Good Evening:
I am writing this post to request that anyone reading this will do me the great favor of sending all your Prayers upward for John B. Turner, whose blog is John three Sixteen. This good man has recently been diagnosed with Multiple Cancers, of the Brain, Back and elsewhere. Joh needs all the help a Merciful God gan give , and I'm sure that the more prayers for him the greater his chances for a recovery.
John, even tho I've never met him has helped me a lot in the past by helping me to start and maintain this blog, and by setting an example of what a good person is. So come on troops, lets all say a bunch of prayers for John.
Thank You and God Bless
TOP
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Good Afternoon:
As you can see by the salutation, I have changed the font and font size on my Blog.
This is in response to Google's new format for Blogs. I do not understand when they(google) had what I considered to be a real good format, they had to change it.
Maybe I'm just an old fogie but I believe in the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Let me know your thoughts.
If any of you have read my past posts, you will have seen when I reported that our Youngest Son had published his first book.
For those who like to read the work of a new Author, the title of the book is: Kingsnake, descendents of Iniquity
Author: Christopher Piper. I think it's a really interesting book about some of the Near and Actual Outlaws who live in the Southern part of Illinois, some of whom we've known. We will appreciate your feedback on this as well, if you are so inclined.
I have been doing a little writing. Just for my selfish enjoyment, will I'm pretty sure never be published, but I've enjoyed writing a lot more when I write just for myself. I am writing a series of stories about a small rural town, and the "Characters" therein.
Its Fun
Stay Tuned
Stay Well, Stay in Touch and Stay Positive.
TOP
As you can see by the salutation, I have changed the font and font size on my Blog.
This is in response to Google's new format for Blogs. I do not understand when they(google) had what I considered to be a real good format, they had to change it.
Maybe I'm just an old fogie but I believe in the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Let me know your thoughts.
If any of you have read my past posts, you will have seen when I reported that our Youngest Son had published his first book.
For those who like to read the work of a new Author, the title of the book is: Kingsnake, descendents of Iniquity
Author: Christopher Piper. I think it's a really interesting book about some of the Near and Actual Outlaws who live in the Southern part of Illinois, some of whom we've known. We will appreciate your feedback on this as well, if you are so inclined.
I have been doing a little writing. Just for my selfish enjoyment, will I'm pretty sure never be published, but I've enjoyed writing a lot more when I write just for myself. I am writing a series of stories about a small rural town, and the "Characters" therein.
Its Fun
Stay Tuned
Stay Well, Stay in Touch and Stay Positive.
TOP
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Too long a silence
Folks, I'm Sorry.
Or perhaps I should say Folk (singular), as I don't know how many if any people have ever been interested in this Old Man Blog, but just in case there are more than one, I figure I had better explain myself. My last Post was quite some time ago, and it was about the Death of a Dog. Our Dog, Our friend, our companion, and our source of almost constant joy.I have heard from several folks who felt just as my wife and I did, about Their Doggie friends.
At the same time we lost our dog, we had and are having some difficulties that have made our days stress-filled and difficult, due to the misbehavior and lack of purpose on the part of some of those who are very important to us, and it is slowly eroding our souls.
All my life I have regretted any form of waste, and for a person to waste the gift of an absolute gem of a brain, one that has shown in the past that it is capable of outstanding achievements is just so damned sad that I just don't know what to do. The sadder part of this is that the person who owns this brain is a parent and a grandparent, and those decedents, I fear, are emulating this person in some,too many, ways. Someone whose support I value has reminded me of the words of Marcus Aurelius. I remembered these words, but had forgotten the Author.
they are:
ETHICS----If its not true don't say it. If its not right don't do it.
I will continue to hope that the person of whom I am speaking will somehow read these words, and perhaps for the first time decide to change the things that have robbed themself of a successful life.
TOP
Or perhaps I should say Folk (singular), as I don't know how many if any people have ever been interested in this Old Man Blog, but just in case there are more than one, I figure I had better explain myself. My last Post was quite some time ago, and it was about the Death of a Dog. Our Dog, Our friend, our companion, and our source of almost constant joy.I have heard from several folks who felt just as my wife and I did, about Their Doggie friends.
At the same time we lost our dog, we had and are having some difficulties that have made our days stress-filled and difficult, due to the misbehavior and lack of purpose on the part of some of those who are very important to us, and it is slowly eroding our souls.
All my life I have regretted any form of waste, and for a person to waste the gift of an absolute gem of a brain, one that has shown in the past that it is capable of outstanding achievements is just so damned sad that I just don't know what to do. The sadder part of this is that the person who owns this brain is a parent and a grandparent, and those decedents, I fear, are emulating this person in some,too many, ways. Someone whose support I value has reminded me of the words of Marcus Aurelius. I remembered these words, but had forgotten the Author.
they are:
ETHICS----If its not true don't say it. If its not right don't do it.
I will continue to hope that the person of whom I am speaking will somehow read these words, and perhaps for the first time decide to change the things that have robbed themself of a successful life.
TOP
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Our Sweet Dog
Good Afternoon all.
Our Sweet Dog Scarlett, died on the Twenty First of last month, and her passing left a hole in my Heart and a rent in my soul.
Scarlett was a few weeks short of her Fifteenth Birthday. She lived with us about Ten years, after we took her from a neglected and abused life. She was way underweight and frightened when she came to live with us, and My Wife and I both were determined to improve her life and to make her happy.
We started almost immediately, taking her to a Veterinarian the second day we had her as she had a kidney infection. The Veterinarian put her on a regimen of certain medications, including Flea and Heartworm treatments, and we started, for our part in her recovery, taking her for a long walk at least once a day, and usually twice.
In just a short time, my Wife started cooking for Scarlett, rather than feeding her dog food, as advised by the Vet. Every single night Scarlett could look forward to a supper of either Steak or Chicken, garnished with rice or Pasta and Gravy..
Scarlett let us know right away that she enjoyed and appreciated her diet and her comfortable bed, inside, with us, rather than in the dirt outside, as was her bed where she used to live. She also put on about Twenty pounds, which brought her up to her proper weight.
Scarlett let us know she loved her food in a cute manner. My wife had placed a small Teddy Bear on Scarlett's bed shortly after she came to live with us and we, as silly Old Folks, called the Bear her "Baby". After she would eat her good, home cooked supper, Scarlett would often bring her Baby to us, placing it on the floor in the Dining Room, which, of course, melted our Hearts.
To illustrate how sweet Scarlett was, when we would take our walks people would frequently come to the curb to admire Scarlett and would ask (as it is wise to do) "may I pet her?", to which I never hesitated to tell almost anyone they could pet our Scarlett. Frequently the person petting Scarlett would be a small child and Scarlett was always to calm and loving, it didn't matter if the child pulled her hair or ear, Scarlett seemed somehow to know that the child was very young, and didn't mean to hurt her, and she would just stand patiently, wagging her tail and smiling.
Scarlett had at least two strokes by the time she went to sleep, and I agonize over the thought that maybe I waited too long and caused this sweet Dog to suffer, but we thought as long as she was eating and enjoying her supper, we could wait a while longer. I hope we were right, but if we weren't, I will never forgive myself, and will not expect to be the recipient of a final forgiveness.
I wish everyone could have a wonderful Dog like our Scarlett, but you know; if you treat your Dog good and love them and take care of them, chances are you will have a loving companion also. Grandma and grandpa will always miss you Scarlett,but as it said on Uncle Chris' card, the car windows are always rolled down in Heaven.
Stay well, and do let me hear about your great Dog.
TOP
Our Sweet Dog Scarlett, died on the Twenty First of last month, and her passing left a hole in my Heart and a rent in my soul.
Scarlett was a few weeks short of her Fifteenth Birthday. She lived with us about Ten years, after we took her from a neglected and abused life. She was way underweight and frightened when she came to live with us, and My Wife and I both were determined to improve her life and to make her happy.
We started almost immediately, taking her to a Veterinarian the second day we had her as she had a kidney infection. The Veterinarian put her on a regimen of certain medications, including Flea and Heartworm treatments, and we started, for our part in her recovery, taking her for a long walk at least once a day, and usually twice.
In just a short time, my Wife started cooking for Scarlett, rather than feeding her dog food, as advised by the Vet. Every single night Scarlett could look forward to a supper of either Steak or Chicken, garnished with rice or Pasta and Gravy..
Scarlett let us know right away that she enjoyed and appreciated her diet and her comfortable bed, inside, with us, rather than in the dirt outside, as was her bed where she used to live. She also put on about Twenty pounds, which brought her up to her proper weight.
Scarlett let us know she loved her food in a cute manner. My wife had placed a small Teddy Bear on Scarlett's bed shortly after she came to live with us and we, as silly Old Folks, called the Bear her "Baby". After she would eat her good, home cooked supper, Scarlett would often bring her Baby to us, placing it on the floor in the Dining Room, which, of course, melted our Hearts.
To illustrate how sweet Scarlett was, when we would take our walks people would frequently come to the curb to admire Scarlett and would ask (as it is wise to do) "may I pet her?", to which I never hesitated to tell almost anyone they could pet our Scarlett. Frequently the person petting Scarlett would be a small child and Scarlett was always to calm and loving, it didn't matter if the child pulled her hair or ear, Scarlett seemed somehow to know that the child was very young, and didn't mean to hurt her, and she would just stand patiently, wagging her tail and smiling.
Scarlett had at least two strokes by the time she went to sleep, and I agonize over the thought that maybe I waited too long and caused this sweet Dog to suffer, but we thought as long as she was eating and enjoying her supper, we could wait a while longer. I hope we were right, but if we weren't, I will never forgive myself, and will not expect to be the recipient of a final forgiveness.
I wish everyone could have a wonderful Dog like our Scarlett, but you know; if you treat your Dog good and love them and take care of them, chances are you will have a loving companion also. Grandma and grandpa will always miss you Scarlett,but as it said on Uncle Chris' card, the car windows are always rolled down in Heaven.
Stay well, and do let me hear about your great Dog.
TOP
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Characters I have known.
Good Afternoon all.
I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the Peter Principle, which, simply put, is the process of promoting a person to a level above his or her abilities.
Most people have known such a person in their lifetime, and I've had the unhappy experience of knowing more than one, mixed in with the absolutely great people I've worked with over the years.
The person I am making reference to worked at the same facility as I did, and in the same Technical Division. After several years this fellow was promoted to a supervisory position over the area where I worked and things started getting pretty bad pretty fast. This fellow had the ability to take a well functioning department and in short order make everyone in the department either ticked off or disgusted, or both.
It was no secret that this guy had a couple of "Toadies" in the department, who ran to him with tales of people talking badly about him or not doing their work, etc etc etc, almost anything they thought would further their warped cause and improve their status in the eyes of this person.
The crux of the problem, as I saw it, and others voiced the same opinion as me, was that the bespoken supervisor was so insecure that the only way he could tamp down the worrying thoughts in his mind, was to bully every person, every chance he got. He actually hinted to me once, and only once, that if I would come to him when I heard something unfavorable about him, that it would be to my advantage.
I told this chap in no uncertain words that I would do almost any job I was given to the very best of my ability, but that I would not, under any circumstance, become one of his "Lickspittles".
Quite possibly I would have improved my position with the Company if I had done as he asked (furtively) but then how could I have lived with myself?
I have known people in all walks of life, and of all stations, and regardless how menial the job I have noticed that the men who did their job with pride in their work were almost always well thought of by their co-workers and their superiors. And these selfsame men, whatever their station, had no need to run to the "Boss" with lurid tales, mostly of less than whole cloth ,as did the man of whom I spoke earlier.
Folks, at what is probably the tail end of my life, I've found one thing to be ever true: I've found that the good people, the kind of people who you love to work around and with, outnumber the Bastards overwhelmingly.
I guess I have been extremely fortunate, as regards the people I worked with over the years, as the great percentage of them were more than pleasant to be around and to work with.
Stay Well
TOP
I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the Peter Principle, which, simply put, is the process of promoting a person to a level above his or her abilities.
Most people have known such a person in their lifetime, and I've had the unhappy experience of knowing more than one, mixed in with the absolutely great people I've worked with over the years.
The person I am making reference to worked at the same facility as I did, and in the same Technical Division. After several years this fellow was promoted to a supervisory position over the area where I worked and things started getting pretty bad pretty fast. This fellow had the ability to take a well functioning department and in short order make everyone in the department either ticked off or disgusted, or both.
It was no secret that this guy had a couple of "Toadies" in the department, who ran to him with tales of people talking badly about him or not doing their work, etc etc etc, almost anything they thought would further their warped cause and improve their status in the eyes of this person.
The crux of the problem, as I saw it, and others voiced the same opinion as me, was that the bespoken supervisor was so insecure that the only way he could tamp down the worrying thoughts in his mind, was to bully every person, every chance he got. He actually hinted to me once, and only once, that if I would come to him when I heard something unfavorable about him, that it would be to my advantage.
I told this chap in no uncertain words that I would do almost any job I was given to the very best of my ability, but that I would not, under any circumstance, become one of his "Lickspittles".
Quite possibly I would have improved my position with the Company if I had done as he asked (furtively) but then how could I have lived with myself?
I have known people in all walks of life, and of all stations, and regardless how menial the job I have noticed that the men who did their job with pride in their work were almost always well thought of by their co-workers and their superiors. And these selfsame men, whatever their station, had no need to run to the "Boss" with lurid tales, mostly of less than whole cloth ,as did the man of whom I spoke earlier.
Folks, at what is probably the tail end of my life, I've found one thing to be ever true: I've found that the good people, the kind of people who you love to work around and with, outnumber the Bastards overwhelmingly.
I guess I have been extremely fortunate, as regards the people I worked with over the years, as the great percentage of them were more than pleasant to be around and to work with.
Stay Well
TOP
Saturday, March 10, 2012
In the News.
Good Afternoon
It seems that every time I read the Newspaper lately, I find something that I would like to write a blog post about, but when I set down at the computer, for the life of me I can't remember what it was I wanted to write about.
But I'll try, all the same.
A few months ago there was an article in the paper about a young woman who stopped her car on the Interstate, dragged her two year old out of the back seat, struck him on the head with some sort of wooden folding table, rendering him unconscious, and continued down the road, dragging her five year old son, and abandoning her two year old . It was only by the grace of God that a passer-by saw the tot lying in the traffic lane of the Interstate and stopped to render assistance, and thus averted the horror of the young lad being run over by a speeding vehicle.
It seems that the woman had, before starting to drive, had snorted a product marked as" bath salts", which had the reputation of causing hallucinations, when snorted, and thus catching the attention of the Drug Community. This excuse for a human being had INTENTIONALLY snorted these salts to get high. The older child had told police that his Mother had thought that his little brother was a demon, and had tried to destroy and abandon him.
The woman's picture was in the Newspaper and has been on T.V. news several times, and lordy lordy, if one looked up white trash in the dictionary, one would find her picture.
And now for the even more unbelievable part of this tragedy. The woman was sentenced to only Ten Years in the Pen for this attempted Murder. She will undoubtedly serve part of that sentence, be released by some damn fools on a parole board, and immediately get busy having more children that she can endanger, ignore and neglect. This is absolutely outrageous!!! This this ...trash, to be kind, needs to be taken out and sterlized, forbidden, on pain of death, from having any contact with any child, under any circumstances at all, for the rest of her miserable life.
I have no doubt at all, that if some practitioner of the Evil Arts were to procure some thoroughly dried Bovine or other Farm Animals Manure, package it as ,say, hair restorer, but publicize it, sub rosa, as a maker of good highs, a large number of damn fools would purchase and "Snort" it.
Some time ago, I was speaking with an old friend whom I had not spoken to in over 50 years, and reminiscing with him about the past, he referred to a job I held, back in the day, which was, looking at it now, extremely low paying, but was thought to be about right at the time, given my relatively unimportant status with that company, and asked me if I thought those were the good old days. I replied, without hesitation, that I absolutely did. When queried by my friend "Why", I couldn't think of any reasons other than we were young at the time, and things cost a whole lot less, like gasoline, as a forinstance. We had no further discourse on this subject and went on to talk about other things, but I think if my friend were to again ask me this question, I would mail him the articles about this woman from the Newspapers .
I'm afraid, that if asked to rate our population as a whole, I would have to say that it has gotten terribly worse over the past few decades.
Maybe I should just stop reading the Newspaper.
Stay well and do at least one good deed a day.
TOP
It seems that every time I read the Newspaper lately, I find something that I would like to write a blog post about, but when I set down at the computer, for the life of me I can't remember what it was I wanted to write about.
But I'll try, all the same.
A few months ago there was an article in the paper about a young woman who stopped her car on the Interstate, dragged her two year old out of the back seat, struck him on the head with some sort of wooden folding table, rendering him unconscious, and continued down the road, dragging her five year old son, and abandoning her two year old . It was only by the grace of God that a passer-by saw the tot lying in the traffic lane of the Interstate and stopped to render assistance, and thus averted the horror of the young lad being run over by a speeding vehicle.
It seems that the woman had, before starting to drive, had snorted a product marked as" bath salts", which had the reputation of causing hallucinations, when snorted, and thus catching the attention of the Drug Community. This excuse for a human being had INTENTIONALLY snorted these salts to get high. The older child had told police that his Mother had thought that his little brother was a demon, and had tried to destroy and abandon him.
The woman's picture was in the Newspaper and has been on T.V. news several times, and lordy lordy, if one looked up white trash in the dictionary, one would find her picture.
And now for the even more unbelievable part of this tragedy. The woman was sentenced to only Ten Years in the Pen for this attempted Murder. She will undoubtedly serve part of that sentence, be released by some damn fools on a parole board, and immediately get busy having more children that she can endanger, ignore and neglect. This is absolutely outrageous!!! This this ...trash, to be kind, needs to be taken out and sterlized, forbidden, on pain of death, from having any contact with any child, under any circumstances at all, for the rest of her miserable life.
I have no doubt at all, that if some practitioner of the Evil Arts were to procure some thoroughly dried Bovine or other Farm Animals Manure, package it as ,say, hair restorer, but publicize it, sub rosa, as a maker of good highs, a large number of damn fools would purchase and "Snort" it.
Some time ago, I was speaking with an old friend whom I had not spoken to in over 50 years, and reminiscing with him about the past, he referred to a job I held, back in the day, which was, looking at it now, extremely low paying, but was thought to be about right at the time, given my relatively unimportant status with that company, and asked me if I thought those were the good old days. I replied, without hesitation, that I absolutely did. When queried by my friend "Why", I couldn't think of any reasons other than we were young at the time, and things cost a whole lot less, like gasoline, as a forinstance. We had no further discourse on this subject and went on to talk about other things, but I think if my friend were to again ask me this question, I would mail him the articles about this woman from the Newspapers .
I'm afraid, that if asked to rate our population as a whole, I would have to say that it has gotten terribly worse over the past few decades.
Maybe I should just stop reading the Newspaper.
Stay well and do at least one good deed a day.
TOP
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Proud Papa
Good Afternoon Folks:
I, with your permission, am going to depart from my "Preaching" for once in order to indulge myself in a little bit, no make that a lot, of Paternal pride.
Our youngest child, Christopher, has just signed a contract for the publication of his first book, and my wife and I are just bursting with pride.
I should hastily add this disclaimer i.e. My son, who is very talented in several areas, got none of his talents from me. My wife is the smart one in our family, but the important thing is that he has these talents and he has put them to work, in the writing of his book, and I'm so very glad he has.
It has Been suggested by a few people, mostly co-workers over the years, that I should write a book, but, due to a lack of talent, and a probable overabundance of laziness, I never have. This exercise I call a Blog is a very poor substitute, and has, in fact, been perhaps accurately called "Crap", and it probably is.
But at least, thanks to our Son, there is now one writer in the family.
"Scuse the Braggin"
TOP
I, with your permission, am going to depart from my "Preaching" for once in order to indulge myself in a little bit, no make that a lot, of Paternal pride.
Our youngest child, Christopher, has just signed a contract for the publication of his first book, and my wife and I are just bursting with pride.
I should hastily add this disclaimer i.e. My son, who is very talented in several areas, got none of his talents from me. My wife is the smart one in our family, but the important thing is that he has these talents and he has put them to work, in the writing of his book, and I'm so very glad he has.
It has Been suggested by a few people, mostly co-workers over the years, that I should write a book, but, due to a lack of talent, and a probable overabundance of laziness, I never have. This exercise I call a Blog is a very poor substitute, and has, in fact, been perhaps accurately called "Crap", and it probably is.
But at least, thanks to our Son, there is now one writer in the family.
"Scuse the Braggin"
TOP
Friday, January 13, 2012
This and That
Hi Folks.
I read in a recent copy of our local Newspaper that the State of Kentucky has broken ground, so to speak, on a new level of Insanity.
Now, even though I was born in the Bluegrass State, events over the past few years have made me almost ashamed to admit this fact.
The occurance I am speaking of is Kentucky's department of Fish and Wildlife Resources have announced a hunting season on.....SANDHILL CRANES!!!. Now correct me if I am wrong, but I have never thought of these Birds as "Trophy Material" nor do I believe I have ever heard of anyone of more or less human origins desiring to make a meal out of one of these graceful creatures. Kentucky, in all its wisdom has decreed that the season will run until 400 birds have been killed, or until the director of the Fish and Wildlife department sobers up, whichever comes first.
I fully expect that these intelligent people will probably attempt to open a season on Bald Eagles soon. I guess word hasn't filtered down that This is our National Bird. Just as it hasn't seemed to occur to these numbskulls the insanity of a season on any species of Cranes, Sandhill, whooping or any others.
The only bright spot in this stupidity is that each "Hunter" will ONLY be allowed to take Two Birds.
I would like to suggest to the high muckety-mucks in Kentucky Government change one small detail in the next season on these birds, and that is their Quarry has to be taken by hand, and that for each bird that is taken, one Kentucky legislator has to just quit his job and go home. The way I figure if these clowns can do nothing better than to allow a laxity in the laws of the State of Kentucky that allows for such obvious stupidity, well...Kentucky has too many legislators, who have too little sense. Folks, the days of such prominent and deserving politicians such as Alben Barkley, who some of you may remember as Harry Truman's Vice President, and who was giving a speech after his term as Veep ended, ended the speech and his life (he dropped dead at the end of this remark) "I would rather be a servant in the house of the Lord than to sit in the seats of the mighty"--are so few and far between as to almost be an extinct species.
As an aside, years ago I attended an auction at the Home of Alben Barkley which I enjoyed, and I was able to purchase some of Senator Barkley's books and the large antique Dinner Bell which was on a post in his back yard.
I still have both items, and am rather nostalgic about them.
Stay well and do good works.
TOP
I read in a recent copy of our local Newspaper that the State of Kentucky has broken ground, so to speak, on a new level of Insanity.
Now, even though I was born in the Bluegrass State, events over the past few years have made me almost ashamed to admit this fact.
The occurance I am speaking of is Kentucky's department of Fish and Wildlife Resources have announced a hunting season on.....SANDHILL CRANES!!!. Now correct me if I am wrong, but I have never thought of these Birds as "Trophy Material" nor do I believe I have ever heard of anyone of more or less human origins desiring to make a meal out of one of these graceful creatures. Kentucky, in all its wisdom has decreed that the season will run until 400 birds have been killed, or until the director of the Fish and Wildlife department sobers up, whichever comes first.
I fully expect that these intelligent people will probably attempt to open a season on Bald Eagles soon. I guess word hasn't filtered down that This is our National Bird. Just as it hasn't seemed to occur to these numbskulls the insanity of a season on any species of Cranes, Sandhill, whooping or any others.
The only bright spot in this stupidity is that each "Hunter" will ONLY be allowed to take Two Birds.
I would like to suggest to the high muckety-mucks in Kentucky Government change one small detail in the next season on these birds, and that is their Quarry has to be taken by hand, and that for each bird that is taken, one Kentucky legislator has to just quit his job and go home. The way I figure if these clowns can do nothing better than to allow a laxity in the laws of the State of Kentucky that allows for such obvious stupidity, well...Kentucky has too many legislators, who have too little sense. Folks, the days of such prominent and deserving politicians such as Alben Barkley, who some of you may remember as Harry Truman's Vice President, and who was giving a speech after his term as Veep ended, ended the speech and his life (he dropped dead at the end of this remark) "I would rather be a servant in the house of the Lord than to sit in the seats of the mighty"--are so few and far between as to almost be an extinct species.
As an aside, years ago I attended an auction at the Home of Alben Barkley which I enjoyed, and I was able to purchase some of Senator Barkley's books and the large antique Dinner Bell which was on a post in his back yard.
I still have both items, and am rather nostalgic about them.
Stay well and do good works.
TOP
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas
Hello on this Christmas Eve good people.
It is my hope that each of you have a happy Christmas and a safe, healthy and rewarding New year.
This time of year is always a mixture of sadness and gladness for me. I am glad because of the season, and with thoughts of how Christmas seems to make a lot of people happy, and sadness because I well remember the happy times of Christmas' past in our home.
I remember how our three children used to gather at the top of the stairs and call down down and ask if Santa Claus had been here yet. My wife and I, our brains fogged and our eyes bleary, due to staying up late, wrapping up gifts and giving Santa a hand in laying out all the presents under the tree, would say "yes he has been here", and the kids would come thundering down the stairs and initiate a blizzard of hastily torn-off Christmas wrappings, while my wife and I watched and smiled, Happy that we could give to our kids, and I'm a bit sad knowing those days won't come round again,
But I remember with happiness our Christmas Tree. Each year we would make a special day of the day when we went to get the tree. Some years my wife and I would go out and find a tree, and some years I would go by myself, so my wife could stay home and prepare bunches of Christmas goodies.
Starting when our oldest son was about four years old, and we were living in Florida, where my work had taken us, and Christmas Trees in the wild were pretty scarce, as the proper type of tree and its shape were seemingly not indigineous to Florida, My son and I went on an "expedition" in a small patch of partially cleared ground near the Cottage where we lived and brought home a somewhat ungainly looking slash pine tree. I wasn't sure about it, but was ever optimistic that as usual my wife and I could make it beautiful, and Sure Enough! when we got this tree trimmed it was just beautiful.
In later years my daughter also went with us on our search for a tree, and she just loved the area where we would select and cut our tree each year. Soon our youngest son would accompany us on our tree expedition. We would drive several miles to a small Christmas Tree farm, and spent a few enjoyable hours in picking out just the perfect tree. When parking near the Tree Farm, it was necessary to walk through a dense grove of mature Pine trees, forty or fifty feet tall. I can still remember how beautifully silent it was in that grove, with its soft carpet of decades of pine needles on the ground. My Daughter would always call this area "The Cathedral", and the fields where we cut our tree , the "Secret Garden" and we would invariable find just the right tree, only to find when we got it home, it was about three or four feet taller than our eleven-foot ceilings, and would have to do some tree surgery on it to make it fit. But it was worth the time and effort, for when the tree was in place and decorated, it would invariably be gloriously beautiful, and a subject of awe for all who saw it. This, together with literally hundreds of other memories fill my mind this time of year.
Yes, christmas is a time of mixed feelings for me, yet I wouldn't take a Million Dollars for any one of over a half-centuries of Memories of Christmas.
So, Happy Christmas to each and every one out there, and may all your Christmas dreams and memories be Happy Ones.
The Old Professor
It is my hope that each of you have a happy Christmas and a safe, healthy and rewarding New year.
This time of year is always a mixture of sadness and gladness for me. I am glad because of the season, and with thoughts of how Christmas seems to make a lot of people happy, and sadness because I well remember the happy times of Christmas' past in our home.
I remember how our three children used to gather at the top of the stairs and call down down and ask if Santa Claus had been here yet. My wife and I, our brains fogged and our eyes bleary, due to staying up late, wrapping up gifts and giving Santa a hand in laying out all the presents under the tree, would say "yes he has been here", and the kids would come thundering down the stairs and initiate a blizzard of hastily torn-off Christmas wrappings, while my wife and I watched and smiled, Happy that we could give to our kids, and I'm a bit sad knowing those days won't come round again,
But I remember with happiness our Christmas Tree. Each year we would make a special day of the day when we went to get the tree. Some years my wife and I would go out and find a tree, and some years I would go by myself, so my wife could stay home and prepare bunches of Christmas goodies.
Starting when our oldest son was about four years old, and we were living in Florida, where my work had taken us, and Christmas Trees in the wild were pretty scarce, as the proper type of tree and its shape were seemingly not indigineous to Florida, My son and I went on an "expedition" in a small patch of partially cleared ground near the Cottage where we lived and brought home a somewhat ungainly looking slash pine tree. I wasn't sure about it, but was ever optimistic that as usual my wife and I could make it beautiful, and Sure Enough! when we got this tree trimmed it was just beautiful.
In later years my daughter also went with us on our search for a tree, and she just loved the area where we would select and cut our tree each year. Soon our youngest son would accompany us on our tree expedition. We would drive several miles to a small Christmas Tree farm, and spent a few enjoyable hours in picking out just the perfect tree. When parking near the Tree Farm, it was necessary to walk through a dense grove of mature Pine trees, forty or fifty feet tall. I can still remember how beautifully silent it was in that grove, with its soft carpet of decades of pine needles on the ground. My Daughter would always call this area "The Cathedral", and the fields where we cut our tree , the "Secret Garden" and we would invariable find just the right tree, only to find when we got it home, it was about three or four feet taller than our eleven-foot ceilings, and would have to do some tree surgery on it to make it fit. But it was worth the time and effort, for when the tree was in place and decorated, it would invariably be gloriously beautiful, and a subject of awe for all who saw it. This, together with literally hundreds of other memories fill my mind this time of year.
Yes, christmas is a time of mixed feelings for me, yet I wouldn't take a Million Dollars for any one of over a half-centuries of Memories of Christmas.
So, Happy Christmas to each and every one out there, and may all your Christmas dreams and memories be Happy Ones.
The Old Professor
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
How to go broke without really trying
Good Afternoon:
I'll tell you a short tale if I may.
My wife and I moved our family to the small town where we live about 43 years ago.
It wasn't long after we moved here that I needed to go to a lumber yard for something, I forget what. Anyway, the lumber company/hardware store I went to was a flourishing business, with quite a number of employees and lots of customers. One had to wait in line to be waited on.
I enjoyed doing business with this company for quite a number of years, until 15 or 20 years or so ago, when the owner's daughter returned to town from college with a shiny new husband.
The owner of this business then decided that he could at long last retire, and turned the operation of the business he had built up over many years over to his son-in-law.
Some where around this same time, Lowes and Home Depot opened stores in a town across the river from our town, about 15 or so miles away, and predictably, business at local lumber yards and hardware stores began to flag somewhat.
Instead of trying to maintain their business by continuing their fine service and reasonably, if not as cheaply priced, lumber and hardware items and maintain, after a short period of adjustment, the bulk of their clients, the son-in-law decided to make up for the reduction in business by raising the prices on their stock.
This , of course, had the predictable effect of costing the business even more customers, as the amount they could save by driving across the river and shopping with one of the new mega-stores was now even greater, well worth the time and gas necessary to make the trip.
The son-in-law responded by raising the prices even more, and laying off most of his employees, while he was busy hunting, fishing and playing.
I've only been in this business a limited amount of times in the last few years, as I've not had the need, but on one memorable occasion, I needed a gallon of outside white paint, and didn't figure it would pay me to go over the river to save three or four bucks. I found a gallon of paint at the store O.K. I found a can with about a quarter of an inch of dust on the top and discovered when I took it to the counter to pay for it, that the price for this ordinary paint was now close to Forty dollars, instead of the Ten or Twelve dollars it had formerly been. Obviously I put the paint back on the shelf and drove to the mega store.
As I write this, the local, once flourishing store is just about out of business, the son-in-law has run the business into the ground.
The founder and original owner of the business died a few months ago, and I anticipate that the business will close in the near future.
I tell this story as an illustration of how to kill a business, a company, or an organization, or even a Governmental entity.
I very much fear this is what will soon be happening to this beloved country of ours.
By trying to raise taxes on one segment of the population to make up for the taxes no longer paid by another segment of our population, as their jobs are now gone, the United States is doing exactly what the lumber yard did. and why?, well for the same reason. The "New Owner" doesn't know what he is doing, due to a lack of experience.
Now the local lumber yard owner, when asked why his business is off so much has said it was because of the way the founder and his employee's ran the business.....for over 50 years!!!!! I think you'll agree that this is a classic "CYA" by someone who just flat doesn't know what he is doing.
As a single example, look just to the U.S. Postal Service. This week they announced that it would now take more than twice as long to deliver a first-class letter AND would also cost more, as the price is going up on first-class stamps. I guess the P.O. officials are saying," well since we are doing less, we ought to charge more for it to make up for the loss of business due to higher prices and slower service. that ought to do it".
Et Tu, D.C.?
Cheers
TOP
I'll tell you a short tale if I may.
My wife and I moved our family to the small town where we live about 43 years ago.
It wasn't long after we moved here that I needed to go to a lumber yard for something, I forget what. Anyway, the lumber company/hardware store I went to was a flourishing business, with quite a number of employees and lots of customers. One had to wait in line to be waited on.
I enjoyed doing business with this company for quite a number of years, until 15 or 20 years or so ago, when the owner's daughter returned to town from college with a shiny new husband.
The owner of this business then decided that he could at long last retire, and turned the operation of the business he had built up over many years over to his son-in-law.
Some where around this same time, Lowes and Home Depot opened stores in a town across the river from our town, about 15 or so miles away, and predictably, business at local lumber yards and hardware stores began to flag somewhat.
Instead of trying to maintain their business by continuing their fine service and reasonably, if not as cheaply priced, lumber and hardware items and maintain, after a short period of adjustment, the bulk of their clients, the son-in-law decided to make up for the reduction in business by raising the prices on their stock.
This , of course, had the predictable effect of costing the business even more customers, as the amount they could save by driving across the river and shopping with one of the new mega-stores was now even greater, well worth the time and gas necessary to make the trip.
The son-in-law responded by raising the prices even more, and laying off most of his employees, while he was busy hunting, fishing and playing.
I've only been in this business a limited amount of times in the last few years, as I've not had the need, but on one memorable occasion, I needed a gallon of outside white paint, and didn't figure it would pay me to go over the river to save three or four bucks. I found a gallon of paint at the store O.K. I found a can with about a quarter of an inch of dust on the top and discovered when I took it to the counter to pay for it, that the price for this ordinary paint was now close to Forty dollars, instead of the Ten or Twelve dollars it had formerly been. Obviously I put the paint back on the shelf and drove to the mega store.
As I write this, the local, once flourishing store is just about out of business, the son-in-law has run the business into the ground.
The founder and original owner of the business died a few months ago, and I anticipate that the business will close in the near future.
I tell this story as an illustration of how to kill a business, a company, or an organization, or even a Governmental entity.
I very much fear this is what will soon be happening to this beloved country of ours.
By trying to raise taxes on one segment of the population to make up for the taxes no longer paid by another segment of our population, as their jobs are now gone, the United States is doing exactly what the lumber yard did. and why?, well for the same reason. The "New Owner" doesn't know what he is doing, due to a lack of experience.
Now the local lumber yard owner, when asked why his business is off so much has said it was because of the way the founder and his employee's ran the business.....for over 50 years!!!!! I think you'll agree that this is a classic "CYA" by someone who just flat doesn't know what he is doing.
As a single example, look just to the U.S. Postal Service. This week they announced that it would now take more than twice as long to deliver a first-class letter AND would also cost more, as the price is going up on first-class stamps. I guess the P.O. officials are saying," well since we are doing less, we ought to charge more for it to make up for the loss of business due to higher prices and slower service. that ought to do it".
Et Tu, D.C.?
Cheers
TOP
Friday, November 11, 2011
Veterans Day
Good Morning fellow Veterans.
I put up our U.S. Flag today, in its socket on the front of our residence, as it is Veterans Day. Each year at this time, I am almost overcome with pride in the Men and Women who are serving, or have served in any of the branches of our (America's) Military.
I along with many others, also pause to silently say a prayer for the sacrifice made by each of those who gave their last full measure of Devotion, and Patriotism and died in the service of their country.
No less honored by me and thousands of uncounted others, are the over 30,000 members of our Armed Forces who have been wounded in the conflicts in the Middle Eastern Wars. And let us do whatever each of us can do to make sure that these warriors receive the Medical Care that each of them deserve.
I am proud to be a Veteran, Even one of little note and absolutely no valor, I am proud because as a Veteran I am associated by group with a Noble group of Millions of Americans, most of whom served with dedication and Distinction.
I watched the Ceremony at Arlington National cemetery that occurs each Veterans Day, in which a Wreath is layed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This is always a stirring, albeit brief ceremony and one that all Americans should watch and appreciate.
I Then watched as the Congressional Gold Medal was presented to the members, living or dead, of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and members of the Military Intelligence Groups. All of these noble veterans were Nesei, United States Citizens of Japanese Descent who served in the United States Military, even though their parents, siblings, Grandparents, and friends were, in too many cases, being held in internment camps as the United States Government did not trust them because of their Racial Heritage.
Out of 13,000 men who served in this group, 9486 received, in addition to other medals, the Purple Heart. There were also 21 of them who were awarded the Medal of Honor, among them U.S. Senator Danial Inouye, who lost his right arm in his service. In all this group of Men were and still are the most highly decorated regiment in our Nation's proud History.
So, on this Day, when we honor these Splendid Men, we should at the same time silently hang our heads in shame at the way their families and friends here at home were treated.
Let us also say another prayer that hopefully soon, our participation in all Wars will come to an end, and our mass grieving can come to an end.
I am also proud that since 1636, when my first ancestor landed on these free shores, my Family has had one or more of it's members in every War that has been fought, with the possible exception of the Current Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.(There may be some children of cousins, etc, that I am not aware of that ARE serving, and if so I apologize to them).
I remember also with pride that My oldest son proudly served for over nine years in the U.S. Army, and was decorated several times. I remember my Father who served first in the U.S. Army, Seventh Cavalry, and upon his discharge, joined the Navy, serving on a Minesweeper, the U.S.S. Swallow. I remember with regret my Uncle, who served with the Army in germany during WW2, was grievously wounded and was so mentally damaged by what he had seen and been forced to do that he was never the same when he came home, finally taking his own life in just the past few years after a lifetime of memories and, at times erratic behavior and silent anger.And I honor the service of my "Big Brother" who served for three years during the Korean War.
In short, to each and every one of you who read this, I salute you and if I have not had the pleasure of meeting you , please know that I still salute you and appreciate your service.I am as proud of each and every one of you as I am my relatives.
Well Done.
At Ease.
TOP
I put up our U.S. Flag today, in its socket on the front of our residence, as it is Veterans Day. Each year at this time, I am almost overcome with pride in the Men and Women who are serving, or have served in any of the branches of our (America's) Military.
I along with many others, also pause to silently say a prayer for the sacrifice made by each of those who gave their last full measure of Devotion, and Patriotism and died in the service of their country.
No less honored by me and thousands of uncounted others, are the over 30,000 members of our Armed Forces who have been wounded in the conflicts in the Middle Eastern Wars. And let us do whatever each of us can do to make sure that these warriors receive the Medical Care that each of them deserve.
I am proud to be a Veteran, Even one of little note and absolutely no valor, I am proud because as a Veteran I am associated by group with a Noble group of Millions of Americans, most of whom served with dedication and Distinction.
I watched the Ceremony at Arlington National cemetery that occurs each Veterans Day, in which a Wreath is layed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This is always a stirring, albeit brief ceremony and one that all Americans should watch and appreciate.
I Then watched as the Congressional Gold Medal was presented to the members, living or dead, of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and members of the Military Intelligence Groups. All of these noble veterans were Nesei, United States Citizens of Japanese Descent who served in the United States Military, even though their parents, siblings, Grandparents, and friends were, in too many cases, being held in internment camps as the United States Government did not trust them because of their Racial Heritage.
Out of 13,000 men who served in this group, 9486 received, in addition to other medals, the Purple Heart. There were also 21 of them who were awarded the Medal of Honor, among them U.S. Senator Danial Inouye, who lost his right arm in his service. In all this group of Men were and still are the most highly decorated regiment in our Nation's proud History.
So, on this Day, when we honor these Splendid Men, we should at the same time silently hang our heads in shame at the way their families and friends here at home were treated.
Let us also say another prayer that hopefully soon, our participation in all Wars will come to an end, and our mass grieving can come to an end.
I am also proud that since 1636, when my first ancestor landed on these free shores, my Family has had one or more of it's members in every War that has been fought, with the possible exception of the Current Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.(There may be some children of cousins, etc, that I am not aware of that ARE serving, and if so I apologize to them).
I remember also with pride that My oldest son proudly served for over nine years in the U.S. Army, and was decorated several times. I remember my Father who served first in the U.S. Army, Seventh Cavalry, and upon his discharge, joined the Navy, serving on a Minesweeper, the U.S.S. Swallow. I remember with regret my Uncle, who served with the Army in germany during WW2, was grievously wounded and was so mentally damaged by what he had seen and been forced to do that he was never the same when he came home, finally taking his own life in just the past few years after a lifetime of memories and, at times erratic behavior and silent anger.And I honor the service of my "Big Brother" who served for three years during the Korean War.
In short, to each and every one of you who read this, I salute you and if I have not had the pleasure of meeting you , please know that I still salute you and appreciate your service.I am as proud of each and every one of you as I am my relatives.
Well Done.
At Ease.
TOP
Monday, November 7, 2011
This and that........
Good Morning:
Well, in the news today there is the usual rash of silliness, together with the usual reporting thereon;
First up is the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. I can sort of understand this group, as I have long said that there were way too many "Big Shots" making obscene salaries and Bonus'. I have stated repeatedly that NO ONE is worth a salary of a Million Dollars a year, but there are Investment Firms, Banks, Brokerages and so on where A Million Dollars has become more or less a Starting salary for a Middle Manager.
What good has it done for me to hold this position? None at all!. It is simply my opinion. And to be fair, I guess the "Occupiers" make about as much difference as does my opinion. I just don't quite understand what these people hope to accomplish by their actions.
I guess my opinion is more or less skewed by the protesters of the sixties, who as some of you will recall, protested nearly everything, even going so far as to spit on returning soldiers. Al Capp, the late Cartoonist and creator of "little Abner", named this group of the unwashed as "SWINE' which stood for "Students wildly indignant about nearly everything" and I agreed wholeheartedly, so please forgive me if I don't pay much attention to any "Protesters", many of whom, you will recall, were outside the Courthouse cheering wildly when little Michael Jackson was acquitted of charges of Pedophilia, which in my opinion, he was guilty of.
My point is, there have been so many protests about who knows what, that I pay little or no attention to any of them, thus, in my view, make them totally unimportant.
The next item on today's agenda is the current Silliness" over the 72 day marriage of one of the Kardashian bunch of Hollywood Plastic People, which when the "marriage" failed and divorce papers were filed, the groom has asked for his 2 million dollar ring back.
The Mother of this brood, one Kris Kardashian Jenner, make a remark that "No one likes an Indian giver", keep the ring", and in so doing earned an immediate protest from leaders of the native American community. This whole thing is so silly it's nauseating, but guess what?, its in the papers, as tho it were real news.
Firstly, who gives a hoot about he Kardashians, et al, and I couldn't care less if this woman returns a ring or not, just go away, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Secondly, the spokesperson(s) of the Native American People should just'GET OVER YOURSELVES'. I know of very few people who are not respectful of Native American People of Note, such as the Navajo Code Talkers, for example, who played such a large part in our winning the War with Japan.
For myself only, I have for a long time appreciated the books of the late, great American Author and Patriot Tony Hillerman, whose books were about the Native People of the Southwest, and was named "A special friend of the Navajo People" for his ever complimentary books about these fine people. I have also for a long time considered it a crying shame that the Federal Government hasn't done more to ameliorate the Poverty, crime and lack of opportunities of the Native American People on their reservations. This is a disgrace to an otherwise fine Democracy.
It seems that the Government is always and forever concerned with the rights and welfare of black people, but one seldom reads about any Governmental concern or corrective actions taken to help our Native American People. One (me) supposes this is because the Native American People are not of a sufficiently large enough percentage of the population to constitute what politicians consider a "Voting Bloc", and so deserve any Governmental help.
I hope I've spoken up enough on behalf of "Our Indian Brothers and Sisters" now, so it is time for me to move on to another topic.
A week or so ago, I finally was able to track down an elusive old friend who I have been trying to locate for several years. Said friend and his wife were our good friends when we all lived in New Orleans, which my Wife and I remember with fondness.
I started looking for our old Friends in New Orleans, and then in surrounding areas and states, and finally, at long last, found them in Austin Texas.
Having the opportunity to speak with our old friends really felt good to me as it is a "connect" with a time when we were young and relatively carefree. I think my friends were astounded to hear from me and I hope they were as happy as I after our conversation.
I plan on calling our friends again soon, as I don't have enough friends to misplace any, if I can help it.
So if you have a friend you haven't talked to in awhile, by all means give them a call. I promise you'll be glad you did.
Back to the subject of little Michael Jackson, the jury just returned a Guilty verdict in the trial of M.S.'s Doctor, Conrad Murray, who was accused of manslaughter. this may or not be a just verdict, but you will forgive me when I say, "I don't know and I don't care".
Stay Well.
TOP
Well, in the news today there is the usual rash of silliness, together with the usual reporting thereon;
First up is the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. I can sort of understand this group, as I have long said that there were way too many "Big Shots" making obscene salaries and Bonus'. I have stated repeatedly that NO ONE is worth a salary of a Million Dollars a year, but there are Investment Firms, Banks, Brokerages and so on where A Million Dollars has become more or less a Starting salary for a Middle Manager.
What good has it done for me to hold this position? None at all!. It is simply my opinion. And to be fair, I guess the "Occupiers" make about as much difference as does my opinion. I just don't quite understand what these people hope to accomplish by their actions.
I guess my opinion is more or less skewed by the protesters of the sixties, who as some of you will recall, protested nearly everything, even going so far as to spit on returning soldiers. Al Capp, the late Cartoonist and creator of "little Abner", named this group of the unwashed as "SWINE' which stood for "Students wildly indignant about nearly everything" and I agreed wholeheartedly, so please forgive me if I don't pay much attention to any "Protesters", many of whom, you will recall, were outside the Courthouse cheering wildly when little Michael Jackson was acquitted of charges of Pedophilia, which in my opinion, he was guilty of.
My point is, there have been so many protests about who knows what, that I pay little or no attention to any of them, thus, in my view, make them totally unimportant.
The next item on today's agenda is the current Silliness" over the 72 day marriage of one of the Kardashian bunch of Hollywood Plastic People, which when the "marriage" failed and divorce papers were filed, the groom has asked for his 2 million dollar ring back.
The Mother of this brood, one Kris Kardashian Jenner, make a remark that "No one likes an Indian giver", keep the ring", and in so doing earned an immediate protest from leaders of the native American community. This whole thing is so silly it's nauseating, but guess what?, its in the papers, as tho it were real news.
Firstly, who gives a hoot about he Kardashians, et al, and I couldn't care less if this woman returns a ring or not, just go away, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Secondly, the spokesperson(s) of the Native American People should just'GET OVER YOURSELVES'. I know of very few people who are not respectful of Native American People of Note, such as the Navajo Code Talkers, for example, who played such a large part in our winning the War with Japan.
For myself only, I have for a long time appreciated the books of the late, great American Author and Patriot Tony Hillerman, whose books were about the Native People of the Southwest, and was named "A special friend of the Navajo People" for his ever complimentary books about these fine people. I have also for a long time considered it a crying shame that the Federal Government hasn't done more to ameliorate the Poverty, crime and lack of opportunities of the Native American People on their reservations. This is a disgrace to an otherwise fine Democracy.
It seems that the Government is always and forever concerned with the rights and welfare of black people, but one seldom reads about any Governmental concern or corrective actions taken to help our Native American People. One (me) supposes this is because the Native American People are not of a sufficiently large enough percentage of the population to constitute what politicians consider a "Voting Bloc", and so deserve any Governmental help.
I hope I've spoken up enough on behalf of "Our Indian Brothers and Sisters" now, so it is time for me to move on to another topic.
A week or so ago, I finally was able to track down an elusive old friend who I have been trying to locate for several years. Said friend and his wife were our good friends when we all lived in New Orleans, which my Wife and I remember with fondness.
I started looking for our old Friends in New Orleans, and then in surrounding areas and states, and finally, at long last, found them in Austin Texas.
Having the opportunity to speak with our old friends really felt good to me as it is a "connect" with a time when we were young and relatively carefree. I think my friends were astounded to hear from me and I hope they were as happy as I after our conversation.
I plan on calling our friends again soon, as I don't have enough friends to misplace any, if I can help it.
So if you have a friend you haven't talked to in awhile, by all means give them a call. I promise you'll be glad you did.
Back to the subject of little Michael Jackson, the jury just returned a Guilty verdict in the trial of M.S.'s Doctor, Conrad Murray, who was accused of manslaughter. this may or not be a just verdict, but you will forgive me when I say, "I don't know and I don't care".
Stay Well.
TOP
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Leaving something behind.
Hello Good Folks:
It is a dreary, rainy day today and such days, for some reason, always drive me to just sitting and thinking. Now I am not one of those fortunate individuals whose thoughts are of great benefit to mankind or those thoughts that make them wealthy because of a great idea, No, I'm just one of the millions of Joe Averages who just think because they have more questions than answers.
Sometimes my thoughts run to fairly average and predictable stuff, the same kind of stuff that almost everyone has, at one time or another. Things like wondering about personal issues such as our budgets, our health, our family relationships and so on.
Other times though, I find myself thinking somewhat deeper thoughts. Not necessarily more intelligent thoughts, but more the kind of thoughts that most people cannot answer for us, thoughts that we have to puzzle out for ourselves and arrive at what we are comforted to believe is a more or less correct answer, at least as it pertains to us.
Still other times I find myself thinking more...well...ethereal thoughts for want of a better word. The kind of thoughts that cannot be answered by us or anyone else.
Thoughts like, "What does God look like"?, "Where is Heaven, and what is it like"?"Does our soul really weigh 27 grams"? Which question is really not mine, but postulated by one or more "fringe" scientists, who weighed a series of humans, just before and immediately following death, and found that each of these late departed lost 27 grams of weight when they died.
Interesting but not really something that can really be answered.
If you are wondering where I am heading with this treatise, welcome to the club, as I am wondering the same thing.
I am driven to this latest pondering at the keyboard by, as I earlier stipulated, a rainy day, one which I did not have the energy to do much of anything, other than walk our Dog a couple of times, watch "Jeopardy" and scratch my head.
One question that is currently on my mind is a purely theoretical one.
As a supposition, suppose one could vacuum every square inch of anyplace in the Holy Land where we are told in the Bible that Jesus walked, would we, among the dust of centuries, find the DNA of Jesus?, how would we know ?, and how would it differ from "Modern Man"?. I think, with absolutely nothing to base this on, that his DNA IS probably there, requiring only differentiation from that of Roman Soldiers, Herod, Judas, Simon Peter, Yasser Arafat, Netanyahu, Jimmy Carter and Billions of others who have trod these roads before us.
In feeling like the Savior's DNA is probably there, I am newly aware of his leaving something behind. He left, not only possible traces of his physical self, but the gifts enumerated by him, Jesus, but also by God, as well as Billions of believers and followers through the Ages.
I guess, mainly because I KNOW, for sure, how insignificant I am, and wonder what, if anything, I am leaving behind. I have accomplished no great works or feats. I have never broken any athletic records, while I am a good shot, I have never broken any records with Clay Pigeons or other non-sentient targets, I think I was always a hard worker, but there was, of course, always someone who worked harder, I like to think I am a pretty good Craftsman, but far, far from even mediocre. Dadgum it, I should be able to come up with something I, and I alone, am leaving behind besides old clothes and debts.
I am leaving books......lots and lots of books, but save the few odd volumes, the books are not worth anything to speak of. I have tried to leave our children with some values and some knowledge from their Father, but I'll never know if I have or not, as, obviously I won't be here to observe. More likely, the Children will have learned much more from my wife and their Mother, as the Lord knows, she has worked at raising and caring for the Children...and worked and worked and never stopped, so she will leave behind a great legacy, hopefully sometime long, long after I have shuffled off this Mortal Coil.
I hope I am leaving to my children and my Wife, the inarguable fact that I have loved them deeply.
And I suppose, in the end, thats all I have to leave.
Stay Well
TOP
It is a dreary, rainy day today and such days, for some reason, always drive me to just sitting and thinking. Now I am not one of those fortunate individuals whose thoughts are of great benefit to mankind or those thoughts that make them wealthy because of a great idea, No, I'm just one of the millions of Joe Averages who just think because they have more questions than answers.
Sometimes my thoughts run to fairly average and predictable stuff, the same kind of stuff that almost everyone has, at one time or another. Things like wondering about personal issues such as our budgets, our health, our family relationships and so on.
Other times though, I find myself thinking somewhat deeper thoughts. Not necessarily more intelligent thoughts, but more the kind of thoughts that most people cannot answer for us, thoughts that we have to puzzle out for ourselves and arrive at what we are comforted to believe is a more or less correct answer, at least as it pertains to us.
Still other times I find myself thinking more...well...ethereal thoughts for want of a better word. The kind of thoughts that cannot be answered by us or anyone else.
Thoughts like, "What does God look like"?, "Where is Heaven, and what is it like"?"Does our soul really weigh 27 grams"? Which question is really not mine, but postulated by one or more "fringe" scientists, who weighed a series of humans, just before and immediately following death, and found that each of these late departed lost 27 grams of weight when they died.
Interesting but not really something that can really be answered.
If you are wondering where I am heading with this treatise, welcome to the club, as I am wondering the same thing.
I am driven to this latest pondering at the keyboard by, as I earlier stipulated, a rainy day, one which I did not have the energy to do much of anything, other than walk our Dog a couple of times, watch "Jeopardy" and scratch my head.
One question that is currently on my mind is a purely theoretical one.
As a supposition, suppose one could vacuum every square inch of anyplace in the Holy Land where we are told in the Bible that Jesus walked, would we, among the dust of centuries, find the DNA of Jesus?, how would we know ?, and how would it differ from "Modern Man"?. I think, with absolutely nothing to base this on, that his DNA IS probably there, requiring only differentiation from that of Roman Soldiers, Herod, Judas, Simon Peter, Yasser Arafat, Netanyahu, Jimmy Carter and Billions of others who have trod these roads before us.
In feeling like the Savior's DNA is probably there, I am newly aware of his leaving something behind. He left, not only possible traces of his physical self, but the gifts enumerated by him, Jesus, but also by God, as well as Billions of believers and followers through the Ages.
I guess, mainly because I KNOW, for sure, how insignificant I am, and wonder what, if anything, I am leaving behind. I have accomplished no great works or feats. I have never broken any athletic records, while I am a good shot, I have never broken any records with Clay Pigeons or other non-sentient targets, I think I was always a hard worker, but there was, of course, always someone who worked harder, I like to think I am a pretty good Craftsman, but far, far from even mediocre. Dadgum it, I should be able to come up with something I, and I alone, am leaving behind besides old clothes and debts.
I am leaving books......lots and lots of books, but save the few odd volumes, the books are not worth anything to speak of. I have tried to leave our children with some values and some knowledge from their Father, but I'll never know if I have or not, as, obviously I won't be here to observe. More likely, the Children will have learned much more from my wife and their Mother, as the Lord knows, she has worked at raising and caring for the Children...and worked and worked and never stopped, so she will leave behind a great legacy, hopefully sometime long, long after I have shuffled off this Mortal Coil.
I hope I am leaving to my children and my Wife, the inarguable fact that I have loved them deeply.
And I suppose, in the end, thats all I have to leave.
Stay Well
TOP
Quick News
Hi guys.
Just a quick post today, on some news items.
A man who kept exotic animals, for what reason I do not know, apparently opened the cages of all the animals, including many, many carnivores, and then took his own life, has created havoc near Zanesville, Ohio. The Police, in order to protect the public have had to destroy around 50 animals so far, including almost two dozen of the Threatened Bengal Tigers. When is that collection of fools in Washington going to stop the issuance of licences to individuals to keep exotic, dangerous animals?
Stay tuned
TOP
Just a quick post today, on some news items.
A man who kept exotic animals, for what reason I do not know, apparently opened the cages of all the animals, including many, many carnivores, and then took his own life, has created havoc near Zanesville, Ohio. The Police, in order to protect the public have had to destroy around 50 animals so far, including almost two dozen of the Threatened Bengal Tigers. When is that collection of fools in Washington going to stop the issuance of licences to individuals to keep exotic, dangerous animals?
Stay tuned
TOP
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