Blogging Challenge–3, 4 & 5

A challenge was made… I’m going to do my best to follow through.

Challenge #3

YOUR FIRST LOVE

Given my life story; this really is a difficult question to answer. I decided to look up the definition of LOVE (it didn’t help).

Tender Affection – I honestly believe I felt this way about the woman I married and who is the mother of my children.

Desire – A boy named Doug at Oregon State. He was as closeted as I was. Meaning, we both had “girlfriends” and were very careful how we acknowledged each other in public.

Unconditional – The first time I held each of my kids I knew what unconditional love is all about. Now that they are teenagers, I’ve learned that unconditional love hurts.

Challenge #4

YOUR PARENTS

My mom was born in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas and raised through her mid-teens there. My grandparents moved the family to Salem, OR in the mid-50’s where she graduated from North Salem HS and Salem Business college (now Chemeketa CC) and became and early keypunch operator on the computer systems of the State Welfare Department. How she got hooked up with my father, I have no idea.
My dad was born in the Salem area, he didn’t get his GED until he was in the Army. Through the late 50’s and 60’s he was stationed around the country before serving a tour in Vietnam. In the early 70’s he worked for the Oregon Dept. of Transportation in those little scale shacks you see along the freeway. By this time, my mom had become the supervisor of the data entry section at the central office of the Welfare Department. Her office was in the building just to the NE of the Capitol building. I have memories of playing on the Capitol Mall, waiting for her to get off work.

Apparently this arc was too positive and a decision was made where mom quit her job and the family was packed up and moved to Buttfuck, Eastern Oregon (picture circa 1978). Mom didn’t work outside of the home again until I was in high school. When she was dying of cancer in 1990, she told me how disappointed she was in the path her life had taken. All my sister and I can do is wonder how different life would have been if we would have stayed in Salem. My upbringing was steeped in abuse; my dad’s chief means of communication was verbal and physical aggression. I used to dream of my mom taking my sister and I back to Salem and leaving him in his misery. That never happened; they say “misery loves company” for a reason. Her death certificate says she died of cancer, but I feel she died of hopelessness. What did she have to live for?

In the 20 years since, I’ve attempted to relate to my dad as an adult. But he usually returns to emotional manipulation and triangulation between my sister and I. He will most likely die a miserable, lonely man… apparently this is what he spent his life working towards.

Challenge #5

A SONG TO MATCH YOUR MOOD

Sunday Stealing–Four Things

In the “old blog” I did memes. They are a fun way to get your thoughts onto the screen without too much heavy lifting… basically guided imagery.  One of my favorites was Sunday Stealing.

I have a special place in my heart for the “four things” meme, as it was my VERY FIRST post on February 20, 2006. This one is a variation on the theme, but the concept is the same.

Sunday Stealing: The "It's All About Four Freakin' Things" Meme

Four Places I go:

1. Work
2. Home
3. The Oregon Coast… not nearly enough.
4. Wherever Jenny’s bird flies

Four Crushes I Have:

1. My Man
2. Clay Matthews
3. Brady Quinn
4. Grady Sizemore (NSFW)

Four Smells that I Love:

1. Smoky BBQ
2. The Oregon Coast
3. Really good Coffee
4. A beautiful perfect Rose

Four Favorite TV Shows:

1. Glee
2. Anthony Bourdain
3. Pawn Stars
4. Yard Crashers

Four Favorite Movies:

1. The Hunt for Red October
2. Driving Miss Daisy
3. The Kings’ Speech
4. What About Bob?

Four Recommendations:

1. If you can’t pay for it today; you won’t be able to pay for it tomorrow.
2. If it sounds like bullshit… it is.
3. Humans are the only mammals who argue against their inner voice… try not to do that.
4. Enjoy REAL ethnic cuisine –this can only be accomplished in a restaurant or truck operated by people of that ethnicity.

Four People that I'd love to read their Fours:

**It’s been too long since I participated. I’ll need to re-acquaint myself with the denizens of Sunday Stealing.

Four Things about me that you don't know:

1. I am really getting tired of feeling this way.
2. I love watching movies that have an emotional hook.
3. As I age, I’m scared to realize that this is all there is… and it SUCKS.
4. I enjoy my job. I see it as a chance to help others bust out of a destructive cycle.

Four bands that I love:

1. JD Kindle & The Eastern Oregon Playboys
2. Michael Buble
3. Journey
4. Twenty Bucks

Rock n’ Roll Friday: R.E.M.

Welcome to Rock 'n Roll Fridays. Like other memes; I’m asked thirteen questions. But, the "twist" is that each week the author of the meme will pick a singer, band, era or category and pick thirteen of their songs. Each of the questions will be based on the lyrics. 

1. MAN IN THE MOON “If you believe, they put a man on the moon…”
What public scandal such as Roswell, Kennedy Shooting, Agent Orange, etc. do you question?

• I have a problem with conspiracy theorists' in general. What purpose would anyone have in ‘faking’ the moon landing or blowing up the World Trade Center? Although, I  do believe there was ‘something’ going on with the JFK Assassination.

2. RADIO FREE EUROPE “Radio Free Europe, radio free Europe, calling out…”
Have you ever used a shortwave radio or listened to another country’s radio broadcast?

• My best friend growing up somehow had access to a shortwave radio. When I would spend the night at his house we would play around with it and listen to the voices from around the world.
• When I was in the Radio business; we would get tapes from Arctic Circle countries who had recorded our AM station. They would describe the equipment they used to make the reception. Usually they would include some trinket or a postcard. I would send them a bumper sticker for their collection. I thought it was nice that they were passionate about hearing my station.

3. IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT “It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine”
What would you eat if you knew it was the end of the world soon?

• Clam chowder from Fisherman’s Warf in San Francisco

4. LOSING MY RELIGION “Losing my religion, and I don’t know, oh no I’ve said too much…”
Have you ever said something to someone that was negative about a religion only to find that person was of the faith you were speaking about?

• All the time. I generally don’t have many positive things to say about religion; mainly because of the way it seems to give people license to be assholes.

5. NIGHTSWIMMING “Nightswimming, remembering that night…”
Have you ever gone skinny dipping at night, or night swimming in a lake, pond, river, beach, pool?

• Night is the best time for me to go skinny dipping. There’s less of a chance of scaring the humans.

6. THE ONE I LOVE “This one goes out to the one I love. This one goes out to the one I left behind”
Is there a song you hear that reminds you of someone in your past every time you hear it?

• Of course…. but I can’t think of one right now.

7. STAND “Stand in the place where you work, now face west…”
What was the last childhood game you played as an adult?

• I had a great day at work today… because I got to play with some kids at the end of the day. We were having fun in the van when I took them home. Once we got there, I did some sweet WWE moves on them that had them giggling hysterically.

8. EVERYBODY HURTS “Everybody hurts, everybody cries, sometimes, sometimes everything is wrong…”
What is wrong right now?

• That is such a LOADED question; one I don’t feel like answering right now.

9. DON’T GO BACK TO ROCKVILLE “Don’t go back to Rockville, and waste another year”
Where will you never go back to?

• God help me if I ever consider moving back to Ontario, OR.

10. ORANGE CRUSH “I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush”
What is your favorite fruit flavor and your favorite way to have it?

• I love Orange… GO BEAVS!

11. SOUTH CENTRAL RAIN “Did you never call? I waited for your call…”
What was the last call you were waiting for?

• With spring sports; my kids are understandably busy, but not too busy to send a text message to their old dad.

12. DRIVE “What if you did what if you walked? What if you rocked around the clock?”
What was the last thing you did that took hours and hours to finish?

• I moved two months ago… there are still boxes that I need to empty.

13. POP SONG “Should we talk about the weather…Should we talk about the government?”
What was the last thing you said about the weather and the government.

• Weather – It’s getting to be the end of April; we can stop the freezing temperatures every night, OK?
• Government – While I have made my first financial contribution to the Obama campaign, I am a bit disappointed by his seeming rush to compromise.

Blogging Challenge: Day 2

** Turn your attention to yesterday’s post for an explanation.

Day 2: The meaning behind your blog name.

The title of my previous blog, was based on an Adam Savage quote and it seemed to fit the chapter of my life it chronicled. As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been wanting to start a new blog to chronicle where I am now and where I’m going.
I have always been a political junkie and I fully admit there are aspects of both sides of the political spectrum that has their merits, at this point in my journey on this rock I more closely align myself with the Liberal end of the spectrum. Ergo, Progressive.
When I was in Grad School I enjoyed the writings of Jane Addams. Ms. Addams was a pioneering Social Worker and the first female winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. I was inspired by Ms. Addams quote that you see above.

"Unless our conception of patriotism is progressive, it cannot hope to embody the real affection and the real interest of the nation." --Jane Addams

UPDATE - I have returned to the original name of this blog... it suits my life best.

Blogging Challenge: Day 1

OK… This time I REALLY mean it.
No, seriously!
Stop laughing…. Hello? Is this thing on?
I’ve been talking about getting into blogging again, I make a post that I think is going to be the one to get me back into the swing of things, then three weeks later… BUPKUS!
Originally, I saw this interesting blogging challenge offered by the incredibly good looking and talented author of West of Mayberry back in January. I thought, “Yes, this will do it”. I set up the special tab you can see above and that’s as far as it went. Yesterday, the equally good looking and talented author of Nice to See Stevie B, called me out as a participant. I’m glad he did that. Sometimes we just need a kick in the ass.

Day 1: Intro and 15 Facts

1. I spent a good portion of my adult life as a radio DJ.
2. I had a daily talk show for three years.
3. I have one sibling… whom I haven’t seen in over 10 years.
4. I once lost 140 lbs.
5. I found it again
6. I’ve been to 27 states and one Canadian province.
7. I have three daughters, a son and an X-wife from a previous life.
8. My son is everything I wish I was at that age (and he will probably continue to be so).
9. I am mocked by my co-workers for leaving a tidy desk every night.
10. I was once investigated by the Secret Service as a threat to a President I now idolize.
11. I broke my leg falling off my parents house while trying to emulate Clark Griswold’s holiday lighting mastery.
12. I have very low self-esteem. Maybe that’s why I’m compelled to make a go at blogging again.
13. I become maniacally devoted to one show at a time. Currently, it is GLEE. The last one was The West Wing.
14. I get myself into personal “issues” that I am embarrassed to talk about. I’m in one right now. I can look back and see the exact moment I should have known better and I ignored it.
15. I’m a self-taught football fan.

The TV Meme

For the record, I have many thoughts about current events or activities in which my kids or myself are participating. I just choose not to put the info out there because the last time I did, I got my hand slapped. My sister was asking why I wasn't posting the other day and it got me thinking... I should and just see what happens.

We shall start with a meme. Friends who know my previous blogging endeavors, know that I loves me some memes.  This particular one was wantonly stolen from Patently Queer. My tastes (or lack thereof) will become obvious shortly.

Back in the Day — 5 TV Shows You Loved As A Kid
Mork & Mindy
The Cosby Show
The Dukes of Hazzard
Magnum PI
Designing Women

That’s Hot — 5 TV Characters You Would Do
Bo Duke (Dukes of Hazzard)
Rick Simon (Simon & Simon)
Thomas Magnum (Magnum PI)
Tony Micelli (Who's the Boss)
Woody Boyd (Cheers)

“Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs” — 5 TV Theme Songs You Know (and Love) By Heart
Cheers (Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got)
Laverne & Shirley (Schlameel, Schlamozzle, Hassenfeffer Incorporated)
All in the Family (mister we could sure use a man like Herbert Hoover again)
The Golden Girls (thank you for being a friend, travelled down that road and back again)
WKRP in Cincinnati (Baby, in case you ever wondered, wondered what ever became of me)

Meh — 5 “Hit” Shows You Never Could Get Into
The Office
China Beach
24
Murder, She Wrote
NYPD Blue

The Starting Line-Up — 5 Channels You Go To First When You Sit Down to Watch TV
History
MSNBC
Travel
DIY
Food

“That’s What She Said” — 5 Quotes That Still Resonate
Col. Hannibal Smith (The A-Team)
"I love it when a plan comes together"
Dr. Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show)
"There is a problem, you haven't eaten yet!"
Capt. Benjamin F. Pierce (MASH)
"Who would name their kid BJ?" BJ in response "Maybe my mom Bea Hunnicut or my dad, Jay Hunnicut"
Dorothy Zbornak (The Golden Girls)
"Of course you're not a communist Ma, you grew up in Italy; you're a fascist"
Mork (Mork & Mindy)
"They're so intent on looking out for number one, there's no room for number two"

“Gimme More” — 5 Shows You Can Never Get Enough Of
Glee
The Big Bang Theory
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
Holmes on Holmes
NCIS