Peace

For the past month or so, for the first time in a long time, I think I've felt a sense of peace. I like it. I'll keep working at it.. and I'll try to blog more, too.

And I also can't believe it's August already! It was just yesterday that the NY Giants won the Super Bowl, right? Soon we're going to be in the "ber" months. But the holiday season is always nice, even if the weather gets a little cold. Summer 2009.. here we come!

Over The Rainbow

I was quite amazed, yet not too surprised to hear Keith Olbermann and Brian Williams report that after Tim Russert's memorial service on Wednesday June, a rainbow appeared over Washington, DC while Tim's brother-in-law played "Over the Rainbow." It just really forces you to step back and think that there must be a higher power at work, and that Tim knew what was going on that sad, but celebratory afternoon in Washington. And it's the same as with my Dad. The night he died, our alarm in our house went off for no apparent reason at around 1am. My sister, who is a nurse, said that based on the time he died, 1am would make sense to have had Dad cleaned up and ready for transport to the funeral home. It was Dad's way of saying he was OK. And Dad, I know that you're still around with some of the crazy things that go on with the TV and VCR in Mom's house!!

I worked for MSNBC years ago, but I didn't know Tim Russert. And I continue to have a great sense of pride for working at MSNBC and the NBC Network. It is still a void in my career I have yet to fill.

Yet over the past week, I felt like I knew him. I cried while watching the memorial service on-line. I didn't catch it live on TV. And regardless of his political affiliation, he just seemed like a genuine nice guy, who loved his work, but loved his family and friends more. And I think for that reason, I feel a sense of loss with Tim's passing.

When looking at my life through a mirror, I just wonder why sometimes I choose to not be as happy as I can possibly be. I wonder why I can't live a life like Tim Russert did? Genuinely happy, so proud of his wife and son, helped others, and was passionate about his work. Now, being passionate about work is one thing. One thing I know from my own experiences is that work doesn't love you back. Yes, you should love what you do, but who really does? But loving your family and friends as much as Tim did is something to be envious about. From what I could tell from his memorial service, Tim didn't have a lot of real close friends, but those he did, he loved greatly. Why isn't everyone like that? Wouldn't this world be a happier better place?

Though at times I can be stupid and thoughtless, I love my wife and family passionately. And I truly do care about my close friends. When I'm a father, I truly hope that I have the same sense of pride about being a father to my children that Tim Russert did.

Today, I want to live a happy, fulfilling, proud life like my father did and like Tim Russert did. It's a choice. I'll do it.

A Sobering Father's Day

I understand that I haven't blogged in a while, and for anyone out there who reads my blog, my apologies. It just hasn't been a priority for me lately. But I'll try to be better at it.

Dad, we visited you today for Father's Day. We rubbed the lottery tickets for you. We won $7! Not bad. Since I knew you'd be upset if we left the winning tickets for you, we just left the "official... losers" for you. I remember a long time ago, you used to collect them and you had a stash of them in your night-table. That was a long time ago!!! I hope you're doing OK, Dad. I miss you.

This past Friday, Tim Russert of NBC News' Meet the Press suddenly died. He died of a heart attack. It turns out that Tim had heart problems similar to my Dad. Now I didn't know Tim at all. I didn't meet him when I worked at MSNBC. So maybe it's silly to feel bad that he died, and that the tributes on television this weekend did bring me to a few tears. But yet, I feel sad.

Events like that of Tim Russert do bring life into perspective. It reminds us of what is important.. family, friends, love, and G-D. Not working 20 hour days at work at a job that may or may not reward in ways that we deserve. The thing is, while we have the right perspective now, it fades, and we all go back into our old habits of worrying about the wrong things.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you.

McCain 2008

Time Goes By Quickly

Time really does go by so fast. I can't believe that it's been a little over 2 weeks since I last posted on my blog. And so much has changed. NJ Transit instituted their parking fees despite the complaints and feedback of passengers and politicians alike to not charge for parking. Shows how much those idiots care. However, I will keep my fight going with local politicians from Wayne and surrounding communities to get them revoked, though it seems lately that my efforts are falling on deaf ears. And why bother complaining to NJT? They're not going to do anything about it, despite the fact that we are paying customers who have no choice but to use their G-dforsaken awful system.

I also got a new car.. bought it, no lease. Had no desire to lease again. I was tired of throwing away money and trying effortlessly to work with dealers to get a good lease deal. I got a great purchase deal. I totally suggest Garden State Honda on Route 3 West in Clifton NJ if you are looking for a new Honda.

And for the first time in a long time, I got the flu. An awful case of the flu. Congestion, aches, headaches, and a fever of 102. My fever didn't help me take my exam in class on Saturday.. who knows how I did on that. But I muddled through and if I get a B in the class, I'll be awfully pleased considering the amount and the complexity of material shoved at us in 5 Saturday classes.

And the 1 year anniversay of my Father's fatal heart attack came and went in February. Maybe that's what my flu symbolizes. I love you Daddy. And I miss you so much. I think about you everyday when I'm awake, and when I sleep at night.

But I am feeling better and I will get to work tomorrow. But I will take it easy. I'm sure I have hundreds of e-mails from the days I was out. One thing at a time. Can't conquer the world in one day.

My Point Exactly

Wow, I haven't published a blog posting since February 6! Well, for all of you out there who aren't reading my blog anyway, here's a new post which you won't read.

But this brings me, sort of, to my point, and this is not meant to be a criticism to those who enjoy writing a blog posting every day. I know people like that and I totally respect what they do. But after spending a whole day at work, and a full Saturday in Grad school, I just can't park myself in front of my computer and start typing away in a blog or newsgroup. There are some newsgroups (or what they today call "social media") that I do lurk on and people post on what seems every minute of the day. I just wonder, don't people have anything else more productive and better to do than to sit all day and night posting onto a newsgroup or updating their blog all day long?

Look, I like the idea of a blog. It's a glorified online diary where one can post thoughts and get things off of their chest. It's the same thing that would occur if you used an old fashioned notebook-diary. Except in this case, others can read it. It's quite an interesting concept in this Web 2.0 generation. But try to become a new member of a newsgroup.. forget it! You'll need to go through a hazing period to get into these strange fraternaties.

So my thought... go outside.. play.. see a movie.. kiss your wife/husband/loved one... go to school.. stop texting.. join an organization to meet people in person, but get off the computer! I'm going to do that right now... to study my homework.

My point exactly.

Simple Optimism...and other stuff

Every night from 8-9PM, WPLJ (95.5FM) here in New York plays "the 80s at 8" which is an all request hour of 80s music. I guess I am a child of the 1980s, and hearing the music just reminds me of a time that was so much simpler. Yes, I had my own issues and problems like every kid growing up does, but over all, it was a happier, simpler, optimistic time. My family was doing well financially, we were healthy, all of my Grandparents were still alive. And while people and the media like to make fun of Ronald Reagan for the way things were in the 1980s, it overall was a good decade in my opinion. A very simple decade. Things aren't so simple anymore. We've managed to make life very fast paced and very complicated in so many ways. Makes me wonder... where's the optimism with Obama, Clinton, McCain, or Romney? Scary... very scary.

On Pat Sajak's blog, he talks about the importance of buying vowels when playing Wheel of Fortune. While I agree about the importance of buying vowels on the show and how, if done strategically, can help a contestant solve the puzzle and win the game, I think some of the strategy of buying vowels is taken away because vowels are still so cheap at $250 each. When the show first debuted on daytime television over 25 years ago, $250 was a lot of money to spend on vowels, considering the top dollar amount on the wheel was $750. Today, a contestant can earn thousands of dollars with a single spin of the wheel, and if all 5 vowels are in the puzzle, a contestant could buy all 5 for $1,250. The price of vowels should keep up with the times, the money given away on the show, and increase strategy and competition. Increasing the price of vowels to $500 would not hurt the integrity of the game.

To 2009.... and Beyond!

It is a testament to the City of New York, and to our Country, that over 1 million people can enjoy the NY Giants Ticker-Tape Parade in the Canyon of Heroes, and it goes off without a hitch and without incident. Only in America.

Today was Primary Day. I said back in 2004 that Hillary Clinton is going to be the next President of the United States. Many people disagreed with me. Sadly, it looks like it's coming true.

So much for celebratory parades without her permission when she becomes President. Say goodbye to the little bit of Democracy we have left, and hello Clinton socialism.

Blogging Value

It was just sweet revenge to see the NY Giants beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl yesterday. Sweet revenge for when the Red Sox beat the NY Yankees in 2004.

I haven't blogged much lately. I've been busy with lots of things to do, and I really don't want to park myself in front of my computer at night after a full day of work in front of one.

I was at a conference for work last week, where we learned about Web 2.0 and Social Media. What boggles my mind is how important blogs are to content distributors. They want to license blog content from blog writers. In other words, what you or I write in an electronic diary people or companies want to license and earn revenue off of. This seems like a crazy notion.. but maybe in 5 years it will be commonplace.

But what concerns me is that kids today don't know anything about playing outside or being social at school or camp. Whatever happened to the good old days when we all played outside and didn't park our butts in front of a computer or video games? Everyone's got their blackberries or they are texting or they are doing something in front of an electronic device. How did we survive before cell phone and the internet? I thought society did just fine, actually better than we're doing today.

For My Father

Dad,

Today we unveiled your footstone. Your family and closest friends were there to witness it. Your name engraved in the stone looks as authoritative and professional as it did on your business cards. You would be proud.

And as you predicted, I am quite useless when it comes to being strong, for it was Jodie who had to read the final prayer instead of me. She is an Asarch through and through, that's for sure!

I know that before you met Mommy that you grew up in a family that didn't love you, or at least show you that love, as they should have, and they didn't make you happy. As you rest comfortably and free in the eternal home of G-D, please just know how much Mommy, Jodie and I love you for everything that you are. Know that throughout the time we were together on this Earth, as difficult and unhappy as some times were, you made us so happy. And we miss you driving us crazy! You are forever in our hearts and I miss you in the most unimaginable way that words simply cannot describe. If you're not too busy playing cards, bowling or rubbing your crosswords lottery tickets, send me a sign to let me know you're around and OK.

Talk to you soon.

Love,
Alan

Perspective

Here's some perspective for all of the anti-Bush, anti-war, Britney Spears loving, terrorist loving liberals out there. Every day I see those Twin Towers missing from the NYC Skyline. I understand what we're fighting for.

You stay up for 16 hours.
He stays up for days on end.

You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.

You complain of a 'headache', and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.

You make sure your cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.

You talk trash about your 'buddies' that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.

You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.

Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.

You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.

You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.

You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.

You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long.

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Yes, like many of us, I have been watching my 401(k) take a big hit the last few months. Fortunately, I'm young enough where I can take such a hit now and watch it grow again as retirement nears ever so quickly, if it ever comes at all.

I think the economic problems our country is in right now are partly due to our own fault, and partly due to a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ever since George W. Bush became President in 2000, the media has wanted him to fail. This is where the self-fulfilling prophecy comes in. They want him to fail so a media-darling, liberal Democrat such as Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama is elected to office, so they can inflict real damage on the United States and let the terrorists attack us and make sure that I take home less money that I earn. We won't have to worry about any economic problems or health care issues if this country is attacked or destroyed by terrorists, or by ourselves. So anyway, the media (television, radio, print, internet) has shoved down our throats that Bush is an awful man and an awful President and has brainwashed the majority of people in the US and around the world to believe that Bush is bad and Republicans are bad, and that is why the country is in the state it's in right now. Well, I'm not so entirely sure. Bush's tax cuts and policies have helped me, a middle-class man with a modest income, rather well. I can afford to live and be married and put food on the table, as long as I live within my means. And thank G-D that since 9/11 there is not been another terrorist attack on US soil. You can thank George W. Bush for that. The Junior Senator from NY has hardly been in NY to care for the people of NY during her reign. You think she actually cares about the people of the United States and protecting them? The people of NY are only there for Clinton when it's good for her, and I'm convinced she feels the same way about the people of the United States.

Which brings us to the other part of the problem. People in this country think that they are entitled to get something for nothing. They should get a mortgage even though they can't afford to pay it back. They should get more credit cards even though they can never pay the balance in full. Executives should get big bonuses for failing to protect their companies and employees from outsourcing and layoffs. It's funny how people have the money to buy video games and cell phones and other electronics, but no money to invest in finding or keeping a job, or for education, clothes, or food. Whatever happened to sacrifice and living within our means and trying to take care of ourselves and not have the government do it for us? There is no sense of pride or purpose in the US anymore like there was after World War II and the declining state of our economy is symbolic of that.

It's time to stop blaming George W. Bush. It's time to stop blaming the bank. It's time to stop blaming the credit card company. It's time to start blaming ourselves. Sadly, people will not realize any of this until 12:01PM on January 20, 2009 when, sadly, a Democrat will be elected President and suddenly everything will be OK and we'll be bailed out again by a flawed Democratic government.

Metaphor

In some ways, I think that Sports is a metaphor for life. The New York Giants were able to overcome a season of adversity because of positive thinking and belief in themselves and their team. This led them to become NFC conference champions and go to the Super Bowl. Just imagine if I thought this way all the time? I still have to figure out what stops me from doing that in all aspects of life. I'd be much better off.

Dad, you always taught me that positive thinking and a belief in yourself was the key. I know it is. I'm still trying to unlock it. I've been thinking about you a lot, Dad. I love you. I miss you so much.

New Jersey: Without Representation

Normally I save my blogging for the evening when I reflect on the day. However, I heard something on the radio this morning that just boiled my blood. NJ Governor Corzine has proposed raising the tolls on NJ roads by 50% every 4 years. This man is out of his mind.

How he was voted into office is beyond me. I didn't vote for him, and those who did are now reaping what they sewed for themselves and for everyone else in NJ. The first thing Corzine did when he entered office was raise the state sales tax from 6% to 7%. Then, among other taxes, he decided to tax gym/fitness center memberships even though the entire state of NJ signed petitions saying not to do it! Now the tolls. Soon he'll become Jim Florio and try to tax toilet paper! (That didn't work out so well for Florio by the way.) And then if he gets his way, he'll tax the air we breathe!

All of this is taxation (or stealing) without representation. And we can write to our local, state, and federal politicians about taxes going up for everything and fees going up for everything but it is all to no avail. They don't listen, they don't try to help, they don't care. I'm still going to pay to simply park my car at a bus stop; I'm still going to pay the tax on my gym membership. Hell, I lose 1/3 of my paycheck to taxes! It's all legalized stealing, and it's more prominent in New Jersey than in any other state.

It is becoming impossible to afford to live in New Jersey. Now I know why some of my friends moved to North Carolina and other places! The politicians claim NJ is broke. Bullshit. The politicians need more money to line their pockets and give themselves nice raises for "a job well done." All of this is legalized stealing... stealing without representation. Politicians don't represent us anymore.. they only represent themselves. I think that if you want to be a politician, and work in "public service" you don't get paid for it! Then maybe people who actually care will be in public service and will actually represent the people instead of themselves and their dirty schemes.

So go ahead and tax us some more Corzine! Problem is.. some people are too stupid and will vote you into office again during the next election. But you don't have my vote, and you never will!

Sit Back and Relax

All day long I sit in front of a computer solving problems and coming up with ideas and trying to do a good job at work. I'm home now. I have things on my mind as I always do. I have thoughts about how my life could be easier, better, happier. But I've been in front of a computer for enough time today, and frankly, I don't feel like writing a damn thing. Good night!!

A Good Laugh

You know those commericals during The Price is Right with Wilford Brimley talking about Diabetes and getting diabetes medical supplies through Liberty Medical? Well, last night during an old episode of Family Guy, I saw something that made me laugh harder than I have laughed in about a year. Thank goodness for You Tube. (I don't know what the first 5 seconds and last 5 seconds of the clip are.)



Now I certainly am not making fun of Diabetes or people with Diabetes. My Grandfather and Father both had Diabetes, and I understand what a terrible disease it is. But I have found that if you can't laugh, you cry. And I'd rather laugh if I can.

Friends

As most of us know, Friends was a TV show that ran for 10 seasons from 1994-2004. The show received a lot of praise, and a lot of criticism. I must admit that I was not really into the show until 2001 when I met the girl who is now my wife.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to write in the blog tonight and as I was flipping through the channels relaxing on the couch (for the first time in a while) an old Thanksgiving episode of Friends was on. It was fun to watch. In fact, every winter if we can, especially on a snowy day, my wife and I take out the Friends DVDs and watch as many episodes as we can in order until we get sick of it. It's a lot of fun.

Despite all its success and criticism, and knowing that it's just a TV show and not real life, one thing I really like is that the show is about 6 friends who simply like each other, like each other's company and are just really good friends and share everything together. I think it's great that people can be such great roommates, and be such great "across the hall" friends. It's something I never had or experienced. I just get a really warm feeling watching the show, and wish that I had a group of friends like that who would be there and could be relied on no matter what.

Or does that not exist because Friends was just a TV show?

What's My Line?

I couldn't sleep Saturday night into Sunday morning this past weekend. On TV at 3AM was an episode of What's My Line on GSN. It really is a shocking reflection of how so much has changed in our country over the last 50 years. The elegance, intelligence, kindness, humor and manners exhibited on the show do not exist anymore, and sadly, would never fly today. The men wore tuxedos, the women wore beautiful evening gowns. The men didn't sit until the women sat; The men stood when greeting a female contestant and shaking their hands. The questions asked were intelligent and the answers just as intelligent. And there was respect; respect for questions, answers, and intelligence. None of this exists anymore, and it's a terrible reflection on the USA as a society. And it's sad. And we really need to ask ourselves why.

Great Giants win against the Dallas Cowboys today. In the unlikely event the Giants beat Green Bay in the NFC Championship next weekend, it's all gravy.

And now we embark on another long work week, as another weekend has come and gone all too quickly.

Staying In

Sometimes I question if what I am doing from day to day is a waste of time. I mean, we have one life to live. We need to live it to the fullest, right? But what is the fullest?

It's Friday night, I'm writing on this blog, and I am actually glad to be in and home. But is simply being home on a Friday night a waste of time? There are lots of things I like to do and really enjoy: Movies, Bowling, Sporting Events, Broadway Musicals, Comedy Clubs, go to a bar, go to NYC. Yet, I'm not doing that tonight, and besides the movies and my commute to NYC everyday, I haven't done any of those other things in a long time. Am I wasting my time sitting home on a Friday night tired from a full week of work, subconsciously trying to save money for a better future, or am I simply resting up to do those things later?

I just want to be sure that I'm not wasting my life away.

Awards

With the writers' strike turning the Golden Globe Awards ceremony into a news conference, since it's awards season, let's give out some more:

Let's give a shout out to NJ Transit for their great effort in effectively stealing more of our hard-earned money by charging $300-$900 per year to simply park our cars at their new Wayne/Route 23 Transit Center!

While we're handing out kudos, let's also thank the MTA for hiking NYC Subway Fares.

And let's not forget the Port Authority of NY and NJ for raising the toll prices on their bridges and tunnels.

Great job making sure that people who actually need your services are exploited for parking that may not be available to all, for subways we won't be able to afford to ride, and for bridges and tunnels we soon will not be able to afford to use. In general, thanks for making it more inconvenient for us everyday working folks to get to work, to earn a paycheck, simply to line your pockets with our money. What a scam.

Never Forget

OK, my last post was a little harsh with the "phony networking" comment. I do feel that most networking is phony, but I take it seriously because networking does mean a lot to me and I want to be good at it. Long story short, I was good at it yesterday and saw people and talked to people I haven't seen in a long time. And I really enjoyed it.

The 3 best models on The Price is Right are Rachel Reynolds, Gwendolyn Osborne and Brandi Sherwood.

I decided that I really didn't want to get into politics on my blog. Those of you who really know me know my political beliefs and my opinions on various issues. But there are some pent up feelings that just need to be released. First, this whole thing with Hillary's tears... please; And Barack Obama being our country's savior and uniter... give me a break. Things will be more divisive than you think should he become president. Do you think any candidate, Republican or Democrat, on the local, state or federal level really gives a crap about anyone else but themselves? The answer is no. My local mayor doesn't even care that NJ Transit is going to be charging fees to park at their new and existing park and ride lots used to commute to NYC everyday. All politicans simply don't care, no matter how much they claim to care.

Rudy Giuliani may or may not be presidential material. I honestly haven't decided on which candidate I will vote for. But if you think he's the only one with skeletons in his closet, or having done things that are controversial then think again. He is criticized heavily because he frequently mentions 9/11 when answering questions. And the reason he is criticized is because many people have already forgotten 9/11, and this country has fallen back into the bad patterns of making celebrities like Britney Spears, reality shows, steroids in baseball, the writers' strike, and other B.S. priorities. If I remember correctly, right before 9/11, this country was up in arms because Anne Heche was gay, or was not gay.. whatever.

9/11 happened in Rudy Giuliani's city. 9/11 happened right outside of my apartment window. I watched the news footage at work over and over again of that horrible day and I remember the boom of the plane hitting the buildings, the screams in the streets, and the sounds of the glass and steel crumbling to the ground. I am lucky that I didn't lose a friend or loved one that day, and I am still saddened for those who have. But I am reminded of that day every day when I look at the NYC skyline and see the void of where the Twin Towers used to stand. The terrorists have one goal, and that is to cripple the US Economy and wipe all of us in the United States off the face of the Earth. And many in this country have forgotten about that, and all the lessons of 9/11. So Rudy Giuliani is criticized for remembering that day and making sure we don't forget it? I wonder what the reaction would be if Hillary Clinton, or any of the other candidates actually talked about 9/11.

Now whether you agree with what I say or not, about politics or any issue, the beauty of the United States of America is that I am still free to use this blog to say what I want.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Every January, Ithaca College has an annual Networking Night in New York City. I went in 2002 when I was looking for full-time work with the hope that networking with other Ithaca College professionals in my chosen field would be helpful and productive. Ithaca is a great school, don't get me wrong. But it loves to tout that Ithaca alumni help other Ithaca alumni and that the Ithaca connection lasts forever. Well, I haven't seen it... and that's OK. Like I said before, everything I've accomplished, I've earned and done totally on my own. But the whole proud Ithaca alumni "connection" is bogus. Other institutions of higher learning tout their alumni connections and actually act upon it, but with Ithaca, it's a bunch of hot air.

I believe that at the age of 17 or 18 when we graduate High School, we are still much too young to go to college. High School, or some sort of organized education, should last until the age of 21, then the college education can begin. Why do I feel this way? Well, as a tour guide at Ithaca, there were so many prospective students who didn't know what they wanted to major in or what career path they were interested in. Part of it is the prospective student's fault. Does any course of study or career not interest a high school graduate at all? It doesn't mean that it will be their career in 5 or 10 years, but at least there should be a foundation of the beginning of a career. Heck, I've had 3-4 careers already in my 15 or so years of professional work. And part of it is the college's fault, for having "exploratory" programs and accepting students into the institution who have not declared a major. And then, of course, after 2 years, they choose to major in "communications." For people like me and others I've met in grad school, Communications is a very serious course of study. Unfortunately, for many others, it's a cop out major.

So why am I going to the Ithaca networking night? Well, I didn't have the most pleasant college experience, some of which was my fault, and some being that nature just didn't make me mature enough yet to handle the pressures of college and living away from home for the first time. So really, it's just a practice for me in phony networking, as that's a major part of my new job.

Tired Tuesday

I have the best intentions to get a good night's sleep every night so the next morning's coffee doesn't have to do that much work. Despite my best efforts, I always go to sleep way too late at night, usually offering myself a 5-6 hour "nap" rather than a good night's sleep. Part of it is that I get home from work rather late, go to the gym, take care of things at home, and watch TV. Another part could be that I really don't want the next day to come too quickly. After all, I just go through one tough day of work this week, and there's 4 more to go before the weekend! And I never really turn my mind "off." There's always something I'm thinking about, worrying about, reminiscing about, or wondering about, positive or negative.

Well, wish me luck tomorrow. I have a very important client meeting in which I have to negotiate my first really big deal for the Company. Fortunately, I have the support of a SVP behind me, but it's going to be a great challenge nonetheless. Just have to remember to stick to my guns!

Manic Monday

Don't you wish it was still Sunday? Well, The Bangles did, and frankly, I do too!

It was a relatively nice weekend. Friday, my wife, Shari, and I fell asleep on the couch, but we did enjoy a nice dinner together before falling asleep! Saturday, we went out to my old stomping grounds of Hoboken, NJ. I lived in Hoboken from 2000-2003 and loved every minute of it, even when I was unemployed. There is a restaurant for every taste, a bar for ever drinker, and it's literally a hop, skip and a jump from NYC. We went out for some casual Italian dining, and then went to a bar where I was a regular for most of my time in Hoboken: Far Side. It's a bar with a nice atmosphere, good bartenders, good drinks, and they installed 3 brand new HDTV's to make the sports viewing very pleasant and a lot of fun. Years ago, I used to meet friends at Far Side every Tuesday night. We knew the bartender well and always got our share of free drinks. And our dart throwing skills got really good, too. It was a lot of fun, and being there again brought back some very pleasant memories, even though during that time, life wasn't very easy.

Sunday, it was great to see the NY Giants beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the NFL playoffs. I don't think the Giants will make it to the Super Bowl, but the team has been more cohesive this season, and I'm happy for their success. Coach Coughlin deserves to come back next season, and I hope he does. After the game, it was over to Mom's house for steak dinner. It was warm enough today to throw a few steaks on the grill. Nothing like a home-cooked steak!

But one of the most difficult things for me to do is walk into my Mom's house with Dad not there. When I go into the house, I find myself looking around to see if he's in his usual spot on the couch, or if he is in his office playing the card game "Spider" on the computer. I can't put into words anymore how I feel about Dad being gone. I don't wish this feeling on anyone, but it's difficult to understand if you've never experienced it.

He died too young, and deserved so much more, including being at my sister's wedding, which took place just 6 weeks after he died. And, I can't begin to explain how helpless I feel when I see Mom cry. We read some of the doctor's records we received which included the information about his unsuccessful bypass surgery. Dad, physically, just had no more heart. Even the machines couldn't keep him alive. As difficult a man as he was, and even though he wasn't around much when I was younger to see me in band concerts or to stay up late with, I always loved him, and even though I rarely got it, I always wanted some love and affection back from him. But it didn't matter. He is my only Father, I love him, and he gave my family and me everything to make sure we had an easy a life as possible. He deserved to live and experience so much more. But I know he knows what's going on and I know he's watching down on his entire family and in his own way, Dad is taking care of us.

Thing is now, I still constantly worry about the little things, and worry about getting up for work on Monday morning, rather than thanking G-D for letting me wake up another day, even though I will never know why He took Dad when He did.

1 vs. ??

In addition to the very simplistic questions asked, the application for the new game show "Million Dollar Password" requires that applicants include a photo of themselves in order to be considered as a contestant. As a true fan of the game show genre, I find this very troubling. First of all, it is discrimination. Applicants are immediately being judged as to whether they can be a good contestant simply by the way they look. Producers of the game shows of yesteryear (Goodson-Todman, Jack Barry, Bob Stewart, etc.) and some of the game show producers of today (such as Harry Friedman of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy) pretty much let anybody play their games, as long as they could actually play the games! At least I believe they didn't care what the contestants look like. They gave everyone and anyone an equal chance to qualify and play. If applicants had a fun personality, showed enthusiasm, showed some common intelligence, and proved they could answer questions and play the game, then they qualified as a contestant. But this new practice of "better looking people make better contestants" in today's game show world is quite troubling to me, because it's just not true.

Take tonight's episode of 1 vs. 100 on NBC. There was an attractive blonde female playing the game. No problem. Then came her $50,000 question, which essentially was "Which of these is a prime number: 4, 6, or 11?" The $50,000 question!!!! Her answer: 4! She qualifies as a game show contestant? And no, the TV cameras and bright studio lights did not affect her. She knew that Marcia Brady was hit in the nose with a football. (The correct answer to the question is 11.)

What happened to the days of "Tic Tac Dough" and "The Joker's Wild" and other Q&A game shows when a person had to know what a prime number was in order to even have a chance to qualify to be a contestant? More proof that today's game shows just aren't what they used to be, and how the dumbing down of our society is getting worse and worse. Maybe not all past game shows were Q&A shows, but at least they showed people with some class and intelligence.

And what's more amazing is tonight's 1 vs. 100 play at home contest, which was "How many got this question wrong: "What color is the bottom color of a traffic light?" (No joke.) People got that wrong? I have a friend whose 2 year old knows the answer. (The answer is Green.)

Here's an exciting clip of the biggest bonus round win on 1980's Super Password.




Will today's "Million Dollar Password" contestants be able to guess two syllable words? Thank goodness Jeopardy! is still on the air with good ratings.

4 Day Weekends; 3 Day Workweeks

Because of how the holidays fell this year, I was able to take 4 day weekends and work a 3 day work week. Even in today's whirlwind work day, I've found that I'm more productive putting a 5 day workload into 3 days. Think any companies will go for a 4 day weekend and 3 day work week? I didn't think so either.

Today I added a new feature to my blog: Links. I placed a link to my friend's blog, who is a much better writer than I am. And I also placed a link to Pat Sajak's blog on his official website. Given that it is his blog, I hope he doesn't mind that I linked to it. Blogs are meant to be read after all, right? If he requests, I will remove it. But I like his blog, and I like his thoughful, insightful, and witty takes on many of today's issues. And it's refreshing to know that he is a conservative voice in Hollywood that I agree with most of the time. Sajak would probably make a very good politican. Back in 1990, when he was hosting The Pat Sajak Show on CBS, I wrote him a letter asking advice on how I could be successful in television and become a game show host just like him. He wrote me back the most wonderful, personal letter. While his advice was great, unfortunately I didn't follow it, which is probably one reason why I am not in television, and not a game show host today! But because it's a personal letter from him, I cherish it... except right now I can't find it. See what can happen when you move 5 times in 8 years?

Articles of Observation

No, I'm not Jerry Seinfeld, and I'm learning that there are things in this world that "shouldn't be according to Alan." But sometimes I enjoy simply observing things and commenting on them. So that is what The Articles of Observation will be about.

Today, I rejoined the gym I used to go to before I moved out of my hometown in 2005. The gym is World Gym. And even though the membership fee is high, it has to be one of the best gyms around. For the price you get a TV at every cardio station, towel service, clean showers with soap and shampoo, clean bathrooms with hair dryers, Q-Tips, and Mouthwash, Sauna Service, etc.. worth every penny. Anyway, today in the gym some guy was worried that stuff was stolen out of his locker while he was working out. He also said that someone has been stealing things out of lockers lately, and they just caught the person who was doing it. Now here's the thing, the people who got stuff stolen out of their lockers did not use a lock on their lockers!!!!!! You spend so much money on a gym membership.. is it so hard to spend $5 more on a combination lock to protect your things? Or is this something the government should now regulate?

Which brings me to my next observation. I read an article today that said credit card companies may begin to charge 30% interest on late credit card payments. However, people feel that this percentage is much too high and the government should regulate it. One person in the article said "If I'm one day late, why should I be penalized 30%?" How about because you're late with your credit card payment? Is it so hard to pay the bill one day early rather than one day late? The due date is listed right on the bill! Or how about not charging on your credit card and saving yourself some money. People just don't take responsibility for themselves and they want the government to take care of everything. That's the problem with this country!!!

Speaking of responsibility, when I was in high school, all of us who took the school bus to school had to all meet at 1 corner where the bus picked us all up. Lately, I've noticed that instead of the kids meeting all at one corner, the bus stops and picks the kids up at each corner! Are kids that lazy now that they can't all walk a few feet, or maybe a 1/2 mile, to catch the school bus? Unbelievable.

More idiocy... traffic lights. Usually, unless the traffic light is a signal for a left turn, the green light isn't an arrow, rather it is a full "ball." Well, I've noticed that traffic lights are getting much more specific, and when the light turns green, it actually points in the direction you should be driving in: straight, left, or right. So people who are actually getting drivers licenses these days can't figure out which way to drive.. they need the light to tell them which way to go. We're getting stupider by the day.

Today is the day that David Letterman and Jay Leno come back from their "hiatus" due to the Writers' Strike. This has been covered so much in the news that you'd think scientists found a cure for cancer or AIDS. I used to love television. All my life I wanted to work in television. But lately, I'm finding myself thinking with stories like this "who cares?" Does it really matter? Is this news? And despite the really bad quality of television programming today, part of me still wants to work in television. I did at one time.. my first job was at MSNBC, and I loved every minute of it. But since I left MSNBC, I haven't been able to get back into television. I'm skilled and talented and I know how to produce a television show. But in television, as with any career really, despite my skills and all I know, no one ever gave me the big break I needed. If you look at all the producers and television talent who are successful today, they always credit someone for their "big break." Yet they don't give a break to anyone else who really deserves one. I know a lot of people in television.. some I've known for many many years. And many, if not all of them, got their big break from someone who gave them a chance. And even though I know all those people, I never got the chance from any of them. However, I am proud that everything I have done I accomplished on my own, and that means more than any career in television could.

Happy New Year

Well, 2008 is finally here, and with it brings a flood of emotions and thoughts, and it's almost impossible to articulate them all. I don't celebrate Christmas, but I really like the holiday season. It's a bummer when it's over. I like seeing the Christmas lights glisten on a cold, winter, snowy day. I like watching Miracle on 34th Street, It's A Wonderful Life, and the Yule Log on Channel 11 each year. Right now on Channel 11, they are running their annual New Year's Day marathon of The Honeymooners. It reminds me so much of my Dad who would watch the marathon every year. We always talked about the "core-a-apple" episode. I already miss his laugh during all of the episodes, but fortunately, I can still hear it.

In a sense, it is a relief that 2007 is over. When you lose a parent, it is a life changing experience. You just aren't the same person before that person died, no matter how much you try and think you are. And things that meant so much to that person mean so much more to you now. And I think about Mom all the time. She told me that she is a survivor... and she sure is. She's one of the strongest people I know.

When the ball drops in Times Square and January 1 arrives, I sometimes think that it's going to be a long year, and it's going to feel like such a long time before the year gets rolling and the next December and holiday season comes around again. Whether it's a new calendar year, new school year, or new school semester, it always feels like starting over, and it's going to all take a long time. Despite that, everything always goes fast.

So let's see.. let's look back on 2007. In no particular order: I busted my right shoulder, I got a new, challenging job, I moved (and am now a renter instead of an owner), my sister got married, school continued, and I'm sure so much more that I can't think of at this late hour. And what is there to expect in 2008: More challenges in school, many more challenges and pressure at work, getting a new car for my wife since the lease will be up, and many more personal challenges that I will need to overcome to feel happier and be happier. Not that I'm not happy now.. I am happy. But I could be happier. I think everyone could be happier.

I hope that 2008 brings good health, happiness, and success to my family, and to yours. I hope our country and the world becomes a safer, more simpler place to live and be happy.