Sunday, November 06, 2016

I Wasn't Gonna Do It



I wasn’t gonna do it
I wasn’t gonna vote
The choice between the him and her
Had got me by the throat

But I see now in your heart of hearts
You just don’t want to lose
I wasn’t gonna do it
I wasn’t gonna choose

I’ve read your explanations
I’ve heard your passionate pleas
Seriously, this election
Has become social disease

She did this and he did that!
You’ve sucked on every crumb
The truth?  It doesn’t matter
Keep banging on your drum

We’re standing at the corner
The signs above us read
“Dystopia” and “Armageddon”
Perhaps we should take heed?

Reason is the price we’ve paid
They’re the best that we can do?
You get the government you earn
“It’s up to me and you”

Well, I simply just don’t buy that
We do just what we’re told
We’re told that these two are the top
I say we’re bought and sold

Yes, to the highest bidder
No matter what your side
The necrosis of corruption
Impossible to hide

So I wasn’t gonna do it
I wasn’t gonna vote
But I kept reading Facebook
And grew sick of all the bloat

What of your mind? Well that’s been set
You’ve pondered all you could
You’ve chosen him you’ve chosen her
But have you done all you should?

See hatred’s always been there
As easy as can be
Due to the rise of Facebook
It’s the plainest thing to see

And now you wear it proudly
For the world, it’s on display
The braying could be louder
For you have so much to say

I’m sick of hearing you talking
And this spiral we’ve gone down
I pray we can do better
If not then yes, we’ll drown

But you don’t care about such things
You only want to win
No matter who your ass supports
You care not for the sin

For you see

I wasn’t gonna do it
I wasn’t gonna choose
But now I’ve changed my heart of hearts
The demons’ on the loose

So I shall seek amongst you all
The worst that I can find
The self-righteous and the blaring
The hideous, the unkind

And whomever you’ve anointed
Whichever you may choose
My vote? To make yours null and void
Oh yes, my friend, you lose

I won’t tell you who I’m voting for
It doesn’t truly matter
Just know that you’ve been cancelled out
Which makes me all the gladder

Whomever you are I thank you
For I wasn’t going to vote
But you’ve made all the difference
For that you should take note

For hatred does not suit us
Upon this dawning day
We are Americans, after all
Lest none be led astray

The times they are a changin’
Imagine, if you can
That upon November 9th
We’re still Americans

That we still support each other
That we still believe we can
That we can make a difference
In this divided land

We’ve got a lot of work to do
And this is plain to see
But the Republic, she is worth it
For you and, yes, for me

And in four years’ time
The dance, it will, at once again renew
We’ll hem, we’ll haw, we’ll have a ball
Till then I say adieu





Monday, June 13, 2016

Needless Hate Needs Love

So many needless things are in the news today.  Someone opens fire.  Someone sets off a bomb.  Someone shoots someone signing autographs.  Why?  I think it comes down to three possibilities.

His dog told him to.
His god told him to.
His hate told him to.

Dogs and gods are fine but hatred can twist them both.  These perpetrators are either insane, zealots, or hate has twisted their thinking.  There is far too much hatred in this world we live in today; both casual and black tie.  It’s in our elections, it’s in full display on social medial & TV, and it is, certainly in our headlines. 

What can be done?  What can we do to change things?  What can I do?

Perhaps, I can start with me.  Gandhi said, “You must be the change that you want to see in the world”, Jesus said, “Do unto others at you would have done unto you”, and the Beatles wrote, “All you need is love, love. Love is all you need.”  …Imagine that. 

The world will push back.  If you notice Gandhi, Jesus, and John Lennon were all killed for spreading that simple message.  It is a dark and fractured world.  Be the light.  It is a dark place – make it better.  Even if we have to step out of our comfort zone.  Do it.  When little things are multiplied they become great.  Wouldn’t it be great if we were kinder, if we were not so insular and started considering others?  Hey, what if we started to love one another? 

Yeah, Imagine that.

Be the light.  Reject this ‘new normal’ of cycling violence.  We need to do better. 

We must.







Saturday, May 28, 2016

The It's a Toy Store Annual Toy Show - 2016 Edition!




This Toy Show gets bigger every year.  It has grown exponentially over time and if you happen to be seeking that one missing piece in your collection the It’s A Toy Store Toy Show is not a bad place to look.  It is a boon for buyers and sellers.  If you are selling toys it is completely free to set up a table.  Frank is the master of ceremonies and he does a GREAT job for the fans.  It’s not just about toys with Frank, it’s about passion and joy and sharing that with others.   


Frank holding court with the Good Souls from Level Up Entertainment standing by





If you missed today’s Toy Show, take heart, it will return again next year.  In the meantime, may I humbly suggest, stopping in at It’s a Toy Store in Richland, NJ (It's A Toy Store on Facebook).  You will not be disappointed.  Frank’s place is like a pop-culture museum and you will be hit by waves of nostalgia.  The conversation is top notch too.  Frank is the curator of this museum and has a wealth of geek knowledge to pull from.  Go, you will not be disappointed.




Thank you It's A Toy Store ~ this year's show was, truly, something to see! 







Monday, February 29, 2016

Things That Make March 2016 Magic

March 13th is Daylight Savings Time begins at 2:00 in the morning.  I like this concept since I have missed seeing the sun.  I kind of like seeing it.  Going to work when and coming home when it is dark takes its toll.  I’m hoping that everyone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder can catch a breather and begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Sure it wasn’t a harsh winter for us this year but it was still winter and seeing these gray days come to an end does wonders for yours truly.  It will be good to see the sun again.  “Spring forward”… you know the rest.

                                 "Little darlin', its been a long, cold, lonely winter..."

March 15th.  Besides being the Ides of March where those in the know lord over the rest of the unwashed masses that they are aware that on March 15, 44 BC, Julius Ceasar gets assassinated and stabbed in the back; SONY is about to unveil Playstation VR.  “Cheap” Virtual Reality for us, the unwashed masses in the know.  How cheap remains to be seen but this could be big.  Oculus Rift and virtual reality are the logical step in immersive gaming.  If you get the chance to try out an Oculus take it – you will be amazed.  Having Playstation on board with this has truly groundbreaking potential.  There’s going to be a news conference on March 15th, 2016 to show it off and, hopefully, unveil the price tag.  Virtual Reality is ground breaking but being an early innovator does not always come cheaply.  I’m hoping to hear and see great things on the Ides of March.

                                                Oh, the things we'll see...

March 25th.  “Batman V Superman – Dawn of Justice” opens on this day.  Any Geek worth his or her salt grasps the iconic nature of finally having the trinity up on the silver screen – Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman.  They are the stuff of legend.  Marvel has had their act together for quite some time now and this, as Warner Brothers & DC hope, will launch DC Comics pantheon from page to screen.  Zack Snyder is at the helm.  It was his vision that put the, “Man of Steel” onto the big screen and started to hint at a much larger world.  Having the genesis of the Justice League unfold on the big screen is an idea whose time has come.  For one reason or another it has been a long time coming.  The stories are there but Warner Brothers didn’t jump until now.  I, for one, can’t wait.  I think that Snyder has something wonderful up his sleeve.  I’m hoping that he gets out of the way and let these icons speak for themselves.  I betting the he does.  He has his collective act together too.  We will also get a peek at some of the other players too.  Expect to see the Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg make their cameos too.  Can “Justice League” be far behind?  Who else do you get to take on the “Suicide Squad”?  Fans can be cruel.  I believe this is because they have been hurt in the past and that they have ideas as to how these stories that are so close to their hearts should be told.  There is baggage too, Superman did something in the last movie that he would be hard pressed to ever do in the comics.  I’m hoping that there are repercussions and I hope they are explained in this new film.  I believe in Zack and, Lord knows, I believe in these icons.  I can’t wait to see what happens.    

                                 The trinity.  The back bone of the Justice League.



Saturday, February 20, 2016

Savannah, Georgia



I have a friend of mine, let’s call her Walker.  Walker and I love to compare notes on family vacations.  We both live vicariously off of each other’s adventures.  One of these days I will consult her on traveling out west where she and her family have had several unforgettable experiences.  Rattlesnakes and tarantulas may be traumatic at first but they ultimately make for great travel stories.  Walker has ‘em.  She asked me recently what to do with some spare time in Savannah, Georgia.  Mother Hen and I were there this past August and, as it turns out, we fell in love with the city.  Savannah will capture you and you will be happy in its embrace.  Here is, by and large, what I told Walker… 

                                       Character and atmosphere

Historic Savannah is a timeless city.  Oglethorpe knew what he was doing when he laid it out in pre-revolutionary times.  He may have patterned it after Roman encampments – whatever the case Old Savannah is absolutely beautiful – one of the most wonderful cities that I have ever had to pleasure of visiting.  Mother Hen feels the same way.  MH and I have traveled up and down the Eastern Seaboard and at various destinations I would say, “You know, we could live here.”  She does not always agree.  In Savannah, the tables turned and she beat me to the punch.  “You know,” she said, “we could live here”.

                                                  Iron work and architecture

                                                    The Mercer House

Savannah is a city heavy with history, character, and charm.  The historic section is truly something to behold.  Take the Oglethorpe Trolley Tour (http://www.oglethorpetours.com/).  I’ve come to love these trolley tours.  You’ll learn a lot about the city and you will cover a LOT of ground, which is good since you will be able to scope out the sights that you want to revisit.  If you only have a limited time to visit, then I’d say find a good trolley tour – it will be to your benefit.   

                                           View from inside one of the Squares

                                           So much to explore.

                                               This was a 'mail ordered' fountain

                                                 The First African Baptist Church

The Squares are wonderful are a must to walk, the Mercer House (from ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’), the architecture, the oak trees, the fountains, the iron work, the weight of the palpable history that hangs in the city just as the Spanish moss does, the cobblestones at the waterfront, and the FOOD! – oh, you guys are going to LOVE it.  Speaking of food, if you want a meal that you will never forget skip Paula Dean’s place and go directly to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room (http://mrswilkes.com/).  Trust me on this.  The locals will tell you the same.  Get there early (about 10:30 should do).  They open at 11:00 AM and close at 2:00 PM – yes, they are only open three hours a day.  That’s all they need to blow anything else out of the water.  Southern cooking that is off the charts, cranked to 11, and blowin’ out the speakers.  It’s $22.00 a head and worth every single cent.  Bring cash, they don’t take cards.     

                                   Yes, that is the line. It is time well spent.

After a meal like that it is time for a walk.  Go check out the things that you wanted to revisit from the trolley ride.  If you get the chance before hoping back onto the trolley to take you back to where your car is see about making a stop at Leopold’s Ice Cream (http://www.leopoldsicecream.com/).  This place is amazing – two fold.  First the Ice Cream Parlor itself is like stepping back in time.  Secondly, you will notice a lot of autographs & movie posters on the walls, as well as, film props all over the place.  It turns out that the owner was a film producer.  You guys would LOVE it.  J.J. Abrams, Harrison Ford, Anthony Hopkins are all represented in the photo / autograph section.  The ice cream is the real deal too.  They’re Zagat rated for a reason.

                                             It gets to be a busy place.

There is so much more than this and we only scratched the surface of this wonderful city.  Next time we are bringing the girls and we’ll probably stay longer than a day.  I have no doubt that you and your family will have an adventurous time in the city of Savannah (http://visitsavannah.com/).  I can’t wait to hear of the stories.

                                                        Timeless.