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The MIxed Bag Blog - Suggested By Friends On Facebook

I recently wrote in a status update that I needed some suggestions for blogs.  A few people blurted our their suggestions and being that a few of them were ideas I didn't think I could write a whole blog about, I decided to combine their suggestions into one blog.  Below is my take on a wide variety of oddball topics.

The first person said they could inspire me.  While they have inspired me in ways, I don't feel it's right to disclose such information in a blog.  They've inspired me to be happy again.  Not just, laughing and joking with friends, but to feel an inner happiness that was lacking.  I'm going through a rough patch and people always think I'm strong, because I don't let things bother me. The truth is, Smokey Robinson's Tracks of my Tears is probably the perfect theme song for me.  The initial line, "people say I'm the life of the party, cuz I tell a joke or two," can sum up how I'm feeling most nights.  In the last few weeks that hasn't been the case.  So yes, I have been inspired.

Then someone said "find a castle for me."  It was a response to a joke that I'd get them a jumpy castle.  The truth is, I've always thought that if I won a ton of money, I'd buy a huge castle, with lots of little castles surrounding it and keep all my friends close to me.  All their bills would be paid for and their children's education would be provided for and all the every day worries would be gone.  All I'd ask in return was to know they are happy.  That they don't have to suffer the daily woes that so many of us have to. That would be my dream. 

This was followed with the suggestion of "The Four Horseman of Sesame Street."  Now I've never thought of Sesame Street and the apocalypse in the same light, which to be quite honest is a little surprising being my normal thought processes.  I won't get all religious, but as Jesus (Kermit) opens one of the seven seals and releases the four Horseman they come riding on different color horses.  I will admit, I had to look this up.  While interpretation vary. the White horse wears a crown, but also represents evil, so he is the Count (did the count wear a crown?). The Red horse represents war and violence, so I would say Animal (I know he's a Muppet), because he's crazy an out of control.  The Black horse represents famine, so he would be represented by Oscar the Grouch, because he lives in a garbage can.  The Pale (sometimes Green) represents death, so I would think Mr. Snupplepagus, because it's always been my theory, he is a heavenly spirit.  Only big bird can see him and while kids may see this as an imaginary friend, the real meaning might be Big Birds ability to contact the afterlife.  Also, Dinosaurs are extinct.  This section also took care of the horse request.

Then someone made their second suggestion and mentioned Rock and Disco.  Now it's my contention that the greatest, most memorable songs are rock songs, but the songs we most like to hear are disco songs.  Now, I love me some Sabbath, Stones, Skynard, Who or The Clash, but I'll take Thelma Houston's Don't Leave Me This Way or Everything But The Girl's Missing any day over those power bands.  It just puts me in a happier place.

Someone asked me to mention the steroid use of the championship Boston Red Sox run. I do not deny they had players who did it then and tested positive later. What I find ironic, is that this comes from a person who roots for a team who not only had more players, but had players who had absolutely incredible career years the seasons they won.  The Red Sox who tested positive (three years after their wins while coming off of injuries, not during like the Yankees) were stars, not role players who batter 100 pts higher than their previous seasons or who hit twice as many homers as they had ever hit.  Just saying/.

This same person then mentioned stereotypes.  I have a self made theory on stereotypes which I recently shared with someone.  It's one sentence and it rings true every time.  "Stereotypes are based on a group of people's actions, which are at all times, 51% true."  Think about it.

The mankini suggestion is scary on every level.  I was disturbed when I saw Borat.  Not by the mankini, but by how it represented all that is wrong with this world.  It's the dumbest movie ever and people thought it was hilarious.  I still don't get what is funny.  Then again, someone being attacked by a Shamu while trying to get him to do a back flip is funny to me.  So maybe it is me.

Well, that was all the suggestions people felt like they wanted to make.  So that's all I could write about.  I'd love to get more suggestions and one's that I could really write an in depth blog about.  I love writing these things, because it's like brain exercise.  I know a lot of people who can bench press more than me in the gym.  Sadly, most of them think it's spelled Jim.

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