Remember Popeye?

I remember a song from a while ago, some lady bitching, where have all the cowboys gone.
I say,fuck the cowboys. Wheres all the Popeyes?
Not that i have anything against cowboys, i dont. I didnt like broke back mountain, but ive had lots of friends that were cowboys.
Now back to Popeye. The words hes most famous for... " I am what I am, and thats all that I am!!" No shit huh!! Where is that guy today?
Id like to think im at least close. Im me, if you dont like it, kiss my ass!! I gotta give that one to Uncle Ted. But hes right. there aint one person on this planet whos got a right to ask me, or tell me to be anything other than who and what i am.
Any takers?
If there is, I hope you're ready for a shit storm. I am who I am, and I aint changin'.

What I dont get, is that everyone loves Popeye for being Popeye. So, why cant people do the same for each other? I know I do.
There's some people in my family that think that the man ive grown up to be is somehow wrong because im not the party 24-7 super freak they all loved. Or at least tollerated.
Guess what people, we're all human, and subject to change, be it location, age, marriage, children,occupation, the list goes on and on.

I say to any and everyone who wishes or wants to change someone in your life, whether do to love or even just well meaning....

....Piss Off!!!! We're all on this planet to live our own lives. Leave me to live mine, and as always, I will leave you to live yours.

Really, cant we all just get along?!!

Shock Treatment

Does anybody remember the Ramones?

Gimme Gimme shock treatment?

Been suffering for almost a week from poison ivy, oak, or sumac, not sure which, but it sucks. Well a little Hawaiian dude that I worked with suggested a scolding hot shower, I thought Ouch, but tried it anyway.

Half way through the shower, the only thing I could think of was the Ramones singing Gimme Gimme shock Treatment. As much as the hot water hurt, I do think it helped.

So, maybe the Ramones were onto something, the electroshock therapy or just hot water, they were onto something.

So for anybody who may be handed some strange yet almost believable advice, try it, just might help. Helped me.

If all else fails, remember one of their other songs, I want to be sedated, that also works.

Nostalgia

I've always known I have an emotional attachment to songs/music. As a teenager, I of course wanted to be a rock star. That did'nt happen. In recent years I thought about music production, or somthing along those lines. I love music, always have, always will.
Well, I drive a forklift for a living. So apperantly the music biz just aint for me. I'm ok with that. Really. I have a good life with a great family and a few good friends.
Music, however, has not lost it's grip on my heart.

Today started like any other day. Coffee, dishes, went to town, came home and had lunch. While preparing supper with my super awesome wife, I put on some music. The band was D.A.D. Not that it really matters. Anyway, theres a song on this particular cd that I dedicated to my wife ( my Queen) that I cant even sing out loud without tearing up a bit. When that song came on we stopped cooking and just held each other while I softly sang into her ear.
I'm such a fucking sap! I'm almost tearing up now.
Funny, I used to be a tough guy.

Sorry, I got a little carried away there.The point of this whole thing is that I have emotional attachments to so many songs I hear. Right this moment I'm listening to Meatloaf. Paradise by the dashboard light. I remember being 14 years old, hanging out with my oldest daughters mother. Years before she was concieved. Yet so clear.

I need to thank a friend of mine for not only the cd playing now, but also the one that has the song I dedicated to my wife. He's an english fella with a kinda dry sense of humor, but a good heart. It does'nt hurt he's married to one of my very best friends.

Sorry, got lost again.

The point is it does'nt matter what I listen to.
CCR reminds me of my Dad. Skid Row, Great White, Babylon AD, and Iron Maiden, remind me of my less than productive, teenage years. So forth and so on. Garth Brooks and Crystal Gayle remind me of my Mamma. Metallica for my big brother. Janis Joplin, and Tori Amos for my little sister.

So pop in a cd, or put on a record you haven't listen'ed to in awhile, and enjoy.
Hope it's as good for you as it is for me.

Time

Running through my head is the lyrics of a Bangles song,Hazy shade of winter, or somthing like that. if you know the song as you read the post you will understand.
I'm not really sure how to explain what i'm feeling except to say i'm a 35 year old father. I have two daughters, one son, and one step son. I also think about, quite often, three "ex" step children. I was married once before i met my Queen.
I enjoy the memories of growing up in a small town in northern Iowa. The woods, the lakes, the critters, the little bit of trouble, ha ha!
Right this moment I'm trying to figure where time went.
My first child will be 18 soon. how the hell did that happen?!
Believe it or not I just found out my 5 year old son is becoming quite good at writing his name. On the mirror in my head board.
I dont know my middle child, but miss her terribly. I have watched her grow through pictures over the last few years thanks to the relationship between her mother and my wife. I havent seen her since before she was two, she'll be 13 in august.
Back to my eldest, we have been through so much in the last ten years it somtimes makes my head spin. Ilove her and am sooooo soooooo proud of her.
i have recently had the opertunity to become reaquainted with two of the three step kids. i was so excited i had a brain fart. i couldnt think of anything to say. that'll work itself out.
My step son, who is a huge pain in my ass, but also one of my favorite children, is a real challenge. One of the smartest kids i ever met, and at the same time, almost retarded. for now im blaming it on puberty. he was such a sweet kid a couple years ago. where did that go?

And the point of this whole thing is where the hell did the time go?! Yesterday I was in high school, flirting and skippin class!!
Now im thinking of a differant song, country this time. Dont blink. dont know who sings that one, but i think hes right.
I'm gonna try not blinking for a bit.

Un-Father's Day????

So my sister read part of my Fathers day post.
What the FUCK!!??!
She didnt even finish reading cuz she dont like our Dad. OK, so you don't feel the same as I do. I don't think it's fair to take that out on my blog. Keep in mind that she probably read it on my facebook notes but still, I think it was rude to not finish. Alright, that's a little selfish, but bear with me.
While chatting she told me our Father was nothing,a member of the deadbeat Dad's society.
I could be wrong, but I honestly think she's just being a little needy. I miss my Dad more than I could ever hope to convey with this cyber stuff. At the same time, I understand wanting to be left alone to do my own thing the way I want to do it.
Perhaps I have an unfair advantage over my sister. I live 500+ miles from my family. Maybe the six years of seperation has given me some insight to the old man's desire to be left alone.
Yeah, I get it.
I love my baby sister. She has been my best friend most of my life. I wish she could see Dad the way I do. Not the glorified "baddass " that I wrote about last time, but the man, the person. Who he really is. The "cupcake" that he swears he is not, but some of us know he truly is.
I love my Dad and I love my sister. So really, can't we all just get along?

fishing 2

I want to apologize for the lack of promised picture. The guy that took the picture is kind of a goober. he said he sent it to my email but i never got it.
So anyway, what happened was my other buddy that was fishing with us took the bass i caught and used it for a beer coozy. Put his beer in the fishes mouth and tipped him up for a good long drink.
My story doesnt do the picture justice. Like they say "a picture is worth a thousand words ".
I do have to say though, ya shoulda been there.

Happy Fathers Day!!!!

I just want to say Happy Fathers Day to the two most important father figures in my life.
My Dad, of course.Rick. And my stepdad,Mike.
Because of these two men, I am who I am today. I am just as ornery as I always was,just not as stupid. I'm strong, independant, smart,( a little anyway ), honest, and hard working. All traits that come from both my Dads.
Some people might think of that stupid tv show, " My Two Dads", but its nothing like that. My parents were divorced when I was a kid. Some time later, my Mom married this guy named Mike.
What I knew of my Dad at the time was that he was some kind of Baddass that nobody wanted to fuck with. Cool right? I thought so. To be perfectly honest, I still do, my Dad was one of the toughest sonofabitches to ever run the Lakes area. In my time I knocked a few heads, and kicked a few asses, but don't quite measure up to my old man. He is a legend. Even today I try to live up to his name. I dont back down from anyone or anything, stand strong, and hold my ground no matter what. Someday I hope to be as strong as him.
Toughness aside, my Dad taught me so much about the outdoors, which I love as much as anything. I know I could go to just about any lake anywhere and catch walleye, perch or bullhead. Unfortunately he never taught me the secret to catching monster catfish so I had to figure that one out myself. I just hope I'm there when he finally lands "Walter". I think thats what he called him. It was this great big catfish he would get to shore and then lose. Like the one on "Grumpy Old Men". I saw him one time but heard about him at least a hundred.
My Dad also taught me some about trapping, and other things concerning critters. I could go on and on, but thats not the point.
My Dad is a simple man. Tough as nails, sharp as a tack, and sweet as pie,(when he wants to be). I'm proud to be able to say that I am who I am cuz of him. Thanks Dad, I love you.
Then theres my Pa.He's my stepdad.This guy came into my life full force when I was 14 years old. He married my Mom.I spent alot of time resenting, distrusting, and really not liking him for no reason, other than he was'nt my Dad. I know now that was'nt fair, but at the time I was a stupid teenager already trying to live up to my old mans reputation. Sorry Pa.
This guy taught me patience, and compassion. God only knows how, but he made it through me and my brother and sister trying to drive him away. Imagine three teenagers pushing your buttons on a daily basis just to get you to leave. I'm thinking this guy is as tough as my Dad.
My Pa also taught me to be strong. In almost the opposit way as Dad. He showed me that sometimes its better not to fight, even though you want to. He has proven to me after all these years that patience really is a virtue. Oh and by the way, he's also the smartest guy I know. Freakin genious! That's no joke. If it's broke he can fix it, dont matter what it is. He taught me more than half of what I know about cars. He's the one who showed me that most times things are more simple than we think. Slowing down and taking a better look makes a huge differance.
Thanks Pa, I love you.

So Happy Fathers Day to my Dads. I love you guys.