Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

There has been a recent trend of bloggers posting their first 10 shuffles on their IPods as a snapshot into their musical tastes. I thought it was funny and decided to post. I’m not ashamed by the majority of my music.

First ten shuffle songs on my IPod:

1. “Come Back Home” by Pete Yorn
2. “The Goat [Outtake]” by Randy Newman
3. “Slave” by David Garza
4. “I Want To Be Free” by Elvis Presley
5. “Fool For Love” by Sandy Rogers
6. “Paralyzed” by Elvis Presley
7. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
8. “Do The Right Thing” by George Strait
9. “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers
10. “It’s Midnight Cinderella” by Garth Brooks

I swear this wasn’t edited (I thought it was kind of boring), and there are a few songs on there I skip if when they play. I have over 7500 songs in my ITunes, and I don’t even like all of them.

Radley Balko upped the ante on his blog. He pointed out that many people don’t have any truly embarrassing songs listed on their shuffle, so he challenged people to post their 5 most embarrassing songs. Believe me, I have many more than just five songs for which I’m embarrassed, but even more so the following are songs I really do enjoy listening (and that’s not easy to own up). The songs are not ranked, because they are all equally embarrassing.

5 most embarrassing guilty pleasures:

“Teardrops On My Guitar” by Taylor Swift
“Xanadu” by Olivia Newton-John
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Fergie
“We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey
“Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake

I'm not really sure that I can explain why I like these songs. This is a very small sample of music that I have, so I still feel every right to retain my man card. I have more Elvis, Frank & Willie than anything else. 'Nuff said.

Well we know where we're goin', But we don't know where we've been

July 10 marked the two year anniversary in my current job. Hence the name of this blog (and the fact I suggested I'd only be doing this for 2 years), you'd think there may be some change on the horizon. ... Well, not for now, or at least nothing significant.

My job, as a catastrophe adjuster, has turned out entirely different from what I was told when hired. Most of the promises/assurances about taking on this new life have been broken, and the majority of the moves by my employer have not been particularly positive. To point, I feel I'm under-paid and quality of life sucks. The so-called perks of my job are only a mask for the difficulties. Some of this I've shared with a few of you, but I know I've never quite painted the big picture. Because, with all of the hardships I face everyday (and I do mean every day), it doesn't seem right to complain when I, in fact, love my job.

I've been working in insurance for the better part of the last 10 years, and this is the first time I've ever enjoyed my job -- in this industry (I have also enjoyed selling shoes and working in the music business). Yet, I know I have not had to work in a truly difficult situation, and (most notably) there haven't been any hurricanes since I started. I do wonder what kind of long-term future I have with my employer, but I have career goals I want to accomplish in the next few years before I cross that bridge. How and where things will happen has yet to be determined.

Despite whatever burdens may be carried, I love this cowboy life I'm living. I chose this career with the full knowledge that my way of life would change, and I have not once regretted my decision. Some days I contemplate how long I can do this, and then the next day I wonder how I could do anything else. The autonomy and responsibility I have are unmatched with any other job I've had, but more importantly (and as cliche as it may be) I'm "delivering the promise." Despite any grievances with management decisions, I truly respect the company ethos and the way we conduct our business.
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We can never plan with any certainty in life. The last two years confirmed my knowledge I don't have a clue about anything in the future. So, right now I'm only trying to get over the next hump. And, things are always subject to change.
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The following pic is another day at the office (taken at Lake Mille Lacs in Garrison, MN):


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Counted the stars on the 4th of July

I went to downtown Minneapolis for the fireworks show, last night. The show didn't start until after 10 PM, because it stays light for longer up here. However, I finally got some decent pics of the skyline.
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Standing on a pedestrian bridge on the Mississippi River overlooking St. Anthony's Falls.
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Here is a video of the finale ...except for the last 10 seconds.

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(video missing)

O beautiful, for heroes proved In liberating strife

Please consider what our Independence means:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Any of that seem familiar, or rather, relevant? First, I agree with the sentiments of the last paragraph and do not support an overthrow of the government. I had thought of writing a spiteful diatribe about the current state of the U.S. Government and American politics, but I figured it best to pose a few questions instead (as some of you know, I can sometimes get emotional about politics). I believe it's better to have a dialogue than to throw around accusations.

My questions are posed around the current state of liberty in this country. How are the unalienable rights to which tyranny was abolished so cavalierly cast aside by so many? There are plenty of examples of institutional tyranny under the federal, state and municipal governments.

What has happened to the belief of rights of man? Why did common law and property rights become virtually non-existent? What about our right to self-defense? These are elemental to our rights, so why have the courts (namely SCOTUS) sided with the government's assertions of more control rather than individual liberty? I thought the courts were intended to be disassociated arbiters of the law, and not agents of the government instructing juries how to rule. What happened to the presumption of innocence? How has the burden of proof shifted from the accuser to the accused, and juries are convicting (very possibly innocent) people with only a preponderance of the evidence?

The Bill of Rights was to guarantee that which is ours, but the government (admittedly, by nature) has done everything it can to whittle it down to nothing. Most grievances are directly associated to the executive branch, so why did the balance of power shift to one person? The Constitution never intended for this scenario. Isn't that how tyrants are created - whether or not they are well-intentioned?

Is this a matter of ignorance or complacency? When does it become too much as a society, and when does it become too much for you? Do you believe this will be a free country for future generations? What's your price for only the appearance of security? Do you really have that much faith in a centralized government, or even in a single person? That was the point of our independence.

Consider these scenarios. The government can kick you out of your home and sell it to another private party, and you have no recourse (other than the compensation they deem reasonable). The government can break into your home and destroy it, kill your dog, maybe kill you, and they have no culpability in a mistaken identity. The government can tell you what you can or not do with your body. These are all happening right now.

What rights? It's unfortunate that George Carlin may have been correct that we only have privileges, not rights. So, is that why we cast off despotism (for our privileges)? That doesn't seem like a very noble reason, but human nature is also selfish.

I leave you with this question: is the U.S. Constitution in force any more, or are we only subject to the laws passed by the executive/legislative branches and asserted by the judicial branch?

Is that okay with you? Please discuss.

I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.

Do you have what it takes to become a citizen?

How's your basic knowledge of U.S. citizenship? Take this short INS quiz.

Here are my results (I didn't know the name of the INS application -- I second-guessed and changed it from the correct answer):

You answered 95% of questions correctly. Here's your rating:

0-20%: Maybe you're still thinking too much about the Old Country.

25-40%: Mmmm. Do you really want to be a citizen? This kind of performance isn't going to impress those nice immigration folks.

45-60%: Not too bad, but you really need to break out the civics books again -- word is, the INS is looking for an 80 percent score.

65-80%: Hey, you may make a good citizen yet! Look at your wrong answers and a little revision should do the trick.

85-100%: Welcome to the United States! (And, truth be told, you know more about this great land than most Americans.)

The last comment that most Americans don't know this very little much is a very sad state of our nation. More to come ...with discussion.