Mikey D

At the bottom of this blog is a place where advertisements by Google and the such are shown, and I look at them every once an awhile, and have to laugh at the ones I've seen recently.

A few posts back I ripped into cheaters, and people who take their relationships and loved ones for granted. So what sorts of advertisements do I get on my blog?

"How to cheat" and "How to have an affair".

Irony at its finest.

Ah, poor Mike Vick.

Flips the bird to all his fans in the ATL, gets busted with some sort of alleged narcotic in his water bottle (you stay classy), and now is being grouped with a bunch of hoodlums (his relatives) in a dog fighting scandal.

Of course he apologized for giving a giant "F-You!" to the his fans. He claimed his innocence with his now infamous drugged water bottle. And he vehemently denies any knowledge of breeding dogs for fighting on a property he owns.

Now as a casual observer and a perpetual softy, I can forgive Mike Vick for his actions- to a point. I can understand being frustrated with your team (you do carry it), and taking it out on the fans who are booing you instead of supporting you. I accept your "Get Out of Jail Free" card Mr. Vick.

You get busted with a foreign substance in your water bottle at the airport during the off season. Hmmm...that's odd to say the least. Seriously. Who puts drugs in their water bottle and tries to smuggle them onto the plane? Vick denies doing this, and because the incident sounds so outlandish and unrealistic, I actually believe you Michael. Free pass numero dos.

Now even I reach my limits; and apparently one of my limits is dog fighting. First let me say that anyone who watches dog fighting, breeds dogs for fighting, or is a part of dog fighting on any level is a fucking moron without a life or intelligent thought in their head. I mean that. You have to be the stupidest fucking person on the face of the earth to think it's okay to breed dogs to viciously fight one another. I don't care how much money you make doing it (there are other ways to make money last time I checked). I don't care if you think it's "fun to watch", because it's not, it's a goddamn felony.

Michael Vick owns a property. Dogs are being breed on this property for dog fighting. Michael Vick claims that he had no idea that was happening on his property, and that it is a few of his relatives that run the property. Are you seriously telling me that you don't know what's going on one of your own properties? I know you must have a few, but seriously, you just buy them and never go to them or something? I know if I bought a plot of land, put a house on it, and had some relatives come stay in it, I might visit once or twice. But hey, that's just me.

This is where I, the fan who forgave, puts his foot down. I don't believe you anymore. Three strikes and you're out. Even if you had nothing to do with the dog fighting and breeding ring like you allegedly say, you should still be dick slapped by a donkey because you're stupid as fuck for not realizing what's happening on your property.

What does Mike Vick have to say about his recent problems?

"The fans support Mike Vick."

Well we did. Clinton Portis might support you because he doesn't think dog fighting is a big deal because it's your property and you can do what you want on it. Yeah, and while you're at it you can beat your wife, molest a kid, and kill a gardener, because laws apparently don't apply to you when you're on your property. Hey Clinton, whether you think it's okay or not, it's still a felony! Vick's new teammate Joe Horn said he considers Mike Vick a great role model for his kids. Right, and I bet a shit and urine flavored Slurpee will taste great with a side ball sack. Please, spare me.

I think Mike Vick summed it up best when a reporter asked him whether or not he will be exonerated of all charges pertaining to the dog fighting. When asked, Vick replied, "No comment." Mind you, he had plenty of comments beforehand about everything and everyone else, but asked whether or not he'll be exonerated, it was "no comment."

This leads me to two conclusions:
1) Michael Vick is guilty and knows it, and feels lying to a reporter on camera will only hurt his image further, so the safest route to go is to plead the fifth.
2) Michael Vick doesn't know what 'exonerated' means. Otherwise he'd profess his innocence, like all other previous times.

Looking at Vick's past year, I think I have a good guess on which of the two conclusions is more accurate.

Just wanted to share some pictures from my weekend. Yes, you are very privileged. Glad you care.

This is Scott Windsor from the Umbrellas. He's the musical and lyrical genius of the Umbrellas, and formerly of The Lyndsay Diaries. We got to meet him! A big thrill for me. He's quite a nice chap. Like I've said before, check these guys out...I promise you they will not disappoint.

Grace's entire family from Philly came up to see her graduate on Saturday. Her brother in law Ron is in the yellow in the background. In the foreground you may notice a very sexy fellow with his broad, and that would be myself with Grace. And yes ladies, I dress myself. Dammmmmmmmmmmmn.

Grace had a graduation party. Notice that I've relaxed a little bit with the top button undone and my tie loosened. I'm in party mode. A lovely evening in which Grace got sloshed in front of her family and her dad told me to take pictures of her and send them to him. Uhhhhh right. I might have been a little uncomfortable...but more than happy to do it if that's what he wanted.

I like this picture because it looks like we're both naked. But we're not. I am missing my shirt, but I have a heating pad on my neck. I tend to get headaches in the morning and am quite sore, so I usually have that bad boy with me. Grace just has one of those spaghetti string tank tops on. Her hands, however, are on my penis. That's why I have a smirk. Actually that's not true. I wish it was though.

These are our cats, Dolce and Gabbana. Actually, it's Gabbana and Dolce in the picture. They are our cute little snuggle-bums. Can you tell they are brothers? Because they are.

Well I hope you enjoyed those. Take care folks.

~Mikey D

I was reminiscing this morning and reading some of my old writings from my old blogs. I came across this old blog entry June 21st, 2005, almost two years ago, and I couldn't stop smiling after I read it...

"So this morning I was in the shower, getting all soaped up (don't worry, this isn't going where you might think it is...dirty bitches), when I had a mini-epiphony. The reason I cannot make decisions about my life is because I am not ready to make them yet. Here I am trying to decide my future and what I am going to do with my life, and I am incapable of making that decision right now. Well I shouldn't say incapable. I could make choices, they just might not be the right ones. You know what I mean. I'm just not ready! So what's the best thing for me to do right now then? Options. Have lots and lots of options. Bingo. The more options I have, the better. I don't want to give up on teaching, or anything else in my life for that matter. I just don't want to close any doors right now. With that in my mind, I want to explore a little. I do not think I am going to do my internship this coming fall. Instead I want to work a little. Beaners has treated me well, and I enjoy what I do there. I want to substitute teach a bit. It really helped Larissa want to be a teacher, and I'm hoping it will do the same for me. I want to get back into coaching tennis again, and I think I'm going to volunteer at the YMCA or something comparable to help with their programs. After a semester away from school, who knows, I may want to take some more classes, perhaps in a psychology (I've always been interested in becoming a school guidance counselor...). I want to go to career fairs, like this one for teaching in the Chicago school district, just to see what the job market is like and what is expected of me. If I decide that I want to teach in Michigan, I will do my internship next year. No hurry. This seems like the best plan to me. Instead of forcing myself to make decisions now, I will wait until I am ready to make them, and do things that will hopefully make me more ready."

In those two years:
~I worked at Beaner's for six more months while I "figured things out".
~I substitute taught...and worked at Sylvan Learning Center and Kindercare.
~I helped out with the Everett girl's tennis team.
~I got a membership at the YMCA (that's just like volunteering, right?).
~I went back to school a year later...and did my teaching internship =).
~I went to two career fairs.
~I stood in line for the Chicago School District at one career fair- and ended up with a job in Baltimore County.

"Instead of forcing myself to make decisions now, I will wait until I am ready to make them, and do things that will hopefully make me more ready."

I'm ready now. Let's do this mother fucker called life.

~Mikey D

One of my favorite sayings is, "Winning by cheating is still winning." Why? Well, for one, it's true! But also because it seems to rile people up whenever I say it so matter-of-factly. I use it all the time whenever I play board games with my siblings (the oldest always has to win), lay more than one card at once during a game of Uno, or randomly during a game of "Red Light, Green Light". The reactions I get from people are just priceless, and rather comical, since I'm so blatantly cheating just to get a rise from them (yeah I'm a prick sometimes).

"Cheating is wrong!"
"But it's not like winning for real."
"You shouldn't feel good about winning, you should feel guilty because you cheated."
"You are sending the wrong message to kids."

People please. If I was halfway serious with that statement there's no way I would have ended up with countless jobs working with children, or perhaps with this degree I hold that says I'm somewhat qualified to teach children. Get off it.

These reactions from people, however, do make me think about cheating. Not in the context of games, where cheating results in a win or a loss, but rather in life- in our own relationships. Yes, you can cheat in other ways than during the family game of Monopoly. You can cheat on people. What's more (and worse), you can cheat on a person that loves you. You can cheat in your relationships to the point that there is no winner or loser, just lives that become forever ruined and wrecked.

"Cheating is wrong!"
We say it all the time. Then why do we do it? What makes it not okay to cheat during a game of Uno, but okay to sleep with a woman who is not your wife? I know a couple of guys that had sex once with this older woman.....at the same time. The kicker? She was married. With kids. And they both knew her husband. I know, I know. That's so wrong! You're preaching to the choir. At the same time, however, how surprised are you nowadays to hear such a story? Okay, maybe a little surprised. Put it into perspective though. A story like that in this day and age compared to a story like that fifty years ago? Twenty years ago? You just didn't hear stuff like that. So I ask you, if cheating is wrong, then why is becoming more and more popular?

Because people are weaker now than ever before. We live in a world today where we can have everything at our fingertips, without actually having to lift a finger. We literally don't have to leave the comfort of our own homes to get or do anything anymore. And as awesome as that sounds, it's having an affect on how we run our lives. We aren't used to doing anything "hard"- from labor to love. I feel like there is a correlation here to our relationships and cheating. If we fall out of love with someone or choose to date other people, it is much easier for people nowadays to cheat their way out of a relationship. Not so much because it's the right way to go (because "cheating is wrong!"), but because we are too weak to end a relationship the way we know we should. We don't want to do the work anymore. We don't want to have to lift that finger. Should the woman who did two of my friends at once (sick) have ended her relationship with her husband. Yes. Is she a coward and weak for not doing so? Yes. Will it eventually end the right way? No.

"But it's not like winning for real."
I have a friend who is still under the impression that it is "awesome" to sleep with as many women as possible. Every once and awhile he'll give me a phone call to brag about his latest conquests. Kudos to him, right? Isn't it every man's goal to bag as many bitches as possible in a lifetime? Everybody has a high opinion of men who can sleep with all the dirty women in this country, right?

I have another friend who is this bubbly, energetic, and fun loving girl. Her personality is like a magnet- you just want to be around her. Unfortunately, she treats herself like a piece of garbage when it comes to relationships. She likes to brag about the men that she sleeps with; as if people will be impressed. Is she really happy she's able to bang a lot of different guys? Probably not. Then why does she pretend to be?

And why is my other friend happy he's slept with so many women (thirty to be exact...all while he has been in a three year relationship with a lovely lass)? I really think that it comes down to two reasons:
1) It is expected that young people have sex and not settle. You hear things all the time from parents about "Don't grow up too fast", "You're too young to settle down", "Enjoy your youth while you have it." Are these regrets from our parents, or misconstrued advice? I'm sure a little of both. I'm sure that a lot of our parents settled down too quickly, and wish they hadn't been tied to the responsibilities of life when they did, but at the same time I don't feel like they wished for their children to fuck anything that walked. I think that kids today feel like it's okay to sleep with whomever they please without a care in the world, and that's where it's wrong. Why? Because by doing so you lose the morals our parents, their parents, and generations before us tried to instill. You make sex cheap and meaningless, thus loosing one of the most beautiful things a man and a woman can enjoy in a relationship, and on a more higher level, love.
2) We are applauded for the sex we have. It is "cool" to have sex with as many women as possible, and it is a badge of honor to nail the hot guy at the party. When did fornicating with as many people as possible become a source of pride? And why is the guy or girl who remains faithful to one woman his entire life considered a loser for not getting out there and tapping more ass than he could have?

People think they're succeeding in life by having more sex than the next person, but it's quite the opposite. They're not succeeding. They're not winning. The person who is winning is the one that understands that there is more to a relationship than just sex. There's the real winner.

"You shouldn't feel good about winning, you should feel guilty because you cheated."
Let me tell you a story about a guy named Ron. Grace and I both have babysat for his family. He has a couple young twin boys, and the most beautiful little girl in the world. Whenever Grace would babysit them alone, I would come over around bedtime just to help put the kids to sleep, because they are exactly the type of kids that I want to have when I am older (and ready). Ron is one of the luckiest men I know. Beautiful kids, a great wife, a $100,000+ year job, and a fantastic house- what more could you want?

Apparently for Ron it's a lady on the side. At a convention in Chicago Ron met a married woman from Seattle. From Seattle folks. We're talking 2,000+ miles away. One thing led to another, and they ended up making out at a bar. For shame...

But it didn't end there. Last week Ron flew to San Francisco to be with his dying aunt (true story). A funny think happened though. In a strange and coincidental event of fate, the woman he met from Seattle happened to be in San Francisco at the same time. What's more, she happened to be staying at the same hotel...in the same room. I know, totally weird. This time making out led to sex, and their relationship just took a step from wrong to more wrong.

When Grace told me this whole story, I was appalled. This man has it all. If he wasn't happy with his wife, why didn't he just talk with her? I know that wouldn't be an easy conversation, but right now he looks like an absolute coward and terrible person. And if his wife ever finds out...things will definitely be ten times worse. His reaction by the way?

"We're planning to meet again in July in Chicago for a weekend."
"I don't even feel guilty about it."
"Someday I will get a divorce."

The bad part for me is that I will more than have to look this man in the face again, and I will more than likely watch his children while he and his wife go out. It makes me sick to my stomach, but I know have no right intervening in their business. The bad part for him, however, is that he has to go through the rest of his life knowing he cheated on his wife, family, and future, whether he feels guilty about it or not. Which leads right into my next point...

"You are sending the wrong message to kids."
In today's society, cheating on your significant other has become practically forgivable, and in some cases, accepted. How many of you know of someone who has cheated on their significant other, and the significant other stays with them? How many childrens' lives and families have been destroyed by a cheating parent? And riddle me this, how many of you out there think that children are so blind and naive to see what is really going on? Let me tell you, children aren't as dumb as you think. They follow by example and lead, and are perceptive to everything. If parents don't take their relationships seriously, what makes you think their kids will? What makes you think kids, who grow up in a time when marriage is but a contractual agreement between two partners, will ever learn to love another person enough to treasure the growth and wonderment that comes from a special relationship?

I've just recently watched a movie called The Last Kiss starring Zach Braff. To me, it is the epitomy of the point I'm trying to make. In it, Zach cheats on his pregnant girlfriend because "something is missing" from his life. Apparently it is a young hussie, (Rachel Bilson, who is way hot) who he sleeps with once. Suddenly he sees the err of his ways and realizes that he loves his wife more than anything. He does everything in his power to get back with the woman he hurt, and eventually, she forgives him and takes him back. Roll credits.

What message does that send? First off, if Mr. Braff was missing something in his life, he should, and this just might be me talking out of my ass here, talk with his girlfriend. I know it sounds crazy folks, but communication probably could have solved Zach's little dilemma and saved the world from this atrocious movie ever being made. I know it's just Hollywood and all, but this is the type of movie that is representative of 21st century living. There is a reason the movie received two thumbs up, and I believe it's because it embodies the American point of view on relationships completely. And this is the message our kids are getting. Oops.

Open your eyes and look around you. It's not right. I know some of the anger I have comes from being cheated on myself, but I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. I know because there are people out there who believe in the simple and fantastic joy that comes from enjoying life with a person that can make you laugh and smile for no good reason. A person that makes you happy to be in love...

"Hey! You cheated! I saw you!"

Yes, but not with your heart.

~Mikey D

I'm really excited for a concert on May 4th that features the Umbrellas and Paulson. I have been waiting for two years for the Umbrellas to make their way out of Texas/Oklahoma/"Too Fucking Far from Michigan to See" area, but now my wait is over. It will be a two hour drive, but these two bands will definetly be worth it. Here's my plug for both. Below are a few reviews. Go read. Go listen. Go now.

"These days, it's almost cliché for singers to be deppressed, especially that of the indie/emo realm. However, there are two types of said singers: type one is really deppressed about being deppressed. They're the ones who're typically still pining away about their girlfriend not calling back, six months later. Type two is deppressed, and used to it--their persisting melancholy is almost apart of them, and it doesn't bother them so much anymore. Scott Windsor, lead singer for Umbrellas, is of the latter bunch. This self titled disc is a collection of tunes that drip with remniscence, melancholy, regret, and love. The opener, "The City Lights," is smooth as good coffee, and the brilliant pop shimmering of "Broken Ice" glides into the moody darkness of "Emergency," with its urgent lyrics beautiful melodies. The biggest highlight on the record has to be what is also the most upbeat song, "The Black Dress", featuring a quirky baseline and sarcastic lyrics. The album's strength seems to be in its middle, with the atmospheric "Reactionary," and "June, Summer, Rose". Overall, this is a beautiful collection of dark pop that fans of Lovedrug and Copeland would do well to add to their collection."

"After hearing about a band by the name of Paulson for some two months I checked out a few songs and immediately ran to the record store to pick up "All At Once." Several months later and I still regularly play their second LP some three or more times a week. It's rare for a band this young (both individualy and as a cohesive band) to create such a masterpiece! The melodies, rhythm, singing, and instrumentation are fantasic. Moreso than their first album, "Variations" has a very haunting feel about it yet it's done in a very beautiful way. The way that the keyboards and guitars tie together is excellent, as is the drum and bass aspect, and the vocals are simply incredible."... "Unfortunately, not enough people have heard of Paulson, the organic, introspective pop band who have released a record already. Hopefully the masses latch onto this wonderful effort, "All At Once," which is a beautiful blend of wonderfully dark melodies and harmonies and a myriad of splendidly layered instrumentation. Pianos, swooning, swirling guitars, and synthesizers find their own place on this disc. "Window Frames," the soft ballad and key track on this disc, unveils a sense of melody unheard of from such a small artist. Driving, pulsating, and simply shimmering, this jam really unveils the sound you'd expect from a huge artist, not a small group like this. I was impressed instantly by this outstanding effort, and you should be too. Go see this band live, I know I'll be there the second they come out west, and do yourself a favor and pick up the first (and probably last) undiscovered hit record of this year. "All At Once" is the anthem of those cold winter nights, embodying a passionate, tranquil sea of emotions."

Go check em' out:

http://www.mypace.com/umbrellas

http://www.myspace.com/paulson

~Mikey D