Craig Ruvere

07Apr 2011 by CJ

Are you looking for a “real man”?

Yesterday while riding up a crowded elevator, I heard a girl in her 20’s say, “I’m looking for a real man to marry.” A real man, huh? As opposed to what, one of those mannequins you see in the men’s department of your local JCPenny with some stupid grin on their face? I’m so tired of society measuring the male species by a set of archaic standards commonly known as being a “real man”. Last time I checked, there’s nothing in the Constitution of the United States or any other official documentation for that matter stating what a “man” should or should not be in society. And yet the morons of the world who are obsessed with how other people perceive them have adopted a set of criteria that we…

04Apr 2011 by CJ

Sometimes the best you can do with what you have is enough

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living

Some days, you simply have to do the best you can with what you have. Today we place too much pressure on one another to succeed in every facet of our lives – causing undo stress and often broken relationships. We measure and define ourselves against others instead of being proud of who and what we have become in the present. We allow the insignificant and unimportant to become our priorities rather than setting boundaries and enjoying that which truly matters. Perceived failures discourage our spirit instead of teaching us some of the most valuable lessons life has to offer. To do the best you can. We link happiness with possessions and fortune - forgetting how doing the very best for those who deserve our attention will provide us ultimate…

01Apr 2011 by CJ

Apps for those looking to avoid the law actually exist

Life & Living

Cell phone apps (or shortcuts) have become all the rage for the techno-happy generation of today. For those of you who don’t know, and I admit I was one of them up until recently, apps are a cooler way of saying “applications” – I guess that was too many syllables for an average person to say. But what if I told you there was an “app” designed specifically to help drivers avoid DUI checkpoints - would you believe me? Oh what am I saying, of course you’d believe me. After all we’re living in a time when technological boundaries have been pushed to their limits so why should this really surprise anyone, right? Well it kind of surprises me. I mean with about 10,000 Americans killed in drunk-driving crashes each…

31Mar 2011 by CJ

Funerals should not be convenient for the mourner

Love & Relationships

Funerals being broadcast on the web? Are you kidding me? Sounds bizarre, I know, but apparently it’s becoming the latest craze among funeral homes across the country for mourners who simply can’t make the effort to appear in person. Truthfully, I’ve always been a little skeptical about funerals anyway. I mean, if you couldn’t make the effort to spend quality time with me while I'm alive, why the hell do I care if you come to see me when I’m dead? It seems to me the whole idea is more about alleviating a person’s guilt rather than mourning the person lying in an overpriced casket. Now I understand that people today live all over the country – all over the world in fact. If you really care enough about a…

30Mar 2011 by CJ

Ina Garten is still A-OK in my book despite press

Life & Living

I’ll admit it - I’m a huge fan of cookbook author and Food Network star Ina Garten - the Barefoot Contessa. Her recipes are simple to shop for, even easier to prepare and they’re damn good to eat too! Unlike Martha, where the ingredients list looks like the parts catalog for the space shuttle and you typically need the better part of a day just to make cup cakes, Ina is about simplicity with maximum flavor. Now that’s my kind of cooking! While she’s rarely scrutinized by the media, over the last few days they’ve been gutting the culinary personality like a freshly killed chicken, seasoned and baked at 350 degrees. For those who have NO idea what I’m talking about, 6 year old Enzo petitioned the Make-A-Wish Foundation to…