Running is life

Running is the best therapy a person can want. A dose of medicine for what ails you. Over the last six plus years I have experienced the full range of F you's that life can throw at a person. From my wife passing away and leaving me a solo parent of a year old baby to my mom's painful and terminal battle with cancer last year, I have been through the emotional ringer. You learn some serious life lessons through those kinds of ordeals. It challenges you in ways you are unfamiliar with. As life is want to do, there have been some high points. I have traveled and seen many wonderful places and met many wonderful new people. I have watched my son grow up in front of my eyes into a wonderful kid. The light of my life as it turns out. No matter what good or bad things may have been thrust in my path, one constant has been running. It helps center me and give me hope that its going to be just fine. Keep moving forward, one foot in front of the other.

Running has given me something over these last six plus years that I haven't found anywhere else. A happy place. It took me a while to figure that out. I started out as a mile guy. One mile for 10 minutes. Sometimes longer than that. The distance and time didn't matter though. I was out there. In the rain, the snow, the cold, the heat - I did not care. I wasn't even really sure why I started to run initially. It eventually became about being a better father through improved health and fitness. But at first I think it was just to release some of the pent up anger and sadness I had in me. Running was the only thing that seemed to work. It made me feel good for 10-12 minutes. It was all I had. But the one thing I didn't count on was the self- confidence. It made me feel good about myself again.

Flash forward to today. I run five days a week. I generally run anywhere from 4 to 10 miles. I work on pace and hill repeats and breathing. I own multiple pairs of running shoes. I have a wall devoted to running bibs and medals. However, the joy of running is still about the time spent pounding pavement or navigating trails. My happy place. The one part of my day where I feel in control and alive. It doesn't even have to be a good run. Some of them aren't. It is never about the result. It's the act. The joy of one foot in front of the other. The simplest of things. The motion of living. Always moving forward and never looking back. There is something good about the simplicity of it. Mind resolute, sweat pouring, wind at my back or in my face - I run to be alive.

It has occurred to me that the very nature of running is the perfect metaphor for life. The very act of taking that next step is the struggle we all experience every day. Sometimes those steps come easy and free. We want to take those steps. They are joy. Other times it takes everything you have in you to take that next step. Its painful and agonizing. No matter how it feels though, you do it and when you do there is a sense of accomplishment. A sense that you broke through a barrier. You can do anything. There is no other feeling like it.

I ran a marathon in October of 2014. It was my first and to date my only marathon. I picked it as a goal in March of 2014 based on my desire to do something outrageous and running 26.2 miles fit the bill. I don't know if I truly believed I could do it. At that time I hadn't even run my original running goal of 10 miles. I had no idea how to even train for something like a marathon. All I knew was that I had a girlfriend who loved running and was training for it with me, so at least I wasn't doing it alone. The training went really well early on. I crushed my first 10 mile race, then a half-marathon, then another half-marathon. I got faster and faster and my confidence level spiked. I felt great. After my second half marathon, roughly a month before the marathon, I started to feel my IT band complaining about the mileage. Being a rookie at this, I ignored it. I was one month away from my goal. Just push through I told myself. The IT band issue got worse. No surprise right? I had to start my taper two weeks out, just hoping it would heal enough for the race. It didn't. So I ran the race of my life at less than 100%. 26.2 miles of pain every time my foot hit the pavement. I could look at this as just a painful experience - however, that race taught me as much about myself as anything else I have ever done. I summoned the strength and willpower from somewhere deep inside me to put one foot in front of other and just GO! I experienced the full gamut of emotions while running. It took everything. Crossing that finish line was one of the defining moments of my life. I felt alive. Through the pain and the sweat and the tears I accomplished something I would never have dreamed of before I began this journey. The hugs of congratulations and love that waited for me beyond the runners pen vindicated all of the hard work and hours of  training spent preparing for this moment. Isn't that what life is about? You set goals, you work towards those goals, you have people who support you and love through all of the good and bad, and when you are finished you feel a sense of accomplishment.

I plan to continue running. I don't know if I ever will stop. Running is just part of my life. It weaves its way through my days and no matter what else is going on in my life is there for me when I need it. I always look forward to the next adventure on my feet. I encourage anyone who has not considered running as a means by which to better yourself to do so. Just set aside some time, lace up some athletic shoes, and go out and put one foot in front of the other. I bet you will return with something valuable.

Long Burner or Spark Chaser - How do you romantically relate?

From time to time I receive an email from medium.com for a blog article that really grabs my attention. My initial interest is usually based on the title or the picture that appears with the title and as a result, many times I end up reading something less than satisfying. On this morning I was grabbed. I clicked on the link and found myself reading through some thoughts of one Sara Michener, who is self-described as a feminist and spitfire in her profile. Interesting for sure.  I have not previously read any of her posts on medium.com, but her thoughts on relationships struck me. I find them to be spot on.

Sara pushes the concept of knowing what kind of relationship you want. She defines two categories that one can fall into. In order to determine which category you fall into, the key is being honest about yourself based on your dating experience. This honesty thins is not as easy as it sounds. There are specific things that you need to analyze and accept about yourself. If you cannot do so, then Sara concludes that perhaps you should not be in a relationship at all.  I think being honest with yourself applies to a great many things in life, but for some reason many of us have a real problem with assessing what we want based on what has and hasn't worked. We tend to fall into the same traps over and over. Beware of peer pressure or societal norms that steer you one way or the other too as nobody is going to really know you the way you do. There are enough examples out there of people who live out their lives in terrible relationships pretending that they are happy. The goal is not to be one of those people.

So the two types of relationships Sara introduces in her post are called long-burner and spark-chaser. There is no in-between here so the honesty part discussed above plays a crucial role in making sure you pick the right one. A long-burner is essentially a monogamist at heart. This person is looking for a partner to traverse the journey of life with. The love factor of the relationship takes a back seat here. Its not that it isn't important, but a true long-burner realizes that the feeling of being "in love" will ebb and flow over time. The desire to have a companion is what drives you forward. I will add from my own experience that a long-burner must be able to weather the 'love droughts' as I like to call them. To focus on the aspects of the relationship that form the foundation and greet the return of love when it is ready to return. I have seen examples of relationships where people have placed all of their eggs into the basket of companionship and love frankly just doesn't play much of a role. Perhaps it did at some point. We are talking about the fiery intense kind of love that one expects to feel in a committed relationship. It seems weird to say but this kind of relationship is okay, because of the misplaced notions of the importance of romantic love in long term relationships. I believe that this kind of relationship is more frequently the case then the ones who have survived decades in the sublime grip of romantic love. That kind of love is not for everyone as Sara points out.

So what are the factors that make someone want to be a long-burner? Well they can be as fundamental as a sense of family, a desire of belonging, a need to care for others and a recognized importance on companionship. These are the kinds of feelings that take time to develop and as you do, the partners will come to rely on them more and more. Sara believes that this does not mean romance and concepts of love should not be fostered. I agree. In fact, those concepts are still key to making a relationship last or at least fun. They just don't need to be there all the time and take center stage. If you are seeking the love excitement akin to what it feels like when you first start dating, then you are more likely in the second category.

A spark-chaser is someone that wants that Everly Brothers loving feeling each and every day. They seek the euphoric joy of the first kiss, first orgasm, first I love you and value that over any sense of companionship or care-giving. To me this is what I call young love. This is what young people feel when they first start dating, before they know any other aspect of a real relationship. This can also be described as polyamory. Basically, you value the short term feelings of romance and are willing to end relationships with people to seek it out with new partners. Sara's primary thoughts about this form of relationship is that the involved people need to be up front about what they want. These relationships can last six months, one year, several years. It all depends on how long that feeling of love is strong. I have a friend or two who definitely fall into this category and both of them got there by trying to be a long-burner first and coming to the realization that they just don't have the emotional wellspring to make it work. They both seem much better off for their decisions now. This commentary is not meant to be a determination of value. Both categories have their pros and cons. It is more important that those of that seek out relationships with others determine which one we fall into so we are not deceiving ourselves and partners.

The most compelling aspect of Sara's blog to me is the part where she discusses ending a relationship. She talks about those people who use the rationale that they just aren't in love any longer. They are not "feeling it" anymore. To use her words,

"Certainly, there are other reasons to end a relationship that are perfectly valid. But if you’re ending it because you’re not feeling it anymore, you never felt the desire for monogamy as it actually exists in the first place. Figure out who you are, what you want, and be that. The only people who can have both are those few who are very, very good at polyamory."

I think anyone who has had those words said to them can relate to the feelings of anger and hurt that often go along with them. It feels like a cop out - like the person saying the words just doesn't know what else to say. What it means is that they weren't being honest with themselves and you. That is a difficult form of betrayal to get over. Sara would like for people to decide what they want out of relationship and be honest about it. She writes her blog as if this is a very cut and dry decision. I am of the mind that emotions and feelings of the romantic nature are not cut and dry by their very nature. I believe this choice can really only be made after years of dating and finding yourself. Perhaps the answer is to start out as poly and move towards monogamy if that constant turnover of romantic partners gets old. It can be hard to really know yourself when it comes to love and typically the best learning experiences come from the relationships that hurt the most. The key will be to know the difference and act on it.

To add on to Sara's thoughts, I have learned to believe in the concept that love is a feeling of want and not need. I know that conceptually love is portrayed in stories about a life or death kind of thing. However, I think in most cases that is not the case. Love is a strong desire for someone. It is the want of something intangible that you can't quite put into words or express materially. I can understand why people get confused and mistake it for need. It feels like a need at times. If your love goes unrequieted, you feel as if you will cease to exist. Of course physically, this isn't true. I do think a particularly difficult ending to a relationship can change a person - make them a shell of their former self. It is not the end though and for most another will come along to replace the feelings that were lost. Regardless of whether you fall into the category of a long-burner or a spark-chaser, it is best to realize the importance of love as a want and not a need. I think it will influence the actions you take in your relationship to a degree that will make a difference for the better.

Please take the time to read Sara's blog. She does a great job of distinguishing the categories and presenting a strong argument for both. She doesn't pretend one is better than the other, but makes it clear that you are better off knowing which one you belong in. I hope you find it as helpful as I did.

DC Coffee Express - La Colombe

Haha! I am back and totally caffeinated to the brain box. I ventured back into our nation's capital to find more coffee goodness yesterday and this time I chose La Colombe as my watering hole of the week. Programming note: I plan to reduce my coffee house visits to once per week. With school starting back for my son, I likely won't be making it into the city quite as often. Boooo. I am sad about this, but the facts are the facts.

Alright back to our regularly scheduled programming. La Colombe has a couple of locations in DC and I chose the 6th Street location as it was close to a scheduled lunch date in the City Center. For whatever reason, traffic that day was not just bad, but epicly bad. No seeming reason other than the usual people suck at driving and there are hundreds of cars on the same roads going to the same place at the same time. From a location stand point though, La Colombe is just down the street from the Verizon Center and Chinatown. It is walking distance to City Center and Gallery Place. So there are lots of options for fun nearby once you get your caffeine fix.

Ambiance

See! Bricks!

The facility is brick. Lots of brick. I kind of liked it. I went to a university that had brick court yards, buildings, fountain and walk ways so for me it felt a little like college (what I remember of it anyways). However, if you prefer more modern design to the more rustic brick structures then by all means go somewhere else. It has a clean and simple design that was visually appealing for me. The space is open when you walk in with the coffee bar directly in front. I was greeted warmly and quickly by the barista. The seating inside is nothing to shout about, but certainly serviceable for sitting down to get some work or reading in.
There was a very small upstairs, but it only fits a couple of people at the same table. Its kind of a cool area if you find it available. My one complaint was how cold it was inside. I mean they keep the temperature inside like a meat locker. Very refreshing when you first walk in from the heat, but after about 20 minutes you need a parka or to be a penguin. Perhaps that was just an anomaly. Note to restaurants: Temperature control is very important. The music was very upbeat featuring all kinds of rock n' roll. This was the first coffee place that played primarily this genre of music and it I LOVED it. The music was a little loud however, and at one point when it was more crowded the noise factor definitely inhibited being able to work. Fortunately this was the case only for about 30 minutes or so, and before and after this point the noise levels were fine. In all, there is a comfort factor that works. I spent two very enjoyable hours inside and enjoyed the experience.

Rating: 4.5 (only because of noise level and the AC being on permafrost)

Coffee

La Colombe features many of the same options you will find in other coffee spots in DC. They have pour overs, red eyes, cold brew to include draft lattes! I had not seen that before, but I am not much of a latte drinker so I skipped it. I noticed that many customers were ordering the drink on a hot day, so it must have some redeeming value. I decided to order a Kenyan pour over.  I am a sucker for a good pour over evidently. It featured a smooth finish with fruity overtones. There was no bitterness. It came served in a ceramic mug with interesting art work befitting of the African origin of the roast. For $6 it was a little over priced, but I am not going to deny the deliciousness. I also tried a cortado for $3. It had nice presentation in a clear glass cup, as it should be. It was not as sweet as other cortados (i.e. The Royal), but it featured a smooth and balanced flavor profile with a hint of creaminess.

Rating: 5

Kenyan Pour Over

Cortado

Food

I did not try any food, but what I saw was pretty standard pastry fare. Again, not sure why more coffee houses do not focus more on the food side of things. I won't beat that dead horse again.

Rating: NA

Overall

I thoroughly enjoyed La Colombe. From the location to the architecture and set up and definitely the coffee it is a winner. Only a couple of minor complaints about noise levels and the AC being a bit too cranked up put a blemish on the experience. To me this is primarily a coffee joint. I didn't see many folks eating and there really is nothing but carbohydrate bombs to be bought anyhow. The coffee is really good though. If you like lattes you will have to try the draft latte and let me know how it is in the comments. It would be wasted money for me to even try it. I would put this up against most coffee houses I have visited so far in terms of overall quality. Do check it out, won't you?

Final Rating: 4

Just another piece of internet dating advice...

Dating is one of those mysteries of life for most guys. Even those that claim to have it figured out have a tough time explaining it to the rest of the masses in a way that makes any sense. However, most men you talk to will tell you that they look forward to spending an evening with a beautiful lady. There is something just undeniable about attraction. When a date goes well and there is that connection through finding some common ground and laughing, you just feel euphoric. There is nothing quite like it. Getting the dating thing right can be tricky though. Even where those first few dates go really well, maintaining that momentum and keeping a relationship healthy is difficult at best. The nice thing is that the internet is ripe with "experts" to help you out. Right? Yea, right.

I recently found one such article where the author Abbie Kopf offers some pretty simple advice on dating. I know. You will believe it when you read it. Well do it. Read it. I think you will find that the advice will strike you as being honest and true in a way that might actually be helpful the next time you are trying to figure out if someone is being real or not. So let me break it down, because its pretty freaking simple. Her advice is that "if a person is into you they will find a way to be with you. No exceptions." Just think about that for a second. It seems like a no brainer, but how often do you find that someone is playing mystery games and you get can't get enough or you are pining after someone that just doesn't show any interest? It happens all the time. Sure sometimes a person playing hard to get is intriguing, but eventually it gets old and frustrating. Sometimes you just have to know when to say enough is enough. Not only is it simple, but it applies to all kinds of relationships. Whether you are hetero or gay, woman or man, young or old this piece of advice applies to you.

Let me give you a real example using my love life right now. My ex girlfriend moved out of our home five plus weeks ago. Since that time, I have literally done everything in my power to hold onto what I lost. If she took the time to look, it would be easy for her to see that I am still fully engaged and trying. However, the result of my efforts have simply been frustration, anger, and dejection. My ex has told me over and over that she just wants to live her life. That she doesn't regret her decision. All the signs point to me being put on the back-burner of her life. The problem is that I have not been listening. In my mind I keep thinking she still loves me and maybe just maybe we can work things out. It certainly seems reasonable. However, I have come to the realization recently that the article is right. She has zero interest in going back to the way things were. Yes, we have seen each other. Yes, we have even gone on a couple of dates, without calling them that of course. However, I have had to initiate almost every interaction. My ex has yet to ask me to do one thing with her. If my ex wanted to be with me, she would. Plain and simple. I of course recognize this example is based on an extreme situation where the relationship has run its course. Obviously, there are more subtle situations not involving a break up, but perhaps more about indecisiveness. That is certainly a trickier spot.

I think for most people who are dating this advice would be good to at least consider. Does the other person exhibit the signs that they want to spend time with you? I find that when I am into someone I will do almost anything to make time. I will go without sleeping, eating, give up personal activities to be with them, change plans in some cases, etc. When you see signs that these kind of efforts are not being made it may be time to cut the cord. Some caution needs to be exercised here. Look, life can be hectic. Things do not always work out the way you want them to work out despite best intentions. I don't think this advice can be looked at in purely a short term perspective. I mean everyone has tough weeks. So the bottom line is you have to evaluate these things in the broader context. Is the person your dating doing other things to show you their interest level is there when they can't physically be with you? Perhaps a phone call, Skype, a loving text, sending flowers or just a card to let you know they are thinking about you. There are a lot of ways that someone can make the effort to show you they are with you even when they are not. So don't be too quick to judge in all cases. You will have to use some common sense.

I don't know. It all seems so simple when you think it about it in these terms. If they want to be with you, they will find a way. I mean you really can't get any more cut and dry then that. If only these darn emotions wouldn't warp logic and keep us from thinking clearly. Ha, ain't love grand? Perhaps, the below article really has the answer. Give your woman an orgasm and she is yours forever. At least until someone else does.

Relationship advice is like opinions...

Cargo Pants - Should guys still be wearing them?

It is always fun to look back at old fashion styles from bygone eras. If for no other than reason to mock those that were unfortunate enough to have pictures of themselves wearing clothes from that bygone era. Fashion is one of those things that is cyclical in nature. We have seen many examples of that over time. From bell bottom jeans to skinny jeans and a host of shoe styles such as cowboy boots and wing tip dress shoes. The list can go on and on. However, there are certain fashions that probably should stay buried. Recently, I have noticed a national debate on Facebook started as a result of some articles on Inside Hook and the Wall Street Journal concerning the wearing of cargo style pants. I have somewhat strong feelings on this as I was a wearer of cargo shorts (not the long pants) back in the mid to late 90's and into the early 2000's. I loved wearing them, but even for me there came a time when that had to stop.

Lets frame the issue before we move into the analysis. Cargo pants have been around since the 1940's in one form or another and were originally made to fit a military need for more storage space that didn't involve a backpack or utility belt. Flash forward to the 1990's where teen retailers like Abercrombie and Fitch and Gap ignited a renewed sense of enthusiasm for the roomier and bulkier pants. This was primarily a style related passion for the most part, although one can make the argument that as cell phones became ubiquitous, a need for a larger pocket could be seen as a valid reason. Whatever the reasons that men started to buy them, this fad lasted well into the 2000's until about 2007 or so when the backlash in the fashion industry really started up.

The interesting thing I have learned from this debate is that cargo shorts sales declined for the first time in a decade over this past year! Hold the phone!! Seriously? How can that be? Do I see guys wearing cargo shorts still? I don't know if I have paid that close of attention. I live in an area where fashion is important to most and city life requires you to have at least some modicum of style to be accepted. So perhaps I am insulated from the areas where cargo shorts are still the norm. It is not outside the realm of possibility for those that still wear them to be clinging to a style that worked for them when younger. You see that in every generation. So this is not some new phenomenon. Guys tend to go with what they know in terms of fashion, even when what they know is so horribly out of date that they may as well wear a kick me sign on their back.

So the question is doctor, can a man wear cargo shorts/pants without the withering disapproving stares of people around them? Or perhaps a marriage ending ultimatum from their spouse? This issue has formed sides quickly and it is interesting to me how strongly people feel about this topic. Frankly, I had not thought about cargo shorts in a long time. I no longer own any. I am one of the believers that cargo shorts had their place and time in my life, but no longer. However, I can see the utility in wearing them when appropriate. So I guess I don't feel completely on one side or the other of the argument. Also it seems that today's cargo shorts are much more in line with current fashion trends. Gone are the big baggy style with the huge pockets. More current versions seem to be more slim and the pockets reasonable in size. In fact in a few examples the cargo style pockets just replace the in line pockets found in most shorts today. So its not like there is any extra storage capacity.

In my humble opinion, and by know means am I a fashion expert, but the only appropriate situation where cargo pants would be preferred is long walks where you may need easy access to certain items that you would normally carry around (keys, phone, wallet, sandwich) plus a few additional items related to your activity (bear spray, knife, cans of beer). This would include hiking, amusement park visits (especially with children which is why the need for beer is in play), and zombie apocalypse or some other world ending event where motorized transportation is no longer available. Other than that, there really is no NEED for which putting on cargo pants is acceptable. In fact, if you have any clothes that are older than 10 years in your current wardrobe cycle, you should probably get rid of them or store them in the attic until they come back into fashion. Even for a guy who is generally very fashion challenged, I understand the need to update my wardrobe every year with at least a few items of more current styling. I would not go out and buy cargo pants as part of the annual update.

Also, if you are single and ever hope to find a beautiful partner to live out your existence with, you should definitely not be wearing cargo pants. She will sense weakness and move in for the kill.

Look guys, I know. The shorts are comfortable, functional and are a better option than visiting the mall to find new shorts. However, do yourself a favor here and just put the cargo pants away. Go store them with all of the hiking gear that you always meant to use for hiking, but is actually collecting dust in the garage or attic. Furthermore, one can find many other options for carrying additional items that do not easily fit in your pockets. People have been walking around with backpacks for years. So lets leave the cargo pants in the 90's and move on to something far more serious, slim jeans! This advice could save your marriage.

Ice Tyrant goes to the movies - Suicide Squad 3D (UPDATED)

Seeing as this is my first movie review, I should likely lay out some ground rules. First, let me be quite honest and say that I don't go to many movies. Typically I will visit the movie theater only for bigger movies that I really want to see. The good news is that movie watching can be accomplished just as effectively (and more cheaply) at home. The experience is different, but not so much to impact my ability to review the film. Therefore I will review movies that I watch at home or in the theater. In order to keep the reviews concise and readable, I will review movies based on three factors that I consider to be critical to a movie's essence.

1) Story: Think plot. The what, where, why and how. Was it compelling? Did it tell a complete story? What was the intent of the story and did it accomplish its goal? The story being told through a cinematic experience is essential to determining whether it has any value. Without at least a coherent and interesting story line, most movies just do not matter. This is where the director and writers play the big role. Do they create a seamless storytelling experience?

2) Characters: In conjunction with a good story, the characters must have some appeal. They either need to be loved or hated or elicit some form of emotion from the viewers to matter. Also, the chemistry of the characters on screen is very meaningful. Do they fit in the puzzle in a way that facilitates the story being told? Each character generally serves a purpose and in some cases you may find that some of the characters do and other do not. How impacting are the performances by the actors portraying the characters? Have the characters been properly cast? Visual fit and appropriate verbal style can go a long way to making a character compelling or uninteresting.

3) Enjoy-ability: In the end, sometimes the sum of the pieces can be greater than the whole. When looked at by themselves, you may find the story or characters lacking yet you the movie was still enjoyable to watch. I call this the experience of the film. Special effects or cinematography can make up for deficiencies in other areas. This can be heightened by the type of film being watched, perhaps such as an animated film or action flick. This category is more about how you feel when you leave the theater or turn off the TV.

OK, with that out of the way, onto my first review.

_________________________________________________________________

SUICIDE SQUAD - 3D

This movie is flat out boring. Let me just get that out there right away. It has too many holes, and is a mess. Frankly all one has to do is look at the reviews to figure out that there are tons of flaws. The movie has been consistently crushed in critic reviews. Here, Here, Here, and Here. Now listen, I will be the first to tell you that critical reviews of movies that are based in the sci-fi or comic book genres are generally unreliable for the true fan of those genres. Critics tend to miss the mark as to what makes movies like these good. So I usually take bad reviews with a grain of salt. However, the reviews for Suicide Squad are so universally horrific that its hard to ignore them. I mean when you see comments written like, "Suicide Squad amounts to an all-out attack on the whole idea of entertainment", you quickly realize that this has the potential for being really bad. Another major concern is the PG-13 rating. This movie should be Rated R. Period. Think Deadpool. I have heard rumors that the original version shot by the director was a little darker and more mature in feel. Apparently the studio then got hold of it and edited it to a PG-13 rating to allow for a larger market audience. This may help explain why the film felt so dis-jointed. If true, SHAME on you Warner Bros. You shall reap what you sow.

Lets get into my review shall we?

Movie Facts:

Director: David Ayer

Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Ledo, Viola Davis among others.

Duration: 123 minutes

Story: Where to begin. The story of Suicide Squad is perhaps the worst part of the entire experience. It is all over the place. You feel somewhat confused, then ultimately bored by the end of the movie. Like you really don't care what happens. There is no sense of connection from scene to scene and it feels like the director is just slapping things together to make sure each character gets their moment in the sun. The comic book Suicide Squad brings together a D list ensemble of villains that appear throughout the DC comic universe in books like Batman, The Flash, Justice League, etc. However, none of the characters by themselves are really stars of the show. They just aren't meant to be that. The Joker, while an important character in the Suicide Squad universe, is really just an accompaniment to Harley Quinn. The Joker here is actually the best part of the movie for me, but that is primarily due to the very different style given to him by Jared Ledo. He is kind of side story though and ultimately not that important.

The plot revolves around the government's plan to create a secret team of meta-humans known as Task-Force X. They are assembled to combat the potential for other meta-humans going rogue and threatening the world. This all feeds off of the Batman v. Superman movie and the fears raised in that movie concerning Superman as an all powerful being. The weird thing here is that the ultimate enemy the Suicide Squad ends up fighting is a result of this government unit being unleashed from their maximum security prison. The Enchantress, aka June Moone, is mistakenly freed to wreck shop on the world through the rather standard trope that the government thinks they can control an all powerful being hell bent on world domination. Think again. The problem ends up being that The Enchantress just isn't that compelling of final boss character. Frankly, the fight between El Diablo and The Incubus is far more interesting than what happens between Suicide Squad and the Enchantress.

vs

The story feels contrived and far too lighthearted for a movie about a squad of serial killers trying to save the world. I think the director was going for something along the lines of Deadpool, but that is a totally different character and movie. They really are not similar in style or substance. The humor woven into the dialogue between the characters is just not very funny and adds nothing to the overall movie. The story here would have been better served in a darker more sadistic humor style. DC movies have been criticized for their lack of humor recently. However, you must remain true to the universe within which you are working. These characters can have moments, but I think the attempt was a little too on the nose and forced.

Characters: I want to love all of the characters in this movie. These are not characters that most casual fans of the DC universe will know much about. As a result these characters don't lend themselves to being central stars of a movie. They are villains that battle other DC universe super heroes. They often have one book or maybe a small series of books devoted to them as part of those larger comics. We have seen this before over on the Marvel side with Guardians of the Galaxy. That movie was successful because it did a good job of tying the characters together to make them compelling as a team. Suicide Squad is not as successful with doing this. The main issue here is that it always feels like each member is out for themselves, as suicidal maniacs tend to be, and where they have moments of camaraderie it feels forced and weird.

I really want to like Deadshot. He is the de facto leader of the Suicide Squad, but Will Smith just doesn't get me there. Deadshot is a mercenary. A gun for hire. Frankly, why would he care about these other maniacs who have no values or principles? I know, he is being led like a horse to water with the promise of seeing his daughter again, but just I don't believe the character as a leader in this instance. It feels forced and of no value to the plot. Will Smith delivers a mostly good performance, but the character's role just doesn't feel right. The most redeeming part here is Deadshot's back story. Which in and of itself is not terribly unique or interesting, but does provide a sense of emotional depth to the character.

The most interesting character in the Suicide Squad is Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. The girlfriend of The Joker and nemesis of Batman. As part of her and Deadshot's back story, you do get some of Ben Affleck's Batman thrown in for brand continuity. However, if you have seen Batman vs Superman you already know that this isn't a value add. Robbie's Harley Quinn pulls off the visual aspect really well.

However, she only captures part of the crazy factor about Harley Quinn which is entirely rooted in her love for the Joker. What she really misses on is the conflicted side of Harley Quinn. The character is in love with The Joker and therefore must be slightly insane, but throughout the various story lines in the comic books, she has her moments of clarity and realization that The Joker is a cruel and wicked man who will stop at nothing to terrorize people. I do think the play between Jared Ledo's Joker and Harley Quinn is sufficient to give the viewer the flavor of their dysfunctional relationship. However, you definitely get the sense at the end that it really isn't all the important to the overall movie. It is just a side bar that pops up from time to time. Perhaps their relationship would be better fleshed out in a different movie altogether. 

The other characters are less important to the overall plot line and are played admirably by the cast of actors and actresses. Captain Boomerang, Katana, a brief appearance by Slipknot, Killer Croc, and El Diablo all have their moments. Honestly, El Diablo's character is by far the most compelling of this group. With his back story being that of a gang banger who can shoot fire out of his hands and in a fit of rage kills his family. He spends most of the movie on the sidelines as his guilt over what he has done overwhelms him. He eventually gets involved in the fighting towards the end and plays a pivotal role in the final battle in what is likely the best action sequence in the movie. Everyone else is just not very interesting. Especially in the humor department where the dialogue can just be plain bad. There were many times where a vulgar one liner was delivered and barely any laughter was heard in the theater. It was awkward in most cases. Side note: Do not bring children to movies like this. I mean what the heck is wrong with parents these days?!

The anti-hero, if you can call her that in this movie, is The Enchantress, played by Carol Delevigne.

 While the character gets some marks for style, there just isn't enough substance to the character. There is not enough time devoted to what makes her so evil and why she is doing what she is doing in the movie. The end scene where Suicide Squad faces off with her in final form could be the ending of any number of recent blockbusters, most comparably Ghost Busters. There just isn't really anything that makes you care about her defeat frankly. Even the sappy love story between Captain Flag and June Moone, the human host for The Enchantress, doesn't save this sloppy and indifferent boss battle.

All in all you really want to like these characters, but you just can't get invested. Such a shame. There is a ton of potential. But by the end of the movie it remains just potential.

Enjoy-ability: Well I think it's pretty clear that this movie just isn't that enjoyable. I actually dozed off a couple of times towards the end of the movie. This is usually when you are most invested in a movie. You want to see what happens. I really couldn't care less. The story is too much a hodge-podge and comes to end with an unsatisfying final boss battle and character wrap up. The worst part is the attempt at making the characters funny. There are only a few very funny lines or moments in this movie, despite the fact that the intent is to try and capture some of what made Deadpool and Avengers so great. The 3D aspect did nothing to save the movie or enhance it. The movie is dark and frankly at times it can be hard to tell what is happening. All it did was cost me more money which made me regret going to see the film even more. It's really a shame because I think that DC has the character base to be successful with these films, but it fails on so many levels by trying to be something it is not. Just like so many of Suicide Squad's predecessor films in the DC universe. Truly a shame.

8/8 UPDATE: So it seems that there must be a lot of people who enjoy watching bad movies. Perhaps the word hasn't gotten out yet, but Suicide Squad broke the opening weekend record at the box office for the month of August taking in an estimated $135 million. Crazy.  I assume that is largely due to the lack of any other highly anticipated movie opening this past weekend. The interesting thing will be to see how it continues to do over the next couple of weeks. My guess is that those numbers will fall fast based on reviews and word of mouth.

8/17 UPDATE: It has come out that Jared Ledo is so disappointed with the movie that he has not actually watched it nor does he plan to do so. He also claims to have been tricked into doing the movie in the first place, which seems a little disingenuous, but this is just one more nail in the coffin.

Being a Han Solo for Lil C

I am a single parent or solo parent as I like to call it. I have one wonderful kid who just turned eight years of age last week. I love my son dearly. He has in many ways been a savior for me. Raising him has become such an integral part of my life that it just feels natural. My journey to get to this point has been filled with many highs and lows and unexpected twists and turns. It has often felt like a white water rafting trip with the craziest of guides at the helm.

Parenting at the very least is difficult. It always has been. Don't let anyone fool you that somehow parenting now is harder or easier than it used to be. It is just different. However, the goals have always been the same. How do I mold this small human being into a capable and self sufficient adult? Boy is that a tough question to answer and frankly if you asked 100 people you would likely get 100 different responses. I will attempt to illuminate my experiences from a single parent perspective. I hope that it will bring you to tears or laughter or both.

Let me just start by saying that bringing a child into this world is the most change impacting decision you will make in your life. It is more impacting than getting married, or going to law school, or picking a job,etc. It impacts every area of your world. Those impacts are both significant and acute depending on the day and time, but make no mistake you will have to alter how you live your life. I would hope that most people go into making this decision with their eyes wide open, but as I have pointed out in my blog before - life is full of uncertainty. Sometimes kids can just happen. Also, having your eyes wide open will not actually help you cope any better when the proverbial shit hits the fan. It will however make the experience a little less surprising by giving you a chance to do some sort of planning for the craziness. Even if that was going on a nine month heroine fueled bender to get it out of your system. Parenting will be part of you one way or the other, so at least actively making the decision to have a kid seems to be the easier path to take. Just my two cents here.

The experiences of parents can differ wildly based on where you live, how old you are, your support network, income level, and on and on and on. There are a ton of variables. Guess what? You do not magically get a handbook upon becoming a parent. You know that guide that tells you all the answers to all the questions that inevitably will arise. I imagine that if you did get a handbook, it would be very similar to those instruction booklets you get with the IKEA furniture. You know what I am talking about. No words, just pictures that give you a vague idea of what the next step is, but you just aren't quite sure you are putting those shelving units together correctly. The only way you will know is to put some books on them and pray to the evil alien overlord that it does not fall. Moment of truth.

Parenting is a little like that, especially at first. I mean weren't we all kids once? We had a parent or parents presumably. So it would seem to follow that one would just have a good sense of how to navigate the parenting minefield. After all, we made it to adulthood and our parents survived the process mostly sane.  How hard can it be?

Very Fucking Hard.

Typically two people will make a well thought out decision to have a kid. They plan according to many factors in their lives. They will discuss what roles they will play as a parent. What personal strengths and weaknesses will be most important as they tackle raising a child together. How will they work as a team to be the best parents they can be. One thing that has to be decided is who will be the disciplinarian. You typically only need one, but one you need. That person will often be the bad guy, but will also be instrumental in instilling important skills like discipline and patience. Both parents will fill certain roles for their child and the child will learn when its appropriate to go to mom or dad. This is an important discussion to have prior to having children. It is a fundamental decision that needs to be made so that there is some clarity of action when things get chaotic. It can make a very difficult job a little easier and provide some perspective at times when you just feel like you can't do anything right. Having that partner in crime that will help you to figure out a better way or provide some positive feedback when you need it the most is going to be critical.

I have raised my son mostly by myself for six + years of his life. All of my plans and preparations for being a parent including the roles I would play were dashed against the rocky cliffs of life when my then wife passed away from cancer at the age of 34. My son was almost two at the time. As if parenting isn't a daunting enough task, I now had to rearrange everything in my mind about the role I would play for my son. It caused me a not insignificant amount of sleepless nights. This isn't meant to be a sob story. Anyone can have a bad hand dealt to them and as one of my favorite people likes to say, "Champions adjust!" So adjust I did. I cannot say that I handled everything perfectly. In fact there were times when I handled certain things very poorly. Sometimes angry responses just happen. It took me a little while to get some direction and feel comfortable in my role as a solo parent, but since it did I have not looked back.

One thing that quickly becomes evident as a solo parent is that you are now part of a daily circus. One in which you are juggling everything in your life without the benefit of a partner helping to direct the show. It is amazing how trying to manage a full time job, owning a house, having a personal life and raising a small child by yourself can get your stress meter to the red line about as fast as a formula one race car. The one saving grace is that you really don't have any other options, so you are forced to figure things out. It can be hard to love being a parent. However, the truth is once you do it you can't imagine being anything else. There is something inherently rewarding about figuring out solutions to the various crazy things your kids get into. The challenge is even greater as a solo parent, and perhaps the rewards even more precious. In order to get to the rewards, all parents must have a special magical skill known as patience.

This special skill is your lifeline as a parent. You will never feel like you have quite enough of it however. The good news is that parenting has made me a more patient person that I used to be. I attribute that to all of the moments where I have had to take a deep breath and consider my next option instead of just going postal. Perhaps that also comes with just getting older in general, but having a kid will force you to find ways to summon your patient side with some frequency. The key thing you have to figure out is that kids just operate on a different schedule. They do not have the daily life pressures to drive them forward. We all can think back to being a kid and recall that our biggest problem we would face on a daily basis was getting dressed or taking a bath. So when you are in a hurry and your kid is like hold up I gotta touch every freaking item in my room before I take that bath, you will need a lot of patience to keep yourself from going off the deep end.  Those moments will come at the worst times for you. Like after a really tough day at work where you got eviscerated by your boss for something that you had no control over and you had to practically kill yourself to fix the problem before leaving to come home to pick your kid up from school. That is not the time when you want to hear your kid say that they forgot their school issued iPad  and you now have to go back to the school to get it. Again, patience will be your guide to remain sane during these moments.

One big advantage to the two parent system is that when one parent has lost all control and can no longer cope, the other parent can step in and be the voice of reason. Here is perhaps the one area where I find that being a solo parent just isn't quite fair. I mean its not like I have some giant reserve of patience in me at any given moment that I can call on to act reasonably when things blow up. In fact, there are various things that tax my patience reserves like my job or paying bills. So, as a result I have my blow ups. Its just part of the deal I think.

Much of the time its just all of the stress being released like a cataclysmic volcanic eruption. It may not even really have much to do with what my kid actually did right at that moment. Its cumulative in most cases. All parents experience this to some degree, so I am not treating this like it is somehow limited to my experience. However, it became very clear to me very quickly that it would be nice to have someone to do a post-mortem after the dust settles. The blow ups usually result in my feeling pretty awful and going through the song and dance of should I apologize or not. I mean no matter what my kid did, short of driving the jeep into a deep lake, he doesn't deserve to see his father completely lose his cool. I try to make it a teaching lesson so that he sees that acting that way doesn't gain you anything and hurts peoples feelings. That being said, sometimes I feel that I should not have to apologize for being rung through the ringer day after day and eventually snapping. To be human is to be imperfect. All parents are often faced with choices that are less than ideal no matter what they end up deciding. As a solo parent, I often have only my counsel (and the internet) to make these decisions. They should be teaching moments, but they don't always feel that way.

The spread too thin effect certainly plays a huge role in being a solo parent as well. I am tasked on a daily basis with waking my kid up, making sure he is dressed (this takes at least 3 reminders), feeding him, bathing him, taking him to school and picking him up, taking him to practice and games (including coaching), homework, laundry, helping him with life, teaching him lessons, playing with him, scolding him, putting him to bed and on and on. All of these things in and of themselves would be a full time job. Notice that none of these things have anything to do with me living my own life. I am not saying that any of these are bad in and of themselves, well except the laundry - I hate doing laundry, but in combination everyday they tend to wear on you. I would literally cry tears of joy if someone would just appear once in a while and say hey, take a break. I got this. I am sure my son would also appreciate if someone would fold his laundry properly or make him eat something besides turkey sandwiches for lunch. Hey! Sometimes I put mustard on the darn thing, don't judge! I don't know, maybe this all just sounds like complaining. I recognize that most people have a lot of daily challenges, so its not like this is something unique to me or solo parents in general. Frankly, I have incorporated the daily shuffle into my routine and it would feel weird to not have a million things to do everyday. It does feel good when you get it right. So it's not all bad. Plus, Lil C is now old enough to help me with some of these things. I only wish I didn't have to remind him 100 times to do them. One thing at a time.

I do not want to give the impression that being a solo parent is all bad. I mean look, being a parent in general has its rewards. Watching your child grow up is very satisfying. The advantage of being a solo parent is that you get all of the rewards to yourself. When your kid does something well at school, learns a new skill, laughs a good belly laugh, teaches you something, or just comes and hugs your neck out of true and unconditional love it makes you feel like a million dollars. There is really no feeling quite like it. I believe that a solo parent experiences these rewards differently than a set of parents. I don't get to divvy up sporting moments or school plays or really anything involving my kid. I am at everything. So I get to see it all and experience the good vibes that comes from watching your kid grow up. That is something that is truly valuable, even on the days when you feel like you just don't have the time or energy.

I have also come to realize that being a solo parent means relying on a good support network around you. I have had the good fortune of living in an area where many of my former wife's family lives. They have been instrumental in helping me to raise Lil C. Without their weekly support, this would be so much harder then it already is. They show Lil C a lot of love and have always gone out of their way to be there for him. They are generally more than happy to take Carter for the afternoon or weekend. He gets to spend time with his family and foster relationships that will be important for him throughout his life. It makes me feel good as a parent that those connections are strong impacts in his life. The added benefit for me is that this time with his family allows me time to work on something that I need in my own life. Personal time. People need social relationships in their life. Something more than just the parent/child interaction. Being a solo parent, I don't have that partner embedded in my life to spend time with socially when time allows. So what I have found is that my support network helps me to go out and try and establish relationships that help me be a more well rounded person.

Investing in a significant other or new friends is both challenging and rewarding. The challenge comes from the lack of time. You have to make it count when you can. You just don't have the time or energy to commit to building and developing new relationships as frequently as you would like. I have had the fortunate experience to meet and grow personal relationships with two women since my wife's passing. The first one turned out to be a mistake as I just wasn't ready emotionally to cope with the daily rigors of a partnership. Plus the person I was with turned out to be less than truthful about a great many things. My second relationship has been an altogether different experience. I fell in love with a woman who really wanted things to work. Ultimately it did not work, but I don't think that reflects poorly on her. We both struggled with trying to figure out her role in the overall scheme of things. It can be tough when a child is not yours and you are trying to find the appropriate means by which to effectively discipline, reward, or love a child. I realize now it will always be tough for someone to integrate into our world. However, it is a big part of me and without figuring out a way I will remain solo.

Through these experiences I have learned that dating is hard while being a solo parent. I do not regret the efforts and I refuse to give up on it. I would like to get married again. I want to share my life with someone who is special to me. It will be a learning process and I hope that the person I am with will understand that I am doing my best to make everything work. I don't have all the answers. What I do have is a strong desire to share my life and be communicative. Right now I need to learn from my mistakes and move forward with a better understanding of how to make things right if/when I get another shot.

Yes, being a solo parent is hard. It isn't so much harder than having a partner to share the parenting role with. It just has its differences that have to be adjusted to over time. I hope to continue to write about this significant aspect of my life as I continue to blog about my life. I want to make sure that I make it clear that I enjoy the challenge of being a solo parent. It provides me with a purpose each and every day. I hope to shed some more light on that aspect in the future.

Update 8/4 - It has been brought to my attention that this post sounds like a rant on parenting. I don't mean to discuss the struggles of being a parent to seem like I don't enjoy being a parent. I do. It is a challenge. One that I relish. Yes, there are tough times, but for every tough time there are two or three amazing experiences. I can't say that I always relish trying to juggle everything, but I am appreciative that I have a wonderful child who loves me everyday. He brings a lot of joy to my life. I would never give that up for anything in the world.

The return of the DC Coffee Express - Baked and Wired

Day two of the DC coffee express sent me down to the Georgetown waterfront. I have read about Baked and Wired in a number of online coffee reviews. It is very highly rated which immediately makes me skeptical. Baked and Wired is just as well known for its bakery as its coffee, so there is a definite food aspect to take into account. Georgetown is one of those places in DC that has a reputation for upscale. The shopping, food, and drinking are all generally geared towards the upper crust, with that college age flair for the Georgetown prepsters being schooled nearby. Baked and Wired seems to appeal to both of those market sets. It definitely had a different feel to it than any other coffee house I have visited to date.

Ambiance

Baked and Wired features a very upbeat atmosphere. When I arrived it was very crowded. By far the most crowded coffee house I have visited. My bet is that the nice day, plus being near the waterfront means more tourists than some of the more neighborhood oriented coffee houses. When you walk in you get a distinct separation of state. The bakery is located on the left with all of the in house goodies that one could possible want to try displayed in glass jars and cake plates. Just the sight of these combined with the smell made me hungry.

The coffee bar is located on the right hand side and the set up makes for a pretty efficient process to get people what they want. If you just want coffee you head right. Want baked goods go left. No mixing of the two. I like it when the space of a retail place is used efficiently.

All of the space in Baked and wired is utilized efficiently for storage, display of product, or for atmosphere. The space is not very big, but even when crowded it seemed to have enough space for the customers to get their coffee or food and move along. There was open WiFi available, but initially it was not usable. Later in the morning I was able to get connected and it was fine. Not sure what the issue was when I first tried to connect.

The seating area is well set up with some lounge chairs and bench seating options. It is a little cramped, so noise levels are higher than most of the other coffee houses I have visited. As a result, the music was a little loud for my liking. However, the choice of music was excellent. It had a nice mix of upbeat and chill. There was some hip hop mixed in with some electronic style. There is limited outside seating available, but it was taken while I was there. The art work was eclectic featuring some funny wall plaques and a wall of napkin art! You can apparently draw some art on a napkin and Baked and Wired will post it up on their wall for all to admire. It is interesting and unique. Baked and Wired definitely has its own feel and is an overall pleasant coffee house experience.

Ambiance rating: 5

Coffee

The main reason that I go to coffee houses is for the coffee. However, occasionally you find a place that does something better. Baked and Wired seems to have the baked part of their namesake down in spades. However, I remained interested to taste the coffee.  When visiting any coffee house, one thing I am looking for is something unique to try or at least take note of. Most of the coffee menu at Baked and Wired is pretty standard, but they did have something called a black eye. I had not previously seen this drink anywhere else so I had to try it out. Basically it is an red eye on roids. Instead of one espresso shot, it features two (or three) poured into a cup of their drip coffee. It has a bold flavor profile. The color is dark and aftershock intense. I loved it! It is a lot of caffeine and may not appeal to the milder coffee drinking folks or those with heart issues. The cost of the beverage was $3.60 so not terribly expensive. I unfortunately did not get to try a second offering as I was highly caffeinated and did not want to push my luck as the next stop would have been orbit. I will have to come back and try some other selections to round out my tasting thoughts.

Coffee Rating: 4

Food

If you are seeking out some really good eats while you enjoy your cup of joe, then Baked and Wired is going to be a good choice. While the food offerings are limited to pastries, bread, and assorted sweets what they have is diverse and delicious. From muffins to tarts, sweet bread to cup cakes. Just the smell alone is worth it. I tried the pumpkin ginger bread. It was amazing. You just don't find pumpkin offerings in the summer. I love pumpkin anything, so this was a real treat for me. I would definitely recommend trying something even if you are not hungry or on a low carb diet. Some things are worth it.

Food Rating: 5

So whats the verdict? Baked and Wired is a good spot for the coffee house experience. The set up of the space is really well done for being so small. I enjoyed sitting inside while enjoying my hot beverage. The coffee was good and unique as far as my experience goes. The black eye is not for the weak hearted, but I enjoyed it. If what you seek is a good bakery to satisfy that sugar rush, then Baked and Wired will get you what you want. Plus the location is really nice. The Waterfront of Georgetown is a short walk away and on a nice day is really worth the walk. Get you a coffee and enjoy the outside. There is definitely something unique about this DC coffee house that makes it well worth the frustration of trying to find parking in Georgetown.

Overall Rating: 4.5

The return of the DC Coffee Express - The Royal

It is still summer and Lil C is still enjoying summer camps. That means that the Ice Tyrant gets to explore more of DC. This also means that my mornings this week will be spent at more DC coffee houses as the DC coffee express returns! Let me just start by saying that my first coffee shop of the week was a real miss on my first run through. The Royal was on my list to hit for coffee goodness, but due to its location to the zoo I ended up at Tryst. I do not regret that choice since Tryst ended up being the ultimate coffee house experience. However, I think The Royal could have given Tryst a run for its money. As I will explore here, there are a lot of reasons to like The Royal.

Ambiance

The Royal is meant to be a restaurant first and foremost. But that doesn't mean it fails to score big as a cafe. It is not as big inside as Tryst, but there is a nice cafe/bar area right as you walk in. There are tons of various seating options between high tables, stools at the coffee bar, outside seating, and bench seating against the wall with tables. Whatever your preference, The Royal has it. You can also sit upstairs where the restaurant is located with even more seating options and a view of the street outside. The Royal is located on Florida Ave. and 5th Street. The neighborhood was pretty quiet during my visit, but outside seating faces Florida ave. and the people watching is adequate.

The place was not overly crowded while I was there. There was constant foot traffic from the street and the baristas did a nice job of moving product. There was comfortable ambient music featuring Adele and various cover artists. It felt right for the space and experience. There was really good WiFi with no password required. It was a little chilly in the cafe area. Perhaps the AC was turned up for the coming heat of the day, but after about an hour it was noticeable. There is not much in the way of artistic flair, but the decor has a subtle latin flair.

Both baristas were pleasant and very prompt with their service. They gave me the option to open a tab so I could just order coffee and food without paying each time. I like this option and this seems to be unique to The Royal. Frankly, I have never thought of this kind of payment arrangement at a coffee house, but much like being at a bar it makes total sense if you plan to stay and do some work or socialize for a time. The comfort factor wasn't great as compared to the luxury of Tryst and their assortment of big comfy chairs and couches. So it gets a bump down there. However, it definitely is a step above most of the other coffee houses I have visited.

Ambiance Rating: 4

Coffee

Cortado

The coffee offerings were pretty standard, but they did feature a special of the day called Cold Hearted. It is a chilled espresso drink with vanilla syrup and steamed milk. It did not appeal to me at the time as I wanted hot beverages in the cold AC, but it sounded really delicious. I ordered a Cortado and a drip. The Cortado was delicious and well presented in a clear glass cup obviously made for the drink. I like it when a coffee house has the proper vessel for serving various drinks. The drip was not as delicious. It did not taste fresh, almost as if it had been brewed several hours before. It did have a slightly fruity profile and was medium roast, which was not a bad option after the sweeter Cortado. I paid $2.95 for the Cortado and $2.50 for the drip, which is in line with my other pricing experiences. I probably just had a bad batch of the drip so I will come back and update this post if I get the chance. However, coffee in DC is serious and you need to bring quality all the time if you want to be remembered.

Coffee Rating: 4

Food

The food is really where the Royal separates itself much like Tryst. The menu features some really nice options for breakfast/lunch. House baked muffins, croissants, and pastries are available. The hot menu though stands out with some latin flair food items. I ordered the egg arepa for $8. It was delicious. There was also bagel options with some interesting spreads as well as meatier options with chorizo and bacon sandwiches. The food tasted better than what I tried at Tryst. Keep in mind that later in the day the cafe turns into a full blown restaurant and bar. So that makes this a place you can come visit morning/day/night. I might have to come back to try it out for dinner or drinks.

Food Rating: 5

At last we have a competitor to Tryst's crown. The Royal has everything to offer. A nice inside and outside seating area, good location, solid coffee offerings, great food, and good service. While I bumped down the rating a notch in coffee and ambiance, the score is still really good. I would still stake my flag with Tryst as the overall winner, but The Royal takes a close second place at this point. My recommendation is to go around 10:30/11:00 AM and stay for lunch. You will not be disappointed.

Overall Rating: 4.5

Because Jack White

When you are as cool as Jack White you don't think of ordinary ways to play music. No, that wouldn't do.

You think of playing music in space. That's right. IN SPACE. In collaboration with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Third Man Records has become the first humans to try and succeed in playing a real vinyl record 28,000+ meters above the earth's surface. They did so by using a high altitude balloon and using a "space proof" turntable with a gold plated record. Apparently, the album played for 80- minutes and featured Jack White's 2010 song Carl Sagan - A Glorious Dawn. Cool fact: the balloon popped after playing for roughly 80 minutes then plummeted back to earth. When it landed the record was still spinning!

I don't know what is more impressive the idea itself or the execution of the idea. Just to come up with this craziness is like something out of a weed induced science experiment. If you wish to see the video of the launch, check out the link below.

Crazy Awesome Balloon!

This just another reason that I love Jack White and Third Man Records. Rock on!

Google deletes 10 years of blog content (updated again)

As a recently inspired blogger I have entered into a realm of putting my inner most thoughts onto the internet. THE INTERNET. OH THE HUMANITY OF IT ALL! To me blogging has been a therapeutic process of getting all of the crazy creations in my mind onto something tangible. It is kind of like spring cleaning. If I don't do it, my head will likely explode thus ruining any chance I have of good head shots for my LinkedIn account. However, as I was recently reminded, with this transference comes some risk. The internet is a place fraught with hacking and identity theft and worse yet negative comments!!!! So obviously, one must be careful about what exactly is being put out there. If you don't want it to fall into nefarious hands, then keep it locked away on your hard drive or better yet, that pen and paper journal collecting dust on your desk. That seems so boring thought doesn't it? Perhaps these things are cyclical and paper is the new it thing. I digress. This blogging thing is scary.

So while I wrestle with the above conundrum of what to publish and what not to publish, I came across an article concerning Google deleting 10 years worth of blog content of a well established and noted author. Dennis Cooper has been writing for a long time and has quite the following of readers to show for it. He has written novels and poems, in addition to his blog The Weaklings. His content has always been slightly risque and sexual in nature, but compared to the black tar pit of content on the internet, it did not seem exceptionally so. Honestly, I have never read anything of his directly. I am only going off of reviews and his website which is quite interesting. Dennis Cooper recently told Vox in an interview, "Someone described my blog as a kind of experimental, alternative Wikipedia, which is not totally inaccurate, I guess."  Whatever the nature of the blog, I find it shocking that Google would without warning or explanation mark the creative works of someone for deletion. It begs the question of who owns what on the internet. I mean if Google has the ability to just delete content at will, then does the author really own it? I think that is a concept worth exploring.

Here is what you see when you click on the DC's blog link on his website.

I also use Blogger as the host for my blog rants. So Google could do the same to me or any other of the thousand of individuals that host their thoughts on this site. Why would Google do this? The stated reason that Google gave was that he had run afoul of Blogger's Content Policy. However, what specific violations could result in deleting 10 years worth of content is still a mystery. He also had never received a warning that his content was under review and could be in conflict with said policy. In fact, here are the stated actions Google can take under the policy if they find content to be in violation.

• Put the blog behind an 'adult content' interstitial
• Put the blog behind an interstitial where only the blog author can access the content
• Delete the offending content, blog post or blog
• Disable the author's access to his/her Blogger account
• Disable the author's access to his/her Google account
• Report the user to law enforcement

Clearly deletion of content is an option, however there seems to be many other options that are not as draconian in nature. To me, deletion of content should be a last resort option OR only limited to deletion of specific blog posts that run afoul of the policy. Not a general deletion that impacts all posts whether offending or not. It's similar to the government using the death penalty as a first option to deter all crimes and doing it without warning or explanation as to why they chose to use that punishment.

Since the deletion, DC has heard from Google's lawyers and there seems to be some progress towards reinstatement, but the very fact that Google can act as judge, jury and executioner over an author's creative works is scary. I think its safe to say that any content put on a blog website should also be backed up like most digital data these days. However, the loss of content here was not a result of a power outage that blew a server. This was a deliberate act without explanation. The server where the content is stored does indeed belong to someone else and therefore is subject to the owner's negligence or willful acts that could result in loss of data. The question is what obligations do these content storing websites have to their users? 

Cooper has already stated that when/if he gets his content back, he is going to move to another website and back up any future writings on his own server. This is the ultimate weapon a content creator has, but moving to another website doesn't guarantee that the same actions could not be taken again. In my mind there needs to be some written rules that establishes what these content hosts can and cannot do with the data being stored on their servers and just as important what process must be followed. I would imagine that most people do not read the Terms of Service or Content Policy before they start a blog. I did but only because I am legally trained and my eyes always seek out these fine print documents intentionally written to be ignored until they are wielded like a legal weapon of mas destruction where useful for the author's purposes. There is nothing in Google's Content Policy that details what process they must follow to enforce their Content Policy.  There is a big assumption when one agrees to be bound by such a policy that Google will fairly administrate the policy. That may not always be the case and it certainly did not seem to happen in this case. What about notice? How about a probationary period? Does the author get a chance to take down offending material? What about defending whether something is truly a violation of the policy or not. Does the author get that opportunity? Should they? There are plenty of examples in the law where notice and opportunity to correct a violation of the law is allowed for and often a preferable option. It is interesting that no such options are provided for here.

Perhaps a high profile case of this nature might make Google revise their policies. I doubt it, but if enough attention is paid you never know. There is a petition being circulated in support of the restoration of DC's works. Eventually tyrannical actions will lead to an uprising and casting off of the tyranny. This we have learned many times throughout human history. Google must be careful to not treat these acts as simply their prerogative or tempt the fate of a fickle user base that might seek another content host with less draconian policies.

8/2/16 update - Apparently Google's attorneys have broken their silence and are now speaking with DC's attorneys. There have been several media pieces written about this action and it has even garnered international attention in Europe. It will be interesting to see what Google decides to do at this point. I doubt we will ever be allowed to know why Google deleted the content.

8/26/16 update - The battle is over. Dennis is getting his blog content back! Hail the victor.