NaBloPoMo Day 2: Your Passion

When you’re in love with a beautiful woman… you watch your friends…

A photo posted by Jason Edwards (@bukkhead) on

I’m 43. I don’t know if I have any passions. Or if I do, I have lots of little ones. Beer is one. I really like beer. Am an I alcoholic? Well, I’m certainly trying to be one. It’s tough though… I like beer, but I can’t drink it every day. Maybe one or two a week. Of course there’s Tuesdays, when I hang out with friends at a bar. I can manage two beers then, usually.

We sit at a table and they order food (I usually cook something with the wife before I give her a night to herself in the house) and we talk about the stupidest things. And we laugh. The waitstaff know us. We’re good tippers. The owner knows us. He bring exotic beer samples.

I tend towards the Pale Ales, although I’ll down an IPA if I’m in the mood. I used to be strictly Lagers and Pilsners, but too few breweries get them right. But the ones that do? I’ll have three or four, please! Often I’ll go with a Brown Ale, and if I’m hanging with an enthusiast, I’ll share a Porter or a Stout. I even know how to drink sours and saisons: let ’em get warm.

I like beer after a long run (or a short run, I won’t lie). While the ball game’s on the radio and I’m burning something on the grill. In between mowing the front yard and the backyard. A beer during Christmas dinner is nice. My wife and I like to vacation in tropical places, and a tall frosty glass in a little place with a deck by the beach… it can make up for a whole year of heart ache.

Can’t really drink beer when I’m playing video games (I forget and the beer gets warm) or when I’m reading a book (I got idle hands and I drink the darn thing too fast) or if I’m at the computer doing some writing (I’ll lose my train of through If I get dragged to the bathroom too often). So, beer’s not my only passion.

But it’s one of them. And it’s Mariners at Astros in 10 minutes. Perfect timing!

Selfie (And Let’s Get Started with NaBloPoMo)

Can you believe I had these #SanDiego sunglasses for 5 days before I thought to #selfie them?

A photo posted by Jason Edwards (@bukkhead) on

Here’s why I like selfies: they’re spontaneous. A person has a camera and wants to take a picture. They decide to take a picture of themselves. I say, psychologically, the order here is important, as the desire to take a photo happened first.

Go ahead and tell me I’m wrong, if you want. But it’s true for me, which is why, technically, yes, I like taking selfies. Cause I like taking pictures. Selfies also keep me from relying on just my DSLR for all of my photo urges. “The best camera is the one you have with you.” I always have my cell phone with me.

And I’m always with me, so there’s never a good reason to not take a photo.

I think some people think selfies are shallow, but I don’t think they are. I suppose one could say that so much-self regard is conceited… but I think selfies have the potential to be more mindful than that. And so what, if the ultimate point is to share? Well, maybe that’s conceited too… but let’s step away from being judgmental, and look at selfies for what they are: fun.

My number one rule is: don’t make a person feel bad for liking something. Which is why I get a little defensive when people bash folks for doing what they like. Go ahead, take selfies. Use a selfie stick if you want! Share your selfie on Instagram and Flickr and Tumblr and Facebook and Twitter. Frankly, rather than all the negativity and nonsense in the world right now, I’d prefer to see your face.

And mine 🙂