Get Back To Me

R.a.n.t. of week 06/27/04

Are friends really friends if they never call you back? No, that's not really a 'deal breaker' for me, but the point is valid. One of my biggest irritants is calling or emailing a friend and never receiving a response. I understand life is hectic, but I always try to make room for is my friends. When I receive a call or email, true I don't run down everyone in my path to get to a computer or phone, but  I do try to respond as soon as I can. Maybe that's why I'm so irritated when my friends don’t. Sometimes it feels like I'm not important enough to get back to. Oh sure, one or two usually get back to me, but some never do. True, we get along great once we are together, but an offline internet message or voice-mail would really hit the spot, and let me know you still care. Particular when I’m feeling down. I know some people aren't as comfortable as I am on the computer, and who really likes leaving phone messages? But a response is something everyone enjoys. I just wish my friends realized this as much as I have.
Reprinted 10/15/12

*Note: I recently revamped this topic, using just an example for the entire rant. You can find the updated r.a.n.t. article HERE





 *PLEASE NOTE - I recently found R.a.n.t. articles posted to an older website I once owned. I've decided to reprint them in my current run, but have decided to edit the articles. For comparisons sake, I've decided to run the unedited versions as well. In a way, it's kind of fun to see how my writing has changed in eight years.


Original R.a.n.t.
Are friends, friends, if they don’t call you back? One of the biggest things that irritates me is calling or emailing a friend and never receiving a response. Now I can understand life is hectic and we all have many things to do, but the one thing I always try to make room for is my friends. Once I receive a call or email I try to respond to it as soon as I possibly can. Maybe that is the reason I find it so irritating when my friends don’t. There have been some weeks where I’ll try to at least call or email everyone I know. One or two people will get back to me, but the rest never do. Oh sure, we get along great once we meet each other in person, but sometimes an offline internet message or a message left on my answering machine would really hit the spot. This would in particular be the case when I’m feeling down. Yea, I know some people do not like to type on the computer as much as I do, and some people do not like to leave phone messages, but I for one love it and sometimes wish that those who are my friends loved it as much as I.

Suffering Loss

R.a.n.t. of week 06/20/04

That feeling you get when you suddenly realize you've misplaced something. It happened to me this weekend as I was in the park having fun with family and friends. As it was time to head out and I suddenly realized my keys were not in my pocket. The result? I spent the first 45 minutes looking in obvious place they could be; park benches where we were sitting or the path from the car to the group site. I then spent the next 30 minutes looking in the least obvious places; the sand by the playground, rooting through the garbage and climbing trees in case a squirrel carried them up were a few locations. Let me tell you, going through a garbage bin after a party for kids is no treat! My buddy Dan helps by lending me a flash-light that doesn't work and critiquing the mess I made with the garbage. I soon realized the chance of finding my lost keys in the dark were minimal. I decided to head home and look in the morning, fortunately I had a spare key. As you might guess, the next day I find them quickly and close to the ball field. Yes, the ball field, a place I spent a total of two minutes. If that.
Reprinted 10/13/12






*PLEASE NOTE - I recently found R.a.n.t. articles posted to an older website I once owned. I've decided to reprint them in my current run, but have decided to edit the articles. For comparisons sake, I've decided to run the unedited versions as well. In a way, it's kind of fun to see how my writing has changed in eight years.


Original R.a.n.t.
This weekend something happened that just really irritates me. I'm at the park with my kids; we're having fun with family and friends. Then as it's time to head out and I suddenly realize that my keys are not in my pocket where they are supposed to be. The result? I spend the next hour looking around the park benches where we were sitting, looking in the sand by the playground, rooting through the garbage on the chance they might have somehow slipped into the garbage somehow. Let me tell you, going through the park garbage bin after a party for kids is no treat! My buddy Dan offers help in the form of a flashlight that does not work and critiquing the mess I made with the garbage. I soon realized the chance of finding my lost keys in the dark were minimal. So what are the options but to wait for the morning light? As it turns out, I find them in the morning fairly quickly and close to the ball field, a place I might have spent a total of two minutes, if that, around. I'm ranting about this today because it's something that seems fairly common to me. I walk in the house and put my keys down, usually when I'm running late for work is when I don't find them right away. Typically I set them by my computer, but when I don't think about it, or have an armload of stuff I'm bringing into the house, I end up misplacing them. Same thing goes for everything else important that's needed fairly quickly; phone numbers, keys, money, and credit cards. It seems at one time or another they all disappear to the same place that my socks keep disappearing to.

Inconsiderate Drivers

R.a.n.t. of week 06/13/04

As per most mornings, today I was driving to work via the free-way. Considering it's rush hour there are several long lines. Two for individual drivers and one carpool lane. Granted, the lines for the solo drivers are considerably longer than the carpool lines, but isn't that the point? Most drivers are like me, waiting reluctantly, but patiently. But having to wait in line is not my rant for the week. What annoys me are the individuals who shoot up the carpool lane, just because it's shorter. I wait my turn as does everyone else. But these jokers either have never heard of the carpool lane, are ignorant and don't know how to read, or are just plain rude. Obviously these people feel they are more important than the rest of us. They are also closely related to the ones who refuse to allow you to merge when you need to. Try as you might, they speed up, as if getting in front of them will delay their travel time an hour or so. Additionally, they are distant cousins of the ones who zip around everyone on the city streets, just to get in front of you, THEN suddenly stomp on their brakes to make a turn. If it's not that, they zip around, just to make it to the next red light. Especially in the morning is this idiotic. Where are they going in such a rush? TO WORK! I'm never in a hurry to get to work. But I also know saving an additional .2 seconds hardly makes much of a difference.
Reprinted 10/12/12






*PLEASE NOTE - I recently found R.a.n.t. articles posted to an older website I once owned. I've decided to reprint them in my current run, but have decided to edit the articles. For comparisons sake, I've decided to run the unedited versions as well. In a way, it's kind of fun to see how my writing has changed in eight years.


Original R.a.n.t.

So I'm driving to work today by way of the free-way. In order to get on the free-way you have to get in line. There are three lines you have to get into, two for those who are alone in the car, and a third for carpool. A carpool consisting of two or more. The lines for the solo drivers are considerably longer than the line for the carpool. Most of the drivers in the morning are like me, we get in line and wait our turn. At the beginning of each line is a stop light that only allows one person at a time. You think that would upset me? Of course not, I'm considerate and I understand the need for them. What I don't get is how some people think they are allowed to shoot up the carpool lane when no one is in it. I wait my turn, as does everyone else. But these jokers either have never heard of the carpool lane, are ignorant and don't know how to read, or are just plain rude. I fail to see how someone that might use these lanes don't know what the carpool lane is for. It's to encourage people to carpool. So these people feel their time is more important than those of us that abide by the rules. Why does it upset me so? Just because I know they don't care. They are most likely the same people that will refuse to allow you to merge when you need to. Have you ever been in one lane and you want to get in the next lane and instead of slowing down and allowing you to merge they speed up as if you getting in front of them will delay them an hour or so. And what's with people that zip around you on the city street just to get in front of you and then suddenly stomp on their brakes to make a turn. Or the one I love is when they zip around you just to make it to the next red light. Some people are so inconsiderate when they drive. Why? Especially in the morning. Where are they typically going? TO WORK! I'm never in a hurry to get to work. And I know being late an additional .2 seconds will not make matters worse.

First R.a.n.t. - Getting Started

R.a.n.t. of week 06/06/04

Okay, let's get started because I need to rant about something and I don't care if you agree with me or not. Yea, I sound like a grump and a grouch, but that's the point. Sometimes I need to rant about what's bugging me. I recently realized I'm prone to talking to myself in the car when something is bugging me. This is true especially when people do not let you merge, (a rant for consideration). So I've decided to start a weekly rant page, voicing (or typing), that which bothers me most. But as I start, I wonder if it's another project that'll fall by the wayside. I have this bad habit of having a great idea, but never doing anything about it. Take my stories for example, PLEASE! No seriously, I have never attempted to get published. Same for my poems. Why? Why do I have a hard time getting something started? Obviously, the most intimidating aspect of any project is getting the ball rolling. Unless of course you decide to be a good bowler, then the most intimidating aspect is admitting you want to own your own bowling ball and carrying bag. I decided to do this Rant page a couple weeks ago, but this is the first time I'm doing it. Why? Most often I feel like George McFly, "What if they don't like it, what if they say you're no good? I'm just not sure I can take that kind of rejection." Well, I've started this, time to see if anyone thinks my writing is no good. Feel free to let me know what you think. I believe I can take that kind of rejection.
Reprinted 10/11/12






*PLEASE NOTE - I recently found old R.a.n.t. articles posted to a website I once owned. I've decided to reprint them in my current run. However, ironically enough, I'm not to fond of the writing so I've decided to edit the articles and repost them. For comparisons sake, I've decided to run the edited version as well as the original. In a way, it's kind of fun to see how my writing has changed in eight years.

Original R.a.n.t.
Okay, let's just get right into it. First of all let me say that I'm not sure if this will be a continual thing. I'll probaly only keep it around with enough participation. If no one wants to share their thoughts and comments, then why should I keep posting this? Yea, I sound like a grump and a grouch here, but that's the point. Sometimes I just need to rant about what is bugging me. I find myself talking to myself in the car, usually when something is really bugging me. Especially when people do not let yo merge into their lane, (that's a rant for possibly next consideration.) So the long and the short of this rant is how much I hate having a great idea, but take so long to get the idea up and moving. Take my stories for example, (please) haha. No seriously, I have never even attempted to have them published. Same goes for my poems. Why? Why do I have a hard time getting started in something? I think the biggest reason is what I'm ranting about, getting started. The most intimidating aspect of anything is getting the ball rolling. I decided I wanted to do this Rant page a couple weeks ago, but this is the first time I'm getting it up. One thing I do find interesting after getting started, is watching what you started change over time. I designed my Legion website for a yahoo group that I had started. I had trouble finding a decent group where I could role-play my favorite Legion hero so I started one. In the process of four years, I've noticed it grow and expand; so much so that I ended up having no time for the game because I was spending an hour or more on the site every day GM'ing threads. But I'm proud that I started that. Why can't I think more about that when I want to get started on something else? Simply because a lot of times I feel like George McFly, "What if they don't like it, what if they say you're no good? I'm just not sure I can take that kind of rejection." Well, I've started this out now, let's see where it takes us.