As I get older, I find it harder to get back into shape.  When I do work out, I find the recovery times are a lot longer and the old body doesn’t snap back like it used to.  I find that I need to take more supplements than I used to so I can heal faster.  However for many, it is very tempting to take more serious short cuts such as steroids. 

As I was looking over then news today, I came across an article about one of the former American Gladiators who talks about his problems with steroids.  He talked about how the side effects caused significant problems such as man breasts and shrunken testicles.  Now those are two phrases that I really don’t have any inkling to want to hear. 

I have never taken steroids before but I have been around others who have.  The radical changes to their bodies was nothing short of amazing.  They gained 20 pounds of solid muscle and the definition was shocking.  I would work as hard as they did but never make the gains.  However after researching the various anabolic steroids, I believed the side effects were worse than any gains I could possibly make. 

While my friends were getting bigger, there were also changes to their personalities.  Their tempers became very short and were more prone to outbursts, a term known as “roid rage.”  Most of my friends were smart enough to get off them before any long term damage was done and for that I am grateful. 

I don’t know how many times I heard athletes, movies stars or other famous people completely reform their bodies and attribute it to hard work and then find out later it was because of steroids.

Developing a healthy body is the same as developing a healthy relationship or business.  Neither is done overnight.  However, when you take shortcuts, the chances are the damage down the line will be greater than any short term gains.  I know the process of getting myself back in shape is going to be a long road, but it is a road worth traveling.   

Now that I have the pleasantries out of the way, and I do mean every word of it, I want to say a few words about something that I knew would be a bad idea.  A few days before the new year, I saw on the television that comedian Kathy Griffin was going to co-host CNN’s New Year’s Eve telecast with Anderson Cooper.  I saw this as being very interesting because it was probably the most mismatched co-hosts in recent TV memory.

Griffin is known for her strong opinions and the ability to say pretty much anything that comes to her mind.  Cooper on the other hand is a pretty straight laced guy.  When I heard about this match, something told me that things probably wouldn’t go well.  I figured Griffin would say something inflammatory and it would create a problem.  Now I don’t claim to be Nostradamus, even though I did predict the Virginia Tech kicker would miss his first field goal wide right yesterday, but this was an accident waiting to happen.  And boy she didn’t disappoint me.

During the live broadcast, it was reported that she dropped the D-word on a heckler.  Now you can leave it up to your imagination what that particular word is because I’m not going to repeat it, but it was in regards to a part of the male anatomy.  Now you might be thinking that I am going to rip Griffin for saying the naughty word.  Why should I?  I knew she was going to do it.  That is what she does. 

I found it hilarious that she was being heckled.  I doubt there are many times in which Anderson Cooper, Wolf Bliter or any of the other gang at CNN get heckled when they are doing their job.  I may be wrong on this but it is doubtful.  CNN is good at what they do, reporting the news.  I can see them trying to inject some life into their broadcast with Griffin, but they needed to realize that part of her job is to be shocking and offensive.  Instead of reporting the news, they became the news and that is not what they are about.     

I took a little time off from LongBeachOnline.com and Blue Sand Design to visit friends and family over the Christmas holiday.  I was out in California so I made the trek by plane to Houston and then drove to Austin to visit family. 

Now I have not flown over the holidays in quite some time.  Needless to say, it was an experience.  I am not a big fan of flying.  Being crammed in a coach class seat at my size is never a very pleasant experience but driving across the country is not very practical so what can you do?  However, with the changes in the airline industry as of late, it has become an even more unpleasant experience. 

My experience started as I got to the airport.  I arrived at the airport early since it was the holidays.  I had two layovers on my flight to Houston so I knew it was going to be a long day.  Now I paid a considerable amount for my airline ticket.  I know the airline industry is like every other industry in that they are feeling the pinch of the economy.  However, I didn’t realize how bad it really was.  I had one checked bag and a carry on.  Now I understand that if you take multiple checked bags, you have to pay an extra fee.  However, now with this particular airline, you get charged for one checked bag.  I won’t tell you the name of the airline but it rhymes with Clue Less Fair Days.  Fifteen bucks later I am heading to my least favorite part of the trip, going through security.  This is the part that I expect to suck.  However, coming and going, it wasn’t too bad.  At the very least, the people working were pleasant.  Now I will abbreviate the next part since I could write 5000 words on this if I wanted to.  The crews in the terminal are unorganized, the flights were late and the people working aren’t that happy to be there.  It wasn’t a very pleasant experience.

Here is another cost cutting measure.  You don’t even get the obligatory tiny bag of pretzels or a sip of a coke.  Now you could purchase water or soda but that was about it.  The time the flight attendants spent pushing the cart around went from about 30 minute to 5 minutes.  Most people brought their own stuff on board. 

Now I understand that businesses have to do what is necessary to watch the bottom line but at some point doesn’t there have to be a level of service.  Flight attendants used to have to be nice.  With the post 9-11 regulations that have been posted to the airline industry, I understand some changes need to be made but I actually heard a flight attendant yelling at a passenger.  I then saw him roll his eyes afterword.  Granted, the guy had not yet turned his cell phone off but you could be a little more discreet about it.  Oh and by the way, airline passengers you are not off the hook either.

When you get to the security area, take your laptop out of your bag and put it in one of the bins.  Take everything out of your pockets and put them in the bin.  Take your shoes and belt off and put them in the bin. 

When they load people on the plane, they do it by rows or zones.  If your row or zone has not been called, sit down.  Your time will come.

Last but not least, when you get on the plane and they tell you to turn your cell phone or other electronic devices off, turn your cell phones or other electronic devices off.  It saves time, keeps you from being yelled at and if the plane crashes because you screwed up some electrical doo hickey and we both live, your problems are only beginning.  When they tell you to turn off your cell phone, that doesn’t mean everyone turn off your cell phones except you.

When the plane lands, you need to wait your freaking turn to get off the airplane.   

Now I have spent a lot of time complaining but I also believe in providing solutions.  Here are a few things the airlines can do that won’t them anything and will probably make people happier.

When you are charging for a ticket, roll the cost of the baggage into it.  I would rather pay the extra money up front and not know about it. 

Get your act together at the gates.  My flights loaded up by zones which had no rhyme or reason.  It is simple.  The people in the back of the plane board first.  The people in the front of the plane board last.  When the plane lands, you just reverse the process.

Be nice.  I know your job is difficult and with the holidays it becomes even more so.  However, just be nice to people.  If they ask you a question, answer it.  It is pretty simple really.

My flight into Houston was one of the worst experiences I’ve had.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t the worst.  I found that when I fly, I have to set my expectations so low to not be disappointed.  There is something very wrong with that.

This is a rare occurrence in professional sports for a player of Avery’s caliber to be let go.  I have seen time and time again where athletes have been given multiple chances to come back after bad behavior.  What makes Avery’s case even more unusual is that Avery didn’t break any laws.  He was suspended for saying something crude and tasteless.  Most of you are probably aware of the comment he made during an interview so I will spare you a repeat.  I will be honest in saying that I didn’t think it warranted a suspension.  However, I was impressed that the Dallas front office didn’t approve of the comments and in essence fired him. 

In most businesses, if you say something that is inflammatory or derogatory, you are probably going to get fired.  Most businesses have very little tolerance for that sort of behavior.  However, in the world of professional sports, athletes are usually given multiple chances for poor behavior.  The reality is that they can do something that most people can’t.  The idea that owners and front office personnel actually care about the players is an illusion.  In professional sports, star players get star treatment.  Adam Jones has received numerous chances to play after multiple arrests and confrontations.  He gets these chances because he is a phenomenal athlete.  If he were marginal, he would have been out of the league a long time ago.  When you have that sort of talent, people are willing to overlook a lot of flaws.

I am impressed that the Stars would be willing to part company with him, even though it means having to still pay his salary.  I’m not saying that people don’t deserve second chances.  In Avery’s case, I hope he gets a chance with another team.  I also hope that he has learned enough to realize it is not necessary to say everything that comes into his mind. 

A software engineer in Canada has built himself a girlfriend.  That is right.  Instead of trying to meet women the old fashioned way, he decided that he would just skip that whole process and just build him one. 

From what I gather, the robot he named Aiko, can speak English and Japanese, recognize faces, read, identify medication and even butter your toast, according to Le Trung, the dude who built her.  Now I am not the king of relationships myself but I think this is going just a little too far.  At first I kind of felt sorry for the guy.  But after I read a little more, I think I might have figured out his situation.

As he was describing Aiko, he mentioned that she doesn’t need holidays, food or rest and will work 24 hours a day, making her the perfect woman.  Now I am not a relationship counselor but I think his outlook might be part of the reason he is having to build a girlfriend as opposed to getting one the old fashioned way.  He could have probably saved a bunch of money by doing to one of the websites such as E Harmony or Match and found a real girlfriend. 

I’ve seen a picture of what she looks like.  It is pretty creepy.  She looks like a teenage girl doll for the most part.  Then this is where it really starts to get murky.  She has sensors in her body including her private parts, however, Le Trung insists that the relationship is strictly platonic.  Wow!

Being in the business of technology, I like new innovations.  I love gadgets and other items that make life and work easier and more fun.  However, this kinda gives me the willies.  I can see this becoming the new fad.  Guys with robot girlfriends or girls with robot boyfriends.  I guess you just have to be careful not to take them out in the rain.  It might void the warranty.      

Once again it is a case of geniuses getting busted by posting the photos on a Facebook page.  The sad thing about this is they weren’t even original.  Three or four other kids got busted a while back for doing the same thing.  They bathed in the sink and posted it on Facebook.

Let me give you a clue about something.  Social networking websites are great things.  It is a fantastic way to keep up with friends and network.  I am in the business of websites with Blue Sand Design and LongBeachOnline.com.  When they are used correctly, they can be very effective for marketing and disseminating information.   However, when you use them to celebrate your stupidity, the consequences can be dire.  Here is a little free advice. 

Don’t do stupid things.If you do something stupid, don’t document it.If you do document it, don’t post it on a website for all to see.

I did some dumb things when I was a kid.  Most of what I did dumb was at school so most of the time I got caught and What I find remarkable is that some of the dumb stuff I did could now be considered news.  We live in a world now where very little is private.  With camera phones and other technology, virtually any transgression can be documented for all to see. 

In regards to the incident at the KFC, I have these comments.  While I applaud them for their attempt at hygiene, they should probably remember that hygiene begins at home.  I do agree that they should have been fired.  When you do something dumb, sometimes you need to get fired for it, sometimes maybe not.  Finally, is it that big of a deal?  Yes it is kinda gross but I would be a lot more offended by someone tampering with my food than bathing in the deep sink.  More than anything else, this is not news.  It is fluff.  Andy Warhol said that everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.  I hope these folks didn’t use their fifteen minutes up on this. 

As of late, I have been spending a lot of my time out in Long Beach, California as opposed to Houston.  With LongBeachOnline.com and Blue Sand Design, I have needed to spend more time in this area.  While I love my Texas roots, I enjoy California, particularly Long Beach.  There are some that may find that strange. 

Long Beach is a vibrant, beautiful city but it seems to get a bad rap.  I was in San Diego a couple of weeks ago and I was having a drink with some people and they asked me where I lived.  I told them that right now I was in Long Beach and their response was, “I’m sorry.”  I was shocked by this because to me, it was a great place to live.  In a lot of ways, I think Long Beach is the hidden jewel of southern California.

Here are some of the things I have noticed.  The city is very diverse ethnically but people seem to get along well.  For a city its size, getting around is pretty easy.  It also has a lot of great, independently owned restaurants and watering holes as well as boutique shops and stores.  I feel pretty safe here as well.  Most of the time, I walk to where I need to go.  If you are in the downtown area, most everything you need is within walking distance.  Even at night, I have never felt like I was in any danger.  I like being able to look out my window at work and see the Queen Mary, bay, shipyards and other sites of Long Beach.  There are some spectacular views of the city. 

People are friendly as well.  California in general gets a bad rap about the people not being friendly and from personal experience I have found some of that to be true.  They are not necessarily unfriendly, but  a little cold to outsiders.  I haven’t found much of that here.  For the most part, the people I have met have been very warm. 

I am very pleased that we have brought LongBeachOnline.com to the city of Long Beach.  It will provide a valuable resource to businesses as well as the resident as to what is going on in this great city.  I am proud to be a part of it.  I still very much like Houston and Texas in general.  However, I am developing a warm spot for this great city. 

I have been thinking about the military a bunch as of late.  Work has taken me out to the Long Beach area for the time being to work on initiatives for LongBeachOnline.com and Blue Sand Design.  I spent a considerable amount of time in southern California while I was in the Navy.  My time out here has allowed me to reconnect with some of my friends who are still in the Navy. 

It has been quite some time since I served.  I got out in 1994 so about 15 years have gone by.  If I had stayed in, I could retire.  However, I chose to transition to another phase of my life.  However, I am very proud of my friends who stayed in.  They have become experts in their fields and have moved up in rank.  Most of them are getting close to retirement. 

It bothers me sometimes that people take those who serve their country for granted.  I remember being looked down upon while I served because I was in the Navy.  However, once Desert Storm came about, the opinion of the military changed considerably.  People began to thank us for our service and I don’t think I paid a cover charge for about a year.  It was nice to feel appreciated. 

I remember the stories about Vietnam in which military members who returned were called baby killers and other horrible things.  Vietnam was a very unpopular war much like the conflict in Iraq.  If you disagree with the war in Iraq, that is fine.  I am not advocating blindly supporting every war we fight.  I have my own opinions about the current conflict.  That being said, the people who serve in the military do not have the luxury of picking and choosing which battles to fight.  Realize that those who serve are doing so to protect the freedoms that many take for granted.  When something bad happens, they will be the ones to protect us.  It is important to never lose sight of that. 

However with every technology, people will find a way to exploit it to gain information and even steal from people.  Some of the methods can be relatively simple or clever.  I don’t know how many emails I’ve received from people claiming to be the rightful heir of an African country whose fortune is tied up in a bank in Johannesburg or some other place.  If you give them $5000 they will be able to give you a cool million bucks. 

A lady in Oregon got scammed out of about $400,000 by someone claiming to be a lost relative.  Sometimes when people think they are going to get millions of dollars, it becomes difficult for them to see these scams. 

While most people think they are above getting caught up in one of these scams, don’t be so sure.  I myself came very close to giving out information in regards to my banking records.  I received an email that looked very official, with all the appropriate logos and things.  The email told me that my security on my account had been breached.  I was genuinely worried.  Something just didn’t seem right though.  I decided to contact the bank and they told me that there was no breach and that it was a scam.  I was very lucky.  I came so close to making a huge mistake. 

So folks, be careful out there.  Unless you know the website is secure, don’t give out your information.  If you get something supposedly from your bank, check it out with them by phone.  Internet fraud is becoming more prevalent and it is a lot harder to catch because someone can literally be a continent away. 

A few months ago, I read a story about a woman who was on the side of the road with a flat tire.  A man pulled over to the side of the road and changed her tire for her.  That guy was Tony Romo.  Now I’m going to be honest with you.  I have spent enough time in Big D to know the odds of anyone pulling over to help a stranded motorist are slim to none. 

Another story surfaced about a homeless man that was standing outside of a theater.  A man came up to him and offered to buy his ticket to go to the movies.  The homeless guy, known as Doc, was working at the time passing out fliers declined.  He then realized the person who had offered was Romo.  He went back to him and took him up on the offer.  The two sat together and watched the movie “Role Model.”  Doc let Romo know that he hadn’t showered in a couple of days.  Romo responded by saying, “Don’t worry about that.  I’m used to locker rooms.” 

I read so many stories about celebrities acting like idiots and feeling incredibly self-important.  It is refreshing to see anyone going out of their way for a stranger, much less a celebrity quarterback.  The guy truly seems to care about other people. 

I know it is very easy to get caught up in our lives, businesses and relationships.  I like to think that people aren’t inherently mean but may we are just a bit self absorbed.  Little things make a big difference.  If you hold a door open for someone or let someone into your lane in traffic, it can make a big difference.  Say hello to a stranger every once in a while.  If someone drops something, pick it up for them. 

I have been a big fan of Tony Romo as a quarterback.  I am becoming a bigger fan of him as a human being.