RobZerrvations
Musings from a Meandering, Mischievous Mind
Friends For Life!?
I always marvel at how the world works. How we draw lines in the sand or speak in absolutes, discovering that either is total folly. I have some great friends in my life, ones who have remained my friends for 30 years or more, though I'm not always certain why. I have not been the best of friends at times I readily admit. I blame it on the significant other I was with at the time. O.K, that's somewhat incorrect. It's been well documented that I am something of a windsock with my significant...
Well, Heck.
A couple days ago I happened to find myself in Port Orchard on the Kitsap Peninsula. Don't worry, I've found myself there before. As you should know by now, I also lost myself there and ended up in Florida some years ago. I have only been back to my former hometown once, the place where I ran a business, ran for office and was eventually run out of town. My mission was quite simple: To revisit the places I had lived to see if they had changed in the intervening years. The first house I ever...
A Pirate’s Life.
There was a time oh, so many years ago when pirates were few and far between. In fact, there were only two groups of pirates we ever knew of in the 1980s – the Seafair Pirates and the pirate crewes of Gasparilla who had their annual festival in Tampa, but as far as we knew, didn't play pirate like we did here up in the Northwest. Yes, there were a few freebooters out there as well. People like Ben Cherry who portrayed Blackbeard and did education. But as far as pirate entertainers, you could...
New Book Released…
RobZerrvations: Vol. 1 hits the shelves If scrolling through and reading 550 different RobZerrvations seems a bit daunting or if you had better things to do and missed a bunch, consider purchasing the "best of," 83 of the my favorites from 2011 and 2012. It's available for purchase right now at: RobZerrvations: Vol. 1. Just $9.99. It will be on Amazon.com in a couple days too, if you want to order through there. I'll let ya know when it's up. And if you haven't purchased Memoirs of a...
The Complete LOSER Act.
Congress really needs a marketing professional, or at the very least, a skilled copywriter. More and more, Congress seems to be unable to capture the essence of a bill with a name that anyone can remember. You know those gems of the past, such as the American with Disabilities Act, the Homestead Act or the Civil Rights Act. Clear, to the point and memorable. They are a marketer's dream. But these days, Congress can't articulate in any way, shape or form what their bills are about, at least a...
Delusionally Optimistic? You’re Not Alone.
I had never heard the term "delusionally optimistic" until three years ago. It was first uttered in my world by the Janmeister, who used it to describe herself. It came as something of a surprise. I guess I had managed to avoid delusionally optimistic people in the world, certainly the vast majority of my ex-whatevers could never be classified in this manner - delusional yes, optimistic, no. I do know of many who profess that the glass is either half empty or half full, so this would lead one...
The Dumbination Of America.
There are times when I get bored of all the exciting things I am doing and just want to vegetate in front of the old boob tube. Sure, I could be finishing my book, working on my first Steam Punk gun or learning new songs, but the old noggin likes to have a break from time to time. I have 300 channels on my TV, just because. Sure, 20 are taken up by the NHL or NBA, neither of which I have any interest in; another 30 are Spanish language, and another 15 or so are pay per view. Take out the movie...
That’s A Lot Of Rules.
I was watching a great show on TV a few days ago, one that covered the Bible from the perspective of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. There was a lot of stuff I never knew, such as the fact that Moses not only has a starring role in the Jewish and Christian faiths, but also the Muslims religion. Who would have thought. I can't tell you exactly how the whole show panned out. I started to get a little sleepy by the time Moses finally made it to the mountain to fetch the tablets. By the time he...
You Can’t Hide Your Lying Eyes.
I had a friend once who managed to be delusionally optimistic about her relationship. It wasn't perfect by any stretch, the word 'love' was of the four-letter variety, uttered under one's breath but rarely shared authentically. You know the drill, you say you love one another, but there's a hollow ring of truth to it and in some cases, there always has been. She didn't get married for love. Instead, she sought the other things that marriage presented; security, status and money. Her husband...
Wherever The Twains Shall Meet.
I was watching a documentary on Mark Twain a couple days ago. I have always been a big fan of Twain, though I profess that I've probably only read four or five of his books in my lifetime. While I am a fan of his writing, I am more a fan of the man himself, the myth and the reality. He was the first truly American writer, creating a style of writing that was uniquely from the American perspective. He is still regarded as the greatest humorist in American literature, turning out a remarkable...
Mr. Opus’ Holland.
I was watching Mr. Holland's Opus last night for something like the twentieth time. I don't always watch it all the way through; in fact, most of the time I seem to tune in right near the end where Mr. Holland (Richard Dreyfus) is being given the old heave-ho by the school district, all in an effort to balance the budget. I won't even tackle that whole issue. The arts always seems to take it in the a** when it comes time to cuts. Sports never gets the axe, or even a good knifing. But back to...
The Ghosts Of Christmas Past.
Christmas is upon us and this year, the holiday spirit has not only been upon me, but what might have beens. I guess returning to Seattle has done this to me; or perhaps it was the first snowflakes I have seen in almost a decade, floating by my window, ever so briefly. I guess this was all on my mind last night as I had one of those strange dreams. True, it could have been the last minute grilled cheese sandwich or the Benadryl. But once I slipped into slumber, all hell broke loose. The...