Change

Last week I did a post on 'Hope'. In keeping with the ongoing political themes of 'Hope' and 'Change' I'm delighted to present 'Hope's' cousin-once-removed, 'Change'.

I guess the thing to be learned from the following video link is that you don't have to change the country (or the World) all at once. Changing one small piece of the world at a time is just fine. Even if the 'piece of the world' is a train station in a far-away place with an exotic sounding name.I dare you to view the following and not end a little 'Happier' than when you began it. This, my friend, is true 'Change'.

Click here to view video -> CHANGE

As for the stuff being peddled in Washington these days... Well, it's mostly just your run of the mill politics and bumper-sticker sound bites. I have had very few personal experiences (actually, the word 'NONE' comes to mind) where politicians have made me feel joyful, or even a 'wee' bit happy.

Real change is seeing the potential for joy and sharing it with others. A friend of mine shared the above clip with me, I share it with you here.

As for President Obama's First 100 Days, you'll need to read about that elsewhere. I'm trying to be 'joyful' and stay away from political stuff today.

Today is my birthday. Fifty years ago today Mrs. Kane delivered her bouncing baby boy into the world. (I don't 'bounce' as much as I used to. Now I'm just happy when I don't fall down.)

I think that I must visit Antwerp one day. There is joy there.

May you find joy wherever you are, whenever you can.

If you can't find the joy in your life, you're not looking hard enough... The reality is that it's all around you -- just open your eyes.

Oh, and if you can't see it, go ahead and make it. (Soundtrack optional)

The 'Big Time'

I've always wondered if I would know the moment when, 'I Made It'... I wonder no longer because, just between you and I (or, is it 'me'?), I now know the exact moment in which, 'I did'. It was 6:15pm, last Wednesday.

Scratch another item off my personal 'Bucket List' with a red Sharpie. I was working in Oneonta last Wednesday afternoon and returned to the office later than usual (this, of course, is because I am a loyal and conscientious employee and I don't mind working late to assure the success of my employer (just in case my boss is reading this)).

Returning to the office around 5:50, I found an envelope on my desk. It was an inconspicuous envelope with a logo on the upper left-hand corner which included a large, red, apple. Also found on the front of the envelope were two words: "Mike Kane" (This helped cement the concept that the envelope was actually intended for 'me', I AM Mike Kane.)

It was too small to be a letter bomb (although I never completely rule out 'Itching Powder' in my mail at work...) but I nonetheless decided to brazenly open the envelope even without benefit of my normal HazMat Team. Luckily for me it was only a letter (actually a NICE letter) from a lady named, "Alecia O'Neill" who is Marketing Coordinator at the Cider Mill Playhouse in Endicott, NY.

The letter was, however, unusual for a couple of reasons:

1.) HOW did Alecia O'Neill of the Cider Mill Playhouse find me at work?

2.) WHO put it on my desk? Security at my 'Institution' has apparently been breached (somebody get 'Jack Bauer' on the phone).

3.) WHY is she being so very nice to me? (I am, of course, discounting the fact that maybe Alecia O'Neill is just a NICE person to begin with, but I am bound and determined to keep looking for more sinister motives. At this point I must also add that I haven't FOUND any sinister motives, but I'll keep looking, because, well, being part of the 'Right Wing Extremists', I NEED to keep looking for 'sinister forces' and 'dark energy' because Janet Napolitano told me to - Gee, thanks Janet.)

So here's the deal, I returned to work about an hour later than usual and I found an envelope on my desk with my name on it. I opened it and found a letter which told me that I received '2 complementary tickets' to one of two shows at the Cider Mill Playhouse', either "The Woman in Black" (hmm, sounds 'sinister'), or, "1776" (hmm, sounds a little 'extremist' to me).

And WHY did I receive these complementary tickets? To quote the letter, "I enjoy reading your blog on Pressconnects.com and hope to see you at the Cider Mill Playhouse soon!" Aha! I KNEW that SOMEONE was reading the blog, and now I know WHO it is! HER NAME is Alecia O'Neill at the Cider Mill Playhouse in Endicott, NY -- she's the ONE!

What Alecia probably doesn't know is that I took the family to see "Dial M for Murder" last year at the Playhouse. It was the first time that we had ever been there (although we talked about it for five years after we moved here).

My only gripe about the night's event: No doughnuts. Yes, if you've been to the Cider Mill, you know that they have doughnuts made fresh on premise throughout the day. Unfortunately for me, 'Thespians' do not worship the 'Doughnut' like the rest of us do.

Lack of doughnuts (a.k.a.: 'Artery Stoppers') aside, I enjoyed my first visit and look forward to my encore visit to the Cider Mill Playhouse. And in case you were ever wondering, "Can the Cow Guy be bought?" Well, now you know, thanks to Alecia O'Neill at the Cider Mill Playhouse in Endicott, NY 607-748-7363!

Shameless plugs aside, thanks to Alecia for the two passes; I look forward to my next visit. I will, however, be stuffing doughnuts down into the sleeves of my shirt prior to my arrival, just to complete the FULL 'Cider House Experience' (think 'Jimi Hendrix Experience', just without the drugs).

Wishing everyone a Cider Mill Playhouse Day (conveniently located in Endicott, NY just minutes from the sound of my blog post)!

Best Regards,

Mike Kane

p.s.: In a totally un-related note, I have just recently signed a major publication deal with TIME Magazine!

I will miss you all as I broaden my horizons outside of the Central New York area. I will now be exposed to the entire United States as part of this EXCLUSIVE agreement with the folks at TIME.

All I have to do is agree to have the magazine billed to my credit card and they'll send me four issues FREE with my year's paid subscription for ONLY $20! I'll also get some kind of 'electronic organizer' thing free, but after being alive as long as I have, I'm pretty confident that after not listening to my wife or kids, some fool thing 'beeping' in my jacket pocket won't stand much of a chance.

I hope my kids will enjoy it (once they put it back together again), 'cause I'm pretty sure I'll be smashing it the first time it goes off...

Hope

There has been a lot of 'talk' of HOPE and CHANGE over the past few years...

However, talk in Washington doesn't often equate to real 'Hope' or 'Change' in your town, your home, your dining room, or sometimes, even on your computer.

The following came out a few weeks ago, but LIFE has kept me busy of late, and I fell asleep at the wheel. If you've been looking for real "Hope", allow me to introduce you to Susan Boyle if you haven't met her online already...

(I'm unable to embed the YouTube video here, please click the following link to get to her performance on 'Britain's Got Talent' by pressing 'Play' on the next screen.)

HOPE

Keep your 'Hope' alive, whether you sing, dance, paint, invent, or write goofy blog posts a couple of days a week. If someone tells you that you can't...

Well, you just show 'em that you can.

Have a great weekend...

Mike

p.s.: Look for 'Change' next week, coming to a blog near you.

A Problematical Most Mathematical

Yesterday, April 20th, 2009 the Obama Administration had its first Cabinet Meeting. I will admit that I was a little skeptical about the President's desire to reduce 'spending and waste' after he pushed his $3,200,000,000,000 budget through the Democrat-controlled Congress. My fears, however, have been allayed as a result of yesterday's Cabinet Meeting in Washington.

In one bold stroke this President has said, "Enough is enough!" to the the old policies of 'Waste', 'Out of Control Spending', and 'Governmental Mis-Management'. President Obama has thrown the gauntlet to challenge members of his administration to be fiscally responsible. Yes, this is the change, that we as Americans, voted for.

Let's take a look at these bold initiatives discussed at yesterday's Cabinet Meeting / Press Conference (I've attached the video to the end of this post so that you too will be inspired).
President Obama has made it known to his Cabinet that he WANTS... NO, HE DEMANDS that they decrease spending in their departments by $100,000,000 ($100 Million Dollars). That's right, $100 Million Dollars! That's a lot of money, isn't it?

Well, isn't it?

Oh, come on, that IS a lot of money for most of us, and since WE are the government, it must be a lot of money for THEM too, because WE, are THEM, um... Right?

I didn't want to have to go there, but I'm going to 'Do the Math' (Please note this will actually require 'research' and 'effort' on my part, two things I REALLY hate to do. But I want you to fully understand the sacrifice that this President is making for OUR Country by cutting out 'waste'.)

First, let's look at the numbers, shall we? These are the two numbers which we must be most concerned as we begin our 'Adventure in Mathematics with Mike!':

Federal Budget Cost
$ 3,200,000,000,000

Savings requested by President Obama
$ 100,000,000

I've heard several numbers tossed about regarding the budget, ranging from $3 to $4 TRILLION, but the $3.2 TRILLION seems to be the one that comes up the most and since I have to get to work REALLY soon...

The Federal Budget for this year is now officially $3.2 TRILLION! Thanks.

Now, let's stack up these reductions against the overall US Budget:

Federal Budget (Divide) Cost 'Reductions' = % of Total Budget
$ 3,200,000,000,000 / $ 100,000,000 = 0.000031250%

Yes, President Obama has asked his team to reduce their portion of the US Federal Budget by a whopping .000031250%.

You may be thinking to yourself, "Self, hey, uh, that doesn't seem like a very large percentage, as it relates to 'percentage of reduction'." Well, YOU would be wrong, because that .000031250% on a budget of $3.2TRILLION EQUALS, yes, you guessed it, $100,000,000!
Now you're probably thinking to yourself, "Self, what can I do to make a similar sacrifice for my country by reducing my personal spending?" Luckily for you, I have an insert for this also (oh, and, stop talking to yourself, you're making the rest of us nervous.):

Median Household Income '07 X Cost Reduction % = Total Reduction
$ 50,233 X 0.0000312500 = $ 1.57

According to the 2007 US Census Bureau Numbers, Median Household Income in 2007 was $50,233. If you made more than this, I hate you. If you made less than this, I'm with you. (Oh sorry, can't believe I typed that 'out loud'. Just kidding, of course...)

So if you want to help YOUR family CUT wasteful spending on a scale consistent with the Obama Administration this year... Leave that Hersey's 'Big Block' Chocolate bar ($1.49 + Tax) on the candy rack the next time you're in a convenience store. You'll be doing your part for your family AND teaching a valuable lesson to your children...

That lesson? Well, I'm not sure... But what I am sure of is that this administration is spending AT LEAST one Hershey bar less this year than they were going to just the day before yesterday (it would just be a much 'larger' Hershey bar than any you could pick up at the local Hess station).


















Remember NO more Hershey Bars (for a day) in this country -- the FREE RIDE is OVER!

So says the One, so say we ALL!