change

  Being an early riser the news hasn't officially declared the winner of the presidential election, although it is obvious that it will be Donald Trump. It's not surprising that the media is reluctant to admit to that as the bias has been quite obvious over the entire campaign. It remains to be seen how this result will be taken. Hopefully there are no incidents. I heard the National Guard had already been activated for security measures, a wise decision, one that should have been the last time around but was blocked by Pelosi. Whatever, the past is the past and behind us. 

  I'm just grateful that it is all over now as I have grown tired of all the talk. We will get a short period of rest from all of that. I'm sure much will be made of the fact that Trump has a felony conviction. It's true, he does, but it doesn't disqualify him from the presidency. It didn't even disqualify him from voting something the Democrats fully support, in fact, wishing to expand that to everyone in prison. Let's hope the Democrats can work in a bipartisan fashion. But I've heard that the Republicans have won the house and the senate, although I don't know that for certain. Time for a change!

  I didn't vote for a personality, I voted for common sense. The republican party is that party. As I have written many times you can't legislate on emotions. It is like raising your children, you sometimes have to say no, be mean, and hurt their feelings. You can't simply be their "friend" and allow them to go unchecked. Yes, they have to brush their teeth, go to bed and do their homework! If they don't behave in school it isn't the teachers fault, it is yours! We have to do what is best for America!

  Hate the man all you want, he is a businessman. The business of government requires someone willing to be unpopular, their ego needs to be that great. It's true, nice guys finish last. You can sit at home and talk about how good you feel about yourself, how moral and righteous you are, but in the end the nice guy finishes last. Fact is, only when you profit from that person will you consider him or her a nice guy. No one likes to admit that they are wrong. No one likes it when their ideas aren't adopted. No one likes to hear, no. As I wrote just yesterday, perception is everything. The electorate perceived it was time for a change. Only time will tell, buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride. 

                                                                            

                                                                             

    

the creation of perception

  Today being election day my thoughts are naturally turned to that. First thing this morning my cable television provider is having difficulties and I can't watch tv. You have to ask, is this election interference? That I say tongue in check but I'm certain there are those thinking just that. Here, in the election of 2024 the integrity of the election process is deeply in doubt. It certainly hinges a great deal on the internet. The internet as we know it today has only be around for about thirty years. My feeling is that for the public in general the time is actually a bit less. As a senior citizen I realize I came late to the party and haven't developed quite the dependence of the younger generations. And yes, all that "misinformation" on the web does influence others in a major way. 

  You have to understand what "misinformation " really is. It isn't necessarily an outright lie or fabrication, rather a distortion of the truth or the presenting of statistical data in a misleading fashion. Mark Twain is credited with having said, " there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics. He spoke the truth in that regard and it is ever more so today. If one were to listen solely to the internet you would get the impression that the LGBTQ+ community predominates the world. The fact is less than 3% of the population identifies themselves in that way. A statistic versus a perception. And that is the danger in all this social media, the creation of perception. What the media now calls, influence. 

  There are more Latinos in America than there are blacks. We are back to identifying as black aren't we? That's a difficult one to keep up with and I certainly don't intend to offend anyone. Latinos are about 19%, Blacks about 13% and white about 75%. I know, that adds up to 107% but that's the statistics provided from the census bureau, go figure. There are many other lists breaking all that down even further into sub-categories. There is even a list of those "identifying" as "whatever" they choose regardless of biological facts. That is in the perception category in my opinion. And the perception certainly is that our election process isn't secure enough to ensure a fair result. 

  It is a perception created by the media. I know many will blame Donald Trump for all of that. Perhaps he is to blame for questioning the results. Regardless, the perception remains strong. A perception created seldom goes away completely. Will this lead to a major reform in the electoral process and/or methods? I highly doubt that it will. The push is on for ever more "remote" means of casting those ballots. Mail-in, absentee or whatever else you want to mention. It's my feeling the more remote it becomes the less secure it becomes as well. It's a concession to convenience. So many just don't want to make that effort to get to their polling places, citing a hundred different reasons they can't. Everyone should be the exception! 

  I also feel like the electronic tabulation of votes is open for abuse. Remember in the last national election when those "sd" cards were lost for a brief time? Just where were there and who had access to them? This time we are hearing about ballot boxes being set afire, what of those ballots? There are those telling you they would make no statistical difference. That's true. At least in the past it has always been a statistical fact that if all the mail-in and absentee ballots were discounted the results of the election would not change. A statistical fact no one wants to hear or acknowledge. Just seems awfully strange to me that your local bank will know instantly if you are overdrawn ten cents in your checking account, yet when tabulating ballots the results are questionable. It might take days! If not for the electoral college those results would still be questioned today. And that is my perception anyway. 

  Well whatever the reality is I will going to my polling place this afternoon. I will personally fill out my ballot and place it in that electronic ballot box. I would happily and eagerly show my identification to anyone that asked for it. I will vote in person on election day. It's my civic duty to do so and not an inconvenience. Losing your freedom, now that's inconvenient. Remember things aren't always what you see but sometimes just a perception. 

                                                                                 

 

                                                                         

a thing of value

  A member of my extended family, isn't that what you call in-laws, sent me a newspaper article he had stumbled upon. This article concerned his grandfather. It wasn't a very flattering article, in fact, quite the opposite. He had been incarcerated for lack of funds to pay a fine. The offense he had committed was domestic battery. He had been arguing with his wife after drinking a bit of alcohol. Well, as often happens irrational actions took place and he was subsequently arrested. They went to bed and according to his wife he used both of his feet to kick her out of bed! The police were called and he was taken into custody. The fine was fifty dollars. That was quite a sum in 1937. That is about 1100 dollars today, plus the cost of the court. It didn't say how long he was in for though. 

  I wrote back to this family member mentioning that it was a part of the secret lives of grandparents. We all have our secret lives, although I believe it is getting far more difficult to keep a secret these days. Transparency is the watchword today and people are continuously being called out on that. What was called mud slinging is now simply transparency. My grandmother would say it isn't nice to speak ill of the dead and if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all. Being known as a gossip wasn't a good thing either. It was the same as being an informant! You didn't want to be a rat. Today is it viewed as a personal right to know the business of everyone else. 

  I have done a lot of looking in old newspapers and such while working on the family tree. I have discovered a few secrets along the way. Some of them are not very flattering at all. In fact, the majority of what you find in the news for us common people is that way. The little people only make the news when it is something sensational. The news, and the reporting of it, hasn't changed all that much over the years. The real objective is to sell the paper, or in more modern times, watch that particular station. It's about revenue not information. I did smile as I read about some misadventures of my ancestors.

  Of course not all secrets are bad things, just the best things. It is one of those funny things. We like to hear about the bad because it somehow makes us feel better about ourselves. I didn't do that. I have read good stories, positive things concerning my ancestors. Stories about receiving an award, or accomplishing some feat, tales of bravery and courage.

  Being the common man though there are none I can hitch my wagon too. Having a famous ancestor can be a benefit. Today the objective appears to be to find an ancestor that was mistreated and seek compensation for that. But I'm just thinking about those everyday secrets we all tend to keep. Our parents had secrets, our grandparents had secrets and so forth. I have considered writing my book of secrets to be shared only after my passing. But then why taint a legacy? It would be like finding out there is no Santa Claus. A big disappointment. Secrets are meant to be kept, not shared. I'll be keeping mine, at least for now. But you never know when the sharing of a secret may provide you a benefit. That's when we share them. They are only of value until they are discovered. They are the only thing of value you can take with you. Once shared, they are not a secret anymore. 

                                                                        

the ticket

  In posting these narratives of mine a frequent comment I might receive concerns' whether the person reading it followed my train of thought. In order to do that you have to be on the same track as me. Well, the problem with that is I run an independent railroad. No corporate or consumers influences. As a result all the passengers aren't happy with the ride. To that I say, reality is a bumpy ride and not always the most pleasant of things. This isn't an amusement train in a theme park, buckle up and hold on. 

  I would agree that we each live in our own reality. The mind is the most powerful tool we have. It's a topic I have explored many times, the notion of reality and truth. Things are pretty much whatever you genuinely believe them to be. The things I write about are those things. I do not feel the necessity for any "paper" to influence others. Completing an educational course, passing the final exam, doesn't make you any smarter than anyone else. I have no doubt that I could take any course offered and complete the work necessary to "graduate" the course. I have no doubt you could do the same if you chose to do so.  

  We buy our own ticket. You can go first class or steerage, but the destination remains the same. That is the part a lot of people seem to forget. It really doesn't matter how you get there, it's what you do when you arrive that counts. Like the song says, we are living and dying with the choices we make. The ultra rich and famous drowned on the Titanic alongside the poorest passengers. My point there being, it wouldn't have made a bit of difference which ticket you could afford, the circumstances where the same. That's true in life as well. That is the beauty of the American dream, that is the essence of that. It doesn't make any difference. We will all go down together unless we right the ship. One reality is, the ship is  overloaded without enough life boats. Combine that with the mindset from the "leadership" that we are unsinkable and a disaster awaits. Time for a new Captain! Time to replace the governing board of directors as well. 

  Reality is indeed harsh at times. I have been accused of a lack of compassion. Well, perhaps that is true but I really don't want to have to say, I'm sorry. I've found that is the usual result for allowing things to go unchecked, out of compassion. Things go south and you wind up saying, I'm sorry. But by then it's too late, the damage has been done. Remember that movie, Love Story? The catch phrase from that being, love means never having to say you're sorry. What was that saying? It means when you love someone, are truly caring and compassionate, you won't don't anything that you wind up apologizing for. Doesn't make any difference if it is an individual or a nation. You do what is best for others, even when it means they get mad at you or it doesn't benefit you personally.

  Saying sorry after the fact doesn't help. It never helps. It is past and you can't change the past. Apologizing for the past does nothing for today or tomorrow. "It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them."  (P. G. Wodehouse) A lot of that going on in this country right now, the taking advantage part I mean. Acknowledging past mistakes isn't an apology. That is called learning and what the true purpose of history is. History doesn't stereotype, just exposes truth. You can't change history by justifying wrongdoing today. Paying for lifeboats today ain't helping those that drowned. History should serve as a warning, a caution because it does repeat itself. Democracies historically last about 200 years, followed by socialism. We are currently in our 248th year. My hope resides in that we are a constitutional republic. The first one in history. How long can we survive, stay afloat? 

  I know, I started out on a train and wound up on a ship. Turns out it doesn't make any difference what your mode of transportation is, the destination remains the same. It is all in what you do when you arrive. You have to buy a ticket though, so get out there and vote. That's the ticket. Consider carefully the realities and set aside emotional choices. As I have pointed out numerous times, emotions are great motivators but seldom good guides. Vote with your brain not with your heart. 

                                                                              

                                                                           

Words capture time

  The Kish tablet is regarded by experts as the oldest written words. It is a cuneiform tablet. From what little I read not much more than wedge shaped characters. It's amazing to me that anyone could decipher that. I had heard of the Rosetta stone and that made sense to me. You could compare a known language to the unknown. Of course you have to assume that all three inscriptions say the exact same thing. I'm not disputing the validity of the findings, just saying. We do, after all, only have a part of the whole as the other half of that stone is missing. But whatever the case is, I was thinking about the written word this morning. Well, to be more exact, how our words are recorded. 

   I thought about that after looking for something in my desk. I moved some stuff around and found a cache of cd's. You remember those marvels of engineering don't you? I could play them, I still have that tech but it would take some effort to do so. I remember being duped into buying into that craze. The music was so much better, easily searched and just like being in the studio. I admit, I was impressed after buying my first cd player. This was going to be the future for sure! I set those cassette tapes aside. Sure, I had eight track before that, lp's before them and 45's as a teenager but cd's would last forever. Well, until they weren't used anymore, replaced by sd cards and today things are simply streamed. All that is required is the technological device to decode that. And that is what writing is. Writing is code. Now we write code to record words. 

  I have wondered about this in the past. We hear today that some people can't read cursive writing, although I believe those are extreme cases. There are about four thousand written languages in the world today. I read where there are about 7000 languages. So that means there are lots of people talking that have no method of writing things down, must be tough going to the grocery store. I just wonder if in the future will people be able to decode our "writing" in use today. What I mean is, play an eight track, cassette, cd or sd card. I've heard a theory that we were once an advanced civilization, that's who built the pyramids and other marvels, but we somehow lost that technology. We tried writing it down with those "glphs" the ancient people used but we haven't actually deciphered them at all. The technology to decode them was lost. 

  The writing of words is quite the amazing thing really. A bunch of symbols that I can arrange to express thoughts. We only have 26 such characters. The human brain is an amazing computer. We can learn to recognize and arrange those symbols and convey just about any human condition you can imagine. In fact, we can even describe what we imagine. Just 26 letters. We did add in other symbols to let others know when to stop reading, when to pause, and when we really mean it! Heck we use certain words today to convey the strength of our convictions, the fouler the language , the stronger the conviction. But in a few centuries will that be understood by those reading our words. I have serious doubts about that. 

  Still the written word is a permanent thing. That's what I think anyway. You don't need any outside technology to decipher the code. You can carve it in stone and it will last thousands of years unchanged. All you need to know is the code. If you want to remember something what is the best advice? Write it down. There is something about writing things down that creates a permanence. Recording whatever it is doesn't have the same effect. Sure you can play it back and hear that message again, but what if you can't play it back, will you remember? I still write things down. "I will not talk in class" is something I wrote on a chalkboard one hundred times and I have never forgotten it. I got the message. I still talked in class though, go figure. 

  All these years and all these blogs I have written using 26 characters. I have inputted them into a computer. Now I have printed a number of them out, a hard copy they call that. I have done that deliberately thinking to retain a copy for future generations to read. If I had the funds to do so I would have each year printed and bound into a volume a year. There is nothing better than a book on a shelf to retain words. Just how many words have I written? I don't know but it isn't the words that are important, it is the thought. That is what I'm attempting to pass on to the next generation and beyond. Words capture time. My words capture my world and my time. The hope is to share that forever. My words will make me immortal! It's as close as I can get to that. All that is needed is for someone else to read them. That's not too much to ask, is it? 

                                                                              

Holiday memories

  First day of November. The year is flying by. I'm putting away my pumpkin coaster and out comes the turkey one. November is turkey month. Thanksgiving, a day for feasting and family gatherings. Many will travel over the river and through the woods to Grandmothers house. I know, that is supposed to be Christmas, but Thanksgiving comes in number two for holiday travel, so I'm counting that. My wedding anniversary is November  19th. That happened back in '84, seems like just a few years ago though, no way it could have been forty years ago. Well, you know what they say, time flies when you're having fun. We may just have to settle down and get serious about this marriage stuff. 

  I have enjoyed many a fine Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey and ham are the usual fare. I always want to have turnips. That is about the only time in the whole year that I will have turnips, a tradition I got from my mother. She loved turnips and I acquired that taste from her. I also insist on jellied cranberry sauce, no berries please. I've had more than one Thanksgiving dinner while onboard ship during my Navy career. No turnips or cranberry sauce! Still, all the other traditional fare was bountiful. Yes, legs were available for those wanting them. I have hosted Thanksgiving dinners and been to my sons' homes as well. I wasn't aware that Thanksgiving 1970 would be my last at home with my parents in attendance. Sadly I can't say for certain when I enjoyed a Thanksgiving at home with my entire family, had to be sometime in the late 1960's. I haven't decided on this year yet. 

  I do remember a year when my fathers' brother came with his family for Thanksgiving. That was a big deal as he came all the way from Chicago. I had heard talk of this man, Elwood was his name, and how successful he was. Well, that must be true if he could afford to travel all the way from Illinois with a wife and two kids. Mostly I remember when we went to sit at the table for dinner. Now all the chairs were brought out and the ones from the kitchen  had to be used. That set of chairs had two "captains" chairs. You know the style, the back wraps around with those stiles spaces evenly around. Now Uncle Elwood was a rather large man, broad in the beam, and when he sat in that chair it seemed like the arms just exploded off. I heard a large crack, the arms went sideways. Uncle Elwood stood up and the chair went with him. A memorable Thanksgiving moment was made. Some years later I visited him at his home in Chicago. He had lost a great deal of weight and was actually quite slim. I never mentioned that incident to him but wonder if that is what inspired his weight loss. 

  As a child I was always excited for Thanksgiving because that meant Christmas was next. My mom always had plenty of mixed nuts out for the holiday and she put out dates and figs too. I was never a fan of either of those. Fig newtons is as close I get. We always had a turkey with all the dressings. Most years we didn't have company it was just us and we ate about three o'clock. There was no big football games or anything like that, we only had two channels on tv anyway. The Macy day parade was the highlight. That was always on. My brothers and I might be outside playing, or a few times hunting for pheasant. I don't recall ever shooting anything though, just carrying that shotgun around feeling like John Wayne. The next day the thanksgiving decorations came down, there weren't many. I do remember some pilgrims made out of those melted plastic chips. But that was before we started apologizing for everything. Thanksgiving was a lot more fun back then. I miss those days. A time before history ruined everything!

  That's the thing about holidays though. We all remember the holidays from our youth. We remember how it was celebrated and the stories we were told about it. My parents would talk about having a goose for Thanksgiving because Turkey's were too expensive when they were kids. They never had a goose for Thanksgiving or Christmas and I asked them why. Neither of them particularity liked goose was the answer. For me Thanksgiving will always be pilgrims and pies. I'm not concerned with the actual history, the story and the sentiment I was told is enough for me. In 1621 about fifty or so pilgrims and 90 some Indians had a feast together. They were celebrating the harvest and their friendship. That's the story. 

  No turkeys were killed in the celebration. There are those that want to take the turkey out of thanksgiving. There are those insisting that the Pilgrims didn't invite those Indians to dinner at all. The pilgrims just used them to get land and food. Why the pilgrims simply exploited them! It's what I would consider survival. I would have exploited any and all resources myself. Well whatever happened I'm happy we get to celebrate the day. That way you get a chance to decide who gets a gift for Christmas and who doesn't. Pass the turnips and who are you voting for. Both actions determine that outcome.

                                                                                     

 

Out loud

  Writing is a way of saying things out loud even when no one is listening. I think that is the reason I write so much and so often. It just doesn't seem like I'm talking to myself, although that is really what is happening. It's a delusion I allow for myself. By writing and posting to the world wide web I feel like I am talking to others. Occasionally I get a reply, often not very positive but that's alright, and occasionally words of encouragement. Neither is necessary as I will continue until I don't. It is that way with most things in life, something I have discovered over the years. I'll be alive until I ain't. Nothing much to be done about any of that. 

  There is very little I don't write about. I'm not writing these postings to be popular, to gain anything at all except perhaps some peace of mind. It's not good to keep things to yourself you know. Go ahead and get it off your chest is my advice. Some people pay great sums of money to professional listeners that in turn give then professional advice. I just laugh at that as I feel it is a bunch of nonsense. The only person that can control, modify, or alter your mental state is you. That's the bottom line. All the drugs prescribed don't cure a thing, just mask the symptoms. Stop taking the drugs and you will revert to your original state. 

  This morning , for example, I really didn't have an idea of what I wanted to write about. I decided to write about writing. I thought about why I wanted to write something and this is what I came up with. I do feel like I'm talking to myself the majority of the time. Sometimes I even argue with myself! But fortunately I'm not easily swayed in my opinions and rarely change them. If I did I might consider myself unstable. That wouldn't be good. I am consistent and the proof lies in these postings. Occasionally I go back and read them and have found what I was saying ten years ago isn't much different than what I'm saying today. Oh, some my say I'm in a rut, stubborn, refusing to learn and just backwards. 

  I'm thinking I'm just right. Right doesn't change over time, right is a constant. It really is like I said the other day, when someone tells you not to judge, what they mean is don't tell me I'm wrong. It's not my fault if your judgement is in error. I'm doing my best to correct that, you're welcome. Telling me not to judge is a judgement on your part. You're passing a judgement against me. I wonder why so many seem to forget that half the judgements passed are positive ones. Yes, judgement is a binary thing, good for one, bad for the other. Almost everything in life is a binary function. Even our most advanced computers operate on the binary system, yes and no. It's how things work. Really nothing very complex about any of it. 

  Everything I write I believe to be right. Why would I write something I believed to be wrong? So yes, I do believe I am right. There are times when I point out what I feel is wrong. That is called opinion. I have a lot of opinions. We all have a lot of opinions. Opinions come from judgements. In fact that is what the supreme does, issue an opinion. The highest court in the land and it doesn't judge anything, just issue their collective opinion on the legality of proposed or existing legislation. There is talk now of expanding that court, to gain a few more opinions. It isn't the first time and I'm certain it won't be the last. Well, the truth is everyone thinks their opinion is the correct one. I know I do.

  Am I always right? No, I'm not and I'm very much aware of that. The thing is however I was taught to live my life with conviction. What some will say believing in yourself. Self esteem or whatever you wish to call it. Self confident was, at one time, an admirable quality to have. Today those opposing that call it arrogance. I'm not a survivor, I'm a conqueror. That is my mindset. Telling the truth is never arrogant. That's my feeling on that. Others may not like it, may not agree with it, or even dispute that truth, but that doesn't mean I should stop telling the truth. 

 ‘The universe is transformation: life is opinion.’ – Marcus Aurelius

                                                     

Equal but better

  Heard a new term this morning from the Democrats. Social equalization. That is when you take revenue generated by the legal sale of a drug and give it those that previously were arrested for selling that drug illegally. That is what is being discussed in the democratically controlled city of Baltimore. Following the "legalization" of cannabis, we won't mention that it is still listed on schedule one of the controlled dangerous substance list and a federal crime to sell or possess, the city has enjoyed a revenue stream. What to do with the extra cash? Forget about the schools, the children, and the elderly, that money should be earmarked for "social equalization." What that means is, given to the black community because more blacks were arrested for selling illegal drugs than white folks. That is the "social" part in that equation. 

  Earlier this year those same democrats wanted to release everyone from prison that had gotten there from selling marijuana. The justification being, it is now "legal." No matter that you broke the law yesterday, the law only applies to today. No one is denying that they bought and sold that drug illegally, that they were in violation of the law, but that law doesn't apply today. The thing is, they were unfairly targeted. The police deliberately went into the neighborhood back alley's and sought those people out. It was nothing more than prejudice! They went looking for drug dealers where the drug dealers were known to be and didn't go looking in other neighborhoods that were populated by affluent white people. Later on when the situation changed that action was called "predictive policing" and touted as a tool by their newly hired police commissioner.

  Naturally none of that is being mentioned. You certainly can't be saying it is the black community because that is just racist, unless of course you happen to be black yourself. Instead you have to say marginalized. Everyone knows exactly what they mean but no one is allowed to say that. Yes, there are a good number of black people in jail for selling illegal drugs. Why? Because they were the ones selling the drugs that's why. It's really not difficult to figure out. Do white people sell illegal drugs? Yup, they sure do and they go to jail as well. Is it equitable? 

  When you are the one locked up, it is never equitable. So, that all depends. If I am poor and live in a rough neighborhood does that excuse my lawlessness? It isn't my fault. Is that how that works? That's what "social equalization" is all about. We should give those people money because we legalized the sale of drugs. Now, they don't have any way of making money! That's not fair. Yes, we need "social equalization." When they sold those drugs illegally they made a lot of money but got locked up. Now they aren't getting locked up, but they don't have any money. The least we should do is give them the money from the sale of that drug, that seems fair enough.  

  Social equalization. That is what you call giving people special consideration, special treatment and exclusive benefits to make them equal. All those folks want is to be equal. As I have pointed out on many occasions, everyone wants to be treated equally, until they are. At that point the "exceptions" and "exemptions" enter the picture. You can't be equal without those. Social equalization. It does go hand in hand with one form of government. Socialism: 

• (in Marxist theory) a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of communism.

  "socialism is the first stage of the worldwide transition to communism"  

                                                                           

Northwest

  I lived on the edge of Northwest woods, an area in the town of East Hampton. My brothers and I had trails all through those woods and had built a tree fort at one time. Another time we decided to build an underground fort and had dug quite the hole in the ground. Being kids we hadn't really thought that one out fully and the roof turned out to be a bit of a problem. We didn't have a supply of lumber and roofing materials available. We did cover it with some fallen trees and branches but realized what we had built was in reality a trap. We removed that covering and abandoned that hole. I spent many hours roaming those woods and got to know them quite well. 

  When I was twelve or so I was allowed to camp out, overnight. Now I didn't have a tent or much of anything camping related. I did have some old blankets, a thermos bottle and a pocket knife. Hey, that was all Davy Crockett needed, although he had a canteen. I did camp out overnight a few times in those woods making a small campfire and cooking a hot dog, once I took a frying pan and eggs. For reasons I do not remember I had taken sugar and salt along as well. I cooked those eggs in the morning but put sugar on them in the early morning darkness. Well, I'm sure I wasn't the first pioneer to make that mistake. 

  When I think back on that I smile. To be young and able to just throw a blanket on the ground, curl up and go to sleep. There are no animals in Northwest woods larger than deer. Deer will not bother people, neither will racoons, pheasants or other woodland creatures. There are no snakes to be concerned with. Still, there were the bugs that would crawl over you but I had no concerns regarding that. I do remember it beginning to rain on one of my camping adventures. No problem, I wasn't any more than a 1/4 mile from home, if that. That was the beauty in that. As a kid those woods seemed huge and far from home at times but the reality was, they weren't. I didn't have to go far to be away from the lights and the sound of traffic. Where I lived there were no street lights and after five o'clock, very little traffic. A few hundred yards into the woods and you were hidden.

  One memorable camping adventure was with a neighborhood friend, Barry was his name. Barry and I shared the same birthday and he lived next door to my uncle. We would hang out together occasionally. It was at his house I first heard the Beach Boys sing Good Vibrations on a 45. We decided to camp out and set up camp in a new location to me. It was in a different corner of the woods closer to Barry's house. We had settled down and were set to go to sleep when we saw some bright lights in the sky. We wondered what they could be. Then some clouds moved in and a light rain began. We decided to pack it up and head home. We got disoriented in those woods in the dark and the rain. We began hearing other footsteps and had a feeling of being watched. I had brought along my BB gun and made sure it was cocked and ready! Now, we never really saw anything but we both agreed something or someone had been there. The next day we went back to our campsite. There we saw three round circles on the ground that looked like the ground had been burned. The trees were burned a bit too! We had been visited by a UFO. 

 That would have been about 1966 or so, I was twelve or thirteen at that time. Parenting was done differently back then. I had no phone, no gps tracker and was told simply, be careful and have a good time. There was no questions about where will you be or anything like that. Sometimes Mom would pack my "grub" for my adventures. It wasn't something I did often though, just occasionally when the mood would strike me. It was a great childhood in that regard, I did have the freedom of the woods. I carried by pocket knife and a BB gun. I felt like I could run through those woods like an Indian. I knew where there were several Indian graves as well. They could be identified by three stones in the shape of a triangle. The local Indians, I was told buried their dead wherever they fell. Fact or fiction, I don't know. That Indians had been about in those woods was without question. 

  There was also an abandoned village. The village of Northwest was at one time a thriving sea port. Whaling ships had left that port until a new port was established just across the bay. When the ships left, the village slowly died away. All that was left when I was young were a few old barns and foundations. It wasn't spoken of very often. I learned later that some of my ancestors lived in that village and some were buried there as well. I never discovered those graves however as it was outside the normal area I played. I could roam those woods freely back then without concern about being a trespasser. I'm certain that isn't the case today. Still, I didn't go on anyone's property, in their yards or anything.

   Also down to Northwest there was a buffalo wallow. This wallow often formed a shallow pond. It would freeze over and was a good place to go ice skating. It wasn't very large but it was private. My siblings and I feeling like we had our own private rink. Well, most days we did. It was only a short walk from home. Once when I was very young I went with my siblings and my feet were cold. Now I don't remember it but have been told the story for fifty years or more, but my oldest brother had to carry me home. Apparently I was crying and complaining that my feet were so cold I couldn't walk. Now that doesn't sound right to me but that's the story. 

  Northwest woods was full of Indians, hidden spots and UFO's. I had many adventures there and miss them occasionally. I especially miss them in the spring, that's when the Lady Slippers would bloom and my Mom loved those things. I always picked them for her, although the word was it was illegal to do so. Then again in the winter, just before the holidays it was in Northwest woods were I got the greens for Christmas and mistletoe. There was white pine and running pine. Holly trees were around as well. And yes even a few small Christmas trees to be had. A few times my brothers and I had one in our bedroom. Northwest Woods, that is what I called them, guess they still do. 

                                                                               

cured?

  Are we now to say that anytime any action/choice/decision or law that we don't agree with constitutes a mental health issue? That is what I'm hearing anyway. Kamala Harris proposes that transgender surgery should be provided at taxpayers expense for those in prison. She did go on to say it is a decision that should be made by a Doctor. This surgical procedure may be a medical medical necessity and it should be provided. Just how does a doctor determine that? If I've been alive and well for thirty years or more as a man why would it become a medical necessity that I have surgery to make me appear to be a female? No surgeon can change your dna! Surgery doesn't change reality, not in this situation anyway. After the procedure you are still a biological male.

  Can you "cure" mental health issues with surgical procedures? The only one I've ever heard of was a lobotomy and I wouldn't say that was a cure, although their behavior was certainly modified afterwards. You know back in the old days the days of common sense and reason, mental conditions were treated by a mental health expert. Yes, transgenderism was a mental health issue, I contend it remains so. That's not to say you can't function in society, that you should be ostracized, minimized, rejected  or mistreated in any way, just that it isn't a medical condition. It's a mental condition. It is contrary to the normal and expected behavior. In adults in America today about .5% identify as transgender. So, yes not the normal thing, as uncomfortable as that fact may make you feel. That entire community is less than 5% of the population. All I'm saying is this, if you feel uncomfortable with who you are, seek a mental health expert, not a surgeon. It's like the old saying you can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig. 

  We live in America where you are free to be you. That doesn't mean that everyone will embrace your choices. Prejudice exists and will always exist. There is nothing you can do about that. All you can do is punish those that violate the law. There is nothing illegal about stating your opinions, beliefs or suggestions. Good thing too, as I would be in prison by now. 

 In America you are free to get any surgery you want as long as you are willing to pay for it and it is a legal procedure. There are procedures that are illegal for a simple reason, it's nuts. The raging debate centers on abortion, a medical procedure. This debate is to settle whether it is a medical necessity when that procedure is desired solely for a mental condition. No one is advocating for any ban on that procedure as a medical necessity.  

 I do not believe I am under any obligation to pay your for wants. The government isn't a charitable organization, nor should it be. It is a "governing" agency. To govern is to limit. As a citizen of this country, as one of "we the people" I'm limiting the expenditure of my tax money to necessary things that benefit the whole. Even then, I have a vote on that as well. This idea that a mental condition should be treated medically is foolishness. If we are going to say that a mental condition should be treated medically that is exactly what was addressed in that movie One Flew over the Cuckoos nest. His criminal behavior was treated with a medical procedure. 

  Was he cured? If I rob a bank because I want money is that a mental condition? Why is that any different from wanting a sex change? I can't help either action can I? That's the thinking. In a court of law you must present "clear and convincing evidence" that you were mentally ill at the time of the offense. That evidence may be a record of therapy sessions and a diagnosis from a "mental" health expert. You don't need a medical doctor in that situation, an Md's testimony isn't relevant. The reason being, it is a mental condition. That's how that works.

  Is all criminal activity just a mental issue that should be solved by a medical procedure. Is that the case? Empty the prisons and institutionalize everyone that commits a crime. I remember when there were state and federal institutions performing that very function. They did begin relying heavily on medical procedures, mostly heavy drugs and the occasional lobotomy. In the 1960's the state of California, what a surprise, began closing those mental health facilities, opting for treating them at home as a more civilized method. Other states followed and about fifty years ago all those hospitals were closed. 

 The deinstitutionalizing of the mentally ill was complete. I have to add I've seen a lot of crazy stuff in the last fifty years! Could it be that it is related to that? Maybe normalizing, empowering and encouraging those behaviors isn't such such a great idea after all. Progress is great, moving ever forward. Thing is, sometimes you take the wrong step, start going in the wrong direction. And sometimes it is like Forest Gump famously said, "it happens" when he took that next step. And, "that's all I have to say about that. " 

                                                                                     

  

a home for the past

  Are things going too fast, or is it that they are just behind me? It's a question I find myself asking more frequently these days. The kids are all grown, the grandkids are grown and a great grandchild is on the way. As I remember all the events, all the occasions, all the ups and downs over the years I do marvel at the speed of it all. I know it is something people talk about all the time. My parents did, my grandparents did and I'm certain mankind always has. I've always heard about the promise of tomorrow, but never exactly what that promise is. I've heard a great deal about what it is hoped to be, what others believe it to be, but no one has ever returned to confirm any of that. There are no citations for that! I do believe that this life isn't the end, that our soul, our essence, our energy, will continue either in part, or in whole. Perhaps that occurs with what we leave behind.

  It may sound a bit silly. As I mentioned yesterday my son just purchased a new home. He has moved from being a few blocks away, to a few miles away. With that move I got a feeling that the wife and I are here alone in Greensboro. That's strange because my son's new home is still technically in Greensboro. Still, I can't walk over to his house now, it's too far away and there is no sidewalk for that anyway. My other son has been living in upstate New York for twenty years now and I seldom see him. Holidays and an occasional, just wanted to see you trip. The grandkids are living their lives. Mark is married and expecting that baby in January. Morgan lives in Cambridge, a good thirty miles away. All of this has changed our lives, it all happened really fast. 

  The strange thing about all of that is this; the older we get, the closer to the future we get, the more the past rushes at us. It is the past that creates that speed, not the forward motion. In some sort of trick of physics, an Einstein type theorem, the relevancy of time is distorted. What that old time religion  described as the circle of life. All areas of the wheel are turning at the same speed yet do not cover the same distance, the periphery traveling the farthest. Life is that way. We all travel at the same speed yet do not cover the same distance. But we realize that the distance is finite, we will reach the end. And like a roll of toilet paper the last few squares go quickly, sometimes causing anxiety. 

  This afternoon I'm going to a baby shower. Yes, it is for my granddaughter Bailey. Well, granddaughter in law is the official title. Yes, I'm going, although back in my day men didn't attend such things but it is a brave new world. I'm nothing if not flexible and progressive. I can change with the times. A great deal of the traditional ways are being ignored, cast aside and replaced. Reveal parties, public breast feeding and having your children on a leash are all common enough these days. Children addressing their parents by their first names, informing their parents and teachers of their preferred pronouns are more examples of this. Gift registries e-mailed and an accounting taken. Yes, things have changed. But life continues on, ever forward, trying to outrun the past until the beginning is reached. A great grandchild, a new beginning, and a time of hope. Hope for the future, and a home for the past.  

                                                                               

                                    Now, that's old school 

I might

  My son purchased a new home that came with a workshop. Now he isn't exactly what you would call the do it yourself type of guy and so for that reason I sort of took possession of that. It will become my domain! I've been renting an upstairs apartment for well over twenty years now and my only shop has been the attic. It has served well for most projects I have done over the years. I'm not building anything of any great size just little things that interest me. Over the years that attic has been filled up with my "tools of the trades." Having been raised in a home where you fixed it yourself or did without I did learn a variety of trades. As a result I need departments! 

  I have begun transferring my tools to this shop. That in and of itself will be a project taking up most of the winter months. It isn't just moving them from one pace to another, it is the sorting out, the organizing of all that. It's an amazing thing, the amount I have collected over the years. It can become a sickness, this do it yourself business, as I began acquiring specialty tools as well. When you are aware of those tools that will perform the task so much quicker and easier than using conventional tools, you just start buying them, many I have only used once or twice but I might need them again one day. 

  And therein lies the problem, I might. I suspect that is what every hoarder and collector says and feels, I might need that some day. I do question the need for a few hundred socket wrenches. But then again they are in three different drive sizes, and the sockets themselves are six point and 12 point,  and of course you have to have deep well. So, yeah, they are all necessary. Fifty screwdrivers? Well, I might need that one some day. As far as woodworking tools you just can't have too many of those. You need plumbing and electrical too. I don't have too many, I wonder if I have enough? I might need that saber saw, miter saw, skil saw, bandsaw, table saw or scroll saw at any moment. And I of course you need some manual ones, who doesn't need a key hole saw. I might.

  I have never really had a serious hobby of any sort. What I mean by that is a devotion, a concentration of performing a specific task. I have dabbled in just about everything there is, trying my hand at that. I have found nothing that I excel at, nothing that holds my undivided attention for more than a few hours at a time. But I'm not discouraged by any of that because, I might. It's never too late, look at Grandma Moses. She began painting at 78 and was famous by the time she was eighty. Did she find that talent or was it simply the rest of the world recognized it? I haven't been recognized yet, but I might. 

  In the meantime I am enjoying transferring and sorting through my tools. It's a man thing I suppose. It takes me back to my roots. My father was a jack of all trades and in my eyes a master at all of them. His only shortcoming, by his own admission, was in electronics. Even then, he showed me how to test vacuum tubes, examine the wiring and what capacitors looked like and to avoid them! In a child's eyes he fixed the television on more than one occasion. He went his whole life unrecognized, that is my feeling. It was known however if you needed something fixed or built he was the man you wanted to do it. He was admired by those that knew him for his skill with tools of all sorts. Perhaps one day that is what will said of me, he could fix things. A real renaissance man. Well, I'm not that, but I might be, one day. I just need a bigger shop and more tools.  

                                                                             

with our hearts

  I see a lot of Meme's on Facebook saying how we used to know all our cousins growing up. That may very well be true for some but it definitely wasn't true for me. My mother was one of ten children and my father had been raised by his grandparents on his maternal side. The aunts I knew best had no children. There were three uncles from my moms side but I had only met one and he wasn't married at the time. I still don't know if he had any children. Uncle Bob lived in Florida  and he had children, at least that is what I was told. Uncle Brownie had children and I went to school with them, I think. I never really knew any of them. I recall talking to one young lady named Peggy in English class. She was quite friendly, very pleasant and attractive to boot. When I got home from school I was talking with my mother, telling her about this girl. She says, yes, that's your Uncle Brownie's girl, your cousin. And I thought I was just being charming! Well, I found out she was just being polite. 

  I did grow up in a very small town and no everyone didn't know everyone else. That is a myth made in the movies and folklore. Oh, I knew most family names, whether they were local or from away, but I didn't know everyone. People have a tendency to stay in their own little social groups. Back in the 1960's when I was growing up there weren't nearly as many organized sports, clubs, associations or whatever for kids. Mostly it was what church you went to and what your social class was. All the little cliques in school. As far as extended family in my house little was ever spoken of. My dad had one brother and two step-brothers. I met his brother Elwood once as a child and later I went to see him in Chicago after graduating boot camp. His step-brother Pete I knew quite well but never really knew his kids, why I have no idea. His other step-brother Harry I only heard rumors about, he was someone to avoid by all accounts. 

  Years ago I began work on the family tree. I have sorta lost interest in the last few years and set it aside. But when I began it was all a mystery to me. All I knew of my ancestors were a few stories and a few names. I did know my Great Grandfather Floyd. His wife passed away when I was three and so I don't remember her. He had three daughters, two had moved away and one still lived in town. I heard her name, Aunt Jessie, if I ever met her I don't remember that. On Mom's side I knew her Mother; nana I called her. She came from Sweden and that was about all I knew about her beyond the family she had here in America. So, there wasn't that much family around I suppose, at least, family that was close, with close meaning familiar in this context. 

  I now have family across this country. I have discovered many relationships I didn't know about and I have had relationships myself. I was surprised to find that people did move about the country a great deal even in the old days. For some reason I never pictured people doing that figuring they just stayed close to home, like the Waltons did. I have learned how that isn't always possible. If I wanted to return to my hometown I would need to win the mega millions lottery today! Even then, it had best be a significant amount if I tried to recreate my youth. So yes, people move about the country seeking opportunity. I have ancestors in California, Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania and most likely all of New England. The first one I know of arrived here in the late 1600's. 

  The family tree. A bit of a misnomer in my opinion. A better name/ description would be a listing of ancestors and descendants. Blood really doesn't make families after all. I think that is the biggest misconception going. We form our families with our hearts, not our blood. There are many family members that are actually quite different from one another in personality, in politics, and in philosophy. We may all belong in the same "grove" of trees but we are all different. The seed may be shared but the product of that seed quite different. Like apples you might say. Some are bitter, some are sweet, and some are just rotten. It happens. Nature and nurture. Both play a role but I'm thinking it is the nurturing that has the greatest influence on development. 

  I do wonder about my parents and their relationships with their siblings. We all have a story to tell. Very little was said about them to me when I was young. Parents didn't talk about such things with children. I wasn't exposed to adult themes until I was considered adult enough to understand it. And I'm not talking about sexual things, complex relationship issues are adult themes as well. My parents were correct when they told me, when you get older you will understand. I also wonder if those Hallmark families really exist or is that just in the movies as well. If they do exist, I've never seen one. And the fact is, I'm too old to start one now. I'm the ancestor you heard about, but never met. The Uncle. I'm excited to add Great Grandfather to my relationship titles. That's scheduled for January as long as my granddaughter Bailey cooperates. 

                                                                           

Memories and smoke

  It's that time of year for burning leaves. Now that's an activity that has been on the decline for some time now. I had a neighbor lady that did that almost as a religion. She raked those leaves in large piles throughout her yard. Then each pile was transported to the edge of the driveway, we lived on a dirt road. Her actual drive was "paved" with clam and scallop shells, over an inch deep from years of dumping them. The garden hose was stretched out and handy. Those leaves were put to the flame and the smoke rose into the sky. I just loved the smell of those burning leaves and would stand in that smoke. You could smell that on my "play" coat most of the winter. Aunt Francis, as we called her, no relation, tended the fire as we kids brought more leaves from those piles scattered across the lawn. 

  Burning leaves, sticks or any kind of wood outdoors is a pastime I have always enjoyed. I don't know I guess it stirs that pioneer spirit in me. At my house we just had a burn barrel. A 55 gallon drum that sat on some cinder blocks. My brother had taken a hatchet and made some vent holes near the bottom. It worked well and was quite safe actually. It didn't have the same appeal as a open fire though. It was more of an urban feeling, civilized  and tame. I liked that campfire style with a hint of danger involved. I just liked the snap and crack and occasional flying embers! Man, that made you come alive. I have done so on a few occasions right here in Greensboro. The town has established hours and rules about that although I'm not real familiar them. I was never questioned or challenged on that. The Police did once inform me I couldn't shoot a BB gun in town. That was well over twenty years ago now and I still laugh about that. 

  My son just purchased a new home. It has a bigger yard than his previous place and will have far more leaves. I do plan on doing some burning outdoors. There is already a makeshift firepit under a tree in that backyard. It will do fine as long as the flame is kept low. Personally I don't like the location and would relocate that to a more open area. I'll talk to my son about that. His new home is surrounded by a small wooded area. I really like that even though the idea of a forest is just an illusion. The woods are in reality only fifty feet or less in depth. Still, it gives you that rustic feel. Nothing like burning stuff outdoors. I'm not a big fan but there is always s'mores to be made. And yes, s'mores will be made over those sticks, leaves or whatever. Not much concern about "dangerous" fumes or chemicals. I know, I know, you shouldn't do that. Well, I'm just not concerned at all. 

  Some time back I wrote a poem about burning leaves. I'm including that here:

                                            

                                                                Memories and Smoke 

On the scent of burning leaves,

I'm transported to a time

Filled with love and laughter

The childhood that was mine

Memories surround me

like a gentle hug

Pulling on my heartstrings

with a gentle tug

So far away, yet so near

the years passing by

I can see them drifting

like clouds in the sky

Each passing picture different

Somehow still the same

An ever changing landscape

Only memories remain

Now the wind has shifted

I'm transported once again

To the place I'm standing

Delighted to have been 

                                      A.B. Reichart 

                                                                                   

Soon

  The signs of the season. When I was young Christmas didn't really begin until after the Thanksgiving day parade. That is when Santa Claus made his first official appearance. Christmas music began to be played in the stores and windows decorated. The Sears "wishbook" arrived and silver bells shone. You just knew Christmas was coming soon. The anticipation was so thick you could cut it. Trees lined the streets, lights adorned rooftops and there were candy canes galore. The churches were decorated, ready for the arrival of the Christ child. Hot chocolate, cookies and pies. The little kids would be hearing that warning, better be good or you'll get a piece of coal! And people, well people were just a little more friendly, a bit more jovial you might say. Merry Christmas was heard often and no one offended. 

  A great deal of that has changed over the years. Yesterday as I walked through the Walmart I noticed that pallet full of Popcorn tins. You know what I mean, those heavily decorated tins with three different kinds of popcorn in them, probably popped six months ago. A sign of the season. Now, Santa has been around since Labor day, he was there for opening day of the school year. There are sweatshirts, slippers and pajamas on display emblazoned with messages of the season. Holiday savings are in every department. Yes, they are holiday savings these days, Christmas isn't a necessity for savings. Little is seen of the Christ child, mostly with products geared toward the Latino communities. 

  When I was young we wrote letters to Santa. That was an activity enjoyed by Moms and Dads and sometimes even in school. I recall being able to mail your letter to Santa at the post office, for free. The postmaster would take that letter and put it in a special bag labeled North Pole. Today the kids just create a list on amazon and send e-mails to Santa. I hear he even answers those e-mails. The elves aren't mentioned nearly as often as they used to be, today they are diversity hires I suppose. I haven't been around young children much in the last ten years or so. I wonder if they have the same feelings toward the season I used to have. For me, it like a magical time. I really did stand a reasonable chance of getting what I asked for. I knew when the answer was, we'll see, that really meant, no. A maybe gave you some hope, like buying that lottery ticket, but a letter to Santa was almost a sure thing, if you kept it reasonable.

  A few signs of the season I rarely see anymore are Carolers and Nativity scenes. Caroling just isn't a thing anymore and Nativity scenes are relegated to the churches or private property. You can't display such on public property anymore. I don't feel any excitement in the air for Christmas anymore, mostly I hear people complaining. I realize it is only October but it feels like Christmas has already come and gone. But we all have our own memories of Christmas past and the joy of the season. For me, bubble lights, stockings hung by the chimney, the big bulbs on the tree and bigger ones outdoors. All that and everyone trying to keep a secret. The presents were wrapped and placed under that tree, the ones that were being given by your friends and family, Santa's gifts wouldn't be there until Christmas morning. So, for maybe a week or so I would pick up, shake, weigh and guess at just what was in those boxes. The anticipation was the best part and I have to add, I was never disappointed. 

                                                                             

 

Justified

  Yesterday on the news I heard about a poll taken concerning a revolution. Well, it was a survey asking whether violence would be justified if your political party loses the upcoming election. To my surprise there were a number of people saying, yes. The numbers reported were higher for those voting Republican rather than Democratic. That didn't surprise me as I understand the bias in the news these days. But what did surprise me was the way in which it was reported. It was almost as though it was an encouragement. I heard no outcry from those sources condemning any such action. It was reported as a possible reaction to election results and that we should be prepared for that. A call to arms?

  Now our first revolution was against the King and crown. We weren't protesting the results of any election. It's like comparing apples and oranges. So, I'll set that word aside, revolution. What would you call it? Last time it was called an insurrection! Yes, and Trump was charged with that and the debate goes on about all of that. Amazingly he is running for that office once again. Amazing to me simply in the context of history. An insurrection is a violent uprising against a government or some authority. Is that what happened? No, the election results as reported where called into question, that is what happened. It very well may happen again. Election results have been hotly questioned at least eight times in history. None of those were ever called an insurrection. It was simply the democratic process.

  In just two weeks it will be election day. Early voting has begun in a number of places. The big push is on. Trump even got a job at McDonalds, that's how bad the economy is getting. Harris is making promises left and right, in different accents. She has stated outright she will propose a program that will only benefit black males. Yes, she says that. "(1) Providing 1 million loans that are fully forgivable to Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business. (2) Championing education, training, and mentorship programs that help Black men get good-paying jobs in high-demand industries and lead their communities, including pathways to become teachers. (3) Supporting a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency and other digital assets so Black men who invest in and own these assets are protected. (4) Launching a National Health Equity Initiative focused on Black Men that addresses sickle cell disease, diabetes, mental health, prostate cancer, and other health challenges that disproportionately impact them. (5) Legalizing recreational marijuana and creating opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry." Imagine Trump proposing that and just changing Black to white. An insurrection would surely follow.

  How much confidence do you have in a fair accounting of the votes? I admit to holding a great deal of skepticism. All this early voting, mail-in ballots, no requirement for ID at the polling place and the use of electronic devices leaves me questioning. We all heard about some "sd cards" from voting machines disappearing for a short time only to reappear later on. The chain of custody had been broken. Was that card altered or replaced? In a court of law that "evidence" would have been thrown out. Possibly it was your vote! Is it even possible to get an accurate count in a nation of over 262 million eligible voters? That was the number estimated for 2023. Yes, even the government can't say with certainty how many eligible voters there actually are, think about that. 

  No matter what the results are in November I'm predicting there will be unrest, to put it mildly. I'm against any violent uprisings, I don't want to establish a new government, just preserve the one we have. I also don't feel like we the people have to blindly accept whatever it is we are told by that government. The authority of government stems from we the people. That is what the Constitution is all about. That is what the Electoral College is all about. It is also one of the responsibilities of the Senate! The mechanisms are in place to challenge election results without any violence. I don't care what your religious beliefs are, or are not, Let us all Pray for America. Are we to revolt against ourselves? What kind of stupidity is that? 

(https://www.history.com/news/most-contentious-u-s-presidential-elections)

 

                                                                                   

  

Smiling

  A short while back I decided to try carving a bit of stone. Well, grinding stone is more accurate. I purchased some carbide bits for my Dremel tool and had at it. Now I have no artistic talents as far as sculpting, painting or drawing so I decided on a simple design. I would grind out a hole in this rock to hold a tea candle. I then shaped two smaller stones to sit on that. Ringing the hole I had carved out with smaller stones the campfire was ready. It now sits by my computer and I occasionally light a candle in it. Whenever I do, it makes me smile. I can't say why it does, it just does. 

  Do you have anything like that? It doesn't have to be something you made yourself, just something that always makes you smile. I have a number of things like that gathered over the years. My great grandfathers clock makes me smile. Certain photographs make me smile. I guess it is memories that make those smiles, even when there is no memory associated with that object. Memories of what may have been. My little stone guys are smiling, so I smile. They have a look of anticipation on their faces. That's what I see anyway, and I am the artist, so that's it. The objective of an artist is for you to see what they see. As I said, I'm no artist and so I didn't try to do that, it just made me smile. You could say with the innocence of a child I created my sculpture. I did it only to please myself.

 It's something you hear often, the innocence of a child but I'm thinking it is more a lack of inhibitions. As we grow and mature we gain inhibitions. You could also call that restraint, wisdom, judgement or discretion. Temperament is another way of looking at that. What's your temperament? It is a variable for all of us depending upon circumstance. Before my morning coffee my temperament is a bit different than it is afterward. The sign of good mental health is an even temperament. I read an article describing four temperaments. According to that my temperament would be "melancholic." The experts say that temperament is innate. It is possible to change it however. They recommend getting a mental health expert to assist you with that. Imagine that. Things like that also make me smile. 

  I enjoy sarcasm. Nothing quite as funny as that stuff when done properly. When your retort can't be answered, you win. That always makes me smile. I get a lot of smiles from Facebook when complete strangers start calling me names. I'm smiling because I know they are reacting that way in defense. I also know you only need to defend yourself when you feel you are wrong. I must have made them think about what was written. It went contrary to their thoughts. Some begin to roll out their heavy artillery; citations! The thing about citations is you are now saying, I don't know, but this person does. You then expect others to accept that as fact. Well, this other person wrote it down, it must be true. Yeah, makes me smile.