Now I know I'm old....

Sunny here.

You know how the "older" generation always sees the corruption of the younger generation by their music, clothes, work ethic, morals, etc?

Well, I can honestly now say I'm "old." I work with 20-somethings everyday, and most of them have a pathetic work ethic ("You're LUCKY I showed up since I'm so great and indispensable"), and they think nothing of their poor work ethic or of "using" other people to get what they want in or out of work. These types actually have such bad attitudes that they act like their supervisors, co-workers, and customers should consider themselves lucky that they, the Beautiful People, even showed up to "help out" (like it's not even a job). If they no call, no show, they think nothing of it. No biggie. If they're late, no biggie. If they do show up and do their own thing, no biggie but everyone else is "lucky" that they're there.

At some point in the 80s or 90s, American culture started teaching parents that their kids should learn strong self-confidence, take care of #1, and feel and exhibit exceptional self-esteem, no matter what, good, bad, nasty, or not. Your kid came in last place? He still got a ribbon. Your kid failed every other course for a year? No holding him or her back anymore. He's SPECIAL. She's GIFTED. He's BORED with the current curriculum because he's SO smart. She's got ADHD and needs to be on Ritalin, which makes her special or even exceptional. Those kids need SPECIAL ATTENTION, and we don't want to INHIBIT their confidence.

What the fuck? Now these assholes now have no clue about social behavior, consideration, good graces or manners, humility, REAL work ethics, contributions to work, family, charity, and life without martyrdom or an overly done sense of self sacrifice, honest self-appraisal including efforts to improve oneself, or an ability to admit that it's not all about you (at least in public).

One example of the idiocy I'm talking about is Chris Crocker, who set up the most pathetic, isolationist, uneducated, spoiled-brat, worthless diatribe I've ever seen on behalf of a human being so far. I've never heard a single song by Britney Spears, have never heard a single reason to listen to or watch her, and have no clue why this young man would call this joke of a person/media personality a "national treasure."

National Treasures = Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Frank Lloyd Wright, John Philip Sousa, Harriet Tubman, Geronimo, Eleanor Roosevelt, Captain Charles Butler McVay III, Bob Hope, Rosa Parks, Johnny Carson, William Harvey Carney, Neil Armstrong, etc. Obviously, this list doesn't even come close to all those who performed heroic acts, who led when no on else could or would, who made us think, who were just good people, who entertained us during bad and good times and helped with morale. Whether it be personal, political, or morally based courage, creativity, gumption, idealism, anger, or whatever motivation those people considered necessary for the "American Dream," at least they acted or reacted and made a difference beyond the latest charts, wardrobe fads, lessening of moral idealism, or narcissism.

Please don't you dare state that a lip-synching, barely-there nothing of a performer is a "national treasure." Mr. Crocker, that means you have some serious growing up to do or that you were severely undereducated or that you have no real connection to American history and facts and knowledge of the effects of duty, honor, morality, and sacrifice.

People who have had far less than you have, or Britney has ever had, have fought far more danger and prejudices than you understand; they've sacrificed everything to have civil rights, a voice, a job, a car, a home, an un-threatened family, and an education. Actually, they've fought to have the right to vote, to own property, to be treated as a person, to gain basic American freedoms.

These people lost their lives, loved ones, property, dignity, rights to decent food and clean water, peace of mind, enjoyment of small pleasures, and personal space. They signed up or volunteered or were drafted to be soldiers, nurses, advocates, doctors, journalists, civil rights activists, suffragettes, and USO participants in our wars and civil actions.

To get upset about and compare a nothing like Brittany Spears to national treasures is to reveal your own ignorance about history and freedom and sacrifice and hope and idealism. You are admitting that you're a spoiled brat who knows nothing about sacrifices made in this country to make it possible for you to have Internet access, freedom of speech, the right to watch any channel or program you want, the right for you be at home instead of "stolen away" in the middle of the night for speaking your mind, the right for your parents to whoop your ass (with reason), which it appears you need, and the right for you to ignore all of those who have given up so much for you and some of your peers to reach the point where you totally ignore what is and isn't important and act ignorant or narcissistic or both. That's your right. And it's my right to tell you to learn how to read and to study and to understand what real sacrifice is. You wouldn't be where you are without thousands of our predecessors' contributions to your freedom.

I hope you grow up. Right now, you're a miserable mistake of a 21st-century human being who wants and gets everything his/her way. Basically, you're a fucking uneducated, spoiled, miserable brat. Grow up.

Sincerely,
Sunny

In honor of those going UP the stairs....

Sunny here.

On this fateful anniversary, we should honor those who died simply because they went to work; those who died simply because they were flying to a new or old place to visit, explore, work; those who died simply because they wanted to see a landmark or family; those who died simply because they were following their instincts to help other people.

I don't care what your religious or cultural beliefs are, there are no excuses for what happened that day.

Here's a nod to all the men, women, and children who died for no reason whatsoever that day and especially for those going UP the stairs to help people with no thoughts for the risks to their own lives.

Sunny

The Full Monty

Sunny here.

So my VCR had some sort of weird year-and-a-half-long hiatus then suddenly began working again. Thank god, as most of my movies are VHS. Don't ask, but yes, I'm kicking and screaming into adapting to new technology. I own a crappy DVD player, can barely work a cell phone, have not a clue about video games (last time I played was on the original Nintendo), and wouldn't know what the hell to do with an iPod. But I digress.

I think The Full Monty is one of the best movies ever made, and I got to watch it again the other night until my now-working-again VCR had a meltdown and ate it on the second go. Go figure.

Point being: This is a fantastic film! My cousin and her husband couldn't wait to get me to the theater when it came out, and they had just seen it the night before! It was that good. It took a bit of time to get used to and understand the accents, but the film was great the first time around and just gets better with every viewing. As an American, I had no idea what the "full monty" meant, but I do now, so I'm not giving anything away when I say you really root for these guys and are actually proud for them as they work through their own issues until they finally get up the nerve to take all their clothes off, and in front of women who know them at that!

This movie is funny and poignant at the same time. We all know what it's like to lose a job, and maybe even our dignity and family with it. That's what these guys are going through.

A must-see movie. If you haven't already seen it, do. And for you guys who think you have to be gay to wanna watch a movie about guys who are gonna strip, grow up. That's not what this movie's really about!

Thanks,
Sunny