One Chapter At A Time

Life comes in chapters, much like those in a book.

We read the chapter, we remember it because it is essential to the overall story, and then, we move on and read the next chapter, knowing we needn't go back and reread what we have already read.

We read it, we remember it, it's a part of the story, but the chapter is over and done.

There's no need to read it again.

Ever.

It was necessary but it was only one chapter.

As with the book, when you pass chapters in life, it's time to move on and remember, but not to continue going over and over that part of it over and over again.

I just hope I get to finish this book...

Mid Winter Blues

Stuck there again this year.

I hate this time of year, hate the lack of sunshine and the miserable wet days. Thankfully it's coming mostly in the form of rain this year, but there's a couple of months of winter to go yet, so anything is possible.

Compounding that is the crap on tv news, day in, day out, political crap and the whole monotonous pile of garbage and lies.

New this year is the never ending political and bigoted bullshit on Facebook. Yeah, I'm upset, I said BULLSHIT!!!

I go to Facebook to stay in touch with friends, some of whom I haven't seen in over 40 years. I post what I consider to be humorous items at times, and all in all, I try and do what I did when I worked at the post office each day. I try and brighten just one person's day each day.

I know we are all individuals and we all have our beliefs and our ideologies. However, is it really necessary to post doctored pictures, blatant political lies and bigoted remarks on a social website? I mean, just because someone wants to be a racial and political bigot doesn't mean the rest of their friends really want to read their ignorance each day.

There's been one of my "friends" who for the past week and half has been posting the most ignorant and blatantly racial crap and he's been totally insulting to anyone of a particular political party. It's bad enough that he posts items he's not checked for validity, but he has to add demeaning comments and sterotypical generalizations to them as well, and frankly, today was it! I got so pissed off at a so called political picture that I went to his page and I unfriended him!

He won't miss me, and I sure as hell won't miss him.

But it amazes me how so many people think it necessary to put that crap on a social website and reveal to everyone that they can't think for themselves and they totally believe that everyone of a certain race or a certain religion or a certain political party are ALL the same.

It's this small minded thinking that got our nation in the fouled up mess it's in right now. Why in the hell can't people get beyond this pinheadedness and realize that each person is an individual REGARDLESS of their race, creed, religion or political affiliation.

It's bad enough to have to watch the political biased garbage that goes on in Congress each day. It's disgusting to have to watch our nation's president make a State of The Union address and see the constipated face of John Boehner behind him scowling at his every word. It was easy to see during the President's speech the other night that NOTHING he wants to pass thru Congress will because in John Boehner's eyes, Barrack Obama is the enemy because he is a Democrat. Congress doesn't care about the nation, they only care in making sure nothing the President supports passes thru.

So, when I see this on tv each day, hear about it on the evening news, the morning news and the radio, I sure as hell don't need to see it posted on Facebook as well by ignorant people who don't know what the hell they are talking about.

Politically, I'm as middle of the road as you can get, I don't vote straight, I support candidates from both parties, and I am intelligent enough to know that good ideas come from both sides in Congress. I know we are all different, but what is it about someone's political affiliation that marks them and typecasts them?

I don't get it and I never will, because frankly, I grew up over the years and thankfully I got more intelligent. Obviously there's some out there who haven't.

So, today, I've had enough. I won't trash up my time on Facebook anymore by reading this crap. If I feel like I have to unfriend someone because of it, as much as it pains me to do so, I will.

Today was the start of that.

I also apologize to you, My Faithful Few, for spewing out this way, but I needed to release some tension, and writing usually seems to do that for me.

Hopefully these winter blues are about over.

At least I hope so...

blind creation

you did what you could
you said your piece
thru no fault of your own
the masses deny the good that you've done.

don't feel remorse,
don't feel pity for those too ignorant
to see what you've done
just proceed as you always have
those of us who have faith
can see the steps you have made
the progress that has begun
and the change that you promised
that the mean spirited bigots
won't allow you to deliver.

those who create the furor
those who belittle and demean
will reap their just rewards
as their blindness overshadows
reality
and the traps
that they themselves
are creating.

there's not enough time...

I'm a tad over a month away from turning 60 years old.

I don't know how that happened. I don't know where the years have gone, I don't know how I have gotten this far in my life when, as a teen, I didn't think I would ever live to see 30...

and several times I didn't...

However, should the good Lord above see to it, on February 25th, I will, indeed, turn 60.

When I was younger, 60 seemed old. Matter of fact, it was an accomplisment.

My grandmother on my Dad's side died when she was 68, and though I was only 7 years old at the time of her death, she seemed so old to me. My grandfather on my Dad's side died a few years later at the age of 72. Again, an age at the time that seemed old to me.

Hell, I have friends that are between 75 and 80 years old and they seem like they are my age...

A reminder to me that this life is not forever.

Personally, I don't feel like I'm about to turn 60 and I sure as hell don't feel like I am going to...

But I feel like I need to mend some fences that have needed mending for years.

Do I miss my youth? Hell, of course I do?

I miss my friends.

I flash back to the line from Stand By Me, the movie based on Stephen King's The Body of "I never had any better friends than those I had when I was twelve years old...Hell, does anyone?"

I don't know that any truer statement has ever been written.

So, as each day in this life passes, I yearn to mend those fences, spend time with loved ones, friends, people I haven't seen in years, and I long to continue to share the music I love with so many...

I don't know that I'll ever be blessed with enough time to get all of that done, but I sure as hell am going to try.

Yeah,

There's not enough time left...

still a child

an amazing thing,
life.
wherein your zone of being
you are the center of the
Galaxy,
you are,
however,
not the center of
all.
realization of this small fact
might enable
a better understanding
and
relationship,
but I don't hold my breath,
for I gave up believing
in dragons
when I was but a
child
of the universe.

Cleaning Off The Mud

Sometimes, on this walk thru life, it becomes necessary to clean the mud from the bottom of your shoes before you can proceed onward. It's also necessary to clean the mud off before it dries, because damp mud comes off much easier than mud that has had a chance to dry. Little bits of that mud try and hold on and you really have to work at it to get them all off, but if you remain persistent, the shoes can come completely clean with a little effort.

Awesome New Years Eve

On New Years Eve we got to witness the swearing in of the new Rushville Common Council and the new Rushville Mayor, Mike Pavey.

I've never been able to be involved in the political process because of my postal job. However, after my retirement, I was able to actively participate and support a candidate for office for the first time.

The best part of it was my candidate won. Because of that win, the city of Rushville has a great chance to find its greatness once again and what sets it apart from other small communities.

Yesterday afternoon, at the 201 Building in downtown Rushville, a standing room only crowd gathered to witness the inauguration of Mike Pavey and his new city council, all of whom assumed their offices today.

After a very emotional and moving ceremony and several speeches, the crowd slowly began dispersing and heading towards whatever New Years plans they had made. I got a chance to tell Mayor Pavey that whatever help I could be to him, even though I am not a resident of Rushville, I would be available should he need me. I didn't make that offer lightly. I made that offer because I truly meant it and I will make myself available to do whatever I can to help Mike and the new council and the city of Rushville pull itself out of the downward spiral it has fallen into over the past four years.

Watching Mike take his oath yesterday and listening to his speech reminded just why I had supported Mike to begin with.

Mike Pavey believes in Rushville.