I Am Having Problems With My Pronouns~~He/She,,Her/Him

About a year ago my son came out as transgender. It was a shock. I had no idea. There were tears and sadness when I was alone. But then I saw how happy he was, pronoun problem again, she was and I set out to try and understand. She told me that she has known for many years.

So I wondered where I had gone wrong? How had I failed her? The truth is there was no failures or wrong turns. It was God's will and I have come to accept it.

Tomorrow she has her first operation in this transition. As any parent would be; I am scared and apprehensive. My mind wanders to her childhood.

Where is that little boy who could not say, 'it does not matter' but instead said, "It doesn't make a matter." Or the boy who named a road 'The Tractor Way' because it was always under construction and always asked me to drive that way to take him to his babysitter.  Or the little boy who was to shy to walk in a preschool parade, inside a gym, and I had to walk, holding his hand, in the parade with him.

I thought about these things yesterday morning and then had a good cry. That little boy is still with me. But now he is what she always knew was her truth.

Nothing is black and white. We live in a world full of colors. The brighter those colors are the more fulfilled our lives become. My son's colors have become so much brighter.

So tomorrow I give up my son and welcome my fourth daughter into my life. A child that I love and will cherish for all my days.

I can not promise that there will be no more tears but I can promise that I am proud of my daughters. I am blessed with four intelligent and successful daughters. No man could ask for more.

Welcome to the family Sara. My pronouns are straightened out now. Dad loves you very much.

Randy

Passion~~It Keeps Us Alive

"The saddest people I've met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand and hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last."-Nicholas Sparks, Dear John

Passion for something or someone is important for reaching your goals. Whether looking for success in your profession or finding that someone who completes you; PASSION is the key ingredient for success.

No one wakes up one morning and says "Today I am going to be a great artist" or "Today I am going to find my soul mate", then rolls over and goes back to sleep.  You need to develop a passion for who you are and how you go about your life, so it will put you on a path to achieving your life goals.

When I became a Physiotherapist it was because I had developed a passion for helping people. That passion took many years to ferment and grow. Years in the military medical corp, college and working in hospitals fed my passion. 

“Be the flame, not the moth.” -Giacomo Casanova

Passion leads to success and success hands you opportunity. Opportunity is the gateway to reaching out and grabbing your piece if the pie.

A wall leaner never gets the girl. Someone afraid to speak up in a meeting, and putting their passion on display, never gets a promotion.

Never be afraid to show your passion; whether it is for a certain someone or your profession. Let your passion draw people and opportunities to you. 

Let passion guide your life. Happiness will follow I promise you.

Love ya,

Randy

Laughing~~The Best Medicine

"I know not all that will be coming, but be it what it will, I will go to it laughing."- Herman Melville, Moby Dick.

Last night I sat and listened to my real life roommate laughing her head off over her Second Life boy friend making his first journey into wearing mesh clothes.  Up to that point she had not been feeling very well and not sleeping very well. I could tell that the laughing was making her feel better and she woke up, this morning, from a good sleep in a great mood. Still smiling.

Laughter is a key to our well being.

I love to laugh. Subconsciously I believe that I pick my friends because they make me laugh. No matter how crappy your day is going a good laugh will turn it around. I use to think it was a good poop but laughter is better. Well maybe both are soul and body cleansing, lol.

"I don't trust anyone who doesn't laugh".-Maya Angelou. That is so true. Life is a serious matter but if all we experienced is being serious our lives would be short and not worth living. My friends, my roommate and my Second Life girl friend make me laugh every day. That is why I will live on for many years.

So get funny friends, watch a little of the Three Stooges, and finish everyday with a laugh. Lord knows there is plenty to laugh at all around us.

I will leave you with this~~During World War I Sophie Tucker was dating a combat pilot named Ernie. On one of his furloughs he went to see Sophia and as loves will do they rushed up to the bedroom. He helped Sophie off with her clothes and laid her down on the bed. Then he set her pubic hair on on fire. Sophie screamed, 'Ernie what are you doing?'

Ernie answered, 'When Ernie goes down he goes down in flames'.

Love ya,
Randy

I Can Not Find A Girl Friend In Second Life! Do I Need A Shirt?

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society", Mark Twain.

Have you ever wondered why some guys in Second Life are always complaining about being alone. There avatars are no different than any others(unless they want them to look strange on purpose). 

Yes it takes some money to dress well in Second Life. The availability of mesh clothes with hud driven fat packs allows you to look good without selling blood to a vampire clan for cash.

Looking good does not require a jacket and tie everyday. It does require a shirt. I realize all men want to show off their tattoos but if you dress well you will be able to show them off where it counts; in the bedroom. 

These are all examples of well dressed real life men(and yes they are all better looking and younger than me, lol).  I bet these guys do not sleep alone every night.

Second Life is no different. When your avatar looks good you feel good. You become more attractive to women. 

My advice~~invest in some decent clothes, put on a shirt, discover shoes and dress appropriately for your situation.

Before y'all ask, yes I do go about without a shirt on occasion but I am usually at a beach or event that calls for it.

Believe it or not; dressing well will improve your Second life experience. Dressing well shows that you not only have respect for yourself but you have respect for those around you.

No woman, in  real or second life, wants to be seen with a slob. 

Love ya,

Randy

Happy Fourth Of July!!!

  A blonde goes to her local pet store in search of an 'exotic' pet.
    As she looks about the store, she notices a box FULL of frogs
    The sign says:
    'SEX FROGS'
    Only $20 each!
    Comes with 'complete' instructions.
    The girl excitedly looks around to see if anybodies watching her.
    She whispers softly to the man behind the counter, 'I'll TAKE one!'
    As the man packages the frog, he quietly says to her, 'Just follow the
    instructions!'

    The blonde nods, grabs the box, and is quickly on her way home.
    As soon as she closes the door to her apartment, she opens the
    instructions and reads them very carefully. She does EXACTLY what is
    specified:
     1. Take a shower.
     2. Splash on some nice perfume.
     3. Slip into a very sexy nightie.
     4 Crawl into bed and place the frog down beside you, and allow the frog
     to do what he has been trained to do.

    She then quickly gets into bed with the frog and to her surprise . . .
    NOTHING happens! The blonde is very disappointed and quite upset at this
    point. She re-reads the instructions and notices at the bottom of the
    paper it says, 'If you have any problems or questions . please call the
    pet store.'
   
    So, she calls the pet store. The man says, 'I'll be right over.' Within
    minutes, the man is ringing her doorbell. The blonde welcomes him in and
    says, 'See, I've done everything according to the instructions. The damn
    frog just SITS there!'
   
    The man . . . looking very concerned, picks up the frog, stares
    'directly into its eyes' and STERNLY says:
   
    ' LISTEN TO ME!!
   
    I'm only going to show you how to do this
   
    ONE ... MORE ... TIME!!

Now that I have that off my chest,,lol. Thought you were going to get a patriotic pep talk? Silly Peeps!!

Yes celebrate today! But be careful. Stay sober. Eat to much. Do not blow up your grill. Love the time with your family and friends.

PLEASE REMEMBER  WHY WE CELEBRATE!!



Love ya,
Randy

One Click~~Friendship Ended

There are times that I really like the 'One Click Unfriending Method' that Second Life gives us. That one click, combined with the 'One Click Shut The Fuck Up Mute Button', allows us to remove a friend without a face to face argument and all the drama that goes with it.

I wonder how we could get that installed in our real lives? Maybe an APP for our phones.

I have been unfriended, in Second Life, for countless reasons. Some of which I even agree are good reasons. I should add here that I am not immune to using the 'unfriend button'. There is something that I enjoy about that power to flush a friend out of our lives like so much crap.

Do not get me wrong; I do get offended when I am unfriended, by someone that I like, for no apparent reason. That tells me that the person did not value our friendship the same way I valued it. It has happened to me in Real Life and in Second Life  and those who have done it have never been let back into my life. A lack of respect does not garner my forgiveness.

If people are good friends hang on to them. Cherish them.

And when you are with your friends protect that friendship like it was made of gold. Because a good friendship is golden.

Love you,
Randy

Not Every Word Spoken Should Be Considered An Evil Intent

I am taking a chance here as I expect that by the time I publish this blog I will be called a sexist, racist, homophobic pig. But those accusations may actually prove my point.

I will start out by saying that, yes there are racists, homophobes and and sexists in this world. They tend to be closed minded, ill bred people that cling to archaic thoughts and ideals.

Basically they are the purveyors of hate and vitriol aimed at giving credence to their point of view.

I use to say that I only hatred stupid people but even that has been matured out of me. Life should teach us that everyone has a point of view and that we need to respect it. We do not have to agree with it.

I have four daughters, one transgender, who practice tolerance and a spice for life that amazes me. When children are young we are responsible for their education. Teaching them that they are free to develop their own thoughts and ideals. As the grew they taught me that hate was pointless and a waste of energy. Love learning from my children.

The little victories of my families view of hate is being over shadowed by people applying some form of hate, through accusations of racism, gender bias, homophobia, sexism, and hate speech.

Political hate speech in this country is out of hand. Accusations of intolerance are bandied about like hot dogs at a baseball game.

In my mind accusing someone of intolerance is the epitome of intolerance. Professing hate for someone, for any reason, is a ridiculous exercise.

These days we accuse people of things just because we find there political and social views not in tune with our own.

Not every word spoken is spoken with evil intent. If you spend your time searching for evil intentions ,in all you hear from someone that you disagree with, your life is being robbed of valuable energy that could be used to actually be tolerant.

If you follow the crowd just because it might be the popular thing to do you devaluate your own ability to form your own opinion.

Tolerance and love are gifts we need to pass on to our children.

I do not have the time to hate. What ever time I have left, in this life, screams for me to show tolerates for everyone.

Love you,
Randy

I Am Jealous Of My Avatar

I am like a broken car. My tires are all flat, all my windows have been shot out and I have an old vagrant living inside me. My Second Life avatar is like a well oiled, high efficiency and good looking machine with a vibrant soul and boundless energy. So yes I am jealous of him.

I have been going to the doctor lately for my 10 billion mile checkup and so far I have avoided being consigned to a junkyard and sold for parts. Last week I had a Nuclear Stress Test. Y'all know the one, lol, They filled me with radioactive material, not enough to make me glow but enough to make me sick, and then took pictures of my heart after being tortured on a treadmill at a speed I have not walked in 50 years.  There is no place that I need to get to that quickly.

 When the doctor called with my results I was told that "Your heart is not perfect but it's not bad". I could have told him that without the test. I have also had an echo-cardiogram, blood work and shots to prevent pneumonia and shingles. They also want a doctor to take a tour of my ass with a camera, colonoscopy. I am sure that will be fun. I wonder if the pictures will be for sale like those at amusement parks. I am sure my face will look the same as those people screaming as the camera goes off.

When all is said and done, I guess I am not doing that bad. My extended warranty has not run out, my oil and filters are getting changed regularly and my engine, while it no longer purrs like a kitten or roars like a lion, still cranks up every morning thanks to pills and supplements.

I am generally happy. I do not live my real life vicariously. Z provides me the lifestyle that I lived many years ago. The best thing is~~Z Never Gets Tired.

Love You All
Randy

What Is That Noise?

What is that extremely loud sound echoing across the United States? It seems to get louder every day and at times the ground seems to shake. That sound is the Greatest Generation rolling over in their graves in response to the state of our beloved country.

I can imagine them asking themselves, "How could our efforts to save this country from enemies without end in losing it to enemies within?"

I have no simple answer to give them. There is no single person or group to lay the blame on for our condition.

This country has a cancer, Political Cancer', that has invaded every facet of our lives. There are no new drugs or advanced cancer centers that can combat this disease because we seem no longer to have the will to fight it.

Our government has given us warning labels for cigarettes, alcohol and drugs when what we really need is a warning label stuck to the ass' of those elected to serve in Washington, DC, "WARNING~POLITICS MAKES THIS PERSON SELF ABSORBED, SELF RIGHTEOUS AND SELF IMPORTANT".

We  have been witness to the death of common sense and personal responsibility. We have watched the bastardization of  'The Rule Of Law'. We live in country where those who illegally immigrate are pushed to the front of the line with amnesty over those who choose to immigrate within the law.

We raised a generation that  needs 'safe spaces' so they can avoid discourse with those who hold different views because they live in fear of  having their feelings hurt. By the way, there are no safe spaces in the real world.

We elected a black president and racism seems to be worse than before his election. Was racism bubbling under the surface and we just didn't notice? Are we talking about it more because the news media is reporting on it more?

We are on the verge of possibly electing our first female president. Does that mean that we will follow suit and have sexism increase as racism increased under a black president?

We have witnessed the self destruction and demise of the Republican Party over support or non support of their own candidate. A case of the political elite snubbing and not listening to its own party members.

We are losing 'the war on poverty', 'the war on drugs' and 'the war on runaway government spending'.

Bipartisanship is a concept bandied about in public and laughed at in the halls of congress.

All these things are results of the political cancer that is running rampant throughout the country. Those we have elected to deal with this cancer do not seem to have the will or skill to solve with the problems.

The Greatest Generation has to be so disappointed!!!

VOTE!! It is the only cure for this disease.

Randy

What He Is Doing Is Not Easy!!

I wholeheartedly agree with Colin Kaepernick's right to protest in his chosen manner. I do not agree with his chosen vehicle to convey his feelings and it is one that I would never employ. Oppression, of any kind, is reprehensible and needs to be addressed in an open and honest discussion among all Americans.

The root of oppression, in The United States, I believe, is firmly planted in poverty. Our government has fostered an atmosphere of 'Economic Oppression' for decades producing  desperation and distrust among our people.

While race has been pushed to the forefront; American oppression runs much deeper than the color of our skin or how we worship God.  It has become interwoven into the fabric of our everyday lives. It did not happen overnight. It was a gradual  process that pitted our political system against our citizens.

In truth; this is our own fault. We continually elected people to represent us that in many cases represented their own interest over that of the people. Time and time again we sent  people to Washington, DC who we knew, in our hearts, were not there for us.

We allowed a few hundred people to lounge safely inside the beltway and dictate what The United States should become.

Americans were, and still are, held in poverty, by government programs that discourage ambition and encourage crime. Working to attain the "American Dream' was replaced  by 'legislative attempts' at achieving it.

It will take many lifetimes to instill a sense of  responsibility back into our everyday lives, to replace political correctness with common sense and decency and to eliminate the sense of hopelessness that eats away at our very existence.

We need to elect individuals that will put our country first and move us toward values that make sense for all Americans.

I hate what Colin Kaepernick is doing but I encourage him to continue doing it.

I encourage you to vote. We are in the midst of a nightmare presidential election cycle and I believe that there is no winning for us, no matter who we choose, but complacency in expressing our constitutional voting rights is a grave mistake.

Continue to dream, continue to hope and respect each other. We do not need government to do those simple things.

Randy

The Snow Rapture

It seems that every storm, of significant size, is now given a name, by what passes for news reporters, to help sensationalize it for public consumption.  The Storm of the Century, Snowmageddon and Snowapocolypse are tossed around freely like they are terms we need to embrace blindly and with brain cell loss enthusiasm. My Second Life partner is calling it Snow San Andreas  Fault.

I am calling it The Snow Rapture. Not because I believe that people will disappear but rather because commodities disappear at a brisk pace.  Although some fools will get in their cars and head off to do donuts in the Walmart parking lot and never be seen or heard from again.

Yesterday I witnessed the rapture of bread, milk, generators, snow shovels, deicing agents  and other essentials required to survive a snow storm. There were reports of beer, wine and liquor being  raptured (yes I made the word rapture a verb)  from stores located in the path of this God send of a storm.

My only explanation for this alcohol rapture phenomenon  is that people think they will be snowed in for months forcing them to eat their neighbors to survive after their supplies run out. The Donner Party cook book does state that alcohol is a human tenderizer and that alcohol is the perfect  beverage to wash down Homo Sapiens steaks and ribs. Thankfully I do not know my neighbors. There are a few tasty  morsels, that walk by the house in the evening, but that is a subject for another day.

So here I sit waiting for 3 pm, because that is the start time the weather people have given us. We have bread, milk, coffee, soup, many varsities of snacks, snow shovels, deicing agents and a list of television shows we want to catch up on.

We have no alcohol as we do not drink. I guess we will have to devour our neighbors untenderized  and suffer through a rough chew.

If we survive the Snow Rapture life will return to normal in no time. I hope.

Wouldn't this be a perfect time for someone to start The Zombie Apocalypse?

Randy.



.

Shopping For Great Electronics During A Riot

As the saying goes, "Never let a good riot opportunity go to waste". That seems to be the mantra of many of the people who have participated in riots throughout the past year. I understand the frustration of people in places like Ferguson, Missouri,  Baltimore, Maryland and many other places that have seen injustice year after year.

Inequality, whether racial, financial or any other reason, is unacceptable. Civil disobedience is the result of such injustice. Many people who participated in the riots were not there to protest injustice but rather to take advantage of a terrible situation for their gain.

I totally support anyone's right to protest in a peaceable manner. I understand that tempers fly and discussions get heated but at no time is it alright to break into anyone's business and steal from it. at no time is is alright to burn a business, house or any other property because you are upset. Especially in your own neighborhood. Tearing down the place you live, no matter what the conditions, is just plain stupid.

I never get upset if people protest. In fact I encourage it when injustice is uncovered. Remember, this country was founded on civil disobedience against an unjust government. Standing up to injustice is in our blood, our psyche.

Please shine a bright light on any injustice. Push that injustice into the light of day for all to see. But please do not let that light emanate from a stolen television or a fire at the local drug store.

Randy

Ode To Humanity

Political Correctness parading as Humanity is one of the major faux pas of our time. We have reached a point where we care more about someone's feelings than we do about doing the correct thing.

In reality no matter what we say or do someone may be upset. These days living our lives is a crap shoot of walking on the egg shells of Political Correctness. Things that seem right have suddenly been turned upside down and called wrong or hurtful to others.

I guess I should not say 'suddenly' as this process has been building for decades. Starting in the 60's, of our last century, we seem to have lost a sense of good and evil, of funny and hurtful.

We do not allow God in schools because it may upset some atheists but care little about upsetting the religious community. We can not call the terrorists,  that live their lives to kill us, Islamic terrorists because it might make them angry at us. GUESS WHAT? They already are and no amount of Political Correctness will change that fact.

We no longer can say Merry Christmas and have to substitute Happy Holiday in its place. That even pisses me off and I am not a Christian. I believe that, given enough time and idiocy, December 25th will become a day of families eating together while on Skype so they can see each other from their receptive homes. God forbid we actually interact with each other in an in person manner.

Sorry; that should have been 'Some Higher Power Who Is Not God. Maybe Just A Super Hero Like Superman' Forbid. WHEW!! That will get the Political Correctness Police off my back, lol.

We judge people and things, from centuries past, on the basis of how our society thinks today. Columbus was evil because he acted like a man living in his time. The Confederate flag is evil because once it represented the south in the Civil War. Some people are expunging ancestors from their family histories because they did things that were normal in their lifetimes but Politically Incorrect now.

What is lost here is the 'Rule Of Common Sense'. I see comedians do foul mouthed shows where if they were deprived of the use of the work 'FUCK' they could not do there act. And yet this seems to be Politically Correct. But let a white comedian use the word 'Nigger' and the Political Correctness Police are crucifying them with the handle 'Racist'.

We need to think about what being Political Correct has done to our society. Political Correctness is a far worse export, from our shores, than tobacco and fast food. Political Correctness can be a cancer within itself eating away at the fabric of our society, until we lose our individuality and we all start dressing in matching gray outfits and walking arm and arm to the tunes of Political Correct Solidarity.

I crave the days when I could tell a joke about 'The Taint, The Grundle, The Fleshy Fun Bridge' and not have a million emails telling me that in one joke I have insulted women, men, gays, laws against sodomy, the Christian right, the liberal left and The Holy Bible Itself.

Randy

Saving The World With Healthy Daily Pooping

Any discussion of poop raises the lid on a plethora of jokes and innuendos.  But lets look at the benefits of 'healthy daily bowel movements' beyond those achieved by the individual sitting upon his or her porcelain thrown.

Have you ever looked at an individual whose outlook on life would benefit from a good healthy poop?  I believe that Vladimir Putin is one such individual. Come to think of it, most politicians seem to be suffering from impacted bowels.

There have been people who have tried to deal with human poop in a practical manner. Pierre Leroux, an 18th century economist, believed that disposing of human feces was a waste of a 'natural resource'. He developed the Circulus Theory which may be the source of the old saying, "What goes around~comes around".  His saw that animal feces could be used as a fertilizer so it stood reason that human feces could be used as a fertilizer. This, according to Leroux, would double the food production, save and use a natural resource and end hunger.

Victor Hugo supported this theory, in Les Miserables, when he pointed out the sewer as "gold flowing from full hands" and makes a defense of Circulus Theory.

To say the least; most people found Leroux's plan unpalatable.

The first question that should be asked, of any presidential candidate, is whether they had pooped that day. That information would go a long way to explaining their stand on some of the issues.

Those conducting war should not be allowed to make decisions that put our military in harms way if the are constipated. Believe me, when I say that war is a shitty situation anyway and that a good healthy bowel movement, from the commanding general, will keep out troops out of the deep shit that a clouded mind and full bowel afford.

Every person, who holds a position of power, should wear a pin with the following on it.

Then we would know for sure if they are in a position to make clear decisions.

Remember that nothing makes life more livable than a good meal, a good nights sleep and a morning bowel movement that puts life in prospective.

Randy

P.S. ~Part of this blog was taken from a story written by Esther Inglis-Arkell, tittled 'How One Man Wanted To Save The World By Taxing Poop".

Biblical Proportions?

The Urban Dictionary defines Biblical Proportions as, 'referring to something which happens on the grandest scale possible on earth. This includes apocalypse and major war. I have seen headlines describing snow storms, tornadoes and heavy rain as 'Biblical in Proportion'. Basically no where on earth has experienced weather that should be described this way.

Snow storms are now getting names like hurricanes. The word vortex is being bandied about like M & M's being handed out a children's parties. 

I see three forces at work here. First; the tag 'biblical' is being used to sensationalize the weather for the purpose of increasing weather and news report viewership. Basically a sales technique to get us to notice the weather people jumping up and down yelling 'Look At Me! Look At Me!'.  

Secondly I see, especially in the naming of snow storms, an attempt to make climate change more personable. In effect, another sales pitch. Whether you are a believer in climate change or believe that the weather is just cyclical; these attempts to sell climate change make me suspicious of the sellers motives.

Finally; I find the convenient use of religious terms, specifically the word biblical, as an interesting aspect of the 'war on religion'. It seems that it is perceived good policy, by those in the entertainment and information industry to use religion when it suits their purposes but then criticize it when believers espouse their views. 

Those of you who read this blog know that I am not an organized religion advocate but I am spiritual. My point here is simply to point out possible hypocrisy.

A storm is a storm, heavy rain is just that(heavy rain), tornadoes are tornadoes and climate change is what believers and non believers perceive it to be. No religious factors come into play. 

Unless God tells us differently. Then we can talk 'Biblical Proportions'.

Randy

I'm Back~~Be Scared~~Be Very Scared!!!

Life has been busy for me the past couple of months. First off; I will be blogging every day again as things have settled down.

Let me recount what I have been up to so you do not think that I have been laying around eating bon bons and wasting time.

I moved from North Carolina to Maryland and am now living with my Second Life partner, CeeCee Caledonia.  It is quite a change from my single existence in a small town to urban living with someone around. I like it and am very comfortable here. Sock has adjusted well and spends his days eating, sleeping and tormenting Cee's cats. He is a happy little monkey even though he had to leave his girl friend, Babbette, back in North Carolina.

This move gives my life some purpose and I enjoy having someone to share my days. It is nice to feel useful again.

This past weekend Cee and I attended The Mid Atlantic Jam. We met Professor Showbiz, Snow Ogre, Andy Ziefer and many other Second Life people. It was a fun time and friendships were solidified.

My health, over all has been quite good with on little hiccup. In 1987 I had an artificial lens implanted in my left eye to repair the damage done by a traumatic cataract. The implant has slipped down, after all these years, and needs to be either repaired or replaced. That happens on June 3rd.

I have the doctors, from Johns Hopkins,  that invented the repair procedure working on me so I am hopeful that I will come out seeing normal out of that eye. There is some risk to my sight, but on the upside, if the surgery fails I will get that 'blind' tax deduction very few of us are ever eligible to use.

Starting tomorrow, June 22nd, I will endeavor to blog everyday. I have a lot of ideas and keep getting new ones from my readers. I will be a little political, a little off color, fictional and factual but I will always be less than politically correct.

Love ya,
Randy

What I Am Reading:

Ancient Echoes by Joanne Pence
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

Compassion~A Tricky Concept

"Experience has shown me that the greatest inner tranquillity comes from developing love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove our fears and insecurities and gives us strength to face obstacles - it is the ultimate source of success in life", Dalai Lama.

I believe there is no greater gift you can give to another living creature than compassion. Even with this knowledge in hand I sometimes have problems showing compassion to some people. 

This inability to confer compassion on everyone, without any caveats, is a flaw in my character that I work on everyday. 

It is easy to show compassion to the sick or suffering if they are good people in their own right but it is much more difficult to extend compassion to enemies; actual or perceived. In reality it is the offering of compassion to our enemies that teaches us how to truly be compassionate.

We learn more from our failures than our successes. Failures teach us life lessons that can put us on a better path. 

All creatures want to be happy and not to suffer. When we extend compassion, to those who are suffering, we in turn will experience happiness. That happiness may not be immediate but in some way it will effect our well being.

Life is a funny critter. It needs to be poked with a stick every now and again for us to feel that we are alive. Compassion is a very good stick indeed.

Randy

Cocktails~Scratches Head!!

COCKTAIL!! What a confusing word. A 'cock' has no tail unless you are talking about a University Of South Carolina Gamecocks which has a tail but is no drinkable.

The term 'cocktail ' has been use for over 200 years as referring to a mixed alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink. Actually the word itself predates its use as describing a mixed drink. At one time it was used to describe a horse and I can guarantee there was no doubt as to what it was describing.

Back to my original point. Who makes up these words? I have looked at many pictures of mixed drink cocktails and have found just one with a garnish that looks like a tail, A Horses Neck Cocktail.

Notice the tail like garnish but again no cock.

Which brings me to the case of that strange light hors-d'oeuvre 'The Cocktail Weenie'.

Now we are getting somewhere!! A food that is generally served with cocktails that actually has a phallic toothpick strategically placed to resemble a cock. Finally this is all making sense, lol.

So to recap; cocktails generally do not have cocks nor tails but cocktail weenies have cocks but no tail.  

WOW!! I just found a recipe for 'cocktail meatballs'. Now I am really confused!!!!

Randy

Remember When Someone Saying "I'm Telling" Was Our Worse Fear

The world has become a scary place. We use to live in a 'leave the car and front door unlocked' world to a 'lock everything up and hide after dark' world. Saying that I miss the old days is a gross understatement.

There seems to be nowhere safe in the world. Terrorism stalks the earth. Criminals have made, what once was a comfortable safe life, a crap shoot existence here at home.

Drug cartels make our streets a battleground. Islamic terrorists, Christian terrorists, religious zealots  of all sorts and criminals have made us afraid to allow our children play in our own yards without us standing guard over them.

There is not a night that I go to bed that I do not pray for the safety of my children, They are not off fighting a war; they are just out living ordinary lives in our society.

I drive by an elementary school everyday and see long lines of parents waiting to pick up their kids. Some of them live within 2 or 3 blocks of the school. When I lived in Brooklyn, in the 50's, from first grade on, I walked the 10 or so blocks to school with all the other kids. No parents were with us. Now days that would be tantamount to child abuse.

Fear has driven us into our homes. It is so sad to see the state to which we have fallen. In a few years my generation will be gone and no one will remember what the 'Good Old Days' were like.

I miss then dearly.

Randy

I Laughed Until My Sides Hurt

From a commercial I saw the other night; "I am a big fan of the Baby Boo Diet. How many 200 pound babies have you seen?"

Well I have seen one 200 plus pound baby; Baby Huey.

Cute Isn't He!!

He was a cartoon character in the late 1940's and into the 1950's. One of my favorites. I laughed through many of his cartoons and comics as a kid, lol.

Life was so simple back then. I was entertained by cartoons, comics, The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, Abbot and Costello, The Andy Divine Show with his sidekick Froggy, The Dead End Kids  and Saturday night Horror shows with Bela Lugosi or  Elvira. Happy times indeed.

Slapstick comedy was king. Now days people considerate it abusive while allowing their kids to play violent video games. So much has changed.

Abbot and Costello had a routine about baseball; 'Who's On First'. So I will leave you with this;

Have fun kiddies!!

Randy