It’s like anything. If you let your writing reps slip, then it takes twice as long to work your way back to where you are comfortable.

Shame on me.

In the world of twitter and other social media, it seems that the shame is on more than just this solo blogger. In a continuing evolution of how we interpret and re-present things online, blogging isn’t the cool thing to do.

That’s not going to stop me from sharing the good old fashioned way.

Stay tuned for more from me in the upcoming weeks!

Other times it’s the one thing you have confidence in. Nobody can take it away from you. You love it so much that only an angry herd of elephants stomping all over you can rattle your belief.

Unless of course the most dangerous weapon of all-time gets in the way. Self-doubt is one huge bitch.

One that you can’t hide from.

For six months self-doubt has been holding me back. There are not many things in this life that I have more passion for than writing. For some reason though, the passion turned to passing. The pen went dry. What seemed to be my life’s passion turned to a helpless rut that at times seemed to be more of a hassle than a love. For quite some time I acted like I could care less about the next time something from my brain fused to words on paper.

Now I am more than pissed I let it come to this.

No, it isnt a life threatening event. Nobody was hurt in the lack of my writing and nobody besides me really cared. It is time though to stop the fear and burst back onto the scene (no matter how small it is).

Here’s to following your passion no matter how annoying, tedious or fearful you are of it. It’s okay to steer away from your love, but always remember at some point you have to get back on the saddle. Even if it means worrying about what’s next and what people think.

Aqua Crush

Icecaps turn to Dust

On Lake Superior’s Shore.

The Sun savors the rush,

Of the frigid tide’s roar.

With each visible breath,

The soul begins to freeze.

Wind carrying waves,

Carbon black rocks.

Mind indulged in Aqua,

Steady Heartbeats.

An evening of winter lust

I had no idea where to look. Where do you find this stuff? Six years ago I was sporting some type of Adidas brand. After minutes of seething through the McGraws and Banderas of the world, I found what I was looking for.

The cheap stuff.

For me, it’s not about following the next trend, I am just trying to find my groove. The single life is ahead of me and before it grabs a hold with it’s big metal claws, dirty dishes, laziness and typical chauvinist demeanor I have to do something. Like buy a cheap bottle of cologne.

It’s part of the reviving of the soul.

It’s funny how the small things like a bottle of cologne can help us find our identity. It’s like the gum you choose in the express lane, the shoes you wear with a specific winter coat and the drink of choice you become known for. Do they have meaning? Absolutely not. But they become a part of who you are. They show off your embarrassing mechanisms, enhance your already beautiful characteristics, and maybe even plaster you as a phony.

But it is in these small things where we can really start to see who we are.

Since my life has changed completely with the ending of the most important relationship of my life, I have vowed to my soul that I would review everything in my life and the role that it plays.  No matter how big, small, or irrellavent, it has been reviewed.  To me, every little tendency tells a little story.

Just like that cheap cologne bottle buried behind the moguls of the industry.

At this point of my life, I am ready to take the baby steps to move on. I’m ready to do what it takes to be content with my life as a whole.  Does that mean smelling good for the women of the world? Hell yes it does. Doe’s it mean doing whatever it takes to obtain what is in front of me?

Let’s just say the twenty dollars I saved is secure in my back pocket.

Sometimes in life, I am finding out that it takes more than just starting over to be happy. It takes those few minutes of confusion, hoping you pick out a cologne and not a perfume. It takes the satisfaction of knowing that you have grabbed fifteen pieces of sugarfree Solstice flavored gum. It takes the small steps in your life that build up your stamina.

This week I am thankful that it’s these little things that will get me off the ground and taking unimaginable leaps in no-time. Reviving the Soul is a process the walks the same line as life it self.

It starts with baby steps.

Here’s to what’s next in my life. I got my poker chips in front of me and the cards are dealt. I am not looking to see if it’s a pair of twos or a full house.  I know though that I will be ready for the next move.

Even if it’s just upgrading to Tim McGraw’s latest fragrance.

Spread your wings.

Peck at glass windows,

Soak in rays.

Thattagirl’

Fly with the doves.

Strut your slender,

Perch on a wire.

Soar toward salvation,

Light your soul on fire.

Thattagirl’

Whistle with the wind.

Graze skyscrapers,

Jet through grey skies.

Wings Flapping,

Heart pounding.

When you say goodbye.

The importance is in the fight. The strength of character is choosing your path even when you feel you don’t have the strength to decide.

Recently, my life has changed to the tune of not knowing what is coming next. We have all been there.  Death, Break Ups, a change in the way you live your life. It’s inevitable that life’s path will bring us to those moments where the road will split both ways. The key isn’t in which road you travel or choose. The key is in the way you choose it.

As my favorite poet Robert Frost once said, “The only way around is through.”

When life gives us challenges that we don’t want to take on, it is imperative to not beat around the bush. We can’t hide behind what used to feel comfortable. When the two roads split in your life, you have to rail through the weeds, trees, and immovable objects to get to the next path. No matter how hard it is to sift through what life has decided to plop on top of you.

Of course the weight is going to be excruciating. The pain is going to eat at you like nothing you have ever experienced. Your hopes, your dreams and your passion to move forward  are going to be crushed. The hand grenade that is life will explode in your face and the only thing you can do is duck and take cover.

But when the sun rises and a new day begins, the path of most resistance will be cleared of the worries, fears, and darkness that once lived on. It might be the path that is not taken by others. It might be one that has been trampled on by many before you.  All we can do is take the road that was cleared by our heart. The one that new opportunity and a new beginning presents to us.

So while you decide which path to take at the diverged point of your life, remember that it’s not about doing what is right. It’s not about the others that have been there with you. It’s not even about taking the road less traveled by.

No matter what the road presents you, take the path that was created for and by you.

That my friends, will make all the difference.

What I am writing these days is about speaking 100% truth, and not offending anyone. My twin brother and best friend is getting married in three weeks. I am the person supposed to send him off to “glory.” I am supposed to shed the light on the true person my brother is. I am having absolutely no trouble doing that. The hard part is putting those thoughts into words.

Not many have been fortunate to know who their best friend is for twenty three years. This is my chance to hit the walk-off. My chance to pull a Cal-Stanford. I want everyone to know the brother that I love and have began to cherish more and more as every day goes by.

Eventually I know that it will all click. It always does. Something will be put on paper, and that is what I will go with.

But in all honesty this is the hardest thing to write ever in my life. Tougher than final research papers. More strenuous than an article deadline.

Unlike any other writings in my short lifetime, I want this “speech” to be perfect. Hopefully I can harness it.  Hopefully……

Apparently, the dude who decided to get wasted before my college graduation didn’t get the memo.

Somebody is sleeping in my bed....

When I woke up this morning, it wasn’t by choice. It was by the shock of this one person I have only met once trying to fall asleep in my bedroom. At 7 A.M. this morning, I was introduced to the drunk graduation guy for the second time of my life…..

And hopefully the last.

I guess it is the price you pay when you leave your door unlocked. I rushed to bed not even thinking about that part of the nightly routine. I brushed my teeth, drank a glass of water, shut down the computers and fell asleep.

Four hours later I rose out of bed when graduation drunk guy was groping my leg. At first, I thought i was dreaming. It all seemed to be happening way too fast. Graduation drunk guy shut off the fan and got comfortable just moments later. That’s when I knew it was the real deal. When my cat nipped at his exposed toes, and he didn’t flinch, it sunk in that graduation drunk guy was here to stay. At least for the moment.

The way I look at it, it could be worse. After all, in his drunk stumble to our bedroom, he didn’t damage anything. He didn’t come to silence me in my sleep. My other roommate is fine. Many things of value could of been stolen, but they weren’t.

And most importantly, he groped my leg and not my love’s (I knew there was a reason I sleep on the opposite side of the wall!)

Not many lessons were learned on my end of this awkward, yet strange moment in my life. On my end, it’s rather simple. From now on, I will lock the door before I plop my head on the pillow. As a matter of fact, I will probably check the door numerous times. It will become the new OCD element in my life. I will never forget the shock when a random stranger entered my bedroom and when his drunk ass fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Hopefully drunk graduation guy will never forget it either. No, not in the, “awesome drunk story I can brag about category.” Hopefully he realizes how lucky he is, and how lucky he actually opened up our door, and not somebody else’s. I’m not claiming to be a life changer, a missionary, or even a generous guy.

But right now, the authorities have not been called, the blankets haven’t been torn away, and drunk graduation guy remains in my bed resting his eyes.

Maybe I am too nice. Who knows? Maybe it is just I have no idea what to do…. All I know is that the laundry need to be done tonight, and my pillows will be burned at the stake.

Because the graduation drunk guy drools, and I don’t want his sticky slobber plastered anywhere. I want today to be the last day I ever see the drunk graduation guy. And hopefully he remembers the last and only time that he groped a man’s leg and not only lived after it, but got a comfortable bed to sleep in.

(Thoughts or comments on this article? Feel free to email Joseph Dexter, or follow him on twitter!)

The performance in battle has been an extension of it’s leaders. A group that symbolizes the comedy group Monty Python, more than the gridiron greats before them. In 1999 Bobby Ross became the first Lions coach since Buddy Parker in the early fifties to go the the playoffs in two of his first three years with the Lions. Since Ross’ reign, the head coaches of the Lions have led their clubs to a 35-100 record.

The quest for the holy grail has turned into overthrown passes, timely missed tackles, and a dumbfounded organization. They have run into the toughest barriers. Three straight seasons (2001-2003) without a victory on the road, a sub .300 winning percentage since 2000, five different head coaches, an 0-16 season. The list goes on and on.

Now the pressure lies on the shoulders of the seventh coach of our beloved losers in the last ten years. Jimmy Schwartz, the bar is high. Your shovel better be sharp. It’s time to build a new foundation and start an new era.

Because the fans can only be behind you for so long.

For Jimmy, it’s not about preseason wins (Heck, Marinelli went undefeated last season) or showing that they can dominate lesser talent. It’s about a vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball, more consistency on offense, and being a representative of a city. A true class act, with a football IQ.

Something the Lions front office hasn’t seen at the coaching position since the great Wayne Fontes.

Jimmy Schwartz is well on his way already. From being brutally honest about where team stands, to stating he is ready for the challenge, Schwartz has shown character.

Already his defining line to the public speaks volumes to his intelligence. “It’s probably time to find a replacement for Bobby Layne” was a statement that was bold, daring, and truthful. Especially for someone that wasn’t even named to the job yet.

And once he got the job, his personality instantly started becoming a fan favorite. From praising the fans, to telling Goodell how it is on Turkey day, to making fun of his new quarterback on the first day of formal practices. His attitude is shining through his players as well. Newcomers Brandon Pettigrew, Louis Delmas, Julian Peterson, Larry Foote and Matt Stafford are ready to play football. Ready to play the game right.

It will be a long and winding road through the 2009 season. The team will have it’s low points, it’s high points, times of inconsistency, and times where the offense clicks. The defense will have us cussing at our screens, and Jimmy Schwartz will be one frustrated coach at many points in the 2009 season. It won’t be the prettiest thing in the world.

But at least Schwartz is making the long winding road toward success a bit clearer. Once that fog clears, Maybe…just maybe….. we will see the fumbling and bumbling of the past football warriors turned turned into a military unit, with more precision and timely success pushed by the unique leadership of it’s head general.

Only time will tell, but like most Lions fans, I am optimistic. Simply because, there is nowhere to go. Nowhere to go but up.