Zombie Apocalypse....

So, Hollywood and the video game industry have made zombies the ultra-cool monster of the day. On one hand this is a good thing because it takes attention away from the egregious error they made by taking one of the greatest, most time-honored evil creature, the vampire, and turned him into a brooding, emo teen that won't kill and in fact, sparkles in the sunlight.What the hell were they thinking in THAT one?  On the other hand, filling the entertainment world with zombie lore seems to have had an unexpected side effect. Actual "Zombie" attacks!  I fully realize that the incidents in question have been largely attached to extreme drug use, most recently with a new drug euphemistically called "bath salts" , sometimes mixed with other drugs like meth or alcohol, but I submit to you that there is damn little difference between an actual zombie eating your face, and a crazed drug addict eating your face, when it comes right down to it.

The world is fast becoming a very strange place. The street drugs are getting stronger and weirder, and if you watch your zombie flicks, all of the epidemics start out with a few isolated incidents, which receive a lot of coverage to quickly explain the cause so that the Armageddon mongers don't start announcing the end of the world on the street corners. I don't know if there is a real Zombie Apocalypse coming or not, but a few boxes of shotgun shells in the house are not going to be in anyone's way. I have 2 shotguns, 3 rifles and 6 swords. I also have the high-ground. I am thinking rocket propelled grenades might be fun, and a flame thrower would be an awesome father-son project for me and my boy Victor!

Future Imperfect....

The future is closer than you think. I just finished “reading” the Hunger Games trilogy and find myself deeply disturbed. Well, more disturbed than usual at any rate.  For those of you who have not either seen the movie or read the books, it is a tale, set in a future world. A place formerly known as America which is now known as Panem. Panum is broken into 12 districts, each one producing one primary export. Very little of the products made, mined, or harvested, stays in its home district, but is sent to the Capital where it is supposed to be distributed equitably by the government. The Capital of course keeps the lion’s share of the goods and only disburses enough to the districts for meager survival. The Capital has an annual tradition where each district sends one boy and one girl “tribute” to fight to the death against the tributes from all of the other districts in an arena which spans many square miles.  About here I will stop giving away the story an recommend the books to my readers. They are a good read, but not what I would call “feel good” material.

The thing that disturbs me is how easily I can foresee something similar happening. Not within our lifetimes, but eventually. There are things on television now that were unheard of and would have never been tolerated 20 years ago.  20 years ago there were things aired that would have been criminal 40 years ago. The human need to “push the envelope” and go farther into the unbelievable simply for entertainment purposes is staggering. I remember being told that Bugs Bunny and Tom & Jerry were too violent and were going to damage our minds. Today our children watch full contact Mixed Martial Arts because the wrestling we watched as kids has been exposed as fake. Saturday Morning cartoons are a thing of the past. Today, the blood, gore and language of video games rivals any rated R movie from the 80’s. My question is, what happens when all of today’s entertainment get’s old? Where will Hollywood go to satisfy our bloodlust when MMA and CGI Graphics and theatrical blood fail to satisfy. I can see the degradation of society’s moral fiber resulting in some form of Gladiatorial Combat to entertain the masses and if our government needs to distract the populace of this country in a grandiose fashion, I have no doubt that they would sponsor something of the like. That of course addresses only the violence aspect. The sexuality on TV has become equally devastating. Especially to our youth, many of whom seem to view dating as an avenue to sex instead of the opportunity for two people to become better acquainted with each other. My teenage son said three words which terrified me a few months back. “Hump and dump” I am not raising a womanizer and I am sure he was just being the clown that he is known to be, but I was sure to express my displeasure.

I am probably way off base, but the world seems to be careening in an out of control hand basket to hell. I just say a prayer that things get better. If praying is not your thing then keep a positive thought and try to lean towards the good side because I don’t know how else one would steer a hand basket. – Be Blessed.

Surviving the teen years...

I truly hope that you did not open today's blog in the hopes of gleaning any helpful hints with regards to raising teenagers. There is little likelihood of any such material appearing in these passages, but since I never really know how this blog ends up until it does, who knows, there may be a pearl or two.

I have 2 teens at home, one 17 year old girl, one 15 year old boy. Life for me is in a constant state of free fall it seems. As they grow up, I find that I am needed less for advice and guidance, and more for sustenance and transportation. "Feed me, clothe me, take me somewhere" these are the needs of today's teenager. Even "clothe me" is evolving to become  "take me shopping, because I will not wear what you buy for me".  I grew up in hand-me-downs from 2 older cousins. Not entirely of course but the mentality of the time was you wore what your parents bought you and did not complain. Today, a teen in school is practically excommunicated from society if his/her clothing does not bear the proper labels. Hollister, Aeropostale, Abercrombie, Echo, etc.  You are a second class citizen if you show up in Walmart's Faded Glory brands or Heaven forbid, Old Navy. I remember getting my first IZOD sweater, with the little gator on it. I bought it with money from my first job and was so proud of it. My image however was irredeemable in high school because of the fashion faux pas I had unwittingly made over the years, among other things.

I had of course committed every sin against coolness that a high schooler can make. I FOUNDED the computer club at Hampton Bays Jr-Sr High with Mrs. Gladys Meschutt. I was on Mike Terry's Audio Visual Squad. I was in 4 years of band and sang for awhile in chorus.  Cool or uncool, those experiences made me who I am today.  I still retain my savvy for computers and other electronics and music is still a driving force in my life, but I digress, this was supposed to be about raising teens.

I guess what I am driving at is that if we , Generation X'ers or whatever the hell they call us, were pigeon-holed into cliques when we were kids, then OUR children have it at least twice as bad today. I weep for tomorrow's generation unless we, the adults of today, remind our kids of what is most important in life. Clothes do not make the man. It is not what you have , but what you are that matters, and you project what you are most effectively in the way you treat others. Don't cast judgement on anyone until you have walked a mile in their shoes, because in the end..... you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes! Be Blessed!

The grass continues to grow...

Nature, it seems is intent on teaching me a lesson lately.  No matter how crazy things get, or how busy we make ourselves, the grass continues to grow. Pretty inconsiderate of it if you ask me. I have tried to explain to the grass that it can take a break. That it would be much better for all concerned if it would even just slow down. The grass however, is singularly unmoved by my expostulation and continues reaching for the sun. Even after the 56" deck of my Craftsman lawn tractor lays waste to 2 weeks of tireless effort on the part of the lawn, the grass is unperturbed, and fearlessly continues to rise up, often stronger for having been cut down so many times.

This is my lesson, no matter how often I am cut down in this life, (we wont even get into what the dog does out there), I must endeavor to persevere. Keep reaching for the sunlight. Life will ALWAYS come back and cut me down again. It does not matter how many times one goes down. What matters is how many times one gets back up again. My answer? At least once more, as always....

People have often used the phrase "as boring as watching the grass grow". I only wish I could take the time to do just that. Be blessed.