TMZ (the show)

Ok, so let's start off by saying that it's not that I don't care what celebrity's do in the their spare time, it's that I REALLY don't care what they do, so I am kinda biased against these paparazzi shows in the first place.

I also would like to state that I am not a recluse type person who doesn't own a TV etc, in fact I LOVE TV and movies, I can't get enough of them...the work that actors and actresses do is awesome (well, some of them) and a HUGE part of my life, there have been times when it was almost a pathetic addiction (before TiVO) I frequently used the expression "I NEED to see that show" or "I can't believe I missed that other show"...I even watch BAD movies, on purpose (usually horror flicks)...as long as they are scripted and not crappy reality stuff. But when it comes to actors and actresses personal lives and the tabloids/ tabloid sites that talk about them I just don't care who is dating who etc.

I will give TMZ.com some credit, they do break some bigger stories for the people that are interested in that type of thing, and it is a more popular site then the sites we have for our magazines x 1000 I'm sure (maybe even "1 Miiiiiilllliiiioooooonnnn" as Dr Evil would say), and even my boss sends me a link to their site at least once a week (usually related to something I still don't care about or have the time for LOL, come to think of it, how does he?? Hmmmm)

So last night as my wife is flipping around the channels (hello summer snooze fest, c'mon football and the new fall season) she stops on TMZ the show. I could not actually believe that this is on TV. In the 20 minutes I watched I got to see Serena Williams walk through a parking garage to her car, Eva Longoria walk from a restaurant to her car (omigod her shirt is hanging funny, she must be pregnant), Resse Witherspoon walk from a store to her car, the brunette chick from Sex in the City walk from one store to another, Lindsay Lohan walk from her car to a store and Britney Spears and Harry Potter get criticised for not wanting to talk to the HUGE group of people surrounding their vehicles, as they walked to them. Really? REALLY? This is what people are interested in, THIS is enough to have a show about EVERYDAY? People actually are making a living waiting outside stores and parking garages for people that someone might recognize to WALK to their destination from their car or back. I'm not talking about so and so is having an affair or got a DUI (even though that is lame too), I'm talking about walking....to....their...car, from....waitaminnit...a store...omigod...get that on tape NOW! Rush it onto the TV, because it is SO important it cannot wait. Seriously, we all need to get a collective life and think about things that are a little bit more important.

I know I'm ranting again, but the only redeeming thing about the whole show was when they once again have to show non-celebs Heidi and Spencer (walking to their car of course) and the cameraman asks Spencer if he was in the Olympics what event would he do, he replies "swimming" and then says "I'd win more gold's than Phelps". It flashed back to the studio and the main guy (Harvey Levin?) says "WHAT A DOUCHEBAG!"

Yes, Harvey I couldn't agree more...but I don't think he's alone

C

It's about time

That people realized how important I can be

The Secret to My Sanity (or a reasonable facsimile)

As previously mentioned
job=stress
home=stress (but in a good way)
but outwardly
me=no stress.

My secret...is it just because I am SO well adjusted that nothing phases me? That I can deal with anything life throws at me and just smile and say thank you?

Well, if you know me at all, you know those aren't even close...I do crack, I do lash out, I just try to keep it low key, because on the few times I truly lost my shit, it started a domino effect that just kept going and going down the levels of the office. It was kinda cool to see once, but I try my best to avoid it happening again.

For the most part though, I have found that the thing that works best for me isn't alcohol, drugs, fightclub (don't talk about fight club), counseling, religion (don't get me started) or any extreme measures...my solution is simple.

...I go to the gym on a ridiculously regular basis.




OK, I'll be the first to admit my original reason for going 10 years ago was to look better for the ladies, I was getting older (in my late 20's, ooooohhhhhh) and it was the thing to do...but then after mission successful (I met my wife)...that reason wasn't the main focus...then it was actually getting healthy and looking better. It also helped that it was an interest for me in getting the job that I have. I have a pretty good grasp on what we are talking about when planning future issues, and how to make the books read easily for people who don't.

Once again as I normally do, fast forward a few years...I'm 39, and the aforementioned stresses of life start to catch up with you (plus the whole, well, looking 39 thing)...now the gym is a crutch of sorts...on days when I don't get there before work, I feel like ass...and I even somehow convince myself I look like that too (not that my normal look is stud or anything, but I like to think I at least don't look my age). For some reason I even still buy into the whole "abs" thing, even though I better than anyone know exactly what the models in the mags go through to have abs on those days...dieting, water depletion etc...I can't imagine how other people think if I have even bought into it.

Anyway, back to the real reason...being at the gym for an hour and a half, reading the latest zombie/vampire novel while doing cardio, then lifting for an hour or so is revitalizing...I don't talk to anyone, I don't even really look at anyone. Heavy music + my own little peaceful world where noone needs anything from me (that is VERY rare, believe me). It is like a little piece of freedom (with a lot of fake people floating around in various outfits they shouldn't be wearing). Occasionally I will answer emails from work, but only if they are pressing and/or funny. It is actually amazing that something that can be good for you physically can also be so helpful mentally. I can't even imagine how great it would be if I went to a good gym :-)

In short, I would recommend it to anyone, and let's hope I remember this next time I am complaining about not having time to go to a movie, but still finding time to be at the gym...that movie will be out on DVD in a few months, but every hour I train is an investment in the current days sanity and my health in the future to spend with my girls.

Plus, I won't kill anyone in the meantime...and there are a group of people in the office that will like that one.

C

Stolen from Rich's Blog

Sorry man, had to steal this one...it is just too crazy.

I actually shop at Walmart occasionally, but this is pretty eerie

The spreading of Walmart stores since the 60's, likening it to a virus

My life?

Home life. Work life. My life?

What happened? One minute I was totally in control, could do what I wanted when I wanted, video games, comic books, movies (at home OR in the theatres), hanging out at the beach, sleeping in on the weekends, drinking with the guys (a lot)...you name it, if I wanted to do it...well, I did.

All of the sudden (well, not so all of the sudden, more like all of the "10 years later") the "my life" part of the equation is gone. Monday-Friday day with sprinkles of nights and weekends thrown in I am heavily invested in my job, which is at times rewarding and fun with healthy doses of stress and infuriating circumstances I can't control (though I insist on trying...hello head, meet wall). When I am not at work, the real hard part starts (but also more rewarding)...it's being a husband and a Dad (not necessarily in that order). I am a huge fan of lists, and it is now official that running 3 national magazines doesn't have nearly the to-do list of 2 young girls under 3. They both rock like no other, but wow, there is ALWAYS something. Throw in their equally awesome mom, and the list is neverending (I'm not even kidding...it NEVER ENDS).

I realize it's time to be grown up, logically, it's time...I'm well on the way to 40, but for some reason I just don't feel it...I bought the Wii last week on the pretense of my 3 year old wanting to try it...but in my spare time between 10:00pm and 1:00am when I'm not working, it's whatever is on my TiVo and the occasional video game thrown in (I take my immature where I can get it).

I don't consider myself a bad Dad by any stretch, but I catch myself quite often thinking "ugh" when I just get a chance to sit down and someone needs something...of course I get up and do it (why do the easy things always take exactly 7 minutes?) and then sit down again, just in time for the next request. In fact, as stressful as work is, I even found myself slightly yearning for the relative peace of people only needing something every 3 minutes at the office, rather than every 1.5 at home. Hopefully this will all pass as they get older, and our interests somehow come together better, I'm still not into Enchanted, the Wiggles, Caillou or the color pink.

I try to relate to my girls as well as I can, but ultimately, I think it comes to me having more control at work, so that is my comfort zone...it may not be my first choice of what I want to be doing at the time, but I call the shots for the most part. (plus, even after 7 years, I still look for the mags on every newsstand I go by, when that is done, I'll know it's time to move on)

Control at home...well, not so much.

I control the order with which I do my assigned tasks.

OK, no, I don't even really control that.

But I pay the bills...that's something...right?

I guess what it comes down to is finally accepting that the list at the top isn't 3 separate lives, it IS my life...it's where I am now, and where I'm going to be for a long time...so whether it means growing up, or growing down to the girls level occasionally (I have caught my wife dancing with my eldest in the living room with various headwear on more than one occasion)...I need to live with it.

and I'm pretty sure I can do it. Of course, a little luck won't hurt :-)

C