Christmas Vacation

I thought I could make it well into my 2-week Christmas vacation before cabin fever set in, but yesterday I had to get out of the house and today… is day 2. Yesterday I went out for a few more Christmas gifts. Asking the CVS/Pharmacy cashier, “Hi, where are the Chia Pets?” was both a high and low point for the day, but I came home with a few gifts (no Chia Pet because they weren’t on aisle 7) and a fantastic little iron from Thriftsmart.What can I say? Sometimes good things happen to good people. I finished day 1 with my funny friends Shawn and Gus. Btw, you can also appreciate their humor and clever wit, all while following along with a dramatic police investigation. Catch all new episodes of Psych in January.

Day 2. Today I woke up with the best intentions. I had a mental list of all I wanted to accomplish but you know what they say, “Wake up with good intentions and you might as well be a dog barking in the back of an old pick-up truck.” Boy, when they’re right, they’re right. I was able to do a ‘first’ today, though. I’ve lived in my house for over 2 years, and today, I put up a picture. You know what they say, “A house ain’t a home till you put up a picture.” The walls were as bare as a naked bum, but now, there’s this:

The Lost by Phillip M. Turner


I also went to Aquatic Critter, known for their wide assortment of freshwater fish, saltwater fish and reptiles.

From L to R: Spike Wilder, Daisy Wilder, Breck Wilder, Tiger Wilder, Torpedo Wilder, Roger Wilder

Merry Christmas everyone.

114,965 and Counting: Highlights from Out of the Wilderness

As the blog approaches 115,000, take a look at the original postings that garnered the most views, and a few more personal favorites. Thanks for reading!

Brad Womack’s Tattoo: Brad Womack was a contestant on The Bachelor. Lots of folks are curious about his tattoo. This post has photos.Boney M in a Green Taxi: a band gaining fame in the 1970s and responsible for a Christmas holiday classic, “Mary’s Boy Child.”10 Signs He’s Into You: for all the ladies out there, find out if the man you have a crush on, has a crush on you! The Side Hug: for those people who want to hug you, and you’re too nice to say “no.”My Dog Rolls Around On Dead Animals, and Why I Do, Too: The instinct of a dog is to smell like it’s prey. This post dives further into that behavior and how people sometimes do the same thing.

Booze It And Lose It

In 2006 I spent 2 weeks in Hanoi, Vietnam, the capital of a Socialist country. The biggest surprise was how free it felt there. When I returned to the U.S., I soon became turned off by the amount of rules and regulations we live with each and every day. My friend said it best, “We’re not free, we’re just free-er than most.” We may not be “free-er than most” for very long because if something’s happening, there’s a law that prohibits or protects it. I don’t blame the government, though. The problem lies within the people. If it’s possible for a nation to live by 10 laws (Israel back in Biblical days), then why couldn’t the United States? How did this overabundance of laws happen? It’s directly proportional to our morals. As morality decreases, rules increase. Just look at a few laws about motor vehicle operation.
I was recently on the interstate and saw a sign that said “booze it and lose it,” meaning you will lose your license if you’re caught driving drunk. If I were in charge of that sign, I’d have it say “booze it and you may ruins someone’s life for a long, long time. I sorta hope it’s your own and not some innocent person’s.” Then I’d have another sign that says, “stop reading this sign and pay attention to the road.” Am I the only one that thinks we have way too many signs in this country? For instance, this one:

Oh, really? Is that what I should do in case of a flood?

If we ask questions like, “Why shouldn’t I drink alcohol and drive? Why shouldn’t I text and drive? Why should I wear my seat belt?” The most common answer to all these questions is, “Because if I do these things, I’ll get a ticket.” Speeding down the highway at 90 mph, we’re more worried about getting caught than the physical damage we could do. We secretly text while we’re driving so the cops don’t see. The real danger is not the police, it’s the divided attention. The unfocused driver. The compromised awareness. Just like driving under the influence of alcohol. Groups like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) would tell you that getting a ticket should be the least of your concerns. Yet our warnings are about what we’ll lose if we’re caught. Unfortunately, we’re influenced more by warnings that affect our wallets or our perceived freedom.

“There is no such thing as a little freedom. Either you are all free, or you are not free.” -Walter Cronkite

If we can somehow live with basic morals (treating our neighbors the way we want to be treated, for instance), the government would be less involved in our lives. On a side note, this may be why a lot of people in America have a problem with religion. It often seems like another set of rules to obey and when the government already has a lengthy list of requirements, religion is the last thing a person wants. And I’m serious about the signs.

The Best Love Song: Reason #21

On a random day in December 2011, I took a glance at the top 20 songs on iTunes. The list is below, and using this title search, it proves that loves songs ain’t love songs no more. And that’s why Bryan Adams 90s classic “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” is the best love song of all time. To prove the worth of reason #21, I’ve put an asterick next to the songs that might be about real love. How do you feel about these songs? Are they a good representation of the values Americans have in the 21st century?

1. We Are Young
*2. We Found Love
3. Sexy and I Know It
4. It Will Rain
5. Good Feeling
6. The One That Got Away
7. Survivor/I Will Survive
8. Red Solo Cup
9. Ni**as in Paris
10. 5 O’Clock
11. Someone Like You
12. Moves Like Jagger
13. Man in the Mirror
14. We Are Young
*15. Without You
16. Young, Wild and Free
17. Party Rock Anthem
18. The Motto
19. Mistletoe
20. Bang Bang Pow Pow

Reason #21: “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” is better than any of the top 20 songs on iTunes in December 2011.

The Bachelor: The 25 Women Ben Flajnik Will Choose From (and how to say his name)

Ben Flajnik (pronounced flannick) is about the live the dream as the 25 eligible women were announced for The Bachelor 2012. If you’re anything like me (and the women who sit near me at work), you’re greatly disappointed by the choices. There are a few standouts, but for a show that gave us the crazies (Michelle Money) and the mentally disturbed (Allie “My Eggs Are Rotting” Garcia-Sierra), this group of single ladies looks quite average. The ladies who sit next to me even snickered that they are better looking than all the girls picked for this season of the Bachelor. Poor Ben, right? Wrong! In this group of mediocrity, he’ll discover the gems that are Anna, Dianna, Elyse and Nicki. Unfortunately, he’ll also discover the lead balloons that are Amber T., Courtney and Holly. So ABC has already began the season on my naughty list (gimmicks are not necessary, ie. 70 year old contestant Cheryl), which is nothing new given that last season they had a guy wearing a mask for almost the entire duration of his time on the show. No matter, when Ben Ben gets wind that she goes to bed at 5:30pm every day in the bachelorette mansion, wisdom will prevail and he’ll send her to her oldest son’s home to rest quietly and watch the grandkids play.

That’s all for now, check back for Bachelor updates as the next season premiere approaches!