Not Politically Correct

Wandering

2010-08-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

Why is it that wandering is considered a bad thing? Do you ever get so caught up in habits that you don't experience anything new? Do you ever rebel from your normal routine because you are burned out or tired? I subscribe to the philosophy of "love what you do & don't worry about what everyone else is doing". If you want to take a break from life & wander, it is OK, as long as you are happy. If you want to follow the same routine every day with the same breakfast, weekly dinners & theme nights, so be it, but enjoy it.
I took a break from writing because I found myself becoming negative when there are so many incredible things in the world & around me but while taking my sabbatical, I learned new things, met new people, had great experiences & feel rejuvenated, so in my mind, the wandering was therapeutic.
Remember one thing, it is your life so don't let everyone else tell you how to live it.

Christmas Fever

2009-12-16T21:57:00.000-08:00

I love this time of the year & it isn't because there is no stress. Quite the opposite in fact. What do we buy for Johnny or oops we gave to much to Jill & now we have to buy something else for carol. We need baked goods for 12 people & 50 cards for the rest of our friends but we always forget somebody & then as if waiting to see if they get something first, a card shows up the day before Christmas & its to late to send out a card without looking like these friends are an after thought.
we spend to much, we eat to much, we stress to much about where Bill will sit at the table because nobody like his poor eating habits or bad attitude.
Oh yes, these thing do happen & if you are reading this & act like you don't know what I am talking about, you are delusional & completely disconnected from the events around you. Hmmmm this may be the way to be, delusional?
As those who know me have figured out, I used made up names to protect myself & that is because I know that if I used real names & real situations (wink), I would be very stressed out come Christmas day, when nobody would talk to me.
With this little expose of the joys of Christmas, how on earth can I love this time of year so much? Well lets look at it. We are all in the same boat, so for the 2nd day next to Thanksgiving, we all know what each other is doing & become part of this world wide fraternity, where we are all connected in one common cause. We may do it differently & there are some who aren't participating but the majority of people get into this & we are one.
people smile more, they laugh & talk, it is great. You go to the store & people are singing or chatting it up about new recipes or who is coming over for Christmas. We want to know how each other celebrates Christmas & we share our tricks for how to get out of some of the family gatherings we should go to. Some celebrate Christmas eve with one family & then Christmas day with another. Some do both in one day & some can only swing one. Some don't go anywhere & choose to stay home & relax on this one of very few days off in a year. I love to hear what some people do for traditional events. I know people that go blow the crap out of things with shotguns every year & although I am into blowing stuff up, with the cost of bullets or shotgun shells because of Obamas mission to eliminate guns, I am not spending the money to shoot anything that isn't attacking me or my family. There are families that do a crossword puzzle every Christmas, play games, go to movies, go to church or have a family play that is planned by some aunt that feels she missed her calling as an actor & is living out her fantasy as a director/actor.
You may or may not believe in Christ of whom this holiday is about but whether you do celebrate Christmas or not, you have to feel of the love people have for each other & bask in the kindness which is everywhere you look, like a field being blanketed by sunlight as it effortlessly rises above a hillside while everything it touches warms by its touch.
I do love Christmas & hope that you can feel the spirit of love that it brings so that you also can find peace & happiness during this chaotic time in the world. Merry Christmas.

Anonymous

2009-12-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

There is nothing on this earth that irritates me more than when people rant or rave about something in print & then sign their name as ANONYMOUS. I literally want to find those spineless people & drag their sorry butts into the public, to let those who stand behind their name, tar & feather them. I understand donating something or providing charity or good deed & choose to be anonymous but when you enter an arena or fighting for a cause & choose anonymous as your name, you are a disgrace to the human race. I have been in many battles & always use my name behind the cause that I choose to champion but without fail, there is always some poor excuse for a human that chooses to fight in secret so nobody will see who they are. Oh yeah, maybe if people find out your identity they will not want to be your friend or will judge you harshly. Well duh. if your friends or the public think your spineless comments are in error, maybe you should reevaluate your stance because you are probably misinformed or wrong. Regardless of whether you get castigated in the arena of public opinion or not, get some backbone & stand up for what you believe, using your name & not the pansy name you have been using of anonymous. I have been beat to a pulp by public opinion but I don't care what the public thinks about me as long as I am true to my beliefs & my values.
If you are anonymous, you don't exist, so go away & leave the rest of us alone because you are nothing along with your anonymous point of views.

Do I or Don't I

2009-12-08T13:46:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had occasion to make a decision that you really couldn't win regardless of which direction you went? For example, I have made decisions on a School Board that were both wrong but they happened to be my only options. The angst I felt was beyond unbearable & have at times haunted me to this day. What do we do when faced with "no win" decisions in our life? I am not sure that I have an answer for you except to say that, in my case, I have to choose what allows me to look in the mirror.
Life, just by the nature of diverse opinion, creates situations in which we must stand behind our convictions or beliefs or we must compromise our beliefs for what is best for the whole & that causes an environment of controversy & heartache.
we can stand firm on what we feel but the outcome will be that we are standing with a few but that the problem is never resolved or that we become embroiled in a battle of wills, with neither side ever forgiving the other.
Once again, I don't have the answer but I know that hatred over a point of view seems to be worse that compromise at least in the event that it is not moral or ethical & in that case i feel we need to fight to death to protect what we feel is essential to our moral & ethical beliefs.

Snow

2009-12-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

When I woke up this morning it was snowing & there was a couple inches of snow on the road, making it an adventure getting to work because some commuters hadn't planned for snow & were off the road trying to figure out what to do. Those that were like one of my employees, faked sick & took the day off or at least that is the story I will use.
As I look out the window of my office, with snow falling gracefully from above onto a billowy blanket of new fallen snow, it becomes a surreal moment, mesmerizing me with the incredible beauty & although hypnotic, the realization of how dangerous it can be if stranded becomes a very possible realization.
Falling snow to me is like the flickering flames of a warm fire dancing in the dark, you can't help but fall into the hypnotic trance of watching these flames begin from the red hot fire & disappear into our imaginations.
Snow falling reminds me of days gone by as a child, when once my brothers & sister at the sight of snow would grab all the winter clothes & out the door we went to sled up & down the street while hitting each other with snow balls any chance we could. The problem was, that the fresh snow makes horrible snow balls because it doesn't compact well, which was probably good so as to avoid a fight from hitting somebody to hard.
We didn't care what we were doing as long as we could play in the snow & the day it snowed was always the most exciting because you are caught up in the experience of snow falling all around you. We made snow forts, snow angels, tunnels, we even jumped off our two story house roof if there was enough snow on the ground. The problem with this was that as kids we underestimated or overestimated how much snow was needed all the time, causing all kinds of problems. If there was not enough snow we would go right through the snow to hard ground & it would hurt really bad but if we jumped off when the snow was over a few feet deep, we would get stuck in the snow & couldn't get out without help, allowing the neighbors or brothers to do all kinds of annoying things before they finally got bored & pulled you out. My brother thought it would be funny one time to dive into the snow drift from the roof, head first & yes, it was a scary moment for him but hilarious to those watching because his legs were flailing around above the snow but all you could see was about 2 feet of his legs.
Working in the snow isn't my favorite thing to do so I guess, once the playful childhood games were over & the reality of life set in, snow wasn't quite the enjoyment it once was even though I still feel the urge to go out & jump into the snow or to build a snow fort, I don't think it will happen any time soon but no promises.
The one thing I can do though is sit here & watch the beautiful snow fall while it transforms me back to my youth & the enjoyment I experienced playing in the snow, free of care & free to play until my hands were so cold I couldn't feel them.
May we never forget those things we enjoy even if but for a fleeting moment, sitting at a desk, watching the snow fall through a window.

Turkey Gone Wild

2009-11-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

I love to cook & every Thanksgiving have been given the task of cooking the turkey because I won't tolerate a dry turkey & everyone knows it. Now I have tried all the different ways of cooking the perfect turkey which includes, deep frying, ovens, smokers, roasters & boiling. I have used brine's, marinades, injections & all types of secret recipes from the food network, family, friends & even a few old wives tales.
I have however conjured up my own recipe & if the turkey is under 25 lbs, you will have a turkey as tender & moist as the very best chicken you have ever eaten. I have had chef's tell me that they wanted me to teach them what I do because they like it so much. Now I know that people give compliments all the time when they get free food & don't have to cook themselves but I am not really a big turkey fan & find that I really like the flavor of my turkeys along with how moist they are.
I have an interesting story recounting this years Thanksgiving turkey which weighed in at 36.7 lbs & no, this isn't a typo although I have plenty with my two fingered typing.

I take my turkey & do all the normal prep work, like start my defrosting a day or two in advance in the refrigerator because Heaven forbid you might get some bug from defrosting wrong. I then take everything out of turkey & rinse it in clean water. I pat it dry & let it stand for about an half hour while I prepare my cooking barrel. yes, I have an old 55 gallon barrel that I designed & built to be a smoker. I add 10 lbs of Kingsford briquettes in the bottom of barrel which sets on a rack that is a few inches off the bottom. I never used pre soaked briquettes because they have a oily residue on them. I then add my electric starter to the briquettes until they start to have some flame.
While waiting for the flames to appear, I get my turkey ready by taking melted butter & rubbing it with my own dry rub consisting of sage thyme, chili powder, garlic salt, Lawry's season salt, dry mustard, salt & pepper with a little brown sugar. I reach between the skin & the body of the turkey & do the same.
I place sliced apples, oranges, garlic, & onion under turkey in a roasting pan filled with chicken stock, mixed with more of my dry rub spices & some apple juice or orange juice. I place the lid on the roasting pan or cover with tin foil to keep the moisture in the pan & in the turkey. I then set the pan on a rack about 3/4 of the way up my barrel for 1.5 -- 2 hrs. make sure the lid is on the roasting pan & make sure the lid is on the barrel.
I check for my 165* at thigh joint, next to body. I then add 10 more lbs of briquettes while lid is on roasting pan. After a few minutes I take lid off roasting pan to let the turkey brown. If the bath the turkey is cooking in is getting dry, you can add more at this time & baste the turkey.
your 20lb turkey may be done at 2hours but don't take out of smoker until you reach 165 degrees. I know we are told to reach 170-180 degrees but this is way overkill. You now continue basting at half hour intervals & checking temperature. If it is taking longer to reach desired temperature, put the roasting pan lid back on to keep moisture in pan & turkey. If you do everything correctly you will cut down your cooking time in a conventional oven by 1 to 2 hours & this will be the most flavorful & moist turkey you have ever experienced.
My son called this year because he couldn't get home for Thanksgiving & said that he didn't realize how different my turkeys were from others until he had turkey at some friends house this year. he may have been just making dad feel good but "it did".
Now we get into this years monster turkey. We had a traditional 20 pounder but the neighbor shows up with a turkey just under 37 lbs that they were given as employees of a turkey farm. I didn't know turkeys could be so big but I can assure you, they do. I began to stress out because this monster didn't fit in anything I owned & outside of using a chainsaw to cut it in half, I didn't have a clue what to do but I knew that I couldn't serve dry turkey.
An advantage to living in a small town is you get to know a lot of people & I went to the Murphys Hotel to ask the owner if I could rob his kitchen for a giant roasting pan. He said yes & then gave me his ideas on what to do which included piecing out the turkey & cooking seperately which was considered. I still thought the pan was to small so I went to Ironstone Vineyards massive kitchen to find two pans that were big enough but I was concerned how I would get this monster in my barrel.
I found that my concerns proved to be valid as when I got home & began to place the pans into my barrel, they didn't fit. I was finding myself a little bit screwed if there is such a thing as being a little screwed? I racked my brain for a solution with less than 18 hours before the timer begins on this adventure & then it struck me to get 3 of those funky aluminum roasting pans from the store. they were flexible enough to mold to the turkey & if I added 2 or 3 inside each other, they would be sturdy enough.
I boiled 1 cup salt with a gallon of water along with sage, thyme, brown sugar, salt & pepper. I then added a couple gallons of cold water into a 5 gallon bucket. I added the turkey & let the brining process work overnight, hopefully breaking down the meat & tenderizing it with flavor. The next morning I rinsed turkey with fresh water & let sit.
I could just barely get my citrus, apples & chicken broth bath in the pan & knew I need more moisture in the barrel to keep the meat moist so I filled 2 small camp pans with broth mixture. I placed one on top rack next to turkey & one in the briquettes on the bottom. Now I just had to do what I have done every year & hopefully I would have the same results.
I checked my temperature at 2 hours like I always have done & added 10 more lbs of briquettes but the temperature of 140 to 150 of which I usually expected was at 70*. I gave myself 5 hours just in case but was beginning to sweat it when at 4 hrs & 10 more lbs of briquettes, I was only at 140*. I couldn't rush it but I knew that the chances of a moist turkey were fleeting by the moment & I was not very optimistic. My options were none, except to tell the guests to cover the turkey with gravy & cranberry sauce & that was my exit strategy.
We received a call about 4.5 hours into this from one guest, saying they would be an half hour late. I was greatly relived to have an extra half hour & at 5 hours & 165* I pulled the turkey out which needed a small crane. I then wrapped it in tin foil & placed it in an ice chest to continue cooking while becoming moist by sitting in its own steam bath.
At 2:30 I pulled the turkey out of the ice chest & set it on a cutting board to rest for half an hour. The juice was running everywhere & after I cut the first slice of breast meat of which I don't really like because the breast is always more dry, even though this process negates this normal problem. this meat had a beautiful pink smoke ring about a 1/2 inch deep into the meat & tasting incredible with the moisture of turkeys past.
I sighed a breath of relief & served the turkey which received rave reviews, with everyone taking large bags of turkey home for later.
After 20+ hours of worry & 5 hours of cooking, the entire eating experience was over in less than half an hour & I needed two aspirin to relax of which I finally did.
yes, there are 37 lb turkeys but my advice is not to get one, they will only cause you stress because by the way, it didn't fit into our oven either. Happy cooking & you now have my secret to the perfect turkey that you can add to the thousands of others you probably have.
Gobble Gobble

Innocence Lost

2009-11-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

When does it happen that innocence becomes a vague memory of a once distant quality or personality trait? What is innocence? I watch my grand kids & I see innocence in everything they do but when I see adults or teenagers, not so much. I don't know for sure but I think innocence is a state of mind, free from corruption, trials & greed. When I see a child, I know that they are not responsible for any actions because they don't have pre conceived motives or desires of hatred, lust, greed or retaliation. Most adults however have some or all of these traits along with coveting, unforgivness, jealousy & envy.
When do we lose innocence & are there adults that are innocent? I think we lose innocence when we are betrayed, hurt by others, lied to & for the most part, been involved with any type of turmoil, tragedy or hardship. I believe that innocence is purity of heart & that adults can have innocence, it just isn't as profound as with children.
Innocence should be sought after because it is what allows us to be free & if we have lost it we should do what we can to find it again. If you arent sure how to get it back, just do what children do because child like is a virtue & child like is innocence.

Angels Camp & the famous Frog Jump

2009-11-16T21:41:00.000-08:00

Many of you don't have a clue where angels Camp is or what the Frog jump is so let me explain it to you. Without going into all the details of where the story comes from & how it all started, I will let you research that on your own but check Mark Twain & Angels Camp CA. for more information.
Angels Camp is located approximately 50 miles east of Stockton, in the Mother Lode region of California. Known for its colorful past, Angels Camp hosts the annual Frog Jump which in & of itself isn't that important but the fact that people from around the world, continue coming to an old mining town of less than 8,000 people for a small County fair just to see frogs jump, is remarkable.

I was born in Calaveras County from where the Frog Jump takes place & as a small boy, I became fascinated by the fair & all the incredible activities & food that go along with a County fair but the one thing which always became the highlight of my fair experience was the jumping of frogs. Anyone can sign up to jump a frog from a circle placed in the center of a stage & after 3 jumps, the frog which jumps the farthest, wins the award for frog jumping in that year. You can bring your own frog or choose from some fatigued frogs that have been jumped by 100s of kids all day.
I know that seeing frogs jump doesn't seem like an interesting day but to a youngster with the thought of winning anything & playing with frogs, was a pretty incredible way to spend the day.
The allure remained for many years even though as I got into high school it wasn't so much the frogs I wanted to see but rather my friends and the girls that tagged along.
To some degree, I believe the fair still holds these same meanings for the different ages but for me, the mystique wore off years ago as the commercial element crept in & the charm was lost. the Frog Jump went through a rebellious time during the late 1960s & early 1970s in which the Hells Angels took over angels Camp & broke windows throughout the community along with other infamous groups that found a place to have turf wars, far from their homes in the Bay area or other California cities. My Mom in fact, was knocked over by a biker in the 1970s while she volunteered to collect entrance fees for the Frog Jump but never did it again after she was robbed & her neck was severely damaged. The next year the National Guard was called in to maintain peace & civility. The hippie movement also came to the fair and it was hard to find a space in the surrounding hills close to the Frog Jump which didn't have naked & dirty people expressing themselves any way they wanted. Once again the police cracked down on the hippie movement & for me the once, dreamed of, Frog Jump adventure was lost forever.
I took my children to the fair when they were young because they wanted the experience & I wanted to be with them but once they lost the desire to go or no longer wanted to be with Dad at the fair, I relinquished my fair duties & have not been for over 5 years. I can't say for sure if that is because it no longer interests me, I didn't like the change that took place or if I just became to lazy to walk around all day to visit friends. I can't answer to what reason it is but I know that the Frog Jump is unique & although the Hells Angels & the Hippies have been replaced by Yuppies on motorcycles along with a mixture of locals & the curious from around the world, everyone should experience the Frog Jump at least once in their life because where else on earth can you come & watch frogs jump or relive your youth by jumping your own frog ?

Sarah Palin

2009-11-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

I don't care whether you like Sarah Palin or not but what is the obsession with her? You love her, you hate her, everybody has strong feelings about her. Why is that? I think it is because she appears normal & that scares people in power but makes herself endearing to normal people who see her as one of them. I can't understand the argument that says, " she has no experience"? This is a conundrum to some but it in reality, she has more experience than many of the elected officials in office today & even if she doesn't, she ran a state. Even if she doesn't, the elected politicians with the "so called" knowledge, being referred to with Sarah Palin, are the very politicians that have destroyed our Country. So if somebody wants to come in & run the Country with common sense & be fiscally conservative while giving power to the people, I am voting for that person, regardless of the party they attach their name.
Why would people spend millions of dollars trying to smear somebody with false accusations if there wasn't a real fear that this person had the right answers & was able to lead others? If Sara Palin wasn't a threat to the liberal, progressive movement & the Democrats, she would be dismissed like yesterdays boring news but she isn't so maybe you should pay attention to why she is so hated & why she is so loved?
There is a reason & it isn't because she is inexperinced, it is because she will stand up for middle America & tell the Corporate elite to kiss off. Something my party should have done years ago before they started "butt kissing". Anybody that tells you that you can have something for free is lieing to you & if they say they will take it from the rich & give it to you, they are more dangeroous because the rich are going to stay rich & the way they do that is by passing on their costs to you, Duh!!!! are we so stupid that we would think anything else???? Come on & wake up, if you don't like somebody like Sarah Palin saying it straight & want to hear somebody tell you a fairy tale, here is one for you. Magically, Obama is going to wave his wand & sprinkle fairy dust on everyone so that we can live happily ever after & we will all have money falling from the skies as the elite give their money to you out of kindness & love.
Yeah right. You don't have to like Sarah Palin but quit justifying your own selfish motives by demonizing somebody else because they disagree with you, that is contardictory to what you are preaching. We should all be able to speak our opinion & not be crucified because of differing points of view, you don't like somebody, don't vote for them but don't try to destroy their life.
We are all on this planet together so lets try to share it with respect.

Dogs vs Friends

2009-11-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be nice if friends were as loyal as dogs or if friends talked as much as dogs? There are times when it seems the world is falling down around me & it doesn't matter which friend you talk to, they all talk to much but when you look at your dog with their loyal eyes wanting to be with you & comfort you, there is just a sense of peace & a feeling of being needed.
Dogs accept you when you don't accept anyone, dogs will love you when nobody will, dogs are loyal, comforting & willing to please you just because all they want in the world is to be with you.
there is no other friend or family member that is as loyal as a dog or accepting of your life regardless of how unstable you are or confused about life.
I have had dogs for most of my life & outlived two of them that lived to be over 12 years old. These two dogs wanted to spend every moment with me regardless of what I was doing. They would always greet me with a friendly, excited attitude & would do everything possible to make me play with them & be happy. I miss those dogs because they gave me over 24 years of unquestionable loyalty & friendship, which brings me to today.
The funny thing about dogs is that it really is personal preference of what type you want or where you get them. My last dog which I had for over 12 years was an Australian Shepherd & I picked Tasha up from the pound as a puppy. This dog would die trying to keep up with us on hiking trips or doing anything for me, she didn't ever want to be away from us.
I picked up my current dog from the pound as a puppy last winter & his name is Shasta, now I have to admit, Shasta is a beautiful black on white border collie but he is so full of energy I wasn't sure I could handle it. He would run off every chance he got & I do believe he was beat as a little puppy because he was afraid of everyone until you started playing with him.
We have taken Shasta on hiking & camping trips which seemed as though they would kill him because he was so out of shape but in the past two months he has transformed into a loyal friend that can't please us enough. I say that with a slight hesitation because he is much closer to my wife & perhaps because she walks much more than I do or maybe because she makes me discipline him. Shasta loves to play & every morning & evening greets me when I leave & when I come home, with loving eyes that say "please notice me & play with me", so I do.
Shasta is not the brightest dog I ever had or is he the easiest to train but what is the same is his love for us & his willingness to please regardless of how I feel that day.
I guess the moral of my thoughts is that when nobody can give you what you need, your dog always will, so treat them like the best friends they are.

What Do The Polls Tell Me To Do

2009-11-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

I am so sick of politicians making every decision on what gets them elected or doesn't offend their money donors. That is why whether you like the woman or not, you have to admire the tenacious attitude of Sarah Palin. I know the argument against her, she has no experience, she should be home with her kids & on & on & on. Bla Bla Bla, so friggin what. All of us should be doing something but probably aren't doing it as well as we should or can so give the woman a break. When somebody has the backbone to stand for their own convictions & not a poll number or peer pressure, they become unique in today's world & they are people I respect, whether I agree with them or not. They are not afraid to take a stand against God himself, if needs be but they stand for something & it is transparent to everyone.
Now on the flip side, we have what some may call, "President Obama" & his merry band of pollsters & manipulators. I don't personally call him president because I have another name I have given him which I will keep to myself. I don't know anything about this man because he waffles on everything. The biggest problem I have with people like Obama is that they say one thing & do something else, they say what people want to hear while doing what the poll numbers tell them to. The case in point is the requested troops in Afghanistan of which Obama can't make up his mind if he wants to send any troops. Imagine yourself as a soldier which is (being shot at daily to protect us) & you need some help to be safe because the enemy is getting closer to where you are. The soldier asks the person in charge for help to get out of this alive & the person in charge cant make up their mind because it doesn't look good with money donors or with some polls. I want to rip my hair (whats left of it) with anger because of such a Pansy attitude. these people are protecting us as well as people in other Countries & Obama wants to play political games to make a decision because he is afraid to do anything. You sicken me as a human & are just like the people on a street that watch somebody get mugged or raped or murdered & do nothing or worse yet, you video the tragedy so you can make money off of it.
I don't want the troops there, I have a son in law there but get them out or give them help, there are no other options Mr President.
You think sports fans go crazy when their team loses or wins? You think sports fans don't venomously hate the rival teams while holding their home team on a pedestal with God? Well if sports fans can get this crazy over a stupid sport, what do you think will happen when it isn't about a sports team but about your own family or about somebody allowing them to be hurt or suffer. What do you think a person will do to protect their family if they will blow up the rival teams cars & beat each other senseless? We are at this point Mr President, which side are you on?

Children and Angels

2009-11-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

Every time I am fortunate enough to wish my grand daughter a good night with sweet dreams, I end with "goodnight sweet angel". Well today I overheard her talking to my daughter & she asked her mom, "can angels fly"? Her Mom said "yes, angels can fly", which I thought was the end of the conversation but then as if planning an elaborate trap to catch her mom in a false statement, she popped up with, "am I an angel"? Her mom responded with a quick yet thoughtful response which I thought, once again, would end the discussion. She said, "of course you are an angel".
Oh but as we all know, it was not over because children can ask questions forever & become the master manipulators. The little angel with a quizzical mischievous side to her asked, "well if I am an angel & if angels can fly, then why can't I fly"? Her mom once again, brilliantly responded without hesitation by saying & I do believe this comment was her attempt to end a conversation that she was going to lose. She said "You aren't old enough".
This wouldn't have satisfied me but seemed to satisfy my granddaughter as she went around the house flapping her arms in an attempt to fly, while hoping to find out if she was old enough to fly at the age of , as she would tell you, 4 but almost 5. In any event, the debate was over but I am sure this will need to be dealt with again because children have an amazing memory & won't forget anything, unless of course it is what they may do wrong & then their little memories are magically erased forever.

Overcoming Fear

2009-11-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

What is fear? If you are afraid of something, does that mean you are afraid of everything? I can't speak for everyone but as far as fear has entered my life on occasion it is specific to a certain situation or thought & doesn't affect other facets of my life.
I was afraid of the dark when I was younger & had a traumatic event to magnify that fear which became an insecurity that lingered throughout many parts of my life, causing me to be afraid of other things. I was afraid to speak or be the center of attention in public, I was afraid to be around adults or to have to speak to them, I was afraid of my Dad, I was afraid to sleep because my demons became vivid reality as I had nightmares all night long. I was so afraid of the dark & my nightmares that I would rather wet the bed than to get up in the dark. This became an added burden because my Dad was not very patient with me regardless of my Mom being very patient. I was yelled at, spanked, humiliated & spent many days & nights feeling alone & worthless because of my insecurities.
I was 12 when I decided that I had enough & had to take control of my life & quit living a double life. I say double life because I was popular, good in sports & polite to others but on the inside I was falling apart while thinking I was the only person in the world that had these fears & was to afraid to talk about them.
I decided to conquer my fears, one at a time & felt that if I ever had a chance to be strong mentally that I would have to take this on myself, of which I did.
I didn't mind hiking, fishing or being in the woods alone during the day but once it got dark, I was in the light & at my home, which is why my fear of the dark challenge became so remarkable. I took my small dog, some camping gear & food & walked about a mile through the forest to a favorite fishing hole of mine. I built a campfire pit & rounded up enough wood to last me all night. You have to remember that I was 12 or 13 & the mere thought of being alone in the woods after dark was the very nightmare I had run from hundreds of times in my nights when I slept. It started off ok because I was fishing & playing with the dog but when it started to get dark, I kept thinking, I can still make it out of here before black covered the forest but then it happened, It was to dark to leave & I knew that I was facing the biggest demon of my life. Fear overcame me & I was at the state of panic while trying to keep the fire as big as possible. I tried to take my mind off the fear by playing with the dog & eating but I wasn't hungry & every time I played with the dog, I lost focus of the forest noises of which I was paranoid about.
As night settled in & the darkness engulfed me I laid perfectly quiet in my sleeping bag within reach of an enormous wood pile that I could keep the fire going with. I heard the forest noises & tried to imagine what each sound was so I could justify that it wasn't a bear or mountain lion that was looking for a 12 year old meal.
I struggled to stay awake & thinking back, I don't know why because I certainly couldn't have fought off a bear or mountain lion as a helpless kid but at the time, I suppose that I believed I could. Next thing I realized was that it was getting light out & my fears began to subside as the sun made its way over the mountain ridge between myself & civilization. Not only did I make it through the night, I realized that fear was a state of mind & that if I could convince my mind that the dark was nothing to fear, then I could conquer all my fears.
I began an annual quest to identify fears & conquer them. My birthday became the point of realization & myself along with trusted friends began finding things that scared me, with the hope that I could overcome those fears. My journey took me from sky diving, bungee jumping & survival camping in many different weather conditions to fire walking which has it's own type of fear attached. I heard about a fire walk over hot coals & had to see what this was about & after a couple hour training on mind control & self worth, I followed some of the participants across 20ft of red hot coals. I have since done this three other times over 20 years & each time , although the fear is gone, I learn something new about myself & the quest I have to overcome fear.
I have done many things over the years to overcome fear & although my quest may not be yours, I would recommend that you at least find out who you are & what you are capable of because if you don't push yourself, you really won't know what you are afraid of until that defining moment arrives.
Fear for some is a measure of comfort & tells us when to stop while others, whether right or wrong are motivated by fear. I have to say that the latter is more in line with me but I also will back off in sight of fear if the outcome is not worth the sacrifice or pain.
I suppose the moral of the story is that if you are comfortable with yourself in any given situation, you can decide whether fear stops you or motivates you because it really doesn't matter what anyone else does, you need to know your limitations but don't let limitations stop you from being & doing whatever you want to do.

Las Vegas World

2009-11-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

I recently was given a Birthday trip to Las Vegas by my wife & although I had an incredible time with all the great food & entertainment, I found myself watching the people from all over the world, that seem to be in another world. I understand that "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" but people go crazy. I saw people justifying why they spent thousands of dollars & were now broke, I saw people chasing a mobile strip club that had girls performing at the intersections while being in a lighted glass box in a huge van. I heard a woman say that she couldn't understand why people don't like cigarette smoke & look down on her while not complaining about cocaine addicts????????
The competition between casinos to bring the people in is nuts, you have big name performers of which we saw two incredible acts. LaReve & Terry Fator. You have huge deals on rooms, food & amenities so as to get you to drop money in the machines or at the tables. Try buying a pair of shoes in a Casino or any other clothing item or accessory. $99 for a cotton button up shirt was cheap & as high as $200, slippers were $110 but still selling for $250. I know that when people are wasted, lost all their money gambling or just got married to someone they met at the bar is all part of Vegas but then to rip them off walking out the door & drain every last drop of money & dignity the poor person has left, this is just wrong.
Las Vegas is like the ultimate playground for adults & encourages frivolity with a bit of uninhibited exploration thrown in. If you want it, you can find it, if you want to be crazy & carefree, you have a place to do it but if you want to go for a peaceful & relaxing weekend, Las Vegas isn't the place to go.

Halloween

2009-10-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

As I watch my grand kids get ready for Halloween today, I reflect on my own memories of Halloween past, when I was planning all day what I would wear & all the candy I would get that night. I am not quite sure why this traditional holiday continues even though I know from whence it came. the Celtics remembered their dead on this day & believed that the spirits wandered the streets seeking recognition for the lives they lived. The citizens would place pastries & food on door steps to satisfy the spirits & to insure good crops & good fortune. This belief & practice took on a new life of its own as people started dressing in costume to be mistaken as the dead spirits & thus be left alone by the spirits. The poor, in costume, wandered the streets & took the treats left for the spirits.
I don't know for sure but knowing how business is done, I am pretty sure that some entrepreneurial type, realized he could sell costumes & treats, setting in motion the grand celebration we have today.
Instead of having dead spirits wandering the streets, we have millions of little beggars wandering around in costume asking for candy & treats. I wonder sometimes about what we subject our children to & if we are helping them or hurting them? I don't know but I remember that when I was a kid, this was a fun time & I didn't see any harm it except for the ensuing toothaches & cavities(lol). Not really but this is about the only harm I see in it & if people have a problem with it, don't do it. Nobody is forcing you to participate & nobody really cares but when you try to stop others from enjoying this fun event, then shame on you & you need to lighten up. Life is stressful enough & just because you didn't get any candy when you were a kid, don't ruin it for others.
The world is to full of "tight asses" that don't have any fun so as far as I can see, anytime you can get people together to have fun & socialize, this is a good thing, even if it started with remembering the dead & maybe that also is not a bad thing. We can imagine as the early Celtics believed, lets have a celebration of those who have passed on & maybe we can have good fortune. That doesn't sound bad to me. I need to go carve pumpkins & get the costumes on because tonight we will be having fun together & I will remember my Brother & dad who have passed away, with the hope that they are with me tonight. Happy Halloween

I must be Stupid

2009-10-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

I thought I was relatively intelligent but apparently I am stupid because I see a President of The United States surrounding himself with radical/gangsters that are corrupt in every sense of the word. Look at Rahm Emanuel, do you really think he cares about anybody except his own power trip? This is a guy that embodies the very image of a Chicago gangster. Obama must be spineless to let everyone around him make the decisions while he sits in the Ivory Tower & strokes his ego while telling everyone what a terrible Country we lived in before he was President. Either that or he is brilliant & is the chess master, manipulating everyone & sacrificing them when they can be used to reach the ultimate goal of check mate & becoming the only King left in the game.
He appears to care nothing about the people except for controlling them & making them look stupid & become dependent on his mercy, he will discard us at any moment if we get in the way or question his esteemed wisdom.
Am I the only one that sees this? It seem very obvious to me & to have people think that Government can really fix anything, is in sane. Do you really think that spending trillions of dollars we don't have, to help companies & unions that cripple this country with abusive business practices, really helps? No way. Obama is rewarding corruption & those that elect him while destroying free enterprise, patriotism & hard work. Why should anyone try to start a business when you can't afford to run it & are taxed out of business?
Either I am stupid or the people that believe in Obama with his arrogant, self serving objectives are, because we cant both be right on somebody so polarizing.
Whether you are slobbering all over yourself over Obama or whether you hate him, I don't really care but it's time to look at facts & not fiction & that goes for everyone. We are making decisions now that will determine the future of this Country & the World so choose carefully which side you are on.
If you choose Obamanation over freedom & you really believe it, I can respect you but if you believe any media or think you will get something for free, you are a moron, nothing is free &
the old saying applies to you, "be careful what you ask for" & "you vote for him, you deserve what you get".
I just heard a sign maker tell me that he was making a new sign to sell & it made sense.
Obama is an example of somebody that can win the Nobel Peace Prize just for thinking about peace but not actually doing anything for peace.
Alfred Nobel is crying right now because he dedicated his life to peace after being ridiculed when his brother died & the media thought it was Alfred. They hated him because he created nitroglycerin which is in dynamite. People didn't say it to his face like the people today but when his brother died working in Alfred's plant, the paper said how happy they were that this monster was now dead & his weapons of destruction would stop. He felt so bad that he dedicated his life & money to making dynamite safer & promoting peace, through action & not by talk.
Once again, I must be stupid because I have done more for peace than Obama & I know many people that have but he walks on water to some & promises riches, so many that we will all be rich. At least that is what some people think, I know somebody who thinks Obama will flood their home with money so they won't have to work. Wow, if that is the case, I am signing up because if I can get paid to stay home & play rather than go to work, that is a no brainer, we are all in & Obama can just keep printing worthless money to fall from the sky. yeah right---------somebody is stupid here?????????????

Worth The Pain

2009-10-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

I was asked recently to describe what it is like to backpack on a difficult journey? I know that there are many types of backpacking trips & unless you enjoy carrying what is comparable to a 6 year old kid on your shoulders all day, sleeping in the dirt & washing in cold water, all backpacking trips are hard.
What separates the hard from the extremely hard, are the miles, the elevation, the weight of pack, the length of days, the shape you are in & the will power you have. Most people can hike a few miles in a day but depending on the terrain & elevation, a few miles will still kick some butt.
When you are talking about extreme backpacking or through hikers, you are packing light & are traveling between 15 to 3o miles per day depending on conditions & elevation changes.
Most healthy hikers can hike at a pace of 1/2 hour per mile, difficult terrain with technical elevation changes will take up to 45 minutes per mile but usually you won't be this slow unless at the end of a long day & trying to conquer one more 1,000 ft elevation ascent.
You can walk 20 minute miles on good terrain with good conditions but as a rule, I plan on 1/2 hour miles just to allow for breaks. Most hikers will hike no more than 4-6 hours but if you do the math, 6 hours gets you about 12 miles. Everbody is different so walk at a pace you can maintain & if that pace is an hour per mile, so what, you are still accomplishing something & challenging yourself. This isn't a race, it is an opportunity to find yourself so enjoy the journey & pay attention to where it takes you.
My wife & I average 15-20 miles per day & as many as 28. Whether gone for 2 days or 10 days, the first day is the hardest because of acclimating to the pack & hiking a lot of miles. The body isn't made to carry a pack for 20 miles per day for more than a few days, you just break down physically if you don't take care of your body, including your feet. I recommend starting your trip with about 10 to 12 miles on the first day & increasing to what is comfortable as you progress. After a few days you should be able to do over 20 miles per day but try to take a short day or a "no mile day" after several days just to rest the body & mind.
If you aren't into "many miles per day", you should maintain a 10-12 mile per day average & for most people, that is hard but you have enough relax time to prepare for the next day.
Pack light, no more than 35 lbs to start & get less as the days pass on if going more than 100 miles. If possible try to be around 25 lbs. Make sure you have a few items that will make your life much easier: head lamp, matches, mole skin for feet, knife, water purifier, rope ( I prefer nylon strap), Bear canisters are a must in some forests, extra socks, extra underwear, aspirin, water proof jacket, warm jacket, extra camp shoes or sandals, TOILET PAPER (you want a must have--this is),light cook stove, water purifier, 2-liter bottles or water bladder, map, duct tape, hat, lube for lips, chafing or rashes, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, bowl plate combo, spork, comfortable sleeping pad & warm sleeping bag, my wife takes a small cup but I drink out of my liter bottle.
My wife uses technical walking poles while I use an oak limb that I carved into a walking stick years ago, it doesn't matter whether you use them or not but they will make your hike a lot easier in the technical terrain. There are a few extra things you can take but this will get you by. Now for food, I make my own salt mix of favorite nuts, crackers, pretzels, etc. I also make a sweet mix of peanut m&ms, dried pineapple, & various sweet items that wont melt. For dinners we put cup of soup in a zip lock bag so we don't have extra trash. We also used dehydrated mashed potato's with dried bacon bits, chives & seasoning in a zip lock bag. For breakfast we have instant oatmeal in zip lock bag or granola & power bars. We also use the bars & home made trail mix for lunch. We bring powdered electrolyte mix to add to water during day, don't use a sugar based drink like Gatorade because sugar is hard to metabolize & although it tastes good, it doesn't help for long distance only short term. An important note, if you get dehydrated or completely cramped or wiped out from no food or water, it is to late to replenish quickly, you have to rest. The way to hydrate & stay healthy is by eating small amounts of food all day (it is like building a fire, you add a little dried wood & the fire burns incredible but if you dump a lot of wood on all at once, the fire takes awhile to get the flames going again). Water & electrolytes are the same, drink as you go, I have a philosophy of a drink per half mile & with that average plan, I use about 2 liters in 10 miles & 4 liters in 20 miles. there are factors that cause you to use less or more & adjust accordingly. Know your body & what your body needs. The body is amazing & will tell you what you need but you have to listen.
One item that you can't cut corners on is your backpack, if you have a pack that is not fitted right or doesn't protect your body from the pains of carrying weight for many miles, you will have a miserable time. Remember when picking out a pack, just because it feels good in a store, you have no weight in it & even if the store adds some, you haven't carried it for 10 or more miles. I recommend checking references from people who have the pack, this is not unlike buying a car, a bed or anything else in your life that needs to be comfortable. Do not get caught up in the hype of what is new must be good, I have backpacks that are over 20 years old that are still great but I have packs that are 2 years old that kill me at the end of the day. The pack I have now is incredible & I searched it out for years, if I can carry the weight & walk all day, the pack will make it as comfortable as possible.
Everybody finds what works for them & this is what we use but regardless of what you pack or eat, you have to carry it & when people tell me how much fun this sounds, I always say that it isn't fun but it is rewarding & challenging. Overcoming challenges is much more rewarding than just having fun, even though we do occasionally have fun on the way & the beauty is incredible.
Backpacking puts your life in perspective & makes you realize how insignificant much of what we thought was important, isn't. I have hiked all day & am so depleted of energy that I couldn't take a step once I took my pack off & sat down. I have been in so much pain that I wanted to cry & became almost delusional, thinking about how far I had to go. I have also hiked over some of the most incredible trails & seen the most incredible sights that I can't do them justice by explaining them. You have an awakening of sorts, into who you are & what you are capable of accomplishing, of how you can endure pain after pain, day after day. You learn to survive with huge blisters that while every step you take, vividly reminds you that you are in a lot of trouble because you have many miles to go & the pain will only get worse. You will realize that although you think the place you are camping for the night is just over the next mountain pass, only to find that it is over two more passes & you have no energy to continue but you find an inner strength that makes you almost super human because you continue you through all the physical & mental obstacles placed before you. It is a spiritual experience when you persevere while so many won't or can't & we have seen 100s if not 1000s of people cry, complain or quit as we pass by them to a greater reward & that reward is accomplishment of a job set out to do & using your own ingenuity to figure it out regardless of the pain or obstacles.
I don't recommend hiking 20 + miles per day for everyone because you don't have much time to enjoy the beauty you are passing but regardless of how you do it, how far you go or what you bring, it is worth the pain. You will find out more about yourself than you ever dreamed possible & knowing yourself probably is a good thing.

Kid Reality

2009-10-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that when you are around kids, there is no such thing as alone time or private thoughts? Last night was case in point, now I'm not obsessed with watching sports as many are but I do like to watch a playoff game that includes a team I am interested in or supporting a player that I may think is good. With that being said, last night I was watching the Yankees & the Angels play in the playoffs The game was a back & forth nail biter but 2 of my grand kids were in the house & for some reason were bouncing off the walls, they were loud, they wanted to play, eat, jump, run & all those fun kids things. I feel I am talented enough to multi task because I do it most every day but for some reason I got caught up in trying to debate & rationalize with a 2 year old & a 4 year old. What an idiot I am!!!!! You cant do it, you can't debate a youngster & come out of it a winner. Little kids can ask you questions & give the wrong answers for hours & a true hard fact is, they will out live you so why debate them?
The truth from a child is real & nothing you can tell them will change their minds. I knew better than to jump into this arena of kid vs adult but I guess I was pre occupied with the game & it just happened.
Have you ever got into the "WHY GAME"? Oh this one is kid reality. Why does it rain? What is condensation & evaporation? How can water go to the sky? why don't clouds look like water? Why don't the clouds fall? You are getting the idea right?
Well this is kid reality & if you are foolish enough to debate a child be prepared to lose because they are the best interrogators & probably should be hired to torture terrorists for truth & question politicians on agendas & motives?
This would be a much better world if we all were a little more like a child & asked a lot of questions about everything while enjoying life on the way.

Just Dont Get It

2009-10-22T13:51:00.001-07:00

I have to applaud those people who stand behind their candidate or for their cause regardless of the outcome but does it ever occur to anyone that when you vote for somebody that (CAN'T EVER WIN OR FOR A CAUSE THAT CAN'T EVER BE REALIZED), you are throwing your vote away as if it doesn't count at all.
I look at elections for example as an exercise in futility. You know you are being lied to but something in the back of your brain, says "what if"? You now that whoever you vote for is going to cave in to minority out cries, political correctness, social pressure, the re-election strategy, step on only a few toes & blame everyone else.
The problem I have is that when somebody you really like is un-electable & you vote for them, you can be assured that you allowed somebody get elected that you don't want. what I have learned to do is decide who I want the least & vote for the person I can tolerate but has a chance of winning. It is the lesser of two evils scenario.
When you fight for a cause that has no support & can't possible succeed, you will fight all you want, be frustrated, get stressed out & lose many nights sleep so why not pick battles or causes you can win or find ways to compromise. I have learned & stand behind 100%, unless it is moral or ethical, you have to compromise, when there are two or more points of view.
We live in a society that teaches we should fight for our beliefs but we also live in a society that says we should be compassionate & help others regardless of opinion.
If you can't do these things you will have a miserable life because nobody gets their way & if you can't understand this, "YOU JUST DON'T GET IT".
Maybe this is a good way to be & if we are oblivious to reality then maybe we are to ignorant to worry about anything because we are in denial & all we can see is the cute little fantasy land we painted & nobody else matters. I think not & that is reality. If you don't get it, you are stopping progress, so don't vote, don't speak & get out of the way.
I am not saying you have to know it all because nobody does but please, think before you speak & don't be like the fool who says what he thinks. I am speaking from experience here, I am a fool on many occassions & it isn't very relaxing especially when I am always right & everyone else is usually wrong----LOL

Out Of Touch

2009-10-21T09:53:00.001-07:00

Do you ever feel that you have no clue what is going on & it is as if the world & society have a master plan that you missed the memo on & are on your own? I am baffled sometimes at the amount of confusion that passes through my head on any given day. I am befuddled by, how out of touch I am with most everything & when I speak my mind, people look at me with bewilderment, that I could differ so much from their point of view.
Example: somebody sent me a note on facebook & told me to write to my politicians & demand that they pass the health care bill. I responded back & said "don't you care what is in it or if we can afford it"? The response was, "who cares if it works or if we can afford it, it is change & we need change"?????????? I couldn't respond & thought that if people don't care if it works or if they can afford it, then how could I possibly convince them otherwise or have a normal conversation about it. I am perplexed to say the least.
On another note of social inadequacy is with youth, they are a size 28 waist but wear a a size 38 waist pants & then keep pulling them up because they are to big. I am thinking? well duh, but they say they like it that way. Teens, tattoo, put not only piercings in their body, they put giant holes the size of a quarter in their ears, nose & other body parts????? I ask why? Because we like how it looks, they say.
People blindly follow politicians & don't ask any questions & don't care if the politician is wrong as long as the other politician doesn't get elected??????????? I ask why? Because we trust them & they are better than the others. Are you nuts, I think? How can you trust anybody blindly but especially a politician, without asking questions to see how you are affected by it?
Buying houses, new cars, toys, shoes, clothes, going on vacations, we all need it right now, whether we can afford it or not & I ask why go into debt????? I hear, because we can pay it off over time & we plan on making more money as time goes on so it will all work out. I shake my head because if all these thoughts & philosophies are in the brains of people electing politicians or making decisions for other people, we have no hope of success because we live in a world of idiots. Or wait, the point of this entry is that maybe I am the idiot & maybe I don't understand the reality of happiness & success in life. Maybe I should just say "what the heck" do what you want & no consequences for anyone". HMMMMMMMMMMMM I don't know that I can stand by & watch this happen even if I am the idiot & out of touch. I can't help myself, I am going to keep fighting for what I believe, whether right or whether wrong. At least I think I can still do that, I am not sure if that right has been taken away yet or not!!!!

Lighter Side

2009-10-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have been spending a lot of time pounding political & social issues so I figured it was time to lighten up a bit because I don't see Dictator Obama slowing down any time soon & I will have 3 years, 15 days left to talk about what a self centered, egotistical, mis guided dictator that he is.

Disclaimer to my Democrat friends (I love you so you may not want to continue--you know I ramble on but you love me anyway, right?)vbs-- I don't say these things to make my Obama loving friends upset, they just haven't seen the light yet (vbs) & not unlike Those in the days of Columbus. There were people that believed the world was flat & they just haven't thought about this in great detail or they would realize what is going on. I don't fault them for believing in a Messiah to solve all problems because it would be a lot easier to have somebody wave a magic wand & make us love each other & share what we have & all play games together & all sing praises to he who solved the world problems.

Oh yeah, Lighter Side? Well I suppose what I just wrote about Obama solving all world problems is on the lighter side but that is not what I meant. I wanted to speak about happiness, fun activities & of enjoying every moment. I believe we need to laugh in our complicated day & to smile more often. I believe that with every passing moment & with every controversial issue that we deal with, we are becoming more withdrawn, depressed & angry with ourselves & life.
Along with Obama wanting to be the King of the world, my granddaughter just made me a paper crown & called me the King, so Obama you aren't the only King because my grand daughter knows the truth & wouldn't lie, unlike you. Whoops, I did it again. Isn't that a song by Brittany Spears? I talked about Obama in a negative way & I am sorry because this was supposed to be about laughing & enjoying life. The lighter side of our daily struggles & responsibilities which I suppose could be looking at giving almost 2 trillion dollars in 14 months to companies that mis manage & over pay but are rewarded by politicians that have never got it right. I am not slinging blame to one group over the other, they are all corrupt & controlled by power & money. If they really wanted to help solve the economy problems, they could have taken the stimulus money & given equal amounts to each family in America. Do you realize how soon the economy would be booming? It would be almost over night because we would buy things, we would pay off debt, we would send kids to college, we would go crazy spending money which would help car companies, banks & every other business in America while starting new companies to hire more employees & reduce un employment. I guess that was to easy & politicians had to reward their greedy friends that pump millions into campaigns & make them richer than they are. Nice move!!!!!
Take for example, & this could be considered the lighter side if it wasn't so "DEADLY". We are worried about radiation from cell phones, car seats, helmets, ozone layer, swine flu & thousands of other things that can "possibly" hurt us or the environment yet we continue to allow people to make & sell cigarettes. Are you out of you friggin mind? Cigarettes are guaranteed to kill, pollute, cause addictive behaviour, start fires, cause wrecks & destroy families. Hmmmmmm I wonder why they are legal? Unless it is MONEY & POWER that keep politicians in office. We have police giving tickets for not wearing a seat belt that may or may not kill you while Cigarettes are being made, sold & used by the billions. This is kind of funny, don't you think? or not!!
Another funny story. What about politicians working for the people & doing what the majority of people want? That would be great except that politicians pander to minorities, sell fear & smear opponents, while promising lies & then when elected, they do what keeps them in office. Whatever it takes, sell out morals & ethics, take bribes, lie, cheat & make policy based on what makes them, oh of course, "politically correct".
Politicians know that spewing B.S. about fighting for human rights, the economy or the environment will get a majority vote to get them elected & then when in office they can make policy dictated by the minorities or political correctness.
Another funny thought, how can politicians agree exactly down party lines? This would be impossible unless it was for the threat of not being supported by your party. I guess this is funny except it makes me sick to my stomach.
Let me think, something else that is funny. hmmm. What about double standards? don't you love it when politicians can go for years & not pay taxes & then get jobs in the White House while the average person is in prison or paying enormous amounts of fines on top of losing everything they have to pay off the taxes they owe. Doesn't that just make you feel happy inside, knowing that you have tax cheats running our Government?
OK perhaps my original plan of making these comments light are fictitious & even though my intentions were good, I just can't get this government corruption out of my mind. I am not saying this about Democrats, I am saying it about all politicians. You are corrupt & need to be fired. We cant rebuild unless we clean house & start over with a single political party, called the American citizen. I suppose Government isn't funny & is indeed very scary but when decisions are made, you wonder what on earth were you thinking? You just have to wonder what is going on & what will happen next? I certainly don't know but I know we aren't going to fix it by going the direction we are headed. People solve problems, Governments create them.

Racism

2009-10-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

What is racism? The dictionary definition says that racism is a belief that the color of ones skin can determine superiority which in turn promotes discrimination. This belief will allow qualified people to be overlooked & even shunned by employers & society.
I believe, based on history that there always has been racism in the world because man, inherently is trying to compete with others for everything they want & will use any means available to put down one person or group, in order to promote them self.
With that being said, I believe that it is a small percentage of people that actually believe this & that the majority of people suffer because of the actions of a few. What has happened just in my life time is that when a once proud Nation was united in a Civil rights movement that brought all ethnic groups together for one common cause it was replaced with greed, hatred & laziness by all groups.
Society tells us that we have to be politically correct, that we have to give to minorities, the poor, the lazy & the un educated because we must balance out the injustice done to others in the past. The very concept of rewarding somebody for doing nothing except for having a certain skin color or being a certain gender is racist & in itself, promotes racism by all groups. It allows those that are given something for doing nothing to feel empowered to demand more while it infuriates those that work hard & cant get a job because of affirmative action policy or because they happen to be a white male.
Does racism exist today in America? You can bet your ass it does & it is because society & politicians try to balance the scale by rewarding people because of their skin color & because of history.
If you want to get down & dirty with facts, there is no group in America that hasn't been demonized because of race, religion, ethnicity, skin color, under educated or mentally handicapped. The Irish, the Polish, the blacks, the Asians, the Indians, the Mexicans, most every religion including the "Mormons" who had the only human extermination order issued against them from the Governor of a State. The Indians & Mexicans were kicked off their land while every other group that comes here as with the Middle East population of today are demonized.
You have Grammys, Academy Awards, Emmy's & all types of awards that include every race but then you have Black awards, Hispanic awards & Black History month, Hispanic history month & Asian history month.
Are we out of our minds? There is no way this promotes civility among all mankind nor does it help racism to be replaced with tolerance or love for others regardless of their ethnic or religious back ground or the color of their skin or the education or money they have or don't have.
We can continue down this path or we can demand change, the type of change that truly unites all Americans in one cause & that cause is Freedom. The freedom to be whoever we want to be & to be accepted by everyone & when this happens there will no longer be racism in America.

Double Standard

2009-10-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

I am not a Rush Limbaugh fan & never listen to him but give me a break. He is rejected from buying a football team because he gave his opinion on what somebody else might be thinking. Are you kidding me, is this America The Land Of The Free, the land of freedom of speech & of equal rights for all or is it a Socialistic Country where you can only say what is politically correct & doesn't offend a soul? Oh of course unless you are a minority & then you can say whatever you want. There are rappers & gangsters that are mainstream & all they do is bad mouth whites, conservatives, religion & the law but they buy into pro teams, are on mainstream television & do whatever they want without consequences.
The reason why is because of "double standard". It is OK for somebody that is a self proclaimed minority to say foul & disgusting things about anyone but when a member of the majority says anything deemed not politically correct, there is an out cry by a whining few that will determine what the rules are & who can say what. What it shows me is that we live in a society that is so afraid of offending the whining minority for fear of retaliation that we disregard everyone else & all common sense is lost.
It is time for people to put down their politically correct banners & get some backbone.
If we continue to let politically correct idiots make all the decisions, we won't be able to say anything except, "what would you like master, I will do whatever you want but please don't hurt me".
There was a "SMALL WAR" that killed over 600,000 people which many seem to forget, called the Civil War. It is where people of all colors, religions & ethnic back grounds fought & died for freedom for all but people seem to forget that President Lincoln was almost murdered before he was assassinated because he was trying to stop slavery. So to all of you that are still whining about what happened to your ancestors, we are in this together & my ancestors with many others fought so you could whine & complain, so quit demanding a double standard.
If you are entitled to something so is everyone else, what is good for you is good for everyone. If you want a better life, quit whining, get off your butts & help somebody, quit trying to take what is not yours because you feel you deserve something you didn't work for.
If you don't like it here, leave because you are taking up space & are wasting time on double standards & are causing more racism than has ever been seen in this Country. Yes your whining causes racism because you lack tolerance & demand tolerance from others while fighting for double standards.
Lincoln & others fought for you to have freedom of speech so why don't you do the same, or are you better than everyone else? The only way out of this social & National disaster is through tolerance of others. The alternative is National war, is that what you want? The Civil War will look like a football game compared to the next war over freedom & freedom of speech.

Hollow Satisfaction

2009-10-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

My wife & I just hiked a few miles on the Arnold Rim Trail & I was reluctant because I was involved in the community battle which ended up forcing the USFS to ban dirt bikes from this area behind Avery. I was fighting for multi use for everyone but the environmental, social in tolerance movement began small & consumed the debate which resulted in hatred towards some & once friends, lost forever.
As I walked the trail which was built & maintained by my dirt bike friends & I for over 35 years, I experienced many moments of somber reflection & memories of the times spent on these very trails which in some ways helped define me during my early years. I would ride my dirt bike on these trails from Arnold to Bret Harte High School, I would ride after school & whenever I had the chance. It is where my friends & I spent most of our time enjoying this beautiful area. It used to be shared by everyone but now as I hike with my wife, the sounds of a dirt bike in the distance which to some is repulsive but to me is the sound of enjoyment & challenges, will never be heard again even though it is those very same dirt bikes which built these trails that are now being used by a few that don't know the history of so many that passed before them with blood, sweat, tears & incredible bonding experiences with family & friends.
I understand the environmental, self indulgent, lack of patience crowd that exits in society & I understand that co existing with differing social, political or environmental points of view becomes adversarial at times but we have to begin tolerating others who differ with us. We are becoming a society of self interest, greed & hatred toward others & it breaks my heart.
As I was leaving to come home a hollow sense of satisfaction overwhelmed me because the very dirt bikes that were hated by a few & banned from this area are the very dirt bikes that created these trails for those to enjoy that are finally realizing what a beautiful area we live.
So in closing , I would hope that as you walk the Arnold Rim trail that you remember all the dirt bike riders that sacrificed their time, energy & resources to build these trails for you.

Work Or Play

2009-10-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

If you could have your choice to do any job you wanted or could do anything you wanted for pleasure, what would they be & would you choose pleasure or work five days a week?
I thought about this & if I could choose my profession, I would work five days a week because work is rewarding & the sense of accomplishment makes us feel useful or needed.
Don't get me wrong, I love to play but the rewards for playing are self gratification & would become tiresome after awhile, not unlike & family member coming to visit. You can't wait to have them visit & spend time with them but it is sure nice when they give the house back.(vbs)
I would choose teaching as my profession of choice & it would probably be ages 5th through 8th grade. As far as my choice for pleasure, it would be riding motorcycles vacations around the world or backpacking.
Just something to think about--hmmmmmmmmmm

Rain Days-Power Failure

2009-10-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

I had a very busy yet very thought provoking day yesterday so I thought I would share it with you. I got up for work, knowing it was going to rain & went about my day trying to find work for the guys that work with me & keep them inside during the storm which is not always an easy task since most of what w do is outside.
I worked on reports for meetings & updating manuals as most any day but then the fun began. I had to be at Angels Camp at 4:00 to coach a 5th grade girls basketball game with my niece, The power went out about 5 minutes into the game so we waited about 20 minutes & then cancelled the game, the whole while it was a down pour of rain. I had to be in Arnold at 5:00 for a birthday party for a friend of mine, so I hurried up the mountain through sheets of water cascading across the highway. I got to the party & gave my gift, visited for about 40 minutes & then had to be at a work meeting at 6:00 in Murphys so I rushed down the mountain through the same rain & road problems as before encountered. I was going to visit a friend who is having some health problems on the way to meeting but could only manage a phone call.
I made it to the meeting which was held by flashlight & lamp because of the continued power outage which made it more of a camping experience around the camp fire but after 2 hours we were able to leave. I got home a little after 8:00 to a home with no power & the rain still crashing down onto the roof. My wife was reading a book by head lamp & had kept the fire going so the house was toasty. I ate dinner & visited with my wife for awhile & then began reading a backpacking magazine. After about an hour I realized that I was tired & bored so I went to bed at 9:30, which wouldn't seem like a big deal except for the fact that I only sleep about 6 hours & that is why I go to bed between 11:00 & midnight. I wake up at about 6:15 every day whether I have an alarm clock or not but on this night I was awake by 2:30 & there was no chance I would be sleeping again on this night so I woke up & found the power on, so I went in the other room & turned a movie on & stayed awake until I left for work at 6:45.
I guess my point of this little story is, most of us are not farmers or ranchers & do not go to bed at 9:00 or get up at 3:00AM so what are we supposed to do when the power goes out?
We aren't use to conversing for hours or sitting in silence on a cold rainy night with no electricity so does that make us un sociable or lacking in creativity? I don't know what it means but I know that even though I can amuse myself pretty easily, if my routine is broken, it becomes a lot more difficult.
I hope the power is on tonight because I don't want to be watching another movie or reading a book at 4AM while everyone else is snoozing away.

Lauries Reading Memes, What are yours

2009-10-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

lauriepowerswildwest.blogspot.com/

Reading Habits Meme
Saw this on another blog and thought it looked fun. I've memed other people at the end of the post, but feel free to do it on your own.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
All the time. Popcorn, soda, ice tea, ice cream, coffee. In the winter hot tea or hot chocolate.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
I only marked books when I was in college. Occasionally I do when I doing research, but I find it really didn't help me much.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
Bookmark, with anything available. Receipts, shopping lists, sometimes even a bookmark.

Laying the book flat open?
Usually I can't. Hold it in both hands.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Both. Fiction runs to Westerns or pulp anthologies. Lots of history and memoir too.

Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy. If I go on long trips I'll rent an audio book from the library.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I can drop it at any point. I usually have to because I can only sneak in reading here and there between other projects.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
Nah. I should though. I always think I'll remember later to look it up and I always forget.

What are you currently reading?
My Life East and West by William S. Hart. Almost done.
Soiled Doves: Prostitution in the Early West by Anne Seagraves. Plus a short story pulp here and there.

What is the last book you bought?
Sons of Texas by Elmer Kelton

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
I usually read two at a time because I get bored so easily. Sometimes I can read three, but usually one of them ends up getting neglected.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
In the mornings or the evening. I don't have much of a choice there because of my job. I love to read in my flower garden and have a wicker couch set up in there just for that.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
I usually prefer stand alone. I like to jump around a lot so series have never appealed to me. The Sons of Texas series may be an exception though - I'm ready to start the next one.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
Not really. There are several I like, but no one I recommend in particular.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
The house I'm renting right now has very small rooms so there isn't a place for one big library. So I have several bookshelfs all over the house - I've even emptied out a shallow linen closet and made it into bookshelves. Books are organized by subject: history, books on writing, classics, memoir, pulp fiction history (that's the linen closet) and fiction.

Okay, now it's the following blog's turn: Mark Engebretson, Howard Hopkins, Joanne Walpole, Evan Lewis, Chris Jones, Gary Dobbs, and of course Ralph Emerson.

Man In The Mirror

2009-10-08T15:51:00.001-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice if all politicians had to take a lie detector test every time they voted on something & were asked if they really believed what they were voting on? I believe in the "man in the mirror" test. You vote what you believe & if you can face yourself in the mirror, it was the right decision. If you can't, then it is wrong.
The problem with this test & politicians is that most of them are two faced & reflect one face in the mirror to help them sleep & another when grabbing all the power they can get.
I believe with all of my heart & soul that politically correctness, polls, greed & lobbyists have destroyed our Country & until we can stop making decisions based on polls or what will get the majority vote, we are destined to destroy ourselves & all because we can't honestly look at ourselves in the mirror when we make a decision.

Bi Partisan Rib Eye Steak

2009-10-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have a friend that I recently connected with after many years apart & within moments of this reunion have realized how easy it is in the "Maze Of Life" to become disoriented & lose sight of what is important & those who impact us on this incredulous journey called "Life".
I have been following her blog & find great comfort in reading the perceptions she has on life & the trials which accompany life. Although I may disagree with some misguided (vbs) points of view on occasion like Obama & the Dodgers, I am always in awe of her ability to share her thoughts in a poignant yet sometimes humorous way. One in which engages her readers & inspires them to respond or to reflect but always to learn.
I especially liked her comments on a recent awakening she had on a subject which most people have known about forever, the indulgence of the perfectly cooked rib eye steak. I was looking at the photo she used & reading her comments about her new found appreciation for fine dining & realized how much we take for granted & how we as a people need to put aside our differences by sitting down together & having the perfectly cooked, symbolic, "rib eye steak".
Differences could be worked out & problems avoided or solved if we would simply enjoy one another doing those things we love to do. I probably won't ever convert her to dropping her Dodgers fan club membership but the differences aren't important when we share things we enjoy, regardless of political, ethnic, social or religous persuasion.
http://lauriepowerswildwest.blogspot.com/

Champions of Truth

2009-10-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

Media is fiction while life is reality so be careful who champions you lest we forget a Nation that was destroyed by the gift of a horse

Opposition

2009-10-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

Opposing views if expressed with respect promote lively debate & inspired joint outcomes while opposing views expressed with anger or rage only promote anger or rage

I Love You

2009-10-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Do you realize how important or how much power these three words have on mankind? You may "blow it off" & act like you don't care if somebody says that they love you but you lie or you are in denial. Our egos can quite often get in the way of reality, causing mental road blocks that don't allow for sensitivity to creep in to our fragile yet complex minds yet when we strip away the years of pain created tough exterior which protects our sensitive thoughts, we all want to be loved.
My son just sent me a text last night which talked about recent events in his life & although his path has taken him away from the place he grew up & given him new opportunities to see the world & live life the way he chooses, I love him with all of my heart & want success for him as he journeys through life on an expedition to find himself. in this text message, which by the way is a pretty remarkable communication device if not over used. In this message he talked about some personal experiences but at the end, he said that he loved me.
I don't care what my children do in life that I may disagree with or agree with but when they tell me they love me, nothing has more impact on me than those three words & nothing does more, to give me hope, stay happy or to be optimistic of the future than hearing it or in this case, seeing it typed in a message.
I do believe you can over use "I Love You" if used frivolously but if used correctly at the right time, nothing has more impact or provides more comfort or creates more happiness. These three words can put the fear of God into a new relationship because of the commitment they represent but once again, if used correctly, they are the most important words you will ever hear or say but as with explosives, handle them with care.

Dark vs Fear

2009-10-05T08:16:00.001-07:00

I have thought about this off & on for years but until recently haven't wrapped my brain around the intent of my thoughts on the subject. Is everyone afraid of the dark, Do you say you aren't afraid of the dark but deep down inside when you are in the dark woods with no lights & nobody for miles or the power is out in your home & you have no light, when you hear noises, even though they are what I call "dark noises" that we all hear when it is dark, quiet & still, do you have a little fear? Do you say you aren't afraid to cover up insecurities but really you are as afraid as anyone?
I can't answer this question for anyone else because it is a personal demon, experience or feeling which is between you & the dark. I had a very frightening experience as a young child which made me deathly afraid of the dark. I was playing in my room with my younger sister & brothers. The lights were on, the noise was loud & it was after dark. I heard a tapping noise on the window although the window blinds were down, I was curious what this continued noise was? I had no fear at all & was just quizzical as I pulled the blind back & put my face up to the window with the blind now laying on the back of my head. It took a couple seconds for my eyes to adjust which may never happen with my eyes now as I need reading glasses (vbs). I then realized there were 2 monster faces pressed up against the window & I fell backward screaming with an unimaginable fear for what I had witnessed. My mom burst into the room & looked outside but nothing was there. She most likely felt I was imagining this but because of my belief in what I had seen, she held me & calmed me as only a Mother can do.
We found out days later that it was 2 teenage boys in the neighborhood that had done this & were bragging about how scared they made me. My Mom found the two boys & grabbed them by the ears & banged their heads together something I am sure would land her in jail today. The two boys of which one still lives here, apologized to me but the damage was already done.
I wouldn't go anywhere near a dark room or be outside alone after dark. I had nightmares of dark & monsters in the dark, it was horrible.
I was about 13 when I decided I wanted to overcome this & many other fears, so I began a quest to gain confidence. I went camping by myself with my dog & we spent an intensely frightening night alone in the woods while I kept the fire blazing until I couldn't keep my eyes open a second longer. I woke up at daylight & realized that I could do this & that I needed to overcome all my fears. I began planning to do things every birthday which included overcoming a fear. Sky diving, bungee jumping, survival camping in dry & snow conditions were among many.
I bring up the past to set the mood for the present & to give perspective on my thoughts regarding dark & fear.
Last weekend I was called out to work & although I would say that I am not afraid or intimidated by much, I had to walk through dark woods at 3:00 in the morning with no lights & must admit that although I wasn't having anxiety attacks it was a little frightening. Not enough to stop me but enough to give me pause & have the experience cause me to wonder, what if?
I don't know if you have similar thoughts on dark & fear but am pretty sure that when we strip away all the lights, friends, family, pets, egos or mental safeguards, that we, as we sit alone in deep thought, have some degree of fear of the dark. It would only be natural because we as humans are usually afraid of what we don't understand, have control over or what we can't see, like what is in the dark.

Children are Fragile

2009-10-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

Children are fragile as a light bulb, be careful with them & they will brighten your life.
If you are careless with them, they will break & you will live in a world of darkness.

Beauty

2009-10-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

As I search for beauty all over the earth, I find it in smiles & a baby at birth.
Beauty is all around us, tho sometimes hard to find,
not because it's hiding, because it's a state of mind!

When I happen across beauty on my journey through life, it pierces my soul with happiness, as a sculpture being carved with the masters knife.

What is it about beauty that invokes endless descriptions of origin or meaning? Could it be as we have heard, that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"?

Beauty has been around forever & is far from being new, Though beauty in the dictionary looks exactly like you.

All of us are beautiful regardless of race or ethnicity, we are beautiful because we amidst flaws & mistakes have the ability to help others & to make a difference in life & if we can make somebody's life better, it will be a beautiful world.

Crisis

2009-10-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

It doesn't happen every day unless I listen to the news but it happens way more than I am comfortable with & what I am referring to is crisis. There are so many people I am surrounded by that are experiencing crisis in their lives & I have been one of them at times in my life so I understand what I am speaking of. It is overwhelmingly difficult to watch somebody go through a crisis & be unable to do anything except help with day to day responsibilities or give support where possible.
When we go through crisis in our a life, it is a lonely place & one in which sucks you deeper into despair regardless of what the outcome is, we are forever changed.
When I say crisis, I am not referring to not making the team, not being able to buy a house or having your car break down. I am talking about losing a loved one, having a family member terminally ill, losing your spouse, losing your job & house with no where to go & no money to pay for rent.
When you see people in crisis mode it is sometimes so overwheming & painful to watch that we become somewhat numbed by the magnitude of pain. We hurt when we are with those that are suffering but when we go home, regardless of how much we hurt for those in pain, we can be with our family or friends, we can watch a movie or listen to music or read a book to forget the pain being experienced by those in crisis.
The only way to understand crisis is to be in it & when you are, you only want out. Every second of every day is like tons of weight placed on your shoulders so that you can never do anything without feeling the burden of the weight & you want to collapse but can't because it still won't relieve the burden or pain. It consumes you & regardless of a positive exterior attitude, you grow more distant because the burden caused by this crisis consumes you & leaves you only a shadow of what you once were with a reality that this crisis although perhaps passing in time will leave you scarred forever.
I can't give any advice to make your pains go away as you deal with your crisis except to never give up & regardless of the pain & suffering, you can find peace & happiness again even though there may be a huge piece of your heart removed because of what you have gone through. Perhaps that is why the scar will always remain with us, it is a reminder of what we have experienced & how quickly our lives can be changed.
Enjoy each day, spend time with those you love & never be afraid to experience life to the fullest because every day can be the best or worst day of our life so don't be afraid to live.

Peace

2009-10-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time ranting & raving about my opinions on just about everything so I decided to take a moment & let you know that regardless of difference I may have with everybody, I truly love people & watching them succeed, overcoming obstacles or simply being happy. So with this being said, I want to wish all of you, regardless of our differing opinions, Peace & happiness in your lives because I can't be 100% truly happy when those around me are not or those around me struggle so if I can help you, I will.
We are here together & nobody can get through life alone, we all need help from somebody at some time so it's time we extend our hand in friendship & put aside differences to say hello to somebody, to smile at somebody or just simply be kind.
PEACE

Philosophy--Fact---Fiction

2009-09-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

Lets say that you could choose one quality in a friend & the qualities that determined your friend's life were Philosophical, Factual or fictitious, which quality would you want in your friend?
If you choose philosophical, your friend would have philosophies about life but may indeed be a thinker & not a doer.
If you choose Factual, your friend would make decisions based on facts & there would be no fictitious or philosophical decisions. There would be no spontaneous decisions based on instinct or feeling.
If you choose Fictitious, your friend would live their life in a fantasy world & wouldn't use any facts to support their decision. There would be no substance to anything they did.
As I thought about this & tried to think of what I would want in a friend based on these three traits & I chose philosophical because this person would think but would be willing to explore new ideas & hopefully those new ideas would include action to achieve the tasks they thought about.
There is no right answer, simply food for thought. VBS

Old Friends

2009-09-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have a pair of hiking boots that have taken me hundreds of miles over the most insane parts of the Sierra Nevada Mtns & although I no longer use them for backpacking, I love these boots & every time I put them on to run an errand or do chores around the house, it is like a spiritual experience, remembering all the hardships we faced together. Quit laughing because I know you are. I am not obsessed with these boots, I just have respect for them because they carried me when I was beyond my physical limits, so the thought of what we have done together becomes memorable & floods my mind with incredible experiences.
These hiking boots are like good friends, you don't have to see them every day or every year but if they are true friends, you will reunite as if no time has lapsed between the last visit. You will remember those incredible experiences shared & the feelings you have for each other.
I have found friends recently that have been lost to me for over 30 years & it is as if time stood still because I remember vividly, those experiences & relationships as if they happened yesterday.
Somebody recently told me that if we can have but one real friend in our lifetime, that we can share everything with & help us regardless of the outcome, we will be very happy & very lucky. I thought about this & wasn't sure I agreed because family can take the place of friends. As I had the experience with my boots & reconnecting with my dear friends, I now believe friends & family are different & that we really are fortunate to have any true friends in our life, that stand beside us no matter what & are always there for us. Family relationships are sometimes cumbersome because family members feel they are entitled by blood relation to give you advice whether you want it or not & family is always there, whether you want them or not. Family is crucial to a happy life but are infinitely different than Friends who are not family members.
To those I have recently reconnected with, thank you for being great friends & for helping me to mold my life with incredible experiences we have shared together in times gone by & hopefully we can have more adventures in the future.

We Need a Hero

2009-09-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

As I sit back & watch the increasing chaos surrounding us, it would appear that we as a Country spend more time waiting for a hero to fix all of our problems rather than taking a chance on our own ingenuity. What is a hero? I can give you the dictionary definition which includes admiration for work well done or a person that becomes a beacon of hope.
I have been thinking about this & realized that as far as the dictionary definition, many people could be considered hero's but as far as the world sees hero's, they are two different things.

A hero for today's world has some of the same qualities as the standard definition but today's hero also must promise hope for a new way of life regardless of the outcome, be a great athlete, make a lot of money, be famous, promise you more even if others suffer & fight for your rights by saying what you want to hear for a price. This type of hero bothers me because it sheds light on who we really are & how lazy we are as a people. We want more, we will give less, we complain more, we want our problems to go away by having somebody else do the work.
What is a hero? A hero is what you want them to be, a hope in somebody you feel greater than you, a person of great accomplishment that gives you hope of having the same success as them, a person that fights with no hesitation for others regardless of their own well being & I think ultimately, a hero gives us hope & lets us know that we can be great while never being alone.
Regardless of what you believe, if you find comfort in the future & mankind through another, they are a hero & it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about it. Our hero's are for us as individuals & nobody can tell us who our hero's should be because only we can decide that.
As for me, a hero is any great humanitarian that sacrifices for others, a person that does great things in the sight of fear, a person that gives me hope in a better way of life by the example they set & the confidence the have. A masterpiece of work whether in art, music or dance is admired but I wouldn't call a master of trade, my hero although I will be in awe of their greatness & probably humbled by the flawless beauty.
A sports hero is fine but what makes a sports hero? To me a sports hero needs to be great in the presence of stress & hardship. Brett Favre could be such a hero as with 8 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter throws a 45 yard pass in the end zone to win the game while the reception was great in its own right, Brett Favre has played great, played poorly, retired & come back for "love of the game". He is criticized by many but when the game was on the line & nobody expected him to do it, he became great in light of fear. He & others can on a daily basis show signs of heroic effort but a heroic effort is only heroic if it makes us better for being part of it. Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kurt Gibson, Mary Lou Retton & many others have given us heroic moments along with countless others but a heroic moment if not shared or felt by others is simply a great moment.
My hero's will always put others first while being considerate of everyone as they make great effort to help mankind or on a battle field risk their life to help others & keep me free. or a person that puts fear out of their mind to help their team or themselves do something great & live their life in a manner that shows respect for everyone.
Throwing a touchdown pass is great, hitting a home run to win the game is great but great feats don't make great hero's unless the heroic effort was done with humility & respect for others or unless the person can be looked up to as a role model both on the field or court & in their personal life.
When we make fame our hero we are destined to fail because we are all great at something & are capable of doing something great in our lives but fame itself is not heroic. Power & fame don't make the man but the man makes him self by what he or she does in their life & the success of ones life is determined by those that were made better because of their existence so be careful of the people you call hero's because in fact, they may just be bad people that have done something great or famous people that care only for themselves.

We Are Programmed

2009-09-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

I was fixing a cup of mint tea this evening & my grand daughter was all concerned because she said that tea is bad for me. I explained that mint tea is good & is good for you but she wasn't going to give in on this argument & since she is 4 & I am 51, I knew she would out live me & eventually would have the last word, so I being older & wiser thought I could change the subject. Not a chance. I said I was putting honey in it & that honey is good for you, she said yes it is but the tea ruins it & makes it unhealthy.
I told her she has sugar in apple pie & many cereals & that sugar is bad for your teeth. She said it's not as bad as tea. Her mom walked in & said she likes honey in her herb tea & my grand daughter looked at her with incredibly quizzical eyes & then a look of bewilderment. She took a moment to digest what she heard & then she said, Tea is bad for you & I won't drink it no matter who does because I was told it is bad & it is bad.
The point is, how do you argue with a child & why would you make such a ridiculous attempt because what is programmed into a child's brain is the rule, the law, the gospel & you won't convince them otherwise so be careful what you teach a child because they won't forget, good or bad.

Reality vs Fiction

2009-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am more of a reality person but when it comes to books or movies about fiction, I want the good or happy ending. If we are talking reality, let it happen the way it was, good or bad.
Which world would you rather live in, a fictitious world or a reality world?
Most of you will say reality but when you think about it, you live in a world of fiction. We believe we can do more than we really can, we believe our opinion is the right opinion, we believe that we are not afraid of the dark, being alone, bugs, snakes, health problems or any number of other things that come to mind. So you see, it is fiction that drives us, not reality.
Reality is something we deal with every day but the "reality" of it is that we live life the best way we can & the "realty" is that most of our life is spent in fiction.
I had somebody recently tell me that they are very comfortable with them self & wouldn't change a thing but in the next breath, they said they are afraid of eating fresh fruit because of many reasons, afraid of most insects, the dark, being alone, most foods at restaurants because of what the chef could do to the food & on & on.
I contemplated the conversation & realized that there are a couple scenarios, 1st is that this person is very confident in being afraid of most things in life & that this is a reality. 2nd is that this person lives in a world of fiction but because of self induced brain washing, they believe this is reality. 3rd is that this is all a lie & the world is all about denial for fear of rejection.

I believe there are people around us & it probably is the majority, not unlike a house dog that believes he can conquer anybody because he lives in a sheltered environment, that are living lies. They shelter themselves or surround themselves with what they are comfortable with so as to keep the evil world out & in some way make them self feel invincible.
Is this reality or is this fiction. I ask the question again because I think their perception is fiction but that this has become their reality. Just a thought.

Road Rage Reality

2009-09-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

Don't say you dont do this, you haven't done this or you haven't caused this because if you do, you are telling a lie because if you don't think you have done this you are oblivious to your surroundings & are for that reason the very person that causes road rage.
Have you ever been late for something a come up behind a car that is going so slow that you can't believe they are moving forward & are putting their brakes on for every corner even though the corner sign says 55mph & they are going 30mph?
When this happens, I honestly try to go to a quiet place in my mind, I put on calming relax music & I think of relaxing things but what seems like hours & is probably only minutes all of a sudden erupts into rage, especially after they just passed their 2nd passing lane & I couldn't get by.
I have to say, I have calmed down over the years but once an opportunity arises, so that I can pass, it is like the start of a NASCAR race & the accelerator is floored & I am planning my worst possible anger face to show as I pass the car but then it happens. You get side by side with the car & realize it is a friend of yours, your family or a kid learning to drive with his parent in the passenger seat.
You realize that you are a horses ass & that you should quietly leave the scene, so as to heal your bruised & humbled ego. I have put myself in some crazy situations because of my aggresive driving style & I am sure, in fact I have no doubt that my wife prays for cars to pull over on the highway if they are ahead of me & for policemen to be in front of me or behind me.
Regardless of how you drive or how you deal with idiot drivers, think before you act & always remember that the dork ahead of you or behind you may be having a bad day, may be sick, may be somebody you know or may be somebody that is learning to drive so chill out & realize that this may be you one day & pay back is as they say, a *****.

Liberal or Conservative

2009-09-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday & the subject of conservative & liberalism came up. He said that he was very liberal & then asked me questions about popular social & political points of view. He said that he was for legalizing pot & prostitution & then gave me a list of reasons why. He asked my views & I told him that I was against legalizing pot & prostitution & then gave him my reasons why.
The conversation rapidly but respectfully began to jump from topic to topic while both of us listened as the other expressed their point of view. He then said what do you think about gay marriage or same gender relationships? I told him that I don't believe in same gender relationships but that I love all people regardless of their lifestyles or ethnicity & that I won't judge others for their beliefs or life style. He said he felt kids should have the right to believe whatever they want & shouldn't be indoctrinated by parents or adults. I said that I agree & disagree because I feel that a parent that believes a certain lifestyle will protect their children or give them a better life, has to teach that philosophy but that when appropriate, the parent should also teach their children that there are many lifestyles, ethnic or religous groups & social or political philosophies that should be considered in life & that all people should be respected & loved regardless of what they believe as long as it doesn't hurt others or impede their rights to do the same.
He told me that he was a liberal but that he was against the degradation of the traditional family values & didn't believe in gay marriage or the liberal standards on television. He also said that he didn't feel society should give money to people who don't deserve it or are lazy because the people who really deserve it are overlooked & are left to struggle alone.
So my question is, What is Liberal & what is conservative? It is becoming more clear to me that other than some fringe differences on certain social or personal choice issues, that most people are somewhere in the middle. If we could get past the B.S. political bantering & name calling & voting down party lines we would probably agree on most everything.
So my closing thoughts are this, Be respectful of everyone & lets find a middle group & kick out all the self rightous politicians that care nothing about anybody but their own greed & power.
These politicians preach one thing to get elected based on polls & then do something else when they are elected & then it is to late to stop them.
The new party could be called "REPUBLICRAT"
Just a thought, you know how my mind wanders? vbs

Normal is What Normal is?????

2009-09-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

I was a having a conversation with somebody earlier, when we began talking about people taking advantage of the system, other people or the community they live. We were trying to figure out why or how somebody could manipulate the well fare system, unemployment, friends, family or any other group or agency, only to have personal gain at somebody elses expense?
The conversation evolved into what becomes normal or accepted by some is what becomes a lifestyle. Those that take advantage of others become lazy & manipulative but to them it is normal. To those raised in this enviroment or working for or hanging out with people that do this, it becomes normal. I have worked for people who doctored documents & charged extra to be paid more. I have seen people & know people that defraud insurance companies & file fraudulant law suits because the system allows it & this becomes normal while they strut around like everbodys friend doing things I can't afford to do because of time or money & these people are taking my money to do it (grrrrrrrrrr).
As I have thought about this, I think that the more dependent society becomes on dishonesty, laziness or handouts, the more we expect it & the more normal it becomes. I find that those that live their life this way are really screwing those that don't because those that work hard & are honest have to pay for those that aren't. Those that defraud the system vote for politiceans who promise more handouts & the problem gets bigger & bigger while those that are honest get poorer & more discouraged.
The sad thing is that those that take advantage of the system, don't care & this is normal to them which goes somewhat in line with what I used to say about being normal. Normal is the majority view of those where you live or where you work or way you play.
In other words, in Africa its normal to run around naked & eat bugs or creepy crawly things, in the middle east its normal to eat certain food on certain days because of religous beliefs & to have women's faces covered when outside. In Hollywood it's normal for insecure actors & celebrities to think they are better than other people even though they are putting plastic in every part of their body & sucking fat from the rest. You see, normal is what is accepted by the majority in the area you live.
As far as those that defraud the system & make me pay for their lazy ass lifestyle because it is normal to them, you are pathetic & it's time you get off your lazy butts & do what NORMAL people do, get a job or help somebody in need. You might actually feel good about your miserable life & these thoughts are NORMAL to me.

Are You Keeping Up With This

2009-09-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

I can't help myself because I am lagging behind & need to know if you are having the same problem. Since Obama has been in office, more money has been pumped into dumb ass programs than at any time in history, all in the name of stimulating the economy. Does building forest trails with mostly volunteers equate to full time jobs? Or research on desert turtles, or funding other countries research, or funding abortions or building vacation trains from LA to Vegas or funding Companies that are to stupid or to greedy to stay in business & then give each other huge bonuses with the bail out money. You have so much money being spent that we can never pay off the debt in history. I'm not a genius but can figure this one out. I tried to buy some bullets for a gun I have & Obama has froze all ammunition for hand guns. You have to go through finger printing & a host of other back ground checks which make it a 3 week or more process just to see if you qualify to buy ammunition even if you have done it when you bought the gun which we all have. This is done every time you try to buy ammo & the gun stores say that they have orders that are back ordered for 6 months. You have all the terrorists in the world wanting to play the "dating game" with Obama because they love his philosophy on terrorism (the love everyone & take them at their word philosophy). The terrorists & hatred in the middle east was going on before Columbus set foot in AMerica but Obama is going to give them a kiss & a hug & they will quit fighting. (puke)
Health care, bank bail outs, car company take overs by the government, hatred amonst many people toward other people, no jobs, High taxes, high interest, property prices down the toilet, Acorn, Tides foundation, Apollo, George Sorros, Power, Politics, Democrats, Republicans all corrupted with greed & we the people being bantered around like ping pong balls & manipulated like puppets.
Now for my qestion again. Do you get it? Really?are you sure?How did you get that opinion? Do you trust anybody in a political office? Why? are you sane or insane?
I don't know about you but I am ready to kick everybody out of office & start over. I don't trust anybody in office & I don't get what they are doing or why & I think that if you say you do or support what is going on, you are insane because the people making the decisions don't know what they are doing so how can you.
Just food for thought & ideas to help you sleep better at night, or not. If you do understand what is happening to our country, please let me know because I really want to know & I am not keeping up with all the changes or what is going on & I am worried.

When to Tell

2009-09-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

You just received some "juicy gossip", "confidential information", "shared opinion" or any other type of information from any source. When is it ok to share it, who is it ok to share it with & when is it not ok to share it?
While you think on this, I will ramble on some more about, I don't know, "random stuff". I have been caught in this trap/situation more times than I care to remember & I would say that for most of the time I get it right but on those occasions when I don't, I screw it up bad.
Your friend tells you that they did something illegal or harmful to somebody else, do you tell anybody?
Your friend tells you some personal information that may jeopardize their standing in the community & perhaps lose friends, trust & their job, do you tell anybody?
You hear from somebody about an incident involving people you know but who arent friends that involves illegal activity or an action which may harm somebody. Do you tell anyone?
Here is one of the grand daddy dilemas that we have all found ourselves in. A friend or family member tells you some juicy gossip about somebody else. Do you say anything?
There are so many more scenarios & examples I could give but don't have the patience to continue my single finger typing, to mention them all nor do I really care to give more examples because I think you have the idea?
I can't say when it is ok to repeat something you hear or observe but what I can say is that when we say it, there is no way to take it back. You may have the best intentions, you may be trying to protect somebody, you may be trying to hurt somebody or you just might be trying to have something to say because your boring life doesn't allow for any substantial conversational information.
Once again, I don't have the answer & I have no advice except what I previously have said, so good luck on making this decision on your own. Just remember that the phrase "Don't Kill The Messenger" wasn't made up, it actually is a reality because you can put yourself in the middle of something you are not part of & even if you think you are helping somebody, you will probably be the one that gets hurt because you started blabbing about things you werent involved with.

Differing Point Of View

2009-09-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

A comment came up recently that made me pause about debate or differing points of view. Do we shun those we disagree with or do we enter into lively debate with all sides being expressed or explored ?
I know of people which have done both scenarios but I also have known people & I myself have been lured into the whirlpool of opposing points of view while finding no way out, when once I stepped into the abyss, to only find myself tossed around like a limp rag doll with no ability to verbally fight back because of the emotions & passion which overtook me.
I believe that lively debate is positive because it grasps us out of our comfort zone to explore new ideas & points of view which can strengthen your own point of view or it can help to change what we believe on a certain issue.
The down side to fighting over an issue is that you can alienate friends & find yourself standing alone with no opportunity to accomplish anything or to forge alliances with people that will support you & help you.
The saying that I use a lot lately (overuse in fact) is that we need to "agree to disagree" & if we can do this, we will be able to get past differences to find common ground that we can fight together on.
So once again, do we debate, argue, fight, leave, give in or alienate our self from others when opposition is placed before us? Only you can answer this but for me, I am just posing the observation & the question & will keep my thoughts to myself in case (somebody disagrees)wink.
OK I can't stand it, my thoughts are that we need discussion on oppsing points of view because as I mentioned earlier, it can strengthen us or it can help us to see the err of our ways. I know, you are all perfect & make no mistakes! I am gagging right now because we all make mistakes.
One of my favorite people in the world that I enjoy as much as anyone & she happens to be my cousins daughter disagrees with me on a regular basis & we talk for hours about everything, some things we agree with & some we don't but I love our discussions & I love her for sharing her thoughts with me & accepting me for who I am. You see, out of trial comes triumph & out of diversity comes unity. Although there is one catch & it is a stumbling block for many. Don't think you know it all & listen more than you speak.

Connected

2009-09-21T15:53:00.001-07:00

Other than standing beside somebody 24 hrs per day, can we be more connected than we can with the communication devices of today? My Space, Face Book, E-mail, Chat rooms, Web Sites, Cell Phones, Traditional telephones (& I know, most young people dont know what a telephone booth is), mail, pagers, texting & lets not forget tweeter & twitter.
This is crazy. You can talk to hundreds of people in a matter of minutes while having a conversation with somebody on the other side of the world. You can watch events happen instantly while purchasing a home & playing a game with people from all over the world. You can send pictures of your kids activity instantly after it was done.
we are able to talk, eat, pay bills, watch a movie & listen to music at the same time while getting instant updates from people who want to stay in touch.
Do we have to much information & to many vehicles of communication? Do we simply abuse these vehicles of communication? Would we be better off not knowing things as soon as they happen? Would it be better to have patience & a little mystery about events taking place that really arent life altering?
I don't have the answer but I can make a pretty strong case of having balance in our life & not abusing anything because when we get out of balance with anything----WE ARE SIMPLY, OUT OF BALANCE.

Watch What You Say

2009-09-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

I am always saying something that gets me in trouble because my mouth was faster than my brain or because what was said was taken out of context or because I just spoke before I thought. Regardless of which reckless form of mis information I speak, I have learned a few things about what & when to speak. For example. If the newspaper asks you for a comment, you tell them you are busy & then call them back when you have something written so you can be prepared or simply fax or e-mail your comments after you have proof read them many times.
If you are in a verbal sparring contest, you need to back away & take a deep breath before you make yourself sound like a babbling idiot. Nobody in a passionate verbal debate wins, nobody.
I was in the kitchen awile ago & my grand daughter was playing at the table of which I didn't think she was aware of anything except what she was playing with. I soon realized the contrary, she was listening to everything because my wife sang one line of a song & then left the room. About 10 minutes later my grand daughter Lily, began singing the exact same line of which I am pretty sure she had never heard that song in her life since it was from the 70s.
The point is, watch what you say at all times, with kids, with adults & with everybody because sticks & stones may break your bones but words can be remembered forever.

Only a man would attempt this

2009-09-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

I read this & had to share it with you, hope you enjoy---Just try reading this without laughing till you cry!!! Pocket Tazer Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife. A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Tazer for their anniversary submitted this: Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse- sized tazer.. The effects of the tazer were supposed to be short lived, with nolong-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....?? WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however,that if I pushed the button and pressed itagainst a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave. Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy,thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right?There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised.. Am I wrong? So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tanktop with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and tazer in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible way!' What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best... .? I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, 'don't do it dipshit,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and . . HOLY MOTHER OF GOD . . WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION . . . WHAT THE HELL!!! I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs? The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.. Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a tazer, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor.. A three second burst would be considered conservative? IT HURT LIKE HELL!!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape. My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was.. My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching.. My face felt like it had been shot upwith Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs.. I had no control over the drooling. Apparently I pooped on myself, but was too numb to know for sure and my sense of smell was gone.. I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head which I believe came from my hair.. I'm still looking for my nuts and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return! P.S... My wife, can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it! If you think education is difficult, try being stupid !!!

Cant Have It Both Ways

2009-09-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

I watch the news & mix it up a little to see who is saying what & hopefully between the different news sources I can get a straight answer or news story but what I have found through the news & through listening to people is that we want it both ways. You are asking what this means & let me explain.
Some people want us out of Iraq, Pakistan & anywhere else we have troops but in the same breath want us to stop hunger in Darfar or other 3rd world countries. If we go in a fix the problems it would be through government or military & this would be contardictory to pulling out of Iraq or Pakistan. You can't have it both ways. We either help everyone or we help no one. I don't personally like having my son in law in Iraq right now but know he is protecting a people that would be basically slaves to wicked self rightous dictators if we weren't their.
There are those that say we have to have green energy & that we can stop global warming but are one of the only countries in the world that talks about it & we can't stop anything unless everyone buys in. The second problem is that we can't do anything about global warming because the earth has cycles of heat & cold whether man is n the earth or not & that is undisputed. But wait a minute, think of the people who are screaming about this? They are making fortunes by scaring you & are driving their suvs & flying their private jets. Come on, you aren't sheep, so get your heads out of your dark place & wake up. Quit being little insecure sheep, following the shepherd to slaughter.
If you want to help people around the world it takes diplomacy, if that doesn't work, it takes force. There is no 3rd option but one thing that is a fact, "YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS"

American

2009-09-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

I am proud to be an American & will do whatever it takes as did my forefathers to take it back from tyranny. My challenge is for anybody that reads this, that the time for sitting on the sidelines is over because you are in the game whether you like it or not & have to choose a side.
Choose wisely & be not deceived by greed, power or those who say they are for the people with their lips but take freedom away with their actions.

Summer of 2009

2009-09-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

I am so bad at keeping my journal up & like this blog, when I try to catch up, it takes hours. I can't get it all in but will throw some stuff out there & see where we end up.
We knew this was going to be a crazy summer but as we got into it, more events came up which only added to the crazy schedule. For example, Bryce got out of basic training, went to Georgia for communications training. Elise & kids wanted to be with him until he deployed overseas so she rented house out & took off on road trip to Georgia. I was busy with school stuff so I flew to Phoenix & the trip was on. We spent 3 long yet incredibly wonderful days traveling across America & quite honestly, getting to know each other for the first time since Elise was a child. The kids were great even under the intense amount of time we spent in a car. We stayed in Georgia for a couple days & visited Bryce & then I flew back.
Summer had a baby on April 15 in Provo UT, so Mona, my mom & I took off one afternoon because I had more school meetings & drove through the night. As we got into Nevada about 10:00 PM we started to have snow flurries. What was mild snow became the worst blizzard in Nevada or Utah for the year. There were hundreds of cars & trucks off the road because you couldn't hardly see & the roads were not plowed. I tried switching off driving but after a few minutes we realized that i was the better driver for the snow (dang). We couldn't stop because Summer was having the baby about 1:00 PM the next day. We drove through the storm & got to the hospital about 2 hours before Summer delivered the beautiful baby Sephi. Honestly, Summer looked like she was going out for a date just 10 minutes after the baby was born. I can't understand how that is possible. I had to be back for an important meeting the next night so we stayed the night & my Mom & i were going to leave at 5 in the morning but when I woke up before 5 it was snowing extremely hard so we slept for a couple hours & left at 6:30. It was snowing but not as hard. We passed cars all over the road but kept going & then just After the Nevada border the snow let up & was clear for the rest of trip.
It was a quick & extremely difficult trip but was so incredibly beautiful & emotional.
We were back for a short time & then went To Kauai, Hawaii for the wedding of Monas Niece Melanie Pierce. Heather, Summer & family met us & we had a great time. Mona & I backpacked the 11 mile Nepali coast & were picked up by a friend of Mona's brother in his 4 bedroom sail boat. We had an incredible hike & met some very unique people, one named Bill Summers, a former Marine , who for some reason has decided to maintain trails & help wayward travelers on their journey of the Nepali coast. He lives about 7 miles in & although the State doesn't acknowledge his efforts, we found him to be extremely helpful, informative, friendly & compassionate to those who don't abuse this fragile area. We were grateful we met him & decided to spend the night close to were he lives so that we could learn more about this incredible area.
We got home & a week later left for a 36 mile backpacking trip south of Mammoth on the JMT--PCT, we loop around & stayed next to some very hidden yet incredibly beautiful hot springs that are a moderate difficult 12 mile hike from reds Meadow.
We got home & 2 weeks later we went with Kati Kress & some of her family & friends, to climb Mt Whitney which is 14,505 ft tall & is the tallest mountain in the lower United States. We camped the night before to acclimate at 9,200 ft & then we left at 1:00AM to begin the 11 mile east to west trip to the summit. This 11 miles is all up hill except for about 500yds which was close to the top. It was an incredible experience that had us back to the start at 5:00PM. thank you Kati, you are such an incredible friend.
We didn't spend the night because of a work meeting the next day so I drove the 6 miles back home (on auto pilot), literally, i don't remember hardly anything from Monitor pass to Murphys because I was so tired. I know I should have stopped but needed to get home for the meeting at 7 AM.
WE were home a week & then we spent a week at pacific valley camping & doing day hikes out of that area. the 1st day we hiked about 6 miles, the 2nd day we hiked about 12 miles & the last hiking day we did about 16 miles from Highland Lake down to Wolf Creek & then up Bull canyon to Noble lake & then back to Highland lake. We don't normally car camp but this was fun because we didn't have to carry all our junk for camping & had softer sleeping pads although I forgot my sleeping bag in my backpack & had to sleep under a tarp & light blanket from my truck. this wouldn't have been bad except it was 38 degrees for a couple nights. i had a work meeting on Wednesday so I brought my bag back for the last 2 days & what difference a sleeping bag makes. haha.
We got home & the next week, Elise & the kids moved in with us from Georgia because Bryce was deployed to Iraq for a year. He wasn't supposed to leave until end of year but he is gone. & they had their house rented out so they will be with us for a few months. this is a new experience but very rewarding because we have been empty nesting for a couple years & now we have kids running around. I forgot how much fun kids are but how much energy they have VBS.
Kenny came home from school & spent 3 weeks with us & it was the best experience we have had with him in a couple years. He hung out with us & was a pleasure to be with. I Love You Kenny. I coached 7/8 girls softball with Bri who got married this summer & the wedding was beautiful. Playing softball, meetings, life & getting older.
Well there are many details that I left out but think I covered the main points.
Peace & Love.

9/11

2009-09-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

What more does one say? We all know what it means & the affect it has had on all of us individually & as a Country. This one event has done more to unite us & then divide us, than any other moment in American history.
I don't know what your views are on the war & quite frankly, I could care less but the fact remains that there are people that die almost every day because of this war & what started as a unifying moment has split this Country into massive breaks that seem insurmonuntable because all of us have retreated to our own little self proclaimed islands of opinion. We dis allow anyone of opposing points of view on this island & we proclaim ourselves all knowing. We stick our heads in our self absorbed life to watch the Terrorists who did this to us laugh their butts off because they are winning & are no longer bombing us on US soil. They have fractured us & divided us into sub groups that won't talk & don't care what anyone else says. We fight with ourselves instead of fighting for one cause.
Remember how you felt when this happened & use those feelings to help unite this Country to make us Great again. Politicians can't do it but people can. Those that have fallen for us & because of terrorism would want us to remember them in unity not in anger toward each other.

Chaos in America

2009-09-10T21:01:00.001-07:00

I can start by saying how screwed up America is right now but I don't think that would be a fair statement because America isn't screwed up, it is the idiots that are running it or in this case, the idiots that are ruining it. There name is politicians, special interest groups, unions, lazy people & greedy people that profit from chaos & fear. If we had the backbone to allow democracy determine what we do, we wouldn't be in this mess. The majority chooses politicians but the minority determines policy & law. How on earth is this right? It is absolutely wrong & backward of a democratic society. If you don't like what the majority wants-----LEAVE
we do more to help other countries than any other country yet we are demonized. have you ever wondered why this is? It is because they are jealous--DUH
remember the popular kid in school or the attractive kid that had all the friends or the kid that aced all the tests without any effort? America is that kid & if other countries can't be like us, they will try to destroy us. Its a no brainer.
I just listened to Obamas speech on health care & almost fell off my chair, which is a hard thing to do since it was a plush sofa, when he said his health care plan wouldn't cost anything or he wouldn't sign the bill. Are you nuts? Does he think we are stupid? the most in effective group of people in America is the Government & everything they touch turns to crap & is out of control expensive. Perhaps someone out their is dumb enough to think the Government can add more jobs, add more impact on the health care system & it won't cost more. If you believe this, our country is screwed because you are a voter & shouldn't be.
I don't care what political party you affiliate with but it's time you get your head out of your dark place & find out what is going on because you can't trust any (bought off) news organization, bought off politician or greedy union or company.
America is great but it's time to take it back from the politicians & greedy self interest groups.

Slacker

2009-08-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

I know I have been slacking so lets just get it out for everyone to know. I haven't even been on my blog since May & now that 2 months have passed I wonder why? I have had an incredibly busy, chotic, fun & eventful summer so maybe that has something to do with it but there is no excuse for neglecting my friends & family (vbs). OK, maybe I think some of you actually read this stuff & care but in reality, you probably could care less because you have lives of your own & listening to a dazed & confused individual like me can ounly confuse you more. But what if my comments actually make you think or give you hope or let you know that it's ok to be confused, angry, happy & mad?
In any case, regardless of what you think about me or this Blog, I have been a slacker. So before you cast stones through cyber space & try to doink me in the noggin, I am reformed & won't let it happen again.lol

Ups & Downs

2009-05-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

I am experiencing life with every breath I take but I can't believe how chaotic life can be at times. you would think that after 51 years of experience that I would understand life but the reality is that I don't have a clue.
In the past 6 months we took in an 18 year old girl that has been abused, had to send her away , had another grand daughter, I was in my one & only sing & dance performance, Coached 5th grade boys basketball, coached 7/8 grade girls softball with Bri Bales, sold my ktm dirt bike that I loved, my dad died, Mona & I went to Mexico, son in law joined army because of poor economy, been to hospital twice when friend overdosed on drugs, drove through a blizzard for 300 miles to see my grand daughter born & any number of work, school Board & personal issues.
This is only in a 6 month period of time. It is crazy how much we deal with in a day, week, month or year.
I hope all of you can find the strength you need to battle your demons, fight for your cause or simply survive the war we call life.

Kids Willing To Help

2009-04-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

I was taking sheet rock off of a wall a few days ago so that I could move the wall & make the room larger. I started taking the large pieces of sheet rock out side to load in the truck & my 2 year old grandson, Emerson was carrying a small piece of sheet rock out to help me. For me it was work but for him, he was helping & it appeared to be a game because he was laughing & wouldn't stop until all the pieces were put outside. I stopped to take some more pieces off the wall & didn't realize that he wasn't watching cartoons with his sister, he was watching me because as soon as I picked up another piece, he yelled with happiness & jumped off of the sofa to help.
I learned a lesson that day, we should follow the example of children, when somebody needs help we should hurry as fast as possible to help them & when we are helping them we should be happy we can help another in need. To often we whine & complain about helping others & do it because we are supposed to or because we have to. I know there are times when we do it right but there are many times when we don't. I am just making an observation that we should enjoy helping others & never complain about it.
Thank You Emerson for being such a great example to PaPa.

What Is An American

2009-04-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

I just received a forwarded message which originated from a person in Australia & in that message, the person writing the article was referencing a Pakistan newspaper article, which offered a reward for anybody who killed an "American".
In the Australian man's response, he wanted to let everyone know who an American is & what an American does?
I thought about this for quite awhile & felt the need to share it with you. Hopefully you will remember how blessed you are to be an American & will be motivated to stand up for the freedoms we are losing & the ideals that make us great.

To Kill an American:
You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!) 'An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish , Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan. An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan .. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.
The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country! As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan
The national symbol of America , The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11 , 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.
So you can try to kill an American if you must.. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself . Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

Reality TV

2009-04-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

Do you really think that reality tv is normal people acting normal or is it normal people trying to be famous? I think that it is the 2nd thought & that nobody can act normal when surrounded by camera people & if they are acting normal, they are clinically insane because if you can actually be yourself, knowing that people all over the world are watching every thing you do, you are so much into yourself that nobody else can ever get in which would be insanity.
I have thought about being on reality shows like survivor because I have a lot of the survivor skills but are you kidding me, I don't know how you could be a normal nice person when you have deception & game playing going on around you all day & night. Once again the reason for being on the show wouldn't be for acting normal, it would be for money which I guess by the nature of tv, would make you famous at least for "15 minutes".
The excitement of playing a game of life skills is enticing but the down side could be catastrophic so for my desire to act normal on a show which claims to be reality, won't happen. For those that think reality tv is real, I have 3 words for you. WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT.

Things To Do--Places To Go--People To See

2009-04-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know what goes through my head when I accept civic responsibilities, volunteer for committees, groups, fund raisers, kid programs or activities but I can't seem to say no. It can drive my poor wife crazy & just by the nature of committing to so many activities & meetings, I believe I must border on in sanity or at the very least, "OWSMO" better known as (obsession with sharing my opinion) haha. Another term I use is "CID" (compulsive involvement disorder).
Regardless of which term you use or if you have a term of your own, I am involved at any given time in 3-8 outside of work & family activities, groups, committees or kid programs.
I am currently mentoring two boys, one is an 8th grader & one is a freshman from two different families, I am co coaching a 7/8 grade girls softball team with a co coach which is as great as there could be, I am on a school Board with 3 school sites, I am on a National forest advisory group which protects the rights of everyone to use the National Forest & I am on two water groups which strive to protect & preserve water rights for the community I live in.
I question whether this obsession/desire to protect the community & those who live here outweighs my ability to sit back & enjoy life? Maybe it is nuts to think anyone can make a difference & maybe I am warped to think anything is wrong but regardless of which way you look at it, I have very strong opinions on a wide variety of issues & am willing to jump head first into the arena to share those opinions.
My dad used to say that unless you get involved, you don't have the right to complain. With that being said, I must have a whole lot of complaints--haha.
Politics drive me nuts & I go crazy with all the stupid decisions that politicians make on what they say is " for our good". I am shaking my head right now & want to throw my computer out the window just thinking about the stupidity of some people that say they are doing what is best for me.
Well writing my thoughts on all I am doing hasn't cleared up whether I am in sane or not but it has been therapeutic so thanks for allowing me to vent while you witnessed my personal self evaluation & mental examination. VBS

I Cheated

2009-03-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

I know I shouldn't have done it but I could not help myself when I was playing a game on a hand held palm pilot. Text Twist is the game & you have 2 minutes to form as many words as possible out of 6 letters. I spell fairly well & know a few words so the game helps pass time while challenging my brain a little. The problem is that I am very competitive & challenge myself far worse than anyone else can & the other day I was reaching a milestone score when I ran out of words with about 30 seconds left on the timer. I knew that if I could find the right 6 letter word that I could reach this milestone of 100,000 points so I shut the game off, knowing it would start at the same spot when I turned it back on & that I would still have about 30 seconds left. I wrote down the letters & wrote down a couple pages of possible words but none of them were real words or at least I didn't know the words & didn't want to start game & try the wrong word & then run out of time. I went on the computer & it is amazing what you can find on a computer. I found a web site that when you type in letters it will instantly give you every legitimate word associated with those letters so yes, I got my word of which I was unfamiliar & then I turned game on & typed in word. hallelujah It was the word I needed & I reached the milestone.
My question is, does this count because I was smart enough to find the word even though it wasn't in the right amount of time? I just answered my own question, of course it counts, (JUST KIDDING). I know it doesn't count but if only for a moment it felt great to think I out smarted a stupid computer game.
I think that in life we quite often get caught up in the same dilemmas & instead of failing or coming up short, we manipulate the outcome in our favor so we can gain something or at least feel like we gained something. The problem with cheating is that we can become numbed to the emotional feelings of whether it is right or wrong & after awhile we just don't care.
I believe that each thing we do in life has an outcome, as the common phrase says "for every action there is a reaction". The more we lie, the easier it is to lie, The more we cheat, the easier it is to cheat & I believe that when we do things we know to be wrong, we need to block those emotional feelings of guilt out of our mind, or else the guilt would consume us.
I also believe that if we let guilt into our mind, we can change & not make the mistakes again or perhaps the guilt will remind us that we don't ever want that emotional pain again.
On the other hand, I believe that people who let their conscience or "light of Christ" guide them & not shove them out of the way, that you will avoid the pit falls of wrong choices.
I knew I shouldn't cheat the stupid game but the desire to reach the goal became more powerful than the knowledge it wasn't ok. I know it is just a game & doesn't really matter what I did or what my score was or how I got the score but it is the fact that I cheated & the fact that I am still thinking about it, tells me it must not have been ok. So because you are all trusted friends or family, I thought I would share my thoughts with you.

What To Talk About

2009-03-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

I get tired of talking so much about how corrupt our Government is & how screwed up the world is or how tired I am of Minority groups determining what the majority does regardless of the majorities vote or opinion but if I don't talk about this what else would I talk about because these topics consume the news & affect us every day?
I have had a revelation (vbs), I can talk about all the good things in the world & all the sacrifices made by people all over the world on behalf of others. These topics, for some reason get left out of most news because they aren't juicy gossip, hateful, demeaning or prejudice, which is what sells newspapers & makes people watch entertainment or reality tv.
Society, either driven by the media or an inherent human desire to see the underdog succeed & the successful fail is obsessed with life outside of their own.
I don't know if it is the unquenchable desire to have what everyone else has & if you can't have it, neither should they or if it is that we feel our life is boring & want to see how others live their lives.
I do believe that the more messed up a celebrity is or a dysfunctional person like "Octoman", the woman with 14 kids, the more normal we feel. I see some of the stuff that goes on & the seriousness by which these nut jobs live their life & realize I am not to bad.
Changing direction, I do want to high five all those people who day after day, do their job & pay their taxes without complaining, those people who spend all their free time helping others & regardless of their own hardships or trials, will always put other people first.
The real hero's of the world for the most part go un-noticed because they don't demand attention or expect anything. These are the people who are humble about what they do & don't realize they are doing something wonderful. They don't understand that most people don't give their time to anybody unless it benefits them self or unless they get recognition for it.
I feel very blessed to know many people who give to others & expect nothing in return & want to thank them for setting such a great example to me & others. I also want to tell them that you are the best part of humanity & regardless of how much money you have or how famous you are, you are the greatest hero's on earth.

Deep Breath

2009-03-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been overwhelmed with the trials, obstacles & daily routine of life or have you been stressed out over a job interview, responsibility or challenge? Well I just finished a training two weeks ago that addressed these issues & how to stay focused as well as sane so I will give you some tips I learned.
I have been to this training twice before over ten years & was looking forward to the same instructor & the "pearls of wisdom" she presented in her training. The company is called SUNDOOR & the instructor who founded the company about 25 years ago is named Peggy Dylan. She happens to live fairly close so she offers local trainings when she is here, while most of the year she travels the world doing these trainings & firewalks.
She is the main person who introduced firewalks into American culture although they are & have been done for centuries all over the world. Yes this is the burn a 1/2 cord of wood & spread the red hot coals over a 15 to 20 square foot area & then walk across them without being burned (at least that is the goal)haha.
To begin the training this time, Peggy had an illustration of a young man that was thinking about a tree where he enjoyed going to work out problems & unwind from stress. While walking to this tree he finds a thicket of thorn bushes & thistles which prohibit his progression. Does he stop & go home because the obstacle is to large or does he find a way through the thistles or around the bushes? once he finds a way through the obstacle, he finds himself by a beautiful stream full of fish & it reminds him of when he was younger & his grandmother took him fishing. He remembers how much he enjoyed that time of his life but what did he do? He lost focus on what he wanted to accomplish & that was to get to his tree so that he could work out some problems.
You can say that having good thoughts isn't really bad & you are right but what is bad is that the young man lost focus & when we lose focus we don't accomplish anything or if we do, it is less than what it could be.
One of the tips for dealing with obstacles is to stop everything & take 3 deep breaths because oxygen helps relieve stress & helps us think more clearly & if we focus on those breaths, we take our mind off of the obstacle.
We need to focus on the rewards, the goals & what we want to achieve in life & not on the obstacles or the distractions.
One of the excercises about half of the class participated in was to take a target arrow from a bow & arrow, you then place the tip into the soft part of your throat, under your chin & then stick the feather end into a pre drilled hole in a board that is half way through the board & becomes a holder for the feather end of the arrow. Another person holds the board study & you lunge forward, hopefully breaking the arrow in two pieces.
This excercise teaches that if you focus you can accomplish anything but if you lose focus you will have a very sore throat.
After discussion on focus & on objectives we went outside to the pile of red hot coals & then we focused on what we were trying to accomplish, which was reaching the other side unburned. We would take 3 deep breaths & focus on what we wanted to achieve. taking our mind off of the obstacle & then walk across the coals with no problem & no burned feet.
Maybe these excercises are extreme but the point of my comments is to stay focused in life & don't be distracted by obstacles or fear.
Overcoming obstacles begins with a few deep breaths, focus & determination.

Do You Want To Help

2009-03-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

If you really want to help America then here are some sites that are fighting for your freedom & are trying to take back our Country.
newamericanteaparty.com---Americans For Tax Reform--Institute For Liberty--
The Heartland Institute--Freedom Works--Coalition For A Conservative Majority--
American Spectator--Young Conservative Coalition--

I understand that fighting is usually wrong but we need to stand for something otherwise we stand for "nothing". If you are happy with the way Government does business & spends your money then by all means, disregard this & we can agree to disagree but if you want to see change & aren't a front line type of person, at least support those that are fighting for you.

Get Off Your Butts

2009-03-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

The time for sitting around & talking is long past & if we don't get off our butts & fight for what is right, we will lose everything this Country stands for & everything we fought for & everything that makes us great. Do you not understand that we can never go back & that we have already jumped off the cliff without a parachute? When we allow Government to do whatever it wants & our votes are overturned by judges or congress then we are no longer a democracy that is controlled by the majorities voice, we are a Country run by Dictators, Kings & Rulers.
I am shaking my head right now by the amount of arrogance & spineless behaviour shown by many politicians. I can't believe that illegal aliens have more rights than me. My son in law has to join the army at 32 so he can support his family after being laid off from work & not able to find a comparable job that will support my daughter & two grandchildren. He is a hero because although he is receiving tax dollars, (HE IS WORKING FOR THEM) & protecting our rights in the process.
Do you care so little for your rights that you don't care what happens & will only sit around & wait for crumbs tossed your way in the feeding frenzy of vultures wanting free handouts? I hope not & I hope you realize that if you don't open your mouth & get off your butt, you won't have anything left to call your own.

Bad Weather vs Relaxation

2009-02-17T10:41:00.000-08:00

I am sitting at my desk watching the storm outside my window although I have days worth of work in front of me. What is it about storms that lull us into relaxation or into a trance like state of mind? It is like looking into a fire, you know what it is but you are swept away into complete submission & loss of thought.
I have always felt that storms calm everyone down & not because there is less work to do because for some, bad weather increases the work load & lack of work increases stress. It appears that storms are out of our control & we can only watch. We walk more carefully, we drive more carefully, we are more aware of our surroundings & we become retrospective. I think it is because a storm allows us all to revert back to our childhood, when we were afraid of everything but especially of storms. Our parents would console us & comfort our worried minds by saying "it will be alright".
I may be completely out in right field with no idea what I am talking about but I do know that at least for me, storms relax me & take me to a place that is comfortable & familiar.

Etiquette

2009-02-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

The word etiquette alone is complicated & so is what danged fork to use when you have 4 placed before you along with 2 spoons & 3 glasses. I am fairly comfortable in any situation but if you want to completely throw me off track & make me uneasy, stick 7 eating utensils in front of me & expect me to figure out which one to use without looking like a moron. When I grab the main course fork during the appetizer, salad or desert, people look at you like you are a complete dufus. I thought about this one time & since nobody talks about it, maybe they are looking at you for reassurance of what they are doing?
We haven't got past the silverware yet & there is so much more, including what to do with 2 bottles of liquid when bread is brought out? What to do when they bring out an appetizer that you can't quite eat with your hands but is to messy to eat with a fork? Or what about when they bring you a sandwich that has 2 open halves with 6 inches of food on top? Do you fold it & eat with your hands, making a mess or do you try cutting it & eating each portion by itself with a fork?
I know what would be a great invention? Little flags & labels that tell you what each piece of silverware is for & what each item placed on the table is for. This way everybody would feel comfortable eating anything & anywhere.
Maybe it's just me but I thought I would share my thoughts with you because maybe you have experienced the same thing at some point in your dining adventures.

Loving Remembrance

2009-01-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

I at times, think way to much about things but there are moments when those thoughts move me to find a greater cause or to help another or to remember an inspiring moment in my life.
This would be one of those moments & I will share it with you.
There is nothing, I love more than my children & every memory or moment with them has defined me as a human & next to my wife, my children are the best part of my life & what I love most about my existence on earth.
Watching a young baby begin to make decisions, talk & walk are rewarding but as I look back, they are the moments when the child begins the process of pulling away from me & becoming independent. It is bittersweet to see a child grow into a teenager & see the transformation from an innocent little trusting & loving child to becoming a "monster". Thank goodness, this only lasts for a short time because it hurts more than any other pain. You can't make every decision for a baby, watch them grow, make their life as successful & enjoyable as possible without having a deep rooted love for that child but when they discard you like an old newspaper to be with friends, it is hard to handle.
I understand that it is a process & that we want independent, self sufficient children to become educated, intelligent & good hearted adults but for me, I will always see my grown kids as the little child curled up in my lap, asking me to read to them or wanting to play a game.
I know it is selfish to want the same relationship with my children now that I once had when they were little but when my thoughts flee from today & escape into years gone by, my heart becomes full because of the intense love I have for my children. Every chance phone call or visit with my children floods my heart & mind with such an unexplainable joy that I can't find words to express them.
I don't think my children know how much I enjoy seeing them or visiting with them or when they remember my birthday or send a unexpected e-mail or card but these encounters & experiences are what I find myself looking forward to more than any present or vacation.
I may have provided my children with a safe home to live, with the support they needed & the things they needed to grow up in a normal environment but the reward of having them go off on their own & then come home, full of love & support for me, is the best part of my life & what truly makes me happy. I love you with all my heart & not a single day goes by that you aren't in my heart & prayers. regardless of what the future holds for us, you have made my life rewarding, happy & complete, You truly are the best part of my life, along with your mom of course. I love you. Dad

Fitting In

2009-01-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

A quote that I heard years ago, came to mind so I thought I would share it since we are entering the scariest time in world history.
"It is easy in the crowd to follow after the crowds opinion, it is in solitude to follow after our own but the great man is he, who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness, the independence of solitude"
May we all be willing to stand up for what is right regardless of the outcome or the popular opinion.

What is Politically Correct

2009-01-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have a blog called "not politically correct", I hear "politically correct" thrown around society in many different forums but as I sit here thinking about it, what does it really mean?
I have a theory & correct me if I am wrong. Anything that has the word political in it, I am against & anything that says political is correct I am going to fight against because there is nothing correct about being political. Political & correct are opposites because political means you will say or do whatever it takes to be elected & will promise anything, including your soul for the opportunity to be a politician. Politicians are like car salesman & insurance salesman, we need them but nobody really trusts them because they say what is necessary to get something from you.
On the other hand, Correct is a term that means whatever you are doing is exactly what you should be doing & is always right. It means you are making good choices & there is no reason to change what you have done or what you think.
Do you see my point? I have never seen a politician make correct decisions on a regular basis because in order to get elected, get anything done or to avoid a lot of confrontation, politicians do the little Mexican hat dance around all difficult issues, they say the right things but do what gets them re elected.
Politically correct is like saying painfully happy, sinfully righteous or insecurely confident. They just don't go together, so next time you hear the term "politically correct" get ready to have something taken away or to be told a lie.

Short Bus

2009-01-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

I was listening to a couple people talking the other day & no it wasn't "eaves dropping", I was actually in the room & participating in the conversation at times but was reading a backpacking book. The comment went something like this. "Those people depicted on the news dress funny & act odd because they "ride the short bus". Now of course the short bus is referring to special needs people who couldn't be completely mainstreamed in school & had to take a bus to special education training & since there were fewer kids, they only needed a small bus, typically called the "short bus".
When people make fun of each other or joke with each other, you can sometimes hear the "short bus " label attached to somebody, which is a jab at somebodies intelligence. The "short bus" folks, usually at no fault of their own, have learning disabilities & can't quite function as a normal person, which is why I have come up with a theory on society as we know it, today.
Wouldn't you think that anybody that makes really stupid decisions regardless of logic, evidence or reality could be considered, "short bus" candidates? I think so & my concern is that after watching all the facts about Obama during this past election, most people in the United States are "short bus" candidates because if you voted for Obama, you don't care about experience, you don't care about ethics, morals, defense or promoting new business. You obviously care more about being like the popular kids, (the actors, the rappers & the politicians) & you care nothing about traditional family values, virtues, unity or constitutional protections & rights.
You are more interested in being popular than doing what is right, You will let special interests determine how you live your life, what policies are enacted & you could care less that, men make government not the other way around. Obama was made by government, for government special interests, he was groomed to do what powerful people tell him to do, he has no morals because his record & life have shown that he only cares about being powerful & famous. He is charismatic, sharp, articulate & educated but as the old Indian proverb states, "once a rattlesnake, always a rattlesnake".
So my closing thought is, Being on the "short bus" isn't a bad thing because those people on the bus, didn't choose to be there & are there to get help. The people who act like they should be on the "short bus" because they have a need to be popular or want something at the cost of others, these are the real crazy people. They have brains but choose to think with insecurities, popularity or selfishness instead of intelligence.
Think about it, should you be riding the short bus or should you be driving the short bus?

Tight Pants

2009-01-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

I must be showing my age because when I see guys wearing skin tight pants it drives me crazy. Just like the sagging pants, these pants are not practical & take more work to keep them in place & move than are worth the effort. They also look like "girl" pants. I understand the current trend to have everything bi-gender & what goes for a woman, also goes for a man but come on, you look like sissy girls.
I have another thought on this & I suppose that if you don't do much physical manly work & have girl legs, then maybe you want to show off those cute skinny little legs? Hmmmm
I may have a strong opinion about this & most things in life but quite honestly, it is just an opinion & who really cares? Most of what I have done in my life would offend somebody so I suppose what is good looking to one person doesn't have to be good looking to another, it is all about personal taste & being who you want to be. So just because a guy looks like a sissy girl, doesn't mean he is & as I discussed in a previous blog post, I am no fashion guru, I am just getting older & opinionated.

Government--Policy

2009-01-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

In a democracy we have been taught that the majority will decide what course our country will take & what policies will be enacted. How is it that the majority elects politicians but the minority determines policy?
I will tell you how, the politicians say whatever is necessary to get elected & let the minority view determine what should be policy, The minorities are easily manipulated by the thought of more hand outs & changes in policy that help their cause.
There are more & more special interest groups & minority groups in the country & politicians pander to them because for the possibility of a freebie, many people will sell their soul.
Obama, ran his entire campaign promising minorities & special interest groups that he would save them & make them happy by stealing from hard working people & giving the money to lazy people.
Are you kidding me? If you don't have to be an American citizen to vote, you can live on a park bench & Democrats will bus you to the polling place because you are to lazy to get there yourself,
it is inevitable that the Country is ruined. The bible says the meek shall inherit the earth but it appears that Obama feels that the lazy should inherit the earth.

Peace-Love & Whatever

2009-01-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed that the burn the bras, smoke the pot & no rules or laws apply to me crowd from the 1960s are now in their 40s, 50s & 60s & are nuts? The entire concept of "do what you want", "down with the government", "no laws & no rules" crowd is contradicting to the very belief they fought for & believe.
I was just talking to one of the "no rules for anyone" neighbors I have, yeah the same kind of person that feels you should take from hard working people & give to lazy people & people who make stupid decision after stupid decision but want hand outs. The very premise of "do what you want" is only great for the person doing what they want because & I want you ding-a-lings that think this, to pay close attention, if your brain has any cells left from drug abuse. When you do what you want & it is not what your neighbor wants or somebody that sees or hears you, then you have created rules for them & they lose their right to freedom.
Example: My neighbor had 1 dog & they didn't train it so it just ran around & barked, they thought that getting another dog would occupy the dog & they both would be quiet & entertain each other. I asked, so I know. Then tv glorified little worthless dogs & a daughter got a little dog, then they got another dog. They had 4 dogs all with different barking pitches in their voice. I asked the lady what she was thinking & she said that she couldn't say no to her daughters & she didn't want the extra dogs but her daughters were now happy.
Are you kidding me? yeah, peace love & do what you want. No wonder we are so screwed up, we have parents that let their kids do whatever they want. Oh it gets better because now they have 5 dogs in a small house on a small lot in a residential neighborhood. Yes they all bark together & at different times & during the summer the parties go until early morning with loud noise, pot smoke & crazy music. I asked the lady recently why she got another dog after she said she didn't want the last one. You will like the answer.
She said that her daughter came into her bed & laid with her crying because this dog was so cute & she really wanted it. I told her that I hoped the daughter never wanted a fully automatic machine gun.
Don't get me wrong, these people are really nice & have good intentions but their right to to whatever they want & screw the system, keeps me up at night with loud music & yelling, or smoke, cigarette smoke & 5 dogs going nuts.
On top of this they have had about 20 cats over the past 3 years, yes 20.
All of a sudden their right to do what they want has stopped me from having my rights to have quiet or to relax at night.
We have to have rules or we have chaos & if you want this type of total lawlessness & freedom you should move to a place where nobody can hear you or see you.
The moral of this story is, DO WHAT YOU WANT AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT ANOTHER FROM DOING THE SAME. We can't infringe on the rights of others to satisfy our own greed or selfishness.

Fashion

2009-01-07T13:56:00.000-08:00

What in the world is fashion? Every time I think I know what looks good, I am told to get with it, I am out of date. Who makes up the rules for fashion because nobody ever consults with me & I have never seen a survey come through the mail. What was popular when I was young died out & then it was replaced with polyester angel flight pants, they died out & then it was something else & then it was something else & then it was shorts on guys. Sagging pants, tight tops & skin tight jeans? Are you nuts? there is nothing practical or attractive about this & to make matters worse, they aren't practical. I recently saw a teenager in Stocton who honestly was walking around holding her pants off her butt & up, to keep them from falling off.
Women & guys are all wearing the same fashions, cutting their hair the same & actually using the same make up?
I may not be in touch with what fashion is but I can promise you that the crap, teenagers wear today looks exactly like what I just said, Crap. With regard to fashion, I think fashion is an expression of one's inner self & if you look like you are lost, you probably are. If you look like a fruit, you probably are & if you dress for success & act like you are, well I guess there are no guarantees for successful people because success isn't determined by clothes & hairstyles, it is determined by what you do with your life.
So if you need fashion to be successful, you probably won't be because what is in fashion today will be gone tomorrow & so will your fantasies about being successful & in fashion.
I certainly am not a fashion trend setter but the one thing I know for a fact is that the clothes are made for us not us for the clothes.
You can see why I am "politically in correct". I am a walking fashion moron & completely out of touch with what people think is in style. Oh well at least I am to busy with life to care.

Moments In Time

2009-01-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Time goes swiftly by in similar fashion to a leaf which ever so gently falls from it's secure, well rooted home into an ever changing stream. enjoying that brief moment of change although as quickly as it left, is swept away into confusion, excitement & into a torrent of uncertainty.
never to enjoy that exact same experience or moment again except through the journals & photographs of our mind.
Learn from & hold dear, each moment in time, for that moment you experienced will never be experienced in the same way again.

Trials

2009-01-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

It is said, that in order to know happiness, you must experience sadness. In order to understand health you need to experience pain. In order to enjoy life, you must experience trials.
Is this really true?
I have experienced a "HUGE" amount of pain, sadness & trials in my life so you would think that I would be the happiest person on earth & there are many days when I am but there seems to be an endless amount of pain which continually creeps in to make the happiness & joy, a little less than what it should be.
I am not complaining but have you watched the news or know what is going on in your community, schools or world? We are constantly seeing sadness & hatred all over the world & for me it kind of dulls the happiness I hope to have.
Perhaps it is just part of life & I shouldn't worry about what I have no control over.
Maybe that is why so many people are addicts, that is their way of dealing with the struggles of life.
My New Years resolution and I only have this one, is to not take things so personally or to bother me so much. For those that know me, you are betting right now, that this can't be done but I am going to reform & surprise you.
I thought about it & decided I can't do it, so you are going to have to listen to me rant & rave this year also. haha------Happy New Year & I hope your trials make you happy or something like that. haha

Aches & Pains

2009-01-05T22:44:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have aches & pains & think you have some life threatening illness or terrible disease? I am not a paranoid person but must admit that occasionaly I have an ache or pain & think "what if". What if this is the one, the grand daddy illness that will end it all or knock me into another place? I don't know if it is just me or if all of you do the same thing but one thing I know, is that just thinking about what hurts can be stressful, if you think about it to much. I know that drugs & stuff isn't the answer & that we need to deal with life, not run away from it but, occasionaly a thought slips in for a moment & makes me wonder?

New Stuff

2009-01-05T22:28:00.000-08:00

I have been busy lately & have had some new stuff made. If you scroll down to the pictures you can see a couple of my new additions such as business cards, hats & more shirt slogans. I have already run out of Not Politically Correct hats & a couple shirt slogans but more are on the way. what you see is what I have left.

Afraid

2009-01-05T07:25:00.000-08:00

Who out there isn't afraid sometimes? If you say you aren't afraid once in awhile, you are a liar & afraid, so you have more problems than just being afraid. Somebody recently told me that they feel that ghosts or spirits follow them & that they feel they call out their name sometimes in the dark of night. I thought about this & it made me reflect on all the old ghost stories which were generated when there was a lot of travel after dark & there was very little light if any. It was a time when your house after everyone went to bed was making all kinds of noise from settling & adjusting. It is amazing how little wind it takes to slip through open windows or under doors that can rattle doors & make ungodly noises through a house. You just couldn't hear these things when there were people in the house talking & doing things.
I lived in an old pony express hotel which had no indoor plumbing or lights, it was about 20 miles from a town out in the woods north of Truckee. I lived in it alone while I was working close by & you can't imagine how many noises that place made at night. I was afraid to death to walk down the back hall or upstairs whether day or night & since I was only 16, I was pretty much unsure about everything anyway & stayed in the main room by the front door at all times.
My point is, Of course there are noises in the night, of course there are unexplained noises, of course there are probably spirits around us most of the time but it is up to us how we deal with these unexplained occurrences. We can let them consume us, ignore them or we can spend all of our time trying to explain them.
As I have aged over the years, I simply don't care, unless of course it is something which I can identify with, such as smoke, loud neighbor noise, dogs barking at somebody in the yard or any other event which can potentially cause damage & be identified with reasonable research.
As far as the spirits chasing me around, it's nice they care about me enough to hang out with me & at least I have somebody that cares, because unless I need help from a past friend or relative that has passed on, I don't care if they are with me.
In closing I want to wish you all well on your ghost hunting & whenever you are afraid about something, remember that you aren't alone, we all are afraid at some time in our life.

Full Life

2009-01-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

My life has been full, more than most I suspect, I've had my share of happiness & even some respect. I've learned from my trials, to stand for what I believe because you can't please everyone & with some, you only get grief.
It's ok to have friends & share your heart & soul but when it comes to fighting for what is right, sometimes you stand alone. I'm not sure if it is the fear of fighting or not knowing if they truly care but friends don't always help you, perhaps because they are scared. I don't care what the reason or the fear another may have but I know that when it comes to freedoms, we must fight for them or they will be taken away.

Children Are Fragile

2009-01-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

Flowers are fragile, we try not to touch or to bruise; Children on the other hand, we hurt & abuse.
A child is more valuable than all of earth's treasure, Love them with kindness, you will have nothing but pleasure.

Another Year Bites The Dust

2008-12-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

A lot of ways to look at the end of the year so let's talk about some. 1) It was a lousy year & you can't wait for a new start 2) It was a great year & you want to celebrate 3) You did not reach your goals or New Years Resolution so you want to start over 4) You just can't wait to party with friends & look forward to the next day off from work.
I am sure there are many more opinions about New Years but regardless of what you think, there are some very simple facts about New Years. 1) You are starting a new year 2) You are getting older just like at Birthdays 3) You have the chance to change what you do & use this day as the starting point 4) You have to start putting a new year on correspondence you just got comfortable with.
The last but most important thing to remember is that regardless of the fact that you are not getting younger or that you can't meet your New Years resolutions, You are part of the world & mankind & you have the chance to be who you want. You can jump or you can sit, You can change jobs or you can stay. Life is yours so make the best of it because we don't know if we will see another New Year. Realize that you make the New Year, it doesn't make you.

Creatures Of The Night

2008-12-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Sounds like a sci fi movie or a thriller doesn't it? Well have you ever ventured into a 24 hour Wal Mart after 10PM in a city? I happened to be in Stockton a couple weeks ago & we were leaving at about 10PM. My wife wanted to stop at a Wal Mart we passed but when I walked from the car to the front door, I realized that I wasn't surrounded by people which I would consider "normal". I know what you are thinking so quit. I am not talking about poor people or under privledeged people, I am talking about people that are walking but aren't thinking or talking. There were obviously people of all types in the store so I have somewhat exaggerated the scene but not by much. I actually tried to talk to a couple people in friendly conversation but they looked at me with complete blank stares. I literally thought I was looking at a zombie.
Have you ever felt like you had somebody watching you when alone & got creeped out? Well that was me until I got the heck out of the store & town. Whew, I am glad I survived to tell the story but I know there are doubters among you so I am giving you a strong warning. If you want to check this out for yourself, make out your will & tell somebody where you are because I can't guarantee your safe return. VBS

Family

2008-12-28T21:16:00.000-08:00

You have to Love them but when they all get together it can be chaotic, fun, emotional & stressful. What was your Christmas like? We spent three nights at Bear Valley where it snowed about 5 feet in 3 days. We rented a snow mobile for 2 of those days but still did a lot of shoveling & walking since the roads arent plowed & we were about half a mile from the road & store.
There were some "Shining" moments, to be taken from the movie & from the word. HAHA
Overall it was great & it was incredible to have everyone together, which doesnt happen very often. Although we almost didn't have Kenny, since his friend was bringing him up to snow board & then on Christmas eve, decided to bail on him & Kenny ended up hitch hiking through a horrible storm which took over 3.5 hrs to travel 50 miles. I was going to store at about dark on the snow mobile & saw Kenny walking through the snow, trying to find us. I was so grateful to see him & had been really worried he wouldn't make it for Christmas. This was a blessing come true & we all got along the rest of the time together.
Family gatherings aren't always easy but from what I have learned & seen, they are very much worth it because it is when we can share our lives, both the good & bad & become reaquainted with each other if only for a moment but that moment is priceless because it will last forever & you never know when it will be the last.

Christmas

2008-12-17T07:54:00.000-08:00

I don't care whether you like Christmas or not, I don't care whether you are atheist or have some other beliefs, The very reason America was established was to have freedom of belief & religion, without persecution. America was founded on the principal of a higher power & that power was in "God". America was also founded on a principal of let the people decide & that is done by a majority vote. If you happen to be the minority vote you should not get your way but you also should not be subjected to forced indoctrination.
Many people don't get their way & they go on with life, they don't complain & whine about it, they simply live their life & participate when they agree & do something else or leave when they don't.
Christmas is & "ONLY" represents the birth of Jesus, so if you don't like it, don't participate but "DON'T" think you have the right to stop the majority from celebrating the most important birth in the history of the world.
You don't have to believe in Jesus but if we are going to celebrate Martin Luther King, George Washington & Abraham Lincolns birthday, we should at least celebrate the most influential person in world history, a fact that is undisputed.

Rubbing It In Your Face

2008-12-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

All of you have seen the person that probably doesn't have much confidence, is arrogant, is mentally challenged or is simply obnoxious & rude. You know the person, they are the one's that when they get something, they rub it in your face or brag about it. Now don't get me wrong, I understand the need to show everyone your new toy or telling everyone about an exciting adventure you had or something incredible you saw or experienced but come on, do you have to leave your "Obama for president" signs in your yard or on your car for weeks & months after he won. O.k., your messiah has reached the White House, I understand the need to be happy but give the rest of us a break. After your guy or girl gets in, throw your party & "shut up about it".
Nobody likes someone who brags (NOBODY), so shut up & quit bragging. I won't do it to you & don't like it when it gets done to me.

Teenagers

2008-12-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

I think that if we want to negotiate with foreign countries, we should use teenagers to do the job because have you ever seen the tactics a teenager will use to get what they want? It is almost an art at how efficient they are in the negotiation process. They start by asking for what they want & when they ask, it is in a way that masks the real intent or the details. They will ask you with a smile & make it look like what they are asking for will benefit you. They will then have one reason after another to argue the case & if by chance you disagree with them, they will pull out the sympathy & I Love You card.
Don't bother negotiating with them or debating them because that is their plan, They know they will out live you & are prepared to argue until you give up. They are relentless & will stop at nothing to get what they want. In fact they are so good at negotiating that they have already done all the research for every argument you could possibly come up with. You see, that is the plan, they come prepared & catch you off guard.
If by some chance you can work out a compromised deal with them, they will use it against you forever by saying that "remember when I did what you asked instead of what I wanted, you owe me". Regardless of the outcome & if you can't work out a deal, they will have nothing to do with you until the next time they need something & you go through it all again.
Teenagers, good luck in negotiations, I am losing my hair & mind over them but go ahead & try to get your way, you have been warned. VBS

Fight For America

2008-12-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

If you want it bad enough or you Love it, you will fight for it. How bad do you want America & how much do you Love it?

Cell Phones

2008-12-02T15:50:00.000-08:00

Now that we have cell phones, I don't know how we ever survived or how anything got done before we had them? I was in a meeting today & my cell phone went off about 5 times in 30 minutes. I thought to myself, what did I do before I had a phone?
I think cell phones are great to have if used when needed but they are so overused that we forget how to talk in person, face to face. Before cell phones we were more efficient & you might think the contrary but think about it? If you didn't have a cell phone, you would prepare better for your day, you wouldn't be talking so more work would get done & you would insure that possible problems were planned for, allowing many problems to be avoided. People on cell phones are like people that smoke. They can't help it, they are addicted to talking & spend more time talking than working. People that talk on cell phones all day are not thinking about work or tasks they need to accomplish, they think they can catch up later which means longer days & less productivity.
I know they can save time on some things & when used in case of emergency, they are a miracle but come on, plan ahead & do your job. Call when you get home or go by & see the person face to face. What a novel idea that would be. real personal interaction. You might even see the person you have been talking to & realize it was the wrong person because you never actually saw them face to face, it was only a voice on a cell phone.

Kids

2008-12-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

Isn't funny how kids can say anything & get away with it? I had my 3 year old granddaughter Lily, over last week & she was playing at the table, when one of a few adults said that my grandson was awake in the bedroom. Being innocent but probably hearing this before Lily, while still playing said, "somebody better get him" & she just kept playing without even realizing what she said.
If one of the adults had said that, they would have been told in unanimous unison, get him yourself. I think the saying, we should be like little children is important because children are innocent & when they speak it is not in anger or laziness, they just speak from their heart.

Shirt slogans

2008-11-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

I have my newest list of slogans to choose from & along with having "Proud American" on the front left corner, you can also choose from these slogans for the back.
1) LEARN ENGLISH OR ENJOY YOUR VACATION & GO HOME
2) WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR LAZY PEOPLE
3) TOUGH TIMES DON'T LAST BUT TOUGH MEN DO
4) IF YOU DON'T LOVE AMERICA LEAVE
5) YOUR AN AMERICAN OR YOUR NOT
6) FIGHT FOR AMERICA OR LOSE IT
7) IF YOU AREN'T GIVING YOU ARE TAKING
8) GIVE AMERICA BACK TO THE PEOPLE
9) TAKE BACK AMERICA
10) REMEMBER WHEN YOUR VOTE COUNTED
11) MAJORITY USED TO MATTER
12) POLITICALLY CORRECT DESTROYED AMERICA
13) IS AMERICA STILL WORTH FIGHTING FOR
14) IF AMERICA ISN'T WORTH FIGHTING FOR LEAVE
15) PEOPLE SOLVE PROBLEMS NOT GOVERNMENT
16) POLITICIANS WORK FOR US WE DON'T WORK FOR THEM
17) GOVERNMENT IS FOR THE PEOPLE NOT PEOPLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT
18) NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING
19) BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
20) GET OVER IT
21) QUIT WHINING
22) WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS DEAL WITH IT
23) NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT
24) I HAVE MY OWN PROBLEMS I DON'T NEED YOURS
25) LOVE ONE ANOTHER DOESN'T MEAN AGREE WITH ONE ANOTHER

I am having more shirts made because they don't seem to last so if you want one let me know.

Open Your Mouth

2008-11-24T08:32:00.000-08:00

What is it about the human brain that allows people to take advantage of us, fight us, humiliate us & take things from us, while turning the other cheek & allowing these things to happen? I was also taught as many of you were, that we need to be nice to our neighbors, love one another & turn the other cheek but "COME ON--ENOUGH IS ENOUGH". All of the good neighbor & love your neighbor beliefs you have & teachings you were taught, get thrown out the window when the people attacking you are taking rights away from you. The trend in America is to be "politically Correct" but what that means is that you give your rights away so one person or a minority group can get what they want at the cost of the majority. Have you seen those bumper stickers that have several religious views as well as atheist & darwinism? This is typical of todays people, we don't know what is right so we don't care! These are the same people who say let people do whatever they want & as long as I'm not affected, who cares. These are the same people that believe they don't know where they are going, so any road will get you there. These are the same people that have no opinion so any opinion will do. These are the same people that are voting for politicians based on popular view & could care less about ethics, morals, experience or beliefs. As long as they are popular, look good & sound good, Im in. (yuck)
If you are tired of these people who wouldn't raise a finger to protect you in a crisis but would rather video the event so they could make money off it or sit back & watch everything but deny they saw it for fear of getting involved, "STAND UP & OPEN YOUR MOUTH".

Strong WIll Survive

2008-11-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

It is a strange time with saddness, depression, frustration & chaos in the world but amidst all the turmoil, there are still amazing & wonderful people in the world & incredible heros which emerge from the depths of insanity. I was at a funeral today & the son of the man who passed away, talked about his dad in a way that I knew nothing about. I knew the man as a hard core negotiator that penny pinched the life out of everything he worked on. I never saw the sensitive & wise man which had engrained wisdom to his son & inspired his son to greatness.
The pearl of wisdom which struck me like a ton of bricks falling on my head was " TOUGH TIMES DON'T LAST BUT TOUGH MEN DO"
This isn't a new saying because I have seen it before but when I heard it today, it had more meaning & made me realize that it is time to take back our Country. I am sick of my rights being taken away, my voice being ignored & my Country being destroyed. We need tough men & women who aren't afraid to fight for what is ours & what is right. Open your mouth & say you are done being ignored because our votes are obviously being ignored.

Is It To Much To Ask

2008-11-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

I know I am offending some by this but what is new? Those that know me & have read what I say will know I'm not politically correct & if you didn't know, look at the name of my blog--vbs
I am sick of people coming here from other countries & we have to learn their language but they never have to learn our language. Who was the bright person that decided it was ok to allow a drivers test to be given in a language other than English? (really bright) If it wasn't happening it would be a joke. I have talked about illegal aliens before & have no problem coming here if you learn the language & contribute but when you are to lazy to learn the language, why should I ever help you or care about your problems? I had some shirts made & on the front left breast it says "Proud American",
On the back I have various sayings, some of which I will post later, with pictures of the shirts but one I really like says "IF YOU DON'T LEARN ENGLISH, ENJOY YOUR VACATION, THEN GO HOME".
If we don't stand up for our rights we will eventually have none. If you haven't noticed, the presidential election was fixed, the gay marriage vote will be overturned even though the majority voted to ban gay marriage. It appears that if a vote is not liked by "politically correct" fruit cakes, they will try to intimidate us & terrorize us to change our minds.
I say to this, try to intimidate me, you will wipe out any sympathy or compassion I will ever have for you & as the old saying goes, "leave sleeping dogs lie". The majority of Americans work hard & continually turn the other cheek even though we get slapped on almost every issue of life but we are the majority & at some time we will unite to take back America & the right to have our votes heard.
If it takes me to start the crusade, then consider it done. I am here to organize & take back the Country I Love & the rights which are mine as a citizen of the United States of America. Majority wins & minorities lose, get over it or leave.

Leave Her Alone

2008-11-07T11:57:00.001-08:00

You may not like Sarah Palin, You may not think she is a role model, You may not think she is a good leader but leave the poor woman alone. There is nobbody in my lifetime that has come under more scrutiny in a shorter period of time. She had a democratic Senators son, hack into her personal e-mail & found nothing, she has been made fun of by almost every comedian & media source & there was even a porno made about her. Every major magazine & news source in the world spent millions of dollars to find dirt on her & she prevailed above all. This all happened in about 75 days. Are you nuts? leave the poor woman alone, she has rose to the occasion, she turned the other cheek, she made fun of herself & she is still standing. The fact that McCain lost had nothing to do with Sarah Palin. She was the one bright spot in McCains entire campaign. The problem with this country is that we love to see people rise from nothing & be successful but then as fast as they get their, we can't wait to see them crash & burn. Once again, you may not like her but imagine how you would respond if the same scrutiny was placed on you? Leave her alone.

Got What You Asked For

2008-11-06T08:12:00.000-08:00

To all of you that think Obama walks on water, you have what you wanted but you need to remember what your mom told you when you were young. "Be careful what you wish for".
I know that Obama is a politician & that he will say anything to get elected. I know that he has no experience in running a company, I know that he is the flavor of the month & that he has become almost iconic in his rock star status based on the fervor surrounding the "take from the rich & give to the lazy, (oops), I mean poor (wink) but what were you thinking? The world is in the worst shape in history & we let a rookie with no proven history of leadership in a crisis, lead us out of the problems in the world? I wouldn't put the rookie in a game that was crucial, I wouldn't let a rookie raise my kids if I die, I wouldn't let a rookie run a business with no experience., I wouldn't let a rookkie build a house, run a job, drive a car or anything else important but you voted arookie in as president during the worst crisis in american history. HMMMMMMMMMM, what does that say about you? You want change at any cost but will risk total collapse to get it? Nice theory?
I have a new slogan for you Obama fans (OBAMANATION) I tried to make it like abomination but it kept sounding like it was Obamas nation, so I threw it out & gave it to his supporters.
I thought of one for those who don't like or trust Obama (OBAMATABLE)
PICK WHAT YOU LIKE, WE ARE IN FOR BIG TROUPBLE REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, I JUST LIKE MY CHANCES BETTER WITH A PROVEN FIGHTER NOT A PROVEN LIAR. Pray for us, God is our only hope.

Little vs Big

2008-10-31T15:48:00.000-07:00

All my life I have heard about the little guy syndrome & after observing many people over the years, I think there is some validity to this but can't quite get a grasp on why? I don't believe all the short people fall into this category but the majority definitely have some issues with size.
I was talking to a friend recently & the topic came up that small guys, quite often have big mouths or seem to relish in the spot light. Actors came up & we realized that most actors are actually very short & perhaps that is their way of covering up for size. They can act like they are somebody else? I don't know much about this but as a person that is not small, I don't understand what small people & especially small guys are trying to accomplish by acting puffed up & always trying to act tough. Maybe it has to do with growing up & being picked on by bigger kids? Bullies usually pick on kids that are smaller than them self because they don't want kids to fight back.
Pay attention all you short guys out their. Big guys are insecure also & the only difference other than size between a big guy & a small guy is perception. Big guys aren't picked on by little guys & everyone knows it but big guys are usually bigger babies than anyone else. people think they are tough because they are big but they are usually pantie waists.