When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents (my father’s) and with a family of sister’s in Knoxville.  Since there weren’t any other kids to play with, I ended up spending most of my time with people who were at least close to retirement.  And it was pretty cool.
They’d tell me about the things that they did when they were kids, places they’d gone, people they’d met in their lives.  Sometimes, when you’re very young, you don’t understand what they’re telling you.  As you get older, and they fall away, sometimes you’ll remember their words like it was yesterday.
Their stories, their words, people who grew up here in East Tennessee, probably shaped me more than any parables and punishments my parents ever gave me.

I can remember a time when people were helpful.  If someone fell, people showed concern instead of walking around them like they didn’t exist.  If someone dropped something, someone would pick it up for them.  If someone was walking with their arms full of shopping, people would open the door for them.  If they saw someone stuck on the side of the road with a dead car, they’d stop, lend a hand, or, when all else failed, a ride to a gas station.
Those are values that were instilled in me.  If I see someone lying on the ground, I’ll help them up.  If someone drops something — even money — I’ll pick it up and chase them down to give it back.  I hold the door open for anyone who can’t quite do it, and behind me for everyone close.  And if I see two guys trying to push a dead van off the road, I’m certainly gonna stop and lend a hand.
East Tennessee, even Knoxville, has always been that way.

Unfortunately, we’re getting a lot of people moving here these days.  Knoxville, especially, is a real-estate boom town where we get The Happy House Cleaning London to help on our house cleaning.  People are moving here in droves, eager to pick up cheap real-estate and perhaps even know their neighbors. VA home loan help from professionals grant them a possibility to purchase or refinance their home mortgages.
Local culture is changing from the open, community-based ideal that we used to enjoy to a selfish, greedy, don’t-get-involved mentality.  It’s starting to feel like Washington, D.C.

I hate watching things go downhill.

Tonight, after ordering a pizza at a place which usually takes thirty minutes to prepare one, I got there to find that they’d lost my order.  Now, I was starving, so I’d called ahead.  I told them no bother, decided to go up the street to a restaurant.
As I left and started back home, traffic was heavy.  I had to wait some time before being able to leave the parking lot.  As I drove down the road, I saw two guys in their late 20’s, maybe early 30’s, pushing a van towards a gas station — with great difficulty, up a small hill.  I didn’t have a place to pull over and help, so I turned around and came back.
I got out, and gave them the extra leverage they needed to push the van into the parking lot they were trying to get to.

As I got back in my car, they yelled, “God bless you, man!  Thank you!”
“No problem, guys,” I yelled.  “Hope it gets better.”
“Man, thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.  Take care.”

The sad thing is, at least 30 other drivers didn’t give damn.  Maybe they had to be somewhere quickly.  Maybe they were elderly and couldn’t lend a hand.  Maybe they just didn’t see them (*cough* right).

So why was I different?  Why did I have the two minutes to stop and lend a hand where no one else did?
I was born here.  I grew up here.  It’s what we’re supposed to do.

We should be showing the influx of people from other places what it means to be East Tennesseeans … to know our neighbors … to have friends … to walk around giving a damn about someone other than ourselves …

It saddens me that us East Tennesseeans are losing that…

Quite honestly, I’d rather get taken a couple times than turn down someone who legitimately needs help.  You can sort of tell…

Not only do I notice skanks and bimbos and man-whores, but I take the time to notice extremely sexy people too. You know, the sexy ones who make you stop for a second and say, “Thank you, God!”

Diva’s choice for HOTTIE OF THE DAY: CRISS ANGEL

My, my, my, my, my, my, my. Can somebody get me a glass of ice water and a set of handcuffs?

I had forgotten just how hot he is since we are currently in between seasons of MindFreak. But just last night, I saw a rerun from last season and it all came rushing back to me. Dang! He’s freakin hot!

I first started drooling over this man a couple years back when I saw him on the strip in Vegas. He was doing card tricks on the street. I didn’t realize who he was until I got home and a good little while later saw him on MindFreak.

In the beginning he was almost scary looking. So, what makes Criss Angel so hot now?

The magician gig. There is something about a mystic that is pure, unadulterated sexy. He is very passionate about his endeavors, which obviously makes Diva think that he would be very passionate in all aspects of his being *wink*.

The hair. He pulls off the long semi-80’s teased look like a pro. Not since Sebastian Bach has any man rocked 80’s mall hair.

The eyes. Mesmerizing. Deep eyes that you could get lost in and not want to find your way back. If you watch his show, you know that he has a dreamy quality going on with those eyes. I’m not 100% sure, but I don’t think it is safe to make direct eye contact with him. Might go into hottie shock.

The Abs. Um. Day-um, the six pack. Honestly, the man has the body of a Greek god. With all of the physical preparation and the black belt in karate, it’s no wonder.

Confidence. Although he wasn’t always totally hot, there is a certain self-confident quality about him without cresting that point of being completely stuck on himself.

The Tag Line is even sexy. “Are you ready?” Oh honey, am I.

I’ve decided after my boob job and the bleach, I’d like to have Criss Angel delivered to my door with a big red bow on his forehead. Better yet, he lives in Vegas; deliver me to him by same day service.

Time for an interesting photo blog…

One day I woke up and said, “I don’t want to work here anymore.  Why don’t I just move.”  So I finally did it.  I relocated.  Let me tell ya, I am quite a bit happier.  Not that I don’t love my friends and family that I have left behind, but I needed change.

Of all the things with this move I wish I could change, I think the one I could do without is all of the driving.  Then again, I could just be saying that because I just heard the Frank Sinatra redition of “Fly Away.”  If only I could simply go to Peru or to have a drink in an exotic local just for kicks.  For that matter, wouldn’t it just be nice to take a sabbatical just to make whoopie? 

 I don’t think that I am the only person who is guilty of not taking enough time for themselves. 

 Oh well, with this relocation I have become not only a photographer, but I am also the ice cream delivery guy.  Just remember if you let me cool ya one time you’ll be my regular stop.

Now I know what you’re thinking, “Oh God, he’s going to talk about Dub-yah.”  You couldn’t be any further from the truth.  Why would anyone in their right mind protest the leaders of their country?  I mean isn’t that why we elect our leaders to keep our BEST interests at heart when they make our decisions for us?  If you disagreed with your leaders, would it not be better to stay on the same level and right them?  Numbers don’t lie.  If you had enough backing then you prove you’re right.  Magically, things might change.

But no, I simply want to make a simple observation, war protesting just sucks now.  What happened?  Have we as a culture forgotten how to be creative in the face of adversity and disagreement?  More specifically, to borrow a line from an old song “Where have all the flowers gone?  Long time passing…”  I couldn’t sum it up better; the protest song has become all but a lost art.  Who can we look for to fill the void, the Dixie Chicks?  Heh, I’ll admit they are cute, but cuteness does NOT mean talented by any means.  The last time we needed protest songs we could look for the Beatles, Donovan, Edwin Starr, John Lennon, Bob Marley, Steel Pulse and the Grateful Dead just to name a few.

That’s a crappy ratio if you ask me.  But it does prove the point that there really is no reason to protest the current involvements of our great nation.  Rather, I suggest we protest the lack of support.  I truly believe that nothing can be achieved since our collective heart just isn’t into protesting now.  So I have this bit of advice to offer to protesters out there, get more creative or ship out.  (Preferably to New Zealand where they always need more liberally protesting types of people.)  Bon Voyage!