I've Learned

Every once in awhile I come across something that says something to me personally. Something I did not necessarily expect but I like nonetheless. I found the following poem by Stumbling and I just had to share it with everyone. Read it and enjoy...

I've Learned
by Omer B. Washington

---

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.
I've learned that no matter how much I care,
some people just don't care back.
I've learned that it takes years to build up trust
and only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned that it's not what you have in your life
but who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself
to the best others can do,
but to the best you can do.
I've learned that it's not what happens to people,
It's what they do about it.
I've learned that no matter how thin you slide it,
there are always two sides.
I've learned that you should always have loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you'll see them.
I've learned that you can keep going
long after you think you can't.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
When it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.
I've learned that there are people who love you dearly,
but just don't know how to show it.
I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned that true friendship continues to grow even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to
doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken,
the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned that sometimes you have to put the individual
ahead of their actions.
I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.
I've learned that no matter the consequences,
those who are honest with themselves go farther in life.
I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.
I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that writing,
as well as talking,
can ease emotional pains.
I've learned that the people you care most about in life
are taken from you too soon.
I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice
and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
I've learned to love
and be loved.
I've learned...

Push or Be Pushed

I do love to go to movies. Sometimes it is more about the experience than it is the movie. I recently went to see Chris Evans star in a film entitled Push. In the dank theater with six other people, my brother and I enjoyed what easily could have been your stereotypical superhero flick. This one is just a little bit different from the rest.

Push revolves around two americans, Nick (Chris Evans and Cassie (Dakota Fanning), who happen to have powers trying to help bring down a shadowing government agency called Division that wants those with powers. They race through Hong Kong with the help of others with abilities in order to reach their ultimate goal.

Sounds like your stereotypical superhero movie. Not so much. What makes Push different is language, and Chris Evans. Director Paul McGuiran (Lucky Number Slevin) and writer David Bourla created a world unlike the comic book worlds one would expect. This world has real problems with real people. You are these people.

The filmakers used words like Movers (Telekinesis), Watchers (Premonitions), Shifters, Shadows, Sniffers and so on. Everyone is classified as something and there are some unusual powers. The Sniffers smell things and know where other people or things are. Shadows hide people or things from sniffers. Stitches heal. Shifters having the ability to change the molecular structure of anything. And everybody seems to know what everyone is while running away from Division. Dakota Fanning is especially good as a teenage Watcher who draws what she sees in a little black notebook. She has grown up but not enough for a couple seens she has with that short skirt of hers. Scary.

The real star of the film is Chris Evans though. This is not the Human Torch. This character is tortured and it shows. We start the film with him losing his father to Division and fast forward ten years to him hiding out in Hong Kong and trying to using his Mover's power to win at Craps. He fails as he is unpracticed. Chris Evans carries the film more with his eyes and actions than he does with his voice. Wish this Chris Evans would joins us more often than he does. He made me want to be a mover.

The film is completely set up for a sequel and I hope we get one as this one was throughly enjoyable. The atmosphere made it even better as a three year-old kept coming up to my brother and I and saying Hi. One minute he is next to me talking to me during the movie and then all of a sudden he is running to other side to talk to my brother. A kid who is truly not scared. I like the little things like that during movies. That is why I would never go to the theater by myself. It is usually the company you keep that truly tells you how good the movie is. Movies are always best watched in the company of others.

This is not a film that tries to be smarter than the people watching it. The filmmakers help you along but also don't make you feel dumb. It is an intricate plot with lots of movement. The visuals are great and Hong Kong is a beautiful city to watch on the big screen. Give Push a try whether it be in theater or on DVD and you will not be disappointed.

Editors Note : I have neglected this blog and have gotten behind on a self imposed deadline on my Iowa post. I will hopefully have that out in the next couple days. Renewed vigor is here. Rejoice.

A-Rod or A-Roid?

That has been the story of sports for the last week. The world is both shocked and not shocked at the exact same time. The elitist have come out to admonish him and the "good souls" praise him for his honesty. Though, that honesty only came after he was caught. What is the real verdict? there is no possible way to have a right answer here? We are all right and we are all wrong with this issue.

I am personally saddened that he did use them but I do not think this makes him any less of a baseball player nor man. He was put in a extreme situation that many of us will never understand. The pressure, the expectations, the reality are all things only he really knew. I would like to think that I would not do what he did in that situation but to be honest, I may have. I may have done whatever it took to make the people around me believe in me. Does that mean I am right? Not necessarily.

The real problem I have is with the world and their moral high ground they think they are on. I am not only talking of this situation but others. Whether it is politics, parenting, education, religion, everyone thinks they are in the right and everyone else just has it wrong. That is the real problem with the world. Not that we don't believe in anything or that we are arrogant. It is the lack of understanding or compassion for others situations. Judgment and criticism are the way of the world now.

This all may sound hypocritical coming from a guy writing as a critic of the world, but it really does fit in with what I am saying. I am trying to understand and have some compassion, why don't you try doing the rest. Give the guy a break, he understands things that we never will. And I thank god I don't have his problems.

My Favorite Pics, Vol. II: Weather

It is time for another edition of My Favorite Pics. With this volume strictly regulated to photos taken that are weather related. Nature is a crazy thing and creates the nuttiest predicaments for man. Here it is caught in action.

Don't touch the water kid.

Where did Vancouver Go?

Oh man, that house is toast.

And I thought I had been in some bad storms.

Hurricane Katrina scares the crap out of me.

Top Ten Things About Iowa, Part I

You are probably asking yourself, what is so great about Iowa? If you live in Iowa you are most likely either going to say you love it or that there is absolutely nothing great about Iowa. Even if you are the latter, you will most likely retract that statement soon after leaving Iowa for so-called greener pastures. There is a lot to love about Iowa, you just have to know where to look. Oh, and be willing to drive a little bit. As most things are the typical 30-60 minute drive from where you are from, maybe more.

Big cities are hard to come by and credit card machines/ATMs may be sparse, but Iowa has a flare that can be see if you are willing. You are right. Iowa is full of corn fields. Interstate 80 is the worst drive in the world. It vaguely smells of livestock and oatmeal (thank you Cedar Rapids). You are more likely to find a tractor on highway than you are a Hummer. Iowans love meat. Love eggs. Love Milk. Iowa is a state that can't make its mind up on whether it is Republican or Democratic (Which between you and mean is a damn good thing). Iowa is the home of Ashton Kutcher and Shawn Johnson. It snows during the winter and floods during the spring. The humidity is near unbearable in the summer and the leaves never stay on the trees long enough, granted you have trees near you. Skyscrapers are nonexistent outside of Des Moines and even then the buildings have to jump on their own to touch the sky. Iowans love ethanol even though it is a crock of shit (PS. we know that too, just don't care). And despite all of this Iowa's charm is lost on almost no one. What is so great? What is it that makes people go back time after time. I am going to give you the top ten things that make Iowa THE greatest state in the Union.

10) Higher Education: Iowa State University (Ames, IA), University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA), and the University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, IA) are the three state schools and each one excels at their specialties. Iowa State has one of the best Agriculture and Engineering programs in the nation along with a tough Vet Med Grad Program. The university of Iowa has a medical school with a top-notch Hospital. The University of Iowa boasts a 100 percent success rate for heart Transplant patients to live at least one year after surgery. UNI, while smaller, has fantastic Education and Business programs. Each has athletic programs that are top notch in different sports. National Championships, while rare for this great state, are in abundance when talking about College Wrestling. Any parent would be proud to send a child of theirs to these fantastic Universities.

9) I-80, The Worlds Largest Truck Stop: I am deadly serious about this. Many people joke but honestly it is a marvel in civil engineering and consumerism. Sometimes big and bold is great, just ask Texas. If this thing is anything, it is big and bold. Founded in 1964, it has grown to serve over 5,000 customers a day. It has everything from showers to gift shops to fuel to service stalls. It is one-stop shop Truck Stop that even has a dentist and museum. Its worth the stop when you drive by, even if you aren't near it, stop in and fill up.

8) Kate Shelley High Bridge: The Kate Shelley High Bridge is the highest double-track railroad bridge in the United States. Residing west of Boone,IA, it stands 185 ft. in the air as it crosses the Des Moines River. It was originally built in 1899 and finished in 1901. There is a new bridge being built to replace this bridge that will stand 180 ft. in the air and still be the highest in the nation. It is a site to behold no matter who you are. The bridge itself is named after Kate Shelley, a girl who once crossed the bridge on her hands and knees in order to stop a train from crossing during a huge storm.

7) Taylor's Maid-Rite: Maid-Rites are a fixture in Central Iowa and even beyond. The ultimate loose meat sandwich that would even serve Ketchup with its sandwiches until that last few years. Originally started by Fred Angell in 1926, Cliff Taylor purchased the rights and it has since become a family business. To this day it is still apart of the same family. For those that were part of the originals in Newton, Muscatine, and Marshalltown, Taylor's Maid-Rite is a great place to meet old friends and have a great meal.

6) Adventureland: Adventureland is a amusement park that was founded in Altoona, IA in 1973. Adventureland is not Six Flags or Disneyworld or Cedar Point or even Worlds of Fun. But Adventureland is a great place to take your family. It is that place you go back to be again kid. There is fun for all and it is affordable. It may not huge but there are memories that I personally have that I will never forget. Thats what this place creates, memories.

The rest will be coming in a week...

Website of the Day

As you know, I constantly stumble and here is a nice little gem I found today. I liked it so much I wanted to share it with you. Someone Once Told Me. This website involves pictures taken of people with phrases said to them at different points in their lives. The photos are all in black and white with the message written on a small piece of poster board. The locations vary and sometimes don't matter, but the messages given are highly meaningful. The messages range from the extremely personal to the well known. Each message has their own story and this is their story. It is a fantastic site to look at for a few minutes and come back to in the future to enjoy more messages of the world. Some will make you laugh and some will inspire. Either way, you will be happy you visited, even if for a short while.

Oddities in News, Vol. I

I love the weird things that come across the news. I am amazed and inspired by them. There are some truly special people in this world and I mean that in every sense of the word. I just read this story on redorbit.com that a girl sent 14,528 texts in one month. That is 484 texts a day. Which translates into a text every 2 minutes of every waking hour. HOLY SHIT!!!! What in gods name can you text about that much. I mean seriously. I like to text, but I have trouble getting through 250 in a month. I know others that text a hell of a lot more, but 14,528. I am flabbergasted. Astonished. Appalled. Disappointed.

It makes you wonder what the world is coming to when something like this happens. What happened to the phone call. It is a lost art. It is now all email and text. The less human contact, the better. I am no better. When it comes to conflict, I would much rather not talk to the person. I am no better. But I should be. And so should the rest of the world.

Sidewalk Chalk Guy

I love Sidewalk Chalk Guy. His real name is Julian Beever and he calls them Pavement Drawings. He is a real artist with amazing talent. Lets be honest though, Sidewalk Chalk Guy sounds so much cooler. I actually saw him doing this once in Chicago. I was blown away. I found these online somewhere that really doesn't matter. These are a few of the gems this guy can create. You can see more at his website, Julian Beever. This type of talent is awe inspiring. I mean, how in the hell is this possible. I want to do this. I want this life, but alas, I am just me. Enjoy the pics.

I am Batman!!!

Recently, our friendly neighborhood Batman, Christian Bale, had an on-set outburst of his leaked to the press. The incident happened this past summer while on the set of Terminator Salvation. It has Bale flipping out on the Director of Photography for messing with the lights in the middle of his scene. This audio is one of the most intense blow-ups ever caught on tape. I am fascinated by this. The amount of expletives used by bale is astounding. I am not even appalled by it, I am impressed by his ability sling this kind of mud. You can here the clip here, Bale Explodes.

I keep listening and each time it gets better and better. I laugh, I gasp and each when I expect him to stop he just keeps going. It is truly amazing. I am flabbergasted. Do I think this is right? No, but i don't think he is a horrible person for this either. Lots out there want to paint him as this egotistical bastard who has no right to be associating with people. I don't think these people are any better. I cannot judge him on this. I was not there and have never had his experiences. I would like to think that I would not do something like that. But everyone has bad days. It is very well that he just had a bad day. Then again, he could be the asshole everyone wants him to be.

Take it easy on him unless you know him personally and not just what the press wants you to know. The bias in this world is unbelievable. There is not a single person in the public that you can say is perfectly conveyed by the media. Nobody is perfect and everyone has skeletons and not everyone may be the devil they are painted to be. So take it easy and remember, that could have been you or someone you really do know.