Team Rick or Team Carol season 4 ep.3

I am convinced the writers of the Walking Dead are laughing at us.  Last week Carol, one of the gentlest souls that has survived the apocalypse took some questionable steps in order to save lives.  You remember Carol from season one when she was being manhandled by her abusive husband. Carol, Sophie's mom.  I remember the look on Carol's face when Sophie walked out of the barn in season two.  Poor sad Carol.  Carol the one person I was convinced only survived because of the strength of the group.  Yes, that Carol.

Carol killed Karen and David in cold blood and then she burned their bodies.  She took questionable actions in order to prevent the spread of a virus that without adequate medical intervention would lead to more deaths.  After all consider the chaos Patrick created after dying from the flu.  That was just one dead kid.  Her preemptive strike sent Tyrese on a murderous rage. But, since we all love and worry about Carol we did our best to justify her actions.  "Carol was trying to save lives!"  "Somebody had to do it and The Council wasn't going to take the necessary measures." "Carol is good and loves everyone in the group." " I agree with what Carol did, she had to do it."  "Somebody should go in and take out the other sick characters!"  Well, this went on and on in our heads because we knew that Carol would be with us for a long time.  We all actually liked that she was strong and loving, heck she went out to clear the water line by herself!  

Well, you should be ashamed of yourself!  Murder is never justified.  What is wrong with you!  Thank you Rick for snapping us back to reality! Carol! You are outta here!  I am convinced the writers are laughing so hard that milk is coming out of their noses.  "It was so easy to get the audience to compromise their ethics!"  "What an amoral bunch of groupies! What else can we get them to believe?"  

I am ashamed of my actions and will try to stay on the straight and narrow from now on!  Please stop laughing at me.  

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

I had just returned from a trip to Lake Powell with friends, I got home and packed to go to a real estate conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.  On the afternoon of the tenth I registered at the hotel and sat on the patio all afternoon having drinks with friends.  I ruined my cellphone that evening.  I would regret that on the 11th.  I went to bed early, I was eager for the conference the next day.  On the morning of September 11th, I got out of bed got dressed and went down to the conference hall.  I passed a coffee stand but I did not stop I did not want to be late.  I wanted to be sure to get a good seat.  I am a front row kind of guy.  As I entered the conference hall lobby I saw several other attendees standing around.  I could tell they were attendees because they all had satchels or briefcases and plastic name badges hanging from lanyards around their necks.  I found it interesting that no one was going into the hall they were all standing around a table that had a small 19" television on it. Looking through gaps in the crowd I did not realize what I was watching.  I remember the scene vividly, one of the twin towers was billowing smoke from near the center.  All my thoughts stopped, I could not seem to come to grips with what was being shown on the television.  There were more than twenty of us standing by the television and no one was saying a word.  I don't even remember if the sound was on, I don't remember hearing any of the reports.  The camera angle changed and I watched the plane hit the second tower and I heard gasps of anguish from those standing around me. That is a memory that will never fade.  I remember initially thinking it was an accident then quickly realized we had been attacked and we were going to war.  I was quickly almost instantaneously overcome with a sense of fear that would not leave me for weeks.  America had been attacked on her own soil.  My home had been attacked.  A rush of thoughts, how can I help fight off these invaders, where are my children, patience more is coming, am I in danger, are my children in danger.  I immediately started making plans to return home to Salt Lake from Scottsdale but all planes were grounded.  I teamed up with a friend and we grabbed a taxi to the airport and rented a small truck.  We drove home.  Silently.

We made it home after 7pm.  we drove straight through.  I remember walking in to see my wife and girls when I got home and I remember so much of my anxiety leaking away as I felt their hugs and saw their smiles.  I was so grateful for my family.

Soda Cops

I was listening to a talk show host ranting about how we do not need a nanny state government telling us how many ounces of soda we should drink.  He started talking about how ridiculous it would be if we went to a restaurant to order a steak and the new laws required us to eat broccoli.  He was arguing with a caller that insisted that the government needed to do something to help.  I started to agree with the caller then the host stated that people know that cigarettes are bad and you can't stop them from smoking.  It does not matter how much you tax the cigarettes or how much you limit their ability to smoke, a smoker will always smoke.  Yeah yeah yeah, I said.  Well, I consider myself a limited government freedom loving American.  But I am sure a benevolent loving overlord could do something to impact a person's health and well being.  That was until I was confronted by a person I know well, who also knows better, that was walking around without having bathed for days and smoking.  I felt an almost overwhelming sense of anger and righteous justice rise up in my throat.  I had to suppress my urge to shout while I explained that his behavior was unacceptable.  An hour later while still trying to get the stench out of my office it occurred to me that I was trying to be the nanny.  I was insisting that he do things my way and he was the metaphorical and literal 64 ounce soda drinker.  I could tax him and limit him but he was still going to do what he wanted to do.

Well the caller argued, "what about the impact the obese and the smokers have on taxpayers?"  The host responded, "It is called personal responsibility!"  "Well, how is that working?" responded the caller.  The host's reply was perfect, "Freedom walks hand in hand with responsibility."  If you want to be free you must be responsible for your actions and their consequences.  Stink on my friend, stink on.

Lemons in the Diet Pepsi

I am not vehemently opposed to adding a squeeze of lemon to your diet soda.  As a matter of fact, I feel like it sharpens the flavor a bit.  However, I am a radical opponent of actually floating the lemon wedge in the drink.  First of all I feel like it gets in the way of the straw.  More importantly I have no idea who cut the lemon.  I don't know if the lemon chef is a compulsive lemon washer who ensures that all the chemicals and accumulated grime from the citrus voyage were cleaned off before the lemon was dipped in my beverage.  I don't know if the the restaurant employee that was assigned to chop lemons used soap the last time he performed ANY bodily function.  I don't know if any one of the service providers made sure to avoid spraying spittle over the lemons while discussing their latest woes. 

With those thoughts in mind I implore you, please do not dip the nasty lemon into my drink. 

Dinner fun

So we decided to go to dinner and Chipotle has a burrito bowl option that is easily converted to a healthy primal meal.  Eliminate beans and rice and add more grilled veggies and guacamole and you have a great meal.  However when we got there, at least twenty people in line.  Five or six were ordering and they were all hanging over the top of the spit shield and talking into the food.  I turned and walked out.  Never to return.  They have to deal with that, people spitting into the food.  You know that no matter what, someone has looked over their spit shield and slobbered into your order.  Yuck.  So we walked across the parking lot into Paradise Bakery just in time to watch the sandwich lady sneeze twice at her station and make no attempt to wash her hands.  "Hello, may I help you?"  NO!  I will have a salad.  Yuck.

Happy Easter

When I'm 85, . . .

On Saturday I went to the gym where I have a membership. It started off as a tennis club and has been around for a long time so there are some long time members there. Well after pushing through my 6 laps in the pool and finishing off with an executive workout. I showered and was changing clothes when I overheard a conversation. Two men were talking and one was asking the other if he ever played tennis. The younger of the two remarked that he didn't have time for tennis. He focused on Racquetball and in the winters worked as ski patrol and in the summers spent his time golfing when he wasn't on the racquetball court. The older gentleman said that he had quit other sports to focus on improving his tennis game. He told the younger guy that he had just returned from a national tennis competition where he competed against other 85 year olds from across the nation. He mentioned that he had played in the Senior Games for 22 years. 22 YEARS!! He was competing at the age of 85!!! Holy Moses. Then he joked and told the other guy that he would have enough time to get good at tennis since he was only 50. The racquetball player laughed and said that he was 15 years past 50. The younger guy IS 65 and he is super active. Holy Moly!! That is incredible. I expect to be super active all my life. I believe that I will live to be at least 150. That is my life, that is what I expect to be doing When I'm 85!!