a helping of Karen McManis, some Neil Simon, the wild west and dreamy former Fox News anchors and so on and so on and such... twas a good year to read books, even if it was a terrible year to do just about anything else.</i></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-4717267454011952642020-12-01T11:16:00.003-06:002020-12-01T11:22:25.034-06:00to campbell, on your 9th birthday<p><i>I was just taking a look and realized I've blogged just one single time in 2020, and it was my thoughts on a hate crime and tragedy.</i></p><p><i>May my words be much lighter and full of more love here. </i></p><p><i>Here is my annual open letter to my son on his birthday. </i></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIQHH5vVwmAb0mQicpez6hY2bxpQtiY2DJcNFCYmUtOjUwC2avejjWIPSffP_hcrCCyuovDLQndQQwwxu60Z_An3k6478gDBgmx19yI3vAuKA6XoKPO-DMHFcXJhwvN1LhALACw/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIQHH5vVwmAb0mQicpez6hY2bxpQtiY2DJcNFCYmUtOjUwC2avejjWIPSffP_hcrCCyuovDLQndQQwwxu60Z_An3k6478gDBgmx19yI3vAuKA6XoKPO-DMHFcXJhwvN1LhALACw/w283-h374/Campbell+bday+post+3.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding with your Dad, cheesin, wearing<br />Mommy's vintage Leia shirt from 1983</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Dear Campbell, </p><p>My my what a year it has been. As you get older, begin to understand pop culture and catch phrases and references, "2020" will be one for the books. </p><p>So, there was this pandemic, see... basically, a virus came into our country, swept through the country, scared a lot of people, many people died, many more got it and were fine, and so on. I'm sure you and I will talk about the finer points of all of this one day, but 2020 was the Coronavirus year. </p><p>It didn't start out that way. January was a fine month, fine indeed, and I even got to go to Disneyland for my job and meet some really cool people -- I talked about you a lot. Kobe Bryant, a legendary NBA player died in January from a helicopter crash, the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl, and the only music I really enjoyed from 2020 was a song called "Blinding Lights" from The Weeknd and music from a chick named Dua Lipa. </p><p>There was also some song released called "WAP", but you aren't allowed to listen to it -- not so much because of the lyrics, but because I'm raising you to have taste.</p><p>It's hard to even talk about 2020 movies this year because so many of them came out on streaming services. Someone told me the other day "Can you believe 'Birds of Prey' came out THIS YEAR?!" and I actually had to go look that up to confirm, because this year has been so insane.</p><p>I keep going back to how crazy this year has been... in March, enough people had gotten this virus that basically the country shut down. Movie theaters closed. Many restaurants closed, and the ones that did stay open only did drive thru or curbside. Wal-Mart decided it was going to close at 6pm instead of being open 24/7, grocery stores closed at 5 or 6, churches closed doors and went online, and when you came home for Spring Break, you didn't go back, as schools went virtual.</p><p>And it was really, really tough. On our entire family. Your Mom started working from home, and we still had to get you up to try to do things online with your class -- and of course, you weren't really into that, so that was a struggle. Truthfully, I feel guilty sometimes because I feel like me not pushing you more may have set you back further, but I promise, we did what we could. </p><p>This summer, we did our best to stay busy... we started riding bikes together, and honestly, that was a proud moment as a Dad for you. Yes, the training wheels are still on, but we'll get there. We hit Splash Adventure four or five times this summer, including once when you sat up on the 75 foot tall slide and nearly gave me a heart attack. </p><p>You spent a little time with your friend Hillary, kinda your BFF, and watching your face the day Jack & Lily stopped by this summer was so amazing. I hope your first instinct is always to give a handshake or a hug when you see your friends. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCr_0TAvamBZLlt1SGTOeqRarXVmy9dRbbBDOc_PJNSLgVx8NabwyH1XkUQ9X6TkoAd3pXwH6bl7nQHlcRTDjNJl57X5go06H0spFJhyphenhyphen43G8e1OL5aFlzhEk6ktAzYm0c-ng1X6Q/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCr_0TAvamBZLlt1SGTOeqRarXVmy9dRbbBDOc_PJNSLgVx8NabwyH1XkUQ9X6TkoAd3pXwH6bl7nQHlcRTDjNJl57X5go06H0spFJhyphenhyphen43G8e1OL5aFlzhEk6ktAzYm0c-ng1X6Q/w358-h268/Campbell+bday+post+2.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2020 was the year you went all in on trains. <br />Obsessed with Thomas, and in your Mom's<br />absence, we went on train hunts.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>It's been fun to watch you at Next Levl too... I've watched you conquer those trampolines one by one, climbing up, falling backwards, failing to get back up to the ledge, whining, then trying it again. You persevere, Campbell -- its one of your attributes. </p><p>You did get to go some this summer to a shortened summer school schedule, and you finally got to go back in September, albeit a crazy schedule. </p><p>The Disney trip we had planned for March, the one where you saw the doctor in Florida was pushed back to May... then June... then September... then late September... but we got to go!!!</p><p>And you had your first waffles and pancakes (and syrup, which you dipped everything in, from your bread to your meat). And your first ham sandwich. And your first hamburger. </p><p>And I'm proud to say, your first Blue Milk from Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. And you loved it. </p><p>Of course, you went all in on trains, including Thomas the Tank Engine -- our living room floor looks like a flippin stockyard. And all in on YouTube... by the way, you are obsessed, and probably need an intervention. </p><p>Then... November came. </p><p>And Campbell, this is where I have to brag on you and tell you how proud I am of you. Every year when I do these online letters to you, hoping that one day you will read and absorb, I try to teach you a little something. Last year, <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2019/12/to-campbell-on-your-8th-birthday.html">we talked a little about kindness</a>. The year before, <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2018/11/to-campbell-on-your-7th-birthday.html">it was about Truth</a>. And before that, <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2017/12/to-campbell-on-your-6th-birthday.html">it was Respect</a>. </p><p>This year? Adaptability. And you showed all of us how good you are at it. </p><p>I went away early in November for a few days, and Aunt Becky came to stay with us. And she was already not feeling great. Mommy had to take her home, to Aunt Becky's house, while you and I stayed here together... and no, you weren't happy that first night, but when we called to talk to Mommy and Aunt Becky, she (Becky) asked you "How much does Aunt Becky Love you??". You replied "SOOOO MUCH" -- that was your thing with her, remember? I don't know if you know, but that would be the last thing you'd say to her. And honestly, that's a good one to go out on.</p><p>Aunt Becky went to the hospital and didn't get better, then Mommy got sick with -- you guessed it, coronavirus. And when Aunt Becky went to be with Jesus, Mommy and I fretted over how to tell you. </p><p>On a Sunday afternoon, I finally just gave it to you -- Aunt Becky passed away and wouldn't be coming to see us anymore. You looked at me, then put on your shoes and were ready to go. </p><p>Do you remember that day? I think you processed, and did so for much of the day. </p><p>Your mom was gone for over two weeks... and you handled it like a champ. You didn't meltdown (much) you didn't freak out (much) and you didn't cry and scream because routine was so insane and upside down. You handled it. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbZBeVrT67Dd4qtR2u0xYdQms-IHok-qwhKjLsjjiMzsNmHDeZwKmgo1cfEBbr_WgzPfZf1lybz7II7bSn5L83fpNl0b33fvs2rM6FxORT7NesjCiwbaP2S0bXXZ9jRw5FA2e1Q/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="2048" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbZBeVrT67Dd4qtR2u0xYdQms-IHok-qwhKjLsjjiMzsNmHDeZwKmgo1cfEBbr_WgzPfZf1lybz7II7bSn5L83fpNl0b33fvs2rM6FxORT7NesjCiwbaP2S0bXXZ9jRw5FA2e1Q/w398-h295/Campbell+Me+Splash+2.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my fave pics of us, after getting soaked on<br />Splash Mountain, me losing my hat, and you having<br />just come down from a meltdown of epicness. <br />Just the two of us. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>And I cannot tell you how proud I am of you for that. Had you had freak out moments, had you melted down every day, I'm not sure I could have handled it. <div><br /></div><div>But God took care of you, and me, and of course Mommy, who came back to us after 16 days, healthy and maybe a little tired.<p></p><p>Campbell, you adapted. You rolled with it, and kept on. And that is a huge trait to have. </p><p>I know this letter is so much different from year's past, when I just gave you a recap and told you your accomplishments, but this year has been different, so it works somehow.</p><p>Welcome to 9 years old, my dear son. We love you more than you'll ever know... and still can't compare with the love that Jesus has for you. This year we began our nightly prayers together, and we'll keep praying for our family, for our friends, for our church and our pastor, for our country and our President, and that one day you'll find Jesus in your heart. Honestly, I've thought for a while now that you have your own conversations with God internally. He knows how to talk to you in ways we can't. Hopefully, you can tell me on your own one day if I was right. </p><p>Finally, as I was driving the other day, I heard Will Smith's great remake of Bill Withers classic "Just the Two of Us"... from a father to a son, here are the lyrics I'll leave you with:<br /></p><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><span jsname="YS01Ge">Feel the strife, but trust life does go wrong</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">But just in case, i</span><span jsname="YS01Ge">t's my place t</span><span jsname="YS01Ge">o impart<br /></span></i></span></div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><span jsname="YS01Ge">One day some girl's gonna break your heart</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">And ooh ain't no pain like from the opposite sex</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Gonna hurt bad, but don't take it out on the next, son</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Throughout life people will make you mad</span></i></span></div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><span jsname="YS01Ge">Disrespect you and treat you bad</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Let God deal with the things they do</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">'Cause hate in your heart will consume you too</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Always tell the truth, say your prayers</span></i></span></div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><span jsname="YS01Ge">Hold doors, pull out chairs, easy on the swears</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">You're living proof that dreams do come true</span><br /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I love you and I'm here for you</span></i></span></div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 12px;">With love,</div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 12px;">Dad</div></div>d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-26432515628346817192020-05-08T14:21:00.001-05:002020-05-08T15:05:46.825-05:00thoughts on ahmaudAhmaud Arbery. <br />
<br />
I don't speak about a lot of social justice, because I personally think much of it is political and for show, and it drowns out the real cases that need to be seen. <br />
<br />
Full disclosure... I actually am a half minority -- Mexican dad, white mom, and grew up in a tiny south Alabama town who had a small, but not tiny, minority. And while my town wasn't racist, it was a byproduct of the south in the 80s, much like most other towns then... and unfortunately, with some places, now. But I spent five years in a larger town in college, a much more diverse town, and then the last 22 in the big city of Birmingham.<br />
<br />
Back to Ahmaud... this is something I had to work through. It's easy to say "didn't you see the video? what more do you need?" but give me a little grace on this, if you don't mind.<br />
<br />
I'm someone who tries to look at everything and figure out what happened -- I'm usually not quick to comment on an event like this until some time has gone by for me to figure out my thoughts. And I did this same with this... I mean, I've seen the video... or at least what I could find. There are uncut versions of it, but I didn't search too hard... what I saw was enough. <br />
<br />
So let's walk through this together. <br />
<br />
A guy who was jogging and was killed. <br />
<br />
This wouldn't be news in our country, because this stuff happens, right? <br />
<br />
Then you pull back a little. <br />
<br />
<div>
Oh. <br />
<br />
He was a black man jogging. And he was murdered by two good ol' boys in a pick up truck. This is news in our country, and yes, this stuff does happen.<br />
<br />
<i>(by the way, I use "rednecks" and "good ol boys" here very loosely, because I know both rednecks and good ol boys in my own life who are amazing people... its just a nickname I've given the three men in question. Don't read anything into it)</i><br />
<br />
Then you pull back a little further, as much as we can at this point to examine what we know. A video of a Ahmaud jogging through a predominately white neighborhood. Ahmaud comes across a parked truck, he cuts right around it, and someone (the son, apparently) gets out of the driver side, shotgun in hand, confronts him as Ahmaud comes around the truck. <br />
<br />
We see this video because a third man is filming on his cell phone from a car that was seemingly following Ahmaud. The video is a little shaky, and it catches both the son and Ahmaud in a struggle, shotgun between them. We hear several gunshots, and the video that I've seen cuts off before he is shot. Again, there is an uncut version out there that shows him being shot and falling to the ground, but I didn't see it and don't care too.<br />
<br />
Despite this looking as cut and dry as possible, there are some lingering questions that need answering... <br />
<br />
<i>First, didn't these guys think he was a suspect in a recent string of break-ins? </i><br />
Okay, let's go with that. So instead of running away fast, hiding, Ahmaud is jogging -- not running -- jogging in broad daylight. Plus, even if he had been spotted climbing out of a window and was running with a handful of diamonds in his hand, that's a call to the cops to say "Hey, we think this guy is a suspect, come get him".<br />
<br />
<i>Wasn't one of those dudes law enforcement? </i><br />
I heard it was former, but let's go with this too. Consider this - in our society, if you don't understand what a black man thinks when two rednecks in a pick up truck pull up and ask you to stop, you aren't paying attention.<br />
<br />
I'm guessing they didn't say "Hey man, did you see The Last Dance?" or "Hey, can you tell me how to get the Super Walmarts?", rather I'm pretty sure they were yelling. From the video, I am presuming they were yelling at him as he approached. What do you do? You let him run right by you and then make a phone call -- "Hey, I used to work for you guys, I think we have a suspect, come get him." Right or wrong, racist or not, Ahmaud lives, and you are a douchebag racist for calling the cops on a black man because he looks guilty. <br />
<br />
<i>But wasn't it self defense? </i><br />
If there was one guy, you might have a chance at that. We only see Ahmaud jogging, the truck stopped and the son fighting him over the shotgun. They shot him twice. If you want to subdue him, there are THREE country boys there - two in the truck, one filming -- to do so.<br />
<br />
Yet, only the son went after him. And again, of course Ahmaud is going to fight back.<br />
<br />
THE AGGRESSOR HAS A SHOTGUN YOU EFFIN IDIOT.<br />
<br />
I'm no videologist, but my guy is wearing running shorts and a t-shirt and it's very, very obvious he's unarmed. If you argue he may have had a knife, remember there are THREE people to subdue him... or THREE people with phones to call authorities. <br />
<br />
But no phone calls were made. They shot him twice. <br />
<br />
Once, you can maybe MAYBE pass off as an accident... you back up, call the police immediately, and then give your story. <br />
<br />
Far fetched, but maybe. <br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Twice, though... that's murder. <br />
<br />
I'm even willing to believe they didn't initially intend to kill him -- but I am convinced they wanted to hurt him, maybe hurt him bad. And when they shot him once, they shoot him twice to make sure he doesn't talk. You can say I've seen too many episodes of Law & Order, but you can't keep him from talking unless you keep him from talking. <br />
<br />
<i>Aren't they innocent until proven guilty?</i></div>
<div>
Yes they are. We see what the video shows us, it's what happened before and after that we don't see that is the question. But the fact is, these men shot and killed someone jogging through his own neighborhood because he looked like a suspect, so it's not whether they did it, it's the "why they did it" that will remain the question.<br />
<br />
They had options. They had ways to subdue him if they felt like they should have, and then we are having a different conversation, one about assaulting a likely innocent black man and we get the fallout from that instead. And Ahmaud lives.<br />
<br />
<i>But you don't know what happened, what he may have done before you see this video?</i><br />
This is true. We don't know. One side will portray Ahmaud as a choir boy angel, the other side will portray him as a gangbanger murdering drug addled criminal. Usually, I'd tell you the truth lies somewhere in between, but screw that. Not here. Not in this case. No "what you don't see" could truly justify lying in wait for someone to attack and then kill them.<br />
<br />
It doesn't matter what he did, what his life was like, how he treated our rednecks in question. What mattered is if they truly wanted to capture him because they thought he committed a crime, there are 100 ways to do it where Ahmaud doesn't even get hurt. This was a murder.<br />
<br />
For the record, I think Ahmaud was a regular dude with a regular life, a guy that most of us would probably hang out with...<br />
<br />
This was a murder. A flat out killing. Would assassination be too strong a term?<br />
<br />
Personally, I think they intended to get him, to hurt him. I think they waited for him, confronted him, and when just hurting Ahmaud wasn't enough, they murdered him. And it's abhorrent. It's disgusting. <br />
<br />
We can also talk all day long about why this happened in February, and why the men were just now arrested here in May, and to that, I have no answers, mostly because I don't know those facts. I can give my thoughts on that later, when more of that part of the story comes out.<br />
<br />
But right here, right now, these men murdered Ahmaud Arbery. Maybe they did it because Ahmaud was black, or maybe they did it because he just happened to be the guy they didn't like -- I lean towards the former - but make no mistake, these guys murdered him in cold blood. And its revolting. And disgusting. And this is a case that justice needs to be done with due process according to our laws -- and these men must be punished.<br />
<br />
I've spent my life supporting the death penalty and over the last few years, have changed my thinking on it not because I don't support capital punishment but because I feel like we get it wrong too many times. But I don't think this would be getting it wrong. Sometimes the video doesn't tell the whole story. This video shows enough. The questions I've asked have no answers other than it was a premeditated crime.<br />
<br />
I'm proud to see nearly everyone I know rise up for this. I surf Twitter and FB on the regular, and haven't seen one single instance of anyone supporting the rednecks in question <i>(aside from a Facebook group that exists called Justice for The Rednecks -- they don't get the right of me mentioning any of their names) ...</i> rather friends both liberal and conservative and in between all are behind this.<br />
<br />
And let's be real here, whether you agree with this or not, or whether this statement makes you angry or not, the truth is that every death of a minority at the hands of law enforcement doesn't mean it's racially motivated, and in the case of law enforcement, doesn't mean it's unjustified... but anyone who agrees with that statement must also agree that sometimes it IS racially motivated and it IS unjustified.<br />
<br />
<div>
<i>By the way, this isn't an invite to send me a list of names that you think were innocent until they were murdered by authorities. I can write thoughts on those stories on another day. </i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
It saddens me that something like this either is, or will be, turned into a political statement by those who have the power to make changes, because sometimes it is a clear case of bad men doing bad things to an innocent man.<br />
<br />
We as a culture, must be smart enough to recognize when the uproar is necessary.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
In the case of Ahmaud Arbery, it's totally necessary. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He deserves justice. And I think he's going to get it. </div>
d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-45483173471632234832019-12-01T23:59:00.002-06:002019-12-02T00:05:00.219-06:00to campbell, on your 8th birthdayDear Campbell,<br />
<br />
<i>This is your annual letter - its meandering, because I have so much to tell you, so much to remind you of, to say, so just bear with me as I try to recap your accomplishments and struggles, and the year as a whole... </i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0qsdthuRSqlh0b2voQRLMe1QJiRTBTqzwiDPbm-OXmyuoMzW__kb8H_ecacapCGCut43_fwm6OvkpxLwQqy2S2hTM6s_Vu77ujekO2lf259GO0Yb4boLmZnmsa7gn9ClYV7EmQ/s1600/Campbell+cupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0qsdthuRSqlh0b2voQRLMe1QJiRTBTqzwiDPbm-OXmyuoMzW__kb8H_ecacapCGCut43_fwm6OvkpxLwQqy2S2hTM6s_Vu77ujekO2lf259GO0Yb4boLmZnmsa7gn9ClYV7EmQ/s400/Campbell+cupcake.jpg" width="400" /></a>I'm not sure what happened this year... I'm not sure when you turned the corner or at what point -- maybe minute, second, week, day, hour -- you suddenly became a premonition of who you are going to become. All this week, I've looked at your mom and whispered, "Can you believe we are about to have an 8 year old?" and she just shakes her head. Because I think Year 7 has been the biggest year yet for you.<br />
<br />
Let's recap a little, okay?<br />
<br />
My favorite book so far this year was a book about 9/11, but your favorite is a four way tie between <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Me-My-Dad-Alison-Ritchie/dp/1589255763/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19AZNUBHLR82Z&keywords=me+and+my+dad+book&qid=1575265750&s=books&sprefix=me+and+my+dad%2Cstripbooks%2C151&sr=1-1">"Me and My Dad"</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Construction-Sherri-Duskey-Rinker/dp/133829055X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">"Mighty Mighty Construction Site"</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Construction-Sherri-Duskey-Rinker-ebook/dp/B00FHCJ6MO/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GLCOWEUS0U2E&keywords=goodnight+goodnight+construction+site&qid=1575265637&sprefix=goodnight+goo%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-1">"Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site"</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Were-Going-Classic-Board-Books/dp/0689815816/ref=sr_1_1?crid=117I60OX16N8U&keywords=going+on+a+bear+hunt&qid=1575265705&s=books&sprefix=going+on+a+b%2Cstripbooks%2C160&sr=1-1">"Going on a Bear Hunt"</a>. A four way tie because I've read all four of those books to you just about every single night since probably early spring, when you edged Jack B Ninja out of the rotation. My book goal for the year is 50, and I'm only on 34, so I probably won't get there, but I plan on counting those four, if only because I've read them so much, I know them by heart. Can't tell you how many times I've literally recited "Bear Hunt" front to back to you in Wal-Mart.<br />
<br />
"Avengers: Endgame" ended the 10 year long Marvel storyline at the movies, and I'm excited for you to get into these in the coming years. I also loved "Knives Out" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", though I don't expect you to see either of those for a while. On that last one, a long while.<br />
<br />
Can't tell you a lot about TV, honestly -- there are over 500 TV shows on the air this year, and I watch hardly any of them... though Disney+ dropped in November, and boy have we been feasting on "The Mandalorian" and "The Imagineering Story" and the quirky Jeff Goldblum show. And you've enjoyed a movie or two here and there...<br />
<br />
President Trump is still there, and as I said last year, politics remains a nasty business. But Trump did sign a pretty great autism bill this year that will hopefully help you for years to come <i>(having said that, I don't know all the specifics, but it seems solid). </i> My contention has always been that I want you to make up your mind on what you believe, but know why you believe it, not just taking an opinion off of a news network or social media platform as gospel. Otherwise, let's talk about this when you are older.<br />
<br />
So many friends this year. Seriously... sometimes I want to tell myself, "The teachers are just trying to encourage you by saying he has lots of friends", but no -- I've seen it in action this year and last. The kids around you love you at school... maybe its because your hugs are indiscriminate, maybe its because your affection is unconditional, or maybe its because you like to smile and giggle and laugh all the time. Either way, I hope it never stops.<br />
<br />
We got to go to birthday parties at soccer parks and trampoline parks and gymnastic parks and more, and of course, a class field trip to McWane Center, where you were all over that "Itty Bitty City" display and that play firetruck set up. And one of your buddies, Jack, was all over you -- it was so great to see it.<br />
<br />
Our trip to Disney World in March was fantastic... the awesome Cast Member gave us a short wait time for your new favorite ride, Slinky Dog Dash <i>(dude... you LOVED that attraction...)</i> but man, that head banging thing was terrible. We were worried about you for weeks and weeks, watching you just suddenly bang your head on everything. We hope and pray that is a phase that never, ever comes back.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ8VwUs89iN9lKuPp4fVjt65NUBzJXa8_nqUwOEShXWdsMb9yh-RStasonBiiQHJzpBlMfUlipEQlxH4XDBHceVBRdifF_rBTiLrFHyb0qs21FLIzbrf51OS_26eQPRF___mRjA/s1600/campbell+horseback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ8VwUs89iN9lKuPp4fVjt65NUBzJXa8_nqUwOEShXWdsMb9yh-RStasonBiiQHJzpBlMfUlipEQlxH4XDBHceVBRdifF_rBTiLrFHyb0qs21FLIzbrf51OS_26eQPRF___mRjA/s400/campbell+horseback.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your first horseback ride was last December, right after<br />
you turned 7, but you loved it so much you did it<br />
here too. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Your year also included more swimming lessons with <a href="https://www.swimlikefish.com/about-us">Ms Keri</a>, and some over the summer with Ms Beca, horseback riding with Ady's Army events, lots of playground and park times, and even riding in a race car around a racetrack. You saw your first movie in theaters -- "Toy Story 4" -- and by "saw" , I mean "you ran around until Mommy and GG finally had to take you out because you were running crazy. You did, however, get to see your first symphony concert, and we gave you a little room to move... and you lasted the entire 30 minutes. GO YOU.<br />
<br />
And wow did your musical side come out this year -- you're already playing piano, and <a href="https://www.themusicroomleeds.com/">your teacher Ms Alaina</a> is sure that you can tell tone. Plus, as much as you love to sing, who knows what you can do with that!<br />
<br />
Remember how I've told you before that you got into movies like "Rio" or "Cars 2"? Well this year, it was Toy Story movies. I think I've seen Toy Story 2 about 388 times this year... and you know what, that's okay too. And let's be clear... you liked the commercials off of the DVR recorded movies just as much as the movie itself. Hence your fascination with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeF134YMoS0">Fiji Water</a> and Liberty Mutual <i>(Ibah-tee Ibah-tee IBBAAAHTEEE)</i> and Farmer's<i> (We Ah Fahmah Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba)</i> and so on.<br />
<br />
Your talking has gone through the roof. I don't know how many words you have, but I daresay in the hundreds, maybe thousands by now. You can site read like a beast -- at the end of the year "awards", your teacher Bette Davis Eyes gave you one, saying, "This boy reads every word he sees, so the Best Sight Reading Award goes to... CAMPBELL!" And your classmates cheered as you wandered up front, got your certificate that your mom and I gooed over while you were just Meh, and came back and finished your ice cream I got you.<br />
<br />
You're reading is incredible. You read words I didn't know you'd even know... that's my fault, I should always assume that you know what is up, but forgive me for not giving you the benefit of the doubt sometimes. Of course, we still can't make you fully grasp the concept of "If you eat breakfast, we can leave. But you can't leave until you eat. This then that." but we'll get there, I'm sure.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq55Ts7hoG6IJj1W0tFB7Q5quz9GoQVZWQ3XApjDMFkYnUqcnmcxztYMDsHJHrqswXcG4Sozjc1MxLQ9O08Qgd1jTIpZU17T7POy-1FbRjiXWPKa_0WujBChm-BUskypU0j9cJow/s1600/campbell+MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="960" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq55Ts7hoG6IJj1W0tFB7Q5quz9GoQVZWQ3XApjDMFkYnUqcnmcxztYMDsHJHrqswXcG4Sozjc1MxLQ9O08Qgd1jTIpZU17T7POy-1FbRjiXWPKa_0WujBChm-BUskypU0j9cJow/s400/campbell+MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mitchell's Place will always be a part of our family, as it truly<br />
changed your life, our lives, and the trajectory of our family. And Jordyn<br />
and Audrey (and Piper too!) were a part of that.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You finally ended your tenure at Mitchell's Place, and it was difficult. We loved Jordyn and Audrey, they were amazing with you, and I know you loved them -- and all your MP gals, like Whitton and Glenda and Emily and Emil-I-E and Emma Leigh and I'm not making those up, there were that many Emilies. You still ask to go there from time to time... maybe one day we can visit. Or you can -- if you are old enough to read this, you might even be driving by now!<br />
<br />
<br />
Myself and your mom had to make some tough decisions about you this year too. We had two therapies in front of us, one recommended, one fairly new but had seemed successful with those around you... so after weeks of praying about it, seeking wisdom and counsel, we went with the new therapy. And kid, you are rocking it.<br />
<br />
I've been there when you are answering open ended questions, giving answers that proved you were listening, even though you were running around the room Mach 3 with your hair on fire. Several of the therapists have had the same conclusion -- you are brilliant. You are more perceptive and smarter than any of us know or give you credit for, we just have to figure a way to bring that out. I'm confident we will. It's your world, Campbell, we just get to live here.<br />
<br />
You left your beloved Mrs Carnes <i>(aka Bette Davis Eyes) </i>last year in kindergarten and moved to 1st grade, with Mrs Coston, who you also love. You got some new classmates, but some from last year were still in your class. I know you love you some Lilly, as it's been awesome to watch you two play together at Next Levl park or when we all went to the pumpkin patch -- she even asked to sit with you on the way back, and just last week, she all but ditched the friends she was with to run with you at Next Levl.<br />
<br />
And your new friend Hillary is quite awesome too -- she loves your attention, and she loves giving you the same, and it's no wonder you guys are fast friends. I hope this keeps up as you get older, and both Lilly and Hillary, and several others, will know that they are a part of your story as you grew.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTmxO2NFYeOY7ieqjdWAmZYHwgEM3HBbNrL16lF7i-22bUotZBtUwtsCpkG_twP2ZIsZgVguX1m1yWGvR0Ru7RidiKMpw7FlU81vWdZg9N2sJxaEOJpitdEw4fHBJcoOs2A-jnA/s1600/campbell+hillary+reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTmxO2NFYeOY7ieqjdWAmZYHwgEM3HBbNrL16lF7i-22bUotZBtUwtsCpkG_twP2ZIsZgVguX1m1yWGvR0Ru7RidiKMpw7FlU81vWdZg9N2sJxaEOJpitdEw4fHBJcoOs2A-jnA/s400/campbell+hillary+reading.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching Hillary read to you was pretty amazing,<br />
and it might have been a little dusty on that<br />
porch that afternoon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Your anthem this year has to be "In the Light" by DC Talk. See, you used to go to kid's choir, until you finally just grew tired of it -- but we got a CD to play in the car, which you just lapped up in every ride. But I decided to add a little more fun stuff to it, notably the "Sister Act 2" version of "Joyful Joyful" and "In the Light"... took you a little while, but you got into it... and now you sing "In the Light" all day.<br />
<br />
We know that God's word does not come back void, so singing a song about a desire to forgo ourselves and be immersed in the goodness of Christ is surely not being sung in vain. Even when you get upset and then ask me to sing "IN DA WITE SING IN DA WITE" because it comforts you...<br />
<br />
No kid, you don't get that when you've disobeyed.<br />
<br />
Same with your mom and "HOUSA FUN SING HOUSA FUN" <i>(which is a song called "Get a Little Crazy", where he takes the line "all in this together and we're having fun" and turns it into "Housa fun".)</i><br />
<br />
Okay, let's wrap this up... in the last few letters, I started introducing some things I wanted you to know about, including "respect" and "truth". I want to tell you about "kindness" today. I've watched people treat you with such pure and loyal kindness this year, I want you to understand it and not take it for granted.<br />
<br />
Kindness is treating someone with respect, no matter who they are and where they are, and perhaps treat them with understanding, care, and love. Perhaps going above and beyond for someone in a way they wouldn't expect. Like saying hello to the kid by himself on the bench, or even playing with him. By not joining in when other kids make fun of someone, or even sticking up for that person. By helping out someone who needs a hand, even if it inconveniences you.<br />
<br />
Being kind is the right thing to do. Truth isn't always kind, but telling the truth sometimes in the kindest thing you can do for someone. But don't let someone take advantage of your kindness -- if someone decides to abuse your kindness, then don't turn around and treat them with malice or anger. Just step back. You should default to being kind to people, but hold strong to your convictions.<br />
<br />
We love you very much. Remember that Jesus loves you more than we ever could, though, and that he truly died for you and gave to you a gift that we could never match, and we always pray for you that one day you'll understand the gift of salvation.<br />
<br />
Be respectful. Tell the truth. Be kind. If you can do those things... continue to do those things... you'll be farther ahead than many people will get.<br />
<br />
Eight looks awesome on you, Campbell Isaiah.<br />
<br />
With love muchly,<br />
Your Dad<br />
<br />
Previous letters...<br />
<a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2018/11/to-campbell-on-your-7th-birthday.html">To Campbell, on your 7th Birthday</a><br />
<a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2017/12/to-campbell-on-your-6th-birthday.html">To Campbell, on your 6th Birthday</a><br />
<a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2016/11/to-campbell-on-your-5th-birthday.html">To Campbell, on your 5th Birthday</a><br />
<a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2015/12/to-campbell-on-your-4th-birthday.html">To Campbell on your 4th Birthday</a><br />
<a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2014/11/to-campbell-on-your-3rd-birthday.html">To Campbell, on your 3rd Birthday</a><br />
<a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2013/12/to-campbell-on-your-2nd-birthday.html">To Campbell, on your 2nd Birthday</a><br />
<a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2012/12/to-campbell-on-his-first-birthday-post.html">To Campbell, on your 1st Birthday</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-42804329029019525982019-11-06T01:36:00.002-06:002019-11-06T01:42:52.530-06:00the truth about free <i>As I get back into the swing of this writing thing, celebrating my own NaNoWriMo with what I like to call "NaBloWriMo", I've started working my way through my favorite playlist on iTunes, one I call "The Best Soy Latte That You've Ever Had and Me"... a collection of singer/songwriter tunes that I enjoy very much. And I'll list them as I write...</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"One Hundred Years" by Five for Fighting</i><br />
<br />
As someone who runs a small business, working solely on commission, I have to make every dollar count. So everything I do business wise results in one of two things -- either helping someone for free, or putting money in my budget. Either using the skills and experiences to give someone some free advice, or make some money to help put food on our table <i>(or in Campbell's case, buy those expensive snacks he eats)</i><br />
<br />
Thus begets the dilemma that nearly anyone who runs a small business runs into... how much to give for free before you charge? And this isn't just an issue with at-home travel planners... its editors, photographers, website designers, life coaches, and anyone else who has a learned profession that can be shared with others.<br />
<br />
<i>"Jimmy Olsen's Blues" by The Spin Doctors</i><br />
<br />
When someone comes to me and asks, "Hey, can you tell me the best time to go to Disney?", or "What is your favorite character meal?", I personally think its selfish and greedy to turn up my nose and say, "Nope, only if you pay me for that info." Those are easy answers, even if a bit long. At least the former is longer, as I have about 7 travel windows I always say... late January, early February, between Spring Break and Easter, between Easter and Memorial Day, late August, most of September, mid-November, early December... then again, do you want good weather? Low crowds? Lower prices? Holiday decor? Never a short answer.<br />
<br />
The other is quite simply "Bon Voyage Breakfast" at Boardwalk.<br />
<br />
Those are the same level of basic questions I may ask -- and have asked -- of a photographer (what is your favorite camera?) or a web designer (is there a ___ function on WordPress?) or an editor (do you put a comma if you are using an ampersand?).<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"How Do You Mend a Broken Heart" by Rev Al Green</i><br />
<br />
But then there are those -- and I never assume nefarious or shenaniganny reasons but rather they just don't know -- who will ask me flat out "Hey, can you give me a list of Fastpasses to get on which days?"<br />
<br />
"Sure. Have you booked your trip?"<br />
<br />
"Yep, we have a place to stay and already have our dining and tickets. We just need to know what Fastpasses to get"<br />
<br />
<i>(that happens more often than you'd think)</i><br />
<br />
Or maybe "Can you tell me about Character meals?"<br />
<br />
"Sure. Like what?"<br />
<br />
"Oh, like do you have a list of all the character meals? Which ones are hardest to get? Which ones would my kids like?"<br />
<br />
<i>(also happens)</i><br />
<br />
And how do you find a way, without sounding rude, to say "I'm sorry, that information comes from experience and training that I have to reserve for those who have chosen to book their travel with me, and thus will me making me money even though they won't be paying on extra cent on their trip"?<br />
<br />
I guess the answer is simply "That's the kind of info I get paid to help people with", but that does sound a little snotty, doesn't it.<br />
<br />
<i>"Something's Always Wrong" by Toad the Wet Sprocket, a little apropos of this post... </i><br />
<br />
I do just assume that most people don't know. I had one fella contact me with questions about his trip upcoming, and when I finally had to say that I couldn't really go on anymore without some sort of client agreement, he stopped talking to me... only to then contact me a week later to tell me that he had no idea this was a full time career -- he thought it was a side dish, something I just did for fun. He apologized profusely, I accepted happily, and we worked together -- sending his family was delightful.<br />
<br />
Keep in mind that when you deal with Disney travel, especially to the theme parks, if you are on property, Disney will compensate the travel agent<i> (or my agency, Upon a Star Travel and Concierge)</i> and I get paid out of that... if you do it all on your own Disney doesn't cut that amount off of the price, they just keep it, so you pay the same amount regardless.<br />
<br />
What does that mean exactly? Well, that means that you don't pay me anything for all of my help. I'm your virtual Disney assistant at no cost above what you are paying for your trip.<br />
<br />
But... what if you are off property?<br />
<br />
<i>"There's a Light In Your Eyes" by Blessid Union of Souls</i><br />
<br />
So if you stay off property and you ask for help, either I have to charge a planning fee, or I work for free. And you might be tempted to say "Oh come on, you are answering questions about Space Mountain and eating at the castle, what on earth do you have anything to charge for?", and to that I'd say that you'd be the person that would need my help the most if you were going.<br />
<br />
<i>"Possession" by Sarah McLachlin, my 4th favorite song of all time. </i><br />
<br />
Why do I charge $150 to help a family with a trip? Because I've been dozens of times. Because I've spent on property what I estimate to be around 200 nights, and at least one night in every resort save for Old Key West, Contemporary, and Beach Club. Because I've planned in what I'm estimating to be around 450 vacations for families by now. Because I read constantly, study before I do a Disney podcast, because I'm more prepared for your trip than you might ever be. That's why.<br />
<br />
<i>"Sunrise" by Simply Red</i><br />
<br />
But its the same for an editor... why does an editor charge thousands? Because they've had thousands of hours pouring over page after page, trying to make you sound smart.<br />
<br />
Why can a cake maker charge hundreds for a cake? Because they've made hundreds of cakes, spending hours and hours on each one trying to make that Paw Patrol Puppy they made out of fondant pop, making you seem like a super parent.<br />
<br />
How can a web designer justify charging $500 for a webpage? Have you ever tried to build a webpage? Not a custom page like Square Space or Wix, but a page that you design and build and host and own? It's freaking hard. Its really, really hard.<br />
<br />
Or the photographer, who has photographed 100s of weddings and has $10,000 worth of equipment... or the financial coach, who has helped hundreds of people pay off millions in debt...<br />
<br />
<i>"Wide Awake" by Katy Perry</i><br />
<br />
You can absolutely hire that guy from Facebook for $100 to take some pics for you... after all, he bought a $400 camera, so he's a professional, right?<br />
<br />
Just like you can get Sparky the Wonder Agent who went to Disney World in 2015 to help you with your trip, or you can ask the Facebook Moms for help... I've been on those threads, and trust me, Sparky and Facebook Moms are two sources you need to be careful of, because "I went in 2015 and I know all about it!" shouldn't be reassuring to you when planning your magical days.<br />
<br />
Oh, this sounds so bitter, doesn't it? I promise you, it's not. It's really not meant to be bitter... and I can tell you why -- because when I first started, I would do anything I could to get business. I did stuff for free, I gave out information sheets that I had written for free, I handed out stuff to people for very little because I want them to like me, to work with me, and to refer people to me.<br />
<br />
In fact, I had one family ask me a ton of questions once, all of which I happily answered. And I was pumped, thinking of the commission I'd get from this trip... once they booked. Turns out, they booked on their own, using all of the intel I gave them. I was very unhappy with them -- friends that they may be -- though I got over it. The Lovely Steph Leann? She doesn't hold many grudges, but five years later, I'm still not sure she cares for them very much.<br />
<br />
They've never booked a trip with me, though they've been a few more times. They came back to me and asked more questions before going on their next trip... I answered pretty vaguely, which is what I do now, when I don't think I can trust where the conversation is headed.<br />
<br />
<i>"Creep" by Jena Irene (the American Idol performance, and by far my fave version of this song)</i><br />
<br />
I'm not a selfish monster, however. I have helped people for free. Consulted with some people, giving information and experience to them for no cost, based on their situation. I think most people with a service has done so in their life. But I am at the point where I can pick and choose now, which is a great place to be.<br />
<br />
<i>"King of Pain" by Alanis Morissette (MTV's Unplugged version... magnificent) </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
So now you know how it works. How I work.<br />
<br />
Don't be afraid to ask questions, because I'm usually very happy to help if I can... but don't be offended if I tell you that I can't give you all of that which you seek... you can spend the time on The Googles looking up the answers, or trying to navigate Disney's massive and many times overwhelming website... or you can just let me do it.<br />
<br />
But probably not for free... because all these years later, I don't have to do it for free.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-38145865121024768902019-11-02T02:13:00.000-05:002019-11-02T02:13:04.221-05:00NaBloWriMo<i>My favorite playlist on my iPod is one called "The Best Soy Latte That You've Ever Had... And Me". As I type, I'll list the songs that play. I won't get through many, not tonight, but it's a start.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Collide" - Howie Day</i><br />
<br />
Hey.<br />
<br />
I miss you.<br />
<br />
I do. I really do. I miss typing on this keyboard and making some sort of story happen, some sort of thought spell out in a way that perhaps I didn't know it would when I started the paragraph, or even the sentence.<br />
<br />
I used to be a writer, a long time ago... stop me if you've heard this before, and you did <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-story-of-my-write-1000th-cloud.html">if you've read my post number 1000</a> , or even my sporadic "Imma blog again!" posts that declare that... well, Imma blog again.<br />
<br />
Life is so busy. I have three podcasts... did you know that? Three. <a href="http://thedeucecast.com/">The Deucecast Movie Show</a>, which is a show about movies... <a href="http://broadwaydave.blogspot.com/p/my-kids-got-autism.html">My Kid's Got the Autism</a>, which is a podcast about the fact I'm a dad who has no clue what I'm doing... and <a href="http://magiconadollar.com/">Magic on a Dollar</a>, which is my Disney podcast. Am I good at podcasting? No idea. I've been told I'm a good speaker, I guess given the topic I can be, and I've been told I'm a pretty good storyteller, which is one of my favorite compliments I can receive.<br />
<br />
But I know I can write. I've been doing it a long time. Not saying I'm the best, I'm not saying my words on a blank screen will fill your heart with joy and your life with purpose, but I've been known to cut a page or two in my day.<br />
<br />
<i>"Clarity" - John Mayer</i><br />
<br />
November is known to authors as a time to write a novel... National Novel Writing Month - or NaNoWriMo for short, pronounced Nay No Rye Mo. Like Settlers of Catan, it's fun to say, hard to accomplish. Basically, you take November and you write a novel. Work out your word count per day and see what you come up with, and put that novel on paper.<br />
<br />
I've got a novel in me somewhere. And a movie book. And even a book about being an Autism dad. Somewhere. I'm 44, so I'm pretty much cresting that hill where time will start going faster and faster and I'll be done sooner than later -- that's morbid, and I'm not predicting my untimely death at 47 or something... I'd like to think I can hit 80. But if I do, that means I've got less than half of my life left -- if I'm still at the halfway point, I'll be 88 when I see Jesus up yonder way.<br />
<br />
All that is to say, if I'm going to do it, I should. I think I could make people smile. Maybe.<br />
<br />
My laptop is littered with pieces of a book... about a guy who moves to Nova Scotia... about a guy named Peter who is getting married, and thinks about the points of his life that got him to where he currently stands... about a group of friends who converge on a college weekend...<br />
<br />
<i>"You & I (both)" - Jason Mraz</i><br />
<br />
...and they get caught up in something very bad.... and of course, the list of my 500 favorite films.<br />
<br />
Those books are in there.<br />
<br />
But the decision I have to make is... do I continue pursuing the auditory aspect, with the podcasts, or do I finally embrace the written word and try to master what I'm already pretty good at <i>(I can say that, and can imagine someone like <a href="http://www.kbhoyle.com/">KB Hoyle</a> thinking "I've read your stuff... don't get too sure of yourself. You're not that good." She's amazing, by the way. And beautiful. And that's not me being fresh or anything, she truly is a beautiful person. And so freaking talented.)</i><br />
<br />
So thus, the first post of "NaBloWriMo", or National Blog Writing Month. A month I'm going to take and try to get my mojo back and see what happens.<br />
<br />
I'm not even going to promo this post on Facebook... I'll let it find it's own audience, if it does, and if it doesn't, that's okay too. I can write for others later, but I probably need to write for me for just a little bit.<br />
<br />
<i>"Love Song" - Sara Bareillis (my 2nd fave song ever)</i><br />
<br />
Okay. That's it. As Alanis says (and will say later in this playlist) "These R the thoughts that go through my head"<br />
<br />
Let me go link and format really quick.<br />
<br />
Hold please.<br />
<br />
<i>"Not the Only One" - Sam Smith</i><br />
<br />
Ok, that's it. It's likely super grammatically incorrect -- no one tell <a href="http://www.thepeacockquill.com/">The Peacock Quill, </a>who is my editing hero deserving of hero worship. Love her. Also a beautiful person. Also not fresh.<br />
<br />
Good night Westley. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.<br />
<br />d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-5465116037756428622019-07-27T01:05:00.003-05:002019-07-27T01:11:41.709-05:00once upon a blog... in hollywoodSo, I have now seen "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood", Quentin Tarantino's 9th movie. His movies are somewhat events nowadays for many movie fans, of which I am no different. I've seen everything he's done at the theater, save for Reservoir Dogs <i>(came out as an indie film, and I'm not even sure my podunk theaters in Enterprise, AL, even had this film)</i> and Jackie Brown <i>(More on this later).</i> Everything else I've bought a ticket for, and for the last few, have treated his movies like must-see events.<br />
<br />
The obvious question is, did I like the movie? And the answer is... I have no clue. I really don't know. I might wake up tomorrow or sometime in October and decide this movie is brilliant, or decide this movie is just plain awful, but I don't know what I think just yet.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqXb1wyDjEVV3pZlRVqHOkny-Q7SEPhFZ2FLmXyRfJsiLGcqa5C7y5Olml4KmLSHWMp4nHeTj1pj8fJNf9Z8CqmAT7kuD0TMstqIlryrNkUxP5grSrX5G2OnEMhB44hiGz92nYA/s1600/OUATIH+Leo+Brad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqXb1wyDjEVV3pZlRVqHOkny-Q7SEPhFZ2FLmXyRfJsiLGcqa5C7y5Olml4KmLSHWMp4nHeTj1pj8fJNf9Z8CqmAT7kuD0TMstqIlryrNkUxP5grSrX5G2OnEMhB44hiGz92nYA/s400/OUATIH+Leo+Brad.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No matter what you think about the film, you have to give it to these<br />
guys -- they are pretty fantastic in this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sometimes a movie does that to me and it's a negative... I think about it too much and I talk myself into not liking it.<br />
<br />
Other times, like "The Proposal", it sticks with me for a few days and I end up loving it... yes, that Proposal, with Sandy B and Ryan Reynolds. It currently sits at #151 on my Top 500 films ever.<br />
<br />
And that's not a typo. I love that movie.<br />
<br />
Really quick -- the movie focuses on Rick Dalton <i>(Dicaprio)</i>, an aging Hollywood actor who was mighty popular in the 50s, but now in 1969<i> (when the movie is set)</i>, finds his parts dwindling and his relevance even smaller. His best, and possibly only, friend is Cliff Booth <i>(Pitt)</i>, who is his stunt double, driver, fixer upper and jack of all trades, though he carries his own baggage. Margot Robbie is Sharon Tate... for you older folk, yes, <i>that </i>Sharon Tate... who is living the Hollywood life as the star of the silver screen. Several stories intertwine until the all weave together, as you would expect from Tarantino.<br />
<br />
Since I literally got home 40 minutes ago from the showing itself, I'll just not overthink it and do a little word vomit, giving you some random thoughts that I thought I was thinking while both watching the movie and after the film...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul><br />
<li>Okay. It's been an hour. Should something happen by now?</li>
<li>Leonardo DiCaprio is unbelievable here. Revenant, Schmevenant, this might be the best I've ever seen him on screen. Truth be told, Michael Fassbender's performance in "Steve Jobs" should have won the Best Actor Oscar over Leo's win in 2015. but Leo should have won Best Actor for "The Departed" in 2006 <i>(and Mark Wahlberg should have gotten Best Supporting too, but still)</i></li>
<li>Focus, d$, focus. It's too late for tangents.</li>
<li>Brad Pitt might be the most underappreciated actor working today. He is brilliant in this film and he somehow does it by doing almost the same schtick he did in "Inglorious Basterds", only he's talking 1969 Hollywood lingo, and not 1943 Killin Naht-zee lingo. You could argue that this is his film, not Leo's, and there's no doubt he is the lynchpin of this movie.</li>
<li>Margot Robbie isn't real. She cannot be. No one can look that perfect and not be CGI. </li>
<li>Also of note, I found out later that Tarantino met with Sharon Tate's sister Debra and got her blessing for putting the Sharon Tate character in the movie. Robbie even wears some of Sharon's original jewelry.</li>
<li>I was promised Chuck Manson in the trailers. So I have questions.</li>
<li>Is it possible that a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin">MacGuffin</a> can come in the form of an entire plotline? </li>
<li>This movie is gorgeous visually. The outfits, the cars, the scenery, the MUSIC. It is almost too gritty to be beautiful, but that may add to it's outstanding look</li>
<li>I can totally see how a Tarantino fan would love this movie. I can also see how a Tarantino fan would hate this movie.</li>
<li>Though there are a few somewhat gristly death scenes, the violence is actually kept to a minimum. It's not nearly as gory as some QT movies, and nothing approaches the Bear Jew taking a bat to a Nazi skull in Basterds</li>
<li>But there is lots and lots of language. Less violence than many QT films, no sex, no nudity, but the F-bombs flow freely.</li>
<li>There is a hilarious mid-credit scene, so stick around for that... you can leave once that's done, but the credits are stylized and nearly over when the scene ends anyway</li>
<li>As the movie progressed, I can tell you that this film is definitely a slow burn for the first 90 minutes or so. Looking back, I can tell you when Dakota Fanning looks through that screen door, take your last pee break if needed because the film is about to take off. </li>
<li>There are several "one scene and done" faces you will find familiar... Scoot McNairy, Martin "Karate Kid's Krease" Kove, Maya"Scoops Ahoy Robyn" Hawke, Michael Madsen, Zoe Bell <i>(the Aussie chick from Death Proof),</i> and Luke Perry, in his final film appearance.</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8cyiW3d98qlaNLNNvRQolbUCrU6pcWVWGiEzr1C5CdzUH5TVqXcUmSgq7gkwtIMp0GfmcTsvRaTatY3ANJagcw-wSV50q07F-edbIVX2aHnZ8siD80HroUv4jRfo8R5kFG8plw/s1600/OUATIH+Margot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8cyiW3d98qlaNLNNvRQolbUCrU6pcWVWGiEzr1C5CdzUH5TVqXcUmSgq7gkwtIMp0GfmcTsvRaTatY3ANJagcw-wSV50q07F-edbIVX2aHnZ8siD80HroUv4jRfo8R5kFG8plw/s320/OUATIH+Margot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't be fooled by her incredible good looks -- she's got<br />
some real talent. Her "I, Tonya" performance is<br />
wonderful and nearly flawless.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I'm honestly leaning towards "Yes, I liked it", but nowhere near "I loved this movie so much". I was eagerly anticipating it as the opening date approached, even thinking to myself "What if it's as good as Endgame? That's my favorite film of the year, but what if this is as good?" I just knew that this would rival the top of the QT rankings for me, as it just seemed like my kind of film.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Honestly, I have no idea where to rank it amongst the 9 movies Tarantino has made... I know my list tops at "Pulp Fiction", followed by "Reservoir Dogs" and "Inglorious Basterds"<br />
<br />
The next section, in 4th would be "Jackie Brown", which I saw for teh first time this year, and loved. I loved the linear storytelling, and it was a different style for QT, likely because its the only previously published work he's ever adapted from -- its an Elmore Leonard novel, and I'm a fan of Elmore movie adaptations, notably "Get Shorty".</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In 5th, "Kill Bill Vol 1". After 5, we enter the territory where "Once Upon a Time" might fall. I'd probably put "Death Proof" in 6th, "The H8teful Eight" in 7th, "Kill Bill Vol 2" in 8th, and "Django Unchained" in 9th... but you can't read into that bottom of the list thing, because all of these are great films. I'm just not sure I'd sit and watch Hateful Eight, Kill Bill Vol 2, and Django again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you do the math, that means there are 10 films -- "Death Proof" only sort of counts as it's half of a double feature called "Grindhouse", which QT did with Robert Rodriguez. They each directed one film, with Rodriguez' film called "Planet Terror" and honestly, its the better of the two.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So there you go. Did you see "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood"? If so, did you like it, and if you are a Tarantino fan, where does it fall in the listings for you?</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-91328793745155930992019-06-12T09:43:00.003-05:002019-06-12T09:43:57.673-05:00summer end quickWhile I work hard on your magical vacations, my kid is currently upstairs crying because:<br /><br />1) He can't ride a bus right now. <br /><br />2) He can't ride an elevator right now. <br /><br />3) See mommy, who is at work. <br /><br />4) wants Cool-ay, of which i have no idea what that means. And yes, the first thought is "Kool-Aid", but trust me, I'm pretty sure he's not saying "Kool-Aid".<br /><br />5) I won't wear a Greystone shirt to match the one he just put on, because he thinks we'll be going to McWane Center if we wear them. <br /><br />6) he can't play with our suitcases, of which I've had to pile in a locked up bedroom because of this problem<br /><br />7) his head hurts, which hurts because he bangs his head on anything he can find.<br /><br />8) I got onto him because when I went to the restroom, he turned my computer completely off in the middle of something I was working on<br /><br />This isn't a multiple choice. He's crying for all of these things simultaneously.<br /><br />Also, its very quiet right now. Unsure how much time I give it before I actually go check on him.<br /><br />I need summer to end quickly.d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-12341741670822479092019-06-10T01:49:00.001-05:002019-06-10T01:49:05.570-05:00why am i still awakeI refuse to let this blog go! I just refuse to do it!<br />
<br />
It's currently 1:38 in the morning central time, and here are some random thoughts that aren't cohesive, and aren't really related, but I just wanted to write something.<br />
<br />
I'm doing an Autism dad podcast. Like, I'm the dad of a kid with autism, and I'm going to do a podcast and talk about it. Monday mornings is when it will release. I've got three episodes done, and will upload all three sometime in the next 10 days. Hope you listen. It's called "My Kid's Got the Autism"<br />
<br />
I've seen "Toy Story 2" about thirty times in the last two weeks. My kid, Campbell, loves riding Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios. He watched the Slinky Dog Dash videos on YouTubeKids. He sees squeeze penguin Wheezy, the character at the end of the ride, and knows Wheezy was in Toy Story 2... he gets his squeaker replaced, and says "I feel a song coming on!", then launched into "You Gotta Friend in Me". So Campbell sees Wheezy in the video, then wants to see Wheezy in the movie, plus at the end of the movie, there is a scene in baggage claim where suitcases are all over the place, and now he wants to roll suitcases around. Autism sucks.<br />
<br />
Just saw a movie called "Set It Up" on Netflix. It's cute, but not memorable. At the end of the film, I had to ask The Lovely Steph Leann "What was the name of the movie we just watched?"<br /><br />We also watched "Always Be My Maybe" on Netflix. That movie is a jewel. Love it, love Randall Park, love Ali Wong in this film, and the Keanu Reeves cameo (though he's in it for a good 10 minutes, so I'm not even sure its a cameo really) is priceless. And the song at the end of the movie, about punching Keanu Reeves, is nothing short of amazing.<br />
<br />
There is water in our garage. Signature Homes is the company that built our neighborhood in 2008, and the fact that water trickles in when a heavy rain comes is maddening. We also replaced our dishwasher last week -- under the washer when it was moved, they found two cigarette butts and a couple of food wrappers. Meaning those had been there since the day the house was built and when we moved in, in 2008. I hate shoddy work, and companies that put up with it.<br />
<br />
"Bad Night at the El Royale" was one of my favorite films of last year, and its now on HBO... I'm pretty excited about seeing it again, to see if I like it as much the 2nd viewing. Is it "Bad Night"? Or is it "Bad Times"? I honestly cannot remember<br />
<br />
Update. It's Bad Times.<br />
<br />
Time for bed.d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-56449379063120602642019-03-23T16:10:00.002-05:002019-03-23T16:13:10.944-05:00a mueller report chat<i>A conversation that probably happened between Robert Mueller and the Democrats when the Mueller Report came out and had no evidence of Russian Collusion... </i><br />
<br />
Robert Mueller: So, we found that Trump is guil--<br />
<br />
Dems: YES! GUILTY! WE KNEW IT!<br />
<br />
Mueller: No, he's--<br />
<br />
Dems: YES!! Guilty! We always knew he was guilty. He and his followers are too stupid to win that election over the honorable Hillary Clinton. She had this election stolen from her! She won the popular vote!<br />
<br />
Mueller: You know that the Electoral College elects our president, right? Dems: Who cares. We'll get rid of that as soon as we can.<br />
<br />
Mueller: But you've never had a problem with it until Hillary lost...<br />
<br />
Dems: Your point? <br />
<br />
Mueller: (shrugs) Back to the report... I think you misunderstand me. In the report there is very lit--<br />
<br />
Dems: Sure, only a little evidence, that's fine. We only need a smidge of evidence to impeach him! <br />
<br />
Mueller: You may want to do more inves--<br />
<br />
Dems: No, no... we are done investigating. He's guilty. If we look further, we may find things that don't support our cause.<br />
<br />
Mueller: So you are done with this investigation?<br />
<br />
Dems: We don't need any more. You said he was guilty. We're ready to kick him out! Socialism, open borders, killin viable born babies and calling it the "right to choose", free college for errbody! It's time we let the world know how we really need to be ruling this place <i>(massages fist and grins evilly)</i> <br />
<br />
Mueller: No, you idiots. I was trying to say in this Russian collusion, Trump is guilt FREE. There is no evidence to support any claim of such.<br />
<br />
Dems: Wait... what? You said there was a little evidence in there...<br />
<br />
Mueller: No, I was trying to say there was very little in there that even pointed that direction, much less connected him to Russia...<br />
<br />
Dems: Wait. You are telling me that idiot and his redneck, racist followers actually beat Hillary fair and square?<br />
<br />
Mueller: Yes. He won the election lawfully and by the rules set forth in our Constitution<br />
<br />
Dems: Oh, come on, you know we only use the Constitution when it suits our narrative. <br />
<br />
Mueller: So like, hardly ever? Dems: Whatever. This is an outrage! We demand an investigation! You aren't looking hard enough, Robby!<br />
<br />
Mueller: Um... I looked for 2 years and spent $35 million dollars. Millions of pages of documents. Usually a special council is given a special crime to investigate... we weren't even given that. I was just told to go find something. No one gave me any limits. Trump had every right to fire me and he didn't do it. Bottom line is, Trump didn't work with Russia to rig any election.<br />
<br />
Dems: LIAR. We demand an investigation.<br />
<br />
Mueller: Ok, like... we just finished an investigation<br />
<br />
Dems: We demand an investigation into your investigation to investigate what your investigation didn't find! <br />
<br />
Mueller: Face it. Trump won because Hillary sucks. As a candidate. And frankly, as a person.<br />
<br />
Dems: NO! HE DID IT! HE DID SOMETHING... He colluded... with... Russia to collude the election. He election colluded with the Soviets to elect... I mean, to collude... whatever. HE IS GUILTY! We won't stop until we find out what happened!<br />
<br />
Mueller: You mean like Cory Booker swore to not stop until he discovered the truth behind Kavanaugh with Dr Ford? And how we haven't heard anything about it since? <br />
<br />
Dems: No, we actually care about this issue. We'll tell the media! They'll keep reporting that the Mueller report is bunk, and that there is obviously something there. <br />
<br />
Mueller: But you have no proof. The media has never really had any proof of what they have been reporting<br />
<br />
Dems: Bob... (stares blankly) When has a lack of evidence ever stopped any charge we make? Or any life we ruin?<br />
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="c1pk4" data-offset-key="am6bf-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="am6bf-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
</div>
d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14187675.post-44922677010615090672019-02-05T10:40:00.001-06:002019-02-05T10:40:16.572-06:00the super bowl was all fine A few rambling, disjointed thoughts on the Super Bowl, of which I didn't do a running diary or really watch all of...<br />
<br />
So, the game happened. And it was fine. And that's a hot take, because most of the world has condemned it as the most boring game they've ever seen, and much of those condemners also have shared similar feelings about Maroon 5's performance. <br />
<br />
Both were fine.<br />
<br />
Full disclosure, I saw kickoff, a few of the commercials, and then The Lovely Steph Leann asked me the question that puts countries at war, bucks up internal strife, sometimes destroys marriages... "What do you want to eat for dinner?" The Aunt was here, keeping Campbell, so despite the Super Bowl being on, I told her that we could go out and have dinner. We ended up at Urban Cookhouse, and it was a win-win because nothing happened while I was gone. When I returned home, Adam Levine was singing something onstage. I left the Aunt and The Lovely Steph Leann (and the kid) downstairs and came to my room to watch the game streaming on my iPad.<br />
<br />
The game itself was a defensive battle... and yeah, it was sort of boring, but that's not the fault of the Patriots or the Rams, that's the fault of our own need for excitement and action. If everything happened exactly the same, except one team scored a single touchdown in each quarter<i> (1st quarter, 3-3, 2nd quarter Pats 10-3, 3rd quarter tied 10-10, final score 17-10)</i>, the complaints would be much quieter, because there would have been some scoring. But, like me at all four high school proms I attended, the scoring was minimal... which is sort of a bad analogy, because nothing happened for me at any point of any of my proms.<br />
<br />
Four, you ask? Cindy Howell to my junior and senior proms, and when I was a freshman in college, I went with Brandy S. and Cheryl H to their junior and senior proms, respectively. Add that to four fraternity formals, and I've spent a fortune in tuxedos. <br />
<br />
Back to the game.<br />
<br />
It was fine. I didn't have a problem with it, and I was rooting for the Patriots, they won, went to bed.<br />
<br />
I know, I know, you probably hate the Patriots, cause they are cheaters and Julian Edelman (the Super Bowl MVP) is on PEDs and blah blah blah. <br />
<br />
Tom Brady is the GOAT. At this point. He's been to 11% of all Super Bowls that have existed, and has won 8% of them. The man has 6 championship rings in what might be the hardest playoff to get through -- its a single elimination tournament. The NBA and MLB are tough too -- you have full on series, which means you may play upwards of 25+ additional games en route to the title, whereas with NFL, you play a max of four... but four brutal games that if you stumble in any of them, no matter how explosive you are (hello Rams), you are out. At least in the NBA and MLB series, you can afford a bad game and still survive.<br />
<br />
If you want to pinpoint the worst parts of the game, you have to look at the LA Rams... Jared Goff played horribly, Todd Gurley was inexplicably missing from the action despite being probably the best player on the entire field, the punter got way more playing time than any punter should get in a Super Bowl, and it they just looked overwhelmed by the moment.<br />
<br />
And even with that, the low score, the Rams being off kilter, the Pats not blowing up the scoreboard, it was still a game that you weren't sure who was going to win until there was maybe a minute or two left, so there is something to be said for that. I think everyone thought one of the teams, likely the Pats but maybe the Rams, would finally open it up on the 2nd half, or surely the 4th quarter, maybe some offensive explosion where we'd hear Tony Romo say stuff like "47 total points scored in the 4th quarter, a Super Bowl 4th quarter record!" but no, we got none of that. We got a touchdown.<br />
<br />
As far as the halftime show goes, I don't know why any artist would ever accept a Super Bowl gig, especially from here on out. The gold standard seems to be Prince, but that might be because it was in the last decade or so, and "Prince" is synonymous with "Legend", but I barely remember it. I only remember my friend Paula being all excited because she's a child of the 80s... I remember the Timberlake/Janet Jackson halftime show, for obvious nippy reasons, but I can't recall specifics of nearly any other halftime show... I can't even tell you who performed last year. When did Lady Gaga perform? Were the Rolling Stones in there somewhere? <br />
<br />
Maroon 5 came out, they sang, they wore weird outfits, someone named Travis Scott came out and rapped, then Big Boi arrived... Big Boi is the half of OutKast not named Andre 3000, which prompted me to tweet that the NFL should have backed up the Brinks truck to Andre's lap and paid whatever it took to get OutKast together -- I mean, they are in Atlanta for gravy's sake, this is OutKast's hometown. I need some "Mrs Jackson", I am for real.<br />
<br />
But nonetheless, what I liked about Maroon 5 was they came out, they sang, they left. No protests, no kneeling, no statements, They did their job, got their check <i>(one that they donated to a children's charity, by the way)</i> and went home. The fear from many was that there would be some sort of statement made in defense of Colin Kaepernick... and let's be clear, I'm firmly of the belief that Kap is a total idiot. And the reasons are several, and none of them include kneeling for the national anthem. Kap and the supposed blackball of Kap are the reason many artists chose not to perform... which brings me to my earlier question of why anyone would choose to do this. <br />
<br />
We are in a Woke society, where everyone is offended by everything at this point -- even the commercials tried to tiptoe around comedy so as not to make anyone upset or triggered. This morning, I read another article that stated how some professor at some college has studied Mary Poppins and concluded that yes, the movie is racist. Why? Because in one scene Mary has soot on her face... then chooses to add a little more. And that makes it Blackface. You know, not because she's singing and dancing on the rooftops of London with a crew of chimney sweeps. Blackface. <br />
<br />
So Maroon 5 plays it safe... and still gets roasted. Had they come out and Adam Levine stripped his shirt off <i>(which he did, and there were comparisons to how Janet Jackson got destroyed for showing a nipple, while Adam in his male privilege gets away with it... I read that from one particular SJW chick who I find to be quite the blowhard) </i>and suddenly put on a Kap jersey, or maybe had a quick 10 second musical sequence with a riff from the National Anthem which Adam kneeled -- the left would have gone crazy. Brave! Courageous! He Gets It! And the right would have hated it. <br />
<br />
Dunno what he might have done to have the right cheer while the left demands his resignation, but they played it safe and both sides hated it. No win situation.<br />
<br />
But it was fine. The game was fine, the halftime show was fine.<br />
<br />
Okay, okay, I hated all of it. Will you not unfriend me now?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />d$http://www.blogger.com/profile/03474655522354283747noreply@blogger.com0