Have you ever met a guy, and called him a tool? Maybe he was a tool, or maybe he wasn't. This guy may have just exhibited certain qualities of a tool but was not a fool blown tool.

There are many different definitions of a tool. Let’s look at a few of them.

Dictionary.com

1.anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose.

2. According to Wikipedia, the slang usage of the word tool became popular in the 1990's. Its usage even seeped into late night television. In one particular skit, Jimmy Fallon dressed up as Carson Daly, a popular MTV VJ in the late '90s, and referred to himself as being a "massive tool."
A tool can also be someone who just seems lame or is completely unoriginal. They are so used to conforming that they don't seem like they can think for themselves or think independently from what's popular.
Tools have also been accused of trying too hard--expelling way too much effort in an attempt to fit in or join the mainstream or non-mainstream (whichever the case may be). Thus, sometimes also being labeled a wannabe or poser
Common derivatives of the word tool are: toolbox (generally meaning that this person is an extreme tool) or toolish (which means that someone is acting like a tool or in a tool-like manner).

The Official Checklist to determine if you are a Tool or not a Tool.


The following checklist will help you determine if you are a Tool or not a Tool. Each question can be answered Yes, Sometimes, or Never. If you answer yes, you get 2 points if you answer sometimes you get 1 point and never 0 points.

1. Have you ever popped your collar? Yes, Sometimes, or Never.

2. Do you still wear a Lance Armstrong Band?

3. Do you spend more time doing your hair in the morning then you do in the shower?

4. Do you buy designer T-Shirts that cost over $50? For additional points, does your designer shirt have skulls or angels on them?

5. Do you view every other guy as competition? Example, you go to a party and see every guy has competition. IE, you see a guy talking to a girl and you go over there and start talking to the same girl, and start one upping the guy.

6. When you wear a polo shirt is it usually a size too small?

7. Do you spend more than 30 minutes doing your hair in the morning or for a date?

8. Do you ward off animals with scent of your Cologne?

9. Do you still wear pucca shell necklace?

10. Do your brand new jeans have more holes then Swiss cheese?

11. Do your shoes resemble the beak of a bird?

12. Do you pretend to be a soccer fan?

13. Do you own a tanning pass? Give yourself 3 points for yes and 2 points if you go tanning more than 2 times a month.

14. Do you wear white sunglasses?

15. When going out for a ride on your motorcycle do you park it on the sidewalk, in front of the building so you don't have to walk as far (or so you can show off your bike)?

16. Do you make sure people can see your barbed wire tattoo on your bicep?

17. Do you wear multiple polo shirts at the same time? Add four points for each shirt you wear and two points for each popped collar.

Now adding up the points
If you scored 24-34 you are a tool.
If you scored 17-24, you are exhibiting some tool like qualities
If you scored 8-16, not too much of a tool
If you scored 0-7, you are not a tool just you.

Tool

Have you ever met a guy, and called him a tool? Maybe he was a tool, or maybe he wasn't. This guy may have just exhibited certain qualities of a tool but was not a fool blown tool.

There are many different definitions of a tool. Let’s look at a few of them.

Dictionary.com

1.anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose.

2. According to Wikipedia, the slang usage of the word tool became popular in the 1990's. Its usage even seeped into late night television. In one particular skit, Jimmy Fallon dressed up as Carson Daly, a popular MTV VJ in the late '90s, and referred to himself as being a "massive tool."

A tool can also be someone who just seems lame or is completely unoriginal. They are so used to conforming that they don't seem like they can think for themselves or think independently from what's popular.

Tools have also been accused of trying too hard--expelling way too much effort in an attempt to fit in or join the mainstream or non-mainstream (whichever the case may be). Thus, sometimes also being labeled a wannabe or poser

Common derivatives of the word tool are: toolbox (generally meaning that this person is an extreme tool) or toolish (which means that someone is acting like a tool or in a tool-like manner).

The Official Checklist to determine if you are a Tool or not a Tool.


The following checklist will help you determine if you are a Tool or not a Tool. Each question can be answered Yes, Sometimes, or Never. If you answer yes, you get 2 points if you answer sometimes you get 1 point and never 0 points.

1. Have you ever popped your collar? Yes, Sometimes, or Never.

2. Do you still wear a Lance Armstrong Band?

3. Do you spend more time doing your hair in the morning then you do in the shower?

4. Do you buy designer T-Shirts that cost over $50? For additional points, does your designer shirt have skulls or angels on them?

5. Do you view every other guy as competition? Example, you go to a party and see every guy has competition. IE, you see a guy talking to a girl and you go over there and start talking to the same girl, and start one upping the guy.

6. When you wear a polo shirt is it usually a size too small?

7. Do you spend more than 30 minutes doing your hair in the morning or for a date?

8. Do you ward off animals with scent of your Cologne?

9. Do you still wear pucca shell necklace?

10. Do your brand new jeans have more holes then Swiss cheese?

11. Do your shoes resemble the beak of a bird?

12. Do you pretend to be a soccer fan?

13. Do you own a tanning pass? Give yourself 3 points for yes and 2 points if you go tanning more than 2 times a month.

14. Do you wear white sunglasses?

15. When going out for a ride on your motorcycle do you park it on the sidewalk, in front of the building so you don't have to walk as far (or so you can show off your bike)?

16. Do you make sure people can see your barbed wire tattoo on your bicep?

17. Do you wear multiple polo shirts at the same time? Add four points for each shirt you wear and two points for each popped collar.

Now adding up the points

If you scored 24-34 you are a tool.

If you scored 17-24, you are exhibiting some tool like qualities

If you scored 8-16, not too much of a tool

If you scored 0-7, you are not a tool just you.

War of the Shopping Carts

As many of you faithful readers will remember, a few months back this blog started a campaign against shopping carts and the individuals who leave there shopping carts randomly around the parking lot. During the Holiday season, I was reminded about this issues and peoples seemingly inability to put away their shopping carts. I fully understand that during the holiday season we are busy and have errands to run and people to see. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the rush of the holidays we may forget to put away our shopping cart. The holidays season is now over and we have an opportunity to all become better individuals. During the New Year we all make resolutions some to quit smoking, some to loose weight, some to conquer their fears of snakes. What ever are resolutions are we can all do one thing to make our lives a better place. This year lets put our shopping carts away. Lets put at least one cart away if we see it in the parking lot when we go shopping. If we put one cart away we can then have hope that we can believe in! For all of you who read this blog commit yourself to put away one cart away the next time you go shopping. Not only do you help a car in need but you also help your body. By pushing that cart you are working muscles you may have not other wise worked out that day. Also think back to when you were a kid, one of the great joys in life was running with a cart and jumping on it and riding the cart in the parking lot. So lets bring hope back to the parking lot and back to America and put away are shopping carts but also those carts that are just left in parking lot.

By reading this blog you are now committed to putting away one cart this week!

That Spirt of Christmas

Once again Christmas is upon us all. It is that glorious time of the year that we get to be with the ones we love and share so much joy and cheer. You have to admit it is wonderful feeling. During Christmas we all have a lot of fun, sitting by the fireside, taking walks through the snow, listening to choirs singing about the true meaning of Christmas and reminding us about the birth of the Savior. Lets remember that we can keep this Christmas Spirit all through the year, not just at this special time but all year long.

Sometimes we think the Santa takes away from the true meaning of Christmas, but if you were to take a look into Santa you can see Santa Clause embraces the true Christmas spirit. Santa teaches us to have hope and faith, he also teaches us to give without thought of what we will get in return. Santa spreads joy and hope into they eyes of child and also to adults. The idea of Santa allows us to give and in many situations allows us to give freely. Many times we give gifts with a monetary value but in giving we pass on the Spirit of Christmas to each other.

One thing I have discovered this Christmas season is that Christmas is full of hope. Sometimes we lose focus of the hope that is in Christmas. In the truest form of Christmas we can remember that Christmas celebrates the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and in that we can gain great hope and a light that can guide us through the entire year. Lets keep that Spirit all year round and think of others and carry a Spirit of Love to each other.

Twilight: Beauty and the Beast

This week, I have continued my reading of Twilight. I am now 200 pages into the book and I would admit that I am enjoying it. Maybe this goes back to when I got chicken pocks in the 6th grade and got hooked to soap operas on TV. When your that age there was something intriguing about soap operas. It probably also goes back to when I was in Junior High and High School and started to watch wrestling. There is something about drama that intrigues and compels us to watch. Why do you think so many people watch the "Hills", its not because of the amazing stories and acting. With Twilight there is a drama that is building. I still have not come across much drama or mystery in the book, other then Bella trying to figure out her fears and attraction to Edward. For any person reading the books the attraction is understandable, most girls want to tame the beast, and Edward is Bella's beast. I don't know if the name Bella was chosen by Mrs. Myers on coincidence or on purpose. My guess is on purpose. But as I was reading the book last night, I started to see a parallel between Twilight and "Beauty and the Beast", now I don't know if this parallel will continue or not but at least there is starting to be a connection to the song as old as time.

Twilight: The Adventure Continues.

Last night, I continued my adventure into the Twilight Series. I have now read up to Chapter 4. So a brief recap of what transpired in those chapters. Edward returns to school and now talk to Bella and Bella notices his eyes are different and then can't talk to him because he is so beautiful. She then goes grocery shopping, this was probably my favorite part of the book thus far. It gave Bella something to do other then to wine and wonder why Edward does not like her. We also had the first snow in the book. Also we finally had some action transpire in the book. It all started so innocently. Bella wakes up and it greeted by snow on her truck and ice on the road. She drives to school and when she arrives to school she notices her dad (I will call him dad and not Charlie because it makes no sense that Bella calls him Charlies, and makes a point of it every 15 seconds) had put on chains her truck to help her navigate the ice and snowy roads. Once she arrives at school this is when things pick up for a few seconds. Bella steps out of her car, a van come sliding out of control and then Edward run in and saves Bella. In the book, I had to reread this section 3 time to understand what actually happened. It was interesting to note the reactions of a few people here.

1. Bella, she insisted and probably rightly so that Edward was not standing next to her. This causes Bella to go Nancy Drew in the story and start investigating the facts of the accident and her rescue. She quizzes Edward relentlessly about were he was standing.

2. Edward, he reacts defensively to all of Bella's questions. He should know that anytime you are defensive with a women she is automatically going to think you are lying. (I know this line is going to get me in trouble)

3. Reaction of Edwards family, this reaction was interesting and stood out to me. They were upset that he saved her, why I don't know yet.

4. Dad (aka, Charlie) like a concerned Parent and help her leave hospital.

The main point I want to talk about in these chapters is the relationship between Bella and Edward. I would have to say it makes perfect sense to why Bella is intrigued and starting to crush on Edward. Edward is a bit of a jerk, a tool and mysterious. Bella is looking for a father figure and a protector and now Edwards is now that protector. Edward is sorta rude to her and probably causes her to want what she can't have. It makes her wonder "what if" this seems to be common in society. The "what if" syndrome is were we wonder what might be. In Bella's case she wonder what his mystery is and what it would be like to have a relationship with sorta jerkish boy Edward. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I will keep you updated on my thoughts and ideas.

Twilight: One Mans Journey to Find Out What is all About.

Last night, I started my journey to research the phenomenon that is the Twilight series. I have decided to read the books with no preconceived ideas about that books. I am reading these books as if I am the first person on the face of the planet to read them. I also want to read them from the eyes of man, and to see what a typical man would think as he read the many pages of the book. So last night my journey began. First I need to thank my friend who let me borrow her beloved Twilight book, without her this adventure would not be possible.

It started with me pulling out my snuggie and then snuggling up on my lazy-boy. I opened the book and first read the different chapter headings. This is something I do with every book I read, I like to know the overall scope of the book. I then began to read the first chapter of the book. The book is written through the prospective of Isabella Swan aka Bella. It starts out with her mom taking her to the airport and we as the reader are privileged to go inside the mind of a teenage girl. I don't know about you, but this is something that I always wanted to do when I was a teenage boy. Anyways we learn the Bella is a little insecure of herself and comes from a family that has been separated and she has been living in Phoenix with her mom, with the occasional visit to her Dad (Charlie) she calls him Charlie in her mind and not Dad, but in person she calls him Dad. He seems like a nice guy thus far, so it is a little confusing to why she does not call him Dad. In the first chapter she arrives in Washington gets an old truck to drive around it. With the emphasis put on this truck and its noise I am not going to be surprised if the truck carries the plot in some direction.

The next part of the first chapter is Bella starting High School in Washington. Again we are treated to Bella's struggle to fit in. We learn she does not feel she is special in anyway. She did not fit in Arizona and believes she will not fit in in her new High School. She goes from class to class with nothing really nothing of note happening. Until she gets to Biology class. She is assigned to sit next to a boy named Edward Cullen. By the reaction of Edward to Bella you would assume Bella forgot to put on deodorant in the morning. He seems completely repulsed by her in every way. At the end of the chapter he tries to change to another Biology course to avoid her all together.

So that is my recap of the first Chapter. Overall it was nothing to exciting to start. There is some mystery involving the Cullen's and there story. Bella seems a little moody and insecure about where she fits in the world. Overall this seems like a book that will draw in more female readers in the male readers, but there good be some elements that men will relate to as well. We will see.