Okay, it's happened again. Either the poles have flipped or something else bizzare has happened. My wife has once again strayed from the "ranch" and has written a political post. She takes on someone from the left who calls those of us who oppose the building of the "ground zero Mosque" , bigots. I try not to argue with my wife. Why? Because she is a master at taking someone apart with words. Don't believe me? Check out this argument. The guy didn't stand a chance.
Soooo, what would you like to see? A recipe for Chicken Divan or pictures of my kid?
Yeah, okay, I had to comment on her blog. The following is what I had to say; I'm just glad that we were on the same side:
Hey Hon.
The phrase I used is the "liberal two step" (I think it was coined by Jon Caldera). This argument you had with the guy would go round and round until it would be stretched beyond all recognition. Let me just point out that calling the people who are opposed to the mosque being built at Ground Zero bigots does not refute their argument. Look into what is happening in Europe. There are huge Muslim communities who's leaders are calling for Sharia law to be imposed on the Muslim community. Mosques have been built on ground taken by Muslim empires (as christians, let us not forget where the Dome of the Rock sits at this very moment). While I agree that the Islamists willing to fly planes into buildings are a minority, there is no one who can say how big that minority is. No one can say how many Muslims agree with the sentiment of the radical Islamists. Very few Muslims speak up in opposition to these radicals for fear of retaliation. No one has been able to find out just who is to fund the building of the Mosque. If it is to be the Wahabist Muslims of Saudi Arabia, then there is just cause to oppose the construction of this building. I know that I am not a bigot. What I am is somone who loves his country and I do not want to see it destroyed by enemies from inside or out.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Senior Moments
Senior Moment #1:
I received my paycheck yesterday at 4:30 a.m. I came home at 7:00 a.m. and proceeded to do some chores around the house. Not until 2:00 in the afternoon did I remember my paycheck, at which point I had lost track of it and I am furiously looking for it. When my wife sits at her computer at 9:00 p.m. that night and pulls out the keyboard tray, the check show up, sitting right on the corner. Why said check was there? No idea. I don't even recall being in that vicinity.
Senior Moment #2:
Because we are in the process of moving from a townhouse into an apartment, we have to downsize from a king size bed to a queen in order to fit into a smaller bedroom. We had a Select Comfort queen size bed stored away in our crawl space. Yesterday, I was bringing up the bed to check on it's usability. I found all the parts except for the remote controls used to control the airflow into the bed. Normally, at this point, I would call my wife to ask if she might know where it is but this time I decided to take the initiative. I searched the crawl space and the area where I had laid out the bed and even the boxes that the bed had been stored in. I couldn't find them anywhere. When my wife got home she, of course, finds one. We continue to search for the remaining remote for the next couple of hours until we give up because I need to get some sleep before I go to work that night. While I'm sitting in the bedroom, I finally take a look at the remote my wife found and realized that this remote has controls for both the left and right sides of the bed. I call down to my wife and ask her if, perhaps, there is only one remote for the bed. She gets this exasperated look on her face as she calls up that yes, perhaps that is the case.
So, there are some questions that come to my mind.
Should I be glad that I'm not the only one in the family having these senior moments and that I shared an endearing experience with my wife? Or should I be frightened that I can't always rely on my wife to save me from myself?
Should I be concerned that these two senior moments ran concurrently or does it mean that I may be "moment free" for a longer period of time?
Is it possible that the AARP cards that I have been getting in the mail are not a mistake, but rather an omen?
I am SO looking forward to the second half of my life.
I received my paycheck yesterday at 4:30 a.m. I came home at 7:00 a.m. and proceeded to do some chores around the house. Not until 2:00 in the afternoon did I remember my paycheck, at which point I had lost track of it and I am furiously looking for it. When my wife sits at her computer at 9:00 p.m. that night and pulls out the keyboard tray, the check show up, sitting right on the corner. Why said check was there? No idea. I don't even recall being in that vicinity.
Senior Moment #2:
Because we are in the process of moving from a townhouse into an apartment, we have to downsize from a king size bed to a queen in order to fit into a smaller bedroom. We had a Select Comfort queen size bed stored away in our crawl space. Yesterday, I was bringing up the bed to check on it's usability. I found all the parts except for the remote controls used to control the airflow into the bed. Normally, at this point, I would call my wife to ask if she might know where it is but this time I decided to take the initiative. I searched the crawl space and the area where I had laid out the bed and even the boxes that the bed had been stored in. I couldn't find them anywhere. When my wife got home she, of course, finds one. We continue to search for the remaining remote for the next couple of hours until we give up because I need to get some sleep before I go to work that night. While I'm sitting in the bedroom, I finally take a look at the remote my wife found and realized that this remote has controls for both the left and right sides of the bed. I call down to my wife and ask her if, perhaps, there is only one remote for the bed. She gets this exasperated look on her face as she calls up that yes, perhaps that is the case.
So, there are some questions that come to my mind.
Should I be glad that I'm not the only one in the family having these senior moments and that I shared an endearing experience with my wife? Or should I be frightened that I can't always rely on my wife to save me from myself?
Should I be concerned that these two senior moments ran concurrently or does it mean that I may be "moment free" for a longer period of time?
Is it possible that the AARP cards that I have been getting in the mail are not a mistake, but rather an omen?
I am SO looking forward to the second half of my life.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Does the Ostrich Feel Safe Up To the moment That He Feels the Teeth of the Lion on His Rump?
There are two things you should know about me. One: I am a political junkie. Two: I have depression. The political junkie thing you have probably figured out in the first five minutes of reading my blog. I hope my depression has not shown through in my writing as easily as my political addiction has. When I say I have depression I don't mean I get a little weepy when watching sad movies. I'm talking about a debilitating disease that occasionally makes me want to pull the covers over my head and not come out. Ever Again. I'm writing this not to gain sympathy (feel for my wife and daughter, if anyone), but so you will understand the advice I was just recently given and why it may be sound advice.
Most of the time I'm fine. Through medication and support, I am generally a happy person. But at times, because of circumstances or if I forget to take my medication, I find myself in a funk. A few weeks ago, just such an incident happened. I won't go into detail but let's just say it was bad enough that it got the attention of my bishop. After the incident, my wife and I met with him. After some discussion of career moves and possible training that I might pursue, the subject of talk radio came up. My bishop's advice was that I should stop listening to talk radio for a time. It's good advice and if the roles were reversed, I might give that same advice. But I don't think I can follow it.
At any other time, I would be happy to pull out my Yes CDs or a little Toad the Wet Sprocket, or listen to a little jazz or just set my radio to only music, but right now, our nation is soon to go through perhaps one of the worst times that it has ever gone through and I cannot avert my attention. You might think that I'm exaggerating the dangers that we are facing, but let me ask you some questions. How do we pay a debt that is half a million dollars per person and growing? And what happens if we don't pay it? What happens if radical Muslims get hold of a nuclear device? And what is our federal government doing to protect us, other than suing the State of Arizona for trying to do the job that they refuse to do (ie: defending our border)? Who is going to protect us from a government that insists on what kind of light bulb we have in our lamps, how much water pressure we have in our showers, how well our toilets don't flush or what products or services we must buy, including our health insurance?
With everything that is happening in our world today, I cannot just ignore it and bury my head in the sand. Someone, well meaning, said to me, "There is nothing you can do about the evil that is happening in Washington DC or the rest or the world, so just let it go". The whole purpose of this noble experiment we call the USA is for us to have self determination. We, the people, have been asleep at the switch. But it is not too late to change that and that is one of the reasons for my blog. In order to write my blog or to take part in the political process, I need to be informed.
As you can imagine, current events and depression do not mix well and, of course, I can not just look away and pretend that I and mine will be okay. For one thing, our economy is in shambles. I think purposely. And I am now making half the income that I used to make due to a loss of career. The last two years have been the hardest of my life and to pile on, I have just found out that our mortgage lender has approved our loan modification for, get this, three dollars less a month than what we were paying previously. So you can see that the bishop's advice would be good for me to follow. What he doesn't understand is that my psyche (I said psyche not psycho) is just not wired to look away and pretend that everything will be okay. Just because our country has come back from the brink before doesn't mean it will again.
Okay so much for the bad news. Now let's concentrate on what there is that we, as the people of the greatest nation ever to grace the face of the earth, can do. The first thing is to recognize who the true enemy is. As a conservative, it is easy for me to point my finger at liberals and the current democratic leadership. Obama and the leaders in Congress are not without fault and let us not forget the excessive spending and the betrayal of President Bush and the Republicans in office two years ago. As much of the blame as we can place on politicians, they are not the true enemy. In Paul's epistle to the church in Ephesus, he spelled out who the true enemy is and what is needed to defeat them.
Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
If you are a fan of Glenn Beck you may recognize this approach. For truly (yea verily in Bible lingo), if this nation is to come back from the brink, it will be the changes in us that will make the difference as stated in the Old Testament.
2 Chr. 7: 14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I would not be able to deal with what is transpiring today if it were not for my faith in God and the belief that what happens is because of his love for me. I may not, and often do not, understand why I have to go through the troubles that I have, but I will believe in what Paul and other witnesses of the Christ have written. I would not want to live in today's climate without my faith in a loving God.
Most of the time I'm fine. Through medication and support, I am generally a happy person. But at times, because of circumstances or if I forget to take my medication, I find myself in a funk. A few weeks ago, just such an incident happened. I won't go into detail but let's just say it was bad enough that it got the attention of my bishop. After the incident, my wife and I met with him. After some discussion of career moves and possible training that I might pursue, the subject of talk radio came up. My bishop's advice was that I should stop listening to talk radio for a time. It's good advice and if the roles were reversed, I might give that same advice. But I don't think I can follow it.
At any other time, I would be happy to pull out my Yes CDs or a little Toad the Wet Sprocket, or listen to a little jazz or just set my radio to only music, but right now, our nation is soon to go through perhaps one of the worst times that it has ever gone through and I cannot avert my attention. You might think that I'm exaggerating the dangers that we are facing, but let me ask you some questions. How do we pay a debt that is half a million dollars per person and growing? And what happens if we don't pay it? What happens if radical Muslims get hold of a nuclear device? And what is our federal government doing to protect us, other than suing the State of Arizona for trying to do the job that they refuse to do (ie: defending our border)? Who is going to protect us from a government that insists on what kind of light bulb we have in our lamps, how much water pressure we have in our showers, how well our toilets don't flush or what products or services we must buy, including our health insurance?
With everything that is happening in our world today, I cannot just ignore it and bury my head in the sand. Someone, well meaning, said to me, "There is nothing you can do about the evil that is happening in Washington DC or the rest or the world, so just let it go". The whole purpose of this noble experiment we call the USA is for us to have self determination. We, the people, have been asleep at the switch. But it is not too late to change that and that is one of the reasons for my blog. In order to write my blog or to take part in the political process, I need to be informed.
As you can imagine, current events and depression do not mix well and, of course, I can not just look away and pretend that I and mine will be okay. For one thing, our economy is in shambles. I think purposely. And I am now making half the income that I used to make due to a loss of career. The last two years have been the hardest of my life and to pile on, I have just found out that our mortgage lender has approved our loan modification for, get this, three dollars less a month than what we were paying previously. So you can see that the bishop's advice would be good for me to follow. What he doesn't understand is that my psyche (I said psyche not psycho) is just not wired to look away and pretend that everything will be okay. Just because our country has come back from the brink before doesn't mean it will again.
Okay so much for the bad news. Now let's concentrate on what there is that we, as the people of the greatest nation ever to grace the face of the earth, can do. The first thing is to recognize who the true enemy is. As a conservative, it is easy for me to point my finger at liberals and the current democratic leadership. Obama and the leaders in Congress are not without fault and let us not forget the excessive spending and the betrayal of President Bush and the Republicans in office two years ago. As much of the blame as we can place on politicians, they are not the true enemy. In Paul's epistle to the church in Ephesus, he spelled out who the true enemy is and what is needed to defeat them.
Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
If you are a fan of Glenn Beck you may recognize this approach. For truly (yea verily in Bible lingo), if this nation is to come back from the brink, it will be the changes in us that will make the difference as stated in the Old Testament.
2 Chr. 7: 14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I would not be able to deal with what is transpiring today if it were not for my faith in God and the belief that what happens is because of his love for me. I may not, and often do not, understand why I have to go through the troubles that I have, but I will believe in what Paul and other witnesses of the Christ have written. I would not want to live in today's climate without my faith in a loving God.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Pardon Me, But May I Brag On My Daughter?
If you have read my blog for any length of time, you would know that I am very proud of my daughter. Below is a poem I just found on her website.
Butterfly Depths- story-intro
A rose. He is closed, the petals tight. But as days pass, slowly he widens. He is a wheel now, blood-red and beautiful. Simple form, but it is elegant.
A butterfly. She flutters her wings and lands on the rose, still. Her wings are partially opened, and partially closed, a midway between the two.
A noise. It rocks the rose, and the butterfly flies away. The rose is alone again, but he knows that a butterfly will come soon.
For though butterfly depths are small, they make a great impact.
She's thirteen. I can only imagine how well she will write when she has gained some of life's experiences.
Here's another poem:
I'm a tad biased, so if you agree that she is talented, you could go to her blog and encourage her. I'm sure she would appreciate it and it might keep her off the streets as she grows older.
Butterfly Depths- story-intro
A rose. He is closed, the petals tight. But as days pass, slowly he widens. He is a wheel now, blood-red and beautiful. Simple form, but it is elegant.
A butterfly. She flutters her wings and lands on the rose, still. Her wings are partially opened, and partially closed, a midway between the two.
A noise. It rocks the rose, and the butterfly flies away. The rose is alone again, but he knows that a butterfly will come soon.
For though butterfly depths are small, they make a great impact.
She's thirteen. I can only imagine how well she will write when she has gained some of life's experiences.
Here's another poem:
Texas Update: Homesick Poem
The world passing,
Just a blur.
Tears I cry,
Never have cried before.
There may be beauty,
But I'd never know,
Because the ones I love
Left now for more.
But a blue sea white with foam,
Past the forest, under the gold,
Through the desert, beyond my know,
That's not close to how far I'll go.
Cold skies gray with rain,
Golden sunshine just cries pain,
Though a heartbreak I do hold,
The way is clear; I must go.
Tomorrow, maybe, will be the day
I make my way home.
No more tears, no more fears,
Tomorrow, maybe, I'll be home.
I'm a tad biased, so if you agree that she is talented, you could go to her blog and encourage her. I'm sure she would appreciate it and it might keep her off the streets as she grows older.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Media Bias at its worst
I am always amazed at how people can sense the bias that is shoveled out to us from the dominant mainstream media but will still use the evening news or the paper that is delivered to their door as their source without skepticism or without checking other sources. Critical thinking is in short supply in this country and is one of the reasons why I write my blog. I do not want my readers to take anything I write at face value. I try to supply sources that support my viewpoint so that you, dear reader, can study for yourself and form your own opinion whether it is simular to mine or of a divergent nature. That stated, I give you the following link as an example of how inundated we are by half truths and blatant lies by those media outlets that hide their agenda: The Dennis Prager Show
If you take note that while Dennis Prager is an excellent talk show host and commentator, there are several points in this article that can be questioned. Though Dennis makes an excellent point as to the type of biased sources that are used, there is nothing in his article that refutes the claim the mainstream media is making about our healthcare, except for one ad hominem statement that we are ranked as tied with Cuba. Don't misunderstand me; I believe that our healthcare is the finest in the world and anyone who studies this issue fairly will come to the same conclusion. My main point is that one source is not enough to draw a fair conclusion and that you need to be critical of all sources.
If you take note that while Dennis Prager is an excellent talk show host and commentator, there are several points in this article that can be questioned. Though Dennis makes an excellent point as to the type of biased sources that are used, there is nothing in his article that refutes the claim the mainstream media is making about our healthcare, except for one ad hominem statement that we are ranked as tied with Cuba. Don't misunderstand me; I believe that our healthcare is the finest in the world and anyone who studies this issue fairly will come to the same conclusion. My main point is that one source is not enough to draw a fair conclusion and that you need to be critical of all sources.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Leadership
Today I had a small epiphany.
For the last two weeks I have started riding my bike. I was having a hard time getting started, so I asked someone at church to ride with me. I have tremendous respect for my new riding partner and it is not because he agreed to ride with me. He is one of those people that you see in major church callings that you think you could never do.......ie: stake presidency, high priest group leader, etc. A true leader with exceptional values. I won't use his name so I don't embarrass him since he is humble and sincere to boot. Held in high esteem and fourteen years my senior, I am slightly intimidated by him but being intimidated has never stopped me before. For the two rides that we have ridden previously, I have held off on the pace. I tend to ease up and stay along side riding partners who do not ride as hard as I can, letting them set the pace. Today my compadre asked me to take the lead and set a faster pace. I did and he kept up just fine. We got the workout that we both needed.
Today's bike ride taught me some valuable lessons about leadership.
First, it is difficult, if not impossible to lead from behind. It is difficult to sometimes leave our charges to their own devices, but it is a necessity to achieve everyone's goal. "John" (I will call my friend, John) needed to be pushed and I needed a harder workout. If "John" had never said anything, we both would not have gained what we needed.
Second, the best leaders are terrific followers. I have a hard time respecting any one who can give orders but cannot follow orders themselves. It seems that too many of the members in congress are of the ”do as I say, not as I do” club. My respect for "John" has been vindicated by his placing me in the lead on our bike rides.
Third, leading means stepping out and sometimes being on your own for a season. So many of our political leaders are known to legislate by how they read the polls. President Reagan, when faced with a poll that was against what he thought was the right thing to do, was known to say that they needed to better inform the American people.
Fourth, you can never know when the mantle of leadership will fall on your shoulders. This is why it is a good thing to be as prepared as possible. The ultimate goal of a good leader is to develop the leadership potential in his followers. American soldiers are known for their ability to carry on after their commanders are killed or injured where other troops are stymied by the loss of command. The LDS church is excellent for teaching leadership. The training starts early on when primary children are asked to give talks. Sacrament is passed by our young men (ages twelve and up) and responsibilities are given to kids as leaders in their age groups.
Fifth, the key to effective team work is the interpersonal relationship between the leaders and followers. Trust needs to develop among team members, especially between the leader and his followers. The leader needs to know that he can trust in his team to get done what is needed to be done. Team members need to know that their leader is moving them in the proper direction with the right vision.
Sixth, an effective leader knows the skill level and talents of each member of his crew. As obvious as this may sound, it doesn't take much thought to come up with examples of bosses and supervisors who often operate blind because they have no idea of who it is they're managing.
In conclusion, my bike rides with “John” are going to be valuable to me both on the physical and philosophical plane. This may be because I tend to learn on the fly.
For the last two weeks I have started riding my bike. I was having a hard time getting started, so I asked someone at church to ride with me. I have tremendous respect for my new riding partner and it is not because he agreed to ride with me. He is one of those people that you see in major church callings that you think you could never do.......ie: stake presidency, high priest group leader, etc. A true leader with exceptional values. I won't use his name so I don't embarrass him since he is humble and sincere to boot. Held in high esteem and fourteen years my senior, I am slightly intimidated by him but being intimidated has never stopped me before. For the two rides that we have ridden previously, I have held off on the pace. I tend to ease up and stay along side riding partners who do not ride as hard as I can, letting them set the pace. Today my compadre asked me to take the lead and set a faster pace. I did and he kept up just fine. We got the workout that we both needed.
Today's bike ride taught me some valuable lessons about leadership.
First, it is difficult, if not impossible to lead from behind. It is difficult to sometimes leave our charges to their own devices, but it is a necessity to achieve everyone's goal. "John" (I will call my friend, John) needed to be pushed and I needed a harder workout. If "John" had never said anything, we both would not have gained what we needed.
Second, the best leaders are terrific followers. I have a hard time respecting any one who can give orders but cannot follow orders themselves. It seems that too many of the members in congress are of the ”do as I say, not as I do” club. My respect for "John" has been vindicated by his placing me in the lead on our bike rides.
Third, leading means stepping out and sometimes being on your own for a season. So many of our political leaders are known to legislate by how they read the polls. President Reagan, when faced with a poll that was against what he thought was the right thing to do, was known to say that they needed to better inform the American people.
Fourth, you can never know when the mantle of leadership will fall on your shoulders. This is why it is a good thing to be as prepared as possible. The ultimate goal of a good leader is to develop the leadership potential in his followers. American soldiers are known for their ability to carry on after their commanders are killed or injured where other troops are stymied by the loss of command. The LDS church is excellent for teaching leadership. The training starts early on when primary children are asked to give talks. Sacrament is passed by our young men (ages twelve and up) and responsibilities are given to kids as leaders in their age groups.
Fifth, the key to effective team work is the interpersonal relationship between the leaders and followers. Trust needs to develop among team members, especially between the leader and his followers. The leader needs to know that he can trust in his team to get done what is needed to be done. Team members need to know that their leader is moving them in the proper direction with the right vision.
Sixth, an effective leader knows the skill level and talents of each member of his crew. As obvious as this may sound, it doesn't take much thought to come up with examples of bosses and supervisors who often operate blind because they have no idea of who it is they're managing.
In conclusion, my bike rides with “John” are going to be valuable to me both on the physical and philosophical plane. This may be because I tend to learn on the fly.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Strange
While reading the blogs I follow, I started reading my wife's blog and did a double take. I felt as though I had somehow flown through a black hole into an alternate reality. A reality that had my wife writing the political junk which would inversely mean that I do the personal interest writing. Come to think of it, just recently, I did write about my childhood. Hmm; if I start posting recipes, please send for help.
To be fair, my wife has written political posts before but it has been a long time. Anyway it's a good post and I urge all of you to click on the link below and read it. It saves me from having to comment on the described incident.
getting-bad-rap
To be fair, my wife has written political posts before but it has been a long time. Anyway it's a good post and I urge all of you to click on the link below and read it. It saves me from having to comment on the described incident.
getting-bad-rap
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