1) The Korean War lasted 11 seasons, yet had one Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, five winters/Christmases and two New Years. (M*A*S*H)
2) No matter how many warnings, criminals always choose the hard way. (Walker: Texas Ranger)
3) If you have Friends, everyone knows your name at the local coffee shop (or bar). (Friends & Cheers)
4) No matter the odds & situation, no one will get hurt . . . and the plan will always succeed. (A-Team)
5) Seeking out new life and new civilizations means boldly going where no one has gone before. (Star Trek)
6) No matter how many conspiracies one debunks and exposes, more always exist - and you cannot trust anyone. (X-Files)
7) Even if you are a POW, you can still carry out secret missions and keep the enemy from succeeding at every turn (while making them look like bumbling fools). (Hogan's Heroes)
8) Mundane moments may be subtly about nothing, but can demonstrate the inanities of everyday life - close talkers, man hands, face painters, shrinkage, regifters, being master of one's domain, yada yada yada . . . (Seinfeld)
9) Obstructing, hiding or destroying evidence matters very little - because they can test for it. (CSI)
10) Sometimes, it really does only take a pocket knife & duct tape. (MacGyver)
©2006 Steve Sagarra
I was watching Wicker Park last night, which, no, does not have John Cusack in it. But it made me think to Serendipity, which does. And that triggered some thoughts . . .
At times, I feel like Lloyd Dobler standing in front of Diane's house blaring a shared moment. Only to realize I'm at the wrong house. Yeah, I've written that letter. I wrote it in 8th grade, and again - metaphorically and real - on several occasions years later. Half of me wishes those "letters" never existed, destroyed by the same flames that fanned their sentiment. Each time thinking it was "that moment." Each time realizing the futility, never learning my lesson. Fortunately, futility outweighs regret. Had those letters never existed, that's exactly what would have come to pass - never having said what needed to be, even if it meant rejection and loss. Never knowing, always wondering.
However, it does seem that every story since is a composite version of that first time. But, sometimes you just have to draw the line at the unrequited. Perhaps that's the swift kick to the head that alters things forever - sitting alone, your whole life flashing before your eyes. I don't know. Does anyone know? Because I've listened to my gut in the past, and quite frankly my guts have shit for brains.
Once you get the shit beat out of you, your heart does mend and move on - thats the function of pain and heartache. The universe lets you go through that to come out to a better place. Does one listen to the thousands and thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain and loss to enhance an already fragile state, or does the misery simply resonate from the music with which we identify because of that emotional state? Do you need just someone, or do you need that certain someone? And are they calling off their wedding and heading to the park, where you now wait for them to show up?
©2006 Steve Sagarra
People who know me know that I don't care, in general, for people. By that, I mean stupid, annoying, wish-they-would-die type people. You know, the average person walking down the street. I'm not an angry person by nature, but my blood runs hot whenever I encounter these types. I'm not saying that I'm the smartest person. Trust me, I've done a lot of stupid things in my life. It's just they are few and far between, not a lifetime. Bragging and pride aside, I do consider myself an intelligent individual - a mix of both book and street smarts. But there are people who have absolutely none of either one. To quote George Carlin:
"Some people are really fucking stupid! Did you ever notice that? How many really stupid people you run into during the day? Goddamn theres a lot of stupid bastards walking around. Carry a little pad and pencil with you. You'll wind up with thirty or forty names by the end of the day. Look at it this way think of how stupid the average person is and then realize that half of them are stupider than that. And it doesn't take you very long to spot one of them does it? Take you about eight seconds. You'll be listening to some guy, you say, 'this guy is fucking stupid!'"
Bill Engvall figured out a solution to the problem:
"Stupid people should have to wear signs that just say, 'I'm Stupid.' That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you? You wouldn't ask them anything. It would be like, 'Excuse me . . . oops . . . never mind, didn't see your sign.'"
I've worked almost my entire life in the food and beverage industry, as a bartender and manager. I've encountered a lot of stupid customers . . . and they were never right. Never! As it turns out, I'd rather spend time with my dogs than with most people. Dogs are wickedly innocent - they know they peed in the house, I know they peed in the house. But they scrunch up their face, put their head down or roll over to have their belly rubbed, and that anger goes away. People aren't like that, they aren't as repentant.
I'm not completely soured on people though. Anyone who knows me knows that when it comes to friends - true friends - I am loyal and encouraging to the bone. I'd take a bullet for most of my closest friends. That's how deep my friendship runs. That's also why I have a close-knit, core group of friends that most people don't - most of us have known each other since elementary/junior high, and we all share the same attitudes. There is an unbreakable bond between us that has long been established. That sort of trust is earned, not just given. But I don't trust a majority of people. Maybe it comes from watching too much "CSI" or "Law & Order"-type shows, but I'm guarded and suspicious toward others by nature. Ever watch those "Autopsy" shows?! For the most part, I think people are evil, and if left to their own vices would do the worst rather than strive for their best simply because they could.
That's why I hate people. Especially the stupid ones.
©2006 Steve Sagarra
