Guess I Seen It Coming

Well, the certain woman mentioned earlier that I like has made it clear . . . she don't want to see me no more. I pretty much saw it coming, especially since I've been down this path too many times. But it's still a bummer. Oh well, that's life. Maybe I'll have better luck next time. Then again, I do stop and wonder if I'll ever find "the one". At least we're remaining on friendly terms. Of course, with the exception of a certain little girl mentioned in the previous entry, I've always been able to remain on friendly terms with women I went out with . . .

Dedication, Part II

In an earlier blog entry, I had a few disparaging things to say about a certain little girl named Lori Sheirich. Having had some time to reflect upon the issue, I wish to apologize for that entry. To be clear, this is not a retraction, nor do I say that any untruths were stated. But, in making the post, I was guilty of the same level of childishness which I accused her of. Quite simply, it wasn't cool of me to do what I did (the blog entry). Not meaning to sound like a Bible thumper (though I do try to be a decent Christian), the Good Book does tell us to turn the other cheek when someone wrongs us, and to "Bless those who persecute you; bless, do not curse." So, I apologize for cursing her; apologize to her for my childish behavior; forgive her for her behavior; and hope that she forgives mine.

Now I realize that I could easily have just gone back and deleted the original blog entry. And I considered doing just that even with the apology. But, it is much better to face our mistakes than to cover them up.

I also wish to add at this time that Lori does have the potential to be a truly beautiful woman--she is very pretty, intelligent and has many key building blocks of a pleasant personality. I sincerely hope that she realizes and fullfills that potential--once she does, the man who wins her heart will be exceedingly lucky.

Down and Out

So, today I'm listening to some Nickelback while working out, and this one line just keeps sticking out to me. "Something's gotta go wrong cuz I'm feeling too damn good." And I'm sitting there thinking "Y'know, that's pretty much the story of my life." Seems like every time things start looking up for me, something causes it to take a nose dive. Majority of the time, it seems to involve women, too. Sure, there have been plenty of times that the crap is centered around work, or the house, or whatever. But usually it's in the realm of relationships.

As you probably guessed, I've been a bit down lately. Things seemed to be going rather well with a certain young woman I met . . . we went out a few times, talked a lot, etc. But for the last several weeks, it seems there's been a sudden change. It takes her a week or more to respond to an e-mail, sometimes doesn't return a phone call, and usually has an excuse not to get together. She says it's just because she's super busy right now, and has stated that she'd like to get together again. But, honestly, I've heard that line before, and always ended along the lines of "I only like you as a friend", evolving into a total cold shoulder, or worse. So, I'm not really sure what to think. I'm hoping things will work out well (romantically, that is). Not meaning to sound like a dweeby high schooler, but there's something really special about her. First, she's absolutely gorgeous--I just can't get enough of staring into those hypnotic brown eyes. But she's also smart as a whip, has a sarcastic sense of humor that just about matches my own, loves '80's music, has an incredibly inspiring faith in God, has a thing for wolves (the most awesomest animal on the face of the planet) and has simple yet elegant tastes (leans toward simple/crafty jewelry rather than flashy). I can honestly say that she is truly one of the most beautifull women I have ever met (and I base beauty on the total package, not just looks).

Well, I better end this, before I start pining on like too much of a goober. All I can say is I wish she'd be clear about how she felt--if she's interested in me, I think it's not too much to ask that she make a little time in her schedule to talk or get together; and if she's not interested, she should say so, to avoid any awkwardness or misunderstandings. All I can do right now though is try to keep in touch, be a nice guy, and offer a little prayer now and again. Wish me luck . . .

So Long, And Thanks For The Memories

Well, a few days ago, it was made official. Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in NASCAR's Winston Cup (sorry Nextel, it'll always be the Winston Cup to me) announced he'll be retiring after the 2005 season. Now, admittedly, my interest in NASCAR has wanned quite a bit in recent times. As a matter of fact, this is the first time in several years that I have not attended a race live, and have only watched 1-2 races in their entirety. In truth, I haven't even cared that I completely missed most of the races this season. Lots of b.s. changes on NASCAR's part (most noteably the completely idiotic Chase for the Championship points change) have really alienated this fan.

But, I digress. I've been a Rusty fan since the 1993 season, based in no small part on his tributes to Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison (both of whome were tragically taken from us that year). Rusty's hard-racing style, no-nonsense commentary and genuine love of the sport. And of course, his traditional dominance on the short tracks (my favorite) helped a lot.

Anywho, Rusty's announcement means two things for me. First, it's a bit of a sad day. Like I said, I'm a Rusty fan. He's been a fabulous spokesman and great racer, bringing a lot to the sport. Plus, it's always a tad saddening when one of the better "old-timers" leaves. I felt the same way about Bill Elliott's retirement. And would feel the same if it were Mark Martin, Terry Labonte or a host of others choosing to leave. But, I suppose that's just a part of life. The bad news for NASCAR (yeah, right--like they care) is that after the 2005 season, I truly will not have hardly any reason to support their sport. It is, essentially, the final call . . . the last interest.

Secondly, is the part that NASCAR will probably like (as much as they can like the response of one single fan). It means that I definitely will have to pay attention to the 2005 season. Watch as many races as I can. And, most likely, attend at least 1-2 races live, just to see Rusty on the track one last time.

Again, I guess it's a part of life. But despite the sorrow I feel at seeing such a great driver hang up his helmet, I'm happy for Rusty. He's had a great career, brought a ton of entertainment to fans like me and accomplished many great things in the sport. So, thank you, Rusty. It's been fun. And it won't be the same watching a race without seeing you on the track.


Rusty at Phoenix 2002 

Commercial Idiocy

What's with some of these commercials? Why are companies actively advertising to/for morons? For example, the VW ad where the salesman tells the test-driver to "accellerate through this turn". The driver does so, then starts screaming in excitement like a raving lunatic. What is VW's message here? To me, it says "Drive our cars, and you too will lose all sensibilities, scream like an idiot and make a fool of yourself."

Another fine example is the cereal commercial showing a guy munching on a bowl at his office desk while he gets fired (and the follow-up where he gets fired again, and again, and again), but can't hear his boss because the cereal crunches too loud. Message? "Eat our cereal and you will become oblivious to the world, so stupid that you will be fired from your job and not even realize it."

Now you'd think that companies would want to portray their customers in a positive light, rather than show blathering idiots as the kinds of folks who use their products. I dunno, maybe that's why I'm not in marketting.