Wednesday, October 6, 2010

GIVING A COUPLE OF BROTHERS A BREAK

MIKE AND RICK

Watching his interview with Pam Oliver last Sunday with Pam Oliver, Michael Vick changed my mind about him as a person.  He had to sit in jail for three years... last night I had a conversation with a cat about a recent stint in the pokey for the weekend.  I topped his story with my summer vacay where I spent 3 weeks as the guest of Guilford County on a mistaken identity (too long, you say?  matter of course, say the member of a marginalized segement of society) issue. 

I watched the edited interview on the pre-game show and just watched the long version of the interview (so I could post it here) and the humility and maturity can be heard in the timbre of his voice.  His words are well chosen and he seems to have come to grips with knowing that people won't be able to forgive him and I like that he won't let that keep him from being a part of the solution as well as working to show he is a changed person.

He straight up claims his earlier arrogance as a player with the Atlanta Falcons and expresses regret for not giving the best Michael Vick he could be.  Also, the way he holds his head and the look on his face makes me think if he isn't sincere today, he was on the day of his interview.

"Make the most of it. And..  I can't look back. It's all positive from here... I only envision myself doing goo things, that's all I can see." -Michael Vick (or thereabouts!)

Not that I am going to go all Carl Lightman on you with Vick, but I think that I had (and prolly will have to) put forward the same kind of personage as Mike does in this interview, as he more than likely have to do on occasion if not for the rest of his life.  The one where I am humble and sincere about being repentant... as well as actually BEING these things.  Like I said, my thing with Mike Vick was that I didn't like his style.  Since he has grown as a person, he style has grown as well, who knows?

The few times I have watched Rick Sanchez, I had thought that he 'Peter Principled' his way to his anchor chair and finally reached his end with his rant about one of, if not the, biggest thorn in his side, Jon Stewart.  Now, before anyone gets to eye-rolling about this, one of the things about being a minority in this country or anywhere for that matter, is lack of access and socio-political power.  I wonder how many times when people see the numbers on poverty, do they ever think of the number of Jews that may be among those numbers?  The unemployed??  I could go on, but I think you get the message.  If anything, that community is seen as everyone's go-to for all things professional with a secondary degree.  In short, there is a resentment among even others on the margins of Jewish people.  I am not agreeing with him in no way shape or form, but having read his apology and the statement by his wife, I am saying that I understand why that may have escaped him.

For me, I saw it in the context of my fractured relationships with my sisters... and how you can DEFINITELY catch me at a time where a word or a memory would bring a sudden tirade about all things foul about women.  Meanwhile, the listner would be like WTF? Perhaps I was tired or found out someone ate my last Astoria cookie.  I don't know, but that part I definitely got.  Do I still think that he achieved beyond his level, like some of the tea bag women of note?  Sure do!  But all I am doing with him is saying that I understand his frustration.  No matter how hard you rock, the girls all flock to Jon Bon Jovi!!  Rick was prolly worn down by the fact his ratings were slipping, other cats were better than he was, and a competitor was killing him with his jokes and in the ratings.  So a gear slipped and he was on national air when it did.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH LOVEBABZ CHALLENGE?

When I get to think outside of the box of my life, I don't know a personally better sign of my emotional stability and mental health.  Last night on Facebook I made a couple of statements in an aside conversation to a post about 'rational agents' and such.  Back in the AOL Journal days, whenever I would give a long dissertation in my comment (a.k.a, 'therapy through commenting), it would be because I could make connections in my mind to other thoughts and access areas of knowledge that I had not used because there was really no need for me to think about those things.  Last night was, though, and I really enjoyed having the lights come on and the CPU whirring.  I left a last comment, but the cat had prolly gone to bed, which was good for me.  I don't know how many more were in my mental 'clip', and may have shot what I had on me!

So for me, along with my last post, were signs that I am feeling good and looking towards my future.  And it is right upon us, is it not?  Dag!!

6 comments:

betty said...

love that you are feeling good about yourself and your future, Mark; I know it was a dark time before for you and I'm glad to see that lifting!!

I was on another blog where the blogger referred to Michael Vick as "once a monster always a monster". I had to disagree. He did what he had to do to restore himself, jail, probation, etc. Granted dogs suffered because of his stupidity and perhaps arrogance, but I think he can repent and turn away from what he was and move on to make himself a better person. Son has broken the law a few times, does that make him always a law breaker? of course not, incredibly stupid, but he can get it "together" and grow and learn. I like to think Michael Vick can do the same

betty

Świat dobrej książki said...

Interesting... I greet.

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

Its a beautiful thing to be intentional about your happiness and mental health.

I hear Johnny Nash... I can see clearly now...

Toon said...

Vick does not get my forgiveness. When you are that cruel to animals, you no longer qualify as a human.

Sarcastic Bastard said...

I will give Micheal Vick another chance, since you make a good argument for the fact that he may well deserve one. Well said, Mark.

I hope all is well with you.

SB

laurenne said...

HI!
You are the best commenter. Had me in tears yesterday, as David Sedaris is my IDOL! Thank you so much. (Now my mom's going to be even more all over me about you!)

On this topic, I agree with you. I think our society reacts too jerk-kneed for me. We need to be more understanding. So the guy said something bad. We all do at times on accident. Whatever. No need to fire him. And 3 years for Vick!!? I didn't realize that.
Maybe I'm too much of a softy, but that's a long time.
I want to hear more about your 3 weeks! That's got huge blog potential. Tell us! Tell us!