faulker009

I consider myself a fairly bright person.  For the most part. I’m pretty good with money.   I’ve got a handful of street smarts and you don’t have to tell me ten times how to get something done. Ok, maybe eight. However when it comes to movies or magic, I am the greatest (and most clueless) audience of all-time. I am amazed by everything, while figuring out nothing. The big reveal in The Crying Game.... I wouldn’t have seen it coming if it had slapped me in the face. I’ve been writing this blog for exactly three months, posted more than 60 entries and it wasn’t until tonight that I figured out that I am part of a cult. A good cult, but a cult. My cult is called, THE BLOGOSPHERE. It’s a group, a large group, of people who have decided that it is time for their voice to be heard, even if you don’t really know who is listening. In my case, I decided to write a blog about my new career -- unemployment. I really didn’t expect anybody to read it, except for the handful of friends th...

The morning newspaper is not what it once was. I am so old that I actually remember when you had to read the paper to find out what was going on the world. If you wanted to see a movie, that’s where you got the show times. If you were looking for a sports score, go to section C. If you wanted to give your opinion, write a letter to the editor. Was there really life before blogs? I’ve always enjoyed the feel of the newspaper and the ink that it leaves on your hands. I still try to read a hard copy of the local paper every day, in addition to a bunch more online, but there is one paper I won’t miss. The Sunday Paper. The great Joe Jackson sang all about it on his debut album in 1979:      Brothers heading that way now I guess   He just read something made his face turn blue   Well I got nothing against the press   They wouldn’t print it if it wasn’t true   If you want to know about the gay politician   If you want to know how to drive your...

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins tomorrow. Growing up that was a biggie for me.  Well actually, it was a biggie for my family.  We used to have a bunch of people over for the Seder dinners. That’s when we had a big feast celebrating how the Hebrews escaped from enslavement in Egypt . If you don’t believe, check Wikipedia. My dad was a part-time Orthodox Jew, who made sure that we had all kosher foods in the house, separate plates for milk and meat and no shellfish of any kind. Unless he was visiting Baltimore, where he loved the crab cakes. That part always confused me. I was raised with religion being a big part of our existence, just one line below sports on the list of priorities. If you don’t believe me, maybe this will help. October 2, 1978 – the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, one of the High Holidays. The High Holidays are when you spend all day in the synagogue counting the minutes until the service ends.    I mean you spend all day pr...

Each time I write a new blog, one of my top priorities is making it entertaining for you. I truly appreciate you taking time out of your life to read about mine. I must warn you, this blog is different. This time I am writing it for me and I have a feeling it will be a long one. If you can't take it and you need to leave, I totally understand. All I ask is that you give me another chance next time. Writing my blog has been one of the most therapeutic experiences of my life and considering the stressful recipe that my life is cooking up these days, it is great to have an outlet. I am writing this blog in the computer room at my 80-year old mother’s assisted living facility. It is currently 12:07am and it will be much later when I finish. As I unfortunately predicted a few weeks ago, she was on the verge of another bipolar episode. Well, it is here. Loud and clear. We’ve been trying to head this one off by adjusting her medication, but unfortunately it isn't ...

Poker has never been my game of choice. I am much more of a Blackjack man. I don’t gamble much and certainly less than ever without a weekly paycheck coming in. But I definitely enjoy a long night at the $5 table with friends, winning a few hands and drinking free watered down cocktails. I know all the rules of Blackjack -- when to hit, when to stay -- but for some reason I usually play by my own guidelines. I can still remember the dirty stares fired at me from around the table about 23 years, 7 months, 12 days and 16 hours ago when I split a pair of kings. I think I lost both hands and I haven’t done that since. I don’t know if I qualify as a simple person, but I do love the simple aspect of Blackjack. Deal. Hit or Stay. Bust or Don’t Bust. Win or Lose. Deal again. It’s that simple. Poker has more scenarios than a Rubik’s cube. Just when you think you’ve got a winning hand, somebody flops a nut straight on you. Ok, I don’t have any idea what that means, but I thoug...