Music Is My Therapy

Hey all.

You know, I started this blog as a vehicle to release some daily pent up frustrations that would develop during the course of any given day. I seemed to let big and small things get to me. Whether it was the person at the drive-thru window, not thanking me for my business or a coworker continually patting themselves on the back or brown-nosing the boss. Just things in general that I apparently was puting WAY too much thought into.

As an example of how bad it got, every morning I would get up, make my coffee and turn on the local news. Inevitably a news story would air about some kid who is being charged in a murder or was killed in an apparent gang-related drive-by at 3 in the morning. Then, on cue, a relative of the suspect/victim would be on my screen telling everyone how good this person was. How they don't roll with gangbangers and that they (the family) are angry at the system for one thing or another. Immediately following this, the broadcast displays a picture of the suspect/victim. Typically it's of some bad-ass "wannabe" flashing a gang sign, representing.

WKRG.com Video

Note: I fully agree with the man at the end of this video about judging a book by it's cover. Maybe it's the news or the authority to blame for this stereotyping that runs rampant in today's society.

Now at this point the blood pressure is going up. Several questions are racing through my mind. Such as: What the heck is a young kid like that doing out on the street at 3 A.M.? Does this family member really think they're believable when you can clearly see gang affiliation tattoos on the neck in the picture? Is that the best picture they could come up with for this kid? See what I mean about puting too much thought into things?

I remember another story with video of a 20 year old who was throwing punches at the police who were trying to subdue him after being called to a family disturbance. They eventually tazered the suspect who wound up dying at the hospital afterwards. Do I feel sorry? Yes, of course I do. It just makes it a little harder when you find out later a toxicology report showed the victim had ungodly amounts of some illegal narcotic in his system. Yep. You guessed it. There's the family member, on my screen again, saying how good this person was and that they wouldn't hurt anyone. People, I saw the video. he was trying to hurt someone!!!!!!

The main reason I've had minimal activity on this blog is most of my energy has gone into my "70's Classic Rock" site. Music is something I had been into for years and until recently had allowed other priorities to push it to the bottom of the list. Well, now it's at the top again. I find great relief of stress searching and planning out the groups I share my personal memories about. Videos, classic players and images from a hassle-free time in my life. The comments from others who share their love and appreciation for the music and memories of the 60's, 70's and 80's eras.
It's very rewarding when something you wrote connects with people on a peaceful, personal level. A common thread of just puting the headphones on and slipping away into your own little world.

I've come to realize that, for me, that's what blogging is meant to be. A sharing of thoughts that others can appreciate and thus infect their days with memories from their youth.

I'm not sure how long "Just-Shout" will continue. There are still Entrecard members who want to advertise on this site. However, I have found another vehicle in easing the day-to-day irritations of life in the big city and it doesn't involve a whole lot of negativity.

Thank you for your visits and be sure to follow the link in the upper right to "70's Classic Rock" if you want a release of a different kind. As always, do leave a comment "pro or con" about your opinion.

The Campaign Trail

I know I've been gone for awhile, but I've been busy on the campaign trail. I'd appreciate your support for a less stressful future. Watch the video below. It's proof of my fluke of a candidacy.



Don't vote for me.... vote for America ;-).

What the..... ?

Have you guys seen this? Are you freakin' kidding me?



No one, not even the guy crossing the street stoppped to render aid. Hartford! What's going on there? I have Robocop playing right now and let me tell you people, "we're not too far away from this movie". Not when we just ignore each other. I can only hope it's the minority who are like this and NOT the majority.

What do you think?

I'm back and "badder " than ever.

I've missed you all. The Mrs. and I took a month off to get lost and you know what, I felt great while I was away, but... and that's a big "BUT", once we got back, all the relaxation and pressure relief disappeared.

I came back to a neighbor with an all night party. Maybe I wouldn't have minded so much if we had been invited. What do you think? Maybe a warning? A note slipped under my paw that after 4 weeks of traveling and arriving home I might be coming back to a rest-less night. Blood pressure, "pow" shot right back up. Thank you Hendersons.



For those of you saying, "well, maybe they didn't know you were away." People, they were picking up our newspapers everyday and feeding the birds for us. I mean there were even cars parked in our driveway. Come on.

You know, that actually makes me feel better to let it out. Thanks for the open ear. Wondering if I should give them the thank you gifts we picked up along the way.

How would you have reacted? Have you experienced a pain-in-the-butt neighbor at anytime? What did you do?

Dumber By Design!!

I came across this article by Jack Deal I had to share with you.


Article Directory | Dumber by Design: We're Feeble-Minded, What's Your Excuse?

Dumber by Design: We're Feeble-Minded, What's Your Excuse?

By: Jack Deal

There you have it and we admit we have thrown in the towel. We have lost interest in everything. That doesn't mean we're bored; it just means we have no interests. None. With no interests it's harder to get bored, no?

At any rate, we have what the cowboys would say 'gone out to pasture'. In other words, our useful and productive days on this planet have since passed. We don't do anything; we just exist and speak a collective 'we'.

If you are as young as you feel, what happens when you feel you are really old? Does your usefulness as marketing fodder diminish as you mentally prepare for your very own final check out time? If adult means the opposite of kid and kid means interested then adult means not interested? That's us. We just aren't interested in anything, like we have been telling you...

We have been there and done that. We have seen it all and done it all several times already and just aren't interested in anything at the moment and that also includes the foreseeable future. We are what the medical researchers call the "flat lined living"; it might look like something is going on, but believe me, nobody is home. Not anyone that matters anyway...

We became this stupid through great effort and we resent those that demean and belittle our far reaching efforts. It's in our spirit and in our blood...it's what we do. We consume, go to the store, go to the clinic, and consume some more. It's us. Again, it's what we do. We like to do our fair share to make it all work out hunky-dory for everybody...isn't this a great country?

Well, for most of us it is a great country. Except those that have to live here...ha, just kidding. We also dumbed down by not thinking very much and by not thinking about much of substance. That way we make certain we have nothing to discuss, especially with Dog off the air. Dog was the last truly intellectual informational TV series in our time. Dog was actually the last intellectual thing in our life period. We still talk about Dog.

We all want a dream job like Dog's old job. Man, did he have it made. But alas, we get what we get, not what we think we deserve. Unfortunately our expectations are usually too high and we feel burned by any result that is less than spectacular, such as our work life. If there is one part of our lives that reeks or isn't spectacular, it's our work.

We work because we have to. That's it. We put ourselves in this have-to box and we have no easy way out. So we sit in the trap year after year. Decade after decade. It makes us dumber by design.

That's us...dumber by design. After so many years, we cease to function on a normal level and get this quizzical look. We don't answer because we don't hear the question, so we look puzzled because we have no idea what the heck you just said. We are so wrapped up in our own little microcosmic universe that we cease to register and record what is actually going on around us. Sorry, we've already checked out. Hence, we appear really thick but in reality, we just aren't home.

But we do try to keep our spirits up, no thanks to others like you. They nag and gripe and complain at every twist and at times are simply unpredictable. And we seem always to get kneed by the unpredictable...

So what else is new? Actually not much. You see, once you have done it all there's not much left to do. It all becomes a type of repetition and dance of futility. But all is not lost, no, not if we can help it. Our mantra, "I didn't do it!" was, is and shall remain the statement of our faith, belief and hope. With zero expectations we're just thankful for a continental breakfast in the morning. And lots of coffee...after that, what else can one realistically expect?

As that fixed glazed look settles somewhat permanently across our sunken eyeballs we know that it is not a matter of if but only a matter of when. We are in the first stages of our final chapter and are trying to go gracefully and if not gracefully, at least with some sort of low key whimper. And why not? It's a long time lying in that cold, cold ground, no?

And maybe if we all close our eyes and wish real hard, we can make it all go nicely away at least until tomorrow. Life goes on. But lest we forget, it's a long time lying in the cold, cold ground...

Author Resource:-> Jack Deal is fascinated by the dumb by design personality profile. Related articlesmay be found at http://www.jddeal.com/blog/business and http://www.freeandinquiringmind.typepad.com

Article From Article Directory

And this is news... How?

I stumbled across this article on Reuters.com, an internationally respected "news" source. What gives? Why are we wasting time on something like "Elvis' Secret Visit to Britain"? Wasting printed paper, wasting internet bandwidth, wasting a small portion of my ram on insignificant articles like this. You may say to me, "Well Art, if you don't like it - don't read it". True, true, but to extend my personal opinion on this kind of wasted garble I suggest why can't we just keep this on the Elvis Presley Super Fan Club homepage. One central location that anyone, who gives a damn, can go and get updated on this and I guess finally get a good nights sleep since it's been nawing at them for the past 50 years.

Don't get me wrong, I myself enjoyed Elvis' music. NOT the movies, but the music I thought and still think is great. But COME ON! Let the man rest in peace already. Out of respect I submit the following article for those who give a damn.


Sorry guys, I originally posted the article and then remembered something about copywrighted material. Here's the link: Elvis' Secret Visit to Britain

_Artster63

Are lawyers paid to NOT do their jobs?

I can remember growing up on the South Side of Chicago and one of our neighbors was a (whisper it) l-a-w-y-e-r. He had a nice sleek house in the middle of the block and I remember he was buddies with our 10th Ward Alderman who the neighborhood would call "Slick Eddie". He was also a l-a-w-y-e-r. Now as a kid growing up on the South Side, I was very impressed with this guy along with a judge and a city planner who were other neighbors. Compared to my step-father who sold insurance, I thought these were the guys to emulate. For me when I grew up I wanted to be just like them, with their "happier than we were" families, their "nicer than we had cars" and their "bigger than we had" houses.

What's the difference between a good lawyer and a great lawyer?
A good lawyer knows the Law. A great lawyer knows the Judge.

As time passed I was always watching shows like Perry Mason and reading books like "The Art to Cross-examination" by Francis L. Wellman. I remember presenting and arguing my point to my parents on the merits of why I had to go to bed at 9:00 while my older brother was able to stay up until 11:00. I even recall one time I put on my little clip on tie over my pajamas to present my case. The whole time envisioning that picture of having a family, a big home and a nice imported car when I grew up. But then, at age 12, I discovered the opposite sex and like that it slipped away. So much for focus as I moved into my teen years.

A man is innocent until proven broke. - Anonymous

I wound up in sales as far as a career is concerned and never again picked up a book on law. However as an adult I did have the need to hirer a lawyer twice. The first time was to sue a neighbor who was making my life miserable with his late night noise and the second was to get divorced. It was after these experiences that I finally understood, what I always considered to be lawyers getting a bum rap with the jokes and the negative stereotyping and all. Several thousands of dollars later and no happier, no richer and no more satisfied, I finally understood. You do realize that this is one of the few industries that doesn't have an official "Refund Policy". I'm talking about the: "If, in 90 days for whatever reason, you are not completely satisfied with the outcome of your case we will refund your retainer and fees in full. That is our guarantee". No, nothing like that. Nothing even close to that. It seems to me that they should only make money when they actually win the case, not lose. What a great profession to be in. Charge $150 per hour or more to either do or not do what you were hired for to begin with. After all, isn't a lawyers true job to win? I mean no one hires an attorney to lose for them.

How many personal injury lawyers does it take to change a light bulb?
Three - One to turn the bulb, one to shake him off the ladder and the third to sue the ladder company.

Well I'll say this much to end. I'm not a l-a-w-y-e-r, (thank God for puberty), I own a condo not a big house and it's just my wife and I and you know what? We're happy. The only thing that could make this better is if I could get her to move back to Chicago. Gooo Cubbies!! Is it just me? Tell me what you think. Other than gambling, have you felt ripped-off by hiring an attorney?


Let me know.