Time for Change... Andre Bauer 2012

I have been reading reports recently which state that former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is moving one step closer to announcing his bid for the new 7th Congressional District Seat. This troubles me. It troubles me deeply. Read on to find out why...

It's been stated that soon, this race will become a cosmic tidal wave with the 7th District being swept up in a candidate frenzy. From all far reaching corners of the new district, there have been many names of candidates swirling about for this new seat. But little do they know, there is a wind blowing from Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach. A wind so strong their dreams of victory will be swept away and become nothing more than fading memories. And the person single-handedly controlling this powerful force is none other than my candidate of choice, Andre Bauer.

To categorize Andre Bauer as a hard worker is the understatement of the century. The term "hard worker" set sail long ago and in it's place remains the only term which can be used to describe Mr. Bauer... Tenacious. Being born of tenacity means that one is not easily dispelled or discouraged. That is Andre Bauer to a tee. Naysayers beware. You may bring to this fight a fortress full of verbal ammunition and mud filled canons but you will not pass through the walls of Andre. He has a backbone made of steel. Say what you will about this man and it will not phase him nor veer him off course. One word comes to mind when I think about Andre's potential upcoming campaign... Redemption.

Which brings me back to my original point. Having Andre Bauer enter the race concerns me for the simple fact that the other potential candidates have no idea what they are getting themselves into. This man, this political beast, is a true army of one marching onward towards victory. He cares so deeply for South Carolina and for the people living within the new 7th District, it can easily be said that coursing through his veins is true blue Palmetto pride. Does Andre Bauer need this new seat? No. He's an independent self made business man whose only motivation for throwing his hat into the political ring one more time is the simple fact that he loves, he yearns for the opportunity to make a difference. A difference in my life, your life, and in the lives of everyone who he respectfully serves with dignity, honor, and above all integrity.

If you are reading this and you are a potential candidate for the 7th district or you know someone who may be toying around with the idea of running, keep this in mind; At the end of the day when your bones are weary and your head heavy and you collapse from exhaustion, Andre Bauer will still be up working late into the wee hours of twilight because when he sets his mind to do something, he does it. And he does it big. From fundraising to drumming up endorsements to rallying the masses, he does it all with a fire in his belly. Fasten your seat belts my friends because we are all about to get swept up in the winds of change that shall soon be known as the Andre Bauer for Congress campaign...

The Myth of Love

As I was driving towards McLeod Fitness today with a check in hand ready to sign up and begin my transition from couch potato to ripped hottie, I began thinking about why people work out. Health? Sure. Energy? Of course. With the hope they may attract members of the opposite sex (or same sex depending on who you are)? Most definitely. It seems as though people will stop at nothing these days to track down love as if they were on some African big game hunting expedition and then to mount their prize on the wall for the world to see. And then I started thinking. What is love? Is it real? Or is it a myth created to sell more overpriced Hallmark cards on the eve of Valentine's Day, the lover's holiday? Or some elaborate hoax created by Hollywood to encourage people to spend $12 on a ticket to see George Clooney in yet another movie where he gets the girl in the end? Let's explore this...

As long as I can remember, when asked, "How come a handsome guy like yourself is single?", I have always replied without any hesitation. "Well, I don't believe in love nor do I believe in entwining myself with someone else in that way. I am now and forever will be a bachelor and that's the way I will leave this world one day." Cynical, huh? Well, from an early age I realized that, while keeping the company of certain people may be mildly enjoyable and even entertaining at times, at the end of the day, I wanted to spend the last few moments of twilight, alone. Just me and my thoughts. People will argue that humans are pack animals. Always searching for that perfect mate to procreate with and fight and die for. I argue the opposite. I feel that we are all solitary creatures marching along that great highway of life trying hard to end each day hopefully a little wiser and a little happier than we had begun it. And even though we may lust after certain people who pique our sexual interests and desires, we know we are only left to our own devices to survive. So how to I respond to people who say they have found their one true love? Well, here's my response. I have freakishly small feet. I still shop for shoes in the boy's department (and damn proud of it too) and it is so tough to find a shoe that marries the comfort of a slipper on a cold winter night with the practicality of a George Foreman grill. Well one day I found that perfect shoe at K-Mart. And better yet, they were on sale for $19.95. Like the eternal quest many take on, I had found my proverbial white knight, in the form of navy blue loafers, nonetheless. I wore them proudly practically everyday for months. I took care of them, I loved them. But alas, all good things must come to an end. One day when walking across the room, I felt a draft. Hmm, I thought. I don't recall leaving a window open. I kept walking. Ouch. Something stuck my left foot. I looked down only to find part of my beloved shoe on the other side of the room while the rest remained loyal on my foot. I cried into my pillow every night for a week. Love is a many splendid thing, so they say, and I loved my shoes. But like everything you love too  much and too often, it eventually gets sick of you, packs it's bags, and leaves you behind to pick up the pieces of your life. The moral of this story? True love is no more reliable than a pair of $19.95 K-Mart loafers.

I contend that people are not these complex, complicated walking masses of flesh that Dr. Phil will have you believe. People are transparent. They are easy to read and to figure out. Plain and simple. People search for "love" because that's what is drilled into the mind of every young boy and girl. From stories of Cinderella to Shrek, children are taught that in order to be happy, you have to have a soul mate. I think you can truly and honestly really really really really like someone, but love? No. Soul mate? Heck no. Here's why. How is it that you can "love" someone with the passion of Cleopatra longing for Mark Antony and yet with the flip of a coin or the spin of the wheel of life, you fall out of "love"? The answer is simple; you were never in love to begin with. You were in "like". 

It may seem as though I have a pessimistic view of the world and love. Some may say the reason is that I have never known love myself. It's true. I haven't. Nor do I plan to. I have my family, some really great friends who I would consider my family, and I have myself. I am my own best friend, my cheerleader, my motivator, and ultimately, I am the one who I can always count on. Just as the incomparable Garbo proclaimed in Queen Christina, "I shall die a bachelor", I too shall live and die.... a bachelor.