The more you learn, the more you wonder why you are learning it. Sounds stupid, I agree, but there are those days when that is the way you feel. Lately my book reading has turned to biographies of famous people. Some are infamous as well I guess. This last week or so I have read Collin Powell, Richard Nixon, and am just completing the Clintons. I still have Albright to tackle, well maybe tackle is an inappropriate word, how about absorb?
All of these folks have one thing in common, although they would probably not agree with me. They are narcissists. It is very important that they be noticed, coddled if possible, trusted and liked. Unfortunately they have fallen short, especially in the trusted and liked categories; at least by me.
I have come to the conclusion I might like to vote for my dog. Jake is caring, loving, trustworthy,and loyal. Unfortunately he probably could be bribed a bit with food, but they we do have to remember that he is a dog. Not unlike Jake, those that I have been studying all have their bribe requirements. They will all tell you that money is not their "must have" but I imagine if you tried to take it away from them, they would complain a lot.
This morning I looked into the mirror and discovered that I too have some problems. Taking a sincere look at myself I discovered that while I am trustworthy, I trust very few people myself; I think that I am loyal to a fault, but again I don't see that others are as loyal to me as I have been to some of them.
Have you taken a good look in the mirror lately? If you have what did you discover? Did you find that looking yourself directly in the eye is not as easy as you thought it would be?
Like I said, the more you learn about yourself, and about others, the less you want to know. I don't know about you, but for me this is a riddle, an affront to my very being, a question that I continue to ask myself and can't stop the inner discussion.
Something New
Friday, January 17, 2014
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Where Do You Go, When All You Have Left is Your Soul?
Today's world is a different place from the world I was brought up in. There is nothing wrong with wanting to have things and working for them. As a matter of fact, it is a pretty good feeling to accomplish getting something you have wanted. The problem comes when the most important thing in your life is what you have or what you think you are entitled to due to circumstance.
In examining family life today, it appears that there is a swing toward the belief that nothing is important if it is not materialistic. To expand on that a bit more, let's consider a family of "haves" versus a family of "have not."
The family of "haves" I refer to is the family that has not only everything they need or could want, but are tightly encased in that little circle of materialism. The "have" groups frequently place their happiness on what they have, not true spiritual, cultural or sought after intellectual things that count and creates a richer life.
Today's advertising world steers its advertising to specific groups. This is nothing new, it has always been that way, but...now there is television advertising, iPhone advertising, magazine advertising that rules the whole magazine content with little intellectual value at all. Children are asked to pressure their parents for "things." In some homes, both the father and mother work long and hard hours to obtain those "things" they think are necessary for happiness and lose the real meaning of family.
The family of "have not" rely more on family values. They seem to be more concerned with how other folks feel because of their efforts. They also contribute more to the whole family through phone calls, letters, basic thank you notes for things they have received and just plain caring. The family and its ancestory are the value rather than "things."
When the family of "haves" run out of their access to those possessions do they revert to the "have not" mentality, or do they find themselves so lost in their materialistic world that they cannot escape from it. What do these people do when their material things are gone?
Is it time to take a look into the mirror and see where you fit into this "materialistic" world?
In examining family life today, it appears that there is a swing toward the belief that nothing is important if it is not materialistic. To expand on that a bit more, let's consider a family of "haves" versus a family of "have not."
The family of "haves" I refer to is the family that has not only everything they need or could want, but are tightly encased in that little circle of materialism. The "have" groups frequently place their happiness on what they have, not true spiritual, cultural or sought after intellectual things that count and creates a richer life.
Today's advertising world steers its advertising to specific groups. This is nothing new, it has always been that way, but...now there is television advertising, iPhone advertising, magazine advertising that rules the whole magazine content with little intellectual value at all. Children are asked to pressure their parents for "things." In some homes, both the father and mother work long and hard hours to obtain those "things" they think are necessary for happiness and lose the real meaning of family.
The family of "have not" rely more on family values. They seem to be more concerned with how other folks feel because of their efforts. They also contribute more to the whole family through phone calls, letters, basic thank you notes for things they have received and just plain caring. The family and its ancestory are the value rather than "things."
When the family of "haves" run out of their access to those possessions do they revert to the "have not" mentality, or do they find themselves so lost in their materialistic world that they cannot escape from it. What do these people do when their material things are gone?
Is it time to take a look into the mirror and see where you fit into this "materialistic" world?
Saturday, December 14, 2013
A New Word for An Old Wrong
Just for those who haven't seen the news lately, it is interesting to point out that our legal system has again come up with the most idiotic defense of the rich yet. It is simply called "Afluenza."
If you have a lot of money, the law does not any longer apply to you since you have been so protected you have become a compete imbecile and therefore you no longer know right from wrong. If you kill someone, that is okay since you really are to ignorant to know any better.
If you don't believe me, check the news for the young man who, drunk out of his mind, and spoiled rotten, drove his vehicle at a speed exceeding the speed limit and killed four people. His attorney said he should not be sent to prison because he suffers from "Afluenza,' the inability to understand that what he did was wrong and therefore he didn't know any better. This no doubt was caused because of his family affluence and protection. The poor fellow will be serving probation at a higher end facility than the best hotel around, but of course he will be denied many of those luxuries he had always had and consequently fails to understand that all people don't have them, since his affluent friends do.
I don't know about you, but I know about the way I feel and how many others I have spoken to feel. Simply put, it is time for those attorneys that have this kind of mentality be forced out of the profession and actually get a job where they find out what life is really all about. his should include the judges you rule on these cases as well.We also believe that our system of justice is completely out of whack and any day now the wealthy will be forced to carry a gun to keep we poor folks away from them rather than taint them with our being alive.
My Christian belief tells me to forgive, but my common sense belief tells me it is time for those responsible for these outrageous actions start paying the price we average citizens do. If you need more examples of what money and power can do take a good look at our congressional representation...really!! And yes, I can forgive them but I will guarantee you that I won't forget them.
If you have a lot of money, the law does not any longer apply to you since you have been so protected you have become a compete imbecile and therefore you no longer know right from wrong. If you kill someone, that is okay since you really are to ignorant to know any better.
If you don't believe me, check the news for the young man who, drunk out of his mind, and spoiled rotten, drove his vehicle at a speed exceeding the speed limit and killed four people. His attorney said he should not be sent to prison because he suffers from "Afluenza,' the inability to understand that what he did was wrong and therefore he didn't know any better. This no doubt was caused because of his family affluence and protection. The poor fellow will be serving probation at a higher end facility than the best hotel around, but of course he will be denied many of those luxuries he had always had and consequently fails to understand that all people don't have them, since his affluent friends do.
I don't know about you, but I know about the way I feel and how many others I have spoken to feel. Simply put, it is time for those attorneys that have this kind of mentality be forced out of the profession and actually get a job where they find out what life is really all about. his should include the judges you rule on these cases as well.We also believe that our system of justice is completely out of whack and any day now the wealthy will be forced to carry a gun to keep we poor folks away from them rather than taint them with our being alive.
My Christian belief tells me to forgive, but my common sense belief tells me it is time for those responsible for these outrageous actions start paying the price we average citizens do. If you need more examples of what money and power can do take a good look at our congressional representation...really!! And yes, I can forgive them but I will guarantee you that I won't forget them.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
http://www.photoshow.com/watch/fu2Jm7QD
I have been told this link is not working unless you are a member of Roxio Photo....forgive me for misleading you if I did.
http://www.photoshow.com/watch/fu2Jm7QD
I have been told this link is not working unless you are a member of Roxio Photo....forgive me for misleading you if I did.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Another Misguided Thought
I am sure that his will enhance the temperament of many sport's fans, but it is a fact that should not be ignored.
Several years ago I had a lengthy discussion with my oldest son with regard to the money being paid to big league players of football. The discussion was about the tremendous high salary they commanded while the ordinary working man had to hock his wife and family to attend a game due to the ticket cost. I was immediately told, and in no uncertain terms, that these men put everything they had into their chosen profession, and many of them would become incapacitated due to injury and therefore would no longer be able to work in their field, i.e., the big salary for their future.
Arguing would not have been worth the effort at that time as what he said had some merit, although I could name several occupations that were dangerous and yet they were not paid anything like those "what I called outrageous" sums of money.
Today many of them receive more than a million a year...a lot more in fact. I heard today that one is going to receive a huge settlement from the league due his continued head injuries. Now I don't want to be thought of here as insensitive, but really, a settlement in the hundreds of millions? Why don't insurance companies insure these guys, after all they make enough to pay the premiums, or do they?
I have a friend who was injured on the job. He got disability from the state to the tune of $1200.00 a month. Now in his job he actually did a job needed in the community and received a just compensation. I think now that he should have just put his head down and ran into a wall once a week so he could get the large settlement the player got. After all, the player has had several concussions over the years of his playing and anyone with common sense would conclude that maybe the game was dangerous, would lay aside some of that huge salary for the future, and accept his fate since it was of his own choosing.
All right, I concede, maybe this is the only profession he was cut out for...I was supposed to be a mechanic and became a salesman instead...stupid me!
Well, after you get done cussing me out, yelling at me and saying things like, "You don't understand !", or "You are just jealous!" or a hundred other, and probably far worse, comments just take a minute, cool down, and tell me if you would decide to do something you knew was going to disable you for the rest of your life. And if you did choose that profession, would you do it blindly spending your money without regard to you and your family's future?
I am sure that his will enhance the temperament of many sport's fans, but it is a fact that should not be ignored.
Several years ago I had a lengthy discussion with my oldest son with regard to the money being paid to big league players of football. The discussion was about the tremendous high salary they commanded while the ordinary working man had to hock his wife and family to attend a game due to the ticket cost. I was immediately told, and in no uncertain terms, that these men put everything they had into their chosen profession, and many of them would become incapacitated due to injury and therefore would no longer be able to work in their field, i.e., the big salary for their future.
Arguing would not have been worth the effort at that time as what he said had some merit, although I could name several occupations that were dangerous and yet they were not paid anything like those "what I called outrageous" sums of money.
Today many of them receive more than a million a year...a lot more in fact. I heard today that one is going to receive a huge settlement from the league due his continued head injuries. Now I don't want to be thought of here as insensitive, but really, a settlement in the hundreds of millions? Why don't insurance companies insure these guys, after all they make enough to pay the premiums, or do they?
I have a friend who was injured on the job. He got disability from the state to the tune of $1200.00 a month. Now in his job he actually did a job needed in the community and received a just compensation. I think now that he should have just put his head down and ran into a wall once a week so he could get the large settlement the player got. After all, the player has had several concussions over the years of his playing and anyone with common sense would conclude that maybe the game was dangerous, would lay aside some of that huge salary for the future, and accept his fate since it was of his own choosing.
All right, I concede, maybe this is the only profession he was cut out for...I was supposed to be a mechanic and became a salesman instead...stupid me!
Well, after you get done cussing me out, yelling at me and saying things like, "You don't understand !", or "You are just jealous!" or a hundred other, and probably far worse, comments just take a minute, cool down, and tell me if you would decide to do something you knew was going to disable you for the rest of your life. And if you did choose that profession, would you do it blindly spending your money without regard to you and your family's future?
Forgiveness
One of the hardest things in life, at least for me, is forgiveness. I don't mean simple things like someone hurt your feelings with words or innocent actions, or that someone cut you off in traffic, I mean big things, things that really tend to hurt and you live with although they are cutting your life short.
Family is probably the toughest. You know how that works. One relative says something, then another picks up on it, and before long, just like that game of whispering in each other's ear in a group and when the whispered line comes out from the last person's understanding, it is nothing like it started out!
Sometimes we say things we don't really mean, or that someone misunderstands and rather than, at that moment questioning it, they let it fester until the sore becomes so big it gets blown completely out of proportion and beyond healing. In most cases, by the time this happens the beginning comment or incident is completely forgotten by the offended person, but the resentment continues on.
How many of us have had this happen to us because of our own misunderstanding? I know that I have been both the perpetrator and the recipient.
I don't know about you, but I have found that the older I get, the more I wish I could understand what I may have done or said that upset someone to the point they refuse to forgive and prefer to join the hatred crowd. I have discovered that when I forgive, I forget and I am much happier because of it.
Simple advice, think before you speak or act, and maybe you won't have this haunt you in the future. That haunting came interrupt your life and especially your sleep! Trust me.
One of the hardest things in life, at least for me, is forgiveness. I don't mean simple things like someone hurt your feelings with words or innocent actions, or that someone cut you off in traffic, I mean big things, things that really tend to hurt and you live with although they are cutting your life short.
Family is probably the toughest. You know how that works. One relative says something, then another picks up on it, and before long, just like that game of whispering in each other's ear in a group and when the whispered line comes out from the last person's understanding, it is nothing like it started out!
Sometimes we say things we don't really mean, or that someone misunderstands and rather than, at that moment questioning it, they let it fester until the sore becomes so big it gets blown completely out of proportion and beyond healing. In most cases, by the time this happens the beginning comment or incident is completely forgotten by the offended person, but the resentment continues on.
How many of us have had this happen to us because of our own misunderstanding? I know that I have been both the perpetrator and the recipient.
I don't know about you, but I have found that the older I get, the more I wish I could understand what I may have done or said that upset someone to the point they refuse to forgive and prefer to join the hatred crowd. I have discovered that when I forgive, I forget and I am much happier because of it.
Simple advice, think before you speak or act, and maybe you won't have this haunt you in the future. That haunting came interrupt your life and especially your sleep! Trust me.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Another Perspective on Who We Are, or Should Be
I don't know about anyone else and what their opinions are, but I am pretty tired of the news media and their take on how thin skinned we Americans are. I have often been referred to as a stubborn Dane, my wife grew up as a "Greaseball Italian, I had a couple of Negro friends, a Mexican buddy that was pretty well known as that "Spic" down the block.
The interesting thing about this is that none of us felt bad about it, and as a matter of fact we joked about it among ourselves. We were not thin skinned, we were part of the American Melting Pot of people that have made up what used to be this marvelous country. All of us worked and played together, we prayed together and cried together. We built this country, side by side.
Today there are too many people out there that like to tell us we are poor, we are under privileged, we are misinformed, we are ignorant! Well, I am going to tell you that I am offended everytime I turn on a program where I am told it is wrong to do this, or to say anything for fear we may hurt someone's feelings.
Now those same thin skinned people are saying that a sports team that has been around for years should change their name from the Washington Redskins to "who knows what" has really started to cause a blister on my, well let's not discuss where or I may get my feeling hurt!
It seems to me that I should start a new group of people that don't want to be called "white" anymore. I find that to be very obnoxious. After all, paper is white, some clouds are white, the snow is white, and my skin is certainly not that un-color at all. I once knew an unfortunate person that was all white, her eyes were pink, and we were told that she was an Albino. Now if that is true, I don't want to be called white anymore...let's see now, what could we call we non-white people that are not red, yellow, brown or black? From now on are we the "Tan Americans,", or the Off-White Americans? What do you suggest we call ourselves. Anyone???
The interesting thing about this is that none of us felt bad about it, and as a matter of fact we joked about it among ourselves. We were not thin skinned, we were part of the American Melting Pot of people that have made up what used to be this marvelous country. All of us worked and played together, we prayed together and cried together. We built this country, side by side.
Today there are too many people out there that like to tell us we are poor, we are under privileged, we are misinformed, we are ignorant! Well, I am going to tell you that I am offended everytime I turn on a program where I am told it is wrong to do this, or to say anything for fear we may hurt someone's feelings.
Now those same thin skinned people are saying that a sports team that has been around for years should change their name from the Washington Redskins to "who knows what" has really started to cause a blister on my, well let's not discuss where or I may get my feeling hurt!
It seems to me that I should start a new group of people that don't want to be called "white" anymore. I find that to be very obnoxious. After all, paper is white, some clouds are white, the snow is white, and my skin is certainly not that un-color at all. I once knew an unfortunate person that was all white, her eyes were pink, and we were told that she was an Albino. Now if that is true, I don't want to be called white anymore...let's see now, what could we call we non-white people that are not red, yellow, brown or black? From now on are we the "Tan Americans,", or the Off-White Americans? What do you suggest we call ourselves. Anyone???
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