my sixth sense: i see famous people

Most of us remember the M. Night Shyamalan movie “Sixth Sense” with Bruce Willis and the little boy with the spooky line “I see dead people.”

That was his sixth sense, mine is a little different.  I see famous people, all over southeast Tennessee.

• Today I saw John Locke (Terry O’Quinn from Lost ) at the pickup line at Ross Elementary.
• I once saw Dick Cheney at Mellow Mushroom Pizza in Chattanooga.
• I saw Gary Busey at Walmart in Cleveland a couple of months ago.
• I saw Louis CK at a Mexican restaurant in Knoxville once.
• Steve Buscemi may have been in line at Walgreens last week.
• I see Wilford Brimley all the time.

Perhaps you’re asking “Why would these people be in or around Cleveland, TN?”

I will answer your question with a question, “Why can’t you see them?”

That’s not really a good answer.  Those people have no reason for being in Tennessee.  I don’t know why I see famous people in ordinary crowds.  Gary Busey in Walmart is the only one that’s plausible and that’s because there’s no predicting what that guy is going to do next.

I wonder if this is in the DSM-V?

Riding with the windows down

Tonight my son (Sam) and I were kicking the ole football around (soccer ball for you Americans). Walking back into the house the conversation went like this:

S: What do you want to do now?
M: I don’t know, what do you want to do?
S: Let’s go for a ride
M: Like just ride around
S: Yeah
M: …Ok

So we went for a ride … with the windows down. We talked some, listened to a little music and just drove around looking at stuff. It reminded me of a Seinfeld bit where he says he is finally going to answer the question women have been asking men for thousands of years, “what are men thinking about?” His response? “Nothing! We’re not thinking anything. We’re just walking around looking at stuff.”

Our little ride triggered some memories.

Most of you know of my special gift-curse-obsession with memories and nostalgia. Today was an interesting one.

Memory 1 – Kentucky late 1970′s-early 1980′s:  When I was boy we didn’t always have AC in our cars. I have lots of fond memories of riding around as a kid with the windows down. Tonight I was reminded of those rides on the way back from my Mamaw’s house (that’s grandmother for you northerners). It was usually early evening, with the sun just starting to going down. We would be exhausted from having played with our cousins and so the feel and the sound of the wind running through the car was so relaxing. Tonight it had that same feel. It was really so relaxing and wonderfully nostalgic.

Memory 2 - Texas 2008:  One of the songs I have on my iPhone is “Holiday Road” by Lyndsay Buckingham. It was the theme song from “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (that’s a popular movie from the 80′s for you youngsters). I have seen this movie dozens of time but now whenever I hear this song or see the movie it reminds me of a time that I watched it in Texas. It was with 2 of the pastors from the church (David Berryhill and David Savage) and was one of the funniest nights I can remember. Berryhill made dinner for us and we were in a very silly mood. We laughed so hard at this movie we were crying, literally crying. I remember not being able to breath at one point. It was just one of those nights where we were primed to laugh and everything was magnified. What a great memory.

Memory 3 – Philippines/Tennessee 2008-2012: I was looking to clear out some old email from my account today and started by sorting through the messages with the largest attachments. I found some emails that Angeline had sent me from the Philippines.  They contained pictures she had taken of the little girl we were supposed to adopt (here’s the story). I knew what they were before I opened them, but I wasn’t really prepared for my reaction to them.  The second I opened the first picture, it was like someone punched me in the gut and I immediately felt like crying. My reaction was a mixture of hurt and anger. Not just because this thing we hoped for, for almost 4 years didn’t happen, but that it still bothers me so much.  During our ride with windows down, it dawned on me that maybe I’m not supposed to get over it.  I prayed for this little girl every day for 3 years.  I prayed she would have a good day at her school, I prayed she would feel loved and valued. I prayed we would all be ready for the day we became a family. Then I just stopped.

Maybe the anger and hurt need to be transformed into a burden to pray for her again.  Not necessarily every day, but on days when something reminds me of her.  Maybe this is God’s way of involving me and ultimately bringing healing.  Going to ponder that some more.

Memory 4 - Tennessee Summer 2013: I have a feeling that this car ride, and hopefully others like it, will become a memory that I can come back to years from now.  Sam (9) is at this age where he is still very much a little boy, but at times we catch a glimpse of what he may be like as he gets older.  He seemed so old in the car tonight as we drove around and talked about various things like cars, music, soccer etc.  We’ve taken loads of car rides where we talked about stuff or listened to music. This was just a really interesting one with a conversation where we talked, as friends, about … stuff.  It made me look forward to where our relationship might go as he gets older.

I’m feeling very blessed tonight.

What is Manhands and Meatloaf?

Here are the answers to that and many other questions you may have?

1. What is Manhands and Meatloaf you ask?  

• Short Answer:  a podcast that I do with my good friend Steve McClure.
• Here comes the pitch: We talk about life, music, religion, TV, politics, Seinfeld, and whatever else strikes our fancy.  Each episode is about 20-30 minutes.  You can check out our Facebook Page or Youtube Page.  The podcast can also be downloaded on iTunes.

I would say go check it out, but there’s a good chance you will not like it and maybe even hate it.  So . . . there’s that.  You should definitely go to the Facebook Page and like it.  It will help our fragile egos.  But go at your own risk.

2. Why is it called Manhands and Meatloaf?

• Manhands is a Seinfeld reference.  I don’t feel like I should have to explain that but I will by giving you a link to a scene.  If you don’t know who Seinfeld is, there’s not much I can do for you.
• Meatloaf the food is awesome.  Meatloaf the singer is …not as awesome.  We chose the awesome food not the less awesome singer.
• So it’s named after 2 things that are beloved by all real Americans, Seinfeld and meat.

3. Is either Manhands or Meatloaf some kind of euphemism?
Neither Mr. McClure nor myself are familiar with the use of euphemisms.  If you believe that then you may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer [rimshot].  But, seriously, it’s not a euphemism, at least not consciously.

4.  Is this some kind of a joke?
My whole life is a joke.  Take that however you want.

5.  Have you guys become millionaires from this podcast?
Yes.  At least in our minds we are the richest people in the world (next to George Bailey).

6. Is this a Christian podcast? 
Not exactly.  Both McClure and I are Christians (former pastors in fact) but the goal of the podcast is not evangelistic or apologetic.  I don’t know that we really even have a goal.  We openly talk about our faith and sometimes issues facing the Church but the podcast is not exclusive to Christians.  Sometimes it’s funny and sometimes it’s serious.  We just like to talk about things that we like to talk about.  We were already talking and figured we could just record it and you could listen.

7. Sounds like this podcast is completely self-indulgent and narcissistic, is that right?
Yes.  You hit the nail on the head (another euphemism…sorry). We both grew up in Lake Wobegon believing that we are special, above average and meant to be extraordinary and famous.  McClure thinks he should be famous like Oprah and I just want to be famous like Seinfeld.  Now wouldn’t THAT be a podcast?!

Oprah and Seinfeld . . . and they could still call it Manhands and Meatloaf!

Ironman and Nietzsche

I recently watched Ironman 3.

This is not a review per say.  In general, I liked the movie but didn’t like it as much as Ironman 1 and 2.  Tony Stark seemed to spend less time “as Ironman” than in other movies, and I think that was the character’s point; he was Ironman, not the suit.  In his drive to atone and become more, he realized he needed to do so as a human and without the aid of this superhuman suit.  After his encounter with aliens and other dimensions from the Avengers movie, he has a difficult time coping and ponders what it means to be a superhuman without technology (or other worldly help).

Enter Nietzsche’s “Übermensch.”  Let me say right up front, I am not in any way a person to ask about Nietzsche.  I know enough only to confuse myself yet sound intelligent when talking about action movies that are probably not referencing Nietzsche at all.

This idea did get me reading a bit of “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” in which Nietzsche further develops some of the idea behind the Übermensch or Superman/Overman. In a nutshell, the person who is able to overcome self and the predetermined values of the herd, to enhance humanity.  Nietzche felt this Superman would resist the urge to flee from the earth and  humanity (as he felt Christians did) and embrace it thus improving it.  Just as we see Tony Stark removing the extra-human persona of Ironman and embracing the strength of his humanness.

Then again, the writers, director and producers, probably just thought this seemed like a good plot line that audiences would pay to see.  Ignore everything I just said.

One great quote from “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” that brings me to my final 2 observations from my movie theatre experience:

Foul smells their idol to me, the cold monster: foul they all smell to me, these idolaters.
My brothers, will you suffocate in the fumes of their maws and appetites! Better to break the windows and jump into the open air!
Escape from their foul stench! Escape from the idolatry of the superfluous!
Escape from their foul stench! Escape from the steam of these human sacrifices! ~ Nietzsche  Zarathustra I.11

2 Final Thoughts:

1 – During the previews, I saw a trailer for “Fast & Furious 36″.  If anything speaks to the degradation of humanity it is the continuing of this series of movies.  During the trailer I thought to myself, “who watches this?”  I then began hearing cheers from the crowd around me.  I disagree with Nietzsche, maybe escaping this world is the best option.  I enjoy great FX movies as much as the next guy, but come on people! Don’t you need a little plot?!

2 – I also chose the quote above because of the person I had to sit next to in the theatre.  You may recall from a previous blog post, my lot in life, as it relates to movie theatre seating. During this movie, I was seated next to someone with heinously bad breath.  I don’t mean it was little stinky.  I mean it made me sick at my stomach.  I’m almost 90% sure they may have been snacking on dog poop during the movie.  I actually had to cover my nose at one point.  Yes, I felt rude and insensitive doing it but I thought that throwing up during the movie would have been more insensitive.

At least I didn’t exclaim:   I must escape from your foul stench!