The Small Things In Life...

My job does not provide me with too many perks. The other day I finally got to bask in one of these perks, and bask I did.

One part of my job entails setting up large inflatables, also known as moon-bounces. now, I am sent out to the most random of places for these things but the job is always the same. I set the inflatable up and then I sit and wait. My job is to make sure the inflatables stay inflated and don't fall apart. I bear no responsibilities to the safety of the children that flock to these things like they were handing out crack in Worcester.

Now, sometimes the people who run these events don't realize that I am only there for when something goes wrong with the inflatable. The other day was one of these days.

So there I was, sitting down near this massive obstacle course inflatable reading my book. I see this small, plump girl trying to climb over a section you are clearly advised to go through, not over. I get this giddy feeling like I was 4 again, anticipating the inevitable. I gently put down my book and just stare at this girl. I stare like I was planning on dragging her into a van. I peer around making sure no other parents see her, I do not want this to be spoiled. My anticipation is through the fucking ceiling. She climbs to the top and the piece caves under her weight and she rolls over the side and takes a glorious digger onto the hardwood gym floor. She looks at me and starts to cry.

Maybe it's the sadist in me, but my day was made in that moment. I get a sick and deranged kick out of seeing small children hurt themselves and cry. Their sadness makes me happy. I like how their faces flush with red and they cry out because they are totally and completely helpless to aid themselves.

Such a sweet joy. I work so I can see things like this happen.

You See, The Thing is...

(Taken from a post for my "Diversity and Multicultural Education" class)

Ever since I took Intro to Communications freshman year I have always thought, "The news media on t.v. and in the newspapers is not much more poignant and relevant than a romance novel." First it was Fox news refusing to cover a train accident that involved a partnered train company with Fox so as to not tarnish any ties and funding. Hundreds died but why should Fox report it when they'll lose money, right? Then it was the topics that people focus on most, sadly.

People look to celebrity news and fashion for their daily news fill. Doing so only makes the financially troubled newspaper business look to celebrity news and fashion styled pieces in order to gain readers and ultimately funding. This general principle is not common knowledge, as seen by how many more Glamour, US Weekly and Star magazines are sold everyday over newspapers. So is it really too shocking to see the amount of news coverage focusing on Hillary's "low-cut outfit" during one of her speeches? How about the focus on the sex appeal of Sarah Palin? THIS is what average American's want to see, who gives two-cents about what they stand for? Donny Deutsch sure doesn't.

I found the amount of political backlash against Hillary Clinton running interesting. The 11-1 vote by major news media claiming it was indeed fine to refer to her as a "bitch" stayed in my head. Not only does that rule out the neutral stance reporters are supposed to take, but it is expressed as though everyone should also refer to her as such because 11 of 12 major political anylists think so. You use toothpase because 9 out of 10 dentists reccomend it, so why not vote against Hillary because 11 out of 12 anylists reccomend it. Poor execution news media.

Ms. Pozner did leave everyone, I think/hope, with a sense of renewed vision. I know for myself I have learned to look even more closely at what exactly is being covered by the news media and have yet even more reason to disregard the multitudes of reports and opinions out there. Think for yourself, look at the cold hard facts and be intellectual. Follow that and you'll be a whole-damn-lot better off. And thats no Lord Chesterfield's Letters to His Son knowledge, its merely common sense.

(1) Supporting Example: http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_212170927.shtml

(2) Contradictory Example: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/24/campbell.brown.palin/

The Truth About The Guy With Tattoos

As I'm sitting in my lovely little apartment, which I have recently been aborted from, a girl who is sitting on the couch across from me asks about my tattoo. Nothing new to me. I have been asked by all kinds of people in all kinds of situations. They range from cops who have pulled me over to janitor who pass by my hospital room. But I digress.

She asks, "What's that tattoo on your arm?"
My tattoo takes up 3/4 of my arm so it is damn near impossible to hide at times. I reply humbly to her, "Its an octopus".
Then she replies solely with an "Oh." The small hint of disapproval is not well hid from her face. She follows this up with the question I can not stand when it comes to asking a complete stranger about a tattoo, "Why did you get that?"

Never ask a person you do not know this question. Sure, most of the time the person will be nice and tell your overly-inquisitive ass just why he or she got the tattoo they did. Maybe there is some deep rooted family meaning, maybe it reminds the person of childhood. But let me tell you deep down what I think every time someone asks me.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? Do I owe you something to have to explain why I got the tattoo I got?"

If at one point during a friendship one divulges to the other the reason behind a tattoo then that is perfectly fine. But to have a customer in a store come up to you and bluntly say, "O.K. Let me see the tattoo. What's it mean?" is just too invasive. What if the tattoo has a meaning that is far too personal for me to want to tell a stranger? Then I am forced to make up a lie and make myself sound like a complete jackass for getting a tattoo that I seem to not care about.

My response to the overly-inquisitive girl was curtly and directly this, "Because I wanted to." A response that must have put her off, but yet could not have been more truthful.

Two minutes later she responds, "I have tattoos too."
And there it is, the weak retort in the effort to establish a connection.

And Then It Began

This is the first of hopefully many posts. The site could barely be considered in an "early stage". Its somewhere in that pre-early stage. That exists, right? Well, this will soon become a regulated blog hell-bent on forcing me to write everyday. So, take a gander into what goes on in this mind of mine and fell free to comment.

Cheers
MB