They Can't Be Angels! Can They?

Okay! Okay! Okay! Such backlash! Not really! Only THREE of my TENS of readers expressed disappointment with the absence of a post this morning. Actually, three out of ten ain't bad. In the Major Leagues, batters with a .300 average are All-Stars! There is little hope of this little experiment ever gaining All-Star notoriety! But, we digress......

Trust me! I had no idea I would still be irritating you with my rantings at the end of the year. This thing started in February, with very little hope of making it past March. Topics are still swimming around in my head. But I wasn't sure how to proceed. Do I just tackle the next topic on my imaginary list? Do I do a year-end review? Do I threaten to quit (again), in an obvious attempt to garner faint praise from my tens of readers?

The reality is that I've had a blast with this thing. Most weeks, it has been fun. It's only felt like a deadline once or twice. And I continue to be amazed by the number of people who are NOT in the 150 (unfortunately now 170) who approach me and tell me they never miss an episode!

This morning, however, I just wasn't feeling it. I never got around to starting it on Sunday, and I actually needed to work this morning. Business is good and it's kind of a tough time of year to be working in the housing industry and, weekly, updating a blog.

This morning, I was being my typical self-centered, self-absorbed ME and I wasn't really concerned about the Blog. I keep telling all of you with topic requests that, "Hey! It's blogger.com and it's free! Sign up and knock yourself out!"

Then, per usual, God did for me what I seemingly am never able to do for myself. He had me stop at a Pizza Joint I haven't been in since High School. In that visit, my attitudes, perspectives, and self-centeredness were all rearranged!

I had been following the fine work of Carolyn Benavides on Facebook and sensed that something special was going on at this place of business. Wow! I truly had NO IDEA!

I'm not going to quote the numbers because I am sure to get them wrong. But suffice it to say, that thousands of volunteer hours, by hundreds of volunteers, are being spent to feed Thousands of hungry kids and their families in the Carrollton/Farmers Branch area and  in Veterans' Hospitals in other towns. And this former classmate of mine (who I never knew in High School) is nothing short of a FIREBALL! Her passion for this work is palpable. And her energy is ridiculous!

We spoke of the dire need. I shared some of my experiences (hating to be outdone---I CLEARLY was). And before you knew it, we were both crying!

In the ULTIMATE reach to WIN, I decided to quote scripture! As humbly as possible (what a joke!), I declared, "Well, the Bible clearly says that we "...should not forget to show kindness to strangers..." Carolyn actually had the nerve to interrupt ME and quickly finished the verse, "for by doing so many have entertained angels unaware."

Carolyn has a heart, a zeal, and a passion for those who are less fortunate. You really need to stop by and see for yourself. And to top it all off, she evidently thinks that she just might be entertaining Angels!

Here's to you Carolyn Benavides (and Richard) and to the hundreds of folks that support and volunteer at Joe's Pizza Pasta & Subs in Carrollton, Tx! WELL DONE!

Tucker Said "Don't Do It!"

I am still standing firm on my stance to not entertain requests for this little Blog. I did, however, pretend to care what my TENS of readers thought last week when I teasingly asked if I should address this A&E/Phil Robertson Imbroglio.

Tucker (my son) decidedly advised against it. He said that going with this topic was just too easy.....kind of implying that it would be a cop-out. He's probably right. It is too easy! And truthfully, the whole subject bores me to tears. I really could NOT care any less! But since 99.9% of the inhabitants of this Planet are unable to see that which is SO CRYSTAL CLEAR to me, I am forced to say some of the same things I've already expressed in here in the past.

1) Truth is no longer discovered! We now live in a time when Truth is created. Under this paradigm, Phil Robertson's attempts to share the Truth will ALWAYS be met with belligerent denial!

2) Although it should be, The Bible is not regarded as the moral standard! As a matter of fact, the Bible is seldom read, much less understood. If the Bible was truly read and believed, THREE of the largest Religious Groups (each boasting memberships of  nearly a billion) on the globe would NOT exist! Yes I said it. Most of you are going "Islam, Hinduism.....Oh No He Didn't!" Oh YES I did. 

3) Christians continue to look foolish, if not down right stupid, when they act SO SHOCKED that pagans refuse to act like Christians! Stop it! You are embarrassing yourself! Even on one simple example, I just want to take them and shake them and SCREAM, "Really? Really? You are really shocked that atheists want to take down the 10 Ten Commandments from public buildings? They are ATHEISTS!!!! Why do you EXPECT them to believe and behave like Christians??????"

Stainless has said for years that "Mankind is perfectly capable of setting REALITY (or TRUTH) aside in order to meet a personal need." Consequently, the Duck Commander can quote all the scripture he wants. It is not going to make a bit of difference to those who are going to do exactly what they want to do, anyway. They have CREATED their own truth!

I did receive a private message from someone to whom I've given a moniker, but will remain nameless. This person's response to this controversy was "Who gives a S###?"

That response is the only good one. I know I don't! Phil Robertson exercised his freedom to express exactly how he felt and he backed it up with scripture. A&E exercised it's freedom to suspend the dude and they backed it up with their corporate policy.

If you are shocked and surprised by that, all I can say is "Bless your hearts!" You are in need of much more help than I am able to give in this stupid little blog! 

Sorry Tuck! You were RIGHT!

Paying for Radio....Siriusly?

I understand that in many things, I am old-fashioned and WAY behind the times. In the past decade, I have driven vehicles that did not come equipped with this new-fangled Satellite Radio. Oh, I had been in a rental car or two. And I have ridden with my successful friends and been exposed to it. But for the most past, Satellite Radio was reserved for those who had to listen to Howard Stern after his departure from the Free radio airwaves.

THEN, it happened! Although, not in the budget, I purchased a little truck a couple of months ago and for the last 60 days, I have been enjoying the Free 90 Day offer of Satellite Radio. I am beginning to believe that it should have been called CRACK Radio. Because it's kind of turned into a drug!

First and foremost, the quality of the sound is ridiculous. I believe it was the first or second day when I was telling Shoe (he drives a BMW, OF COURSE!) that the quality of the sound system in this little economy truck was unbelievable. I said, "Dude, you should hear the Bass! These foreigners have really upped their game in their sound systems!" Shoe kind of sounded exasperated as he paused, and scoffingly said, "Push the FM button, dumba**!"

Oh! There it was! That's the radio I'm used to! That's the FM signal we all love in a Metro Area of 6 million. I was deflated.

Secondly, the timing of this purchase was EXACTLY the wrong time. I drove my new little truck to the first night of the 3 Night Reunion Event that was my 30th High School Reunion. Three solid nights of 80's-Intensive music, to which I could drive home in my new little truck and listen to the 80's on 8. The brain-washing was on!

Now, over two months into it, I will be facing the decision of whether or not to subscribe and actually PAY for radio! The whole idea sounds ridiculous to me. I never thought in a thousand years that I would actually be considering this luxury.

But I do know this....Free Radio is AWFUL! And Free Radio is is detrimental to my quality of life!

Apparently, the whole goal of Free Radio is to generally irritate, annoy, agitate, and lure the listening audience into a complete state of depression. There is no doubt that is what Talk Radio does. ALL Talk Radio! Liberal, Conservative, Sports.....it doesn't matter. They are all equal opportunity offenders! Maybe someone should do a study about Road Rage and try to determine what these folks are listening to! Limbaugh, Hannity, and Levin aside....listen to Sports Talk. Really? Is Hitzges really screaming, cussing, and spitting about the Giveaway/Takeaway ratio? Is it REALLY that important in the overall scheme of things?

I can't really find a music station I like, either. ESPECIALLY in the mornings! These Guy/Girl teams that cater to the Soccer Mom and BEAT us down with their questions of the day! I would rather fall off a 60 Story building and catch my eye-lid on a rusty nail than listen to these women call in from "car-line" and discuss their infatuation with vampires!

And then there's the commercials! I think we've been duped. In any given hour, the music or talk seems to be less than 30 minutes. I know that's the case with sports talk. The Ticket is the leading sports radio station in America. Their Hosts do four "6-7 minute" segments per hour. That's about 28 minutes of talk per hour. The other 32 minutes is spent trying to convince their target demographic that they need a testosterone shot!

I do know this. I am hooked on Satellite Radio. And I know my quality of life is better. I have a lot of windshield time very day. And recently,  I've even ventured away from the 70's on 7 and the 80's on 8. Last week, I was almost exclusively on XM 32 The Bridge. My blood pressure is lower! I don't get nearly as agitated. And I don't walk in the door and kick the dogs!