The Future Is So Bright I have To Wear Shades

In the past few weeks I have learned a few very valuable things about life. First, sticking up for your friends is a character flaw to some. Second, some people never change. And finally, in the end you have to accept that people are going to do what they want to do with little regard to what you want.

I leave for Tampa in just a few weeks (about 7) and I can honestly say for the first time that I am fully proud of my decision. I am in school working toward a degree that I want; I am moving to live alone so that I can make it on my own and I am starting over in many, many ways. It’s a very exciting and somewhat nerve-wrecking time in my life. Soon, all the bad vibes that I have in my life will be gone and I will be able to focus on good energy and be happy.

Restart, revamp, renew

I'm going to be starting this thing again. I don't know if anyone reads it but I guess I will see.

First, I plan on continuing to write little things like the other posts. But, I also intend to start posting art, photos and other writings (non-fiction/opinion-based).

I hope that you will enjoy what I have to offer.

By The Time You Read This Letter, I’ll Be Dead

This is my first attempt at a piece of fiction...EVER! So, tell me what you think. I plan to write a lot more stories in the future...




By the time you read this letter, I’ll be dead.

I know that isn’t the best way to start a letter to you, dear. But the truth of the matter is that things here are getting worse and I just don’t know how long any of us will make it. Just yesterday, Simmons, Gray and Hoff were killed by a car bomb. You should’ve seen the Captain, he looked like a ghost the rest of the day. He was standing just ten feet away from the guys when the bomb went off. I still don’t think he’s quite right yet.

As for me, I haven’t even so much as fired my rifle yet. I came close last week when we were searching a nearby villagers’ house. He wasn’t being very cooperative and we had gotten Intel that he was trafficking guns through his home. It turns out he was and when we found his stash, he fired at one of our guys. I was standing outside guarding the door when I heard the gunshot. I ran inside and heard another couple of shots go off before I entered the room where he and our troops were standing. I just missed them shoot him. He didn’t get any of our guys, though. Luckily, he was a bad shot.

I do have some good news, though. Do you remember me talking about Sgt. Wilkins? Well, his girlfriend just gave birth to his first son. I think he named him Wayne or Dwayne or something like that. I can’t remember. Anyways, apparently having babies is the big thing back home. So you’re not alone! I hope I’m wrong and I get home to see our little baby soon. I miss you terribly and I dream about you every night. You know…those kind of dreams. Ha ha. I bet you miss me, too. At least, I hope you do.

I got your last letter last week. The one where you said you went to the doctor and told him not to tell you the sex of our baby. I know you were lying and you found out. It’s OK, I understand. Just remember, I still want to be surprised. Have you come up with anymore names? I still like Celeste for a girl. It sounds like celestial and that always reminds me of starry nights. There are a bunch of those out here since there isn’t much by way of city lights here. You can see millions of stars in the sky. Sometimes, I pretend you are sitting outside in Tampa looking up at the same stars I am. I even point out the constellations as if you could here me. I know the time difference and it’s afternoon there when it’s night here, but it helps make the lonely nights less lonely. I know that by the time you get this, our new baby will be here and you will have picked a name and all, but I just thought I’d share that with you.

You asked what we do to pass the time when we aren’t out on patrol. Well, some of us have been playing a lot of football whenever it’s not too hot. There are a few guys that play cards at night. Mostly poker and you know I’m not any good at that. A lot of times, though, we sit around and watch movies on laptops. I wish I would have bought one before I came over here! They are serious time killers for a lot of guys. I get online every once and a while with my buddy’s laptop. But the internet is down sometimes and I just listen to his music on it. He listens to a lot of country, so I think you’d like his taste in music. But he’s got some classic rock on there and that is what I mostly listen to. Speaking of which, one of the guys has a guitar and he’s been teaching me a few chords. When I get home, I’ll play you something sweet. How would you like that?

How’s your brother doing? You said in the last letter that he lost his job at the warehouse and Cindy was taking on double shifts at the hospital for the time being. I hope he gets everything going for him again soon. I know it’s hard right now to find a job but tell him I said to stay strong, will you? Oh, how are their kids doing? I know you said Bobby, Jr. was enlisting and your brother wasn’t too fond of that. But, tell them all that despite what is going on over here with me that the service has been the best thing that has ever happened to me- besides you and our new baby, of course!

Tomorrow, we are going to raid a known terrorist safe house in the village and to be honest, I’m scared. I’ve seen some terrible things over here. I know I say that in every letter but it seems that every time I write you, the things I have seen are worse than the last. We are all a little jumpy since yesterday. That was the first time we lost someone in our platoon. We hear about guys dying all the time but we haven’t experienced any of the loss ourselves until then. It definitely made everything seem a hell of a lot more real.

Carrie, I’m so worried about what is going to happen. I wish they’d figure out when the hell we can get the fuck out of here. I’m tired of seeing little kids get blown to pieces and mothers screaming as they watch their boys be taken away for terrorism. The hardest part is I know inside that they aren’t that different from you or I. They just want what’s best for their country. Even if it goes against what their country wants for itself. This is why I always say, “God has nothing to do with war.” There’s no way God is looking down on what is going on today and choosing sides. Every side thinks they are doing what God wants. How can we mix up his message so badly?

I realize I said the f-word and I was going to scratch it out but I figured I’m too far away for you to hit me for it so it’s alright. I promise you can wash my mouth out with soap when I get home. As long as you promise not to let me go when I get there. I know that the hardest part is worrying about me all the time, but I promise you someone is watching over me here. There has to be a guardian angel or something because we have been really lucky so far. I hope that I am wrong and I make it back to you in a few months when this tour is over. I want nothing more than to hold you in my arms again. It’s been a rough year and I miss you dearly. Just know that every time you look into our baby’s eyes, I’m there. And no matter what happens to me over here, I’ll be watching over you always.

Even though I can’t wait until I get home and I can see you and our baby, I know that sometimes God has others plans for us and we have to accept His will and make do with our lives as they are. Even if I make it home, which I still pray for everyday, I know that I have changed so much that I often wonder if you would even recognize me when you see me. Sometimes, I don’t even recognize me. This war has been hard on us in more than one way. And that’s why I started the letter like I did. Because even if I make it home, some part of me is already dead. It may be my youth or innocence or something else but whatever it was, it’s gone.

My battery is getting low on my flashlight so I’m going to end this letter. I’ll try to call home in a few days after our next mission. If you don’t hear from me within a week or so, don’t worry. It probably means that I escaped to a private cave somewhere and have started a new life. I’ll talk to you soon and I love you with all my heart. God bless you and our new family. I’ll see you soon.

Love, Aaron.

How To Bore People And Irritate Complete Strangers

Everyone has felt the need to shove his or her opinion down the throats of others at one time or another. And with technology making everything at our fingertips, it’s no surprise that the popularity of the online journal, or blog, has caught on. There are literally thousands (if not millions!) of blogs on the internet ranging in topics from personal stories and diaries to gossip columns to news and/or technology articles to recipe blogs to porn blogs. If you can imagine it, it can be blogged about. But how do you write a blog that people want to read? There are a few easy steps to writing a blog that will not only allow you to express yourself creatively but help you to create something that others will follow obsessively, like an MTV reality TV show.
The first and the most crucial step is coming up with a topic or direction for your blog. This is the essential decision that must be made before you can even begin writing. My first piece of advice is that whatever you do don’t write about your life. Unless you are a leader of a country, you are an adventurer or you have super powers, don’t write about your everyday life. As interesting as you think your trip to the grocery store was, unless there were aliens, dragons or the return of Jesus, it wasn’t that interesting. Trust me. Pick a topic that will interest a broad spectrum of people like a movie or music review blog or a blog about shoes or something else. Whatever you do, choose a topic that is interesting to a large group of people not just you and your friends and family.
Remember, the idea is to generate interest in what it is you have to say. If you are going to write a blog about politics or social issues, you don’t want to write it in a way that excludes people but rather you want them to sympathize with your views and want them to come back and read it again. When I began writing this blog, I decided to write about things that I think are important. Whether they be how to make yourself a better person or the American healthcare system, fictional stories or news that I felt relevant to other topics I write about. My main goal is to share my opinions with sincerity, honesty and hopefully -when called for- some humor. I want others to be able to enjoy what it is I am writing even if they don’t necessarily agree with my views.
Next, you have to decide on a domain name. And don’t just go for the boring, “My blog.“ You want to choose something that is catchy and easy to remember and also gives the reader an idea of what the blog will include. For instance, if you are writing a recipe blog, you would want to choose a name that might have something to do with food or cooking, like “Jim‘s Hot & Healthy Meals.“ Whereas, if you were writing a gossip blog you would want a name that reflects that instead of a name like “Timmy‘s Sweaty Ass.” It doesn’t make sense, so be mindful of what it is you are writing about. And let’s face it, no matter what the blog is about, with a name like that, you can guarantee that NO one will read it. I chose “No Reservations Taken” because I felt it reflected the idea that I wasn’t going to hold anything back in my writing. If I thought something should be written about a certain way, I wrote about it that way. No holds barred, if you will.
That brings me to my next point, and also another piece of advice- if you can’t take criticism, then don’t put yourself out there. There is no way that you can please everyone all the time. You have to be comfortable with what it is you write before you put it out there for the world to see, dissect and re-interpret. I have an issue with criticism sometimes and to be honest, I know that some of my views are not popular with people that love me, so I know that they aren’t going to go over well with complete strangers. But, I decided that if I put myself out there I have to accept what comes with it- the good and the bad. If people want to comment and tell me that they disagree or that I am a terrible person for believing what I believe, I accept their views. But that doesn’t mean that I have to accept abuse and neither do you. Remember, no one is forced to read what you write so always thank them for their comments and tell them politely that if they don’t like what you have to say, there are thousands of other blogs for them to read.
Another great idea to add something interesting to your blog is to add images and videos. They add another element to your blog and help to make your blog stand out among the ocean of others. I have yet to add any images or videos to my site because the opportunity to make them has not presented itself yet. But as soon as I have a way to add them, you better believe you will have an audio-visual experience to rival that of the best that technology has to offer. Or, you will at least have something to look at other than my words.
And finally, you want to write articles (or posts) that attract readers. The easiest way to do this is to write engaging stories and to allow the reader to see things from your point of view in clear and concise language. Remember, the readers are the ones receiving your message so you want to convey it in a way that is easy to understand and digest. If you were writing a technology blog you would want to use language that people interested in technology would be able to understand. Likewise, if you were writing a blog about painting, you would not want to use a lot of techno-talk that had nothing to do with painting.
Once you have mastered the art of writing your blogs you can be the next great internet craze. As long as you follow these steps you will be a great writer. OK, maybe not a great writer, it may take a little more than these steps (like a little talent, maybe?) but you will least have created something that is interesting and something you can be proud of in the end.

The Award for Most Humble Man Ever Goes To...

It’s award season again and I thought what better way to show the people that got me to where I am today then to publicly acknowledge their support with this awards ceremony-style thank you list. It’s said that thank you are the two most powerful words in the English language when said together. And I can think of no better way to show my gratitude than to put it here on the internet for the whole world to see. So without further ado, here is my thank you acceptance speech:
First of all, I feel that I need to thank God for giving me to my mother. Sure, had it not been for unprotected sex and booze there could be a chance that I wouldn’t be here but I believe He put things in motion that night and for that I am most grateful. Also, He gave me the ability to do what it is I do that has brought me here today so that I can be here to thank you for acknowledging my good work.
Next, I would like to extend a hearty thank you to my family- my Mom, my Dad, my Step-Mom, my brother, Andrew and his three boys: Zachary, Corey and Matthew. Without the love and support of them I wouldn’t be half the man I am today. Whether it is from my Mom’s support of everything I ever tried to my Dad’s love and strong work ethic that gives me the strength to not give in when things get rough. And as any of you know, this has been a tough year for me. So I appreciate him looking after me. My Step-Mom deserves to be recognized for her creativity and for sharing that side of her with me and helping me to excel in my craft. Andrew, you and your boys are the backbone to my skeleton. You have helped to build the better man that stands before you all basking in the accolades thrust upon him tonight.
I cannot forget my friends for their unparalleled sense of loyalty ready to stand by side while I ascend into the greater heights of fame and fortune. For these good souls are the foundations in which all my works are built and for everything I have accomplished, I thank you for your undying support. I know that they will be by my side through thick and thin, fame or infamy, riches or poverty and that makes them the best friends any man of my stature can have. That being said, I am sad to say that I will no longer be available to most of you because I will be far too busy after tonight with press and more projects. Not to mention, just counting my good fortunes that I will acquire after tonight. So, I guess this is also good-bye.
Where was I? Oh, yes, I remember. I guess I should also mention the ones that work for me and make it possible for me to do all the things I do. I’m sure I should mention them at least. It is the very least I can do. And also, all that I will do. Moving on…
I don’t want to forget the love of my life. Yes, because without you, my dear, I would surely still be the unknown amateur still waiting in the wings for his chance to shine in the spotlight. You give me love, strength, inspiration and devotion like no other soul on this world. And, no matter what I say here tonight, there is no way for me to repay you for the years of dedication you have given me. You have been there since the beginning driving me to succeed and to never give in when it all seemed to come crashing down around me. You were a flash of light in an otherwise dark world. You, my beautiful angel, had the programs that I needed to get the work done that I strived to create. You were the windows into my soul and mind, the apple of my eye and a true type of hero in my heart. When I needed you to be straight-forward, you weren’t PC and you went right for the impact that I needed. And I will never forget what you’ve done because it is a part of me-saved forever in my memory. You are a part of my history.
That being said, I am afraid that I must also say my farewells to you this evening for I have found another that will guide me through the next stage of my career. She will go where I go and be my notebook for me to write the story of my success upon. She will be available to me wherever I go; whereas you were only there for me when I was at home. So, I say good-bye and wish you the best of luck in finding a new love to spend your life with. My new love and I must go now and recharge our batteries somewhere else.
Last but not least, I want to thank my adoring fans. Without each of you, I would still be screaming at a world that wasn’t listening. Sharing my art without an audience. Void of the satisfaction that I receive in knowing that I have given you all so much joy and entertainment through the years. You keep coming back to me with eager eyes hoping for yet another work of genius and I, well, I never fail you. And I never will.
I hear the violins playing so I have to end this before they cut me off. Thanks again, all of you. And I hope that I can continue to give you years of satisfaction through my craft. God bless you and God bless the United States of America. Thank you and good night.

Four Men Walk Into A Bar...One Walks Out

Four men walk into a bar and order drinks. The first orders a glass half empty of vodka. The second orders just half a glass of vodka. The third orders half a glass of vodka with room for more should the opportunity arise while the fourth orders one half full . Four men: a pessimist, a realist, a dreamer and an optimist. Four identical drinks and four different interpretations of them.
I used to believe that there was quite a difference between these four men but the more I think about it the more I realize that there is a thin line between them. The Optimist and Dreamer share the idea that the glass can potentially hold more drink. While the Pessimist and Realist both share the idea that the glass lacks something. The thin difference between the latter of the two is that one sees things through negative eyes while the other sees things as they are. Nothing positive or negative about the glass. It‘s just half a glass.
The problem I see now is that seeing things just as they are can hide a negative outlook behind it. Seeing the glass as just half a glass means that he can‘t see potential for something more. And that is where the Pessimist and the Realist are connected. The lack of vision that there is something more to what he sees.
Now, the issue between the Optimist and the Dreamer is while the Optimist sees potential the Dreamer has no drive to make the potential a reality. The Optimist sees half the glass and makes the effort to fill it however he can. The Dreamer plans for filling the glass coming up with multiple ways that the glass can be filled. So many ways, he never tries to fill it- he only plans to do so. This may seem like the Dreamer should be related to the Pessimist and the Realist but the fact of the matter is the Dreamer still sees the opportunity even if he will never follow through.
I used to call myself a realist even though I was told time and again that I was really a pessimist at heart. I saw things as they were. Just being. Nothing special about them but also nothing awful about them as well. But that was the problem. I didn’t see any way that things could be more than what they were. A situation was just as it was. Independent of all other situations and there was no reason to look past what it was. And because of that attitude I was giving everything I did a sense of negativity without even realizing it. By not looking forward or considering the consequences or potential of every experience I gave the experience a negative vibe.
But how does one go from seeing things just as they are to seeing them with open eyes? How did I turn this half a glass from just being half to being half full?
It starts with recognizing each event as part of a chain of events. Nothing is disconnected. Nothing is alone in reality. Whatever I did would put in motion the events that would follow. In order to see things through optimistic eyes I had to envision the potential for something more than what was in front of me and make it more than what it was. For example, if I wanted to travel I had to plan the trip. But not just plan it like the Dreamer but actually take the steps to make the trip happen. And each step is a continuation of the last. As I finish one step I would be preparing for the next without realizing it. This is essentially how the Realist becomes the Optimist. He has to look past what it is he is doing in the moment to see what it is he is working towards.
Another example: if you want a promotion, you don’t just expect that it will happen, you do what is necessary to make the promotion a potential reality. You talk to the person in charge of the promotion, take the initiative to work harder, dress for the position, etc. Instead of planning and waiting- you plan and do. This is the key to making all things possible- PLAN AND DO.
A man wants to fly but knows he can’t (the Pessimist) because men just can’t fly (the Realist). He draws pictures of himself with wings (the Dreamer) and then makes wings so he can fly (the Optimist). The man doesn’t fly by doing nothing. He dreams up the idea and then does what he must to succeed. The pessimist stops seeing things negatively and sees them for what they are and becomes the Realist. The Realist plans to make things more than what they are and becomes the Dreamer. And the Dreamer sets his plans in motion becoming the Optimist. The man has to take the steps to go from the Pessimist to the Optimist.
As each event is connected so is each of the men at the bar. In order for the Pessimist to become the Optimist he has to envision that glass being more than half empty and then make it full. All of the men are connected by simply being more than just being. If we see the potential for something more that what is than we can make it happen
Again, it’s all about planning and doing. If you want something to happen you have to take steps to make it happen. You can not be President by sitting on your backside. You have to strive to become the President. Make it known that you want to be President, make it official, campaign and so on. You don’t become the leader of a nation by sitting in your living room watching others make things happen.
But let’s not forget that just because you want something to happen and you take the steps to make it happen means that what you want will happen. Sometimes, you may fail. But the difference between the Pessimist and the Optimist is the Optimist sees each failure as a lesson to be learned and each defeat as something to overcome. Where the Pessimist gives in and accepts defeat, the Pessimist keeps marching on to new challenges. This is a lesson within itself that everyone must learn. We cannot give in when things get hard or when we lose if we ever expect to achieve more out of life. You didn’t learn to walk by trying once and giving up when you fell. You kept getting up and trying and eventually you were walking.
As a child, we are all optimistic but somewhere along the line some of us switch and lose that sense of anything is possible. But we can all be optimistic if we learn to see our failures not as losses but examples of what not to do. Thomas Edison tried hundreds of different things before coming up with the light bulb and instead of saying that he failed hundreds of times he said he figured out a hundred ways of how not to make a light bulb. this is the attitude we must adopt in order to make the shift from pessimist to optimist.
You have to see life as a series of challenges that we either defeat or learn from. Each loss is a chance for another win. Each win is a step to a greater win. All things are connected. I believe that this is the ultimate theme that I want to convey to you. See things as a continuation of the last instead of a separate event and life will have more meaning and far more rewards. Take each defeat and create something more from it. Become a greater person by envisioning greater things and making them happen. Adversity in the face of tragedy. Don’t fail a hundred times, figure out a hundred ways of how not to succeed and then success is just one more step away.

Oh, How Blessed Are Thee

Let’s face it, ladies and gentlemen- baseball is no longer our national past time. Long gone are the days where we piled on bleachers rooting for our hometown heroes as they swung their bats at hand-stitched balls covered in clay marks from the past three innings. Lost are the days where we spent hours trading cards of our favorite professional players with our friends in hopes to finally get all of our favorite players. And let us not forget the youngest victims of this untimely passing- the Little Leaguers. Yes, now is the time for us to bow our heads in silence as we say our final farewells to an era in American history.
It’s sad really, that the time has come for us to do away with our caps and gloves and pick up our helmets and pads and prepare for battle. Now is the time for us to don our war paint, our voices raised high above the clouds. For today we prepare for a more brutal display of rugged athleticism. And that war is named football.
Raise your hears high and cheer on your new heroes as they take the field and fight for downs, interceptions and touchdowns. And don’t forget to shout, “DEFENSE!” as loud as you can at the TV as if they can hear you from across the nation. Especially, this Sunday, folks. Yes, this Sunday it is imperative to make your voice be heard. It is your duty as Americans, nay, as humans, to stand up and cheer the running back on as he slips by the defense to get his second touchdown for the night. It’s your responsibility to live on the edge of your seat for those four hours on that most holiest of days- Super Bowl Sunday!
Make no mistake, SBS is the closest some people get to a religious experience on that particular day. And if you really think about it, it is fairly spiritual in nature. There is most certainly some sort of prayer before the game by the teams, plenty of praising (or at least calling out to God or Jesus) when things go both good or bad, and don’t forget the ever powerful “Hail Mary” that will inevitably be used at some point in the game to score more points before the buzzer. There is just as much religion at a football game (especially the Super Bowl) as there is in any church in America.
And why shouldn’t there be? If for no other reason than to get us to believe in the power of prayer and the magic of miracles as we watch what seems to be an insurmountable obstacle destroyed. Thank God for that last-second play from the home team! Praise Jesus we made another touchdown! Don’t take what I say as sarcasm. I am sincere when I say that the glory to football can be matched only by the glory to God. We have turned what used to be a simple sport into a demonstration of our willingness to fight for our causes. Turning the game into more of a Holy War than a feat of athleticism.
What can be more representative of our commitment to the religiosity of the game than our sanctifying of it’s heroes? We turn mortal men into demigods and demand that they perform to their absolute best while on the field lest we be damned to lose not just the game, but possibly our very souls. We look to these men to perform miracles out of thin air, we take credit for their achievements as if it was our cheering from the living room that took the player over the goal line. And all we ask in return is the right to praise them and love them as if they were personal heroes of ours.
We buy their jerseys, play video games with our heroes in them, make up fantasy teams and praise their actions as good deeds done by saints. We are the choir, the parishioners, the faithful and the fair-weather fans. We are their voices to those blind to their grace. We are the foundation for which they build their churches. And we are the ones to carry on their legacy when they are gone through replays and sports reports. We are the children of greater men and lesser gods.
So, this Sunday when you sit down to watch the game show a little reverence for what is truly a holy event in the eyes of the faithful. For we are in the presence of great men and with that comes an almost inescapable feeling of achievement of our own as we watch our heroes claim yet, another field goal before halftime. Amen.