This one is for you, Dad

Today's Topic: Father's Day

He's a provider. He's a foundation for the family unit. A man who tells stories, and a man who may not share his feelings, but that $20 he just threw in your pocket for gas money or for the anticipated cab ride home after a night of partying tells you just exactly how he feels. Some rule with an iron fist, other rule with an iron set of rules. Growing up, maybe he's the discipline when you need it, or  perhaps it's the "Do what your mother says." However you look at your Dad, he becomes an instant source and prime example of what it's like to be a man. That's worth a high five.

For me, there isn't a single person in this world who has done for me or given me more than my Dad (and I have Mom to thank for that, because after all, it takes two to tango) I think when a son is growing up with his father by his side, their relationship changes as the years go by. For me, it was growing up on the farm, and my dad instilling in me the work ethic he knows is vital to supporting the life I want and the person I want to be. When you're little, you grow up saying I want to be a firefighter or I want to be police man. I never really caught onto that phase; I wanted to be just like my Dad.

As I get older, I see how boys turn into men and how they become their father's son. I notice how girls are still and always will be "daddy's little girl." It's hard to imagine a life without a father. The influence of a first fishing trip, who you learn how to shoot a gun, a first sip of a beer, the first date your Dad drives you to, the coach who teaches you how to shoot a puck or swing a bat...I could go on for days. I look at the role Dad's play in our life: coach, mentor, provider and hero are the first words that come to my mind. As guys, we have a funny way of showing our emotion. We have to be tough, we can't cry and we can't be wimps. Dad's don't often show emotion and I think it's because it's their duty to be the strength and the provider. It's a role that has been in place for years, and it's one that we live by. But every once in awhile, like a rare lunar eclipse, we shed a tear. We say those three little words. It's those moments that people live with, the ones that they don't forget.

As I'm sitting her writing, I'm thinking about all the ways I can try to relate to guys out there who may be reading this post and trying to find an emotional way to attach themselves to a story without feeling like "less of a man." For this, I turn to Hollywood. I think of Braveheart, when a young William Wallace wants to go with his father to fight the English, and he tries to convince him he can come because he can fight. His father looks down at him and says, "I know you can fight; but it's our wits that make us men." Father/Son moment #1. Our how about in Barney's Version, when Barney, after countless talks with his father, and when he has his third wife, his Dad is sitting with him on the porch, watching his grandchildren play when he looks at his son and says (in Yiddish terms), "You've done good, boychick." Father/Son moment #2. Both of these when looking at them in context have a deeper meaning then a simple set of words. A bond between a father and son is usually an unspoken one, or it's a bond of 10 words or less. And that, for many, is the relationship that they have with their father. One saying or one term or phrase that makes the special I love you bond between two grown men. It's our wits that make us men. You've done good, boy. I'm proud of you. You're going to be a man someday. All of these little sentences that run a deep bond, stronger than any man and bigger than any muscle. With my dad, when I'm leaving to go somewhere, the phrase is "Don't do anything stupid." Mom says it's his way of saying "I love you, son." She's deadly accurate.

I know a lot of people who aren't as lucky as me and don't have a Dad to lean on, on days like today. Or they have to go to the "back nine" to see them. For them, they exist only in memory and the stories they tell. My heart goes out to them and this post is dedicated to them. They are the ones who had it tough today.

I'm fortunate that I get to see my Dad almost every day of my life. It's a unique position to be in, to get to laugh everyday with your Dad, to grow in business, to watch and learn, realize how brilliant a man can be and how to be a constant source of inspiration. Father's day becomes a golf holiday, or a dinner with your family, a phone call from near or far. For many, it's a day to be thankful for the person we look up to. In the simplest of terms, it's a day to simply say "Thank you, for being you." And most importantly, it's a celebration. So raise your glass, wave your hats, slap a back or give a manly hug. In my eyes, Dad's are awesome. They always will be.        

Here's to you, Mom

Today's Topic: Mother's Day

I still remember my first vivid memories of the time I spent with my mom. Because I was the baby in the family, Mom got to spend a lot of one on one time with me when I was little (seeing how my brother and sister were at school) I remember she used to crank up the volume on her record player when I was at home, and she used to pick me up and we would dance to Rod Stewart's "The Motown Song." I specifically remember this because when the chorus came on and she sang, "Echo to the alley down below," she would flip me over, my head would almost touch the floor and she'd pull me back up while I laughed hysterically. To this day, every single time I hear that song, I think of her, and my mind remembers those little moments when I was my mom's "special little guy." I also think her record player and the music she listened to had an enormous influence on my love for music, to this day.

That's the thing I think mother's are most known for; the influence they have on their children. It's human instinct to want to be able to guide someone or something in life, and mother's just seem to be a natural at it. Even when I was a typical smart ass teenager, the words "You're right, Mom" still tasted like vinegar coming out of my mouth. We have so much to be thankful for when it comes to mom's. Whether she lets you know with a hug, a kiss, an I love you, a home cooked meal, a day at the spa or just giving you a little pocket change "in case you need it," mom's just always seem to know the right thing to say and the right thing to do, every time.

I find in interesting to see the transition periods that mom's have with their children. In your younger years, it's the protection, the nurturing, the feeding, the clothing and the "rules" of the house. As we become teens, it's the driving, the questions, the late night "can you come pick me up?" calls, the first party, the first date preparations and the pains and struggles of trying to raise a teenager who already has the whole world figured out. And then before we hit 20 and when we begin life on our own, it's the sound advice they give you, the protection they still have, the questions are still there and the days that pass by when you have a sudden realization the impact they have had on you up to this point in your life. The one thing that never changes between a mother and their child is the love. Through thick and thin, through the best and the worst, when you are at your highest and your lowest points, mom's always have your back. They always believe your story and even when it's hard, no matter how bad you screw up, they can always look you in the eyes and still seem to be able to say, "I still love you." That's a bond stronger then any storm, thicker then any and deeper than any water on earth. When a teacher gets mad at you, mom is there to stick up for you. When you fall off your bike, mom is there to tell you to get back on. When you're little and throw a birthday party, mom is there to hand out the treat bags.       

A good friend summed up perfectly the role that mother's play in our lives today when he said: "Mothers are the greatest friends we have in this life. They carry us during pregnancy; they clean, feed, and clothe us when we're babies; they love, care, and guide us for as long as they live. Even when we're grown adults, whenever they get the chance, they cook us our favourite meals and always try to make sure we're eating properly. They think we're smarter than all the other kids even when we aren't. They think we're cuter than the other kids even when other people see things differently. Basically, they give us way more credit than we deserve in pretty much every aspect of life! Even when they're mad at you, there still isn't anyone else that has your back as much as your mom does. They show us more mercy than any other human being alive and all they ask for in return is love and respect. Don't let this be the only day you show love to your mom for being the best friend you'll have in this life." Brilliantly put, Anas.

I could go on and on until I am blue in the face talking about the vital role that mom's play in our life, but you still have the same result and can draw the same conclusion: mom's know best. Of course, we will never be able to thank them enough or do enough for them for the years of lessons and love that mom's give us, but it's important not only today, but every day; to cherish and remember when mom's have been there for you, no questions asked. That's just what they do. With my mom, all is takes is a hug and a kiss, and that is enough. It's simple and it's easy.

Whenever you're in doubt, and you wonder why mom does all those things for you when you don't even ask her to, remember this. As my mom says, when I ask "Why?", she answers with, "Because I'm your mom."

Enough said.

Introduction to Small Town Stories

Today's Topic: Introduction- A Brief Monologue

Everybody has their story. This just happens to be mine. This is a piece of paper. This is ink. And this is the colour black. This book is full of that particular colour.  And of course, these are words, and you’re reading them. Your brain is telling you this. It’s also guiding you down the page as we speak. Go on, take a minute and keep reading. You see? Isn’t it amazing how your brain just knows how to do that? Now take another minute and ponder this; what if you couldn’t read these words? What if you couldn’t see? Would you still know what words like this look like? What about your imagination or your interpretation of text? Do you ever think about this and consider the fact that it is a God given gift to have the natural ability to have eyes that see images and words? Try not to think too hard about this, you’re going to need to save your energy.  I’m going to continue to challenge you and point these things out with the pages that follow in behind this one.   

Growing up in a small town makes for a pretty simple and pretty standard way of life. It was only when I flew from the nest, or as my parents coined it “spread my wings,” that I started to realize just how significant or special small town stories can be. When I began to fly, this is when I started asking questions like “what if?” When you look at something over and over again or you tell the same story but in a different voice or under different circumstances, to me it seemed like just a natural process to analyze every mundane detail that people seem to forget about or leave out of their story.  

This book is about an ignorant kid who didn’t know any better and who knew nothing about the world outside of his little town of Belleville where he milked cows since he was 4 years old. It’s about growth and change and substance, how he navigated his way through the city, the subway, bus routes and the different colours of skin. It’s about realizing potential and going on adventures to ask the necessary questions that need to have answers. But even when they don’t have answers, there’s a story that goes with it, and this helps you, as a reader, navigate down the rabbit hole.

The idea and inspiration for this bounded material of ink and paper came from a variety of things. Life happens fast, and when it does, you can get left coughing the dust that the tail pipe from the car created or if you take too long to blink, sometimes life passes you by completely. Well, I got caught breathing in the dust that was left behind and I figured I had two options. Metaphorically speaking, I could stand by the side of the road wondering exactly where and when I went wrong and see the car fade in the distance. Or, I could cough for a brief moment, battle through it, and run after the vehicle, keeping it in my site and eventually grasping for the door to get back in and face the road to life head on. I chose the latter. And this is the beginning of that story.

When I analyze something or write about something in this book, I try to tell a story. It’s because I’m from a small town that these stories create what I will argue as a unique angle or hook.  I try to be optimistic when I tell you stories because it’s vitally important to remember this; realize that there are one of two certainties in life. You believe that everything happens in a pre-planned schedule, where we as human beings are not in control of our destiny or fate and life has already been pre planned, deciding for us when we begin and when we end.  Or, you understand that everything that you do in life, every action, every minute and every second of each day happens completely on its own, with no set plan, being in control of your fate and anything that helps shape your destiny. Things just happen, just because.  It is my job, as the author of this book, to point out these things to you that you might not think about. Give an old idea a fresh perspective. It is my duty, to stand behind my words and ask questions. We can find the answers together. If you can’t find the answer or figure it out on your own, then listen to me. Read my words.  After all, that is the point of writing, isn’t it? To be convincing?  

Keep this is mind: this is a no nonsense book. Recess is over and class is back in session. Get a warm drink and cozy blanket. You could be here for a while.           

The Million Dollar Athlete

Today's Topic: Professional Athletes

Kobe Bryant

Call them role models, hero's, people you admire or people that are just "sick" at whatever their chosen sport. Just don't call them poor and unfortunate, because in my humble opinion, they have the best job in the world.

Forbes magazine is great but also incredibly depressing for a lot of reasons. They tell you about all the people who are bigger, smarter and richer than you. In 2008-2009, Tiger Woods was named the world's richest athlete. In that year, Woods made $110 million. That was his salary, which breaks down to about $4 dollars a SECOND. Oh, did I also mention that he only played about half the year? Since his car crash and his lack of performance (no pun intended), he still remains the world's richest athlete raking in $75 million dollars last year by being the front man for Nike and Electronic Arts (EA Sports); two companies which have built an empire over the Tiger Woods brand. It leads me to a much deeper question, is Tiger Woods a bigger brand than Nike itself? And he's not the only one. Kobe Bryant made $24.8 million last year, 4 million more than any other player in the NBA. With his endorsements, Bryant brought home around $54 million last year. Who would have thought...20 years ago if you had have told someone that the two most successful and highest paid athletes in the world would be African-American, most would have laughed in your face, Welcome to the future, ladies and gentlemen. Lebron James, Roger Federer (Tennis), Phil Mickelson (Golf) David Beckham (Soccer), Ronaldo (Soccer), Alex Rodriguez (MLB) are some of the notable athletes that rounded out the top ten, not one of them when filing for their taxes files for less than $30 million. The highest payed hockey players you ask? Vincent Lecalvier, Roberto Luongo and Sidney Crosby, all of whom make $10, $10, and $9 million dollars respectively (not including any endorsement deals)

The one and only, Yankee Stadium

Yes, every player has their hand in the cookie jar. And the better you play, the more money you are worth. General managers and owners of sports teams have got it down to a science in terms of a players value and how much they are worth. And the agents that represent them? Well they just pat their backs, and tell them how great they are...at their job. If you are to step back and look at it, it really is a larger than life picture they are painting. Driven by the dollar and the thrill of the game, the world's best athletes sit high on a pedestal of luxury and glory, getting all the big breaks and all the best of everything, ever. The money that North American sports organizations sink into their sport every year is off the charts. With the exception of soccer and perhaps the PGA tour, which is categorized as a world sport, nearly 90% of sporting events take place on North American soil. When you put it in that perspective, it's no wonder we live in a society that is fueled by the rich and famous. Of course, it's fueled by us, the fans. Let's all go out to the ball game, and heck why not when you can go see the jays for a measly $12. Or take in the game in the nosebleeds of a Bills Game for $35. As long as you can get us through the gate, we are supporting every single athlete salary, every game. Without a fan, without that specific market, there would be no lap of luxury for the million dollar athlete.

This is not to say that I don't support sporting events or any sport in general, I really do. I have been to almost every major sporting event, with the exception of a PGA event (there's something about watching golf, and then watching golf live that just doesn't do it for me) I'll tell you this: The game is bigger than the athletes, the sport is bigger than the organization and the message and what we get out of it is bigger than any game. And it's only getting bigger.

Need I say more?

Athletes are a small class of citizens in a unique position to alter our lives and way of thinking, even if it's only for a split second. A classic, "Where were you when Sidney Crosby scored that goal?" is a staple of that statement. Take any given play in any given Superbowl, an event that is the biggest in the world of sports, and you travel down memory lane, taking in all the hair-standing-up-on-the-back-of-your-neck moments.  It's this awesome power that we give into, and we gladly do it because for brief moments, we forget about the stress in our life and the daily grind and struggle we incur to put food on the table. We become a God in our own arena, a statue and symbol of our own greatness. Athletes and fans have this unspoken understanding and passion that they share. I'll help you get paid millions, you entertain me while I cheer you on.

An athletes natural gift is potentially worth millions and that is what the entire sports community will have you believe. It starts when that little guy puts on his first pair of skates, that is when the dream begins to hoist the Stanley Cup (I get chills just thinking about it.) It begins on the court when you shoot your first basketball, or when you sign up for t-ball, or little league football, or score your first soccer goal; it all encompasses the world of self-achievement and fulfillment. You can't help but wrap yourself into it. And yes, the athletes are ridiculously over payed but as the sport grows, so does the salaries and the bank accounts of the world's greatest. It's a universal truth.

For some, the million dollar athlete is a symbol of something that they can never be, or somewhere along the line, they gave up on the dream of being the greatest. So we settle for a seat on the couch or in the stadium, and we scream all the top of our lungs for the pride we share in the passion of the game. Buying into the idea means buying into a system that can be fulfilling and frustrating. At the end of the day, and relatively speaking, we are all just pigeons on a wire, watching the greatest sports figures in the world carry out their day-to-day jobs.  

Game on.              

The Injustice System

Today's Topic: Canada's Judicial System

Part 11 d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms indicates that every Canadian citizen "has the right upon arrest or detention to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal" I get that. And this week's sitdown is not an argument to discuss our fundamental rights and freedoms as Canadians. Since we are entitled to such a thing, it becomes a democratic system; a country built on the idea of equality and fairness for every walk of life, no matter colour, creed or religious belief. I also get that. However, in a cold blooded murder, it's the possibility that a maximum sentence could be a 25 year imprisonment and in some circumstances, WITH, the possibility of parole. This is what I don't get.

I believe in justice and rightfully so, taking media studies in school along with law and the media classes really opened my eyes to this so called justice system we live under. I've always found it interesting to watch as lawyers do their fancy footwork in severe cases and murder trials, when the accused really have their back up against the wall and really have no other option but to throw on the zebra coloured jumpsuits. So they do their best to plead their case "Your Honour my client has been declared clinically insane," "Your Honour, this man comes from a broken home and broken life and his crime was not his fault because of his mental capacity" "Your Honour, this crime was in self defense," and the list goes on and on. Plead guilty and you can lessen the sentence, admit you made a mistake and better yourself in the process. Now I can't speak from experience or from the side of a "born-again-inmate" but something is clearly wrong with this justice system when the death penalty is not the ONE AND ONLY option if you are proven guilty of taking someones last breath of air, in a court of law by an independent and impartial tribunal. This system really gets under my skin. Remember the days when people were hung from the highest tower in the centre of the town? When the barbaric humans would have a public stoning to the death? When the death penalty WAS still instituted across the globe? Even lethal injection?

Not to be stereotypical, but it seems to me that this is the current day scenario for the bloodiest crimes and horrifying acts: "25 years in prison with the possibility of parole in lets saaaaayyyyy 15 years. Until then, we will use the taxpayers dollars to put you up in a facility where you can slum it with the other inmates, and correct yourself through the ways of the Lord, or heck even get a certified education or degree, on the house. We will provide the books and the meals, just as long as you try to make up for what you did. Just don't screw this up." I want to say that I'm over exaggerating. I want to say that some part of that scenario is a far fetched crazy and clearly ridiculous situation. I want to say that, but I can't.

We are taught from a very early age the dangers of doing bad things. Don't touch guns, don't pick up knives and don't run with scissors cover the essentials. It's ingrained in us to not have a killer instinct, to not have the desire to take another person's life. The thing that I find injustice about our justice system is this. Put yourself in a situation where god forbid, someone you love with all your heart is murdered and the killer is never brought to trial for what he or she did, the evidence is inconclusive or whatever the case may be. Fast forward a year later, and let's say you're 25. You have found the killer. You have a gun to the temple of the person you know killed your loved one. You pull the trigger and you find your own justice. Coming before the court, you get slapped with a maximum sentence and the ability for parole in 15 years. So you've decided, well might as well educate myself while I'm in here. You get your degree, FREE OF CHARGE, and re-enter society 15 years later at the age of 40, educated, relieved and ready to start the next 40 years of your life. So many people struggle day to day with their finances, how am I going to pay for school, how am I going to educate myself, how am I going to make it and be a provider one day for myself and maybe a family? But wait, you're telling me that if I have beef with someone, I could just kill them, and not have to constantly struggle with University or College finances, the eternal struggle that people face everyday just to "make it", and the appealing possibility that I might even get parole if I prove that I have "changed" while getting justice and a peace of mind for doing the "right thing?"  Give yourself those two options and honestly answer this: which one would you choose? Going into jail knowing that you could get out or struggle from the start only to maybe find your true happiness? Please, don't get me wrong here, this is not an advertisement for a murder campaign, to me that is not the answer. But just think about it, put yourself in that worst case scenario and really think about "what is my option at this point?"

For now, the Canadian justice system is seriously flawed in my opinion, even in the most petty of crimes. I get a speeding ticket where I am clearly guilty, but I might not have to pay the fine? The so called "SET" fine? Where does the line of justice begin and the line of injustice end? Where do we go with our mistakes and what do we learn from them? If you are a creature of habit, you just do what feels natural anyway, unless you put yourself in a dark and destitute place of immoral wrong doings to which you get some sort of sick thrill from it all. Then, does being bad become good? What if you were like the TV character Dexter and took your hate out on all the villains of society that are never brought to justice...is what he does by murdering these "low life's" of society constitute as justice? 

For once in your life, put yourself on the top bench, and you be the judge. Ask yourself, how would you fight injustice? Do you sit back and watch, or does resistance become your duty? Think about it...just this once, because...you never know.     

Incredible Ink

Today's Topic: Tattoos

You've seen them in public, those colourful pieces of artistic magic that tell a story. On a long bus ride to work in the summer, you might catch a glimpse of the girl in front of you, her tattoo on her back playing peak-a-boo and you can only see maybe 45% of it, the rest leaving it up to your imagination. Or you might have seen him: the classic tight fitted shirt revealing only 75% of his "sleeve." When a person sees a tattoo, in this day and age, they do one of two things. Turn away in disgust, wondering how anyone can do that to their body, or, wonder in their head, I wonder what the story is behind that. I do the latter because it truly is an incredible art form.  

I've always been a fan of ink and I think I find the whole tattoo concept fascinating for a few reasons. I think the main reason is the story telling aspect, and because I love to tell and share stories and write and blog about random ideas and passions that I have, tattoos encompass all of that. That little logo, that little symbol, or that massive design that crawls down a person's arm or back makes for very honest and sometimes deep conversation. The second reason is out of pure interest: We are given this pound of flesh to play with through our entire life. Some people tone it, others let it get fat, and of course staying on today's topic, some people decorate it. It really frustrates me when mothers or elders (not trying to stereotype) start a smear campaign against "those damn kids" with their tattoos. Look at it merely as body decorations, and when you die this corpse of yours is going to rot anyway...so what is the issue? I also love the people who use the "It's crazy" line. Oh really? So it's not crazy to plaster your lawn at Christmas time with hundreds of dollars worth of decorations? Or go over the top to impress the passer-by's because your decorations in your house look so "awesome"? Good one, hypocrites. It's human nature to want to seek attention, and to grab someones eye with an image. And if the only way you can express that is through interpretive body design...fill your boots!

I was at a party this weekend and was talking to a guy who was in the army. I'd met him once before, but never really got a chance to talk to him. I noticed he had several interesting and fairly random tattoos that never really fit into a theme, but some of which looked really awesome. So I just simply asked him "What's the story behind your tattoos?" He told me he gets them from every place he does a tour of duty in. So Kuwait, Afghanistan and so many other countries tell his story through his ink. Awesome! My best friend has a family crest tattoo so he doesn't forget where he comes from. He is also a boxer so he also has a scripture on his arm that translates to "A brave man may fall but cannot yield." Awesome! It got me thinking that tattoos can really be a source of inspiration. Other people I know put them on for love, for remembrance and one girl I know put one on where her IntraVenous went in because she defeated cancer. SO AWESOME! It got me realizing that people go through hell and back in their life, and to honour it, to remember it, to get them up in the morning, they share that piece of their life story with the colour wheel. Who was it that said tattoos are trashy? Only trashy people get them. They couldn't have been for real. People, THIS IS POWERFUL STUFF.  

Years ago, I think the whole tattoo genre got a bad name simply because teenagers were doing it out of rebellion. Disobeying your parents meant doing the complete opposite of what they told you to do. Nowadays, people like Kat Von D make it an art form. Television networks are doing shows on it. Rockstars and role models are getting inked to tell and remember their story. It's this whole entire massive culture phenomenon of brush strokes and laser pens. For a lot of people, ink on your body tells a story of your life. I remember watching an episode of LA Ink when the country sensation band Emerson Drive were on. In 2007, their hit song "Moments" was the number one most played country song in Canada, which is an enormity. To honour the success of the song, the band got a tattoo to always remember this huge success and this huge "Moment" in their lives, to have a song reach number one and to change lives. It's safe to say that even though they are country, that was a rock and roll move by them. Another story brought to you by the tattoo shop. A huge success in their life and they honoured it with permanent ink.
     
The question I ask you is this, what IS actually wrong with tattoos? Again, take it from a guy who isn't even privileged enough to say I have permanent ink on me. And if you want to be ignorant against people with tattoos, it's almost like wake up and welcome yourself to the planet. Human beings are alive with culture and we are alive with art. And if it's true what they say when they say "art is truth," and if tattoos are seen as an art form, do I really have to fill in the blanks on this one? In it's truest form, in it's most purest form, tattoos (or as I like to call it, decorative art) should not be frowned on and should not be told to cover up. Would you tell an artist who paints pictures to cover it up because you don't like the subject? Would you march up to someone and tell them their haircut looks ridiculous? So the next time you see a tattoo, even if it's a complete stranger, just ask them what their story is. And to be perfectly honest, it is a great conversation starter. You are instantly learning about someones life and the bigger part of them. You may be surprised or even enlightened by the story you get.       

Don't judge it. Don't hide it. Don't hate it.

Embrace it. 

A New Year and New Beginnings

Today's Topic: New Years Resolutions

I'm a firm believer that obstacles are placed in front of us so that we can overcome some of life's greatest challenges. I also believe that a person will only ever know their own limitations by challenging themselves and stepping outside of their comfort zone. And with a new year upon us, society tells us that it's time to start a new chapter. It's time for Chapter 2012.

I started to ponder the question: "Is it really possible to have a New Years resolution?" So let's take a look at that today. For some, resolutions come easy; people making bigger steps to take their life to the next level.  It all starts with an idea or a choice that we make. "I want to start eating better." "I want to be a better parent." "I want to try something new." "I want to lose weight." "I want to fall in love." I always felt Christmas and New Years went hand in hand. What you didn't get on the 25th, you can strive for it at the strike of midnight six days later. Or, what you did get on the 25th, makes you realize what you "need" to help you be better and to help you take a leap forward, moving in what you hope to be your right direction six days later. 

Keeping the resolution is the problem. In general, and I'm stereotyping here, but most people give up way too easy on their resolution. It always left me pondering why people do it. And then I realized that it's a lot easier to make an excuse than it is to make results. Money holds back resolutions, so does Time, so does Our Own Thought Process, so does Embarrassment, and the list goes on. I capitalize these words to make a statement: identify the barrier and what you call a problem or excuse. Make it the goal to fix it and make it the result.       

Now I know by this point if you're still reading, you're all probably just DYING to know what my resolution is (this is my attempt at humoring my reader). I really want to finish my book, finish the idea, finish the product and take my next leap forward. That is my goal I have set out, and my resolution if you will (although it may never get read because the Mayans tell us we are all going to die next December anyway...right?) I believe in the idea of a resolution. Some may even call it a REVolution. But, I also think that January 1st is this complete ridiculous fabrication of "starting over." That is b.s. I can start over anytime I want. How about June 28th? I can change who I am or who I want to be on August 9th. Sorry Dick Clark, but it doesn't take a ball dropping in Times Square for me to be happy and who I want to be in my life. Just pick a date. However, I do like the idea of a resolution because it makes you a better person for a lot of reasons. You are contributing to a bigger set of rules and a bigger picture that makes you walk out the door every morning.

I'm not an expert and I don't pretend to be one. If you know my writing, you know it's straight from the hip. So I'm going to give you the lowdown on the resolution: As I get older, I realize that I have an old soul. But I also realize that there really is no limit. There is no resolution too big, too small or not big enough. Like anything else, you take the first step. You create your own story to tell people that it all began on January 1st, it was my new years resolution. And for a lot of people, it's an ego booster. It feels good to have someone say good for you or I'm proud of you. But you have to own the resolution, and not let it own you. And by that I mean really push yourself. I watched Into The Wild recently, which reminded me of the brilliance that we have within ourselves and I was reminded that there is still hope for mankind. All we have to do is try. There are several quotes in the movie but one that pertains to this topic of a resolution really sticks with me. To paraphrase: It's important in life to not necessarily be strong, but to feel strong. To find yourself in the most ancient of human conditions with only your hands and your head.  And that to me is entirely what a resolution should be: common sense.

So yes, it is possible to have a resolution. You can always improve who you are, which improves who someone else is, which improves a group of people, and you know how the rest of this goes. In bare bones, there are two things certain in life. You live and you die. Make the resolution count. Let it stand for something, for who you want to be. 

I know I'm not going to change the world with a blog or a book, but I'm going to try.


Start tomorrow. Start today. Just Start your engine. Explore, seek, find and do not yield.