Matt Micros

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NEW RELEASE: Another Five Days

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ANOTHER FIVE DAYS tells the story of war hero, Al Sokratis, who begins his day by being asked to be the Best Man at his grandson’s wedding, only to end it in the afterlife after he was hit and killed by a texting driver while pulling a stranger from a burning vehicle.  Because of the heroic way he died as well as the way he lived his life, Al is rewarded by being given the opportunity to re-live any five days of his life. They can be days he enjoyed and wants to experience all over again, days in which he had regrets and wants to make amends, or days in which he tries to help others and change the course of history.  ANOTHER FIVE DAYS takes us on a magical tour of Woodstock, Vietnam, the NASA Space Program, and the 1986 World Series, introducing us to heroes as well as almost heroes, people whose lives might have turned out vastly differently were it not for the blink of an eye.  Above all else, it is a love story as Al desperately tries to find a way to reunite with his departed wife.

I have to admit I was hesitant to write this book. Any time you have some measure of success with an original story, writing a sequel to it seems daunting.  Could it possibly live up to the original?  Not that the original Five Days was War and Peace, The Great Gatsby or The Catcher in the Rye in terms of influence on the American literary world. But it did have its share of loyal fans that I didn’t want to disappoint.

In the end, I decided that I would only write the follow up as a stand alone book—meaning the idea remained the same as in the original, but the characters and story were all new.  And only, if I thought I could create a character as compelling and interesting as the Mike Postman character in the original. Whether I did or not is obviously up to you to decide.  What I love about this series is that it enables me to take trips down memory lane, incorporating people and days from my own life, while also sending me on a journey through days in history that I’d previously only read about or seen clips of on television.

Should you decide to take the journey with me, I hope that you enjoy the trip while thinking about which days you would choose, or which days from history you would change if you could…

AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE, March 17, 2020 Matt Micros

THE UNTOLD TALE OF SHADY BADESSO

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The Untold Tale of Shady Badesso has been two years in the writing.  While it touches on many of the same elements and themes as my other works—friendship, love and loyalty—it also incorporates something new for me.  A little bit of suspense.  As are all of my novels, the story is set in my adopted home state of Connecticut, a place I have now lived for more than twenty years. What made this story even more fun to write is that within it I was also able to sprinkle in a trip to my wife’s and my favorite place to visit in the entire world—Nantucket, a beautiful island off the coast of Cape Cod that we spend some time in each summer.

Shady Badesso arrived in Niantic, Connecticut from nowhere. With arms as thick and sturdy as PVC pipe, a back broader than a drive-in movie screen, and legs the size of a 75 year old oak tree, he looked like he was built from leftover parts at a hardware store. He was friendly, but had very few friends. If you Googled him, you would find absolutely NOTHING. It was as if he had been dropped into the small northern coastal town from thin air. But when two men escape from a nearby prison and kidnap one of the locals–a mysterious and confident young woman that Shady has feelings for, the prisoners find themselves utterly unprepared for the unexpected variable thrown in their path. A variable named Shady Badesso.

At its core, Shady Badesso is a story of redemption, as one man attempts to come to terms with the worst thing he has ever done, while spending his life trying to make amends for it.  The battle within the main character is whether he can ever forgive himself or even whether he needs to be forgiven at all.

RELEASE DATE:  Friday, March 1, 2019

 

6 MOVIES TO LIVE YOUR LIFE BY

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In a time where Hollywood has garnered more attention for its collective misdeeds off camera and its unimaginative storylines in front of it, it is not completely devoid of merit if you know where to look. Someone once said that there are only 100 different movie themes and every single movie is a variation of one of them. Feel free to begin by looking past the plethora of Superhero movies and mind numbing sequels. That eliminates the majority of recent movies and it leaves you with only six themes. Why six? Because in my opinion, these six are the ones most worthy of living your life by. Is there more than one movie that represents a particular theme? Of course. But that is up to you to decide. For me, the movies that follow each represent a value I hold dear. If you agree with them, then do not pass go, but head straight for your remote and search through On Demand, for these movies will change your life forever.

6) P.S. I LOVE YOU (2007). When Gerry (Gerard Butler), the husband of Holly (Hilary Swank), dies from an illness, she loses the love of her life. Knowing how hard Holly will take his death, Gerry plans ahead. Beginning on her 30th birthday, she receives the first in a series of letters written by him, designed to ease her grief and encourage her to move forward to a new life. If the movie sounds depressing, it actually isn’t because it starts with the death and works backward to happier times, with the focus on their romance. It has humor, love and requires a healthy dose of “Viribus”—the Latin word for strength.

5) SERENDIPITY (2001). On a magical night when they are in their 20s, Jonathan (John Cusack) meets Sara (Kate Beckinsale). He finds it love at first sight, but Sara believes in destiny. Ten years later, the two — with 3,000 miles between them — must decide if fate wants them to be together again. When love feels like magic, it is called destiny; when your destiny is the result of happy occurrences with a little intervention, it is called serendipity. Sure there were parts of the movie that made you shake your head and say “That would never happen,” and other parts that were infuriatingly frustrating because you wanted to slap the characters across the face to wake up. Jeremy Piven’s character, an obituary writer for the New York Times, steals the movie with his heartfelt portrayal as Jonathan’s best friend and his quoting of Epictetus, “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid,” and the obituary he writes for his still very much alive friend makes being a “jackass” sound so good. After all, who hasn’t wondered how much of your destiny is what you make of it, and how much is “Fatum”.

4) TIN CUP (1996). Roy McAvoy (Kevin Costner) was a golf pro with a bright future, but his rebellious nature and bad attitude cost him everything. Now working as a golf instructor, he falls for his newest pupil, Dr. Molly Griswold (Rene Russo), a psychiatrist who happens to be the girlfriend of PGA Tour star and Roy’s rival, David Simms (Don Johnson). After he is humiliated by Simms at a celebrity golf tournament, McAvoy decides to make a run for the PGA Tour, as well as Molly’s heart. Not going to lie. The first time I saw this movie, I was infuriated with the ending and without giving too much of it away, let’s just say it wasn’t the way I wanted it to go. It was a happy ending, but not as happy as I wanted. But after I saw it a 2nd, 3rd and 25th time, I realized it was exactly as it should be. Perfection is recognizing that some flaws are difficult to overcome no matter what the stakes, but it is, after all, what makes us human—and perfect in our imperfection. Yes, Tin Cup is a romantic comedy, but a look under the hood, shows us a movie about reaching our “Potentia”.

3) THE FAMILY MAN (2000). Jack (Nicolas Cage), a high powered corporate raider with a lavish, fast-paced lifestyle stumbles into a grocery store holdup one Christmas Eve and disarms the gunman. In the ensuing conversation Jack tells the man “he has everything he needs.” The next morning he wakes up in bed lying next to Kate (Tea Leoni), his college sweetheart he left in order to pursue his career, and to the horrifying discovery that his former life no longer exists. As he stumbles through this alternate suburban universe, Jack finds himself coming to the realization that just maybe, his life is lacking in the most important area—family. In another scene stealing role, Jeremy Piven also appears, exhibiting everything you could ever ask for in a best friend.

2) THE WAY, WAY BACK (2013). Duncan (Liam James) is an awkward teen who must spend the summer at a beach house with his mother (Toni Collette), her boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and Trent’s obnoxious daughter. Trent can’t resist badgering Duncan, so the youth steals away to a water park and gets a job that will help him stay off Trent’s radar. As Duncan tends to the slides and pools of the aging park, he finds a father figure in wisecracking park manager Owen (Sam Rockwell) at a time when he desperately needs one. Steve Carell goes against type in this role as the insensitive scoundrel, complete with a new haircut and it works. Gone is the Carell of The 40 Year Old Virgin, Crazy, Stupid Love and Dan in Real Life. I never thought I could dislike him in a movie, and the fact that he is completely unlikeable tells you he has a greater range that I thought. But without question, Sam Rockwell steals the movie. He is as funny as he is unmotivated, as perceptive and self aware as he is underachieving. But what he couldn’t do for himself, he is able to do for Duncan by providing guidance and sympathy without making it look like he is. When he tells Duncan “Don’t ask me how I know. I just know,” you know he can relate and when he steps in between the bullying Carell and Duncan, you can’t help but tear up at the loyalty and kindness to a boy in need of some, in a society that needs more people like Rockwell’s character. This is a tiny movie in terms of budget and concept, but it is large in every way that matters, most especially loyalty and kindness.

1) NOBODY’S FOOL (1994). Adapted from the novel by Richard Russo, Nobody’s Fool tells the story of Donald “Sully” Sullivan, a 60 something man who on the surface has walked away from everything in his life. He walked out on his marriage. Is an absentee father. And works only hard enough to get by in the lifestyle he is used to—mainly drinking at the local watering hole. But to leave the assessment of Sully at that would be to miss the very subtle point of the film, which is that while Sully might have failed his family, he is not without redeeming qualities. In fact, he might just be the most important person in the sleepy little fictional Upstate town of North Bath, NY. He is best friends with an otherwise friendless local man. Loyal to his one legged and incompetent lawyer. Sympathetic to the “prettiest woman in Bath” (Melanie Griffith) whose husband (Bruce Willis) constantly cheats on her. And he rents a room from his 8th grade teacher, Miss Beryl (Jessica Tandy), in no small part because he recognizes she needs someone around. The dialogue in the movie (and novel) is understated but hilarious. When Beryl asks him why he always bets on the trifecta horse race every day, Sully responds with, “Because it’s due to come in one of these days.” Her response, “That’s exactly how I feel about you, Donald.” When she asks him if he ever regrets not doing more with the life god gave him, Sully answers, “Not often,” and then after reflecting for a moment, “now and again.” That moment, probably more than any other is what the movie is about. Redemption. When he gets the opportunity to be both a father to his son and grandfather to his grandson, he makes the most of it. Life doesn’t always offer a second chance, but when it does, you need to grab hold of it with both hands.

Viribus. Fatum. Potencia. Familia. Fidelis. Precium.

Strength. Destiny. Potential. Family. Loyalty. Redemption.

I’d say those are six pretty good themes on which to base a life.

A TALE OF TWO BROTHERS

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I knew I was in trouble the moment the words left her mouth.

“What do you think about getting another dog?” My wife asked.

“Why are you thinking like that?” I said. “Beans is going to live forever.”

“I don’t mean once he’s gone. I mean in addition to him.”

By way of background information, Mr. Beans was a puppy when I met my wife. He was HER puppy.  A crazy one at that.  He’d jump on you as you came in the door.  Would chew your hands like they were chew toys. Was an escape artist that could get out of any yard.  And he loved to play tug of war with his leash while on walks, which my wife was not a fan of.  Ok, MAYBE I taught him that.

By the time he was six, however, he had simply become the best dog you could think of.  He had the sweetest disposition, was gentle with kids and would lie in the middle of two rooms if my wife was in one and I was in the other–as if he needed to make sure we were both ok.  He was once described as “noble” by someone at a beach in Nantucket for the way he would wander over if either of us were too far away.

So why would we ever want or need a second dog? I was seeing double.  Twice the food.  Twice the vet bills.  And worst of all, twice the amount to clean up in the yard!

“I think Beans is lonely,” my wife said.

“He’s a dog.  When we aren’t here, he sleeps.  It’s not like he would have meaningful conversation with another dog if we had one,” I answered.

“How do you know?  You always say you can communicate with him.  Why don’t you ask him?”

“I did.  And he says he doesn’t want anyone infringing on his turf or time with his mom and dad.”

“Please??  Can we just have him come for a day visit?  If they don’t get along, we don’t have to keep him.”

The HIM was a black lab from a local rescue, a little over a year old as near as they could figure, and I knew that as soon as he entered our house, he wouldn’t be leaving.  Unless he wanted to of course, which is exactly what he did five minutes after he got there.  He was tall and smart, and while we sat down to speak with his foster parent, he jumped on the front door, pushed down on the handle, and let himself out.

“Oh my god!” I exclaimed.

“He’s fine.  That’s what the beast does.  He’ll come back when he’s ready.”

Sure enough, 10 to 15 minutes later, he returned the same way he had left and galloped into the living room.  My wife loved him immediately.  He and I had a bit of a feeling out phase at first.  But there was no way he wasn’t staying so we agreed to co-exist.

Bode (named after the US skier), was extremely smart.  There wasn’t a fence electric or otherwise that could contain the great Andy Dufresne.  He was also determined.  We had to move all items of food 8 feet off the ground to avoid losing it.  One time we came home to find a bag of trail mix ripped open and empty.  That must have been his appetizer.  For the main course, he devoured two raw steaks WITH the styrofoam they were wrapped in.  He proceeded to wash them down with a 64 ounce bottle of seltzer.  But he didn’t drink it the polite way.  He opted for the Viking method of tearing it open from the side and spraying it all around the kitchen.  For dessert, he either invited over a monkey friend of his, or he devoured a bunch of bananas–except for the peels, which he somehow managed to leave behind as evidence.

Bode did suffer a bit from separation anxiety at first, literally throwing himself at the door any time we would try to leave, even though both of us work from home quite a bit.  When we returned, he would leap into our arms from five feet away. A buddy described being greeted by Bode as “going 10 rounds with Mike Tyson every time you walked in the door.”  Imagine someone simultaneously throwing four 25 lb weights at you.  Then imagine trying to catch them all, and you have an idea what it was like.

He can be lazy at times.  Moving him when he doesn’t want to be moved takes the strength of ten men.  But he can also be energetic.  At precisely 8:32pm every night, as Katy, Beans and I settle in on the couches after a long day, he begins to gallop around the house as if he’s made the final turn at the Kentucky Derby.  Why? I have no idea.  You’ll have to ask him.

The list of damage he has caused is long and illustrious.  Several cabinet locks.  Four screen doors–until I eventually decided to remove them altogether.  Two sets of French doors from his jumping on them, and one microwave that he pulled down off a pretty high shelf in an effort to get at some bananas.

But there is no denying that he’s a cuddlebear, which is my wife’s favorite quality in a dog.  He will wedge himself into the tiniest space on the couch where there really isn’t room for him.

If that doesn’t work, lying on top of you is another good option. In bed, he sleeps directly in between my wife and I. Like a person. It is not unusual to wake up and be staring into his big brown eyes as he shares your pillow, with his hot breath melting your face. One morning, I was sleeping on my side and thought my wife had slid up against me. I reached back with my arm and thought, “Boy, Katy might want to shave her legs.” Only to see that it was Bode, with one of his legs wrapped around me while he slept.

As for Beans? There were some dust ups in the first few weeks as he thought he needed to protect us from the Bode Monster, the intruder that was sure to leave eventually. After all, we had dog sat for friends before for a week or two. But after two weeks had passed, Beans began to realize Bode wasn’t going anywhere. They have since developed a routine where Bode finishes his food in seconds flat and hovers over Beans while he eats. When Beans is done–and he takes his sweet time as if to torture Bode–he lets Bode lick his bowl. They do this every single meal.

When one of them sees something outside, they both race to the window and bark, even if the other one doesn’t know what they are barking at. They walk next to each other on walks, proud as peacocks, for all the world to see.

And when they are tired, they even share the same couch on occasion. Sometimes even the same portion of the couch.

I once asked Beans if he liked having Bode around and he replied, “Of course, dad. He’s my brother.”

“I love him too, pal,” I replied as I hid the garbage can in the laundry room to prevent a possible assault on it while we went out for dinner.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

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Two weeks ago, I wrote a column entitled, THINGS THAT PISS ME OFF & A MOVIE THAT USED TO.  I’ll admit, it was a bit heavy handed, even though it was mostly in jest.  Mostly.  Ok, not really. Those things did and continue to piss me off, and a few of you responded in agreement.  But in an effort to show I’m not a complete curmudgeon, I thought it only fair to write a column that balances it out.  And with that, I present to you–A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, with another nod to The Sound of Music.

Major League Baseball’s Opening Day–it doesn’t matter whether your team is good, bad or in between.  It doesn’t even matter if its cold and cloudy.  Everyone is undefeated on opening day and you can always layer up.  It’s like Christmas in April.  Only with beer.

The first time you realize the person you love, feels the same way about you.  I don’t know about you, but I find it amazing that anyone can tolerate me.  I’m OCD.  Bullheaded.  Argumentative.  And have only been wrong once in my life, and that was caused by a faulty GPS address.  See what I mean? And yet somehow, I found someone who was willing to spend the rest of her life with me.  I knew she was the one the moment I saw her fold herself Indian style into a chair not meant to be sat in that way.  But could she feel the same way in return? I guess there really is someone for everyone. I’m living proof.

Sunny 72 degree days with a slight breeze.  I think this is self explanatory.

A good day drunk.  Nothing like drinking in the afternoon with friends without a care in the world. Passed out by 10:00 and you can still function the next day.  What’s better than that?

Well, maybe this is.  Your favorite movie that you haven’t watched in a few years, coming on in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep.

Dancing to Prince.  I had the opportunity to briefly meet him once when I was working in Los Angeles and although he was small in stature, he was one of those people that was larger than life without even trying to be.  Soft spoken and gentle, he is one of the few people that left me awestruck. And in case you don’t know, there is a rule that whenever a Prince song comes on the radio (or the movie Purple Rain), you HAVE to dance.  This is non-negotiable.  And it doesn’t matter if it’s 3:00am, noon, or if you’re at work.  Rules are rules.  If you don’t immediately break out your worst dance moves when Baby I’m a Star/I Would Die 4 U comes on, you have no soul and need to take the next elevator straight down to hell.  RIP, Prince.  Your music and legacy will live on.

Super Bowl Sunday.  But I’d like it even more if it was on a Saturday.

Grey, cool, fall days, that require a sweatshirt and jeans, but nothing more.  Lying in a hammock looking out as the colorful leaves begin to slowly make their way to the ground one and two at a time.

Seeing an old friend for the first time in years and feeling as though you saw them only the day before.

Laughing so hard, tears start streaming down your face.  We all have that friend who can make us laugh no matter how awful our day has been.  Call that person TODAY.

Reading old cards from long lost family members.  I still have a card my parents gave me on my high school graduation 75 years ago (maybe a slight exaggeration) telling me how proud they were of me. I would literally give anything to be able to pick up the phone or go to visit them and hear their voices just one more time.

Flying in over the New York City skyline and wondering what every person is doing below.

Writing.  There is nothing quite like creating a story that makes you feel a little better after you’ve read it than you did before.  Nothing like creating characters so heroic you wish you could be just like them.  Life can be depressing at times.  It’s amazing to create your own world where everything is as it should be.

Tim McGraw.

Sitting on the top deck of a ferry boat cruising across the ocean to my favorite place in the world. Nantucket.  If you’ve never been, you need to go. Beautiful sandy beaches. Grey shake shingle homes with widow’s walks on the rooftops looking over the entire island.  A quaint town center with cobblestone streets and shops that are fun to walk in and out of even if you don’t buy a thing.  Best of all, Nantucket is a place where ice cream isn’t just for kids.

Outdoor concerts.  Whether you are on the lawn, in the pit or backstage, there’s nothing like a summer outdoor concert.

Counting Crows.  Counting Crows at an outdoor summer venue even better.  Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center the best.

An outdoor hot tub on a snowy winter night.

Christmas Eve with the lights on, carols playing in the background, and It’s a Wonderful Life on the TV.

Dogs.  All of them.  For their loyalty and unconditional love.  Especially our boys Mr. Beans and Mr. Bode.

A good book that forces you to put everything else on hold until you’ve finished it.

What are some of your favorite things?  Share them by contacting me through my website. www.mattmicros.com

Until next week, conquer your greatest fears and watch the doors of success fly open….

THINGS THAT PISS ME OFF AND A MOVIE THAT USED TO

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My wife says I’m turning into a crusty curmudgeon and while this post will do little to counteract her belief, I’m plowing ahead with it nonetheless. There are a lot of things that piss me off, but these are a few of my least favorite things (with a nod to Julie Andrews and The Sound of Music):

Geniuses who decided it was a good idea to have construction on two major highways that run parallel to each other at the same time.  Do you really need to block off traffic in all possible directions?

Five people watching another person dig a hole on a construction site.  Wouldn’t four be enough?

A tax code so complicated that it is nearly impossible to know if you are paying too much, too little, or exactly the right amount.  How about doing away with the loopholes and then you pay what you owe?  Or is that too simple?

Reality shows on network television.  Toooooo maaaach.  And how about some reality.  Not really truthful to call a show “Dancing with the Stars” when you can’t tell who is the star and who is the dancer.

That no one makes music videos anymore.

Major League managers who feel the need to overmanage.  If a guy can’t hit righties and lefties, should he really be in the major leagues?

Congress.  All they do is call for investigations of each other.  I’m picturing them sitting in a room sipping brandy, saying “Hey listen, we have to make it look like we are doing something.  Tell you what.  I’ll call for an investigation of you.  Then you call for one of Chuck.  Then we’ll make sure the investigations last so long people actually forget about them.”  Brilliant!  CLOWNS.  Cue the Bad News Bears music.

Judges who are supposed to be impartial and yet feel the need to inject their opinions into cases.

People who complain about rights violations by rioting and inciting violence.  Do you really think you are helping the cause when you hurt people and businesses that support your cause?  On the moron scale of 1-10, this one is a 17.

The two party political system.  Where are people supposed to go who believe in ideas and not platforms?  There are some people that believe in ideas from each party.  Why does it have to be one party or another?

People who drive slowly in the passing lane.  If you’re not in a hurry, that’s wonderful, but why do you need to block other people?  If you’re the traffic police, join the force.  Otherwise, get out of the way!

Weather people that can’t get a forecast right until they stick their head out the window.  By the way, it’s sunny outside.

Rainy weekends.

People who say they’re going to do something, don’t want any help, and then don’t do it.  I think this is self explanatory.

The Motion Picture Academy thinking that most movies can’t possibly be good if they have a happy ending.

Car washes that close at 5:00pm.  Umm, are we supposed to go during our lunch hour?

Rude people.  (I get that this one is ironic given the title of this article)

Athletes that don’t sign autographs or give an attitude when asked for one.  Shouldn’t you be flattered?  Besides, you’re making millions.  Pay me that much money and you can ask me in the middle of slurping my soup.

Super Bowl Sunday.  Wouldn’t it make far more sense, and probably stimulate the economy much more if they played the game on a Saturday?

People who think that punching someone in the face is the answer to any problem.  (Hitting them with a car is much more effective.)

But after I’ve been pissed off, there’s nothing like sitting down to watch a movie that doesn’t piss me off.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Dead Poets Society (1989) is the story of an unorthodox English teacher at a prestigious New England Prep School who inspires his students through a love of poetry and the classics.

I’m going to be honest.  The first time I watched the film, I was pissed off that the kids caved to pressure from the school and their parents to railroad Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) into taking the fall for a student’s suicide.  Yes, they stood on their desks at the end in a sign of solidarity and support, but give me a break.  The guy was still out of a job.  There is no way I would have allowed it to happen.  But my parents were great parents and I didn’t grow up in the 50’s.  Once I took a step back, I realized the power of the movie and what an amazing actor Robin Williams was.  The only actor I know that could combine hilarity with sensitivity.  You just felt there was something more inside him waiting to come out.  His Mr. Keating was the teacher everyone wanted to know better. The one you respected and learned from because you wanted his respect. Dead Poets has a terrific cast and does a wonderful job expanding on the pressures of adolescence.  It’s a must see for any who have not yet seen it.

Until next week, carpe diem, and try not to piss me off…

THE NUCLEAR OPTION, TACKLING RACISM IN SPORTS, & GOING HOME AGAIN

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AS THE POLITICAL WORLD BURNS…

Not much makes sense in the world of politics these days, but one thing that is extremely puzzling is the filibuster rule. For those not familiar with what a filibuster is, it comes from the word “filibustero”, which has Dutch and Spanish origins meaning “robber” or “pirate”. I can’t think of a better word to describe members of the US Congress. Stealing money from the people to accomplish little except investigations of each other.

The filibuster has been in place for 100 years, and allows a Senator to block legislation by speaking against it for as long as the person likes. To get them to stick a sock in it and move to a vote requires 60% of the senators in attendance. Amazing that a Senator can get elected with 50.1% of the vote. A President can get elected with TWO electoral college votes more than their opponent, but it requires 60% to stop someone from droning on and on in the senate. The House of Representatives has no such rule presumably because the people in it are actually interested in representing the people, or because they get bored easily.

The rule (Senate Rule 22) is in place in an effort to maintain checks and balances in our government, so that radical ideas in both directions cannot get passed and also to encourage bi-partisan work in Congress. The problem is that bi-partisan efforts are rare as Senators follow the party line far more often than not, out of fear of being voted out at the next opportunity by the people that voted them in. The rare exceptions are those areas that are decidedly Republican or Democratic but voted for a President from the opposite party.

You might then wonder, how does anything ever get done in our government? The simple answer is that it doesn’t. The last time either party had a filibuster proof senate was in 1977 when Jimmy Carter was in office. The Republicans have had a majority but never a supermajority in the senate. Which brings me to my main question. What is wrong with a simple majority to pass legislation? Democrats fear the “Nuclear Option”–changing the rules to a simple majority to end a filibuster–because of the legislation that could get passed right now with the GOP controlling the Presidency, House and Senate. The Republicans fear what would happen if they lost control of those three. What they are all forgetting is that there is another form of checks and balance. It’s called an election. If one party or the other ramrods through legislation that doesn’t work or isn’t helpful for the majority, they’ll get voted out plain and simply. I’d rather see something get done even if it isn’t perfect, than nothing at all. If it’s nothing, why have such a large and intrusive government? I’m fairly certain the money could be better spent elsewhere. And who knows, when the Senators see the alternative, maybe they will reach across the aisle and work together. One can only hope they are smart enough to see that. Personally, I’m not convinced.

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES…
Speaking of things that make no sense, what on earth is wrong with the fans at Fenway? Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t fair to broadly paint the entire city of Boston or Red Sox fans as racists based on the idiotic actions of a few, but when I read about the comments being hurled at Baltimore Orioles outfielder, Adam Jones, my reaction was one my wife has heard many times. “What the hell is wrong with people?!” You want to say he stinks, well that would be untrue, but within your rights as an opposing fan. But to call someone out based on the color of their skin or their ethnicity is cowardly, not to mention extremely unimaginative. You can’t think of anything more clever than the most obvious thing that pops into your head? So you’re a clown, a disgusting human being, and an unimaginative one at that. Congratulations, moron. I think what bothers me second most behind what Jones must have felt, is that kids undoubtedly heard these idiots. Kids aren’t racists. They don’t see color. They just want someone to play with. It isn’t until they hear things at home or someone comes into school having heard something at home that they change. Too bad some adults don’t learn from their kids instead of the other way around. And it is for that reason that I’ll always think the world looks like a much nicer place when viewed through the eyes of a 9 year old.

MOVIELAND
In keeping with my tradition of promoting the best movies you’ve probably never heard of, I’ve got a terrific one for you this week. Stealing Home (1988) stars a youngish (compared to his NCIS role) Mark Harmon, Jody Foster, Jonathan Silverman, William McMamara and the late Harold Ramis.

The film is about a washed up 30-something baseball player Billy Wyatt (Mark Harmon) who learns that his childhood sweetheart, Katie (Jodie Foster), has killed herself. The fun-loving but troubled Katie, a few years older than Billy, had a dramatic influence on his life. She indicates in a note, that she wants him to handle her ashes, and so he embarks on a train ride to return to the seaside town where he grew up and hasn’t returned in quite some time. It is a nostalgic look at the joys and pains of his youth as he tries to come to terms with his friend’s death. This movie has a bit of everything. Romance. Friendship. Loyalty. Family. The dialogue is terrific. The acting underrated. And the music score by David Foster memorable. It’s one of those movies that takes you on a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotions but leaves you walking away with a smile and wanting to hug an old friend. It might not be easy to find, but track it down. You’ll be glad you did.

Until next week, may the sun shine wherever you walk and the crap stay out of your cornflakes…peace.

Silly Airline: Tricks are for Kids, Trump, Taxes, Teen Movies & Tebowtime!

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About 2 to 3 times a week, my wife and I will be watching the news or having a conversation about something that happened that day, and I’ll respond with “What is wrong with people? It’s common sense. I could have tax reform done in a day.” To which she always responds, “Yes, you should be a lead economist. I just don’t know where you will find the time.” Of course, I pick up on the fact that her voice is dripping with more than a little sarcasm, but I ignore it because I truly believe I could solve the world’s problems if only I were given the chance.

Today, I’m going to take my shot at a few of the problems in the news and how I would handle them. You can be the judge if I shouldn’t quit my day job. 😉

BUSINESS
THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY: Yes, United Airlines has been in the news this week with the horrific way they, along with airport security, handled an overbooking situation on one of their flights, but it really could have been any of the airlines. They ALL overbook. The thing I don’t understand is why? Even if a person doesn’t show for a flight, the seat is already paid for. Why the need to try and double sell a seat? Wouldn’t selling exactly the number of seats on the plane and having a few no shows provide a bit more flexibility in helping stranded travelers? When they all show up and you need to offer vouchers, that basically eats up your additional profit, not to mention leaves you with some bad word of mouth in the best case, and some extremely damaging PR in the worst.

The airline industry is such an unequivocal mess in terms of price, service, inconvenience and comfort, one wonders how they stay in business. The answer to that is fairly simple. They have you over a barrel. For longer distances anyway. Unless you have a week to reach your destination, driving or a horse and buggy are simply out of the equation for travel. Interestingly, flights of an hour or less might not actually save you any time at all over driving or the train when you factor travel time to and from the airport, check in, security, boarding, and baggage claim. But try driving 5 hours each way for 3 days in a row and get back to me.

So the airlines can charge what they like and most people will be forced to pay it. They can even overbook to maximize profits. So how do you fix it?

1. Regulate the airline industry. Let the airlines charge what they want, BUT the same type of seat should cost the exact same price. No variables allowed whatsoever. Competition will keep the costs down. If an airline charges too much, they’ll have a number of empty seats. If the airlines collude to set prices, well, that opens up a whole new can of worms. For starters, it’s illegal. But it’s also difficult to prove. And now, with all the airline mergers and four airlines controlling 85% of the domestic travel, the competition has dropped. Competition is the backbone of a capitalistic society. If the airlines want to eliminate competition, then the government needs to step in and regulate prices. Plain and simple. Check. And checkmate.

2. Eliminate overbooking as a practice. Airlines do it to maximize profits. People that buy refundable tickets and don’t show for a flight is lost revenue for the airline. So don’t sell refundable tickets. I can’t return a car after the three day period. I can’t return a ticket to a concert. Why should I be able to return an airline ticket Insurance was created for those that are worried about the unforeseen coming up. With no refunds, and every seat sold, the airlines will get their money. But it doesn’t enable the airlines to maximize their profits. You can’t sell the same car to two different people. Why on earth should you be allowed to sell the same seat to two different people? Regulate the industry that won’t regulate itself by making it illegal to do so. Or make it so people need to agree on a price with the airline to be involuntarily removed from a flight. No maximum amount. Everyone has their price. But it could be steep. Once that happens a few times, overbooking will be a thing of the past.

POLITICS
TAXES: TO REFORM OR NOT TO REFORM, THAT IS THE QUESTION…
This is a hot button topic these days, with President Trump making this one of his core promises on the campaign trail. Tax reform should be a cause that everyone can rally behind should it not? Pump the brakes, young NASCAR racer. Critics of the President sight his lack of transparency in releasing his personal returns as a necessity before agreeing to support any tax reform. Why? Because they want to make sure he isn’t going to benefit from such decisions. Really? When did we become a country of sniveling little brothers and sisters, ratting out our older siblings because we feel they got something we didn’t? Personally, I couldn’t care less if Trump releases his returns as long as everything in them is legal. And I’m fairly certain that with the IRS auditing his returns, if there was something illegal in them, we would know about it. But what if he pays a lower percentage of taxes than I do? Or worse yet, what if he pays less taxes overall than I do?? I circle back to my original response. As long as it’s legal, I have no problem with that. Well, I might have a problem with it, but it isn’t with the president. It is with the people that created the loopholes to begin with. Yes, those same people in congress that are screaming for President Trump to release his returns. What amazes me is how the government runs its business. How on earth can you run a business without having any idea how much money you are going to bring in to cover your expenses? It is no wonder we are constantly running a deficit. If I ran my business that way, I’d be out of business. So how do we fix it? It’s pretty simple really. Eliminate the loopholes. What you owe is what you owe. It would certainly make it easier to balance the budget if you knew what you were going to be bringing in. What about charities? Sure, you could leave that in as a write off, but I’ve never understood the logic behind the argument that if we did away with write offs, no one would donate to charity. People donate to causes they believe in IF they have the money to do so. But a write off isn’t a one for one trade off. No one is going to donate $5,000 they don’t really have to spend so they can save $750 on their taxes. Not sure what I mean? Let’s look at an example. A married couple filing jointly makes $75,000 a year. Under our current tax code, this couple will pay a 10% tax on their first $18,550 in income and then 15% on their income from $18,550 to $75,300. It comes to a total of $10,317.50 in taxes, leaving $64,677.65 left after paying it. In contrast, let’s say this same family donates $5,000 to the American Cancer Society (a very worthy cause). They now have $70,000 in taxable income instead of $75,000. Calculated the same way as above, they would now pay $9,572.50. That is $745 less in taxes you say! Yes, it is, but you are also left with only $60,427.65 in income after the taxes have been paid. That is $4,250 less in disposable income. If someone said to you to invest $5,000 to save $745, what would our response be? Take a leap off the George Washington Bridge I’m going to guess. The point being as a business deal, it is bad business. And the real point being, that people don’t give to charity for a tax write off. They give because it’s worthy and they have the money to do so. Period. But if people don’t want to buy into my argument, you can keep that as your only write off. You’d still have a much better idea as to what income would be coming in to run the government, and in turn, what money you have to spend.

Let’s circle back for a moment to Trump’s tax returns and who benefits most from reform. If the reforms were across the board cuts, the uber wealthy would benefit the most of course. As they should, since they pay the most taxes to begin with. The top 5% (income wise) of the people pay more than 60% of the nation’s tax base. Think about that for a second. 5% of the people pay 60% of the taxes. If someone said to you, they were going to give you $2,000, but you had to pay a dinner bill of $1,200 or they were going to give you only $900, but you didn’t have to contribute at all to dinner, which would be a better deal? Personally, I’d take Option B. Obviously that is an extreme example that wouldn’t happen under our tax code, but what does happen under our progressive tax code, is that a couple making $150,000 more in income than another couple, only makes about $105,000 more once taxes have been paid. Still a sizable amount of money to be sure, but it also serves to illustrate that the uber wealthy (of which I am not), if you eliminated the loopholes and write offs, would end up paying more than their fair share. So when people complain that the rich would potentially get too much of a break under tax reform, I’ll admit, I don’t understand the complaint. I don’t care if someone else gets a break, or even more of a break, as long as I get one too. And sure, the break will be more for the millionaires, as it should be, because they pay more in taxes to begin with! My solution? Eliminate loopholes and minimize write offs. Create MORE tax brackets, not fewer. There is a big difference between a family of four making $435,000 a year and one making $4,000,000 a year and yet those two are treated exactly the same. Closing the loopholes and adding tax brackets would accomplish two things. 1) We would have a better shot at balancing the budget. 2) The uber wealthy would likely end up paying MORE in taxes even if you lowered their tax rates.

AS THE SPORTS WORLD TURNS…
TEBOW TIME
Tim Tebow is a tremendous all around athlete who is now trying his hand at professional baseball after his football career didn’t pan out the way he and his legion of fans would have liked. He is also by all rational accounts a terrific person. Humble. Kind. Hard working. Generous. So why the hate?

I simply don’t get it. I’m not a Florida Gators fan. I’m not a bible thumper. But I can’t help but root for the guy. In a world of professional athletes and entertainers that beat their spouses, drink too much juice (booze), take too much juice (steroids), shout drunken slurs, and start bar brawls, Tebow is a breath of fresh air.

He stops to sign autographs and take pictures. He started a foundation that helps children with special needs. He even comforted a fellow airline passenger and a fan at a baseball game, both of whom had collapsed. They should be giving this guy a medal, not grief. Those that argue he wasn’t a good football player, I’d argue he was, but his style didn’t fit the NFL game and none of the coaches nor fragile starting QBs wanted to deal with the circus following for a backup QB. But that’s somewhat irrelevant. Those same people are now arguing he doesn’t deserve a chance to play minor league baseball because he hasn’t played in more than ten years. “So what” is my response to that. Every day people get a break because of who they know or what talent they bring to the equation. Kids are accepted to college because they play the flute. Or because they scored well on a standardized test. Adults get jobs because they know someone who knows someone. Tebow is a tremendous athlete with an outstanding work ethic, who has been a leader on every team he played. He won a Heisman Trophy and two college national championships. How could that be bad for any team, even if he hit .100? The answer is that it isn’t. Haters are gonna hate, but deep down in their heart of hearts, they know they’re wrong. They know they are not capable of a rational thought where he is concerned. Maybe it’s jealousy. Maybe it’s insecurity. Maybe it is uncomfortableness at his unwavering faith that he wears openly. Whatever the reason, it’s time to get over it. It’s Tebow time.

ENTERTAINMENT
Lost in the glut of superhero movies and reality television is the ability to tell a good story. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Maybe it’s teen angst. A character driven romance with the music of the gods. Movies like Pretty in Pink, or the lessor known Some Kind of Wonderful, both John Hughes classics. Or the adult version of the other side of the tracks romance, Cameron Crowe’s, Jerry Maguire. Those stories were about love, loyalty and friendship. And that’s the problem with the film industry these days. It doesn’t stand for anything. The top 15 highest grossing movies of 2016 were dotted with animation, superheroes and a pair of rogue Star Wars movies. Not a single feel good romance in the lot. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with a superhero or a clever children’s film. But where are the simple stories that make you feel a little better after you’ve seen them than before? They aren’t for everyone, but those that agree, I’ve got one for you to check out from 2013. The Way, Way Back stars the underrated Sam Rockwell as a well-meaning, but irresponsible manager of a water park who befriends an awkward teen who is there for the summer. It is a simple story of an unlikely friendship, single parent family dynamics, with a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure. It is the sort of story whose description doesn’t come close to adequately describing its virtues. With understated direction by Nat Faxon (Academy Award winner of the Best Screenplay for 2012’s The Descendants) and Jim Rash, let me just say, The Way, Way Back is clever, witty, sweet and wonderful. Do yourself a favor and dial it up on demand.

More to come next week, folks. Until then, do something nice for a stranger, and do something nice for yourself by doing something nice for a stranger. 😉

SLOW DRINKERS, GIANT BALLBAGS & SMELLY BASTARDS

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“Jim Reilly woke up dead one morning and was really pissed off about it. He snapped open the paper while sitting on the can, the way he did every morning, and found himself staring at an old picture of himself in the Obituary section on Page 6…”

With the Irish Wake just three days away, his best friend convinces him to play along so they can find out who is responsible for the sick joke. The resulting chaos sees Jim reunited with old friends, acquaintances and family members–most of whom he hasn’t seen since his wife passed away three years earlier. Is it better to have loved and lost, or never to have loved at all? That is the dilemma Jim is faced with. How do you move forward when the person you have shared nearly every experience with, good or bad, for most of your adult life, is no longer around? The answer for Jim is that he can’t. He’s stuck in neutral, going through the motions of a life that very much needs him as an active participant. That is until his older brother returns from the sun swept beaches of Santorini for what he believes to be his brother’s wake, only to find his brother is still alive–sort of.

Sam Reilly has lived his life in a never ending quest to squeeze every last drop out of it. He’s run with the bulls at Pamplona, attended the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, ridden a bike through the Swiss Alps, toasted with celebrities at film festivals, surfed the blue sea just off the coast of the Greek Islands, in addition to living in a small Upstate New York town where the most exciting things were Sunday night Bingo at the local church and Friday Night football at the high school. The responsible way Jim lived his life is what enabled Sam to live the carefree lifestyle he had grown accustomed to, and now it was time to return the favor. The irrepressibly likable Sam takes Jim on an unexpected and unintentional laugh riot journey through a cast of characters that include slow drinkers, giant ballbags and smelly bastards. A story that is just as sure to tug at your heart as it is to  give you a belly laugh, Jim finds that it took dying, to actually bring him back to life.

Arriving at book sellers everywhere (paperback and ebook) in March.

DESTINARE

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DestinareCoverPreview.doAfter hearing the bad news, Joe Moretti found himself faced with a difficult decision.  He could either fight for his life, or peacefully accept his fate.  Unfortunately, his decision wouldn’t simply affect his life.  What if he wasn’t around in a year to save 3 year old Diana Doyle from falling onto the tracks in front of a moving train?  And what if she in turn wasn’t around to become a doctor with the ability to save lives?  Maybe even the life of someone Joe cared deeply about?  Destinare is a story that examines how each person’s life is connected in ways we don’t even realize.  One person’s life affects another.  Which in turn impacts another…and another…and another…until the circle is complete and we finally reach our destiny.

“The unexamined life is not worth living” is attributed to the Greek philosopher, Socrates, while he was on trial, and eventually sentenced to death for “corrupting the youth” of society and “impiety”.  From Socrates simple statement, Destinare was born.  All too often we go through life following a routine.  Work.  Eat.  Watch TV.  Sleep.  Get up and do it all over again.  When we don’t want to do something, more often than not, we don’t.  But what is the impact of those decisions?  How does what we decide to do (or not do) affect others?  Those that choose to take their own lives usually leave a swath of destruction behind.  Certainly they were suffering, but what about those they’ve left behind?  If they had somehow been convinced to take the time to see how their decision would impact others, would they have acted differently?  Or did their decision force others to examine their own lives, to be more introspective?  Then again, do we really control our own destiny or are we simply following a path that has been laid out for us?  From the Italian word, destino, meaning destiny or fate, Destinare is a fictional story of love, friendship, sacrifice and the never-ending battle to achieve self-awareness.  It examines how we arrive where we end up in life, and whether we are, in fact, the “masters of our fate, the captains of our soul”. (William Ernest Henley)

Arriving at book sellers everywhere (paperback and ebook) Monday, October 17th.