Hey, everyone! As is "my way" (though the improv guy in me will deny having one), guess I should wish everyone a belated happy "Cinco De Mayo", "May Day", and any others I MAY have missed. (Pun extremely-intended, as you know if you're one of my ever-changing list of Twitter "followers".)

With that out of the way, let me update you on what I've been doing lately: Saw the new Jason Statham movie (nothing really special), & watched a few Lakers games (going slightly better)... Really nothing special. Today, I've been watching my usual "Leverage" repeat & "Co-Host Monday" on Anderson Cooper's show... Also nothing special, but I am writing this blog largely because I was able to watch those things, as I wasn't last Monday.

Last Monday, I know I woke-up, & I remember bits & pieces of the Monday-night wrestling show. I know I was up for hours before that, but I can't tell you anything that happened prior to that. All I can say for sure is I spent a lot of it in the local hospital, surrounded by medical staff & a few relatives. I also "know" that I hit my head on our bathtub. In that case, I put the word "know" in the quotation marks as I only know it from hearing from one of the aforementioned relatives & the fact that there was blood on the floor of our bathtub. (It's not there anymore.)

I was told by the aforementioned medical staff to meet with "my neuro-guy" soon, & I think I have an appointment with my neurosurgeon this Spring anyway, so I all but consider that done. In what I can't help but consider ironic, I have spent the vast majority of the time since alone; Some at the aforementioned movie, a ton of it at home, but minimal-estimate 80% of it by myself, & also-estimating that much away from any medical workers. [I was back at the same hospital Wednesday morning, but that was for a test scheduled by a different doctor weeks prior (& completely unrelated) to the bathroom accident.]

It has been suggested to me (though much-more-strongly than that word... well, suggests) by both of my parents that I take some form of anti-seizure medication. For anyone who may be unaware, let me note that I was on such meds in the past. Two of them, actually, each of which I ceased taking due to (potential) side effects/issues with other medical problems I am known to already have. (It proverbially "goes without saying" that any such medication would potentially cancel-out my seizures, & the problems/side-effects may not happen at all... But since any good or bad things that happened or not would do so to me, I feel I should be the one making any & all decisions. I know what the seizures are, at least by name, & don't know what the "effects" of the medications might be, let alone if they would even occur, so that's my basic reasoning for the decision I've made.)

I have been made aware by the same aforementioned relative that I can't live with them if I continue not-taking the anti-seizure medications. (I was made aware of this via E-mail if you can believe it... Though I of course live with them currently, & in fact physically make my rent payments to that person every month, including today.) The (absolutely-honest) "fact of the matter", though, is if I am made to take any of those type of medications, you will be able to count the amount of time I live out loud. (Seems a bit ironic that the only events I have definitely in my future are all related to doctors or some other sort of medical person/test... Outside of TV &/or movies, in which case they can all be moved-up to happen immediately via my oft-growing DVD collection.)

Well, that's all the reason(s) I wanted to write this one covered, & about all the news I really have anyway. Feel free to post any & all comments; I "Login" to my blog at least once-a-day regardless, so you can be sure I'll see it/them & respond.

NOTE: If you didn't catch it in the title, those of you who read my blogs for news on my life SHOULD NOT skip this one. The news will not be all I write about, but there will be some in there.

So, if the clock on Xanga is working right, you'll see I am posting this earlier than I do many of my blogs. I was actually up a lot earlier today than I usually am; With the weather not looking good in forecasts, am trying to find indoor ways to "kill time". Regardless, that is not the news I alluded to.

One thing I wanted to mention is I watch a lot of TV. That is far from being news. Also not news is that I listen to a lot of CDs (though the ones I "burned" this past weekend may not make the list for a while), listen to a ton of music, & even spend a ton of time online. That said, here's something you may not know about me: It affects my ability to get a job.

Now, the sarcastic part of my brain (I suspect everyone has one; my sister used to never give "straight" answers) is responding, "No crap, Sherlock! If you spend all that time watching & listening to other things, you can't be working, or even applying for work!" But that's not what I mean.

I am a high school graduate (diploma, not "GED") with easy access to many active businesses. I actively aim to spend time away from home. So why does my reading, etc., keep me from work? To answer that question, it's time to play "Carnival Barker"... "Pick a job, any job!"

I'm not going to go through the line of jobs out there (would take forever), but the basic idea is that you look out there &, between "reality" & scripted TV, there are few jobs that have not been done (or at least attempted) by someone on film. Heck, I know without seeing them (assisted by a simple Google-search) that Bronson "Balki" Pinchot & "Vanilla Ice" (really Robert Van Winkle; Swear I'm not creating that!) have shows right now where they are doing near-identical things. If you add songs, there may not be a job that hasn't been covered. (Especially since, as "Judge Mathis" said while I had Breakfast today, the amount/number of available jobs has gone down fast over the past few years!)

Since it's Monday, let's say I forget the weather, & go to get a job when more businesses are open more. (I hate double-use of the word, but I deal with it.) In order to get any job, I'd think, you have to apply for it in some form. When deciding to apply for a job, I realize there are a ton of jobs out there where the name/description doesn't tell you what you have to do, nor do I know already. (Why not?! If my years of education should make me more-likely to get a job, you'd think one of the classes would teach me what I'll be doing.) In those cases, I am left with the knowledge (if any) about the job(s) I have from outside sources. I live near a busy street (as I mentioned above), but the vast majority of billboards are advertising businesses, not telling you anything about the work they do. (Fact is, there are many competing cell-phone companies, etc., out there, but they want you to sign contracts, not come for your paycheck.)

Then, all of my knowledge comes from outside sources. While I realize there probably isn't any job out there like you'd see in "Hunger Games" (which I believe shares the reasons I skipped seeing "Invention Of Lying" a few years back), I also realize there are plenty of jobs out there like I'd see if I went to "21 Jump Street". Without seeing it, I have reason to believe there is a good deal of fun "poked" at the job of police, as well as some time where the leads might be getting shot at or put in other danger. (Part of the reason I'd prefer to get a job like on "Burn Notice" or "White Collar"; I assume the work is actually less-dangerous than the show makes it appear.)

Point being this: If you want to know why I remain unemployed in a few years, blame my DVD collection... But don't be surprised if my DVD-player is not hot from use.

OH!

But before I forget, I promised a bit of news. First, it seems the "Improv" group I'd been meeting with has all but died out. (I remain in Twitter contact with a Co-President, but the Facebook page has not been touched in months.) That said, the place where I was meeting with them has scheduled their auditions for "Summer Stock" theater (one show of which is how I found out about the group in the first place). However, it appears they aren't doing anything I am interested in doing this year, leading me (more like "forcing", perhaps) to decide I am cancelling my indefinite plans for more stage work in the future, & sticking to writing. (I look at guys like William Goldman as proof you can be published & get other writing work out there; & Damon-&-Affleck as proof the writing doesn't kill the acting work.)

Part 2:

That reminded me later...

I have been writing things (& sometimes getting them printed places) for several years. Even so, I have yet to get a very-long contract to be published by anyone. No trouble, except that the chance of getting such a job is quite small...

Not only due to the minimizing number of jobs I mentioned earlier, but nepotism. The fact remains that it is not about what you are able to do anymore even in writing, but who you know. An unknown number of years ago, new/different people got the jobs at publishing companies, & they will not publish anyone they don't already know unless the would-be writer pays them ___ dollars. Where is the writer supposed to get that money?! From another job, most-likely, where they may as well stay after that (if they are lucky enough to get that first other job). Also, as described earlier in the blog, the number is dwindling of characters & stories that have yet to be created/told.

Note: If you are NOT a fan of basketball, you may still be interested in this blog. The allusion in the title to a basketball play was intentional, but it will NOT be the subject of the blog. What will be?! If you don't know that, you must be new here.

As I said in the "Note", the allusion to basketball was intentional... Even yesterday, when I chose the title for this blog. However, the truth is that I don't care about college basketball. (So little, in fact, I am currently wearing a shirt for a team I watched get eliminated weeks ago, one of 2 identical shirts I own, with a tear in the sleeve.) I have spent 90% of my life (conservative estimate) in Ohio, & I know Ohio State is in the "Final Four", so maybe I should care... Then again, Louisville & Kentucky are also both in the "Final Four", & in fact facing each other. I spent a little time (about a decade ago) in Louisville, & back then, it was in Kentucky. Explain that one to me.

Regardless, I don't plan to discuss any sports in this blog. (I am counting-down the days until "Wrestlemania", & this will be my last blog before it happens. However, I know most people who read my blog are likely not wrestling fans, so I'll not refer to it again.) What am I planning to discuss? The same things I suppose most people discuss in their blogs: Recent events in their lives.

That said, what are my "recent events"? I shopped at Target (twice in 48 hours), had a Taco or 2 (capitalized because it came from the "Bell"), & had more McNuggets than I probably should have. Also, I have watched a TON of TV... In the long run, nothing out of the "ordinary" for anybody my age. (I've long considered that a relative term, especially if you know my relatives.)

I guess I really should not write much more in this "blog" (still hate that word) without mentioning what I planned for the title to stand for. There are a lot of options for any reader to choose from, really, & I couldn't care less which you choose. Maybe it's "Life Outside Brookfield", a nearby town where I've spent less than a day that I can recall. It also could be "Life Outside Boston", which is a town further away where I've spent even less time (proven in the fact I haven't been arrested for stalking members of Aerosmith). If you're a sports fan, it might stand for "Life Outside the Brackets". (Forgive the extra word, but who out there calls it the "US OF A" that much?!) Or it may even stand for "Life Outside The Blog". (I get the irony of that being the title for my blog, but I have long been a guy that appreciated stuff like that.)

The irony as mentioned in that last one continues if you consider Twitter to be a "micro-blogging" site. (I personally don't, but I heard it called that in a "Jeopardy!" clue tonight, so apparently, someone does.) I started thinking about this blog a few nights ago while I was on Twitter. (Not actively doing anything, like I do when I am "on" most sites/vehicles/etc... Just because I use the phrase doesn't mean I understand it.)

I was sitting here at the computer, waiting for the situation to change with either my Twitter "feed"/"timeline" or my E-mail "Inbox", when I got a throbbing pain in my head. I don't mean the pain was strong; I mean it was quite literally, actively throbbing... Repeatedly. I considered "tweeting" something about it, in case any of the half-dozen people that "follow" me might have an idea on a cure, or even a reason. I would have done so, except I didn't know how to describe it, especially in the 140-character limit Twitter seems to insist upon each time. In a case of what I like to call "defirony" (spread the word), I wonder now if the fact the pain was in my head didn't further hurt my chances of being able to describe it.

Regardless, I'm not positive, but I believe I have "tweeted" over 800 times. I have probably done so more from my phone than actually being on my computer. I know of at least 1 person who "follows" me that has not written anything on their own account in... I honestly don't know how long. Point being, you could read any of my "tweets" out to me now, & I guarantee you it actually came from me.

Anyhow, when I was having this pain the other night, I got to thinking. (More "defirony", I know.) I wrote nothing, since I could not think of what words to use. I am in the unfortunate situation of having a neuro-related disability. Much as I hate the morbidity, therefore, the idea occurred to me that whatever was causing this pain could eventually lead to some thing(s) that would kill me. Someone would open the bedroom door eventually, & find me somewhere in here, no longer moving. Considering the only person I live with has (probably) no clue how to work Twitter, they would have no clue how to say what happened, so it is quite likely the vast majority of my "followers" would never know I was gone.

On a happier note (what isn't?), I am clearly still alive. I am looking forward to catching a movie soon (not sure what or when), & also going to contact my Dad about another Aerosmith concert. (If I buy the tickets for their already-announced concert in Cleveland, no problems there; Right?) About as much, I am looking forward to going to one of "my neuro-guys" late next month. Here's hoping he can tell me why what's going on is going on, but if I make it to the waiting room on the day (over 3 weeks yet to go), I'll consider that somewhat of a winner right there.