It's Me...Deal With It

Benjamin & Me

2009-06-17T06:03:00.004-04:00

So, there's this little person that has arrived into my life...Thank you Lord, for this perfect gift that you have bestowed upon Maria and me.

Booyah!

2007-10-29T20:43:00.000-04:00

Well, it certainly has been quite a while since my last posting. So much has happened these last few months...where shall I begin?

Well, this year has been interesting (a mild understatement). Maria totalled her VW while we were on the way to see Charlie perform at a cheer competition in Lakeland. She lost control on a rain-slicked road, and drove the car into a culvert. I wasn't buckled in (I usually am), so I managed to make a pretty design on the windshield with my head, remove the rear-view mirror (also with my head), and land on top of my poor pregnant wife (all 225 lbs of me), who WAS buckled in. Off we went to the hospital, wearing cervical collars and strapped to backboards. These two items are the most cruel and inhumane devices ever devised by the minds of men!! Poor Maria was crying from the pain, and I felt like my head was in a vise. I was waiting for my eyeballs to pop out of my skull and hang by their stalks on my cheeks. Anyway, Maria was checked out and was okay, just banged up, and I just got a few stitches on my noggin. But the VW expired (may it rest in peace). Sigh! It was paid off too.
In April we found out that the baby was not alive. Instead of Maria's body spontaneously miscarrying the fetus, she went on with all signs of being pregnant. She had to have surgery, and now she has to be monitored for signs of cancer for the next year. So far, so good... as far as that goes. Needless to say, we were quite devastated by the news.
Shortly thereafter, we discovered (well, Maria did) a great church. Grace Community Church was just what we needed. More about our church in a later post...

On May 25th, we officially tied the knot. No pomp, no ceremony...at the Courthouse. But I couldn't be happier. It really does make a difference being married.
Totalled vehicle number two recently...my motorcycle. I've put 17,000+ miles on that baby without even the slightest mishap, then...KA-POW! Mitch, meet Mr. Tree. God smiled upon me (again, as he has so many times before by extricating me from difficult situations) that day. I just got some cuts and bruises and a great case of road rash, instead of wrapping myself around the tree as well. But now this puts us in a fix...

There are so many things that I would like to post. This blog was supposed to be a vehicle for me to exercise my right to express my opinions and just generally rant, but it seems that I am having a hard time keeping that in mind. Life gets in the way, for sure. But I do respect those bloggers that do manage to come up with witty and entertaining posts on a day-to-day basis...I don't make any promises in that regard about my posts!!

Keep your eye open...will be posting more.

Virginia Tech

2007-04-17T22:20:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to express my sorrow for the families of those murdered by the lunatic student at Virginia Tech. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain and suffering and monumental grief that must be borne by the victim's families. It was a senseless and random act for which innocents had to pay with their lives. I am deeply saddened for the many lives that have been forever changed by this single act. I have no sympathy for the shooter, but I do have sympathy for the parents of this selfish, cowardly piece of human trash who commited this crime. I imagine that they will be asking themselves where they went wrong and what they might have done to prevent this. I know I would.

To the media: This was a random act perpetrated by a single individual who did not have the ability to exercise self-restraint in the face of adversity, or perceived injustices. He is not representative of the majority of the youth in this country, and this act is not a commonplace occurence in our universities. Do not try to impose your Liberal agenda by making this a springboard for a "dialogue" on gun control. Nor should those on the Right use this as an example of the dangers of open borders in our country since the perpetrator was a resident alien. See this for what it is...a senseless, violent act commited by an individual who was unable to cope with life. There are millions of us who deal with life on a daily basis without resorting to violent deeds if things don't work out to our liking. Do not try to analyze his actions, do not try to pin the blame on the rest of society for creating an environment that this one individual could not assimilate himself into. He was an anomaly.

NEW! IMPROVED! NOW WITH MORE REAL MEAT!

2007-03-27T21:46:00.000-04:00

You Can

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

Well, not really. Actually, no one really cares one way or another what you really think, but I get my jollies by posting stuff like this, so take the freakin' poll.

Mitch's Polling Place

Those were the days...really. Boy do I miss 'em!

2007-03-20T23:24:00.001-04:00

You know, in a previous post, I railed against alcoholics. Well, I do have to admit that in my youth, my friends and I certainly did our best to give our livers a real workout. But we all ended up responsible, sober adults (uh...maybe I just ended up sober). But this You-Tube clip just tickled my funny-bone, and made me reminisce about all the nights spent out with my friends...especially Gov't Mike and Miami River Mike!

Happy New Year!

2006-12-31T22:51:00.000-05:00

Happee Nieuw Yeare!

I'm back!

2006-12-15T16:38:00.001-05:00

Not that I went anywhere. It's been a while, so I thought that I would just post SOMETHING so I don't feel like my blog is a complete failure!

Ewwww! That is NASTY!

2006-08-23T00:10:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I was watching "Scary Movie: 4" tonight. It had its moments, so I am not going to pan it too badly. Hey, it's the same formula as its predecessors, so I knew what I was getting into, right? Anyway, there was a joke that I just didn't get. It was during the "Million Dollar Baby" take-off scene, where Cindy is being prepped for the fight by George. She is facing off with Mike Tyson in a black wig, and George is telling her not to worry, he has faith in her. At one point she says, "Okay, but when it's over will you tell me what my nickname means?", and he promises he will. Then you see her from behind, wearing her warm-up robe, and on the back is emblazoned "Cindy 'Dirty Sanchez' Campbell." Dirty Sanchez? I don't get it. My brother-in-law says, "Well she's had 20 fights and she still doesn't have her own robe." And I pointed out that her name was on the robe. Well, whatever. I finished watching the rest of the movie, "getting" all the other jokes (I think), but I was still puzzled by the "Dirty Sanchez" thing. So on goes the computer, in goes "Dirty Sanchez" to be searched by Google, and out comes...oh man, you have to look it up yourself. All I have to say is, "Yechhh."

Ay Karr-amba!

2006-08-19T18:26:00.000-04:00

My turn to weigh in on the latest events in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case...

"Puh-leeze!"

This guy is without a doubt a whack job. I am sure that he is not without guilt, but not where JonBenet is concerned. He is no doubt a pedophile, having already previously been charged with possession of child porn, and the fact that he was arrested in the pedophile capital of the world further bears this out. But the murderer of little JonBenet? Don't think so. Some in the media are already laughing out loud at the prospect. And in one interesting piece I read, the author suggested that maybe the Thai police were investigating his actions while teaching children in Bangkok, and were ready to clap him in irons and leave him to rot in a Thai jail (probably not the world's most forward-thinking penal system). So, "Hm. I think I'll confess to the murder of the Ramsey girl and get a free ticket to the States, where I can later recant my confession and not suffer the consequences of fondling little Thai girls. Oh but how I love those little Thai girls!"

I dunno. I think that the Boulder police or whoever is responsible for the investigation is going to be the laughingstock of the year. Maybe they'll announce the arrest of Michael Jackson next year.

Word for the day: Nootropics

2006-08-16T21:17:00.001-04:00

I just finished an assignment for my Psych class that is due tomorrow. It was to be a one-page reaction to an article dealing with psychological research. I chose nootropics ("smart drugs"). I thought that it would be a good idea to post it here, along with a link to the article it was based upon. This blog is supposed to be a forum for my thoughts and opinions, but I figure that it may as well reflect the "scholarly" part of me (snicker). The article itself is rather dry...but then again, so is my paper! Have fun...

The link to the article (PDF file, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) can be found here.

Man has always strived to surpass the limits imposed upon him by nature, and the quest for ways to improve memory and retention (referred to as “cognitive enhancement” in the article) is an apt example. The author first tackles the question as to our motives for seeking to enhance our memory, citing pressures from an increasingly technological society forcing us to acquire new skills rapidly and in ever increasing volume; as well as the advent of technologies which in effect make the world a smaller place, requiring us to be more socially aware of not just our own sphere of influence, but the world in general. I, for one, can attest to the veracity of such views. In my role as an I.T. analyst, I am required to assimilate a great quantity of information concerning new and existing technologies quickly, and must be able to remain “on the cutting edge” of technology. This is an all but impossible task, and I have found myself suffering the effects of “information overload.” The author further points out that nootropic drugs may not even be necessary as a means to improve memory in an otherwise healthy individual (that is, one not suffering the effects of neurological disease or injury), as other non-pharmacological methods have been available for centuries (at least from the time of Cicero). The role of the peripheral and central nervous systems in the process of memory acquisition (thus, “learning”) is covered in the article, and the author lists various drugs and compounds that have been found to have some effectiveness in memory enhancement—at least in lab animals. I found it interesting that the author pointed out that this process (the formation of memory) is better understood than is the recall of memory.

Given that trials have shown the limited success of memory enhancement in humans, a more reasonable approach (the author suggests) would be in protecting oneself from neurological decline, slowing the effects of aging upon the brain and thus retaining one's mental acuity longer; however, this is not without its own disadvantages. There is always the risk of unwanted side effects and adverse reactions associated with long-term drug therapy, so one would have to carefully weigh the risk factors involved to the potential benefit derived from such therapy.

Finally, the author addresses the ethical questions regarding cognitive enhancement. Will the development of successful memory-enhancing drugs open Pandora’s Box, allowing those that could afford such treatment an unfair advantage over those who have to suffer with the less-than-stellar mental faculties that Providence has provided them? Will there be a black market for these drugs, and will counterfeits and foreign-produced products outside the regulating power of the FDA abound? These are legitimate questions that should be thoughtfully considered beforehand.

I have yet to reach the point where the prospect of a decline in my memory is a pressing concern, yet I am not so young that I have disabused myself of the notion that the troubles associated with aging are well beyond the distant horizon. It is my sincere hope that the mysteries of these processes will be better understood within the next two decades, and that I will be able to benefit from great strides in nootropic research and development.

Garsh, that's hard work!

2006-08-15T21:03:00.000-04:00

I am in the middle of writing my first story. Maria has goaded me into putting pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and doing something creative. So I created another blog for my imaginings. I figured that the thing to do was just to start writing without trying to brainstorm for an original idea, or create a work of creative genius at my first outing; surely, if I had taken that approach, I would still have a blank sheet of paper (screen) before me. So, I just started typing, and gave birth to a town and some characters to inhabit it. It's amazing how the process takes on a life of it's own. I also find it amazing how much work it is. It really is a laborious task. The hardest part for me so far was to put into words the experience of coming to terms with imminent death. The hero of my story and a dog (don't ask me to explain, you'll have to read it) are caught in the middle of a rocket attack on a pillbox on the Norman shore during D-Day. Of course, this is a thinly veiled allusion to my Hurricane Andrew experience. I spent hours trying to describe what I felt without relying on hackneyed phrases; "His life flashed before his eyes!", "the men were being mown down like summer wheat!", "the cliffs erupted in a sheet of flame!", etc. I don't know how I am doing, because the people critiquing my story are loved ones, and they think the world of me. So, I will just keep on keeping on with the story, and see how it all turns out.
My next project will be a story for the kids about the kids...I figure that maybe this will provide an impetus to get them more involved with reading. We'll see how that turns out...

The Lowest Citizens

2006-07-30T21:51:00.000-04:00

Now before I start ripping alcoholics, let me just say that I am completely aware of its classification as a chronic disease; I understand that those who suffer from it are generally helpless addicts who have used it to suppress catastrophic psychological and emotional pain, and that those who surround them (friends and family) tragically suffer the consequences as well. Having said that, I can now press on with my post. I categorically despise them. My natural father was an alcoholic (still is I suppose, if he is still alive). What did he contribute to my life? Absolutely nothing. Alcoholics focus on their own pain, and are blithely unaware of the pain and suffering that they cause their loved ones. My mother finally left him while I was still an infant, and throughout the years he conveniently forgot that he had two children who loved him very much. I tried to establish some kind of father-son relationship since I was a child, and had nothing but his broken promises to sustain me. I believe the last time I spoke to him was in 1999; previously, I hadn't heard from him since '88. His replacement in my youth? Another alcoholic. My stepfather was a mean-spirited, angry coward. He was well regarded in the outside world as a hard worker, and had a small circle of friends. But at home, he was a sullen, angry drunk who terrorized his wife and stepchildren. He loomed large in my child's eyes; a raging giant who shook what seemed to be a basketball-sized fist in my face as he threatened to kill me. He was free with his fists when it came to women and small children, but I don't think he ever picked a fight with a man.

It should be obvious by now that early on I had an established bias against the dipsomaniacs of this world, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I feel the way I do. I cannot tolerate them, and I am largely unsympathetic to their plight. My sister-in-law's husband is one of those obnoxious drunks that completely lose their senses and become a danger to themselves. You know the type; loud and overbearing, losing any inhibitions or sense of propriety, blindly stumbling into dangerous situations like an unsupervised retarded toddler. Now, I am not a teetotaler by any means. I like to get pleasantly drunk when I am with friends or family or at a party. But when this guy is around, I become stone cold sober because I have to be prepared for any eventuality. Like disarm him if he decides he wants to fire a few rounds in the air or into a tree, or put him out when he accidentally ignites himself (I really had to do that...I had to tackle him and roll him around the ground until the flames were extinguished). That is not fun. He kills any party because he is an uncontrollable idiot. If I could find the T-shirt with the legend "Instant Asshole: Just Add Alcohol", I would buy it for him. So now I find myself avoiding going to my sister-in-law's house (she lives less than ten blocks away) because I don't have the energy nor the will to babysit the drunk asshole. I don't feel sympathetic to my sister-in-law either. She has consciously made the decision to stay married to this moron; any pain or heartache suffered thence is hers and hers alone to bear. I just feel sorry for the children involved (who find him just as insufferable as I do).

School

2006-07-29T15:40:00.000-04:00

Well, I have started school. I am going to a small private university...it's really not much better than a community college. But at least the classes are smaller, and the instructors can devote more time to the students. I started Thursday with a Psychology class. It's okay, but I can tell that I will learn more by reading the textbook than by any knowledge imparted to me by the instructor. If I were a teen fresh out of high school, and of average intelligence, I might not be so critical. However, because I am an adult of above-average intelligence, I find the class and instructor less than captivating. But I am consoled by the knowledge that the ultimate result (a degree) will mitigate any disappointment in the classes or instructors. I shouldn't complain, because the less challenging the class, the easier it will be for me to maintain a 4.0 average (that is my goal).

An aside: Maria and I will be in two classes together! Now our relationship shall be put to another test!! It should be fun.

So, wish me luck in my endeavours...I hope that I will be able to go to school full-time should I find employment. I will try my hardest.

Some changes...driven by Net Neo-Nazi's

2006-07-20T11:18:00.000-04:00

After some thought, I decided that I would make this blog more anonymous, since I am currently unemployed and it is becoming increasingly common for prospective employers to search the net for any blogs or MySpace entries for insight into the candidates mind. Therefore, I changed the posting and the URL to reflect my Hispanic origin, yet "gringo" lifestyle. So I had to change a few things, most notably the URL to the photo on my profile page, which earlier pointed to my personal website. But if someone really wanted to, it wouldn't be too difficult to connect the dots...

I am kind of ambivalent about the thought of employers checking out their employees on the net. I guess there are situations where a company is protecting it's best interests (e.g. offering insights into closely guarded projects or the like), but I am not too sure if I agree with prospective employers taking the initiative and checking out their applicants. What could be revealed that a prospective employer cannot already figure out during the application and interview process? Most are background-checked, credit-checked (another sore point with me), tested for drugs, and interviewed. What does a MySpace entry have to do with the ability to do the job? (Sigh!) I am an adult, and realize that it really doesn't matter. If an employer has personal predjudices or an axe to grind, and has the opportunity to prevent a homosexual or a Jew or a Young Republican from joining the ranks by investigating their profiles on social network sites, (s)he is going to do it. And although I have Googled myself and have come up with nothing except a guestbook entry I left in a Colombian singer's site, I am not going to take a chance.

And you know what? I was thinking that maintaining a blog on "Blogger" is probably "so yesterday", but I just cannot bring myself to creating a MySpace account. It seems (IMHO) to be mostly populated by pre-teens and adults whose mental faculties are about that of a pre-teen. Also, I can't write in the terribly stupid lingo where you DRoP dA VoWLz n spL LiKe SHiT N U sez NiGGaZ n HOeS LoTZ N LoTZ. It isn't as creative or "cool" as l337... it's just ignorant.

Damn, forty is just around the corner. How the hell did that happen?

That OTHER football

2006-07-09T20:09:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Italy for winning the World Cup. I actually watched the game, and I do have to admit that soccer is pretty neat to watch. What surprised me was how fast the game moves along. They play 90 minutes in...90 MINUTES! I am so used to American football with all its clock stoppages and time-outs and commercial breaks. But it does allow you to at least take a bathroom break without missing too much. I was also impressed with each team being allowed only three substitutions, and if a player gets injured after they have used up their allowable subs...tough titty. They play a man short. That's pretty awesome.

Anyway, I will be watching more soccer (soccer dammit, not football or futbol) in the future. Variety is the spice of life...except I will not watch golf.

Good read...

2006-07-08T13:17:00.000-04:00

Just finished a book, "The Wars of the Roses" by Alison Weir. I never really comprehended the history of the British monarchy; and as such, this book only covers the period between 1390's and 1471, the years of the battle for the crown between the house of Lancaster and the house of York. But it was a very enlightening and entertaining book, and satisfied my curiousity and thirst for knowledge. I found myself rooting for Edward IV in his efforts to depose Henry VI and his bitch of a wife Margaret of Anjou, only to find myself later on hurrah-ing the efforts of the Earl of Warwick to depose Edward and restore Henry VI back to the throne. It was comforting to know that, despite what many say to the contrary, things (especially human nature) haven't changed a whit in the six centuries since the Wars of the Roses. The political intrigue, the changing alliances, the acts of depravity as well as acts of heroism, the propaganda, the lust for power...all the trappings of 21st century politics are reflected in the struggle for control of the English throne in the 14th century. After finishing the book, I wanted more. Now it's up to me to find a book on the Tudors, so that I could find out what happened next!

Great minds think alike!

2006-06-14T00:45:00.000-04:00

I was pleased to see a news article recently where astrophysicist Stephen Hawking warned that mankind should be looking outward beyond the confines of earth to seek new homes to perpetuate our survival (link to article). I have always felt that the world's space agencies should have given serious consideration to exploring the possibility of establishing new bases outside of earth, either through permanent space stations in planetary orbit or settlements on (extra-)terrestrial bodies. While I understand that such pursuits would have been extremely difficult to procure interest in and funding for by governments who have more immediate concerns of an earthly nature, I believe that a little far-sighted planning would pay off big for our future generations.

Why bother?
The fact is, I don't believe that life on earth is in any danger of being wiped out...ever. Life is too resilient and beyond our current comprehension to write off as being at the mercy of one species (man), no matter how technically advanced we may become. We may play around with the very building-blocks of life through genetic engineering and probe ever deeper into the confounding quasi-reality of quantum physics in search of the ultimate ground of existence, but Mother Nature has always surpassed us in all the scientific arenas. She is a much better biologist, chemist, physicist, designer, architect, efficiency expert, and is the consummate chess-player (maybe I should say "poker-player", in light of everyone's sudden interest in the game). Our species cannot put her in checkmate...She always has a countering move. Simple empirical observation can attest to the fact that it is nature's tendency to propagate and spread, and fill any vacuum created. Nevertheless, if our species wishes to continue to survive in a manner consistent to what we are used to today, then we should take the initiative and start seeking viable alternatives to our Earth to provide us with elbow-room. The emphasized portion of the previous sentence reflects my view that (a) while I believe that life itself will never cease to exist, it is very possible that mankind may deplete his numbers sufficiently to warrant the threat of extinction; and (b) because nature seeks to relieve any pressures that upset the balance, we will be eventually forced to emigrate as nature compensates for whatever mischief we have perpetrated upon the established order of things. This compensation is usually manifested by ever more unique and effective ways to decimate our numbers through disease, famine, natural disasters, and even our ability to make war more deadly efficient. It is in our desire to make this world a more comfortable, habitable place for us (in spite of our growing numbers) that we set the stage for a battle between us and that which supports and nurtures us. Even now, we are witnessing a tit-for-tat exchange between us and Mother Nature, with Mother Nature far in the lead. We find a way to control or nearly eradicate a handful of infectious diseases, while Nature mutates and spawns whole new classes in response.

What's the Answer?
In my admittedly simplistic view, beat Nature to the punch and thin our numbers by increasing the area in which we habitate. Everyone knows that competition for limited resources spawns the classic fight for survival, where the fittest and most cunning ultimately prevail. You don't have to believe in Darwinian evolution in order to accept this...it is plainly displayed at every level of society, as well as in every species that inhabits this earth. In my opinion, this simple fact is at the center of every problem that faces humanity today. Too many people, too little to go around. Peel away the political, philosophical and theocratic considerations, and there remains nothing but the bald hunger. By decreasing the density of population, we can increase the amount of resources available to us, thereby effecting a more harmonious balance between ourselves and Mother Nature. I believe this to be a simple, unassailable truth. When limited to small numbers, ideas like Communism and agrarian societies are possible because there is no pressure upon the practitioners to adapt an "every man for himself" attitude when they are in the midst of plenty. But large-scale applications of these ideas have proven that the more base nature of Man presents itself when faced with limited resources to be distributed among him and his brethren. The "share and share alike" philosophy quickly succumbs to the reptilian "Eat! Eat! Mine! Mine!" impulse, thus necessitating an outside influence (in the form of an authoritative government) to control the distribution of those resources, and keep the greedy in check.

Makes sense, but...
...my argument suffers from the obvious fact that outside our biosphere, there is no source of readily available and usable resources conducive to sustaining life for any length of time. The moon is a barren wasteland with no atmosphere. Our closest planetary neighbors do possess an atmosphere; however, the Venutian surface temperature averages over 800 degrees due to a runaway "greenhouse effect". Mars is more promising, in that it contains most of the elements needed to sustain life (not in very great quantity, of course), as well as possessing a rate of rotation and axial tilt more akin to ours. In any case, I recall reading over twenty years ago the concerning the feasibility of terraforming Mars using such methods as nuclear devices detonated at the polar ice caps, or giant mirrors placed in orbit to reflect the sun's light back to the surface of the planet. What progress has been made since then (if any) is unknown to me...but in the intervening quarter century I have heard precious little on the subject. Then again, I suppose I am not exactly on the cutting-edge of what transpires in the scientific community! I guess I will Google the subject after posting this entry, maybe I will be pleasantly surprised to find that some agency has been giving serious consideration and is even now working on a solution!

Such is my opinion...deal with it.

2006-06-11T11:23:00.000-04:00

Everybody knows that I am a Disney fan. So it should come as no surprise that I went to see it this weekend. And my un-biased opinion of the movie? I have none, because I am extremely biased when it comes to Disney! I loved it. It was visually stunning, in both the CGI artwork and the cinematography. The main character, Lightning McQueen, was a little flat in my opinion, but the rest of the cast was great. And upon further consideration, I guess if I were to impassionately and objectively review the movie, I would probably find other weaknesses...but what's the point? Sitting at my computer analyzing and picking apart the movie is a wasted effort. The fact is, it doesn't matter what the reviewers think about it's storyline, characterizations, soundtrack, etc. When I saw the movie, I was laughing and thoroughly enjoying myself. This movie, like all Disney / Pixar features, transports me to my childhood, where I can stare wide-eyed in delight at the screen, believing that cars can speak and every problem in the world gets resolved to everyones satisfaction in the end. See this movie if you're a kid at heart.

Welcome, Friends and... Fans? (snicker)

2006-06-10T03:44:00.000-04:00

Okay, so here is another blog started by me. Unlike the now-defunct "Spasticats" blog, this one will be solely devoted to me and my thoughts...also I don't have to pay a dime for this blog! So, my intention is to jot down my thoughts, whatever they may be ( I will probably be very disappointed by the lack of output-the inference being that there isn't much cerebral activity in Mitch's noggin). I will rant and rave, I will spew and proselytize and pontificate, I will ramble and digress and become nonsensical... it's my blog, it's my warped mind, but most of all

It's Me...Deal With It!