An Unexpected Lesson

I am occasionally surprised at how an event in the news, with seemingly no effect on my life, somehow spurs thoughts and emotions I would never expect to experience as a result of that story. But today, one such story had a profound effect on me; Steve Buckley announced he is gay.

For those of you who don't know, Steve Buckley is a sports journalist in Boston. He has been covering sports all through New England for over thirty years. You cannot turn on a sports TV or radio show without seeing or hearing him, or at the very least hear reactions to his columns in the Boston Herald. He has even appeared on National Broadcasts. His knowledge of sports is encyclopedic. And in his column today, he came out.

Steve appears weekly on The Big O radio show on WEEI. I had to tune in today to hear what mayhem might ensue. I was deeply shocked, but not disappointed, that host Glenn Ordway and co-host du jour Rob Bradford kept a professional attitude during the show, and I was thrilled at the in-depth questions being asked, and Steve's willingness to bare his soul to the audience.

Sometimes, when I listen to an interview, a simple little throw-away line might cause the most reflection in me. That happened when Steve said he resented not being able to put himself out there to find someone special. I sat in my car stunned that Steve Buckley had just hit the proverbial nail on the head. Suddenly, my eyes were opened to answers and truths that had long eluded me.

I was raised in two different fundamentalist religions, and was always taught homosexuality is a moral sin. As I grew older, I admit that I would not hesitate to crack a gay joke with the guys, and I have been told By some folk I do a good gay voice. I never considered myself a homophobe, or a hater, but I knew it was a lifestyle I would never lead. But hey, to each his own, as long as it doesn't hurt someone else, right? But listening to Steve talk about his life, and his situation, I realized that in the final analysis, Steve the gay man and Pete the heterosexual want the exact same thing; someone special to love them.

I had found that someone a long time ago and let her get away. I still hope that I can capture that feeling again someday, but up to now my search has been for naught. But I hope someday I will find someone to love me, and treat me special. And Steve Buckley is now free to seek his special someone.

I hope Steve finds his special someone someday. There is no better feeling on Earth. I know, because I had it once. And I hope against all odds lightning may strike twice.

Thank you Steve Buckley. Thank you for making me undertand that race, gender, religion and sexual preference just don't matter because, after all is said and done, we all want the same thing- to be loved.

Take care my friends.

Year end ramblings

Some random thoughts as we head into the new year:

There is a proportionate relationship of the increase in my age and my dislike of snow.

2010 has been the least healthy year of my life.

I finished my college courses, and now am the first member of my family to earn a college degree.

Just when I was starting to appreciate some of President Obama's accomplishments, the GOP kicked historic butt in the November Elections. Now nothing will get done, unless it benefits the pharmaceuticals.

Every man needs a good woman in his life. That doesn't necessarily mean he has to marry her...

Creation or evolution doesn't matter. But recognizing the fact we have one mouth and two ears means that however we got them, we are designed to listen twice as much as we talk.

My reading list is getting longer, but my reading time is getting shorter.

Being a misanthrope is easy, but not a lot of fun.

With all the mis-information flying around in the air, it's a wonder there aren't more mid-air collusions...

Why do we celebrate Columbus Day, when in four trips across the Atlantic he never set foot in North America?

Have you ever noticed how many sleep-aids list restlessness as a possible side-effect?

I had to take a written exam for an addition to my license. The woman asked me what language I wanted the test in. I said the same one as the street signs are written in...she thought I was being a wise-guy. I said it must make road test real easy...just take them to a sign that says "Bridge Out"...if they pass the sign they fail the test...among other things.

I don't know when, or how, but at some point watching pro sports just doesn't matter to me anymore. I think it was when I heard a reporter say "He might have to settle for 16 million a year"...

I used to love Kool-Aid when I was a kid, alcohol from 16-26, soft drinks until 40. Now I find nothing better than a good cup of tea. What the hell is happening to me?

It used to be the biggest nuisance with a telephone was a number that had a "9" in it....now it's when you have a slow song download because you're trying to open an attachment in your e-mail while tracking your flight...

Here's hoping your 2011 is better than 2010. Good health and happiness to all my readers.

Take care, friends.

Happy Virgin Birth, Jesus etc.

Today is December 25th.It is a remarkable day in religious history. Why? Because it is the day a person was born who:

Was a male.

Lived in ancient times.

Had a god for a father.

Had a human virgin for a mother.

Had their birth announced by a heavenly display.

Had their birth announced by celestial music.

Had an attempt on their life by a tyrant while they were still an infant

Met with a violent death.

Rose again from the dead.

I am speaking of course of Jesus Christ. And Hercules. And Mithra. And Hermes. And Prometheus. And Perseus. And Osiris. And Bacchus. And Horus. All of these historical figures match the above criteria.

Others who were also purported to have "virgin births" include Buddha, Romulus, Remus, Attis, Dionysus, Quirrnus, Indra, Zoroaster, Krishna, Fohi, Codom, Quetzalcoatl, and the Greek god Adonis who was born of the virgin Myrrha, many centuries before the birth of Jesus. He was born "at Bethlehem, in the same sacred cave that Christians later claimed as the birthplace of Jesus."(1)

In addition, virgin births were claimed for many Egyptian pharaohs, Greek emperors, and for Alexander the Great of Greece. Why are so many Earthly inhabitants said to have been born to virgins? To put it simply, it gives that person a status that is above normal, making them special. It was a great way to convince people to follow a normal human being. In today's language, it helped draw followers to a cult.

I have a friend who says that Osirus, and Horus, etc. are all synonyms for Satan. If that logic is true, and the tradition of their births are the same as Jesus', then isn't it logical to reason that Jesus is also another synonym for Satan? Or maybe the truth is that NONE of these characters are synonymous with Satan, since Satan is a Christian creation. It makes one wonder, doesn't it?

It certainly gives one reason to investigate a little further...to keep asking questions. For the only way to truly learn about anything is to ask questions, and keep asking until the answers make sense.

Take care my friends.


References
1-B.B. Walker, "The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets," Harper & Row, (1983), Page 10.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081227133417AAs84oB

http://www.religioustolerance.org/virgin_b1.htm

The problem with Santa

My full-time job requires me to drive groups of people in a limousine on joyous occasions. One thing I have noticed is that adults, when free of their children, feel it necessary to talk incessantly about those same offspring they are seeking relief from. A recurring theme among adults is the lack of respect for authority, and the sense of entitlement the younger generation has. Like most things I observe in life, I have a rather simple explanation for this phenomenon...Santa Claus.

I think that Santa Claus, or at least the concept of him, is the reason our children feel like the world revolves around their very existence. We were taught our whole lives that Santa only rewards good behavior, and neglects the bad children. Yet, when Junior has been suspended from school three times, is on probation for lighting fires in school, is on a first name basis with the truant officer, and is not allowed to possess a pocket knife by order of the court, he will no doubt find the newest video game system under the tree because, hey, it's Christmas. Where is the accountability?

I propose that parents keep a log of all the misdeeds their children commit during the year. Then, when presented with their child's list of desired gifts, assign a point value for each gift requested. Do the same with the misdeed list. Deduct the appropriate amount of points, and see if Junior even deserves a stick of gum when your done.

My kids used to have to do chores just to bring the balance up high enough to get Christmas dinner. Try it. It works.

Have a joyful, if undeservedly generous, holiday season my friends.

Where is the Justice?- The Fallout from Bernie Madoff

Unless you have lived in a remote village in Tibet, been in a coma, or like "Dancing with the Stars" et.al., you know the name Bernie Madoff. He was convicted of running the largest Ponzi Scheme not sponsored by a government ever. He was turned in by his two sons, who worked for him, but claim they had no involvement. Now, one of Bernie's sons, two years after Bernie's arrest, was found dead, an apparent suicide.

The whole Madoff story is a spectacular example of pyrrhic justice. Bernie began his scheme many years ago. Those early investors received regular dividend payments as they hoped they would. Everything was going fine until the two sons turned Bernie in. Once the government shut down the operation, all of Bernie's investors lost their money. Ironically, they were better off being scammed by Bernie than being protected by the government. Of course, at some point, the scheme would have to collapse, as all Ponzi schemes do, but for now all was well and good.

Another story in the news this week centered on the "justice" of the government, as they went after Carl and Ruth Shapiro, early investors with Bernie Madoff. The Shapiros first invested in 1961, and the government estimates that they earned $1 BILLION dollars with Bernie's company. In a strange perversion of justice, the government sued the Shapiros for the $1 Billion they had collected as dividends from their investments. In other words, the government sued a victim of the crime to repay other victims of the same crime. Oh, you don't think the Shapiros were victims? This article will show otherwise. What makes this even worse is that the Shapiros are HUGE philanthropists in the Boston area. You cannot find a hospital, museum, or other humanitarian building or organization that doesn't count the Shapiros among its benefactors. Upon the arrest of Mr. Madoff, the Shapiros reluctantly notified the community that no new philanthropic efforts could be made. It is a massive blow to the community, and there are many people whose lives will have less quality because of the losses incurred by the shutdown of Madoff's operation.

Bernie Madoff committed a crime. That's indisputable. The abrupt shutdown of that operation cost many people money. Many others lost the philanthropic efforts of the Shapiros. And Mark Madoff, one of the people who turned in his own father, has lost his life. Is the acquisition of all that money really worth the human costs? The Shapiros used their gains for the benefit of others...Bernie Madoff was just plain greedy. But I do have to wonder about something...was it really necessary to for all these people to lose everything?

I feel that something could have been done differently, I'm just not sure what. I have ideas, but thinking through the execution of them points out numerous flaws. And the more I think about all those people whose lives have been detrimentally affected, the worse I feel. Maybe that's why Mark Madoff committed suicide...just imagine the emotional strain he has lived with for two years, and all because he tried to do something right. And that, in itself, is a whole new level of tragic.

Maybe my poverty is a blessing after all.

Take care, my friends.

PetePedia- 2.0

I started PetePedia over a year ago as a way to encourage people to research things for themselves. In the beginning, I would often take an article, or a comment, and show the opposite viewpoint, usually with references, solely to inspire people to look at all the information, rather than relying on a single source. An informed decision is the best decision.

Somewhere along the line, PetePedia morphed into a mish-mash of opinion/observation/ feelings kind of blog. To put it simply, I lost the focus of the original intent of my blog. So I feel it necessary to start anew, with a new look, a new perspective, and a new format to the blog.

Problem is, I still haven't decided where I want to go from here with the blog. I have the new look, and I hope you like it. Editorially, I have not yet figured out exactly what I want to do though.

I could write strictly opinion pieces. I would express my opinion on certain topics, and then show the path that led me to those opinions. I would hope that format would encourage discourse, where others would comment with other references and facts that might raise my awareness, and that would be good. I may even learn some things that could change my opinions. Isn't that the ultimate goal of seeking knowledge?

I thought about a blog that asked questions. For instance, pick a news story, or a hot topic, and ask the questions that I don't hear being asked. Or maybe just asking questions that get my readers to think about things a little differently.

I could just try to be irreverent, and write snarky little pieces of sarcasm that people might find entertaining. Some would say this is a strong point of mine. Or maybe if I just focused on writing tongue-in-cheek style, seemingly taking one view while actually pointing out its absurdity.

The fact is, I don't know right now. Maybe PetePedia 2.0 will be one of those things, or none of those things. Most likely, it will be somewhere in the middle of those things. So, I have a great deal of contemplation ahead of me, but when I figure it out, I hope you like the result. In the meantime....

Take care my friends.

Thanksgiving Blog-2010

Well, Thanksgiving Day 2010 is here. Out of curiosity, I looked at my blog from last Thanksgiving Day. It was quite interesting to see how my thoughts and realities have existed for the last last year. So, here is an update.

I wrote about a painful ailment that had bothered me for the end of last year. It turns out, I had a very large kidney stone, the size of my thumb, which had to be surgically removed. That issue was resolved successfully.

I wrote at length about a neighbor of mine who was very ill. I had thought he would not make it much longer. Well, here it is a year later, and my neighbor is doing okay. Not spectacular, mind you, but okay. I am glad. And this year he is home from the medical facility he was in last year, so I plan on hearing Alice's Restaurant again (read the blog).

At the bottom of the blog, I put my list of things to be thankful for this year. I have to admit, I was not anticipating such positive thoughts this year. I had the kidney surgery in March, and just when I thought things were going great, I had a heart attack in June, followed by a surgery to install two stents in my heart. I actually returned to the wrestling ring 6 weeks later, as my alter ego, The Manager Steak Daddy. I was feeling great.

However, things have gotten much worse in the last month. I am frustrated, aggravated, medicated, and more complicated. But when I look at last years Thanks list, I see that most of it, if not all, holds true this year also. So this year, I will give Thanks one more time.

I do notice on thing though. As each year passes, I reach a deeper understanding of what giving Thanks is all about. As each year gets harder, or more complicated, or stressful, I appreciate the strength and courage and sheer determination it takes to get up everyday and do it all over again. I am learning to enjoy the simpler things a little more, and worrying about things I can't control a little less. I guess I am mellowing a bit with age.

I thought it would be fun to reprint last year's list, and maybe even comment on it (in parentheses). Here it is:

"I am thankful that I have the ability to smile, no matter how bad things may seem.(Still good)

I am thankful that I have two jobs that give me the opportunity to help those less fortunate than myself. Seeing their lives keeps me humble.( I am down to one job, but it is still humbling)

I am thankful that my ex and I still care about each other, and still get along.(Still true)

I am thankful that I found Facebook, for it has reunited me with the people from the best part of my life.(Also true)

I am thankful I found one very special person, who is a constant inspiration to me, and who motivates me to try to be a better human being.(To be truthful, they found me. And I will be forever grateful for that.)

But mostly, I am thankful that, despite my current discomfort, I know I will get better in a while, with the proper treatment."

Ah, that last one. This year, I cannot honestly say that. I can hope it, but I cannot say it with any definitive certainty. But then I read the last sentence, and I am glad I wrote this a year ago. It is a very good thought. Even I have my moments, I guess. Here it is:

"Life is just too short, and too precious, to dwell on the negative."

I couldn't agree with myself more....

Take care my friends, and Happy Thanksgiving.