- For this edition, the "finite" subtitle is a running theme throughout it as opposed to being dedicated to one single blurb. I do that from time to time but it will be evident with some of the stuff I talk about here today. Now, some of you are probably wondering what I mean by the word "finite". Well, finite usually means "having limits and bounds" as opposed to the word "infinite" which has the opposite meaning. A lot of things are finite in this world...events, lives, marathons, the patience one may have in dealing with other peoples' idiocy on a regular basis...but the main takeaway from the word is that as much as some things may seem to go on forever, sometimes things end. I can cite my time in Columbus, for example. I had two separate stints there, each running over seven years. I felt like I had unfinished business after the first stint so I returned for the second one. As disappointing as this might sound for some of my friends there and as much as I want to visit, my time living there on a permanent basis is over for the most part. There are only two things that would make me come back...one would be a job that was so irresistible that I couldn't help but want to go back, the second would be if one particular woman wanted me to be with her. I'm not saying who that woman is, except that I've talked about her a couple times before, because it's a long shot at this point of anything happening and because I'm really skittish of things going awry which is something I absolutely do NOT want to happen especially with her if I do have a shot with her...therefore I won't be talking much about her if at all beyond this, publicly or privately. Anyway, getting back to my original point, I don't know if my time in NE Ohio will be finite or not but I do know at this point that my time in central Ohio was finite. I believe one of the big takeaways of things, of events, or of lives being finite is that because the time is limited in many instances we put a lot of value into the finite things we do have. I wouldn't trade my time in Columbus for anything in the world and the fact that it was limited is a factor as to why I value my time there so much. I'm pretty sure a lot of you have your own things you value that are finite themselves.
- Speaking of finite things, within the last couple of weeks there have been three major things that have or are coming to a close that I want to talk about. The first is the closing of the Riviera casino in Las Vegas. The reason it sticks out to me is that this was the place where the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling had their shows back in the eighties, something that I talked about way back in the 100th edition (BTW, we're almost at edition 150...hmmmm....). The second is the Jerry Lewis telethons that ran on Labor Day for years. In the past couple of days the Muscular Dystrophy Association decided to end the long-running telethons and are dedicating their efforts to different strategies. As someone who grew up watching some of those 21 hour marathons, I'm really going to miss them. I'm thinking maybe a different group maybe dedicated to cancer or homelessness or disaster relief or some other valuable cause should start doing the long Labor Day telethons. The MDA telethons were such a part of a lot of people's childhoods that to see them go away permanently would be a damn shame. I think a disaster relief telethon on Labor Day, maybe even a Red Cross one, would be a good replacement. The third is American Idol. Fox announced earlier today that the long-running series will end after the upcoming season. For years the show was the dominant subject for watercooler conversations and gossip sites but with the exits of the original judges of the show that influence started to wane so I guess they decided to pull the plug while the getting was good. American Idol spawned a bunch of similar reality shows that have long since passed by AI so it's probably a good time as any for it to end. I don't know of any other long-standing traditions or events or locations that are thinking about ending or not, but the lesson here is to value what is here now because it might not be around in the future.
- Usually I'll do an edition of DJRT with a subtitle related to my birthday and which one I would celebrate. Last year I didn't do one because I didn't have that great of a birthday and as I noted in the last edition I didn't really want to celebrate it at all this year. Well, by the time the day actually came around this year I had a change of heart. I'm happy that happened as my birthday was MUCH better this time around (emphasis on the capitalized part). Aside from enjoying the day itself I had a decent weekend of dancing and my first official yet abbreviated walk of the season. It didn't hurt that it hit the 70 degree mark on my birthday itself. Bottom line, I had a good birthday this year. Now I do have to admit that birthdays for me the past few years have been up and down like a yo-yo and that it may have been due to really high and inflated expectations on my part at times which makes me nervous about having any expectations for future birthdays, but next year my birthday falls on a Saturday and because of that those expectations might be heightened once again, but given it falls on a weekend next year I would like to do something special and maybe different. I don't know just yet but I don't want to waste an opportunity there. Before I move on, I would like to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday and celebrated with me. It meant the world to me and given how last year went and for some time afterward things were much better this time around. Thank you for that.
- Peaceful Journey: Erin Myers, a Chicago-area actress and fellow THS classmate of 91, passed away last week after a fight with cancer. I honestly didn't know her all that well because I wasn't close to all that many people during high school but most of us in our class were familiar with each other and I do remember her from acting back in high school and from what I can tell from the newspapers there she seemed to do rather well in Chicago. She is actually the sixth person out of 180 in our class to pass away since graduating which is pretty depressing, but in any case her passing was a shock. My prayers and condolences go out to her loved ones. RIP and peaceful journey, Erin.
- Since the last edition, despite my birthday and stuff related to the NFL Draft, I haven't actually gone out or done all that much. Part of the reason why is that my body has been nicked up, scuffed up and scratched up including my face and my body's been sore at different times and different places. Given what vanity I do have I didn't feel good going out beyond when I've had to. It's been a while since I straight up visited some of my friends. The weather also played somewhat of a factor in that up until this past week it has been somewhat miserable with a couple of exceptions. Other than that I just didn't feel like doing much...my depression played a part in that but I just wasn't feeling it. I've even take a break from working on the next iteration of DJRT for a while. However, things are going to be changing. The weather has vastly improved...it's almost hit 90 degrees already in the past week alone here in NE Ohio. Festival season is coming up starting this weekend...I don't know how many I'm gonna make it to but they are starting up this weekend beginning with the Cherry Blossom Festival in Barberton. The better weather also means more possibilities for walks, maybe beyond those I take at Cuyahoga Falls and Springfield Lake. I'm not sure on that but the potential is there. There is other stuff I'm looking forward to too so there's a lot on the horizon for yours truly.
- A quick note on something I talked about in the "rebel" edition. I talked about my initial club experiences in that edition and that my first time was at the CF Agora which would later become the Boot Scoot'n Saloon. I just recently found out that the Boot Scoot'n Saloon actually closed right after I left for my second go-round at OSU in 2004. I thought it was still going on for some time after that but apparently it didn't. I didn't know it had been closed for that long...the things you learn. Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that the nearby Audi dealership is planning to put up a new kind of showroom in front of the building itself...I don't know if they're going to tear the old club down eventually or not but it was worth noting given what's going on there currently. If it is torn down, that's another part of my history that will be gone...oh well.
- This year I went up to the Hard Rock Rocksino to watch the first round of the 2015 Draft. Last year I tried to go up there near the actual start of the draft and the place was packed so I left. This year I got up there early just in case it ended up that packed again. Apparently it wasn't as packed this year as it was last year but there was a large crowd there. I'm still fortunate I went early because I was able to get a prime seat to watch the show. ESPN Cleveland was sponsoring the event for the second year in a row. Overall I had a really good time there. I took a few pics while I was there which you can find here: 2015 - 04-30 - ESPN Cleveland Draft Party. I'm seriously thinking about going up there again for next year's draft and I'm hoping some of you might want to come with me. As far as how the Browns did in this year's draft, it was very solid...no reaches, they stuck to their guns and they addressed a lot of needs. It was probably one of their best drafts, if only for the reason that it was one of the least criticized by fans, probably the least in years as far as I can tell. By that measuring stick alone it was a good draft.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are having a rougher time in the playoffs than I and probably most other expected them too. They swept the Boston Celtics but a thuggish play by one of them ended Kevin Love's year and they've been struggling to adjust against the Chicago Bulls whom they are tied with 2-2 as of this edition. They have also been dinged up with injuries which at this time of year is not that good. The Cavs are 10 wins away from bring the city of Cleveland it's first high-end sports championship in over 50 years so I'm hoping for the best here.
- Song on Repeat: "I'm Gonna Be" by Donell Jones. Released a few years after his initial success, I think this is one of his better songs. He does a version with the rapper Clipse but I prefer the solo version of this song. It's one of those few songs for me that makes me want to get up and dance yet has some personal meaning for me in regards to some of what I want my future to be...very rare for a song to do that for me but this one does.
- Shoutouts: Sassy Stephie (wrestler), Aunt Sue, Melissa, Ernest, Ron M., Jay, Kristin, Sean D., Alan, Stephanie, Stan, Kevin, Fran, Margie, Ron U., Brandon, Mary S., Jenny K., Uncle Larry and Anna.
That's it for this edition. The good weather is finally here, or at least the good temps are...I'm looking out my window at this moment and it's clouding up looking like a storm is a'brewing. Before I go, the edition pic up top is something I'm considering putting on DJRT merchandise once the next iteration of DJRT gets going and I wanted to get some feedback on what people think about it as well as get some ideas for other stuff to sell. With that, I will take my leave. I'll be back soon enough with another edition of DJRT so be ready of that...or dread it if that's what you choose...a couple people from back in the day have before so it has happened...I personally think you shouldn't but to each his or her own, I guess. Until next time, folks. Take care and God Bless.
DJ
