The End of Today's Story...

And so the story of today ends with the director saying "Fade to Black...Roll the Credits" & the announcer telling the audience "Goodnight"
Gary B. Nickels, Sr.
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Reality check...

I've decided to check out reality for a bit. I don't like it and I'm heading back to where I was.
Gary B. Nickels, Sr.
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Two Reasons to Celebrate...

Today is the 40th anniversary of Monday Night Football and Taco Tuesday...So are you ready for some Tacos? Happy Taco Tuesday!
Gary B. Nickels, Sr.
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

I did it!

I just completed my reading of my 13 Tom Clancy books in story order (including Red Storm Rising) a total of 8672 pages read since 7/1/10!
Gary B. Nickels, Sr.
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Book #13.

I've started book 13 in the Tom Clancy series! For those who didn't know, this was my reward to read all 13 books in a row for graduating.
Gary B. Nickels, Sr.
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

What happened?

Where did we go so wrong in that we elect people to public office that we wouldn't allow to come into our homes?
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

A Christmas List in September..

Classic Rock, coffee, some tacos and a Harley. Yes Santa, that's all I want for Christmas.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Genetics...

Is watching my 4 year old grandson rocking out to the Rolling Stones "Jumpin Jack Flash". He's so got my genes!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

A Job Interview, Prayer & Tacos...

Today I have a job interview. So if everybody could sat a prayer for and eat a taco (not at the same time) for me, I'd appreciate it.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Voluntary Night-Night...

I'm going to bed now and its a good thing I'm doing it now on my own volition and not the result of some federal mandate. Hello Big Brother!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Torn Between Two Lovers...

Its Sunday Night and I'm at church while my Cowboys playing their 1st game of football season on TV. Talk about being conflicted!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

A cure for insomnia?

I wonder how many people go to church just to catch up on their sleep?
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

It's How I Want To Be Remembered...

Now, there are some people out there who seem think that a funeral needs to be this somber, crying, gothic experience where people dress in black, they come in and look at the body (usually dressed in black as well) with some really depressing organ music softly playing in the background…What kind of way to remember a life is that?

At the risk of sounding gauche, I have taken the liberty of planning my own funeral. While I wish I could take credit for this, I am actually pulling out a page from the play book written by my buddy Chris. When my buddy Chris died, he did it up right, no body (he was cremated) and no service (even though he was a Christian, he knew where he was going) and he just wanted his family and friends to get together, have a party and celebrate his life…and so we did. Being Irish, we went to a brewery in the San Diego area and did Chris up in style. We laughed, we cried, we told stupid stories about Chris and what he meant to us. In other words, we celebrated Chris’s life and didn’t morn, per se, his passing.

Now, granted, most of the people in my life would not look too kindly to going to a brewery, however, I’m sure my kids, my son’s in-law and my buddies would knock one back for me in tribute. But what I want people to remember and talk about is the times that I made them laugh. Because if there is one thing in this life that I am sure of is that I was put on this earth to make people laugh. It doesn’t matter if you were a baby or a seasoned citizen; I was here to make you laugh.

I love the saying that goes “Don’t take life too seriously, nobody gets out alive” because that is how I have proposed to live my life. For you see, when you are laying on that final bed, dressed in one of those stupid hospital gowns that only open in the back, it is the laughter that you brought to yourself and to others that really counts when you are laying on your bed hooked up to life support.

Why is that so important? Because not only is it my mission in life, but it is a way to make people forget or help them get over whatever troubles they are having in their life. Laughter is the key to getting though this existence we call life. And this is what I want people to remember me for…the laughter that I brought to their lives. That is, to me, what I call leaving a legacy.

The Best Laid Plans...

Today is Saturday, I have nothing planned and I intend on keeping it that way...(Sure Buckwheat & let's see how long that's going to last!)
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

You can tell when...

You can tell its time to go to bed when it starts to take longer to blink then normal. Goodnight reality...Catch ya on the flip side!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Oops!

All the silverware is in the running dishwasher so I'm eating microwave burritos with a knife and chopsticks.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

So this is Friday night?

Errands are done, lawn mowed and now its laundry time! (Can't you just feel the excitement?)
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Baby Games...

Playing a game with my 2 month old grandson called "Lion & Victim." And just like in nature...The Lion Wins!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Economics 101

Gary's simple view of Economics: Gary gets paid. Gary pays bills. Gary broke.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

It just dawned on me...

Now I remember why I got up this morning...Coffee!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

I'm doing it...I'm doing it!

Its called "Doing What Needs to be Done". My question is that couldn't have they made it a little more fun to do in the first place?
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Attitude adjustment...

Ok, yesterday's despondent & angry bozo has left the building and the off the wall and unpredictably funny mammal you all love is back!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Cool Nigh-Nights...

I love cool nights. It makes going to bed that much sweeter. Goodnight all and may your dreams be as peaceful as your rest.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Bad Day?

Right now, I'm not the person you want to be around.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Some things never change...

Kicking & Screaming: What I did my first day of Kindergarten, what I do every morning before going to work & what I did when I got married.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

My new clock...

I just bought a new clock for the living room. It goes tic-Taco, tic-Taco. Happy Taco Tuesday!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Its almost here!

Football season starts next week. So I've entered every Monday Night Football and Dallas Cowboy game onto my phone & computer. Bring it on!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

How I spent Labor Day...

Spending Labor Day relaxing watching Batman cartoons on my computer. Ok, I'm addicted, I admit it.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Don't you just hate it when....

Don't you just hate it when your happiness ends?
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Self-Preservation

Sometimes you have to shut yourself off so you don't have to feel a thing.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

The Defining Factor...

Coffee, not out ability to use or have thumbs, is what really separates us from everything else in the animal kingdom & aliens in UFO's.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Its too early for this...

Whoever that guy was who was mowing his yard at 8:00 on a Saturday morning, I'd wish he'd stop it & get a life. Oh Wait...it was me! My Bad!
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

One of those nights?

Mama said there would be days like this...but what about the nights?
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Canine etiquette...

Dogs do not care if you double dip.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Signing off...

And this ends our broadcasting day, thanks for watching "The Nickels Channel" and goodnight.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Good Morning...?

The first words I said to my alarm clock this morning were. "You woke me up for this?"
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Night Time...

Night Time: The perfect time to sleep or work the Graveyard Shift.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

And Justice is what?...

In California, we do not have Capital Punishment...We just have Life in Prison and you do it from Death Row.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Revised Cliches...

I wonder if cannibals say "I've been running around all day like a human with their head cut off"?
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

A Kodak Moment...

I'm sitting here in my easy chair, reading a book, having a cup of coffee, with my dog laying next to me in the chair snoring away.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961

Dictionary Definitions...

Definition of "Cringing": The act of curling up in a fetal position dreading something that hasn't happened yet...Like waking up for work.
Gary Nickels
Writer, Speaker and Safely Observing the World Since 1961