December 29th: On Stupids:

December 29: 2 days left in the old year.

I was awake for 3 hours in the middle of the night last night, thanks to a cold.  And I began thinking of stupid things and stupid people.  Here is a partial list of (in my opinion) stupid things and stupid people:

The Associated Press named Tiger Woods "Athlete of the Decade" in December '09.

Also in December 2009, Michael Vick received the Ed Block Courage Award, an award voted by Philadelphia Eagle teammates. This award "honors players who exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage."

Bravo TV's "Real Housewives" series.

Those insipid television weight-loss ads and those insipid spokesmen/women they use in them.  I DON'T CARE about Marie Osmond, Valerie Bertinelli, and all those former football players and coaches.

Those insipid television weight-loss ads stating that they will ship food right to your door. Learn about nutrition and go get your own  #!@%!  food.

Something about the press, itself.  It seems like there are too many writers and journalists and not enough REAL stories out there.  We've become saturated with "teen stars" (who don't have an ounce of talent, it seems, who don't know right from wrong), politicians who don't know right from wrong, too many public affairs and divorces.

More sad than stupid, it seems like too many athletes resort to drugs to enhance their performances.  Sad, because that's just not fair.  Stupid, because I have seen pics of what steroids do to an athlete's liver.  Ugly, ugly consequences.

I might add to this list, but suffice to say that after a 3-hour decrease in my sleep pattern last night, added to the 7:45 am call I received from a Chilean businessman (who spoke as much English as I do Spanish, but he had the advantage of +3 hours, and I had the disadvantage of no sleep/coffee/presence of mind...) and the fact that I can barely breathe out of one nostril, let alone two, which presents a temporary (it is hoped) oxygen debt to my brain, plus the 2.5 hour Skype call I made BACK to the Chilean businessman this evening...

I am calling it a day.  But!

More holiday...tomorrow!