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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Finals are DONE!

Always a cause for celebration ... my finals are done for yet another semester in school. Yay!


This semester, I dabbled in a couple of classes that are in a major that I am thinking about switching over to ... Criminal Justice with a DHS concentration. I would really like to go into some kind of forensics, like computer or crime scene, but those concentrations are not being offered online at APSU at this time. I am still leaning towards the web developer concentration, but I would have to jury-rig up a program to meet a degree requirement. Anyway, the classes I just finished are American Government and International Relations Theory. I am expecting to get high marks in both classes. It was a fairly low stress semester, school-wise. However, my job situation still is a major source of anxiety. But for now, I can rest and relax from school stuff until September. Soon though, there will be graduations, and birthdays, and a beach trip and a wedding. I guess I better rest and relax fast!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Stayin’ Classy

I don't have a lot of time, or patience, these days to pay much attention to current politics ... it's all I can do now, and about all I can tolerate, to get through finals in American Government and International Relations Theory. But this little gem cruised across my radar this morning ... and it speaks greatly to the climate we can expect in this Presidential election cycle.



Watch for it around 00:20, just as he says, “That’s all right. Sen. Clinton looked in her element.” Then watch for the smug look and repressed chuckle.

Yes, this is the man that wants to be president, who will bring all kinds of hopey changefulness to our embittered nation.

And has anyone else noticed that when he is not reading a pre-written speech, he makes Bush seem like an oratorical genius by comparison? Heh ...

Sunday, April 13, 2008

A Wild Blogfest!

Another Blogfest and another great time was had by all. We gathered at Wild Wings Cafe out in Farragut, and despite a packed house, we had a blast.


The wrap up: What Doug said

A non-blogging, but special guest joined us for a while ... Jon Katsiros is running for House Representative in District 18 against Stacey Campfield ... or as he says, he's not running against him, he's beating him ... heh. Anyway, Jon joined the festivities for a while before he had to leave for another engagement, along with his campaign manager, who's name escapes me. He spoke to us about his plans for his campaign and what he hopes to accomplish in the state legislature. He realizes that people are tired of the government getting all up in our business and that what most people want is less government and more personal accountability. He has a great deal of support in the Tennessee GOP and sounds like he will be a much better choice than what District 18 has been sending to Nashville for the last 6 years. It's definitely time for a change, and Jon seems to be a good candidate for that. I look forward to watching his campaign progress and wish him the best of luck. He doesn't have a web site or blog ... yet. We hope that he will be blogging and Twittering soon though!

Another hot topic of conversation had to do with a little plan we have been cooking up. Have you seen this, or this or this? We're planning something similar. Up for it? Let us know and join the team!

I failed miserably in my picture taking duties, only snapping one from my cell phone. I posted it for the Twitter folk here. Doug has a few here. Cathy's are here.

As a reminder, if you want to get email announcements for future Blogfests, you can sign up here. You won't get any spam or extraneous emails, just Blogfest announcements.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Blogfest Out West!

Ii is finally officially official ... Blogfest will happen again, next Saturday, April 12! Spread the word!

The place: Wild Wings Cafe - (Google Map)

The time: Be careful asking Rich that question, his answer may be more than you bargained for ... but the festivities will start around 6:00 that evening.

The people: Bloggers of all sorts, shapes, varieties, ages, colors and heights, from various locations around the greater East Tennessee area, and points beyond, along with their significant others, if they wish ... plus a kid or two, or three or four or fourteen (depending on whether Cathy and Doug bring any, part or all of their brood). Blog readers are welcome too!

The special guest: A local candidate running for the state House may grace us with his presence. (And no, it's not the asinine one that I took to the wood shed a couple months ago!)

Let us know if you can join us in comments here or there, post at your site to spread the word and we hope to see you there!

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Snips and Snails

Puppy dog tails ... that's what little boys are made of. And boys will be boys. God love 'em ... And us girls, we have our own traits as well, and those lovable guys love us for them too.

One of the hot topics in the Knoxville blogosphere recently has been the opening of a new barber shop, Gentlemen's Top Cuts. It is an establishment that caters to men and promises "atmosphere, beautiful women, and quality services unlike anywhere else." While most of the guys have met this news with great enthusiasm, some women have voiced, or blogged, some objections.

Calling it a "meat market" or questioning the manhood of the men who would patronize such an establishment or questioning the women who would "allow" their men to go there, usually wrapped in a mantle of feminist righteous indignation that women would market themselves in such a manner - what it usually boils down to is that women are competitive as hell ... with each other, with our appearance as the measure of our comparative worth. Yes, girls will indeed be girls, and that's why we have Sephora, Victoria's Secret whole industries dedicated to helping us look the best we can. To compete for the attention of the male, we have to be more attractive than the woman next to us. It's just the way it is.

So what, exactly, is the big deal? What's wrong with all that? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. When we recognize, appreciate and even celebrate the differences between men and women, we can then live in harmony and peace with each other.

Men like to look at women. They are visual creatures, and they are attracted to potential mates by how they appear, at least initially. While we have adopted certain cultural traditions and habits that have altered our behavior, we are still, at our core, instinctual animals. The male of the species seeks to reproduce with the female that will most likely be his genetic complement, and one that is healthy and capable of easily bearing his offspring. The human female is in prime childbearing state when she is between the ages of 16 and 28. So, to the male, the appearance of this youthfulness is a prime attraction. Indeed, the prime biological directive of the human male to reproduce as much as he can. That means sex, and lots of it. With the prettiest, youngest looking female that he can attract.

So, sex sells. And why not? If it appeals to your target customer, why not use it? And if a woman has the physical traits that make her attractive to men, why not use those to her advantage?

In one of the blog discussions about GTC, Say Uncle said, "Basically, Gentlemen’s Top Cuts is applying the Hooter’s concept to hair cuts. Men don’t go to Hooter’s for the overpriced beer and the crappy wings. They go to check out the women and watch the sports on HD TeeVee." That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. It's entertainment.

But I guess some women are offended at being considered "entertainment" ... even as they spend hundreds of dollars trying to make themselves attractive. Some women get it though, like Cathy. After Doug went and got all gussied up at GTC, she says, "Doug did not go someplace sleazy. He did not objectify women. He did not cheat on me in body or mind. He hung out with people who have similar interests. He got pampered. He acted silly and had fun. Yay for Doug. He deserves it."

The so-called feminists have done more to screw up the ability of men and women to get along and enjoy each other for what we are than anything else they have done. At the same time as they campaigned for the right of women to enjoy their own sexuality, they also degraded that same sexuality by inferring that any male appreciation of it was making them a sex object. That is what I don't get. They want to be sexy, but they don't want men to notice it?

Men are wonderful beings, and their appreciation of women and all that we have to offer is one of their more endearing qualities. There is nothing wrong with appealing to men in that fashion at all. At least not to women with a healthy self-esteem.

Maybe one of these days, I will write about what exactly it is that women want ... it seems to be a common and perplexing question. Maybe it should stay that way ...

(FYI ... it appears that an "Uncle-lanche" is three times better than an "Insta-lanche" - Welcome Uncle readers! While you're here, mark your calendars for the next Blogfest, next Saturday, April 12 at 6:00 at Wild Wings Cafe in Farragut ... more here! And stayed tuned here for an announcement of a special guest that may make an appearance at BlogFest!)

Friday, April 04, 2008

How Rude!

I would think that a politician running for office would be gracious enough to accept the good luck wishes of their constituents. But some are sadly lacking in the most basic of social graces ... and maturity, and intelligence.

Stacey Campfield, (R-Knoxville, TN) has made formal his intention to run for re-election to the state House of Representatives in District 18. He blogged about this fact at his site, and so I dropped by last night and left a comment wishing him luck. I checked back this morning and see that not only did he delete that comment, but banned me again ... and I didn't even use any "vulgar language" or words like "asinine"! I'm sure he'd rather not be reminded of how he made an ass of himself here. But I don't think that's the worst of his re-election problems ... his record stands for itself, and is nothing more than a pile of failed bills, mostly controversial and useless at best, a waste of taxpayer funds at worst. I will be a resident of his district at least until the August primaries, I am greatly looking forward to pulling the lever next to someone else's name ... anyone else!

Stacey Campfield is an embarrassment to the state of Tennessee, and he needs to go.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

What I do instead of studying

I am supposed to be studying ... writing a research paper for my American Government class. I have been distracted by YouTube once again. It's a sickness, I tell you! I watch one after another and on and on ...

But this one is just too cute ... I loves me some Muppets!



Are you tapping your toes yet?

I’m Worth More than I Thought!

This seems an appropriate post topic for the day ...





Go on ... give it a try and see what you're worth!


(via ... who's worth only $1148 ... Heh!)

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Fairy Tales Sometimes Do Come True

Congratulations to AtomicTumor and his lovely bride!

Yesterday, they joined together as man and wife. Ever creative and daring, the theme of the wedding was the Roaring 20s, complete with a band that keeps with the style themselves, Christabel and the Jons. It looks like it was a grand celebration and a good time was had by all.

A little over a year ago, AT and his kids' lives were turned upside down by the sudden and unexpected illness and death of the beloved BJ, a heart-wrenching story that was shared with the blogging community at the AtomicTumor site. I have known AT for several years, having worked at the same place, not once, not twice, but three times (yes, it is a small world!) and I got to meet BJ a few times as well. To say that I am deleriously happy for him that he has been able to recover from that horrific tragedy is a vast understatement. I know BJ is smiling in Heaven too.

You go, Dude. You deserve this happiness!

I Survived Another Rite of Passage

I have joined legions of parents that have gone before me - and survived to tell about it - as they helped their offspring take their first halting steps towards independence. Today, I taught my child how to drive a car.

The nervous tic under my left eye has slowed to less than once a minute now. My pulse and blood pressure are back down to near normal ranges, and I have stopped reverting to the nervous passenger posture ... hands in a death grip on the seat and door handle, with the body rigidly pressing back against the seat while the right foot stomps on the floor. I do still have occasional shock waves of nervous anxiety sweep over me ... PTSD? My dinner may eventually digest ... barbecue probably wasn't the best choice for a nervous tummy.

Bubba Dude has finally gotten his learner's permit and is learning to drive. My other two kids learned from their father, so this is my first adventure in driving lessons. We delayed his driving mostly because of his issues with bipolar disorder. And even then, my budget would not have allowed for insurance for a teenage boy back then. Or now, even. But he is old enough now that my insurance company will allow me to exclude him from my policy and he can get his own ... when he gets a job, and a car. My folks are going to help him out there too, with the same deal they made with Ms Thang, lending him the money and being paid back over time.

He did really well for it being his first time. He did have a tendency to go a little faster than he should, but that it partly due to my car ... it likes to go a bit faster than you intend. He still needs experience and practice in judging how to turn corners and come to a stop at a particular spot. He also drifts to the right a lot. At one point, he nearly wiped out a mailbox on a narrow road. Whenever I mentioned that he was going a bit too fast, he would over-compensate and then go too slow. We annoyed several people in West Knoxville today that got stuck behind us. Maybe scared a couple too. Oh well.

But I dread the notion that he will need many more driving lessons before he will be ready to be fully licensed. I wonder if this is reason enough for a prescription for a good sedative?

Thank God in Heaven I don't have anymore kids!