Singelli : I know this may sound foolish but I didn’t know that you were taking a sabbatical. I haven’t been around very much as I have been busy so this is probably why I haven’t noticed. In regard to stress I do know the feeling. I deal with things that stress me often and sometimes it is difficult to think of anything else other than what is stressing you. Glad to see that you’re back. Hope all is well.

Eniitan :

Well, I think everyone at one time or another deals with bullying. Speaking for my own experience, I was bullied. I am disabled and because of my disability there was always a feeling of being a second-class citizen. Sometimes I would be called names and or, made fun of. I wear braces on my legs and use crutches when I go out. I cannot tell you how many times someone has come up to me asking me either “What happened to you?” Or, “What disease do you have?”

 

It doesn’t happen so much anymore because frankly I have become a hermit and due to my being a writer I hardly ever leave my house. It doesn’t bother me nowadays when people ask me questions like that because as I’ve gotten older I have learned to try and enlighten people who may not be as familiar with the concept of people who have disabilities. When I was younger however, it really bothered me. I freely admit that I tried to fit in and be part of the “In crowd” and tried to be things that I wasn’t. Looking back on things many years later what I should have done was simply be myself.

 

I have been writing for many years but I kept the fact that I was a writer to myself for a real long time. I don’t know what I was thinking at the time and why I kept it to myself. Many years later I wish that I had told people instead of trying to be “In” with everyone else. As I have gotten older I realize now that I was wrong to try and fit in with people who quite frankly were not good for me or to me. One of my big mistakes when I was in school was I tried so hard to fit in with the people who weren’t good for me but at the same time, I ended up pushing people who were good for me away.

 

I think of it now as part of my maturing process and really believe that if it weren’t for the struggles I went through, and the mistakes I made as a teenager; I probably wouldn’t be the person that I am today. Even though so much time has passed however, I don’t reach out to too many people from back then. The person I was back then and the person that I am now are different and because I dropped out of high school although I have no anger toward anybody, I have learned to keep myself especially when people who said that they were my friends more or less forgot about me.

 

If someone were to reach out to me though, I would hear them out. I have had the opportunity to reconnect with some people from my past and for the most part even though some of them weren’t very good to me I remain cordial with them. I do though try and avoid get-togethers and things like that.

 

I do believe that bullying is a problem more so now than when I was growing up because of things like the Internet. It’s sad that some people choose to treat people badly. I think that the world would be much better off if we as a society could simply sit down and talk to each other and learn about what makes us different but more importantly, learn about the things that we have in common. The world really would be a much better place if that were to happen. At least that’s how I feel about it.

Awesome-Kid :

Well , as someone who doesn’t go to the theatre too often (Have only gone to see movies maybe three times in the last seven years) there is nothing better than buttered popcorn in my opinion.  My family and I have a popcorn maker that we occasionally use, with butter added it is just as good as the popcorn you’d get at the movie theatre.  I just wish it wasn’t so expensive to go to the movies now of days.  I miss the days that my dad worked concessions at a flea market that doubled as a drive-in theatre at night. 

 

When I wasn’t in school he would take me for two nights, there were two screens one on each side, each would play two different movies for a week. So you would see four new movies in two nights for a week than on the weekends they’d get different movies.  So he would take me and park on either side on different nights.  Besides the concessions being free for us it was really enjoyable. 

 

The price of tickets to go to the movies isn’t really an issue but it’s the concessions that make it an expense.  Some people can go to a movie without any food or drink but I’m not one of those people.  I feel that  concessions especially popcorn are part of the movie going experience When I went to see Die Hard 5 earlier this year though I ended up paying close to $60 for my dad and I and our concessions. Fortunately for me I had saved a couple of gift cards that took care of it but there have been times where I have paid that much without the benefit of gift cards. If concessions were cheaper I’d probably go to the movies at least once a month.

 

  I wonder how things might change in upcoming years because of the rising popularity of streaming services like Netflix.  I use  five streaming services including Netflix and I’m wondering if eventually some of those services will be looked at as a viable option for studios who are releasing new movies in the theatres.  I know that VuDu for instance has offered some movies on occasion that are still in theatres on 24 hr. rentals so think it is a possibility for the future. 

 

 

 

Awesome-Kid :  No, I don’t put candy in my popcorn. All I need is butter flavored popcorn and an ice cold soda and I’m good to go. I don’t have popcorn as much as I would like but it’s perfect for a night of watching movies on Netflix or, sporting events...

ender44 :

I do every now and then. 
I do try to shut my television off before I go to sleep but sometimes
you’ll fall asleep when you fall asleep and that’s that. My Dad has always slept with the television
on. It’s just how he was raised. I don’t sleep well either way (I’m a writer,
keeps odd hours and deals with chronic pain) so it really doesn’t matter to me
but I will keep the television on during days when I have to cover something as
an alarm of sorts. Either way I always
have my DVR set so I’m covered in either instance. 

 

I don’t know what the health risks are in any sense but the
way I look at it with technology ever advancing those risks if there are any
will probably go down in time. 

 

 

warmaker :

I think it boils down to a rivalry of some sort.  I don’t necessarily think that when someone bad mouths someone else that it necessarily has to do with jealously I do think however that it’s human nature to think of some people as a rival.  Things such as similar interests or similar goals can play a factor.  I don’t think it is exclusive to females.  People can say things about someone when their angry with that person and it just natural.  I know that when I was younger I use to say things, normally in response to some rhetoric that was being said about me behind my back and or, when I wasn’t around to defend myself that looking back years later I honestly regret.

 

I do not regret the things I said necessarily but rather how it was said.  When things are said in anger, rational thinking sometimes is not always part of the equation much like the choices we sometimes make when we are young.  As I have gotten older, as I have matured I have realized that it is better to sit back and think things through before saying something which may be directed in anger.  This is strictly my point of view but I believe much like a lot of other things that it is all part of the maturing process.  It is up to each individual person however to allow themselves to mature. Learning from mistakes and maturing from those mistakes and errors in judgment can sometimes be more of a struggle than it really should be. 

 

In regard to this I believe it is better if you have an issue with someone for whatever the reason, it is better to go to that person and handle it.  From my experience it seems like when people bad mouth each other and or, talk behind each other’s back that what ends up happening more often than not is that versions of what was said can get out rather than what was actually said and how it was said.  Thus by a person listening to someone’s version of what was said rather than going to the source it can compound an issue or problem and create more problems.  If you have a problem with someone it is better to have integrity by going to that person to get the issue resolved.  At least that is how I feel.  

CuteKitten :

I like to think that I’m nice.  I at least try to be as nice as possible.  Sometimes it isn’t an easy thing to accomplish especially when I may not have the best opinion of someone or, if feelings are strained between myself and someone else.  I think that is part of human nature though.  It’s not necessarily about being nice or whether people consider you nice I should say.  It is more important in my view to try and treat people as you would want to be treated.  It is just as important however to know your limits.

In that it’s important that you treat people fairly and justly but also do not allow yourself to be taken advantage of.  In my experience even when people have outright disrespected me, I have always tried to be kind and nice but sometimes I have had to be hard-nosed about things. Admittedly, when I get like that I can be harsh and may even be considered rude but I try not to be. 

 

camkunimura :  Thank you and your welcome. I agree with you that if there
is a silver lining to look for when it comes to things like this; it could be
that it may indeed be intended to make us stronger.  The one thing that I can say that has been
kind of a blessing to a degree since we lost my grandfather is that things have
seemed like a rollercoaster since due to the everyday stresses that life throws
at you.

As I said I write about Boxing as my vocation.  The one thing about covering the sport that
is sometimes overlooked and underappreciated is that the sport does not have a
season and operates year round.  If there
are fifty-two weeks in a calendar year, odds are I will be covering something
forty-eight out of those fifty-two weeks if not more so it does keep me busy
and always preparing for something. As I said even though all this time has
passed I still think about him everyday and miss him dearly.


He was extremely supportive of my work despite the struggles
I have had to deal with due to the profession and how difficult it is to make a
living.  He would always be the first one
to read my material after it was first released and would even ask me what I
was going to write after a particular fight had taken place.

 We were and will always be very close. The
best thing I can do is to do everything I can to make it to the top of my
field.  He always use to tell me even
though I am not on a top level in my field that he believed that I belonged in
newspapers and such.

He was very supportive even in the worst of times. If I were
to make it to the highest level in my field I believe it would be just as much
for him and all the others who have supported me as it would be for me.  I hope I can fulfill that
accomplishment.  

camkunimura : First please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time. I know what it’s like to go through the things that you are describing. I have lost family and friends during the course of my life and even if you try to prepare yourself for things, it isn’t an easy thing to deal with.

I lost my grandfather several years ago. He was the last grandparent that I had around, we lived together, we were very close. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of him especially during times when I am alone in the house or, when I’m covering a Boxing card. (I’m a writer) It was one of the things that we bonded over so whenever there was a fight card I would go into his room which is right next to mine and tell him what time it was on and such. After he left us it was a very difficult thing for me to adjust to especially during the first couple of cards I covered after he passed. I must have gone in his room at least twenty times out of habit. Even though it’s been almost seven years. It feels like it hasn’t been that long. I really miss him.

I also know what it feels like to lose someone suddenly. When I was a teenager I lost one of my cousins in a car accident. He was nineteen, had just graduated high school, he was going to college. He literally had the world in his hands. I took his passing hard particularly because I wasn’t doing the right things by myself at the time and one of the last times I had talked to him he was trying to get me to straighten up. For a long time I would say to myself why did this happen? Etc.

What didn’t make me feel much better was I couldn’t fly home (We live in different states) for the funeral. I had just started a job a few weeks before his accident and was told by the company I was working for that if I went home that I would lose my job because cousins weren’t considered immediate family under their “Death policy.”

I still feel bad about not being able to go to his service but I felt like my hands were tied at the time. I really wanted to be there for him but I needed the job. Looking back on everything I wish I would have fought the company I was working for. Hopefully their policy has changed in the years since I haven’t been with the company. It's something that years later I still haven't forgiven myself for and probably never will.  I feel like I did him wrong. 

The only thing you can really do is to be there for your grandfather and remember the good times that you have shared with him. It is hard but in time it can be easier to deal with. It may not seem like it right now but it’s a process. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

God bless you.

IgorBird122 :

If we’re talking about things
like the common cold or a flu then of course I have been through those
experiences. I think everyone has at one time or another. There was a time though where I was sicker
for more than a couple of days or, even a couple of weeks.

About eight years ago I went
through a bout with High Blood Pressure. Although I didn’t know what it was for
several months because I did everything I possibly could to avoid going to a
doctor, it really scared me.

I even had a dream during
this period of time where I was sitting in a doctor’s office in an exam room
waiting for the doctor to come in. Well the doctor came in, in the dream and
basically said I had everything you could possibly think of wrong with me.
Anything and everything known to Man.

Even though I know and knew
it was a dream it really freaked me out. It freaked me out to such a degree
that I developed massive anxiety which just made it even more difficult for
those close to me in trying to convince me to go to a doctor.

I was getting rushes in my
arms and even what felt like fast heartbeats at times although I never had any
sort of chest pains. I put off going to get looked at for close to six months.
When I finally went my blood pressure was 167 over like 90 or something like
that. To be honest I don’t remember the exact number of the bottom number but
the 167 is burned in my memory.

Although I suffered some
effects from medication that I was prescribed that I still deal with from time
to time, I got my blood pressure under control and haven’t been on any sort of
medication since. 

I believe some of the
contributing factors which led to what I went through were, I don’t eat
properly, (Still don’t) I
hardly ever slept back then, I’m a writer and was use to going close to 24/7
working for other people. Despite not getting paid and putting up with a lot of
unappreciative, ungrateful, yet very demanding people I was and still am
dedicated to my craft. I do not however push
myself nearly to the degree that I did before even though I do try to push
myself hard. Even though I still have
trouble getting real restful sleep I do try to give myself a couple of days in
a week or a week off here and there to rest so it isn’t nearly as bad as it
was.

The other main contributing
factor which can also be included in my relation to my work, but also life in
general was and is stress. Stress is not
nor ever will be easy to manage but there are ways of coping with it that
although may not completely eliminate stress, it does make it easier to deal
with. One thing I like to do is watch
movies. One of my favorite things to do on what I call “Down days” (Days off)
is watch movies on my streaming services. I love Netflix, Hulu, and VuDu. I
also love playing video games when my PS3 is working. What can be difficult
though is after a stretch of time of not doing anything work related and
relaxing, it can be very difficult to get back into a routine in regard to
work.

I cover the sport of Boxing.
I often tell people that if there are fifty-two weeks in a year, odds are I
will be covering fight cards for forty-eight weeks out of that time if not
more. I have also covered Wrestling and Mixed Martial Arts in my career. I
think there is a general misconception among the average sports fan that
covering combat sports is easy. What
people don’t understand is when it comes to combat sports there is no season,
it’s year round.

Often the only time of the
year that I can be fairly certain that I will have some time off is over the
Christmas holidays. Typically I can be fairly confident that I will get at
least a week, maybe two to recharge and rest. There have been times however
where I have worked through holidays depending on whether there were cards
scheduled for Boxing Day (The day after Christmas) or shortly before the new
year. 

Obviously this can be and
often is very time consuming where things like days off, adequate rest and even
quality time with friends, family, and attempts at having a personal life can
and often do get pushed aside. It is part of the sacrifices that any writer
regardless of genre or area of expertise has to make in order to hopefully one
day be successful. 

Despite many years of
experience I am still in the process of what they call “Paying your dues.” It
can be and is very frustrating at times, mostly due to the struggles that all
writers face in regard to trying to get paid for their work and is very
exhausting. It is very rewarding though
especially when your work is recognized. 
I hope that one day I will be able to feel as though I have been a
success in what I chose to do in life. I also hope that if and when I
experience such feelings that I will be able to enjoy some of the fruits of my
labor and start making up in areas of my life that I have sacrificed for my
writing. 

I do hope that you’re feeling
better.

 

 

Barathemos : Well I do understand that it can be a very difficult decision to make especially at your age. I write about sports as my vocation and I have written about and seen athletes that have tried their respected hands at multiple sports without leaving their primary sport. Many Football players for instance will consider venturing into combat sports (Boxing. Kick Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Wrestling etc.) either during the off season or, as a second option once their playing days of the gridiron are over.

When it comes to Baseball I know that guys like Bo Jackson, Dion Sanders, and Tony Gwynn, Sr. all played other sports in addition to Baseball. In Gwynn’s case I believe he was even drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers to play in the NBA but opted to stick with Baseball fulltime. It turned out to be a great decision for him because he not only went on to become a Hall of Famer but he also is considered the face of the San Diego Padres franchise.

I guess what it boils down to is if you need to pick one sport to stick to, I would try to pick the sport I excel at the most. Some guys are good in some sports but great in others. If this were me that is what I would be trying to figure out. What sport am I the best at where I can make the best out of my ability?

This is what you need to figure out. Once you think it over for a while, you should have your answer on which way you should go. I don’t think it is necessarily wise to say “Well, you should do this…” Or, “You should do that…” It has to come down to what you really want to do and what you believe is best for you.

I wish you nothing but the best with whatever you decide to do.

Best of luck to you.

hyperknuckles : First please accept my condolences for your loss. I too know what it feels like to lose a dog. Last year I lost my dog Scrapper. He had been with me since my thirteenth birthday and even though my teen years were very difficult and a period of my life that sometimes I wish I could forget, my dog was with me through all of it and I can’t tell you how much having a dog or a companion really means when everything else around you seems to be bad and your life is out of whack. I am a writer and I can’t tell you how many all nighters I have pulled where he would sit up with me, usually right by my desk and wait for me to finish writing before going to sleep.

Although losing him after almost 17 years was and is very hard for me, I feel blessed to have had such a wonderful friend and member of my family for all that time. He may not be with me in the way that I wish he were but he’ll always be with me. Although the pain and probably anger will probably be with you for a while, it is important to remember the good times you shared.

I know it’s difficult and some people may find it hard to understand the bond that you can have with a pet because they do become part of your family, I do believe though that it does get easier in time.

Best of luck to you.

slayerizedcarol : Well when I really reflect on the situation I think that I had a really normal reaction to what went on. Although there were those both in my family and those who were friends that both he and I had known for many years (all of us went to school together) telling me that I was being cold by acting the way I did; I really think I had a reaction that anyone with a level head would have had.

What didn’t help too much in regard to the anger that I was feeling at the time was I was sick at the time. I had been sick for a couple of months at the time with what amounted to high blood pressure. He knew that I wasn’t feeling well at the time and I had asked him to do me a favor because I ran into a problem that I needed to take care of in a short period of time so I could make deadline for an article that I was writing for a magazine (I’m a writer.)

Although he did what I had asked him to do we had gotten into an argument earlier that day over my reluctance to trust him with the task of getting the piece of equipment I needed and such. During this argument he looked me in the eye and said that I should know to trust him after all these years that he and I had been close and such. We hugged and that was the end of the argument.

The fact that he had said that to me only to do with he did only made me angrier about things and contributed to my refusal to talk to him for a long time. I am not saying that the way I handled the situation was necessarily the right way of handling it but I do believe that my reaction was normal. Especially after I was made aware that he had stolen the money from me while he was getting me what I needed shortly after the argument.
I don’t really know what was going through his mind at the time. I do hope that he’s wiser now of days than he was back then. I know that I have learned from the mistakes that I have made in life and I hope that it has made me a better person. Hopefully he has become a better person after going through the things he has in the years that we weren’t speaking. For his sake I hope he has.

In regard to your situation I do know what it feels like to be part of a close group of friends and to make promises to each other and then things changed, promises are broken and ending up breaking friendships and such. I never graduated high school but I had a lot of people that I was close to during that period of time in my life. Although I will be the first one to admit my mistakes and things that looking back many years later that I would do differently, I felt like I was pushed aside by a couple of friends when we entered high school and once I dropped out I would hear things too of people talking behind my back and or, saying things that were utter nonsense and such. It also made me feel like people forgot that I existed after I left school.

It has basically made me a reclusive person. Although I am not bitter about what I went through and am civil with whomever I come across from back then, I don’t really reach out to too many people and try as best as I can to keep to myself. One reason why I don’t really reach out is simply because I don’t know who I’m on good terms with due to whatever was said but also, a lot of things have happened over the years and it kind of feels like I have gotten through all of this on my own without these people in my life, what good would it do to rehash things from so long ago, what would be the benefit not only to me but to anyone else? Etc.

In regard to my friend as I said I realized that I wouldn’t want someone to hold anything against me or have any bad feelings toward me and that made it easier to get passed my anger in the situation.

In your situation it sounds like your friend may have been going through what I think a lot of my friends went through which could explain why I was treated the way I was. Peer pressure is something that I feel is a cancer because people try to “Fit in” or “Be cool” with the “In” crowd and that doesn’t promote rational thinking. It doesn’t excuse what goes on but as you get older you gradually understand things a little better about why people acted a certain way.

I think as most people get older they realize that being “Cool” becomes less and less important and that the things that really matter in life become the primary focus for most people. It is important to be open to reconciling with people but at the same time it should not mean that you should allow yourself to be taken advantage of or, used only when someone needs something.

As years have gone on even though I try to be a nice person to whomever I come across and are willing to help anyone who may need it, I have become somewhat strict at the same time because I hold myself to a standard and hold friends to the same. Basically what I mean by holding myself to a standard is I set a standard for myself and don’t drop below that standard for no one. It more or less means I’m a friend and I’m accessible to anyone but I have no need or use for any drama or nonsense and don’t have time for people who won’t be on the up and up with me.

It probably sounds a bit cold and harsh to some people but for me it works. To be honest I wish I had that kind of thinking many years ago when I was still in school because it would have saved me so much grief and I probably wouldn’t have made the mistakes that I made. I do hope that eventually that any fences that need to be mended from friendships in my past will be mended but I leave it all in god’s hands. I’m willing to listen though to whomever reaches out to me.

Black Bot : Well this is kind of ironic seeing as I will be going to a baseball game tomorrow and will more than likely have one or two overpriced hot dogs. When it comes to hot dogs I am relatively simple. Either Ketchup or Mustard is good enough for me. I just wish that the food at games was a bit cheaper. $6 per hot dog is a little much. It’s one reason why I don’t go to games very much because I can never really afford it. I love sports but the prices of tickets coupled with the price of concessions is insane. If I could afford to though I would go more often. Tomorrow will be my third game in six years.

Hopefully the price of hot dogs and soda won’t be more expensive than when I went to a game last year. At least that’s what I hope.

Rodzilla : Povich is good like I said but it seems like his show aims for a certain formula and that once they find a formula they stick with it until frankly it’s overdone to the point where it’s viewed as a joke. The billboard that I mentioned was the first time I had ever seen a television talk show advertised in that way. The sad thing other than the caption and obvious bad attempt at humor was the advertisement stayed up for a long time. I can’t say exactly how long but I know it was several months if not longer.

It isn’t that I am saying that Povich and other shows in the genre should be strictly more serious but it would be nice to see more variety. It would be even nicer to see audiences act appropriately as well because the things that are discussed on Povich’s show in particular are very serious but it’s been done so often that it’s looked upon as a joke. It’s a shame because Povich can shed so much light on so many issues in the world.

I was a fan of Montel Williams’ talk show specifically because he could be light hearted at times but he also wasn’t afraid to be serious and to do shows about things that most talk shows stay away from now of days.

Carnas : I understand where you’re coming from. Several years ago I lost my grandfather to cancer. He, my parents, and I all shared a house and for several months prior to losing him I opened our home up to a friend of mine who really had no place to go.

This friend of mine and I almost got together romantically before we took her in but once she was staying here for a few months I basically saw that she was more or less trying to milk as much as she could while staying with us instead of doing the smart thing which was first and foremost to save her money and to straighten herself out.

I had and still have guilt over the fact that by trying to help her by taking her in I kind of displaced my grandfather but he had told me before he passed that my heart was in the right place and that he didn’t hold any anger toward me for trying to help someone.

Without going too much into detail about her, she eventually had told us that she was going to be moving to a different state to stay with her sister. This was all fine and well with me so long as the place she was going to was stable and such. Well my friend unfortunately hung out with a lot of the wrong kind of people. The kind of people that were only around when they needed something especially money.

The week that my grandfather passed she decided to throw a “Going away party” for herself, rented a space at a restaurant, brought all the food and goodies, the whole nine yards. Unfortunately two days before her quote “Party” end quote my grandfather passed away.

I was very close to my grandfather and I took it very hard and it still bothers me several years later. Well, my friend took it personally that I didn’t have her go to the hospital with me the night that he died. Basically what I told her was because he was in intensive care that all that they would allow in there was family and that because she technically wasn’t family I didn’t want to make things more stressful than it already was for us.

Anyway after he passed she more or less didn’t really grasp the situation. She knew that he was gone but she didn’t understand why my parents and I really had no interest in anything other than obviously doing what needed to be done for my grandfather. She took it personally that we all declined to go to her “Party.”

Well, she didn’t move and shortly after my grandfather’s passing I arranged for her to go live with her father. I didn’t throw her out but I at least made sure she had somewhere to go. Well, it wasn’t long after she left my house that she was out of my life all together and cut any contact with me for a couple of years. Although she eventually reached out to me via social media I learned my lesson and even though I am polite and try to give her friendly advice, I keep my distance.

She was living with us for half a year. Not only did she not save anything and blow all her money but she never once offered to share costs or, buy groceries for the house or what have you. I wish her well but I won’t lie when I say that in a way I’m glad that we didn’t get together. Although I really tried to help her, I can’t forgive myself for putting my family, especially my grandfather in that position and I vowed to never put my family in that position again.

orionfoxgibson : As a writer I agree with you in regard to directors and editors. It is one reason why if I haven’t seen a movie that is being broadcast on basic cable or broadcast television for the first time, I refuse to watch it. I rather watch an unedited version of a film because it’s bad enough when you watch a movie that sometimes you can see things coming and there doesn’t seem to be a twist, this is especially annoying in my opinion in regard to remakes, but it is frustrating as it is to see a director’s own individual spin on things, watching a movie that has been edited for broadcast or basic cable television makes it even more irritating because of all the edits. It’s one reason why I love the streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and VuDu. No edits which is how movies really should be. Thankfully I have not seen too many of Jackie Chan’s movies get butchered when it comes to edits but I have seen it with plenty of others.

Rodzilla : I have no problem admitting that I use to watch Jerry Springer when I was a teenager. Back then it was raunchy but tolerable because there was still enough serious discussions from time to time that for me made the show worth watching. When I was younger than that I use to watch Morton Downey Jr. on an independent television station in New York. Just bringing up his name brings back a lot of good memories of my youth. I don’t know how it was all over the country but Downey was so taboo at the time that he was on during the same timeslots as the late night comedy shows where I was at the time so I use to stay up late and watch him.

Downey Jr. was way ahead of his time and quite frankly although Jerry Springer can be amusing from time to time, he couldn’t touch Downey. Downey Jr. was funny, intellectual, blunt, and had no problem getting in someone’s face when it was appropriate. The man was no nonsense and it’s a shame he’s gone. It was kind of closure to my youth in a way for me because one of the last times I was back home in New York was when Downey unfortunately passed away from cancer. Frankly if Downey were around today he would probably be on top and I believe the world could use more guys like him on television.

Downey wasn’t for everyone but he didn’t take any nonsense from anyone and I appreciate people like that. Steve Wilkos reminds me of Downey Jr. in some ways, mainly how he’s no nonsense, straight forward. and blunt with what he says.

Maury Povich is good but I would like to see him do more serious shows. Not that determining paternity isn’t an important issue but it seems like every time I’ve watched his show in the last several years that is the predominant topic. It was so bad that I remember seeing an ad for his show several years ago on a billboard with his face and a caption that read “You are not the father!” followed by the logo of the local television station airing his show here. It just seems like they make serious matters like that appear as if it is a joke and it is even more disheartening to see how his audience conducts themselves. It’s sad that after all the things Povich has done as a journalist long before his days as a talk show host; he will probably be remembered for that one line.

ant123ant : I am a big fan of Jeremy Kyle though I will admit I haven’t really watched as much as I use to when he first started his show in the United States. I keep odd hours (Most writers do) and I keep forgetting to set my DVR for his show. Hopefully I’ll get back into the routine when the new season starts in the fall. I have heard that before coming the America Kyle was the number one talk show host in England and I believe he does both his shows simultaneously in a similar way as Gordon Ramsay does his shows.

Barathemos : Anderson Cooper is good. I have watched him a couple of times and it’s a shame that his show was cancelled because I think the rug was kind of pulled out from under him. He has been one of the more serious talk show hosts in recent times and it seems like he was starting to find a core audience before the plug was pulled on his show.

orionfoxgibson : Yes you are correct in describing the differences between Hong Kong and America in regard to films and other things. Another one of my favorite martial arts movies was the original Bloodsport with Jean-Claude Van Damme playing martial arts legend Frank Dux.

A lot of people question the authenticity of the film but there are plenty of underground fight tournaments that take place all over the world. Obviously some things were made more sensational in that movie than they probably were when Dux was competing but that’s just the difference between reality and cinema. I don’t blame Chan or Li for coming over to the United States. Now of days if you’re an actor you can pretty much work where ever you wish and have the potential to make money. Much like thanks to technology writers now can work from anywhere. I’ve been a writer for most of my life I speak from experience.

In regard to the topic we have been discussing since I was the one who brought Jet Li into the conversation, one of my favorite movies of Li’s is War. In addition to great action in that film it also had a great twist in the story that I didn’t see coming until the very end of the movie. As a writer it was refreshing to see an action film that had a good plot twist that wasn’t so predictable. Just one man’s opinion.

orionfoxgibson : Personally I can’t say that I blame him. It’s a lot like when a pro wrestler makes so much money playing the babyface (Good guy) and tries turning heel (Bad guy) in an attempt to stay fresh and not become stale and it doesn’t get over with the audience. Some guys can make the switch either way and do very well but those guys are few and far between.

I think in terms of movies Jackie Chan fits in that category because of not only his talent and athletic ability but for his comedic talents as well. It’s hard once one finds a successful formula to change and adapt even when in his case he would be joining one of the most successful cinema franchises in history. I don’t think he saw the long term value in being a villain just to be killed off in one film. Where in contrast Gary Busey was brilliant in his role in the first installment of the series as one of the key protagonists. The fighting scene toward the end of that movie was also very ground breaking as it was choreographed by the Gracie family, pioneers of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and a key in bringing the sport of Mixed Martial Arts to the United States. Lethal Weapon remains one of my favorite all time series of movies but I do have my doubts as to how realistic any fight scenes between Jackie Chan and Mel Gibson would be.

Movies or not Chan is athletically on another level and unless they really dubbed it up with special effects I don’t think Gibson could keep up with him. One of the things that made the final fight scene in the first film so legendary is that Gibson and Busey were believable. I think any special effects would actually hurt Chan under those circumstances. Jet Li did a great job in the film and really put Gibson and Danny Glover over in the final fight scene but I don’t think it would have gotten over any other way than the way they did it.

There have been rumors of a fifth installment of the series but as a writer I don’t know how they could keep the action realistic given the advanced age of Gibson and Glover. It’s just one writer’s opinion.