You don’t need “Plenty”. You just need “Enough”

Plenty of Shoes. Too Many?

I was struck the other day by somebody saying that they really wanted “Plenty of” something. To me this means a whole pile of whatever, like way more money that you need, or too many cars or too much fire wood. You get the point? More of a resource that can be reasonably used, or maybe even being piggish about something.

Sal and I have always worked on the “Enough of” basis rather than the “Plenty of” basis. We have never felt the need to maximize our assets to the exclusion of leisure time or desired activities. For example, when we are looking at taking a trip somewhere, we estimate the cost, check the finances and either go or not. Usually we go. If I see something on sale, say BOGO chicken broth or fleece jackets at 50% of with no shipping, I think about what I need. Two broths would be enough for a week or more. Ten would stuff the pantry and sit around unused for a month or two. So I buy 2. Same with coats. I have a good, if somewhat old, fleece coat. Do I need another? Not really. Two coats, one for work and one slightly better for leisure is enough. Three or four would be plenty, but unnecessary.

This is beginning to sound like a sermon, and that isn’t where I want to go. My point is this: In a world full of few who can afford anything, many who have to be careful, and way more who can afford nothing, it is important, if you are in the first two categories, to reflect on your needs versus your wants, and to align them with your “enough” versus your “plenty”. Who the hell needs 50 pairs of shoes, or 15 handbags, or three smart phones? Very few is that answer.

So for this season of “Good Tidings” stop and think. And take into account the Billions and Billions of people who have nothing. Zero. Zip. And be generous for them and to them. Forgo that extra pair of shoes or that cutting edge phone. Keep the coat one more year, or, buy a new one and give the old one to someone who is cold. You don’t need “Plenty”. You just need “Enough”.

Image: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/44/00/26/440026ea79cd1a91a9aac64d5ccce66f.jpg

Whole Foods Theory of Weight Loss

See that cup? Yup, Whole Foods.

I was sitting in our local Whole Foods this morning enjoying a nice fare trade coffee and an organic gingerbread muffin when I had an epiphany.  America is suffering from a massive obesity problem. People are way fatter than they ever were. Babies are fatter. Kids are fatter. Teens are fatter. Adults are fatter.  Hell, even I am fatter than I once was.
So I was sitting there sipping my organic and fare trade coffee and eating my muffin and people watching. The guy two tables down, for example. Eating a big salad at 9AM. Ok, not all that weird. But this guy was using BOTH HANDS, eating like a crab. Two forks. Not a slob (although he did chew with his mouth open) but steady eating. And the people going in and out with coffee or small bags with pastries or the people just shopping and checking out. And you know what? They were ALL FIT AND TRIM. Not a single fatty in place (well, the checkout woman was, er, matronly). Pony tails swinging, beards bearding, sandals and running shoes walking. 
And then the EPIPHANY!! Shopping at Whole Foods, or even just sitting there and enjoying coffee and pastry was the perfect way to lose weight. No troublesome diets, no exercise. Just enter Whole Foods and BOOM! off goes the weight. 
I left after about 30 minutes and my pants almost slipped off. Bet you might see me there most mornings I am in town. Just drinking, eating and losing pounds and inches. 

Image: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130811113322-100lb-loss-people-magazine-story-body.jpg

Recycled Toilet Paper

   
Yes, Whole Foods again. But a different experience. To recap: this morning I sat for a while with a cup of coffee and a muffin, just chill'en.  In the course of my epiphany I felt the need to use the facilities. You know, the "rest room" although the last thing I needed was a rest. Whilst contemplating the very clean surroundings, I noticed a small sign on the toilet paper dispenser. "100% Recycled Toilet Paper" or something very nearly that. 
OMG I thought. That must be the nastiest job in the world. How could you get anybody to recycle toilet paper? And where is this nasty job (no pun intended) done? I always thought the paper goes away when flushed, you know, dissolves. So what? Do they reclaim the fibers from the treatment plant? And then it hit me. This paper all comes from OUTHOUSES and THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES!!! God Almighty what a nasty occupation. 
"Mom, I want you to meet my boyfriend. He is a recycling expert for paper products used in cleanup."
The next thing you hear is a loud shot followed by a teenager crying "DAD, you shot him!!!" "Yeah, well, he tried to shake hands. Did you see how brown his hands are?"
Just when you think you've seen it all, you haven't. 

(in case you don't recognize it, this is humor, not serious shit)

Image: http://lowres.jantoo.com/ecology-confusion-mixed_up-mix_up-misinformed-recycling-11800771_low.jpg

Fire and Ice: Paradise lost?

I finally got the "best" of "America" (1) CD, after years of wanting and forgetting, and yesterday listened to all 22 tracks. Some old favorites and some new ones. "The Border" initially caught my attention because some of the lines and rhythms reminded me of the sound track from "LadyHawke".(2) Good tune on it's own though. One immediately got me listening carefully: "Paradise".
This song was written in 2001,

      Paradise
      Caught between the fire and the ice
      No need to think twice
      Its where I want to be

Here is my take: the fire is the sun, and the ice is deep space. The Earth is positioned perfectly between these monster extremes, allowing Paradise to exist. Perfect balance between too hot and too cold. Perfect. Paradise. And this is EXACTLY where I want to be.
Problem: They paved Paradise and put up a parking lot.(3)
I won't go into the litany of human caused problems. You know them by now. But folks, I gotta tell you, we are about to lose Paradise. At the very least a different Paradise will take the place of the one I know and love. Might be better, might not. Personally, I would rather not trade this one in for a new model. But I am pretty sure that is what we have accomplished as a species.
I don’t know if Beckley and Bunnell had this in mind when they wrote it, or if  "America" had this in mind when they recorded it. But that is what those lyrics mean to me. At least, one of the meanings.
Think about it.
Image: http://reality.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ice-and-fire1.jpg

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_Greatest_Hits_%28America_album%29

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladyhawke

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Yellow_Taxi

I just saw a Daily Show sketch of an atheist who is upset because a restaurant is giving a discount to patrons who pray before meals. They give the same discount for meditating for a brief moment, saying thank you to the chef/cook and other non-religious acts of kindness. This guy is pissed because  - - - - why? Can’t figure that one out. He can get the discount any number of ways. He is being an asshole here.

I ran into a secular humanist decades ago who was equally militant and an asshole as well. He would DEMAND that no one say grace over a meal or pray in any venue at all. He would assert loudly that any such activity offended him and should stop at once. I gave up on secular humanists not long after that encounter.

What is it with these people? I get that the imposition of religious activity in a State setting is a violation of the settled law of separation of church and state. But that doesn’t hold in private settings. I have held hands around a table while a prayer was offered. Sang carols in the street in Italy. Attended Seders, in fact led a couple, helped to baptize my god son (and was told by the Priest that I was also “born again”) and had no second thoughts. Others religious practices do not offend me when I chose to be part of them, or when they are private affairs. I do draw the line at publicly supported religion.

So anyway, these guys are just as obnoxious as the preachers who rail against all kinds of perceived “sin” according to their narrow view of their bible. And they credit Jesus or Allah or Muhammad for the source. They are all assholes. All shapes, colors, sizes, religions, sexes, persuasions,  and any other modifier you can think of. All assholes.

We should all hold hands and be thankful for our lives, friends and the good of the world. We should hold hands and pledge to fight intolerance and bigotry. We should all hold hands and just marvel at the companionship we feel in special gatherings.

After all, that is exactly WJWD. And he seems to be the yardstick we use to measure these things.

Image: http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/group-people-holding-hands-around-globe-27405660.jpg

Really Woody? Fellow Citizens Might be Ignorant, Stupid or Lazy? Really?

Acid rain damage in Appalachia

I am just about over the pitiful showing for Democrats in the election, and congratulate the Republicans for getting out their base to vote. They didn't not win alone however. The Democrats gave them the Kewpie doll. What defeats me is the poor and lower middle class workers, women, minorities and gays who vote Republican. Anybody should be able to read the history of the last 35 years and know the GOP is not a party for the people, but for big business and wealthy people.

But let’s move on. So what next? Damned if I know. The GOP has been beating the drums against Obama so they will now have “shit or get off the pot”. In other words, govern. Time will tell.

I heard one GOP discussion that centered on getting rid of all kinds of regulations so that American Industry could innovate, grow and thrive. We shouldn't worry, they said. The industries would be good stewards of land, air and water without regulations. Trust them to do the right thing. Hmmmmmmm.

I was there when Lake Erie was declared a dead lake. Some of the other Great Lakes were so polluted that you couldn't' touch the water. The mist from Niagara Falls was dangerous to breathe. I was there when the Chesapeake Bay collapsed from over fishing and pollution from farm runoff and sewage. I was there when the Potomac River was declared unsafe to touch, and the air downwind of any fountain in the river unsafe to breathe. Pollution.

I was there when the Everglades suffered massive drying out from water diversion for Big Sugar, and for Orlando. I was there when whole forests were clear cut and left to erode, and the timber sold overseas. I was there when the Salmon industry on the west coast collapsed from over fishing, pollution and dam building. I was there when the forests of the Appalachians, New York and New England were dying from acid rain from uncontrolled coal burning. I was there when the air in many major cities was too

poisonous to breath safely due to exhaust and industrial pollution. I was there when the Cuyahoga river caught fire from the industrial waste floating on it.

So don’t tell me American Industry would be good stewards without regulations. And if you think so, you are ignorant, stupid or lazy. Really Woody? You calling fellow citizens those names? Yup.

Image: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfNgPtjd1__5P79GKGPCSaHNEGiwGabjx0HPvGpPUdxgP9W8q9

Hiker’s tale

A hiker was ambling along a woodsy trail when he saw another hiker approaching. As usual, the first hiker moved to the side to let the second hiker pass, and they exchanged a “hi”. They paused and commented on the beautiful fall colors, and when the first hiker turned to continue, the second asked him if he was “saved” and if he had accepted “Jesus” as his personal savior. This really took the first hiker by surprise. He answered that he wasn't a Christian, but that he knew well the teachings and life of Jesus, and tried his best to live a good life. The second hiker told him that he was a sinner and unless he changed his ways and accepted Jesus as his personal savior, he would burn in hell for all eternity. The first hiker then told the second that although he had done some bad things in his youth, and still struggled with some judgmental issues, he had changed and strived to do good. In fact, he said, he was actually trying to live up to the ideals ascribed to Jesus, but didn't live his life with the “WWJD” test for every decision. The second hiker loudly told him that he was pursuing hubris instead of humility, and would certainly face eternity in hell. With that he turned and strode off.

The first hiker continued along the trail for a few miles and gradually the beautiful day erased the distaste of the conversation. As he was topping a long up-hill grade he turned a bend and saw another hiker sitting on a fallen log that had been chain sawed into a bench. They said “hi” and the seated hiker mentioned that the first looked tired from the long up-hill slog and told him he would be happy to share the bench. Without being asked again, the first took off his day pack and sat.

The seated hiker said “My name is long and from an ancient language, but my friends call me Jay”. The first hiker said “Nice to meet you Jay, my name is - - “ when Jay interrupted him quietly. “I know your name. I just wanted to tell you personally that the fellow you were talking to a couple of miles back was completely wrong. I apologize for overhearing the conversation. It seems to me that he is the one with the problem, and that you are headed in the right direction. My advice is to keep doing exactly what you are doing now and don’t be influenced by false prophets like that guy. He has a long way to go before he sees clearly, but you are there. Nice to meet you William. Keep up the good work.” And with that Jay stood and walked back down the trail, around the bend, and was gone.

 

William was amazed, and figured that Jay must have been just ahead of him on the trail and just within earshot. But the trail was pretty straight, and he saw no one ahead. He got up and continued on and as often happens when hiking, he reviewed the whole event in his mind. He decided that Jay was right, although how he didn't really understand, and silently said “Thank you Jay. Good advice. Let’s hope the other guy gets with the program.” Immediately, a voice came back and said “William, just remember that I will always be here for you if you need me. And you are on the right trail. And one final thing. It is I who thank you. For who you were, who you are, and who you will become.”

William paused on the trail and thought that it would take some time to figure out what that was all about, but he already suspected that he knew

who “Jay” was. And he wasn’t surprised.

Image: http://www.bouldercoloradohiking.com/wp-content/gallery/longcanyon/hiking-path-in-the-forest.jpg

Woody on Theocracy and Beliefs

I just answered a question from a friend on Facebook that related to my religious bents. I have often been critical of religious viewpoints when I find them to be intolerant of others views or incessantly intrusive. For example, I was in a restaurant in Thomasville many years ago when a man I didn’t know stopped at my table, put his hand on my shoulder, began speaking loudly in tongues and then declared me a sinner and invited me to his church. Needless to say I didn’t go and he was tossed out of the place. That kind of crap really annoys me. But honest people with honest beliefs deserve respect. They have a right to believe and practice their beliefs as they see fit. They do not have a right to impose their beliefs on others, however subtle that imposition might be. Prayer in school is a good example of religious coercion. Not everyone in every class is interested in praying, or in praying to a specific deity who they don’t follow. The perfect example is the Christian parent who went into a rage when a Muslim wanted to pray to Mecca on a prayer rug in a public school classroom. I wish I could find the reference but, alas, it eludes me. You get the point? Freedom OF religion also demands freedom FROM religion. Otherwise we have the basis for a Theocracy, and the Middle Ages, the Inquisition, Sharia law and other equally exclusive religion-based systems are prime examples, to become totally despotic and repressive.

Below is my answer to AW on Facebook:

“As you may know, years ago I was headed for a life as a priest, and was headed for a seminary education. I had a crisis of intellect I suppose you might call it and couldn't find a belief in God strong enough to carry me through. I have always been interested and attracted to the actual teachings of prophets, but could never find a believable "God" in the world. I went back and forth from agnostic to atheist and I am probably some of both. I think that people who unequivocally declare "God is REAL" without a shred of real proof are as wrong as those who declare "There is NO GOD", since proving the negative is also impossible. I appreciate those who believe deeply yet keep a perspective of tolerance and have no use for those who are intolerant of any viewpoint. I hold hands around tables where people are praying, get completely overwhelmed in cathedrals, and light candles for my mother, a lapsed catholic, because she would have wanted that. I love Jesus as much or more than many Christians I know, for his total commitment to human suffering and ordinary people. I do not worship him or any deity.”

Image:http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7641/646/1600/392048/theocracy%2520now(c)sm.png

Spry or Not Spry? That is the Question

Spry:

(especially of an old person) active; lively.

"he continued to look spry and active well into his eighties"

synonyms:

sprightly, lively, agile, nimble, energetic, active, full of energy, full of vim and vigor, vigorous, spirited, animated, vivacious, frisky, peppy "isn't Aunt Helen spry for her age?"

I was talking to a few fellow board members before the meeting when someone asked how Sally was getting on after back surgery. I told them she was completely recovered and weeding like mad. Then I said “but I am probably next”. One of the members said something like, “You? You are so spry.”

That word stopped me. Spry? Isn’t that a pejorative for “Old Fart”? So I looked it up, and sure enough, as the definition above indicates, old age is almost always associated with “spry”. But wait, the synonyms are really cool: agile, energetic, frisky etc. All complimentary adjectives. What is the problem Woody?

It’s this: spry is almost always followed by some variation of “for his (or her) age”. A qualifier. Sort of like “he is in good shape for the shape he is in.” Then I thought “get over it Woody. At your age you are lucky to be able to work, hike, cook, sleep, clean, love, drink wine and think.”

It comes down to this: acknowledging getting older isn’t always easy. You see the “upside down muscle” under your arms, or the man titties in the mirror and think “Who the Hell is That?” The good news is that you are standing in front of the mirror after a nice shower getting ready to go out for the evening. And really, who the hell cares about your minor aging deficits anyway? Nobody. Just the moron who lives in your head.

Thanks for reminding me that I am spry, K. Makes me want to go out and hike and cook and love and drink wine. Not necessarily in that order. (SMILE)

Image: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_L1aS0knEnvU/TXWnYoepnPI/AAAAAAAABXU/xEJAP8PSSgQ/s640/IMG_7192.jpg

Joni Mitchell and Unimproved Land

If we live long enough, we all get there.

We were driving along I-10  a few days ago when a friend in the car mentioned something about all the “unimproved” land, and what could be done with it. Too polite to start a discussion that would once again pit me against the main stream thinking, I hummed along. But decided to write a little thought about it. And herrrrrrrrres the thought!

Unimproved my ass. How’s that for a thought. Land gone back to forest and scrub after the longleaf association was destroyed for farming is the farthest from unimproved. What we were actually seeing, by the way, was mostly pine plantation (planted and farmed pine trees). So that particular land was mostly “improved” already.

My beef with the term “unimproved” lies in the incorrect thinking of many people that the land when left in a natural state is somehow less valuable than the so-called improvements that man brings with his occupation. Exactly the opposite is true: land left alone stabilizes the soil, harbors a biodiversity that is staggeringly complex, cleans the air, helps to stabilize the temperature and provides places for quiet reflection and recreation. Try fitting those things on a peanut farm or housing development.

Get over the idea that by using the land we “improve” it. We don’t. We destroy the natural abilities of land to function, and replace it with dysfunctional alternatives. Remember the song that Joni Mitchell wrote called “Big Yellow Taxi”? (1) These were part of the lyrics:

Don't it always seem to go 
That you don't know what you've got 
Till it's gone 
They paved paradise 
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees 
Put 'em in a tree museum * 
And they charged the people 
A dollar and a half just to see 'em

That is what happens when people “improve” things natural. And folks, it isn’t pretty. And, we are not too far from those “tree museums” Joni sang of. So the next time you get a chance to express yourself on the issue of the rape and “improvement” of the environment, think before you say something really, really stupid.

Image: http://civilianglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TimesTalk_Joni_Mitchell_photo_davidleyes-0122.jpg

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJIuP7zEVeM

Screwed? You did it to yourself.

Heh, heh. Get it? 

From an old friend of mine. A rant that has a whisper of desperation and a certain acceptance of what will come:

“I am so bummed out about the state of the world, humanity, the different continents, countries states or provinces, cities counties neighborhoods. I am so disappointed that religions, politics, political parties candidates are so inept that they cant steer us in the right direction, instead of being steered by a perception that will keep them in power or job. A country of the people by the people for the people. Hmm. Will it be here for my great grand children.? Do I need to stock up on greenbacks, gold and .223 or 7.6 mm's? a real true leader not a wannabee at every level. Where are the John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincolns,, Wilson, Roosevelt (2 times), Winston Churchill's of today??? Where have all the flowers gone??? Long time passing? Just saying!”

 And the answer is very clear. Yes, your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are really, really screwed. In so many ways it is painful to enumerate but part of my answer to him was this: “----the grand kids are screwed. By the frozen assholes in Washington ignoring poverty, wage disparity, resource raping and of course climate change we have doomed our next few generations to wallow in some serious shit.”

 And more. The world has ignored warning after warning about population growth and water and land pollution. It has ignored the pleas of the “wacko hippie tree huggers” to conserve the fish stocks in the oceans, and the old growth forests, especially the rain forests, and to reuse and recycle. And more. Drastic cuts in spending for medical research and world health problems. And more.

(The following references "you" several times. I want to make it very clear that the "you" I am talking about is NOT my old friend quoted above, but the rest of "you". This is not aimed at or intended to be a diatribe for my friend.)

And now we have come to the place where warnings are too late. Earth, air and water are seriously damaged. The environment is rapidly changing, with weather patterns changing rainfall locations and amounts. The air is changing to allow more heat to reside in the oceans and atmosphere. Not “WILL CHANGE” but “IS CHANGING”. Get it? The warnings were right and now by not heeding them we, yes all of us, are screwed. SOOOO SCREWED. So don’t whine and cry about the conditions of the world. Suck it up. You allowed this to happen by inaction and either not voting at all or voting for the science-denying religion-spouting assholes of the world. You did this. You.

And you will, if you are unlucky, live to see the consequences. And the more? Only the loss of freedom. Desperate peoples give up freedom for security. You are doing that now. Too late, folks. Just too late.

Image: http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Damn_8b112b_584520.jpg

And There’s Nothing I Can Do About It Now

Coming back from the best performance of Les Mis I have seen to date we slipped Willie’s album, A Horse Called Music in the dash. An old, old friend and we know every song by heart. The play? Well, sum it up this way: I started to choke and tear up in the first 2 minutes and didn’t finish until after the final “curtain” went down (the theater has no curtain, more like in the round). The theater is one of a few they have and it is a small venue. Maybe 200 seats? We were in a 4^th row from the stage and slightly above the stage, which was the floor of the theater with some low risers. The music was live and the cast was a mixture of local Orlando talent and Broadway veterans like James Beaman, David Gaines and Michael Hunsaker. It was unbelievably real. I doubt that we will ever see a mere “play” done like this again.

And on the way home we listened to Willie. Many of the songs he does express some of my philosophy, and this one has not one but two punches. The first couplet is this:

                          And I could cry for the time I've wasted
                          But that's a waste of time and tears

I once worried about time wasted, but as the line goes, that is a waste of both time and tears. Why? Because there’s nothing I can do about it now. Learn, modify or not, and move on. It took a while for me to learn that, but it sunk in in the last 30 years of so. This is one reason Sally and I take life as we do: Don’t wait. Do it now.

The other couplet is this:

                          I'm forgiving everything that forgiveness will allow
                          And there's nothing I can do about it now

I have forgiven and asked for forgiveness for all I can, and from whom I can. Some was easy and some was very hard. But after you forgive yourself, in order to live at peace, you have to give and ask for forgiveness. Ah, but there are some things in life, at least in my case, that forgiveness will not allow. Those few things remain unforgiven or unasked. Still, I let them go, mostly.

Why? Because there’s nothing I can do about it now. But I can do this: If any reader has been harmed by me, I beg you to forgive me. And if any reader has harmed me, I forgive you. As I age, my memory necessarily fades a bit, so forgive me if you can, for not remembering any slights, intended or perceived.

1. Willie Nelson - Nothing I Can Do About It Now Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Image: http://lindsaykriger.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/forgive1.png

Great Performance and Good Teaching Moment

Tossing Diabolos. What a treat!

I saw a remarkable performance last night. A troupe of middle graders from Taiwan, the Taiwanese Youth Folk Sport Troupe from Keelung, Taiwan were putting on a show of dancing, top spinning, acrobatics, rope skipping and diabolo (1. A double conical Asian yo-yo) spinning.  Average age = 14. These were very athletic and graceful young people. Very high energy.

The things they did mostly worked out fine and the coordination required to jump multiple ropes at once, or throw a top onto a 3 inch disc or keep the diabolo or indeed multiple diabolos going at once is impressive. Mostly worked out. But a few drops or trips or missed tops did happen. And here is where the real professionalism came out. In every case when something went wrong, the kids made a correction and moved on without missing a beat. No frowns, no tantrums, no pause. In most cases many performers are involved, such as 5 girls twirling and throwing diabolos at once. Someone drops a yo-yo, picks it up and seamlessly gets back into the act.

As we all know, we learn a lot from our mistakes, if we have any sense at all, and we get better by getting back in the game after an error. These kids took the good and not-so-good completely in stride, at least publicly, and are to be applauded not only for their successes, but also for their mature response to glitches.

Unlike some professional athletes I could name.

1.  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Diabolo_large_and_small.jpg

Image: http://www.taiwanembassy.org/public/MMO/Photo/15217213671.JPG

Bad News for Americans and Worse News for Women

Best economic news since the Bush meltdown. GNP up, unemployment lowest in 8 years, job openings up. All indicators bright green.

But somehow Obama has failed to get the economy going. Huh? Did I miss something? Bush handed off the worst economy since the Great Depression and it took a bunch of years to get things going again. But, the steady progress has led to a slow but very solid recovery. Until, that is, the Republicans get control again. Then you can look for wars, inflation, debt increase and tax cuts for the 1% who already pay too little. Then you can look to Fox News for the reasons. Then you can suck eggs.

Think very hard before you put Republicans back in charge. Think about reduced wage growth, reduced health care availability, reduced help for poor and starving Americans, reduced control by women of women’s reproductive processes, and more. What you will get is less taxes if you are rich, more spending on border security, more spending on prisons and prosecutions, more spending on congressional salaries and fringe benefits. Less spending on safety net programs that benefit the lower 99%, even though they are the ones who supply the money.

Talking to the wall, Woody. The assholes who are Republicans and conservatives will vote the greedy bastards into office and then wonder why they are not doing as well as they hoped. Sorry Woody, you will probably lose this one, and so will the country. Oh, and Woody, did you forget about all the judicial appointments that Obama will not get? A conservative Republican will probably fill those positions with ideologues and further decrease the rights of Americans in favor of corporate persons. And Woody, don’t forget that as soon as the conservatives get control, voting will be harder for poor and minority people, thus favoring the wealthy and mostly white people.

All in all, Woody, the future politically is not very bright. Unless the people get off their asses and VOTE.

Image: http://www.loyarburok.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/291765548_a917548e72-400x331.jpg

A friend of mine, JH, sent me an email piece about God finding out just what morons humans are by questioning St. Francis (Frank) about lawns. Think about it. We dig up what grows there, plant something that needs constant attention, and we pay for the privilege. The point extends to all aspects of the earth. Many of the religions of the world say man should/must live in harmony with the earth and critters thereon. The often repeated idea is good stewardship while harvesting what is needed.
Take the Bible (please) for example: Genesis gives mankind dominion (if the translation is right) over the world. Dominion means to rule as a king and it also means possession of the land that is thus ruled. So in many religions control and ownership is ceded to mankind by some deity or right.
The implication is pretty clear that good care, stewardship, will follow this most gracious gift. Because it seems that something given by a deity can be just as easily taken back. To my point, then.
Mankind for millions of years (if you are rational) lived in harmony with the earth. Neither taking too much or too little. Just right. Equilibrium. Carrying capacity. Then we learned how to exploit our vast home. And trash it in the process. We are way past the point of fouling our nest. And now it is nearly at a point of collapse. I can’t help but think that any deity that cared enough to give such a paradise to a species would be seriously pissed off at the outcome. Nothing but silence from the heavens. My conclusion: nobody home up there. Gone fish’n. Lost interest when we nuked each other, maybe, and moved on to somewhere else. Or just never was.
Anyway that is my take.
Image: www. stickerworldusa.com

surviving child abuse: one of the lucky ones

“Let This be Our Secret”: The Secret of the Abused Child

It came out of nowhere. An early morning, a basement, a cousin, name being called, mothers bedroom,questions,crying, shame, forgetting. The details buried.

Years later a sudden memory of murmured words "...it'll be fun...don't tell...pull down pajamas...be quiet..." Details return over the years. A cardboard fireplace stored in the basement, bright red bricks printed perfectly. In the corner. Perfect hiding place.

What happened? I still don't know for sure. Some details elude recall.

From early on a lingering sense of guilt about something recalled as a protective mother tried to get to the truth. She couldn't have known that the inquisition would be the first lasting memory. The session ended with "let this be our secret."

Well, it was. So far as I know, no one in the family ever knew that the cousin was an ---what?

And here the story pauses for a question. I have always been repulsed and revolted by the cousin. Had to be with him in many family gatherings. He never seemed to be different. Always playing, cutting up, joking with everyone, an all around goofy guy. He grew up to a hard life of failed work. Job after job. Wife after wife, more than a dozen kids all together and grandchildren by the score. The question is this: What exactly was/is he? Pedophile? Ordinary child abuser? Experimenting kid? Monster? Sick shit that should have been put down? You know, I really don't know because I know of no history except my own. I was 5 or 6 he was 12 or 13.

For years I didn't see him didn't want to see him didn't want to think about him. Then it happened. On a trip with my kids we stopped to see his mother. And he was there. Looming. And I realize that he was a sad, failed (for all his kids and grand kids who he loved and seemed to love him in return) human being. On the fringes of society moving from one menial job to another, unfocused. I couldn't hate him. I wanted to and told myself I would kill him when I saw him. But I couldn't hate him. And I didn't kill him. Instead we had dinner, a few beers and left. I kept a close eye on my boys.

Years later I think about him and what he did. How did that change me? I don't know that either. As Popeye is oft quoted "I yam who I yam" and "I yam what I yam". Me too. No point in dwelling, and I think the healing has long been underway. Forgiving is hard, but forgetting isn't going to happen. So I forgive him for his acts of long ago. Pax vobiscum.

One of the lucky ones? I think so. You see I knew something happened in that basement. I remembered something. Not all of it, but something. Many abused children suppress the abuse so deeply that they never know why they feel and act the way they do. They go through life damaged and guilt ridden and don't know why. One more effect of the assault. (see the July 28th 2009  post for another story on child abuse.)
Image: http://ylstc.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/4/1/10414578/6136082_orig.jpg

A Tale of Meeting

Rabbit in his bed

Rabbit ran as fast as he could back to his warren and yelled “Grandpa, Grandpa!! Wake up. I have just met a human who talked to me.” Grandpa made a grumbling sound and turned over. “Wake up Grandpa!! I think his father was the human we all heard about in your tales !!”

Well, at that Grandpa shot out of bed and said “What? No, couldn’t be. Too long ago. Never came back. But, to be safe we should go talk to Grandpa Tortoise. He has lived a long time and has a good memory” and off they went.

Grandpa Tortoise was as usual having a snack at that time of day and was happy to talk to the rabbits, especially the young one. He loved to tell all sorts of tales, and all the older animals had heard them many times. He listened while the excited rabbit told of the encounter with the man and his child, and just hummed. “Hmmmmm. Hmmmmm. So you say you couldn’t understand the man, but you talked to his child? Very interesting. And you say the child told you that his father knew tales of this very Valley, told to him by the elders? And you say the child said he would come back some day? Well, let’s hope he hurries up, because soon enough he will stop talking proper language and just speak gibberish. Happens to all of them sooner or later.”

“But Why Grandpa Tortoise? We don’t speak gibberish when we grow up” said the young rabbit. “One of the mysteries of their kind is all. It is very difficult to understand why they do the things that they do. A few years ago, a man moved in two valleys over. The woods, stream and meadows were full of good things to eat. Fruit and vegetables grew everywhere. Well, this human cut down all the forest, dug up all the meadows and planted one single kind of plant. Ruinous for the animals there. Some were killed, some fled and some died slowly of starvation. They make no sense at all. The man you saw might be our friend from the past and may not be. But you must be very, very careful if you ever see this human again.”

The rabbit thought back to his last session at school and remembered that the teacher warned all the children to be wary of humans, because they made no sense and were unpredictable. Now this had been confirmed by the old Tortoise. He went to bed that night remembering the child who spoke to him, and dreamed of a day when humans would make sense in the world. He didn’t know it, of course, but he would have a very long wait.

Image: http://www.therabbithouse.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/701.jpg

Horses: Loving Them to Death

Rutger Hauer on Othello

Sally told me I would get in trouble for this, but so be it. Let me start by affirming that I find horses at times breathtakingly beautiful. The image here is Navarre on his horse from the film Ladyhawke. I am stunned every time I see this Friesian stallion named Othello move, and I have seen him many times. (1)

But like any other animal the same natural rules apply to horses, and some unnatural ones as well. They are protected from most predation in their wild ranges, and the herds are growing faster than the land can sustain them (2). Biologists will know this as the Doctrine of Limiting Resources. They are currently rounded up from time to time and sold to mustang lovers. In addition, people all over the country are indiscriminately breeding horses, the results being an overabundance of animals leading to abuse. Every day I pass a small paddock where a neighbor fosters abused horses, the latest of which were a pair nearly starved to death. Why? Probably someone got them cheap or free and couldn’t or wouldn’t spend the money to keep them healthy. My Facebook feed often has photos of rescued horses. The problem is over breeding and under utilization.

If they were cattle the solution would be simple: take them to market and slaughter them. Cattle mostly have only one source of value, namely their meat. But horses have value added: in addition to meat, they have sport. They race, are ridden, act in movies, pull wagons in parades; pose for pretty pictures and other things. In the old days, horses were valued as working animals, and some cattle were as well. But they were also slaughtered in times of famine, or sold off to butchers when unable to work, or when there were too many of them, or when they were captured in war. They served a dual purpose: work and food.

The last domestic horse slaughter operation closed in 2007 (3). Finally yielding to the pressure of the hundreds of horse organizations and thousands of individuals.  Attempts have been made since to restart the industry, but have been systematically blocked.

Now, enter my point of interest in this saga: a semi loaded with horses for Canadian slaughter overturned and many horses were injured or killed. The driver was killed as well, but nobody seemed to mind that.It was not a pretty sight. Who is to blame? Well, some blame Canada for allowing horse slaughter. Why, I am not sure. Horses are a commodity eaten around the world, so why should they not be humanely killed and processed? America for allowing the export? Hey folks, America these days is all about business and profit. Horse export is a profitable business. Even more profitable would be the domestic processing of excess horses. The people who sell them at auction? Better to starve them to death in a barn?

No, the people to blame are the indiscriminate horse breeders and owners who refuse to not have “just one more cute foal” running around their yard or field. And the people who refuse to allow the control of wild herds to insure range productivity, genetic health of herds and to stop environmental degradation of range land.

You people who love horses, own horses, breed horses, sell or give away horses and oppose rational control of wild herds are to blame. And of course the racing industry too.

So if you are interested in stopping the legal trade in horses for meat, stop the stupid and unsustainable breeding of the animals. In every venue. And voilà!, the problem goes away. Until them, take ownership of the results of loving them to death.

Image: http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/8200000/Navarre-ladyhawke-8239730-600-598.jpg

Image: http://www.naturalhorsetrim.com/Accident,%20semi%20cab.JPG

1. http://www.thenutgallery.com/trivia/ladyhawke.html

2. http://www.wildhorsepreservation.org/media/tens-thousands-wild-horses-face-mass-slaughter-after-mustangs-breed-too-fast-great-plains
3. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/17/horse-slaughter-blocked-by-federal-law/4604929/

I Always wanted to but I Never Did

He Stopped Loving Her Today

Just heard George Jones, a very young GJ, sing this old favorite (1). As the words rolled out my mind drifted to other thoughts and came to focus on the idea of missed chances. Missed chances. The Service of Remembrance I went to last weekend was in large part about missed chances: a young woman missed the chance for a long and happy life and as she went she exhorted all of us not to delay. Not to miss the chances life presents.
Many of us have missed chances to accomplish all kinds of things from ridiculous to sublime and everything in between. It is human nature to prioritize what we do according to some unfathomable internal metric. And in the process we always miss the chance to get to something else. Or someone else. Or someplace else. Or just plain something.
The real tragedy of the "He" in the song seems to be that both the dead guy and the live woman wanted to be connected somehow, but missed the chance. A careless word or deed, or something not done or done badly. We can't know the back story. Just the effect.
Which brings me back to the idea of getting "it" done now, whatever "it" may be. Oh so easy to say isn't it. "Just DO IT". But not so easy to do. Why? All those damn priorities keep getting in the way. Save for the future or spend now? Cut the grass or write a story? Take a nap or work on the gun stock? The fact is that you can't do everything and that means deciding what is important and keeping the important things at the top of the list. As the "golden years" (those are the years when you spend all the gold you have saved) proceed, it becomes even more important to make the list and keep on it. To paraphrase a line from Gary Jennings great novel "The Journeyer" (1), Marco Polo said he lived so at the end he would not  say "I always wanted to but never did."
This is what I wish for you and yours, and for me and mine. What could be better than to be dying and not be able to think of a single thing left undone, unspoken, unexperienced or unloved. My idea of a good life.
(And, on the way to the citations, I found this country song by Blake Shelton I never heard before, and except for a few details,  it is my story. Funny how things work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnf82BCQV68 )

Image: https://img0.etsystatic.com/031/1/5261100/il_340x270.577789716_o8ss.jpg

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crIUhQ536f8

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Journeyer

A Tale of Sacrifice:Hey Nutria!! Bet You Can’t Catch ME!

A mink and nutria, usually natural enemies, were walking by the edge of a wide stream. Their unlikely friendship had formed some time ago when the mink and his friends saved the nutria from a feral dog. They grew up playing and planning their futures together and as adults were good friends. “Mink” said the nutria, “On a find day such as this we should find a warm spot in the sun and have an afternoon nap. I am tired from enlarging my burrow for the next litter.” “I don’t know Nutria. I have a lot to do to get ready for the “blessed event” in my den. New grass and feathers to collect and maybe dig another entrance for safety.”

Suddenly, Nutria jumped back and yelled “GATOR!!” as a 5 foot alligator lunged for him. Mink, being the more aggressive of the two, jumped in front of Nutria and said “Run Nutria, I will deal with this coldblooded mindless reptile” and bit the gator on the end of its nose. The gator lunged at the mink several times, and each time the mink led the gator further from his cowering friend. Finally, when the gator was totally distracted, Mink ran away and left the gator wondering where his lunch had gone.

“My goodness Mink, that was really brave of you. I think he would have had me if you hadn’t taken him on. I can be really slow to react at times, especially when I need a nap.” The mink just laughed and said “I tease gators all the time. They think they can catch any animal they want, but we minks are way too fast for them. Why, I remember a time “ and at that point Nutria screamed ‘GATOR” again and before he could react, Mink was snapped into the jaws of a second gator he had not seen. One bite and one swallow and Mink was gone. Nutria ran and ran, sobbing “It was all my fault. All my fault. How will I tell Mink’s wife?”

But somehow he found the courage to go to Mink’s den and tell his wife of the tragic end of her husband. She cried and her kits huddled around her. Finally, Nutria said “Mrs. Mink? Don’t worry about your den. I know what Mink needed to do, and I will do it for you. You just get ready for the new arrivals.” And so Nutria began collecting dry grass and feathers and bringing them to the den, and when Mrs. Mink told him she had enough, he dug another entrance into the den. After a few days of this work, Mrs. Mink said “Nutria, why are you helping us? I know you have work to do on your den.” “Mink was my old friend, and without him you would be in danger collecting nesting grass and digging a new entrance. He was my friend, and friends help friends when they can. I will never forget what I owe to Mink, and I will always look out for you.”

And so a new relationship was born, and eventually Nutria became an uncle to many young minks. But sometimes when he was getting ready for an afternoon nap, he would think back to that fateful day on the stream bank and silently cry for his lost friend. He had found out that new friends may be found, but old friends are never forgotten. As he dozed, he thought he heard someone say “Hey Nutria! Bet you can’t catch me!”

Image: http://www.rickubis.com/rick/gatorbuck025.jpg

A Tale of Grieving Alone

One day an old rabbit and a hawk were walking alongside a creek. The rabbit was having a bit of trouble getting over some of the rocks, but the hawk just waited, or, sometimes, helped with a push. They were old friends, but rabbit was nearing his end time while hawk was in her prime.

“Hawk” said Rabbit, “I think my time is near. You know that rabbits age faster than hawks don’t you? We were both young when we met, but you will go on years after I am gone. Will you remember me?” “Why of course you silly rabbit. You saved my child, and showed fierce bravery when you did. I will never forget you. And neither will my daughter. Of course she doesn’t remember when you saved her, but she knows the story by heart, and loves you like an uncle. I know, it is very strange to see hawks and rabbits walking together, but friends are where you find them.”

Later that month, rabbit passed quietly in his sleep, and all the rabbits gathered for his funeral. Some of his childhood friends were there as well, including a mink, a snake and even a porcupine. But no birds. Everyone knew of the deep friendship rabbit had with a certain Lady hawk, and they were surprised and sad when she didn’t join the mourners.

But then, as they were lowering rabbit into his grave, they heard a high and mournful keening. And then a second voice joined the first in a moving descant, and the animals froze. Hawks, some thought. Danger. But Rabbit's daughter Sis said “No, that is the hawk and her daughter. They are keening for my father, for they loved him as we. They won’t come down to the grave for fear of frightening you. They are singing him to his rest.”

And so Rabbit was laid to rest, and the Lady and her daughter keened and keened until dark, remembering a good and brave friend. But out of respect for the other family and friends of Rabbit, they kept their distance, grieving alone. For that is always the way with hawks.

Image: http://www.shltrip.com/sitebuilder/images/2_hawks_soaring_-IMG_5009_3_-990x735.jpg

A Tale of Joy and Disillusionment

Sis bunny was still worried about the death of Mr. Armadillo when she asked her mother “Mama, I am not sure all “humans” are bad animals. Are you sure?” “Well, there might be a few who are not bad, but you can’t tell by the way they look. It is best not to trust any of them.” “But Mama” said Sis, “I saw a small human help a turtle who was trying to cross a road and she didn't hurt the turtle.”

Sis decided to try to find this small human and see for herself if she was nice or bad. Off she went into the woods toward the mounds where some humans lived. She waited at the edge of the woods for a long time, and finally saw the little human walking near the place where she was hiding. As the human got close, Sis slowly moved into her path and said “are you nice or bad?”

The little human was startled to see a talking bunny, and sat right down on her knees. “Are you a magic bunny? How can you talk? Oh, I wish you were a real bunny and not my imagination.”

“I am a real bunny. My name is Sis. What is yours?” “My name is Sarah. Are you magic?” “I am just a regular bunny. But please tell me if you are nice or bad. My Papa and Mama said humans are bad, and I saw you help a turtle in trouble. I don’t think you are bad. Are you?”

“I am not bad. I love animals and want to help them in every way I can. When I grow up I will be a special doctor just for animals. But I didn’t know animals could talk. Do all animals talk?”

“Well, we can all talk, but some are very quiet and hard to understand. Fish are like that. I can never understand what they say when I go to the pond for a drink. I would like to talk to you again sometime, but now I have to go home for supper. Can we talk again?”

Sarah liked that idea and told Sis she would look for her tomorrow. When Sarah got home she told her mother about the bunny, and her mother said “Now Sarah, don’t let your imagination run away with you. Animals can’t talk. Period.” “But Mom, I did talk to her. She is a nice bunny.” “Well, if you meet this bunny again, bring her home to meet me. Then we will see if animals can talk.”

So the next day when the two almost friends met, Sarah invited Sis to go with her to meet her mother. Sis was really worried about this, but agreed. She jumped onto Sarah’s lap, and Sarah carried her home. When she got there, Sarah’s mother said “Well, looks to me like you have caught a nice juicy rabbit Sarah. A few weeks in a pen will fatten her right up. What’s your name bunny?” But Sis couldn’t understand Sarah’s mother. Her words made no sense at all so she said nothing at all. “NO!!! cried Sarah. "Sis is my friend.” Her mother said “Give me the bunny right now Sarah. RIGHT NOW!”

But instead Sarah put Sis on the ground and said ‘Run Sis run. Mama wants to put you in a cage. Don’t come back here. RUN!!”

Sis ran all the way home, and realized that what her mama had told her was right: There may be some nice humans, but you couldn’t tell by looking at them. She decided to be really careful when humans were near, and not to trust them. Her Mama was sad to see Sis disillusioned like that, but she thought it was better to be wary than to be caged.

Image: http://www.petlifestores.com/assets/images/experts/girl_rabbit.jpg

Apalachicola Bay: A Thing of the Past, and Who Cares?

Let’s start with a quick lesson in estuaries. These are places where rivers pour fresh water into salt water inlets of some kind, making a place where the salinity is variable from pure salt water to pure fresh water. So What? This leads to many different micro ecosystems where many different kinds of sea life can breed and grow. Including oysters.

Oysters need water that is not salt and not fresh, in other words a blend of the two kinds. They have very specific salinity requirements, and any variation will lead to poor growth or no reproduction. They also need the nutrients supplied by rivers moving decaying organic matter into the estuary.

A Dying Breed: The Oysterman

Until 30 or so years ago, Apalachicola Bay was considered one of the most productive bays in the world. It had been said that it would be impossible to fish out the bay. And this may have been practically true. Then enter the dual events of a declining rain production in the watershed for the bay, and the unencumbered growth of Atlanta and their policy of not regulating water usage. As a result of these factors and a few others, fresh water flow into the bay has been reduced, and today the oyster industry is in near collapse. The Feds are considering closing the bay for oyster harvest to “allow stocks to rebuild”. Not good enough Feds. Not nearly good enough. That is treating the symptom and not the cause.

The answer to restoring the productivity of the bay is to increase the flow of fresh water to pre-collapse levels. Then the bay will take care of itself. But in my humble opinion, the solution will not be achieved, or even considered. Atlanta continues to grow, and yes, they have begun to implement some minor water conservation schemes. However, the continued growth exceeds the savings from conservation so the deficit in water flow continues to grow. And let’s not forget Alabama. They also need water from the water shed, and they want to grow.

The bottom line? The Bay is Screwed. Period.  If you want to enjoy some really good Apalachicola Bay oysters, you better get them this year. Because this may be the last year for many years to come when the wonderful bivalves are available.

Image: http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2005/03/Apalachicola.jpg ; http://floridamemory.com/fpc/folklife/fs88727.jpg

Service of Remembrance Message: Don't Wait!!

We went to a  Service of Remembrance for the 33 year old daughter of friends. Although we have known the family for several years, we never met Lauren. Eighteen months ago she was diagnosed with a very aggressive leukemia, and after all that medicine could do, she died. Eighteen months in radical treatment at the Moffit Cancer Center and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, two of the most advanced centers for cancer treatment and research, and she died. 

Lauren by all accounts was a happy, smart, loving and giving person, with a deep abiding faith in her God. In preparation for her death, she wrote a letter to her friends and she had it included in the order of service. The letter really said it all. Who she was and why she was admired and loved. I could not figure a way to copy the entire letter, but will continue to try, and would love suggestions on how to do it. You should read it all, and it should go viral. That powerful.
So, I will just copy one thought. 

"There is one thing I want to share with you that I learned during my own experience, and while watching others. Whatever you are wanting to do, do it now. Not only do we not know how long we have in this world, but life is a richer and fuller experience when, rather that waiting for things to happen to us, we make things happen. So whatever it is that you're waiting to do, do it now. You'll thank me." (my bold)

Lauren completed this letter days before she died. Take this anonymous death (for most of you)  and make it your own. Listen to the wisdom of a 33 year old, cut off too soon, telling you her deepest desires. 
And listen to me: What ever you are waiting to do, do it now. Plan it now. Save for it now. And do it. To quote Lauren "You'll thank me."
To which I say "Thank you Lauren."


Offered with love from Woody. 
Images: Moffit Cancer Center Logo and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Logo.