So, Bill's mind has been racing today - two entries in one day. Had no intent to do another one...until I just watched tonight's American Idol results show on DVR. Not that anyone associated with the show will ever see my tiny little blog, but hey....if enough people talk about it, you never know.
So here's my open letter to American Idol.
Dear American Idol,
First of all, I am amazed at the reactions you cause from people like me, who are addicted to your show, but would change at least 90% of it if we could. I imagine most of your viewers fall into that category, so the fact that people still rush to their TV 3 times a week for you is impressive. I have some questions to ask - so please, indulge me for a little.
First - why is it that, in your opinion, America can not idolize anyone over the age of 28 years old? You put a maximum age limit on the audition age of 28. I can understand the minimum age limit of 16, because for the most part, children singing sound mostly like cats in a microwave to me, but 28? Really? There are so many people with more ability than the floatsam and jetsam you let get into the televised auditions (for ratings, I get that, but still....), but yet, you break your own rules if you feel you can capitalize on it. Larry Platt gets in to a televised audition at 62 to sing that ridiculous "Pants On The Ground" nonsense. REALLY? It wasn't even that clever...but then again, you did try to shove Adam Lambert down our throats all last year - and as a heterosexual male, the LAST thing I want shoved down my throat is anything to do with Adam Lambert.
Second - can you decide what type of show you really want to be? Are you a true singing contest? If you are, I don't want to hear any more about someone's marketability or look. I care what they sound like. I will buy the CD to listen to the music, not to ogle the cover. Carrie Underwood may be a gorgeous young lady, but she can SING. Opening the voting to the public basically turns it from a singing competition to a general likeability competition. Kellie Pickler was likable - in a younger version of Rose from the Golden Girls way - but she couldn't sing her way out of the proverbial wet paper bag. That's what happens when you turn the voting over to the public, where people will vote for whomever makes their blood boil over, regardless if they sound like a water buffalo in heat, or worse...Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia. Ugh. Which brings me to my next question....
Third - Why call Simon, Randy, Kara, and now Ellen "judges"? A judge has the ability to directly affect the outcome of something. If I get a speeding ticket, the "judge" doesn't just give me advice, then turn it over to the gallery to decide my fine. What these people are reduced to is called a "critic" - someone who gives an opinion about something, which may or may not influence a person's own free will about their thoughts regarding something. If I want to see a movie, and a critic says the movie's terrible, I may consider it, but in the end, if I want to see it, I'll still see it, regardless of the critic's opinion. If you want them to be "judges", give them decision making authority. Have the 4 of them vote to send someone home. If they agree with the popular vote, then that person goes home. If they don't agree, send BOTH people home.
Fourth - make it a little less predictable please. Tonight, if you weren't one of the last two people in a group to get reviewed, you were safe, and you knew it. I don't need to hear what the "critics" (I refuse to call them judges) had to say about everyone. Otherwise, it's just way too contrived.
Those are my questions. I will not expect any answers - I'm sure others have expressed these very same thoughts, but if you have any concrete answers to any of them, contact me. Comment here and get in touch. I would love to hear what your rationale is.
Sincerely,
Bill Winters,
Author - No Filter Required.
There it is folks. Comment away - either below or on the Facebook link.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Taking requests!! This one is for my brother Jim - Olympic Hockey
It seems as if enough people are interested in my ramblings that now I'm getting recommendations on what I should write about - and I must say, I'm actually surprised. So many of you are reacting positively to what I write, that I hope I don't end up letting you down. So as I sit watching the snow come down like it did when I was little...I will write about a topic that my brother asked me to write about, that is near and dear to me....hockey. Specifically, Olympic Hockey.
I don't know how many of you remember the Miracle on Ice - the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team, a bunch of rag-tag college kids that had no business competing on any level with the PROFESSIONALS from the former Soviet Union. For those that don't understand how seriously hockey was taken in the Soviet Union back then, if you were a hockey player at the elite level, playing for the National Team counted as MILITARY SERVICE. That's why they called themselves the "Soviet Red Army Team". These players had played together for the better part of 10 years, and knew each other so well that they could very well play with their eyes closed. We also were in the middle of the Cold War with them at the time, and as such, President Carter boycotted the 1980 Summer games in Moscow.
The US team in 1980 was a bunch of college kids - straight amateurs (yes people, the US used to send AMATEURS to the Olympics instead of professionals - back then, the onus wasn't on how many medals we could win, like it is now. The more medals the better - it's like the international "My **** is bigger than your ****" mentality, and we don't care who we have to send in order to be the top dog.) These kids were thrown together by a visionary coach named Herb Brooks who realized that there was only one way to beat this Soviet team - and put those kids through hell to get them to win. On a Friday afternoon, in February of 1980, the USA beat the heavily favored Soviets in what is known as the Miracle on Ice. What most people forget is that WASN'T the gold medal game. The US won the Gold Medal two days later by beating Finland.
In 1984 and 1988, the USA did not come close to medaling, and eventually this became a cause for embarrassment among the US Olympic Commitee. In 1998, an agreement was reached to shatter the dreams of college and amateur players by allowing professionals to represent their respective nations in the Olympics. It has been that way since.
I watched with some semblance of pride the USA defeat Canada this past Sunday in a preliminary round game that just happened to occur on the 30th anniversary of the 1980 team beating the Soviets. Some people were actually calling this a second "Miracle on Ice". That is so much bologna, Boar's Head should sue. The Olympic hockey tournament now is nothing more than a tweaked, international NHL All-Star game, although there is a little more checking than in a regular All-Star game, where nobody hits anyone, and games are decided by scores like 14-11. Sure, the players all say the right things..."It's an honor to represent your country. We want to bring the Gold Medal home to (country of origin)", but in reality, if they don't win the Gold, these guys will go back to earning a pretty nice paycheck playing the game professionally.
Part of what made 1980 so unbelievable and memorable was that those kids, save for a couple of them, had nothing to go home to after. Some of them had been drafted out of college, but those games, and their performance in those games, propelled them to their pro careers. If they hadn't won, most of those boys would have been done with hockey after that point. That is what made the story so great.
I am not anti-American - in fact I enjoyed beating the Canadians the other day. Canadians are generally great people, but their presumed "ownership" of the game of hockey makes them a little smug towards Americans regarding it. I also liked watching Candian crybaby Sidney Crosby lose, but that's a personal thing. If the USA wins the Gold, I will be happy, but it will never feel like 1980. Nothing ever will.
Anything else you want an opinion on, drop me a comment here or on Facebook. I will try to accommodate you - if I have a strong enough opinion.
I don't know how many of you remember the Miracle on Ice - the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team, a bunch of rag-tag college kids that had no business competing on any level with the PROFESSIONALS from the former Soviet Union. For those that don't understand how seriously hockey was taken in the Soviet Union back then, if you were a hockey player at the elite level, playing for the National Team counted as MILITARY SERVICE. That's why they called themselves the "Soviet Red Army Team". These players had played together for the better part of 10 years, and knew each other so well that they could very well play with their eyes closed. We also were in the middle of the Cold War with them at the time, and as such, President Carter boycotted the 1980 Summer games in Moscow.
The US team in 1980 was a bunch of college kids - straight amateurs (yes people, the US used to send AMATEURS to the Olympics instead of professionals - back then, the onus wasn't on how many medals we could win, like it is now. The more medals the better - it's like the international "My **** is bigger than your ****" mentality, and we don't care who we have to send in order to be the top dog.) These kids were thrown together by a visionary coach named Herb Brooks who realized that there was only one way to beat this Soviet team - and put those kids through hell to get them to win. On a Friday afternoon, in February of 1980, the USA beat the heavily favored Soviets in what is known as the Miracle on Ice. What most people forget is that WASN'T the gold medal game. The US won the Gold Medal two days later by beating Finland.
In 1984 and 1988, the USA did not come close to medaling, and eventually this became a cause for embarrassment among the US Olympic Commitee. In 1998, an agreement was reached to shatter the dreams of college and amateur players by allowing professionals to represent their respective nations in the Olympics. It has been that way since.
I watched with some semblance of pride the USA defeat Canada this past Sunday in a preliminary round game that just happened to occur on the 30th anniversary of the 1980 team beating the Soviets. Some people were actually calling this a second "Miracle on Ice". That is so much bologna, Boar's Head should sue. The Olympic hockey tournament now is nothing more than a tweaked, international NHL All-Star game, although there is a little more checking than in a regular All-Star game, where nobody hits anyone, and games are decided by scores like 14-11. Sure, the players all say the right things..."It's an honor to represent your country. We want to bring the Gold Medal home to (country of origin)", but in reality, if they don't win the Gold, these guys will go back to earning a pretty nice paycheck playing the game professionally.
Part of what made 1980 so unbelievable and memorable was that those kids, save for a couple of them, had nothing to go home to after. Some of them had been drafted out of college, but those games, and their performance in those games, propelled them to their pro careers. If they hadn't won, most of those boys would have been done with hockey after that point. That is what made the story so great.
I am not anti-American - in fact I enjoyed beating the Canadians the other day. Canadians are generally great people, but their presumed "ownership" of the game of hockey makes them a little smug towards Americans regarding it. I also liked watching Candian crybaby Sidney Crosby lose, but that's a personal thing. If the USA wins the Gold, I will be happy, but it will never feel like 1980. Nothing ever will.
Anything else you want an opinion on, drop me a comment here or on Facebook. I will try to accommodate you - if I have a strong enough opinion.
Monday, February 22, 2010
As promised - for Mel. "GOING OUT"
I mentioned in my last post (which seems like forever ago now that I have an actual paying job that takes up a lot of my time) that I would touch upon a subject that didn't really affect me very much when I was younger, but now that I have a stepson and he has cousins in the middle school age range, I feel the need to vent a little....OK, a LOT. This is a gift to an old friend of mine, Melanie, who specifically requested that I follow up on this, and as I was planning on it anyway, I thought I'd do her a solid. Here you go, Mel.
My stepson Wyatt is now 13 years old. He is in the 7th grade at Highland Middle School, and as such, is now subjected to the unavoidable middle school phenomenon of "GOING OUT". This seems to be a much bigger deal for middle school girls than it does for boys, but I digress...more on that a little bit later. I want to touch on the actual term "GOING OUT."
I will fully admit that in middle school, basically all the way up to my sophomore year in high school, puberty was not kind to me. I had terrible skin, was skinny, and other than hockey, my only discernible talent was playing trumpet for the school band. Stevie Wonder could see that this recipe did not lead to a whole lot of relationships with the fairer gender. I had my first serious girlfriend my junior year of high school. I certainly was INTERESTED in girls before then, but nothing ever came of any of my interests - mostly because I was too shy to act upon them. I seem to remember a few instances of people "going out" in jr. high (there was no middle school back in the dark ages of the mid 80's), but for the most part, I don't EVER remember it being like now. Wyatt just recently had his first true "relationship" (which in middle school time means anything more than 7 days) end. This girl originally called him ON HIS BIRTHDAY to "break up" with him. He was understandably upset. More on this later....
The whole term "GOING OUT", when taken literally, means that one person actually goes out and does something in a public place with someone else, does it not? When I was in high school, and I was "going out" with my first serious girlfriend, she would go to my hockey games with me, we went to concerts, movies, things like that. In middle school, "GOING OUT" apparently translates to walking in the hallways or possibly meeting at a school dance. Wyatt did take his little miserable troll who broke up with him ON HIS BIRTHDAY (did I mention that already?) on a sort of "date" where Janel and I chaperoned them along with Cole and Emily to the ice rink to go public skating, but that was really the extent of their "going out" - I guess she did go to two of his hockey games also, now that I think about it.
The whole point of this rant is that I know of middle schoolers, 99% of which are girls, who have "GONE OUT" with the better part of 15 - 20 people since school started 5 MONTHS AGO, like it's a status symbol. Oh trust me - it's a status symbol alright as you get older, but not one that any girl wants to get pegged with (ask Melvin the Superhero from Jeff Dunham what he calls them..."What's a Wahore?"). It does seem to me that it is WAY more important to the girls than it is to the boys, and I am really curious as to why that is. Marriage statistics being what they are in this country should prove that any girl doesn't need to be attached to a man to determine her self worth, as I know many divorced women who are strong, independent people who, while they enjoy the company of someone, do not necessarily LIVE for it.
As you get older, there are unwritten rules about who you should or shouldn't date (like for men, NEVER date a best friend's ex, even if you want to, because of the old "Bros before Hos" adage - which I hate that term, but it does make me laugh in a Dr. Seuss meets Snoop Dogg kind of way). I can't imagine that these rules exist in middle school - if they did, there would be a lot less fighting about it. I think for these middle schoolers, it's more about the label of "GOING OUT" with someone than actually having any feelings for them, because in reality, where are you going? At 13, is this boy picking you up on the weekend and taking you to lunch, or a movie, or anyplace in a public setting? Or are you just sending text messages back and forth professing "undying love" until 14 days later when some other boy buys a new shirt that makes him look cuter than your current boyfriend? Is it worth the hassle?
If I was a middle school administrator, I would seriously consider invoking some sort of rule against the label of "GOING OUT". I just don't see where anything good comes of it at that age. When Wyatt had his girlfriend, his school work suffered terribly, and just now is he taking the steps to catch up on it. Of course, I told him he should lay low for a while on that front to improve his school work, but because of pressure from his friends (mostly his female friends again), he apparently is "going out" with another new girl - who we have never met because he hasn't really "gone out" anywhere with her.
I'm expecting a ton of opinions on this, some good, some bad - so fire away! ALL OPINIONS ARE WELCOMED AND RESPECTED! If you don't agree with me, that's beautiful - that's how meaningful discussions start that can usually lead to an agreement somewhere in the middle. Remember, this is "No Filter Required" - so your responses do not have to be filtered either!!
My stepson Wyatt is now 13 years old. He is in the 7th grade at Highland Middle School, and as such, is now subjected to the unavoidable middle school phenomenon of "GOING OUT". This seems to be a much bigger deal for middle school girls than it does for boys, but I digress...more on that a little bit later. I want to touch on the actual term "GOING OUT."
I will fully admit that in middle school, basically all the way up to my sophomore year in high school, puberty was not kind to me. I had terrible skin, was skinny, and other than hockey, my only discernible talent was playing trumpet for the school band. Stevie Wonder could see that this recipe did not lead to a whole lot of relationships with the fairer gender. I had my first serious girlfriend my junior year of high school. I certainly was INTERESTED in girls before then, but nothing ever came of any of my interests - mostly because I was too shy to act upon them. I seem to remember a few instances of people "going out" in jr. high (there was no middle school back in the dark ages of the mid 80's), but for the most part, I don't EVER remember it being like now. Wyatt just recently had his first true "relationship" (which in middle school time means anything more than 7 days) end. This girl originally called him ON HIS BIRTHDAY to "break up" with him. He was understandably upset. More on this later....
The whole term "GOING OUT", when taken literally, means that one person actually goes out and does something in a public place with someone else, does it not? When I was in high school, and I was "going out" with my first serious girlfriend, she would go to my hockey games with me, we went to concerts, movies, things like that. In middle school, "GOING OUT" apparently translates to walking in the hallways or possibly meeting at a school dance. Wyatt did take his little miserable troll who broke up with him ON HIS BIRTHDAY (did I mention that already?) on a sort of "date" where Janel and I chaperoned them along with Cole and Emily to the ice rink to go public skating, but that was really the extent of their "going out" - I guess she did go to two of his hockey games also, now that I think about it.
The whole point of this rant is that I know of middle schoolers, 99% of which are girls, who have "GONE OUT" with the better part of 15 - 20 people since school started 5 MONTHS AGO, like it's a status symbol. Oh trust me - it's a status symbol alright as you get older, but not one that any girl wants to get pegged with (ask Melvin the Superhero from Jeff Dunham what he calls them..."What's a Wahore?"). It does seem to me that it is WAY more important to the girls than it is to the boys, and I am really curious as to why that is. Marriage statistics being what they are in this country should prove that any girl doesn't need to be attached to a man to determine her self worth, as I know many divorced women who are strong, independent people who, while they enjoy the company of someone, do not necessarily LIVE for it.
As you get older, there are unwritten rules about who you should or shouldn't date (like for men, NEVER date a best friend's ex, even if you want to, because of the old "Bros before Hos" adage - which I hate that term, but it does make me laugh in a Dr. Seuss meets Snoop Dogg kind of way). I can't imagine that these rules exist in middle school - if they did, there would be a lot less fighting about it. I think for these middle schoolers, it's more about the label of "GOING OUT" with someone than actually having any feelings for them, because in reality, where are you going? At 13, is this boy picking you up on the weekend and taking you to lunch, or a movie, or anyplace in a public setting? Or are you just sending text messages back and forth professing "undying love" until 14 days later when some other boy buys a new shirt that makes him look cuter than your current boyfriend? Is it worth the hassle?
If I was a middle school administrator, I would seriously consider invoking some sort of rule against the label of "GOING OUT". I just don't see where anything good comes of it at that age. When Wyatt had his girlfriend, his school work suffered terribly, and just now is he taking the steps to catch up on it. Of course, I told him he should lay low for a while on that front to improve his school work, but because of pressure from his friends (mostly his female friends again), he apparently is "going out" with another new girl - who we have never met because he hasn't really "gone out" anywhere with her.
I'm expecting a ton of opinions on this, some good, some bad - so fire away! ALL OPINIONS ARE WELCOMED AND RESPECTED! If you don't agree with me, that's beautiful - that's how meaningful discussions start that can usually lead to an agreement somewhere in the middle. Remember, this is "No Filter Required" - so your responses do not have to be filtered either!!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
OMG! LMFAO! FML! WTF? - Ugh.
I don't quite know when it happened, and I haven't reached "You kids get off of my lawn!" status, but I am officially a cranky old person. Admitting your problem is the first step toward recovery, but I'm not so sure I want to recover.
When exactly did the whole phenomenon of abbreviating EVERYTHING start? I really have no idea - but I seem to remember back when everyone was on America Online (AOL - of course they had to abbreviate that too!), it started with the infamous "LOL" - laughing out loud. Look, I know what I typed was supposed to be funny - and I assume you're laughing at it - you don't need to tell me you are by going "LOL". If that was the case, most boys would have been typing "LAPJO" - I'll let you figure that one out.
Of course, it isn't enough to just Laugh Out Loud - if it's REALLY funny, I made you LMFAO - "Laugh My F***ing Ass Off", because what's better than an acronym with the F-bomb in it? Especially for 13 and 14 year old kids (sometimes even younger) to get away with cursing because parents are old and they don't know what it means! Please...kids, how dumb do you think we are?
Of course, "WTF" popped up for "What the f***?", again, ostensibly, for kids to curse without cursing. The latest one I have been been seeing with regularity is "FML" - which, for the unknowing, is "F*** My Life" because life is just so terrible for a 14 or 15 year old with their own laptop and cell phone just because some long-haired skater punk wouldn't "go out" with them in Junior High School - like anyone actually goes anywhere at that age. That's another blog topic entirely - I'm sure I'll hit that one when the mood strikes me.
My point is this - the generations that are now one or two generations below ours (you know where we are at - almost 40, facing mid-life crisis, worrying about our children AND our parents) have access to much more information, have the chance to be much better educated than we were at that age....and are so completely lazy, that they don't possess the energy to type out full words. "U" has become commonplace for "you" - it was different when Prince was doing it to song titles back in the 80's, but now it's lazy and ridiculous. "Ur" can be "your" or "you're", meaning that the grammar lessons we were taught in school are just too challenging for these kids, so they avoid them.
This entire concept of "text language" allows people to text 200 "words" a minute, but in the grand scheme of things, is it worth saving the time for the dumbing down of America? Help me out here...I can't be the only one who finds this to be completely ridiculous.
As always, comments are welcome here or on the Facebook link to this entry. I am REALLY anxious to hear what our loyal followers have to say!
When exactly did the whole phenomenon of abbreviating EVERYTHING start? I really have no idea - but I seem to remember back when everyone was on America Online (AOL - of course they had to abbreviate that too!), it started with the infamous "LOL" - laughing out loud. Look, I know what I typed was supposed to be funny - and I assume you're laughing at it - you don't need to tell me you are by going "LOL". If that was the case, most boys would have been typing "LAPJO" - I'll let you figure that one out.
Of course, it isn't enough to just Laugh Out Loud - if it's REALLY funny, I made you LMFAO - "Laugh My F***ing Ass Off", because what's better than an acronym with the F-bomb in it? Especially for 13 and 14 year old kids (sometimes even younger) to get away with cursing because parents are old and they don't know what it means! Please...kids, how dumb do you think we are?
Of course, "WTF" popped up for "What the f***?", again, ostensibly, for kids to curse without cursing. The latest one I have been been seeing with regularity is "FML" - which, for the unknowing, is "F*** My Life" because life is just so terrible for a 14 or 15 year old with their own laptop and cell phone just because some long-haired skater punk wouldn't "go out" with them in Junior High School - like anyone actually goes anywhere at that age. That's another blog topic entirely - I'm sure I'll hit that one when the mood strikes me.
My point is this - the generations that are now one or two generations below ours (you know where we are at - almost 40, facing mid-life crisis, worrying about our children AND our parents) have access to much more information, have the chance to be much better educated than we were at that age....and are so completely lazy, that they don't possess the energy to type out full words. "U" has become commonplace for "you" - it was different when Prince was doing it to song titles back in the 80's, but now it's lazy and ridiculous. "Ur" can be "your" or "you're", meaning that the grammar lessons we were taught in school are just too challenging for these kids, so they avoid them.
This entire concept of "text language" allows people to text 200 "words" a minute, but in the grand scheme of things, is it worth saving the time for the dumbing down of America? Help me out here...I can't be the only one who finds this to be completely ridiculous.
As always, comments are welcome here or on the Facebook link to this entry. I am REALLY anxious to hear what our loyal followers have to say!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Valentine's Day... the highs and lows.
Why is it that every holiday seems like it's tailor made for women? This Sunday is Valentine's Day - or as Janel likes to make me call it, "Janel Day". A day where your partner, who knows you love them unconditionally without fanfare for most of the other 364 days in a year, expects...nay, DEMANDS that you prove it by way of enough pink infused gifts to look like someone threw up a giant bottle of Pepto Bismol all over the world.
I love my wife - and I look forward to sharing special days and times with her, but I will not go out and buy roses for her (she HATES roses - more on that in a later post, I promise you!). Chocolate? Sure - but that's because I like chocolate and will weasel my way into sharing it with her.
When possible, based on time and finances, we like to celebrate our special days (anniversary, birthdays, "Janel Day") by taking a trip down to NYC. It's a 90 minute train ride to NYC from where we live, and we usually go try and score tickets to a Broadway show by winning the ticket lottery - if you have no idea what that is, you show up at the theater 2 1/2 hours before showtime usually, fill out a ticket with your name and 1 or 2 tickets (2 is always the limit). About 2 hours before the show, they draw names to cover a certain number of tickets - usually between 20 and 30, and ALL at the front of the house - prime seats!! If you are drawn, you can buy these premium tickets for roughly $30 (normally about $180) each - however you must pay CASH. We have won three ticket lotteries in our time - we saw Rent, In the Heights, and the new West Side Story - and all three were fantastic. So, depending on time, finances, and the weather, that looks to be our plan for this Sunday again.
I feel bad for those who have no partner. I was in that group for a LONG time, and I used to absolutely hate Valentine's Day. The thought of going to a club or bar to meet with other bitter singles on that day just makes my skin crawl. I can see it now for most of these people - lots of alcohol, "Hey, you're cute (as viewed through beer goggles)" "So are you" - an alcohol infused sexual encounter, then even more bitterness the following day, because nobody ever calls the next day.
I find it very amusing that Valentine's Day and Venereal Disease can both be abbreviated VD. Draw your own conclusions on that one!
I am lucky though. I finally have someone special to spend my Valentine's Days with - even if it is "Janel Day" and never "Bill Day". "Bill Day" will come when the Rangers make the Stanley Cup Finals, and there won't be any advertisements on TV for that!
On a personal note, I'm happy you all seem to enjoy my little brain droppings - I'll try to keep them coming, but I am back to being a working man, so there won't be as many frequent entries, so I'll try to up the quality!
I love my wife - and I look forward to sharing special days and times with her, but I will not go out and buy roses for her (she HATES roses - more on that in a later post, I promise you!). Chocolate? Sure - but that's because I like chocolate and will weasel my way into sharing it with her.
When possible, based on time and finances, we like to celebrate our special days (anniversary, birthdays, "Janel Day") by taking a trip down to NYC. It's a 90 minute train ride to NYC from where we live, and we usually go try and score tickets to a Broadway show by winning the ticket lottery - if you have no idea what that is, you show up at the theater 2 1/2 hours before showtime usually, fill out a ticket with your name and 1 or 2 tickets (2 is always the limit). About 2 hours before the show, they draw names to cover a certain number of tickets - usually between 20 and 30, and ALL at the front of the house - prime seats!! If you are drawn, you can buy these premium tickets for roughly $30 (normally about $180) each - however you must pay CASH. We have won three ticket lotteries in our time - we saw Rent, In the Heights, and the new West Side Story - and all three were fantastic. So, depending on time, finances, and the weather, that looks to be our plan for this Sunday again.
I feel bad for those who have no partner. I was in that group for a LONG time, and I used to absolutely hate Valentine's Day. The thought of going to a club or bar to meet with other bitter singles on that day just makes my skin crawl. I can see it now for most of these people - lots of alcohol, "Hey, you're cute (as viewed through beer goggles)" "So are you" - an alcohol infused sexual encounter, then even more bitterness the following day, because nobody ever calls the next day.
I find it very amusing that Valentine's Day and Venereal Disease can both be abbreviated VD. Draw your own conclusions on that one!
I am lucky though. I finally have someone special to spend my Valentine's Days with - even if it is "Janel Day" and never "Bill Day". "Bill Day" will come when the Rangers make the Stanley Cup Finals, and there won't be any advertisements on TV for that!
On a personal note, I'm happy you all seem to enjoy my little brain droppings - I'll try to keep them coming, but I am back to being a working man, so there won't be as many frequent entries, so I'll try to up the quality!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Happy Birthday, Bird! Daddy LOVES you!
Tomorrow is a huge day for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, tomorrow shows that going back to school at the age of 38 was not a waste of time last year. I took a 12 month Medical Assistant course at a local vocational/technical institution, and graduated this past December with a 4.0 GPA. After years of being in banking, I am now a Medical Assistant - so I went from being a blood sucker to a blood drawer! I kid...but not really.
Tomorrow is equally, if not more so, important because 6 years ago tomorrow, my life gained a completely different meaning and focus. I became a father for the first (and only) time. Of course, I did have the training wheels of being a stepfather for a year prior to that, but this was different. I was responsible for EVERYTHING for this child. I was scared to death - still am. Six years has only frightened me even more.
On February 9, 2004, on a very chilly Monday night, at 11:17 PM, a little girl was born at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. She was 7 pounds, 13 ounces, 20 inches long, and feisty. Her given name was Emily Grace Winters, and she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My wife Janel was so brave in going through that ordeal. I was told when we were married that I had ONE SHOT to give her a girl - and I couldn't have asked for a better one.
Everything I do now has a meaning that it never did before I became a father. Sure, there's a lot more responsibility, but I gladly accept that. To see her smile feels like a warm blanket completely covers me. To hear "I love you Daddy" makes me feel completely unworthy of such high praise, but because I love her so much back, it kind of evens out.
So as I start my new career tomorrow, I do so with the express intent of providing for my wonderful family - my beautiful wife, my two awesome little goofballs Wyatt and Cole, and for my legacy....my beautiful Baby Bird. For you Emily, I (eye) LOVE (self hug) YOU (point to you) FOR (4 fingers up) EVER (3 fingers sideways to make an "E").
Tomorrow is equally, if not more so, important because 6 years ago tomorrow, my life gained a completely different meaning and focus. I became a father for the first (and only) time. Of course, I did have the training wheels of being a stepfather for a year prior to that, but this was different. I was responsible for EVERYTHING for this child. I was scared to death - still am. Six years has only frightened me even more.
On February 9, 2004, on a very chilly Monday night, at 11:17 PM, a little girl was born at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. She was 7 pounds, 13 ounces, 20 inches long, and feisty. Her given name was Emily Grace Winters, and she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My wife Janel was so brave in going through that ordeal. I was told when we were married that I had ONE SHOT to give her a girl - and I couldn't have asked for a better one.
Everything I do now has a meaning that it never did before I became a father. Sure, there's a lot more responsibility, but I gladly accept that. To see her smile feels like a warm blanket completely covers me. To hear "I love you Daddy" makes me feel completely unworthy of such high praise, but because I love her so much back, it kind of evens out.
So as I start my new career tomorrow, I do so with the express intent of providing for my wonderful family - my beautiful wife, my two awesome little goofballs Wyatt and Cole, and for my legacy....my beautiful Baby Bird. For you Emily, I (eye) LOVE (self hug) YOU (point to you) FOR (4 fingers up) EVER (3 fingers sideways to make an "E").
Friday, February 5, 2010
I don't know why, but I just do it.
About 45 minutes ago, I got a delivery from UPS. This is not earth shattering - tons of people get UPS deliveries every day, but what happened after that got me to thinking. Let me backtrack....
I opened my package - it was the Flip video camera Wyatt got for Christmas that wasn't working, so I had to send it back to the company for repairs or replacement. So, I get the camera back today - it's in a small carton surrounded by those God-awful green packing peanuts that always seem to get EVERYWHERE, and it was also wrapped in a bubble-wrap pouch.
You know where this is going, don't you?
I proceeded to take the camera out of the bubble-wrap pouch, and although I spent a decent amount of money on the camera, had to withstand the disappointment on Wyatt's face when it didn't work, then had to wait 4 weeks to get it back, you think I put the batteries in immediately and tested the camera to make sure it worked? Nope....
I popped the stupid bubble-wrap.
And I did it with a 5 year old's unabashed joy.
I do it every time something comes in bubble-wrap.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?? Why do we do stupid meaningless things like that? There are a lot of other stupid, pointless things we do. Some are so stupid, I am ashamed to admit to them.
I will NEVER have cake and ice cream on the same plate - or bowl, or whatever dish ware I'm using. I don't like cold, soggy cake, and I don't like crumbly ice cream, so I keep them separate. My family loves to torture me with this. I literally will throw the whole thing away, plate and all, if someone does that to me.
I will NEVER drink soda before 11:00 AM. I have this weird feeling that if I do, it stays on my teeth for 4 days - no matter how I brush.
Janel is not immune either - she can't open Popsicles. That paper wrapping, when it rips, is like nails on a blackboard to her. I have to take the Popsicle into another room to open it away from her. She also gets completely skeeved if someone drinks the milk from the bowl after eating the cereal. Her exact words - "It's USED MILK!". My response "Yes - but I used it!"
So - what stupid little things do you do? What stupid superstitions or idiosyncrasies do you have? As always, you can comment here or on the Facebook link to this entry.
I opened my package - it was the Flip video camera Wyatt got for Christmas that wasn't working, so I had to send it back to the company for repairs or replacement. So, I get the camera back today - it's in a small carton surrounded by those God-awful green packing peanuts that always seem to get EVERYWHERE, and it was also wrapped in a bubble-wrap pouch.
You know where this is going, don't you?
I proceeded to take the camera out of the bubble-wrap pouch, and although I spent a decent amount of money on the camera, had to withstand the disappointment on Wyatt's face when it didn't work, then had to wait 4 weeks to get it back, you think I put the batteries in immediately and tested the camera to make sure it worked? Nope....
I popped the stupid bubble-wrap.
And I did it with a 5 year old's unabashed joy.
I do it every time something comes in bubble-wrap.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?? Why do we do stupid meaningless things like that? There are a lot of other stupid, pointless things we do. Some are so stupid, I am ashamed to admit to them.
I will NEVER have cake and ice cream on the same plate - or bowl, or whatever dish ware I'm using. I don't like cold, soggy cake, and I don't like crumbly ice cream, so I keep them separate. My family loves to torture me with this. I literally will throw the whole thing away, plate and all, if someone does that to me.
I will NEVER drink soda before 11:00 AM. I have this weird feeling that if I do, it stays on my teeth for 4 days - no matter how I brush.
Janel is not immune either - she can't open Popsicles. That paper wrapping, when it rips, is like nails on a blackboard to her. I have to take the Popsicle into another room to open it away from her. She also gets completely skeeved if someone drinks the milk from the bowl after eating the cereal. Her exact words - "It's USED MILK!". My response "Yes - but I used it!"
So - what stupid little things do you do? What stupid superstitions or idiosyncrasies do you have? As always, you can comment here or on the Facebook link to this entry.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Music of our Lives
If you know me at all, you know that I have a great passion for music - unfortunately, most of what I hear on the radio anymore doesn't inspire anything in me. I will admit that I find a lot of Lady GaGa to be hopelessly catchy - I'm sure therapy down the road will be in order. Her lyrics are just silly and childish, but the songs stay in your head for a long time after you hear them. Kind of like brain freeze after a giant straw full of Slurpee.
My tastes are pretty eclectic. If I had an iPod (which I may be the only person living who doesn't), I would have everything on it from Josh Groban to Disturbed to Chris Botti (look it up if you don't know who anyone of these artists is - I suggest going to Amazon and listening to the free snippets that they offer to entice you to buy).
As I sit here, I'm listening to the Rent Soundtrack and swaying a little. There is nothing in this world, in my opinion, that can enhance, or change my mood like music. If I feel lousy, certain songs pick me up. If I want to relax, I play something instrumental. If I feel a little angry, I pop on some Disturbed or go back even further and go for Public Enemy.
I hear what my kids enjoy, and it makes me choke a little - but then, my music choices did the same thing to my father. Dad was all country, all the time. When I was in High School, my dad was the unofficial taxi to many of the hockey practices and games because we had a big Suburban. If you didn't tolerate country music, you might just as well look for another ride - he was very stubborn that way. His car - his music. End of story.
I find myself doing the same thing sometimes, and my kids get angry about it. I have zero tolerance for Miley Cyrus - if I met her, I might want to hit her with a wiffle bat and tell her just to stop - stop everything. The bad acting, the helium sounding voice, the holier than thou attitude. Unfortunately, my daughter loves her. So I drive through gritted teeth as I endure "The Climb" for the 4,734,892nd time.
I get upset though that, for the most part, the kids don't keep an open mind regarding my choices of music. Because of my father incessantly playing country music, I found myself as I got older buying the very same things he had on cassette (remember THEM?) in the truck. So my collection does indeed include Marty Robbins, the Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Reed and some other things. Emily does enjoy some of the old stuff I picked up from my Dad. She loves Dolly Parton's "Jolene" - which I picked up because of my Dad.
So - what do you dabble in? Do you, if you are in my age group, revert back to our wonderful 80's hair bands (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Poison)? Do you go a little edgier (Ozzy, Iron Maiden)? Do you jam out to the old stuff we listened to at Berties or Let's Dance? Are you a hip-hop connoisseur from years ago (Rob Base, LL Cool J, Run-DMC)? Do you watch Glee, and smile at some of the stuff they do? I do. HUGE fan of that show!!
Here's my challenge to you - find 3 songs you listened to religiously, and play them for your kids, and have them play 3 for you - and don't judge - just enjoy. If you don't enjoy the music, enjoy that they're enjoying it. Close your eyes if it helps. Trust me - things grow on you. I hated Lady GaGa - but now I find myself humming that "Bad Romance" song, so I just go with it. You only live once - might as well enjoy it with some good tunes.
Tell me what you blast in the house when nobody's around - and be proud of it!!
ROCK ON!!
My tastes are pretty eclectic. If I had an iPod (which I may be the only person living who doesn't), I would have everything on it from Josh Groban to Disturbed to Chris Botti (look it up if you don't know who anyone of these artists is - I suggest going to Amazon and listening to the free snippets that they offer to entice you to buy).
As I sit here, I'm listening to the Rent Soundtrack and swaying a little. There is nothing in this world, in my opinion, that can enhance, or change my mood like music. If I feel lousy, certain songs pick me up. If I want to relax, I play something instrumental. If I feel a little angry, I pop on some Disturbed or go back even further and go for Public Enemy.
I hear what my kids enjoy, and it makes me choke a little - but then, my music choices did the same thing to my father. Dad was all country, all the time. When I was in High School, my dad was the unofficial taxi to many of the hockey practices and games because we had a big Suburban. If you didn't tolerate country music, you might just as well look for another ride - he was very stubborn that way. His car - his music. End of story.
I find myself doing the same thing sometimes, and my kids get angry about it. I have zero tolerance for Miley Cyrus - if I met her, I might want to hit her with a wiffle bat and tell her just to stop - stop everything. The bad acting, the helium sounding voice, the holier than thou attitude. Unfortunately, my daughter loves her. So I drive through gritted teeth as I endure "The Climb" for the 4,734,892nd time.
I get upset though that, for the most part, the kids don't keep an open mind regarding my choices of music. Because of my father incessantly playing country music, I found myself as I got older buying the very same things he had on cassette (remember THEM?) in the truck. So my collection does indeed include Marty Robbins, the Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Reed and some other things. Emily does enjoy some of the old stuff I picked up from my Dad. She loves Dolly Parton's "Jolene" - which I picked up because of my Dad.
So - what do you dabble in? Do you, if you are in my age group, revert back to our wonderful 80's hair bands (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Poison)? Do you go a little edgier (Ozzy, Iron Maiden)? Do you jam out to the old stuff we listened to at Berties or Let's Dance? Are you a hip-hop connoisseur from years ago (Rob Base, LL Cool J, Run-DMC)? Do you watch Glee, and smile at some of the stuff they do? I do. HUGE fan of that show!!
Here's my challenge to you - find 3 songs you listened to religiously, and play them for your kids, and have them play 3 for you - and don't judge - just enjoy. If you don't enjoy the music, enjoy that they're enjoying it. Close your eyes if it helps. Trust me - things grow on you. I hated Lady GaGa - but now I find myself humming that "Bad Romance" song, so I just go with it. You only live once - might as well enjoy it with some good tunes.
Tell me what you blast in the house when nobody's around - and be proud of it!!
ROCK ON!!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
My daughter Emily is going to be 6 years old next week. I can't believe that it has been 6 years since the happiest moment of my life turned into the scariest. I went from "Look at this beautiful angel sent to me!" to "OK, how long before I screw THIS up?" I'm lucky in the fact that Emily still respects her parents, grandparents, uncles - basically she loves everyone. She's also incredibly intelligent for a kid her age.
SIDE NOTE - I was an extremely intelligent child - learned to read at a very early age, and was basically a bookworm/nerd all throughout elementary school, so the intelligence thing doesn't surprise me.
Bird (that's her nickname - when she was born, her mouth was open like a baby bird looking for food, so from age 30 seconds, she has been Bird, or Birdie) also has been blessed with a steel trap for a memory. When I was back in school last year studying to become a Medical Assistant, Bird was constantly looking at my books. "Daddy, is this the body?" "Yes it is honey" "I want to learn about the body too"
So, last year, she's in the pre-k program at Holy Trinity School - and they have a book fair. Emily wants money for a book - I figure it will end up being some Dora the Explorer book, but she gets a children's book on the human body, and she knows that book inside out now.
So when Bird grows up - she's going to be the next.......wait for it......
Billy Mays
As you quit giggling, let me explain. This warped little child has/had a FASCINATION with that man. No matter what she saw on TV, if he was selling it, she wanted it. I had to buy something to repair a tear in my hockey equipment, so I bought some of that Mighty Mendit - and his face was on the box - she was CHEERING around the house. She knows the words and catchphrase to every infomercial, and she was DEVASTATED when I told her that Billy Mays was in heaven with her Grandfather.
She has wanted the little mini hamburger pan (they call it a Slider maker) for the last two years! SHE ASKED FOR IT FOR CHRISTMAS!
So, if they ever decide to do infomercials for kids products, toys and that sort of thing, don't be surprised if you hear "HI - EMILY WINTERS HERE FOR THE _________"
And I would be so proud!!
SIDE NOTE - I was an extremely intelligent child - learned to read at a very early age, and was basically a bookworm/nerd all throughout elementary school, so the intelligence thing doesn't surprise me.
Bird (that's her nickname - when she was born, her mouth was open like a baby bird looking for food, so from age 30 seconds, she has been Bird, or Birdie) also has been blessed with a steel trap for a memory. When I was back in school last year studying to become a Medical Assistant, Bird was constantly looking at my books. "Daddy, is this the body?" "Yes it is honey" "I want to learn about the body too"
So, last year, she's in the pre-k program at Holy Trinity School - and they have a book fair. Emily wants money for a book - I figure it will end up being some Dora the Explorer book, but she gets a children's book on the human body, and she knows that book inside out now.
So when Bird grows up - she's going to be the next.......wait for it......
Billy Mays
As you quit giggling, let me explain. This warped little child has/had a FASCINATION with that man. No matter what she saw on TV, if he was selling it, she wanted it. I had to buy something to repair a tear in my hockey equipment, so I bought some of that Mighty Mendit - and his face was on the box - she was CHEERING around the house. She knows the words and catchphrase to every infomercial, and she was DEVASTATED when I told her that Billy Mays was in heaven with her Grandfather.
She has wanted the little mini hamburger pan (they call it a Slider maker) for the last two years! SHE ASKED FOR IT FOR CHRISTMAS!
So, if they ever decide to do infomercials for kids products, toys and that sort of thing, don't be surprised if you hear "HI - EMILY WINTERS HERE FOR THE _________"
And I would be so proud!!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Friendship - where does loyalty end?
I have quite a few people who I consider friends. Facebook says I have over 500 - but a lot of those are people who I either went to school with and knew vaguely, or friends of friends, that sort of thing. I consider myself to be relatively easy to get along with, and I tolerate a lot of stupid things from my friends, because most of the time, it's pretty funny. Harmless, but funny.
Think of your closest friends. How close do you have to be to someone to blindly forgive any transgression, and how disappointing is it to find that when you ask that very question of yourself, you find that perhaps you weren't as close as you thought you were?
I became a step-father at the age of 33, and a father for the first time of my precious daughter in 2004. I had privately convinced myself years ago that was probably never going to happen, but now that it has, I cherish my three children (and yes, I consider my stepsons as my children as well as their father's children - I love them, would do anything for them, and the only "steps" in my house lead down to my family room). Perhaps I'm a little bit "pollyanna" about this, but I couldn't imagine ANYTHING taking me away from my children - whatever forces there are out there couldn't make me be that selfish to put my desires over my wife and children. I would never leave my wife anyway - it took me two tries to get THAT right, and I have someone who loves me despite all my quirks (and I have a lot of them). I could never bring myself to do anything (on purpose) that would destroy my family.
I ask this because there are some people whom I have considered friends that are making decisions that I can't condone, and I feel as if the friendships are strained, quite possibly one that can never be repaired. I'm not an overly spiritual person, but I do pray on occasion, and I pray for these people to realize that their behavior is destructive, and is going to scar their children, if it hasn't already. If you want to make mistakes, that's on you - but why hurt innocent children whom you had a hand in creating? I pray for the kids and the spouses affected, and I understand that there are other forces that come into play - sickness, addictions, things of that nature. Maybe it's hard for me to grasp that, because I am not an addictive person by nature. I'll never know the grip that can place on someone (at least I hope not - I was going to joke about something, but now's not the time for that.).
So I pose the question - where does loyalty end? We all had "best friends" in school that we disconnected from, either by choice or by circumstances. I've never disconnected by choice - and for the first time in my life, I'm thinking about it. IF I do, I would wish them well, hope they can straighten out their lives, and move forward.
As an aside, I do have one friend that asked an easy favor - which I am happy to grant. For those who enjoy these writings, I have a friend who thinks along the same lines as I do - whom I have known since high school. Please check out his blog - http://h8rdsox.blogspot.com/
Thank you all for your opinions on my previous posts. Again, feel free to share your comments either directly here, or on Facebook. I anxiously await your opinions.
I promise next time I'll write about something more light-hearted - like my stupid cat or something the kids have done (I actually have an idea perking up now - you'll get to know the kids a little better next time!)
Think of your closest friends. How close do you have to be to someone to blindly forgive any transgression, and how disappointing is it to find that when you ask that very question of yourself, you find that perhaps you weren't as close as you thought you were?
I became a step-father at the age of 33, and a father for the first time of my precious daughter in 2004. I had privately convinced myself years ago that was probably never going to happen, but now that it has, I cherish my three children (and yes, I consider my stepsons as my children as well as their father's children - I love them, would do anything for them, and the only "steps" in my house lead down to my family room). Perhaps I'm a little bit "pollyanna" about this, but I couldn't imagine ANYTHING taking me away from my children - whatever forces there are out there couldn't make me be that selfish to put my desires over my wife and children. I would never leave my wife anyway - it took me two tries to get THAT right, and I have someone who loves me despite all my quirks (and I have a lot of them). I could never bring myself to do anything (on purpose) that would destroy my family.
I ask this because there are some people whom I have considered friends that are making decisions that I can't condone, and I feel as if the friendships are strained, quite possibly one that can never be repaired. I'm not an overly spiritual person, but I do pray on occasion, and I pray for these people to realize that their behavior is destructive, and is going to scar their children, if it hasn't already. If you want to make mistakes, that's on you - but why hurt innocent children whom you had a hand in creating? I pray for the kids and the spouses affected, and I understand that there are other forces that come into play - sickness, addictions, things of that nature. Maybe it's hard for me to grasp that, because I am not an addictive person by nature. I'll never know the grip that can place on someone (at least I hope not - I was going to joke about something, but now's not the time for that.).
So I pose the question - where does loyalty end? We all had "best friends" in school that we disconnected from, either by choice or by circumstances. I've never disconnected by choice - and for the first time in my life, I'm thinking about it. IF I do, I would wish them well, hope they can straighten out their lives, and move forward.
As an aside, I do have one friend that asked an easy favor - which I am happy to grant. For those who enjoy these writings, I have a friend who thinks along the same lines as I do - whom I have known since high school. Please check out his blog - http://h8rdsox.blogspot.com/
Thank you all for your opinions on my previous posts. Again, feel free to share your comments either directly here, or on Facebook. I anxiously await your opinions.
I promise next time I'll write about something more light-hearted - like my stupid cat or something the kids have done (I actually have an idea perking up now - you'll get to know the kids a little better next time!)
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