for the vampire references in this blog entry.  I’ve been Netflixing the hell out of “True Blood” lately.

It only takes about 87 mentions to get me to write after a few day hiatus.  Thanks for checking back even though I haven’t been updating much lately.

There’s a reason for this.  It seems like every time I sit down to write, I either:

A) Can’t think of anything good to write

or

B) Think of something good, but all of my phrasing sounds eerily similar to something I have already posted.

Like Sookie Stackhouse’s blood, lately I feel like all of my creative juices have been sucked out of me.  I’ve said it a million times, but it is really hard to write on a daily basis.  Regarding point B above, I don’t ever want to sound like a broken record (like I did in the last sentence).

One thing that I can write about and that has bothered me lately is the death of Chris Henry.  I know what you are thinking, but bear with me here.  My only real connection with Chris Henry was that I watched him play football every Sunday and he was my sleeper pick for fantasy football this season.  I don’t know Chris Henry and it seems like he was a bad person.  I don’t care how many accounts I read about how he has turned it around – we will never know the truth about that or the true essence of the man.  Frankly, I really don’t care about that stuff.

What does bother me about his story is seeing a twenty-six year old athlete in the prime of his life, senselessly losing said life.  Chris Henry had the world at his fingertips and in a moment’s notice, everything was over.  When a young, known person dies it is a tangible reminder to all of us that life is fleeting and can be over in the blink of an eye.  It is different than the hundreds (maybe thousands) of deaths of people the same age that we never hear about.

Because I follow the Bengals, it hurt me to see the reaction of guys like Chad Ochocinco.  In a weird way, I grieved along with him because he is a part of what makes my fall/early winter each year.  Like a vampire only coming out at night, he’s only on my TV on Sundays yet all over my Twitter feed every other day.

Because of Chris Henry’s demise, I have done things this Christmas season I ordinarily probably wouldn’t have.  I think we need those constant reminders because it is such an important point.  I guess in that way, he’s left a bigger mark on me (or bite, if you will) than he would of had he lived.

Merry Christmas, everyone.  Please Ferris (stop and look around) the holiday and take some time to appreciate the good things we all have, enjoy and take for granted.

only has two things on it:

1) A Super Bowl win for the Patriots

2) A Tag Heuer watch

Realistically, I will probably not be getting either of those things.  I’m cool with that.  The Patriots are not championship caliber and those watches are pretty darn expensive.  Even though I won’t get either item and 2009 has been one of the worst years of my life, I still consider myself very lucky.  The reason I consider myself very lucky is because of the people in my life.

The first item on the list is self-explanatory.  The second one rounded out my list when a woman I never knew of until yesterday made a statement to the press.

Earlier Monday, Tag Heuer spokeswoman Mariam Sylla said the sponsorship is unchanged because Woods remains the world’s best golfer and Tag Heuer does not care about his private life.

“We will continue,” Sylla told The Associated Press. “He’s the best in his domain. We respect his performance in the sport,” she said, adding that Woods’ personal life is “not our business.”

I’m a big Tiger Woods fan and named my last dog after him.  Tiger’s martial transgressions are “not our business” at all.  Before I expand on this, let me make it clear that I do not condone his actions.  I lived in a loveless marriage for years and never once cheated on my ex-wife.  As Austin Powers says, it’s just not my bag baby.

Tag Heuer gets it.  I’ll take it a step further.  My opinion of Tiger Woods has not changed one bit over the past few weeks.  I stopped setting my moral compass by what celebrities do many moons ago.  I have been let down too many times.  I do not know or (probably never will) understand the lives they lead.  Furthermore, I’ve got enough of my own problems/issues to worry about rather than what some stranger I’ll never meet does with his/her spare time.

Charles Barkley had it right: Athletes (and celebrities, for that matter) are not role models.

To me Tiger Woods is a golfer, nothing more.  When all is said and done, he will probably be the best golfer to ever pick up a club.  No matter how many hoes TMZ interviews, I’ll still gladly pay money to watch Tiger swing a golf club.  I had the exact same reaction to Tom Brady and his baby out of wedlock and the report that Manny Pacquiao has some chick on the side.  I only need them to entertain me while doing what they do best.  Everything else is window dressing.

As for my Christmas list, I can wait for the Patriots to get it together and I can save up for a Tag.  Either way, I’ll still have the people I actually set my moral compass by: My friends and family.

No Christmas list could ever equal what those people mean to me.

Hi!

Remember me?  If not, my name is Mike. Welcome (or welcome back) to my blog, Truth About Mike.  This is the place where I wax poetic about whatever happens to be trickling through my ADD-positive, sports-infested mind.  Do poke around and stay awhile. Take a look at my wicked fantastic, awesome banner. It was made by my super-talented, Pittsburgh Steelers loving (I don’t even hold this against her) friend, Lindsay.

Yesterday was a day where there was a number of different things I could have written about.  First off, it was October 27th which is the day when all Red Sox fans’ lives were changed forever.  I still remember that magical ride like it was yesterday.  Sitting in Yankee Stadium (a.k.a. The Toilet) for the 7th game of the 2004 ALCS was a memory I’ll never forget.  Just seven days later, the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years.  10/27/2004 was a good, no, GREAT time.

I also could have written about how it was my mother’s birthday or how it was the first day of the Celtics season, or how it was the debut of the ‘Sheed-fro.  If I was a super geek, I could have written about how I was re-tweeted by ESPN’s Amy Nelson yesterday.  I didn’t write about any of those things because I am trying to dial things back a bit.   I don’t want to get burned out on the keyboard.

Instead of all those cool things, I am writing about my experience with Craigslist.  Yesterday on my second attempt, I sold my dining room table set.  Even though there has been no new news on the move (uh-oh) or the house (GRRRRRRRRRRR!), I have been slowly getting rid of stuff.  I am quite the pack rat.  One example of this is that I had every wedding invitation and program from every wedding I went to over the past five years.  I never threw these things away because I always felt like it would be bad karma for the couple to do so.

Yeah, I have issues.

(We know this.)

Anyhoo, the first time I tried to sell the table set it sucked.  I set up three appointments for people to come take a look and none of them showed.  This time, I made four appointments.  My first one (yesterday afternoon) was a no-show.   Thankfully, I made another one for the evening.  When this couple showed up, they were the 5th scheduled party to see the table, but the first people to actually see it.

Long story endless, they absolutely loved the table.  They gave me the amount of money I put in the ad (without trying to haggle) and we had a deal.  After helping them get it into their pickup truck, they said they wanted to give me more money.  They had been searching for a table and felt that it was worth more than I was charging.

These kind folks didn’t have to give me more money, but they felt like it was the right thing to do.  I loved that table and I love the fact that it is going to a good home even more.

Stories like this are the reason I am as optimistic as I am.  They are constant reminders that reaffirm my faith in humanity.

I just had to post this picture.  I’m sure most of you have seen it by now.  I’m a big fan of standing out in a crowd.  You’ll never be memorable in life if you blend into your surroundings.  Here, Mr. Brady does just that.  He stands out amongst his peers.

I’ve received a lot of message asking what’s up with the blog.  Nothing is wrong, I just haven’t really felt like writing much lately and have taken a little break.  I am going to continue writing, but I am going to dial it back a bit.  I’ll have a new entry posted before Wednesday morning.

Thanks for checking in everyone!

1- I think I stole this blog idea from Peter King.  I don’t care because writer’s block has struck again.

2- I think I hate the term “meme” and I’m never using it again.

3- I think in life, we come across more than one person who could be our soulmate.  I’m putting the number at around 5.

4- I think @people who use #Twitter symbols in their #Facebook status look like idiots.

5- I think that even though I am all over the internet (this blog, Facebook, message boards, Twitter), I still am a very private person.

6- I think I am wayyyyy beyond excited for my dinner plans on Tuesday.

7- I think I learned a great lesson last night in Fenway Park.  A drunken seat neighbor told be that if you lose your digital camera, the waterproof case becomes useless.  Outstanding tip.

8- I think “Glee” is the best new show on TV.

9- I think that Rex Ryan (head coach of the NY Jets) is more obsessed with the Patriots than I am.

10- I think that the scared Chinese line judge running away from Serena Williams is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long while.  I also think that “going Serena” should be come a fixture in our everyday language.

Have a great weekend everyone.  Make the most of every day!

Let’s face facts.

I am an instigator.  I like to do things to somewhat annoy people for a reaction.  I’m not proud of this, but as Popeye says, “I yam what I yam.”

I learned this at an early age at a high school basketball game.  My friend Red dared me to draw a swing from my friend Stink.  At first, I wondered why Red kept asking me to do so, but it was that day that I came to my instigation realization.

Here are some examples of this:

1) Former co-workers of mine will tell you that I like to sing at work.  I will sing someone’s name every which way to Sunday (or at least the weekend).  Papa Stein can attest, if you work near me, expect your name to be sung in many different songs, many different ways.

2) When I was in college and cashing a check, I would sometimes ask for some of the money in fifty-cent pieces.  There really is nothing better than paying for a pack of gum with two JFK’s.  People’s faces when I whip them out are priceless.  If I went to the bank more often, I’d probably still do this with a stack of Sacagawea’s.

3) Whenever we are at a family party (specifically birthdays), I am always yelling “SPEECH” at the celebrant.  Most people do not like speaking in public, but the looks on their faces when they are prodded to speak are always funny.  Another fun thing to do is start random applause.  People love to clap.  Lastly, I am also a terror at weddings.  If you are at a wedding with me and the glasses start clinking for a kiss, chances are good that I started it (this is even more fun when you aren’t at a wedding).

4) I hate dollar bills.  They Constanza up my wallet and when paying for something, I always make it a point to use the transaction to get rid of singles.  For example, if I am at a store buying something for $13.50, I will give the cashier a twenty and four ones.  The reactions I get from this are great.  It is like math class all over again.  I also hate pennies and love to pay tolls with them.

5) I have a penchant for beating a joke (or “funny” phrase) into the unfunny.  I will repeat and repeat it until it becomes funny again.  I possess a doctorate in making the funny unfunny then bringing it back to funny again.

6) Lastly (and this one is my favorite), I love to pawn trash off to drive thru workers, especially trash from a competitor.  For example, if I am at the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru, one of my favorite things is to ask them to throw away a Starbucks cup.  Some drive-thru employees really get annoyed by this.  One time, when trying to pull the “drive-thru-competitor-trash dump,” the employee got so pissed that she slammed the window shut on me.  I continued to sit there until she re-opened the window to explain that they didn’t take trash at the drive thru window.

(you absolutely have to try this sometime)

I’m sorry world, I really am trying to change.  I am failing in this endeavor because I am always laughing so hard.

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone.  Make the most of every day!

Regarding my definition of the meaning of life, the crux of making your life perfect has a great deal to do with your passion(s).

It is people’s passions that not only make them tick, but make them interesting as well.  All interesting people have a certain joie de vivre that keeps them going.  I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and asking them questions to try and figure out what their passion is.  You never really know someone until you know what moves them, what drives them, and what makes them smile.

When someone speaks about their passion, they become excited and their face lights up.  That excitement spreads easily and reminds us of our own passions.  Years ago I was working at a company I didn’t like in a job that I didn’t like.  One day, I was talking to a co-worker about the Red Sox and he said to me, “The only time I see you excited is when you are talking about the Red Sox.”  Passions do that.  They can make a miserable place seem palatable.

It is fitting that I am writing about passion today.  This weekend is our annual SoSH Bash.  The festivities began yesterday at a few bars, continue tonight with a soccer game (yours truly will be in goal, believe it or not), a Red Sox game tomorrow with about 150 people in attendance and conclude with a beach party on Sunday.  The majority of these people will be traveling over fifty miles to attend, some coming from as far away as San Francisco and Vancouver.  I will be making multiple trips to the airport today to get some friends to their hotels.

Through my association with SoSH, I have been fortunate enough to meet some of the most passionate people around.  It takes a true passion and love for Red Sox baseball to post about it on an internet messageboard.  I began reading the site around 2002 and became a member in early 2004.  We have forums on everything from gardening to politics to music and the vast amount of information on that website never ceases to amaze me.

From this constant exchange of ideas, thoughts and jokes, real life friendships have been made.  I’m not ashamed to say that I have met some of my closest friends through SoSH.  The best part of SoSH is not the baseball/sports talk, but the community that has been derived as a result of its existence.  It is also why I click on that site every day.  I love reading articulate people articulate about their passions.

As for me, my main passion is the people in my life.  As people who really know me can attest, I make it a point to share in their passions.  I take a vested interest in the things that interest my people.  Whether it be driving down to Providence on a random Wednesday night to watch a soccer game, going to dance shows, or rushing back from an important family trip to support a friend in a road race – no matter what it is; If it is important to someone who is important to me, I will always be there.

Never let the minutia of everyday life stand in the way of you and your passion(s).

In the end, they are all that really matter.

Have a great weekend everyone. Make the most of every day!

A true sign of getting old is when deaths of people you never met start to affect you.

My friend Lou (a staunch Republican) called me yesterday just to see if I was doing OK with the news of Ted Kennedy’s passing.  He made me chuckle when he said, “I figured you’d be down in Hyannisport paying your respects.”

Louie’s call made me realize that yesterday was the first day in my thirty (or so) years as a Massachusetts resident that Ted Kennedy wasn’t my Senator.  Driving around, every flag at half-mast was a constant reminder that Kennedy’s thirty-seven year run as U.S. Senator was over.

My lasting memory of Ted Kennedy won’t be his many achievements during his service to our country, but the great family man he was.  He was a true patriarch in every sense of the word.  I only hope I can be half the man to my family as he was to his.

Out of everything I’ve read about Ted Kennedy over the past twenty-four hours, this quote from Senator John McCain resonates the loudest:

Ted Kennedy comes as close to being indispensable as any individual I’ve ever known in the Senate because he had a unique way of sitting down with the parties at a table and making the right concessions.

Rest in peace, Senator.

The Commonwealth won’t ever be the same without you.

QUICK NOTE: After I saw the movie Saturday, I realized that I had lost my debit card. We went back inside the theater and thankfully someone had returned it to lost and found.  There is definitely something to be said for good karma.

I’ve developed a highly non-scientific theory on dating and how women order their steaks.  Since I’ve been divorced, I’ve been on a bunch of dates and have seen this first hand.  I am the world’s best authority on dating vis-a-vis steak ordering and am feeling generous enough to share my theory with you.

My theory is this:

When out on a date, you can tell a lot about a girl by how she orders her steak.

First off, if a girl orders a steak on a date (especially dates 1-3) she is (more than one could apply here):

A) A freeloader looking to get the best meal she can out of you.

B) Pretty confident in herself and orders what she wants when she wants.

C) Feels pretty comfortable in your company.

Hearing, “I think I’m in the mood for some steak tonight” should elicit Bobby Brady-esque fireworks in your head.  You have just been granted a quick insight/limus test into your date’s soul.  This will probably save you a lot of time in the long run.

CAVEAT: As baseball statistic nerds like to say, this theory has been derived on a “small sample size.” There are exceptions to every rule and as with everything in life, your mileage may vary.  These are only to be used as a guideline.  To my single guy friends, do not (under any cirumstances) go marrying the first girl you date who orders her steak medium rare.

(if you do happen to do this, please shoot me an email/text/tweet/carrier pigeon or facebook message)

CAVEAT DEUX: As highly important as it may seem, the way a girl orders her steak is only a barometer.  It certainly isn’t as important as other matters such as: Is she a football fan or not? Does she own any clothing (bonus points if she owns a jersey – hot) with the logo of a sports team on it?  What are her thoughts on the movie Juno?

CAVEAT TROIS: Keep in mind this is just for fun.  I can’t think of anything better to write about before “Entourage” comes on.

Without further ado (drum roll please)….

Mike’s soon-to-be-copyrighted “Theory on Dating and Steak Ordering”

I have listed these in order of preference from least desirable to most desirable:

Well Done – Check please!  This girl is most likely high maintenance, picky, and certainly not worth your time.  Furthermore, as a service to cows across America, she should probably stop eating steak in public places.

Vegetarian – I don’t think I could ever produce offspring with a vegetarian.  I’d be so worried that my kid wouldn’t get the required protein from his/her host organism eating rabbit food all the time.  A bit far, you say?  Isn’t dating all about finding the right mate?  Of course it is.

Rare – Stay away.  I’ve never actually seen or heard this, but this girl is probably good for nothing more than the best one night stand ever (which may or may not be so bad depending on your point-of-view).

Medium – Beware.  You may be entering the “boring” date category.  This girl is a middle-of-the-road type gal.  She most likely will never stand out in a crowd.  She certainly won’t stand out in my mind as a potential partner who will nag you all day fifteen years from now.

Medium Well – Interesting….  This is someone to watch close.  She’s not a boring “medium” orderer, but also doesn’t like to see pink on her steak.  She is probably creative, independent and is not afraid to take a stand on any subject.  With apologies to Jack Nicholson and his portrayal of the Joker, “You’ve got a live one here.”

Medium Rare – Pat yourself on the back my friend, you’ve hit the motherload.  Don’t be a typical guy and screw this one up.  She might be a keeper.

Happy dating/ordering!

Pass the pepper.