Random Thoughts about U2,kids, life, work, home...

Another Sunday and I find myself finally awake after sleeping in until 1030 today. I usually sleep in late on the weekends. I always have, really as I do awaken at 6 am every day and arrive at work at about 640 am. I then work til 300, often in very hot/cold, noisy, and otherwise very uncomfortable and stressful conditions.

Usually on the weekends I have my children, but this month I have not seen them as they have either been working, had holiday activities with friends, or have been off to summer camps. I miss them alot when they are not here (which is most of the time) but I recognize that I must not make it a bad thing for them when they don't want to come over as it IS important that they establish friendships and lives of their own without the feeling they are "letting dad down". I am proud of the three of them as they are very selfless and empathetic and very smart human beings....I like to think I have something to do with that, but I give them all of the credit.

I have to admit I am disappointed at my lifelong (adult life anyway) heroes, U2, for not finding a way to (1) come to Salt Lake City on their tour, and (2) make their ticket prices more affordable. Yeah, I know, I know....the GA seats closest to the stage are 30 dollars, but why do I have to pay over 50 dollars a year to be a premium u2.com member to "get the chance" to buy the cheaper tix? I have spent a lot of money as a fan of the band, so I DO have the paid right to bitch here for a moment.

I remember seeing the "Pop Mart" Tour where all seats were 65 dollars. Now, for a stadium show where 70,000 to 80,000 people are going to attend, I felt that was a fair price, especially since U2 would not take a sponsor endorsement and the shows ARE good, and the stage WAS huge. The the Elevation Tour came to town as an arena show, I did not pay for my tix, as I was there as a gift, but I am sure the seats were over 100 dollars...fine, you get less people at an arena show, no sponsors, OK.
Then I saw the "Elevation" Tour, 160 dollars, Ummmmm now I am feeling like this is getting steep especially since I just paid for the U2 show book and the U2 by U2 book....30-40 dollars each there. I woulda missed the show had I not done some side work installing a furnace/AC ...so close to xmas, too. Many went without gifts so I could see the show.

This brings me to the latest 360 Tour. Ok, it's great that the GA fans get to stand for 4 hours plus (including opening act) and pay 30 dollars IF they have paid 50 dollars a year as a U2.com member and could get a pre-sale ticket. It's a stadium only tour, which means the fans also have to fight traffic and stand in a long line to get into the show, and then the hassle of getting the car outta parking and back home...battling 80-90 thousand people. IF you did not join the u2.com site as a premium member, you get to have a seat in the stadium..somewhere...for about 250 dollars. OH! AND the show is SPONSORED by Blackberry. Now I am feeling a little much is expected from me to be a fan.

Stadium shows are usually a controlled monotany of events anyway, and to pay 250 dollars for 1 ticket and parking and programs and t shirts adding much more money, and then feel sore and stiff for a couple days from standing so long, is it worth it to me? Sometimes in a stadium show you are so damn far from the stage, you may as well be in the parking lot just trying to listen.

U2 are a great band, really the best in the world. I love the band, but I don't like the way they have made the tix so expensive now. I think 80-90 dollars a ticket would be more respectable especially in this economy, leaving some room for a fan to park and buy trinkets. I am disappointed at the band for the steep costs inflicted on the fans for this tour. I would have been more impressed if they would have stuck to arenas and kept things affordable that way.

How much is enough? I always wonder.

Anyway, that's my bitching for today. It's hard to remember sometimes that fans are not always going to be happy with a band (see "Pop") but we do keep coming back for more...happily.

Have a great week!

The Spiritual "Center"

I have been reflecting today on my own spirituality.

It's a curious thing that I know exactly when it is that I am further away from that "center".

I find that I start to get selfish, vengeful, angry, frustrated, restless. Almost any negative emotion I can name is what I tend to feel more of when I am not centered. I hate to be around people (more than usual) and they generally hate to be around me.

I want to sleep more and do less. I start to say "oh fuck that" more than usual,too, instead of "how can I help?".

When I am closer to my spirituality, I find that life flows much better. I am not struggling through the day as much, and the days seem better. I am more peaceful and I attract goodness to my personal space. I become the real "me" the person I have spent countless hours alone with, made that Greyhound trip with and that Amtrak trip with. The "me" that sings and dances and more quickly than I realize, tells that joke or makes that funny comment that annoys or makes other laugh...or both at once.

I have been away from that center lately. I have been kinda miserable.

And right now, I could really use that spiritual boost as I am nearing the "finals" period of my 1st semester back in school in 9 years. I have been working in the heat all day, and then coming home at night doing my assignments until almost 11 at night. NO WONDER I have drifted!! :)

So, this week I will find that quiet spot I love, and I will say my meditations, I will ask for the holy wisdom to fill me, and I will once again feel like a whole human being.

Makes me wonder why I don't take time to do this more often.

IF this is the day the LORD has made...I am disappointed with his powers.

I did not have a very good day today.


It started out at 600 am when the alarm woke me up and I stumbled downstairs to my bathroom to start getting ready for my work day. I was low on toothpaste, but I knew this for days...squeezed out enough to make it work though. Combed my hair, put on the anti-perspirant, and walked back upstairs to get my work clothes on.

I put my clothes on and fumbled around for my shoes, went into the kitchen to put the shoes on, and there it all was....the roast that I took out of the freezer to thaw..YESTERDAY morning, the recycle pile that HAD to get to the curb RIGHT NOW as well as the garbage that needed to be emptied. So I hurried and did all of this. The roast went back into the fridge. I HOPE I don't get sick after I slow cook it for 8 hours...it was still cold to the touch, so...here goes. I did all of this with barely enough time to make it to my bus.

The bus arrived very shortly after I got through walking/running to the stop. And after I sat down, the 2 bananas, 3 apples, 1 cobb salad, and the chef salad I made for lunch ( the cobb was dinner) started to alert me that all of the nourishment had been absorbed and needed to leave my body. So, I have this inner dialogue "OK OK...just FIVE MORE MINUTES until I get to work...hang ON!!

The bus ALMOST broke down, I mean it literally stalled. All kinds of alarms sounding, the driver sort of cursing...and I am about to "blow".

Long story short, I made it to work just in time. BUT in a rather bad mood. I made my way into the office area where I download my time from a PDA every morning, thinking "OK OK at least I will have a few moments alone, usually nobody is even here...I can calm down"

But not this morning. The whole fucking crew was right there, and in my way. I was in no mood at all to see them, least of all talk to them. I hate that shit when you really NEED down time, and just can't seem to GET it. And of course Tuesdays are our meeting day where I get to listen to the fuckers drone on about what they "did" the past week.

I got through the meeting and got calm, but then I ran my ass off most of the day trying to make repairs on AC equipment because this is what I do for a living, yeah, it's wonderful, enriching and FUN ;)


I came home for lunch and ate another salad. The Michael Jackson memorial service had just started. I felt a strong sadness and emptiness I have not felt for a number of years.

I'll miss Michael. But I am hypocrite, too.

I am so guilty of buying the gossip, spreading the rumors, making the jokes. Now I am talking about how I am going to miss Michael.

I am a hypocrite. I am also a fan. I bought so many of his records over the years, even when it was not the "cool" thing to do. I love his music. But, I am also a hypocrite.

When I heard his little girl call him "Daddy" it made me cry.

My kids call me "Daddy", too. What kind of hell would my kids have gone through if I was the butt end of all the jokes over the years? I can't believe we made him less than human at times. I can't believe how cruel I can be.

Michael taught me a lesson today. I need to realize that no matter who any person is, famous, homeless, neighbor, friend, that person deserves humanity from me. Kindness, respect, love.

I hope I never again aim sharp words and crticism at anybody.

UNLESS of course, they happen to be republican.