Monday, October 09, 2006

A word from George Carlin

I saw this at a friend's blog today. I figured I'd heist it because it has value today...

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more c copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind."

Hey - two days in a row!

See? Told you I'd write some more. Heather and I put up 5 more quarts of applesauce and 8 more apple jelly jars. I LOVE homemade applesauce and jelly. Turned out good I think!

Back to work tomorrow... I love my shift, but it's so hard to go back to work after a 4 day weekend. In a couple of weeks, Heather and I and the kids will be going somewhere for our "last hurrah" camping trip. Actually, camping is kind of a strong word for it, as we have a 30' trailer with a/c, heat, and satellite TV. Oh well, I was a cub scout, boy scout, life scout, and assistant cubmaster. I'm done with tents for now :)!!! Maybe we'll go up to Spokane or near Mt. St. Helens. Whatever we do, it'll be fun.

Some folks that Heather works with are surprised that I like to "can" things. Personally, I like the feeling of accomplishment when you see those glittering jars full of jams or jellies or spiced peaches or brandied pears and the like - knowing that they were just a box of apples or pears or peaches you needed to do something with before they spoiled.

If I could ever successfully grow tomatoes here, I'd put them up too. Wonder what I'll put up now?

Until our next -

Boy am I out of touch.

Long time no type. Where to begin?

Rather than try to catch up, I guess it's time to start anew. I thought long and hard on what I wanted the blog to look like, and I think it is better off as a place for my thoughts and ideas, less political and more day to day observations. Sometimes I think of myself as a humorist, other times a pundit, and usually I am wandering out there trying to make the best of a bad situation.

Well in the spirit of the "Truth in Blogging Act" I guess I should add that my situations of late have been many things, but BAD really isn't one of them. I have a loving wife, two kids that, in the great scheme of things, aren't too bad, and my health is returning. Life is just not that bad.

Annual bouts of cold/flu/ear infections are now mostly past. I am a new devotee of the effects of age though. I now have to take medication for high blood pressure. I suspect that if I lost a fair amount of fat that's hanging off the bones here though, I would no longer require it. We'll see.

The first of the year is the date I have set aside for quitting smoking. I have smoked over 30 of my 43 years. I suspect it is now time I quit. Hell, I suspect it's PAST time I quit. My wife of 15 years is CERTAIN it's time for me to quit. Sigh. I'm certain it won't kill me. Lots of people don't smoke. I'll manage somehow.

I've kinda let this blog go by the wayside as I gathered my thoughts, ideas and just plain got my arse out of the rut it was in. Let's see if I have succeeded.