Let them believe

  With the holidays fast approaching my thought's just naturally turn to my youth. I can't speak for others, but for me Christmas happened when I was a kid. That is what I think about whenever it is mentioned. All the excitement, the anticipation and preparation's. It seemed like the whole world was involved with that except for the Jewish people, they were celebrating Hanukah. I knew little about that other than I heard those kids got one present every day for eight days. I never gave that much thought though, Mr. Brill, he was a Jewish man, often played Santa Claus in the parade, once I think he rode in an airplane! But I was very young then and so may it be more of a "learned" memory. Learned memories are the stories you have heard so long and so often you start to believe you were there. I don't recall ever hearing anything about what others may or may not be doing. Nothing about the Muslims, Jehovah's witnesses or Buddhists. No idea what they do.

  I can't say when I realized that Santa Claus was just a myth, a story told to kids. I had three older siblings and so was informed early I suppose. I do remember thinking when Mom or Dad said; ask Santa Claus; that meant you probably weren't getting that. Well, I knew I would get one "big" gift" but was never sure which one it would be. I don't remember ever writing a letter to Santa though, all I remember is marking the items in the Sears catalogue. I may have given my Mom a few notes, a few hints now and again. It sure was an exciting time. Thinking back I do remember asking for this or that, wishing for Santa to bring that stuff. I had a wonderful childhood in that regard. I can honestly say I do not ever recall a Christmas when I was disappointed. I'm certain I asked for a good number of things that I never received, but I also never noticed that either. 

  When I had my own children I enjoyed their excitement, their anticipation of the event. And the event was getting those gifts although we did focus on the meaning of Christmas and celebrated Jesus's birthday. Still Christmas was the season of possibilities. You just might get what you are asking for. That's exciting, as the rest of the year you didn't want to hear that admonishment, you asked for it! You asked Santa, not Jesus for gifts. Santa was a saint after all, Saint Nicholas, but he preferred Santa. I never questioned why he only hired Elves and had flying reindeer. None of that mattered, just ask for what you want. Even when I was old enough, knew the deal, I would still say, I'm asking Santa for this. It was a psychological ploy on my part, trying to fool Mom and Dad. I wonder if it ever worked?

  Then the grandchildren came along and the excitement was renewed once again. There is always that period in between generations when Christmas sometimes becomes more of a routine than a celebration. No one even making believe Santa Claus may bring that gift. It becomes an economic thing, not a spiritual thing. Yes, Santa Claus is a spirit. It is the spirit of possibilities. That is what faith is all about in the first place. You believe it could happen. All things are possible. It's a shame that it only lasts for a few years in the big picture. All too soon the realities of life become apparent when it comes to that sort of thing. You are told to save up, get a job, earn some money of your own, to buy the things you want. It's a bummer. 

  This coming January I am to become a great grandfather. Now, that's exciting news. I only have to wait a few more years to see that excitement once again. I can be Santa once again. Completely anonymous. I love that. When you can give the gift without the other person knowing, or even having a clue just where it came from, like magic. And I get to watch. I am Santa; for a moment anyway. At least my fondest Christmas memories are like that. Oh sure, today I realize someone had to buy those things, they didn't magically appear, but I thought they must have at the time. I believed that. Belief is a wonderful thing. Belief is the foundation of faith. Belief lives in children and we should nurture that. It will grow into faith. We need a lot more of that.  

                                                                           

Within reason

  We are now operating in extremes. For every issue discussed the most extreme example will always be used to support your position. Take the hot button topic of abortion as an example of that. No one is advocating for a total ban on abortions. That would be the same thing as advocating for no surgical procedures being allowed. What is being said is that abortion shouldn't be an elective thing, done for  convenience. The response to that is always but what about rape, incest, and I was drunk at the time and so it was an accident. None of those scenarios create a medical emergency. Pregnancy isn't a medical emergency. Pregnancy is in fact a normal and healthy biological function of the female species. Okay, except for sea horses. Being pregnant doesn't automatically create the necessity for an abortion! 

  That is just one example, consider hiring practices as another. All this DEI hiring. Employers are being forced to hire people to satisfy that regardless if the person is actually qualified for the job. Politicians are getting in office for the same reason. Even an ex president Barack Obama is proclaiming black men should be voting for Harris because she is black and a woman. No mention of her qualifications, just race and gender. I'm guessing she is identifying as a woman and informed him of that otherwise it may be offensive. But everything has to be taken to the extreme. We have a male surgeon general parading around in a dress. Extreme, you bet it is and there are others in that administration that are way out there too. 

  No one is demanding books be banned. Many are saying certain books shouldn't be included in the library at the elementary school. Restricted access is not a ban. You don't see any adult magazines or videos available in those libraries do you? Why is that? Because that stuff is phonographic material and has nothing to do with education. But we take it to the extreme by insisting that children should be exposed to all of that as it is normal behavior. Fact is, less than 8% of the population engage in any of that behavior according to a 2022 Gallop poll. That includes the entire LGTBQ+ community. But we hear, it's unconstitutional to ban books and this must not be allowed! Meanwhile the current administration has promised to ban TicTok unless that company is sold to an approved buyer. An actual ban sanctioned by the government. Am I alone in seeing that hypocrisy. 

  Acceptance does not require adoption. I can disagree with your choices without hating you for those choices. I do not have to participate to accept you. I can simply respect your choice and look beyond that. I can love someone and still tell them they are wrong. But today we are saying love is adopting, allowing, and indeed supporting someone in everything they do without question. Love is love! Well, love isn't sex is the short answer to that one. Love isn't saying I agree with everything you do or say. Compromise isn't simply throwing your arms in the air and saying alright. 

  Remember tough love? That was right, to love someone is tough. It requires integrity as much as compassion. It's why your parents should say, no. Young children are not reasonable or rational. Those are traits that need to be taught. And you can't learn them in college, you get no degree in any of that. We are presenting unreasonable ideas to our children today. There will always be others that simply don't like you, deal with it. Covering your body with tattoos, dying your hair purple, having piercings in your face and lips, refusing to comply with certain standards and expecting employers to accept all of that is unreasonable. Expecting me to pay for your loans, unreasonable expectations. I really miss the day when "within reason" was as common as being polite. It was understood. 

                                                                                   

Price and priority

  Just listened to a commercial on television where you can finance your bathroom for 72 months, interest free! Wow, what a deal. I haven't looked into all the details of this fantastic offer but I'm certain there is a catch in there somewhere. If I act right now I can also get 2500 dollars off the entire project. And no charge for labor. How could anything go wrong with that? Six full years to pay for my bathroom remodel, same as my car, except I have to pay interest on the car loan. So just how much is this remodel going to cost? The average price for a new car in America is 48,000 dollars. I'm thinking that is likely the cost of that remodel. And they can usually do it in a day!

  Well whatever the cost, whatever the deal is, I'm just sitting here smiling. I'm amused with the thought of financing your bathroom. It certainly must be the popular thing as I see ads of those type from several different outfits. If it isn't a chair lift, it's remodeling the bathroom. Well, unless you need new windows from Anderson. All of that is presented to you for your safety, convenience, peace of mind and cost savings. It will definitely increase your quality of life. Especially that low step shower. I remember when the big thing was having a radio in your shower so you could sing and dance while cleaning up. Not a very safe thing to promote. But today you can even get a fold down seat in that shower. We seniors need that stuff. It's a low step shower or the rest home, take your pick.

  It certainly must be a profitable business given the frequency of the ads I see. I'm urged to call right away and I can have that done before the holidays. They are booking up fast though, better act now. You are going to have company over the holidays right. Imagine if they see your old, outdated bath. I mean what will people think? You had best get that new black finished fixtures, it's the latest thing, probably comes with wi-fi so you turn on that rainfall showerhead from anywhere. Everyone wants to take a shower in the rain don't they? Certainly worth committing to a six year obligation. I'm guessing the toilet hasn't changed all that much as I'm not hearing anything about that in the ads. I did install my own "right height" toilet in my bath though, less than 125 dollars at Lowes. No financing required and man my quality of life was doubled. 

  It is one of those things you notice as you mature, priorities and prices. We all establish both in our lives. For some the latest style in clothing is a priority, for others it is a car and still others a home. Our priorities will change over time and circumstance. Then we will look back at the past and wonder what where we thinking. Entertainment has become a top priority for many today. In a way that has always been so as everyone always seems to have money for vice. The prices go up but cigarettes, booze and sex still sell quite well. Yes, some are now having to buy the generic version of Marlboro's and cheaper beer but they are still buying. The nightclubs are doing fine regardless of pricing and the law. It's funny how everyone will complain about the price of those items that are the necessities in life but only when their "entertainments" cut into that budget. Bread costs too much! I'm still buying the beer though. I'm old enough now to be incredulous when it is suggested I finance my bathroom for six years. That isn't my priority and the price is crazy.    

                                                                                  

Sorry

  Today is Columbus day. It is also indigenous peoples day for the more progressive folks among us. A sort of national apology day. I'm not sorry. Columbus arrived in the America's on this date in 1492, landing in the Bahamas. No, he wasn't going on vacation. As with most things his concern was commerce, with making a buck. That was the reason for the voyage of exploration. Columbus never did set foot on the north American continent. Still, all the children know in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. That was about as much as we knew.  As many of us thought the Pilgrims were also involved in all of that. They didn't arrive until 1620 however. There were others before that, the lost colony and all of that. Anyway, history and the telling of it is always dependent upon the present. Kids today are certainly being told a different version of history and Columbus than I was.

  The story of how Columbus day became a celebration is seldom told. I know I hadn't heard much about that. In brief it was because Italian- Americans were being discriminated against. In 1891 eleven Italian-Americans were lynched in New Orleans. That occurred simply because there was anti Italian sentiments in the country, not unlike the violence and hate faced by African-Americans. Yes, prejudice and hate knows no color or nationalities, it is just ugly. I response in 1892 President Harrison created Columbus day. During WW2 Italians in America were even targeted as alien enemies! They weren't put into camps like the Japanese citizens were, but they were on the list. Then there is the part about St. Tammany and the New York city Italians. I won't attempt a history of that. 

  The whole deal about Columbus day was simply to recognize that it was an Italian sea captain that made the first voyage to what we know as the America's. They weren't the America's until after he discovered them. Yes, I know, there were many before him that most likely had voyaged here, knew all about it, the Norsemen or whoever. That's not the point. Amerigo Vespucci was the navigator and the America's got their name from him. It's all very complicated. Columbus day was created as a sort of "reparation" for the prejudice and maltreatment of Italian immigrants. For me it's akin to Juneteenth. Same sentiment anyway. 

  Columbus gets blamed for every bad thing that has occurred in the America's. It's all his fault! Never mind all the other civilizations that lived in the America's before they were called the America's that warred against each other, taking captives, slaves, goods, agricultural products and land. Nothing bad ever happened before Columbus showed up. That's the history being taught today as presented by the fact checkers. We are all about the "truth" today. The best way to tell the truth is to place blame on yourself, that way you aren't showing any prejudice. 

  So the white guys are busy apologizing for everything that has ever happened to other cultures, races or nationalities. Except this white guy. I'm not apologizing for anything. I firmly believe all men are created equal and all men share equally for the good and the bad. That is what those writing our constitution thought as well, it is exactly what they meant with those famous words. Now circumstances are not always equal, neither is opportunity. Some of us are born with extraordinary talents while some are just idiots. It just happens that way, no one is to blame for that. Columbus isn't to blame. He was simply a man of his time. He was mean. Yeah, okay. Strangely the kindest, most understanding and benevolent man that ever walked the earth is being denied by the same people upset at Columbus. There is no Jesus Christ, trust the science. I have to ask one question, who's fault is that? Someone has to be blamed, it's the only way. Never accept the truth, rewrite the narrative, retell the story, and above all, apologize.    

                                                                                   

                                                  A portrait of what is believed to be Columbus.

                                               We don't know for sure no authentic picture exists.

                                                             He does look mean though. 

  

Open sesame

  Open Sesame. That was the only password I heard or knew as a child. Ali Baba used that command to open the door. That is as much of the story as I now recall. Today I have so many passwords I simply can't remember them all. It also appears that those passwords are not affording the protection I'm expecting from them. I do find it strange that the instructions for creating a strong password are getting longer and more complicated every day. They have to include upper case, lower case, numbers, and special symbols in varying lengths. That's strange when my bank says a four digit "pin code" is all the protection I need to access the atm. I'm good as long as I don't share that with anyone. 

  I have seen various services, programs or whatever to keep your passwords safe and organized. I have concerns about that as to my way of thinking then a hacker only needs to hack that. Know what I mean? It's like having a master key to all the other locks. All my passwords are recorded in an old school rolodex. I know, you're not supposed to do that. Well, if you can decipher my handwriting, you could probably hack my computer, so I'm not concerned. In the last few years, I've received notification from various websites that I need to change my password. Some of them require that every six months! I believe those are the government ones like SS administration and my department of defense pay account. I often forget about that and when I do go to the website, I find my password no longer is valid. Resetting a password can be a real hassle.

  I do have my wi-fi secured. You need to have a password to access that, but the requirements aren't nearly as strict. There was a time I didn't secure that and found a neighbor had been using it. I don't believe they had any malicious intent just saving a few bucks. I've heard where that has become an issue with Netflix, too many freely sharing their passwords to access that. I just smile as I think, they never thought about that beforehand. I have known for a very long time, give someone an inch, they will take a mile. The "honor" system has become an old-fashioned idea, there is no honor among thieves. Today people are more likely to focus on legality than morality. If there isn't a law that says I can't; I can, I should and it's my right! The constitution doesn't say anything about passwords or Netflix! 

  I've seen a few changes over the years. When I first enlisted in the Navy I was issued a service number. I still remember that. D12-13-09. You were quizzed on that number often. During training you had to enter a room wearing a gas mask. The room was filled with tear gas. As soon as you entered you had to walk to the first station. There you had to remove that mask. Then you proceeded to the far end of the room where you were questioned, name, rank and serial number. You had to answer correctly to exit. I remembered that number! 

 The next year or so serial numbers were no longer issued, you just used your social security number. There was nothing secret about that and it was written and posted everywhere. My name and social was listed on the pay list outside the post office on ship. So was the entire crew, except for the officers. Strange, because it said on your social security card at that time, not to be used for identification. That isn't on today's cards. Today we use your ss number for everything, but it is supposed to be a secret. Just give out the last four. Four is proof enough, just like that pin number at the ATM. Of course, the other person has to have the other five numbers in the proper sequence to verify that. Sort of like how the lottery works I suppose. Why can't our passwords be like that? 

  I do wonder about what security features will become commonplace in the future. Retinal scans, fingerprints, dna sampling? Each of us do have a distinct DNA profile from what I understand. Will that sequence be your password? Maybe, but then it could be cloned, couldn't it? Does a clone have the exact same DNA sequence as the original? How could you tell? I don't know. I do know one thing for certain, locks and passwords only serve to keep honest people honest, they do little to stop a thief. That is one thing that hasn't changed in thousands of years, I have no expectation it ever will. 

                                                                                

         

Annoyed

  I have been doing some repair work on my car. I'm just an old school, do it yourself kind of guy. It isn't because I actually enjoy it all that much, it's a matter of practicality. I've always been told, if you want something done right, do it yourself. I have found there is some truth in that statement. Perhaps the job isn't always done right but I have peace of mind about what was done anyway. Today most mechanics, well automotive technicians, just replace parts. I'm old enough to remember having actually repaired the parts. Yes, that was possible in the middle part of the last century. Back then you didn't buy parts, you bought pieces of parts. So what I'm saying is I have been replacing some parts on my car. 

  As I mentioned it isn't something I do as a sort of hobby or just because I like doing that it is just practical as far as I'm concerned. I can see no reason to pay someone else to do what I'm capable of doing myself. That is especially true now that I'm retired, I have plenty of time. But the thing is my body isn't feeling that. Yes, I've discovered that my body is protesting a bit. I have some aches and pains, a few scrapes and bruises obtained during the struggle. It is a struggle to remove some of these parts as many things today were drawn up with a computer. It is possible to remove them if you know the sequence, like a Jenga puzzle, to remove first. There is that learning curve. Combine that with the use of metric sizes when my brain functions in the imperial system. I haven't done enough with that to immediately recognize a ten millimeter bolt compared to a three eights. I still remember that Chesterfield cigarette commercial where they said it was a silly millimeter longer. It was 101 millimeters long. That's just about 4 inches long. I have never found millimeters to be silly, just annoying.

  As I got up to get another cup of coffee I felt those aches and pains. My wife says, I could have gotten that for you, something she often does, God bless her. She mentioned how she could tell I was hurting just a bit. I told her, you have to walk it off. I went on to explain my thoughts on that. I believe that is a part of the problem today, people are getting soft. Oh, they will call it empathy but that is just an excuse so they can complain. The thing is this, we are all getting older every day. With age comes aches and pains, difficulty in doing certain things may arise, you just don't feel like you did when you were younger. That should come as no surprise to anyone, it happens. No drugs or therapies will reverse that. If you start believing that it will, that's your problem. 

  Your mental state reacts in much the same way. Old people aren't cranky, they are just annoyed. And the best thing you can do when annoyed is just ignore it. Odds are you aren't going to change anything. I spend my fair share of time complaining and pointing out the injustices and inequities in life, I'm no different. It does help a bit to just get that off your mind, makes breathing a bit easier. That is why we say we got something off our chest. Then we can ignore it afterwards. It is what it is. It's annoying. Stupid people annoy me, know it all's, annoy me, I've found the older I get the more people in general annoy me. Can't medicate that away either.

  I ordered parts for my car online and they arrived a week later. Seems like a long time these days but I remember when a couple weeks or more wasn't uncommon. Anyway, I get the parts and begin work. I get three quarters of the way through the job only to discover they sent the wrong part! I purchased this as a kit, surely they haven't made a mistake. After several hours, a few consultations with my local mechanic it is confirmed, they did indeed send the wrong part. Then I spent about an hour online, with customer service only to be told, they would initiate a return. It should only be a few days before they e-mail me instructions on doing that. 

  Annoyed, you bet I'm annoyed. But I can't medicate that, talk to a therapist or join a support group, it is what it is. I won't surrender! I will accept reality and move on. Waste of time to attempt to change reality, something far too many are attempting to do. Right now, I'm waiting on parts. Then the battle begins anew. I'm a survivor! Battered, bruised, sore, and annoyed but I have survived. As Chief Dan George said to Josie Wales in that epic western, "endeavor to persevere." That is exactly what I shall do. 

                                                                                    

no law

  There is an ongoing discussion about censorship and free speech. There are those insisting that some social media outlets be banned in the United States due to security concerns. That is the argument for what is basically censorship. The dialogue centers around defining exactly what is a ban and what is limiting access. For me they really are different actions altogether. It's like the books some are claiming are being banned in some schools. I view that as restricting access based on age and it isn't a ban as those publications are readily available elsewhere. The parents concerned with that can certainly provide their children with those books if they deem it prudent to do so. If we were to apply reason to this you would have to say that adult literature should also be included in the library, in the periodicals section. Hustler, Playboy or whatever would have to share equal billing with Scouts Life magazine. 

  A great deal centers around misinformation, lies or distortions of the truth however you wish to define that. My issue with that is who gets to decide, who gets to define truth? The first amendment to the constitution made it plain that the government was not to fill that role. We the people have a right to say what we believe. No where does it specifically say it has to be the truth. We do have punitive measures for endangering others with your speech, such as yelling fire in a crowded theater. Which, by the way, is not illegal in and of itself. You could be charged with disorderly conduct but there is no law specific to yelling fire. Are we now to define presenting ideas or opinions as endangering others? Is influence a dangerous thing? Many propose just that. That is the reasoning behind their wish to censor free speech.

  I hear a lot about foreign powers using social media platforms to gain information about American interests and secrets. TikTok tops the list. Those communist Chinamen are after us! No of that prevents us from doing business with them however, profits take priority over national security. They want a United States government approved "owner" of Tic Tok or it may be banned. Now, I don't use Tic Tok and all I know is there are a lot of silly videos on there. I read where the fear is that the Chinese government may force Tik Tok to share information from our smartphones or manipulate videos in favor of the communist party. I don't see an issue there, we have AI doing the same thing every day. No need for the Chinese to manipulate videos we are doing that on our own just fine. It just strikes me odd that the same agency saying we should censor/ban Tic Tok is also the same agency allowing avowed communists to run for office. So is the issue the communists, or just that the government doesn't like what they are saying? 

  I'm no tech wizard but how would you ban Tic Tok anyway? I read where the application wouldn't be allowed. Well, all I know is where there is a will there is a way. I'm certain some 12 year old would know how to get that regardless. It's all a bit of a mystery to me how this works. I'm just opposed to banning free speech, even when it is a communist speaking. 

                                                                                    

Puzzled

  Thing change as we grow older. Simple things, everyday things that we often don't give a thought too. Oh, we become aware of our aches and pains, our greying hair, or lack of it, how we can't quite get up off the floor like we used to. Remember lying on the floor and watching television? Yeah, give that a try today. Unless you have been practicing yoga doing the Cobra pose, you can forget about it. We don't see as well as we once did and other people are speaking a lot softer these days, the volume on the television is funny too, 10 isn't as loud as it used to be. But all of those are just little changes, small things that mostly go unnoticed and written off as just getting old. 

  Today is the birthday of my granddaughter Shyann. She's 21 today, where has that time gone. It is also the birthday of my sister, Millie. She will have been gone six years come December. She was born in West Palm beach Florida in 1951, grew up in East Hampton New York with my brothers and I, married and moved to Melbourne Florida. When we are young we think of birthdays, we count down to them, we anticipate them, can't wait to be 16, 18, and then 21. Milestone ages. Then we reach a certain age, I'm not certain when that is exactly, but we begin to remember those who died. We don't call them death days. In recent years we have taken to calling a funeral a celebration of life, I believe in an attempt to avert the reality. We don't celebrate death days however, they are remembered in silence, with a prayer and perhaps flowers on a gravesite.

  My granddaughter Shyann lives in upstate New York and so I don't get to celebrate with her. It's hard to believe she is 21 today. Oh, I've visited with her a few times, twice last year I think. She is busy living in her world while I'm living in mine. That is the way it is with families sometimes. My son married and moved to his wife's home. His wife passed a year ago this past January on the 22nd of the month. A date I'm certain my granddaughter will never forget. Perhaps the first date in the category I'm thinking about, days of loss, although she has lost both her grandfather and grandmother on that side as well. Hopefully she doesn't remain as aware over the years. 

 That is something I think does change, that awareness. Then it reappears as some point when we get older. And for me October the tenth will forever be a reminder of two events, a birth and a death. The circle of life. It's a bit of a shame that we see the big picture when we are far away. But that is called perspective. The details can be intriguing, but it is the whole that is the most important. And I do believe one day we will all be together again, if only briefly, to continue on. Death is simply one of those changes, as is life. For a brief time anyway I believe all the pieces come together in what we call death. The beginning and the end.  

                                                                            

                                                                                    

Issued

  Was remembering the time I had to put all my belongings in a bag. It was called a sea bag and I was in the Navy. We were taught how to properly fold and roll all our clothing, including a jacket and a rain coat in order to make them fit. Everything I needed, according to the Navy was in that one bag. My style had a handle sewn on one side and a long strap for carrying. Later on, I saw them with straps like a backpack would have. Kids today sure have it easy! We just had to carry it with one hand. I still have a sea bag tucked away in the attic, just in case. 

  The thing with the sea bag was it was about the same space you would get on the ship to store your things. I had a locker, that was small and used mostly for things I didn't use often. Under my bunk, well it was a bunk with a locker. They were called coffin lockers, the name explains it all. On the lid of the coffin was a two inch thick piece of foam rubber, that's the mattress. Officers had thicker ones. I did have regular sheets, a step up from the old days. There was a time when they were covered with a sack made of bed ticking that had buttons on one end. Referred to as a fart sack. There were no sheets just a wool blanket. My wife crocheted a blanket for me which I did use, although it had to be stowed away during the day. It wasn't an authorized piece of gear. Sailors always found a way to store some extra things. 

  The Navy sea bag. It is an iconic symbol. Immediately identifiable and associated with sailors. It's a  tradition carried down since whaling days and most likely before that. It would hold as the necessities you would require for a voyage. The hard core sailors, those that were dedicated to the lifestyle would tell you, if I was supposed to have a wife I would have been issued one! All you needed was issued, contained in that sea bag. All you had to do was pack it up and it was time to get underway. 

                                                                            

    

Pictures of the past

  I have just a few photographs from my time in the Navy. It was in a time before we all carried a camera twenty four seven. I remember when some of us would have those 35mm cameras hanging from a strap around our necks at we "hit the beach." The typical image of a tourist. I haven't seen anyone doing that lately but I assume some still do for the very best pictures. Those that want that "professional" quality image. But even those don't have film in them anymore, just more pixels. Pixels have replaced film. Kodachrome is long gone, a distant memory and unknown to a generation now. It has been fifteen years since the last roll was processed. I had that little camera that took 110 film. I haven't seen that in a while either.

  While I was in we were told not to take pictures on the ship in certain areas. There were secrets! I obeyed those rules and therefore have no pictures taken in the engine room where I spent my working days. There wasn't really anything there was any big secret to anyone at all, in or out of the Navy. The capabilities of the ships were common enough knowledge to anyone that cared to know. Back then film had to be developed and so I didn't take a lot of pictures. There was no way of getting any film developed until I returned anyway so why bother? At the time the places I was going were everyday stuff, I figured I'd see it all again. It's like living in your hometown, how many pictures do you take of that? Has to be something special when you do, like a natural disaster or special event. Same while in the Navy.

  The few pictures I do have are old shipmates. We never called each other shipmates however, that's only in the movies. No, we really didn't talk like that. The real language used couldn't be repeated in the movies, at least not back then, today it is mostly found in Rap songs. And those people in the pictures are all young men, trying to be men. That means there is a lot of hand gestures or signs involving a particular digit. Yes, the bird was always flying when a picture was being taken. More often than I realized at the time. The macho attitude was prevalent. Testosterone was raging even though most of us had never heard of testosterone at that time. None of that was contained in any advertisement and no blue pill existed either. No one was "empowering" anyone else to life their best life and enjoy quality time. No, mostly it was hitting the beach, consuming alcoholic beverages to varying degrees and seeking company. The reality being, there was a lot more talking about that stuff than action. 

  Looking back I do wish I had taken more pictures of the places I went. I wish I had written the names of the people I did photograph as well, some I have completely forgotten. But taking pictures back then was something that you just didn't do as frequently as we do today. I can see some the meals I was served in the Navy and wish I could share them with you. I still have some rolls of undeveloped film kicking around in my junk. I wonder sometimes what is on them  and if I could get them developed. I'm guessing you can still drop that film off at the drugstore. My granddaughter laughed when she heard me call it a drugstore, she calls it the pharmacy, yes she is that fancy. I may drop some off one day just to see if it will still develop. But then again, some things are best left unseen. The pictures in our memories are the best. We can store far more than our computers can, isn't that amazing. There is the issue of  extracting those files as we age. That doesn't matter though, the past is always what we remember it to have been, reality notwithstanding. 

                                                                            

Talking?

  Being on Facebook is like being in a crowded room. Lots of people talking but you didn't hear the start of the conversation. Then, trying to be sociable, it is social media, you attempt to join the discussion. The problem with that is like a childhood game of post office, the original topic has either been distorted or changed completely. That has happened to me on numerous occasions, especially before I knew you had to click on "view more comments" below the block. I learned that and "most relevant" was added to your choices. I'll decide what is relevant if you don't mind Zuck. I'm always seeing little changes like that. I'm guessing they are ways to justify your job. You have to make suggestions and do something I suppose. That's the problem with computers, they will do the same thing, the same way, every time for years! All you really need is someone to keep the thing running, the "job" itself is covered.

  I have entered the conversation mid stream and put my foot in it. Yes, like Forest Gump said, it happens. It was the result of not knowing the main topic. I know I should do my research, read through every comment and cross reference it to the original topic to ensure I'm on point. Well, there are times I bring up the "drag" to coin a cowboy term. It means something totally different today. Involves the same "area" however, funny how time changes meanings of words. All that I have addressed a few times. I am often chided for not doing my research. It's true I never attended a University or College and so I never became a researcher, although I did have a subscription to Ancestry.Com. I have looked at a few profile pages on Facebook as well, but I don't trust that source.

  In the last few months or so I have noticed the room is a lot less crowded. There aren't as many discussions going on. I wonder if it is the result of that misunderstanding and miscommunication. What I used to call; you don't understand and you are lying. Time has changed the meaning on many words and phrases. I do original research and so never have any citations. Citations are something given for wrongdoing, for the most part, although you can be cited for heroism. It's a contextual thing. You can't cite yourself, even though you feel like the expert. I've had others request citations when I related a personal experience. I need to "prove" my own actions. No problem, I just tell the story in the third person in those circumstances. 

  I do try to provide the source when I feel it is necessary. Opinions do not require a citation. But it is facts that require citations. The problem there being I can find some citation to support practically any fact I want. Statistics are especially vulnerable to that. The old is it half full or half empty argument. I'm told science has found the answer to the chicken and egg question. The chicken came first. That because the only place the protein required to form an egg shell is, you guessed it, inside a chicken! 

 Still, there are many, many scientists today that will dispute that fact insisting the egg came first, through evolution. Neither group attempts to explain how either "object" got here in the first place. In my experience statistics and facts are usually presented in such a way as to give someone an advantage of some type. Take that yearly flu shot as an example. It is touted as highly effective when in fact at best it is 60% effective at preventing you from getting the flu. In February of this year the CDC declared this years flu shot 46% effective. The CDC is my source. Trust the science.

  But like that childhood game of post office I have wandered off topic once again. I was talking about not knowing what I was talking about. I'm an expert in that field and so will not attempt to provide any citations. I'll let my friends list be the source. Lots will confirm that, I don't know what I'm talking about. It really doesn't matter at all as I'm certain I will not influence anyone, change anyone's opinions on anything. There is no test at the end. I'm the sole judge on every topic! I'm told I shouldn't be judging. I'm judging that as incorrect. What are you doing? 

 I googled this question; conversation or talking, this is what I got: "We think of conversations as more formal talk. Still, in a dictionary, conversation is defined as informal talk in a situation between two or more participants. We also use the term dialogue. This concept has been subject to extensive theory and discussion." I'm never quite certain if I'm entering a conversation, a talk or a dialogue. Facebook should have a button for that.

                                                                                  

                                                          Do you remember 

Relieved

  I was in the Navy for twenty years and retired from that job. That is what it was to me anyway, something I did to make a living and provide for the family. I'd like to tell you about patriotism, the love of country and that whole thing but that wasn't want made me join up. No, I had graduated high school, wasn't going to college and the employment opportunities in my hometown were limited. Yes, I'm proud that I did that, like others are proud they went to college or whatever, that sort of proud. Credit has to go to my wife for encouraging me to stay. She had to spend a lot of time alone because of that and she did that voluntarily, not an easy thing to do. But this morning I thought to write a bit about my military life. Everyone experiences that differently, even when they serve together. For me it wasn't all that different from being in high school. You had all the little cliques, groups, bullies, and backstabbers along with the few that you made friends with.

  In my twenty years of service I spent about twelve of them at sea. I did get shore duty at a repair facility and was a recruiter as well. Shore duty is a lot better than sea duty regardless of any sea stories you may have heard to the contrary. Join the Navy and see the world is true enough. Thing being you soon learn that the world is about 71% water. If you want to see the land, join the Army. I did go to a lot of places, a lot of ports of call, and see many cultures. It wasn't like being on a vacation though. Everywhere I went I had to be aware of being an American sailor, not always welcomed even back in those days. Normally you got one or two days to go "ashore" and all the rest was onboard ship, working or standing watch. There were card games and a movie most every night. Some had instruments and would play them. But mostly it was just boredom. I was bored most of the time! 

  I was in when Vietnam ended and so didn't get involved with that. I did go to Desert Shield/Desert Storm in a supporting role and various other engagements. Never was I in a sea battle, never was I in immediate danger of attack or anything like that. One side of me is thankful for that while another feels cheated. I always feel a bit embarrassed when others want to "thank me" for my service and for what images they may have. I'm no hero. The one thing that really bothers me is stolen valor, the most despicable thing one can do. I was just doing my job as best as I could manage under the circumstances. The same as we all do in our working environment. Sometimes you like the job and the boss, at others, not so much. Your co-workers are just like those classmate you had, some great, most a big pain in the butt.

  The truth is I never really fit into that picture aboard ship. I wasn't gung-ho as the saying goes nor was I interested in being the "best" sailor. Every job has an image. Back in 1971 sailors were still expected to be sailors! Yes, that Hollywood image of what a sailor is and does was very much alive and well. I can't speak for what the culture today may be, it has been thirty one years since I retired. I am certain some of the antics, foolish choices and actions that were common place back then would get you rehabilitated today! I expect you would be subject to an intervention! I was still in the era of "don't ask, don't tell" and all of that. It was a world of the alpha male. They did allow the ladies to serve aboard ship during my time and I served with them. It definitely changed the dynamics of the environment. It wasn't a bad thing necessarily, it was just a change.

  I'm no Alpha male. I'm not ashamed to say that. There is no scientific evidence of any such thing existing anyway. It's a made term not used by the professional head doctors. For the most part an alpha male is just a bully in my opinion. The only way to deal with bullies is stand up to them. It makes little difference if you can actually win the combat, the willingness to engage in the battle is usually sufficient. In my experience bravado is the chief element of an alpha male. The rest of us either go along or go our own way. I went my own way and in fact, still do. That is what is right for me, doesn't make any difference to me if you agree or not. For that reason I made few friends over that twenty year span but had a lot of shipmates. I am no longer in contact with anyone I ever served my time with. No, I don't have any old sailor buddies to swap sea stories with. I do think and wonder what happened to some but the vast majority I have dismissed and forgotten about. No loss to me. I'm certain they feel the same way. 

  While in the service twenty years seems like forever. If you stayed beyond your initial enlistment others began calling you a lifer. Yes, I was 18 when I joined and 38 when I retired. It was a lifetime. I was a lifer. But I wasn't a lifer as I never did adopt the whole cultural thing of a being a sailor. It was simply a place I was. It's a difficult thing to explain. I guess what I'm thinking about is called going all in. That wasn't anything I ever did. I was hedging my bets the whole time. It was often said that Navy meant, never again volunteer yourself. There is some truth to that. It is usually not a wise decision to volunteer for anything when the boss comes around. The best scenario was always when you could answer with, I have the watch. The watch comes before anything else you will do in the service, at least in the Navy it is. And standing watch was the only thing I would volunteer to do. I stood my last watch at the Annapolis Naval Station as a "policeman."  I was relieved of that watch on Oct 1, 1993. 

  I would do it all again if it became a necessity. At 38 when I received a plaque commemorating my service it was engraved with these words after my name, Father Time. Yes, those giving me that plaque figured I was pretty old. I had served a lifetime. Today all of that seem like a few lifetimes ago. All that remains are some certificates, old photographs and memories. My uniform hangs in the closet, ready to go whenever. I haven't put that on in quite a few years now. Closets are known for shrinking things and I expect that uniform has suffered from that as well. 

 You know, as with most things, it is a lot better to talk about it than actually doing it, whatever it is. With my naval service I get to write that history, tell that story and there is no one here to dispute any of it. Well, except for my wife, but she didn't go to sea with me. When you retire from the Navy the parting wish from your shipmates will be; fair winds and a following sea. I have enjoyed just that since 1993 and I'm grateful. But for me, I know another saying, another way of expressing all of that, from a bit of family history. Without telling the whole story that expression is, "well, we had a damn fine sail"   

                                                                               

Who we are

 There are various things people say about getting older. I'm certain you have heard quite a few. I'm told I should be grateful for getting this old as many have not had that privilege. Still, I'm not that old, only seventy one. I have lots of classmates, friends and co-workers older than that. So, yeah I still feel relatively young. I am the baby in my family after all. I've always been the youngest. I expect to die that way as well. Age is just a number. 

  There are things you discover about aging along the way. It does come with some aches and pains, a few challenges. It also has some perks, you can use your age as an excuse for leaving the party early. I don't think the elderly are afforded as much deference as they used to be given. Not that I'm elderly mind you, far from that, but I have noticed a lack of respect from the younger folks. It's a general shift in the cultural norm. The world has become a more aggressive place in my estimation. People are angry and defensive. The righteous on the rise! 

  I was watching the news and another celebrity death was reported. I don't recall exactly who but someone of some fame. I mentioned the other day that these deaths appear to come in threes, but not this time, there have been a few more. Perhaps it is just because of this information age we are living in. Not much happens that we don't hear about. I see lots of notices on Facebook as well. Each has to be verified carefully though. Well, celebrity deaths have always had that issue. Mark Twain famously said, " the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." Still I read and hear about that quite often. And as I heard about one more I had this thought, "one of the worst things about growing old is seeing your heroes die." Consider the "Highwaymen" the only one left standing today is Willie Nelson. There were in that group referred to as our radio heroes by George Jones in his song. 

  Yes, that is a sad part about aging, seeing your heroes die. Some are family members, some are friends, some are strangers, but all inspired you in some fashion. Those that we emulate. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That is only a portion of the full quote; "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness." (Oscar Wilde) We all become who we are by using pieces of our heroes. Influences and choices. The older we get the harder it becomes to influence us. It is also harder for us to change our choices. That's simply because you can't change the past. We become who we are, nothing more, nothing less.    

                                                                           

 

Amused

 I was amused yesterday by someone leaving a comment on my Facebook posting. This individual, who I have no clue about and I'm certain that person doesn't know me, attacked me for being honest. Yes, I was informed that I had no business having an opinion on a subject I hadn't fully studied. I'm not certain but I believe it was in reference to some remarks I had made about the vice-presidential debate. I did state in all honesty, that I hadn't watched that debate, and that I had only heard a few clips. Thing is, to my way of thinking , that was enough to form an opinion, although this person said it was a flood of opinions. My only response to that was, if you think that was a flood of opinions you obviously don't know me. I'm well aware that I hold many opinions and share them freely. I'm under no delusions about any of that. I did add that after reading her first and only comment directed at me I had formed an opinion about her. I didn't share that opinion however, it was implied. Whatever she infers from that isn't my problem. 

  I'm always a bit amused by those feeling that an opinion is a fact. They are usually the ones demanding a citation to support your opinion. Well the truth is I can find a citation to support just about any opinion one might have. That is especially true with all the subjective topics discussed on social media platforms. Consider something like mental health, all the experts don't agree on that stuff, depends upon your favorite expert. Are you a Freudian or a Jungian? They do seem to lead the pack but there are others as well. It's the reason the "manual" is rewritten and revised every so often. What was once cited as a disorder is now normal behavior. But a few disorders have been added to balance the books so to speak.

  I am especially amused by the self-help books, programs or whatever. Do it yourself mental health. If you are following the advice and instructions in those books or programs you are not doing it yourself, you are following the instructions. The reality is only you can do that stuff in the first place. Therapists do what? Talk to you, tell you things that you then hopefully accept as the truth. Hey they are being paid hundreds of dollars they must know what they are talking about. Truth is, they are telling you the same thing your best friend or your mother might tell you. It's just that if you are paying for it you feel like it is somehow more valuable. That, and you feel like you can tell all your secrets to someone else. All the prescriptions that you receive aren't going to "cure" anything, just mask the symptoms. 

  Judgments and opinions. I make them all the time. I have been told thousands of times I shouldn't judge. But I don't want to be accused of lacking good judgement, so I keep on practicing that skill. Judge not lest ye too be judged. Fact is, we all face judgement every day. As to whether we face judgement after our death is left to individual belief. Judgement isn't always bad, yes there is a good judgment, what we call a positive outcome. As to opinions, I have an opinion on that as well. In my opinion I have an obligation to share my opinion. That is simply because it may prove useful to someone else. By offering my opinion I am offering my help. Whether or not you accept it, find it useful or not, I can't control. All I can do is try. In my opinion the thing that offends us the most is the truth. When someone points out a truth that you already knew to be the truth but rejected, it is offensive. It is the old "I told you so" that really offends. And I have said it before and will tell the truth once again, I find great satisfaction in saying just that, told you so.      

                                                                               

being patriotic

  I didn't listen to the vice presidential debate. I really don't pay a lot of attention to that stuff, staged responses. I have heard that JD Vance has been declared the winner in opinion polls. I've heard that from some of my democratic friends as well. Listening to the news reporters and political pundits it struck me how they all agreed whatever happened in the debate really didn't matter. Their point was unless one candidate really did something stupid it just doesn't matter. Polls show that the vice president on the  ticket has little to no effect on the vote for president. 

  The president and the vice-president were not always from the same political party in the past. Perhaps the most glaring example was Lincoln and Johnson. Johnson assumed the presidency following Lincoln's assassination. He immediately began repealing policies. Eventually he was impeached but acquitted by the senate. There is nothing in the constitution that would prevent this from happening again but the 12th amendment made that possibility far more difficult. In modern times we think of the president and vice-president as a team. That wasn't the original plan. No, the framers of the constitution felt like we should simply vote for the best person for the job regardless of their political affiliation. Perhaps that is a bit idealistic. If history is a guide, that has been proven.

  We all tend to believe that whoever we elect for president will remain in that office, finish their term and that will be that. We tend not to think that the vice-president may have to take over. For that reason we all should really be considering that candidate closely. Instead we are allowing the candidate, really the party leaders, to choose that person. We aren't given a choice about the VP, not really. Given the age of our current candidates that should really be given a lot of thought. Will the vice president simply continue on the same path when the boss isn't around? That individual may have designs for their own legacy. 

 Understanding the 12th amendment is a study all in itself. I make no pretense to having a complete grasp on that. That it hinges upon the electoral college I get that. Electing a president by a single popular vote is simply an untenable situation for a variety of reasons. The most obvious being those states with the fewest population would never really be represented. A majority could easily be reached by the votes in such places as NYC, Chicago or LA. Bumstock North Dakota just wouldn't have much of a say about anything. The senate will decide any ties, something that hasn't happened since 1824. That was a bit of a mess. 

  How is a vice president chosen? That was discussed heavily by those founding fathers, the authors of the constitution. The objective was to select the best qualified person for the number two spot. As it turned out that wasn't always happening. Surprise, the presidential candidate and the party began choosing the individual that was most likely to help number one win. That person may or may not be qualified for the position but simply rich, powerful and influential. That person may simply be receiving that nomination as a gift, a thank you. Yes, politics is a nasty business. 

  That is where being a true patriot enters the picture. Those founding fathers certainly thought of themselves as patriots. You might say, self-righteous, depending upon your view of history. We have all been told it is our patriotic duty to vote. And indeed it is. The thing is this however, the true patriot will vote for the most qualified candidate regardless of party, race, creed, color, religious affiliation or anything else. A completely unbiased vote. That is patriotic. It isn't a blind allegiance. It is a moral obligation. Who is best qualified to lead? Who is best qualified to replace that leader should it become necessary? You know all of that starts with your vote. From your local mayor to the white house, it is your responsibility, your moral obligation to be a patriot.  

                                                                                 

      

Recycling a memory

  There are those things we save for sentimental reasons. Then we have clutter, junk and I might need it some day stuff. Separating them can present a challenge. I have attempted to identify those items over the years with limited success. I even began writing in a composition book telling the back story to my most treasured items. The hope there being they would be saved from the dump. Today many call that a landfill, but dump, in my opinion, is far more descriptive of exactly what that place is. A place to dump the trash. Items that are thrown out! Rejected, considered useless and not worthy of taking up any space other than in the dump. It's a sad ending indeed. 

  We are being told to recycle and reuse. But you can't do that with memories. Memories must be created individually, by you. The things we treasure are the warehouse of our memories. The material value or usefulness of the object isn't of any great importance, it is the memory that it holds. Now we can share those memories, something I often do, even when others don't want to receive them, but it won't make a memory for them. Well, unless you count their memory of you always telling you those "stories." You have to understand that: memories are always in the first person, everything else are stories. That is true for myself anyway. I have met people that view themselves in the third person, something quite strange to me. In my estimation those viewing themselves in the third person seldom see an honest picture. That is the stuff of philosophy however, and I'll leave that observation right there.

  It is a difficult, if not impossible thing to do; give someone else a memory. That is the idea behind a gift. Some memories are intended to be short term while others are intended to hopefully last a lifetime. Remember being told to think about the person and what they would like before selecting a gift for them? That's simply because what you may think of as a treasure, isn't. It is something I am sometimes guilty of, placing a value on a gift and expecting the person receiving it to value it equally. You should never assign a value to any gift. Gifts are to be given freely, without restrictions, expectations or encumbrances. You just give it away. It may become a memory or just bring a brief smile, you don't get to decide upon that.

  I have written about all of this before. I'm like everyone else, I repeat myself as I become history. I think about what will happen to my stuff. I can't take it with me, most of it is flammable so that is a risk. Still I think of all the memories stored inside those objects. Some hold a single moment in time while others cover a span of years or even decades. Whatever the case is those things are holding my memories and it does bother me that they will go to the dump. It's a certainty, they will eventually go to the dump, the landfill, the recycling center or whatever they do in the future, perhaps blasted in space.      I've thought maybe if I thinned them out, only selecting the most meaningful, they would stand a better chance of survival. Now I'm thinking just the opposite. Maybe I should hold onto everything, overwhelm whoever has to sort through that stuff, thereby prolonging the inevitable. That's sounding like a good plan. Really I don't have any memories I would like to throw away. You do have to keep the good and the bad. It's called balance. Yeah, that sounds right. Maybe I'll go back to cataloging my memories. Let me tell you the story behind this multimeter. 

                                                                               

 

Related

  They say it comes in threes. Kris Kristofferson, Pete Rose and Dikembe Mutombo have all passed away. Three celebrities of some renown. I was quite familiar with the first two but had only heard the name of the third man. That's because I'm not a big fan of basketball. I'm certain it is a big loss to those fans. Everyone knew Kris. His songs are classics. Although I always felt his singing left a lot to be desired his talent for writing those songs supplanted that. I felt the same way about Paul Williams. But Kris did well at acting as well and I did enjoy his performances. As one of the highwayman you could see and feel the friendship he had with the other members. Celebrity friendships are certainly something different than what us common folks experience. That's my thinking.

  Then there is Pete Rose. His accomplishments on the baseball field are undeniable. Not being a fan of the Reds or the Phillies he was never a favorite of mine, my heroes have always been Yankees. Still he holds the record for most runs scored in a career. He did make some very bad choices later in life that resulted in a lifetime ban from major league baseball. He wrote books about that, gave impassioned speeches and lobbied to be inducted into the hall of fame. It is my feeling he never really acknowledged his wrongdoing, always making some excuse for that. He made a deal with major league baseball to accept that lifetime ban in exchange for them not pursuing any more charges against him. Now he has fulfilled that deal. I'm saying he will be posthumously inducted into the hall of fame, probably next year. That is as it should be. I hold no animus concerning Pete Rose. 

  The basketball player I know very little about. I know that he was a big man and known for that height. The news says he changed the game of basketball and brought the sport to other nations as well. I'm hearing all the expected accolades about a professional athlete that has passed away. I'm thinking you have to have been a real fan to know about him though, he was never a superstar. It was reported he suffered from brain cancer. He was still young and gone too soon. We each have our time and can not know when that will be. Celebrity has no influence on any of that. 

  Whenever celebrities pass away we all feel a sense of loss. Celebrities are like a part of the family. They are "relatively distant" but we like to claim some kinship. Whether that kinship is we admired their accomplishments or whether we actually "met" them at some point, we feel connected to them. It's a rather strange thing when you think about that. When I was young I had posters of my heroes in my bedroom. I would buy "gear" that represented them. I felt "connected" to them long before there was social media and tweets. The most I had was a card and an occasional interview I might see on television, or a magazine article. Seldom did I see any my heroes when they weren't being that hero. Larger than life is what we called that. I'm thinking a great deal of that is lost in this digital age. There are few secrets these days. We have lost three celebrities. The tributes will follow, as they should. It is a collective loss in American society. Names we heard growing up. To some a "favorite" relative and to others more distant. Still, we all feel related somehow to that fame. It's strange thing.  

                                                                  

That's ridiculous

  I often look at my "memories" page on Facebook, it is a feature I do enjoy. I'll get a laugh or a smile about something I was saying a year or more ago. There is a recurring theme. I'm taking that as a good thing, as being stable. Stability is important in an ever changing world. I'm becoming convinced of it, the rest of the world is losing their minds. I have seen lots of things come to fruition that I would never have believed possible. I'm not thinking about technology, I'm thinking about social things. There has been a big swing in sensibilities, that much can't be denied. In my estimation there has been a regression in that department. There are many in positions of power that talk like a man with a paper a**hole, as my father often pointed out to me. I didn't see it at the time, but he was correct. 

  In recent years we have taken to renaming everything to make whatever more palatable. Yeah, the intention is to get you to swallow that. Abortion has become healthcare, as one example. Trans has become a mainstream term to describe what exactly? No one knows and many are having difficulty defining what a woman is. But none of that has changed for me, I'm stable. Pronouns aren't a bit confusing to me, I thank my 9th grade English teacher, Miss Bird for that. We don't get new taxes, we get fees these days. It's not welfare anymore, it is social assistance, an entitlement. The cards being issued, at least here in Maryland, are called an independence cards. A bit of a misnomer wouldn't you say, as those folks are dependent upon that. Services is a term applied to almost everything as well. Break the law, commit a heinous act and you will receive services. We don't call that punishment anymore, it is services.

  This morning that was brought to the front of my thoughts as I browsed that memories page. I watched once again an old television commercial that I had remembered. This advertisement concerned Aunt Jemima syrup and pancakes. We all know that had to be changed in order to establish justice in the world. It is a part of those "reparations" that we all should be paying for that what ended 159 years ago. I listened once again and was struck by a statement a little girl makes at the very end of that advertisement. She really hit the proverbial nail on the head! That may have been the last moment of truth in advertising. 

                                                                                     

   Lots of things today are just ridiculous. During covid churches were closed but not Casinos.

I need to provide numerous documents to obtain my real ID. Don't need a real ID to vote though. 

I can illegally enter the country and receive "services. " If I was born here, a citizen of this nation, I need to produce numerous documents once again before receiving anything. Currently Kamala Harris, presidential nominee, advocates for sex change operations for those in federal prisons. Now, that is ridiculous.  

depressing

  Have we lost all optimism? It really seems that way to me at times as I listen to the news. All I hear about are the injustices of the past. I hear how terrible everything was and how everyone suffered. No, it isn't just the minorities I'm hearing about, this applies to everyone. There is no hope for any of us. The climate itself is plotting against us, it is changing and will kill us all. We have to do something about that. That is, if we can manage to create enough vaccinations and immunizations to keep us going. But perhaps all that will be a mute point as our mental health is deteriorating rapidly. 

  Could it be that with the whole world now connected we are suffering from a sensory overload? Is that what is happening? There are simply too many influences for people to process properly. Everything we experience must be processed in context to the society in which we live. Cultural norms are the biggest influence on our thinking. What was normal in my house growing up may be alien to you. That was true even when we were in elementary school together. 

  In years past however, many of those differences were unknown. We didn't talk about that stuff, post it on social media channels or tweet any of that. We encountered all of that a little bit at a time, as we grew older. I remember well when I was first in the Navy. I heard about things I had never imagined before! Yes, I was called a "hick" and I wasn't "cool" as was the expression commonly in use then. It meant I didn't subscribe to the "progressive" way of thinking although that term wasn't yet in use. No, that was called being worldly. It implied that you had a lot of experience in the world. In short, you knew about all the bad stuff, the sketchy side of things, and things that you just should avoid. It was like a secret knowledge. The forbidden fruit.

  Today however a great deal of that is being taught in kindergarten. There are many insisting that we need to do that and any restriction on that is a ban. Nothing should be restricted from children! They should be indoctrinated into the ways of the world outside of their experience. Other cultures are different and every single one of them is correct. There is no such thing as morality, only legality. That's because if morality exist there has to be a religious component to establish that moral fabric. Science will determine what is real, and what is not real! Additionally, whatever you feel is real. You can identify as anything you like. No one can dispute that. Back in the sixties it was sex, drugs and rock and roll! Much has been added to that scene, man. 

  I'm thinking that we are becoming like children in the candy store, overwhelmed with choices. All this social media, the constant barrage of  information and misinformation and no real way to distinguish between the two. At least when I was a young child I would hear, because I said so, that's why. That answer was sufficient unto the day. I learned the reasoning behind that later on, when I was a bit older and could place things more into context. We knew there was more out there to explore, to learn, and it gave us all something to look forward too. You know anticipation is often more satisfying that the actual event. I have been disappointed more than once by what I thought something was going to be only to discover, it isn't. Like the proverbial child in that candy store, I got sick. 

  I remember being told about people that had made bad choices. I heard about those that became drunks, they weren't alcoholics back then, and how they ruined their lives and those of the ones around them. I didn't hear stories of recovery and how brave those people were. I wasn't told they should be admired and used as a source of inspiration. No, that was simply something you shouldn't do. The objective in life was to not make mistakes in the first place, not to recover from them. I was taught you did a job for the compensation you received for doing that job. If you were fortunate it was a job you enjoyed. You didn't do a job for the glory! Even if you did, you didn't let others know that. You certainly weren't demanding recognition! Recognition was earned, not an entitlement. 

  We have far too many people today demanding all of that. I was taught to expect nothing and you won't get disappointed. That's a problem today as most are expecting everything; no they are demanding everything. I should be getting more money, more vacation, more medical care, more education, more opportunity, and more recognition! I'm doing this job and that makes me a hero! Doesn't matter what the job is, I am a hero because I come to work, even when I'm working from home. Well if all you have to look forward to is others recognizing you, you will be disappointed. Doesn't leave a lot to look forward too, does it? That only leaves one place to look, to the past. Blaming the past for today. It's downright depressing.