The Thin Line Between Maker and Taker

Joe Bush: "Do you see that building over there, little Joey?"

Joey Bush: "Yeah..."

Joe: "I built that."

Joey: "Really? All by yourself?"

Joe: "That's right!"

Joey: "How long ago was that?"

Joe: "Well, your great-grandpa is the one that started it, so it's been around for a while now."

Joey: "...and you built that?"

Joe: "You betcha. ...and someday, when you're my age, you'll get to tell people the same thing - that you built that."

Joey: "Wow. I'm gonna build a lot of things, aren't I, dad?"

Joe: "You bet you are! You already have!"

Joey: "I have? Like what, dad?"

Joe: "That backpack you wear every day to school - you built that!"

Joey: "Really?"

Joe: "Yeah - you put it on your back and made it work, right?"

Joey: "That's right!"

Joe: "So, you built it! You know that tricycle my mistress and I bought for you? You built that too!"

Joey: "I did? I don't remember doing that."

Joe: "You rode the bike, right? It's yours. You built it."

Joey: "Did I build the piece of paper I wrote on earlier - in that love note I sent Brian?"

Joe: "Say what? Brian?"

Joey: "Uh. I mean, Brianne. Yeah - Brianne."

Joe: "Ha. I was going to say - you and I would need to talk about that. But yes, you built that piece of paper as well."

Joey: "That's so cool! I'm going to tell all my friends!"

Joe: "You're a maker, little Joey, just like me. There are makers and takers in this world. There are makers like you and I - ones that take full credit for building things that were passed down to us through the generations and takers - the ones that don't inherit anything and to whom we pay minimal amounts of money to build things for us. Do you get it?"

Joey: "Wait. So, someone else built that building over there, but you built it all by yourself?"

Joe: "Exactly."

Joey: "I don't get it."

Joe: "You will someday, my son. You will someday. Just like my dad was proud of me for being his son and giving me his business, I'll one day proudly hand this business over to you and do you know why?"

Joey: "Why, dad?"

Joe: "Because you built that!"

Joey: "Huh? I did?"

Joe: "But, of course."

Joey: "I still don't get it. Should we get a taxi, so we can meet up with that Stella lady again?"

Joe: "No, no. Taxi drivers are takers. They're just mooching off the makers like you and I."

Joey: "But did the taxi drivers build the taxis like I built my tricycle?"

Joe: "Yes, I suppose so."

Joey: "So, you can be a maker and a taker? I'm so confused!"

Joe: "Just stop thinking, my son. Just stop thinking like I did many years ago and suddenly, everything will all make sense."

Joey: "Okay, dad. I'll stop thinking, just for you."

Joe: "That's better. Now let's go grab us some food."

Joey: "That we made?"

Joe: "No, silly - that someone else made."

Joey: "So we're going to be the takers now?"

Joe: "Never! I told you to stop thinking, junior."

Joey: "Can we at least say we made it?"

Joe: "Now you're catching on! Now let's go and get that food."

Boycotting jukeboxes because of TouchTunes

I love music and enjoy hitting the bar(s) over the weekend, so naturally, when the mood strikes me, I've never been coy about playing some songs on the jukebox. This past Thursday, a friend of mine turned 50, so several friends of her's, including myself, all met up to celebrate the occasion. At around 9:30, a friend of mine and I both chipped in $5 to play some songs on the jukebox. Four hours and 231 skips later, we gave up on hearing the songs we had selected, and went home knowing we had just wasted $5. This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened to me (and many others), and due to that, I'll be boycotting jukeboxes. Why? The scam known as TouchTunes. You see, here's how the plot typically breaks down. A person (or group of people) downloads the TouchTunes app on his/her phone, consumes one too many adult beverages, and due to this, has less care for spending extra money to hear the songs of their choosing right NOW. That's the thing with TouchTun

The difference between "looking" and "checking out"

I may be way off with these numbers, but it's my approximation that at least 75% of individuals whom are involved in a serious relationship feel it's perfectly acceptable to "check out" members of the opposite sex they're not involved with. Meanwhile, approximately 25% either don't feel this is acceptable or aren't sure about the matter. I hadn't thought about this matter for a while, but since I've been dating a woman for about 8 months, the topic has been pondered about some. When reading or hearing others discuss this very issue, I often times hear comments similar to the following: "It's human nature to look." "There's nothing wrong with checking others out. I'm sure he/she does it too!" "It's fine to do it. Just don't tell your boyfriend/girlfriend about it or do it in front of them!" "It's natural to find people attractive." When observing the array of comments, I i

The verdict is in. To no one's surprise, Jonathan Hoenig has been found guilty of being an idiot.

Just recently, when discussing the Michael Brown shooting and whether or not race had anything to do with it, Fox News contributor Jonathan Hoenig said, "You know who talks about race? Racists." One moment while I provide Mr. Hoenig with the well deserved slow-clap. :: slow-claps for two seconds :: So, that was quite the line by Mr. Hoenig, wasn't it? "You know who talks about race? Racists." Well, wasn't he just talking about race? So, by his own words, I guess that makes him a racist. Also, if he wants to be consistent, does this mean that people whom talk about gender are sexists and people whom talk about sexual orientation are homophobes? With that line of thinking, Hoenig would engage in the following back-and-forths: Hoenig: "So, who are you voting for?" A woman: "The Democratic candidate, because he's been adamant about his support for equal rights for women." Hoenig: "You sexist feminist nazi!"

The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

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