Barbara Mikulski's reply (SOPA / PIPA Bills)

Dear Mr. Karabetis:
 
Knowing of your recent interest in the PROTECT IP Act (S. 938), I am writing to update you on the status of this bill.

I am happy that the Senate will not vote on this bill in the coming days.  While illegal downloading of movies, TV shows and music is a serious issue, the solution can't be worse than the problem.  Any efforts to strengthen the protection of copyrighted materials must be well planned, avoid unintended consequences, and must not stifle free speech or innovation.

I will not vote for the PROTECT IP Act in its current form. I believe in the Constitution and free speech.  Congress needs to go back to the drawing board to fix the problems with the bill.

Knowing of your views is helpful to me, and I will keep them in mind as Congress continues to debate this issue.

Thanks once again for writing.  Please let me know if I can be of assistance in the future.

Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski 
United States Senator

Know You

Only in your embrace can it be,
the night turns to day,
the pain dulls away.

By your kiss, I quake,
blissfully numb,
to you I succumb.

I wish, oh I wish,
to know you.

In starry dreams we speak,
on pillowy clouds we dance,
cheek to cheek.

Perhaps one day we’ll meet,
and dance.
and speak.

Perhaps one day,
I’ll know you.

Out of Good Material

Lately, it's been difficult to express the way I feel. Perhaps it's some sort of blockage psychologists and Harvard brains have already labeled. No, not "writer's block." We're talking a strong mental congestion. Almost debilitating. Maybe it's my mind's natural way of saying, "Hey. Fuckface. Take you, the dog and me (your brain) and head to the beach."

Maybe it would be a good time to take a breather. UGH! So anyway, my brain's been repeating thoughts for the past couple weeks... In no particular order, here we go: 

Manoli's List of Scattered Thoughts

• I love boobs. They're fantastic. I'm a boob man. Sequence of physical traits I notice when I meet a woman: Boobs. Eyes. Neck... everything else.
• Man! Life is bland, but I can't complain because I'm alive.
• Why's my mom dead? How did it happen so quickly? She didn't deserve to go so abruptly. I wish she could've been happier towards the end. I should've bought her an adult tricycle because she never rode a bike. It would've made her smile.
• I'm destined to be single, surrounded by fantastic family and friends when I die. Doesn't sound so bad does it?
• I hate cigarettes.
• Get off of the interstate if you're not from Maryland.
• Is this ever gonna mean anything?
• Will Kratos make it to 15?
• I have a lot to offer. No I don't. Yes I do. No I don't. Yes I do.... anywayyyyy.
• Why does nobody at work put anything back in its place? Am I the only one who cares about this place?
• I need to lighten up about work.
• I need to lighten up in general.
• I love movies.
• I wish I had a family.
• I'll be fine without a family.
• Stop being so scared.
• I don't understand why people like me so much.
• I'm a likeable guy.
• I need to shave.
• I feel blank. Can't feel anything. When did this happen?
• I miss my friend Bill.
• Gotta work out.
• When did everyone get so old and busy?
• Can't wait to leave this place.
• I need to go back to therapy.

This list goes on, but it would take pages and pages. Anywho, I'm off to bed.

Love you guys,
Manoli

Always In Our Thoughts

I struggled to wake up this morning. Actually, I struggled to keep from waking up. It was one of those mornings where you open your eyes about a half hour before the alarm is supposed to go off and you try an try to fall back asleep but keep waking up every 10 minutes. During these brief intermissions from reality, I would slip into a mini dream. I recall two of them, specifically.

In the first, I was with a beautiful girl and we were on a bus. We weren't going anywhere that I can recall, exactly, but we were staring into each others' eyes. It was interesting because it wasn't real and I was aware of that fact in the dream. Then, BAM! I'm back to reality. Looking at the clock one more time, I try to fall back into dreamland once more.

The second dream was completely unrelated to the first. I was shaving in the bathroom, and my mom was strolling through the hallway. I asked her if my beard looked alright. She quickly examined it and said it was okay. This dream wasn't lucid as was the first. If it was, I would've tried harder to keep it going. Since most of my readers are close friends, you all know mom passed away in April, 2010. So anyway, these subconscious visits are welcomed any time.

Now, while at work today, a return customer came in to put down a payment on a large piece. Rob came out to greet him and asked him how his wife was. Guy replies with, "I lost her." Now, I kept my mouth shut. It wasn't clear if he was joking or if he meant what I thought he meant. But after a couple minutes of explanation, it turns out his wife was battling cancer for a long while and finally passed. As best as he could, he held his composure through the conversation, which included a very interesting detail; he mentioned he was expecting a visit from her soon. His background as a Christian leads him to believe that his late spouse will pay him a visit, somehow, within 40 days of her passing. This meant anything from a ghostly presence, voice, dream, etc.

Now, I'm not much for religion, but losing someone that close to you is not easy to deal with, so I was hoping in my heart that he would receive his wish. It's comforting to see someone who's no longer here for just a moment in time, even though the glimpse is fleeting.

When people are here, we sometimes accept their presence as infinite. Sad thing is, it's not. I wanted to tell the man that I saw my mom in a dream this morning, but didn't know how awkward the conversation would be, or if it would be any help to him to hear that from a stranger. Anyway, if you have people in your life that you love, let them know more often than not. It just makes sense.

Love,
Manoli

Things That Irritate Me

Lindt & Sprüngli Replied to My Dislike Mail

Hello Internets,

As you may know, I'm appalled by Lindt's recent decision to change their perfect 70% Intense Dark chocolate recipe. It's lacking where the original shined. It's sweeter and dumbed down for the masses. I have to find another brand. If you haven't read my letter to Lindt from May 3, click on the link below:

Dislike Mail to Lindt & Sprüngli Chocolatier

I was surprised to find an envelope in my mailbox so quickly, but was disappointed in the inevitable reply. My scanner doesn't work with my version of windows, so an iPhone pic will have to suffice. Click on the picture below to enlarge.

They were very cordial and the letter was actually signed by a human. But notice a few subtleties, including

1. My name is spelled wrong twice... Three times, technically, because it's on the envelope as well.
2. Apparently, people want their dark chocolate to be less bitter. "Based on consumer results, the new recipe is preferred due to the smoother, less bitter taste." Excuse my frankness, but are you fucking kidding me?! I want my dark chocolate to be exactly that... DARK! This speaks volumes of Lindt and Sprüngli's integrity as a company. Hershey's has been making their signature chocolate bar since 1894. That's 117 years! It's the same damn bar we've been eating since childhood. And if you've been stricken with the unfortunate curse of being 117 years old, you can still find solace in the fact that your favorite candy bar is just a hop, skip and jump.... oh who am I kidding? It'll take someone that old 45 minutes to walk two city blocks to get chocolate from a convenience store... Number 3!!!
3. They sent me a coupon to buy more of their stupid chocolate. But in order to receive a free bar, I have to buy another one of their dumb chocolate bars. They recommended I try their other bars, including 85% and 90%. They assumed that I haven't already. It's been a trial over years and years trying to find the chocolate that makes me melt. It's the closest thing to sex any human can find. Not really, but it adds a dramatic tone.

So, thank you L&S for your stealthy reply and the beautiful coupon. But know this: I am waiting for that day when I open my front door to find a giant 70% Intense Dark Bar with that red satin ribbon wrapped tightly around the corners.

Love,
Manoli

HIIT Made Simple with "Seconds Interval Timer"

So you like to weight train, but you need to incorporate some cardio to burn some extra fat. Like most "weight lifters" or whatever you wanna call us types, I do not want to waste 40 minutes of my day on a treadmill. I need an intense burn. Give me something that will feel excruciatingly painful for a fraction of the time and give me the same result. Here's the answer:

HIIT - High-Intensity Interval Training

Anyone who has tried programs like Beachbody's Insanity understands the feeling. You burn calories, increase your endurance, annnnnd thennnn you pretty much pass out. It's very rewarding in its own right. Click on the link above to get a deeper understanding of how HIIT works.

Now, say you know the ins and outs already. Here are a couple scenarios:

1. You are tired of popping in that DVD.
2. You want to create your own HIIT workouts from scratch.
3. You're out of town and a DVD player isn't an option.
4. You hate treadmills and elliptical machines.
   

Here's one solution for anyone with an iPhone. It's an app called "Seconds." With it, you can customize your workouts in timed increments so you don't have to stop or reset a stopwatch or other timer. At 3 seconds before the next interval, you will get 3 beeps per second, then a long beep that signifies it's time to switch up. Very simple, right? Here's how it looks:

The app is very simple. Customizing workouts is fairly easy and self-explanatory, but it'll take some getting used to. I get a lot of use out of it, mostly every day, so check it out if you want to start making your own workouts. Oh, and you can play your music while working out... an added bonus.

Love,
Manoli

This hurts!

So I'm working out again, but trying to consolidate a couple workouts. It can get really irritating working on 1 or 2 muscles for 45 minutes. So here's an answer for that. I took 2 P90-X workouts (Chest & Back and Legs & Back) and combined them into 1 back-breaker. It's an Excel File, so most of you should be able to read it. I promise the link is safe!

Love,
Manoli

P.S. Enjoy!

Bizarre Dream Recap - Weird Level: 8

I was at an amusement park in the middle of the ocean. We were on a track that held about 6 boats side-by-side and god knows how many in a line. One minute into the ride, a giant blow-up pirate ship emerges from the water and shoots its canons. My boat falls off the track. I have to swim back to the track while holding my boat... In the middle of the ocean, mind you! Eventually, I'm back on track and get through the whole ride, which included caves and Easter eggs (no connection). The end of the ride leads back to a cruise ship where, for some reason, there is an exact replica of my gallery. My boss and his wife are there and I have a ton of orders to fill. So naturally I start working, when I'm interrupted by 5 teenage girls who proceed to get in a line and flash me. What the hell is going on?! Oh, and don't forget the KGB tattoo that I got at my old elementary school. I don't know what I ate last night.

Dislike Mail to Lindt & Sprüngli Chocolatier

Hello love,

I understand there are more pressing matters in this world than the way my dark chocolate tastes but I'm wondering, SERIOUSLY wondering, why you, Lindt & Sprüngli, Master Chocolatier have found it necessary to change the 70% Intense Dark recipe to the 70% Smooth Dark formula.

Let's start with taste:

1. The new recipe is inferior. I have tried countless flavors of dark chocolate over many years of my life and always came back to this single conclusion:

• Lindt 70% Intense Dark is the perfect combination of sweet and bitter. The texture is perfect. It melts in your mouth without the chalkiness other brands offer.
  

Onto Nutritional Value:

1. There are 30 more calories per 4 squares in the new recipe.
2. There are 2 more grams of fat per 4 squares in the new recipe.
3. There are 4 more grams of carbs per 4 squares in the new recipe.
   

I work out often and watch what I eat. This changes my routine around a little bit, which doesn't ruin my life, but it all boils down to this:

WHY?! Is it the economy? Are you mad at me, specifically? Is it because I forgot our anniversary? It couldn't be that because we don't HAVE an anniversary! I miss my Intense Dark bars. Please put them back on the shelves. My 2 squares a day are what keep me sane in my health-food lifestyle.

Now understand, I'm not mad at you. I'll always love you, Lindt, so can't we work this out?

Yours always,
Emmanuel Z. Karabetis