Modern Man

Growing up, I remember my grand mother telling me that it is un-couth, to talk about money in public. It’s no body’s business what we can or can’t afford.

When you walk into a shop and gasp at the price of things, it says volumes about you. Not in a good way.

It lets everyone know that; a) you know nothing or very little about what ever it is that you’re viewing. b) you can’t afford what ever it is that you’re viewing. c) you might have the money but you’re an uncultured boob. d) you have never been out of your house before so everything is a complete shock to you.

When I hear someone make a comment about how much something is, I instantly dismiss them. I shouldn’t, but I do. I assume they aren’t buyers. I have a feeling that most people in sales, do the same thing.

None of us like to be judged, but we are. Humans are judgmental.

It doesn’t matter to me if one of my paintings costs more than your house. If you want me to talk to you about the work in my shop, keep that information to yourself. Let me figure out if you’re a boob or not, on my own.

How many of you spend time in airports? Or travel at all? At least once or twice a year?

How many of you know, how many years now, we have been going through all of the additional security? Seven?

How many of you still, have no friggin clue how to act when in the airport or traveling?

I’m in the airport again. I don’t usually travel more than a couple of times a year.  The frequency isn’t the point here. Even if I only traveled once in the last seven years I would still know that things take longer. Security is tighter. You can’t bring knives, lighters or fireworks into the airport or onto a plane.

What the hell is wrong with people that fly? Why can’t they remember the most basic of rules? Why can’t they follow those rules? Why, when they get caught breaking those rules must they through a fit and act like they are above the rules?

I realize that it’s only a few of you that still act like this, but it only takes a few of you  to really screw things up for the rest of us. You know, those of us that realize, we need to show up at the airport more than 15 minutes before our flight.

Why would you show up to the airport security check-in area, with $13.52 in small change in one pocket, a six in jack knife in another pocket. A key ring with enough keys to open every door at major university, a belt buckle the size of a thanksgiving serving platter and combat boots laced up to your knees?

Did you seriously think for even a second that you were going to get through security like that? Do you honestly think that it’s the airports fault that you are holding up the hundreds of people behind you? Did you really think that screaming profanity at TSA and everyone in line around you was going to help?

It is time to end the asshatary! It’s time the rest of us stopped tolerating these few screw balls that make travel miserable.  It’s time for the “No Fly List”, to include these trouble making dip sticks.

It’s time society stopped letting a few jerks ruin things for the rest of us. Stand up for your selves and for those around you. Stand up for common courtesy. Stand up for politeness. Stand up against those that refuse to follow the most basic and simple rules. It’s time we demand a smarter population.

Are you comfortable? With yourself I mean. What kind of self image do you have?

If you pay attention to todays Pop Culture, they want you to hate yourself. You are never going to be thin enough. Pretty enough. Rich enough. Famous enough.

Society today wants you to feel inferior to the “ideal” so you will go spend your money trying to be these perfect, pretty people. Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but we are never going to be those people.

There is nothing wrong with taking care of yourself, but lets stay with in reason, shall we.

I spent many years with a very poor self image. Mainly because I was with someone that had even less self image than I did. Now, at 42 years old, I feel better about myself than I ever have.

What we feel about ourselves has more to do with self respect than anything else. Do you like yourself? Who you are? What you do? How you act?

Once I learned that I was in control of how I felt, everything changed. The only person I have to impress is me. If I can’t be true to myself, how can I ever be true to someone else? Your’s is the only opinion that matters.

What first attracted me to my lover, was her confidence. It was intoxicating. It made me want to know more about her. It made here very attractive. It was a turn on.

The people I enjoy spending time with have this quality. They know who they are and they’re all right with it.  They’re proud of it. They have strange hair styles, wear wild clothes, voice their opinions, feelings and beliefs. Popular or not, they are who they are.

Who are you? Do you know but hide it to fit in?

There will be people that make fun of anything different than the norm. They will point, laugh and ridicule. Those people are afraid. Afraid of themselves.  Afraid of their friends. Afraid to stand up and say that they are unique. Most people want to be sheep. Herded together. All alike. It’s safe.

I have received some strong opposition to the wearing of speedo type trunks to the beach or pool. It’s really kind of funny. Every time I wear them, especially in this country, I get stared at. People point, make comments and giggle at times.

My point in all of this, is that I like myself enough, not to care. We all should.

How many of you have a good follow-through?

When I play golf, one of my biggest problems is my follow-through. No matter how much I practice on the rest of my game, with a poor follow-through, I can’t get any better.

In my life in general, I have a problem with follow-through also. Always have. I’m big on the idea and planning stages. Completion is an other story.

Sure, I’ve made excuses. I’m an artist, creative type that can’t be bothered with details, I’m an idea men. I’ve even had other people make excuses for me. A.D.D., lazy, un-driven, chronic fatigue, short attention span, dyslexic, bi-polar, fear, ass-hattery…

It’s all just excuses. I like to think that when it matters, my follow-through is top notch. That I only flake on the trivial things. I like to think that.

If I can flake on something small, it’s not any harder to flake on something big. Personally I think it’s my biggest fault. Poor follow-through. I finish most of my projects. It’s the ones I don’t finish that haunt me.

I didn’t finish painting the fence, I gave up my baseball career, I’ve given up jobs, friends, and lovers. Why you ask? Good question. I’ve spent many a hour with Dr. Bob trying to answer it.

There are many of us that have this problem. It’s one of my biggest peeves with other people is their poor follow-through.

One way to stay in the fairway and out of the bunkers is to work on your follow-through. The same applies to lovers, friends, family, jobs, school…

Just saying.