Lindsey Stirling - yes son, that is a super star.

You know I have to say this because it is just one of the many things I respect about Lindsey Stirling. Something that so many other young female performers in Hollywood feel the need to do, but shouldn't because it isn't necessary.

 Lindsey, Thank you for keeping your clothes on.

Now don't misunderstand me. I have the greatest respect for women and especially women of singing, dancing and performing talent. Over the last 20 years there have been some absolutely phenomenal female performers and women with extraordinary music skills. Be it Singing or dancing or playing a instrument or all 3.  But I'm just tired of seeing so many young women feeling the need to expose themselves when it really isn't needed. There are some truly, amazing, talented and inspiring young women today. People of exquisite musical skill and beauty. Why do they take their clothes off? Why do they bring themselves to this level of exposure?
   They say it's them expressing themselves and their talent or breaking out of their shell into womanhood. I can understand wanting to do something that allows them to "Stand-Out" among the other talented women in Hollywood. Also I have no delusions of how difficult it is to succeed in that world.
  Lindsey Stirling has shown over the last 3 years that it isn't necessary to dress in skimpy outfits and exposing parts of her womanly body to be successful, talented and skilled. She hasn't swung naked on ball or worn a bikini out on stage or "Twerked" at all in her performances. She hasn't done acts of debauchery or talked down on other performers.   Yet she fills venues and sells out ticket offices every time she performs.
I truly respect Lindsey for showing real character and dignity in the entertainment world, by not stooping to the level some celebrities do. This is the kind of celebrity that kids can look up to and learn from.  I as a parent can feel safe knowing that there are celebrities out in the world that aren't exposing my son  to things he doesn't need to know about yet. Parents like me can point her out to our kids and say,"That is a super star."
Thank you Lindsey.

Coyote and RoadRunner - Zoom and Bored (14.09.1957)

I was just thinking about it as I was watching some the Road Runner/Coyote cartoons and couldn't help but notice the similarities to the dating world. The road runner seems to symbolize the woman (free and on the run) and the coyote (in constant pursuit), using anything in his arsenal to capture his prey. Very much a symbol of Human Courting Rituals. A.K.A. Dating. Men pursuing women endlessly and always, no matter what the man does, she always slips from his grasp.
  Now don't misunderstand what I mean. I'm not saying that men are just after women because they are succulent birds of prey that we wish to devour entirely leaving nothing but feathers and bones, NO, no, no, no, no, N. O. NO! What I mean is the pursuit of women is very, Very, VERY! similar.


  Seriously, if you really look at the emphasis there is on the coyote using so many contraptions and devices and unique things to try and capture, distract or entrap the road runner, it is very similar to the kinds of techniques men will employ in order to get a woman's attention and pursue.  And many times the woman simply flashers her tail and in her own way goes "MEEP MEEP" and vanishes in a dust-puff of makeup powder, perfume and lip gloss, which some I might add actually has names similar to food.


 In addition, there is great emphasis in the cartoon of the pain that Coyote goes through. Now don't get me wrong! I'm not saying that the woman puts the man through all the pain. I have three sisters and I know exactly how much pain and suffering goes into preparation before going out for the night and what it takes to maintain the looks.  What I'm saying is that women are always making statements about the hurt and pain that a woman goes through in a relationship. How often do you hear about the men's side of the equation??    Many times women, drama queens that they are.......And you know you are when it comes to your dating, gloss over the fact that men get hurt just as much as women do.  When a man is rejected by a woman, they don't really realize the kind of pain and hurt they just caused the man.  Which really some do not deserve. I know, I know there are plenty of Douche-bag men out there! BELIEVE ME I know! Most of which are in positions of power. But some men are really just looking to have a nice time with a woman. Hoping he presents himself enough that she will see he isn't the douche-y kind of guy many women think most men are.


  But hey, I'm not saying that all women are like that, because I know they aren't. Seriously, I know there are millions of loving, caring wonderful women out there that are just looking for a guy to love them. Unfortunately, guys see too many Road Runner women whose only interested is the game of pursuit and watching the guy slam on the pavement as he falls from a cliff. 
   Huh? Funny Women think men are Dogs....Coyote's.  So that makes women Road Runners. WOW! Michael Maltese and Chuck Jones really knew their stuff.

The Female version of Penis Envy

Tonight a friend of mine, a girl and she is a friend on Facebook and I know her from work, told me about how she had seen a young blonde woman, about her age, driving a muscle car that she would love to have. See that particular car has always given her a little hotness down in her nether region.  She said that it worried her that she was turned on by such a thing, seeing a woman driving a car she likes and it made her excited.
  I told her it was nothing to be ashamed or worried about. She was just having the female version of penis envy. She saw another woman with something she wanted. Not unusual, a simple fact. I see guys everyday with something I want, but I can't have it. Penis Envy. Women get the same thing.  In this case she saw a car that another woman had and was turned on and she wanted that car.
  Which when you think about it.....a car is very similar to a man's penis. It is very strong and hard when it's turned on. It makes women excited when it drives by them. And it can come really fast when pushed to the limit.

me and me time

Is it weird that I like spending time alone?

I love spending time with my girlfriend, my family and the few times I can be with my friends, but every once in a while I enjoy spending a day or two just with myself. Like recently, it's the week after New Years, my girlfriend is back at work and I have 2 days before we are back from Hiatus.  I had somethings I could do with my time off, but I decided to just do nothing. Well not really nothing, but in a sense I just did stuff that passed time. I did some cleaning, I watched a lot of recorded TV and movies and generally laid around my condo and relaxed. Tracked friends through Facebook and played a few video games. I did go out and run a few errands but generally I didn't do much.
  Is that really so bad? I don't do it very often but it happens sometimes during the month when I have a break from work or time becomes available that I had things planned for and it falls through.  It doesn't seem like it but for some reason I tend to feel like it is a bad thing.

 Maybe I'm just nuts or something but is it so wrong to enjoy some ME time? Is it wrong for me to be with myself?

  The truth is I have spent a lot of time by myself. Longer then I think most people do, but it's almost like a blanket that I wrap myself in once and a while.  I'm not totally afraid of the world and need to hide away from it all the time, but I do have to say that once in a while it is so nice to just push the world out of my life and just be me. Is it wrong to be selfish like that?

 I'm not even sure why I'm writing about this but I just needed to say it.
  Which brings up another thing.  I talk to myself.  Now don't judge me right away. Because we all talk to ourselves. Whether we know it or not we do.  I just choose to do it outside of my head.  Honestly it helps me keep my thoughts clear and allows me to speak my mind on something without worrying about being judged.  I see it as a way to vocalize my thoughts so that if I decide to speak about something in public, i've actually rehearsed it.  Many times I have entered a conversation and thought I knew what I was saying and ended up stumbled over the words on the way out and sounding stupid.  When I talk about the subject with myself, I'm preparing for the time when I might actually be speaking to someone and I can confidently and passionately speak my mind. I know it sounds just as crazy as I'm typing it. LOL! But I can honestly and proudly say it helps.  Hey, it hasn't failed me yet so I will keep doing it until it does.

 Well,  I'm going to finish watching "Parenthood"on my DVR.  And that's another story.

The Human Race - 2010

 So, what have we to say for ourselves?

  Now me being one of the Gen-X'ers and a Sci-Fi geek/freak, I'm both happy and sad with the progression of the human race thus far in development.

 First lets go over the negatives and then the positives.

  Negative Developments of the Human Race as of 2010;

To start, we are still using the combustion engine.  This one device was the crown jewel of it's time when it was first developed back in the 1800's.  Technology has advanced so much that we are actually using technology that is superior in every way to the combustion engine inside the vehicles they power.  If you are using a MP3 player or a Cell phone in your car, you have a technology that could easily have replaced the combustion engine with either of these two devices.  Yet we still rely on the engine for most of our transportation needs.  Alternate forms of energy have been available for over 30 years. Yet we still use a polluting, dangerous, 2 century old technology that should have been replaced 40-50 years ago. Now the unfortunate thing is that the combustion engine isn't to blame for this situation because we now come to one of the other flaws of the human race. The use of fossil and natural fuels. Honestly renewable and reusable energy sources have been available for 30 years, all of which are available now and could be used by everyone, yet the human race chooses not to.  We use these fuel sources because our societies have chosen to stick with the ones that are supposedly "old and reliable".   

  Now in regards to the society of the human race, the same problem occurs. The "Old and Reliable" passion exists in that you need to develop and work to the benefit of yourself and your personal family members rather then the community around you.  And if another has a status of higher or more "well-off", then you are required if not encouraged to take it away from that person and make it yours. Now granted it has come a long way but in more way's then one it still exists. In the development of the human race this was originally the format of land ownership, but now the land isn't the only thing that is owned. Now it is more along the lines of ownership of materials and the companies that they are built around.  Mergers of major corporations and integrations of smaller businesses are the "land" items now. Technology has been a driving force in this particular development and over the years, massive fortunes have been made and people have suffered greatly because of these transactions.  Use of the stock market is both seen as a sledgehammer of divinity and also a opportunity of great fortune and wealth. But in more ways than one it depends greatly in your knowledge of the world and of how the system works.
   What is truly unfortunate about this is that the educational systems in place to prepare generations to handle this information and what need to be done, is not being taught properly.  For all the money and power being used to develop companies and services for people, the most needed service of educating our children and the generations after us is not being considered a high priority. What's worse is the teachers who are passionate about their work and want more than anything to educate children to fulfill their dreams and aspirations are treated poorly and receive almost no respect for the work they do. They are penalized for trying to do what many parents fail to do and are then punished because parents are unwilling to accept responsibility for the way their children are raised at home. 

  In the end, even with all the developments and advancements we have made, generations of human beings will be unable to support themselves in the world we have created because we are not doing what we are supposed to do, which is making the world better and stronger for the next generations after us.  In the end, we will not see the future. Only our Children will and if we don't leave a world that they can live in, then our race dies with us.


Positive Developments of the Human Race as of 2010;
  Now for the good stuff.  Over the last 50 years there have been major developments in technology that have helped with the solving of many of the BIG questions of our time and of all time.  Technology has been the bain and benefactor of our species for a long time.  The true test of our time is to make technology a aid for our people and making it possible for all human beings to connect and share our combined knowledge and ablities with everyone in the world. 
  Computer technology is probably one of the greatest imporvements that the human race has developed. We have in less than 70 years developed systems of communication that can now, through programing and world wide web-networks, allow people from thousands of miles away to communicate and connect as our great grandfathers could only dream of.
  One of the biggest and greatest creations is the cellular phone and our developments that have come from it.  Thought to be a device that only the truly wealthy could own, over the last 15 years more people are talking on cell phones and communicating with people that normally it would cost a small fortune to speak with. 
  These devices are only the smallest of technological developments the human race has achieved. Vehicular developments have finally broken the stratosphere beyond government restrictions as companies are now able to develop spacecraft capable of breaking earths atmosphere and traveling across the planet now in minutes that would usually take hrs by normal airplanes.   Along the ground, automotive technology is finally embracing non-combustable engines and the use of Hybrid and Electric powered engines are now available to the public. Though currently at a higher price then economy vehiclesthey are becoming available for lower price seeking consumers.
   Recycling technologies are now available to take mass quantities of materials and re-using them on the consumer market. Landfills are beginning to lessen their loads as the use of  home-bassed compost bins. People are able to re-use un-eaten foods as fertalizer for home gardens. It is hoped that soon all food and waste sources will recycleable once the technology is fully finished and made available to the market.
  
In order for the pros and cons of the human race to finally become equal, we have a lot of work to do.  I want more than anything that when I leave this mortal realm to know that I earned my place in it, but that the generations after me don't suffer from my mistakes.  I don't make the rules of the world, but I want to help correct what those rules don't protect.  This isn't my world, it's OUR world and more importantly it's THE FUTURE'S world.  We have to protect it and strengthen it, if future generations are going to be able to enjoy what we have available to us now.

Bartending @ a Golf Club.

Well last night was another night of fun and aggravation.

   First of all I love bartending. Getting certified as a professional mixologist (Yes that is the actual title), was one of the best investments I ever made.  I pretty much know how to make any drink that you happen to know the ingredients for. Plus with the adaption of drinking apps to Apple and Droid Apps Markets, accessing multiple recipe's is easier then ever before.

    My personal favorite drink to make is the Cosmopolitan Martini. I have no idea what it tastes like but I love making them because of the multiple ingredients.  I have no problem with your regular two-liquor drinks or common cocktails like Screwdriver or Cape Cod but there is just something fun about adding multiple drinks together and mixing them together and then serving them up in a chilled fancy glass.

   How do I not know what these drinks taste like you ask?? Because I've never had a drink in my life. Now don't get crazy here people.  If you know how to make a drink properly and you know the ingredients and how much to put in, you don't even need to taste it to know if it's made right. That's the customers job.  And honestly, the only time I've had drinks sent back is because the server didn't get the order right or someone requested something I didn't know and they gave me the wrong ingredients.

 Now to last night;  As usual it was a last minute job so I showed up early to get a jump on the bar set-up.  Once again someone was in messing up the Banquet bar so I had to straighten things up and put a ton of stuff away that shouldn't have been out.  Then I had a blessing on the inventory, we were fully stocked on beer Thank G, so I only had to check on Liquor and extra mixers. We had enough of almost everything, except the Wine, and of course this event was a WOMEN's event so the main drink of choice was gonna be wine.  Now what did they forget to order a abundance of at the beginning of December??? WINE!!  So right off the bat I know this is going to be a hard night.

  The other bartender shows up and we get to getting the bar ready. I start cutting fruit, unlike other establishments where there is enough kitchen staff to cut fruit for the bartenders, I have to cut all the fruit that will last the night.  We grab as much wine as we can, knowing that before the night is out we are gonna run out of something, but have no idea which.  My lack of time at the club doesn't give me the knowledge of who the members are and what their particular drink of choice is. Luckily the other bartender is a regular at the club and tells me which members are going to drink what so we know what to supply. Strangely enough many of the women are going to be Lite Beer drinkers. Wonders never cease. 

  The members start filtering in and we have a good mix of women. We have your common Rich and Well-to-Do Ladies and your Down-Home earned a living Rich Women. Then there's your Work-a-holic women who are looking to get a little relaxed and do some shopping before the weekend.  This event was organized as a little fashion vendor sales that the members could invest in some pretty fancy stuff for Christmas presents and personal interests.  Usually there was a run-way and fashion models showing off their wears, but because of the economy they had to cut back on the extravagance of the event. 

  Dammit! First time I get to a ladies fashion show and they take away the Models!

  The drinks start going out like a ticket taker booth for a major Sports event. I've got glasses chilling on my spill-mat and I'm pouring soda's, wine, liquor and mixers as fast as my hands will go. This is my element. When there is a rush and I have to think and move fast, servers are barking orders and I have seconds to whip together drinks, I'm in the zone. I can't flip bottles like Tom Cruise in "Cocktail" But I can make'em faster and cleaner then he did. 4 hrs go by and there is a significant dent in our beer supply and already we are out of Pino Grigio. I've made 2 Appletini's, 3 Cosmos, dozen's of quick liquor drinks  and someone just asked for a Grey Goose and Ice Tea w/SweetN/Low?, thats a new one for my book.

   So far nothing really to get upset about, but then this very well dressed lady comes up and asks "Do you have any Special Chardonnay wines by the glass?"   Right away I can see that she's gonna be a "PICKY-ONE", as in not a single thing I get her is going to be easy.  So I say "yes Ma'am." and hand her our Wine Menu. Of course she picks the one that isn't in the bar, so I have to go out on the floor and find a manager , to get the key, to the wine fridge's downstairs. I can't find them and no-one knows where they are. So hoping on luck that the fridge is open I run down and check. I'm in luck and the door is unlocked. I grab the wine and run back up, taking the tin off the top so I can uncork the bottle upstairs. I arrive with the bottle(winded) as the other bartender stops me and says "She changed her mind!"  BUTTON PRESSED.

  I can't stop myself from saying "Are you Shitting me!?" The bartender shushes me and says "She's right THERE!", gesturing behind me. I feel my face drain, swallow hard and I take the bottle back down, cursing myself for losing it in the first place.  I'm on the way back up when I see the other bartender rounding the corner.  "What are you doing?!" I hear. "I just put the bottle back, what are you doing down here?!" We waste about a minute arguing about leaving the bar unattended and I rush back up before a manager notices.  THANK G, there's no line at the bar, no servers waiting and the managers haven't noticed us gone. I clear the surfaces and get ready for the next servers order.

   The evening progresses on with almost no stopping. 6 hrs gone by and I think we are approaching the end and that once the sales and entertainment ends I can get home.  Only then do I realize that these ladies aren't stopping. The host of the event gives her final farewell and inclines that, "its been a great evening enjoy yourselves and have a great weekend." One of the managers steps up to the bar and asks 'how we're doing?'. I say fine and ask when the event is scheduled to end.  I feel the hair's on my neck stand on end as  the manager shrugs and says,'When they decide to leave."

   For those of you not members at a Golf Club, there is no bar closed policy. We stay open until the members leave the room.  When I was a regularly scheduled Bartender at the club, I've stayed to 5AM serving drinks to a party of members, calling limo's to get them home. Honestly I know better then to serve drunken people when they are way past their limit, but the managers want the members happy and spending money. So I'm told to kept serving even when I know it's wrong.  All I can do is water down the drinks and offer more food/snacks, praying I don't have to wrestle away their keys when they think they can drive.

  Normally I'm cool with working a little later then normal to get the extra pay, but my back is hurting and my legs are starting to cramp. Should have stretched out before I went in. I was so glad to get the shift I forgot to prepare myself.  2 hrs go by and we are now running out of  Miller Lt and Coors Lt. We have lots of Merlot but short on Cabernet. The Pino has been out for 2 hrs and we still have requests for it and the 'salt in the wound' is that the servers have stopped checking the tables so now the members are coming up to the bar to place their orders. Not a problem before, but now I have to keep track of their drinks and let the servers know when they finally come back in the room. I try to keep track of all the members but I know I'm going to miss someone. The other bartender asks to leave because there isn't as many members left and she wants to get home early. I say fine, wishing I didn't need to money so bad.

  Finally the night is closing down and I have a stack of tickets to ring up and only a few servers who can identify if they had the members I had.  When the last member has left the room, I start cleaning the bar, wiping down all the bar bottles, collecting the extra fruit and garnishes, clearing the floor and making sure all the glasses are stacked neatly and orderly to prevent falling over and shattering. My back is sore as hell and my left leg is screaming from a pulled muscle in my ankle and hamstring. I finish cleaing up the bar and then transport the extra fruit over the lounge bar, where I ring up my tickets and put away the fruit for the bartender tomorrow. 

  I look down at my cell phone and see that I worked a 8.5 hr day. It's been over a year since I did that at the club. That will be a nice paycheck come next week. I'm sore, tired and know I have to be up at 6AM the next day for work downtown.   

 Oh well, at least I'm not the poor schmuck serving the women down in the 19th hole. :)