My long and painful nightmare is now over. I am a homeowner.
The paperwork is complete, the signature has been signed (over and over and over and ...), and now the moving begins. To all of you who wrote in with your own horror stories about bidding for a new home, you will always have my sympathies. I now know there are kindred spirits out there.
And Now For Something Completely Different
Longtime readers know about my loathing for "reality" programs. They aren't real and they certainly aren't interesting to me. I know they are immensely popular, but I just can't watch them -- and yes, I've tried.
However, even fans of "reality" shows were bemoaning the news reports about Britney Spears' pregnancy. Talk about irrelevancy!
Mrs. Federline has been out of circulation since releasing a new album in 2003. A greatest hits compilation came out in 2004, but honestly, how much work does that take?
And it isn't that I'm against her becoming a mother, but does it really require a press release, a media tour and magazine covers all over the shelves?
There are plenty of women who become mothers without the fanfare and bells and whistles. There are some who even lose their children with no mention on the news. I know not everything makes news -- it is allegedly what the public wants to see.
It is just very disappointing if an entertainer's pregnancy is considered worthy of the designation "news." One line is fine -- not half-hour programs.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find stories about Lindsey Lohan's blonde hair.
Find The Kitty
Now this is news!
A litter of four cheetahs was born at the National Zoo on April 14. This is the second litter of cheetahs ever born at the National Zoo.
I'm a cat person, so I have an affinity toward the feline persuasion. But these little fuzz balls are adorable.
Cheetahs are fast becoming an endangered species in their homeland. Conservation and breeding programs around the world are hoping to stem the loss.
This pregnancy got less play than Spears, but it is so much more important.
And much cuter too. I just keep saying, "Awwww!" when looking at the pictures.
I'm a sucker for kitty-cats. I've even "wrestled" a tiger cub before.
Purr!
Nothing against canines! I like puppies too, but I have been and always will be a cat person. And I've transformed my wife (an avowed cat-hater) to love my two fur balls. I think she wouldn't mind if we adopted one or two of the cheetah cubs. However, I made sure to neuter my "kids" and everyone should as well. There are plenty of unwanted cats and dogs that need homes. "Thundercats -- ho!"
Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Add a comment below and tell me what you think or write to me if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Monday, April 18, 2005
Evolution Of Communication
In the world of communication, faster is better.
Information flow has never been quicker in our world's history and technology continues to push the speed envelope even faster as the demands of business hold the throttle down. "Time is money" as the old saying goes.
But what have we sacrificed in the name of speed?
Personal information -- communication between two people -- has also evolved into something akin to the Road Runner. Instant messaging and two-way pagers are now the norm when just a few years ago (that's right -- a FEW years ago), only a select number could use them.
Now, kids are communicating with their friends via IM or pager. And the information flow is nonstop, but with the feel of cold robotics no matter how many emoticons are in the message.
One step down on the speed chain (but a very small step) is the e-mail. Think Road Runner just after he wakes up in the morning -- quick and speedy, but just a tad sluggish when compared to his IM counterpart.
And sluggish is a relative term. I, myself, have engaged in full-fledged conversations via e-mails and replies.
But e-mails to me offer the shield of impersonality as well. Someone can write a "flame" e-mail to another person and never (if they want) have to deal with the response or reactions to the e-mail.
I'm reminded of a Dilbert cartoon several years ago. Dilbert is typing an e-mail on his computer to Wally and insults him with several comments about his work, his "simian heritage" and his smell. Wally peers over the cubicle wall and says, "You're pretty brave in cyberspace, flame boy" -- to which Dilbert invited Wally to "Step inside."
In my job as managing editor of TheWBALChannel.com, hundreds of e-mails make their way through my inbox. Most are spam, a majority are harmless, but some are outright nasty. People write things in e-mails they wouldn't say to someone's face because the writers feel they can "get away with it." Fire it off and never have to deal with the anger or repercussions.
And we lose the personality and the person because the receiver then focuses on the messenger and delivery rather than the message. Phones used to be our communication device of choice -- and I'm not talking about those cell phones that have text messaging and e-mails and photo downloads and Internet browsers (and yes, I have one exactly like that). I'm talking about that thing hanging on your kitchen wall -- whether it has a cord or not.
Those phones at least keep us anchored to one spot and, even though we try to cook dinner while we're talking, at least we hear the inflection in the voice and the manner in which words are intended. When you call someone, you are saying to him or her, "I'd like to spend part of my day conversing with you and invest part of myself in you."
It is more personal than e-mail or IM and just as quick. However, we have seemed to lose touch with that bit of persona in the face of efficiency. But there is still hope.
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, ink and paper ruled the land. The written letter was king and queen and the people rejoiced.
How many of you don't enjoy getting a written letter or card from a friend or loved one? Do you remember running to the mailbox as a kid to see if someone had written you?
For me, the thrill is still there. (But then again, I'm a Toys "R" Us kid)
It means so much more when I get a written letter because that is just about as personal as it gets without pressing flesh. To sit down and take pen in hand means the recipient is the only thing on the writer's mind. It means using their valuable time to craft a work of art and sharing it with the person for which it was intended.
It means creating a tear or a laugh or a feeling of warmth that only seems to come from a letter.
I know some will say (and feel free to e-mail or write) that letters are old-fashioned and outdated. Why wait days to get a response when I can send an e-mail and get it quicker?
Because waiting is part of the thrill.
My job is, and probably always will be in the future, part of the electronic communication field (BEEP, BEEP, ZOOM!). I use every tech means possible to get my job done quicker, faster and more accurately than ever before. That is the impersonal side of my life.
However, nothing should stop any of us from taking the time to show someone we are thinking only of them at a particular moment. Whether it is to shower someone with love, to share a thought or incident, or to "flame," it always means more when it comes in a letter.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take pen and paper in hand and write a couple dozen people.
And now my music is getting the same way. Between my iPod and satellite radio, I can't remember the last time I actually listened to music. Is that bad? Am I geeking out way too much? Nah. I just like what I like and I don't want/need all the chatter -- unless it is ESPN Radio. "When I left you I was but a learner. Now I am the master."
Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Add a comment below and tell me what you think or write to me if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.
Information flow has never been quicker in our world's history and technology continues to push the speed envelope even faster as the demands of business hold the throttle down. "Time is money" as the old saying goes.
But what have we sacrificed in the name of speed?
Personal information -- communication between two people -- has also evolved into something akin to the Road Runner. Instant messaging and two-way pagers are now the norm when just a few years ago (that's right -- a FEW years ago), only a select number could use them.
Now, kids are communicating with their friends via IM or pager. And the information flow is nonstop, but with the feel of cold robotics no matter how many emoticons are in the message.
One step down on the speed chain (but a very small step) is the e-mail. Think Road Runner just after he wakes up in the morning -- quick and speedy, but just a tad sluggish when compared to his IM counterpart.
And sluggish is a relative term. I, myself, have engaged in full-fledged conversations via e-mails and replies.
But e-mails to me offer the shield of impersonality as well. Someone can write a "flame" e-mail to another person and never (if they want) have to deal with the response or reactions to the e-mail.
I'm reminded of a Dilbert cartoon several years ago. Dilbert is typing an e-mail on his computer to Wally and insults him with several comments about his work, his "simian heritage" and his smell. Wally peers over the cubicle wall and says, "You're pretty brave in cyberspace, flame boy" -- to which Dilbert invited Wally to "Step inside."
In my job as managing editor of TheWBALChannel.com, hundreds of e-mails make their way through my inbox. Most are spam, a majority are harmless, but some are outright nasty. People write things in e-mails they wouldn't say to someone's face because the writers feel they can "get away with it." Fire it off and never have to deal with the anger or repercussions.
And we lose the personality and the person because the receiver then focuses on the messenger and delivery rather than the message. Phones used to be our communication device of choice -- and I'm not talking about those cell phones that have text messaging and e-mails and photo downloads and Internet browsers (and yes, I have one exactly like that). I'm talking about that thing hanging on your kitchen wall -- whether it has a cord or not.
Those phones at least keep us anchored to one spot and, even though we try to cook dinner while we're talking, at least we hear the inflection in the voice and the manner in which words are intended. When you call someone, you are saying to him or her, "I'd like to spend part of my day conversing with you and invest part of myself in you."
It is more personal than e-mail or IM and just as quick. However, we have seemed to lose touch with that bit of persona in the face of efficiency. But there is still hope.
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, ink and paper ruled the land. The written letter was king and queen and the people rejoiced.
How many of you don't enjoy getting a written letter or card from a friend or loved one? Do you remember running to the mailbox as a kid to see if someone had written you?
For me, the thrill is still there. (But then again, I'm a Toys "R" Us kid)
It means so much more when I get a written letter because that is just about as personal as it gets without pressing flesh. To sit down and take pen in hand means the recipient is the only thing on the writer's mind. It means using their valuable time to craft a work of art and sharing it with the person for which it was intended.
It means creating a tear or a laugh or a feeling of warmth that only seems to come from a letter.
I know some will say (and feel free to e-mail or write) that letters are old-fashioned and outdated. Why wait days to get a response when I can send an e-mail and get it quicker?
Because waiting is part of the thrill.
My job is, and probably always will be in the future, part of the electronic communication field (BEEP, BEEP, ZOOM!). I use every tech means possible to get my job done quicker, faster and more accurately than ever before. That is the impersonal side of my life.
However, nothing should stop any of us from taking the time to show someone we are thinking only of them at a particular moment. Whether it is to shower someone with love, to share a thought or incident, or to "flame," it always means more when it comes in a letter.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take pen and paper in hand and write a couple dozen people.
And now my music is getting the same way. Between my iPod and satellite radio, I can't remember the last time I actually listened to music. Is that bad? Am I geeking out way too much? Nah. I just like what I like and I don't want/need all the chatter -- unless it is ESPN Radio. "When I left you I was but a learner. Now I am the master."
Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Add a comment below and tell me what you think or write to me if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.
Monday, April 11, 2005
Chocolate Chip Are Best
C is for cookie.
That's about as basic as it ever gets. However, the Cookie Monster of Sesame Street now has to learn that C is for cookie -- sometimes.
The creative crew behind the world famous show is launching a Healthy Habits For Life initiative, and other characters are taking part, too. Show producers said with the rise in childhood obesity, Sesame Street is focusing on teaching children about healthy foods and physical activity.
Cookie Monster gets a new song, Big Bird and Elmo start exercising and we get talking vegetables on the show.
Forget, for the moment, that I'm not very comfortable with talking vegetables. How is that going to get children to eat them if they see them talking to the kids?
Oh, the horror! Oh, the humanity -- or vegetable-ity!
Some critics are already jumping on Sesame Street for doing the parenting for the adults. If childhood obesity is such a problem, how is a kid show going to be the catalyst to correct the behavior?
I'm not sure that teaching children about good food and getting out to play is such a bad thing. As a matter of fact, what's wrong with a little positive reinforcement from television to a message that parents should be delivering anyway?
I don't have children, so I may be out of line here. But I see overweight children with overweight parents and I wonder if we adults realize what a powerful influence we have over our offspring.
Television should never replace life lessons. Adults, parents and non-parents alike, can make all the difference in every child's life.
But please, give the Cookie Monster his cookies. After all, Green Bean Monster doesn't sound as fun.
So, I'm driving along late one night and for some reason, dark poetry leaps into my head. For the want of a keyboard! However, I do get most of it down, but I don't think you guys would appreciate it -- or even expect it out of me. Then I started wondering what you did want from Touch 'Em All -- comedy, political seriousness, random thoughts of unconsciousness? Maybe you do want poetry. Heck, sometimes I don't even know what I'm going to write until I sit down at the keyboard. That's part of the fun for me -- what is fun for you? "Beealzebub has a devil put aside for me."
Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Write to me or add a comment below and tell me what you think or if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.
That's about as basic as it ever gets. However, the Cookie Monster of Sesame Street now has to learn that C is for cookie -- sometimes.
The creative crew behind the world famous show is launching a Healthy Habits For Life initiative, and other characters are taking part, too. Show producers said with the rise in childhood obesity, Sesame Street is focusing on teaching children about healthy foods and physical activity.
Cookie Monster gets a new song, Big Bird and Elmo start exercising and we get talking vegetables on the show.
Forget, for the moment, that I'm not very comfortable with talking vegetables. How is that going to get children to eat them if they see them talking to the kids?
Oh, the horror! Oh, the humanity -- or vegetable-ity!
Some critics are already jumping on Sesame Street for doing the parenting for the adults. If childhood obesity is such a problem, how is a kid show going to be the catalyst to correct the behavior?
I'm not sure that teaching children about good food and getting out to play is such a bad thing. As a matter of fact, what's wrong with a little positive reinforcement from television to a message that parents should be delivering anyway?
I don't have children, so I may be out of line here. But I see overweight children with overweight parents and I wonder if we adults realize what a powerful influence we have over our offspring.
Television should never replace life lessons. Adults, parents and non-parents alike, can make all the difference in every child's life.
But please, give the Cookie Monster his cookies. After all, Green Bean Monster doesn't sound as fun.
So, I'm driving along late one night and for some reason, dark poetry leaps into my head. For the want of a keyboard! However, I do get most of it down, but I don't think you guys would appreciate it -- or even expect it out of me. Then I started wondering what you did want from Touch 'Em All -- comedy, political seriousness, random thoughts of unconsciousness? Maybe you do want poetry. Heck, sometimes I don't even know what I'm going to write until I sit down at the keyboard. That's part of the fun for me -- what is fun for you? "Beealzebub has a devil put aside for me."
Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Write to me or add a comment below and tell me what you think or if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Floating Down Stream
BREAKING NEWS -- 4/4/05 @ 10 p.m.
Our 11th bid for a home is apparently successful. Our agent called us and said our bid was accepted.
Yes, we are beside ourselves and excited beyond imagining. I'll let you in on more details as they become available. There is still some negotiating to do, but it looks like we are going to become homeowners.
Back to our regularly scheduled column...
Spring Cleaning
April is a signal to me that spring is here. Yes, I know it officially began last month, but it doesn't feel like spring in March.
Spring is a time of renewal, rebirth and hot dogs (but that's another column). It is also a time to clean out the old and make room for the new. So, I'm going to do a partial memory dump and get some of the lingering thoughts out of my head so I can cram some new ones in.
How Old?
For the record, I'm on the wrong side of 40 years old. (For an exact age after this year, answer the question to Life, The Universe and Everything.)
However, after a rather vigorous game of ice hockey last Saturday, I stopped off at my local purveyor of brewed beverages (beer) and made a purchase. I'm a beer snob, so I won't bore you with the exact details.
After bringing my purchase to the counter, the clerk said, "$13.38, please. May I see your ID?"
"Excuse me?" I stammered.
"I need to see your ID," he said.
I honestly laughed out loud and said, "Thank you so much" as I handed over my license.
I have been told that I do have a youthful look. And I try to make sure that I don't project age. But I haven't been carded in ... well, I can't even remember the last time I got carded.
As long as they don't card me at the video game store when I try to buy those "M" games, I'll be fine. And seriously amused.
Obey The Sign
Speaking of stores, I was at the Towson Town Center recently and parked in their parking deck. If you have ever parked there, there are signs on the inner row of parking spaces that read "Small Cars Only."
For the record, if you own a minivan, SUV or full-sized pickup truck, you are NOT a small car. As I was walking into the mall, a very large SUV was attempting to pull into one of the space marked for small cars -- right in front of the sign.
As I left, I noticed the same SUV had backed into the space. I guess the driver didn't want to read the sign.
Play Ball!
Spring is also baseball season. The Orioles start the season with lots of optimism, very little starting pitching, more power and a bullpen that could be one of the best in the league.
They also start the season with some new neighbors to the south -- the Washington Nationals.
There was a lot of hubbub made about the Nationals and their impact on the Orioles' fan base. I will probably go to a few games (my wife is excited about a team in D.C.), but I'm still an O's fan at heart.
Plus, if they start winning, more people will show up at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. That gets fans in the seats more than a Sammy Sosa t-shirt giveaway.
Farewell
I'm not a man of religion. However, I felt moved when Pope John Paul II passed away this weekend.
It is hard not to be moved when a man who was a part of such monumental changes in the world passes on. Pope John Paul II also impressed me as he reached out to all people -- no matter what faith.
Farewell and thank you.
This was more a stream of consciousness than a rant of any sort. Thanks for indulging me. Sometimes, you just have to sweep it all out. And thank you for all those who wrote in about my recent "episode" concerning house hunting. I'm doing fine and I'm trying to take it easy. I know it will come around. But instant gratification just isn't fast enough. "Stuck inside a wheel, inside a wheel/Wondering everyday is it all for real."
Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Write to me or add a comment below and tell me what you think or if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.
Our 11th bid for a home is apparently successful. Our agent called us and said our bid was accepted.
Yes, we are beside ourselves and excited beyond imagining. I'll let you in on more details as they become available. There is still some negotiating to do, but it looks like we are going to become homeowners.
Back to our regularly scheduled column...
Spring Cleaning
April is a signal to me that spring is here. Yes, I know it officially began last month, but it doesn't feel like spring in March.
Spring is a time of renewal, rebirth and hot dogs (but that's another column). It is also a time to clean out the old and make room for the new. So, I'm going to do a partial memory dump and get some of the lingering thoughts out of my head so I can cram some new ones in.
How Old?
For the record, I'm on the wrong side of 40 years old. (For an exact age after this year, answer the question to Life, The Universe and Everything.)
However, after a rather vigorous game of ice hockey last Saturday, I stopped off at my local purveyor of brewed beverages (beer) and made a purchase. I'm a beer snob, so I won't bore you with the exact details.
After bringing my purchase to the counter, the clerk said, "$13.38, please. May I see your ID?"
"Excuse me?" I stammered.
"I need to see your ID," he said.
I honestly laughed out loud and said, "Thank you so much" as I handed over my license.
I have been told that I do have a youthful look. And I try to make sure that I don't project age. But I haven't been carded in ... well, I can't even remember the last time I got carded.
As long as they don't card me at the video game store when I try to buy those "M" games, I'll be fine. And seriously amused.
Obey The Sign
Speaking of stores, I was at the Towson Town Center recently and parked in their parking deck. If you have ever parked there, there are signs on the inner row of parking spaces that read "Small Cars Only."
For the record, if you own a minivan, SUV or full-sized pickup truck, you are NOT a small car. As I was walking into the mall, a very large SUV was attempting to pull into one of the space marked for small cars -- right in front of the sign.
As I left, I noticed the same SUV had backed into the space. I guess the driver didn't want to read the sign.
Play Ball!
Spring is also baseball season. The Orioles start the season with lots of optimism, very little starting pitching, more power and a bullpen that could be one of the best in the league.
They also start the season with some new neighbors to the south -- the Washington Nationals.
There was a lot of hubbub made about the Nationals and their impact on the Orioles' fan base. I will probably go to a few games (my wife is excited about a team in D.C.), but I'm still an O's fan at heart.
Plus, if they start winning, more people will show up at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. That gets fans in the seats more than a Sammy Sosa t-shirt giveaway.
Farewell
I'm not a man of religion. However, I felt moved when Pope John Paul II passed away this weekend.
It is hard not to be moved when a man who was a part of such monumental changes in the world passes on. Pope John Paul II also impressed me as he reached out to all people -- no matter what faith.
Farewell and thank you.
This was more a stream of consciousness than a rant of any sort. Thanks for indulging me. Sometimes, you just have to sweep it all out. And thank you for all those who wrote in about my recent "episode" concerning house hunting. I'm doing fine and I'm trying to take it easy. I know it will come around. But instant gratification just isn't fast enough. "Stuck inside a wheel, inside a wheel/Wondering everyday is it all for real."
Touch 'em all with me, whether you agree with me or criticize me. I like the way you think! Tell me your opinion. Write to me or add a comment below and tell me what you think or if you want to join the ever-growing e-mail list to have my column delivered right to your inbox.
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