This blog is the random ramblings of Shoehead, a 48-year-old writer/actor/musician, Herbalife Distributor, and pop-culture junkie in transition from southern California to Austin Texas and beyond....
Monday, December 15, 2008
Civility? Wha…?
The first happened Saturday afternoon, as I was gassing up. It was rather busy, and there was a car waiting behind me, and one in front of me. I really failed to notice which had gotten there first, but as I finished, the car behind me sent his girl running up to swipe her debit card to claim the pump. Meanwhile, the car in front pulled into the spot. I had just pulled into a parking space, because I went inside to get a beverage. As I looked behind me, both parties were standing around the pump arguing. Pity… I never did get to see the outcome of that incident.
The second one happened this afternoon, about an hour ago. I had just finished picking up some supplies at Wal-Mart (this should tell you something right away), and I pulled my car out into the parking lane, waiting to exit the lot. There was somewhat of a jam toward the lot’s entrance, so I waited behind a minivan. As I sat waiting, it occurred to me that the minivan was not moving. Several cars were lined up behind me by this point, and I thought perhaps the minivan had broken down or something. But that was not the case. The driver was just waiting for one particular spot to clear out. After about seven minutes or so, the car behind me honked his horn, and tried to go around me. I honked my horn as well, because I was starting to get a little impatient. Finally, the car pulled out of the spot, and the minivan pulled into it, giving me a glaring look as she did. So then I pulled up, and was waiting to leave, the 14-year-old kid that was in the car came up to me and said, “You need to learn patience!” I looked at him and shot back, “You need to learn not to be so selfish!” Not wanting to leave it at that, I wished him “Happy Holidays”, and took off out of that infernal lot.
Like I said, I’ve been processing that for the whole afternoon. OK, maybe I was a little impatient, but why would someone hold up five cars just to get a close spot? There just seems to be an overall lack of civility in our society now. I’m also afraid it’ll get worse, as people seem to have an entitlement mentality, and a disregard for others. As if nobody else exists, or has any rights to common courtesy. “Me first, screw you!” is the new mantra. Let’s see how this new era of audacity plays out…
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Doing the next-to-impossible!
Ready, set, PRAY! Then WORK! Then PRAY some more!
See y'all at the TOP!
Monday, December 08, 2008
Back from ACN Anaheim Convention
The second thing I took away from the event is how ACN is always looking for ways to make our company better; adding the best services and improving both our products and our company infrastructure to be the absolute best, and the most helpful to make all our reps succeed. The four co-founders really do care about every single person that signs a rep agreement. I could tell by watching them, and hearing them speak; as well as first-hand sources that these men are 100% for real. Donald Trump took an instant liking to our co-founders because of their vision, determination and integrity. And as one can imagine, Mr. Trump is such a busy man, that his time is quite limited and valuable. His friendship with our co-founders, and his endorsement of our company is a testament to the excellence, success, vision, and determination of ACN.
The third thing I took away from the event is that as much fun as I had, and the excitement I felt amongst my people, I did spend a lot of time by myself. Some of the members of my team didn’t make it, and my own personal downline is just getting off the ground. So what I learned is, these conventions are way more fun if you bring people, and have a team in place. As I grow my own team, I’m gonna express the importance of these international trainings, and bring my team to all events. It really is a phenomenon that can’t be explained unless you go there yourself. And it’s my commitment to never miss another international. I missed Robert Kiyosaki this past March, and I missed Donald Trump this past June, and I’m kicking myself to this day.
So these are a few insights I took back with me from ACN Anaheim 2008. I’m so excited for the possibilities, and the opportunities that 2009 is gonna bring!
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
The perils of having an unusual last name...
Oh, well... I'm used to my name getting butchered or miscredited in film credits. That's what happens with my last name. The film does look pretty good though. I also want to see MRG Entertainment's "Copycat-- Diary of a Serial Killer" that we worked on last December. "Kemper" has the trailer on it, and it looks pretty awesome too!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Life without water…
Since I’ve been working a lot of hours, and the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead was on another of her trips, I had no time to try and fix it. We had the City shut off the water. So all week, I’ve been showering at my gym, and using gallon bottled water to survive. It’s like being on a camping trip in your own home! What fun! Anyway, I’m so over it, and today I’m gonna do my best Bob Vila impression, and try to fix the pipe! Yay!
Wish me luck...
Saturday, November 29, 2008
I'm not depressed...
So nobody start slipping Prozac™ into my milkshakes just yet, OK?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving... wowzy-wowzy woo woo!
OK, time to catch my traditional Thanksgiving's eve buzz, and get ready for turkey day!!!
Yay!!!
Monday, November 17, 2008
OK, I'm back!
Life in Firebaugh is still pretty much the same. Working in a women's prison is about as fun as it sounds. Life goes on, at least for the moment. Yee-HA!!!
Time for some New England clam chowder! Mmmmmmmm...
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Way to go, Republicans....
JEEZ!!!
Monday, October 27, 2008
I HATE POLITICS!!!
Where can I go and hide out, unbothered for the next ten years or so?
Monday, October 06, 2008
In Exile...
Friday, September 26, 2008
Firebaugh looks the same...
I flew out of Miami, with a stopover in Charlotte. There was just enough time for me to have a Bojangles biscuit. Yummy! I haven't had one since I lived in Richmond back in the 90's! I landed in LAX, and didn't even have to wait 5 minutes for the Van Nuys Flyaway shuttle. Then, from Van Nuys, it was up the 405 to the 5, and three hours later I'm in Firebaugh. It seems surreal, after two weeks in Miami, somehow Firebaugh seems both different, and yet still the same. There are a couple of palm trees around here, but still... Maybe if they opened a good Cuban restaurant, and I could find a great mojito, that'd make some kind of difference!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Back to Co-ed Confidential...
So it's 9am here in Miami, and we have today and tomorrow to shoot. The crew is then going back to L.A. to finish up, but I'm actually going to return to my regular gig in the women's prison. Miami sure was fun though! I'll post up some pics later, for all you "Co-ed" fans!
~Ciao!
Friday, September 05, 2008
The Catfather?
The feline presence in my domicile began with Starva, the matriarch of the clan. She enjoyed a peaceful and solitary existence for many years, until June, 2006 and the arrival of Missy Cleopatra. Missy was in a cage at our vet’s office for about two days with an “adopt me’ sign on the outside of the cage. The story on the sign told how she was found by one of the vet’s staff in a pillowcase in an apartment dumpster! She was such a cute little black furball, just climbing and playing around in her cage, we just had to take her home with us. At first, there was friction between Starva, and the young upstart Missy, but soon things were worked out into a sort of détente. About a year later, in the summer of 2007, a couple of alley cats started coming around our outside staircase crying for food. One of them had an injured tail, and he was the most affectionate of the alley cats. Soon, he showed up daily and I made sure he got a good meal, and sometimes some milk! When the decision was made to move out of Oxnard in November 2007, Mrs. Shoehead and I felt that we just couldn’t leave “Cat-tail” (as he was now called), behind to take his chances with the increasingly dangerous neighborhood. Yippee! Cat #3! There was still plenty of room at the new house, as well as a spacious yard so that all three cats (plus two dogs) could co-habitate, although to Starva’s chagrin.
A few short weeks later, at a Christmas trip to her auntie’s house, the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead noticed another little kitten, a grey tiger-striped cat, hanging around the front doorstep, unheeded and un-cared for. Naturally, as animal lovers, we felt obligated to take this on in, too. We kept him in the same room as Cat-tail, segregated from the other cats until they could all get acclimated to one another. Buster, as the new addition came to be called, and Cat-tail got along great. The older, seasoned alley cat, took the young cat under his protection, almost like a little brother. He still to this day hangs out with Buster and protects him from the dogs. Our first attempt at integrating the newer boy cats to the established girl cats resulted in buster scampering under the house, and deciding to take up permanent residence there. He comes out from his hole every morning at seven am and every night around 10 pm for his feeding, under the watchful eye of his big brother, Cat-tail.
This was pretty much how it went on through most of 2008, but one day in mid-August, I went out to feed Buster, and there was a tan tiger-striped cat, even smaller than Buster! Crying, hungry and scared, I fed him—wondering if he was here to stay, or just passing through. (Many neighborhood cats jump over our fence and visit Casa Shoehead. We must be a hot-spot in the cat circuit!) As he basically never left, and hung around our back porch for the next couple of days, we decided to take him in and clean him up a little bit. He was covered with fleas, and had ear-mites, so we took care of that, and we helped him to get nourished, too. He’s recovering nicely, and as it turns out he’s got a great personality—very playful and loving. Our Italian Greyhound, Bocce, took an instant like to him. Bocce kisses him and tries to play with him as often as he can, and the kitten’s not scared in the least. Last week, Mrs. Shoehead named him Vanilla Bean, or Beanie for short. So, cat #5 has arrived!
So, in regards to this morning’s incident with the poor little mouse, we’re trying to determine which cat was the culprit. Was it an offer of tribute from Missy Cleopatra, who’s trying to retain her position with her human overlords as #2 cat in the household? Or was it Cat-tail, trying to exert his influence with the humans and move up in household rank? A long-shot says it was Starva, trying to prove she’s still a viable force in the cat organization. Unlikely, but still an option. Ruled out are Buster, who almost never comes in the house any more, and Bean, who’s still under quarantine in what’s now the “cat room”. If the cats could talk, it would make the investigation much easier, but as it is, it may never be solved. Meanwhile Mrs. Shoehead is still highly freaked out.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Cinematic splendor, right here in my own home!
The lovely Mrs. Shoehead and I, still enjoying the lack of cable TV in our lives, have been on a DVD-watching frenzy. Yesterday’s viewings—“Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns”, and “Little Children”. We found “Browns” amusing, in the typical Tyler Perry vein. He re-uses some of his elements in several of his offerings, which is fine—he’s trying to deliver a message as well as entertain. We were treated to the same characters, the struggling single mom, the deadbeat dad, the promising basketball player son that gets hospitalized by a drug deal shooting, etc. As
“Little Children” was a different story. The DVD came in on our Netflix and we both looked at each other and wondered “Who added this one to the queue?” Then I realized that it was I who added this flick, noticing that this was the movie that featured the cinematic return of Jackie Earle Haley (No, not Haley Joel Osment). For you 40-something pop culture geeks, he was “Kelly Leak” in the monumental “Bad News Bears” movie from 1976. So I’m the culprit for wasting over two hours of mine and the Lovely Mrs. Shoehead’s lives, which we’ll never get back. First off, the movie was long, and painfully slow. You could have cut the movie in half, and still gotten the “story”. Kate Winslet played Sarah, a self-absorbed do-nothing housewife, who starts an affair with Brad, played by some guy, who’s a delusional do-nothing househusband. These two idiots actually had the temerity to include their toddler children in their infidelities, letting them play together while they got “busy”! A side story to these escapades is Jackie Earle Haley as a released sex-offender in the neighborhood, and a disgraced ex-cop (played by some other guy) who’s obsessed with tormenting him and his mom. Actually, in the whole film, the perv and his mom are the only characters I felt any sympathy or pathos for. Especially the mom, who really didn’t ask for any of this nightmare. She’s harassed to a breaking point and finally dispatched when the ex-cop knocks her to the ground, and she goes into cardiac arrest. Then, instead of the revenge ending I was craving, (I envisioned a pre-dug grave up in
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
They all Suck '08
I really do my best not to make this a political blog, because personally I can’t stand politics or politicians, but it really disappoints me that the next president, whether it’s the abominable Obama, or the ever-ambitious RINO McCain, will be a senator. A senator is not a leadership position. It’s a committee, deal-making, consensus-seeking position. I always believe that a governor is the logical choice for a
I don’t believe in my lifetime I’ll see a Libertarian president. While that does reflect my personal belief system, I’m afraid I’ll have to rely on the Republicans to fend off the ravenous encroachments of the Democrat party. Which they almost religiously fail to do. That’s why the Republicans constantly piss me off as well. My campaign slogan is “THEY ALL SUCK ‘08”
Get ready for the Mexico expansion! Click here for details!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hey there readers!
While I was away, we lost George Carlin, Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes, and a dear friend of mine, my old agent in Richmond VA, Liz Marks. The news of Liz's death came to me as a total shock. She was very helpful to me when I started acting professionally in 1991; I considered her a mentor and a friend. So I wanted to acknowledge these fine folks whom we lost in the last 2 months, and send a cosmic thank you to them for helping to brighten our lives.
Big news-- our company is expanding into Mexico by the end of the year. It's a great opportunity to build a huge organization, with a potential customer base of a million+
Take a look and see...
Well, that's all for now, but I'm going to make an effort to publish at least three times a week. I miss my blog, and I miss my readers (which number like ten or so now!)
Be cool...
Friday, June 06, 2008
What a difference 27 years makes!
Mark Edrys and Charles J. Nohai, Yorktown 1981
Mark Edrys and Charles J. Nohai, Los Angeles March 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Nice little heatwave here in Firebaugh...
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
My prediction: Sayonara Syesha!
She's cute, sexy and has a very nice voice, but I predict after last night's all-around mediocre American Idol show, that the Sarasota sweetie is gonna say "see-ya". Syesha Mercado delivered last night's audience three utterly forgettable performances-- the predictable Alicia Keyes "If I Don't Have You" predictably chosen by the predictable judge Randy Jackson; a cabaret performance of Peggy Lee's "Fever" complete with prop chair; and, ummm... some other song. (Was it the penguin song from "Happy Feet"? I think so...) *Sigh* And I like her, too. She just never really defined herself as to what kind singer she is. "Generic Pop Singer" seems to be what she's shooting for. I guess that's not necessarily a death-knell in Idol-World. Jordin Sparks won last year, and she didn't really have any kind of musical style to lay claim to. But Syeha's lack of gravitas (YES! I used a political word!) in last night's performances, not to mention the judges outright candor (even Paula!) in basically telling her she's done, suggests I write a pre-post-mortem on Ms. Mercado.
That presumptively leaves the two Davids-- guitar-playing rocker Cook, and dreadful balladeer Achuleta to vie it out for the final victory. My money's on Mr. Cook for a number of reasons, not sucking being the top reason, but we'll have to see how it plays out. Archie's somnambulant croonings do seem to rank high amongst Idol voters (at least female, under the age of fifteen). As Simon Cowell stated several weeks ago, if this is still a talent competition, and not a popularity contest, David Cook's got it hands down.
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Thursday, May 08, 2008
Back to Busking...
It took no Einstein, or crystal ball to predict who'd get the footprint-on-the-ass on this week's Idol. Dreadful, dreadlocked Jason Castro-- who relied on sheer cuteness to get him this far, got bumped after crapping out a version of the Bob Marley classic "I Shot the Sheriff", then proceeded to mangle Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man". Bo Bice, my personal pick for season 4's Idol, summed it up pretty well when he commented on the decision to let this season's contestants play their instruments--it's OK to an extent, but some performers hide behind it. Right on the money, Bo... Jason C was a one-trick pony, and basically gave us the same performance every week. Essentially displaying none of the versatility that is required of all Idol aspirants, Jason brought his subway busking-style performances to the Idol stage relentlessly until I think even he himself couldn't believe he'd lasted that long.
As a final 10 contestant, he's earned himself a place on the American Idol tour, so concert-goers will be treated to more of his repetitive musical musings. I'm not sure how many songs they allow these performers to solo on, but I think a better venue for Jason would be on the downtown platform of the 1/9 trains in Times Square. It would be perfect--these trains go right down to Greenwich Village! Utterly appropriate, and a great audience for Mr. Castro.
OK, so that's settled... now let's focus our efforts on that other one-trick-pony, David Archuletta. He sings just like he talks--boring, yawning; always schmaltzy ballads. Another crappy performer propped up by the pubescent-girl vote. Syesha's very sexy, and I can see her in an acting career, probably musicals and musical theater. I even wouldn't be too disappointed if she won the whole Idol pie. But I think the deserving winner this year is David Cook. He's talented, versatile, and interprets his cover tunes in a very creative and personal way. He also displays his rock-n-roll roots, without being a complete sell-out (as much as a show like this will allow). OK, there's only two more weeks of Idol, and this season really did prove to be a snore. Let's hope that next season will give us a little something more. And, keep the instruments at home, kids. I don't really think it worked, David Cook aside. Let's get another Melinda Doolittle onstage next season. She was the best, and most talented performer that ever set foot on the American Idol stage.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Yay! Finally getting my dogs back...
After two weeks, I'm getting my two dogs back from boarding at my in-laws. We had to seperate them, because Cowgirl is well-behaved, and Bocce is, um... not. I'm leaving in about 15 minutes and driving first to San Francisco to get Bocce, then Modesto to retrieve Cowgirl. I'm so excited...
There's jut an emptiness without those two little guys.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Mourning Brooke White (But I saw it comin' a mile away!)
I could feel it, I knew it, I watched it unfold before me--and from the look on her face, I could tell that Brooke White felt the exact same way I did. As I watched the elimination of perhaps the purest, and absolute sweetest of any Idol contestant ever, I couldn't help but say to myself, "I can see where this is going..."
The sensitive, yet plucky Miss White got clipped after singing "I Am... I Said" on Neil Diamond week, after seemingly weeks of slowly coming unravelled. I was pulling for her from early on, especially after my main man Chikezie got whacked, but recent performances of hers showed signs of slippage, which is often fatal to an aspiring Idol. I witnessed not one, but two false starts (once on her own with a piano, and once with a full orchestra behind her!); and saw her almost lose it during her piano-playing performance of Mariah Carey's "Hero"; barely stumbling through the number. Alas, the voting public had finally stopped dialing her number.
I really did like this contestant, and it was with no amount of my usual American Idol schadenfreude did I feel for the 24 year-old nanny from Mesa, Arizona. She was an absolute sweetheart, and a very good musician; playing both piano and guitar for several numbers. She has an great voice--somewhat country, with a reminiscence of Carly Simon. She's also stunningly beautiful. Tall, blonde, and with the perfect balance of sexiness and pure innocence; with just a touch of almost goofiness thrown in to round out the mix. Where many aspiring Idols fall because they don't connect with the audience despite an above-average singing voice, I really believe Brooke did connect with the audience--which kept her afloat despite weeks of shaky performances. Sadly, in the end, her nerves just got the best of her.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Happy Birthday, Aunt Harriet!
Today, my little auntie Harriet, Hyatt as we all knew her as, would have been 112! It's amazing to think that she saw in her lifetime everything from the Wright Brothers' first flight, all the way to the space shuttle missions.
Our dear Hyatt was quite an interesting woman. she was rather eccentric, but to her own right she was very successful in a financial company on Wall Street. She was an office manager which, sadly, was about as high as a woman could go in those days. Her boss was a man named Mr. Horner. Hyatt was very intelligent, and quite a conversationalist. And she'd be very upset with me if I didn't mention that she was a Methodist! We all miss her a lot...
Happy Birthday, Hyatt!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Back from San Diego with a new attitude!
So this past week, with my brother there to support and encourage me, we did a lot of running (with my two dogs Bocce and Cowgirl). We also set up a bootcamp-style training gym right in the sand on the beach of Mission Bay. Next we started a new plan to fire up our ACN business, that's a surefire winner. I helped him set up his office, we ate great meals al fresco, right by the bay... It was almost purifying!
I learned not to succumb to negativity. from now on, I'll take control of my life again. it's a good feeling. A key factor in my new attitude is Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements. This is a collection of ancient Toltec wisdom, made easy to follow in todays' world.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Charlton Heston, a great American
Another thing I admire about Mr. Heston, is his commitment to what he believed in, even if it proved to be unpopular. His position on gun-owners' rights, and his love for America earned him criticism from many people, including those in his own industry.
Thank you Mr. Heston, for what you've done in my life and inspiring me and others.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Don't cry, Ramiele!
This week's departure of Ramiele Malubay came as no surprise to me. I did come in late to the Idol game this season due to a work project, missing all of Hollywood week and the elimination of the first twelve. So, I didn't get to see the early performances that earned her top twelve status. But, that being said, as I watched the diminutive and undeniably cute Rami perform, I had her pegged for an early elimination.
I just got the feeling while watching her, that she's just not a performer. She has an incredible voice, no doubt about that. She just seemed to not know what to do on stage. She gave off a look that seemed to say, "I've seen other singers do this, so this is what I'm supposed to do!" as she stood awkwardly or tried to look as-cute-as-can-be for the camera. That always reads across the TV airwaves, and sooner or later, the audience will lose interest and stop voting. I imagine her fanbase was a good percentage of Filipinos and other Asians giving her support (and valuable phone votes!). At the very beginning of the season, during her audition phase, she'd remarked that she aspired to be the first Asian-american Idol. Or did she say it without the hyphen; the first Asian American Idol? I couldn't tell... Either way, it was a very admirable aspiration.
Coincidentally, Ramiele's departure episode displayed video clips of "What-are-they-doing-now" clips of previous seasons' finalists. Most of them seem to be doing really well (The clips did not feature Jessica Sierra), and following their musical dreams in some capacity. Not to mention, being a top 10 finalist, Rami gets to go on the American Idol tour. With that kind of exposure, and the right kind of planning and representation, she has a great chance of continuing as a successful performing artist. After all, that's what it's all about, right?
This led to one of my patented "bright ideas™"... I mentioned to the lovely Mrs. Shoehead that Ramiele could not only be an "American" Idol, but she could go global with this. If she started representing herself as an example of Asian-american pop music talent, and also started booking concerts and releasing albums in the Asian nations, and the Pacific Rim, I believe she'll be hugely successful! A truly global talent, representing America, Asian-America, and the American Idol franchise to over a billion people! I hope her representation and management have at least entertained the possibilities. I told the lovely Mrs. Shoehead that I would be willing to represent Ramiele, if she needed me. So, cheer up my diminutive cutie, you could be bigger than Miley Cyrus, and not even have to concoct a "Hannah Montana" persona.
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Friday, April 04, 2008
Martin Luther King reincarnated?
Can you see the parallels? Martin Luther KING, The KING? How can anyone miss that?
Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHREK!!! The big 4-0!
Thank you Dr. King
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
Thursday, April 03, 2008
A day in the life...
Now, I'm finishing my coffee, and working on my screenplay. ah, yes...
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Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Maybe I'll join the C.I.A.
the men were to bring their wives.
The first man was called in for the interview. The Agent
in charge handed him a gun, then said, "We must have
absolute loyalty in this service. Take your wife in the
next room and shoot her."
The man looked shocked. He thought and said "I'm afraid I
can't do that. I just got married 2 weeks ago and I still
love my wife." He left.
The second man came in and the agent gave him the same
pitch. The man, almost in tears said, "Oh no. I can't do
that to her, she's about to have a baby." So he left.
The third man entered and was given the pitch. So he took
the gun and his wife into the next room. Soon "bam bam
bam bam bam!" Then there was noise of furniture being
broken, woman's screams, then nothing. The man comes
back out.
The agents asked, "What went on in there??!!"
The man said: "Some idiot put blanks in the gun
so I strangled her!"
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Build a huge downline in GDI!
Using the best in free traffic techniques, with the GDI Income Team, you can watch your downline grow right before your eyes!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Last month, I discovered a secret...
And that very secret was the subject of numerous books in the early 1900’s, particularly a special long-lost 1926 book. It’s a book that Bill Gates himself studied as a student.
It’s NOT a book about positive thinking, or self-hypnosis, or affirmations, or anything of that sort. This is an actual GENUINE secret, a physical tangible secret that YOU can use to make amazing change in your life – starting today!
This long-lost 1926 book has recently resurfaced in a dusty Scottish attic, and – for the first time ever – is being made available in a special compilation from self-development guru Bradley Thompson.
He calls it The Absolute Secret.
So, exactly what is The Absolute Secret? And how can you use it’s secret powers to make awesome change in your own personal life – starting TODAY?
Let him show you.
Visit the site to learn more.
Thanks for your time!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Origin of Shoehead
I've been Shoehead since 1980, so it's not just some silly screen-name for the web. In fact, I've been Shoehead since before a lot of the internet generation was born!
The name came about shortly after I moved to Richmond, VA. As anyone who's ever relocated in the middle of high school can attest, it's a little tough to "break-in" to a new school, a new set of friends, etc. Especially in Richmond, which can definitely be very clique-ish. So I did fall in with a pretty cool bunch of guys, including two really good friends, Bernard "Beanie", and Billy "Bildo". Sometime, in the spring of 1980, we all went to a huge house party in Henrico County's fashionable West End (we all went to Tucker High School in the West End), and as the drinking commenced, Beanie and I started calling each other "Shoehead". I really don't remember how it came about, or even what it means, but at that time I had no idea of the staying power of such a moniker. Throughout the night, we laughingly called each other out --"Hey, Shoehead!" Monday morning, as we saw each other in the halls, we kept it up, and as the weeks went by, the name just kind of stuck on me.
The name perpetuated after high school, most likely because I put a personalized licence plate on my car saying "SHU HED" (at the time, you could only get six digits on the Virginia licence plates). Over the next few years, the name became sort of an alter-ego; like a party name.When my band, Just Because performed in the late 80's and early 90's, "Shoehead" became my stage name. By this time, a lot of people around Richmond didn't even know my real name!
I moved to Hoboken NJ in 1996, and after I brought my cousin Chris down to Richmond for a visit, "Shoehead" followed me back up to the New York area. I then moved to Vegas, and my brother Jason brought "Shoehead" to Vegas. After Vegas, I moved to Redondo Beach into an apartment with some Richmond buddies of mine, who already knew the "Shoehead" legend. The local Redondo denizens started calling me "Shooey", which is entirely a California creation. I like "Shooey" a lot, because it represents a great time in my life--a period of change, a sense of adventure; new beginnings...
So that's pretty much the whole story. Once the internet came into my life, there really couldn't be any other screen name that captured my personality and history. I hope this helps de-mystify, or bring to life my nickname.
Monday, March 10, 2008
I'm Back... Co-ed Confidential 2 WRAPPED!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Taking a mini-break from the show...
I've been busting ass on set, as a P.A. (gotta love the 42 year-old P.A.!) and because of my experience in Transpo, (see my kick-ass resume) I was bumped up to Transpo Captain. Yee-ha!
So I'm driving back tonight to be on set bright and early!
I did watch the Oscars last night, and noticed that "No Country for Old Men" cleaned up. With that, I had to watch it, so I popped in my promo copy of the film and took a look. Did I miss something? I really didn't get the film. There were some good performances, but all-in-all, I thought the movie was, well... kinda sucked! I didn't get the ending, the whole film seemed totally choppy... I did start nodding off toward the end, but was it really voted Best Picture?
Award Trophy Statues Customize Your Own Message or Dedication
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Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Pay-to-click sites (PTC's)
As I got more familiar with PTC's I learned which ones I like better, and which I don't favor as much. these are factored by how much is paid per view, how many ads are available, etc. I'm a free member in all of them so far, but premium membership is definitely a better option. You get more ads to view, and the pay per viewing is higher-both for you and your referrals. You can also buy referral packages in different amounts that save you time. I bought some referrals, and made my money back in a matter of a week or two.
PTC's are also a good advertising medium for your own programs and sites you're promoting. The ad rates are very reasonable, and you're guaranteed viewers.
Here's a list of what I found to be the best in PTC's:
Bux.to - My Favorite. There are always a good amount of Ads to click every day. Good payout, too!
Clicks4Coins - Another favorite. You get $3 just for joining, and the ads are usually higher paying than other PTC's
ClixSense - A good PTC as well. Always good ads to view.
DailyClick.biz - Again, good payout-lots of ads.
Cashwebs.net - A good PTC, always about 15-20 ads.
Paid.vg - Excellent!
The rest of these are very good, too.
Instantad.org
cash-linkz.com
yayclick.com
Adverbux.com
DevCix.com
Fast.sc
Advercash.net
Titanclicks.com
Turbobux.com
Money-Website.com
PaidClicks.ws
These are great sites to make some extra money on the web. Referring is also not as hard as it sounds. Some downline builders, such as Free Money Team, and Marketing Pond make referring much easier, and actually fun!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Free Networking Sites That Pay You to Use Them!
MyVieWin pays its members $5 just to join, and also pays for blogging, chatting, uploading photos, videos & music, and for referring friends.
Lazzeo also has a referral incentive, paying $15 for each 15 people you refer in any one-month period.
RFN pays for visiting friends, uploading photos and the like and also pays members to surf advertisers and create quizzes and polls and has a gaming area.
Trafficera is brand new and looks to have a LOT of potential, not only for making money, but for promoting other businesses and affiliate programs and networking generally. (And if you're an animal lover who's also an enthusiastic network marketer and decide to join Trafficera, consider joining the Animal Lovers team... we're awesome LOL!)
Trafficera
Lazzeo
MyVieWin
RFN (Rotatrix Friends Network)
Yuwie
Zubby
Narple
Gizter
Zion5
Apsense
Check them out... they're free so you have nothing to lose.
Hope to see you there (and there... and there... LOL)
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Back to Work!
Hemisphere filmed such family classics asUndercover Kids, and The Ghost Club.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Back into my training mode!
I start tomorrow on my running program. Probably a 45 minute to an hour run. Now that I'm over 40, it's important to keep in shape.
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Thursday, January 31, 2008
Downline Builders
Downline Builders
I'm really a big fan of downline builders. The concept is simple--use one site to promote several programs you're involved with. When you refer someone to the downline builder, and they sign up, they can enter their own referral ID into the different programs in the downline builder. If they're not in the program, they have the opportunity to join under your referral ID. Then when that person refers others into the program, it keeps repeating. The more people referred into it, the larger the downline. Here's an example: Your downline builder contains Program A, Program B, program C, and Program D. John signs up under you. He's already in Program A, so he puts in his existing referral ID. He joins Programs B and C, but for whatever reason he has no interest in joining Program D. So you've just got a level one referral in Programs B and C. Now, John refers Mary into the downline builder. Mary is not a member of any of the four programs, so she joins A, B, and C under John (B and C she's in your level two) and Program D she's on your level one.
As you can see, it's possible to build an enormous downline in several of your programs using these sites.
These are some of my favorite downline builders:
Free Money Team and MarketingPond
are both excellent sites, and all the programs are 100% FREE to join.
The Home-Income-Team(HIT) is also an excellent program. It's free to join,and most of the programs included are free as well, but there are some premium or pro-membership programs too. The training modules themselves are excellent, and worth joining this program in itself.
Another good, solid downline builder is TrafficHoopla. no frills, just a solid program.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The First Steps to Making Money Online...
The first thing to do is join this site. Inside are several money-making programs, including Yuwie, and they're all FREE. there are also the best traffic exchanges to promote your sites! This site has a built-in downline-building program that will automatically build up your downlines!
Then, it would be a good idea to join this site, too. This site is also free to join, but not all of the programs in here are free; there are a few "pro" memberships. But the training and the downline-builder function is awesome!
Both of these programs are good to help you get started with a little bit of time investment, and not a lot of money investment. the key is to stick with it, and NEVER GIVE UP! this club is available to help you succeed!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
This video speaks for itself....
This video was made by a 15 year-old girl, Lizzie Palmer. I just want to thank Lizzie for an amazing and touching video That really puts a lot into perspective. It also restores my faith in today's youth and our future generation.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Looking for MLM LEADERS
Saturday, January 05, 2008
What have I been doing all day?
It really is a fun game, and it's completely win-win. Your blog gets more traffic and visibility, and it's fun as anything to play. Kudos to the guys at Blogshares!
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Friday, January 04, 2008
Here's a New Year's resolution--Quit Smoking!
Having trouble quitting smoking?
Shape, March, 2006 by Gabrielle Gayagoy
See this movie. In case lung cancer and heart disease aren't scary enough reasons to ditch your nicotine habit, the staggering death tolls highlighted in the film Thank You for Smoking (Fox Searchlight Pictures) ought to stop you from lighting up.
Based on Christopher Buckley's 1994 novel, the movie follows a Big Tobacco media spokesman as he realizes just how bad cigarettes can be for people. Hopefully, the film will do for smokers what Super Size Me did for fast-food junkies. In theaters March 17--G.G.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group
Here's a few resources to help you quit:
EasyQuit System
Audio-Hypnosis
Stop Smoking w/CigArrest
Lung Detox
FreshStart-Quit smoking in one hour!
QuitSmokingRightNow-One of the best programs out there!
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Thursday, January 03, 2008
Back to Life, Back to Reality...
I'll let you know how it goes.
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