Sunday, January 29, 2006

In a flash

Ever notice how you can find inspiration or at least an understanding of yourself in the most unlikely of places?

For instance, I was driving home from Cedar Rapids on Saturday listening to 80s songs on the radio. The theme from Flashdance started playing and, I admit, I was singing along. The chorus goes like this:

What a feeling, bein's believin'
I can't have it all, now I'm dancin' for my life
Take your passion, and make it happen
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life

I am not a dancer. Sure, I can move a little bit, but I make no claim to a superior sense of rhythm. So it's not the dancing part that moved me. It was this line:

Take your passion, and make it happen

When I think about my life, that sort sums me up. I figure out what I am passionate about - family, theater, etc. - and then I make it happen as best I can.

It's weird how self awareness can appear in the middle of a cheesy 80s song about a steelworker turned dancer.

Friday, January 27, 2006

Prostrate Programming, etc.

A week or so ago, someone put a handwritten xeroxed ... manifesto, I guess, in the handle of my front door. I've been meaning to blog about it. It's called ,"Prostrate Programming and the Antichrist's Dream for American Youth". (Not, "yout", I note.) It reads better if you read it out loud as if you were delivering a speech. What's especially impressive about the whole thing is that it's signed. Brian Sargent is the writer and with a quick Google search, I found out that Mr. Sargent is a pastor of the Open Air Baptist Church, which meets, humorously enough, inside the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. I also managed to find a picture of him.



Sorry, Brian, but when you leave unsolicited crap in my doorhandle, I'm going to investigate and post stuff on my blog.

Just for the hell of it, here's a quote:

Robotic sentence structuring, indoctrination for the incarnate manifestation, answers and actions predetermined in accordance with state dictates, dictates of the state. (ed. note: can't you imagine someone saying that from the pulpit. doesn't work as well when read.) Well oiled robotic knees and the Antichrist's dream for the American youth.

It goes on in this vein for a handwritten page and a half. What I am trying to figure out is what is the purpose of putting this in my doorhandle. Does he expect that I am going to read this crap and say, "Wow, I ought to be a better person!"? Is it just an ego boost for him? Or is he hoping I'll hunt him down, hand him an A-bomb and say "My life for you." (Ten points to the first person who knows that
reference!)

I can understand putting one's ideas out there. As a writer, actor, and producer, I do that all the time. I guess what I dislike is the way in which he is distributing his ideas. People should have the freedom to choose whether they want to receive the ideas. Sure, I could throw it away, but I shouldn't have to. If I choose to read a book or see a play, that's means I've decided to experience that message. If someone showed up on my lawn and starting performing a play, I'd... well, okay I'd watch because of the sheer novelty of it. But still, the point is we ought to be able to choose.

To sum up, stop leaving crap in my doorhandle.

Stupid Democrats

John Kerry has decided to attempt a filibuster to stop Judge Alito from joining the Supreme Court. If I were a Congressman, I'd probably vote against the guy, so I understand the opposition to Mr. Smiley. But to try and filibuster the nomination is just stupid. Kerry has political capital and he's throwing it away. There's no chance Alito won't be confirmed. All this will do is demonstrate once again how far outside the mainstream the Democratic party is. Kerry impressed me earlier in the week when he spoke out against Bush's illegal wiretapping. That's a good use of his political capital. And if he becomes a laughingstock (again) when this Alito business fails, it could hurt our chances of bringing Bush and his cronies to justice. Why is the Democratic party leadership so stupid? Where is my third option?

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Hey!

Remember when I used to blog?

Good times, good times.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

A real post

Today was Sami's second birthday. She's getting to be such a big girl. She can talk up a storm these days. And she's actually started working on potty training. A life without diapers lies ahead - the end is in sight! She is doing one thing that's aggravating: she's a total momma's girl. Which wouldn't be so bad at all except that it means Daddy is a second class citizen. One of her favorite phrases is "Mommy do!" These words are said whenever I try to put on a shoe, change her clothes, get her a glass of milk, whatever. Daddy isn't allowed to do anything if Mommy is anywhere around. Mind you, Mommy is not thrilled by this turn of events either. And I admit it has gotten me out of a few diaper changes, so it's not all bad. But I long for the day when Sami is more like Rachel who sees me as "Daddy, the guy who can do know wrong and knows the answer to everything". Until she goes to school next fall of course.

In other news, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the fact that I have a very good mother-in-law. Everyone's heard the stories of the terrible mother-in-laws. I lucked out and ended up with a really nice one. As an example, we no longer get the Sci-Fi channel, which means I can't watch Battlestar Galactica anymore. If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know how much I love that show. My mother-in-law mentions today when she was visiting for Sami's birthday that she's been taping the episodes for me. That's the kind of thoughtful person she is.

Speaking of TV, 24 starts tomorrow and apparently the first ten minutes are totally shocking. I am pretty certain we're going to see a familiar face get killed before the first commercial. I like that they're starting the season with a two nights of two hours each. It's a great way to get things moving fast.

American Idol begins on Tuesday. The first episodes are sometimes fun, but not really appointment television. When they get to Hollywood and all the terrible singers are gone, then things start moving. Rachel is excited about it. She was a huge Bo Bice fan last year, if you recall. I think he was her first celebrity crush. Although it wasn't really a crush since she was four. And she doesn't like boys. At all. Not gonna play with them, she tells me.

Other news... I like my job a lot. So that's good. I especially like the money we're bringing home. It's nice to be a two full time income family again.

And things are starting to get interesting for Dreamwell. Can't say too much, but suffice it to say I think it's going to be a really cornerturning year.

So that's my update. Waa hoo.

Color Quiz

Sharon tells me I have to blog more. I've just been so busy with the new job not to mention Dreamwell work that finding time to blog is difficult. But here's a quickie so you know I'm still around. This quiz seems to be all the rage right now.




ColorQuiz.comMatt took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

"Longs for tenderness and for a sensitivity of feel..."


Click here to read the rest of the results.


My Survivor blog has the latest news and speculation as well as some spoiling about the show.
About Me

Name: Matt
Location: Coralville, IA
I am a Dad and a Husband. An Actor. An Administrator. A Hiker. A Writer. Probably a bunch of other things too. Read my blog and you'll find out more.
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

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