Responsible Adults? What OF This?

Responsible Adults? What OF This?
M.D. Wright
1.28.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Well, there is no note, this column entry is self-explanatory ha.


I want to make this as clear as possible: I am NOT judging anyone, nor calling anyone out specifically -- no need for private messages and inbox emails asking for the drop on someone ha.


But I think most of us grew up hearing this phrase "Responsible Adult" -- however, what does it entail? Is it purely a values judgment, or is there a criterion involved? WHAT OF THIS?


Personally, I have my own parameters that define what an adult is, and furthermore a responsible one. As I promised from the onset of 2010, I am making my columns and blogs interactive. I'm not a lecturer (until I get my Ph.D. ha), so I'd rather hear from you, rather than speak in absolutes.


I will say this about responsible adults --


1. They do what they say they will do, extenuating circumstances aside.
2. They are motivated to get up and work/look for a job, provide for themselves and/or a family if they have one.
3. They pay their bills -- ON TIME, again, extenuating circumstances aside (and no, those don't mean robbing Peter to pay Paul because you decided to max out your Visa at Bergdorf and want to use your grace periods every month or worse yet, allowing them to lapse).
4. (SEGUE) Aside from business losses and casualties that were unavoidable, they don't max out a dozen credit cards when they only earn $32,000 a year. WHERE THEY DO THAT AT?
5. They return phone calls.
6. They are organized.
7. They wash their dishes, don't allow their wash to pile up for a month, they don't invite people over to a nasty house (or worse yet, offer to allow them to spend the night(s) there when you might be susceptible to rats crawling across your beard -- and yes, beard goes for both men AND women ha -- at night) and there's rotten food in the fridge and dishes stacked high like that episode of Tom & Jerry where Tom was going to get killed by the mammy lady if they broke ha).


I could go on and on, but like Harry Caray used to say during the 7th Inning Stretch, "LEMME HEAR YA!!!"


DISCUSS>>>

Sports & Music

Sports & Music
M.D. Wright
1.28.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Continuing the "Favorites" theme, this post is about a few random thoughts -- the connection and interaction between music and sports.


You all know me. I am the Sports Guy. I am a walking music almanac, having been collecting music since 1985 and having a database of 70,000 records across all genres (literally). Some of you go as far back as 6th grade with me, when I began keeping my "Stat Book" (this was pre-internet, you know, when you actually had to do some serious reading, research and compiling to get your information into a binder -- 1990, 1991, etc.) Guys like Antonio Townsend and Rod Glover remember, as Tony kept a stat book also back then. I'm the same way with music. I am a geek, especially when it comes to the business and legal side of the music industry. I learned about the importance of reading liner notes, understanding the significance of publishing, royalties, getting "points" on a record and the benefits of executive producing a record (even if you have no real input on it -- as some big wigs that I won't name currently do).


But one thing that will ALWAYS strike a chord with me is when some of my favorite rappers or even singers mention sports figures in their rhymes. I can name lyrics all day (literally) and I think almost more than anything else, those sports-tinged lyrics stand out to me more than anything else.


Here's one of my all-time favorites by Cam'ron:


"We like Bird, Parish, Kevin McHale... Scott, Worthy, Jabbar and Magic... oh my God, it's magic... Isiah, Dumars, I will carve your casket... Phil, Scottie and Mike... Phil, Shaq and Kobe... my gats will detach you homie..." -- from "We Are The Champions", Diplomats, Vol. III Mixtape. Fitting title.


But rather than me name lyrics all day, give me some feedback: take a gander at this post, no matter the genre, think of some songs with sports-influenced lyrics and post them here for me. Let's have fun with this one.


DISCUSS>>>

Pet Peeve Phrase Of The Day: 1.28.10

Pet Peeve Phrase Of The Day: 1.28.10
M.D. Wright
1.28.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Continuation of the Pet Peeve Series.


Quick hit for today --


Everyone knows this person. I know him/her. You know him/her. We have classes with them. We work with one. We see one who always has to sit on the front pew at church. We may even LIVE with him/her. And that person I'm talking about is the one who always has to utter:


"YEAH, BUT..." to everything you say. They seem to always be ready with a rebuttal to whatever you say, no matter how pertinent, contextual and accurate what you say may be. In the back of your mind you have to wonder what makes such a person tick, that they get off by always trying to refute what you say.


The other type of person who says that seems to always want to be right or sound "better" than you -- or have that "one-up" mentality. Personally, nothing drives me nuts more than this (if I have to be around such a person on a daily/regular basis). I can deal if I'm pretty sure I'll never see them again, but if it is someone who I am related to, work with, have class with or what have you... DEAR GOD.


DISCUSS>>>