Don't Wait, the Time Will Never Be Just Right

Wow. So just like my last blog post, it's been a while since I posted anything. Almost a year. I really want to get started with it again.

I love how it's almost 3am and I'm still awake. Well, not really, I don't really LOVE it. Just an expression. I wrote about being up late on an entry earlier in this blog. I'm an insomniac. I've never been diagnosed (I've actually never even seen a doctor about it) but I have several symptoms of chronic imsomnia. It never botheted me before when I was younger but things are a lot different now that I have 3 kids, all aged 5 and under. Tons of fun. I also smoke a lot when I don't (or can't) sleep. Then I wake up to either no cigarettes or almost none. That sucks. I really should see a doctor about it, especially since I've been like this since I was in high school and it isn't getting any better! I actually did fall asleep pretty early tonight. I was watching WWE Smackdown and fell asleep while that was on, sometime between 930-10 but got woken up at 1008 to my son screaming like he was being killed because he threw his bottle out of his pack-n-play. Couldn't get back to sleep after that. Maybe I'll try to get back to sleep now. Or in a few minutes. Smoke a cigarette first. Now that I think of it, the only times I didn't have many sleep issues was when I was a big pothead. Haven't smoked in 2 years though but I've really been wanting to lately. Ugh.

Cop killings are on my mind right now. Ever since this kid was killed by a cop in Ferguson, Missouri back in August (which was justified), there have been strings of police officers being killed. Two in two days. And it's sad that it doesn't even make the national news half the time. A cop was killed on Wednesday in Georgia. Shot to death. And today (well, technically yesterday) a hometown hero in the City of Brotherly Love was shot and killed. Shot three times, once in the head. It's a fucking disgrace. Both cops left behind children. The Philly cop had a 9 year old and a 1 year old. At least the older one got a chance to know his father but the baby will have no memories of him. It's really fucking sad. I thought about becoming a cop. I would still like to but I'm getting too old. Almost 30, completely out of shape, and no driver's license. You need to have a license for at least 3 years. Sucks.

Yay it's March! Winter is almost over! I hate winter. We've been getting a lot of snow the past month or so. Got like 8 inches yesterday. I don't want spring to come though. I want it to skip straight to summer.

So, last month, Nicholas Coia went to court. Almost 12 years ago, he was one of the kids that killed my friend Jason Sweeney. I was friends with him too. And his brother Domenic. I didn't know the other two, Eddie Batzig and Justina Morley. Justina lured Sweeney to his death. She took him to an isolated spot back by the Delaware river, a place I used to go with Dom to smoke weed. She lured him for sex. After they got there and he pulled his pants down, the boys jumped out and beat him to death with a hammer, a hatchet, and a rock. All for his paycheck so they could get high. They beat his head and face so bad, every bone was broken except his left cheekbone. When he was found, they didn't know if he was an old man or a young kid. He was only 16 years old. The boys got sentenced to life in prison, while the whore got 17-1/2 to 35 years (only about 5-1/2 years left until she's eligible for parole). A few years back, the Supreme Court decided that sentencing anyone under 18 to life in prison is cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of I think the 18th admendment. So anyone who was under 18 when they committed a crime and was sentenced to life can appeal their sentence, which is exactly what Nicky did. Sweeney's sister Melissa had his friends and family members write a letter for court. The judge decided to uphold his life sentence. Thank God. It's bad enough the girl will be getting out eventually. It's a shame that the family had to go through that again. I could write a lot more on that topic. Maybe I will tomorrow.

It's after 3am now. I think I'll try to get back to sleep. Goodnight.

#BlueLivesMatter #CopsLivesMatter

On Thursday, a Philadelphia police officer was murdered. Officer Robert Wilson of the 22nd district went into a Game Stop for a security check and to buy a gift for his son, whose birthday is this upcoming Monday. While he was in the store, two armed men, brothers, walked into the store and announced a robbery. Officer Wilson took action. A shootout began. The officer never took cover and continued to shoot even while he was being shot. He was shot three times, once in the head. He died a short time after. T.his is a disgrace. The day before, a police officer was murdered in Georgia. He was also shot in the head. I think his name was Terrence Green.

Ever since the grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for killing a criminal, cops lives have been in even more danger. All those protests all over the country, people walking around with their hands in the air saying, "Hands up, don't shoot," hashtagging on social media blacklivesmatter, sympathetic with someone who just robbed a store then tried taking Darren Wilson's gun, then was shot as he was charging towards Officer Wilson, yet they still believe Michael Brown was an innocent victim. HE WASN'T. It was all over the news for months, yet these cops don't get national attention. I wouldn't even have heard of Officer Green of it wasn't for Facebook. It's a disgrace. Police officers go to work everyday and don't know if they'll see their families again. Officer Green had 4 sons who will never see their father again. Officer Robert Wilson had a 9 year old son and a 1 year old baby. That baby won't even have a memory of his father. Black lives matter? Both of these cops were black. #BlueLivesMatter #CopsLivesMatter #ALLLivesMatter

East Coast Earthquake and Hurricane Irene

Just before 2PM, I was laying in my bed minding my own business when the bed started to shake.  I thought my brother was in his closet doing whatever dumb shit it is that he does.  I got up and started to get dressed to go yell at him when my entire bedroom started to shake.  I had a million thoughts.  One thought was my house was going to collapse.  Another thought was that my street was being worked on and the workers hit something that made the house shake (almost a month ago, part of my street caved in and workers from PGW [Philadelphia Gas Works] had been fixing it).  I went to open my bedroom window.  Before I did, I saw a neighbor across the street come out of her house and another with his head out the window.  I opened it and heard the little old ladies on the block talking.  I stuck my head out and saw my dad outside and asked him what just happened, as I didn't see any workers there.  He told me it was an earthquake.  I went on Facebook and of course, there were about a hundred statuses talking about the earthquake and the end of the world.  Turns out, a 5.9 magnitude quake hit Virginia and its effects were felt all up and down the eastern coast, stretching as far north as New York, as far south as Georgia and as far west as Illinois.

For a few days, meteorologists have been tracking Hurricane Irene.  Today, they decided to announce that the path of the storm was straight up the eastern seaboard.  Wahoo!  Even though Philly isn't near the ocean, I'm sure we will be effected by it.  I'm not looking forward to the rain but I am looking forward to the science behind it.  These kinds of things fascinate me.  I should really switch my major to science or geography or something like that!

I'm just glad that I was at the shore this past weekend and not this upcoming weekend!

Freedom Isn't Free

Michael Strange, a Philly native, was one of the brave men in Navy Seals Team 6 who died last week in the helicopter that was shot down.  His sacrifice gives people freedom of speech like those in the Westboro Baptist "Church."  They are planning to picket at his funeral.  It is absolutely ridiculous that they are allowed to do this.  That poor family is already going through hard times and to have them at his funeral, holding up signs that say "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" is horrible.  These people deserve to be shot.  I'm Catholic but not an entirely religious person.  God doesn't hate anyone.  God loves.  God forgives.  He doesn't hate 'faggots' or the world.  People say if God existed, bad things wouldn't happen in the world.  There has to be suffering for there to be sorrow.  If there wasn't suffering, the world would be in even more peril.  RIP to the brave souls who have lost their lives while serving our country and ensuring our freedom.  RIP Michael Strange.

Tastykakes!

If you are fortunate enough to live in Philly or it's surrounding areas, you are fortunate enough to have experienced the delicious taste of Tastykakes (I sound like a commercial - talk about free promotion!).  If you have never had a Tastykake, I feel sorry for you.  Peanut Butter Tandy Kakes, Jelly Krimpets, Tasty Klair Pie.  They just came out with a limited edition pie, Pineapple and Cheese (basically a gooey, delicious pineapple cheesecake).  I remember when the krimpets actually had jelly in them and the tandy kakes had a lot of peanut butter.  Definitely skimp now but still delicious, especially the tandy kakes, my favorite.  What I'm really pissed about though is the fact that they don't make Tasty Klair Pies in the summer.  I'm dying for one right now!

How To Beat the Summer Heat

We are having our worst heatwave of the summer thus far in Philly.  This weekend, temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees.  I normally love the heat but this summer, I'm just not feeling it.  Maybe it's because I've been stuck in a cold office the whole season and haven't gotten to enjoy a single day in the sun (hence my pale ass white skin which is usually a nice bronze by this time of year).  Here's some tips on surviving through these desert-like conditions.  (This website also has some interesting ideas: Top Ten Ways To Beat the Summer Heat)

• Go swimming - or if you live here and are ghetto, turn the fire hydrant on.  Avoid public pools that are likely to be filled with a bunch of kids' piss.
• Enjoy some water ice - if you don't live in Philly, this sounds like a contradiction: water and ice?  Think if it as what other places call Italian ice, only real, freshly scooped Philly water ice is two hundred times better than those little frozen containers you buy at the supermarket
• Buy one of those spray bottles with the battery-operated fan (I could think of something better to use those batteries in though...)
• Walk around the mall - free air conditioner
• Sit under the air conditioner in your home.  Better yet, turn the AC on full blast and work up a sweat getting randy in bed
• Sit outside and work on your tan but keep your feet in a bucket of cold water.  Granted, in heat like this you will probably have to change the water every ten minutes or so or it may just boil up on you, turning your feet into boiled hot dogs
• Go to a museum - they can be fun (and I'm sure perverts like me could think of a way to make a museum trip even more fun!)

Stay cool everyone!  Add your own tips to avoid heat exhaustion like poor Doc Halladay did in the Phillies game in Chicago yesterday!

Awesome video from a GOOD local Philly band

Without You in my Life by Perception of Reality. These guys are great and put on a great show! I was at both shows that were recorded for this video and both times (like every time) were some fun ass nights!