Boys to Men.

Tonight I watched the football movie "Friday Night Lights." If you're not familiar with it, it is a true story about an Odessa high school football team who, against all odds, made it to the State Championship played at the Astrodome in 1988. Yeah, I know it is an old movie, but I always get around to watching these things a couple of years later. I don't have the time or the desire to go to the movies. I like the comfort of my big couch, my big screen, and that pause button. Anyway, this isn't a review of the movie. (which is pretty good, and very accurate about the football madness of Texas) It really made me think about how completely different men are to women (I know, duh) and made me realize a bit how so many men turn out the way they do.

Now this isn't guy bashing, just stick with me here. My brothers were pretty good athletes as was I. Baseball was their game and basketball was mine. I also cheered and played softball and track, but I loved basketball most of all. My husband's high school football team won their state championship in Mississippi back in 1978, I believe. My daughter is an unbelievable basketball player. But being the popular cheerleader was more important, so she chose that instead in high school since they don't let the girls do both. (completely unfair, but that is another post) My other two boys played, but just for the fun of it. Didn't really get into into it or have the passion for it. But still I think they were affected by the coaches and their love of the game. It seems all guys have a deep affection or hatred for their high school coaches. After watching this movie I can see why.

In all the years I played sports I never remember a coach yelling in my face. I never remember a parent going ballistic over a call. But my brothers and my sons? Well, that is a whole different ballgame (excuse the pun) Yelling and parental stupidity is out of control. The part in the movie that really got to me was when the character played by Tim McGraw (an abusive father who had won his high school championship and whose son was playing in this one) told his son that he was not getting it. He didn't understand that this was the best life was ever going to be. After that it's nothing. One of the local ummm...rednecks told one of the football players, "after this there aint nothing but babies and memories."

Well how sad and pathetic is that? Life holds so many wonderful things for you. You're washed up at 17? No. No. No. First of all, I see a competitiveness in men that I do not see in women. Not even close. The article that got around a few days ago about there not being as many women bloggers because we don't like to argue or something like that. It is true that in general, women do not like conflict. Men, sometimes thrive on it.

This testorone filled movie got me to thinking how hard it is for men and women to understand each other. Even for men who never played sports have that same competitive spirit. And to be honest, in my opinion, sports brings out the worst in guys. I know , I know, it is all about team playing, about winning, about trying your hardest....blah, blah, blah. But I see egos the same size as their trucks and guys who think so much of themselves they don't seem to have much left over to think much of women. Jose Conseco's latest book is being blasted by players over his allegations of steroid use, not much is being said about his allegations of the cheating and whoring the players did. Boys will be boys. Right?

Right.

I blogged once on my experience with dating athletes, but I can't find it. Suffice it to say I knew from the start that I was never going to be first in their lives. The sport would always be, so those relationships didn't last long, believe me. So when 2 of my sons didn't show much interest in it, that was fine with me. There doesn't seem to be the same problem in girl's sports so my daughter being a great athlete has been fine also. But now I have my youngest son, who at 8 yrs old has already won 2 MVP awards for his teams on baseball and basketball and he didn't start playing until he was 6. (it is a shame that in Texas they start the teams at 3, yes I said 3.) Anyway, he is playing on a select baseball team now that he was asked to be on. Another one asked him, but it was a traveling team and we said no. I can hardly believe I have to make these decisions at eight! He is playing football now and is the quarterback even though he has never played before. He is a natural athlete, no doubt. I don't mean to sound like I am bragging. I know who has talent and who doesn't. I have two that do and two that don't. Not only does my son have talent, but he has passion for it. Since he was 6 he watched ESPN like most kids watch cartoons. He never plays video games, he is too busy playing football or basketball outside with his friends. My oldest son built his own computer from scratch, my youngest has never even looked at the computer. But now I worry. Is this what I want for the sweetest of my children? He was born with a generous soul and a golden heart. A sweeter kid you will not find anywhere. Do I want him going into a sport where a coach yells in your face all day? Where your told that winning is everything and this is the best time of your life? What if he show true promise? I don't even like the idea of him playing high school football, much less college.

It is like being a movie star. It looks glamorous and wonderful until you realize they can't stay married, they hardly know their children, and they cheat and do drugs and the Hollywood culture is horrible. I know there are exceptions, but you KNOW that is the rule. Same with athletes.

If you played high school or college sports or beyond and you think that that was the best thing that ever happened to you, then you are missing out on what it is really important and best in life.

Like the guy in the movie said about his HS state championship, "there aint nothing but babies and memories after that." Like it was a bad thing. If the miracle of your child is not enough to make you realize that THAT overshadows any stupid touchdown or winning championship, then I feel sorry for you.

A guy said to me one time after he had had a wild young life and married and settled down, "Remember the line in the John Mellencamp song that said 'life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone.'? That is how I feel."

I just felt so sorry for him. I felt like shaking him and telling to wake up and look around. Life is wonderful. Every single day is a gift. A child's good morning kiss, a lazy summer day, a baby's 1st step, and swimming in the salty ocean. These are the things of life that can bring us the joy of living, the joy that feeds our souls.

There may not be crowds cheering us. There may not be trophies or spotlights, but there is a whole world out there waiting for us every day. Perhaps some men see themselves as just going through the motions, thankful to have had a little fun. Maybe that explains a lot about them.

Most women I know, even if they don't truly appreciate this miracle of life we are given, they at least understand the fulfillment of giving of themselves. A natural instinct of nurturing that we have, I believe.

So what is my point? I use to say that I would never understand men. Even after a dad and two brothers, a husband and 3 boys. But now I may have an inkling. Funny how some stupid movie can open a bit of a window on something you never understood before. I think men look beyond themselves to feel success and women look at the here and now. (A little profound thought from the mind of Righwingsparkle) And my 2nd point is I am not sure I want my youngest to go this route. And I'm not sure there is much I can do about it. I guess I will wait and see what the years bring.

Update: One of my sweet commenters found my other post on Athletes that I couldn't find. It was written in Nov. after the Pistons/Pacers big fight. If you want to read it. Go here.

Jackson is white and California could be Red. Heh.

The Therapist is on a roll. Hilarious. Start with this one and keep reading:

"Cartilaginous, Marbly-Skinned Hermaphrodites Underrepresented On Jackson Jury"

"No Need For Blacks On Jury: Jackson, when he was still African-American. Now, as an anorexic caucasian spook-house side show Jackson attributes his whiteness, straight hair and supple lip lines to a rare skin disorder--and a steady diet of toddler."

And he also has this:

"Report: Landslides Could Turn California Into Red State"

"Los Angeles--Experts from NOAA, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are claiming that nearly unprecedented rainfall in southern California could tip the balance in the favor of the Republican party in 2008."

"A sudden, cataclysmic break off of all the real estate below Santa Barbara county will knock out the only three counties in southern California carried by John Kerry in the 2004 elections," said a senior NOAA official. "The Democrats don't have a prayer until Monterey County, on up into San Francisco. Hopefully the erosive nature of this disaster has latent, electoral sympathies."

"Others have intimated that Republican strategist, Karl Rove, could have tapped into the previously-occultic weather control techniques--the stuff of legend."

I find it amusing that the UK is having the same debate as we are on immigration but with a slightly different twist.

"Most immigrants fill posts that keep the economy going. It is funny how peoples' attitudes to immigration change when they suddenly find a Polish or Lithuanian plumber to do a job they cannot find a British tradesman to do at a reasonable price."

Just exchange "Polish or Lithuanian" to "Mexican" and you could be talking about the U.S.

I am not like most conservatives that are against the guest worker program or other immigration reforms. I know there are problems with free healthcare and employers paying low wages, but living so close to the Mexican border, I have seen too many hard working Hispanics taking long hours and low pay for difficult backbreaking work.

People say they need to come in LEGALLY. Well I am guessing that getting into the U.S. legally from Mexico is a lot harder than getting your learners permit to drive when you are 16, which I had to do today with my daughter and it was RIDICULOUS what we had to go through. The paperwork, the confusing directions on what to bring. My paperwork from Austin said if you had a passport then no secondary identification is required. On the secondary identification listed was a Social Security card. I didn't bring that since it was made clear it wasn't needed since she had a passport. But when we got there they show me a paper that says they now require the Social Security card. The problem was it was on their paperwork that you filled out when you got there, not on my paperwork sent ahead. That is just one example of how completely complicated and confusing the process was.

If this is how hard it is to get a freaking learners permit to drive when you have been a citizen your whole life, speak English, and have a passport, I can only imagine the hell the Mexicans go through to get their citizenship here. So maybe the answer to illegal immigration is to make becoming a citizen less complicated and more about TEACHING them to love America instead of filling out tons of paperwork that no one ever looks at or probably understands.


I wonder if we had Polish people taking these jobs if there would be the same complaints?

Well, this is one way to keep the little rugrats from running around...;-) 

The Washington Post describes Sec. Rice's attire as she landed at Wiesbaden Army Airfield to greet the troops like this: "Rice's coat and boots speak of sex and power -- such a volatile combination, and one that in political circles rarely leads to anything but scandal."

She indeed looks good, although the bleached blonde Billy Idol wannabe behind her might want to rethink his hairdresser. Seriously though. Come on! The post even went so far to say that her outfit brought the mind "To shadowy daydreams. Dominatrix!"

She looks great. Must everything be sexual? I really don't think we are going to see "scandal" from Rice since she is just sooo well known for her wild partying and drinking. I heard that one time at the Crawford ranch she had two beers and starting yelling, "I'm hitting the hay!" as she ran towards one of those haybales in the backyard. Let's hope she doesn't do any table dancing while overseas. That wildcat!!!

Calling on all single girl bloggers.

Mudville has some new blogger soldiers from Iraqi. One is Assumption of Command. He gives some insight on a soldier coming home to no family. He talks about coming home to an empty apartment from Bosnia in the late 90's. (that just breaks my heart) He goes on to explain:

"But not all soldiers have the "wife and kids" waiting for their return. Some soldiers nearest family maybe one or two thousand miles away from their home station. It the cases of soldiers stationed in Germany their nearest family could be an ocean away. These same soldiers have been incredibly close to their teams, crew members, and battle buddies in all facets of their lives. Now all of a sudden all of that closeness is gone and the single soldier is possibly alone without the people he until recently relied on. This can be just as difficult as trying to get used to the spouse that now runs the household without the soldier. The Army tries to prepare us for re-entry into our families. Granted this is very important, but they don't seem to have anything for reuniting with yourself. Just do me a favor don't forget about the single guys and gals just because they are back. Home can be a very lonely place too."

Awww... so go visit his place and see what we can do to help. Some single girl ought to get an organization going to greet the single soldiers when they get home. If you know of a blogger who might be interested in this. Let me know.

Paranoia news....

This from MSNBC:

"A new type of organism discovered in an Arctic tunnel came to life in the lab after being frozen for 32,000 years."

It goes on to say:

"NASA described the newfound critter as "the first fully described, validated species ever found alive in ancient ice."
"They immediately started swimming when the ice melted," Hoover told LiveScience, adding that the cryopreserved bacteria were instantly ready to eat and multiply."

Is this really a good idea?? I mean I don't want some 32, 000 year old happy but deadly "critter" being BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE!
I am no scientist (as I am sure you have noticed) but since it is 32, 000 years old and never seen before, is it really a good idea to wake this bacteria up ready to "eat and multiply??" How could they know anything about it? I keep thinking about that movie with Dustin Hoffman and Cuba Gooding Jr. Where that weird strain of bacteria gets out from a monkey, becomes airborne when they didn't think it could and people start bleeding from their eyes and dying a horrible death. What was the name of that movie?
Anyway, I just hope THEY ARE BEING CAREFUL...;-)

PunditGuy has the The 127th Carnival of the Vanities and I am in it. If you didn't read my post in November about a man I knew. Then go there to read it. It's my favorite post. There are lots of really good ones from other sites there as well.

Beautiful Atrocities has this regarding what I think will be the talking point of the left on the Jeff Gannon thing. But he just blows it away like a rifle shot on a beer can sitting on a fence.

Vanity Fair's James Wolcott on Gannon: "He did provide some genuine insight into the journalistic standards of the far-right fake-news prosties & their blog enablers" [I think that's us, guys!].

"To Gannon, & presumably to other fine fax-gathering organizations being fronted by Republican shills, objective journalism consists of running White House press releases verbatim--to him, that's providing vital information without a 'liberal filter.' Gannon really does embody the Bush-Rove ideal of the journalist as empty vessel."

So true, James! What we need is more fine, upstanding journalists like Dan Rather, Mary Mapes, Eason Jordan, "Reuters", & ABC News Director Mark Halperin, who famously directed his troops NOT to hold Kerry equally accountable as Bush. Alas.

Imagine This.

A discussion with a commenter got me to thinking the other day what the world would be like if we were all like Christ. If we lived by what he taught. I had said there would be no war or poverty, but I realized that there would be so much more that would be different.

Think about it. There would be no prisons, no policemen, no prison guards, no jails, and no bail bondsman. But think about this. NO lawyers! Except maybe for corporate and estate logistics. IMAGINE! A Christian world with no lawyers! It is enough to make you want to convert, isn't it??..;-)

I can say all that coming from a family of lawyers. Also, there would be no judges, except for the few for the stated above problems. There would be no government social programs because we would all take care of each other. There would be no private schools, unless we just do away with the government involved in education and fund them ourselves. Taxes would still be needed to fund highways and roads and such, but the government would be practically tiny.

We could leave our doors unlocked. There would be no rape or murder, no crime of any kind! No one would cheat on their spouse. There would be no pornography, no pedophiles, no divorce, no domestic or child abuse, no babies born out of wedlock, and no abortion clinics.

We would have so much more money to pour into medical research, and no one would price gouge. We could discover more cures for disease.

There would be no homeless, no drug abuse and no suicide. We would admire our teachers, nurses, and doctors not movie stars or sports celebrities. Actors would do movies that inspired and moved us. Sports would be about the sport, and not the money.

We would truly love each other.

Imagine a world like that.

Now , this is not saying that other religions wouldn't bring as much, I am just speculating on it. And it sounds good to me.

I love the way Bush answers questions. When asked about Iran yesterday he said, "The notion that we are about to go attack Iran is ridiculous. That being said, all options are on the table."

You gotta love that. He is saying to Iran,"We aren't going to bother you at all as long as you behave, so watch your backs and keep your nose clean."

This is what was so great about Reagan. He made it clear that he was reasonable, but tough. "Don't mess with us" was his whole attitude. And he ended the cold war, and was one of the main reasons for the collapse of the USSR and who could forget his demanding that the Berlin wall be brought down, and it was.

Bush has the opportunity to here to change things in this world as much if not more than Reagan did. Let us pray he succeeds. I would think everyone would want that.

If you want a good summary of Bush's trip to Europe, suprisingly you can find it here.

Refreshing news in the Israeli and Palestinian conflict:

Feb. 21, 2005 JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel freed 500 Palestinian prisoners in a goodwill gesture Monday and President Bush pledged to support efforts to resolve the conflict, saying peace based on a two-state solution was within reach.
"Our greatest opportunity, and our immediate goal, is peace in the Middle East," Bush said in Brussels, Belgium, on the first day of a fence-mending trip to Europe.
"Bush also promised to back Palestinian reform, which he said would give momentum to changes throughout the Middle East."

The article goes on to say:

"In a historic Cabinet vote Sunday, Israel voted leave Gaza and four settlements in the northern West Bank and approved a revised West Bank separation barrier closer to Israel's pre-1967 frontier.
With the vote, an Israeli government agreed for the first time since capturing the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Mideast war to dismantle some of the dozens of Jewish settlements it has built there. "

Will Bush be able to form the alliances we should have, although many would argue we don't need?

Are we finally seeing the beginning of some sort of peace between the Israeli and Palestinian blood bath?

What I see is EFFORT. What I see is action and not just talk. Will all of it work? God knows. But it is nice to see the action. It is nice to see some work being put into these issues.

I think the alliances are important and I hope Bush succeeds.

We need to focus on the big picture. These are the important things. Not the gossipy stuff that bloggers have been ranting about.

There may not be alot we can do from here about the big things above, so maybe it would be a good time to bring a little civility to the blogpsphere. Let's try to be a bit nicer. How about that? Try a little alliance building of our own.

The Blog Herald has this:

"U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation on Wednesday to achieve meaningful reforms to federal government information laws, most notably the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 (FOIA). The Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act of 2005 (OPEN Government Act) is aimed at substantially enhancing and expanding the accessibility, accountability, and openness of the federal government.
U.S. Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.), the committee’s senior Democrat, is the bill’s co-sponsor.
Importantly for bloggers, the Cornyn-Leahy legislation grants privileged FOIA fees for bloggers and writers for Internet outlets, providing the same status as old media and will protect access to FOIA fee waivers for legitimate journalists, regardless of institutional association - including bloggers and other Internet-based journalists." via William Teach at Little Miss Attila

Very interesting.

As a side note. Mark my words on John Cornyn. He has been well known here in Texas for a long time. He is smart, handsome, conservative, and charismatic. He has been through enough dirty campaigns for us to know that there are no "skeletons' in his closet. A perfect combination for a great political future. Keep your eye on him. We will be hearing from him.

What is more important here? Naked pics or mail fraud? You decide.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A former staffer for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee admitted Tuesday to stealing about $360,000 in donor checks while he was employed there.
Roger Chiang pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of mail fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for June.
Chiang, a staffer in charge of ethnic outreach and fund raising, was fired from the DSCC after about $360,000 in missing committee donor checks were traced to a bank account he had opened. The DSCC is the main fund-raising arm for Senate Democrats.


Anyone miss this story? Hmmm.... maybe because it was WAY more important to find naked pictures of some no name reporter (now known as the infamous Jeff Gannon) I mean, come on, the guy in the story above was just using hard earned donor's money for Senate Democrats to ...I don't know.. maybe catch some bling bling, dress for success, or get a pimpin ride. That is nothing to compared to Gannon's gayness. Am I right?

Where is that moonbat outrage when it counts? Huh?

I am just going to throw in this eating out etiquette that you probably didn't know, but should know. Very detailed for the etiquette impaired too...;-)

Wonderduck, don't get the big head with all this attention. but this is for you. They even have a Confessional! This is the place to confess your sins, your transgressions, and your Duckiest thoughts to the Popes, the Duck, and the entire world!

If you need one of these , it is time to throw out your computer ,because you have a SERIOUS problem.

all links via The Biomes Blog

"Kennedy wants you to ask Alberto Gonzales if Senators are exempted from drunk driving laws, Hillary wants you to ask him if he'll be investigating any shady cattle futures deals, and Robert Byrd wants to know if he'll put on a sombrero and run around really fast like his cousin 'Speedy.'"
via Caption This!

Now we know.

"NEW YORK Feb 20, 2005 — Private conversations with George Bush secretly taped by an old friend before he was elected president foreshadow some of his political strategies and appear to reveal that he acknowledged using marijuana, The New York Times reported."

Well we FINALLY know the reason behind the whole Jeff Gannon gay hooker/white house reporter story. Karl Rove is a freakin GENIUS. You know he put that naked bald gay escort thing out there so when this story broke, it would look like Bush had practically a pollyanna past.

Seriously, the conversations reveal what we already know about Bush. He is the same in private as he is in public. Honest and forthcoming. In fact I was a bit surprised at how nice he was. I mean I know he is a nice guy, but I also know politics. And when you're talking strategy and such sometimes you can get truly mean no matter who you are.

Love Bush or hate him, what you see is what you get.

Reposted in honor of Wonderduck, in what possibly may be duck heaven.