Wednesday, September 29, 2010

STONE IS AWESOME...or What's It Take To Be A Success

Happy Wednesday, Beatdowners!

Here I am stuck in a week of never-ending Monday’s...which always leads to me blogging just a little bit more!

I recently read an article on what it takes to be a success...and while I agreed with some of the points, I tend to view things a little outside of the box and therefore had some differing opinions than the article's contributors.

Let’s start out simple.

What exactly does “success” mean, anyhow?

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, “success”:
noun, (1) a favorable or desired outcome, (2) the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence, and/or (3) one that succeeds.

Pretty cut and dry. I actually have nothing witty to add.

So how does one become successful? How does one become a success?

There are the obvious answers here.

Work hard.
Be an innovator.
Don’t quit when the proverbial chips are down.
Surround yourself with the right team.

Again, it isn’t really rocket science.

BUT...

Is it really that easy?

Unequivocally NO!!!

Here are a few tips on being successful from me...take it for what it’s worth.

1. Don’t be afraid to rock the boat. Seriously, speak up! Silence, in my opinion, dictates that you are fine with how things are, and agree with whatever is being discussed 100%. You’re totally onboard sitting there in your silence. Take on the controversial stances with reckless abandon, as long as you TRULY believe what you are saying...in other words, don’t be a tool just to be a tool. Sure, people may scoff at your ideas. They may roll their eyes. They may even laugh. But I’d be willing to bet that they’d respect YOU for not backing down. Sure, you won’t always be the popular voice; but, you will always be heard...and that is 100 times better than being a bump on the log conforming to whatever the popular opinion is.

2. This is sort of an extension of #1…don’t follow trends just to fit in. Don’t dress, walk, talk, laugh with, sit with, and socialize with the “in” crowd just to be part of the aforementioned “in” crowd. You were born an original. Stay one...don’t become a copy. Be yourself. Follow the beat of your own drum. That’s the only way to self discovery, the only way to figure out who YOU are...and you have to know who YOU are to be successful with any aspect of your life!

3. Don’t be afraid to fail miserably! No great reward comes without great risk, or however that quote goes. Make sure your heart is in whatever it is you are trying to be successful at...work, love, friendship, etc. Have the balls to throw caution to the wind and follow your dreams. Always ask yourself if your heart is in what it is that you are doing, and if it isn’t what would you rather be doing instead...and only YOU can determine what that is.

4. Dive right into the deep in. Get in over your head. Put yourself at risk. You’ll never know how strong you are until you try something that you think is beyond you. Most of the time, high-risk situations won’t kill you. They will make you stronger...and speaking from the heart and from experience, we are all much stronger than we give ourselves credit for. And it’s always the right time to remind yourself of that.

5. Give yourself an attitude. Believe in that attitude. The more you put that attitude out for all to see, the more people will buy into it. And make sure the attitude is a positive one. Hell, let it be over-the-top…let it be AWESOME. Again, people may laugh at it, but people won’t forget it. And as history proves, if something is shoved in the masses face, preferably in a positive way, chances are they will start to believe it. And if they believe it, they will follow it.

That’s all I got right now...back for more fun and frivolity sooner than later.

Until them, remember one thing...STONE IS AWESOME.

Catch you on the flipside, Beatdowners...hopefully see some of you at the Fell's Point Fun Festival this weekend!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Some Absolute Truths...or Blogging Because I Have a Case of the Monday's

Oh boy, is it ever a Mother-Loving Monday-and-a-half!

It's raining.

The weekend was a little too much fun, but at the same time, a little bit of a downer (was supposed to be Littlehead Free, but the croop ended that dream).

My dog ate $100 of money that isn't disposable income - at all (disposable income - is that real anymore for any of the average folks out there?!?!?).

And now my work computer system crashed AGAIN.

I seriously can't wait to go home at 5pm, to do nothing...nothing at all.

Anyhow, I'm tweaking an e-mail joke I got today to lighten the mood a little bit. Enjoy!

Some Absolute Truth's

1. A true best friend should be required to do one thing immediately upon your death - delete your computer's seach history!!!

2. There isn't a whole lot that sucks more than that fleeting moment during an argument when you realize you're 100% wrong.

3. I would love to take back all those times I didn't want to take a nap during the day when I was younger.

4. Someone needs to create a font for e-mail and MS Office called SARCASM...like today.

5. Why even bother trying to fold a fitted sheet...it's such a pain in the ass.

6. Cursive...seriously, was it really necessary to learn?

7. MapQuest really needs to start their directions on step 5 in most cases, because if you don't know how to get out of your neighborhood, you shouldn't be driving...EVER.

8. Reading obituaries would be way more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least a little bit tired.

10. Bad decisions ALWAYS make good stories.

11. It happens to everyone. Every day. There comes a moment at work when you know there is ZERO chance of you doing anything productive for the remainder of the day. You never know when it will strike, but it does. Mine did around at 11:32am this morning.

12. There are some people's phone numbers we keep in our cell phones just so we know not to answer when they call.

13. Kay Jewelers has it totally wrong...I'd be willing to bet on any given Friday or Saturday night, more kisses begin with booze than they do with Kay.

14. Google Maps and MapQuest needs to have an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

15. There is a fine line between boredom and hunger, and as I get older, the line becomes less and less visible.

16. There needs to be a standard set for the appropriate number of times to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word someone said.

17. One of the most satisfying things I see regularly is the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent some Jitbag from cutting in at the front of the line...especially during the commute to and from work. Keep it real, folks!

18. Shirts and underwear get dirty, pants do not. You can wear them back-to-back-to-back days as long as you want.

19. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble finding car keys, cell phones, wallets, or pinning the tail on the donkey...but just about everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away in about 1.2 seconds, eyes closed, and on the first try!

20. There truly are some days when it's better to call out sick and do nothing than torturing yourself (and probably others) by venturing out of your house into the working world.

Happy Monday, Beatdowners.

Until next time...

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

A Quick One Worth Sharing

Happy Hump Day, Beatdowners! And a very BIG welcome to my favorite season, Fall, which officially starts this evening at 11:13pm, Eastern Standard Time, in the Northern Hemisphere.

Fun Fact: This is the first time it's been a full moon on the Northern Hemisphere's Autumnal Equinox since 1991, some 19 years ago.

For any and all of you scientific freaks out there, did you know that the moon won't actually be "Full" this autumnal equinox until 5:13am on 9/23, which is actually 6 hours after the start of Fall...what's so significant about that you may ask?

It's my 38th birthday on 9/23!

I digress...

I received an e-mail today that pulled some quotes from a Dale Carnegie seminar. I like it, and I think it's worth sharing...

How To Cultivate a Mental Attitude That Will Bring You Peace and Happiness
1. Fill you mind with thoughts of peace, courage, health, and hope.

2. Never try to get even with your enemies.

3. Expect ingratitude.

4. Count your blessings, not your troubles.

5. Do not imitate others.

6. Try to profit from your losses.

7. Create happiness for others.

I can add a few...

8. Regret nothing.

9. Take time to make create happiness for yourself.

10. Be awesome.

Pretty simple, huh? I know it's a list of things that I'm going to work on.

How about you?

That's all I got. Until next time...

Friday, September 17, 2010

Lessons Learned since 9/17/09...or A Retrospective

TGIF Beatdowners!

Here we are - September 17, 2010 - how quickly a year has passed! While it's just another day on the calendar...whoa, wait a minute, it's Halfway To St. Patrick's Day...strike that last comment! It's a GLORIOUS day!

I digress...to MOST, it's just another day on the calendar. But for me, it marks the end of one of the more challenging years I've had (typing that sort of made me chuckle, because I've had a few sh*t ones lately)...being unemployed for over 5 months in the toughest job market I've ever seen, a DUI, ridiculously unawesome stories being told about why I left my former job, savings being depleted to keep the house, car, and the kids clothed and fed, etc., etc.

But the past 365 days taught me some things...about myself, about people, and about what matters.

So here are some things I've learned since 9/17/09...in no particular order...

1. Stay-At-Home parents have THE hardest job in the world, and deserve every one's respect.

2. Seeing my children's smile and hearing them say "I love you, Daddy" are THE best medicine.

3. Never - E V E R - judge a book by it's cover. What may seem to be the bestest of everything on the outside can be a life and soul sucking sh*tshow on the inside.

4. U2 is THE greatest band on the planet.

5. The self-proclaimed righteous tend to be the most devious...to quote Coheed and Cambria's epic "Welcome Home", some people are "whores in sheep's clothing". You know these people...they are "friends", they are "lovers", they are "boyfriends" or "girlfriends", they can be "bosses", they can be "Representatives", "Senators", and even "Presidents". They are everywhere. See #3 above.

6. Everything happens for a reason.

7. Friends are not the ones that are around out of convenience...friends are ones that are around always.

8. I want to contribute to "the greater good".

9. Blinders in life - be it with religion, politics, people - only leads to ignorance.

10. Sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make the perfect omelet.

11. The key to being happy is to LIVE life...don't be a prisoner to expectations, the past, gossip, stereotypes, or your age.

12. It's critical to do NOTHING every once and awhile.

13. Every minute of every day, you have a choice...choose wisely. And if you don't, learn from the mistake and move forward.

14. Forgiveness is easy. Forgetting isn't.

15. The grass most certainly is NOT always greener.

16. "The best way to serve the age is to betray it". Don't become the person that the nay-sayers paint you to be...don't be a copy...go against the grain...be exceptional. Do something positive that no one would expect you to do...do something positive that you wouldn't even expect yourself to do.

17. Sometimes people you thought you knew nearly your entire life are sometimes people you don't know at all.

18. Life's too short to NOT have fun.

19. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and acts like a duck...chances are it's a duck.

20. MATT STONE IS AWESOME.

There are a ton more things I learned...some may come up again as a subject in a future blog. But it isn't the time right now.

It is time to be thankful though. For TRUE friends. For family. For work. For home. For health. For life.

A few shout-outs: Thank you Steph, The Littleheads, Pete & Mandy, Greg & Nancy, Gordon & Kim (wish you guys were closer - we miss you guys every day!), Matt & Kris, Rahul, Tommy, Shannon, Sharon, Jeff M (for reading this, for always listening, and for seemingly never judging), Dave & Katie, Granny & Pop, Stephen & Ami, Hurricane Henderson, Ruggz, Shelby, McDizzle, Margaret, Kim, the folks at US Foodservice who gave me another shot, Michael I and the entire staff at United Source 1, everyone at Shepherd who have helped my learning curve, and the guys and gals at Cheeseburger in Paradise. You made it all a little more tolerable


It's been a rough 365...but all-in-all, worth the ride...I have no problems looking in the mirror and being okay with the person I see staring back at me.

So Happy Friday, ladies, gentlemen, and children of all ages...have a great weekend...do something blog-worthy!

Friday, September 10, 2010

NEVER FORGET


On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States of America.

Many died that day...men and women, fathers, brothers, and sons, mothers, sisters, and daughters, Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Moderates, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews...ALL of them AMERICANS.

To paraphrase something Bishop Tutu once said, "Of course there will be roadblocks on the way to freedom, on the way to justice, and on the way to peace; but God will put a wind at our backs, and a rising road ahead, if we work with each other as ONE."

NEVER FORGET


May God Bless us all, and may He continue to Bless the United States of America.

I Think I'm Gonna Hurl


It's a double-blog kind of day, most excellent Beatdown Blog (few and) faithful. This one is a Public Service Announcement. We can call it my efforts to save your stomachs from a most unawesome experience.

I had to take a speedy lunch today - line for Panera was out the door, so I opted to see if I could find something not so unhealthy at McDonald's. I quickly realize McD's has almost NOTHING that isn't unhealthy, and I wasn't about to ask for a bag of lettuce. I saw a grilled chicken sandwich option on the menu with a fancy name - the McBistro. What the Hell, I'll try that. I order the grilled McBistro, plain - no lettuce, no tomato, no cheese, no "sauce" - just a grilled chicken breast and bread...figure if it's kept simple, it can't be that bad, right?

Holy sh*tballs, EPIC WRONG!

My experience was as follows:

Bite# 1 – “Wow, it really can’t be this bad…probably just the gnarly end part”. Swallow.

Bite# 2 – “What the f*ck?!?!? This can’t be chicken, can it?" I take the top of bun off to inspect the sandwich to see if they messed it up somehow. Nope, just chicken. Swallowing this bite was a challenge...you know when you chew something and hold it in the side of your mouth until you psych yourself up enough to actually swallow it? C'mon, you've been there, done that. It was a risky move, but I got it down.

Bite# 3 – Two chews, open McD's bag, say, “Hbmgryack" (or however you spell the noise you make when you dry heave - and yes, I dry heaved to the point of tears welling up in my eyes), and spit it out into the aforementioned McD's bag.

I feverishly wash my mouth out with the HiC Orange Drink I got. Gargled with it. No avail. This was sticking with me (and still is some 2 hours later).

And now a Public Service Announcement from Matt Stone - "I once tried a McDonald's McBistro Sandwich. Do yourself a favor. Don't. Ever. Just say 'No' to McBistro".

Seriously, never – E V E R – get one.

Some notes:
1. Texture – if you marinated a human tongue in molasses all day and nuked it – that’s probably as close to the texture of the chicken.

2. Flavor – Snot mixed with raw oysters and a subtle hint of smoke/grilled liquid flavoring.

3. Smell - Yes, I am a glutton for punishment – after the tasting experience, I took the “chicken breast" off of the roll and sniffed it. Anyway, I sh*t you not, the "chicken" smelled like sweaty feet. Sweaty feet that had tromped through a sewer. Sweaty feet that had tromped through a sewer after a heavy rainfall. Sweaty feet that had tromped through a sewer after a heavy rainfall that caused runoff from the sh*t-processing center over in Essex/Middle River.

The 2 bites I swallowed are actually doing somersaults in my stomach.

I may barf.

I may sh*t my pants.

I may need immediate medical assistance.

Not good.

TGIF.

A Quick One...or I Miss You Mom & Dad

Happy Friday, Folks!

I’m in a touch of a sh*t mood, so this one isn’t going to be too long, and probably not too entertaining…but I feel like writing, so here goes…

I’m finding myself missing my folks a lot these last few weeks…really not sure why all of a sudden.

Could it be the birthday’s they’ve missed of Mikey and Gabriel?

Could it be that my birthday is coming up and how big a deal birthday’s were in my family?

Could it be that I feel like I’m in a touch of a rut and feel like I don’t have a support system around like I’m used to?

NOTE – By “rut”, I’m simply not “happy” with a few things – things that I can and will find a way to fix, but am “bothered” with at the moment; but don’t get me wrong, I am blessed with health, family, friends, a job, a home, food and drink – this Beatdowner isn’t all doom and gloom, and is thankful for all I have!

Could it be I feel like I’m in desperate need of some downtime, and have apparently NO means of having it?

Could it be the fact that one of the more challenging calendar years (9/17/09 – 9/17/10) I’ve had is coming to an end?

Could it be that the challenging years are not as few and far between as I’d like?

With that, I know I’ve made some piss-poor choices all around, but I’ve taken the higher ground on most of them and swallowed my pride…but I’m starting to REALLY dislike the taste!

Could it be that one of my past mistakes STILL bites me in the ass all these years later, and now effects the Littleheads, which has me pretty f’ing bitter?

Could it be that I want a free babysitter for the Littleheads once in awhile?

That question obviously goes back to Mom and Dad not being around to enjoy the boys – anyone who reads this that knew my folks know without a doubt that we’d have to tell them they couldn’t have the kids every weekend!!!!

Could it be I (seemingly) have no one to bounce ideas off of regarding what I want to be when I grow up (**insert old man joke here, you Jitbags!**)?

Hell, could it be me feeling sorry for myself?

I actually think it’s a little bit of all the above, and then some.

My mom and dad where the shiznit.

They gave it all for each other, and for me and my brothers.
They loved us unconditionally.
They held a high moral ground, but knew how to have fun.
The loved their grandkids…now that I think about it, I think they may have loved them more than me and my brothers! Haha!

More than that though, they were pillars.
They were a foundation.
They were a map.
They were a shelter.
They were a shovel to scrape us up AFTER we hit bottom (I seem to be the Stone that’s visited the bottom more than my two older brothers, so I know that first hand…they let me get there, they let me choose my path, but they would always help me dust off and start the climb again).

I hope Gabriel and Michael will feel as strongly towards their mother and I as I feel towards my folks.

And I hope I can be half as good a parent as they were…even half is head and shoulders above some of the parenting I see out there in the world today!

I know they are around…they are watching. And I’m sure they are getting a kick out of watching all of the grandkids grow. I just hope they are proud.

Maybe that’s it…maybe I am not proud of where I am overall right now…meaning, I know I want to do something that contributes to the “greater good”…and I don’t feel like I am at the moment.

It is what it is, I suppose.

Mom and Dad, I miss you like crazy…and if you can, throw a little light my way. Bud Light would probably work, too! ;-)

Just some stuff bouncing around. Feels good to get it out there.

Eh...it’s Friday...enough of this. The first weekend of NFL action is here, and the weather is supposed to be pretty nice. Get on out there, do something memorable. Knock a few back with friends and family...celebrate birthdays...celebrate Fridays...celebrate getting your hair did...celebrate getting a new pair of shoes, a new jersey, a new car...start pregaming NOW for the Ravens/Jets MNF game...celebrate everything you have...celebrate everything you want...celebrate whatever floats your boat.

Happy Friday, Beatdowners. Make it count.

Until next time…

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Are You Ready For Some Football...or The Most Wonderful Time of the Year


Greetings and salutations, Beatdowners!

Well, it’s FINALLY here – tomorrow night, Thursday, September 9, 2010, the National Football League kicks off its regular season as the defending Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints and the Who Dat?! Nation host Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings in a rematch of last year’s EPIC NFC Championship Game…

The most wonderful time of year is upon us!

Everyone starts the year undefeated…hopes of trips to the playoffs abound (especially here in Ravenstown, USA, where a trip to Dallas in February is being widely touted as a possibility!), jerseys become a normal garment, bars and pubs thrive on Sundays (especially those with the NFL Ticket!), and everyone becomes a fan!!!! WOOOHAAAA!!!!!

It’s going to be a fun season. And it should be with the potential (sorry for the downer) 2011 lockout if the players union and owners don’t get their stuff straight ASAP.

I digress…

So here are the official Beatdown Blog predictions for the upcoming season…

1. Brett Favre will have another strong season; however, he will not have the career year he did last year. And it won’t be a fairy tale ending for him either…the Vikes will NOT be playing for the Lombardi Trophy this February.

2. The 49ers and Titans will be punching tickets to the post season.

3. The Redskins will improve to a .500 or better team…IF the “O” Line can keep McNabb off of his back.

4. The Patriots will struggle this season…the dynasty is crumbling.

5. CJ2.5K…a real possibility. He’s a BEAST.

6. Aaron Rogers will live up to the hype. Definite MVP candidate.

7. The Houston Texans will knock off the Indianapolis Colts in week 1.

8. The Monday night game between the Jets and the Ravens will be (sorry, J.R.) “a good ol’ fashioned slobberknocker”. Old school football slug fest that will test 2 AFC contenders straight out of the shoot. The proverbial “Irresistible Force meeting the Immovable Object”. Tune in, folks, it’s gonna be a good one.

9. T.O. will have a CAREER year.

10. Okay, this one is more like a wishful thought…but I’m throwing it out there…in their week 6 match-up, the Ravens’ Ngata and Cody will squash Tom Brady and make him sh*t his pants – LITERALLY – on the field…and in week 13, the same duo, along with T-Sizzle, will smash Big Ben, making him soil himself – again, LITERALLY, barf, and stagger to the wrong bench after peeling himself off the turf. It will be EPIC.

Here’s my shakedown of the division winners and playoffs…

NFC East – Dallas Cowboys. This will again be a brutal division…it’s almost a toss-up between any of the 4 teams…but the ‘Boys “D” will be the difference.

NFC North – Green Bay Packers. No contest. They sweep the Vikes this year.

NFC South – New Orleans Saints. They are primed for a repeat run to the playoffs.

NFC West – San Francisco 49ers. Overall, this division sucks. But the Rams and 49ers are poised to make some significant advances over the next few seasons.

Wild Card Teams – Washington Redskins (depending 100% on McNabb remaining healthy) and the Vikings. If McNabb gets hurt, replace the Skins with the New York Football Giants.

NFC Championship – The Packers over the Saints…played on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

AFC East – The New York Jets, carried by their outstanding and hard-hitting “D”.

AFC North – The Cincinnati Bengals. They have upgraded their “D”, and the Batman and Robin show will open up the running game…Benson will have another monster year.

AFC South – The Tennessee Titans. That’s right. See ya, Payton. CJ2K will run the Colts off the top of the hill this year.

AFC West – The San Diego Chargers. Not a whole lot more to say, except Oakland is going to be MUCH improved from last year – I see them a .500 team this season.

Wild Card Teams – The Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts.

AFC Championship – The Indianapolis Colts over the Baltimore Ravens…breaks my heart to type that, but the Colts have had our number for 10 years, and I don’t see it changing this season…the Ravens secondary is suspect…and Manning will pick it apart.

Super Bowl XLV, 2/6/11, Dallas, Texas – The Green Bay Packers over the Indianapolis Colts.

Take it for what it’s worth…coming from me, not a lot. One thing is for sure though – I’m pulling for the Purple and Black to go all the way, and will be screaming my head off for them each and every week for the next 5 months!

Welcome back NFL…oh, have I’ve missed you…and GO RAVENS!

Until next time…ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL, BEATDOWNERS?!?!?!?

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Another Right vs. Responsibility Blog...or Are People That F'ing Stupid?!?!?


Okay, no greetings, no salutations...jumping right into this one with reckless abandon, and be warmed...I'm pretty pissed.

Reverend Terry Jones of Gainsville, Florida, and the members of the Dove World Outreach Center - eat a bag of sh*t. You suck. You are bigots. You are racists. You are scum. If you decide to go through with the (to steal some words from AG Eric Holder)"idiotic and dangerous" plan to burn copies of the Quran on 9/11 as a remembrance ceremony, or a stand against radical-Islamic terrorists, you spit in the face of God and Jesus Christ, whom you say you follow and try to guide people back to.

YES, you have a right to stage the event and burn the Quran...if the permits are granted and the assembly is a peaceful gathering and not a riot that puts people in danger, have at it. Our Constitutional rights allow you the freedom(s) to do it.

But again, it comes down to responsibility. And burning the Muslim Holy Book, the Quran, is as irresponsible as you can get. You have the commander of our forces in Afghanistan saying it could put US soldiers in danger. God knows it will draw even more media attention than it deserves, and be used as fodder to fuel anti-America(n) sentiment in the Muslim community, both here and abroad. And for the weak-minded terrorists who use Islam as a battleflag, you throw fuel on their fires of hatred. Really f'ing smart, you Jitbag.

Relations with Muslims (again, both in the US and abroad) are strained to say the least. Weak minded hate-mongers (like yourself), attack a peaceful and loving religion. I ask you, have you ever read the Quran? Sure, Muslims and Christians have some different theological views. But so do Jews and Christians. Hindus and Christians. Atheists and Christians. Should all of those people burn in Hell as well???

Anyone seeing the similarities between this situation and what is was like in Germany prior to them invading Poland and starting WWII???? Reverend Jones...yes, I just went there. You and Hitler probably have WAY more in common than you'd ever like to admit...and that sh*t ain't cool.

I'm Christian. I believe in the Lord Almighty, His Son Jesus Christ, who suffered & died for OUR sins (yours, too, assh*le), rose from the dead, and went up to Heaven...Who fulfilled the Scriptures. But you know what? If a Jewish person, a Muslim, a Hindu, or an Atheist don't, so be it! That's between them and God. My God promotes LOVE. PEACE. TOLERANCE. FORGIVENESS (as you can tell, I'm not the role-model Christian). And I'll be damned if it's the same God you worship. A message of hate is a message of hate - and whether you are Catholic, Hindu, Muslim, or Jew - hate isn't what those faiths are about. Hate is for Bible burners. Flag burners. Quran burners. Terrorists who fly planes into buildings or blow up innocent men, women, and children in the name of whatever god they claim it's for.

And the people who think this is "OK"...YOU are the reason our country is so f*cked up beyond recognition. Yeah, so what - Rev. Jones has the right to do this. But spreading hate isn't what this country - or ANY country - should be about. We were founded on religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, etc. Those freedoms made us the light of the world. The beacon to which everyone hoped to get to. And now this is what we've become.

I'm ashamed.

So go ahead and burn the Quran. Indirectly kill more innocent US and coalition soldiers. Spread hate. Increase the tensions with American-Muslim relations. Throw fuel on the fire. And do us all a favor and go away when you're done. You don't deserve the 15 minutes of fame you are getting with this.

We're on a slippery slope, folks. Sh*t is hitting the fan right and left. It's time for a TRUE change here in the US...Hell, in the world.

Do your part...Do YOUR part.

That's all I got. I'll try to post something a little more lackadaisical later this week...but I had to vent.

To quote Brendan Kennelly, "The best way to serve the age is to betray it". So betray it. Open your eyes. Open your ears. Think for yourself rather than what you are spponfed from the mass media outlets. Stop the lies. Stop the f*cking ignorance that is tearing this country to shreds. Rise up. Take a stand. Stop the hate. Abhor he horror.

Peace out, Beatdowners...

Friday, September 3, 2010

An Ode To Fall


Greetings and salutations, and a very Happy Friday-Before-A-Holiday-Weekend, my most excellent Beatdowner Blog readers!

And yes, here we are, already at Labor Day Weekend, the unofficial end to Summer…and the kick-off of my favorite season, Fall!

I’m not exactly sure when it started, or how…but Fall is the bee’s knees to yours truly…

Football.

The Purple Patio at Mother’s Federal Hill Grille.

The Fell’s Point Festival.

Switching from light beer over to the heavier brews from Flying Dog, Troeg’s, Clipper City, Sam Adam’s, etc.

Fall foliage (leaves turning their browns, reds, yellows, oranges, etc).

Jeans.

Cool(er) weather.

Cloudier and grayer skies (probably just my imagination, but it always seems like there are grayer days in the Fall).

Hay mazes and pumpkin patches.

Halloween.

Thanksgiving.

The smells of Fall that permeate the air…to me, it smells “cleaner”, for lack of a better word.

Yankee Candle Company’s “Harvest” and “Pumpkin Spice” candles.

Not having plans seemingly every week.

Homemade stew.

The greatest vegetarian chili in the world.

Pumpkin bread.

The fact that (to me, at least) gatherings of friends and family seem to last a little longer…probably in part due to the NOT having multiple places to be in a given weekend or day.

Certain watering holes become a little more visited…Brian Boru. O’Lordan’s (at least when I worked in Westminster – miss that place and those folks a ton). The Horse You Came In On. Billy V’s. Iron Bridge. The aforementioned Mother’s Federal Hill Grille. MaGerks Pub & Grill, The Reserve, Mad River, The Abbey Burger Bistro, and so many more in Federal Hill. McGarvey’s Saloon in Annapolis. Ram's Head Tavern in Savage Mill. The Judge's Bench, Rumor Mill, and the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company in Old Ellicott City. The atmosphere of these joints SCREAMS Fall…well, at least to me.

The Renaissance Festival.

Ah yes, it’s an awesome season!

So goodbye Summer of 2010…thanks for the memories. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out…and please, take your annoying friends heat and humidity with you…and don’t sneak back in for one more round…I’ve had my fill.

And welcome back, Fall – I look forward to the next several months with you, and intend to make the most of them.

That’s all I got at the moment. Here’s to you and yours having a great Holiday weekend…I’ll be sure to raise a pint of Flying Dog’s Dogtoberfest to you, and to Fall, this evening.

Until next time…