I ain’t too proud to beg!

Okay, so here’s the deal:

There’s a contest on YouTube. Celebrating many things. Probably most importantly, this person’s favorite singer EVER in the world. Céline Dion. I cannot say as I blame her.

But also, she just reached over 100 Subscribers to her YouTube Channel, “LisaFayeChardonnay”. So this contest is her own way of saying “thank you”. And yes, in case you are wondering, I am subscribed as well. For many reasons. This contest however, the rules state that all participants in this contest must be subscribed. Other rules state that the contest video must be posted elswhere. Guess what, “LisaFayeChardonnay”? NO problem here!!

A few things personally: If you are reading this blog entry and you have decided to check out this video. Leave me a comment to this entry. Also if you decided to subscribe to “LisaFayeChardonnay” on YouTube, leave me a comment to this entry. But most importantly- write her a message and tell her “Dambreaker sent me.” She’ll know who you are talking about.

Prizes are including:

Postcards, Shot Glass, and a Magnet.

Why me? Why all of a sudden me?? Have I gone out of my mind by posting about this. NO, I assure you that my mind was gone years ago!

Postcards? I love them! Shot Glass? Collect them! Magnet? Geez, have you seen my refrigerator? The front of it is GONE because its so full of them!

This is why I am imploring of you to take 10 minutes out of your time (Plus however many minutes it took you to read this entry) and simply go check out the YouTube contest video. Hell, even check out the entire channel if that flips your pancake!

And even if you just totally despise Céline Dion- I’ve followed all of the rules that goes along with this contest. Besides, you can’t tell me that this person’s smile is not electric and radiant. I DARE YOU TO!

Thanks for listening, err- reading. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyw5bcxiV3I&feature=feedu

An Absolute Literary No-No

Well fans, I have returned for another blog entry. Although I seriously would like to dedicate this entry into more of the “WTF moment” of the week.

I won’t say too much about this, but I feel kind of sorry for all involved. This is a definite case of literary career suicide. Writers, do not try this at home!!

http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html

I will warn though, NOT to go and cause more problems or harrass the author or any one else who may have decided to add comments. I would suggest that you do not comment anything at all. Do so, at your own risk.

I promise to come back soon with a more personal blog entry when time becomes available.

Meeting New Friends

I realize that my blog has sort of taken on a sort of negative feel because of the need to vent. I mean after all that’s what this is for, right?? But this entry has a different subject matter and a happier feel to it.

If you have kept up with my blog so far, you already know that this year has  probably been so difficult. Starting with the assault just days before my last birthday.

But now, I have the desire to share this brief story with you, although it will be kind of cryptic as I do not wish to get into specifics so that I may keep other people’s anonymity for the sake of their safety.

Its hard to say that a couple of weeks ago, I had made a new friend. I say that it is hard, because it just never felt that that it has been two weeks at this point. I’m not saying that I felt I’ve known this person for forever, but it sure doesn’t seem like it has been as long as it has.

When meeting new people, it is always a bonus to find that you have so much in common with them. These things being the bonding agent that glues the friendship together. The more things in common, the stronger the bond, I believe.

I’ve taken my time and done what I could to know as much as possible about them as I can, with days and nights of correspondence. Personal e-mails, private message boards, you name it. And with each new message received from this person, it feels like Christmas morning all over again. Each time, every time. That, I would have to say is a very happy feeling.

So eager to open the message to see what it is that they had to say to you. Because they are taking up an interest in talking with you. So far, it has been so intriguing that I catch myself wanting to quickly reply to them so that they can reply back again. Have you ever had that feeling?

With each new piece of information shared between I and them, its a wrinkle in the brain. I adapt, I absorb, and then I respond. Hopefully they don’t find me to be foolish at times. My sense is humor couldn’t be better explained than “warped”.

In previous times when I have met someone on the Internet to talk to, I always felt that the trick was to keep them interested. Sometimes that can be very hard to do. Yet in this new relationship, there are no tricks because there really isn’t a need for them. With having those main things that I aspire to and having those in common? Yeah, there’s no real good excuse for trying to keep their interest because there already is something there in place that is more solid and less trivial.

I have felt no pressure. And this is good. At last, this is a situation where I am able to relax, speak my mind, and just have fun. The opportunity to be honest and personal came rather quickly. I pray that I have been able to prove myself worthy through merit. It is not something that happens to me a lot. I can only speak for myself. I do not know if it has been as easy for them.

From what I have been able to tell so far, this person is very funny, very passionate, and very sincere. As much as they can be on the Internet. Yet again, the things that they are funny, passionate, and sincere about are the same things  that I am very passionate and sincere about.

I think that in general, it is very possible for two people to build a very good relationship through correspondence without the need or scare of it being weird to where you are coming off creepy towards the other person. Besides, a budding relationship should always be low key. You may or may not agree with that.

Life though will sometimes get in the way. And that’s just how the cookie will sometimes crumble. What will make it successful and more meaningful is not to get totally bent out of shape when you are unable to hear from the other person in a while. Even if its a matter of a few days. A person must take on their own responsibilities in life. Work, family, etc.  A better relationship would mean that you are still there for when the time comes when they come back and write you again. And you don’t think anything of their absence.

That’s not to say that sometimes I have not had the desire to hear from someone and then I don’t. Its all a matter of understanding the other person’s situation. The most important thing is letting it go for those days when you do not hear from them and that you refuse to hold it against them.  Besides, you would not want the other person to hold it against YOU when YOUR life becomes suddenly occupied, right?

They will eventually come back and be there for you. I firmly believe in this. If their attention is still drawn with so much curiosity, then they will write again. Have patience.

You cannot expect a new born puppy to be able to fetch your slippers and newspaper, and do 15 other tricks in less than a week.

I have had patience with this person, I know that with work and family and other friends, it can get a bit overwhelming to the point where they have missed a chance to talk to me. But I also have been totally understanding.

So now, I’ve found myself very happy in 2011 for the first time. Honestly and genuinely happy that I have this new friend in my life. These few weeks have definitely caused a sense of jubilation within me that I just cannot seem to hide, no matter what I do.

It definitely beats out the fact that 2011 has not been as kind as I had hoped for. The fact of things seemed to be going wrong for me for whatever reason. I have been able to pull myself out from the ashes, as it were. I think that is why we have friends in our lives in the first place. To help us along whenever things are down and you are feeling that it is impossible to move on. They are there to help show you that simply is untrue.

I am the happiest both inside and out than I have been all year long. Its an incredible feeling. I catch myself just thinking about them and wondering how their day is going when I am sitting here at home. I send them nothing but positive thoughts. I sometimes have to laugh when I catch myself wondering what they are like in person? What are they like in conversation over the telephone? So far, these kinds of things have not happened. If they are going to happen, then they will. I’m not going to push the issue. If that’s something that they want then they will tell me if & when the time comes I just have been overwhelmed with pure emotion of joy and a sensation of floating through clouds. Yeah, that might sound really lame or tacky. But so what? The bottom line is that I AM HAPPY!

And I want it to stay that way.

And if my new friend is reading this, I want to say this to you:

These past several days have been so much fun. I am so full of appreciation for you and all that you have done for me that I am beyond words. You are a wonderful person! And I hope that you have become as happy as I have to be able to write to you. I want nothing but the best for you each day. And you’re always in my thoughts. It goes without saying that I am so glad to have met you. The inspiration is overflowing and I am so lucky. With each new day that dawns I am ready to begin that journey all over again with you. Now and in the future. THANK YOU!!!!!

Idiot Award for March 2011

I recently went out to eat with a group of people in a van.  When we approached the restaurant, we found that all the handicapped parking spaces had been taken. But we also found this:

At the time of our arrival, both handicapped spaces were filled. The problem was that the car that was next to this one was totally blocking the ramp! I could not get on to the sidewalk and into the restaurant. The photo here does not show the car blocking the ramp, but there’s something rather interesting and fascinating. This car is taking up TWO of the handicapped parking spaces.

But wait, it gets better!

This car also has NO reason to be in this space. There’s no handicapped parking permit of any kind! No tags, no plates, nothing.

It is because of this, that I was forced to go almost a half a block to find the nearest ramp. Which happened to be at the movie theater next door to the restaurant.

The social worker who had brought us, called the police about this violation. And I kept an eye out for anyone who might walk out and get into this car. Needless to say that the two people who climbed into this car, had no business parking in ANY of these two spaces in the first. The two people who got in were elderly, however they were able to walk out on their own power. Without the help of any assistant devices. NO wheelchair, NO walker, NO canes, and NOT having to hold on to the arm of another individual.

This photo was taken as the two occupants were putting on their seat belts. It’s not the best photograph in the world. But it does show how lazy they were. Their superior parking skills caused others to block the sidewalk to the entrance for the rest of the world. They aren’t the only ones in the world who are hungry that day.

By the time the police showed up, my group was actually all settled into the van and we were backing up from our own parking space. Clearly, these offenders were long gone and we’re so informed that the police cannot do anything about it since the offenders had left. And the worst they would have done was written a ticket for a parking violation.

That’s our life though. Rights trampled on by those who are lazy and uncaring. One of my neighbors always tells me, “The world doesn’t owe me a living, just a parking space.”

And these goons take that from me, and get away? C’mon.

I’d put my money on the fact that they didn’t even bother to think to adjust. They just drove right into it and stopped. Ridiculous, I tell you.

At any rate, I hope they enjoy their award. But for sure, I don’t want to hear any of their acceptance speech. I’d rather see them receive a citation and possibly have their driver’s license removed from them. Their parking skills also reflects on their driving skills.

The Constitutional Right to be A Prick

I enjoyed myself last night with family at a local AHL hockey game between the home team, Texas Stars against the Abbotsford Heat. (My apologies for those who read my Facebook profile as I had mistaken the team to be from “Abbotsville.”)

I did not realize that the visiting team was from Canada, until it was time for the singing of the National Anthem. First was the Canadian anthem. I had never been to a sporting event before where it had been sung. It was a nice experience. I felt that the choral group performing did a nice job.

Then came Star-Spangled Banner. It started wonderfully. Until they had reached the phrase, “Whose broad stripes and bright stars“. The crowd over 5,000 people literally shouted the word “STARS!!!” when it came up.

What in the world? What were these people thinking? Aren’t you standing up with your attention towards the flag, as you should have learned it in school?

Because the word “stars” appears twice in the verse that is commonly sung, the crowd shouted it twice as well. As I was standing there repulsed, I did hear giggling after the first shouting of the word.

This bothered me. So I went searching to see if there was any specific rules or terms of etiquette with regards to observing the National Anthem. Most of what I had found was placing your hand over your heart. You also observe by taking off your hat and stand at attention and facing the flag. You don’t talk on your cell phone, you don’t chew gum, and you don’t move from where you are standing.

But what about shouting out during the performance of the National Anthem?

Seems as if this battle is not a new one. During the performance of the National Anthem before a game of the Dallas Stars of the NHL, it happens there as well. Screaming at the top of their lungs “STARS!” whenever it is sung.

Also, during the performance of the National Anthem at the games of the Baltimore Orioles, they shout out the word “O!”… as in “O say can you see“, and what not. Mainly these incidents have utter disrespect for the nation has been going on for years, so this is not the first time anyone has complained about it. Francis Scott Key must be vomitting his own bone dust in his grave each time this occurs.

I have read both sides of this. Those who are disturbed and appalled by it, and those who have no personal problems with it. They say that its only a way to keep the crowd’s enthusiasm for their team.

This particular post has to deal with the opinion that this kind of behavior from people is terrible and it shouldn’t be allowed to be happening anywhere in this country at any time because it is truly an outrage. This country is too valuable for its citizens to be taken advantage of in the name of disrespect towards those whose hearts are on fire with pride, love, and patriotism.

Honestly though, “disgusting” is not a strong enough word to describe this behavior. This country was in fact, made for you and me. But it was not made for it to be trampled on by its own citizens. I personally believe that if they would have done something similar during the Canadian National Anthem, people would have become unglued and there would have been chaos to the extent that it would have been all over the Internet. But why do this to your own country?

This was my fourth Texas Stars hockey game that I have attended. The first game that I went to, this did not happen. From that point on, things changed and the crowd was shouting.

What really is disheartening to me is that each time I have attended, the game announcer has always brought the crowd’s attention to the presence of the military being present at the games. Whether currently serving or retired. And then this happens.

And another point to bring is that I do not think that the crowd is taking into consideration the person or persons who are performing. What about their feelings as they are doing their best to proudly present themselves and their country during a performance piece which has been deemed the most difficult song to sing? For myself, I performed it three times when I was in high school. I did it by myself and I performed it A Capella. Had this happened to me while I was performing, it would’ve ended right at the time the people would’ve shouted. Mainly for the reasons that I was nervous enough to perform, and the sudden eruption of shouting voices would’ve distracted me and caused me to perform with errors. Which in turn would have caused a lot of embarrassment for me and I would have been unable to finish.

Instead, it seems as if the people of this country is just going to do whatever it wants to do, and then hide behind the First Amendment for their actions. But I am not going to get into a debate over Constitutional Law.

Members of my own family have fought and served in this nation’s military. After the National Anthems were finished, I looked at members of my family who were sitting next to me, and their shocked faces said it all. I spoke to a man who had served in the U.S. Army this afternoon. He was an officer in the military and he has attended previous Texas Stars hockey games with me in the past, so he has witnessed this horrible incident before. He said, “Many others have bled and died for this country, to provide these people the privilege to be doing shit that is totally disrespectful.”