......but is not overwhelmingly one sided.
I have mentioned here before, even as recently as a couple days ago, that I am very nervous about Obama possibly losing this election, despite the polls. I just think there are too many factors to consider besides his obvious popularity, and current standing.
Well, I just read an article, on a very conservative website called REDSTATE no less, that summed up a few of my fears.
Disclaimer: I do not agree with everything this guy says....but I will have to admit that he is confirming a lot of the thoughts that have been swelling around in my head.
So, here's the link ......
http://www.redstate.com/diaries/dan_perrin/2008/oct/28/the-seven-reasons-mccain-palin-are-a-lock-to/
I want this article to proven crazy. And shown to be just a bunch of conspiracy theories. Here's hopin'.
And for the love of all that is right and just in this world.... SHOW UP ON TUESDAY AND VOTE! FOR OBAMA! PLEASE!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
New Orleans Charity Event: By the Numbers
O.K. So I am in New Orleans for work this week. And this is a different kind of program.
Although it is a national conference for a client, they have taken on this enormous charity project where, by the end of the week, all 10,000 attendees will each have done 5 hours of community service here....painting flood damaged houses, landscaping yards and clearing and building neighborhood parks. It really is an undertaking. And something that I hope other companies start doing also. I love when they combine charity work into their meetings.
Well, our job here is logistical. Some duties: lunches, water, and snacks for staff. Busing everyone to the work sites. Organizing the police to close the streets where we are working. Organizing tool deliveries and portapotties. Basically all aspects that need to be done to allow the volunteers to just show up and work.
The main reason I am talking about this is that we just finished day 2 of the event. And I have to admit....a lot of strange things have happen. Now, my job as an event planner has always been to put out fires, and deal with the unexpected, but the last couple days have surprised even me.
The American Airlines Magazine does this cool thing where they share trivia facts by giving you numbers, and then explaining them. I thought that would be a fun way to describe some of the happenings on this New Orleans charity project so far. Some are hilarious, some are scary, and some are just plain weird.
And remember...this is just in the first 2 days. I have 3 more days of this......Enjoy!
Number of Hotels in New Orleans required for the Conference: 32
Number of Hotel that have had a fire in them in the last 2 day: 2
Number of feet between police officers in the Gentilly Area work event: 25
Number of total police officers it took to close the streets around that 9 block area: over 50
Number of people mugged while working in that same very patrolled area: 2
Number of times I went the wrong way on a one way street to get to my assigned location in the rental car: 3
Number of those times that ended with me swerving up on someone's lawn and getting stuck there to avoid being hit: 1
Number of portapotties required for this event placed various spots around the city: 150
Number of those I had to clean myself because someone doesn't understand the concept of using the hole, and not the surrounding rim of the toilet when using the porta, and the people we pay to service them would not be there for another 45 min, and I had a line of people to use it: 1
The "Number" I had to clean up in aforementioned portapotty: 2
Number of times I used the phrase "My job really sucks right now" while cleaning that portapotty: 20
Number of EMT Vehicles on standby daily for the event: 5
Number on EMT calls so far in the first 2 days: 14
Number of those calls that involved someone freaking out after being bit by a caterpillar, and insisting we get the bite checked out: 1
Number of grown men riding by on a bike with colorful ribbons coming out the handlebars, a 22 oz can of beer in the water bottle holder on the bike, and a full grill of gold teeth that asked if he could have one of the boxed lunches we were distributing for the volunteers: 1
Number of times that same man had to trade in his box lunch for another because he didn't like the sandwich flavor: 3 (he rejected chicken; vegetarian, and roast beef - ended up with turkey)
Number of people said bike rider came back with 30 minutes later to ask if they could have lunches also: 4 ( we gave them lunches too...and they did not dispute sandwich type)
Number of volunteers that completely ignored me when I personally asked them to not enter the abandoned house, next door to the one we were working in, that looked sketchy (she said she just wanted to take pictures): 1
Number of volunteers that fell through the withered wood floor of a house they were not supposed to be in, and broke their ankle, 5 minutes later: 1 (Coincidence??? I think not.....)
And the best one so far......
Number of dead bodies found in the work sites: 1
(FYI: A lady died of a heart attack while putting out the garbage. A trash man found her the next morning just as our buses were dropping the volunteers off at the house next door.)
You can't make this crap up.
I am going to add to this list after the program is over.....stay tuned!
Although it is a national conference for a client, they have taken on this enormous charity project where, by the end of the week, all 10,000 attendees will each have done 5 hours of community service here....painting flood damaged houses, landscaping yards and clearing and building neighborhood parks. It really is an undertaking. And something that I hope other companies start doing also. I love when they combine charity work into their meetings.
Well, our job here is logistical. Some duties: lunches, water, and snacks for staff. Busing everyone to the work sites. Organizing the police to close the streets where we are working. Organizing tool deliveries and portapotties. Basically all aspects that need to be done to allow the volunteers to just show up and work.
The main reason I am talking about this is that we just finished day 2 of the event. And I have to admit....a lot of strange things have happen. Now, my job as an event planner has always been to put out fires, and deal with the unexpected, but the last couple days have surprised even me.
The American Airlines Magazine does this cool thing where they share trivia facts by giving you numbers, and then explaining them. I thought that would be a fun way to describe some of the happenings on this New Orleans charity project so far. Some are hilarious, some are scary, and some are just plain weird.
And remember...this is just in the first 2 days. I have 3 more days of this......Enjoy!
Number of Hotels in New Orleans required for the Conference: 32
Number of Hotel that have had a fire in them in the last 2 day: 2
Number of feet between police officers in the Gentilly Area work event: 25
Number of total police officers it took to close the streets around that 9 block area: over 50
Number of people mugged while working in that same very patrolled area: 2
Number of times I went the wrong way on a one way street to get to my assigned location in the rental car: 3
Number of those times that ended with me swerving up on someone's lawn and getting stuck there to avoid being hit: 1
Number of portapotties required for this event placed various spots around the city: 150
Number of those I had to clean myself because someone doesn't understand the concept of using the hole, and not the surrounding rim of the toilet when using the porta, and the people we pay to service them would not be there for another 45 min, and I had a line of people to use it: 1
The "Number" I had to clean up in aforementioned portapotty: 2
Number of times I used the phrase "My job really sucks right now" while cleaning that portapotty: 20
Number of EMT Vehicles on standby daily for the event: 5
Number on EMT calls so far in the first 2 days: 14
Number of those calls that involved someone freaking out after being bit by a caterpillar, and insisting we get the bite checked out: 1
Number of grown men riding by on a bike with colorful ribbons coming out the handlebars, a 22 oz can of beer in the water bottle holder on the bike, and a full grill of gold teeth that asked if he could have one of the boxed lunches we were distributing for the volunteers: 1
Number of times that same man had to trade in his box lunch for another because he didn't like the sandwich flavor: 3 (he rejected chicken; vegetarian, and roast beef - ended up with turkey)
Number of people said bike rider came back with 30 minutes later to ask if they could have lunches also: 4 ( we gave them lunches too...and they did not dispute sandwich type)
Number of volunteers that completely ignored me when I personally asked them to not enter the abandoned house, next door to the one we were working in, that looked sketchy (she said she just wanted to take pictures): 1
Number of volunteers that fell through the withered wood floor of a house they were not supposed to be in, and broke their ankle, 5 minutes later: 1 (Coincidence??? I think not.....)
And the best one so far......
Number of dead bodies found in the work sites: 1
(FYI: A lady died of a heart attack while putting out the garbage. A trash man found her the next morning just as our buses were dropping the volunteers off at the house next door.)
You can't make this crap up.
I am going to add to this list after the program is over.....stay tuned!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Democrats are Pissing Me Off!
There I said it.
I am completely over everyone saying this election is done, and that Obama is going to win, and he is going to win big. Clearly these are first time voters with this cocky sentiment.
Voters who don't remember the "Swift boating" of John Kerry in 2004. He was ahead in the poll with 10 days to go too. And that is when the Republican PR machine took off and managed to turn a decorated war hero into a Vietnam scapegoat.
Let's look at the reasons I think this is going to be a very, very close election. One where we will most likely not know the outcome to on election day. One where I am not completely convinced Obama is going to win......
1. The Bradley Effect.
No one wants to hear about it or talk about it. But its out there, and it makes me nervous. Google the concept if you are not familiar.
2. Past Voting Trends.
Another topic no one wants to admit to......
Unfortunately in this country, young people and minorities do not always seem to make it to the polls on election day. No matter how vocal they have been in the campaigns. Obama's supporters include a lot of young people and minorities.
3. Lines at Voter Spots.
I don't care how many new polling places, or new machines have been added, I fear its not going to be any different than four years ago. There will be multi hour long lines to vote, and you know that is going to dissuade a fair amount of people. Especially those who tend to vote in the evening. (I.E. Democrats)
4. The Silent Majority.
Unfortunately Nixon was right when he coined that phrase about 30 years ago. History does not always favor the candidate of radical change. I am still afraid that there are a lot of people who have not shown support for either candidate during this election. I am talking about more than just the "undecided" that the media seems to spotlight. I am talking about people who have kept quiet this entire election, and we have no idea what they are thinking.
So, I'm nervous. I want Obama to win so badly. I just feel like everyone is getting too confident. And if Obama loses, there will be a very loud thud when this all falls apart. I want this to be a warning. It is far from over. There is still time to volunteer. There are still doors to be knocked on, and signs to be placed. And most importantly, show up on Nov. 4th. Wait in those long lines. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't vote, or are not eligible. Or that the polls are closed. As long as you arrive by 7:00PM....no matter how long the line is.....You can still vote!
I would hate to think that Sen. Obama came as far as he did; had so many people gather around him at rallies; wrote so many speeches that moved me to tears; introduced so many new ideas; and brought such a new hope to this sagging American spirit....just to lose in the bottom of the 9th.
Believe. Act. Vote.
(I know, such a trite phrase, but I saw it on a Pro-Obama blog, and it made me laugh. Had to use it!)
I am completely over everyone saying this election is done, and that Obama is going to win, and he is going to win big. Clearly these are first time voters with this cocky sentiment.
Voters who don't remember the "Swift boating" of John Kerry in 2004. He was ahead in the poll with 10 days to go too. And that is when the Republican PR machine took off and managed to turn a decorated war hero into a Vietnam scapegoat.
Let's look at the reasons I think this is going to be a very, very close election. One where we will most likely not know the outcome to on election day. One where I am not completely convinced Obama is going to win......
1. The Bradley Effect.
No one wants to hear about it or talk about it. But its out there, and it makes me nervous. Google the concept if you are not familiar.
2. Past Voting Trends.
Another topic no one wants to admit to......
Unfortunately in this country, young people and minorities do not always seem to make it to the polls on election day. No matter how vocal they have been in the campaigns. Obama's supporters include a lot of young people and minorities.
3. Lines at Voter Spots.
I don't care how many new polling places, or new machines have been added, I fear its not going to be any different than four years ago. There will be multi hour long lines to vote, and you know that is going to dissuade a fair amount of people. Especially those who tend to vote in the evening. (I.E. Democrats)
4. The Silent Majority.
Unfortunately Nixon was right when he coined that phrase about 30 years ago. History does not always favor the candidate of radical change. I am still afraid that there are a lot of people who have not shown support for either candidate during this election. I am talking about more than just the "undecided" that the media seems to spotlight. I am talking about people who have kept quiet this entire election, and we have no idea what they are thinking.
So, I'm nervous. I want Obama to win so badly. I just feel like everyone is getting too confident. And if Obama loses, there will be a very loud thud when this all falls apart. I want this to be a warning. It is far from over. There is still time to volunteer. There are still doors to be knocked on, and signs to be placed. And most importantly, show up on Nov. 4th. Wait in those long lines. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't vote, or are not eligible. Or that the polls are closed. As long as you arrive by 7:00PM....no matter how long the line is.....You can still vote!
I would hate to think that Sen. Obama came as far as he did; had so many people gather around him at rallies; wrote so many speeches that moved me to tears; introduced so many new ideas; and brought such a new hope to this sagging American spirit....just to lose in the bottom of the 9th.
Believe. Act. Vote.
(I know, such a trite phrase, but I saw it on a Pro-Obama blog, and it made me laugh. Had to use it!)
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Last (WooHoo) Debate
I don't think I would be doing my thoughts justice if I did not comment on Senator John McCain.
I have to say that I am saddened by what this man has been reduced to. Now, I don't want you to assume that this is going to be a bash on him, because I don't mean it to be. It just makes me angry at him, and his people, to see what he has transformed himself to be in an attempt to win this election.
And last night was the ultimate example of that.
I don't hate McCain. I never did. I said from the beginning of the primary season that I didn't have a problem with him as our president. I liked Hilary and Obama better, but I didn't feel that overwhelming fear and loathing that I had for Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, or even Fred Thompson. In other words, I liked him for a Republican.
Where I made my mistake was that the McCain I liked, was apparently the McCain of a few years ago. The one that the Republican party didn't want to have anything to do with. The one who both Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter said would make them vote for Hilary.
McCain of a few years ago may not have been full on ProChoice. But he was not in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. He was definitely not that guy who accuses others of being "pro-abortion" and talks about stacking the Supreme Court with super conservative justices. Or panders to religious zealots by spewing on about Life, and the gift of Life from God.
McCain of a few years ago may not have been fully behind Gay Marriage. But he was for basic gay rights, and opposed a constitutional amendment stating that marriage was between a women and a man. He was not this bigoted, judgemental ass who wants to protect marriage, and sees the possibility of gay marriage as a breakdown of moral fibers in our country.
McCain of a few years ago was a respected and decorated war hero. He was an expert on Military affairs, who had bravely served our country and deserved our admiration. He was not this blubbery, crotchety old man who takes cheap shots at his opponents about issues and associations that he KNOWS to not be factual. He would not have rolled his eyes, and show such disdain for an opponent that except for a few issues, he used to hold the same positions on.
McCain of a few years ago would have picked a running mate that matched his level of intelligence, and could have appealed to the large number of Republicans in this country who are tired of their party being associated with radical right wing religious politics, like he used to be. A running mate who wanted to get back to the Reagan years of less government. He would have never picked an ignorant, super conservative christian creationist with basically no experience, and a resume of sketchy politics. Who is only around to blatantly try to steal the affections of disillusioned women voters and the fired up Christian zealots who are clinging to the idea that Muslims and anyone who doesn't think exactly like them are the enemy.
So I think it is sad. A once great and respectable man had to change himself so much. Present McCain is not even a shell of past McCain anymore. I was thinking that there was still a little of the old school Maverick around, and that if he did get elected, that he would revert back to his old likable self again. But after that trainwreck of a debate last night, all my hopes of that are over. He really is just a war mongering puppet of the extreme Christian right.
Even Obama knows that he is not what he used to be. I felt that when Obama made the comment about the fans at McCain Palin speeches who shout "Kill Him" about Barack and other death threats. And all New McCain could respond with was that he supports the people at his rallies.
Well, Senator McCain....I hope the transformation was worth it. Risking your reputation, and sacrificing your beliefs during the first 30 years of political service to be possibly elected president by the people you used to call extremists.
And if you lose, you will not go down in history as the war hero, and acclaimed Senator that you would have deserved. You will be the failed presidential candidate whose name will always be associated with Gov Palin, who we know, will not get out of Alaska. You will be remembered for comparing your opponent to Britney Spears, rolling your eyes with disgust at the debates, and calling another respected Senator, soon to be president "That One." And the sad part is that with your age, and health issues, you don't have a lot of time to make up for this.
So, congratulations on selling your soul to the devil. I hope it was worth it.
I have to say that I am saddened by what this man has been reduced to. Now, I don't want you to assume that this is going to be a bash on him, because I don't mean it to be. It just makes me angry at him, and his people, to see what he has transformed himself to be in an attempt to win this election.
And last night was the ultimate example of that.
I don't hate McCain. I never did. I said from the beginning of the primary season that I didn't have a problem with him as our president. I liked Hilary and Obama better, but I didn't feel that overwhelming fear and loathing that I had for Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, or even Fred Thompson. In other words, I liked him for a Republican.
Where I made my mistake was that the McCain I liked, was apparently the McCain of a few years ago. The one that the Republican party didn't want to have anything to do with. The one who both Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter said would make them vote for Hilary.
McCain of a few years ago may not have been full on ProChoice. But he was not in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. He was definitely not that guy who accuses others of being "pro-abortion" and talks about stacking the Supreme Court with super conservative justices. Or panders to religious zealots by spewing on about Life, and the gift of Life from God.
McCain of a few years ago may not have been fully behind Gay Marriage. But he was for basic gay rights, and opposed a constitutional amendment stating that marriage was between a women and a man. He was not this bigoted, judgemental ass who wants to protect marriage, and sees the possibility of gay marriage as a breakdown of moral fibers in our country.
McCain of a few years ago was a respected and decorated war hero. He was an expert on Military affairs, who had bravely served our country and deserved our admiration. He was not this blubbery, crotchety old man who takes cheap shots at his opponents about issues and associations that he KNOWS to not be factual. He would not have rolled his eyes, and show such disdain for an opponent that except for a few issues, he used to hold the same positions on.
McCain of a few years ago would have picked a running mate that matched his level of intelligence, and could have appealed to the large number of Republicans in this country who are tired of their party being associated with radical right wing religious politics, like he used to be. A running mate who wanted to get back to the Reagan years of less government. He would have never picked an ignorant, super conservative christian creationist with basically no experience, and a resume of sketchy politics. Who is only around to blatantly try to steal the affections of disillusioned women voters and the fired up Christian zealots who are clinging to the idea that Muslims and anyone who doesn't think exactly like them are the enemy.
So I think it is sad. A once great and respectable man had to change himself so much. Present McCain is not even a shell of past McCain anymore. I was thinking that there was still a little of the old school Maverick around, and that if he did get elected, that he would revert back to his old likable self again. But after that trainwreck of a debate last night, all my hopes of that are over. He really is just a war mongering puppet of the extreme Christian right.
Even Obama knows that he is not what he used to be. I felt that when Obama made the comment about the fans at McCain Palin speeches who shout "Kill Him" about Barack and other death threats. And all New McCain could respond with was that he supports the people at his rallies.
Well, Senator McCain....I hope the transformation was worth it. Risking your reputation, and sacrificing your beliefs during the first 30 years of political service to be possibly elected president by the people you used to call extremists.
And if you lose, you will not go down in history as the war hero, and acclaimed Senator that you would have deserved. You will be the failed presidential candidate whose name will always be associated with Gov Palin, who we know, will not get out of Alaska. You will be remembered for comparing your opponent to Britney Spears, rolling your eyes with disgust at the debates, and calling another respected Senator, soon to be president "That One." And the sad part is that with your age, and health issues, you don't have a lot of time to make up for this.
So, congratulations on selling your soul to the devil. I hope it was worth it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Random Quote of the Day
"Instead of 'Stalker', I prefer 'Professional Crazed Fan'."
-Jack from Will & Grace
-Jack from Will & Grace
Monday, October 13, 2008
Yeah...It Sucked.
There is my answer to everyone who wants to know from me, my thoughts on the big Missouri lost over the weekend....
It sucked really bad. And Chase did not look good. At all. They should now call him Chase Away. Because that is what he did to all his (and our) Heisman hopes.
Even the beer I tried to drink after the game tasted like defeat.
The interesting part is the many things that happen that brought me to be in Columbia, in pretty good seats, for this depressing game.
Here's the quick version of the story in bullet point fashion:
(It's going to seem like some of these points are way off topic, but it will all come together in the end. Promise.)
* I had tickets to the New Kids on the Block concert in Chicago.
* I thought the concert was on October 11th, which is the weekend I asked off for work.
*Originally, work forgot about my vacation time request, and scheduled me on a program.
*I fought for it, and eventually was granted the weekend of October 11th off.
*Around the end of September, I realize that the NKOTB concert is actually on October 4th.
* I am unable to go because of work, but still have the weekend of October 11th off, and I am looking forward to doing nothing that weekend.
* I get invited to a day at the Missouri wineries with a friend and his friends. I accept and plan on going.
* Around Wednesday of last week, I realize that this is the only weekend I will have to possibly see a Mizzou game in Columbia all season. I also realize that if I am at the Missouri wineries on Saturday, I will be less than an hour away, and it is a night game. Furthermore, I find out I know oodles of people who are going to the game and have tailgates planned.
* I decide I want to do both wineries and Mizzou game. However, the game is completely sold out and no one I know has extra tickets. I also think that since it is so last minute, no one is going to want to drive with me to the wineries and then Columbia to try to scalp tickets when we get there.
*On Friday, I find out that Tiffani also wanted to go to the game, but would only go if we had tickets for sure. She had also agreed to pick me up at the wineries on her way to Columbia, and we could ride the rest of the way to the game together. We scour Ebay; Craigs List; etc. to try and find any tickets at a reasonable price.
*By late Friday night, we could not find any tickets, and it looked like I was back to Plan A of driving myself, and hoping to scalp one ticket, and most likely sitting myself at the game.
*Miraculously Saturday morning, Tiffani finds a guy selling 2 tickets for a good price, but we have to meet him in Columbia to buy them. She agrees to go. I am psyched.
*I make the determination that since I did not get my act together early enough, I really don't have time to go to the wineries. Plus, the whole stress of how we are going to organize Tiffani picking me up was getting very confusing. I call my friend and tell him I am out on the winery and owe him a day of wine drinking.
*Tiffani and I leave for Columbia with the intent of finding two different groups of tailgaters, and then possibly meeting another couple of friends at Harpo's before the game.
*We get to Columbia, and amazingly, everything seemed very easy. We found a free place in park in a garage very quickly.
* We had a little problem connecting with the guy selling the tickets, because he was on a bike riding around campus. We couldn't seem to figure out where each other was. Then, very coincidentally, I see this dude riding his bike right down the street in front of us, think it must be him, and we end up with good tix on about the 30 yards line, only 33 rows up.
*Then we start looking for the 2 tailgates, and we basically fell into the first one, and then found the second one in about 2 minutes.
*The friends we were supposed to met at Harpo's, ended up being very close to us when walking into the tunnel to the stadium. So, we entered the game having seem almost all the people we wanted to, and, also being able to sneak all my mini bottles of alcohol in!
*So there we were. Everything had fallen into place, with the fact that we were even there, the tickets, the ride, finding everyone. Now we were in Columbia with the Tigers boosting a 5-0 record, and 3rd place ranking. We were among 68,000 screaming Mizzou fans dressed in Gold and black, all very hopeful. It was AWESOME! Then the game began........
* And it was all downhill from there.
*Not going to rehash the details, but it was nerve raking, and disappointing, and then inspiring for like 2 minutes, and back to nerve racking.
*Then when the game was over, it took us almost 2 hours to get out of the parking lot. A fitting end to a sad, sad game.
*The aforementioned beer, that tasted like defeat, was a 22 oz. can purchased at the gas station on the way home. So depressing. Yet so necessary after the carnage that I had just witnessed.
So, the question I have been pondering (and stressing myself out about) since Saturday night is ...
....Did I jinx the Tigers? Was I fated to see this losing game? Let's look at the evidence....
Afterall, I had written that crazy self serving blog a week before, about how awesome we were and everything (see 2 blogs back). I tried to make it clear that I was still going to be a fan, win or lose, but let's be honest.....I didn't really think we were going to lose.
And it did seem that despite all the roadblocks, I was able to make it to the game with little drama. Was it too easy? Did I think fate was on my side for working everything out and actually being in Columbia? Was I too cocky debating all week whether I wanted Oklahoma or Texas to win...very stressed about who I wanted to be the victor of that matchup, and how it would affect Mizzou. I never even stopped to consider the chance that Mizzou might actually lose.
Well, its done. We lost a game. We will not be undefeated. And unless everyone else loses too, we will not be in a National Championship game. Yeah, it sucks.
One of the blogs I read make a very good point about this game, and why we MU fans are all so depressed.
We lost a game we were supposed to win.
And that has not happen in over two years.
Now, we have won games we were supposed to lose. We have lost games we were supposed to lose. But, we had not lost a game we were supposed to win. And that is why it is so painful. It was unexpected.
So, time to move on. We have a big game against Texas in Texas to win this week. And we are not favored to. And I remember a certain game in Texas my freshman year at Mizzou where Texas beat us 73-0 that I would like to take revenge for. I want to kill the Longhorns on their own turf. I want us to play like the team I know we can be. I can't wait for my Tigers to shine again!
So, I will end this with the same way I ended my last blog on Missouri Tiger football, That blog was a lot more hopeful and confident than this one, but this one phrase still rings very true for me.....
Missouri Tiger Football.
That's MY team, and win or lose, it always will be.
It sucked really bad. And Chase did not look good. At all. They should now call him Chase Away. Because that is what he did to all his (and our) Heisman hopes.
Even the beer I tried to drink after the game tasted like defeat.
The interesting part is the many things that happen that brought me to be in Columbia, in pretty good seats, for this depressing game.
Here's the quick version of the story in bullet point fashion:
(It's going to seem like some of these points are way off topic, but it will all come together in the end. Promise.)
* I had tickets to the New Kids on the Block concert in Chicago.
* I thought the concert was on October 11th, which is the weekend I asked off for work.
*Originally, work forgot about my vacation time request, and scheduled me on a program.
*I fought for it, and eventually was granted the weekend of October 11th off.
*Around the end of September, I realize that the NKOTB concert is actually on October 4th.
* I am unable to go because of work, but still have the weekend of October 11th off, and I am looking forward to doing nothing that weekend.
* I get invited to a day at the Missouri wineries with a friend and his friends. I accept and plan on going.
* Around Wednesday of last week, I realize that this is the only weekend I will have to possibly see a Mizzou game in Columbia all season. I also realize that if I am at the Missouri wineries on Saturday, I will be less than an hour away, and it is a night game. Furthermore, I find out I know oodles of people who are going to the game and have tailgates planned.
* I decide I want to do both wineries and Mizzou game. However, the game is completely sold out and no one I know has extra tickets. I also think that since it is so last minute, no one is going to want to drive with me to the wineries and then Columbia to try to scalp tickets when we get there.
*On Friday, I find out that Tiffani also wanted to go to the game, but would only go if we had tickets for sure. She had also agreed to pick me up at the wineries on her way to Columbia, and we could ride the rest of the way to the game together. We scour Ebay; Craigs List; etc. to try and find any tickets at a reasonable price.
*By late Friday night, we could not find any tickets, and it looked like I was back to Plan A of driving myself, and hoping to scalp one ticket, and most likely sitting myself at the game.
*Miraculously Saturday morning, Tiffani finds a guy selling 2 tickets for a good price, but we have to meet him in Columbia to buy them. She agrees to go. I am psyched.
*I make the determination that since I did not get my act together early enough, I really don't have time to go to the wineries. Plus, the whole stress of how we are going to organize Tiffani picking me up was getting very confusing. I call my friend and tell him I am out on the winery and owe him a day of wine drinking.
*Tiffani and I leave for Columbia with the intent of finding two different groups of tailgaters, and then possibly meeting another couple of friends at Harpo's before the game.
*We get to Columbia, and amazingly, everything seemed very easy. We found a free place in park in a garage very quickly.
* We had a little problem connecting with the guy selling the tickets, because he was on a bike riding around campus. We couldn't seem to figure out where each other was. Then, very coincidentally, I see this dude riding his bike right down the street in front of us, think it must be him, and we end up with good tix on about the 30 yards line, only 33 rows up.
*Then we start looking for the 2 tailgates, and we basically fell into the first one, and then found the second one in about 2 minutes.
*The friends we were supposed to met at Harpo's, ended up being very close to us when walking into the tunnel to the stadium. So, we entered the game having seem almost all the people we wanted to, and, also being able to sneak all my mini bottles of alcohol in!
*So there we were. Everything had fallen into place, with the fact that we were even there, the tickets, the ride, finding everyone. Now we were in Columbia with the Tigers boosting a 5-0 record, and 3rd place ranking. We were among 68,000 screaming Mizzou fans dressed in Gold and black, all very hopeful. It was AWESOME! Then the game began........
* And it was all downhill from there.
*Not going to rehash the details, but it was nerve raking, and disappointing, and then inspiring for like 2 minutes, and back to nerve racking.
*Then when the game was over, it took us almost 2 hours to get out of the parking lot. A fitting end to a sad, sad game.
*The aforementioned beer, that tasted like defeat, was a 22 oz. can purchased at the gas station on the way home. So depressing. Yet so necessary after the carnage that I had just witnessed.
So, the question I have been pondering (and stressing myself out about) since Saturday night is ...
....Did I jinx the Tigers? Was I fated to see this losing game? Let's look at the evidence....
Afterall, I had written that crazy self serving blog a week before, about how awesome we were and everything (see 2 blogs back). I tried to make it clear that I was still going to be a fan, win or lose, but let's be honest.....I didn't really think we were going to lose.
And it did seem that despite all the roadblocks, I was able to make it to the game with little drama. Was it too easy? Did I think fate was on my side for working everything out and actually being in Columbia? Was I too cocky debating all week whether I wanted Oklahoma or Texas to win...very stressed about who I wanted to be the victor of that matchup, and how it would affect Mizzou. I never even stopped to consider the chance that Mizzou might actually lose.
Well, its done. We lost a game. We will not be undefeated. And unless everyone else loses too, we will not be in a National Championship game. Yeah, it sucks.
One of the blogs I read make a very good point about this game, and why we MU fans are all so depressed.
We lost a game we were supposed to win.
And that has not happen in over two years.
Now, we have won games we were supposed to lose. We have lost games we were supposed to lose. But, we had not lost a game we were supposed to win. And that is why it is so painful. It was unexpected.
So, time to move on. We have a big game against Texas in Texas to win this week. And we are not favored to. And I remember a certain game in Texas my freshman year at Mizzou where Texas beat us 73-0 that I would like to take revenge for. I want to kill the Longhorns on their own turf. I want us to play like the team I know we can be. I can't wait for my Tigers to shine again!
So, I will end this with the same way I ended my last blog on Missouri Tiger football, That blog was a lot more hopeful and confident than this one, but this one phrase still rings very true for me.....
Missouri Tiger Football.
That's MY team, and win or lose, it always will be.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Quote (with Hidden Message) of the Day.....
.....Goes to Tina Fey. She is talking about how she feels about her very popular SNL portrayal of Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.
"I want to be done playing this lady Nov. 5. So, if anybody can help me be done playing this lady Nov. 5, that would be good for me."
Waxing Philosophical on Mizzou Football
My Missouri Tigers destroyed the Nebraska Cornhuskers 52-17 on Saturday. Nebraska is a team that we have had a constant struggle against for basically my entire lifetime. The last time before last weekend that we beat Nebraska in Nebraska was 1978.
In fact, I was watching the game from the sportsbook of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, and when the game was over, a very overserved fellow Mizzou fan we met came back over to our table to show us his drivers license, and birthdate of 1979. He was all excited yelling out "Look....I wasn't even born yet the last time we won in Nebraska!"
My least favorite (and interestingly most favorite at the same time) Nebraska memory actually came in the late fall of 1997. Nebraska was ranked 3rd or 4th I think, and we were playing them in Columbia. It was an amazing game....especially since MU was halfway decent. But still, as per usual, no one expected us to actually give Nebraska a challenge.
Well, we held with them the entire game, only to lose in double overtime. The game should not have even gone into overtime in the first place because some crazy Nebraska guy kicked the ball while he had been sacked, and miraculously it was caught in the endzone to tie it up. I still don't understand how the refs allowed the play. The depressing part was that the Mizzou fans thought the game was over, we had won, and prematurely stormed the field!
Personal side story: I was actually in New Orleans for that game for vaca, and we went to a crazy little sports bar in the French Quarter to watch it. It is amazing what ended up happening. At the beginning, I was the only MU lover in the place. And the bar only had one small TV in the corner playing the game. The place was full of LSU fans. But as the game went on, and got more and more interesting, the whole bar started to root for Mizzou. And one by one, every TV in the place got switched to the MU / Nebraska game. This was mainly because the LSU game was over, and it was better for LSU if Nebraska lost. But whatever the reason, it was a blast to be out of town, and still have people cheering for your team. A trademark phrase of mine was born that day.....
"That's MY team!"
I was so thrilled that we had a chance of winning, that everytime the Tigers scored, or did anything right for that matter, I felt the need to shout out "That's MY team." Basically to inform all the LSU fans that I was a true MU Tiger supporter, and not just wanting the other team to lose. It seemed that the more overserved I got, the louder and more often I yelled out the phrase. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I may or may not have even jumped up on the bar and shouted it to all those cheering below me! For those of you reading, that recall me yelling the phrase at other MU games, now you know the origin.
O.K. , back to what provoked this blog on my relationship with Mizzou football. A friend of mine made a comment to me today about my excitement on our most recent game. It was a mocking comment. That friend (and you know who you are), tried to belittle our big Nebraska win by pointing out how bad all the Nebraska matchups have been in the past, and basically insinuately that dispite this particular game, our 1-30 record against the Huskers means Missouri football is not for real.
Even ignoring the misrepresentation of the actual record (its 5-28 since 1978), I got a little fired up, especially on a personal level. I know we have been bad in the past. It's not a secret. I'm not a bandwagon fan. I've been around awhile. In fact, I have a great quote that sums up my feelings on the last 15 years of following and routing for Mizzou football....
"Mourn the losses, for they are many. But celebrate the victories, for they are few."
After many, many years of mourning losses, now there are victories to celebrate. And celebrate them I will. I've earned it. All true Mizzou fans have. I stayed a fan though countless losing seasons. This is my time to celebrate my football team.
More about the comment (I can't seem to shake it) or what the comment represented......
My issue, on a broader scale, is the realization that it seems some are not taking Missouri football seriously. We may not have a tradition of being ranked or even having consistent winning seasons, but that doesn't diminish the Tigers accomplishments this season (or last season, for that matter). Mizzou is #3 in the country. We have the #1 offense in the country, and a very serious Heisman contender quarterback. We have yet to score less than 42 points in a game. We have already beat one ranked team this year. And we just turned the Cornhuskers into creamed corn in their house. We have proven ourselves worthy of our ranking and our hype.
I am reveling in the success of the Tigers. And I am enjoying the benefits that come with having a winning football team....the school has record alumni donations; the games are nationally televised instead of random regional coverage; and Faurot Field is packed with fans drowning in Tiger colors. I am also dealing with the sucky parts of having a winning team. For example, how hard it is, all of a sudden, to get tickets to the games we have always gone to.
Maybe 5 or 10 or 15 years from now, if we are again a second rate, unranked team who everyone laughs at, so be it. Hell, it could even happen next year.....and (knock on wood) this season is far from over. But you know what....even if and when it all falls apart, I will still be wearing the black and gold on game day. I will still try to make it to Columbia at least once a season. I will still get excited for the border war with KU. Plus, I predict, I will probably be boring everyone with stories about the glory days in 2008. Because.....
That's MY team.
And win or lose, it always will be.
In fact, I was watching the game from the sportsbook of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, and when the game was over, a very overserved fellow Mizzou fan we met came back over to our table to show us his drivers license, and birthdate of 1979. He was all excited yelling out "Look....I wasn't even born yet the last time we won in Nebraska!"
My least favorite (and interestingly most favorite at the same time) Nebraska memory actually came in the late fall of 1997. Nebraska was ranked 3rd or 4th I think, and we were playing them in Columbia. It was an amazing game....especially since MU was halfway decent. But still, as per usual, no one expected us to actually give Nebraska a challenge.
Well, we held with them the entire game, only to lose in double overtime. The game should not have even gone into overtime in the first place because some crazy Nebraska guy kicked the ball while he had been sacked, and miraculously it was caught in the endzone to tie it up. I still don't understand how the refs allowed the play. The depressing part was that the Mizzou fans thought the game was over, we had won, and prematurely stormed the field!
Personal side story: I was actually in New Orleans for that game for vaca, and we went to a crazy little sports bar in the French Quarter to watch it. It is amazing what ended up happening. At the beginning, I was the only MU lover in the place. And the bar only had one small TV in the corner playing the game. The place was full of LSU fans. But as the game went on, and got more and more interesting, the whole bar started to root for Mizzou. And one by one, every TV in the place got switched to the MU / Nebraska game. This was mainly because the LSU game was over, and it was better for LSU if Nebraska lost. But whatever the reason, it was a blast to be out of town, and still have people cheering for your team. A trademark phrase of mine was born that day.....
"That's MY team!"
I was so thrilled that we had a chance of winning, that everytime the Tigers scored, or did anything right for that matter, I felt the need to shout out "That's MY team." Basically to inform all the LSU fans that I was a true MU Tiger supporter, and not just wanting the other team to lose. It seemed that the more overserved I got, the louder and more often I yelled out the phrase. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I may or may not have even jumped up on the bar and shouted it to all those cheering below me! For those of you reading, that recall me yelling the phrase at other MU games, now you know the origin.
O.K. , back to what provoked this blog on my relationship with Mizzou football. A friend of mine made a comment to me today about my excitement on our most recent game. It was a mocking comment. That friend (and you know who you are), tried to belittle our big Nebraska win by pointing out how bad all the Nebraska matchups have been in the past, and basically insinuately that dispite this particular game, our 1-30 record against the Huskers means Missouri football is not for real.
Even ignoring the misrepresentation of the actual record (its 5-28 since 1978), I got a little fired up, especially on a personal level. I know we have been bad in the past. It's not a secret. I'm not a bandwagon fan. I've been around awhile. In fact, I have a great quote that sums up my feelings on the last 15 years of following and routing for Mizzou football....
"Mourn the losses, for they are many. But celebrate the victories, for they are few."
After many, many years of mourning losses, now there are victories to celebrate. And celebrate them I will. I've earned it. All true Mizzou fans have. I stayed a fan though countless losing seasons. This is my time to celebrate my football team.
More about the comment (I can't seem to shake it) or what the comment represented......
My issue, on a broader scale, is the realization that it seems some are not taking Missouri football seriously. We may not have a tradition of being ranked or even having consistent winning seasons, but that doesn't diminish the Tigers accomplishments this season (or last season, for that matter). Mizzou is #3 in the country. We have the #1 offense in the country, and a very serious Heisman contender quarterback. We have yet to score less than 42 points in a game. We have already beat one ranked team this year. And we just turned the Cornhuskers into creamed corn in their house. We have proven ourselves worthy of our ranking and our hype.
I am reveling in the success of the Tigers. And I am enjoying the benefits that come with having a winning football team....the school has record alumni donations; the games are nationally televised instead of random regional coverage; and Faurot Field is packed with fans drowning in Tiger colors. I am also dealing with the sucky parts of having a winning team. For example, how hard it is, all of a sudden, to get tickets to the games we have always gone to.
Maybe 5 or 10 or 15 years from now, if we are again a second rate, unranked team who everyone laughs at, so be it. Hell, it could even happen next year.....and (knock on wood) this season is far from over. But you know what....even if and when it all falls apart, I will still be wearing the black and gold on game day. I will still try to make it to Columbia at least once a season. I will still get excited for the border war with KU. Plus, I predict, I will probably be boring everyone with stories about the glory days in 2008. Because.....
That's MY team.
And win or lose, it always will be.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Well, it's Done.
The House just passed the $700 billion bailout bill......
And, in my view, we are now officially a socialist country.
Now, I know we were never a true capitalist ecomomy. I get that. But if we were ever close to one, we would ride out the bear markets, just like we revel in the bull markets. Not try to keep the recessions from naturally happening. Its all part of the system.
What have we learned?
In the future, we should continue to let financial institutions operate almost completely unchecked from the government. They should still be able to make profits for themselves for years. But, as soon as they manage to run themselves into the ground, like many did, good old Uncle Sam will be there to give them money we don't have, and pick up the pieces. Why?
Because we are so scared of the alternative. And what is the alternative....and I don't mean what all the politicians are saying it is and scaring everyone into hastily and foolishly acting.
The alternative is....
No one has any f'ing clue.
I have no idea what would happen if we didn't pass this bailout. However, I know what more ridiculous borrowing is going to do to our future.
And the question I have had since this whole bailout talk started...what is the damn hurry? Why do we have to rush this thing through so fast? Why don't we take a step back, make sure we fully understand the consequences, and what is happening. I think that is the biggest reason I am against the passing at the bill. Even more than the borrowing thing (see next paragraph). I want to know why we have to rush to make such drastic and expensive decisions.
So what to do now.....let's all start learning Mandarin Chinese. It's where we are getting the money from, and where we will be probably indebted for the rest of my life at least. That's the scary part for me....not us letting the financial world and those who invest, and take a risk, figure out their problems.
The United States is the financial equivalent to a 30 year single girl with a good job, a lot of credit card debt, and no sense. She may make 100 grand a year, but she spends more. she also has the best of everything....apartments, shoes, clothes, furniture. She goes to the best restaurants and clubs. From the outside, she is fabulous. On the inside, she can barely even make the minimum payments on her credit cards. What happens when she loses her job and the money stops coming in?
What gets me is that no one is talking about raising taxes. We can spend $600 billion on a war, $120 billion on a stimulus package, and $700 billion on a Wall Street bailout, and no one dares even mention the slight possibility that we may need to increase our income as a country? What is wrong with everyone? No one wants more taxes, but come on.....its Economics 101.
For the first time since this election started....I am disappointed with Obama. Don't take this the wrong way, because I still support him, and think he will make a great president, but I wanted him to be against this bailout. I wanted him to be, in my opinion, the one lone voice of reason talking out there.
Well, like I have said about most of my extreme opinions, I hope I am wrong. I hope this bailout fixes everything. I hope we did not borrow and spend that much money in vain.
And, I hope the American people realize that this is a problem that will not be fixed overnight. And this bailout doesn't mean all the money they lost in the market will instantly be back. And I definitely hope that we change the policies, and work on the deregulation that brought us to this point.
I willingly admit that I am not a financial specialist, but I am a citizen with a stake in what happens. And I know that this blog entry has been rambling and vague, but I'm mad. And this is what I am thinking and feeling at this moment. This is my outlet to express it.
Like I said before....I hope I'm wrong. I hope this bandaid on our bullethole fixes everything. But I'm not going to hold my breath.....
And, in my view, we are now officially a socialist country.
Now, I know we were never a true capitalist ecomomy. I get that. But if we were ever close to one, we would ride out the bear markets, just like we revel in the bull markets. Not try to keep the recessions from naturally happening. Its all part of the system.
What have we learned?
In the future, we should continue to let financial institutions operate almost completely unchecked from the government. They should still be able to make profits for themselves for years. But, as soon as they manage to run themselves into the ground, like many did, good old Uncle Sam will be there to give them money we don't have, and pick up the pieces. Why?
Because we are so scared of the alternative. And what is the alternative....and I don't mean what all the politicians are saying it is and scaring everyone into hastily and foolishly acting.
The alternative is....
No one has any f'ing clue.
I have no idea what would happen if we didn't pass this bailout. However, I know what more ridiculous borrowing is going to do to our future.
And the question I have had since this whole bailout talk started...what is the damn hurry? Why do we have to rush this thing through so fast? Why don't we take a step back, make sure we fully understand the consequences, and what is happening. I think that is the biggest reason I am against the passing at the bill. Even more than the borrowing thing (see next paragraph). I want to know why we have to rush to make such drastic and expensive decisions.
So what to do now.....let's all start learning Mandarin Chinese. It's where we are getting the money from, and where we will be probably indebted for the rest of my life at least. That's the scary part for me....not us letting the financial world and those who invest, and take a risk, figure out their problems.
The United States is the financial equivalent to a 30 year single girl with a good job, a lot of credit card debt, and no sense. She may make 100 grand a year, but she spends more. she also has the best of everything....apartments, shoes, clothes, furniture. She goes to the best restaurants and clubs. From the outside, she is fabulous. On the inside, she can barely even make the minimum payments on her credit cards. What happens when she loses her job and the money stops coming in?
What gets me is that no one is talking about raising taxes. We can spend $600 billion on a war, $120 billion on a stimulus package, and $700 billion on a Wall Street bailout, and no one dares even mention the slight possibility that we may need to increase our income as a country? What is wrong with everyone? No one wants more taxes, but come on.....its Economics 101.
For the first time since this election started....I am disappointed with Obama. Don't take this the wrong way, because I still support him, and think he will make a great president, but I wanted him to be against this bailout. I wanted him to be, in my opinion, the one lone voice of reason talking out there.
Well, like I have said about most of my extreme opinions, I hope I am wrong. I hope this bailout fixes everything. I hope we did not borrow and spend that much money in vain.
And, I hope the American people realize that this is a problem that will not be fixed overnight. And this bailout doesn't mean all the money they lost in the market will instantly be back. And I definitely hope that we change the policies, and work on the deregulation that brought us to this point.
I willingly admit that I am not a financial specialist, but I am a citizen with a stake in what happens. And I know that this blog entry has been rambling and vague, but I'm mad. And this is what I am thinking and feeling at this moment. This is my outlet to express it.
Like I said before....I hope I'm wrong. I hope this bandaid on our bullethole fixes everything. But I'm not going to hold my breath.....
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Concrete Angel (or alternative title: Why My Neighborhood Makes me Laugh)
Until this morning, I owned this random lawn ornament that was a concrete angel. It was about 3 feet tall and ridiculously heavy.
I had owned this thing for about 10 years now. How I came about said angel is interesting.....
My aunt bought this angel, along with a Mary in a Grotto, and a lawn jockey (all concrete) for her house (that's out of town) around 1998. I was living in my same house then, and since the place she bought them from told her they would not ship the lawn ornaments, she had them delivered to my house. Her plan was to make arrangements to have then shipped to her.
Well, the years went on, and I all but lost contact with my aunt, and the ornaments were forgotten. Except for the rare occasions when I would wander to the far side of my house and see the statues leaning against the brick wall.
We considered them abandoned, and around 2003, my mother had a friend who wanted to buy a religious lawn ornament for her backyard. My mother told her that if she could get some guys to come over and move it, that they could have one of the ones that had been leaning again my house unbothered for the last 4 years. They came one Saturday, and it took 3 men, but they moved and took the grotto and Mary.
And then there were two.
Around 2005, I had a tree that was just on the property line between mine and my neighbor's yard. Apparently my neighbor believed that the tree roots were growing under her sidewalk along her house. So, she aked that I have the tree cut down. Well, I came home after the tree guys had done the job, and I saw the funniest site. The guys had taken it upon themselves, after they chopped down the tree and left the stomp, to move and place the angel on the stump for all to see. I didn't really enjoy this, since I did not like the idea of a religious symbol being in my yard, but it was too heavy to move, so I dealt with it for awhile, and eventually hardly noticed it. Besides, where it was placed, most people thought it was actually on my neighbor's yard. So there it stood....for years.
And then there was one.
Around 2007, despite my many objections (sidenote: I personally believe that the lawn jockey is politically incorrect, so I had already made the decision that it would never grace my yard where the public could see it). I found I had a spot in my newly landscaped backyard for the lawn jockey. It was a very hidden spot, that you you could only see if you were in my backyard. I even found a lantern to hang from it. I had some workmen move it into place, and all was well.
And then there was none....or so I thought.
Last year, the stump that the angel was sitting on began to crack, and I noticed that very slowly, the angel was starting to lean. Then a couple of months later, it fell over altogether. I really didn't care, so I just left it lying in the plants. But, apparently the dudes who cut my grass noticed it, and picked it up, and put it back in place. Only for it to fall again....and again....and again. It seems that every other week, I would see it laying face down, and then after the grass was cut, I would notice that it was standing again. This went on for about 6 months.
Well, during this time, I got a new neighbor. A young guy, who really wasn't the type to have a an angel in the front yard, and since most people thought it was on his property, he made a comment to me about it.
It was actually funny.....my neighbor was half joking, but he said that the angel bothered him. He felt that every time he came home drunk, he would see the angel staring at him, and he thought it was judging him. And it made him feel uncomfortable.
I told my neighbor that I never liked the stupid angel, and that as soon as I could find someone who wanted it and could move it, I was planning on giving it away. This conversation was in June of this year.
The finale of the concrete angel....
Well, last night, I came home about 10:30 pm, having been slightly over-served. I saw the angel. It had fallen over again. And that was the last straw that broke the camel's back.
I WAS DONE WITH THAT DAMN ANGEL.
I don't know what got into me, but I decided right then and there that I was not going to deal with that concrete relic again. I went inside and put on some tennis shoes and jeans. Then, I started to move the angel.
Easier said than done.
The thing weighed a ton! So here I was, not completely sober, out in the dark, and straining to move the item. I finally decided that the only way I was going to get it anywhere was to roll it...which I did. It was even hard to roll. I ran over my toe in the process, but I kept on.
Eventually I got it to the curb. It took a lot of grunting and strength I didn't know I had, but I was able to stand the angel up. My plan was to just leave it on the curb, and hope someone would come and take it.
That may sound weird, but the next day was recycle day, and in my neighborhood on that day or trash day, you can pretty much leave anything out you like, and the city will take it. Even appliances, furniture, etc. That leads to people driving around, and checking what's there, and helping themselves to what they want before the trash or recycle trucks come. So my thought was that someone would just come by and take it.
So I felt a sense of accomplishment, and I went inside. About 10 minutes later, two things occurred to me.
1. People might not think I meant for that angel to be trash, since I was not leaving any bags or anything out there as well.
2. Someone may try to take it, and not realize how heavy it was, and hurt themselves.
So, at this point it was about midnight, and I came up with a plan. I grabbed some paper and a maker, and made a sign that said
FREE ANGEL! MOVE AT YOUR OWN RISK. IT'S VERY HEAVY!
I took a roll of packing tape and the sign outside, and wrapped it around the cherub. I felt good.
Jump to this morning:
I woke up at 4:30AM for my 6:55 AM flight to Vegas, (damn you ticketing people in my office) and looked out the window to see if my angel was still there. And low, and behold, it was gone. I knew it wasn't going to last long, but I was in a little bit of shock that some random person took it between the hours of 12:30 AM and 4:30 AM on a Thursday morning!
So that is the story of the concrete angel lawn ornament. It is a saga that has spanned over 10 years. I hope that angel is now in a good home...excuse me, lawn, and is blessing, if you will, the abode of whoever happened upon it in the middle of the night.
I had owned this thing for about 10 years now. How I came about said angel is interesting.....
My aunt bought this angel, along with a Mary in a Grotto, and a lawn jockey (all concrete) for her house (that's out of town) around 1998. I was living in my same house then, and since the place she bought them from told her they would not ship the lawn ornaments, she had them delivered to my house. Her plan was to make arrangements to have then shipped to her.
Well, the years went on, and I all but lost contact with my aunt, and the ornaments were forgotten. Except for the rare occasions when I would wander to the far side of my house and see the statues leaning against the brick wall.
We considered them abandoned, and around 2003, my mother had a friend who wanted to buy a religious lawn ornament for her backyard. My mother told her that if she could get some guys to come over and move it, that they could have one of the ones that had been leaning again my house unbothered for the last 4 years. They came one Saturday, and it took 3 men, but they moved and took the grotto and Mary.
And then there were two.
Around 2005, I had a tree that was just on the property line between mine and my neighbor's yard. Apparently my neighbor believed that the tree roots were growing under her sidewalk along her house. So, she aked that I have the tree cut down. Well, I came home after the tree guys had done the job, and I saw the funniest site. The guys had taken it upon themselves, after they chopped down the tree and left the stomp, to move and place the angel on the stump for all to see. I didn't really enjoy this, since I did not like the idea of a religious symbol being in my yard, but it was too heavy to move, so I dealt with it for awhile, and eventually hardly noticed it. Besides, where it was placed, most people thought it was actually on my neighbor's yard. So there it stood....for years.
And then there was one.
Around 2007, despite my many objections (sidenote: I personally believe that the lawn jockey is politically incorrect, so I had already made the decision that it would never grace my yard where the public could see it). I found I had a spot in my newly landscaped backyard for the lawn jockey. It was a very hidden spot, that you you could only see if you were in my backyard. I even found a lantern to hang from it. I had some workmen move it into place, and all was well.
And then there was none....or so I thought.
Last year, the stump that the angel was sitting on began to crack, and I noticed that very slowly, the angel was starting to lean. Then a couple of months later, it fell over altogether. I really didn't care, so I just left it lying in the plants. But, apparently the dudes who cut my grass noticed it, and picked it up, and put it back in place. Only for it to fall again....and again....and again. It seems that every other week, I would see it laying face down, and then after the grass was cut, I would notice that it was standing again. This went on for about 6 months.
Well, during this time, I got a new neighbor. A young guy, who really wasn't the type to have a an angel in the front yard, and since most people thought it was on his property, he made a comment to me about it.
It was actually funny.....my neighbor was half joking, but he said that the angel bothered him. He felt that every time he came home drunk, he would see the angel staring at him, and he thought it was judging him. And it made him feel uncomfortable.
I told my neighbor that I never liked the stupid angel, and that as soon as I could find someone who wanted it and could move it, I was planning on giving it away. This conversation was in June of this year.
The finale of the concrete angel....
Well, last night, I came home about 10:30 pm, having been slightly over-served. I saw the angel. It had fallen over again. And that was the last straw that broke the camel's back.
I WAS DONE WITH THAT DAMN ANGEL.
I don't know what got into me, but I decided right then and there that I was not going to deal with that concrete relic again. I went inside and put on some tennis shoes and jeans. Then, I started to move the angel.
Easier said than done.
The thing weighed a ton! So here I was, not completely sober, out in the dark, and straining to move the item. I finally decided that the only way I was going to get it anywhere was to roll it...which I did. It was even hard to roll. I ran over my toe in the process, but I kept on.
Eventually I got it to the curb. It took a lot of grunting and strength I didn't know I had, but I was able to stand the angel up. My plan was to just leave it on the curb, and hope someone would come and take it.
That may sound weird, but the next day was recycle day, and in my neighborhood on that day or trash day, you can pretty much leave anything out you like, and the city will take it. Even appliances, furniture, etc. That leads to people driving around, and checking what's there, and helping themselves to what they want before the trash or recycle trucks come. So my thought was that someone would just come by and take it.
So I felt a sense of accomplishment, and I went inside. About 10 minutes later, two things occurred to me.
1. People might not think I meant for that angel to be trash, since I was not leaving any bags or anything out there as well.
2. Someone may try to take it, and not realize how heavy it was, and hurt themselves.
So, at this point it was about midnight, and I came up with a plan. I grabbed some paper and a maker, and made a sign that said
FREE ANGEL! MOVE AT YOUR OWN RISK. IT'S VERY HEAVY!
I took a roll of packing tape and the sign outside, and wrapped it around the cherub. I felt good.
Jump to this morning:
I woke up at 4:30AM for my 6:55 AM flight to Vegas, (damn you ticketing people in my office) and looked out the window to see if my angel was still there. And low, and behold, it was gone. I knew it wasn't going to last long, but I was in a little bit of shock that some random person took it between the hours of 12:30 AM and 4:30 AM on a Thursday morning!
So that is the story of the concrete angel lawn ornament. It is a saga that has spanned over 10 years. I hope that angel is now in a good home...excuse me, lawn, and is blessing, if you will, the abode of whoever happened upon it in the middle of the night.
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