So I consider myself a moderately handy guy who takes on some pretty impressive tasks around the house. (OK, sometimes not so impressive) That being said I must have had a fairly substantial brain flatulence as I will explain.
Our house needs some significant repair on various issues but this one seemed relatively tame to repair; or so I thought. If you ever actually look or pay attention, for that matter, to your roof, you will see various items protruding from it that are fairly important to it's health. One of the first things that many roofs have are attic vents that keep your attic, in the South anyway, to under 200 degrees in the summer. Another feature that our house has is a couple of plumbing vents that protrude. These are simply 4" PVC pipes that connect to your plumbing system to allow ventilation throughout. These pipes have what is referred to as a boot that slides over them to both fasten them to the roof and prevent leakage during various weather events. They do their job but after a little over ten years mine are beginning to crack and allow water to leak down to cause a wonderful work of art on the ceiling that my wife mistakenly calls a stain. OK, enough background on the so called plumbing vent.
Here's what I tried to accomplish yesterday. I'm a man's man and I can erect a 23 ft extension ladder and climb up on that roof and handle such a minor repair right? I thought so. When the last thing that's said by your lovely spouse is where are all your important papers before you head outside it tends to give me pause. So anyway, I open the crawl space under the house cautiously as every time I do this I discover a new species of spider. I manhandle (ya right) the ladder and flip it around on the ground to, hopefully, wipe off all unwelcoming critters and their houses and their eggs and well you get the picture. I walk this ladder over to the back of my house or I guess you could say it walks me over to the back of my house and I carefully set it up at just the right angle as to not do a John Belushi and kiss the ground.
I get my caulking gun all ready for it's task and a few other essentials and start my trek up to the belfry. As I begin scaling my gutter, which by the way I am proud to see has not needed cleaning since I put caps on it, I look up at this vent. It looks innocent enough only about a third of the way up the roof. Did I mention I have a pretty severe pitch to my roof? Did I also mention that it's a pretty long fall from the gutter to the ground and that fall would also include rolling down an embankment into briers and all other types of foliage where I might just as easily never be found? The good news is the fall would be softly broken by a wood deck I have my grill placed on so if the fall doesn't do me in the sudden stop might do the trick. I'm sorry for the digression. Oh one more thing is it's about mid-day and my roof is black asphalt shingles. I slowly place my hands on the shingles and think, "hey this isn't so bad". I begin to slowly and deliberately move up the roof feeling pretty good about things until one of my feet slips just a tad on a shingle and I have a tidbit of a fatal vision but still I persevere on. I eventually make it to the holy grail. I have these pretty impressive knee pads on but I'm afraid the pitch was so severe I didn't trust going onto my knees. This wouldn't have been a problem if not for the increasing heat of the shingles on my palms. I quickly look at the rubber boot and determine that for now caulking around it would stop the leaking until the boot can be replaced. When I say quickly I mean a matter of a few seconds. My hands just as easily could have been on hot coals. So the caulking job was quickly completed and now for the tough part; the descent! I am basically doing a spider man impression trying to come down this asphalt hell and making it to the top of my ladder without doing a pole vault over and down to what I've already described as less than hospitable.
OK, I made it, of course, as I would not be putting a comical spin on this quite as quickly had I not. I did learn a few things from this escapade. Number one is to NOT scale a roof in the middle of a hot day. Two is to understand what pitch is on a roof and make the proper accommodations for it. Three is to make sure you indeed do have all your important papers available should you attempt this feat in the same manner in the future. Finally the thing I really leave from this experience is roofers really do earn their money!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day Dad
We are separated by many miles but are tied entirely in spirit. If you remember nothing else from this note remember that.
It occurs to me that the best way you can honor your father is to live by his values and principles. I have tried, as best I can, to honor you Dad. My family is important to me as I know it is to you. My faith is important to me as I know it is to you. My wife is important to me as I know yours still is to you even after her passing. The way I treat people is important to me as I know it is to you. So this is the way I honor you most, by showing you every chance I get that what you taught me over the years has emerged over time and I hope with God's grace will be shown in all of my offspring as well.
I will, of course, call you today and exchange our usual banter that I do look forward to every time. Just remember these two things Dad; I love you and although we are separated by many miles we are tied entirely by spirit.
It occurs to me that the best way you can honor your father is to live by his values and principles. I have tried, as best I can, to honor you Dad. My family is important to me as I know it is to you. My faith is important to me as I know it is to you. My wife is important to me as I know yours still is to you even after her passing. The way I treat people is important to me as I know it is to you. So this is the way I honor you most, by showing you every chance I get that what you taught me over the years has emerged over time and I hope with God's grace will be shown in all of my offspring as well.
I will, of course, call you today and exchange our usual banter that I do look forward to every time. Just remember these two things Dad; I love you and although we are separated by many miles we are tied entirely by spirit.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Random Thoughts
I thought I would do this next blog about a series of random thoughts and observations I’ve made in the past few days and as not to forget them its better I notate them as soon as possible.
I was recently at a minor league baseball game watching the Durham Bulls play the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs? What kind of a bizarre name is that for a ball club; Iron Pigs. (Never mind that they swept us in a three game series) That’s not really my observation I wanted to make but it is strange just the same. The thing I did notice was when the national anthem was performed I watched the crowd and yes I know I was supposed to gaze upon the stars and stripes and I did go back and forth but what struck me was watching who was actually singing along and who was not. I noticed that by enlarge the old timers 65+ were almost all singing and doing it proudly while many folks my age had no perception or even interest in what those words mean or just how important that message was/is to the freedoms we now take for granted. The older people know because many of them lived the struggles. Many individuals these days just numbly ride around in their Beemers and think the whole world revolves around them. They should occasionally listen to the national anthem and perhaps even sing a few bars and try to understand just what its message conveys.
Another random thought. About a week or so ago I drove up to my daughter’s new elementary school to see her classroom and help her move some furniture around even though she ended up changing it entirely as women have a tendency of doing. This will be her second year of teaching and it’s just a fact about her. This is a hard issue to formulate into words but I’ll try. Everyone who knows Linda and me is aware of how proud we are of Marlee and her accomplishments. What I seemed to experience for that short time in her new room was something more than pride. It was the realization of just how time has transformed my little girl into a woman who is not only very passionate about what she does but is also very talented. When she is in her classroom she displays a type of confidence and competence that still awes me. Many average people have no idea what it takes to be a teacher in both personal sacrifice and resources but she has deftly made me aware of that over these past couple of years. The next time you see a teacher thank them. You are most likely successful at whatever you are doing, in part, because of some great teachers. They hear a lot of things over a year but thanks are never said enough.
Why do people stop attending church during the summer? At least in my area and denomination, it seems to be an excuse to stay away. Does God take the summer off? Do you stop sinning over the summer so your soul will be spared the extra weight? Priorities are priorities and I see know reason to put your faith below summertime. That’s just something that has bugged me over the years. Everyone seems to accept the fact that church crowds will be smaller during summer and I guess I just don’t understand it.
Oh one more thing about the ballgame. Anyone who goes to pro ball games expects the smell of hotdogs wafting through the seating and that experience was there for me but I had one more very strange smell wafting and no it wasn’t me! (I just heard my cousin asking that so thought I would get it out of the way) In front of us we had the oriental version of the Waltons. There was Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad and I think at least two and possibly three children. Not unusual to have a large family in front of us but what was unusual at the time is something I want to describe as the ballpark fare. Mom pulled out what seemed to be two or three large bags from her tote and carefully opened a couple of containers of sushi to spread amongst her family. They sat in front of us with their wasabi and sushi and ate as if they had not eaten for a week. They then spent the rest of the evening buying additional food and drink. It seemed as though whenever any vendor came near them, they raised their hand and bought something else. Sushi is something you don’t expect at a ballgame.
That’s it for now. I’m sure I will have some more political thoughts soon as things seem to be developing over seas and commenting will become necessary.
I was recently at a minor league baseball game watching the Durham Bulls play the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs? What kind of a bizarre name is that for a ball club; Iron Pigs. (Never mind that they swept us in a three game series) That’s not really my observation I wanted to make but it is strange just the same. The thing I did notice was when the national anthem was performed I watched the crowd and yes I know I was supposed to gaze upon the stars and stripes and I did go back and forth but what struck me was watching who was actually singing along and who was not. I noticed that by enlarge the old timers 65+ were almost all singing and doing it proudly while many folks my age had no perception or even interest in what those words mean or just how important that message was/is to the freedoms we now take for granted. The older people know because many of them lived the struggles. Many individuals these days just numbly ride around in their Beemers and think the whole world revolves around them. They should occasionally listen to the national anthem and perhaps even sing a few bars and try to understand just what its message conveys.
Another random thought. About a week or so ago I drove up to my daughter’s new elementary school to see her classroom and help her move some furniture around even though she ended up changing it entirely as women have a tendency of doing. This will be her second year of teaching and it’s just a fact about her. This is a hard issue to formulate into words but I’ll try. Everyone who knows Linda and me is aware of how proud we are of Marlee and her accomplishments. What I seemed to experience for that short time in her new room was something more than pride. It was the realization of just how time has transformed my little girl into a woman who is not only very passionate about what she does but is also very talented. When she is in her classroom she displays a type of confidence and competence that still awes me. Many average people have no idea what it takes to be a teacher in both personal sacrifice and resources but she has deftly made me aware of that over these past couple of years. The next time you see a teacher thank them. You are most likely successful at whatever you are doing, in part, because of some great teachers. They hear a lot of things over a year but thanks are never said enough.
Why do people stop attending church during the summer? At least in my area and denomination, it seems to be an excuse to stay away. Does God take the summer off? Do you stop sinning over the summer so your soul will be spared the extra weight? Priorities are priorities and I see know reason to put your faith below summertime. That’s just something that has bugged me over the years. Everyone seems to accept the fact that church crowds will be smaller during summer and I guess I just don’t understand it.
Oh one more thing about the ballgame. Anyone who goes to pro ball games expects the smell of hotdogs wafting through the seating and that experience was there for me but I had one more very strange smell wafting and no it wasn’t me! (I just heard my cousin asking that so thought I would get it out of the way) In front of us we had the oriental version of the Waltons. There was Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad and I think at least two and possibly three children. Not unusual to have a large family in front of us but what was unusual at the time is something I want to describe as the ballpark fare. Mom pulled out what seemed to be two or three large bags from her tote and carefully opened a couple of containers of sushi to spread amongst her family. They sat in front of us with their wasabi and sushi and ate as if they had not eaten for a week. They then spent the rest of the evening buying additional food and drink. It seemed as though whenever any vendor came near them, they raised their hand and bought something else. Sushi is something you don’t expect at a ballgame.
That’s it for now. I’m sure I will have some more political thoughts soon as things seem to be developing over seas and commenting will become necessary.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Getting Old And Everything THAT Means
As I continue to age it is becoming quite apparent that getting old is not for wimps. This thought was merely a thought for some time, something to say in jest but it is now coming to fruition.
One of the first challenges I seem to face more and more is keeping my different doctor's appointments organized. I sort of long for the days when you basically had one doctor who covered most all maladies. It didn't matter what the problem, old Doc Kaiser had it covered. I guess the other side of that coin was that our life expectancy was significantly lower. Now we have doctors for skin, bones, sleep disorders, nose & mouth (or is that hoof and mouth?), eyes, back. lower regions that I would rather not comment on, etc. I have to believe that medical schools all over the country keep open slots for courses on any new disease and make them another specialty.
I remember when I could work all day, play all night, get a little sleep and do it all over again. Now if I work all day and play just a small portion of the night, I spend the next day or two recovering. It seems unfair that just when we get old enough to appreciate all the fun things we can do, we are too old to do them! I won't elaborate on this any further. If your as old or older than I am you understand and if not, you don't deserve the right to understand yet. (but it's coming)
Another annoyance of mine in particular is the need to line up my pills in the morning as if were some twisted buffet. I even have to take one pill to counteract the effects of another which makes no sense to me. Perhaps I don't need either. I try to rely on my doctors' judgement as to what I need and don't need, however, every once in a while I get this twinge of doubt. I often wonder if older doctors have this pill regiment as I do or do they just hoot and holler and laugh it up about their less than educated patients.
As much as I like to complain about the medical issues I deal with I also wonder how our health care will be down the road. Look at Medicare and it's hideous record and imagine the government taking over all other health care, with the exception, of course, of their own plans. I wonder if I will still be lining them up in the morning or if I will just go without. Time will tell I suppose but history is not on our side. Perhaps I need a head doctor to talk all these issues over with, however, I would be afraid they would prescribe more pills for me!
It won't be too many more years when I'll be quoting George Burns in where he said, "if I wake up and don't read my obituary, it's gonna be a good day!" The only problem with that line, George, is I think you may have missed your obit when it was printed. I think I want mine printed the day before so I can read it an be impressed about all the things I've done....or is that depressed???
One of the first challenges I seem to face more and more is keeping my different doctor's appointments organized. I sort of long for the days when you basically had one doctor who covered most all maladies. It didn't matter what the problem, old Doc Kaiser had it covered. I guess the other side of that coin was that our life expectancy was significantly lower. Now we have doctors for skin, bones, sleep disorders, nose & mouth (or is that hoof and mouth?), eyes, back. lower regions that I would rather not comment on, etc. I have to believe that medical schools all over the country keep open slots for courses on any new disease and make them another specialty.
I remember when I could work all day, play all night, get a little sleep and do it all over again. Now if I work all day and play just a small portion of the night, I spend the next day or two recovering. It seems unfair that just when we get old enough to appreciate all the fun things we can do, we are too old to do them! I won't elaborate on this any further. If your as old or older than I am you understand and if not, you don't deserve the right to understand yet. (but it's coming)
Another annoyance of mine in particular is the need to line up my pills in the morning as if were some twisted buffet. I even have to take one pill to counteract the effects of another which makes no sense to me. Perhaps I don't need either. I try to rely on my doctors' judgement as to what I need and don't need, however, every once in a while I get this twinge of doubt. I often wonder if older doctors have this pill regiment as I do or do they just hoot and holler and laugh it up about their less than educated patients.
As much as I like to complain about the medical issues I deal with I also wonder how our health care will be down the road. Look at Medicare and it's hideous record and imagine the government taking over all other health care, with the exception, of course, of their own plans. I wonder if I will still be lining them up in the morning or if I will just go without. Time will tell I suppose but history is not on our side. Perhaps I need a head doctor to talk all these issues over with, however, I would be afraid they would prescribe more pills for me!
It won't be too many more years when I'll be quoting George Burns in where he said, "if I wake up and don't read my obituary, it's gonna be a good day!" The only problem with that line, George, is I think you may have missed your obit when it was printed. I think I want mine printed the day before so I can read it an be impressed about all the things I've done....or is that depressed???
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Religion and You and Me
There seems to be a very significant shift in this country regarding organized religion and I'm not certain why but I do know this is not a healthy shift. I thought I would espouse my take on this phenomena.
We now live in a world of instant gratification. That is really not disputable. Everyone is instantly connected globally to anything and everything that happens. While this is certainly not bad in and of itself it has most definitely changed the way we view life and even many people's perceptions of how to live life. Most people I know who I would consider to be faithful have a certain amount of patience in knowing that eventually God's plan will be revealed to us. There's a couple words that go against the grain of modern society: patience and eventually. Many people can not and will not accept being patient and many of those same people can't fathom how to compute ( a little modern lingo there) eventually.
Webster's defines patience as calm endurance. There are two words that also go against the current flow of our world. As a Christian I understand what this means and I think most faithful people of what ever denomination also have a grasp of that concept. You can not have faith in something you can not touch or taste or hear without having calm endurance. I think it would do many people a great deal of good to stop at least one day a week and talk a deep breath. Many faithful people use their day of worship to take a deep breath spiritually and try to make sense of things but as I stated previously those people are dwindling.
Eventually in Webster's terms means ultimately and since many people these days can't think past the here and now, ultimately is another difficult aspect to process. To put it more simply people have become very poor about planning for the future not only in material aspects of their lives but spiritually as well.
How does this shift get altered? This is cyclical, I believe, and although this issue has been grappled with, by many generations of the past, it has never been quite so prominent as it is now in our technological age. I wish I could be more optimistic about this but I fear a real and significant tragedy will need to take place to bring people back to their God. We saw a mere glimpse of it when the World Trade Centers came down. The other way it can be altered is to start with our youth. They are the future of this world. The challenge with this is our Liberal educational institutions are continually working to remove religion from schools. This just perpetuates the whole disintegration of a child's perception of how important or unimportant religion is. Truly I don't have any one answer to change this shift. The only way I can see to make a difference is one soul at a time.
Are you one of the many people in this world that doesn't really see a need for organized religion? If you are I want to entertain this thought to you. Why exactly are you on this planet? If you have a hard time answering that then a good organized church is a start to help you explore the meaning of your existence. In most churches you can do this all on your own terms. I invite you to give it a chance. If you have children you owe it to them and to their future happiness and, in fact, you could learn a great deal from your children.
We now live in a world of instant gratification. That is really not disputable. Everyone is instantly connected globally to anything and everything that happens. While this is certainly not bad in and of itself it has most definitely changed the way we view life and even many people's perceptions of how to live life. Most people I know who I would consider to be faithful have a certain amount of patience in knowing that eventually God's plan will be revealed to us. There's a couple words that go against the grain of modern society: patience and eventually. Many people can not and will not accept being patient and many of those same people can't fathom how to compute ( a little modern lingo there) eventually.
Webster's defines patience as calm endurance. There are two words that also go against the current flow of our world. As a Christian I understand what this means and I think most faithful people of what ever denomination also have a grasp of that concept. You can not have faith in something you can not touch or taste or hear without having calm endurance. I think it would do many people a great deal of good to stop at least one day a week and talk a deep breath. Many faithful people use their day of worship to take a deep breath spiritually and try to make sense of things but as I stated previously those people are dwindling.
Eventually in Webster's terms means ultimately and since many people these days can't think past the here and now, ultimately is another difficult aspect to process. To put it more simply people have become very poor about planning for the future not only in material aspects of their lives but spiritually as well.
How does this shift get altered? This is cyclical, I believe, and although this issue has been grappled with, by many generations of the past, it has never been quite so prominent as it is now in our technological age. I wish I could be more optimistic about this but I fear a real and significant tragedy will need to take place to bring people back to their God. We saw a mere glimpse of it when the World Trade Centers came down. The other way it can be altered is to start with our youth. They are the future of this world. The challenge with this is our Liberal educational institutions are continually working to remove religion from schools. This just perpetuates the whole disintegration of a child's perception of how important or unimportant religion is. Truly I don't have any one answer to change this shift. The only way I can see to make a difference is one soul at a time.
Are you one of the many people in this world that doesn't really see a need for organized religion? If you are I want to entertain this thought to you. Why exactly are you on this planet? If you have a hard time answering that then a good organized church is a start to help you explore the meaning of your existence. In most churches you can do this all on your own terms. I invite you to give it a chance. If you have children you owe it to them and to their future happiness and, in fact, you could learn a great deal from your children.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Lighten Up!!
I am not as an effective observer as some when it comes to people just going about their everyday rituals. I would be horrible as one of those old men that sit at malls and just give everyone who walks by the one thousand yard stare. I guess I consider myself a private person for the most part and thus I try to afford strangers a sense of their own privacy. This being said, I still am fascinated by different types of personalities that I come across on a regular day.
I think I'm a relatively friendly soul and try to be friendly and polite and show courtesies such as holding doors. (For you in the North, that is when you enter a store and someone is following fairly close and you actually hold the door for them.) What intrigues me is how people behave to me, often a stranger to them, as I interact. I enjoy friendly, witty folks who don't take life too seriously or themselves for that matter. What amazes me is how many people out in public have virtually no sense of humor and are constantly displaying a very serious tone to everything they do. You know the type I'm talking about. The individual whose face might crack if they were to initiate a smile and couldn't say a friendly or funny thing if their very life depended on it. How do those people go through life and actually ever enjoy anything?
I suppose that people are a product of their environment and upbringing which would explain my off the wall treatment to life. My Dad is so full of witticisms that I think he could probably hold an entire conversation using only quips. I think that indeed he has done that to me in the past and it can be frustrating when bombarded. My daughter once stated, when she lived at home, that she would really enjoy having one dinner without milk coming out her nose. That's our home in a nutshell. I am blessed to have a woman who has the same wacky humoristic tendencies. It's sort of like having Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Dangerfield (God rest his soul) at the dinner table. It can be crazy, zany, nutty and ridiculous and I wouldn't change a thing! I wonder what these aforementioned people are like at the dinner table. I guess they might just stare at each other with little to say of interest. The most overstated of all truisms is that life is too short. Perhaps someone needs to really experience death on a personal level to understand that statement fully. I have and I do.
To sum up this entry for today, I would say just two words would encapsulate it: "Lighten up!" It's not a sin to be serious when seriousness is dictated but more people in this world would be better off if they would just "Lighten up!"
I think I'm a relatively friendly soul and try to be friendly and polite and show courtesies such as holding doors. (For you in the North, that is when you enter a store and someone is following fairly close and you actually hold the door for them.) What intrigues me is how people behave to me, often a stranger to them, as I interact. I enjoy friendly, witty folks who don't take life too seriously or themselves for that matter. What amazes me is how many people out in public have virtually no sense of humor and are constantly displaying a very serious tone to everything they do. You know the type I'm talking about. The individual whose face might crack if they were to initiate a smile and couldn't say a friendly or funny thing if their very life depended on it. How do those people go through life and actually ever enjoy anything?
I suppose that people are a product of their environment and upbringing which would explain my off the wall treatment to life. My Dad is so full of witticisms that I think he could probably hold an entire conversation using only quips. I think that indeed he has done that to me in the past and it can be frustrating when bombarded. My daughter once stated, when she lived at home, that she would really enjoy having one dinner without milk coming out her nose. That's our home in a nutshell. I am blessed to have a woman who has the same wacky humoristic tendencies. It's sort of like having Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Dangerfield (God rest his soul) at the dinner table. It can be crazy, zany, nutty and ridiculous and I wouldn't change a thing! I wonder what these aforementioned people are like at the dinner table. I guess they might just stare at each other with little to say of interest. The most overstated of all truisms is that life is too short. Perhaps someone needs to really experience death on a personal level to understand that statement fully. I have and I do.
To sum up this entry for today, I would say just two words would encapsulate it: "Lighten up!" It's not a sin to be serious when seriousness is dictated but more people in this world would be better off if they would just "Lighten up!"
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Just Why Do I Blog?
Why do I do this blogging thing I often wonder to myself. If it was for some sort of validation I would have quit a long time ago. I can barely get my wife to read my musings and my daughter seems to be too busy most of the time to read or care to read for that matter. I do understand my wife's trepidation about reading my political opinions as she is much more moderate and perhaps at times a little left of moderate so our political discussions are few and far between if for no other reason to sustain harmony. My daughter seems to be a little more in line with my thinking although there are times she is in denial about it. I've tried very hard to impart my "wisdom" on her and hopefully some of it stuck.
So why do I do this? It's not for financial gain and most likely will never be. God knows I have plenty of other tasks I should be doing while I'm writing. I have this inner need I think to express myself in some way. It may have been nurtured through my music in early years. I think I write often hoping that someone will read and appreciate what I have to say and perhaps gain insight if not be a little entertained along the way. Perhaps it's my way of working through issues sometimes. Instead of talking to myself I write in some cases to myself. It is a good form of self-therapy. Sometimes when I read my entries over I wonder what possessed me to say this or that.
I think sometimes it's a way for me to pray without saying the words but instead thinking them and ultimately writing them. In the past I have used it to verbalize crises' that I was trying to work through. You'd be amazed how it helps to do this. I write sometimes to give a tribute to people in my life that I think should be done publicly, my wife for example battling through breast cancer and never looking back. So it's a public form of adoration and I feel it's important sometimes.
So what makes me do this? Haven't you been reading! As long as I feel the compulsion to write my thoughts I will continue to do so. If you read and enjoy it I would hope you tell me. If you disagree I would hope you would tell me. If you read and don't want to acknowledge it that's fine. It won't change my will to continue on.
So why do I do this? It's not for financial gain and most likely will never be. God knows I have plenty of other tasks I should be doing while I'm writing. I have this inner need I think to express myself in some way. It may have been nurtured through my music in early years. I think I write often hoping that someone will read and appreciate what I have to say and perhaps gain insight if not be a little entertained along the way. Perhaps it's my way of working through issues sometimes. Instead of talking to myself I write in some cases to myself. It is a good form of self-therapy. Sometimes when I read my entries over I wonder what possessed me to say this or that.
I think sometimes it's a way for me to pray without saying the words but instead thinking them and ultimately writing them. In the past I have used it to verbalize crises' that I was trying to work through. You'd be amazed how it helps to do this. I write sometimes to give a tribute to people in my life that I think should be done publicly, my wife for example battling through breast cancer and never looking back. So it's a public form of adoration and I feel it's important sometimes.
So what makes me do this? Haven't you been reading! As long as I feel the compulsion to write my thoughts I will continue to do so. If you read and enjoy it I would hope you tell me. If you disagree I would hope you would tell me. If you read and don't want to acknowledge it that's fine. It won't change my will to continue on.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Government Gone Wild
As time marches on and I see how our Federal government is aiming it's sites on all private sector businesses that it deems are in trouble it becomes more and more troubling to me. Do the people who voted this administration into office understand the colossal mistake they have made? If they do not now will they ever?
I am amazed to listen to supporters who insist that Obama and all of his underlings are on track to rescue our economy when logic dictates otherwise. Unemployment continues to rise as do most prices across the board. Mortgages continue to falter even after the so called stimulus money. The government continues to borrow record amounts of revenue and sink them into companies that in the end go bankrupt. Does anyone on the left side of the aisle even understand the lunacy of this whole economic plan?
Watching this "train wreck" unfold makes me really question what the United States will look like in 20 or even 10 years. For as long as my memory can be relied upon the U.S. has been the most prosperous and most revered country in the world. We were what the majority of other countries wanted to be. Is that still the case? If you look at most of Europe, they are now trying to undo what Liberalized policies have done to the moral and fiscal fibers of their society. They are, for the most part, trying to return to more conservative methods. If you look at these countries it makes you wonder how our own country can be trying to head down that path.
What can we do you may ask? I don't have a real idea for an answer. I do know what we can not do and that is continue to vote in these politicians that are supporting this dynamic shift in Democracy. That's not all either. If we do succeed in getting politicians elected that have a modicum of common sense then we damn well better hold their feet to the fire. I am just as frustrated with the campaigning politicians and then the elected politicians being completely different. Say what it takes to get you elected and then go in and act completely different with no apparent consequences. I do believe we need term limits and we need them now. The face of government would change dramatically. I also think that being a Senator or congressman should not have these unrealistic benefits and lifetime pensions. We have created this huge beast that feeds on us instead of serving us. Term limits and limited benefits would go a long way at limiting both the power and privilege.
Oh and one more thing. Remember that document that gets thrown about quite regularly but doesn't seem to hold much weight with our President or his administration? You know the one I mean...with all the signatures of the founders? That's right the Constitution. It is what has separated us from most other countries in the world for as long as the United States of America has existed. I invite you to just scan it and try to find anywhere in it's pages how our government has the right to buy companies or bail out insurance behemoths all in the name of the taxpayer. We better wake up soon as to what is happening to this country because undoing what is about to be done will not happen in our lifetimes or our children's lifetimes.
I am amazed to listen to supporters who insist that Obama and all of his underlings are on track to rescue our economy when logic dictates otherwise. Unemployment continues to rise as do most prices across the board. Mortgages continue to falter even after the so called stimulus money. The government continues to borrow record amounts of revenue and sink them into companies that in the end go bankrupt. Does anyone on the left side of the aisle even understand the lunacy of this whole economic plan?
Watching this "train wreck" unfold makes me really question what the United States will look like in 20 or even 10 years. For as long as my memory can be relied upon the U.S. has been the most prosperous and most revered country in the world. We were what the majority of other countries wanted to be. Is that still the case? If you look at most of Europe, they are now trying to undo what Liberalized policies have done to the moral and fiscal fibers of their society. They are, for the most part, trying to return to more conservative methods. If you look at these countries it makes you wonder how our own country can be trying to head down that path.
What can we do you may ask? I don't have a real idea for an answer. I do know what we can not do and that is continue to vote in these politicians that are supporting this dynamic shift in Democracy. That's not all either. If we do succeed in getting politicians elected that have a modicum of common sense then we damn well better hold their feet to the fire. I am just as frustrated with the campaigning politicians and then the elected politicians being completely different. Say what it takes to get you elected and then go in and act completely different with no apparent consequences. I do believe we need term limits and we need them now. The face of government would change dramatically. I also think that being a Senator or congressman should not have these unrealistic benefits and lifetime pensions. We have created this huge beast that feeds on us instead of serving us. Term limits and limited benefits would go a long way at limiting both the power and privilege.
Oh and one more thing. Remember that document that gets thrown about quite regularly but doesn't seem to hold much weight with our President or his administration? You know the one I mean...with all the signatures of the founders? That's right the Constitution. It is what has separated us from most other countries in the world for as long as the United States of America has existed. I invite you to just scan it and try to find anywhere in it's pages how our government has the right to buy companies or bail out insurance behemoths all in the name of the taxpayer. We better wake up soon as to what is happening to this country because undoing what is about to be done will not happen in our lifetimes or our children's lifetimes.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Bad Drivers Making Their Mark
There has been something bothering me lately and it continues to get worse. Now before I delve into this subject you need to understand that I am no angel when it comes to this topic although I do consider myself above average. I've tried to broach this subject before but it seems to get little attention.
It's driving, and the laws that supposedly govern driving. When did laws become suggestions? When did a speed limit sign become something of little informational value? When did common courtesy become utterly uncommon? On that same topic, when did common sense also become uncommon? Why do the majority, and I do think it's the majority these days, not give any thought to driving and doing it under the laws?
As I drive around my state and other states, it's quite obvious that if you do anything near the speed limit you become a target. Turn signals have become optional to many drivers. Erratic lane changing is common every day. It's also obvious that I am becoming number one to more and more people as witnessed by there gestures. You know what? I don't care if I tick people off by driving the speed limit. I don't care if by following the laws of the road that I become a major inconvenience to many. It's time to start thinking about others again. It's time to regain the notion that life is precious and driving like maniacs on the road only tends to devalue life if not snuff it out.
I feel for the police these days, I really do. They are seriously outnumbered and can not possibly cite enough people on our roads to make even a dent in hideous drivers. I'm not sure what the answer is but I fear if more people don't step up and vow to change their driving ways more and more people will die on our roads. Oh and guess what? Do you think that these bad drivers will pay enough for insurance to offset their ineptness? WRONG! Everyone will and even are now paying for these drivers of no conscious.
So to close this rant, you may continue to drive like fools......but you will have to try and get around me and you know what??? Yes you guessed it...I DON'T CARE!
It's driving, and the laws that supposedly govern driving. When did laws become suggestions? When did a speed limit sign become something of little informational value? When did common courtesy become utterly uncommon? On that same topic, when did common sense also become uncommon? Why do the majority, and I do think it's the majority these days, not give any thought to driving and doing it under the laws?
As I drive around my state and other states, it's quite obvious that if you do anything near the speed limit you become a target. Turn signals have become optional to many drivers. Erratic lane changing is common every day. It's also obvious that I am becoming number one to more and more people as witnessed by there gestures. You know what? I don't care if I tick people off by driving the speed limit. I don't care if by following the laws of the road that I become a major inconvenience to many. It's time to start thinking about others again. It's time to regain the notion that life is precious and driving like maniacs on the road only tends to devalue life if not snuff it out.
I feel for the police these days, I really do. They are seriously outnumbered and can not possibly cite enough people on our roads to make even a dent in hideous drivers. I'm not sure what the answer is but I fear if more people don't step up and vow to change their driving ways more and more people will die on our roads. Oh and guess what? Do you think that these bad drivers will pay enough for insurance to offset their ineptness? WRONG! Everyone will and even are now paying for these drivers of no conscious.
So to close this rant, you may continue to drive like fools......but you will have to try and get around me and you know what??? Yes you guessed it...I DON'T CARE!
Easy Way or Hard Way???You Decide
We are a culture really a nation of the easy way. Everything these days has to be the easiest, fastest most succinct way possible. Let's take a look at this phenomenon that has evolved over time.
When I look back at my childhood things were not always easy but that was not always a bad thing either. They say a man's (or woman's) character is not only measured with how they win but often it can be more accurately gauged in how they lose. I am, in most cases, not a good loser. I have gotten better about it with age but my roots in childhood really were all about the highest level of competition for everything or anything. That being said, I'm fairly certain I benefited at certain times in my life to be competitive.
So what's so bad about receiving things easy you may ask and even if you don't ask, I'll ask for you. I think it's a fairly simple answer. You quite frankly don't appreciate the value of most things you obtain easily. My daughter really bought and paid for all of her motor vehicles herself. I don't think it's an accident that she has had no car accidents. You hear almost every day about the teenager who totals his or her car and as the story unfolds you see that Daddy just bought the car for said teenager and in many cases will continue to buy the cars which will quite possibly continue to end up in the same manner. That teenager didn't have to work for that car. There's no value placed upon anything that is spoon fed.
Let's talk about more easy things. How about all the morons who love parking in the fire lanes at stores instead of using assigned parking spaces so as to save an extra 10 or 20 steps? Credit cards are easy right? You see where that has gotten many people. Microwaves may be an example of something invented to make things easy that has actually been a benefit. Easy can be good and easy can be detrimental. My employer has a saying that sometimes the easy way to do something is the hard way. That's his way of saying if you do it the easy way, you will most likely be re-doing it.
This whole topic is a pretty constant source of annoyance to my wife. She "contends" that I try to do things the easy way and they end up being disasters, sometimes of epic proportions. I always think of what I am attempting as multi-tasking but for some inexplicable reason does not end up the way I had planned. So perhaps she has a point although I'd never admit it to her at the time. (I do have my pride)
Ordering things online is easy. This is both good and bad. It can be good as you aren't forced to deal with the often times insufferable crowds. It can be hard if you have to return something or if better yet you never get the item. At least if you purchase something locally from a physical address you know where and how to return it.
So easy is sometimes easy and easy is sometimes a horrible route to take. The next time you have to do a project or task and you have two ways to accomplish it, I hope you think of these little words of wisdom. Doing something the hard way might just be the best decision you could ever make.
When I look back at my childhood things were not always easy but that was not always a bad thing either. They say a man's (or woman's) character is not only measured with how they win but often it can be more accurately gauged in how they lose. I am, in most cases, not a good loser. I have gotten better about it with age but my roots in childhood really were all about the highest level of competition for everything or anything. That being said, I'm fairly certain I benefited at certain times in my life to be competitive.
So what's so bad about receiving things easy you may ask and even if you don't ask, I'll ask for you. I think it's a fairly simple answer. You quite frankly don't appreciate the value of most things you obtain easily. My daughter really bought and paid for all of her motor vehicles herself. I don't think it's an accident that she has had no car accidents. You hear almost every day about the teenager who totals his or her car and as the story unfolds you see that Daddy just bought the car for said teenager and in many cases will continue to buy the cars which will quite possibly continue to end up in the same manner. That teenager didn't have to work for that car. There's no value placed upon anything that is spoon fed.
Let's talk about more easy things. How about all the morons who love parking in the fire lanes at stores instead of using assigned parking spaces so as to save an extra 10 or 20 steps? Credit cards are easy right? You see where that has gotten many people. Microwaves may be an example of something invented to make things easy that has actually been a benefit. Easy can be good and easy can be detrimental. My employer has a saying that sometimes the easy way to do something is the hard way. That's his way of saying if you do it the easy way, you will most likely be re-doing it.
This whole topic is a pretty constant source of annoyance to my wife. She "contends" that I try to do things the easy way and they end up being disasters, sometimes of epic proportions. I always think of what I am attempting as multi-tasking but for some inexplicable reason does not end up the way I had planned. So perhaps she has a point although I'd never admit it to her at the time. (I do have my pride)
Ordering things online is easy. This is both good and bad. It can be good as you aren't forced to deal with the often times insufferable crowds. It can be hard if you have to return something or if better yet you never get the item. At least if you purchase something locally from a physical address you know where and how to return it.
So easy is sometimes easy and easy is sometimes a horrible route to take. The next time you have to do a project or task and you have two ways to accomplish it, I hope you think of these little words of wisdom. Doing something the hard way might just be the best decision you could ever make.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
My Dad, My Hero
This Blog was posted a few months back but I wanted to include it on this site.
I have been trying to formulate a way to write this blog and am still unsure how it will go but I am writing about my favorite subject: My Dad.
Some of you may know this, in fact anyone who knows me at all knows this. I recently took an emergency trip to upstate NY as my ..Dad.. took a turn for the worst in regards to his health. He has, since, made a rather miraculous recovery from surgery and I am back at home now pondering the future and what it holds.
This man is my hero. He is a rock and someone whose faith and courage are astounding to me. He has battled a couple different problems in the past few years that might bring mere mortals to their knees. He has displayed his faith and how no matter the outcome as long as you believe you are destined to a higher purpose you will move through any problem with dignity and forbearance. I am in awe of this man even more now than I ever have been.
My personal problem is how to overcome dealing with the uncertainty of the future. When my ..Dad.. and I parted ways this past Friday it was the most gut wrenching and personally difficult emotional good bye I’ve ever been a part of. My ..Dad.. is a rock….did I mention that? Also I can usually control my emotions with the best of them. Friday was different though. We both lost control of our emotions. I did not want to leave him but we both knew I needed to. I have responsibilities to my family that his teachings had imparted in me. Isn’t that an irony?
So I am doing a great deal of soul searching and praying as to how I will deal with these feelings. I am still attempting to work through them. I know that both my ..Dad.. and I had a sense of that being our last face to face meeting on this Earth and I now need to convince him otherwise. I am not ready to accept any finality of our relationship as it exists now. There are no absolutes when it comes to life and our plans. We are not in control of God’s will and we are reminded of that daily. I could just as easily be next on the list for the here-after. The point is we don’t know and we should live our lives just that way. I know all of this in my heart but I am at the difficult crossroads of trying to come to terms with these issues in regards to my Dad. When it becomes personal it then becomes the ultimate test. It’s much easier to counsel someone on this when you are not personally vested, however, the rubber really meets the road when it hits home.
There is no right answer here. There is really nothing anyone can say that would change what has happened or what will happen. I know that some of my relatives have dealt with this issue on a very personal level and I look to them for strength and guidance. There is one thing I know to be true no matter what happens. Keep your faith strong. It will see you through. The other truth is love will get you through it all. Keep those things near and you will not only survive any challenges in the future, you will become stronger for having had to work through them.
I have been trying to formulate a way to write this blog and am still unsure how it will go but I am writing about my favorite subject: My Dad.
Some of you may know this, in fact anyone who knows me at all knows this. I recently took an emergency trip to upstate NY as my ..Dad.. took a turn for the worst in regards to his health. He has, since, made a rather miraculous recovery from surgery and I am back at home now pondering the future and what it holds.
This man is my hero. He is a rock and someone whose faith and courage are astounding to me. He has battled a couple different problems in the past few years that might bring mere mortals to their knees. He has displayed his faith and how no matter the outcome as long as you believe you are destined to a higher purpose you will move through any problem with dignity and forbearance. I am in awe of this man even more now than I ever have been.
My personal problem is how to overcome dealing with the uncertainty of the future. When my ..Dad.. and I parted ways this past Friday it was the most gut wrenching and personally difficult emotional good bye I’ve ever been a part of. My ..Dad.. is a rock….did I mention that? Also I can usually control my emotions with the best of them. Friday was different though. We both lost control of our emotions. I did not want to leave him but we both knew I needed to. I have responsibilities to my family that his teachings had imparted in me. Isn’t that an irony?
So I am doing a great deal of soul searching and praying as to how I will deal with these feelings. I am still attempting to work through them. I know that both my ..Dad.. and I had a sense of that being our last face to face meeting on this Earth and I now need to convince him otherwise. I am not ready to accept any finality of our relationship as it exists now. There are no absolutes when it comes to life and our plans. We are not in control of God’s will and we are reminded of that daily. I could just as easily be next on the list for the here-after. The point is we don’t know and we should live our lives just that way. I know all of this in my heart but I am at the difficult crossroads of trying to come to terms with these issues in regards to my Dad. When it becomes personal it then becomes the ultimate test. It’s much easier to counsel someone on this when you are not personally vested, however, the rubber really meets the road when it hits home.
There is no right answer here. There is really nothing anyone can say that would change what has happened or what will happen. I know that some of my relatives have dealt with this issue on a very personal level and I look to them for strength and guidance. There is one thing I know to be true no matter what happens. Keep your faith strong. It will see you through. The other truth is love will get you through it all. Keep those things near and you will not only survive any challenges in the future, you will become stronger for having had to work through them.
The Ocean and Me
My wife and I recently spent an entire week at a North Carolina beach and really enjoyed doing much of nothing but relaxing and decompressing. Nothing as it turns out is a good thing. Everyone is so busy these days trying to keep up with their jobs and the everyday things that bombard us many have lost the ability to stop and smell the roses.
While spending many hours just gazing upon the Atlantic, it’s amazing how small you can begin to feel. If you are inherently not a religious individual, the Atlantic has a way of making you at least introspective of your existence. The Ocean has such an almost private ecosystem that we really only know a small amount of information about and it awes me to witness it and feel a little bit closer to, if only for a week at a time. For example, we watched in the early morning, as the crabs would come out and just as quickly burrow into the sand. They also would appear with the incoming tides for a split second and burrow under the water disappearing. So thinking with our huge internet and vast amounts of information we could investigate to find out just what species of crabs these were we dove in. There are a number of crab species and it’s evident that although we know about them and about what sustains them, their habits are somewhat of a mystery. This ratifies just how we only scratch the surface when it comes to this vast expanse.
There are times I wear my faith on my sleeve and I make no apologies for that. The more I study the complexities of the ocean and it’s circle of life, the more I am convinced that a higher authority was and is at work. I think I have been converted of sorts regarding the ocean. Not that long ago I would tell you the mountains is where I would like to retire. That is no longer the case, although I still want the mountains close enough to visit and North Carolina provides the best of both of those worlds. I have fallen in love with the ocean. It has clarified perspective for me about life and about what’s important. If you ever begin to feel as if you are entirely in control of your life and everything about it, I invite you to sit in a chair by the ocean for just an hour and witness just how small you are in the grand scheme of things. That being said, even though we are a small piece of this world, you don’t have a complete puzzle without all of the pieces. Give it some thought.
While spending many hours just gazing upon the Atlantic, it’s amazing how small you can begin to feel. If you are inherently not a religious individual, the Atlantic has a way of making you at least introspective of your existence. The Ocean has such an almost private ecosystem that we really only know a small amount of information about and it awes me to witness it and feel a little bit closer to, if only for a week at a time. For example, we watched in the early morning, as the crabs would come out and just as quickly burrow into the sand. They also would appear with the incoming tides for a split second and burrow under the water disappearing. So thinking with our huge internet and vast amounts of information we could investigate to find out just what species of crabs these were we dove in. There are a number of crab species and it’s evident that although we know about them and about what sustains them, their habits are somewhat of a mystery. This ratifies just how we only scratch the surface when it comes to this vast expanse.
There are times I wear my faith on my sleeve and I make no apologies for that. The more I study the complexities of the ocean and it’s circle of life, the more I am convinced that a higher authority was and is at work. I think I have been converted of sorts regarding the ocean. Not that long ago I would tell you the mountains is where I would like to retire. That is no longer the case, although I still want the mountains close enough to visit and North Carolina provides the best of both of those worlds. I have fallen in love with the ocean. It has clarified perspective for me about life and about what’s important. If you ever begin to feel as if you are entirely in control of your life and everything about it, I invite you to sit in a chair by the ocean for just an hour and witness just how small you are in the grand scheme of things. That being said, even though we are a small piece of this world, you don’t have a complete puzzle without all of the pieces. Give it some thought.
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