Charlie Sheen

Like most Americans, I don’t understand how the deaths of our young men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq can be ignored by the press in this country, while the drug-induced rantings of a movie star is front page news. Rather than complain about the situation, I started researching Charlie Sheen on Google. Of course, I don’t know Charlie Sheen personally; research was necessary so I could even know his media persona. I admit that I have never really been a fan - after all, his father is in my generation. I was a fan (and still am) of Martin Sheen long before Charlie was even thought of.

While researching the life of Charlie Sheen, it became obvious that nicotine, alcohol and drugs have always been a part of Charlie’s teen and adult life. His father also abused drugs and alcohol, but never to the extent of his son. It’s no secret that Charlie has a temper and it is intensified through his drinking and use of amphetamines. How do I know he is using meth, or coke, or both? Because you can stick a glass eye in a monkey’s butt and see the results every time he speaks in the media blitz interviews.

As I researched the movie life of Charlie Sheen, I started to become a fan, more or less, in the sense that he has a definite appeal. Handsome, funny and smart, Charlie started to make me feel good inside. I learned to like his camera persona and looked forward to seeing more; that is, until he started to make headlines with very bad behavior.

The interesting thing is that now I feel sorry for a very out-of-control young man, who is heading for disaster at breakneck speed. The waste of even one person’s potential is a tragedy. While trying to understand the motives of a spoiled rotten Hollywood star, I found Charlie Sheen’s humanity hiding inside a drug-induced wild man.

I have watched the same thing happen to some of my family and even myself in my early drinking years. Meth almost destroyed one of my daughters and coke devastated one of my sisters. Watching Charlie Sheen on television news is like watching a rerun movie of family members who were sucked into addiction, and for a long time were smarter than everyone trying to help them – just like Charlie. I find myself liking Charlie Sheen. Not the wild looking person I see on the news, but rather, the great actor he can be and has been in the past. For the sake of his children, I can only pray that intervention happens soon, before someone really gets physically hurt or worse. There is no denying that emotional damage has already been done to his family and friends, but it’s not too late to reverse course and head back to reality….

I’m just saying,

Mittster

Colorado Memories

A lot has happened since this fantastic motorcycle ride to Colorado in 2006. The world went into deep recession, Bernie Madoff raped and plundered the stock market, home foreclosures devastated the housing market, I and millions of others were laid off, and to make matters worse, I sold my Harley so I could write and publish murder mysteries.

Don’t get me wrong, selling the Harley was my choice. Construction was dead, and writing had become my new passion. I managed to write, Evil in the Mirror ,much to the surprise of everyone, including myself. My second book, Day Stalker, was published in January of this year. Both books have five star reviews and hopefully they will, someday, start selling in mass quantities. Of course, that is the dream of all newbie authors.

While walking the dogs yesterday, it was obvious that spring was coming to Arizona. The sky was deep blue, sun warm, and the sounds of singing birds filled the air. I heard the unmistakable roar of a Harley-Davidson in the distance and riding memories immediatley flooded my mind as I looked toward the snow-capped San Francisco Peaks jutting high above Flagstaff. This, in turn, reminded me of Harley trips to the high country of Colorado that my brother, Walt, son Jay and his wife, Shannon, and others made every August. Our group was always small so that we could enjoy the wonders of the majestic Rocky Mountain Range without the confusion of a large group.

God, I miss the fresh, pine-scented air assaulting my senses like fine, imported wine. The cold wind in my face intoxicated me with its aroma, while the sun felt warm and inviting. Sometimes I would have to refocus on riding the curvy mountain roads as if coming out of a sublime hypnosis. It would not be good to get too enchanted by the mountain’s siren lure; the bottoms of the canyons are thousands of feet below.

They say that motorcycles are addictive – I know this to be true, because I am still withdrawing from riding’s spell. It’s all good though, because as long we are alive we must follow the paths we choose, and my new path is one of excitement, challenge and extreme gratification when a book in finished. And, it’s OK to fall back into the siren’s spell for a time and ride into the sunset "on" fantastic memories.

Write on,

Mittster

Just Like Me

What a twin ride it has been, with my brother and I running down the road of life at break neck speed, stopping only rarely to smell the roses. We started life kicking and screaming, and I am sure that is how it will end someday, our bodies bruised and broken, but our spirits high and wild as we run headlong into the next world.

I don’t think anyone can really understand the bond between identical twins. It’s called mirror image twinship; everything is the same, but opposite. It is like looking into a mirror while holding a book. The image and book are identical, but the writing is backward and unreadable. So it is with identical twins. One is doing well in life, while the other is struggling and lost. The one doing well tries to help the down and out twin by mirroring the behavior causing the problem. Once the good twin starts acting badly, the bad twin starts behaving again and climbs back up the ladder of success, while the other struggles to find their way back to whence he or she came.

It is indeed strange behavior, but I am convinced it is caused by the constant struggle to find one’s own identity. It’s not always easy being two people with one identity going in two different directions at the same time. This explains why when we were growing up, one would be on top the world while the other would be buried beneath and always in turmoil. We switched roles back and forth until adulthood, at which time we were able to live separate lives in different locations.

We have really never been apart intuitively or mentally. The connection is much deeper than husband and wife love, parent and child love, family love or any other kind of love. Identical twins are hardwired together and the wire stretches around the world. The wire cannot be cut by anyone, including the twins themselves. Even death cannot break the bond, because the mirror image lives inside both. I suspect the invisible bond lasts for eternity.

Would I change my twin life if I could? Not on your life – the journey has been fantastic and the best is yet to come. Our relationship has matured right alone with us, and I look forward to riding the wave until it fades into the beach and we lay on the hot, white sand, looking up into the heavens, thankful that we are still together as identical twins.

Write on,

Mittster

Peanut Butter

No pun intended, but Salmonella in my Skippy’s creamy, low fat, peanut butter? I just stuffed down three peanut butter sandwiches and a quart of milk, for God’s sake. What am I supposed to do now, just sit here and wait for the explosion? I have been eating Skippy’s for as long as I can remember and this crap has never happened before. (Sorry, there I go again with the puns.)

Up until the TV news and e-mail warning, I thought Salmonella was a country in Asia. What a surprise it was to learn the truth, it kind of took the edge off my Sunday afternoon snack time. I can assure you peanut butter is off the menu forever, or at least until the craving overtakes me again.

Hold on, wait a minute…my stomach is starting to rumble. Oh, God, please don’t let me get sick. Now I am getting nauseated, my vision is blurring, and my equilibrium is going fast. I need to lie down and try to ride this out. What is that ringing in my ears? It’s getting louder and louder. Hello, it’s my alarm clock and it says it’s Monday morning and time to get up for work. Holy smoley, what a horrible nightmare – first thing this morning, I am throwing away the four jars of unopened peanut butter sitting on the counter where I left them Sunday morning!

I’m just saying,

Mittster

No Real Republican Front Runner?

I beg the difference with the political poles; Sarah is my front runner hands down! It's about time we had someone sexy and crazy in the white house. Lord knows we have had everyone else from A to Z, and their only claim to fame is that they were all just crazy. It's time for someone with a fabulous mouth to talk with, and an equally fabulous body to persuade with, occupy the White House. Even Ben Laden would surrender to put a lip lock on Sarah Palin. How else could he stop her incessant chattering? Don't answer that!

Let the insanity continue with a twist of sexual persuasiveness added in for good measure. One thing is for sure, middle America will continue to be squeezed out of the process until we become just a faint memory. Let’s hire Sarah and at least have a little fun on the way out….

I’m just saying,

Mittster