Wisdom and Advice

Just a reminder to all of you. Whenever you get the chance - please get your Ya Ya's Out. It sucks to hold them in.

Thanks...............

Since it’s Thanksgiving, I thought I would make a list for all the things I’m thankful for in my life.

So consider this my thanks for all the blessings of life that I enjoy.

I am in love with the most amazing girl that makes me feel as if I am the best boy in the world, even though ALL of us know that I’m not.

I am so happy the way my children have turned out. I am more proud of them than I can really say.

I have so many friends that I don’t know what to do. People who will drop whatever they are doing and come help me if I just ask. That is such a blessing.

I have a great job and no matter how much I many complain about all the shit I have to deal with, it’s still a great job where I can come and go as I please and do exactly what I want to do with no one looking over my shoulder.

I have great employees that take care of me. I know that is somewhat included in the above entry - but they are so wonderful that they deserve their own mention. My back is always covered and they are there to do whatever I dream up and believe that if I ask it, it must be the right thing to do. Never can have too much of that in your life!

I love my church. Our pastor is amazing and the people are so committed to making the world a better place and we don’t get too caught up in appearances. Sure, some of that always goes on, but it’s way below the surface.

I love my motorcycle. Even though I don’t ride off like I used to, just the knowledge that it’s there for me to disappear on is comforting to the bone.

I love my dog and the fact that my girl allows her to hang out with us – even though she hates the dog hair and I feel bad for inflicting that on her. But oh, I love my dog. And my dog LOVES me!!!

I love it that I am at the place in my life where I can do what I think is right without any consequences. My principles are mine and I can shout them to the moon and not give a damn about what anyone else thinks (except my girl and I care lots about what she thinks – but we’re a lot more similar than she is probably comfortable admitting!)

Have I mentioned how much I love my girl? I am so thankful for all she is. It’s not what she does (although she does so much). It’s not how she acts (although that’s the reason I fell in love with her). It’s not how she looks (even though she is incredibly beautiful). It’s not even how she loves me (and boy, does she love me good). It’s just for who she is. I want to send her mom and dad a thank you note for having such a wonderful daughter.

Anyway, I’m just thankful this year for so many things. And I could go on – such as the election or the ability to buy great wine and drink it or the fact that I live in a place that looks like paradise most days – but I’ll leave the small details to your imaginations and just say that I feel my thankfulness each and every day.

I have no regrets.

And I wish that for all of you.

Peace.

Love that Turkey!!

I wanted to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving holiday and just for historical purposes ask this question.

Do you know why we celebrate Thanksgiving???

I have found this is the most misconstrued holiday we have. It's not about the pilgrams or the Indians - it was done in a proclamation by Abraham Lincoln, the one of Civil War fame.

Here’s his proclamation on October 3, 1863. It was recommended by Sarah Josepha Hale, a prominent magazine editor of the time and it was actually written by the Secretary of State, Mr. William Seward:

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.


Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward, Secretary of State

So we can thank these good people, in the midst of war, for being thankful for all we have and making us stop and remember why we should be so thankful that we live in a land that is so very amazing. And to remember to thank God, most of all, for all the blessings of life that we enjoy.

Plus we get to eat until we bust and then take naps while bad football games are on t.v.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Political Rap

I haven’t commented on the election yet. And I think that is because my jubilation at the results are being tempered by the reality that the Democrats won’t be any better than the Republicans.

We need something different and I’m just afraid that the Democrats don’t have the political will to do what needs to be done.

We have to do some reforms so that the “for sale” politics that have been so prevalent since the Republican Revolution in ’94 won’t be repeated. But politicians have shown over the years their reluctance to rock the boat where there own pocketbooks are concerned.

It’s like who’s in charge has the keys to the kingdom and they make hay while the sun is shining. Then everyone gets sick of it and it catches up with them at the polls.

It’s an endless cycle.

And I’m sick of it.

That’s why I’m on the Obama train. Let’s elect a guy that has so little experience in the shit that he doesn’t know how to work it and can maybe do something that is right instead of something that is politically expedient.

Then maybe the Republicans will realize that their “ways” of the past few decades where they sold their souls to the religious right were stupid and maybe they can get back to being the party of less government and lower taxes.

But I doubt it. I have very little faith that anything in DC will ever be as it should be. The system seems to corrupt even the most optimistic and idealistic people that go there hoping to do some good.

Terms limits would cure all of that, I think, but I don’t ever expect to see that on the table. I just don’t see how they could vote to remove themselves from office. I think what that would take would be for every incumbent to be kicked out of office and have all new people in – and we all know that would never happen.

I think we like to think that “our” representatives and senators are good and the problem lies elsewhere. But the doo-doo is everywhere. We’re all in the shit. And it stinks.

So I will watch interestingly at the dance as it starts next year. I’ll check in on Rush and Hannity every once in a while to see how irritated they are and I’ll continue to watch Keith Olberman to see what’s real in a non-fair and balanced way………

Pray for our country.

Or maybe we should all move to Amsterdam, light up and drop out. Some days that sounds pretty darned good.

Back in the Saddle Again!

Well, I'm back!!!!

Had a great trip to Florida with my love. Some meetings but mostly just good times. There's something magical about going away with the one you love and spending time together. Plus there's the "hotel sex" that makes it all worth it!!!

Went to the Miami Dolphin's game on Sunday and had tickets to be on the field right behind the players - yep, right next to the cheerleaders!!! It was great fun and the Dolphin's won - which now that I think about it, I don't really care. They beat the Chiefs and it was a good game, so that's all that really mattered to me. Then later that night we went on a cruise on a yacht along the canal in Fort Lauderdale by all the bazillion dollar homes. That was very cool.

The next day we went to Key West in the convertable I rented. Long trip, but there is something very cool about where the road ends. Got our pictures made by the 0 mile marker. If I ever get them processed I'll post them here.

Then the rest of the week was just regular fun stuff. But I'm glad we're home. Both of us were worn out and needed to get home so we could rest!

So I hope everyone had a good week. I'd love to muse about important philosophical subjects but my desk is just crazy full of shit to do, so I guess I'd better get to work.

So remember - "in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make".

Peace.

Holiday Boogie........

Next week is going to be a good week. This week, not so much so.

I’m taking my girl to Ft. Lauderdale with me for a meeting. The meeting will be a small thing but the trip will be huge.

I’ve rented a convertible to take advantage of the South Florida Winter!!!

We’re going to take a trip down to Key West and we’re going up to Palm Beach to try to catch a Jimmy Buffet show.

I love my life.

On another subject:

Have you ever just bought the perfect Christmas present?

I have.

Can’t wait! Can you?????

After?

So how much time do you spend thinking about heaven (or hell)?

Does this thought influence the way you live your life?

Since life is so relational, is it so hard to believe that afterlife would not also be relational?

How is your relationship?

Ghosts, Goblins and Chili Peppers

Haven’t been a very good blogger this week, but I’ve been sick as hell.

Love this weather as it changes almost daily from freezing to ninety degrees. Oh well, that’s the price way pay for living so close to the Gulf of Mexico.

We’re far enough down that we get hit by the “troughs” coming down from Canada but as soon as they push through, the temperate weather returns. Which is great normally because we can wear shorts at Christmas but it plays hell with the sinuses as joints (and this I have noticed only after getting OLDER).

But anyway, enough on the weather.

This past weekend was the Voodoo Fest in New Orleans. Me, my girl and 130,000 other hearty souls in a muddy, port-o-let infested city park. The herbs were wonderful and the music was amazing. Saw several bands but was mainly there for the head-liners, The Red Hot Chili Peppers – and they were actually Red Hot (as usual). Very good band live. Very, very good.

And at the end the Meters joined them on stage for a jam session. If you don’t know who the Funky Meters are – then shame on you. They are one of the oldest bands in New Orleans and are populated by some Neville Brothers and other assorted legends and play a very swampy set of funk/blues music or as we call it, just plain old “New Orleans Gumbo” music.

And beside it being Halloween, which is the second most visited time for New Orleans next to Mardi Gras, it was a great time. Too many people in New Orleans means no where to park – which is a huge problem which I remedied with a hundred dollar bill to a guy that was cooking at the Hard Rock – but that’s another story………….

Had Sunday brunch at the Court of Two Sisters which was fabulous, even for a tourist trap like that. The turtle soup was especially good along with the eggs benedict.

Then there was the Halloween experience Tuesday night. My girl had invited about 150 kids to her house to use as a base for the Halloween Trick or Treating ritual. Well, actually, I think it was only about 15 kids, but it sure seemed like 150. Anyway, I cooked hot dogs for all and a big pot of homemade soup and other assorted goodies and it was all consumed and I am happy to report that not too much was spilled on the carpet from all the little ghosts and goblins.

I had the opportunity to “inspect” several of the bags of loot and appropriated what I considered to be my fair share.

So in hopes that I will be inspired to write something more later, I’ll let this go and absolve my blog-guilt.

Peace.