Basic Blonde Beliefs

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Tackling Tuesday Conan Style

I ran across this excerpt from Conan O'Brien's commencement address when he returned to address the graduating class of 2000 at Harvard University. He is brilliant, and funny and spot on. Carpe the damn diem my friends!

"Needless to say, I took a lot of criticism, some of it deserved, some of it excessive, and, to be honest with you, it hurt like you would not believe. But I’m telling you all this for a reason. I’ve had a lot of success. I’ve had a lot of failure. I’ve looked good. I’ve looked bad. I’ve been praised. And I’ve been criticized. But my mistakes have been necessary. I’ve dwelled on my failures today because, as graduates of Harvard, your biggest liability is your need to succeed, your need to always find yourself on the sweet side of the bell curve. Success is a lot like a bright white tuxedo. You feel terrific when you get it, but then you’re desperately afraid of getting it dirty, of spoiling it.

I left the cocoon of Harvard, I left the cocoon of Saturday Night Live, I left the cocoon of the Simpsons. And each time it was bruising and tumultuous. And yet every failure was freeing, and today I’m as nostalgic for the bad as I am for the good. So that’s what I wish for all of you—the bad as well as the good. Fall down. Make a mess. Break something occasionally. Know that your mistakes are your own unique way of getting to where you need to be. And remember that the story is never over."

Monday, September 17, 2012

To Thine Own Self Be True

So okay.... I've been having a serious debate with myself over the past couple of weeks regarding whether or not I should delete my Facebook account. It seems to have become a vehicle for people to market their goods and to impress on others how frickin', utterly fabulous they are. I'll be the first to admit, in the past, I've been guilty of using it to market my business. In retrospect, while it garnered me lots of business it also probably annoyed the shit out many of my friends. My bad. Unfortunately, it has become so inundated with self-indulgent crap that it is barely recognizable as the site it used to be. A site for people to connect & reconnect. For instance, take my "friend" (& I use the term loosely) we'll call her Janine. Janine is a nice enough, albeit very shallow and dare I say uneducated woman. Not the smartest cookie in the jar and as fake as a set of solar nails. She inevitably mispells at least one word in every post and she constantly extolls what a fantastic, benevolent "leader" she is. Problem is Janine has a tendency to not show up when she's supposed to,take all the credit even when she doesn't deserve it, and wouldn't know how to lead if her life depended on it. I dare say, I know a ton of people who would love to "lead" Janine to the edge of a cliff and watch her fly....because she's special...and she knows much more about life and every situation than we do...and she cares...Urghhh!!! and she's a phony. So... to Facebook or not to Facebook that is the question. I'm sure I'll keep my account, mainly in order to keep up with the people I'm genuinely interested in. Someone said to just "unfriend" the people I don't like. Hmmm.....tempting, until I realize that I've somehow accumulated over 1200 "friends", many of them just like Janine. The thought of going through and deleting them one by one is daunting but somehow profoundly cathartic. So here's to the future. A future with a lot less "friends". Shakespeare said "to thine own self be true". Here's to you and all my other fake friends Janine! One, two, three fly! Now I feel better.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

A MUST READ for Women-Through a Rapist's Eyes

This is actually really interesting ‎”THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES” (PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. It may save a life.) It seems that alot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a situation. Everyone should read this especially each n every girl in this world. THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG… FYI - Through a rapist’s eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts: 1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets. 2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing. 3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered. 4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots. 5] Number two is office parking lots/garages. 6] Number three is public restrooms. 7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught. 8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming. 9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. 10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it. —————————————————————————————- POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER: 1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target. 2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target. 3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent. 4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts. 5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there. 6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly. 7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble. —————————————————————————————- FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL: I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that” After reading forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in. 1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it. 2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! 3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives. 4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE. 5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) . b. If you! u are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) 6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot). 7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN! 8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry. If u have a heart or compassion reblog this post. ‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand. LET EVERY GIRL KNOW. Your one reblog can help to spread this information.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Rich O'Toole & Jake the Merch Guy Ride into Dodge City

Get ready for a fast & furious Friday in Dodge City, Kansas. Rich O'Toole and his posse will be riding into town, leavin' names and takin' no prisoners! This talented Texas rising star will be featuring a variety of old and new songs with plenty off his newest album, "Kiss of a Liar."

Be on the lookout for Jake the Merch Guy slangin' merch and payin' tribute to Wyatt Earp. And don't forget to tell him that his mama back in Texas sends her love.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Rich O'Toole, Josh Abbott Band & Jake the Merch Guy @ The Grenada

Lawrence Kansas, Rich O'Toole & Josh Abbott Band are in the house and it's gonna be a night to remember! Get ready for some gritty, passionate country rock from these two talented Texas performers. Backed up by bands that will make you glad you came, O'Toole & Abbott are two of the fastest young rising stars in country music.

As usual, Jake the Merch Guy will also be on hand, slangin' merch and chattin' it up with fans. So get on over to The Grenada and don't forget to tell Jake the Merch Guy his mama sends her love.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Rich O'Toole & Jake the Merch Guy on Tour

Hey guys!
Jake the Merch Guy & Rich O'Toole are coming to a venue near you!
Get ready for a rowdy, rockin', good time!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011
8.0's (95.9 The Ranch Free Music Series)
111 East 3rd, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Set: 7:30 PM
All Ages

Thursday, September 29, 2011
Ft. Bend County Fair (ACOUSTIC) w/ Brandon Rhyder
4310 Highway 36 South, Rosenberg, TX 77471
281-342-6171 Set: 8:00 PM
All Ages

One reviewer of Rich's new album "Kiss of a Liar" writes~ "I am so excited about what this album could do for Rich’s career. It has a lot of songs that could be singles and it's great from start to finish! I look forward to watching what this album does for him and I also look forward to hearing more out of him in the future. Whether you were a fan of his before or not you should definitely pick up this album!"

For more information about Rich's new album or tour schedule visit http://richotoole.com

And don't forget to tell Jake the Merch Guy that his mama sends her love.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Jake the Merch Guy Joins Rich O'Toole

This just in! Jake the Merch Guy is all healed and ready to hit the road again. Jake has landed with Texas' own Rich O'Toole & he's anxious to connect with all Rich's fans.

Rich O’Toole is honest to goodness Texas talent with a spicy presence in his music that can only be found hailing from a state that has a reputation for everything being bigger – and Rich proves this rumor true with huge lyrical passion, a gigantic portion of daring subject matter that’ll leave any listener wide-eyed, and massive on-stage energy. This energy hasn’t fallen one bit even after four ...years of touring nationally. It’s only increased, and for Rich, that’s the plan for the rest of his career. Rich’s new record showcases passion, mixed with honest songwriting, and spun into guitar driven country/rock melodies that are noticeably present in his latest single “The Cricket Song”, released in February. This single is only one of many on the record that beg each listener to be a part of Rich’s story and sometimes, the story pushes the envelope without tipping it over. Crowd-favorite “Marijuana & Jalapenos” is a Texas anthem that’ll have you trying to grin around the tongue in your cheek.

This never-give-up mantra has led Rich to accumulate a die-hard and dedicated fan base over his years of touring who could sing every word to each song on the night’s set list. Night after night, he offers audiences an energetic and intimate performance that could only be described as “Bruce Springsteen meets Country Music” and if you ask him what it is that fuels these performances and his recent success, he’ll reply with one word: passion. “If I didn’t love playing city after city so much, I wouldn’t do it. There’ll be times when I leave the stage soakin’ wet because of how much energy the crowd and I shared.” Intriguing song content, melodies that will have you riding on verve, and the determination to present an ever-increasing on-stage dynamism to audiences across the U.S. make Rich O’Toole a Country Rock force to watch out for.

Rich will be at the Catfish & Country Concert w/ Brandon Rhyder in Sulphur Springs TX Saturday Night. Are you ready??

And oh yeah, tell Jake the Merch Guy his mama sends her love.