Is Social Media addictive? I’m beginning to think so. I mean, it’s not THAT bad…. yet. It’s not like I can’t walk away from the keyboard any time I choose. Hmmm, wait a minute. I wonder if I really can?

Walk away that is. Like if I really had something important to do, I’m sure I could push the keyboard aside and take care of whatever it is I need to get done first, then resume whatever I was doing prior to the interruption. Did I just say interruption? That almost makes it sound like my regular life is getting in the way of my life on the Internet.

Is it possible to have two separate lives, one online and one off? Come to think of it, that already sounds weird to think about even having an online life. Well, maybe not that weird. I mean, basically everything that you need to do these days can be done on the computer. From Banking to paying bills, buying shoes to books, food to furniture, it’s just about all online now. In fact, there’s pretty much nothing you can’t do on the computer these days.

So I guess it’s not that crazy to think that you can conduct an entire life online. Heck, look at all the Dating Sites that are available. If you spent enough time on them (which no doubt I’ll get into in another Post), without a doubt you’d be able to find a spouse.

I guess about the only thing you can’t actually ‘buy’ online is a ready made family, complete with kids and a dog but who knows, just by me typing that it could give someone an idea to start up a new Site called “Efamily.com”. I have learned to never say never when it comes to the Internet.

And you can count me among them, just think of all the Bloggers out there in the Blogosphere. Sure, most of the Blogs have been taken over by BlogBots and are no longer manned by real humanoids but there are still many many Blogs whos content is updated weekly, if not daily, by real live people with lots to say.

And so that leads us to the basis of this Post, Social Media as it’s come to be known. I’d have to think that most everyone is familiar with the “Big Three”, namely Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. YouTube could also be considered amongst them as well, as far as popularity is concerned but it’s more of a place to post videos than an actual interactive socializing Site.

While there are literally hundreds of “Social Sites”, according to the Alexa Rankings, those are currently the most popular. Perhaps not in that order, I haven’t checked lately but as far as I know, there aren’t any others in the same Ballpark.

MySpace seemed to be where all this online socializing really got started. If you’re like me, I always thought it was just a place for kids to hang out online, and perhaps it was in the beginning but no doubt it grew to be a place where people, young and old, from around the globe are able to coexist and e~mingle whenever they want to.

Over the last year or so, MySpace seems to have fallen out of favor in the online world. Not exactly sure as to why. I guess, like all things trendy, what’s IN one minute can just as easily be OUT the next. I myself enjoyed MySpace but to be honest, it was mainly because the creativity that it offered regarding the customization of your profile page was a huge attraction to me.

In fact, I spent more time on there tweaking my profile than I actually did interacting with anyone. I started on there as a recomendation from a friend as she knew I was in search of a blogging platform and at the time, it afforded me a small place to share my stuff.

I will say though that I met some great (and some not so great) people on that Site. Now, when I say met, I mean that in the online sense as I never actually met them in person. Two people stand out to me more than ever and if it wasn’t for my time on MS, I never would have met them and so overall, I have very fond memories of that Site.

I tend to refer to it in the past tense as even though I still have my profile page there, I very rarely visit the Site. As we all know, Social Media can take up so much time and like they say, “So many Sites, so little time”, or something like that.

I’m not entirely sure if I moved on to Twitter next or not. I believe I started my Facebook page before Twitter but I never added any content, let alone visited FB with any regularity. At that time I was putting more effort into building up my list of Followers on Twitter.

I was considering getting into Internet Marketing and the number one priority (or so I was told) was to build a list and so that’s what I did. I believe I’ve been on there about eight or nine months, created a few different profiles (in an effort to target different niches) and I probably have a minimum of 25K followers. To some, that might sound like alot but there are so many people with so many more followers than that.

As I gravitated away from the Internet Marketing idea, I have spent less and less time on that Site. To be honest, I never really got it. I mean, it’s a zillion little 140 character blurbs from random people, coming at you shotgun style and nearly impossible to keep up or keep track of anything that’s going on.

Especially since all of the SpamBots started taking over. Word got out that somehow Twitter was a gold mine for monetized traffic and next thing you know, it became flooded with every piece of software which would allow all these rookie spammers to flood the Site every second with Biz Opp after Biz Opp.

Of course, that’s in addition to all the Porn Chicks tryin’ to get you to check them out on their Sites (which will require you to Sign In) and when you add in all of the fake profiles, it’s pretty much a non stop roulette wheel of who knows what. I still go there once in a while to share my Blog Posts but that’s about it.

Since I’ve spent less time on Twitter, it’s allowed me to spend a bit more time on Facebook. Now, what’s really strange about that is the fact that FB held the least amount of allure for me. I mean, talk about a boring looking profile page. With almost zero customizability (is that even a word?), it’s not the most attractive place to hang out.

That’s the main thing that I miss about MySpace. At least people were able to show a bit of their personality, who they are on their profile, which I really liked. Facebook is more or less devoid of personality, pretty much Plain Jane as it were. But I guess that doesn’t matter to most people. Apparently just being able to interact with people around the world is enough of an attraction.

So what then, is the huge attraction to Facebook. They recently reached over 500 Million users and when you consider that the population of the United States is just over 300 Million, that truly speaks volumes about the attraction of the Internet and the Social Media Sites.

In fact, Facebook is the number two most visited Site, both Globally and in the United States. The only Site with more traffic is Google. That’s pretty strong in anybodys book. How long will this last? It’s anybodys guess but there’s no denying their presence on the Net.

Is that what draws so many people in? They want to be part of something bigger than themselves, they have a need to belong? It’s anybodys guess. I’m sure that lots of them just want to interact with friends and family while others want to branch out, meet new friends and still others are only there for business reasons. Whatever your reason, it’s hard to deny the fact that once you Log In, it’s next to impossible to Log Out!

That feeling that you’re missing something, that someone could be trying to contact you but can’t because you’re not logged in, that you aren’t keepin’ up with what’s going on in the world just continually gnaws at you. I’m sure you’ve experienced the feeling, your computer continues to call out to you.

Log In…..Log In…..It’s OK, it will only be for a couple minutes, then I’ll let you go…..go back to whatever you were SUPPOSED to be doing…..just Log In…..it will be ok…..I promise…..walk towards the light…..this way…..towards the light of the Monitor…..

Next thing you know, you’re back in your chair, computer sparkling to life and then it’s www…Fac…. NO, I CAN’T DO THIS! Not today, I have so much I need to get done. maybe later….but NOT now. NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But no matter how much you struggle against The Force, it’s just too strong, the urge is just too much to resist and so you figure, what the heck, why fight it. Then you pour yourself a cup of coffee and settle in because you and I both know that you’re going to be in that chair for quite a while.

And so this brings me back to my original point. Is Social Media addicting in any way. I mean, there’s no denying the attraction (no, not the Law Of Attraction) to these Sites but is it truly impossible for us to say NO or at this point, are we slaves to the Social Media Secret Sauce?

I sure hope not because as far as I know, there isn’t a 12 Step Program, no Big Book, no Meetings, no pills, potions or lotions yet invented to prevent me from following the light….the light of my Monitor.

If you think that you might be addicted to Social Media or perhaps you’re lucky enough to be able to just walk away from your keyboard, I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts and if you enjoyed this post, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it with all your friends on the Social Media Sites. Not that you’re addicted and spend alot of time on them, only in your spare time.

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Happiness. That oh so elusive thing that we all search for. Endlessly scowering the earth for that fix, a way of transforming our lives into our dreams, come true. It can take months, weeks, years, an entire lifetime and still there are no guarantees we’ll ever find it.

Happiness can and does mean something entirely different for each and every one of us. Luckily there are numerous opportunities for us to fulfill our dreams, to find our true happiness.

For some of us it’s things. A collection of stuff would make us the happiest people on earth. Perhaps it’s a beautiful new Home, a Car, a Boat, a Motorhome, all those endless things that we are conditioned to think, from an early age, that are the keys to happiness.

We’ve all heard the saying, “He who dies with the most toys, WINS!” Makes sense doesn’t it? Well, it does to me anyway. Not that I’m ever gonna have the most toys (or ANY toys for that matter) but the basic premise seems to be legit. Maybe toys ARE the key to happiness? Hmmm…….

Others might believe that a loving family could hold the key to happiness. A spouse that truly loves them, lots of kids to share their life with, perhaps even Grandkids to continue on the chain of happiness. Maybe they grew up in a large family and to them, a large group of loved ones around them constantly would truly be everything to them.

Some might think that having the perfect job or career could hold the key for them. Not only because it could bring in large amounts of money but the title could afford them the prestige that would truly bring them happiness. To live up to, maybe even exceed their own potential would be their greatest reward.

And oh yes, we can’t forget to add money to the list of keys to happiness. Matter of fact, perhaps I should have put this at the top of the list. There’s a pretty good chance that this would be the number one most requested. I’d have to believe that most everyone thinks that money would be the answer to all of their problems.

After all, aren’t the richest people in the world the happiest of anyone? I don’t know any of them personally but I’d have to wonder if they truly are. With all of the responsibility, not to mention the high stress level that also goes with the territory, I have to question how truly happy they really are….inside.

I’m just like everyone else, on a quest for happiness. Nothin’ wrong with that. For me though, while I used to think that money was what I wanted most in life, MY key to happiness but over the last three or four years I’ve come to realize that it’s something entirely different that’s going to truly make me happy. Inside. And after all, isn’t inside where it counts the most?

Unfortunately I’ve come to learn that my key is something so much more difficult to obtain than money. Heck, money is easy when you think about it. Find someone that’s making alot of money (hopefully doing something you’d enjoy doing, something you’re passionate about) and model yourself after them. Do what they do and don’t stop until you’re wealthy….or wealthier. Pretty simple, huh?

No, my key is so much more elusive than that. Even more difficult than capping a gushing oil well a mile underwater. Heck, I only wish it was that easy. That only took a couple months, my search could take an entire life time. And still no guarantee I’ll find it after all that. I’ve come to learn that the key for me is true love.

Yeah, I can hear you already, sayin’ good luck with THAT one! See what I mean about gettin’ rich or fixin’ an oil leak? Those things pale in comparison to finding true, undying, commited, do whatever it takes to make it work, love. Ok, that’s enough. Please stop laughing at me.

But if there’s one thing about me, it’s the fact that I’m too stupid to know when to give up and so I’ll continue on my journey because I know inside that the minute I stop trying, as soon as I quit moving forward, that’s when the woman of my dreams will surely never be found. For all I know, she could be just around the next corner, searching for ME and if I stop trying, we’ll never meet. And that would truly be a shame.

While my pursuit of happiness might seem impossible to achieve, not to mention ridiculous to some, others might be able to relate on some level and it’s quite possible this could also be their reason for continuing on each and every day. Their motivation to continue their own pursuit of happiness.

Ahhhhh, yes, the “Pursuit of Happyness”. One of the best movies of all time. If you haven’t seen it, you should. I won’t give it away here but let’s just say that if you want (or need) a lesson on the importance of perseverance, what drive and motivation, in the face of impending demise, are all about, then you should watch this movie. I guarantee you will come away with a new perspective on just how hard YOU actually work to achieve your goals. Might be the wake up call you need.

Goals. Aren’t they basically the driving factor for all of us? The force that guides us to all that we want to achieve in life? We all tend to set them, yet some of us stay focused on them more than others. Some have a way of keeping a laser type of intensity on them, a burning desire, while others will set one after another and never reach any of them.


And how do we retain our focus, keep our concentration directed towards where it should be in order to meet these goals? That seems to be different for everyone. Just as different as the keys to happiness are for each of us. Unfortunately there isn’t a magic pill that we can all take to help us get to where we wanna be. I so wish there was as I’d buy stock in that Company immediately! That would help achieve one of the keys on my list.

All this brings to mind a question of sorts. While we search for our keys, are we supposed to be miserable along the journey? What kinda fun is that? Why not learn to be happy now? Happy with what we have instead of miserable because of what we don’t have. Wow, now there’s a concept!

Sure, we all need a healthy desire for more to keep us moving forward, motivating us to do more, to be more, to have more but at what cost? To live a life of misery, thinking that someday we’ll be happy, once we find our key, THEN we’ll be happy?

Who’s to say we’ll ever find it? And if we don’t, what then? We ended up spending our entire life miserable, more miserable than it had to be, that’s for sure.

Why is it then that we find it so difficult to even be the slightest bit happy with what we have now, no matter what it is? Sure, it might not be everything we want but I’d have to think that most of us, without much trouble at all, could immediately think of something in our lives we can be happy about.

We all have Pity Parties, “Woe is me” times, but at the end of the day we ALL have something to be happy about, something to be grateful for. I’ve been goin’ through lots of crap these last couple years and sure, I’ve got tons of stuff to complain about (and regretfully, sometimes I do.={) but even I can come up with things in my life to be happy about.

Once I had a friend say something that really struck a chord with me. She said, “Next time you want to complain about your life, just think about the millions of people around the world that would give anything to have your life.”

After I began to recover from the feeling of standing about one inch tall, I couldn’t help but agree with her and see her point. Sure, my life was suckin’, my world was crumblin’ but at that same point there was someone else on the planet that had no food, no water, no shelter and she really helped to put things into perspective for me.

No doubt my life wasn’t up to my standards, wasn’t what I wanted for ME but there were people that were doing so much worse than I was. So I had to be grateful that I lived in a Country that would afford me the opportunity to basically do anything I wanted to do, to be anything I wanted to be. I had to give in and admit that I actually am lucky.

While I don’t have everything I want, I don’t think anyone does. Not even Oprah. I mean, how much would it suck to have so much wealth that nothing excites you anymore? You could buy anything on earth, a hundred times over and nothing to stop you. But nothin’ even gets you motivated enough to so shopping.

To be honest, that doesn’t really sound all that good. I LOVE MONEY but when there’s nothing left on earth for you to buy and you have to start looking at buying an actual Planet (Hmmm, will it be Venus or Pluto? Maybe Uranus?) on Craigs List, that’s when you know the fun train has just about reached the end of the tracks.

Luckily, most of us don’t have that problem. We’ll NEVER have that problem. Our problem is that we’re just not happy with what we currently have but that can easily be remedied. Not by what we have in our wallet or our Bank account but by what’s between our ears.

Sure, we could always be happier and someday we might be but let’s make a choice today. All it takes is a slight shift in our thinking. Let’s choose to be happy now. Because someday may never come….

If you are struggling with happiness, forgetting to be grateful for what you have, I’d enjoy hearing about it and if you enjoyed this post, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it with your friends.

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Excuses, excuses, excuses. No mistake about it, we ALL use ‘em. Whether we like to admit it or not, we find ways each and every day to slip ‘em in wherever they’re needed most….to fit US.

Oh sure, we tend to attempt to disguise them as reasons but deep inside, we know the truth. They’re just a BS way of gettin’ in, out or around something. Something we did, didn’t do, should be doing or shouldn’t be, but any way you look at them, they’re just an escape of sorts.

Doesn’t really fix anything, just postpones things for a while. Hopefully until we can come up with a new excuse that sounds a little more legitimate and fits the situation better. Weird thing is, if we already know this is the case, why do we continue to make up excuses, knowing full well that nobody is really gonna buy ‘em, especially us?


I’m sure you’ve heard the ol’ saying, “Excuses are like assholes, everybody’s got ‘em and they ALL stink!” Sorry to sound so crude but I truly believe that this basically says it all. You ain’t buyin’ it, I ain’t even buyin’ it so at that point, why bother to sell it?

Seemingly they make us feel a bit better, a little less like a failure. Somehow thinking of it as more of a reason than an excuse tends to make everything ok. Like it was completely out of our hands, nothin’ we could do about it, not OUR fault. Yeah, right.


Don’t get me wrong here, every once in a while these excuses or reasons as the case may be are actually legit and hopefully they are believable enough to allow us to slide by but more than likely, they’ll just be looked upon as another BS excuse. I guess when you cry wolf so many times, nobody believes you any more and such is the case with excuses.


The worst ones are when you know that the only person that will even hear the excuse…. is YOU, in your head. That’s when you begin to hover around that fine line. The line between an excuse and outright just lying to yourself.

Even as you’re conjuring up the most creative reason you can think of, the other side of your brain is already sayin’ bullshit! Yet, you can still somehow manage to eek it out, to rationalize it, albeit with a sheepish inner grin of sorts, knowing that if you don’t even believe it, then who the hell else would.

Is any of this actually helping us to feel better in any way, helping to resolve conflicts? I’d have to think so or wouldn’t we just stop this silly inner dialogue altogether? Maybe. Maybe not.


For some reason we still hang on to the mentality that it’s gonna work this time. This time it’s actually legit, no BS, the real deal. But we know in our hearts that it’s not and so the torment begins.

Do we make excuses because it’s easy? Easier than facing the truth. Easier than having to follow through on whatever it is we’re supposed to be doing. Easier than facing the fact that we blew it, we made a mistake, did something wrong and now we have to face the music? Hmmmm……

Perhaps excuses are ego driven and created in an effort to save our pride? Ego and Pride, the Evil Twins! Either of these can take you down but get ‘em both working in tandem and it’s Dooms Day for sure. They will cause you do things that you already know you shouldn’t but in an effort to save yourself from looking like a fool, they kick in and who knows what’s gonna happen from there. Best of luck to you.

It’s funny how we think all of our excuses, ooops, reasons are for real but the minute someone else tries to lay one on us we don’t even begin to entertain the thought that it could be the truth. And if that’s the case, why the hell do we continue to expect others to believe us? Oh yeah, it’s because they’re all amateurs and I’m a pro. A professional excuse maker, now THAT’S some kinda fancy title.

I mean, with all my experience at making excuses for everything, why I can’t do this, can’t do that, I’d have to be considered a Pro by now. Correct? Thank you.

My excuses run the full spectrum, they fit pretty much all occasions and can be used in just about any situation you can think of. They’re basically universal. They can be used for both good AND evil. In fact, most of them tend to do more harm than good. Yikes!

The more I think about it, most of mine seem to be used in such a way as to save me from failure. No doubt I, like most everyone, have a fear of failure. Not sure if it’s more or less present than everyone elses but never the less, it’s there and it never lets me forget it’s there either.

I’m sure it started from when I was a kid and doing something wrong or not as well as I should have would lead to trouble of some sort. Whether it was a scolding or a spanking, either way failing at anything wasn’t gonna turn out to be a pleasant experience.

No doubt looking like a failure in front of my peers also played into it as time went on but I still have to think that it started even earlier than that. Nobody wants to look like a dufus in front of their friends but they’re not gonna kick your butt like your Dad will! That’s a fear of failure.

I kinda had a built in excuse for quite awhile but I had to let that go about four years ago. That’s about the time I quit drinking. I gotta admit, it was nice havin’ a default reason for failing. Basically it’s not my fault, by default. If (and when) I screwed up on anything, I could always say, “Oh, I was drunk when I did that, that’s why I f’d it up” and for the most part, I was drunk (or worse) most every waking moment of every day and so it was pretty damn convenient. Came in handy on lots of occasions.

Unfortunately I had to quit drinking and when I did, I had to say goodbye to my ready made excuse. Which really sucks as now I have to be so much more creative.

Perhaps by no longer drinking, it’s also made it much more difficult for me to get these excuses past my on board BS Detector. Ah, no wonder they’re not workin’ for me anymore. I’m startin’ to call myself out on my own BS. That’s not good. Isn’t that someone elses job?

I guess not. Apparently it’s up to me to face my own music and live up to my own standards. Damn it, I was hoping it was gonna be easier than that.

I sure wish they had some kind of an online store, like an “Excuses R Us” type of thing where you could just download some ready made excuses, narrowed down into different categories like “I didn’t say that”, “I didn’t mean that”, I didn’t do that”, “I was drunk when that happened”, basically excuses to cover all the different possibilities.


Hmmmm? Maybe I’ll start a Membership Site as a way of creating some passive residual income. After all, I’m a Pro at making up excuses, so it should be no problem to look back through my vast BS Library and jot down a few thousand of ‘em.

Then I can just submit new ones monthly as a way of adding value to the Site and giving my customers what they really need. This is beginning to sound like a winner already. I mean, who on earth doesn’t love (and NEED) excuses and to have them ready for instant download and covering every conceivable circumstance, I can already smell the cash in my Pay Pal account from here!

Who’d a thought that all these years of making up excuses (lying to myself) could turn out to be a money maker? Not me, that’s for sure.

Hey, wait a second. What if I go through all the work of setting up the Website, buying a Domain, setting up Hosting, getting an Auto Responder configured, creating new content and everything else that goes into building a business, not counting all the expense involved and then the entire thing tanks? That would totally suck!

Well, as it turns out, I’m kinda too busy anyway, I mean with all I’ve got goin’ on, you know, all the stuff I’m doin’, all the things I have scheduled in the near future. Besides, you know how it is, you never know what might come up that could take away even more of my free time and then what would I do? I don’t have enough time as it is now, how could I ever hope to run a new website, let alone on auto pilot. So much for that idea, just ain’t gonna work.

Phew, that was a close one! Good thing I’m such an Excuse Pro, sure saved me again from an impending failure.

If you can relate to making excuses of your own, real or not, I’d enjoy hearing about it and if you enjoyed this Post, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it with your friends.

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Yes, believe it or not, disaster does create opportunity. Now, you may be saying to yourself, that statement sounds utterly ridiculous and not too long ago I might have been inclined to agree with you.

I mean, really, how on earth can a nightmare come to life turn out to be a gift in disguise? Basically, it’s because what we have isn’t always what we need, despite our thinking to the contrary.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.” Well I was never a big believer in this theory but as of late, I’ve come to understand it better and it’s quite possible that there may actually be some truth to it.

Take owning a home for example. The American Dream, from our earliest childhood memories, we’ve all dreamed of a place to call our own. A home we could fix up just the way we like it, perhaps right on the beach or maybe a Golf Course, a Lake, the mountains, wherever your dream destination might be. Oh, it would be sooooo wonderful.

Or so we think anyway. For some reason they forgot to mention the huge mortgage payments, Property Taxes, maintenance, upgrades, etc., etc. Next thing you know, your house becomes your life. Every waking (and sometimes sleeping) minute is spent thinking about everything you have to take care of, whether it be monetarily or otherwise and it doesn’t leave you a whole lotta room to enjoy it. I’ve got news for you, home ownership is a full time job.

What about that exotic new car you’ve been dreaming of. You know the one, the 2012 PORSCHEMBORGHINERRARI GTLP6565XV SUPER ITALUDERIA. Oh, what a beauty. All the reviews can’t stop drooling about what an unbelieveable machine it is. “Best car in the world”, “Nothing faster short of an F-18 Hornet”, “Turns on a dime and gives you back two nickles in change!” Yeah, THAT ONE!


So you head on down to the PORSCHEMBORGHINERRARI Dealership, lay down your $500K and drive away with your dream machine. Then it hits you, this thing drives like crap! This isn’t ANYTHING like the reviews said it was. No doubt, given the opportunity, you would have test driven it before you bought it but they wanted you to fill out all the Purchase paperwork, get pre qualified, basically everything you would have to do to purchase the car, short of a final signature and at that point, you weren’t 100% sure you were even gonna buy one.

Too late now, it’s yours. You DID buy it, along with all of the maintenance and upkeep which, according to the warranty, MUST be completed by the Dealership. In essence, you’re locked in for the next three years to $900 oil changes and $3000 tune~ups. Welcome to the world of Exotic Supercar ownership. Is it everything you thought it would be? Probably not.

Here again, they forgot to mention the fact that you’d really only want to drive this car once or twice a month. Any more than that and you’d either throw your back out from the Suspension or the high cost of maintenance alone would pretty much wipe your wallet out.

Maybe a Motorhome is your thing. You could plunk down about $350K, then try to figure out a place to store it for about $500 a month, not to mention upkeep and maintenance. Heaven forbid you actually wanted to use it, that could cost you another couple grand in fuel. For the weekend! Not exactly a dream come true.

My point to all this is the fact that while lots of things sound great, in reality, owning them might not be such a wonderful thing. Things and stuff require effort which in turn removes alot of the fun factor out of owning them.

Which brings me back to my original thought. I had (and still have) lots of those same dreams, just like everyone else. I wanted a place on a Golf Course from as far back as I can remember. Same with the fancy Exotic foreign car. Way before I even had my Drivers License, I’ve been a Car Guy. It’s in my DNA, no gettin’ around it.

So a few years ago, I stretched myself thinner than Stretch Armstrong ever could and I bought my Dream Condo on the golf course. I had a friend that had let me stay in this very Condo thirteen years prior and I had never forgotten it. So to finally buy THAT same Condo after all this time was a huge achievement for me. Matter of fact, it was for sale when I stayed there and I had kept the Sales Flyer all this time. That’s the kind of impact it had on me and I told myself that someday I would buy it….and I did.

There I was, my back patio was on the 11th Fairway of The Stadium Course at PGA West in La Quinta and I was livin’ the dream. Waking up to that view every day was more than I could have hoped for.

There was only one thing missing. If I’m gonna live here, on Millionaires Row, I need a better car to drive. Not that I was out to impress anyone, I just wanted to fulfill my dream. Nothin’ wrong with that, right?

So I sold everything I had that wasn’t bolted down and I bought the BMW I had fantasized about since I was a kid. No, I take that back. This BMW was a million times better than anything I could have ever conjured up in my mind.


Just sitting in the car, all of my troubles were immediately forgotten and I was transported to another place and time. Yes, it had an incredible stereo, thirteen speakers pumpin’ out perfection but I found that I rarely had it on as the sound from the 10 cylinder engine was so much sweeter than any song that was playin’ through the speakers. I came to realize that I loved that car as much, if not more than my Condo.

But reality began to sink in. On paper, I had it all figured out. If I sell this, this and this, put that money into this, that will knock down my payments on this which will allow me to put more into this and so at that point, I’ll be able to afford this AND that. Perfect, should be no problem at all.


I was more than willing to sacrifice basically everything I owned just to keep the two things I really wanted. Unfortunately, as we all know, things don’t always go according to plan. Yes, I sold everything I had originally planned to but at nowhere near the prices I had planned on.

I’m sure most of you have heard by now, we’re pretty much in a recession and all of my cost cutting started right around the same time. Needless to say, I chased the market downhill but as I look back, not nearly as quickly as I needed to. I should have been running my ass off instead of briskly walking. Oh well, live ‘n learn.


Long story short, first thing to go was a rental property I had purchased with a buddy of mine. Next in line was my dream Condo. I was never able to knock down the mortgage payments to something feasible so I had to walk away in a Short Sale. The REAL killer was my BMW. I had a (sickening) feeling that once that was gone, along with it would go all of my motivation, my reason to get out of bed in the morning, my reason to go on.

Sure enough, watching that car leave without me behind the wheel hit me harder than I even thought it would. My biggest dream in life, wiped away in a heartbeat. Talk about a feeling of failure, I became the Poster Child for Loser!

Since then, I also lost another piece of land but nothing hurt as bad as losing my German Dream Machine. And while I would have loved to stay in bed for the next couple (10 or 20) years, I really couldn’t. Mostly because I had to sell all of my furniture as well so no bed to sleep on. It was probably for the best as most of the furniture wouldn’t fit in a Cardboard Condo anyway.

I’m not 100% sure how long it’s been since most of this went down, probably about a year or two and while it’s by no means over yet, some healing has taken place. I still owe a fortune on a HELOC and in Credit Cards, my FICO Score is now about a -33 and I can’t afford a battery operated toothbrush. Besides that, things are looking good.

Even though I say that sort of sarcastically (ok, REALLY sarcastically), when it comes right down to it, now that I’ve lost everything on earth, strange as it may seem, I’ve also gained something at the same time.

I can hear you right now, laughing, saying what on earth could he have gained? The guy’s a homeless, penniless, Bum that’s in debt up to his eyeballs, no way could he have gained anything. (BTW, I take offense to the part about being a Bum)

Well, you’d be wrong. After losing my hopes, dreams and pretty much every material thing I owned (and some I didn’t own), I actually gained something that (luckily) can’t be bought. If it was something that you had to buy, I couldn’t afford it. It’s something that most all of us take for granted, at least until we lose it. Freedom. I gained back some freedom.


We tend to lose some freedom as we take on more responsibility, that’s the trade off. And a sacrifice that one must be willing to make if you’re gonna participate in life.

No big deal, you’d think, as the stuff you’re gonna buy gives you some freedom as well. Freedom to come and go and to BE whatever it is you want to be. Freedom to live your life the way you want to.

But responsibility can be a hell of a burden. It doesn’t seem to be highlighted in a Purchase Agreement when you buy a home or on the Window Sticker when you buy a vehicle but no doubt it’s there, hovering over you like a vulture awaiting its next meal.

Do I have any regrets from some of my past decisions? You better believe it. Do I feel like a failure? Damn right I do. If I could go back and do it over again, would I make the same decisions? HELL NO! What do you think I am, an idiot?


But at the point in my life when this all started, I had to make some serious decisions. I owned a house, free and clear and I could have just sat in the driveway, staring at the beautiful view and gotten drunk every day for the rest of my life (as short as that might have been). That was option one and since I had quit drinking just about a year or so before, I really wasn’t likin’ that option too much.

Option two was to totally change my life, chase my dreams, live a life that I had always wanted to. I had lived a life of misery for so long that I HAD to make a change. So I sacrificed everything to make my dreams come true and for a short while, I WAS living my dream. Then reality (with an assist from the tanking of the Real Estate market) stepped in and kicked my ass. It was(is) a beat down I won’t soon forget. How can I, the Collection Agencies won’t let me!


Luckily for me time marches on and with that I’m beginning to look at things from the other side. Sure, I have nothing left but on the other hand, I have nothing left. Nothing left to get in my way, to keep me from rebuilding my life, the way I want to. Ok, so it will be a few years before I can make payments on an electric toaster but heck, as far as I’m concerned, toast is overrated anyway.

Who would have ever thought that all the disasters of these last couple years would have opened up any new opportunities? Not me, that’s for sure. I’ve been so busy wallowing in all my misery, throwing one continuous Pity Party for myself that I couldn’t hold my head up long enough to see anything in my future besides a life of couch surfin’ and microwave burritos, at least until I could find a decent place to homestead my new Cardboard Condo.


With a drastic change in my mindset and a severe attitude adjustment, I’m beginning to feel that rather than letting this be the end to my Dream Life, I’d much rather redirect my focus towards fulfilling another life long dream or two.

And who knows, maybe this new life of mine might even be a little less stressful than before. Hey, I can dream, can’t I? After all, everything in life comes from a dream. One thing’s for sure, it’s gonna be different and with that comes more opportunities that I’m not even aware of….yet.

And so maybe losing everything has some kind of a silver lining to it, perhaps it wasn’t all for nothing. Maybe it was to learn a lesson on what NOT to do with your life. I’ve always been a risk taker, that won’t change. I firmly believe that without taking risks, there’s no rewards. But in the future, I’ll make sure my Ego and my Pride aren’t drivin’ the train!

From Disaster…. Comes Opportunity. Can you believe I just said that? I can….now.

If you have any similar experiences in this type of a situation, I’d enjoy hearing about them and how you went on to conquer them. And if you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it with your friends.

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Although this is a bit off the beaten path for my blogging, I have to admit that this is a topic that has struck a nerve with me and therefore, at the risk of offending, even losing a few of my beloved readers, I feel strongly enough about it that I’m going to voice my opinion. Take it or leave it, for better or worse and all that good stuff.

Politics and Religion, two topics that I know better than to even mess with. As they say, “Don’t EVEN go there!” But, despite my better judgement, I’m goin’ there.

A situation has come up recently regarding some unneighborly neighbors and their terrorizing of the neighborhood and the decent citizens that live within this neighborhood. Long story short, it’s a household containing one worthless, grouchy ol’ (in his 70s?) drunk, one 1960’s psycho ex Flower Power hippie reject artist (his wife) and four sons of various degrees of drug/alcohol rehab and incarciration. Not exactly the typical Leave It To Beaver household.

No doubt many of you can relate to this group of misfits. Lots of these Walton families exist in every community throughout our wonderful nation. And each stands out more to their victims living close by than to those who never actually get to experience the pleasure of coming in contact with them.

Dealing first hand with this group of losers is always a gamble. You never know if the soft and friendly approach is best or not. While this will work in most everyday interactions with people that have an ounce of decency and any sort of semblance of respect for their neighbors, for others it may not. These are people that all want to live in harmony with their surroundings and the people that make up their neighborhood.

Then there are the others, the worthless idiots that couldn’t care less about how what they do effects anyone or anything else around them. Yeah, real winners. I should say losers. That seems to be more appropriate. People that have nothing better to do than to make everyone elses life miserable. If they’re gonna be miserable, might as well take everybody else down with ‘em.

I hate to judge people based on what others have said about them. Not knowing the history of the previous encounters that lead them to their perceptions, I never like to pass judgement on someone based on another persons interactions. Like they say, there are two sides to every story.

While I must admit, the laundry list of evidence against this family has been longer than the list of incriminating evidence against O.J. but if you recall, he was found not guilty. And so I had to approach the situation with an open mind. I mean c’mon, can a family really be THIS bad? Apparently so.

Now while I myself had never had a previous run-in of any sort with these people, I guess that’s mainly because I just wasn’t around the situation enough to ever have to deal with it or them. I’ve been lucky enough to have a friend let me stay in his Cabin near the lake in exchange for some home and yard maintenance and so far, I’ve been up here about five weeks. Sweet deal to say the least. No doubt I’ll end up with a blog post or two about my summer at the Lake.

As far as my opinion of the Hatfields (or is it the McCoys?) is concerned, everything changed for me yesterday and now I’m a convert, a true believer in what the others have said about him and his family. I found out for myself that this guy, the Leader of the pack, is a complete piece of shit!

Yep, them’s strong words I know but in this case, not nearly strong enough. Every time I see him walk by with his Pit Bulls (nothing against Pit Bulls, I think they can be great dogs in the care of responsible pet owners, which these people clearly aren’t. They continually let their dogs roam unleashed throughout the neighborhood, free to terrorize and poop wherever they please) I expect to hear a couple of banjos start to play (think Deliverance) and I immediately begin to hear Ned Beatty scream somewhere off in the distance.

This guy is the epitomy of one of those guys that lives wayyyyy back in the swamp, livin’ off the land, zero education, a product of incest. Yikes, now I’m even scaring myself!

Supposedly he used to work for the Studios in Hollywood and his wife was an artist but right about now, I’m having a hard time believing any of that. I’m choosing to go with the ‘Swamp Thing’ scenario and as far as I’m concerned, he’s havin’ (or had) sexual relations with his sister.

My friends (the owners of the Cabin) and a few other friends from around the neighborhood were relaxing on the front porch the night of July 4th, telling stories and just generally BS’n’ about all the fun we had enjoying the fireworks display that had just taken place. Watching all of the colors reflecting off the water, what seemed like a thousand boats floating out in the middle of this sea of colors, truly an amazing spectacle (more in another post).

Ok, I know sitting on the front porch, talkin’ BS sounds a bit Hillbilly~ish as well but up here, the stars are so close you can almost reach up and touch ‘em. It’s so wonderful just to sit outside and star gaze. That is, of course, unless an idiot neighbor has his flood lights on. And so the real story begins.

Doing our best to enjoy the evening, we were relentlessly confronted by this glaring light and with the houses all built on different levels, this one particular light is right at eye level. No shroud around it, just a light that looks like it was bolted way up in a tree to shine down on his parking area. No problem or so you’d think.

Well, when you have an unshrouded light that casts shadows 300 yards away, THAT’S a problem! At least for everyone within 300 yards of it! There’s a reason that they don’t have overhead street lights up here, same as in the desert. It’s to preserve the night sky. That’s why people leave the city in an effort to see an eclipse or even just to enjoy the stars. When you live in a world full of light pollution, all you can see is the next McDonalds sign down the street.

And so my buddy, that owns this Cabin, went down to his house to talk to him about the light and a miracle occured, the light went out. Oh, how we all cheered. Suddenly you weren’t in the City, you were back up in the mountains, at the lake, enjoying the night sky.

Well, that lasted about a day and then the light was back on. He even leaves it on during the day. Why, who knows. Maybe that’s how they roll in the swamp. Come to think about it, maybe that’s why he leaves it on all the time, they don’t actually have electricity in the swamp and he’s still enthralled by the magic of it all.

So yesterday morning, as he was roamin’ the dogs without a leash I asked him if we could come to some sort of a compromise that would benefit him and all his neighbors (that he’s buggin’ the shit out of). I told him I’d even buy the shroud for it or a whole new light if I had to. Anything to try and stop the paint from peeling off the front of everybodys cabins from his glaring onslaught.

He was more than fine with it, even going so far as to tell me that he had a ladder I could use if I needed to get access that far up in the tree. I told him no problem, I’m glad to do what I can to save the summer nights. I knew I’d be heading back down the hill in the next few days and I’d stop by Home Dump and pick one up. Right on, problem solved. Or so I thought anyway.

I went over there to check it out last evening to see how I was gonna tackle it. Would I need a shroud or an entirely new light? Let’s take a look. After a couple minutes, I decided might as well get a whole new light rather than try to half ass something on there. That way everybody’s happy.

As I stroll back across the street, here comes this drunk ass lunatic, waving his flashlight at me, yelling at the top of his lungs, “HEY YOU, HEY YOU!” he knows my name but must have forgotten it in his drunken rage. Then the cussing starts. “‘F’ YOU, ‘F’ THEM (as he points his flashlight at all the neighbors houses), ‘F’ ALL YOU PEOPLE, I’M NOT CHANGING THAT LIGHT! ‘F’ YOU!!!”

So I reminded him that I said I was gonna take care of it. He wouldn’t have to dig a coffee can out of the ground in his backyard for any coins. The light would just magically appear and everybody would be happy. He wasn’t havin’ none of that. He just kept on ranting and raving, screaming at the top of his lungs.

At first I thought he was joking, since he was totally on board with it six hours earlier but once I realized just how plastered he was, screaming at the top of his lungs at 10 o’clock at night, it began to dawn on me that this guy is just out of his mind.

He’s a mentally challenged (pickled brain) worthless old man and the best thing to do would be to bite my tongue. I did my best to contain my laughter but based on what a fool he was making of himself, I admit to letting out a couple chuckles. Hey, I tried.

You could tell he wanted to hit me but without his Pit Bull or his psychotic sons to back him up, he didn’t dare take a chance. I just stood there and let him go off. Like they say, you can’t argue with an idiot and so I let him go on until he ran out of hot air, agreeing with everything he said.

As he stumbled out of the yard and down the street, I just kept hoping he’d fall flat on his face on the asphalt but damn it, no such luck. I’m a firm believer in Karma so I know he’ll get his sooner or later, I just hope it’s sooner than later. In fact, I can hardly wait!

As I contemplated the evenings festivities, one question continually popped into my head. What made him change his mind, from one second being all for it and the next, totally against it? Then it finally dawned on me. Earlier that afternoon, while he was roamin’ his dogs, he saw that my neighbor, who despises him, was on the front steps and her and I were talking.

Both her and her husband are the nicest people on earth, big time church goers and they love everybody. Everybody except him and his family. Apparently the Hatfield and McCoy Family Feud has been going on for quite some time between them and it doesn’t appear it’s gonna end anytime soon.

As he walked by, she mentioned that one of his dogs had chased a friend of hers and boy, was he shocked to hear that (Yeah, right). He mumbled something about how “He’s never seen the dog do THAT before” and continued on his way.

I think it was at that point that his sick paranoid mind began to take over and he realized that it was all a conspiracy against him. Oooohhh, what could we have been planning? First, it’s the obnoxious overhead light, then it’s the obnoxious dogs, then what, the obnoxious color of his truck? OMG, when will it all stop?

As the one remaining bent, rusty and squeaky wheel continued to spin at a snails pace inside his brain, he obviously went into panic mode. All these people, they’re all against me, they all hate me and I can’t understand why!!! So he did the only thing he knew how to do, GET HAMMERED!

He lives in a constant state of fear, fear that he’s created all by himself. That’s the reason behind the overhead light. He’s afraid that someone’s going to break into his truck and try to steal something or better yet, steal the entire truck. And if he has a light on, he’ll be able to stop ‘em.

Too bad the jackass doesn’t realize that the only people that are going to do that are his own kids and they’ll just take his keys while he’s passed out on the couch, if they need to make a late night drug run. The light only makes it easier for them to see what’s in the baggie they just brought home.

To give you an example of just how sweet his kids are, the only semi coherent one (brain fried by drugs & alcohol) came by a few weeks ago to say he hoped that his brothers hadn’t been breaking in to all the houses close by, including this one, only the ones farther away (perhaps that’s why I haven’t seen the other three lately, they’re in jail) and this is coming from a guy that went to jail himself for threatening to kill his parents (too bad he didn’t follow through, like everything else in his life).

He’s so paranoid of the exact nightmare that he himself has created. He’s brought that Los Angeles Theft / Drug Ring mentality up to the mountains with him, which in actuality is pretty accurate since his family perpetuates it.

All this brings up the question, how do you deal with a psycho neighbor from hell? Hmmmm, good question. A friend brought up the fact that he’s a miserable person (got that) and he’s taking his misery out on those that surround him. Therefore, we should pray that he gets better.

That’s all fine and dandy but prayers seem to take an awful long time to come to fruition and so what do we do in the mean time, in the REAL world? How do we deal with someone that is a constant threat to everyone he comes in contact with? Forcing everyone to live in fear of retaliation from him and his sons, never knowing if your home, your car, even yourself will be damaged at the hands of these lunatics.

Calling the Sheriff obviously won’t do any good. They are on everybodys speed dial and they’re here so often that they might as well set up a Sub Station. Hey, come to think of it, there’s already a light set up so they can conduct their night operations without any problems.

So what are we left with? Do we really have any alternatives other than to just continue to live our lives in fear of retaliation? I guess we can start off by praying, hoping that someday he’ll see the light, realize what a nightmare he’s creating for so many others around him and all of a sudden become a courteous and conscienceous neighbor. Yeah, I agree, doesn’t sound too likely but I guess there’s always hope.

Or we could go with Plan B, which is to wait until he steps one foot on the property and then at that point the only decision will be whether or not he gets a single or a double barrel dose of reality. The choice is his to make.

If you can relate to havin’ some crappy neighbors, I always appreciate your feedback whether it’s positive or negative and if you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it with your friends, whether on Facebook or Twitter, anywhere you hang out.

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Is it possible that there could actually be a hairstyle even worse than a Mullet? I’m sure you’re all familiar with the Mullet, correct? You know the one, Business in the front, Party in the back? Yeah, THAT one.

Worn by some of the Souths best known hillbillies. In fact, one special billie comes to mind by the name of Billy Ray Cyrus. I’m not exactly sure if he comes from the South originally but I’d have to think he knows the Appalachians really well.

Another fine example of this all inclusive hair style is a gentleman who goes by the name of Dog The Bounty Hunter. He has taken the Mullet to places that few others have even dared to go. And don’t bother telling him you’re not a huge fan because if he doesn’t arrest you, his wife sure will. I think he might be the Mayor of South Florida but I can’t confirm this. I’ll have to check with Kimbo Slice.


I’m sure most everyone would agree that it’s not the most flattering look. On anyone. Eveb when it first became popular, I believe sometime back in the early 80’s, only true good ol’ boys, actual Lynrd Skynrd fans had the guts to even go there.

Perhaps the original intention was to provide a bit of protection for the back of the neck while out plowin’ the ‘back forty’ but no doubt it evolved into the signature style for the true 80’s Hair Band Head Bangin’ Rocker.

For the most part, those days seem to be over (thank G*d) except for the occasional leftover loser that refuses to look in the mirror and deal with todays reality.

And while Kate Gosselin of ‘Too Late For John & Kate Makin’ More Than Eight’ fame made a valiant attempt at putting a ‘twist’ on it and make it her trademark ‘doo’, luckily for us the “Reverse Mullet” never seemed to catch on.


While some might argue that the Mowhawk could possibly rank as the worst hair invention ever thought up, at least those rare few brave (or stupid) enough to actually wear one deserve a bit of credit.

At least in my opinion they do. I have to give props to people that aren’t afraid to fly their Freedom Flag, drawing tons of (negative) attention to themselves and looking completely ridiculous while doing so.

Some people just crave attention, for better or for worse and are willing to do just about whatever it takes, tossing aside all signs of dignity and self respect in order to get it.


Now that doesn’t include those idiots that are currently sporting the “Faux Hawk”. I’m have to think that most of you have seen the goofballs that choose to go with this style. The noncommital type for sure.

They don’t actually have the guts to trim the sides of their hair off into an actual Mowhawk so what they do is they take some hair gel and just sorta push their hair up from the sides, creating a sort of ‘Psuedo Hawk’. Weak to say the least.

Reminiscent of a Donald Trump combover but with a bit of a twist. Rather than from the back in a sorta swirl like a cup of frozen yogurt, ala The Donald, these guys choose to just comb it up from the sides and the back, creating this Faux~Pas. Zero originality with a slight bit of scaredeycat thrown in.


Even the “Bed Head” trend was better than the Mullet. With just a hint of mystery, the Bed Header permeated a feeling of wonderment. Not just wondering if he has any idea how stupid he looks but more of being completely unaware of what happened the previous night.

Does he have any idea where he was when he woke up this morning, how he even got there or is it just the fact that he couldn’t care less how he looks when he’s out in public?

Which leads to others scratching their heads as well, wondering what could have happened last night. Did he unexpectedly spend the night at a strangers house? Was he drunk at a party and walked home? Woke up behind a dumpster? This style congers up all kinds of questions surely to go unanswered.

The possibilities are endless. But in reality, more than likely the Bed Header was just too damn lazy to take a shower, let alone comb his hair and is using a trend as an excuse.

A kissin’ cousin of Bed Head look is the so called EMO look. I believe this is short for Emotional as all these guys look like they’re always about to cry or even worse, about to kill themselves. I’m sure you’ve seen this one as well. Overgrown, zero style factor, generally unkept, greasy and gross with a big ol’ swoop hangin’ down over one (or both) eye(s). Needless to say, a real winner.

These aren’t always the easiest to spot because most of these self made losers usually walk around (or slump around) wearing baggy, all black outfits and continually stare at the ground, giving off a terrible sort of ‘Woe is me’ type of vibe.


It’s quite possible that these guys are derivitives of the Goth era. I’m not 100% sure about this but one thing that is for sure, they have loser written all over them.

Actually it’s amazing how much can be said with a hairstyle. Both good and bad, so much of a persons perceived personality is reflected in their hairstyle.

Like it or not, that’s just the way it is. Same as so much of ones opinion is based on the clothes they wear, their hair and how they choose to wear it is a big reflection on them.

Now let me be the first to say that I’m a firm believer in individuality and the ability of a person to express their personality in any way they see fit. But on the same token, when more than a couple people tell you that you look like a complete fool, perhaps it’s time to reevaluate your thinking.


Even if you prefer to go completely against societys rules, nothing says you have to look like a moron doing it. Growing up, we all tend to rebel against authority in some way, shape or form. It’s only natural. I did it, heck I’m sure everybody has done it at one time or another.

Your parents tell you not to do something and so naturally you push it until you find out just exactly how strongly they feel about it. You test their limits as long as you can until you get your ass spanked or you get grounded, whichever comes first. It’s kinda like a tradition, one that’s most likely been going on since the caveman days.

That doesn’t make it right. That merely means that it’s an age old right of passage. A phase of sorts but like all good things, it too must come to an end.

Eventually you’re going to have to make a choice in whether or not to interact with society and if you choose to do so, then you’re gonna have to make some sacrifices in order to fit in. That is of course unless you end up being a big time Rock Star and if that’s the case, take the money and live life on your terms. More power to you.

But that’s just about a one in a million plus occurence which means that most of us are gonna have to give in at some point. Like it or not, your clothes, hair style, mannerisms and the overall way you conduct yourself will all play a huge role in just how far you’ll go in this world.


It wasn’t until about three or four months ago that I noticed a disturbing new trend in hairstyles that really started to freak me out. Now you might be thinking that I’m referring to that f’n fruit loop from the U.K., Russel Brand. He’s that metrosexual Freddie Mercury wannabe that thinks he’s funny. Sorry Russ, we’re laughing AT you, not with you.

I still have faith that most sane human beings would never wear a hair style that looks like Davey Crockets’ Coonskin Cap (aka: dead raccoon) sitting on top of their head. At least I hope so anyway. Again, unless you’re a Rock Star, which he’s not.

Nope, I’m talking about that pretentious little egomaniac from the TV Show Million Dollar Listing. Not sure if you’ve ever watched this program but basically it centers around three trust fund babies with the good life basically handed to them.


As it turns out, they’re Realtors in Los Angeles and in real life, none of them could ever get a Listing or sell a home but because it’s TV, it’s hard to know what to believe. You’d have to think that the only Clients that are dealing with them are people that want themselves or their homes to get some big time TV exposure.

One dweeb in particular has a hairdoo that looks like he bent down, hanging his head over an upside down lawnmower (while it was running!) and got his nose ever so close to the blade, allowing his hair to be trimmed right to the edge. No doubt not the safest of procedures.

Semi reminiscent of The Donalds combover but this is more of a comb forward. Kinda like he was wearing a motorcycle helmet and any hair that was still exposed beyond the edge of the helmet was cut off. No doubt it takes the ‘Bowl Cut’ to a completely different level.

When you add to it the fact that he’s completely obsessed with his hair, and I mean OBSESSED, it just makes the whole thing that much harder to swallow.

Then when they focus in on all the people he’s talking to and you can see the look of astonishment on their faces, asking themselves if this punk is actually real. You can tell that they’re doing everything they can to not just fall on the ground laughing, knowing that they can never take this kid seriously. It’s blatant that he’s just an idiot. With or without the hair.


So you can imagine my surprise when I saw another kid with this same style of ridiculous hairdoo. My first thought was Noooo, not again!

Not exactly sure but this kid appeared to be in his early teens. I’m terrible with guessing age but it’s gotta be somewhere around there. Definitely way too young to drive.

My second thought was “Poor kid, what the hell did your Mom do to your hair?” Like those people that dress their kids like the people they always wanted to be but never had the guts to actually be.

Or even worse, like those Moms that dress their kids like life size Barbie Dolls and enter them in those scary Pageants. Now THAT stuff really freaks me out but that’s another Post entirely. I’ll save that one for later.


Back to our story. This kid has been getting a bunch of exposure lately, both on TV and on YouTube. I’m not here to talk about his talent. No doubt he’s got way more talent than I do so I give him tons of credit for getting out there and living his dream.

But therein lies the problem. I would think that his musical talent should stand out more than his hair but unfortunately for me I can stop wondering WTF happened. I’m not completely sure it was his Moms idea but one thing that IS for sure, he looks completely ridiculous.


No doubt you’ve seen or heard about him lately. He’s been promoted on every morning show, among other places. His name is Justin Bieber and no doubt he’s very talented for such a young kid. When I first saw him, he was on a morning show, singin’ and playing the piano and no doubt he did really well.

Yet I found myself wondering how he was even able to see the piano keys because no doubt he couldn’t hardly see anything with that haircut. Sort of like the EMO but with the added stupidity of the side bangs. Like a combover from hell, it’s as if he copied the loser from Million Dollar Listings’ style to the tee. Poor kid.


So it should come as no surprise to anyone that he walked straight into a glass revolving door a few weeks ago. Can’t really blame him, he can’t see past his bangs.

Then to add insult to injury, he ended up walking right into a giant glass wall just a few days after that. If that’s not enough to tell you the poor kid can’t see, I don’t know what is.

Justins Mom, I’m pleading with you. Please end the trend before it ever gets started and somebody really gets hurt. The Beatles have been gone for quite some time, let’s let the Bieber Bowl rest in peace as well.


There are just so many hairstyles out there to choose from I’d hate to see other kids being influenced by such ridiculous, not to mention dangerous haircuts. Use your imagination, think outside the box and I’ll bet you’ll be amazed what you can dream up.

I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts on todays trends in hairstyles and if you enjoyed this Post, I’d appreciate it if you’d Tweet it or Share it with your friends on Facebook.

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It’s just another one of those dreaded must do things that we all have to go through, at least those of us lucky enough to own a car. Yep, it’s time for another oil change. The little sticker up in the corner of the windshield, left there about three or four thousand miles ago by the previous oil changer, says I’m [over] due so it must be true.

Time to begin rearranging our schedules in an attempt to squeeze it in, somewhere between everything else we have to do during our hectic weekly routine.

Oh, somehow we’ll fit it in, we always do. After all, we know that changing our cars engine oil is a big part of maintaining our vehicles and keeping our warranty in good standing. The penalty for not keeping up with proper maintenance could mean expensive repairs, beggin’ for rides from friends and neighbors or even worse, waitin’ for the Bus in the middle of summer! None of those are too appealing, to say the least.

Ok, so who’s gonna be the lucky one to do the work? Some of us can do it ourselves. Warm it up, pull it into the garage [carport], jack it up and start draining the oil.

Careful though, that oil is HOT! And so is the oil filter, which should also be replaced. Then, after all that you’re stuck with an old oil filter and about six or seven quarts of black goo that needs to go to the recycler.

That’s if you aren’t wearing half of it in your hair, down your arms and back or heaven forbid, didn’t have a mini BP Gulf Disaster all over your garage floor and driveway.

Most of us have come to learn that all this mechanic’n stuff is better left to those with the proper facilities and tools to best handle such a task. Not to mention those that enjoy getting greasy.

Option #2, you can always go to one of those EZ Jiffy Quicky Pronto Lubification establishments. Surely they can handle the job. Only problem is that sometimes they tend to get you in the door with that giant teaser sign blowin’ in the wind out front. “Today only, from 11am to 1pm, only $19.95 for an oil change, including 6 quarts of oil and filter. Does not include blah blah blah….” only to find out that it’s gonna cost you about five times that much by the time they release your car.

Then, if you really want to embarass yourself, you’ll get all gutsy and ask them exactly what the fine print says. It’s not that you don’t trust them, it’s just that you want to know exactly what your options are.

“Oh, the fine print? All it says is that if your car takes an extra drop of oil to bring it up to the correct level, we won’t add it. We won’t put a new gasket on the drain plug when we reinstall it. Heck, we won’t even guarantee that we WILL reinstall it. If your car happens to blow up just after you leave because our ASEBGFD nonCertified Mechanic forgot to put oil back in your engine after he drained it, we’re not at all liable. Little insignificant stuff like that. Nothing to worry about, I’m sure none of that stuff will have any effect on you.”

Jeez, that’s alot to take into consideration. But knowing that none of that would ever actually happen in real life, you decide to go for it. Heck, everybody likes a good deal, just too hard to pass up. So you go ahead and sign on the dotted line, knowing you’re in good hands.

Weird thing is is that just about the time you put the pen down, your car is being hoisted up on the rack! How on earth did they know you were going to give them the go ahead for the oil change?

Oh, these guys are slick! Absolute magicians I tell you. Hope they’re as quick with the oil change as they were at getting the car hoisted up because I’ve got lot’s of errands to run today.

With your car safely up on the rack, you can begin to relax a little. So you grab the latest [ok, 3 months old, greasy finger prints everywhere and every page wrinkled] issue of Slick ‘n’ EZ Oil Changer magazine off the dusty table and settle down into the greasy orange vinyl covered chair and begin to peruse all the latest news in the oil change industry.

KABLAM! What the hell was that? Startled, you peer out through the Customer Connection window and you see ‘Sammy Certification’ fishing around in the drain bucket in an attempt to retrieve the wrench that he just dropped.

Then, with a resounding GOT IT, you see that his arm is half covered in oil but thankfully he found the wrench. Good thing it wasn’t the drain plug, that would have been much tougher to find. Like finding a needle in an oily as hell haystack, no fun at all.

Just as you turn your head back to the magazine, you hear a faint ‘kerplunk’. NO, tell me that didn’t just happen! Tell me it’s not what I think it is. Tell me it’s not my drain plug that just fell in the drain bucket.

Yep, you guessed it. As you return your focus to the oil change bay, you see both of the mechanics legs flailing around in the air. He’s upside down in the bucket, scowering around in the bottom for your drain plug. I guess they never taught him about using a magnet on a retractable rod in ASEBGFD School.

FOUND IT!!! Just about everybody in the entire place jumped for joy at the same time. At this point we’re all pretty much like family. We’re all hoping that each of our experiences turns out to be a pleasant one.

Phew, glad that’s over. I’d hate to imagine how much losing that drain plug would have cut into my errand running time. I can only hope the gasket is still attached, otherwise that could be a nightmare in itself.

Like a river of mud, the oil continues to blurble out of the oil pan. That’s about the time I realize how glad I am that I’m not laying on the hot asphalt, changing the oil myself. Good thing I let the experts handle it. Ok, now I can get back to the magazine.

All of a sudden, this pimply faced kid in a bluish brown shirt peers around the corner of the doorway. My first thought is How can my car be ready so soon? My second thought is, it can’t be ready that soon and so it’s just about that time that I begin to hope and pray that he’s looking for somebody else.

Nope, he’s eyeballin’ ME and I have a feelin’ it’s not gonna be good. Then comes the bad news. “Uh, Mr. Smith, while we were draining your oil we noticed a couple other items that require your immediate attention. Can you please follow me? I’d like to show you what we found.”

“Jeez, I only came in for a cheap oil change, I never asked you guys to check anything else.” “I realize that Mr. Smith but we feel it’s our duty to inform all of our loyal customers of any pending danger related to their automobiles as we would never want anything to happen to them or their vehicles. Above all else, safety is our number one concern here at EZ Jiffy Quicky Pronto Lubrification Centers and it’s in everyones best interest that we do all we can to keep our customers safe at all cost. I’m sure you understand.”

“Huh, understand? You pretty much lost me at duty to inform. Ok, let’s go take a look. I’m sure you’re right, better safe than sorry. I mean, after all, how much extra could it be, right?”

Following the mechanic outside, the words ‘at all cost’ begin to swim around in my head. As far as I know, I’m the one that’s going to be paying at all cost and no doubt that’s in their best interest.

“Take a look here, you can see that your Muffler Bearings are completely shot. Heck they’re almost falling off. And take a look right here, your Johnson Rod has a big ol’ crack in it and it’s just about to break! Boy, you’re so lucky. You brought your car in just in time.”

“What exactly are you pointing to, I just don’t see anything wrong here? Matter of fact, I’ve never even heard of Muffler Bearings OR a Johnson Rod. Are you sure they’re going bad?”

“Oh yes sir, trust me, they’re going bad and you really should have them repaired right away to prevent any further damage to any other components that could possibly be interrelated to the damaged items that we previously mentioned”

“Alright, let’s just say I did decide to have those fixed, how long would it take and even more importantly, how much extra is it gonna cost me?”

“Come on back inside and we’ll run some numbers. Let’s see here, new Muffler Bearings, click, click, click, new Johnson Rod, click click, click, about nine hours Labor, click, click, click, that leaves us with a guesstimate of about $1281.56, plus tax. Oh, and that’s not including the $88.26 for the oil change. Keep in mind that this guesstimate is based on parts availability and those prices could go up dramatically if we find there have been any price increases that we are unaware of at the time of this guesstimate. Also, please remember to keep in mind that due to our high demand for quality, we only use Factory parts. We don’t mess around with aftermarket parts here because as you know, safety is…”

“Yeah, Yeah, I KNOW! Safety is your thing! Got it! But that just seems outrageous for parts that I can’t even see are wrong, let alone that I’ve never even heard of and I’ve been around cars for quite some time.”

“Trust me Mr. Smith, we’d never steer you wrong. Get it? Steer You? That’s just a bit of EZ Jiffy humor. We like to keep things light ‘n’ easy around here. There’s more than enough stress in the world these days and the last thing we want to do is to add to it. Let’s just hope we don’t find anything else wrong with your car while we’re under there [Yeah, let's hope...]. The good news is it looks like your Radiator Springs are ok for now. We can go ahead and wait until your next oil change to replace those.”

Well, so much for the $19.95 oil change. And as far as the NEXT time, I don’t think so.

Which pretty much leaves us with option #3, the local Dealership. Home of honesty, integrity, quality and a job well done. Sure, all this comes at a price but you’re already aware of that going in.

Usually, along with that extra cost comes the comfort of knowing that the necessary extra repairs are truly legit [if you hear the words Muffler Bearings or Johnson Rod, get outta there fast!] and therefore it’s ok to pay a bit extra for that peace of mind and satisfaction of a job well done.

Well, recently a friend of mine was in the position of having to make all these decisions and came away with a very surprising result. She knew I wasn’t about to crawl under her car and change her oil so option #1 was crossed off the list immediately [I crossed it off myself].

Like most of us, she’s already experienced option #2 so that was no longer a viable alternative. That leaves option #3 and so she made an appointment at her local Dealership. She had some work done there previously and while it was sorta expensive, she was satisfied with the job that was done and heck, they even washed her car for her. Out of all her choices, she felt it was her best option.

She arrived about 15 minutes early as she didn’t want to miss her appointment. After standing around for about 20 minutes [so much for showing up early] she was finally approached by the Service Writer and asked for her information.

Her paperwork was filled out along with “Please pour yourself a coffee and have a seat in our waiting room, should only take about an hour.” Made an appointment and still an hour for an oil change? Plus all the time waiting to get checked in. Oh well, at least it will be over with and done right.

About 15 minutes later a gentleman walks up with some paperwork in hand. Thinking to herself, done already, that’s great, he proceeds to inform her of a recalled item on her car that should be fixed at this time. Free of charge and it won’t take long.

“Ok, that’s fine” she replies and continues to sip on her coffee. That’s the beauty of being at the Dealership, they know about these things because their computer tells them about pending issues.

Time continues to tick by and another hour and a half later, her car is ready to go. Ok, so it took a little longer than expected and it costs a bit more in the long run than the other options but at least it comes with the satisfaction of a job well done.

“Ok, Ms. Jones [name changed to protect the innocent], please pay the Cashier and pick up your keys”. Hmmm, $110.00 for an oil change? Wow, that seems like alot more than last time but maybe the cost of a barrel of oil has gone up that much.

Remember, peace of mind has to cost something and they did repair that recalled item at no charge[?] so let’s just pay the Cashier and get outta here. “Thank you M’am, here are your keys and have a great day”. Off she went to pick up her car in the waiting zone.

Just as she was about to turn the key to start her car, she noticed something was out of place. “My Key Ring, my special key ring, it’s missing!” Now, the only reason she even noticed it was gone was because this was a gift from a friend and holds tremendous sentimental value to her.

Luckily she noticed it was missing before she left the Lot. Jumping out of her car, she headed for the Service Writers booth. “I want to see the Manager”. Once paged, he showed up immediately to resolve the issue. Calmly he exclaimed, “Oh, I’m sure this can easily be explained. Somehow it must have fallen off. I’m sure we can find it for you.”

Hmmm, it’s been on there for over a year but somehow it fell off today and no one knows where it is? Amazingly enough, with the Manager jumping on the hot line, a few choice words over the loud speaker and Voila, it magically reappeared from the depths of the Dealership. Truly astounding, I think?

However, by this point the damage was already done. It wasn’t the $25 key ring itself, it’s the fact that the feeling of trust was gone. This put everything about the entire job into question.

What else did I have in the car that might be missing now? Sunglasses, change in the ashtray, did they really do all the work they said they did? OMG! Let the stress test begin!!

Needless to say, the Manager was very apologetic, even saying “The oil change is on the house and here’s a coupon for half off on your next oil change. I truly am sorry this happened.” Next oil change… here? I don’t care if it’s free, I don’t think so.

That bond has been broken, which can’t be repaired and all this over a key ring. Not that she was ever guaranteed to spend a fortune on repairs in the future but the point is now she will never spend another dollar there.

Surely she would not consider buying another car there and if a friend ever asked for her recommendation on where to have repairs done or perhaps even to purchase a car, she can at least tell them where NOT to go.

Word of mouth and positive [or negative] referrals carry a ton of weight in todays world as people are very leary about being taken advantage of and fearful of letting go of their money in any type of monetary transaction.

While this unfortunate incident can not be attributed to the Dealership itself, unfortunately the actions of one individual has put the entire Dealership and all who work there under suspicion.

At the very least, they have lost one customer but in actuality it is impossible to guesstimate the true repercussions. And while you might say c’mon now, it was just a key ring! You’re right, It’s Just A Key Ring….but it encompasses so much more.

If you’ve had any type of similar experiences, I’d enjoy hearing about them. I always appreciate your comments and if you enjoyed reading this post, please pass it along to your friends.

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I’m not exactly sure what’s goin’ on here. I mean, aren’t these iPhones supposed to have a mind of their own, to be the best thing since sliced bread? Jeez, I can’t even believe I just said that. Sounds like something my Dads Dad would have said. But you get the point.

When I got my iPhone, I was under the impression that they were the most incredible invention ever. They could do just about everything you ever wanted [with the correct Application downloaded, of course] except wash dishes or do laundry.

Seemed as if everywhere you turned, somebody was touting all of the wonderful ‘things’ that could be accomplished and all of them in the blink of an eye. Clever marketing? I’d hate to think I fell for that stuff but it’s a distinct possibility. Typically I’m smarter than that but maybe they slipped one in under the radar on me.

Don’t get me wrong here. For the most part, I love my iPhone. From the sleek styling to the ultra smooth Touch Screen, this baby has winner written all over it. And I’m by no means a Tech Geek but it would be hard not to want one of these phones, based on looks alone.


In fact, if the Porsche Design Group ever ends up building a Concept Phone, I would think there’s a pretty good chance it’s gonna look very similar to Apples Smooth Talker.

Speaking of Techie, I won’t even begin to claim that I have 1/1000th of an idea of all the things this baby will do. I’ve never even been to the “App Store”, don’t know the address or the phone number. I’m not sure if they have one at the Mall or not but I have enough trouble workin’ the buttons it came with, why the hell would I want to add more gizmos?


I previously had a Nokia that worked really well. Bluetooth capable, nice and compact, never a dropped call, in essence the perfect phone. Then why on earth did I get rid of it you might be asking? Wasn’t cool enough? Behind the times? Nope, none of those.

I never got my iPhone to keep up with the Jones’. I’m not one to care about that sort of thing, which might sound a bit strange at this point because the main reason I bought it was because it was compatible with the ‘Hands Free’ Bluetooth System in the car I had at the time.

My BMW had warnings everywhere, saying that ‘pairing up’ an unauthorized cell phone to their system could possibly damage the entire electrical system in the car, causing major damage. And knowing that everything in that car was computer controlled, I couldn’t take a chance on hurting my baby. And so I got the iPhone, which was ok’d on their list, in white of course. Hey, I AM color conscious.

As I sunk down in that sweet leather, watchin’ the Nav screen with all of the codes poppin’ up, enter this, press that, I just knew I was gonna be in cell phone heaven. And I wasn’t dissapointed, not in the least. That phone never worked better than when it was hooked up to the BMW. It was like drivin’ around in a giant antennae, reception central.

It was even voice activated. All I had to do was say “Call so and so” and the next thing you know, I could hear a phone ringing somewhere off in space. It wasn’t actually in space, it was coming from my stereo speakers but it did seem like space. Just a touch of a button on the steering wheel and instant disconnect. I must say, it had to be one of the sweetest inventions ever.

I’m not a huge fan of those Star Trek earpieces and I’m semi ok with the headphones but this eliminated the entire nightmare. No worries about Cops giving me tickets, always able to keep both my hands on the wheel. It was a dream come true.


But unfortunately, I no longer have my Dream Car and I’m beginning to wonder if my iPhone knows that as well. They were a pair, those two, they went everywhere together. They were inseparable and I wonder if my phone is really starting to miss her partner. Like they say, one is such a lonely number and I think it’s taking a toll on my ‘iBaby’.

These tantrums seem to come much more often these days and no doubt with much more severity. I’ll be carrying on a conversation, not really moving at all and next thing you know, I’m talkin’ to air. Yep, another dropped call.

A quick redial leads me to ask “Are you driving?” To which whomever it is that I was speaking with responds “Nope, didn’t move an inch.” Hmmmm, wonder what happened?


“I’ve got five bars [thanks to my latest update. Only used to get three bars], it can’t be from my side.” “Me too, I’ve got five bars, it’s gotta be your phone!”

“OH no you DIT~N’T, don’t you go blamin’ my baby!!!” And then IT’S ON! All the accusations start flyin’, the ‘My Droid is better than your iPhone’ BS. Next thing you know, you’re havin’ a knock down dragout over a stupid dropped call. Jeez, I’m feelin’ the stress from here and I’m not even on the phone.

What’s even weirder than that is this seems to happen more often when it’s iPhone to iPhone. Call me crazy [I know, what's new] but I’m beginning to wonder if our old friend Steve Jobs installed some kinda software that links all these iBots together in some way so that they know they’re talkin’ to ‘one of their own’ and they play these damn games, just to piss us off.


I’m sure you’ve heard how these phones are ‘watching us’, keeping track of everything we do and say. So then why not have the phones keep track of each other? And to take it a step further, what if all the Aspirin Companies are in on it as well?

I mean, just think of how much Bayer Aspirin they’re selling to help us get rid of all of these stress headaches that are caused by all of these friggin’ dropped calls. It’s a conspiracy I tell you. It’s Big Brother and he’s attacking us through our phones.

Kinda makes you miss the days of the old rotary dial phones. Back when it would take you so long just to dial the number that you could come up with tons of stuff to talk about while you were waiting for the call to go through. S..E..V..E..N..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..F..I..V..E..dut..dut..dut..dut..dut..


And hopefully you didn’t have to dial a zero somewhere in there, got a bit sidetracked and didn’t get your finger all the way around. That was major trouble for sure. You totally had to start all over again.

At that point you really had to think twice about even calling that person. Did you REALLY wanna talk to them THAT BAD? Bad enough to risk screwin’ up another dial job?

Those were the days that people knew how important they were to you. If you actually took the time to call somebody, you must have really wanted to talk to them. Jeez, it was nice bein’ wanted but come to think of it, I didn’t really get that many calls. Hmmm…..

Which brings me back to my iPhone. Does it drop all these calls just to piss me off or does IT just want to be wanted? Can’t it feel me massaging it when I rub it’s beautiful screen? Is it lacking attention, feelin’ like I just take it for granted? I sure hope not, that would be terrible.


So perhaps it really does have A.D.D.? Is it possible for a phone to have Attention Deficit Disorder? I know it sounds weird but in this day and age, why not? I mean, when I was growing up, all us kids acted out and did things we weren’t supposed to. Seems like we were always doin’ something wrong.

But back then instead of giving us pills to put us in ‘Numbville’, we’d get our butts spanked, have to pull tons of weeds in the yard and be grounded all summer. Ah, those were the days.

The days of discipline, when you learned the difference between right and wrong, by the seat of your pants. Or sometimes on the back of your thighs, perhaps your lower back, all depends on where the belt landed.

Never thought I’d look back on ‘discipline’ as a good thing but I have to think that like kids, our phones need to know when they are actin’ up and doin’ wrong. But how exactly do you go about teaching your phone the difference between right and wrong?

Do you stop using it for awhile? Who is that really punishing, you or the phone? Perhaps throw it on the ground, breaking the screen? Again, who really loses here? Sure, the phone doesn’t have to work so hard anymore but your wallet is sure gonna get a workout. Maybe just take the whole damn thing apart and never use it again? I really don’t know the answer.

I guess we just have to accept the fact that technology still has it’s flaws and that nothing is perfect, especially when any part of it is man made. But between you and me, I still think my iPhone just ain’t that smart!

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It was good while it lasted. Oh, the times we had together, just you and me. Conversing endlessly without uttering a word, refusing to let anyone or anything else distract us from each other. Caught up in all the hopes and dreams of a wonderfully magic future together, the unknown being layed out before us along the Golden Highway Of Information.

Yes, it was exquisite to say the least. Better than either of us ever imagined it would, let alone could be. Knowing full well that no one else on earth could even begin to come close to sharing what we shared. What is it they say, “Two hearts beating as one?” That pretty much sums up our relationship in a nutshell. We were inseparable, never feeling lonelier that when we were apart.

Even though we were never more than a mouse click away from each other, sometimes it felt like we were millions of ‘emiles’ apart. On those rare occasions that I would wake up, run to my computer, only to Log On and find that you hadn’t left me a message, I’m not ashamed to admit now that my heart would drop to my stomach.

Was it something I said? Maybe something I didn’t say? There MUST be some kinda misunderstanding here. Then the turmoil of the unknown would begin to take over, along with all of its second guessing and the ‘wish I could take it backs’.

Like a lonely Text sent off into Cyberspace, not knowing if it reached it’s destination or not. If it didn’t get there, should you send it again? Ohhhh, at the risk of looking like a CyberStalker there’s just no way you can take a chance hitting ’send’ again, can you? No way! All you can do it sit there, with your hands tucked under your legs, trying your best to slow down your imagination and not touch the keyboard. Jeez, I can feel an ulcer brewing already!

And if your Text did arrive at its intended destination, then why no response yet? Too busy, a blow off, mad, all those questions and more begin to spin throughout your head until you’re so dizzy you wish you could throw up and get it over with, just so you’d feel better. Yikes, it’s no wonder I hate texting so much.

But that was the feeling I got when I didn’t hear from you. How did I become so attached, so completely vulnerable? That is something I truly can’t answer. Yet it’s painfully obvious that I was completely under your spell.

Although we started out as mere acquaintances, two strangers passing in the night so to speak, somehow our ‘relationship’ blossomed into something so indescribably wonderful that I’m sure very few others could claim anything near as grand as what we shared.

Yet, like almost all good things, this too must come to an end. I feel I’m no longer in charge of my life, let alone my inner being. My soul. All hopes of regaining order are far outweighed by the magnitude of my feelings. My wants, my needs have taken over and all my priorities seem to have been left by the wayside.

As I continue to struggle with this situation, doing everything in my power to hang on to my last shred of dignity, not wanting to succumb to the painful reality that I am well aware of and know all too well is waiting for me just ahead, I begin to realize that I’m steadfastly running out of strength.

Strength to fight this ‘Demon’, this Monster that I created myself. Yes, me and me alone. I have no one else to blame for this terrible situation but myself. After all, I started it and knowing that, I feel it’s up to me to end it.

And while I knew damn well it had to happen sometime, I truly did my best to put it off as long as possible. Oh, some might say that I buried my head in the sand, not wanting to face reality and in all honesty, I’d have trouble posing a good argument against their accusations. But if they knew the bond I felt, that special ’something’ that only we shared, perhaps they would be a bit less harsh. Just a little more understanding.

Knowing full well the writing has been ‘on the wall’ for quite some time now doesn’t make what I’m about to say an easier for me. I’m sure you know that. And even if you don’t want to, I’m sure if you look inside, deep down inside your heart, you’ll know it’s for the best. The best for both of us.

And so with that, I’m left with no other choice. Please believe me, I’ve thought about this for a very long time. I’ve struggled with this for so long now, yet I’ve been unable to come up with a reason strong enough, legitimate enough to avoid the heartbreak that I know we are both about to endure. But break your heart I must.

Therefore, knowing I have done everything to the best of my ability to avoid the unavoidable, at this point I’m left with no other option. All I can do now….is UNSUBSCRIBE!

Yes, I’m afraid that’s what it’s come down to. While I look so forward to your daily, sometimes two and three times a day correspondence I feel as if I have no other option. For some time now I have let your ‘e~notes’ consume my entire existence, ceasing to live my own life, on my own terms.

Not that I didn’t look forward to receiving each and every message that you sent. No, don’t think that. You know I did. Every time I opened my Inbox, I felt like I was an Astronaut at Cape Canaveral, anxiously awaiting another Launch. The anxiety I felt over every ‘countdown’ just can’t be described.

That tumultous feeling, wondering whether or not your Server was gonna crash [no, not again!] just after ‘take off’ was sometimes just too much to bear. Even though it crashed about 99% of the time, there was still the small chance that it wouldn’t, which left the door of surprise slightly ajar.

Oh, and the way you created all the angst with all of your ‘time sensitive’ Trinkets, keeping me at the edge of my keyboard seemingly every minute of the day and night was pure genius. Get In Now, Closing The Doors In Two Hours, Only 6 More Fast Action Bonuses Available, Secrets That Only The Biggest Gurus Know, all the clever copywriting kept me glued to my monitor for sure.

I mean, I’m a complete sucker for fre*e knowledge and somehow you knew that about me. Perhaps you Googled me, I’m not sure but no doubt you did your research. Not just Keyword research but some real diggin’, more than you’d ever get from my email address.

Which reminds me. Those clever ‘In Boxes’ of yours sure were mesmerizing to say the least. Flashing this, blinking that, scrolling left and right with arrows jiggling all over the place. It was like dangling a carrot in front of a horse, no way to resist.

And once I was ‘inside’, searching for a way to download my f*ree Ebook, that’s when you knew you had me. “You’ll never have this opportunity again, once this page is gone, it’s gone forever, once in a lifetime a program like this comes along, don’t miss it, BONUS, BONUS, BONUS!!!” Yes, I’ll admit I did get sucked in a few times but I’d like to think I learned a few things along the way. At least I hope so anyway.

I’m always on a quest for knowledge and so I don’t look at this as a wasted journey by any means. After all, I have learned quite a bit from all my research, not to mention tons of trial and error. More error than I probably would have liked to have had but I guess that’s all part of the process.

That’s not to say that I know anything at all about the Internet, Computers, Webinars, HTML, SEO, Backlinks, Trackbacks, Social Media, Affiliate Marketing, Clickbank, Google Ad Words, Selling Info Products Online or anything else but I’m sure I know more now than I did a year ago.

But my quest for online knowledge has really only just begun. And while I feel as if I’m abandoning ‘you’, in essence I’m not. I’m merely going to make an effort to restructure my online search in an effort to become a bit more laser focused on my goals rather than to attempt taking in all of the f*ree knowledge available.

I continually had the feeling that if I was to ‘Opt Out’, the very next day I would be missing out on that one special ‘nugget’, that special something that would lead me to the fast track, straight to the end of the rainbow.

Only problem is, I’ve already got a hard drive full of Ebooks and PDF’s that I know would add tons to my online schooling but as of yet, I haven’t even read them. Like they say, “So much knowledge, so little time” or something like that.

And so, it is with a heavy heart that I must do my best to let go. I’m sure you know how hard this is for me and I hope you’ll understand. It’s just that I need my life back. Well, what little there is left of it. I’m afraid that if I don’t break these ties at some point, I may never have a life again.

My thirst for knowledge is stronger than the both of us and that is the one thing I can always depend on but if I don’t focus in a bit better, find some semblance of direction for my online endeavors, I honestly feel that I will continue to spin my wheels, digging myself deeper into a hole. A hole from which I may never escape.

Therefore, I must bid most [not quite all] of you farewell. You know I hate to go… but go I must. I can’t begin to thank you enough for all of your Fr*ee knowledge, help and advice. Please don’t take any of this personally. I assure you it’s nothing personal, it’s just business.

And as I mentioned earlier, it’s you, not me. I mean it’s me, not you. Ah, the hell with it. It’s BOTH of us!

If you enjoyed this Post, I’d appreciate it if you’d pass it along to your friends. Perhaps they can relate and who knows, maybe we can even form some kind of a Support Group.

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If you read my recent post about my trip to the Dream Store, aka the Porsche Dealership, then that will give you a better idea of where this post begins. If you haven’t read it, basically it’s about finding a reason in life to get and to stay motivated. Motivated enough to remain focused on following your dreams, your passions in order to achieve your goals. All in search of my WHY.

And for me, my motivation is money. Yep, good ol’ cash. Lots of dinero, so I can buy a car. I know, I know, very shallow but yes, I find my spine tingles the most when I’m behind the wheel of an extremely nice German Supercar. That’s what floats my boat. I’m not gonna make excuses for it, that’s just the way it is.

I’ve known this forever and I’ve also felt a bit guilty about it for just about the same amount of time. I mean, shouldn’t there be more to life? All the thoughts of being superficial and merely out to prove something to someone else have lead me to feel guilty for getting my motivation from such a thing as a car.

The only other ‘thing’ that even comes close for me is women and to be honest, if I have to ‘buy one’, then that’s not the one I want anyway. I want a woman to love me for me, not for what I can give her and since that’s nearly impossible to find in todays world, I need to remain focused on the only other thing that gives me the ‘warm ‘n’ fuzzies’, a sweet a$$ German Supercar!

As I mentioned in Part One, I had gone to the Dream Store a few weeks ago to ask about the new 2010 Porsche GT3RS. They were just starting to arrive in the US and I wanted to see one in real life. Not that I could afford one [YET!] but I wanted to see what’s been labeled as the best ‘Drivers Car’ in the world!

I’m already so enthralled with the 2007~’08 GT3RS that as hard to imagine as it is that the new version could be any better, with the larger 3.8 Liter engine, suspension changes, Center Lock wheels and all the other ‘goodies’ that have been updated, there was just no way I was going to miss the arrival of my new dream machine.

I put a call in to the Dealership last Tuesday, inquiring as to whether or not my baby had arrived yet, knowing that during my previous visit the Sales guy told me the new one should be in in just a few weeks. It takes approximately 25 to 30 days for the Ship to bring them over from Stuttgart, which seemed like quite a long time to me but he assured me that was normal.

Actually the Factory is located just a bit North, in Zuffenhausen, Germany but either way, still seems like a long trip. I guess when you’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of anything, every minute is a minute too long.

In my mind I thought about a Cruise Ship and I couldn’t believe it would take a month for that to get here from Germany, with no layovers in between but I guess it is what it is. So with a couple quick calculations, he ‘guesstimated’ that it should arrive by the end of the week. “Call me Friday around noon and I’ll give you a status update.” No need to mark it on my calendar, the time and date were instantly on the top of my list.

It’s not like I was counting the hours until noon Friday or anything but let’s just say that when the phone rang Friday morning around 10:00 I was pleasantly surprised to say the least. “Bryan, the White GT3RS arrived this morning. They have to do the PDI [Pre Delivery inspection] on it, detail it and then move it to the Showroom. Should be on the Showroom floor about Noon.”
 
Even though I couldn’t believe they would have all that done that quickly, I thought that maybe they had already started on it and that’s how he came up with such an early time. I decided I’d go ahead and wait until it was all cleaned up and looking it’s best before I arrived so I planned on getting there about 1:00. Don’t wanna add any pressure, right?

On the way over there, I just kept thinking about how bitchin’ this whole ‘adventure’ was gonna be. Knowing that there were very few of these in the US at this point just made it all the sweeter. The fact that it costs about $200K out the door made it even more of a dream trip.

Yeah, I gotta agree, that IS alot of money but when you break it down, a thousand dollars isn’t a totally outrageous amount. Not these days anyway. And so you multiply that thousand by two hundred and that’s it. Next thing you know, it’s Heaven on earth. Not bad at all. Well, I guess it’s all in how you look at it. That’s how I choose to look at it anyway.

Luckily for me, as it turned out they were a bit behind schedule. As I pulled up to the driveway of the Dealership, what’s the first thing that greets me? It’s a Tech driving the new GT3RS, waiting to pull out into the street for a test drive. Wish I could have gotten my camera out in time but I was trying to concentrate on getting in the parking lot at the time.

Part of the PDI requires the Tech to ‘take it out’ and check things over. Gotta make sure everything is in working order. Even though it was completely checked over before it ever left the Factory, gotta go over it with a fine tooth comb just to ensure nothing happened to my baby during the ‘Ship Trip’.

Porsche is known world wide for their attention to detail. Nothing gets past them. They are rated number one in the world when it comes to having the least amount of problems, which is really amazing when you think about the actual size of the Company. One thing’s for sure, they ain’t Toyotas!

They have more of a ‘hands on’ feel than the big US Auto Makers and perhaps that is what’s lead to their success. That, and their racing heritage. Everything they produce is tested on the Track way before it ever reaches the Showroom floor. Yes, they are expensive but again, you get what you pay for.

Rarely, if ever, will you hear anyone mention the high price of a Porsche [except for the GT2 which could run over $300K and for that price, you're in Ferrari & Lamborghini territory] in regards to what you get for your money. You truly get what you pay for in a Porsche.

So I park my car, grab my Flip Camera and jump out hoping to catch a glimpse of MY DREAM pulling back in to the Lot. At this point I wasn’t sure how far along they were with the PDI and detailing. All I knew was that I wanted to soak up as much as I could.

Standing on the sidewalk, I could hear something approaching that sounded absolutely incredible. Looking to my left, there it was. Caught just a bit of it as it pulled in the driveway. Then I more or less ran through the Lot, following the Tech back to the Service Bays.

Turns out they still had to finish up the PDI. Took all I had to ask but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. “Is it ok with you guys if I go inside and take a closer look?” To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what they replied as I didn’t really hang around long enough to hear the answer. I immediately flew inside, Flip Cam rollin’, doin’ my best to get as much Video in as I could. After all, I had no idea when they were gonna kick me out.

Just the way it was idling, you could tell it’s definitely a beast. When you put 450 Horsepower in a car that weighs very little and handles so well, you can’t help but end up with major amounts of fun. And that is certainly the case here. From inside to outside, everywhere you look is just another engineering marvel to gawk at.

No doubt I found myself wanting for a ’scratch & sniff’ button on my camera, in hopes of capturing the amazing aroma permiating from the Leather and Alcantara Suede ‘cocoon’ known as the interior. Just exquisite. Even the exhaust fumes smelled like a million bucks! It didn’t take me five minutes to know that two hundred thousand dollars is a bargain for this car.

As they wrapped up the Inspection, I knew it was now or never. “Mind if I sit in it for a second?” “Sure, no problem.” Did I mention these guys at the Dealership were nothing but cool to me? Definitely unlike any other experience I’ve ever had at a Car Dealership. No ‘Used Car Vultures’ here, just a bunch of relaxed, easy going and helpful guys. From the Techs to the Sales Manager, all of them First Class. No doubt I’d highly recommend this Dealership to anyone.

Doing my best not to get drool all over the interior, the Tech gets in, saying “I’m gonna pull it around to the front.” Normally, I would have totally blown it and said “Oh, ok, I’ll go ahead and get out” but not this time. Oh no. If they wanted me out, they were gonna have to drag me out of there, kickin’ and screamin’!

Just as soon as he started it, the ‘tingles’ hit me and flooded my spine with the warm ‘n’ fuzzies. While it might have only taken two minutes to get to the front of the Lot, it was the best ‘trip’ of my life. I tried to keep the camera going but I found it difficult to focus on the filming and so in the video, you’ll see quite a bit of the dashboard. No doubt I lost my focus.

And while I would have loved to have gone for a quick cruise to LA, I’ve been informed that you have to sign away your life in order to go for a test drive and so that just wasn’t gonna happen. Oh well, that’s life. It had to end sometime and so with that, I reluctantly got out.

I walked around the car a bit more, trying to soak up all I could while at the same time not wanting to wear out my welcome. Which after being there filming for nearly an hour, I’m pretty sure I was coming close to doing exactly that.

As I walked inside the Showroom, hoping to get a glimpse of the ‘Magic Pumpkin’, the Orange 2008 GT3RS that was traded in on the new Gray GT3RS a few weeks ago, my head continued to spin. Is the New GT3RS really that much better than the ‘old’ one? Larger engine, RSR Race Suspension, Center Lock Wheels, etc., etc. I guess when it comes right down to it, yes it is a better car.

Does that in any way mean that the previous version is any less incredible? By no means. It merely means that just when you think they have reached perfection, perfection can still be improved upon. Which is exactly what they’ve done here. Hard as it is to believe, that’s what happened.

This doesn’t in any way diminish my dreams of having an ‘07 ~ ‘08 version. I would give anything to have one. Is the new one worth an extra $75K compared to the old one? Absolutely it is. Both are extremely low production, Collector status, High Performance German Supercars but if I had the $200K I would buy a new one in a heartbeat.

When they are being described by all of the ‘in the know’ testers as the Best ‘Drivers Car’ in the world [meaning a car without alot of electronic gadgetry that in essence eliminates feel] it’s difficult NOT to want a new one. Not to say that I wouldn’t be extremely happy with an old one, that’s for sure. I guess we’ll just have to see how it all plays out.

At least I can walk away from this experience knowing that I have all kinds of extra fuel for my motivational fire. Matter of fact, as I was walking to my car, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I’d pretty much know that color anywhere, being as rare as it is.

Sure enough, there’s a Green ‘08 GT3RS parked in the Lot. They produced a combined 200 of the GT3RS’s for the North American market during the combined ‘07 ~ ‘08 Model year and to see two of these at the same Dealership is just insane. I have no idea what the odds are but they have to be very high, that’s for sure.

Getting back inside my car [which I gotta admit seemed pretty damn frumpy at this point], I began to go over all the ways I could make enough money to buy one of these babies. I KNOW there has to be a way. Other people buy them, why not me? If you’re gonna dream, might as well DREAM REALLY BIG!!!

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