America Held Hostage

I don't like to post political items, and actually, in a matter of speaking, this really isn't political, because it hits both sides of the fence.

A group of 535 bastards in Washington, DC, are holding the residents of this great nation of ours hostage.

Hostages being held because of 535 bastards political interests.

535 bastards who don't care about the common man, the working man or the senior citizen on a fixed income.

535 assholes who continue to draw their pay, even after they leave office, every year for the rest of their lives.

And to top it all off, they voted themselves a raise today for holding us hostage.

A raise that was supported by the President of the United States.

A President that I had confidence in.

Without a doubt, those 535 bastards are the worst Congress this nation of ours has ever had.

All about politcal agendas.

All about power!


To hell with them all!

Confessions Of A Confused Mind (short version)

Once again Americans are being held hostage by the antics of a partisan group of politicans in Washington. Thankfully, I can say, I didn't vote for a single member of Congress who was a part of this garbage before. Apparently that puts me in the minority of Americans, most of whom apparently enjoy the childish antics of a group of grown men and women who refuse to put the best interests of Americans first.

The life expectancy of human bodys has continued to get longer and longer. It's a shame the mind hasn't kept up. As our bodies continue to improve in stability, Alzheimers and dementia related illnesses are affecting more and more people all the time.

The media continues to bask in the violent, the deadly and the bizzare, while the beautiful and wonderful things that happen in this world take a backseat and are hardly, if at all, ever reported about.

We continually hear about how obesity is taking over our nation, and we hear it in between the commercials for fast food and sugar laden goodies.

CD sales continue to drop, online musical services continue to grow and concert tickets have risen to a totally ridiculous price. A ticket to see KISS back in 1977 cost $7, today, a similar ticket costs $130.

Write a check, stick a stamp on it and mail it and get it anywhere in the nation in three days or less for 45 cents. Use an online billpay service and read the fine print and see that it takes most online bill paying services 10 days to process the same payment for you. Yet this is the way most Americans seem to be doing business now.

Home schooling is at an all time high and young people seem to lack social skills and parents wonder why.

Communities sponsor summer activities with the generosity of sponsorship dollars and provide different types of entertainment for their residents, yet the majority of the residents ignore these activities and complain that there's nothing to do.

Crude oil prices continue to drop yet gas prices remain at an all time high and no longer reflect the price of crude per barrel and Americans have quit asking why and the oil companies continue to rake in record profits and no one seems to care anymore.

Respect has all but disappeared, violence continues to plague our world and if anyone challenges anything in this regard, we're told we are infringing on someone else's rights.

Really?

I will be 61 years old, good Lord willing, in less than two months, and I am amazed at how our world has changed in the last 40 years. I am even more amazed at how much it has changed in the last 5 years.

Can you imagine what another 5 years is going to do?

Confused? Yes, I'm confused, and I don't think it's going to get any better.

Blizzard of 2012?

We just endured what the media cast as the Blizzard of 2012.

That's what the media called it.

I called it a bunch of snow (8 to 12 inches) with strong winds for about 14 - 16 hours.

In my opinion, it didn't live up to the hype the news media was giving it.

Yes, it was bad, the roads were bad and the wind was pretty fierce.

However, it wasn't 15 and a half inches of snow partnered with 40 to 50 mile per hour winds in excess of 2 1/2 days...

That was the Blizzard of 1978, which to me has been the granddaddy of blizzards in my lifetime, and something I hope I never have to live thru again.

In 1978, nothing moved for days. Electric was out for days. Mail trucks could NOT get thru. Hell, nothing got thru!

I won't go into elaborate details about Indiana's Blizzard of '78, you can Google that yourself and see what happened. The picture heading this selection was taken in Indiana after the Blizzard of '78 went thru. The whole darned state looked like this!

I challenge anyone who went thru yesterday's "Blizzard of 2012" to show me a picture that even comes close to this...

It's a challenge that won't be met.

And in my humble opinion, that's a good thing for sure!

Christmas 2012

My wishes to each of you, my Faithful Few, for a most awesome and peaceful Christmas.

Having now been retired for a little over a year, it's rewarding to me to no longer be a part of that magical time of the year at the post office.

Last year, a part of me really missed being there and being a part of the hustle and bustle.

This year, I view it in a different light and am thankful that I no longer have to put in those long exhausting days.

The baton has been passed to a really great group of people in the office and they are doing a stellar job.

During your holiday, try to remember what the season is all about and why we celebrate the holiday itself.

I give you no Happy Holidays greetings, because I am just hard headed enough to remember what the season is truly about, and I wish each and every one of you the Merriest of Christmases ever.

May God truly bless each and everyone of you!

Forward Motion Unleashed

invading thoughts
confusing emotions
timeless feelings
mixed up
distorted
rearranged
misguided
but, nonetheless
there
continuing to maneuver
towards an unknown
destination
driving me forward
not holding me back
and never
relinquishing
its hold
upon my
life.

Uncanny

For those of you who are celebrating a birthday today, has it occurred to you that your birthday today is on 12/20/2012?

And if a birth occurs today at 12:20PM, the birth will occur at 12/20/2012 at 12:20.

Furthermore,, this post is being posted on 12/20/2012 at 12:20...making it more than I want to discuss at the moment, because I bet this scenario didn't even occur to the Mayans.

I Don't Understand

I sit with tears in my eyes and so many unanswered questions and I have to wonder just how something like this senseless tragedy in Connecticut can happen, and why?

What kind of person with what type of mind senselessly murders 27 innocent people?

What did he think he could possibly achieve with such a slaughter?

It is doubtful we will ever know.

I doubt any sane person could ever conceive the reasons this sick bastard had for what he did and what he possibly hoped the outcome would have been.

All I know is that day by day, my pacifist beliefs are put more and more to test when mindless occurences like this one happen.

God give us all the strength to come to grips with what happened.

I just don't have very peaceful thoughts running thru my brain right now.

Just Once

I found this on a piece of paper I was throwing out, which was in a book I had not looked at since high school, and unfortunately, I had not written a date on this, but I am guessing it to be somewhere in the vicinity of 1969 or 1970. I don't particularly like this, but I thought I would at least post it so I would have a copy of it in existence somewhere.

It was untitled, so the title was just added today. Hope you like it, but as I said, I don't care for it too much.

Just Once

he looked forward
he looked back
he looked sideways
he looked up
he looked down
he looked all around
it remained hidden
it remained unseen
but he knew it was somewhere
if it would only show itself
just once
in his lifetime
just one time
he wanted to see total
and complete peace

your continuing spirit

mind closed to the truth
no longer setting you
free
capturing a moment
when the smile on your face
had an actual element of
truth behind it
but now
nothing more than a hideous
lie
much like the rest
of your life
and the value
you put on truth
and the trust
you place in others
as you continue
to refuse to see
with both of your eyes
closed
open.

Thankful

A time to reflect, as always, on those things that I have to be thankful for.

Rather than list them and possibly leave something out, let me just say that I am thankful for a very abundant and rewarding life and for now having the time I need to truly enjoy it.

I am also thankful for my eyes opening up and seeing all of the bountiful blessings I have in my life. Several times over the years I almost walked away from some of these blessings, for whatever reasons, but today, I realize that what I have is more than enough to satisfy my needs.

I am loved, I am happy and I don't want for a thing.

I have a smile on my face most days and I'm not merely content, I'm truly happy and blessed!

If your eyes happen upon this blog today, I hope you and yours find much to be thankful for and that your blessings are as abundant as mine.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Broken Dreams

It's funny, but before I had a computer, I used to do a lot of writing on scraps of paper or single sheets of paper, fold them up and put them somewhere, and eventually I come across some of those things when I'm cleaning or looking for something else.

This folded up piece of paper was found by me about ten minutes ago as I was doing some fall cleaning here in my den. Wow, it's from 21 years and 2 days ago, and it was written shortly after our son decided he was too grown up for us anymore and he had moved out to be on his own, and suffice to say, it was not a popular move or one that his mother or myself ever really understood or got over.

Funny, things haven't seemed to change all that much where he is concerned, even to this day. He lives his own life with no contact with us, and he keeps his sons away from us by his choice as well.

I used to wonder what I had done wrong, but now, I realize, that it wasn't anything my wife or I had done, but it was his selfishness and his lack of love and respect for us. Funny how selfishness can take away so much from one's life.

I hold no hope for him to ever change, hell, he's going to be 40 years old on his next birthday. Selfishness and self-centeredness is much like a terminal disease, and in most cases an incurable one as well.

I can't help but wonder if he ever stops and realizes what he has not only taken away from himself but what he has deprived my grandsons of having. Somehow I doubt that is the case.

Anyway, like I said, this poem captures feelings I had over 21 years ago, and I decided to post it here so I can throw the original writing of it away in the trash, kind of like our son threw our lives away into the trash all those years ago.


Broken Dreams (written November 15, 1991)

For eighteen years he gave me reason
To get up and face each day.
But now my incentive to live my life full
Has packed up and moved away.

It's not just the fact that he's moved away
That is hurting myself and my wife,
But for some unknown reason we don't understand
We're no longer a part of his life.

Now I know we aren't perfect as all parents aren't,
Although I thought we were better than most.
And that special closeness I thought we all shared,
I imagined it all, I suppose.

I mean what do you say to a son that you love
Probably more than your own life itself?
You can't say, "You'll live here and do as I say,
And damnit, you'll love us or else."

I just hope he realizes we'll always be here
And stand behind him thru good times and bad.
And we're not the bad montsters he thinks that we are,
We're just simply, his Mom and his Dad.

Four More Years

Thankfully, and almost mercifully, the election is over and life can resume in a somewhat state of normalcy.

President Obama and Vice President Biden are secure in their jobs in the White House for four more years, and hopefully Congress can finally put aside political differences and platforms and put the interests and the well being of our nation first and foremost.

Most refreshing will be the absence of political advertisements on television and now we can see more of the things we're used to seeing: Ads for new gimmicks sold "only on tv," viagra and cialis ads, Flo prostituting for insurance and the fabulous Brookfield Lantern, just to name a few.

Congratulations to all the winners and to those who lost graciously. Ladies and gentlemen, you've got a lot of work to do in the next few years. Here's hoping you put America's best interests ahead of you.

Let the games begin!

Regarding Election Day 2012

I'm not going to post anything anyone can perceive to be political, because quite frankly, I don't think political postings are necessary, mainly because you aren't going to influence or change anyones' mind with what you think is necessary to post. What I am going to post about tomorrow's election is simply this:

I don't care who you vote for, I don't care what party you vote for or what candid
ate you vote for. What I do care about is that you simply go exercise your American voice and go vote! Follow what is in your heart, follow what is in your mind, and do so when you pull that lever, punch that button or mark your selection on your ballot. Let your voice be heard and be happy in your heart and mind that you took a few moments to vote for who you think is the right candidate.

No one party has all the right candidates, no one person can change anything by themselves, but you can make a difference when you take the time to vote.


Thanks to you all, and thanks for voting.

The future of our nation is at stake.

Let your voice be heard!

VOTE!!!

DST Fallback

Once again it's time to fall back with the clocks as DST 2012 comes along.

To some of my Faithful Few, this is old news. To those of my Faithful Few that are here in Indiana, it's been a lot of years for us as we have on been back on Daylight Savings Time a few short years now.

Personally, I love it!

Those extra hours of daylight in the summer are most welcome.

Of course, we have those rocket scientists that have since discovered that they don't like it, and they have decided that they might like it if Indiana moves to the Central Time Zone, which, in vast Indiana thinking, is another step backwards. However, they have figured out they can have their daylight hours rearranged back, even with DST, if Indiana steps back to the 20th Century again and moves to the CTZ.

Again, we get to take a giant leap forward and people are then ready to take 3 steps back. And people wonder why Indiana seems to never get ahead.

Regardless of how you feel about it or where you are this weekend, if you are on DST, don't forget to move your clocks back prior to 2AM Sunday, when it will magically become 1AM Sunday.

Seriously, how damned much energy is there to setting a few clocks back, people?

eyes

what he sees
he sees with his heart
he feels it in his soul
and it remains held within
him
never leaving him
never failing him
never departing his grasp
as within himself
his internal eyes
open
and he truly
sees

Loving The New Life

Since I retired, life has been so nice, with no set schedule and no work related responsibilities. The only schedule that has really hand any bindings on me has been Peggy's schedule.

Now, with her new job, getting off work earlier, no weekend work and a day off during the week every other week, we have even more time now to do things together that we didn't used to get to do.

A couple of days ago, on a whim, we got up at 5AM, showered and dressed and hit the road and drove an hour and half to go to breakfast. Now I know that probably sounds crazy, but each year when we go for our anniversary trip to Clifty Falls during the month of February, we enjoy the breakfast buffet at the Inn's Falls Restaurant. So, we made the drive down in the dark, sat at a table by the windows overlooking the Ohio River, and ate breakfast and watched sun come up. And we didn't have to wait until our February vacation to enjoy this!

Getting to spend that quality time together is a gift from God, and I so thank Him for it. Our waitress told us how great it was to see us, which made both of us feel exceptional.

While we were there, Peggy walks up to the check in desk and makes reservations to go back down for two nights in December, and not on a weekend, but during the week when it coincides with more time off from her new job.

We had a great day Thursday, driving home back roads, enjoying the fall colors which were actually brighter than I expected them to be after the terrible drought we had this summer. We got home mid afternoon, changed clothes and went out and raked and mulched leaves together, mowed the yard, put up the majority of the lawn furniture and prepared for the upcoming winter.

Now with the weekend here, we have another couple of days to enjoy together before Peggy heads back to work on Monday, at a new job that she totally loves.

God continues blessing us each day.

I am totally loving this new life together with the lady of my dreams.

Summer Concert Series Wrap Up Celebration

After our most successful season of concerts yet, the Riverside Park Organizing Committee travelled about an hour's drive away to Camp Atterbury and wrapped out the season with a weekend visit and couple of nights' stay in cabins on the post.

A group of fifteen participated in a fun filled weekend and pitch in dinner Saturday in an effort to close out our season of hard work with a getaway free from the responsiblities we usually each handle on a concert weekend.

After a deluge of rain on Friday evening, the sun came out Saturday morning and Mother Nature provided us with an absolutely awesome Saturday and Sunday, full of fellowship and great food, a chance to visit and talk about things other than the concerts and share a few drinks around the firepit.

As we broke up the party on Sunday morning, Peggy and I drove nearly four miles away and spent the night at the Hampton Inn in Taylorsville and enjoyed an afternoon and evening away from our responsibilities at home and kicked back at the Inn and had a super steak dinner at Ruby Tuesdays.

With the wrap up party, we closed out the 2012 concert season and set our sights on beginning to put together the Riverside Park Live At The Levee Series for 2013.

Looking forward to it, too!!!

same old song

head hanging
empty shell of existence
wallowing down
suffering but
relishing
and enjoying
the self imposed sentence
of a meaningless moment
and of
relative unimportance
savoring the suffering
enjoying the pain
clouding out reality
and those things that matter
all because
the world hasn't suffered enough
for the actions
of a fool
drawing attention
to prove
how unworthy

One Year Ago

Hard as it is for me to comprehend, one year ago today I hit the timeclock for the final time and ended my career at the Rushville Post Office at 32 years and 10 months.

The last year has not gone quite the way I had expected it to, with Peggy's Dad having had a stroke and less than a week later Peggy's Mom breaking her leg.

The past year didn't go quite the way we thought it would, and when Peggy started her two week vacation this past Monday, who would have believed that she would get a call that first morning letting her know that she had gotten the nod for a new job.

After nearly 13 years in the banking industry, Peggy closed out her days at MainSource bank and embarked on a new career with the County Clerk's Office at the courthouse. Therefore, her two week vacation lasted an entire day.

Even though our plans changed for the two weeks she would have been off, we consider the new job a total and complete blessing. No more workdays until after 4PM, no more irregular schedule week to week and no more weekends!

Peggy now has a regular schedule each and everyday, her workday ends at 4PM and she pulls no more Saturdays.

Better money, better hours, better benefits.

What an awesome God we have indeed!

Autumn Vacation

Hard to imagine but it's the first day of fall, or more properly, Autumn.

My absolute favorite time of year, and the month of October is my favorite month of the year without question.

Looking ahead to the next couple of weeks that my darling bride has off brings all sorts of posibilities to mind as to what we should do. Peggy is wanting to make a trip east to the mountains of Virginia, which are my most favorite mountains I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. Of course, if we make that trip, we will swing by her sister's house for a visit. I think this is the trip Peggy wants to make more than any other one.

There's a chance we might venture down to the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Beautiful scenery and about half the driving time to Gatlinburg make this one more attractive to me, but then again we could combine the two trips into one and go to Virginia and then get on the Blue Ridge Parkway and drive to Cherokee, NC and head back up thru Tennessee.

We could also make a trip up to Sybaris, a romantic getaway I never, ever get tired of going to. Closing the door to that suite, in its own building, makes the outside world go away and allows us to have a 17 hour romantic interlude where the world ceases to exist around us, and it's all about just the two of us, intimate and unbridled, and a chance to just spend quality time with each other with no phone, no television and our own spa, swimming pool and steam bath. Best of all, Sybaris is only a short drive from here, maybe 60 miles total. A Longhorn Steakhouse sits right down the road about two blocks, and it's a great way to escape and simply fall into each others' love all over again.

It's hard to imagine, but in eight days I will have been retired for one full year. It's so nice to be able to enjoy each day now, free of the bonds of employment.

And another fabulous and carefree vacation and month of October lies ahead of us.

I can't conceive how anyone could not enjoy this time of year, this time of renewal in the seasons and the awesome colors God uses to paint his majestic background each year for us.

So, now to decide, Virginia, Tennessee or Sybaris.

Shame I'm not independently wealthy. We could do all three.

Besides, I don't need a romantic getaway to be able to fall into the love I have for my darling wife. I could do that anywhere.