Haloween: Not the Only Time For Costumes

As everyone I know starts to gear up for Halloween (setting out decorations, preparing costumes and buying candy for the little trick or treaters) I would like everyone to understand that they should buy their costumes for more than one use.

I remember as a child we bought these cheap little plastic costumes and if I was lucky they would last through the two or three hours of trick or treating. Costumes are more expensive these days and thankfully more environmentally friendly. Last year we got costumes for the children and then after Halloween let them play with them outside or use them as pajamas. They love playing dress up even after Halloween.

During the year there other times even when costumes are appropriate. We just went to a pirate party at the Maine maritime Museum and the children were in costume and so was the staff. Renaissance fairs, conventions and some others that I can't think of off the top of my head.

My favorite place for costumes has to be conventions... or maybe I should say one specific convention with several others. The biggest convention I can think of that people where their costumes to is Comic-con. Ahh yes, a geek's paradise if there ever was one. Followed by other similar ones... Star Trek convention anyone?

Have Fun and Be Great

Rejection?

Well, I had submitted a short story to Asimov science fiction magazine in an attempt to get published. I recently got back a letter saying that they could not use that story at this time. I could view at as a rejection letter, but instead I am going to use it as an opportunity. I am going to publish it at my other site... Evolvedgeek.com Where any one of the millions of people online can enjoy my story for free.

They say no door closes that another one doesn't open up. I am now working on another story that I will also send out to try to get published. If they can not use it I wall add that one to my site as well. Who knows after enough "rejections" I'll be able to publish a whole anthology of my own.

Don't let anything stop you or get in the way of your dreams and aspirations. Don't accept rejection as the end just keep going. Change directions if you must, but keep going.

Have Fun and Be Great!

Finally a Solution Proposed

I have to say earlier today I thought I was going to be horribly dissapointed with the plan to save our economy. I probably would have been if I had watched the presiden't proposal. So what the heck am I talking about? I am talking about a plan that no has seen publically before today. A plan to help people keep their homes instead of losing it to foreclosure. A plan proposed by someone in the mortgage industry and not influenced by politics. One that does not reward CEO's for failing to manage their buisnesses properly. I am talking about a Recovery Program designed by Michael Cantrell. It starts by saving peoples homes... not the banks. For more information go to http://www.fhrpmtg.com/.

Have Fun and Be great

Fun Times and Homework

Ugh I as a parent now face that thankless task of getting my children to do their homework and some of them don't really want to. Surprise ... surprise....

My older children are not so much of a problem just the threat of taking away video games or enough TV and they jump to it with a vengeance. My little guy though, he is a tough one to crack. I recently initiated the "No games and no TV before homework" rule.

My little guy now hates everything. He hates the music on in the car. He hates the food we have for lunch and or dinner. To make this transition easier (or to make him see how serious I take it) I won't play on the computer or watch TV until his homework is done.

I've told him and my other children that as a child he has only two jobs; cleaning his room and doing his homework. It doesn't seem to help much (I don't even really push to make him clean his room).

Well, I will keep pushing them to do their homework. I wouldn't push them if they had perfect test scores. If they have perfect test scores they should either be moved to a more difficult class or accept that they already know it and don't worry about the homework.

Have Fun and Be Great

My Stand On Candidates

Well for the last few weeks anyone reading my blog has heard how unhappy I am with the governments recent actions. The bailout is the biggest flaw in their recent thinking.

Which is why when both candidates supported the bail out i lost any faith in anything they aim to accomplish if they get elected. At the rate things are going, I feel I might actually be a better candidate then them (and I usually am pointing out why i shouldn't be President). On a more serious note lets see who I'd like to be President.

Of all the people that have said things that have been commented enough for me to hear about it (and I do not watch the news) the one that has impressed me most with what he has to say is Bill Cosny. I know it is a shocker but I could feel the strength of his convictions when he made his speech about how we have created our own second class citizens by not pushing the education of our children. His speech moved me and a lot of people. Has McCaine or Obama said anything that they feel so strongly about that they are willing to risk alienating a segment of their voting population? That is the difference between a professional politician and a man that sees something wrong and wants to fix it.

We do not need a professional politican in the white house we need a real person that wants to fix things. Someone that isn't scared to ask for help, because they know that neither they nor their spouse has all the answers.

It saddens me to say that we won't be getting it this election (although I say let's write in Bill Cosby and Oprah as his VP) and if things don't look up by 2012 who knows maybe I'll decide to run... although I prefer King or Emperor to President....

Have Fun and Be Great

United States Bailout Folly

Once upon a time our stock market crashed. Well actually several times it crashed, once really bad in the 1930's and again in the 1980's. It destroyed the global economy and all the people were doomed and suffered for decades trying to rebuild. Not quite.

In the 1930's the only president to serve three terms, Franklin Delanor Roosevelt, instituted broad sweeping social reforms (not put a band aid over the problem for those that created the mess) and created institutions that are still felt today. He started the park service and we know have all these natural wonders around still for us to enjoy. He created the highway system we have today. He had a simple concept; a days work earned a roof over your head and food in your belly. Three things are required for survival; food, clothing and shelter, not BMW's, mansions and millions.

Our nation is in such a state that we are closing our military bases to ease the budget. We are cutting back our government contracts to manufacturers to ease the budget. And yet, we are still spending huge amounts on an unpopular war which will reap our country no financial benefit, and passing a bill to bail out the fat cats that chose to risk their money in many ways by taking advantage of giving "easy" loans to poor people.

I am a proud citizen of this country and I feel the bail out is a mistake. If you want me to put it into an easier perspective let's set up an office outside Vegas and have the government give money to the poor unfortunates that leave there empty handed.

Have Fun and Be Great

Marvel- Animated

Following their single movie blockbuster hits IronMan and Incredible Hulk, Marvel is releasing some new animated movies in 2009 featuring the green goliath. It faces him off first against oneof the most popular characters of the Marvel franchise, Wolverine. It follows up with a less popular but more powerful comic book icon, Thor.

The Hulk and Wolverine have danced this dance for literally as long as Wolverine has been in the comic books. Wolverine made his first appearence in Incredible Hulk Issue #180 in October of 1974.

The Hulk versus Thor has been seen less, but it has been seen in not just comic book media but in one of the Incredible Hulk tv movies with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno.

Where will this end. The Hulk is with out doubt one of the most loved and tragic heroes of the Marvel universe. In 2010 there should be another animated movie featuring the Hulk, Planet Hulk.

Have Fun and Be Great

Debate-couples rights

I am sitting here the debate is behind me and they just hit the married and gay marriage rights issue. They support rights for gay couples, but lets see exactly what their definition is of a couple. It means married or under contract if you are gay. I have been with my wife for going on five years and I am using artistic licence when I refer to her as my wife. We have everything together our cars, our banks, and we own our house together. We raise our children together, but according to them we are not a couple. Many insurance companies and employers would not recognize us as a couple in regards to benefits. I think any domestic partnership should be legally backed and supported.

There of course will be more on these hot topics.

Have Fun and Be Great

Tougher Video Games

There was a wall street journal entry lately that commented on how designers are purposefully cranking up the difficulty of their games. Thank-you , thank-you, thank-you.

I remember a long time ago I played the Avengers and the original X-men video game. It was across the street at 7-11, then around the corner at the bowling alley. I remember how I eventually beat those games. I brought a roll of quarters with me. I'd die, drop a quarter and continue. Yes, eventually I beat the game. I know it doesn't take a lot of skill, but it was one of those things I still felt good that I achieved success.

Now a days, that feeling of success is lacking. Not just in video games, but in the workplace and in schools. We go to work for eight hours. Do our jobs and come home. We go in the next day and do the exact same thing all over again. Occasionally if we finish early we get to leave early and man, that does feel like success like you actually finished something. I can't tell you what a success I would feel like if I was a child and I came home with my report card to show my parents that I met expectations. That screams success. Heck even exceeds expectations screams success after all whose expectations are they meeting? After all, as a parent I have no idea what level these expectations are set at.

So I am in favor of tougher video games that today's generation may feel like they succeed at something. Heck, a really tough game may either keep my son from thinking he has a "gift" for playing videos games or prove to me that he really does have one.

Have Fun and Be Great

Senate passes bailout house on fence

Well so now we got some "good" news. The senators have passed a 700billion dollar bail out and now all it has to do is pass it in the house and the president. We need this bill passed to save not just our economy but the global economy because as our markets crashed so did theirs. I personally say let it crash, the cost of everything will bottom out when everyone discovers they can't afford anything. The only people that would be doing great would be people that could offer goods or services for trade.

We just had to sweeten the deal a little more to get people to do the "right" thing. So the new and improved bill has tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses... and where are we getting the money for this bailout again? It also aimed to increase the FDIC at banks from 100000 to 250000. Ummm, excuse me but I hate to point this out that actually protects a lot less people than they think. I have never come close to having a hundred thousand in the bank... and if I had over a hundred thousand I'd have it in several banks so not all my eggs were in one basket. Then of course they also tossed in measures to aid hurricane ravaged areas and because we know that this is the root of our current economical issue lets give better insurance to mentally handicapped people.

I apologize for ranting. I like mentally challenged people. Its not their fault our government doesn't seem very focused at the moment. We could blame disaster victims, but they are actually good for business unless you are in insurance. Rebuilding costs money and requires skilled hands.

Just once do you think they could pass a bill with only the issues at stake involved instead of trying to slip all the extra junk in.

Have Fun and Be Great

Escapism

Well as things get gloomier as the days go on. Shorter days, bank failings and the stockmarket more and more people will do what seems to come naturally to most of us. We will find something to do that will occupy our minds and our time so we don't worry about it.

Some people will bury themselves in their work and escape from the larger picture while gaining hopefully some financial security. Some will spend more quality time with their family and their kids and gain some richness in their families. Then there are the ones that may escape for long hikes into the woods, up mountains, or canoe or one hundred and one different things that they do to get away from the daily grind. Then there are the rest of us. People who bury themselves in books, video games or the internet. Also doing what we enjoy but not gaining health or wealth from it (in most cases).

Now there is nothing wrong with playing World of Warcraft, Halo or any of the other online games. Nor is there anything wrong with reading a good book or a dozen comic books. The only problem that occurs is when your escape interferes with real life. Stop for a moment and look. Are the household chores and duties being neglected to make time for your escape? are you using bill money to fund the next book, game or pair of hiking shoes? Are you ignoring your children so that you can blog.....ummm never mind that last one.

The point is escaping is fine as long as you do it in moderation and as long as it does not negatively affect your household or your children. Now that my kids are in bed back to World of Warcraft for me.

Have Fun and Be Great