I don’t know what it feels like to lose a loved one in a terror attack. I have had loved ones die, but in those situations, the illness was known and there was some preparation time. But in terror tragedies, the loss is unexpected, sudden and unexplainable. In light of recent events in London and the foiled terror plot, it just makes me think about how, if at all, we change our personal habits after terrorist activity rears its ugly head.
How many flights have you taken since 9/11? Any international flights? Do you look for “suspicious activity” or strange looking unattended bags? And if you notice this type of activity, would you actually report it to authorities? Or would you say, “I am just being paranoid.” A Wal-Mart clerk didn’t think it was paranoia when a massive purchase of cell phones sent off an internal “this isn’t right alarm.” And look what happened, turns out that it was suspicious activity.
I use mass public transportation all the time, and honestly, I cannot say I have seen any ‘suspicious” activity. I have encountered some rude and idiotic persons, but nothing that made me think my life is in imminent danger. I had a flight to Miami scheduled for 9/14/01 and was willing to fly even after what happened just a few days earlier.
Do I have a death wish? I would like to think not. I am a risk taker no doubt. I am also an optimist. But I guess in the end, I always think, “It isn’t going to be my flight.” It would be too difficult to go through life thinking it would be.
I still fly to this day. I attended 3 weddings in 6 six weeks (starting the first week of July) and not once have I given serious thought to a terrorist being on my flight. (And I fly out of Washington DC, a target with serious juice to it). Do you think about it? Do you scan the crowd of people boarding your flight and wonder which person is the bad seed? I scan the crowd, but largely to determine whom I don’t want sitting next to me.
So why don’t we think about it more? Why doesn’t it consume our psyche constantly? Do we feel safe all the time? Or do we force ourselves to live in fantasy world that there will be only one 9/11? The world’s most recent events confirm that the potential for another 9/11 (or worse) exists and people are actively trying to make it happen. I believe we should be conscious that sick and twisted people are out there, but I trust that smart people are working diligently to make the skies friendly for everyone. I know this is a naïve and utopian view of things, but hey, I gotta believe in something.
I have read several articles with quotes ranging from “that is the risk you take for flying” or “I feel safer with all the security checks that are in place” or “How else am I to get from NY to LA in 6 hours?” Here is what I think. When the Lord says my time on this earth is up, it is time for me to go. It might be in my sleep, in my car, shot is the street or at the hands of a terrorist. I believe God has a plan for me and all his children, and as much as we may not want to think about it, the plan ends with us dying. So for me, no terrorist is going to scare me from flying. Part of that comes from an unrelenting desire to not give in to what they want and defy what they stand for, if they stand for anything. Where will my next flight be? I don’t know. But if my boss tells me to go to Birmingham, AL, I can guarantee you I am not driving there.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Don't be afraid of the MONSTER!
After yet another trip back to Texas and enjoying the taste of the fine cuisine that is Freebirds, I felt it time to bring my Top 10 (or so) reasons, that Chipotle will NEVER be better than Freebirds, to the world.
1. No monster (or super monster for that matter)
2. No habanero or death sauce
3. No one says “Sir, someone will be right with you”
4. Only 1 type of tortilla
5. No refried beans
6. No melted queso
7. They serve corn and only white rice
8. The lettuce looks like something from a salad at a hotel brunch
9. Watery sour cream
10. No BBQ sauce
11. No pink lemonade or Dr. Pepper
12. Where are the quesadillas??
13. They have terrible foil wrapping techniques
14. No stamp card
15. No statue of Liberty or foil creations lining the wall
I am such a fan that I carry a monster on the plane with me whenever I return home from Texas. Most friends and family know that if they are coming to visit (from a city that has a Freebirds), they better be carrying a brown paper bag with a monster wrapped in foil with them. Otherwise, they run the risk of getting left at baggage claim. No one has been left yet, thank goodness.
How do you feel about it? Those of you lucky enough to be able to eat Freebirds on a regular basis, consider it a blessing.
1. No monster (or super monster for that matter)
2. No habanero or death sauce
3. No one says “Sir, someone will be right with you”
4. Only 1 type of tortilla
5. No refried beans
6. No melted queso
7. They serve corn and only white rice
8. The lettuce looks like something from a salad at a hotel brunch
9. Watery sour cream
10. No BBQ sauce
11. No pink lemonade or Dr. Pepper
12. Where are the quesadillas??
13. They have terrible foil wrapping techniques
14. No stamp card
15. No statue of Liberty or foil creations lining the wall
I am such a fan that I carry a monster on the plane with me whenever I return home from Texas. Most friends and family know that if they are coming to visit (from a city that has a Freebirds), they better be carrying a brown paper bag with a monster wrapped in foil with them. Otherwise, they run the risk of getting left at baggage claim. No one has been left yet, thank goodness.
How do you feel about it? Those of you lucky enough to be able to eat Freebirds on a regular basis, consider it a blessing.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
As the seasons change
So, I was watching my favorite movie on television a few weeks ago, Scent of a Woman, and it is still as good as ever. It made me remember why it is that I love the movie. It also got me to thinking about a new topic to write about in this new forum.
When you live in a city where a large amount of commuters walk or take public transportation or both. There are many things that you notice that raise the brow. Unfortunately, driving commuters do not get this opportunity.
So let’s get right to it. First of all, women are fascinating and frustrating creatures at the same time. It is at this time we shall observe the fascinating part.
Winter clothing for women is subtly and secretively seductive. It isn’t revealing but it happens to draw the attention nonetheless. The long form fitting skirts. The high boots that announce their presences even in the snow. How about the scarf that draws attention to the neck and chest area only to lead the eyes to the jacket wrapped tightly around the body for warmth. Even the jacket, tapered and fitted at the waist (or drawn tightly with a belt) gives a nice silhouette of what hides underneath. This may all seem simple and dull, but when you see it everyday, morning, afternoon and night, it captures the eye and imagination. And you cannot help but look because it is 12 blocks to your metro stop and your ipod is shuffling through the same songs you heard yesterday. So what else to keep the mind active?
And just when you thought you had seen it all, Mother Nature flips it on you and here comes spring and summer. If you thought winter/fall were secretly seductive and enticing, the eyes get a shot of adrenaline come March 21. The first significant changes you notice are the colors. Gone are gray, black, and dark blue. No more wool, fleece or heavy lining on the inside of the leather. The streets abound with bright colors like pink, purple, blue, yellow and every pastel color imaginable. Forget the long fitted skirts and high boots. Now it is time for long, flowing skirts that catch every piece of wind one way and toss of the hips another. No kidding. It is as if someone knitted together a grass hula skirt, threw in some dye and started selling it at Macy’s.
I think I have seen my wife beater go walking by in all different colors. Have you noticed that women will walk around in basically lingerie, put on a pair of capris or jeans and call it a summer outfit? And I will admit to not knowing much in detail about female footwear. I know what doesn’t work, but I have to see it on a foot before I can make that determination. Anyway, open toe shoes (flip-flops, sandals and heels) are a big plus this time of year and they accentuate the feet very well. Those feet however need to be well kept and maintained. Good looking feet are an overlooked attribute. Eddie Murphy knew what he was talking about in Boomerang.
And guys don’t fret. You do have superhuman powers in the spring/summer time. Our x-ray vision is all-powerful when it comes to white pants, shorts and skirts.
They say there is no aphrodisiac like power. Well, spring and summer run a pretty close second. And what I described is just a sampling of what you see when the sun comes out. I didn’t even get into baby tees, tank tops and mini-skirts that would make any catholic schoolteacher send everyone to detention. The ruler above the knee rule has definitely been left behind. It is like women cannot wait to show off what they have been hiding all winter. Every bit of skin that has been moisturized, arms and legs that have been toned showing a hint of muscle from all those Pilates and resistance training classes and dvd’s. It could be considered somewhat primal and animalistic. I just call it my walk home.
When you live in a city where a large amount of commuters walk or take public transportation or both. There are many things that you notice that raise the brow. Unfortunately, driving commuters do not get this opportunity.
So let’s get right to it. First of all, women are fascinating and frustrating creatures at the same time. It is at this time we shall observe the fascinating part.
Winter clothing for women is subtly and secretively seductive. It isn’t revealing but it happens to draw the attention nonetheless. The long form fitting skirts. The high boots that announce their presences even in the snow. How about the scarf that draws attention to the neck and chest area only to lead the eyes to the jacket wrapped tightly around the body for warmth. Even the jacket, tapered and fitted at the waist (or drawn tightly with a belt) gives a nice silhouette of what hides underneath. This may all seem simple and dull, but when you see it everyday, morning, afternoon and night, it captures the eye and imagination. And you cannot help but look because it is 12 blocks to your metro stop and your ipod is shuffling through the same songs you heard yesterday. So what else to keep the mind active?
And just when you thought you had seen it all, Mother Nature flips it on you and here comes spring and summer. If you thought winter/fall were secretly seductive and enticing, the eyes get a shot of adrenaline come March 21. The first significant changes you notice are the colors. Gone are gray, black, and dark blue. No more wool, fleece or heavy lining on the inside of the leather. The streets abound with bright colors like pink, purple, blue, yellow and every pastel color imaginable. Forget the long fitted skirts and high boots. Now it is time for long, flowing skirts that catch every piece of wind one way and toss of the hips another. No kidding. It is as if someone knitted together a grass hula skirt, threw in some dye and started selling it at Macy’s.
I think I have seen my wife beater go walking by in all different colors. Have you noticed that women will walk around in basically lingerie, put on a pair of capris or jeans and call it a summer outfit? And I will admit to not knowing much in detail about female footwear. I know what doesn’t work, but I have to see it on a foot before I can make that determination. Anyway, open toe shoes (flip-flops, sandals and heels) are a big plus this time of year and they accentuate the feet very well. Those feet however need to be well kept and maintained. Good looking feet are an overlooked attribute. Eddie Murphy knew what he was talking about in Boomerang.
And guys don’t fret. You do have superhuman powers in the spring/summer time. Our x-ray vision is all-powerful when it comes to white pants, shorts and skirts.
They say there is no aphrodisiac like power. Well, spring and summer run a pretty close second. And what I described is just a sampling of what you see when the sun comes out. I didn’t even get into baby tees, tank tops and mini-skirts that would make any catholic schoolteacher send everyone to detention. The ruler above the knee rule has definitely been left behind. It is like women cannot wait to show off what they have been hiding all winter. Every bit of skin that has been moisturized, arms and legs that have been toned showing a hint of muscle from all those Pilates and resistance training classes and dvd’s. It could be considered somewhat primal and animalistic. I just call it my walk home.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
How did we become a fat society?
Been a while since we had a topic for discussion. I have had some thoughts over the past few months. One was about hurricanes, another about supreme court nominees and the selection process and lastly about immigration (which still might happen). All of which I knew would turn political quickly, so I avoided them. In this town I now live in, it is all about politics, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. But shouldn’t we be able to discuss and debate and be honest without hating each other? Let’s try.
So, I went to workout outdoors since it was a nice spring day, about 65-70 degrees. After finishing I was hungry and decided to get something to eat. Didn’t want a sandwich because I eat them all week for lunch, didn’t want to cook anything, so I proceeded to McDonalds. Not to my surprise, McDonalds was packed. Kids, old people and every other kind of people were in there. But have you ever noticed that the person in front of you in line is normally over weight and looks generally unhealthy? Why is that? Fast food restaurants, like all eating establishments, have come under fire in recent years for egregious nutritional deficiencies. As if no one can see and smell the grease that they use for those fries. But they are SO good. Admit it, you go to McDonalds for the fries. Maybe the Quarter-Pounder with cheese or BigMac, but mostly the fries. Do you really think listing the nutritional value of fries anywhere in the place is going to change things? Is there any nutritional value anyways? I try to limit my fast food intake every week to 2 trips every 7 days. Sometimes I stick to it, but sometimes I don’t. But, overall, I don’t eat there every day.
So, who is to blame for the lack of self-control that we have over going to fast food restaurants? Is it McDonalds? It is our parents? Is it us? No one forced my car to go to McDonalds today. No one forces me to go to Subway, when I go. You can list all the nutrition ingredients you want and it will not stop people from going. How many people have ever bought a salad at McDonalds? Or ever gotten an apple at McNasty’s? Yeah, that is what I thought? Did you know that McDonalds is one of the top 5 purchasers of apples in the country? Yeah, very surprising. But normally they get rid of them by donating them to walk-a-thons and marathons and community service projects. No one actually buys them.
I don’t have any problem with government regulations on listing the ingredients in food that we eat. I think that everyone should be knowledgeable of it. However, I don’t believe that it will carry the importance that people think it will. What are we going to do when McDonalds starts listing the ingredients and then sells the same amount of fries the next year? Then what is going to be the argument? Who are we going to sue then when we get overweight and suffer from morbid obesity, which is an actual medical term. Maybe we will sue the school system for not forcing us to take PE. Maybe our jobs for not providing adequate time off to workout or access to the proper facilities.
I find it disturbing that we are moving more toward a society of blaming someone else instead of accepting some responsibility ourselves. What do you think?
So, I went to workout outdoors since it was a nice spring day, about 65-70 degrees. After finishing I was hungry and decided to get something to eat. Didn’t want a sandwich because I eat them all week for lunch, didn’t want to cook anything, so I proceeded to McDonalds. Not to my surprise, McDonalds was packed. Kids, old people and every other kind of people were in there. But have you ever noticed that the person in front of you in line is normally over weight and looks generally unhealthy? Why is that? Fast food restaurants, like all eating establishments, have come under fire in recent years for egregious nutritional deficiencies. As if no one can see and smell the grease that they use for those fries. But they are SO good. Admit it, you go to McDonalds for the fries. Maybe the Quarter-Pounder with cheese or BigMac, but mostly the fries. Do you really think listing the nutritional value of fries anywhere in the place is going to change things? Is there any nutritional value anyways? I try to limit my fast food intake every week to 2 trips every 7 days. Sometimes I stick to it, but sometimes I don’t. But, overall, I don’t eat there every day.
So, who is to blame for the lack of self-control that we have over going to fast food restaurants? Is it McDonalds? It is our parents? Is it us? No one forced my car to go to McDonalds today. No one forces me to go to Subway, when I go. You can list all the nutrition ingredients you want and it will not stop people from going. How many people have ever bought a salad at McDonalds? Or ever gotten an apple at McNasty’s? Yeah, that is what I thought? Did you know that McDonalds is one of the top 5 purchasers of apples in the country? Yeah, very surprising. But normally they get rid of them by donating them to walk-a-thons and marathons and community service projects. No one actually buys them.
I don’t have any problem with government regulations on listing the ingredients in food that we eat. I think that everyone should be knowledgeable of it. However, I don’t believe that it will carry the importance that people think it will. What are we going to do when McDonalds starts listing the ingredients and then sells the same amount of fries the next year? Then what is going to be the argument? Who are we going to sue then when we get overweight and suffer from morbid obesity, which is an actual medical term. Maybe we will sue the school system for not forcing us to take PE. Maybe our jobs for not providing adequate time off to workout or access to the proper facilities.
I find it disturbing that we are moving more toward a society of blaming someone else instead of accepting some responsibility ourselves. What do you think?
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