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Friday, September 25, 2015

Kids and Politics With a Sprinkling of Retirement Thoughts

Kids.  Love 'em but will be glad when they grow up.

Youngest will be 27 in December.  He's a talented musician, majored in music, composes, plays a variety of instruments including trumpet, piano, French horn and bagpipes, and does nothing with his degree other than play his keyboard.  There are at this time 4 (or is it 5?) trumpets, a clarinet, a guitar, a banjo, a piano and a Rhodes keyboard gathering dust in this house.  There is composition software on the computer that hasn't been updated in several years.  He works as a night clerk at a local hotel, plays video games, eats and sleeps, and comes out of his room long enough to take a shower.




Grandson graduated from high school in June.  He reads, plays video games, occasionally works out, and drives Miss Daisy to his appointments and the store.


What in heck are they doing with their lives and more importantly - when are they going to get a life, grow up, and leave????  I talk with them until I'm blue in the face.  One insists he's joining the Army, the other insists he's going to make a fortune in the stock market.  Both of them still live with us, don't date, and appear to have no life.  Neither of them wants to go back to school for an education that will allow them to support themselves.  If we had a basement, they'd be content to live down there.

Where did we fail them?

I think I'm going to move and leave no forwarding address.

Politics have been a huge topic of conversation around here since the candidates starting coming out of the woodwork.  It seems that for once conservatives have too many choices with too many good men campaigning.  I love Dr. Ben Carson - he speaks softly but what he has to say is powerful.  Unfortunately he's overshadowed by the mouth - Donald Trump.  If you compare what they're both saying, you'll find there's a lot of common ground there.  It's just that Trump talks louder.  Carson is taking a lot of heat because of his remarks about Muslims and their beliefs not being consistent with our Constitution.  He's right.  He's just not "politically correct."  Thank God for his honesty.  He does seem to have more common sense than Trump on the illegal aliens controversy.  However, everything that Trump is saying is what middle America is saying but has no national platform to say it on.  I worry that he doesn't truly believe his own words, and is just a. saying what his researchers have farmed from social media and b. is only trying to win votes.  Yes, I do think that a businessman could do a lot to promote American industry and therefore Trump could be a good choice.  I just worry about his ability to be tactful with his foreign policy.  Then you look at Ted Cruz.  Man oh man is he good.  I'd love to see him get the nod for the nomination.  He's been in politics long enough to know the ins and outs of the political system, but I'm afraid "the mouth" is overshadowing him.  Carly Fiorina?  She lost my respect because of her attacks on Carson and some of her liberal beliefs.  And now John Boehner is finally stepping down.  I hope he takes his tears and Mitch McConnell with him and they both fade into the sunset.  Liberalism and soft pedaling have got this country nowhere.  We're in a mess and there needs to be some hard changes made.  As for Carson and Trump rising so quickly without any political background?  Remember what I said in my first post - our Founding Fathers who were so brilliant and created a mode of government that has served us well for over 200 years were not politicians.  They were simply men who loved freedom and had the strength of vision to create our system of government.

I have less than one year until I retire.  I love my job, I believe in the goals of our Agency and my program.  But I tell you, it's draining me and I'm tired.  Politics play such a huge role in where we are and what we're faced with, and I'm becoming cynical.  I find that I no longer have any tolerance for stupidity or the slowly turning wheels of government that affect us daily.  I fear that it's killing my Director's spirit, and she's too good a person for that to happen.  We do good daily, but it's getting harder and harder on those of us who care.  It's time for me to leave, but I will be leaving with a lot of wonderful memories and some regret.  I've had the best mentors - people who really were invested in our work - and they are responsible for making me the person that I am today, for making me care.   I will leave knowing that I did my best, that I supported those who had the best interests of the Agency in their hearts and their work, and that I did a good job.  That's all anyone can ask for.

Anyway, that's what's on my mind today.  Who knows what I'll be thinking about tomorrow?  Maybe pink clouds and kittens?





Sunday, September 20, 2015

Am I Really a Blogger or Just a Blowhard?

So, I've decided to blog.  Now what do I say?  It seems that every time I post a comment on someone else's blog, it turns into a lengthy post that really should be on my own blog.  So here goes nothing.

First - this is going to be a blog about whatever is on my mind at the time.  It could be art or music related, it could be about Outlander or any of the other books that I love, maybe a sprinkling of technological gripes, or sometimes just a chat about my grandchildren, whom I love with all my heart.

Second - I have strong political beliefs, and I'm sure that they'll find a way onto here.  If you agree with me, fine.  If you don't, please keep it civil.  I love to hear other people's thoughts about what our country and our world are going through and how it could be changed.  Remember - our Founding Fathers were not politicians and neither are we.  I sometimes feel like we're powerless to change things, but we have to try.

Third - I am a Christian.  That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm what is today termed "religious."  It just means that I believe in a higher authority and I believe in the Trinity.  I hate what's happening in the world today in the name of religion.  God did not invent religion - man did.

Fourth - I love my family, whether they're on two legs or four.  When I lose one of my beloved fur-family, it hits me as hard as if I had just lost a human member.  Am I crazy to feel that way?  In some people's eyes, yes.  Tough.  Don't like it?  Too bad.  Keep it to yourself.



Fifth - As evidenced above, I can be abrasive.  I never said that I'm not opinionated.

Sixth - My friends are a part of my family.  I have many people that I consider to be family members that I've never met "in person."  I'm a member of a great group of artists who call Paper Artists Online (www.paperartistsonline.com) home.  They are a large part of my extended family and I laugh and cry with them.  We share our art and our hearts there, and if you're interested, please check out the website and send a request to join.  

Which brings me to - I am an artist, not a very good one, but I have fun with it, and a wanna-be musician.  I've tried for 50+ years to learn to play the piano, but my meager talent seems to lie in singing.  I write poetry, bad poetry.  Which explains why nobody has ever read it.  I am also a photographer.  Some say I'm pretty good at it.

I love to laugh, and sometimes the laughter turns into tears.

If you've made it this far, welcome to my blog.