Not In Cuba Anymore

The fact that things in this world, and specifically in this nation, are getting worse is no surprise to anyone. Moral bankruptcy is not an epidemic on the fringes anymore, but it is a prevalent disease in our society. Not only are our moral values distorted as a whole, but our views on what's important are completely twisted.

The general feeling toward stay at home parents is that they somehow gave up on life. "You stay at home with your kids? What happened to you?" That seems to be the sentiment, although for the most part those people don't have the guts to at least say it outright.

It seems that "getting ahead" and a "career" are more important than raising your children. How many countless of men and women neglect time with their family in order to get a promotion, or in order to make that extra grand?

I'm not saying that careers and dreams are inherently bad, but I am saying that if you put those things ahead of your family, they can become a bad thing.

In today's society, the men and women who are considered to be successful are those who have a "career." Those who have chosen to stay at home and raise their children are considered to be a abomination.

But in the end, what is truly going to matter? Children grow very quickly. When you are in your deathbed, looking back at life, what will you wish you had done more of? I never heard of anyone wishing they had spend more time at the office, or wishing they had scheduled one more meeting. No, in the end, selfishness and greed won't matter. In the end, what will truly matter is the time you shared with your loved ones.

Investing your life in the lives of your children and spouse is one of the most blessed things you could ever do. Our society may value money and careers the most, but experience teaches us that what life values most is time well-invested.

For all of you thinking the world is going to end on December 21 because of what the Mayan calendar supposedly predicts, here's what truly happened.

A couple of days ago, Elena and I went to the Blind Tiger. No, this wasn't a safari expedition. The Blind Tiger is a restaurant/brewery in Topeka. I must say that the waiting area is not inspiring, but once my name was called and we entered the dining area, I really liked what I saw. The lighting was perfect, not too bright to blind you (like the poor tiger), but not too dim that you couldn't see your plate. The atmosphere, as a whole, was welcoming. The place was completely packed.

Unfortunately, they sat us next to a raucous group of middle age ladies who were louder than my entire Cuban family (and that's saying something). They were loud, obnoxious and used crude language throughout the night. Our waitress was apologetic, but powerless. After about a half hour, maybe a bit more, they finally left and I could actually carry a conversation with my wife that didn't involve yelling.

Did I mention they have a brewery? I had the best beer I have ever tasted in my life. I don't know if they bottle and sell it, but if they don't, they should totally do it. I would buy dozens. It was that good. The food was good, too. But the beer, the Capital City Kolsch was amazing. The beer won the 2012 Gold Medal, and I'm sure it could win more Like I told Elena that night, if Michael Phelps was a beer, it would be this one. Just give the beer all the gold medals already.

December 14

"The Hobbit"

Need I say more?

December 21

"Zero Dark Thirty"

If you ever never saw "The Hurt Locker," then stop what you are doing and go rent it. If you have, then you'll be happy to know that Kathryn Bigelow's next film is about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Bigelow and her writers met with CIA and Department of Defense officials, so this movie is going to reveal things none of us know. It will be awesome!

December 28

"Les Misérables"

This comes out on my birthday and I'm really excited to see it! Elena said we'll go see it then as a treat to me!

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Link 1:

http://israelwrites.3owl.com

Link 2:

http://israelwrites.wordpress.com

Yes, her accent is pretty funny, but the video is pretty cool. You know you have always wondered why the Big Mac on the pictures look better than the ones you get at the store.

We all know that Hollywood and trashy books over-romanticize love and relationships. Many people (read, mostly teenage girls) see this "perfect" guy in the big screen, who always does the right thing and who always says the right thing and then wonder why their significant other can't compare. Sorry girls, but there's a reason why they call all this fiction. But then, every once in a while, a book or a movie comes along that just takes things to a whole other level of ridiculousness. Yes, I'm talking about the Twilight saga.

This whole series just takes romanticism into the realms of creepy and disturbing. And why are girls swooning over this? A few examples, but oh, there are so many.

#1-Edward watches Bella sleep

Hey, remember that guy in your science class? Yeah, well every night after you fall asleep  he sneaks into your room and watches you sleep. Now how in the world is that romantic? A real, reasonable person would react by calling the cops and screaming off the top of their lungs. If you are one of those girls who for some reason (read, mental disorder) found this romantic, let me know and I'll hire some guy to sneak into your room and watch you sleep. You let me know if you find it romantic then.

#2-A 20 year-old falls in love with a baby