Another Day in the Life ... (subtitled: Where Have I Been Lately?)

This blog deserves an update. Not a lengthy commentary of any particular note, but something to show I do still care about my online presence and that occasionally people will read about it.

I still write online, but I've come to realize the value and significance of making a statement through micro-blogging (innovated most profoundly by Twitter) that simply cannot be captured strictly in this longer format I have been using for years.  That's not to say I've abandoned writing, and, if by some chance you found your way here and are reading this very comment, I have other places where my writing is still more prolific (or, at the very least, more active).

As of this end of April 2013, the best place to see my "typical" writing / commentary is honestly right here:
http://twitter.com/jdrentz - My Twitter account, linked to @JDRentz

It's not all one topic. It's sporadic and jumpy. However, I do write something to the account almost daily and oftentimes more than once a day.  I interact, I engage ... I question, I argue.  If you haven't tried the platform, you might just find you like it.

Along with the Twitter engagement, my regular writing is appearing at Blog Red Machine, a sports blog website in the FanSided network that is specifically geared for topics pertaining to the Cincinnati Reds.  A list of my specific articles can be found here, or by searching under my author name at the website.

I haven't forgotten about writing here by any means, but I do need to remind myself to share more than once every year to couple of years and recapture at least some semblance of a time when people visited here more frequently.  I make no guarantees, but we shall see together.

An Anniversary of What Was ... and What Isn't to Be ... and What Will Be

Today has been a day of peculiarity to be quite honest.  I overslept my alarm clock (set for a slightly belated 7 AM) by nearly an hour (with a feeling of shock to see the clock on the mantle click to 8 AM shortly after awaking and a moment of realization).  This didn't set the tone for a great day.

I knew today is / was Cinco de Mayo, largely a marketing-driven holiday for Mexico that gives us Americans a good excuse to kick back a cerveza o dos (o mas).  Apologies for my Spanglish ... I've been doing that repeatedly today.  I could write full sentences in Spanish, but what would be the fun in that? Most of you who read this couldn't actually understand it directly.  Cinco de Mayo actually has some American significance, although I doubt many of us could actually share why it is significant (namely, the turning back of the French military presence in Mexico from supporting the Confederate army during the American Civil War and helping to overthrow the American Union).  Many of us don't realize how different how country would be had the undersized Mexican forces not pushed France away during that critical moment in history.  But, to be really honest, I'm not writing about Cinco de Mayo today ... and I digress.

I really didn't plan to write anything special today, and, at this point, "today" really means 5/6 and not 5/5, the date I'm actually composing this.  It was five (5) short years ago that my wife, Jennifer Lee (Reeves) Rentz, and I exchanged vows in St. Ann Church of Groesbeck in Colerain Township, in northwestern Hamilton County, on a beautiful, warm Saturday afternoon / evening.  I remember that day like it literally almost happened yesterday.  We couldn't ask for more perfect weather on an early May Saturday.  The sky was nearly clear blue, almost matching the brilliance of Jen's own amazing eye color.  5/6/2006 was the same day as Derby Day (i.e. Kentucky Derby Day, the Churchill Downs tradition of Louisville, Kentucky, which coincided with our wedding day) ... strangely enough won that year by a horse named Barbaro (which, for any historical reference, was a horse, undefeated, who would tragically shatter his right hind ankle at the subsequent Preakness Stakes, never to race again after developing infection, and, sadly, be euthanized in January 2007).  Another odd coincidence that day, if only for my wife and I having mutual love of NASCAR, was the Saturday night race at Richmond International Raceway (in Richmond, VA), the location where I took Jen to her very first NASCAR races (Busch and Nextel events at the time, in May 2004).  The odd coincidence is that the Nextel (now Sprint Cup) race winner in May 2004 was the SAME race winner on May 6, 2006: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.  Junior, interestingly enough, didn't win another race after that night for over two years ... although, to this day, remains possibly NASCAR's most recognizable name and most popular driver (despite a lack of success in the subsequent years until this one).  Funny in hindsight, but Jen's favorite driver (Jimmie Johnson) became her favorite driver that first NASCAR Cup race she attended, only because the first guy she wanted to root for (Kevin Harvick, who won the preceding night's race in the Reese's Busch car) was one of the guys I disliked most ... so she picked the blue Lowe's car the next night instead.  Go figure she picked the most successful NASCAR driver in recent memory and saw him win four consecutive championships.

I realize in writing this now that I don't need to do what I've done in the past ... namely, dwell on the negative things that bogged me down for so much of the past eight months since my wife's passing.  Tomorrow (nearly today) is going to be incredibly difficult.  I've cried already multiple times tonight just thinking about Jen, visiting her grave site again this evening, and reminded in stark letters on the marker "Married May 6, 2006" with my own name to her left and a year yet to be placed for my own conclusion.

I know, the Church wants me to not think of death as only an Ending but also a Beginning.  The end of mortal life and the beginning of eternal life.  I admit, just over eight months later, it still doesn't feel all that comforting.  The afterlife, compared to the here-and-now, is still hard to fathom.  I still go to church. I still read from the Word itself (including my role as Lector this very Sunday morning, which is still tough for me to do since Jen's passing).  I know I shouldn't curse at something I don't understand, but, let me be frank, I don't understand it.  My wife should still be here.  Dying at 31 years old isn't fair.  It isn't right.  Taking away the love of my life in her prime will always hurt me.  It will always hurt her mother.  Jen's loss is an inescapable void left in more than just my own life ... and I can't undo the pain it causes me and others every day of our lives.

Why do I feel compelled to write any of this? Why do I publish this message in such a public forum (my own blog and cross-posted to facebook)? Am I seeking some self-satisfaction? Am I looking for attention in a world that could truly care less about most other people?  Even if these are rhetorical questions, I do have an answer for every one of them ...

I feel compelled to write because writing about it shares how I feel with other people.  Keeping inside doesn't do me any good; it makes me feel more anger, more sadness, and more despair.  Sharing it in a "public" forum (as public as the Internet can be to any common "stranger" who might actually take the time to read this) is my small way of sharing my own story with others.  I'm not seeking self-satisfaction ... far from it, I'm seeking enlightenment.  I'm seeking wisdom.  I'm seeking the knowledge of others to help me understand that life does go on, that people do actually care, and that I can find strength where I least expect it.  Do I really believe the world as a whole doesn't care?  Honestly, I used to think that ... but I don't anymore.  More people actually have genuine compassion than I ever realized.  Not everyone knows how to express it in a "good" way ... but how can you tell someone who lost a best friend to "get over it" or "it will all be better with time" even though you know in your heart that you will always carry some burden or pain for your lifetime.

Time does diminish pain; it doesn't make it go away.  I cry just as hard now as I ever did.  Why should I lie about a fact like that? Anybody who thinks my life is some fantastic thing ... you really don't want to be me.  I blame myself for most of what I perceive to be the bad things in my life, and losing my wife feels, no matter how hard I try to tell myself otherwise, like a personal failure.  I feel guilty.  She shouldn't be gone, I should be.  If one of us had to die young, it should have been me.  She changed lives.  She contributed to society.  She made an impression on children as a teacher that I can NEVER match.

I want to make a difference.  I want to impact people's lives EVERY DAY.  I want to make the world know, in my own way, that I care.  I want EVERYBODY, and I mean ALL of YOU, who read this to tell AT LEAST ONE person (preferably MORE) in your life who matters that YOU LOVE HIM/HER. Don't ever let a day pass where you don't tell people you love them ... and MEAN IT.  Maybe I use the term "I Love You" more freely than I used to ... but I don't think it's a bad thing.  If I tell you that I Love You, I mean it.  I share my genuine feelings far more often than I ever did.  I don't let my emotions out all the time, but I wear my heart on my sleeve.  I care too much to watch others suffer, and I don't ever want any of you to feel regret that the last thing out of your mouth to a loved one is something you can't take back.

Before I close, and Lord knows I've rambled too much yet again tonight to stop sometime soon, I need to say this.  My wife told me in the hospital room the morning she died that she loved me.  She told me she never wanted to be apart from me, and, (the hardest part for me to write without crying) if she died that day (with all of the pain she was feeling), to tell her mom she loved her.  I can't write that right now without tears in my eyes because she made me pull in close, my face next to hers, and tell her I would never leave her.  Unfortunately, here I am now ... and she left me.  I can't bring her back, but I see her face from that day EVERY DAY in my memory.  I see her lying there, and I want to change what happened so badly that I cannot even express it.  My heart is still broken ... and less than an hour from what would have been our fifth wedding anniversary, I still think about what could have been or what would be if things hadn't happened that night / day in Tennessee.  I pray for God to bless me every day, to help me get through all this, but it certainly doesn't make any of it easier.

I love you, Jen. I miss you dearly. I always will. Forever in my heart, and forever touching my soul.

The Shaping of Generations

Anybody who happens to be connected to me on Facebook also has seen my recent comments in a string of responses to a recent Kiplinger.com article (shared via the Yahoo.com website) entitled "Make Way for Generation Y".  For your reading convenience, the original Kiplinger article is located here and the Yahoo! version is here.

There have been more than 1,000 comments (original comments, not including comment replies, of which there are countless more) on this article right now.  Most of what has been happening is the usual "finger pointing" exercise that one generation claims superiority over another generation, most typically the (Baby) Boomers are slamming the Gen Y crowd while the Millenials have attacked not only Boomers but also the Gen X bunch (of which, by most definitions, I find myself).  Gen X repliers, for their part, have gone on the defensive against unwarranted attacks but, maybe not totally surprisingly, have sided more often than not with the Boomers in general disgust of the opinions of the Gen Y responders.

Depending upon whom has made the response, I have agreed with some points that every group has made up to now, but, in the same breath, I recognize none of them are completely right.  Maybe might generational positioning is part of the rationale.  I'm in the bridge area between Gen X and Gen Y (depends where the "official" line gets drawn by the people who decide these things), but I personally have a perspective that melds some of X / Y ideals together.  My parents were of two previous generations: dad from the "Silent Generation" (1925-1945) and mom from the Baby Boom (1946-1965). 

Since I started to write a specific response to someone, I decided to keep this particularly section.  I think you will understand what was said originally [bracketed for clarity] ...

[It's a pretty bold statement to say Baby Boomers "need to leave the workplace" when it's not really in your place to decide that.  Actually, given that retirement ages keep getting pushed back further and further (from early 60's to almost 70 the way things are headed), I find it hard to believe that I would tell my own parents (both of whom are still working) just to "step aside" and let someone younger take their places.  I don't know too many people in my dad's generation who aren't or weren't hard workers in their time (many working long hours in factory jobs with high amounts of physical labor).  My dad is 70 years old, and, while his job isn't high physical strain like some of those jobs are, I wouldn't think of him walking away from what he does.  I guarantee he works harder than men half his age, and I know people in his same occupation who wouldn't try half as hard to be employed or work only part-time doing the same job.

My point isn't to say Gen Y is bad because it's not.  No generation bears the burdens of all previous generations (as evidenced that future generations will come after it), but I will go so far as to say you imply your generation "knows it all" by saying you don't need experience when you have knowledge at your fingertips.  This is the classic youth trap ... you just won't realize it for another decade or so.

I don't know your exact age (my guess is early to mid-20's but you are welcome to correct me), but I remember when I started in the workplace a little over a decade ago.  I thought I knew as much as those I worked around in the short time I was there, and I thought I could do their jobs better than they did.  I grew up with computers, too ... even if that means my first system was DOS-based (nearly a foreign concept to anyone under 30) that actually required more understanding of how technology worked than the "point and click" Windows / Mac world in which we live now.  The evolution of what kinds of "pains" technology or the lack thereof used to be (not even attempting to grasp how annoying things like punch cards used to be or having to use typewriters over word processors over PC's, etc.) is what makes experience meaningful.

Yes, new ideas are fantastic.  Yes, new technology has a place.  While you think that Baby Boomers may or may not be receptive to all of the "information at your fingertips" that you believe only your generation sees, you forget the first PC generation wasn't yours.  Apple put computers in the classrooms in the 1980's (I remember them as early as third grade), so Gen X had them, too, throughout their formative years at the very least from junior high into high school and beyond.  I had my own desktop system (since computers used to cost way too much) from the time I was 13, and I have never looked back.

Don't confuse having access to information with knowing how to use it.  There is a BIG difference.] 

At this point, my reply to the specific poster wasn't going through on Yahoo!'s comment section, so I started writing my own personal response, which follows below. 

As someone who hits at the tail end of Gen X and beginning of Gen Y, I feel like there is something to be said for what this piece is trying to articulate. 

I find it interesting that the Baby Boom is defined as 1946 to 1965 and Gen Y as 1981 to 1999.  Both periods are 19 years long ... but that leaves the intervening group (Gen X) only 16 years in between.  The Gen X group would be "small" already relative to the other two (the Boom and the Echo Boom), although trimming off three years of population on either side seems disingenuous.  A generation, under "normal" definitions, should span at least closer to 20 years (or about 22 years under historical models).  This is probably why the X model doesn't seem all that effective.

Maybe history will re-write itself as time moves forward, since the torch passing from the Baby Boom to the Gen Y crowd is a ridiculous premise.  Sure, upper leadership in most organizations is currently the over-50 to under-65 crowd (which would be largely Baby Boomers), but are they passing the baton to the under-30 crowd when they retire?  I guess I don't understand organizational succession planning or career progression if that’s the case.  I realize the point attempting to be made is that, by sheer population numbers, one large group of people is going to sway marketing and workplaces from the largest group that preceded it.  The funny thing is that workplace evolution has already been happening for over 20 years now, from the strictness of dress codes to flexible work schedules to more incorporating of technologies. 

Generation Y may be taking advantage of more of what is now out there (being “information managers” more than their predecessors), but why then is 1982 a “defining moment” if technology is the driving force?  A defining time period for technology was the proliferation of the World Wide Web, starting around 1993 or 1994 with the advent of web browsers.  What “generation” benefited or took most advantage of this?  Well, besides the “techno-geeks” of any age range (who were online even before this time), any children / young adults in schools (up through college) were benefiting from the technology wave.  Think about Yahoo!’s creation – 1994, by grad students.  Think about Google’s creation – 1996, by grad students.  The broader conclusion is that the foundation of some of today’s most-used websites happened at an interesting point age-wise … since these technology “leaders” are, by definition, Generation X members.

Here’s a more relevant point: knowing how to use Facebook, Twitter, or text messaging, amongst a myriad of technology choices, doesn’t make you “tech savvy”.  It doesn’t make you actually KNOW how those technologies work.  That may be the greatest shortsightedness of the point of the article.  The people who shape the future are the ones actively defining it.  People who are behind the scenes creating new technologies (such Gen Y’s own Mark Zuckerberg) are the major influencers.  To think that the generation as a collective thinks accessibility of information (whether or not it is factually right and having ability to differentiate the sources) is acceptable for the level of discernment needed to make good decisions is a travesty.  I don’t point the finger at Generation Y alone in this regard … critical thinking, in general, is missing in recent generations of people.  With more information available to us than ever before, someone needs to filter Niagara Falls into a garden hose.

I could say more, but there really is no point.  Many of the comments have digressed into the typical “flame war” that should be expected when one generation is threatened by another.  Accept the points made for what they are.  Agree or disagree because ultimately most of what has been said, including the article itself, is just subjective opinion.  Stereotyping an entire grouping of people by a limited number of characteristics is a fruitless exercise anyway.

Post-script conclusion:

I don't find any significant value in the grouping of entire age ranges (particularly 20-year ranges) as defining every member contained therein.  I started to make that point at the end of the above opinion.  Yes, some generalizations apply to some groups, but subsets might better be defined than the whole.  *Most* in Gen Y use technology in ways their predecessors never did ... but this is no different than how members of Gen X used technology more than their predecessors, and so on.  It's a cycle that doesn't end.

One of the early remarks was made by a Boomer who called Gen Y a "me" generation.  Wow, pot must have seen kettle on that one ... as the Baby Boom was the *original* "Me Generation" as many, many experts have seen it.  The Boomers, by and large, were raised with a sense of entitlement.  They were a generation raised with Social Security as a promise, the last of a breed of company "lifers", and a strong sense of loyalty (to their employers, to brands, etc.).  They fueled the American economy by spending money, as evidenced from the 1980's to now (where fiscal conservation hardly seemed the norm for wage earners in the prime earning years from their 30's to their 60's).  

The oldest of the Boom turns 65 in 2011, why all this "fuss" is being made at all.  Boomers will continue "retiring" at the rate of about three to four million people per year (assuming they don't continue employment after age 65, which is not really a given any longer) and start drawing the Social Security system even faster than it's been depleting so far.  They will be the last generation with a Social Security "right" (if that's not a real misnomer at this point).  Conveniently, the Social Security trust fund is projected to run out of actual securities by 2041 (if current projections hold), the year I am "projected" to turn 65.  I haven't been counting on SS benefits for my retirement up until this point, and I certainly won't be counting on them then, either.

2010 - A Year In Review

It is in our understanding of history and a reflection on our pasts that we better prepare ourselves for the future.  As we approach only one day remaining in the year that has been 2010, this naturally becomes one of those times for reflecting once again on what has transpired in the past year.

The traditional song that is sung in the welcoming of our New Year as the clock strikes midnight tonight is "Auld Lang Syne".  The lyrics for this tune (of the first verse and chorus, which we typically hear) are:


Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

If your first thought is, even after reading these lyrics, that you have no idea what they mean, you probably aren't alone.  It is interesting to begin with a rhetorical set of questions, namely should old relationships be forgotten, not remembered, and the days of time gone by with them.  The chorus promptly refutes the point by giving a cheer to those very days of times past including the "cup of kindness" (in other words, a toast) in fond memory that we should not forget.

I won't lie in saying 2010 wasn't exactly an easy year personally.  It won't be a year upon which I will look back years from now and think "I really want to remember 2010" because it simply won't be true.  Not that the clock magically ticking from 11:59 PM on 12/31/2010 to 12:00 AM on 01/01/2011 will be as simple as turning a page in a book, it does change the chapter of our lives metaphorically.  We chronicle our very existences by the years we live, from the year we are born until the year we die.  What happens in between is dramatically different for each and every one of us.  No two people have the same story ... and that's what makes life interesting.

I wrote my last blog entry primarily as a reflection on my wife's passing in August and how I felt at the time.  Admittedly, this holiday season, the first without her, has been tough.  I don't feel the Christmas spirit, I haven't really enjoyed the parties / events I've attended, and the moments alone just aren't the same without her.  I remembered going through life as a single person in the first half of this past decade, and I didn't expect to find myself here again so soon.  If I'm being completely honest, despite the struggles of marriage, I really did want "until death do us part" at some distant point in the future, when I fully expected to be the first to go someday.

This year wasn't just about the passing of my wife, but I would be lying if that event wasn't the most defining moment in it.  Only a little over a month ago, I also watched the passing of my wife's grandfather, which happened roughly two weeks after I wrote my last entry.  His passing was less unexpected but no less sad.  He passed away in his 80th year (born in 1930), which feels so much different than my wife's passing in her 31st year (born in 1979).  The more difficult part of his passing was the long journey of Alzheimer's Disease that preceded it.  He suffered with the disease after a diagnosis that came earlier in the decade (roughly 2002 or 2003, before I had met the family).  I am comforted knowing that I spent a lot of time with this man, even in his declining years, and stuck in his memory for a lot longer than I ever expected (into 2009 at least and to a lesser degree in 2010).

There actually were some positive moments this year, so let me look back at those things for a while.  I was employed for the entire year for the first time since 2007 (which seems rather pathetic in hindsight, as I had a job for about 8 months in 2008 and 2009 was just plain ugly to be truly honest in bouncing between multiple short-term contract jobs).  I attended my first ever Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day (and the subsequent Opening Night as well, which I have attended in the past) ... when I unexpectedly scored a Club seat (after buying two view-level seats for Jen and me previously), both my wife and mother-in-law got the chance to go, too.  They saw the Findlay Market Parade while I was giving a presentation over in Covington to "earn" my way there.  Thanks, ATR, for your generosity.  This logically led to a Reds' season that just pleasantly exceeded my expectations, as Deb, Marge, and I (my treat) went to the NL Central-clinching game over the Astros in late September.  Truly a magical moment with the Jay Bruce walk-off home run (despite what happened subsequently in the playoffs) that will be an indelible mark in my memory.

I won't even begin to approach the year as a whole when it comes to just about everything, but I do think there were some memorable highlights  (particularly in the "extracurricular" activities).  How about those Saints?  The long-time laughingstock New Orleans organization of the NFL (notably once the 'Aints) won the Super Bowl over the favored Indianapolis Colts.  Although I honestly was rooting for Peyton and his Colts going in, I didn't mind seeing Drew and his Saints pull off a heartwarming win.  My UD Flyers won the NIT (I know, most would say who cares), but at least they won some post-season tournament of some significance.  The San Francisco Giants won the first-ever title for the SF incarnation of a Giants franchise that hadn't won a World Series since their days in New York.  All-in-all, it was an interesting sports year for the "underdog" in general, despite the fact the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title (no shock for the second-most winning basketball franchise all-time).  Even the NHL featured a return to glory for the Chicago Blackhawks, who hadn't won a title since 1961.  Memorable for his absence was Tiger Woods' failure to record a professional golf title in all of 2010, first time in a full season for the former #1 golfer (now #2).  I won't be surprised to see him not only win multiple times in 2011 but to recapture his #1 ranking with relative ease.

In non-sporting highlights, this could be termed the political year of unrest, as Congress will be changing hands following a mid-term election of a majority of Republican candidates.  The House control will shift back to Republican control, and local congressman John Boehner will take over as Speaker of the House in January.  President Obama faced a number of challenges, although unemployment finally appears headed in a positive direction by year's end.  Taxes, budgets, Tea Party unrest, etc. will be highlights (or lowlights) of 2010.

I might come back for a bit more "prolific" view of the year, but too many other sites do that thing.  They can profile people like Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) over at Time or Julian Assange of WikiLeaks infamy (who will probably be a fairly prolific figure for some time).  I could pay tribute to so many celebrities who passed in 2010, notably (in this author's opinion, in no particular order) Leslie Nielsen, Lena Horne, Tony Curtis, Bob Feller, Sparky Anderson, Don Meredith, Gary Coleman, Blake Edwards, Irvin Kershner ("Empire Strikes Back"), Greg Giraldo, George Steinbrenner, Dennis Hopper, Rue McClanahan, Barbara Billingsley, Dixie Carter, Eddie Fisher, JD Salinger, John Forsythe, Lynn Redgrave, Merlin Olsen, Peter Graves, Robert Culp, Tom Bosley, and Teddy Pendergrass (although I could mention even more).

What Happens When You Take Time Away ...

Time alone has given me a much greater ability to reflect lately. My wife, Jennifer (better known as Jen), died unexpectedly just a little over two months ago. Jen and I met over six years ago, in March of 2004, shortly after I moved to Cincinnati from Lima. We didn't meet in a particularly "conventional" way for that time period, using the website eHarmony to be matched. A friendship and bond was made and is one I didn't expect to happen as quickly as it did.

I am not using my blog to reflect on the experience of dating, the time of engagement, the wedding itself, the years of marriage ... because in the greater reflection of time, it all feels like it happened almost instantaneously. From the first real date we had on April 2, 2004, until the last day my wife was alive on August 21, 2010, so many things happened. Personally and professionally, I started jobs, I ended jobs, I had bad stretches of unemployment ... my career with oftentimes little direction. Jen's career was stable right up to the point of our actual time to be married, but then her teaching life was never the same again in finding a full-time position after being non-renewed without a valid reason. I continued to work in mostly engineering capacities while she had to accept the role of substitute teaching. I knew her heart wasn't in the work (not having a class to call her own), but she did it anyway, building great experience, learning new things, and endearing herself to so many people.

This school year was going to be different. In the effort to push forward with her Masters degree and to get back into a potential full-time role, she was planning to babysit the children of teachers she knew from the elementary school. Unfortunately, this never came to pass, as school started the week after Jen's death.

I don't know where life was going to lead my wife, but I know she would have finished her degree and become an amazing teacher in special education. I don't know where our life together was going to lead, given my own work track record and not being the husband I wish, in hindsight, I could have been. My own self-reflection of marriage had nothing to do with faithfulness (as we were nothing but faithful to each other) but of my poor ability to be a better communicator of my needs, a poor listener of her needs, and to be a more effective partner in the relationship.

I took for granted that life could be so short, that things could literally change overnight. There was no chance to say "goodbye" because I never expected there to be a need. We both went to sleep, only I awoke and she did not. To this day, I still don't know what took her from me, but all I know is that she's gone.

I questioned the meaning of life before my wife passed, and I question it more now. I question why events like these happen with no reason. Is life merely a game of "chance" and any moment could be our last? The sad but true answer seems to be "yes" ... any moment in time *could* be our last. Something as simple as "live like we're dying" takes on a different meaning now ... although I'm not moving any faster on the "bucket list" or to accomplish major tasks any faster. Death may be imminent or it might be distant ... I really don't know. None of us knows the day it will end because we each have a different clock. Some clocks run longer than others. Some clocks seem to break unexpectedly while others run seemingly without fail.

Habitually, I tend to ramble, and this entry is probably no different than most I have entered. The only exception is that this one comes at a different point in life, where my perspective on things has changed fundamentally. I don't view the world the same today as I did only 11 weeks ago, and I find sadness and doubt where I thought I used to find joy and solace.

I am sure that I will regain the footing that I feel I have lost. I am sure that things will move forward and I will move with them. Realistically, I don't have a choice. I could live in the past or move forward to the future -- the choice seems an obvious one even if it is hard to do. I am honestly not certain what future I want or what goals / aspirations I have other than simply taking each day as it comes, opening myself to opportunities that present themselves, and not closing myself off to what life might bring. I don't think that Jen would want me to live that way because she herself said she aspired to a life of "no regrets" even if there certainly were regrets along the way. Now, I have to learn to do the same.

To paraphrase and close, this new journey has to begin with a single step ... even if there is no particular destination in mind, enjoy the ride there.

Living by the Rules of Warren Buffett

Rules That Warren Buffett Lives By

by Stephanie Loiacono
Tuesday, February 23, 2010

provided by

Warren Buffett is arguably the world's greatest stock investor. He's also a bit of a philosopher. He pares down his investment ideas into simple, memorable sound bites. Do you know what his homespun sayings really mean? Does his philosophy hold up in today's difficult environment? Find out below.

More from Investopedia.com: • The Buffett Philosophy • Baby Buffett Portfolio: His 6 Best Long-Term Picks • Think Like Warren Buffett

"Rule No. 1: Never Lose Money. Rule No. 2: Never Forget Rule No. 1."

Buffett personally lost about $23 billion in the financial crisis of 2008, and his company, Berkshire Hathaway, lost its revered AAA ratings. So how can he tell us to never lose money?

He's referring to the mindset of a sensible investor. Don't be frivolous. Don't gamble. Don't go into an investment with a cavalier attitude that it's OK to lose. Be informed. Do your homework. Buffett invests only in companies he thoroughly researches and understands. He doesn't go into an investment prepared to lose, and neither should you.

Buffett believes the most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. A successful investor doesn't focus on being with or against the crowd.

The stock market will swing up and down. But in good times and bad, Buffett stays focused on his goals. So should we. (This esteemed investor rarely changes his long-term investing strategy no matter what the market does.

More from Yahoo! Finance: • Warren Buffett's Worst Mistakes • 10 Things Millionaires Won't Tell You • Watch Out for New Credit Card Traps Visit the Banking & Budgeting Center

"If The Business Does Well, the Stock Eventually Follows"

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham convinced Buffett that investing in a stock equates to owning a piece of the business. So when he searches for a stock to invest in, Buffett seeks out businesses that exhibit favorable long-term prospects. Does the company have a consistent operating history? Does it have a dominant business franchise? Is the business generating high and sustainable profit margins? If the company's share price is trading below expectations for its future growth, then it's a stock Buffett may want to own.

Buffett never buys anything unless he can write down his reasons why he'll pay a specific price per share for a particular company. Do you do the same?

"It's Far Better to Buy a Wonderful Company at a Fair Price Than a Fair Company at a Wonderful Price"

Buffett is a value investor who likes to buy quality stocks at rock-bottom prices. His real goal is to build more and more operating power for Berkshire Hathaway by owning stocks that will generate solid profits and capital appreciation for years to come. When the markets reeled during the recent financial crisis, Buffett was stockpiling great long-term investments by investing billions in names like General Electric and Goldman Sachs.

To pick stocks well, investors must set down criteria for uncovering good businesses, and stick to their discipline. You might, for example, seek companies that offer a durable product or service and also have solid operating earnings and the germ for future profits. You might establish a minimum market capitalization you're willing to accept, and a maximum P/E ratio or debt level. Finding the right company at the right price -- with a margin for safety against unknown market risk -- is the ultimate goal.

Remember, the price you pay for a stock isn't the same as the value you get. Successful investors know the difference.

"Our Favorite Holding Period Is Forever"

How long should you hold a stock? Buffett says if you don't feel comfortable owning a stock for 10 years, you shouldn't own it for 10 minutes. Even during the period he called the "Financial Pearl Harbor," Buffett loyally held on to the bulk of his portfolio.

Unless a company has suffered a sea change in prospects, such as impossible labor problems or product obsolescence, a long holding period will keep an investor from acting too human. That is, being too fearful or too greedy can cause investors to sell stocks at the bottom or buy at the peak -- and destroy portfolio appreciation for the long run.

You may think the recent financial meltdown changed things, but don't be fooled: those unfussy sayings from the Oracle of Omaha still RULE!

Jesus was a Gemini? So says Aussie astronomer, others

Jesus was a Gemini: Computer predicts the past

By Nick Farrell

Wed Dec 10 2008, 07:45

AN AUSSIE BOFFIN has been tinkering with his computer and worked out that Jesus was not born in December, but June.

Dave Reneke, former chief lecturer at the Port Macquarie Observatory in New South Wales, used complex computer software to map the night sky as it would have appeared over Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.

He said that he can pinpoint the date of Christ's birth as June 17 rather than December 25, according to The Times.

Reneke said that the only celestial conjunction way back then that looked like a Christmas star appeared in June, not December.

He said that Venus and Jupiter became very close in the year 2 B.C. and they would have appeared to be one bright beacon of light. While this is not definitely the Christmas star, Reneke said it is the strongest explanation for it he had seen.

This would mean that the Wise men would have said that Jesus was a chatty Gemini rather than a more materialistic, sex-obsessed Capricorn.

The bible never mentioned that Jesus was born on December 25. That date was decided by the early Roman church when it was desperate to attract worshippers away from the much older Mithras cult, with which it seemed to be having an intellectual property dispute.

Mithras had a virgin birth, in a cave or stable on December 25. He had twelve companions, performed miracles, was dubbed "the good shepherd," "the way, the truth and the light,” “redeemer,” “saviour,” “Messiah." He was identified with both the lion and the lamb. His worshippers held secret ceremonies that included a baptism to remove sins and a sacred meal of bread and water and specially consecrated wine. µ

L'Inq
UPI

Original content re-posted from:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1049942/jesus-was-a-gemini

The Zodiac "Significance" of Being a Gemini ...

A Short Insight into the Mind of a Gemini ...

Your element: Air
Your ruling planets: Mercury
Symbol: The Twins
Your stone: Aquamarine
Life Pursuit: To explore a little bit of everything
Vibration: Intense mental energy
Gemini's Secret Desire: To be ahead of the crowd

In ancient Greek mythology, Gemini's ruler - Mercury - was the light-footed messenger of the gods who darted back and forth across the heavens delivering news, which might explain why those born under the sign of the "Twins" are always on the move; thirsty for knowledge and new experiences. Terminally curious and sometimes even mischievous, Geminis are multifaceted souls who enjoy knowing a little bit of everything but generally not too much about one particular subject. It's the variety that is the spice of their lives!

In Astrology, Geminis have also gained the reputation of being the incessant talkers of the zodiac. Those Twins that don't have the 'gift of the gab' are usually talented writers or have a special interest in foreign languages. In love, they look for a partner who can keep up with them mentally and physically! And, to quote Oscar Wilde, "there's one thing worse than people talking about you, that's people not talking about you." Whether Geminis like it or not, people are usually "talking about them". Together with Scorpios and Virgos, they are a sign that is often discussed, dissected, and sometimes even put down by the other signs of the zodiac. Sometimes this is a subtle form of jealousy by others, because Geminis do lead very unique and unusual lives. The Gemini personality can appear mysterious or detached to others and therefore they are often misunderstood and unappreciated for the talents they offer to the world at large.

Another reason Geminis evoke so much interest is many born under this sign are multidimensionally talented. In money matters, some Geminis are very adept and quick at making it ... and spending it too. Many Geminis are involved in international financial wheeling and dealing. They love the adventure and game-playing involved in out-thinking other people. Gemini's can be very haphazard about their financial affairs too, with many of them ending up in divorce courts mainly because their partners have become tired of living on the edge of a financial precipice.

Well, there you have it ... I'm either a genius or a crazy person. A financial wizard or a financial flop. Not a bad description in total, to be honest ... quite insightful.

Tiger Woods Makes Public Apology for Trangressions (2/19/2010)

Reposted in its entirety from the Associated Press. All original content available at: http://license.icopyright.net/user/viewFreeUse.act?fuid=NzE3Mzk3MQ==


February 20, 2010

Apologetic Tiger Woods unsure of return to golf

By DOUG FERGUSON

AP Golf Writer

Somber, composed — and vulnerable — Tiger Woods faced the world and said the words out loud.

"I cheated."

"I am deeply sorry."

"I understand people have questions."

What Woods did not do Friday was answer a couple of the biggest: What really happened? When will he play golf again?

Missing his smile and aura of invincibility, Woods made another apology for cheating on his wife — this time a televised one — without revealing the scope of his infidelity or his future on the PGA Tour.

Woods spoke in a hushed room at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse filled with his closest associates. He stumbled a few times as he read a 13 1/2-minute statement in which he acknowledged he's been in therapy following string of affairs.

"I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did," Woods said.

Woods' wife, Elin, did not attend his first public appearance since he crashed his car into a tree outside their home three months ago, setting off shocking allegations of rampant extramarital relationships.

"I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated," Woods said. "What I did was not acceptable."

Woods alternately looked into the camera and at the 40 people in the room, raising his voice only to deny that his wife ever hit him and to demand that the paparazzi leave his family alone. Beyond that, there were stretches when Woods — with his formidable business empire — could have been reading from a tough corporate report.

He entered the room alone. When he finished, he stopped for a long embrace with his mother, Kultida, who said she whispered in his ear, "I'm so proud of you. Never think you stand alone. Mom will always be there for you, and I love you."

Regaining trust and support from everyone else might not be so easy.

Woods already has lost two corporate endorsements — Accenture and AT&T — and he has gone from being perhaps the most famous athlete in the world to a punch line in night clubs and on talk shows.

"It's now up to me to make amends, and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made," Woods said. "It's up to me to start living a life of integrity."

Woods left therapy on Feb. 11 and has been spending time with his two children and his mother — but not his wife — in Orlando, according to a person with knowledge of Woods' schedule. The person, not authorized to release such information, spoke on condition of anonymity.

Woods did not say how much longer he would be in therapy, only that "I have a long way to go."

Pool photos were released Thursday of Woods hitting golf balls on the practice range.

"I do plan to return to golf one day," Woods said. "I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game."

Just as unpredictable is the future of his marriage. Woods said he and his wife have started discussing the damage he has done. "What we say to each other will remain between the two of us," he said.

Elin's father, Thomas Nordegren, saw Woods' confession but wouldn't comment and her mother, Barbro Holmberg, declined to say whether she watched at all.

After an embrace with his mother, Woods hugged the two women who sat on either side of her — Amy Reynolds, formerly of Nike who now works for Tiger Woods Design, and Kathy Battaglia, who is Woods' administrative assistant at ETW Corp.

He made his way down the front row and greeted others — his chief financial officer, Web site administrator, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and Notah Begay, who played with Woods at Stanford and withdrew from the PGA Tour event in Mexico.

Begay said Woods had a long, tough recovery ahead of him — not only at home, but before thousands of fans behind the ropes.

"It's a little bit harder than making a swing change," Begay said.

Woods remained composed throughout the statement, pausing briefly before the first of several apologies. At times, however, he looked into the camera almost on cue.

The only employee not on the front row was Bryon Bell, his friend from junior high who now is president of his design company. Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent at IMG, sat in the last of three rows with 14 PGA Tour executives.

"He's an American hero. And he's had his issues," Finchem said. "My personal reaction was that his comments were heartfelt. He clearly recognizes that there has been serious impact to a wide range of individuals and organizations."

Some of the eight players at the Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona watched the coverage before the third round.

"From a guy that's done a lot of tough things in golf over the years, it was probably one of the most difficult things he's ever had to do," British Open champion Stewart Cink said. "And it was something probably that's going to help him along the way of healing."

Only a few journalists were allowed to watch Woods live, but the confession became a major TV moment. All the networks broke in to show it — an implicit comment on Woods' importance in popular culture. Television ratings double when he is in contention, which has happened a lot on his way to winning 71 times on the PGA Tour and 14 majors, four short of the record held by Jack Nicklaus.

Nicklaus watched the announcement, but a spokesman said he would have no comment.

Most of the associates left the room when Woods finished speaking. Among those who stayed were Mrs. Woods, who rarely gives interview but in this case said, "I would like to talk."

She said her son has a "good heart and good soul" but made a mistake. Mrs. Woods, raised in Thailand, also claims the media showed a "double standard" by keeping the sex scandal in the news for so long.

"Some of media, especially tabloid, hurt my son bad," Mrs. Woods said. "He didn't do anything illegal. He didn't kill anybody. But he try to improve himself. He try to go to therapy and help. He change that and making better. When he go do all this thing, he will come out stronger and a better person."

As his Thai-born mother sat with arms folded across her chest, Woods said part of his rehab would include a return to his Buddhist faith. Woods said his mother raised him as a Buddhist, and he practiced his faith "until I drifted away from it in recent years."

The companies that have stuck most closely by Woods, Nike Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc., reiterated their support. Said EA Sports president Peter Moore: "It was good to see Tiger address the public today, and we're supportive of his focus toward family and rebuilding his life."

___

AP Sports Writer Bob Baum in Marana, Ariz., Associated Press writers Antonio Gonzalez in Ponte Vedra Beach, John Rogers in Los Angeles, and AP Retail Writers Ashley Heher in Chicago and Sarah Skidmore in Portland, Ore., contributed to this report.

Tiger Woods during a news conference in, Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods leaves the room after a news conference Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods pauses during a news conference Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods pauses during a news conference Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods speaks during a news conference Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods, right, greets fellow Notah Begay III during a news conference in, Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods, center, greets, from left, golfer Notah Begay III, PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem, and Woods' Web Site manager Rob McNamara, during a news conference in, Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Amy Reynolds with Nike is at right. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods pauses during a news conference Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods arrives for a news conference Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

oTiger Woods speaks during a news conference in, Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Listening, from left, are Kathuy Battaglia, Kultida Woods, and Amy Reynolds. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tiger Woods during a news conference in, Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Chart shows the top 10 words used in Tiger Woods(tm) statement

2010 Associated Press. Licensed for 1 month on February 20, 2010, for display at http://johnrentz.blogspot.com.

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Lawyers Bad Drivers? The *Worst* Drivers by Profession (Top Ten List)

As a service to my "loyal" readers, occasionally I come across something that strikes me particularly interesting and/or funny. This story definitely qualifies for both. I attempted to quote directly where applicable to give credit to the original author's content.

"Lawyers Top Worst Drivers List"

By Nadeem Muaddi

Getty

"According to a recent study, 44 percent of attorneys and judges -- more than any other profession -- claimed to have been in a prior driving accident when comparison-shopping for auto insurance.

More from U.S. News & World Report » Best Car Deals for February » How to Find Cheap Car Insurance

Insurance.com analyzed the accidents people claimed and the professions they listed when applying for car insurance online. They published their findings along with a list of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Drivers by Profession.

Beating out groggy truck drivers and even NASCAR racers, financial professionals came in second. According to Insurance.com VP Sam Belden, it’s because these types of professionals have the attention span of a gnat. He said, “Professions that demand multi-tasking – being on the phone, moving fast on a tight schedule – are prone to more distractions and, from there, more accidents.”

On the other hand, government workers came in third -- and they’re not exactly known for their high- pressure schedules. Dog groomers made the list, as did the barbers and stylists who groom their owners. Let us know if you can figure that one out.

Interestingly, the least dangerous drivers by profession were athletes (with 17 percent) and homemakers (24 percent). While it’s true that homemakers can be distracted by a van load of unruly brats, Beldon said most people who drive with kids “tend to take their time and use greater caution.” He also stated that “[h]omemakers and athletes also tend to be off the road during rush hour” -- when most accidents occur.

And, though athletes were among the safest drivers, their coaches were found to be some of the most dangerous on the road.

Insurance.com’s complete list of Top 10 Most Dangerous Drivers by Profession is below."

1. Attorney/Judge

2. Financial professionals

3. Government worker

4. Bartender or Waiter

5. Business Professionals

6. Dog Groomer

7. Marketing/Advertising professionals

8. Barber/Stylist

9. Coach

10. Nurse

Interestingly enough, I qualify as #5 on this list (no surprise to me given my ADD tendencies and inability to focus on anything longer than five minutes sometimes). My parents (both) qualify as #8 (since both are hair stylists - dad a barber and mom a beautician), so I guess the fact that all of us have been in at least one (or more) accidents in our lives in not that shocking anymore (LOL).

My wife, btw, has an occupation (educator) that apparently DIDN'T make the list, so thank god for that. My insurance rates would be worse than they already are. ;-)

ORIGINAL ARTICLE LINK:

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1302/lawyers-top-worst-drivers-list/

Catch me on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/jdrentz/

Re: Cincinnati in Vanity Fair article ("A.A. Gill Responds to Cincinnati")

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/02/a-a-gill-responds-to-cincinnati.html

I guess I was "suckered" into crafting a response to this Vanity Fair garbage, but, if you check out the link above, you can see my personal comment on this attempt at sarcasm and humor from columnist A.A. Gill (a Scottish "critic" without merit).

"Why take the time to respond to an insipid piece of drivel once again making light of our "country bumpkin" status here in the Midwest? I guess this response might tell you how I feel ...

Since A.A. Gill is a pompous ass, he might as well flaunt his egotistical status for all the world to see. You see, Mr. Gill, your Vanity Fair "full and honest dialogue" is more proof of East Coast bias and the foolhardy belief that you're better than I am. Your education is better, your upbringing is better, and your fine New York City attitude is far superior to what my Midwestern background could EVER provide me. You claim to like "sarcasm" in the sardonic sense of taking a "loving look" at my city of residence ... yet, like so many other unintelligible writers for meaningless publications, you mistake wit for pomposity.

You, Mr. Gill, don't really deserve a response because, as is clear from the multiple responses provided before my own, you are a craver of attention. Your ego is driven by your sense of self-righteousness, and, simply put, I feel sorry for you more than needing to defend my own city.

NYC is NOT better than Cincinnati. You and others may think it is ... but maybe making the Forbes list of "Most Miserable" cities does make you superior in every way. NYC made #16 on the list of the Top 20 (where the Ohio city that did make #1 was Cleveland, not Cincinnati). Oh wait, did I forget that Chicago (#10) made the list, too? That's right, two major cities on the list ... but, interestingly, Cincinnati was nowhere to be found. We must not be nearly miserable enough to warrant inclusion. There's always next year!"

Billy Joel and Elton John: Face2Face Concert Event @ US Bank Arena (Cincinnati, OH) - March 10, 2009 Review and Setlist

Re-posted from original content created at BillyJoel.com

March 10, 2009 Concert Review - Billy and Elton F2F @ US Bank Arena (Cincinnati, OH) - With SETLIST and Comments [LONG]

March 11, 2009 - 11:13am — jdrentz

As I fully expected, this performance did not disappoint. This was my fourth time seeing both Billy Joel and Elton John in concert and the third time in the Face-2-Face format. The first two concerts I ever saw were Billy Joel (November 1998 @ Schottenstein Center (OSU campus), Columbus, Ohio) and Elton John (June 1999 (on my birthday) @ EJ Nutter Center (WSU campus), Dayton, Ohio) in two awesome solo performances. I have seen many shows since that time in the 10+ years that followed, but those two shows are still very memorable and among the best.

My only two F2F shows before last night (Tuesday, 3/10) were both in 2003, during the last edition of the duo's touring show. The first was in Columbus (Nationwide Arena, May 2003), and the second was in Detroit (The Palace of Auburn Hills, June 2003). Both shows were awesome, although I thought the second show (in Detroit, as the tour finale) might have been the single-best show I've ever seen. They put on tour-de-force performances knowing that the US Tour was coming to a close ... and the Detroit crowd was rocking.

Since I don't want to dwell only on those past shows, I did want to provide some context for this Cincinnati event. Yes, folks, a F2F show is more than just a "concert" ... it is truly an EVENT. I can honestly say that I have never seen Elton or Billy looking more physically fit, active, or energetic than I did last night. WOW ... simply amazing piano work, great vocals, and a passion for performance that most singers and musicians today take for granted. Without further adieu, here is the night’s setlist:

[7:30 PM Ticket Start Time … 7:42 PM Actual Start]
EJ & BJ on stage together (Elton stage right and Billy stage left) facing each other on baby grand pianos … no band members on stage to begin
1. YOUR SONG – As expected, a great show opening … EJ gets a HUGE crowd response when he starts his line of “If was a sculptor …” after BJ sings the opening line.
2. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE – No real surprise based on prior F2F shows I’ve seen … but a shame that “Honesty” was ditched on this night (based on the other show reviews I saw). BJ got his HUGE crowd response on the second line as well … for singing, “Don’t go trying some new fashion …”
3. DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME – EJ’s band makes it’s first appearance … rising from sub-stage level onto the upper platform.
4. MY LIFE – BJ’s band arises as EJ’s band lowers below … thunderous applause on the rising and dropping band members from the crowd (for whatever reason … I guess the floor was impressed). Among my favorite BJ songs … EJ doesn’t do it justice (sorry Elton).
[BJ exits … time for EJ to go solo]
5. FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND / LOVE LIES BLEEDING – EJ says “hello” to Cincinnati and opens playing an album track we’re fully expecting (from past F2F shows)
6. SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FIGHTING) – Fun, fun song in concert … crowd gets very energetic
7. BURN DOWN THE MISSION – Just as everyone is lifted to his/her feet, most take their bio break during this song … or the next one
8. MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER – A classic album track from the classic album of the same name … with all of the piano play and band “features”, it could be shortened to make room for another of his classics instead (just my two cents)
9. TINY DANCER – One of my favorite EJ songs (still plays very well)
10. GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD – Simply a classic (and expected)
11. DANIEL – Ditto that last remark … a lot of “sing-a-long” in this part of the set
12. ROCKET MAN – Who doesn’t know Elton’s first mega-hit? EVERYONE knows this song … and, if they don’t, why were they here?
13. LEVON – A classic hit … going way over the head of the younger part of the crowd but a fan favorite for classic Elton fans
14. I’M STILL STANDING – Gets the crowd back up and dancing
15. CROCODILE ROCK – Never lets them sit down … a fun song from beginning to end … and who doesn’t like the crowd interaction on the “na … na na na na na …” parts of the song?!? A fun way to end the solo set…
[EJ exits and BJ reenters to perform his solo set]
16. ANGRY YOUNG MAN – The absolute best piano song to begin the set with a high-level energy unmatched by most of the BJ catalog … I love this song in concert
17. MOVIN’ OUT (ANTHONY’S SONG) – Thanks to the Broadway hit, this song has become all the more recognized and played … not that it wasn’t already a hit back in the day
18. ALLENTOWN – A very appropriate song in today’s economic woes … even if it was targeted at Pennsylvania of the late 1970s and early 1980s … switch “steel mills” for “auto factories” and you have the same scenario
19. ZANZIBAR – Expected only because I saw the earlier concert reviews … not my favorite BJ album track by any stretch … whatever happened to “Summer Highland Falls” or “Miami 2017” in the rotation? I saw SHF at the Detroit show (if memory serves) … and I was blown away by it in concert. Even “Miami” would be a great fit in the same vein as “Allentown” … but I understand that this is Billy’s “bio break” song in the set [and “Miami 2017” might just be too energetic]
20. SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN – I remember the time period when he wouldn’t play this song … now I kind of miss “New York State of Mind” or the aforementioned “Summer Highland Falls” … but the crowd generally loves this song
21. SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT – He dedicated this absolute classic gem to his “Aunt Mert” in Dayton, who he said was watching in the audience. Funny enough, I remember him dedicating a song to her in Columbus in 2003 as well … I just don’t remember if it was this one.
22. RIVER OF DREAMS – One of the first BJ songs that simply hooked me for life … I even had it played (by request) during my senior graduation slide show (since it was released in 1993 during my senior year).
22a. HANG ON SLOOPY (interlude) – I would be remiss to leave out the page taken from the “Bruce Springsteen playbook” … The Boss played “Sloopy” in Columbus when I saw him there in 1999 (along with the great “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” since it was December and a rescheduled event as well)
23. WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE – One of my favorites … even if it seems dated now that it’s a shocking 20-years-old this year … tracking Billy’s first 40 years of life from 1949 to 1989 … I still learned a lot of history thanks to this song.
24. IT’S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME – His shadow boxing and fun on stage jumping, dancing, and hopping about is about as classic Billy as it gets … I LOVE IT!
25. ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG – I almost wish he’d play the “reggae” version for the fun of it … but maybe I’m one of the few who likes the unreleased reggae track (ala Bob Marley) versus the original release (that almost everybody knows)
[BJ ends his solo set as EJ reemerges to join him onstage for the joint finale with ALL band members together along with the duo]
26. I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES – A classic Elton pick … one of personal favorites of EJ’s catalog … I guess I just relate to the lyrics (thanks Bernie Taupin) that hit home for me.
27. UPTOWN GIRL – It doesn’t get much bigger for Billy as a hit … probably the closest thing to the “career-defining” track in his catalog (featuring ex-wife Christie Brinkley in the video, of course) … it just doesn’t fit his grittier, older voice these days … I would personally love to hear “Tell Her About It”, “The Longest Time”, or “Keeping The Faith” from that same album if given the choice (over “Uptown Girl”) … I’m sure the EJ-only fans wouldn’t know them nearly as well (if at all)
28. B*TCH IS BACK – Wow, Elton was as energetic as I’ve ever seen him on stage (not counting the long-ago days when he younger and thinner) … twice climbing on top of his piano and once jumping down to the delight of his fans
29. YOU MAY BE RIGHT – Among my favorite Billy songs of all-time … still a classic and joy to watch
30. BENNIE AND THE JETS – What a great mano-a-mano piano performance for both EJ and BJ
31. BIRTHDAY (Beatles cover) – Seemingly an “odd” cover to choose … although EJ’s birthday is coming soon (3/25), BJ’s birthday isn’t until May (5/9) … whatever happened to Beatles’ covers like “Hard Day’s Night” … maybe even an Elvis cover (like Billy has done in “All Shook Up”) … since they did the following song, how about a Beach Boys cover (ala “Good Vibrations”, “Don’t Worry Baby”, or the like)
32. BACK IN THE USSR (Beatles cover) – I can understand this one (to a degree) … but I don’t think it fits well at this point in the show … WAY TOO MANY other fine choices from their own respective catalogs (no need to rehash earlier thoughts)
[Band members exit to leave the stage looking identical to how the show began … just Billy and Elton on stage face-to-face at the pianos … and we know what’s coming]
33. CANDLE IN THE WIND – Final “encore” (of sorts, since they never left the stage) … no real surprise to be played for Elton, especially with just the facing pianos
34. PIANO MAN – The ONLY way to end a F2F show … when this gets played, we all know (unfortunately) that the show is almost over … although they gave us a moment of doubt (when the house lights took a few minutes to come up)
[Show over @ ~11 PM just shy of three-and-a-half (3.5) hours … and AWESOME AGAIN, as usual, with almost no breaks in the action]

The "stripped down" setlist without remarks ...
1. YOUR SONG
2. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
3. DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME
4. MY LIFE
5. FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND / LOVE LIES BLEEDING
6. SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FIGHTING)
7. BURN DOWN THE MISSION
8. MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER
9. TINY DANCER
10. GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
11. DANIEL
12. ROCKET MAN
13. LEVON
14. I’M STILL STANDING
15. CROCODILE ROCK
16. ANGRY YOUNG MAN
17. MOVIN’ OUT (ANTHONY’S SONG)
18. ALLENTOWN
19. ZANZIBAR
20. SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN
21. SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT
22. RIVER OF DREAMS
22a. HANG ON SLOOPY (interlude)
23. WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE
24. IT’S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME
25. ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG
26. I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES
27. UPTOWN GIRL
28. B*TCH IS BACK
29. YOU MAY BE RIGHT
30. BENNIE AND THE JETS
31. BIRTHDAY (Beatles cover)
32. BACK IN THE USSR (Beatles cover)
33. CANDLE IN THE WIND
34. PIANO MAN

Sorry for the length ... for anyone waiting for an upcoming show, HAVE FUN!

2009 Academy Awards (The Oscars) - Preview SPECIAL

I am going to stray a bit from my "typical" posting topics in this editorial today. I have seen a share of the Oscar contenders for this year (which covers films released during the 2008 calendar year), including nearly all of the Academy Award nominated films. The list for BEST PICTURE includes:

- "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
- "Frost / Nixon"
- "Milk"
- "The Reader"
- "Slumdog Millionaire"

Arguably, there were some other films of equal caliber that were not on the "Top 5" list of nominees, notably the following two films: "Doubt" and "The Wrestler".

Of the aforementioned list, I have not seen Benjamin Button, but I have seen the other six films. After reading Roger Ebert's review of this film (starring Brad Pitt, who ages in reverse in the title role), I had no real desire to see it. However, I do have my own reviews / opinions of the other four top films and the two films that were also deserving pictures.

In no particular order, here are my views on the Oscar contenders:

Frost / Nixon
Great performances from both of the lead characters, notably Frank Langella as Richard Nixon.

Milk
An incredible performance by lead actor contender Sean Penn, who gives quite possibly the absolute best role of his storied career.

The Reader
Kate Winslet is undoubtedly the best actress nominee worth watching in this World War II-based period piece about Nazi Germany and ethical dilemmas.

Slumdog Millionaire
The odds-on favorite for Best Picture winner, most notably for an ensemble cast of great actors and actresses.

Doubt
What a great assembly of actors - Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman - to carry a film making a statement about the Catholic Church of the 1960's.

The Wrestler
Mickey Rourke gives a career-defining performance in the film's lead role as an aging wrestler being forced to give up the career he loves due to injuries and an aging body.

[Since I am short for time, I will come back soon to finish the rest of this entry...]