Lincoln Might Have Been a Jerk

The other day I was looking through an old history textbook of mine wondering if anyone would pay anything at a garage sale for it and I came to the part of the book that talked about Abraham Lincoln’s presidency. Now I won’t get into the politics of how the history of minorities is grossly misrepresented, but skimming through that section I realized all the book talked about was how great Lincoln was. It talked about his early life of self-education through reading books. It also talked about his campaign for presidency and how he was known for saying more with less words. It talked about his level head during the Civil War, and it also talked about him freeing the slaves. Now we all know how his presidency ended, which the book sort of glossed over with a quick explanation of John Wilkes Booth and one night at Ford’s Theater. However, I question what would have happened if Lincoln had been able to continue his presidency? It is a running joke in the modern era about how inept our presidents have been over the past 3 decades or so, but what if Lincoln had really run his full course before his surprise at the show that night? What if, had Lincoln survived, he showed his true colors and just ran out of good ideas? Moreover, is it entirely possible that Lincoln was a complete jerk? What if, behind closed doors, Lincoln was a stiff with little character and an attitude that only Mary Todd could put up with? I don’t find it completely strange to think about a “Great” like Lincoln having a rough day or two and really ostracizing a few White House staff members. I mean the man was a wrestler in his younger life. Even the most level headed grappler will tell you they have had a moment where they thought about knocking someone’s block off. Perhaps Lincoln was no different. I guess we will never know. Only the descendants of his close personal relatives and friends have that insight. Maybe a 2-century old tell-all will set us straight. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

Stuffing vs. Dressing

It’s a debate as old as time. An argument almost as old as white meat vs dark meat. Is it called stuffing, or is it called dressing? Some folks believe it is a regional thing and depending on where you are from it is called different names. Others believe it is a texture thing. Stuffing being a little more moist and scoopable while dressing is a little drier. It is more crispy and cuttable and in definite need of gravy. Still some believe it relies on what it is made of with different ingredients placing it in either a stuffing or a dressing category. I choose to believe it has to do with whether or not it is placed in the bird. Where stuffing is, in fact, stuffed in the bird and dressing is packed into a pan and baked alone. Either way, as far as synonyms go, it can’t get more delicious than a fresh steaming serving of bready, herby side dish. So regardless of what it’s called, enjoy every bite this Thanksgiving and remind everyone to be thankful for a good food debate. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

As Long As I Can Chew

The idea of braces as a teenager bothers a lot of young people in that time in their life, so for one of those people to become an adult and then purposefully and, only for aesthetic reasons, to decide to get themselves braces is an anomaly to me. However, I personally met someone who decided to do it. As they tell it, it will fix their smile and once they are removed and they’re teeth are whitened by the dentist, they will have nearly perfect teeth. I realized, by the way they talked, it was more about feeling increased confidence because they had improved their appearance than it was about “perfect teeth.” I think we can all relate to this. We all have something that we feel a little insecure about and wish there was a way to fix it, but I think if we were to ask someone that we trusted to be honest with us they would say that we look fine. Even in this person’s case, I could understand if they had snaggletooth and were trying to get it fixed, but under the braces, by what I could tell, they had relatively average teeth. A perfect smile for a world full of imperfections. Most of which should be fully embraced because imperfections make us individuals. If everyone had perfect everything we would all look the same. Even Hollywood, with all its want for the perfect body and perfect hair and perfect facial structure, etc. years ago had casting directors begging for slightly flawed teeth so they could portray a knight in the Middle Ages or a Viking. Hollywood also realized that celebrities with slight imperfections are more recognizable. i.e., Cindy Crawford and her beauty mark, Joaquin Phoenix and his lip scar, even Michael Strahan has a gap in his teeth. So, I guess my one piece of advice is embrace your flaws because you may get cast as a Viking. Moreover, Trident gum belongs in your mouth, but it should be chewed not used as dentures. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.

Moderation is the Key

We all love our super sugary cereal and, while I don’t personally buy it, I have seen very expensive clothing, but in this modern time of overconsumption, I think moderation is the key to keeping us steady. Everyone has heard this phrase at least once in their life and some keep it in mind when they are going about their daily lives. However, I don’t think a lot of people really understand it. It doesn’t mean you should never overindulge; it simply means that generally we should all strive to balance out the consumption of anything. For instance, when eating, the food may be delicious and you want more of it, but take into account that you are stuffing your face when you are already full. If you eat a moderate amount then you can enjoy the food and still walk afterward. Plus, slacking up on your meals a bit is the ultimate diet. How about when buying those clothes. It is perfectly fine to buy a really expensive piece of clothing or pair of shoes, just balance that excessive spending out with a few cheaper items of clothing. Then, while you have overindulged in one or two items, you moderate yourself by spending far less on the rest of your wardrobe. So why care about moderation at all. Well, as beings of habit, what we do in one area of our lives directly influences the other portions. If we choose to walk the middle lane in normal humdrum scenarios, then we will also practice that in other scenarios. For instance, we may not drink so much on Independence Day and New Year’s. We will not overspend on a new iPhone just because it is the newest and bestest model. We also will find that what we were overconsuming can then be given to those who frequently have to under consume. If I have to advocate for the ideal situation, it is to overindulge in donating to charity. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.