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.