Measuring The Rage

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”~George S. Patton

I mentioned in polite conversation that when I was about the age of 8, I made two state wide commercials for a fundraising project for the disabled.

The following day, I mentioned that I’ve been known to sing and have participated in a few band projects along the way.

The day after that, I mentioned that I was in a background shot of a TV program many years ago.

All of which was met with the same elevated surprise, wonder, and curiosity. I had anticipated a certain level of that.

Not to say that I was bragging. On the contrary, I was asked specific questions… such as “Have you ever been on television?” or “Have you ever met anyone famous?” and the like.

So when I answered in the affirmative, instead of just having the usual line of questions that would follow with the intention of going into more detail about these experiences, I was met with this overwhelming shock and surprise and disbelief from those who had heard my responses.

I just do not understand why people have to take it to such heights. I am human. I have done certain things in life that, yes granted not a lot of people can say that they have, and that’s just the way my life has gone and has been going recently. But to explode in such a manner that it is an impossibility for anyone to comprehend that I have done these things….. WHY? What makes it so damned impossible?

Am I supposed to just sit at home and do nothing? Am I subjected only to being online 24 hours of the day and never leaving my home? Am I supposed to measure up to YOUR expectations of me? The heck you say!

I get it. To a certain degree. These are things you previously had no idea that I had done these things or experienced them. I totally understand that. That’s part of why we as human beings should ask questions…. to gain that knowledge. But to receive the answers to your questions and blow steam about it so bad that its so unlikely or impossible? Seriously now, what is wrong with you??? I do not get it.

And with that, knowing there’s a certain amount of innocent ignorance… your reaction is deplorable. I’m left to sit and wonder how much of your response and reaction is TOO MUCH,  and should I be taking offense? If at all??

Personal lives are to be just that: personal. They are NOT obligated to be subject to public knowledge and opinion. Not everyone should be an open book. I for sure am not. But I will answer any question you have about my life, for as long as it feeds the curiosity… for the sake of common knowledge. And NOT for your personal amusement.

But I sit here today (at home for once) enraged from the reactions that I received. So after I make this blog post available to the public, I’m going into my box fort. Because I am out of clean blankets and sheets. And NOBODY is allowed in without the password.

Think before you respond!!!!!

Sunshine Award

“A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.”~ Steve Martin

Well ladies and gentlemen, subscribers and readers: CHECK THIS OUT! 

I just received my SECOND nomination for an award to my blog. Isn’t that just something else??

I was going through my blogs that I personally am subscribed to and over at “A Redhead’s Guide” was my name among the list of the next possible recipients. 

Andrea is gorgeous, funny, and freakin’ elusive. 

If you wanna go check out her blog: 

A Redhead’s Guide

So the rules of the Sunshine Award are as follows:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the nominating blogger.
3. Nominate 11 bloggers you think bring sunshine into the world.
4. Come up with your own 11 questions to ask them!

So here are 11 random facts about the one and only Dambreaker: 

#1- I live in Austin, Texas. Which is currently hosting the annual SXSW Festival. If you hang out this week over on Historic Sixth Street, you’re going to find me rolling around! Ending this coming Sunday to see CASKET OF CASSANDRA over at Dirty Dog Bar. 

#2- I’ve never been married. Engaged a time or two but never made it to the altar. Thankfully! 

#3- I once owned an Emperor scorpion as a pet. But it died of dehydration because I had no knowledge of how to give it water and was pretty much afraid of getting attacked by it. Oops!

#4- I have a select number of people who are actors/actresses/musicians/singers and their cell phone numbers stored in my own cell phone. Basically what common society call “celebrities.”

#5- I’ve written over 125,000 different pieces of poetry in my entire lifetime. None of it published.

#6- I have always wanted to write a screen play that would be turned into a big successful film.

#7- I write my own erotic stories. But they are for my own personal use and not for public domain.

#8- Once I like something and begin a fond interest in it, I never shut up and I never back down. I am FREE advertising for anyone or anything. 

#9- The “Friend Zone” is a very ridiculous invention of someone that I think has had boundary issues. All people would be considered to be in the Friend Zone without it being a THING until they are no longer in that zone. And that is up to two people and those two people to decide. Period. 

#10- “Bitch” is never a word I use to describe someone. 

#11- Having this blog has changed my life in so many different ways that I cannot begin to count them all. I am very blessed. 

Now for the questions asked of me:

1. Do you like to cook? What is your favorite dish to make, and do you just make it up or do you follow recipes? I am what you may call a dump cook. Other than that, my bachelorisms come out pretty bad and its microwave time.
2. Cats or dogs? I grew up as a teenager with both. But I am going to say dog, I think??
3. If you could pick any place in the world to live, where would it be and why? I think that I would wanna live close to the water. I’ve been in every other climate and landscape but near the water. And in my short eight months in New England, I couldn’t get out as much to the ocean as I would’ve liked. 
4. Are you a parent? Do you want to have (more) kids? No, I am not a parent. I am however an uncle and I know that’s not really the same thing. But I would love to have children. If I don’t, that’s okay too.
5. Porch swing or hammock? Porch Swing.
6. Margarita or wine? Or do you prefer the brew? I do not normally consume alcohol. It is just a choice I made years ago both for health and financial. 
7. What’s your favorite Tom Hanks movie? We all have one! Good grief, where do I start?!?!?!??????
8. The greatest lesson about life you’ve ever learned? Even if it’s as simple as how to hang the toilet paper on the roll. I am still learning. Get back to me on that. But don’t go anywhere so you don’t lose sight of me.
9. What’s your favorite quote? My own that I coined myself….. “Friends are like roses. Precious when you find them. But if you hold on too tightly to them, you will bleed.” 
10. Favorite color? I have several. Dang it! Black, Silver, Teal to begin with. 
11. If you won the lottery, how would you spend it? Charity? Family? Jet skis and fancy cars? I’m not going to say but I promise you that I will blog about it AFTER the fact. But I probably wouldn’t be spending too much and be holding on to some of it. Anything more than that, you’re just out of luck on that one. 

Now for those whom I am going to nominate: 

Jodi Ambrose
Not A Redhead
HACKER.NINJA.HOOKER.SPY
Simply Stacia
Head Full Of Red
YOU’RE JUST A DUMBASS
Hope*the happy hugger
Oldest Daughter & Redheaded Sister
Kissmeoutofdesire
Writer B is Me
Coco J. Ginger Says

#1- Who is your role model (dead or alive)?
#2- If you could have your choice, would you live in peace and solitude or with an entourage?
#3- Would you describe your first ever date a success or just a learning experience?
#4- Are you someone that can survive an entire Monday without coffee or are you someone who will have a criminal record if you attempt to function without it?
#5- Fruits or veggies? (Can only choose one or the other. Not both.)
#6- If you could re-live only one moment in your life (so far) at any time that you wished, what would that moment be?
#7- If you were given an all-expenses paid trip to anywhere you want, where would you go? 
#8- Describe yourself using only four words: 
#9- Have you ever had an experience where you honestly believed that your dreams had come true? 
#10- What would be your one and only super power?
#11- List any and all nicknames that you were given growing up and which one is your favorite still?

Ask A Question

“No fugging way. That’s how horror movies start. We drop you off, walk into some stranger’s house, and five minutes later some psycho’s lobbing off my nuts with a machete while his schizophrenic wife makes Colin do push-ups on a bed of hot coals.You’re coming with us. ” ~ John Green

So I have returned dear readers. A quick show of hands- who has missed me???? 

Any ways, I come back with a tale that just recently happened and is all true.

Life does sure make for an interesting blog post.

The telephone rang and the person on the other end offered to come pick me up to hang out. But they were not very specific, and so I began to inquire and ask questions. Yet it had seemed as if the more questions that I asked about their fledgling plans for the day, the more and more aggravated that person became.

I also had noted to myself that NONE of my questions were receiving any answers. So essentially, these people had no idea where they were going, and no idea where they were going to end up. The only thing that they knew was that they were inviting me to go with them.

So the moment I realized that this person was off their rocker and getting butthurt and angry about it, I replied with a quote from The Princess Bride.

“Have fun stormin’ the Castle!!”

And that response, obviously was an unfair response to that person because I was banking on two things: Sounding clever. And that the person had never seen the film before and therefore would have NO idea what in the world I was talking about.

Mission accomplished.

These guys probably were going to end up driving around town aimlessly. It would have been all fun and games until they ran out of gas. And yes, that’s how horror films start. 

Umm, no thank you!!!

The only reason why I kept asking so many questions was because I had insufficient information about what they were going to do, so I was unable to make a concise decision on whether or not I wanted to partake. But if you have no plans whatsoever, then perhaps you should have thought it through before asking and inviting me.

At some point in time, the idea of asking questions for the sake of knowledge and obtaining information has unfortunately turned into bad juju. And I am unable to put my finger on exactly when that happened.

It is as if the idea of asking someone else a question is so wrong that it becomes encased in our brains that we will be doing something to HARM another if we ask them a question. Or that we’re probably bothering or pestering them. And we do not wish to bother our fellow mankind.

It could be because my own personal life is as such that if I do not ask people for something, that I’m never going to be able to succeed. The fact of the matter is that I will from time to time, need help. But that is a different kind of example.

I just do not see the big problem to ask someone a question for the sake of obtaining knowledge and information. How else are we supposed to survive in this big scary world of ours? Ignorance is does not have to be inherent. I mean, we grow up with ignorance, but if we choose to remain so… then that choice comes with consequences that I don’t even want to think about.

If people didn’t ask me questions about my disability… how else would I expect them NOT to be afraid of me??

So I shake my head at the person who called. But more so at their actions which were to be quick to anger. And I stand firm in the belief that we ALL need to ask questions every once in a while.

 

 

 

Amusing Ringtone, Theme Song, Or Just Maximum Insensitivity?

Okay. I must throw this out here.  Because I do not really know where I stand on this issue.

I’ve decided that I am going to leave it up to the public.

There has been some discussion about the song “Rollin'” by Limp Bizkit, and whether or not the song should be in some fashion attributed to me and my life.

Its come up before in the past and it for whatever reason, has come up again.

People are telling me that whenever they hear the song, the think of me. More than one person has said to my face that they think it would be a “cool ringtone” for me on their cell phone.

That’s right. More than once.

There’s a stigma happening. Or at least a stereotype.

But what do I personally have to say about the song?

Personally, the song doesn’t bother me. Neither would it bother me to be a ring tone for someone else’s cell phone. I mean after all, I can’t control what other people do with their own things. And its not like I am going to be calling them whenever they are nearby to the point that I would hear that it is or is not the personal ringtone they selected for when I call them. If I am that close to hear it, I might as well just use my voice. DUH!

Insensitive? No, at least not for me. But I wouldn’t try that with just anyone that you may know who also is in a wheelchair for life. It might not go well for you. But it doesn’t bother me.

So we scratch off “insensitivity” and are left with a just a simple ringtone or a theme song.

See what I did there? Yeah, your breath stinks too! Keep reading.

If you listen to the lyrics (and I know that is hard for most of you out there) the song doesn’t really fit anything that has to do with my life. Other than the fact that wheelchairs have wheels and they roll when they are in motion. THAT’S IT!!

I’m not fucking up a track or yelling at people to back the fuck up or shut the fuck up. That’s not who I am. I’m simply not in the music business nor am I in the business of being rude to prove a point. Other than that last date I have, but you’ve already read about that in a previous blog post.

So how in the world does this song work as a theme song? I’m having enough trouble as it is to use “Zero Hour” as an entrance song for sledge hockey, of which I’ve already received permission to do so. Its the rest of the team that I have to convince on that. But I just do not know how in the world this song by Limp Bizkit connects with me, other than that little part in the chorus.

http://youtu.be/8mqidVQxW9g

What do you all say? Fill your answers in the comment section below and tell me is it just an amusing ringtone or should it be a theme song for whenever I enter the room??? Majority shall rule in this case. Let me know after you get a taste of the song. Thank you one and all!!!!!!

Always Ask!!

“Don’t Make Assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.”~ Miguel Angel Ruiz

 

This quote right here would be just enough for this post. I do not think that I could have said this any better than what is written.

 

There’s just that one thing that separates us from our lives, good from bad, and that is the assumption. The assumption is something that you are taking for granted. For the most part through communicative issues, the assumption will always lead into dangerous territory. And it doesn’t matter if you know the person two years or eleven years or fifty years.

 

I do not see the problem with adding one question into a conversation when doubt and confusion arise.

 

“What did you mean by that?”.

 

Trust me, if the person you are talking to is just as concerned with getting their point across without confusion, they aren’t going to mind it too much to give a brief summary and explanation as to what they just said. And once that is understood, the conversation can proceed as usual.

 

I found myself the other night having to do the same thing. In my head, I had assumed what the other person was meaning but just to be safe I asked about it. And very forunate to say that I was right all along but it could’ve been a mess if I was wrong.

 

To live in the world of assumptions and taking for granted what people are saying to us, is a very plausible and agonizing direction to take into the descent of madness.

 

My own personal thought is that there is nothing wrong with asking for clarification. “Always ask, never assume.”

 

CYA is just a part of life. You must do for yourself rather than allow the smallest bit of misdirection guide you into the pitfalls of frustration. If you don’t cover your ass, then you’re going to end up looking like one.

 

There’s never been any situation or circumstance throughout human history where asking a question was a “bad idea”. It only seems like a “bad idea” when we are faced with answers that we either were not expecting or hoping for. Generally the question itself was not bad.

 

Always ask. Take the moments away from the conversation to find out for sure what the person is talking about. Gain that knowledge and better understanding so that you are still on the same page.