grasping

The ultimate product
Of being human
Is Death.

Thanksgiving, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Today I'm thankful for my family and for the way I was raised, for my darling and crazy sister Marita, for the career I had working at the Rushville Post Office and making so many good friends over the years, for my love of music and the chance to share music with so many each year at the Summer Concert Series, and for the love of my life and the woman who has unmercifully put up with me for nearly 35 years, my darling wife Peggy Sue. How wonderful to live in a nation where we can freely speak about how we feel and have the chance to let freedom ring each and everyday. I'm also thankful for each and everyone of you, my friends, my Faithful Few. You make my journey thru this thing called life more rewarding each day you are all a part of it. Enjoy your day, everyone, and be happy today and always!

Jim Morrison - The Severed Garden

A very good friend shared this with me today when my spirit seems a little down, and as usual the words of Jim Morrison have elevated my mood and put a half smile on my face. Rock on Jim! And thanks, Brian, one of my Faithful Few!

I'm Me, Simply Me, And That's All I'm Ever Gonna Be

My ideals and philosophies may not be the same as yours, but I accept you for who you are and I never, ever try and change you and ask you to be anyone other than who you are. Why is it so many that know me put me down, tell me that everything I believe and stand for is wrong and do everything they can to belittle me and try and hurt my feelings? I'm who I am, I'm not changing and I only ask that you grant me the same courtesies I grant to you and let me be who I am without fear of persecution.

Yes Indeed, Number Three!

In one of the most thrilling Sprint Cup races I have personally ever watched, Tony Stewart did exactly what he needed to do today and won his third Sprint Cup Championship.

In a thrilling race, that could have only awarded one of two people the championship, Tony tied Carl Edwards in points and won the title by having the most wins this season. He and Carl finished first and second in the race.

The final 40 laps saw both drivers doing everything they could to win the race, but Tony had the car that was the class of the field and once he got the lead, he never looked back. A couple of times that lead was a fraction of a second, but Tony's skill behind the wheel and a gamble saving fuel in the pits earlier paid off in the final outcome of the race.

This race was truly exciting, and I personally watched the last eleven laps standing in my living room and staring at the television until the checkered flag was waved.

Carl Edwards, ever the class act and great sportsman that he is, was the first person to walk up to Tony's car and reach in and not only shake his hand, but give him his heartiest congratulations. He also told Tony that he hoped it came down just like this next year between the two of them and that they could battle for the championship once again.

And now, until February, no races on the weekends, which always seems to leave a void in my life. However, this year, I do believe I will turn my attention to college basketball, something I've never really followed until this past March when I was home during March Madness recovering from surgery.

Congratulations once again to my favorite Nascar driver, Tony Stewart, the 2011 Sprint Cup Champion!

Number Three?

This afternoon, Nascar's Sprint Cup Series finale takes place at Homestead-Miami, Florida, and the Sprint Cup Champion will be crowned.

It's down to two of the most deserving drivers in Nascar: Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart.

Without question, since I personally know Tony and have been a fan of his way back to when he was driving 3/4 midgets, I'm going to be pulling for him to win his third championship, his first as an owner-driver. I'm a Chevy man, so naturally, since Tony drives a Chevy, that's another reason to be pulling for him.

Carl Edwards, a very nice young man and a very capable and talented driver and a very good sportsman is leading Tony as they start today's race by a mere 3 points.
Carl, while I like him as an individual and as a driver, drives a Ford. Okay, I totally hate Fords, and since owning a brand new Ford back in 1976 that had an engine defect that Ford wouldn't stand behind, I have sworn I would never own another one. So for that reason, I really would rather not see Carl win.

Also, Carl drives for Jack Rousch. I'm not a fan of Jack's, either, so there's yet another reason to hope that Carl doesn't win.

However, they are both very deserving of a win today and to win the championship, and it another six hours or so, it will have all been decided.

I'm not sure who the winner will be, I will truly be happy either way, I would just be a lot more satisfied if the winner of the Cup would be Tony Stewart.

And then, my sights will turn to February and the return of the Nascar season when the Daytona 500 premiers the 2012 season on February 26th.

For now, come on Tony!

Life Getting Better

As the cold winds blow
And the last remaining leaves
Blow to the ground
And escape on the current
Of rushing air
He stands looking to the future
Smiling and knowing
That the light he sees rising
Is the happiness that lies ahead
From the decisions
He has made.
Those many hours
Those many years
He kept his nose
To the proverbial grindstone
And now
With his time being his own
He sees nothing
But glorious days ahead
Despite a few bumps in the road.
Life is just
Beginning
After nearly
Sixty years.

Time/Fleeting

As we move closer and closer to the ends of time, I'm thankful the sand in my hourglass has already hardened.

Mass

Moving
Soaring
Arcing upward
Spinning
Diving
Shooting
Dipping
then
Spiralling
Haphazzardly
yet
Under control
Spreading outward
Amassing energy
Splitting apart
Hesitantly
and
Rejoining
Blazing forth
Brightly
Increasing
Multiplying
but
Simply,
Being.

As If Was Will

Night's mistress,
Cloaked in her deep blue
Garment
Glides upon the
Night air
And infects the disease of
Fear
Into the timid hearts of
Man,
Confusing him
Perplexing him
In an attempt to overthrow
Him
And take control
Like a
Legion,
For she is many
And refuses to run
Into the river
And drown.

Minutes

Time continues to fly by
Taking with it
All that we can never get back
Or hope to.
Each minute that goes by
Travels infinitely away
And out of our
Reach,
Almost as if in jest.

Speak, Rollover, Turn A Page?

Sometimes it's hard to get an old dog to do new tricks, and it is likewise hard to get someone of nearly 60 years of age to get with all the new high tech things that are available today.

Anyone who knows the author of this blogpage, knows just how much I love to read and if you come into my home you will see a vast collection of books that continues to get larger and larger each year. So large, in fact, some of my older books that are not of my favorite authors are now sitting in boxes, still taking up space, but just not out where anyone can see them.

A friend of mine a couple of years ago got a Kindle, first generation, and told me what a great invention it was and how badly I needed to get one of my own. Well, to me, I have always said I would rather have that book in my hands and be able to turn the pages forward and backward to my own liking and not be dependent on a piece of electronics to do my reading. There's something about holding that author's words in a volume of paper pages, bound and in a nice jacket that has always appealed to me.

When I retired, my co workers took up a collection for me and the gal who collected the money started to get me a Kindle since she knew how much I liked to read, but decided since there are now so many variations available, to get me a gift certificate to Amazon and let me spend the money as I saw fit.

I did some investigating, and I decided since her original intent was to get me a Kindle, I would do just exactly that. So, a couple of weeks ago, I went online to Amazon and I preordered a new Kindle Touch, which becomes available on November 21. Mine will ship on that day and I should have it either the 22nd or 23rd.

When you consider this little gadget is about the size of a Readers Digest magazine and will hold 3,000 books, it's mind boggling. If I brought another 3,000 actual books into this home I would have to build a room addition on to have room for that many books. To even consider that kind of technology makes me dizzy, but I have decided to see how much I can accept this kind of change and see if I can adapt to reading off of a Kindle instead of out of a book.

I even have enough money left on my certificate that I can load up at least 7 to 10 more books, depending on prices. With winter coming on and me having much more time at home now, I have a feeling my new Kindle Touch will be arriving at just the right time.

I guess we'll see if this old dog can indeed be taught a few new tricks.

I have a feeling he just might be ready for a few!

Changes Underway

As I now move on in this new phase in my life called "retirement," I have vowed to myself not to make many of the same mistakes in my life that have haunted me in the past.

I don't see that as being a problem since each time I make one of those old mistakes the end result is always the same.

So far, six weeks into retirement, all I can say is that I love this new chapter in my life and all that it has given me thus far.

With all my new duties here at home, I have now found time and energy to do so many of the things I didn't have time or energy to enjoy before. That, in itself, makes this new life worthwhile.

Not Quite Hidden But Yet

Something interesting exists within this post, quite small, yet if looking one can easily find it. Have you figured it out?