I know, I know...it's been a while since I updated so here I am.  I've got a lot going on as it's getting to be crunch time in the Senate race and the band has a couple of gigs coming up.  Plus, it's football season.  Add to that October is coming up which means new horror movies, and I am one busy dude.  Oh yeah, October 6th will be a special day.  "Texas Chainsaw Massacre - The Beginning" opens and I can't friggin' wait!  Then you've also got "Saw III" coming up...oh baby.  So what have I been up to?  Well here you go...

Now remember when I said that I got a new dog last time?  Well the night after I posted those cute pictures of Jessi and Vick getting a long so well, there was a wee bit of a scuffle.  It was Friday night, I get home from work and go outside.  Now Vick is always worked up and excited when I first get home, and this night Jessi is as well because she has honestly become completely attached to me.  I go outside when I get home and am petting the both of them and playing around, and all of the sudden Vick gets jealous.  While I'm petting Jessi, he starts barking and whining, then lunges at her.  She recoils and then lunges at him.  Both dogs have each other...Vick has Jessi by the throat and she has Vick by the ear...both are growling.  Now one thing I heard a while back was that you NEVER get in between two dogs that are fighting...and sadly I didn't heed that advice.  All of this is happening in the time span of about 2 seconds and they're right in front of me so I reach in to grab them both by the back of their necks...big mistake.  As soon as I reach in while yelling "NO!", Vick lets go then lunges again.  He clamps down full-force on my right hand, then lets go.  It hurt like hell, and I pulled back then reached for him again.  When I did I lost my balance and started to fall back.  I was trying to wrap my right arm around his neck to keep him from charging, but because I was falling back, my arm went higher than expected and he came down with a bite on my right forearm.  While he has my arm in his mouth, I grab him with my other hand by the back of the neck and start yelling "NO!" at him.  He lets go and I pop him several times on the nose.  By this time Jessi ran into the garage.  Vick runs off when I let him go, and there I am with this gash on my arm.  My right hand's knuckles are so swollen I can't make a fist, and my right forearm has a wonderful indention of Vick's teeth that is bleeding pretty badly.  It's been over a week and it still looks pretty nasty.  I went in and washed it out and put a few band aids on it...but the blood kept soaking right through.  So for the rest of the night I kept a wad of paper towels on it to soak up the blood.  When I went to bed that night I put a few band aids on it and then wrapped my forearm with paper towels all secured by Scotch tape...hahaha.  Yeah, a field dressing.  I woke up the next morning with the paper towels coated in blood but at least my sheets didn't get any on them.  The problem was every time I would rotate my wrist, the cut would open again.  Oh, and my forearm was swollen pretty bad as well.  I honestly wondered if any bones were cracked.  Well it's a week later, I have this nasty scar/scab on my forearm...my knuckles are still a little swollen, and it still hurts if I put pressure on my forearm.  I know nothing is broken....it's just a deep bruise.  And guess what...ever since their little tussle, they have been getting along great.  Any time Vick goes up to her and gets aggressive, she drops on her back and shows him her belly which is a sign of submission.  The pecking order has been set, and I guess it was needed.  Vick knows I'm the boss...especially after I knocked the crap out of him after the fight.  Oh and don't even tell me "you should never hit a dog".  Trust me, it works.  Now when Vick starts to seem aggressive with Jessi all I have to do is go "VICK!" and he stops.  It's funny that I could put that much fear into a dog that could rip my throat out if he wanted to...hahaha.  You just have to let them know who's in charge and they respect it.  Hey I don't like having to grab him and pop him on the nose when he gets way out of line, but it works.  And for anyone who is thinking "oh that is so cruel...how could you do that???" then come right on over and see if talking nice to a 110 pound German Shepherd teaches him anything.  And I can guarantee you I love him as much as any "you should only use positive reinforcement" type people.  Vick is my buddy and I love him to death, but sometimes he needs to know right from wrong.  Anyway, him and Jessi are getting along great now.  I looked out the window the other night into the backyard and they were just laying in the grass together chewing on a couple of rawhide bones.  I'm really glad I got Jessi, she's a good playmate for Vick.  Plus she's a really cool dog.  And I can tell she really adores him now.  Anywhere in the yard he goes, she follows.  Anything he grabs as far as toys go, she wants.  It's fun watching how they act with each other.  Oh, and the funniest was when my neighbor's dogs came running up to the fence to bark at her since she's new.  Vick ran right up there and started putting on a show, and then Jessi ran up and chimed in.  Guess what...the other dogs retreated.  Oh yeah.

That's what I love about my dogs, they seem fearless.  They are definitely old-school.  I say that because of all the sissies out there nowadays.  Growing up I always thought my dad was a hard-ass.  I always wondered why he would act the way he did or discipline me the way he did, and now I understand completely.  Actually I learned the "why" many years ago, but it's so obvious now to me when I see the world around me.  Now I am not saying my dad beat me or abused me or anything close to it at all...he's a guy who would see things in black and white, right and wrong and not listen to my bs about why I did something.  Growing up I always would think "he doesn't understand...he's being too hard on me...blah blah blah" and all that crybaby crap.  But it's like Glenn Beck has stated before (he's got a great radio show if you have never heard...you should check it out).  Beck said one time that dad's need to quit trying to act like they're their kids' friends and be dads...the friendship will come later.  Me and my dad butted heads many times growing up, but over the last decade or so we just enjoy hanging out together.  It took a while, but I can't tell you how much I appreciate what my dad instilled in me through my teenage years.  Now I look forward to Saturdays during the Fall where I drive out to my parents' house to watch the Georgia games with him.  And one thing he really taught me through example was never be afraid to say how you feel about something.  Serious, if I ask my dad a question about an issue or current event he'll answer in a VERY black and white way and make no apologies for it.  Let me put it this way.  I'll never forget in the late 1970's when John Spenkilink (I have no clue if that's spelled right) was executed.  It was the first execution done since the Supreme Court overturned the whole death penalty and whether it was ok to do it and blah blah blah.  Anyway, some news show was on covering it and a group of protesters were at the prison chanting "execution is murder too!" over and over.  I turned to my dad and said "Isn't executing someone murder?" and he said "ok...let's say you came home one day and me and your mom had been cut up into little pieces by some madman...wouldn't you want to see them executed?" and I said "yes"...he goes "so how can you call killing that person murder?" and I understood exactly what he meant.  On another note, I'll never forget watching Monday Night Football the time Joe Theismann had his leg broken by Lawrence Taylor.  When that happened our phone rang.  My dad answered and this is what I remember hearing - "Yeah, I'm watching it...well it serves him right for cheating on his wife".  I can't express enough how appreciative of what my dad instilled in me.  Never be afraid to take a stand for what's right even if you're made fun of.  Never be afraid to say the right thing even if others may call you intolerant.  Never be afraid to express opinions in black and white, right and wrong.  I don't even call my dad old fashioned...I call him old school...the way things SHOULD be.  I'm extremely thankful I learned what I did growing up.  Plus, at times he sounds like James Earl Jones so you could imagine what it was like as a kid being yelled at by Darth Vader...hahaha.  Real men are such a dying breed, they really are.  I read an interview with James Woods the other day and he stated that American men are becoming sissies so it's no wonder that all the really great action films have some Australian guy playing the lead role.  Now this doesn't mean that "real men" go around picking fights because there's enough rednecks to do that, but it's the guys who just act like men that are so lacking as examples today.  I'm a man who loves football, boxing, heavy metal, and am very thoughtful when I need to be...and I love it.  I hearken back to the movie "Summer School" where Mark Harmon is talking to his German Shepherd and says "we need to find a woman who appreciates what we have to offer".

Did anyone listen to WLAC 1510 AM this past Thursday?  Well I was on Kevin Wall's morning show, and I loved it.  Why?  Because it gave me a forum to talk about me and why I think Harold Ford and Bob Corker are complete political hacks.  My favorite question was when I was asked if I would drop out of the Senate race if it looked like I would take enough voted away from Bob Corker to give Harold Ford the win.  My answer?  I said there was no way I would drop out because if Ford or Corker won, it wouldn't matter...no difference would be made regardless of who won.  I was asked what separates me from them on the issues and I stated that when it comes to illegal immigration they are both spineless and don't have the guts to really do what needs to be done.  Now this isn't some little backwoods radio show...this one goes all over middle Tennessee.  I have no problem saying how I feel about something and at the same time, calling someone out on their bs and explaining why they're wrong.  This is why I am trying SO hard to get on the statewide televised debate on October 28th.  I talked to the League of Women Voters head here in TN last week, and she asked for an email to show all of the things I have done on my campaign.  this would be forwarded to the committee who is deciding.  When I actually typed it up, I couldn't believe everything I've been able to do based on my message alone with NO funds coming in.  I've made several speeches across the state, been interviewed on MAJOR radio station across the state, all that.  I swear, I really think I'm going to write a book about what I've experienced and done in this election and how the two party system keeps this country in check...and in a bad way.  If you haven't already, please go to www.boforsenate.com and email the contact I have listed for the statewide debate and ask them to include me.

And finally, my Bulldogs are 4-0 and ATL is 2-0 over two VERY tough divisional opponents.  Life is going good sportsfans...it's going really well.  Until next time...