JUST SOME POSTS

I have a bit of a hard time with Memorial Day due to the fact my wife was in the hospital and died over Memorial Day weekend. I produced this today in honor of Memorial Day and all those that died for this country. (my first video slideshow).

I have commented in various forums and in person to many that I am amazed at the vitriol and close-mindedness that is involved with all things Trump. I understand people being against his policies, but to truly hate and denigrate someone that voted for him is beyond me. For those of you that will take the time to read this, I wanted to introduce you to someone that did vote for Trump - ME! (I will do my best to keep this succinct, but...) First, a small bit about me: I think and hope people that know me would vouch that I am not racist, homophobic, or misogynistic in any degree. Have I used the "N-word" - yes. (of which I have posted on before - I find it amazing that the one word that is totally off limits now in any discussion is the "N-word". There are MANY words that not so long ago would NEVER be used in polite company, that are widely accepted; but I digress). That word was thrown around like leaves blowing in a storm when I was growing up and well into my a...

This is the second of the two I promised a couple of days ago. I actually had this one pop into my head first but the other "forced" its way out first. So with no further ado... I was thinking how we spend our lives going from beginnings to ends. There is the BIG beginning - BIRTH, and the BIG ending - DEATH. Then LIFE is what happens in the middle. But, life is really a continuum of beginning - middle - end; over and over. We humans, for the most part, LOVE beginnings. Think about one of our most celebrated personal days - the anniversary of our beginning - our birthday! We document, record, and celebrate other beginnings - baby's first words, first steps, first day of school, first date, first kiss, first car, first job, etc. We have such a love of beginnings that we keep seeking them all through our lives - just substitute NEW for FIRST. We have new jobs, new cars, new clothes, new loves, and so on. We move to new houses and neighborhoods. New is a good substitute ...

I actually have had two ideas for a post in the last 12 hours. Here is one, stay tuned for another very shortly. I was going to combine them, but I think not... We live in a FAST & NOISY world! All of us (at least in the U.S. and other "1st World" countries - a 3rd post just popped into my head) have a LOT of stimulation and demands on our attention and efforts almost 24 hours a day. Even television, which has been decried as a mind-rotting exercise in time wasting is now watched in binges and/or without commercials. We have our phones and data plans to never be out of touch. We are able to send photos and comments on where we are, what we are doing, and who we are doing it with (or to!?) Like they say - "it ain't real unless I post a photo"!  I profess that a lot of our problems (again, 1st World problems) are due to this. We are constantly irritated, aggravated, stimulated, or otherwise motivated to look, listen, compare, contrast, become outraged, bec...

Getting Old There are things I can’t remember, That I’m not sure I ever knew. There are places that I can’t recall, I’m not sure I’ve ever been to. There are people I can’t picture, I'm not positive I ever met. It can be hard to say if I ever knew, Or did I just forget.                                                                        “THE”                                               ...

We all know people that are intelligent, but cannot find their way out of a building. I have heard many, many people say of someone "they have no common sense". Intelligence is sometimes defined as the ability to acquire knowledge.  Knowledge  is really about facts and ideas that we acquire through study, research, investigation, observation, or experience.  Wisdom  is the ability to discern and judge which aspects of that knowledge  are true, right, lasting, and applicable to your life and how to implement it. Here are a few words of what I hope is knowledge tempered by wisdom: 1) Not everyone shares your beliefs or opinions. 2) There are over 7 billion people on this planet. That means there are probably well over a      million  beliefs and/or opinions on almost everything. 3) Your beliefs and opinions do not make you right nor them wrong. 4) Others beliefs and opinions do not make them right nor you wrong. 5) Although there are a...

I actually wrote this as a post for Christmas Eve/Christmas, then forgot to actually POST it! So, it was wait until next year or post it now.  Most of us have heard of the "famous" reindeer - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen; and of course Rudolf TRR. But, have you ever thought about the other reindeer? I happen to have obtained some information on another one - Marvin. Marvin was another reindeer along the same designs as Rudolf - a bit of an outcast. However, he had no redeeming physical quality like a red shiny nose. He also was not liked by the other reindeer, you know - no reindeer games, etc., etc. He spent most of his young reindeer life trying to win the admiration, friendship, and/or affection of the other reindeer with almost reckless abandon. But, to no avail. Reindeer can be quite clique-ish and quite judgmental. Once shunned it is almost impossible to reintegrate into reindeer society without the Big Man's endorsement. Marvi...