The Doldrums

Lately I have been experiencing a bit of malaise. The winter doldrums you might say. It hasn't been that cold and virtually no snow but cold enough to remain indoors. Getting up in the dark and going to bed in the dark has taken a toll. I haven't felt quite like myself. Even my thoughts are sluggish. Where are all those projects I said I would put off until the winter ? I can remember saying that in the summer and fall. I'll do that over the winter months but just what was it ? I don't  know. I'm sure it will come to me, in the spring.
I know they have down a study on this and cabin fever is a real thing. As humans we do get to feeling closed in and restricted. Even with television,books and the internet we still miss the outdoors. There is speculation that it is linked to a lack of vitamin D. You get that vitamin from Sunlight you know ? They put it in milk so I guess we should drink more milk in the winter. But then a mug of warm chocolate milk doesn't leave me feeling energized,so go figure. Awareness of the problem is half the battle though isn't it ?
The days are getting longer. The sun is getting stronger. I'll have to make an effort to get outside and absorb some of those vitamins nature provides. The real deal,all natural vitamin D. The weather is supposed to be exceptionally warm the next few days. I'll have to take advantage.

Open the window

When I turned on the news this morning the first thing I heard discussed was the unusually warm weather we have been having. I am not complaining about it that much is for sure. The annual Polar Bear Plunge was held adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the air temperature was fifty degrees. The warmest it has ever been since this event has taken place. A follow up to that story was the need for air conditioning in the school. I was only half listening to this story but a lady was saying how the children were falling asleep in class due to the heat. A school administrator said, it may be a safety hazard as well ! There was an appeal for funds to air condition this school before April. Window units were an option.
Being from a older generation of students my immediate reaction was, sissies ! We didn't have air conditioning when I went to school. We didn't fall asleep because of the heat and it certainly wasn't considered a safety hazard. What is the deal with that ? The school bus wasn't air conditioned either for that matter. I know that from the few times I rode it. Most of the time I walked uphill in the snow to get there. Three miles at least. But that's a different story.
I can remember sitting in English class and the windows were wide open. The high school had those big double hung windows. They would be opened at the teachers discretion. There were no screens in those windows or safety bars to keep you from jumping either. When the wind was right quite a nice breeze would come in. Sure we would occasionally doze off but it had nothing to do with heat. We were kids in school and not terribly enraptured with the idea ! A warm breeze and the birds singing could be a bit of a distraction.
In my senior year they had built a new school. We moved to that one. No double hung windows in that one. I only spent the one year in that building and don't recall if you could open the windows. I don't believe so. I don't recall if it was air conditioned . I would think that it was.
All that got me to thinking. A lot has changed since I went to school. I expect the windows now are bullet proof glass and sealed in place. The doors are locked and security is tight. A lot of schools deploy metal detectors to scan the students while they enter. I expect you would need air conditioning in these new sealed environments. Going to school now is more like entering a prison. I.D. tags required and screening. A controlled environment. It is a sad thing. When I was in school we got fresh air and sunshine even in the classroom. Now they have to schedule time for that. Everyone must be kept comfortable as well. We just had to deal with the conditions as presented. In the winter it was cold in those classrooms. I tried to sit close to the radiator ! The whole thing was a learning experience.
I hope they find the funds to provide air conditioning for the students. I'm sure it is needed. The lottery was supposed to provide funding for education perhaps they can donate just a little. In the end it will come down to a tax ! Then there will be the increase in the electric bill to deal with. And maintenance on the units. Sure would be easier to just open the windows ! I'm just sayin'.

Art or Craft ?

My daughter is law in a young trendy lady. Always on the cutting edge of the latest fashion and fad. Recently she discovered Pineterest. This is a new web site to share ideas,pictures and products. At least that is what Google says. Maria is a big fan. She was browsing this site and sent me a picture of a patio table. She said she thought of me when she saw it. In typical female fashion she thought it was cute.Looking at the picture what I saw was two pallets,some 4x4 spacers and a set of wheels. Not an unattractive combination. I remarked to my wife about how men see things differently. She saw a crafty patio table, I see two pallets.
But it is not just men and women that see differently. When it comes to art there is a big difference. Most of Picasso looks like he didn't finish the drawing to me. I've seen those " drip paintings " DeKooning is famous for and that is what I see. Paint just dripped and swirled all over the place. Makes no sense to me at all. I did see in a gallery three cue sticks suspended from strings. The artist had titled this work " dancing sticks " and was asking thousands for it. I just laugh.
I'm just into reality. I look at an object and want to recognize it immediately. Norman Rockwell comes to mind. When I see things I see their construction. What are they made of ? Often I say to myself, " I can make that. " I  have often wondered about those that claim to see things in those abstract paintings. Do they really see something there, or are they fooling themselves. Are they just trying to impress others ? I just don't get it.
I hear a lot about Folk Art nowadays. I like most of that. The objects are at least recognizable and in a lot of cases served a useful purpose at one point. Maria has a discarded ladder from a set of bunk beds standing in the corner. It has been decorated and serves as a sort of shelf. I have seen old double hung window frames leaning against trees in peoples yards. Not junk though, Art ! A lot of distressed paint is being used along with washed paint. Lanterns and candles.
 I think I could be a folk artist. I'll have to give it a try. That was called crafting at one time. When I was young we called it, " making do ". First I need to grow a beard and wear bib overalls all the time. I need to act a bit eccentric and develop some odd habits. Then when trying to sell my art invent some fanciful explanation about it. It has to mean something,doesn't it ? I'll have to give this career move some more thought.

Thoughts on Life

Everyone has a purpose in this world. Some achieve greatness and glory. Others make amazing contributions to society. There are teachers, firefighters, police officers, poets, and some just inspire the soul. Some find their path early in life and others never do. Some strive for the goal and others have it thrust upon them. And with others it just seems to come their way naturally.Whatever the case each of has a purpose. I think knowing and accepting that purpose is the key to happiness. Notice I did not say the key to wealth but the key to happiness. And what is happiness ? A contentment.A contentment with yourself and those around you that you love. If you have that,you are happy.
In my 58 years I have been down a few different paths. First as a member of the U.S.Navy. Did that for twenty years and retired. I didn't retire a war hero or anything. I didn't rise through the ranks to achieve greatness. In fact there was nothing particularly outstanding about it. Just doing my job. Then I was in the manufacturing business. Worked for a major company as their maintenance mechanic. Did welding,fabricating,electrical work and a host of other manly pursuits. Had dirty fingernails and smelled of grease. Wore steel toes boots and coveralls. Following that I got a job with the town. Drove dump trucks,back hoes and tractors. Dug big holes in the streets and repaired water lines. Pushed snow in the winter months and cut grass on an industrial level. Operated the towns' sewer plant and water system.
And now I'm back to a job I had when I was in high school. Working at the grocery store. Stocking shelves and such. I often laugh throughout the day as a commercial comes to mind, " I pick things up and set them down ". That's pretty much what I do. But I'm happy.
I think I know what my purpose in life is. I'm the filler. Mostly unnoticed. A necessary ingredient in the stew of life. Not the meat and potatoes but more like the seasoning. I'm here to add a little zest. Too much of me can be overpowering and too little is bland. Yup,I'm just part of the mix. I can live with that.

Lanuage

I read an article about a lady running for city council. Her name had been duly placed on the ballot. This town is San Luis, a border town in Yuma, Arizona. It turns out she can barely understand or speak English. A Judge has ruled that she can not run for office. Her name is to be removed from the ballot. An expert linguist testified that her English language skills were barely at survival level. The Judge states she would be incapable of running town business.
The article I read from the New York times did not address this lady's' citizenship. One can only assume she is an American citizen. You don't have to know English to become a citizen. The article also doesn't say how long she has been a resident of this town. Population divided by ethnic groups was also not mentioned. These should all be contributing factors. I'm not saying they are the only factors but should be included prior to making a decision. Perhaps she is more than qualified for the position she seeks. I can't pass judgement on that.
Now,all that being said we are left with a question. Should a person who doesn't speak the native language be allowed to rule over those that do ? My initial reaction is, No. I certainly want whomever is in charge to understand my wants and needs. I need them to understand my beliefs,heritage and my vision for the future. Without speaking or understanding the language proficiently that would indeed be a difficult, if not impossible task. The use of a translator is a slippery slope. What is being said and what is meant can easily be misconstrued. It happens when people are speaking the same language !
Her attorneys are considering an appeal to the Arizona State Supreme Court. That is certainly her right as a citizen. I can see this becoming an issue in other places. The whole language thing is becoming an issue. I say we settle it right now. Let's all vote on it ! All those in favor of making " English " the official language of the United States of America say, aye ! Then we can institute one more rule, In order to run for Elected office anywhere in the United States of America you must be able to speak and write the language, IE: English.
Just sounds like a reasonable thing to me.
I've been saying this for quite some time, " you can't legislate common sense " It is a sad thing but in this case I guess we should try. 

Well Meaning

I got up this morning and checked my Facebook wall. I think that is what you call it anyway. Or my home page, whatever, you get the idea. Up there in the left hand corner the little flag was showing that I had a message. Usually I love getting messages but this one was from someone I don't know. I am cautious about those messages but decided to go ahead and read it anyway. Apparently something I had posted elicited a response from this individual. It took me a few minutes to figure out what it was I had posted that created this. My first thought was it was something I had written about in a blog. That wasn't the case however. No,I believe it was a status I copied and pasted from another friend. This thought wasn't even my own. I do agree with its' message.
The status I am referring to was loosely based upon the nursery rhyme Mary had a little Lamb. I am not computer literate enough to copy and paste it into this blog but the " lamb " was a metaphor for God and the jest of the message was to put prayer back in school.
The person messaging me was apparently offended by this. I really believe this was just a case of message sent vs message received. To me the meaning was clear. This person seems to feel that I was advocating forcing religion in school. I can assure you all that I am not. I certainly don't think there is any thing wrong with saying a morning prayer. I see nothing wrong or offensive in that practice. Even when I was in school if you didn't wish to pray you were asked to sit quietly while others did. What's wrong with that ?
This response to that status took me by surprise. Have we become so " touchy,feely " about everything that we must abandon our basic tenets to satisfy others ? This country was founded on religious freedom. The freedom to practice whatever religion you wish, in whatever fashion you desire. That means we can practice our religion by saying a prayer in school should we so desire. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't say a prayer because it might be offensive to someone else ! Freedom is a two way street ! Should a person of the Muslim faith wish to get on their knees and pray in their fashion that is fine with me. If they wanted to do that in school ,I say fine with me.
All I'm saying is this, We are a Christian Nation ! Don't be surprised when we wish to pray or teach our beliefs to our children. No one is forcing anyone to do anything. I feel bad for anyone that cannot accept or at least understand these basic truths.

My Two Cents

I didn't stay up last night to listen to the State of the Union address. I figure I pretty much know what state we are in, and it ain't good. So I wasn't in the mood to listen to a bunch on rhetoric. After all,what can the man say ? I'm gonna fix it ! Yeah,I've heard that before.
I'm not a supporter of the Obama administration, I freely admit that. I do realize that it takes more than the President to get anything done. The congress and the house have been less than cooperative. They can't decide among themselves on anything,it seems. It has been over a thousand days since we had a signed budget in this country.We just keep borrowing more to stay in business. Not the best way to get things done.
I expect I'l hear all about what was said. The experts will attempt to decipher it. The spin doctors will be hard at work. Positive and negative. With election time just around the corner I'm sure it will interesting, or at least creative ! Just so you know, I get a little annoyed with the experts explaining what was said. I'm an American and understand English quite well thank you.
I wish I knew all the answers. I wish their was simple solution. Life and the world are not easy. But I do have thoughts and opinions. I'm thinking we need to return to our roots. Those roots were the independent thinking that formed our nation. Those roots left us beholding to no one but ourselves. We treated others fairly and demanded that same fair treatment in return. We wrote it on our money " In God we Trust " we need to remember that ! We are The United States of America. United States, meaning fifty separate states united to form one. Let us not forget the blood that was spilled to achieve that noble goal. If only our politicians ( elected I might add, by you and I ) would remember that goal and work together.
All that being said I'll leave it alone. I've spent my two cents. Come November I'll cast my ballot. It is time for a change. I'm not real pleased with the choices before me. Well, just keep changing the pieces until something fits ! 

Project

My Grand daughter had a school project to do. The typical report that we are all familiar with. She was assigned to do a presentation on Australia. She came from school very enthusiastic. After explaining what she wanted to do she asked, " can I get on the computer ? " Well, I couldn't help but remember when a project like that would have sent me to the library. At the very least I would have been getting the encyclopedia off the shelf. We had a full set on the bookcase next to the fireplace. We didn't have all the annual update volumes but the basic knowledge was there. She just went to Google and typed in " Australia. " The most difficult part was selecting which website to select. Information and images abounded. Seemed rather simple to me. I felt a tinge of jealously. These kids today sure got it easy !
Her Mom did buy her the obligatory tri-board. Pictures were printed and text added. I have yet to see the finished board,however. I'll get to see it at some point I'm sure. She has presented her report. I was amused by the use of the internet. She is in third grade. I shouldn't have been surprised by it though,all the lids use that resource. Her parents printed the pictures for her. I seem to remember cutting out pictures from magazines to use. On at least one occasion I cut a picture out of a text book ! That didn't go over too well.
The one thing that really took me by surprise was the presentation. She asked me if I would like to see her presentation. Sure I would. With that she reached into her book bag and pulls out a memory stick. " Put that in the computer,Grandpa. " Putting it into the USB port the computer brings it up. A Power Point Presentation ! I had heard of these . Probably even saw them before. But my Grand daughter, my in the third grade Grand daughter, is giving a Power Point presentation in her classroom. I have no idea how you do this. I have zero experience with this program. I have heard that corporations use this technology. I'm impressed.
The methods certainly have changed. The resources have changed. No more fumbling with those three by five cards. All the knowledge and resources they would ever need literally at their fingertips. Despite everything else you may hear,we are making progress. These kids today are pretty darn smart.
Morgan gave her presentation and by all accounts it was a success ! Way to go  !

Looking Ahead

Today is my Grandson Marks birthday. Eleven years ago he came into my world. What a blessing. Grandchildren really are the best. They truly are the reward for not killing your own. It is sometimes difficult to remember a time without him. I wish the very best for him today and always.

Mark Reichart

There are two sides to every story. The flip side to this one is, I have been a Grandfather for eleven years now ! Holy mackerel ! For more than a decade now I have been known as Grandpa. Before that I wasn't . Make sense ? Prior to that it wouldn't have been unusual for me to be playing video games,baseball or maybe even riding a bicycle. When I do those things now it is, " Grandpa is riding a bike ! " Like that is an event or something. Should I mention going out to dance, the grandkids look at you and laugh. You can dance ? It is all pretty amusing.
When I am at work I sometimes run into the kids Mark goes to school with or that are on his sports teams. They will say stuff like, " Hey Mom, there is Marks' Grandfather. " I'll say hello to them and sometimes notice how their Mom or Dad is the same age as my own kids. They will occasionally respond with, Hello Mr. Reichart. That is very nice and polite but they are in there thirties and calling me sir ! What does that say about my age ?
Yes there are two sides to every story. I wouldn't change a thing about this story. No Sir ! I love being Grandpa. I love all my Grandchildren. Each and every one is a treasure. I love watching them grow. I take note of each milestone they pass.
 I don't spoil them, I give them freedom. Freedom to express themselves and whatever tools they need to accomplish that. I can act as moderator in disputes. I have to remind my own children about the wisdom of Grandfathers. Sometimes they forget. Yup, I'd have to say I'm looking forward to being a Grandfather for many more years to come. Maybe one day to each the exalted state of Great Grandfather ! 

Just a glimpse

I was walking along the other day when I noticed this person in the window. Just a quick glimpse. The same height and weight as I but with a chicken neck and gray hair. I stopped short and took a closer look. OMG it was me. I was looking at my reflection ! Is that the way others see me ? Did I catch a glimpse through anothers' eyes ? Whatever the case it was a telling moment. I'm aging ! And worse,it shows. Well,there is nothing to be done about it. Time and tide wait for no man. I was surprised to find that I am a little bit vain. I have never thought of myself as being a vain person. I have never worked out,colored my hair or done anything along those lines. I have never been particularly concerned with the clothes I wear or fashion in general. So this was a bit of a revelation. I'm still learning about myself. It's a process I suppose.
Funny I hadn't  noticed that in the bathroom mirror. Nor did I notice it in pictures. Must be some sort of tunnel vision. Similar to listening to yourself sing. You know you don't sound that bad. But then again no one is asking you to sign a recording contract either.
If would interesting if you were recorded without your knowledge. More interesting, if it could be played back to you without you realizing it was you. If you could just look and listen. What sort of judgement would you make ? How would you see that person ? What could you learn from that ? All these questions are interesting. I wonder what changes,if any,would be wrought. Just how do others see you ? And maybe, more importantly, what do you sound like. Not the tone of your voice, but the words that you speak. Are you saying what you are thinking ? Is the meaning clear ? And what about your own listening skills ?  I'm not sure I  want to know the answers to all that. Ignorance is bliss. The truth can be painful.
I think the truth of the matter is that we already know those answers. It is the acceptance of the truth that is the real barrier. How many of us can be one hundred percent truthful,even with ourselves. No one wants to admit faults within themselves. We protect ourselves in that fashion. Some of us more than others. Vanity and pride. We can become comfortable with ourselves but being satisfied is another matter altogether. We make excuses and formulate explanations. Some go to extremes to try to retain their own self image. Others just quit on it altogether.
I caught a quick visual and was a bit surprised. Can the same happen with my speech and behavior ? I hope so. The truth is always a good thing. Don't they say Truth is stranger than fiction ? The real deal is what do you do with the truth ? Acceptance and tolerance should be the result. 

The times of our lives

The first camera I can remember was a Kodak " Brownie." This small box shaped camera was an engineering marvel. You could look down in the top and see the view through the lens. After snapping your shot you had to wind the film to advance it to the next frame. You could attach the flash for use indoors. The flash pan was almost the size of some of our satellite dishes today. I can remember Dad hollering at us kids to be careful with that camera. We weren't allowed to use it ,only to bring it to him. He took most of the pictures. Picture taking with the " Brownie " was a mans job.
Now I hear that Kodak has filed for bankruptcy protection. Who would have ever though such a thing was possible. Kodak has captured our " moments " and " the times of our lives ", seems like forever. Awhile back Kodak manufactured the last roll of Kodachrome film. To the professional photographers that was a very significant event. There was something very special about that film. You would have to be a pro to understand it and I'm certainly not in that category.
The digital age has taken its' toll on Kodak. It is very difficult to compete against those foreign manufacturers. There are many brands to choose from now and all make a model for every budget and level of skill. As to the making of film itself the foreign competition has hurt them as well. Fuji-film comes to mind. I'm dating myself but I still look for the yellow boxes that contain Kodak film. I just purchased a Kodak all in one printer. It promises to use the least amount of ink in the industry. I'm hoping that proves to be true. It does seem better than the HP I used to have. The cost for the cartridges is less.
 I have had  a Kodak digital camera for a number of years now. It has been a reliable little device. It came with the easy touch software for push button transfer of pictures to my computer. The camera itself I am pleased with, the software not so much. That camera has been replaced for everyday use by a Nikon. The Nikon has far more features and a much greater battery life. For the price there is no comparison. Sadly,the Kodak camera falls short.
I'm hoping that Kodak can somehow stay in business. I would hate to see an Iconic firm like that fall to the foreign competition. After all Eastman-Kodak was on the leading edge of photography for generations. Kodak cameras and film have captured some of the most iconic moments in history. They have captured the likeness of some of the most famous and infamous. They really did record the times of our lives. They deserve to live on. 

Rearranged

The wife and I decided to rearrange the living room. It was just time for a change in scenery. A method of fighting off the winter blues. So we decided to place the television set in a location it had never been. That,of course, required the rerouting of the cable. I was thinking we have wireless internet and cell phones why isn't this stupid television wireless as well ? So I jumped on the internet to investigate that possibility. Turns out that technology is indeed available. The cost was anywhere from three hundred dollars for a closeout special to several thousand for surround sound,high def equipment. Maybe in my next life ! I did remember having a  rabbit ear antenna at one time and location of the set was not an issue.
Now I have satellite television. The Dish network. Works really well and I am pleased with it. I have one central cable box that controls two televisions. My wife has a small set in the kitchen. The main cable goes into the box in my living room with two branches going out for the sets. I think I'm going to need a few additional pieces of cable to accomplish this move. Taking some rough measurements it is off to the store. Twenty dollars later I'm ready to move the set. Taking careful note of where each cable is connected I disassemble the layout. Soon there is a pile of spaghetti lying in the middle of the floor. I have still to disconnect the Wi gaming system I got for Christmas. Well,that should be easy anyway.it is color coded.
Time to move the set. This television is the old fashioned kind with an actual picture tube. Quite large and quite heavy. My son gave it to me after he purchased his flat screen. The set works fine and I see no need to replace it. With my wife helping, we managed to wrestle it into it's new location. Now to hook up all those wires. I will not print the conversation I had with myself while doing this task. I'm sure it would be banned in at least four countries ! After a while it is all connected again and working. I must say I am quite proud of myself. I' m a techie ! All that remains is to finalize the routing of those cables and fasten then into place.
I'm sitting on my sofa and facing to the south west. That is the direction of the television now. Seems a bit odd. My computer is now facing north west but seems to be working alright. It is all a little unsettling but I'll grow accustomed to it. I'm thinking I'm going to like it. Change can be good. 

Reporting the News

Every now and again I 'll watch the news and there will be several stories that just amuse or amaze me. Yesterday morning was one of those days.
It started out with a story about Baltimore County wanting to pass a bill about transgender people. About a year ago a guy,dressed as a girl,was discovered in the ladies room at a McDonalds. The two young ladies that discovered him/her ,whatever, dragged him outside(well he was already in drag ) the restroom and proceeded to beat the crap out of him. I don't hold with the beating part but this person had no business( well he wanted to take care of business) in there. Their actions, certainly not acceptable, are to me at least, understandable. Now the county wants to pass a bill. They say to end discrimination against the transgenders . This would allow anyone to dress as a member of the opposite sex and enter places intended for that sex. Think bathrooms and dressing rooms. The transgender people feel that by having to use the facility appropriate for their true gender it exposes them,no pun intended. They insist there is nothing wrong with them but want to hide it from others. I don't know about you, but I was taught if you have to do something in secret, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place. A rose by any other name is still rose.
Following that story was another about a medical doctor doing a study. He is an emergency room physician. Last year he treated several people that were wearing ear buds/ear phones on the street and received injuries. Tragically, one young girl was killed. She and a friend were walking on a train track listening to some music. One girl heard the train approaching at the last second and jumped clear,sadly the other did not. So now this doctor has decided to do a study to see if listening to music is leading to accidents. He theorizes that if you can't hear what is going on around you,you may have an accident ! What a theory.  I rather doubt the need for any formal study. I have only one thing to say to this M.D.  " DUH" " Ya Think ? "
Then there was the story about the Mayor of Baltimore. It seems the city of Baltimore has a sky box at M&T bank stadium. That is where the Baltimore Ravens play ball. The Council president ,Mr. Young was in possession of these tickets. Lately he has been critical of one of the Mayors projects. She took offense and demanded the tickets be returned to her office.The official version says the administration demanded the return. She went to the game. Coincidentally, it was a playoff game. Sounds more like a bunch of children than elected officials running a major United States city. Another reason we are in the mess we are in.
And finally they did a segment on people doing extreme sports. One person wears a " flying suit " and jumps off cliffs and mountains. The other day he jumped off a mountain and broke both legs. Another was a skier that was practicing an extreme stunt and guess what ? She got hurt ! The whole point of the story was to point out that these extreme sports are dangerous ! Why, people are getting hurt doing them. Go figure.
Other than the story about the cruise ship being run aground, and the cowardice of the Captain of that ship, it must have been a slow day in the newsroom. It was good for a break from the normal gloom and doom. I am always amazed and amused by some of the reporting. It has to be frustrating for the reporters.

Larger Circles

I was thinking about the pervasive use of  social media. Often times when I'm engaged in a conversation with someone I can't help but notice they are fiddling with their phones. Either sending a text to someone else,checking the web or just anticipating the next call I can't be sure. I find it a bit rude. I was taught when interacting with another person to look them in the eye and give full attention to them. That lesson is apparently no longer in the lesson plan of life. I have noticed this same behavior if a computer is in the room. I admit I am sometimes as guilty as the next when it comes to that. Why is it so difficult to just shut the thing off and walk away. The world wide web is like Pandora's box ! We of a curious mind get addicted quite quickly to her wiles.
Every generation has it's challenges. The current generation is being faced with a social challenge. They are losing touch with the real world. Given the ease of access to the web and all the available entertainment it is not surprising. You hear the doctors say,get out and exercise ! The kids are spending too much time in front of their monitors. It is detrimental to their health. They need fresh air and sunshine. True, but they also need to learn to live in a social environment. And by this I mean an environment with real people and real consequences.
My parents told me to get outside and play. You're not sitting in front of that boob tube all day. Get out there and do something. My parents were convinced the television would cause you to go blind and become an idiot ! On some level that wasn't far from the truth. But the kids today have it a little different. As to whether it is better or not, I reserve judgement . Today the kids have that thing called,social media. Facebook and Twitter leading the pack. These are different worlds with different rules. In these places you can become whatever you choose to invent. You can voice your opinion,pass judgement on others and be as contrary as you like, all without consequence. Sitting safely in your room or hiding in the corner with your smart phone. Yes,you can be discovered but the likelihood is small if you choose to remain anonymous.
In my youth we had a saying," what you don't know, won't hurt you. " And to a certain degree that is true. The things the kids say about each other in their texts and tweets they most likely would not say to your face. It is easy to be brave behind a keyboard. Our social groups were much smaller as well. Many times words shared in confidence would leak out. We learned quickly that some things are best left unsaid ! Even among friends.
In school we traveled in our own little clique. They were social circles. We formed clubs. Membership was quite small compared to today's social circles. The advent of all this social media presents a challenge to the youth of today. Ours was a smaller world, or circle if you like. The circle has grown to encompass the world. Irregardless of how I feel,you feel or the world in general feels, they will be alright. We know we did things the right way and these kids today just don't get it. Give them time. They will adjust. They will adapt. We did. Our parents did.

Growth

Was big doings here in Greensboro. A brand new Family Dollar store opened this past week. It is located a short distance up the road from the Save -A-Lot where I work. Construction was started before the holidays and the Grand opening was last Saturday. They had what is called a soft opening the Thursday and Friday prior.
I went on Friday to check it out. Everything clean and shiny new ! The wife and I walked around and checked it all out. It is a Family Dollar. A variety of items were marked with special pricing and some were not. I'd say the prices were about what was expected with a few exceptions. Most notably was the price for a gallon of milk, 4.90 ! Wow where did that come from that is over a dollar more than Save-A-Lot ! Highway robbery.
On Saturday when they had their official Grand Opening the radio station was there. They gave out gift bags. By all accounts it was a roaring good time. I stayed away to avoid the crowds ! An old fella like me could get trampled at an event like that. Things have settled down. I hadn't seen this much excitement since they put up that second stop light. Greensboro is a growing community.
It will be a lot more convenient for everyone. Before this store opened you had to drive chock to Denton almost seven miles away to go to the dollar store. And that is a Dollar General. But on the down side it is adding to the urban sprawl. Why now there are two more entrances and exists off the highway. That'll interrupt the traffic flow. Won't surprise me if there is an accident there in the near future. This could even lead to an additional signal light. I'm beginning to have misgivings about this.
Well there is no stopping progress. The people want more shopping. It is on the outside fringe of town so our downtown area is safe. Both stores and the restaurant. Whew that was close. Still I'm starting to feel a little closed in.

Books or Nooks

I heard some speculate about doing away with traditional text books and replacing then with nooks or kindles. The feeling is it would prove to be a cheaper alternative. On the surface it would certainly seem that way. Printed and bound books are expensive. Keeping them up to date is also a problem. It is an interesting thought. No more book bags just a small carry all would suffice. I have mixed feelings about it. Having never used a kindle or nook I wonder about the effect on the eyes if used for a long period of time. And I wonder about battery life. Will they last an entire day ? I have seen the disapperance of the chalk board. Are text books next ?
I'm not opposed to this plan as far as text books go. They do become outdated gather quickly and require replacing. If the nook or kindle is a viable alternative cost whys,why not. I wonder would the school provide them ? Or would the government have to offer some plan to parents to purchase them. I just don't know enough about the whole deal. The "book" is a digital download that much I know. Can a nook or kindle hold all the necessary books or would several be required ? Can you transfer the book from the kindle to another device ?
As far as books go I love to read. I also love the feel of a book in my hands. There is something comforting about that. The turning of the pages. Older books have a warmth to them. I'm not sure why that is but I know it to be true. Is it the heat left over from being held ? Sounds a little crazy doesn't it ? When we were small books with pictures and few words were are favorites. Later we came to love the written word and realize the author could draw those pictures in your mind. Would a kindle do the same ? As far as the written word one would have to say,yes. As to the holding of the book I'm not sure about that. I would have to spend time reading off of one to make a judgement. To be honest though, I think I have formed a preconceived opinion, and it would not be a fair and unbiased judgement.
And the last thought I have concerning this is an aesthetic one. Books sitting on a shelf add warmth to a room. If I could I would have a whole library of beautifully bound volumes. All the good homes have books. Always have. I sure hope that books don't enter the realm of just being a collectors item. Or that new bound books become something only the wealthy can afford. Also giving a book as a gift is something I've been known to do. Writing a brief note on the inside jacket adds that personal touch. Can't do that with a nook.
They call it progress. I think it is a good thing. I don't think I'll live long enough to see this happen but you never know. Change happens before our eyes ! You just have to pay attention. Or in this case. wait and see.

Something Old,Something New

My Grand daughter is nine years old now. Growing up too fast. Wearing her skinny jeans and sporting the latest fashions. She enjoys getting all dressed up in her pretty dresses. Lip gloss and earrings. She has been taking dance for a few years now and is a Girl scout. The time is flying by.
I like to make things for the kids. I especially like to make something I would like them to keep for years to come. One Christmas I made Mark,my Grand son, a treasure box. He keeps it on his dresser and puts small treasures like sports medals or trading cards in it. I'm hoping he keeps it for many years and enjoys it long after I'm gone. That's the type of thing I'k talking about. The other day I asked my wife if girls still have hope chests. She said,I don't think so. Then I asked at what age would you give a girl a hope chest ? Another uncertain response. I have asked my daughter in law too. She says she hasn't heard of anyone doing that among her friends. Has this become a thing of the past ? It is no longer politically correct to assume a girl will get married ? Has this tradition gone by the wayside ?
I haven't raised girls so I have no first hand experience. Have they changed so much in their goals ? Do not young ladies dream of their Prince Charming. Do they not fantasize about getting married one day ? I figured girls like to collect stuff for that " special " day. I confess I haven't a clue what a lady would keep in her hope chest. I imagine it has to do with whatever she is hoping for ? ( cymbal clang ,lol ).
The big question is, are hope chests something that are real or something from the distant past that are more legend than fact ? I don't think my sister had one. My wife didn't have one. I can't say I know anyone that has. Not that I should have known.

Well I was thinking about building Morgan a hope chest. Now I need to rethink the whole idea. A jewelry box just doesn't seem special enough to me. Overdone. When I graduated high school the local furniture store gave each girl graduate a mini hope chest. They were still in fashion then. I guess times have changed. I suppose buying her a silver service or china is out of the question too ! Merry Maids and home delivery of food has replaced the traditional wife. I guess girls don't need to hope anymore. There is always internet dating ! Match.com

Mysteries and Memories

 I live upstairs in a converted home. The staircase is a bit of a bother but I look at it as good exercise. It is an older home that has been converted and the closets are rather small. But on the up side I get the attic ! I love attics. This is the first attic I have ever had that you could actually walk around in. If you stay in the center you can stand fully erect. There is a dormer on the back side and in that area I have a workbench. Feels very rustic.
The flooring is tongue and groove pine, old, stained,warped, and in places broken. I love it . What character it has. The attic is not finished so the rafters and joists are visible. Rough cut oak. Brown and hard as rock. Incredible strength that reassures you that this house is solid. It may be old and grizzled looking, but it is tough.
The thing I really love about attics is the mysteries they hold. We have a tendency to store past treasures there. Boxes and totes filled with treasures from our past. Holiday decorations and other seasonal items. And my attic holds all my tools and treasures.
It is hard to explain why I feel an affinity to this particular attic. After all,it is just a rental. I can't help but wonder about what others may have stored there. What stories does the attic have to tell. There were a few items left lying in the dust when I first moved here. An old chair, a piece of heavy chain and some odds and ends left from housekeeping. A large box of discarded baby clothes. Some old soda cans and a makeshift ashtray. Someone had spent some time up there.
I'm no different from anyone else and I get lazy. Junk starts to pile up on the stairs leading to the attic. I'll take it up there later. Items get strewn about in the attic,I'll clean it up later. Well,the other day it was " later."
I went into the attic and commenced cleaning it up again. Putting items away and in general tiding up. One thing leads to another and I couldn't help but peek in boxes just to see what was inside. Ah, I remember that. So that is where I put that. Mystery. Why did I save that ? Maybe I should just chuck it out. A big discussion with myself ensues. Decision made. Then the wife wants to know," what are you doing ? " Throwing this out.
Another discussion about the item in question. Some things get a reprieve and others the death sentence !
Having spent several hours moving things around and organizing I am finally pleased. The attic looks wonderful. Even though it was work, it was an enjoyable time. Discovering lost items and memories. An old photograph misplaced now returned. A book read years ago now covered with dust. And memories everywhere I look. The Christmas candy canes that go on the porch. An old flexible flyer sled standing in the corner. A pair of ice skates. Duffel bags and the tent used for camping hanging from the rafter, waiting for summer. My tools lying there ready for use.
Just before turning out the light and heading downstairs I notice them. There hanging from the rafters gathering dust are the airplanes. A flood of memories fill my mind. I remember cutting those out of old pieces of pine. The grand kids putting them together and painting them What a nice afternoon we spent doing that little project. Turning out the light I'm smiling. I'm thinking that one day the kids may find them again hanging in that dusty old corner and remember that day too. Grandpa will save them for them. They just might need them someday.
I think that sums up the attic. A place of mystery,anticipation and discovery. There are lots of good things stored up there. Lots of memories.

My Opinion

Watching the news has got me all worked up; again. Apparently there is a video circulating depicting some Marines urinating on dead taliban fighters. Seems like the news people can't show it often enough and advertise the fact it has gone viral. Experts are checking in and Hillary Clinton has been making the obligatory statements.
Well,let me start by saying what I'm about to write is neither politically correct or what would be considered Christian in nature. Should this disappoint or offend someone, I will not concern myself. I will not say " I'm Sorry. " This is the way I feel about that.
First let me state the obvious, War is not a humanitarian act.There is nothing civilized or fair in War. In short War is Hell ! I can not speak to the actions of these Marines other than to try to understand. The actions of these young men,and you must understand they are just young men,can be understood. If you are engaged in the act of trying to kill my friends I will have a tendency to treat you with less than what would be considered respect ! I'm not saying it is right or even acceptable but rather it is understandable. Don't be so quick to judge. Stand in their boots for awhile,watch your friends and comrades die and then speak to the honor of battle.
In the beginning of the story I felt sorrow. Sorrow for those brave young men that they have to resort to such actions in an attempt to retain their sanity. That is the only possible explanation to me. I was young once. I was filled with male pride and machismo. I joined in in less than honorable acts and situations in an attempt to fit in. Crowd mentality is not always for a good cause. Keep in mind the time and place.
Later in the story I hear from the Taliban. They are calling for the United Nations to take action against, " the barbaric and inhumane actions of the U.S. Marines ! Now I'm mad ! The unmitigated gall of these terrorists scum ! I suppose strapping bombs to little children and exploding them in crowds of innocent people is honorable ! I suppose flying aircraft into the twin towers was the act of honorable people. The taliban speaks of "human norms" Do they really believe what they are doing is a human norm ?
Let me sum up my feelings on this situation.
When you attack my country, when you kill my friends, when you choose to hide behind a mask, when you pervert your own religion in an attempt to justify your political agenda, and you use women and children as shields I have only one thing to say to you, *iss on you ! So you sow,so shall you reep !

By Choice ?

A lot of my blogs concern the area where I grew up. I often compare my home town to the mythical Mayberry. In many ways there is a parallel. A lovely small town with an excellent education system and plenty of things for kids to do. Growing up there I was aware of how beautiful others thought the area was. I saw the "summer people" flock out there. And these " summer people " came in great numbers. " Termites " my Dad would call them because they seem to come out of the woodwork ! They were wealthy folks,some famous and some not.
There was a big difference in at least one area though, affordable housing. Even back then the cost of land and a house was steadily climbing at a ridiculous rate. I heard tales of how much so and so paid for his land and how much he sold it for. Back then there was very little concern about that. The general attitude was, you are on your own.
One other area a bit lacking was the job market. Farming and fishing,the main occupations,were fading out. Neither could compete in a viable fashion against the big boys of the industry. The days of one man,or even a small group of men,working the bay for a living were coming to an end. The local farmers could not compete in a larger market. I was living in the end of an era.
My father had a  plan for me. No different than any other father he wanted the best for me. He wanted me to succeed. His mantra was always the same. After high school you are either going to college or joining the military ! Period , end of discussion. You are not just hanging around here,staying in my house and eating my food. Sounds cruel doesn't it ? It wasn't intended that way. That was Dads way of offering motivation ! It is similar to way he taught you to swim, throw you overboard ! Literally, he threw you overboard. He then offered encouragement and advice from the boat on the best way to stay afloat.
College really wasn't an option. My grades would have gotten me into a college I'm sure of that. Not Harvard or Yale but I'm sure there is one out there that would have accepted me or at the very least my money.Problem there was,no money. I could have gotten a job but none that would have paid enough for me to live on my own. Rent was too high even back then. So off to the Navy I went.
And that is how I wound up in the Navy. It would make a better story if I told you about swelling pride and patriotism but that wasn't the case. True, we were embroiled in Vietnam at the time, and I was willing to go fight if my country asked me. The key word there being "asked." The idea made me a little nervous, another reason for the Navy choice. Hard for anyone to sneak up on you in the night when you are on a ship ! Simple logic.
I have spent many hours thinking about what if. What if I had stayed home ? I've even been accused of  wanting to go back and live there. I'll admit there is some truth in that. I left Mayberry. Truth is, Mayberry never really existed. In my memories it certainly does. Now this town and indeed the entire area is a playground for the rich. I expect the locals from places like Aspen and Marthas' Vineyard feel the same way.
Things that could have been. Others exist only in memory. I do take consolation in the fact that I grew up in such a wonderful place. I was indeed fortunate to have lived there in that era and to have known those folks.
Because in the end it is the people that make the place special. Generations lived there and a closeness was developed. A huge family. Then the " summer people " stayed longer and longer. Soon the gene pool became polluted ! All things change. It was a damn good run,however.

That's what I was told.

At least that what I was told. How many times have you heard that ? There are certain things that you learn from word of mouth. Traditions and myths. Old wives tales. The how and why of things. Sometimes these things get written down. Then,mysteriously, they get taken for fact. This is especially true about older things. Over time the story changes just like in the game of " postoffice."

The other day I was writing about living below the bridge and an area of town called the hook. I was just stating the story as I had heard it. I suppose I should have mentioned that fact. I have heard several versions of the story and  decided to go with what I feel is the most logical explanation.It is a personal decision and not to be taken as fact

I think a lot of this has to do with our desire to add a little something. If we can add a more personal slant to the tale so much the better. This is especially true if it can be associated with the beginning of something,the end of something, something a little outside of the law or risque ! If any of this happened a few generations back we like to be included. Think having a pirate in the family ! That is cool and we can not be held accountable. We tend to be proud of our bad boys.

When and how this area of town became to be known as the hook is not known for a fact. Other areas are well documented and the reason for their naming obvious. " Freetown " for example. The land was given to the town for free by a wealthy family. Self explanatory. As in the game, unless you are the first to hear it, it may or may not be what was intended.

 Names and/or descriptions come and go. Their meanings and sometimes the very location may change. The names come into common usage and over time change or even disappear altogether. Sometimes these names are rediscovered and used again. The original intent was lost and a new one assigned.

Interupted

This morning I awoke to discover I had internet issues. The computer provided me with a technical explanation   which was virtually useless to me. Now I know how others must feel when a mechanic tells them about their cars and they don't have a clue. I immediately started searching for answers. The more answers I found the more confused I became. Confusion soon became frustration. Frustration lead to anger. The end results was I went to work feeling cheated.
I didn't get my internet fix. No e-mail, games, or news. Worse yet, no blog. I have become so accustomed to writing a blog before work I felt really strange not having written one. All morning I had the feeling that I had forgotten something. I had to refrain from starting to tell someone,anyone my blog thoughts of the day. A verbal blog is not really very effective.
Now I have found for some unknown reason that my wifes laptop will connect to the net,sometimes. More issues ! I am taking advantage of this while it lasts. I really don't like typing on this laptop. I find the keyboard a little touchy and my thumb often hits that little mouse pad thingy and gets me fouled up. I'll try to adjust.
I have become spoiled. I want my internet,my keyboard and my blog ! Funny it wasn't that long ago I didn't have any of that and now I find it annoying to be without.
Well,hopefully I can get all these issues resolved and settle back into my routine. It is all very upsetting. LOL Geez,I really am spoiled 

B'low the bridge

Growing up you could say I lived on the wrong side of the tracks. Well,that's if you lived on the other side of the tracks. We referred to it as, " b'low the bridge." Driving down Main street heading east one would pass under a railroad bridge. That was the bridge being referred to. Actually there are two bridges in fairly close proximity and you could pass under either of them.
Just a tiny bit west of these bridges stands " Hook Mill ." Hook mill is an actual windmill. Just one of several in  town. They are all preserved now and stand as testimony to the old days. When building a windmill it is preferable to build it on high high ground. The reason for this is the obvious one, to take full advantage of the wind. Hook mill stands atop a knoll. Back in the days of horse and wagon one would bring their product to be ground to the mill. You just drove that team of horses to one side of the mill where it was unloaded and then you " hooked " around the mill and headed back home. The majority of the people lived above this knoll to the west (uptown). You wouldn't drive a horse drawn wagon up or down a hill unless you had no choice. Especially a fully loaded wagon. They didn't have anti lock disc brakes you know !
The area of town b'low the bridge came to be called " The Hook." If you say you are going to the hook everyone would know exactly where you intended to go.Also being behind the windmill and somewhat out of sight, things may be purchased here in a discreet fashion. Things you may or may not want others to know about. Down Hook as it is called. As in,where are you going ? Down Hook. There was a certain implication in that statement. Things "down hook " are rough and ready !
 Back in the early days all the more prosperous folks lived uptown. They were the early settlers and the old families owned the land in the village and a lot of the surrounding area. Only a few lived b'low the bridge. And those that did were fisherman and Indians ! Like everything else, this changed over time but being from b'low the bridge retained that stigma. I grew up b'low the bridge.
I never felt that I was treated any different by anyone. I was aware of the stigma of being from b'low the bridge though. My parents and Grand parents made sure of that. I think they experienced some prejudice during their lifetime. Whether it was real or just perceived doesn't matter. To them it was a reality. I would hear stuff from Mom and Dad like, you got no business hanging around with them uptown kids. Dad also felt politics,at least local politics,was best left to the uptowners. That those who lived uptown had more wealth I never doubted. Had to have money to live in the village ! Everybody knew that. These people were the shop owners. Rich folks. That is what we were told anyway.
Now us folks living b'low the bridge did our shopping down hook. We had our own appliance store,barber shop,two grocery stores, a luncheonette,a clothing store and a liquor store. We did have to go uptown for our other needs but did so out of necessity. Why uptown they charged a fortune ! No sir we tried to stay b'low the bridge as much as possible and complain about those living above it.
I expect it is that way in a lot of towns. We who lived b'low the bridge bore that stigma as a badge of honor. We were convinced that those above the bridge were all snobs and looked down upon us. My generation started the process of debunking that myth. I no longer live there so can not speak to the present situation. I'm thinking it is a lot different now. Whether that is good or bad is a matter of perspective. The town has grown up.

1958

Oddfellows Hall, East Hampton New York

In the fall of 1958 I began kindergarten. I went in this rather scary looking building at the top of the page. A medium sized structure covered with cedar shingles it was an imposing building to me. My teacher was Mrs, Jones. Typical of kindergarten there were two classes a day. I went in the afternoon. My remembrances of this is a little foggy now but some things still stand out. I remember the old hardwood floor. We would all sit in a circle while Mrs. Jones read stories to us. I don't recall having desks and chairs but we may have. There was a section in the back of the room where we did art. Mostly finger painting, drawing or gluing things together. A heavy white paste type glue,probably Elmers, was in white bottles with a red top. There was also a red plastic stick attached to the top for dipping out that paste. I,along with most of the class, would eat that paste. I'm not sure why we did but I know that we did. Another oddity I seem to remember was a wooden jungle gym inside the building. I'm quite certain there was no padding of any kind on the floor. Safety was not as big a concern as it is today.

There was a small playground out behind the building. It was a small stone covered area and also contained a jungle gym. I believe this jungle gym was the metal type. Galvanized pipe bent into a large circle and bolted together. I can remember this Jungle Gym clearly. This jungle gym was instrumental in one of my life's most embarrassing moments ! You see we were in the reading circle and I had to use the bathroom. I had raised my hand but Mrs. Jones wasn't paying attention. After squirming around for what seemed forever she finally asked what I wanted. Problem was, by this time, it was too late ! An accident had occurred. Evidently she was paying attention now because she noticed the situation almost instantly. Taking me to the back of the classroom, where the art supplies were, she told me to put on one of the smocks we used while finger painting. I can still see that green smock with the white buttons and the paint stains on it. It went well below my knees. It was like wearing a dress and I was mortified ! Mrs. Jones told me to remove my pants and underwear and then hung them on that jungle gym outside to dry. She just as well might have run them up the flagpole ! I was certain the whole town was looking and knew whose items they were. The rest of the class I spent standing up. Oh,the shame of it all !

 Finally it was time to go home. Mom always picked me up and that day was no exception. She immediately recognized my pants,as any mother surely would, and brought the fact that she has seen them flying on the jungle gym to my attention. As if the situation wasn't bad enough, I expected she was going to call the newspaper and inform them as well.

Yup, this was in the fall of 1958 and I remember that incident like it was yesterday. There was never a repeat ! I got teased some for a little while. I heard about it for years from my siblings. Kids can be cruel but the lesson was learned.

Truck Days

Every Tuesday and every Friday we receive our delivery of grocery items. The truck arrives at 7am and we begin to unload. The back room of the store is rather small so the majority of the pallets containing these items have to be placed on the sales floor. It does get crowded and a bit inconvenient for everyone. It can't be helped.
On these days everyone usually gets a little frustrated and annoyed. The employees as well as the customers. Several other vendors will come throughout the morning to add to the mix. The Frito Lay man, the Pepsi man, Entenmans and the Little Debbie cake salesman. As you can imagine it can also get a little hectic.
Like any another store we have our regular customers. After a short while you begin to know these people, Some are just friendly and understanding,others not so much. You can become known in either category ! Some come in almost every day and others once a week . The friendly ones I enjoy seeing and exchanging pleasantries with. You can get that " hometown " feel from this group. The others I try to avoid. Opps, going down a different aisle.  Sometimes you can"t avoid them and have to deal with the complaints about everything. The prices are too high, the store is cold, why don't we carry this item or that item, the wheel on the shopping cart squeaks, we need a bigger parking lot, we need a bigger store and it goes on and on . I have absolutely no control over any of the aforementioned things ! I just work here ! The ones I find most annoying are in one specific group. These customers do their shopping on Tuesday and Friday mornings. They are regular customers and I believe only shop on these days so they can complain about it. There are several that I have told repeatedly that we receive our deliveries on Tuesday and Friday ! I've been telling them for over a year but still they persist ! WHY ? I don't have an answer for that. These people will attempt to push a shopping cart through an area less than a foot wide. They will reach over your shoulder to get to items. Invariably they will ask if you have a certain item. Each time I explain to them we have just unloaded the truck. All the items are not on the shelf yet but I'll check. Then they complain about that. Happens every Tuesday and every Friday without fail ! These people just don't get it. But it is my job and I just have to grin and bear it. Oh boy would I like to say a few things to a few of them. I have been known to drop subtle hints. Yes maam, the truck came again this Friday same as always. Yes Sir, it is crowded on truck days ! That's every Tuesday and Friday.

" If Only "

When we look back and remember the past and the opportunities missed we often finish them in our minds. The " if onlys' " creep in and imagination takes the place of reality. In this world things always turn out for the better. We are successful in our ventures and relationships. The girls never grow old and gray and the job is an ideal place to work. In this world our judgments are always correct and others follow our advice. We live happily ever after. " If only " is replaced by " I told you so. " I'm sure you have been to this world as well.
Since joining in on this social media (Facebook) I have run across many old acquaintances. A lot of old memories have been jogged. Apparently I'm not the only one that has aged or moved away from my birth home.
Comes as quite a shock in some instances. Going to the profile pages can be " interesting " to say the least. I never knew I went to school with so many Grandmas and Grandpas ! Myself, I got into that situation (being a Grandparent) real gradual like but these others were just overnight ! Last I knew they were cheerleaders or playing football. I'll admit I didn't recognize most by their current pictures. I can only imagine what they must think seeing mine. I'll take a moment to clear that up. No I didn't have a terrible accident or suffer from exposure to harsh chemicals ! I've just aged. I like to think of my grey hair as having a fine " patina " and the lines in my face store wisdom. Cameras lie !! Don't believe everything you see or hear.
But in the world of " if only " none of this ever happened. We all married our sweethearts,raised 2.3 children, had a successful career, and are now retired. Oh,we have a lake front cottage in the summer months and a place on the beach in Florida for the rest of the year. Our 2.3 children all married wonderful people and have 2.3 children of their own. The grandchildren come to visit Grandma and Grandpa and are always polite and well behaved. The only way to describe how they treat us is, " revered." That is how it all really went,isn't it ?
See, I told you so.
I think we all have an " if only " point in our lives. If only I had taken this job,if only I had stayed at this job, if only I hadn't or If only I had." If only" can present itself at any time. Recognizing this moment is the hardest part. And there are no do overs ! I enjoy visiting the world of "if only." It is a pleasant fantasy. I don't want to live there however, it sounds a little boring. I've always enjoyed the road less traveled !
At what time does your " if only " world begin ? Mine came at the age of twenty four. I made a decision then that I still reflect upon. It was a life changer that much is for sure. Whether is was a correct move or not is open to speculation. Arguments can be made for either side of the question. Given the knowledge I have now about the end result, I would not change that decision. That "if only " took me down a different path and one not always easy. It has all been worth it though. Now, "if only " I could win the lottery ! LOL

Jobs

Occasionally I hear people talking about loving their jobs. That is a wonderful thing when that happens. I was fortunate enough once to have a job that I could honestly say I enjoyed. Love is a bit of a strong way to describe it for me. Nevertheless, I think it is a rare thing when that happens. You have to have the right combination of enjoying the task you are doing, doing it in the company of people you enjoy and being in the right location. These three elements don't often combine.
A fourth element,substantial rewards ie: money goes a good ways to helping that process. It is usually those that are making good money that make claims to loving their job. I'm not saying that is always the case but a good portion of the time it is. If I'm making say, six figures, I can afford to be happy with my job. If I'm making minimum not so much with the happiness factor.
In an ideal world we would not be concerned with the financial aspect quite as much. But I live in the real world and so it is a factor.That is not to say that there aren't enjoyable parts to a job,any job. I can find personal satisfaction in doing almost any task. Doing the job right is an accomplishment. Not just when someone is looking but just doing the job right. Sometimes I just enjoy the company of the people I work with and that can make the job endurable. For me, on a personal level, I like doing a variety of tasks. I could never be happy just repeating the same action over and over. I need new challenges to keep me interested. I also prefer working independently. I live by the old adage," if you want something done right,do it yourself." I will admit that is only with a task that I really care about. If I don't want to do it I have no problem relinquishing it to another.
I've had a job and worked since I was about fourteen or so. Full time,part time and sometime. I've had jobs that I really enjoyed and ones that I had a real distaste for. One job I had I out and out quit ! Just said goodbye and left ! My dislike for that job was that strong. All the others I  gave proper notice. One place I worked moved their business to China. I've never enjoyed changing jobs. It is always the same deal. Just like in school you're the new guy. You have to start all over forming relationships. I'm looking forward to retirement. The only people I will have to deal with then, I already have a relationship with ! But I can't see that happening any time in the near future. I can't really see it happening at any time,truth be told. I expect I'll just keep on working until I just can't do it anymore. That is just my lot in life. As anyone who knows me my general attitude is," it'll be alright."
I think you can measure how much you like your job with one thing. Would you,do you do it as a hobby ? If you do, you probably love your job. Now if I could just get a job were all I had to do was give opinions and advice and get paid big bucks I could learn to love that ! In the meantime I'll just keep writing this blog and wait to be discovered.

Long Clams

You can see your breath and hear the crunch of the earth beneath your feet. That bitter cold air that can only be described as crisp. It was early morning and the sun was barely above the horizon. We were heading down to Napeague to go long clamming. We had checked the tide and it was on the way out,perfect. I had my rake and a wire basket. The handle on that rake was no more than two foot long and the five tines were almost eight inches in length. It was a fine rake. The wire basket was really for scalloping but doing double duty. Dad assured me that would be all we needed.
It was a short drive to get get where we wanted to be. It was rather difficult getting in and out of the car because I had so many layers of clothing on. Long underwear,thermals Dad called them,pants and coveralls. Several sweaters and a heavy coat. Insulated gloves and big rubber coated gloves to go over those. I had my hood pulled up ( not a neighborhood,an actual hood ) and of course big rubber boots. Looked more like an astronaut trying to make a fashion statement than some one going to do some recreational clamming. I was ready !
Arriving at the beach we gathered our rakes and baskets and set off down the shoreline. You want to walk slowly along and look for the telltale holes in the mud. There is that thin layer of ice clinging desperately to any little high spots of sea grasses that makes an interesting contrast against the black mud. Step on them and you hear that crunch. Walking in the mud you can feel the suction wanting to remove your boot. When it is really cold the mud will firm up to a consistency sufficient to hold your weight without getting stuck in it. When you see a small hole in the mud that is where you want to dig. Put your rake a few inches ahead of that hole and sink it deep. Pull back toward you while lifting up at an angle. With luck you will find the prize, a long clam. I've heard them called snouts and manoes. In polite company we called them long clams but among ourselves we called them " piss clams." The reason for that name is simple. A long clam has a long snout that sticks out of it's shell. When you pick one up they will sometimes shoot a stream of water out of the end of that snout. Hilarious stuff when you are younger or a fan of bathroom humor.
While I enjoy eating these clams I must confess I'm not a big fan of digging them. It's cold and hard on the back. In no time at all my hands would be so cold I couldn't hardly move my fingers. And there was always the problem of the runny nose situation. I'm sure you know what I mean . Being out in the cold,especially when bent over,tends to make a certain substance flow. Very unpleasant. And your hands are cold,glove covered and using a handkerchief or tissue is just impossible ! Sniff,sniff,sniff ! I hate that,very annoying.
Didn't stop me from going though and I would still go to this day if I were able.
Getting the catch home it was all worth it. We would steam them up and serve them with melted butter. Pry that shell open and grab that rascal by the snout. Yank it loose from the shell. Now that snout has a covering over it that must be removed before eating. Just pinch it near the shell end and pull. The outer layer will come right off. Hold that clam by the now fresh clean snout ,dip it in that bowl of butter and enjoy. In local jargon, " some good,Bub "
You may wonder why didn't you go in the warm weather to get these clams ? Well,you can't. They are only good to eat in the cold weather. In all the years that I did this clamming I never asked why that was. I always just took peoples word for it. My parents,Grandparents and Great Grand Parents all said so,so it must be true. Probably because it would be like taking something out of the refrigerator. A food that must be kept cool. Makes sense to me. I have purchased them at seafood stores. I like them but they don't have the same fresh flavor as the ones you dig yourself. Believe me, after you almost freeze to death getting them you really do enjoy them more ! I always steamed them but you can fry them too. Dip them in a batter and make a fritter ! A good friend of my Dad always said, " ain't nothing better than a long clam sandwich." I haven't seen any on a menu yet. I'll keep an eye out though.

A mess of clams with that melted butter !

Music

While I was watchin' Dick Clarks' New Years' rockin' eve I was thinking about the music. How much it has changed and what is now considered mainstream stuff. We all know TV programs are all about ratings. Ratings get the money and the bottom line is always money ! Hip Hop, pop and whatever you call what Lady GaGa does were featured. That must be what the people want to see. That must be the ratings getter. The demographics I believe they call that. I'm not in that group anymore. Another sign of aging ! In my opinion a sign that I have some common sense and good taste, but that is another subject altogether.

I have noticed all music changes with the times.Rock and Roll Baby ! I can still remember Mom and Dad just shakin' their heads about that " noise." Heavy metal followed on its' heels. The rise and fall of Disco. Gloria Gaynor and the Bee Gees'. All that stuff is so " old " now. It can all be found in the five dollar rack at the stores and a lot of it used for television commercials. Lately I have seen a commercial featuring Enimen rapping about gas mileage ! I'm hoping that is sign of the end for that genre of questionable music. I'm dating myself with that statement but I have yet to see the value of any rap song. I do not consider it music at all !

It is a natural thing and has always been so. Each generation wants to identify with their own music. Each of us settle on one form or another eventually. At least we do in public. I eventually settled into liking classic country the most. At home and in private I still listen to some rock and roll, blues,soul, and hits from the sixties ! Some of it would just be embarrassing to play in front of others ! There are always those that try to stay up with the current trend in music. All I can say to that is," rock on ,brother." Personally I think a person of say fifty or so listening to Lil Wayne is just trying to fool themselves. He is just not relevant to a fifty year old. I'm just sayin'.

I have heard it said that music,at least popular music,is our social conscience. That music expresses what the youth are thinking about. Each new generation attempting to define itself. Each generation positive that they have found the best medium of expression. A form of rebellion. I think that is a fair statement. If you listen closely though it all runs together. I think that is why we settle into one genre more than others as we age. We find that point were we are comfortable with the message. I've settled into classic country. Love the messages there and the values talked about. The newer country stuff can be alright and some of it I just hate. Don't like that rapping cowboy ! Get real dude !

What new form of music looms on the horizon ? I just can't imagine. I'm thinking it will appear on you tube. Someone or some group will post something that will catch on. The digital download will drive this new form. Live performances may not even exist. It remains to be seen. I'm waitin'. Won't be too long before Time-Life will issue the rap series ! A collection of the greatest rap music of all time. All the old rappers on television trying to bust a move and rap ! " You gotta have this collection,Dog! "

Just give it time

With he beginning of a new year I was thinking about the passage of time. Man has always sought to mark and measure the passage of time. To define a way to measure something that has no beginning or end. Why this compulsion ? In the beginning cave man left scratch marks on the stone. For what purpose ? To just leave a record of his passing ? As a means to measure his mortality ? Are we trying to measure our time on earth or the time until we leave ? These are fundamental questions in the mystery of life.
Since the earliest of times man has observed the solstices. Stonehenge and other sites are evidence of this. Man looking toward the heavens. Man searching for the answers there. In a broader sense are we still not engaged in that very practice ? Are we not searching the sky for our ancestors ? In our religious beliefs do we not look to the heavens ? Our present day calender, The Gregorian calender, was established by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Its' basic unit of measure is a day. The summer solstice was very important to the Christian Church and the date kept moving. The calender we now use solved that problem, sorta.
Time. Still a subject we do not understand. Einstein formulated a theory about time. We are still engaged in trying to prove or disprove that theory. There are those that seek to travel through time. The speed of light being a measure of time. Recently scientist claim to have created some neutrons that travel slightly faster than the speed of light, an impossibility according to Einstein. If that is the case, our whole idea of time is wrong.
Foolish mortals.
In its' simplest form time is just a reference point. Something to compare with or against. The problem lies in the fact we have no real set point. Our Bibles tell us that God is the beginning and the End. Therefore, God is time. We look to the heavens for our Gods. All the good Gods reside in the heavens. The bad ones inhabit the earth or beneath it. Follow the good Gods and you will ascend into the heavens and conversely following the bad leaves you on this earth, or beneath it. Is that the symbolism of Jesus rising from the tomb ?
Time and Religion are intertwined. We can not understand the mystery of time anymore than we can understand the mind of God. We are dependent upon both. There is irrefutable proof of the passage of time. One need only watch the heavens to see that. There are those that want irrefutable proof of the existence of God. To those people I can only say, " just give it time." In time the answer will be revealed to you. Continue to mark your calender and the passage of time.
All of us reflect upon the past. We all become nostalgic with the passing of time. We marvel at the advances of man in knowledge and technology. Each succeeding generation sure they have the answers. This has always been so. Man will continue to mark the passage of time. Our time here is a privilege. A privilege granted to us by a higher power. Strive to us it wisely, that's my advice.

A New Year

Happy New Year ! It is 2012. I actually stayed up and watched the ball drop at midnight. First time in a few years. Naturally I watched the festivities from Times Square.
They have artists from all areas represented. Pop,rock,jazz and whatever. The first " artist " I saw was a lady of color with blonde hair wearing what appeared to be costume out of a Jetson cartoon ! She was singing (sorta ) something about somebody's face. By all accounts it is a big hit ! Never heard of it. I'm just not too up on this hip hop music scene. If memory serves her name is Nikki Minaj or menagerie,something like that. It was different I'll give it that. Following that performance was Justin Beiber doing a duet with Carlos Santana. Now I know Carlos from way back. An excellent guitarist,considered one of the best by some. I have heard of this Beiber character but can't say I know anything of him. He was playing the piano. I'll give him credit for that talent and in reality his singing wasn't bad. Carlos walked out on the stage about half way through the performance and just wailed away at that guitar. He can still play like crazy but what it had to do with what Justin Beiber was playing I don't know. It was kinda strange. The final act I witnessed was Lady GaGa ! I've seen her before but couldn't tell you the name of a single song she has recorded. That she would be dressed in an unusual fashion I was ready for. She didn't disappoint. She came out wearing what looked like a giant black light bulb shaped balloon thingy. Very strange and somehow a bit disturbing. She came out of that outfit during the show and was at one point wearing a skeleton of support wires like a cage around her. That got removed too. Very strange.
The venerable Dick Clark was there. It has been forty years for him. Did my old heart good to see him still plugging away. He was joined by Lady GaGa in pushing the button to start the ball drop. Ryan Seacrest has taken Dicks' place but it definitely isn't the same. What is his claim to fame ? Host of American Idol or something wasn't it ? Whatever. Some gal named Jenny McCarthy was polling the crowd. No clue who she is or how she got the job.
Well it is a new year. A new beginning. We all hope for it to be a good one. We all hope the Mayans' didn't know what they were talking about. I stayed up to watch the new year in but should have just gone to bed. Wasn't much of interest for me to watch. It all just left me wondering ? Is this where we are headed ? God help us. God help us,everyone to paraphrase Tiny Tim.