Transforming

New Thoughts

2010-11-29T07:55:00.004-06:00

As I ran on the first workday morning after Thanksgiving weekend, my mind automatically took notice of the weather conditions and how I would report them on Daily Mile when I shared my run with friends. Words describing the level of cold were mostly positive, but I realized that the descriptive words in my mind about the wind were mostly negative. And that would be an accurate reflection of my typical attitude toward wind when I am running or biking. But since I have JUST gone through several days of searching for things to acknowledge a thankful attitude toward, I remembered how many times I privately and publicly thanked the Creator of the universe for controlling the weather so that we don't need to (and so that we don't constantly mess it up). The next thought that came to my mind was a conversation between radio host, Bubba, of the Rick and Bubba show and the crew aboard the International Space Station. Much of that conversation was very interesting, and the fact that it could take place at all was pretty amazing. But what stood out for me this morning was the answer to the question "What do you miss and most look forward to back on Earth?" The first half of the answer was not much of a surprise; a hot shower. It had been since June that this crew had enjoyed that daily luxury. But what really struck me was the second part of the answer; "the feel of a breeze on his face." Really? That ranks as number two? Well, we hardly even take notice of such. But his answer caused me to pause and realize how often I/we fail to take notice of all our senses and the simple pleasures like the feel of a breeze and the smell of soil and the sound of the wind rustling leaves. So with all that in mind (not to mention the word "wind" coming from the same root word as "spirit"), I would like to report a gloriously windy morning for an early morning run. And I am thankful for it.

Priceless!

2010-05-21T07:51:00.002-05:00

Gas for drive to the airport $4.00

Parking while getting Tata checked in $3.00

The look on Tata's face after I told the
handsome screener she had made some
threats and should be frisked thoroughly PRICELESS!

Buns of Steel

2010-05-19T07:20:00.002-05:00

I have never really believed those late night commercials for the various exercise aids and videos that promise "buns of steel". In fact, I don't really understand why so many of those commercials are on TV at such odd hours. Only when I am very sick do I see them. Do sick folks suddenly develop a concern about flabby bottoms? Anyway, here is an actual article about a shocking incident at BASS Pro Shops which MAY be a testimonial for the "buns of steel". Read for yourself--I am not making this up;

Woman shot in buttocks inside Bass Pro Shops in Rancho Cucamonga
By Melissa Pinion-Whitt
Created: 05/17/2010 02:06:41 PM PDT

A Chino Hills man who brought six guns to test fire at Bass Pro Shops accidentally shot a woman in the buttocks inside the store Sunday.
The 52-year-old man, whose name wasn't released, was checking in the weapons at the front desk when he noticed one of the guns had the hammer cocked. He reached for the .45-caliber weapon and it fired.

"(The bullet) exited through the bag, traveled about 40 yards away and hit a female shopper in the left side of her bottom," said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Tracy Dorsey.

The round penetrated the woman's clothing and gave her a minor wound, but didn't penetrate. The round fell to the floor.

San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies received a call about the shooting at 3:47 p.m. They came to the store at 7777 Victoria Gardens Lane and seized the man's guns, Dorsey said.

The man told deputies he came to the store to practice firing his weapons in the store's upstairs firing range. Customers who bring weapons to the store are required to check them in at the front desk, where an employee places the firearm in a metal box to make sure it's not loaded. They put a gun lock on the gun before a customer is allowed to bring it to the range, or to carry around the store to shop for gun accessories.

Once the gun is brought to the range, an employee removes the weapon from the box and takes off the gun lock.

"Anyone can bring their gun in to shoot," said Larry Whiteley, spokesman for Bass Pro Shops. "We have policemen come in, other groups come in to learn gun safety."
But in this case, the gun fired before an employee could examine it.

"We believed it to be an accident, but it is still under investigation," Dorsey said.

The woman was taken to an area hospital for treatment of the wound.

Whiteley said the company takes safety precautions with regard to firearms to ensure the safety of its customers and employees.

"We've met all the regulations and requirements," he said.

Three Reasons Christians Should be on Facebook!

2010-05-10T11:18:00.003-05:00

I should first apologize for how long it has been since I wrote anything on this blog and thank those of you who check in to see if there is any update. I am sorry. Thank you. But I want to quickly move to the topic that led me to break my writing fast. I was playing on facebook, which I do a lot these days, and in the middle of some playful discourse my brother threw in this quote "Social-networking is the opiate of the procrastinator." What? Where did that come from? And ouch! It is not hard for me to see the truth in that. Actually, it may just be the more recent opiate of the procrastinator. Other computer applications, video games, television, reading, and sitting on the porch visiting are just a few opiates folks have used for years to procrastinate without conscientiously acknowledging the practice. So, early in this post I admit that I surf facebook more than what leads to optimal use of my time. Can you ever forgive me? And it is easy to see the "opiate" characteristics because the "quick and easy" posts of witty comments here and there are much easier than composing a string of thoughts that will cause someone to take time to read and think. And that friends is part of the reason I have not been here, in the blogosphere for a long time. You (because only intelligent, inquisitive readers would be here to begin with) are probably asking by now, "Roxy, if you admit to spending too much time on facebook and procrastinating the completion of chores because of it, why would you tease us with a title like this?" Hey, that is a good question. I am glad you asked.

Reason #1 that Christians should be on facebook--Jesus said we should.

Stop laughing. I'm serious. Sure, He never said "Thou shalt be on facebook and update thy status every time you contemplate a meal." But he did say we should build relationships. In fact, when asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus replied that it is to "love God with all your heart, soul, and mind." He quickly added that the second greatest commandment is "love your neighbor as yourself". Then he went on to say that the two were connected in a way that we can not really obey one without the obeying the other. That is not all he said. He went on to say ALL the commandments, laws, and instructions from the prophets are just subsets of these two intertwined instructions. How does that translate to being on facebook? When we read of the conversation Jesus had with a woman who was living a lifestyle she knew was wrong, where did that take place? At the well. Sure, there is a practical reason for going to a well but Jesus had already shown that water was not a driving force for him. He went there because that is where he knew he would meet someone in need of direction and a true friend. When he wanted to teach and encourage, he often went to the places where he would encounter people. Sure, there came a time that he was so popular that he could just go out on a hillside and folks would gather to hear what he had to say. But that was after he had lots of "friends" or followers. Yep, I am claiming that Jesus was a social-networker. And that he insisted we become the same.

Reason #2 that Christians should be on facebook--Jesus said we should.

Whoa, don't get so upset. Yes it SOUNDS like the same as reason #1, but there is a difference. The difference is when and how he said it. This teaching reminds me of the time Jesus came into a village and a woman named Martha made the effort to meet him and invite him to her house. Martha was very busy with chores and probably preparing a nice meal while her sister Mary just sat and talked with Jesus. Mary wasn't getting anything done. Martha asked Jesus to get onto Mary for goofing off and tell her to help with the important chores. I bet she was shocked at his reply. He said "Martha, Martha you are worried and troubled about many things. Only one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." What? Jesus said visiting and getting acquainted is more important than getting chores done? Look it up. Luke 10:38-42.

Reason 3# that Christians should be on facebook--Jesus said we should.

I did not surprise you this time did I? That is why I should visit here more often--only the astute reader hangs out here. Why it this "we should" different from the first two? Well, for one this instruction comes indirectly from Jesus via James and others. The James who wrote the book bearing his name is likely the brother of Jesus. Can you imagine coming to grips with the idea that your brother is actually your half-brother who is part Deity and was involved in creation of the universe? That could cause some serious sibling rivalry. And it seems that James and the rest of the family did not fully accept who Jesus was until he died. And then lived again. After all that and some serious re-thinking by James, he began to share the message that his brother had been attempting to communicate. Part of this is in James 4:13-15 where he tells how most operate. He describes capitalism in broad terms and how people plan to buy, sell, and make a profit. While he does not condemn that, he goes on to say that life is short--like a morning fog that appears a little while and then disappears. The message seems to be that work has its place, but the routine of chasing an income can become the focus more that pursuing the relationships that are more important. Don't get me wrong. Plenty of scriptures teach us to work to provide for ourselves and have enough to help others. But the purpose of work, the purpose of life is to grow our relationship with God and with other people.

Facebook can be a colossal waste of time and I am often guilty of spending too much time there. I am working on doing better. But I am a little defensive also because I have been able to encourage and be encouraged both through quick interactions on facebook and even more through face-to-face, life changing conversations that have grown out of connections on facebook. Those of you who have been part of these conversations know who you are. I appreciate you. Even when I was the encourager, I was also the encouragee. Yes, part of "loving others like you love yourself" means doing the chore so your spouse, family, friend does not have to. And I have laundry going while I write this (should I update my status?). Still, I become more and more convinced that all we can do to build and strengthen our relationships should be done. Even if the floors are dirty. Floors are temporary. People are forever.

Ice Age

2010-02-10T09:45:00.002-06:00

Please take a few minutes to read this excerpt from Time magazine (June 24, 1974). That was a Monday, by the way. I know that because LaWanna and I were married on Saturday, June 22, 1974. I add that tidbit for perspective.

How in the world a group of con artists shifted the story from "we are freezing and destroying the Earth" to "we are overheating and destroying the Earth" during the time I have been married is astonishing to me. The amount of money flowing to "green" industries is unbelievable. Buying "carbon credits" is gullible. It would take many pages to present all the fallacies of logic involved, but nobody would read it.

So, here is a portion of the article (and it is just one example). I am no scientists and not very smart. But I listened enough in school to be aware of concepts such as the importance of replication and realize that we can not accurately "replicate" 1000 year cycles. Even a guy from a Georgia dirt road can see many problems with the "science" of the thinking then and now. So how in the world did we come to a place where Al Gore receives a Nobel prize for his "work" on global warming? Are we really so blinded by "group think" that we need somebody online or on TV to tell us what to think? That is much more frightening to me than temperatures that fluctuate and large scale weather patterns that are difficult to predict. Here is the excerpt;

"As they review the bizarre and unpredictable weather pattern of the past several years, a growing number of scientists are beginning to suspect that many seemingly contradictory meteorological fluctuations are actually part of a global climatic upheaval. However widely the weather varies from place to place and time to time, when meteorologists take an average of temperatures around the globe they find that the atmosphere has been growing gradually cooler for the past three decades. The trend shows no indication of reversing. Climatological Cassandras are becoming increasingly apprehensive,for the weather aberrations they are studying may be the harbinger of another ice age.

Telltale signs are everywhere —from the unexpected persistence and thickness of pack ice in the waters around Iceland to the southward migration of a warmth-loving creature like the armadillo from the Midwest.Since the 1940s the mean global temperature has dropped about 2.7° F. Although that figure is at best an estimate, it is supported by other convincing data. When Climatologist George J. Kukla of
Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory and his wife Helena analyzed satellite weather data for the Northern Hemisphere, they found that the area of the ice and snow cover had suddenly increased by 12% in 1971 and the increase has persisted ever since. Areas of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, for example, were once totally free of any snow in summer; now they are covered
year round.
Scientists have found other indications of global cooling..." And it goes on and on. And it scared people. Many were convinced that dust, smoke, and chemicals in the air were preventing sunlight from reaching the surface of the Earth and that our productivity and increasing population would surely make it worse. The prospects of an "ice age" within 100 years was cause for concern to more people than you probably believe. And this was before Facebook, Blogging, even before Al Gore had invented the internet. So all of you under 35 years old who think the resistance of your parents and grandparents to accept the ridiculous notion that we are causing the climate of the Earth to crash by driving a V-8 and using deordorant need to acknowledge that many "old folks" have seen the sales pitch before and followed the money trail. This article refers to a "massive 100 day study" of climate changes. That seems laughable now, when GRANTS (money taken from my pockets and your employer's pockets) total billions of dollars to pay salaries of people who only have work if they keep the flames of fear fanned. Do I think a "scientist" would alter or withhold data in order to secure a $2 million grant? Yep. So pardon me if I find humor in seeing a number of "global warming" meetings canceled in Washington because there is too much snow to get into town.

Elsie, You are Doing a Great Job!

2010-02-09T16:15:00.003-06:00

According to Reader's Digest (March, 2010) Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson of Newcastle University, United Kingdom have demonstrated that cows that have names give more milk than cows that are nameless.

It is tempting to stop with that opening statement and just see what comments are made. But if you know me or read here often (and apparently some of you do), then you know it is not my tendency be parsimonious. So, what do you think are the ramifications of this study? Do you think large scale dairies will begin to name and pet their cows to increase production? Nah, I doubt it, too. Why do you think this effect is true? Do you think there are human applications?

I remember a case study from my undergraduate classes in management where a large factory increased the lighting to see if it would affect productivity. It did, positively. A number of preliminary deductions were made. Then the company reduce the lighting to see if the productivity would return to the pre-existing state. Actually, it increased again. That seemed very odd and illogical--until someone suggested that perhaps ANY attention at all caused employees to feel that what they were doing was important.

So, yes, there probably IS an application to human relationships. Perhaps just acknowledging a relationship (like remembering a name) has a positive effect. Certainly we all desire to feel that whatever we are doing makes a difference and that somebody notices. What would happen if each of became the "noticer" instead of waiting to be noticed? In honor of Elsie, maybe we could buy someone an ice cream cone to say "I appreciate you."

What flavor would you like?

ABRACADABRA

2010-01-29T09:15:00.003-06:00

Magical words. That is all we need. This seems to be the message I am hearing at every turn lately. The president of the USA used them in his state of the union speech Wednesday night. A fluctuating percentage of the population parrot those magical words to improve our national image worldwide, provide complete, low cost health care for everybody, create new jobs while increasing taxes and restrictions on businesses. Clients used them during counseling last night. Citizens writing to the editor of the Montgomery Advertiser use them. The judge quoted on the front page of today's paper used them to make violations of the "sunshine law" disappear.

Most of you who are close to my age probably know the word "abracadabra" and the word magicians shouted with a flourish when something was made to appear or disappear. If you look a little farther back, it was apparently written in an inverted triangle and worn as an amulet to ward of evil spirits and disease. Sounding a little like an idol, faith was placed in a magical charm to provide protection. Of course, in 2010 we are FAR too sophisticated and intelligent to fall for such silly superstition--right?

Hmmmmm, I am not so sure. Please, please understand. I, too, like the idea of a nation that once enslaved a majority of a race passes through decades and centuries of granting, freedom, rights, help, and eventually preferential treatment to members of that race to the point that education, intelligence, integrity, and abilities are achieved and acknowledged enough that we elect a man of mixed race to he highest and most respected office in our nation. I love that story, I really do. Here, it the rub for me, however. Although I marvel at President Obama's oratory abilities and his skill at framing a conversation to suit the outcome he desires, we have to maintain the ability and right to not accept that a word spoken it the same as an act completed. I think I will say that again; a word spoken is not the same as an act completed. If you don't stop and think about that for a minute, I might say it a third time! If it were the same, I would already be slim, strong, and athletic. I would be doing 100 mile bike rides at 20 mph. I would be completing sprint triathlons in a little over an hour. The reality, though, is that my sincere desires and intentions--even if well-stated and warmly received--do not translate into achievements until much work is done. Having attempted to reach goals over several decades I realize that often the image never materializes even with hard work. The goals and priorities of others, conflicting goals of my own, and laws of nature are a few of the obstacles that can cause visions to go unrealized.

Why, then, do we accept what a charismatic, powerful individual says at a realized truth just because it sounds desirable, without realizing there are costs to be considered and conflicting goals and priorities ALWAYS present for all of us?

This is not an attack on the president. I like the guy. I would have him over for a burger and enjoy a chat with him. Really. This is an attack on YOU and me. Why do we continue to fall for "us vs. them" perspectives whenever discussing important issues? Why do we tolerate a two-party system? Why do we allow race relations to be the 300 pound gorilla in the room? Why would we ever accept any statement, no matter how eloquently presented, without question and honest debate. I am going to try it one more time. ABRACADABRA--I have ridden 35 miles already!
Shoot, didn't work again.

The Last Chapter

2010-01-01T08:17:00.002-06:00

Many years ago I stopped believing in coincidences as accidental and meaningless. It is a funny line repeated over and over in the movie "Forrest Gump" that causes us to chuckle at the simple-minded Forrest when he says about many amazing events "then for no particular reason". Still, it is easy to miss that God is speaking to us when people, events, and circumstances combine to send a "multi-media message". I feel that I am experiencing that this week. First, here are some highlights; 1) my daughter is getting married tomorrow, 2) at the beginning of the week, I returned from a great Christmas visit with my mom and my brother and his family, 3) yesterday, I helped move my son and his wife into their new home, 4) Wednesday I was invited to share in the high-tech progress check of my son and daughter-in-law's baby--the one most folks refer to as "learning the gender of the baby" (it is a girl), 5) Wednesday nights I shared thoughts from my study of the Exodus story about the nature of God and what that means to me (us) 6) last night I was invited by good friends to share their home and food with other Christian friends as we said goodbye to 2009 and hello to 2010. These are just the highlights. Of one week. Of course there was more--much more--of routine--things done and things that had to be left undone.

But there is one more significant event that happened exactly in the middle of the week. It was a funeral for the father of my friend and co-worker, Debra. Debra is a counselor with a big, loving heart. When we gather in the office of Dr. Guest before sessions of the District Attorney's Pre-Trial Diversion counseling program, Debra is the most willing--no insistent, actually--to share a hug with each of us. She is perceptive and driven to help others even when they seem determined to harm themselves. I like Debra a lot, but I had never met her father. When I learned of the arrangements, I did not hesitate to make plans to attend. As the time neared, however, and some of the items on the list above were added unexpectedly I began to count hours. It was going to be really, really tight. I decided to attend the funeral because Debra means that much to me. I was blessed by my attendance much, much more than Debra was. As I entered the New Life Church of God in Christ building and realized there was a line just to get in and the sound of a powerful band was reverberating through the walls, I thought "this is going to take longer than I planned". I will not recount the entire two hours but the large, powerful choir and the energetic band were engaging, to say the least. Energy and celebration were the key words. This was truly, as billed, a "Home-going celebration". I did not know Elder Mumpfield before that day, but I felt as if I did by the time I left. There is so much I could say about the celebration and how appropriate it seems to lift a grieving family in that way, but I want to focus on one point from one speaker that spoke to me in a powerful way Wednesday and has not left me as the other events of the week unfold. That message was about the last chapter of the last book of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses). Terry Ellison pointed out that most accept that Moses recorded all of these five books, he could not have written Deuteronomy 34 because it gives details of the death and burial of Moses. Someone else (probably Joshua) had to write it. The point he made very well was that we need to be mentoring others--like James Mumpfield did--to carry on after we are gone. The words he said were true and helpful. But I heard something else. During that celebration of this Godly man's life it occurred to me that he had, indeed, written this last chapter. I am not talking about the theology of "saved by works", I am talking about the celebration of his life, after his life, was made possible BECAUSE of his life.

When I observed hundreds of people that had given most of a day to make that event happen--seamlessly--and hundreds more who gathered for 2-3 hours to be part of it, I knew some things about the life of James Mumpfield. I was encouraged and inspired to live a life that would cause folks to gather and celebrate when the short chapter is written about my death. SO....that has been on my mind as LaWanna and I celebrate the continued growth of the 8 ounce fetus that will be our granddaughter, as we prepare to give our daughter in marriage, and as we witness our children grow in multiple ways, and as we turn a calendar to a fresh start on resolving to do better. Thank you James E. Mumpfield. Although you died in 2009, your final chapter has served to make me a better person in 2010. So, in a very real sense your final chapter is still being written.

Thoughts on Work and Culture by Hamilton Wright Mabie

2009-12-21T13:36:00.000-06:00

As a matter of fact, in most cases, it is the community, not the
individual, which is selfish; for communities are often ruthless
destroyers of promising youth.

The gifted young preacher must clearly discern the needs of his own nature
or he will miss the one thing which he was probably sent into the world to
accomplish, the one thing which all men are sent into the world to
secure,--free and noble self-development. He must be wiser than his parish
or the community; he must recognise the peril which comes from the too
close pressure of near duties at the start. The community will
thoughtlessly rob him of the time, the quiet, and the repose necessary for
the unfolding of his spirit; it will drain him in a few years of the
energy which ought to be spread over a long period of time; and at the end
of a decade it will begin to say, under its breath, that its victim has
not fulfilled the promise of his youth. It will fail to discern that it
has blighted that promise by its own urgent demands. The young preacher
who is eager to give the community the very greatest service in his power
will protect it and himself by locking his study door and resolutely
keeping it locked.

The young artist and writer must pass through the same ordeal, and must
learn before it is too late that he who is to render the highest service
to his fellows must be most independent in his relations to them. He
cannot commit the management of his life to others without maiming or
blighting it. The community insists upon immediate activity at the expense
of ultimate service, upon present productivity at the cost of ultimate
power. The artist must learn, therefore, to bar his door against the
public until he has so matured his own strength and determined his own
methods that neither crowds nor applause nor demands can confuse or
disturb him. The great spirits who have nourished the best life of the
race have not turned to their fellows for their aims and habits of work;
they have taken counsel of that ancient oracle which speaks in every man's
soul, and to that counsel they have remained steadfastly true. There is no
clearer disclosure of divine guidance in the confusion of human aims and
counsels than the presence of a distinct faculty or gift in a man; and
when such a gift reveals itself a man must follow it, though it cost him
everything which is most dear; and he must give it the largest opportunity
of growth, though he face the criticism of the world in the endeavour.

Muscles

2009-12-21T11:05:00.006-06:00

"Look at the biceps on that guy!" I said out loud at the table. Normally more subtle, I was taken by both the enormous size and the appearance that the man's arm might actually explode any moment. He was slicing a 15 inch diameter log--first slicing downward and then upward--with a chainsaw--and more quickly than I can slice chocolate cake. No, not in the restuarant where Baron, Laura, LaWanna and I were having lunch after church Sunday. But on one of the flat-screen TV's showing the lumberjack competition. Actually, I probably gasped more audibly when the man that was speed climbing a tree began to fall from about 80 feet up. I was attempting to keep my attention at the table and be engaged in conversation since our social butterfly daughter and her most tolerant husband are still willing to spend time with the old folks. I appreciate all our "kids" and their spouses for spending time with us and acting as if they enjoy rather than tolerate the time together. Still, I was distracted. Why? Because people who control their thoughts enough to will their bodies to go beyond what they thought possible are fascinating to me. Are the events of lumberjack competitions logical? Probably not. Does completing an Ironman competition justify the amount of time, energy, and money invested to reach a level of conditioning to make it possible? That can be, and often is, debated. When the Psalmist exclaims "I am fearfully and wonderfully made!" his observation resonates with me. DISCLAIMER; I don't understand most of how we are made. At times I begin to think that I do, but the human body is so amazing that one could spend a lifetime studying it and still be learning at the end of life on earth. And that brings me to the real point of this post. It has to do with "happenings" in Atlanta. You know, the New York City of the south. The city where our daughter will be living in TWO WEEKS. The city where we moved most of her things Saturday. In that city, there is an exhibition that I REALLY want to see. It has been around for some time now in various locations. And I have been aware of it for a couple of years. Well, it slipped up on me in Atlanta. I did not realize it was coming and it is already here. What display would possible tie all this rambling together? This;

http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/ Yes, it is an exhibition of actual human bodies and organs displayed somewhat like that plastic skeleton that used to hang in your high school science class. They have perfected a process called "plastination" that enables them to preserve and display bodies so that the muscles can be observed as if the person were alive--only skinned. This is probably freaking some folks out about now. But I would REALLY like to see this exhibit both for the actual displays AND to watch people as the move through. Partly, I would want to keep an eye out for any Jeffry Dahmer type that may be lurking in the crowd. Do you find this weird? Would you like to see this exhibit? Do you have moral or ethical objections? Are you available to go next Monday?

New Career?

2009-12-18T09:12:00.006-06:00

If you pay for career counseling, does it make sense to ignore the recommendations? You really can't argue with the logic. Although it disregards my education and current interests, the recommendation certainly seems to align with my career path to this point. Most readers are aware that I spent 37 years performing almost every type job available at the U.S. Postal Service, so I am very well acquainted with delivery systems. Fewer of you know of my exploits on bicycles. I do not ride as regularly as my brother, Keith, or his training partner, Josh. But still, I have managed to survive a couple of mountain bike races, a couple of adventure races, a criterium (a long time ago) and a metric century (62 miles) ride, as well as several sprint triathlons. Now, thousands of REAL cyclists will laugh at these beginner's credentials but it fits with the pattern for the new job. What is the logical next step for someone with lots of delivery and a little cycling experience? Delivering packages on a bike for UPS, of course.

I can hear you snickering. You are thinking "That is just silly. UPS is a modern company, moving at the speed of light. They would never pay somebody to deliver packages on bikes." Well, think again! I knew you would not believe me, so here are photos to back up the story;

So, what do you think? I was really excited about the idea....at first. Then, I was a little discourage by the low pay. And then, while convincing myself of all the benefits that override the pay, it occurred to me that the poor cyclist is probably responsible for any package that is lost or stolen. So really, the greatest potential for profit would be to follow this guy and when he dismounts to walk up to a door, toss his packages in back of the truck and take off. No matter how fast he is, he can't catch an 8 cylinder with a bike pulling a trailer.

Still, it seems like a fun seasonal job. What do you think? Remember, if you don't comment--the terrorists win!

Mamma's Love

2009-12-14T08:32:00.008-06:00

Meet Xena. She is large enough to pass as an adult cat and in some ways, she is. But she is still young and part of her is a kitten. She loves this super-soft blanket that is folded on the foot of our bed and will spread eagle on it and dig her face in to NURSE. She sucks on the blanket and spreads her paws as if she is massaging the blanket. She closes her eyes and it is as if there is nobody else around. The separation from her mother at birth will probably require therapy all her life.

Resolutions

2009-12-14T07:48:00.002-06:00

Twas the month after Christmas,
and all through the house
Nothing would fit me,
not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled,
the eggnog I'd taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd not said, "No thank you, please."
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt---
I said to myself, as I only can
"You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!"
So--away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
"Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won't have a cookie--not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore---
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

Author Unknown

EPA Is Going To The Birds!

2009-11-03T15:40:00.005-06:00

Actually, the EPA is taking FROM the birds. But I like the title better with its double meaning. Before you tune out, thinking this is going to be a rant about the millions or billions or whatever illions we are spending on the environment, take time to at least see the photo. It seems only fair that I let you know SOME of what I know about this particular site before springing the funny photo on you. If you live in Montgomery and have for any length of time, you have, no doubt traveled Perry Hill Road and/or Harrison Road. You probably also know that there is a used car lot at the corner where these two roads intersect. And most of you know that this car lot has been there a long time. Perhaps you have shopped some of the fleet vehicles often offered for sale. I have no need for the trucks with dump bodies and hydraulic lifts, but when I see them I begin to imagine how I might use them in a tree surgeon business or some more imaginative manner. This is why window shopping is a bad idea for me. It creates an imagined need.

But this was not always a car lot. If you go back far enough, there was a time that it was a service station. Yep, probably far enough back that it offered SERVICE and not just gasoline to be pumped by the customer. But like Goober-n-them back in Mayberry, these folks never thought much about the huge metal underground tank that stored the gas for the pumps. And over time water would settle to the bottom of these tanks and cause rust which naturally led to leaks. I don't want to attempt to be scientific here for two reasons. 1) I don't want the EPA shutting down my blog, then placing me on a terrorist watch list and 2) I am pretty ignorant of the details. Apparently, there is a plume of underground pollution affecting the ground water in the area of what is now a car lot. And for years--lots of years--the EPA has been showing up like a Ghost Busters convention and walking around in strange white coveralls, drilling holes in the parking lot for test cores and running tests on this dirt that obviously is much more complex than what the forensics people do on CSI. Those guys on CSI can examine a dead body, determine what trace minerals are in the fingernails, and dig up another body from 62 years ago to perform comparative DNA tests--all in 58 minutes. The EPA has been looking at this dirt for at least 30 years. About a year of two ago they built this mysterious tank/pump/measuring/reporting apparatus behind the office of this car lot. It is all a very clinical "Area 51-looking" white. Then they erected a 6-foot fence around it so nobody can see what is there. It is all VERY mysterious. I eased by one day to read the sign on the door to area 51 and it says something about EPA re-mediation. Apparently, this system runs 24 hours per day pumping water from deep underground, cleaning it somehow and pumping it back. Again that is probably a very south-Alabama explanation because I went to the EPA website and quickly decided I did not have 6 years to sort through how this system works.

"So what?" you say. "So what?" says I. Until today. When I noticed this sign on the grass next to area 51.

That is correct, ladies and gentlemen. You, the taxpayer, are spending multiple millions to clean up this "superfund site". But IF you feed the birds and IF they poop on the Area 51 fence, you WILL be charged with clean up cost. Now, those of you who know me best know already what a sign like this communicates to me. I can read the words, but what I really hear is "Roxy, I double dog dare you to throw some bread crumbs out here and see what happens." And I was leaning toward attempting it except for two things; 1) although I am behind this huge green fence and on somebody else's parking lot, they may have a security camera and already have tapped my bank account after running my tag number and 2) what if the clean up cost include more than washing bird poop off the fence--what if they tranfer the entire gazillion dollar cost of the superfund clean up to my checking account? I have overdraft protection, but how far will that go? I know what you are thinking; "Roxy, you are a little paranoid about all this Area 51, Big Brother is watching you stuff." You think so? Then explain to me how the property owner appeared like Casper before I could take the second photo? I DID, however, take the second photo. And it gives a broader view of this property, including the fence around Area 51. This gentleman did NOT like the fact that I was photographing his sign. He asked questions. He wanted to know who I am. He did not think "K" was a funny answer. In fact, he did not seem to think anything was funny. I quickly turned the tables and asked him questions. Let's just say we did not learn much about each other. We did learn this though, he does not see the humor in his sign and he now knows that I think it is HILARIOUS! Here is the wider photo of Area 51 with the warning sign. Be advised--if you have read this far, there may be a satellite reading your tag number right now.
Honestly, do you think some bread crumbs between the parking lot and this "top secret" fence is going to lead to a diminished view here?

Messin' With Sasquatch

2009-10-28T16:17:00.004-05:00

I have enjoyed the series of beef jerky commercials where practical jokers pull pranks on Sasquatch, only to get pounded by the beast. They remind me first of great practical jokes through the years. No, I am not telling those stories now. Secondly, they remind me of a backpacking trip a few years ago. Our group of hikers were taking in the sights from an observatory on a ridge along the Appalachian Trail. My brother called for me to bring the camera because a bear was attempting to raid a "bear-proof" garbage can. I ran to a dirt/gravel road just beyond where the creature was sighted and rounded the corner just in time to snap this photo. You may need to click on it to see it clearly.

Some of you who know me already are thinking I downloaded this from the internet or photoshopped it in some way. This is an actual photo I took with a Canon 35 mm film camera (before I discovered the wonderful world of digital). It has not been retouched or shopped in any way. I did have home-made venison jerky in my pocket, but it did not occur to me to attempt a prank. What do you think?

Sounds Good......

2009-09-10T11:43:00.002-05:00

"We have talked this issue to death. ... The time for talk is winding down."

Great speech. The truth is, the time for talk is BEFORE voting on an unbelievably expensive bill that, even with over 1000 pages, is ambiguous on many important issues.

Metric Century--check

2009-09-06T15:43:00.002-05:00

I survived and completed the metric century yesterday (100 kilometers=62 miles). It was a great experience that was different from anything I am accustomed to. My health was fine for the day--well, other than extreme fatigue and legs of lead later in the day. Since it was new to me and so much further than I have ever ridden, I was attentive to the stories of others who have "hit the wall" because of failure to take in enough food or fluids during the ride. I had little idea how much to eat before and during the ride so I decided to err on the side of eating too much. As a result, I spent LOTS of time at every rest stop munching on what was available and sipping Gatorade. It worked well except one problem at about 50 miles that I will tell you about. First, the odd beginning. I arrived plenty early to eat some breakfast and talk to a few riders before making last minute preparations to mount up. Those riding 100 miles were scheduled to depart at 7:30 and those riding 30, 55, and 62 miles were to leave at 8:00. Since I have never even attended, much less participated in such an event I made some assumptions that were not so accurate. I pictured a starting gun or horn with lots of cheering and clapping. Somehow, I missed the start of the 100 by being inside the church building where the event was hosted. Then I came out and calmly sat on a glider and watched folks come and go for a while because I was ready with time to spare. Enough time, it turned out, that I decided to maybe visit the men's room one last time. Upon returning from that trip at about 6 or 8 minutes til 8 I realized everybody was gone! Really. Everybody. Did I miss a trumpet or clap of thunder? As of this moment, I don't really know what happened. Apparently either their was an executive decision to leave early or the understanding is that everybody just pulls out when they get ready. Anyway, I was suddenly wandering around, not sure if I had fallen asleep and missed part of the day. So I quickly mounted up and decided I must be off (so to speak). No fanfare. Little confidence. And since this church is at an intersection, you ride out of the parking lot, ride about 50 yards and stop. At a red light. So far, not so hard. And not so exciting. In just a couple of minutes, though, I was spinning down the county road at 17 mph--just me and my Trek. Actually, another man pulled up at the light and we exchanged greetings. As I rode along, he quickly pulled up beside me and struck up a conversation. That conversation ended 36 miles later when he said "I think I will head back on this shorter route" and after an awkward, medium-speed fist bump he turned left and was gone. Alone again. Naturally. I had enjoyed the conversation with Ken and he made the miles go by faster. Really. Sure, it seemed faster because I had someone interesting to get to know (he works for Oracle as a trainer). But also, he was riding a little faster than I intended. Or was it me that was pushing the pace? I am not sure. I think we rode at his faster pace and lingered at the rest stops at my leisurely pace. I did not realize one negative effect of hanging out at the rest stops eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Gatorade would be to put me solidly in the back of the pack of metric century riders. Actually, I was very near the back from the beginning and only a few that arrived at the beginning point a few minutes after 8 started behind me. Ken and I passed a few folks every now and then as we rode along so I never gave much thought to where I was in relation to others. My goal was to ride 62 miles, not outrun anybody. I should have realized, however, that the people we were passing were riding the 30 or 55 mile route (they were together most of the way). Not only that, but the tough hills and sudden heat leading up to the rest stop at about 35 miles convinced LOTS of folks to revise plans. In fact, there were nearly a dozen folks strolling around at that rest stop for a long time. I finally realized that all of them had quit. They were waiting for a truck to transport them back to the start/finish. I saw one with a blow-out and heard on the ham radio at the rest stop that one had fallen with minor scrapes and bike damage. Many switched at this point from 100 to 62 miles or from 62 to 55. And I was tired, with only a few miles left before I had to decide whether to switch to the 55 mile route or continue on the 62 mile course. And my riding partner was peeling off to head back toward tomato sandwiches and ice cream. I decided to go on. About 5 miles later I decided that indeed, I must be off. The hills were tough and I moving slow at the top of each. Can there really be about 20 miles to go? Simple math is becoming difficult. The stretch from about 42 miles to about 50 miles is difficult to explain. Actually, it is difficult to understand. Something came over me like a mild version of the adrenaline crazed mother that picks up an overturned car to free her child. I began to ride the hills hard. I built lots of speed going downhill (28-33mph) and pedaled hard to maintain momentum as far up the next hill as possible before downshifting. I was feeling a little like a real cyclist. Until I spotted the rest stop know as "Margarita ville Rest Stop" at the top of a long hill. Vanity made desire to not be spent when I topped that hill. So I did not charge the hill. I attempted to ride a steady pace. And it climbed. And climbed. And my legs were screaming. And I realized that the wind was not really rushing past--that was my breath as I exhaled and panted. But I made it up and managed with great effort to un-clip my feet from the pedals. There, feet on the ground. I did not crash in front of all the volunteers. Then I realized what all the volunteers were gradually realizing. I was just standing there. In the road. Holding my bike. And a truck was coming. My mind very much wanted to move out of the road and into the shade but my legs were locked up. Cramps. Both legs, just above the knees and slightly inside were locked tight. I could not walk. Did I mention a truck was coming? A volunteer arrived at my side and asked if I was alright. "No. Cramps. Can't walk. Can you take my bike?" He did. Then I did my best impression of Tim Conway when he plays the old man on Carol Burnett's show and shuffles his feet without picking either one up. I shuffled about two feet to get off the road. Then a lady was at my side with a paper cup the size of a shot glass--I mean large communion cup. "Drink this, it will help." It was olive juice. Did you know that? I did not know that? In minutes, the cramps were gone. I had a few snacks, drank a concoction known as Gatorade Margarita with Gatorade and lime in a paper cup with salt around the rim. There were many offers of a ride but also assurance that I could take my time if I felt like cycling the rest of the way. There were about 12 miles left. Are you kidding? I am practically there now! So, I saddled up again after coming to the realization that I was the last metric century rider on the road and these folks were packing up. The 100 mile riders did not pass this way. The final 12 miles were not as tough as I expected and I had no more problem with leg cramps. In fact, during the last 3 or so miles I was riding at 17 or 18 mph much of the time. I had not been concerned about crashing at all until the final mile. Suddenly, I felt the need to mentally rehearse every move. I had to negotiate the intersection that was in sight of the finish without cramps or falling and certainly without pulling out in front of a car. Then the parking lot. "Excuse me. Sir, talking on the cell phone. You are walking right into me and I am exhausted." I think the words came out better, but I am not sure. Again, no fanfare. No applause. No cheering. But I had already cheered myself a mile up the road. I whooped and cheered like a little boy who had ridden a bike for the first time. I was proud of me. So, I signed in, received my t-shirt, had a tomato and bacon sandwich, and then an ice cream sandwich. In fact, they were small. So I had TWO ice cream sandwiches. I deserved it.

Two Birds

2009-09-04T21:36:00.002-05:00

Although I should be heading to bed, I have two needs pressing on me. And the saying "kill two birds with one stone" comes to mind. By the way, remind me to tell you the story of my little brother throwing a rock at a quail and killing him when we were kids. But this is not really about killing birds. It is about (1) my failure to post on this blog for an ENTIRE MONTH and (2) how my week is unfolding and the trepidation that is waging war on my steely determination. There are several excuses for not posting in so long but the main reason is facebook. I have become addicted to facebook. So many people interact with me so quickly that when I enter the house, I can hardly wait to see what notes I have received and what witty comments have been posted. Plus, one person bragging on my photo can carry me for a couple of days. In spite of my neglect, when I receive a weekly e-mail showing how many folks have stopped by to see if there is anything new on the blog I am both flattered and embarrassed. SO....anything I post is better than all the days I posted nothing. That is number one. Number two is that I have had a tentative plan for an adventure TOMORROW morning. It has been tentative for two primary reasons. First, I am crazy to think I am prepared to accomplish my goal under the best circumstances. Second, I am not experiencing the best of circumstances. The goal is a bicycle ride. I know, that does not seem like a very big deal. But it is a long bicycle ride. In fact, it is a 100 kilometer bicycle ride. I could wait while you go ask your teenager how many miles equals 100 kilometers, but I will just tell you. It is just over 62 miles. Maybe if you say it really fast, that doesn't sound like so much. But wherever you live, think of a town a little over 60 miles away and think about getting up EARLY Saturday morning to drive there. Now think about getting up early Saturday morning, gathering gear, mixing Gatorade, loading your bike, driving 40 minutes out of town, eating some pancakes with a bunch of young athletes, and THEN riding your bike 62 miles. Now, sooner or later somebody will read this that rides 50 or 60 miles EVERY Saturday. Yes, people really do that. Those people will be riding 100 miles tomorrow. And for many of them it will be a 6 hour party. That is partly how I envisioned it also. Actually, I envisioned making the leap from a 30 mile solo ride to a 50 mile organized social ride. Then the 50 miler became a 55 miler and I decided to just add another 7 and make the metric century. It sounded reasonable at one time. It really did. Of course, when you envision yourself tackling a challenge like that, you always picture the strong, healthy version of yourself. That is not the version that has shown up this week. No, I have not had the swine flu. Nor any kind of flu. And I have not been really, really sick. Not even enough to complain about--except to LaWanna. And I hate to do that because I know a lecture about sugar consumption is coming. That, of course, depresses me and I begin to crave comfort food--like a Snickers bar. So this week has been one of....let's just say some amount of digestive distress and leave it at that. Not the kind of thing you really want to deal with approaching a huge physical challenge. I have only run once this week and have not been on my bike at all. That is frightening. And I put off registering for the ride because.I.just.was.not.sure. Well, as of 8:00 tonight I am registered at number 186 in the Jim Glassner Memorial Autumn Challenge Metric Century. Jim Glassner was a Montgomery doctor that had been active in the local cycling community until he was struck and killed by an automobile in 2001. The bike club has hosted century rides for about 30 years, but renamed it in Jim's honor after his death. It is just now 10 p.m. and I need to get some sleep and hope I guess correctly on solid and liquid fuel for the day tomorrow. If I stay healthy, it will be fun. The club does a great job with support and rest stops which is so much better than just taking off for 62 miles by yourself. That is the attraction. With others attempting the same--many for the first time--and seasoned riders cheering you on and encouraging you--really pulling for you to succeed, it is a great time to do more than you could do alone. Stay tuned. By the time you read this, I may have already posted a sad tale or, hopefully, a triumphant victory. Thanks for reading and thank you for checking in. I will try to post more in the future. Really.

How Can That Be True?

2009-07-28T13:58:00.002-05:00

Is it possible? It just does not sound right. I had to check several sources. Apparently it is, in fact, true. Pete Seeger is 90 years old! So what, you say? Well, just because most of the readers of this blog are about one third that age you have little idea who Pete Seeger is. Maybe you have no idea who Pete Seeger is. He is know as a singer/songwriter and I appreciate him most for writing the song "Turn, Turn, Turn". Of course, that song is mostly plagiarized from Ecclesiates 3 but that is why I like it. And you know the version that was sung by the Byrds in the 60's. Seeger also wrote the hippie hit "If I had a hammer". Surprisingly, that song was actually written in the early 50's. PBS is airing a special in segments that boasts many musical giants paying tribute to Pete Seeger. It is worth checking local listings and putting on your schedule. Really? He is 90?

National Health Care

2009-07-24T14:14:00.002-05:00

Whew! There is a lot of talk about health care. As with most topics that involve billions of dollars, various groups are pushing their agenda by getting the word out--often without much regard for the truthfulness of those words. I may add my opinions on some aspects of various proposals later. For now, I just want to present a quote from an e-mail I received today;

"President Obama made one thing clear this week in a televised press conference focused on health care reform: "There is a cost to doing nothing." What's the cost of maintaining the status quo? It's the guarantee that over the next 10 years more people will lose their health insurance while health care costs for everyone else doubles and the federal budget is consumed by the rising costs of Medicare and Medicaid."

I am skipping the debate on the "cost of doing nothing" and the manifold debates on insurance. What jumped out at me--and I posted in bold for you--is the assertion that "the federal budget will be consumed by the rising costs of Medicare and Medicaid".

If that is true, please explain to me how the solution is to place the entire population on a nationalized plan similar to what Medicare and Medicaid presently provides for the elderly?

That sounds like my cousin, Skip, from Doles, Georgia that was buying watermelons by the truck load and selling them next to the highway. He was buying melons for $2 apiece and selling them for $1.50. After a few loads, he realized he was loosing money. He finally realized he would only make a profit if he dealt in a larger volume. So he sold his truck and bought a larger truck.

Does anybody else see the similarity?

A Tale of Two Memorials

2009-07-07T15:32:00.002-05:00

There were not thousands of police officers assigned to control the crowd and quickly handle trouble. There were no television crews, no cameras, and twitter was not overloaded during the memorial service. The service went about as expected for the quiet 93-year-old homebody that passed from this life on July 3. Her funeral service was Monday. The crowd was small and subdued. The speaker hid his feelings of inadequacy well.

The memorial held the next day in a huge, modern building was packed with media and celebrities as well as ordinary folks who won the lottery to gain a ticket for admittance. What those lucky few witnessed was great, classy, well-orchestrated entertainment. I saw some of it on one of the many channels that carried it live. Really, it was a great show and I understand the tremendous draw that the famous, wealthy, and noticeable hold for those of us who are none of those things.

Why would I care to compare these two memorials? Some of it is personal. I was the one attempting to comfort the family of the lady whose funeral was Monday. The family did not expect many to attend because Mrs. Edna had outlived most of her friends and all of her siblings. That expectation proved accurate. I feel compelled to comment on the comparison because anyone who attempts to restrain or qualify the rhetoric and near worship of Michael Jackson will probably be labeled either racist or narrow-minded for believing any of the "unproven" reports of pedophilia. Let me be clear; I have enjoyed Michael Jackson's music since I was in high school (when he first began as the cute kid with the Jackson 5). I think he was a savvy entertainer and his quirkiness contributed to his draw. He first rose above his neighbors and peers, then far outshone his siblings. Many are calling him the greatest entertainer ever to live. That can be debated--and will--but not by me. Perhaps he was. In fact, to make my point I will just concede that he is, indeed, the greatest entertainer ever. The purpose of this post is not to question his credentials as an entertainer. He was powerful and his influence was widespread. I just can't bring myself, though, to accept all that is being said now. Have you read of the family in Stockton, California that believes an image of Michael appeared on a stump in their yard the day he died?

"I was standing by that bush, and I looked up and saw that image here," Garcia told CBS.
Many people in the crowd who gathered to look at the stump on Sunday afternoon saw the resemblance, but why would Michael Jackson appear instead of a religious figure, or even any of the other celebrities who recently passed away?
"Because Michael Jackson was an icon to us," said one neighbor.
"To Stockton, Michael Jackson meant more to us than Jesus, to some people. I think they're both about even."

See? That is the part that bothers me. Not that Michael Jackson is appreciated, but that some now think he meant more than Jesus--or was about even with Him. Lest you think that is an isolated weirdo that wants to make money from a stump, check one of the many, many videos that will soon be available of the memorial service and listen to what Al Sharpton had to say. Wow! Suddenly, I realize that Michael was not really an entertainer. He was in fact a change agent. He was responsible for societal change that allowed Oprah to be on TV and Obama to be elected president. Mr. Sharpton went on to assure Michael's children that their father was not strange--what went on around him was strange, but he dealt with it. Nothing was said about the ex-wives or the children that slept with Michael. That is appropriate for his memorial service. It is NOT appropriate that average men and women in the workplace and around kitchen tables can not be honest about the life of an individual because he has celebrity status. Please understand, I don't think he should be held to a higher moral standard because he became famous. He could not help the family he was born into. He had little choice about how his early life unfolded. MJ had little chance of ever having a "normal" life. I pity him for that. My concern is that we are drawn to recast a life of indulgence and narcissism in a way that makes a pop star seem larger than life itself and above all moral standards. Have we arrived at that place--where if you are flamboyant and entertaining enough, we will overlook any bizarre and immoral behavior you choose, while overlooking the simple, Godly men and women that go about doing the best they can?

Tour de France

2009-07-07T07:14:00.002-05:00

I am very impressed with Lance Armstrong. His story is well-known; rebounding from cancer to win the Tour de France an unprecedented 7 times, raising millions for cancer research and treatment, and now coming out or retirement to compete in the Tour de France again. Yesterday, he moved from 10th place to 3rd by using his experience to evaluate the riders and conditions before making a strong decision that scored a huge psychological victory. It is interesting to note that even while Lance creates discussion of whether he is the greatest rider on the tour, his team, Astana, has not even decided if he is the best rider on the team. There are three weeks of racing left and probably lots of drama as well. For now, I am sharing a photo from last year's Tour de France that really is worth 1000 words. Remember, many of the daily stages are well over 100 miles meaning that riders are on the bikes for hours. Have you ever thought about how professional cyclists riding hard for 5 or 6 hours in bike shorts deal with the need to........relieve themselves? Well, it is just a fact of life that must be dealt with. Here, in one photo, that question is answered for you. Relax, it is PG-13 rated. The photo answers some questions but creates others. All things considered, I find lots of humor in this photo.

2009-07-02T17:00:00.001-05:00

The Declaration of Independence Simplified

We are about to do something drastic and rare in human history. This document sets forth our justification to the world.
The Laws of Nature created by Nature's God give any people the right to undo political ties binding them to another nation, and to take their own separate place among earthly powers as full equals. This is the case because the Creator made every person equal, and gave certain permanent rights to them all. These include the rights to live, to be free, and to pursue happiness. All this is so obviously true that it needs no proof.
The reason for government is to make these rights secure. The only rightful power a government has is power that the people give it. Because government exists to preserve the peoples' rights, if a government begins to destroy those rights the people may change that government, or they may do away with it altogether and form a new government designed to make them safe and happy.
People generally realize that they ought not to change old governments without good reason. In fact, most people put up with bad governments longer than they should. But when a government finally starts turning its people into slaves, the people must throw out that government and form a new one to do what governments are intended to do.
We have now reached that point with the King of England, who insists on turning us into his slaves. As evidence supporting this charge, the world can consider the following facts. [The Declaration then details 27 specific things that the British King is doing or is refusing to do which demonstrate his true intent.]
With all this in mind, we ask the world's Supreme Judge to weigh our motives. And now, by the authority of the colonists whom we have been chosen to represent, we officially declare ourselves separate from all connections with the British government and free from the authority of the British King. Instead, from this moment, we declare that these united Colonies are free and independent States, with all powers proper to such States.
We firmly rely on Divine Providence to protect us in making this Declaration. Together as one man, in its support we stake everything we own, our treasured reputations, and our very lives.

Reproduced from gracEmail, copyright 2009 by Edward Fudge and used by permission.

Fire Safety

2009-07-02T09:07:00.002-05:00

Unemployment is up. House values are down. There is a lot of uncertainty. Most of us have considered cutting back on unnecessary expenses. That is understandable and may be wise in some areas. But please, please do not cut back on the tools needed to ensure the safety of your family. You may be thinking that expensive fire alarms are just not in your budget. But there is a solution that will allow you to protect those you love and not destroy your budget. If you need step-by-step instructions, please e-mail me. But I suspect this picture will be sufficient.

Training and such as....

2009-06-17T14:48:00.002-05:00

I wonder if Ms. South Carolina can find that on a map?

Goodbye to you

2009-06-15T16:23:00.001-05:00

This song was written by a friend of my daughter's fiance' and I thought it was good enough to share. I will let it speak for itself.

Happy Camper?

2009-06-01T16:31:00.003-05:00

In a couple of days I will be a happy camper in the mountains of north Georgia (although not literally camping). Today I am not a happy camper. Really I don't get frustrated very often. But today I have spent the entire day at the local Goodyear franchise and feel like I need to tell on somebody! I went prepared to be a while, having the oil changed and tires balanced in preparation of traveling in a few days. I have had a "bump" in my tires for a few weeks that needed attention. Since I bought the road hazard and lifetime balancing, I should have already taken care of it, but hate the waiting. It was getting pretty bad now and needed attention before hitting the highway. There was a plan; drop the truck off with an explanation about the anti-theft system (Please write this down--you can't start the truck without it), walk over to Eastdale Mall while the tires were balanced (and look, an oil change is $19.99), eat at the food court, walk in the air-conditioned mall a while, sit in a comfy chair and read, walk back to the Goodyear store, and drive home happy. Few dollars, road ready, and a casual day. First, I was "sold up" to the $34.95 "high mileage" oil change, so there is that nagging feeling of donating extra. Then (skipping forward FOUR HOURS!) I am standing in the store after debating with the manager, calling Goodyear customer service, getting a lukewarm concession, then having my logic insulted again. Here is the deal--without pages of details. The bump-wobble was not a tire-balance problem, it was a tire separating. The plies inside the tire were separating and bunching up. To be fair, I have had the tires almost 5 years. I drive the truck about 10k miles per year so they had just under 50K miles on them, which is not bad. HOWEVER, all the tires except this one still had about half the tread on them. They were far from worn out--on the outside. This is when my jaw dropped. The manager of the store said "Tires are just not made to last five years." He was not talking about tread wear. He was referring to those frightening videos you have seen about "old" tires being sold as new only to separate and blow out. So he used scare tactics to sell me a new set of tires. Get this though; these tires were manufactured in 2003! I bought them in 2004. So he is saying if your grandmother drives 20 miles per month, in five years she needs a new set of tires because they deteriorate that quickly. I could not believe it. The customer service folks offered a slight discount on new tires. When I asked him if there would be a problem with keeping the damaged tire, he said "No, I have to send that to the factory for them to inspect." What? If they all wear out in 5 years, why do they need to look at this one? Here is where I found my assertiveness; after deciding to replace only the damaged tire, he began adding up the extras which included $3 for "tire disposal". I don't think so. I suggested he just sit in in a corner and at the rate of decay, it would be gone by Christmas. Then I suggested he put it in the bed of the truck and mount my spare on the front. Now I am waiting again while my two new front tires are being mounted at Sam's Wholesale Club. Did I save any money by refusing to do business with Goodyear? No. In fact, it will cost me a little more at Sam's but I will not give them the satisfaction of being just another brainless customer who thinks he has no choice. When they go the way of Chrysler and General Motors I will drive by and honk the horn. That should be enough, but there is more. Remember that $34.95 deluxe oil change I agreed to? $49.95! Yep, turns out they had no idea my truck held 6 1/2 quarts of oil--plus, of course, the oil disposal fee and multiple taxes.

So....I know many of you will read this and say "I just wish for once I could get five years out of a set of tires." But see, I get mine balanced. I check and inflate them regularly. I drive gently (most of the time). And I don't drive that many miles because we have three vehicles. I guess the good news is, you can go ahead and spin the tires all you want! The tread is not what you should worry about wearing out first anymore. No need to inflate them

Car Dealers, Unemployment, and Politics--Oh My!

2009-05-29T09:05:00.003-05:00

First, thank you for reading past the title. Many folks see the word politics and keep moving. Second, I acknowledge that I am not a politician, not proficient at macro-economics, and have limited experience with business. So basically, my opinion on this matter doesn't matter much.
But I will express my opinion anyway and the beauty of a blog is that you can choose to read and agree or read and disagree or just not read.

The question driving this post is this; "How does closing multiple automotive dealerships help Chrysler and General Motors reach their goal of profitability?"

Again, I confess ignorance of the structure of franchise agreements between manufacturers and dealers. More knowledge there might answer some questions. If GM owned the dealerships and the costs of keeping one open were higher than the gross profit, then closing would make sense. But GM does not own the dealerships so even if a dealer is loosing money every year, how does that hurt GM? GM does not pay the utilities for that dealership and whether it takes the dealer 3 days or 27 months to sell a car does not matter much to GM--except selling faster means ordering more sooner. All that is not even relevant though, because most of the dealerships that are being closed are, in fact, profitable. Many have been owned by a family for generations and those families have made a comfortable living. Why then would you want to close thousands all at once? Some fuzzy math has been proposed by those who desire to follow the model "foreign" auto-makers use. Toyota, Nissan, and Honda all have fewer dealers and sell more cars per dealer. Toyota is nearly four times as many per dealer. If you have driven cars a few decades, you don't need an MBA to realize those numbers are not a result of dealer density nearly as much as quality and price considerations. The big three have come a long way in quality and service--because they have been forced to by the imports. Of course, imports are not imports any longer. They are now made in the USA because it was cheaper to build factories here and pay higher wages here than to pay the outrageous taxes levied on imports to protect the big three. Again, you don't have to be a Political Science major to know that the big three spent lots of money to get politicians to pass legislation to "level the playing field". That means we paid more for Toyota's, etc. but were willing to buy them anyway because they were just better for years.
So how does that connect to the dealer closings? Follow the money. The big three charged more for cars because the cost to build them were higher. The cost were higher because of three words--UNITED AUTO WORKERS. Yes, I know the executives make crazy salaries and get all the press. But blue collar workers are making six figure incomes--not just for high skilled labor, but for operating a fork-lift or cutting grass. Why does this continue? Follow the money. The UAW learned long ago that money spent on congressional candidates--almost always democrats--was money well spent.
Now this disturbing information is coming to light;
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Furor-grows-over-partisan-car-dealer-closings-46261447.html
This link is to a lengthy article with links to other related articles that paint a frightening portrait of a national government taking control of the largest industries in the nation and forcing them to close dealerships based on.................political affiliation? Can that be true? There will certainly be much, much more written on this topic and clarifying details will emerge over time. Granted, the fact that 90 % of the dealers marked for closure contributed to republicans does not itself prove anything. Likely, 90 % of these and other small business owners contributed to republicans--which would mean that probably a similar portion of those remaining open did as well. Maybe. But there is more. When you add that the "car czar" Steve Rattner is married to Maureen White, former national finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee the direction of flow begins to become more apparent. The reality that no politician will touch is that the UAW has something like 120,000 working members and nearly half a million retired workers. The benefits, especially health care for these retirees are a staggering cost that dwarfs the salaries of executives. What is happening to these companies is coming to Social Security and other areas of our economy based on simple math. To force others in the industry into the unemployment line will not help. One more fact from the linked article; RJL-McLarty-Landers has a chain of dealerships, none of which are being closed while their local competitors are being closed. So what? These dealerships are owned by three men; Steve Landers, Thomas "Mack" McLarty, and Robert Johnson. McLarty is the former Cheif of Staff for President Clinton. Robert Johnson is the founder of Black Entertainment Television and owner of NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. McLarty campaigned for Obama in 2008 and Johnson has contributed boatloads of money to democrats. Coincidence?
Does that sound like crazy, conspiracy talk to you? Fine, then you explain how closing these dealerships and reducing the retail outlets that spend their own money to advertise, sell, and service cars will help GM and Chrysler? And why doesn't Chrysler and GM just tell the dealers and the public the criteria used for determining which dealerships will be closed? I heard Susan
Shines interview on radio yesterday and she certainly is not happy with the forced closing. Her family has made money for years with a large dealership and she would like answers.
It certainly appears that the strong-arm politics of Chicago have arrived in Washington. And just because closing dealerships does not affect you directly, don't think the next wave will not.

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T09:12:00.002-05:00

As with most of you, Memorial Day was another great opportunity to visit with family, eat more than health requires, and enjoy the freedom to go and come however I desire. Sometimes I forget to say "thank you" as I should to those who work and sacrifice to provide and protect my freedoms. As a small tribute, here is an animated film (about 10 minutes) that was created by Harding College (now Harding University) in 1948. It addresses threats to our freedoms that arise from within our borders rather than from other countries. The threats were very real half a century ago and are largely being realized today. See what you think;

What was THAT about?

2009-05-21T21:35:00.003-05:00

This is a 10 minute video. Please watch it.

http://vodpod.com/watch/1165857-walk-on-espn-video

It appears to be about golf. It is not.
It seems to be about parental love. Not really.
Maybe it is about setting goals or perseverance.
But I really think it is about becoming an individual.
When I watch the emotion in DJ's face as he wants to explain why he does not watch himself on TV, I feel the embarrassment and shame of those times I didn't do it right. You know the feeling, when you realized you look different or can't keep up.

I have been thinking about a bike ride. It would be the ride of the century. Okay, the ride of A century--100 miles in a day. Here is the thing; most of my friends and family think it is a crazy idea. It would take lots of time and effort--for what? What does it prove? Nobody will mistake me for Lance Armstrong, even if I wear the Livestrong jersey. No, I am much thicker in the middle and white as snow on the top. I don't even look like a cyclist. It is very hard to understand, but the goal is not to be good or great compared to Lance or anybody else. The goal is to be great compared to me. Just like DJ's goal is not an "official event" and may not mean much to someone else, each of us needs goals that stretch us to step out on faith in an attempt. Not an attempt to "go where no one has gone before". Just to go where you and I have never gone before. Would reaching that goal just lead to dreaming up something else? Maybe. Hopefully. What changes do you think DJ experienced during 2008? He made many contacts and established friendships because people noticed that he was attempting something that was great--for him. "Cast your bread on the water for you will find it after many days."
09/05/09 is my target date.

What Now?

2009-05-09T08:00:00.003-05:00

Most readers of this blog are close friends or family and are very aware that I recently retired from the Postal Service. Most of you were tired of hearing about that transition long before it arrived. And most of you know that I have committed time to think about, talk about, and pray about what direction I should choose for "what I do when I grow up". Part of that consideration is the possibility of earning a Ph. D. for the learning and to become more marketable in the higher education arena. While weighing the pros and cons of spending that much money and time at my age to prepare for a limited remaining number of "productive work years", I seek to talk to folks with a variety of perspectives. Then this morning I see this;

Just call her 'Dr. Dolly': Parton receives Ph.D.

Are you kidding me? Short, busty, country singer Dolly Parton has a Ph. D.? Apparently, the University of Tennessee has awarded an honorary doctorate to Dolly for her work in humanity and the arts. Her contribution to the music world is widely known. Most may not know that she gives away LOTS of money. She gives books to 500,000 kids every month until they start school. That is pretty impressive. What was her response to the doctorate? She said that now when people refer to her as "Double D", it will have a different meaning. I like that she is not afraid to make fun of herself, including her figure which certainly has contributed to her success.
This will be good ammunition for teasing UT fans--so be prepared Dale Gentry.

So, what is the take away for me? Well, I have long known that people who knew me as a bare-footed kid running around the dirt roads of south Georgia would be shocked to think of me as Dr. Roxy. But really, is that more strange than Dr. Dolly. I can hold my own arguing that it is not. Thanks, Dolly. Tell Kenny Rogers I said hello.

Tuesday Night

2009-05-07T03:23:00.002-05:00

Tuesday nights have always seemed special to me. As a kid, the only hour of the week that our family had "appointment TV" was Tuesday night when Red Skelton came on. For the past three years, Tuesday nights have meant working as a counselor in the Pre-Trial Diversion program for the District Attorney's office. The work is very rewarding and seems like part of what I was meant to do. Tuesday night, March 10, seemed normal until 9 p.m. when we are usually finished "debriefing" among the counselors. That night I had a lengthy conversation outside the building with one of my fellow counselors. I got home around 10--about an hour late. LaWanna goes to bed at 9 like clockwork so when she was still up in the den, I knew something was not right. She said she had some bad news. Possibilities quickly flashed in my mind. The news she had was not something I had considered. At Laura's check-up that day, the doctor could not find the baby's heartbeat. After praying and trying so many things, after deciding on adoption and sending in a down payment, after finding out she was pregnant, after passing 13 weeks, after thinking about job changes and how a baby was going to impact their lives and ours--their baby was no longer alive. I was hit with a wave of concern for Laura and guilt that I was not immediately there to hug her. Since they left the doctor's office late and called after arriving home, I had left the house for the evening. Not knowing, I stood and talked--which kept LaWanna up waiting to share bad news. I felt bad for LaWanna. I felt bad for myself. I felt bad for Baron. Mostly, I felt bad for Laura. Why, God? I had just left dozens of unmarried, unprepared, unfit mothers who had baby after baby that they could not parent properly. And this strong, Godly man who has spent his life encouraging young people, and this pure, smart, funny woman of God who wanted to raise a child to know and love God lost a baby that was precious to them. Why? I want to know. I NEED to know. So for two months I have been processing this as I watch my amazing daughter think, pray, and write about what it has meant to her. I have watched sweet, loving friends encourage her and wrap arms around her literally and figuratively. Then last night several thoughts converged that may explain why I can't sleep and am writing at 4 a.m. After Bible class, I walked up the hall to visit with Laura and Baron as they stood with a circle of close friends; Brett, Judy, and Ashley--Jamin had just left to chase kids. Judy is "great with child"--her first. And Ashley is expecting her third. Laura is very happy for them and I am very happy for them. They, of course, hurt for Laura. Still, it is difficult to go through the months with your pregnant friends and all the anticipation when you have had to "drop out". I still hurt for Laura. I re-read her original post about the doctor visit tonight and cried again. And again. Not for me. Not for the unborn baby. Just for Baron and Laura. It is not the same for Baron or any expectant dad as it is for the mother. But I know he hurts for Laura and loves her enough that he would do whatever he could to take away her pain. Baron is a good, strong, Christian man and I am thankful that he is Laura's husband. I could not ask for a better person to help her through a difficult time.

The other thoughts from last night originated in our study of I Samuel and later from a conversation I had with LaWanna as she was hoping to go to sleep. I will not re-tell the story of Saul as the first king of the Jews and God's decision to replace him with David. As that story slowly moves toward the inevitable conclusion, Saul eventually becomes angry with his son Jonathan for defending David. In I Samuel 20:30 Saul expresses his anger by calling Jonathan's mother unflattering names. Then in verse 31 he says "For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom." That was it. That is why Saul clung to the crown and refused for so long to accept what God had decreed. He had planned the rest of his life and his son's life with the assurance that they would always be the kings. God had promised that--if Saul obeyed and in Saul's mind he had. It did not seem fair and it was not what he had planned.

That is where I have been. It does not seem fair for Baron and Laura, of all people, to loose their baby. It is not what we had all planned. This was going to be the most fun pregnancy ever. Laura was going to be 5 months pregnant at the extended family vacation at Vogel. She would quit her job in late summer. She had already told them. Baron and Laura would incorporate the baby into their elaborate halloween costumes. We would have a baby to spoil at Christmas. It was all planned out. But for whatever reason, that was not God's plan. God's plan is better. I wish I knew what it is. I feel like I NEED to know. But I don't really. What I really need is to realize that 20% of pregnancies ending in a miscarriage means that an amazing 80% result in live births. The fact that God provides that and we take it for granted is what is not fair. The fact that I make ANY plans for June, November, and December and assume that God owes me that time and all things continuing is not fair.

I love you, Laura. I love you, Baron. You are both doing great. I am extremely proud of you both. I don't know how well I have said these things to you personally, but I should have written it here sooner. Now maybe I will feel more like writing about the fun things and silly observations of the day.

Ol' Man Wishum

2009-04-06T08:03:00.003-05:00

One of the great events for me during the overwhelming mont of March was a retirement party given to me by my co-workers. This party comfortably filled the Silver Spoons Catering facility in downtown Montgomery. It was a great event from my perspective and I can't tell you how much it meant to me for so many to spend $23 for a meal and to see me made fun of. There were a few from my past life in the Montgomery Post Office and the retired supervisor and her husband from Wetumpka also attended. It also meant a lot for my supervisor, Ken, his wife, and daughter to attend. Interestingly, when Ken went through the Associate Supervisor Training program, I was his on-site trainer. So I got to train the supervisor I worked for during my final years at the USPS. All my kids and spouses/boyfriend were there as was my mother-in-law. Of course, LaWanna was there as she has been by my side, cheering, through the entire transition. It was so much fun! My good friend, Jimmy Rushing, served as master of ceremonies and did an excellent job. He had secretly contacted LaWanna for several of my more embarrassing stories from 37 years of postal service. Some liberties were taken with the telling, but it was very funny. One of the highlights for me was the presentation of a framed certificate that proclaimed I am now an "Honorary Rural Carrier". For those unfamiliar with the strange world of the USPS, rural carriers and city carriers are two separate species. Rural carrier's routes are evaluated each year and they are paid "evaluated times" whether they hustle and finish early or goof off and work late. So if they want to visit and laugh in the office, no supervisor runs to crack the whip. For city carriers, every minute wasted is money wasted so any talking or unproductive time get attention immediately. Because of these differences, I would often say "I should have been a rural carrier" when I would hear laughter and loud conversation from their end of the office. Now I am one--sort of. Another great feature of the part was rural carrier Michon and her husband and daughter dressed in formal evening wear singing throughout the evening. The family in involved in musical theater often and did a great job. I really appreciate the amount of work that night and for many nights leading up to it. One of the songs was a re-write of Old Man River. The version they sang had to be written by a USPS insider, but Michon's husband protected her career by declaring that HE wrote it and she had NOTHING to do with it. Get the tune for Old Man River in your mind and check these lyrice;

The part was fun and ended with the hosts having LaWanna and me swept away in a stretch limo. Actually, that was not the end for me. My generous co-workers gave me a gift card to Bass Pro Shops and on Wednesday of last week (my first day of retirement) I used it to purchase a shotgun for turkey hunting. Thanks Wetumpka friends!

DOPPLER

2009-04-04T16:32:00.004-05:00

I am a fan of DOPPLER. You have seen it. If you live in central Alabama, you have seen it a lot in the past few weeks as Rich Thomas explained signatures indicating possible rotation. Doppler is the newest version of RADAR--RAdio Detection And Ranging. What the National Weather Service uses is WSR-88D from Weather Surveillance Radar--1988 Doppler. That and LOTS more basic info about radar can be found on the NOAA website. The reason I have been reading some of that is to check out some information I heard in a storm spotters class week before last. This is one of the many activities that filled my March to overflowing. I regretted that the class was on a Tuesday because I had to miss a night of counseling at Pre-Trial Diversion, but when I learned of a class in Wetumpka I knew it would be worth the time. Although the class is called Advanced Storm Spotter, most of the information is fairly basic. I did learn some about storm formation and intensity that will be useful. The reason I am writing this goes beyond telling that I went to the class and being silly about spotting a storm EVERY day since. And it is not intended to be instructional about radar. But when I went to verify some information from the class, I learned a lot about radar that I had not known. The bit of information that really struck me was the rate of sending and receiving information. As the radar antenna turns, it emits extremely short bursts of radio waves, called pulses. Each pulse lasts about 0.00000157 seconds with a 0.00099843-second "listening period" in between. The transmitted radio waves move through the atmosphere at about the speed of light. Some of you are much smarter than me and the impact of those number may hit you immediately. For me, though, these tiny fractions are akin to the billions and trillions the government is spending and giving away. If I can't envision a number of balls, coins, or widgets to represent the number, I can get lost in the number of zero's. Here is another way of looking at it that helps and this is really what impacted me; when the time of all pulses each hour are totaled (the time the radar is actually transmitting), the radar is "on" for a little over 7 seconds each hour. The remaining 59 minutes and 53 seconds are spent listening for any returned signals.
Okay, I will wait while you go back and read that last sentence again. Radar--that amazing technology that enables us to see green, yellow, and red indicating rates of precipitation and also shows direction and speed of storms along with much, much more information we could not get any other way--works by transmitting 7 seconds per hour and listening 59 minutes and 53 seconds per hour. Wow, could this explain why I have trouble communicating with my wife, friends, and co-workers? Is this why I can't hear the voice of God in my life? This ratio is shocking to me! While I attempt to work in the direction of 50/50 talking/listening, the reality is probably closer to the reverse of what radar accomplishes. I am more inclined to transmit 59 minutes and 53 seconds and listen 7 seconds. Ummm, actually I don't think I am that bad--but listening takes work and requires a break in transmitting. Of course radar has to transmit and do it properly in order to have anything to listen to.
So that is the best lesson from my Advanced Storm Spotters class--and it was not directly from the class. Actually, I found it because I was checking on some poor communication by the instructor. So I was listening some. This is just one observation I wanted to share from my whirlwind March. I placed it here because the thoughts and observations about birthdays, retirement parties, relationships, an unborn grandchild, and life transitions relate to listening in a powerful way. Thanks for reading--leave a note so I know you were here.

"It Sounded Just Like a Train"

2009-04-01T08:16:00.003-05:00

The saying is "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb". Not so much for me this year. This has been, without doubt, the most busy, hectic, exhausting, exciting March of the 55 I have experienced so far. I simply can not believe how I have neglected the blogosphere. And it is difficult to believe that the traffic counter tells me so many of you still check in for a few seconds to see if there is anything new. Thank you and I apologize. Brace yourself as I spend much of April catching up. So much of March was spent living wide open that I simply did not have time to organize thoughts and record them here. It really has been so much like a tornado that I kept hearing the "freight train sound". The culmination was an 18 hour day that included my last day as an employee of the United States Postal Service. This post is just a quick note to begin the process of telling my stories of March Madness. Enjoy this picture of a crazy postal employee who took a sledge hammer to work on his last day (and made the postmaster a little nervous). We have used the term "hit the clock" for many decades and I decided that the last time I hit the clock should be with a little drama.

Thanks for not giving up on the blog and please come back over the next few days as I tell stories of my half-marathon, retirement party, thoughts on major life transitions and other funny happenings from the past crazy month.

Apology

2009-03-06T10:45:00.002-06:00

I am sorry the posts are so far apart these days. Thanks to those who keep checking in. Here are my two excuses--one good one and one pitiful one. 1) As I near the transition date of March 31 that marks the end of a 37 year career, I find myself cramming activities into every minute. I am loving it and having lots of fun, but recognize my weakness of committing to more than I can accomplish. This weekend may prove to be one of those times as I attempt to complete a half-marathon while sick, sick, sick. I will drive over to Americus, Ga. this afternoon, sleep in a different bed, and get up very early tomorrow to drive to Albany for the 7 a.m. start. Saturday afternoon will offer a few hours to relax with family and friends before driving back to Montgomery to "spring forward". Why do we continue to do that? That is another post for next week. Sunday will be a busy that begins early also. I could go on and on about the busyness, but you understand because you do it too. 2) The sad excuse is that I have been keeping up with folks and reconnecting with some via Facebook. Yes, I am one of the old guys that have ruined if for the cool kids. But it is fun and a quick way to upload a few pics from an event rather than taking time to write a post that make sense and wait for Blogger to upload photos. The impatience I experience waiting for uploads leads to another post I need to make. Maybe next week.

INTEGRITY

2009-02-06T08:49:00.007-06:00

I refused to rush to my computer to write about it. January 15 I watched along with much of America as the U.S. Airways passenger jet floated on the frigid Hudson River with 155 people standing on the wings--looking as if they were walking on water. By the time it was on the news (which was just minutes) ferries were already there. Harbor video shows the first ferry arriving about 3 minutes after the splashdown. "Miracle on the Hudson" it was called. Indeed an artist's rendering that circulated via e-mail showing giant hands and arms supporting the plane at the surface of the river helps one visualize God's probable involvement in protecting every passenger on the plane. A quick Google search will net you video of the crash and rescue. From there you can listen to the calm voice of Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger as he discusses options with controllers. He calmly and softly states at the end of the dialogue "negative, we will be in the Hudson." While he is having this conversation about a quick life or death decision for not only his own life, but all those on the plane and possibly many more unsuspecting civilians going about their daily tasks, he is busy about his job. He also has seconds to communicate with passengers and crew. Oh yeah, and he is also wrestling a massive airplane with no thrust. It doesn't look good. When he last communicates with the controller, it is 20 seconds before the plane hit the water. What then? Since the harbor video shows the life raft inflated and passengers climbing from the plane in exactly one minute from the crash, there could not have been more than a few seconds to compose, remove safety belts and begin the process of getting people off the plane. No time for pats on the back. No time for "What in the world?" Just time to do your job--now. This man not only kept his calm up until this point, but also took time to walk front to back twice to assure that every person was off the plane before he removed himself. Of course, he had no idea how fast the plane would sink. The quick arriving ferries safely shuttled all passengers and crew to the shore and minor injuries were treated. News crews arrived by the dozens and we all saw it over and over. But that is not the point of this post, because you all have already seen and heard most of that.

Probably, you have also heard by now that "Sully" made a call in the following days to the library. See, he had a checked out book in his luggage. He was concerned that he could not return it and found the number for the library and called to explain. The library understood. And a new copy of the book was donated in his honor. I have searched and searched for the name of the book but can not find it. Supposedly, it is a book on professional ethics. Is anybody surprised?

Now, I am going to use the nickname Sully as we are old friends--and I wish we were. I don't really know Sully or his circle of friends, but from what we have all seen I bet I would like most of them. If I were one of his veteran flying buddies you can count on a conversation like this over burgers on the patio; "Tell me, Sully why is it that all of us have logged hundred of hours of safe air time without so much as a 'thank you', yet you crash one airliner in the Hudson and suddenly you are a hero?" I feel sure this is a man that would take good-natured teasing well. In fact, he is probably more comfortable with that banter than with all the hero talk. Still, he is a hero. Not just for training himself to choose reason over emotion. Not just for the amazingly successful outcome of the crash landing. Not just for his humility. But also--and in my mind, mostly--because he has INTEGRITY! For a man who is suddenly a national hero and is pursued by many media outlets for interviews to have the humility and integrity to be concerned about his obligation to return a library book is encouraging anytime and startling in our time. As we watch daily a parade of prominent, popular politicians found to be cheating on taxes and abusing offices for personal gain, this man stands in stark contrast. I will not name them--you can name a dozen easily. Governors, senators, aspiring senators and on and on the list goes. {Side note; This is not a change I can believe in--nor is it a change.} In contrast to all these, Sully demonstrates simple responsibility amidst the media hoopla and regulatory circus that has disrupted his normal life. And what kind of book would he not be returning on time? A book on professional ethics! Just the fact that he is still learning and growing in the autumn years of his career is a testament and encouragement.

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor than silver and gold."
Proverbs 22:1

Captain Sully, I know your mother and father are proud. Oh, if only our "leaders" were more like you!

Just the facts, ma'am!

2009-02-05T11:48:00.003-06:00

"I wish the real world would stop hassling me!"

Please watch this 40 second video and tell me if it bothers you;

Hmmm. Really? 500 million per month are losing their jobs. Wow, I knew it was a lot because it is in the news every day. We better hurry and give away, like, a trillion dollars or something. Hey, wait a minute....there are only about 300 million people in the entire country! Where are the other 200 million? In the other 7 states that only Obama knows about? And are we ALL going to loose our jobs in a month? I am so confused by all these big numbers. Could it be that this is exactly the desired result? Apparently, the accuracy of the numbers really don't matter? Sure, Nancy, here is a trillion. I trust you to keep up with it and help those 500 million folks. Will that also be enough to stop global warming? Because I would be willing to throw in another trillion. If this global warming keeps up, I am going to freeze.

Good News

2009-02-01T06:48:00.001-06:00

I read this quote today and thought it was worthy of sharing;

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."

-- Michael Altshuler

Pomp and Circumstance

2009-01-22T09:59:00.002-06:00

Like many millions of Americans and others worldwide, I watched the inauguration of President Obama on Tuesday. Like most of those, I had a variety of emotions and thoughts. Not the least of these thoughts is that I am blessed to live in a country where racial perceptions have shaped much of our culture, but still the race that constitutes about 80% of the population elected and supports a member of a minority race that constitutes less than 20%. AND there was a peaceful, respectful transfer of power. Much credit has rightfully been given to Dr. Martin Luther King and many of his contemporaries for bringing us from a hateful, abusive environment to the one that exists today. The speeches and actions of Dr. King had an influence on me as a school-age boy growing up in the first forced-integration schools in the south. I grew up caught between white elders that resented the "trouble-makers" and my own growing perception that some of the treatment just could not be right. The events of this week cap a long transition that most young white and black citizens could not possibly appreciate fully. Because of these thoughts, I have been reluctant to forward e-mails (some funny, some not) that utilize racial stereotypes like spinner wheels on the limousines and purple suits on the secret service personnel. I want to make my best, honest effort to observe this president based on "the content of his character" and not the color of his skin. Besides, during the summer he is not that much darker than I am.

Having said all that, I want to address the goof during the administration of the oath of office. No, I don't want to join a conspiracy group claiming Obama is not really the president. And the stumbling over the words seemed to be primarily the fault of the chief justice who chose to recite from memory rather than read the oath. That choice is key to the point I wish to make. Why would you choose that? My contention is that only ego would drive that decision--an attempt to impress. There was lots of that on Tuesday. It would be difficult to suppress one's ego if selected to be part of the pomp and circumstance associated with the transition of power. In my opinion pride and ego was evident in most who had a public part, including the two that led prayers. Really? Is that a time for elementary rap? As most Americans know by now, the oath was administered again in private out of an "abundance of caution".

The two things that startled me during the inauguration were (1) the fumbled oath--which made me slide to the edge of my chair and say out loud "Are you kidding me?" although nobody else was in the room and (2) prior to that, the comment on the network I was watching that Obama had already taken office before the oath. Although I printed a copy of the constitution a few weeks ago (because I don't even remember taking a civics class) and have read over it some, I only learned since the slip-up that the presidents term begins at noon on January 20, but (depending on interpretation) the powers of the executive office are received after taking the oath. Obviously, the ideal is for the two to coincide. Can you imagine how many protocol experts were involved with planning and orchestrating this event? How would you like to be a civil servant tasked with keeping celebrities and politicians at the highest level on schedule? My question (from one who is ignorant of constitutional law) is; "Why in the world would you not schedule the events and maintain the order so that the oath is taken before noon--no matter what?"

My guess is that many who bother to read this far are saying "So what?" What does it matter if he gets the right words or gets them in the right order? What does it matter how much time elapses before he has the "legal" power of the president?

And here we are at my point. The oath itself is a promise to uphold the constitution of the United States. The importance of that can not be overstated. The reason we have an orderly transition of power is that wise leaders hammered out a process and wrote it down as part of our "constitution" (pun intended). Those few minutes were the reason millions stood in the cold for hours and countless millions more watched on TV. The assembly was not about Aretha Franklin or Yo Yo Ma or Joseph Lowery or Rick Warren. It was about fulfilling a constitutional requirement to replace the president of the United States. Words make a difference. Legal requirements matter. Good intentions and warm feelings can not replace doing what is required. May I add that great speeches, impressive intellect and warm relationships with celebrities can not replace doing what is required. I pray that President Obama will have wisdom and humility enough to do what is required to move our nation in the way it should go over the next four years.

Photoshop for Beginners

2009-01-21T06:06:00.002-06:00

Kudos to the folks at Adobe for branding Photoshop so well that the name has become a verb. No matter which software you use, people refer to the process of editing pictures as "photoshopping". Like most software there is a learning curve. You would expect those using these tools to create professional advertisements to be pretty good at it. Not necessarily. Check this ad for a photo processing business, of all things. How many photoshop problems do you see?

The big one for me is the creepy man's hand on mom's shoulder with no body attached. And what is that little girl looking at? Maybe it is the rest of daddy's body? I am no expert, but how does that little camera work? There is no viewfinder or screen. Do you just aim it in the general direction of what you want to photograph? The big question for me is this; how bad was the original picture?

Tagged

2009-01-17T20:56:00.002-06:00

So...I was tagged by my daughter, Laura. The instructions are to post the fourth picture from your fourth folder and describe it.

This is not one I would have chosen but it is the correct number. I spotted this oversize stuffed tiger in a dumpster at a trailer park near beautiful downtown Wetumpka, Alabama. It struck me as funny so I took several pictures, thinking it might fit an Auburn joke somewhere along the line. This year has been tough for Auburn and I did not want to pile on so I have not share the picture---until now. I am going to pass on the tagging. If you read this and would like to play, jump right in.

....so I got me a pen and paper....

2009-01-10T16:03:00.003-06:00

....and I made up my own little sign.....

What? She will only be here on Thrusday? Not even Firday?

See boys and girls--stay in school and study hard so you can be a Manger some day.

Time Passages

2009-01-09T20:26:00.008-06:00

I almost always have a camera with me these days. It is my modern version of Paladin--you know "Have Camera--Will Travel". Actually, if you are younger than 50, that probably doesn't make sense.
I passed one of those little dirt drives that I have noticed before and knew I would eventually explore. So I made a u-turn--I mean legally turned around--and drove up the drive to find this little gem.

I took several pictures of the front of this old house but intentionally chose this angle because it captured the interesting tree on the west end of the house and mostly because it showed the cell tower about 50 yards behind the house. Can you imagine explaining to the original occupants of this house what a cell phone tower is?

Even with the clutter and dilapidated condition of the house, this chair by the window looks like some old guy was just watching the Sun set and got up to feed the dogs before dark.

I wonder who looked out this door and tried to imagine how big the world is outside the house. What would they think if they could come back now?

This room made it obvious that somebody has used the house as home recently. The carpet remnants are neatly patched together to form insulation against the cold drafts. Is there a woman's touch here? Who is so estranged from family and friends that they need to sleep in this collapsing house?

The faux brick asbestos siding reminds me of the houses near Doles, Georgia where I first learned the joys of exploration. The first house I lived in had siding similar to this but it was a little higher off the ground. How far away do you have to be to think this is really a brick house?

Out back, old Blue's house is in about the same condition.

It was fun to poke around and take some pictures. This represents a departure from my "raisin". My parents taught me to respect other people's property. Not just refraining from taking what does not belong to you but staying off other people's property. We did not even cut across yards and my dad was quick to challenge those who came on his property uninvited. That was difficult for me to overcome when I began delivering mail in Capital Heights in the 1970's. Mailboxes by the door meant walking across EVERY yard and onto porches--even right past open windows. It tool a LONG time for me to feel comfortable with that and there were some embarrassing moments along the way. I am still respectful of private property and recognize that fences exist for a reason. My years and white hair have given me a look of trustworthiness that allows me to plunder within reason and I have the integrity to leave things as I found them. But I am becoming bolder about going places to look and take pictures. It is fun to me. This old house and its occupants will cross my mind several times over the next few days as I wonder what their life was like and what they would think about being in the middle of a fast growing city rather than out in the country. This morning I posted famous quotes. When I uploaded these photos to Facebook, I added a quote that will be famous some day; "If you never plunder or trespass, you are not a serious photographer." Remember, you heard it here first.

Groundhog Day

2009-01-09T08:49:00.005-06:00

"In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it."

-- Robert Heinlein, American Novelist

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."

Henry David Thoreau

"Do you ever feel like you wake up every day and it is exactly the same as the day before? Like nothing ever changes?"

Phil in "Groundhog Day"

Wow, nearly 37 years at the USPS is a lot like Groundhog Day. I've got to choose and define some goals before I die with my song still in me. Those who have heard me sing think that may be a good thing.

The more people I get to REALLY know, the more I realize how much courage it takes to choose a new direction and follow it with determination. And the more I respect and appreciate those few who do that boldly. So, I have to get off the computer now and go for a long run.

Auld Lang Syne

2008-12-31T10:48:00.008-06:00

I mumbled the words "auld lang syne" for many celebrations of the New Year before taking time to check exactly what I was saying. Apparently, the phrase is old Scottish that translates to "old long since" or what might be phrased today "days long gone" or "the good old days". Well, something like that. On this, the last day of 2008, I am fond of the phrasing "old long since". It brings to mind a stream of thoughts that have been recurring since last week when Laura, our middle daughter, returned from the bath off the guest room at my mom's house and asked "Dad, how long have you been shaving with that razor?" She was referring to this;

It is a double edge razor that my dad gave me when I was 12 or 13. Yes, I needed to shave at an early age. So the answer to her question was "a little over 40 years." Well, the answer stung me a little and she and the others among the third generation present thought it was funny that someone would have a simple tool so long. As we discussed it a little, I added that I did not know how old it was when I got it, but it certainly was not new. It was a short and fun conversation.

But the conversation continues in my head. There was something deeper that I could not put together on short notice. Gradually, it has occurred to me this week. This little tool represents more than a quaint method to trim whiskers. It represents the different perspective that generations hold about the passing of time, our place in the universe, and other generations. What?!? All of that in a razor? Consider this; most of the readers of this post will be near the age of my children and have never used or thought about such a razor. Not only that, the notion of keeping one half a century seems beyond ridiculous to them. Disposable plastic and electric razors are all they have ever known. I understand how archaic it must seem. Really, I do. To prove that my generation has struggled with the same thought process, check out these pictures;

It is a razor blade sharpener. That's right, not only have razors not always been disposable, the blades were not always either. Guess what? Neither were plates, cups, or diapers. They were all washed and used again and again. And not that long ago none of those things were washed by placing them in a machine and turning a knob. You had to go outside to a pump for water and heat the water on a wood burning stove. You are thinking this went on in the days of George Washington but you would be surprised how recently some areas did not have electricity and indoor plumbing. So pardon me if I chuckle when youngsters who missed the "ice age" talk of 30 years ago and can't imagine the economic depression of 80 years ago, try to educate me on global warming and carbon offsets. I have had a soft life compared to my parents and they had it easy compared to their parents, etc. The current young generation has had it easier than all so far. To most of us that is a good thing. But microwaves and disposable diapers and razors and fast-food containers that make life so easy bring a price.

This little poem did not originate with my parents, but it states what they taught me by example;

Patch it up

Wear it out.

Make it do

Or do without.

It is a change we can believe in.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere....

2008-12-30T21:06:00.002-06:00

Here are a few signs from beautiful downtown Wetumpka, Alabama that I thought were funny during this last week of 2008.

Now, what kind of wedding is it?

What? You are offering a REWARD for a bloodhound that can't find her way home? Maybe she ran away because you make her wear that pink harness.

And finally this; Note that spellcheck caught the mistake in spelling "changes" and that was "changed". But Lube and "Oir" change? $22:50 (is that a time or price) seems like a pretty good price for a lube and oil change, but if you can't spell "oil", should I trust you to be sure that little plug is snugly replace on the oil pan?

Christmas Photos-2008

2008-12-28T19:31:00.012-06:00

Santa gets all the publicity, but in our family Mrs. Claus gives the best gifts and cooks a scrumptious Christmas dinner. The ham and turkey were perfect, as always.

The dressing was even more delicious than beautiful!

After lunch we opened presents and a good time was had by all. Becky was stylin'. Anthony, Helen's boyfriend even remembered the pets!

Sometimes the wrapping is more fun than the gifts. Here Rachel "repackages" Russ.

This photo is not clear, but this is the reaction you hope to see.

After eating and ripping through our gifts, we all took a walk to work off some calories. Note the absence of jackets.

Everybody waits while Roxy explores deer sign in the neighbor's yard!

If blogger was not so slow uploading photos, I would share more. I liked this one of a male cardinal in mom's backyard snacking in the Bradford Pear tree. Note the partially eaten berry over his head and the piece still in his beak. Obviously, there was no white Christmas here in the sunny south but a great time to be with family and enjoy life. All together now "And a Cardinal in a pear treeeee!"

Thank you, Santa!

2008-12-28T15:43:00.003-06:00

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. Luke 17:15

This verse is from a short story in the gospel of Luke where Jesus happens upon 10 lepers who cry from a distance for mercy. He sends them to the priest and they are healed as they go. One turned back to say "thank you" and to praise God. Jesus asked "Where are the other nine?" I am afraid that 90% of the time I am in the 90% who forget to say "thank you".

I would like to do better.

So, thank you Santa. If you checked your list twice, I know you must have scratched some things out that I did this year. You must have overlooked LOTS of things I did not get around to doing this year.

Thank you, LaWanna. Your gift indicates that you are listening to my thoughts and dreams and the listening is the best gift you could give.

Thank you, Helen, Laura, Mark, Baron, Lindsay, Tata, Chris, Holly, and Skylar. Your willingness to participate in a new Christmas tradition of giving to others instead of exchanging gifts is encouraging and makes me a proud dad. Our gift will be a token amount compared to the great need of Cystic Fibrosis research, but every bit helps people like David live longer and enjoy Christmas with family.

Thank you, Keith. You are a great brother--in every sense of the word. Who else would drag me out for an early morning 5 mile run to work off the pralines? Thank you, Becky, Russ, and Grace for the great gifts that indicate you have been thinking about our family.

Thank you, Rachael for spending time with our crazy family and for preparing to become one of us THIS WEEK!

Thank you, Anthony for driving to Americus and back to Atlanta on Christmas day and tolerating our silliness in order to spend time with Helen. I hope we can spend some time together in a setting where we can get to know you better.

Thank you, mama! You are amazing! I wish I had inherited/learned more of your planning and list-making abilities. I do notice how efficient it makes you and although I am nearly grown, I still hope to learn to do better. Although you are the matriarch of our clan, you are the driving force of these gatherings. I know it takes lots of energy, money, and determination to prepare your great meals, provide such generous gifts, and cook the best candy in the world. Really, just the pralines are all you need to provide to have done a fair share. You serve as a great role model for me and the rest of the family by serving the way you do at an age where you deserve to sit back and be served. I feel guilty that you do so much, but you are too fast to be outdone. It is like being on a cruise ship--I set a dish down and when I turn back around it has been washed, placed in the dishwasher, and is being washed again.

And, of course, thank you, God. We are all healthy. We traveled safely. We all went back to jobs. We have people to love and who love us. Most of all, we can call you Father because you made it possible for us to have that relationship with you. Sometimes we thank Santa for gifts that come from you. Sometimes we thank each other for gifts that come from you. Much of the time we forget to say "thank you" at all. I am going to try to do better. It is a New Year's resolution. Again.

Put on the New Man

2008-12-17T17:06:00.002-06:00

The following lines are quoted from Dr. George Sheehan's book, "Running and Being".

"The people who think they know say that given a second chance a man will make the same mess of his life he did the first time. Playwrights and novelists over the years have never given us hope that reliving our lives would have any different result the second time around. Our scientists and psychologists seem to agree. Even such disparate thinkers as Bucky Fuller and B.F. Skinner are together on this. ""We shouldn't try to change people," wrote Skinner. "We should change the world in which people live." It is a thought Fuller often expressed.

Some, of course, take an opposing view. The people who deal in Faith, Hope, and Charity seem to think that one day is as good as another for changing your personal history. Philosophers since recorded time have recommended it. From Pindar to Emerson they have told us to become the thing we are, to fulfill our design, to choose our own reality, our own way of being a person. What they didn't tell us was how to do it, or how difficult it would be. When Paul said to put on the New Man, he reminded us of the unlimited potential of man, but the lives we lead constantly remind us of the obvious limits to this potential.

Clearly the Good Life is not as accessible as the books say. And yet it is not from want of trying that we have failed. We start our new lives with almost as much frequency as Mark Twain gave up smoking (thousands of times) and with about the same success.

Can tomorrow be the first day of the rest of our life? And can that life be completely different from the mess it is today? The answer, of course, has to be yes, or all those great men wouldn't have said so. But how do you go about it?

The first thing to do, it seems to me, is to retrace your steps. To go back to that period of your life when you were operating as a successful human being (although you most likely weren't aware of it). To go back to those times when your soul, your self, was not what you possessed or your social standing or other people's opinion but a totality of body, mind, and spirit. And that totality interacted freely with your total environment.

Somewhere past childhood that integration of self and that response to the universe began to dissolve. We came more and more to associate who we were with what we owned, to judge ourselves by other people's opinions, to make our decisions by other people's rules, to live by other people's values. Coincidentally, or maybe not so coincidentally, our physical condition began to decline. We had reached the fork in the road. We took the well-traveled path.

One who took the path overgrown with weeds and rarely used was Henry David Thoreau. The world knows Thoreau as a man of intellect, a shrewd observer, a rebel against conventional values. What has not been emphasized was that he was an athlete, and a fine one. He was, of course, a great walker. This kept him in prime physical condition. "I inhabit my body, " he wrote, "with inexpressible satisfaction: both its weariness and its refreshments." It would not be too much to say that Thoreau's other activities derived their vitality from the vitality of his body. That the self that was Thoreau depended on being as physical as he could be. And that no life can be completely lived without being lived completely on a physical level.

If Thoreau was right, the way to find who we are is through our bodies. The way to relive our life is to go back to the physical self we were before we lost our way. That tuned-in self that could listen with the third ear, was aware of the fourth dimension, and had a sixth sense about the forces around it. That tuned-in self that was sensitive and intuitive, and perceived what is no longer evident to our degenerating bodies.

This may come as a surprise even to physical fitness leaders. Physical fitness programs have long been based on the desire to lead a long life, to forestall heart attacks, to feel better generally or to improve your figure. No one ever told us that the body determined our mental and spiritual energies. That with the new body we can put on the new person and build a new life, the life we were always designed to lead but lost with the body we enjoyed in our youth.

Now, common sense will tell you that you'll never see twenty-eight again, but the facts on fitness show that almost anyone can reach levels of vigor and strength and endurance equal to most of the twenty-eight-year-olds in this country. Given the good fortune to find an athletic activity that fits him, a man can recapture his youth and a second chance to listen to what his total self held important at that time.

If you think that life has passed you by, or even worse, that you are living someone else's life, you still can prove the expert's wrong. Tomorrow can be the first day of the rest of your life. All you have to do is to follow Thoreau. Inhabit your body with delight, with inexpressible satisfaction; both its weariness and its refreshments.

And you can do it if you'll just go back to that fork in the road."

Dear Santa;

2008-12-12T09:35:00.007-06:00

First, thank you for the piece of coal last year. It was not exactly what I was expecting, but really I should not have been surprised. My friends have explained that diamonds come from coal under pressure so I put mine under the mattress. After the first time LaWanna turned the mattress, I put it in a sandwich bag.

I just wanted to touch base with you before this Christmas. I have been pretty good this year. I was voted "Disgruntled Postal Employee of the Month" in March. I have responded cheerfully and in good taste to all the "Hot enough fer you?" and "Cold enough fer you?" "Kinda wet today, ain't it?". In my counseling work at Pre-Trial Diversion, I have kept a straight face while discussing the convicted felon's firmly held views on "justice". Those jobs helped me prepare for my first feeble efforts to serve as an elder of our congregation. During each passionate conversation about important issues like "If men didn't wear suits, it wouldn't be so cold in here" and "I don't like it when we sing during communion" I was able to refrain from shifting the conversation to trivial matters like the expanding acceptance in churches of homosexuality, divorce, and not paying your bills.

Also, I have tried to do better about my physical condition. I know I haven't really lost much weight since last year, but isn't losing a few pounds a lot better than I was doing when I was gaining some every year? Yes, I am behind on the brazen goal I set to loose 37 pounds by March 8, but I am trying. I have run in some bad weather and after dark. Of course, I still have a really hard time passing by cake and candy. Do I get extra credit for dragging lots of pounds through a triathlon, a mountain bike race, and an adventure race? Santa, you know better than most, those things are not easy for big boys. And I have noticed you don't usually miss the plate of cookies on Christmas eve.

I left this to last because I am afraid it is what will keep me from getting the toy I really want. About the way I have treated LaWanna......you are going to have to give me partial credit for trying. That sweeping and doing chores around the house is just so......boring. I know I need to do more. Lot's more. But really, she almost never says anything about it. Doesn't that mean she is o.k. with it? Do you think my efforts to buy her off with dates and eating out is working? She seems to really like going to the movies and eating the 50-gallon size popcorn with the 3 liter Diet Coke. I am not hoping for an "A" or "B" here--just a passing grade. Next year will be better. I really mean it this time.

Anyway, if I don't get any toys it will not be too bad. All three of our children and spouses still spend time with us and don't even seem embarrassed for us to be around their friends. That is more than enough. And my mother-in-law seems to really like me. Maybe more than LaWanna does. And with all the economic slow-down, LaWanna and I still have great jobs. Next year I only have to work three months before retiring and having a guaranteed income for life. It will not be enough to live on, but a defined annuity is a great blessing and maybe worth the 37 years I traded for it.

Now that I think about, just forget the toys. You can bring me some more coal and I will have the family over for some burgers (after I repair the patio cover) and we will tell stories and laugh. Yep, that is what I want for Christmas....simple food, time with family, and laughs. Lots of laughs.

Thanks,

roxy

Signs

2008-12-06T16:55:00.001-06:00

....and I don't care.

Fleeting Moment

2008-11-25T21:27:00.003-06:00

I never really understood. I couldn't completely understand what Jesus meant when he said "they have eyes but can't see, ears but can't hear." Gradually, I have come to understand that it is me. There is so much that is beautiful and amazing that I fail to see every day. People are sending messages all the time that zoom past me. Slowly....ever so slowly....I am beginning to see and hear. As I cross the bridge over the Tallapoosa River each morning on my drive to work, I am amazed at the different views offered by the changing seasons, the time change, the weather changes and other influences. Some mornings I pass just as the Sun has risen enough to shine through the opening in the bend of the river and I think "I should stop and take a few pictures." But it is on a bridge. Traffic is dangerous. I need to get to work on time. Tuesday I pulled my camera out and took it from its case just before driving onto the bridge. It was a clear, cold day after a day of light rain. I expected there to be some fog rising from the river with sunshine filtering through. As I approached the bridge, I moved to the right lane and signaled a right turn. This probably concerned the truck behind me that I was going to turn off the bridge. There is just enough room to park right of the lane and about half way across, I turned on the flashers and stopped. After walking around to the front of the truck I took a few pictures of the river with fog rising just as the Sun rose over the trees. Total time=3 minutes. Late to work=1minute. Clarity and photo quality=mediocre. Value of the image captured to me=priceless.

Hypocrites Annonymous

2008-11-14T06:16:00.003-06:00

Hello.
My name is Roxy Wishum and I am a hypocrite. I never meant to become a hypocrite, it just happened. It hurts to admit it, even now. You see, I like to portray myself as a sort of athlete. I even believed it myself for years. I want to believe it now. At times, I can look in the mirror and see a lean, athletic man full of energy and looking for the next adventure. The truth is I am fat. Sure, the rest of you already knew it. But I have denied it for years. Oh, I might give in to terms like "a little overweight" but "fat" seems such an ugly word. A fighting word--like short. Great day! It just hit me, I am short AND fat!

That is why I am here at Hypocrites Anonymous (HA). I don't want to be a hypocrite anymore. I don't want to be fat. I am tired of the "rollover" and the big shirts. I hope HA can help me become the athlete I was meant to be.

So, this is the first check-in of HA and there will be one each month until the goal is attained. That will probably be boring reading, but it is necessary for me to make myself accountable. At times I will post details of the HA regimen but for now here is the goal; 175 by March 8! That is my birthday and is about 4 months away meaning 32 pounds in 4 months or and average of 8 per month. Yes, it is a tough challenge and may be too much. But the toying with it and yo-yo loss and gain process has gone on too long. Check back on or around December 8 to see if I survived Thanksgiving and got on track. If I don't meet the goal the first month, the rest of them will REALLY be uphill.

What if?

2008-11-12T06:23:00.003-06:00

It has been one week since we elected Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States of America. I highlighted "united" because I believe it stands for more than just the proper name for our country. We all know that we have not always been united as states. In some ways we are not now. However, since the election it has been refreshing to see the response from the loosing side. McCain came out Tuesday evening and gave a gracious speech conceding the election. I have not seen any racist groups making fools of themselves about the election of an African-American as president. I personally voted for the losing team because I thought they would do less damage to the economy and judicial system. But I have not protested the outcome. The majority chose Obama and Obama it shall be. I will support him as president, pray for him, and attempt to avoid saying harsh, negative things about him. I do not promise to agree with every decision and probably will not. I hope, however, that I will not talk about him in the hateful way so many now talk about President Bush. Mr. Obama has begun receiving briefings and probably has become aware of much information since being elected. The weight begins to build. Can you imagine how much the president knows that we do not? Can you imagine how difficult it must be to refrain from using that information to defend your actions when you are vilified in the media? President Bush has taken a lot.

Here is the "what if"? What if everybody who voted for McCain (pretty close to half the voters in the country) chose to act like the actors and homosexuals in California have since not getting their way? What if we blocked traffic in all the cities? What if we declared, as Melissa Ethridge has done, that we will not pay our taxes? If we can just declare ourselves tax-free, why not make ourselves exempt from all laws?

Barack Obama received nearly 100% of the black vote in the recent election. That, however, is less than 20% of the total population. Obama was not and could not be elected by black citizens. While he received less than half the white vote, it was close enough to half to ensure his victory. That means that many, many folks are able to see a perspective other than their own and vote for someone who is different from themselves. That quality exists in California as was proved by the presidential vote there. But the majority of the citizens, thankfully, still recognize that homosexuality is wrong behavior and not just a difference that one is born with.

So our message to the millionaire, homosexual, spoiled actors and musicians is this; SHUT-UP! GROW UP! And find something productive to do with your time and energy.

Be Happy!

2008-11-11T10:19:00.001-06:00

Do you agree or disagree with this thought? Does it seem too simple?

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who sought and found out how to serve."

-- Albert Schweitzer, Humanitarian

Wordless Wednesday--Still Waters

2008-11-05T15:25:00.006-06:00

People I want to meet

2008-11-05T14:54:00.003-06:00

The world is full of interesting people. I wish there was time for me to have a chat with each of them. I would particularly love to talk for a couple of hours with the lady in the following AP story;

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities in Arizona say a jogger attacked by a rabid fox ran a mile with the animal's jaws clamped on her arm and then drove herself to a hospital. The Yavapai County sheriff's office said the woman told deputies she was on a trail near Prescott on Monday when the fox attacked and bit her foot.
She said she grabbed the fox by the neck when it went for her leg but it bit her arm.
The woman wanted the animal tested for rabies so she ran a mile to her car with the fox still biting her arm, then pried it off and tossed it in her trunk and drove to the Prescott hospital.
The sheriff's office says the fox later bit an animal control officer. He and the woman are both receiving rabies vaccinations.

Now, there are many facts left out of this story that, in my humble opinion, MUST be reported; How far had the woman run BEFORE being attacked by a fox?
How old is this person?
How many times did the fox bite her while she RAN A MILE AND THEN OPENED HER TRUNK TO TOSS IT IN?
Who took the fox out of the trunk? (actually, I can probably guess that is the animal control officer that was bitten)
What is this woman's life story?
You know this is not the first difficult situation this lady has encountered. I mean, you have to possess some kind of determination to hang on to a rabid fox that has already bitten you leg and is latched onto your arm while you run a mile back to your car. I'll bet she has had some adventure before this day.
Bravo, brave runner, bravo!

It is about ideals!

2008-11-04T08:17:00.002-06:00

Carry this image with you into the booth today. It is not about skin color. Let the issues be the issue.

I have a NEED, a need for SPEED!

2008-11-02T13:20:00.006-06:00

Do you have a "bucket list"? You know, a list of things you hope to do before you kick the bucket. There are many things I hope to, and intend to, experience if God leaves me on Earth long enough. Gradually, I am checking them off. This weekend another major item was checked off the list. I drove a NASCAR race car 7 laps around the Talladega Superspeedway and reached speeds just over 170 mph. Thanks to the Dale Jarrett racing adventure organization and their excellent staff I was able to live out a long-time dream. I should also thank my good friend Joel who generously gave me a "ride along" adventure that allows you to ride 3 laps with a professional driver. I was able to pay a little more to convert that to a "driving experience" that offered 6 laps of driving an actual race car that had been used at the highest levels of stock car racing. Being friendly and displaying enthusiam netted me an additional free lap. Thanks, also, to my sweet wife, LaWanna who made the trip with a bad back to cheer me on and take some great pictures. She has been very understanding and supportive and I am lucky to be married to her. Here are a few pictures;

The above picture was taken just before the shoehorn and grease was brought out to force me into the car. The space allowed is TIGHT. The seat wraps around your rib cage and is very snug on a thick guy. The hans device was developed after Dale Earnhardt died in a crash that did not look that bad. This device fits around your neck and fastens to the helmet so that you can not move your head but an inch or so either direction. These devices prevent a broken neck in a violent crash. But all those other times when you are still driving, they are very confining. Then, of course, there is the five-point harness that is like a seatbelt on steroids. If you ever watch a NASCAR race, the prerace activites include a team member leaning way into the car helping fasten the driver in and check all the connections. Let me tell you, by the time they tighten the straps on this harness you feel VERY, VERY confined and restricted. How am I supposed to drive? Why didn't you just take a nail gun and nail me to the seat? I made them loosen mine a little--or at least they pretended to.

This picture was taken after I am nailed in and before the net is affixed over the window opening. Please note that my visor is up on the helmet. That little detail became important in a couple of laps when I was straining my short legs to keep the accelerator on the floor and climbing from 160 mph toward 170 mph as the g-forces caused the visor to begin to slowly slide down. Across my line of sight. And I felt like I really had my hands full keeping that track-eating monster off the wall. May I also mention that the skid marks going up the track to the wall do not instill much confidence. I pushed the visor up and the next time is slipped down, I pulled it all the way down. That is easy to resist because it is soooo hot in the car with a fire-proof suit on and with the heat coming from the engine. And this was a relatively cool day. It is amazing that professional drivers do this door-to-door and bumper-to-bumper for four or more hours.

This final picture is when I am coming out of the tri-oval and in front of the grandstands. The stands at Talladega will seat 143,000 fans and thousands more roam more than 200 acres of infield. The superspeedway is 2.66 miles around and the turns are banked 33 degrees. If you did not take any more math than I did, then those number probably do not impress you much. Let me assure you that you could not walk up the banking in the turns without putting your hands on the pavement and bear crawling. They stand 4 stories tall and running toward the turn at 165-170 mph is a thrill ride unlike anything at any theme park.

Here are some observations I will be thinking about the next few days;

1) Men and women are different. Yes, I know that is profound and you probably never thought of it before. Here is how that played out at Talladega; there were 7 or 8 women driving out of about 80 drivers. I talked to one after we both had driven. By the way, she was driving because she had bought two driving packages for her husband and son, then her son was deployed to Iraq so she was driving and was more excited about it than her husband. I mentioned the extremely restrictive nature and was about to describe how uncomfortable that made me when she said "Yes, I really liked that. It made me feel much safer." She described the closing in process as being like having someone's arms around her and helped her relax. To me is was intrusive and seemed to take away much of my control. We agreed that the control issues were male and female perspectives.

2) Instincts can be helpful or harmful. If your instincts are based on incomplete information or faulty reasoning, they can do you harm. As a kid, my dad taught me to drive. Part of that education was about cornering and dad taught me to let off the gas when approaching a curve and gradually increase speed on exit from the curve. The driving instructors told us to keep the accelerator on the floor going into the turns and maintain the high line. I have thought about it about 24 hours now and I can not think of any time in my life that I had to fight any harder to overcome what seemed natural to me than when I approached the turns in this race car. Until you experience it yourself, I can not find the words to fully describe the natural urge to let off the gas when roaring into a turn at 170 mph in a car that you are unfamiliar with while driving in a straight-jacket. I continued to strain to push the accelerator to the floor with my toes, but it took a tremendous force of will to overcome what seemed to be the logical, safe thing to do. That is why I reached 170 mph and some only got up to 150 mph.

3) Most people do not do what they want to do. Did you know that? Sure, some people will say "I would love to do that" just to make you feel good about your adventure. But many really, really want to experience driving a race car. Yet they don't. Ever. For decades. And it is not just driving a race car. Lots of other dreams die on the vine because people are afraid or unwilling to do what needs to be done to accomplish them.

This experience is not for everybody. I don't want to talk anybody into it. But there is an experience that you dream about. What stands in your way? I am very, very glad that I got to enjoy driving a race car really fast before I got too old to enjoy it.

Wisdom vs. Kindness

2008-10-28T06:31:00.001-05:00

I ran across this quote in some reading early this morning and thought it was worth sharing. What do you think?

'Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.'

Theodore Isaac Rubin

Plato

2008-10-26T18:05:00.002-05:00

I got an e-mail from Plato today. Okay, okay it wasn't an e-mail. I was reading some of his quotes and thought this one was particularly appropriate to share one week and two days before the end (hopefully) of the most interesting presidential election of my life. Here is what Plato had to say a few years ago;

"Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber."

Yes, I know you have heard it before. I may post it again next Monday.

Robin Hood for President?

2008-10-24T19:47:00.004-05:00

I know.

You are tired.

Tired of the endless commercials, the stream of goofy letters, postcards and door hangers.

Tired of pundits, politicos, and experts pleading, predicting, and promising.

I know. I have no credentials. I claim none. Well, actually I claim one. One thing my parents taught me and the circumstances of my life have reinforced. That one credential is that I have learned to think for myself. In fact, those who attempt to tell me what to think are soon as frustrated with me as I am with them. I resent the presentation of "conclusions" without the supporting facts. I resent the endless polls in the various media that offer no information about how the sampling was accomplished, how questions were formulated (or even what the questions are), and no discussion of the limiting factors present. One recent "national poll" was conducted by calling "randomly selected cell phone numbers" of 1000 people. This poll received national prominence even though no information was given about how the numbers were selected, where the numbers originated, how questions were worded, or many factors such as when the calls were placed. Sadly, there seemed to be few who bothered to even wonder about these factors.

So....here is what is bothering me at this point in this most unusual presidential election. It is the Robin Hood factor. You know what I mean. Often it is labeled as such. Sometimes it is described with many words. Other times phrases like "spreading the wealth" are used. Now, I am less an expert on Robin Hood than I am on politics. But I know that, like politics, different folks have WIDELY varying views of Robin Hood. The stories and ballads have been around at least 500 years and some say several hundred more than that. Some say he was a real person. Others say Robin was based somewhat on a real person. And some say it is purely myth. Likewise, what he did, what he stood for, and whether he was a commoner or of noble blood can be debated. Really, all this makes Robin Hood a sort of Rorschach ink blot test where we each see in him what we actually project ourselves.

That being said, what is your view of Robin Hood? A common thief? A defender of the true heir of the crown? A social reformer taking from overbearing royalty and giving back to the over-taxed?

The present danger, in my mind, is that many see in Barack Obama and a democratically controlled executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government the rising of Robin Hood to take from the evil corporate giants (especially the evil oil companies) and give to the poor. Some have argued to my face that since the church is not caring for the poor as we ought, it is our responsibility to support a government that does it in the place of the church. To these individuals the obvious party to accomplish this is the very one that most preaches separation of church and state. The irony is that most of the champions of this type of government intervention rarely show a tendency of personal financial sacrifice on behalf of the poor. Where the fairy tale begins to break down is the point at which the evil, rich entity that must ante up is me. How does this happen? Partly through direct taxation. Partly through punishing companies whose stock make up our 401k investments that we hoped would help us care for ourselves in old age. Partly through raiding Social Security funds to pay for other projects.
In my understanding, an ever-expanding, oppressively taxing government does not represent Robin Hood but rather is the Sheriff of Nottingham. The companies that provide goods, services, and jobs are not the oppressive regime, in my opinion, but rather the Robin Hood that properly distribute wealth to those who work for and rightly deserve it.

Don't misunderstand me, I think there is much greed and dishonesty in large corporations just as there is in one-man operations. I also quickly concede that both parties are disgusting in the way they protect incumbents and seek power for their own. I approve President Bush more than "national polls" reflect, but deeply regret the many times he has quickly thrown money at problems in quantities that are difficult for me to even visualize. Individuals, cities, states, and the federal government are going broke because of a false belief that an ever-shrinking middle class will always be there to finance any and every program that seems to promise some social benefit.

The address below will take you to a video by Fred Thompson that is a no-nonsense commentary on the difference in perspectives of the two parties represented by Obama and McCain. It is sobering, intelligent, and void of any sensational claims about either candidate. The video takes several minutes and should be watched when you can devote your attention to follow what is being said. It is a little deeper than the 60 second sound bites we have become accustomed to on the "evening news".

http://www.fredpac.com/index.aspx

October Surprise!

2008-10-21T21:28:00.005-05:00

There's something strange, in the neighborhood...

You can believe whatever you like about UFO's, but I have pictures!

The other side of this flying saucer has an Obama/Biden bumper sticker. Really. I wouldn't make something like that up. This election is bigger than we thought.

A Short Hike

2008-10-19T14:09:00.003-05:00

A weekend hike. That is what Derek planned. Oh, it was a tough hike; climbing to the peak of Mount Adams. Mount Adams, at 12,227 feet, is the second tallest peak in the state of Washington. Climbing to the peak and back requires fitness, stamina, and experience. Derek Mamoyac had all three. He carried little gear since he planned to be out of the wilderness before the weekend was over. When he failed to turn up for work on Monday, authorities were notified and soon a search began. As the week wore on and the weather truned worse with temps in the 20's and snow falling, the prospects of finding Derek alive dimmed with each passing day.

If you were a volunteer search and rescue worker, how many days would you take off work and continue to look for a man who left no itinerary? If you were in Derek's place, how long would you expect people to look for you? If you were in Derek's place, what would you be willing to do to stay alive?

You see, Derek had broken his ankle in a fall. He spent days crawling until his knees were too sore. Then he used a modified "sit and scoot" method to move up and down the mountain. Up the mountain? At one time he thought he saw tents higher up and made his way to the spot seeking help. When he arrived there, no tents-or help--were to be found. Before making that climb he ate the last of his granola bars. It was the wrapper from a granola bar that the tracking found and used to find Derek.

So what was Derek doing while folks were looking for him? Just sitting somewhere nursing his injured foot? Nope. To survive, he ate berries, mushrooms, centipedes, spiders and ants and drank creek water. On the last day, he resorted to drinking his own urine. How much longer would he have lasted? Nobody knows. But he survived 6 days in harsh weather and is in pretty good shape this weekend.

What do you think about Derek? Idiot? Superman? Here are the things I admire about Derek; 1) He is strong and fit
2) He is tough-minded and determined
3) He takes action even when it is very difficult
4) He remains calm in threatening circumstances
And some mistakes Derek made (in my opinion);
1) Tell someone your plans--in detail
2) Don't be so independent and self-assured that you don't discuss worst case scenarios
with family and friends
3) When exposure to elements can be fatal, carry what you need AND some "just in case" items

How does Derek feel about all this now? He says a career in search and rescue seems appropriate for him now. I would say he is probably right. Welcome home, Derek.

Shocking Turn of Events

2008-10-17T19:42:00.002-05:00

This story is being reported on Associated Press today;

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii is dropping the only state universal child health care program in the country just seven months after it launched.
Gov. Linda Lingle's administration cited budget shortfalls and other available health care options for eliminating funding for the program. A state official said families were dropping private coverage so their children would be eligible for the subsidized plan.

What? State officials are surprised that people dropped private coverage that they paid for to enroll in public coverage they also paid for through taxes? So now, seven months into the program folks have NO health coverage? I wonder what would happen if you tried it on a national scale?

Fun with Politics

2008-10-17T15:26:00.002-05:00

There are several post rumbling around in my mind about the current political races and some represent opinions I feel strongly about. However, I also realize that nobody really cares what I think about it--or at least do not care enough to add a coment. Sooo, I will revert to my natural self and enjoy making fun of those who take themselves so seriously

In case you have not seen the previews for next season's Dancing with the Stars, here is a picture of one expected team that may surprise you;

That's funny--I don't care what color state you are from!

Presidential Election 2008

2008-10-13T20:54:00.003-05:00

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. " Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

Who should I vote for in November?

Does my vote really make a difference?

Which candidate/party is more Christian?

These are tough questions. Many think the answers are obvious. About 52% of those who think the answer is obvious believe it is the opposite of 48% who think the answer is obvious. This post is not intended to attack McCain or Obama--nor their running mates. It is also not intended to attack either party, although I think both parties and both presidential candidates have things they should be ashamed of. Actually, I guess if anyone is to have hurt feelings as a result of this post it will be the reader. Every reader and the writer. Because I believe we are the problem. Many of the arguments for or against each candidate are about issues the executive branch has little control over. There is a clear and ongoing shift of power to the legislative and judicial branches of government and the legislative branch holds increasing sway over who is added to the judicial branch. Is that a bad thing? The answer largely lies in the reasoning behind how we choose our representatives. Each district has an obvious incentive to choose the representative that will garner the most money for that district from the federal budget. There is not enough room here to address earmarking and other schemes to grab money for back home. Who is best at this game? Without naming names, those individuals who can stay in office longest and gain influence within a party are rewarded with appointments to committees that give them direct access to budgets or leverage to have others help them receive money for their districts. Meanwhile, the folks at home overlook ongoing deficits, scandals, and assorted goofiness as long as there is money for roads, bridges, museums, and jobs. It is a very selfish system and the most unwise selfishness is not portrayed by the politicians but rather by the voters.

So how do I answer the above questions?
First, let me say that I believe it DOES make a difference. Oh, my actual vote will probably not effect the outcome of the election. It is highly unlikely it would determine the winner even in Montgomery and that will almost certainly not have much effect on the national winner. But it matters because IF I vote, I have to think about (and hopefully have meaningful dialogue about) the candidates, the issues, the past, and the future. In my opinion, those discussions and that serious thought matter most of all. I am firmly convinced that is why we are even able to be in the position that a black (actually mixed race) man even has a chance to be elected by popular vote to be the president of the United States.

I think I will skip the discussion of the parties for now except to say that for nearly two decades the Republican party has SEEMED TO ME to be more aligned to my beliefs and ideologies than the Democratic party. There are lots of exceptions and some will probably feel the need to list them in comments. That is fine, I probably will agree. I am often disappointed by individuals in both parties.

So which guy?
If I were choosing a man to invite over for a cookout or to watch the game, it would be easy. Barack is charismatic. He is charming. He knows how to quickly determine the interests of others and is willing to talk about what is important to you. He would be lots of fun. I would be tired of the effort of talking to John in about 10 minutes. John McCain is far, far from the ideal I would like to vote for as president. But here is the thing; Barack Obama is intelligent, he is charismatic, his verbal skills make me more than a little jealous BUT even with all his ability and likability, he is still just wrong about many ideals and principles that are very, very important. He hasn't accomplished any of the things he is promising anywhere he has already been. The republicans are doing far, far too much taking from the producers and giving to the takers. And Barack Obama is going to grow that exponentially. Just today he so smoothly described taking up to $10,000 from your 401-k to cover current personal expenses. As he said it, it sounds so easy--so right--so inviting. Yet the principle behind that is the same as behind the bailouts and the "economic stimulus" ideas. That principle is "have what you want today and worry about paying for it....sometime later". Folks we are buying that idea and it is devastating to the economy and to our character. Where is the candidate that is saying "Let's do without some things today so we can be a little better off later--and our children will have a chance?"

Do you think this doesn't have real life meaning today? Check on conditions in Chicago and see what positive effects Obama is having where he has worked and represented. The problems are many, the corruption is rampant, but the most telling detail that fits this discussion is that the sales tax rate in Chicago is 10.25%. For local readers, our mayor is being attacked in TV ads as he runs for congress because we have the second highest tax rate in the country at 10%. Well, now you know where it is higher. Why is this a problem? Because for all the rhetoric about playing Robin Hood and taking from the rich and giving to the poor, the sales tax is the most regressive and most challenging for the poor. I say to Obama what I plan to say to Mayor Bright, if you can't fix it on a small scale at home don't ask me to send you to Washington to represent my interests.

Economics, social issues, Supreme court nominations, wars and negotiations--these are complex issues and I am a simple man. However, I am convinced that my battle is not against Obama nor McCain. It is against ideas and ideals that are presented and promoted by individuals but originated in an unseen world. Ideas and ideals that divide us. Ideals that lead us to think that the government should care for the hungry and homeless at the expense of my neighbor rather than each of us taking individual responsibility. Ideals that convince us to work less because moving to a higher tax bracket will cause us to net even less.

I can't imagine that after this life, the Creator of the universe will say to you or me "Well done, faithful servant, you did not visit me in jail or feed me when I was hungry or clothe me, but you voted for someone who forcibly took money from others to create an agency where I could be cared for."

So what do I expect? Barring any surprise developments in the next three weeks (and there will probably be some) the popular vote will likely be closer than the polls show. Still Obama will probably win the electoral vote by a comfortable margin. I am glad we are not in one of the swing states that will be watching THIRTY MINUTE campaign ads until the election. What will happen after the election? Of course, only God knows. But mostly for the average person. little will change for a while other that the conversations at the "water cooler". Again, in my opinion, those conversations are probably more important than which man is in the White House.

If you read this far, thanks. I will get back to silly posts soon.

Change is in the Air

2008-10-13T15:40:00.002-05:00

When the winds of change blow hard enough, ANYTHING can become a deadly projectile.

Coosa River Challenge Pictures

2008-10-09T20:01:00.011-05:00

The last challenge of our race last weekend was to swim to this lock, climb the steps, and jump into the river, then swim with the paddle back to the kayak. Above, I held my nose. Below, Matt held his life jacket. Hint--don't extend your arm.

This was at the beginning of the mountain bike section. I am still smiling at this point.

I don't know these ladies. Their picture and the guys below are here just to show that we were not the only ones swimming when we were supposed to be paddling. Yes, there are two people in each boat.

1. The approach looks good

2. Uh-oh, a little sideways. Don't put on the brakes!

3. I think we can still save it! Paddle hard, Matt, I've got the boat!

I will try to not post any more pictures of the adventure race, but these were all purchased from the professional photographers and I need to get my money's worth. You can help me get my money's worth if you click on the pictures to enlarge them. It really adds to the reality.

No Country for Old Men

2008-10-05T07:38:00.019-05:00

Allow me to share a few photos from Roxy's Big Adventure. On Saturday, October 4, my partner Matt Dickson and I set out for Wetumpka to compete in the Coosa River Challenge VI. There are actually a few crazy people who have done this SIX times. It was a first for Matt and me. We took it seriously by training for about 3 weeks. Three years would have been about right. I will not take time to list all the challenges but the main ones were a 4 mile trail run on a hilly, rocky woods trail followed by an 8 mile mountain bike ride over similar trails. Don't read quickly over the word "hilly". It makes a difference. Then we ran a little over a mile where we traversed a "boulder" field course. After that we drew a chip to determine which team member would rappel (Matt) and which would swim back upriver to where the boats were stored (Roxy). We both would have preferred switching roles but were not given an option. Then we paddled a two person sit-on-top kayak 7 miles to Wetumpka. Along the way we had challenges-I mean besides turning over at every set of rapids and bouncing off rocks like a pinball. FYI, rocks under water are not any softer than rocks out of water. You can get hurt doing this.

One challenge was to find "Dead Beaver Island" and beach the boat at the right spot. We climbed an embankment using a rope while carrying our paddles. The paddles went everywhere we went. We ran down a trail that led to the "mud pit" . This was a pit about 12 feet long with two 50 gallon plastic barrels side by side and about 4 feet down were two more. They were submerged except for about two inches in chocolate, muddy water. We had to swim through these barrels and exit the other side. Then we followed a trail that led down an embankment to a stream. It took a while to figure out where to go from here. We had to walk down the stream to where some markers indicated a trail going back over the island to our boats. More paddling, more spills, more rocks.
On river left is Corn Creek Park where the next challenge is. Look, there is LaWanna waving. Hey, LaWanna! Shoot, we turned over again. Now we are being carried by the current past where we are supposed to go. After righting the boat, climbing on and gathering paddles we had to circle a grassy island and paddle upstream to the landing. More rope climbing with a paddle in one hand. More running (really mostly walking now). This is called "Back to school island" by the wicked, wicked race director. As we ran around a winding woods trail we came to tables where we had to solve puzzles, spell words with cards, and draw on a magna-doodle. These things any first grader can do, begin to be a challenge after three hours of exhaustion. More running. We come out of the woods at the sheriff's shooting range where I shoot a small bow and arrow to determine how many division problems Matt has to solve. More running. Back in the boat. More paddling. Past the Hwy. 14 bridge. Past the Bibb Graves bridge. We paddle to the locks and beach the boat. Now it is time to swim against the current with the paddle to the steps of the lock. Climb the steps. This sounds simple. Try to picture that for over 5 hours now you have been running, peddling, paddling, and bouncing off rocks. Muscles are pulled, bruises are everywhere, and that big toe may be broken. Now you have had to swim against a strong current AGAIN, pushing a double blade paddle. And guess what? The steps are one foot high. Doesn't seem like much, I know. But go to your front porch and measure your steps. About half, huh? Hey, I stumped my toe on a three inch rock 5 hours ago! You think I can lift my feet one foot now? At this point, the paddle has become a walking cane. On top of the lock you look down on the river about 1000 feet below. O.K., it is only about 16 feet. But it seems like more. Toss your paddle and don't think about it--just jump. Resurface about 7 minutes later and swim back to the boat--paddle in hand. Board the boat paddle across the river, dismount and run a short distance to the Red Bull arch. That's it. Piece of cake. That is the story--at least the highlights. Here are a few pictures of the sequence;

Here we are at the MANDATORY 7:30 a.m. meeting where we were told the same things that we heard Friday night at 9 p.m. Note to race director; this is 2008, e-mail the rules and requirements or post them on the website. Receiving instructions should not become part of the endurance test. It was fairly cool when this meeting started. It was very warm when the race started.

But everybody waited and listened patiently and politely.

Because we all understood that this is a dangerous sport and should be taken very seriously.

Well, maybe some were less serious than others?

The bikes were transported to Swayback Bridge Trail head via U-Haul trucks. The participants were transported by school buses.

Once there, we had to find our bike. "I am sorry sir, that $4000 Felt bike is mine, yours is this $200 Wal-mart special."

I was told to "be careful" so here I am signaling a left turn into the transition area after finishing the 8 mile mountain bike leg. Actually, I was waving to one of my many fans.

This is the transition from the bike to the second run which took us to the "rock jungle"--a marked course over large boulders that was a sort of rock-climbing-at-a-jog. At the end of that we waded through part of the river and headed to the rappel. Matt drew the chip for rappelling and I had to swim back upriver to get our boat and paddles, then paddle back to pick him up. We both wanted it to go the other way on the draw, but you take what you get. The lady was not interested in "best of three".

We took the time to refill our hydration packs before hitting the river. This picture is probably too small to see the blood on my left leg from the bike crash. Just let me say men are much more polite competitors than women.

The hippies did well. And had more fun than anybody else.

Here we are approaching the sheriff's shooting range where I shot archery to determine how many division problems Matt had to solve. Thankfully, his math is better than my shooting. Yes, he really is that much taller than me. Yes, we had to carry our paddles everywhere. Yes, that makes it difficult to pull yourself up on a rope.

Later that same day;

Yes, we did finish thank you. Yes, it was still Saturday. Yes, it was still daylight. That is Matt's son Aiden next to the finish line. He announced that when he got home he was going to run a mile. No, he decided--he was going to run two miles. Matt told him he would have to get mom to run with him.

After the race, it was time to survey the damage.

Does this look right? I can't show all the injuries on the internet. This one occurred about 30 minutes into the race so the last 5 hours were after this "Coosa tatoo".

Here are two of my heroes; Donna Putnam and her daughter Leanne Armstrong (no relation to Lance). They made up team Put-Strong and had t-shirts with that team name. All the family that came to support and cheer for them had matching t-shirts. Although I teased them all day by calling them team "But-Strong", I am VERY proud of these two women for accomplishing what they did on this day. They set a goal nearly a year ago and worked hard to get to this Red Bull arch. Donna and Leanne placed themselves at the very back of the last wave to start the race and finished ahead of a couple of teams. They deserve a standing ovation.

This is another hero. I do not know them, although I see them eating in Wetumpka at times. I think it is a mother-daughter team. When they got to the last challenge-swimming to the locks and jumping off, the younger team member made it to the steps but mom just could not. She swam valiantly for minute after minute, at first seeming to swim in place as she battled the current and eventually sliding backward as she grew weak. I hurt for her so much as I watched her swim to the shore, fatigued and defeated. Her little girl shouted from the opposite shore "Go, mamma!" Mom walked up the shore to her original beginning point. She sat and rested a few minutes and tried it again. Again she battled the current. Don't give up we all were thinking. Somebody help her. The rescue boat had been called and was standing by. Come on guys, they are last--give her a lift to the steps. She could not do it. Her partner jumped and swam to the boat and paddled across the river with mom hanging on to the boat. It was all they could do to walk to the finish line. Bravo! I went to shake her hand. I am much more impressed by the courage of this lady than by the lean, young guy who finished in half the time. Actually, he is pretty impressive, too.

So it was over. But not really. The Coosa River Tatoos will be with us a while. I may not be able to do a sit-up for a few days. And besides my partner and my friends who raced and the 100 or so volunteers who made the race possible, there is one more person to thank. Her name is LaWanna and she is amazing. LaWanna got up early and put on her Roxy t-shirt. She was ready to leave at 6 a.m. and did not show any disappointment when I told her I was picking Matt up and he was riding with us. She took pictures which is why we have these to share. When the battery died on the digital she went to Wally world and bought a disposable. She made friends all along the route and wherever I arrived, people cheered for Roxy. Some I knew but many were people she had recruited to be my cheerleader. What other wife would do that? She was there until about 4:30 p.m. When I moaned and groaned, she never said "Why do you do this to yourself?" Do you know what she did? She massaged my back. And she is VERY good at massage. She has training and a portable table--give her a call. She may not do it for you but I can't tell you how thankful I am that she was that giving at the end of what was also a long day for her. Bravo. You are my hero also, humble servant. Bravo.

Oprah's Mom for Congress!

2008-10-01T06:23:00.002-05:00

The following Associated Press story in indicative of the attitude many Americans seem to have adopted in the past few decades. I believe this attitude is why congress is debating a $700,000,000,000 bailout as you read this.

Winfrey's mom countersues store for its $156K bill
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 10:56 PM EDT The Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Oprah Winfrey's mother says she shouldn't have to pay a nearly $156,000 debt to a high-end fashion store because store officials shouldn't have extended credit to her.
Valentina Inc. alleges that Vernita Lee of Milwaukee racked up $155,547 in purchases and interest as of July 1. The company sued, saying Lee fell behind in minimum monthly payments of $2,000.
Lee filed a counterclaim Friday contending that Valentina took advantage of her "lack of knowledge, ability, and-or capacity" when creating her credit account.
Court papers say Lee resolved a 2002 case with the company over a $175,000 bill. The resolution prohibited Valentina from extending further credit to her.
A message left for Valentina co-owner Tony Chirchirillo was not returned Tuesday.

Checking Account

2008-09-29T19:13:00.002-05:00

Wow, I am really confused. All the news about the economy sure sounds bad but the proposed fixes sound even worse. Since I grew up on a red dirt road and never got a degree in macro- nor micro-economics, it is necessary to simplify the discussion for my understanding. I can't even picture how big a pile $700 Billion is. Isn't the largest bill printed these days the $100? If so, would the pile of money be as large as a living room? A house? A block? Montgomery? They are saying that it is not a bailout, but rather an investment. If that is so, do I get some kind of receipt? Do I own a couple of houses in Miami? Or 5% of 30 houses? Who is going to keep up with my return on investment? What if I decide not to invest in real estate or mortgages at this volatile time? Can I just withhold my taxes for a couple of years? What will the government do if I refuse to pay taxes? Put a lien on my house? So what? I am not going to be paying the mortgage anyway. Why should I struggle to make a mortgage AND pay taxes when the government is paying for much nicer houses than mine? In fact, I think I will just let the government buy my house as part of that $700 billion investment and pick out.....say a $800,000 house. Wouldn't my friends be more impressed if I were behind on a $800,000 mortgage than on a $36,000 mortgage?

This is not helping me understand at all. Can somebody explain why the CEO of a failed company that needs government help to remain solvent is given a multi-million dollar severance package? Is this the business world's version of paying farmers not to produce crops? Man, I wish I could bankrupt just one company and retire as a millionaire.

So what would happen if we looked at the government budget like you and I have to look at our checking account? You know, where you can only write checks for the amount you have in the account. What would happen if everybody actually had to pay for the items they purchased? What would happen if everybody knew that ahead of time--before signing for a mortgage beyond their means? On the other hand, what will happen if there is always a bailout and we know ahead of time that if we can't pay, that somebody else will?

And finally, how is it fair for me to have to pay more in taxes to service a debt created by elected officials in order to remove bad mortgages from the books of aggressive lenders? How is it fair that many live in much nicer houses and will be subsidized by my tax money when I have stayed in a modest house I could afford and get no help with my mortgage? How is that going to encourage financial wisdom and discipline in the future? Am I really the only one that is so confused?

Updates

2008-09-28T14:05:00.003-05:00

First, let me get the eating of crow out of the way. The "blackout" by the Georgia Bulldogs last night turned into a "knockout" by Alabama. So any hope of a perfect season is out of the way and I don't feel compelled to watch all the games now. I am still a Bulldog fan and will still use that to aggravate Auburn and Alabama fans--but not so much the Bama fans this year.

Second, I apologize for the dearth of posts recently. I am in that part of the ongoing cycle where I have comitted to more than I have time to do. One of those activities is the Coosa River Challenge. It is a multi-discipline race involving trail running, mountain biking, kayaking, rapelling, street running, dirt road running, and some "special challenges" we will not learn of until the day of the race. It is a 4 to 6 hour race, so it is not something to decide the day before that you would like to give a try . I will not list my current responsibilities that compete with "training time" but as the October 4th date draws near, the realization of insufficient training is becoming a very concrete reality. On top of that, as I stretched in preparation for running the Swayback trail Thursday after work, I injured my back. Yes, it is ironic (but not funny) that after mountain biking and crashing and running over hills and rocks and roots that my first injury would come while preparing to run. A trip to my doctor Friday (first day I have called in sick in about 10 years) netted some strong muscle relaxers. Maybe I can get in two more workouts before race day and be well enough to keep moving Saturday. It is also ironic that the trail is named for Swayback Bridge over a section of Lake Jordon that is designed to have a shape very much like my new posture. Turns out, having a swayback does not make you faster on Swayback Bridge Trail. Here is a picture of the famous bridge;

Third, I want to tie my feelings as a college football fan to my thoughts about the Coosa River Challenge. I mentioned my disappointment over Georgia's loss and I do feel a little sense of personal loss, which is silly. I don't have any real relationship with the Georgia football team other than being from that state originally. In fact, after living the first third of my life (so far) in Georgia, I have lived twice as long now in Alabama. When I came here at the tender (and naive) age of 18 people tried to force me to choose between Auburn and Alabama. It seemed that a prerequisite for living in the state was declaration to one team or the other. When I mentioned being from Georgia someone said "So you are a bulldog fan?" Been one ever since. That is about as deep as it goes. However, I have discovered that fans relate very strongly to their chosen teams. If the team is a winner, it indicates that the individual is a winner. Just for having a bumper sticker or window flag. When the team looses, it is devastating for some. I find myself falling into this trap at times. I have sat and watched 18-22 year old kids make mistakes and been frustrated because they did not try harder. I would no doubt be much harder on the kids if that was all I did--sit and watch. Thankfully, I have had opportunities (even as an old guy) to participate in sports competition that motivates me to get out and work my body as it was created for. That competition also forces me to be aware of how difficult it is to keep going at times--when your mouth and throat are parched--when the breathing can't catch up--when you are so hot you think you might throw up--when muscles ache--and when you ask yourself "What difference does all this effort make?" When announcers mention that a linebacker is playing injured, it is just words until I compete while injured. The quarterback has had the flu? He should just suck it up--until I try to run while sick. The more I do myself, the more I appreciate what those players do. And the more I want to be a participant, not just a spectator.

Here is the link if you are interested in the race. http://coosariverchallenge.com/ Come out and play! And here is the quote from Helen Keller that is on the website; "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

LaWanna is going to serve as cheerleader and photographer so we should have some pictures in a week. Hopefully, there will be lots of smiles. Wanna said she plans to watch us come through the transition area twice and then go wait by the ambulance. People have different ideas of what a cheerleader does.

Any Given Saturday--or Thursday

2008-09-26T06:04:00.002-05:00

Nana na na, nana na na, hey hey, goodby!

That is what the college football fans of the nation are singing to USC this morning. Well, except for the left coast. Yes, I have a prejudice against California. I would love to (and plan to) visit the state to enjoy the incredible natural beauty. It is just that many citizens of the state seem to take on an arrogance that insinuates "our state is superior to yours and since I was born/moved here, I must be superior to you". That would not be so bad if the rest of the country did not buy into it. If it is from Hollywood, the nation accepts that it must be glamorous. If it is from Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive it is elegant and trendsetting. What happens in California will happen in the rest of the country--later--when the simple folks catch up. One icon that represents that attitude, at least to me, is USC--the University of Spoiled Children. The amount of money, natural beauty, and glamorous image of the state enable the school to buy, I mean recruit many of the best players. Some of them (remember O.J. Simpson) never get over the better-than-everybody-else attitude. This assertion, and national acceptance, of superiority carried over into the college football rankings AGAIN this year as USC was ranked #1 in the nation and everybody assumed they would cruise unbeaten into the national championship.

Apparently, the folks from the less glamorous west coast state of Oregon did not get the memo. Last night Oregon State AGAIN beat USC. Yes, that is correct. Unranked Oregon State--not even considered the best college football team in tiny Oregon beat the team considered #1 by a score of 27-21. And that was no fluke. Oregon State actually led 21- 0 at halftime. While USC should drop far out of the top 10 and be out of the title hunt based on one loss and a very weak schedule, that will not happen. Most teams will have at least one loss and this one will be distant history by the end of the season.

For now though, the four SEC teams in the top 10 will gain more respect for having to play each other and will be MUCH better by the end of the season. That is why bowl season is so much fun.

So, games like Saturday's match-up between Alabama and Georgia (likely 2009 national champions) become much more important. And fun.

What's the Big Ruckus?

2008-09-22T20:51:00.003-05:00

Do you know what the Big Ruckus is about? Somehow I almost missed it. Thankfully, I discovered it in beautiful downtown Wetumpka, Alabama. And I have pictures.

This is a Honda "Big Ruckus". It is a scooter that was made in Japan 2005-2007 and sold in the USA as 06-07 models. Surprisingly, they are not selling them now. Timing is critical and if they were widely available while the gas prices were over $4 per gallon everywhere, the near 80 mpg probably would have made them attractive to folks that don't normally crave a motorcycle.

In the above picture you can see the "Road Kill" vanity tag. I am not sure of the owner's intentions, but I would guess that it has to do with the fact that the scooter is so utilitaritian and unrefined (no plastic panels anywhere) that its ugliness becomes its cuteness.

Notice that the cool, wide backrest actually folds down to become the passenger seat. The bike has a 250 cc engine which is plenty big. My first motorcycle was a 160 cc and my second was a 250 cc. I rode both many, many miles and had lots of fun on them. The 1100 cc (like I have now), 1300, 1600, 1800 and larger are just overkill to appeal to the vanity of would-be easy riders. This little scooter is obviously not about showing off engine size and chrome--or great style for that matter. The downside is that it is heavy for a scooter and the ride is not as smooth as a larger bike. The price is almost as much as a regular cruiser bike. In fact, you can get a nice, well-equipped dual purpose bike for about the same price. Since its main appeal would be simple economy, the price probably prevented it from becoming a best-seller. I hope they come back, however. There is a place in our traffic future for this cool little scooter.

PASSION

2008-09-14T14:23:00.002-05:00

Harley riders have PASSION! Good taste? Not so much. But lots of passion for motorcycles.

Anticipation

2008-09-12T17:14:00.004-05:00

As Texas braces for hurricane Ike to come onshore tonight, the rest of the country braces for the effect it will have on gas prices. There hundreds of oil platforms in the gulf near the Texas shore and a large portion of the nations refineries are in Texas. Many of those have already shut down in preparation of the storm. Depending on the amount of damage from the hurricane, they could be shut down for days or weeks. What does that mean to you and me?

A funny caption for this picture might begin with "How many employees does it take to change the gas prices?" Three employees are changing the price to $3.99 per gallon at the Chevron on Hwy. 231 today. That is up nearly 50 cents in 2 days. In parts of South Carolina, the gas is already at $5.79 per gallon. The wholesale price has risen by $1 per gallon and most of that will likely be passed on to consumers. Much of that is logical and simply the result of supply and demand. Many will accuse stations of price gouging and perhaps rightly so in some cases. However, much of the problem is created by the masses. Every time this happens (and it is not unusual), pleas go out to conserve gasoline by curtailing trips and carpooling--at least for a few days until the storm passes and repairs are made. Every time the reaction is the same. Conservation and concern for community? Hardly. E-mails fire in every direction warning of sharp rises in gas prices and advising people to "fill up as soon as possible". Then everybody does. They fill up not just one vehicle, but as many as they own. There, that should take care of us for a few days, right? Nope, they come back with 5 gallon gas cans and fill them-4, 5, or 6 gas cans. Naturally, this depletes the reserves and stations begin to run out. If we could just learn to have a little patience and be a little less selfish, the result of the storm would not be nearly as severe.

Emotions--September 11

2008-09-11T16:04:00.003-05:00

Tuesday night my partner, Donna, and I began our group counseling session with a guided imagery that we have done many times before. It is called "Self-identification". It is too involved to discuss completely here, but part of it guides the participants to realize that "you have a body, but you are not your body" and "you have a mind but you are not your mind" and "you have emotions but you are not your emotions". If we had an hour to talk, it would have much more meaning but you probably can see the direction. Many people define themselves by their bodies--either positively or negatively. Likewise, many rely on intellect and reasoning to portray to others who they are. And, you guessed it, emotions control the world of many as well. How we see and define ourselves largely dictates the choices and directions of our lives. There are many exceptions but the generality is that females lean toward and embrace emotions more and males value logic and rationality. I clearly fit the norm in this way, normally operating from a logical perspective and having great difficulty exhibiting patience with the highly emotional. There are times, though, when emotions drive my thoughts and actions. Today as I drove two hours each way to attend the funeral of a friend's father and listened to commentary on the 9/11/01 attacks, I cried some. Not for the recent death. The end of suffering from cancer was a relief to the deceased and all his family. Not for the loss of time when other, more fun things were planned. What better use of time than to hug a friend and say "I love you" when that is exactly what is needed? Some of the tears were for people who died on THAT day. It makes me very sad and very angry to think of the days, years, and dollars spent in planning to murder so many in order to be heard. This picture from my daughter, Laura's blog (http://www.lauragoins.blogspot.com/) at this time last year adds another deminsion to the emotions.

Laura is the one kneeling on the right with friends from the church youth group as they pose on top of the World Trade Center. No, this was not 9/10/01 or anything that dramatic--it was 5 years earlier. But it could have been THE day. Somebody was headed there THAT day. Thousands were. Thousands were there. Thousands died. So the possibilities and the realities bring the tears almost to the surface. Then I think about where we are now and all that has transpired since THE day seven years ago. I see that we are a nation given to group-think that reacts based on emotion more than reason. Some political operatives feed information and puppets who think they are "independent thinkers" make accusations that the president of the United States blew up the World Trade Center. What??? Rosie says fire can't melt steel. What??? We take actions to prevent these terrible things from ripping apart other families and those who proclaim tolerance as the holy grail are suddenly intolerant of law enforcement agencies sharing information and actions that require professional, career soldiers to actually fight. It is almost as if half the country does not believe that evil people really lived among us for years and learned from our flight schools how to fly our planes filled with our families into our buildings, killings passengers, building occupants, passersby, and brave public workers who attempted to save all they could. Go back and look at that picture again. The buildings really existed. They are not there now. This is not a movie. And as we stand just weeks from electing the next president of the USA, the general consensus--if you believe the print and televised media--is that the evil ones are George Bush, oil company executives, and Christian conservatives. Actually, it is the "Christian" part that causes so many to hate President Bush. Is he eloquent? No. Is he suave? No. But how could so many hate him for those things? That is not it. They hate him because he will not give a wink and a nod to whatever lifestyle you choose like the president before him and at least one candidate that hopes to follow him. I plan to share my thoughts about the election in a separate post so I will not go further about that now. Obviously, it concerns me that there is widespread resentment for using our national defense to keep the bully out of our backyard. If I were coming into your yard and harming your child--or even your DOG--you would not tolerate it. You would not hesitate to call the police and insist that actions be taken to prevent my return. The irony is that those who most oppose attacking those responsible (as best we can identify and find them) are bothered by Christians who shine a light on sinful lifestyles. These who oppose the actions that have been taken fail to realize that their actions are leading us toward becoming a Muslim country that would cause survivors to remember the good old days of tolerance.

Here's your sign

2008-09-08T06:08:00.002-05:00

I discreetly took a picture of this sign a couple of days ago to share with you. I will probably pass on the "Spical Made Jewely" for $1. But I would pay $1 for this sign. We could show it to our friends in Mississippi to encourage them to upgrade their public education system and match the success of Alabama.

Stepping out with Fay

2008-08-30T16:00:00.008-05:00

Before anyone gets upset, the title of this post does not indicate that LaWanna has to be worried about another woman. In fact, I am not that that fond of Fay. She has done some good, but for me personnally, has disrupted my plans. Fay is the tropical storm that was news before Gustav took aim on the Gulf Coast. First, Fay put a damper on the Vaughn Park Family Beach Trip last weekend. Second, on the same weekend the winds of Fay dropped a large oak limb on our cable line and on my truck. No internet-no phone-no television. Then, Fay took a turn and followed us on our weeklong backpacking trip in the north Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail. We managed to get started and over Blood Mountain on Monday before the rain started, which was a blessing. But before we stopped for the first night, the rains began. The next two days and nights about 10 to 12 inches of rain fell. That made it difficult to set out in the mornings and we left camp late both Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday was a 12 mile day so the late start and added weight and tricky footing caused by the rain combined to make a difficult day that brought casualties. My cousin, Gene, was experiencing leg cramps and having difficulty taking in nutrition so he needed to take a break at the only highway we crossed during the week. He and my brother Keith hitchhiked to Dahlonega and got a room and ate real food. Then they hired a shuttle to where a Forest Service road crosses the A.T. and got back on the trail. We met them that evening at the next shelter.

There were some adventures that you just can not anticipate. For instance, Wednesday night between midnight and 1 a.m., I heard voices and awoke to see my Keith out of his tent talking to a man in full camo, wearing a bullet-proof vest, night vision goggles, and carrying an automatic weapon. What? Turns out that the Army Rangers training in the area had stumbled into our camp and one of them literally stumbled over a log. Keith woke up during the commotion and then most of us did as well. The commander apologized for disturbing us and advised that there would soon be gunfire on top of Hawk Mountain. They did not get very far from our campsite before we heard the men getting yelled at. It is a funny feeling to realize that the objective that could easily have been achieved was to slip through without our knowledge. The should know that I sleep with my hickory walking stick nearby.

The last few days were clear and the views were beautiful after the rain moved out. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what it is like;

This picture is of Mark and me. I am thankful that he loves the outdoors and sees God's work in creation. I appreciate that Mark would take time from work and spend the week with his dad and other old guys hiking. It was hard for him to be gone from Lindsay a FULL WEEK especially since her birthday fell during the week.

This small bridge crossed a mountain stream. After several days of rain, the sunlight at the end of the bridge served as a great icon for the feelings we had. You know, "light at the end of the tunnel".

Many people have never experienced the Appalachian Trail or anything like it, so they ask what the trail is like. The section we hiked this year has a little stretch that is flat, wide and easy walking. Most of it, however, is something like this picture. Keith is making his way up another rocky section. The reason boots are important is that you step on and over thousands of rocks in a day's time. It seems that you are always going up a mountain or down a mountain. You would think those times would be about even, but somehow it seems more uphill to me.

Here Keith clowns at an interesting rock formation. A sense of humor is essential on a week-long hike.

I will close, appropriately enough, with a picture of sunset from Springer Mountain--the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. I hoped to add more pictures but Blogger is just taking too long to upload and I have walked away from this post every day for a week. Here it is finally. We had fun, soaked up (pun intended) lots of nature, and built relationships. Most of us boosted our physical limits some as well. I am about two days from walking normally again. Mark will take a little longer.

Tri, Tri, Again

2008-08-18T18:24:00.005-05:00

Here it is blogger friends, family, and stalker-non-commenter-readers. Here is my take on the Georgia Veterans Park Triathlon experience. As the athletes (I like including myself in that title) gathered at the water's edge in the minutes before the start time, the race director gave instructions on how the swim would begin in waves. There would be a start at two minutes until eight for the one physically challenged athlete (he biked on a recumbant trike that was pedaled by hand and used a wheelchair in the run--I can't imagine how much courage it took for him to attempt the swim), then the first wave consisting of the youngest men. My friend, Josh, was in the first wave (age 27). My brother, Keith, and I were in the 3rd wave. Then there were two waves of women. Two funny things happened during this time. The second was that when the horn blew for the handicapped athlete to begin, two others took off with him. They did not seem to notice that nobody else was swimming. They were very, very fast. One of them completed the swim in 4:56. I was just reaching the first bouy in 4:56! I am not saying this guy could beat Michael Phelps but he might beat some of the olympic swimmers. Of course, he was already disqualified. I know it is backwards to give you the first funny thing second, but it leads into the rest of the story. The first funny thing was that after the race director gave instructions to all but two of the competitors (maybe the yellow rubber caps were too tight on their ears), he was filling time by being charming. "How many first-timers?" he asked. Lots of hands. "How many have been competing in triathlons more than 25 years?" Only a couple of hands--mostly, I think because the question caught them off guard and some were doing the math. I joked to my brother that we could raise our hands because we did a triathlon together at Oak Mountain in....well, I don't remember what year that was--but probably more than 25 years ago. So, we have not been continuously doing them 25 years, but more like once every 25 years. I decided that was how I would present a few pictures. The first hilarious picture is of me emerging from the water after a half-mile-swim-near-death experience at Oak Mountain state park enough years ago that I still had dark hair and beard. Same belly, shorter swimsuit. Back then, everybody went into a makeshift changing area made by putting up two-by-fours and nailing tarp to it to change clothes between race segments. Now folks come out of the water and jump into shoes already clipped to bike pedals and take off.

I have no idea who the old lady is that thinks it is sooo funny that I can not swim and the "rescue canoes" followed me to shore. Question; How WOULD they have pulled me into that canoe?

That picture is not funny enough for you? Well, the second one is as funny as it gets. Warning to my kids and brother--steal this photo and have fun with it at your own peril!

I would like to point out that I was being a good samaritan and picking up equipment left by others. That is what I would like, but the truth is I thought I was going to drown last year--really. So I called for a life preserver. This is the picture of a sad, defeated man.

But there was redemption (of sorts) this year.

The second old guy in this picture is me. I like this picture for several reasons. 1) I am not carrying a life preserver. 2) There are still people in the water (although they started much later than I did). 3) There is a man that started with me just right THERE--I could almost touch him.

After putting on a show for my many fans (hi, mom--hi, LaWanna--hi, Samantha and Josh's parents) it ocurred to me that the sensors that registered the signal from our anklet was just up the shore and if I ran through this shallow water ahead of that old guy, I would beat at least one person from my wave. See ya grandpa!

The triathlon was lots of fun. After finishing, I had the feelings I always have--elation from finishing, satisfaction of doing the best I could at the time, and frustration with not training more, harder, sooner. And so it goes. For one hour and 46 minutes I feel that I am doing all I can do and almost as soon as it is over, I am sure I could have done better. That is part of why I do these things. Also, the opportunity to be amazed at what young strong athletes can do and the thrill of seeing older--much older--athletes finish strong reaffirms that we were created to test our bodies and our bodies reward us for the effort.

I wonder if Michael Phelps will be available for swim lessons?

Socrates

2008-08-13T21:11:00.001-05:00

By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.

Socrates (philosopher)

Just Imagine....

2008-08-13T06:20:00.004-05:00

Take a look at these three kids. What do you think they might accomplish in life? Let me help you by pointing out that the two in blue are girls, not young Bee Gees. Focus, however on their little brother in the middle. Does he look familiar?

Maybe a later picture will help.

Yep, that tall, skinny kid with the dumbo ears and funny lisp is Michael Phelps. No, he did not BECOME Michael Phelps--he always was. With the right combination of genetics, a coach that believed he was special, a missing dad, and an encouraging mom he forged the determination and belief that led to massive training and astonishing results. It is fun to watch as his gold medals pile up and the world records tumble. He makes it seem effortless--and fun! In a few weeks he can retire as a very wealthy man. Most of us would love to trade places with him--now. I would love to be able to eat all that he eats and be that lean. But....I am not willing to swim 50 miles per week--fast--in order to arrive where he is. It takes work. More work than anybody else is willing to do. For a long time. With no guarantees.

But how inspiring is it to look at that normal, everyday kid and see what he has already accomplished. Just imagine what you and I might be able to accomplish with hard work and a little encouragement.

This sad note from today's headlines; Michael Phelps appeared to be headed for yet another gold medal and world record when his swim cap slipped up on one side. After his ear popped out, he swam in circles until everyone in the field had finished the race.

Couldn't resist.

Coosa River View

2008-08-11T20:41:00.003-05:00

I found another way to photograph the Coosa River today. This is from a bluff looking south.

If you click on either picture and look along the shore on the right, you may be able to see a few cows that have made their way through the wooded area to drink at the edge of the river.

"And I say to myself, what a wonderful world."

Who is Number One?

2008-08-08T16:30:00.002-05:00

These headlines are being reported today by the Associated Press;

"Georgia says Russian aircraft bombed its air bases"

Nice try, you dirty red communists. The Bulldogs are still ranked #1 in the nation!

GO DAWGS!!! And come quickly, fall.

Powerpoint Sermon

2008-08-07T21:05:00.002-05:00

Nitrous Oxide

2008-08-06T17:07:00.002-05:00

This car, spotted in Wetumpka, Alabama, screams on behalf of its owner "Yes, I can afford to equip my car with a Nitrous Oxide set-up in order to drive insanely fast. But I can only afford this 79 cent thumb latch to keep the door shut!"

Provide Your Own Caption!

2008-08-05T21:49:00.002-05:00

Not What I Expected!

2008-08-04T20:53:00.002-05:00

Well, here it is. Somehow, I expected it to be more....I don't know.... glitzy.

Game Face

2008-08-04T06:21:00.001-05:00

It is time to put my game face on! The countdown has reached 12 days to the triathlon. Keith and Josh, I am coming for YOU!

Thanks to all who asked, but no, the race number is not my actual age.

Motorcycle Mama

2008-08-02T19:55:00.003-05:00

I guess it is time for some "Blog-lite".

"Hey, that Harley dude has a pink helmet!"

Wait a minute--that dude is a....biker babe?

And somebody's arm in the truck window.

Disillusioned

2008-07-30T13:28:00.002-05:00

Have you ever been disillusioned? Rhetorical question? Of course. We all have been disillusioned. There is a taste of it for me every day that I bike, swim, or run in an attempt to turn a 54 year old body into that of a triathlete. Should have thought of that on the third trip to the soft-serve ice cream machine at Jason's Deli. I go to the website for the race and look at last year's results. Look at the times for people in my age group! I know I can beat those times! And I envision it happening--me emerging from the water like James Bond with washboard abs, jumping on my aluminum steed to dash off, returning to dismount like Roy Rogers to continue in a full run to the finish line. Sure I can do that! Then I go out for a ride. Man, it's hot. And how can all the roads be uphill? Why won't this thing shift gears correctly? The runs are similar except my mind knows that my body once ran 10K's in sub-seven minute miles so something seems wrong now. But the biking and running are shining success stories compared to the swim training. Mostly I avoid the swimming because 1) I know I am not good at it and 2) I am afraid. There it is. I am afraid of the water. Yes, I have kayaked rivers and rafted mighty rivers. Yes, I have survived a few triathlons. Yes, I love to swim--if by that you mean splashing around in a pool with family and friends. But when I dive into my friend's pond to train for the race, I will have the same feelings I have at the lake during the race. Not so much a vision of James Bond finishing strong as of an old guy's body floating face down. I am not likely to drown because I am not likely to push myself anywhere near my physical potential in the water. I am, however, very likely to embarrass myself.

Here is why I bring it up; while reading Oswald Chambers' book "My Utmost for His Highest" this morning I found this thought "The refusal to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering in human life." What? That seems backwards--so unamerican. On the surface, being disillusioned seems to be a bad thing. If you take the word literally, however, it means not believing an illusion (or delusion). Some of you read the first paragraph and immediately began thinking of things you could say to encourage a would-be athlete. And that is good as long as the TRUTH is told. We so often withhold the truth from people so they will feel better. In so doing, we perpetuate the illusion. They are not disillusioned...yet.

The reality is that it is fine if my muscles hurt, the equipment is less than perfect, even if I have fears. Reality is not James Bond or Roy Rogers or six-pack abs without sacrifice. Those are illusions. The sad thing is that so many have fairy tale illusions about sports, marriage, finances, and life and when reality differs, they just give up. I found a Flair button on Facebook that reads "You don't have to win, you just have to TRI!" At the top of the button is a swimmer, cyclist, and runner. I love that message. It is not an illusion. Some call those who just survive a triathlon rather than compete "Triathloids". That was me last year. This year I have made some effort, though not enough, to get better, stronger, faster. In my mind that makes me a triathlete. If facing the truth about my athletic possibilities enables me to overcome the illusions and succeed, maybe it is possible in other areas of life as well. What do you think?

Warming?

2008-07-30T09:16:00.002-05:00

I heard another silly "global warming" report today and thought about how prone we all are to group think. Any idea, repeated often enough and long enough, begins to seem plausible. There is much, much of the world I have not seen. But spending just two weeks in Alaska gave me a perspective on the millions and millions of acres that are not inhabited because the environment is just too cold and harsh. We all know that these places exist, but there is just something about seeing with your own eyes that makes you realize how complex the environment is and how silly we are to think that we control the future of the universe. Here is one of the hundreds of pictures I took during that trip.

Kindness

2008-07-30T09:13:00.000-05:00

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Plato

Is That a Camera in your Pocket?

2008-07-28T19:26:00.004-05:00

People ask "Roxy, why do you always carry that digital camera everywhere you go?" Here is your answer;

You never know when you will be walking in Beautiful Downtown Wetumpka and happen upon a Russian-built motorcycle complete with side car and camo paint circa WWII. Does that seem unlikely? How about TWO Russian built motorcycles with side cars, one in a sporty red?

These are "Ural" motorcycles with a rich, colorful history. As the Russians prepared to defend themselves against Hitler and the invading Germans, they bought several BMW motorcycles in Sweden and took them to Russia. There they took them apart and "reverse engineered" by making dies from the engine parts and just copied the design and parts to replicate the BMW motorcycles.

The camo motorcycle in these pictures actually has "two-wheel drive". Both bikes are shaft drive and have a reverse. But the camo version has a shaft and gearing that allows the wheel outside the side car to pull also. That enables the bike to travel through snow and deep sand. These are used in remote parts of Russia and Ukraine as well as African nations where "road" is little more than a footpath.

Note that the camo bike has a map of the USA and the western and southern states colored as having been visited. The tag indicates that the owner is from Washington state. The red bike has an Alabama tag. I regret not taking the time to talk to the two riders about their adventures.

If you are interested, you can own one of these beauties for 12 to 14 thousand dollars. That may be a pretty good deal. You know what they say...."The Ultimate Driving Experience". Well, that is what they say about a BMW. Would that apply to a Russian copy of a BMW? How about "A Reasonable Facsimile of The Ultimate Driving Experience"?

Regarding the Clouds

2008-07-26T17:12:00.002-05:00

The title of this post comes from Ecclesiastes 11:4 "He who observes the wind will not sow. And he who regards the clouds will not reap." That verse is marked in my Bible as is a couple below that. In the margin is written the Nike slogan "Just Do It". I marked it because my tendency is to "regard the clouds" and attempt to predict the weather. I am better at it than most, but still miss the prediction OFTEN. Today, however, I predicted it perfectly. When I called LaWanna after finishing work, I told her I was doing my "brick" workout and it would almost certainly rain before I finished.

The "brick" is a term for combining two types of training, in this case cycling followed by running, in preparation for my fast-approaching triathlon. The plan was to bike 13 miles and change shoes quickly to run 4 miles. As I prepared to head west, the dark, dark clouds were providing an easy excuse to avoid the torture to my quads. I decided to push on, knowing I would be rained on before finishing that distance. The rain is not a big problem but I made a mental note to be flexible with my plan in case of close lightening. There was VERY close lightening. The plan was altered to include a 9 mile bike ride and 2 mile run. It is a little disappointing to cut the plan short, but I feel good about getting that much done. The run was all in HEAVY rain. Here are some things I learned;

1. Lightening can make you bike faster than you thought you could.
2. Brake levers are slippery when wet.
3. The painted white line on the road is very slippery when wet.
4. Shoes and socks weigh several pounds more when wet.
5. There are still good people in the world (Thanks, sir, for offering the ride).
6. Sticking to a plan leading to a long-term goal is very difficult.
7. With a little judgement, rain will not hurt you.
8. Cell phones apparently are not waterproof.
9. Although it seemed hopeless a short time back, I am getting stronger.
10. It is o.k. to be different.

You know, if I learn to swim this thing may work out.

Family Emergency

2008-07-23T17:29:00.002-05:00

I wonder......

Family Emergency= "Mamma, the repo man is here and he is taking all the Hooked on Phonics CD's!"

Sunflowers

2008-07-23T16:21:00.004-05:00

Many educated and powerful individuals loudly proclaim that the universe and all it contains are the result of an accident and countless years of aimless evolution. I offer the following evidence to the contrary;

A Bicycle Built For.....

2008-07-22T09:46:00.003-05:00

Most of my readers have already heard stories of my tendency to crash when I can't get the cycling shoes unclipped from the pedals. So, after a little research, I have found the solution. Here is a short video of a bicycle built for.....SEVEN!

Actually, while the maker calls it a "Conference Bike" he also refers to it as a tricycle. Some versions of the bike actually 4 wheels. So you could call it a weird car. And it needs that much road space. But still--wouldn't that be fun? I am going to suggest that our church purchase one of these and rotate it between small groups. Do we really need to sit in the den and eat cookies while we study the Bible? No, we could be burning calories instead! And this is better than traditional tandem bikes because you can see if somebody is not pedaling. Another great advantage; you can use the bike lane OR the High Occupancy Vehicle lane. I wonder if this would be legal in a triathlon?