The comparison game

Aren't comparisons grand?

I love it when I hear that someone was arrested for something like shop lifting and they yell out, "you're going to arrest me for stealing a shirt while there are rapists and murderers out there?!". You hear people grumble the same thing when they're pulled over for speeding. Can you imagine the cop saying, "you're right, go ahead and take the sweater...keep on driving 80 in a school zone...I'm going to go capture me some murderers!"?

You hear it all the time. People get in trouble for something and they'll say, "but what about the person who did this awful thing....that's so much worse". Yes it is...so you've both done something wrong.

In sports they'll complain when caught doing something bad about someone else who got away with doing the same thing. They don't claim to be innocent, they're just mad that someone else was allowed to be bad.

We compare everything good and bad. We love it. It gives us a point of reference. It allows us to figure out how we're doing...in comparison.

We compare everything good and bad. We hate it. It forces us to live up to other's expectations based on unrealistic standards set in a different era with slightly different circumstances.

There's just no winning for losing...

OSU-michigan

This is Ohio State Michigan week. This is a game so big that I might not be able to watch it around other people. I care too much about it to have idle chit chat happening all around me. I'll walk, pace and throw things in the general direction of the tv.

Here's the thing though...I might not watch it. I get to be a part of something we do at my church called Turkeyfest. We take 400 Turkey dinners to people's homes that might not otherwise be able to afford it.
We don't make them come to us. We don't line them up and ladel food onto their plates. We give them the food so that they, in turn, can provide a meal for their friends and family.
It's really a great thing - and as big as the OSU-Michigan game is - this is way better.

So if I miss the game...I miss the game. ...

stuff

going to work in a couple of minutes....14 hours later I'll leave work. That's my day today.

Tomorrow is better. I get to see some family, go to Griff's birthday party and then hang out until 5:30...and then head back to work for three more hours.

Sunday shakes out a little differently. I'll get there at 8 and leave at 12:30...and then work that night from 5 - 8:30ish.

It's just hours piled up right now. Hopefully I'll fully engage once I get there. I have six different projects or things to focus on, so that'll keep it fresh. It's hard not to look at it as another weekend where I'll barely be home.

It's hard not to focus on the hours.

I don't want to just work a job.

I don't want to count hours.

I want to live out a calling. I want to focus on what I'm passionate about.

I want to live these next 72 hours and not keep a checklist of things I have to do and things I'm done doing...

I'm going to try and live these out with expectancy, a sense of urgency and lock in on the reasons why I believe in the things I'm doing.

And then I'm going to dance, dance, dance!

electricity

It's funny how much I take electricity for granted. Not like laugh out loud, wait until I tell everyone at work about how hilarious that was funny... I guess it's just more interesting than funny.

Our power went our a little before 7 this morning. No tv. No computer. Be careful opening the fridge. No phone. No digital clocks, microwaves or lamps.

Our kid's breakfasts are very toaster or microwave friendly. My morning usually starts with a quick post on the 'ol blog. I like to have light on in the bathroom when I shower.

I thought I was escaping into the electric world when I left for work. That quickly became an obstacle when I realized that my garage door opener wouldn't allow me to get out without power.

Today I learned that I love electricity. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. That's why I love the show Ed now more than I probably obsessed over it when it was on. That's why it's so easy to focus on the things I loved about Pennsylvania and my last job - even though it was so hard to focus on those things when I was there.

I take things for granted. I just do. I probably need to stop and smell the sweet sweet smell of coffee (a much better smell than roses).

I'm going to appreciate my electricity filled office today. I'll enjoy the fact that I get to choose what I'm going to eat for lunch, projects I'll work on, and objectives I get to strive towards that I really do care about.

Oh sweet sweet electricity....how I so love you.

I gotta be honest here...

In this season of scandal, politics, and war I've had a chance to think through some things and I've come to some pretty hard conclusions. I definitely don't want to start a battle with any major corporation and I hesitate to say this....but the McDonaldland figures kind of freak me out.

Clowns freak me out to start with, so Ronald is just a Whopper hating freak in my way of thinking. The Hamburgler is a thieving malcontent that steals from the rich and poor alike with no thought to the potential repercussions. And that costume....like we don't know who you are, you dolt!

And what's with Mayor McCheese and his superior attitude? Who really wears a sash everyday? I know this, I didn't vote for you.

The fry guys are a bunch of carnie side show attractions and the only redeeming character I can point to is Grimace. It's a perfect description of what I do whenever I see these guys prancing around their precious McDonalds.

There. I said it. It's time I moved on...

I wonder...

I wonder why guys wearing tuxedo's tend to walk around with both hands in their pockets so much? Watch a guy in jeans and a t-shirt walk down the street sometime. He'll just be walking with his hands to his side. If he's wearing a tux, he'll have the front of his jacket off to the sides and both hands in his pockets. What's that all about?

I wonder if Diddy will remember to vote today?

I wonder if the winner of the New York City Marathon had to compete in the Tour De France, if they'd say it was the toughest thing they've ever done?

I wonder when Stomp moved into my neighborhood and decided to have their on the street rehearsals at 5 AM?

I wonder if Studio 60 will get cancelled?

I wonder what's in my house that causes my kids to get so sick so often?

I wonder why Ohio State always plays so poorly against Penn State and Illinois?

I wonder how ridiculous it would be if someone put together a white entertainment television (WET) station? Or a white coaches of America association? NAAWP?

I wonder why my back hurts so much right now?

I wonder why Fox catches so much slack when every survey taken since 1962 has shown that the vast majority of journalists have taken the side of the Democrats in every election (even Mondale). I wonder if the same people were up in arms over the New York Times and their balanced views? NBC? CBS? ABC? It's interesting to see they know the political leanings of every newspaper and network - but now there's a network that leans the other way...and people freak out (just watch the comments).

I wonder why the Pirates can't put together a winning season?

I wonder why my lawn looks like there was some sort of rugby scrum that took place in the back yard.

I wonder where bagpipe players practice?

I wonder what I'll have for lunch?

These are the things I seem to be wondering about today....how about you?

the round mound of rebound

In one interview Charles Barkley said:
I've joked about running for Governor before, but I'm really going to do it now.

I've lost around $10 million gambling. I bring about $50 million with me, so it's ok.

We need to stop this divide between the rich and the poor.

How could I screw up Alabama any worse than it already is?

I honestly believe that people will still vote for him...

I just read an interview with a famous local athlete who was talking about his kids being a top priority. One of his kids lives in Florida and one in California.
He sees them "every once in a while".
He's playing to "secure their future".
He owns 5 cars and lives by himself.

My best guess is that he's driving these cars around to make sure they're safe.....so in ten years he can drive one to California and one to Florida and secure his kid's future by giving them cars.

Who says athletes aren't role models?

also in the world of sports, Fuller beat me in ping pong...repeatedly

Brian Regan

I'm forced to consider the question - should a great stand up comedian tour with a really bad one...and end up looking that much better in the process?

That's sort of what I saw last night. The night started with the single greatest comedic act since Gallagher discovered the sledge hammer. This man was to comedy was Hasselhoff is to half buttoned shirts. He was the thinking man's answer to Dan Rather. He was clever, witty and just when you thought he was all about the verbals...he'd do a little side step, shuffle and make turkey fingers appear on top of his head.

You read that last line right. People paid a bunch of money to see the first comedian of the night (name escapes me....because God loves me) take his hand and put it on top of his head and stick up four fingers to make it look like a goofy hat or turkey feathers. And then he'd make a little "peep" kind of noise.

He was flown in for this performance.

He performed in front of a crowd of thousands.

For 20 spirit crushing minutes he had the general attention of all these people...and was probably paid four figures.

Brian Regan came out and you would have thought you were watching the single greatest comedian of all time. It was like watching the newly re-formed Culture Club open up for U2 when B.B. King is making a special appearance singing "when loves comes to town" with Bono.

It was like eating a baked peanut butter and ketchup sandwich before they brought out the Beef Wellington.

It was like playing putt putt in some parking lot that has worn out green carpeting right before you play 18 at Winged Foot.

You get the point....I'm just thrown a little by how this guy ever saw the stage.

Save Darfur

I'm good thanks

quick note to Ted Strickland:

Ted, I get it. You're running for Governor. I saw your commercials, ads and got your e-mail....and then I started getting 3 a day for the last few weeks. I know that you really want the job. I know you've raised a crazy amount of campaign money. I know you've been in Congress since the early 90's. Apparently you love kids, God, people and the good 'ol U.S. of A.

You really don't have to send me any more e-mails. Nobody else is, so you're winning 73-0 on the e-mail race.

I sort of thought I was good after one.

thanks though - I don't get nearly enough unsolicited e-mail. I should mention that there's a rich prince in a far off land that has millions of dollars that he'd like to deposit in my account if I'd be so good as to send him my bank account number. If I get those millions, I promise to give you $10,000 for every e-mail and spend the rest on male enhancement pills, hair growth pills, online gambling, and all the people who would like me to verify my ebay and paypal accounts.

thanks for the notes,
your buddy,
murph