Walking Her Dog Named Trouble

I just read about poor Lindsay Lohan; trouble just seems to follow her around like an angry Egyptian with a rock. Now, she’s facing criminal charges for allegedly stealing a necklace from a jewelry store. If she’s acquitted, it would be the biggest crime she’s gotten away with since, well, her entire acting career. At least the necklace coordinated well with her alcohol detection ankle bracelet.

Still Quoting Uncle Vanya

'Missed again,' said I this morning when I discovered that someone else had won all the money in the office SuperBowl pool.  It doesn't matter that I never actually bothered to find out who was playing nor does it matter that, along those same lines of thought, I certainly had not the slightest idea who won.  The point is that again I missed the opportunity to be the office Big Cheese.
I'm hoping that the person who actually did win big cared and followed the game.
On the other hand, do winners have to be worthy?
When I ask the really tough questions I see how really complicated life can become.

His Name Was Jack

Last week at the age of twenty-two years he jumped from a building and ended his life.  His family, friends, and community are devastated and determined to make sure as many people as possible know as much as possible about mental illness.  You see, Jack suffered from Schizophrenia.  It's easy to say that he took his own life.  It's more complicated to consider that an illness which ravages the brain just as steadily and just as deadly as does, say, cancer ravage the body took his life.  It's also far easier to discuss death from identifiable physical conditions than to consider the stigma and the complications of mental illness.  Jack for all intents and purposes committed suicide.  The leap from the building, though, isn't what really killed him.  He died from the symptoms and behaviors associated with Schizophrenia.  We can say that he was ultimately responsible for that leap and we will be correct because, yes, we are all ultimately responsible for our actions even when we believe we have no choice and even when we are not completely in charge of ourselves.  Few things in life, though, are that clear and simple.
Jack's family asks that we educate ourselves and each other about mental illness.
I understand mental illness.  I spend my work days in the belly of the mental illness beast.  However, there's always more work to be done until perhaps some day another brilliant young man named Jack will have an easier landing from his constantly death defying/death inviting disease.

An Open Letter To Egypt

I spend Saturday mornings skimming as many online journals and newspapers as my wife’s detailed weekend cleaning assignments allow.

Today, I've been looking for one item, which so far I have been unable to locate. Somewhere out there, I know there is a simply worded notice that reads something like: “Dear Egyptians: Please do not destroy the pyramids. We will not rebuild. Sincerely, the Jews.”

Must Be Close To Super Bowl Time Again

Here's how I know. Manuel came by and asked for me to pick a square, write my name in the square and pay my five dollars to participate in the super bowl whatever it's called thing where certain squares win certain things depending on the score at the end of every something or other. Pool! I think it's called a pool. At any rate I've never won it but I'm sure that has nothing to do with the fact that I never even know which teams are playing nor do I ever watch even part of the game. Or I suppose it is possible that I've won it every year and no one has bothered to tell me because I wouldn't know anyway.
Here's also how I know it's close to Super Bowl time again. By the same invisible energy that compels the swallows to return to Capistrano every year, I start thinking of Clydesdales every year at just about this time.

It's Complicated

I can’t believe what a diplomatic hairball the world has become. This morning, Israel changed its FB relationship status with Egypt to "it's complicated.” Lebanon, Syria & Palestine all clicked the “like” button. And, despite the increasingly violent unrest, Egyptian President Mubarak still refuses to step down. He seems to be in denial—which, coincidentally, is where he's likely to be found if he doesn't resign.

Keen Observations On Current Events

I just read that Rock Solid Stability of a Traveling Carnival’s Tilt-a-Whirl Bill O’Reilly says he’s concerned about Snooki Tinted Tear Geyser John Boehner’s emotional stability. That’s like Relapsed Rehab Reject Lindsay Lohan saying she's distressed about Hooker Harem Cocaine Snowpocalypse Charlie Sheen's drug use. (WooHoo-All five at once! Excuse me, I need to go lie down for a while.)