I always start again in Spring

Spring time is such a time of hope and promise I can't help but get all giddy about what's coming next. The world comes into bloom all over again. Colors appear, popping up almost everywhere, even in the cracks of sidewalks. The smell of all this new growth fills the nostrils with a pouporie of goodness. Animals wake from a winter's slumber and run hither and yon across the roads. Some of them don't make it but that's the law of nature I guess. Then there are those pesky rabbits, multiplying like nobodies business almost to the point of overpopulation. I don't quite know exactly what happens to all of them. I'm guessing it's the predators though. Hawks, Falcons, Foxes and Coyotes as much as the neighbor's cat enjoy a good rabbit dinner. Some say it tastes like chicken. Flowering fruit trees and bushes make for a kaleidoscope through every window. I find it difficult to think bad thoughts in the Spring. It's my tradition to take a long walk in the park in March to collect my thoughts about where I am, what I have, what I've done so far and what I hope to do. Then I pick pussy-willows and go home to take on the day. One thing I've held on to since I can remember, every Spring, I always try to do my best.

I've tried to:
Keep my sense of humor
Raise my own kids
Treat others like I would like to be treated
Tell the truth
Be honest
Maintain a moral standard
Be thankful
Pray every day
Read the newspaper comic section every day
Keep my language clean
Not to embarrass my family name
Help others when I could
Take personal responsibility for my actions
Not to blame others
To look after the environment
Not to accept unnecessarily from the government
Pay my fair share of taxes
Just plain do the right thing
Not back down from a good argument
To learn from someone I disagree with
Maintain reasonable health
Read good books
Listen to good music
Not talk too much
Remind people of just how bad carbon monoxide poisoning can be.
Wake up early

This is, of course a not so complete list but I think you get the idea. Every Spring I am reminded that it may indeed be true that Happiness is a choice. Happy Spring you all....................Joe

Being poor

In my childhood I experienced many wonderful things. Living in a two room Quonset house with one electrical outlet at the base of a light fixture, an outside toilet and heated by a combination wood cooking stove and furnace. The two rooms were separated by a blanket. When we moved to an apartment in town with a real flush toilet I was really impressed. Shopping for shoes and most of our clothes was done at a variety of used clothing stores and there was more than a few trips to the warehouse where the government gave us some surplus food: powdered milk, flour, rice and cheese. On rare occasions there was a can of peaches for an added treat. Travel to just about anywhere in town was by bus. My folks worked hard at low paying jobs, spent money frugally and eventually we got our own home just outside of town. Back to being heated by a kerosene space heater and flushing the toilet with a pail. Hot water for a bath was heated on the stove. We knew we were poor but it was our life and we embraced it. Being poor was nothing to be ashamed of because it gave us motivation to do better. My folks did everything they could to avoid any help from the government unless it was absolutely necessary because they figured the government should take care of those that couldn't take care of them selves. It wasn't easy but we eventually became a bit better than poor. All the while we enjoyed what we could with what we had, where we were at and I don't recall feeling sorry for ourselves, blaming our situation on anyone else or expecting someone else to take care of us. We knew we were poor and knew what we had to do to better ourselves. We weren't saints but just plain, hard working people. Being poor was no picnic but we made it and improved in the ways that we could.

I listen to a lot of people my age that say when they were growing up they didn't have any money but they enjoyed life and really didn't realize they were poor. I knew it. It made me better instead of relying on others.

Cop slugs woman

Bear with me here for a minute so I can make my point.
I apparently don't quite understand this whole new equality of the sexes thing. On one page I read all about how pleased equal rights advocates are because women can now be up on the front lines in war zones shooting at the enemy, and also being shot at by the enemy. Equal treatment. Next page explains how a woman is granted a large sum of money because she was discriminated against and paid less than her male counterparts at work. Same work, same pay. It's all about equal treatment for all. The courts back it up every day. The legislative branches pass laws to clarify it and make it enforceable. That's the way it is. Then I turn the page and read a completely different approach to this equality between the sexes. "Cop slugs woman" the headline read. It seems this woman grabbed the cop while he was attempting to do his job and interfered with is ability to do what he needs to do. In order to continue without being interfered with he felt the need to slug the woman so she'd leave him alone. Police officers have a job to do and it is difficult enough even without anyone getting in the way and holding them back. If I understand the wording correctly, it is against the law for anyone to interfere with a police officer during the completion of his appointed duty of enforcing the law. The law in this case does not discriminate in any way, at least in my opinion. So that brings us full circle to the equality issue. Why did the headline read, "Cop slugs woman."? And infer that it was way more traumatic or unacceptable because a woman was involved. If a woman is in fact equal, then the woman gets to participate in the consequences of their behavior from both sides of the spectrum, right? equality means that no longer is special treatment given to someone just because they are the "fair sex". Equality means no more "fair sex"! What would the headline read if the cop was also a woman? I believe it would not have even been a news story.

I don't know the right or wrong of this particular incident. That will be played out and taken care of in the proper, lawful way that is laid out. That is not my concern. Nor is it my concern about the equality concept. Women are getting the rights they have long fought for. It is simply my opinion that everyone across the board should face the fact that if one wants equality, the whole idea of "special treatment" goes out the window. No one has the right to grab a cop and not expect to get slugged for it if need be because they are 'special." I don't particularly like that, but I guess that's what it's become. I just hope I don't have to slug some woman. Nope, don't like that idea at all. Coming from a time when women were regarded with respect because they were fair, gentle and special and often were considered to be peacemakers, it's hard to shake those concepts.

Hey Dennis Rodman

Hey Dennis Rodman,
I've been hearing about your admiration for the North Korean governing family. I can't comment on your remarks because I've not met these people personally as you have. In the videos it appears that you all really enjoy each other's company. Especially while you are sitting at the arena during a basketball game. It must be comforting to find such kindred souls. You have been on the outside of anything resembling respectable for so long in this country that I'm sure you often felt like an outsider. What with your ventures into clothing, personal body art, language and generally any type of public activity. Of course as fellow Americans we are not supposed to judge you in any way but, truthfully you left us no other option. Yet you boldly continued to go where no sane man had ever gone before. Finally, from what we have seen there in North Korea you have found acceptance and mutual admiration. In light of that, I have a suggestion: Stay there! Obviously, in this country we do not have the societal maturity to see the value in just who you are. I guess we are too backwards to understand how you are advancing mankind. Dennis, we don't deserve you. So, because we have for so long found you so disgusting through our own ignorance, it's probably best that you remain in a place where so many find you an inspiration and you find them the same. Yeah, that makes so much sense doesn't it? Good Bye Dennis. Good bye to the hoops show, good bye to the Rodman show. I'm sure it's our loss but we'll get over the trauma eventually. Don't worry about us. And let's not us stretch this thing out either. Stay there now, we'll send you your stuff and pay the postage.

The Pope's red shoes

The news is filled with opinions regarding the Pope as he trades his red shoes for a pair of brown loafers. (Are they from Wolverine World Wide?) That, not necessarily being as important as his resignation seems to me to get a bit too much air time. We are witnessing an event which hasn't happened in many centuries and although not catastrophic, signals a change of the guard for millions of Catholics. Regardless of faith affiliation, almost everyone in the world knows who the pope is and how keenly he is observed when it comes to religious leadership. Commentators from each end of the spectrum and everywhere in between offer their own spin on the effect this will have on the church. Interesting too, how so many that have no connection whatsoever to Peter's direct successor or a religious affiliation of their own feel they are knowledgeable enough to make such an infinite amount of assumptions. From laughing at the idea of such traditions as the red shoes, to offering advice as to how the next pope should direct the faithful. Arm chair coaches. We all have a tendency to be one of those from time to time don't we?

Today, as person of faith, I meditate on just how small and often insignificant I am in the scope of things. It would be easy for me to criticise the red shoes, they aren't really fashionable in my eyes. But then, they aren't meant to be, possibly they are meant to be shocking in some way, just like the pope. What would I do if I walked in his shoes for a time? How seriously would I take the tenets of God's own church? In my opinion, Pope Benedict is doing an incredibly unselfish thing. So often leaders simply hang on and on, well past their ability to be effective, essentially becoming simply a figurehead. The pope is not a figurehead. The faith of millions of catholics around the world is not based upon a man wearing red shoes. To us catholics, faith is based on the beliefs of rights and wrongs given to us over 2000 years ago by Jesus Christ. The popes down through the centuries along with the other leaders of the church, have been the protectors of those beliefs in a world of conflict and and diverse cultural perspectives. That is the immense responsibility of the office of pope in a nutshell. Red shoes or not, that's a heavy weight to carry. Pope Benedict saw his inability to carry on that tradition and acted on it. I admire that. We need someone strong, mentally, physically and especially spiritually.

Today I pray for Pope Benedict to have peace and be confident in his decision. Today I ask for God to give the College of Cardinals divine inspiration to bring us the spiritual leader we need. Someone to protect the truth with all the resources available. Someone to cleanse the church and make it Holy. Someone who is not afraid to wade into controversy and remain true to the word. Our faith is not based on a man in red shoes, our faith is based on the truth. Some things are right, some things are wrong. Pope Benedict sees that too. By resigning he is doing his part in moving God's own Church forward as it should. I look forward to seeing just who's feet those shoes go on now. History in the making. For now, I will sit down, shut up, and hang on. All those commentators will certainly have much to say about it.

Spring cleaning vs taxes

Personally, I grab the opportunity to clean my surroundings every Spring. Not quite so enthusiastically I also grab at doing my taxes. But they both have to be done so I divide my time between the two so as to maintain a reasonable amount of sanity. The Spring cleaning involves throwing stuff away that I saved for one purpose or another and every time I start to pitch an item I have to go through a whole mental scrubbing or I'll throw away something I need and can't replace. Yesterday I took on my computer software collection. Over the years an accumulation of programs and accessories built to massive proportions due to a swinging door of one antiquated computer after another. I think I found a floppy disk containing Windows 1978. Well, maybe not quite but almost. The computers are gone, however I felt a need to keep that junk, just in case! Putting my fears aside I waded through and filled one box after another to send to the recyclers and put them in the truck for dropping off on the way home. I really made a dent in the pile of useless materials. Finally the drawers, cabinets and shelves were cleared and tidy. Ready for a new influx of computer brick a brack I didn't know what to do with but was afraid to throw away. Feeling quite victorious after such a major accomplishment I set myself to attacking the year end tax situation. Things were going quite well for about an hour, then I came across an empty packet where some extremely vital information was supposed to be. It dealt with the tax record bookkeeping computer program I was working on. I was struck speechless. Where was the information? Ah, it was still lodged in the computer, I simply forgot to print it out I guess. I opened the drawer where the memory backup for the program was located, at least that was where it was supposed to be. Not there! Panic time! I had just cleaned that drawer and thrown out all kinds of stuff. Did I throw out that too? I looked everywhere in that area. Not there! I looked again. Not there! Oh my goodness, it must be in the truck, I thought. I proceeded to take everything back out of the truck, one box at a time, remove the entire contents, going through each and every piece. I examined the whole lot. After an hour and a half of searching, Not there! Vital information needed for completing my taxes was missing and looking more and more like it is gone. I had searched every possible location. I could not for the life of me remember where I could possibly have placed it. Woe is me, woe is me. All is lost........................!

Not being one to sit idly by and feel sorry for myself, I decided to take action and began the process of creating an entirely new, hand written record of transactions I needed to complete my taxes. I opened the drawer I originally thought the back up program was in and the entire program and packet of information fell from behind the divider that was stuck to the handle. Just another day in the life of a pack rat. All better now. I wish you a much less complicated day.

Sequester or fiscal cliff?

Nothing on television sit-coms is as hilarious as the action, or as often,  inaction of people in charge of huge amounts of money. Especially, if it isn't theirs in the first place. Numerous headlines seem to appear almost daily regarding the mishandling and embezzling carried by financial officers and accountants. A few dollars here, a half million there and soon an unknowingly and trusting company is bankrupt with large groups of employees losing their jobs and added to the unemployment roles while the embezzler gets a few years in the slammer and public service taking care of poor people. I guess hilarious is probably not the correct word. Sad maybe, extortion, terrorism, theft, inept, careless, the list could go on and on. The fact remains that when certain people are put in charge over other people's money their brains seem to turn to mush and nobody can make the appropriate decisions. When an accountant embezzles money the motives are clear. When an official is careless the motives are less obvious. Most often officials get all caught up in some sort of power game struggle. Impact at the expense of those depending on them. In relative terms it is basically dictatorial behaviour. Dictators, in the United States of America? Yup! Just try and hold an elected official responsible. Just try and get Congress, the Senate or even the President to put off a vacation, even in the most dire financial crisis and see if it has any affect. Nope! They will go away and play anyway. Ask any of them to actually admit some of the resulting difficulties may in fact be partially their fault. Not a chance.

Whatever happens with the financial situation we are in at this moment, we'll work it out. Americans are a resilient people. Some of this may not be easy but if it doesn't bankrupt us it'll make us stronger. Maybe it'll work in the same way that Chemo and Radiation therapy works against cancer. When we vote in any future elections it's our vote that is the Chemo or the Radiation needed to rid us of the cancer of irresponsibility. Meanwhile, no reason to panic. That won't stop me from bellyaching though. Some things remain constant throughout history. If you drink from a glass of water and do not refill it, it will eventually dry up. If you deplete the well you drink from you are in real trouble. The moral: Take care of the well and don't blame the guy that owns the well for the water you took.

Hah! Just figure that one out. Kind of hilarious isn't it?