The Old Man Finds a New Tree

Happy New Year

2010-12-27T14:22:00.000-08:00

It's kinda hard to believe that 2010 is already over. It just seemed to have flown by! 2010 started off a bit poorly, by the middle of the year, I had a renewed sense of wonderment and now, at the end of the year, life has taken a definite turn for the better. It never ceases to amaze me how life can turn around so much in such a short span of time. Ever think back on your school years, how life seemed to take forever to go by? How when you were in kindergarten, your senior year seemed a lifetime away? In a sense it was, but as you grow older 12 or 13 years don't really take that much time to go by. Hopefully, 2011 will slow down for me, and let me enjoy life with my lady, but even if that, too flies by, at least I'll have some fine company. Happy New Year everyone!

Julian Assange & Wikileaks

2010-12-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

I haven't been following the Wikileaks saga, except passively, I haven't seen any of the videos nor have I read any documents, but, from what I can tell there's a lot of people pissed at this guy. In all honesty, I say good for him; it's about time somebody shines a light into the dark corners of the Imperial closet. America has never been and shouldn't be now, an empire. What the fuck gives us the right to go around sticking our noses in other countries' business? We walk around the globe with our big-dick asshole swagger, thinking we're hot shit, when we're not even close; and, all these assholes in the media and government calling for Assange's death ought to have their asses kicked, he's not even an American, for crying out loud! We've brought all this hurt down on ourselves, if we would have just done the right thing, stayed home and took care of ourselves like we should have, we wouldn't be in this mess. But, noooo, we have to pretend like we still matter. Face it-the Cold War's over, we won, now come on home and take out the friggin garbage like a good boy. If we would have said, back in 1990, "Hey world, we made it safe for democracy, we prevented WWIII, & we kept the Soviets in check for 45 years, now go, have a nice life, we're going home and take care of Mom and Dad", the rest of the world would probably have the utmost respect for us instead of trying to piss on us where ever we go. I don't know if we'll ever learn, but we better damn well better try, otherwise we're just gonna get hurt even worse.

The Molly Maguires

2010-11-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

In 1968, when I was just a wee lad, Hollywood descended on the coal fields of northeastern Pennsylvania. Director and producer Martin Ritt had come with his entourage to film a movie about Irish coal miners called "The Molly Maguires". Few people have seen this movie, fewer still have ever heard of it, but it truly is a fine movie. Starring such luminaries as Sean Connery, Richard Harris and Samantha Eggar, this movie had been the biggest thing to hit this area in decades. Filmed in various locations throughout the anthracite region, it pretty much put this region on the proverbial map. We're still feeling the effects of this project, even more than 40 years later. Hell, we even got a state historical site out of the deal. The movie itself is loosely based on real historical events, i.e. Sean Connery's character is named Jack Keogh, who was a real person, who was a real Molly, who was really hanged in the 1870's. A Richard Harris plays a Pinkerton detective hired by the coal company to bring the Mollies to justice; again, based on a real person. The story itself is an amalgam of events that took place over several years, mainly in Schuylkill county, but still makes for great cinema. Most of the people who live in this area don't know the actual story anyway. Being from this area, I still feel a twinge of pride about it, especially since my own father worked on building the sets, some of which still stand. Go and rent it, you won't be disappointed.

Dreams

2010-09-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

Dreams; daydreams, or fantasies, not nocturnal dreams, are what sets us apart from the animal kingdom. We humans have a fascinating capacity for evisioning the future. Dreams take on various and myriad shapes and sizes. Some people dream big, they want it all, so to speak, while others' dreams are more modest. Mine lie in the latter catagory. I personally think modest dreams are far more enchanting; they lend themselves to be much more honest and worthwhile, not to mention much more obtainable. People who dream big, usually fall into one of two catagories- they're either movers and shakers, who are used to getting what they want; the Trumps and Gates and Rockerfellers fall into this catagory, or they are totally, massively egotistical. Truthfully, the only people I can think of who fall into this catagory are most of our present-day celebrities. Some folks who hit big ticket lottery jackpots usually succumb to this type of dreaminess as well. Modest dreamers are usually people who are either well grounded in life, or like me, find themselves on the short end of a long stick. Most of the time I don't mind being here, it's made who I am, but the dreams I have call for a much more secure and ordered life. The unique thing about dreams is that they can be tailored to fit anyone. We often hear about the"American Dream", which in all actuality is pretty much a misnomer, especially in today's economic climate, but there are those, who through sheer will, make those dreams come true. If nothing else, dreams keep hope alive, and we can surely use all the hope we can get.

It's Fun to Bitch and Moan

2010-09-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I like to read the comments posted on some political site or another. Sometimes I even post a comment myself. It's such a blast to read some of the bull some people write. A lot of these commenters take themselves SOOO seriously! In all honesty, it really is a good thing that we're able to exercise the right to bitch and moan, even if it's only "to the choir".
The more I read of people's dissatisfaction about the state of the nation, the more I realize that there's probably never going to be any change in the status quo. It's just human nature. We get uncomfortable, and if we experience that discomfort for a long enough period of time, our comfort level goes way down. Just a little bit of movement, just enough to make the discomfort go away, and we're happy. That's how it's been for decades. Little by little, our rights have been eroded, our liberties compromised, and soon we find ourselves aching for a little adjustment. Some figure or some action comes along, promising to alleviate our suffering, and-BOOM!, we're just peachy again. Right now I have so little faith in the American people. I seriously doubt that things will ever change, at least in the right direction. Those who do take their liberty seriously are so few in number, and so overwhelmed by the odds, that it seems that they have a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding. I hope I'm just being pessimistic, but we'll have to wait and see how things pan out.

The Never-Ending War

2010-09-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

In the late 70's I was a fan of the British sci-fi drama Dr. Who. During those days, it was actor
Tom Baker who played the Doctor. I remember one particular series of episodes which featured
the genesis of the Daleks, a race of robotic creatures, which were one of the Doctor's nemises.
As I can recall, the Daleks were created by a "mad scientist" working for one of two city-states on a distant planet, which had warring for what might have been centuries. They were intended to be this side's secret weapon, but as all such megalomaniacal endevours turn out, they lost control and eventually everything else.
Which brings me to my topic, our seemingly endless war in Afghanistan. Apparently Gen. David Patraeus, the U.S. commander in theatre, was quoted as saying that we "might be in Afghanistan another 9 or 10 years". Huh? Hell, why not make it 20?...Actually we've been in that country for damn near 30 years already. Remember the Soviet invasion? How many Stinger missiles did we send over to the Jihadis so that they could shoot down Soviet aircraft?
And like that fictional war from Dr. Who, we've taken to using robot weapons...Predators anyone? I don't envision a Terminator-like future, but like all such never-ending wars, this one won't have a happy ending either.

Mad Men

2010-09-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

I've taken to watching AMC's "Mad Men" on Sunday nights. It's not a bad show, but I think if it weren't for the historical ambience, I probably wouldn't bother. There's one thing that particularly bothers me, though. It is how seemingly cruel and just downright mean everyone seems to be. Oh, I know there's the typical era sexism and racism, which is actually still with us, but I mean the pettyness and ignorance that the characters display toward one another. Truthfully, people are still like that, they always have been. Last night's episode was full of that kind of demeaning behavior. I really hate the mean and obnoxious way people act. Even now, some folks just don't know how to be civil toward one another. No one gives it a thought to ever apologize for wrongs committed, or to be polite in their daily interaction with others. Few people have sympathy or empathy for their fellow man. Hearts grow cold and stony, eyes are blind and ears are stopped up. Like Jackie Deshannon sang so long ago, "What the world needs now, is Love, Sweet Love".

9-11

2010-09-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

That time of the year is upon us again. That horrible DAY, when we were brutally and dastardly attacked. I find it somewhat bemusing that this day has been named Patriot Day, as if we don't have any other days worthy of such rememberance. But, what of THAT day? Time and time again, September Eleventh is compared to December Seventh, another one of those "patriotic" days, and yet, the aftermath of that day lead us into World War II, which we helped win in only four years. This war has been going on more than twice as long, and are we any closer to victory? Perhaps we're not so committed to winning this "war". It's no secret that FDR goaded the Japanese into attacking us, he desired it, and he got his wish. Ten years after WWII, we were Japan's biggest trading partner, a position we still hold. What will come of this conflict? We were and still are the Middle East's biggest customer, there's really not a whole lot that they have to offer us besides oil. Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that America never got to participate in the Great Moslem Ass-Kicking Games, otherwise known as the Crusades. Those frequent wars lasted from the 11th til the 17th centuries, WAY before we were even a gleam in our daddy's eyes. Or perhaps it's our elites' lust for empire? In any event, why we were attacked,
well that's easy. It's not for Baby Bush's reasoning that, "They hate our freedoms", that's laughable. No, the real reason-that we go sticking our damn noses where they absolutely don't belong. Maybe if we would have adhered to Washington's admonition to keep ourselves from foreign entanglements, we would have never experienced such a tragedy.

P.S. Oh, and as for that church in Florida that plans on burning copies of the Koran on 9-11....
Really? Don't they have anything better to do that day? I have no love for the Koran, but to me, it just seems like a waste of time. If you want to waste your money buying one and throwing it on the fire, fine, just don't make a media circus out of it; it's gauche.

Uncle Woody

2010-09-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

I met Uncle Woody a few weeks ago, and two weeks ago I bought him and brought him home.
You see, Uncle Woody is a lemonwood American flatbow, 66" long, with 46# draw. As best as I can find out, this lovely self longbow was made, probably in the late 50's, by Outdoor Sports Co. That's ok, 'cause Uncle Woody(a moniker I've dubbed him), is a nice old shooter. I'm getting pretty accurate with him. I need to get myself a nice back quiver so I can take Uncle Woody roving. Next thing after that I'll find me a bunch of Merry Men and take on that nasty ol' sheriff.

Heading for Sherwood Forest

2010-07-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

I'm a kid at heart, and therefore I like toys. The old saying goes, "the only difference between men and boys are the price of their toys", is all too often true. Nothing wrong with that.
Leisure is our reward for a long day's toil. I've found a new game to play-archery. Yeah, I'm gonna be a real Robin Hood; and like him, I'll be using a longbow. For more than twenty years, I've wanted a longbow. When I was a kid I had bows. First was a wooden flatbow. It was probably a toy, but as well as I can remember it seemed to be well made. It was probably an antique, I just don't remember. Next came a fiberglass recurve, a twenty pound, the kind that came in a set with a belt quiver, tab, cuff, and three arrows. It was white(ick!), and as I remember when I first strung it, I had it backwards! It eventually snapped(I tried using it to make a crossbow, I was nothing if not imaginative). As soon as I was able, I forgot all about bows and starting concentrating on guns. Then one day, in my early twenties, I discovered that longbows exist, that they were way totally cool and I wanted one. In the intervening years I dabbled with a compound bow, and I even picked up an old Ben Pearson recurve, but nothing had the allure of the longbow. Lately I've been trying to assuage my feelings by buying new toys.
Presently, I have four guns, with another on the way; but in all honesty, guns just don't do it for me anymore. I'll probably keep a couple, and sell the rest. They're just too noisy, expensive to feed, and I just don't feel comfortable shooting them anymore; I guess I don't like drawing attention to myself. I was even tempted by muzzleloaders again, but I think I may have finally put that bear to rest. I just don't have the time or money to dedicate myself to that activity. As far as silent weapons go, I even tried a sling. Truth is, it's cool, but I can't hit the broad side of a barn with the damn thing. Something like that is no fun if you can't do it right. Which brings me back to the longbow. Although I have some archery experience, it's hardly enough to qualify as nothing more than a sincere interest; but it may be that that sincerity would be enough. In any event, shooting the longbow seems as though it would be a mystical experience, kind of Zen like.
And that's seems as good as a reason as any to head to Sherwood Forest and become one of the Merrie Men.

When the Giant Falls

2010-07-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

In 1941, after the successful attack on Hawaii, Admiral Nagumo, the Japanese Naval commander is said to have uttered "I'm afraid all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant". He was indeed correct. Today that giant is on the verge of falling over. We, as a nation, are a mere
shadow of our former selves. What was great about America is no more. Our industrial base has been shipped off to the Third World, our economy is nearing total collapse, and our government is quite prepared to put on the Iron Gauntlet. When, not if the end comes, there will be literally hell to pay. Blood will be spilled and death and mayhem will be the order of the day. I have no clue as to what the outcome may be, but I certainly hope some semblence of what we should be will be restored.

Official Language

2010-07-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

I've just read a thought provoking article about the prospect of English as America's "official
language". I can see where the author is coming from in decrying that position as simply another
government sponsored intrusion, but, in actuality English is our de-facto "official" language here.
I live in an area with a fairly robust Hispanic population and I must admit that I'm not particularly fond of Spanish. To me, it's an ugly language, sounding more like gibberish. It's not so much the fact that there are Spanish speakers among our citizenry, but rather it seems as though they segregate themselves, with little desire to assimilate into the community at large; although I must also admit that inroads have been made in that regard. Trust is a two way street, and although when these folks came here, they did bring with them an influx of all sorts of undesirable elements, we seem to have developed at the very least a tolerance of one another.
That, and of course many of us go about armed, so all those troublesome problems like muggings and carjackings don't occur. When our grandparents came here, they understood that in order to be successful in society, one of the first orders of business is to learn the "natives' " language. Within one or two generations most immigrant families were thoroughly Americanized; so I have little doubt the same thing will occur now. As far as legislating English as our official language, we have enough bad laws already without adding another one, I say let nature take its course, and let the people speak for themselves.

Model Buses

2010-05-09T20:53:00.001-07:00

There's a website from the U.K. that details models of transit buses from Asia. The gentleman who runs the site has collected information on models from Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Japan. I think the site is eminently charming, and the models themselves, usually HO scale, are finely detailed, with colorful and authentic graphics, that represent actual vehicles and routes in use. Most are diecast( like old Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars) or are plastic or resin kits. I think such collectibles would be under-appreciated in this country, owing to our entrenched car culture and the snub that public transportation usually gets. That is truly a shame, for although
such an infrastructure exists in every major urban area, we really seem to take it for granted, rather than celebrate it for its decided usefulness. If dire predictions are correct, and we are in a peak oil era, we would be wise to look to the Far East for inspiration in solving some of our transportation problems. In any event, I think collecting these models would be a fascinating hobby, encompassing a gentle, indespensible and often overlooked aspect of many people's daily lives.

A True Pisces

2010-05-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

Normally I don't put much stock in astrology, but...I must admit that when I read the characteristics concerning my sign, I am intrigued. I've read all this stuff before, but I tend to forget things after a while ( I'm particularly terrible with people's names). After rediscovering my attributes, and particularly my weaknesses, I have to admit they pretty much nailed me to a tee. I really, really hate just how accurate they are! In all fairness, though, it would explain some things. Now, if I can just tap into all that luck I'm supposed to have....

Anything to Get Away From God

2010-05-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of weeks, the History Channel has been running a series on "ancient astronauts". I just watched a bit of one, I had seen most of it before, but just caught the beginning. What really intrigued me was their discussion of a man named Zacharia Sitchin. He wrote a series of books entitled The Earth Chronicles, which apparently are translations of ancient Sumerian texts found in Iraq. In them he states that the Sumerians left records of a
race of gods who, in his assessment, created the first homo sapiens to work as slaves in gold mines. According to Sitchin, these slaves were called "Adamu", very similar to Adam of Genesis.
What crap. Why is it soooo difficult to believe in an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God, who is beyond our comprehension? Why? Because people will do ANYTHING to shirk their
responsibility to God. If we were created by a race of aliens, then there'd be no accountability. We could do as we please, with no thought to eternal retribution. This is why evolution is such a popular belief system. The Truth is so simple, yet so powerful. We humans are rebellious by our nature; this is called sin. That sinful nature is what seperates us from God, but God is unwilling to let us go, so, He made a plan. That plan called for our redemption from that nature, but the only one who could fulfill the obligations called for was God Himself. That's where Jesus comes in. He is the God-man; God become flesh, to redeem a fallen world by the Sacrifice of Himself.
I don't know about you, but I'd rather be a being created by a good and holy God than by friggin ET.

Towards a Dystopian Future

2010-05-02T01:43:00.000-07:00

I like the word "dystopia", it kinda rolls off the tongue; unfortunately, the image it invokes is grim, at the very least. Dystopia is the philosophical opposite of utopia, neither of which is particularly viable. The latter is unworkable and the former is uninhabitable, at least for those of us who value freedom. In our country, today, we are headed for a dystopian future. With the government consolidating more and more power in its hands, there will no doubt come a time when that power will be unleashed. We may not have Sturmgruppen marching down Main Street, but the iron hand of government will be felt, nonetheless. In all honesty, some areas of the U.S. have already experienced this, with repressive laws, political correctness and unchecked police brutality. Too much government makes for a poor quality of life; ask anyone who's ever lived in the former Soviet Union.
Over the course of the past few months, I've been taking stock of my own political philosophy.
While I tend to lean toward a more libertarian viewpoint, oftentimes with a bit of anarchism thrown in for good measure, I wouldn't hesitate to agree that some government is necessary, albeit, so long as it's kept on a short leash. It's always been my contention that the only agent of the government that anyone should ever have dealings with on a regular basis, is the postman.
If only we could make that a true statement, we would ALL be better off.

What Life Should Be Like

2010-04-28T23:05:00.000-07:00

In America today, everything is sooo screwed up. We live in a time where what is truly wrong is considered right, and vice versa. Those who can remember life in the 50's will tell you that things were so much better. Neighbors actually knew one another, people often left their doors unlocked, and there weren't boogeymen lurking around every corner. While it's true, those days weren't as truly wonderful as those who can remember them would actually like them to be, there's much to be said for living that way. So, what's changed? Really. What did? Well, for one, we let the devil in, so to speak. Our schools took the Bible out, and put "Johnny Has Two Daddies" in, or something to that effect; we let women kill their unborn children and called it a right, yet we coddle murderers and rapists because executing them is considered cruel and unusual punishment. We reward sloth and deviant behavior and tax the shit out of those who slave for a living, and we legislate morality by way of politicians who can't keep it in their pants.
I've been in a quandry for some time. As I've said before, I hate conflict; not so much because I'm fearful, but rather because I'm wrathful. When I see or hear of things that piss me off, I want to kill, literally. I don't take kindly to injustice, but I want to administer "street justice". I am of
the bent that sometimes, truly, that is the only way. I like the line in the movie "Shooter", where the Attorney General tells Bob Lee Swagger that, "this isn't the Old West, where the streets can be cleaned up with a gun....even though that's just what's needed". We, who obey the law, look after our families and do what the very real right thing is, should NOT be penalized for it; yet after every turn, there are those who see things differently, and want to impose THEIR will on us.
It's high time we shot back...and I never miss.

Social Justice

2010-04-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

Of the myriad of terms that are used by the left, the one that irritates me the most is
"social justice". I don't know what it is about this term, but it leaves a terrifically bad taste in
my mouth. Now, I'm all for charity. Helping people is a noble and often necessary pursuit; but...
when this "help" becomes something of a "gospel" it belittles and neuters the True Gospel. In
some so-called Christian circles, there is even preached a "social Gospel", which is neither.
These folks, most of whom are liberal in both politics and religion, look at Scripture and glean
the passages that pertain to charity, and base their entire theology on them. This is not rght.
Yes, the Bible talks at length about helping the poor, etc., but this is not the main point. Charity
is practiced because you love God, but it is not the foundation of faith. God reminds us that,
while we strive to worship and serve Him, we must not forget our fellow man. This is what
Jesus meant when he chided the Pharisees about their strict religious observances. Though
they put on a good show, their hearts were far from God. Likewise, those today who preach
about "social justice" are doing much the same. This philosophy is also closely linked with
collectivist political practices, in fact they often go hand-in-hand. We, who are Christians are
not called to change the world, it can never be while evil still resides here; but rather we are to
point to The Way and to the One who can. In truth, what is called "social justice" is nothing
more than a scam to elevate the victimhood of a minority at the expense of everyone else.
While I have no doubt there are people out there who genuinely care about the plight of the
world's poor and often mistreated people, one must keep in mind that this has been going on
for millenia. Compassion for those people is one thing, but prayer and charitable
contributions to reputable organizations goes a lot further than buying over priced "fair trade"
coffee and uttering such mantras as"think globally, act locally", just to make yourself feel like
you're doing your part, ever will.

Tired

2010-04-24T22:51:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been having somewhat of a crisis of faith. Not faith in God, that remains secure,
but rather faith in myself. I'm guessing it has a lot to do with all the bull that's been coming out of D.C., and given the fact that I'm loathe to conflict. I've never liked to fight. Maybe that makes me weak and a coward, I don't know, but fighting to me is just plain stupid. I'm no pacifist, if push came to shove, I'd make damn sure that whatever the threat, it would be neutralized. No,
it's petty bickering and "schoolyard bullying' that pisses me off so much, in whatever guise it may take. I just want to be left alone, in peace. I resent people who desire to try and take advantage of me, who would want to rob me, or tax me, or whatever. I have no desire whatsoever to harm, deter, or otherwise infringe on another person, unless of course, they were to attack me first; but if I try and lead a peaceful life and remain polite, as I am wont to do, I would expect the same courtesy. That's what being civilized is all about. Is that really too much to ask?

I Wish I Were a Hobo

2010-04-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

I've always had an affinity for "the Road". Wanderers, wayfarers, vagabonds, these types of people have always fascinated me. Perhaps it is their perceived freedom that is the allure, or
maybe it's just the absence of responsibility. In any case I've always wanted to live like this.
When I was 18, right after high school, I had thought about taking some gear and tramping on the power line that ran north to south near my home. I doubt that I would've gotten very far, but that was beside the point, I wanted to be free. Soon after, I was married, with a job, and later a kid, but the dream of being a road bum never left. Later it morphed into living out of a truck or a van, but that seems to be more hassle than what it's worth. Even now, more than twenty-five years later, and with far more aches and pains, I still have that desire. Perhaps that has always been my vocation, I just never possessed the courage or gumption to embrace it. It's little wonder I'm so miserable. Well who knows, the way things are going, I might just get my wish?

Of Arms & The Police

2010-04-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

In the United States today, the chances of an unarmed citizen being killed by police are probably better than even. In many jurisdictions police actions are on par with something that would be routinely seen in the Third World; residents of wrongly raided homes, people under the influence of drugs or alcohol, who are understandably belligerant, cases of mistaken identity, and people who have a limited command of English have all been victims of police lethality. It seems to me that the majority of these occurances have happened in places where the citizenry would be barred from the use of arms; in any event, the killing of a police officer, even in cases of self-defense, is considered by many to be an act of such severity, that it would warrant capital
punishment, as if the police were accorded some sort of demi-divine status. Police men and women are people, just like the rest of us, who have undertaken a job that can best be described as foolish. They demand respect, yet they themselves rarely give it. There is a certain animosity
among police today, they suspect everyone of being up to no good, and it is this deep-seated paranoia that is usually the cause of violent encounters. When they do happen, the offending offficer is more often than not, not held accountable. One thing that buggers me, why is it that
liberal supporters of civilian disarmament always insist that " only the police and the military need guns"? If there are to be no guns among the general populace, why on earth would the police need to be armed? The military I can see, but cops? No. If the people are unarmed, then the police should likewise be unarmed. There are a few countries in the world that still field unarmed police- Ireland, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand and the U.K. are but some examples.
With the exception of the U.K., these countries do not have the crime problems that we have here. I am not advocating disarming our police, but there has to be a limit as to what is acceptable behavior among those police. If an unarmed citizen goes down to a cop's bullet, he or she should be held just as accountable as anyone else, nor should the police be held in such light as to be considered "the only ones".

Sedition

2010-04-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a new watchword among the collectivist left-"SEDITION". I wonder how many of these freaks actually know the true definition of this word? Ironically, it was these same people, who just a few short years ago, were hanging George W. Bush in effigy and claiming
that he was a reincarnation of Hitler. Now that their man is in the White House.....wwweeellll.....
anything bad said about him is, well, seditious. I do not like Obama, and it has absolutely nothing to do with his pigmentation. He is, like ALL Democrats before him, a megolomaniacal tyrant wannabe. In fact, in our entire history there has been only ONE good Democratic president; and that was Andrew Jackson. Unfortunately, for us, his legacy was so thorough and long-lasting that
all subsequent Democratic presidents were thought to be "men of the people". Nothing could be further from the truth. From Wilson onward, all such men had done nothing but enlarge the government and erode our rights. And just so you don't think I'm just picking on the Democrats,
the Republicans don't have much of a track record, either. We, who are alive today, have come to
a proverbial crossroads in our national history. We ARE no longer one nation, but two. There are the collectivists, who seek to fashion our country more along the lines of the European Socialist
democracies, and there are the individualists, who seek to return to the ideology of the Founders, one of maximum liberty with minimum intrusion. As for me....well I've never been much of a " joiner".

Lost Again

2010-04-02T01:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when life gets overwhelming, I tend to forget who I truly am. I begin to hate life, to wish it were over, or that it had never existed, for me, in the first place. But... then I get to the end of my road, and I find something to remind me that it's not all bad and that I'm trying to do or be something that I'm really not. Part of who it is I am, is a minimalist. Simplicity is my Holy Grail. I practice it in theory, not altogether in actuality. I guess genetics plays a role here; my parents were packrats. They were not sloppy, but they never got rid of stuff. I tend to be somewhat of a slob, not dirty, just cluttery. I never really did go for the "good life", you know, big house, fancy car, big bank account, but when my pockets are light, I loathe the decisions I'd made...but, I remember... One of the happiest times in my life is when I was in the Army in Hawaii. I lived in a one-room apartment for a month and then in the barracks, I didn't have a car, and few possessions. I had no baggage, it was liberating; then I spent 20 years accumulating a couple of tons of junk, and now I feel chained. For the past few months I've been in a funk, bored and depressed(call it cabin fever-blah!). Now that spring is coming I feel a renewed sense of self. My biggest problem is that I'm jaded. I've "been there, done that" so much so that nothing piques my interest anymore, at least nothing that I can afford. I'm also geting old, not too old, but the aches and pains of age are starting to catch up to me. Another thing that beleaguers me is regret. Whoever it was that said "have no regrets" is an idiot. Having no regrets is for assholes who die young, they have no time to regret; I... regret a lot of things.
Enough blathering for now, tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful day, and I plan to exercise
my monniker and go for a walk. I know I'll feel better, at least for a little while.

The South Was Right

2010-03-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of buzz around the internet these days about secession.
Most apparatchnik pundits will tell you it's a ploy by the "lunatic fringe", or
by racist white supremicists, but it is not. Many folks are just too damn tired and outraged by the goings-on in DC. A few states are also engaging in nullifying federal laws, rendering those laws redundant within the boundaries of their respective states. This can only be seen as a good thing.
It is in this respect that the Southern Confederacy was correct. I refuse to get into a pissing match over the issue of slavery, for that is a moot point; we no longer have such an institution, and that was NEVER the issue during the War Between the States anyway. It only served as an expediant political tool by the Lincoln administration to further its war aims. What was the issue, and continues to be to this day, is States' Rights. These are the United STATES, a union of 50 differing little republics, who have bonded themselves together, but it would seem that those bonds are loosening. The Leviathan that is the Federal Government, has grown much too large for its britches and needs to brought to its knees. For far too long, far too many people have enabled this beast to consume and grow, and the attitude that it displays is not unlike that of Mandarin China, but we are not, nor have we ever been the "Celestial Empire", even thought there are many people who wish it were so.

America...What of it?

2010-03-05T22:55:00.003-08:00

By the year 1850, most of what has become the "lower 48", was firmly established in the government's hands (only the Gadsden Purchase, the lower portion of Arizona, remained; it was aquired in 1853). When all of this territory was opened for settlement, there were fewer than 100 million
people living within the boundaries of the United States. It is very likely that that number was half. Today, we Americans number over 300 million, and nearly all of the territory that was formerly frontier is fully settled and/or developed. During the previous 150 years, what is it we have lost?
I believe it is our soul; we are no longer THAT people, the ones who settled, founded, and bled for this nation. May I beg your pardon, but "the
Greatest Generation" are NOT the ones who lived during W.W.II ( though
they were pretty good; my parents among them), but, rather, it was that generation who set forth and made a nation of the raw wilderness( and they include those folks who came here from Europe during the 17th century, right on up till the close of the 19th.) These people had "the right stuff", even if they wouldn't believe it themselves. We, who are their heirs,
should be ashamed of ourselves. We have taken the greatest gift anyone has ever given(well, almost), and promptly pissed it away. We are no longer
a great nation, but rather a collection of sheep, a herd if you will. We have allowed ourselves to be deluded by a bunch of finely-clad hucksters in Washington, who, in their unadulterated arrogance, believe themselves to know better than we do. It may seem a bit dramatic, but the only way I see to save the body, is to kill it...with extreme prejudice.

Doom...

2010-03-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

2012?...ha!, we'll be lucky to make it past 2010!

Lonesome Loser

2010-02-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

I hate to admit it, but I sometimes enjoy movies and t.v. Dramas are
usually what I gravitate to, and I sometimes find myself rooting for the underdog. One of my favorite "archetype' characters is the stereotypical loner; you know, the guy with no roots, who usually lives out of a divey one-room apartment/hotel room and has a dead end job, if any...Yeah, that's me, or would be, and probably will be. I just love the media's portrayal of such people as "lone wolves", who are most likely up to no good. Piss on them, maybe that dude just wants to be left alone, or perhaps he's made some really bad decisions in life and is just hanging on by a thread. In any case, I always seem to have an affinity for that character; I can definitely see where he's coming from, and where he's been, although, also like me, he sometimes doesn't have a frakkin' clue as to where he's going.

Faces

2010-02-06T00:15:00.000-08:00

For as long as I can remember, I've had this unususal "talent". I see faces. Now, by that I mean, I can find faces in strange places; for instance, in the pattern of wall paper, or in the semi-permanent dirt of a tile floor...and, they're not just the two-dots-for eyes-line-for-a-mouth kind of faces, either, rather they have contures and expressions and sometimes they're even three dimensional. Sometimes they're conventional, sometimes grotesque( not gross, but caricatures, askew) in a Classical sense, like something from a Medieval painting. I never go looking for them, they just seem to pop out at me, like they're looking for me. In some ways, it's kind of like seeing a spirit, it's never troubling, and oftentimes even a bit comforting.

Belphagor's Gift

2010-01-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

Acedia and tristitia, the two-fold gift of Belphagor, the demon of Sloth. In the sixteenth century, Peter Binsfeld, a German theologian, assigned to each of the seven deadly sins a demon "sponser", who was the
embodiment and bearer of said sin. I'm of the belief that I have been the recipient of such a gift, it comes gift-wrapped every winter, as I suppose it does to many others. I lack zeal, even just a little zip; all I want to do is stay
in bed. Cold, snow, long nights...all contribute to my general malaise. In the old days, folks called this thing "cabin fever". Blah.....!.....Where's my receipt? I wanna take this back.

May God Damn the Government & Have Mercy on the Rest of Us

2010-01-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve, 1860, the government of the state of South Carolina
elected to seperate the state from the Union of the United States. It had
declared itself sovereign and no longer under the jurisdiction of the Federal government. Their reasons for such an action was the deliberate and continuing violation of the Constitution of the United States and encroachment on the rights of the states by the Federal Government. If the
men who had enacted the articles of secession in 1860 were alive today, I have no doubt they would do the same, perhaps even more vigorously than
they had done the first time. When will "We the People" wake up to the
continuing usurpations of those who reside in the halls of government?
It makes me ill to contemplate what vile machinations our so-called
"elected officials" have in store for us next. Even more vile are those who are NOT elected, i.e. the "bureaucrats". As I have stated before, the times we live in are at an apex of history; we will either retain our traditions of
liberty or be crushed under the boot of tyranny. May the God of Heaven
grace us with the tenderest of mercies!

I Miss the Old Days

2009-12-10T22:13:00.000-08:00

When I was just out of my teens, in the early 80's, life seemed sooo much better. During that time Ronald Reagan was president, the Soviets were still the ENEMY, and people didn't have so much to worry about. There were no cell phones, home computers were to be found in the homes of only the rich or super geeky and Tom-Tom was a kind of drum. It was during this time I developed my love for two things-.22 rifles and going for long walks in the woods. I've always liked walking and my first .22 was a used Marlin Model 60. I wish I still had that gun. It was cool, it had an carving of a squirrel on the wrist. And accurate as hell, I could shoot 1" groups with that bad boy all day long. I traded it off for another flavor of the day, but I still had a penchant for that model.
Over the years I've owned 5 different ones, so I guess that was my favorite
model .22 rifle. When I wasn't working, I'd take my rifle and go wandering off somewhere in the woods( hence the Wayfarer moniker),
and think about all kinds of stuff, I still do, but then it was all so new; I was young, I had my whole life ahead of me.Now, I fear for the future; I have no idea what's coming next. There's people out there who want to do things that are most unbecoming, the want nothing less than to be in complete control of our lives. Just a scant twenty years ago such a thing would have been unthinkable, now they can't push hard or fast enough.
Only God knows what's next on the agenda, I just kinda wish that Sam
Beckett was real and could go back and right all the wrongs and make things just as simple as they used to be.

Happy Holidays?

2009-12-01T22:16:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, Christmas was my favorite holiday, for obvious reasons (as I think it's probably most kids' favorite), but, as I've grown older Christmas is certainly a humbug. Today, my most favorite holiday is the one that's run roughshod over in order to get to Christmas- Thanksgiving. It's a fairly humble day, not yet completely commercialized, full of family and fun and food. Even with its historically
inaccurate mythology, it's still a good day. Christmas (and its related ethnic counterparts, Channukah and the contrived Kwanzaa) has lost whatever meaning it may have had. Originally set to commemorate the birth of Jesus (which is NOT December 25th), Christmas has returned to its pagan roots. No longer a sanctified day, it's now filled with all sorts of
over-commercialized drival. It's become a day I dread. The music is annoying, the crassness of "gift giving" is nauseating, and all of the assorted effluvia that identifies with it is enough for me to want to hit something. In my opinion, there are only two good things about Christmas: a paid holiday and "A Christmas Carol", the one starring George C. Scott. I think if Scrooge were alive today, he would say,
"Screw it, Christmas is STILL a humbug!".

I Must Be Gettin' Old...

2009-11-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I took a ride to a college town, about 30 miles from me.
I went there to try and find a used book store that I had once been to, and to visit the town's bicycle shop ('cause we don't have one, in the Land of Enlightenment). Well the book store wasn't there, but the bike shop was, and on my way back home, I stopped at a gun shop. The place
was crowded and as I was parousing the wares I came across an old
Remington Model 514 .22 single-shot rifle. It was in pretty good shape and with a price on it of only $59.00, I was considering buying it. There
was only one problem with it, it was a bolt action, and some durn hillbilly replaced the bolt handle with a screw! It was certainly functional, and had a kind of bubba charm to it, but... something inside
of me said not to go for it. It wasn't so much the cosmetics, I could've probably scrounged up a replacement bolt for it, but rather, well, I seem
to have discovered that I'm not really that much into guns anymore.
Oh, I'm not opposed to them, and what I'd really want to get is out of my reach at the moment; I suppose that I've finally given up on that part of my life. I used to always have guns around, and I always would go out on my days off and do some plinking. Nowadays, not so much. I much prefer to keep quiet as I go wandering, I guess that's why I've taken to the sling in a big way. As I've gotten older, things have changed, and I'm not so keen to break the silence with gunfire anymore. I would hope that
my change of heart is a sign of maturity and not because of the whims
of a hoplophobic society. In any event, I must be getting old...

Joshua

2009-11-16T21:49:00.000-08:00

While surfing the net, I came across the name of an author of a series of books, a couple of which I had read. The man's name is Joseph Girzone, a retired Catholic priest who wrote the Joshua series. At the behest of an old friend of mine, I read Joshua, and found it quite inspirational. For those who've never heard of or read it, Joshua is a modern pararble about Jesus, who appears in a small American town, and sets out to transform the lives of those who He comes across. It really is a good book, right up my alley.
Girzone goes into great detail about Joshua's lifestyle, which is, obviously,
quite simple. The book itself does little actual preaching, instead it uses
anecdotes to get its points across; and though it was written by a Catholic
priest, the story itself is universal in its appeal. The only other book by Girzone I read is, Never Alone, which is autobiographical in nature, detail-
ing Girzone's life shortly after his retirement from the priesthood. Altogether, another inspirational piece. Even though I, myself, am a former
Catholic, I would not hesitate to recommend either of these books to anyone, regardless of whatever spiritual persuasion they would happen to be.

The Sling Thing

2009-11-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was a kid, I've like primitive weaponry. I've shot bows, thrown spears, even
made an atlatl once, but the one primitive weapon which I prefer is the sling. Not the rubber-band thingy(that's a sling-shot or hand catapult), but the "shepherd's sling", like the thing
David used to kill Goliath with. Simply, a sling is a pouch with two cords attached. To use it, you
place a stone or some other suitable projectile in the pocket, or "pouch", grasp both cords with the same hand, wind-up and let it go. (I should mention that one cord remains attached to either the finger or wrist). Slings have the power to do a lot of damage, Roman Army medics even devised a special instrument to extract lead sling projectiles from casualties. These simple weapons were used for millenia throughout the world, and are still in use today. Slinging stones
is an enjoyable way to spend some time, it's quiet and challenging; and some slings are so well- made, they're works of folk-art in their own right. Incidentally, the pic to the right is that of a Neolithic Slinger, from where, I don't know, obviously some cave wall somewhere; so taking up the sling puts you in some very ancient company....btw, if you'd like to learn more,
go to: www.Slinging.org.

America-Third World Future?

2009-11-15T13:39:00.000-08:00

By the end of the fourth century A.D., the world's greatest superpower, the Roman Empire,
was on its last legs. Barbarian incursions, costly wars, corrupt bureaucrats and aging infrastructure all contributed to its demise...sound familiar? Today, the United States is facing a
similar situation. We have all the problems that the ancient Romans did, plus a few more unique
to our century. If things don't improve, which is highly unlikely given the present administration's hell-bent-for-leather spending spree, we are going to find ourselves in a woeful
position. Our nation will not fall to hordes of barbarians, but rather, collection agents, from all those countries who own our debt. The prosperity which we enjoy today will evaporate like a
morning fog, leaving us looking more like sub-Saharan Africa than the greatest nation of modern
times. Given the way the economy is controlled, and given the fact that the majority of Americans live on credit, the people of the United States are going to be in for the shock of their
lives. No longer will anyone be able to afford the luxurious lifestyle to which they have become
accustom. Housing, autos, recreation, all those costly, big-ticket items which most people see as
necessities will be out of reach of most, if not all. We'll all be reduced to living like those in the
Third World, relying on human powered mobility, living in small ramshackle dwellings. This is
probably an over-dramatic scenario, but then again, if you're prepared for the worst, anything less will seem like a blessing. It pays to live simply, so that by doing so it will soften the blow
when it finally does hit the fan.

Bohemian

2009-11-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

I almost never wear a suit. The last time I wore one was a couple of years ago, to a wedding. I hate suits. I used to have to wear a tie everyday to high school, and it sucked.
Conversely, I actually like uniforms, but only in certain circumstances. When I'm at home, I tend to dress, well, like a slob. I usually wear carpenter pants and a t-shirt and sneakers. If it's
chilly I'll wear an old denim shirt or a flannel; that's how I'd like to be buried, no damn suit for me; I'll come back to haunt whoever buries me in a G-damn suit! I used to be a redneck, jeans and boots; but over the years, I've come to dislike jeans most of the time; they're just too damn hot! Hence, the carpenters. As for shoes, I really, really want to get a pair of Birkies, but I'll settle for a good pair of new Sanuks. They are totally cool, in a kinda bummy- like way. Reminds me of my vo-tech teacher( I took masonry), he always said," doesn't matter what you do, even if you're a bum, just be a good one". I guess I've kinda taken that to heart, 'cause that's what I am-
a good bum. Truth be told, I hate convention. I don't want to be like everybody else, I never have. I remember being in grade school, thinking, "I don't want to follow the crowd". Case in point, when I was in fourth grade everybody loved Kiss, I didn't, just on principle,( I still don't,
I think their music sucks, although I must admit Gene Simmons is a cool guy, in a greedy,
narcissistic way). I just didn't want to be a member of the herd. If there was any way to describe
myself, I suppose Bohemian would be just as good as any. But...it goes WAY beyond just fashion.
I take that course everywhere in my life. I'm lazy by nature, I really hate work, I'll do it, sometimes I want to, but more often than not, I just want to chill. I love it when somebody I work with tells me, " man, I got a lot of work to do this weekend", that cracks me up! Dude, you
just put 40 hours in, why in the hell do you want to do more? Not me! Oh, I'll do my shit, like
wash clothes, dishes, etc., but other work?, nah! not for me. Yeah, I'm not rich, but then again, I
don't want to be either. I have to go with Thoreau on this one. He definitely was one for the ages!
The older I get, the less stuff I get I excited about. I gots more to say, but I'll save it fer another time. Just remember, keep it simple, and you'll never be over burdened.

May You Live in Interesting Times

2009-11-08T11:44:00.000-08:00

When I was a teen-ager, I got into history in a big way. This was way before video games

or computers, so my media of choice was the venerable book. I literally wore out my library

card borrowing various books on a myriad of historical subjects. Within a short time, I, in my

naivete', began to bemoan the fact that" we live in boring times". In my ridiculous opinion

nothing of any exciting or "romantic" effect happened anymore. Sure, we had history, but it was

all so lame! No hordes of barbarians sweeping across the plains, no great armies converging to

give battle, no invasions of conquest; ugh! it was just all so boring. Little did I know just how

not boring the future was to become. In the ensuing thirty years, since I had that dumb

thought, I've witnessed some of the most important pivitol events of history. The "evil

empire" of the Soviet Union collapsed, Germany was re-united, the nations of Europe formed a

of union of their own, the U.S. had itself embroiled in five wars, and we, as a nation, elected the

first black Marxist president, who promises to end the Republic for all time. Yes, we certainly

live in interesting times, I just hope I live long enough to see some of the wrongs righted.

Ever Find Yourself on the Wrong path?

2009-11-01T01:13:00.000-07:00

As you go through life, you choose. You choose your path, you choose which way to face the

world, you choose how you want to live. Sometimes you can face the world in the right direction,

sometimes you can live the right way, but yet, the path you're on is totally wrong. That's my

problem. I try to be positive, ever hopeful, I don't want to hurt anyone, and I certainly don't

want to interfere with anyone's life; but I am most certainly on the wrong path. I swallowed the

BIG LIE hook, line and sinker. If anyone young reads this , I have some advice for you:

NEVER go into debt, don't be in a big rush to get married, and be even slower to have kids,

don't waste time going to college, unless you can get it paid for, and it's a truly timeless and

universal area of study, like the medical field, better off going to a trade school or the military.

Don't buy into all that 9-to-5 career bullshit, and all the associated detrimis that goes along

with it( big house, car, etc.), stay fluid and lean; you'll be better off in the long run. Finally,

try to live a simple life, you'd be surprised just how little you actually need to survive, and even

be happy. The less stuff you have, the less you'll have to lug around; trust me on this, it once

took me five months to move. I wish I could've followed my own advice when it mattered, but

like they say," live and learn". The best thing is- follow your heart, listen to your gut and don't

follow the herd.

I Just Want To Be Left Alone...In the Land of the Free

2009-10-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a few "right-wing" blogs of late, and the gist of them all is that the abuses

of power of the Federal Government need to reigned in. I agree, but how to do so? Some

advocate using the ballot box, by electing people who are dedicated to the principals of the

Founders. This sounds good, but it doesn't work. There are many good men and women out

there who would be of great benefit as elected officials, but they never even get on the ballot;

mostly because of their party affiliation. Others seek to eliminate abuses by using the cartridge

box, but this opens up a whole new can of worms, one which could not be easily closed. To be

honest, I truly don't know how we as a people can change things. The politicians won't do it,

rebellion would take years and visibly alter our political and cultural landscape, and just talking

about it gets us nowhere. I do believe, though, that a war is coming, a civil war, and one that

would make the last look like a debutante's ball. How would such a war look like? Think modern

Iraq, or if you've ever seen the t.v. mini-series "Amerika", from the mid-eighties, that might

be a better picture, only instead of invading Soviets, we'd have domestic stormtroopers

doing the bidding of the powers-that-be. As for me, well I'm too old and too much out of shape

to be of much use in the field, but I suppose you could guess where my sympathies would lie.

I really just want to be left alone, to live out the rest of my life in peace; whether or not that is

to be....only time will tell.

Wow, It's Been a Long Time!

2009-10-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

I've forgotten about this blog,(not really, just lazy), but I really did forget how much I liked

writing it. I truly don't know if anyone reads this stuff, but I'd like to think if they did, they'd

find it interesting. Writing is an interesting and oftentimes therapeutic exercise. I should've

been a professional one; I may have actually been pretty good at it. Oh, well, live and learn!....

or as the French say"c'est la vie' "....I guess it's time to stoke the fires and get this baby burnin'

again. Who knows?, maybe I'll get somewhere this time.

A Better Year

2007-01-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

Two-thousand-six is gone...may it rest in peace, or in my more cynical moments-good riddance! So far, by the grace of God, this new year is starting out with promise. After six months of drifting on a sea of discord, I've finally found dry land again. I've found myself coming around, getting back to my old self, hopefully, not my old, old self, but rather the self that I've come to know and love; the self that believes in right and faith and simplicity and practicality.
Praise be to the God of Heaven and Earth! Praise ye all who art His children. Praise ye the Lord.
And to all-a happy new year!

The Five Dollar Bible and an Over-abundance of Ritual and Tradition

2006-12-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

I was raised Catholic. When I was young my family would be in church every Sunday and holy day. We would also have a traditional Christmas Eve meal , adhere to Lenten outlines, and have our Easter baskets blessed on holy Saturday. When I was growing up every Catholic household also had several things in common. These were: a painting or lithograph of the Last Supper in the kitchen, a sick-call (which I will explain) hanging on a wall, palms hung throughout the house and a Bible. Much pomp and ritual surrounded some of the items, such as the sick-call. A sick-call was a crucifix mounted on a cross shaped box, usually of wood. In the event someone in the home was deathly ill or dying, the sick-call was brought down off the wall and placed on a table. The crucifix was removed and placed standing in a slot at the head of the box. Inside the box were two candles, which would be placed in holders on either end of the cross-piece, and usually there was a small bottle of holy water inside as well, for sprinkling on the sick person. Around this little makeshift shrine a prayer vigil would be held. All this to pray for a sick loved one. My family had all this and more, but the one thing that got the least amount of use was the family Bible. Ours was a huge thick book, which sat under the phone table(yes, there were little end tables designed just to hold the phone, big, ugly, black rotary ones that you got from the phone company)and was never opened. I used to open it occasionally, just to look at the illustrations, but never to actually read it. After high school, I pretty much stopped going to church, only occasionally; that is, until my daughter was born. My wife and I started going somewhat regularly, and we had our marriage blessed so we could get our daughter baptised.
By the time I reached my thirtieth birthday, I was stung by the need for God. At that time I went with what I knew. I went back to the Catholic church, with a vengence. You see a good Catholic would go to church every Sunday, but a dedicated one would go to confession on Saturday as well. After a time I started little rituals of my own. I would come home from working second shift and sit up for hours reciting prayers from little books, I would say the rosary every night and I would read various pieces of literature that I had. Before too long, this got to be tedious and boring. One thing I didn't do though was read the Bible. I had a couple of New Testaments from years back, so I started reading them. When I started reading the Bible,
something happened to me. A light when on in my head, I began to realize that much of what Catholicism taught wasn't in the Bible. Although the Catholic Church claims that the Bible is the Word of God, and was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it does not practice what is written in there; in fact the Catholic Church even changed some of it. So, what does all this have to do with a five dollar Bible? Well, the second Bible I ever bought was a King James version and I paid five dollars for it. I got more out of that Bible then I ever did from 30 years of being a practicing Catholic. God doesn't care for how much pomp and ceremony we put into our rituals or how beautifully our homes and churches are decorated. We can have all the trapping of a religious life we want, but God searches only one thing-the human heart. If our hearts are humble before an Almighty God and if we take to that heart all the things that God has written in His Word, then that humble five dollar Bible is more beautiful and more powerful than all the cathedrals ever built. I don't go to a Catholic church any more, haven't for a good ten years, and the only exception I'll make is when a family member dies, but I still have my five dollar Bible and probably will make use of it for the rest of my life.

Laid-back Christianity

2006-11-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

In the past few days I've been trying to come to grips with my faith. I call myself a Christian, and I do sometimes act like one, but I'm not without my faults; and one of the biggest hurdles for me to cross is how a Christian should act. I don't mean the obvious, like should I go to nudie bars or do drugs, but rather, what should my disposition be? I'm a pretty laid-back kind of guy. I don't go for flash, and I have no pretensions about myself. A lot of literature that
I have in my possession states that I need to give up just about everything except, perhaps, breathing, but just barely. When I parouse that kind of stuff, I get a mental picture of these dour, stiff-necked people who wear suits all the time, and whose faces would probably crack if the smiled and would explode if they laughed. I don't know if it's just a long dormant stereotype I've got in my head or if I'm just not that committed, but I don't really want to live like that. I
suppose that that's one of the challenges of being a Christian. Like the popular catchphrase goes:
"What would Jesus do?", it's all about trying to emulate the One who's the best model. Did Jesus laugh? Most certainly. Did He cry? Definitely. Would He deny us the joy of celebrating life? I doubt it. More than anything else, Christianity is an individualistic faith. Each person has to find his or her own way. We all have to take responsibility for our own journey, that's why Jesus must become each person's personal Saviour. In the late sixties, some hippy types became involved in what was known as the Jesus Movement. They became Christians in spite of their unconventional ways. Were they accepted by God? I suppose they were. Jesus Himself was a bit of an agitator while He was here, and with all due respect, I can't imagine Him being all dour and sour-pussed. He was probably very lively and animated, He'd have to be to deal with all those Pharisees; who were probably just as serious and stiff-necked as some Christians are today. If you read through the Gospels, you kind of get the impression that part of what Jesus was trying to say was, "Lighten up! Loosen your collars and just enjoy what the Father has given you."Amen to that, Brother, amen.

Gratitude is Necessary

2006-10-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling sorry for myself lately; but I really ought not to. Yeah, life kinda sucks right now, but it would seem that there's a lot of people out there right now who are in a worse position. I should stop and thank God for what I have; it's not much, but at least it's mine.

Losing My Way

2006-09-27T05:40:00.000-07:00

It sucks getting lost. That's what's happened to me. I lost the person who I was, but I think
I got found again. Now all I have to do is put an idiot string on my compass.
...BTW...this writing stuff is WAY too addicting to ignore; I guess it beats being on crack.