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 |  Mulling, culling, and musing the confusing... in Blog format. |
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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I stand in awe of life's predisposition for imploding, swiftly morphing into a churning, perilous vortex that mankind is hard-pressed to navigate, let alone survive. Maintaining a foothold and emerging from the gales unscathed seems wholly contingent upon survivors' personal philosophies, capacity for tolerance, and coping skills. Without these, the vortex becomes the portal to a toxic black void, and man stands naked in the spiralling eddy, awaiting the final flush.** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Monsters Evil incarnate to their kind gives rise, their nourishment found in blood-curdling fear; horror-swept dreamscapes they stalk in disguise, unleashing terror, they draw ever near. Defiled wombs in hell to their kind give birth to seek symbiosis with souls in need; in lost and rejected spirits on earth ~ on their very marrow, such monsters feed. Iced are their fingers and vacant, their stare, black are their hearts, sustained by putrid breath; sucking the lifeblood imperilled souls share to spew forth their spawn of hatred and death. But they may not linger where Faith abides... for Hope's children fear not their raging tides. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** The mission of this journal is to examine life issues that precipitate the storms and seek out the balms that soothe the wounds they inflict. It is my fervent hope that philosophically autopsying life issue outcomes will provide comfort in the midst of chaos and a keenly longed-for measure of inner peace. Bear in mind, dear Reader, that the thoughts to follow are only musings and by no means assertions of right or wrong. They are but a reflection of one soul's yearning to ascend from the roots of life to its flowering branches and taste of the fruits found therein. How, if at all, savory their flavors are deemed to be and whether or not they become a staple in one's spiritual diet is left to each reader's own palate. The journey thus begins...
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Having a bad, bad pain day after an exceptionally tough night, and of course, my concentration/focus/attention span is roughly that of an inebriated gnat. But I also firmly believe that stress and depression take huge tolls on our lifespan, and the best cure for what ails ya is finding something ~ anything ~ to laugh about. And OMG, further net surfing, albeit oft-interrupted, yielded another big time blues-chaser for sure!  The below are actual responses by insured drivers in filing various auto accident claims. I dare you not to feel better after reading these! I hope they brighten your day with a good guffaw!Incidents with Pedestrians The pedestrian ran for the pavement, but I got him. The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him. I was sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the road when I struck him. To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front I struck a pedestrian. The pedestrian had no idea which way to run as I ran over him. The car in front hit the pedestrian but he got up so I hit him again. I saw a slow moving, sad faced old gentleman as he bounced off the roof of my car. A pedestrian hit me and went under my car. I saw her look at me twice. She appeared to be making slow progress when we met on impact. Accidents with other vehicles I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way. A truck backed through my windshield into my wife's face. The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention. My car was legally parked as it backed into another vehicle. When I saw I could not avoid a collision I stepped on the gas and crashed into the other car. I started to slow down but the traffic was more stationary than I thought. The accident occurred when I was attempting to bring my car out of a skid by steering it into the other vehicle. I was backing my car out of the driveway in the usual manner, when it was struck by the other car in the same place it had been struck several times before. I was unable to stop in time and my car crashed into the other vehicle. The driver and passengers then left immediately for a vacation with injuries. The gentleman behind me struck me on the backside. He then went to rest in a bush with just his rear end showing. The car in front of me stopped for a yellow light, so I had no choice but to hit him. (She pushed him through the intesection) Collisions, calamities, and injuries. Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don't have. I told the police that I was not injured, but on removing my hat found that I had a fractured skull. I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment. I thought my window was down, but I found it was up when I put my head through it. As I approached an intersection a sign suddenly appeared in a place where no stop sign had ever appeared before. I was unable to stop in time to avoid the accident. In an attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telephone pole. I saw two kangaroos having it off in the middle of the road. So I hit them, which caused me to ejaculate through the sunroof. I was thrown from my car as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by some stray cows. The telephone pole was approaching. I was attempting to swerve out of the way when I struck the front end. I pulled in to the side of the road because there was smoke coming from under the hood. I realized there was a fire in the engine, so I took my dog and smothered it with a blanket. The claimant had collided with a cow. The questions and answers on the claim form were - Q: What warning was given by you? A: Horn. Q: What warning was given by the other party? A: Moo. Who is to Blame? No one was to blame for the accident but it would never have happened if the other driver had been alert. I didn't think the speed limit applied after midnight. I had been shopping for plants all day and was on my way home. As I reached an intersection a hedge sprang up, obscuring my vision and I did not see the other car. The indirect cause of the accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth. I was going at about 70 or 80 mph when my girlfriend reached over and grabbed my testicles so I lost control. I was on the way to the doctor with rear end trouble when my universal joint gave way causing me to have an accident. On approach to the traffic lights the car in front suddenly broke. The accident was caused by me waving to the man I hit last week. Windshield broke. Cause unknown. Probably Voodoo. No witnesses would admit having seen the mishap until after it happened. I had been learning to drive with power steering. I turned the wheel to what I thought was enough and found myself in a different direction going the opposite way. The accident happened when the right front door of a car came round the corner without giving a signal. I had been driving for forty years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident. I left for work this morning at 7am as usual when I collided straight into a bus. The bus was 5 minutes early. An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car and vanished. I knew the dog was possessive about the car but I would not have asked her to drive it if I had thought there was any risk. The accident happened because I had one eye on the truck in front, one eye on the pedestrian, and the other on the car behind. I started to turn and it was at this point I noticed a camel and an elephant tethered at the verge. This distraction caused me to lose concentration and hit a bollard. |
Found this story while surfing the internet ~ it's said to be a true account ... A lawyer in Charlotte, NC purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against fire among other things. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy, the lawyer filed a claim with the insurance company. In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires." The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason: that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion. The lawyer sued....and won! In delivering the ruling the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be "unacceptable fire," and was obligated to pay the claim. Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000.00 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the "fires." But... After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000.00 fine." |
| September has arrived, thank the good Lord. Parched by a three-year-long drought and baking in high 90's-to-100's temps day after day since June, my area of Texas NEEDS a little Autumn, right this very minute! Having spent over a decade here, I've acquired a talent for detecting when that most welcome season is afoot, even though our daytime temperatures may remain on the sweltering end of the Fahrenheit scale. Here the days of September and October cling tenaciously to high temps, but I swear the air smells different. There's a distinct loss of sultry-ness, replaced by a freshened crispness to which I've come to look forward with eager anticipation. Most of all, though the days remain temperately elevated, the nights begin to cool appreciably... and it is then that the air smells sweetest of all. How life ~ and our perception of it ~ does change! When I lived in Ohio, the first of September and the Labor Day Telethon unfailingly catapulted me into the throes of a major blue funk; Fall there was routinely robbed of its splendor by bone-chilling winds and dreary rain that brought down and smothered beautifully hued leaves long before their time. In the old days, when leaf-burning was legal, I so loved the aroma that filled the air, as well as lustily playing for hours in giant leaf-piles raked into stupendous-sized towers marching down residential curbs, or crunching and kicking our way through wind-fashioned mini piles as I and my chums walked to and from school. As the years passed, though, leaf-burning became illegal (and rightfully so, environmentally speaking), and the advent of leaf blowers/mulchers rendered raked leaf piles pretty much a thing of the past. In adulthood, Ohio Autumns came to represent all I dreaded and disliked... the onset of drab, cold days that banished gladful thoughts and frosty nights that stilled the hearts of gardens and most other colorful growing things. Here, though, Fall is quite the opposite. Autumn brings not only the glory of paintbox-color leaves, but also a re-budding of many flowering plants. My neighbor's bounty of gorgeous rosebushes burst forth in their second parade of riotous color of the year, and the scents and hues of all blooms in general are even more intense than those of Texas Springs. Vaulted skies dress in a cobalt blue hue that is truly beautiful to behold. Best of all, many households in this region utilize wood-burning stoves and fireplaces to chase away the nighttime chill, and the air is once again pungent with that beautiful woodsmoke scent I so loved as a child. The first whiff of Fall in the air no longer depresses me; it brings, instead, a renewal of life vigor, optimism and zeal, unfailingly re-awakening my inner child to frolic, feel wonderment, and play. Yes, Winter will come ~ but one that respectfully grants Autumn her due in terms of vibrancy and tenure. R.I.P., Texas Summer... make way for the Fall's glorious advance! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** September arrives and nature takes note. The whispers of chilled breaths speak of change on the wing... the time draws nigh for a last celebration. Garbed in splendored array, joyously dancing and singing, mindful of slumber to come. Vivid hues disguise pallored wisps of smoke attesting to the deaths of the children born to Spring under warm skies... once budding revelations. Spent, their numbered days, they know what Winter is bringing... their time for living is done. By their demise, renewed life evoked; defied, the grasp of death by gestating offspring. Asleep, but soon to rise... May's rapt anticipation. Painted days danced away... Fall's songs in ears still ringing throughout the slumber to come. |
| Dear God, what a mess we're making of this world... and mankind's destiny in general, I fear. Looking back on the years of my existence, I can't help but feel saddened and at times overwhelmed by the slow but steady loss of ground humanity is suffering on a plethora of fronts where the real stuff of life is concerned. Not so long ago, the human qualities to which we aspired and collectively endeavored to personify were clear and keenly sought: selflessness, mindfulness of the welfare of our fellow man and the living world, altruism, humility, and earnest dedication to the greater good. Rather than even a halting, tentative progression toward the vision of a global utopia of peace, serenity, and understanding, however, humanity grows ever more bound and determined to worship the concept of "Every Man for Himself " ~ and inhabit the world accordingly. In the case of our society in the good old U.S. of A., it's long seemed to me that a nationwide loss of innocense and overall surrender to a "Me" generation mentality found genesis in the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy. The horror and brutality of their losses and attendant trashing of all they stood for, pummeling us as they did over such a relatively brief period of time, numbed and calloused us as human beings, gave rise to a generalized dissociative state, and robbed us of a huge measure of the faith, hope, altruism, decency, and selfless aspirations we had up until that time embraced. Nowadays, it often appears that the mantra of mankind has evolved into "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and everyone but me's wearing prime rib skivvies". Yet, even as we trample our fellow men and the natural world itself into a pulp while madly scrambling for pinnacles of pleasure, just what is it we've truly reaped? Those we regard as "having it all" are majorally miserable, peace, genuine happiness, and contentment summarily elude us, we're growing ever more impotent in fostering sustained, loving relationships, and hatred, trespasses, and frivolous/not-so-frivolous lawsuits against one another are hurtling to and fro among us like snowflakes in a blizzard. Legacies of love, decency, and global goodwill are the only currency we carry with us beyond the grave. I pray to God we all come to see and truly live that... before, for all of mankind, it is simply too late.
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| I was 18 years old when, along with over a quarter of the world's entire population, I watched in awe as Neil Armstrong descended the Apollo 11 Lunar Module ladder and set foot on the moon. With the news yesterday of the passing of this most gentle, humble, and decent American Hero, the sheer wonder and amazement in recalling his accomplishment burns just as brightly as it did when I watched it happen live with the rest of an incredulous world on July 21, 1969. Of course, Mr. Armstrong would be the first to chide me for bestowing credit on him for the events of that incredible day... and the first to remind us all that thousands of other team members, inspired in part by the late President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, were instrumental in making this incredible dream come true... on behalf of not just our nation, but that of the entire world. In fact, Armstrong participated in signing an agreement with other leaders of the modern world that, just as he and Buzz Aldrin had been when they walked on the moon, all who might follow in their lunar footsteps were forsworn to forever come in peace. Being a fellow Buckeye (and later in life a fellow Texan), Neil Armstrong garnered an even more sentimental spot in my heart... but what I will forever most admire him for is the immense grace and humility with which he led his entire life. Just one of innumerable examples: during his flight toward the moon on Apollo 11, former Eagle Scout Armstrong took the time to radio his greetings, praise, and best wishes to the Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout Jamboree attendees back on earth. Even after his participation in the most momentous global achievement in the field of space exploration of the entire 20th Century, Mr. Armstrong persisted in regarding and referring to himself as just a regular guy and an "eternal nerd". And he meant it. Yet of his passing, Armstrong's Apollo 11 colleague, Buzz Aldrin, said, "I know I am joined by millions of others in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew. My friend Neil took the small step but giant leap that changed the world and will forever be remembered as a landmark moment in human history." In paying the nation's condolences to Armstrong's surviving wife and two sons, (his three-year-old daughter, Karen, passed away in 1962 of complications resulting from a brain tumor) President Obama observed, "Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time." A true and quiet hero has departed this world and soared forth to touch the face of God. He's once again looking upon our earth from an infinitely beautiful, awe-inspiring place far and beyond. And just as surely as Heaven is celebrating his arrival, our nation ~ as well as a sizeable percentage of earth's other inhabitants ~ mourn his loss. Together, may we all follow through on his family's wish in the wake of his passing: "For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink." ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| This world was made a lesser place when your soul journeyed on ~ your passing left a voided space; less radiance in each dawn. Naught can be as it once was in all the lives you've touched ~ those who found their way because you cared so very much. To them you gave such precious gifts ~ compassion, friendship, hope; chaff from their lives you'd gently sift, and with their demons cope. If they seized or fell behind in fear of where they'd been, it was your guidance, wise and kind, that led them home again. For countless hearts the angels weep as each becries your loss; searing pain a vigil keeps as on grief's waves we're tossed. The vastness of the shadow cast by all you've meant to us... seldom seen and rarely matched ~ nor worthy of such trust. Few are born to equal you, our mentor and our friend ~ none lend greater credence to the message your life sends... testimony, shining bright, of goodness, pure and true ~ exemplifying love and right for all who looked to you. Though death has claimed the armor that your earthly spirit wore, so, too, is your dear soul unchained to live for evermore ~ embraced now in the arms of God, Who in your life is pleased, in a place where angels trod, all suffering appeased. 'Tis knowing this that soothes our pain with healing tenderness ~ believing we will meet again and feel the sweet caress that lingers even though you've gone forever in our minds ~ for still you guide us from beyond the gates of Heaven and time. Though with you gone and dearly missed, a sadness marks our days, exemplary lives fore'er exist... as do your caring ways. We will strive to honor you by conquering our grief ~ to hold your memory ever true, inspired by your beliefs. We'll guard and keep the torch you bore to guide us through dark times; burning bright though hate's gales roar ~ just as your life force shines. You lead us still and bind the wounds received along life's way ~ living vestiges of you still bless our every day. As you gaze down from Heaven above, behold the torch's light, know that our respect and love will fuel it day and night... a beacon for eternity to those who here remain; who treasure your dear memory and by it are sustained. See in its glow from this day forth the loving care you gave, radiating from this torch, unfettered by the grave. Beloved man, death keeps you not, nor can your spirit chain; triumphing on in deeds and thoughts of lost souls you've reclaimed. The legacy you leave us all our lives has richly blessed... forever in our hearts stands tall and to all good attests. We'll see you always, strong and bold, in every star at night ~ and you'll see us as you behold our torch's blazing light. |
| As most such hullabaloos inevitably do, the Great Chick-Fil-A Debate of 2012 seems to be fading from the forefront of society's collective awareness. And well it should in terms of the resulting ill-advised knee-jerk reactions and behaviors perpetrated by camps on both sides of the debate. Jumping on bandwagons has its place, but in this case served no good purpose where truly addressing and resolving issues was concerned; responses were directed at an institution as opposed to one man who happens to head it. It began when Chick-Fil-A C.O.O. Dan Cathy was quoted as saying, in addition to several other comments regarding his disapproval of same-sex marriage, "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage'. I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about." Does everyone agree with his stance? No. Are there many, many individuals who do? Yes. Will boycotting Chick-Fil-A, demonstrative public sit-ins, or flocking to the outlets in support or protest further the cause of supporters or opponents in any meaningful, abiding way? Not a chance. The point of view we're reacting to is that of a man, not the mega-business over which he presides. If any lasting ground is to be gained in such situations, a "Come, let us reason together" approach is called for. What I'd hope Mr. Cathy might additionally ponder is this... like the passed-forward original message in the simple party game, "Telephone", the Bible/Koran/any other book believed to represent the Word of God constitutes man's interpretation of God's word, delivered to humanity via avenues inclusive of but not limited to angels, dreams, visions, the belly of a whale, whirlwinds, lightning bolts, and even, in at least one case, from the depths of a burning bush. Not only did fallible humans originally record these messages... but those testaments have subsequently leaped over, scrambled beneath, or been forced as through a sieve... innumerable hurdles such as lingual translations, the "personal spin" placed on them by the likes of King James and his merry band of scribes, and the inexorable passage of centuries since they first came to be. And like the party game, who is to say what, if any, portion of originally delivered divine messages remains intact? Or, for that matter, what the true and proper interpretation of the surviving nuggets of information ultimately is? Perhaps, Mr. Cathy, it would be better to pray God's mercy on a nation and species so arrogant and prideful as to deem themselves wholly justified in declaring a particular sexual orientation developed in utero a "sin" which, if not repented, will condemn a soul to the bowels of hell. Perhaps we would all benefit by not casting the first stone, and granting our Maker sole jurisdiction over how two consenting adults love and harmlessly live their lives. Perhaps, sir, God is more offended by our haughty, egotistical penchant for A) pronouncing biased condemnations in matters only the Almighty should have authority to deem right or wrong where loving our fellow man is concerned and B) ostracizing and proclaiming eternal damnation for all who fail to make the grade. My beautiful and wonderous brother is not in hell. Nor, I believe, will this be the fate of millions of other incredibly decent gay or lesbian human beings in this world who earnestly enter into a holy state of matrimony with a beloved partner in the course of their earthly life. I've absolutely no right - and would never seek - to impose these beliefs, regardless of how sincerely held, on Mr. Cathy, nor upon anyone else who shares his mindset. In fact, that's my very point. I would never consider perpetuating any negative act toward his organization, because he has every much a right to express his beliefs as anyone else, and penalizing all involved with Chick-Fil-A will never alter that. But if you happen to embrace the philosophies/teachings of the Man called Jesus Christ, consider carefully His position regarding how we should treat our fellow man... and Who retains exclusive authority in judging who and how adult humans should or should not love. |
| One of the most challenging outcomes of my spine injury and corrective surgeries is resulting chronic pain that hinders my ability to remain in a given static posture, be it seated, lying down, reclining, or standing, for much more than 15 minutes at a time. During the day, of course, I can manage these issues utilizing position changes and various means of distraction, but sleeping is a horse of an entirely different color. I'm awakened anywhere from 5 to 9 and sometimes more per night, and in the wake of the more severe somnambulistic shortcomings episodes, I rapidly become a veritable case study in the fascinating manifestation of Sleep-Deprived Babbling Moronicus Status . But as is true in every aspect of life, there is often a pearl to be found in an oyster, and this morning proved to be just such an instance. Last night proved to be one of my marathon wakefulness evenings, the final bout of which occurred just a few minutes before 7:00 AM. Very little in the way of entertaining and/or educational television is aired at that time of day, but this morning I hit the jackpot. It was a show on The Discovery Channel entitled, "Life Changing Medicine: Emergency and Trauma", and it was absolutely amazing. Hosted by a physician named Dr. John White, the show spotlighted several cutting edge medical diagnostic and procedural advances currently in various stages of study, experimental application, and testing. The most incredible of these was a young father whose spinal cord had been completely severed via an accident-induced blowout fracture of one of the vertebra in his neck, leaving him paralyzed from just about the highest level of the spinal cord you can damage and still physically survive. This man was highly motivated and refused to give up on life; the kind of fellow who, if told he cannot achieve something, will not quit until he proves otherwise. He qualified for and was enrolled in a federally funded, experimental program in which, via the implantation of an alternative nerve impulse conductor on the surface of the portion of the brain that processes motor function requests and follow through by the human body. The idea was to educate the brain to "teach" ancillary computers what electrical impulses generate a "request" for a particular bodily movement and what such signals enable the body to consciously implement the movement. Over an allotted time of 30 days, the patient, employing a monitor and associated software, harnessed his thought processes to move circles toward one another, first in two planes and eventually three-dimensionally, as the computer at his bedside "learned" along with him. Where the electrical "circuitry" in his body's nervous system had been disrupted, surgeons implanted a 'patch' conduit to establish a new pathway from their patient's brain to an auxiliary computer... and once that "detour" was put in place, eventually enabled him to utilize the function of a robotic arm and hand via the brain waves forwarded from brain to "patch" to computer to robotic prosthetic limb. This particular breakthrough is in its infancy, of course, but the potential benefits are profound to contemplate. Other incredible medical advancements presented in this episode were cooling body temperature to 33 degrees Fahrenheit to minimize brain swelling as a results of brain trauma/coma, introduction of 3-D "topography" to brain MRIs for the purpose of advanced diagnostics, spinal cord decompression surgery, SmartPhone Emergency Medical Protocol apps for First Responders, an airline medical emergency "scramble" network designed to handle mid-flight medical emergencies, and amazing new techniques for salvaging limbs and saving trauma victims suffering multiple bone fractures impacting as much as 50% of their skeletal system. What a Godsend this show turned out to be! Not only was inspiring beyond measure, but it served as a distraction that exceeded any medication you could name in the way of pain relief... and as a monumental gift on the most important front of all. It helped me regain perspective in the overall scheme of things, renew my appreciation for all life offers, and re-dedicate my thoughts and deeds to the blessings, not the busts. |
| Everyone has a right to be passionate about what they believe in; everyone has an entitlement to hold opinions, embrace a particular set of standards, and adhere to a given set of customs and mores. What's disturbing, however, is our increasing collective tendency to consider our own views and methods of operation to be the solely acceptable way of looking at things... to the exclusion of consideration and/or tolerance of those of others. You see it everywhere, even amongst our children ~ and it is scary to contemplate the repercussions already in evidence. Some political group is calling for U.S. citizens to dial their toll-free number and electronically sign a petition declaring their intention to oust President Obama in the upcoming election... and are offering callers the opportunity to purchase clocks shaped in an unflattering caricature image of Obama proclaiming that the sitting President's end of term is drawing near. "Christian" ministers pound upon their pulpits, declaring that gay individuals are "sinners" and doomed to hell if they do not "repent". Bravo "Housewives" and other wealthy "reality" celebrities champion the cause of backstabbing and one-upmanship and would have us believe that rudeness, thoughtlessness, and consummate self-absorption are manifestations of superiority, chicness, elegance, and class. And though the application of logic and a general sense of decency dictate that nothing could be further from the truth, such mindsets are becoming ever more pervasive in every day society and how we interact with and toward one another. How is it that arrogance, materialism, and narcissism have evolved from being the least desirable and admirable of personality traits in our society to characteristics before which we genuflect and regard as "cool"? The answer, I believe, has much to do with how good we have it general... even those of us in this country whose resources fall below "poverty level" are wealthy beyond measure in comparison to the lots of the genuinely impoverished human beings living among us and in other countries. For the most part, the most foundational of the hierarchy of human of needs is being quite handsomely met, freeing us to concern ourselves... in many instances, almost to the point of obsession... less with needs and more with wants and desires. And those wants and desires don't seem to take our fellow man into consideration as earnestly and consistently as they once did. Everywhere you look, human beings in our society are demonstrating less and less regard for and tolerance of their fellow man. More and more, it's all about pecking orders, the "Me Generation", and keeping up with the Jones-es... even among our most precious commodity, our children. And oddly enough, the more we become thus, the less happiness, though keenly sought out and exorbitantly paid for, are the "wealthiest" and most "elite" of us able to find. |
Got some rather disappointing news at the Doctor's office today and decided to mosey on over to YouTube and treat myself to a good dose of the best medicine for the blues and anything else that ails ya. . The first link shown below is over an hour long and is as funny (if not even more hilarious, and I NEVER thought that could happen) than the show Candid Camera was back in the 60's. You can always pause any YouTube video and come back, but if you're ever wrestling with a general funk, this is a sure cure!  Just click on any URL below - they'll take you directly to the videos. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!"Just for Laughs ~ Best of 2012": http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=HFHjwuXxBn0 Other Pranks and Scares: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjPruIea7EA&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=HFHjwuXxBn0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=ZnQ3PFn6jJ4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bXtvO63I0w&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP529zD1xF0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhShV49MZsE&feature=related |
| Will someone please explain to me why the TLC "Reality" show Toddlers in Tiaras (and Child Beauty Pageants in general) have become such a feverishly pursued obsession for so many pageant parents and the multitudes who watch such spectacles with zeal? I realize that just posing this inquiry is tantamount to a confession that I, too, have tuned in to T.I.T. in the past... but for me, it was a case of aimless channel surfing culminating in becoming involuntarily transfixed in horrified amazement, much as one would be at witnessing a passenger jet plummet from the sky. I'd heard of Baby and Child Beauty Pageants in the past, of course, but back in the day, such "competitions" simply showcased babies and children in their natural state... fresh from the Hand of God and exquisitely beautiful simply by virtue of their innocence and youth. The participants, (much as childhood in general used to be in the good old days) represented a celebration of childhood for what it is supposed to be - not the three-ring circus of grotesquely made up, bouffant wig/hairpiece-bedecked, flipper-toothed, suggestively costumed, evocatively "flirting", posing and "performing" child exploitation extravaganzas they have become. The most common excuse I hear offered by obsessed pageant parents is that their little girl or boy "loves" to compete in pageants and therefore is somehow benefited by all the attendant insanity associated with same. Sorry, Pageant Mom and/or Dads, but you'll never be able to convince me that 'Jon Bonet Ramsey-tizing' your precious child and parading them in front of the world on stage and/or television is not at the very least passive child abuse... and at the very worst subjecting Innocents to the leers and sick fantasies of lewd voyeurs and pedophiles/pedophiles-in-waiting. The episode of Toddlers in Tiaras I happened upon the other day actually showed gyrating, clothing-shedding little girls costumed and "performing" like celebrities such as Cher and Madonna. One TWO-YEAR OLD actually danced and gestured wearing an exact replica of the outrageously provocative, pointed-cone-bodiced gold costume Madonna sported years ago during her "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl" era. All the while, the toddler's rapt-filled mother stood proudly in the audience, prompting and coaching her baby's "performance". Please - WAKE UP, people! Our children are priceless gifts, and our sacred duty as loving parents is to treasure them as such and protect and nurture their precious few and fleeting years of untainted youth. They are not an avenue for vicariously living out our own selfish adult fantasies/desires by dressing them up and teaching them to behave and perform like miniature seductresses and gigolos. If you are a pageant parent and cannot utilize sufficient objectively to recognize the potential for injury and irreversible long-term harm on a myriad of fronts you are thrusting upon your children... then you, yourself, need help. |
| Good LORD, how time takes wing! It's hard to believe nearly a year has passed since my last entry here. I still drop by WDC occasionally, but generally fly under the radar and confine my activities to checking up on old friends. Real time can be so demanding... *sigh*, but at least entails more color. I guess I just grew weary of life at WDC becoming a perpetual state of beige... I was able to return to work 8 months after last January's back surgery; however, standing on my feet 10 hours per shift fielding in excess of 110 incoming calls took its toll, and my employer, who rakes in billions per year, is still stalling regarding providing an adjustable-height stool so that I can use my sit-to-stand workstation and not have spend each shift in excruciating pain, standing on legs and ankles swollen to elephantine proportion  . I offered to purchase the needed stool myself, but was denied because they do not permit "outside furniture". Of course, there is "outside furniture" elsewhere in the center - wherever Management finds it convenient - nevertheless...Aaaaaaanyway, due to standing on my feet at my workstation for ten hours per shift, further lumbar and sacral vertebral and disc deterioration has taken place, and I'm once again off work on short term disability awaiting yet another back surgery - permanent implantation of a spinal nerve stimulator. They performed a temporary trial implantation last Tuesday, and after the associated 3-day "hit in the back with a baseball bat" soreness subsided, I began noting appreciable pain abatement in the right hip bone-donor site from the original surgery. Problem is, the trial implanted leads in the epidural cavity of the spinal column tend to shift with movement/coughing/bending/etc., resulting in jolts of "shocking" sensations in my lower back and legs rather akin to the sensation you get touching a bare-wired electrical cord. If you happen to be ambulating at the time, this results in sudden unanticipated episodes of a herky-jerky gait which hapless witnesses must surely interpret as some insane hybrid of the Electrocution Chicken Dance and the Puppet-on-a-String-Fast-Forward Moonwalk. The problem should abate when the full implantation of leads is done because the leads are actually sutured to the spinal fascia and the stimulator is surgically embedded in muscle tissue under the skin. I'm told it takes 6 weeks or more for full recovery after the surgery until the tissue surrounding the leads and stimulator packet heals and anchors all in place, during which you are physically restricted on numerous fronts. And I realize I'm doomed to be permanently post-surgically lumpy, not to mention immensely entertaining to watch at airport security gates - but if it brings about a less painful future and restored activity tolerance, I'm in. Nothing ventured, nothing gained... bring it on! It sure is good to look in on old WDC friends and reminisce... will try to blog again soon about something far more relevant than my thoroughly vexed pain threshold... . See ya on da flip side! |
AN OPEN LETTER TO DEFENSE ATTORNEY CHENEY MASON Dear Mr. Mason: Going into the Casey Anthony trial, I held you in the highest regard, considering you to be a gentleman and a scholar. I must tell you, though I'm sure it matters not one whit to you in the overall scheme of things, that having soberly listened to you speak following the "Not Guilty" verdicts as to Caylee's homicide in the trial as well as to the interview you gave on HLN, I've forever lost that respect. Along with millions of others globally, I have accepted the verdicts and the jury's decisions, regardless of our personal feelings and consummately respectful of the dictates of our United States Constitution. We have faith in God far exceeding that of ANY form of government man could ever fashion, accepting that He knows the unvarnished truth in all things and will sit in final Judgment ANY time His loving gift of human life is befouled in the manner that tiny Caylee Anthony was. You paint us all with an egotistical, sweeping brush of condemnation by sarcastically referring to us a "jackals", "idiots" "mindless", "geniuses" etc. - and that, too, is your right under the Constitution we live by. However, you lied by proxy when you stood behind Mr. Baez's Opening Argument accusations that Caylee accidentally drowned on June 16, 2008... and then admitted, post-trial, that we may never know what happened to this precious child. A young man paid a handsome price in terms of liberty and monetarily for a hand gesture that you, in turn, wholly disgraced your profession and personal character by displaying in a public situation you KNEW would be photographically memorialized for the world - and more specifically those who feel Caylee was denied justice - to see. Rather than accept responsibility and/or concede your glee and sense of triumph at telling those who dare question your methods and motives to f--- off, you're deflecting responsibility with some nonsense about directing the gesture solely at a single individual who's been harassing your team and asking about your female member's menstrual cycles, etc. Were that the only individual you were gesturing to, why, may I ask, did you not take him to task under the laws and Constitution you so vociferously profess to admire, thereby sparing the feelings of those who genuinely mourn Caylee's death? You chastise us with an admonishment to "learn how to be good citizens"... perhaps you should lead by example. The span of time souls spend on this earth constitutes a mere blink of an eye when measured against the inevitable reality of Eternity. All of us, in the end, must answer to an Authority far superior to that of any declaration set forth on parchment, and I submit for your honest reflection one sincere inquiry: Is this particular "high point" in your career one God will deem to be as honorable as you purport? For if you attained it by championing horrendous, entirely unproven lies and seizing upon the misdirection and confusion to which they give rise, what does that truly say of the life you've led? Enjoy it as you will, Mr. Mason, wrapped in your self-righteous cloak of the United States Constitution... the same Constitution which, in infancy, deemed black people to be sub-human "property". But you and those responsible for this baby's death and/or other like atrocities, though your earthly lives may be long in years, materially rich, and well enjoyed, will soon enough stand naked before our Maker, your real and true motives exposed to his all-knowing eyes. Perhaps God will regard 'saving the life' of one by destroying those of others no more an honorable victory than the Death Penalty will ever be over evil. You will notice that I have NOT chosen to remain anonymous, Mr. Mason. I fear no mere man, regardless of his ill-gotten status, resources, and/or power, when it comes to speaking the truth. I sincerely wish the best of luck to you, your team, and those you've represented in this matter... for when I am called to stand before God's end of earthly life judgment, I would most certainly loathe to be in your shoes. |
| Within moments of the Casey Anthony murder case being handed over to the jury, the skies over Orlando, Florida darkened and a deluge issued forth from roiling, angry clouds. This morning, July 7, 2011, on the heels of a Not Guilty verdict on all counts related to Caylee Anthony's homicide and the additional shock that Casey Anthony will go free on July 17th, a Sunday, we learn that beautiful a pine tree located where Caylee's remains were at long last found was struck by a bolt of lightning yesterday ~ and yet will live on. God is healing our troubled hearts with His promise of inescapable, final judgement and justice... for Caylee and for all of our Unforgotten Angels. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| People ask me how I can believe so completely in a God who would allow what has befallen baby angel Caylee Anthony to go unpunished. Actually, it is at times like this that my faith in God is strongest and brings me the most resolution, comfort, and finally... peace. Caylee has been denied justice only at the hands of man... and even if the responsible party goes unpunished here on earth, the soul's time here represents but the blink of an eye when measured against the the inevitable, unforgiving standard of eternity. Caylee is at peace, even if our hearts are not. God will see that TRUE justice is served in her dear name ~ and that of every other of His tiny angels given in the purest love... and callously thrown away for naught but evil's sake. Frolic with the angels, little Caylee ~ forever free of any more pain at mankind's hands and forever safe in God's loving arms. And please, if you will ~ pray for we who so keenly mourn your loss. |
| Osama Bin Laden is dead. Most will say this makes the world safer... but does it? Until we take stock of ourselves as a collective global society and get real about what we've made of the world... does it really make us any safer at all? |
| I turned 60 years young yesterday... how about that, Sports fans? My birthday gifts included the moon being so huge and bright last night, moreso than for many decades past and many to come, and two Reviews showing up in my mailbox for the poem below. Both reviews were very kind; both rendered by Reviewers who enthusiastically and deeply immersed themselves in the poem... and found therein the meaning I meant it to hold. There is no greater gift to a poetess than this, and I most sincerely thank them for it... particularly because this piece is so much my essence - who I am and who I'll always be. "Emergence" What is lost is also gained ~ when love is wounded, it slumbers as hope.: Are you the one who'll look inside and find the heart of me? Tame gale force winds and raging tides to set my spirit free? Wander chambers in my heart no man before has seen? Come to me in shadows dark and still my silent scream? Have you the courage to command what lesser men have fashioned ~ betrayal suffered at their hand and boiling, unspent passion? The strength to weather out the storm that courses through my veins? A force of steel of fire born for which there are no reigns? For once its fury is unleashed, the very stars above shall quake before the power released and witness perfect love. Its thunder true and lightning hot, this storm that is my soul, are you the man who'll flee it not and take complete control? Throughout my days I have been told that somehow I have failed by seeking not a kindred soul while keeping my heart veiled. But sojourning alone through strife and facing fear and pain taught that to mislead in life results in little gain. If who we seek is who we'll love and ask it in return, how can our lovers rise above what we've not let them learn? Why must the masquerade go on, and those who will not play, be scorned by those who pretense don whose lovers never stay? Though masking who we really are draws moths unto our light, deceit the greatest love can mar and slay with heartless might. And so to you I shall reveal my strengths, my faults ~ myself; from your trust I shall not steal, for faith's the greatest wealth. I stand before you without shame, my eyes inviting yours to look upon this soul untamed and free for evermore. And if therein you've eyes to see the gift it does possess, perhaps it's you who'll find in me your every happiness. Perhaps it's you who'll enter rooms with doors locked long ago, inside a heart with many wounds, left to bleed and slow. Yet one that healed and still beats true and yearns for just one man whose strength and wisdom guide him to my heart and who I am. A man who has no fear of truth, nor wants my spirit stilled, who finds in me eternal youth; his every need fulfilled. Who'll take my hand and speak at last the words for which I long, "Come to me, beside me stand, and be forever strong! In you I see the woven strands of strength and honesty, and take with joy into my hands the gift you offer me. My one, I love and do not fear the fire in your soul, I see, instead, as I draw near, that it has made you whole. The lioness roars and stands alone when her cubs are born, as do women when men roam and from them hearts are torn. But when the lion, strong and best, protects her and the pride, 'tis finally then that she may rest and stand true at his side. I can withstand the winds that shriek and weep at where you've been, before them I shall not grow weak, nor see you hurt again. In my embrace your captive soul shall stir and find release, and join with mine to be made whole and finally know sweet peace." 'Twill be this man who'll penetrate secluded, thorny walls, and venture past the hidden gate that guards a woman's all. Discovering there a fetal spirit deep in my heart's womb… waking it from poisoned sleep to grow and find its bloom. To in our union be reborn and feel his life force surge, from the depths of sorrow torn; at last helped to emerge, into the safe, unerring light of his abiding care, freed from pain and endless night and ever cherished there. |
| Well, 'tis the morning of surgery on my spine (approximately 3:30 AM here in Midland, Texas) - and I have to be at the hospital at 5:00 AM, so since I've not been able to sleep and needed something to occupy my mind, here I bees! I sure hope this surgery is successful, as severe and unrelenting sciatica wields sufficient power, I've discovered, to reduce even the most obstinate and strong willed of Irish lasses to floor pacing, wall climbing, babbling moron status in mighty quick order. I have a game plan to insure that the surgeon does a bang up job on my mainframe, though... before they anesthetize me I'm going to reach over from the operating table, gently take ahold of his family jewels, look him dead in the eye, and say, "we aren't going to hurt each other, are we?" One very positive event has already come of the situation, I must say. Because nicotine is poisonous to newly forming bone, I had to quit smoking ASAP. The Doctor put me on Chantix, which adheres to the nicotine receptors in the brain, and I took it a step further and got myself a Greensmoke brand electronic cigarette starter kit with zero nicotine cartridges. Research on the internet indicated that Greensmoke is the overall best brand for adequate vapor and taste, and I concur now that I've tested it for myself. Between the medication and the e-cig, I'm having a relatively easy time quitting. Yay! Well, it's about time for me to mount up for Odessa. Thank you all for the wonderful wishes and prayers! I'll be thinking of ya! |
| ...so there I was, pushing 60, minding my own bizness and ka-poopilatin' along just fine on the 'Independent, Self-Sufficient Woman Able to Leap Tall Builidings in a Single Bound' front, when life had the audacity to kick me right in the bum... literally, it would seem. In October I took a nasty fall at work, and knew on impact that my spine had taken a bad hit due to the pain, tingling, and momentary numbness that shot through my lower back and left leg. It flashed through my mind just after I kissed the carpet that I might be in big trouble, paralysis-wise, due to the burning, tingly/numb aspect of the shooting pain, but these scary symptoms passed within a few moments, replaced by good old fashioned pain sans the neurological red flags. I finished my shift and worked the following day, but the pain was unrelenting and I missed three days' work thereafter. Assuming that the healing process would take quite some time, I returned to work, but by the time Christmas rolled around this year, there was no denying that something was terribly amiss. A nasty little medical symptom known as sciatica and I had become intimately acquainted with one another and the big S was definitely in the lead. Fear of what may be causing the sciatica, the fact that the lower back, hip, entire leg, and even the surface of the foot were impacted, and the pain worsening to the point of incapacitation drove me to my regular physician, who promptly referred me to an Orthopedist, who, after spinal X-Rays and a spinal MRI, referred me post haste to a spinal surgeon without passing "go" or collectiing the proverbial $200. Seems my 4th lumbar vertebra slid forward anteriorly and out of alignment with it's buddy below, Lumbar Vertebra 5, which in turn caused the spine to become significantly misaligned and the cartilaginous discs separating several vertebrae in the spinal column to herniate. This, in turn, compressed spinal nerve roots in that region, which is now manifesting as sciatic nerve pain that's two clicks short of excrutiating. It's affecting every aspect of life - ambulating, sitting, lying down and most of all... sleep. The diagnosis is two profoundly bulging lumbar discs, a third disc that has been compromised, and spinal misalignment with retinopathy (spinal nerve degeneration/pain). As of ysterday, the counter attack has been decided upon: open spinal decompression, laminectomy(ies) of the affected discs, and surgical fusion of lumbar vertebrae 3-5 with placement of pedicle screws (pedicles being the longer bony structures that protrude from the back of each vertebra). Not my idea of a great way to spend the coming 6 to 12 months, but there you have it. I'm going to surgery on Jan. 25. They will go in through my back with a 5-6 inch incision, but I'll also have an incision to my hip where they'll harvest bone to be utilized for the spinal fusion. You're fitted for a back brace the day of surgery, and driving a car (or even being a passenger in one for more than 20-30 minutes) will be disallowed for at least a month, as will be lifting more than ten pounds, sitting for more than 15 minutes, twisting and bending. These restrictions will have serious impact on my lifestyle in general... and so much for my reknown celebrity status on the disco circuit. All of this has taught me much, not the least of which is just how heavily we unconsciously rely upon our backs and spines in every imaginable aspect of daily living, including even slumber. Thanks to my upbringing, I've always practised sound back health measures - and am now profoundly grateful for having done so. It won't be fun, but life is never guaranteed to be thus on a full time basis. And God and all His angels know a countless number of my fellow human beings face just as much and considerably more travails in this world every single day. I've decided to utilize Writing.com and this blog as one form of pre- and post-surgical therapy, and think I'll kick off the festivities by calling a few of my old WDC pals in real time. So...I'm ready for the fight. Bring it on. |
I have a new fur baby in the family! She is an absolutely captivating, exquisitely beautiful little creature, four years of age, who tips the scales at 6.5 pounds soaking wet. She is a long-haired chihuahua and right now has what they call a lion cut, which means her body hair is about half an inch long, but her "mane" hair is left long (about 4 inches) and forms a ruff encircling her cheeks, chin, and little neck. Her tail is also long and plumed. She's flame color, which means her fur emerges a cinnamon red color, then as it lengthens retains the darker shades at the base of the coat as the color begins morphing about an inch and a half out from her body to flame orange, lightening progressively beyond that point to a pale orange at the distal tips of the fur. She actually looks like burning flames on four little feet . She also has the russet brown eyes you occasionally see in some doggies, and all in all she looks just like a tiny little fox. I'm calling her Ginger.What makes her so consummately precious is not just her sweet temperament, desire to spend hours curled in your lap being petted, adoration of belly rubs, sweetness toward all other fur babies she encounters, and her dear little spirit in general is that Ginger, believe it or not, is an emergency rescue doggie. A co-worker of mine who rescues abused/neglected fur babies approached me and told me Ginger's story... and just contemplating it makes my blood boil. It seems some guy bought Ginger as a gift for his girlfriend, but as time passed their relationship began eroding and resulting arguments began including episodes of physical abuse. My co-worker told me that at some point the boyfriend realized he could inflict more pain on the woman by hurting her beloved little dog... at which time he beat a less than 7 pound, helpless little animal with sufficient force to break her nose and several ribs. And apparently, this was simply the most brutal of what turned out to be several attacks on the hapless little pup. My co-worker explained that she simply informed her girlfriend that if she insisted on being stupid enough in the name of "love" to get her butt kicked on a regular basis, that was her choice and no further amount of begging a cajoling was going to change it until the girl wises up. BUT, my co-worker told her, she was not going to stand by and watch Ginger, who had no voice and could not chose to stay or go, suffer one moment longer. And with that, my co-worker physically picked up the doggie and took her home with her. It took many months for Ginger to physically heal, and to this day she has slightly bumped, misaligned nose due to the fracture. It took nearly a year after that for Ginger to no longer reflexively flinch when someone picked her up or reached toward her to pet her. Even now, as you look deep into her eyes, you can see that she's witnessed and experienced horrible things in her short life. But the beauty of Ginger - and of animals in general - is that in those eyes I also see forgiveness, willingness to trust again, hope... and an abiding wellspring of unconditional love. Man arrogantly and with supreme confidence has long declared himself the superior species. In that regard, you should pardon my French, man is full of shit. |
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