Stacey's Mom

First off, before you begin reading let me apologize ahead of time if this particular yodaism offends you as I will handle this particular subject matter with the respect and dignity that is deserved. Now with that said, there is a select group out there that guys generally talk about around the ole' water cooler, so to speak. The select group that I'm referring to are the attractive looking moms or if you want to put it more bluntly, MILFs which is a term you know so I won't go any further. Anyways, its this select group that have guys the world over debating, as well as, choosing who they would have relations with if the opportunity ever presented itself. Though its considered a fleeting fantasy, which changes over the years as we grow up, it a fantasy we keep till the time we're born till the time we die.

As a guy, there are many attractive single females out there who can turn our head no problem at all. However, there is also the attractive looking mom's, single and/or married, that can turn a guy's head to the point where we turn into either Wayne or Garth from Wayne's World and simply say schwing. Hey, as stupid and immature as that sounds, its a guy thing which some, most, or all guys will never outgrow. Yet, the question can be asked do women do this as well with fathers who are either single and/or married, which may be the single most stupidest question that I have ever asked. Yet, in all honesty, its not wrong to be attracted to these select group of people just as long you don't act on it because it will potentially open up a Pandora's Box one will never be able to close.

Without a doubt, there are slew of celebrity moms that some, most, or all guys want to hook up with. Its these particular moms that guys know they don't have a chance with but it doesn't hurt to dream that it could happen. Such celebrity moms that are on any guy's proverbial list to hook up with are of course Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, Heidi Klum, Brooke Burke, etc.. However, though attractive they may be, my list is a bit different as my picks are of the following ladies such as Reese Witherspoon, Michelle Pfeifer, Catherine Zeta-Jones,Demi Moore and Julia Roberts. Let me ask you this question ladies, which celebirty dads would you like to hook up with if the opportunity presented itself?

Over the past 9 years, there are or have been kids who have attractive moms and you can't help but notice them. Its oftentimes hard not to notice as you see them on regular basis when they drop off in the morning and pick up their child/children at the asylum in the afternoon. Guys, as well as girls, have an unspoken signal when an attractive mom/dad is seen. For myself and my best friend, I usually just look at him and give a head nod to look in the particular direction that I am motioning to or I walk over and tell him. Not only do you see them you talk with them and get to know them, but it has never gone beyond the professional level and it will always be kept that way.

In retrospect, moms can take it as a compliment that guys think of them in an attractive way. In a sense, moms every now and then want some reassurance that they still got it and have what it takes to attract a guy. Essentially, it gives a woman an ego boost that guys, espeically young guys find a particular mom's hot, fine, and/or phat, which is totally wrong in they eyes of her child/children. Whether or not you agree, I am simply stating my opinion on this particular subject matter, which I hopefully kept on a respectable level. In the end, if I could be perfectly honest to all the ladies who will be a mom someday, you might be or will considered to be a Stacey's Mom which is a song by a group known as Fountains Of Wayne.

Its All Good

Margaret Oliphant once said, ~Perhaps, on the whole, embarrassment and perplexity are a kind of natural accompaniment to life and movement; and it is better to be driven out of your senses with thinking which of two things you ought to do than to do nothing whatever, and be utterly uninteresting to all the world.~ We all go through our fair share of embarrassment growing up as kids, through our adult years, and into the latter years of our lives. Its part of life each of us signed up for, in a manner of speaking, as we humiliate ourselves either by choice or by accident. When it comes to embarrassment and/or being embarrassed, you can't go wrong when it involves childhood pictures, dating, and love.

Let me ask you this question, do you have any embarrassing pictures of yourself growing up that you wouldn't want anybody to see and kind of consider them tools for blackmail? For the most part, parents(MOM) loves to dress their kid(s) up in some type of clothing that, in her own words, would look cute in. One of those types of clothing to be dressed in, if you were a little boy, would be the sailor suit which I unfortunately wore at the age of 3 years old. Hey, since my dad was in the Navy at the time, it was only natural that I would wear it to be just like him because I considered him my hero. Let me tell you something, I have those pictures and nobody will ever see them not even if you ask me nicely.

If you think about it, dating and embarrassment/being embarassed go hand in hand like mashed potatoes and gravy. Every person has those proverbial horror stories in which they suffered minor or major embarrassment due to the person he or she was going out with, which can also include blind dates as well. 99.9% of the time, the guy is at fault due to something he said or did that cause you to either hide your face or end up walking out on the date. For the question can be asked, when was the last time you had a date that ruined the entire evening to the point where you either went home and made it a blockbuster night or just hung out with your friends to talk about your horrible date?

Without a doubt love can cause totally normal, level headed people to become insane and embarrass themselves to no end. Whether its guys or girls, a person sense of reasoning will completely shut off as he or she will risk one's dignity to take that so called leap of faith into the arms of that particular person of interest. Its a sad but also embarrassing situation indeed as he or she is in pursuit of that one special person as he or she is repeatedly turned down. Its kind of like how Steve Urkel professed his love for Laura Winslow in different ways and kept asking her for a date, which in turn she repeatedly turned him down. However, through all the embarrassment Steve never gave up and finally won the heart of Laura.

In retrospect, everybody will go through embarrassment and no matter how hard you try to avoid them, they will happen. About three years ago, I suffered one of many embarrassment working at the insane asylum and it involved me being late for work. Well, I was approaching a stop light that was on yellow about to turn red and instead of stopping I drove past through not really thinking about it. I was busted big time but that wasn't the embarassing part, because you see I was stopped near the bus stop where "my kids" were happening to get at that particular moment and let's just say, word spread in the asylum and I was ragged on by the kids. In the end, if you can laugh at the embarrassments you have gone through then you can say either to yourself or to the people around you, hey its all good.

Words To Live By

Willard Gaylin once said, ~English is such a deliciously complex and undisciplined language which we can bend, fuse, distort words to all our purpose. We give old words new meaning, and we borrow new words from any language that intrude into our intellectual enviorment.~ Without a doubt, as a society, we are influenced by the words we hear, read, or said by other people. Its the popularity of a word or words that determine whether it has longevity or dies out due to it becoming so overused. Case in point, "that's hot" made popular by Paris Hilton is no turned into the two most annoying words uttered by a human being. Let me ask you this question, is there a word or words that you unknowingly or knowingly say that is part of your everyday speech?

One of my favorite words to say to my friends back in the day was the word psyche. As a matter of fact, we've all used that word at some point in our childhood and its like the equivalent to being punk'd without the elaborates setups planned by one's friends, family, and/or co-workers. For the most part, it was mainly all you as you knowingly led someone to believe something to be true only to pull the rug out from under him, her, or them and nobody got hurt physically, as well as, mentally. Unfortunately, psyche is no longer in circulation as a word that today's generation of kids which, in my honest opinion, should make a comback and be put back into circulation. So, if you ever have the opportunity say it to someone to keep the word alive.

You would never think three normal words such as yeah, okay, and what would become so popular that its basically part of pop culture. Essentially, man responsible for influencing this 3 word phenomenon is the man known as Lil John. You know you've made three simple word popular when comedian Dave Chapelle impersonates you and take those words to a whole new level of popularity. Working in the asylum, it can oftentimes be amusing but also frustratiing trying to talk to "my kids" and he or she is basically repeating those words just to be annoying. So annoying in fact, that I realized why most parents have become crazy, which includes my own parents as well.

Undoubtedly, the one man who teaches us new words to learn on a seemingly daily basis is Snoop Dogg. Such words from the Snoop Dogg dictionairy are: chuch, crackalackin, and fshizzle mnizzle mdizzle which has been said not only by young kids but also by senior citizens.You can't turn on the radio, television, or even watch a movie and not have some kind of Snoopism reference in there somewhere. Snoop makes the words he says fun to say and most of the time you dont feel like a complete dork saying it no matter how old you are. Destinguished rapper, clothing designer, actor, football coach, car designer, and now added to the list, creator of words.

If you ever meet me in person, there is one word that I tend to use on a regular basis and that is dude. If you think about it, its a word that has a universal meaning which can describe emotions such as anger, confusion, happiness, etc. Personally speaking, I call every one of "my kids" dude because quite frankly trying to remember 100 names can be quite difficult at times especially during the summer. In retrospect, words such as bling and crunk will and forever be are part of the mainstream, if you don't believe me open your dictionaries. In the end, there will be plenty of new words created that will be heard and said in our lifetime, and you know what they will primarily be words to live by.

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing

Someone once said, ~Sometimes you don't know what you're missing until you reach out to touch it. Sometimes you can't see how beautiful something is until it steps back into the light. And sometimes you miss a love you almost didn't lose. But when you need beautiful dreams and love the most, you find them taken away from you. And when someone is drifting away from you, you feel it screaming inside your chest. Your heart feels numb and ignorant because the truest of of love isn't easy. Its the worst thing in the world. True love breaks you, but you become real. When you are real and in love you will never be unhappy. You are only unhappy when you deny the truth held in love.~

Let me ask you this question, has there ever been in a person in your life, whether in the past or in the present, that you thought missed out on something really special in you. Its the qualities that makes you absolutely special seeemingly is now not seen by that particular person who somehow lost his or her sight either gradually or in an instant. In some aspect, its as if somebody walked up from behind, put blinders on that person's eyes, and is stumbling about and trying to figure out where his or her heart lies. For the mistakes that person made is not oftentimes fixable and undeniably it can be the biggest regret that he or she will have to live with as it consequently haunts that person every waking day, as well as, in one's dreams.

Essentially, every person has struggled deep within his or her own heart the feelings that he or she has for a particular person of interest. Feelings that each of us get when someone passes or walks into our life to the point where we've all done that proverbial double take at a particular guy/girl who has caught our eye. Personally speaking, I've done many double takes in my lifetime to the point of suffering whiplash, which probably won't be covered in my medical insurance any time soon. Yet, if you think about it, love can turn anbody's head and heart in many different directions; but when it comes to true love your heart and head will be turned for you without you even knowing about it.

Without a doubt, true love brings out the real you, which is a side that some, most, or all people are scared to show. Why? In my opinion, its because that we don't want that particular person or other people for that matter to see you at your worst, as well as, your most vulnerable moments. For its that mindset if he and/or she sees that side, the control that you thought you had is now out of your hands and in the hands of him or her, so to speak. In a sense, a person will metaphorically grab one's heart and step back from the emotions that one is feeling to figure out if revealing the real you to that guy girl is absolutely worth it, which in most cases has been the best choice he and/or has ever made.

Someone said, ~Sometimes you're afraid to become a couple because you are afraid of losing what you already have with that person. But life is all about risks and it requires you to jump. Don't be a person who has to look back and wonder what they would have, or could have had. No one waits forever...~ In retrospect, a person ultimately doesn't want to miss out on finding true love and sharing moments that you smile from ear to ear. Special moments like a comforting hug, a kiss, etc. Ultimately, its within those treasured moments, bad or good, you say would rather keep have your eyes open than closed because if it were all dream, then I don't want to miss a thing, which is a song by an iconic band known as Aerosmith.

My Name Is

When I say the name Eric Bishop, would you be able to figure out who this particular is. Now what if I told you that Eric Bishop is in fact otherwise known as Jamie Foxx then would you recognize the name of an oscar winning actor who played the late Ray Charles brilliantly. Essentially, a person's name is their whole identity and in a way describes the person they are or was when someone mentions him and/or her by name. Let me ask you this question, do you like your name or would you rather change it to something that best suits your personality if the choice was yours and yours alone. In some aspect, its like a certain kinds of clothes being able to fit on certain kinds of people and that goes for a person's name, which can be amusing at times.

Without a doubt, people have names that are the same as a famous/infamous celebrity, musician, politician, and/or sports athlete. It can sometimes be a living nightmare to share the same name with that particular person depending on whose name ones has. One can't even imagine the possible ridicule and scorn he or she went through growing up, if it even happened to him and/or at all. On the other hand, it can probably work to one's advantage, which a person can be sued for if taken too far. Such names that people and stars share are Martha Stewart, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, and many more. For the question can be asked, do you hang out or at least know someone who shares a name with a certain famous person?

Being a guy, I like watching sports such as baseball and my favorite team has always been the Atlanta Braves, but I digress. What I also like watching is sports related shows such as Sportscenter on ESPN. Here's a little known fact, ESPN has been a name that may parents over the years have been choosing for their child, boy and girl. For the most partm its a pretty uniue name that is associated with a sports network that mainly men and some women watch either on a semi daily basis or religously. There are several different variations in the spelling of the name and how to say it, but one thing is perfectly clear and that is ESPN is part of pop culture to the point where future generation of kids are being named after this show.

When it comes to naming their child/children, parents must really sit down and carefully think about it unlike certain celebrities. Celebrities who are out of their mind and unknowing going to have their child/children mentally totured to where he and/or she needs countless hours of therapy. Such celebrity baby names are Pilot Inspektor, Audio Science, Apple, Rain, Cash and other strange/weird names that boggle the mind. However, if your George Foreman, former heavyweight bocing champion and creator of an awesome grill, you can simply name all your children George including your daughters, with some changes of course. Hey, it probably saves on trying to remember different names but who am I to judge.

In retrospect, there are unusual names that celebrity parents that give to their child/children that basically pass such as Frank Zappa's kids and their name's are Ahmet, Moonunit, and Dweezel. When or if I have have kids someday and I've thought long and hard about this. For my son(s), it would be Alexander, Romeo, and/or Romero after my grandfather who passed away before I every met him. For my daughter(s) it would be Gabrielle, Isabella, and/or Kari, which is a name that means something special to me. Ultimately, the name that my parents gave to me, I didn't like at first but have grown to get used to. So, for those who don't know me let me introduce myself, my name is Dante Tejada Abundo Jr. but you can call me Yoda and may I ask what is your name?

Never Give Up

Someone once said, ~You live and you breath and then you die. In between, if your lucky, you fall in love. Some loves stay forever, others are lost in only a day. But its still there, underneath all the hurt and pride and years. If its true love, its never forgotten. So when someone says their in love, don't tell them they can't be. Don't say their too young, or its too soon. Love knows no age or length of time. Love is a feeling, deep in your heart, that squeezes you tight and makes you never want to let it go.~ In some aspect, love/and/or falling in love is like the cycle of life as a person goes through 3 stages with someone that he or she is interested in. A cycle in which one will experience or has experienced birth, growth, and most certainly death.

Without a doubt, love can be born in an instant but true love is gradual through time. It sometimes takes that one initial feeling to make you feel alive to the point where you're acting like a teenager again and have those teenage related tendencies. Such tendencies are physical play fighting, insulting each otherin a sometimes nonhurtful way, writing each other notes, and most certainly of all waiting to see who hangs up the phone first. For its that proverbial breathe of life that fills not only your heart and soul but also that person's heart and soul as well. Let me ask you this question, have you already met that someone special who truly gave you fresh eyes to see him/her/each other somewhat like a newborn baby seeing the world for the very first time?

As a person grows, so does in fact the love of that two people share who keep working at it and not just give up easily when the relationship either gets too complicated, frustrating, confusing, and/or drama filled. Essentially, its that growing mature love that works and survives the immaturity that some, most, or all guy/girls experience when in a potential and/or significnat relationship. One such immaturity that oftentimes has been the downfall of relationships is the so called green eyed monster known as jealousy. Whether its being jealous of not spending enough quality time or jealous of a friendly relationship your bf/gf has with a particular guy/girl, its the growing trust that hopefully both of you have within each other to keep the love growing stronger ever day.

Like a person, love can die in the metaphorical sense as the trust that was established through the course of a relationship is broken either temporarily or permenantly. In a sense, when a person breaks your heart ones like that he or she has just died or is dying as that particular guy/girl holds your beating heart in the palm of one's hand, points a gun at it, and then pulls the trigger not once but several times. Its an unfortunate situation indeed as that mostly everybody has been in and quite frankly nobody wants to go back and relive or remember. For the question can be asked, was there ever a guy or girl from a past or even a current relationship where you felt that person treated you as if you never even existed; like you died and didn't really care about you at all?

In retrospect, though a person may die love can be brought back to life but it takes time, patience and without a doubt a build up of that key word trust. Yet, how many times can a person's trust be broken by oftentimes the same person until one gets it through his or her head that one's so called special someone is not worth of your time and love. Thinking about it, our own pride can get in the way as one doesn't want to admit that they have failed in love, which not only hurts your ego but your heart as well. We've all been there and despite that fact we still keep moving forward even though our hearts are metaphorically battered, bruised, and scarred. In the end, hold on to the feeling that there is someone out there who truly loves you, never let go of it, and the best advice I can possibly give to you that I go by is never give up.

My 2 Cents

There comes a point, every now and then, when a person gets on and stands on that proverbial soap box to speak his or her mind, which is what I am doing right now. You see, there are certain things in life that gets you either annoyed, frustrated, confused, and/or leaves you speechless to the point that it irritates you like an itch that yoyu aren't able to reach and scratch. We've all had those moments where we bit our tongue and wanted to say something but it wasn't the appropriate time to say it. Let me ask you this question, is there anything that has been bugging you to no end that you just want to get off your chest and simply vent it out? Personally speaking, there have been many things that have bugged me but the three main things are: The Tooth Fairy, MTV's Laguna Beach, and Kanye West.

The Tooth Fairy, otherwise known as mom and dad, would secretly exchange their child's/children's tooth/teeth for money. In some aspect, it would be a stealthy maneuver that a Navy Seal team would do in the silence under the cover of night. Now with that said, I'm asking this question, when did receiving money for teeth from the so called "Tooth Fairy" get so profitable? For the past several months, I've been hearing news from "my kids" that they received mucho dinero for thier teeth. Teeth that are apparently worth 5, 10, and/or 20 dollars altogether or individually, which absolutely blows my mind. Back in my day, depending on how may teeth I lost, I recieved either a quarter, 50 cents, or a dollar and you know what, I feel jipped and a little jealous.

When it comes to television, MTV is a worldwide phenomenon that reaches to you and old with shows like the Real World and Punk'd. However, the one show that bugs me to no end is the show Laguna Beach for the simple reason that every person on that show, with the exception of LC aka Lauren, are morons. This particular show proves that relationships don't work, that guys such as Jason and Stephen or complete douche bags, and girls such as Kristin are why guys are so messed up in the head, which is how Stephen is. Speaking of Stephen, he should choose Lauren plain and simple. This show is a trainwreck and I don't want to watch, but you can't help but watch. Essentially, you lose two things when you watch this show which are brain cells and intelligence.

Kanye West, the man of the hour, so to speak, and the guy I eventually would voice my opinions about. For the most part, the man is an accomplished singer and he, like the rest of America, has the freedom/right to voice his opinions. Yet, when it came to Hurricane Katrina he used that opportunity to speak his mind at the one place that he shouldn't have and that was at a television special to help the victims of Katrina. Several alternatives could been sending out a press release or writing/singing a song,about it but to do it in a controversial way while raising money for the Gulf Coast was totally out of line. Whether his opinions were right or wrong, his decision to express himself on the air to millions of people watching was wrong and should have been handled differently.

In retrospect, that's just the tip of the iceberg folks as there are many other things that get my goat in a manner of speaking. Such things are certain celeraties who get caught with someone other than their wife/girlfriend. Case in point, Hugh Grant and Jude Law are total boneheads who messed it all up with Elizabeth Hurley and Sienna Miller, who are two absolutely beautiful ladies. As a guy, I would just like to go up to the both of them and slap them upside the head. Other things are slow drivers, people who don't do the old school ways of disciplining their kids, and spamming. Ultimately, I feel better now that I've gotten that off my chest as I put my 2 cents on what's been going on and I hope you have something to get off your chest as well.

You Gotta Love It

I am a child of the 80's and undeniably, it was the best time of my life bar none. For person like myself, who grew up in the 80's, it was a decade that define my childhood and hopefully yours as well. Let me ask you this question, when it comes to the 80's, do you feel somewhat or absolutely nostalgic that it brings a smile to your face when you think back or do you cringe? For it was a fun, interesting, and sometimes embaressing time indeed as music as well as fashion ruled the era, but what ruled in my honest opinion back in the day was television. So boys and girls, I ask you to join me as I reflect back on when television was television and please buckle up for your own safety.

When it comes to educational shows back in the day, nothing compared to shows such as Reading Rainbow and Schoolhouse Rock, which had 3 minute series called Conjunction Junction and I'm Just A Bill. For the question can be asked and be honest, how many of you still remember the songs and can you sing it? As kids, Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood taught us some very valuable life lessons such as friendship and helping our neighbors. However, the show that made science fun and exciting, which paved the way for Bill Nye The Science Guy was Mr. Wizard's World. Mr. Wizard, Don Herbert, was kind of the MacGyver of science and many people were truly influenced by him.

Without a doubt, family and/or family related shows were part of our upbringing as they taught us about serious issues such as sex, drugs, drinking, racism, etc. Such shows were Growing Pains, the Facts of Life, Punky Brewster, Full House, Cosby Show, Different Strokes, Gimmie A Break, Webster, etc. Who could forget memorbable characters such as Alf, Alex P. Keaton from Family Ties, Buddy from Charles in Charge, Mork(Robin Williams) from Mork and Mindy, The Fonz from Happy Days, Ricky Stratton from Silver Spoons, and many more. BUT the one show that probably had a huge impact on every kid's life was the Wonder years with Winnie and Kevin. In some aspect, you saw yourself in either Winnie or Kevin or Paul unless you were Wayne in which I raise my fist to you....just kidding.

Essentially, when you talk about the 80's you have to talk about the cartoons of that time. Cartoons that defined the era such as G.I. Joe where we learned something new at the end of every show and knowing that particular bit of information was half the battle. Transformer, not the updated version one, but the original where more than meets the eye and the names actually went with the character. Let me tell you something, when Optimus Prime died by the hands of Megatron I cried, but I digress. I grew up on shows like Silverhawks, GoBots, Voltron, He-Man, She-Ra, and yes even Jem and The Holograms. Yet THE cartoon for me was and still is Thundercats with the most coolest way to call for help by way of the sword of omens which is....THUNDER! THUNDER! THUNDER! THUNDERCATS! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

In retrospect, as these people who show up on to our television screens grow up such as Fred Savage(Kevin) and Danica McKellar(Winnie), who are practically the same age as me. In a sense, you can say each of us grew up together with that particular show and actors as well. For the most part, when you talk with people about certain cartoons of the past one will occasionally gets some blank stares as they have no idea what you are talking about. However, shows like Inhumanoids, Pole Position, Wuzzles, Turbo Teen, C.O.P.S, Shirt Tales, Galaxy High, Dungeons and Dragons, Mysterious Cities Of Gold, Jayce and The Wheel Warriors, B.O.T.SMaster, Captain N: The Game Master, were all real. In the end, these shows were awesome and all I have to say about 80's television is, you gotta love it.

Where Were You

Someone once said, ~Tragedy carries a tremendous power within it. Power to cause grief, power to cause mourning, power to cause sadness, and power to cause upset. It also carries power to cause closeness, power to cause reflection, and power to cause change. A tragedy can become a positive reference or a negative reference depending on the meaning one attaches to it. the more powerful the tragedy, the more powerful the reference. Understand the tragedy and its potential power to change you for the better.~ For my generation, September 11th, 2001 will and forever be ingrained in our minds as it is compared to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, which was an attack that changed all our lives from that moment on.

For the name Osama Bin Ladin will be synonymous with 9/11 and each one of us would gladly beat the living shiznit out of him for it. For a line would form stretching around the world and its probably a line people wouldn't mind waiting hours on end for. However, there is an uncertainty as to whether or not he is alive due to his health as he is/was using a dialysis machine. How hard is it to look for a guy who is 6'6, lanky, sickly, ugly and transporting a dialysis machine wherever he goes? For its truly amazing that a man, who looks like as if Italian actor Roberto Benigni and British actor Rowan Atkinson aka Mr. Bean had a child, can wield/has wielded some major stroke among people that would absolutely die at his word.

Essentially, there have been many questions people have asked, but the main questions is why? Why did it happen and why did it happen to New York? For some, most, or all people believe that America considered itself invincible and nobody could touch us in our backyard, so to speak, but they were wrong. In one split second, everyone's seemingly normal Tuesday morning was turned upside down as each one of us experienced confusion, disbelief, shock, anger, as well as, retribution all in one balled up emotion. So why did it happen to New York and not to California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, etc.? In my opinion, New York is considered the hub where every person of every walk of life come to visit and quite possibly make it big.

Without a doubt, the glue that held New York together during its time of crisis just went by one name...Rudy. Despite what he did as mayor before 9/11 was wiped clean and after the senseless tragedy he would be known as the man who stepped up and took control of a perilous situation. He literally became the voice of New York as many New Yorkers looked to him for information and most importantly comforting words, which would hopefully heal in mind, body, and soul. In his very own words that evening Rudy Giuliani said, ~It's going to be a very difficult time. I don't think we yet know the pain we're going to feel. But the thing we have to focus on now is getting the city through this and surviving and being stronger for it. New York is still here.~

In retrospect, it has been 4 years since that tragedy and yet its seems it was only yesterday that it happened. For the many people who valiantly risked their lives, such as the NYPD and NYFD, we will always keep them in our hearts and never forget what they did for those people. For the husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, and co-workers, they have a piece missing from their heart but eventually they've moved on as best they can. On that day, I was getting ready for class while I watching the Today show and as I turned around that's when the second plane hit the Tower. In the end, I ask this question where you when the world stop turning on that September day and a song that reflects this thoughts is by Alan Jackson entitled Where Were You.

Anything Helps

Buddha once said, ~Let us rise up and be thankful, for is we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so let us all be thankful.~ Hurricane Katrina devastated many lives by leaving people homeless, sick, seperate from, looking and grieving for lost family members. Yet, within the ashes of tragedy there comes the joys of hope as domestic, as well as, foreign aide pour in without even an afterthought. With so much that many families have lost from Hurrican Katrina, its nice to see on the news and in person people contributing whether its digging deep into one's pockets or giving their free time to help in any way.

All across the United States, people are opening their homes to complete strangers even though they themselves may or may not have the space for them to reside. Personally speaking, a friend/co-worker of mine has 17 displaced family members, from her husband's side that lived in New Orleans, living with them, which truly has been a test in patience for her, her family, and the family dog as well. However, the funny thing that was mentioned to me was that its humorous to see the sibling interaction between her husband and his family, which show her husband in a different life. Anyways, in the whole scheme of things, it doesn't matter because people are not just opening their homes but also their hearts as well.

With so many displaced families, there are also many displaced family pets, which are considered part of the family who practically grew up with the family. Without a doubt, ts a difficult decision indeed to leave one's pet(s) behind to weather the storm, so to speak, by themselves. For some, most, or all pet owners they consider their pets as one of their children, an absolute best friend, or both. Fortunately, many pets did amazingly survive and were evenutally reunited with their family, which some saw rescued on the news or other television programs such as Oprah. Let me ask you this question, if the choice had to be made by you and you alone, would you leave your pet(s) behind when or if a Hurricane is vast approaching?

Unquestionably, the entertainment industry and sports entertainment is doing all it can to help in any way by donating thousands/millions of dollars to bring food, water, medical help, and clothes to those that need it. New Orleans own Harry Connick Jr., almost lost his voice trying to give a voice to his hometown and its people. Due to this, he has agreed to be honorary chair of Habitat for Humanity's "Operation Home Delivery" and in his own words Connick said, "It is hard to sit in silence, to watch one’s youth wash away,” said Connick. “Everything that I have professionally, and so much of what I have personally, is because of this great, fair city … to see it being drowned like this is almost unbearable."

As said before, many displaced families are located all across the United Stated getting good meals to eat, clothes to wear, and a warm bed to sleep in. One of the places is in my backyard of Pensacola, Florida mainly Naval Air Station Pensacola. Over the labor day weekend, myself and my best friend had the opportunity to open the asylum to the displaced families, mainly the kids. Let me tell you something, its a humbling experience to see those kids happy and playing together with seemingly insignificant toys such as a hula hoop or frisbee, which "my kids" tend to fight over on a constant basis. Ultimately, I am thankful for the several hours I spent with those kids because it was truly an eye opening experiencing. So I urge you to do whatever you can to contribute in any way because in the end, anything helps.

Oh, What A Rush

Someone once asked, ~Did you ever put your arms out and spin really fast? Well, that's what love is like. It makes our heart race, it turns the world upside down...but if you're not careful, if you don't keep your eyes on something still, you can lose your balance...you can't see that you're about to fall.~ When it comes to love, it can throw us, as well as our own heart, in a proverbial tailspin in which you can be literaly or figuratively disoriented to the point where you have no idea what just happened. For its a slow and/or sudden fall that one will or has experienced and you will never see it coming until the very last second, unless you are paying close attention, which nobody rarely ever does; but that is what makes it so exciting.

Let me ask you this question, have you ever seen someone or been that someone who had one's world totally spinning that it actually made your head hurt because a guy/girl who you have known for a while or just met for the first time? It can oftentimes be a comical situation as you either find yourself or a friend totally messed up mentally in the head and the only thin one can do is laugh. Laugh, not in a side splitting, out loud kind of way; but in a frustrated, about to lose one's mind way, which probably every person has gone through a time or two or three. For its simply a part of love or falling in love as a person will never get used to it due in part of a certain high you feel, without the use of illegal substances of course.

For the most part, when we experience the so called high from being spun around by that particular person our instincts initially tell us to close our eyes, which is not a really good thing to do. There are many diffferent reason for not closing your eyes, but the one main reason is that it will give you a chance to focus and focus on that particular someone of interest. In some aspect, that person you are focusing on, in some way, will stabalize you so that you don't lose your concentration. In other words, he or she is that person who hopefully will kep you balanced when things around you are spinning out of control in one's person, professional, and/or family life, which is what every person is looking for and wants in a relationship.

Without a doubt, there have been many strong relationships that ended up broken because the guy, girl, or both didn't catch that person and inevitably the trust, which was there, is now gone. If you think about it, the sometimes dizzying relationship, if there was one to being with, can spin both people so hard that they both have no idea where hey have ended up. Initially, it can be a difficult task indeed to pick yourself back up when the impact of the fall leaves you absolutely numb in your heart and soul. However, it really depends on how hard one falls which determines if a person bounces back immediately or takes several weeks/months years to recover from someone who you thought truly made the world stop spinning on its axis just for you.

In retrospect, each of us have met or will meet that person who makes our heart race faster, slower and sometimes both at the same time. Its that one person when you touch his or her had you somehow know that he or she is the one for you to spend the rest of your days with. Its when you start to feel everything around you just go out of control, being in that person's warm embrace makes everything around stand still or merely seem insignificant. Its that person who somehow knows when a kind word or gesture is needed when you have been going through some trials and tribulations. In the end, when you do finally meet this person, who has metaphorically stopped your world from spinning, and you look into his or her eyes as he or she holds you up so that you won't fall, you will say either in your head or out loud oh, what a rush.

May God Be With You

Without a doubt, there have been times that in the middle of writing a yodaism, I've stopped to do a new one. Monday afternoon I was halfway done with a yodaism entitled "In A Hearbeat" when Hurrican Katrina hit the Gulfcoast, mainly Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, plus Southern Florida. Watching the news for the past 4 days has been on of absolute disbelief as you witness homes either under water or destroyed completely and it got me thinking. Yet, what makes this catastrophe so unbeliveable is that an entire city, New Orleans, is no longer liveable. For many of its surviving citizens they have only but the clothes on their backs and treasure keepsakes, if any, that were taken that meant so much to certain people.

Its so surreal to know that parts of Alabama are without power probably for several weeks or months. New Orleans, a place where people and many college students like to party, as well as celebrate Mardi Gras, is now a considered a ghost town. If you think about it, Mardi Gras, is a staple of Americana just like apple pie and the late Peter Jennings. Its not only New Orleans, but parts of Mississippi such as Biloxi where millions of people have trekked to have a good time and hopefully win some money instead of lose it. Its basically the luxeries, which deal with fun and entertainment, will be temporarily or permanently closed. Let me ask you this question, when was the last time you stopped by the French Quarter of New Orleans and the Casinos/Shows of Biloxi?

Unfortunately, when a natural disaster such as a Hurrican occur so called Mr. Hydes tend to reveal themselves in people when desperate times call for desperate measures. Measures such as breaking into stores and stealing/looting food and/or clothing. Its a sad situation indeed as you witness seemingly leve headed, law abiding citizens run rampid in a city, such as New Orleans, where fighting has been reported and shots are being fired at helicopters who are trying to save/help these people. Its understandable that sometimes you have to fight to survive but doing something such as firing at people who are trying to help is just plain stupid. For the question can be asked, would you resort to looting and/or stealing if you were in their shoes?

For there is saying that goes with every dark cloud there is a silver lining. Essentially, the silver lining to this is that all across the United States from New York, Texas, California, etc. and even overseas are wanting to help. Help by provide some much needed services like getting food, clothing, blankets, and even electricity to people as best they can. You hear good samaritans opening up their homes and even baseball standiums such as the Houston Astrodome to refugees. People helping people out of the goodness of their own heart who genuinely want give or do something to help their fellow Americans and neighbors who have nothing to go back.

In retrospect, for a person who lives in Pensacola, Florida you feel happy that it missed you; but at the same time you feel guilty. Guilty because you see so much suffering there and yet we're watching all this in the comfort of our air conditioned homes, sleeping in our warm beds, with plenty of food to eat. Initially, it makes you sick to your stomach to see people go through this as you find yourself crying but also you find yourself wanting to help in some way, shape or form. Where I work, we're talking about putting together a drive to give food, blankets, clothes, and letters of encouragement to the people from the kids, which will hopefully lift many spirits. In the end, to all the refugees we will keep you in our prayers and may God be with you.