Challege Day 7 - Toy Story

I thought for a long time about this entry because I was lucky enough to have lots of toys growing up. Because of that, I couldn't immediately come up with a favorite. (I know....hell of a problem to have, right?)

Here are some that stand out, in no particular order.

1. Transformers - The coolest thing about these toys, (aside from the fact that you were actually getting TWO toys--a robot and a vehicle of some kind--is that when I was growing up, they were made of the heavy die-cast metal instead of the plastic stuff they are made of today. My favorite of all time was the Decepticon Soundwave

He transformed into a boombox and came with two cassette tapes, Ravage and Laserbeak, who themselves transformed into the animals seen above. Decades later, the Transformers movie came out and I went and saw it twice within a week. Disappointingly, Soundwave was changed for the movie and only featured sparingly.


2. Apple IIe computer -

This was the first computer we ever owned. As you might guess, this is the thing that sparked my love for computers in general. I could even go so far as to say that without the Apple IIe, I would never have gone on to a PC of my own in the future, meaning I might never have gone on to meet my wife online more than a decade later. Admittedly, I never really used this computer to its fullest potential, but I did spend hours playing Dark Tower (which I have even tried to find online, to no avail) and Oregon Trail. One of my saddest days with this bad boy was the day my Spy Hunter floppy disk was damaged and rendered useless.

3. Nintendo/Game Boy/Super Nintendo - I don't remember exactly when I got my Nintendo, but I will never forget the story behind it. I had begged my mom for it forever. My cousins all had it. My friends all had it. I wanted it bad, but she would not budge.





Then, all the sudden one birthday, there it was. As I tore the wrapping paper off and realized what it was, I went from shock to excitement...and then I began to wonder what changed her mind. She told me that my aunt and my grandparents finally talked her into it, saying my grades were good and I was generally a good kid. Had I known, I would have used that arguement myself rather than begging!

Years after the Nintendo, the Game Boy and Super Nintendo came out and I had equally as much fun with them as I did my Nintendo, but nothing ever beat that feeling of powering on that console for the very first time.

4. Cap guns - Our overprotective, politically correct society would probably frown on such a toy these days (I'd bet they're impossible to find now!) but we had so many hours of fun with cap guns!

Mine was bright orange and yellow...never as realistic as the one shown above, but that didn't stop us from having a blast. Pull the trigger and you'd get a small pop, similar to those New Year's Eve party favors. Many a fun afternoon running around the yard (and the neighbor's) pretending to be cops and robbers or secret agents, or soldiers. but we wasted so much money buying those little red ammo rings it's ridiculous.

5. Nerf Turbo football -

We had always played with foam footballs growing up, but when the Nerf Turbo came out, we all swore it was the most revolutionary toy ever to be released. The picture above is not good, but you get the gist....It was a cool looking orange and black with grooves cut in it to make it more aerodynamic than a normal football--and easier to throw a professional-looking spiral with. A later version included a plastic insert in the center that made the ball whistle as it flew, so you would REALLY think you were throwing hard! It made it difficult to catch though, so I never liked it as much as the original. Almost all the street football games of my childhood were played with this baby and it might be the best toy I ever owned.

 As adults, we move onto more expensive toys, but in a lot of ways nothing ever lives up to the jewels from our childhood.  I'll leave it to you to decide if thats cool or sad.

 

Until next time...

Challenge Day 6 - The Water Bearer

It should come as no surprise to most of you that I've never given much thought to astrology.  Come to think of it, do any of us know anyone that actually follows and/or believes in astrology?  Not that I'm shit-talking an entire belief system.  I just don't think many people actually think the stuff is real. 

But then, the horoscopes are in every newspaper in America, so it's got to have some kind of audience.

Anyway, I digress.

Today's task was to write about whether or not I think my zodiac sign fits my personality.  What little I know about Aquarians is that they are considered visionaries...dreamers...idealists.  Clearly, that's not good enough for me, so I went in search of a better picture of what it is to be an Aquarius.  I ended up here but the write-up was way too long and New Age-y for me, so I quickly moved on. 

I found this site, which seemed simpler to me, so I decided to go with it as the basis of this discussion.  What I discovered (and yes, this may be considered a cop-out) is that some of the description fits, and some of it is way off.

See for yourself:

"One of the standout characteristics of those born under the Sun Sign of Aquarius is their unwillingness to follow the beaten track. With advancement and progress on their minds, there can be an irreverence to old and outdated ways of thinking and doing things." 

The first part of this is quite inaccurate.  I have never been one to do things differently or go a different direction just because everyone else is going one way.  I DO value innovation though and if something is outdated, I'm definitely going to push for a new way, as long as it makes logical sense.

"Many Aquarians aim to free themselves of personal and social conditioning. Although open to change in theory, Aquarians can be surprisingly stubborn. Their idealism runs strong, but they can be very fixed in their opinions."
 

When I initially typed my response here, I wrote that this part is pretty wrong, but as I read it a few more times, I suppose I have to disagree.  My wife will tell you that I am stubborn (though I don't think I am), but I have no problem admitting that I am very "fixed in my opinions."  I just believe that the opinions that matter have been formed by a great deal of thought and education...and that I am open to changing those opinions if I have new information.  As for being an idealist, I'm pretty much the opposite of that.  I much prefer to deal with what is real rather than what should be.

"Often a bit aloof and even standoffish, Aquarians nonetheless are usually well-liked. They are curious and observant, and tolerant in a broad sense. Prejudice and bias is offensive to the typical Aquarius."
 

Right on the money here.  I don't know about aloof, but I have definitely been accused of minimizing issues rather than taking them for what they are.  And depending on who you ask, I can be standoffish to the point of being intimidating (again, I don't see it).  Curious and observant?  That's me.  Strong distaste for prejudice and bias?  Me again.  I am extremely concerned with accuracy (as you probably know if you've read any of my writing) and that distaste is probably why I got into journalism.

"Aquarians are generally very clever, witty, and intellectual. They value progress and frankness. It's difficult to throw Aquarians for a loop—they're generally on top of things."
 

I definitely value frankness.  I see much more value in being straightforward than in any other approach.  I also like to think I am on top of things to the point that I can adapt without being caught too off guard.  Clever, witty, and intellectual?  I suppose you who know me would be in a better position to answer that.

"There is a bit of reformer in Aquarius. They'll try to get you to see through superficiality, and encourage you to be open and forthright. 'Be true to yourself' and 'Don't follow the crowd' are mottos we easily associate with this sign."
 

Incorrect here in that I wouldn't call this tendency being a reformer.  I prefer to think of it as being a realist.  You cannot get to the truth or make the right decision if you're lying to youself or pretending you're something you're not.

"Aquarians need space and value personal freedom. Any attempt to box them in will likely fail. They'll happily return the favor; and they will treat people from all walks of life as equals. Equality and fairness are hallmarks of the sign. If you're quirky and "different", all the better."
 

Mostly correct, though I wouldn't say I am one that needs space.  I just happen to have had a lot of it in my life, so I am comfortable in it....though I would NEVER consider myself a loner or the restless type.  I also would never say that I seek out or am most comfortable with quirky or different people.  I enjoy people with whom I have some things in common and who are comfortable being themselves.  I try to treat everyone the same, and ask that others treat me as they would anyone else.  No rocket science there, right?


So, like I said, I think my sign fits in some aspects but is way off in others.  I'll leave the final decision on that to you though.

Until next time...

Challenge Day 5 - Food!

I've always found it laughable that because I'm a skinny guy, people scoff when I tell them I love food.  It's true though.  I love to eat and I love to eat a lot...so writing about my favorite comfort foods is a breeze.

We watch a lot of Food Network in my house, and "comfort food" is a phrase that professional chefs and TV personalities love to throw around a lot.  Until now, I've never thought much about what comfort food actually is.  I always assumed it's exactly what it sounds like--food that brings you comfort or makes you feel good when you're sad.

Always a stickler for accuracy though, I looked it up just to be sure, and it seems there's an element of  nostalgia attached to comfort food too.  Anything you eat that transports you back to your past, or to a happy time in your life is considered comfort food.

(I realize everyone but me probably already understands this, but whatever.)

With both aspects of the definition in mind, here are a few of my favorite comfort foods, in no particular order as always.

1. Arroz con leche - Literally translated, it means rice with milk...and it's not much more complicated than that.  It's usually made with sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon.  More complicated recipes can include lemon zest or cloves, but I don't recall any of that being in the version my grandmother made.  I haven't had a bowl of it in years...decades probably...but it's one of my favorite Saturday/Sunday morning meals as a kid and something I have always thought I should ask her to show me how to make myself.

2. Strawberry milkshakes - Over the years, I have come to see myself as something of a milkshake connoisseur, but my love affair with them began in early childhood when my grandfather would take me to McDonald's.  I'd get a Happy Meal and he'd get two cheeseburgers and a strawberry milkshake.  Of course, he'd never finish it, which meant I got to.  To this day, I can't have a strawberry milkshake without thinking of all time I spent with him growing up.

3.  Homemade flour tortillas - Not that I'm going for a theme here, but homemade flour tortillas always make me think of all the Saturday and Sunday mornings I spent with my grandparents.  I would often wake up to the sound of my grandfather's metal rolling pin clinking against the wooden cutting board as he methodically rolled out his tortillas.  The radio played music from the local Spanish radio station and I just knew breakfast was going to be awesome!  He made a stack of them that never seemed to end, even though I did my best to eat my way to the bottom of it until he made me stop so other people could have some.

4.  My wife's lasagna - Like I said, some things are on my list because of the nostalgic connection I have with them, and some are on my list because they just taste good.  Marci's lasagna is one of the latter.  It takes a relatively long time to make, which just serves to heighten my anticipation every time she makes it, but it's absolutely worth it.  We don't have it as often these days because we are eating healthier (and this lasagna is most assuredly not healthy), but it's still one of my favorites.

5.  My Tia Sandra's cookies - Along with tamales, this is the food I miss most when I don't travel home for Christmas.  She usually makes a couple trays full of giant, soft cookies (chocolate chip, peanut butter and oatmeal raisin) and it's usually nowhere near enough.  Everyone in the family has their favorite (I'm partial to the oatmeal) and there's usually a fight over how they get divvied up.  They are that good.

Now that I've possibly made you all hungry, I'll wrap this up and leave you to go find some of your favorite comfort foods to fill your stomach.

Until next time...

Challenge Day 4 - Religion

I've been writing for my entire life and there isn't much I've never written about.  I really think religion is one of the things on that list.  I don't think it's something I've intentionally avoided, but like my Facebook profile says--it's complicated.  It's not complicated necessarily because my views are complicated, but because religion itself is so complicated and I couldn't possibly cover all of my thoughts on it in one blog...so consider this a Cliff's Notes version.

I was raised Catholic, which is to say I attended a Catholic church whenever we happened to go to church.  Most of the time, that happened when I was with one of my aunts or my grandmother.  I completed four of the seven Holy Sacraments and even attended Catholic school for a year in the 3rd grade.  I always found it interesting how involved I was in the church as a kid, given the fact that my mom swore it off after she got a divorce when I was three or four.

The whole thing was never really a big deal to me.  I never felt particularly defined by my religion and as I got older, whatever connection I had to the church just kind of naturally faded away.  I've always believed in God, but I've never felt like my belief was rooted specifically in the Catholic interpretation.

I believe heaven is a place much like Cowboys Stadium.  If you are Mother Teresa, Gandhi, or Martin Luther King Jr., you've got the 50-yard line seats and the field passes and the autograph and photo session with God.  If you're a normal dude like me, whose made some mistakes in life but has never really hurt anyone and tries hard to be the best person he can be, you might not have the best seats in the house, but there's that giant TV screen so you can still see and hear everything God has to say....You're in the building and no matter where you're sitting, it's a pretty damn awesome place to spend the rest of eternity.

I believe hell is a place reserved only for the truly evil and dispicable among us....and I believe that whatever you have done to end up there is done to you for eternity.

I have been to many different churches in my life and I've noticed they have one thing in common.  They are as my wife says--wonderful places for those who find what they need there but because  they are filled with humans, they are imperfect places.  Personally, I have learned and come to believe more about the existence of God outside of a church than I ever have inside one.

That's another blog all by itself, so I'll forgo the examples.  I suppose the bottom line when it comes to my views on religion is is best summed up by Dan Brown's protagonist Robert Langdon in Angels & Demons, who said, "My mind tells me I will never fully understand God.  My heart tells me that I'm not meant to." 

Knowing this, I take comfort in my belief that God really did make us in His own image...meaning our human flaws, our thoughts and desires, are all things God wanted us to have. People, no matter what religion they are, seem to believe that there is a standard of perfection we have to strive for in order to please our God...and I believe we largely do it all for nothing. 

When we get to heaven, I believe the first thing God will tell us is, "You were trying way too hard."

Sounds like my kind of guy.

Until next time...

Challenge Day 3 - 5 Things I Hate

It's funny....when I sat down to write this blog, I figured it would be a breeze.  Anyone who knows me knows that I certainly have no problem talking about all the things that piss me off.

I suppose that's the problem.

For a guy as full of hate as I am, narrowing down my top pet peeves to a list of five is quite a task.  I thought about this for a while and eventually came to the pretty startling conclusion that most of the things I hate involve other people.  I began to wonder if I was screwed up somehow--like maybe if I hated other people so much, maybe I was the problem.  Then I went to http://www.getannoyed.com/ just to see a list of pet peeves.  Maybe I had the wrong idea of what a pet peeve is.  I just wanted to be sure.

Imagine my relief when I read a few dozen peeves from the Get Annoyed list and found that almost every one of them has something to do with other human beings.  Turns out I'm not abnormal after all.

Here then, are five of my most often noticed pet peeves, in no particular order:

1. People who do not know proper elevator procedure - It's very simple.  When waiting on the elevator, press the button and take a step to the side.  When the door opens, pause.  It's not all about you.  There may actually be people getting off the elevator.  Rushing onto the thing like there's money on it or standing right in front of the door as it opens makes you a jerk.  And no, saying sorry when you almost plow into me doesn't make it better.

2.  People who use "brutally honest" to excuse the fact that they're assholes -  I don't remember where I heard it, but there's a saying that goes, "You can teach a bear to ride a motorcycle, but that doesn't mean you should."  I pride myself on being very direct and honest.  The difference between me and the people I hate is something called tact.  Just because I THINK you are making a dumb decision doesn't mean I have to share that opinion.  If I do share it, it doesn't have to be in a place that might cause you unneeded embarrassment or discomfort.  I can be respectful and honest at the same time.  If I choose otherwise, I'm an asshole.

3. People who SAY they hate drama, but always seem to find themselves in the middle of it - We all know people like this.  If you don't, it might be you.  They are the people who insist they can't stand drama, but somehow are always in the middle of one crisis or another and, like an addict, they swear that this time is the last time.  This is the final straw...until the next time.  There is a related group of people who always feel like things are being done TO them...that the universe somehow has it out for them and that they have no control over anything.  This type of attention-seeking, "woe is me" attitude bothers me to no end.

4.  People who text or talk on their phones incessantly while driving - I do not include people who use hands-free devices in this group (because those are harder to notice in traffic) and while I have been known to take an occasional call while behind the wheel, I can probably count those instances over the last year on one hand.  I don't even think of this as a safety issue as much as a courtesy issue.  Whether you want to believe it or not, your attention is divided when you are on the phone and driving.  When you are going 20 miles below the speed limit on the highway or swerving in your lane, or sitting at a green light because you just HAVE to use that cellphone RIGHT THIS MOMENT, I talk shit about you and I think you are an inconsiderate bastard.

5.  People who are a) not good at their jobs OR b) good at their jobs but lazy in doing them - I do not care if you are a CEO, a teacher, or a burger flipper at McDonald's.  I believe that if someone is paying you for your services, you should come to work every day and perform to the best of your ability.  If your ability is subpar, you should either a) work your ass off to get better or b) find a line of work that you CAN be good at.  I believe that if your ability is on the level, you should work hard while you are on the clock.  Being good at something doesn't mean a hell of a lot if your effort is poor.  The number of people I interact with daily who apparently disagree with me on this one is appalling. 

So there you have it....Five things that really irk me...I'd be lying if I said this wasn't at least a little therapeutic. 

See ya for Day 4!

Challenge Day 2 - 2023

In the year 2023, we'll have flying cars and we'll have people living on the moon and we'll have the food replicators from Star Trek and it will be awesome!

Ok, not really, but wasn't it entertaining when we had to answer the question, "What will the world look like in 10 years?" as kids?

As adults, we never really stop asking ourselves that question.  Maybe we just narrow our scope a bit.  The only sure thing about the world these days is that it changes pretty drastically in a relatively short period of time.  There's really no telling what it will look like in 10 years.  Where would I like to be in 10 years?  Most of us can tackle that question with much more ease.

The short answer for me is, I don't aspire to be in much of a different place than I am right now.  Sure, overall I hope that some things will be different, but when I look at the big picture, I really hope that in 10 years, not much has changed.

Professionally, my job is not the most awesome thing in the world, but to quote the great Red Forman from That 70's Show: "That's why they call it work.  If it wasn't supposed to be work, they'd call it, 'Super Happy Fun Time'"  The fact is, the work is easy and by and large, I work with some cool people.  Even though most people think I'm crazy, I don't dread going to work every day, even if I don't look forward to it.  In 10 years,  I hope to still be going strong there.  Hopefully, I'm making a little more money, but other than that I can't complain too much.

Personally, I couldn't be happier.  I had always dreamed of owning my own home and I realized that dream several years ago.  I have a beautiful, wonderful wife, great friends, an awesome family.  I've already got more than I ever hoped for. 

For me, it's just about the details now.  I hope in 10 years my wife and I have added a dog to the mix.  I think I could really get into the training part of owning a dog and I look forward to it.  I hope we've traveled to some places we've got on our short list, and maybe hit the lottery so we can keep doing it!  I'd like to be in better shape at 44 that I am now, and perhaps better than I was at 24.  I hope my parents are happy and healthy.

I don't have any doubt that all those things will come to be, but I'm in no big hurry.  The future is bright, but the present is pretty damn good too.

Challenge Day 1 - My Relationship

Full disclosure: My wife is doing the same 30 day challenge with her blog and I stole the idea from her...so if you follow both of us (and I hope you do), our entries will be similar for a while.

As a writer, I find it interesting that the one subject closest to my heart--my wife--is the subject I have the hardest time writing about.  I made an attempt several years ago, which you can read here and had similar thoughts back then.  All these years later, I don't think it's any easier but I suppose that's why they call this a challenge, right?

I met Marci in 1997, a few months before high school would mercifully come to an end.  As she wrote in her blog, we met online at a time when that type of thing was still considered weird.  She lived 3000 miles away.  In my head, it seems like things between us accelerated quickly but it really did take a long time for our relationship to develop.  It started with infrequent chat room conversations, which led to her reading my bad poetry.  That led to longer chatroom conversations which led to short phone calls...and then longer talks....you get the idea.

Before I knew it, our nightly talks and her friendship became as much a part of my life as any friendship I had.  Somewhere along the line, that friendship developed into something more...and she became someone I didn't want to be without.  Eventually I knew I would do whatever I had to do, including move halfway across the country, to make sure I didn't have to be.

Occasionally, someone will ask me how I knew she was "the one."  The best answer I can give is one that ESPN's Bill Simmons once wrote about his own wife: She tries hard not to ask me to do things I don't want to do.  It's really that simple.  No bolt of lightning.  No butterflies.  She just accepted me for who I was.  She was the first person in my life to do that and she did it without question and without any motive other than to see me happy.

We got married in 2005 after seven years together and have steadily been disproving all those who say that marriage is when all the fun stops.

We have a great life these days.  It's not glamorous but it's exactly what we have worked hard to make it...it's us.  We enjoy every moment of it together.  We laugh and smile a lot.  We like having dinner with friends and going to movies or sporting events.  We spend a lot of time in the same room saying nothing but enjoying the comfort of having the other person there.  When celebrate our victories and face our challenges together.  She's the best teammate I've ever had and the only person in my life with whom I don't feel at least a little bit out of place.

Every guy should be so lucky.

Until next time.