I thought they put a law in place,,,,

Hello People! How are you all doing? I hope this blog finds you well and that you are safe and most of all WARM! It is still snowing here and we are almost into March...freakin' groundhog seeing his shadow! I am so looking forward to SPRING!!!!

SO what has everybody been up to? I know this weather has been CRAZY for everyone in these United States, it doesn't matter where you live it is hitting us all...

I just came back from a trip to the southeast coast over in Florida! Daytona 500 it is a must see in person. The track is old and they don't have vendors walking up and down the isles like they do in Phoenix and Vegas BUT it is a nice track! Also you can BYOB in Daytona which I have never seen at any track before. ANYWAY....

the trip started out WRONG which should of been a clue then of what was to come. We flew out on US Airways and on the flight back we flew on United. TALK ABOUT ATTITUDE! Their so called customer service reps (ticket agents and gate people) are remarkable! Trust me that is sarcasm....they act like they are doing you a favor by allowing you to fly on there airline. NOT! United airlines policy is and I quote "we sell out the back of the plane first then we start moving forward and increase the price of the ticket." Gary and I had two different seats on the first part of the flight back and a layover in Denver...we asked if we could get different seats together, preferably isle seats, and close to each other since we were six (6) rows apart AND stuck in the middle. The 'ticket agent' said 'yes I can put you two together for an additional $49.00 each. See we have seats that have better leg room that you can purchase for an additional $49.00 each..." I know it was early in the morning but apparently she had been sipping on gin and juice if she thought that was actually a viable option! She said it with a straight face and a smile too...yeah she was seriously demented if she thought we were going to pay additional money on top of what we had already paid to fly in the first place, PLUS the $40.00 bucks they charged us to put our luggage on the plane! Who flies without luggage? SERIOUSLY! Then she says we could check at the gate and see if they showed anything different BUT the flight was full. I said what we can do is choose not to fly your airline again!!! She said well yes you do have a choice and I said yes and I choose not to fly with you again! I am sure that she put a flag on our names because little Miss Sunshine at the gate was SO helpful...she said she would put our names on a list and call if something changed. THEN she proceeded to call every stand-by person she could find (I think she even went out and was recruiting people waiting at other gates) and put them on the plane AND if they were a couple guess what???? YUP they were seated together in better seats! Yeah believe me when I say DO NOT FLY UNITED AIRLINES! THEN of course if you want to eat or drink on their airline it is also an additional costs and they take credit cards only! All I can say is that I am thankful that happened on the way home 'cause seriously! That is no way to start a vacation!!! It is no way to end a vacation either but they pretty much have you by the proverbial nuts at that point. You know what I mean?!

BUT speaking of the start of the vacation...we flew out on US Airways...what a lovely airline! NOT! We get to the airport and I have on 'layers' of clothes...so we stand in line for the security people and they are just a joy aren't they?! Yeah right! As I go to walk through the metal detector machine they tell me I have to take off my sweatshirt. WTF?! My choices were to either, take off the sweatshirt or, be patted down by one of the TSA agents. Well that just sounds like LOADS OF FUN doesn't it?! SO I am standing in the middle of the airport trying to take off my sweatshirt without my undershirt coming up with it. JOY and RAPTURE! I walk through the detector collect ALL my clothes, shoes, purse, etc. and then we start off for the gate. We get there just before they start loading so we don't get anything to eat or drink. We get on the plane and there is some kind of trouble with the computer or something so even though we are ON the plane we are not going anywhere. We wait..and we wait...and we wait...a half hour goes bye-bye...then an hour...still waiting....and I am thinking didn't they put a law in place that says they are not allowed to keep you on a plane for an indefinite amount of time? TWO HOURS LATER we finally get pushed back from the gate to start the flight. After we take off the charming waitresses...I mean stewardesses start coming through with the beverages and 'food'. WELL they had drinks anyway...you know how they start at the front of the plane and work their way back??? Well they got to about the middle of the plane and THEY RAN OUT OF FOOD! Can you say riot?! There was about to be one one that plane. I asked the waitress/stewardess, whatever, how is it possible for the to be out of food when we just took off and you have only gotten to half the plane? As I was asking her this question the lady next to me and the man behind me are yelling over me at the waitress/stewardess and she has her head down and is trying to explain. She says, "I am really sorry about this but we don't usually put food on the plane to equal the passengers we put a percentage based on the passengers...I am sorry." I said are kidding me, you have a FULL FLIGHT and you don't put food on the plane to feed each passenger, especially AFTER WE HAVE BEEN SITTING ON HERE FOR TWO HOURS! You had plenty of time to get more food put on the plane based on the SITUATION forget about the percentage! "I know I am sorry and I am doing the best I can we have never had this happen before, I am shaking...." Gee I guess we should feel sorry for her...but that is not the sentiment of the people on the plane... especially the man behind me with the wife and three (3) kids! Oh did I mention that US Airways charged us $54.00 to put our luggage on the plane? Yeah they did!

Since we sat on the tarmac for TWO (2) hours that made our flight get into Orlando two hours late which meant we missed our shuttle and gave my friend two more hours of drinking ,which of course made her unable to drive, which costs us an additional $35.00 to be taken from Daytona to New Smyrna Beach....I hate US Airways and UNITED! Seriously they suck!

BUT the bright spot of the whole thing....Jr. came in second and he came out of nowhere! It was GREAT! AND they did have some crashes..nobody went end over end or upside down but there were some pile ups, which is why most people go to the races anyway!!!:P)

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Funny how you think you have it bad....

Hello People! Long time no 'see'... how is every little thing with you? I hope this blog finds you well as can be in your circumstance. I must admit I could complain, actually I have tried to complain but every time I do that I always find out that my complaints fail in comparison to someone else.

It's funny how when you think you have it bad you find out someone else has it worst. What is that saying misery loves company? I seriously doubt it! Whether it's a little worst or a lot worst, someone else is always worst off than you thought you were. I was thinking "oh poor me, I don't have a job or money, blah blah blah"! My violin was getting a lot of use, if you know what I mean... THEN I heard about a friend whose house was broken into and their belongings stolen including Christmas gifts...can you imagine the trauma of that? You wake up thinking this is going to be a good day. You go off to do your daily routine and then you come home...a place you once felt safe and secure in...and find your door has been broken open...your things are missing! Someone has been in your house while you were not there and they have gone through your things your personal, private things....what did they do while they were in there? How long were they in there? Did anybody see them in there? What did they touch while they were in there? What else did they do beside take all they could carry? Security is now luxury you don't have it is a thing of the past and you try to fend off paranoia. WHAT'S THAT? WHO'S THERE?! Crazy its just the wind blowing and your cat moving around stealth like in the middle of the night as they usually do. But your mind plays tricks on you now every sound is magnified every shadow is the 'robbers' coming back for more...will you be able to truly rest in this house anymore? It is a house now...no longer feels like a home in the true sense of the word now does it? Will your stolen stuff be found...probably not.... BUT your one consolation here is that neither you nor your family members were home so no one was hurt or worst. Property can be replaced, the uneasy feeling you have will eventually subside and life will go on as 'normal'. AND yes although things seem bad for you believe it or not someone else has it worst. Sad isn't it, that even in this circumstance there is someone else who has it worst than you!

I was feeling sorry for myself about being unemployed and not being able to shop when I want to and pay ridiculous prices for sunglasses or shoes 'just cause'...but in the grand scheme of things compared to my friend and others who not only are unemployed but also homeless and hungry...my situation??? Is that really something to feel sorry about?

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Let it snow....NOT!

Hello People! How are you doing? I hope everything is fine with you and yours. It has been a while since I was on here. I THOUGHT I was going to be blogging more because my mom retired and I don't have a job so that means we would spending time with each other...which interprets into LOTS of stories! BUT it took her retirement a while to kick in and then it started snowing! It has been snowing more than usual for this time of year for this area lately. AMAZINGLY this is more like the snow storms I remember when I was growing up and we never got a snow day! BUT that is another story and me and my friends have had heated discussions on the whimpiness of the school district...oh I am sorry I mean the cautiousness of the school district.

ANYWAY since I have been stuck in the house since last Saturday it is starting to wear on my nerves and my patience. You know when you are around someone for a continuously LONG period of time even though you love them, they eventually become not so cute anymore. Every little sound they make, like breathing, becomes a complete annoyance and you just want to yell WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT?! Of course they will say doing what? And your only response is that breathing in and out...STOP IT! But we are civilized people and we can't do that. SO we sit in silence mostly each jockeying for time on the coveted computer and hoping that the satellite service that operates the Internet doesn't go out because the dish is covered with snow! You think your time on the computer is more important than theirs even if you are only playing games and annoying people on facebook, that is more important than them sitting mindlessly in front of the computer looking at eBay contemplating things to buy. THEN they opt not to buy and you have to listen to them lament about how they should have bought the stupid oil can for $20.00 or the asinine gas pump handle with the buy it now price of $19.99 plus shipping because it is a rare find. BUT they don't buy it and you have to pretend to care that they are now in the throws of a fit because they thought the price would go higher but somebody bought it for $9.99! HELP ME! BUT wait there's more! Then you have things to do which you in an effort to 'share' tell them about and then they become obsessed with your chores. "Did you do your homework yet? You know you need to do your homework. You should get up right now and do your homework!" And you say...you know you should......actually you don't say anything you just have conversations in your head about not sharing anymore because it just eventually gets used against you in the end!

ANYWAY... the sun is shinning today and although your mom previously forbid you to come to town with her "baby" in this bad weather, she calls you around noon and says "You know y'all could have came to town today." Are you kidding me?! "I am sure you guys could use some time out of the house, you have been stuck in there for a while now." REALLY?! At this point you just slump down in your chair and wonder why do you listen to your mother? I am 45 years old, married and taking care of my handicapped sister and I still listen to my mom because why? I'm getting old and I want to go to heaven. (Just kidding. I mean I do want to go to heaven but that is not why I listen to my mom. I listen to her because she is scary!) Bright note mom said that tomorrow we could probably make it in to town and just for something to do we could do some cooking or something. YAY! Oh wait tomorrow the BIG storm is suppose to hit! ....Oh well back to jockeying for the computer, sitting in silence and pretending to care....I guess we are stuck here until....

I hope you all are staying warm, safe and most importantly BLESSED!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Well lets get this party started!

Hello people! How is your new year going so far? So far so good for me. I have had lunch with some friends and dinner with some more friends....AND I started exercising. CRAZY! I know it is.

I went to the Adult Center and signed up to use their facility it is a reasonable fee if you are not a senior citizen only $78.00 for a year but I got mine gratis because my mom is a VIP! Well I assume she is a VIP the county proclaimed January 5, 2010 and every year after her day! So I guess it is who you know that makes the difference.

ANYWAY...when you use this facility you have to meet with a trainer first, which I did yesterday, and she has to sign off that she has met you and shown you the proper use of the equipment. I should have known something was not right when I came in and she was massaging the feet of one of the people who was working out. I am really not a feet person so my initial response was EEEEWWWW! But I digress. SO she asked what I would like to accomplish, if I have ever worked out before etc. I have worked out before I use to kickbox which I actually enjoyed doing you have no idea how much better you feel after you beat and kick the crap out of a heavy bag! AND sometimes we got to beat and kick the crap out of somebody when we sparred! aaaahhhh those were the days! Now I have to work out by myself and it has been awhile so it is harder than I thought it would be. As the lady showed me around the facility I got a chance to get on the different machines and work on them so that she could make sure I understood how to use them. She told me that since I use to kickbox that ALL this stuff would be easy for me and my shape would come back faster than other people's because it is basically there just underneath some extra weight. Yeah right if you say so. After we went over what she considered to be the best possible routine for me (cardio every day and weight training twice a week) I got to use whatever machine I wanted on my own. I decided I would use the elliptical, it seemed harmless enough...NOT! Now the elliptical is situated so that in front of it are 4 treadmills... on these treadmills were two guys and two ladies. One younger lady and one older lady. The ladies were both reading as they calmly and smoothly with the greatest of ease at a steady fast pace walked on these treadmills. WOW is right! Or at least I thought it was a wow moment, I couldn't do it. SO I start on the elliptical and it is pretty easy until I remembered oh yeah I have to push start....and that is when the "fun" started. I had the controls, I THOUGHT, on an easy setting....now remember in front of me is an old lady and a young lady and they are not even breaking a sweat! I on the other hand am sweating like a pig and with each 30, yes that is THIRTY second interval I have to stop cause I can't breathe! I forgot (don't ask me how) that this was a MOVING machine SO just because YOU stop moving doesn't necessarily mean the machine is going to stop moving. Make note of that and remember it! I didn't. I managed to get 2 count them two minutes in on the elliptical machine in thirty second intervals. SAD! I almost threw myself off the machine once because I stopped moving and the machine didn't...

Today I went back to the "gym" and worked out for an hour and ten minutes! YAY! Not really now I can hardly move AND I tried the elliptical again, I am a bit hardheaded and obviously like to learn things the hard way. I almost threw myself off the elliptical machine twice today, (once if it had not been for the computer board in front of me I would have flown across the room. Fortunately I hit the board and only made a slightly audible sound from the wind being knocked out of me). The only thought that came to my mind was 'how embarrassing if I throw myself off this machine or hurt myself or pass out in here and they have to call an ambulance... the ambulance would come not doubt prepared to help an elderly person only to find me, the youngest person, in the room at this time on the floor writhing and gasping for air, while two elderly people lean over me trying to stop the convulsing or breathe life back into me!" I got this mental picture of a friend of mine who said that she ripped her knees up on the treadmill as she was attempting to put the safety key in the machine. The safety key is the key that you put in the machine so that if you do fall or something it will stop the machine. In her case she was in the process, basically reaching to put the key in, and fell on the machine which was set up close to the wall which meant she was wedge in on her knees with this machine running. Can you say serious strawberries! Of course her husband was no help because as she said his only contribution to the situation was to say, "What are you doing to yourself". Didn't stop the machine or help her up...he just wanted to know what she was "doing" to herself. They are getting a divorce now. I know its wrong BUT I have to admit when she told that story I had to laugh cause I could just picture the whole thing...and as karma would have it I just about did the same thing to myself with the elliptical machine. Of course instead of hurting my knees mine would have been my head being knocked, clunk...CLUNK... by the pedals of the machine as it slowed to a stop! OY! I am not discouraged though tomorrow I am going back on that machine and I am going to keep going to the gym everyday and using all the equipment she showed me until I am down to the size I want to be or they kick me out for being accident prone, whichever comes first!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

2010...the beginning

SO HELLO PEOPLE! HAPPY NEW YEAR! It is 2010 a new year, new beginnings and unlimited possibilities!

What is on your agenda for the new year? Anything exciting? I have said that I am going to start this year off exercising, perhaps try some yoga there is this guy that comes on at 5:00am he does this yoga exercise show (Inhale) it is on for an hour...looks pretty intense. I think it is for the 'advanced' yoga person but I might try it anyway. I'll let you know what happens...unless I get stuck in a position and end up in traction in which case I will just keep that to myself! I am also going to start working out that will give me something to do until the job kicks in or the book(s) gets written, either way I will be less likely to get any fatter than I already am! Can you say stay away from corduroy as you may start a fire from the friction from the thighs rubbing together? Yeah that is me!

Anyway...we went to a New Years eve party at the writers house (remember the writer I told you about previously?), they called it an old geezers party it started at 6pm and it was over at 9pm, we didn't really know WHERE it was actually midnight at 9pm? We all had ASSUMED it was New York, but a man from England who was there pointed out that at 9pm it would only be 11pm in New York (leave it to a foreigner to point out the obvious). Blimey! BUT anyway that is when we sang the New Years Song, I am sure that is not the name of it, but you know the one, "Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind...." then toasted the new year and went home. I guess that is as long as they (the old geezers) could hang out?! It worked out good for me cause I got to go home take a nap and then bring in the new year at midnight. CHEERS!

I have decided that this year I am going to "cut the grass" a term that I heard my cousin say. She said she wanted to cut the grass to see the snakes. But in my metaphor cutting the grass will be cutting down or out those people who are negative and drain your energy. I am going to concentrate on being positive I think it takes less energy. Besides I figure if you have been BLESSED to see 2010 considering all those who were not your negativity should be minimal to say the least. My other agenda item for the new year is to use my "nice words" you know the ones....please and thank you! Are those considered nice words or courtesy words? I went to church with Gary's daughter and the minister of the church said that we should use the opportunity given when someone says "thank you" to 'share' with them. He said that we should not look at saying thank you as an obligation when someone does something we should look at it as an opportunity to connect with them at that moment. That kind of goes along with something I started on my facebook site after reading this blurb from a friend, "What I re-learned is that the last time you saw someone could be...well...the last time you see them. So don't take that moment for granted live in that moment and sincerely engage that person. And if only through the sincerity of a genuine handshake or actual eye contact, let them know for that moment in time...you were present with them and they mattered..." Words to live by I think!

With that said I am going to start using the nice words or courtesy words, so even if I do by chance happen to tell you off I will be sure to end it with "have a nice day"(inset smiley face)! I have a feeling that the hospital billing office will be the first to experience the "new" me later on this week. We have ONE hospital in the area where I live they are the only place to go should God forbid you have to go to a hospital. Their revenue I am sure is in the millions of dollars DAILY. I know this because I use to work there in the cash posting department so that is a statement of fact, and yet with ALL that money they can't seem to generate a statement to send me showing my balance due. BUT if I miss a payment they can call me and tell me it is my responsibility to make the payments whether or not I get a statement. Really?? I went in the hospital in May and I got one statement in June and I have not seen another statement since. If you can't send me a statement then I can't send you a payment, cause frankly if I don't see the bill I am not going to pay the bill. That is how I roll, out of sight out of mind. The lady told me that they send out statements monthly "unless they get hung up in the system". Now I know from working there that "the statements get hung up in the system" EVERY TIME THEY RUN THE STATEMENTS! Why you ask? Because they have a piece of crap program or system. It was made to work brilliantly for the doctors BUT for the billing department...hhhhmmmm not so much. They actually said that the billing portion of the program was an "after thought" and apparently they didn't think too much of it.

ANYWAY....see it is only day 2 in 2010 and I am already irritated just thinking about the stupidity that awaits!(insert shiver down the back!). BUT nevertheless my plan for 2010 is to be positive and to take note from my sister, you know the one who is mentally handicapped. Everyone who has met her says the same thing, "She is always so positive and smiling"! I took her to my friends restaurant/deli and she said, that as she stood their doing her work she couldn't stop smiling when she looked at my sister cause my sister just had this big smile on her face....ALL THE TIME! When I took my sister to physical therapy for her knee the physical therapist and the receptionist said that their faces hurt when she came in because she made them laugh and smile because she laughed and smiled the whole time! If people are going to remember you for something wouldn't that be a cool thing to be remembered for, how much you made people laugh and smile?! I think so.

NOW I am not saying that I am going to go around 2010 smiling and laughing cause those of you who read this and know me knows that would be scary. AND half of you would probably wonder how many people did I either rip their face off, injure or kill to smile like that....so the smiling thing will only be when sincere. Laughter is good medicine so I may burst out laughing just to thwart off the impulse to rip someone's face off...BUT the point is I am going to make it a point to be better! I am good but I can always be better and so can you!

2010 is just beginning the possibilities are endless so lets see what we can accomplish by the time they sing the News Years song for 2011.

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

SO what is your hang-up/handicap

Hello People! How are you doing? I hope this blog finds you all well...this is probably my last post of this year unless something strikes me as interesting or something funny happens so MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR! Be Blessed and remember God's got a blessing...with your name on it!

SO one of our neighbors gave my sister some playing cards that he got at a gas station, the cards say "goodwill" on them and it is the registered trademark for that company. I was looking at the cards and it made me think about a friend of mine , Micole Shorty, who passed away earlier this year. Micole, or Michael as I called him, was in a wheelchair due to a wrestling accident. It was actually a freak accident that caused him to be wheelchair and oxygen bound. Who knew a wrestling hold could cause so much damage and almost take someone's life? ANYWAY... He never complained though and at his funeral service one of Michael's friends got up and said that Michael had said to him one time, "everybody is handicapped in some way the only difference is that you can see my wheelchair". Interesting statement and actually profound when you think about it, because we all have something that "cripples" us and stops us from doing simply things and living our lives freely.

The cards that my sister has shows different people who suffer from different 'handicaps' who have achieved much success or are well known in their field. For example: "Thomas Edison 1847-1931-Learning Disability; Franklin D. Roosevelt 1882-1945-Polio; James Earl Jones 1931- - Stutter(I didn't know that Darth Vader stuttered); Albert Einstein 1879-1955-Learning Disability; Alexander the Great 356 BC-323 BC Epilepsy; Marilyn Monroe 1926-1962-Stutter(I didn't know she stuttered, but we all know she wasn't known for talking. Okay that was wrong, my apologies Ms. Monroe.); Hippocrates 460BC -370 BC-Epilepsy; Julius Caesar 100 BC-44 BC-Epilepsy; John W. Powell 1834-1902-Amputee; Henry Ford 1863-1947-Learning Disability; Frida Kahlo 1907-1954-Polio; Wilma Rudolph 1940-1994 Post-Polio Syndrome; Hank Williams Sr. 1923-1953- Spina Bifida; Linda Wagner 1949- - Attention Deficit and Learning Disabled (Who knew the Bionic Woman was learning disabled and couldn't pay attention); Socrates 470 BC - 399 BC Epilepsy; Jim Abbott 1967- -born with no right hand (Jim Abbott is/was a professional PITCHER for the Angels and Yankees); Walt Disney 1901-1966 Dyslexic; Margaux Hemmingway 1954-1996 Epilepsy; Cher 1946- -Attention Deficit and Learning Disabled (I am not saying a word on this one); Winston Churchill 1874-1965 Dyslexic; Harriet Tubman 1820-1913 Epilepsy "Rescuer of slaves. She was called the "Black Moses" (I am glad that despite her handicap she pressed forward and did what she had to do!); John F. Kennedy 1928-1961 Learning Disability; Chang & Eng 1811-1874 Conjoined twins; Sandy Duncan 1946- - Visually Impaired; Carly Simon 1945- - Stutter (I don't think you can tell from her singing that this is a problem); Alexander G. Bell 1847-1922 Dyslexic; Martin Luther 1483-1546 Epilepsy; Helen Keller 1880-1968 Deaf and Blind; Beethoven 1770-1827 Deaf and Bi-Polar and the list goes on and on....

All these people have made their mark in their field or in history some of them over coming astounding odds. A pitcher with no right hand! An Olympic gold medalist with polio! As incredible as their stories are we can be just as incredible as long as we do not let our disability define and/or control us. 2009 is almost a memory 2010 is a new year about to begin. Let's make 2010 the start of making our mark in history or at least in the lives of the people around us, what will you be known for? I know it is a HUGE question even I don't know the answer for myself but....think of all the possibilities of what you could be!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

The last of the Mesquite drama!

Well here is the last installment of the Mesquite drama....it was an insane weekend and you really had to be there...

Well sorry for the long interlude... since I live out on the north forty I have encountered problems with my satellite... I have satellite for the Internet and for my television....needless to say they both froze when it rained and then snowed and so my contact with the outside world has been/was cut off....ANYBODY OUT THERE?!

SO on with the story.... where was I? Oh yeah God was having mercy on me! Thank you GOD!

The next morning (Saturday the day of the party) I am rolling around in the bed praying God please do NOT let me throw up! PLEASE DON'T LET ME THROW UP! Gary gets up and he proceeds to tell me what a horrendous ass I was the night before... He says, "I bet you don't remember taking off your clothes do you? I bet you don't remember getting up in the middle of the night and going to the bathroom and FALLING ASLEEP on the toilet do you? Yeah you did that several times... I woke up and you weren't in the bed I would start looking for you only to find you passed out on the toilet...I bet you don't remember farting or THINKING it was a fart do you?" At this point I say Gary SHUT THE FUCK UP! I did not do any of those things you are talking about and I DO.... NOT remember last night but you are making it up! LIAR! I have only passed out once on a toilet and that was at a Denny’s on New Years I don't remember the year. Vodka was involved SHUT UP! He just laughs and says I know what happened you don't... if it didn't happen then tell me...where is your underwear... then he calls my sister and tells her... HATE HIM!

I had Gary go and get me some Alka-Seltzer and 7-Up you know cause they are good for you. Then we go eat and I order LOTS of food and with each timid bite I whisper...God please don't let me throw up... we are in a restaurant and it would not be good... I eat as much as I can literally stomach and we go get ready for the party... PARTY...YAY!!!! HELP ME!

SO we go to the party there are LOTS of people there... Scottie's dad & mom, brothers & wives, Carrie's brothers & wives, Ron and Donna... other friends of Scottie and Carries and us (Gary, Leonard and I)...OH and Carrie's sons... food, drinks and fun...everybody is saying Mattie there is PLENTY of Heineken in the frig...why are you drinking 7-Up? Well....lets not go there okay... I got to meet Scottie's parents they are the coolest people despite having a dork for a son... Scottie is Greek I believe BUT he has red hair, he has fair skin and I think blue or green eyes... they maybe brown... I don't know... that doesn't really scream GREEK now does it?! (I call Scottie Paleface). Scottie says to me, "be nice to my parents" Scottie! Why wouldn't I be nice to your parents I don't even know them... I actually feel sorry for them having YOU as a son... I like your parents its YOU I don't like...thank you very much... Scottie's dad was standing there during this conversation and he chimes in and says, "YEAH! I don't like you either son"... I thought that was some funny shit right there... Scottie's dad told me that he had heard a lot about me... the smile on my face kind of faded considering who would be giving him the information (Scottie) I was not sure if what he had heard was good or bad...but he said "It is really nice to meet you!"...ANYWAY...the party goes on and people who were present at the 40th birthday party are all saying the same thing when they come in the house..."Carrie are you alright? Still standing I see..." It was nice to see her vertical cause that was not the case at the 40th... we didn't let her forget it either... It came time to sing Happy Birthday and Scottie asked Leonard to sing... SO Leonard starts singing and everybody joins in and there is a look of disappointment on Leonard's face... apparently he thought he was going to be the only one singing....NOT! WELL Carrie, not wanting Leonard to feel bad when she finds out that he thought the birthday song was for him to sing alone, says since he didn't get to sing alone he could sing now...Leonard breaks into his version of 'Danny Boy' which he lovingly sings while looking longingly into Carrie's BLOODSHOT EYES! He sang another song for her or to her... I don't remember the name of it... Danny Boy sticks in my mind because by all appearances it seems it is a song for a "boy"... (L remember that time we went to Vegas and your friend and Leonard were singing songs one after the other...after the other...yeah dejavu).

Well they had some football games on but the sound is off on the game and music is playing, Scottie and Carrie have this stereo system hooked up in their home with speakers inside and outside... NOW the last time I went to Scottie and Carrie's house one of my all time favorite songs came on... Phil Collins In the Air Tonight...LOVE that song! I turned up the volume on the outside speakers which you apparently aren't suppose to do if someone is "playing through"...needless to say the golfers hurried up and finished that hole and left! WELL as good fortune would have it the song came on again... "Well I remember...I remember don't worry...worry...worry...how could I ever forget...its the first time...the last time...we ever met...oh I know why you keep the silence up ...no you don't fool me... well the hurt doesn't show but the pain still grows no stranger to you and me..." NOW INSERT THE MOST INSANE BASS AND DRUM intro ever in the history of music... sing along... oh I can feel it coming in the air tonight. OH LORD... I LOVE THAT SONG! I don't know all the words but I know I LOVE....LOVE that song... ANYWAY when it came on this time Carrie and I were dancing around on the patio while everybody looked at us as if to say "there is an unsettling disturbance in the force" these two don't get along more than 10 minutes at a time and now they are dancing together.... HELL MUST HAVE FROZEN OVER! Hell did not freeze it is just Phil Collins... LOVE HIM! Hey doesn't Phil Collins look like that monkey on Shock he Monkey? You know that song by Peter Gabriel SHOCK THE MONKEY! SHOCK THE MONKEY! Okay....anyway.... the party starts to thin out people are leaving Scottie's dad comes over to me says he is leaving and I reach out to shake his hand while saying nice to meet you! Scottie's dad is not a hand shaker apparently as I was pulled forward and down for a hug.... I said OH YOU WANT A HUG! I'll remember that next time... I started drinking a little but not as much as I had the night before... We left after Carrie opened her gifts... I gave Carrie's brothers a hug which I didn't do at the 40th birthday party because they like Carrie were/are hung up on the BLACK MAN thing... SO you know all BLACK people... okay whatever... all in all it was a good time... once my stomach stopped bubbling...

We met some other friends of ours in Vegas for breakfast they are from New Zealand... I love their accents! Elaine said "we went on holiday to New Zealand and Australia and I got to see my nieces and nephews, sisters and brothers whom I haven't seen in years...I was holding my one nephew while we were on this ferry so he wouldn't fall into the 'drink'..." Now we would say so he wouldn't fall into the water but she said the DRINK... ah proper English is so nice to hear....

ALL RIGHT PEOPLE that is it for now...I am sorry again for the delay in finishing the story... who knew that if your satellite dish froze you couldn't get a signal?

Remember that Jesus is the reason for this season.... and to be kinder than necessary and smile for know reason.... this will make people wonder what the hell is wrong with you!

Merry Christmas!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Okay...so Let's continue with Mesquite I don't know what to say....

Today I made short bread cookies...well there are suppose to be cookies they look like rocks....BUT don't tell anybody! Day 2 of the Mesquite saga......the plot thickens... or is that sickens.....

SO.... where was I? Oh yeah we are in the Jeep driving to Mesquite...

We get to Mesquite we check in at the hotel and we get settled...a couple of hours go by and we decide its time to make our appearance at Scottie and Carrie's (this is Friday evening/night, Scottie told us if we want to see Carrie vertical we should come a day early... so we did). When we get to the house we send Leonard up to the door to knock since Carrie is not expecting Leonard... there is no answer...DAMN she is drunk already... we try to door and it opens...we go in and THANK GOD they we out on the golf course. Scottie and Carrie's house sits on the 7th or 8th hole... and they are out at the hole putting... Leonard walks out and yells at them...Scottie yells "get out of my damn house!" AAAAHHHHHH the good ol' days are here again... Carrie comes over and she gives Leonard a BIG hug and then she gives me a hug AND a kiss on the cheek....eeeeewwwwwww!!!!! SOMEBODY SHOOT ME NOW! Apparently age has made her a sensitive drunk....HELP ME! SO we all sit down out on the patio and Carrie starts filling Leonard in on ALL that has happened since we last saw him..."Remember Ron and Donna's son whose wedding we went to? Well he was in the mortgage business and he bought this MILLION DOLLAR home which he couldn't afford...his mortgage payments are SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS a month and he is not making that much...SO Ron and Donna have taken out loans to help him....they could be retired but since they are helping him out who knows when they will be able to retire now...my son Cory got a DUI and he almost lost his job...but he is such a good worker his boss let him stay with him during the time his license was suspended even though they are not suppose to do that... then my other son Kyle moved back from Oregon, he had moved back to Oregon when we were in Vegas he was afraid of the kids at the school he was at he thought they were going to kill him so he went to live with his dad, so now I have both my sons here and I don't think they are ever going to leave.... I got a new job I start on Monday working for a flooring company full time... yadda, yadda, yadda..." in the meantime Jeff has shown up a friend of Scottie and Gary's he lives in Payson he has his own business. Jeff's brother Bob, introduced Scottie to Gary.... Carrie's mouth is still going kind of like the energizer bunny...just keeps going and going and going.... SHUT UP is what I am thinking but its her party she can talk if she wants to!

Believe it or not it was cold in Mesquite SO we moved into the house...aside from Carrie's brother...we (Gary, Leonard, Jeff and I) are the only other people there... so we sit at the breakfast bar and drink and talk... Jeff and I are drinking beers...Scottie is trying to force us to drink this "quality" tequila that he was given by his Mexican OH I AM SORRY his Hispanic friend...the name of the tequila is "TRADITIONAL"... now Jeff and I are wondering why Scottie is not drinking this himself and when asked he says because he has to get up early tomorrow (Saturday) to get things done for the party... SO after a couple of taunts we take the bait and we start drinking shots of "TRADITIONAL!" NASTY is more like it...but we do two or three or something I don't remember... Carrie cooks dinner and anyone who wants to eat eats..... she makes spaghetti with Italian sausage... everybody eats but myself and Jeff...well except for Gary too WHO proceeds to go over to the pot of spaghetti and sticks his fingers in and pulls out some and drops it in his mouth... WHAT THE @$%&! Gary you don't stick your hands/fingers in someones food and 'pick' out some... this is not a turkey it is not Thanksgiving...this is their dinner and everybody hasn't eaten and you are picking in their food?! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND! I need another beer....ANYWAY... one of the topics of conversation is how did you all meet...so we are telling Jeff that we met at Carrie's 40th birthday party and this is a reunion of sorts since we haven't all been together like this in a long time... I tell Jeff about my first encounter with Carrie her questions and statements to me...you remember those right about...Is Gary good... my mom left my dad....WELL at this point in life I have learned to laugh about the awkwardness of the situation with Carrie and we have moved forward...unfortunately other people do not see the humor here and become angry....angry at Carrie for being, "stupid". NOW Jeff proceeds to go off on Carrie saying that she had no right to say those things to me she should not have been harping on the BLACK MAN thing around me because it was not my fault... I mean Jeff was HEATED!! Carrie was apologizing up and down and saying "I can't help that was the way I was raised and I know better now I know it was a stupid thing to say..." I am laughing because I am thinking if anyone should be offended or upset about what happened it should be me...but this man is taking it personal like it happened to him... I said HEY Carrie you don't have to apologize to me for how you were raised... it is not your fault you were raised to be ignorant... you have matured and gotten over it...DO NOT APOLOGIZE...SERIOUSLY!! SO... we FINALLY leave Scottie and Carrie's and say we'll be back tomorrow around 2'ish...

We get back to the hotel and Jeff is saying that there is a poker tournament tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., I said I would think about going.... I have had WAY too much to drink and NOTHING to eat... the hotel where we are staying has a poker room so we (Jeff and I) put our names in...because there is a wait... they call my name and I go sit down cards are dealt...the bidding starts and ALL I remember is looking at this man next to me who folded and saying to him... "OH COME ON YOU BIG CHICKEN! WHY DON'T YOU BET!!!!! then I started making chicken sounds...." The rest of the game was a blur...I do know that I scared everyone at the table and had I been a little bit more sober I could have run the table BUT since I was a little too drunk to be there in the first place... I got put off the table.... I staggered to my room with Gary's help... I prayed to God almighty that I would not have to pray to the porcelain god later... I don't remember going to bed... I know the next day I woke up with NOTHING on! Well there was my underwear...but we won't talk about them... I didn't become vertical until around noon... I called on God a lot that morning...and I am sure throughout the night before.... but... ANYWAY...

OH CRAP COOKIES.... I'll be back....

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

Mequite...I don't know what to say

Hello People! Merry Christmas...Happy Hanukkah and all the "other" holidays that fall into this time of year...I am sure some of you who I usually bombard with my emails may remember the above mentioned title...some of you who are reading my blogs may find what comes next shocking... its just me! ANYWAY... I find it hard to believe it has been a year since this debauchery took place...usually I change the names or don't use names but this time I think I have to leave the names in so that you get the gist of the story...my apologies to those named in the incidents... I will spread this over three (3) days just as I did when I first sent it.. enjoy! AND it just so happens I was baking cookies today, oatmeal/raisin and walnut and chocolate chip w/walnuts and pecans.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope all your Christmas/Hanukkah wishes come true and that you have a very prosperous new year!!!!

Okay enough of that crap... SO I went to Mesquite last weekend or the weekend before... I can't remember which and I don't remember much of that weekend either... BUT here is what I do remember....

Gary and I went to Mesquite for Carrie's birthday, now Carrie is Scottie's wife and Scottie is a friend of Gary's they worked together for a while I believe Gary gave Scottie his first job in the golf industry and since that day they have been husband and wife... I mean you can rest assured they are close so close that if you kicked Gary in the ass you will break Scottie's nose! THAT is how close they are.. anyway... Carrie turned 50 the big Five 0 on her birthday and she was suppose to have a surprise birthday party BUT that didn't happen because Carrie is so nosy she checks her husband's cellphone and she just happened to get a message from one of her brothers that was left for Scottie saying, "Is this suppose to be a surprise birthday party for Carrie?" Obviously at that point the surprise was over!

Now a little history here... When I first met Gary he took me to Oregon to meet his friend Scottie and his wife Carrie, it was Carrie's 40th birthday party... Gary, Leonard and I flew to Portland for this event and needless to say since then we have all been 'friends'... "associates".... well anyway... we have known each other for 10 years. This little group consists of Ron and Donna, they live in Santa Rosa, CA, Scottie and Carrie they live in Mesquite, NV transplants from Portland, OR, Leonard who is 89 lives in Vegas and has been Gary's friend FOR-EV-ER, and Gary and I. I am the youngest of this group and Black...this is significant to part of the story....

ANYWAY... when I first met Carrie she was celebrating her 40th birthday...as a matter of fact she had been celebrating her birthday since the sun came up on that day...SCARY...during the actual 'party' portion of Carrie's birthday she was passed out on the couch...but I digress...before she passed out Carrie made a point of asking me these questions several times, (Carrie) "How old are you?" (Me) I am 35. (Carrie) "You're dating Gary?" (Me) Yes I am. (Carrie) "How old is Gary?" (Me) He is older than 35. (Carrie) "Do you sleep with him? (Me) Isn't that kind of personal? (Carrie) "Is it good?" (Me) Is Scottie good? I heard these same questions several times along with these statements, "My mom left my dad when we were kids for a BLACK MAN!" "Did you know that my mom left my dad for a BLACK MAN when we were little?" Now this obviously had an affect on Carrie and her brothers and let's just say it wasn't a positive one... SO time progresses and we move on, (we celebrate Leonard's 80th birthday with a big party in Vegas, everybody comes to my wedding, we go to Santa Rosa for Scottie's 40th birthday and Ron and Donna's son's wedding, etc.)... well we try to move on but this mom left my dad for a BLACK MAN is still a source of contention for Carrie...UNTIL we are trapped in the car on the way to Santa, Rosa for Ron and Donna's son's wedding, (Scottie and Carrie flew in from Oregon, Gary, Leonard and I flew in from Vegas) we met in Oakland and drove up to Santa Rosa and we are stuck in traffic and Carrie brings up this mom thing again and at this point I have had about enough of this.....so I say, Carrie let me ask you this question. You keep saying EVERY TIME you see me that your mom left your dad for a BLACK MAN. That is really sad. BUT the question is would it have made a difference if the man had been WHITE? Dead silence in the car... except for Scottie who likes to keep up trouble, he chimes in and says "YEAH Carrie would that have made a difference?" I said SHUT UP SCOTTIE! I said Carrie the fact of the matter is, your mom left your dad for another man the color of his skin is irrelevant so GET OVER IT AND DO NOT MENTION THIS TO ME AGAIN!! OR I AM GOING TO HURT YOU! The remainder of the trip in the car was quiet, but the wedding and birthday party were a different story... YEAH ANYWAY...Scottie and Gary kept in touch, they would play in golf tournaments together, we would meet in Vegas once in a while, etc., but we didn't actually see them (Scottie, Carrie, Ron, Donna and Leonard) that often after that... until now...

SO... we get to Vegas we pick up Leonard whom Gary hasn't actually seen in 5 years or more...and the first thing Leonard says to me is "Boy Mattie when you married Gary my life sure did change..." Now this statement is one that I am still not sure how it should be taken... As I said earlier Gary and Leonard have been friends forever and they did everything together... when Gary married me that left Leonard alone in Vegas...Leonard eventually married a lady who consequently has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's due to her suffering with Alzheimer's she has become very abusive towards Leonard, kicking him, spitting on him, hitting and throwing things at him, not allowing him any contact with ANY of his friends, accusing him of cheating on her, etc. (Now do you see why am I not sure how I am suppose to take the comment "since you married Gary my life sure did change.") SAD! Leonard did move out of the marital residence and into a retirement/assisted living place and subsequently contacted Gary... Once Leonard and Gary were in the Jeep together it was like old times, they were talking and talking and talking AND TALKING all the way to Mesquite... all I was thinking was BOY DO I NEED A DRINK!

I have to get the cookies out of the oven...I'll be right back....

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie

The Way I See It....

Hello People! How are you doing? I hope this blog finds you well...MERRY CHRISTMAS in case I don't get back on here before then but I am sure that I will but....

Anyway I have been thinking about some conversations I have had with some people lately and it amazes me the thought process of people, especially those people who want you to believe they are believers in Christ and follow his teachings. I just sit dumb struck at some of the things that come out of their mouths. I have a Facebook account and I read little notes my"friends" put on there walls...little things to inspire them or whoever may be reading it. Some of the notes are interesting some are insightful, and depending whose writing them some are hilarious! Of course the hilarious ones would be MINE! Just kidding. BUT I digress...

So back to my observation, in conversations with different people who claim to be "Christian" I find their comments to be anything but Christian and I find it funny that they put themselves out there as such. For example... one conversation in general consisted of a person telling me how they don't trust some people, how these people are not trustworthy and so they guard what they say when they are around them. Why? "Because you know how they are they will turn on you in a minute and twist your words around to make themselves look good." The way I see it if you seriously think you have to guard your words when speaking around ANYONE perhaps it is what YOU are saying that warrants the caution and not the people around you. Just a thought. I find it hard to believe that those who believe in Jesus Christ would be worried about anyone or anything because the Bible tells us that "No weapon formed against me shall prosper..." Isaiah 54:17 (No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,... (King James version) no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. (Today's New International Version) But you will find in the coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord, their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord have spoken! (New Living Translation (application study Bible)). SO why the suspension of "some people". And mind you the "Christian" is the one who is suspicious... I don't get it. BUT maybe its just me...

In another conversation I was talking to someone about someone who had professed to being an atheist all their life, then some recent events caused them to change their thinking on a lot of things and the existence of God was one of them. I thought how exciting! Not only has this person realized that they were misguided in their thinking BUT now they have come to a realization that God has been waiting for them all along with NO JUDGMENT whatsoever. In the conversation my Christian friend asked who had baptized this person. I told them and then they were concerned or asked whether or not the person performing the baptism was a person of the cloth. You know someone with authority to perform such a task. I said I ASSUME he is otherwise I don't think the church would have allowed him to do the baptism. The "Christian's' response..."they are pagan ha ha". Interesting conclusion to come to based on so little information. The way I see it the Bible tells us that "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. (There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. New Living Translation(application study Bible)) one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Today's New International Version) (One Lord, one faith, one baptism (King James Version)) Interesting no matter what Bible you look on this subject the translation is the same. Now since there is only one Lord, one faith and one baptism who are you to call the ceremony pagan? Especially if you weren't there and you don't know what was said or did BEFORE they were dunked in the water. I don't get it. BUT maybe it's just me....

The other comment that caused me to pause was "The world today you can do anything if you have money..." I am sure we all know that you cannot buy your way into heaven, you cannot work your way into heaven, you cannot negotiate your way in...there is only one way in and that is through Jesus Christ and accepting Him as your Lord and Savior. Again...I find it interesting that in today's world people are so quick to judge and those who name the name of Christ and have nothing to fear....seem to be so fearful! If it is not as they believe then there is something wrong with it....SAD! But maybe its just me....

I see a lot of those who name the name of Christ being judgmental or critical of some many people and I find it sad, because with the way the world is now....EVERYBODY is looking for something to believe in...something to hold on to. SO why are we so quick to criticize or judge what somebody else is doing? NOW if you know for sure what they are doing or saying is suspect or contrary to the Bible....SPEAK UP!

BUT the way I see it....if you don't know then don't jump to conclusions...if you feel you can't speak your mind because of "some people" perhaps you shouldn't be talking in the first place. We should all take another look at our selves and ask our selves...what would Jesus do? And then follow that lead!

See ya when I see ya!

Peace! Mattie