Blaze Of Glory

Plato once said, ~Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them in how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for their sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued, or softened, or hindered from plunging into evil.~ If you think about it, American Idol is a lot like the old west and the contestant each week are in a showdown with each other but instead of six shooters their voices are the weapon of choice. Like any "town" it must have its resident peacekeepers to lay down the law in this so-called High Noon type setting where sound or unsound criticism either sends them to an early grave or live to fight another day.

For the most part, the "town" of American Idol has had its share of memorable gunfighters, but none has created more buzz around the world than a gray haired cowboy named Taylor Hicks otherwise known as the Silver Fox. A man who not only made his presence known when he walked into town in Nevada but also brought something along with him that inevitably became a force to be reckoned with and that is soul. Since then there has been a following of mass proportions to where the mention of his name causes a disturbance in a positive way of course. Yet, that positive disturbance hasn't been sitting well with one of the three lawmen who has taken upon himself to take him down any way possible and his name is Simon Cowell.

Without a doubt, Simon Cowell is considered one of the meanest and toughest hombres whose quick to judge attitude branded the Silver Fox an outlaw due to the fact that he does not fit what he thinks an American Idol should be thus making him a wanted man, in a manner of speaking. His unique and one of a kind style of gunfighting, so to speak, has not only wowed the crow to the point of bringing them to their feet but it has also brought tears to the eyes of the female population as well. In Simon's "town" he's branded public enemy #1 and the barrage of flying criticisms have consistently been aimed towards the Silver Fox, which has wounded him deep but as the saying goes what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Essentially, the Silver Fox has taken off the gloves so to speak and is not going to comply with laws that have been set before him, which has subdued the once gray haired stranger that America, as well as, the world grew to love back in Nevada. The Silver Fox is considered a free spirit and the apparent refusal to no longer play by the rules that have been set forth shows that he's going back to what brought him to the dance, in a manner of speaking. In a sense, Taylor Hicks is bringing everything he's got in his arsenal for a showdown of a lifetime. A showdown that may in fact turn either good, bad, or ugly and by the end of the night it will hopefully be the gray haired cowboy who will be the last man standing.

In retrospect, Simon Cowell considers Taylor Hicks a serious threat because he's such an unpredictable and dangerous foe. Tuesday night, The Silver Fox is heading into a fight and right behind him is his posse who has been with him every step of the way with itchy dialing trigger fingers locked and ready to dial. Most certainly a tombstone marked with not only his name but also the names of each and every member of the soul patrol posse too. In the end, two days from now The Silver Fox is prepared to walk in six shooters firing at all cylinders and in the end I ask you this question Soul Patrol, are you prepared...are you ready to go down in a blaze of glory, which is a song by Jon Bon Jovi from the movie Young Guns II.

Across The Miles

Sara Paddison once said, ~You'll discover that real love is millions of miles past falling in love with anyone or anything. When you make that one effort to feel compassion instead of blame or self blame, the heart opens again and continues opening.~ Love, in its most real, honest, and purest form, is considered to be one the greatest experiences one will ever feel with that special someone. In some aspect, it is the real, honest, and purest form of love that fuels a person's heart to the point where it never runs on empty, so to speak. If you think about it, it's rare indeed these days to meet someone who continually fills your heart with happiness, contentment. as well as, a sense of peace within your heart.

Without a doubt, when you have love that is real one can be personally and emotionally driven far beyond the exceeding limits in one's heart. For if one's heart were ever equipped with an odometer, you would see a representation of the number of miles spent going up, down, and all around behind the wheel of your heart, in a manner of speaking. In a metaphorical sense, each individual mile can signify times of happiness, heartache, sadness, anger, frustration, confusion, etc. either in a past or in a current relationship. Let me ask you this question, when it comes to real love with that certain someone, are you ready to go farther than you've ever gone before both personally, as well as, emotionally?

You've probably heard the _expression put the pedal to metal and in this instance it describes pushing your own heart beyond a level you never normally go past. It's amazing the strength and resilience the human heart has when the love you have for someone causes you to do miraculous things such as chase after him or her on foot no matter the distance between you and that particular person of interest. In any case, you have to make each individual mile count for something because when you take a look at one's proverbial rear view mirror you not only see the number of miles you've attained, but you also see how much you've maturely grown over time within your heart.

Are we there yet or should I say am I there yet is a question that tends to be asked quite often when a person wants to know when he or she will finally arrive at a place in his or her heart that has been somewhat like a missed exit. An exit that one has either seen and/or tried to enter but for some reason got lost along the way. As we all tend to do at times, we place blame on a particular person(s) but more often than not we place blame on ourselves, which is considered to be salt that ruins the richness and purity of love that pumps within one's heart. For the most part, blaming yourself will consequently leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere, so to speak, within your heart and soul to where one gives up on ever saying, I'm finally here.

In retrospect, when you share a love that is real and honestly pure with that someone special you want to initially start out by setting your heart on cruise control. Why? So that you don't run the risk of wasting all your fuel to where it simply is running on fumes, which is a situation that certain relationships are currently in. What it comes down to is gradually shifting your heart to a higher gear to the point where your heart is eventually wide open to let someone else in and develop complete trust with each other as you let him or her place one's hands on the steering wheel of your heart. I end this through with a poem entitled Across The Miles author unknown that perfectly fits with what I've been conveying to you.

Across the miles of times
Through trials and tribulations
Two hearts connected
We built a life
Out of trust and sincerity
Together we want a partner
To love, trust and confide in
As we bond
We will build a life
Together as one
Your pain is my pain
Your fears are mine
Your tears are mine
Your laughter is mine
Combined we will be one
Apart we will be nothing
Together we will be
The fire in the night
The warmth on a cold night
The desire that ever one wants
But most can't find
Why because they can't open
Thier hearts and soul
You are my soul mate
Alone I'm nothing
Together we become
The forces of the universe
Gods creation of love
In what it is meant to be
Loves perfect union
Life ultimate desire
See it for what it is
It don't come along again,
One shot at happiness forever

Stand By Me

Someone once said, ~Don't stand in front of me, I may not follow. Don't stand behind me, I may not lead. Just stand beside me and be my friend.~ Without a doubt, a friendship should be established before love ever happens between two people who have a gradual or instant connection. Yet, when it comes to love one can get ahead of himself or herself to the point where you're left not only standing either slightly or majorly embarrassed but you also jeopardize a friendship as well. Hey, its part of life as we all knowingly meet that special someone while on our own individual journey. Let me ask you this question, when it comes to potential love and friendship between you and a certain someone do you absolutely know where you stand?

Essentially, every person is standing or has stood in front of a certain someone whose friendship means so much but ever so often you just have to follow your heart and see where it takes you. When one does follow his or her heart one ends up metaphorically standing afar off raising it above your head towards that particular person, which is kind of similar to what John Cusack's character Lloyd Dobler did in the movie Say Anything. In some aspect, we all can be considered a Lloyd Dobler and even though we may not have a boombox blaring a Peter Gabriel song, one has the next best thing, which is a beating heart that is blaring one's feelings loud and clear.

Where do I stand with you? If you think about it, its a question that has been asked so many times over by so many people to a certain someone. For it's a heart pounding experience as you stand in front of that person with absolute vulnerability and wait for the possibility of a decision from him or her...if any. However, the decision is primarily left up to that person and that person alone and you can't force it or manipulate the situation in your favor, which is not how love works. What it all comes down to is patience and when the decision is eventually made one will reach out and ask that person will you take my hand and follow me?

Like life, love has a proverbial crossroads where the decision that one makes will determine whether he or she takes several steps back due to fear, doubt, and/or reservations or step forward straight into excitement, happiness, and/or contentment, which is a place every person wants to be in within their own heart. For it is in that place where a person is truly real and the things you say or do while standing in front of that person cannot be faked. Ultimately one leaves it to chance and even though you can't guarantee what lies ahead in the future, you know you want to with him or her guiding that special someone mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually in the right direction.

Someone said, ~Love is like standing in wet cement. The longer you stay, the harder it is to leave. And you can never go without leaving your shoes behind~ In retrospect, every person deserves someone to truly love and be your best friend. That certain someone is unlike any other as he or she metaphorically is standing within one's soft and tender heart to where his or her so-called footprints leave deep and lasting impressions. For it those impressions within your heart that give you a sense of calm when situations around you fall apart. In the end, when you look into the eyes of that special person you say you with loving confidence as long as you stand by me everything will be alright. A song that tends to reflect this thought is Ben E. King entitled Stand By Me.

The Girl Next Door

Dave Matthews once said, ~Where you are is where I want to be. And through your eyes all the things I want to see. And in the night you are my dream. You're everything to me.~ Without a doubt, every guy hopes to see, meet, get to know, then fall in love with, marry, and ultimately spend a lifetime with a girl who, in some ways, reminds you of Wonder Years' character Winnie Cooper. A girl who is sweet, unassuming, and yet truly doesn't know how beautiful she truly is. For some, most, or all guys know this type of girl and whether one hangs out with or sees her on a semi-daily basis she is not only special in her own unique way, but also exudes beauty both inside and out.

If you think about it, as a guy it's impossible not to be like this type of girl who in some ways places a hypnotic spell for the right reason of course. A spell that tends to fly under the radar so to speak as the beauty she exudes shine forth from within her personality, which can oftentimes be overshadowed by the physical beauty of certain girls. It's because she flies under the radar, she has an unexplainable, mysterious charm to her that guys tend to be attracted/drawn towards. In other words, it's this type of girl who any guy would love to be in a relationship with and if not in a relationship then just as a friend one would enjoy hanging around.

Let me ask you this question, have you ever wanted someone to see you not just with their eyes, but with their heart as well? As a guy, you always tend to wonder as to what a girl sees through her own eyes and what's going on within the complexities of her mind as she looks for Mr. Right. Yet, time after time you see her tend to pick Mr. Wrong to where guys ask the standard question which is what does she see in him? If it were ever possible, you want her to see through your eyes a guy who has all the qualities she is looking for in Mr. Right and he is or has been standing right in front of her the whole time.

Every guy, in some metaphorical/Steve Urkel kind of sense, has been chasing or is chasing their own so-called dream girl. For some guys, they've caught her and never let go, but unfortunately for others that particular dream irl is seemingly out of reach. For those guys in particular, they tend to be considered quite delusional due to the fact that in some people's minds no one fits a complete description of the qualities one is looking for and you never will. However, there is a saying that goes never say never because there is a girl who fits all the qualities that a guy, like myself, is looking for and one day that particular girl will step out of my dreams and become a reality.

In retrospect, the qualities that a guy like myself is looking for in a girl are the following:down to earth, strong, witty, smart, funny, sweet, shy, simple, loyal, reserved, talented, pretty, serious, patient, soulful, sophisticated, innocent, womanly, caring, gracious, dependable, nurturing, protective, generous, wacky, etc. It's these particular above mentioned qualities that mean alot to me and thinking about it, this type of girl is a rare jewel to find and you have to admit any guy would love to live either near or next to her. Ultimately, the type of girl I'm looking for is what I like to describe as the girl next door.

And The Winner Is...

Kenneth Boulding once said, ~The future is bound to surprise us, but we don't have to be dumbfounded.~ Let me ask you this question, if I had told you that Marshall Mathers, otherwise known as Eminem, would one day win an oscar what would your response have been? First you would probably have laughed, then thought I was out of my mind, and then would say the chance of Eminem winning an oscar is the day that Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes Governor of California. SURPRISE! Eminem indeed did win an oscar for best song entitled Lose Yourself from his hit movie 8 mile and The Terminator himself Arnold Schwarzenegger is Governor of California. I'm telling you, its a matter of time when a rapper wins for best actor..mark my words.

50 Cent, Bow Wow, Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, T.I, Andre 3000, Big Boi, Ludacris are just a handful of rap artists who have transitioned themselves from rappers to actors of either the small and/or big screen. Whether it's action films, screwball comedies, horror flicks, dramas, whatever the case may be, it's considered for them not only a stepping stone to something possibly even greater but it's also a learning experience to fine tune their acting skills...if any. Essentially, the films many rap artists star in today have done quite well such as 50 cent's starring role in Get Rich or Die Tryin, Ludacris' supporting role in Crash, Mos Def's supporting role opposite Bruce Willis in 16 Blocks, and Andre 3000 in movies such as Be Cool and Four Brothers.

However, its those particular rap artists who should give credit where credit is due as their predecessors paved the way for them such as The Fat Boys, Kid'N Play, Tupac Shakur, L.L. Cool J, Ice T, and Ice Cube. When it comes to Actor/Rapper Ice T, he has done very well for himself as a legitimate actor with many film credits under his belt. Yet, it's his role as Det. Odafin "Fin" Tutuola in the widely popular television show Law and Order: Special Victims Unit that has playing opposite some of the great actors such as John Cullum, Mary Stuart Masterson, Samuel L. Jackson, Cathy Moriarty, and Martin Short. Like Ice Cube, they are considered to be in my opinion the standard at which all rappers should look up to and learn from.

Speaking of Ice Cube, he too has also done quite well not only in the rap game but also in the film industry as well. Like Ice T, he has established himself as a legitimate actor working with big names of the big screen such as Willem Dafoe and Samuel L. Jackson in Triple XXX: State of The Union; George Clooney in Three Kings; Jon Voight In Anaconda; and Dan Akroyd in Christmas with the Kranks. BUT, it's his work as Doughboy in the movie Boyz In The Hood in which his character has been in and out of institutions since childhood and now sits on his porch with a forty in his hand and a pistol in his waistband. In my opinion, that role defined him as an actor and it's not too shabby either if you play opposite a future academy award winner by the name of Cuba Gooding Jr.

This past Academy Awards, 3-6 Mafia won the oscar for best song entitled It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp in the movie Hustle And Flow starring Terrence Howard. It was also on that particular night Crash won for best movie and even though Ludacris didn't win anything, he was part of an ensemble cast in a movie that won best picture betting odds on favorite Brokeback Mountain. Without a doubt, rap artists are making noise in Hollywood to where it's being heard loud and clear. I started this thought by saying a rap artist will win best actor or even best supporting actor and I'm sticking to my word. For it initially began with Eminem then passed on to 3-6 Mafia and who knows maybe next year or the year after that, but one day the envelope will be opened and these 3 words will be said....and the winner is: (insert rap artist name here).