When Love is the Bottom Line

I'd like to thank Krystal for this, as she unintentionally inspired me to write this. Within the course of our conversation, I experienced one of those moments. Moments where you sometime get an answer to a question you weren't asking. But even thought you didn't necessarily ask the question, the power of that answer, while simple, is powerful enough to steer you into a long, happy life.

Basically, without getting into too much detail, my pal Krystal and her boyfriend are working on their relationship, as most any couple does, am I right? But, despite some trials and tribulations they have been having, Krystal still remains confident and relatively upbeat about the relationship because, as she said, "because i know he loves me and that's just the bottom line." Boom. There it is. The moment. A phrase, so simple in it's meaning. So obvious in context. While one can say "Well, DUH!" to it, it can be a phrase so powerful that it causes one's brain to click and that person to discover EXACTLY what they want. However, it could also be a phrase that SOME PEOPLE will sadly never grasp the concept of. But, I like to think I have.

My "epiphany" I guess, is simply this: Love IS what it's all about. And not just fiery, passionate, physical love, but the lasting love that one has for a spouse of many years and their kids. The love that comes from knowing that to some people, you are their world and they can't live without you, with the beauty of it all being that they are your world, aswell and you just as much cannot live without them. I think I'm seeing that in small doses. I see my 9- and 4-year old cousins. They're growing up right in front of my eyes. Hanging out with them and seeing them get excited over the simplest things helps to put my life in perspective. It has further cemented the fact that I do want children of my own that I can help raise and watch grow and help them to not make the mistakes I've made and to hope they can have a great life like I've had with the parents who have loved me for over 20 years now.

And, with that epiphany comes some "advice", I guess? I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's no greater feeling than being in love and there's no worse feeling than losing a loved one. If there IS a God, I believe that our reason for being put on this Earth is prove that we as humans can genuinely care about others and make sacrifices for those we love. With that said, my advice to those in love is to do everything you can to keep that love going strong. Yeah, there are going to be rough patches along the way, but that love will never die if you don't let it. Love is a fragile thing to waste. You should not be ending a relationship if you still love someone and they still love you. If the love is still there, then that's all that should matter.

It's no secret that my ex-girlfriend Nicole broke up with me about a month ago. And I have tried to play it off and act like I'm fine, to be honest I'm not. It sucks. It hurts like crazy. I mean, I loved her very much. I still do! When you are with someone for 2 years and have make them your world for 2 years, that love just doesn't go away. But, I screwed up. I think we both did, really. We would have arguments over the silliest of things. And eventually it got to a point where I said I just wanted to get away and have some time to myself to regroup and do things for me. I shouldn't have done that. At that point in the relationship, I should've been trying to get even closer to her, not get away. And sure enough, while I was doing my selfish "Me-Time", she broke up with me. For the 3rd time. And it sucked. The love of my life was gone, just like that. And what sucks is that I didn't want it to be over. I loved her very much. I had had many fantasies of moving into an apartment with her, marrying her, and having children with her. But, that more than likely is not going to happen. She's more than likely already found someone else, while I'm stuck back at Square 1, with nothing to offer any girl.

So guys, heed my advice. Wise up. Put all egos to the side, cause ego doesn't mean shit when you're broke, alone, and have nothing to live for. That girl in your life. You love her? Thinking about keeping her around? Then make sure you don't make the same selfish mistakes I did. Cherish each day you have with them as if it's your last. And, if you DON'T love the girl your with, take a step back and seriously think hard about what you want out of life and if you think the girl could be the one you want to spend the rest of your life with. If she is, keep her. If not, do you and her both a favor and end it so you can both find someone who will love you just as much as you love them.

And gals, cut the guys some slack. We really are the dumber species, and even when some of us try, we're more than likely doomed to fail at some point. Please understand that our shortcomings are something we try hard not to do but they occur anyway and please don't base your love of us on our shortcomings. Please take a bigger look at the fact that we do love you and that we will do anything for you. Remember that no matter what the problem is, love IS still the bottom line in all this. Love. Don't ruin it. Please.

What Really Grinds My Gears

You know what really grinds MY gears?! This new saying I've been hearing lately about how some expert so-and-so "has forgotten more about *insert topic here* than you'll ever learn" What's up with that? I've been hearing about it on ESPN a lot lately. So-and-so "has forgotten more about baseball than most will ever know." Wait. Hold up. What the fuck? You are just contradicting your company and credibility with that statement. You're bringing on a so-called "expert" in whatever field you're talking about. Experts are supposed to know EVERYTHING. But, they've somehow forgotten a bunch of shit? What the fuck? Experts don't forget anything, plain and simple.

You know what else grinds my gears, the fact that we drive on parkways but park our cars in driveways. I mean, that's about as retarded as Iceland and Greenland. Iceland is very beautiful, and Greenland is covered in ice (Thank you Iceland chick from D2: The Mighty Ducks) I mean, what genious decided to name those 2 countries that?

Guy 1: "Hey, I have an idea. Lets call the land with a whole bunch of ice 'Greenland' and the land with a bunch of trees 'Iceland'. That'll REALLY fuck their shit up."

Guy 2: "HAHA. Do it, dude. You won't you totally won't................OH DUDE YOU JUST DID IT! YOU NAMED THE TWO COUNTRIES THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY SHOULD REPRESENT! YOU'RE SUCH A FUCKING BAD ASS!"

You know what ELSE grinds my gears? FOX News. I mean, I really don't even have to explain it, really. Just watch it. These prejudice, ultra-religious, right-wing nutjobs practically WANT Obama to fail. It's crazy that this is still considered a legitimate news source.

You know what else grinds my gears? When people leave their number on my voice mail and say it so fast you can't get it written down. So there I am, listening to my voicemail, and the messenger will go from speaking in his normal voice to Speedy Gonzalez in nothing flat.

Messenger: "Give me a call, my number is sixonetwoeightfiveninefiveonenineseven."

Me: "What the hell, I've got 12 numbers here. How the hell did I get 12 numbers? And for some reason I have a 'G' in here. Yep, a fricken 'G'."

Whenever I leave a message for someone that doesn't have my number, I always make sure to use the same rhythm and pauses that are socially adequate. "Five-Five-Fiiiiiiiiiiive.............Four-Two..............Three-Six." If you can't get that, then you're just not paying attention.

I absolutely CANNOT wait for Colts season to start. I'm pucken fumped. Who wants to go to a game or 2 with me?!