I have written often of my love for what this Country used to be. It was not just nostalgia. I recognize the flaws and loved things in spite of them, Or it maybe because of them, things get confusing. I always have hoped for a return to the best parts of those days. But, alas, that is not to be. I will still live , as much as possible, by my own values, but, as Jesus said, render unto Cesar that which is Cesar's. So, I will have to make accommodations.
We now are a Socialist nation. Like it or not, get over it. This has been evolving since Eisenhower's warnings about the military-industrial complex grabbing power. Things slowly tightened and now it is full bore/ Pay no attention to Trump's rhetoric. He is the shill for big business (look at the huge corporate tax breaks). We are getting more, not less involved in foreign relations that are not our business. And, instead of solving problems, we are treated to daily rantings about the FBI and Justice Dept. and constant badgering about illegal aliens and 'fake news." Problems? Yes but nothing compared to affordable medical care and housing. Oh, by the way, inflation is ramping up. I almost bought the act for a while, but no more.. We are also treated to a display of frequent medals being given to soldiers and policemen. They may be deserving, but what used to be rare is now a frequent display. These quasi-military shows have always been popular propaganda tools. All the big 20th Century dictators loved them.
Most telling was Trump;s tweet a couple of days ago. He called the press 'the enemy of the people. That is a line straight out of 1984. We are in a rising corporate-military government- led Socialism Back in the day, that was the government of Nazi Germany.
Our alternative seems to be the kind of Populist Socialism of Bernie Sanders. God only knows what that would be like.
I know I promised no more politics, but today brought a small run in with Government ineptness. It is all resolved now, but it seems that we will no longer be able to escape the hands of our loving and concerned Federal Government. The States, where I had placed political hope, are either broke, confused and overwhelmed, or simply as incompetent as Washington.
So, for a spell, perhaps a long one, don't even bother trying to fight the monster that is the Federal Government. Stay out of its way when possible. Take advantage of what it gives if it is to your advantage. Stay true to your principals, but try to avoid jail or worse. Again, live the way you want without rubbing their noses in it. All that means walking a fairly thin tight rope, so stay balanced. Do not be foolish. Don Quixote did not win one of his battles against those windmills.
I was going to write about the glories of Autumn today. That will come Monday. I had to get this off my mind. Have a fine Labor Day weekend..
And remember, Big Brother loves you. And those of you who have read Orwell's frighteningly realistic novel, 1984 (read it before the Powers that Be finally ban it and burn all the copies - read it and pass it on) will understand what I mean by 2 + 2 = 5.
God Bless all of you and may God help us all..
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." from Walt Kelly's wonderful, and no longer existent, comic strip, Pogo.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Quo Vadis
It is written, in a Polish novel of the same name (based on a Catholic tradition) that, when Peter was leaving Rome, to avoid martyrdom, he saw Jesus walking toward Rome and asked quo vadis, Dominae, where are you going, Lord. Jesus responded that if Peter was going to desert His people to save his life, then he, Jesus, would gave to go. Peter turned back to Rome and his death.
Now, in this age, which is growing rapidly weirder, we all must ask ourselves, where are we going? Are you so concerned with your own life that you sell your soul to the highest bidder? Do you keep quiet in the face of lunacy, lunacy that is destroying your family, friends, neighbors and, perhaps the ability of the Earth to sustain life? When do you and I stand up and say 'no more'. Trust me, your life is not yours. It belongs to your Creator and, one day, it will be over. Will you be able to look back and say, 'I did well?. I did what was right.'
Now, fortunately, we don't crucify anymore, but, if you speak up against the insanity of the present, if you act non judgmentally, with forgiveness and a willingness to help one and all in their time of need, you will suffer, economically and socially. Look around the World at the way Christians, Jews, and moderate Muslims are treated. To speak of God and proper ethics, in America is to risk the ever increasing wrath of the left wing politicos. Even among the Peoples of the Book, to question the political and social minutia of each sect can bring scorn and abuse.
People of belief must stand up against legitimate social inequity and persecution.The Government will on;y do that when it gets them points in the polls.
Follow the original Commandment and be stewards of the Earth. Practice the teaching of the Rabbi Hillel and do not do to others what you would not want done to you Practice the forgiveness of Jesus and heed the call to prayer and charity taught by Mohammed.
Or run from your duty and, in the end, don't be surprised of you are asked quo vadis. Where are you going?
Now, in this age, which is growing rapidly weirder, we all must ask ourselves, where are we going? Are you so concerned with your own life that you sell your soul to the highest bidder? Do you keep quiet in the face of lunacy, lunacy that is destroying your family, friends, neighbors and, perhaps the ability of the Earth to sustain life? When do you and I stand up and say 'no more'. Trust me, your life is not yours. It belongs to your Creator and, one day, it will be over. Will you be able to look back and say, 'I did well?. I did what was right.'
Now, fortunately, we don't crucify anymore, but, if you speak up against the insanity of the present, if you act non judgmentally, with forgiveness and a willingness to help one and all in their time of need, you will suffer, economically and socially. Look around the World at the way Christians, Jews, and moderate Muslims are treated. To speak of God and proper ethics, in America is to risk the ever increasing wrath of the left wing politicos. Even among the Peoples of the Book, to question the political and social minutia of each sect can bring scorn and abuse.
People of belief must stand up against legitimate social inequity and persecution.The Government will on;y do that when it gets them points in the polls.
Follow the original Commandment and be stewards of the Earth. Practice the teaching of the Rabbi Hillel and do not do to others what you would not want done to you Practice the forgiveness of Jesus and heed the call to prayer and charity taught by Mohammed.
Or run from your duty and, in the end, don't be surprised of you are asked quo vadis. Where are you going?
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Truth
Pilate asked Jesus, "what is truth?" Few bother to mention that Jesus did not answer.
Truth is a slippery idea. There are some basic things.. I can say that it is not raining right here and right now. That is true.
But, truth depends on the ability to gather facts and that can be woefully difficult. Words are misunderstood. Meanings often depend on context and that is hard to convey to third parties. Also, People lie. Often. So when you ask someone the truth, do not count on getting it. Even if the person thinks they are telling the truth, their truth may be based on lies.
Probably the best thing to do is gather a lot of statements and try to sort out the facts. Better still, take everything with a grain of salt until you see how the situation plays out.
I watch a little news, very little, and I have to laugh at all of the pundits getting on and stating, quite clearly and strongly, that the other side is lying. Then, the other side says the same thing. Believe none of the,.
As usual, the truth lies somewhere in the midst of all the lies.
The absolute best thing to do is do not pay much attention to any of it. Instead, relax, have some fun, so your work and enjoy your day. May you and yours be Blessed on this fine day.
Truth is a slippery idea. There are some basic things.. I can say that it is not raining right here and right now. That is true.
But, truth depends on the ability to gather facts and that can be woefully difficult. Words are misunderstood. Meanings often depend on context and that is hard to convey to third parties. Also, People lie. Often. So when you ask someone the truth, do not count on getting it. Even if the person thinks they are telling the truth, their truth may be based on lies.
Probably the best thing to do is gather a lot of statements and try to sort out the facts. Better still, take everything with a grain of salt until you see how the situation plays out.
I watch a little news, very little, and I have to laugh at all of the pundits getting on and stating, quite clearly and strongly, that the other side is lying. Then, the other side says the same thing. Believe none of the,.
As usual, the truth lies somewhere in the midst of all the lies.
The absolute best thing to do is do not pay much attention to any of it. Instead, relax, have some fun, so your work and enjoy your day. May you and yours be Blessed on this fine day.
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
The Tiger and the President
There is much angst in the media over Tiger Woods urging respect for the Office of the President. I cannot quite wrap my head around that. Why does any one care.
This will not be a political post. Quite honestly, I have no more interest in the antics of the current administration than I do in the antics of the entertainment industry. In other words none. Actually, the more I see of current politics, the less difference I see between the two. We are witnessing a dog and pony show on a grand scale. Dangerous, yes, but just a show.
Why the concern about Tiger Wood's remarks? On ESPN< there was wailing and gnashing of teerh and, of course, on Fox, there was return fire, I imagine the same went on at CNN , MSNBC and CNBC, but I can only watch a little bit of news these days.
Tiger Woods is a great gofer. The Greatest ever? No. He came along when he had little competition. Woods competed against Els, Singh and Mickelson. All fine players, but Nicklaus went against Palmer, Casper, Miller, Player, Trevino. Watson, Wiesskoff. See the difference.
His prowess aside, his political and social opinions are just that. His. Ask yourself this. In what way is he more qualified than you to make such judgments. He has lived an insular life, largely isolated from the rest of us when off the course. He studied Communication at Stanford, before quitting school. He is a fine golfer. That is about it.
Those opinions and perceptions, off the golf course, are no more valid than yours. Possibly less so, because he lives in a much different climate than we do. That is fine. It is his life, But, we mist stop devoting all this time and energy to the musings of celebrities. You, your friends and family and co-workers are the ones who count.
This will not be a political post. Quite honestly, I have no more interest in the antics of the current administration than I do in the antics of the entertainment industry. In other words none. Actually, the more I see of current politics, the less difference I see between the two. We are witnessing a dog and pony show on a grand scale. Dangerous, yes, but just a show.
Why the concern about Tiger Wood's remarks? On ESPN< there was wailing and gnashing of teerh and, of course, on Fox, there was return fire, I imagine the same went on at CNN , MSNBC and CNBC, but I can only watch a little bit of news these days.
Tiger Woods is a great gofer. The Greatest ever? No. He came along when he had little competition. Woods competed against Els, Singh and Mickelson. All fine players, but Nicklaus went against Palmer, Casper, Miller, Player, Trevino. Watson, Wiesskoff. See the difference.
His prowess aside, his political and social opinions are just that. His. Ask yourself this. In what way is he more qualified than you to make such judgments. He has lived an insular life, largely isolated from the rest of us when off the course. He studied Communication at Stanford, before quitting school. He is a fine golfer. That is about it.
Those opinions and perceptions, off the golf course, are no more valid than yours. Possibly less so, because he lives in a much different climate than we do. That is fine. It is his life, But, we mist stop devoting all this time and energy to the musings of celebrities. You, your friends and family and co-workers are the ones who count.
Monday, August 27, 2018
Neighborhoods?
I grew up in an actual neighborhood. Families knew each other. Maybe they were not best pals, but they knew each other and there was a stability. There was a comfort level and, the neighborhood served as a gateway to the rest of the town. We passed from it each day and returned each evening, for years. Believe it or not, it was far from boring,
Now, neighborhoods are almost as transient as city businesses. Houses are bought, sold and rented frequently and folks do not settle there. They are almost temporary dwellings. Neighbors barely know each other and, instead of being pathways in and out of the community at large, they are often isolated subdivisions, cut off by walls, gates and security guards. In the cities themselves, things are becoming nightmarish. The local news this morning started with kids being shot while in their own homes by stray bullets. People do not really know their neighbors because they are scared to death of them.
Sorry, I did not mean to go off like that, but I have a point. I live in the Metro Atlanta area. Last year, we had an influx of 70000 people and in Gwinnett County (part of Metro Atlanta and where I live) we gained 17000. This area cannot take this many people, this fast. The consensus among locals is that those numbers are way low.
As a result, housing is rapidly becoming a serious, almost critical issue. If you are apartment hunting, good luck finding anything affordable and if you do, there likely will be no availability. We have talked to apartments with 2 year waiting lists. Houses, that are anything more than shacks, are vastly overpriced. Yet, folks keep coming. As a result, even the extended stay hotels are filled to capacity.
Why are people coming here? Beats me. The weather is average, the job market is not too great and restaurants are overpriced in the extreme. There are a lot of sports and cultural events, but they are costly and useless if you do not have a home. Traffic is horrible. I have spent 3 hours traveling 3 miles and that was 5 years ago. It is far worse now.
People coming here are like lemmings rushing to the cliffs only to fall in the sea. They have no idea why they are doing it, but they are in a hurry to get there. By the way, S.E. Georgia is worse.
I am leaving here as soon as I can. Someone is welcome to my spot. but I wpuld advise against it.
Now, neighborhoods are almost as transient as city businesses. Houses are bought, sold and rented frequently and folks do not settle there. They are almost temporary dwellings. Neighbors barely know each other and, instead of being pathways in and out of the community at large, they are often isolated subdivisions, cut off by walls, gates and security guards. In the cities themselves, things are becoming nightmarish. The local news this morning started with kids being shot while in their own homes by stray bullets. People do not really know their neighbors because they are scared to death of them.
Sorry, I did not mean to go off like that, but I have a point. I live in the Metro Atlanta area. Last year, we had an influx of 70000 people and in Gwinnett County (part of Metro Atlanta and where I live) we gained 17000. This area cannot take this many people, this fast. The consensus among locals is that those numbers are way low.
As a result, housing is rapidly becoming a serious, almost critical issue. If you are apartment hunting, good luck finding anything affordable and if you do, there likely will be no availability. We have talked to apartments with 2 year waiting lists. Houses, that are anything more than shacks, are vastly overpriced. Yet, folks keep coming. As a result, even the extended stay hotels are filled to capacity.
Why are people coming here? Beats me. The weather is average, the job market is not too great and restaurants are overpriced in the extreme. There are a lot of sports and cultural events, but they are costly and useless if you do not have a home. Traffic is horrible. I have spent 3 hours traveling 3 miles and that was 5 years ago. It is far worse now.
People coming here are like lemmings rushing to the cliffs only to fall in the sea. They have no idea why they are doing it, but they are in a hurry to get there. By the way, S.E. Georgia is worse.
I am leaving here as soon as I can. Someone is welcome to my spot. but I wpuld advise against it.
Friday, August 24, 2018
We All Lose
What have we done to the Earth? What have we done to our fair sister. Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her, stick her with knives on the side of the dawn, tied her with fences and dragged her down. The Doors, When the Musics Over, from the album Strange Days
My Dad once made a profound observation. He said, "you know, the Native Americans (okay, he said Indians but it was a long time ago) had this land for 10000 years and it was a Paradise. We've had it for 400 and it's become a sewer. That says it all. We have decimated the environment and, now that the climate is changing, we have no where to run. We have painted ourselves into a corner and have no where to run. And, in the face of this, our President wants to bring back coal mining. Even China is trying to stop using coal. Of course, he is doing it to appeal to W. Virginia voters. I heard some one say that maybe, to woo New England voter, he should bring back whaling so we can use whale oil.This is insane.
WE all seem to be terminally thirst and carry around bottles of water. Plastic bottles. It has been determined that if you piled the all up, they would stretch from the Moon and back several times.The Oceans are choking form plastic. Dead oceans equal no life, anywhere. Did,'t any one ever hear of glasses and cups or getting a drink before you left a building.
Drive down any highway and look at the trash, again, most of it plastic.
Still, look closely and there is beauty. Life will not be denied. In the long run, we, the human race, may succeed in killing most, if not all, of ourselves. But, over long periods, life will go on and let's hope and pray that the next intelligent creatures that dominate this lovely Earth, will be wiser. God charged us with being stewards of the Earth and we have failed miserably. I';; ;eave you today with another song.
Look inside your lid this morning. See the things you did not quite consume. The Worlds a can for your fresh garbage. Spirit, Fresh Garbage, from the Mechanical World album
God Bless each of you. Have a wonderful weekend
My Dad once made a profound observation. He said, "you know, the Native Americans (okay, he said Indians but it was a long time ago) had this land for 10000 years and it was a Paradise. We've had it for 400 and it's become a sewer. That says it all. We have decimated the environment and, now that the climate is changing, we have no where to run. We have painted ourselves into a corner and have no where to run. And, in the face of this, our President wants to bring back coal mining. Even China is trying to stop using coal. Of course, he is doing it to appeal to W. Virginia voters. I heard some one say that maybe, to woo New England voter, he should bring back whaling so we can use whale oil.This is insane.
WE all seem to be terminally thirst and carry around bottles of water. Plastic bottles. It has been determined that if you piled the all up, they would stretch from the Moon and back several times.The Oceans are choking form plastic. Dead oceans equal no life, anywhere. Did,'t any one ever hear of glasses and cups or getting a drink before you left a building.
Drive down any highway and look at the trash, again, most of it plastic.
Still, look closely and there is beauty. Life will not be denied. In the long run, we, the human race, may succeed in killing most, if not all, of ourselves. But, over long periods, life will go on and let's hope and pray that the next intelligent creatures that dominate this lovely Earth, will be wiser. God charged us with being stewards of the Earth and we have failed miserably. I';; ;eave you today with another song.
Look inside your lid this morning. See the things you did not quite consume. The Worlds a can for your fresh garbage. Spirit, Fresh Garbage, from the Mechanical World album
God Bless each of you. Have a wonderful weekend
Thursday, August 23, 2018
If You Dance, You Have To Pay The Fiddler
Many years ago, when JFK was killed. Malcolm X said that it was just the chickens coming home to roost. We are seeing a similar thing in American culture now.
Many political leaders, over the last many years, have been found with nasty skeletons in their closet, including our current leader and some of our recent ones. Scandal is the order of the day. The entertainment industry is awash in sex scandals. Police forces have more than a few shady officers as does the FBI and the CIA and most any other combination f letters you can name. Churches are not exempt either.
I can guarantee one thing. What we hear is just the tip of a very dark ice burg, These people are very adept at hiding their improprieties and, being the shrewd folks they are, realize that some issues are going to get out. The minor incidents are slipped out and, while disturbing, draw attention away from more scandalous behavior,
Now, you may ask, what does that have to do with the average American? Plenty. We support these folks. We joke about misbehavior. If they line our pockets, we turn a deaf ear. We vote in politicians who we know are as crooked as a dog's hind leg.. We pay good money to attend entertainment events starring people with horrific personal habits. Worse, we often emulate these people/
Our Creator loves us. Why? I sometimes wonder, but therein lies Kierkegaard's existential problem. But, that aside, The Creator's mercy is tempered by justice. The New Testament scholar, James Dominick Croissan once wrote that justice without compassion in horrific, but compassion without justice is inane. We are forgiven our sins, but we have to pay a price. I know from personal experience that , while yes, I am forgiven, I have had to pat a price for my misbehavior. Hopefully, that debt is now almost redeemed. This is the way the Cosmos works. If that makes you unhappy, so be it.
Forgive. Certainly and always you must do that. Judge not, in the sense that you must not abandon anyone and must always be ready to help (also, only God knows enough about anyone to see the whole picture and cast an appropriate judgement). But, do not continue supporting bad behavior. And, especially, stop joining in.
If you dance you have to pay the fiddler and, if it is the devil doing the fiddling, you have to pay the devil's price. Trust me, that is a high price.
Many political leaders, over the last many years, have been found with nasty skeletons in their closet, including our current leader and some of our recent ones. Scandal is the order of the day. The entertainment industry is awash in sex scandals. Police forces have more than a few shady officers as does the FBI and the CIA and most any other combination f letters you can name. Churches are not exempt either.
I can guarantee one thing. What we hear is just the tip of a very dark ice burg, These people are very adept at hiding their improprieties and, being the shrewd folks they are, realize that some issues are going to get out. The minor incidents are slipped out and, while disturbing, draw attention away from more scandalous behavior,
Now, you may ask, what does that have to do with the average American? Plenty. We support these folks. We joke about misbehavior. If they line our pockets, we turn a deaf ear. We vote in politicians who we know are as crooked as a dog's hind leg.. We pay good money to attend entertainment events starring people with horrific personal habits. Worse, we often emulate these people/
Our Creator loves us. Why? I sometimes wonder, but therein lies Kierkegaard's existential problem. But, that aside, The Creator's mercy is tempered by justice. The New Testament scholar, James Dominick Croissan once wrote that justice without compassion in horrific, but compassion without justice is inane. We are forgiven our sins, but we have to pay a price. I know from personal experience that , while yes, I am forgiven, I have had to pat a price for my misbehavior. Hopefully, that debt is now almost redeemed. This is the way the Cosmos works. If that makes you unhappy, so be it.
Forgive. Certainly and always you must do that. Judge not, in the sense that you must not abandon anyone and must always be ready to help (also, only God knows enough about anyone to see the whole picture and cast an appropriate judgement). But, do not continue supporting bad behavior. And, especially, stop joining in.
If you dance you have to pay the fiddler and, if it is the devil doing the fiddling, you have to pay the devil's price. Trust me, that is a high price.
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Black Magick
Yesterday, in my discussion of political and social maneuvering, I mentioned black magick and I want to touch on that in more detail.
Magick, in the true sense of the term. means manipulating the fabric of reality, by applying will power. Science is magick, as is its step child, technology. In essence, if I am hungry and there is ham and cheese and bread in the fridge, and I get up and make a sandwich, that is magic.After all, I have to will myself to get up and assemble the food and, when I have finished, I have altered the reality of separate ingredients into a new reality of a lunch.
If I give that sandwich to another, that is white magick; it befits another. If I make it for myse;f, it is sort of neutral , in moral terms.
But, If I use that sandwich to coerce a hungry person into doing my bidding, that is black magick and it is pretty much the norm in our modern corporate world. Businesses dangle products we do not need, ie the absolute newest smart phone. If your old phone is working, you do not need to change, but the various companies, using the proven techniques of advertising will work diligently to convince you that your life will be wretched if you do not run out and buy immediately.. They benefit by getting your money. This is, by definition, black magick. Avoid it. But when you decide you need to and buy what will work for you.
Politicians have perfected this art, Both sides practice it and it is shameful. This is why I urge everyone to look deeply and find out what truth there is in what you are told and what is hidden. Remember; if there is something dominating the news, there is most likely a real agenda being covered. Note; The Nazi Party perfected this technique. That should show you the evil inherent in these systems.
Watch your own behavior. All of us, here and there, try to use the efforts of other to our own ends and we all should stop it. Remember the Lord's Prayer. Jesus taught that we should say "Thy will be done." This reminds us to make sure that what we want and do, the magick we work, is in accord with the Creator's will. Give that a try and your life will go better. And, please do not let yourselves be come the victims of black magick. It is nothing supernatural, no hocus pocus, just planned and powerful manipulation and it is evil.
Magick, in the true sense of the term. means manipulating the fabric of reality, by applying will power. Science is magick, as is its step child, technology. In essence, if I am hungry and there is ham and cheese and bread in the fridge, and I get up and make a sandwich, that is magic.After all, I have to will myself to get up and assemble the food and, when I have finished, I have altered the reality of separate ingredients into a new reality of a lunch.
If I give that sandwich to another, that is white magick; it befits another. If I make it for myse;f, it is sort of neutral , in moral terms.
But, If I use that sandwich to coerce a hungry person into doing my bidding, that is black magick and it is pretty much the norm in our modern corporate world. Businesses dangle products we do not need, ie the absolute newest smart phone. If your old phone is working, you do not need to change, but the various companies, using the proven techniques of advertising will work diligently to convince you that your life will be wretched if you do not run out and buy immediately.. They benefit by getting your money. This is, by definition, black magick. Avoid it. But when you decide you need to and buy what will work for you.
Politicians have perfected this art, Both sides practice it and it is shameful. This is why I urge everyone to look deeply and find out what truth there is in what you are told and what is hidden. Remember; if there is something dominating the news, there is most likely a real agenda being covered. Note; The Nazi Party perfected this technique. That should show you the evil inherent in these systems.
Watch your own behavior. All of us, here and there, try to use the efforts of other to our own ends and we all should stop it. Remember the Lord's Prayer. Jesus taught that we should say "Thy will be done." This reminds us to make sure that what we want and do, the magick we work, is in accord with the Creator's will. Give that a try and your life will go better. And, please do not let yourselves be come the victims of black magick. It is nothing supernatural, no hocus pocus, just planned and powerful manipulation and it is evil.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Keep Your Eye on the Prize
Today's news leads off with the deportation of a 95 year old ex-Nazi prison guard. Okay. He was, by all accounts, a despicable man, at least 70 years ago, and I'm not at all sorry to see him go. But, in the whole World, is this really the most important thing going on?
California has been burned to ashes and, if they ever get rain again, which is becoming another issue, the mud slides will be frightful. Around the World, the Ring of Fire seems to be growing more and more active. I am quite sure that no one really wants to look at the potential for more and stronger volcano eruption, earthquakes and tsunamis, but it may be a good idea to start thinking about emergency management strategies/ Iran is testing long range missiles. Russia has launched a satellute that can, potentially be used as a weapons platform/ Missouri, the geart of America's farmland is going through a catastrophic drought. And so on.
I am not about to start ranting about theses issues. I want to point out the power of misdirection. WE humans are easily distracted. This is the essence of stage magic. The President goes on, at great length , in praise of fallen cops and soldiers. Fine, I feel horrible when folks are senselessly killed, but, when the talk goes on and on, something else is going on. Likewise, when a celebrity death is the lead story. Sane when trials and investigation concerning small time crimes stemming from political maneuvering dominate the news for days and months for years.
I am not saying that we are being lied to. There is truth in all of these headline stories. The whole thing is far more subtle. Our attention is being directed away from the important to the trivial. Why?
One, someone, or some group of someones, is up to no good and hope to get their way before we notice. Or, something is about to happen and it is being kept from us because, if it is revealed, panic will ensue. Or both. There is thought, and some evidence, that certain elite folks want to grab all they can before all hell breaks loose, then flee the scene with all the goodies. Is that true? Maybe. Either that ot we are all considered idiot children who cannot handle the truth.
Stage magic is a close cousin to occult magick, of the Crowlean sort. Both types work by mind manipulation. Stage magic is harmless fin. The other sort is neither. When people are attempting to manipulate your attention and, in essence, control your thought, that is, by definition, black magick. We must fight such action if we are to keep our lives and our souls
Fight it by always looking for what is being stressed by the media and by politicians and corporations. In fact, those are now the 3 branches of our Government. Always look deeply and always remember what really counts, life, family, friends, God. In other words, keep your eyes ob the prize.
California has been burned to ashes and, if they ever get rain again, which is becoming another issue, the mud slides will be frightful. Around the World, the Ring of Fire seems to be growing more and more active. I am quite sure that no one really wants to look at the potential for more and stronger volcano eruption, earthquakes and tsunamis, but it may be a good idea to start thinking about emergency management strategies/ Iran is testing long range missiles. Russia has launched a satellute that can, potentially be used as a weapons platform/ Missouri, the geart of America's farmland is going through a catastrophic drought. And so on.
I am not about to start ranting about theses issues. I want to point out the power of misdirection. WE humans are easily distracted. This is the essence of stage magic. The President goes on, at great length , in praise of fallen cops and soldiers. Fine, I feel horrible when folks are senselessly killed, but, when the talk goes on and on, something else is going on. Likewise, when a celebrity death is the lead story. Sane when trials and investigation concerning small time crimes stemming from political maneuvering dominate the news for days and months for years.
I am not saying that we are being lied to. There is truth in all of these headline stories. The whole thing is far more subtle. Our attention is being directed away from the important to the trivial. Why?
One, someone, or some group of someones, is up to no good and hope to get their way before we notice. Or, something is about to happen and it is being kept from us because, if it is revealed, panic will ensue. Or both. There is thought, and some evidence, that certain elite folks want to grab all they can before all hell breaks loose, then flee the scene with all the goodies. Is that true? Maybe. Either that ot we are all considered idiot children who cannot handle the truth.
Stage magic is a close cousin to occult magick, of the Crowlean sort. Both types work by mind manipulation. Stage magic is harmless fin. The other sort is neither. When people are attempting to manipulate your attention and, in essence, control your thought, that is, by definition, black magick. We must fight such action if we are to keep our lives and our souls
Fight it by always looking for what is being stressed by the media and by politicians and corporations. In fact, those are now the 3 branches of our Government. Always look deeply and always remember what really counts, life, family, friends, God. In other words, keep your eyes ob the prize.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Time Was
I like the word 'anachronism. It basically means something in the wrong time. If I use the word 'gay' to mean happy, I have used it in an anachronistic manner.
I consider myself an anachronism. I really do not for in the current time frame. That's okay. I kind of like things that way because I really do not like the current culture.
I enjoy most modern conveniences. I love my computer, although I am no big fan of the internet. I like cars and CDs and air conditioners and many of our gadgets because they do make life easier and ,ore pleasant I like having a lot of sports, especially golf, on TV. I am less fond of cell phones, but they are handy.
I dislike what I see people` becoming. I see whuny, self centered and willfullu ignorant people un abundance. I hear people complaining about hard work who have never. in their entire loves, done a tiny biy of real work.
What passes for music is nothing more than electronic noise and/or singers whining about ;lost loves when they have no idea what real love is. There is a tendency to confuse sexial encounters with real in intimacy.
TV is so mediocre that they are now bringing back old shows. Do we really need another Magnum PI or the return of Murphy Brown. Movies seem to be simply a vehicle for displaying the latest effects technology or some sort of occult coded drivel.
Just talking to people has become tiresome. It seems that everything is said in sound bites and get to the point is the order of the day . The days of leisurely chatting and story telling are but a fond memory.
I could go on, but why should I? Either you get the point or you don't. The funny thing is, I am not depressed about any of this. I was, but I have come to realize that such a reaction is pointless. I enjoy ny days and m y life as I see fit and others can do as they please.
So, I proudly declare that I am an anachronism Remember this though; things are often cyclical and, one day, hopefully sooner rather that later, things will swing back to a day when humanity, good sense and good taste make a comeback.
Now, a brief commercial. Today, and for the next 7 days, 2 of my ebooks, Stress Free Cooking and To the Mockingbird's Trill will be on sale, at greatly reduce price on Kindle in the US. The Agent and The one will be on sale in the UK. See mu My Books page for descriptions. Thank you and God Bless each of you.
I consider myself an anachronism. I really do not for in the current time frame. That's okay. I kind of like things that way because I really do not like the current culture.
I enjoy most modern conveniences. I love my computer, although I am no big fan of the internet. I like cars and CDs and air conditioners and many of our gadgets because they do make life easier and ,ore pleasant I like having a lot of sports, especially golf, on TV. I am less fond of cell phones, but they are handy.
I dislike what I see people` becoming. I see whuny, self centered and willfullu ignorant people un abundance. I hear people complaining about hard work who have never. in their entire loves, done a tiny biy of real work.
What passes for music is nothing more than electronic noise and/or singers whining about ;lost loves when they have no idea what real love is. There is a tendency to confuse sexial encounters with real in intimacy.
TV is so mediocre that they are now bringing back old shows. Do we really need another Magnum PI or the return of Murphy Brown. Movies seem to be simply a vehicle for displaying the latest effects technology or some sort of occult coded drivel.
Just talking to people has become tiresome. It seems that everything is said in sound bites and get to the point is the order of the day . The days of leisurely chatting and story telling are but a fond memory.
I could go on, but why should I? Either you get the point or you don't. The funny thing is, I am not depressed about any of this. I was, but I have come to realize that such a reaction is pointless. I enjoy ny days and m y life as I see fit and others can do as they please.
So, I proudly declare that I am an anachronism Remember this though; things are often cyclical and, one day, hopefully sooner rather that later, things will swing back to a day when humanity, good sense and good taste make a comeback.
Now, a brief commercial. Today, and for the next 7 days, 2 of my ebooks, Stress Free Cooking and To the Mockingbird's Trill will be on sale, at greatly reduce price on Kindle in the US. The Agent and The one will be on sale in the UK. See mu My Books page for descriptions. Thank you and God Bless each of you.
Friday, August 17, 2018
A Celebration of Death
Aretha is dead. Well, she lived, by all accounts, a good life, and, ;like all of us, she is now gone on to a new adventure. She was massively talented. Her style of music was not my favorite, but there is no denying her talent.
But, as I'm sure you have guessed, is not what this post is about. I have long been fascinated, in a weird sort of way, by our cultures obsession with celebrity death. Every time a famous entertainer or sports star dies, we almost declare a National state of mourning, Albums, films, books, whatever they were noted for, start selling at a huge rate. The TV news networks covered the story all day and are back on it today. People who never knew these folks become almost distraught. Those who barely knew them crawl out of the woodwork to get their little bit of attention.
We have a morbid obsession with death and almost use these occasions to indulge in a sort of celebration of death. Certainly death is not to be feared, but I was taught that a passing was to be a quiet affair, noted and attended bu family and friends.
Why is it a sadder day when a celebrity dies than when someone's aunt or vest friend dies. I mourn the passing of loved ones, not folks I never met. If I liked their work, well I still have their works to enjoy. But, again and again we go through this absurd mourning of celebritie. We saw it with Ptince, Whitney Houston, Mohammad Ali and countless others.
Celebrate life, and. every day celebrate those you love. When someone dies, note their passing, then celebrate their life. Now, I', going to end this rambling post. Another Aretha song kust came on the news and I think I need to fet out among the living. Rest well Aretha. You deserve it. The rest of you, get out there and get busy.
But, as I'm sure you have guessed, is not what this post is about. I have long been fascinated, in a weird sort of way, by our cultures obsession with celebrity death. Every time a famous entertainer or sports star dies, we almost declare a National state of mourning, Albums, films, books, whatever they were noted for, start selling at a huge rate. The TV news networks covered the story all day and are back on it today. People who never knew these folks become almost distraught. Those who barely knew them crawl out of the woodwork to get their little bit of attention.
We have a morbid obsession with death and almost use these occasions to indulge in a sort of celebration of death. Certainly death is not to be feared, but I was taught that a passing was to be a quiet affair, noted and attended bu family and friends.
Why is it a sadder day when a celebrity dies than when someone's aunt or vest friend dies. I mourn the passing of loved ones, not folks I never met. If I liked their work, well I still have their works to enjoy. But, again and again we go through this absurd mourning of celebritie. We saw it with Ptince, Whitney Houston, Mohammad Ali and countless others.
Celebrate life, and. every day celebrate those you love. When someone dies, note their passing, then celebrate their life. Now, I', going to end this rambling post. Another Aretha song kust came on the news and I think I need to fet out among the living. Rest well Aretha. You deserve it. The rest of you, get out there and get busy.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Watch the Watchmen
You've got to rely on your body and mind to see the light from shade. 'When I was a Young Boy', Savoy Brown from the album Raw Sienna
If you gave never read Alan Moore's great graphic novel, The Watchmen, do so. If you don't have time, see the movie, it's pretty good.
Look around and you'll be amazed at how many folks want to run your life. Not just politicians. You can include educators, religious leaders, entertainers, therapists, doctors, sports figures, family members and countless more.
The thing you gave to ask yourself is, how great is their life. I have known more than a few ministers who were absolute scoundrels.Psychiatrists have one of the highest rates of suicide in the Nation. I have known teachers who were abusive to their own kids. I could go on, bit you get the point.
I will listen to advice from almost anyone and make my pwn judgments as to how much of it I will heed. The problem comes when people try to push you into following them.
For example. The current Administration in the White House gas accomplished a fair amount. There is no doubt of that. But, the President himself continues to try and bully people into obeying him. There is no doubt of that either. I am not getting political here. I simply want to point something out. If you go to buy a car, you din't let the salesman push you to buy. Despite his business background, Donald Trump jeeps reverting to the bully. That may be needed when dealing with N. Korea, but not with your own people. Something is going on and we, the American people, are being pushed in some direction by people we really should not be trusting of. We are being conned.
How long will we buy into ha;f bakes and less than half explained ideas.
Again, it is not just politics. I hear ministers who spout drivel from the pulpit, when it is obvious that they have not seriously studied theology and no nothing of the history behind the Bible. I have heard teachers who are doing nothing but reading the textbooks to kids and, now, they just direct them to Wikipedia. I have seen that in an expensive private school.
Why do we keep taking life changing advice from cheap con men. All of ys need to gather information and experience and then, with God's help, figure out our own path.
If you gave never read Alan Moore's great graphic novel, The Watchmen, do so. If you don't have time, see the movie, it's pretty good.
Look around and you'll be amazed at how many folks want to run your life. Not just politicians. You can include educators, religious leaders, entertainers, therapists, doctors, sports figures, family members and countless more.
The thing you gave to ask yourself is, how great is their life. I have known more than a few ministers who were absolute scoundrels.Psychiatrists have one of the highest rates of suicide in the Nation. I have known teachers who were abusive to their own kids. I could go on, bit you get the point.
I will listen to advice from almost anyone and make my pwn judgments as to how much of it I will heed. The problem comes when people try to push you into following them.
For example. The current Administration in the White House gas accomplished a fair amount. There is no doubt of that. But, the President himself continues to try and bully people into obeying him. There is no doubt of that either. I am not getting political here. I simply want to point something out. If you go to buy a car, you din't let the salesman push you to buy. Despite his business background, Donald Trump jeeps reverting to the bully. That may be needed when dealing with N. Korea, but not with your own people. Something is going on and we, the American people, are being pushed in some direction by people we really should not be trusting of. We are being conned.
How long will we buy into ha;f bakes and less than half explained ideas.
Again, it is not just politics. I hear ministers who spout drivel from the pulpit, when it is obvious that they have not seriously studied theology and no nothing of the history behind the Bible. I have heard teachers who are doing nothing but reading the textbooks to kids and, now, they just direct them to Wikipedia. I have seen that in an expensive private school.
Why do we keep taking life changing advice from cheap con men. All of ys need to gather information and experience and then, with God's help, figure out our own path.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Man Does Not Live By Bread Alone
Nor does he live by blog posts.
I have never put ads on my blog because I find them annoying. That is an understatement, I actually find them loathsome and refuse to read them. I do not have a donate button. I dislike Pay Pal and I hate to beg.
But I do need money, fair;y badly. I just want to remind everyone that I have ebooks for sale in Kindle. There are several interesting and entertaining stories, non too long but all longer that short stories. The old word for them is novella but I don't know if that word is still used. There is also a basic cook book, informative and entertaining. All are very inexpensive.
So, I ask you to take a look. I would much rather sell you a god product at a fair price than aggravate you with ads or beg.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled program. Have a fine daand God Bless you all.
I almost forgot. You can find a list of my books and a short description of each on the My Books page on the left hand side of the blog.
I have never put ads on my blog because I find them annoying. That is an understatement, I actually find them loathsome and refuse to read them. I do not have a donate button. I dislike Pay Pal and I hate to beg.
But I do need money, fair;y badly. I just want to remind everyone that I have ebooks for sale in Kindle. There are several interesting and entertaining stories, non too long but all longer that short stories. The old word for them is novella but I don't know if that word is still used. There is also a basic cook book, informative and entertaining. All are very inexpensive.
So, I ask you to take a look. I would much rather sell you a god product at a fair price than aggravate you with ads or beg.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled program. Have a fine daand God Bless you all.
I almost forgot. You can find a list of my books and a short description of each on the My Books page on the left hand side of the blog.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Smile, Big Brother si Watching You
I am not going back on mu promise to never write about politics again, not really. This is more of a social observation. Right now, in America, I am struck by how unsocial people are. Time was, if you crossed paths with a stranger on the street, you exchanged greetings, a hello. maybe a how are you, at least a nod and a grunt. I still do this and of late, not many respond.
Folks seem to be sealed as tight as a champagne bottle and so shaken that the cork may pop at any moment. When it does, you have a mess. If you don't believe that, just watch the news and notice the amount of road rage attacks, domestic violence and random acts of mayhem that seem to have no cause at all.
There is talk, in tech circles that soon there will be devices that can scan your face and tell the police when you are ready to go off. Personally, I don't think that to be true but, I am often wrong (remember, I picked Martin Kaymer to win the Open and Bubba Watson to win the PGA and neither made the cut). If the device is ever made, things will change. Then people will walk around with huge grins, chatting cheerfully, just to keep the thought police off their back. It will be totally phony, but at least it will seem cheery.
The scary part is that many, many people will love the idea. Anything to stop crime will be the motto. Make no mistake, this will be a non partisan issue. There are deep fascists on the left and the right. Control freaks are not bound to ideology.
Any one who thinks that human behavior can and should be controlled in this or any other method, using predictive technology should really, really, really read Phillip K, Dick's story, Minority Report (forget the awful Tom Cruise film version). After that, if you still think such nonsense is a good idea, you better start practicing that smile
Folks seem to be sealed as tight as a champagne bottle and so shaken that the cork may pop at any moment. When it does, you have a mess. If you don't believe that, just watch the news and notice the amount of road rage attacks, domestic violence and random acts of mayhem that seem to have no cause at all.
There is talk, in tech circles that soon there will be devices that can scan your face and tell the police when you are ready to go off. Personally, I don't think that to be true but, I am often wrong (remember, I picked Martin Kaymer to win the Open and Bubba Watson to win the PGA and neither made the cut). If the device is ever made, things will change. Then people will walk around with huge grins, chatting cheerfully, just to keep the thought police off their back. It will be totally phony, but at least it will seem cheery.
The scary part is that many, many people will love the idea. Anything to stop crime will be the motto. Make no mistake, this will be a non partisan issue. There are deep fascists on the left and the right. Control freaks are not bound to ideology.
Any one who thinks that human behavior can and should be controlled in this or any other method, using predictive technology should really, really, really read Phillip K, Dick's story, Minority Report (forget the awful Tom Cruise film version). After that, if you still think such nonsense is a good idea, you better start practicing that smile
Monday, August 13, 2018
One of Those Dats
We all have them. Those days when nothing, not one thing goes as planned. We;;. I'm having one today. Got up late and promptly felt my knee swelling. It had not done that in about a year and it was not too bad, so I started walking to the grocery store. It buckled and almost collapsed 3 tomes
I mad it home, rested a whule and thought,'let's get busy.' My computer thought otherwise and it took about an hour to figure the issue. Now, it is working, but it seems I'm going to spend the afternoon cleaning up files. In addition, I seem to have forgotten how to type and an spending a huge amount of time correcting mistakes.
So, today, I have no words of wisdom, no keen insights into human behavior and no lovely descriptions of the Natural World I'm surrounded by.
On top of all that, the cold I thought was past is trying to make a return and it's about 180 degrees with a matching humidity.
On days like this, the only thing to do is as little as possible. A few basic tasks and some housekeeping on the computer and IO'm done.
When you gave days like this, just downshift and cruise. Tomorrow will be better.
I mad it home, rested a whule and thought,'let's get busy.' My computer thought otherwise and it took about an hour to figure the issue. Now, it is working, but it seems I'm going to spend the afternoon cleaning up files. In addition, I seem to have forgotten how to type and an spending a huge amount of time correcting mistakes.
So, today, I have no words of wisdom, no keen insights into human behavior and no lovely descriptions of the Natural World I'm surrounded by.
On top of all that, the cold I thought was past is trying to make a return and it's about 180 degrees with a matching humidity.
On days like this, the only thing to do is as little as possible. A few basic tasks and some housekeeping on the computer and IO'm done.
When you gave days like this, just downshift and cruise. Tomorrow will be better.
Friday, August 10, 2018
Enjoy What You Have
We all spend so much time looking ahead. That's fine, to a degree. But we often spend so much time thinking that everything will be fine, soon. When you get that raise, or find that new house, or the kids finally graduate. Those things can all be great, but, if you stay in that mind set, when the goodies come, you'll have thought of a new set if goodies and you'll be focused on them.
During those times, you are missing the good going on every day aall around you. Take sonething simple. like the weather.
Right now it's almost mid-August, Here in N. Georgia, it is fairly cool this morning, almost Fall like. The cool is a nice break from the heat and I can here folks saying, 'ah, great, this wretched heat is almost over. Winter will be here soon." True enough.
But, the heat will be back next week and for the next 2 months, it will swing form dry and pleasant to hot and humid. If you spend your days hoping for what is to come, you will miss out on the pleasures of letting that fine heat soothing your body and the wonderful symphony of the afternoon thunder storms. You will not fully enjoy the long afternoons when you can go ut and play after work,
The irony is that when Winter come, we will start looking for any sign of Spring.\
We humans, cannot stay in the moment all the time and there is nothing wrong with looking to the future. But, as often as you can, it is a fine idea to simply take stock of the moment, to relax and simply enjoy where you are and who you are with. Try it this weekend and have a wonderful and Blessed weekend.
During those times, you are missing the good going on every day aall around you. Take sonething simple. like the weather.
Right now it's almost mid-August, Here in N. Georgia, it is fairly cool this morning, almost Fall like. The cool is a nice break from the heat and I can here folks saying, 'ah, great, this wretched heat is almost over. Winter will be here soon." True enough.
But, the heat will be back next week and for the next 2 months, it will swing form dry and pleasant to hot and humid. If you spend your days hoping for what is to come, you will miss out on the pleasures of letting that fine heat soothing your body and the wonderful symphony of the afternoon thunder storms. You will not fully enjoy the long afternoons when you can go ut and play after work,
The irony is that when Winter come, we will start looking for any sign of Spring.\
We humans, cannot stay in the moment all the time and there is nothing wrong with looking to the future. But, as often as you can, it is a fine idea to simply take stock of the moment, to relax and simply enjoy where you are and who you are with. Try it this weekend and have a wonderful and Blessed weekend.
Thursday, August 9, 2018
2018 PGA Championship
Today starts the last major championship of this PGA season. Too much is made of the 4 majors, but they are usually fun to watch.
This year they are playing at Bel Rieve Country Club in St; Louis. The last time I saw a tournament played there was in the mid-60s. I remember the course as long. Today's players will likely play it like a pitch and putt course. The greens are very undulating and tricky. There are huge bunkers in play on every hole and water on most holes. Trees can be an issue and the rough will be high enough to be an issue.
However, there will be little wind and the fairways are wide. Recent dam weather will make them seem wider and the greens will be receptive.
In short, it will be a fair test. Unlike the USGA, the PGA has no problems with low scores. Last year, at Quail Hollow, they got carried away and had glass like freens and vrutal rough and that made for a fairly boring tournament. no one could risk anything around the green and it is not really entertaining to watch players just struggling to chop the ball out of rough, hoping to make the fairway. By all early repeat that this year.
In an earlier post, I said that Bubba Watson will win this tournament. After 3 wins this year, he has cooled off, but this is the kind of old style course he loves. so. I'm sticking with him. Of course, I picked Martin Kaymer to win the open, so you may not want to place a ton of money on Bubba just in my say so. Whoever wins, it should be fun to watch. Take a little tine this weekend, out your feet yo and enjot what should be an unteresting and exciting 4 rounds.
This year they are playing at Bel Rieve Country Club in St; Louis. The last time I saw a tournament played there was in the mid-60s. I remember the course as long. Today's players will likely play it like a pitch and putt course. The greens are very undulating and tricky. There are huge bunkers in play on every hole and water on most holes. Trees can be an issue and the rough will be high enough to be an issue.
However, there will be little wind and the fairways are wide. Recent dam weather will make them seem wider and the greens will be receptive.
In short, it will be a fair test. Unlike the USGA, the PGA has no problems with low scores. Last year, at Quail Hollow, they got carried away and had glass like freens and vrutal rough and that made for a fairly boring tournament. no one could risk anything around the green and it is not really entertaining to watch players just struggling to chop the ball out of rough, hoping to make the fairway. By all early repeat that this year.
In an earlier post, I said that Bubba Watson will win this tournament. After 3 wins this year, he has cooled off, but this is the kind of old style course he loves. so. I'm sticking with him. Of course, I picked Martin Kaymer to win the open, so you may not want to place a ton of money on Bubba just in my say so. Whoever wins, it should be fun to watch. Take a little tine this weekend, out your feet yo and enjot what should be an unteresting and exciting 4 rounds.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Hate
Hate seems so small, compared to it all, so why don't you choose joy? I have Seen the World, Pearls Before Swine, from the album Balaklava
Th band cited above is one of those 60s groups that never really caught on and is now mostly forgotten. That's a shame. They made beautiful music.
I start with the above quote because U want to touch on the subject of one of our deepest emotions. Din't deny it. Everyone has something, and more importantly, someone they hate. If love exists, hate must exist. That's just the way things work.
Hate is a nasty feeling. It makes you smaller, because there is nothing constructive you can do with it. True, you can use it as a motivator, but it motivates you to tear down. not build up. Love is constructive and can build both things of great worth and beauty and relationships that will last forever,
Hate is small. It often, more often than not, grows from some small slight. Like a splinter in your finger, it irritates, then burns, then festers and erupts. There have been wars, devastating wars that have been started by small slights. Families have been ripped apart by a moment's lapse in behavior. Harsh words are exchanged, tempers boil over and the whole thing spirals out of control, all due to a momentary lapse on behavior or a word misspoken. The unpleasant irony of the whole thing is that the moment of insult is over at the very moment it is voiced. People are fighting over an echo of a bad instant.
The person doing the hating is carrying around a heavy load. It becomes all consuming and they gain nothing from it. They just waste their precious time and consciousness.
You are human and you will experience anger and, here and there, flashes of hate. Nothing you can do about that. But, you can keepthose moments brief. Think before you speak, . Turn the other cheek. Jesus said that if you disagree with your neighbor, you should try to work things out and, if you cannot do that, just stay away from them. Let the flame die down and realize this: you can ruin countless lives by giving into what is a brief and most often a small, petty thing.
If you are forced to fight, in defense of yourself and/or others, get it over quickly and do as little damage as possible, then forgive the offender immediately. This is beneficial to all concerned.
Hate really is a small thing when viewed in the light of the vast beauty of the Universe. Joy is Universal. It's your choice.
Th band cited above is one of those 60s groups that never really caught on and is now mostly forgotten. That's a shame. They made beautiful music.
I start with the above quote because U want to touch on the subject of one of our deepest emotions. Din't deny it. Everyone has something, and more importantly, someone they hate. If love exists, hate must exist. That's just the way things work.
Hate is a nasty feeling. It makes you smaller, because there is nothing constructive you can do with it. True, you can use it as a motivator, but it motivates you to tear down. not build up. Love is constructive and can build both things of great worth and beauty and relationships that will last forever,
Hate is small. It often, more often than not, grows from some small slight. Like a splinter in your finger, it irritates, then burns, then festers and erupts. There have been wars, devastating wars that have been started by small slights. Families have been ripped apart by a moment's lapse in behavior. Harsh words are exchanged, tempers boil over and the whole thing spirals out of control, all due to a momentary lapse on behavior or a word misspoken. The unpleasant irony of the whole thing is that the moment of insult is over at the very moment it is voiced. People are fighting over an echo of a bad instant.
The person doing the hating is carrying around a heavy load. It becomes all consuming and they gain nothing from it. They just waste their precious time and consciousness.
You are human and you will experience anger and, here and there, flashes of hate. Nothing you can do about that. But, you can keepthose moments brief. Think before you speak, . Turn the other cheek. Jesus said that if you disagree with your neighbor, you should try to work things out and, if you cannot do that, just stay away from them. Let the flame die down and realize this: you can ruin countless lives by giving into what is a brief and most often a small, petty thing.
If you are forced to fight, in defense of yourself and/or others, get it over quickly and do as little damage as possible, then forgive the offender immediately. This is beneficial to all concerned.
Hate really is a small thing when viewed in the light of the vast beauty of the Universe. Joy is Universal. It's your choice.
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
Sometimes old sayings get old because they are true. How you see things determines what you think of them and what you think determines what you see. To a great degree, you determine the World you live in by your perceptual choices.
Wow, that was fancy for this early so let me explain.
Today, in N. Georgia, it is hot and humid. Nothing surprising in August, It would be very easy to step outside, feel the sweat beading and say, 'yuck.' But, you can turn that around.
The heat feels good on the body. Muscles relax and the body grows more flexible. That is why a lot of athletes, especially baseball pitchers and golfers, love the heat. In cold weather, muscles tend to cramp. I am certainly not a big time athlete, but at my age, the heat keeps the arthritis at bay, usually. \
Sweat is good for you. It not only cools the body, it flushes out toxins and impurities.
So, you can turn your perceptions of hot weather around and, when you do, you clear the way so you can see the beauty of Nature at its most active period, Trees are green, plants are growing, grasses are at their lushest. Birds are nesting and raising young. Squirrels are readying for winter by stuffing themselves silly with nuts.
We have lizards running around, stalking the vast number of insects running and flying about. An occasional snake slithers past. Humans, those who have learned to enjoy this heat, take advantage of the long days and play golf, barbecue, swim and play with kids and dogs.
This is more than a Summer reverie that I write of, You can apply this lesson to any aspect of life. If there is something you dislike, and we all have such things in our lives, try turning your thoughts around. Look for the good and you will find it and the World will grow more lovely.
Realistically, we all have preferences and that is fine, but there is no reason to be down when things are not as you like. Now, drink some water, put on some shorts and a light shirt and get out doors and enjoy the heat, It beats sitting in and staring at the TV.
Wow, that was fancy for this early so let me explain.
Today, in N. Georgia, it is hot and humid. Nothing surprising in August, It would be very easy to step outside, feel the sweat beading and say, 'yuck.' But, you can turn that around.
The heat feels good on the body. Muscles relax and the body grows more flexible. That is why a lot of athletes, especially baseball pitchers and golfers, love the heat. In cold weather, muscles tend to cramp. I am certainly not a big time athlete, but at my age, the heat keeps the arthritis at bay, usually. \
Sweat is good for you. It not only cools the body, it flushes out toxins and impurities.
So, you can turn your perceptions of hot weather around and, when you do, you clear the way so you can see the beauty of Nature at its most active period, Trees are green, plants are growing, grasses are at their lushest. Birds are nesting and raising young. Squirrels are readying for winter by stuffing themselves silly with nuts.
We have lizards running around, stalking the vast number of insects running and flying about. An occasional snake slithers past. Humans, those who have learned to enjoy this heat, take advantage of the long days and play golf, barbecue, swim and play with kids and dogs.
This is more than a Summer reverie that I write of, You can apply this lesson to any aspect of life. If there is something you dislike, and we all have such things in our lives, try turning your thoughts around. Look for the good and you will find it and the World will grow more lovely.
Realistically, we all have preferences and that is fine, but there is no reason to be down when things are not as you like. Now, drink some water, put on some shorts and a light shirt and get out doors and enjoy the heat, It beats sitting in and staring at the TV.
Monday, August 6, 2018
The Bright Side of Being Ill
Sickness can surely take the mind where minds can't usually go. The Who, Amazing Journey from Tommy
I've had a long running sinus infection. Why os too long a story to tell now. Also too boring. I kept hoping that I would catch a cold too flush all the irritants out. Well, I got one and have spent several days wheezing, coughing, sneezing and generally being a grumpy pain. At last it's passing and it seems to have worked. The sinuses are better that they have been in years.
I have done nothing but lie around, eat junk food and cough drops and take NyQuil, watch TV and doze. Yesterday, I at least stopped being grumpy. I realized that My body was simply telling me to chill out and let it heal, so I went with that. Guess what? It turned into a fine day, sneezing and nose blowing aside.
I have had so many issues to deal with of late that I had forgotten the body's wisdom. Sometimes, you just need to shut down. Clear the tangles and snags in the body;
When you do that, there is a second benefit. The mind and soul clear. During my long dozes of the last few days, I dreamed of wonderful things, thought of past events and people and spent a good bit of time in prayer. It was sort of a somewhat forced meditative retreat, only more comfortable and with golf on the TV.
Your body is not going to last forever but it is amazingly resilient. We run on and on. A little food, water air and sleep and we just go rolling along. Until something goes wrong, The, all too often, we mask the symptoms with whatever we can find and keep going. Eventually, the body will just say no and we get good and sick. A lot of serious illness would be avoided of we properly dealt with minor issues. Tired" Get some rest. Too fat? Lose some weight. By doing these little things, we can avoid at least some later unpleasantness. Everyone is busy and it is certainly not a good idea to dwell on every ache and pain and sniffle. But all of us can spare a little time to take care of what ails us. You di no one any good when you are seriously ill.
But, if you do find yourself actually laid up with an illness, take advantage of the situation and let your mind run free. It's not doing anything else and it may surprise you.
I've had a long running sinus infection. Why os too long a story to tell now. Also too boring. I kept hoping that I would catch a cold too flush all the irritants out. Well, I got one and have spent several days wheezing, coughing, sneezing and generally being a grumpy pain. At last it's passing and it seems to have worked. The sinuses are better that they have been in years.
I have done nothing but lie around, eat junk food and cough drops and take NyQuil, watch TV and doze. Yesterday, I at least stopped being grumpy. I realized that My body was simply telling me to chill out and let it heal, so I went with that. Guess what? It turned into a fine day, sneezing and nose blowing aside.
I have had so many issues to deal with of late that I had forgotten the body's wisdom. Sometimes, you just need to shut down. Clear the tangles and snags in the body;
When you do that, there is a second benefit. The mind and soul clear. During my long dozes of the last few days, I dreamed of wonderful things, thought of past events and people and spent a good bit of time in prayer. It was sort of a somewhat forced meditative retreat, only more comfortable and with golf on the TV.
Your body is not going to last forever but it is amazingly resilient. We run on and on. A little food, water air and sleep and we just go rolling along. Until something goes wrong, The, all too often, we mask the symptoms with whatever we can find and keep going. Eventually, the body will just say no and we get good and sick. A lot of serious illness would be avoided of we properly dealt with minor issues. Tired" Get some rest. Too fat? Lose some weight. By doing these little things, we can avoid at least some later unpleasantness. Everyone is busy and it is certainly not a good idea to dwell on every ache and pain and sniffle. But all of us can spare a little time to take care of what ails us. You di no one any good when you are seriously ill.
But, if you do find yourself actually laid up with an illness, take advantage of the situation and let your mind run free. It's not doing anything else and it may surprise you.
Friday, August 3, 2018
You Own Nothing
This is true. You own nothing. You merely have temporary possession. Stop and think. You work and earn pay. Then you but and either simply consume or use what you buy to create something else. And so on, until you leave this World, and believe one thing. You will leave this World.
The old saying is true. You can't take it with you when you go. The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and the Emperors of Old China tried. We have found their tombs filled with treasures and even with the bodies of loved ones and servants to join them in the next World. Well, there lie the remains and they obviously did not accompany the deceased. Even the bodies of the old rulers are just lying there. The soul does not take physical possessions with it and all those shiny things and beautiful bodies lie moldering.
You own nothing. You just, through the Grace of the Creator
This is not saying that you should follow the path if the old Gnostics. The World and its life is not evil. It is a beautiful wonder. You need a few things' shelter, clithes, food and water and there is nothing wrong with having a few trinkets and toys to brighten things as long as you are not grasping for them and clinging to them. Unfortunately, that is what many, if nit mist de, and that is a huge part of the problems we have.
On a personal level, we do ourselves a lot of harm when we waste our precious time on this Earth concentrating on things. More damaging, we waste our even more precious consciousness.
Enjoy your life and take delight in the things you have, but realize, you just have them for a fleeting moment. You van't take it with you, and again, like it or nit, one day, you will go.
It's the weekend. Have fun, be safe and get some rest. May you have a Most Blessed weekend
The old saying is true. You can't take it with you when you go. The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and the Emperors of Old China tried. We have found their tombs filled with treasures and even with the bodies of loved ones and servants to join them in the next World. Well, there lie the remains and they obviously did not accompany the deceased. Even the bodies of the old rulers are just lying there. The soul does not take physical possessions with it and all those shiny things and beautiful bodies lie moldering.
You own nothing. You just, through the Grace of the Creator
This is not saying that you should follow the path if the old Gnostics. The World and its life is not evil. It is a beautiful wonder. You need a few things' shelter, clithes, food and water and there is nothing wrong with having a few trinkets and toys to brighten things as long as you are not grasping for them and clinging to them. Unfortunately, that is what many, if nit mist de, and that is a huge part of the problems we have.
On a personal level, we do ourselves a lot of harm when we waste our precious time on this Earth concentrating on things. More damaging, we waste our even more precious consciousness.
Enjoy your life and take delight in the things you have, but realize, you just have them for a fleeting moment. You van't take it with you, and again, like it or nit, one day, you will go.
It's the weekend. Have fun, be safe and get some rest. May you have a Most Blessed weekend
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Confusion
Confusion will be my epitaph.King Crimson, Tomorrow We'll Be Crying. From In The Court of the Crimson King
I am astounded that the World even still works. I have been trying the last few days to work out a few simple things. Simple. Things that used to take 5 minutes now require hours even days of angst and debate.
I was told, as I am sure you were, that computers would simplify and streamline. They most definitely have not.People have lost the ability to think. They just read the screen and hit the buttons. If anything varies from that routine, they are lost. The response is mixed. Some, not many, admit that they don't know and call a supervisor. That person may or may not know what's happening, but, if you go high enough ip the ladder, things are worked out. Usually..
Then you have those who refuse to admit that they don't know. That's when the fun starts. I have had many, many folks sit there and openly lie, coming up with the most ridiculous explanations. Thins that make less than no sense, logic so twisted that it makes pretzels look linear It would be great fun if I didn't need to get some things done quickly.
I often think that the high speed flashing of the computer screen numbs the brain. There is some scientific basis to that idea. Either that or we have just become so lazy that we refuse to think.
Either that or some evil wizard has cast a spell or thrown some magic dust in the air that is making humans into mindless drones.
Or, maybe all 3.
The funny thing is that if you ask any if these incompetent workers, they will tell you that they are
doing a bang up job, A!. The sad thing is, their bosses would agree. In fairness to them. they have trouble just getting workers to show up.
This is so sad.
But, cheer up. This cannot continue much longer or confusion will be replaced by anarchy and then, the whole Nation goes down the drain.
My God's Blessings be with you. And, mat God help us all.
I am astounded that the World even still works. I have been trying the last few days to work out a few simple things. Simple. Things that used to take 5 minutes now require hours even days of angst and debate.
I was told, as I am sure you were, that computers would simplify and streamline. They most definitely have not.People have lost the ability to think. They just read the screen and hit the buttons. If anything varies from that routine, they are lost. The response is mixed. Some, not many, admit that they don't know and call a supervisor. That person may or may not know what's happening, but, if you go high enough ip the ladder, things are worked out. Usually..
Then you have those who refuse to admit that they don't know. That's when the fun starts. I have had many, many folks sit there and openly lie, coming up with the most ridiculous explanations. Thins that make less than no sense, logic so twisted that it makes pretzels look linear It would be great fun if I didn't need to get some things done quickly.
I often think that the high speed flashing of the computer screen numbs the brain. There is some scientific basis to that idea. Either that or we have just become so lazy that we refuse to think.
Either that or some evil wizard has cast a spell or thrown some magic dust in the air that is making humans into mindless drones.
Or, maybe all 3.
The funny thing is that if you ask any if these incompetent workers, they will tell you that they are
doing a bang up job, A!. The sad thing is, their bosses would agree. In fairness to them. they have trouble just getting workers to show up.
This is so sad.
But, cheer up. This cannot continue much longer or confusion will be replaced by anarchy and then, the whole Nation goes down the drain.
My God's Blessings be with you. And, mat God help us all.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Fear
"Fear is the mind killer." Frank Herbert, Dune
I am like my Dad in that I am a people watcher. He told me that he went to the horse races for 3 reasons. One, to watch the horses and two, to watch the people. It is fascinating. Just be subtle. It is rude to stare.
I have been traveling around a bit of late. Too much, really, but that is another story for another time. I have noticed a vast change in my fellow Americans. People are scared to death. Few seem willing to just open up and be alive. Folks seem closed in and shut off. You can see it in their eyes and in their ,mannerisms. Tension, a rigid nervous smile, an embarrassment when they actually laugh. Many no longer answer when you say hello and strangers will not meet your eyes when you smile and nod at them in the streets. Even among those you know, there is a reluctance to talk about anything of any substance.
In masses, people will rant and rave in the midst of useless demonstrations, but, one on one, they will duck disagreements. If you differ, they nod and grunt and quickly change the subject, or just move away. Trust me, this is not the way we used to be. You know, back when America really was great.
Why so timid? Why so afraid of difference? Why so willing to freeze up except in large groups engaged in mindless, irrational acts of fury?
The answer is, for once, simple. Fear. We are in a period of rapid change. This has been the case for about 60 year. In my time, we have gone from a time when TV was almost a novelty to all the wonders, and horrors, of the internet. We have seen the collapse pf vast empires like the Soviet Union and the rise of people who not long ago were desert nomads to a to a terrifying World power that fights a warfare that has no battles, just hit and run attacks. We have cone from an era of sexual limits to an era where folks think you can di what you want without consequences. In medicine, we went from prosthetics that were mostly cosmetic to finely tuned instruments that can function as well, or sometimes better, than our natural parts. We went to the Moon and are actively exploring the linits of the Solar System
. I could go on and on, but you get the point.
Change is the only constant, but we have never seen change at this rate. Some of these changes are good, some bad, and, as always, most are in the grey zone. Humans are always nervous about change. This is foolish, but that insecurity is real. Most just don't deal well with it. Now, the change is so fast, that many cannot cope. Why do you think we have so many psychoactive drugs being handed out by doctors and so many illegal opiates being consumed. We are scared to death, and that leads back to the opening quote. Fear is the mind killer.
Humans must learn to accept change at any pace. Just realize that everything is always changing every second and that what you are seeing now is the same thing at a much larger and faster scale. To fear, to withdraw is a horrible strategy. Do not be overwhelmed. Accept what you think is right, reject the rest and then stand up, proud and brave and fearless and get on with things. Like the old Little Feat song, roll with it.
This is not that hard to do. Trust that your Creator will catch you when you fall and help you in every way. To those who do not believe in our Creator, you have a problem. The strength and support God will give you is unfathomable. Without it, you are a puny animal. With it, you are a noble, conscious being. Unbelievers, you may want to reconsider that. Remember, the first thing that angels say when, in the Bible, they contact people,e is Fear Not. Heed those words and have a grand and Blessed day.
I am like my Dad in that I am a people watcher. He told me that he went to the horse races for 3 reasons. One, to watch the horses and two, to watch the people. It is fascinating. Just be subtle. It is rude to stare.
I have been traveling around a bit of late. Too much, really, but that is another story for another time. I have noticed a vast change in my fellow Americans. People are scared to death. Few seem willing to just open up and be alive. Folks seem closed in and shut off. You can see it in their eyes and in their ,mannerisms. Tension, a rigid nervous smile, an embarrassment when they actually laugh. Many no longer answer when you say hello and strangers will not meet your eyes when you smile and nod at them in the streets. Even among those you know, there is a reluctance to talk about anything of any substance.
In masses, people will rant and rave in the midst of useless demonstrations, but, one on one, they will duck disagreements. If you differ, they nod and grunt and quickly change the subject, or just move away. Trust me, this is not the way we used to be. You know, back when America really was great.
Why so timid? Why so afraid of difference? Why so willing to freeze up except in large groups engaged in mindless, irrational acts of fury?
The answer is, for once, simple. Fear. We are in a period of rapid change. This has been the case for about 60 year. In my time, we have gone from a time when TV was almost a novelty to all the wonders, and horrors, of the internet. We have seen the collapse pf vast empires like the Soviet Union and the rise of people who not long ago were desert nomads to a to a terrifying World power that fights a warfare that has no battles, just hit and run attacks. We have cone from an era of sexual limits to an era where folks think you can di what you want without consequences. In medicine, we went from prosthetics that were mostly cosmetic to finely tuned instruments that can function as well, or sometimes better, than our natural parts. We went to the Moon and are actively exploring the linits of the Solar System
. I could go on and on, but you get the point.
Change is the only constant, but we have never seen change at this rate. Some of these changes are good, some bad, and, as always, most are in the grey zone. Humans are always nervous about change. This is foolish, but that insecurity is real. Most just don't deal well with it. Now, the change is so fast, that many cannot cope. Why do you think we have so many psychoactive drugs being handed out by doctors and so many illegal opiates being consumed. We are scared to death, and that leads back to the opening quote. Fear is the mind killer.
Humans must learn to accept change at any pace. Just realize that everything is always changing every second and that what you are seeing now is the same thing at a much larger and faster scale. To fear, to withdraw is a horrible strategy. Do not be overwhelmed. Accept what you think is right, reject the rest and then stand up, proud and brave and fearless and get on with things. Like the old Little Feat song, roll with it.
This is not that hard to do. Trust that your Creator will catch you when you fall and help you in every way. To those who do not believe in our Creator, you have a problem. The strength and support God will give you is unfathomable. Without it, you are a puny animal. With it, you are a noble, conscious being. Unbelievers, you may want to reconsider that. Remember, the first thing that angels say when, in the Bible, they contact people,e is Fear Not. Heed those words and have a grand and Blessed day.
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