The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

I see a lot of people bashing "Liberation" for being a Queen-rip-off; possessing "awful" lyrics; and/or listing it as the worst, or at least one of the worst songs off Will of the People . While everyone has the right to an opinion, all the negativity surrounding the song prompted me to post a positive write-up of it. First off, while there are undoubtedly Queen-influences present in this track, I see them as much less overbearing than in some other songs - most notably "United States of Eurasia" (love this track too, by the way). The most obvious said inspiration occurs between the verse and chorus, where multiple vocals are layered - somewhat reminiscent of "Bohemian Rhapsody." That's it, though, and such a musical maneuver is far from rare in Muse's catalog. Hell, just look at this album - the same type of sound transpires at the very tail-end of "We Are F-ing F-ed" (another great song). Queen has long been a ma...

I don't have a lot to say about the anti-gun violence marches from this past weekend just yet. Seeing and hearing those kids bravely stand up to politicians and lobbyists; the unbridled pain, emotion, and conviction in their voices; it left me speechless on Saturday and I remain speechless on Monday. Adults in this country, especially those in Congress, could learn a thing or two from our kids. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, they do so, fight for the safety of our children over the money of the gun lobby, and if not, pay the price at the election booths in November of this year and beyond. Here are a few of the best signs from the protest: - "My Right To Live > A Gun" - "If You Need A Machine Gun To Hunt, You Suck At It." - "I Miss Earthquake Drills" - "The Scariest Thing In A School Should Be My Grades" - "Pack Lunches Not Heat!!!" - "I'm a 1st grade teacher. Trump's solution to school violence i...

It's hard for me to believe, but yesterday marked the 1-year anniversary of my friend Gary's passing. After being diagnosed with cancer, he was given 6 months to live, but battled it for over 7 years. It's been a rough year for me on the health front, but Gary continues to be an inspiration to me, as he's taught me, no matter how bleak things might seem today, so long as we're breathing, we can fight for a better tomorrow. Rest in peace, Gary. We miss you, bud.

As I drove to dinner last night, I saw a family holding up a sign, saying they'd work for food. For once, I pulled over, got out of my car, introduced myself, and asked to hear their story. When all was said and done, I took them to the place of their choosing (Chick-fil-A), bought them a meal, and wished them well. The tears and gratitude in their eyes, the seemingly never-ending stream of "thank yous" will never be forgotten. It's pretty easy to focus on the minor hardships in life, whether it be a traffic jam, the cable going out, or a flight delay, yet many of us often times forget how fortunate we are. While we're struggling to decide where to travel next, another family is struggling to put food on the table and simply survive. Who knows whether or not my gesture will help this family in the long-term, but while I work at home, contemplating on what to eat next, sadly taking such a thing for granted, I'm glad I was able to provide such a necessity to ano...

A little over a month ago, on August 24th, I posted this blog in reference to my friend, whom had just recently passed ((http://thekind-heartedsmartaleck.blogspot.com/2015/08/rip-my-friend.html): " It's very sad for me to report that I lost a friend over the weekend. As I'm sure is common amongst a majority of people, whenever someone I know passes on, I start reflecting on my own life and life in general. My friend, Gary, led quite a life. Having fun seemed to be easy for him throughout most of his 64 years, but then when he was diagnosed with cancer 7 years ago and given 6 months to live, he proved time and time again he was the ultimate fighter too. Throughout it all, he continued to live life on his terms, much to the dismay of his doctors, for if he was going to die, he was going to die with a smile on his face. While I probably wouldn't advise people with a similar condition to do this, my friend wasn't about following rules; he was about simultaneously...

Like a lot of people, I love music. Most of my family was born and raised near Detroit, Michigan, so I heard a lot of Motown and soul music growing up. My father was always into classic rock, my mother loved the oldies, and my younger brother was typically into what was new and popular, not to mention some friends of mine whom were into rap and country. So I was exposed to a very diverse array of music throughout my childhood, young adult, and adult years, and have been able to garner a liking to at least one artist or a handful of songs in each and every genre. I've never been too big into rap or country, but still like a few songs from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Johnny Cash, and a few other artists from those two genres. I've also never gotten into boy bands and the like, but would be lying if I said I didn't find a couple such songs to be regrettably catchy. My two favorite genres, though, have to be rock and soul. From classic to southern to hard to alternative to e...

Often times, we go about life not realizing what most people may honestly think of us or what kind of a positive impact we may have had on a person's life. Even if we perform a kind act for a person, unless he or she tells us, while we may very well be left feeling good about doing something for another, we'll never be 100% certain how that kind act impacted them. On a couple of occasions this past week, however, I actually received this very feedback from friends of mine which left me feeling pretty good. Every now and again, it's just nice to be noticed and appreciated. A few days ago, a friend of mine randomly wrote me and said, "No matter what life seems to throw at you, you always seem to battle through and have a smile on your face. It's inspiring." Just yesterday, another friend told me, "For all that you've dealt with and how you've dealt with it, I've honestly been inspired by you." I guess there are just times I don't ...

When referring to Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, some of his supporters like to say, "Trust him - he's a doctor!" First of all, I don't trust a person's political beliefs just because he or she is a doctor. Secondly, it appears as if Mr. Paul isn't certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology - the lone body which certifies "doctors" in his field. It has been around for about a century and has approximately 16,000 doctors on its rolls. "Dr." Rand Paul is actually certified through the National Board of Ophthalmology, which has existed since 1999, when Mr. Paul founded it himself. This board lists no more than seven doctors, and is currently operated by him. Paul had previously stated that he had been certified by both boards. I would now like to thank "Dr." Rand Paul for inspiring me to create the National Board of Awesomeology, where I will be certified as a doctor, and tell women everywhere that they can come to me, with th...

I love old grumpy neighbors. One such neighbor lives across the street, is retired, and if he had to list his top hobby and was honest about it, it'd be complaining. Just a few days ago, I was walking my dog around the area and this very neighbor started talking to me. It was garbage day and he was asking if there were some lights on the driveway which somehow broke and wound up in his yard and on the street next to his yard. I knew this wasn't the case and told him of this, but he didn't seem to believe me. He obviously wanted someone to clean up the mess. A day later, with the help of family, we cleaned up the mess, even though it wasn't ours. Yesterday, I bumped into him again as I was walking my dog and he said he owed me a thank you. I said it wasn't a problem, but again let him know the lights weren't mine. He then seem puzzled on why we cleaned up the mess, and I responded, "Oh, just being nice." I think this made him guilty, for he gave a...

I am unashamed to admit that I'm a nerd. My idea of a good time is playing a word game like Boggle or Scrabble. Thankfully, I (and many others) can play such games via Facebook and/or my (our) cell phone(s). While it seems that cheating has become more commonplace in these games (Words With Friends in particular) than San Diego has had nice weather, I've yet to give in to that craze. One element present with the game Scramble With Friends (Boggle) not present in Words With Friends (Scrabble) are legal boosts called "power-ups," which cost a number of tokens from the 15 available. I've now tried all five power-ups, including the latest one which costs money. So, in case anyone's curious about playing the game or giving these power-ups a gander, here's a rundown of them all: Freeze - I think this is probably my favorite of all the power-ups. With the freeze, time stands still for a matter of seconds, which allows you more time to find words and improve...

I'm curious to see a study which compares and contrasts the pros and cons of tips (as far as tipping waiters, bartenders, etc.). When many Europeans visit the States, they're often times confused by the concept of tipping. In their native countries, the "tips" are already built in to the overall salary, which makes for a more consistent annual wage. When they hear how much waiters and bartenders make per hour here, they're often times shocked and ask how they live off that. That's when the waiter or bartender explains the concept of tipping. I guess my question is, which is the better method overall? I think the theory in this country is that people will work harder for the extra tip - the "bonus" at the end of his/her job. If he or she doesn't excel, they deservedly won't be tipped well and if they do excel, the tip will reflect that and continue to inspire them to excel day in and day out. However, how often is that the case? Regardless...