Category: Opinion

Rude fuckers

October 10th, 2023

Rant time.

I hate rude people. They hereby, if it was not made clear previously, officially qualify for Asshole status. If you’re in a meeting and make a phone call without warning and without excusing yourself, that is rude. If you tolerate intense background noise on a call that makes you difficult to hear, and then expect the other person to just deal with it, you are rude. If you cut someone in a long line for something without good reason and without asking, you are rude. If, in general, you do not consider other people in your day-to-day interactions around other people, and ask, or excuse yourself before doing something that will interrupt, inconvenience, or in some way negatively impact them, then you are rude, and by extension, an asshole.

Have some fucking manners – don’t be an asshole.
Maynard James Keenan

September 26th, 2023

I love this man’s vocals and lyrics. I have an entire playlist dedicated to his music. TOOL being my favorite of the three bands (and in general) – his words and voice just inspire and soothe my soul.
Listening Skills

September 19th, 2023

I have found that some people are severely lacking in this particular skill set. Some people need so desperately to prove something about themselves that they pay little to no mind to what the other person is saying. And if both people are doing it, the conversation is fucking pointless. It’s just two (or more) people exchanging hot air and noise. I don’t get it.

Here are the basics for good listening:

1 – shut your fucking pie hole

2 – listen to what the person is saying rather than thinking about what you’re going to say next

3 – take a moment to process what they’ve said and formulate a response

4 – clearly speak your thoughts

5 – rinse and repeat
Mutual suckiness

September 17th, 2023

I’m not the type of person to have tons of friends, I never have been. I have a small circle, and I like it that way.

My small circle and I have a problem. We all suck. We sometimes go months without hanging out or even talking, and every time we do talk, we say “I miss you! It’s been too long! We should hang out more!”. We muse about what we’re going to do “next time” and the fun we will have. Good times! Then, the moment passes, we part ways, and everyday life resumes her stranglehold. Weeks and months go by until we do it all over again. Vicious cycle.

I’d just like to point out that I’m saying that everyone sucks. Almost everyone is guilty of this with their friends, and maybe even with family. Too often, we let the everyday stuff get in the way of the truly important things. The connections that we have with people add so much more value to our lives than checking off to do list items.
Asking Permission

September 16th, 2023

Fun fact!

Asking permission for something when it’s already too late for that permission to be granted or denied in an effort to appease your own conscience is just fucking dumb. Put your big kid panties on, be a grown ass adult, let the person know what’s going on and apologize. It really is that simple.

Don’t be fucking dumb.
“Can’t” vs “Don’t”

September 14th, 2023

I actually misheard a song lyric a while back, but what I thought I heard actually sparked an interesting set of thoughts in my mind.

There is a distinct difference between saying that someone “can’t” do something and saying that they “don’t” do something.

If someone can’t do something, they lack the knowledge, ability, or skills to do so. For example, I can’t frame out a building. It’s a simple fact. I would have no clue how to do it properly.

If someone doesn’t do something, it may be that they are perfectly capable of whatever task or action; they simply choose not to. For example, I am capable of being a salesperson, but I made a choice not to do so as my profession.

I think more people need to realize and appreciate that in some (if not many) cases, a person is nice or good because they choose to be, not because they lack the ability to be mean or rude or even violent.

It’s an important fact to remember – you never truly know what someone might be capable of. Just because they don’t does ~not~ mean that they can’t.
Fall

September 13th, 2023

I love fall. It is my favorite season. I know a few people who feel the same. For some, it’s Halloween. For some it’s the change in weather and saying goodbye to ridiculous heat and humidity. Other people love fall because it’s the precursor to their actual favorite season.

For me, there has always been a sad sort of beauty in Mother Nature getting ready for winter. Trees turn vivid colors in a blazing attempt to cling to life as the cold months draw near. Animals who don’t migrate gorge themselves to build body fat for their upcoming months-long nap, or build multiple stockpiles with anticipatory madness. The days grow shorter, and everything seems to slow down a bit. Fall offers a strange sort of peace before the shroud of winter drapes the would-be corpse of the world.
Trump needs to give it up

May 30th, 2023

I was a Trump supporter. He did some awesome things in office, and has some great ideas….when he’s not speaking and thinking with his ego. But when it comes to 2024, he needs to just let it go.

Him running again is just going to further divide the country. There comes a time when you have to accept reality, and that reality is that Trump cannot, with all his political and legal challenges, win the presidency without irreparably dividing the country. Yes, he has great ideas. Get out of China. Be energy independent. Have strong borders. He is also a bit of a jack ass and doesn’t always speak with enough tact. But. There are people out there who hate him enough to vote for the massive train wreck that is referred to as Biden just because Trump is running. This will take away from the real issue at hand. And that is, what is best for the country? Trump needs to stop for a second, consider that, and step aside. My two cents.

What it really boils down to, and what I think Trump needs to realize is that he did succeed. He planted the seeds. People are thinking about the things that he said, and those who are not hardcore left may even see the validity. Trump appealed to many people, which is how he became President in the first place. But then, I think he let is ego go a bit much, and that pushed away those who agreed, but maybe couldn’t tolerate his public persona. See the above about people hating him enough to vote for Biden again.

One of the reasons I voted for Trump to begin with is the fact that he was *not* a politician. Plus, the debates for the primary were freaking hilarious. But seriously, he is a businessman, and a successful one. And at that point, I felt that was what we needed. Someone with some sense of fiscal responsibility and someone who knows how to be freaking profitable. Because the US is not, flat out. Running a trade deficit every year and increasing debt year over year is not good business.

Regardless, politicians on all sides can go suck an egg as far as I’m concerned. Most of them lie to get elected, and then do whatever suits them and their goals. And to that end, everyone, and I mean everyone that holds office in DC needs to just go. Especially the career politicians. Aside from the fact that being in government was never meant to be a career, I think that most of them are in it for the wrong reasons. The Nancy Pelosi’s, the Kevin McCarthy’s…. they couldn’t give a shit less about the struggles that you and I face every day, because they are not their struggles. When was the last time you heard about a DC politician losing sleep over possibly not being able to make their rent/mortgage payment?? Oh, that’s right, you don’t. And why? Because each of them make at least 5.6 times more than the average American, and 2.4 times more than the average American household. Seriously, think about that.

When are we going to wake up??
Memorial Day

May 27th, 2023

The start of summer. A time for big sales and cookouts with beers and burgers and hot dogs. If you’re a little more into traditional fashion rules, it’s the official day that you can start wearing white. But this day means so much more than this stuff, which if you really think about it, this stuff is absolute bullshit by comparison.

Some educational stuff first. We have quite a few patriotic holidays in the US, but there are three in particular that are dedicated to members of the armed services. These are Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, and Armed Forces Day. I’d hazard a guess that many Americans don’t know the (big) difference between these holidays, and see them mostly as a day off work or an excuse to hang out. But I’d like to explain the differences.

Armed Forces Day is dedicated to those who currently serve in the military. Veteran’s Day is dedicated to all those who have served in the military but are no longer actively serving. Memorial Day is reserved for those service members who paid the ultimate price and gave their lives in service of the country. Important distinctions, and all service members deserve our respect and more importantly, our thanks.

When I was a kid, my grandmother and mother always had these little red flowers attached to the antenna or rear-view mirror of their cars, and they would replace them every year on Memorial Day. When I was old enough, they would give me a couple of dollars and let me go up to the gentleman in uniform selling them to buy the flowers that they would put on the car after taking the faded, tattered ones down. That man, a different man each time, would always smile so big at me, and ask my name, and be so very nice. At the time, I didn’t understand the significance of what I was buying, why, or the person selling them to me.

The flowers were red poppies, worn traditionally since WWI to honor those who have served and died for this country. The person selling them was a veteran, in full dress uniform, doing his part to serve, raise money for, and allow other Americans to show support for his fellow soldiers, both here and gone. Allowing me to buy these flowers taught me a completely different level of respect for our military service men and women. As I got older, so did the person I was buying flowers from, which made me a little sad as a kid. And even sadder is the fact that I don’t see this happening anymore. It breaks my heart.

Memorial Day now, for the most part, is about a three-day weekend, a chance to hang out with friends when we would normally be working, an excuse to drink or go to the beach, and a reason for any number of companies to proclaim huge sales that are actually just a markdown of previously inflated pricing so they line their pockets. We have collectively forgotten what this holiday is all about, the massive sacrifices made, and the fact that we wouldn’t have this holiday or a host of other things if it weren’t for the men and women we should be honoring.

So, this Memorial Day, before you take a bite of that burger or go running to that big sale, take a moment to stop and think about all the people who have given their lives for the idea that you should have the freedom to do that in the first place. Honor them. Thank them. It’s the least you can do.