breaking the mold

It is time for some change in my life. I have been keeping this blog for 2 years now and that is a long time in computer years. Same computer, same site, same design, yadda, yadda...

I was going for consistent and it was working. but I am growing tired of consistent. I welcome change...I thrive off of change. When I was a kid I would move my furniture around in my room every now and then just for something different. It seems every time I would clean it some item would end up in a different corner or maybe the whole room would be rearranged. So I get bored easily. Is there any harm in that?

You may have noticed that I have not been as on top of my blog this year as in the previous year, and especially in the last few months. Perhaps some off that is because of boredom but much of it has been school. School has demanded a lot out of me in the last 3 or 4 months but that is drawing to a close. Yay!

To my readers: thank you for your interest in my ramblings. I appreciate you. There is change in the pipeline but I don't even know what it is. The world is changing. Circumstances are changing. I am changing. Whatever happens...keep reading; things can only get better. Some people fear change, but I say "bring it on." Change invites growth yet growth breeds change. It is a dynamic world that we live in and if we dont change to keep up what happens to us? There ARE a few things in life that should not change but as for the rest- welcome it, embrace it, cherish it.

The power comes in knowing what can change and what must remain constant.

oh say can you see

Most everyone knows the first verse but what about the second, third, and yep- fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner. It is the anthem of this great country but what citizen of hers can recite it? Many don't know there is more than one verse. That is sad. I love the 4th verse above, it is my favorite.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

It has a new meaning to me this Independence Day. My brother is in the Army National Guard and his unit has just recently deployed to Iraq for a year. This country exists because of a few men who were willing to stand up to a government that was not treating its people with equality. It continues to exist because of free men who, despite the harsh piercing words of others choose to put their life on the line, sacrificing time, family, and pleasure to fight against those who would oppress and instill fear in those who what that same freedom.

There is plenty more to be said on this but it sufficeth me to stop here. I love this country. I love that flag. And I love those who are willing to stand up to defend the principles she was founded on.

I love you Bro. God bless you.

Father's Day

I love my dad, my father, my pops! Happy Father's Day.

unwelcome fix

"Getting your pet fixed makes them happier," that is what I heard on the radio anyway. Somehow I doubt that. How on earth did they come to that conclusion? The process can't be enjoyable for your pet and afterward... Afterward they will never be the same. Would it make you happier if you got 'fixed' Mr. Veteranarian person? I don't think so. So why would your pet be happy? That is a ridiculous supposition.

carnival rides

I had a thought at a county fair that I went to a while ago. There is something about roller-coasters and ferris-wheels that are meant to be temporary and mobile that make me question their safety and the logic in choosing to ride on one.

I was riding a ferris-wheel a little while back at a festival I went to where I saw the bolt holding the pod above us on the wheel was held on at the bottom by a cotter pin. The pod was suspended from the top with a pole running down the center and a heavy metal pin passing through the bottom to keep the pod attached. It was through this pin that the cotter pin was clipped. It was safe enough I suppose, but there is just a since of insecurity attached with a cotter pin.

And as a separate note, I don't know how much confidence I am willing to place in those people that operate those rides.

terrorizing the nation

Here's an idea, lets close all the national parks and cool places to visit, and see, in America because of terrorism. How much do terrorists really care about a sign that says trespassers will be liable per code 247455? If they really want to they will find a way, regardless of sign fence or security check point. As we have found out just recently with the man that tried to blow up an airplane landing in Detroit if there is a will there is a way, and they will find it. It is unfortunate but true.

In this world one person's bad decison causes ever so many others to suffer and endure greater toils in life. This is a principle that exists out of untarnished personal agency.

I understand agency but, I want my parks and historical sites back! I want to be able to visit with my kids the places I visited as a kid and learned from. Maybe some crazy person does want access to the same for evil reasons but he will find away to get that access if he wants it bad enough.

Maybe the reason is to prevent too many people from being in that vacenity, to lessen the attractiveness. I may agree with such an arguement but there again, we are not going to stop gathering at parks and sports events to prevent possible unfortunate events.

cooling or warming

I have heard that there is irrefutable scientific evidence of global warming. I would like to see this evidence or the scientists who determined it. I am no scientist but I don't think you have to be a scientist to know that snow is cold. Moreover, any fifth grader can tell you that for it to snow 5" in Southern Alabama requires it to be colder than normal. You might see snow fall in Lower Alabama on occasion but never stick or accumulate. Not like it did yesterday. No, that is definitely abnormal.

That is right, it snowed yesterday here in Alabama, and not just a little bit, a good 4 or 5 inches where I am; more elsewhere. To me that is some pretty solid evidence of a COOLING trend. I am thinking there is an agenda, or someone was holding the thermometer upside-down when they took the readings.

Or maybe, it is that law of conservation. The one that says that energy exists and cant be created or destroyed but only transfered. Yeah, maybe that is it, the world, the globe, is warming as Lower Alabama is cooling. That has got to be it. What was I thinking!

the american taco

I was eating at subway this week and decided that Subway is just an American taco. I remember when subway would cut down and into each side of the bread, take the top off, build the sandwich, and put the top back on. Now all they do is cut down one side and fold it over. Why the change? Now you have to eat it on its side to keep the stuff on the insides from spilling out. You end up with that same tilt in your head when you eat a taco. So, what is the difference? Tacos have a meat, and lettuce, and tomatoes, olives, cheese, and, if you want them, jalapenos. So, what is the difference? The shell you put it in, that's it.

A Subway sandwich is an American taco. Terrific!

state of the union

I watched the State of the Union last night. After two minutes of listening the applause got old. Every other sentence had to be confirmed or agreed to with applause. I am confident that the whole address could have probably been given in a half an hour if it weren't interrupted every 20 seconds with an outburst of applause. And if they really like what President Obama had to say they would stand and applause. It seemed that they all did more standing and sitting then is done at a Catholic wedding.

So they agree with what he was saying, I understand that. And it is nice that they agree and what everyone to see it but there has to be a better way to do it that doesn't distract so much causing sentences to be interrupted and proposals hacked into fragments separated but restless applause.

Why don't they just let the man talk and at the end give a nice long standing ovation. I am all for showing your agreeance with what is said, and it is nice for the President to know that the people agree with what he is saying when he says it but I think it was just annoying during his address yesterday. It was a bit too much agreeing. Here is an idea, instead of clapping they can show their agreeance by raising their hand in the air and rubbing their thumb back and forth across their fingers. Much quieter and less interrupting yet people can still see they agree.

ice = rock

Does anyone else find it ironic that many people call ice rocks and rocks ice? I have never ordered a drink at a bar but I do know enough about mixed drinks to know the meaning of the phrase "on the rocks." Anyone who has watched more than one James Bond movie knows that. So ice cubes are often called rocks.

"Ice" may not be used so commonly but we have all heard of it. It is common enough that there is a website ice.com that is devoted to its sale. Not all rocks are called ice but there is no denying a diamond is a rock.

So there it is. Ice is a rock and a rock, ice. Interesting.

the happiest place on earth

You know, for the "happiest place on earth" there sure is a lot of screaming. That doesn't make much sense now does it? Has anyone else thought about this?

I went to Disney World over Thanksgiving weekend with a friend because I had a complementary pass I needed to use and I had the time off. It was enjoyable but I would not call it the happiest place on earth. I saw a lot of unhappy little children while I was there. Several scared childrens too. Who says it is the happiest place on earth? They do. Is that something you can self-proclaim?

If you want to see some pictures you can check out my album.

halloween lights

Halloween Christmas lights? I was talking with my sister-in-law the other day and she was getting ready for a Trunk-o-Treat were instead of door to door, kids go car to car at a Halloween activity. She was asking me how she should decorate her truck because she has never done it before and I told her it did not have to be anything fancy and that she just needed some cobwebs or some...then i said it...Halloween Christmas lights.

That doesn't make much sense now does it? But you know what I am talking about. What are those lights called? They can't be Christmas lights. If I were to call them Halloween lights you would probably get that look on your face that people get when I tell them...we will leave that one alone for now. Anyway, I have no idea what they are called. The simplest descriptive name would be orange Christmas lights but that is mis representative.

I don't know what my sister-in-law ended up doing to decorate but she sure got me thinking about a completely unnecessary thing.

a tense relationship

The opposite of Open is Close and if I open or close a box in the past it is past tense, Opened or Closed. So why when I own a business is it Open or Closed? The tenses are not congruent. When we are open it is true that we are open currently. It may have been closed in the past but too it is close now. Close now is not closed it is close. Right?

hd

HD, its the new i- which was the new e-!

Every couple of years marketing comes out with a new prefix to the latest and greatest tech item. Yesterday on tv there was a commercial for HD sunglasses; they improve your viewing experience. What!? HD sunglasses? HD radio, TV, Binoculars, all sorts of stuff.

In the 90s we had the e-volution. E-surance is still around from those young days of the internet, and email is not going away anytime soon. The new millennium, and Apple computers brought us a new letter- i. iPod. iTunes. iWork. and iAmDoneWithTheLetterI!

Get ready now for HD. Make room I sense he is here to stay for a while. Coming soon to an auto store near you- HD windshield wipers. You just wait, you'll see; I would not be surprised.

mini vans

You remember when mini vans had only one sliding door in the back? I was climbing into the back seat of a mini van the other day on the drivers side and realized this. I wonder if they even make mini vans like that anymore. Probably not. You still have the same number of seats but with the new ones you have two more individual seats instead of a bench seat, and I am sure every parent appreciates the value and serenity of a kids in the back having his or her own seat. "This is my side," "He's touching me!" "Get off me." "OW!" Not to say that all troubles are resolved with individual seats but I can imagine they are definately reduced.

year end goals

I don't believe in New Year Resolutions. I don't have anything to resolve. I set goals, yearly goals. Goals and resolutions do not do any good though if you don't look at them from time to time. So it is the beginning of September, how are your goals coming along? I looked at the goals I wrote down in January today and I think I am going pretty well. There were a few that I did not even remember so it is good that I looked at them. Three have already been completed and the others are on there way, one needs a lot more work though.

Look at your goals, make some new ones. Goals are important so if you don't have any GET SOME. Goals keep you young.

I used to have trouble with goals, thinking they needed to be some sort of elaborate big thing. They don't. you can set big or long term goals but those need to be accompanied but smaller goals, like checkpoints. Big, longterm goals are useless with out these smaller goals. And then with smaller goals you make plans. Now you have to be careful because plans change. Don't let them change to frequently that you don't meet your goals. Adapt accordingly. If a goal is bigger than one task break it down into smaller bites.

Remember SMART goals- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based.

car color

I saw a green Jeep today an it just seemed the wrong color. This was not a light green or a grey-green this was GREEN. You don't really ever see green cars and trucks on the road today. I know green used to be more common but I think it is out now. Another color than is out is Purple. Who drives a purple car? The only car you see nowadays purple is a PT Cruiser and that just looks ugly to begin with. What makes a car color acceptable? Who picks car colors? Every year or so you see a new car color, some good, some hideous.

It is just interesting that you see bright yellow cars and bright red cars and bright blue, or orange car and the occasional bright purple car (term used lightly), but bright green is not a color you associate with vehicles.

What about Brown? If you are driving around a bright brown car you need sit down and rethink your place in life.

proof, resistant, tolerant

Water Proof. Water Resistant. Which is it? There is a difference. I have a watch and it is water resistant. Will water get in it? Yes it will, and it has. Will water get in a water proof watch? Unfortunately, yes it will. So what is the difference?

Here's how I see it. Lets think of two sacks/bags. The first is water proof, the second- water resistant. We fill both bags with water and seal them. So the first is going to keep 100% of the water in the bag. Water tight (or proof) is often associated with air-tight. if no water can escape than neither will air. Water resistant on the other had is not air tight. It may hold water for a long time but it will start to seap or absorb water. Like a child resisting his parents, will he resist, yes, but he will eventually cave to the desires of the parent. My watch is a cheap watch but it tells time. It is water resistant. It did fine in the rain and in the shower but I went swimming in a deeper pool once and I got water build up on the inside, mostly condinsated but water none-the-less. It still worked and I continued to use it up until a few days ago when I lost it on a river trip.

So I went floating down the river the other day with some friends. I took my camera. It is not water proof, or water resistant, and I didnt have a case or bag for it that was. If I were to drop it into water it would probably do unkind things to it- maybe recoverable, maybe not. On this float trip I came up with a new term. I decided that my camera was water tolerant. Many things are water tolerant. Well what does that mean? People thought I was crazy for bringing my camera on the river. They seem to enjoy the pictures now but at the time it was crazy. It did just fine. did it get a little wet, of course; everything on the river gets wet. It got splashed on and was for the most part, opporated with wet hands. The camera suffered no damage and the pictures turned out nicely. Under similar circumstances in the past I did have it fog up between two of the optic lenses but letting it sit and dry out fixed it right up, no problem. That is what I would consider water tolerant.

Humans are water tolerant too. We definately aren't water proof, or we wouldn't drown. We aren't water resistant, every kid knows she sits plays in water and her skin wrinkles and goes "prune." We are tolerant, we can splash around and get wet but don't expose yourself too long.

does birthday mean party?

Different people hold birthdays to different importance. Birthday is a tradition, and with all tradition it is viewed through the scope we are given it from. A birthday, when I was a kid, was another day; a day to be congratulated and honored, but in the end, just another day. So you are a year older, big deal, if not for the 364 (365) days preceding it, it is nothing. We had cake and ice cream at dinner the Sunday before or after in honor of and grandma would do something special with each grandkid. What is so special about getting older? I hear when you do get older everybody wishes he or she would stop having birthdays. Perhaps I just downplay the significance of this special day in my mind to avoid the glamour and attention of it. I am not one for spotlights.

A friend of mine gave me some perspective the other day on the subject. The kaleidoscope of tradition which was passed to her contrasted my own. She told me about how birthdays were the happy days she remembered from her childhood. Her mother had a way of making it a special day, not just a special day but the whole week was one to remember, to honor the birthday girl. It is your day, a day in honor of you. So why not celebrate? Anything less would be evasive and unpretentious.

Everybody deservers her own day. I remember saying once that the most important day of my life so far was the day I was born, and the second most important is tomorrow- the day that (God willing) keeps my life going. I try every day to celebrate my life, to be happy to be alive. I think we all should. Perhaps that is why I don’t set my birthday apart, because I celebrate my life every day. If you do it every day how is it different on that one day each year? It is an anniversary, and anniversaries are meant to be celebrated. So, is your birthday for you? or is it for those people in your life who care about you? Either way there should be a party, right?

If you were to tell a friend that your birthday was coming up I am confident he would say Happy Birthday and ask you if you were having a party. You might say a similar thing in the same situation. I was asked this question. In response I had to ask if I was the one responsible for make sure there was a party; “I don’t know, am I having a party?” Kind of rude in retrospect, but I know I can say anything to this friend. Who is supposed to throw a birthday party? Who does it serve? Is it tradition to have a birthday party? Is it a social norm?

I don’t pretend to know the answers but my view of birthdays has changed. One small chat with a friend and you never know what can happen. Birthdays are anniversaries. A special day to think about where you started, to ponder on the direction you are headed, and to celebrate your amazing life. So whether you choose to celebrate with a bunch of roudy friends at a party, or with your family around the table at dinner, or relaxing on a white beach in the brilliant sun, make sure you have a good one. I will!

shopping carts

How often do you go shopping? Once a week? Twice a week? Once every other week? Do you use a buggie (shopping cart)? I wondered today as I pushed one around, how many people have pushed this same cart? How many different hands have touched this same handle? You never see anybody wash shopping carts; at least I never have. Interesting! Other things don't raise such a thought in my mind because I see people wash them, or know that there is a person in charge of washing them. But what about shopping cart handles? Perhaps that is how pandemics spread.

unheroic

The heroic nature is dying, de-idolized, regarded mockingly. There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ that says “The day will come that people will call good bad and bad good.” I think among other things this condoning of heroism is one small part of that. What is a hero? Most of the time hero is thought of as superhero. I thought the idea of Pixar’s Incredible is enlightening, the idea of suing a superhero…what a self-centered, one-track world we live in. And you know if superheroes existed today they would be sued. It is sad that there exists in this world people whose soul purpose seems to be to go around finding things to sue people for.

something to offer

Kids are spellbound by peoples of authority, peoples in uniform. They are eager to ask their parents “Mommy, who is that man?” or “Daddy, why is that man wearing that?” Policemen, firefighters, soldiers and pilots, there is a certain wonder and awe of a uniform- especially one that sticks out in a crowd. To the pure and childlike eye the uniform embodies a hero. Power, authority and influence. It represents, as it should, the values of honor, devotion, and sacrifice.

What do you offer? What can you offer such an awe struck impressionable child? These days there are so many self serving ill-intending people in the world that it is hard to offer any act of shear kindness anymore without arising a cautious suspicion- especially in the eyes of loving parents of the young. I remember as a child receiving Delta Wings from a lady in a Delta Airlines uniform as I went to the airport with my parents to deliver a sibling to his waiting flight.

As I traveled recently I met such a curious little kid. Is a handshake and a greeting enough? Is there something more to offer? Something to let him know he can believe in heroes? I don't begin to consider myself a hero but that is what the uniform represents. When a policeman is seen in uniform every action reflects that force- not just the individual. Every time a soldier is seen in uniform she is praised for the ideals she is living and the efforts of all people, past present and future, who choose to wear that same uniform.

So what is there to offer?

create

What do you create with? Everybody creates. It is an inherited trait of out heavenly, spiritual Father. To create is the essence of art, but art has a million mediums; pencil, pen, charcoal, paint, oil, watercolor, pastel, finger-paint, chalk, digital paint. And all that is but a few common paper mediums. What about food, furniture, woodwork, etch-a-sketch, words (stories and essays), architecture, landscape, and so many more.

The ability to create is something all are born with. As a little girl entangles her mothers hair in efforts to put it up in some fashion she is expressing that urge to create. As a young boy gathers all the pillows and blankets in the house stringing them here and there over the backs of chairs and couches he is expressing that urge to create. As you walk down the toy isle in your favorite store how many toys on the shelf have anything to to with creating? From the doodle-pad to the doll with the interchangeable outfits, from the tool belt to the plastic dump truck so many toys are to satisfy that urge to create. As we grow some choose to suppress this miraculous gift but still more choose to explore and develop theirs. The world would die if people did not create.

The most holy of creativity is the ability to create life. The seeming simplicity and assumed lack of talent required to do so has regretfully demeaned the value of this creative gift in the eyes of many creators. Undeniably, this is a demanding creation, so much so that the paints, the catalyst, are guarded by a simple lock requiring two (a man and a woman) to open. Each miraculous masterpiece requires a duality of artists.

So what do you create with? Creation is a necessity of life and each person has her own creative outlet.

on swinging

I love to swing. There is something magical about it, sitting in a park swaying back and forth watching the world go by. I have some good memories on the swing. I have some sad memories on the swing. Most of all I have some soothing memories on the swing. The swing is one of my favorite places to go. No matter what the mood a swing will accentuate the positive.

There is no telling when you might find me on a swing. I might be sitting on a swing in the morning, mid-day, or evening; perhaps most commonly in those still hours of early morning at the very start of a brand new day. In a former occupation I would on occasion stop by one of many parks on my way home to sway on a swing and reflect on the day, or on the world, or on eternity.Next to swaying to and fro beside a lovely young lady this is my favorite swing activity. The night is so pure, so still. It relaxes you. You can forget any troubles you might be burdened with. You can be alone with your thoughts, to open your mind and reflect. You can watch the world pass by slowly. And you do all that while flying!

A former prophet has said that an important characteristic in this life is to possess the ability to Be Still. The swing set provides me this sanctuary to escape the noisy traffic of the world and sit quietly, reflectively. Giving me an opportunity to understand me and the small part I play in this universe.

Swinging reminds me of my mother. We all know of the young child who is soothed as he is rocked gently in his mothers arms. Perhaps the swing is those soothing arms of a distant mother. Perhaps it is the loving rock of her protecting fold. There is something about that swaying, rocking motion that calms, relaxes, and pacifies. And the first place we experience that feeling is in the arms of Mother as she takes her new born baby in her arms and lovingly sways that gentle rhythm. It is no wonder then that such a motion has such miraculous power to calm. I wonder then, do mothers do it because it calms, or do children calm because mothers do it? I am willing to assert the later.

flash of genius

Here is my synopsis- it is a true story yes, but it is not a heroic story. Who is the real villain? who is the hero? Sure he won the case to correct the record and defeat big business, but at what expense? So who is the hero? He is no hero; I would say there is none. And what kind of story is it without a hero? Is a sad story worth telling? What kind of moral should I expect my kid to take from this? It is okay to sacrifice my life, my love, if in the end I come out the winner? It is okay as long as I triumph over the corporate giant? No, when the dust settles there is no winner, just a loser and a loser with a lot of money. Perseverance is important but not at the expense of responsibility. Our hero seeks to restore, or gain integrity, the whole time eroding it from the inside. I may be wrong but I would say that he is his own villain. Obsession is detrimental. You might get what you wanted in the end but you wanted the wrong thing.

I guess in the end the movie says to me, “a lot of money and 'setting the record straight' is worth more than 12 years of your life, your loyalty to your family and the love of your wife.”

...and that is the world we live in.